Sometimes Monday....2/13/23

 Hello, Hello,

Not much to say here and no pictures from the weekend!  It was a nice weekend for sure.  As usual I met up with Dee for our weekly therapy session which was (always) lovely.  

As I mentioned the other week, it appears that Karyn (whom we hired to clean) is not working out.  So...I buckled down and scrubbed bathrooms and did 4 loads of wash on Friday!  Over the weekend I managed to clean the kitchen floor, do some dusting and wipe all the kitchen cabinets with orange oil.  Now they are clean AND shiny!!

There was some cooking, but the new recipe I tried yesterday was a complete failure.  It was a soup recipe with shrimp, fennel, leeks - you would think it would be wonderful and it was simply awful.  It's in the trash now.  I am planning to make a rustic apple/cranberry tart thing today, so hopefully that will turn out.

I also managed on Saturday to head over to Colin & Mailing's to water house plants.  I (finally) boxed up books of Colin's that have been sitting on the floor of his bedroom here and took those over.  The boxes are now sitting on the floor of his office room at his house.

Since I am in the purging mode, I plan to bag up some things today to donate at a thrift shop - kitchen gadgets that we do not use, books, some clothes, etc., etc.  Work is currently quiet, so that is in my favor.  There is also laundry to be done (what I did on Friday were sheets, towels, bath rugs, etc.).

So, I'd best pour another cup of coffee and get started.  Hope your week is off to a great start!

Friday Felines and Signs of Spring! 2/10/23

 Good Morning Everyone,

How are you on this fine Friday morning?  I do have a conference call at 11 this morning, but I'm still considering that the weekend has started.  And that pleases me immensely.

Errands were run yesterday, but no cleaning was accomplished.  One must have priorities and cleaning is not at the top of the list for me.  I will, however, try to do a little today.  Sheets and towels do not get washed by themselves...they require a bit of help.  Likewise, floors and toilets don't scrub themselves...sadly...

But, our temperatures actually got up to 60 degrees yesterday and Fletch and I sat out on the patio with beverages in the late afternoon.  We only lasted about 40 minutes, but we had not sat out since early Fall, so even a short time was a welcome change.  Mabel joined us for a little bit.

She rolled around on the patio a bit and then dashed off and ran up the apple tree.

That girl loves to run and climb.  Before we got too chilly, Fletch and I did notice a few signs of Spring.  Right at the edge of the patio we have some bulbs coming up:

And then many, many more are coming up around the base of the apple tree:

What a welcome sight!  Fletch pointed out the other day that our lilac is budded (leaf buds, not flower buds yet).  We have often had rather large snows in February and even in March, but these green signs are so nice to see.

Last night I tried a new (to me) recipe for Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas and they were delicious!  Mine, of course look like blobs (my tortilla wraps were on the small side) rather than nicely rolled enchiladas.

I used the included recipe for enchilada sauce, but next time I would just use canned sauce.  There was more filling than I could put in the tortillas, but I think that would be good just scooped up with tortilla chips (which might be lunch today!).

Any plans for the weekend?  I'll be meeting up with Dee tomorrow morning for a therapy session - plenty of sipping and chatting and a bit of knitting.  I also want to get over the C&M's to water the houseplants and (hopefully) drop off a box or two of books that have been living in our house for a long, long time.  I'll walk around their yard and see if I can find signs of Spring there!

Miscellaneous Things on a Thursday

 Hello Everyone,

It's Thursday, so almost the weekend which makes me very happy.  My Thursday financial reports are done and they have been distributed via email, so I am mostly caught up.  I still have some documents that I need to add to the legal database.  It is really such a cluster.  Long story short:

• We have had a contract/legal database for a number of years that I use
• It was determined that we would switch over to our parent company's database
• When that couldn't happen as planned, our original database was going out of contract
• We had to stay with the original one, but it was "updated" and "improved" by the owner.  HA!  The new version is very cumbersome and not very user-friendly
• We were told that we would be switching to our parent's database in the new year (to me, that means January).  That has now been pushed back to mid-year.
• Since we were supposed to switch rather quickly, I decided not to fool with the new and improved version of our old one...and the documents I needed to add piled up.

My meeting yesterday at the office was to learn how to "easily" access things in the database.  That was a disappointing meeting.  The woman I met with really didn't help me that much.  I came home and spent the afternoon fooling around with it and FINALLY I made a bit of progress.  I added maybe 10 documents (I still have at least 20 more to add...but finding the correct location is the challenge).

But, because I was at the office, I stopped at Trader Joe's and bought some fresh flowers.

Gerbera Daisies are always so cheerful.  I love the color of these and they make me think of Frida Kahlo.  They are cheerful and happy and so bright on a grey February day.  My computer says "wintry mix," but I think it may be too warm for that.  However, the sun is missing.

Yesterday I also stopped at the library.  I had never read anything by Ross Gay and some of you have raved about his writing.  So, I requested This Book and it came in on Monday or Tuesday.  While picking up that book I looked for "The Shipping News" by Annie Proulx for our next Read With Us book.  No luck on the shelves, so I will request it.  But, I found some other treasures:

• The Love Songs of W. E. B. du Bois
• Hamnet
• Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo

I read some of Gay's poems and like them.  And then I started Love Songs.  Wow!  I managed to read about 50 pages after dinner and before Fletch and I caught up on All Creatures.  This is a LONG book (800 pages), but it reads so easily.  There have already been a few disturbing things...but I'm sure I will love the book.

Hamnet is a book I never wanted to read (subject matter and sad) until I read The Marriage Portrait.  I was happy to find it.  And the Russo book is one that Kym recommended and now Kat is in the midst of and has highly recommended.

Some errands are on the agenda today.  And I really need to buckle down and do some cleaning (once again, no Karyn...I don't think she is working out...).  But all I really want to do is read, knit and stitch.  The hell with work and everything else!  Oh, and I really, really want and need to book a massage.  

Here's hoping that your Thursday is off to a great start!

PS - one more thing:  I know a number of you have read and loved The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher.  It is now a Series  on Acorn TV!!

Unraveled Wednesday 2/8/23

 Good Morning All,

First up:  technology issues resolved!  YAY  Turned out we needed a new box (is it top box?) - the thing in our basement.  The technician showed up right on time (1:30 yesterday afternoon), went down in the basement and immediately said that was the problem.  Apparently Verizon has had a lot of them fail recently.  I can't even tell you how old ours was - decades anyway.  By 3 p.m. my forced vacation from work was over....and the TV was back on (of course - lol).  We were happy to be able to watch an episode of Poirot last night and tonight will find us catching up on Masterpiece Theatre.

And now it is Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  Fortunately there was no further unraveling for me after I ripped out the green sock.  Instead I started a new sock!

The yarn is Trekking (Karen I think we are knitting with the same yarn?).  These socks will be for Fletch and I'm knitting the Petty Harbour pattern (free on Ravelry).

The cowl saw a few more rows added.  I know it doesn't look like it, but really there were additional rows knit.

(I hadn't noticed till I snapped the picture how my bag coordinates with my knitting!  LOL)

The other week I ordered a few stitch markers on line (Etsy).  I had been given a gift card at Christmas that could only be used on line.  Most of the $$$ had been used for something (I can't even remember what), but there was roughly $11 left on the card.  Adding in tax and shipping, the stitch markers fit the amount and they arrived the other day.

I love them!  I've not used one yet and I'm not sure how those long bulb looking things will work, I may need to replace them with a jump ring, but time will tell.

On the reading side of things, I stopped at the library on my way home from meeting up with Dee and Bonny Saturday and picked up Love & Saffron which I thoroughly enjoyed.  A novel of friendship, love and food.  With recipes!!  It reminded me of 84 Charing Cross Road in that the book is a series of letters between two women.  I plan to stop at the library for a couple of books today after my morning at the office.

Fletch and I started reading Master and Commander after dinner.  Last night we switched to the audio version so that I can knit while we listen.  So far it is an enjoyable story (only just started chapter 2).

Here's hoping your Wednesday is off to a great start!

Weekending and Technical Difficulties! 2/6/23

 Hello and Good Morning (a little later than usual),

How are you and how was your weekend?  If you read Bonny's Blog then you know that she met up with Dee and me for our Saturday get together.  Geeze it was COLD.  But the warmth of friendship prevailed and it was such a nice time.  We met at Starbucks for some sipping and knitting and mostly chatter - also quite a bit of laughter.  Then went to a fun thrift store and finally to Braveheart Pub for a delicious lunch.  I will admit to being exhausted by the time I got home and took an hour and a half nap!  I could have slept longer, but I figured Fletch would like dinner at some point (I was still full from lunch).

Sunday came around as it does and after breakfast Fletch turned on the TV for Sunday Morning.  I was looking up something on the internet when suddenly our internet went out...and the TV...and also our landline (all through Verizon).  Thank goodness for cell phones.  We were on the phone with Verizon for over an hour trying different things and nothing worked.  Finally the Verizon guy said you need a technician to come out to the house.  And, the earliest time that can happen is Tuesday afternoon!  Doesn't that just suck?

Thus, I had to wait until I came into the office to post.  I'll be here longer than I expected since I have no internet at home.  I have a conference call at 11 through Teams, so I'll have to do that here.

Since I will not be able to post tomorrow morning, I decided to have my TNT post today!  Here's an overview of where Ellen Harrison is:

The house is under construction.  Here is a close up:

Let me tell you, stitching the main part of the house (that pale tan color) is not easy on this linen - kind of blends right in.  But that part of the house is finished.  There is more white on the left (also not the easiest to stitch on this linen) and windows and a door in front.  This will bring me very close to the bottom of the sampler!  Obviously there is still a lot to stitch on the other side.

Well, that's it for me.  I actually do have some work to do and I'd like to check out some blogs while I can!  Thanks Dee and Bonny for such a fun Saturday - we need to do it again soon!

Wrapping Up The Week 2/3/23

 Good Morning!

So nice to know that it is Friday...and even nicer to know that all of my conference calls for today have been cancelled.  Woo-Hoo!

Yesterday saw several things happening.  First up, I had a very good eye doctor appointment in the morning.  This was just a pressure check and that turned out to be just where it should be (in both eyes) and she said the field vision test I had several weeks ago was great - no change from prior tests.  Whew.

Next up, I used my new rice cooker and I love it!  I made jasmine rice and the aroma was so great, but most importantly, the rice turned out perfectly.  I made cashew chicken (in the crock pot!!) to go with it.  Yumsters!

A winner of a new recipe.  Besides chicken and cashews (duh), this dish also included bok choy (stems and leaves), bell peppers and onions.

I made 3 servings of rice according to the manual that came with my rice cooker.  I wanted to make sure I had left over rice to make fried rice.  Well, 3 servings looks to me like it could feed a village!  LOL  But, that's ok.  There is left over chicken and I will make fried rice in a day or so.

And then there is the knitting...or rather what was the knitting.  This is what the green sock looks like now:

The green sock was my New Year's Day cast on.  The fact that a month has gone by and the sock has not been finished speaks volumes.  But after dinner last night, I got it out and started knitting.  I knit several rows and then noticed a dropped stitch.  Picked that up, no problem.  Then I noticed two more...but the spot where I would have picked it up was closed...there was no path to take the stitch up AND, I had the correct number of stitches on the needle.

Some time was spent thinking about the whole thing and then I just decided to rip out the entire sock (and I was only about 20 rows from the toe decrease!!).  But, I realized I did not like the pattern I had chosen (it wasn't really visible with this yarn and it just [to me] looked messy).The green yarn is now marinating in time out until I can think of what to make with it.  Maybe plain socks, maybe a shawl?

After that I pulled out some yarn to make Fletch another pair of socks and started on them only to decide the yarn was not right (better for a cowl or shawl), so that got ripped out.  I *think* I've picked out yarn for the next pair of socks, but time will tell.

Meanwhile, it's Friday and I feel like it's a free day since my calls have been cancelled.  Let the weekend begin!  Hope yours is a good one.

Unraveled Wednesday 2/1/23

 Good Morning,

It's dark and early here!  And, there is snow on my car in the driveway.  Figures this is the day I need to be at the office before 8 a.m.  Oh well.  It's not a lot of snow and I will warm the car before I need to scrape it off and pull out.

My baking continues!  Yesterday I made Harvest Spice Bread.  Oh man is it good!

This bread has pumpkin puree in it as well as grated carrots, chopped apples, raisins and walnuts.  What's not to love?  Oh, and it is very, very easy to make.  Here's a Link to the recipe I used.  Fletch is planning to take a loaf of the bread, some brownies and some cookies to Connie and David today.

And, my new rice cooker arrived yesterday.

Geeze this thing is more complicated than I think is necessary, but I can now cook all different kinds of rice as well as make baby food (which will come in handy if Fletch and I somehow lose all our teeth!).  I plan to test it out tomorrow night, so will let you know how it works (and if I can figure it out).

But on to the business of the day.  It is February 1st (already) and time to link up with Kat and the band of Merry Unravelers to talk making and reading.  Naturally not all that much knitting has happened here (I've been busy baking and finishing up a sampler).  The cowl for my SIL has not seen a single stitch/row added since I posted last week, so no picture of that.  The first green sock is moving down the foot.

I really thought/planned that I would have this one finished by now, but other things occupied my time.  Anyway, no rush as these are for me.  No rush on the cowl either since it is a Christmas gift.  I also thought I would have started a hat out of the Lopi I ordered OR the Albers Shawl in the Kid Silk Haze that I won...but nope - neither of those have been started.  And that won't happen today either.  C'est la vie.

On the reading side of things, Fletch and I have just about finished this book - we only have 7 or so pages left.  It's a fun read, but some of the stories are pretty strange.  I'm reading Red Knife by William Kent Krueger.  It's the next in a series by him that I am reading, but honestly I'm kind of bored with it.  I think this series may have run its course for me.  I have some books coming in at the library, so hopefully one of those will grab my attention.

My reading of Middlemarch has also slowed - as mentioned above, I've been busy baking and doing other things.  Now I need to get busy and get ready to drive to the office.  Hoping I can catch up on blogs once the meeting starts (since I'm not participating in the meeting - just making sure breakfast and lunch are delivered and set up - lol).  I do have some work I have to do, but I don't expect that will take ALL morning.

Have a wonderful first day of February!