The Club Nobody Wants to Belong To...

Do you know what I'd want for my birthday? What would be the absolute best gift? It would be for the doctors to say to my sister, "This is treatable, and you'll be fine."

I'm not sure that's going to happen. We were supposed to get together last weekend, and we were told, "Nope." She hasn't answered a single text of mine. 

Don't they look pretty? Pretty evil...cancer cells under an electron microscope. Makes them look almost like works of art. I'm not sure if these are what's in my sister's body. 

All we know right now is that her cancer is "rare" and "aggressive." BIL wants to take her for a second opinion. A relative has offered to fly them to Mayo Clinic (about a 45-minute flight as opposed to a 10-hour drive). My sister is said to be considering it, and I would agree, if she was asking me. Even if the news is the same, a second opinion in this kind of situation is something that I think is valid. 

The plan is to visit at some point, but I'm not sure when. She's scuttled a few visits already, and what's troubling is that I'm not sure we have a lot of time. 

It's not a situation I've ever wanted to manage, but in several instances in my adulthood, I've had to be the "Angel of Death" and tell people the absolute worst news. I don't like being in that situation, and I'm hoping that I don't have to. I just don't know. 

The Kitchen...

So, one of the best tools to have in your kitchen? A ruler. A standard, plastic ruler. I've used it when I've made Japanese Milk Bread. I've used it time and again to re-measure a pan. I've used it for tons of things. It's so helpful, and we don't often think of it. 

I've seen fancy measuring devices like silicone sheets you roll dough on, the board scrapers (only about 6" of length there, and I don't often feel like adding!), those strips you put on either side of our rolling pin... Nothing beats a 50-cent plastic ruler. 

Easy to clean, easy to use. Comes in lots of colors! So technically, you could have a green one for pastries, and a red one for meats? Why not? 

Made chicken soup the other night; and I added some dried seaweed to it. Aside from the mineral benefits and a bit of salt, it added a nice crunch to the top of the soup. It also adds a nice green bit to a soup that can be kind of "beige." 

I used a standard recipe: dice up a chicken breast and saute till lightly browned, and remove it from the pan. Then saute some chopped carrot, stir around on med-hi heat for about 5 minutes, add chopped celery, stir another 5 minutes. Cover your pan and lower your heat. Stir occasionally for another 6-7 minutes. Then, remove lid, add chopped leeks and a couple cloves of garlic (diced) and stir that around for a few minutes, just so the garlic gets golden. (NOTE: Nothing worse than burned garlic!).

In the meantime, have a soup pot ready, with about 6 cups of water in it. Add a Knorr Veggie cube for every 2 cups of water, and start it boiling. Add your meat & veg. Add some fresh ground pepper, add a bit of thyme, maybe some marjoram if you have it. Parsley, for sure, either fresh or dried. Let it come to a gentle boil, then add half a package of No-Yolks egg noodles, bring back to a boil and let it cook for however long the noodle bag says - about 6-9 minutes. 

There you go. Easy soup. 

The Knitting...

Still working on the blue striped sock. Told my yoga class that I had to rip the other one, and there was one student who said, "Wow, that would fit MY foot!" We all laughed. I think she might've been serious. 

I guess if I was ambitious enough, I'd have them all trace their feet and measure their shins. But I'm not that ambitious. Washcloths, maybe. Not socks. 

As you can see from the picture here, I'm using a silicone blister bandage. It lasts for about 3-4 days, and keeps me from puncturing my index finger, which is my "pusher" finger. It works better than just about anything I've found. And it's not obnoxious-looking! So I can wear it for a few days, and it doesn't get grimy. 

And as I pulled out my knitting to settle in with episodes of "A Place to Call Home," I did...just about what I do every couple times I knit socks. I pulled out the WRONG needle. 

No picture of the ACTUAL incident -- I was busy stuffing the live stitches back on the needle. Thankfully, the wool was "grippy" enough to not drop down a bunch of rows! It happens regularly enough that I don't freak out (as much) but I still react kind of quickly so as to not lose the stitches. 

As you can see, the top needle was the one I planned to pull out to start knitting. But...I pulled out the bottom one. 

I can tell you the first time it happened. I was working on a sock in a gorgeous fall-like colorway, from Lorna's Laces. That yarn? Stunningly smooth. Not grippy. And thus the downfall. As the NEEDLE slipped out of the stitches (this time, I didn't pull the needle out - it FELL out!), the little buggers droped as I was watching them. PLINK, PLINK, PLINK...(at least that's the sound that they make in my head, rather a gleeful sound, as as my heart makes a sound like THUNK, THUNK, THUNK...while it drops faster than those stitches do) By the way, I frogged that entire sock, stuffed the yarn into a bag and put it in time-out for a while. 

Funny thing happened at the oral surgeon's office. I had to go get some paperwork to drop off to my dentist, and it was a bit of a wait. Apparently, they couldn't find something...so I sat there knitting. After a while, one of the techs said, "Oh, look, knitting!" and I commented that I was also wearing hand-knitted socks. This tech literally lifted my pant leg (I was in the chair already), and petted my sock... I was a tad taken aback. Nobody has ever asked to pet my socks. 

All the girls at the front desk then wanted to see the socks I was wearing, as well as the ones I was knitting. That was probably the most fun trip to the oral surgeon ever!  The picture to the right is the pair I was wearing and the ones I'm knitting. 

Incidentally, the pair I'm wearing in this picture to the right? They're about 5 - 7 years old. Opal yarn. Wears like iron. Now, I just wish they'd come out with some variegated, like they used to. I love the self-patterning, but I'd like to get back to the variegated like these pink + green ones. Sometimes, you don't want a lot going on. You just want a plain sock that's sort of mindless. I mean, obviously, the blue stripe is mindless - I'm just knitting and letting the yarn do the work. But with a variegated yarn that changes colors every so often, it just seems simpler. 

I bought myself a birthday gift... Yarn. Of course. I bought Expression Fiber Arts North DK and I'm making the Gofleidio shrug/sweater/cardigan pattern. I'm not sure what you'd call it, but I know that I can knit it, and that I'll enjoy wearing it. It's been years since I've knit a sweater. 

So I changed up the colorway a bit. I kept the grey tones: Penguin, Midnight Snowfall, Peaceful Hush... But I changed out the pinks. Instead, I did Enchanted North (dark blue), Wintering North (medium blue) and Solstice North (yellow). Yeah, I don't normally wear yellow, but that as a "pop" with the greys and blues? I thought it would spark it a bit. I've always liked grey with yellow, and blue with yellow. So hopefully, that will work out in this garment. 

Random Picture...

Well, it's January. And strangely enough, we've had an insane amount of ice. Including sub-zero temperatures, so that the icy-melt stuff doesn't work. 

We live where there are alleys. You drive up the alley to get to your respective parking area and then you drive down the alley to get out to the street. Very few houses have front-loaded driveways in our neighborhood. It's older, the streets are narrower, and there's just not a lot of front-yard space. The houses are long, rather than wide. 

So it was pretty nasty getting into and out of the alleys for a few days. Mind you, the sparkly layer of ice on the snow, the glassy finish on the sidewalks -- beautiful. And so incredibly dangerous. Even trying to use Yak-Trax, people were sliding all funny. Folks walking their dogs cut straight through yards, because it was safer than trying to walk on either the sidewalk or the road. Nobody minded; it's easier to pick someone up off your lawn than off a sidewalk so slick that you'd never gain footing. 

Finally, after almost a week, it began to melt. Thankfully. I'm a big fan of winter, but ice? I don't bounce like I used to. 

Want Yoga with an Online Option? Just Breathe Yoga Studio in Crest Hill, IL is your Yoga Home, 

in-person or across the world!

www.just-breatheyoga.com

(815) 546-2770 (call or text)

Zoom classes. Private Sessions. Workshops. 

Small group special classes. Essential oil education. Books. 

Feeling Disconcerted...

...and strangely detached. I got some very bad news this morning from our Vicar. A friend, the person who used to be our church musician, watched her husband die in front of her last night. 

Yeah. 

I'm still fiddling with that in my head, as we celebrate a day to be thankful and have ourselves surrounded by family, even the Crazy Uncles and the Crabby Aunts. 

He was 59. Diabetic. Took his insulin dose, and somehow, the part that boggles my mind: his sugar crashed. She tried to get sugar down him (she's apparently been down this road before), and it didn't work. He started speaking gibberish, keeled over and was dead on the floor. 

She's calm. Too calm; brain has blocked everything, I think. 

So I met him twice, maybe? They lived far out of town, and he wasn't a church-goer. We would tease him that, in our church, he could walk in and the roof wouldn't cave...

I'm sad and broken-hearted for her for many reasons. 

Today, in among your celebrations, look around the table, and even if in the moment, that relative is driving you nuts? Give thanks for them anyway. 

Wellness Wins...

F/k/a "Weight Watchers." I joined up again. I need to get myself under control; honestly, I tend to "emotionally eat," and I need to curb that. 

WW used to be Weight Watchers, but has recently changed their name & mission to "Wellness Wins" -- so as to not lose the very recognizable logo? Pardon me, my cynicism is showing. 

Anyway, I do eat clean for the most part, and they've changed so a lot of the fruits & veg are "zero points" which is good for me. But I'm kind of shocked at the points values for some stuff, like this Chocolate Protein Chia Pudding that I've recently become addicted to. It's almond milk, chia seeds, 1/4 scoop of  chocolate protein powder and nuts/berries. Shake it all up in a jar, let it set overnight (or in my case,  2 days?). And then you're good to go - add the berries (or fruit you like) and chopped almonds. Breakfast, and it DOES keep you full till lunch. I guess you could use a different flavor of protein powder if you want. But the chocolate does "scratch an itch" especially when you're trying to lose weight. 

But it's like 8 or 9 points. I get 23 for the day, which is fine - it's what I got over the last time I was in. But somehow, this seems to be a great amount for what it is. 

So for the first few weeks, I'm just tracking and "kind of" following the program. I've lost a bit already, just tracking and being more aware of what I'm eating. I'm also logging my exercise, just to get in the groove of doing that. I was on the ElliptiKILL this morning for almost 40 minutes. It's not that I don't like it. I do, seriously. Just don't have the time. 

I survived (mostly) the Thanksgiving meal; though I do love my brandied sweet potatoes, and my mom's stuffing. I didn't bring the stuffing home. I did bring the sweet potatoes home. There's not a lot of brandy in the "brandied" part. About 2 tablespoons or so, over 8 or 9 sweet potatoes. 

Thanksgiving Again...

Today is, of course, Thanksgiving. Apart from the news I gave you up at the top, today was going to be a day of knitting, starting the Christmas baking and doing a few things around the house. 

I'm doing all that, but with that "in a bubble" thing going on in my head. Hubby is doing a turkey breast tonight (leftovers in my family get distributed ASAP). He's working now on an Apple Cranberry Chutney. I'm doing skillet baked potatoes and I did start on the Christmas baking. I've got "Snow on the Mountain" and "Chocolate Shortbread" dough in the fridge; one batch each. I've already done Molasses Ginger Cookies. One batch. 


I'm thinking one batch of each thing I'm doing, except for the Pineapple Crescents and perhaps the Filled Cookies. 

All in all, I love being in my kitchen. It's my happy place, and I'm happiest looking at the"Baking Cupboard" - where all my supplies are. I love my well-stocked kitchen. 

It's where I go when I want to feel like I'm actually in control of something. 

Too often, we're in control of...nothing. 

Here, though? I know my equipment, I know my spices and other ingredients. I know my oven and stove. All my pots are hanging over my head; all my pans are tucked into the cabinets. The spoons, spatulas, whisks and knives are all in their appointed spots. 

Pretty much everything I'm involved in requires scheduling and planning. But in my kitchen, I can be a little bit of a free soul and cook or bake with imagination. 

Today, in my little "baking nook," I was kind of surprised to see that I'm down to one box of unsweetened chocolate. For me? That's actually quite unusual. Somehow, I've got a raft of the semi-sweet, and now I'm down to 1 square (4 oz) of the unsweetened. 

I've added it to the list. Had enough to make the Snow on the Mountain cookies, which required 3 squares. 

I may add to the Christmas Cookie list. Make some almond bread or pear bread. That gives me some alternative items for my cookie trays. I've got time to think about it. 

Tomorrow, more baking, hoping to whack out as much as I can over this long weekend. Hubby can do his during the day, because he's home more; but I need to get mine done while I have time at home. Last year, he did most of it, and while I loved that he did, I was irritated. Yes, irritated. Because I do enjoy it and it bothered me that this most elemental part of the holiday was out of my hands. 

This year, I want to take back a little. Maybe feel like I have something I can contribute. 

Knitting...

Trying to finish The Fourth Hat. I'm kinda over the whole pattern, but I'm plugging along, a few more rows from the decreases. Once I decrease, it'll go faster. I'm anxious to start something new -- or at least pick up something that I'd set aside for these hats. 

My list, in part, is like this:

1. February Lady Sweater
2. Green Sock
3. Petty Harbour Socks
4. Grapevine Wreath Scarf
5. Bigger on the Inside Sock
6. Sole to Sole Sock
7. Cookie A's Monkey Socks (just started...)
8. Kid #2 Afghan

This doesn't include the yarn that I have that needs to be knitted up. The beautiful caramel-color silk and a baby set that I'm planning to stash. Plus some TARDIS Blue Bah Ram Ewe laceweight - I'm still looking at patterns for that one. I have one skein so I need to make it a good one. 

I'll pull something out this weekend. Not sure which of these will be The One, but I've got to get something done that isn't a hat. 

Essential Oils...

Today, in the diffuser, I have Christmas Spirit. It's not "early" - I'll diffuse that a lot in the chilly weather. There's a great blend called "Thankful" (I mean you'd blend this yourself): Two drops EACH: Cypress, Sacred Sandalwood and Idaho Balsam Fir. That's for tomorrow. 

I bought the Llama as a Christmas ornament, but since he stands up on his own? He stands next to my Lantern diffuser. The sheep? Bought that at the Diocesan Convention. It's felted, and it's from L'Arche, Bethlehem. 

And I got something else at the convention: This bath gel. I normally stick to Young Living Essential Oils, but I couldn't resist this gel from Thistle Farms. Find the link here. So much of what they do resonates with me. They bring women out of prostitution, sex trafficking - dangerous situations. And they give them shelter and a job. 

This is a very nice geranium scent. It's worth looking at their site to see if you can help them. I'd rather be helping an organization that gives back. The holidays are coming, and you can do a lot of good with your consumer dollars, if you prefer to shop that way. 

Young Living has a foundation, and we give money to a number of different causes; and they also provide work locally at the farms that are owned by the company or in cooperation with the farmers in other countries. 

We shop for the holidays; may as well do some good on another level if we can, right?

Random Picture...

As I was pottering around the kitchen, trying to wrap my head around my friend's husband's death, I looked out the window. Our milkweed has popped. It's colder than heck outside, even with the sunshine, and there's a bit of a breeze blowing - kind of cuts right through you. I popped out and snapped this picture. 

Just now, I ran out to get some Rosemary off the bush. Using it in the turkey breast and the potatoes. 

Milkweed is blowing in the wind, which I'm sure won't please the neighbors, but we'll have a nice bit of a patch for next year. 

It's the time of year where we're cleaning up for "the last time" with the leaves, with the garden, and packing away anything that would have been outside - hummingbird feeders, yard ornaments such as the gazing balls and the hand tools I generally leave on the porch for ease of grabbing when I feel like fiddling in the garden. 

When the milkweed is done blowing, we'll take down the stakes for the winter. We'll figure out what we're doing for Christmas decorations over this weekend. We like to get them up now, while the weather is half-way decent. We're not the type to light them up early - like some in our neighborhood who put them up right after Halloween. And light them right after Halloween. No, thanks!

This holiday - the day to give thanks - thank you! Yes, YOU. Thank you for reading the stuff I send into "inter-space." I love to hear from you, so don't be shy about commenting! Thank Whoever you thank and give a thought to those who aren't able to be with loved ones this year.