7 Quick Takes (Vol 199)

So here we are again, another week gone, another seven days of slothful indifference to the vicissitudes of life. I really just wanted to use the word vicissitude…..once I figured out what it actually meant.

Moving on. Remember your marching orders. When you are done covering yourself with a nice warm layer of blather you need to click on the picture above to be whisked, at my quickly rising anger at realtors who make house showing appointments and then cancel at the last minute, over to Conversion Diary to see what everyone else is doing.

May my blather be a blessing.

1.
Oh how I love the Winter weather in the Frozen Northeast Ohio, especially the weather that we get around Chez Knit. It so suits my mood. Crazytown.

It was cold, 15F, which was balmy compared to earlier in the week. The sun was out and the sky was blue with lovely, fluffy clouds. I ventured out to take a couple of pictures, wearing a boat load of layers because, even though 15F was balmy it is still rather bracing. Then it was back inside for five minutes to gather up my books that needed to be returned to the library. And when I pulled out of the garage………

This was what I was greeted with. Snowmaggedon. And it snowed like this until I was almost at the next town over where the snow gradually tapered off and there were blue skies and sun and fluffy clouds. I returned my books and returned home, a trip of no more than 45 minutes. And when I got home the sky was blue, the sun was out and the clouds again were fluffy.

Welcome to the snow belt.

2.
As we all know, I knit socks. It is one of my obsessions passions in my knitting life. In fact it is one of the reasons I took up knitting again after a 30 year long absence. I wanted to knit socks. I needed to knit socks. I could not be stopped from figuring out how to knit socks.

But the problem with having knit an obscenely large amount 30+ pairs of socks is that I end up with a boat load of left over sock yarn. And the question has been what to do with all of it. I have knit Christmas ornaments with some of it. I am currently making a pair of socks that I am tentatively calling “Debbie’s Rainbow Technicolor Dream Socks” with some of the left overs.

But that still leaves A LOT of left overs. But there is something on the horizon that might help me, both to use up the sock yarn and to use up some stress.

Me STRESS? I know that comes as a shock. Remember, I knit so I don’t kill.

Moving on. In my knit group at least one of the members is knitting squares from sock yarn that will eventually be put together for a cover for her bed. I had resisted the idea. I didn’t really think I wanted to knit mitered squares in garter stitch, which isn’t my favorite for some reason. I am prejudiced against garter stitch. But then I was rearranging my immense yarn hoard stash and got to looking at all the small balls of sock yarn and……

Voila, a mitered sock yarn square. Each square is about the size of the palm of my hand and doesn’t take all that long to produces.

Voila again! A pile of SEVEN mitered sock yarn squares. I am on my way folks.

And I only have 493 more squares to go………..

I will keep you posted on my progress. I figure I will be done in about 2020 or so. Just in time to put the blanket on my bed in the nursing home.

3.
In my continuing quest to become Ma Ingalls who makes everything that she cooks with or eats (as much as possible that is). This week……

I made ricotta cheese.

Do you think that Ma Ingalls even knew what ricotta cheese was?

Moving on.

Can I tell you how stinkin’ easy it was!!! In fact I am going to do another batch and I will even take pictures and tell you how to do it.

We had some last night in the Mini Lasagna Cups that I made.

Deeeeeeeeeeeelicious.

4.
I am currently exploring Goodreads. If you are on there come and find me. I have been there for a while but still haven’t decided if it is ultimately for me. Cousin Peter loves it as do others. I don’t really need it to just keep track of the books that I have read because I already do that with the ever growing Book Database that I maintain. But it is still fun to see what others have been reading and are thinking about reading.

And yesterday BarbN pointed out that the mobile app has a bar code scanner capability.

Oh my goodness and all the saints in heaven. I tried it out. Instant gratification. And we all know that I am TOTALLY about the instant gratification. I can see myself completely wasting time just scanning all the books on my TBR pile

I at first wrote that as waisting and then had to think about it for a minute before realizing that wasn’t the correct wasting. Cursed English language.

I will probably plan with the scanner and the site for a while and then abruptly abandon Goodreads and never go back.

Of course that is what I thought would happen with blogging and yet here I am still. Slogging away.

5.
I am still keeping up with my 365 Project.

Yes, I know it has been less than a month and that is nothing to brag about. If I make it through until December THAT will be something to brag about. I have been thinking about the project and I am wondering if I will do sort of a monthly “thoughts on the project”.

And this is really a boring topic and everyone, all three readers that are here regularly, might just now be yawning and leaving for another cup of coffee.

But I am trying to work this year on slowing down my photo process and being more intentional with how I take pictures. Not just going out and doing the “Point camera and take a boat load of pictures and hope one is good” method, which I have been guilty of in the past.

I am trying to study a bit every day and learn something new or try something new.

And then there is all the work I need to put in with Photoshop Elements. I love that program.

And then there is the side project of going through the last couple of years of photos and weeding out the “extras” from my years of “Point the camera and take a boat load of pictures and hope one is good”. I am a picture hoarder.

6.
Still not missing cable in case you or Time Warner were wondering. In fact I am so not missing cable that I could easily be persuaded never to have it again. Netflix streaming, Netflix DVD’s, Amazon Video and our own collection of videos is now awesome to me. Although I have been watching some football on the basic channels that we get with the antenna.

I am currently making my way through The Up Series. It was/is produced in England and has followed the same group of 20 students since 1963, starting when they were all seven years old and catching up with them at seven year intervals. I just started watching the installment that has them all reaching the age of 28.

I am totally fascinated.

7.

One of my progeny, who shall remain nameless, left me this loving little reminder of her visit.

I am getting all choked up.

It was tucked away in the drawer in the half bath by my office.

I spewed my coffee on the mirror when I found it.

I have SUCH thoughtful children.

And even now I can hear her saying, “MOM WHY DID YOU PUT THAT UP ON THE BLOG!!!!”

Sweetie, you have to have known that if you left that for me that it would eventually end up here. I just couldn’t help myself.

8. BONUS!!
I just wanted to pass along a Kickstarter project for all of you to view. Megan is a friend of Cartoon Girl. I have provided the link below as well as the short video that goes with it. Go on over and see what she is raising funds for.

Nonesuch Garden

Repackage the Nonesuch Dolls

Don’t worry, I am not going to become a blog that tries to sell you things…..unless you would like to buy Chez Knit. I just think that Megan’s felt dolls are the bomb. The Cheetah especially makes my heart sing. And I wish she still had the Squirrel available.

Someone actually makes FELTED squirrels??? They must be major works of art!!