Wednesday

Do you every have one of those days when work is the last thing you want to do. That would have been today. It was nice outside, work isn't that busy and just didn't feel like it.  Still got it done by 2:30 so worked 6 1/2 hours today. Most days my hours are down to 6 which is wonderful. Tomorrow when I get off we need some groceries so will run to Williston (45 minutes away) and hopefully be home shortly after Sam gets off school. I have a coupon expiring tomorrow that I want to use, $4 off $40, which really won't be too bad because I have two $2 coupons to use also for the same stores. There is also a $15 Olay Rebate I will probably do that they (Albertsons) have on sale so that is $18 of the $40 I need. Will  get other things with coupons so will end up pretty cheap and actually we really do new some basics like potatoes, carrots, etc.

Today's picture is a Valentine's dishcloth. There is a group on Yahoo and Ravelry that makes two dishcloths per month. I like to do some of them as they are easy to take along, usually don't require a whole lot of attention and are cheap to make. I finished this actually last week, so truly am not finishing something every day, but would like to.

Mom do you recognize the what's in the upper right corner?

For more detail of the center:

Specifications: Monthly Dishcloth Pattern
Yarn: Sugar N Cream or Peaches N Cream in Red
Needles: Generic Metal Size 6.

Don't know much else, Sam is at youth group, Dan just got home from his meeting and I have some studying to do in Nutrition (actually have to finish reading the chapter).  Laundry is being done so Dan can pack and head out tomorrow. Dishes are in the dishwasher clinking together. I like the background noises that homes make, it is comforting.

Another project completed

This was a project from a class at The Yarnery in St. Paul.  It was a great class with Arnhild Hillesland, great group of people in the class and she makes beautiful sweaters. I don't have any pictures from the class but here is my finished project (about 3 months later)

The hat colors are a little darker in reality than in the picture.

Specifications:
Pattern: By Arnild Hillesland
Yarn: Ruma Strikkegard in Light Blue and White
Needles: Clover Size 2 and 4 Bamboo 16" circular

See that man in the background he is sick, yuck sick, chest and head congestion sick. He had a meeting today, a meeting tonight, a meeting tomorrow night and leaves on Thursday to go to Phoenix until Monday for school.

We went out for supper last night and I had the best BLT on sourdough bread. I can't wait until we have fresh tomatoes from the garden.  These are my favorite sandwiches of all time.

Knitting Project Finished

I am sincerely trying this winter to get some knitting done, maybe for Christmas gifts, maybe just for fun. Anyway I finally finished a scarf.

The  above pictures shows the actual color, cream but more of a white. (I really want to take a photography class and get so much better.)

The stitch definition.

The finished product.

Specifications: Knit Picks Wool of The Andes (Not my favorite yarn)
About 1.5 skeins
Size 7 Brittany Bamboo needles
Pattern: Basketweave Scarf by Ann Budd

This was a free download from Knitting Daily. It is a very good scarf for a beginner.

Today I am going to make either rhubarb muffins or bread in a continuing effort to empty the freezer.

The countdown is on to go to my weaving class, can't wait - only 18 days.

Freezer Update

I am starting to make a concerted effort to clean out our little freezer. In about 3 months we will have spring and I don't want to end up throwing out as much as I did last year, what a waste.

Tonight we are having baked garlic chicken, left over mashed potatoes, mixed beans (from the freezer) and I am making banana blueberry sour cream bread (blueberries and bananas from the freezer). The chicken has been in the freezer a while also so it will be nice get rid of it.

Sam and Dan are going outside to shovel as it has been lightly snowing all day.

Nothing much else up. Have a devil of a cold I am trying to fight off, unsuccessfully so far.

New Years Resolutions

Every year I make them, most years they get abandoned. I am motivated and ready to go, get some things in order. Some are ambiguous because of the openness of a blog (as in my mother and daughter read this), but:
1. Financial. Done 03/2010 Savings Goal Reached.
2. Financial.
3. Financial.
4. Weigh 140 pounds.
5. Financial.
6. Finish one project per month.
7. Finish all 20 books on my list, in my library, before purchasing any new.
8. Empty or use one box of supplies (I currently have 3, it is ridiculous) (that is not even counting what is left in CT), this would be shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, etc.
9. Use all groceries in storage by end of summer. Want to start fresh with canning in the summer.
10. Update my Knitting/Sewing/Embroidery list.
11. Complete by Associates Degree by 12/31/2010 (I'm not sure how many classes are left either 3 or 4). The school is auditing my transferred classes so I know what I have to take yet. Update: I have two classes left and am taking them both right now. 03/2010

#10 is done and it is ridiculous. I have 79 projects and I'm sure if I scrounged around I could find another to make it an even 80.  Again, this does not even including the 4 rubbermaid containers in CT.  I will never live long enough to get them all done.

It is cold -3 with a -14 wind chill. We didn't get the snow the rest of the family did, but it is cold.

Maybe third time is the charm

We'll try again at this blogging thing. Sam is sitting here doing art and Algebra, he would rather be just about anywhere else.

The house smells fantastic. In the oven now is a loaf of zucchini bread. Rhubarb muffins are already done and there is a loaf of white bread in the bread machine. The zucchini and rhubarb is what was frozen from the garden this summer. A concerted effort has to be made to get it used up as last year I threw a bunch of stuff out. The living room smells like pine as we decided to get a real tree and am so glad we did. It seems like a waste to cut down a tree just to throw it out but it is so worth it. The tree is beautiful, takes up about 1/4th of our living room. It expanded a little more than we expected when it got warmed up.

The cat was sick but is now doing much better. He is on antibiotics and special food. Amazing how perky he can be after laying around for a few days.

Dan and I had our first Christmas party on Tuesday for Rotary. Have another one on Friday for the hospital, that includes dancing and this year bingo-- I love Bingo.  On Sunday a group of ladies, 4 of us, from the church are going to Minot (about 2 hours away) to see the living Christmas tree program at one of the churches. We will go shopping a little depending on the time and then out to eat afterwards. These are great ladies it will be fun.

Finally last night I finished school for this semester. It seemed like it would never get here. I had one paper to write last night so after the party grabbed a glass of wine and went for it. Unfortunately I should have not sent it last night as I was thinking about it today and could have elaborated a little more than I did.  It will be fine anyway.

Water park pictures

This was the end of a very long hot day at the waterpark/amusement park (Lake Compounce). Really nice guy asked if he could take a picture of all of us. People basically, for the most part, are really nice.

Sam and Audrey on a Ferris Wheel type ride. Probably the most tame one of the day.

Tina and Audrey posing, I think Audrey was waiting to get on a ride.

Chris and Audrey on the swings. He looks like he is having a blast doesn't he? When the ride was over he did say it was kind of fun.

Finally my cold/yuck is doing better. I think just the change in the climate and weeds and such brought it on big time. Took two Benadryl last night to try and sleep it off.

Rained and hailed today.  Between the rain showers we have beautiful blue clear sky and then another cloud rolls in and lets loose. Kind of weird, we haven't really had a summer with the dry weather and heat.  

Tomorrow I am going to dehydrate onions, probably in the garage so it doesn't stink up the house. There is a cake pan full already cleaned and ready to be sliced.  Finally get to try out my new dehydrator!!