A Very Merry Christmas!

Randolph The Butt-Nosed Reindeer and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas!

Pay it forward

Alissa recently asked everyone to pay it forward. Please do this people. Please go out and help people that may not even look like they need help. The simplest thing means more than you can even understand.

Deck the Halls

So I'm not really decking the halls these day, not the upstairs one or the basement hall. I've been stupid busy at work and at home with the up coming holidays. Last weekend I put up the plastic tree and all the various christmas stuff. All week long I've typed, knitted and puttered along.

PATTERN: A Stork's Nest Scarf by Nancy Bush From Jan/Feb Piecework
START: Oh you don't want to know
FINISH: DEC. 7, 2008
YARN: Knitpicks Showdow Vineyard
FOR: ME!

I loved knitting this scarf. The pattern repeats three times then shifts. Its soooo easy to memorize and can actually be worked while you're at work. The yarn is warm and squishy. I would like to have some blocking wires to help get the pattern to show better.

After spending the week in Florida, ugh, my neighbor brought me back a gift. It was kinda a Homer Simpson gift. FISH. A giant bag of Grouper, with the stipulation that I cook for the weekly get-together.

A thick layer of sweet onions then lay the fish over it. Slather the fish in an equal mix of mayo and mustard. Lots of salt and pepper, more onions, think sliced lemon and parsley. All wrapped up in foil and baked at 350 until it was flaky. mmm de-lish.

My co-workers boys have been rounding up the eggs and selling them for $2.oo a dozen....

Toast and eggie!

Making the taste buds happy

The other day I got a random email from a friend I had not seen in about 2 years. It seems to happen like this for me, people I know and rarely see pop out of the wood work. Case in point, thanxgiving. Well its been a while since I saw this person so of course I'll drop everything, which really wasn't anything, to drive to Nashville on a weeknight for dinner. Kevin (we sorta went to high school together, and he was kinda in my wedding) was done with work early and called his girlfriend, "I think I'll drive up to Clarksville, and we'll have dinner there." he says, she asks "where does Claire want to go to dinner." "some place called Margot" "STAY IN NASHVILLE!". Yes Kevin, keep her she's a wise women. I really did wanted to see Kevin, but given the chance to have dinner at Margot, that was really what I wanted to do. I had the tri-tip with an onion bread pudding and Kev had the Spegetti and meatballs. We ended the night with heavenly hot chocolate topped with homemade mashmellows. It was worth the 140 miles of driving I did in one day, but this is how we operate. Kevin once drove from Atlanta and back in one day just to have dinner and ice cream with us.

In knitting news the Storks Nest Scarf is off the needles and the 'lil clap is moving right along. I've ordered some "snowman fixin' " to make the little felted fellows from KnitPicks for a co-worker who is a self proclaimed "snowman ho". I hope that they arrive soon.

Turkey Overload

Very Happy Belated Turkey Day! We had a great turkey weekend here, despite being one short. This is the Hub's favorite holiday (its a toss up with Fourth of July but that's because we can blow stuff up if you could some how get turkeys to go BOOM at the end of the night than T-day would be the hands down holiday winner) and this is first actual missed one. He's been super lucky to deploy minutes after and arrive seconds before the big day in the past but he missed this one. We had not plans to fly home or anything but I conned some friends in to visiting instead. Both Ian and Josh flew in as planned! It was like a little college reunion. We all picked up were we left off. For Food we trucked across the street with fried turkey, stuffing and yummy acorn squash in tow to the biggest thanksgiving blow out party I've ever seen. Two turkeys, and about 9 pies. The food was great, the weather not too bad and the fun was through the roof. Even my new knitting friend Peggy made a guest appearance. Now the boys are back on planes back the their posts and I have more messes to clean up than I though. I keep avoiding them too.

Nice Job Clarksville

So the leads on the Mini Cooper's battery come off from time to time. This happened when I replaced the battery and its the right battery but not the outrageously expensive BMW battery. Thus it doesn't quite fit. Well long story short there I was.... (up to my waist in mud, oh wait thats not my story) its dark and really really cold in the middle of a crowded parking lot. DB's battery goes, pffft and I gotta get out pop the hood and get the leads to re-connect. NO ONE, not a one, Not one freshly returned solider, not one crusty old man, not one stupid fuzzy boot wearing girl, asked if I needed help. HOLY SHIT PEOPLE. Where is our sense of humanity. I had no problem fixing it my self but damn, what if I couldn't fix it, what if was super preggers, what if, what if, what if!!!! Nice Job stupid Clarksville.

Burrrrrr

Its 26 degrees out side this morning.....

I broke out my new winter coat, which I'm very happy with. I can't live without a wool coat, its a thing left over from college and the constant threat of snow.
To go with the new coat I've been on a bit of a scarf kick. The Storks Nest scarf is growing. The repeat is easy to remember and is turning into a great at work knit (as I am typing this my neighbors ill behaved and extremely stupid lab is barking non-stop and setting my teeth on edge).
Working on a second less large Clapotis for wear with the winter coat too, since the collar is very high scarfs can't have as much bulk.

In other very exciting news our friend Ian is currently making plans to visit for thanxgiving, and Joshie (oh I'm sorry I just can't help calling him that) has already bought tickets. All told between four households there is going to be some 20 plus people this thanxgiving! Two turkeys!

Yarn Content To Return Shortly

But For now enjoy these super-nifty needles that we saw at the Fiber Fair in October, I was very close to taking them home.

Remember

My Vetrans

This week we celebrate Veteran's Day in the states and Remembrance Day for our northern neighbors. I have quite of few veterans to celebrate this Tuesday. Starting with both my grandfathers, Navy, My grandfather-in-law, Army and Coast Guard, and my great-uncle, Air Force. Years ago it was me who planned to be in the military. I wanted to fly helicopters for the Coast Guard, but when my eyes got too bad that idea passed by. Then I met Ross, who has known since he was a child that he was going to join the military. It's been a long journey for Ross. He dreamed of being a pilot but the Air Force was not for him and he became an Army Cadet our Junior year of college. He never looked back. The Army has taken us all over the country. We've met all kinds of people and I've been trilled to meet them all. My veterans list is long and happy. Mike, our friend from high school and college who now lives here in C-ville with us, a pilot who always works too hard. Josh, our faithful friend and best man at our wedding, who rocks FA. Ian, a college buddy who can be mistaken for Ross' little brother, who has made SF his goal. Liz, the toughest girl I know with at least three tours under her belt assigned to the SF who just took on the biggest challenge of her life, motherhood. Kristie, my co-worker and what every army girl should be. Tom, my neighbor and the big brother I never had, a soldiers soldier who never forgets what he's fighting for. Eric, my neighbor who could make more money on the outside word but came to America at 7 and only wanted to serve his new country. Evan, a former SF medic turned photographer who's exuberance is infectious.
These are just s few of my veterans. Their stories and experiences are part of the American fabric. These are the people in my life.

Veteran's Day Parade

Clarksville, is well a military town. It is, or more so, was a major shipping city since it sits on the mighty (stinky) Cumberland River. Now that is so very close to the army post, the main source of income is well, soldiers. Being that I had a friend in the parade I was sorta required to go. I was thrilled to find that the parade was great. Full of high school bands, JROTC teams, and lots of kids with flags. I snapped just a few pictures, some 149.

JROTC


5th Group!


The great state of Washington

Eye-Candy Friday

Well at least thats over with now...

Ahhhh, I can't say I'm thrilled but at least its over with now. I can't say that I'm angry or upset either. I feel kinda funny all over like something would be different about the world when I woke up, no nothing. I crossed my lawn and pulled my yard sign up and that was that. The very first time John McCain ran I was in high school and I trucked all over the state (oops, sorry Ross, THE GREAT STATE OF) of Washington, to see him speak. In the end he didn't get the nomination and I was left with the legacy of being called "CLAIRE MCCAIN". My maiden name is McCann, thats 2 C's, 1 A and TWO count them TWO N's. NO I people. It never failed that someone would say "MCCAIN". In fact the hubby said something to the effect of you "mccain women" are all the same, meaning mccann but slipping up. I got to cast my vote for one of my personal hero's last week (I love early voting) and it has been a great thing but now its time to make history. Its time for things to "change" and things to happen. The only thing I can say is, do it right. Don't make my husband, and my friends return to the middle east in 10 years because you fucked this thing up. Don't make promises that you can't fulfill and disenchant the young wide eyed voters who have put their faith in you. Do this soooo very right that you make us all, the red's and the blues, feel proud to have you as our president. Oh and don't take away my Sig, I'll be really pissed if you try to do that.

Yarn Blow out

This weekend was the annual fall Fiber Fair just outside of Nashville.








Lots of yarn, and lots of good food.

Weekend Craft Blow-out!

This weekend was the crafty blow out weekend. I pulled out all the stops and got a bunch done. Knitting, no not so much, but crafty none the less.
I worked hard on Alissa's Halloween costume. Lots and lots of fabric, and lots and lots of skirt. I will not show the finished product. That's for Alissa to show. I spent lots of time cutting and sewing and piecing together.





I did get some yarn though. Three colors to make little crochet candy corns. They're very cute we had a test run at afternoon break. Trust me things like this can be done at afternoon break because they go fast and well we also, kinda, are a little slow getting back to work in the afternoon.

Between sewing I painted this weekend. I managed to finish some paintings to go into the bedroom.


I blocked Basic Black.


I also put a vanity together, from Target. It looks great and is super functional.

Thanx Evan

Good-Bye Paul

Since I was a child I've loved Paul Newmen. From Butch Casidy and the Sundance kid, to the Sting. But when I worked at the Health Food Store in Bellevue as a teen it was then I learned how special he was, all the money he and his daughter gave to charity through his product line. So today go out and buy something, cookies or chips and dip (the organic oreo's are great or the black bean dip) anything but go buy something in his memory. Good bye Paul Newmen.

I saw the silliest thing today

While we were in Nash-vegas today tooling around the big-ass fancy mall I saw two of the silliest things I've laid eyes on in fashion in sometime. Both in the men's department at Macy's. They have these new more life like models like at Victoria's Secret, and there amid the men's overly priced jeans was a plastic guy with a half sleeve tattoo! WTF! The best part was that to get him in to his lounging possition they had to turn his wrist and it messed up the tattoo. Oh and one of these plastic dudes also had what I could only describe as dreds but they looked more cat sucked then anything. The other strangeness was a lovely pair of dress pants with phesents all over them. Little flying, walking, rousting upland game birds all over your ass! Nothing says I have too much money like fowl on your rump.

New Converts and New Projects

Normally at work I knit. Knit at morning break, lunch, afternoon break, the sheer boredom of the new pay chart has kicked in and the once thrilling buzz of a busy fall turns into us out in fields shoot cows just so we can have something to do (ok this would never happen. Only cows that die of unknown causes come to see us and because we love animals that's why we are underpaid and treated like cow pies). All this knitting has going some of my scrap-booking co-workers to at least be more interested in the dark side than before. One friend went online and printed some directs then came to work holding up what looked a little like a cat sucked blue hair ball. The cat had gotten a hold of the ball of yarn, but attached to the hair ball was a wee little knitted square! So the BVC is starting to breed knitters and not just I have yarn show me how to make this into something knitters, they are I can do this myself kind but what is gods name did I do here could you fix it please knitters.
I stuck my head into the lab one afternoon, while I was busy out and about somewhere's else and waiting for me was our building's big guy in maintenece, fearing that one of my incubators had gone down or worse the air handler had shut off and I'd have to spent the rest of the afternoon in a 80 degree oven. Nope. The building is frightfully old and painted with a color most closely resembling fuzzy silly putty, hang on I'm getting somewhere, so they are repainting. They want a mural, and they want me to paint it. WOW! Um I'm kinda shocked and very flattered. Plus I'm helping Alissa make her Halloween costume. Right now I feel so very crafty, and needed.
Plus I've got some new projects to tackle in the not so distant future.
Yarn for the Hemlock Ring, It will be a little small.


Yarn for a baby sweater.


Yarn to make a Sheldon, which I started and about took an eye out with my DP's so I will come back to the little guy one day after I get better with those silly things.

When do people grow up?

We all say, "when I grow up." as little kidos. That we might be something, or do something or just get to sit on our butts while watching TV because we can. The funny thing is that it seems that fewer and fewer people are actually growing up. While they get bigger and get jobs they still act like sullen twit children when told they have "to do" something. They get pissy, they get rude and do silly immature things. Take a co-workers half-ass comment, as we were leaving work. LEAVING WORK, all day to say this, all day to just say, "hey why didn't this get done?" or all day to reflect on the fact that it totally her job too and she never once lifted a finger to work on it. "If someone had just done this in her down time it would have gotten done". You gotta say it all snarky in you're head too. You know that making microbiologist mad isn't really a top shelf idea. Whatever, is all I have to say. I admit I kinda dropped the ball, I kinda didn't tell anyone that I was working on the computer system at a snails pace but shit people it's not just my job its all y'alls. Plus I'm not a "senior lab tech" soooooo ergo NOT JUST MY JOB. So everyone out there today, take the high road, do something mature and good. Tell someone they look good, they did a good job and then get back to work. Then apply for a job at Books A Million!

Home Sweet Home

Home! Seattle home is good, clarksville home.... the best since its my bed, my stuff and my house. Budgie lives here too and I miss the little guy. Got some good pictures, some good stuff (no yarn or fabric) and well some good treats for the neighbors. Gotta get up and go to work in the morning so I should call it a night.

Long weekend

Ahhh I love a nice long weekend. I love them even more when they aren't because I took a day off. This means there isn't extra work for me to un-f@#k when I get back. I took full advantage of my extra off day by getting crafty. I'm stilling working hard on my Basic Black Sweater. I've finished the two fonts and the back. I will cast on for a sleeve tonight.
See I'm going to Seattle for a few days. I plan on eating and eating, and getting in some Seattle-y-ish-ness. Its a long flight so me and my iTouch are planning on a few things. The First season of Mad Men for one thing, at twenty bucks this is steal for some 13 hours of tv watching. Of course I will be knitting the whole time. Sleeves, just knitting sleeves. I didn't knit much over the long weekend but I did indulge my other crafty habits.

The Big Bag, with the trip coming oh so close I actually got cracking on this. I was a little put off by the instructions and the use of interfacing, but once I got started it went really fast.


Bad lightly I know, but it was like 10 at night.

I also got out the beads...

Made a few necklaces, which this one will be featured in The Big Seattle trip.

I promise to write while I'm in the emerald city (yes that's what its called) while drinking lots of good coffee, nibbling on fried clam strips and crab cakes. The D40 is going with, so lots of pictures! A little yarn, some fabric and seafood what more could a girl want for her 4 year anniversary. Oh that's right HER HUSBAND! Oh well the Hub should be in the states and in my possession for our 5 year!

No good reason.

I admit it, I have had no good reason not to blog. No major events, no trips to Europe, no pressing projects that required every second of spare time I could find. Nope just me being lazy and one two hour phone after another. It seems like every night for the last 2 weeks and been me fielding calls or running around like a recently beheaded poultry. My eye appointment (which thankfully was a big NO CHANGE, because I have currently have 3 pairs of glasses and a pair of Rx sunglasses) took well over an hour. I had veg to round up since it was a veg thursday, and right as I undid my pants to finally change into some comfy clothes, PHONE! Turns out that some times its ok, since it was the Hub.
I have been knitting, still on the basic black and the storks nest lace. I've been cooking, mac and cheese for work, chicken for neighbors. I've been burning myself on the bbq and cutting fingers while making pasta salad. We hit Nashville yesterday for some new furniture and a little clothes shopping, funny how boys are worse then girls when they actually get into the shopping groove.
Besides all this silly stuff I also caught some pictures of the Humming Birds. I was super busy last week and didn't get to fill the feeder ONE DAY, just one. When I finally filled it up it didn't empty I found out why..

I have a watch-bird. He sits, he waits, he drinks, but don't try anything this feeder is only his.

MINE!

Sundays

Ah Sundays... Since I didn't get a move-on until noon I felt I should make up for it. I cleaned out the old veg bin. Since we've (Jen, Blue-Bird, and I) have been getting our bi-monthly organic veg bin I've been struggling to eat all of it. Its just me here these days and I'm lucky if I make dinner let alone prepare a veg to go with it. So I rooted around in the cupboards and in the crisper, pull out everything that looked like it was still half alive and cut it up.

Then it all went into a pot with the some chicken stock....

BOOM, soup is born. I hope it turns out ok. Besides soup I've been knitting too.

OUCH!

I think I just fell off the wagon. The great big diet adventure (GBDA) only really lasted a good week before a stood up and the fell off. Lots of reasons none of them good enough to justify my lack of mental fortitude that I've been exhibiting. I lost about 2 pounds and forgot to post. So here we go again, I've flagged down the wagon and am climbing back on.
I've also been really lazy. I find that I the less time I actually have the more I get done. The more time I have the less I get done. This reversal of the norm stems from my high school years when I was at school and working and volunteering and seeing the boy (the hub before he was the hubby) and cleaning houses and, and, and. I can manage 20 minutes but not 6 hours. So I find myself making lists just to make lists and feel like I got some where. So now its time to buckle down and work my butt off. Both with my workouts and with my work.
keep you posted!

Projects and Progress

I'm a little house bound this morning, waiting on the neighbors cable guy while he takes his fam to lunch plus the impending visiting of a friend. So I figured I would just clean up a little and show you what I've been up to. For starters it was veg week for us half box CSA people, and we got WATERMELON...

After I consumed most of that I had some knitting to do. I might be moving slowing on it but I can't wear it for a few more months any way, I finished the back of Basic Black.

Of course this is just the shoulder shaping.
I've kinda lost my knitting mojo these since the summer has arrived. I've been trying to stay away from the tv and when I do watch I'm at home so my knitting has suffered. I figured I could do with something more engaging then basic black for my evening knitting. The sweater will be my "take to work" knitting.

So I rummaged through the stash, and pulled out some magazine. The Stork's Nest Scarf from Piecework was perfect. Plus I had yarn!

Tomorrow after I clean the bathroom, I'll start some sewing.

Thanx Jeff

While my Mom visited when got manicures and pedicures from the great ladies over at Gist. One of the ladies is a TN/KY boarder native and gave us the skinny on some of the stranger and cooler things around this parts. One of these strange things is a huge ass monument to the one and only confederate President.

So we drove out, I took some pic's and we went to Hoptown for lunch at a kickin' little place called Lic's.

Well this all comes back to Jefferson Davis because today while I was cruising along highway 41A after drinking a whole soda and having frozen groceries in my boot (trunk for non-mini drivers). I came to a full stop. All of us where forced to turn around. I was dangerously low on gas and was forced to return to Hoptown. Now I'm stuck, the little highways were full up with big ass trucks and mini vans. MMMM Wait! The monument! I just drove back there and then home. If I had never ventured out to see the old guy I would have spent an hour in first gear. Instead I zipped home with the windows down and the AC off listening to my music very loud.
Thanx

Great Big Diet Adventure!

Hi everyone out there in blog land! Tomorrow begins day 1 of my great big diet adventure. I'll weigh in and measure up tomorrow and then we'll get this thing started. I've got to get down to about 135lbs. So you're all going to help to keep me honest. We'll start this in the morning for now its bed time.

Welcome New Friend

I've always loved odd old things. 1963 Chevy Nova's, single stitch Singer Sewing Machines, Sets of vintage red bakelite kitchen canisters. While out on a mission to find a new pressure cooker sealing ring (long story that has nothing to do with me) and while on company time I found this.....

A 1935/36 Royal Touch Control, in its original case. Still works too,

No idea what I'm going to do with it other than type poorly, but it'll be fun. Plus its very photogenic. Smile!

'Maters

Yumskie....

I couldn't wait any longer so off the little guy came, and into the house.


I chopped it up with some fresh basil and popped it into my pasta dinner.


I've got plenty more on the way.

In other news, I finished a little project..