Babies and knitting

Finally, a wee bit of knitting content. Saw my sister today and she passed on this picture. I made the sweater and hat a little over a year ago for the soon-to-be daughter of a dear friend of hers. Have to admit, it was kind of fun making something really frufru girly and pink, and the set served the purpose of keeping me somewhat sedentary for the week following a much needed breast reduction surgery. Well, the wee lil girl is finally big enough for everything to fit, and look how adorable she is! Looks like the spitting image of her mama. It's just bizarre to see something I made in such a gorgeous picture, but it makes me smile to know that the gift was well loved :-).

Another baby knit, this one started three days ago and worked on in between painting and scurrying around finishing up the house. Oops - realized I had a baby shower to go to a wee bit too late. Grabbed some CottonTots, cast on for a simple raglan sweater with seed stitch edging, and flew through it. I made it in the round, coming up with shaping as I went, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. Not bad for knitting on the fly.

In other news, my house went on the market today. Gulp.

Remodel update

Look - tile! Real, honest to goodness tile that we laid with our own bare hands, all by ourselves. This was a first for both of us, and we sure learned a lot in the process. I'm really happy with how the floor came out in the end, especially considering what it looked like before. Actually, I wish I had a picture of what it looked like when we moved in. The whole thing was painted in beige high gloss (the precise color of masking tape, I later found out when we painted), with a rusty stage light lamp above the sink, no hardware on the cabinets, no cabinet above the toilet, and that lovely beige shag rug wall to wall. It was a beigebeigebeige monstrosity. Now it's sunny, light, and inviting. Pretty darn proud of that.

While we had the adhesive and grout mixed up, we added a line of tile to the backsplash under the edge of the kitchen counter as well. You can't tell in the picture, but this strip runs all across the length of the kitchen. Thought a bit of tile would dress things up a little and help tie the countertop to the appliances and the floor. Definitely helps, and it was fun to do after the huge effort on the bathroom floor.

I just finished painting the inside of our closet, something that sounds like no big deal until you realize that it's the size of a bedroom! Seriously, you could easily fit a bed in there and have plenty of space to walk around, aside from the roof sloping down so low at the end. The closet has gone from (did you guess?) beige to a much cleaner looking white. Ah, the power of paint.

Haven't been doing any knitting or crafting at all, partially because there's so much to do as we get the house ready to sell, partially because the weather has been changing and my hands ache a lot. We should have the house on the market next week, which will give a little break from painting and fixing and packing, and hopefully I can finish up my Sockapaloooza socks and my Perfect Sweater then.

I leave for Portland on the 28th to go look for a house and hopefully put in an offer. Can't believe this is all happening so quickly. We'll be in Portland soon!

Must be the Sharpie fumes

So we're clearing out all the boxes, papers, and general stuff other than furniture. Piles and piles of random paperwork have been purged from the bookcase and computer area, awaiting their proper place in the filing cabinet. Why aren't they in there already?

(clears throat, looks down)

I suck at filing. It's not really Dan's strong point, either. If anyone ever has a notion that I'm some kind of super homemaker, please get that idea out of your head. I hate cleaning and am pretty lousy at keeping paperwork in any kind of order. There, I said it.

This doesn't mean I have given up all hope. As I went through the drifts of old medical records and paid bills, I realized that this move is a great time to start over and get it all together. I'm attacking the filing cabinet with folders, tabs, and an honest to goodness home filing system.

I'm having a blast doing this.

Must be the fumes.

I've come out of the closet

Literally! All the boxes are now downstairs in the garage and the closet is essentially clear. Dan is going to take the sewing machine and serger down once I've finished a couple last minute sewing jobs (baby carriers and a doggy coat for friends). Next comes the second hardest task this week: clearing out the computer area with it's wall of books and piles of CDs, paperwork, and both computers. Should be quite a bit easier, though - most things just need to be boxed up directly with no sorting of any kind really needed, unlike my huge project pile. I did manage to get rid of many bags of clothes, cloth, and miscellaneous drek while cleaning and this will only make moving that much simpler. All boxes are numbered and labeled, and I've started an Excel spreadsheet with descriptions and where each box should go in the new house (which we are still hunting for). I'm all about the organization, at least outside of a previously messy closet.

In other news, we have a contest winner! Thanks to this handy random number generator, Tammie of Knitammie wins a copy of Wrap Style or hand made soap if she prefers. Thanks to everyone for all the comments and suggestions - I think it will all really help. For anyone who missed it, B'Gina shared this in the comments:

"The shop is The Twisted Ewe in Port Townsend, Washington. My friends, Suzanne and Brien, bought it from it's creator, a nice lady name Jennifer who raises sheep and spins her own yarn! They will still be selling her custom yarns, so that's going to be great.

I'm making note of everyone's wish lists and will pass them along to Suzanne. Kathy also gave me several good idea, like a knitting night, which I'm happy to say has been going on for a while, already. We're going to be selling online, too, and hope to have a fairly sizable range of things available there.

We'll be having custom designed patterns (my job), and, if the legalities work out, we'll have a "library" of old knitting books that customers can copy patterns from, free of charge. That's got possible copyright ramifications, so we're not absolutely sure if we'll be able to do it, though.

I'm going to start a blog for the store, which will not just be a sales tool. I'll be blogging about the perils of trying to create patterns and about other arty things I do for the shop. Suzanne and Brien will be blogging about what it's like getting into the retail yarn biz (if I have to get them in a hammerlock to get them there, I will ;+), and we'd love knitters and needleworkers from all over to join in.

We always want to know what we're doing right, or wrong, and what we may be omitting that we could do. We may at some point start a bulletin board, if it looks like the blog is engendering enough discussion to warrant it, so please keep us in mind.

I'm building the site and have to get busy on that. The URL will be: http://www.thetwistedewe.com. I'll let Kathy know when it's up.
Also, if anyone wants to be personally notified (or has any other comments or suggestions), please email me: bginab at gmail dot com.

Thanks for all your comments. We're just doing inventory this weekend to see where we are as the shop changes hands. So, it will take us a while to make any changes, and, who knows, the shop may already have most of what you want. That would be nice. ;+)"
B'gina

I'm off to fill up boxes again. Ahhhhh....by this time next week we'll have brand new, soft soft carpet instead of the stained "plush" there right now. It'll take about a week to finish up retouching the paint everywhere and get the final cleaning and tidying done, and then the house will go on the market. I'll most likely fly out to Portland a couple of weeks later to do some house searching, and then after that, moving. It's all really coming together quickly now. We'll be in Oregon very soon!

May the Force be with me

Full disclosure here. The disturbing images below are of my closet...A.K.A. the craft and computer area or Where Things Go To Die. Here lies my beautiful Pfaff sewing machine that I love dearly. The poor thing is almost buried by the project pile next to it, and my lovely serger hasn't seen the light of day in quite a long time.
Here you can see my yarn stash - the two blue topped Tupperware-ish containers in the front there. Oh, sure, I have a few skeins in the beige canvas knitting bag right behind them, and there are several live projects downstairs by the couch, but that's it. The rest of the boxes are all fabric and patterns and batting and foam. Oh, and our suitcases live by the foam for some odd reason as well - have to fix that. Everything on the right is Dan's computer graveyard (oh, wait, he calls those boxes "parts"...though nothing in them has been used since I can remember. I don't disabuse him of this notion but I do reserve the right to mock privately).

We're getting new carpet next Saturday. All boxes, piles, everything but the furniture must be moved out by then.

I'm going in.

Wish me luck.

Spring has sprung

Happy Spring, everyone! I know the Equinox was actually yesterday, but it was blustery and stormy here and didn't feel like Spring at all. Today was crisp, clear and beautiful. Lean in close and see if you can smell these beauties!

What would you like in a yarn/needlework store? Contest!

No, I'm not opening a store, but I do know of some folks who are and they would love feedback. They would love to know what people would like to see that might be a little out of the ordinary, and what yarns they particularly like. The store will be located in Port Townsend, Washington, and is going to be called The Twisted Ewe. My pal B'Gina is going to be setting up a blog giving more information and background and updates very soon, so stay tuned!

So here's how you can help out a fellow yarn and needlework addict (and help make an already wonderful sounding store even better). Share your favorite yarns and any yarn or needlework items that are a little different but you wish you could find somewhere. Next Sunday, March 26th, I'll select a random commenter (I love random number generators!) and the winner will receive a copy of Wrap Style (or some hand crafted soap, if you already have a copy) as well as the satisfaction that comes from helping another knitter and needleworker out.

Quick cat update and recipe

Tabby is doing much better now. By the next morning she was back to her old self, scarfing down cat food with abandon and curling up and purring against my leg. It's amazing to see how quickly animals heal, isn't it?

I made this fruit dip for Arden's St. Patrick's Day party at preschool (I brought green fruit - apples and grapes - and dip) and it was a huge hit. It tastes just like cheesecake and is incredibly easy to make up. If you made it with a little less cream, it would make a perfect frosting for cupcakes as well.

Cheesecake Dip
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Heat over medium-low heat in a small pot until smooth, stirring frequently. A whisk helps to break up lumps easily. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Remodeling PS - cutting tiles that are multiple sheets of smaller bits is pretty much impossible without an honest to goodness big guns tile cutter. We have now learned this the hard way. Dan is off to the hardware store to rent one. Live and learn, right?

Wacky Wednesday

This is what Ryan grins and utters every Wednesday morning. School gets out the same time every day...except Wednesdays, which get out an hour and a half early. So they call it "Wacky Wednesday" to help the children and parents remember. This works, well, most of the time.

So today I'm going to cover all kinds of wacky territory. First, an apology. I have been neglecting this poor blog in favor of spackle and tiles and paint. I have gone so far as not even mentioning the incredible knitters meet-up we had on the 5th with Lauren and what seemed like a million other cool knitters. Bad, bad Kathy. Above, you see the beautiful Mountain Colors Twizzle that Susan made me buy. Really, honestly - she held a sharp pointy stick to my head and forced me to pet the soft, luscious Merino and silk. Next to this, you see the Chibi that is all Lori's fault. She bought one and as I scoffed just a little she ever so slyly pointed out that the needles were bent at the end, all the better to seam with, my dear. Ah, well - show me a good tool and I'm there! What I didn't get a picture of was me tempting the lovely Andrea to watch House. Bwahahaaaa. (waves arms gracefully through the air) And now, to your right you see the Multidirectional Scarf that I'm making out of this cuddly stuff. Another apology - I know, I know, I'm *this* close to finishing my Perfect Sweater. I know! But right now we're doing so much with the house (and I've been sicksicksick) that I needed something brainless and simple to work on. Scarf time. Over there, you see a cream puff. Not just any cream puff, but a Beard Papa's cream puff. Caramel, to be exact. Oh my freaking stars, these are goooooood. Crisp, just barely sweet, creamy, and filled literally as I paid my $1.50. This was the first time I've had one, but it won't be the last! Over on the other side you see Arden's finger pointing to Koi...that happen to live in the middle of the mall that has the yummy cream puffs. There's a round circle of open ponds overflowing with fish of all sizes (from "look, so big, Mommy!" to "oh, it's an eensy tiny one!"), shapes and colors. Arden kept running from rock to rock, pointing to this fish and that one and asking what each one was called. I think he was asking for names. Last is my not pictured cat, Tabitha, who had to go to the vet's today for an abcessed tooth. She came up this morning, mewing plaintively, and when I looked at her face I saw one tooth sticking out of the side of her mouth. It was so swollen that it was being pushed out, so off to the vet we went. Poor thing. They were able to save the tooth, but she hurts and is curled up into an unhappy ball right now. No picture out of deference to her less than photogenic condition - she would have nothing less. To her great credit, nobody at the animal hospital could believe that she was really sixteen years old. I have a hard time remembering it, myself. They said she'll probably live to see twenty, and I'm hoping they were right.

You know what every bathroom needs?

Carpet. There's nothing like sinking your toes into cushy, warm polyester first thing in the morning. And the way it squishes when the sink leaked last summer? So cute! I especially like the way it enhanced the overall decor, adding a certain sense of sophistication that would otherwise have been missing.

We were surprised, shocked even, when our Realtor suggested that we lay down tile on the floor instead. Who wouldn't love beige shag, especially right next to such a deep and inviting bathtub? But we went ahead anyway, saddened that no one else could see the treasure our house held.

Ha! I pulled up that carpet so fast, I barely had time to shout victoriously as the last corner came loose. Who the heck puts carpet in a bathroom? I've been asking myself this for six years now. After the carpet came out, I ripped out the padding, finding it stuck in little bits all over the floor. Turns out it was stapled down, so we had to pull up each and every one with pliers. I pried off the tack strips around the edge of the room - so deeply satisfying to rip out wood and hear the cracking and splintering. Destruction is fun!

We finished laying down the backerboard - thin sheets of cement - on top of adhesive. Laying that stuff down was a bit like icing a really large cake, since you have to spread it just so and then comb through with a serrated trowel. I felt like tossing chopped nuts or coconut on it for decoration. Next comes the tarpaper membrane that will hopefully protect the lower floor from water damage, then we're tiling, baby! I can't wait.

Membrane is done! We're tiling tomorrow.

Now here's something different

That would be hail you're looking at. On my patio. In Southern California. Bizarre.

Blog within a blog

I'm going to be very, very busy until next Wednesday. Why, you ask? Because I'm doing a one week food blog over at one of my favorite foodie haunts, eGullet. I'm taking pictures of every single thing I eat and cook, so it's a little like being on some kind of odd reality show for people obsessed with spices and microplanes. I'm having a blast, but there will be understandably little blogging here while I'm working on it (knitting updates to come, though!). Anyone interested in taking a peek, look here.

I know three things about

Today my oldest was doing the ever dreaded homework, and we got to this week's "journal" page. "I know a lot about _____", it read. Then, down below, were three large squares so each child could share three things they knew about whatever the subject was.

He struggled mightily on what to write about. "Hmmm....you know a lot about cooking", I offered. "Yeah, but that's not very cool." Ah, the priorities of a seven year old. Long gone are the days when he wanted to be a chef when he grew up. Finally, he settled on something really cool that he knew a lot about: Oregon. His face lit up as he talked about how it snows there sometimes (as a lifelong resident of Southern California, the idea that it actually snows somewhere at all is magical to him). Then he wrote that his cousins live there. Actually, my cousin lives there with his wife and two girls, but Ryan refers to all of the smaller children in the family as cousins. Can't remember if that makes them first cousins or what exactly, but I guess he's right.

And thing-he-knows-about-Oregon number three?

"I'm going to live there."

:-)

New floor and being one with the couch

It's been an interesting week here. Dan's sister Katie came out to visit last weekend, much to the great joy of both the boys who adore her. She brought with her a late birthday gift: a portable foozball table made from dark wood that folds up and looks quite attractive when not in use. Needless to say, the boys love it....and the adults are having a blast with it as well. Who says you have to grow up?

We also started in on the forlorn kitchen floor. The linoleum was in sad shape when we bought the house six years ago and those six years have been less than kind. I gleefully ripped up the old flooring, only to find several odd things like this cryptic message (it reads: "loose shot", though I mistook that "o" for an "i" for a moment full of hysterical laughter). You can also see the old flooring that never ever looked clean, no matter how much I scrubbed and cleaned it. Whoever put it in did a lousy job as well - the edge that met up against the carpet was completely uneven with open gaps down to the cement below. Yes, I know we should have gotten rid of it years ago. Funny how hard you work to fix up a house that you won't be living in soon, isn't it? We also found a rather large and scary looking repair in the cement - no wonder the flooring was uneven in that spot! I don't even want to know why they had to fill things in there. Some things are just better unknown, especially when it comes to home repair.

Ripping the floor out was pretty quick job, at least until we got to the stove. The floor went all the way underneath, but we have a gas stove and couldn't safely pull it all the way out to get to the back by the wall. Dan puzzled and figured as only an Engineer can do, and then it hit us both at the same time: we could pull it out as far as the gas line would allow, then I could get in back and cut the floor and tear out what I could from the back. Here's where being short, relatively small, and limber come in handy. Thank you, yoga classes! I had to do some truly amazing contortions to get myself back there and back out again, but we were finally free of the old floor. Here's how it looked in all it's...erm...glory:

After we got the boys to bed, Dan and I got down to putting in the new vinyl tile. I never in my entire life imagined I'd voluntarily put plastic tiles in my kitchen, but they look fantastic. More importantly, they feel wonderful to my bare feet as I walk around, a testament to the fact that they are a lot thicker than the original linoleum sheeting. The kitchen looks so much better, and all for less than $150 and a day's worth of work. Not bad at all.

Unfortunately, soon after the lovely floor was in place I got hit by a truck...or at least that's what it felt like. I have been one with my couch, using up cloth diaper after cloth diaper in lieu of tissue (the soft cotton is so much kinder on a raw nose, and they're easy to toss in the wash and use again) and drinking gallons of tea while popping echinacea, vitamin C, zinc, astragalus, oregon grape root, and raw garlic. I'm finally at the tail end of it all and can breathe almost normally again. Just in time to do more home repairs!

....and the winner is...

Jeanne from A Bluestocking Knits! I'll be sending off a copy of Mindful Knitting later on today. Thanks to everone for voting and sharing opinions - it all really helped. Last night I finally decided on which button to use after trying on the almost completed sweater and holding up buttons against the front. I was thinking of using the last metallic buttons, but on the actual sweater they get lost and are a little too small. The leaf buttons are perfect, and those are what I'll use. Now to figure out buttonhole spacing!

Sockapaloooza update

I finally got started on socks for my pal. Had to ponder a bit to figure out what would be just right for her, but I think these will be perfect. She's young, seems to have a lot of energy, likes bright colors, and is a fan of cabling. I've been eyeing the "Aran Sandal Socks" from Socks, Socks, Socks for a long time now, and what better color than bright red? The color in the picture is almost right - it's 4018 (Red) in Baby Ull. The yarn is a bit splitty and difficult to frog, but it knits up well, is superwash, and pretty soft to boot. Had to add in some extra patterning since I needed more stitches around than used in the pattern, but it all blends in well. I'm loving how the cables are coming out! The pattern goes all the way down the heel so there's a flash of pattern if you wear them with open backed shoes. Much fun.

Oh, and the needles are a custom job, which is why they look so uneven. A few years ago, my grandparents moved out of their house to assisted living and had to get rid of a lot of their things. My Grandma was an incredible knitter. She's the one who taught me when I was little, who stood by while I made clumsy row after row, who helped design a special bonnet for my baby doll (who had gotten a rather odd punk haircut when I was three). Unfortunately, she had a series of strokes that made her unable to really use her hands at all, so no more knitting. She gave all of her knitting supplies to me, a gesture that made me cry just a little. I took all of the yarn she had kept, sorted it out into light, medium and dark colors, and made an afghan out of three strands held together, plain garter stitch. I wanted something that she could touch and hold against her cheek, something to remind her of all the things she had so lovingly made and most of all something that would keep her warm and let her know how much I cared. She cried when I gave it to her, too. The needles were made by my Grandpa years ago out of plastic straight needles. He snipped off the ends, sharpened them into points, and filed until everything was smooth. These needles aren't the best: they bend, one is a bit too short, and they aren't very strong. But I feel like I'm sharing something special with my Grandma, and that's enough for me.

Buttons, buttons

Blogger is finally back up! I've been trying for days to get on and update on my foray into the Perfect Sweater, but I haven't been able to post. I've finished everything except the second front of the cardigan, which I'll admit I'm a bit worried about. I'm doing a self facing that will get stitched down like this:

Now, the end result should be really nice. I finished the "button" side of the cardigan and it's going to look very polished once I sew the edges down. The trick is I have to figure out where all the buttonholes are going to go now, before I start the second side, since the buttonholes will be worked as I knit. Finally got to the fabric store and picked out some buttons so I can arrange them on the finished side and see what seems to work. But I can't quite decide on which will look best. The sweater is quite plain, all stockingette, shaped a bit like a fitted jacket. It's a deep, slightly heathered forest green. I'll probably wear this all the time, so nothing too fancy. Which button should I use? Please leave your answer in the comments (couldn't get a poll to work correctly to save my life this morning). I'll send a copy of Mindful Knitting to a randomly selected commenter, so there's something in it for you as well :-)

PS - the metallic buttons are all an antique-y gold tone. The third button down is plastic and has various darker greens in it all swirled together. Hard to get the colors to come out well. Oh, and Dan's vote is for the leaf button. Still not sure where I stand yet.

Move update

Sorry to have been AWOL for such a long time. Dan and I have been working feverishly to clean up and prepare the house for sale. It started out in decent condition, but there are a lot of things that we've both ignored for years or just never got around to fixing. We had our Realtor walk through and point out things that should be changed, and I made up a master list that's now hanging on the refrigerator of all the things we need to finish. So much work! Thankfully, a lot of it is painting which I really enjoy.

That is, aside from the evil popcorn ceiling seen on the right. We have a huge vaulted ceiling covered in the stuff that we planned on taking down, but just don't have the time or energy now. So we're painting it all white to match the walls. This is turning out to be much more difficult than either of us would have imagined. The accoustical coating soaks up paint like a sponge and comes off when you try to paint it, dropping down in a rain of tiny white dots everywhere. So far we've used four gallons of paint for that one ceiling alone! It takes a lot of muscle to coat the uneven surface, which is especially hard from a distance. Dan is doing the bulk of the higher up stuff while I do edging and the lower areas. Evil, evil stuff. I can't wait to be finished.

So far, we've re-painted our downstairs bathroom from a glorious apple green (see the dab of paint here) to a much more house shopper friendly cream (look left for the finished bathroom, tiny as it is). We've replaced the leaky kitchen faucet with a snazzy new one with a spray attachment that the boys love. We've washed down the kitchen cabinets and treated them with Old English scratch cover to fill in nicks and uneven spots. We've picked out vinyl tiles to cover the kitchen floor, since the old linoleum is in lousy shape. We've filled in holes in the walls and primered doors that need attention. We've cleared out whole car loads of stuff from the garage, enough that I'm driving to Goodwill every Sunday morning with another load (I now bring the workers something nice for breakfast once a week). We still need to install the floor in the kitchen and tear up the carpet in the upstairs bathroom and install tile there. Then touch up paint wherever it's needed and general clearing out of everything that isn't essential.

The original goal was to put the house on the market by the end of this month. I think it'll be a week or two into March, but that's still pretty close to what we'd planned. Then we wait and see how long it takes for the house to sell and start planning the move. Dan doesn't have a job in Oregon yet, despite a concerted effort to find one. At present our plan is to have him talk to his boss and see if his company will consider keeping him on as a consultant for a while, telecommuting once we move. He just started a very large project that will bring in a lot of money for the company, so they may well decide to keep him on to oversee things at the start. If he doesn't have a job in place we'll use the money from the sale of the house to live on while he searches in the Portland area. We will have enough to live on for a good year or so, and he plans on doing at least temp work while looking for something permanent there.

I go from being terrified of making such a big move to elated that we're finally moving to a place that feels right, that feels like home. Such a big step for all of us, but I think it's the right one all around. I can't wait!

How did my tiny little guy become SEVEN years old already?

Ryan is growing up so very quickly. It really does seem like just yesterday he was a baby so small he didn't fit in any of the clothes we brought to the hospital. Since then he's grown like a weed, soaking up the world around him along the way at lightning speed (which is the speed he does everything, hence my dad's nickname for him, Rocket Boy). He is a builder of all things Lego, especially rocketships and machines of all shapes and sizes. He loves reading Dr. Seuss, especially Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now! He loves broccoli. His favorite color is red. Just last night he used chopsticks for the first time, grinning proudly all the way. He has taught me patience and acceptance and centered my life in ways I never knew existed.

I love you more than life itself, little guy.

Happy Birthday!

Coming up next...

This morning I was driving my youngest to preschool. He was happily singing "D is for drums!" (I heart They Might Be Giants), when suddenly he yelled out: "Mommy! Mommy!" I looked in the rearview mirror, trying to figure out what was wrong. He grinned and said, "Mommy, coming up next is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. OK?" A playlist. From my four year old. I burst out laughing as he continued to sing. Not a bad way to start the day at all.

So, what's coming up next? After a flurry of Christmas knitting that miraculously got done well enough in advance for a bit of rest, I was out of new knitting projects. There were a few things that needed finishing up, but nothing that really caught my interest. I found out at the last minute that my sister was visiting our little brother in far off Texas, therefore *also* visiting my wee little niece Reagan who is almost one year old. My brother happened to mention how much he and his wife liked the sweater and hat I made for her last year, and gee, if I ever felt like it, they sure would love some more knitted stuff for her...how could I resist? I pulled out some Bernat CottonTots from the stash and whipped up a Miss Dashwood hat that is just the cutest darn thing ever. If I ever find more tiny girl babies to knit for, I'm making more of these. The bobble cast on took half of forever, but over all it wasn't difficult and the resulting hat was met with great approval out there in Texas-land.

I realized that with all the move preparations, I needed something simple to work on as a way to wind down and de-stress. I picked up the sweater I was making for my youngest and worked on it for a while, but quickly found that keeping track of the pattern repeats and cabling took more mental energy than I was up to at the moment. Though it is coming along nicely, don't you think? The Cotton-Ease really shows the cabling well, and the resulting fabric is soft and warm.

Then I remembered the Perfect Sweater project over at Mason-Dixon Knitting. I had ordered my Cascade 220 yarn in a truly gorgeous deep, slightly heathered green, and was chomping at the bit to get started. I'm working on the jewel necked cardigan version somewhere down the line, and with the move to Portland coming up I really wanted a simple cardigan of my own to take along when we leave. I pleaded with Ann to let me get my hot little hands on the pattern in progress, if only so I could get a general idea of shaping and get started. She graciously sent me not only the pattern but picture upon picture of how the pattern pieces went together.

This will be the perfect project for me: stockingette, long stretches of plain knitting, with just enough calculating and figuring to spice it up and make things interesting (since the pattern wasn't finished and isn't written in my size yet). I'm almost up to the armhole shaping on the back right now. Hard to tell shaping with it on the needles, but so far it is fitting well and things are working better than I would have thought. I did see a potential change in the armhole and sleeve cap shaping that might make the sleeve easier to set-in and make the fit a bit sleeker - that will be worked out once I get the back finished. I love plotting out the numbers and getting everything figured. Stitching up all the bits reminds me so much of sewing, and the way everything fits together makes more sense because I have made so many blouses and dresses in the past. I'm making my version a little longer than the original, with a tiny bit of shaping in the middle of the back, in order to copy the fit of my favorite knit jacket. It'll be exciting to see how it all comes together, and working on this gives me something else to do when I've been staring at lists or primering walls for hours.

Avatar madness

I blame JenLa.


(Is it just me, or is the monkey laughing at her?)

New Year, no resolutions

Everywhere I go, people are talking about their resolutions for the new year. None over here. Not that I don't believe heartily in change and growth. I do, and continually strive to make myself a better person. The thing that gets me about New Year's lists is the odd timing, and the attempt to try to change. When I decide to do something differently in my life, I make that change right away. If it's something I really want to do differently then there's just no waiting until the first of the year to start. To me, saying I'm going to try to do something is really setting myself up for failure. It's hard to really get to work on something new when you've got "I'm going to try" rolling around in your head. I decide something is going to happen and work to do it, period. Now, sometimes I don't actually accomplish whatever it was that I wanted, but just going forward actively helps accomplish so much more than a half-hearted, "try". To quote my favorite Jim Henson creation: "Do, or do not. There is no try."

This year sees a lot of things to do. A staggering list, actually. Dan is furiously job hunting (anyone need a Mechanical Engineer who does project management, system engineering, has a ton of CAD experience, is flexible and creative, and has a great work ethic? Around Portland, Oregon?). The plan, if there is no job to speed things up, is to put our house on the market at the end of February. Given the housing market here in Southern California, it should sell quickly, which puts us at moving by around the middle of April. We'll take the money from the sale and get a rental somewhere around Portland while Dan continues to job search. We should have plenty of money to live off of for six months to as much as a year if really neccessary (hope not). Then we'll find a house to buy and move the final time.

This means two months to paint, install a new kitchen floor, install a bathroom floor (it's carpeted - who puts carpeting in a bathroom?), get new carpeting or possibly laminate flooring for the rest of the house, clean and organize and purge. Getting rid of things and organizing further will help in the move as well. I'm currently making list upon list of all the things we need to purchase, things that need to be done, research needed (how do you measure for carpeting, for instance?), estimates, packing lists, travel notes....it's going to be a regular book by the time I'm done. Thankfully, I LOVE making lists and organizing things, so this is truly my element. But the amount of things to take care of is daunting, to say the least.

Crafting and cooking updates will be sporadic here for a while. Knitting and sewing will certainly continue, more as therapy and sanity breaks (and a way to use up supplies before moving) than as creative outlets, at least for now. I will be organizing recipes, instructions, and patterns so they're easily accessable over on the side bar, and hopefully adding more in the next few months.

2006 will be the year we move to Oregon. I can't wait!

All finished

The presents are complete and wrapped. The food is prepped for tomorrow. The house is clean. After the boys are in bed Dan and I will do an hour long yoga set and then fill the boy's stockings before drifting off to bed. For once in my life there isn't anything last minute that needs to be done, no worry that someone won't get a completed gift. It's a lovely feeling, though somehow strange. I'm so used to being up late Christmas Eve, scrambling to finsh something gift-ish for the next day that it's almost tradition. Have to admit, I could get used to this.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

Christmas, almost crunched

Woot - I'm just about done!

• Finish knitting the Twisty Turns wrap for my sister. Block said wrap.
  
• Finish the One Skein Wonder for the wee blonde curly haired one (and why on earth is that taking so long?)
  
• Stare sadly at Dan's *almost* completed hat and hope that the last skein of Decadence arrives by Saturday so I can finish it in time. (The Decadence arrived on Thursday and I'm all finished!)
  
• Buy knee and elbow pads for the boys to go with their new Razor scooters (shhhhh!)
  
• Tell my dad that we're moving to Portland (this is a biggie - he's going to freak in a rather spectacular way and I have to handle it carefully, but do it before Christmas. Yeah, I'm calling him today.) (This went much better than I would have thought. He's not certain about the move and whether he'll get to see us much, but seems to be taking it well so far.)
• Coat the Praline Chantilly (dessert for Sunday) with chocolate glaze.
  
• Do the same with the layered dessert I made up for Dan's birthday dinner tonight.
  
• Make chimichurri sauce for Dan's birthday dinner tonight.
  
• Clean the house as best as can be done with two whirlwinds of chaos. Make a batch of Grandma's rolls for Sunday's dinner.
  
• Caramelize apples for the salad course.
  
• Get to the store Friday Saturday and buy salad greens and broccoli for the dinner.
  
• Make beef stock for the jus to go with the roast on Sunday.
  
• Wrap presents.
  
• Make spiced nuts to nibble on Sunday.
  
• Make lentil soup and bread for lunch on Sunday.
• Make meringues and chocholate cookies for the small fry.
• Make mashed potatoes for the preschool Christmas party on Friday.
  
• Do at least an hour of yoga.
  
• Finish getting stocking stuffers for Dan and my sister (the boys are covered, and yes, we do stockings for grown-ups!)
  
• Sleep. (looks like this one is definitely happening this year!)

Real life knitters!

Yesterday I drove out to the Los Angeles Farmers Market and this is what I saw. Knitters! Lots of them, all sitting and talking and well, knitting. Knitters in the wild, I tell you. Something I never, ever see out in my neck of the (out in the middle of almost nowhere) woods. One woman wandered over, watched all of us for a while, then asked if we were a knitting circle. It was a bit difficult explaining that most of us had never actually met before, though many knew each other online, at least sort of. The really funny part is that while much of the group was tagging along with Lauren, there was a completely different group of knitters who just happened to also be out in front of the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf when our group arrived. What are the chances of two unrelated knitting groups showing up in the same random public location at the same time?

Stomachs were grumbling, so several of us branched off to go find food, then it was off to the Knit Cafe with Jen (had a great conversation about Los Angeles en route as we drove down Melrose Place). This is where I realized just how few people I really knew there, even through blogs. This is probably a good thing, since I would have been much more intimidated had I had any idea of who anyone actually was. I mean, here was a luscious knit store filled with incredibly talented, cool, gorgeous knitters...what the heck was I doing there? I worked on Christmas presents and tried hard to blend into the woodwork a bit. Got to see a few things I haven't ever seen in person, like spinning (fascinating to watch) and an actual ball winder and swift in action.

Afterwards a much smaller group walked down to Mel & Rose, a small store/deli with a mind-boggling array of candy, liquor, and other random gift items. Somehow we all ended up oggling the chocolate aisle (yes, there was a whole aisle devoted to premium chocolates) together, and everyone grabbed something to drink and chocolate to nibble while we all talked. Got to talk more with Lori, Julia, MJ, Andrea, and Lauren (and meet her boyfriend - definitely a keeper!) while we all knitted. What a great group of people. I really enjoyed talking with everyone and getting to know people outside of words on a page and pictures on a screen. All in all, it was a wonderful day. Many thanks to Lauren for putting it all together, and all the knitters who made it well worth the drive.

Proud mama time

Last night was Winter Carnival for the local YMCA preschool and after school programs. There were raffle tickets, a spaghetti dinner, a slightly *too* enthusiastic announcer (who was nonplussed when asking about holiday traditions and I offered up "making presents...like this!" and held Dan's almost completed scarf aloft), plays and songs by all of the children, and a rather young, slender Santa Claus who could barely keep from laughing. Good times were had by all, but the highlight of the evening was when all of the littlest ones nervously lined up on stage and sang. Decked in red and black, with Santa hats of all shapes and sizes, the preschoolers were uncertain at first, but warmed up and had a great time as they sang. Arden was placed dead center alongside his best friend: both are not shy in any way, shape or form. Arden boogied with a grin on his face to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", becoming (marginally) serious while ringing the bells for "Jingle Bells". There was just something about watching him up there, so earnest and full of joy, that made my heart sing as well.

Quick Sangria recipe

I served this with the tamales last weekend. Wanted something light and fruity to go against the rich fare served, and this was perfect. I will be making it again many, many times.

Sangria

Makes 8-10 servings (leave at least 2 servings per person)

4 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lime juice
lime, sliced thin
lemon, sliced thin
orange, sliced thin

Combine water and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Alternatively, pour everything into a juice container with a top that seals and shake away. Add wine and juices and chill in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving. Pour into a pitcher and add sliced fruits. Serve over ice. (I set out a nice looking bowl with ice and a large spoon)

More knitting

First, another finished scarf and hat set, this one going to my mother in law. I know, I know... it looks just like one I finished last week, but they are a little different - see? This set is a little more refined, and the hat isn't huge (my mother in law has a normal amount of hair, unlike my sister in law who sports a gorgeous mane). The moment I finished adding a fringe I started on Dan's hat and scarf. Same yarn, but in a rich chocolate color. Oddly enough, it's a little softer than the blue. I can only imagine the dyes are different or some such thing. But soft and warm are perfect for Dan, the cold one of the two of us. Why is that, anyway? Every couple must have one warm person and one cold person, if only to balance out the universe in some way. At least that's my theory.

Weekend Cookbook Challenge

Yes, I realize that it's Tuesday. But the ever kind hosts of Weekend Cookbook Challenge have extended the deadline of the first challenge to December 15th, so all is well. The idea for this one is to pick out the cookbook I've had the longest and make a recipe from that book. This isn't my first cookbook (it was a spiral bound community cookbook that has long since fallen completely apart, a gift from my aunt when I was ten), but the first I purchased on my own as an adult. Back in 1990 I was living in Pennsylvania by myself with few friends and no family nearby. At the time I loved to raid my local Penn State library for anything that seemed interesting, especially cookbooks. Anything to avoid homework. I found World of the East Vegetarian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey during one of these basement library crawls, the copy reinforced with layers of clear tape that showed what my librarian friends like to term "years of love". I loved everything I tried making from it and kept renewing my loan again and again. Samosas, somen noodles, spiced basmati rice, baklava, it was all delicious. I think I had it for almost three months when someone else requested my copy. It was a sad day when I had to return it, and I vowed to get my own soon. It took a while to get the $25 together to buy it, but about a year later I proudly marched into Barnes & Noble and got my very own copy. Now it's falling apart, the pages only barely held together, full of notes and love. Need to get me a new copy soon.
The next part of the challenge was more difficult: finding a recipe to try. I've had this book for so long, it was hard to find a recipe I hadn't made before. I chose Chapchae, a Korean noodle and vegetable stir-fry that I often grab as a snack over at the asian market. Full of garlic, sesame oil, a hint of soy sauce, and thick, chewy noodles, it isn't a lot to look at, but the end results are quite satisfying.

Chapchae

Serves 2-4 (2 as a main dish, 4 as a side)

2 ounces thick mung bean or yam noodles
2 Chinese dried black mushrooms
1/3 pound tender spinach leaves
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1 small zucchini, julienned
2 medium sized mushrooms (I subbed red bell pepper - don't like fresh mushrooms), cut into matchstick pieces
2 large Chinese cabbage leaves
4 green onions
4 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tb. dark sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tb. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Soak the noodles in 6 cups of water for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside. Soak the mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes. When soft, cut off any hard stems and slice fine.

Blanch spinach in boiling water for a minute or so. Drain, then run under cold water. Squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as you can.

Cut away the tender, curly part of the cabbage and discard. Cut the thick core crosswise into thin strips.

Cut the green onions into 2 inch sections. Quarter white sections lengthwise to make narrow strips.

Mix all the vegetables in a bowl, separating the spinach leaves.

Heat vegetable and sesame oil in a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the vegetable mix and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender-crisp. Turn heat to low. Add the noodles, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and cook for 2-3 additional minutes. Taste for seasoning (I ended up doubling the soy sauce, sugar and salt).

Knitting, meme, and a recipe

First, the knitting. I've been clicking needles merrily (and not so enthusiastically) almost every possible moment for the last few weeks, trying to get Christmas presents finished in time for, oh, say, Christmas. Not doing terribly badly, but I have to get moving if everything is going to get done. Clockwise from upper left: One Skein Wonder in stash yarn of some sort for a wee five year old, plain ol' mistake rib scarf in KnitPicks Decadence, and Twisty Turns from Warp Style in KnitPicks Andean Silk (the color is a gorgeous burgundy that refuses to photograph properly). Also in line are a scarf and hat for Dan. Already finished a scarf+hat set for my sister in law and the hat that goes with the blue scarf, and both the Twisty Turns and One Skein Wonder are pretty far along. I'm switching between projects as I get bored or tired but sticking with things-that-must-be-finished-by-Christmas. And as reward for my dilligence, I got a copy of Knitter's Handbook and some gorgeous Cherry Tree Hill Supersock as birthday gifts this last weekend. Karma, baby!

On to the meme. I was pegged by B'Gina over at Stalking the Waiter and I've really been thrown for a loop. How on earth to narrow down my very favorite foods? It's a bit like picking a favorite child - each has their own special traits that make them unique and wonderful. I'll do my best, though.

So here they are, my Top Ten Favorite Foods (in no particular order):

• Asparagus - In the Spring, when slender stalks can be had for less than a dollar a pound, I go a little crazy. I have been known to steam a pound, top it with butter and a little salt, and call that dinner. Wonderful, heavenly stuff.
• Pistachios - Anything with pistachios and I'm instantly addicted. There's something about the flavor, the color, the crunch that pulls me in every time.
• Fresh, ripe, peaches - I can't think of many things better than a perfectly ripe peach, juices dripping down my arm as I bite into it.
• Fresh bread - Something about the smell of bread, right out of the oven, and then the taste and feel in your mouth. There's really nothing like it at all.
  
• Indian food - All right, I know that's a whole category and not a specific food. But I could eat Indian dishes every day and night for the rest of my life and be blissfully happy. Can't even come close to pinning down anything specific.
• Rice - I eat rice in some form almost every other day. It's so simple, a perfect foil for almost any other dish, yet satisfying all on it's own.
• Tea with milk and sugar - One of my favorite small indulgences. Rich, sweet, warm, and the perfect start or end to the day.
• Steak - There are days when nothing will do except meat, preferably meltingly tender and flavorful.
• Perfectly scrambled eggs - For me, this means cooked long and slow so the eggs are creamy and almost custard-like. Each bite practically dissolves in my mouth.
• Toffee - In general, I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I can pass up cookies, cake, just about anything...except toffee. Once I found pistachios covered in toffee and chocolate at Bristol Farms and just about died happy right then and there. Sadly, they don't make them any longer. Though perhaps I should be thankful, since I could not stop eating them AT ALL.
  

Last, a recipe. I'm working from notes and trying to piece together everything I did, so tamale recipes are going to come one at a time. First, the one sleeper of the night, Tamales Dulces. These were made up as a last minute answer to "what the heck are the small fry going to eat if they don't take to tamales?" I made up a sweet masa, then grabbed a bottle of cajeta (a sweet, thick caramel made from cooking milk for a long, long time) to dollop in the center before steaming. They came out sweet, but not cloying at all, with a rich, warm texture that was hard to put down.

Tamales Dulces

makes approximately 3 dozen small tamales

3 cups masa harina
1 cup lard (Yes, lard. No, it won't taste the same without it.)
2 cups water
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
corn husks
cajeta, dulce de leche, or caramel sundae topping (in a pinch)

Soak the corn husks in water for at least two hours before filling the tamales. Drain, then pat dry.

Beat the masa until light and fluffy. Mix the masa harina, water, sugar, salt, and baking powder together, then mix into the lard. Beat again until mixture is light and all ingredients have combined well.

Fill each husk with a small amount (perhaps 1/4 cup) of the sweet masa, then add a spoonful of cajeta in the center. Make sure to enclose the cajeta on all sides with the masa or it will leak as they cook. Steam the tamales for approximately one hour, or until the masa is set. Best served warm.

Full and happy

The last guest is gone, there are piles of empty corn husks covering the counters, and bags of tamale love in the freezer. It was all so incredibly good. Even better than the food was seeing friends and spending time together while elbow to elbow in masa.

Pictures and recipes to come, though here's a sneak peek:

Where in the world...

...are you? Yes, I found one of those map thingies to play with, too. Come on over and give me a wave, why don't you?

Many simmering vats later...

Today has been a day of large pots and things cooking for a long time. Pork, bay leaves, salt and pepper simmering for a long time. Pork fat rendering for a long time. Fresh corn tamales steaming for a long time. Small boys steaming for a long time (this last involved not cooking but tempers).

Pork has been shredded, pork fat rendered, fresh corn tamales steamed, tempers (mostly) cooled, and drinks (for the grown-ups) poured. Tomorrow more cooking and hopefully less steaming.

Eight years ago

....I married my very favorite person in the world. I still feel fluttery and excited when he comes in the room, and we still hold hands and kiss in public. Things are deeper, smoother, more well worn and comfortable, but underneath is a fire that shines so bright it eclipses everything. The best gift I ever got was Dan, my partner and my soul mate. I can't wait to see what the years to come bring.

Preparing for a Tamalada

Next Saturday Dan and I are having a joint birthday party. He was born right before Christmas a year before me, which makes right now my favorite time of year since I'm two years older for a few weeks. Fun to pinch his cheek and utter, "oooh, what wee little one!" Yes, I am easily amused. Anyway, we're getting a bunch of friends together and making a mess load* of tamales together. After that comes out the Princess Cake, something completely non Hispanic in any way. Hey, it's our birthday party, and the cake sounded really good.

I got the tamale recipe from Chef Pedro, guru of all things edible back at my old hospital job. He made tamales around Christmas time that were just amazing. Managed to get him to share a very loose recipe, though most of the specifics I'm having to figure out as I go along. More fun that way since I like a good challenge.

Just finished simmering four pounds of chicken thighs and legs with some salt, pepper, and bay leaves. No other seasonings, as per Chef Pedro. They smell delicious already! Waiting for them to cool so I can shred the meat. The broth has been set aside to flavor the masa dough later.

I'll cook up some pork as well tomorrow. Then off to hunt for corn husks, lard, ancho chiles, corn, masa, and marzipan (for the cake).

The menu for Saturday:

guacamole
salsa
chips
sangria
limeade
fresh corn tamales with chiles and cheese (vegetarian and made up before people arrive so everyone can munch a bit)
chicken tamales with ancho chile
pork tamales with ancho chile (thinking of coloring the masa for these with some paprika so they're easy to tell apart)
moroccan carrot salad (lots of garlic, parsley, and lemon juice - should go well with the tamales)
roasted green onions
red and green cabbage slaw with oranges

Princess Cake

*mess load = fantastically large amount, similar to ass load but more acceptable in polite company

Stitches

Last night, while I was cooking dinner, my youngest jumped off the top of the couch down to the lower cushions. Getting up on top of the couch is strictly against the rules. The boys got quite a lesson in why that exact rule exists.

As A was jumping down, his foot got caught and he hit face first against the edge of the coffee table. Split his eyebrow right open. Poor little guy was screaming and crying, saying how much it hurt, while Dan held him and tried to comfort while I called the pediatrician. The office has late hours, so we grabbed a teether from the freezer (keep several of these on hand for bumps and bruises) and some gauze to keep pressed against the wound, and packed into the car. I sat between the boys so I could help hold the ice pack and hold his hand, since it still hurt quite a bit.

Got to the office where we were ushered into a room pretty quickly. A was very still and quiet, still hurting. The doctor took one look at the gash (almost an inch across) and told us to go to the ER for stitches. So back in the car we all went, Dan driving ever so carefully over the bumps in the road. At the ER A wanted me to stay with him, so Dan and R stayed outside and got paperwork done while we waited for a bed. Got a room and soon after a doctor came by, took one look at the wound, exclaimed, and come back with suturing supplies. About half an hour later a different doctor came in, looked at the wound, looked at the tray, then whisked it away and came back with completely different supplies. Guess everyone has their favorite set up. Meanwhile, I held A's hand and talked to him quietly. He kept telling me how much it hurt, which broke my heart. I kept wishing I could do anything at all to make it all better besides simply being there.

The doctor and a nurse came back into the room. Then the really hard part: the ever dreaded shot full of lidocaine. I held A's hands and tried to soothe him, but he kept screaming and yelling, "It hurts! Oh, it hurts so much! I want to go home now!" I simply held him and comforted as best I could, but it was so hard to let someone do something that caused him so much pain. Finally the numbing medicine kicked in and he grew quiet as the doctor started stitching. Smart doctor - he told A he was just washing everything, that it wouldn't hurt, and that he'd go home very soon. A didn't even know he was getting stitches and was relieved that the pain was finally gone. Once everything was done I told him that he had stitches that would hold everything together so it could heal.

He thought about this and then seemed satisfied. "I got six stitches! I have to show everyone at school tomorrow!" Suddenly the fear and pain was forgotten, to be replaced with something new and exciting. Much like when I first labored and gave birth to him almost five years ago. Love you, sweetheart. Hoping this is the last time you get stitches, but know that I'll be there if you need me again, any time.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

....at least from the output of knitted gifts so far. This scarf is a long awaited thank you for Ryan's Speech and Language evaluator, a wonderful woman who deserves something really special. Made from Silky Wool in a simple lace pattern, it should do nicely in warm Southern California weather. I'll wrap it in tissue and send it off tomorrow.
These are for my sister in law who lives in San Jose. It actually gets cold there, so something warm and fuzzy will be a big help. The hat was made like Susan's pattern but subbing my own top down shaping (K1, M1 all around, then K2, M1 all around, then K3, M1, etc. until it's large enough). Knit up in Decadence, they came out really soft and luxurious.
OK, I had to try them on. Had to. May well have to knit up a set for myself after I'm done with Christmas presents. Now, on to the next scarf and hat set for my mother in law, then one for Dan. Meanwhile I'm almost a quarter way through a Twisty Turns wrap for my sister. Mindless knitting to make up, but the end result looks to be really nice.