A small tragedy occured this morning.

My keychain broke.

Now, I know, this doesn’t SOUND like a tragedy, but still. I absolutely love this keyring. You know how impossible it is to get keys on those usual, circular keyrings? The split-ring kind that you always break your nails trying to open? Yes, well, it’s not one of those. Nor is it a keyCASE, which is completely impractical for car key fobs, and which I’ve never liked anyway.

No, this is a beautiful little piece of engineering. A short length of cable, which feeds through a ring (holding it in a looped-shape, rather than straight, end-to-end). The ends are secured by a bead (holding that ring in place) which is secured by a screw at the very end.

Well, somewhere between leaving the house (I always manually tighten the screw on each as I take my keys out of my purse), and getting to Kohl’s this morning with Mom . . . well . . . the screw and bead disappeared. I didn’t realize until I reached into my pocket at the store check-out line. I’m crushed. Do you know how long I looked for a keychain that I would like that was also functional . . . and easy to get keys on and off??

I wonder if it’s possible to find a screw that will fit? One with thumb-grooves at the end, so you have something to grip to open/close. I wouldn’t mind replacing the bead . . . a little variety is fine, and that’s painless . . . as long as I can still use my key ring! I love this thing, silly though that may sound…. And yes, I know there are the kind that are semi-circles, with ball-screws at the end, but I love the flexibility of THIS. I can’t help it (grin).

Added: Look what I found!

Now, about the electricity issue? Yes, the electician–a really very nice fellow named Jeff–came around 10:00 this morning, went out to look at the circuit breaker panel, flicked the blown circuit and . . . yep. That easy. Apparently, it’s shifted or something, so that it doesn’t reset quite as easily as it used to, but still . . . (Have I ever mentioned that my Dad–admirable in so many ways–isn’t the handiest fellow?) Anyway, we scheduled a date for him to actually replace the circuit, since it’s quite possible it’s about to blow altogether, and now that he knows the type of circuit breaker we need, he’ll be ready at a moment’s notice. But, um, yeah. It was that easy to fix. If only I’d known that BEFORE my candle burned out last night….

Anyway, after he left (about 10 minutes after he arrived . . . and we asked him about our troublesome kitchen light while he was there, too), Mom and I went out. I took my car to the car wash–for the first time in about seven months. We went to a store for a return “Santa” needed to make. And then we drove to Chester to check out a new shopping plaza—including a store named “Acorn,” which we’d never heard of. We had lunch at a tea room (a small pot of tea and a largish blueberry scone for each of us), and then came home to take Chappy for a walk.

Oh yeah, I finished my Christmas knitting this morning. (Woohoo!) I finished my second Fetching for our mail-carrier, which we put out with her Christmas card this morning. I hope she likes them! I also finished my current bobbin of singles on my Little Gem, so the next one? It’ll use my Woolee Winder. Yay!

a more serious note, this was the view in front of our house a little while ago… Our neighbor diagonally across the street being taken away in an ambulance. If you could spare a prayer, it would be appreciated. He’s a 32-year old father of three who has heart problems. In fact, he was in Columbia Presbyterian earlier this week for tests, and was just discharged this morning. Our other neighbor came home tonight and saw him sitting outside–he wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to scare his kids. He was sitting up in the ambulance as they drove away, so hopefully he’ll be okay, but . . . if you could send him some good thoughts, I KNOW his family would appreciate it. Scary stuff at any time, but during the holidays? Scary AND bad timing.

Added: And while thinking good-karma thoughts, go visit Stephanie, who’s trying to double the amount of donations for Knitters Without Borders. Heaven knows it’s a good cause! So . . . head over, huh?

Have a good weekend, everyone, and a Happy Hanukah to those celebrating!

(You know, one thing I was wondering? Our local Lite FM station has been playing Christmas music since the middle of November. Today, in honor of Hanukah, they’ve played a couple Hanukah songs–not that there are many of them, I understand, but a nice gesture, I thought . . . until it occurred to me. How many Jewish people have been LISTENING to this station for the last four weeks to HEAR the Hanukah songs??)

Tags: General by Deb
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Some pictures from the park the other day. Interestingly, it was almost 50 degrees that day–quite warm, really–and yet there was this frozen puddle catching the light . . . I thought it was pretty!

This tree caught my eye, too….

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Tags: Eye-Candy Friday by Deb
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I know what you’re thinking. This picture doesn’t look particularly dark to you, huh?

Well, it’s not.

I’m sitting here in the kitchen, making a cup of tea, eating some really excellent tiramasu. (Honestly. Some of the best I’ve ever had.) So all sounds well with the world, right?

Um, not so much.

First of all, I’m in the KITCHEN. I never sit at my computer in the kitchen. The table is too high, the light at the wrong height, so that it gives me a headache. The chairs aren’t meant for relaxing. Just . . . not ideal.

But, see, here’s the thing. When our house was built 31+ years ago, for reasons known only to the builders, they put my bedroom on the same circuit breaker as the bathrooms. Right off the bat, that doesn’t make sense–bathrooms, because of the water, need their own circuits, but my bedroom? How’d that get in there?

This is all relevant, you see, because this morning while Mom was drying her hair, the circuit breaker blew. Dad reset it once, twice, three times . . . nothing. Which means we’ve had no power in the bathrooms . . . or in my bedroom . . . all day. The rest of the house, however, is just fine.

Which is exactly why this is frustrating. When the whole house is dark, it’s fine–you read or play games, light candles, whatever, but everyone’s in the same boat. But me? Right now? Everyone ELSE can turn on the lights, put on the television, play on the computer, exactly as normal. I’m stuck doing things by candle-light. Or sitting elsewhere, like the kitchen.

Naturally, Mom called the electrician, and they said at first that his day was full, but Mom begged a little (“This is my daughter’s bedroom!”) and so they said he would come. The man’s wife (who works the phones) even told Mom that he was on his way, coming from Edison which, granted, isn’t right around the corner, but still . . . That was just before I got home from work, around 4:00. It’s now 7:37, and I’m guessing he won’t be here tonight. (Sigh.)

But meantime, this has really messed with my plans for the evening. Mom and Dad went out to dinner (at one of my favorite restaurants, of course!) with friends, and I had planned on cooking a nice dinner for myself (with tiramisu for dessert), wrapping my Christmas gifts, dyeing my hair . . . but . . . I was waiting for the electrician. Would he come? When? Any minute?? So I couldn’t cook dinner–what if he came while I was eating? So I just noshed on some of the Italian bread I brought home. I DID wrap my presents, but naturally, I couldn’t color my hair in the DARK. Washing, yes, but spreading dye? And getting it rinsed?? No, for that you need, at the very least, daylight, if not proper bathroom illumination after sunset. I did take a really fast (cold) shower around 7:00, though, when I decided the odds of his actually coming tonight were really small. Since nobody was home but Chappy, I left the bathroom door open to get some light from the hallway (and my Candle Chimney, of course) and it got kind of chilly–even with the fully-hot water. But at least my hair is clean. I hate going to bed without having showered first!

Meanwhile, Chappy’s really confused at the way the night’s been going . . . understandable, really. It has been pretty weird. And of course, Mom stayed home all day today, waiting for the electrician . . . so she has errands that she needs to do tomorrow . . . so, so much for doing anything fun together tomorrow, either. Because naturally, we’ve got to be here whenever the electrician DOES come (sigh). Assuming he comes tomorrow. He’s a good person and a good electrician, mind you . . . but, lordy, these are the times I wish the people who built our house had had a little more sense in these matters! I can work around a dark bathroom . . . but, how am I supposed to read in bed tonight? Or spin? And, I wanted to see Nigella’s Christmas show on the Food Network at 10:00 . . .

On the plus side, at least none of this has affected my laptop (knock wood). I really need to get a back-up drive or this, though . . .just to be safe!

Still, I’ve got to say, this tiramisu is incredibly good. One advantage of the dark? Nobody can see if I lick out the container….

Tags: General by Deb
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Tis the season for new toys . . . and here’s my newest.

Yep. A Woolee WInder for my Majacraft Little Gem. Woohoo! (And, how nice, if I were to get any OTHER Majacrafts . . . not that I plan to . . . it would work for them, too.)

I have to say–as much as I do like this cute little wheel, I have not been enjoying moving that metal yarn guide up the metal slide . . . it grates my teeth every time. So this is much better. I just need to finish the bobbin I’m working on and then I can play with this.

(Oh, and thanks to Mr. Chappy, my able assistant.)

And . . . believe it or not . . . that’s about all I’ve got tonight! I’m fighting a bad headache–something about the rain, the car headlights while driving, the air pressure . . . whatever . . . my eyes are NOT enjoying the bright light thing, so . . . I’ll just leave you to drool over my Woolee Winder, shall I?

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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I got a new ornament for the Christmas tree today. From the brilliant mind of Franklin, his 2006 Peace ornament.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, how can you not love this ornament?

Peace. Knitting. A Lion and a Lamb together.

What’s not to love?

I came home to a box from Vogue Knitting today, which was such a surprise. Months ago, I had agreed to a trial for a copy of the “Knitting Over the Edge” book . . . you know the kind. They send it, you take a look, decide if you want to keep it or not, but either way, keep this free gift….yadda yadda. That was June.

Well, I never signed up for a trial of “Knitting Beyond the Edge” but guess what came today? Yep. A trial for a book I’ve owned for a month now. Sheesh.

Is it wrong of me to take the free gift, a copy of VK on the Go Shawls? (grin)

After I got home from work, Chappy and I sat in the living room with the Christmas tree for a while. He played with his toy near it . . . not quite under it, but next to the tree skirt. He sat behind it to look out the window.

Chappy and I took a walk at lunch today, as usual, and we got to see three of his favorite people. First, as we walked down the street, Chappy’s favorite neighbor pulled over in his car to say hello to my boy–lots of tail wagging. Then, about 3/4 through with the walk, our mail-carrier drove by, pulled over, got out of her truck to say hello to my boy. Lots more tail wagging. Then, just a house away from ours, who pulled over? Mom! Well! Seeing a family member is ALWAYS good. The only drawback at that point was that he pulled me all the rest of the way home. You could practically hear him chanting under his breath, “Grandmagrandmagrandma….”

And, speaking of our great mail carrier, I’ve got her first Fetching almost done–woohoo! I think she’s really going to like them, too. I’ll be glad to have that last one done, though. I rarely ever knit a pattern more than once, and I’ve about had my fill of this one now, no matter how lovely.

At least the colors are different. Props to Stephanie for getting all those green step-outs one….

Oh, and while I was sitting with Chappy by the tree tonight? I played around with my camera.

Christmas lights are FUN.

Oh yeah. Level 51.

Tags: Chappy, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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I took the day off from work today, using up “extra” vacation days, and have filled my time doing all sorts of exciting things here at home. Like, playing my bills, renewing a magazine subscription (Eating Well), renewing Chappy’s dog license . . . stuff like that to clear off my desk.

I organized my sock drawer. Which, yes, I know, doesn’t sound very exciting, but for some reason I have a lot more socks than I used to (gee, I wonder why?) and they were just getting very . . . rowdy in there. Of course, once I’d done that drawer, I had to do others . . . so basically, I went through all my dresser drawers–all 12 of them.

Naturally, some needed more attention than others. Like the bottom two, where I keep my CDs. When I got my MP3 player last spring and then spent days ripping as many of my favorite albums as I could, they didn’t exactly get put back in the drawer as neatly as I would wish. This was bearable because I don’t really go into that drawer all that often, but . . . it was time. That messy pile was driving me nuts every time I looked. (They were lined up–mostly–but not in any kind of sequence.)

We’re all much happier now. There’s even room for more in each section now, and everything!

My organizing didn’t stop there, though, either. I also went through the bathroom cabinets, getting rid of old things, taking stock of supplies on things I DO use. (Note to self: Order more Curl Junkie shampoo and conditioner.) I even gave my room a thorough vacuuming–which it’s needed for a while. And by “thorough” I mean I moved all the reasonably movable pieces of furniture (the ottoman, Chappy’s crate), picked all the stuff up off the floor (the CD player, the lapdesk I keep my computer on), moved the things like spinning wheels away from the walls . . . and basically vacuumed everything left. Oh yeah, I cleaned and disinfected my humidifier, too.

There’s been some spinning, too . . . I haven’t touched this merino/silk in months and had forgotten how much I like it. It’s soft and silky, first of all. Then, in direct sun, it looks almost purple, but in more “normal,” indoor lights, looks almost charcoal-gray with just a hint of purple . . . so. pretty.

Oh yeah, and we took Chappy for a walk, too.

And, I’m on level 44 now… You know, it’s a good thing I got my Z post about 85-90% finished before I discovered this . . .

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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A little blurry, but a look at my haircut. Definitely shorter than 2″, but still a nice haircut. No complaints, really . . . it just means it will take that much longer before I need to get another haircut. I like to stretch them out as much as possible, you know!

Speaking of hair, I posted about Weffriddles on the Naturallycurly.com forum a couple days ago and there are about four pages of entries from people pulling their curly hair out . . . hey, why should I be the only one to suffer??

We took a rare, Sunday outing today, too. Usually, Sundays are the days I stay home, do housework, laundry, bake–all that stuff–but since I’m taking tomorrow off from work AND it was a beautiful day, we took Chappy to the park.

When we got there, the playground was completely empty of kids, so we took advantage and climbed up there ourselves. (Dogs are officially not allowed, so don’t tell anyone, okay?) And yes, we DID go down the slide after Mom snapped the picture. I pulled Chappy into my lap and . . . whoosh! . . . suddenly he was on the ground and looking at me, like, “How did we get down HERE? Human kids do this for FUN?”

Anyway, it was nice. About 50 degrees and sunny, and we saw a few other dogs for Chappy to introduce himself to . . . a visit to the park is incomplete without seeing other dogs, you know. We even saw someone who recognized Chappy for a Boykin Spaniel. That almost NEVER happens, but it always makes me happy when it does.

Afterward, we came home and Mom and I spent much of the afternoon sitting in the living room with our cross-stitch (Mom), reading, knitting, and spinning (me), and spending time with the Christmas tree, which Chappy seems to enjoy as much as we do.

Gotta love dogs with Christmas spirit, huh?

Tags: Hair by Deb
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So, when I left the house this morning, my hair looked like this. I can’t tell you at the moment how good the haircut is because I won’t know until I’ve washed and slept on it. My hair NEVER looks good on the day of the haircut. I can tell you, though, that it’s a good deal shorter. I asked for 2″ and while I didn’t see her take off more than that . . . and I was watching . . . it still looks a lot shorter. Even when it was wet from my shower earlier. And of course, the curl springs up the “visual” length, too, so my hair will look shorter anyway just from having less weight on the ends . . . I think it’s a good haircut (if “short”) and that it will look fine . . . but I’ll be happier in another month or so when it’s grown in some more….

After, we went to the neighborhood LYS, Nonna’s Yarn Cafe. I always feel guilty about this store, because I like it, and I like the sisters who run it, quite a bit and yet I seldom buy any “real” yarn there. I’ve never bought a sweater’s worth of yarn. My purchases are almost always limited to one or two skeins . . . which is a shame, because this is a store I WANT to encourage. (Unlike the other shop in town, which is small, crowded, and unfriendly–or at least, that’s what I think.) And their selection is pretty decent–more varied than it was when they opened a year ago. I even saw a small selection of Cascade 220 today.

Anyway, I went in to get some Cashmerino Aran in a different color. I decided that I’d never seen our mail carrier–for whom I’m making a pair of Fetching–wear the color I was making that pair in, but since I like it (of course, it was leftover yarn from one of my sweaters), that I would keep that pair for myself, and make hers in this purpley-blue color, which I think she’ll like better. And, um, while I was there I bought three skeins of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in white, silver, and black. The plan is that they’ll become as big a shawl (or, if too small, a scarf) in some kind of lace as possible–starting with white and shading outward to black.

Then, Mom and I stopped at this gift shop we’ve been meaning to visit for years now, the Urban Muse, which was opened several years ago by two women who decided to follow their dream after living through 9/11 in New York. (Yes, it took us this long to get around to visiting the shop.) Anyway, we walked around, looking at some very interesting jewelry, cards, photo frames . . . nice stuff. I bought a magnet for the refrigerator (not much, but hey, something to support them, right?) When I heard Mom say, “Hi Denise!”

Because there was a woman who’d worked at our company for years, until she decided to quit and go into massage therapy a while ago. Well–now she works at their spa. Who knew?? She even gave us a tour of the facilities, introduced us around . . . I took these two pictures of the display in the upstairs (empty) “relaxation room” . . . the sun streaming through the crystal on the tree . . . pretty!

Eventually we tore ourselves away–Denise is a sweetie and it was great to see her, but she’s a talker (in a good way)–and made it home to this little sweetie, who we promptly took for a walk–which he said he’d been longing for. All. Day.

Oh yeah, almost forgot–I wore my Christmas Tree Hat and got lots of compliments on it today. Woohoo! That never gets old.  Which is good because….

I worked on Weffriddles for a while this afternoon–I finally made it past level 26, but am now stuck on 27. Swell. Just what I needed . . . something else to feel clueless about. This is SO good for my self-esteem. (Added: Finally got that one!)

In tonight’s knitting, not only did I work on my Fetching, (MINE, now), but I wove in all the lose ends on everything in my knitting bag, AND I finally finished my socks.

MY socks. In MY handspun, out of lovely roving that I bought last summer. I only started knitting these in October, you know, and was starting to think I’d never get them done. (A shame, really, since up until then, I was averaging a pair of socks a month, which is darn impressive for me.)

I’m just tickled pink about these. I adore the coppery-blue color. I am so very proud of the yarn (3-ply sock yarn is an accomplishment, you know).

It knitted up beautifully, too. Nice texture/evenness to the stitches. The knitted fabric has a very dense feel to it, too. (Perhaps because I spun worsted rather than woolen?) But because it’s merino/mohair, I expect these to be very warm to wear. Nice and thick, these socks. The only potential problem will be finding a pair of shoes that the socks will fit into….

Gosh, such a dilemma.

Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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(Though, the picture was taken on Thursday, on my way to work….)

Have a good day, everyone! And wish me luck on my haircut . . .

Tags: Sky by Deb
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What?

Doesn’t everyone take their dolls on vacation? I mean, we couldn’t let them go their whole lives without seeing Martha’s Vineyard, could we? (Although, the two littlest ones in the front have been mine since childhood, so until I was 10 or so, anywhere I went, they went, so they’re pretty well-travelled, as dolls go.)

And, anyway, this was in 1999, when I didn’t have a puppy to distract me . . .

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Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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Look what I got yesterday! A pile of yummy potential, courtesy of Amanda. This is my portion of the “Knit and Dish” exchange. I provided two recipes of my own on index cards and got all of THESE in return. Not only are there some tasty-sounding recipes in there, but the visual variety is a treat. Every person’s cards look different. I love that!

There’s a nice variety, too–soups, main courses, desserts (lots of desserts!). I was flipping through the pile, drooling, and Mom asked me which recipes I sent . . . just as I turned to my own cards in the middle of the pile. Perfect timing (grin). I sent a family recipe for cabbage soup which is really wonderful (although a lot of people automatically cringe when they hear “cabbage soup”). It’s got bacon for flavor and tiny little meatballs, some tomato . . . and can be served with potato dumplings. Yum. The other recipe I sent was for pancakes, the recipe from Cook’s, because it is by far the best pancake recipe I’ve ever tried. Light, tender, tasty . . .

Oh, and I want you all to know that I wore my Fabulous Shoes to work today. Not only that, I got through the entire day with them, too (although, naturally, I changed them when I came home for my lunchtime walk with Chappy). I did plan ahead, though, and had a spare pair of lower, more comfortable shoes in the car–just in case.  I’m pleased to report that these are reasonably comfortable for shoes of this type and with a heel this high. It was strange not being able to walk with my usual, long stride, but at least my feet weren’t aching terribly the whole time. The odd part, though? The longer I stood or walked (as opposed to sitting at my desk), the more my ankles got tired. It makes sense, I suppose, because they’re not used to stretching quite that way for any longer than it takes to get a jar from a high kitchen shelf, and yet I’ve never noticed that problem before with other heels!

But, the most important part? Yes, they got compliments. It makes it all worthwhile. (You know, since I didn’t ACTUALLY sprain my ankle or something.)

We had a beautiful sunset here, tonight, though it was harder to capture on film than I would have liked. Still, pretty, huh?

Chappy and I are on our own for a little while this evening, while Mom goes to pick Dad up from the airport. I’m fine with that, but he seems a little antsy . . . I think he’s looking forward to having his Grandpa home! I don’t know about you, but our dogs have always seemed to know when an absent family member was returning from a trip. Sweet, really.I don’t know if there’s a “psychic” thing there, or if they’re just picking up unconscious signals that those of us who are present are sending out . . . fidgets, checking the time, making a little more effort to pick things up, whatever . . . but they always seem to know when The Day has arrived.

Now, I’m going to take advantage of the remaining half hour or so to work on my “Z” post for the ABC-along. It’s one that’s going to take a while, so I pretty much started it right after finishing “Y.” I’ve known for a while what I wanted to do for this one . . . not that I’m going to tell! You have to wait and see . . . What could it be? Zipper? Zenith? Zippity-do-dah? Zebra? All of the above? I’m not telling . . . but I think you’ll be pleased when you see it!

I’m blaming Cate for this one (who, in turn is blaming Imbrium). Weffriddles are TRICKY. Thanks to the hints forums, I’m up to level 26. With many more to go!

And, you all remember what today is, right? These “days in infamy” are getting way too numerous.

Not to mention the wacky weather. A tornado in LONDON??

Tags: Baking, Family, General by Deb
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A conversation while on our walk at lunch today:

Mom: So, how did your computer problems go this morning?

Me: Well, I got about an inch and a half done on my sock. . . . Um, Mom? Why’d you stop walking?

It’s better than it sounds, though. Jack, our IT guy, sat at my computer for about an hour, fixing problems and such. But since he was at the computer, it’s not like I could get a lot of work done. Yet, I couldn’t go far because there were questions like “How much do you use this?” and things like that, so . . . I pulled out my sock. It makes perfect sense, huh?

Actually, he told me that his mother just finished a coverlet (knitted or crocheted, I’m not sure) that was started by her grandmother 44 years ago. Lots and lots and lots of little medallions/patches sewn together into larger ones, which were then sewn together. Frankly, I’d love to see it. But . . . wow. Forty-four years!

Anyway, so after I got her walking again after that unexpected “sock” answer, Mom, Chappy, and I had a lovely walk, but then, just as we were passing our next-door neighbor’s house, we heard a car coming down the road, and so we all stopped–which we always do for cars. But then the car pulled over, too! THAT was a surprise. And even more surprising, it was my sister and her friend, who were just passing by and saw us walking and came over to say hello.

This sounds suspicious, I know, when you consider my sister lives in Pennsylvania and our street isn’t exactly a main thoroughfare. But her friend wanted to stop at Dunkin Donuts, and so they were cutting through our neighborhood on their way to Rt 80. In fact, they were running late for getting home in time for her friend to get to work and the kids to get out of school, but Patty said they HAD to stop when they saw us right there.

I know Chappy would have been disappointed if they had. He was SO happy to see his aunt, he gave her quite a greeting. Then he would pause to sniff something and then look back at her, “You’re still here!” and then he’d jump and wag his tail all over again. All told, I think she got about five, really thorough hellos. Or it could have been more. I kind of lost count. Either way, both he and my sister had BIG smiles on their faces when she got back in the car!

Tags: Family, General by Deb
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So, I’m knitting Fetching for my mail carrier this Christmas. (I know she doesn’t read my blog!) The pattern, of course, calls for one skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. . . possibly two.

Well, guess how many I need?

Yep. I ran out of yarn two rows before the end of the glove. Sigh.

Nevertheless, I’m liking this pattern so much I’m thinking of making a pair for myself. Because, well . . . cozy!

I went back to work today after my long weekend and found a “new” (well, refurbished) computer sitting at my desk . . . one which didn’t want to cooperate pretty much all day. Basically, every program I opened had problems . . . some simple like “Install Upgrade now?,” some more complicated, but none of which I could do anything about because I don’t have Administrator privileges. All the while I was trying to get settings the way I like them, screen resolutions, shortcuts, taskbar . . . In other words, a FUN day.

Which wasn’t made any more fun by feeling asthma-y for most of the afternoon, so now, while feeling better, my lungs feel tired. Ick.

Still . . . short on yarn or not, those Fetching gloves sure look . . . fetching!

(Oh, and I DO have more yarn, it’s just frustrating to need it, you understand.)

Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading by Deb
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As a recovery tactic from this weekend’s stollen adventure, I took today off from work. A lovely day, really. Mom and I went shopping, I took Chappy for a walk, did some knitting . . . Nothing particularly exciting. And there’s not really anything to take pictures of for you, either.

We had “Idaho Sunrise” for supper, though. Yummy and easy.

It’s something I got from Marion Cunningham’s “Supper Book” cookbook. Basically, you bake a potato at 450 degrees. Then scoop out the insides, mash them with some milk, butter, salt, pepper, restuff the potato. So far, fairly basic, right? But THEN, break an egg into/on top of the potato, add a little pat of butter, and put back in the oven for about 10 more minutes, until the egg white is set, but the yolk is still soft. To eat, you stir the egg into the potato and . . . yum. Easy, yet reasonably nutritious (grin)

Tags: General by Deb
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Yikes! Twelve loaves of unbaked stollen! (Eight normal-sized, four mini-loaves.) Talk about scary . . . Halloween’s got nothing on Stollen Day at the Chappy household for frightening….

Years. As in, my car is five years old today. Hard to believe it’s gone that quickly. And oddly enough, I’m usually getting “itchy” about a new car after 4-5 years, but I’m still thoroughly enjoying this one. I could wish for a slightly bigger trunk, perhaps, or some more legroom for back-seat passengers, but . . . I LIKE my car. And as a special birthday treat? Since Dad will be away for the next few days, she gets to sleep in the garage. Woohoo!

Yule. The Christmas season is definitely here.

Yarn. Of course. The last skein of my “raspberry” yarn, drip-drying in the shower. This yarn came out so nicely . . . I’m really pleased with it.

More Yarn. All handspun. In fact, this IS all my handspun–or at least, all that I haven’t given away or knitted into something else. That’s three skeins of the Raspberry there in the front–good representation of the color, too . . .

Yippee!! A row of baked Stollens. I’m DONE for another year!

Yawn! Of course, after all that baking and agonizing, we’re very tired, now….

…. Makes me want to go to my Yellow bedroom and go to sleep….

And, wow, I can’t believe there’s only one more letter to go. I have SO enjoyed this ABC-along this year! But, I can’t wait for Z . . . I know exactly what I’m doing for that one!

Oh–and I almost forgot! I had wanted to add one more “Y” but forgot to dig through the pictures looking for one . . .

Yellow Eyes. My dearly departed Katy had the most amazing amber yellow eyes . . . so beautiful! (Chappy’s eyes are more golden-brown, but Katy? They were actually green when I brought her home at 7 weeks, and then they turned into this gorgeous, topaz color. In fact, they were the inspiration for my bedroom color . . . just loved that.

Tags: ABC-Along, Baking, Katy, Jilly, Muppy by Deb
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I’ve had a very nice, very full, very fun, very tiring day today.

First, Mom and I went to the Morristown Craft show that we go to just about every year . . . I also discovered that there’s an observation window upstairs, from which I took this picture of all the booths.

But–different this year–we had friends! Risa, her Mom, and the twins. Okay, so Alex got a little cranky and tired toward the end, there, but really, they were so good . . . no tantrums or screams, just, well, a little whining (grin). Considering there really wasn’t much for them to actually do or look at (lots of breakable stuff, you know!), they were good. And their antics amused any number of observers, too. Anyway, I bought a couple of Christmas presents, which is good.

After the craft show, we hastened . . . Alex was hungry, remember . . . albeit by the scenic backroads . . . to a nearby diner for some lunch, and then we all came back to our house. Which made Chappy VERY happy. I think he was feeling left out. But while they were here, his tail barely stopped wagging. Nobody does that cute little wiggle-greeting better than my dog.

And then? Well, I mixed the stollen. I’ve got two heavy bowls sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting to be baked tomorrow. That’s the dangerous part. The part that makes me cranky and irritable and dangerous to be around. (I explained that last year.) To make things more challenging, Mom will be home tomorrow . . . sort of. She’s driving Dad to the airport around 2:00, and then is going to stop at Short Hills mall to try to pass some time while I wring my hands in front of the oven, until it’s safe to come home. Poor thing–it’s like she’s being banished. But trust me. She’s safer out of the house!

Now, I’m tired, I have a headache again (third day in a row, I think), and I’m going to go take a nice, hot shower to try to revive myself for the evening’s knitting.

Oh, and I finished my fourth and last skein of raspberry yarn last night. Woohoo!!

Tags: Uncategorized by Deb
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My Candle-Chimney.

I bought this from the Levenger catalog years ago and absolutely love it. Brass, but such a nifty design. (There’s a link here, but the product’s been discontinued.) Anyway, the candle-stick itself is spring-loaded, so that the candle is always raised to the ideal height. It sits in a reflective bowl, which amplifies the light, directing it down toward your book or table, all while the chimney helps keep the flame burning upright, and even, protected from drafts.

This is amazingly good for walking around a dark house, I might add. It’s my lighting-method-of-choice whenever we have a black out. I do not like scented candles (well, maybe vanilla, but anything “stronger” gives me a sinus headache), but the smell of just a plain, wax candle? Love it. And I love the golden gleam, too. In fact, when I was in college and lived mostly with the overhead light in my dorm room, I’d read by candle-light just before going to sleep, so I could “turn the light out” without having to get out of bed. And then there’d be that nice whiff of melted candle wax, and that friendly, last little ember of light before it was all dark . . . I loved that.

I’ve got to tell you, though, taking pictures of this so that you could actually see the candle holder as well as the flame was NOT easy! (grin)

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Tags: Eye-Candy Friday by Deb
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Here’s my reading list from November.

1. WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams (475 p.) A childhood classic I haven’t read in years. Rabbits, adventure, daring-do on a grand, rabbity scale. I was reminded again why, exactly, this is classic. It’s geared toward children, but doesn’t particularly talk down to them. It’s bold. It’s unique–focusing on the world of rabbits but without making them too cute or cuddly. It’s just a delight. Worth reading at least once a decade.

2. TALL PINE POLKA by Lorna Landvik (440 p.) Actually my favorite of Landvik’s books–focusing on a small diner in Minnesota, with the added touch of a big, Hollywood movie production that comes to town. It’s a “cozy” kind of book without going too far into the cliched, small-town thing. It’s enjoyable.

3. ELEGANCE by Kathleen Tessaro (319 p.) An unhappy woman in London comes across an old guide to fashion called “Elegance,” and starts revamping her life to match the rules in the book. Nice.

4. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE by J.K. Rowling (309 p.) Does this need a description? The first Harry Potter book, accept no imitations…. An 11-year old boy discovers he’s a wizard and heads off to Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . . . you know the rest, huh?

5. ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION by Temple Grandin (308 p.) A really interesting book about how animals (appear to) view the world, written by an autistic woman. It compares the way an autistic person perceives things and draws similarities to the way animals appear to . . . fascinating, even if I question at least some of her facts, but so what? It was a great read, completely unique, and almost literally eye-opening, since it made me think of a whole bunch of things in ways I never had before.

6. TO WEAVE A WEB OF MAGIC by four separate authors (362 p.) Four short fantasy novels–some of which I like better than others–but it’s got Sharon Shinn, who I think I’ve established I love, and Patricia McKillip, so how bad could it be?

7. THIS IS ALL I ASK by Lynn Kurland (422 p.) This is about as “romance”-y as I get, and got pulled into this one because the author was one of the four from the volume just above. A quasi-medieval arranged marriage between a terrified girl who’s been abused by her father, and a recently-blinded warrior who’s fulfilling a promise to her brother, but distrusts everyone . . . as you can imagine, they get along just swimmingly . . . it’s fluff, to be sure, but decent for the type.

8. BELLWETHER by Connie Willis (243 p.) My favorite Connie Willis book. (Or, well, it’s tied with “To Say Nothing of the Dog.”) A researcher into the origins of fads gets mixed up with a biologist who wants to research randomness in monkeys . . . all while the company tries to figure out what to do to get a huge, secretive Grant . . . but meantime, you see lots of people following fads (Marriage Barbie! Duct tape! Lattes!). It’s laugh-out-loud funny and wacky all while they try to make sense out of things. Really, I love this book. I’ve read it three times so far, and have loved it each time. (And, it’s usually sold in the sci-fi section since she often writes that genre, but this book does not fit that category. It’s just good.)

9. THE HERO AND THE CROWN by Robin McKinley (227 p.) Another young adult fantasy book. Aerin has grown up as the under-appreciated daughter of the king, who finds a way to fight dragons, while something darker and more ominous seems to be threatening her kingdom . . . which sounds dreadfully dull, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not. It’s been a favorite of mine for years. Who cares if I’ve outgrown the demograpic?

10. PAWN OF PROPHECY by David Eddings (258 p.) The first volume of the “Belgariad” fantasy series, where Garion, his Aunt Pol, and Mister Wolf leave the farm in pursuit of a stolen object….

11. KNITTING BEYOND THE EDGE by Nicky Epstein (155 p.) The third book of her “edging” series, and it’s my favorite.

12. QUEEN OF SORCERY by David Eddings (327 p.) Belgariad part two. Garion is getting older as they pursue the Orb, and has discovered a talent for sorcery himself.

13. MAGICIAN’S GAMBIT by David Eddings (305 p.) Third Belgariad. The end of the quest…. but is it the end of the story??

14. TEACH YOUR DOG TO READ by Bonnie Bergin and Sharon Hogan (187 p.) Exactly what it sounds like. Big flashcards, lots of treats, and patience . . . as soon as I figure out how to laminate the things, Chappy wants to give this a try.

15. CASTLE OF WIZARDRY by David Eddings (373 p.) Book four of the Belgariad. The Orb has been recovered, but there’s still one more little thing Garion needs to do….

16. ENCHANTER’S END GAME by David Eddings (372 p.) . . . Kill the god, Torak, who is determined to rule the world. Really, no problem, right? I’ve been a fan of this series since the early 80s–it’s predictable in spots, sure, but Garion is entirely enjoyable as a character . . . how can you not like him? . . . and his cohorts are also great company. Silk has always been a favorite of mine, and Durnik, and . . . well, it’s just fun. Like comfort food.

17. THE THIRTEENTH TALE by Diane Setterfiel (406 p.) Recommended in my comments by Sherry, I very much enjoyed this book. Margaret Lea, amateur biographer, gets a letter in the mail from England’s most famous author, who’s been lying about her past for years, but wants finally to tell the truth. It’s got a Gothic feel, and mixes Margaret’s story with Vida Winter’s–who tells her life story as, in fact, a series of stories. Not “I was born…” but “Once upon a time.” And the writing? Absolutely beautiful, evocative, moving, descriptive . . . and all this in a first novel. I’ll definitely be looking for more from her!

18. THE CLAIRVOYANT by Marion Thurm (321 p.) Light and fluffy story of Vincent, a clairvoyant/medium and two of his clients, with one of whom he falls in love….

19. THE BLOODY SUN by Marion Zimmer Bradley (372 p.) An early “Darkover” fantasy book. Jeff Kerwin grew up on Terra (aka Earth), but has always longed to return to the planet he was born on, to find out what he can about his mother, and the strange, blue jewel he’s had for as long as he can remember. Imagine his surprise when he finds out that he has laran, those special, psionic powers that Darkovans do so well…

20. HERITAGE OF HASTUR by Marion Zimmer Bradley (351 p.) Another Darkover book, which tells the beginning of the Sharra Rebellion, via Lew Alton’s story and that of young Regis Hastur . . . the Sharra rebellion is a central focus for much of the Darkover series, but, darn it, always ends the same, tragic way….

21. SHARRA’S EXILE by Marion Zimmer Bradley (340 p.) The follow up to “Heritage.” Lew and his father are in exile in the galaxy, but when they are drawn back to Darkover, the Sharra matrix reawakens and causes all sorts of new trouble….

22. WORLD WRECKERS by Marion Zimmer Bradley (215 p.) A pretty mediocre one, honestly, if not out-right bad, but vital to connect the earlier Darkover books with the more recent ones, focusing on Lew’s daughter. Although, since it was written earlier in her career, the quality of the writing and the “internal” Darkover consistencies are, well, inconsistant.

23. DIVIDED BY GOD by Noah Feldman (251 p.) A look at the legal issues of religion here in the U.S., starting with what the Founders (apparently) had in mind when they initially wrote about the separation of church and state, and how that vision has evolved over the last couple of centuries. Fascinating. Especially the way it’s changed . . . it was never supposed to be about forcing/not allowing religion to be mentioned in school, or displayed in a courtroom–at the time, something like 95% of the country was Protestant–it was to avoid the inevitable conflicts if one of the many sects of Protestantism were to become the “official” religion somewhere down the road. Public schools, in fact, were initially promoted as ways to SPREAD morality and religion, even more than reading and writing, and some of the earliest court cases were about Catholics objecting to their children having to read from the Protestant Bible . . . hence the large number of private Catholic schools . . . really interesting.

Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading by Deb
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