Peanut Butter Fudge

Sometime before Christmas I found a recipe for peanut butter fudge over on Tea's blog. Dreamy, creamy, peanut butter goodness! It was a hit on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. :-)

Give Me a "T"

[Genealogy content]

...for "Tara."

I've had my mitochondrial DNA tested and the results are that my maternal line is from "Tara" see also the National Geographic's Genographic Project pages for "T."

While "T" mtDNA is found across Europe, it is a smallish population and IS found in Scotland where the MacNeals are from. [I've always enjoyed bagpipes!]

Christmas FOs

#1. Pattern: Knucks

Yarn: Knit Picks' Swish DK in Nutmeg

Needles: Yikes - I think 4 [US] dpns

Knit for: My dear friend J across the pond

Instructions on Knitty.com call for embroidery on the "knucks," but I left them plain. J can add stitching, if she wants. The pair I will cast on tonight [same yarn, same pattern] for myself will have "DAMN COLD" embroidered on the fingers. These will be my computer gloves - and maybe my knitting gloves too! I prefer the nickle coated Knit Picks needles or Addi Turbos over bamboo, but the bamboo needles don't get cold like the metal ones!!

#2. Pattern: generic. CO 68 stitches. K2, P2 rib for 1" and then K3, p1 for the leg and instep. Top down.

Yarn: Red Heart's Heart & Sole [70% Superwash Wool & 30 % nylon] in 3950 Watercolor Stripe

Needles: 0 [US] bamboo

Knit for: Mother for Christmas

Buster, Sewing, and Sunday Knitting

Buster's preschool Christmas program was last Monday. The kids [and their teachers] did a great job with all of the songs. Buster's been singing lines from the songs for weeks. He's such a ham, I thought he'd be all into the performance. But, he stood in the front row and just smiled. Didn't sing, didn't jingle the bells. Just smiled. Cute smile though!! [We asked why he didn't sing, he said, "I didn't want to."]

I think I could have both sets of PJs finished for the boys by Wednesday afternoon. But, I decided yesterday to lift the stress level and NOT have them be Christmas presents. When the mama and the grandsons stopped by last evening, I had Sport try on the bottoms. I showed him the half finished top... and the sleeve pieces. Showed them both the pattern cover. And showed Buster the material for his PJs. But, I didn't promise that I'd have them finished by Christmas.

Sunday knitting for Charity. Yes I did. A few rows.

December FO - and Winter Storm Warning!

Yippee Skippee!! I have an unbloggable (for now) finished project. However, there is a post about it over at SAM6.

After last year's record setting snows, I was hoping for a milder winter this time. But, we have a winter storm warning for later today & tomorrow. I have mixed feelings about this. When my daughters were young and I was a stay-at-home mom, I wasn't bothered by winter storms. We had a fireplace and I always kept the pantry and refrig full - we could stay in and warm and bake bread & cookies.

But, now we all work. The girls have jobs that don't close for winter storms. So, that means they have to be driving in sometimes hazardous conditions. Me too! I'm not happy about this at all.

The "mixed feelings" -- I'm hoping my work is closed tomorrow. But, that would mean it's reallly bad, and I don't want that either.

Two Years & One Day

My blogoversary was yesterday. When I blogged earlier today, I thought, "Hmmm... must be about blogoversary time." But, didn't check on it.

No, I haven't had to go into work (yet) -- I've called twice. Everything is OK, so I'm probably free for the rest of the evening. Haven't had time to knit yet. It was just one item on a list of 14 things to accomplish today. Watching the boys tonight while their mama and her friend go out for supper was not on my list, but is now #15. Gotta go work on the list before I head up to DD2s.

Sunday Charity Knitting 2009

I've been blog browsing and read that Ruth over at knittingbloggyblog will be focusing on charity knitting on Sundays [and maybe other days] during 2009.

That's a great idea! I'll do that, too!! I haven't been doing much charity knitting lately [OK - the pink blanket took two months, but since it was only one project, my numbers are down....]

Today's knitting goal, though, will be to finish the 2nd Christmas sock for someone. Will blog about them after the 25th. However, later today I might at least cast on a watch cap for a charity.

All of this knitting will depend on whether or not I have to go to work today. I'm "on call" for a Noon - 8 p.m. shift.

In Praise of Chicken Soup & Matzo Balls

I admit it. I'm a horrible patient. I moan and groan. And if my throat didn't hurt so bad, I'd be calling people to tell them how awful I feel.

Maybe because I've been medicated today and not thinking clearly, it wasn't until an hour ago that I thought about making soup. I didn't have any chicken, but, plenty of chicken broth, garlic, onions, etc.

I've only had a few spoonsful so far, and already I feel better.

Very basic recipe:

Make the matzo balls following the recipe on the container - add a half teaspoon (or more) of dried rosemary. Refrigerate 20-30 mins. Then gently saute a small onion, chopped, and thinly sliced celery in a tablespoon of canola oil. Add a couple teaspoons of minced garlic and plenty of coarsely ground black pepper. Add about 4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add chopped chicken, if you want. Drop matzo into the gently boiling soup by spoonfuls. [It doesn't bother me if the soup gets a bit cloudy. Some people cook the balls in water first, but I like the flavor when they are cooked in the broth.] Cover, turn heat down, and simmer for about 20-30 mins. - depending on size of matzo balls. Ladle into soup bowl. Splash with Red Devil pepper sauce. Serve with a box of tissues.

Works every time!

When I finish this bowl of soup, I'll work on sock 2 of my December socks. Don't think I've blogged about them yet - that will give me something to blog about tomorrow :-)

6x6 Meme

I should be getting clothes and things lined up for my trip to IC tomorrow. But, instead, I'm blog browsing. Something I haven't done in quite a while. Over at Stitches of Violet, Marguerite posted a 6x6 Meme. Basically: go to your 6th photo folder and post the 6th photo.

Ha! I was tickled to find that the 6th photo in my 6th folder is of Sport when he was 6 months old! :-)

Reader(s) - you're tagged! (Hi, Kathy :-)

November socks!

Well, they are for little feet, but they ARE socks for my November SAM project. I have two "real" sock projects started - so I should be able to get one finished in December. Should. What a funny looking word.

I used the leftover yarn from the scarf, hat, glove/mitts I finished earlier in the week. Whew! I wasn't sure I'd have enough for the second sock!!

CO 32 stitches on size 4 needles & used the same cable as DD2's hat.

Cables!

I have FOs for November! [I'll work on the FO sidebar later.] A year ago or so, DD2 and I stopped at a yarn shop on our return trip from taking the grandsons to their dad's aunt for the weekend. DD2 expressed interest in learning to knit. I was so excited - I bought her yarn, a magazine with pattern she wanted, needles and assorted other knitter necessities. But, alas, DD2 probably will never be a knitter. She has a phobia about "sharp things" near her eyes.

So this April I started one of her projects and then set it aside, promising to finish before she really needed them. And, during the past week I finished:

1. Scarf for DD2

It's narrow, with a 4 stitch garter-stitch edge. But, even after steam blocking, the edge still rolled. I looked through several of my pattern books and read that adding a single crochet row on the edge would help. One row helped, but I ended up adding a second row.

2. A hat for DD2

got the pattern off the internet - but can't find my print out now.

3. Urban Necessity Gloves/mitts for DD2

Pattern from Magknits

And there's a little yarn left over. Cross your fingers - there just might be enough to get a pair of little kids socks for CIC out of it.

Yarn for all three projects:

Plymouth Yarn Encore color #153. It's called gray. But, it has a lot of lavender/purple tweedy bits in it.

Still here

No blogging lately and only a little knitting going on. Busier than usual after work these days.

I am NOT going to have my dark green Filatura Di Crosa - Maxime socks finished during November. This will be the first time during a SAM that I will have missed a month. I know I could do a quick pair of little kids socks for CIC...and maybe I will end up doing that over Thanksgiving weekend.

But, I have so many other things that need my attention. [And right now getting ready for work is on the top of the list.]

Have a great weekend and stay warm!!

Young Voters

Yay! The grandsons voted!

Sport came home from kindergarten with an "I Voted" sticker on. The mama asked, "Did you really vote today?" Sport said, "Yes." The mama then asked, "Who did you vote for?" And Sport said, "Barack Obama."

:-)

Buster came home from pre-school (3 yr olds) waving an American flag and wearing an Obama sticker. He wants to be Rock Obama.

:-)

FO - No photo

I was SO excited to finish the pink baby blanket AND a matching infant's stocking cap that I packaged them up to mail to the charity group before I thought about taking a photo. I didn't have another large padded envelope, so I decided to just let it go. I mailed it after work yesterday. :-)

It took a month more than I had estimated. But it was an easy pattern and I luved knitting something pink!

Testing

I've been given a project by my boss that includes photos and linking notes and such. I said, "I think I can. I'll work on it this weekend." So, I've tried the technique with my Flickr account [used for Ravelry.] And I think it works.

Testing: Jakki Mitch's knitting library [old version... majorly need to update the photo 'cos I have a lot more books now!] Hover your mouse over a book cover and then click on the link that pops up.

Yeah, it's almost there.

I'll wait till Monday to create a Flickr account for work - etc.