MidWeek Unraveling 11-15-17

Hello All,


I had a late start this morning as I had a doctor appointment at 8 a.m.  All is well...I had lost more weight (yay!!) and all my "numbers" are improving.  Good to know I'm going in the right direction.  To celebrate, I stopped at Starbucks (just for coffee - no treats!!) on my way into the office.  The morning was frantic/busy, but now I have a little lull before going home.


Continuing with the medical theme, I will rant just a tiny bit about medical insurance.  I am fortunate that I work and can get benefits through work, but geeze Louise, the costs keep escalating like no tomorrow.  It's open enrollment time at my company and yesterday I enrolled.  Oy!


Like most folks (I think), we have a choice between "gold," "silver," or "bronze" plans.  I had always gone with gold until last year when my payroll deduction would have sky rocketed.  I switched to silver and (of course) our out of pocket charges have gone up a lot (co-pays and the like).  I was hoping that the difference would have narrowed a bit this year, but nope - if I had chosen gold this year, my payroll deductions would have been an additional $80 each pay (every two weeks) over what I pay for the silver plan.  Crazy!  I do have a flex spending account so our out-of-pocket charges are paid with pre-tax dollars and fortunately Fletch and I are basically very healthy.  It just makes me nuts that I am spending around $375 - $400 every two weeks for insurance (this does include dental and vision as well).


OK, enough of the rant.  At least I have a job and insurance.  But still....


On to nicer things.  Last night I used some of the veggies I got at the Farmers' Market on Saturday.  First I sliced some garlic, chopped up two potatoes and added the leeks (which were the cleanest leeks I have ever seen - no grit or sand or dirt!!).  I tossed them with olive oil and sprinkled a ton of Trader Joe's "Everything But The Bagel" seasoning over it all and roasted at around 400 for 40 minutes or so.  Yum!

The "Everything" seasoning is marvelous.


Next I sautéed the wild mushrooms with some onions, added white wine and a little cream.  Put that aside and sautéed a couple of pork chops in the pan and then added the mushrooms back in.

I can't remember what kind of mushrooms these were, but they were so tasty - very sweet and flavorful.


I also cooked the greens (I think it was chard of some kind) that I got.  Frank (Colin's friend who runs the CSA) added a bit of protein to the greens in the form of worms.  Yuck.  Fortunately I saw them and fortunately I did not take pictures of them.  The greens were delicious.


On the knitting front (since this is Unraveled Wednesday), I managed a couple of rows on my Close To You shawl yesterday at lunch.  Here it is spread out on a conference table.

It's getting there.  I'm hoping to finish it by this weekend, but sometimes my hopes are greater than reality - lol.


Book-wise I finished "Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore" which I liked.  I have started "Lisette's List" but am only a few pages in - couldn't keep my eyes open last night.


Looking forward to a gentle (hopefully) wind-down to the work week.  How about you?  What are you up to this mid-November?

Catching Up

Hello Everyone,

 

I have missed you!!  Last week was busy starting with a 4:30 a.m. pick-up Monday morning for my flight to FL.  The meeting went well – short presentations, good food, plenty of free time and no-one getting too hammered at the open bars we had.  I did manage to have a wonderful 80 minute massage on Tuesday afternoon which I really needed.  Pure bliss.

 

Got back home Wednesday mid-day (and promptly took a 2 hour nap – lol).  Thursday and Friday were whirlwinds at work.  Busy, busy, busy.

 

But finally Saturday arrived and I met up with Dee!!  Such fun.  We met at The Lansdale Farmer's Market in the morning and wandered around.  It was freezing!!  Literally freezing.  A friend of Colin's runs the Kimberton CSA and was there with some great veggies (beets, leeks, greens).  I also bought some wild mushrooms, a jar of pumpkin spice peanut butter (SO good – in fact I brought it to work today to have on a bagel), and some kind of apple pastry which Fletch had Saturday night.  Yum.

 

After that we headed over to Backyard Beans to sit, sip, knit and chat.  What a treat for me!!  I haven’t had any local friends who knit and now I do!  I would’ve liked to stay longer and go out to lunch and knit some more, but I had to get back and do some grocery shopping.  I’m hoping we can meet up again in a couple of weeks.

 

Close to You is coming along nicely.  I’m more than two thirds finished – I think I only have 4 or 5 pattern repeats and then the bind off.  I’m excited to have this (almost) finished.

 

The yarn I'm using is from Valerie - Wandering Cat.  It is so soft and beautiful.  I don't have the tag with me right now, and of course can't remember what it is, but I do know there is alpaca in it.

Now I’ve got to get to work – this week will be another busy one for me.  Hope everyone’s week is off to a great start!

Restful Sunday

Hello,


Hope everyone has been enjoying a restful weekend.  I certainly have!  Friday night I slept 10 hours and last night 8-8.5!  Guess I needed it.  And, good thing since I won't get much tonight.


The weekend has been busy, but good.  We did grocery shopping yesterday (is it me, or have prices really gone up?) and I got out my winter sweaters and put a few summer things away.  It used to take me forever to do this, but several years ago I really purged and I don't have much to do these days.  It's a good thing.  I also filled 3 Trader Joe's bags with donations - 4 pairs of shoes, a purse, a bunch of tops, etc.  Things I hadn't worn or used.  No sense keeping them. 


I cooked an eye roast, garlic mashed potatoes and a green bean casserole for dinner last night - such Fall comfort food.  Later we watched an episode of Shetland on Netflix.  Love seeing all the sweaters and the sheep, but I will confess to having a difficult time understanding some of the dialogue.  The accents!  But it is also so refreshing to see a show with actors/actresses unknown to me.  Have any of you watched it?


Today I made banana pancakes for breakfast, cleaned the bathrooms, ran out and dropped of the donation bags, came home and packed for my trip to FL tomorrow.  I have a driver lined up to pick me up at 5 (which means he will be here at least by 4:40).  My flight's at 7 and it can take an hour sometimes to get to the Phila. airport.  And Monday mornings can be a mess.  Hopefully it won't be bad.  I do have to check my bag (I never carry on - too difficult for me to lift it into an overhead bin with the arthritis I have in my shoulders), but my boarding pass is printed and I am ready to go.


Today I also managed to knit about 10 rows on my shawl (which will be going to FL).  And I finished The Housekeeper and the Professor.  I loved it.  Almost as much as Ove!  Now I'm reading Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore.  So far, so good.  It's on my Kindle which is also going to FL.


I'll be trying to catch up on bog posts come Wednesday afternoon when I am back home (I do read some on my phone, but it is harder (for me) to comment that way).


A parting picture of Marcel as a Yoga Master:

Colin just texted me that picture.  So cute.  It is grey and damp here - a good afternoon for curling up! 


Have a wonderful week, I'll be back later.

Three on Thursday

Yikes!  Thursday already.  Here are my three things:

 

• There has been no knitting for at least a week.  It is making me crazy!!  Hopefully this weekend (though I have so much I need/want to get done in that 2-day period).  I AM taking knitting to FL on Monday…my plane ride will be longer (though I may opt to put the knitting in my bag and just have my Kindle with me) and I have free time during the meeting days.  Win-win…I hope.  Planning (as of now) to take Close to You which I don’t think I have even looked at since sometime in August! 
• I have been reading!  Last week I started 4.3.2.1. by Paul Auster.  I love the premise of the book, but honestly it is just way too long winded (and repetitious at times) for me.  I found myself falling asleep each time I picked it up.  So I have sent that back through the airwaves of Overdrive.  I may, in the future, try the audible version, but for now I don’t have time for books that I can’t get through.  Two nights ago I started The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa and it is wonderful.  I’m such a numbers freak anyway, but I love the writing, I love the story.  It is FAST reading. 
• Work continues to be very busy, though yesterday I had a break for my annual appraisal with my boss.  Of course, they are done on-line and I have to do a self appraisal as well.  Bill (my boss) and I rated me identically on every single point – LOL.  The best part is he is putting in a raise for me above the norm and has already had approvals from the powers-that-be to do so.  YAY!  It is wonderful to have a boss who understands and appreciates you.

 

So there you have my 3 things.  In other news, Colin will be over for dinner tonight.  It’s quite warm (again), so not sure we will have a fire tonight, but Fletch is grilling hot and sweet sausage on the grill and we have some good crusty bread and I’ll cook up some mushrooms, onions, peppers and sundried tomatoes to go with.

 

As mentioned above, the weekend will be full.  Laundry to do, cleaning, grocery shopping and packing.  I’m getting picked up at 5 a.m. Monday for a 7 a.m. flight.  That is way too early…I probably should have booked myself to fly down Sunday (but I didn’t want to give up my weekend).  I’ll be back sometime Wednesday afternoon.

 

I’m trying to catch up on blog reading, but it’s been difficult.  And I’ve been pretty lousy about responding to comments on my blog.  Do know that I appreciate them all.  When things calm down a bit I will have more time to devote to my personal endeavors – LOL.

 

Quick Weekend Recap

Hello All,


I'm back from FL - actually got back on Sunday.  A quick whirlwind trip to Daytona to see my best friend (52 years!!) and her sisters for our annual Sisters' Weekend.  It was so good to reconnect with these ladies.  We rotate hosting the weekend as we are pretty spread apart geographically (one in RI, one in NC, one in FL and me in PA).


Work is still crazy/busy and being out last Thursday & Friday didn't help matters, so this will be a very fast recap (which will be enough for you anyway, I think).


We were at Merelyn's house in Port Orange.  She and her husband Bob have a new puppy (well, they've had Max for about 9-10 months).  Such a sweet dog.  Here is the host family:

So, from the beginning.  Janet arrived Wednesday night; Leslie and I flew in and landed around 5 on Thursday.  We went to the house, had a glass of wine (or 2) and then we all went to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner which was EXCELLENT.  Two couples (friends of Mer & Bob) joined us.


Friday we got up and left around 10:30 for our spa appointments.  The spa was located a block from the ocean.  A little chilly (breezy), but sunny.  After the spa we went across the street to Crabby Joe's for lunch on the pier.  A friend of Mer's from Jacksonville drove over to meet us.  The shrimp po boys were to die for!  And, another little friend:

These birds were everywhere - flying in and out of the place and waiting for folks to leave food on the table.  I don't know what kind of bird they are, but they sure were pretty.


We always shop during Sisters' Weekend so we set out and did some of that after lunch.  We headed home around 5 to start cooking (another thing we love to do together).  Friday night was pizza night.
Here's Leslie checking on them:

And here's Leslie and me - my best friend!!

The pizzas were so good:  mushroom & spinach, zucchini & prosciutto, and sausage & mozzarella.


And here I am with Janet - the 3rd sister:

In a MDSW shirt - LOL.  None of these girls are knitters, but they are all so creative:  Leslie is a poet, Janet is a jewelry designer and Merelyn is a musician.


Saturday we were up and out shopping by 10:30 or so.  I do confess to buying a lot (clothes).  We made it back in time to make a wonderful dinner:  shrimp & lobster over fettuccine:

We spent the rest of the evening listening to old music (Beatles, Doobie Brothers, Janis Joplin, etc.) and singing along to all the tunes.  Went to bed way too late as Leslie and I had a 7 a.m. flight out of Daytona.


Sunday I landed in Philadelphia to blustery, rainy weather (it had been 80 in Daytona).  I was home by Noon, unpacked, talked to Fletch and then took a 2 hour nap!  Got up, had a shower and ordered out for dinner...and slept 9 hours that night.


Yesterday was non-stop at work...plus our annual Halloween Party (great food and great costumes by a lot of folks in my office), and then yoga last night.  Today is just as busy and I have to leave by 1:30 for a doctor appointment, so I'd best get back to work.  No knitting to report - hoping to do some tonight.

Unraveled Wednesday 10-25-17

Hello All,


Joining Kat and friends for another Unraveled Wednesday post.  No unraveling here, but not a whole lot of knitting either.  Here is where I am on the first Charade sock:

This is 20 rows of ribbing and (so far) 100 rows of the pattern.  It doesn't look all that long to me, and holding it up to my leg it's not close to knee-high length which I want, so I guess I will do another 30 rows (or more) of the pattern before starting the heel flap.  I am loving the tweed of this yarn.


I've fallen in love the Kym's and Vicki's Arrows and was FINALLY able to purchase and download the pattern this morning.  All week Ravelry was freezing up on me when I tried to get the pattern.  But, I would NOT give up - LOL.  I think this will be a lot of fun to plan (or not!) and to knit.  I have some other things I want/need to get done first, so I'm thinking it might be a good project to start on January 1st...maybe...if I can hold out.


On the reading front, I finished Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - a fun read.  And within the last couple of days I've had 4 books come through on Overdrive:  First up "4.3.2.1." by Paul Auster.  I think this is the one I will start today.  The others are "The Housekeeper and the Professor" by Yoko Ogawa, "The Women in the Castle" by Jessica Shattuck and "Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore" by Robin Sloan.  All look good to me.  I also bought for my Kindle "Finn" by Jon Clinch which I have wanted to read for so long...but that one will have to wait as I wade through the borrowed books.


I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I fly down to Daytona for my Sisters' Weekend (my best friend of 52 years and her two sisters and I get together each year, rotating who hosts).  The weather looks perfect - 70's during the day and 50's at night.  We have spa appointments on Friday and I know we will go shopping.  We also love to cook together (and drink wine).  A good escape.  As of now I am not planning to take any knitting.  That's almost scandalous, I know, but my flights are pretty short (no direct flight to Daytona from Philadelphia) and my friend and I are connecting in Charlotte and flying in together - I know we'll be talking the entire way.  And, none of the girls I'm meeting up with knit.  I'll just take my Kindle which will cut down on what I'm lugging anyway.  I'll be back to tell you about it next week.


Hope you all have wonderful weekends with plenty of relaxing time.  Enjoy!!

Quick Catch-Up

Hello all,


Wow!  Yesterday seemed to get away from me rather quickly.  As I have mentioned, this is my super-busy time at work:  one fiscal year ending and another starting, bonus calculations for everyone in the field, out of town meetings, etc.  Plus vacation days!  Yesterday I got to work before 7:30 and worked till 4:30 just about non-stop (well, I did visit the bathroom twice, but that was it).  Rushed home, changed and then went to yoga and got home just before 9 pm.  So far, today is a little lighter, but still a bit frantic.  And, I will be out again tonight.


So, a quick catch up post on the weekend.  Fletch and I went into town (Philly) with Colin & Mailing on Saturday.  Luckily Mailing drove.  I HATE the Schuylkill Expressway (also known as the Sure Kill Expressway).  An old road in desperate need of repairs and widening.  Accidents both going into town and coming out later.  Plus I hate parking in the city.  Anyhoo, we arrived and parked at the Kimmel Center and walked over to Bud & Marilyn's for brunch/lunch.  I had the smoked beet reuben which was AMAZING.  And big!!

Me expressing surprise at the size of my meal!  I couldn't eat all of it.  And, the Bloody Mary's are wonderful - very smoky and flavorful.  Mailing had Shakshukah which looked delicious.  Fletch and Colin just did burgers.  There are 3 (unisex) bathrooms in the restaurant.  I used the middle one which was just plain (but pretty wall paper).  Colin used the one on the end which had a reading collection and this needlework on the wall:

Needlepoint - and gorgeous.  And BIG!!


After that we walked over to The Barnes Foundation.  It was a perfectly beautiful day in town and great for walking around.  I wasn't sure what I would think of the Barnes' new (several years old now) home.  It was originally housed in the suburbs in a fabulous house.  The new location is a modern building, but they have done a wonderful job of replicating what the rooms in the house looked like.  There are 23 or 24 rooms/galleries to walk through.  No photographs are allowed (except non-flash in Gallery #1), so no pictures, but trust me the collection is amazing!  So many paintings!  So many pieces of hardware (keys, hinges, door knockers, kitchen implements, scissors, etc. - some from the 1200's and earlier), sculptures, jewelry, etc., etc.  It is a lot to look at.


After several hours in there, we walked back to the car stopping for gelato on the way.  SO GOOD!


Traffic was horrible leaving the city, but we got home by 6:30 or so (picking up Chinese take out on the way home because I was too tired to cook - lol).


Sunday was filled with chores - laundry (which is not completely done yet), grocery shopping, scrubbing bathrooms and also the kitchen floor, cooking, etc.  Not too much knitting was done, or reading.  I was exhausted when my body finally hit the bed.


OK, e-mails are coming in fast and furious, so I need to get back to work.  Hope you all had wonderful weekends and that your week is going well so far.