Knitterykate 2

I don't cheat. At least I try not to. But when it comes to cooking, I cheat. I am so lazy. I use to make my own bread. I even ground the wheat! For breakfast Bruce just wanted toast and juice. So I gave him fresh homemade whole wheat bread and fresh squeezed orange juice. Then I had kids. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Yes, that fast. Four kids in less than four years. It was all I could do to keep treading water. Last week was Heidi's birthday. and we had planned on going out to dinner. (I had asked her what she wanted - to eat out or have a homemade Greek dinner. She said, "whatever is easiest". Ha Ha Ha Ha! Choke and splutter.) Well, we went to an Indian restaurant that Bruce and I had been eyeing since last summer. It was well worth the wait. Delish! There was even leftovers for the next day. Then, for Heidi's cake Bruce wanted to stop at Save-on on the way home and get the family favorite. (Sort of a last birthday gift) The cake we wanted was $21! Shock. So, nee...

I have never used a cleaner that I like as much as this one. JoAnne told me about it a couple of months ago and I have used it ever since.  In fact, I can't wait til my other cleaners run out because - yes, it is that good. I wish I had pictures of "before" and "after" but you can go on-line and see lots of them. I cleaned my sinks, tubs, toilets, showers and counters. A week later I came back to clean my sink and it looked like it had just been cleaned! The formula:  1 Cup white vinegar 1 Cup blue Dawn dish soap In a spray bottle heat the vinegar for about 40 seconds in the microwave. (This helps the dish soap to dissolve, I think) Add the dish soap Spray on dirty surfaces and leave for 5-10 minutes.  Wipe clean. I usually rinse as well. Try it. You will never go back.

I'm on a diet. Again. Here's my dinner. Tilapia and asparagus It was really, really goood!

Because we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in November (when it's suppose to be celebrated!) and because you all live so far away (Union City was far enough to go for the week-end) we often go to Tacoma to "celebrate" (read: eat ourselves silly). This year was no different with no less food and all delicious! Noah and Heidi Hannah I brought my own stash for the trip down: These are new in Canada. At least I've not seen them before. They are chocolate coated mint kisses. I thought they would be mint flavored chocolate. And with a mocha I was set. To knit, of course. Here's what I finished on the trip. Don't be fooled. With a mocha to power you and lots of down time you can get some serious knitting in. Heidi liked them so well she wanted a pair for her birthday. Which happens to be tomorrow!!! Today was going to be my day off to stay home and knit but some problems with our US bank account warranted me c...

Still no new computer. And this laptop is getting slower and slower. I can type almost a whole sentence before it shows up on the screen...sometimes. Remember this?  http://katrinka-knits.blogspot.ca/2012/01/amazing.html  Well, I made it into a shawl. It just about zipped off the needles because it was so "luscious" to work with. Update: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/knitterykate/boneyard-shawl-2 https://www.ravelry.com/projects/knitterykate/boneyard-shawl-2

All the Wallabies for the Cs. so far...

I made this hat. I really like the pattern. I still do. But the hat is too big! I'm thinking of putting some elastic in the bottom - maybe a strand or two...or three. Something should be done because I really, really like it and want to wear it but it falls over my ears when I put it on. I actually started the above hat as a blanket - the hemlock ring blanket. Wouldn't you know that as I got to the end of the skein I realized I only had one skein! This was not the yarn I had planned on using. The yarn I planned on using came from Beach Basket Gift and Yarns. I bought a few balls and kept going back for more because I loved the color so much. Felix helping out a bit as I "swift" my yarn into a ball. The finished ball. Amazingly enough, the yarn matches the quilt Janet made me.  Stack and Wack by Janet Now to find a bedroom to redecorate!

Sitting here waiting for B to finish up what he has to finish up before we can leave. Yes, we are off again. This time to see LeAnne in  Regina . We thought we would make the drive one more time this year before the snows fall and make the roads impassable. We could fly, I suppose. But there are some in this family that do not like to fly. And it's not me. We bought Nate and LeAnne a milkshake machine! After hemming and hawing on my part Bruce finally bit the bullet and bought them the machine. I was thinking of maybe a pair of socks for her birthday. Hmm. Which would you rather have? I guess it depends on whether you're not on a diet or whether you're cold. Could you have both? Well. B found out I was all ready to go and found some things to keep me busy until he's ready!

What do you do when your computer crashes? I guess, if you have unlimited funds, you go out and buy a new one. We don't have unlimited funds. We took our computer to London Drugs last week and had them check it out to determine whether it was worth fixing. We were told that it could be adjusted a little and maybe last a month or six months. At first, we didn't want to hassle with a computer that might or might not work in six months. This was important because this is not a fun computer even though we did "fun" stuff on it. This was a "Work" computer and had lots of important files (like pictures) on it. But in the end we bought a new laptop. After getting it home and messing around with it for a while we took it back because we really didn't want to spend the money at this point in our lives. (If it were up to me, I would get rid of computers and go back to the Stone Age - with my Kitchen Aide - but that's another story.) So, back to the original ...

I was having lots of fun making these little hexagons. At first I couldn't get the concept as to how they fit together so I tossed logic out the window and just did what the pattern told me to do. I thought I was knitting upside down and backwards but no, it all worked out. When I finally got four together I tried it on my foot. Oops! It was way too big! I asked H to try it on her foot. Hmm. still too big. Then I did what i should have done in the first place. Measure. Sure enough; each hex diameter was too large by 1/4".  What to do with a lei of four hexagons?  I don't know, but I hope I won't need the yarn to finish the socks I'm going to restart. Just in case I do need it though, I'll leave the four hexes together for the time being. I looked out the back window in time to see our yard full of robins! I wonder if they got mixed up because we had not had a cold spell yet here in the lower mainland until this week. Maybe they thought it was spring be...

The girls thought it would be fun to see whether Felix would be afraid of tin foil. Not only was he not afraid he thought it would be good place to sit awhile and take a bath. I'm guessing they thought he would dance or something.