September 30, 2007

Confessions of a health nut

I've been feeling crampish and grumpy today. So what did I do? Well first Allen and I went out to rather healthy Asian restaurant where the veggies are fresh, crunchy, and plentiful. Then we went to Ben & Jerry's, and I got a chocolate milkshake. Notwithstanding that it was an excellent milkshake my tummy went all in a dither. It still doesn't feel completely calm. That was NOT one of my smarter food choices today. So yes, I'm here to confess that Miss Organic Broccoli over here is still a sucker for chocolate milkshakes, and my tummy is the worse for it. Ouch.


Just don't do what I did ok?

Hurrah!

Just on a whim I tried on a pair of my old blue jeans. They fit! Mostly. They're somewhat tight, but I can pull them on and button them without any unnatural contortions. That looks like progress to me.

September 28, 2007

food and it's aftermath

Well, I've pretty much finished getting my freezer restocked like I wanted too. Not that it will stay that way for very long, but it sure is nice to be able to just pull something out of the freezer some days when things just get busy I can't see standing in the kitchen for another hour. I must add that I really, really like meatloaf. I've made it three times, and every time has been different. It's been spicy and loaded, cheesy peppery, and (in it's most recent incarnation) reminiscent of a cheddar, bacon, bbq burger. This time I went ahead and threw in a handful of chopped bacon with a generous dollop of bbq sauce, and while it was cooking I brushed the top with a mixture of bbq sauce and ketchup. Kind of different but very good. My kitchen however is rather in pieces. Although it's far from total chaos in there I'd say it's at least partial chaos :) Those sausage biscuits I mixed up didn't exactly contribute to the situation. I'm a bit disappointed in them. The gluten free mix I used has something of a bitter after taste to it. It's not overpowering, but it does rather detract from the finished goods. Fortunately honey covers a multitude of sins, and my in-laws (the males at least) are always willing to help clear any less desirable dishes out of the way ;) Handy fellows to have around indeed. I suppose though that I shouldn't be too picky when it comes to the gluten free flours though and just be glad that there is such a thing available to me. I don't have celiac or anything like that. It's just that my body needs a rest from gluten grains right now. Hopefully taking a break now will keep me from developing any serious allergy or resistance later.

September 26, 2007

To much to do....

I'm starting to feel a tad paralyzed by the sheer amount of stuff I want to do over the next couple of weeks (and months come to think of it.) I have a big stash of yarn to be knit down before Christmas, my dress for the feast to make, a trip to the beach coming very soon, camping supplies to track down, extra food to prepare...It's really not a whole lot of work if I just buckle down and do it, but unfortunately I tend to prefer blogging to buckling. Arrrgh! Sometimes I wish self-discipline was something your ordered from Amazon. It could be here tomorrow if I paid the extra shipping. And if I actually practiced it more often maybe I wouldn't be griping about it on my blog. /me laughs.

September 25, 2007

Being at Rest

Some of my musings yesterday were inspired by a lovely little blog I stumbled across yesterday. Unfortunately the woman who kept this blog decided to stop just as I found her, but while digging through her previous posts I found one of her answering a woman who had written to ask how she managed to keep such a lovely and peaceful home and whether her life really was as beautiful as the pictures showed. You can find her answer (and others) here. The one thing that stood out to me though was what she said about rest. Quite honestly that's one thing at which I'm not very good. Even when I'm resting I'm often not "at rest." I end up worrying about what I didn't do or should be doing or could more profitably be doing. Then when I work I often don't enjoy that either and for similar reasons. I can always tell myself that I should have done this yesterday or two weeks ago or that I should have never let things get into such a state and thereby rob myself of all the peaceful satisfaction I could be getting out of doing the job now. I suppose the secret is that our Lord says "come unto me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest." I've heard that verse a hundred times or more, but it never occurred to me to think about what it means to come unto the Lord and how that relates to rest. Obviously the first thing it means is acknowledging to ourselves that we are not self-sufficient and that we are utterly dependent on God. Another thing it means is that we have been forgiven and that we have received grace. A third thing it means is that we have been removed from all condemnation. The Bible says that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." These are just a few of the things it means to come unto the Lord, and from looking at even that short list it seems that rest, instead of being mystically tacked on at the end, instead flows directly from and through the quality of belonging to God. It really shouldn't be something elusive in our lives that we are constantly in fear of not finding or of losing when we feel we've gained it. It really does seem that it should be a constantly flowing river pouring through our hearts from the heart of God. In day to day terms it means that when I feel upset about not doing something earlier or better I can know that there is no condemnation and feel satisfaction in doing it now. It does seem such an easy thing for us to not do though -I know I have the dickens of a time with being at rest and being satisfied with various things in my life. I suppose this is something I'll have to keep discovering and rediscovering until one day maybe it will finally stick. I want that day to be right now, but I have to remind myself that there's no condemnation about that either.

So it seems that the secret to a well-run and pleasant house isn't so much work but rest and not so much rest but learning to make your work restful and satisfying. Like much of Christian life the answer lies in the heart of a paradox which is the heart of God who made the lion and the lamb and loves them both together.

September 24, 2007

jigsaw puzzle of wistful loveliness

Every once in a while I get glimpses -snapshots- of the life I hope to have one day. There are all sorts of pieces to it, and every once in a while I stumble on another piece that I think I want to add in. I just don't know quite how it all goes together. It's like finding a bunch of puzzle pieces that all have to potential to create a beautiful picture and not knowing how to put them together or even if they all go to the same puzzle. Take the beautiful homesteads that I've seen on some people's blogs. All that gorgeous green beauty all around stirs my heart, yet I doubt Allen and I are going to end up taking our family out to the country to live. Either that piece doesn't go to my puzzle or it fits in some way that I can't see now. Then I find a flickr photo album of someone's artsy, vintage, eclectic urban residence, and something on there really clicks with me. Now I have a pastoral vista and a downtown flat both tugging at me in their own way. Add in a couple of cute pigtailed girls in pinafores, an all-American love of blue jeans, my enjoyment of cooking, and my distaste for dishes.Throw in my desire to dabble in all things handicraft when instead I often settle for link chasing or novels, and there you have me. Left staring at a bunch of puzzle pieces and wondering just how the odd shaped one I'm currently standing on connects up with the beautiful panorama at which all the other pieces silently hint. I love to cook. I love kids and old novels and great big tree with the sun drifting down through the leaves. I like those funny little designs made with flowers and doodles in odd colors that don't look quite modern or quite vintage. I have blue berry patterned dishes sitting on a baker's rack near a little shuttered window draped with a string of miniature paper lanterns. I yearn for a house where big windows let vast puddles of sunlight into every room. Everywhere I turn I see scraps of what my life could be, would be, will be. Then I look at my little apartment furnished and decorated by fits and starts. Cleaned the same way. My desires sometimes seem so myriad and often opposing that I don't know where to begin in the effort to move forward, to accomplish, and to be. Of course I suppose therein lies part of the problem. "For it is God who works within us both to will and to do for His good pleasure." I don't suppose it really is my job to put everything together and make my piece fit the puzzle. Like as not neither the piece nor the puzzle are yet in the shape they need to be, and I just need to patiently wait for God to put all things into their proper order in His time. Still can't say I really no what do though. I suppose I just keep collecting my puzzle pieces as they come my way and trust that someday God will turn them into a vision of shining loveliness.

My fabric came in!

I just got my fabric for my Ren dress in, and the colors are exactly what I wanted/hoped. Since time was so important I'd opted to not get a swatch first and just go ahead and order. Also, there weren't many colors in my price range. However, I was fortunate enough to find two colors from the same collection on sale. I figured that even if i wasn't keen on the colors they'd at least blend well. But they really are nice colors. The plum I bought for a my little sack/bag goes beautifully with it too. The blue not so much. I'll probably make my friend a little bag with it. Anyway, I'm pretty excited about it. So now I just need to get to work. I'll probably start on the camica first since that well require the least amount of fitting and fiddling. All that will have to wait until I get this apartment in order for tonight though :( I shouldn't take but a trice (ok, maybe an hour or two tops) if I'll just settle down and do it instead of frittering!

September 23, 2007

Interesting movie

We just finished watching the Illusionist, and golly is it interesting. It's kind of like one of those heist or spy movies where you aren't really sure who had the moral high ground (or even if there is one), but just watching all the twists and turns is very exciting. I also really enjoyed how the film was shot. The backwards and forwards narrative sequencing combined with different camera effects and overall striking camera angles worked very well to capture both a feeling of immediacy in Eisenheim's illusions and cast a generally reminiscent air over the work in general. There is one scene where the shirt buttons rather go flying, but it's short and easily skirted. In other words -interesting story well filmed. Highly recommended with a couple of reservations.

Homemade Hamburger Helper with squash

Since we go to church in the evening (our church is cool like that), we decided to make supper for lunch. I ended up throwing together a bunch of things that I grabbed at the grocery store on the way home last night (along with a few things I had on hand), and it turned out quite well.


Ingredients:

1lb browned ground beef
1c chopped sliced pepperoni (optional)
1 package elbow macaroni (I use Tinkyada brown rice noodles)
2 cans tomato paste
2 onions chopped
1med yellow squash chopped
1med zucchini chopped
1 can red beans (optional)
1lb grated mozzarella
1c milk, cream, or half n half
2c broth (approx)
2c water (approx)
salt, pepper, garlic salt (large pinch)
crushed red pepper flakes (light pinch)
oregano, rosemary, and basil (approx 1tb each)

Method:

Brown meat and drain. Then mix the tomato paste with the meat, veggies, broth, and seasonings in a large skillet and let simmer. Cook covered (stirring often) until the veggies are crunchy tender (about 20min). Remove pasta from the water while still barely crunchy and mix into skillet. Remove from heat. Cover with grated cheese. Replace lid and let the cheese melt then serve.

I don't even really like squash, and this is good. Another thing I love about the cook it and serve it the skillet meals is that all those yummy minerals and nutrients from all my veggies are still right there in the pan and soon to be on their way to my tummy.

September 21, 2007

Dress materials

I think I've found/ordered just about everything I need to start working on my ensemble, so now I just need to break out the scissors and get to it! Countdown to the Feast begins NOW!

September 20, 2007

Have credit card will craft

Ok, so maybe it's a debit card. It's plastic. Remember when I said I wasn't going to be using period authentic fabric to make my dress? Some 60" linen remnants grabbed my attention, and nothing would do but that I buy them for my dress. All in all it worked out to under $6.00 a yard including shipping. Considering that I would have had to buy considerably more 45in fabric I was pretty happy with that price. I did cheat on the camica and buy a linen/cotton blend because it was just so much cheaper than the other stuffs. I also bought thick $0.99 cotton muslin for the interlining. I really couldn't see paying 4-7 dollars a yard for material that nobody (including myself) will ever see. I'm going to try doing the corded interlining that Jennifer Thompson demonstrates on her excellent website. Although she said there's no proof that they actually used this method it does create the proper silhouette and pretty much takes care of any buckling or creasing in the bodice. I also (praise God) found a McCall's pattern for $0.99 that will at least give me a basic bodice shape to work with. I really wasn't sure about creating my own pattern, but I didn't want to spend 10-20 dollars for one on top of what I'm already spending for the materials.

On a cheaper note: Michael's had the craziest yarn on sale for $1.00 a skein that's perfect for knitting fuzzy scarfs. Two dollars a piece plus time for Christmas presents is my kind of deal!

September 19, 2007

16th C Florentine Gown

This should actually be posted under uncommon tricks since I don't personally know many people trying to create a Florentine gown -especially not in ONE MONTH! I really think I'm a little bit crazy here, but a group of us have been planning for the past year on going to a feast sponsored by a local Ren fair. So why do I only have one month to put this thing together? Well, I thought I might need to plan for nursing access, and that would be mean waiting until I could create something that would actually fit. Now though it's anything goes. I've been madly scouring pictures and dress diaries to find something that I could create within the alloted time and that wouldn't tax my still developing sewing skills too badly. I finally found a picture that I think I could approximately recreate here. Depending on the fabric I find I might dress it up a little more to make it more lower-middle class, but I think I'm going to try for a pretty close approximation of that style. Tomorrow if I can I'll probably go out and try to at least get fabric for the camica since I can make that up without worrying too much about what my actual measurements will be by the time of the feast. And yes, I'm going to machine sew it and probably use horribly inaccurate fibers since I don't have either the time or the money to hunt down authentic silks, linens, and wools and then hand stitch them into a painstakingly researched and documented garment. However, I think I can still manage to avoid looking like a Disney princess. One real plus to recreating this dress though -mary janes! Look at the picture again. She's wearing brown mary janes. I've just been waiting for a chance to get some, and now I have an excuse!

September 18, 2007

(imagine me jumping up and down with excitement and talking too fast)

First of all, my husband is awesome, awesome, awesome. The kind of weather we've been having lately has made me want to go camping in the worst way possible. I just want to get out somewhere and soak up this glorious fall weather than has so abruptly swept over us. The only hitch? Nothing to camp with and very little experience between us. I only dimly remember my pop-up days, and it more recent years my family has done more traveling than camping. Besides, camping in an RV is really fake camping anyway. So where does the Allen is awesome part come in? He's said that we can take our first tent camping trip next month! So now I'm researching lists and supplies and camping recipes and tracking down prices. I think I've even picked out a tent. (It's one with a bunch of good reviews -you didn't think I was going to go on my own opinions here did you?) Guess what this also means? I get to plan our first Allen and Natalie road trip for next spring! We aren't actually going to do that much driving since this will be Allen's first real road trip, but it's a start. We're probably going to take that trip up the Georgia/Carolina coast that we've been talking about taking one day. I'm really, really excited about all of this. I haven't been on a camping trip of any variety since before I graduated in May '06. I can't believe how wonderful a husband I have sometimes.

On a more reflective note, this all sort of started today when I just kind of wondered to myself what I was supposed to do now that we aren't expecting, and the first thing that popped into my head was "buy a tent and go camping." That might sound odd at first glance, but I guess what that really means is that I should take advantage of the opportunity I have to learn knew skills and develop new interests now while things are a little less complicated. I admit that I think it sounds trite when other people say it, but I reckon I'm coming to see the wisdom in it.

By the way, if anyone has any camping tips I'm all ears.

Two things

First: Some of that weight I'd accumulated over the last 12mo is starting to fall off! Second: I bought a folding lawn chaise at Walmart yesterday. Today I'm blogging from my apartment's back patio. It's Fall in Alabama folks!

September 17, 2007

I did it!

Today I finished painting my bookcase, cleaned up the apartment for church group, went to the thrift store, and tried a new recipe (which didn't turn out exactly right, but it was good, so who cares.). On top of that I think I've finally started to lose some of my excess baggage that I picked up this past year. It's been a good day.

September 16, 2007

Christmas after fall

I saw someone posting on another forum about planning Christmas gifts which made me realize that I should probably start thinking about that as well pretty soon. I'm one of those people who shops for Christmas and birthdays all year long and just picks up things that I find on sale. It works really well for the most part, but it does mean that it's about time for me to start hunting down all those little Christmas gifts from wherever I stashed them and see just who gets what and who I need to be shopping for as I go about.

Right now though I've got the thrift store bug really bad. Maybe if I get things done around here I can go for a little while tomorrow....Pity all the thrift stores are about 20min away from me. (Yeah, I'm spoiled :)

September 15, 2007

Just a wee heart sore

I've been doing pretty good this past week, but there's just something about Trina's presentation of a fall day out with Jesse and family that really kind of tugs at me. Somehow she managed to put in it everything I want -a beautiful fall day whose sweet, tangy air caresses the low hills, music to which firs might gravely jig, family close and beloved, and a little mite of a fellow waving at the goats and grinning for all the world like some sort of small monarch out to approve the festivities. If there is such beauty without my small apartment and it's small surrounds I haven't the heart at present to find it. And there is no wee mite to make it all wonderful again for my eyes. There won't be for some time now. I don't begrudge her blessings in the slightest. I'm glad that I can look from afar and see her little picture of a family and the glory that is theirs. It's good that such wonders exist in this world and that people should enjoy them. Sometimes though I just get a bit wistful with heart yearning to experience some of these things myself. Oh, I've had my moments. But some moments...just don't get to be mine right now. It's ok. Someday. For now I'll try to be content with such as I have, but....(shrug). Someday.

September 14, 2007

Paint on my hands....

I just might get that bookcase done by Monday after all. Fortunately/unfortunately I won't have time to really dally with it tomorrow because tomorrow is the day of the annual family migration (so it's a 10min drive) to attend Nature's Sunshine Untold Truth seminar. The whole day is jut crammed with information about natural health. I really enjoy it.

Ick, those paint fumes are fierce. I wonder if a little lemon oil wouldn't help things out?

September 13, 2007

Done???

Well, I bought just about everything I wanted. I was amazed again at how much some things cost and what I have learned to consider a bargain. The little table I bought cost $50, but considering that I've seen plenty others similar to it going for over a hundred I called it something of a bargain and bought it gratefully. With time I probably could have found something for less, but sometimes I'm willing to potentially pay a little more for the privilege of having it now. It's not as though I exactly bought the first thing I saw either since I went into seven stores today and when into three of them twice. My deal of the day ended up being the lamp I bought at Lowe's. For some reason almost all their lamps were on sale, and I found a lovely buffet lamp that goes perfectly with that accent table for something like nine dollars. That bit's pretty much done. The bookcase is another story however. I bought putty, primer, and paint to see if I couldn't turn my slap together bookcase into something resembling real furniture. That's going to be a wee bit of a project. It's probably not going to get done before Monday when my MIL has her first small group session here. Oh, well. I guess they'll just get to see my work in progress.

My foryer

So, when the apartment complex converted the apartment we're in now from a one bedroom with den to a two bedroom they left this awkwardly wide and dark entry way. We scavenged a glass door for it, but we still need a frame and permission from the complex to install it. Right now I have a bookcase against one side of it (did I mention that storage is a big deal here?), and my MIL brought a lamp so the entryway wouldn't be so dark for church small group guests because one of the things that got left out in the redo is an overhead light for that area. Anyway, now I'm just bubbling over with ideas to make that tiny little area attractive and useful, and today I'm planning on going off to see if I can't make a decent effort to getting that area completed. I want a little buffet lamp on a little table by the bookcase with hopefully a little shelf for me to stow my purse and keys and such. Then on the otherside I plan to hand a little coat rack and shelf with a little shelf underneath it for shoes (which I kick off asap anyway). Sometime when I have time I want to putty and prime my fake wood bookcase into something passable as decent furniture. But we'll see. I want to say I'll get it all done this week, but I haven't even been able to get my bedroom in order this week! Anyway, it's good to have a project (other than my sewing projects that I haven't much felt like doing).

September 12, 2007

Christmas and Chinese food (this is great)

Allen showed me this,and I hope the folks at Biblical Horizons don't mind me posting this teaser just to get you interested. It's hilarious and potent all at once.

One of the unrecognized and most deadly evil of modern life’s facets is Chinese food. Most people are wholly unaware of the critical nature of the Chinese food question,and blithely continue to participate in this wicked and dangerous activity: eating Chinese food. Of course,to speak against such a hallowed institution as Chinese food is to be regarded as a fanatic,or even as sacrilegious,but we must be true to the faith!

A moment’s reflection by any serious and committed Christian will show transparently why Chinese food must be rejected. Chinese food is an expression of Eastern monism. Not only does it come from the East, the heart of the world’s most sophisticated paganism (which in itself is reason to reject it as dangerous); it also in its very nature and composition reflects the monistic philosophy of the East.

Christianity gives equal ultimacy to the one and the many. In the West, this has meant that on one’s plate there are several kinds and portions of food: salad, vegetables, meat, and dessert. These are not, however, all mixed up together in a monistic unity, but are left diverse. It is the harmony and combination of the various foods, eaten one bite at a time, which gives
expression to unity and diversity.

Chinese food, however, tries to break this down...continued

I thought we were supposed to be grownups!

So I log into this forum where I'd been doing some posting over the past year only to find grown up people carrying out a full blown argument on whether or not to celebrate Christmas! Jeesh you people can't you find something more important to do? Now I'll readily admit that my first inclination is to start right in there with my $1.50, and in the past I've done so plenty often. I'm preaching to myself as much as anyone here. But now.....I'll admit....it seems pretty petty. In the past I've actually been surprised and a little dismayed to find that my arch-enemy in one thread is actually my ally in another thread. I don't think this is such a good thing or very conducive to fellowship. Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way, but I sort of doubt it. In such situations the atmosphere can become one of restrained witch hunting with everyone trying to throw everyone else into the water to see if they float. As Christians I believe I can safely say that this should not be! Such places ostensibly exist for the edification and encouragement of others (which they can often be in a great measure), but all too often they become factionalized heresy hunts. We say with lofty condescension "Even though your understanding of Jot-tittle 19 is clearly inferior and possibly heretical I shall extend the right hand of fellowship so that I may instruct/be instructed on the better making of soup." Am I really the only one who thinks this is rather ridiculous? I sort of want to say "Look God is big enough for us all to share Him -stop hogging the divine inspiration!" However, the truth is that some people are right about somethings and some other people are wrong about those same things. I have my own opinions which I naturally prefer to some other opinions. That's the nature of opinions. So what do we do? I suppose in some ways we tone it down. Don't shout out a breastfeeding manifesto on the formula aisle of Walmart. Do (if you're an older,experienced woman) go up to an expectant mom, tell you've breastfed successfully for x years, are a big supporter of it, and would love help/encourage/explain/answer questions at any time. Then back off. Don't wed your encouragement to her enthusiasm for your particular method.* Unfortunately that's exactly what we don't want to do. Me included. Having a faint grasp of iridology there are times when I see an infants eyes and want to go shake the mother for not taking better care of her baby. Seriously. Then I remember that doing so is not likely to do any good and that instead waiting for an opportunity to speak "a word in due season" just might. Even then I have to remember that plenty of people with umm interesting features in their iris do live long happy lives. "Oh, but things could be so much better if only they would just listen to me and do things my way!" Maybe so, but you're not likely to convince them of it before they want to be convinced. Forcing the issue is only conducive to disharmony. I mean take natural health. My mother-in-law has said quite plainly that carbonated water (even in fizzy all natural, no sugar added juice drinks) is paralyzing to the digestive track and that since Allen and I both have challenges in that area we really don't need them. But guess what -every once in a while we drink one anyway. Is my mother in law in a position to be upset that we aren't doing things "right?" Darn right. Does she? Nope. She's wise, and she's not going to break fellowship (or play the martyred mother) because of it. She cares about us more than she cares about how well we follow her excellent advice. On that note let me just say that I wish more people (myself included) could be like here, and that'll put an end on my rambling post. Gosh it's good to write about something other than soup.

* please go read Nancy Wilson's superlative post on the same topic.

September 11, 2007

Resolution

This is the third time I've written this today in one form or another. I'm not pregnant. Or rather, I'm not pregnant anymore. We finally figured out that for the past year I've been having a series of miscarriages one after the other. Some of my pregnancies seemed to have lasted as long as 2-3 months before...well I'm getting tired of writing that word. I'm really mostly ok with everything, but I'm getting a little tired of talking/writing about it. We figured out this past month that I likely lost and conceived in January, but it's only been this week that we figured out to what extent this has really been happening. Needless to say things have been confusing. I'm still getting used to the fact that those funny feelings in my tummy really are just gas/muscle spasms/etc and have nothing to do with pregnancy. Because things have been insane all along I'm really not crushed or stunned by this resolution to things, but I am still in the process of wrapping my head around everything. I really appreciate everyone who has supported me through all this even when you thought I was absolutely wrong and possibly a little crazy. Right now I'm going to be working on getting my body back into shape and cleaning out whatever problem that was fouling up the works to begin with and really just getting my life back to normal. Thanks everyone for sticking in there with me.


P.S. A friend I've been chatting with mentioned that this post sounds kind of numb and wanted to know if I'm really ok. Really I've just had to repeat this a lot today, and it's tiring. I'm honestly doing ok. It's been a relief to have some answers sad though they are.

September 10, 2007

Pasta Soup

I really love making and eating soup -especially when I get to eat with a nice cheddar, mahon, or gouda. This soup goes well with grated mozzarella sprinkled on top.

Pasta Soup

Ingredients:

1-2lbs ground turkey (depending on how much meat you need/like)
2 med zucchini chopped
3c grated carrots (give or take)
2 med onions chopped
1/2lb chopped frozen spinach
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2c each chicken and veggie broth
heavy dash Braggs Amino Acids/soy sauce
3tbl basil pesto (this makes all the difference)
Pasta as desired*

Method:

Brown turkey with onion and season well with salt,pepper, and garlic (powder or minced). Put all the ingredients in the pot except for the pasta, top off with water, and let simmer for a couple hours. Add the pasta no more than an hour before serving.

Tonight I made this for my husband and brothers-in-law to have while I was out with their mom, and apparently they approved. There's also a decent amount of my apple bread gone, so I guess they didn't mind the texture too much :)





*I first made this soup with a package of tortellini, but since I've recently needed to cut down on my wheat consumption I replaced the tortellini with rice pasta and sprinkled grated mozzarella on top. I also added a couple dashes of tobasco sauce and a light sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Note on bread

There is such a thing as too much cinnamon, and an inserted knife can come out clean while the bread is still far too gooey and moist. Thus is the story of my apple cinnamon pecan bread.

putting things in order

My curtain/accent fabric finally came in! I'll have to post a picture of it sometime, but it's a lovely, rambling floral full of lovely red and green tones with delicate shadings of blue and gold all spread out over a creamy background. I love that the little butterflies scattered around give it a slightly whimsical feeling. I originally bought it to make pillows for the living room, but when I saw how well it went with the green polyester dupioni I bought to make bedroom drapes I knew I had to somehow incorporate the two. I must say that for the life of me I can't figure out how that's going to work although a few thoughts have started to bubble up. We'll just have to see where it goes. I've like to get some of this done this week since starting next week we're going to be hosting my mother-in-law's church small group on health. Over a dozen signed up today, so it looks like our little living room is going to be packed! Looking around there's seating for ten -eleven if you count the gliding ottoman- and we're likely going to want to plan for twenty (counting us and a few friends.) This is going to be interesting. I've never been hostess to such a group before. Thankfully all I really have to do is get the place clean and make sure we've eaten and gotten things set up before everyone arrives. There are a few things I need to get done and a few things I need to track down for things to be really in order, but so long as I remember to get off the computer and get down to business I should really be fine.

September 7, 2007

names

Laura over at Quietude recently posted a list of her favorite boy and girl names. Reading over her list I thought I most post a few names of my own. Some of these are completely random and will likely never be used, but they're all names I like for one reason or another.

Boys:

Peter
William
Ransom
Kari (pro Car+y) -a really neat character out of Njal's Saga
Gideon (one of my sisters has preemptively claimed this one)

Girls:

Astra
Debra
Amaris
Wealthow (queen in Beowulf)
Natalie (duh) :)
Dorcas
Lydia



Hmmmm, maybe we should plan on having more boys than girls ;)

September 6, 2007

All better now

I really think all I needed yesterday was a good belly laugh. Last night Allen spent, gosh, maybe three hours reading me a log some people had made of a succession game of Dwarf Fortress. I haven't laughed that hard or that long for a week. We were both of us howling to much at times that we could barely read. I'm a little tired, but that's a natural consequence of being up until 2am. All's good though. It's really the truth that "laughter doeth good like a medicine."

September 5, 2007

knit 1 purl 3 unravel 2 rows.....

At least that it how my knitting has gone these past few days. When I'm done I'll have knitted this blanket twice I think. Oooof, not a fun way to get projects done. At least it's a nice pattern...wish I didn't keep making these one stitch errors that require me to rip out a couple of rows to correct.

Inspiration sought here

My books are dull and my fabric stash unappealing. My knitting has become tedious, and I can't work up much enthusiasm for clearing anything off the bedroom floor. Supper plans aren't exactly pressing either. I just want a reason that will get me moving. I've been moving kind of slow these past few days, and I'm tired of it. What's more is that my brain is going slow too. I can't quite work up the gumption to read anything very involved nor write much of anything worth reading. Maybe I should just stick with my knitting after all :P Not sure if I need more protein or less grains or B vitamins or what. /me shakes head. I guess I just need to get moving whether I like it or not. Hopefully I'll get out of this funk and post something worth the seeing in a few days.