Warm Ewe Up Bi-Weekly Blog Question #3

What is your favorite way to keep warm when it's snowing outside?

I've enjoyed reading the responses of the other swap participants. They talk about the baking they would do, the making of homemade soup. As I read them, I'm picturing Martha Stewart-type perfection and organization - which is a good thing.

Just not what one would find here at the Haus.

My favorite kind of day is an adult snow day - one where the snow comes on a workday - and is large enough of a storm that I am forced by road conditions to stay at home. It's a Pajama Day where no work is done - neither professional work nor housework. The cell phone is ignored as much as possible. If nothing more interesting has been recorded on TV and we're between Netflix deliveries, then the BBC Pride and Prejudice DVDs are watched. (Oh, Colin Firth - how I do love your Mr. Darcy!)

If I'm feeling domestic, oatmeal is made for breakfast or lunch or dinner (I can't be the only one who likes to eat breakfast items for other meals) - and not the instant kind. And, of course, one must have walnuts and cinnamon thrown into the oatmeal.

Any baking that happens around here comes after the tube of Pillsbury dough is popped open or a can of soup is heated up. If I'm feeling particularly adventurous a comfort food casserole gets made. Ah, Tater Tot Casserole - nectar of the northern gods. All comfort food recipes must include inordinate amounts of carbohydrates and some type of cream soup, preferably cream of mushroom. The cooking of any casserole assumes, however, that one has all ingredients on hand. (In pajamas all day, no showering, etc., means no venturing out to the grocery store.)

Of course, the cats take turns napping in my lap and I'm able to knit so much that my fingers are sore the next day.

I love Adult Snow Days.

But the best way to keep warm? Don't go outside.

(Before The) Weekend Update

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words



This is what my life has been like this week - shut up in the office until late with take-out dinner - then getting home about midnight - or later. Sigh.

Secret Pal 13
My Secret Pal sent a marvelous treat this week. (My pal has impeccable timing.) "I Love Ginger Cookies" from kaikai yumyum. (Click on the link if you want mouthwatering temptation.)







Knitting
At my place of employment we have a crafting group that meets at noon each Wednesday - most of the group are knitters, but there are some who make jewelry, work on cross stitch, etc. I made it to this week's gathering so I actually have daylight pictures of Girasole (although keep in mind the photos are taken in my office under flourescent lighting).





I am almost finished with skein #4 and have decided to one more repeat of Chart E than the pattern calls for. I've only got charts F and G to finish, then the edging. I believe I've got enough yarn (6 skeins left) to support that decision.

Weather

The frost has left wonderful patterns on our back porch windows. (Click on the photos to get the full effect.)

Rebirth

It is so difficult to find the words to describe the past week.

About the inauguration itself much has been written that expresses, far more eloquently than I can, the feelings of our citizens and the citizens of the world.

But what has been most notable for me is that the hope, the feeling of pride, has not faded since last week Tuesday.

It's hard to believe after enduring the nightmare of the last eight years...but my god, we actually have a president who is honoring his oath of office to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Who is honoring the words he spoke in his Inaugural Address:
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake.

He's keeping his campaign promises. Click here to see how.

We finally have a government that, rather than holding itself above the law or breaking the law, is actually working to follow the rule of law which is a fundamental cornerstone of our democracy.

Another positive step - he's lifted the global gag order.

With each executive order and presidential memorandum, our country is regaining its purpose and place in the world.

Doesn't it feel grand?

I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair

Ginger Lucy, I don't think the arrival of your package could have been better timed!

On today, of all days.

On a day that feels like Christmas and New Year's all put together - full of hope, full of anticipation, full of goodwill to all, full of resolution to fix the mess we're all in.

And best of all, the first day of washing Chimpy McCokespoon Generalissimo Stupido Arbusto George the 43rd outta our hair and sending him on his way. We can only hope his future will hold some indictments for him and his friends.

How fun to get a package here that says "Royal Mail" - it's the Hyacinth (anything with a royal warrant) and anglophile in me.

Look what she sent winging across the pond - soap she made by herself. Read all about her adventures here.



She also sent some crisps. (Notice DH couldn't even wait for me to take the picture before opening his bag!) My bag lasted longer (but not by much).

She even has her own labels...



and wraps them in paper matching their name/ingredients!



And yes, Lucy, our new town is so small that your package was safely delivered - even without my surname on it!

Warm Ewe Up Bi-Weekly Blog Question #2

If you could only knit with one brand of yarn for the rest of the year, what would it be and why?

My gosh, you might as well ask "Which of your children is your favorite child?" or "When did you stop beating your spouse?" or some other question which is equally as impossible to answer.

I don't enjoy contemplating questions which start, "If you were on a deserted island..." mainly because I know I am a fickle, fickle person. I know that if I would be limited to one thing, the thing I love most would soon become what I detest most.

I can't even travel for a weekend without carrying along more projects than I could finish if I did nothing but knit for 3 weeks straight - because you never know when you might end up on that deserted island.

Well...

There's Cascade 220, which is the workhorse of the knitting world, I think. Good for many projects (sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, bags, maybe even socks for wearing around the house) - soft enough for garments yet can also be felted.

But I might have to choose a brand of lace weight - at least large lace projects would take most of the year to complete. (Ooooh! Have you seen Mountain Colors Winter Lace? Fab-u-lous!)

Then again - if somebody else were paying for the year, I'd choose buffalo, or cashmere, or quivet! Some luxury yarn that has a price per skein which makes knitting a simple long scarf extremely cost prohibitive.

See?

Fickle, fickle, fickle.

In The Deep Freeze

Hey! Who turned off the heat?!?!?!

It is colder than (fill in your own description here - mine are not printable). The temperature right now is -4 degrees (-20 celsius for you readers north of the border and across the pond). Wind chills by Thursday are going to be minus 25 to minus 40 degrees! At this rate, hell will freeze over. This is one of the distinct disadvantages of getting older - my tolerance for this extreme cold is lessening with each winter.

Reason #921 for a stash - insulation.

My Secret Pal must have foreseen this need for additional insulation. Get a load of this -

Hmmm...what could it be?


The Loopy Ewe wraps the items in tissue paper and includes a little bag of Hershey's Kisses.


A preview of spring.


And to encourage some sock knitting around here - 2 skeins of Malabrigo sock yarn


and a cool case to put my sock project in!


I'm pretty sure my Secret Pal didn't intend this - but they also included a cat toy which provided hours of amusement.

Both cats spent the better part of the day squeezing themselves into and out of this box.

What an incredible package - thanks so much!

I haven't had a chance to sit down and knit this week - but am itching to resume Girasole as I'm coming up on the end of skein #2 and skein #3 is burning a hole in my knitting bag. If I can get to late night knitting this Friday night, progress will be made!

OMG! OMG! OMG!

Such were the exclamations emanating from the Haus this afternoon.

It's not often that the mail is greeted with such enthusiasm here. Maybe post office delivery people should carry the same gadget as did the policeman in victorian times. Today was out of the ordinary - with the arrival of an extraordinary package from my angel (mommabear6976 for those of you on Ravelry) for the Ravelry Swap On A Budget.

The box had this message.



Holiday ribbon as a packing material.







The colors in this skein are fantastic.







(Click to see the beads in better detail.)









Unpacked, the goodies took up one end of the sofa! I think Mommabear went over budget on this box - I can't believe how much she fit in it. At last count,* there are 2 patterns from my queue in Ravelry, a skein of hand-dyed (by her!) laceweight merino, 2 skeins of Patons' Classic Merino (which are destined to be a sweater for my soon-to-arrive nephew), stitch markers (made by her!), bath salts, a journal, and an abundance of chocolate - hot chocolate and snacking chocolate. Plus, Mommabear included 3 recipes - Buffalo Chicken Dip, Dump Cake, and the last for Rich Hot Cocoa with three variations of peppermint, vanilla, and cinnamon.



I'm still in shock.

Did you know if one has no smelling salts on hand one may substitute the fondling of merino as an effective therapy?



* I'm a bit overwhelmed, so it may not be an accurate accounting of the contents.

Knit On

I hope you all had wonderful holidays. For us, it was a haze of eating (too much) good food, playing games, bowling, shoveling snow, opening gifts, and nursing a bad cold.

DH asked me for a wish list. The in-laws draw names and have a limit of $30, so I thought the request of a list was from the person who drew my name. Nope - just DH taking the easy way out for shopping. If I'd known that, there would have been many more books on the list - like some Japanese knitting pattern books!

DH could not figure out (even after having it explained to him) why I'd want the Teleidoscope. Some things are just beyond the understanding of a non-knitter.



Also on my list were a few books from Persephone Books. He bought me this one, which I've already read. They sent a catalogue and I've marked nearly each one of the 81 books a number of them for future purchase. How I would love to visit at their bookshop!

I had a brief crisis - I ended up at my parents' home with no knitting! We had been on the road about 45 minutes and were stopped at a gas station when we discovered I had left my knitting bag at the in-laws. I wanted to turn around (and if I'd been alone I would have). DH refused to turn back but I was the person driving so a bargain was struck and the next morning I headed to the LYS in the town where my folks live and bought yarn for another Noro Scarf.

I really need to put some emergency yarn, pattern and needles in the trunk. How many of you keep a knitting project in the car so that you are never without a project to knit?

So I now have 2 Noro scarves on the needles.




One is already promised to a nephew.

I also casted on for Jared Flood's Girasole. Now, this will shock you, but I'm actually using yarn from the stash for Girasole. I making the large (blanket) size.I'm a little bit further along since this picture was taken.



I'm using Cascade 220 Heathers and am loving how it's turning out.

Resolutions

This may be one I can actually keep -

“A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.” - Edgar Guest


And specifically for the knitter -

I shall pass through this world but once. Any fiber therefore that I can obtain or any kindness that I can show to any knitter or any potential knitter, let me do it now...let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again...unless this way passes by a yarn shop.