Weds Blog Challange: Food Quirks

My life has been a little crazy lately and so this challenge is a bit delayed.

• The smell of meat cooking makes me nauseous (so much so that I was a vegetarian for 7 yrs b/c of it)
• now i eat plenty of seafood, chicken, pork, and other fowl, but I can't cook it.
  
• I don't eat cow. Since I was 13. It still makes me sick. Even cooked. Ewww.
  
• The above are all very Big deals when growing up in the farming midwest where all there is to eat is cow and veggies.
  
• Peaches make me ill. The smell, the taste, fake peach smell/taste is even worse. Love nectarines though.
  
• I'm a bit of a foodie and I like to pay attention to what I'm eating. It tastes better. Friends who have eaten with me often comment that I stop paying attention to the conversation and they catch me "intently studying" my food. Even at work everyone says I act like the Japanese in that matter. I take food seriously.
• I LOVE peanut butter. I have been eating PB and something (jam, banana, nutella, apple) sandwiches nearly every day for lunch for over 20 yrs and I still love it.
  
• I love yogurt. All kinds. Greek, tart, fruity, savory, in sauces, in dips. I love seeking out new kinds and trying them.
  
• I love milk and still drink 1-2 glasses a day. I feel weird eating breakfast and dinner if there is no milk. When I was growing up my parents gave us 2 drink choices for dinner: milk or water. Can you guess which I picked?
  
• A couple years ago I discovered organic milk. I will never buy regular again. Its awful in comparison. (The taste is worse and there is less nutrients and more harmful stuffs (hormones, antibiotics) in reg). Trust me, I'm a milk connoisseur.
  
• I like "strong" tasting things. Raw onions, garlic, vinegar, tart fresh yogurt, black coffee, black tea, beer, wine, dark chocolate. Yum
• Love dessert. I get this from my father who almost always orders dessert or goes home and has ice cream. Sadly I did not inherit his skinny genes, my sister got those.
  
• I have a strong dislike for coconut. My mom blames herself since when I was little I asked her what one was in the grocery store and she said they were fruit with milk in them. I didnt believe her. She said if she shook it, I would hear the milk sloshing around. Instead of shaking it Close to my ear she hit me in the ear w/ it (on accident). It hurt. But really I just dont like the taste/texture of it. I can tolerate it if its hidden and I dont know about it (Like in a 7-layer dessert bar).
  

I think thats about it......

I'll be posting another FO tomorrow since Liz is finally well enough to be back at work and I could finally give her her b-day gift.

the IRS is.... honest?

Remember back when I first started blogging and I complained about writing the govt a check for the $2.09 I owed them on taxes?
Well, today I received a letter. From the IRS. Saying I did my taxes incorrectly. Cue FREAK OUT. (I have always done my own taxes). Then I turned the letter over. It says my refund is $495.
Refund?? As in, I made a mistake and they owe me $495? Holy sh*t the govt actually corrects mistakes in my favour??

Then I went to Fat Ram's Pumpkin Tattoo in Jamaica Plain with Ariel and looked at artist portfolios and talked to some of the artists (including the man himself who sadly is booked for the next year and isn't even making any new appts for 2 mos). I booked a consult with an artist he recommended. For tomorrow! So now I have the money I need to get the tattoo ive wanted. And its happening soon! (Hopefully)

Secret Summer Solstice Pal

So our knitting group decided to do a second secret pal swap (I didnt have a blog for the first, Secret Cupid). And this time I pulled Ariel's name out of the hat. Well, ok, it was a knitting wip bag, but you get the point. You have already seen the knitted gifts I gave Ariel (Zombies Need Not Apply wristcuffs, and the stars). I also gave her little starry trinkets.


Here's Ariel hiding behind her pillow wearing the wristcuff. Funny story about the pillow is that after we chose names I was walking with Alexis and Catherine and Alexis spotted this pillow in the window of Walgreens and declared that whoever had Ariel had to buy it. Well, of course I had to buy it. Too bad it was on top of a tall display case and we nearly knocked over a whole isle to get at it. Luckily Catherine is taller than I and was able to grab it.









And what is this? Why its my gift from Amanda!!

Its a beautiful reversible cloth wip bag from Blue Kitty Designs. (the inside is rolled down for your viewing pleasure)















And inside the bag was Godiva chocolates (oh heaven), Cheeky Monkey Yarn, kitchener stitch markers, and the Perdita bracelets from Knitty! Yay!
The kitchener stitch markers are super cute, they tell you how to kitchener stitch up a toe of a sock. They are shrinky-dinks! (I used to love those -- I'd always turn the light on in the oven and watch them transform).












Here is a close-up of the yarn porn. The name of this colorway is Strange Brew, yay for beer references!











All in all a super happy day. I've already worn the black bracelet, thanks Summer Solstice Pal!

FO: Stars!

Project Name: Stars for Ariel
Pattern: free at this blog: Knitting in Color by Nanette (yay for google!)
Yarn: Stash yarn, various
Needles: Various
Pattern Adjustments: None! super easy pattern!
Notes: I love them! So glad I found this pattern. They are quick and easy and will make great gift-tags and embellishments. And since they were stars, Ariel of course Loved them!




close up of my favourite one, you cant tell but the black yarn is sparkly! Its Lion Brand microspun blue and Berroco Metallic FX black.













close up of my 2nd favourite one both colors are Lion Brand Microspun.












Close up of my 3rd fav, in Debby Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

FO: Zombies Need Not Apply

Project Name:
Zombies Need Not Apply 1
Pattern: free on MagKnits, originally by PieKnits
Yarn: Dale of Norway Baby Ull, 0090 Black, 0007 Grey Heather, 0010 white; less than 1/4 skein.
Needles: US 2 and 3 metal dpns
Pattern Adjustments: Cast on in regular long-tail method instead of method in pattern (I couldn't be bothered to learn a new cast on technique). Other than that, knit exactly as the pattern states.
Notes: Love it! For my first multiple color, stranded color work it came out amazing. I'll def be making lots of these.



Project Name:
Zombies Need Not Apply 2
See above.
Pattern Adjustments: Used what I call the thumb cast on, just a different long tail that i was taught with.
Notes: This cast on method is def not as stretchy, so I dont think I'll use it for a project like this again. Good to know. Just hope I remember. Also, instead of stranding the purple thread for the bow, I cut a long piece and dangled it in the area of each bow, using 1 strand for each bow. Since I had to pull it back to the beginning when I had knitted it a couple stitches away, it got all bunched up. I think, next time, I'll just strand the third color along.

Although..... weaving in all those different ends for such a small piece is a huge pain the the a**!

Both of these were gifted to Ariel as part of our knitting group Secret Summer Solstice Swap.

FO Bonanza

Prepare yourselves,what follows is an FO superfreak party!

FO: baby blanket for Debby's boy

Not a full image since I had to cut out other items blocking on the side. Secret items!
























Project Name: baby blanket for Debby's boy
Pattern: diagonal knit blanket free on Lion Brand website
Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun; color 368 Montana Sky; 2.5 skeins
Needles: US 11, plastic, 32 inch circular
Pattern adjustments: knitted up to 107 stitches and then back down again instead of 126 stitches as pattern states. (I've knit this before and 126 sts is just too many and too large and cumbersome for a summer baby blanket!)
Notes: I know, its acrylic. But, its very beautiful, it was easy, and it can be used as a blanket either inside or outside for the kid to play on instead of hard floors or grass. So, whatever. I'd use it.
More better pictures in the daytime light tomorrow. Or, check out the wip post on this one.

Time Sensitive Knitting

Knitting on a time schedule is not fun. In fact, it can get kinda monotonous and boring, and stressful. I have Lots of projects due tuesday and weds. Oy. it will all be over soon!
Also, people need to stop having babies that are due to arrive in the summer. Or I need to learn how to knit booties and quit this blanket business. knitting blankets in the summer also not fun.

Belated Birthday Yarny Goodness!

And here you thought I'd abandoned the knitting part of my knit/craft blog!
I don't get to see my best friend Anne very often since her and her husband live in CT, but they were up in Boston for a jazz concert so I met up with them for dinner tonight before their concert. (And after already having a couple beers w/ Andreas since he has been working 12-14 hr days and needed a beer). At dinner Anne gave me a very knit theme belated b-day gift. Yay! Yarn!

There's a tangerine scented candle, the Green issue of Knit.1 and a skein of hand painted yarn!

Excited about the Knit.1 mag. Was actually contemplating buying it myself, sounded neat. And it was featured in my Sierra mag so its officially good stuff. ha.





Close up of yarn goodness!! Very pretty (:{













And that will have to tide you over until the 20th which is the revealing of the Secret Solstice gifts.

Flowers

Since I'm still doing lots of secret knitting (Secret Solstice, birthday, etc) I'll give you some flower goodness to feast your eyes on to tide you over until I have yarny goodness for you. These are from a bouquet I gave to my roommate when she graduated law school last week. I'm sure the images speak for themselves and need none of my blathering commentary.




















This last one is def my fav close up. You can see all the hairy stickyness of the flower sex parts and stuff. Neat!

And the World is All Right

Despite having a horrible commute (care of the MBTA as usual) I'm having a Great day.

My experiment went splendidly, finally. Now I've repeated myself so many times that No one will doubt that I know what I'm doing. (:{

NIN were #2 on the top 10 radio countdown (which would normally irk me But)
Smashing Pumpkins were #1
and thats how it should be
so to all the linkin parks, white stripes, chemical romances, etc, its not that i dont like you too, its just that.... NIN and SP will Always and have always been better than you can ever hope to be.

Amazing how a good result to an experiment makes me feel so much better about my job. I needed this.

non crafty post

So I know i decided to make this a knit / craft blog (and I did that mostly to prevent myself from excess squabbling and bitching -- all things no one wants to hear)(unless you are really really funny -- then bitching is like a joke. but i'm not that funny), BUT I'm busy with a giant baby blanket (yes still) and some secret projects, so no knitting for you! All will be revealed after the summer solstice (;{
Anyhow....
The last game of Sir Stanley's Cup was played last night, thanks to the Anaheim Ducks. It was the dreaded Ottawa Sens against the Ducks, and I have to say, I was so more than happy that the Ducks wiped the floor with the Sens. I just hate the Senators. They are such dirty bastard players (except for their goalie, Ray Emery) that they did not deserve to win. When things started to look bad for them during the regular season, instead of gritting their teeth and getting better, they resorted to dirty hits on good players to take them out even if they didnt have the puck.... Dirty. Dont get me wrong, I Love the fighting in the NHL, but there are things that are just Too far. And the Sens do them too much. So, ok, neither the Bruins or Buffalo won, but, the Neidermeyer brothers are wonderful to watch (now can we just get the Pandolfo's on the same team? that would rock) and the Ducks really had it this season. So go them. Also, the last game was really a blowout, and I hope the Sens are smart enough to not use Emery as a scapegoat, he did the best he could.
*Tangent* flashes hands
While on commercial breaks during the game, I read the last of The World According to Garp. And, damn you John Irving! I haven't cried since Summer Sisters, and at least then, I knew why I was crying. You made me cry during the Stanley Cup!?? And I'm not even sure why since I have a bad habit of reading the afterward of a book in the middle of the book (esp if I actually like the book) and so I knew what was going to happen, I just didn't think it would have Such a profound effect.... And I'm still not sure why.....
Another tangent *flashes hands*
Today our wonderful leader said "I said to Vladimir, I call him Vladimir, there's no reason to be afraid of our missile defense program." Ok, so Captain Disaster has decided to start Another war? One that has already decidedly ended? Seriously? Thats it, I'm moving to Canada! At least in Canada they properly appreciate good hockey! I hope they appreciate good knitting too....

Ok, thats all my rants and raves for a while now. back to secret knitting and essay writing.

Weds Blog Challange

I've decided to occasionally jump in on the blog challenges that Amanda posts that her friend invents (I think...)
Anyhow, this weeks challenge is "If I had a Million dollars"

1. Invest half for my future
2. Pay off college and other debt
3. Pay off my parents debt from my education
4. Buy a condo, ok at least put a down payment on it
5. Pay off my sister's car and education
6. Pay for my brother's education
7. Buy tracts of land and donate them to the National Park Service (why? b/c there are large areas of land that need to be protected that ranchers and such Want to sell to the NPS, but the feds dont have the moolah to buy them)
8. Donate whats left to Sierra club, World Wildlife Federation, Joslin Diabetes Foundation

You might be thinking that there is no way that a million could cover all that, but, I assure you that with the right planning, it would!

Later: why I've not been posting, Stanley Cup thoughts, etc