New Years's Eve

Well it's New Year's Eve 2009 is about to come to an end. It is foggy tonight and I am really disappointed because tonight is a blue moon. We won't have another blue moon for 19 years! I keep checking outside to see if the Sykes have cleared but no such luck. I am trying not to become depressed because I am still in the same shape financially as I was last year, my hope was to change that circumstance. It did not happen and my finances are in the same dismal shape. I am trying to keep hope alive. I am thankful for a job and a place to lay my head. I did not get my second sock done, I need to make it my New Year's Resolution to finish the socks. I did get 3 crocheted afghans , 4 scarves 1 crocheted and 3 knit, 16 dishcloths. My best year so far for finished projects. I need to move beyond the basics. I have read 16 books, most of them knit or crochet related. I finished up the knitted items I plan to give my friend at work today. I might try to finish another dishcloth by Sunday to add to the gift. I have a bottle of pink champagne in the refrigerator waiting on the stroke of 12:00!

Wednesday already!

It is the middle of the week already. If I was working this week this would be Monday at 10:00am. I could really get use to not working. I love not getting up until I want to every morning and doing just what I want to even if that is nothing. My daughter arrived on Monday after work and spent Monday and Tuesday night. Today day was the day she had planned to have oral surgery but she went to the Dr on Monday because she was not feeling well and she has bronchitis and could not have the surgery. So yesterday we took my mother to the doctor went to visit our cousin and my grandmother my daughter's great grandmother, went out for lunch at Olive Garden. Today my mother and I went to Piggly Wiggly in Siler City. It has been years since I have been to a Piggly Wiggly, when I was a little girl we had a Piggly Wiggly. I found out Siler City had a Piggly Wiggly but I could not figure out where the store was located. The store is about 30 minutes away from us, we had a mission in mind, looking for a certain pork product. We found that product and at this time it is cooking in preparation for the New Year's Day meal. I knit the last few row's of the Magic Scarf last night while watching the movie that started the Ma and Pa Kettle movie series The Egg and I. I did not get to watch the whole movie got sleepy. So my plan is to watch again tonight. While I cast on another dishcloth to give my friend at work. Yesterday I paid another visit to BellaFilati Luxury Yarns located at 275 NE Broad St Southern Pines, NC 910-692-3538 , www.bellafilati.com . Great shop, with very helpful and nice people. I was able to find just the right yarn to start a scarf for my youngest niece.

The Last Sunday of the Year!

I can hardly believe it is the last Sunday of the year! Time passes by so quickly. I have spent the day knitting, watching t.v. , and browsing the Internet. I visit all my favorite sites. Crochetville and Ravelry. The scarf I am knitting for my friend at work is coming along, I can't decide where to stop. I think I will add another 30 rows. I want it to be long enough to wrap around her neck twice. It feels so good to know that I have the week off and tomorrow morning I can sleep late. I am listening to Breaking Dawn on cd again. I find it very relaxing to listen to a book on cd while I knit. Only 5 days until the first of the year, new year's eve is Thursday. Happy crafting!

Why It's Christmas Day!!!

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!!. I have had a pretty good day. My daughter and her boyfriend came by for a few hours, and my sister and her children stopped by for about an hour. The turkey breast and ham was great, and of course the yeast rolls my mother made are always great. I finished the scarf my daughter plans to give her boyfriend's mother before my daughter arrived today. I am still working in the scarf to give my friend at work. I could not get it finished by Wednesday and she was out of work sick on Wednesday so even if I had finished I would not be able to give the scarf to her before Christmas. I will have it ready for our return to work on January 4th. She took those days off too! . Sherlock Holmes is about to come on on TMC I like the old school Sherlock Holmes. I want to see the new Sherlock which I think started today. Happy Crafting!

Vacation

My vacation has started I know it will pass by so fast but for now I am so happy!. I will return to work 01/04/2010. I have spent most of the evening working on the scarf my daughter wanted me to knit for her boyfriends mother. My mother,niece and I made a trip to walmart after I got off work today. It was a mad house at walmart but that is to be expected. We made a quick trip to pick up a few things, then made our way to the checkout lane. We made the wrong choice in lanes. A woman in front of us wanted to buy gift cards, well she tried to pay for all $440+ dollars in gift card and came up with insufficient fund, proceed to call her bank in line and try to resolve the situation. So we waited, and waited in line until she finally decided to give up. I think she was trying to run a scam and but she left the store without the gift cards after we stood in line a very long time. So once I got back home I have spent time knitting and browsing the Internet.

What happen to my weekend

Wow the weekend passes by so fast. It is Sunday night and I have to go to work tomorrow. The up side is I only have to make it through 3 days!!!!. I have spent the day watching Christmas movies , eating, and knitting. I have made a lot of progress on the bias scarf. I am knitting the scarf for my daughter to give to her boyfriends mother. It is red and I will post a picture of the first few rows, along with the 2 magic scarves I have on the needles. The magic scarves are knit using 2 different yarns. 1 using Lion Brand Yarn the Fishermen's Wool, and 1 using Patons Classic Wool. It is funny how different the same pattern looks when you use different yarns. I have to post another picture of my cats. I have never seen them like this in the years they have lived together, they look so sweet. Happy crafting and have a great Monday.

Another Blogiversary!

It is my blogiversary!! 12/19/2005 was my first post the day I created my blog. I am sitting in my living/dining room with a table full of yarn and 2 unfinished scarves. I need to start another one right away. The bias scarf that I need to start won't take long. I found out on Thursday night that my friend from work her favorite color is brown. The scarf I am knitting for her is grey. I guess I should have asked her what her favorite color was in the first place. Well I have 3 skeins of Lion Brand yarn in Fishersmen's Wool. I have a 1 solid brown skein, and 2 maple tweed. I have started another scarf for her in the maple tweed; which is a mix of brown and off white. Well here in Asheboro NC we did not get as much snow as predicted. However we did get some snow and sleet. I have very little experience driving in icy conditions so I came home 2 hours early from work. So I watched it snow and sleet while working on the scarf and browsing the Internet. I got out early this morning, cleaned off the car, and made a few stops at a few stores. I made one of my favorite things for dinner tonight... Manhattan Catfish Chowder! I got the recipe out of the local paper The Courier-Tribune in 2001. If you like catfish you might be able to find a recipe @ www.catfishinstitute.com . The pictures I am posting tonight are of two known enemies united in the face of the cold weather. Most of the time they can be found fighting and hissing at each other. Only 3 days to work next week!

Thursday Night Out with Friends

I finally made it to The Flying Pig we went after work. I got the Calzone it was good and I am fighting with myself not to eat the other half tonight. Then went to the library for A ' Christmas Present from Lane & Friends. This is my second year and Lane cracks me up he is so funny and just makes me laugh. He is also a great singer. He always has some very talented young people sing,play the piano and this year the harp. Wow to be born with such great talent. I had a great time and it was a great way to unwind. I must visit The Flying Pig again when we go there the place was full and we went right after work so I am thinking there are a lot of people who are on vacation or people just head there straight from work for a Thursday night unwind. So far tonight no knitting or reading. I did add several rows to my scarf last night. I might try and add at least 10 tonight we shall see what happens. Since this weekend is suppose to be wet and cold here in North Carolina I plan to spend most of the day knitting this scarf and starting one for my daughter. Busy , busy and I need to start on that sock again. Over on Youtube Lionbrand has great videos to help you learn to knit socks. Unless things improve during the last 4 working days before Christmas I will be going in to work the Monday after Christmas.

Tuesday Blues

It is Tuesday and I am blue, I had a hard day at work and I did not get all the things I wanted to done while I was at work. I have so many cases to finish and so little time. I have only 6 working days left before the agency is closed for Christmas. I think I have 40 maybe 50 case left to process. I don't think I will be able to take all of my vacation days and I am sad about this fact. I am thankful to have a job but I really need my vacation. I will think positive and work very hard during the next six working days and get as much as I can done. I have made great progress on the scarf I am knitting for a coworker. It is the Magic Scarf from Laurie Perry aka Crazy Aunt Purl in her book Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair. I had to rip out the first attempt last night I was to busy talking to keep up with the pattern. It is not a hard pattern but trying to talk watch tv and knit this pattern just does not mix. You repeat the same thing every 10 rows but you have to keep up with the pattern. 10 rows of k5 p5 and 10 rows of p5 k5. I am using Patons Classic Wool in Grey Mix very pretty colorway. My daughter wants me to knit a scarf for her boyfriend's mother and so I need to push myself to finish the scarf for my co worker and get started on my daughter's request. If you work on it hard enough the scarf does knit quickly because you just cast on 20 stitches. I will post a picture sometime this week of the finished co worker scarf.

Small Town Blues.

I hate living in a small town! I know so many people wax poetic about living in a small town and how wonderful small town living is to them but I hate a small town. I am stuck to old and uneducated to live in a larger town. I feel like I am about to suffocate. If you have a yarn habit Asheboro is not the ideal town to live. You have only two places to buy yarn, Hobby Lobby and Walmart both places have cut back on variety! I went out today looking for a new yarn from lionbrand Amazing, I knew better than going to Walmart so off to Hobby Lobby I go and no such luck they do not carry this yarn in Asheboro. I hope I can find it in Greensboro tomorrow. I have 2 dishcloths ready for my friend at work and the third almost finished. The new lionbrand yarn Amazing that I could not find in Asheboro is what I would like to use for this friend's scarf. If I can't find it tomorrow in Greensboro I will need to use a different yarn. Happy knitting and crocheting.

Windy Wednesday update

I wanted to give a quick update to let you know I have finished 2 of the dishcloths my daughter needs to put in with her secret Santa gift and I am half way finished with the scarf. I will start the dishcloths for my friend at work this weekend I feel sure I will be able to get them done by the 23rd. I forgot to take pictures of the dishcloths. I might try to throw in one more dishcloth. Maybe Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth it knits up very quickly. So I have to make a quick trip to c Costco on Sunday and get my hair done on Saturday I have decided not to try going natural at this time so I will get my hair relaxed and cover up all my gray. I need to buy the Harry Potter dvd this weekend.

December!

Okay it is December the last month in the year! Time passes by so quickly. I have two dishcloth project on the needles. My daughter has a secret Santa at work and she asked me if I would knit a couple of dishcloths and a scarf for her secret Santa. So I have cast on the first of 3 dishcloth's tonight the dishcloth is from Garden Dishcloths to Knit by Melissa Bergland Burnham the Sunflower in Hot Orange. The second dishcloth project has nothing to do with secret Santa it is from baby washcloth To Knit by Melissa Bergland Burnham, the plan is to start with the first cloth and knit all 9 and continue to knit them over and over again. A woman on my job is pregnant and her baby is due in February and a lot of my daughter's friends are getting married and having babies. So if I stock up I can have gifts ready for her to give to her friends. My other plan is to knit a few dishcloths and a scarf of a friend at work who has given me rides home since my house guest Gin has been living her and working, so that she can use my car to get to work. I want her to know how much I appreciated her giving me rides home sometimes 3 days out of the week. Gin has a car now but still has to get tags and pay the taxes. So I want have to ask for a ride much longer. I want to get the dishcloths and scarf done by December 23rd. I need to get busy.

Another Rain filled Monday

I will never get the repair I need on my roof if it does not stop raining. I can't get a new roof but I can get a repair. The roofer was suppose to come if all went well last Wednesday but guess what it rained so no roofer, then Thanksgiving and the day after I did not expect the roofer. Well it rained again today and I think it us suppose to rain again on Wednesday. So far no knitting or crochet. I need to do better about these things.

Marvelous long weekend coming to a close.

Well it's back to work on Monday. I has been a great long weekend. My daughter came in on Wednesday night and we went to the movies to see planet 51 it was pretty good. On Monday I went to see New Moon with Gin and on Friday my daughter, my niece mother and gin went to see a Christmas Carol it was good too I enjoyed the movie. I have been to more movies in the last week than I usually go to all year. Also on Friday I finally made it to Common Threads Yarn Shop 1415 Welborn St. Suite 102 High Point NC 27262. The people at the shop are so nice and friendly and they have a lot of Noro. I brought one skein of Cascade Yarn 220 Superwash.

Black Friday

First I want to start off by saying the brine turkey was great. Thanksgiving day not so great. We never start a Holiday meal on time it is so painful. Then after dinner we came home and took a nap so that my daughter could get a tv. We made it to Walmart by 12:00 am got in line and waited for our number to get the 32' tv. My daughter was #4 at 5:00 after getting the tv, we headed for the pj's and picked up 3 pairs it was a mad house. Then in line to check out for 45 minutes. Home by 6:00am a quick nap and then off to the mall and costco. A great day! So here we are at home mixing drinks and getting ready to watch a movie. All around great day.

How to brine a turkey

Well I have all the ingredients for my brine the onions are sliced and the garlic is crushed, I could not find the dried juniper berries so I will have to do without. I plan to get up tomorrow morning and put the turkey in the brine. This will be the first time we have used a brine on our turkey. I wanted to go out to eat but I lost the vote. So we are eating in and that's why we are plan to brine the turkey. I am knitting dishcloths to give to my family for Christmas just the simple Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth and if I have time maybe a dishcloth with a design. I am thinking a frog. Tomorrow is my last day of work this week the office is closed Thursday and Friday. On Friday my daughter want to get up very, very early and go to Walmart they have a tv on sale. She wants to arrive at 1:00 am the store opens at 5:oo am! Please send up prayers for me! Happy long Thanksgiving weekend!

Another Sunny Day!

BEFORE

Well today has turned out to be another sunny day. Yesterday was sunny and warm and it started very early. I had to get up early so that I would be ready for the painter. My daughter decided to get someone to paint one of the bathroom in the house. It is the bathroom that she used when she lived at home it is an early Christmas gift. This bathroom needed to be done. You see the bathroom in question had been worked on by my daughter she decided one day to try and take down the wall paper because she wanted to paint she got some of the paper down but soon got bored with the project like I knew she would then she got to busy with school. I will post a before and after picture. Today I am listening to Eclipse on cd an knitting another dishcloth the pattern is from Knitting on the net, End of the Rainbow Dishcloth, knitting pattern designed by Paula York. A very pretty pattern. I need to make some progress my knitting from just dishcloths and scarves. I need to work on my socks again so that I can finish. I really wish we had 3 day weekends. Kendra was here yesterday and we spent the day together it was very nice to spend the day with my daughter. She almost brought puppy it was a very cute puppy a miniature Eskimo Spitz, but she took to long making her decision and some one else got the one she wanted. I told her to look at it as if this was not the puppy she was suppose to have at this time. She was sad because she had visited the man twice yesterday and held the puppy twice once after our first trip to Walmart and once on our way back to Walmart for the second time. On the second trip she had started picking up toys for the puppy and a collar she tried to call the man on his cell put could not get him then tried again so she could tell him she wanted the puppy and he told her he had just sold the puppy. He told her he tried to get the man to pick another one of the puppies but he wanted that one so we had to put back the toys and collar.

AFTER

The bathroom looks great and I am very pleased with the results the man that painted the room did a great job and my daughter picked a great color. I love the blue.

A Lot of wind and rain

We have had a lot of wind and rain today. So I did not spend much time out and about today. I did not have to work today our office was closed for Veterans Day. I went out for a short time to Walmart and Bottom Dollar I had to get something for dinner tonight. I cooked today a rare thing for me to do cook. I don't enjoy it very much. I have spent the day listening to New Moon. I am preparing for the movie. I remembered today that you and spend a lot time on Ravelry looking at patterns. I am looking for a good baby afghan pattern, one of my daughters friends is having twins and my daughter wants afghans to give to her friend. So no knitting or crochet today. I have the estimates for a roof and I have called my insurance company someones coming out next Friday to take a look at the roof. I hope they will let me file a claim. We had a lot of wind and rain the night my roof started leaking. The man that came out on Tuesday put a tarp over the place so it would not leak last night and today. So far so good no leaks. Well there is nothing really going on with me besides worrying about getting a new roof.

Will I ever get ahead?

Early this morning around 3:00 am it began to rain very, very hard I was watching a movie and talking to Gin our house guest. I turned the light on when I heard a drip. I look and water is running down the paneling from my ceiling. Yes I did say paneling it is an old house and I have not made very many changes since I brought the house in 1999. Well I need a roof and I have for sometime. So on Monday I need to call a few roofer who give free estimates and ask them to come to the house. Almost 3 years ago we had to do a quick patch job that was only suppose to last a year but it made it almost 3 I am thankful for that almost 3 years. Just when I am set to make my last car payment and maybe have some extra money that I need to help buy groceries this happens. I am pray that my credit union will give me a personal loan, if not I will be forced to try and get one from one of the areas high interest finance companies. I know I am in better shape than a lot of people but sometimes I feel if it was not for bad luck I would have no luck at all(taken from Hee Haw tv show) Yes I said Hee Haw and that is another story altogether. Well I did not do much this weekend, the most I did on Saturday was to walk out to the garden in the backyard. I still have a few peppers I need to pick. Then I watched the Planet of the Apes marathon on fox movie channel. I was very disappointed this year in the horror and scifi choice for Halloween. The I hate to do anything hermit in me I did not buy any candy to give out and I was not the only one on this end of my street that sat in the dark with their porch lights off, and do you know someone still came up and rang my doorbell! Also started a Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth at midnight I love those cloths. You can finish more than one in a day. Today I made it out to the store for cat food and cat litter. Ah the ocean will I ever see it again. This is a picture from 2006 the last time I was able to go to the beach.

Two UFO Complete

Today I completed 2 crochet UFO'S one scarf and one afghan. The scarf is from Stitch 'N bitch crochet the Happy Hooker, page 101 one -skein scarf, by Denise Cozzitorto and one afghan from Leisure Arts #824 Quick Crochet Afghans Book 3, by Linda Luder. On Friday I started a crochet scarf that I found on Youtube, so far I have 18 rows due, the pattern is written by Teresa Richardson. Okay if you are a yarn snob beware I used acrylic for one of my projects. I am sorry but you have to do what you have to do. I really have and acrylic budget. The scarf was done in 100% wool Patons Classic Merino Wool for the finished project. Red Heart for the afghan and for the scarf I started on Friday. Your weekend really goes by to fast it is Saturday night and my weekend is almost over.

Midweek Surprise

Well another long day at work came to a nice end, when I got home today I had a surprise in the mail . My October dishcloth swap partner package arrived. I will send mine package on Saturday. Two beautiful dishcloths in great colors and a postcard. On knit or crochet today. Still reading the latest knitting mystery by Sally Goldenbaum. Two more day's to go and my weekend will begin. Yes this weekend I will pick up the needles again and add a few more row's to my sock. Then start a shell crochet scarf there is a great crochet scarf pattern on YouTube. I really would like to give it a try. I have enough RedHeart to crochet several scarves in that pattern. I know, I know acrylic! please don't hate. I have an acrylic budget when you earn less that $35,000 per yarn you can't buy good yarn all the time. You have to compromise. Maybe once or twice a year I have the chance to buy good yarn. If it is on discount because no one wants that brand or if I am lucky enough to get a tax refund. The picture is of the dishcolths I received from my swap partner.

Another Podcast Tuesday

Things started out a little rocky tonight trying to get started listening to lion brands pod cast. I had to restart my computer once because the first time I turned on the computer the Internet would not connect. I think it is my computer it needs a little work. I brought it in 2005 and because of downloads and other things it runs very slowly. I need to add some memory and get it cleaned up. So it was a good podcast about cold weather knitting. Idea's for shawls, afghans and socks. While listening to the podcast I added 4 rows to the last 12 rows of the afghan, only 4 rows left. Then I need to weave the rest of my ends I have been weaving ends as I go so it wont be that bad to finish the last few rows. I might take it to work tomorrow to show to my friends. Still reading Patterns in the Sand, by Sally Goldenbaum. So far a great read that is in my opinion I like easy reads. I also read While My Pretty One Knits, by Anne Canadeo this month another good read again just my opinion. Love mysteries but very bad at figuring out who dun it? Love the cool nights and trying very hard not to turn on the heat until November. Still trying to decide which dishcloth to send to my swap partner. Last day to send off is the 24th.

Podcast Tuesday

I look forward to lionbrands podcast every two weeks. Today it was all about Halloween crafts. I am not into Halloween crafts but it was still relaxing to listen to the podcast and work on my crochet ripple afghan. Picture in previous post. On Friday night I ripped back several rows and on Sunday, Monday, and tonight I finished the spring greens rows. I started the afghan with 11 rows of spring green and 4 rows of turqua(blue). So maybe tomorrow I will start what will be the last 4 rows of turqua(blue) I want the afghan to end with 11 rows of spring green. You know I only have so much yarn and I have 2 full skeins of spring green and 2 half skeins of spring green, 2 full skeins of turqua(blue) and 3 half skeins. The scraps will be used for granny squares. Since this afghan is crocheted with 2 strands held together it is heavy so 15 mores rows will be enough. Well happy, happy middle of the week.

Ripping back a few rows

Well on Friday I ripped back a few rows of a crochet ripple afghan. I started this project April 22, 2007 put it down for a very long time and then tried to start it over. When I did I think I started with the wrong row so on Friday I ripped back 4 rows and I think I have figured out how to start the afghan again. I think I should start with row 2 and continue with row 2 until I have finished the afghan. I started reading While My Pretty One Knits, by Anne Canadeo I picked it up at the Greensboro Library on Saturday, my local library did not have the book. It is a good read to me so far I love cozy mysteries. I need to get started on my October dishcloth swap. Maybe tomorrow I will start the dishcloth. Posting a picture of my UFO ripple.

October

The first day of October the 10th month of the year. Only 3 months left in 2009 time passes quickly when you are working and struggling to pay the bills. I have a crochet afhgan UFO to take to work tomorrow so that I can get some help with the finish. I have all the squares done and now all I need to do is stitch the afhgan together and do the edge. It's Friday eve and I am happy about the up coming weekend. I have nothing much to say tonight. Since it is the first day of the month and I wanted to start the month off with a post.

Swapping!

My swap partner received her cloth yesterday so I can post a picture. I am ready for the weekend we have 3 days to go. Tomorrow is payday and it is already gone. When will I catch a break. I started reading Mama Dearest, by E. Lynn Harris his last book he died this summer. He was a great author. Books are waiting for me to pick them up at the Greensboro Library so a nice little road trip on Saturday will be in order. So far no knitting or crochet this week. I feel the need to cast on maybe tomorrow the last day of September. I am posting a picture of the dishcloth I sent my September swap partner and the dishcloth I did not feel was good enough to send the my partner. I signed up for the October dishcloth swap and I have a dishcloth in mine for this swap. Happy crafting. The picture on the top is the swap partner dishcloth and on the bottom the one I did not think was good enough to send.

Where did my weekend go?

Where did my weekend go? wow they pass by so fast even when you spend most of them like I do with no money and nothing interesting to do. Well at least it was the weekend and that meant no work and barely talking to anyone on the phone. On Friday when I got home I had a nice surprise waiting 2 very pretty crocheted dishcloths and 2 postcards from my September swap partner from the Ravelry group dishcloths ar us, JanetMB is a great crocheter. That was the highlight of my Friday. Saturday was slightly cool and rainy the only place I managed to go was Walmart to take my Mother to the Pharmacy. Then we came home and the rest of the day I tried to clean my closet and sort through my yarn. I have a lot of yarn and I am trying not to buy anymore yarn until I have most of my stash either knit or crocheted into something. I placed most of my UFO's and I did not have as many as I thought in one place. The list goes like this 2 granny square afghans, 2 crocheted scarves, 1 crocheted ripple afghan that I really think I need to rip back at least 3 rows, because on the first attempt at picking up an unfinished project to complete I think I started with the wrong row it looks slightly off, 1 crocheted market bag just the band and the straps to go, and last but not least 1 knit scarf weaving the ends and making and attaching giant pom-poms to go. Absolutely nothing to watch on tv on Saturday, so we watched 48 hours back to back episodes. Today I watched Peyton Place love the movie it reminds me of why I hate small town's they are not as wholesome and people might think, to me they are places with gossips and self righteous people with sticks up there ass it reminds me of the town where I was raised and the town in which live and pay taxes so before you get started since I do pay taxes here I have the right to complain so do tell me if I don't like it move this is why I go to work and come home and limit the number of people in my circle, and cooked a leg of lamb, I think I left it in the oven just a little to long. It was not as rare as it should have been. This was my first attempt at cooking a leg of lamb sad but true this just let you know what a poor and sad existence I suffer though year after year and before anyone gets started I know there are people that have worse lives. I digress even though the lamb was a little to done it was not tough and had a good favor. I used olive oil, sea salt, oregano, cumin, and pinch of cayenne pepper also several sprigs of rosemary cut from my very own rosemary bush. So basically no knit or crochet and no longing at crochet stitches on youtube to brush up on my stitches. Well maybe next weekend. The picture is of the beautiful dishcloths I received from my swap partner. Oh by the way the closet is shaping up and not looking half bad.

Oh it's Friday Eve!

Damn, Damn, Damn one more day and it is the weekend! I am not sure why I am so happy about this because I am broke and can't go any where or do anything. This means the the weights that I feel on my chest will remain because I can't get out of town even for a few hours. Oh well what can I say my life sucks and then I will die. On the bright side the Grey's Anatomy season premiere was great and very sad George died. I loved George and I wish TR Knight would have stayed around. In a few scenes I wanted to cry. I did not wait until this weekend to finish knitting the Bias Scarf I posted about yesterday , I worked on it and did the bind off tonight while watching Grey's Anatomy. Today at lunch I knit a few more row's on my sock. The plan is to add a few more row's tomorrow during lunch. I have a skein of Duo jarbo Garn it reminds me of homespun and I am not sure what to do with this skein of yarn. Maybe a nice scarf but what pattern should I use for the scarf. After listening to the lionbrand podcast yesterday I took a look at a scarf done in Vanna's choice that I might try with this yarn. It was a very pretty crochet scarf. This weekend I will post a picture of the finished bias scarf and maybe the almost finished crochet lace shells afghan. Happy Friday ever.

Wednesday update

Well there was no knitting in the car at lunch today because I did not have my car. Gin had to use the car for work today. So after eating lunch in the break room lunch time knitting was done in meeting room A at department of social services. It was semi dark and quite, the break room is just to loud keep up with your stitches. I love this new show on fox Glee! it is so funny. Two day to go until the weekend happy, happy. Lionbrand's podcast was good very enjoyable to listen to the podcast while knitting a few rows on a long time UFO Bias Scarf. This UFO aka: UNFINISHED OBJECT has been hanging around for a very long time. One past podcast this weekend should do the trick and the scarf will get finished. Then a trip to YouTube and a few practice rows the double and triple crochet to start adding rows to the Crochet Lace Shells that I started in maybe 2006? Very red and very pretty. The picture is of the second sock only a few more rows and it will be time for the heel flap.

Fall Equinox

Today is the first day of fall. I love fall the weather cools off the leaves change colors. The only thing I don't like are the spiders. You have to be very careful when you walk out the door every morning. Well I had a long hard day at work, I am trying very hard to get all my case for the month processed by the end of the month. It is going to be hard. The day had a great end because tonight I had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants with some very dear friends. My daughter was there her best friend home visiting her family, two of my friends and my friends mother. It was a lot of fun to catch up and laugh after a long day at work. We went to Macaroni Grill. I did not get to listen to the lionbrand podcast tonight so I will have to listen tomorrow. So no knitting today I will catch up tomorrow and do a little knitting in my car at lunch time tomorrow. We can no long eat lunch in our offices and sometimes it is hard to concentrate no your stitches in a lot of noises. So I plan to work a few rows in the car. Yesterday I finished reading Casting Spells, by Barbara Bretton. A very good book about a witch that owns a yarn shop.

A finished project

I finally weaved the needs on a scarf I started month's ago. I cast on beginner's basic Ribbed -for -Her Pleasure Scarf Feb 08, 2009 an today I finally finished weaving the ends. The scarf is for my Daughter. I am on the hunt for 2 skeins on Lamb's Pride Bulky M250 Cranberry Swirl so that I can knit a hat to go along with the scarf. I cast on and finished knitting a new Filippi Scarf this weekend. It is not as long as I like and I am considering ripping it out and starting over again with a larger needle size. Maybe that would make the scarf longer. I used romni wools . I have one skein that I received in a yarn swap through crochetville. I am watching the season finally of True Blood and it is very interesting. Well the season end was great and I am not sure what happened to Bill. The wait will be so long. The picture is of the scarf I knit for my daughter.

A Good Faith Effort!

Well tonight while listening to the new lionbrand podcast, I cast on and knit a few rows on my sock that I have been trying to get done since my sock class in the spring. I love to listen to the podcast I find it relaxing and the knitting also helped in that effort. Only 3 days before the weekend I am so happy about the short week. This was just a update to let everyone know that I am working on my sock once again.

Weekend cooking

I decided to cook today. I have a Knit along with Debbie Macomber the Cedar Cove Collection knitting pattern book, at the end of the book it has recipe's. I tried clam spaghetti. Great recipe. Quick and easy is what I am all about when it comes to cooking. although I want to get one of Juila Child's cookbooks the art of french cooking. The movie that's out reminded me of how much I loved watching Julia Child Saturday's on PBS when I was young. This was the days before I knew anything about cable and if I did you would not be able to get it in Brutonville right outside of the city limits on the big Candor with it's one stop light. It was years after I was grown and living in Asheboro. It took awhile for cable and satellite to make it to the area. I think satellite made it first then cable. So if you had was channels 4-45 if you had a good antenna. All the good cooks did shows on PBS. My swap partner dishcloth is going well and I have just a few more rows to go. I checked on half.com and amazon you would not believe the price for this cookbook they go from reasonable to outrageous. I need to spend a little time knitting so that I can finish the dishcloth and make a good faith effort on the socks that I have been working on since this spring. Happy long weekend. The pictures and of the dish I made tonight. The first is the red pepper, garlic, and onion sauteed in olive oil, next is the finished product. I love the smell of garlic and onion.

Quick post

Well we did not get to do our midweek girls night out. My friend from work had an unexpected surgery and has to be out of work for the next 3 days. So it looks like we will have to make plans for another night. Oh well the bright spot is only 2 day's to go and I will have a nice long weekend. I have a good start on another dish cloth. I might send to my September swap partner. Happy crafting.

Not so marvelous Saturday

So I spent the entire week looking forward to my weekend only to be kicked in the knees by the fact that my Mother spent the day babysitting here at the house. My Mother moved in with me 3 years ago, and I knew but was not prepared for the fact that this would go along with the territory! and I find it hard to deal. Please don't get me wrong I wish no little child ill will because I once was a little child and I gave birth and had a child and my nieces and my nephew where and are still children and I love my child and I love my nieces and nephew, and my cousin . How ever between the ages on 0-12 if I had a choice I would not spend more time than I need to with them. I am not a young child kind of girl and really could put off grandchildren for a very long time. So my Mother had to and as I am writing this is still babysitting my cousin her great-great niece who is 6, my niece who is 10 her granddaughter has finally gone home. I wonder when I will be allowed to become the hermit that I am. Well when I got up this morning I made a quick trip to Walmart to pick up some olive oil to use while I tried to dry some of my romas tomatoes and for tomato sauce out of some roma tomatoes. I think they are the last of the tomatoes out of my garden. I forgot to take a before roasting picture of my tomatoes but I am posting and after roasting picture. It is nice to have friends on the Internet. The recipe I was looking for a blogging friend of mine sent it to me after reading one of my post. He blog at www.threemilesinmyshoes.blogspot.com . The recipe is from tom grey and his blog for some reason I could not find the post with the recipe. My possible swap partner dish cloth is going well I am on row 45 only 7 more row until bind off. I watched the funeral mass for Senator Ted Kennedy today it was great and then watched some of the last few minutes at his finally resting place. He was a great person. I wish I could have met him. I am posting a picture of the roasted tomatoes and the sauce I made today.

Swapping

My swap partner received her dish cloth today so I will post a picture. I have signed up for the September swap. I love swapping and the dish cloth swap is the best because I can afford to swap. If you are a member of Ravelry visit and join the dishcloths r us group. You can swap every month. I have a large stash of cotton yarn so full skeins and several partial balls left over from crocheting or knitting other cloths. I need to find a quick easy grocery bag and use all my scrap cotton yarn to make the bag. Today a friend of mine from working invited by to join her and her daughter and 2 ladies her daughter works with to a midweek girls night out next week. We are going to Flying Pig Food and Spirits. I am wishing my life away but I can't wait until next Wednesday. Another friend of mine told me that the pizza was great and a good price. I hope the sale margarita's I am not driving so I think am midweek week margarita will hit the spot. Recast a dishcloth tonight it might turn out to be the cloth I send to my September swap partner.

Last full week in August

This is the last full week in August and in our area both in the City of Asheboro and the County school started today. I still have one niece and a nephew in school and two nieces in college. Summer as almost come to an end summer coming to an end in North Carolina means nothing I am sure we will have hot day well into October. Only four months and 2009 will come to an end. I wonder if my year will end better than last year, I am not holding out much hope that it will end any better the last. I finished up last night and mail today my August dishcloth swap with the dishcloths ar us ravelry group. I will post a picture when my partner receives her cloth. I have lot of roma tomatoes and I need to find something to do with them. I had planned to dry them out in the oven but I can't find recipe I found online last week. So I have a cookbook I brought years ago when I was part of a cookbook book club. Smith & Hawken The Gardeners' Community Cookbook , compiled and written by Victoria Wise. I think I will look for a nice sauce for the romas that I have left in the garden. I might cast on a dishcloth for the September dishcloth swap. It so nice to go out in my backyard and clip off sprigs of rosemary when I need it to cook. We put a Boston butt in the oven on Sunday and I clipped a few sprigs of rosemary to add a little something while the roast cooked. This is Rosie the rosemary.

Summer Flower's

Summer is slowly and hotly winding down. I still have a lot of Roma tomatoes in the garden and both my green and Japanese eggplants and Cheyenne peppers are still producing. I can't make it out to my fig tree's before the bird's and bee's. I guess with the fig's I need to check everyday. Lionbrand podcast was out today and I listened while working on the dish cloth I need to send to my swap partner at dish cloths r us group at Ravelry. Just to relax my plan is to read a few more pages of The Beach Street Knitting Society And Yarn Club, by Gil McNeil. It must be a wonderful and awesome thing to be creative and able to write a book. It seems to me it would be very exciting and satisfying I wish I had this gift. I have no gifts and therefore I spend most of my time at this that are draining and and unsatisfying they add nothing to my life. Reading, knitting, and crochet add to my life time with my family and close friends. Maybe one day I can add to that list. Happy crafting. I need to win the lottery. I need to buy ticket's so that I have a chance to win the lottery.

Lovely weekend.

I love Roma tomatoes! They are great for sauces and wonderful in a salad. I have a lot of them this year in my garden. Next year I will put a few in large container's and see how well the produce. I think I am to lazy for another full out in the ground garden. It is to much work if you have to work 40 hrs per week. When I get home from work I am to tired and depressed to go out and work in the garden and by the time it cools off enough to work in the garden it is almost time to go to bed. A container garden will be easier to maintain. I had to recast they dishcloth for my swap partner over on Ravelry. It is a good thing that we have until the 24th to get our cloths in the mail. I had the day off on Friday spent most of the day trying to clean my bedroom and made great progress. Then went to Books-A-Million and picked up my copy of The Beach Street Knitting Society And Yarn Club, by Gil McNeil first published in Great Britain as Divas Don't Knit in 2007, so far a good read and a very pretty cover. I am watching Merlin and I am ready for True Blood later tonight. The picture I have posted is of the Roma tomatoes in my garden. I have more ready to take off the vine. I hope to slow roast a few in the oven this year to freeze. So that this winter I can use them to make sauce or soup.

August Dishcloth Swap

I had a long day at work today but it was all good because when I checked the mail box today after I arrived home from work I had a package from my August swap partner at Dishcloths ar us on Ravelry. I received a beautiful dishcloth and postcards and a bar of soap. It is so wonderful to receive something besides a bill in the mail. I am still working the dishcloth I plan to send my partner. I love my Slow Cooker! have everything laid out to put in the crock pot tomorrow. I have country-style spareribs the only ingredient I am missing is celery seed. So I think I can to with out it and move on since I have all the other ingredients. This is the second time this week I will use my Slow Cooker. Sometimes I forget how helpful a slow Cooker can be if you work.The recipe I used is from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook Feasting with your Slow Cooker, by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good. The picture I am posting is of the things I received in the mail from my swap partner.

How does my garden grow!

I am a bad blogger. It is August 11th and this is the first post of the month. It is hot here in North Carolina mid 90's so the heat is on. We did get some rain today. I have cast on for the August dishcloth swap for my swap partner over at Ravelry Dishcloths ar us group. I am reading Dropped Dead Stitch, by Maggie Sefton. My mother picked some great looking tomatoes out of the garden today and okra, cucumber's. The picture I am posting are tomatoes from my garden. I think they are German Johnson's.

Dish Cloth Swap part II

My partner in the July dish cloth swap from the dish cloths r us group over on Ravelry received her dishcloths so that mean I can post pictures of the dish cloths I mailed to my partner. I enjoyed the swap with this group and I have signed up for the August swap. I have not spent any time knitting this week. I have an idea of what I want to do for the August swap. I am very please with the fact that tomorrow is Friday and payday! I will have money for a few minutes. Posting a picture of what I sent to my July swap partner.

Dish cloth swap

I received 2 beautiful dish cloths from my swap partner over at ravelry. I participated in the July dishcloth swap in the dishcloth r us group. I have already signed up for the August swap. I love bright colors and Smilingdolphin sent 2 very pretty and bright dishlcoths 1 knit and 1 crochet. I have not heard weather or not the person I mailed to has received her package or not, I hope so it was mailed on Friday. I am posting a picture of the dishcloths I received. It is very nice to come and have something other than bills in the mail. This is just a quick post no time for reading or knitting this weekend I helped my daughter move into her first apartment. I will tell you about that later.

Checking in on Humday.

Well its hum day and the weekend is on the horizon! I had a not to bad Sunday my daughter and I and her friend my second daughter went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I enjoyed the movie but I feel somethings that really needed to be in the movie did not make it to the movie. I would have loved to have Dumbledore come to get Harry at the Dursley's it was one of my favorite parts of the book. There was no Dobby or Kreacher and they are very important to the book to me, nothing about Bill and Fleur's engagement no funeral for Dumbledore. How will they tie all this together in the last movies. Monday was not so good long day at work due to a very important system on the computer not working all day. Tuesday not so bad at work and after work one of my dear friends picked me up at work and we went to David's a new restaurant in Asheboro. It looked great on the outside and inside and has a large variety of food. We both had Steaks and my ribeye was great, so was the steamed vegetables and french fries. It was a nice relaxing evening. Tonight I listened to the President talk about heath care reform and then the Lionbrand podcast and weaved the end to the dishcloth I plan to send to my swap partner on Friday. When my swap partner receives her package I will post a picture. I cut 2 eggplant of my Japanese eggplant and 1 from the green. We had some rain today but I think the long dry spell we and in late June early July did my squash and zucchini in and they are dying. I need to pull the squash and zucchini up and maybe plant the butternut squash I brought last weekend. I am posting another picture of my Japanese eggplant. It is amazing what you get from a tiny purple bloom.

A Wonderful Sunny Day

I did almost nothing today. I did spend sometime staking my tomato's. A few of my tomato cages needed a few stakes added and so did the tomatillo's. So I staked the tomato's and tomatillo's. I did not knit or crochet today . Spent sometime reading the second book in The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society series, by Beth Pattillo. I am posting a picture of the tomato's in my garden. My daughter will be her tomorrow and we are going to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Summer Garden

Well we had very good rain yesterday, and like always just when I was about to step out of the door it started to pour. When I got home from work the garden looked much better the rain really helped. Today we put a off brand of Miracle Grow. We have a lot of tomato's on the vine and my Tomatillo's are coming along I need to stake them. I will post a picture. Something happened with the dishcloth I was working on somewhere along the way I lost 3 stitches I had 35 and now only 32. So I have a backup dishcloth to send to my swap partner. I plan to mail off this weekend.

Monday Eve

Quick post to say I am still working on the Dishcloths r us July swap. I spent the day watching t.v. and knitting. I spent time on Ravelry and Crochetville. Work tomorrow and I am ready for Friday already. Great new episode of Trueblood to night. It rained for half a minute around 11:30 and I hope it will start again and continue my garden looks pretty sad. I water yesterday but you just can't substitute for nature by watering your self. I hope the book I ordered will come in by Wednesday I need a good read. I am the proud grower of a great Rosemary bush posting a picture. I had to cut some branches off and tie it up hoping to get the bush to grow up instead of around.

Oh how sweet it is...

Oh how sweet it is because it is the weekend baby! So it is late on Friday night and I don't have to get up and go to work tomorrow. I am almost finished with one of the dish cloths that I plan to send to my swap partner on Ravelry, with the dishcloth r us group, all I have left to do is weave the ends and take a picture so that after my partner has received I can add it to my projects on Ravelry and post a picture on Ravelry and here. I plan to cast on another dishcloth this weekend so that I can send more than one cloth to my partner. You know it is very relaxing to listen to a past lionbrand podcast and blog. I am posting a picture of the eggplant from my garden and I must say what a difference a few days make. On a previous post I have a picture on this eggplant I wish I could get more than one at a time. I think by the end on next week this could happen a few more blooms are on the plant. You can't make a Moussaka with one Japanese eggplant. The are long and slender not like the large eggplant that most of us are use to seeing in the store.

Friday Eve

Well I have made it to Thursday only one more day to make it through and my weekend will start. I am working on a dishcloth for my swap partner over at Ravelry, so far so good. I can't give the details because I have to wait until after the swap. It is a great looking pattern. We have in this part of NC hit a dry spell and we are only getting what seems like a few drops of rain. We need a nice steady slow shower. If we don't get rain by tomorrow I will need to water the garden. Well not much to report tonight. I just wanted to check in for a few minutes. Flower from my yard.

Tuesday Ramble

Well my lovely long weekend ended today when I had to get up and go to work. I wish I had asked for the day off so that I could have watched the Memorial service for Michael Jackson. I should have went to lunch at 1:00 instead of 12:00 today so I could have watched more than just the family traveling to the public memorial service. I must admit to the fact that I cried this evening when I watched the replay of Michael's daughter talk about her daddy and how wonderful he was as a father. I hope someone will air the memorial service all the way through again this weekend. Even though I had a nice long weekend I did not spend that much time knitting. I did finish my sock and as I stated in a previous post I cast on for the second sock. I joined a swap on Ravelry. A dishcloth swap with dishcloth ar us group that I joined sometime ago. I already have several finished dishcloths I can select from to send my swap partner but just in case I don't want to send a dishcloth that I already have done I cast on tonight and I am on row 7. This weekend on the family channel they are airing all the Harry Potter movies. I knew someone would so everyone could prepare for the latest Harry Potter that premiere's on next Wednesday. Since the movie premiere come in the middle of the week I try to get tickets on Friday for Saturday the matinee. Yesterday of course we put chicken on the grill and I made a squash casserole, my first and with the squash from my garden. The picture I am posting is of a squash that made it into the casserole. I have lots of little green tomato's trying to grow on the vine so happy.

Another Great Weekend.

Well my 4th saw great. Spent the day with most of my family. My Mother, Aunt, Cousins and Daughter and her Boyfriend and her friend Gin. We had a cookout the food was great my Daughter made Shrimp and Chicken Kabobs. I got the recipe from WFMY News 2 website in 2006. The kabobs turned out really well. Besides the Kabobs had hamburgers,hot dogs, ribs, and chicken, salad, slaw, macaroni and cheese, an peach cobbler. We had some family members that did not get to come so food was left over. So that means no cooking today. I finished up one sock and cast on for the second. I tried the sock on and it is a little big but it fits okay and it feels good. I forgot to take my camera so no pictures. I think I will need to take a class on circular needles, yes I know I have used double pointed for the sock but for some reason I could not get it on Thursday when I cast on and tried to start a blanket. The blanket was just straight knitting not in the round maybe I cast my stitches on to tight. My plan is to work on the hat I cast on last week and maybe try to cast on the blanket again. Garden talk things are moving along in the garden so far we have had some cucumbers and squash no zucchini yet but the eggplant has started to grow and the tomato's are in bloom. The picture is of the eggplant in the garden.

Seventh Month

It is already the seventh month of the year. I find it hard to believe. Time and the month's pass by so quickly when you have all those things to worry about examples the mortgage, electric, and the natural gas. I am listening to an old YarnCraft podcast while I post because there is nothing on t.v at this time. I plan to add a few more rows to the shaping of my sock. I had planned to start my 4th of July holiday weekend by not working tomorrow our office is closed on Friday, but I did not get my case processed through Monday today. So I will go to work tomorrow and leave at 12:00. I will have to push I only have a few to get done but it get hard when computer systems you depend on to aid you in the process of these cases are down and not working. Oh well such is life! Well happy crafting! I am posting a picture of a fig that is currently growing on one of the fig tree's in my backyard. I love fig's and this year I plan to cook with my figs. In the past my Mother has made preserves and we eat a few if we can get to the figs before the bees. I have notice on Foodnetwork and other places recipes for savory dishes, and fig tart lets. So if I manage this I will tell you. The fig is a strange tree you get fruit but no blooms. The leaves fall off every year in the fall and then in the spring one day the leaves sprout out and then one day out of no where the fig's start to grow. I find it strange because tomato's, squash, okra they all have blooms. People consider tomato's a vegetable but they are really a fruit. Peach trees bloom have a flower but not the fig. Okay I am finished with my ramble.