busy

Tons on the go this week and no time to get near a high speed connection to put some pics up. I have been knitting like a fiend and have a few FO's as well as a number of almost done projects.

Busy is good because it means that there is work - not tons but more than last year at this time.

Until the pics I leave you with this - stolen word for word from MamaCate

So there's this guy who's doing a panel at the MLA, and he's checking to see how a meme or, depending on how you look at it, a chain letter, moves through the blogosphere. We knitters have a rather populous corner of the blogosphere, and one that I think routinely buffaloes those who attempt to study blogs and blogging. Who are all these knitters and what do they want? (Wool.) If blogging is concerned with social change, what the hell are all these people doing talking about yarn? (We'll get back to you when the plans for world domination are available in pdf format.)
Anyway, Jody explains it all in a way that is far more interesting and complete than I have the patience for, but do please play. All you need to do is mention and link to the project, beg ask others to participate, and then ping technocrati. Let's show the MLA a little knitting mojo, eh?

See these boots, think about how high they usually come on ones leg. Can you picture it... good, that's how high the water was in my cellar yesterday. We have had a lot of rain lately and P. had the pump going on Thursday night and we thought that most of the water was gone and we were in the clear. On Friday he asked me to go down and check the door and make sure that everything was ok, I thought he was being a tad over cautious and went about my day. By the time I went to check, the water was up to the top of my boots it many places and there was a few spots that would of gone over the top. I hooked up the pump and called P, it pumped all afternoon and all night - it was a lot of water. Thankfully the furnace was fine, the water reached the furnace but it didn't make it all the way to the motor although it was close.

In other rubber news ( as opposed to fiber news) I played so me amazing games with rubber chickens on Thursday. i know it seems odd but the grade 1's thought it was the greatest. If you have kids and can lay your hands on a few I would suggest you make the investment - use them in any game you would usually use a ball, like hot potato, it will be a huge success

I am making progress on my UFO list. I seamed the sweater last night but I have to adjust the sleeves as they are pulling a bit and I am in the home strech on 2 of the scarves, just another few inches on each.

Have a good weekend I am off to a craft fair while I wait for P to finish his workshop - I have a few Christmas things to get and Sarah has table there, good reasons to go.

In fiber news

I have hit the point of no return... I have 2 many things on the go and am desperate to start some more. Wait - to many for me means that I don't have time to work on them all and therefore some are destined to be UFO's forever - every now and then I abandon something but usually I try to finish stuff even if it is not turning out the way that I want it to.

So on the go
- 3 scarves, one with handspun
- socks
- a sweater
- a bag
and I am desperate to cast on 2 blankets, a shawl and another sweater.

And don't even get me started on the sheep to hats/scarves/shawls (something) that I started awhile ago. I must take pictures as it is going well.

For your entertainment, Kitty antics - it is not captured nearly as well on film but it was hilarious to watch as they repeatedly leapt at the flies and fell off the ironing board



hmm there are flies in the light...

hmm maybe now that my sister is out of the way i can get at those flies

maybe if I'm careful...

I won't fall off like she did

I remembered

Thursday morning -

Got a call to work at 6:30 am
I remembered...
- the garbage had to go out
- the recycling needed to go out
- to put the dogs out
- to have a shower
- to get breakfast
- my knitting
- to get out the door to get to work on time

but I forgot my book and my camera! Who goes to a book signing without a book, so I had her sign my hand instead and have shamelessly stolen pictures from other peoples blogs.


Steph laughed at me, I can't imagine why.

It was a great night and I'm so glad I went. I met lots of great new folks and laughed so hard I cried - it was good.

Louise provided great pre-harlot entertainment

There were bloggers from L to R Lissa, Orris, Me, Nancy, Tara ( in the empty chair) and Heather. Behind us are Kathy, Mairi (she has a blog... somewhere) and Leanne

and lots of other knitters as well including Gillian on the left ( a new knitter who was not scared off by Louise and I) and Suzanne Atkinson - just to mention one pattern of hers.

Steph taking her blurry knitters are here photo

And Mairi, I just had to show the world at large what this fabulous knitter is up to this week. I love Mairi, she knits with us on Wednesdays and teaches classes at Yarn Forward, she is a fabulous fiber person ( a wonderful person, person as well) and the fact that Steph was also awestruck by her latest project made me feel good - I am am not alone in my Mairi awe! Mairi, let me say publicly that I am sorry if I embarrassed you by forcing the scarf out of your bag ( The scarf that she saw in Vogue knitting on Saturday and just went home and started to knit it without buying the magazine) but it really is amazing and the world needs to know.

P.S. C, Steph says thanks for making sure that we knew all knew she was coming here - for the rest of you my sister commented, phoned and emailed just to make sure I knew Steph was headed this way - she's good like that

Me again

Remember this

Well it is becoming a scarf and I am thrilled that the stripes are turning out as well as they are. It was my first attempt at spinning something with the intent of stripes, well the intent of anything actually

However my model is not as excited as I am and decided to leave before I could get a close up

And just in case you live here and aren't in the know, Steph is coming on Thursday, details here

As promised

It's funny, I just realised that I never post recipes even though I am constantly trying out new ones and adjusting others that I liked but didn't love - this is one of those type, I love it now that I have adjusted the proportions.

Indian Chick Peas (or Lentils)

1 19oz/540ml can of chick peas or lentils - rinse them well and then out them back in the can and fill it up with water.
1 large onion finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp salt - if you cook with salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp of cayenne - the more you add the hotter it is.
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Heat a few tsps of olive oil in the bottom of a heavy frying pan ( I like cast iron as they hold the heat well)
Add the minced garlic and onion, saute for about 10 minutes over medium heat
Add the in all the spices and the lemon juice, saute for another minute or so.
Add the can of chick peas/lentils and allow to boil rapidly for a few minutes to reduce the liquid. Turn to low and simmer for at least 5 minutes, longer if you have time.

Serve over rice or rice noodles. Serves 2 big eaters or 3 smaller eaters.

Notes - Sometimes I double the recipe and add both chick peas and lentils.
- I use canned but you could use dry and add about 1/4 cup of water in place of the water in the can.
- I rinse the can contents well due to the amount of salt that is in the liquid they are canned in.
- This is not a "hot" curry, I can't eat really hot things but it is tasty. P. makes his hotter with pickled mango added on to his plate.

hmmm

I wanted to post some pictures of the kittens but the camera seems to of eaten them. I spent ages looking and now I have to go and make some food... perhaps I will post the mazing chikpea currythat I am going to make, I guess that means I will be back later.