F' the French

Okay so those of you who strangely love me and follow my life (gah why?) know that I hate the french for so many reasons but mostly because they cook better than anyone and don't give a fuck what we think. HUH? I am "merican" you better care - well - no not really. So now after a long and sadly one sided affair with Anthony Bourdain I am left with this need to cook - um French things. AND another book to add insult to injury - Bob Spitz - the Saucier's Apprentice. I've been undone. I need to learn to cook French - speak French and most importantly - I want to go to Brittany. NOT France they can still kiss my ass. And it's really tight now - email me and I'll give you my exercise routine - it well, kicks ass. ANYWAY, God Damn them (not that they care) I need some of this and I don't know who or what do do about it. I am this close to the Rosetta Stone - French as I have ever been - someone talk me down - or maybe I'll just take up smoking and wearing berets. Though strangely something tells me this just won't cut it. My daughter Trinity turns 10 (I am actually having a hard time with this one) and we are having a juice and cheese tasting party. I want to introduce caviar as well. Why? Dunno, just need to make this a big deal. My mom was great, but I want to be the "get it" mom - though I am the biggest hard nose bitch you will ever see. I love my kids but never expect to be their friend until they are at least 25 and/or married or something. I don't need my kids to be my friend unlike my husband. I really don't need these folks to like me - in fact that makes me suspect. BUT why do I need to do this lavish affair. Um midlife crisis. Perhaps. I feel something big coming and am trying to ignore it. Dunno - wait for the next installment. It's coming. Soon.

Shamrock socks

Good gravy batman it's freaking pouring here in Wisconsin! But honestly I'll take 40 degree weather in January anyday! Finished my crazy easy afterthought heel socks with KnitPicks Shamrock yarn in the now defunked color Kelley. They turned out cute and very simple but that was exactly what I wanted - cute and simple.

Super easy peasy lemon squeezy socks!

2 skeins Shamrock
a yard of waste yarn
tapestry needle
4 double points sz 8
For me it was cast on 36 stitches on 3 join in the round and being careful not to twist!

k2p2 around for 22 rows.
st st for 6 rounds

join waste yarn and knit 18 st onto one needle
go back and reknit the 18 with the shamrock
so now you have 18 stitches on needle one and then 9 st each of the other two.
knit around for 6.5 inches
begin toe decrease
needle one ssk knit to last two stitches k2 tog
needle two ssk knit to end
needle three knit to the last two stitches k2 tog

knit one round even
repeat decrease round

repeat these two until 20 st. remain

divide onto two needles and close with kitchener stitch.

Afterthought heel
remove the waste yarn put it each side on three needles same as the toe. Decrease rounds just the same as the toe.

when 22 stitches remain close with kitchener stitch

weave in ends and wear with pride!

It's raining it

Nesting?

Okay so had to hit the bricks with the dogs today for a showing and with limited funds shopping has never really appealed to me besides Goodwill and since it wasn't half off day (Gosh am I cheap or what?) I hightailed it to Joe Caputo and Son's here in Palatine. Hands down the best produce/world market grocery store EVaaaaa! Spent like 20 bucks and got Marrow bones for roasting - jalapenos and avocados, onions, cilantro, fortune cookies (had to have them!) baby romas, and poblanos, blood oranges, limes, lemons and oranges. Came home and made a mean salsa fresca, guacamole and will be making a sangria tomorrow night. I am seriously in nesting mode and no one to nest with! Oh well! That depressing fact has never stopped me before and I am done not enjoying when the enjoying is to be had! Next stop Cherry Amaretto Cheesecake TOMORROW as I conveniently drive RIGHT NEXT TO IT!!!! I love serendipity! Yummmm!

Showings

I am actually quite encouraged that in the last 3 days we've had 2 unplanned showings on our townhouse and 3 came to the open house. Really trying to not get my hopes up - but frankly - they are. Hope is really all I am sailing on right now so well, hope it is. If we can actually sell it on our own - it's kind of like Mac and cheese for the next year or mac and cheese for the next year but maybe a vacation sometime in the next 5 years! Famine - or famine but a light in the distance. Need a new project. Oh wait - I just picked up 20 new cushions to redo! Yeah! Money! But ugh - boring. I am more and more toying with how to make my store a reality. Picture this - "Earthly Delights" = coffee, books, yarn, music, chocolate and bath yummies. Just gotta figure out how! And where - sometimes the where is more important than the how.

Illinois - WTF

Okay seriously? I need to rant a bit on this damn state! Taxes here are mental - I don't mean ugh we have to PAY taxes - I mean 10.2 freakin percent!!!!!!!! Enough that when you buy something you're like "did I get over charged - oh wait it's the TAX!"

That being said - I decided to walk to the library yesterday - since I'm kind of a mental - over the top exerciser I like to walk instead of drive whenever I can. So I walk the mile to the library only to find in this state of mental things NO ONE SHOVELS THEIR SIDEWALKS! Seriously? Seriously. Excuse me? In WI within 48 hours of a major storm we had better have it all gone or the snow police are knocking! Not here - businesses homes whatever don't care! I just don't get this place! Whew! Feel better now! Now it's on to Virginia - Let's hope they shovel! k

Rosewater Lemonade

Okay so for the record let me state that if I were ever to be likened to a beverage as much as I love wine for it's subtility, flavor and well yes buzz it's alcohol and you can get that from a jagerbomb frankly. It's rosewater lemonade I would chose if I were to be an intangible object that is drinkable. It is the most amazing thing and if you have not ever experienced it - please run (don't walk) to Abu's Jerusalem of the Gold if you are near Milwaukee, WI if not find an Israeli restaurant and get some. It begins as rather unremarkable lemonade but the first breath out you breathe smells what roses are at their very essence. I don't mean that to sound corny though frankly yup it is but soooooooo so very cool. I want to be that. I don't need to knock you out at first blush - drink me in first. And then POW right between the eyes - yep - I got cha. That, is what I want to be. And aspire to be such. Working on it - oh yes. Very much.

slacker or domesticity you decide

So today yes - the Lord's day - the day when we go to church I and my 3 children didn't. We should have. It was my fault. And yet if I could plead my case before the court I would say - "well, your Honor, it's like this. It was freaking cold, Pastor James wasn't preaching and I really just wanted to stay in, cuddle up read a book and spin this wool to finish my sweater." Guilty, yup. BUT thankfully God loves me - and well, back at cha BIG GUY! This is what can only be described as the eye of the storm. We are in the lull between purgatory (I know it's not real - DUH!) and hell. When the switch is flipped and we are full on in move to Virginia mode - life as I know it is going to suck big time!

Well, better fly - since I hear the a) pitter patter of kids chasing each other followed immediately by b) MOM!!! MOM!!! MOMMMMMM!!! This rarely ends well. I really don't get paid enough for this job.

Jane Brocket you are my new hero!

Okay so those of you who know me - have a slight clue as to who, what where and what mineral I am so the inclusion of books of assorted colors and flavors is only a very good thing as far as I am concerned. Jane Brocket's "The gentle art of domesticity" is so very very lovely as far as I can discern. I love that there is in fact a difference between being domesticated (hello yucky cats) and domesticity. I love domesticity but dust can kiss my lily (at this time of the year) white ass! I clean toilets because it means the difference between hygiene and other - not because I like it. One is a choice the other a rule.

I choose what Gandhi would. I do things for the right reason because I want to be of a higher standard. Not because I fear being caught for doing the wrong thing. I try to live by that rule and so far it works even as a Penticostal Jew lovin Yahweh servin girl from Wisconsin who loves red wine (yea the good Pinot Noir) and raw oysters. I'm looking to expand expound and enjoy frankly. Life rocks and I hope to enjoy for quite a while! k

The day of the peeling lizard

So as if life wasn't weird enough what with not getting our house in Virginia and then actually getting it in a roundabout way - I mean yeah I am so relieved but the let down kind of took all of the yippee out of it. So anyway - woke up this morning to a peeling anole. I freaked and was convinced she was dying. Trin informed me (yep it's starting already) that "no, mom they do this every 3 months - it's normal." WHEW. For some really twisted reason I absolutely dig these little critters. Don't really want to touch them ever, but watching is so cool. Now if suspicions are correct we might have a boy and a girl. hmmmmm mating rituals of green anoles anyone?