KnitBizzz

thankful february

2011-02-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

Today I'm thankful for:

warm sunny days that aren't too warm
lots of birdie visitors
that it's finally time to plant a rose bush. Just need to decide where.
for a doggie who patiently plays tag with the boy.
my 6 year old Valentine. He made the day extra special with art projects, hugs, and declarations like, "I wish everyday was Valentine's."

another great afternoon

2011-01-24T19:58:00.000-08:00

...and there have been so many. It was sunny and 53 today, a tropical paradise compared to the weather as of late. Since the forecasting gods are calling for snow again this week, I was anxious to have the boy play outside while I got some work done outdoors... a little winter cleanup, if you will.

While the boy was busy pushing around his dump truck, playing frisbee with the dogs, and riding his tractor, I got busy with:

Pressure washing the mud globs off the car and vacuuming it out. The dirt road on the way to school has been relentlessly messy.
Weeding the flower beds.
Pruning back plants that should return this spring
And most exciting of all, the boy and I (together now) did doggie poop detail. The snow has finally melted but left mounds everywhere for all to see. I tied up the garbage bags extra tight in case the garbage men dump it all over the place again. I really hope I'm not cleaning that poop up again from the street tomorrow.

Don't you wish you were me?

bathroom update

2011-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

The kids managed to rip the toilet paper holder out of the wall (again). I'm not very handy or good at repairing so I had to get crafty. I used deck screws to hit a stud and attached a round craft wood plaque to the wall. I then attached the toilet paper holder to the wood plaque and "tiled" a small mosaic.

Before:

After (because photographing the toity and trashcan is classy):

And, while I had the gumption, I went ahead and embellished the mirror.

feeling crappy so making crepeys

2011-01-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

I'm fortunate enough to have a husband who cooks for me. a. lot. I also have a husband who travels. a. lot. When left to our own devices, the boy and I have fun with dinner (or go out when it's during the week and I'm uninspired). Today, however, I was feeling inspired. We made crepes, roasted butternut squash, roasted potatoes, roasted yellow peppers, warm apples and bananas, and poached eggs. It was a big hit with Westley too. Next I have a date with him, cozied up in bed to watch The Great Muppet Caper. It's been a good weekend.

organize ~ taking inventory

2011-01-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

So, it's been long overdue (a post and a bit of organization). I inherited a lot of knitting, crocheting, and sewing notions from my mom, rest her soul. Some of the packages of stuff have never been used or opened, bless her heart. I decided to take inventory. All the needles were thrown in a big tub. I really didn't have a clue what I had. Now, I'm making a spreadsheet so I don't accidentally buy anything needlessly in duplicate in the future.

Step 1: Laying it all out and writing it down.

Step 2: Finding a viable and pretty storage solution. Only 3 strays! Not bad.

Now, how on earth should I store and organize the crochet needles, those big clippy things, double-pointed needles, and other crap? Another problem for another day.

needing to write this down...

2010-04-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

I've been working on cleaning out the pantry from last year's food show before the Walrus comes home from this year's food show this weekend. As a result, I just made the yummiest salad and felt the need to share.

Of course, I was half way done before I thought to take a picture.

2 handfuls of salad mix and a handful of everything else:

chopped strawberries
salad cut palm hearts
craisins
cooked cold ham

Dressing:
2 tbls mango chutney
a splash of 20 year old balsamic vinegar
several drizzles of olive oil

Toasted pecans would be great on this. Wishing I had some but great nonetheless.

organizing vs procrastination

2010-03-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

So, I finally got my sh#^ together in many respects. Most of my stress comes from putting things off that I dread. Life would be a lot easier if I didn't dread these tasks instead of dreading it for a long time and then still having to do them. Much of my to do list was made easier by a recent visit from my FIL. He's incredibly talented. He helped me install shelves in my half of a closet in Buttercup's room. It's to help me better organize my crafts, etc. It still needs a bit more organizing but I'm very pleased.

Before

After

I also painted the closet. The closet adjacent to the master bath has a moisture problem that is conducive to mold. I painted a nice khaki green in sheeny shine to help with keeping it clean. It's very nice. Too bad I forgot photos.

What I'm most proud of is my clutter control. I finally rid the house of donations to the church yard sale. Phew, that feels lighter.

And lastly, I recycled all my Techno Trash including wire cables, phone jacks, phone lines, jewel cases, cds, old mp3 player, old telzon ordering machine, printer cartridges, and rechargeable batteries. There's a great Electronic Recycling program available. For a nominal fee and the price of shipping, you can send your electronic waste to a facility who hires special needs adults that in turn fixes, properly disposes, or reuses the items. I've been putting this off for far too long. But today I rid ourselves of 35 pounds or electronic waste that will not end up in a landfill.

All the donations and recycling were becoming a collection in the foyer. May I present you with the visual results of our purging?

Before

After

Much better, n'est ce pas?

On to other better tasks in life. Happy Spring. How I love thee!

look ma, i'm crocheting...

2010-03-09T05:48:00.000-08:00

2 rows down. The dexterity is still very foreign and difficult for me but I'm practicing.

the walrus loves me...

2010-03-04T12:11:00.000-08:00

He brought me a surprise today:

Yum! Love the RAIN!

Yes, that's Holly back there. She's always laying about.

food or rather my trying to change some bad habits

2010-03-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

So, I've given up sugar and bread for Lent. This is a two fold sacrifice; one for my Maker, one for me. Yes, giving these things up is a bit selfish on my part. It mostly benefits me. I will reap the health benefits and I'm already feeling much better.

On the other hand, my body is not what He meant for me to be. It's not servicing anyone in the unhealthy state it's been in. I'm not as likely to serve the way I should or give as I should. It makes me depressed and disconnected and less likely to reach out.

I know all this. I know it too well. So why do I keep falling back into bad habits? I'm not sure but I need to grow up and start taking care of myself.

CURRENTLY & PAST

My cholesterol is terrible. My triglycerides are so high they can't determine my LDL. Part of this is family, genetic history. But mostly? Mostly, it's my bad eating habits and lack of exercise. Even at my "adult" healthiest my cholesterol was high. Because of my good habits then, my HDL was in the 70s and the rest was bad but not sky high. Now? My HDL is in the low 50s and the rest is, well, I said that already.

The good news? I just had a quick check up. I've lost 4 pounds since my last visit before Christmas. I'm getting there.

PRESENT TO FUTURE

I love my new doctor. I finally have a doctor who gives credence to carbs being a big part of the problem. My last doctor didn't agree with most of my research and conclusions. My new doctor seems to be much more in line with how I think. She's awesome. She told me to cut down on my carbs. She said, if you have pasta, skip the bread. Try to cut down to one serving a meal. Easy enough. She's not trying to make it harder than it should be. She said my blood is like milk and I'm a prime candidate for diabetes and heart disease.

No surprise there. My dad is suffering terribly from these ailments including diabetes, 5 bypass surgery, and aches and pains that are hard to manage. I have a painting of my future if I don't get my act together. I won't go in to detail about my mother, may she rest in peace. But suffice it to say, her bad habits got her to where she is now. Although I don't have the same habits, I'm not much different in that I keep doing things that are bad for me (or not doing things like moving the way I should).

On top of all this, I have a hypothyroid.

I'm actually looking forward to my next blood test due in a couple of weeks.

So with all that, I thought I share a couple of recipes I've been trying out recently.

Please note: Although I plan on going sugar free, I don't condone sugar substitutes that are chemically made or chemically altered. I think Agave nectar and Stevia are good additions to my diet in moderation.

ONE FILLING PANCAKE (breakfast)

1 Tbl flaxseed meal
1 egg
1/2 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
A squirt of Agave Nectar

Mix well and let set for 5 mnutes. Pour in heated pan with butter and brown both sides.

I topped with half a handful of strawberries, sugarless whipped heavy cream, and the slightest drizzle of Agave Nectar.

Chickpea Salad (lunch)

made with things I had on hand. this can be made a ton of different ways.

1 Tbl of olive oil, 1/8 to 1/4 cup of aged balsamic vinegar
1 can of chick peas, drained
2 sliced green onions
Chopped artichokes (palm hearts would be good too and less carbs)
2 roma tomatoes (although grape tomato would be better)
Sundried tomatoes
2 C fresh spinach
Feta cheese

Heat olive oil, add balsamic vinegar with a squirt of Agave Nectar, reduce slightly. Throw in onion and chick peas. Heat until onions are soft. Add tomatoes, artichokes, and sundried tomatoes and heat through. Throw in a few handfuls spinach and heat until wilted. Turn off heat and crumble in a handful of feta cheese.

Serve and enjoy.

just in case...

2010-02-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

Just in case you ever thought that by working at home, you could avoid looking like an idiot at work, I present you exhibit A:

me: (12:47:08 PM)HOLY SJ@#O$*U(!@#*$(!*@#($*!(@#*$(!@*#$(*!!!!!!!!!!!

me: (12:47:17 PM)I just deleted the sheet on the excel file

me: (12:47:33 PM)Is there a backup?

me: (12:47:41 PM)That I should've made?

me: (12:48:33 PM)aiyee. Never mind. I think it's ok. backing up now.

my boss: (12:49:00 PM)lmao

me: (12:49:43 PM)so embarrassed.....

my boss: (12:50:06 PM)don't be. that was awesome. i needed a good laugh

Beware of reactionary behavior and the IM tool. All happened in less then a minute.

wips that aren't wips anymore...

2010-02-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

New Year's resolutions are coming along nicely. I've finished reading Twilight, Time Traveler's Wife, and Home is Where the Wine is. I've recently begun (again!) the One Year Bible and started Walking the Bible.

I'm engulfed in bell choir and thoroughly enjoying it. First performance is tonight in celebration of Fat Tuesday.

In knitting news, I've worked beyond the square and tackled not one but 2 hats. I hope to post pics soon.

I've been hiking intermittently. I'm hoping to pick it up when the weather warms up. We recently found a lovely non-trail behind the house. I'm looking forward to doing that again when the snow melts.

How I do love making scarves. The pink and green was for a little girl in Westley's class. I made a matching one for her doll. It's a simple garter stitch done with leftover yarn.

This one was made for Westley's school director. She really liked it a lot. She looks good in it. I'll have to try and have her model it. Simple rib (2x2). Used 2 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun, denim blue. I don't always like acrylics but this one is nice and soft. I originally cast on 28 but it was quickly weighted down. I think I reduced it to 16 or 18. Can't remember now. I started and ended with 4 rows of garter stitch.

Taken during a snow hike this last weekend:

new year's resolutions

2009-12-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

I'll try to make this short and sweet and not too lofty. But this year, I would like to:

Enhance my musical abilities. This means several things. Firstly, I will be joining a bell choir in January. I couldn't be more excited. Between now and then, I need to review how to read music. I can remember treble clef on the scale. I need to practice reading by sight and review above and below the scale and key. It's all a distant memory now. I'm here to remedy that. Secondly, I would like to get my flute overhauled and take that up again.
Hike more. I've always loved hiking and it's one of my most favorite things to do AND it's one of the many things I love about where I live. Unfortunately, I encountered my first snake at the beginning of the summer and had trouble hiking after that. I've been a little better about it since November.
Learn new knitting techniques. Now that I've moved beyond the square, I would like to learn to knit in the round. Mainly, my 2 new goals for 2010 include knitting a hat and knitting socks.
Read more. I think I'll just tack that on without getting to specific on how I'm going to do that. This might be my "too lofty" goal. I need to figure out how I'm going to achieve that. I'm not sure how other mothers do it. I can't get through 2 paragraphs without interruption. I'm not sure who's more to blame, the hubby or son? I have lots of books in my "library" that have remained unread including Revolutionary Road, Pride & Prejudice (1/2 done, need to start over), Zen the art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1/2 done), Twilight (1/2 done), A New Earth (1/2 done) & Anna Karenina. I'd also like to re-read Alice in Wonderland, tackle the Chronicle of Narnia series, and figure out where I left off on Harry Potter.
Improve upon my writing. I've been taking notes and dabbling in poetry. Something I haven't done in a long time. My current writing and poetry closely resembles that which I created circa 1983. My Christmas recipients have been my prey as of late so sorry if you received a bad poem with your gift.
Be more attentive as a wife and mother whilst maintaining a sense of autonomy.

Already on my way to more hikes... This was Thanksgiving day behind our house. My goal was to follow it all the way down to the bottom of the hill. We (doggies, FIL, and the Walrus) reached cliffs that would need to be rappelled shortly after this waterfall. Getting out was no easy feat.

Maggie's biting the waterfall. Too funny.

it's a not a square!

2009-12-13T15:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally gave it a go. I did a project that's not a square! I'm very happy with it. There's just one problem. I was trying to make it for my 5 yo boy but it fits me. Heh. I guess something had to be off for my first try. The pattern is free at Ravelry.

so, i've been seeing Bob...

2009-12-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

Bob adds great excitement to my day. He's gentle, quiet and I keep seeing him more and more each week. It's always a joy when Bob is out. Sometimes I like to bring him treats, sometimes we just exchange pleasantries but Bob is always doing what Bob does best. Being. Not wanting. Not wishing. Just Being and living. I wish everybody could have a Bob in their life.

I like Bob a lot. I hope he stays around for a long time. He's tagged but I don't know where he's from. I don't want to call because some yoohoo might try to shoot him. Also, what if he didn't like where he was and escaped? Whatever the case may be, I just want for Bob's happiness. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you Bob.

scarf #eleventy seven

2009-12-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

Loving this basket weave scarf spun from bamboo for my wonderful husband. Made it extra long and wide for extra wrapping and covering of the ears. It took me 3 skeins of bamboospun Sea Blue yarn and a long a$$ed time, but it was worth it.

5x5 Basket Weave

I used US 8 needles so it wouldn't be too tight. I experimented with several sizes before deciding on 8. Coincidentally, the needles were bamboo too. Cast on 45 stitches (extra wide to wrap the ears) Row 1 *K5, p5 repeat from * ending w/k5 Rows 2-5 knit the knit stitches, and purl to the purl Row 6 Same as Row 1 Rows 7-10 knit the knit, and purl the purl Repeat ending on row 5 or 10

november dishcloth 7

2009-11-12T10:16:00.001-08:00

Gobble, gobble, from the fine state of Oregon. How splendid is this package?

november dishcloth six

2009-11-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Received a lovely package from Indiana today. The tea is just what the doctor ordered on this cold rainy day.

november dishcloth cinq

2009-11-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

All the way from New Jersey. Thanks ldquared on Ravelry!

november dishcloth 4

2009-11-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

The latest from scouthedog (on Ravelry):

A VERY popular pattern (DW Waltrip something or another- rav link) AND a very popular color! Hehe.

november dishcloth trois

2009-11-04T17:44:00.000-08:00

Loving my latest package in the mail all the way from Connecticut thanks to yarnandyarn (on Ravelry).

currently loving....

2009-11-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

Charity
Red Scarf Project

Music
MGMT

Books
Casting Spells

Travel (or vicarious decor)
Vingt Paris

november dishcloth deux

2009-11-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

Wonderfully delightful. Thank you tjesch (on Ravelry).

the dangers of working at home...

2009-11-02T16:45:00.001-08:00

...in the evening...

lemon

citrus

grey

goose.

november dishcloth

2009-10-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

I'm the proud recipient of November's dishcloth swap. My first one arrived today with a treat and I love it! Thanks to my new friend in Montana, sk1dder (on Ravelry).

hodgepodgery the final installment

2009-10-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

I am so super-pleased with my new scarf. This scarf traveled all over the United States and 10 women added their own love and personality into this wonderful treasure. I shall cherish it always.

it

2009-10-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

sometimes you just need to let it go

release it to the world

never to come back

let it go

relinquish

yet relish and

savor each morsel

listen

receive

let it be

trying not to wallow

2009-10-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am hating, and I don't hate much these days, but I'm hating the current feeling of helplessness. Please. Hear my prayer.

More

Her eyes softly glow through the darkness of the night

The heavens hugging tightly to take her home into the light

Enveloped in the earthly warmth

The ebb and flow is more than I can bear

Amidst pleads and prayers to give us more

One more day

One more night

One more year

One more fight

Don’t give up

Many more decades are yet to come

Heaven can wait

Your dreams and hopes have just begun

We haven’t begun to see you soar

Please I pray, oh please please please

Is all I know, is all I plead

Give her more, more than any of us have known

More time

More love

More tears

More firsts

More wisdom

More compassion

More courage

More forgiveness

Hear my prayer I plead for more

For all who love, for all to see

To know of her glow

Her laugh

Her smile

Her words

Her jumps

Her spins

Her follies

Her hugs

Her love

Her virility

Let it all stay amongst us in our fear, enkindled in our love

Protected

Safe and

Among

melyg's hodgepodge scarf

2009-08-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

She chose forest theme. Excellent! I wish I would've thought of a theme. Her scarf is gorgeous.

today

2009-08-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...bright, sunny, and warm

I am thinking... and deciding what to do in October. I'm trying to decide if I should go to my 20 year reunion, go to a woodsy women's weekend retreat, or an Andrew Bird concert.

I am thankful for... meeting one of my first cousins (there's 7) for the very first time. she is lovely and fun and smart. more delightful than i ever imagined.

From the kitchen... nothing special during the week. I made broccoli and black beans last night with salad and tomato soup.

I am wearing... a beautiful necklace made by my friend Kim at her new artfire store.

I am creating...scarves and dishcloths. i'm participating in 2 swaps right now.

I am going... to brave tax free weekend to get the boy's school supplies tomorrow.

I'm reading... still the same, reading has been slow going as of late: Pride & Prejudice and Zen the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ( i started this a while ago. I forgot the boy dropped it behind the bed and i just found it again)

I am hoping... Westley will talk to his teachers and classmates this school year.

I am hearing... Squirrel Nut Zippers

Around the house... messy mess

One of my favorite things... kerasal --sp? (exfoliating lotion for the feet)

A few plans for the rest of the week... finish planning Westley's b-day party. He's asked for pizza, popcorn, black juice (translation: root beer), and cupcakes. How many points is that???

A picture to share...

Daybook courtesy of The Simple Woman's Daybook.

strawberry spinach salad

2009-07-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

1/2 pint of strawberries- washed, sliced lengthwise
1/8 cup of strawberry balsamic vinegar
shredded asiago cheese to taste
toasted slivered almonds

Toss and enjoy.

musical magic electric guitars

2009-07-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

Dinner and music.
Jamming to Cow and Chicken.

Grandmother's magic electric guitar.

Nobody knew it would take her so far.

From Oslo to Glasgow,

she james all night long.

Her fans hold their hands up

before every song.

One tune they adore is called "Eardrum Surprise."

In the crowd it's so loud

you get tears in your eyes.

Keep rockin',

dear Grandma,

wherever you are.

On that musical magic electric guitar.

From Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers by Calef Brown

Happy Birthday dear Ma (Grandma) wherever you are.

today

2009-07-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...lush green, gray and overcast.

I am thinking... I need to expand my horizons.

I am thankful for...my family and friends, a place to live, my job, and that school starts soon.

From the kitchen... pot stickers and fresh cut raw veggies

I am wearing... hiking shorts and a t-shirt (it's my uniform apparently)

I am creating... scarves and an musical magical electric guitar (pictures soon)

I am going...to try and not leave the house very much this week.

I'm reading... Pride & Prejudice and Zen the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ( i started this a while ago. I forgot the boy dropped it behind the bed and i just found it again)

I am hoping... for lots of rain.

I am hearing... The Kinks

Around the house... doggie hair tumbleweeds

One of my favorite things... pot stickers

A few plans for the rest of the week... swimming with the boy. lots of work to catch up from vacation. knitting of course, maybe clean a little (very little)

A picture to share...

Daybook courtesy of The Simple Woman's Daybook.

hodgepodge scarf #6

2009-07-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

Continuing the hodgepodge scarf saga. The latest is here:

I feel so privileged to be a part of this swap. Everybody's so talented (except my part lol).

inspired by...

2009-07-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

The boy and I have been taking swim lessons from a very talented lady for the past couple of weeks. I am currently loving her garden. She's a master gardener and an artist. You can always tell a garden of an artist. Hodge podgey but beautiful in an unorganized but organized array for the senses. She has everything hear for sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Lots of art sculpture, herbs, wildlife, sweet lily scents, and colors galore.

before and after

2009-07-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

BEFORE:

We've been working on the house and yard very hard this year. I didn't take a true before picture, they're from the appraisal pictures, but I did take some true after pics. We've planted bell peppers, blackberries (before I found out we had a million growing wild already), rosemary, azalea bushes, tomato plants, monkey grass, lots of other herbs and flowers.

I can't wait to do the fall planting for my beloved bulbs.

We also used rocks we found on our property to outline the landscape, but the walkway pebbles were bought at Lowe's.

AFTER:

hodgepodge scarf

2009-07-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest leg of the hodgepodge scarf I've been working on. It belongs to Kellyjune from Ravelry and its my favorite one so far! [This is part of a traveling scarf swap]

finished another project...

2009-07-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Introducing the reusable paper towel:

It's my first successful pattern. I like this project a lot and plan on making several more for my paper towel holder. I bought the pattern on Ravelry.

latest project

2009-07-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Simple but not elegant. So I have these coasters made of glass. They're oh-so-pretty but mostly useless to the sweating glasses of summer. Soooo, I knitted a coaster to put on top of the glass. I rather like it.

summer to do

2009-06-30T04:47:00.001-07:00

So far we're having a great summer. So many...

hikes to be hiked. This is a beautiful hike I took in May. It was a guided hidden trail off the beaten path. Lovely swimming holes, scenery, and fresh air.

...concerts to attend. The Walrus was kind enough to treat us to an evening of Rain.

...graduations to attend.

...songs to be sung. Westley enjoying a tune and a dance at VBS.

...swimming to be swum.

...snakes to be seen.

...paintings to be painted.

...parks to be played at.

...ice cream to be eaten.

So far a wonder summer indeed. Lots more planned and still haven't taken our vacation yet. We plan on a train excursion in Chattanooga, aka the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. We still need to celebrate Buttercup's birthday. She decided on an afternoon movie in Chattanooga along with dessert at Rembrandt's and the grandparents plan on visiting soon too. Hope your summer is as good!

today

2009-06-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

Idea from Chez Larsson...

Today...

Outside my window... lush green trees and very warm sunshine.

I am thinking... about what a blessed life I have and lunch.

I am thankful for... my family, my new friends, and my new computer.

From the kitchen... well, last night I had cheesy black beans and rice and a glass of Pinot Noir. There's also some fresh baked banana bread.

I am wearing... hiking shorts, blousy shirt, slippers

I am creating... a new organized space for all my inherited sewing & knitting stuff and also knitting scarves and reusable paper towels.

I am going... out to lunch soon with some new friends at a bakery that just opened in town.

I'm reading... Friday Night Knitting Club, Sting's autobiography (the name is escaping me), & Stitch 'N Bitch (ADD much?)

I am hoping... that our knitting group can sustain itself without the 2 founding members.

I am hearing... Christine Kane's latest Album Wide Awake.

Around the house...I have a lot clean and organize. I'm in complete disarray.

One of my favorite things... Is strong cup of coffee in the morning enjoyed in a cool breeze outside.

A few plans for the rest of the week... sorting through inherited sewing and knitting stuff, reorganizing the house, measuring for shelves, measuring for curtains. Basically I have a lot to do this week.

A picture to share...(Up above)

show me show me show me...

2009-05-07T08:17:00.001-07:00

how you do that trick...the one that makes me scream she's sick. Nothing to do with post just listening to some great music this week. :)

Had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend. I was alloted some time away from everybody to take an extreme hike on some hidden trails hosted by Dr. Murdock from Jackson State University. It was very difficult, challenging, and rewarding. I met some great people and I took a swim in Little River. Chilly but invigorating.

--------------------------------

....Yeah, so I'm just now getting back to this post I started so long ago. Not even sure where I was going with it.

There's so much to tell. Let's just make a few bullet points to catch up, sans the bullet points. I'm finally feeling settled in my new town and home. I love it here so much. We have wild raspberries and blackberries everywhere, all over the property and across the mountain. We've enjoyed several desserts so far including a tart and a reduction in balsamic vinegar to top our ice cream.

I've started a garden and my herbs, tomatoes, azalea bushes, and peppers are doing fine so far.

Still don't have the biking thing down. That is my summer goal.

I love this time of year. Catching glimpses of fireflies at night and butterflies during the day.

We have our gutters and rain barrels installed-- finally! Alas, there is no rain to be had since.

I'm enjoying my new friends in our knitting group and have a few projects under my belt. Currently working on a traveling hodgepodge scarf and reusable paper towels.

I went to church for the first time in 20 years. I also volunteered for VBS a couple of weeks ago. What was I thinking??? I had 18 5 year olds, mostly boys. eeeeeee-gad. It was fun but tiring.

My house is a complete shambles in my attempt to reorganize and clean.

I just learned raspberries is not spelled rasberries. I knew it looked funny but I would've never come up with raspberries. Thank goodness for spell check.

oy...

2009-05-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

So, I've been bike riding this week. Not very far, mind you, it's kicking my arse. I've been doing laps to the next house and back, 2 to be exact. I haven't measured but I'm thinking maybe a 1/4 mile ?? This is my third day. I thought today would be easier, setting out to do 3 laps. I was huffing and puffing and my quads were burning. I had all kinds of thoughts like maybe my muscles are still tired from yesterday, why is this so hard?, is that a car behind me (I kept hearing road noise)?, etc. I slowed down and stopped a couple of times because I thought I heard a car which probably made the going harder again. The road isn't very wide and with all the leaves in, the cars, albeit few, don't have a lot of visibility AND they speed through here like crazy. So, anywho, I only made it 1 lap. I started the 2nd and couldn't do it.

Did you figure it out yet? Cuz it took me way too long to figure it out. Yep, I had a flat. I found the compressor but couldn't find the bike attachment. Maybe tomorrow.

I'm super excited about this weekend. My babysitter fell through at the last minute when I was supposed to go before but a spot opened up for Murdock's Hidden Trails & Extreme Hike. I CAN'T WAIT! This is my mother's day gift so I'm taking it.

I'm also super excited about the traveling scarf swap I'm doing on Ravelry. I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures of the 10 scarves I'm participating in to share.

i am weasal...

2009-05-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

and so it goes. My son's latest addiction is Cow & Chicken and inherently I am Weasel. It only plays 2 times a week on Boomerang. If I accidentally erase it from DVR or forget to record it, I might be in a heap of trouble. Heh.

This has been a fabulous weekend. The family took 3 guided hikes yesterday, mostly in the rain. It was so much fun. We learned about local wild vegetation and got to taste some. Everything is so beautiful in our area right now. Spring is blooming the the trees our lush and thick with green leaves. Of course, I completely forgot my camera so no pictures this time.

I got to finish a scarf this weekend too. As soon as I weave in the ends, I'll post a pic of that project. It's a very similar one to one I've already posted about but I' m still proud so I'll still post it. Mostly I'm excited about the hodgepodge scarf swap I just signed up for on Ravelry. My first swap and I'm way excited.

Lastly, I made my first Craig's List purchase. I've been very persistent finding an inexpensive gently used mountain bike and I found one and got it Friday. I'm not into mountain biking but I thought a lower-end mountain bike would be perfect for the dirt road near my house. My first goal is to make it to the back entrance to Desoto State Park and back. Probably a little over 4 miles. It's going to be hard. After finding the perfect height on the seat and handle bars, I took it for a spin. I knew it was going to be hard but I only took it to the next house (which is a little ways away but anywho) and back and felt very nauseous. So I did it again. It's been a long time since I rode a bike. It's not like riding a bike again, by the way, it's very hard. Heh. I'm very pleased with my purchase and I got quite the deal by remaining diligent on Craig's List.

On the fitness note, I haven't been losing much weight lately. I've maintained for about 3 weeks now, that includes our vacation to Florida so that's good I guess. Besides our hikes on the weekends, I really haven't been that active. I'm hoping the bike will help me get more active on a daily basis. More to report on that soon. My next weigh-in is Saturday.

is it just me...

2009-04-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

or does anybody else remember this? I love this song. So if you really love me, you should bring me edelweiss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVIICWRbjM

I should really show more cleavage.

kiss me with your mouth...

2009-04-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

your love is better than wine. but wine is all i have, will your love ever be mine?

I have fallen in love with satellite radio in my brand new car! 1st Wave is the best station EVER!! (until I find my next fav). I not only heard New Order's Bizarre Love Triangle but also Suzanne Vega and the Cure just to name a few.

So yea, oy. Where do I start? I'm not a big car person. I drive cars forever and into the ground. I usually buy new and I expect at least 10 years out of them. So my 6 year old car died this week unexpectedly. My 12 year old car with 225,000 miles is still going strong, so to say I'm miffed about the 6 year old car is an understatement.

I bought a 2004 Saturn Vue new 6 years ago. I thought I got a good deal. We qualified for 0% financing and all was good. We had a decent size car for the baby on the way, step daughter, and 2 dogs. Several months later, we got a recall notice for the transmission. The infamous VTI transmission. The recall wasn't your typical recall. They basically said if you have a problem before 75,000 miles they'll fix it. If not, basically "F- you, see ya." I brought it in several times over the years because I didn't like how it rolled back (like a manual if you didn't shift right on a hill from a stop). I was told nothing was wrong that's how the VTI works.

So yea, from the beginning Saturn admitted they loaded these cars with a piece of S#i% transmission.

Let me just say. I've been the biggest Saturn fan since buying my first Saturn in 1997 from Saturn of Gwinnett. Loved it. Loved my dealership. They knew me by name and I always got my service from them and bought my cars there. They were the most reasonable, polite, knowledgeable, & honest mechanics and service department I've ever had the pleasure of doing business with. They closed their doors with no notice to most of the employees and NONE OF THE CUSTOMERS a few months ago. I used to do mystery shopping so I've been to several dealerships and nobody did business like Saturn of Gwinnett. INCLUDING...

Saturn of Union City and Roswell. 2 weeks ago, we got brand new tires, oil change, a couple of other smaller things fixed totalling $980!!!! Ouch. It never drove the same after driving it home from that service in Union City. We went on a family trip and my husband took it to work this week with nothing but problems and finally brought it to Roswell who informed us that the transmission was shot and needed to be replaced for $5900!!!! That's $5900 for the same kind of transmission they already told us was s#i% from the get-go and it's only warrantied for 12 months!

So anywho, I said NO WAY am I paying $5900 for a new transmission that might not even last 12 months. We've already been identified in a class action suit about the whole mess but we're not going to get any sort of settlement. I talked to the lawyer today about it. Apparently we're lucky. We got 160,000 miles out of our car. Most Saturn owners have been screwed since the 20,000 mile mark. GM is only covering up to 125,000 under the terms of the settlement. So, I'm stuck with a crappy car that is worth -$1000 on the market. That's negative ba--bee. I'll have to pay somebody to take it! At first, I wasn't against repairing the transmission. I mean we did drive it for 160,000+ miles. BUT $5900? Are you kidding me? For the same crap?

The Sunny Side
I decided that I would go find a cheap used car to replace this piece of crap. I got a brand new KIA Soul. Love it. It was cheaper than the little used compacts I was considering, comes with a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty, and tires for life. (That should make the sting a little less from the $800 tires we just bought two weeks ago)

Most of all. It's not the car but the radio. Love it. I want to work in my car so I can listen to all of its wonderful stations. I think I might marry it. Sorry Walrus.

Let me just wrap this by saying, I've always bought American, concerning cars. I thought I would be a Saturn for life customer but life is funny that way. I should let go of my brand loyalties especially when they don't have your back. Even though most Saturn cars have a good reputation, I can't buy one again. For one, GM's and the Saturn Division's financials aren't good. Uh, doy. The kicker is you have to have Saturn parts to make them work right. Not a big deal. They are reasonable and have good service (except crappy VTI transmissions). BUT, if they're not going to be around next year, what good is a Saturn to me? Fortunately Hyundai's (KIA's parent co) financials are fairing better. When my father in law, who is a die-hard American made car and Dodge fan, told me to buy a KIA yesterday, I laid my non-American car prejudices aside. (And yes I know, how many foreign parts are in the American made ones. It was still the principle). Principle, shimciple.

P.S. I almost forgot. I've given up on automatic transmissions. Every automatic I've ever had, goes to crap way too soon. I can't get 10 years out of them. I know all the technology is in the Automatics but I've never had transmission problems with any 5 speed! I just read this week that they're going the way of the dinosaur and will soon be no more. That made me very sad. So when I walked on to the car lot, and found this brand new 2010 5-speed it was a bit serendipitous.

P.P.S. I've stalled 3 or 4 times in 1st on the new car. I forgot what a fresh clutch feels like. HEH.

feeling good...

2009-04-26T14:16:00.001-07:00

I spent a couple of hours with a couple of extraordinary women yesterday. I finally attended a meeting of the Northeast Alabama Crafting Club. I was amazed by their knitting talents and enthralled with their wit. I can't wait until the next meeting. Talking with other adult women is just what this soul needed.

Feeling thankful.

well, i never...

2009-04-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

seen snow in April! Unbelievable. This is what we woke up to this morning. Absolutely beautiful.

Taxes are done, filed, and accepted. Very happy about that task being done.

I tried on my 12 jeans this morning and they buttoned! I haven't worn those in years. They're pretty high waisted but I kept them anyway so I could gauge my weight loss. They don't look good at all. Like I said, I can only button them (& they're very high waisted). Before losing some weight, I couldn't get them past my hips so progress is progress. I'm down 17 pounds in all. Another 15 or so to go. Size 12 is good for my frame so that would be a great attainable goal.

trying to...

2009-04-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

...not be distracted by cleaning, knitting, gardening, reading, blogging and blog lurking...Need to do taxes!!! I feel like I'm in high school again. Procrastinating until the last minute and now I'm stressed about it.

I'm also happy my local produce stand is back for the season. Got a whole bag of veggies and some fruit for $9.56. Nice. I discovered red pablanos. They're are a lot like red bell peppers but they have more taste to them.

I'll re-publish something old but hasn't been published here.

The infamous 25 things...
1) I have a few crushes of people who aren't my husband, including: Cillian Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, James Roday, & Jonny Lee Miller (WHY WAS ELI STONE CANCELLED?!? WHY?!?)

2) I am the best procrastinator (or worst depending on how you look at it) about everything.

3) I secretly like to read blogs. I’m a lurker. I like to read people’s thoughts on books, home care and decorating, knitting, creative living, parenting, anything that makes me laugh or helps me put life in perspective. I never comment (hence the lurking). [Edited to add, I've started commenting on some knit blogs]

4) I started a blog a long time ago but I really suck at writing, it’s pretty much abandoned. [Edited to add, I've started a new one since, uh doy.]

5) I wish I could write better.

6) I earned my 1st degree black belt in American Karate about 3 years ago. I was 8 months pregnant when I earned my purple belt. Then I took a break for 2 months and went back to finish and earn my black belt.

7) I’ve had several seemingly interesting jobs (Turner Broadcasting, ACOM, etc). I got bored with all of them about 6 months into it. I’ve accepted the fact I like learning new things. I don’t like working. After my son was born, I did several odd jobs including delivering pizza, working on an organic farm, teaching aerobics, seasonal help for Christmas. Anything I didn’t have to commit to for a very long time. I now telecommute from home. It’s great. What was college for??

8) I still haven’t figured out what I want to be when I grow up. Maybe the next life?

9) I love practicing Yoga.

10) I love hiking. So much so that nobody likes to go with me anymore. They never want to go as far as me.

11) I recently signed up for several guided hikes so I can leave everybody else at home.

12) I have a great appreciation for living in the South. Growing up, I always thought I wanted to move up to a colder climate somewhere up North. Maybe New York or Chicago. I spent 2 years traveling all over the country for work. The summers were always places like Oklahoma or Texas. The winters were spent in the Midwest. I learned that it just ain’t right to be forced to yell out expletives when it’s too dang cold. You can’t help it. When you’re bones are shivering, all you can do is yell swear words. Try it, it helps.

13) I don’t like the word ain’t. Love the word ya'll.

14) My favorite beer is Guinness.

15) I believe in God. I don’t believe in church. I could believe in church if I found the right one. I’m not convinced the right one exists.

16) I love to knit. My mom taught me to knit several times. It finally took about two years ago. I can only knit squares and rectangles. I never got the chance to learn more. (Maya Angelou was right.)

17) I’m searching for a knitting circle. I would love to learn more.

18) I never wanted to go to my 20th reunion. The only person I was in touch with after school was Kim Butler (grew up down the street but ultimately graduated from LHS). At the ten year reunion, I was reacquainted with Jeanine and have been in touch with her since. Now that I’ve found people from long ago on FB, I’m reconsidering the 20th reunion. I can’t believe how much I find myself missing everybody. Now what recycling pile did that reunion invitation end up in?? [Edited to add: I originally wrote this on FB where most of my friends are ready to reunite for the 20th h.s. reunion]

19) OMG 20 years!!! I’ve been out of school longer then the time I spent growing up in Texas.

20) [Deleted and Edited to add: Nobody cares about this one]

21) I just moved to the mountains in Alabama. I lived in Georgia for 15 years before that and Texas for 20 years before that. (I never was good at math, that makes me how old? Carry the 2, oh crikey, I’m sticking with those numbers!)

22) I love being a mom. I never had any maternal instincts. I probably could’ve gone through life happily without children. I’m so glad I didn’t though. My boy is wonderful (wonderfully aggravating at times too!).

23) I’m running out of things to say.

24) I took me 8 years to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. I worked full time from the time I graduated High School.

25) I have the best husband in the whole world. One of many reasons includes that he cooks dinner almost every night he’s here. He also doesn’t mind that I mentioned my celebrity crushes before him.

See? I just put my taxes off for another 5 minutes. I think I'll go to bed now. Tomorrow's always another day.

currently

2009-03-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Currently loving the smell in the air. I love the smell of Spring, right after the daffodils wilt and the flowers fall off the bradford pears and the rest is ready to Spring to life.

knit this and that

2009-03-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

So I think I can purl now (?). Up until now, I could only knit. Now that I know how to purl it's time to try a simple pattern. I can still only do squares and rectangles but I have a neat little pamphlet my mom gave me a long time ago of dish rag patterns. I might have some fancy dish rags soon! Being that I have trouble counting rows, we'll see how I do counting individual stitches.

Pictures good or bad coming soon.

In gardening news...

Spring has sprung. I'm not much of a gardener but I wish I was. I guess I'm not much of anything (housekeeper, knitter, gardener...OH but I try). Hehe. After the rain yesterday, the ground was nice and soft. So I started digging out weeds and those big thorny branches from the ground. I'm hoping to lay some perennial ground cover at the start of the driveway. We have a long way to go.

We just bought the house last year, and like everybody else, the builder took a hit in the market (as did we selling our house in the same market). After he realized he couldn't get as much as he was asking, he left a lot of things undone like the yard. We had nothing to start with. He also left a bunch of yard debris and branches on the property. I didn't mind because we got such a deal. But now we're trying to get it all cleaned up and I didn't realize just how much there is to do.

not annoyed

2009-03-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

I'm currently trying to keep myself not annoyed. Westley did something yesterday he's been told not to do and ended up spranging my pinky toe. I thought it was broken yesterday but today I can move it and it's not throbbing as much. It's just good and swollen and black, red, blue, and purple. Lovely.

Just got a call from the hubby to inform me that we're having about $900 worth of work on the car. I shouldn't complain. Both cars are paid for and we haven't had any repairs in while. Just, ugh, $900. It still hurts.

I found myself internalizing all the stress (these things plus the small daily stresses of life that add up). So I just took an hour to myself. I showered, sorted through 2 months of junk mail, caught the dishes up in the kitchen, and took a walk (although short because of my toe) and took a break for lunch. I don't always take a break during the day for these things so I think it helped.

I need to re-read and review A New Earth again. Just let go and be.

In other news, I'm finally a part of Ravelry and hope to be meeting some local knitters soon!

walls of jericho

2009-03-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

This has been one of my favorite hikes this year, maybe ever. The Walls of Jericho is a very challenging and long hike. It's about 3 miles in and 3 miles out with a very good mix of steep slippery terrain, great views, fabulous rocks, and horse crossings. (They have a trail for horses too!)

As per the usual, the fam went on Saturday and I went back and did the whole thing on Sunday. they only made it about a mile in, not even that, and I had to carry the 4 year old back out.

Soooo... Maggie and I went back and had a picnic on the rocks at the end of the trail. We can't wait to go back! I met a really nice couple on the trail who took this picture. I can't believe Maggie's looking at the camera. That never happens!

Currently working on knitting another scarf. Pictures soon.

healthy living & such

2009-03-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, I recently joined Weight Watchers online. Although I love healthy eating and living, I haven't been getting it right lately. I needed more of a regimen. My hubby travels most of the week, so when left to my to my own devices, I do much better. I mostly eat vegetarian with a spattering of lean proteins when he's gone.

Last night, the boy and I spent the night in the Walrus' hotel room for a little mid-week getaway. Boy did we eat. I also just proved to myself that I suck at estimating caloric intake. I tried to be good and order light. I plugged in the numbers last night and used all my points, flex points, and activity points for the entire week. I didn't even eat the whole plate! Whoopsie.

I have to be really good until my weigh in on Saturday. Luckily, I did well today. Back to tons of veggies. I skipped proteins since I had a bunch yesterday. We splurged at Ted's Montana Grill. Yum. So, yea, I've had plenty of protein.

We had a great time eating, hanging out at the book store, and hanging out at the hotel. Although I love where I live, there's no decent shopping like book stores so this was a real treat. Good thing I don't like shopping all that much. So it was fun. It was a treat. Time to move on.

In knitting news, I learned to purl this weekend. Thanks to the kind help of Crazy for Yarn and You Tube. Now, if I can just learn to count rows.

buck's pocket

2009-03-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

I love living in the mountains of Northern Alabama. It affords me many opportunities to hike in such wonderful parks like Buck's Pocket. Here's a glimpse of the hike with the family. I usually go back the next day so I can hike for a much longer period of time and explore more, ya know, kids and husbands make it a different experience. Not bad, just different.

Canyon view. My camera doesn't show the depth very well but it's very sublime and breathtaking.

View from the valley.

The doggies love to hike. Yes, that's a smile on Holly's face.

And a playground at the bottom of the canyon straight from 1972. Tetanus shots not included.

accomplished recently

2009-03-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

Since I'm calling this a knit blog, maybe I should talk about a project.

I recently knitted this for my stepdaughter, we'll call her Buttercup for web's sake. I love this yarn. I don't have a lot to choose from in town but this "fun fur" is great. I made a gift for my son's (Westley, also for web's sake) teacher out of a neutral color of this same yarn. It's very soft and the yarn hides a lot of imperfections of an imperfect knitter.

Nothing to do with anything except the references to my children. Buttercup and Westley are from one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride. So I'll lovingly reference my children as Buttercup and Westley. Oh, and my husband will be the Walrus. A la Paul McCartney. He's a big fan and I've come to like a bit of Paul myself over the years.

I also painted our shed. I should've done a "before" but it was basically this, just primered. We moved from a house with a garage and basement to a home with neither. That was a challenge I had to conquer before packing the moving truck. I was trying to match the house and front door.

Not exact, but it will do for now.

from the start

2009-03-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

So, where to start? I started a couple of blogs a few years ago. FitBizzz and LifeBlog but never really did anything with them. I've changed a lot since then. I never did any of one thing to dedicate a whole blog to it so I'm starting fresh. Not that I'm doing any of one thing now so this blog may not all be knitting but it is on the forefront of my interests right now.

I like to read, mostly blogs, but books and magazines too. I love all things healthy including eating, well-being, activity, and basic living. I recently joined Weight Watchers online because I've had a problem getting these things right. I taught aerobics for several years but got away from it and the lifestyle due to a series of circumstances that led me here. Where? I'm still figuring that out.

My weekends are focused mostly on family and the outdoors. I just moved to the mountains of northern Alabama and love it. I hike at most opportunities given. I try to live artfully but don't ask me what that means. I find it a very solid idea in my head but abstract in that I can't verbalize it. At least not yet...