Big X-mas Wrap Up, Part II

Well all the gifts that needed returning have been taken back, the gift cards spent and the prime rib digested so I should get to putting us pictures and taken down christmas.

These sisters were my favorite gift this year

Pull them back and watch them race.

Here's dinner, it tasted just as good as it looked. But after all the messing around in the spice cupboard we went out and got one more christmas gift, thanx to the gift card Mac got us

All the important ones are stuck to the wall now.

While I didn't get yarn or any yarn gift cards, I got two books for Christmas. I've even managed to start another quick project that I hope to get done so I can get some use out of it. le Slouch!

Big X-mas Wrap Up, Part I

We had a good old time this Christmas with my folks here. From cooking too much food to silly gifts. The days leading up to christmas where filled with trips the grocery store and BBQ fun. The Hub and the Dad had way to much fun with grilled meat and open flames.

We made ribs two ways.

Did yummie BBQ chicken and then Ross tried his hand at the art of sausage making.

These are the "fresh" unsmoked sausages, both spicy and not so spicy before they went on the grill and a few hours later...

Here they are all smoked and ready to eat.

The holidays are all about food in my family!!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone, just a day early!
ps it's my birthday today :)

Almost Christmas

Well its almost here, we've gone to the grocery store everyday since my parents arrived. Tomorrow is birthday and then christmas!!! Yippie

That sinking feeling.

It could be all the rain thats causing that sinking feeling and my house is finally slipping down the hill side or its the impending doom of the seattle trip. I'm generally in favor of flying the friendly skies and hitting up the evergreen state but its only a four day trip and then we turn around and have christmas. I'm a little stressed. Oh bother I'll be ok, the trip will be great, you can't see me but I'm making that if you take my picture I'll kill you smile, great just great. People I don't know or care about that much on the married in side of the family here I come.

Flat as a pancake

So this morning my "butt Light" went off while I was driving. No this isn't a warning that my butt looks big in these pants or that the driver of the car next to me is not paying attention because they are scratching their butt, but that I have low tire pressure. It looks more like a butt then a flat tire. This is quite normal when we're having bad or abnormal weather (tomorrows high is 72, Baghdad's is 67 just to put in perspective) so I just turned the stupid flashing beeping light off and drove on. After lunch though Steve called the lab to let me know, that it was in deed flat. Very very flat. UGH!!! So steve pulled the air compressor around front topped it off and I drove off, about two blocks until it started to loose pressure again. A nail was all it was, all patched and fixed for 14 bucks. But it just goes to show you that even your car will cry wolf.
Tomorrow, the hubby's birthday!!!

“Men seldom make passes At girls who wear glasses”

Thank you Dorthy Parker for that gem. It was new glasses day for me saturday. Big deal seeing as thats how I see. No contacts for me any more, they really bug me. So me and super high prescription popped into Lenscrafters to escape the terrors in the mall (grrrrr to x-mas gifts) and there they were on the wall..... still there waiting for me to take them home.

They have little black sparkles all along the top and on the sides. I finally have sparklely glasses.
I also got a second pair (ummm I have a special account from work to pay for this, so stop thinking I just won money off a scratch ticket and didn't tell the Hubby.) These are my "normal" glasses...hahahhaaa

Love them both, and since my prescription hasn't changed, or I'm in denial about it changing and haven't gotten my eyes checked again, I have 3 pairs to wear!!! this is fun.

Rules are meant to be broken

Out of complete and total boredom I broke my own "no knitting where coffee can not go" rule.........




thats my super high tech lab I work in. Hiding behind the knitting is a stack of old plates labeled "s. aureus, FREEZE" that hasn't happened nor will it, thats what grad students are for and I don't see any.

Not to jinx it..

...but come on already. We're super slow these days at the lab, and I don't know why. Its been cold and rainy, though not at the same time. Cold and dry one day and wet and mild the next. I guess the cows just aren't getting E.coli from each other any more. Here we test samples from both living animals, sent in from vets offices, and DEAD animals that we process here. Normally the bulk of work comes from the dead critters. We were to have this major "fall rush" which never seemed to happen, except from a brief push in October. mmmmm so that leads me to my next question what should I do with myself. Write out christmas cards, hit up amazon.com for gifts, or just sit here with blogging at work. I would knit but I do draw the line some where when it comes to big nasty germs and hobbies. I used to knit at the hospital but that was different, no bacteria just blood products and bodily fluids. I make it a rule not to knit where I wouldn't drink coffee, but x-mas cards they're fair game so don't lick them ok. Stayed up to watch the football game last night, grrrrrrrr I really wanted the tom brady to loose, grrrrrr. Oh well they'res always next week. Time for lunch!!

Updates...

Leaf Tie Cardigan


The Social Disease

Mint Chip

As promised the Mint Chip Pattern


Size:

One Size

Materials:

2 or 3 balls Lion Brand Lion Wool or another 100% wool worsted weight yarn

US 101/2 needles

4 Stitch Markers

1 button of choice

Gauge:

Not really a huge issue


Cast On: 39 Stitches, K in garter for 40 rows.
Pick up 20 stitches along left edge, 39 across CO edge and 20 sts along right.

Sides:
Join the sts and work in the round.
Round 1: PM, K 39, PM K20, PM, K39, PM, K20.

Continue until the bag reaches desired hight, remember it will shrink by about 25%.

Decrease before and after PM on the last 2 rounds

BO: BO the front 39 sts, place the next 20 sts on a holder, K39, place the last 20 sts on a holder.

Flap: K39 in stockinette until you're flap in large enough, keep in mind it will shrink a bit.

Strap: Pick up one set of 20 sts and knit in garter until you're strap is large enough for you. Graft the the other 20 sts.

Pocket: CO 39 sts and work in garter for desired number of rows.

FELT!!!!!, felt pocket unattached

Finishing: Sew pocket in to purse with tapestry needle and matching yarn.
Make short crochet chain for button and attach the button to the front.
Stuff full of goodies and wait for people to complement it.

Aftermath

Well the major November holidays are all over with. Thanxgiving, the real thanksgiving, and black friday. I hit the shops for about 20 minutes yesterday, drifting clear of the toys and kitchen area and was in and out with ease. Came home entertained Mikey's folks, laughed, and watched the look of motherly horror spread across Mom's face as they say things like "we saw a lot of action in (insert combat related story here)". We cleaned up, and sent the guest on their way home and waited.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, the food, the chatter and the laughter, but its also the time of year when people go away. It also marks the return. Two years ago was Ross' turn to go but with great luck he returned the weekend before his favorite holiday. This year was Tom's turn, well after dinner we took him and team mate to post and sent them on their way with a short goodbye, hand shakes and hugs. Wish them luck and keep them in your thoughts.

Today we indulge in turkey sammies with Evan and Mu and a little Nashville time tomorrow we CLEAN!!!!

Mint Chip

Its really been done for a long time I just never got around to adding the pocket and putting the button on. Well Sunday was a lovely 65 degrees so I sat outside and knitted, as well as finished my purse.



I will write the pattern and get it up this weekend.

Thanxgiving with a X

Well thanxgiving has come and gone, the damage has been done and the food on its way through the jujunum. As previously stated I wrote instructions for the party goers. Rule one was 10 lb turkey and pumpkin pie, instead I got a 19.96 lb turkey and dry pumpkin loaf. Grrrrrrr, we won't name names but come on people.

It was a beautiful turkey though. It took and hour and half for the oil to arrive, once again grrrrrrrrr. It arrived with the question of, "did you need this" No we were just going to bake a fried turkey.

After a good binding Edweena the turkey fit snuggly in her basket and went for a 400 degree dip. Out she came crispy and tasty. I miss the crap shot that is an oven turkey and the great ego boost when it comes out all nice and tasty, but I left this part of the meal to Hubby.



So even the great Evan as run into this strange food phenomenon too, the easiest thing you make is the biggest hit. I made cranberry sauce, one bag of the little red things a cup of sugar and some vinegar and ginger turns into......"ooooooo you MADE this" Yes and the stuffing, the potatoes and the gravy. People it doesn't always come in a can.

In the end it was all worth it though, or it just seemed like it after all that wine.

Pre-Turkey

Today is the weekend before Thanksgiving, which is traditionally Thanxgiving. I make dinner for my friends who will be heading back to their family homes for the calorie laden holiday. I've been doing this on and off since I had an apartment in college. This year we're breaking with the mold of Jenny-O turkey loaf and making that old southern gut buster, THE FRIED TURKEY!!! We assigned each dinner guest a few necessary ingredients and we'd do the cooking and provide the turkey fryer. ETA for food stuffs was 1500 (3pm for non-military reference) its 4:15, no calls of "the grocery is packed, we're running late." or "We're running late for reasonable reasons." Funny how turkey can't cook without peanut oil! For once these guys aren't getting a fully prepared meal when they just show up. I've taken a mess of pictures of Edweena (our 20lb turkey) so if this thing ever gets off the ground you'll get before and after, if not you'll get before and Mexican.

VEGAS!!!

A weekend in pictures


Ross at the Memphis Airport at about 8AM



We wrangled a Limo from the Airport to the MGM Grand since there were 4 of us in the first wave.



This is Mike's Default camera setting, I have about 8 pictures just like this.



I went to get a water and some BOOM, this was in the room. I was a little late to the game



Yes we're drinking before noon local time, it wasn't pretty.



The green stuff, absinthe.



MONORAIL, waiting the whole six minutes for the next train.


The weekend was great, lots of great photo ops, but this is the winner



GO, Mike.

Back Home

All home from the Vegas weekend, in all it was a great time. Now the clean up around the house begins. I need more time off.

Getting better

I'm getting better. This would be my answer to, "BRING OUT YOUR DEAD". I've got a nasty cough but my voice is getting there. I went to work of four hours to work up my 285 milk samples and hit the listeria enrichments (caution science talk) I worked up a few tests, assisted with the 48hr reads and then ran screaming from the building. Ok so it was more of a little mouse squeak. Went to target and blew a much of money for the vegas trip. OUch this thing is killing me. I came home, napped and then was extra lazy for the rest of the day. I have to be speaking on thursday because we leave to go to nashville and since the while lot are leaving early, its hotel room for us!!! Weeeee.

Lost.....

i have completely lost my voice. This has never happened to me, I've been raspy or horse but never once have I lost the complete ability to form sounds into words. Its pissing me off. I've drank about a gallon of hot tea, a full bear of honey and a whole squeezie lemon, still no dice. The gin and tonics may not have helped, the overly chatty friends, or the staying up late on time change day but come on, NO VOICE. The best I get are little squeaks, and a rocking smokers cough. Alas I'll just get a big over coat and a blond headed friend who does all the talking.

PICTURES

I have great light in my office, not as great as my kitchen, but not bad...

Lovely pinkish lace weight for a yet decided shawl

Ooooo this is my sale yarn, 500-ish yards of sportweight which itches to be made into something non-sock.


Finally I tried out my other lens from my film nikon and got this shot..

Fiber a go-go

Last weekend the knitters and I went to a smaller fiber fair. I missed it last year because I was working at the hospital and had to work weekends. This year I wasn't going to miss it for anything, include and not limited to husbands returns from one month training events in other states. Lucky for him and me he was scheduled to return late that night, thus giving me a bunch of fiber time. It was a yarn group snowball, I picked up Jen, we drove to Phil and Judie's, who then drove to exit 11 to get Karen, we all squeezed in and drove to exit 24 and took Debs supermassive mobile down to nashville.

Beautiful canned goods that I forgot to go back and buy, I had so much yarn I really should haven't spent the money anyway.

SHEEP!
There were quite a few of these guys in all colors and breeds, it was neat to see them all. Some rabbits and some cats, no chickens that I could find.
I got some lovely bits at Fiber Denn, who never lets me down. Her colors and yarn is some of the best. I got some fiber too, silver baby alpaca and got to spend sometime with the wheel I want. Which I have been green lighted to buy, but will wait until at least tax return season to plunk that money down on a single item again, see last post.

We moved on from the fair after we had all made some purchases and then hit the yarn stores.
Naughty Knitter first. Since they are by far our favorite yarn purchasing place in the nashville area.
I got a few little things......(Pictures taken with Nikon D40 ahhhhh its so nice to have full control of things again)

I got the last Hippo they had, thanx to Rachel who made sure I knew they still had one left.

Finally a ball of my favorite artyarns colorway, 127. It stripes all pretty and I can hardly wait to knit with it, but I'm sorta at a crossroads of what to knit and can't decide.
Moving along, we concluded that we were all hungry, all that yarn can do that to you. Back in the beast and on to Threaded Bliss. None of us had been there since it was sold and we were all quite curious, so off we went.

Three balls of Dream in Color was the answer. It is much more green than that, but alas I have no photoshop......anyone, anyone. This will become the "social disease"of scarfs. I may start this before Vegas, or not.
Carrying on from there, Haus of Yarn once again peeved us all by saying they were closed at 10 'til 4 to a car full of knitters on a roll. This was my nap time, I had about hit a wall, having not gone to bed until about, eh 2am and then having slept poorly, and then getting up early. Napped until the weeeeeee hours of the AM and then picked up the Hubby. Spent Sunday washing every green sock, uniform and light brown shirt in the house.

More pictures later..

Random acts of gifting

sometimes the husband just out does himself, this was on the kitchen table when I got home today...........

who's going to mess with my stuff.....

Now that Robert Goulet has passed away who is going to mess with my stuff at 3 in the afternoon when my blood sugar is low. Damn.

ouch, ouch, ouch....

Ugh, so I feel like a t-rex after weed whacking the yard. "My forearms are just as useless as yours" to quote an old Far Side cartoon. Since I have massive weeds rather than grass or landscaping to hold up the hillside it must be whacked not mowed. Yeah weed whacker not made for 5'2" girlie girl. UGH. Needless to say, no working out for me today. I plan to hit up Lowes for some house painting bits and pieces, drop off a load of crap at good will and plant a nice fall pot for my front door, so that it looks as someone actually lives at my house rather than a mini cooper.

Lawn down, weed whacking to go

So I finished getting my front lawn, dirt, crap, in order about 20 minutes ago and now I'm pooped. I still need to start the weed whacking, that I'm a little nervous about though. Never done it but it should be funny. Think I'll start in the back where no one can see me, neighbors are gone. Speaking of neighbors gone, no one lives in Clarksville any more the whole damn army is gone, the units not deployed are at JRTC and the SF is about to go on winter cycle so if you want to go out to dinner, shop at walmart or just about anything without having to wait six months now is the time. Sorry there will be no action shots of me making a fool of myself.

It's cold

Hot Damn, its 41 degrees outside right now. OOOOOO. In Idaho it would have snowed by now, and I'd be wearing my "big" coat to class, but as long as it was dry I'd still have some flip-flop days. I miss Idaho. I still have grass thats working on growing and plants that need planting. We'll see.
Coming up this weekend, Claire and the weeds, stay tuned to watch me mow and weedwhack the small jungle in my backyard. Giggle with my neighbors and wonder at how I haven't gone clean through the power cord yet. Cold beer and bbq to be served after.

All but the Zipper

I finished the Zip cardigan last night,

All the crochet is on and the ends woven in. I still have no zipper for it and it needs to be pressed. I'm very happy because it fits great. Now I'm turning my attention to my perfect pie shawl. I'm on a knitting mission this October to clean out all my knitting projects and start fresh. I'm even working on killing my, cough cough... stash. Ok I have no stash, its like 3000 yards of some yarn that I got on sale. I do have a nice selection of sock yarn though. The sock yarn sits out in a pretty basket.

Gonna be on TV....

HA, kicking! At about 10 they stuck their heads into out lab and yelled... "BE HERE AFTER LUNCH RIGHT AT 1, THE NEWS WILL BE HERE" Channel 4 nashville, 6pm there or be square.

The Zip Cardigan without the Zip

When we bought our house, they said it was a split level without the split......um that wouldn't be a split level then. We have TWO stories, or a main level with a basement. Well thats how the Zipper Cardigan is right now, just a cardigan. I can't for the life of me find a zipper. I will in the end get from Zipperstop since they are the end all in zippers. I wanted to find one a little less plastic zipper-y and more fashion but eh.

I am super pleased with the set in seems they fit great.

I will need to block a little more, but my goals for the month are to get this thing done and wearable for the fiber fair on the 27th. I better get a cracking on that crab stitch.

Ending Starts

I've been knitting a lot as of late, but not really getting any where important. Many months, and I mean Months I started and finished the Zipper Cardigan from Blue Sky Alpaca.....

Then we moved, and so I packed up the sleeves and fronts and back. I started feeling the tell tale heart, or sweater in my closet. Tick tick tick of my needles in my sleep and when I looked longingly at other patterns. I gave in and pulled it out. I had not problem with the seeming which means my scientific knitting worked great, I'll explain latter. I know feel a bit better about a new project.

I've finished the "mint chip" felt purse, felted it and knitted the inside pocket but not felted that yet.

Its just waiting on the floor, just right there were that picture was taken. I've also been working on the socks, but since they just get toted around in my purse they don't always get so much work, but they get to see all the sites. Mainly the inside of a lab desk.

Crazy news story of the week and great new graphic, I wana be the person who made this thing.....


If you wana know I'll answer any and all questions it falls under parasitology.

A little bit of everything

Here are some pictures of this weekend so far....

Ross went to look at this car, its all painted and ready to have the last pieces put on, like windshields and weather striping. He says that it looks great. I'm really excited that its going to be done.


Here's a look at what we had for dinner, strangely this weekend was both Ramadan and Yom Kippur, we basically we offended the worlds two other major religions in one tasty piggy-rib bite. Ross handled the rubs, one sweet-ish one spicy. We had some curly fries with them, because they were clogging up the freezer and they needed to be eaten. Plus chips, salsa and TWO pies. Key Lime and oreo. Watch out when army guys go to the grocery store after eating nothing but MRE's for a week. But every last crumb of pie was eaten, all but like three ribs and ever fry was consumed like locus descending on the crops.

Today, sunday, we were going to work on the front yard a touch but have forgone this for a better sunday treat..... FOOTBALL. Ok so Hub is watching football, I'm chilling and cleaning a bit and will be over for football in the evening. I was also going to make meatloaf for dinner, but since we've basically stuffed our colons full over the passed few nights I think that a nice pasta meal will be more welcomed. Not sure what yet. I've got to get some things at Target today so I'll do that too.

Mint Chip purse

I have finished something in the knitting world, my Mint Chip felted purse (pattern to follow). Ok so I know its just a lump in this picture, but honestly its felted and just waiting patiently on my office (a total mess) floor to be finished completely. I plan on some pockets and a nice brown, chocolate like button for the flap. More pictures latter

Mint Chip purse

I have finished something in the knitting world, my Mint Chip felted purse (pattern to follow). Ok so I know its just a lump in this picture, but honestly its felted and just waiting patiently on my office (a total mess) floor to be finished completely. I plan on some pockets and a nice brown, chocolate like button for the flap. More pictures latter

Mint Chip purse

I have finished something in the knitting world, my Mint Chip felted purse (pattern to follow). Ok so I know its just a lump in this picture, but honestly its felted and just waiting patiently on my office (a total mess) floor to be finished completely. I plan on some pockets and a nice brown, chocolate like button for the flap. More pictures latter

Weekend.........

First All the Plants had to come out, the dead, burned to a crisp nothing plants..........


Then Ross got working on dirt, that we call a "LAWN"


Then we called for backup, Tim came over to help so I could go grocery shopping


When I got home it was done, and my plants where very happy.