Finished Objects

I know, It's been a long time since I've posted some finished projects here. This won't be a long list, but it should be an interesting one.

First, I'll just go ahead and say that I've probably got more things on the needles than I need to. It's really kind of sad that, I'm almost two times more likely to start something new than I am to actually finish a project. If I just count the project bags in my direct vicinity (living room knitting chair), there are NINE UNFINISHED OBJECTS. That's not even digging into what's holed up in my studio, which is actually soon to be the nursery/studio, which I am actually not bitter at all about. No, not even a little.

So, you'll probably understand at least a little why I've only finished THREE THINGS since the last update.

The first is a wonderful lace slouch dubbed the Spring Beret (Rav link).



That's right, folks. This project was finished while the grass was still green.

The second, and I am calling these finished despite the fact that they still don't have ties and poms (ties and poms are not knitting, so there), are some tres cute baby booties. I started these pretty much just after New Years Day, and I'm not going to officially reveal these until we find out the sex of our little nugget, which will be on Feb. 25. Then I'll make gender-specific ties and poms and whatnot. And share them here, of course.

The third, which was just finished today, is Just Enough Ruffles by Laura Chau.



Don't you just love my model?



Me, too.

There should be more finished objects soon, considering that I'm on a wild finishing spree. I'm going to try to finish two things for every month this year. Considering that I'll be enormously preggers for more than half the year, and that sitting will become a sport to me, that doesn't seem like too much of a challenge.

Hope I can hold myself to it!

Homemade Doughnuts

Being pregnant is so weird. For instance, I dream about some of the craziest things. Last night I dreamt about doughnuts. Strange, right? Who dreams about doughnuts? Me, apparently.

So, I got up at about 8:45 this morning, ready to have doughnuts. Then I remembered reading a doughnut recipe somewhere, and the light clicked on: "I'll make my own damned doughnuts, thankyouverymuch!"

All of the recipes in my cookbook collection called for frying. I DESPISE FRYING. It makes the whole house reek. So, I went to the lovely interwebs and found the perfect solution. Using Heidi Swanson's Baked Doughnut recipe, I dove right in.



A few things to consider: These doughnuts take about 2 hours, so don't plan on having them for an early breakfast. I imagine they'd be great brunch food. Also, they're tremendously rich, just like their fried brethren.



Don't roll the dough out too thin, either. If you do, you'll end up with wimpy little doughnuts. I didn't cut the holes out for my doughnuts, and I ended up making 22 of the little suckers. If you make them, be prepared for the overabundance of doughnutty goodness.

My Favorite Models

Got My Hurr Did

My lovely sister Kara visited us (and our menagerie) last weekend. She was such a pleasure to hang out with. We went shopping at my new favorite store: IndieGenius.

Also, I got a much-needed hair cut.

Thoughts?

It's Contagious

There are a lot of things in my life that have been unexpected. While I call myself a planner, in action, it always tends to be a short-range concept. It's taken a while, but I've come to embrace the temporary, the transient, the unplanned.

I'm not actually sure when it happened, but "unexpected" has grown to have a rather equivocal connotation. "Unexpected" can often be construed as "unplanned," which, more often than not, is considered negative.

So, when we found out in November that I was pregnant, Dave and I realized that while, yes, it was unplanned, it was a halcyon-type moment in our lives. It was something utterly defining. It was auspicous. It was positive.

And it still is. Right now we're just at 11 weeks and baby England is growing just right and has a strong heartbeat. Everyone asks us if we're excited, and we can honestly say we're thrilled, stoked, and sometimes just amazed at how our lives are changing so quickly.

It seems, though, that everyone is pregnant these days. Just today, in fact, a family friend announced she was 12 weeks along via facebook. The Maiden Metallurgist is at 25 weeks today. About three other friends are at various stages of incubation, as if your proximity to pregnancy makes you more likely to "catch it."

Regardless, we're excited about all of the little unexpected things life is throwing our way these days.

I know it's been a while...

... but there are lots of things going on behind the scenes.

Work is keeping me incredibly busy, and our schizophrenic weather in Dallas has my head turning. It's ridiculous how one day you'll need an extra layer for warmth, while the next day might be tank top weather.

In any case, life is pretty good. I dyed yarn, finished a couple of things, and started several new projects.

Hopefully I'll have more to share soon!

Random Sunday

1. We woke up late (10 a.m.) and had to hustle like you wouldn't believe to Arlington, only to watch the Rangers lose (again) to the Tampa Bay (death) Rays. Also, I just don't understand how people can drink 5 or 6 beers when they're $6 a pop. Six bucks for Bud Light out of an aluminum bottle? No thanks.

2. After putting it off for forever, I finally counted all of the yoke stitches for my February Lady sweater. If you really want to know, I'm going to be doing some serious ripping. Ridiculous.

3. I'm this close to finishing one of my Nutkin socks that I started in May. FREAKING MAY.

4. I did finish an alpaca neckwarmer while we were in Colorado. Too bad it's still in the 80s here.

5. It's pretty much a given that I'll have to work from home at least for a couple of hours every weekend, but I need to figure out how to get out of the office earlier than 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, because, people, that's not fun.

6. Dave and I took the dogs to the playing fields at Hexter Elementary today to run around and act like goofballs. It makes me wish we had a huge backyard where they could run and play and just be puppies.

7. Jane is laying eggs again, so now we have egg cartons full of regular ol' brown eggs and these lovely greenish-blue ones. It almost kills me to actually crack and eat them, but I do it anyways because they're delicious.

Another Finished Object, And a Trip to Colorado

We've been back from Colorado for two painful weeks. They've been painful because, after visiting Denver, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Pikes Peak, Fort Collins, Boulder, Estes Park, and Aurora, we've seen what we've been missing by not living near the Rockies.

First, there are views like this:



This was taken from the Eastern edge of Aurora on our way back to our friends' house. We ended up taking several day trips because my dear childhood friend allowed us to use her car. She wasn't headed anywhere, considering that, just a day before we arrived, she gave birth to my sweet "nephew." Which is awesome, because that meant he could model the blanket I made for him!



It's from hand-dyed Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool (You're actually looking at the "wrong" side of the blanket, but what the heck). I used four different shades of Kool Aid to dye the yarn in a many tones of red. I love how it turned out, and hopefully it will get many years of use!



On our first day, we tried to take it easy to avoid altitude sickness, so we went to downtown Denver to visit a couple of book stores, a yarn shop, and a Mexican restaurant all recommended to us by the ever-lovely Colorado native, The Maiden Metallurgist.

First, though, I visited the state capitol building, which was pretty cool. I mean, it's no Texas State Capitol, but it did have some neat features, like the stained glass portraits:



The walls were suffocating witha beautifully veined stone, too:



And you could take a trip to the tip-top of the dome:



And soak up the vista:





Wow, right?

And then we went to La Cueva. Seriously. Do not pass "Go," do not collect $200 without La Cueva's chile rellenos. It's two Anaheim peppers stuffed with Jack cheese and fried to a pleasant texture. They're then smothered in your choice of red or green chile sauce, a la so many joints in New Mexico. If you're a wimp like me when it comes to spicy foods, the red chile sauce is a safe bet. The rellenos go perfectly with the fresh-made flour tortillas.

The folks at La Cueva were even kind enough to show us how they make their tortillas. Two women work the tortilla press until each bit of dough is thin, round, and uniform:



As they day goes by, a single cook mans the griddle, turning out tortillas by flipping them almost constantly until they're just a little bubbled and browned:



And folks, that was just the first day.

You can check out our travels though my flickr feed, which has some pretty crazy photos of rocks (never thought I'd say that).

Enjoy!

Win vs. Fail

I was in a wedding this past weekend. It was a really beautiful ceremony, with really beautiful people getting married...





Lovely friends...



And the food (cake) wasn't too bad, either.

Wrapping up the wedding weekend with probably the worst stomach bug I've ever had?

Fail.

Done

Finally, something that is finished. It's a Christmas gift for a family member, and she already knows she's getting it, so there's no risk of surprise or anything.



The shawl is Ishbel by Ysolda Teague in Ella Rae Lace Merino, here unblocked.

And here she is blocked:



The difference between unblocked and blocked lace always shocks the shit out of me in the very best way. It's like watching a baby chick hatch — kind of riveting and hopeful.





I have so many other projects that need finishing, so it's especially great to finally get done with one that has languished for a while.

Fall Fast Approaches

Well folks, we made it through another August in Texas.

I won't say we enjoyed the weeks of 100-plus-degree heat, and I'll admit that we cursed the great state a few times, often saying, "FUCK THIS! I AM MOVING AS SOON AS I CAN!"

But Mother Nature, in all of her charity, granted us a reprieve yesterday in the form of an epic rain shower that drenched us (edit: is STILL DRENCHING US) and brought temperatures down to 74 degrees.

Yes, people, it is 74 degrees and rainy. In Dallas.

The weather has got the idea of blessedly cooler temperatures stuck in my craw. Which also means I need to edit my knitting projects for fall accessorizing.

Things I will be knitting include:

A new slouchy hat (maybe lace)
A new pair of fingerless mitts
Legwarmers
A cowl

I really wanted a pair of legwarmers last year, but I got caught up in holiday knitting for others. This year, I will not be giving handknit gifts outside of ones I have already started. I find that there is such an investment on my part with these gifts, and that investment is rarely appreciated.

But fall, and boot weather can't come fast enough. (I have my eyes on these boots in brown, by the way)

What's on your brain as Fall approaches?

Too Much of a Good Thing

Cooking makes me feel normal. I love to make things, and cooking is often a solitary sport.

However, it is totally possible to go overboard.



18 Dark chocolate coconut cupcakes



16 Chocolate chip peanut butter cookies


Anyone need a snack?

The One-Eyed Man

I have been deaf in my right ear for more than a decade and I have never worn a hearing aid.

That is, until today.

Let me tell you something about hearing aids. They are not the same as hearing. Not at all.

But, I know I should at least try one. And I am. But the doctor said that the hearing aid would be good in situations with a lot of background noise, and playing music.

Yeah, not so much.

I guess it's all trial and error. Especially where, in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

An Epic Disappointment

I try to not let being deaf affect my daily life. The sun will come up and go down, the wind will move tree branches, and traffic will suck regardless, and I should keep moving on, too.

But, about eight months ago, something changed my attitude about being deaf. My ear doctor delivered me a new hope in cochlear implant surgery.

I've been exploring my options since then, and finally went ahead with a surgical consult yesterday. The office manager who scheduled the appointment told me they'd get a jumpstart on the insurance paperwork and it should be smooth sailing from there. I might even have a new ear by the end of 2010.

I doubt many people could understand how excited I was.

All of that changed yesterday, though, when the a different ear doctor than I usually see greeted me in the exam room, did some rudimentary tests, and then brought the other ear surgeon in.

Suddenly, the surgeon was backpedaling. He told me that I wasn't nearly as good a candidate for the surgery as he initially estimated, and that if I did elect to have the surgery, he wouldn't do it unless I couldn't hold him liable for the consequences if it wasn't successful.

They wanted me to try the Baha implant demo, which is less invasive than a cochlear implant. I just about burst into tears from stress and confusion. I thought to myself, "Why would you string me along, tell me that there's hope, and then take all that away?"

It's still hard for me to write about this. Just thinking about it has made tears well up and a caused a tightness in my throat. More than that, I'm ashamed of myself. I did exactly what I shouldn't -- I pinned all of my hopes to this procedure. And now that it hasn't worked out like I had hoped, I am terribly disappointed.

I cried and cried yesterday. I couldn't eat. I could sleep despite being exhausted. And now, I have to just move on.

I wonder if I still can.

Tomorrow's High: 90 F

Folks all over are posting about autumn's slow arrival. I read this tweet just a second ago by @thematesofstate:

thematesofstate

1. Weather on Trash Night: it's raining and about 67 degrees. Autumn makes her first showing of the year, and I welcome her per-ushhh.
   
   
   

Here, we're just happy to have days that don't hit triple digits. In fact, today it got ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 89F DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS.

Meaning: I had to take the dogs on a W-A-L-K, which is how we say "walk" in our house, lest we not get puppies over-excited.

On Saturday, though, we went to a wedding. It got up to 107F. Initially, the bride and groom planned to have the ceremony outside. In August. In Texas. With people wearing satin and tuxedos.

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

I love weddings, though. Put a check in a card and get dolled up, amiright? Only, there was no dancing or booze at this wedding. It was ceremony then thanksforthecheckpeace!



That's OK. I got dolled up anyway.



Then, we had some friends over. They were awesome. Well, they still are awesome.





Tomorrow, the high is 90F. Sounds like puppy-walking weather to me.

A Break in the Heat

After 18 straight days of 100-plus degree temperatures, we got a delightful, breezy reprieve. I think we didn't hit more than 95 degrees yesterday, and of course, we managed a very rewarding sunset after a hard Wednesday.

Taking Inventory

"Count your blessings," they say. And I do, often in fact.

I have a house. I have a nice car. I have a wonderful husband. I have sweet pets and dear chickens.



Fitzgerald says he is a blessing. (We agree!)




It's a blessing that Mr. Orange and Hornsby get along.


But sometimes, even the blessings can be a challenge. Like the house, for instance. We just had a significant amount of plumbing done, only to discover that we need more electrical done. It never ends.

But, I hope that even as things are challenging, we can still rely on our family and friends to lift us up when we need it.

(And puppies, too!)

The Change Game

Sometimes I think about how far I've come in the five years since I moved to Dallas, and nostalgia has crept up on me over the past few weeks.

I can't deny the fact that my life drastically changed when I moved here. It was a lot like having an original Nintendo, and hitting the reset button: It was like you never even played the last game.

I moved to Dallas from Madisonville, Texas. I didn't grow up there, but circumstances from a previous relationship forced me to move into the mouse-infested home of my mother's childhood in a small, lackluster town, a place whose claim to fame is being the mushroom capital of Texas.

It wasn't all bad. It taught me exactly where I didn't want to be, which was reinforced during the 45-minute commutes to College Station, where I still had an internship.

Just a little over a month after graduating from Texas A&M, I had a job at Texas' Leading Newspaper. My family helped me pack a U-HAUL once more, and off to Dallas I went.

If I'm honest with myself, I'd say that before I started looking for a place to live in this city, Dallas had been little more than large letters on a highway sign pointing north from Houston. Before I decided to move here, I had visited Dallas all of once, and I didn't stay long. In fact, it was for a metal concert in Deep Ellum that I didn't really want to go to in the first place.

The first month was trying. I was alone in a foreign land. I tried to learn the landscape on my own, but it was difficult.

I'd read newspapers, try to find something to do, but it was a lonesome existence. It was made worse by the fact that Dallas was in the middle of a tumultuous political upheaval, with Laura Miller in office and "Strong Mayor" on everyone else's minds.

It was July 29, a full-on month since I'd moved there, and I told myself that if I didn't get out there and do something now, then I was just wasting my time. I'd might as well live in Madisonville.

I decided to go to a bar called Muddy Waters off of Greenville Avenue. There was an ad in the Observer pushing the place as a live blues joint with cheap beer. Good enough for me.

So, I packed up my black leather handbag, threw on a resale-shop T-shirt, and headed down to the bar.

I still remember that night like it was yesterday. In fact, I told the entire story to a group of my drinking buddies last Friday. The details are still fresh. And they should be.

Today is, after all, the fifth anniversary of the night I met the man that would become my husband.

Muddy Waters has burned down. I'll be married to Dave for four years in September. I was laid off from The Dallas Morning News on April 9, 2009. I am a homeowner with two dogs, two cats, and five chickens.

And although I feel like I've changed so much since that night on July 29 in a seedy blues bar, I feel so much more like myself.

Sleep Deprived

I am not a morning person. At least, I'm not one right now.

In high school I would wake up at 5 a.m. every day to do my hair and makeup before class started at 7:15 a.m.

Now I am lucky if I wake up before 8 a.m.

Here I am, of course, posting at like 11:30 at night and after three glasses of wine. It's no wonder that I have a difficult time getting up.

But, before you accuse me of complaining of sleep deprivation, every time I think I'm tired I consider all of my friends that have kids and never sleep.

Suckers.

While I'm Still Up...

I've been doing work for work. It's late. I'm tired. Right now, the weirdest things are bugging me:

When you drink a lot of coffee, your urine smells like coffee. When you eat a lot of asparagus, your urine just smells weird. Why?

Why does peanut butter make just about anything taste better?

Why do muscle relaxers make you drowsy? Is there an awake muscle that gets really relaxed?

OK. That's enough brain purging. Good night.