The end. (Of NaBloMoFoSchmo) not of me

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Well. Here it is. November 30th. I have posted every day in November. Raise your needles if you believed that would happen. A funny thing happened along the way, not only did I find my inner blogger but I found the inner knitter as well. I did more knitting in this month than many months previous. Is that a coincidence? I think not. And the blogging? It caught me by surprise as I really started to feel that it was time to give up the blogging. As the wise Claudia once said to me "why do it if it's not fun". I paraphrase but it was something extremely sensible like that. That's the thing about Claudia. She is wise. I like wise people.
So, when it was NOT fun anymore, I thought that was the sign. Hang up my blog hat and move on. And then this little NaBloMo thingy came along and I signed up reluctantly. I'm glad I did. The only thing I regret is that I have not been very good about getting back to you. Or for reading YOUR blog for that matter. I really DO need a way to stretch those hours in a day. Then I'LL be the superhero, right?
I sincerely thank you for coming over here every day and reading my words. It has meant a lot to me. Although even after all these years of blogging, WHY you want to read about me is, well, beyond me. I'm glad you do, though.
And to thank you? A Thank You Contest. I toyed with the idea of having it as a SURPRISE contest for all that have commented here during the month but I think that would be unfair. (Or would it?) I will open it up to all.
Leave me a comment here. Say something nice, tell a joke just say SOMETHING. You could win this wonderful skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the colorway Sweet Pea. It's a great yarn! Going to great people. I will draw a random winner on December 2nd. Noon. High Noon (EST).

And I say goodbye to November. As far as months go, you've been good to me, November.

Super

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Everytime I log onto my Movable Type platform to blog, which as you know has been a month in a row now, there is a question starting at me that says:

Who is the Superest Hero of them All?

Sky and ground

Some beauty that I have noticed around here lately!

Up
and

Down
~~
You'll be glad to know that I was up at an ungodly hour (4 am) (AM, PEOPLE!) doing stretching exercises along with Madeleine Lewis leading her AM Yoga stretch conveniently located on my On Demand Cable.
I do wish I had taken a picture of the look Fig was giving me as I was sprawled out on the floor while it was still pitch black outside. Priceless, I tell ya! It was probably a sight to see, I'll give him that.
This fitness stuff is going to cut into my beauty sleep.

News that you didn't even know you were waiting on

In Da Hood.
Harry Potter colored baby sweater with cute hood, one sleeve down one to go! Pattern is neck down baby cardi by Knitting Pure and Simple. And it is. Pure and Simple. It has been just what the doctor ordered.
And speaking of Doctor.
5 days ago, but it seems like years, I got a call from the doctor about the back xrays I had done. It appears there is a prominant cyst. I was scheduled for a CT scan which I did yesterday but I don't have to tell you that I have spent the last week with my mind going to some pretty dark places, do I? I was practically writing my farewell blog entry. I'd like to say that I'm kidding but I'd be lying. The call today brought some good news. Or was it? I haven't digested it yet. No cyst. OR WORSE. But some pretty substantial spinal arthritis. "GOOD" news indeed. You won't be getting rid of me that easily.
What I know now: I need to be exercising regularly and to drop a few pounds (and then a few more) would be a good thing too.
But I feel a bit like Mr. Scrooge did after he woke up after the ghosts visited him, renewed. Still in horrible pain, but renewed nonetheless.
So, join my new Scroogey self in a bit of a giggle, will you?

cartoon by Sam Gross
Another big thank you to my MoFo Sisters for being my support. I may need you to support me more....haha (walker joke)

Bunch of random, not even Wednesday

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During the parade, I saw the cross on St. Mary's Star of the Sea shining for all to see. Is it a sign? Or just some beautiful stuff pasted upon a blue sky?
~Santa (0f yesterday's post) took the high road and did not HoHoHo nor HaHaHa, he just WavedWavedWaved! Chicken.
~It is, I'd like to point out, November 26th. And I have made it this far posting every day. And you know what I've found out? I like it!
I found my inner blogger. She was hiding for a while! Now, I'm not sure that I've posted interesting or post-worthy stuff. But stuff it was.
~Last night, while reading Carrie's blog I saw the Pay it Forward Thingamabob once again. I've seen it around, so have you! (In fact, unbeknownst to us, Norma and I signed up around the same time, different blogs. Scary people, huh?) But I figured it was about time I did something about it. So, I commented. And now? Here is my part:

The idea of the exchange is I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on this blog post requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog - this means you must have a blog, sorry blogless readers.

~So, there you have it. Pay it Forward. I have a lot of bloggy kindness to give back into the world.
~And let it begin with me.
(sorry to anyone who sings that song for the rest of the night)

Parading through Sunday!

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The air is perfectly crisp and cold today, just right for a little walk and perfect to take in a PARADE! The annual Santa Parade in Beverly!
There was lots to see! (as always click on any photo to go to Flickr land)
There were:
Cute kids!

This kid is dressed appropriately

This kid is not (I am very judgmental in that way, about kids not being dressed warmly enough)

Big elaborate floats
and

One silly looking float with a Christmas tree with only 2 decorations on it. I guess they ran out of time. Perhaps they are minimalists.

Lots of gifts

Even one on a bike. A gift has to get it's exercise you know!

Is that turkey dinner following me around? Stalker!

Good Grief, it's Lucy!

SANTA??? Why are your ears so funny?

These little Catholic girls have plenty to cheer about. I can't believe those nuns let them wear skirts so short! Times, they are a changing!

Stupid Vendors, trying to make a living while I watch a parade!

That may LOOK like a fire truck, but it's really a White Hen. Who knew?
And the dogs. Dogs love a parade!

This one looks like it ate a big dinner (a bit STUFFED, don't you think?)

A Kosher Hot Dog (Perhaps my favorite of the day)
and

A pair of festive pups! (who turned out to be my former neighbor's son's pups)
Small Pup world, isn't it?

But we all got what we came for! A minute with Mr. Claus himself. The reason for the season. Or at least the parade!

SANTA!!! OVER HERE!!!
Hey, I have a list! (It looks a bit like Mr. Kringle might be running for office!)
And now, I have a cold nose and cold feet. But I also have turkey soup simmering on the stove. How could a Sunday be better than this?

germy Saturday knitting

On this wonderful Thanksgiving Saturday, I plan to get comfy on the couch and be a lazy bones. I have knitting to keep me company and hopefully I'll forget about the sore throat and runny nose that I am trying to fight off. The cold hasn't won yet, I'm putting up quite a fight! But I think I'll just plan to feel a bit sorry for myself for a little while and knit a bit.

The Harry Potter Colored baby sweater happily grows. (That sentence reminds me of one you'd use in a typing class to practice your keystrokes) It is in the process of getting a hood. It's a perfect, easy knit for the days activities of brooding and watching movies.
And then there is this disaster:

Disaster, yes, but I'm still looking forward to it. The pattern is Classic Elite Lush Lacy Scarf which can be seen on the back of the Interweave Knits 2007 Holiday Gifts issue. The yarn is the wondiferous Misti Alpaca. Once again, I've flipped for an alpaca yarn. Raise your needle if you are surprised! The picture shows my 2 "swatches". Ahem. They are not technically swatches but failed attempts. Same diff, right? I first used a size US8 seen on the bottom then I switched to a US6 and I don't like that any better. The stitches on the scarf pictured are much tighter. I'll try again. But this scarf is not relaxing knitting. Lacey-ness is never relaxing for me.
So, yeah, I'm going to surround myself in yarn. Rising only to make dinner. Then planting myself again.
Sounds like a great day?
Oh, and I'll have this little gem to flip through.

A cool little magazine sent as a nice surprise to me from the lovely Cookie (Don't tell her I said that, she'll tell me to shut up!) It is from her local grocery store and "suggests" some nice complicated things to serve our families for the holidays. The funny thing is that she (nor do you) did not know that I love to see things like this from "Other places". She is as "other" as it gets in this here U-S-of-A.
My favorite page?

The page is entitled "snow day". Don't you love his little face? It would be wrong of me to divulge this super secret recipe of an ice cream ball rolled in coconut to resemble a snowball. So, you'll just have to figure it out yourselves!
:D
(thank you, Cookie!)
I'm hoping you are joining me on your couch today. Knitters solidarity!
See you tomorrow!

A day of thanks, continued

Ahh, the Day after Thanksgiving. Otherwise known as the day that Sandy stays away from stores like the plague! Sales Schmales. I'm not going!
So, guess who came to Thanksgiving dinner?

Yup. That would be the Thanksgiving Fog. And warm temperatures. It hardly felt like T-day with the warm breeze. Don't worry, it was a short lived guest and is gone today. Back to the stiff cold breeze!

There of course, was tons of food.

There were games.

And an after dinner puzzle.
Of course, there was football on the tv with snoozing men in front of it. The snoring! I wish you could have heard it!
But I know what you really want to know about. The mashed potatoes. I am pleased to announce that the seal a meal made in advance mashed potatoes and squash were a raging SUCCESS. That's right! THUMB'S UP! Do it the next time you have dinner plans. They tasted exactly the same as if I had just made them. No one could tell the difference. And for a while, only my Sister in Law knew the secret because 1. she reads this here blog and 2. she was in on the boil a bag session.
So, you know, instead of having a mountain of dishes to wash there was only a half a mountain. But gain is gain in my book!
Hmm. I wonder what else that seal a meal will do?
(which, in the effort of full blog disclosure turned out to be not a seal a meal at all but a foodsaver. I will continue to call it a Seal a Meal though because I am now in the habit. Not that I will keep talking about it. I mean then I'd have to change the name to Sandy Seal A Meals Everything in Sight and Frankly if Fig Sits Still Long Enough He Will Be Sealed Up and That Will Be the End of Cat Hair in My Home. Or something )

The giving of Thanks

Yesterday as were setting up the table (I'm one of those day before table setters) we realized how pathetic our table and chair situation was.Is. We have had the same table/chair set since we were married, 23 years and we bought it from a friend's mother who had it for an unknown amount of time. Most of the chairs have broken so we have such a mismatch of chairs going on including the many folding chairs that Andy bought at BJ's last night. It looks quite...well, dorm-ish.
And oddly? That's fine with me. We'll put a new table set on our list of things to buy. But honestly, how can we think of it now? This has been the most expensive summer/fall combo of our lives!
Chairs won't matter though. I hope. It's Thanksgiving.
What will matter??
What matters most is whether those damned mashed potatoes will taste fresh or not!
:D
haha! (Thought I'd deviate from my usual sappy "thankful" post!)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING if you happen to celebrate. If you don't, I wish for you, something to be thankful for anyway.
Fig can't wait.

let me know when my turkey is ready!
P.S.
I can't be the only one who logs onto Google just to see what holiday graphic they came up with this year, can I?

Dear blog:

Dear Blog,
I have had a busy day of cooking and sealing the side dishes for tomorrow's Thanksgiving meal. Fingers crossed that it works out okay, that the guests don't get that glazed over look and start saying things like "this is....um..different". That would be a party killer.
Oh, and this is important to note: Never. EVER. Seal a Meal gravy. Ever.
Oh? And gravy, if anyone ever asks you, puddles. It's hard to clean up also. There's still enough for a generously gravied up meal though. Good thing I got carried away!
Love,
Sandy, knitting not so much today

Tomorrow is for sealing

I am a happy camper today because I have the next 5 days off from work! Thanksgiving prep begins tonight. I am excited about it too. Why?
Glad you asked.
:D
The one thorn in my side for Thanksgiving dinner is that most of it is a last minute strain, season and table. It makes too much commotion at the last minute and makes me uptight. If I could figure a way to do things ahead of time the day would be smoother.
So, here is my schedule:
TODAY~
~Make stock from previously roasted turkey wings for the gravy
~do the last of the shopping
TOMORROW
~Roast butternut squash, season and mash it, put in fridge
~cut up bread and season it for stuffing
~make cranberry conserve
~make homemade rolls (milk bread recipe from Joy Of Cooking pg. 746 if you have it) made into the traditional Hurley Thanksgiving shape of the knot roll. My Kitchen Aid Stand mixer makes this task a breeze!
~make the Sweet Potato Gratin and put in fridge *the recipe is Martha's but I cannot find it on the internets.
~go to the wine store and buy myself my new favorite wine, Elyse Nero Misto. Oh, and something for everyone too.
~Prepare the filling for the stuffed mushrooms (YUM! This is my favorite part of the day)
~ I can't finish this list. It is too long. I don't mind it when I am doing it, but writing it is exhausting me!)
THURSDAY
This is the part of the day that bugs me. Sure, the turkey is no big deal. But things like the potatoes and the butternut squash previously were last minute things. And the last thing you need is a bunch of needy, whiny last minute side dishes waiting to be drained and seasoned. And the dirty pans! OH! That's enough to drive a woman over the edge!
So.
(Okay, this is the important part. Stop skimming and start reading)
Today, a miracle happened. I was busy complaining to a work friend about hating the last minute things and he told me that he and his wife cook everything, MASHED POTATOES included and seal it with their Seal A Meal on the day before. Then on the day they take all of the sealed bags of ready to serve food and put them in a big pot of boiling water ala Banquet Bag meals of the 70's. He said that you will not be able to tell that the potatoes were made the day before. I'm picking on the potatoes because those are the hardest to reheat and serve with a straight face, right? He guarantees me that our meal will taste fresh and the bonus will be that there will be only a turkey pan to wash.
SOLD.
I am doing it.
Hmm. I got a seal a meal for Christmas about 3 years ago and have not used it once. I'd say it's about time then. Where did I even put it?

In the back closet, under books, the extra silverware drawer and god knows what else. Also, interestingly enough, right next to the wonderful fiber gifted to me by the lovely Kim back when I thought I might be a spinner. I was wrong. But seeing it there makes me happy.
I must get that seal a meal from under that stack and read up on the directions.
It's about time.
I'll let you know how this all goes. I am extraordinarily excited!
~~~~ You are not still skimming are you?
So, tell me what is the thing you look forward to the most on Thanksgiving? What is your favorite traditional food. What is your favorite activity?
~~~
Oh and all the cleaning? Will not be done by me. Seal a meal or no seal a meal.
:D

New knitting: it's like new love!

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What is working up to be a very fast knit began this weekend. It's amazing what some forced time upon a heating pad will do for your knitting! This is a neck down baby cardigan, pattern by Knitting Pure and Simple in Lamb's Pride, Harry Potter style! A friend of a friend's daughter is having a baby and is decorating the room in Harry Potter style, the colors, not the orphan theme. That would be wrong. Wouldn't it? I was asked to knit a sweater after knitting the sock for the Hogwarts Sock Swap. Frankly? I wasn't too thrilled about doing a sweater in these colors. However, now that it's going, I'm falling in love with the little thing. It is quite adorable in all it's tinyness and gryffindor coloration!
And it's fun to be knitting on something that is mindless. TV knitting at it's best. During this bit of knitting, I watched Brian Regan's Standing Up (I loved it, Jessalu!) and I'll be Home for Christmas. Bring on the sappy holiday movies!
~~~
Great news! When I started the car this morning to ward off the chill I saw this:

That's right! Snow flurries! WOOT! It flurried for a couple of hours this morning. I would have loved to take a little walk in it. There is nothing better than the peaceful floating of snowflakes. Unless one has to shovel it. But I do believe I now have a pass on this winter's shoveling.
Darn.

8 things are hard to do

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When my MoFo Sister Terry tagged me for doing an 8 things meme, I thought, NO PROB, BOB! Those are easy peasy!
I can rattle it off in an instant!
1. I knit
2. I'm right handed
3. I like the sky
4. I'm married
5. I have a cat named Fig
6. I am cold right now
7. I love the snow
and
8. These THINGS ABOUT ME ARE EASY
~~~~~~~~~
BUT: honestly? Who the hell wants to read that fluff anyway? That is not why you read blogs, is it? No. You want to FIND STUFF OUT! We all do! It's the glue that holds blogworld together, the curiosity.
So, here I give you, the REAL 8 Things About Me, in MeMe form.

1. Every Thursday, I eat buffalo tenders on a salad for lunch. I do this because it is buffalo day.
2. I had an English Teacher in 7th grade named Ms. Moriarty. She was adamant that you call her MS. not MISS or MRS. And she said MS. very pronounced, like MZZZZZZZZ. She was the toughest teacher I ever had. In fact she scared the bejezus out of me. I remember getting physically sick when I forgot my homework one day. She announced on the first day that we were all pupils that only the best of the best got to be called STUDENTS in her eyes. At the end of the year, she signed my yearbook "To one of my STUDENTS". I believe I cried, it meant that much to me.
Oh, and that's MZZZZZ. Student to you!
3. I have a little streak of Martha-ness in me. I try to squelch it. But it comes out. However, my inner Martha is more messy. I do so love to decorate a holiday table, though~!
4. For some reason, every year when summer turns to autumn, I get a hankering to read mystery novels. Not just any mystery novel, but the murdering, light and fluffy kind. This "worries" Bethany. She thinks the holidays really turn me into a murderous rage. We'll see.
5. I always hated Mighty Mouse. I mean, where does he get off coming around to save the day? Who is he, anyway?
6. Christmas time when I was growing up was a horrible time. The fighting, the drinking and let's not forget my father's favorite game of "Let's have a drunk relative over and play knock over the Christmas tree and everyone gets mad". Oh the memories are just awful. But through it all, my Mom created a bit of a Christmas fantasy world with her eternal Christmas spirit. She knew that her life would suck during those moments but she kept the hope alive. Maybe that is really what Christmas is about. Enjoying what you love about it despite the shit that happens around you. Today the adult me loves the decorating, the music, the wonder and magic of it all. I don't dwell on those unhappy places but the hope shines through. I guess that is Santa's gift to me. My mother's legacy of hope.
7. David Cassidy was the love of my life. (I know that this one exists somewhere here on the blog, but it could stand restating). I had everyone of his albums and knew every word to them. My BFF Debbie and I would lip sync to all of the songs, we were THAT cool. Andy is secure enough in his manhood to know that if David Cassidy came around and insisted that I marry him, Andy would let me go. I would be powerless because of that adolescent love.
8. Lately, this quote is one of my favorites:
(I read it in a magazine, Woman's Day, I believe)
ahem:
"For every minute you are angry,
you lose 60 seconds of happiness."
~~~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

~~~
I do believe there was something about meme rules, blahblahblah. I'm a rebel in that way. I did not get to the STUDENT status by following blindly.

TGIS

Saturday Sky! For a change. You don't see them often around here. I throw the idea out into blogland, enjoy seeing them but rarely post one myself. I'm a beast like that!
:)
Today's Saturday Sky brought to you by sun, blue and COLD with a sprinkling of wind thrown in. I was rooting for a bit of the snow yesterday but it did not materialize around here. Not that I saw anyway. It turns out, in a cruel twist of fate, that the way that our house is situated (remember the 12 1/2 address?) that we cannot see the street lights from our home which is a good thing, plunging us in wonderful darkness but also does not let us see when it snows at night. Fate. A funny thing, is it not?
And how about a Friday sky while we are at it?

This is the moment that I thought the flakes would fly yesterday. The sky got really dark and moody looking but there was a sliver of sunshine breaking through the bottom of the clouds making a dramatic spotlight on the trees. It was quite remarkable and I don't think that I captured just how beautiful it was. You'll have to take my word for it!
And the knitting?

Helgi's mitten in Alpaca Fiber Exchange yarn which I am loving. Sans thumb but with the thumb marker. It does need a good blocking though, but what knit doesn't?

Another photo to put emphasis on the mitten love.
Speaking of mitten..
You are cordially invited to join the Warm Hands knitalong. I'm telling you that you will not find a group of more talented mitten knitters than that group. Even if you don't' join, please look through for inspiration.
The day is calling. I have a busy schedule of resting on the heating pad, doing some stretching exercises and perhaps even going for a walk around the block. I do need to breathe in some of that wonderful cold air. And a small trip to the store. I need to buy a new mattress pad for my princess and the pea bed. That sucker is sitting HIGH up in the air!
Happy Saturday. See you tomorrow!

TGIF

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Randomly:
~Today is wonderfully chilly putting me in the frame of mind for a roast turkey which is fortunate with Thanksgiving on Thursday!
~Mary in Boston, alas blogless, asked about the Wind Rows scarf: right side vs. wrong side. Or Front side vs. Back side.
One side? Rib. The other? Fakey cable, as demonstrated (I hope) in this picture:

Rib wrong side on the left: Twisted stitches front side on the right
~Still loving that scarf! And trying to dream up another one. Have I gone soft on scarves? I feel the need for at least one more. But where will it end? Will I get on a scarf jag that will result in scarves up the wazoo? Only time will tell. (my spell check wants desperately to change the word WAZOO to KAZOO, thereby changing the sentence drastically, don't you agree?)
~The dogwood tree has gone all gold. A harbinger of winter?

~And the hydrangea? It's golden too! I live in a golden world!

~I'd like to point out (if only to myself but I'm sure my support group of No Blo Mo Fo 's (mouse over all the letters of that word, you'll see the embedded links of my dear MoFo's)will be glad to know also) that November is now more than half over. I have made it this far.
Do I have the stamina to make it all the way?
~And? did you see on the blogpoll? That though most of you expressed support? 11 of you have your doubts and 9 of you are unsure of who the hell I am.
Yeah.

Did that Santa just call me a ho?

Today I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend, so it may or may not be true, but it is said that our local mall has banned its Santas from saying the traditional HoHoHo. It might be offensive, doncha know. They are to substitute HaHaHa instead.
Is this blasphemy? I know that perhaps Santa is not Politically correct and all, but really, would YOU be comfortable seeing a round looking man in a red suit calling out HaHaHa? I'm thinking that person is waiting for the men in the white coats.
This calls for a trip to the mall soon to see for myself. For now, it's a rumor but one that rings my bells. Or decks my halls? or perhaps Trims my tree? how about harks my angels? frosty(s) my snowman? Jingles my bell??
There's a million of them.
Hey, Cheesy mall Santa, I'll be watching YOU. And is that fur on your coat and hat? A LEATHER Belt? Tsk, Santa.
HoHoHo!

I Ulu, do you?

My Ulu knife! (it's sitting on my gnome towel) You can read about it HERE. (click on the word "HERE" to be magically whisked away. And speaking of being whisked away, click on any photo to go to the magic land of Flickr).
I have had my Ulu knife for about...hm...maybe 6 or 7 years. Maybe 8? Many years and I love it as you can tell by it's decrepit state. It needs a wooden dowel thingy to keep the handle on (you can see that I am WAY into all the technical terms for things) and it desperately needs to be sharpened. And a good oiling for the handle wouldn't hurt either. But I still love it. The things that I love it best for are slicing potatoes and carrots and butternut squash. All of the hard things that I always had difficulty slicing without, you know, slicing a finger off with it. And it is especially wonderful to slice pizza. You will never ever go back to one of those silly rotary cutters again in this lifetime.
Now? Potatoes fear me and I have the ulu knife to thank!
The new item of the house this week, further plunging us into the poorhouse?

Our new Simmons BeautyRest mattress. The plan is to buy a healthy back because I could sure use one. I cannot put a price on a pain free back but this mattress sure knows how to break a wallet. Or two. I'll let you know how I like it. I cannot wait to go to bed tonight.

"Um, yeah, whatever. But where in the grocery bags is the stuff for Fig?"

Ours is not to question why

This is a silverware drawer:

Filled with everyday, ordinary silverware drawer kind of things.
Nothing special. Besides the every day utensils, there is an apple corer which is wonderful, a honey thingy, gravy ladle, measuring spoons and the half broken ulu knife (honestly? If you don't have an ulu knife, you should get one)
See it? In the corner?

Yes. A nice little ball of my handspun yarn right there in the silverware drawer. I don't know how it got there or why. I just enjoy it. Never mind that I haven't spun in years.
I don't question the fates that way.

Stopping to smell the roses: or the crisp air

Some days I just need to slow down and see the beauty around me. And believe me, even on a sucky Monday, the beauty IS there. It's just tough to see it.
But see it, I did!

The good thing about the time change is that I get to see the sunrise again. For a little while that is. Then it's back to going to work in the dark!

Morning frost on the car! I love it when I go outside in the morning and breathe in the cold, fresh air after being in the warm house. It refreshes me. And makes me feel...CLEAR somehow. I love it. Crisp is good. Frost is pretty. But only when you have the time to start the car and let the defroster do the dirty work.
And finally, the view at the top of the stairs:

Bethany's room is at the end of the hall upstairs and I enjoy the view from her window so much. Seeing this makes me smile every time I go upstairs. Which is a fair amount of times since we are one of those backwards type of homes that still only have one bathroom. Upstairs. Imagine? How can people live like this???
:D

On a quest to show the color brown

Huckleberry Ascot in Classic elite Waterlily, one of the most sumptuous feeling and richly colored yarn I have worked with in a long long time.
And garter stitch? I retract my previous distain for it. I never liked the LOOK of garter. Until now. It has grown on me.
And this little scarf? Is history. It is way too short. WAY. It barely reaches around my neck. I will thank you to keep your "I TOLD YOU SO" chant of "swatch, swatch, swatch" to yourselves.
But it's pretty good looking, while it lasted.

Is it BROWN for you, yet?

Fig, even in his sleepy state seems to be giving the advice.....SWATCH!
silly cat

I needed to post twice on one day to make up for one lost day, November 1st. So please, pretend for one moment that it is Novermber 1st. Then go back to November 10th and read today's post.

Just polling around:
(poll usually takes a minute to load)

the sky is the limit

Saturday dawned cold and gray. I waited a bit and now? It's cold and blue. I hear there was snow flying in my area last night but I did not get to see it. A little bird tells me that Margene may be getting snow today. Color me green with envy. I'm ready, what can I say?
This time of year is just beautiful, isn't it?

Crunchy leaves on my porch

And a Saturday seasonal joke.
Q: Why did the Turkey join a band?
A: He had the drumsticks.

It's a very, very, very fine house

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The front of the house (as always, click to go to my flickr account)
A fine house, indeed! The navy blue paint job has been coming along. Slowly but along certainly! I do believe it will be too cold to paint this weekend so this may be where we end for the year.
The side of the house is a myriad of colors:

And that's alright with me. My goal was to get the front of the house looking respectable and I believe we hit that goal.
And the door? Remember the door?
When I went away to Rhinebeck, Andy surprised me and sanded the offending parts of the door that were so stubborn.

Still needing more work,it has not been stained yet. I was thrilled beyond belief to arrive home after a hard weekend of shopping, laughing, eating and drinking to find he has such a wonderful surprise waiting for me! Andy wants to take the long panels out and replace them with glass of some sort (he is a glass person, so that is in his realm which is good because MY realm does not include glass) (not even the cleaning of glass, really) But I am of the mind that you should live with something for a little while and not rush into decisions that you may regret. (she says to justify her procrastinations)
~~
It has been a long and arduous week for me with my back hurting so. It has not been fun. Right now? I have some stock cooking on the stove for some chicken soup that will cure what ails me, a heating pad and a pain pill with my name on them and a whole weekend ahead of me where I have no plans.
Except of course, to blog every day.
Thought you had caught me, huh?

Orange and brown? Or red and blue?

View my profile on NaBloPoMo

If I can make dinner every single night of my adult life for my family, I can blog in November, right?
(note to self: what IS for dinner tonight?)
~~~
Does this look orange and brown to you?

This is the start of the scarf and I've got to say that I'm not thrilled about the new fangled way to do short rows. So much concentrating. So much indecision and questioning of oneself. I mean, it's SHORT ROWS. Easy peasy. But now, I've go to forget my tried and true way of short rows and do it the NEW way. New and improved, I guess. But the scarf? The Huckleberry Ascot? Wants the new short rows. So, who am I to argue.
~~~
It's so wonderfully chilly today. I wore my Wind Rows scarf today. My neck was happy, I tell ya!
~~~
And
~~~~
If you live in the US or are a keeping US holidays, Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away. 2 weeks and there will be an aroma of turkey filling the air. Time to start looking through your family recipes! This is my favorite part (you know, besides the eating!) The PLANNING!

Down in the dumps but posting because that is what I do when it is November!

I'm afraid that all of this posting daily might break the blog. Or make someone at movabletype email me to make sure that I am okay and not being held hostage by a blogging kidnapper. THAT would make an interesting blog, would it not?
As luck would have it, just when I am blogging lots my back is at a place that is not happy in the computer chair. Which means many a thing. Blogging must be quick. Which means it becomes like a word dump of sorts. And that commenting, which on a good day sucks, is at an all time low. So I apologize for that.
Know that I am with you, in blogging spirit and all.
I am getting the urge to knit another scarf all of a sudden. Weird, huh? I guess I must be feeling scarf-challenged. I like to have choices in a scarf, not tied down to one decision.
I have some yarn

Classic Elite Waterlily yarn (That I bought on my trip with Li) A lovely pumpkin and brown color, not that you can see that in this here poor excuse for a photo!
and a pattern called Huckleberry Ascot in the Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts, 2007 issue.
I have needles and I know how to use them!
:D

Wellingtons and little pink hearts

Have I told you that I love to cook? And I love to have the people I love (and sometimes even people I don't love) to sit and eat the food that I cooked. It fills me somehow to have people tasting the flavors I put together. It's kind of like knitting, I guess, in that it is taking raw material and creating something special, right?
Taking food photos is a difficult project to master, though.
Here's one anyway.
Just imagine it all yummy and wonderful.

And the smell? OH THE HEAVENLY AROMA! This is the pork wellington that I served on Sunday for the birthday dinner to the football watching crowd. What a great recipe. It was not harmed a bit from me using phyllo dough instead of puff pastry. It certainly would have been a bit less labor intensive without having to olive oil up the layers of phyllo. Pre browned single serving of pork tenderloin on a slice of prosciutto topped with spinach cooked with garlic and that is topped with goat cheese. My mouth waters just to remember.
Unfortunately the birthday boy seemed a bit underwhelmed but that's okay. Can't please them all. Andy loved it and that counts for extra.
(The spell check is going crazy on my PHYLLO dough and wanting me to replace the word PHYLLO with CHLOROPHYLL, haha)
And in the odd department:
I found this in my yard yesterday:

Hmm. Is this some kind of heavenly message? Is it trying to tell me the secrets of the universe? The key to happiness?
If the pink heart labeled OUT knows?
It's not telling.
(thank you for the wonderful comments on the scarf. And the tree. And the Hydrangea. And the lattice.)

The worst photo shoot EVER!

Me and a scarf: A photo shoot!

Pattern: Wind Rows scarf by Lisa Lloyd, purchased at Foxfire Fiber
Yarn: Cormo/Alpaca Classic, Foxfire Fiber in colorway Sumac, purchased at the NY sheep and Wool
Needle size: US9
Love factor: over the top! I love the yarn, I love the pattern, I will wear this scarf all winter long happily!

Hmm. That is one great picture of my new porch lattice work.

Nice Hydrangea Bush.

Um. Yeah, what the HELL????

Nice tree behind me, huh?

Hmm. What scarf??

I guess this one is the best of the bunch! I love this scarf and you can see here that it is perfect on this day!
Bring it on, WINTER!!
(click on any photo to flickrize)
(no knitters were harmed during this photo shoot, it only looks as if they were)

Time for National Get Sandy's Head Examined Month ~NaGeSanHdExMo~

Can I stand to do it?
More importantly? Can you stand me to? Will you be a NaBloCoMo (National Blog commenting Month, of course)
I'm up for the challenge if you are!
~~
So far, my dinner for tonight is interesting.
1. I have been "informed" that there is a HUGE game on and there will be eating in front of the television.
Okay. Fine with me, then.
2. Instead of buying Puff Pastry for my pork wellingtons, I bought Phyllo dough. I adapted and have been assured by my resident on call support staff that it will be alright. I'll let you know.
3. I burned the garlic that will go into the garlic mashed potatoes. But perhaps when I get the skin off , it will be only blackened, which means flavor, right? If not? I'll roast some more.
4. My back is complaining but honestly it feels better when I am moving. Just not the kind of moving that involves lifting laundry or vaccuuming. That means it is tiring being a family member of mine at this moment.
5. I am loving loving lov-ing the time change of this morning. Loving.
6. Yes, it's true that I am officially already one blog entry behind in the NaBloPoMo but if I post twice on one day it will catch me up!
~~
Honestly, sometimes, don't you worry about me?
:D

Making lemonade

Well, people, the sad answer to the riddle.
A: (see question in yesterday's post) My dryer will indeed be going on the Fritz. It's not exactly ON the fritz yet. I can tumble the clothes for 3 cycles and have them semi dry.
Semi dry is good, right?
So, yes, I'm living the money pit lately.
And if I'm allowed to continue on my little tirade of self wallowing, my back is all of a sudden on the fritz too. Which is perfect timing for the wonderful birthday dinner I have planned here for my Wonderful