Gotta Knit!

Those Darn Fireflys

It began long ago with some Firefly string lights I had gotten.   Kept wanting to put them up but there was all the cobwebs and mildew.   The Man and I live in what once was an old forest area.   The top of our street is breath taking most of the year for you are driving under a canopy of very tall old tree limbs that cover the street till about midway down.    We’ve got trees in our backyard that it would take three adult to fully wrap our arms around.   This brings the owls, hawks, all sorts of birds and animals including a small turtle or two to our backyard.   The only downside is we, along with everyone else on the street, get mildew.   So the Firefly string lights had sat till time was had to kill the dreaded mildew.

 

Then came the weekend before the Great Christmas Tree Hunt of 2009.   We decided that maybe, just maybe, The Man’s mom was right and it wasn’t the smartest thing to have the Christmas tree by the fireplace.   The Man had witness just how fast a Christmas tree catches on fire and turns into a raging inferno in their parking lot early this year.   I don’t know, this is what guys do for fun, right?

 

 

So the summer porch became the Sun room project this weekend.   Nothing like dragging up 28 window planes of glass, washing them down with soapy water followed by Windexing them only to be followed by having to put the darn things up.   When it was all done we were off to a well deserved Mexican night out.   Today was the Firefly hanging!   I’ve had these things for over a year so I’m thrilled to pieces to have them up.  

 

Here’s hoping for some more secret knitting tonight!

Giving into Temptation

Isn't it the easiest thing to just slide down that slippery slide of temptation and into the pool of "I HAVE TO HAVE THAT NOW".  Well that is what my little voice is screaming at me.

It starts slow with a piece of candy here, a cookie there, then there is getting two boxes of new stationary,  a new electronic gadget (it rocks by the way and totally worth the Bentley price.  Comment if your interested and I'll reply gushing.   It is amazing!), followed by a piece of jewelry (oh wait that was those earrings in London I had to have),  then finally giving in to two knitting accessories I've wanted for a while.  

Go with me here but doesn't every knitter's library need this book in it?   I had her two other books so naturally this was the next step.    I've got a feeling getting the DVD of her TV show is going to be the follow up.

Then there were the needles I've been drooling over ever since they came out.

 

It's that Time Again.

For us Americans,  Thanksgiving is knocking on our doors but I've got the Christmas spirit going on.    This past Saturday I stared at the indoor and outdoor decorations but managed to pull myself away.   Then Sunday we went to a local garden center looking for more plants for the backyard remodeling project.    The garden center was half full with fresh wreaths and Christmas trees.   Even I have to admit that you just can't get a Christmas tree or wreath before Thanksgiving!

So what is a girl to do except pull out her Christmas Lobster flannel PJ's!

Have been working on my never ending cotton yarn Clapotis some this week.   But mainly have been whipping along with a secret knitting project.

Knit, knit,knit.    Good for dark restaurants, reading the latest Rowen Magazine at Knitch and watching "Shaun the Sheep: Off the Baa!"    If you want a funny quick watch this is a MUST RENTAL.   Kid appropriate and darn funny.

Even got all fancy pants with my secret knitting.

Simplify.

 In the past I have made a few resolutions each year and then that developed into making a change that was pro-active and positive instead of a hard and fast resolution.   It worked quite well for several years but I was stuck drawing a blank in late 2008.   Somewhere in early 2009,  I came across an idea that spoke to me.   It was in the midst of all the blogging about New Year’s Resolutions when I read a comment on whatever blog it was that she just chose a word for the year.  Eee gads that was it!   So I sat there for a few minutes when suddenly a word bubbled up.   “Simplify” and that was it.  

 

Pillaging in my life began in my closet.   Pulling out shirts, skirts, pants and what-nots.   Taking a hard look and pondering if I’ve worn it in the past year.   If not then why?  Does it fit correctly?   Does it compliment me?  What about the color?   Is the style still me?  And most importantly how do I feel in it?   I got rid of bags of clothes, shoes and accessories.   Then a few weeks later I redid it all again and got rid of more.  It truly is very freeing and I believe the key to it all is to focus on how you feel.   Why use things that don’t make you feel at your very best?

 

I have even applied it to what I wear for work in the yard.   It is amazing how changing from wearing yard clothes that I hate being in to a few yard clothes that I like can change how much I enjoy working the yard, my energy level and my overall contentment with life on the weekends.   Since doing such a simple thing with my yard clothes it has made me more productive in the yard, talking with neighbors so much more and I’m not as tired at the end of a day.   Try it you might just be surprised at the results.

 

Then the simplifying process began to spread to other parts of the house.  I eventually had to tell The Man if he found things in the trash to not pull them out again.   From tossing cooking utensils that don’t work very well, to blankets with growing holes, hair/skin products that never lived up to their promises to an amazing amount of books that I will never read because I have no interest in the subjects the house began to be simplified. 

 

 Now I would love to say there is nothing left to simplify but we all know that is not how life works.  So I will keep on as the urge moves me.   “Simplify” has served me well for 2009.   There have been changes on how I do my work, my overall relationships, what I surround myself with at home and at my work desk, what I am reading and doing.   All of the simplifying has left me ready for 2010.   My new word “Expand” came to me last weekend and when I quickly decided that was the word for 2010 so many opportunities began arriving on my preverbal doorstep but that is another post in the making.

 

So Last Year!

It seems the Fashion World has finally caught up with us knitters.   Wasn't it last year that one of "THE" scarf patterns to knit was the Mobius?   Or was that the year before?    I'm so way behind the cool pattern knitting.   Usually I end finally knitting whatever the "It" pattern is a few years later.   But even I knew that this was way back in our fashion trend.  

Lucky Magazine November 2009.  Sorry for the head twist but can't make it turn right once on blog.  Rather annoying isn't it?

We knitters are so ahead of the curve!

Peanuts Anyone?

Came home to find this the other day.

A not to subtle hint from The Man that he wanted some boiled peanuts.   Being the modern Southern housewife I have switched from the big pot of salted water with green peanuts simmering away for 8 or so hours to the oh so quick pressure cooker method.    Give um a try.   I brought some in to work and converted two people into boiled peanut lovers in no time flat.

This Little Fishy

Elizabeth Zimmerman's Maltese Fisherman Hat!

It's done.  I love it!

Lamb's Pride Worsted yarn doubled in Sable.

Have to say making the ear flaps were the most fun part of the whole shebang.   Reading and following EZ's pattern all the while thinking this just does not make any sense but that is part of the fun of her patterns.   I'm knitting away blinding following with the secure knowledge that in the end it will all come together and look magically wonderful.

 

Love how the ear flaps cane curl up in the back.

Decided to make the i-cords a little long.   Wanted a saucy bow in the back for when I'm feeling sassy.

Multiple Obsessions

Can't remember if I mentioned in all the backyard remodeling talk that part of the next phase of the areas that are done plant wise is mulching.   Wednesday I had the day off so was waiting for the Mulch Dude to come and deliver.    Now I've got a ton of mulch to move.

It might not look like much from the photo but let me tell ya it is a big huge honking mound of mulch.    8 cubic yards if that means anything to you.    So I scurry home, throw on my gloves grab the pitch fork and tossing mulch I go.

I'm thinking by Spring 2010 I might be finished.

With having yesterday off,  I was trying to catch up with my blog reading.   I innocently ambled over to one of the fashion blogs I read and found the boots of my dreams.  

Wonder how much a pint of blood goes for nowadays?

Sorting, Digging and Hauling

Another gorgeous day out in the garden.   The remodeling is still moving forward.   I've chosen this to be a remodeling project because we are gutting and moving and changing at least 80% of our backyard so I think it definitely falls into the major remodeling of a room (so to speak) category.

The Man was hauling mulch from a year ago so it was more like composted dirt to cover last week's veterans of the big move.   I was over in the corner playing what dug up bulb goes where.

 

Hauling bricks to line a path.

                                     

Then came the time The PLAN had to be consulted which we both find goes best with a beer and a glass of wine.

Finally once everything had been consulted, discussed and written the the digging up, measuring where to go, digging new holes and planting 8 Hydrangeas and one other plant started happening.

Now waiting for some chicken to be roasted and some squash to finish baking.

An Afternoon with Bacchus

The Man, myself, a few of our friends and most of Atlanta went to a wine festival yesterday.   That was the less crowded side.

We did find some good wines that I'll be going to the store to get bottles of.   We also ran into a Mad Housewife that got along great with The Man.  Which is good everyday wine by the way.

 

After a few hours sipping and sunning, I needed a break in the mist.

 

When we were all wined out it was off to be dined.   Ended up at a local restaurant with the absolutely weirdest waitress ever.   Now my friend is going to be a bit disappointed but there is just no way to describe the absolute bizarreness that ensued for the next hour and half.   Our waitress had to get our drink order at least 10 times and let me tell you it wasn't a difficult one.   She repeatedly grilled two of our group that did not want a glass of wine on to why.   Mind you we'd been drinking wine for three hours so enough already.   Then she kept coming back to ask if we wanted a bottle of wine.  By the 12th time I had to growl "NO, we do NOT want a bottle of wine."   Then there was the whole thing with one of ladies at the table.   When the waitress would put down a glass in front of her, my friend would go to reach for it and the waitress would promptly snatch it away from her and replace it down on the table.    When this same person finally got her tea order that I eventually had to order for her in order for her to actually have something to drink this was how it was served.

 

Lost count at around 50 how many times our waitress said "I'm sorry", she kept telling the tea friend she looked sad and was wanting to hug her.    I'm talking multiple, multiple times.   The whole experience was the most bizarre one I have ever had with someone giving me some type of customer service.   It finally got to the point The Man had to firmly tell her to leave us alone and "we would like to finish our conversation."    He toyed with the idea of asking the owner to give us another waiter but was concerned that would only escalate the personality issues with the waitress.   

It was all I could do not to go up to her when we were leaving and say "Honey, you need medication."