Satisfying Saturday
First of all, no, yesterday’s Sky picture was NOT taken yesterday. Our weather from about 8:00 am onward was pretty much freezing rain. All day. Gloomy, wet, dreary day that at least was Friday. I tried taking a couple of pictures from my car on my drive home, but the vibration of the running motor made the low-light shots pretty much impossible, and this was the best I could do. Luckily, though–here at least–while the rain froze to all the vegetation and the sidewalks, the streets were not slippery for driving. Which is good because I don’t particularly like driving on ice. Snow is okay, but ice is kind of scary.
Today’s weather was better, though not as nice as it was supposed to be. They’d forecasted partly-sunny and 45 degrees, and while it did reach the 40s, it wasn’t remotely sunny and it felt cold. We’d already promised Chappy a visit to the park, though, so we bundled up and headed out around 11:00.
We gave him a surprise, though. My friend Cindy lives right next to our favorite park, and while we always call to see if she’s available for a walk, our schedules never coincide. But, today she was waiting for a furniture delivery, so we detoured over to her parking lot so that Chappy could see his friends, Horatio and Princess. Horatio is Chappy’s best friend–he’s three weeks older and they’ve known each other since they were about three months old. Today was the first time they’ve seen each other, though, since Chappy’s 5th birthday, a year and a half ago, when Cindy brought her two dogs and Risa brought her two toddlers and joyful chaos ran amuck for an afternoon.
Anyway, Chappy and Horatio were delighted to see each other, and immediately started doing their signature wrestling . . . which starts as wrestling but very quickly (these days) ends up with Chappy sitting on top of Horatio. Something he doesn’t do with any other dog but which Horatio seems quite content with. Really, they’re very funny together. And thankfully a lot calmer than when they were puppies. That very first visit to the park back in 2001? It would take us 20 minutes to walk 10 feet because they’d continually stop to play. (Hey, when they went to puppy school together, they had to sit at opposite ends of the room, just so they could concentrate.)
After the park, we stopped at Starbucks for some hot beverages to warm us up . . . and a cupcake that we paid for but that didn’t get put in our bag but that we didn’t realize was missing until we got home . . . Chappy got a badly-needed bath, and then I baked a cake.
Cook’s Illustrated had a yellow cake/chocolate frosting recipe that I wanted to try. I love trying different recipes, and I really love the magazine which rarely steers me wrong, so since this is my favorite cake combination, I had to try it. I haven’t tasted the finished result yet, but I will say that I wasn’t impressed with the frosting when I was making it . . . far too runny for a supposedly “foolproof” frosting. As in, it was running down the sides of the cake and off the dish as I frosted it. And the layers kept sliding in opposite directions. Maybe the chocolate was still too warm when I added it to the butter/cocoa/sugar mixture? But it was still this runny even AFTER I added extra confectioner’s sugar in a desperate attempt to solidify it a little (grin). Anyway, Dad–the only one so far to have had a piece–said it was pretty good . . . but it doesn’t compare to the family-favorite Grandma Cake. (As if it could!)
Oh, and then I tried a little modelling. I put on my new sweater and then wandered around the house with my camera and my Gorillapod, trying to get you a decently-lit photo of me in my new sweater. Um. Some of them came out better than others, but here are the top three.
(As you can see, Chappy helped!)
And, lastly, a couple links.
Colleen’s post about a Ravelry thread written by a bunch of, um, overly-devout knitters who entirely misunderstood the point of her subway-pass mittens. It’s really a little frightening in its hilariousness.
The Writing Forward blog has an interesting challenge going–to write a sentence that’s over 100 words long and THEN to write it again in 10-words or less.
And, lastly, speaking of photography (as I was the other day), look at these great tips for flash and lighting things you can do yourself. Personally, I’m enamored of the diffuser/ring flash made from an old milk carton. For that matter, here’s a page of “best tips” which are darn good all on their own. (Although, some of them require a more advanced camera than I have . . . maybe someday, though!)
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Tannenbaum.
House Calls
I particularly like the picture of Chappy helping with the picture!
Ok, I’m going to have to check out that Subway Pass Mitten thread…
Chris’s last blog post..Third Annual Bloggers’ (Silent) Poetry Reading for the Feast of St. Brigid
You guys were lucky to get out today. We have inches of ice all over everything. I haven’t been out of the house since Thursday! I baked a yellow cake today, too, but I made Grandma frosting. Love you.
Love it when the ice coats the trees like that. It’s so pretty.
colleen’s last blog post..This Explains A Lot
Great pics - it looks like Chappy is doing fine and had a great day!
Must…not…engage…fanatics…on…Ravelry…must…not…though…severely…tempted…………….
Amy’s last blog post..Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
Funny about dogs, huh? Zuzu greets her bro Sid with wicked and nasty sounding noises, and sometimes this still frightens him, but then they run around the yard for hours, wrestling, playing, hanging out. Gracie, however, can’t be in the mix… she stands on the outside of the action and barks and barks and BARKS AND BARKS. She’s fine alone with Sid, and they get their time too… but they haven’t had the history together the other two have (even though they are all from the same litter!). Your sweater looks great, I like where the button was placed.
lisa’s last blog post..c is for canadian colleen’s canoeing cat
Phildar looks great! You looks so happy to be wearing it. I like how Cindy has a short squat dog and a tall skinny dog. Too bad about the frosting though.
Kim’s last blog post..Go Ahead
Chappy is so cute! Love your new sweater as well!
Tanya’s last blog post..The simplest post ever!
That looks like a perfect day:) I love how the sweater turned out! Great colour on you too.
deb’s last blog post..It’s no photo Sunday!
Gorgeous sweater, Deb! The button is so perfect and the fit couldn’t be better. Your haircut looks great and Chappy, what more can one say about the most adorable doggie in Blogdom!
Nice sweater! That turned out well - even with the arduous wait for the pattern. I’m glad you could find more yarn to finish it up (you did end up having to find more right?), very good color for me…hint hint…
I too enjoy the Cooks Ill recipes, though their yellow cupcake recipe SUCKED! The ganache frosting with that recipe was awesome, but the cupcakes were trash. I should have known by the stupid mixing instructions.
I’ve got to check out the subway pass mitten thread.
Nice Chappy got to visit with his best friend! And he was very helpful with the sweater pictures.
Carrie K’s last blog post..Third Annual Brigid in Cyberspace Poetry Day
Hmm, I wonder what the ring flash diffuser would do for red eye in cats? Next time I see a distilled water jug (looks like a milk carton too and I am more likely to see that!) I might give it a whirl. Seems like a pretty simple thing tht i could even use on my point and shoot camera, just have to position it right…
Carol’s last blog post..Darn, Darn,Darn!
Very nice sweater. I have assistance with my photography too.
I love that Phildar cardi on you! How do you like it, are you happy with it?
The new cardi looks great! Bell sleeves fidget me, but they do have such a nice line - I shall admire yours.
I had a look at the mitten flap on the designer’s blog and on Ravelry. It appears to be the opinion of one rather fearful person and not widely shared. Much ado about nothing, I think.
Ina’s last blog post..Phlogiston After
Holy crap for crap. Mittens as a sign of the rapture? I intended to blather about poetry and your lovely new sweater, but my Subway card is bringing about the end of the world, so I haven’t the time. Snort.
lanea’s last blog post..A blogger’s (silent) poetry reading
Lovely sweater! Thanks for the link to the milk carton diffuser - exactly what I have been looking for. As for the mittens - sigh. Lets hope they don’t take notice of my recently released camera mittens pattern - which nobody to date has realized were actually designed for the purpose of discretely exposing one’s microchip-laden index finger….
Ruth’s last blog post..Just in Case
The new sweater looks great! And I just can’t believe what went on with Colleen’s mittens. What a bunch of nut jobs…
Congratulations on your sweater! It looks great.
As for the mitten chip thread, that is too much. What’s worse than the Second Coming looming any day is the fact that many, many people in this country would agree with the person who posted that thread. That’s what keeps me up at night!
jessie’s last blog post..That was then, this is now
Great sweater pics! It looks perfect on you. And Iove Cook’s Illustrated too. Have you seen their Best of Cooks cookbook? It is seriously awesome.
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