Purling Oaks

Some goals, before I forget

I mentioned, a few weeks ago, that I planned to make some resolutions goals for 2009.  I've been pondering and here's my list.  Some goals have no real measureable targets but most do. 

• Make more efficient use of my herb garden.  In 2008, I dried some basil and oregano but not much, nor did I jar them up.  Yup, I have a dried leaves in ziplock bags in my spice cabinet.  I didn't dry any thyme at all, which is SO unusual since I love it and we use it often in the kitchen.  So, I would like to harvest herbs regularly this  summer, dry them, and store them in jars, to keep or give away.
• Finish Icarus and Forest Canopy.  Stacey and I have set a first interim goal of February 14 to complete Chart 1 of the Icarus pattern.  I have made a far amount of progress on Forest Canopy but I'm glad I've decided to finish Icarus first.
• Send birthday greetings and presents so they arrive on time.  The earth may cease to turn if I achieve this goal this year......
• Exercise more.  I've fallen off the Curves wagon.  (Darkness, cold and ice, 40-50 minutes travel time, annoyance with the management....not good reasons, just reasons) I have a treadmill at home, I need to get on it more this winter.  I had a good 40-minute walk each day when I was in DC last week (hotel-office-hotel) and it felt good.  I want to feel that good when I'm home.  Exercise is a challenge for me with my ever changing work location/schedule....I need to get past that since I probably won't be changing my job anytime soon.
• Not take on too many extra commitments (like KALs).   I haven't been able to "keep up" with, most recently, Knitting with Nora due to various circumstances and personal tendencies.  I'm working on finding ways to "keep up" but I have to realize that my work schedule does not lend itself to keeping up.  Which is okay.   I want to participate with friends but I have to remember I've got some limitations.

Okay, that's enough of the goal stuff.  Here's what I've been doing the past couple of days...

First, there's been more bread.  This is rye bread from the 5-minute Artisan Bread book.  I substituted 1.5 cups of bread flour for the all-purpose flour because I ran out of AP flour due to all the recent bread baking.  This loaf was/is yummy.  The bread is "lighter" than the basic recipe but still a pretty sturdy bread.  I'm looking forward to some ham on rye sandwiches this week. 

I also spent a bit of time in my studio.  I added (and assembled) a new chair from ShopKo that is a swivel/glider chair (on sale).  I'm still working on where to put everything but here's a current progress photo or three. 

No where as nicely organized as some but at least I've emptied all the boxes and everything is installed somewhere.  I will be re-arranging as I spend more time in the studio and find better places for different things to live.  I'm finding pleasant surprises each time I take a good look at a shelf.  Sometimes I'll find a skein of yarn I've forgotten about or I'll pick up a book I haven't opened in a long time.  The stash is hiding in the closet.  I'll save that for a future post.

Thursday's row count

Is it really Thursday all ready?  My sense of time seems to be a bit out of step with the days this first full week of the new year.  I'm hoping that it doesn't race too quickly to Valentine's Day! 

Stacey and I have set and shaken on a goal of finishing Chart 1 of Icarus by February 14.  There's nothing (material) wagered, we're just setting a first step goal so that we can enjoy wearing our Icarus shawls, which others have completed in the Knitting with Nora KAL.  Although Stacey made our goal public by blogging about it yesterday so there's just a bit more pressure.  Little minx.  That's fine really.  I do very much want to finish this shawl and if this works, I'm happy.
  As of this moment, I have 105 more rows to go in Chart 1 with 37 days remaining.  It seems very a reasonable goal with some time management and skillful packing for my trip to the east coast next week.  It is probably about time for me to throw a lifeline into my knitting to thwart Murphy.  What do you think?  Do you have any hints for fitting lace knitting into your day?

Yesterday, I finally realized the dull headache I experienced all vacation was not stress-related.  In fact, my sinuses have been trying to tell me they need attention and I almost left it too late.   I found (and used) the Mucinex in the medicine drawer and drank more warm liquids, besides adding hot sauce to my lunchtime noodle soup.  This morning, I do feel better and I expect continued progress, now that I've clued into my body a bit.  Flying next week would have been no fun if I hadn't had the light-bulb moment.

Good stuff to cushion re-entry

"Re-entry" wasn't too painful today but having the alarm clock sound an hour and a half before my natural time to rise made me sigh deeply a few times on my way to the shower.  I do think the long two-weeks of time from work did a lot of good.  I actually didn't mind going back to work.....too much.  To balance re-entry discomfort, here are a few happy, fun things from this weekend.

DH has a Finished Object! DH finished a jewelry box (for me!) he has been working on for a while. The completion had been delayed by moving to a new house, setting up the workshop, finding the correct knobs and hinges, and a flooded basement.  The workshop was reassembled during our current vacation and he made time to finish this project.  Solid oak, three drawers and a storage area under a hinged lid.  I think it is gorgeous!  I love how the wood grain flows on the front of the chest.  I have some hand-dyed felt that will be perfect to cushion the inside of the drawers -- you can see the felt to the right of the box.  Thank you, dearest husband!  See what happens when you keep giving me jewelry? (Please, don't stop, okay?)    

I also got some free yarn in the mail.  (Yes, today it is all about me.)  Isn't it pretty?  One of my favorite colors, too! I joined the 2008 Holiday Yarns Sock Club this past year.  While I haven't participated actively in the fun goings-on in the Ravelry group, I did happen to correctly answer an email question about tequila.  Something about a worm and, no, we won't go there.  Thank you, Yarn Fairy!  One of these days (sigh), I'm going to knit up one (or more) of my gorgeous kits from Jennifer and the Tsarina of Tsocks.

No photos for this next one, but I restarted Icarus on Saturday and I'm on a roll, for me.  I think I've finally clicked with the pattern.  Finally.  Talk about being the rear guard for a KAL (Knitting with Nora)!  Somebody has to do it.  Stacey is inspiring me with her progress.  Now, if we can just agree on what "one fewer" repeats mean..........

Gabby Saturday

Does your bread-maker squeek?  My bread-maker, the one that plugs in, is squeeking this morning in an alarming manner.  I suppose I will see if the alarm is deserved if it produces bread by noon.  Yesterday, the mountain of laundry was scaled and even put away in proper places, I caught up with Heroes, and I finished the knitting of the beret. 
It is blocking today and from the perspective of the second photo, you may be able to guess my potential concern with the finished object.  However, we'll wait for the beret to dry before any modeled shots are produced.

One of the interesting things I was introduced to during deer hunting was Skype.  My eldest nephew, Micah, is attending university in Granada, Spain, this year and he gave us a live video tour of his apartment using Skype and his MacBook with the imbedded camera.  We didn't have a camera at our end but he could hear us all and we could see his apartment and his roommates.  Quite cool.  So, DN Hunter counseled me and I downloaded Skype, too.  You all probably knew this, but it is free computer to computer calls and (allegedly) low rates for computer to telephone calls.  The video component is the nicest part, especially when you haven't seen a loved one in a while.

As mentioned yesterday, Mom and I had time on Wednesday to visit a LYS, Yarns by Design.  I had a hefty discount certificate and some birthday money in my pocket, so what better place to visit! 
I was a happy shopper:  a slim 11" cherry boat shuttle by Schacht, bobbins for the shuttle, cherry-red glass buttons from Neenah Buttonworks (like cherry candy, my fav), a skein of Casbah (yum), two Handwoven Design Collections (#17 and #13), and Knitting On Top of the World.  Nicky Epstein's book has some gorgeous designs, including the one on the cover, and one or two that I can't fathom.  However, the best part of the book is her narrative on design inspiration. 

Some of you reading should be sure you are seated before you look at the next photo.

Yes, I cast on for Icarus last night after snooping around in Joan's, Nora's, and Cookie's blogs and ravelry spaces for tips. 

Now, off to search for a new Christmas Tree and replenish the kitty kibble.  Have a great Saturday!

Sitting at my own table

Here's the photo of my Forest Canopy that I promised Nora yesterday.  This is the same amount of stitches as Monday when I promised so there is no, err, cheating involved.  Forest Canopy is on the sidelines due to, among other things, my pressing need to finish my Brown Bag project for the MKG meeting this coming Monday. 

I'm actually working near home for the month of May.  Pretty cool.  My only challenge is to remember that I am not as full of energy at the end of the work day as I thought I would be when I made out my list of things I wanted to do this month.   I do this every time I work and commute, which isn't all that often.  I am just kind of startled to be sitting at my own dining room table tonight.  I'll get over it in a few days and get a little routine going.  One nice routine I'm starting is making a fruit yogurt smoothie for breakfast.  Yum.

Another especially nice benefit this week is watching our fruit trees starting to flower.  The cherry tree ....