Knitting Along...

...the knitting needles are flying around here. I got it into my head the other day that I could possibly finish the green traveling socks in time for the trip to see Kid #1. That would be kind of a record finish for me for a PAIR of socks. But it's really just plain knitting, so this weekend, I applied myself a bit more. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Let me say this: I thought I was not going to like this combo. I'm watching it knit up and I'm thinking maybe they won't be my very favorite, but they'll be nice. I'm kind of liking the way the pattern is turning out. 

Of course, photographing it on hot pink probably doesn't do it a lot of justice. But I'm kind of getting into the feeling of the combo here. 

I thought that perhaps I should make these into a pair of shorties, but since I'm already a couple inches down the leg, I'm really not inclined to frog them, and right now they're at the "dorky too strange looking" height. And besides, if I wanted to bring the tall hiking boots, these will look cool peeking out of a hiking boot and I won't be losing my socks. 

I hate when the socks slip down into your shoes. I have a couple pair of "no show" socks that do that and it makes me crazy. It also makes blisters. 

I did put a few more rows on the Close to You Shawl. I have time, though. So I'm good there. 

I'm also looking with horror at the stash. I mean real horror as in, "Oh my God, how am I going to knit all of this?" And that's only the VISIBLE stash. I haven't even opened the closet. 

Definitely on a yarn diet as of now. And this time I'm serious. I have some very special yarn that I need to knit up for myself. I'm anxious to finish more socks - and try to make some of the "shorties" that I can wear with tennis shoes. I'd love to buckle down and finish at least one of the sweaters. 

It will come. I think I can. I know I can. Focus. 

I love not only the process of knitting but the product of knitting. I love to finish things and wear them. I love to knit them. I love to see the stitches form, the pattern start to work, the garment being built. 

One of my most magical things is the turning of a heel. Seriously, you have this tube. And with a few rounds, all of a sudden, you have a heel. It's amazing. 

I love to see a bunch of written lines turn into lace. 

I love conquering a picot edging. 

I've gotta focus and get knitting, and I'm planning to have a blast while doing it. 

That's Just Wrong...

This is what I found in the "hummus" part of the grocery store. I'm sorry, but this is wrong. Snickerdoodles are cookies that are yummy. They're not hummus. 

Not saying hummus isn't yummy. But hummus isn't sweet. It's savory. It's meant to be served with veggies or pita or crackers. 

Seriously, what would you serve "snickerdoodle hummus" with?? Arrowroot teething crackers? 

This jumped the shark big-time and I just can't fathom it. 

Plus-Sized Models...

So I'm wondering why, when I see plus-size models (and I'm not talking those size 14 gals here, but the larger women I see modeling bathing suits and the like)... they never seem to have a tummy. 

Take a look - they have larger bodies, which I'm happy to see, because it's reality, right? But many of them don't have tummies. 

You'll see an article, called, "Swimsuits for Every Body," and the "larger bodied" women will have flat stomachs. 

What about those of us with a meno-pot? What about those of us whose "babies" are 30 and we still have a maternal pooch? 

Yes. I'm freaking out because I have to bring a bathing suit to the trip because we'll be doing something with hot springs that may involve me dipping into one. 

Anyway, take a look at the pictures and see if you agree with me. I love seeing realistic women modeling clothing because we're not all sticks. 

But even the "real" women in the Dove ads weren't as "normal" as they could've been. 

It's a conundrum. And maybe I need to just put on my "big girl" panties (over the meno-pot) and deal with it. But it would be nice if clothing manufacturers would also deal with it and if the fashion world got even better at it. 

Random Picture...

The sunset tonight was really pretty. And I managed to catch a couple of shots. This one was my favorite one, as the sun just got behind the tree in the perfect way. 

I stepped aside to get this one, so I eliminated the building that's usually in the way. 

My students were grateful for the class. They all said they were "fuzzed out" and relaxed. That's what I want to hear. They stopped, looked at the sunset, then made their way to their cars to go home. 

Plugging & Plodding...

I wish I had something remarkable to report. As I'm on Day 25 of Whole30, I wish I could say that it's awesome, I'm awesome, life is awesome, and I'll do this the rest of my life. 

But I can't. There are also no new revelations about recipes, food or anything of that sort. 

I've been doing more research, and I'm also listening to my own body. I don't like the protein content of this diet. I feel like my portions are all off. I feel as if I've done no good at all except that I've not eaten any processed food, no sweets, and gotten off sugar. 

I think I'm feeling unbalanced. I think that perhaps the fruit that we're allowed is even too much sugar. But I'm enjoying the fruit. 

I was thinking that I could eat this way for a long, long time, and the truth is, that in the main, I have been. All a long. Except for the sugar. If I were to truly go off sugar, I'd eliminate the fruit. 

But I don't like saying, "I will never have XYZ ever again in my life," especially when that XYZ is a whole food group!

I do have good  news, though - this has been rather morbid, hasn't it? All "woe is me" crap for a food plan where you really have to have the ability to pay for the food - it's silly. 

Anyway - I'm going out to see Kid #1 in a few weeks, so "clean eating" is still on the bill, but I'm going to start walking and exercising more. Kid has plans for hiking --- and I don't think I'm up for it right now. But I can work toward it. 

I'm really excited about that, because Kid hasn't been home in a long time, and frankly - it's hard not to worry. Of course, someone could make the case that moms having kids in the military have it harder - and they do. But that's not the case here, and I'm not apologizing for missing one of the kids. 

Knitting...

Well. Knitting has happened. I'm on Point 10 of the Close to You Shawl, and I'm plugging along on that. I've put a few more rows onto the traveling sock, but I haven't done a thing on the Petty Harbour sock. I need to start alternating projects. 

Of course, watching "Miss Marple" is kind of inspiring. The little knitting detective, plying away at whatever's on her needles (I've never seen a finished project in all the Marples I've watched!), and solving crimes that have stumped the authorities. This one is Joan Hickson. She's one of the better ones. I was going to say she wasn't the "iconic" one -- but it turns out she was!

I just haven't seen a lot of her versions. 

The one I'm watching now has a heroine who's apparently fallen for a real creep. She's just found out, and I've been thinking, "How could you NOT know he's a creep? I don't have to do anything but listen to him and I'm feeling queasy about him touching you!"

Anyway, I feel good about progressing on this project. I'm planning to spend time with the intended recipient this weekend, so that's kind of a nice, juicy secret I'm keeping - hoping the recipient will love it. 

I've been looking at other knitting blogs - different ones than I usually read. And honestly? I can't find anything else that engages me. I've read some and I either get turned off by the format (please don't type everything in a medium grey on white background and center every line of your work), or I don't like the projects, or I think the person is ... boring. 

Not like I'm lighting the world on fire with my prose. My friend Nat just wrote a lovely short essay on a jar of peanut butter which left me near to tears. My words don't often flow like that. 

There are so many bloggers out there, it's hard to read through all of them - I just don't have that kind of time! So I think I'll stick with the ones I read now. But I'm willing to take suggestions - if you know of a knitting blogger who just makes your needles sing - let me know!

I have to plan the knitting for the trip to see The Kid. Definitely the shawl. And a pair of socks. I'll be gone a week, and there are already activities planned, so we shall see how much I get done. I'm driving, so that's kind of no help. Looking forward to some time by myself and some silence. 

I hope to have lots of progress pictures ready after that trip. 

It's Spring...

We had the windows open! Spring has sprung! The daffodils at the church have come back to life after a wilting frost-ish kind of span of time. 

And sort of to celebrate, flowers were brought to work. Pink tulips. 

Funny enough, in a vase which I've had for almost 15 or 20 years - a crystal vase into which water and flowers were never put.

It's serving its purpose now, but I had used it as a "pretty" -- I put either shredded curly ribbon in it or Christmas ornaments, or those cute marbles. 

My thoughts are turning to the garden. Hubby, in spite of his continuing shoulder thing, managed to clear out two of the raised beds. 

My young tomatoes are looking peaked - so I may put them outside tomorrow to see if they perk up a bit. I talked to a friend who's done heirlooms from seed, she says that's not unusual. Thankfully. 

They're little sprigs of things. She says to plant them right up to the leaves. All I can do is try. 

I want to do lettuce (even though it's kind of late), mostly because of the whole "romaine scare." And I want to do carrots and radishes, along with the tomatoes. That should about do it. Though I'd love to try potatoes one year. Have to ask Hubby about that one. My MIL used to do potatoes every year. 

Herbs, too. But given our winter, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to start them from seed. It's almost May already. 

Stained Glass Repair...

I get to watch someone fix our stained glass windows at church. As you can see here, if you click on the picture, you can see the lead part slipping away from the glass. I understand from someone who knows about these windows that they're restored, and on the outside, they're protected by triple-pane thermal pane glass - also protecting them against fading and against the weather. 

On the inside, that wood frame is removable, so they can remove the stained glass when it's needing repair or something. The church is over 180 years old - and some of these windows date back nearly that far. 

Anyway, a couple of people noticed that two of the windows had some damage at the top. 

I called a restoration expert - happens to be the one who worked on the windows when they were first restored - and she'll be coming to the church on Tuesday, and I'm getting kind of excited to see what she's going to do. 

I will try to snap some pictures of our windows - now that the light is better, they'll be easier to photograph. I also have to take some new pics of the hall as it's being renovated. Which reminds me of a few other things I have on my to-do list... it just never ends!

Random Picture...


The sunset a few days ago after yoga class. We all enjoy watching it as the class ends, and we all joke that the building there on the left? We want it moved about 100 feet to the south, so we have a better view. 

It's a beautiful way to end the day. I turned around and saw the nearly-full moon, and it was stunning against a sky that was the total opposite of this one. 

I love to be able to look out at the sky. That's why I'm eagerly anticipating the trip to see Kid #1 - I've never been to that area, but am anxious to see it. I was told that, during one part of my drive, that I'll be "able to see the curve of the Earth." I'm looking forward to that! 

WHAT "Tiger Blood"???

I'm on Day 19 of Whole30, and supposedly, Days 17-ish to 20-ish are when you feel "energetic, ready to tackle the world, and have Tiger Blood."

Well. 

Not so much. 

I mean, I'm feeling like I'm going backward. I know part of my problem is portion control, as well as knowing that I have a problem with sweets. But I'm not feeling the light, feeling the better sleep, and feeling that ZIP that we're supposed to feel. 

But then there's the asterisk.... *your results may be different*... So I think I may have to do another round, lighten up on the portions (particularly of meat and fat, and have fruit only occasionally) and see if I can drop more pounds. I also think that taking another round will push the sweet tooth farther in the background. 


The meal planning has been good for me. And lucky for me, I'm not easily bored, so I'm kind of in a "the usual" for breakfast, and I'm not tired of eggs. Yet. 

I bought 4 large portobella mushroom caps, and roasted them. So dinner the other night was a mushroom cap with cauliflower rice + spinach, some cherry tomatoes and bacon. 

There's a question, maybe, on whether it's portobella or portabello... Either way: big, meaty mushrooms. 

Roasting was the easiest thing: just rinse them off, rub the top with a little olive oil, and place on a roasting pan, gill side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip them over and roast for another 5 minutes. 

They'll keep for about a week, and I'm kind of moving through ways to jazz them up and eat them. 

Breakfast today was 2 eggs, mushroom, and my usual salsa and avocado. 

I left the yolks a little more runny - more a matter of timing than anything. Sometimes, I misjudge and it's not as cream and "yolk-y" as I'd like. 

The thing is the texture. The texture of the yolk contrasts with the salsa. And then there's the creaminess of the avocado. All with the undercurrent of the meaty mushroom base and it's got protein, appropriate fat, the veg and the hot/cold buzz to the tastebuds. 

I'd encourage you to give it a try. 

Dinner tonight was courtesy of Hubby, as I had a class to teach. Pork loin, sweet potato hash and broccoli. I added a mayo dip to it (there's got to be what's called "plated fat" in the meal), and then I had a banana. I hadn't had fruit all day, so I figured that would be ok. 

Tomorrow, I'm likely to revisit that breakfast, have a salad for lunch and then something will present itself for dinner. It's been another weekend where it's all gone woooooooooosh and I'm not sure that I'm ready for it to be Sunday tomorrow!

Zonta Club...

So I'm a member of our local Zonta Club. It's an organization concerned with advancing the status of women. We do service projects around the town, and today we were cleaning up the gardens at the Joliet Hospice. I got to prune a tree... and then we plucked the "reeds" out of the spent lilies so that they can re-flower this spring. 

We spent two hours doing the work. Bending over. I ended up teaching my "crew member" (dwindled from 4 of us to 2 of us as the others got assigned to other spots) how to properly bend, because she was complaining about her back. 

The person coordinating the clean-up was very grateful, it was just cool enough and just cloudy enough to make it bearable, and yes, that's my jacket hanging off the tree. It's not the tree I pruned, but after wrestling with the one I had to trim, I was warm!

And now I'm sore!! I've been having trouble with my hip, and even though I was practicing proper technique, I've got a sore rear end!

But the gardens are gorgeous.

After we were done, I meandered down to the creek that borders the one edge of the hospice's property. 

You can see how tranquil it would be for a stroll or just to look out the windows. It's a beautiful property. 

Meeting with friends...

The other day, I met with a friend of mine. She's recently retired and it had been a while - since the Women's March in January - that we'd been able to spend time with each other. 

We had a great time, but before that, I was running early, so I drove through our local park. It's being rehabbed, and wowza - the roads are lovely, and the signage is all fixed up. 

So as I was traveling through the park, I stopped dead when I saw this little guy... Well, I'm not sure whether it's a guy or a gal. But the man who's parked outside the frame says that "it" comes out about lunchtime every day, and he shares his lunch with it. 

I'm not sure how I feel about feeding the wildlife. But it looks like the creature was foraging in the garbage anyway. 

It was great to see my friend. We got to vent to each other about the "stuff" we needed to release, and we made tentative plans to meet up to shop - she's got a kid getting married, and needs to work with a Mother of the Groom dress. 

I don't do that often. I know it sounds cliche, but my schedule is pretty tightly regimented, and if something's thrown off, then the whole thing goes kabloooey. 

I find, though, that I need to get together with friends. I need to sometimes not be in charge of stuff. I'm finding that I need those relationships to keep me on an even keel. 

All work and no play makes me cranky. 

Random Picture...

When I got home from the garden jaunt, I had to prep for the class I was teaching - it was a "Ditch & Switch" class for Young Living Essential Oils and I was working on handouts and the stuff you prep for being able to present. 

Anyway, this is what greeted me when I came home. She actually sat there, didn't move, didn't woof, didn't whine. 

Sat there. While I walked in, dropped my stuff off, went to pet the elkhounds, went to the bathroom, and THEN...

When I sat down in front of my computer, she decided to waddle herself off the couch to say hello. 

She continues to amaze me with her personality. She's aloof, but cuddly. She wants to be petted, and yet she'll walk away. 

Can't quite figure her out some days. Some days, she's a "mama's dog" and some days, I don't exist. 

Which is fine with me. We all have our days. Even our dog days. 

Hangry Pains...

Up till a few days ago, I thought I was sailing along pretty well with Whole30. I did have a "not quite prepared" start, but I'd gotten some really good meal prep done, did the shopping, and had all my fruits and veg ready to go. I'm not sick of eggs (yet), and I'm learning the joys of home-made mayo and "Dump Ranch." (Though my recipe turned out a bit too salty.)

Then came Days 12 and 13.... Yikes! Bored, angry, hungry, "hangry," frustrated. Felt bloated and "fat" even though I've stuck to every rule and done everything, including more yoga and making myself move more (I have a job where I sit far, far too much). 

On the "timeline," it indicates that days 10 through 12 can be the "roughest" days on the plan. Well, I went a few days over and had my tantrums (in my mind) this past few days. Today was much better, thanks, and I feel like I'm doing ok. 

This morning, I made "cauliflower rice hash" -- cauliflower rice, shredded carrot, a couple cloves of fresh garlic and a handful of spring onions. It turned out well, and also of course, my Penzey's spices... This will do me for a couple of days - because I used some for breakfast with an egg and compliant chicken/apple sausage and some Wholly Guacamole.  

Wholly Guacamole has become my BFF. I love avocados, and Hubby has gotten good at picking them out at the proper stages so we don't have "Instant Avocado Death."

But Wholly Guacamole is my answer to the fact that sometimes, the avocados are whoppers, and I have yet to figure out how to keep a half fresh for more than a nanosecond. 

Breakfast is at the left here. It was delicious. 

So - "Instant Avocado Death" goes something like this... Just bought avocados, put them in fridge. They're hard as a rock. They're hard as a rock. They're hard as a rock... Two days pass, you desperately need an avocado for something. 

It's dead. 

You know how that goes. And they're not cheap. It's frustrating because that "soft spot" actually means that you have to use the blasted thing within 24 hours... Or else. There's nothing deader than a dead avocado.

You can search for "dump ranch" - it has its own life... It's good, but mine is definitely salad dressing and not dip. I don't know what I did wrong. But it's also salty - so I think the 1 tsp. of salt can be halved. I used a big bunch of cilantro, so my dressing is more "green goddess" than ranch, but I can live with it. 

I was getting a little bored with V & O...And I bought a compliant dressing. And just about had a heart attack - $6.99 for a bottle, and it's about 9 oz!! Yikes... 

Anyway, I'm on day 14, so things are going ok, and I can really see myself doing this for a longer time. At least 99% - I'm not sure how breakfast will fit in long-term. That's been my biggest struggle. 

Knitting...

Moving along on Close to You. Working on the 10th point, out of 18. I can make it bigger if I want to, but I'm going to see what's going on first. I'd like to "biggen" it a bit, but we'll see how the yarn goes. I really love how this yarn is laying out the colors. It's Expression Fiber Arts, colorway Stone Tulips. 

I don't know if the colorway is available anymore, but you can check. Her patterns are interesting and her colorways are lovely - you feel like you could dive in and just roll around in them. 

This one is the "brightest" that I've knitted with and it's got an interesting twist to it. It's like the stitch definition has gone into high-def with this, and I'm pretty sure that blocking will make this shawl much larger than mine done with another sock yarn. 

This is sock weight, but I can't imagine it on feet. I don't know - it just seems that it's calling to be a shawl. Whether it's the twist to the yarn, or its density as I'm stitching it...not sure what but it does seem to fit a wearable on the upper half of the body - it might even make a pretty nifty hat. Definitely a cowl if I thought about it. 

But not socks. I'm just not sure. I've watched Chandi's site, and I get the emails. And frankly, I see everything BUT socks made with her yarn. She's got a gorgeous V-neck short-sleeved sweater on there, but right now? $120 in yarn is out of my budget...even with her discount. 

I'm taking the travel sock to work tomorrow and will work on it at lunch. I would normally, in the middle of April, take a walk. But there's a "wintry mix" forecast for the day, so I'm planning on walking up and down the office hall, and then knitting. It's the best I can do till Mother Nature gets done having a hissy fit.

Maybe Spring...

Last week, I was able to get out for a walk since it hit 70 degrees (before the bottom dropped out and it got ugly again). I hadn't really walked around the neighborhood near the office, but I did and I found a park where I could sit and contemplate - except for the noisy, exuberant soccer players on spring break! 

That being said, I found a retention pond, and aside from all the nasty looking trash that people tossed in (can't call 'em pigs, because that's insulting to porcine creatures...), I found ducks. I was able to stroll around and just enjoy the fresh air. 

The pine trees were bursting with life: both pine cones ready to disgorge their seeds, and birds - in fact a couple of birds were annoyed that I got close. As long as they weren't dive-bombing me, I was happy. I didn't care to get crapped on and then have to go to work in pooped-on clothes! 

In fact, the sunrise was beautiful. I was running late, but I still snapped a picture of it because it was just. Beautiful. 

Lately, even though I feel like I'm chasing my tail, I've found myself looking up. 

Taking time to just look up and see what's in front of me. It's all too easy to not think about it, because you're busy or time's flying or there's the next thing to get on to.

But if you look up, you'll see some stunning things, courtesy of the same Mother Nature who's now having a temper tantrum and throwing snowflakes our way. 

That being said, I'm happy we're not getting what the UP in Michigan is getting or what they're getting in Minneapolis. 

Thanks, but we'll take our flakes and get over ourselves. 

There's a quote:  "No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." That's worth remembering. 

Also, remember to look up. It's pretty up there.

Random Picture... 

This one isn't actually random. I'm feeling like things are in the balance. I'm not sure what the "balance" is yet. Or whether I'm the one balanced - or not balanced. 

This is a formation from Granite City State Park, from the last trip Kid #2 and I did together. Not that it was the "last" last - just the most recent one. 

We're not going anywhere this year. I'm going to visit Kid #1. That gives Kid #2 time to work on some projects and gives us time to plan our next adventure. 

This is actually a space we walked through to get to the other side. "Why did the chicken cross..." -- well, the path went through this formation and I admit to crossing myself, holding my breath and kind of rushing through this. 

Notwithstanding the fact that it's stood there for God-knows-how-long... I was more than half-way to believing that I'd be the one it would tumble upon.

It didn't. We survived a blistering, humid August day on our way down to Oxford, MS, and we were only disappointed that we couldn't stick around for lunch at the lodge. 

Supposed to be the best fried chicken in the entire state of Illinois. Who knew?

Wait...Was That the Weekend???

...so I blinked and the weekend went woooooooooooooooshhhh and now it's Monday...

I'm not quite sure where it went, but it went there fast. Most of Sunday was spent on food prep for the week. And here we go...

Whole 30...

First, I prepared a roast chicken. This little bird got carrots and leeks in the cavity, and a rubdown with olive oil. Then, some frozen sage was tucked into the breast meat area under the skin. A little water, a thermometer and pop-you-go into the oven for about an hour or so. 

I want to get a better meat thermometer, but what we have works, so I can't really complain. I just like the old one (it died).

After I finished the chickie-bird, Hubby dissected it and then I froze the carcass for use making bone broth. 

That was, at least, the plan for the weekend - doing as much prep as I could so that I wasn't scrambling for meals. The Non-Scotch eggs were done, and I then turned to the veggies. 

The prep area of the kitchen was a bit crowded after a quick trip to the store, but I got everything portioned out. The sausages were individually wrapped and tucked away. I found some uncured Polish sausage (yay!) and I made up several packages for future use. Hubby and I actually love that grilled, so it's going to be a nice thing to dive into now and in the future. The mushrooms were used for my "squash surprise" and I cleaned up a nice fresh leek. 

Cleaning leeks is easy and it's important, unless you like chewing on sand. Cut off the green part of the leek, and then split the white part down the middle. Rinse it thoroughly under running water and spread apart the layers to get all the way down in there. 

Hubby likes to dice his. I like to slice mine. I took one half and put it in a little zipper bag for the freezer. The other half went into Squash Surprise. Leeks freeze well, and since you have to cook them anyway, it doesn't matter what their texture is after being frozen. 

Then I started on the squash, after rinsing them in Young Living Essential Oils Thieves Fruit & Veggie wash. It really takes the "stuff" off your veggies. Even the wax on the cucumbers comes right off. 

Put a couple teaspoons of it in a bowl of cool water, plunk in the veggies, and let them sit for about 2 minutes. Rinse. Good to go...

I rinsed the mushrooms in plain water, gently rubbing them to get rid of the dirt. 

Sliced them up, sliced up the yellow and zucchini, sliced up several carrots on the bias and a parsnip. 

Sauteed the leeks and about 3 cloves of chopped garlic in a saute pan with a little olive oil, then removed those items and set them aside. While those were cooking, I boiled the carrots and parsnip for about 6 minutes in a pan to start them softening - I wanted to partially cook them so they wouldn't take forever, or burn while I was trying to put this all together. 

I added everything except the leeks + garlic back into the pan, added salt, pepper, and Penzey's Spices Mural of Flavor salt-free blend, and some tarragon. Stir it around, let it cook a bit, so the mushrooms and squash give up their juice. 

Then add in the leeks and garlic, stir it all up, and when the carrots and parsnips are just past fork-tender, you're done!

Squash surprise. 

You can use this as a base - add tomatoes if you want. Serve as a side dish, or on top of pasta or spaghetti squash. It would also be great on top of rice with some pulled chicken, or if you add some beans, you have a nice vegetarian dish. I put it with some cod that I cooked up so it was almost a "fish stew" kind of thing. And otherwise? I'd be good with it alongside scrambled eggs, or inside an omelette. 

So. Veggies done, fish done, chicken done... I also roasted some asparagus, but ran out of both energy and time to make an asparagus soup. 

I also used a little of my fresh mayo and made up a "ranch" style dressing! 

I was a little sparse on protein today for the salad, but I survived! And I think I'm ahead for the week, in total. I have a meeting tomorrow, and I have no idea what's on the menu (I guess I could read the newsletter for our group...). I know I'll have to wing it. So I'll likely bring my own dressing and hope there's nothing breaded on the plate. Or I'll eat the salad and veg and bring the meat home for Hubby. 

Knitting...

Shout-out to Sandy at Rembrandt Yarns!! I got my sock yarn, and I can't wait to knit this one up! She was prompt and kind about getting me what I ordered - and she let me keep the worsted weight skein! I have some lovely white/cream yarn that will go with the worsted weight, so I can make a shawl with it. Or maybe a hat. I'll have to see. 

Here's the sock yarn. Sorry about the shadow of my hand - I thought the flash took off, and I didn't notice it till now. 

I did another point on the Close to You shawl as I was in between cooking tasks. Hubby said that was as much cooking as I'd done in the past 6 months, and he's right. 

Now if I can up my knitting, I'll be in good shape. This sock yarn is destined for a shawl of some sort - it's too pretty for feet. And the sock blank I ordered will definitely be a pair of socks - maybe that's the time I'll shoot for trying a cable up one side? Up both sides??? Hmmmmmm. 

Lots of options, for sure. 

Random Picture...

Well, not entirely random. This was on my drive to work. Yes, it's April 9. And yes, that's snow. And yes, we're all kind of over it. 

And yes. There may be more coming. 

It depends on how the latest weather pattern unfolds. Could just be rain, which is good, but could also be snow. 

Which is weird. 

I'm in a strange state. I feel kind of bloated and tired, as I'm trying to clean up my diet and habits. I'm so impressed with the kindness of some people. And then, in the space of 10 minutes, going to the grocery store, I almost get T-boned because two guys (yes, they were guys, because I saw them as they looked right at me) blew stop signs at the side roads and careened onto the main road, cutting me off. 

I was trying to be kind about the first one, figuring "maybe there was a family emergency. After the second one in a few blocks, I went right to "dirtbag morons." 

Maybe I'm in the same tizzy as Mother Nature - we're not sure WHAT she's up to lately! 

Just Sitting Here...

...wondering. 

Why would one of my posts take off like a scared rabbit? I mean, yeah, I'd love to be a popular blogger and see all of my posts reach into the 100s and beyond, consistently. I'd love comments, too. I'd love to get to know each of you because I do have a certain number of regular readers, I hope!

But one of my posts has gone well over 100 views, and mostly from Europe. Call me suspicious, but with all the 'bots and trolls, I have to wonder why THAT post has gone up and up and up. 

And I have no idea. It wasn't controversial. It wasn't particularly funny... Hmmmmmmm. The things you contemplate with a mug of tea on a Saturday night...

Whole 30...

So I'm on Day 6, and I think I just might have used a dressing with sugar in it. I'm not planning to start over, which is technically in the rules. I'm just going to chalk it up and move forward. What I did today was some prep work. Hubby helped by grinding up about 2 lbs. of pork for me to make my own "pork sausage," which involved the use of Penzey's Spices, their "Tsardust Memories" blend. It's really yummy!! 

I made Non-Scotch Eggs for a "portable" breakfast. I figure I can zap one in the microwave and eat it on the go, which is usually how I'm managing breakfast these days... The photo at the right is one I grabbed off the internet. Mine aren't so pretty. But they'll do. 

The recipe is my own version of a Paleo one that I was given. If you haven't read a sausage roll package lately, take a look. Lots of "stuff" in there that you need a dictionary or a chemistry degree to decipher. 

I had 2 lbs. of ground pork, 1 large shallot, a tablespoon of Tsardust spice blend, two turns of the pepper grinder, and an egg. I didn't add any extra salt because Tsardust has salt in it. Oh, and I tossed in a quarter-sized pile of tarragon leaves. 

Saute the diced shallot in a pan with a little olive oil, just till it softens and gets a little golden. Drain it. Add it to the meat mixture and all the spices, with the raw egg. Mix it all very well. Start the oven - about 325 will do. 

You need hard-boiled eggs, peeled. About 4 or so... Doesn't even matter if they "peel pretty" because you're going to cover them up! 

Grab a portion of the meat mixture and roll it up, then flatten it out to a thin-ish patty. Set a hard-boiled egg in the center, and then wrap the egg in the sausage mixture. Repeat with all your eggs. Set them in a rimmed baking sheet (I lined mine with non-stick tin foil because I hate to scrub pans!) and bake for about 35 minutes. You want the internal temperature to get to 165, since you're using pork. I also sprinkled a little paprika on the top of mine, since they didn't brown the way I liked, but they did cook nicely. Let them set for 10 minutes, if you're planning to eat them right away, or you can let them cool slightly and then store them for your breakfast-on-the-run. 

I used 3 hard-boiled eggs, then made 3 separate patties. I'll figure it all out... 

Still eating the fritatta and again - I'm lucky because I'm not easily bored eating the same thing several days running. Honestly, with my schedule, it's become a habit - it's necessary unless I have time (which I don't) to cook or think up something different each day. 

As for the solution to the "how to store a half of avocado" -- I dipped this one in lemon juice and wrapped it tightly. We'll see how it looks in the morning. 

Shen Yun...

Took my mom and sister to see Shen Yun today at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. It's been remodeled, and we've been a couple of times. I think we have a tradition going. 

We ate at Leland's Legends, which is where I might have screwed up with the dressing... Ah well... We got our "usual" parking spot: in a handicapped space at a dentist's office about 1/2 a block from the theatre. Which is nice, because my mom and sister both are handicapped - one bad leg and one bad hip. 

I drive because I'm the "anal sister" who likes to do the driving when I can. I'm a little troubled, because for the past several months, I've had an issue with my right leg where it hurts to sit for too long - the chiropractor has been working on it and he thinks it's an alignment issue. I've been practicing and teaching yoga all the way through - I can't really stop teaching, but I do watch what I'm doing. Just hurts to drive, which is kind of another story. 

Anyway. If you get a chance to see this show - do it! It's an amazing show, and what surprised me was that it's actually been "stalked" if  you will by the Chinese government. I've provided a link above, so check it out. 

My mom and sister loved it, and our seats, while in the "nosebleed" section of the Paramount, were decreed by them as "keepers" and "you need to get these seats again when we come next time." So I guess I'm the official booking agent... Seriously, though, we were at the very top of the balcony and they were good seats. My mom is short and this was great because there was no tall person in front of her. It wasn't cheap, even for those seats; if you order them online it's a little over $200. But my brother kicks in (he says he'll pay for lunch as long as we don't make him go!). 

The music was lovely, and not too loud. And the dancers? Well, no spoilers here, but it was a combination of athletic and artistic at the same time. And the costumes left us breathless. And that's all I'm telling you. It's a great show, child-friendly, too, if the kiddos can sit for 2+ hours. 

Madame is Not Happy...

Well. Tippi's done it... A while ago, she had a tumor removed from her right back foot. It was benign, thankfully. But for some reason, she's now "worrying" it... to the point where we put her in the Inner Tube of Shame, and used some (supposedly) dog-proof self-adhesive tape on it. The first one, she managed to get off. 

You can see how thrilled she is. I don't think there's anything brewing in there, but we have to keep her from nagging at it, and we want it to dry out. If it doesn't clear up, off to the vet we go. As a therapy dog, she's at the vet pretty regularly, and they usually are able to get her fixed up. 

We'll see if this lasts overnight. 

Random Picture...

This is my grand-cat, Larry, in her pickle box. I can't even tell you the cat toys and "cat houses" I've purchased for this critter. And she loved the pickle box that Kid #1 used to transport a boat-load of homemade pickles one day. 

Larry is a strange bird. I've actually never met her. I've seen her, but she's the shy, retiring type who really only likes Kid #1. I felt bad at first, but then Kid #2 told me that Larry hated him, too, so I don't feel so bad anymore. 

Larry now lives out of state with Kid #1 and I'm hoping to go out there this summer. I have to arrange it with him, and I have to figure out why my leg is bugging me, because I want to drive out. It's only about 10 hours, and I don't mind driving alone. 

It'll be nice to see him, and I've never been to where he lives. And with my own car, if I want to leave, I can! Not that he's going to be overwhelmed with my visit, but I plan to get a hotel. It's just me. I like to be by myself when I travel, because I like the solitude. 

Maybe this time, I'll get to see Larry for more than a nano-second. And maybe, if I'm really lucky, she'll let me pet her! 

Don't Do This...

...seriously strange day today. 

Don't go to work at your church hall when it's being renovated. And there's no water. And no heat. But when you have to do that, at least plan your Whole30 lunch so that you're not (a) tired; (b) cranky; (c) needing to pee (no water, no toilets...); and (d) are next to a fridge filled with donuts. 

Lest you worry, I didn't even peek into the fridge. I did, however, stand over the heat register in the sanctuary to warm my toes and fingers... I spent the morning taking Hubby to the doctor and knitting (more on that below) and then ran to the church, intending to only run off the upcoming week's bulletins. 

Except that I had to do a total re-vamp of the format. Love when that happens. So, I ended up being able to have some hot tea, but crikey!! It was about 65 degrees in there and it was pretty frigid. 

But it got done. And I came home, just about jumped over the dogs, and made a beeline to the "necessary room." 

If only I could print from home! 

And I really wanted to practice my guitar today, but my hands were frozen!! 

Whole 30...

So we did another grocery run and got a few things. As well, I delved into the Whole30 book, and decided that I needed to make homemade mayo. I love a good mayo, and I needed something to bind together a tuna salad, or chicken. Avocado is fantastic, but it only goes so far, and honestly, I'm turned off by the browning, even when I dip the cut half in lemon juice. 

You can look up various Whole30 compliant mayo recipes, so I won't post any here. But it's super simple: lemon (1/2), an egg, oil and salt. I used an immersion blender (stick blender) because even though I have a nice blender, it's a stinker to clean. And I also just blended it all up in a canning jar. Easy and no extra bowl to clean. 

You'll notice that I used my Depression glass reamer. And that's a pretty huge lemon. I let that sit out till it warmed up a bit, rolled it on the counter, and then sliced it in half. It was incredibly easy to ream out the lemon - as opposed to squeezing it and spritzing everything with juice! And then having to chase seeds. 

I grabbed the last of the cheesecloth and strained it into the canning jar, so that I wouldn't be spitting seeds. All told, it took about a minute to do everything. Since it's such a large lemon, it was a bit more juice than the recipe called for. And I just about ran through my (fairly pricey) organic extra-virgin olive oil. 

But it tastes amazing. I can see adding some fresh herbs or my favorite horseradish (fresh or ground, not the "horseradish sauce" you see). And I can see using this as a base for a nice ranch-style dressing. 

I like experimenting with my stash of balsamic vinegar, but I was getting tired of V & O for the salads I've been eating. 

I've been reading about the "expense" of the Whole30 plan, and I agree. To some folks, it can be expensive. I think it depends upon how you shop in the first place. Except for the chocolate addiction I'm trying to ditch, we usually shop pretty close to Whole30 standards. We've been lucky that way, and I know it. If you had to totally revamp the way you shopped and were not used to buying organic or skipping the processed stuff, it would knock you for a loop. Thankfully, Hubby and I usually try to eat "clean" for 85-90% of the time. 

That being said, tonight's dinner was a slice of salmon (made with dill + lemon), 1/2 an avocado, a handful of cherry tomatoes, broccoli and a small baked potato (no butter, but with avocado, it was pretty good!). Since I basically skipped lunch, I could afford a bit of a heavier dinner. I plopped a generous teaspoon of the mayo on top of the fish (I know - it's salmon, but I love tartar sauce and this was as close as I was getting). 

We usually have salmon or cod for a Friday - holdover of being Catholics as youths. And I like fish, so it's all good. 

Tomorrow & Sunday will be meal prep for the week. Normally, I'd do it on one day, but my sister and I are taking my mom to see a play, so that kind of chews up the late morning and afternoon. I'm looking forward to it, but it does cramp my weekend. 

I'm surprised that the sweets craving hasn't really bothered me. But I'm still waiting for the "miracle fat consuming" to happen. I know cutting out the processed foods and sugar will help, but I'm hoping it'll help sooner rather than later. I'm getting anxious. 

Tasks...

I have a task list for the weekend (as we all do, right?) and today I knocked a few things off. Tomorrow looks pretty good if I can get an email and yet another newsletter out before I go with my mom and sis. I hope, in the evening, to either knit or get some practice in. I'm working on a piece or two to start playing in church during the summer. 

The meal prep is part of that. My list in my head is about 3 miles long. But I try to be realistic and not bombard myself. I think it took me a decade or more to learn that balance. But I'm also still learning it...

As, I'm sure, are most of us!

Knitting...

At the doctor's, waiting for Hubby, I did get more done on the Traveling Sock. It doesn't look like much, but it's the cuff done and the plain knitting starting. Now, it'll zoom by. 

Yes, people were looking at me. Like, "what is she doing there?" Not like DPNs aren't seen around town, but perhaps in this office, they're foreign?

Anyway, I was thinking as I was starting the first couple of vanilla rows. 

What if, at random every 4th and 5th row, I threw in 2 pairs of purls, sort of as a little "pop" in the leg? I'm looking at the yarn and trying to decide if the colorway is just too busy or if it would look like I made a mistake. 

But a consistent set of purls would stand out from a random "oops, I forgot where I was." But maybe I need a plainer yarn. Maybe this is just too wild (because of the striping). Would it look better in a pooling kind of set up where you have blocks and blobs of color as opposed to a pretty regimented set-up of self-striping. 

I have to think on that. And -- these are to be "traveling socks." Do I really want to keep track of rows, or do I want to just carry a measuring tape and the instructions on the heel flap? Though, come to think of it, maybe this is a good time to try the Fish Lips Kiss or Sweet Tomato heel. Or revisit the Strong Heel - which I've done on one pair, using Opal yarn, so I'm pretty sure that even though it comes out as a single-knit heel, since Opal wears like iron, I'm not worried that it'll wear thorough before the rest of the sock. 

Random Picture...

This is a throw-back from way, way long ago when we had a gazebo-like bird feeder in the front flower bed. One year, a robin made her way into the thing, pushed the acrylic tube out of the way and decided that THIS was HOME. 

She had a major stink-eye going on, so we weren't bothering to dislodge her. We got some fascinating pictures, and Hubby was able to photograph the babies as they hatched. 

Unfortunately, our usually quiet neighborhood went through a spate of idiot vandals coming around cracking people's car rear-view mirrors and lawn ornaments, and some creep took a ball bat to our feeder. It was pretty devastating. Not because it was hand-made or anything...just for the violation of someone coming into our yard to destroy something. We never replaced it. 

The vandals stole the robin's house.