Presents for Me?
I actually have 2 posts but I am going to break them down. But just to prove how much I wanted to take the photos in natural light, I went out into a light rain to take them.
When I went to the post office today, I had two, count them two, package slips. I was expecting the first one since I did place an order with
The Loopy Ewe the other day. But I wasn't expecting the second one. The second one turned out to be from none other than
Ms. Knitty Kitty herself!!!! So which one will I tell you about first? Why my order from The Loopy Ewe of course.
I decided to try and get some of the wonderful
Yarn Pirate Yarns from Sheri. And I was very lucky, there were still some in stock. I managed to get Hydrangea and Storm. When I ordered Storm, I was venturing out of my normal bright colors into somet
hing a bit more muted. And I have to say that I love the colors in Storm. I will have to find the right pattern for this yarn. I have a few classes after the first of the year and we all know what I will be doing in class - knitting socks!!!
I also ordered a skien of sock yarn from
All Things Heather in a wonderful color called Merlot. It is all nice and grapey. Now I need to make sure that I have a bottle of Merlot at home to drink while knitting this yarn.....
The other item th
at I decided to order was a pair of sock blockers. None of the males in my family are what you would call talented with wood. So if I want to have a set, I knew that I would have to order them. And I can't wait to finish a pair of sock to use them. And I may have a sock finished next week.
As to the other package,
well, you will just have to wait until tomorrow. I want to play with some of the items in there first. But you can get a peek by checking out the photos over on
Flickr if you want.
True Reflection
I saw this
test over on
Beth's blog and decided to try it. And the results are true. They actually reflect my reading habits and the type of reader that I really am. So what type of reader are you? I will be curious as to your results...
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm You're probably in the final stages of a Ph.D. or otherwise finding a way to make your living out of reading. You are one of the literati. Other people's grammatical mistakes make you insane. |
| Dedicated Reader |
|
| Book Snob |
|
| Literate Good Citizen |
|
| Non-Reader |
|
| Fad Reader |
|
What Kind of Reader Are You?
Create Your Own Quiz |
Sad Story
I do have knitting to report but I will save it until tomorrow when I will have photos. But in reading today's
Washington Post, I saw this
article which just is sad. I think it is just wrong that the Church still has that much control over the politics and laws of Latin America. First of all, I am Catholic and Hispanic. I have lived in Latin America. I also hold a degree in Political Science with a concentration in Latin American affairs. So I am very familiar with the culture and the mindset. I grew up in the culture but I was also exposed to other cultures as well. And this just saddens me that it is still happening in the world. Women's rights are still not taken seriously around the world.
Thanksgiving Favorites
Yesterday, Georgia, aka
Yarn Pirate, wanted to know what was everyone's favorite dish to eat at Thanksgiving. I am like many in that I like the
green bean casserole recipe except that I add shoyu (soy sauce) and extra onions to my casserole.
But one recipe that I have to make and than eat is an oatmeal pie. Yes, it sounds strange but the easiest way to explain it is that it is a southern thing. I have searched for recipes for it on the web and everything points to the recipe being a southern thing. Actually, to be more specific, it is a Kentucky thing. Please do not turn up your nose at the pie but give it a try. I hope you like it.
Oatmeal Pie
This sounds strange but it is really tasty. It is a kind of like a mock pecan pie. This recipe was given to my mother when we lived in the Canal Zone in Panama, The person who gave us this recipe was the base chaplain's wife and they were originally from Kentucky. I have never seen this anywhere else. It is apparently a Southern thing!
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups dark corn syrup
1 stick softened butter
1-1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
2 unbaked 9-inch pie shells
Combine all ingredients, except the pie shells, and mix well. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shells and bake fore about 45 minutes in a 350o (F) oven or until lightly browned. Cool before serving.
Some Actual Finished Items
I actually have some finished projects to show off today!!! But I am going to save them for the end of the post.
First up, I am getting a new front porch. I live in a house that was built between 1925 and 1926 and the front porch for the most part is still the original. There have been a few patches, mainly at the one end, over the years but it really needed to be replaced. So the guys started tearing out the old one Thursday. And for the most part, the framing was still in great shape. But because we are replacing it with
Trex decking instead of wood, the entire frame has to be pulled out. I did find some one who was willing to come and pick up and reuse the wood that was still in god shape. So parts of the framing will have a new life as shelves somewhere.
And on Saturday, I met blogless Lee at
All About Yarn in Columbia. I picked the shop because they had the sock yarn that I was looking for - more Colortweed. It was really nice meeting Lee and hopefully at some point she will join us in the blog world. And of course, I was not able to leave a yarn shop without purchasing more sock yarn and some patterns. I will definitely be going back to this shop. And
Mapquest lied!!! It said it would take me about an hour to get there and I was there in about 40 minutes. And that included taking the wrong exit because I was talking on the phone. But luckily I got off on 108 West instead of East so all I had to do was turn around at a traffic light.
When I got back
home, I went to both of my LYSs and sat and stitched for awhile.
I spent most of Sunday in class. We are almost done. We are off all of next week which will be nice. But I did get to take some photos at the training center in Carroll County of the fire 1 students. It seems like it was a long time ago when I was one.
And now to the finished items! There is a hat, a scarf, and one sock. Not bad for one week. The scarf is in
Grande from Schulana (Skacel). It is for a friend's daughter for Christmas. The hat is in pink and white Dale of Norway's Free Style and that is for my chief's oldest daughter. I am making her baby sister the same hat using a super wash merino in pale pink and bright pink. (I don't have the yarn label with me but it is a different yarn.) The pattern is the Gaugeless Hat from
Cabin Fever.
The lone sock is in Meilenweit Inca. I liked the color in the skein but not as I knit it up. One of the other females in my fire officer class loved it. So the socks will be her's. I need to get the
mate down before the end of class. Although she will be taking the the next 2 classes in the series with me.
I am thinking of trying
Wool-in-the-Woods Cherub to knit socks with. The studio is a little bit north of me and I called up there Friday. The woman I talked to is the girlfriend of the guy who is replacing my porch. He asked me this morning if I had called up there Friday and when I told him yes, he told me that his girlfriend has sent me some yarn!!! She sent me some Cherub from her personal stash to try it out and see if it will work for socks. And just from looking at it, I can see that
it will. Being the really nice person, I am sending her back some hand-dyed yarn for felting since that is what she is into at the moment. (To see a photo of the Cherub, click on over to Flickr since Blogger won't let me upload any more pictures into this post.)
No Blogging Today
I am still recovering from whatever bug hit me in the wee early hours of Tuesday morning. Let's just say that there are some down sides of handling the pre-school fire prevention programs when you do not have kids your self. The bugs that they get, I get. As soon as my ribs stop hurting everytime I move wrong, things will be much better. But the bright side is that I have been able to knit while laying on the couch and resting.
Hot Sock Swap
One of the mailing lists that I am on had a swap called the
Hot Socks Swap. And since it involved yarn and socks, of course, I had to participate in it. My partner was Nancy in Pennsylvannia, who is currently blogless.
The swap called for you to send your partner sock yarn and a pattern plus a either tea, hot chocolate, or coffee and any goodies that you want to include. And here
are the contents of the box that Nancy sent me.
First up was a sock pattern with some lace, size 1 dpns,
Trekking XXL in color 127, some vanilla cocoa, a tea-tree scented lotion bar which will come in real handy once the weather starts to get a bit colder. There was also a bag of loose Burgundy Cherry Tea from the
Eastern Shore Tea Company over in Lutherville, Maryland. (
Lutherville is right around the corner in the Baltimore area.)
She also sent me a little candle shaped like a s
ea turtle which is scented with sage. There is also a really nice red and white snowflake napkin which held up my favorite item in the package.
And my favorite is the
Siamese cat!!! Okay, she didn't send me a real 'meezer but she sent me a ceramic one that I can help kep warm by setting my tea mug on. As if I would dare! Even though it is a ceramic meezer, meezers have a way of getting back at you. Mimi would probably bit me or something. It can be eerie how Siamese cats can communicate and imagine insults.
Yet More Socks
Okay, first to answer some of the comments. Yes,
Pris, the colors in the newest pair of socks are something that I would normally pick, But there is purple and red in there. And the colors have grown on me. They remind me of hiking through the woods.
And yes, some people are reasonable and destash knit books such as AS at a reasonable price. Pris, you know exactly where the money will be going anyhow - more sock yarn!!!!! And money for
MDS&W.
And
Jodi, I have to weed out my books. I live in an old house and I only have so much room. Plus I am going to try and make sure my books go to a good home where they will be loved and used. I love them but I will not use them.
And on to the new socks for class knitting. I am trying to keep at least one plain sock on the needles for knitting in class. And I actually have 2 different socks started right now for class knitting. And if the Colortweed socks were not me, well, the new ones aren't me either. Well, one pair isn't me. But the pair with the orange and red already have a new owner - another female fire fighter.
Because everyone is used to me knitting in class now, and we are all comfortable with each other, everyone is coming up and asking me about knitting and the socks. And I wasn't sure about this particular colorway but I like it in the ball just not knitted up. Well, last night S asked me if I actually wear my socks and I told that I do. She said that she loved this particular pair. Since I am not too fond of the way the colors are playing out, I asked her for her shoe size because they are now her's! And I am lucky in that she happens to wear the same size shoe as I do so it will be easy to fit them. I have about a half inch before I turn the heel on the first sock.
And the blue pair I am just about finished with the toe for the second time. I was working on the picking up the short rows last night while waiting at the drive through at the bank and managed to drop a few stitches. So I just started it over. It was easier. And these will be gift socks as well I think. And yes, it will be another female firefighter that I am friends with. I am in class all weekend so I want a pair that I can work on in class besides the colorful pair.
And the class I am taking this weekend is all about building construction. I have to learn how buildings are constructed so I can understand how fire will spread through them. Makes sense somehow... And at least this class is in my own county and I don't have to drive as far. I am going to try and swing by my LYS tonight so that I can pick up some sock yarn that is being held for me. Okay, I really don't need more sock yarn but it is on sale!!! And it is solid colors. And I want to pick up some more of the Colortweed maybe in blues for another pair of socks. I also need to pickup some stuff for some swaps I am in as well.
Fall Socks
The socks cast on at the end of October are finished. When I took the photo I still had to finish binding off the second sock but both of them are done. The yarn is
Meilenweit Colortweed in color 1001. I was thinking about giving these socks away but I think that I will keep them for myself. The colors have grown on me. I am not a big fan of brown but I like it in these socks. I just need to wash the socks before I wear them. And I have 2 more toe up socks on the needles.
And yes, my foot is resting on a pile of Alice Starmore books. And yes, the top book is
In the Hebrides. I have finally decided which of my Starmore books I will be getting rid of and that is the stack. So if anyone is looking for some Alice Starmore books at a reasonable price, leave me a message or email me.
More sock photos later with both socks on the feet.
Knit Mitt Kit Swap Questionnaire
The Questionnaire:
Are you allergic to any fibers? None that I know of but I like soft fibers.
What are your favorite colors? Blues, reds, purples, pinks, just about any color except yellow. But I like brights and jewel tones.
Are you a new mitt knitter? How long have you been knitting mittens? No, I have been knitting mittens for awhile.
Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? Either. Even when I knit with a solid color yarn, I normally chose a hand-dyed so that there is still some variation in the color.
What fibers do you prefer in mitten yarn? Natural fibers are my preference in most knitting so long as they are not itchy.
Where do you usually knit mittens? Where ever I happen to be but quite often watching a DVD or listening to a podcast.
How do you usually carry/store small projects? I have some small bags that I made for carrying my sock projects around in that are perfect for small projects.
What are your favorite mitten patterns? What ever I am working on. I do not have a particular favorite pattern at the moment.
What are your favorite mitten knitting techniques? In the round.
What new techniques would you like to try? I am always open to trying new ideas.
What are your favorite needles for knitting mittens? I love Brittany dpns but I try to match my needles to my yarn. But I generally end up on my Brittanys.
What are some of your favorite yarns? I love too m any yarns to pick a favorite. It is easier for me to pick a favorite sock yarn than any one yarn. I like Noro, Rowan, and many more. So long as it isn't itchy I will knit with it. (I will knit with it if it is itchy so long as it softens after washing it.)
What yarn do you totally covet? Anything with cashmere or more quivet. I have just enough quivet to make a small lace scarf but I haven't done anything with it yet. I also like hand spuns.
Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? None that I can think of right now. But I am sure that I could come up with something if I think about it long enough.
Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? I love Addi turbos and Brittany dpns. I am always willing to try a new type of needle.
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? Something very eclectic.
Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? I love dark chocolate and I am a huge tea drinker. I also love Swedish fish.
WhatÃ’s your favorite animal? My favorite animals are the sea turtle and Siamese cats. I have a sea turtle tattooed on one hip.
Would you prefer super warm mittens or something more like fingerless mitts? Surprise me!!
If you were a color what color would you be? Blue or red.
What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? The sea turtle!!!
Do you have a wishlist? Yes, but I use it more as a reminder of books to look for or read.
Anything else youÃ’d like to share with the group today? I passed my mid-term!!!! Now, to start prepping for the final.....
Test Results
Okay, I did way better than I thought I would after taking the mid-term on Wednesday. Some of the questions were about theories that we discussed but none of us placed much emphasis on. I only missed 6 questions so I had a decent grade. Now I can start worrying about the final which is not until mid-December but it covers everything. I need to decide if I am going to sign up for the next class in this series in January. I probably will but I will wait and see what calsses are offered first.
Busy Studying
I have a mid-term tonight in my Fire Officer class so I am busy studying and will post photos and updates from Socktoberfest tomorrow.
What Disney Ride Are You?
I actually have 2 posts but I am going to break them down. But just to prove how much I wanted to take the photos in natural light, I went out into a light rain to take them.
hing a bit more muted. And I have to say that I love the colors in Storm. I will have to find the right pattern for this yarn. I have a few classes after the first of the year and we all know what I will be doing in class - knitting socks!!!
at I decided to order was a pair of sock blockers. None of the males in my family are what you would call talented with wood. So if I want to have a set, I knew that I would have to order them. And I can't wait to finish a pair of sock to use them. And I may have a sock finished next week.
well, you will just have to wait until tomorrow. I want to play with some of the items in there first. But you can get a peek by checking out the photos over on Flickr if you want.
