It's Time to READ!!!

I have recently finished American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and I think the completion of that book has started a veritable book binge. I just listened to an entire audiobook I download a couple months ago, The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster. In preparation for my upcoming vacation, I have requested 11 books from the library, downloaded 2 e-books and 2 audiobooks (all from the library) and mined my own shelves for 3 more books. Something tells me I can cross 'reading material' off my list.

From the library:

• Mort by Terry Pratchett [ebook]
• Equal Rites by same [ebook]
• Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick (possible baby sweater)
• More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson (possible baby sweater)
• It starts with food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig 
• The spectacular now [sound recording] / Tim Tharp 
• Dyer consequences / Maggie Sefton
• Everything I needed to know about being a girl I learned from Judy Blume / edited by Jennifer O'Connell
• Forever ... / Judy Blume
• The chessmen of doom / John Bellairs ; frontispiece by Edward Gorey
• The happiness project : or, Why I spent a year trying to sing in the morning, clean my closets, fight right, read Aristotle and generally have more fun / by Gretchen Rubin.   
• Chapter & hearse / Lorna Barrett.
• Needled to death / Maggie Sefton. 

Advance Reader Copy of REMOVED by S.J. Pajonas

My books to read that I own:

• Never Let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer(in progress)

Nutribullet dreams

I bought a Nutribullet yesterday and I can't wait to try it out!!!

Lat year right around New years I saw a documentary called Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead. Joe Cross decided to take his health matters into his own hands and try juicing, and ended up starting a whole Reboot movement. Well, he was so inspiring that I went out and bought a juicer and started adding fresh juices in to my own diet. I did try a juice fast, I think I lasted one weekend. I did make juice every day for a while, but the challenge of getting all the veg in the dead of winter, the noise and cleanup up of the machine didn't boost my desire to pull it out and make juice.

I've learned to adapt the recipes to what I like - I will NEVER like celery. In a juice, stew, as a snack, it tastes terrible, and it ruins anything you add it to, so why add it at all? It is in juices mainly for extra volume.

One thing that bothers me about juicing is that we are stripping out the fiber. I understand that we are making a super concentrated glass of nutrients, but it's hard to get enough fiber in a day. I recently lowered my daily target from 30 grams to 25 grams a day, so I can stop feeling like a failure.

Now imagine if I was pureeing some of those same vegetables - well I'd be keeping the fiber content and more of the nutrients in those foods.

I was also experimenting with additions to the juice, such as spirulina (blue algae), flax seeds, and chia seeds. Even using my stick blender I couldn't get the fine spirulina powder completely incorporated.

I had been on the fence about buying a Magic bullet for a while and decided that I would buy one with part of my year end bonus. Then I heard about the Nutribullet - more power, more benefits, and double the price. I've done about a month of research - reading reviews, checking prices, watching user videos on YouTube, and when I saw a saw at Target (it rarely goes on sale) I leapt up and got one for myself.

I'm hoping that I can make some more nutritious and satisfying drinks with the Nutribullet.
Concerns about using the Nutribullet:

• having to add liquid - I am concerned that in the infomercial, user You Tube videos, and recipe list coconut water or almond milk into the mix. If you're blending the same vegetables you were juicing, wouldn't you have enough liquid? A cucumber is mostly water. I don't want to add extra calories or sugars to my drinks. Searching for Almond milk yesterday (I'm going to try it before I rail against it) I noticed that may brands have added sweeteners and filler ingredients.
• additional prep - I need to cut things up more to fit them into the cup for processing, no more leaving carrots whole. I don't think this will take a lot of extra time, but I'll keep track and see.
• Will I actually use it? I plan to keep on the counter in place of my juicer, which will go into my outbox (see Apartment Therapy's awesome January Cure). That should keep it at the ready and in my thoughts when I go to the kitchen for a snack.
• Will it hold up? Only time will tell. I've read a lot of reviews that say it leaks, stops working, etc., but I read all those warnings about my juicer too, and it's going strong after a year. I bought it at Target and also bought their 2-year replacement plan for $7. What a steal! I need to read the fine print this week and make sure I keep whatever paperwork is required together with the policy.
• Will the noise make me not want to use it? I didn't find many reviews that mentioned the noise level. Hopefully that's a good sign, and this will be answered pretty quickly once I use the machine.

Froggy went a courtin' *revised*

Somehow yesterday I hit post instead of save draft, and I posted my entry filled with errors. Here is the revised version with the 3rd frogged project listed.

I've frogged three WIP knits, all garments. Hmmm.

1. Top down Raglan - started 2/6/10
Permanent hibernation - 10/17/10
Frogged - 7/17/11

2. Emmaline - started 4/17/10

Completed 5/1/11
Frogged - 7/17/11

3. Buttercup - started 5/3/11
Frogged - 7/17/11

1. The top down raglan was me trying to make a sweater for myself, and thinking I am the size of a hippo. That sweater would have looked like a clown prop in size if I had finished it. I was only to the 3rd buttonhole from the top down, so there wasn't a lot to frog.

2. I finished Emmaline in May and tried it on. It appeared in the Knitty Summer 2010 issue in bulky weight cotton yarn. A little big in the bust, and too tight in the bind off, and this yarn (Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton  is just not suited for summer or for this pattern. Plus, this yarn sheds everywhere. I read on some Ravelry boards that the fiber length in this cheap organic cotton is really short, and they skip the step in the manufacturing process where all that fluff  gets separated out to make really nice organic yarn. Hmm.

When I first decided to make this pattern I also bought the Cotlin yarn from Knitpicks in Planetarium to make a dk version of this, but thought I'd make it according to pattern in bulky first. Not sure if that was a smart move or not! Seems I've wasted over a year on this, mainly with the project sitting in a box whispering to me about possible problems from the shelf. So I'm frogging this, but I think I learned a good amount from it.

I need to make the bottom of the sleeve cuff a little wider, probably an inch, and do more increases
around the stomach to make the top flare out for more room at the waist/hip area.

Also, make one size for the top to underbust, and a larger size for the stomach  I think I made a L for the whole thing, and added increases 3 times to the stomach/natural waist area for me. I wore the top for about 10 minutes and in that time the bust area expanded enough to be roomy on Dolly Parton!

Next time I should make a Medium in the dk weight?I'd like to make it again in the hempathy I bought for Buttercup, or the Cotlin from Knitpicks. Decisions, decisions.

3. I thought Buttercup would be a good pattern for me since it's similar to Emmaline in style, and have a forgiving flare out at the bottom. I have read about some fit problems with the neckline, and I worry that not having a defined bust section will mean I just look a bit tent-y. In any case, this will not be revisited until I remake Emmaline, and first I have to find the modifed DK version of the pattern that some wonderful Raveler created.

I'm a bit frustrated with all this frogging. It's not my style. But do I want my style to be boxes of unfinished projects and bound energy sitting taking up space? No. Onward!

Projects check in - late fall 2010

A few weeks ago I was sick and down for the count with the really bad cold that's been going around. My knitting friends tell me they are able to knit when sick, and I suppose I could probably manage some stockinette or garter stitch on a project, if I had one that was that simple.  I wish I spent more time working on knitting and other projects. When I'm sick I don't do much of anything, and when I feel fine I waste a lot of time on the internet or watching tv with knitting in my lap. Maybe I need to institute a rule that I can only watch tv if I'm actively knitting since I don't have any progress to show. I did try and knit while I was sick and realized later that I did have a stockinette hat in the round in progress, but instead had reached for my Lace Ribbon scarf - been in progress since, oh, May 16, 2009, according to my Ravelry notes.

Do I really knit that slowly? No. I have major startitis. It's disappointing that I can't seem to finish projects. Story of my life. REALLY. I think it might be time for a post about all of the 'in progress' projects and a run down of where they stand and why. Sound good?

I actually HAVE been working on some of these. Here's a quick list of what I've work on in the past month (fiberwise):

Babette - came out of hiding, looked at ALL the yarn. Started work on some in progress squares. Monday night 10/25 tried to start a new square and realized I can't remember how to start them. That's always been a stumbling block with this project, nothing new. Hate starting new squares.

Lace Ribbon scarf - this was next to the couch so I started working on it again 10/24. Have done 7 rows!

Citron - worked on at knitting group briefly 10/18. Realized I had a dropped stitch and panicked. Wasn't feeling good (impending monster cold) and set it aside with dropped stitch caught and marked. A big thanks to Jimmy who counted all 273 stitches and discovered that no, I didn't have any weird stitches going on and yes, just keep knitting. So, I've done another row, and put it down to work on

Black and White Pair, hat #2 - no excuse for this not being done other than monster cold. As I write this I am working on the i-cord stem of the hat, but stopped to post! I will definitely be able to follow up with another post on the finished product tomorrow!

Static Socks - probably 5 more rows knit because I was going through all my projects.

Emmaline - I stopped this because I reached the point in the armpit where I needed to continue on with the body, and the stitch count didn't add up. Now I've lost some weight and was thinking about ripping it out, but I think I will continue on and make the whole thing so at least I can say I've made myself a wearable garment. I was going to have to modify the belly area on the original pattern, but now I will knit it as written and see where I end up with the fit. Maybe I'll be finished by spring?

Wabenschal - I started this during my last flurry of startitis. I sort of like the pattern, but I am pretty sure I hate the yarn. Its scratchy and I can't think of anyone I could give it to who would be please to put this around their neck, so I'm going to move it to hibernation for now and probably frog it.
One project was in the current list, but...

Modified Twenny Dolla Sweater - officially frogged and put needles, yarn, etc back where they belong.


Posts coming up - an update on all my hibernating projects, sharing my new obsession craft, and reorganizing my craft bookshelf.

Grocery shopping

Thursday after work I went grocery shopping. While I was sitting at my desk at work, I wrote out a perfunctory list. I realized at the end of my struggle in the frozen food aisle that I had pretty much stuck to my list. I did buy a few extra items, but I also didn't get two things. I NEVER stick to my list. This is a milestone!

Here's what I bought:

*items that were on my list

*Yogurt
*Cheese sticks
*Dubliner cheese
*Cottage cheese
*Cheese (yes, after all that, I needed to write down just "cheese" because I didn't have enough. Yes, I bought 4 distinct kinds of cheese. No, I was not having a wine and cheese party. Shush)
*Zucchini
*Spinach
*Broccoli
*Tomato sauce
Mushrooms
Frozen smoothie stuff
*Grapes
*Melon
*Triscuits
*Beans
Bananas
Sweet Potato
Bagged lettuce (I've been craving salad and figured, why not?)
Carrots
Croutons
Skinny Cow single serve Cookies and Cream ice cream
Thin Crust Margherita Pizza (It was on sale!)
Still, my purchases came to more than I thought they would. I even bought lot of things on sale or in their natural state, and tried to stick to my list.
Total spent - $64.95
11 out of 23 items on sale
Total saved - $9.26
Most expensive item - 24 pack of low fat string cheese
Least expensive item - bananas, $.69/lb., got 2 for $.50
 
I'm just so irked at the cost of decent food. Ugh. Sure, I could have only bought sale items and store brand, and trekked around the city from store to store cashing in on the bargains. I don't have a car. The grocery store I go to is in the city and has a high mark up. I am however able to walk home from the store and eliminate the need for a taxi or long bus ride and total exhaustion, thought I do tend to collapse once I get home from the sheer irritation factor of having to go to the store at all.

I'm also kind of shocked at how healthy this list is and the fact that there's no chocolate (unless you count the tiny single serving of Skinny Cow and let's face it, it's probably not 'real' anything. My eating has really changed for the better!

Head up, young person

Last week was a good week. I am finally feeling better after being knocked out by an intense sinus infection for a week and missing Easter with my family.

Last week I:
-planned a visit home to visit with family and friends, and to say goodbye to my high school, Nazareth Academy, which is closing after 139 years of educating young women. I will get a chance to reconnect with people I haven't seen in almost 20 years. Friends that I wish I had been closer to in high school that I will hopefully forge a better connection with now.
-worked out at the gym. Finally! I have been trying to stay on track with being active, but having that sinus issue put me right off of life, never mind working out.
-cleaned the top of the stove. Doesn't seem like much right? I took the top of the stove OFF and put it in the bathtub, and scrubbed it with all my might using cleanser with bleach and a scrubby sponge. There is still one spot that is a bit stained, but it had built up over time so hopefully now that I have the stove top 99% clean I can remove that stain over time.
-gotten a new kitchen counter set up and picked up the kitchen - BIG project
-cast on for Emmaline, a bulky knit short-sleeve top
-washed 5 loads of laundry. Yes, I live alone, but I hate doing laundry and it builds up, and I had a big pile of towels and rags that I had used to mop up the leaks in my apartment when we had the bad storms a few weeks back, and yes, I'm just getting to them now.
-started back on the whole eat healthy, live healthy thing. Counting calories, counting everything, really, because I don't have a sense anymore of what I eat or what it contains. It's back to basics while I relearn what my body actually needs. I use the tools at SparkPeople, but if anyone has suggestions of other free tracker and community sites, I'm listening.

To-DO this week: (yes, I know it's already Tuesday but I forgot to post this entry Sunday night, so I'm modifying it, alright?)
-repot seedlings
-plant more seeds - lettuce, sage, (first ones seem to have died) tomatoes, and a few other things.
-go to the gym. Yes, AGAIN.
-keep tracking
-go to bed by midnight most nights
-do some yoga
-maybe get around to putting my laundry away
-read The Little Stranger for my book group meeting on Sunday (352 pages to go)
-oh, and knit