Yarn Along

It's Wednesday again that means I'm back for another Yarn Along.  I'm joining with Ginny and others for an update of books and knitting.  It's all about the books and knitting.   What have I been knitting since my last update?  Not  much.  I have worked on a bit of the sleeve on the Sylvi and I started (three different times) a square for the April square swap.  The picture is of the newest square I received in the mail.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  It is a delicious spring green not this mustardy yellow.  
On the book front I finished Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.  I'm all ready to start his baby steps to being debt free.  I just have to get my husband on board with me.  Corrine and I have been going the library for story time on Tuesdays.  I really should not look at the book shelves.  I have plenty to read at home.  Last week I picked up Bad Blood.  It is a Kate Shugak mystery book.  If you haven't read any of these I highly recommend them.  They take place in Alaska.  I tore through this book finishing in it record (since having a kid and no time to read) time.  I finished it last night and am stunned at the ending.  WHAT?  Well.  I can't tell you but suffice to say I will be waiting (im)patiently for the next book.  

Yesterday at the library I picked up Bone Bed.  I really need to stop browsing the library.  I'll let you know next week how it is.  
Happy Yarn Along Wednesday! 

Random Thoughts on Thursday

Just some of things running through my mind today.

*  Last October I made an apple pie with the last of the apples from a neighbors tree.  I didn't bake it but just put the whole pie plate in the freezer.  When it was frozen I wrapped it really well in layers of plastic wrap and stuck it back in the freezer.   I baked it last Friday night.  It was Dee-lish.  I have NO idea what I put in the pie or how I made it so that I could bake it at a later date.  Frustrating.

*  I need to make a vegetarian dish for a co-worker who just lost her husband.  It shouldn't be too hard, but I get nervous when I bake for other people.  Mostly I just hope she likes it.  A group of us from work are making food for her freezer.  She is in her early 30's and hasn't even been married a year yet.  Her husband was riding his bike home from work and was hit by a car.  She was on a layover (which I'm sure was the worst feeling in the world).  Turns out he was riding the wrong way down the street and the car that hit him didn't see him.  I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through.  My heart aches for her so the least I can do is cook.

*  Trying to figure out a good schedule for the upcoming months.  I had an MRI a few weeks ago.  I have a bone spur on my shoulder and a partially torn rotator cuff.  There are things I'd like to get done before going under the knife.  But then I'd also like a little vaca from work.  Not that surgery is a vacation, but I would be out of work for 4-8 weeks.  I'm not sure if there is a good time for that.

Chickies!

Meet Joni, Carly, and Grace.  (Yes we stuck with our  musical theme).  Two Buff Orpingtons and an Ameraucana.  
I may have jumped the gun on the whole chicken thing.  My inner voice has run the course of "I am out of my mind" to "I can totally do this."  They are a week old now and are living in a tub in the spare bedroom under a heat lamp.  We have no outside housing for them yet.  Nor do we have any idea of what sort of housing to build them.  I was thinking a chicken tractor.  Bryan was thinking something more permanent and stable.  He's afraid that a predator will get them and then I'll be a basket case (and there is probably something to that).  Of course I don't want anything to happen to them.  The cats are curious.  Henley is oblivious.  And Buffett wants in that room so badly he can almost taste them through the door!

I have no idea about raising chickens.  While I did grow up on a cattle ranch in Kansas until I was eight we never had chickens.   I guess I'm sort of expecting to learn as I go.  My dad has a friend who has said I can call on him if I need and there is always the internet.   I was relieved that they made it through the first night in our house.  I just don't want anything to happen to these little fuzz balls that will make me doubt my chicken raising abilities.  And I don't want my peeps to say "I told you so."

Right now all I can say is bring on the chicken adventures!


Freshness!!!

We got the very best delivery today!  A box of fresh fruits and veggies!  

We got oranges, apples, a mango, pears, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, onions, an orange bell pepper, lettuce and swiss chard.  
I signed us up for Door To Door Organics!  It's a fresh food delivery that is all (mostly) local produce.  Some of it is grown in California.  They deliver either weekly or bi-weekly.  It is probably something we will do until May or so when things start growing in the garden.  Then I'll put it on hold until next fall.  I'm super excited for all of this fresh goodness in the "off season."

We already eat pretty healthy, but after reading the blog 100 Day of Real Food I'm determined to eat even better.  (That basically means that mama has to stop snacking on pre-packaged bad for you food while at work).

As I unpacked the box, I let Corrine smell each item and we talked about it.   She was very excited about the apples.  I'm not sure what to do with the swiss chard.   I'm open to suggestions.

Yarn Along

It's Wednesday and that means it's time once again for the weekly Yarn Along.  I'm joining with Ginny and others to share books and knitting.  I've been plugging away at my Citron and the sleeve of my Sylvi.  At the beginning of the year I joined a square swap group.  There is a member of the month and the members knit a 12x12 square and send it to the MOM and they can make a blanket.  I am the MOM for March.  I got my first square in the mail on Monday.  My plan is to (eventually) sew them together to make a blanket for Project Linus.  
 On the book front I finished French Kids Eat Everything (which I highly recommend if you have kids) and have moved on to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.  There are several people at work who have read the book and are doing his method to save money and get out of debt.  That is my goal.  Get out of debt.  I have student loans debt that I feel like will never be paid.  And I'm not even using my degrees.  But I digress.  Getting out of debt is a goal.  In the grand scheme I don't think I have as much debt as a lot of people do.  I don't really live beyond my means, but I'm tired of my paychecks going to those types of payments.  I'd rather have my money for travel and retirement.   I'm excited to get started on the book.
I am listening to The Drop by Michael Connelly.  It is a Harry Bosch murder/suspense novel.  I like Harry as a main character.  Plus my list of books is huge and listening to audio books helps pass the time to the airport and it checks off the list.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

The Weekend

The hubs was in Miami last week for training for work.  The kid and I went down Thursday for a quick trip for some sun and sand.  
We went to South Beach the first night.  C played in the waves with dad and loved it.  
 Friday we went to the Miami Seaquarium.  Think Sea World but on a smaller scale.
 How do they stand like that?  That is some serious balance!
The peeps in the splash zone got seriously wet.  7000 pounds displaces A LOT of water!  We did not sit in the splash zone.
The end of the dolphin show.  It fascinated me a bit that all the trainers used hand gestures at each show.   
Friday afternoon it was 75 degrees and I had my feet in the sand and water.  By Saturday evening I was in my coat and mittens scraping ice and snow off of my car in the parking lot at the airport.

Yarn Along

It's Wednesday and that means it is time for the weekly Yarn Along.  It's all about books and knitting.  I am still working on my citron.  I had the flu a week ago and tried to knit while achy and feverish.  Silly me.  I ended up counting the last row I did about five times and coming up with a different number every time, so I undid that row and redid it only to count it again before finally coming up with the correct number of stitches.  Needless to say I put it aside.  That may be the last time I count the stitches (there will soon be A LOT of them).  

I cast on for my Sylvi.  I'm super excited about this sweater.  It's the first sweater that I've made for myself in about six years.  Plus I'm looking forward to the challenge of the cables on the back.  I've never knit by chart before so I'm a little nervous.  I ordered four skeins of Eco+ from my LYS.  It's a pretty generous amount of yarn at over 400 yards per skein.  I'm fairly certain I'll be in the shop a lot asking questions.  
On the book front, I am still reading French Kids Eat Everything.  I need to finish soon since I can't renew it because there is a waiting list for it.  I am enjoying the book a lot.  I can certainly see the American eating habits she talks about are not so good if you look at the obesity and health issues of American kids versus that of other countries.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday.

Random Snapshots

I meant to post these pictures a week ago, but I was on my deathbed (OK not really but it felt like it at the time) and just never got around to it.  But I wanted to share some beautiful scenery from Steamboat.  The guys were skiing so Corrine and I went snowshoeing at the Nordic Center.  
 I had to stop and catch my breath about every five feet going up hill with dead weight on my back.  The kiddo was sleeping and when she sleeps in the backpack, she leans to the side.  I took a moment to dig out my phone to get some scenery shots.
 A little self portrait action.  Corrine kept taking off her hat and it was super cold and windy, so I put one of my old hats on her head and tied it under her chin.   I had no idea she had pulled it down and couldn't see until I took this picture.  I'm fairly certain if I had taken off the backpack to fix it I never would have gotten it back on by myself.  Besides I think she slept most of the hike.
 Just a pretty picture.
 Another self portrait.  (or an excuse to stop and catch my breath).  You can't see the kid cause she is leaning to the right and out of the picture.
 Headed downhill now.  Much easier.
These lights were at the base of the Steamboat ski area.  Bryan turned 50 at the end of February and he was sure they put the lights up just for him!  

GoodReads

Featured Post

My Path To Debt

My path to debt started when I was 20. It was my junior year at college and I had just bought textbooks for the spring semester. In each ...