View from a Room -- take two

Ok-- I am still figuring out this blogging business--my first post turned out kinda wonky after I put in the pictures, so this is attempt #2.

This is the view from my window at work. I like the city skyline, so it is a good thing.

The last picture is a shot of my next project, the Albert Coat from The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch. It is a little version of the adult Einstein coat, which I really like. I figure I can perfect my technique while doing a couple of the baby coats and then move on to the large version. And since I have friends that are expecting AND will be knitting with yarn from my stash---IT'S ALL GOOD!

Babble, Babble, Toil and Drabbles.....

I was supposed to go to my pottery class tonight but oldest son is in class (either biology I or history I, not sure ) and hubby is sitting in his master's level nonparametric statistics class (I have NO CLUE as to what this is!) , so I am at home with the 13 yrs olds. I didn't feel right leaving them --- sometimes I do if I know "grandma" (our adopted neighbor) is next door or the older males are going to be home within the hour, but tonight was one of those off nights. And right now they are outside hurling snowballs at mind numbing speeds towards each other as I sit here hoping the next dull thud that hits the door is a snowball, not a kid. You can never tell on these things. And since the boys are being so wild with me HERE, I dare not leave them alone. They are at that age.....

I stumped the instructors at the cosmetology school I go to get my hair cut at...Usually I go in for a color and a partial weave (lighter highlights) and they do a great job. Since I have decided to grow out my hair and let it go grey (I am completely grey at 42 years old), I asked them to do something to make the STRIPE of increasing grey a little less harsh.....they apparently have never had someone ask that....the instructor kept confirming that I INTEND to go grey...After much discussion, my student hairdresser came up with doing a slight weave of the normal colors. Slightly enough so that there is some color running through it...It looks pretty good...I figure if I don't like the grey, I can always color it. Isn't it funny how women fret over such things? My hubby could care less what color my hair is, which is nice, but one of my friends is mortified that I am going to let my hair go grey....And hey, I have already started eyeing a beautiful clear royal blue yarn for a hat/scarf that would look perfect with grey hair....after I destash my yarn--of course...

Silver lining (no pun) --- with the money I saved on not doing a complete color/weave, I am having a facial!!! I haven't wanted to spend the money to get one before but I figure, now is a good time to try it. It's the little splurges that make life good....I'm not a frou-frou girl, so this is one of the few frou frou posts you'll have to endure.

Have a great night and an even better morning!

It's All Good....

I am a little slow going this morning---same with the kids, but I got them to school on time. That has been a little bit of a problem for me this month. It seems like I get the kids up, they have breakfast and before you know it, it is 7:25. That wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that at 7:25 we should be in a warmed up, windshield scraped van sitting in a long line waiting to turn into the parking lot of the school. That has not happened this week. Pretty lame....But some mornings getting kids focused and to school on time is like HERDING GERBILS!

I am at the tail end of the scarf I'm making for a mediator at my office and already eyeing another one. The yarn I am using is a synthetic, but it feels like butter! I love knitting with it. Plus it is bulky and textured with eyelash style yarns, so plain garter stitch is sufficient.

Yesterday was a good mail day. I got Barefoot Contessa's new cookbook in the mail--it really is a good one and the recipes are ones I can see myself making. I have all of her other ones--except for the French one. That one didn't fit my style, although most of her books have easy recipes. The only quirk is that she tends to use extra large eggs--so I have to buy them. A lot of times I get my eggs from a lady down the road that has chickens. The first time I had fresh eggs, it was amazing. They are completely different from store bought. I can't describe it, take my word. I still buy store bought eggs (I sometimes don't have time to "run to the egg lady") but I really do enjoy going. Plus, I get to see the chickens---which I am totally in love with! If we end up buying this house, I am soooo getting a couple hens for eggs and amusement. We can have them in my little town, but no roosters for the obvious reasons.

I am posting a picture of the snowman created by our neighbors. It just makes me smile. It is more "ample" than any of the others!

Things I am thankful for today:

1.Spellcheck on my computer.

2. Coffee

3. Warm houses

4. Rock salt

5. Having the ability to knit. Both physical and mental. I think we all tend to take this for granted, but I was contemplating about how much pleasure it brings me and how I would miss it if I could not do it.

Have a GREAT morning!

Picture as promised

Here is preteen in his hat ---made by me. He likes it, it is warm and not "dorky", so I guess I did well. I guess I should scrap the little ducky hat, huh?

Holy Smokes It's Cold!

I know, WAHHHHH. I have decided I am not a cold weather person! I like snow and having real seasons, but darn it, I would like to be able to stay inside and watch it from the warmth of my window with yarn in hand....

I had an AH HA moment this morning. As one of the twins went out the door wearing the first hat I've ever knit, suddenly I got a feeling of real satisfaction and realized,THIS is why we knit. There is something really satisfying about seeing someone you love wearing something you knit. And liking it. The pattern is one that I got in class a couple months ago and it is simple enough to be a first "not scarf" project for those ready to move on. The hat picture will be posted this evening (I finally found the charger cable to the camera). It is a really simple pattern done in Lion Brand (I needed to make sure it was washable) --- I am pretty happy with it and it knits up in a day or less. Very simple. However. I am doing the next one in some of my kool-aid dyed wool. If you have never Kool-aid dyed, you MUST try it! Along with being pretty darned easy, it is a good project for kids to help with.

Hubby was so sweet this morning. He took kids to school so I could get ready for work at my own pace, then called to wish me a Happy B-day. I'm 42 today. It doesn't feel like it. However, I like being the age I am and would not want to go backwards.

Have a GREAT and warm morning! I'll have pictures this afternoon of the hat and maybe some extras----now that I FOUND the cable!!! Cable....sounds like an idea for my next project.......

Just sitting here nursing breakfast until I get motivated to get off to work. It is sooooo hard to get motivated when inside the house is warm and toasty and outside is cold and frosty....so I sit here with a warm bowl of oatmeal w/ dried cranberries and contemplate my day. I am trying to make it a habit to eat a bowl of oatmeal at least 3 mornings a week. However, I have discovered the amount they give for the "heart healthy" recipe makes a huge portion, so I end up stuffed and sleepy some mornings (like today). I would like to work up to at least 4 days, but most mornings I am lucky to leave the house with clothes on, let alone having breakfast!!Now if I could just make myself consume 8 glasses of water a day....

Cute man is still gone--he comes home tomorrow evening in time for his class. He is taking nonparametric statistics FOR FUN! YUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!! He was sweet enough to call the house again this morning to make sure I was up. Pretty sad, I know, but I am not a morning person and that snooze alarm is just too easy for me to push. Repeatedly.Until the clock breaks. Or the hammer pulverizes it. I am SOOO sleeping in this weekend! Jeremy has pottery at 1:00, so I guess I have to get out of bed at some point, but darn it! Hibernation is a good concept. Just think how nice the world would be if politicians were required to take a nap before signing legislation or statutes that cause strife!

At some point this week, I have to make it to the DMV to renew my license. Here you have to take a small written test to renew. It isn't so bad because they mail you the test and the booklet, you complete the test and bring it to the DMV. I guess I need to do it quickly. I'm ashamed to say it took me 5 years to get my license change from Oklahoma to Kansas. I think my hubby thought I was going to bolt back to Oklahoma...I was pretty homesick when we moved here, but Kansas does have some really good things going for it. Once I finally got it switched from Oklahoma to Kansas, my husband was relieved.

Our little episode where the power was out made me realize how my blessings are often shuffled aside. The ability to have heat and light are definitely things we take for granted. So I end this post with a prayer of thanks for the little things.

And a Happy Good Morning to You!

Remember me being glib about having power? Well, last night the reality fairy came to visit....Apparently about 3:45. My oldest woke me up to let me know we had no power.HMMMMM-wake Mom up from a sound sleep to let her know the power is off...oh yeah, and the computer is off (like I can wave a magic wand and make the computer function without juice?!)Which means no heat. Gas furnaces are great except for the fact the ignition is electric....Luckily we were only without for an hour or three--I'm not completely sure since I went back to sleep. Hubby is out of town on a business trip but was sweet enough to call at 7:00 to make sure I was up and the kids were ready for school. Good thing since our alarm clock is guess what.....ELECTRIC.I just wanted to hibernate this morning...However we are definitely happy we have the convenience of heat, electricity and all that goes with it. The roads are clear, which is another blessing. Although it does have me seriously thinking that if we end up buying this house, we are definitely putting in either a wood burning stove or a soapstone fireplace.For the heat of course--not the idea of knitting in front of a fire...OK, maybe a little of that idea...

On the knitting front, I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday AND DID NOT BUY ANY YARN!!!!For me, that is the equivalent of going into a Godiva Chocolate shop and just looking!And they had some really fun novelty yarn at an awesome price!! But I behaved. I am really trying to knit from my stash. On the needles right now is a dark green scarf for one of the mediators at the office. When I finish, I have a royal blue scarf planned for someone who needs something special!I did buy yarn for this project, but even Hubby agreed this person needs fresh yarn and in a really beautiful color. Some people may not like novelty yarns, but I am completely addicted to the Hobby Lobby (YARN BEE BRAND) yarn. I did eye some wool/soy yarn from Paton's while at Michael's craft store yesterday, but stuck with the de-stashing goal and put it on my "someday" list.

I guess it is time to head to work. Have a great day!

It's raining,it's snowing, this old lady's nose is glowing...

We have been having quite the fun weather since Friday! I got to work at 9:15 and my boss called and said GO HOME...at that point it was just sleeting and lightly snowing in alternate cycles. Luckily I had gone to the grocery store Thursday after pottery class. It was 10:30p.m. and I had missed the apparently wild and crazy rush to stock up. The cashier said it was a total madhouse all afternoon and most of the evening. At 10:30, I was one of half a dozen shoppers, so it was good. Luckily they had everything I needed. On Friday I stopped and got a ton of meat since our small town store was having an outrageous meat sale....so we are stocked and don't have to go out in this crazy weather. Luckily the weather is not bad enough to make the power go off, but if it does, we'll just unpack the freezer and put it all in the cooler outside, which is probably colder than the freezer!!!It is nice but the kids are getting stir crazy...what did parents do before PlayStation?! I guess we had plenty of books and I used to paint and draw when we were stuck inside....but I am putting a lot of inches on a scarf I am knitting for someone at the office, so it is all good.....it would be cozy to have a fireplace though!!

Speaking of painting and drawing, I decided that this year I am going to make a bigger effort to honor my talents. I love to watercolor paint and have gotten lots of compliments on the ones I have completed, but it seems as though I stop after someone compliments and I have my art laying all around where it is not being protected....I am going to start keeping my art in a portfolio case and I am going to set aside time each day to paint--even if for 30 minutes. I bought a book called Art Escapes by Dori Kanter several months ago and have been meaning to start the exercises, but never got to it. Yesterday, I went online and ordered the sketchpads and three tubes of watercolors to start the exercises in the book. I will order the other colors as I get to them. I like this book--it will help me work on my color wheel sense and give me projects to shake up my routine. I will post paintings as I complete them...

I am craving sushi! However, I am not craving it to the point of driving in this crazy weather to go get some! The closest sushi place is 30 minutes away- on a good day....I signed my hubby and I up for a sushi and Japanese cooking class in April. It is a hands on class by a well known chef/caterer here in town, so I am looking forward to it. Then we can keep the supplies in the freezer/pantry and make sushi when we get the urge. Jeremy, one of our twins, will eat sushi like crazy--eel is his favorite (it is too heavy tasting for me) so he is looking forward to us teaching him after we take the class, but our 20 year old son and the other twin will not touch the stuff. Luckily this class also teaches teriyaki--which both love...something for everyone.

Stay warm and stay cozy!

Yada,Yada,Yada

I will be glad when I get over this respiratory junk that is going around!!! I stayed home from work yesterday because I felt like someone had a wild trashing party in my body and forgot to invite me....Luckily I had caught up everything I needed to do at work on Monday, so I didn't leave any loose ends hanging. I went in on Monday but was trying to stay away from anyone---I really don't want to share this! My oldest caught it, so I know it is contagious, but he was done with it after spending 2 days in bed....I guess that's the problem with getting older. I have been nailed by this for 2 weeks....I am going to work this morning--I still feel like I'm draggin' but it's only 4 hours and then I'll come home and crash. It is easy to go in to work though--I really do love the people I work with and that makes it smoother when I am feeling like I do today...I am nursing a cup of hot cocoa (recipe posted in earlier entry) right now, then I will head off to work. ...for the most part I slept until noon yesterday--however Hobby Lobby had a sale on the yarn that I needed to complete a scarf I'm working on, so at 4:00 I got moving and ran some pressing errands and stopped by Hobby Lobby.
Originally my 2007 goals included only using yarn from my stash and not buying more. Unfortunately, I was one skein short from finishing this scarf AND Hobby Lobby was having a sale on the exact yarn I needed for half the price. Was that not a sign from above or what? So I picked up more and got another couple skein of a yarn I am completely addicted to called "Italia". It is normally almost $7 a skein but was on sale for $1.99 !!! Is that not too good to pass up or what?!!! It is a frou-frou novelty yarn (it is the Hobby Lobby brand) but it is sooooooooo nice to work with---I picked up 8 skeins....
No pictures this morning--maybe later...I guess I'd better get off to work. Have a great day!

YUMMMM

I am going on a high fiber diet this year. Just look at the confection that I got from Amazon yesterday. Actually this is one of three knitting books, I will show the others in future posts as I work from them. I had put this book in my cart for at least a month--I wasn't sure if I wanted it since a couple reviews were mediocre. This book is a prime example of why you can't totally rely on reviews and you really have to investigate yourself. THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!I hope I'm not violating any copyright laws by showing photos from the book--but I am just so excited about so many that I had to show just a few. There are sooo many more really good ones in it and it covers all skill levels such as a reversible cable scarf, fingerless mitts (pictured), a wonderful simple cuddly sweater (pictured) and an unbelievably beautiful Celtic plait sweater for more advanced (pictured in white) that gives me inspiration to aspire to. I'm not at that level yet, but I really am motivated!!There are several baby, kid and male patterns too.

Can we start the year over?

Since right before the New Year, I had been feeling a little yucky--as of the New Year, full blown yuck has descended into my chest....can I have a do-over? But being the optimist (fool?) that I am, I am resisting going to the doctor unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. I will probably have to call out a second day from work--I REALLY would not like to give this to anyone and it is impossible for me to not interact if I am at the office....and I have realized I left my purple alpaca scarf at the office, so nothing repetitive to soothe me....I am going to have to look in my stash and start another scarf. One of my goals for the upcoming year is to knit from my stash. I really have too much yarn hanging around with no plans for it. In the very least, I should knit up scarves to take to the women's shelters or children's homes. That will give me a good feeling and serve the additional benefit of clearing space in my house....Hopefully I have red in my stash for the red scarf project (see the link in my lists). Foster kids are near and dear to my heart, and so are the ones who have "aged out" of the system.
Have a great day!

Frustrations!

I am getting frustrated about an error message I am getting while trying to install the HTML code on Blogger---I keep getting an Internal Server Error 500--which I have since found out is a general catch-all "you have a problem but we aren't sure what" message! All I want to do is upload the code for a ring I am REALLY wanting to join....figures! I have email everyone and their cousins for assistance!!!I'm pretty sure it isn't the ring HTML or others would be having issues. Time like these I would love to be able to speak Computerese!!

On another note, I usually don't make resolutions, but this year I broke that tradition. My New Years Knitting Resolutions are:

1: Learn to knit a sweater. I ordered Knitting From the Top Down by Barbara Walker to assist me with this. My LYS owner will be in shock--this is the one thing I told her I had no aspirations of ever doing.

2. Finish my son's legacy socks. Named legacy because at the rate I'm going they may arrive just in time for my grandchildren fit into them---and my son is not even dating anyone...

3. Visit a different small town each month in Kansas and Oklahoma and knit in each one. Details about the town will be posted on my site along with knitting pictures. These will be LITTLE towns that you pass on your way to somewhere else and never even stop to consider.....

And on the non-knitting side:

4. Get my college algebra and public speaking done so I can finish my degree! How is it that I can make straight A's in probate law, family law, criminal law, abnormal psychology etc but HAVE A MATH ISSUE!!! Okay, so I made a B in Legal research and writing, but darn it...I need to get over this math issue.

Oh yeah--and lose weight (I know,CLICHE big time)


No pictures today--just good wishes that you have a great New Years. I know, a day late....