Knitting, Exercising, Audio Books

 

Lots of growth on the blue corner to corner blanket.  In the last picture I had just barely started the decrease and the 3rd blue section.  Since then that blue section has been completed and another white section and now I'm back to another blue section, the 4th.  May Gift Link Up

I believe I decided this will make a better baby blanket then my previous corner to corner with so many colors.

From time to time I've shared some of my fun cocktail napkins.  I'm always on the search for some I've not had before.  My favorite in this group of 4 is the lower left, "A day without wine is like...just kidding I have no idea..

We tend to eat lighter in warmer months.  Less meat and potatoes and more veggies!  These veggies were yummy and surely healthy.  Mushrooms, onions, lots of different colored peppers salt, pepper, olive oil, and garlic.  The left side of the cookie sheet is cut up butternut squash, salt, pepper, olive oil and cinnamon.   I don't remember whether we had pork tenderloin or chicken with this the night I took the picture.  Bake on 400 for about 20 minutes stir and another 5 or 10 based on how soft the squash is and how caramelized you like your veggies.  Enjoy!

Pulitzer winning book, "All The Light We Cannot See", by Anothony Doerr.  I understand there are plans for this to be a mini series on Netflix; but I don't know when that's suppose to happen...or if it already has.  The book is another WWII book.  Initially in Paris you're introduced to Marie-Laure a fascinating blind girl who lives with her father.  He does a wonderful job helping her see.  They escape to the walled citadel, Saint-Malo in a tall house by the sea.  I don't want to give more away, please add this to your book list and see how a blind girl meets up with a Nazi Boy.

Am continuing with walking, yoga and planks, though in the last handful of days have opted for mowing and lots of yard work over planks.  So, we'll see how the month shapes out.  We're about half way through.  Thought you might get a kick out of the meme.

Knitting and Walking and Cooking during Covid

FINALLY!  I got my jeweled tones asymmetrical scarf finished.  This seemed to take forever.  Typically I knit at night while watching tv, but with this being sock yarn and dark in color I didn't/couldn't do that. So, only working on  it during the day stretched out the time it took to complete.  I would work on it while zooming with our daughter, or facetiming with girl friends sometimes.  Took the picture before I cast off, which took quite awhile with something close to 300 stitches on the needles.  But, it is now finished and waiting to be worn.  With the way the weather has gotten quite a bit cooler very quickly (well ahead of schedule), that could be soon.

This is a closer look so you can see the colors better.  I tend to wear lots of black and gray in the winter, so believe this will jazz things up a bit.

Am very sad about the passing of this truly great lady.  It's because of her the women can have their own charge card, buy property in their name among other things.  I'm deeply trouble to loose her voice and experience on the bench and don't believe the current administration should replace her.  That's something the incoming President should do.  The hypocrisy of The Republican party knows no bounds.  President Obama had 237 days before an election.  We're 40 ish days away current from an election...AND 20 states have already started voting.  This really should not be permitted, but they plan to ram it through.  Despite many video's of all those pushing currently being the loudest voices against an election year Supreme Court Placement back in 2016.

We've all been doing more cooking during the Virus, and not going out to eat.  So, it's nice to have some simple meals.  Pork Tenderloin, Carrots, and Asparagus.  All cooked on one cookie sheet (with foil, and even easier clean up).  

I walk daily, generally about 6-7 miles a day.  I find it helps clears the mind with all the crazy going on right now.  The other thing I find you discover things when you walk that you don't see when you drive the car.  This is just a few blocks from me on a corner lot.  I just happened to look down at the right time.  Been by it, multiple times no doubt...given where it is.  I wondered who he was.  Goodle Dean Dugger and found he was born Sept 18th, 1933 and died March 5th, 2000.  He was born in PA, went to high school in West Virginia, and played college football for Ohio State University.  He was an all American.  I don't know if the memorial tree was purchased through the University or not, but found it interesting to learn about him.

I wonder if the people who's yard the memorial is in are relatives, or just avid OSU fans?  Perhaps, if someone is in the yard on one of my walks, I'll be able to find out.  I could even put a note in the door?

 

Cooking, Masking, Martini's and Race During These Covid Time

Enchiladas!  I make both chicken and pork.  Many people have talked and posted about how much baking they've been doing during these Covid times, not me.  #1 I don't need or want the calories, and #2 I don't like to bake, never have.  But, I have been cooking more.  Two fold, we've not gone anywhere since very early March, about 4 months due to the Virus.  So, you must cook more to compensate for not going out.  I also have more time it seems because hubby has been working from home, and I therefore don't have to limit what I cook to something that can be quick whenever he gets's home from the office.  I typically never even started cooking until he got home because he worked so many hours, one never quite knew what time it was going to be.  Now, he's right here working so that gives me more flexibility.  We have therefore, been eating a bit differently with more variety.

I recently order a toaster oven.  Haven't had one in years.  I generally don't like to store things on my counter tops, but thought a toaster oven would be helpful to not use the oven to heat up the kitchen as much.......since I'm cooking more.  I can't say it replaces the oven though, as a casserole dish like the one above simply doesn't fit in the toaster oven; but it has been helpful in cutting down how often I use the oven, and it does indeed heat the kitchen up less.  It also has an air fryer component.  I don't tend to fry anything, but I know many friends talk about how much they use and like their air fryers, so thought I'd give it a go.  So far, I've only used it twice with battered shrimp.  We both enjoyed that with a big salad.  A quick and fairly light meal.

To celebrate our 48th Wedding Anniversary, I broke out the special Martini glasses.  They're quite pretty, and large.  I don't use them on a regular basis, keep them in the china cabinet.  I had a lightly dirty Martini (Vodka), hubby has a Dry Gin Martini with a lemon twist.  We had cocktails on the deck, while the filet's were on the barby.

Remember, I said I like fun cocktail napkins.  This one makes me think of political and racial posts I've seen on line.....we've all been there I know, the yelling in my mind......sometimes actually outloud, as if the computer screen can hear us.

With the many protests around the country, and the world after the police murdered George Floyd, it seems racial problems might finally really be discussed.  It's always troubled me when friends/ or line acquaintances would say, I'm not racist...I don't see color.  Aren't we all just Americans instead of Black or White Americans.  I think perhaps people who say that, aren't being honest with themselves.....why, because of course we see color.  We see the color of someone's hair, the car they drive, the dress, suit etc they've chosen to wear.  To say we don't see color seems dis-honest.  I never could quit put into words why I thought that.  Then I spotted this, as part of on line forum to discuss racism and how we all have biases........even if we don't recognize them.  I thought this was worth a share.

Sorry if the wording is offensive to you, but I thought this meme was a perfect example of why, we aren't winning against this virus.  Here's a women with a mask and shield trying to be responsible and do her social distances, then you have the jerk........the non science believer leaning in, not wearing a mask and well...........being invasive in her protective space.........which is also meant to protect him.  I'm sick of seeing and hearing people who still believe this isn't real, or if they believe it feel it's against their personal liberties.  Wear your mask, stay away from parties, wash your hands, don't go to packed events, social distance.  All those pretending things are normal are making matters worse and causing the numbers of cases to climb, the death rate climb, and the virus to stick around longer.  Be a responsible person and wear your mask!

Camping, Creativty, and Courage

Mom and Dad, the day after the wedding of my youngest nephew, summer before last. This photo taken in my older brothers and SIL's back yard where we all just chilled after the wedding, the rehearsal dinner. We were celebrating hubby and my Anniversary (35), younger brother's Mike and his wife Dee's Anniversary and both of their birthdays, AND the end of chemo for young Janet...many of you will remember my niece Janet and her battle with bone cancer.

Remember the good times, which aside from my nature; Mom said in some of her last moments.

Camping:
Mike, Mom and Dad and I were camping locally on an Island that we got to from our small fishing boat. Took several trips to get the 4 of us, and our camping equipment there. The Island was soft and sandy and we were the ONLY people on it. Soooooooo cool. (older brother Chuck was working and couldn't go). Mike and Dad fished and Mom and I set up camp, made dinner and did our thing. Sleeping on the soft sand in our tent was comfy.....

Mom and Dad were up having their morning coffee at the picnic table, Mike and I racked out. Next up me. Sorta. As I started out of the tent (no doubt to make my way to the woods to go potty), bees surrounded me. Quickly I zipped the tent shut and yelled at Mike to wake up. Mom and I decided, with Mikes help the bees were waking up. The bees that lived in the sand, that were asleep when we pitched our tent. So, I jumped back in the tent to help Mike hit the floor of the tent to stun or better yet kill those bees. Mom and Dad were at the ready to drop the tent poles the minute we escape. Naturally, we're all moving fast; and laughing.

Whew, made it. Bees stunned, escape made, tent downed super fast and moved quickly off the nests.

Some how, we all managed not to get stung.

Creativity:
I know anyone who knows me is immediately thinking, knitting and crocheting. Sure, Mom taught me to knit when I was very young and that will always be with me. She didn't teach me to crochet; but......being creative is more than that. Being creative with how you cook, how you stretch the family budget to get the most for the dollar. You know, look in the fridge...not much there. Take a look in the cupboards...even less and still make a meal so the family you love will have something to eat. And really not just something; but a balanced meal. Being creative means taking clothing and furniture and making something worthwhile from it.

The dining room table still in use at Mom and Dad's house is a table Mom rescued from the curbside when we were young. We lived in half a duplex, a rented duplex. The older woman next door had died and her place was being emptied. She was the owner. A table carried from her basement in parts (legs and top separate, with burn holes we were told had been used by the guys to play poker) held possibilities for my Mother. She got help to carry the table to our basement. She spent months working on it. Cleaning it, sanding it, filling the holes with wood putty, staining it, and using a nail made what looked like a knot hole in a couple of larger holes. She and Dad put the table together. It's Oak, it's beautiful. The family ate more meals there then I can count. I don't remember how many leaves there are; but a huge number. As the family grew with us kids getting married; we could still all sit around this table at Thanksgiving.
Fine china, linen table cloth and the family around that table is a memory I will never forget.

Courage:
The courage Mom showed at the hospital is something to marvel at. She never cried, not when they put in 3 different chest tubes, not when she wasn't able to speak due to a respirator being inserted a 2nd time, not when she watched them hang the 16th unit of blood, or when they had to get ultrasound to help place her 4th arterial line because her veins were so bad. In her long 7 week hospital stay, she never ate a meal. She had a feeding tube and went weeks without water except for a swab in her mouth, or an occasional pop cycle. When she had so much fluid in her system that it oozed out her pores she showed courage. When she had the opposite problem and had so many tubes/hole that she drank a swallow of juice and it came out her side, she showed courage. When she made the decision that it was time to stop all the medical intervention; she showed courage. Not a tear did she shed.

Just some of the things I will always remember that start with the letter C.

Love you Mom