100 Things about myself

I was on the Unknowable Shrone's site and filling out an application and one of the questions was something like "Has the candidate ever filled out the 100 things about themselves, if so, link to it".

I was fascinated by that idea, and went off looking for others who had done the 100 things and found them fascinating. Soooooo, I thought I'd do one too.

So.. prepare to be either fascinated or bored out of your mind (or to be convinced I belong in the Looney Bin).. cuz here's my 100 things.


1) I am one of 4 girls in a family
2) I used to think of our family being like the family in "Little Women".
3) I was Beth, and supposed to die young.
4) Instead, my father died.
5) In February of 2007, I will be the same age as my father when he died.
6) I love my husband enormously.
7) The beach is my favorite place.
7a) The redneck riviera is my favorite beach.
8) I could eat seafood every day and not get tired of it.
9) I am homesick for Florida and have been for 25 years.
10) My husband and I have been together for 25 years.
11) I used to collect Beanie Babies.
12) Now I collect yarn.
13) And patterns.
14) I made up the title for this blog out of my own head.
15) I love working with computers.
16) I can fix alot of what is wrong with most computers.
17) I want to build a computer from scratch.
18) I have added harddrives, ram, and various "cards" to my own computers.
19) I used to be a LVN.
20) I once grew my hair down to my waist.
21) I'm growing my hair out again.
22) I learned to knit before I learned to crochet.
23) I've forgotten how to knit.
24) I love to crochet.
25) I own (?) 1 cat and 3 dogs.
26) I have one child far away in college
27) I have another child still at home.
28) Once I own something, it is extremely hard for me to let it go.
29) My best friend has bipolar disorder.
30) I once dated a man with schizophrenia.
31) I used to drive a Green Volvo.
32) I hate football on TV (live is different).
33) My job is wonderful and I like the people I work with very much.
34) I have promised myself that I will move back to Florida someday.
35) One of my hobbies is Genealogy.
36) I have (among others) French and Austrian (not Australian) ancestry.
37) I am considering obtaining a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science.
38) I have two Associate Degrees.
39) Southern born and bred, I'd never live anywhere else, except for love.
40) I have dark brown hair, but now it's red.
41) My eyes are hazel (green & Brown).
42) I can listen to a song I like adinfinitum.
43) I love to read.
44) I abhor spelling mistakes.
45) I try very hard not to correct others spelling mistakes, unless they ask or I'm teaching something.
46) I am very much a night owl and always have been.
47) I have been treated for Chronic Low Level Depression.
48) I grew up with a Mother who had SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
49) I want to own the house I grew up in.
50) I enjoy learning now that I have to pay for my own college.
51) I have lived in, avisited or driven through the following states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California.
52) I lived in the District of Columbia for 6 weeks.
53) I like the Applachian Mountains.
54) I'm not so impressed with the Rocky Mountains.
55) I think Michelangelo was a wonderful artist.
56) I want to go to Ireland some day.
57) I like Alt. Country music.
58) I never thought I'd like Country music.
59) Sometimes I stay inside the house for days and days.
60) Sometimes I am painfully shy, other times I can be very outgoing. There's no rhyme or reason to the difference in moods.
61) I have learned to take long car trips by myself.
62) I taught myself to play the guitar.
63) I didn't keep up with playing the guitar.
64) I learned to play the clarinet in 5th grade.
65) I didn't keep up with playing the clarinet because I was sent to a private school with no music program.
66) My parents sent me to the private school because they were afraid of the neighborhood where I was supposed to go to middle school.
67) I absolutely hated the private school.
68) Because of that private school experience, I have major difficulties with organized religion.
69) I am a Christian, but don't beat people over the head with a bible.
70) I try to live my life as being a good example of Christianity.
71) Sometimes I fail at being a good example, majorly.
72) I used to have recurring nightmares about driving over a log bridge with my grandmother.
73) I love staying up late and sleeping during the day.
74) I love working the night shift.
75) I miss my family.
76) I dealt with missing my family by pretending we were pioneers.
77) During that pioneer phase, I canned lots of tomatoes and made lots of jelly.
78) I really did not like my mother in law.
79) I did respect my mother in law. She did a good job in raising her son.
80) I don't think my mother in law ever really liked me.
81) I grew up on a farm with goats and horses and chickens.
82) One of my jobs used to be to gather eggs.
83) I can clearly remember helping my Daddy plant tomatos.
84) I can also remember playing in the barrels of chicken feed.
85) I can remember watching the chickens "dance" after Daddy cut off their heads.
86) I can also remember watching my Daddy skin and gut squirrels he had shot.
87)I think fried squirrel, smothered in gravy, is delicious.
88) I love to go fishing.
89) I also enjoy crabbing.
90) I haven't been fishing or crabbing in years.
91) I hate housework.
92) I want to hire a maid.
93) My husband fired my last maid and I haven't gotten over it.
94) I have so many crochet projects in progress I don't want to count them.
95) I keep thinking of new projects and don't know when I'll have the time to do them.
96) I have learned not to order grits north of south carolina.
97) I like all kinds of logic problems/puzzles.
98) I have an addictive personality.
99) Pre-Katrina, I used to want to live upstairs in New Orleans when I was a "little old lady".
100) Now that Katrina and reality (old bones and stairs don't go well together) have both struck, I'm not sure where I want to live when I'm old.

Compulsive Hoarder too?

well, I think I may have discovered I am a compulsive hoarder, as well as a compulsive hooker. The two probably feed off each other.

Check out this list:

SIGNS OF A COMPULSIVE HOARDER
•An excessive amount of clutter (yarn/thread/patterns/stash) that limits living space
•Difficulty categorizing & organizing items (patterns/hooks/stash)
•Holding onto possessions that seem of little or no value (remnants/small pieces of yarn/thread)
•Severe anxiety when trying to throw out an object (WIPs/UFOs)
•Trouble making decisions about possessions (GOTTA HAVE, GOTTA HAVE)
•Feeling anxious, embarrassed or depressed because of clutter (OH MAN!)
•Fears about needing items that could be thrown away (you just might NEED it one day for something!)

The original list was run in a Parade magazine sometime in the Fall of 2005. The stuff in the parenthesis was added by one of the c'ville members, but I think they're so good I'm including them too.

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13227&highlight=hoarder

I'd Walk a Mile for a .......

Guess that shows how old I am, I can remember old cigarette slogans.

I "know" someone, or I should say know OF someone, who is going to walk many a mile.. 60 of them as a matter of fact.. for the Breast Cancer Cure.

She talks a little about it on her blog.

And later I'll put this button on my sidebar, but for now it goes here.







I go to the dentist at 2pm tomorrow to start the process of fixing my broke tooth. I've changed two appointments so far, I'm so afraid of going. This one I have to make. I may not be blogging for a few days.. the pain may keep me in bed.

Nothing much new in the crochet world. Other than I finally bought the (fake) mohair tonight to make my Turban for the hat-a-long that Lady Linoleum is sponsoring. I think I joined this CAL back in January.. sheesh I'm bad.

Oh, and I've been trying my darndest to figure out a pattern written in German. I know what the German words/abbreviations mean (LM = chain, FM = sc, for example), but the syntax doesn't quite make sense. One of the rounds says to chain 2 into the 4 mesh, 3 dc, repeat. huh? How do I chain 2 into the 4? Fortunately there is a picture.. so I might be able to approximate the final result.

That's about it for now.

Things that made me smile today: Seeing a guy in one of those cars made to look like a car from the 50's, wearing a cowboy hat. Usually you see CBHats in Pickup trucks. It just amused me. I'm easily entertained.

Good night for now.

Hearts & Diamonds found

I found a place online that has my favorite quick (about 50 hours worth of work) afghan/throw.

here tis: http://www.purplekittyyarns.com/free-patterns/afghan-patterns.html and click on the Hearts & Diamonds pattern.

I wish it wasn't in PDF form.. but I can live with that.

I think I have pictures of the afghan I made from this pattern near the beginning of this blog. I went and found them and reposted. They should be clickable, ie: you can click them to see a larger picture on another page. Close the page that opens to return here.

Rose & Cream                          Red & White

          

I've made one for each of my sisters and my sister in law. Also for my two bosses and a friend. The love just grows and grows.

My thanks to Julie and Evelyn from Crochetville for leading me to the Purple Kitty site.

C_C_C_Changes

Still can't find the camera. Have instructed son when/if it turns up to PUT IT BACK IN THE CAMERA BAG. I KNOW he was the last to use it, but of course, being only 17, he can't admit to any failings.

Since I can't make pictures (and darn it, I had finally decided to post some yarn on ebay to sell), I've tweaked the blog a little bit. I added a feature called "Change Detection". Sign up with them and they'll email you whenever the blog changes.

I feel very comfortable with this service, because I've used them to notify me when a certain web security site is updated (http://www.grc.com/SecurityNow.htm for those who are also computer nuts). I've never gotten spam from this group and they are very reliable. I hope this will work for my blog.

And thanks to Dee of CrochetingWithDee.com, I've become aware of a crochet oriented Podcast. It's at www.crochetcast.com Very nice, but I do have one disagreement with the site. I understand her premise that it's hard to crochet and read at the same time, therefore the podcast, BUT.. for those of us who are still on dialup, the podcast is frustrating.

I hope Crochetcast.com will make alternate communications available, like GRC does. GRC has many methods of acquiring their information, which would probably be overkill for crochetcast, but a simple text file of the cast would be great.

Today has been frustrating in one other way. I ran out of yarn on this afghan I'm making.. 42 sc's from the edge. Argggghhh. Walmart here I come. (after I look for the camera once more).

Frustration

Ok.. I finally have a day off from work and time to post pictures and the Digital Camera is not in it's home.

GRRRRRRRRRR

Guess that means I'm not supposed to do pics today.

Sweepstakes and other good things

http://www.joann.com/sweepstakes/sweeps_craftmonth06.jhtml

Win 10,000.00 from Joanns to create your perfect craft room. ummmmmmm yarnnnnnnn

Crochetville (www.crochetville.org) is gearing up to have a silent auction April 2 to the 8th.

Read this post to see how it works.

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showpost.php?p=318519 />
And a GREAT new extension for Firefox called Stumble. Get it and get readdicted to the web.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/

I've completed one of Terry Kimbrough's baby afghans.. just because I wanted to.

Also finished a Scripture Afghan. I hope to get pics up this weekend. I'm at least 3 weeks behind on my hat a week crochetalong. And I did NOT finish the Baby's Circle Afghan that I was trying to make for the Crochet Olympics. I don't think I like this afghan made all the way out. I think it's better uncompleted. Pictures will tell the story, if and when I get them made.

I'm posting this with another new firefox extension called "Perfomancing". We'll see how well it works.

Mystery Afghan

I was browsing pictures of dorm rooms (my son is a junior in HS.. so we're starting to look at colleges now) and I saw this one with this gorgeous afghan.

I wonder if anyone knows where to find this pattern, or one similar.

Lace School In Ireland needs Help

I got the below email in my crochetpartners mail list... I think this is a worthy cause and hope anyone reading my blog will take the time to send an email in support of the project.

I wrote and said that I was from the US and one of my longtime dreams was to visit Ireland and If I ever get to make that dream come true, I'd love to be able to visit a Lace museum.

LACE SCHOOL IN IRELAND HELP NEEDED

A very dedicated group of people in Co. Mayo are trying to turn the
building that housed the Muings Lace School into a museum. It is
envisaged that the museum will exhibit Irish crochet lace and hand
knitting with other traditional crafts. There will also be lectures,
courses, workshops in traditional crafts, including crochet lace,
local history, research etc, for adults and children.

This part of Ireland has been left behind by the Celtic Tiger Economy
and could do with the extra jobs generated by increased visitor numbers.

Fibre crafts in general need all the help they can get in Ireland at
the moment. Wool shops are closing. Tivoli Mills are discontinuing
most of their wool yarns and importing only novelty yarns. I had a
long search to just find 100% wool I could felt recently.

You can read about the project here:

http://www.laceschool.com/

You can help by sending emails of support to laceschool@hotmail.com .
If you would be likely to visit such a place it would be useful to
mention this. I have sent off an email myself but funding boards
would be much more impressed by letters from overseas. They will be making their presentation to the funding body on Wednesday 15 February so need these messages of support as soon as possible.

I am not personally involved in this project and have no affiliation
with it.

Thanks

Lynda
Co. Cork, Ireland

Pre-Olympic Jitters

Just a quick post to show off the button for my Crochet Olympic Team. It's hyperlinked back to the webpage for the Crochet Olympics. I need to get my yarn out and start swatching. So glad I have Fridays OFF!! And my dentist appt is Tomorrow, so I should be over any pain by Friday (Still working on getting that broken tooth capped.. eek).

It's almost 11pm and I need to be up by 5am. I've been awake since 3am. I'm gonna be WORN OUT tomorrow.

Crochet Olympics

I hate sports. I really do. I REALLY hate watching them on TV. I think this stems from my childhood and having only one TV in the house and the men being allowed to bully the females about what was watched on the Television. Probably the main reason I despise football.

I've never gotten over the idea that a guest in my home was allowed to dictate to me what I could watch on the television. Rudeness and discrimination.

So I never got over it. I got better, I got revenge. I still hate sports on TV.. but now I crochet through it if I can't avoid it.

I'm going to have my own version of the Olympics.. Crochet style. The wonderful folks over at crochetville are starting a Crochet Olympics CrochetALong.

Rules are:

The rules are:
1 - The project must be a challenge for you to complete in the specified time frame.
2 - You can NOT start until opening ceremonies (Feb 10, 2pm Eastern Time)
3 - You MUST finish by closing ceremonies (16 days later, Feb 26th)
4 - You can do prep work before (guage swatches, winding, etc), but no working on the actual project.
5 - Pick something that is doable, but challenging. Do not set yourself up for failure.

For those of you who knit.. Yarn Harlot is having a Knit Olympics. Some brave souls are doing both!! yikes!!

I hope to go buy my yarn tomorrow. I might take son and hubby to go see "The End of the Spear" and shop while they're occupied. hehehee

Several people have asked me what the purpose of having a Crochet Olympics was. My first thought was "does everything have to have a purpose?" But not wanting to sound snippy (and while the response does sound sarcastic and snippy.. it's not, it's a real question), I have replied with these are the reasons/purposes to have a Crochet Olympics:

1) Fun
2) A self challenge
3) something to do while watching the Olympics
4) an excuse for another project
5) all or none of the above.

Off to work on my hat-a-week project. I would be half finished by now, but the pattern writer put two patterns in one long post and didn't put a note to refer to the stitch instructions at the beginning for those making the second item. grrrrr. I had to sign back on the computer and find the post all over again to print the missing instructions. I would've winged it, but I had NO IDEA what a ALTSP was. LOL. ( it means Alternating Stitch Pattern, I'll probably never forget that now).

Red Scarves for Valentines project

A scarf for the "Red Scarf for Valentine's Project". BlueHaze is the color (lotta pink in that there yarn to be named blue haze.. but that's what the label reads). It's Bernat Berella 4. soooooo soft & cuddly. And it's even acrylic!! yeah for non allergy provoking fibers!!!

BernatSofteeChunky that I bought earlier this month. Not my usual color choice, but at 1.00/skein, I thought why not. No pattern, just noodling around.

Bernat Softee again, but in two colors and a sttich from the Harmony Guide. I think it's called CrossHatch. I like the effect.

My very favorite, it will be hard hard hard to let this one go. Simply Soft in Autumn Red and the pattern is adapted from one once posted on the now defunct LiveJournal Crochet Community. I did the edging different, but the flowers are the same as the LJ pattern. I may have to make another before I can stand to give this one away.

I made many more, but don't want to overwhelm folks with the pictures. These are the ones I like the best. There's more on the 25 Things for Charity Blog. And you can see other people's gorgeous creations there too.

Hat Attack

UBW hat for Crochetville Hat-a-week CAL. I did a FPDC, BPDC around on the last round to make a stretchy band and added a floppy pompom.

Homespun Hat, my design. Pattern coming soon.


Another Homespun Hat.

and again

one more

Hats & Scarves.. version 1 These scarves are made from the Christensen pattern found at Lionbrand.com

version 2

and Version 3

Garnet and Gold Scarf for the Red Scarf Project. Pattern is CrabbyCabbies Unnamed Scarf found at Crochetville.

Scarves made from Moonlight Mohair. My pattern, stitched on the diagnal. It will be written up soon.

Cathedral Window (in progress) There's a crochet a long for this at Crochetville.

My son being eaten by the Cathedral Afghan *grin* My son is approximately 5'8" and he's having to hold the thing over his head. We roughly measure it at nearly 5 ft across.. it's probably bigger. And there's still lots more to go.

Up close and personal.

Pictures du Jour

Baby blanket I made several years ago. I think it's just plain ole RedHeart.. because I know I made it before I knew about "other" yarns. *grin* I had intended to donate this to ProjectLinus, but hubby has claimed it. LOL.. no, he's not going into his second childhood. One of the technologists that work for him is having a baby and the department is having a shower for her this Friday. He wanted one of my blankets to give. I showed him the ones I currently have made up and he picked this one. I'm very honored, cause he's very picky about certain things.

Homespun Montana Sky and Little Victory pattern from Lionbrand. Made for ProjectLinus.

Circular Baby Blanket also intended for ProjectLinus. This is made in Caron 3/4 pound. Color name is BabyRainbow Ombre. Dyelot # 45532. I ran out when finishing the edging.. If ANYONE has some, please email me at Lisatm at gmail dot com. I'd like to work out a trade or I'll even buy it from you (if the price is reasonable). I can't find Caron 3/4 pound listed on Caron's website. I've written them to inquire if Caron 1 pound is the same yarn as 3/4 pound, but have had no response.

Close up of where it ended. :(

Same Circular BabyBlanket, only using Caron Natura and this time I didn't run out!!

Extreme Closeup of the Completed Edging.

Caron TriColour Cluster Hat

My own pattern.. designed for Homespun, but this time made up in plain ole Red Heart.. to test the pattern for other yarns. The hats are for the Hat-A-Week CrochetALong at Crochetville.




















Scarf made for the Red Scarf Project. *I know it's not Red*.. they said they'll take other colors.
Scarf pattern is Unamed Scarf at Crochetville.
Well, I need to get off of here and do laundry and make more pictures. Things have to go in the mail soon.

The Lord Provides

I took my daughter to the airport yesterday to send her back to FSU. Cried while watching her go through the checkpoint. I was ok until then. The screener felt sorry for me and offered me tissues. I kept on crying as I walked back to the car.. everyone in the airport looking at me. I didn't care. That's my baby.. the one I waited 15 years to find the right father for. I had wanted to have a baby since I was 15, but waited until I had the right situation. (Now everyone can closely guess how old I am >grin<)

I was messing around on Crochetville this morning, trying to keep myself occupied and keep my mind off my daughter being gone, and I found this wonderful charity project. The Orphan Foundation of America has a Red Scarf project going on. They want to have 2500 scarves to hand out to their college age kids (OFA advocates for older foster youth who were never adopted and provides a comprehensive scholarship program).

Now I know why I was led to make all those scarves last month. God works in mysterious ways. I even have a 6ft long red scarf that I made for my daughter that she decided she didn't want. Well.. off it goes to the Orphan Foundation.

This means I have to get busy this weekend and make lots of pictures. UGH. The foundation needs to have the scarfs by January 20th. Nothing like a deadline to motivate me!!! And to help me keep my mind off missing my baby.

Broke & Toothless in 2006

I broke a tooth last night while eating (of all things) salad!! I didn't find the broken piece.. I must've swallowed it. Ick.

I dont have dental insurance. I can't get into the dentist's office today (they are getting me in tomorrow) and I can't find my Darvocet.

I think I'll go back to bed.

Happy New Year!!!

Scarfocopia

I've been on a scarf making kick lately. Here's a picture of a few of the ones I've made from the Christensen pattern at lion brand. I've changed the pattern just a little, mainly making it a little longer, but it's basically the same. These are all at least 6 ft long.


from left to right: (click on the picture to see a larger image)

1.Gray homespun (it might be the Metropolis color, not sure) Ebony Suede & FancyFur Stained Glass.
2. Homespun Windsor, Ebony Suede, Gray Homespun(?), and a Blue Boa (by Bernat).
3. Homespun Windsor, Ebony Suede, Homespun Montana Sky and Peacock Green FunFur (I think this one is my favorite.. wild colors)
4. Homespun Barley, Spice Suede, Homespun Sierra, and Bernat Disco Mr. Brown.
5. Homespun Sierra, Scarlet Suede, Gray Homespun(?) and Paton's Divine Black.

And finally:
6. Homespun Sierra, Spice Suede, Homespun Barley and some strange funfurish type yarn I got at BigLots.

I didn't consider this when making the photo, but the last one on the list is the first one I made. :)
Now I'm working on hats, by my own pattern, to coordinate with the scarves. I'm not doing the funfur stuff on the hats, just the homespun and possibly the suede. I'll get pics of the hats up as soon as I can.

Other news.. the Disco Throw has morphed into an afghan and is complete. And my daughter doesn't like it. Too many bright colors. Oh well.. such is life. I can remember not liking some of the things my mom came up with too. I will find a good home for it.

Other things have been completed.. but not yet photographed. Will post about them when photos are available.

Friendship bread?

****Warning**** NON CROCHET POST*****Warning******

Found this while cleaning off the bathroom counter (what was a recipe doing in the bathroom? who knows..I remember making this stuff years ago when kids were young. I must've been busy, set it down and forgot about it. I'm not the world's most organized person!!! )

Please be sure to read this ALL THE WAY through.. there's information at the end that will be very helpful.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

RULES:

1) Do NOT use metal bowls or utensils

2) Do not refrigerate starters, leave out on the counter.

3) Use PLAIN flour (not self-rising).

4) Let air out of bag periodically; it is NORMAL for the batter to ferment & thicken.


STARTER:

1(.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F / 45 degrees C)
3 cups all purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk

(the instructions aren't clear, but I think you put the yeast, water and 1 cup of each flour, sugar & milk in a large (gallon size) ziploc bag. With all the fermenting and squeezing going on, I think I'd use the name brand bags too.)


Instructions (10 days)

Day 1: do nothing

Day 2: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 3: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 4: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 5: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 6: add 1 Cup Sugar, 1 Cup Flour, 1 Cup Milk, squeeze into mix until combined.

Day 7: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 8: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 9: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 10: In large bowl, combine batter with remaining Sugar, Milk, Flour (1 cup of each). Mix with woooden spoon (remember, no metal).

Place 1/2 cup of mix in each of 4 gallon ziplock bags and label each as day 1 of starter. Give 3 bags away (with a copy of the instructions) and keep one for yourself.

To what is left in the bowl add:

1 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Milk
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 C Flour
1 C Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1&1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix well with wooden spoon and pour into 3 well greased loaf pans (about 2/3 full). In a seperate bowl, mix tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbsp sugar. Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake at 325 for approx 1 hour or until done. Slice and serve. Enjoy.

~~

since it had been so long since I had made this, I went digging through google to see what I could find to verify my memory. I found these instructions at http://bread.allrecipes.com/az/AmishFriendshipBrdStrtr.asp

seems I remember almost correctly. And very nice to know that the starter can be frozen.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 cups white sugar, divided
• 3 cups milk

---

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
2. On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 thru 9; stir only.
3. Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).

Editor's Note:

Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.


Also take a look at this: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/388/Friendship_Fruit_Starter14094.shtml

Gmail troubles

Gmail has been wonderful.. until some id-i-ot has figured out how to use gmail for file sharing. Ever since that became common knowledge (Nov. 28th) Gmail has SUXXXXXDDDDDD. I can log in, but mail doesn't arrive. Mail was down yesterday, I complained and it came back. Now it's down again. Here goes another complaint email.

And NO, I won't tell anyone how to set up their gmail account for file sharing.. my mail is slow enough as it is. The info is out there if you know how to look.

Here's to hoping that the powers that be at gmail shut down this service so our email can continue. If not, I'll be moving my accounts back to yahoo mail.

I'm a strong supporter of Electronic Freedom, but as the saying goes, your freedom ends when it starts impinging on mine!!!

Listening to: Robert Earl Keen "Merry Christmas from the Family" Love this song. :)

Two Baby Blankets

A blanket I made specifically to donate to the Linus Project. No pattern, I just grabbed a hook and some RedHeart Baby clouds that I had in various colors and started. I intended for it to be a square, but it wanted to be a pentagon. ~~shrug~~ why fight what it wants to be.

colors used were Pale Yellow, Lavendar, Pale Blue, Cotton Candy and one of the Pink shades of Baby Clouds (don't remember the name and too lazy to go find the wrapper).

I took it to one of the drop off places today and the lady taking it thought it was very pretty. I may try to make some more like this.. I kinda like how it turned out. This one is about 35 or 36 inches across. Hope that's a good size for a baby blanket.

Here's another baby blanket made for some online friends of mine who had a baby this past weekend after many attempts and disappointments. This is Red Heart Baby Clouds in Pale Yellow and the pattern is from Lionbrand. It's their Little Victory baby blanket. I usually do this one in white and then border it in the appropriate color, but decided to go monochrome this time, just to be different. Mailed it today. Hope they like it.

I finally heard today from my friends from Chalmette, LA. THANK YOU GOD, they are safe and with family in Florida. Their house is likely gone, but thankfully they have another house on the north side of the lake (where they rode out the storm), so at least they have some options.

I just haven't been able to post about the storm, I've been so worried. We're still trying to contact the ASPCA folks to see about fostering or adopting a pet from the storm. Can't get through to anyone yet.

I'm being urged to finish the honeycomb shawl instructions. The more people ask, the more I don't want to work on it. I understand the urge to make something and am flattered by the admiration of my work, but with the stress from the storm, work, my husband doing the work of two (a colleage has taken ill with metastatic cancer, so my husband is trying to work his job, then drive 30 miles and do another job), a son that I have to sit on to get him to do his homework, and dealing with all the repercussions of lightening striking the house last week.. I'm just not in the mood to write a pattern. SORRY FOLKS!!!

Now that I've had my little rant.... I need to get offline so my son can do homework.