Unraveled Wednesday 5/3/23

 Hey, Hey, and Good Morning!

It's Wednesday and my brain feels beyond fried...it is crispy!  All is set up with my new laptop (which is so much smaller than my old one), but it took SO LONG for all to transfer over...and even now I'm not sure it all has.  Some of my files were missing forever; there were issues in setting up my printer; and I am NOT an IT person.  That is why we have IT departments and folks working there.  Jake (from State Farm)...oopppssss I mean Tom from IT did call me back pretty quickly yesterday which was a major surprise, but he is a talker and our session lasted way longer than it should have.

Anyway, life goes on and the kinks will (hopefully) work themselves out.

Meanwhile it is Wednesday and time for Unraveled Wednesday.  Usually we all link up with Kat to discuss our making and reading.  But this week Kat is on vacation...so I will go it alone.

The first Crazy Zauerball sock is finished!

I absolutely love it.  Fletch loves it!  (But, I made it my size, not his...hahaha)  I have yet to start Sock #2.  I thought I might get to that yesterday...but the new laptop took up my whole afternoon and a lot of my evening.  Maybe today...

On the reading side of things, I started Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson and so far, so good.  I am roughly 125 pages in and enjoying it.  Hopefully I will have more reading time today and the balance of the week.  After being in the queue literally for months, Foster by Claire Keegan came in for me.  It is under 100 pages, so I may just settle in and read that one night...I know there is still a long wait for it, so I'd like to get it back to the library quickly.

Today (in between fixing some of the kinks in my laptop), Fletch and I are going back to Miller's - our local greenhouse that we really like.  And, I hope to find time to start sock #2 and do a bit of stitching.  Here's hoping you all have a wonderful Wednesday.

A funny thing:  at the bottom of my screen where the date and time are shown, my laptop shows that it is 10:37 p.m. on May 3rd.  I tried to fix the clock yesterday and it turns out I do not have permission!  I will be looking in an hour and a half to see if the date changes to 5/4/23!  I will head to the office tomorrow and Jake/Tom will be there, so hopefully he can fix that and get me hooked up with the printers at the office that I use.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 5/2/23

 Good Morning!

The sun was out yesterday and after such a soggy, grey, damp weekend, that was a joy to see.  But, it was so windy that being outside was not pleasant.  Fletch was out and about working a bit in the garden.  I managed to walk out and cut more Lily of the Valley along with some Azaleas (gorgeous), but was really swamped with work, so stayed in at the computer all day.  Today we are back to the overcast skies.

Now it is Tuesday morning and time for a Tiny Needle Update.  Woo-Hoo!!  The spotted stag has been completed.  That darn animal seemed to take forever (and it did), but I love the end result, so all is good.

I find the red eye still to be a little off-putting, but I am not going to change it!

Do you see the little brown and red bird above the stag?  Perhaps a robin?  That is the latest motif.  There are two more birds and a whole lot of gold at the bottom to stitch and then this baby will be finished.  I make no promises as to when that might be.  This is the beginning of a really crazy time for me at work (budget season), so I will not have much time for knitting, stitching or reading.  C'est la vie.  Anyway, here's an overall shot of Ellen Harrison.

Fletch and I will head out later to procure some groceries.  I have a conference call at 11, but I think I'm going to skip it.  After my two rather long calls yesterday, I don't feel like participating.  Plus today's call could have upwards of 75 people on it!  That is way too many.  Instead, I will take the time to (hopefully) (finally) set up my new laptop.  The peripherals were delivered yesterday morning, but I haven't even opened the box.

I was made aware of more organizational changes at work effective immediately.  Some are a bit disturbing and it all makes me wonder if I can really hold out as long as I would like to.  Time will tell.

Wherever this Tuesday finds you, I hope you are having some fun!  Time for me to dry my hair and pour another cup of coffee.  I'll be back tomorrow for Unraveled Wednesday!

Weekending

 Good Morning Everyone!

How are you?  And how was your weekend?  I hope it was a good one.  Our weekend was extremely soggy.  Lots of rain, lots of greyness, more wind (again).  Happy May Day!  It does not feel much like May at the moment, but maybe things will improve.

My Saturday morning was spent with Dee sipping, chatting and knitting quietly (why are some people SO LOUD in public places?).  We both worked on socks while trying to solve the world's problems.  I don't think any problems were solved (after all, we are not really in charge), but a bunch of rows were knit and at one point Dee helped me pick up a dropped stitch (very difficult to see when working with Crazy Zauerball).  Thanks Dee!!

The afternoon was nice and then I made pizza for dinner - tons of fresh spinach and tons of sauteed sliced baby bella mushrooms.  I also added roasted red peppers, onion, fresh garlic.  Oh my!

Sunday morning we headed over to Colin & Mailing's house after breakfast.  The place is very dirty and the yard looks like a jungle!  Fletch walked around picking up fallen branches and sticks that would be in the way of someone mowing the lawn.  He had contacted someone who will be doing that twice a month (and they cannot start too soon!).  I watered all the houseplants that are still there and then did some vacuuming and sweeping.  Lots of dust.  We are nowhere done, but it's a start.

Sunday afternoon I made a new (to me) recipe for banana bread that includes coffee (both brewed and some instant coffee).  I'll let you know how it is once I try it and if worthy, will share the recipe.

Remember the Flaming Sword Bromeliad that we recently purchased at Otts?  Well, more flames have appeared!

When I moved it to take a picture this morning, I noticed that there are "flames" on both sides of the sword!  Fletch re-potted it because the sword was getting too big and heavy it was tipping over the pot the plant came in!

In other exciting houseplant news, we now have 3 lemons growing on our lemon tree!  Fingers crossed that they all hang on and grow and develop.  This is the largest one (still peanut size):

It appears that the blogger issue has been cleared up - I am now receiving comments and I hope the issue has been cleared up for everyone else too.  My day is busy - I've two conference calls (both with way too many people on them) and all the peripheral stuff for my new laptop should be delivered today.  Most important is the new docking station, so I can hook up to a large monitor and have a keyboard and mouse to use.  Wish me luck with all of that, please.

Time to pour another cup of coffee and let the work day begin!

Surprise! I'm Here!!

 Good Morning!

I know I said I would be back on Monday, but this just proves how old and out of touch I am.  LOL

Our computers are no longer sent down to Charlotte to be refreshed/replaced.  Instead, my new laptop was delivered to me yesterday.  All I need to do is plug it in, log on with my user name and password and everything on my current laptop will transfer over.  All is cloud based now (which I had ignored) and is a little bit like Big Brother if you ask moi.

Anyway, I have not yet set the new one up.  I'm too busy this week to do that...can't run the risk of not being able to work.  And the other issue is that the laptop arrived but none of the peripherals...no monitor, no keyboard, no mouse and most importantly, no docking station.  So, I could set up the new one but can't use my monitor (my old docking station will not work with my new laptop).

It was very frustrating dealing with Tom from IT (sounds like Jake from State Farm - LOL).  (He's at my office but is terribly non-responsive to emails and phone calls.)  Today and tomorrow will be busy, but hopefully my peripherals will be sent out and I can get the new one set up late tomorrow or over the weekend.

I need to get to my Thursday reports, but wanted to show you two things.  First, I made a Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata using THIS RECIPE from Ina Garten.

Mine took much less time to cook, but oh boy is it delicious!  I whipped up some cream to go with it.  The only change I made was to use maple sugar to sprinkle on the pastry rather than turbinado sugar.  

And, the lilacs didn't last long when cut (and I googled and couldn't find any way to make them last longer than a day or two), but we have Iris blooming this year - more than in past years!

I cut some after our afternoon rain and their scent has filled the entire downstairs!  Very sweet and very nice.

OK, time for me to get down to work.  Have a wonderful Thursday!

Unraveled Wednesday 4/26/23

 Good Morning!

This is what I saw a few minutes ago:

Yikes!  I don't know where the snow factors in when it is 38 degrees, but whatever.  It is still a tad bit warmer than yesterday morning.  I'm pretty sure rain is in our forecast through the weekend.  Sigh.  I love a good rainy day now and then, but 4 or 5 in a row becomes a bit much.  

And...I won't be able to retreat into the depths of rabbit holes on the computer.  Today is the day I have to ship my laptop down to Charlotte to be "refreshed."  Actually, everything on my laptop will be copied over to a new laptop which should be delivered to me on Friday.  There is nothing wrong with my laptop...but my company won't let you keep one longer than 3 years.  It is usually a very smooth and fast process:  today a box will be delivered to me by UPS...I'll pack up my laptop in it and ship it back out via UPS.  Tomorrow "they" (my company's IT folks in Charlotte) will transfer everything and set up a new laptop for me and ship it out to be delivered to me on Friday.  Two bright sides to this are:  1) I will not be able to run my weekly financial reports Thursday morning and 2) I will not be able to participate in conference calls on Friday.  Woo-Hoo!!

Meanwhile, it is Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  Be sure to head over and check out posts - I've gotten so many excellent suggestions of books and things to make.  Always inspiring!

After finishing up the Goldfinch socks last week I (naturally) promptly started in on another pair of socks.  This will be another pair for moi (because one can never have too many handknit socks) and they are a bit on the crazy side:

SCHOPPEL ZAUBERBALL CRAZY 2389 JUBILAUMSPARTY

It does look a bit like a party!  A Rainbow Party!  This is sock #1 and it is finished through the heel flap (eye of the partridge).  Next up I will turn the heel and head down the foot.  With no computer to distract me, it shouldn't take too long to finish this one.

Reading is a different story.  I guess I have been in a reading funk, or a funk in general.  Nothing is working for me.

First I tried Lessons in Chemistry but I just could not do it!  Nothing in it seemed plausible to me.  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there was inequality in the workforce back in the early 60's (just as there is today), but my Dad was a research chemist and working in a lab at that time.  He had nothing but high praise for the women working alonside him.  So, I could not stomach the book.  Plus I did not care for the writing style.

Next up I attempted Spare and couldn't get past page 26 when Harry mentions his 13th birthday in September of1997 and receiving an Xbox.  I don't think they were available until a little later (maybe they were in Europe though??).  Anyway, I found this book to be terribly whiny.  Just my opinion and I admit to being very tired of the whole royal family.  (We even stopped watching The Crown - too much!)

My third attempt was The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper which I thought would be a nice, pleasing book to read.  A good palate cleanser if you will.  But...it was just too slow moving for me and I grew bored.

So, I've picked up Middlemarch again (which IS good...but terribly long) and I'm waiting on several books to come in at my library.  I also have a lot to choose from on my own shelves, so I'm sure I will find something to entice me before too long.

And that will be a wrap for me!  I hope blogger has straightened out and that I will receive any comments via email.  It is frustrating to have things set up correctly (or so it appears) but not have it work!  I've got a busy work day ahead of me and then a bit of free time!  I'll see you back here on Monday - have a good rest of the week and weekend!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 4/25/23

 Hey There!  Good Morning!

While heating the milk I had frothed for my coffee a few minutes ago I looked out back and saw 3 deer - the first that I have seen in weeks!  They probably sniffed out that we bought new plants and are looking to sample them.  BUT, they are out of luck!  Anything new that Fletch put in the ground (or the herbs in my pots for the patio) is covered and plants not yet in the ground were brought inside last night.  Yup - we had a freeze warning.  When I came downstairs to let Mabel out at 5 a.m. I looked at my phone and it was 34 degrees at that point.  I crawled back into bed with an extra blanket!

After not stitching for around 2 weeks (!!) (I had packed my stitching for vacation, but never looked at it even once), I finally got back to putting a few threads in fabric on Friday.  An additional motif, some more gold at the bottom and a bit more on the spotted stag has been done.

It's coming along.  There is still quite a bit to be filled in on the stag and the gold at the bottom is an endless stitch!  There are a couple more birds to be stitched - they will be above the stag and under the other motifs.  I'm still enjoying this, but will definitely be happy when it is finished.

I have picked out my next piece (I think - always subject to change) and I ordered and received the bag to embroider just like Kym is doing and I am looking forward to starting that as well.  But all in good time.

The lilacs I had picked/cut the other day drooped quickly (they always do - does anyone have a suggestion for keeping them looking good for longer than 24 hours?), so I cut a few of the Lily of the Valley that are just beginning to open.

Anyone remember Muguet des Bois?  I wore that perfume in my early teens!

I also did a bit of cooking yesterday morning.  I've been wanting to replicate a salad I had while on vacation that was divine.  It is the Nomad Salad from the restaurant in Hillsborough, NC by the same name.  If you Google recipes for nomad salad, most have grains - either cous cous or farro or quinoa, but the salad I had did not have any grains.  It is simply kale, brussels sprouts, roasted beet, strawberries, crunchy chickpeas and a lemon garlic vinagrette.  It also calls for goat cheese, but I had mine with no cheese and I did add tofu (for protein).  

First I made the crunchy chickpeas which came out ok.  They were good in the salad, but over time they are not as crunchy.  I probably won't bother again.  Next I made the crunchy tofu using This Recipe at Kym's suggestion.  WOW!  The tofu turned out perfectly!

Crunchy on the outside and pillow-like soft inside.  Delicious!

For my salad I subbed some purple cabbage for the brussels sprouts (because that's what I had).  I also added some pepitas.  The vinagrette was simple:  the juice of half a lemon, some minced garlic, some EVOO, a small spoon of Dijon mustard and a splash of Maple Syrup - whisked all together and then mixed into the salad.

Fletch had some for lunch (sans tofu) and loved it.  I ate the rest with the tofu added.  So tasty, filling, and good for you!

Then I made a new-to-me beef stew for dinner which was just ok (no pics and I won't bother sharing the recipe).  Lots of leftovers - some in the frig and a lot in the freezer.  The stew recipe did not call for the usual veggies I put in stew (potatoes, carrots, onion, celery) - just roasted peppers.  So, I roasted the other veggies in the oven and they were wonderful.

Not sure what is on the menu tonight - we go grocery shopping later today, so I will figure something out!

The temp is now up to 37 according to my computer and the sun is up.  I see blue sky through the trees outside my office window.  Wishing you all a beautiful Tuesday - enjoy!

Weekending 4/24/23

 Good Morning!

Fickle Spring...after soaring temps (into the 80's), like so many of you, it is chilly here this morning.  Chilly enough that I nudged the heat on.  Even in a sweatshirt, I am feeling the nip inside and my hands are cold as I type.  Grrrrr

Oh well, nothing I can do about it.  This roller coaster weather seems to be good for some things though.  The lilac outside my front office window has more blooms than ever!  I've been cutting some to bring inside and I wish you could catch a whiff of the perfume through your computer.  Just heavenly.

And our Iris are getting ready to bloom.  After some very spotty years where we only had a couple of blooms, they are back in force this year.  Within a couple of days I should be cutting some of those too.

How was your weekend?  Mine was very nice.  After missing my get together with Dee while we were on vacation, the two of us met up again Saturday morning.  It was so nice to sit and sip and chat together while we worked on our knitting (both of us knitting on socks).  I feel so fortunate that Dee lives close by and that we can get together regularly.

Yesterday Fletch and I headed out to get some more plants since our local greenhouse had not had so many things out yet.  We headed to Otts Nursery in Schwenksville and boy were they busy!  It's a fun and wonderful place to wander around.  Fletch picked out some red romaine, I found several types of basil and they had snapdragons too.  We could not resist some new houseplants as well.

A Flaming Sword Bromeliad - if you click to enlarge you can see the yellow beginning to emerge in the bloom.  This is fabulous!

And a lemon cyprus!  This has the prettiest foliage and when you brush against it, you can get a scent of lemon.  We will prune this to keep it on the small side, but we just could not resist it!

Fletch has already planted the basil for me in a pot that will stay by the patio - within easy reach when I am cooking.

I made Brunswick Stew and cornbread for dinner.  It was chilly enough to be a perfect night for that.  Later in the evening we settled in to watch Bob Dylan - Live in Newport 1963 - 1965 which we both enjoyed a lot (could have done without all the fundraising breaks though).  Of course, Dylan looked to be about 15 in some of those early shots!

Now it's back to Monday and the start of another work week - the last one in April and we will be a third of the way through the year!  That does not seem possible.

Hope your weekend was a good one and cheers to the week ahead!