I know I said no posts, but...

I have to address a problem, something I knew *might* happen, but hoped would not. Someone has been leaving obscene comments on my blog and it after the 6th one, it started to feel threatening. In true LOSER fashion, the "person of interest" has remained anonymous, as only a person of such limited intelligence and morality could do. Also, a word to this individual: you should seriously look into some professional help, as you are clearly a person that is lacking the following: manners, a sense of propriety and... this is a given ... a social life. So, therefore, I have alerted the host server company and they, in turn, have alerted the proper local and federal authorities. Because of the "presence of a threatening tone", I will be removing the comments section from my blog. I am sorry, but until the proper authorities locate this person, this will have to stand. What I do know now is that there is a law that protects against live and online stalking. Thank you to all of you who have been leaving positive comments. It has been such a great way to get feedback.
have a wonderful weekend.
-mini

Friday... no new posts until Tuesday

Hey All-
Just a drive-by post to let you know that this weekend is LONG weekend for me! So, I will be knitting, sewing, etc while I enjoy the lovely weather. Hmm... at lunch, I cast on for the sleeves for Blueberry. And last night, I made myself a toile and pink check tote for hauling knitting and general "mini" stuff. PC knows about "mini stuff" disappearing so quickly into my bags. :)

So, if you are walking through the Boston Common this afternoon (near the fountain, near the T stop), and you see a "round woman" in a HOT PINK short trenchcoat, with the above-mentioned new bag, knitting blue sleeves, stop by and say hi! :)

I will be patiently waiting for PC so we can head to our Friday night date at b.good.
Have a great weekend!

-mini

So, I used to be a good friend, a great friend, before I became a real adult. Now, I barely have time to call people back , etc. heck, I barely get to return EMAIL. Now, c'mon people... that's sad. It's not that I have to super exciting life... I don't. I am just like everyone else. Well, today was a wake up call for me to send out a life line to all my girlfriends (and guyfriends) that I have been neglecting... I AM SORRY!

What was this wake up? Well, a great friend to me, emailed me today to tell me she had her first son. Did I know she was pregnant: yes. Did I always write in my planner "Call J" and never get around to it? Yes. Hmm... I am thinking some time in the friend-confessional might be in order. We just get so busy... work, loved ones, family... it all blends. Well, NO MORE!

SECRET MESSAGE TO J: I hereby vow to :

• meet your new son
• call you when I say I will
• visit the home you have been living in for a few years now, even if it is in Rhode Island (ha ha ha)
• spoil your son rotten (b/c I can hand him back after 4 Cokes and pack of Pikie Sticks)
• be a better friend

Welcome James!

Other news, thanks to everyone who congratulated me on the loss... Especially "plasmid"... cool name. :) We can do this together! WW chicks with sticks rule! ha ha ha. So, today, I am eating leftover WW meal for lunch. PC and I tried it last night (did I mention I cook? and that I am DAMN good at it? right, PC?*PC is prob'ly nodding his head...*). So, I thought I would share it with you!


Thai Peanut Seafood with Noodles:
Ingredients:

• 7 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, broken in 1/2
• 1/2 cup p.butter (reduced fat)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp red pepper sauce
• 5 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen, thawed)
• 1 lb of Trader Joe's mixed shrimp, scallops and calamari- thawed
  

Directions:

1. cook pasta according to package
2. 4-6 minutes before pasta is ready, add broccoli and seafood to pasta pot and continue to boil
3. in a separate bowl, whisk the p.butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper sauce together until smooth
4. strain the pasta/seafood/broccoli combo, return to pot, add p.butter mix and toss to coat
5. serve immediately

WW: 6 points/serving
servings: 6

review: YUM!

should I or shouldn't I projects:
both would be great on me... I am thinking of doing both over the summer for "indian summer" sweaters...

well, more tomorrow and perhaps some PHOTOS! :) I took pictures of my first ever pair of socks last night and I might be able to wrangle a pic of my mom in the sweater I made her for Christmas.
'til tomorrow!
-Mini

attempting a photo

Ok, here is the basic idea for my brother's girlfriend's sweater:

Now, minus the hood... and swap a zipper for the buttons. This pattern calls for double knitting, but I am using bigger needles and the following yarn for my preject:
Blueberry: 109

She LOVES blue, so this should work out well. I am really enjoying the CottonEase. yes, it snags a little and well, it can be weird if you have to frog it. So, the basic pattern for this is a ribbed (k2p2) cuffs and edge cardi with NO HOOD. i am still trying to figure out what kind of collar. I am thinking a simple k2p2 banded collar. Any opinions?

In other news, I am QUITTING MY JOB! That's right, I am quitting my job b/c I got the dream job offer yesterday! YAY for Mini! I will be starting my new employment soon and have to train my replacement here... who would have thought a temp would have to train her replacement? yes, I am being very generous to the place from which I am leaving, but they have been good to me, so I will return the favor. :)

We did a little celebrating last night:
1. PC's parent's anniversary (36 years!)
2. PC's mom's new job!
3. my new job!
4. my WW weigh in results------> 3.6lbs gone!

well, this is about all the excitement I can handle today...
Hey , I joined the ScienceKnits webring today... :) more of crafty women taking over the world! I think Cambridge is a mecca for smart woman who like to be crafty and creative... it's everywhere you look!

Weekend Walking

And boy did we walk! On Saturday, in an effort to "get in shape", PC and I went for a walk. First walk, the little park between Jamaica Pond and the Longwood area... y'know, the one with the ball park? Well, we did 25 minutes, 3/4 mile, leisurely pace and it was aborted b/c I had to pee. All this water (at least 48 ounces per day) is really starting to put a damper on all kinds of things, like watching movies all the way through. And walking. So, after a brief stop at Dunkin' Donuts for use of their facilities (no, I didn't buy anything, but I figure, I have been givign them $1.50 per day for the past 6 years... they can let me pee), it was off to a new location for walking: the Arnold Arboretum. Now, it's not in bloom yet, but the birches looked pretty and there were some flowering magnolias. I suggest that you go to the top of the hill- great views, bonus: the whole thing is FREE!

So, after a night of UFC... Oh My, was this different. PC explained all the rules, like no sticking your fingers in the other guy's eyes, nose or mouth (why would you put your fingers in someone else's nose???). So, I watched, dutifully, while knitting and rooted for a guy from Massachusetts to win (he lost). It was interesting in that "oh-is-that-a-fire-truck-heading-for-a-train-wreck-let's-follow-it" kind of way. I promptly fell asleep on the couch mid-third battle. It's a weird little mix of karate kid and pro wrestling with a little boxing thrown in. Now, I LOVE boxing. I'm really glad that boxing has been added as a part of hockey in the past few years also. :)

So, what did we do Sunday you ask? Well, the grandparents-in-training that we are (sorry to all grandparents, but we find we have more in common with people 40+ years older than us than with our own age group), we went for another walk! Yup, a little closer to home and a great standby for the "what do you want to do today" question. If you live in or around Boston, check this place out, it's even got a "Bark Place" doggie run about 1/2 mile into the trail: Breakheart Reservation.

A very special man worked there as a "ranger", but I will always think of him as the 6 year old boy that I babysat. His name was Chris Dunne, nicknamed Dunnso by those who loved him. He was a man with special needs and as a child, he was a very special kid. Special b/c he never let his wheelchair slow him down--- especially when he wanted to "let it fly" down the very steep hill that he lived atop. He was a great kid, and he made my mom smile on a daily basis. We stopped at the new visitor center at Breakheart on Sunday, if you are there, stop in and say hi. Chris always wanted to make the reservation more handicap accessible b/c he spent many a school trip there and knew how much access to those places could influence all people. So, I smiled to myself on Sunday, as a wheelchair-bound "ranger" asked me if I needed any help finding info in the lodge. "No, thanks" I said, looking at Chris's picture... i had found what he wanted everyone to see.

Sunday is for adventurous cooking. I cooked mahi-mahi fillets on the George Foreman along with asparagus and sweet potatoes. Yummy! PC, as my sous chef, did an excellent job! I do have to say, now having seen what a mahi-mahi looks like, I am convinced, it's the ugliest fish.

Knitting, well, let's say that more should have been done this weekend, but it isn't. It is no where NEAR complete. I have an appt tonight after work and well, I have to do my taxes, but other than that, I should be knitting.

PS- I took tons of photos this weekend, but no uploading yet.
-mini

I'm Baaaack!

Hey there... sorry, it's been "one of those days". No, that's a lie. It's been one of those WEEKS! With Monday off for Grampy's internment, I am still feeling suprisingly stressed out. BIG company that I am interested in working for called me back to meet with Head Honcho #2. It went well, I think. I am always so nervous in these things, like they are going to check my DNA or pull up an FBI file on me, or something!

A Review:
Phantom of the Opera, Boston Opera House, Boston, MA

We saw this on Sunday, the matinee. It was unbelievable! Even PC managed to stay awake. (still suprising, since it was a love story, moves kind of slow ) So, the soprano that sang the part of Christine was amazing and well, the Phantom.... he gave me chills. Overall, a great performance. If you are in Boston, near Boston or looking for a reason to see Boston, I highly recommend this. Even if you are just going to ogle the newly restored theater. :) Some good ogle-ing to be had!

2nd Review:
Morton's, THE steakhouse, Corner of Boyslton and Exeter, Boston MA

OH MY GOSH! I am NOT a a carnivore by any means. PC is, but anyone who knows PC knows, he's a carnivore... he even eats ducks. *shudder* So, when he suggested a post-dinner meal at Mortons (the most $$$ place in Boston... and that's saying a lot, b/c we love to eat here in Boston), I said "sure". I wanted to try it but was thinking "they'll have fish". Well, I had the most perfect gin-and-tonic, great broiled scallops in bacon, and a filet of oskar (a filet mignon, split, topped with a log cabin of asparagus and the cabin houses lump crab meat).... I have to say, a good close 2nd to sex. I don't care what anyone says... NOTHING is better than sex, right honey? :) *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* ha ha ha I also had a Godiva hot chocolate cake for dessert. Once home, I immediately slipped into a food coma.

So, back to knitting and stuff... well, I worked on the zippy hoodie for my brother's gf, but it's stockinette and I never added pockets.... oh, that sounds whiny. Hmm... well, I will work on it tonight, I promise! Her b-day is next week and I need to knit quickly. It'll rain this weekend and PC needs to watch something called the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), so knitting will be done.

I know, I have been promising some pictures and I am going to work on that over the next two weeks also. Computer access right now is only at work, so it could get tricky.

Projects in the Works

Good Morning... short post, the lab is moving today! So, I wanted to let people know what I am working on!

Knitting:

1. modified hooded cardigan for brother's girlfriend (birthday), in Cotton Ease, color: Blueberry
2. Socks for mom
3. socks for a friend's daughter
4. tank top for me!
   

Quilting:

1. new home quilt for a friend who just moved
2. new home quilt for brother and sister-in-law
3. Mother's day quilted table runner and place mats (for my mom)
4. quilt for me and PC

Sewing:

1. Dress from McCall's for a wedding this summer
2. purses/totes for a few girlfriends who have spring/summer birthdays
3. beach tote for me!

So, it looks like I am going to be a busy person! I am not going to be able to blog this weekend, due to the death of my beloved Grampy. On Sunday, we are off to see the Phantom of the Opera at the Boston Opera House and then dinner at Morton's.... oh, I can't wait! ha ha ha... well, maybe I won't weigh in at WW next week... hee hee.
Have a wonderful weekend!
:) Mini-on-the-run.

good bye "old man"....

Jeg elsker De Grampy, jeg mangler De! Kjærlighet, Deres yndlingsgranddaughter Arnold Waldo Skaare

Born: July 08, 1912 Died: March 30, 2005 Services: Funeral Service at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., MELROSE Saturday April 2 at 10 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours Friday 4-8 PM

Arnold W. Skaare, 92 of Melrose, died March 30, 2005 at the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital. Arnold was born and raised in Richland County, North Dakota, son of the late John A. Skaare and Pauline (Heglie) Skaare. He enlisted in the United States Marines, serving from 1931 - 1936. He then enlisted in the United States Navy from 1936 - 1945, serving in WWII and then joined the United States Coast Guard from 1949 - 1960, having served during the Korean Conflict. He was a long-time member of the VFW Harold O. Young Post 2394 of Melrose. Mr. Skaare was a Cook in the Navy and Coast Guard. He was also a civilian cook for the U. S. Coast Guard in Boston and at M.I.T. Arnold shared 59 years of marriage with Natalie E. (Smith) Skaare. He was the father of Robert A. Skaare of Melrose and Richard A. Skaare of Mechanicsburg, PA. Brother of Ethel Gallagher of Bend, OR and the late Muriel Schmidt, Prudence Rensfeldt and Reuben Skaare. Grandfather of Rob Skaare, Jr. of Attleboro, Jonathan of Watertown, Kathleen of Melrose, Jason of Dublin, OH and Justin Skaare of Blacksburg, VA. Funeral Service at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., MELROSE Saturday April 2 at 10 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours Friday 4-8 PM. Interment will be in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. Gifts in his memory may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114 Arrangements by Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St. Melrose, MA.

Introduction to the wonderful world of mini

My name is Mini. Well, it's not my real name, but a name given to me by the man in my life who will be referred to from here-on-out as "PC". He knows why. :) So, why do I have a blog? A couple of reasons... 1. I love reading knitting and quilting blogs, 2. It's something new. I want a place to show off my creativity. Specifically, a place where other like-minded people will be able to provide feedback and support. So, this blog will be *mostly* about my knitting, crocheting, sewing and quilting. Other things will be discussed and, yes... pictures will be added. So, in lieu of providing you with 100 things you don't know about me, here are a few things you probably should:

1. I am 27 years old and live in Massachusetts
2. I work in science, biochemistry and cell biology to be specific.... I am interviewing for a BIG job tomorrow.
   
3. I have met the man of my dreams and am still with him
   
4. I am on Weight Watchers (there will be little progress reports, but I am a little shy about all this, so no "dirty details")
5. I have mostly nylon knitting needles. From the 40s and 50s.
6. My godmother taught me to knit, my paternal grandmother taught me to crochet and my "nana" (mom's mom) taught me to be me.
   
7. A blind woman taught me to quilt.
   
8. My family has no idea what I do for a living; they know my job titles and know I go somewhere to work, but have no idea what EXACTLY I do all day.
9. I lust over expensive yarn and then buy something comparable from knitpicks, elann, webs, etc. b/c I can't spend that much money on yarn!
10. I read at least 2 books per week.
11. I knit in public and am *encouraged* to knit during football (PC's idea)
12. I only started knitting this past year b/c before that, I would pick up the needles and cry b/c I missed my godmother so much.

So, for quilting and sewing and stuff... I have some ideas for quilts, some new capri pants and I definitely need a dress for a wedding that is coming up in July. :) I will try to post the dress info as soon as I get it and let you know how I am doing. Expect progress pics once I figure out how to upload photos from my digital camera... and Welcome!
-mini

My very own blog!

My very own blog! who knew!