Making Progress

The two knitting projects I'm actively working on are coming along.  Blake's scarf is about 2/3 complete.  I'm well into the second skein of merino.  Because of the 2x2 ribbing, it will end up being a skinny scarf, but he likes it that way.  I hope to have it done this week.  Too bad I didn't make it in time for this weekend.  It is frigid!  But winter isn't even half over yet, so I'm sure he'll get plenty of use from it this year.

Here's a close up. 

The baby blanket I'm making for a friend is coming along.  I'm getting to the slow, long rows.  I have about 35 more rows before I start decreasing.  I feel my progress is good.  My friend told me Wednesday that her doctor will induce on March 29 if she doesn't go into labor before then.  Plenty of time!

I've decided that it is best to have two active projects.  It keeps things a littlel more interesting.  However, these two projects are both very basic.  I have a couple projects in mind that I want to start.  Once I get things moved along on these I'll be able to start others.  I plan to cast on Blake's gloves for the Ravelympics.  I've never made gloves or mittens, but since I've done socks I don't think it will be too difficult.   As long as I finish up the scarf before then, things will be good.

Earlier this month I posted a note about trouble at work.  I heard a rumor that the person who I'm having difficulty with was leaving.  This week I got confirmation that he will be signing off the project mid-February.  He is a consultant so the chances of ever having to deal with him again are very slim.  I'm counting the days!!

I have discovered a blog that I absolutely love.  It isn't a knitting blog, but a blog about another favorite hobby of mine: cooking.  Check out Annie's Eats.  All of her food looks absolutely yummy.   I want to try her Oatmeal Buttermilk Wheat Bread this weekend.  I have most of the ingredients, except the buttermilk.  I quick trip to the grocery will take care of that.  She also has a recipe for soft pretzels which I'll have to try.  Who doesn't love pretzels.

How 'bout them bananas?

One of these days, when I have more discretionary time, I want to learn more about photography.  A friend from work bought herself a digital SLR camera and took a class from a local camera store.  While showing off her photos at work, on of the older guys in our department revealed that he apprenticed under Ansel Adams.  He has some very nice photos to prove he learned a lot.  Looking at the pictures they have taken makes me want to learn. 

Ed recently asked if I could take some pictures of the bands he got from some geese while hunting.  Tracy gave me advice about how to do the close ups.  I've been experimenting a little, but I need to put more effort into commiting the settings to memory.  The other night I shot the bananas on the table.  Here's my favorite shot.  I really like the lighting in this one.  It almost looks like a painting to me.

Here's my close up.  It came out quite nicely, especially considering I didn't use a tripod.

Too bad I don't remember the settings I used!  One of these days I'll remember to write it down.

Not Boeuf Bourguignon But Still Yummy

Just finished watching 'Julie and Julia'. It seems that Julia Child's premier recipe was Boeuf Bourguignon. I'm not attempting that at the moment, but we are having beef stew for dinner. Maybe someday I'll try her recipe just to see how it compares.

My sister Patty gifted everyone in the family with knitted items. Blake got a hat that he absolutely loves. It covers his ears so it keeps him warm when he walks home from school. And he said he likes the teal blue color. The other day he asked me if I could make a pair of gloves and a scarf to go with it. He specifically wanted me to match the color. Since the hat was made from Patty's homespun, I wasn't sure I'd be able to find anything to match. Luckily, Knitter's Mercantile had a few things that I thought might work.

For the scarf I'm combining a strand of Plymouth Yarn Suri Merino in color 2283 (teal) with a strand of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in color 1293 (brown). I'm doing a 3x3 rib over 27 stitches on size 8 needles. I think it'll will match nicely.

The gloves will be made from Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox in color 1831 (teal) stranded with the Ultra Alpaca left over from the scarf.  I'll have to make a gauge swatch since I'm combining yarns.  I've never made gloves before.  We'll see how stitching in the round over a small number of stitches goes.

Thick as Pea Soup

The January thaw has hit. We have had snow on the ground since before Christmas. Thursday was the first day this year that the temperature went above freezing. Everything is starting to melt. This morning I woke up to a heavy fog.



We were supposed to have a sunny day today, but if the sun can't burn off the clouds it is going to stay grey and gloomy. I don't mind, though. Since I'm away from the house all week because of work, I like Saturdays like this. Also, it will keep me in the house to tackle my To Do list for today: get the last of the Christmas decorations put away, bake zucchini bread, walk on the treadmill, and work on the blanket I'm making for a friend who is expecting a baby in late March.



The pattern is Brooklyn Tweed's Tweed Baby Blanket. I am making it out of Debbie Bliss Rialto Dk for the body of the blanket and Sirdar Snuggly Kisses for the edging. I picked the pink varigated Kisses because Colleen believes she is have a girl. I figure this gives me some insurance just in case the ultrasound was wrong and little 'Samwich' ends up with a baby brother instead of a baby sister.

I'm not this dedicated, but another friend and her husband are committed to posting a picture a day during 2010. I think it is a neat idea. I'd like to improve my photography skills and this would be a great way to do it.

Later this year I plan to attend Knitters Connection. It is a knitting symposium sponsored by my favorite LYS, Knitters Mercantile. Last year I took several classes, including ones from Amy Singer and Sally Mellville. To get priority scheduling for this year's classes, I need to renew my membership with Knitter's Connection. Membership has its rewards to the tune of a very nice goody bag from the Merc at check-in time.

Added later: Here's the zucchini bread:


All I can say is 'YUMMY!!!'

Welcome 2010

Happy New Year!

I'm gladly saying goodbye to 2009. The past year brought a lot of heartache and frustration. There were far too many deaths this past year. I lost an uncle and two aunts. A cousin lost her husband. Also lost was a man who was a wonderful advocate for the Special Olympics bowling program. My daughter experienced a couple losses herself with the sudden passing of a friend's father and the tragic death of a school friend. There were others this year that touched the lives around me. I just pray the trend ends.

It was also a year of great frustration with my job. The challenges of the project I am working on took a great toll on me emotionally and physically. At times I felt like I lost total control. I've gained weight, have quite a few more grey hairs, and acquired more wrinkles on my face. I got into a negative spiral that I couldn't stop.

Health wise, it was a challenging year. I've been dealing with bone spurs in both feet which make walking difficult and painful at times. The decrease in walking has contributed to the weight gain. The symptoms of perimenopause have plagued me all year, giving me bouts of insomnia and irritability. And in October, I had a breast cancer scare, but fortunately all the tests came out negative.

Now it is 2010. I can't do anything to prevent losing loved ones this year except pray that it doesn't happen. I can change the effect my job is having on my life and how I take care of myself. I bought myself a treadmill and plan to walk on it everyday to help deal with the stress. I also plan to go to work each day, knowing that all I'm asked to do are the tasks given to me. I'm going to try to emotionally divorce myself when things are not being handled they way I think they should. By the end of 2010, this project will be over and hopefully I can move on to better things.

This morning while reading the news paper, I had a little epiphany about New Year's Resolutions. Resolutions shouldn't be about things I can't directly control. Losing weight has been a great frustration for me. It is very difficult right given many factors in my life. I get very frustrated when I lose 2 pounds one week and then gain 3 the next. It is hard to keep motivated when the progress is so erratic.

This year, I'm not resolving to lose weight. I'm resolving to take better care of myself. I'm going to exercise every day. I'm going to eat more healthful foods. And I'm going to stay away from the ubiquitous treats that are brought into work by co-workers. I'm hoping that I'll get a side benefit of losing some pounds, but if I don't, I'll at least feel better about myself for taking care of me.