Month: March 2011

life · random

Speaking of Dreams Being Weird

Jen4 Comments

I have this recurring dream where I’m on a large airplane, and the plane is trying to take off, but for whatever reason, the pilot is unable to get it far enough off the ground to clear a nearby mountain range. The plane is forced to land in the forest on this huge mountain, and there are airport workers all over (you know, the guys with the ear protection and the reflective vests and the flashlights) directing us back to the airport. In my dream, I’m always making friendly chit-chat with another passenger as we walk first through the forest and then down through a series of staircases back to the airport where, I’m assuming, we’ll board another plane. This morning while I was dreaming this, I connected it somehow to another dream I’d had earlier of having a baby, and as I was waking up I remember thinking (as I descended the series of staircases) that I had left my one day old newborn at home without pumping any milk.

I did a quick Google search of this (and other recurring dreams I’ve had) and am always surprised at how many people report similar dreams (even the chewing gum dream appears to be a common one!). I’m not sure what the dream is trying to tell me, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have anything to do with erectile dysfunction.

Knitting · Lolly

Sweater Deathmatch, Round 6

Jen2 Comments

I’ve got about 3 inches of button band/shawl collar finished (it’s all bunched up so the stitches don’t drop off the needles) and won’t be able to get any more done until after orchestra rehearsal tonight. Also, look what Lolly did:

I swear, if Doozer didn’t like her so much, I would make the most delicious stew out of her. Grr….

life

Promises Made, Promises Broken

Jen

I know that at the end of yesterday’s post I promised you some knitting content, and honestly, that was the plan. But then today happened. The kids and I met a friend and her kids at the park for a little geocaching and some fun in the cold, late-March Connecticut sun before we headed back to her house to hang out and chat while the kids did the same. Well, you know how it is, this friend and I get to talking and before we know it, it’s 630 pm and neither of us has done any of the other things that we needed to do today. You know, like make dinner and stuff. I also had to make a Target run and I’ve been trying to get over to the health food store for like 2 weeks. Anyway, by the time I packed up my stuff and my kids and ran over to Target and got home and found something to feed everyone and then get everyone showered and into bed, it was already 930. So yeah, today happened and not only did I not get any knitting do, but I also did not get any knit blogging done. Yes, fair Reader, I am making progress on my sweater and I actually hope to finish it by the end of the week. You’ll just have to wait until later to see it. But you know what? It’s totally worth the wait, because it is AWESOME.

Cheers!

food

Confetti Rice*: A recipe

Jen1 Comment

1 lb ground beast (tonight we used turkey sausages, squeezed from their casings and crumbled)
some chopped onion (tonight it was only 1/4 of an onion)
some chopped carrot (I had a couple of handfuls of shredded carrots)
some chopped celery (2 or 3 ribs, whatever you like)
some chopped rainbow chard (I had about 1 bunch)
a bit of oil (whatever looks right)
spices/herbs (your choice! Tonight I used garlic powder, dried oregano, and a teeny bit of chipotle powder)
cooked rice (white or brown, whatever you like!)

1. Start cooking your rice (if you don’t already have some leftover in the fridge)
2. Brown the meat (with a little oil if necessary) and set aside
4. saute the onion/carrot/celery in oil with some salt,
5. when the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, add in your spices and herbs
6. add the chard and cook until wilted
7. stir in the cooked rice
8. nom

*one could also call this “dirty” rice, but a certain someone (E5) was quite put off by that name so we changed it.

Tomorrow: Hopefully the last Sweater Deathmatch post!

Knitting

It’s Knittin’ Time!

Jen

I had a wonderful day today, starting with a sushi lunch with my Totally Awesome Sister, followed by a marathon of clothes shopping! I picked up a few new pieces which I may get around to taking pictures of. But later. Right now I am ensconced in a blanket with my feet up and with my sweater in progress and my Sleepytime+ tea watching a movie with my darling hubs. Hope you have a similarly delightful and relaxing evening!

Knitting

Sock Class is Over :-(

Jen1 Comment

My sock class ended today and I graduated 4 new MLTU* sock knitters into the world! I’m sad to see them go, but I know they have all the tools they need to make socks! I might see them again, actually. They were all asking for another class, so I’m thinking of doing a top-down cardigan. (They were all quite shocked to learn that a cardigan can be knitted seamlessly from the top down (yes, sleeves and everything!)). I’m thinking of teaching a baby cardigan, or I could write up a pattern and have it sized from baby up through adult. Or, and this is probably what the shop owner would prefer, we could do a pattern which she carries in the shop which people would have to purchase. Possibly this? Or this? Personally I’d rather teach someone the basics of how to do something so that it can be translated into more complicated stuff later. And, with a baby cardigan (this is a good pattern) it could at least be done quickly. We’ll see. I’m supposed to look at my schedule and get back to her.

Now I can go back to knitting my cardigan (only one more sleeve decrease to go before knitting to the end of the sleeve and then I do the button bands/shawl collar!). So close to the end. So close!

Have a great weekend, ya’ll!

______________
*Magic Loop, Toe Up

Meh.

Insert Knitting Blog Post Title Here

Jen3 Comments

I purchased this Crazy Zauberball because I felt that I should teach my sock class with a yarn which the shop actually has in stock. (I didn’t want to waltz in there with a gorgeous ball of Wollmeise or even some Yarn Pirate, yanno?) Anyway, lately her sock yarn selection has left much to be desired and this was actually the only thing I really liked enough to purchase. So, I started knitting and knitting and knitting and this is all I have to show for it.

I feel badly that I don’t have more progress to show for it, too. I am just generally kind of stalled out on everything this week because I have been so fatigued, and, as much as I adore this yarn, I really feel like it wants to be something else. Wouldn’t it be a pretty little shawl or scarf? Once that idea was planted in my head, I found it really hard to keep on knitting socks. But honestly? I really do need a new pair of socks and I really DON’T need another scarf. (I am wearing the crap out of the last scarf I made, and I look fabulous doing it too.)

/flail/

life

Dreams are Weird

Jen2 Comments

True story: I had a really crazy dream this morning wherein I was hanging out with the Yarn Harlot and a bunch of other knitterly-type people (Hi Deb!) but instead of knitting, we were all sitting at a table, trying to put together this strange and extremely complicated wooden puzzle. We were having a great time, though. I would totally do that in real life.

grumble · life

Blargh.

Jen2 Comments

Oh my goodness. Sometimes I really feel as though I am not interesting enough to keep up with this post a day thing. My life is so very ordinary. For example, I’m so bloody tired today, so much that I am starting to wonder if I’m ill or if it’s just the weather. (Did you know it is snowing here today? We’re expected to get at least a couple of inches, plus some ice too!) The fatigue is pretty bad, actually. I am tired at 9 pm in spite of a full 10 hours of sleep and I just can’t seem to shake it. (Although here I am, still up at 11 pm. …) Anyway, when this fatigue is wearing me down, every little thing takes an enormous effort and I end up just sitting still for most of the day. Which, honestly doesn’t make for very interesting blogging. I’m sorry, Dear Reader, I’m trying. Really I am. But I am too tired today to think of ways to make tales of going to the dentist followed by a trip to Trader Joe’s sound interesting. Have a nice night, Dear Reader. Maybe tomorrow will be more exciting/interesting.

food

Banana Bread, Gluten Free

Jen2 Comments

I made the most amazing banana bread today, born of this recipe from Gluten Free Girl. Mine had a basic flour blend (using the proportions she lists on that very recipe). I threw in a little almond flour for good measure and used about 5 of the frozen bananas (thawed) that I have had hanging out in my freezer for who knows how long and I used both brown sugar and white sugar. I literally dumped (well, scaled) everything into a bowl and hit it with my mixer before pouring it into a loaf pan. (One of the great things about gluten-free cooking is that you don’t have to worry about over mixing!) Then I popped it into a 350° oven until the internal temperature of the bread was about 210° (you can use the toothpick method though). In the future, I might use a little more flour to compensate for the extra liquid from the bananas, but really? It wouldn’t need much.

om nom nom!