my not so knitty life

2011-12-11T11:41:00.001-05:00

we've had some really pretty days here lately. very pretty, and since a couple of days ago, very cold.

it's been my goal to walk each morning, rain or shine. i haven't had to walk in the rain yet, and the "shine" part doesn't really happen until after i've left the house and have been walking for a bit. but, slowly and surely, the sun does come up and i am chasing my shadow.

seriously?!

2011-12-09T14:08:00.001-05:00

oh, the weather outside is frightful, and the cold is SO delightful! oh please let it snow SNOW snow!

but, it won't. it's quite chilly now. and i'm way beyond the christmas spirit, but, i don't have enough free time to enjoy it.

i recently did a swap (knitting-wise) ... and she sent me this card.

so, let's "rejoice!"

the nc state fair

2011-10-30T11:47:00.000-04:00

this is actually a "cross post" ... i prefer to keep certain aspects of my life separate (ie: knitting vs. everything else). i do this because i don't really enjoy looking at crafty/knitting blogs, and read about all the other stuff. of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part, there's knitting/crochet/quilting/crafts, and then, everything else. all that other stuff is simply "life".

as i've been extremely busy, and the month of november promises no relief, i'd better get talking about october!

the nc state fair has come & gone. and now, the news of the fair is tied to e coli.

so, the first saturday of the fair, stuart & i had a little adventure ...

the city runs buses during the fair, for $4 round trip. i'd much rather take the bus, than to tangle with massive traffic. we got up early, and walked about 10 minutes to the closest bus stop.

stuart has ridden the bus many times, so he's a pro. he held onto our ticket.

he even helped me keep track of my knitting chart for my poppy socks, as he clicked my kacha.

when we go, we like to visit the exhibits. we're not there for the latest deep-fried heart attack food-thing. we don't do rides (he's too short!). but, we like to look at all the crafty things, and the village of yesteryear.

the first place we stopped was a tent of pottery and ceramics ... i dunno about you, but i really don't know what THIS was doing at the fair ...

though, i'm sure, we all have one in our closet or our past (AND i'm sure there's one at my mom's in the basement!).

from there, the next exhibit i ran across was for Ford Motor Co.

this is their Fiesta. like the decal says, it really does get 40mpg. and it's NOT a hybrid. i want one. badly. i got inside, front seat and back. i want one. really. i've been driving the same truck for 14 years.

next stop, the crafts! this next part is just the general crafty stuff. i'm posting the knitting/quilting stuff over here.

EGGS! lol! these were just too cute!

nothing says "state fair" like a scuba-egg =)

and then, the legos ...

we walked around for a few hours, and before heading back to the bus zone, we stopped and shared a cup of ice cream.

we had a fabulous time, the weather was perfect (both weekends!). maybe next year i'll make an effort to enter something (though, i can't compete with those blown eggs ;)

how awesome is this?

2011-09-30T20:32:00.001-04:00

last weekend, when i was visiting friends, i of course took my iPad (i'm addicted to my tap zoo). and of course, i left my screen cleaning cloth behind, nicely hidden in the covers i was sleeping in. whoops!

so, leanne popped it into an envelope and sent it back to me ... and she folded it into this absolutely fabulous card!

it's so funny and twisted !!!

weekend visit

2011-09-25T19:47:00.000-04:00

i went to visit friends this weekend, so i have food pictures to share ....

will made an awesome pizza! he made a rich sauce with garlic and other (mystery to me) ingredients. on top, it had chicken, mushrooms, and peppers. it was so yummy for dinner that we had round 2 the next day for breakfast!

and this is one of the perks to having free range chickens ... EGGS !!!

AAAARGH !!!

2011-09-23T15:47:00.001-04:00

even sock monsters love $3 pint night, and "talk like a pirate" day!

9/11

2011-09-11T15:41:00.004-04:00

this is what a 10 year old car magnet looks like

irene

2011-08-27T16:01:00.002-04:00

the center of Irene was 133 miles due east of Raleigh at 2 p.m.

hmmm ... think i'll change the background/theme of this blog to match the weather!

monster madness

2011-07-16T11:35:00.002-04:00

i'm pretty sure anyone who regularly reads my blog knows i'm a member of ravelry's Sock Knitters Anonymous (or SKA for short). and, more recently, i joined the Danger Crafts group.

what i like about the danger crafts group is we do swaps! (they do kal's too)
i have never joined a sock club, or any kind of swap, before this group.

i really like this group. we knit MONSTERS. and i LOVE me some monsters! ... whether knitted, crocheted, or sewn. teddy bears? ... not for me.

my latest swap partner and i were paired up, and we both love the color green (it's a color-themed monster swap). i'm very pleased to report i got her package in today's mail, and i'm hoping it gets there before the end of the coming week.

mr. postman said, "should get there by thursday". oh, mr. postman, please don't jinx me!

but, i'm gonna fully confess what's in the package. perhaps i'm naive to think she wouldn't come and check out my blog?

here's all the stuff i'm sending her! (ps. i have a VERY hard time keeping secrets)

here's a shot of everything that went into the fabulous green bubble mailer. ps. i found the bubble mailer at office depot. they had red, green, and blue mailers.

monster on the left is sammie the sock monster, and monster on the right is max the sewn monster. i made a max for my last partner, and he's just cute! the sewing pattern comes in 3 sizes. the first time (for first swap) i sewed the size small. this time, i went for medium.

i also knitted a couple of dish cloths. i first ran across this pattern in the 1st mason-dixon knitting book. but, the pattern is from Elmore-Pisgah yarns, and they call it the ballband dish cloth (click link and scroll down just a bit). i like mine a little smaller than theirs, so i only cast on 33 stitches.

i also got her a couple of fat quarters ... they were on sale at the joann's fabric store for $1 each. i used the 3rd one to make the sewn MAX monster up above.
(i actually had a hard time deciding which fabric to use for the monster! maybe next time, my next swap partner will get nothing but sewn monsters?)

THIS THRILLS ME THE MOST!
so, the same day i went and got my ice cream maker, i ran over to the nearby barnes & noble bookstore. i was looking at the page magnets, and found MONSTER MAGNETS! ... a little $ (well, for a swap, that was 1/2 my budget), but how could i not?! i got a set for myself as well =)

if you've never used page magnets, they are awesome. i use them to mark the page of my knitting pattern from whichever book i'm knitting from, or as a general bookmark. and, the backside, it says, i ♥ monsters !

candy is usually welcomed, and it was a challenge finding green candy. but, again, i got lucky ... and there is a candy shop in my city (candy shop, not a chocolate shop). they had these bulk bins, to purchase candy by the pound. i was able to go through and pick up a variety of candies in green only. the little green tin came from the fabric store as well ... i found it in the $1 bin just before checking out.

it's always great to get things, but giving is so much fun too !!!

ice cream!

2011-07-11T08:12:00.002-04:00

last weekend, i bought an ice cream maker (and i don't really have much of a sweet tooth!). but, there are recipes that are not your standard variety, and some are quite savory or spicy.

though once the mix goes into the maker, it only takes about 20 minutes to create a soft serve ice cream. BUT, the bowl it mixes in has to pre-freeze for up to 24 hrs. thus, there was no ice cream on the 4th!

yesterday, a friend came by to visit for a few hours, and before he left, we made some crystalized ginger ice cream. i'll post more on that later .....

some more beach pictures

2011-07-04T09:31:00.003-04:00

it's a holiday, i SHOULD be at the beach. instead, i'll just pretend ...

beach vacation

2011-06-14T17:33:00.002-04:00

quiet sunday

2011-06-05T17:29:00.002-04:00

... and getting things done.

i've cut my fabric for some pillowcases. i have picked these "beach" themed fabrics for this year's beach trip. last year, i sewed a batch of shark pillowcases.

and this time, was able to shop for my fabrics at mary jo's in gastonia, nc. mary jo's is the BEST fabric store ever!

though, i probably should be sewing today, i just don't feel like it. i already spent a considerable amount of time in the kitchen cooking for the week, and now feel like knitting.

that is a TON of casserole, in a 9 x 13 dish. the base of it is essentially polenta. it's not a 'first day' meal. it will be better as leftovers. which is good, as there's a ton, and i don't plan on cooking again this week.

it's a ww recipe, and promises to be quite filling!

getting ready

2011-05-22T12:27:00.004-04:00

i'm going to the beach in a few weeks, though, i've been thinking about it for MONTHS! it's important to have things to look forward to ... it makes the hard days pass with greater ease (seeing that brass ring at the end of the tunnel).

i've created a word doc on my computer to make my list. and i got a basket to add the little things i need specifically for the beach.

so far, the basket has:

bathing suits (2)
sunglasses
beach $
2 magazines
lt. wt. pj's
frisbee
sunscreen
beach sippin' cup
etc.

the list on the computer includes such things as: LAPTOP! (and the power source, trackball), camera/batteries/charger, spices for breakfast, etc ......

funny ... soap is not on either list !

sock knitting ... always

2011-05-15T21:13:00.001-04:00

i think this is a shot of the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter ...

An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted flavor of a classic Porter with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure, real vanilla bean. Smooth, roasted and chocolate with a creamy vanilla finish.

let me just say, it's DELICIOUS!

yummies

2011-05-13T18:09:00.002-04:00

i made this a couple of weeks ago. it is a ww recipe, and it's easy and delicious. i'm always in the mood for 1 pot meals. i like to make something to get me through the week for lunches or dinner. this is called mexican-style brown rice casserole.

of course, the danger is, to not make something i like too often, as i will get tired of it. so, off this recipe goes into the box for perhaps a month or two, or until i'm desperate for an easy fix.

a little more color

2011-05-08T13:47:00.002-04:00

i love the pandora beads, but on the low end, even a single glass one is $40.

yesterday, belk department store had a sale of their "silverworks" jewelry, at 70% off (usually, it's always discounted at 60% off, ... so, if they're going to discount it always at 60% off, why don't they just price it lower and save the sale advertising?).

anyways ... at 70% off, it made some of the glass beads only $6/each. not bad.

i got a few (2 of them not pictured) ...

the glass ones are nice enough, but their silver beads cannot hold a torch to pandora.

butterflies taste good

2011-05-03T22:23:00.002-04:00

alternate title: Score !

i ran some errands this past saturday, which included the walmart down the road. all their clearance easter items were at the front of the store, and deeply discounted. i already own the large butterfly cake pan, and stumbled upon the butterfly 'cakelets' pan. i couldn't find a price, so i tucked it under my arm as i continued to shop. upon checkout, i asked the cashier to scan it to tell me the price first. $4.50! ... $4.50 ?! yep!

something to think about

2011-04-30T20:15:00.002-04:00

i remember this ... such a bad storm, and i was staying late/overnight in my studio in raleigh. one of my classmates was going to walk back to her dorm, but we found someone to drive her instead. it was a nasty night.

the k-mart at the intersection of six forks and wake forest was GONE. there was debris everywhere, and a random shopping cart and perhaps an empty clothing rack was left.

and today i saw this, as i went out to do errands in the garner area. this street is one block east, and the damage is a just a stone's throw south. so close. i need a weather radio.

on the 16th, my neighbors were wisely in the stairwell, ... and i just watched the rain blow sideways.

still easter ....

2011-04-25T21:41:00.004-04:00

for easter weekend, i did go home. i was able to swap shifts with someone on thursday, and leave work 3 hrs. earlier than i would normally. this made a HUGE difference in the weekend overall.

we kept things very simple for easter. we had a honey ham, and decided "no cooking". sandwiches it was! ham, yeast rolls, mixed fruit & yogurt, and some deviled eggs (okay, minimal cooking).

and for dessert?

easter cookies!

i got this kit for the decorative tools from williams-sonoma. and, as of today, this kit is not on their website anymore! hello, it's only 'easter monday' ?!

the kit included a recipe for the cookie dough, 4 cookie cutters, 6 stamps, and 4 rollers.

i think everything is represented here, except for the easter basket cutter. (and the pan they're sitting in ... a wilton's heart shaped cookie pan ... NOT part of the williams-sonoma kit).

as i was following the recipe (so i thought), i realized my 'dough' was not dough, but instead was quite flakey. mom says, "did you use the egg?". and then she says (as i'm watching the food network in the kitchen) ... "you are NOT an iron chef!".

crappers! the egg was still sitting on the counter. WHOOPS!

otherwise, the kit & recipe are perfect!

the day before, we were doing some last minute shopping at the local small town walmart. i tell you what, i will never pass up on a walmart experience the day (or hours) before a holiday. the easter section was crazy-at-best.

it was destroyed! and crowded! and funny!

but, i did find this:

i had not seen this pan at my local "big town" walmart. but, perhaps i missed it because it was in the easter section vs. the baking section. though, i've also learned, not all walmarts carry the same stock.

i am a sucker for nordic ware. i am especially enamored with their bundt style pans, and bakeware that makes cool shapes/things. and this one ... makes easter eggs! i cannot use it this year, as i was already doing the cookies, but you better believe there will be egg-cakes next year.

easter and monsters

2011-04-24T22:39:00.002-04:00

they are HOME ...

dear olivia ...

2011-04-10T16:04:00.002-04:00

because i spend so much time doing things like this:

i don't have time for things like this:

though, the dishes ARE pretty! look at all that fabulous pyrex ;)

so the top photo is of the monster making i've been doing. i already knitted my swap partner a monster, but then i saw someone's version of a sewn one (seen here), and decided i wanted to sew some too.

i'm not modifying the pattern as of yet, but am sticking to the pattern to sew Max, just as the pattern is designed. the pattern can be found here.

in the picture up above, there are 2 max's (maxes, max-i, max x 2, maxie ?). when i was laying out the pattern pieces on the wee piece of 1/4 yard x full width of 45" fabric, i realized i could get 2 small monsters from such a small cut. so, i'm making 2.

sewing is way faster than knitting, though i've done an excellent job of stalling. i did manage to do my first machine applique ever.

my next step is to put the eyes on. i wanted to use safety eyes, but didn't have any friggin' frackin' fray check. one quick trip to the fabric store before closing time saved the day. so, i have added a dab of fray check to where each eye will go, and later i will make the 'snip' and add the safety eyes. i'll probably also reinforce with something else that won't tear, as i don't trust the cotton fabric.

the cotton fabric, by the way, is from the kaffe fassett collection. this particular pattern is called "paperweight". i made a trade with a quilter a couple of years ago, and she sent me some of her stash ... including some cuts of these rowan fabrics.

yesterday morning, while i was out, i made a mad dash to the williams-sonoma store. i adore that store. they have the best & coolest stuff for baking. i had read lots of reviews online, and decided i "needed" these star wars cookie cutters!

they also have a set for the "vehicles", but i didn't see them in my store. i guess i'll be satisfied with making little yodas, boba fetts, darth vaders, and stormtroppers. what's nice with the bakeware you buy there, these cutters, cake pans, etc, always include a recipe. and from what i've read, the recipe with these cutters works wonderfully.

and of course, some of the easter stuff was already discounted. i really wanted this kit:

it includes 4 cutters, 6 stamps, and 4 rollers. the cutters mostly say "easter", but most of the stamps and all of the rollers can be used outside of the holiday.

so, olivia, are you happy now? will you keep reading my blog(s)?

(off to enjoy something unhealthy now ... burger & fries ... i have a friend that wants to show off his new motorcycle)

new fish!

2011-03-06T15:46:00.002-05:00

sadly, my last betta died 2 days ago. and, though i fear i'm not the best betta-mom, i do love having a betta in the house.

i was out & about today, doing some sunday chores (ie: grocery shopping to cook for the week). my one stop shopping was the local wally world. because this wally world is not 'old school', it does not have a 'full' pet section. but, it does have, on a shelf ... wee cups of poor betta fish.

and, i needed one .....

this time, i picked on different from my last ... and he's really pretty! i haven't seen one like this before ... light body and dark fins.

i'm going home in a couple of weeks ... i can get him a feeder and leave here, or he can travel home with me. i'm thinking 'feeder'. it's hard to travel with a fish, but it's actually much easier than a dog or cat.

the weather had been making me think of summer already.

... looks small enough to prop on the side of your cocktail, but ... it's wide enough (8') to prop up in the sand this summer!

last weekend

2011-02-27T18:04:00.003-05:00

... last weekend, i bought these carnations ... maybe it was last weekend, it might be a bit longer .....

but, i'm amazed at how $4 can last and look beautiful! i know i've had them for a week to 10 days, and they still look good.

saturday(s)

2011-02-26T16:58:00.002-05:00

last weekend was super warm. so warm, that i had to spend the afternoon on the porch. but, my ghetto porch furniture needed a "face lift". i had a home depot gift card, and used it to buy the two chair cushions (mid-back).

the cushions i bought, and the pillows ... not SO much. i do have the pillows, but i DID make some progress.

i bought some outdoor canvas fabric from the local (chain) fabric store. i wasn't sure how much i needed. so i "guess-sti-mated". i bought 1 1/4 yards of 54" width. from that , i got enough fabric to make 2 zippered covers for two 18" pillows. AND, i do have enough for at least 1 smaller pillow.

mile marker 97

2011-01-09T19:28:00.001-05:00

CRAP

... at 70 mph. just glad i didn't "flinch".

merry christmas to me

2011-01-01T14:51:00.004-05:00

i had some cash from christmas, and christmas past, and today it was burning a hole in my wallet! i decided to reward myself with something pretty ... for my bracelet.

off to the mall i went to visit the Pandora store. i got 5 new "charms" ... a snowflake, an enameled flower, a log of roses, an egg, and a barrel of daisies (well, that's what i call it).

and ... for my snowman i got for my birthday ... a SNOWFLAKE.

happy birthday to me

2010-12-24T21:40:00.001-05:00

awesome cake pan set from williams-sonoma.

how time flies ....

2010-12-10T09:42:00.002-05:00

this past weekend, it actually SNOWED! not much, but it was so pretty coming down. and, it's been so cold since then, it's not all melted away. instead, it's all ice.

in getting things together for christmas, mom and i made some christmas light balls during the thanksgiving holiday. we made the chicken wire balls at her house, and then i brought mine home to wrap the lights and hang.

they are crazy beautiful when i come around the corner at night, and they glow on the porch.

this one is my favorite. i did 2 solids and a multi, and i'm surprised how much more i like the multi colored ball.

when i went to the hardware store for the cords to plug them into, i got the wrong cords. i thought i was buying a cord with multiple plugs in intervals, but instead, i bought a 'value pack' of two 9' cords and one 6' cord. but, as it turned out, that ended up being better. so, happy mistakes!

somedays ....

2010-09-19T19:44:00.000-04:00

.......... when you think it's all about you, it's NOT.

planning ahead

2010-09-18T18:40:00.002-04:00

once AE begins, and 'til late winter, i don't expect to have much free time. i'm trying to plan ahead, and get some things done while i DO have the time.

i made shark pillowcases for the kids (and mom) when we went to the beach this summer, and thought a different theme would be nice for the holiday season.

i stopped by mary jo's on the way home last time, and found a few fabrics for the pillowcases.

i used the same pattern as before. it's quick to sew, though the pattern does not take into account directional fabrics/nap. i know there's lots of tutorials online for doing your own pillowcase, but i'd rather spend $2 on a pattern and NOT have to think too much about it.

i plan on giving these to the kids at thanksgiving, so they can be enjoyed through the holiday season.

flight

2010-09-12T13:11:00.001-04:00

i'm also a sucker for jewery by Fossil.

pandora

2010-09-12T12:43:00.002-04:00

putting me in a Pandora store is kinda like opening the box of evils. so many pretty things! and so expensive! and it all fits into a TINY bag!

first clip with cz's.

second clip, solely oxidized silver

retired posey charm with brown cz.

plus, not photographed, christmas surprise for mom!

soup is good food

2010-09-01T18:04:00.002-04:00

last sunday, i had a really great time in the kitchen making this soup. i hadn't cooked "for the fun of it" in awhile. i wanted to try something new, and found a nice recipe from one of my crockpot books.

the recipe calls for dicing or mincing all ingredients. i cut up the sweet potato probably smaller than i really needed to, but i wanted to make sure it cooked all the way through during the crockpot time.

and of course, who would had known that chopped up sweet potato would need a bowl BIGGER than the actual sweet potato?!

and, i got to use my garbage bowl. i really love this thing. i know i could use other bowls, but i like this one. it goes with all my other vintage kitchenware, and it's very useful and a time saver.

no pictures of finished soup, but after it was finished cooking, i pureed it with my stick blender.

i swear, these things are the best things ever!

the soup was/is delicious! i would make it again. it's quite filling and full of good stuff =)

perfect way to end the summer

2010-08-28T15:40:00.002-04:00

though it's not officially end of summer, it will be soon ... (though, the heat will linger).

last night was the last night of the summer series at the NCMA. i called a few friends (from the 80's) so we could re-live our teenage angst.

the feature of the night was ...

we had dinner at the museum's restaurant before the show. after dinner, we scrambled to find our spot in the grass just before the screen.

we laughed when many others did not. maybe because they hadn't lived it, or hadn't seen the movie as many times as i or my friends had seen it.

hello

2010-08-24T21:57:00.003-04:00

"hello" mr/ms praying mantis! hmmm ... i do wonder how one tells the difference between the sexes. it's late, i should be in bed, and i'm not going to google how to tell the difference. so, here's A praying mantis on the sign just above the gas pump on my trip home last weekend.

that's a pretty good shot with my wee point'n shoot camera too!

jibbitz

2010-08-23T20:20:00.002-04:00

i got some new crocs last week. they're a very bright green (my favorite color, by the way). and they needed some decorations. now that's all said and done, i realize i forgot to take a picture of the first jibbitz i bought for my crocs ... a shamrock.

but, here are the others. the goofy is for mom for her crocs, but i had ordered a few including hers, so i took its picture too:

love the radio

2010-08-22T21:14:00.003-04:00

not the best picture in the world, but still ... a picture. this is/was my wee satellite radio receiver that was stolen at the beach. my dad has the same unit, and he gave it to me. YAY!

i love satellite radio. and i tried out a new station tonight, ... it's called "the bridge". LOL. oldies, but not classic oldies ... instead, a mix of lite & easy favorites from the 60's, 70's, and 80's. and then this john denver song came on, and i was "i LOVE john denver!".

one more beach picture ....

2010-08-15T19:45:00.001-04:00

i saved this one to my phone ....

beach 2010

2010-08-08T17:59:00.004-04:00

came/saw/went/had fun/got robbed/still enjoyed/mean people suck!

stuart (and lucy's) first beachtrip (in US).

getting ready for the beach!

2010-08-01T22:07:00.005-04:00

how does one get ready, other than making a list, checking it ... like, 5 times?! or more?

of course, i decided on "party favors". i mean, how much fun would it be to go to the beach (and rendezvous with family) and bring some homemade pillow cases?

the fabric stores here are lacking. i still say the best place in the world for variety and prices is Mary Jo's in gastonia, nc. but here, all i had was a joann's fabric store.

i wanted something beach-themed, but only found a cotton print with SHARKS.

so, everyone is getting a shark pillow case.

the pattern did not take into account a directional print, and i could not be bothered ... so the sharks swim up&down vs. side-to-side. big WHOOPS.

they were pretty quick to sew. and i will likely make more in the future. they're so fast, and way cheaper than store-bought. plus, you can use ANY fabric/print you choose!

ps.

2010-07-05T19:00:00.004-04:00

here are the bathing suits. i kept 2 bottoms (one black, one brown), and one top EACH to coordinate.

i kept the top two. i liked all of them, but could not justify the expense for someone who hides from the sun.

shopping with 75% off

2010-07-05T18:11:00.004-04:00

umbrella by totes ... supposedly for mom, but i really like the yellow.

pointy flats from 'lucky brand' ... $18 on sale.

bronze flats by 9 west, $15 on sale.

semi-precious stone bracelet by fossil, 75% off retail.

totally costume, by monet ... 75% off

another bracelet by fossil, 75% off

necklace by fossil, 75% off.

so fake (necklace) , by givincy (sp?) ... 75% off.

butterfly 16" chain by fossil, and my current favorite, 75% off.

ps. did i mention i went to the store to return my excess of bathing suit tops?!

cinco de julio

2010-07-05T16:57:00.002-04:00

what a fabulous holiday !!! i went to visit leanne & will, ... just a quick overnight trip. i always have such a good time when i visit them.

highlights: got to spend time with amazing old friends, ate spectacularly, got pecked by a rooster, knitted endlessly on my sock, brought home farm fresh eggs, tomatos, and plums, watched cable tv, slept like a rock, and got a bunny (as seen with food).

see the bunny ?!
dinner (before):

dinner (after):

old mamie loves her box:

and freida is stalking me (he's the one that pecked me)(ouch!)(drew blood):

going to the movies in comfort

2010-06-19T14:46:00.003-04:00

i went to see a movie last night at the art museum, the 2nd film in the summer series. i took my old tyvek and a pillow to spread out on the grass. OMG, my ass was hurting so much!

so, what did i do today? i went to REI, and picked up this nifty chair, used a 15% off coupon (for signing up for their gear-mail), and paid for it with part of my dividend check. money well spent.

there's another movie tonight. i will be very comfortable.

ps. it's the REI Comfort LTG Chair.

the home edition

2010-06-12T16:31:00.006-04:00

of course, i like the new stuff, but the time it takes to gather and possess, i'd rather be knitting!

i have been in search of some pretty sandals for the summer. i haven't been able to find any. and today, with coupons in hand, i went to the mall. in the mall, a giant idiot walked into me, and practically kicked off my toenail from my left foot.

OUCH! maybe that was the end of sandal shopping ?!

i came home with a very pretty pair of clogs instead ....

i don't get as much "home time" as i use to. and then, when i do have errands to run, i kinda resent them. such as shopping ....
before i got to the shoe section, i visited jewelry ....

and i got myself a new bug!

i love jewelry by FOSSIL.

where's my MR. BIG ?!

2010-05-09T18:31:00.002-04:00

i AM carrie bradshaw, perhaps w/o all the shoes, or goofy outfits. but, i have no "occasions" that people will gather for, or i can register for.

remember, carrie bradshaw's "a woman's right to shoes" ?!

planting time :)

2010-05-09T18:23:00.002-04:00

(top left to bottom right, clockwise) my topsy-turvy hanging tomato plant, chicken and hens, or hens and chicks, mystery plant, other tomato plant, and then the mini-peppers.

vacation

2010-04-22T20:11:00.002-04:00

vacation doesn't always mean going somewhere far away or exotic. sometimes it means, "i'm not working today, but i'm still getting paid!"

that's the kind of vacation i had recently. but still, the vacation mentality is still there. i can do X because i'm on vacation !

so, what did i do on vacation?

i had my FIRST ever WHOPPER. yes. i'd never had a whopper before. and now i have. and now i never will ever again. it was nothing special. now, maybe, next time, i will have one of their thick burgers.

and, i went shopping (speed shopping) down at the "yellow stores" in gaffney, sc. my favorite store there is the eddie bauer outlet. LOVE IT.

i found this really great bag, which i immediately moved into.

it's kinda like a small messenger bag. i love bags i can swing across my chest so i can be hands-free. the bag was reduced 70% so i got it for $6. i also got a pair of "aubergine" corduroy jeans. they're very much out of season, but this weekend was "out of season" too. it was cold. i hadn't packed any proper pants for my visit, and $12 purple pants were the perfect solution.

and cookies. i like baking, but can't really eat an entire cake by myself, nor a batch of cookies, and the kids do like homemade cookies. this time, i enlisted one to help. and he was a fantastic helper.

lastly, mom and i always laugh about her mother's house, and all the "interesting" things in it. this is mom's view from the kitchen sink.

i had a great visit. slept like a babe, and accomplished next to nothing. all in all, a very good "vacation".

have you had your FREAK OUT today ?!

2010-04-21T17:56:00.002-04:00

i did. i thought i put this around my neck today. i meant to. but, instead, i put an old necklace into a box, and then laid the new one on it in the suitcase too. neck bare. brain forgotten.

and then the freak out commences ... where is it?! did i drop it?! follows all foot steps within the last 200+ miles. no necklace. calls mom. freaked out. "MOM!~ I LOST MY NEW NECKLACE !!!".

and while talking to her, i retraced my "home miles" and found it, outside the box, inside the suitcase. necklace on neck right now.

pretty necklace i'm not worth of ... by fossil (love fossil !!!).

aaaa-chooooo !

2010-04-18T19:57:00.003-04:00

spring indeed

2010-04-15T18:10:00.002-04:00

so, for awhile there, i thought i'd killed my shamrock. i put it outside when i knew we wouldn't have any more freezing temperatures. but, apparently, the cold, in general, is enough to tell this plant, "hey, it's cold, you shouldn't be growing now !" so, ... it died back.

and i was sad.

and then, it came back !

and now my shamrock is growing like mad everyday. i think it grows an inch each day. today was a special treat, as it just popped with little flowers ....

spring

2010-04-07T20:37:00.005-04:00

spring means allergies. spring means, the yellow haze. and it also means change. more changes than i can document, not care to.

first of all, my truck is covered in pollen. one of my neighbors was "concerned" about this phenonema, and i assured her it was "like the flu" ... comes on strong, but will depart quickly. though, now i'm not so sure, because we have these two giagantic pecan trees that will spit out the pollen, and then their stupid curly things.

regardless ...

tonight is the PERFECT night. it's not too hot. it's warm, but with a cool breeze. the doors and windows are open. the air is moving. sometimes, here, the air is stagnant. not tonight.

and i'm enjoying it.

and ...

and i got new phone, and service, this past weekend. and there's a learning curve. it's awful, but necessary.

i am learning ... delaying calls, cutting some off, and dropping altogether. such is modern life.

but, it's all good.

especially the weather. yes, the weather! i am loving it. i love these inbetween seasons where the weather is a bit here & there ... and i need neither heat nor a.c.

cooking

2010-03-07T18:34:00.003-05:00

i actually followed a recipe today. i do that sometimes. usually with baking, as no one should ever guess how much flour, yeast, or baking powder one should use in a recipe.

i made a slimmed down version of chicken pot pie. the recipe is in the ww weekly january 10-16 mini-magazine. they call it "old-fashioned chicken pot pie". i call it yummy!

this is suppose to be 6 servings (in a 9.5" pie dish). i'm not quite sure how one serves something that's not "firm" though ....

in my grocery shopping today, i also bought some brussel sprouts and garlic. i think i might be roasting these tomorrow night.

today i also cooked a big batch of chicken (i used half for the pot pie). and i picked up some beautiful asparagus at the whole foods.

i wish this weekend had just one more day.

lifetime

2010-02-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

i have been too busy to post here on a regular basis, ... i've been busy with work, and then trying to fit in the essentials of sleep, grocery shopping, food prep, cooking, laundry, paying bills, movie watching, knitting, and such. and, of course, always trying to do what's best for me.

and it's paid off. i've knitted a lot, have lots of new socks to prove it. my clothes are clean though not in drawers or on hangers (blame the knitting and sleep). and, i have maintained my weight loss for 6 weeks and got lifetime.

you'd think, "oh, you're home! easy-peasy going forward" but no, ... it's still a "job". but, i am way better off than i was this time last year ((and i can wear all my OLD stuff again!!! (24 pounds later)).

what's old is new again .....

ouch

2010-02-07T21:05:00.001-05:00

my right pinkie finger HURTS. yesterday, i sliced off a wee chunk with the microplane grater. today, i burned it on some hot olive oil. whimper ....

not quite caught up with

2010-01-02T12:37:00.002-05:00

some people use the new year to take down all their christmas stuff. not me. i'm using it to relax and catch up.

i have crocheted some more snowflakes, but haven't yet blocked them. i thought my previous pictures were kind of ugly, so i took some new ones ...

christmas was the whirlwind it always is. i still have some other pictures to share, but that will be on another day.

stuart had a wee christmas stocking (and all my pictures of that were out of focus). in his stocking he had a bicho. a wee felted bicho. he likes it lots. he takes it everywhere!

he's also sitting in a yarn bowl. actually, it's not a 'genuine' yarn bowl. but, it's a bowl for yarn, and santa found it from a local potter. i have been using it too. one can never have too many bowls.

2010-01-01T13:55:00.002-05:00

i was just thinking, by 8:30pm wednesday night, i will have already worked a minimum of 36 hours for the week. it makes me tired just thinking about it.

on the brighter side, this glass was for my birthday. at first, i thought it was kinda tacky. but now, i really like it. by the way, it's 5 o'clock.

so this is christmas ....

2009-12-11T18:01:00.000-05:00

it jumped in my cart!

2009-11-17T21:30:00.002-05:00

i was at walmart last weekend, with my shopping list in hand. and of course, with this holiday season, walmart had some seasonal clearance items on a table near the front.

one thing walmart can be good for is they often have "seasonal" nordic ware cake pans available. i couldn't resist this one.

not going there ....

2009-10-04T18:54:00.002-04:00

... there, as in how long it's been since my last update. the funny thing is, my life right now is much more non-knitty vs. knitty. there simply aren't enough hours in the day.

but, whatever. i have pictures!

this is what's been sucking up all my time. not the cup, so much as the employment. it's good though. the adjustment has been huge. training was 7 weeks long, and i'm only about to begin my 4th week 'on the floor'. my schedule is what i requested, but during the busy time, overtime is mandatory. i have some 12 hr days ahead of me. i will never complain about making money though.

another new thing for me ... i purchased my first novel in i don't know how many years ! i don't typically buy books i can borrow (ie: friends or library). but, because this is a new release, and i was somewhere between 200 and 300 in queue for this book from the library, i made the purchase. sam's club has some good prices on books and magazines! (ps. i think this is the 7th book in the series)(first 6 read were jackie's copies)

often, i equate purchase price vs. hours of enjoyment. well, $17 over 3 to 5 months sounds like a pretty good deal to me. i got this yesterday, and left it on my bed for bedtime reading. when bedtime came around, i paged through some knitting & crochet magazines, then i got all comfortable for my book. after a page or two, my eyelids gave way.

tonight, i will have to start over, as i have no memory of what i read.

and another great thing about what makes home home ....

... my blue bunny! i got to go visit a couple of dear friends a couple of weeks ago. it was a celebration, with will getting his doctorate degree. i love visiting leanne & will.

i brought home a blue bunny, made by leanne. at first, he lived in the living room. but, it wasn't "right". then, during this weekend of nothing but relaxation, blue bunny found his way outside, on the porch. though he looks startled, he's quite content. he's up (second floor) on a porch, facing a very active street, but safe from the public. he needed a better background, so i tossed a scrap of fabric on the crappy table outside. now, i'm thinking, i need to hem the fabric with ball fringe.

beautiful beetle

2009-07-28T18:34:00.003-04:00

it's no secret i love bugs, except for cockroaches, mosquitos, and fleas, and other piojos. i once even had the luck of discovering and touring the May Natural History Museum near colorado springs.

anyways, today i was at the mall. i had to spend some "belks bucks" (essentially, free money for previous spending, with an expiration date). sometimes i'm not a very good shopper. but, i had this free money that was going to expire by closing time tomorrow. so i HAD to spend it.

i didn't want clothing, or shoes, or sheets, etc. i ended up in the jewelry department. i don't like high polish, or lots of bling. and when i saw this, i knew it was the one.

it's quite heavy, and the pendant part is 2.25" tall and 1.5" wide. it's made by fossil. i love it!

monsters are good

2009-07-02T19:19:00.002-04:00

stuart has a talent for making new friends. he is especially fond of other monsters. who knew monsters could be so cute?!

around the house ....

2009-05-27T15:46:00.002-04:00

stuart in his bicho mask

domo in his bicho mask

a "heavy" hammy

new dansko 'sissy' sandals in poppy

garden creatures

2009-05-24T17:41:00.003-04:00

everything's coming up lilies.

peanut noodles

2009-04-30T21:33:00.001-04:00

i tried this recipe tonight and it was easy and delicious!

spring cleaning

2009-04-19T20:32:00.002-04:00

i'm not sure if the yellow haze is over ... but i did clean the porch yesterday, and moved the plants outside. some of them have outgrown their pots ... so repotting may be what's next on the outdoor stuff.

change ....

2009-04-16T19:36:00.003-04:00

yesterday, i got my first real whiff of summer ... the smell of fresh cut grass. oh, how i love the scent ...

i took a nice long walk yesterday. i should had taken more photos. instead, i was just checking out everyone's yards, porches, and windows. it's fun to look.

tomorrow's forecast is for the *perfect day* ... sunny, blue skies, around 70*. i plan on some spring cleaning.

tonight ... i am knitting on a sock and watching movies. i just finished elegy, which i really enjoyed. it was sad, but in a good way. the story is interesting.

next up? hmmm ... something "instant" on netflix.

oh! quick quote ...

"time passes when you're not looking"

just a little fun

2009-04-10T08:29:00.001-04:00

visited 14 states (6.22%)
Create your own visited map of The World or website vertaling duits?

visited 39 states (78%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Best time to visit Tunisia

2009-03-30T19:18:00.002-04:00

i've had my fish now for about two months ... and he's still swimming ....

this was fun and quick with my photo software. now, if i remembered what i did ... !

new lights for springtime

2009-03-23T11:57:00.003-04:00

when the weather gets warmer, i love having the kitchen door open. the porch just outside that door has been in a disarray for quite some time, so i have slowly been cleaning it up and making it pretty. i still have a pile of dead potted plants to deal with, but i will soon enough on a really warm day.

i finally took down my christmas lights this past weekend, and replaced them with my sunflower lights. but, after a couple days of sunflower lights, i grew tired of them (i've had them for years).

i got some "fresh" lights at target. they were on sale and i had a gift card. i got two strings of lights (they're really short!).

ummm ... the kitchen smells so good!

2009-03-14T16:04:00.003-04:00

it's one of those days when i could finally cook for myself ... without considering whether or not someone liked garlic or onions, spice or bland, etc ....

last night, i was reading through my cookbooks and picked a couple of recipes. one, for a cauliflower soup, will have to wait for tomorrow (i misread its cooktime). but the other, braised herbed turkey legs is in the crock right now!

there are 6 legs in the crock ... which spells leftovers. i am a huge fan of reheating vs. cooking.

when in the kitchen, i don't notice the aroma so much until i leave and return. and then, the smell knocks me down. sigh. so good!

dinner is at 7pm sharp. don't come knocking.

flocked trees

2009-03-02T18:54:00.003-05:00

... such a pretty day after a really crappy day/night! the power was out for only 4 hours. i was snug in bed with my 0* bag, reading with a wee book light. and then, in the morning, all the clouds were gone with this amazing display.

life, swedish style

2009-02-20T19:15:00.002-05:00

yay! the new IKEA opened this week in charlotte, nc. i did not go to the grand opening. i don't know how busy it was, but the news showed people camping out for the opening giveaways and prizes. i'm not a fan of crowds, so i waited ....

mom and i went today. when we arrived, we went directly upstairs for breakfast. then, she spotted the kid section with toys and away she went.

because of this initial distraction, we ended up going through the showroom backwards. it became obvious after realizing everyone was coming towards us, and then ... there were those big arrows painted on the floor. oops.

we had fun, and i got a couple of things.

yay! glassware! ... i do not need anymore glasses. my cabinet is full. but, these were so pretty, and cheap. and about 3 minutes later, i found the matching tray (didn't know there was one 'til we stumbled upon it).

i also picked up this ice tray.

can you really pass up on swedish fish at ikea ?!

bread

2009-02-02T15:37:00.003-05:00

... yeah, bread ....

i made bread. i acquired a bread machine (my second, first one "died" with first use). i've made a few loafs, but this one so far has been the best.

yum YUM! ... the flavor of onion bread! i made this loaf first for a gathering of friends, but i was low on time for the process. i chose a cycle that would not or could not produce a good loaf.

second time around, for myself ... pretty darn good!

i just got a couple of books today from the library ... i may have to turn in early for enough reading of red mars or the bread lover's bread machine cookbook.

either way, it will be good.

fish and food

2009-01-26T20:36:00.003-05:00

not, fish as food !

first things first, i got a new fish. i haven't had fish for awhile. i took the simple route this time around. i have a 1 gallon tank ($10 from wally world) and a $5 betta. i haven't read up on bettas yet. but, if they can live in a tiny cup on a dark shelf at the store, then they should be okay in this set up. and, they're classified as "beginner" fish. i think that's more my speed these days.

doesn't that look good?! i roasted some garlic the other day, and of course gobbled an entire bulb fresh from the oven (garlic toast!).

my pyrex was perfect for this. i fit four bulbs into the dish (with lid) and put it in the oven for about 1hr 20min at 350*. easy peasy. just slice off the top, sprinkle some salt, drizzle some olive oil, and bake. and once it's roasted, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a month (or longer?). it doesn't matter. it won't last a week here.

snowday ...

2009-01-20T16:17:00.002-05:00

when i woke up this morning, i remembered the forecast. the light on the closed blinds was different. i opened the blinds to a winter wonderland.

how pretty! i hate that most of it's going to melt tomorrow. i've had a great day of piddling, knitting, looking out the windows, etc. i'm still in my pj's. i'm going to finish this one movie (return of the king) and then pop in another. though the snow has stopped, and the sun is shining low ... nearing sunset, it's still a snowday to me. the creatures really enjoyed it too!

i like pictures

2009-01-17T15:00:00.004-05:00

this is stuart snuggling up in bed with lucy. no ! there is nothing dirty going on ! lucy was in stuart's christmas stocking. at first, he was like, "i dunno" ... but she kinda grew on him, and she's cute, and he loves her (as do i).

it's been COLD. my thermostat is 63* right now, but that's 63" above the floor (funny, huh?). let's just assume the floor is a minimum of 10* or more colder (hello old bldg, no insulation, plaster walls, high ceilings, drafty windows, hardwood floors). and the computer chair ... cold. thus, i am wearing my layers, and a hat.

i do plan on doing some *cooking* today. well, not exactly cooking ... more like assembling. i want to make some hummus. my favorite recipes come from 28cooks. she's a great lover of hummus, and i picked up a few ingredients today from the grocery to make at least two different batches. i'm really glad i have a food processor for the job.

i have also been thinking about an immersion blender. i'd like to get one, but i cannot decide on what features i want. hmmmm ... homework .....

walking

2009-01-14T20:44:00.002-05:00

i took a very nice walk the other day. i will post more pictures later ... but this picture is for the one who won't let up about posting.

of course, the entire time i'm taking this shot, i'm thinking, ... something is going to pop its face into the broken pane !!!

that's what happens when you're raised by matinee tv of the 70's. thanks mom.

last day

2009-01-09T20:07:00.001-05:00

back to normal ?!

for the goomba

2009-01-02T18:12:00.000-05:00

LOOK goomba, i updated !

2008-12-26T17:42:00.000-05:00

holiday cheer!

2008-12-21T14:11:00.002-05:00

yes, i needed this! i am not home enough, nor was there time enough from thanksgiving to christmas, to put up my tree.

but, for some reason, there was "enough" of something to warrant buying this set of figurines from rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (ps. i got the set of misfit toys too!).

they're awesome. beyond cute. they make me smile each time i look at them.

a little home improvement

2008-11-23T19:20:00.003-05:00

a week or two ago, i did a google search on a solution for my pot lids. my search mostly yielded pot racks. i did find a person with a solution though ... he used either a towel rack or expandable curtain rod.

here's my solution though ... for about $10 ....

the rods are 30" and about $2.49 each. the wall mounts come in pairs, and the retail price is the same (i think).

funny thing is, these appear to be the same as my (worthless 18") towel rack in my bathroom. good to know how little $ my landlord invested in things around here ....

odd couple

2008-11-16T16:05:00.005-05:00

these are two of my favorite plants. they get to share a shelf together. i just realized that they're both "holiday" plants ... a christmas cactus, and a shamrock.

i love the shamrock. i wish i had one of the purple varieties, but i wasn't willing to pay the price for one from a nursery, and got this one from a grocery store.

they'll come back, year after year, if planted in the yard. i don't have a yard, so mine kinda stumbles through the winter and early spring, in a pot, indoors. perhaps it needs a bigger pot. maybe some fertilizer? i don't know ... i water it when it looks limp. it rewards me with springing back life and putting out wee flowers.

my christmas cactus? i'm not sure how long i've had this one, but i'm sure it's overdue for a larger pot. it often looks sickly. i'm certain i don't take care of it properly. it's probably been near death more than once. but, i do know that if i leave it outside as long as i can into the season, that the cold weather will stimulate it to bud.

we had a cold snap not too long ago. it budded. and now, before thanksgiving, my christmas cactus is popping all over with blooms!

but, it's okay. it's doing what it's suppose to do. it just means if i want flowers around here during the holiday time, i'll probably have to put some paperwhite bulbs on rocks & water.

shopping experience

2008-11-14T18:56:00.003-05:00

it seems that ravelry has more to offer than just knitting and crochet ....

Hmmm - it would be interesting if there were any way to track a different “voting with dollars” - stocking up for the future. For example, if sales at Sam’s Club and Costco increased dramatically before the end of the year due to people stocking up on food and other items.

I belong to a food co-op, and remember the large orders in preparation for Y2K. I just placed a smaller version of such an order (oatmeal, flour, sugar, some canned goods, etc). DH & I are calling it preparation for the Obamanation.

i found that quote after i came home (after shopping @ sam's club), and did a search on one of my favorite websites.

aside from the political statement, i finally realized tonight how cheap some stuff can be (per unit) when bought at sam's. the caveat is 1) do i have enough space to store it? 2) will it spoil before it can be used?

answers ... yes and yes, if i shop carefully. of course, it kinda sucks to carry all the heavy things in like a squirrel stocking up for the winter.

i'm never in a rush at sam's. that place amazes me. everything is B I G. the carts are big, the aisles are wide, the portions are huge. it's kinda crazy.

of course ....

2008-10-31T21:24:00.005-04:00

this time of year, my thoughts turn towards food. yesterday (?) i cooked off some chicken. i had chicken quarters leftover from a recipe. i don't like chicken quarters ... or more specifically, i don't like to prep them (all that fat and skin!).

so, i poached them, and pulled off the wee amount of meat. i saved the broth.

the broth, i used tonight for a vegetable soup. hey, what's veggie soup w/o a meat base? (that's kinda like a veggie burger w/o bacon.)

veggies? what i had ... celery, carrot, stewed tomatoes, frozen cauliflower, frozen lima beans, onion, chopped green cabbage, etc ... lots of misc. veggies. and it was delicious =)

i had a hearty bowl of soup with the bread i made last night. now, talk about homemade .....

meat loaf, pt.2

2008-10-23T11:49:00.005-04:00

so, sometimes when i make something, i kinda get on a kick and want to try variations. since my first meat loaf was of the 'gourmet' variety, i wanted to make one more 'traditional'.

i went online searching recipes, and found paula dean's old-fashioned meat loaf via the food network website.

making two was an accident. apparently, when i was chopping the onion and green pepper, i thought i was measuring with the 1/2 cup, but was actually measuring with the 1 cup. oops.

that required another quick visit to the grocery store to buy another pound of meat.

but, a happy accident it was ... nothing wrong with leftovers!

jackie also made some delicious butter beans she'd bought at the farmer's market. i didn't take notes on her recipe, but she did cook the beans in bacon fat, and used this lonesome slice to add in later (lucky it didn't get eaten before then).

and mashed yukon golds with parmesan and garlic! wow! now that's a solid southern dinner .....

i think my meat loaf phase is over ... for now. though, i haven't tried it yet with ground turkey.

pesto meat loaf recipe

2008-10-23T11:20:00.004-04:00

bring on fall and all the yummy foods of the colder months! i have been trying to conjure fall for awhile, with chili, enchiladas, bean soups, bread making, etc.

my most recent venture was into the wide world of meatloaf.

pesto meat loaf

2 pounds lean ground pork, s&p to taste, if desired
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup finely chopped, loosely packed fresh basil
1/2 cup finely chopped, loosely packed parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
fresh tomato sauce (recipe below)

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. put the pork in a mixing bowl. add salt and pepper.
3. heat the oil in a small skillet. add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is wilted. add to the pork.
4. add the bread crumbs, pine nuts, basil, parsley, parmesan cheese and egg. blend well.
5. put the mixture into a standard six-cup loaf pan. pack it down and smooth over the top. place in the oven and bake about one hour or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees. remove from the oven and let the meat loaf stand about 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the tomato sauce.

yield: six to eight servings.

fresh tomato sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 cups peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
s&p to taste, if desired
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions and garlic. cook, stirring, until they are wilted.
2. add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. cover and simmer about 10 minutes. stir in the butter and basil.

yield: about 1 1/2 cups

this recipe was given to me by a friend that knows how much i love food (thanks winnie!). she had clipped it from a newspaper years ago. i have lost my copy twice now, so i figured i should post it here incase my page gets lost again.

this was my first meat loaf. holy crap, it was the bomb! sadly, i won't be making this again 'til next summer or early fall, as you have to have a ton of basil ... either from the farmer's market or someone's garden. see that big bunch above? that was from winnie's garden. that was enough basil to make a dozen loafs or an amazing batch of pesto. sadly, i did not have the energy to make pesto. for some reason, i always start this cooking thing too late at night.

quarantine

2008-10-16T08:53:00.002-04:00

what possibly could stuart do to end up in a freezer quart bag?! well, whatever it is ... he's staying there 'til laundry day ....

short holiday

2008-09-24T16:59:00.005-04:00

... but so worth it! some very dear friends, ms. chak-a-khan and the hippie, invited me to join them on a portion of their vacation. jackie rented a beach house on the north carolina coast.

the drive down was much better than i anticipated (i don't like to drive. i'd much rather have a driver. no, i am not 70 yrs. old. i just don't like to drive). i drove down on sunday, and the traffic was light (for an interstate that connects both coasts), and the smaller highway was 4 lanes altogether.

i had wavered on the trip because of the time to get there and back, and the amount of time i could spend there.

i have this little "rule" ... don't spend more time getting to and from a place than you spend at the place .....

even if i had spent less time there than travel time, it still would had been worth the trip.

i was SO relaxed!

who can pass up on this?!

the last photo is of dinner preparation. jackie is (of course) a southern fried cook. at somepoint (whether there or not) we've had a discussion about this. she is southern. i am not. i was born and raised in the south, but i was not raised by a southern woman. that makes all the difference. seriously.

the food! holy crap, the food! when at the beach, it is only proper to eat beach critters, ie: shrimp, crab, grouper, tuna, ham/egg/cheese sandwiches (?) ....!

here's my thing. i am not a great cook. i am better than i use to be. and when i go somewhere i love, at the very least i can bring the "food" back home with me. when i came back from mexico, i was eating lots of mexican fare and avocados. and now, returning from the beach, i want the same foods i had there (sandwiches, seafood, quiche). the joke is, whatever i eat on sunday, it will be cooked again (by me, solo ... or with 'tech support') by tuesday. sigh. it's true.

last pictures? from the beach .... what's down time w/o knitting?! i was able to finish a sock, and mostly finish a blanket started ages ago. and stuart? he likes being wherever i am.

man, i had an excellent 2 days. 2 days. wow. i wish i could go back and finish up the week there, but i cannot. damn.

in the kitchen!

2008-09-16T19:11:00.003-04:00

apparently, i can bake. and perhaps the measure is a certain recipe vs. the results. perhaps some recipes have a bit of leeway ....

and perhaps, i used the most fool proof recipe on the face of the earth!

but, it worked. i was amazed that it worked. my dough was quite gooey. it never made into a proper "ball". i even plopped it into my stock pot seam side down. so, lots of things working against this loaf.

but still, it worked.

and it was delicious. fresh from the oven, i went over to a friend's house, where we spent the afternoon in great company, filling ourselves on bread, butter, and wine.

and the weather couldn't had been better ... it was all drizzle and rain, and cool blustery breezes .....

perhaps fall is coming? and perhaps, next week, or so, the news will be all about the indian summer (as if it doesn't happen every year!).

communication

2008-09-16T12:41:00.004-04:00

my parents crack me up. they send each other little messages based on how the toys on their bed are arranged.

... notice how goofy (dad) is falling off the bed .... hmmm .....

(yawn)

2008-08-21T22:38:00.002-04:00

i am tired! so tired. and wired. and i hate that combo. it happens sometimes ... when i've had a(n) (extra) long day (a polite way of saying today 'sucked ass').

i need to get into bed so tomorrow doesn't suck as well. (yawn ... again)

police convention

2008-08-16T15:35:00.005-04:00

just another day in the neighborhood. when i first noticed, they had a guy cuffed across the street. but then, they uncuffed and walked with him back to the house next door. i guess it's "shoot first, ask questions later" ?

of course, this brings on all kinds of onlookers. including myself. but, i have a very clear view from my upstairs apartment, right next door to the house that's always involved with the action.

wonder what was going on to bring out 5 cars including k-9? ... must be a slow day .....

overdue art

2008-08-11T16:45:00.003-04:00

when i was in the domenican republic last december, on my next to last day i was in santo domingo. i spent the day wandering around, looking for my souvenier. funny thing was, my souvenier was the first thing i had spotted when i got to my hotel earlier ... but across the street.

on the other side of the street was an artist with a tiny tiny studio space. he had lots of drawings and paintings, some on display outside, most in stacks inside.

after wandering around the city all day, i went back to him to negotiate for the painting i loved. i think we worked something out to please us both.

i've had this since december. people ask me "what is it?" ... hmmm ... to me, it's two robots riding unicycles. to me, it's the experience of an artist doing his thing every day, in a small small space, hoping tourists will like his work. and to me, it's a bookmark in my life.

leanne was instrumental in me getting this up on the wall. the canvas had been removed from the stretcher to get it home. i had no idea it was a standard size (16x20") until leanne said, "i bet that's ____". and she was right. we bought a cheap canvas at a craft store, stripped off the cheapie stuff and used the frame to stretch mine over it.

and today, i put the hardware on the back to hang. it's up, above my desk.

dios mios!

2008-08-05T19:36:00.003-04:00

so, apparently when i am gone for an extended trip, my home becomes a mousie playhouse. i have found evidence, in places not expected (ie: bedside nightstand?!).

i posted on ravelry a shout out asking for advice as to what to do regarding exterminating. i quickly received some excellent advice and shared experiences.

i chose to go the traditional route, though, i fear the "clean up". ick ....

holy crap, look at the size difference between the mouse and rat traps!

... baited with some yummy peanut butter !

if traditional traps don't work, i will get one of these and electrocute the little bastards.

light house day

2008-08-02T18:04:00.001-04:00

the day before our departure from cozumel, my family rented a car and drove around the southern half of the island. one of the destinations was the lighthouse at the southern tip. it was skinny ! but the view from the top was spectacular!

sigh

2008-07-28T01:23:00.002-04:00

... so tired, and i want to update. but, soooo tired! finally, i am going to bed.

bundt cake!!!

2008-07-02T19:07:00.003-04:00

i made a mad dash to the mall today to pick up one of these ...

i have this strange fascination with bundt cakes. i don't even remember if i've had a bundt cake, ever. but, something about their history and style is so appealing to me. plus, their recipes can be either sweet or savory, and of course, i prefer the savory.

while i was trying to figure out which pan to purchase (and where i could get it locally w/o having to have it shipped), i ran across a link to martha stewart. there is/was a martha stewart episode where her guest is one of the co-founders of nordic ware, and this woman, Dorothy Dalquist, made this fabulous sweet potato bourbon bundt cake.

i'm going to make it. i got all the stuff today. but today, with it being so late, the best i can do tonight is to go ahead and cook the sweet potatoes, so they'll be ready to roll tomorrow.

and the next time i go to the mall, i'm picking up one of these too ... holy crap! SO CUTE !!!!

$34 to make bug cakes !!!! got. to. have. it.

details on buggy pan over here.