TIRED BAKER

That's me today.  Well, it's not REALLY me.  But it is how I felt by noon today.

I got up bright and early this morning after a restless night of sleeping.  Don't ask why it was restless.............I just seem to have those nights now and then.  I think it is part of aging and part of menopause and part of having RA.  Three strikes against me, so there you go.  But it is ok.  I either take a little nap or will have a day when I sleep to almost 8 AM.

I digress....................Once I got up, I decided to get busy.  I had purchased a butternut squash this past weekend.  Tonight was the night I was going to use it in my Quinoa, cranberry and butternut squash salad.  I hate cutting those things up and found out I can cook it in my crockpot without cutting or even piercing the skin.  Into the crockpot it went, set it on low and let it cook for 6 hours.  PERFECTION!  I cut it open, scooped out the seed and strings, cut it away from it's skin and cut it into bite size pieces for the salad.  It was super yummy and we loved it.  We had left over chicken from last night so that went into the salad too. 

This is the photo from the recipe I made.  Mine almost looked like that LOL.  I only used red quinoa so it was a bit darker than that.  We ate it too quickly for me to get a good photo, or any photo LOL.

While the squash was cooking, I made another loaf of bread.  Seems I am making them about every 3 days.  I don't mind...............the bread machine is my friend.  While the bread was cooking, my mind turned to desert for tonight.  I had a recipe for 'healthy' cookies from our dietitian and decided it was time to try it out.

Look at that pretty baby.  It is loaded with all sorts of yummy stuff.  Dried cranberries, pepitas, oatmeal, dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts as well as the healthy flour we use, coconut palm sugar, agave nectar, vanilla, butter, eggs, salt and baking soda.  So easy to make and so much fun to eat.  It has been ages since I made cookies.  What fun I had.

It made quite a nice batch.  Just around 4 dozen.  That should hold us for a few days.  We were getting tired of the brownies that I was making, so this is a nice change of pace for us.

I also managed to get 2 loads of laundry done, since I never did any on Sunday.  I need to put it away yet but at least everything is folded and ready to be put into their proper places.

It is time to enjoy some TV time.  I am so happy the new season has started this week.  Although, I seemed to find plenty of things to watch during the rerun season.  Gotta love the Amazon FIrestick!  But now, I seem to be knitting much faster and getting further and further each day on the log cabin.  Just wait until Sunday and I show you what has happened this week.  (No it is not completed..................silly people....................I am not THAT fast LOL)

Until next time............................Happy Crafting.

Monday evening books

I have been doing a lot of reading lately.  In fact, I have finished three books this past week and am happy to report, none of there disappointed me.  Let me tell you about them.

This was a pretty good read.  I had a hard time getting into it but that could have been because my friend, Bev, was actively dieing at the time.  Once I got into it. I could hardly put it down.  It was a good read and Yes, I would recommend it to others to read it.

I finished this book today.  It was a light read, but if you do not like graphic sex in your book, this is not for you then.  There is not a lot of graphic sex, but there is some and it is between a man and wife.  So make your decision based on that.  I enjoyed the book.  It was fairly light and pretty predictable l enjoyed reading it.  It only took me about 3 hours to finish it thought.

This book was a total surprise for me.  I normally do not read anything that sound religious but for some reason I downloaded this book.  It was really really good.  It even told me I could read it in 1.5 hours and I think I completed it in 2 hours on Sunday (I was knitting while reading)  It was an uplifting story.  I would highly recommend this book.  If you are not a religious person or do not have any kind of faith, maybe, this will change your mind.  It does not promote any specific religion at all.  It speaks truth and I loved it.

This is all for tonight.  I want to go and watch a little TV while hubby is at school and continue knitting.

Until next time........................Happy Crafting!!!!!!

Week 13 Update

Our Year 7 is zipping right along.  We have been at this for 3 months now.  What a grand time we are having.  I so enjoy reading all the other YOPPER's blogs and getting ideas from them.  We have quite an eclectic group this year and it makes me so happy to see different crafts coming into the group.  We never said it had to be only about knitting or crocheting and I am glad that distinction was never made.  If you would like to see what all we have going on, take a look here.

I did not post yesterday as I was very busy working on my knitting and making bread.  Today I am making our menus for the week, doing laundry (only 2 loads this week) and working on the knitting.  Speaking of knitting:

Let's see what I have for you this week to look at.

Square 4 is at the same place it was last week.  I got going on square 4 and did not want to stop.

Square 3......................darn near finished.  I was gong to take the time this morning to finish it but decided to go ahead and do my blog update.  I will have this done today yet and will be back working on square 4 as soon as this is off the needles.  I am so excited.  Fingers crossed that it is done before the end of the week.  My week is not super crazy busy but I do have 3 extra appointments this week.  

I am feeling much better today too.  The Antibiotics have kicked in and I no longer feel like I want to stay in bed all day.  I do miss my steroid energy LOL.  I am trying to stay active anyway.  I am heading back to the gym this week, now that I am not coughing and blowing all the time.  That always makes me have more energy and I look forward to the physical workout I get there.

Our weather has cooled off a bit for the past couple of days and we are supposed to be below 100 for the remainder of this week.  I walked outside yesterday morning and actually felt chilled!  It was 59 degrees out.  It is the time our year where I can sit outside with my knitting in the morning and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and listen to nature and just be still.  My dogs have started chasing each other around again, and that is a sign the weather has finally cooled down.

I blogged everyday last week, excluding Saturday.  I really enjoyed doing that.  It is amazing how much I had to talk about.  I am going to try and blog more often, maybe daily from now on.  If you want, you can follow me by email or on bloglovin'.  I love it when you guys post your comments.  That is where I learn quite a bit from y'all. 

OK..................back to the crafting area LOL.

I thought I should review my list this week and see if I have done what I set out to do so far this year.  The items in red are what has happened since the start of year 7.

YOP 2017 - 2018

This year ALL of my WIP's will be completed!  This is a priority this year.  Here they are:

WIP'S

Dive in Shawl...........................Started 7/6/15 FROGGED 7/4/17

Boxy Sweater...........................Started 11/17/15

My Crochet Doll........................Started 7-1-16

Eva Shawl in Alpaca.................Started 7-10-11

Log Cabin Blanket.....................Started 7-17-11 RESTARTED 7/25/17

Grainne Shawl.........................Started 7-3-17

Mr Darcy Sock #2.....................Started 7-5-17 completed 7/18/17

Petty Harbour socks................Started 7/20/17

Half Granny Square Shawl......Started 8-31-17 completed 9/15/17

Chevron Shawl..........................Started 9-17-17 FROGGED 9--23-17

New Items To Work On

Socks............I have over 100 skeins of sock yarn and 98% of it is variegated.  It needs to be                       used up!  

Shawls..........I am in a prayer shawl ministry at church, so will have 1 shawl going at all                               times.  This also will help use up some of my stash yarns that are over flowing                       in all weights.  OOPS..............HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL MORE SKEINS OF YARN JUST FOR PRAYER SHAWLS.

Test Knits......Will do just a couple as time allows this year.  As long as I have the yarn to go                       along with the test knit I will consider it. 

Until next time..........................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday blessings

I went out early this morning to the fresh fruit and veggie store. (Sprouts)  I snagged some yummy deals.  They had a 72 hour sale going on.  

I can tell it is getting into the fall season.  I am craving squash.  I picked up butternut, acorn and yellow summer squash today.  I also grabbed a pineapple as they were on sale for $.88 each.  It needs to sit on the counter for a couple of days to ripen a bit more. There was also, some wine that was on sale as well as dried cranberries and ground flax seeds.  I love going to this store and it is the only one I don't get angry in while shopping.  Everyone there (Staff and shoppers) are super courteous and very helpful.

I came home from there and went onto Ravelry to search for shawl patterns to go with all the yarn I have.  I found 3 patterns that I believe will suit the yarn and printed them off and have them with the yarn now.  I can download the patterns to my tablet but......if I need to make any changes to the pattern, my tablet will not allow me to do that.  So, I go the paper route which drives my hubby crazy. LOL  He understands my reasoning but it still makes him a bit nuts.

After all that, I sat down and worked on my 'to do' journal and got it all set up for the next month.  I love to decorate it with washi tape and stickers.  It makes it look so cheerful. I also got my appointments for the next month listed in it.  I love my journal and I love writing my to do lists in it and then marking everything off as I accomplish my goals for the day.

The mail came and brought me some treasures too.

Some books to add to my reading list.  This is not all of the ones I just ordered.  I have 1 more book to be delivered.  It will complete the Cypress Hollow Yarn series.  I won't be getting to these anytime soon though.  I am still reading on my kindle and also 2 other paperbacks.  I need to get something completed before I start another book.  I have several more on my Kindle to read too.  Have I mentioned how much I love Thriftbooks?  They have an app for that. LOL

Hubby and I were graced today with visits from a son and our daughter.  It is nice to have them drop by just because they are in the area.  I love visits like that.  I know then, that my family is comfortable to just come by when they want and not worry about 'making an appointment' to visit.  That is the way I always wanted my home to be.  In fact.............I have a funny story for you about just that.

We welcomed any person our children brought to our home.  Some were great kids and others just needed a shoulder and an ear and we were happy to supply those for them.  My hubby was a police officer but never pointed fingers or threatened any of the kids that came to our house.  He was like a dad to all of them and treated them like he did our own children. When our next to oldest son was in high school...............he was always bringing his friends to our house and they would just hang out and listen to music or go swimming or just be around.  There was one young man that came over quite a bit.  (Let's call him Sam) Sam's parent were super intelligent and very scholarly.  Sam had his issues but was one of the most polite and kind kid that we had in our home.  He never disrespected us (others did that).  With hubby being on the police force, dinner would be prepared at many different hours of the evening.  Sometimes 5 or 6 or even 7 or 8.  No matter when dinner was getting ready to be set on the table, the door bell would ring and there would be Sam.  I can never turn away someone from eating when we are sitting down for a meal.  I would always welcome Sam in for dinner.  I learned after the first 2 or 3 times, to make enough for Sam to enjoy too.  Come to find out later.................At Sam's house, his mom would cook a pound of bacon every night, put it on the table and tell her husband and son to do what they wanted with it!  No wonder he was at our door nightly for dinner.  We joked about it for years.  I have not idea what ever happened to Sam.  He got in with the wrong crowd during his college years and that is the last we heard of him.

Dinner is cooking (chicken and squash), I have a nice glass of Chardonnay by my side.  The log cabin is being worked on.  Baseball is on the TV (Go DBacks!).  Life can't get much better than this.

I doubt I will be updated tomorrow.  I want to really concentrate on the log cabin and see how much I can get done on it.  I also have some household chores to take care of (laundry and changing sheets).  We also go to Mass on Saturday evening and then have dinner out with our friends and family.  With football  (American style) back on the TV on Sundays, that gives me plenty of time to blog, plan menus, make grocery lists and all that kind of thing.

Until next time......................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What was I thinking?

I am trying to post as close to daily as I can.  Blogging has given me a wonderful outlet for my thought and emotions. I have also, met some fantastic folk in the blogosphere.  It is just like having a diary except, I don't keep this one under lock and key and away from prying eyes.  Even though I use my journal, I can never write everything down I am thinking or feeling in there.  So, thanks for coming in here and reading my humble little blog.  I appreciate all the comments you guys leave and have enjoyed learning from them too.

Today was Prayer Shawl ministry day.  Our group got a tour of the prayer shawl storage place and how it was arranged and how things moved through that office.  It was so nice to see all those shawls just waiting for someone in need.  It was quite an eye opener as to how much is involved in the sending of the shawl and quilts to folks.  We were given quite an informative talk on everything that is happening in the cancer ministry and events that were coming up that would include our prayer shawl group.  Our group was asked for a volunteer to help on the planning committee for the upcoming event in November this year.  

Of Course I Volunteered.  After I did, I went to write the event on my calendar and discovered I had another event planned for that day and not one I can reschedule since it involves about 40 people.  Luckily for me, 2 ladies in the group said they would handle the day of the event if I would continue with the planning committee.  OKAY!  Done and Done! What a great group of woman we have there.

After the meeting, I came home for a quick lunch and then headed out for a little retail therapy.  I was going to go to Dillard's or Macy's for their Clinique Bonus Time but.......Dillard's ended on the 10th of this month and Macy's doesn't start until the 27th.  So what do I do with an hour and a half to kill before I go to see my mom?

JOANN'S......................................They are having a great sale and I have a 20% off coupon for my entire purchase (even sale items).  Off to Joann's I go.  I love shopping during the week while everyone else is at work and kids are at school.  I walked around Joann's for quite a while and then settled on a spool of thread, to sew the labels on the prayer shawls.  

Now, if you think that is all I got...............think again.  LOL

All these yarns were on sale and with the additional 20% off............I spent less than $25 for all of them.  That will make 4 large prayer shawls.  The one in the upper left hand corner is new to me.  It is call Jeans by lion brand. It is very soft and I am looking forward to using it soon.  I was pretty puffed up about the fact I finally had some yarn for prayer shawls.

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

I had purchased all this yarn 

in August when I saw it on sale

at Hobby Lobby.  How could

I have forgotten about all this yarn?  Because, it was not put

away where it belongs so I could see it when I went to pull

yarn for my latest prayer shawl I am making.

I now have plenty of yarn for prayer shawls...........now I just 

need lots of time to do them all.

All of the yarn has been put away where it belongs so this little mistake will happen again!  YIKES!

I think I need to start finding patterns  that I am totally in love with.  In the past, I had just been doing patterns that were quick and simple.  I really want to do some shawls that are just gorgeous and will be treasured by the recipient.  So......................NO MORE YARN FOR SHAWLS IS NEEDED!  I am hoping if I yell it loud enough, I will remember.  No matter how great the sale is!

We cheated tonight and had Subway for dinner.  We ordered foot longs subs and we each put half of our sub in the fridge and will eat it tomorrow for lunch.  We had a coupon for those too.  LOL

We will be leaving in an hour to go to Adoration at our Cancer Shrine.  We do this every Thursday evening.  I take my prayer shawls there to work on but tonight......the log cabin is going with me.  I am not even going to tell you where I am at on it.  I will do a show and tell on Sunday for YOP.

Until next time......................Happy Crafting!!!!

Happy Me Day

It is a great day.  I am having a ME day today.  There is not anything I HAVE to do today only things I WANT to do.  There are plenty of things that could use my attention, don't get me wrong, but, nothing that will matter if I do not do it today.

I started out early this morning again.  I just can't seem to sleep much past 6 anymore. Today, my green eyes opened wide at 5:15. I am not a believer of just laying around in bed, once I am awake, I want to get moving. Coffee got made, dogs were fed, dishwasher emptied and then I sat down to do some morning meditation/prayer until I woke up the hubby at 8.

Last night, I decided to go ahead and start my next prayer shawl.

It is a Lion Brand Pattern that was given to me from one of the prayer shawl ladies.  I am going to make it striped to give it more interest.  It will also be a bit longer and not as wide. The pattern calls for it to be 24" X 54".  I will do this one to be more like 18" X 72". It is my personal opinion that having them long enough to really wrap around a person makes them more like a hug.  Not everyone is a small boned person.  

I have been really working hard on the log cabin squares.  I have gotten to this point:

Both squares have the purple completed.  I am now on the black and then will go into the turquoise.  I have a goal of getting through the turquoise on one square yet today/tonight. That is why I am so happy to have a ME day today.  I really want these things done and ready to put together!  I am tired of looking at it.  I am sure you guys are getting tired of looking and hearing about it too.  

I did a little baking this morning:

Our spelt flour brownies.  Made with Coconut palm sugar so as not to spike blood sugar like refined sugar does.  These are so moist and delicious.  Hubby is a huge fan of them.  I even sent 4 of them over to our friend's house (Les) who just lost his wife.  He and his son are not bakers, so that fills a need in me and I love doing it. Hubby took Les, to lunch today and then they went to Costco.  We are trying to make sure he gets out and about now and then. He jumped at the chance to spend the afternoon with my hubby.  That is a good thing.

I am in a major baking mood.  I have a yummy recipe for cookies that are 'good' for hubby to eat with his new food regimen.  I also want to make a spelt flour carrot cake soon.  I will probably cut the ingredients in half as I don't think hubby and I need a 13 X 9 cake.

The other thing I am trying hard to do is.....................bring autumn to my neck of the woods. Tonight, we are having pork chops and acorn squash.  I always associate acorn squash with autumn.  I also have some lovely cantaloupe in the fridge, (another autumn food).  This morning I pulled MY coffee maker out and made myself some lovely decaf coffee.  I only drink the stuff when the weather cools off.  Maybe the Good Lord will look down and realize hot miserable we all have been this summer and give us an early autumn this year.  We normally do not drop out of the 100's until the first week of October.  I am only asking for it to happen 10 days earlier. Is that too much to wish for?

Need to get back to that square.  It won't knit itself.

Until next time.........................happy crafting!!!!!!!!!!!

All Good Things............

I am almost off the steroids and I can feel my body starting to go back to it's normal sluggish self.  I did start my antibiotics today though.  My virus had changed directions and it decided to become more of a infection than a virus.  My Dr was so smart to give me the RX for the antibiotics when I saw her.  She said I would know by Monday if I needed them.  BINGO!!!!! Last night it all hit like a ton of bricks.  It stinks to get old and your body doesn't respond like it did when you were in your teens!

I do have a few things to show you.

Kale chips.  These turned out so much better than the last batch.  I used red kale this time as it is not as bitter.  My spices were; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp sea salt with 4 Tbsp avocado oil to mix it together.  I dehydrated them at 115 degrees for about 4-5 hours.  Very good but think I need to cut back on the oil.  I doubled the recipe because my bunch of kale was HUGE.  I did not need that much oil.  The spices were just perfect though.

The dark loaf is what is left of the banana bread last night and the lighter colored loaf is my honey spelt flour bread.  I love the container I have them it.  It is a lock n lock bread box and there is even a movable divider in it to keep the two separate.  My Texas Daughter in Law has one and I fell in love with it.  It took me some time to find one.  Amazon finally got them in and I ordered one ASAP.  Perfect for this homemade bread family.

I stayed up late last night reading.  When I got up this morning I was determined to finish this book.

It has been read.  It was pretty good.  I think it got a bit too wordy in parts.  The characters could have been evolved a bit more too.  There was one character in the book that kind of just went away after a few chapters.  I felt she should have been involved until the end of the book.  The two main woman were interesting but I never really connected with either of them.  Nor did I connect with the main male character or his son.  Would I recommend it? Yes I would.  Will I read it again?  Nope.  Will it stick in my memory? Parts of it.  I was pretty right on about the ending too so no big surprise there for me.  

So now I am down to reading just 3 books.  I have one on my Kindle,one paperback and one that is just little short stories I read when I want a good laugh.  

I worked on the log cabin last night and am on square 4 catching it up to square 3.  I will have some time this afternoon to work on it.  I do not have anything on my calendar today! Can you believe that?  Tomorrow is just as blank.  I finally found a week where I have ME time!  I might even get into my craft room and work on the Christmas ornaments again. I am also going to start a new prayer shawl this week, so need to pick out a pattern and yarn.

 Hubby is finishing up cleaning the bedroom/bathroom.  I just folded and put all the towels away. Today is Taco Tuesday at our house.  We will be making salsa in a little bit for our tacos and I will get all the trimmings cut up and ready for tonight.  It sure makes it easier that way.  Then all I need to do is cook the meat and the corn tortillas and that is super easy.

Until next time.............................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!