Purling Oaks

Oops, still packing...

We had a nice time with a 4 year old going on 16 yesterday.     Just kidding, but I am sure I wasn't that together/smart/quick with a phrase at 4.  Of course, we don't share the same immediate gene pool.  :D  However, the blue frosting is evidence he is just 4.  Happy Birthday, Jack.

I'm almost finished packing and thinking of last minute things to throw into the bags or car. 

Regarding the geranium tree.....I think what I call a tree is just a really tall geranium.  My grandparents had it in a sturdy, large pot (terra cotta, I think) with a pole/stick in the pot to provide some support to the plant.  Geraniums will grow tall, if given a chance.  I remember seeing my first geranium hedge at my BIL's in California.  Crazy.  My grandparents' plant bloomed regularly.

Have a Happy Sunday.  And, Mom, we should be by soon.......  :D

Pretty pink

My geraniums bloomed while I was away this week!  I love the petals and the pink.  I purchased this during our cold and damp spring when I visited a greenhouse in nearby Portage.  I love greenhouses in the winter and spring for their warmth and the wonderful smell of earth.  Anyway.  My mother's parents always had a geranium "tree" that lived near Grandpa's chair and, walking through the greenhouse, I was struck with an idea.  I could start my own geranium tree.  So, home it came.  It started out living in my studio because it is sunny there in the late afternoon.  However, it wasn't thriving there.  Finally, the sun room warmed up and I moved it and my poor hoya out there.  (The hoya's story is a whole other post.)  It is still in a small pot and I haven't given any thought to "training" it up, rather than out.    
But, I do like the thought of having a geranium tree in my home.  Even if it is going to have to move back to my studio for the cold months.

Travel was good this week.  Work was very busy and is challenging me enough to be interesting and a stretch but not enough to turn me into a turnip.

Wilson and I are vacationing as of today!  Woooo whoooo!  Today we attend our youngest nephew's birthday party for pizza and cake.  Then tomorrow we head up to Grand Marais, Michigan.  The house/cat(s) sitter is all lined up for what will be a short time away but it will be relaxing and a way to decompress.  More later but now I have to jump in the shower!

Happy Saturday!

Food and a plan

The weekend has flown, as usual.  I arrived home just before midnight after driving through a thunderstorm Thursday night.  I think the delayed flights, thunderstorm driving, and sleep deficit colored my weekend in a way I would rather not repeat. 

Anyway......here's some of the fun stuff from this weekend.

Food!  Pork Lettuce Wraps

I used a recipe by Molly Katzen as a catalyst but I was pretty "free-form" to arrive at our dinner Saturday.  Boneless porkchops cubed and cooked then sauted with minced carrots, celery, scallions, garlic, cilantro, and bean sprouts.  Yum.

I won't linger on saying I still have some *more* frogging to do on the Simple Yet Effective Shawl.  I think I can safely say that I'm going to make sure I get better sleep in the work weeks to come.

In the spirit of Summer of Socks 2009, I started some socks for Wilson using Magic Loop and Cascade.

I used this method of casting on that I found while nosing around in Ravelry.  I'm not an expert but it is pretty slick.  These socks will be staying home this week but following me on vacation next week.  (Wheee!  VACATION!!!!) *ahem*  However, this week Icarus and the SYES are coming with me for my knitting pleasure. 

Here's the plan this weekL  Work, get to the hotel, walk for about an hour, eat dinner, call Wilson, knit, and sleep.  Shower and repeat.  No television.  I repeat.....no television.  I'm blaming it for my reduced sleep levels.  I know, I know, *I'm* responsible for pushing those buttons on the remote ....but if I don't turn it on I won't know if there are never-before-aired NCIS episodes being shown.  Right?   There will be some ipod Touch surfing/blog reading, too, assuming the wireless connection is functioning. 

Happy late Sunday night!

This better not be a new trend.....

Yes, more ripping. I had added an unscheduled design feature to the Simple Yet Effective Shawl that I just noticed this afternoon. So, at least I have something to do in my 6 hour weather delayed travel venture, right? I should get home while it is still today but not by a wide margin. O.o

Why am I doing this again? :D

Happy Thursday....I hope.

Oops

/sigh

I am so glad I had a lifeline.....I just wish I had run one more recently. I think I have all the stitches back on the needles. I am getting faster though. :D

I'll be home Thursday night and I better go to bed early. I've been going to sleep on Central time but waking up on Eastern time. Not a good thing to do on a long term basis, I will say.

Refreshing Start

Iced coffee with a bit of skim milk start my Mondays when I am in the airport at 5 am. I like the refreshing chill combined with my necessary hit of caffeine.

The east horizon was showing pink at 4 am as I started my drive south to catch my flight this morning. I usually see just darkness or moon and stars, if I'm lucky, at that hour. Today was lovely with the pink though just a bit disorienting. I checked several clocks to be sure I had not overslept! But no....just the effect of the approaching solstice.

Happy Monday!

Does this look like a woman's undergarment to you?....

I was spreading out the Simple Yet Effective Shawl (in progress in Noro Sock yarn) in preparation for a photo and Wilson asked me what I was knitting.  When I replied that it was a shawl and would probably be a smaller rather than larger one, his comment was "Really?  It looks like a woman's undergarment to me."  O.o  After some study, I do see some resemblance and it just goes to show it is all in a person's perspective. 

Last week's hole was fixed using Cookie's advice and now I can't even tell where it was.  Thanks, Cookie! 

I just have a few random thoughts gripes to share, which is a hint of my state of mind, if I ever find it......

• I would like to meet and speak with the brilliant engineer that designed those toilets that flush while you're still sitting on them, with no action on your part, except perhaps leaning down or over to perform actions that women perform in a restroom.   There are a few things I would like to tell him.  Don't ask me why, but I really think it is likely that my use of "him" is correct.
• I just purchased some barrettes that immediately broke at the hinge.  Argh.  I'm using these hair devices as my humidity defense while growing out my bangs.  I want to go back in time to the 80's so I can purchase some decent barrettes and hair combs, again.
• Don't let me color my hair again.  Highlight, maybe.  Color, no.  Humidity + damaged hair = big mess.

Okay, now for the less than random stuff:

• I tried posting this week from my iPod Touch but something ate my post between my hotel room and the Innernets.
• I stopped by Best Buy to take a look at a couple of netbooks.  It's all Kathryn's doing!  Honest.  :D
• I didn't walk the Mall this week but I did walk to and from Trader Joe's on Monday and spent some time on the treadmill later in week due to all the rain and thunderstorms.  I need to get on the treadmill more often.
• Wilson and I are having pork carnitas or fajitas or whatever you call them this evening with freshly made pico de gallo.  Yum.

Happy Saturday!

Some actual knitting...

I have been knitting and here's some evidence.     I've been working on increasing my speed but, of course, for me with speed (I use that term loosely) comes .......... a hole.  I found it yesterday just as my plane reached cruising speed to Madison; a short flight so not that much of a loss.    I think I have a spare yarn-over there but I'm not sure.  I've been researching my Knit Fix book for a solution to that and all Lisa Kartus says is to tink.  /sigh.  Is it possible to just "drop down" and fix it?  I've got errands to run this morning so I won't be playing with it too soon.  I will be seeing my DSIL Anne tomorrow, I think, and she will probably know how to fix it....besides tinking, I hope.  *g*

I walked around outside early this morning and found some things to share with you.  Here's a blue flag iris growing in the stream, which is still flowing but the volume of water is much reduced.

The thyme is blooming...... 

I've been walking a lot lately and feeling really good.  I've even been feeling skinny-er but when I step on the scale it says "so what if you've been walking.....walk more!"  So, I'll take the mood improvement and hope for more as I keep walking.  I've found a place to stay about two blocks from the office in DC so I'll be able to avoid the "sweaties" in the morning.  I plan to walk to and on the "Mall" in the evenings so I can keep up the walking and walk in a place where there will be a lot to see.  I'll have to walk a few blocks to get to the Washington Monument end.   I'll be able to gauge my progress by how far I get on the Mall.

Happy Friday!