Tales of a saved cabbage...

WHEW!

I have good news.

The radicchio, it has been saved from it's previously lamented soggy, fermented fate.

Yep, last night it was dinner. Lovingly sauteed with caramelized onions. (yes, try not to faint now, there was butter) Adorned with just a dash of salt. So fabulous even my husband scarfed it down. Not a shred left on his plate. Miracles do happen.

The leftovers and I have hot and not so heavy plans for lunch tomorrow involving some local apples.

Watch out, things are getting crazy now.

Save Us

Madly inspiring.

I heart Heather Ordover. She's my hero.

I could flibber flabber about with words, but seriously, she's the queen of sharp, whitty commentary.

So, just go read. Then blog.

I rock! I ROCK!!!!

WOW, do I need to get out more. Catching up on all things CrochetMe, and I find out I missed this. The ever fabulous Kim Werker tagged me and I just find out about it NOW! I'm so embarrassed!

If I had those blushing emoticon thingies, I would plaster them everywhere. I would mutate it into the godzilla of embarrassment emoties and make it flash neon all through the background.

(who am i kidding? you know very well that would make me break out in hives or something)

Seriously, my spidey sense should have been pinging extra-overtime, no?

Well it didn't, so I now have the task of tracking down those I don't think have yet been tagged, but since I'm as usual late to the party probably have been long ago and are now so over it. Oh well, at least they will know of my unrequited love, and you get some new blog fodder . Here goes:

So, tag, you're it...

Sarah of Not Scarlett, best first swap partner evah. i heart her.
Stasia of Yarn and a Barn, who is living my secret fantasy life.
Heather of Mama O Knits Too Much, the wicked smarts behind CraftLit
Faith at The Needle and the Damage Done, once upon a time the Knitting Cook of my dreams

Viva la Revolution!

OK, I have no idea whether that makes grammatical sense in any language, but you get the gist.

The huge-o-rama super secret I have been carrying all summer has cracked WIDE OPEN today. CrochetMe is back online with their new, super sexy format...in beta. I have been puttering around in the behind the scenes alpha mode for a goodly while now and...well...it's...this...this is going to be fun.

That is an understatement. Gross understatement of epic proportions.

Words kind of escape me.

There are people profiles and buddies. There are forums and messaging. There are patterns and tips and tricks. There are stories. It's no longer an "issue" format, but rather an open community for crocheters to share and learn and grow the greatness that is crochet in 2007.

Seriously, run now...and don't you go forgetting to give Kim's back a big ole pat.

Good intentions

I buy vegetables.

Really I do.

I even like vegetables, as do my children and husband. Veggies grace dinner every night.

But that's about where it ends.

Yep, I'm coming out of the vegetable closet. While I buy them and make plans with them, they languish in the crisper drawer...

I'm convinced that my weight wouldn't be my weight much longer if I could only just consume more vegetables.

Take this week for instance. Grand plans were laid for caramelized radiccio (just how do you spell that?) and onions. Over polenta. For lunches. Sounds yummo huh?

How about roast cauliflower and sweet potatoes? Mmmmmmm. The leftovers make dreamy soup.

But have I done anything with them?

No.

Why oh why am I eating peanut butter and jelly when such culinary delights await me?

I'm blaming said "weight". It's self-perpetuating, right?

But seriously, I need to eat more vegetables.

Halloween Sock Kit Swap

Okie dokie...spoilee of mine...when you find me you shall know by the look of yer goodies. Shipped out of Minnesota today, disguised in a Dansko shoe box....now if that isn't nasty, don't know what is. Hmmm, interesting question...what would you like to find lurking in your mailbox more...unexpected Danskos or sock yarn bearing ghouls? Tough call.


Let's see, what do we have?

• assorted ghoulish treats
• your very own gargoyle to keep the knitting demons at bay
• which apparently isn't very effective since one stowed along for the ride, cackling all the way
• Jack Sparrow's Favorite Sock pattern
  
• ...with the needed sock yarn: Araucania's Ranco sock yarn in spooktacular autumnal hues, Louet Gems in Black and White for yo ho ho and a bottle of fun....enough black for stripes should she choose. (google the pattern, there are some great modifications out there.)
• flaming skull tats (cause who doesn't need those???)
• fake fangs (ditto)
• all nestled in a creepy spider-bigger-than-your-head project bag
• oh yeah, and the stitch markers I almost forgot to plop in...hmmm, wonder why? (fiendishly made o' jingle bats and skulls by yours ghouly):
  

Anyway, it's off...now let's see how long it takes her to find me!

How does it all get done?

A friend posted last week about a few days' stint spent babysitting...her post (and wish for superpowers) totally hit home as it reiterates what rolls through my head almost minute to minute. But it made me think too. Here's what I came up with in response:

Oh sweetie, if only. You find out about the superpowers, ya better share.

So, you ask, how does it all get done?

It doesn't. There are just things you have to let go if you want to stay sane. Yes, there is bone tired all the time. Yes, there is mind-spinning schedule keeping and detail remembering. Yes, we are overrun with dust bunnies and creeping charlie. Yes, there is a lot of coffee.

There are many "why did we do this" days...but there are days like I had last weekend when I was down and out in migraine land when #1 and 2 crept upstairs and gave me the pictures they drew for me and left soft kisses on my cheeks.

There is #3's amazing face-exploding smile when he sees me...or the dog...or his toes...or an ant.

There are monkey hugs and reminders each and every day to not take yourself too seriously and just flat out take time out to have fun and be goofy and explore and feel wonder.

There are Christmas mornings and faces full of birthday cake.

...and you get used to it...OK, maybe not so much. But you do gain appreciation for the fact that there are downs and ups and over-theres and upsidedowns and insideouts...and none of them are forever. I can't say the pros outweigh the cons all the time, or even most of the time, but it all does make life more interesting.

At least that's what I tell myself.

And if any of you know where the superpowers are to be found...fess up now ya hear? I have hooks and pointy sticks and I know how to use them.

Hats for Alex

Have you heard about this project? I found it while following a link to a promising sock pattern for the Halloween Sock Swap. Anyway, led me a chase from Scout's Swag to Katydid Knits where I clicked on the button with the bright smiley baby face...

...and now OMG am totally crying my eyes out while showering my little guy with hugs and kisses after reading the story behind her cause here:

http://hatsforalex.blogspot.com/

OMG.

Long to short her best friend lost her 6 month old to child abuse at the hands of his day care provider December 8, 2005. To thank the hospital staff that lovingly cared for them all as he was fighting for his little life, they are knitting/crocheting hats. Last year Trillian collected 184 to donate in his sweet memory. This year she has targeted 250, but is less than half way there with only 2 months left to go.

Pull out the leftover yarn people. Baby hats are quick to work up.

They need to be machine washable and can be a range of sizes. Hats are donated to the Children's Hospital of Omaha. Deadline is October 31. Details are on the blog.

SOCK WARS!

The stress, it really must be addling my brain.


Did I mention I might be burning out on socks after limping through SOS, which isn't even done yet? Sincerely hope that's not the case, cause guess what I signed up for now?

Yup, Sock Wars II...I may need an intervention.