New socks, New babies, New knitter!

I have been knitting, even if I haven't been blogging. One of my holiday knitting goals is to knit my mom 5 pairs of socks: 3 pair of these cotton ones and 2 pair of wool ones. She loves these cotton socks (Cascade Yarns Fixation) and they are easy to knit up on US 3 with 48 stitches on the foot and leg. The color combos are atrocious, to me, but my mom loves them. If you want the pattern, I can post it.

And, a friend at work is pregnant with her first child. As I was the first one at work to find out (we were on a business trip and she was puking), I thought she needed a handknit for this bambino who spent 1 week of his/her 1st trimester in Arizona with me, at a rodeo.

Pattern: EZ's Baby Surprise sweater, without the button band

Yarn: Great Adirondack superwash

Needles: US6

Mods: a kimono look with a simple button and loop closure. Good for a girl, good for a boy. I may need to knit a few more of these...

And, another knitter has been made! A co-worker, Sammi, quickly requested a knitting lesson this week and I obliged last night. She learned the long tail cast-on and the knit stitch in about 20 minutes. Yeah. Really. Frickin' amazing, right? I would say I'm the best instructor ever, but Sammi's pretty quick to pick things up. Last night, post-lesson, she headed home and kept on knitting.... this is her 1 night progress.

Her tension has evened up and her stitches are getting looser (she, like us all, tried to strangle the yarn into submission at the beginning). So, give a big "woohoo" for Sammi (who will be checking this blog) for her first knitting.

Yarn: Plymouth Encore from my stash

Pattern: Cast on 25, garter until you run out of yarn scarf

Needles: US 8 (4.5mm) needles from the JCA sale a few years ago.

Tomorrow: scenes from a yarn crawl, a completed hat for charity, a toddler sweater and yarn choices for holiday mittens. (if you are my sister in law, don't look tomorrow. ha ha ha)

10 on Tuesday

This week: 10 things in your fridge right now....

1. skim milk: the Organic Cow brand. I know, it's like $3.99  for a 1/2 gallon, but I have to drink 24 ounces a day, it's going to be tasty, organic, hormone-free.

2. chicken from the crock pot yesterday. I made a new-to-me recipe for chicken leg quarters in the crockpot (PC loved it)... and with the leftovers, I removed the skin and bones for easy lunch assembly this week.

3. chicken gravy. Low-carb chicken gravy (homemade) made from the crockpot chicken.

4. 1 sugar-free pudding (the other one is in my lunch bag)

5. 4 Samuel Adams beers. 

6. sabra hummus mini-cups. Get these at BJ's--- great portion control. 

7. 1 egg.... 2 went in my belly this morning for breakfast

8. Penzey's chicken stock "goop"--- this is indispensable. In fact, I am going to get the turkey and beef ones on my next trip.

9. sugar-free ice tea. I'm an iced-tea fanatic. This kind is peach.

10. there was roast beef with homemade gravy, onions & carrots... but I took it for lunch! 

back to blogging

Oh, the blogging break wasn't supposed to last that long. *gulp* 

I'm back. Expect at least 3 times a week blogging from now until Christmas. I have knitting to show. I have quilting to show. I have recipes to share. 

I'm back,people.... I'm back!!!

10 on Tuesday

10 Reasons to Watch Football.

Huh. This one is tough for me. I grew up watching football, attending football games, talking football... and I am a football widow. PC is a football lunatic, I mean, fanatic. I tend to not watch now, and instead I meet other football widows and knit.

1. Football is nice background noise. You can occasionally glance up and see what's been going on.
2. I like the linemen, screw those little little QB's and running backs... give me a center or safety any day.
3. Knitting. Need I say more? No one complains when you knit during football, because it means you aren't asking stupid questions.
4. I love watching the little ones play football. They look like helmets with feet.
5. I like watching the wee cheerleaders. I was a wee cheerleader (I was a cheerleader from age 7 to 18.... and team captain twice: in 8 th grade and senior year).
6. Little Chloe likes football now... she associates it with Uncle "PC" which I think is hysterical. Uncle "PC" has offered to teach her to throw a spiral.
7. Football watching means I make pot roast or some other all-day meal.
8. Football watching means I have the afternoon "off" to shop, knit, skip, sing....whatever I want, as long as i'm either a) quiet or b) out of the house.
9. PC's love of football is one of the reasons I love him. He's very passionate about it, but also knows it's not the world. I like a man who can see reality.
10. 12 straight hours of football for PC means he can't complain about me watching The Real Housewives or some other useless reality show that I am hooked on. :)

Ten On Tuesday

Today's Ten on Tuesday is : 10 ways to Lighten your Mood....

Hmm. this one could be tough, my mood's usually pretty darn light!

1. Put on lipstick. My Nana always told me if my hair was done and my lipstick on, it wasn't going to be a bad day. Today, I put on lipstain because I finally found a happy lipstick medium for me and PC... I get lipstick and he doesn't. And, yes, we kiss that much. :) 

2. Watch a cartoon. Any cartoon. I like some of the new ones, but my favorites are still on sometimes and they help.

3. giggle. Try it. Giggle a little and see if you feel happier, joyful, etc. I know I do!

4. Dance around. Sometimes I'm dancing to the music in my head, other times it's the tunes on the radio. Even if you can't dance: dance! 

5. Car-Dance. This is different than #4 b/c you do this in the car. Find a great station, roll down the windows and get your groove on. I was once car dancing in traffic (I do this a lot) and a man stuck in the opposite direction, rolled down his window as he approached me and told me that I made his day. He had never seen anyone so happy and if I could be dancing in traffic, then he could too!

6. Call a friend. I have good girlfriends who have hilarious kids, so I'll call them and say "tell me what Chloe/Remi/Jackson did today." 

7. Eat a popsicle. It's hard to be serious when you're trying to manage the licks and drips.

8. hug someone. 

9. play with a pet.

10. knit something. :) 

Mini & PC: A Love Story

I promised you the true tale of the 8 year love affair of Mini and PC... and all the mystery and intrigue involved.

Our first date happened 8 years ago today, which was a Friday. PC was on vacation from work and I had a day off, I was interviewing for a position at another department at the college I was working for.  I raced home to change to meet PC for lunch (less commitment than dinner, I suppose) at the Joshua Tree bar/pub in Davis Square, Somerville. I was nervous. I drank 3 diet cokes before he arrived... 20 minutes late. (mystery) He was late for a good reason: it was blazing hot out and while he lived less than a mile away, he wanted to take the bus, so he wouldn't arrive sweaty.

A leisurely lunch, complete with a good beer for each of us, resulted in neither of us wanting to end the date. What to do next? Well, PC stole my heart when he suggested we grab a loaf of bread and go feed some ducks.  Bread in hand, we went in search of ducks. We found them, but they wanted to bite me, not the bread. We fled the area near Longwood quickly... now where? We headed to Jamaica Pond and pulled over nearby and went for a brief walk with our bread, just in case.

Enter the drama and danger: a goose. A goose that was determined to kill me. A goose that, quite literally, hunkered down, pulled it's head in and cocked it to the side, menacingly,  and ran straight for me! PC, laughing hysterically, was pulling me along, while I was trying not trip and fall. 8 years ago today, he became my hero.

After that, because no 100 degree, 100% humidity day in Boston is not complete without a trip to the zoo (what.were.we.thinking.), we headed to Franklin Park. At the zoo, after the African wild dogs and on our way to the Andean condors, we held hands.  I thought, at the pygmy hippo, PC was going to kiss me, but he didn't.  Now, anyone who knows me could have told you that at 24, I was so done with the "dinner and a movie" thing. I had been dating a lot at this point, a lot of 1st and 2nd dates with nice, but not quite "it" guys... who were so unoriginal. Taking me to the zoo? Stole my little heart.

After the zoo, we headed back to Somerville... to PC's place. I was sweaty and disgusting. So was he. He ordered some dinner (calzones if I am correct, from Angelina's) and let me borrow a t-shirt and shorts and use his shower. The perfect gentleman, he put my clothes in the wash and stayed downstairs while I changed.

I finally got my kiss that night.

Our 2nd date was the following night.

So, the tale of PC and Mini started 8 years ago with a 24 year old girl and a 25 year old guy, who grew up less than 2 miles from each other. He went to high school with my brother, J. I knew his roommate's girlfriend from high school. All of these small world occurrences and we met and fell in love, one hot day in August 2002, over burgers, a beer and trip to the zoo.

Happy Anniversary, PC... the last 8 have been the best years... and I can't wait for 8 more.

PC and I bought a new couch. It's green. I love it. LOVE. We're tossing the old blue couches (hand me downs from bro & SIL) and putting the green couch in the living room. And moving my knitting chair (buff colored armchair) to the living room. Buying an ottoman. Swapping the rug from the dining room.

But.

I'm still so unsure about the design. I'd love to add some great book shelves, to not only store PC's books, but also to have some seasonal accessories. A great coffee table would work too. I'm thinking circular to break up the lines in the room.

I might need help.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a designer who can work with what you have? We're in an apartment, so no painting, no re-modeling... and we have a pretty strict budget. Like $500.

So, if you know someone (design students welcome!) and are someone, let me know. We'd be willing to let our apartment be photographed for a portfolio as well. :)

Ten on Tuesday

The top ten reasons to love bacon? Hmmm... I like bacon, but I don't know if I love bacon. PC loves bacon. Anywho, here we go:

1. Bacon is best when crispy. Very crispy. It can be prepared in many ways from limp and rubbery (eww) to burnt.
2. It's salty, and eggs need salt no matter how they are prepared, so if you have bacon with your eggs, you don't need the salt shaker.
3. It adds a little "something" to ice cream. At this moment, there is a pint of maple-bacon gelato in my freezer.
4. Scallops love bacon. They've been known to fraternize with bacon and the results are amazing.
5. When you are camping and you want to conserve cooking gas, you can start a bacon-grease fire in the camp stove and turn off the gas. You can continue to cook your food for another 3-5 minutes, therefore conserving precious propane. (ask me how I know).
6. Bacon comes from pigs. Pigs are not very clean animals, but are very friendly and some varieties can be pets. So, bacon can be a pet.
7. Bacon can come from turkeys, too, so it can be "healthy" bacon.

Wow... I might actually have 10 things to like about bacon

8. Bacon can make any meal you have burned better. If you royally screw up the beef bourginon a la Julia Child, you can always make bacon and egg sandwiches, because who doesn't like a bacon'n'egg sandwich?
9. Bacon is a great bridge between two cultures.Canadian bacon is not really bacon, it's ham, but we still call it bacon to appease the Canadians.

and finally...
10. Bacon is tasty in a number of ways: in a sandwich, with eggs, addition to salad, etc.

cutting back

2009/2010 has been a good year for us. I'm coming up on my one year anniversary at work and I expect a good review from the boss. I'm also realizing that I've been really lax about saving some money. We were very fortunate to have my severance and unemployment when I was out of work, but I took a huge hit in my savings trying to keep up with the Jones's this year. So, I'm cutting back. And, it's strange b/c some of the ways I am cutting back are going to seem a bit crazy, but stay with me and we'll see how it all goes:

1. yarn diet. I know, I've said it, but I've been really good. I'm knitting from stash (I have got really good yarn in there!) and making 80% of my holiday gifts this year. This may be making me persona non grata at my LYS, but since I spent a good chunk of money there over the years, I'm not letting guilt seep into my brain.
2. bringing lunch. We've been doing this for years, but now we're really cracking down on the grocery bill and working through the pantry before we shop.
3. "free" time: HBO, Starz.... we get them in our cable package and we're going to start using them.  Less movies out, more movies in... and the popcorn is cheaper too!
4. take out with taking out... diving into my cookbooks to find yummy dinner ideas that are take-out like, but without the $40 price tag. This week: asian stirfry wraps: broccoli, water chestnuts, zucchini and carrots with leftover chicken in a sugar free teriyaki sauce on low carb wraps: Yum!
5. clothing donations. Tax receipts and cleaning the closets? it's a wonderful thing!
6. saving, saving, saving. I'm now officially on a budget with "play money" included each week. I'm already a little stressed out about it, but I think the first big "clink" into the savings account will cure that.
7. library for e-books. Yup, i'll have to wait for them, but at least I'll have them for free!

I always have these moments of self-renewal around the start of school, not January 1.

For 2010/2011, I'm going to learn to invest some of my savings as well. All while knitting. :)

Shalor

I'm knitting Shalor for PC right now. He's been waiting 8 years, as of August 16,  for a sweater. Yup, on August 16, 2002, PC and I went on our first date. I'm not sure if I've told you all the story, but that might be a better story for our actual anniversary. And, it's  a good one. Complete with intrigue, mystery, danger and some romance.

Anyway... (I'm rivaling Carole for digressions today, no?). I'm knitting Shalor. It's a big sweater. Not in the sense that PC's some gargantuan sized male, but it's got a whole lot of cables, honeycomb and some serious seed stitch sections. And, one cable is a 4-row repeat, another is an 4-stitch/8 row repeat and the big cable is a 20 row repeat with 16 stitches....so, nothing matches up. *sigh*
And, it's a Penny Straker, so you know the pattern is flawless, but also: not.charted. Yup. I said it. Not charted.

4 pattern rows took me 2 hours on Monday night. I'm a fast knitter and 2 hours for 4 pattern rows should mean I am knitting a Guiness-record-breaking afghan on US 1 needles, but alas it's an aran sweater on US 6 with worsted weight.  So, a little sleuthing on Tuesday during my lunch break (and much whining to a friend via email), resulted in my new favorite toy:

Knit Chart

You need to have Java enabled, but it's a great program. I highly suggest it!

10 on Tuesday

10 Things To Bring on Vacation.... since I just got back, I will tell you what I brought :)

1. PC. Srsly, he carries stuff, he's a good driver, sings along to the radio, knows when I need to get an iced coffee... and he's not too shabby to look at.
2. my nook. I wouldn't have made it camping without it. I read 3 books on my nook while camping. That's 3 books I didn't have to haul with me. It went to the beach, the water, in the car... and did I mention I had my knitting pattern in there too?
3. comfy clothes. I don't get why anyone would wear uncomfortable clothes on vacation. I lived in shorts and tank tops all week.
4. knitting. For me, it's a relaxation thing. I'm a good enough knitter that I rarely have to look down now, even when it's lace or cables, just enough to stay on track... and this means my hands are busy while my mind is clear.
5. bathing suit. I'm not going on vacation unless I can swim. I *heart* my new Lands End tankinis. Plus size gals everywhere: they are cute, flattering and easy to manage for trips to the potty.
6. mp3 player. We don't usually go on vacation where it's not a road trip, so we need this to keep us singing along.
7. money. Cash money. There is nothing worse than getting back from vacation and getting the credit card bill. I take out the amount of cash I want to spend and work from there.
8. credit cards. Because sometimes it's better/easier to charge it... and if you are buying something you want to take home (expensive trinket, etc), you want the AMEX protection :)
9. cell phone w/ navigation and/or internet access. There is nothing like being in a strange town and saying "hmm... where's the closest Dunkin'?" This solves many problems.
10. maps. Because GPS takes you where you want to go, but maps can show you a whole new world. And, sometimes, where you want to go and where you need to be are two totally different places. :)

Home Sweet....

Oh, I can't even say it. I don't want to be home. I don't. I want to act like a 4 year old and stamp my feet and refuse to budge and yell until I get my way. And my way is back on Lake Conway, camping.

It was a perfect, beautiful trip for us. Of course, the first night it didn't just rain, it typhooned. Isn't that right Kim? Kim lives near where we camp and if my cell hadn't died after sending her an email, I would have been able to call her to put us up instead of dealing with a leaky tent. Oh, leaky is probably being generous... the rain fly was, how do you say... useless. Necessity is the mother of invention and at midnight on Saturday, I was soaked to.the.bone. running down a muddy hill in flipflops and tying a tarpaulin to the tent. It worked. We got dry. We laughed.

Everything else on the trip: perfect. We hiked up to Sabbaday Falls, rode the cog railway up to Mt. Washington and spent a lot of time laughing. We also ate the yummiest ice cream, played with our friends' daughter, Noodle, who was on her 1st camping trip!!!

There was knitting. Napping. Laughing. Drinking. Eating. Cooking. Casting out. Casting off. Casting on. Creating. Washing. Lounging. Carousing. Driving. Wondering.

PC and I had a great time.

and tomorrow, it's back to work and I think I just might cry a little.

Ten on tuesday

Ten things to do instead of watching tv...
1.  Knit
2. Play cards..we like gin rummy.
3. Talk. PC and I have an hour every night where we just chat.
4. Sew.
5. Fire poke. I am camping right now.
6. Work out.
7. Hike....yes, camping.
8. 

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Fenway or....

Not?  Real football comes to Boston!
And, girl? Them footballers are cute!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Ten on Tuesday

This week is 10 things to take on a camping trip... it's like Carole designed it just for me! See, PC and I are heading out on our annual week-long camping trip this weekend (I'll try to smartphone-blog, but bear with me... I might just be too busy, doing nothin').

10 things ....

1. a tent and accoutrements. I spent my childhood camping in both tents & trailers and for those of you who are campground residents, I was a seasonal kid. While we are quickly approaching the age of the camper, PC and I are still loving our tent. Our "summer house," as we call it. You'll need sleeping bags, an air mattress and chairs no matter how you camp, so bring them along too.
   
2. food. I prefer to shop on our way to the destination. There must be hot dogs, potato chips and pancake mix on that list. As I'm on South Beach this year, we might do more eggs than pancakes.
   
3. Beer. We prefer bottles to cans, but there is nothing like a good beer, in front of a nice fire while you stare at the lake. Yup, when camping, "lake watching" is an activity.
4. Books/reading material. PC catches up on all his music industry magazines and this year, I'm packing my Nook. Tonight I'm going to buy 2 more books to add to it.
   
5. Knitting! While PC fishes and smokes a cigar, I'm usually knitting and listening to the radio. One year, I got a whole pair of socks done between the car, the site and the side-trips.
6. More than 1 swimsuit. There is nothing like hanging up your suit to dry and having it still be damp in the a.m. So, I always pack 2. This year I bought tankinis. Why, yes, that South Beach is going well.
   
7. PC. I can't get the tent up without him. He and I are such a well matched pair-- -there is nary a fight or squabble between us when we're camping. Our first ever trip, our friends were engaged and broke up after the trip... PC and I became soulmates. :) Never live with/marry a man you can't put a tent up with.
8. Radio. We have a tradition of listening to ball games while we play cards and eat dinner. It started on a trip 7 years ago on Lake Androscoggin in Maine, but it's continued. I don't like watching baseball, but I like listening to it.
   
9. Camping crap: this is easily defined as "all the stuff we keep in the camp boxes." See, if I said "bring camp boxes" you would have been confused, right? This includes: batteries, flashlights, dishes, utensils, the big knife (think Rambo), rope, trash bags (always, always, always pack out! don't be "that guy" at the campground), bug spray, bug candles, etc...
10. A sense of awe, appreciation and wonder for the world. I am closer to God when I am camping than any other time in my life. I love hearing the lake wake up, the loons sign their children to sleep, and watch the clouds move across the sky. I am closer to PC when we are camping as well. We connect on a level that defeats any petty argument that we've ever had.
    

weather, llamas, and mittens...oh my.

Yup, that's an FO. Branching Out (Susan Lawrence) (Rav link) in Mirasol Miski. It was lovely knit, it's 4 balls of yarn and unblocked. I haven't decided if I'm going to block it, I kind of like it as is. And, since it's a holiday gift, I have a bit until I need to block it. Since today will be in the high 80s and tomorrow, the 90s.... I decided to cast on for mittens.















Yarn: Wisdom Yarns "Poems" which is like a Noro-knock off. It's nice, but it's a single and has some thick and thin pieces.

Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmerman's Mitered Mittens.

Needles: Bamboo US 6 dpns...

Modifications: none! I'm just whizzing along on these... that's 1 hour of knitting last night. I see a great many pairs of mittens ahead of me. I mean, c'mon, if you can make a pair in a weekend, or 2 good nights at knit night, why not?

Now, below... what you can't see is the crazy cat trying to feel the back of the ottoman for the dpns...lol. I kept trying to get a pic of the cat "hand" feeling around for it! When I was done, she came running after me and said "meow?" like "we're done with the photoshoot? you didn't get any pics of me!"

A knitting photo. Yup. I knit. In fact, I'm almost done with this project... it's a scarf for PC's sister (who may be reading, but that's okay).

Pattern: Branching Out (knitty.com)
Yarn: Mirasol Miski

Worsted / 10 ply (9 wpi)

Yardage

82 yards (75 meters)

Unit weight

50 grams (1.76 ounces)

Gauge

18.0 sts = 4 inches

Needle size

US 8 - 5.0 mm

Fibers

100% Llama

Needles: US 10.5 circular bamboo needles
No real modifications besides bumping up the yarn weight and needle size accordingly. For a warm yarn like llama, a lacy scarf is very nice.

















What was that? Oh, the computer-ish thing to the left? Oh, that's my new nook. and I love it. I have been on the e-reader fence for awhile... PC even offered one for Christmas, but it was still too much money and I wanted to see how it all played out in the price wars. And, I think I won. I have the Wifi version (not 3G) and so far, not a problem, I simply download while at my house or Starbucks (anywhere there is free wifi: the airport, the hotel, the Starbucks... my office).

Why the e-reader? I'm traveling more and more these days: I have 1 trip per month until the end of the year (except November). This lets me take my pdf knitting patterns, my books, and some photos with me. It's good for work pdfs, larger texts that I can convert to epub at work and then load, my work trade journals are available epub (some, not all).

Why not the Kindle? I like the B&N interface better. And, I could walk into a store and try it. And I did. Like 900 times. :)

puppies & cupcakes

This weekend was filled with puppies and cupcakes.... the stuffed puppy is the Daniel the Spaniel pattern from Ravelry. Great pattern, no mistakes. I'll be knitting this again soon. :)

Cupcakes were for my favorite 2 year old: Chloe! The Noodle turned two a few weeks back and at her 4th birthday celebration (1 in Romania on vacation, 3 at home here), her favorite Auntie made her "Mickey" cupcakes (well, Minnie really). Oreo 'ears' and twizzler bows completed the look.

South Beach Week 2, Monday
Breakfast: low carb yogurt
1/2 cup blueberries
Lunch: pork tenderloin/1/2 sweet potato/zucchini
cucumbers & hummus
Dinner: pork chops & broccoli w/ cheese
Snack: sugar free popsicles!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

South Beach re-commit Day 1

Even with the doctor telling me, the medications, etc... I'm too stupid or stubborn (let's go with stubborn) to get out of my own way. So, I have challenged PC to a "contest" of sorts this summer: sticking to our diets from July 4th to Labor Day weekend. Should be simple, right?  Well, we'll see.

A few things you will have noticed about the blog: 1) the weight loss tracker is back, barring it allowing my blog to crash again; 2) the WW point calculator on the side...it's there for PC's use or yours; 3) I'll be posting more often... knitting and cooking and such. So be prepared for the unexpected. Recipes will appear if they are deemed yummy, knitting photos will appear more regularly. I mean, if I can't eat sweets, I have to do something with my hands, right?  What's the contest part? Nothing, really, but if you leave a comment on at least 2 blog posts per week while we're doing this, we'll provide a nice present at the end, I promise.

Here are the "rules":
Mini:

• must stay on SB Phase 1 for 2 weeks (including Chloe's bday party: no cake!) and then volley between Phase II (modified) and Phase I
• must take her medicine, no matter what.
• must start exercising ASAP... even a walk in the a.m. is something. get up and move!
• journal every bite, sip, taste, nibble and emotion. track weight and f/v servings and dairy.
• not bite off PC's head for eating oatmeal

PC:

• must eat WW style, including calculating points and helping create menus
• hit the gym!
• track weight and reduce # of "empty" points (like 100 cal snacks) and move to "real food"

We can do this, right?
Here's my menu today:

• Breakfast:  low-carb vanilla yogurt (1/2 cup), 10 ounces sugar free (sf), nonfat (nf) vanilla latte
• Snack #1:  12 cashews
• Lunch :      1 chicken leg quarter (leg & thigh), no skin, bbq'd with sate seasoning only, 1 ounce reduced fat cheese, 3 cucumbers ( small) and 2 ounces hummus
• Snack #2:  12 ounces iced vanilla latte
  
• Dinner:       grilled steak, steamed veggies and salad greens
• Snack #3:   sugar free lemon jello w/ 1 tbsp cool whip (sf)
  
  

4th of July

As a kid, we were removed from our suburban Boston home with our tvs, radios, etc and sent to a trailer in NH. And we loved it. From the last day of school to the first, we were barefoot and sunburned, playing with friends and creating memories. Some of my favorite memories were of the 4^th of July… fireworks, organized games, new people at the campground (us ‘seasonal’ kids were enamored with new people) and tons of ice cream. My dad usually stayed with us for the whole week (normally he was up Friday night, left Sunday night/Monday morning) and we just loved it. We had a medium sized camper, 3 kids, 2 adults, 2 dogs, 1 4-wheeler, 1 dirt bike, 3 BMX bikes, 2 canoes, 1 motorboat… and a whole summer on the pond.

It shaped who I am and what I will be. I need water in my life. I crave it. So many times I am feeling cagey and stressed and ready to run and I head for water. It calms me. I want to spend my summers with my feet dangling off a dock, looking for fish.

So, today, I start planning. Planning for my ultimate retreat… someplace near the water, someplace in the woods… where a campfire crackles and my heart grows full.

Sometimes I forget what Mom & Dad really gave us when they took us camping for the summer: freedom to be kids, run around, live in our bathing suits, catch frogs & crayfish and learn to swim like fish.

I don’t think I’d trade a hundred Disney vacations for one of those summers, with mom’s blueberry pancakes, begging to “walk around the pond”, visiting FrogLand, and eating marshmallows.

The campground has been turned over to new owners and they will be trying their best to get it up and running, but it’s not going to be the same, and that’s okay… I’m just happy with my memories. Who knows… perhaps PC and I will find our own little slice of heaven in the NH woods… a small seasonal site, with a cracklin’ fire and a view of the lake.

(photos taken from the campground website)

View of the “beach” with the playground in front. First dock is to the right.

Kids in the annual tug-of-war on the 4^th of July at the campground.

Those trees were a sure sign that it was time to pack up the camper for the last time and spend the rest of our weekends at home.

Look at that face!

Must. Knit. Now.
Seriously? I am going to cast on for him when I get home tonight. Look at those ears!
(you know I'll make modifications...and I can already think of a few: like US 3 on worsted weight yarn, not dk and stitching on the facial details)

And, my apologies for the radio silence, work's been a bear, and I started a garden. Yup, will try to update with garden growing fantastic-ness this week. I'm getting zucchini!!!!

stoopid camera phone

So, I took photos for all you good people, via my Palm Pre, but right now, I can't get them to email. Tonight, I'll take some with the real camera and upload them. I pinky-swear.

But, how about we talk about knitting? I'm in a knitting quandry about my next project. I'm in a scarf mood. I just finished a pair of socks, I need to finish up a sweater (Jared Flood's Huron) and I have 25% of a new sock done. Oh, and 1/2 a baby sweater. I'm in that place. That place where you feel like you have knitting ADD b/c nothing feels right? I've been here for 2 weeks. Hopefully, a business trip this weekend (and into most of next week) will cure that. Nothing like hotel-knitting to get things done, I tell you. I really spend most of my non-working, non-entertaining hours, parked on the GIANT hotel bed, surrounded by pillows, watching bad tv and knitting. Of course, I am checking emails and getting some work done, but honestly, it's mostly it's knitting and sleeping early. A secret: I love work travel b/c it's the only time I have the bathroom to myself in the morning. I don't have to wait for anyone (PC) and I can take my time.

My knitting wish list for the 2nd half of 2010:
1) Finish Huron


2) knit Starsky for my mom


3) knit 4 more pairs of socks
(Clessidra counts as 2 pair)
4) knit 3 scarves

5) knit Shalor for PC :)

I do knit. I really do.

I do knit. I promise. I need to find some time to take some photos and show off my recent creations. I'm off to Philadelphia at the end of the week: work stuff. I'm 1/2 excited b/c I have been wanting to go to Philly, but will miss PC and Pumpkin. I'm heading out a night earlier than I need to b/c it was $600 cheaper, imagine that!

Also, I've re-committed myself to playing nice with South beach/low carb central. I am getting back on the exercise bandwagon and eating right. I have this insatiable urge to be active lately, I'm just trying to find my outlets.

PC has become a lean-mean-grilling machine. Yup, he talked me into a charcoal grill last year and I have to say: it's not as slow as I expected and the results are delicious.

So, in the spirit of accountability: daily updates on eating. My modified SB regimine:

• no pasta/bread/potatoes/rice/noodles/grains
• only "sugar" is fruit and only 2 servings per day
• high "sugar" veggies no more than 1X a week (like carrots)
• lean meat only
• eat every 2 hours
• salad 2X per day
• travel does not equal tragedy
  

Tuesday, June 8

• B: non-fat vanilla greek yogurt + blackberries and tea w/ skim milk
• SN: banana & cashews
• L: salad greens, grilled chicken, blueberries, cheddar cheese & homemade dressing
• SN: celery w/ onion dip (made w/ nonfat plain greek yogurt)
• D: kobe beef, green beans, portobellos w/ feta & side salad
• SN: hot tea w/ milk

CORI

This article in the Boston Globe has me pulled in two directions, so I thought we could discuss it here. The premise of the article is that CORI reform is necessary and that convicted felons should be allowed to have their records sealed in order to get better paying jobs or housing. For those of you who don't know: CORI is the criminal record that your employer, your landlord and your kids' school can get on you before you start a job, rent an apartment or volunteer at the school. As a former substitute teacher and summer camp counselor, I have been CORI'd many times.

But, I am having a hard time with this article because it focuses on a few individuals (tug at the human heartstrings, oh Boston Globe) to, in essence, add some personalization to the story. One of the women "highlighted" is a woman my age who was in jail for drugs and then assaulted a corrections officer. And wants to work with kids, which I think is admirable... kids should see the consequences of selling drugs and assaulting officers. Another 'gentleman' was working at a car wash before being dismissed by his boss due to his CORI record. His crime? He hit another man. With a handgun. Who was that other man? A rival drug dealer.

I do understand the idea of 'paying your debt' and moving on. I wish we could do that, I really do. But do I have the right to say, if I were a landlord or potential employer, that this is too much risk for me to assume by accepting this person in my home/office? Yes. Yes. Yes. and Yes again.

As a conservative, I don't want to see these people on the public dole for a lifetime either, so I do think they should be earning a living and paying for housing. What do we do? I know that some employers do hire ex-convicts and provide them with a decent wage and the opportunity to move ahead in life, but perhaps we should consider alternatives to relying on private companies to do this. One of the women in the above article was complaining that her $11/ hour job wasn't helping her get out of the public housing in Dorchester... and she intimated that she would have to return to selling drugs. How's that for trying to hold the state hostage?

My largest concern with CORI reform is that it will take the right to proactively protect yourself, your home, your investment, your business, your employees in a prophylactic manner and hand it over to the select "few" who have willfully chosen to disobey the law or commit violent offenses.

My $0.02 for what it's worth... this is just what's on my mind today. Feel free to chime in, but remember, I'm a person so please don't just yell at me. :)

A friend helps you move, a best friend helps you move a body.

In this case, my best friend wouldn't let me leave our shoe-shopping extravaganza without these:

Perfect. Shoes. They go with my khaki linen pants, my blue linen pants... dresses, skirts. :)
And, today, they are being shown around my office with a blue top and cute jeans (which are less tight today than last week: yahoo!).

Another great bonus of shoe-shopping with my best friend? The chatting and laughing... knowing that she's there to listen. Knowing that I am there to listen. Griping about our men, our moms and why do they make cute shoes so damn narrow? And what is up with high heeled flip-flops. We are both pretty anti-flip-flop... the sound in the office (yes, we can wear them in the office... we can wear tank tops & shorts as well. Office rule: clean, and not naked) is like nails on the proverbial chalkboard.

So, Syl, thanks for last night... I needed it. PC just about fell over when he saw the bag come in ( I was brave,but I totally get if you left yours in the car)... but he liked my selection. He is pretty adamant about me finding "somewhere to put them." Hm. Didn't think of that. So, ladies... where do you put your shoes?

Oh, and these followed me home too...

.
and 3 more pairs...
:)

10 on Tuesday

10 on Tuesday... taken straight from Carole's blog. I love it when she provides me with blog fodder. :)

10 Places That Make You Happy:

1. My dining room. I love my table and chairs and how PC's big clock looks in our dining room. I have made a very strong effort to make this room cozy and inviting for friends and family to sit for hours, talking and laughing.

2. Lake Conway, NH. Especially early in the morning, when PC's fishing, I'm getting eggs and coffee ready. It's early, you can hear campers waking up, but mostly we can hear birds and the quiet sounds of the lake

3. Rand Pond, Goshen, NH. Where I spent my summers as a child. The early June light, at 5pm... bouncing off the water. Sounds of kids jumping in the pond, fisherman casting out... smell hot dogs cooking and campfires being lit.

4. The left side of the couch... snuggled with PC. It's "my side" of the couch.

5. My car. I know that isn't really a place, but I like driving (probably one of my favorite activities) and I like being in my car, listening to the radio (or not, sometimes silence is best) and just driving. I used to think nothing of popping into my car for a 2 hour drive to see a friend. Good thing PC is a road-tripper like me.

6. My kitchen. I like our kitchen, even more now with the big island. It's homey and usually smells good.

7. My parents' deck. I love their yard and wish we spent more time there.

8. Abbey Church at Saint Anselm College. My alma mater. I spent every Sunday evening for 4 years in that church. It's gorgeous and has a definite feeling of comfort. I don't think I've ever felt comfort like I did at that church. It's where I ran to the day my godmother died. It's where I prayed for faith when mine was tested. It's the place where I learned it's okay to have faith in my beliefs, but challenge the Church and it's ways. A priest at school once said "Kathleen, you can have faith in God, but still be wary of man."

9.Newfound Lake, NH. It's clean, the state park is amazing and i have happy memories there.

10. anywhere with PC (and Pumpkin).

has anyone noticed a theme here? I think it's time for a LONG overdue camping trip and for me to sit by some water. :)

quilting

My next project is not a knitting project, it's a quilt for my niece, Chloe, who will be turning 2 this summer and, soon, will be in a big girl bed! I am doing this in "chloe-colors": orange, purple, yellow, pink and turquoise... very bright! All the pieces are cut and I am going to start sewing together the blocks tomorrow night. :)

10 on Tuesday

The topic this week is 10 People You’d Like To Interview. (taken from Carole)

1. President Obama: I'd like to know when he's going to stop running for office and get some stuff done.
2. Elizabeth Dole: this one shouldn't shock anyone. She's been an idol of mine for a long time.
3. the Pope: as a Catholic, I have some questions about being faithful vs. being devout. I'd like to have an honest talk about my role in the Catholic faith as a woman.
4. Anyone who worked at Ellis Island from 1892-1930: what did they see? Who did they meet?
5. Sigmund Freud: I have a few questions about his mother...
6. Suze Orman: wouldn't it be great to peek at her checkbook? See if it's really balanced?
7. Rosalind Franklin: her opinion on women in science and professional credit in peer-reviewed publication would be of significant discussion
8. Henrietta Lacks: I wonder if she knows how many lives she has saved. And how significant her contribution to modern drug discovery has been.
9. Jamie Oliver: I'd like to talk about the locavore movement and what fresh foods can do for America... his opinion on how to create long term proclivity to fresh, natural foods would be interesting as well.
10. the White House gardener: for gardening tips, using organic mulches and pesticides, etc.... b/c we know Michelle Obama isn't out there squishing tomato bugs.

Water, Water Everywhere

And not a drop to drink? Not in the casa de Mini y PC... we are in Newton, in the midst of the "boil" zone. Good thing they have those signs on I-95 telling us so, too. Friday night, PC surprised Mini with an impromptu trip to NYC for a night of romance and urban delight. (Mini *hearts* NYC and can't wait to go back)

Saturday a.m. was: up early, breakfast at the Starlight Diner in Midtown and then off to Central Park via Times Square (straight up 7th avenue) until we walked straight into the Revlon Run/Walk for Breast Cancer. 40,000 people in Times Square + Hallie Berry. Yup, saw her. :)

Once we got to Central Park, we wandered and headed to the zoo... what cute zoo! The animals were out, like they were waiting for the kids to arrive. A quick trip to FAO Schwartz for a bday gift for a certain little person's party the next day and we were hailing a cab back to the hotel to check out. By 2pm, we were on the Cross Bronx Expressway (which was not express....it was a parking lot) and by 3pm, we were in Connecticut.

Dinner in Mystic, CT (RiverView, near Mystic Yarns, and yup... I got yarn. Photo tomorrow) and then off to the NE Revolution game in Foxboro MA at 7:30pm.

I made it to the 60th minute of the soccer game and just.couldn't.do.it. I was road-weary. And cranky. And wanted to go to bed.
We went home. :)

And on the way home, I saw "East of Weston, MWRA Boil Water Order."
Crap.

At home, checked the internet...yup. That means Newton. *le sigh*
Water was boiled and cooled overnight and then poured into a large Brita filter. Sunday morning began w/ a trip to BJs in a non-water banned city, to get some bottled water. A trip to a bday party (fantastic!) and then home to an elaborate dishwashing set-up rounded out the evening.

What.a. weekend.

Finally February...

So, my Olympic knitting is Finally Done. Yup, that's my February Lady up there. Love her, she fits and it's (get ready) : my first ever sweater for me.

Details:

Pattern: February Lady

Yarn: Aurucania Nature Wool in orange (5 skeins, total 1100 yards)

Needles: US 8 circs (bamboo)

And, since I couldn't find a button I loved... I made one. A member of my guild, Linda, taught us all to make dorset buttons a few meetings ago... I knew this is what I would use for my sweater. :) Now, I have one on and I am not sure if it needs 2 more buttons. I think it might make the front too heavy. Right now, one button.

Sweater #2 for me is on the needles: Huron from Jared Flood. I'm almost to the point where I start asking "why does he want me to put back shaping there?" :)

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

*hack*

Home and sick. Yup... caught something supremely nasty in Phoenix... but honestly? What do you expect when you are at a conference of 900 people and you have shaken 1/2 their hands? There is not enough hand sanitizer in the world to combat that kind of massive attack. So, I'm heading into the office, taking a morning phone call and probably calling it a day.

I sound like a "mouse" (according to PC this morning) and I think I swallowed two golf balls.

Scratch throat, coughing up stuff, can't swallow and slight fever.

Any moms/doctors out there tell me what I got?

Fear: strep throat b/c that means a trip to the hospital (I don't make antibodies to strep throat, so I have to have IV infusion antibodies when I get it) and I was really looking forward to my own bed tonight.

10 on Tuesday

Taken directly from Carole's blog... I needed something to update. I'm still here in AZ; last night we went to a Mexican rodeo as a "networking reception"... it was fun, full of margaritas and cerveza and iffy bar-b-que. It's just after 6am here...I've been up for a bit... what jet lag? lol

So, here you go... top 10 TV shows:
1. Deadliest Catch: amazing show... I am so sad that Capt Phil passed away this year and I can't imagine how his sons will go on without him. PC and I "root" for different boats to bring in the big catch. :)
2. Amazing Race: this one is a bit of a problem. I get a serious case of wandering feet when I watch this show; I want to quit my job and hop on a plane and let it work itself out! Go Jet & Cord!!!! You can win it cowboys!
3. Millionaire Matchmaker: Patti Stanger is such a moosh of sappy, sweet, bitch and bravado and I love it... I don't love the guys that she thinks are "hot" and I can't figure out for the life of me how these guys think women in a "millionaires club" aren't after their money? They aren't in the "marry an unemployed actor club."
4. Real Housewives (and and all of them): it's pure "seeing how the other half lives" and... they are not doing well!
5. Bones: Love Love Love Temperance Brennan and Sealy Booth's slow circle of each other. I even love Dr. Sweets.
6. Fringe : my inner scientist makes me watch this...
7. Life (the Discovery channel series) : just watch it... then you'll know why.
8. Big Love : I have a strange fascination with religions... I am very curious about how and why someone believes what they do. I've been told it's perceived as rude, but I really really just want to know what your faith is like. Only caveat: I don't push mine on you, you don't push yours on me. :) I'm always amazed at the amount of sex on this show.
9. NECN Morning News : my local news outlet
10. Property Virgins : I'm learning to buy a house from HGTV. :)

Going to Phoenix and throwing away yarn.

I'm going to Arizona for a few days... I may or may not be mobile blogging. I am bringing knitting, for the evenings, but my days will be full of more professional endeavors, I'm afraid.












In knitting news, if you won my haiku anniversary contest (Louise, Diane, Trek), you will see a package in the mail next week. I spent the entire weekend at IKEA with the fabulous PC getting one of each of these and reorganizing my kitchen and my craft room/office. (my bookcase has doors... well, it will soon, we need to put them on.)
















Actual photos to follow once I am back home and the space is even more cleaned up. (right now, it's slightly organized chaos.) Oh... and I threw out yarn. Yup, crap yarn that I didn't want to gift or try to sell. I might do some online yarn hawking... any advice from those in the know? Do I do it straight off the site?

Oh, and if you are Dora... :) I have the white shelving thing, some fabric boxes for the shelving thing, the cube system and some good plastic shoe boxes for you... you and Trevor want to swing by for some beers and pick them up next weekend?

Oh... and Dora? There's a bag o' yarn for you too :)

Welcoming craft

My bro, J, has a great gf, C, who made me this as my placecard on Easter. 

And, yes...my bro calls me Katiecita and I call him Jonafinny. :)

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Feeling Green

For those of you who have dined at my house and said "oh, don't bother" with my cloth napkins... I feel reaffirmed in my decision to provide them. Dan and I try, try, try to be more earth-friendly (see new fully recyclable car, full recycling container at curb on Fridays, use of reusable plastic bottles, repurposing glass containers).... and cloth napkins are just a new way to do this. There is a major overhaul going on in our house over the next two weekends (creating more usable, pleasant spaces in the kitchen and office), so I'll be looking at my plethora of kitchen towels and making a concerted effort to use them more, and less paper towels.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2010/02/french_napkins.html

I think I'll make some neat napkin rings for the next dinner party. :)

Angst

A lot of heartsick angst here today. I traded in my beloved Saturn for a Subaru. I know, in my heart, it was the right decision ( dealer paid off the loan on old car, i had positive equity in my car, got the color/model/features I wanted), but I was really rooting for my Saturn. I was.

3 weeks ago, it stopped braking and accelerating. On the highway. I had just had the brakes done, so I took it back: brakes are fine. Must be a sensor or transmission problem. Car is fine... drive home, leave it, head to work the next day. Same.problem. Except, now, I get "bumped" in traffic b/c I had no brake lights. *sigh* Call dealer, tow it in. Mention 3 times: brakes, struts, accelerator (car was jumping around).

Saturn/GM service only looks at cars towed in after lunch. So, if your car gets towed at 7:30 am (mine), they put it on a list, and look at it after 1pm. They never got to mine on Day 1. Day 2, got it on the lift at 4pm (close at 5pm). Day 3, says nothing wrong; I ask if they have test drove it. No. Well, drive it. Car gets stuck and they have to tow it back to the dealer after a 4 mile test drive. Call me to have it brought back to the non-dealer brake place. Hm. No.

Day 4 with my fancy rental car (paid for by Saturn, who called to say my warranty was up in 8 days)... fixed. They think. Keeping it overnight to drive again in the morning. Day 5...pick up my car and told "brakes fixed." Okay....what about struts? Um, didn't look at them. Okay, warranty is up soon... need to wait 1 week to bring it back in and they need it all day.

Le sigh. Struts fixed.. head to doc office on Monday: dashboard lights start blinking, flashing... car is running, makes whiny sound... lights come back on.

My 2007, fully loaded Saturn Vue, with 32,000 miles was falling apart.

Monday night, signed on dotted line for new 2010 Subaru Forester 2.5X premium in Camellia Red. :) Cry when I leave the dealership. Love the Subie, but really going to miss my Saturn. I was rooting for you!

What shall we name her?

More Beth classes...

More classes today!  10+ cast ons and norweigan purls....so.much.fun! Right, Sue?

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Twining...

Twined mitten class with Beth Brown-Reinsel (www.knittingtraditions.com) all day today....love, love, love this class!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Winner, Winner... Chicken Dinner

I have no idea where the above title comes from, do you? It's something I started hearing a few years ago ( I think it's Southern) and it has stuck. Stuck.Stuck.Stuck.

Winners. I'm a winner and you are all winners! If you left a haiku for my blogiversary, send me a pm at kskaare (at) gmail (dot) com w/ your address so that I can send you a present. :)

I'm a winner...? I totally won at Kristen Tendyke's contest and I got a free pattern! :) I'm sure she won't mind me linking and lifting a photo from Ravelry....

I first met Kristen at a knitting class one weekend through a mutual friend, Andi. Kristen and Andi work at Classic Elite Yarns... where I did a project management project for one of my classes (yup, project management with Kristen Tendyke, Cecily Glowick, and Pam Allen (via phone)--- all for a grad school class? Swoon!) and now Kristen lives in a little house in Texas. I'm not kidding about it being little... it's approximately the size of my kitchen and I live in an apartment. :)

Dunkin' run....

What do you get when your significant other walks up to the Dunkin' Donuts to get the Saturday morning coffee? Me, I got a tea and these! I <3 PC. (and our florist, who just adore him)

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Friday night

Spent @ PC's curling club (broomstones) while he squeezes in a few more games before the end of the season. Can you guess which one is him? :) 

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Anniversary & Contest

So, 5 years ago on March 24, 2005, I started Minestrone Soup. It's been a great ride and I'd really like to thank each and everyone of you for reading, laughing, crying along with me. I'm going to keep on blogging, even though it's feeling less and less popular.

5 years ago, I was....

• recovering from being hit by a car on Valentine's Day
• considering living with PC
• blissfully unaware that my dad had cancer
• watching my mom struggle with her emphysema, congestive heart failure diagnosis
• digging out from a giant blizzard!

4 years ago, I was...

• smoke free for 3 weeks (l-o-n-g weeks)
• living with PC for 3 weeks (l-o-n-g weeks)
• wondering what to do with my life
• reporting to Sylvie at work
• learning about chemo/radiation for my dad
  

3 years ago, I was...

• at a new job, and wasn't sure if it was meant to be
• wondering when the cat will learn to like me
• realizing that renting is not all it's cracked up to be
• fully involved in the knitting guild

2 years ago, I was...

• still crazy in love with PC
• in year 2 of job and learning that I like Type A bosses, but I don't like conniving ones
• starting a new project at work with a new supervisor, who turns into a great friend!
• waiting for Sylvie and Mariuca to have their babies

1 year ago, I was...

• out of work
• scared to death of not being able to stay in my field, but not really wanting to either
• began 'networking' and discovered that I am really, really good at it
• started to think about moving
• still worried about PC's heart and blood pressure

Today, I am...

• happy in my new job (even though it's 100% more stressful than any other)
• knitting, knitting, knitting
• quilting, quilting, quilting
• confident that Pumpkin likes me
  
• sure that PC loves me
  

If you have stuck around this long, you deserve to see the contest:
Rules:

1. write a haiku about me, PC and/or Pumpkin in relation to this blog
   
2. submit by March 23 via the comments on this post
   
3. Winners announced March 24
4. Yarn, needles, books and patterns will be provided as prizes
5. You may enter more than once
6. if you blog about this (or tweet) and have contestants tell me "[insert your name/blog here] sent me" I will add you to a special drawing.

Bon chance!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

As a woman of obvious Irish heritage ( I come by my dark hair and blue eyes honestly), I can't let today go by without wishing you all a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  So, raise your pint to the sky and repeat after me: Sláinte! (to your health!)

Toes for curling

PC is a curler. He loves the game and I think between it and flying, he has truly found his passion. What kind of curling gf would I be if I let him stand on the ice for hours in store bought socks (I love llbean, but his wool socks are getting holes and they wer pricey)???

Enter pair #2 of the handknit curling socks. He put them on and smiled...enough to warm a knitter's heart, and hopefully a curler's feet!

Good curling honey!

Btw, 600 + people showed up to PC's club on sunday to "try curling"...and two of them read this blog!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

silence

I know there has been some radio silence lately here on the blog. One reason is that the commenting system was just whack-a-do and Trek (there should be a link there, if not, I'll fix it when i get home) had to go under the hood and pull out parts of my blog. Now, I have my blog back. And it's happy. And I sent her yarn without her knowing. Oh. whoops. well, she knows now.

Second is that I'm dealing with some indecision in my knitting/personal life that has to come to fruition soon. Some of you know that I am a coordinator for a guild here in the metrowest of Boston. I love my guild, but recent events have caused me to seriously consider stepping down/bowing out. I'm not sure yet, but I need to make a decision soon. There's a lot involved in this and I am trying to figure out if I am letting one or two events cancel what's been a wonderful experience or are one or two events highlighting what I've been seeing through rose-colored glasses. See? Hard. 

Third: my car. My fun loving, road tripping Saturn Vue is being evil. She decided she needed new 'shoes' for the spring ($400) and then decided that she didn't want to get them dirty, so has stopped working. From what I can guess from my knowledge of cars, online research and gut feeling: it's my transmission and it's slipping. On an automatic, which doubly sucks. So, she stopped this morning near a Marshalls (note: no matter what PC says, keeping socks-in-progress in car is always good) after she just Stopped. In the middle of the road. Got bumped by a very nice man, who felt SO bad (not his fault) and he kept traffic at bay while I turned the car on and off a few times and then coasted into the parking lot. So, Betty Sue (my Vue) is at the dealership today... she had to be towed. 

A side note; a Saturn dealership is really just a big garge waiting room these days.

More later. I have socks, sweater, and cowl progress to show.