June 2010

Hello friends,

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, we have finally warmed up here although the beaches are overcast and cloudy each morning and afternoon.

I have been knitting very little since my promotion at work. I am working on a teal scarf in the Loose Lattice Lace pattern for a friend who just moved to Chicago. I figure I will get it finished in time for her to wear it this winter. It is really turning out pretty. I wish I had a picture to post for you, maybe next time.

Oh, I just finished baking a Peach Blueberry Pie double crusted pie, it looks great! The peaches are off of my Dad's tree here in the yard and they are really good.

I wish you all a "Safe and Sane" 4th of July!

June 2010

Hi my Faithful Followers!

S0 many things have happened since the last post, the sun is now out here in Riverside County California!

Okay, grab your cup of coffee, or tea, and let's catch up.

I have finally come into this Century, well as far as the year of my car that is. I bought a 2008 PT Cruiser...I love it! I certainly do enjoy my drive to work so much more, no more squeaks, no more adding oil to the engine every week, no more rolling down the window to be able to open the door...YEAH!

I also received a promotion at work, Jitterbug, I am now at the bottom of the ladder in Management, a Lead. It will get me off of the phone for 2 hours a day, and that is wonderful!

My youngest daughter, Nina, and her boyfriend Jonathon went to his Senior Prom, she looked so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes!

My older daughter, Alisha, just finished her second State Competition for Bikini modeling and won second place. She will now go to the National Competition the end of July in Las Vegas, NV.

I have not been able to get much knitting in lately, but I did finish my Moving Shawl (see the picture?) and Citron (sorry no picture yet). I am not sure who I will give it to yet, but it will make a great Christmas gift for someone.

What has been going on in your lives?

Have a wonderful June!

I'm ALIVE and WELL!

Wow, it has been such a long time since I have posted anything on here. A lot of things have changed since January.

I have moved in with my Step-dad to be able to save money, and my girls have moved in with their paternal Grandpa.

I am still at Jitterbug (the cellphone provider for people looking for simplicity in a phone), I know this sounds like an ad but I am in sales there so what can I tell you. Tomorrow is my six month anniversary there and I finally get to have weekends off again starting tomorrow. Yeah!

I am still knitting, although I do not get as much time to do so but I will post some pictures for you to see what I have accomplished.

The weather is finally getting a little warmer here in California. I have lived here all of my life and have never seen this type of weather here, it is so strange.

Oh, and we also had a very strong earthquake that lasted almost a full minute. It's epicenter was in Mexico about 60 miles from where I work. It rolled and rolled and rolled, not our standard earthquake as they usually roll and then sharply shake. Unfortunately for the residents of Mexico it did cause extreme damage.

When It Rains It Pours!

I have heard the phrase "When it rains it pours" all my life, but it was always in context to Morton's Salt however this week it has taken on new meaning here in California. Today we are experiencing buckets of rain with Flash Flood Warnings and Wind Advisories.

I also have heard of the flooding in La Canada (pronounced La Ca-na-da, not Canada), and then there is the flooding and possible tornados in Long Beach as well as "water spouts". Poor San Diego County really got hit too, check out the link to see what when on there.

Thankfully I have today off so I do not have to drive the hour in the storm, I think I will spend my day building an Ark just in case we need it after next weeks storms.

Stay warm and dry!

Out with the OLD and In with the NEW!

In keeping with this "Out with the Old and In with the New" theme, I will now post my last finished project from 2009 (Blue Babushka) as well as my new project from 2010 (Lacy Baktus).

Okay, I normally do not make New Years Resolutions however I am in the mood for a huge change in my life. Therefore I am committing to losing some of the weight I put on over the last 5 years! I am not going to do this by going crazy on some diet, but by changing my lifestyle.

One of the reasons for this change, other than the obvious...I want to be healthier, is I intend to run the Susan G. Komen 5K (3.2 miles) in October in honor of my Mom, Melody, who survived breast cancer. I have wanted to do this for a long time as I know any money I help to raise will benefit us all, but also because she was very courageous in her fight against breast cancer.

A second reason for getting fit is because I want to feel better about myself, and even though I will be the same person whether I am thin or chunky, I will have more confidence in myself if I lose the weight. Now, with more confidence I may actually start contemplating the idea of dating again.

So I say again...Out with the Old and In with the New!

What are your plans for the New Year?

January 2010

Hi All! Here are the promised Christmas pictures, sorry I forgot to take one of the tree by itself. Instead you will see my children and me!








This is a picture of my youngest daughter Nina and me.



















And this is a picture of my oldest daughter Alisha and me.





Here are charming family photos of all four of us. The man in the picture is my 25 year old son, Rick. It seems so weird to call him a man, but as you can see he is.

This was our first Christmas together in 6 years. My son has lived in another state for the last 6 years and was unable to get home for the holidays. He now lives here in California so I get to see him more often.

Here is a picture of me and my Grand-dog Allie. She was dressed for Christmas too.

I wish you all a Healthy and Prosperous
New Year!

November

I can not believe November has already flown by, how has so much time passed so quickly? This last month I started my job at Jitterbug, I have been driving two plus hours a day to get there and back and it is making me tired! I am thankful to be working again however so I will cease with the complaints.

Next week I will decorate for Christmas, and I will post again, with pics of the tree.

I really have not been able to get much knitting done now that I am working, but I did finish my Babushka and will post it next week too.

I hope you all have a great week!

Time to Cook!

I am trying this recipe I found in a Jan/Feb 1979 issue of Cuisine. Remember how great those recipes always turned out? Here is the recipe for you, I will let you know how it turns out later.

Pork & Cider Casserole

Serves 6

2 pounds lean boneless pork, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 qt (4 cups) cold water
2 cups apple cider or apple juice
1 can (10 3/4 oz) chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley (I used dried)
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon lime juice

2 McIntosh apples, pared, cored, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used mild)

1. Place pork in 6-quart Dutch oven; add cold water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 2 minutes. Drain; discard liquid. Clean pot. Rinse meat with cold water.

2. Combine cider, broth, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, salt, paprika and pepper in dutch oven. Add pork. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer partially covered until meat is tender, about 1 hour.

3. Mix milk and egg yolk; stir into pork mixture. Work butter and flour together with fork on small plate; whisk into pork mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in lime juice.

4. Heat oven to 350. Place pork mixture in 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Arrange apple slices in concentric circles on top. Sprinkle with cheese. bake until cheese is melted and browned, 20-35 minutes.

This turned out really well, the flavors were so good together. I think next time I make it I will put it a bottom crust.

Changes

I am feeling out of sorts this weekend. I think it is because there are some major changes coming to my life when I start working again on Monday. While I am very excited about working again after being unemployed for over a year, I am also really apprehensive; what if I don't fit in...what if the drive is too much for my old car to take...what if I don't meet the goals of the job...what if...? Yeah, you get the idea.

To make matters worse one of my BFF's just left on a cruise and will not be back until Sunday. I am so happy for her to get to go on this knitting cruise with her mom, but I really want to be able to have her available to talk to when I need some strength next week since she has become my sounding board.

Since I just turned 50, I guess I need to put on my "Big Girl Panties" and deal with it. I know I will be fine, I have the skills I need for the job, they must feel I will fit in with everyone there because I had two aggressive interviews and still got hired, my car seems to be running fine and I have always been able to work through any stresses on my own in the past.

So why do I feel like this?

I am BACK!!!

While I was away from my blog I celebrated my 50th birthday with my best buddies. I woke up to a decorated yard, there were balloons, banners and bunting all stating I was "Over the Hill" and "Turning 50". Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture to show you.

I then met up with the girls for a road trip to yarn shops. Of course I had to wear my birthday crown, because I was the birthday Princess, and a round button was pinned on my top which blinked I was "50"; thanks Cally. After we were done shopping for yarn the girls treated me to lunch at Islands. It was one of the best birthdays ever!

I worked on several bags this month. I really like the fabric on this bag.

This one reminds me of growing up in the 70's, so I had to make it.

I originally bought this fabric to make a blouse but decided it would be better as a bag.

This fabric belongs in a Dr Seuss picture, I love it!

This is going to be one of my future bags.

I love this fabric by Michael Miller.

Aren't the women gorgeous?

Here is another future bag.

I started a new shawl called the Babushka, I am using Alpaca with a Twist FINO; it is a fine fiber and a little hard to work with but I love how it is turning out. Oh...it is soooo soft!

I also started a bobbled edge scarf using Cascade 220. The cables are a nice break from working on lace.

I completed my Batkus.

I think it turned out rather well, and I enjoyed your comments about this project.

I also completed three beanies for a friend's son and his platoon who are stationed in Afghanistan and freezing. I am working on another beanie for my daughters friend who will be going to Afghanistan in January so he can stay warm.

And finally, I landed a much needed job with a Company called Jitterbug (no, not the yarn) which I will be starting on November 2nd.

Baktus Progress

Yeah! I am finally done. I think it turned out really nice and I appreciate all your wonderful comments on this project.

I am so happy because I am at the half way point on my Baktus. It is turning out much nicer than I first thought it would, and I will probably actually wear this during the winter. Here is the picture, let me know what you think.

BAKTUS

BAKTUS

Yesterday it was so hot here that I did nothing but knit all day. I started a Baktus. What is a Baktus you ask? It is a knit scarf that uses up left over yarn. Baktus is also a character in a Norwegian classic story for children.

I happen to be using my LANG Jawol Superwash wool for socks, I have about 400 yards of it so this should be enough. I sort of like the way the yarn is striping, but I am a little worried about keeping the pattern when I add on the other half of the scrap. We will see how it turns out soon.

I also worked on my Gail Nightsong Shawl. It is such a difficult lace pattern that I really need to concentrate on only it while I knit or I will end up having to pull out the rows I completed. This was the case yesterday, I put in 1 lace row, then the purl back row, then started the next lace row and discovered I had too many stitches. I ripped it out and redid the rows and went to start the next lace row again and found a lack of stitches, so I again ripped out the rows and decided I would turn off the distracting television program (Design on a Dime) and started over. This time I completed the three rows with no problem...whew!

Oh, by the way, that cupcake I posted about previously was out of this world delish! Too bad I just started a diet, I guess there will be no more cupcakes for me for awhile.

Progress!

Let's See What Has Been Going on in Debbie's Life...

Yesterday I finished a blouse, and it turned out really cute. I made it from the fabric I purchased for $1.98 a yard at Jenny's Fabrics. The total cost of the blouse was around $6.00, I love that!

Today I went to Aroma's Coffee & Floral Shop to meet with my "Knit Biddies" and had a lot of fun, there is a picture of them above my ramblings here. Click the link on Aroma's to see what people are saying about our great Wednesday morning meeting place.

Today I also went to the Post Office to get my Passport so I can go to Costa Rica in September, that is if the Passport arrives in time. I was so shocked when I saw how much they charged for the four little pictures for the Passport, they were $40.00. That is absolute highway robbery!!! I was so distraught that I had to fork out so much money for those photos that I really needed something sweet to quite my nerves, are you buying this line? I went to The Cake Cottage Cupcake Shop near the USPS. I ordered a coconut cupcake, see the picture? I have not tasted it yet but will let you know how it was when I do.

While at the cupcake shop I noticed on their door that the Baker, (Susan Carberry), for the shop will be on TLC on August 31 at 10:00pm Pacific Standard Time to compete in the "Ultimate Cake Off" competition. I tried to get out of them if she was the winner, but their lips were sealed as she is under contract and cannot disclose who the winner is until after the show airs. It will be fun to see if she wins.

Allie's potty training is done and she is finally starting to get used to Buster, even though she still keeps her distance from him most of the time.

I made another bag. It is much larger than the other bags I have made in the past, but I like it better because it only uses a quarter yard of each fabric where the other bags used a third of a yard of each fabric. I also was able to put a pocket on the inside of the bag to hold my notions in.

I have mastered the cast on for toe up socks, I am truly an expert at this cast on as I had to redo my sock so many times to get the gauge correct, and I am now almost to the heel on my first one. By the way, knitting socks on two circulars in the toe up method is sooooo much easier than on double pointed needles. Next time I knit socks I am going to try doing both socks on the two circulars at the same time.

I had a garage sale last Saturday and made a little money. Woo who, money is always good!

I suppose this is about the extent of things for now, not too exciting lately but at least I am slowly getting things accomplished.

I wish you all a great week!

My Monday

My daughter moved back home a week ago, and she brought my "grand dog, Allie" with her. Allie is a teacup chichuaua who has only lived in a small apartment for the last year and a half of her life. My daughter trained her to a "Potty Mat" as she had no yard for her to use. Well, there is NO WAY I am having a "Potty Mat" sitting out in my house when there is a perfectly good yard for her to use, so over the last week I have been on potty training duty as my daughter has been working.

When Allie first went into the yard she was terrified of the grass, the wind (seriously), flys and bees, and any noise she heard. I sat out in the yard with her for 2 hours for her to become accustomed to the smells, textures, bugs and wind. Yeah, it worked! She now loves the yard, and she is really taking to using it as her bathroom instead of my floors. This makes me very happy!

Buster is not so happy though, he is a bit jealous because his momma is spending time with someone other than him. I am really making a huge effort to keep him happy and secure by spending so much time petting him and talking to him, but he is still jealous. He wants ALL of me, and does not want to share with Allie. I have posted a picture of his typical look over the last few days, he looks so left out.

Tonight Buster and Allie actually played together, sort of. She is really timid with him because he looks like the "Incredible Hulk" to her (she told me this). She likes to hide under my computer desk when I am on the computer, of course Buster is at my feet also. Tonight she was swatting him with her tiny paw, and then he would try to crawl under the desk (which he is too big to do) to get to her to play. It was pretty cute.

Anyway, they are wearing me out! I have not achieved anything over this week. Well, that is not exactly true, today I got ONE bag made, and pulled out 30 rows of lace on my socks because I knit them wrong (probably due to the dogs interruptions) but that is all I got done. Tomorrow I will achieve more...I will, I will, I will!

Good night all, sweet dreams!

My Saturday Excrusion

Today I spent my day revisiting a wonderful fabric shop I used to work at in 1982. I did not get to visit with my old boss as she now only works on Mondays and Fridays, but I did get to buy some awesome fabrics for two blouses, and two project bags, as well as notions (Notions and Patterns are always 20% off) for under $25.00.

For anyone interested in going to this store here is the information: JENNY'S FABRICS, 8984 Warner Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, (714) 847-2202.

Wednesday's Fun Project!

My friends and I meet every Wednesday to knit and chat, we have so much fun together. For this week we were able to talk our friend Cally into teaching us how to make her great project bags.

I love the two bags I made! I already have my projects in the one and the other is waiting for me to pick it up and put my knitting in it.

My friend Cheryl's bag turned out so adorable also, she has an Airedale and the fabric has Airedales on it. I have linked her bag on here for you to see, actually you should read her Blog as it is very fun and interesting.

Some of us were a bit challenged in the sewing department, don't worry Stephanie I won't mention any names. There was an excuse offered as to why this person was unable prepare for our class. The excuse was that her dogs ate the instructions for the prep work of the bag, the only problem is the accused dog is a teacup chihuahua. LOL We did not buy it! Anyway, Stephanie was our hostess with the most est, so in the end Cally made a bag for her.

Susan made a really cute bag too, although I have no picture of it. Poor Judy was not able to sew her bag together because her sewing machine was on the blink, she spent the whole time trying to get the tension corrected and finally gave up.

My latest HEADACHE Shawl!!!

My friend, Cally, is a very experienced lace knitter, she is really a natural when it comes to lace, and I have been working on a KAL Shawl called "Gail Nightsongs". I suggest to anyone reading this, as well as their friends and friends friends, to NOT make this shawl. While it is simply gorgeous, it is equally confusing and difficult!

I would have given up many times on this project had it not been for my slave driving friend! She has been figuring out the very poorly written pattern the whole way, and now is working on her edges. I am fortunate enough to be able to glean from her hard work and just knit whatever she tells me will work. LOL Even with that being the case I have made too many mistakes for my liking, but I will persevere and someday finish this blasted shawl, or I will die trying.

I must offer my most sincere thanks to Cally as she carries most of the headache for me to be able to do this shawl. :)

Sorry about the poor pictures, the shawl is not big enough to really get a good photo. Also I believe the varigated yarn does not help, I have posted a picture of it with filtered sun so you are able to see the true colors of my yarn.

Yarn is Panda Silk made by Crystal Palace and may be purchased at Daily Fiber Yarn. I am intending to use 3 skeins.