January 1, 2012 - hitting the reset button

Yup, it's been a while again, and I'm hitting the reset button on my blog and life. Should have gotten outside to run today, but didn't... slept in instead, but that's OK, it's just one of 366 days this year. Lots of challenges, creativity and Moving More, Eating Well ahead. Here are a few things to start with, I won't say "resolutions," but here are some of my 2012 goals:

• Get back to my Lifetime weight at WW, so I don't have to pay the $39.95/month anymore. Now that they finally made eTools free for Lifetimers at goal, why not? 
• Run at least 50 miles per month, every month for 2012. I have set this goal for the last 2 months and haven't achieved it yet, but hey, isn't that what the reset button is all about? 
• Blog more! Yup, put it out there - successful days, meals, projects. We are all about positivity here. 
• Keep up with the one group I have joined for 2012 - Move More, Eat Well 2012
• Frugality is one of my favorite words for this year. I am trying something new (more about this later, not ready to fully disclose yet), and frugality is a necessity at the moment. Not a bad thing and I know it will all be a good thing (it already is!), but more about that later.

 So, without further ado, I must go change out the laundry... we do all want to start the year with clean clothes, right? More to come!

October already?

I haven't been here for a while. Lots of things have happened in the last year and this quote really resonates with me right now:

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” ~ Steve Jobs

FOR TODAY

Outside my window… the snow is melting and the snowbanks are no longer taller than I am

I am thinking… that we will have fun with our nephew Cameron tonight (including a Carvel Ice Cream cake to celebrate my birthday this week)

I am thankful for… the fact that Molly seems to have bounced right back from her surgery and will only need to have her e-collar on for a few more days

From the kitchen… lovely big and fluffy popovers this morning – I definitely did something right!

I am wearing… jeans and a red fleece

I am creating… more Zentangles with my 2 new books Zentangle 4 and Yoga for your Brain and still knitting my Derry Sweater (don't think I'll have it finished by next weekend)

I am going… shopping – to pick up a yummy chicken pot pie for dinner tonight at Ken’s Kickin’ Chicken

I am reading… I just finished Homer’s Odyssey – it was so wonderful – I laughed and cried  

I am hoping… that I find a job soon

I am hearing… the ticking of my little purple Power Puff Girls Clock, the dehumidifier, cars going past the house and Mark’s iPod from upstairs

Around the house… we’re doing a little cleaning for our house guest

One of my favorite things… coffee and weekend breakfasts

A few plans for next week: more interviews (yeah!), lunch with my friend Christina and finally SPA is here! I can’t wait to head out to Freeport, ME!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

One of my favorite things to have for lunch is a big bowl of popcorn (yes, with real butter and some nice Fleur de Sel) - and I learned how to cook it PERFECTLY from this post... another "why didn't I know this?" moment.

Once again, as I am learning, I didn't have the oil hot enough when I dumped in the pop corn! I think that making sure the oil is truly hot enough before you put anything into the pan is one of the most important things I've learned this year. Pretty basic, but I have a feeling I'm not the only one challenged with this. 

Advanced Zentangle Project

Back on August 21, 2010, Tracy and I took an Advanced Zentangle Class at Absolutely Everything. I really like taking classes, my issue is getting the projects finished in a timely fashion after the class. It was a 5 hour class with a lunch break, definitely not enough time to get it all done. There were lots of pieces - flowers, a bird, a butterfly (which didn't quite fit onto my final project) and a Frozen Charlotte. In the end, I picked up a 10x10 shadow box at Joann's (on sale, of course!) and put it together today.

 

It's just so nice to get some things finished!

 

edited to add from Kate who taught the class: my original is on the cover of the new zt book #4! Pretty cool! 

For today: It's Friday around here

Sometimes as I read other blogs I come across ideas that I really like - and I think this one is a keeper. It's from http://thelinarstudio.typepad.com...


OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ... snow, snow and more snow

I AM THINKING ... will the snowbanks ever go away

I AM LEARNING ... that I really work better when I have a to do list

I AM THANKFUL FOR ... the fact that Mark is able to provide for us while I am unemployed

FROM THE KITCHEN ... wondering what I will make with my big haul from the Hong Kong Supermarket

I AM WEARING ... tan cords, a Bruins t-shirt, a pair of Solmate socks and a fleece jacket.

I AM GOING ... go to a Thai cooking class at Eurostoves in Beverly with my friend Tracy tonight.

I AM READING ... American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It takes me so long to read books these days because I only try to read them in bed – that doesn’t work for me since I fall asleep when I read in bed after about 2 pages.

I AM CREATING ... a to do list!

I AM HOPING ... that Molly’s surgery goes well next week and that her cancer doesn’t spread.

I AM HEARING ... the hum of my computer and the wood stove fan from the other room.

AROUND THE HOUSE ... laundry is going in the basement, fish’s water got changed out yesterday so he’s happy, kitties are enjoying some Trader Joe’s Tuna for Cats and the hubby is working from home in the living room.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ... making time in my day to get some Zentangling in.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ... since I’m doing this on Friday, there isn’t much left of the week, but I plan to journal, read some more and figure out what wonderful dish I can mix up for dinner tomorrow night – after the Thai cooking class this evening, of course!

A PICTURE TO SHARE

Just too much snow. At least this picture is the nice, pristine, white stuff, not the nasty side of the road gray and dirty. And yes, that is the back end of my Volvo sneaking out from behind the snowbank.

Keeping Busy

At Weight Watchers this week the challenge was to "treat yourself" - now she did talk about the "extra" 49 points you get each week, but she was really talking more about treating yourself with non-food rewards. I have been toying with the thought of buying myself the "Beginning Zentangle" kit for a while now and happened to have a $20 credit at Absolutely Everything so I drove up there yesterday and picked it up. The paper is so lovely to work with and there is nothing better than a nice fresh pen! I'll be watching the video later, but it did inspire me to finish something I have been working on all month (actually, I started it a while back, but had only done 2 sections until last week).

January 13, 2011

Today I ate pumpkin oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast

Today I shoveled again for the second day in a row – hoping that it counts as exercise

Today I  watched Top Chef Allstars and I'm not sure if I agree with the choice of both Jamie and Tiffany F.

Today I had lunch at the Howling Wolf with a bunch of girls and met a 2 year old named Scout

Today I shared the Zentangle love

Today I ate popcorn for dinner

did I do anything but eat?

January 2011 - week one

First, a quick catch-up from 2010 – since my last post was in August! 2010 was not a banner year – two of my cousins (sisters) were diagnosed with breast cancer (both of them are doing well now), we lost the hubby’s Aunt Sissy (she was the impersonation of a “hot ticket” and she is sorely missed), my Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and went through treatments which in the end were unsuccessful and he passed away 5 days after I was laid off from my job of 7 years. I really thought I’d be there for a much longer time – it was very disappointing and as of today, I’m still not working yet. Yeah, I would say that for the most part, I was very happy to say goodbye to 2010.

Moving on to the post-holiday first week of the year. All of the Christmas decorations were taken down on Sunday and the hubby went back to work after a 13 day break on Tuesday. Monday night I did get my latest fingerless mitts completed and they are perfect!  I spent most of Tuesday on the couch not feeling well (I’m thinking it was my first day alone again, after the holiday insanity that my body just said to STOP!) 

Wednesday I felt better and had a great morning – got in and out of the Unemployment Office in 15 minutes, went to the grocery store, Weight Watchers and then met up with my former colleague Mariah to go to the Peabody Essex Museum for the Treasures from the Forbidden City exhibit. Then the day went downhill – we got a snow removal ticket for $50 from the city for the corner – ugh. Call to our city councilor hopefully has taken care of it. The hubby really does an amazingly great job shoveling (a little AR even) – and for us to get a ticket was an insane blow!

The rest of the week included more applying for more jobs, reaching out to recruiters and a little Zentangling… Time with Mom and Tracy at the Willowtree in Peabody for mussels and wine, a quiet weekend with the hubby and Despicable Me and more vintage MTM on Hulu.

Food highlight of the week – definitely the Stuffed Peppers in my new pressure cooker.  I do plan to make the Aarti Party Pumpkin Oatmeal too – bought the Almond Milk and have one last lonely can of pumpkin ready to go.

Cooking Post - why don't people tell you just how easy some things are?

OK, now that my kitchen is finished (and OMG how I love it every single time I walk in there!!!), I am having my promised Pampered Chef party. Not sure if I really need anything new, but I thought it was a great way to show off my new space.

So, I was thinking about what to make and started looking through my old PC cookbooks and found a Chocolate Mint Meringue recipe in the "It's Good for You" book (don't tell anyone it's in a "good for you" book!) and they are in the oven as I type this. Every Christmas, for her big party my Mom makes Meringues and I absolutely love them - crispy, sweet, a little chewy goodness. Well, she never mentioned just how easy it is to make them - especially when you have a KitchenAid Mixer just staring at you from the corner. I think the hardest part was separating the eggs (and honestly, that's not too hard!)

So, waiting for them to cook, I hopped on the ol' internets and checked out my Bloglines - I know, it's old, it's not Google Reader, but I have it all nice and organized and I like it. Low and behold I came across another revelation - how to make brown sugar on one of my fave food blogs Joy the Baker. I just ran out of my Splenda Brown Sugar Blend and I do have some sugar, some Splenda and some Molasses in the cabinet and I may just give it a try.  I think I'll need to make the brown sugar first and then double it up with the Splenda.

Any secret things that are so easy that you do?

(edited to add - if I say so myself, those Chocolate Meringues are yummy!)

Sunday My Way

I have to say, I love being in my room with the windows open and just creating. Today wasn't quite a "creative" day but a "catch up on my online Claudine Hellmuth class" day.



Learned a few techniques, got through most of the first 4 weeks of class and got my hands all painty. Love that. I'm only one week behind so I feel a little better now. Gotta go clean my brushes.

Marinated Goat Cheese

About 2 years ago I was at Shubie's in Marblehead - this place is absolutely chock full of wonderful things - be it wine, kitchen goodies, prepared foods or cheese. I was over at the cheese counter (big surprise!) and I was told that I had to try this Meredith Farm Marinated Feta from Meredith Dairy in Australia. It was amazing! I brought it home and put it in pasta, I put it on a nice baguette, I put it on Melba toast - it was just so wonderful whatever you did with it. You did have to watch out for the peppercorns, but oh my.

Fast forward 2 summers and every time I go to Shubie's I look for it, but haven't seen it in a while. Well, over the weekend at The Kitchn they posted about making marinated goat cheese. Well, tonight, right in line with doing more stuff, I have made some - took some fresh thyme from the deck garden, some nice sliced fresh garlic from the farmer's market across from work and some peppercorns out of my grinder and added some chevre I picked up at Whole Foods and covered it all in some nice EVOO. We'll see how it is later in the week!

No, I won't complain about the heat

It has been unbearably hot around here (as referenced by the hubby's latest post), and I feel like I really should be doing more - more crafting, more exercising, more cooking in my new kitchen, just more! I read several blogs regularly, but I'm thinking of 2 in particular that are inspiring me at the moment, one is Chez Larrson and the other is Now Norma Knits. 

What is inspiring me is the fact that these women both do it every day - Chez Larrson has been doing a picture of the day, along with her amazing home renovations and organizational ideas for 196 days now and Norma has been blogging for over a year, every day, about life, her terrier, her garden, etc. I think what really brought me to Norma was originally the knitting thing, but what has kept me there is her style, her wit and the fact that she is named Norma and she is from Vermont (my Vermont Grammie was also called Norma and I think of her every time I read her blog.)

So, where does this take me? First, wishing I had started this back before May 3, 2010 - the day our kitchen renovation project started. Second, I want to do something every day, using my brain, not just for work. It's funny, when I read the hubby's post, it made me realize that I am also in a slump - I want to do STUFF - whether it is knitting, spinning, Zentangles, scrapbooking, stamping, cooking, going for walks on the beach at the end of my street (I know - why don't I???), going to the gym I pay for, etc. and not just sit on the couch and watch stupid TV. (Don't get me wrong, I love me my TV, and oh, and hooray for True Blood being back!)

I need to finish some projects, not live in the world of UFOs (for the uninitiated, that is Un-Finished Objects, not the the outer-space stuff I love to listen to radio shows about) and one of those UFOs it definitely me!  To do this, we (and I do say we) need to stop watching so much darn TV, get out there and move more and get into my craft room more.

Well, my first photo for doing more is this: 

See you tomorrow!

What's on my to do list these days?

So, it's been a while since I updated here - not sure if it's because I've been busy, lazy, dealing with our kitchen remodel, trying Zentangles, dabbling in some gardening, scrapbooking, knitting and spinning. And I have to say, with all of these things going on I can't seem to finish a project!

The kitchen remodel officially started on May 3rd, with the demo of my entire pantry. It was loud and dirty, but so exciting. I won't miss this...



Or these "countertops":



I am really hoping that we'll hear from the "countertop guy" early this week to get them installed. I do love the new cabinets, but honestly, not having a sink and having to use cookie sheets as surfaces is a real bummer. We keep trying to decide our favorite new thing - so far, it's the replacement windows. When it's all done I'm not sure if it'll be the dishwasher (that we haven't had in 17 years), ice maker, real countertops and cabinets... who knows what it'll be.

Vacation Planning 2010

Coming back to work from vacation is never easy - and this time is no exception. Fortunately, only 186 e-mails and 5 voicemails (so many less voicemails at work than the ones we received from the senatorial race here in MA, even in the last day). One of my goals for this year is to do what one of my colleagues has been suggesting to me for years - plan out all of my vacations at the beginning of the year so I actually TAKE the 4 weeks I accrue each year. Well, since I didn't take one since August (no, I'm not being a martyr, just forgot to put it into the calendar - duh!), last week won't count against this year.

We have discussed where to go - Nova Scotia was on the top of the list, but CAT Ferry went out of business in December - very sad, we've been wanting to do it for and haven't gotten to it yet. Hopefully someone will reopen it. It would be about 11 hours from home if we were to drive to Halifax all of the way.

Other options - Savannah, GA & Charleston, SC - then again, similar travel time, and not really the place to go in the summer. Maybe we'll just find a place in Maine for a week. We always love heading to Maine (and if it's not to far from Lisbon, I can stop into my favorite indie dyer's shop Spunky Eclectic.)

So, still having 71 vacation hours as of January 15th and knowing that I'll have another 4 weeks added to that by the end of the year, it's time to start planning! I will definitely do some "vacation at home" time, but we can't wait 3 years again for another "real" vacation.

Finally cleaning up from Christmas

I just love this idea - and I'm hoping I have some of the older photo cards left from the great purge of '09 (soon to be the great purge of 2009-2010 I'm sure!) to do as well: Scrapbooking Holiday Cards

I still need to take down the tree - and decide what to do with it. Our friends gave it to us as a gift about 8 years ago and it served us well, however, we were talking about doing a real tree again this year - and collecting some more ornaments. I know that collecting goes against the purge, but this is an exception. Where do you collect your holiday ornaments from?

Let's Get On With It Already!

2010 - off to a bang. I'll let Mark write all about the trip to Ireland. Not all bad, but not all good. Here was a good/bad moment:



http://www.kylemoreabbey.com - beautiful place, unfortunately it was closed. The other unfortunate thing - we met some nice girls from Michigan who took our pictures - and the camera decided corrupt them. Oh well.

Back home is a good thing - fire in the woodstove, all the kitties back home and with no stitches or cones (although Molly seems to have caught a cold and so have I), and I am back in my kitchen. Time to make some risotto...

Not exactly how we planned to start 2010

The plan was simple enough, just get through the first 3 days of work - Jan 4-6 and then on Jan 7, 2010 head to Ireland for a trip we've been talking about for years - the hubby has been saying since we went there in 2006 that he wanted to be in Ireland for his 40th birthday - which just happens to be in January. It's funny, when you tell people you are going on vacation in January, they always seems to say "oooh! are you going somewhere warm?" Nope, looking at the weather it's about the same temperature over there as it is here these days, but we have never been beach people anyways. (Yes, that's me, the girl with the see-through skin, year round, no thanks, really don't want any more melanoma if you please.)

Well, we're still going, but plans for the kitties have changed a bit. Oliver somehow got a very serious laceration on the back of his hind leg - right on the joint - when I dropped and broke 2 of our favorite dishes on New Years Day. He was right next to me and kind of freaked out, ran up the stairs and hid under the bed for hours - not exactly something different for our high-strung boy.

Fast forward about 6 hours later - dinner has been eaten, movie has been watched, and I have just beat the hubby in Wii Sports Resort - Frisbee Golf and Pickup Basketball (this is not the usual outcome - he usually kicks my but in Wii, but I had a good night - love the Frisbee Golf!) Mark goes upstairs to find Oliver on the bed, with blood on the blanket he's sitting on. He has a serious laceration on his rear leg - right on the joint and I can see cartilage, or bone or whatever that white stuff is in there. It's now 11:00 and I'm calling the vet. Snow has started coming down and we're off to the local emergency vet.

We weren't the only ones with this issue on New Year's Day - and it's first come first served. They take him in around 2:00 or so for sedation and stitching up of his big cut. Once it's all said and done, the vet comes out and tells us that he had actually nicked the sheath that covers his Achilles tendon - fortunately, it didn't cut the tendon but she did have to stitch the sheath too.

It's now 4:00 am on Jan 2 and I hand over the AMEX for the additional $$ and we head back into the snowstorm. It takes about 40 minutes to get home - but it's really surprising how many people are out driving around at that time of the morning in the snow.

Now we have him up in the spare bedroom, wearing a lovely cone for the next 12-14 days and will be boarded along with Molly during our trip. Morticia will have the whole house to herself - I think she'll love it.

Paper Crafting, Really?

Well, vacation is over and I managed to do a few scrapbook pages (nothing exciting, no journaling, no titles, but I did put pictures on paper), about 14 cards after a very inspiring trip to the Heirloom Stamp Show in West Springfield, MA. Now really, did people think we were just going to the Berkshires during the first week of June for the sight-seeing? I did pick up some great stuff - my favorites were from Invoke Arts - including a few unmounted sets and some Luster Rub-Ons. I can't stop using them! Unfortunately, scanned cards don't quite show the loveliness that are Luster Rub-Ons (yes, I have been looking at them for years and never gave them a second thought - until I saw them being used!)

Here are a few samples:


and



Really nice stuff, if you know how to use it! I was also finally introduced to Eclipse Art Masking Tape - amazing stuff! Yes, I am still hopelessly in love with my Twinkling H2Os - and hooray that they are not going away after all! Now, if you have seen my collection, you would think that I'd never really need another color, but...

Well, it wasn't just a paper vacation, but there was a little fiber too - no spinning, but I did finally break out that Vesper Aquamelon and cast on another Chevron Scarf (SO Summery!) and cranked out a Noro Kureyon #149 Booga Bag that I started at noon on Saturday when I finally made it to A Yarn Over Marblehead (Jean we missed you!) and it was removed from the washer (2nd load) at 11:00 Sunday night.

So, yes, I have been a busy crafty girl...

6 months later...

and I'm still here.

I have spent lots of time lately reading the hubby's blog...

Fast ended - quickly, quietly and with an amazing deal...

Well, the day after Thanksgiving I didn't leave the house until 2:00 - no need to face the madding crowds so I didn't. What I did do was head over to Cranberry Fiber Arts in South Hamilton (which, being from there I prefer to refer to as "downtown Hamilton"). Laurie was working and she is only there on Fridays and just how many Fridays do I get to go play? Not many! There was a lovely bulky sweater draped over a chair when I walked in and what does she say to me? "Helen found a bag of that - it's Noro Yoroi - long discontinued - and she put it in the clearance for $6/skein. If you don't take it home, it's going with me." Darn challenge! She gets me every time!

Won't you know (you saw this coming) I grabbed the whole basket and brought it up to the counter... it's mine, all mine! Here's my debate - I really want to knit a pullover, not a cardigan, but I think it'll be too warm. Should I go for the ever-so-popular Einstein Jacket? I think I have enough - and I'm about the only one in my knitting group who hasn't done one (or two or 5)... I might just have to bite the bullet and knit miles and miles of garter stitch for myself. I think I have enough yarn... now I just have to get my hands on the pattern... and with a nice vacation coming up... ugh!

I can't believe it's time for the Bizarre Bazaar this Sunday! Hooray! Guess it's time to start my Christmas shopping (ok, I'm not counting Esty and Amazon purchase!)