1 Week to Go

I am feeling well! I have finally been able to wear my maternity jeans for the final 3 weeks of pregnancy without them totally falling down. Though, the most expensive pair just wasn't going to work at all and went into a donation bag for Good Will complete with tags on still. I have to laugh when I pull on my so called "skinny jeans" that are actually funnel shaped to accommodate pregnancy. Non maternity tees are still working just fine.

I have still not packed my hospital bag! It will certainly be better if I do it rather than leaving it up to Jeff at the last minute--who knows what he would pack in there? I can picture it now, my bag would have the dog dishes and kibbles and the dog bag would contain my toiletries and clothes!!

I have been out shopping again. I love the little Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore rattles I found at Barnes and Noble. They have a fun sound and can hang on the car seat. And, I couldn't resist the plush Eeyore. He is looking up from the playard here.

The Chicco playard arrived and Jeff set it up in the living room and it looks like it will be really helpful and safe. It isn't at all quick to collapse and move, so we decided to get a little bassinet for next to our bed.

(bassinet photo from Babies-r-us)

When we were shopping for the bassinet, we finally got a glider and ottoman too. Everyone says we "must have one". I hope it will work out at least for Jeff. The one in the store seemed really comfortable, but what we now have set up at home seems too tall for me and the ottoman too low even though it is supposed to be exactly the same thing we tried out!

(glider/ottoman photo from Babies-r-us)

I think what I really need is a new armchair and ottoman for the living room. I like to slouch with my legs out straight. The vintage chair I've been using is getting too worn and I've already moved it's matching ottoman up to the nursery to use with the new chair in there. Ikea has an Ektorp set which would probably suit me, but we'll see about that in a couple of months or when we have some time/energy for getting that sort of thing.

Jeff's sister K sent an adorable selection of baby gear and a little board book. He's going to be one well dressed and entertained baby!

This past week, I was a bit disappointed to find out that I am not eligible to donate cord blood to the public bank because I spent more than 3 months in the UK back in 1992! I am really surprised that they would refuse a donation of otherwise eligible cord blood for such a low risk seeming reason--the possible exposure to mad cow disease. It could have been a match for someone or useful for research! Plus, I was on a student budget at the time and I hardly even ate any meat and can only specifically remember having beef one time (a gorgeous pub lunch on Ilkley Moor of beef stew in Yorkshire Pud)! For meals, I ate a lot of jacket potatoes with beans, cheese and Branston pickle sandwiches or cups of tomato soup. And, a shop directly on my way home from classes sold individual pieces of Baklava and Turkish Delights that would fortify me for my walk home in the cold and dark Scottish winter afternoons. I wish when I set up the appointment over the phone that they had asked me about my travels along with the eligibility questions they did think to ask as it would have saved me a drive. On the bright side, I can stop feeling guilty about not getting around to donating blood as they consider me ineligible for that too. I was turned down years and years ago, but really thought the restriction had been lifted since.

Fortunately, it was not a totally wasted trip as Jeff was with me and we went to Chipotle for an early dinner. I couldn't believe it when we got to the checkout and the crew of Chipotle workers told us they were "buying our dinner"! I've never had that happen before anywhere! Jeff was looking around for a hidden camera! They insisted and I can't find anything out about spontaneous free meals on the web, but they do draw business cards out of a pot for free lunches, so maybe it's just something they do sometimes? Anyway, that made us happy especially after the disappointment at the blood bank just moments before.

I am going to make an effort to rest and relax a bit more this week. One way I can do that is by knitting, of course! I am almost done knitting the 12 month sized Easy Baby Cardigan with just a couple of inches of sleeve remaining. (You can see the newborn sized one in my Christmas post.) I need to order some zippers online since I couldn't find the right type/size at JoAnn Fabric. I haven't tried machine sewing on knitting before, but I'm hoping it will be pretty easy to do. I'll try it out first on some swatches. I also have to think about what to cast on for next! If you have any good pattern recommendations for classic sorts of boy sweaters, do let me know! I'm often going to knit ahead by 1-2 years or so in the hopes that they will fit by the time I finish them.

I am also reading a Bill Bryson book called At Home: A Short History of Private Life. It's been on my list for awhile and I recently bought the paperback copy when I happened to see it at the bookstore. It's very entertaining so far.

Random Update

Perhaps it is the cooler weather (or just Silas being pushy) but both dogs have been on one bed a lot lately! I think it's funny how tightly Silas can curl up. Saffy looks like the big dog here! You can see how Silas likes to use his tail as a nose cozy.

I've been feeling a bit derailed since late September. I've had little time for working on my knitting projects lately, or rather, when I have the time I lack the mental focus for it :( But my lining material for March Hare arrived from Japan and is SO pretty. It is even nicer than I expected as there is a gold thread worked into the motifs that did not show up in the only image I'd seen of it online. That gold thread will make it go even better with the Sari ribbon yarn that also has gold worked into it.

Cooking happens whether things are busy or not as one does want to eat! It is nice to be creative with that even when I can't get to other kinds of hobbies.

The barley stew in the previous post was even better the second night. The flavors developed more and it was even more risotto-like! Likewise, the pumpkin cake got better and better as the spices seemed to meld together more.

I made the 3 Cheese Baked Macaroni from the October Everyday Food, but it was not as good as I'd hoped. I actually wasn't that into the bacon, the garlic overpowered (and I like garlic) and I wasn't excited about the Cayenne pepper...I prefer the Tabasco that I usually use.

It was edible, I just felt 'eh' about it.

This is the Shepherd's Pie I cooked up last night--it's really an ultimate comfort food. I made the potatoes on top look like ocean waves.

I used a packet (gasp!). I saw it in the British section of the grocery store and thought it would be fun and make things easier during a busy week. It was really good!

After we ate, Jeff had the great thought that some lingonberry jam would go perfectly with it. We'll try to remember it for the leftovers! I also completely forgot that I had some HP sauce to go with it. That's how my attention has been lately and why knitting is not really happening at the moment. Bad things can happen if I blank out in the middle of my current sorts of projects.

This week, I am marinating some beef top round for a few days to cook into Sauerbraten. I'll make sweet and sour purple cabbage and mashed potatoes to go with that and celebrate my German ancestry and Oktoberfest! After we have that (for a few days!) I plan to cook a white bean and sausage soup. You can tell I am wild about the fall cooking!!

A couple of my new cookbooks have arrived today. The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Cooking one and Nigella's Kitchen. I am so looking forward to reading through the recipes and then picking some to try and making some grocery lists.

I bought issue 36 of BBC Easy Cook, a magazine I'd never noticed before. I think I will try some of the meals presented in that.

In reading, I am currently racing through Even Money by Dick and Felix Francis. I am enjoying it very much though I am still not entirely understanding betting/what bookmaker's do despite the information included in the mystery! Still, it's interesting and I don't think I need to completely get that to enjoy the story. I also got a discount rack copy of Silks by the same authors, so that will likely be my next read. They are just the sort of books I need at the moment.

There is plenty of TV viewing lately with my favorite current show being Wallander. PBS has shown two and there is one more next Sunday! I wish there were more! For the network shows, I am enjoying Modern Family, Community, Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock this season. I mostly watch PBS and another recent show that I loved was Myths and Legends, with the same guide who lead us through the Story of India last season. After Wallander, we have a new Sherlock Holmes series I'm excited to see, I'm wondering if it is going to have a sort of Dr. Who feel to it?

Hopefully in another week or so I can get back to the knitting bags and have some nice knitting posts for you!

Fall Book Wish List

Today is a happy day! I have a copy of the brand new Inspector Banks book by Peter Robinson, a series I absolutely love.

It was a dim, rainy evening, perfect for bookstore browsing, so I ended up with several other things too. I look forward to the fall fashion issues like In Style and Style Watch. I got the Fall Vogue Knitting and Knitscene and got the summer Verena on a whim before the fall one replaces it. I was hoping to see a couple of bread books that have been recommended to me, but didn't find them...in the meantime, I'm going to read through the River Cottage Handbook. I've made bread since I was a kid, but am looking for some new ideas and lessons in the more European artisan type breads that are so popular and tasty.

Having a new Robinson book is helping me cope with the fact I've now read all of Gillian Bradshaw's historical fiction and historical fantasy books. Fortunately, she is working on more! Until then, I think I will start to look for copies of the sci-fi by Bradshaw that I haven't read yet. Those books are titled Bloodwood, The Somer's Treatment, Dangerous Notes and The Elixir of Youth. I also want to read Bill Bryson's upcoming.

When I pick up my needles more often as the weather cools, I am thinking I will treat myself to some of the new fall knitting books. Here are the ones I am thinking about:

Martin Storey's designs once again appeal to me in the Rowan book, Silk Twist Classics.

This knit fashion is interestingly inspired by each decade of the 20th century, Strikketoj by Helga Isager...I hope it's in English?!

There are a few books I've found on Amazon coming out this fall/early winter that interest me too and I want to see. Modern Top-Down Knitting: Sweaters, Dresses, Skirts & Accessories Inspired by the Techniques of Barbara G. Walker, Dolce Handknits: Simple, Sophisticated Designs, and Modern Knits, Vintage Style: Classic Designs from the Golden Age of Knitting.

This book makes me want to sew more: Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear! And this Sedaris book, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People might be funny.

I still want to order a copy of Misty by Kim Hargreaves from an earlier wish list. I am interested to see what her fall/winter styles will be! Does anyone know, are there any previews available yet?

Although I cook all year long anyway, I always feel a renewed excitement about it in the fall when it's nice and cozy to have something bubbling on the stove or in the oven.

I am quite likely to want the newest cookbooks by two of my favorite cooks. Nigella Lawson's book Kitchen is to be released here on October 12th. Ina Garten has a book coming out called How Easy Is That? on October 26th.

I am also looking at some newer books on preserving the garden's bounty, so I can add to my repertoire of canning and freezing recipes. I'd like some more salsa and hot sauce type recipes for using my peppers which grow so abundantly. I haven't quite decided which ones yet, so I'll post about those if I get them. Likewise, I'll keep you posted on the bread baking book purchases too.

I'd better make some space on the bookshelves!!

Summer Reading

Something about spending a lot of time out in the sun and gardening makes me so tired. When I finally sit down in the evenings in the comfort of the air conditioning and think I'll do a bit of reading, I find myself nodding off or feeling it's easier to catch up on some TV shows than hold up a book. (How lazy sounding is that!!!) However, I have recently read London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel and Alchemy of Fire and a young adult book called Beyond the North Wind, all by Gillian Bradshaw. Her books are always so good I can't put them down. Her characters seem so real I miss them when I finish the books and I have to remind myself they are fictional!

I have recently ordered some more historical fiction by Bradshaw, Dark North, The Sun's Bride, Imperial Purple and a couple more of her books for young people called The Dragon and the Thief and The Land of Gold. I have copies of and have read (sometimes more than once) most of her other books. Her science fiction is excellent as well. In that genre, I particularly liked The Wrong Reflection. I am going to try to track down the remaining sci-fi ones I haven't read yet.

Also in the reading queue, I have a copy of Faceless Killers: The First Kurt Wallander Mystery by Henning Mankell. I love the Wallander dvd so much, I now want to try the books!

I am greatly anticipating the next Inspector Banks Novel by Peter Robinson, Bad Boy, due to be released on August 24th. I plan to go to the bookstore for that one the day it comes out!

I have yet to do any reading outside, even on my chaise in the shade. It has just been SO hot for much of the summer that I have preferred to be in the cool air conditioning. It does seem a shame not to read out in the garden though!

This is a faintly surreal image of some blooms back in June. I did a little editing to saturate the colors a bit, but it was an evening shot, so the colors were already deep and intense seeming anyway.

Today's Reading and More Gardening

Today, I finally began my 'summer reading list' and have been voraciously reading London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel by Gillian Bradshaw about a feisty, 17th century girl who gets a job managing a secret, illegal printing press! I will be finished with it in less than 24 hours, which is what always happens when I get a really good book. I have no restraint; I must know what happens and then I have book withdrawal!

Although it was hard to put down the book at all, I did take some breaks to plant, weed and take pictures in the garden. I have to be a bit better about weeding now that we've had rain, but you'll see in the pictures that there are still plenty of weeds.

The zinnia patch really benefited from the rain cleaning their leaves and nourishing them.

Most are now at waist height or even a little higher.

The mixed planting of winter squash, gourds, pumpkins and sunflowers is one of my favorite bits of the garden. The sunflowers are now taller than me!

The vines are looking for space to grow and I will let them grow out over the lawn if they want to.

Here, you can see the butterfly garden to the left, with lavender colored wild bee balm and coneflowers and butterfly bushes and the sunflower/mixed patch to the right.

You can see the string bean rows are wider after the pounding rain, but they do look happy enough.

This picture is mainly to show you the tomatillos that are now as tall as the tomato cages supporting them. They responded to the rain more than anything else. They are in the background of this picture, looking like a hedge.

I am already anticipating eating the first eggplant.

This Australian Jarrahdale squash is growing well. I just love the shape and color of these, both the immature light green skin and the blue-gray skin and the orange interior of the ripe squash.

A growing Jack O'Lantern.

I couldn't resist posting another picture of the coneflowers as they are so pretty.

Here is a little double cosmos I tucked into the herb bed as I only had 2-3 seedlings of it.

And, these are the lovely brown-eyed susans. Just the first few...you can see there are a lot more buds to open!

Now, back to my book =)

Weather Set Back

We've had some rainy and/or cooler weather this week that's felt more like fall than spring. In fact, the weatherman specifically said it correlates to average temps for the first week of October. There was a frost warning for two nights and I actually brought 7 flats of tender seedlings like tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers (pictured below) and peppers into the kitchen to make sure I wouldn't lose them.

A lot of other plants I expected to be fine in the barn, cold frame or under the plastic flat covers like these yellow summer squash sprouts.

The only plants I couldn't do anything about were some zucchini and acorn squash already planted out. Although I have row cover fabric to protect from frost, I've never been able to use it because of the wind, so it sits in the barn! In the end, we didn't get frost, but I got more sleep being safe rather than sorry. All the gardening I've done lately is keeping plants safe. After the next rainstorm, I'll get back to work, including potting on more sprouts.

Just in time for the inside activities we bought the complete series of Life on Mars, the UK version. It was gripping and we had a few marathon viewings of it to see the entire thing. We saw the US version on TV last year and enjoyed it. Now we have it on dvd to watch again and compare to the UK version. So far, we think the original version is a bit better, though both are enjoyable. I am so anxious to see the UK spin off show, Ashes to Ashes, but have yet to find a release date for our region. I hope it's soon, they are already airing the third season in the UK!

When I haven't been immersed in Life on Mars, I've been reading a collection of short stories by Peter Robinson, called Not Safe After Dark. It's been out for years, but I got a used copy of it last week. I have a hard time setting it down, but am trying to stretch it out. His next book isn't out until August and I always have withdrawal when I finish his books!

There has been a little knitting on Ross, for Jeff. I am working on the sleeves. Sleeves do drag on, especially men's sleeves!

The front and back sections, shown folded above, have been done for ages! Jeff is excited about it, so that's motivation to keep working.

Of course, further motivation comes from wanting to try new projects! I got a copy of the Sublime book from my spring knitting pattern wish list, so I can start narrowing down my color choices for a pattern or two from that.

Here Be Dragons...

Well, actually only one dragon, but he's pretty fantastic. Look for him on the roof as you enter Mystic River Yarns!

Zoomed in with the new camera ;) I just took it on 'auto'...there's some option for shooting contrast I probably should try out soon, but even without it, there's a lot of detail.

Debby and I met up in Mystic last Friday for a day out lunching and shopping. I bought 2 skeins of Weaver's Wool Mountain Colors in Wild Iris and Sweet Lavender. I always end up buying that yarn at Mystic. It knits up into beautiful scarves when I want fast, easy knitting.


These flowers were at the shops at 'Mistick Village', where I had even more shopping luck! I've been on a bit of a shopping kick lately, but before this hadn't bought much in ages, so it all balances out, I think =)

At the Scandinavian shop I love (I actually have Swedish ancesters in my family tree), I got 3 little trays for my living room for drinks or snacks. The image on them is one by Carl Larsson, a favorite artist of mine. You can see some knitting depicted on the table in the foreground!

At the same shop, I got 2 necklaces!


Debby and I both reverted to being about 12 when we saw the paper fashion book on the left. I'd seen it on Amazon and secretly admired it. I couldn't resist it, nor could Debby, LOL! And, on Debby's recommendation, I'm trying a popular young adult author (good so far!). The book has a bike on the cover, I have to love that, right?!

I think summer is a fun time to revert to simple pleasures of childhood, so I'll indulge a bit.

FO, New Project, Much Anticipated Books

Anytime I finish a pair of anything I’m relieved! It’s so hard for me to get to a second sock, glove or sleeve. I've gotten so I'll usually knit them at the same time, but I made the wrist warmers one at a time and was worried about getting to the second one. At last, here is the mate for the formerly lonely left wrist warmer! These are warm and cozy and I’m planning to wear them a lot this fall!

I've also gotten to work on the shaped lace tee. This is the back in progress, about an inch and a half from where I'll start the decreases for the armhole shaping. The yarn is wonderful and the pattern has been easy to work from so far.

The vine lace pattern makes a pretty trim. Here's a detail pic.

I am looking forward to some new books coming out soon. Next week, I should be able to find the latest Peter Robinson book at stores! The Inspector Banks stories are my favorite mystery series. I will try as usual to make this book last several days, but I always end up reading them in just a day or two as they are too good to put down!

One of my favorite cookbook authors, Nigella Lawson, has a new book coming out at the beginning of November. I'm really looking forward to seeing the quick and easy recipes she has to offer.


Thanks so much for all the positive comments on my Krim Tomato top! Also for the well wishes. I still have the cold, but I guess the upside is that I've had some quiet time for knitting while trying to get better.