Tidbit Madness

Here's what's going on:

The hard drive is still on the fritz. Will get all of you the Swiss Steak recipe when my computer has a new hard drive (so I can share a few photos).

Have designed one mitt (almost went the mitten route, but fingerless mitts are SO popular!) and am knitting the other so I can share the pattern with you. Am using Lion Brand Wool-Ease, which is not my favorite yarn, but, as I have no fancy yarn company sponsoring me (anyone from Rowan, Skacel, Karabella, etc, reading?) I have to use what is in the stash. I enjoy using my recycled fibers but I didn't have anything appropriate for this project. So Wool-Ease it was.

Speaking of recycled yarn, did some fierce sweater shopping today for prime yarn recycling material. Found some great fibers!

Am going to try chicken fricassee tonight - have never made it and it sounds intriguing; if it turns out good, I'll have another recipe to share with you!

And I guess that's that. Am feeling a bit scatterbrained and buggy today, so am going to sign off before I descend into babbling land. Will talk some more tomorrow!

Flights of nerdiness, yarniness, and general overtired momminess.

It seems like my life is endlessly busy, but I am sure that this is the plight of all moms. Yesterday, I was constantly doing three things at once - helping Tim launch his online business, No Sweat!; he manufactures what are basically cedar sachets for odor and sweat control in such items as boots (motorcycle, hockey, etc.), gloves, and helmets (they are also good as a moth repellant - I keep one with my wool fibers). Anyhow, he has gaps in his computer nerdiness, and as I am the head nerd in this house, I work on most of the online aspect of the business. Did I mention that I am studying A+ (a lot of which I already know) and trying to eventually get my Microsoft Certification?


Why yes, I am, thank you!

Then there is also the yarn recycling, which has it's own learning curve. I'm learning that it's just not worth the time to buy sweaters with machine sewn shoulders - you don't get a good amount of yarn. Angora, no matter how yummy it may be, leaves your clothing covered in fuzzies and is extremely fragile. Wool, as you know, likes to felt, and so the 100% wool sweater that looks perfect, like no felting action has ever occurred is still difficult to unravel as the individual stitches micro-felt (my own made-up term). But it is still addictive and I really like doing it, and Tim seems to appreciate it as well as he pulled out his box o' sweaters and donated a few to the cause (I made him keep his cashmere, though. I believe the number one commandment of sweater recycling should be "Thou Shalt not unravel a perfectly wearable cashmere sweater lest thou hadst the desire to suffer deep yarn remorse forevermore").

Kendall has a competition coming up next weekend in which she is skating three programs and has multiple costume changes. She has been stressing about getting everything ready for it. Last night, I cut a "Flashdance" sweatshirt for her (she is skating to "Flashdance: What a Feeling") and felt like I was back in middle school. She looks great in it, though.


You know the sweatshirt. You probably had one. Wanna make another one? There are great directions here.

And now synchronized skating season is on in full force. If you aren't familiar with synchronized skating, think synchronized swimming except on the ice. I am becoming a total skater mom, with the "my kid skates" decal on my car, the fleece "Team Chiller" pull over, and sacrificing my Sunday nights to synchro practice, which, for Kendall, goes from 4:45 to 8:00 p.m. The cool thing is that I get some kid free time to knit or read or just veg. If you think I'm totally insane and there just couldn't be such a thing as synchronized skating, watch this (it's only 3 minutes, it won't kill you):



This is Miami University (of Ohio)'s 2009 World Synchronized Skating Championship short program. Groovy, eh? Well, Kendall sure seems to like it, is excitied about the travel (Detroit! Oxford, Ohio!), and is improving exponentially the longer she is on the team. Go Team Chiller!