Bits o' this and that

The mail-lady was very sweet and left some lovely little packages on my doorstep.



Favorite Socks has the Flame Wave pattern I'm currently making (the lilac socks). I got the book out from the library, but saw so many patterns I simply must make, and since I didn't think the library would let me keep it indefinitely, I just had to get my very own copy. And no self-respecting knitting Harry Potter fan should be without Alison Hansel's Charmed Knits. My 'To Do' list increased ten-fold. Seriously.



And, I can now start DSis's Gelato bag. Both needles came, plus I even picked up the yarn for her Christmas gift. The pink yarn is Tahki's Jolie, which is a sumptuously soft angora/merino yarn. I found the cutest fingerless mitts pattern, and they'll look adorable on her. Pink is her signature color.


I'll never profess to have a love of gardening. (Not a gene inherited from Mum - see earlier post) In fact, I really think I should have just inherited a large English Manor, complete with a full staff to attend to all gardening. It would be my job to walk about the extensive gardens, adorned in a pretty silk frock, and having tea brought out on the terrace as in most Jane Austin novels. Don't get me wrong, I'd treat them very well. I think the Brady's had it right, with that green astroturf in their yard. How many episodes did you see Greg or Peter out there mowing the grass? No, they spent their time having potato sack races!

I don't plant many extraneous plants because it's one less plant that will eventually die, with me suffering right along with it trying to save it. However, since we moved into our house, I've wanted large stone urn planters for either side of the front porch. The stone-urn-price to plant-kill-rate ratio was a bit unbalanced to expect the Appropriations Committee (i.e. DH) to approve of such a purchase, so I compromised and went the bronze-looking-resin route. Appropriations had no issue with this purchase except for cracking snide remarks about the expected life span of the poor plants that would reside in them once they became mine. For such rude remarks, the Appropriations Committee had to not only carry said items to the truck, but also help relocate the plants.

After getting dirt in places I can't fathom how it got there, and getting totally soaked watering two plants, here is the fruit of my labor:



The flowers are Hardy Mums. I'm partial to them because I have a 'Hardy' Mum. She's about 98lbs soaking wet, but she's as hardy as the Rock of Gibraltar. I like the rust colored autumn version, but these are a gorgeous burgundy color. There are also about a gazillion buds on them, so I should expect a few flowers to bloom. ;o)




And here's an update of The Prayer. A little last night while watching The Barkley's of Broadway (Astaire-Rogers) and a little during lunch today.

The New Fall Rotation Lineup (picture heavy)

It's been a great while since I've followed a stitching rotation. I had one, then Fairy Flora got in the way, and well, you know, that was a runaway romance that's run it's course for now.

I was doing some straightening and came across more of my very old stash and put togehter some 'golden oldies' along with some newer projects to make up my 'New and Improved' fall rotation.

First up, The Prayer by Moiria Blackburn (I just love the sentiment, perfect for the one who doesn't like bumps in the night - me):

"Lord keep us safe this night, secure from all our fears. May angels guard us while we sleep till morning light appears."



And my starting progress, which is from maybe five years ago:




#2 is Batch of Pumpkins by Homespun Elegance, also started a number of years ago. Autumn is my favorite season (and not far away). In anticipation of changing leaves, cool nights, hot apple cider, and of course 'cuddle weather', I wanted something fall-ish:



And so far:




#3 is one I started for DH in the very early 90's (DBF back then). The Eagle Has Landed from the booklet Reach for the Stars from Stoney Creek. It's done on black fabric, so I'm sure you'll understand why it's taken so long. Poor DH picked it out and has never said anything about never getting it, so I figured it was time to finish it for him.



Where I'll be starting:




#4 is Liberty Hill In by Little House Needleworks. I've been seeing so many LHN designs popping up on so many other stitchers' blogs, and I love their designs, that I wanted to add one to my rotation:



I haven't started it yet, so there's no progress to show.


#5 is Home is Where the Cat is from Margaret Sherry. I've recently started this so you've seen it before. I really like it and so it made the cut.



And my starting progress:




And rounding out my rotation at #6, is another Golden Oldie, Santa of the Forest from Lavender & Lace:



And here he is from when he and I last met:




I like to get into a project, so I think I'll work on each one a week, then switch onto the next one for a week, and so on. Of course, knitting Christmas presents will occasionally pre-empt as it gets closer to the holidays, and the time to complete things ticks down to zero...

And I wait...

I wanted to start DSis's birthday gift, but that's not to be. Is it me, or in the spaghetti that you call your circular needles, you have every needle ever made, except the one you really need? I need US#11 20" and 16" circular needles.

So, I put an order in last night at jimmybeanswool.com and once the needles arrive, I'll get Gelato started.




I've also joined the Favorite Sock KAL. This book has so many socks I want to knit...I've done a little more on the Flame Wave sock. I finished the heel and am working on the foot:

Wow. (No Deathly Hallows spoilers)

We just finished the audio book. We can now emerge from the safeness of our home, turn on the TV and radio, surf the web, and talk to other people without fear of hearing or reading something that might spoil the last Harry Potter book.

J. K. Rowling outdid herself.


And listening to book 7 really got my fingers going...


The sleeves on Mum's Cardigan are done.




A few more rows done on the Basketweave Afghan.




And I completed the cuff part of the first Flame Wave (I'm ready to start the heel) from Favorite Socks.




Our set is complete. :o)

Book 7

This blog will temporarily be interrupted until Book 7 is completed...

My tattoo

Sylvie shared her tattoo on her blog and so I'll share mine too.



It's on my inside left ankle and it's a Celtic knot of three entwined cats. It's not obvious, but if you start from the outside at one of the three little hooks, which are the end of the cats' tails and follow one back in, you can see them. The very center is where their front paws meet.

I got it about four years ago, and it was my sister who got me to stop thinking about it and actually get one (she has 5). It didn't hurt much more than plucking eyebrows and after a while, the area went numb.

I like that it's not obvious, and at work, it's fun to see the look on someone's face when they realize that I have one. (I guess I just really, really look like I wouldn't have one. It's my personal form of rebellion from my Surburban Soccer Mom persona. I want to get another, but I'm not entirely sure what and where. I have seen a really cool shaded pencil design that looks 3D of a gargoyle. Maybe a shaded gargoyle on my back hip...

If you've got a tattoo and want to share, please post a picture and it's story on your blog!

An arm and a half

If my Mum's right arm was half as long as her left arm, I could call the sleeves complete, but as they're the same length, I have a bit more knitting to do.



Can I help, Daddy, can I? I know the answer to 5 down!
(Abner has an English accent)

I now understand

I've heard that TV sales go up around the time of the Super Bowl and the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I'm not into those sports (I like ice hockey) but I guess if you really are, that would be a great time to upgrade.

You could say that DH and I have done something similar in anticipation of the very last Harry Potter book coming out this Friday evening (my coworker has informed me that we're now under 100 hours until H-day). For a while now, I've wanted a small stereo in our bedroom to enjoy background music while reading or stitching and be able to hook up my iPod so I wouldn't have to always use the earphones.

So, in anticipation of the last book on CD, we've upgraded our stereo system. I now understand.




And while DH was hooking things up, I got a little stitching done on the Winter sampler.

You mess with my Mummy's knitting, you mess with me!

Abner ferociously guarded my knitting this afternoon. So well, that I couldn't bring myself to interrupt his nap was afraid to try to move him.


Last night I worked a little on my Silly String sock. And this is how it typically is, both kitties curled up with me. I feel a bit like the Pied Piper. :o)




Because I couldn't get to Mum's Cardigan today (please see above), I did finish the Silly String socks. Stick a fork in 'em, they're done!




Around the time I put Flora down, I've kind of lost my xstitch mojo, and have been knitting more as you all can see by my recent posts. But, as I recently went through my xstitch projects (I'm thinking of getting a loose rotation going again), one project in particular has been giving me an itch to stitch. It's a Homespun Elegance design called 'Winter House Sampler'. I started it a few years back, but I feel like picking it up again.




And how can I not share this sweet little face? (Just look at that little pink rubber eraser nose!)

Who squished my cat?

I was walking back to the house from getting the mail, and saw this:



- How on earth do they get into such configurations??
- Can this really be comfortable?
- What do our neighbors think we do to the cats?

Here's the inside view:




I also made a pilgrimage to my local yarn shop and picked up some fun things for future projects:

Some Fiber Trends patterns:



And some yarn:



The two pink skeins are for the felted purse pattern (above) as a birthday gift for DSis, The two pebble colored skeins (Kidsilk Haze) are for Wisp (see last post for project link), the little aberguine skein (4ply Cotton) is thin cotton yarn for a lace washcloth (for me, pattern also above), and the last is a skein of sock yarn...just because who really has enough sock yarn? :o)

After we got home today, I sat out on the deck and worked on a sleeve for the Mum's Cardigan. It just doesn't look all that different from the last picture, though I did manage to find a 12" circular needle which I'm using instead of the DPNs. This has made it so much faster to knit the sleeve. Of course, until the beautiful weather and breeze encouraged me to nod off...

A bit of progress...

I picked up the DPNs for the Mum's Cardigan and got a sleeve started. I think I'll need a stretch of unterrupted time to work on the button hole side of the right front band, so maybe Sunday afternoon. I've never done that before, and I'll need my full concentration (and a pot of coffee).




While commuting to and fro, I've been working on my Silly String socks (and listening to HP and the Half Blood Prince). I'm a couple inches from starting the toe decreases.




I'm at the point in both projects when I start thinking ahead to what I want to knit next. About this time last year, I was busily working on the Mum and Mom scarves, and then the Swallow Tail Shawl a little later.

You know when you're buying a car, suddenly you see the model you're thinking of buying everywhere, and wonder how the heck that happened? It's been like that with wanting to start a lace project. On almost every knitting blog I've recently visited, there you go - another lace project going on! It must be fate. I just must start a lace project. Now.

The project I have in mind is Wisp from the current issue of Knitty. I also think I'm going to make, as described in the instructions, the 'Super-Deluxe Version', and use Rowan Kidsilk Haze. This is a very versatile piece (it can be worn as a scarf with a coat or could be worn as a scarf with a sweater or top) so I'd like it in a color that will coordinate with almost everything. Drab, Majestic, and Elegance are my front runners. I think I'll be making a LYS pilgrimage tomorrow.

Worth a vacation day...

Some thoughts (don't worry, no spoilers):

- The girl cast as Luna Lovegood, IMHO, really captured the character well (she also reminded me of Jan from the Brady Bunch movies).

- Kate Winslet would have made an excellent Tonks (though the part in the movie was so much smaller than in the book). And if Kate was in there, they'd just about have almost the entire cast of Sense and Sensibility in Harry Potter.

- What were the costume people smoking when they came up with the dress they put on Aunt Petunia???

- Thank goodness they took scissors to Harry, Ron, Fred and George's hair.

- Fred and George didn't speak all of their lines in unison! Yay!

- We didn't get to hear 'Weasley is our king'.

- The mayhem that Fred and George let loose is very cool, but we didn't get to see 'poo' (my favorite part of book 5).

Overall, I liked the movie, but I can't understand, that with as long as the book was, they couldn't have made the movie longer, especially since it's the shortest movie to date.

And the last part of the movie, when they go to the Ministry, is 3D (at least in the IMAX), so you get to wear ever so fashionable eyewear. Here's MIL jauntily sporting a pair:




In the wee hours of next Saturday morning, we'll be listening to Jim Dale reading Deathly Hallows...

More on Mum

I'm a slow knitter and stitcher. But, every so often, I shock myself silly and get more done than I thought I would. So, yes, I'm a little more silly today than usual. :o)

I knitted the bottom to Mum's cardigan this weekend. I originally wanted to do 4 inches then the ribbing, but when I hit 4, it looked a little on the short side, so I knitted 5 inches and then the ribbing. (now, here's where the silliness comes in) Somehow, I also managed to finish the neckband, too.



I don't have US#8 DPNs, so when I can get to a JoAnn Fabrics and pick up a set, I'll get started on the sleeves. Until then, I'll be working on the front bands.


And if you ever wondered what true laziness looks like, here you go:

Infamous Fish Tacos

I didn't inherit my Mum's Gardening Gene or her Painting/Wall-Papering Gene, but I did inherit her Impromptu Cooking Gene, which, of the three, I'd much rather have. She always had the ability to put together a basic, quick meal. It wasn't fancy, but it was really, really good, made with whatever she had on hand and with little forethought or planning.

When I went out on my own into my very first apartment, I wanted all her recipes so I could make them for myself in my very own kitchen. There was nothing she could tell me to write down, because she didn't follow any recipes. You just do what feels right. Years later, cooking for me and DH, I totally understand the concept. I have the Impromptu Cooking Gene! (Thanks, Mum! :o)

MIL has come to stay with us for a couple weeks, and typically, when she does, she asks me to make Fish Tacos. I think I got the recipe from a lowfat cookbook of mine, but I don't follow a recipe for it anymore. They're infamous because she had a heck of a time trying to describe this goofy meal her daughter-in-law made called Fish Tacos. We think most of her coworkers and relatives thought she took a little too much of her meds...

Remember: if you make this, you do whatever feels right and it will come out perfect!

1. Preheat oven to ~350F. (The last time I made this, I probably put the temp at 325F, who knows?) Start with ~15" or so (I didn't measure) of heavy duty, nonstick aluminum foil:



2. Put maybe a couple handfuls of frozen veggies (enough to eat with the fish fillet but not too much to fit in the piece of foil you have) on the foil. I used frozen sugar snap peas, frozen petite baby carrots and fresh vidalia onion. Mix and match, have fun! Surprise your dinnermates! Pick your favorite seasonings, fresh or dried. Since MIL is diabetic, I used Mrs. Dash (sometimes I use sea salt and basil, sometimes not):



3. Put a fish fillet on top of the veggies. Some of you may be lucky enough to live near a convienient source of fresh seafood. I used a bag of frozen orange roughy from Wal-Mart. I typically select a firm white fish that's not too thick (I've also used talapia and flounder). Then I ground some black pepper (or whatever floats your boat) on top:



4. Bring the foil up on both sides of the taco filling and roll it down like you'd do to the top of a brown paper sack:



5. Secure the short ends, by folding them up twice:



6. Put the Fish Taco on a cookie sheet with it's other Fish Taco friends and bake for about ~40 minutes (really depends on the thickness of the fish and if it's frozen or not):



It's a good idea to cut a little notch in an end of the packet to drain the liquid before serving. (rather than letting your dinner companions scald themselves with the liquid - trust me) Then I cut one end off and actually put the pouches on a platter, so they can take their own tacos apart.

Congratulate yourself with a glass of wine... :o)

Sorry, I didn't get the camera out in time to catch anyone enjoying their dinner, but there weren't leftovers, so I guess it passed muster. :o)

The Mum Sweater, Grey's, and Other Things

I've been working on my Mum's sweater. There is a lady I work with who is almost exactly the same size and height as my Mum (tiny), and she agreed to be my 'Sweater Tester'. Here's my progress so far:



Per my tester, I need to knit four more inches on the body, then the bottom ribbing. This will make the sweater hip length and more like a jacket. I hope to get the bodice completed this weekend.

I think I was able to get so much done because I was also knee deep into watching Grey's Anatomy, 2nd season (I even got DH into it!). Between dabbing my eyes and blowing my nose (Oh, Denny and McDog), I was able to get some serious knitting done.

For most TV shows, I'm a Johnny-Come-Lately. I can never seem to get around to watching a series when it first comes out. I'm just not a fixed-time-or-commercial- TV person. The last series I actually would watch 'live' on TV was X-Files. No, wait, we also watched Carnivale on HBO. It's been a while.

On a bunch of knitting blogs I read, a number of knitters participate in a knit-a-long called 'Knitting with Grey's'. This piqued my interest, so I got Season 1 from the library (it only took about 6 months on the waiting list!) and loved it. So, I requested Season 2 and just finished it up a couple days ago. Season 3 doesn't come out on DVD until September 11th, just about the time season 4 starts up, so I'll might have to do a combination of taping them on TV and buying the others from iTunes so we'll be ready for season 4 to begin. I'm also watching back seasons of Lost, Numbers and Gilmore Girls.


Since Autumn is right around the corner (I can't wait!), I decided to make a cuddly afghan for The Ladies' Parlour. I picked up a JoAnn Fabrics brand yarn called Angel *something* (I don't think it's Soft - that's a brand of TP ;o). It's so soft, and I found a colorway that coordinates well with my furniture. (And, I think the cats will love it because it's so soft, warm and comfy - the real reason for getting it, let's be perfectly honest).

I'm keeping it simple, just a knit 4 stitches, purl 4 stitches, repeating for 8 rows then purl 4 stitches, knit 4 stitches, and so on, making a sort of basket weave looking pattern. On either end, I'm going to add 6 inch fringe. It should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 45"X120" with the fringe.



It's going to replace this (I love the color and I love chenille, but it's really not all that warm and cuddly):




OK, I'll finish up with a recent Wal-Mart purchase that was just so darn cute, I couldn't pass it up. They had these tshirts and boxer shorts with characters from a cartoon strip (I forget the name, sorry I just don't read the funnies). How could I not buy something that has Itchey-esque and Abner-esque images on it? I also got the turquoise matching boxers, too.