Filosofical Friday

Springer hunting for tennis ball:

Filosofical Friday

(Pardon the spelling - I'm practising (sic) wat (sic) my six year old is lerning (sic) in skool.(sic) )

A couple of years ago when dashing with my minions through the airport, a book caught my eye:
Creating A Charmed Life; Sensible Spiritual Secrets Every Busy Woman Should Know. It's not usually my type of book , but this time I couldn't resist on the off chance that there was actually some secret to life that I've missed.

Despite my initial skepticism, the book actually does have some good bits of wisdom. There are short chapters each centered around a thought about a different way to approach life. I read one a day when I can. After having read through it once, I would have to say my life is a little more charmed. Or more importantly, my eyes have been opened to all the ways it was charmed that I didn't recognize before.

Recently, as I worked through the book a second time, I came across a thought that has leaped out at me being both relevant to my knitting life as well as the rest of it. It's the concept of living with unsolved problems - or unknit patterns or unknit skeins of yarn.

"The ability to coexist with the unresolved has immense practical value. Without it, we can function at our best only when everything is perfect (in other words, never). Even solvable problems seldom have instant answers. Until these problems are worked through, we share space with them."

The author points to small things such as finding a problem with your bank statement on Friday night and having to live with it until the bank opens on Monday.. Or big problems like your best friend not speaking to you and refusing to take your phone calls.

This is not to say that I think of patterns or yarn as problems - but they are unresolved things in my life.

How do you deal with them? Fences, the author says. You build fences to separate them from the rest of your life.

"Dilemmas need fences to prevent them from migrating. Fencing in an obstacle means keeping it contained so it doesn't affect the rest of your life....When you have well-tended fences, one or two or a dozen things going wrong won't negate the 147 that are going right."

When it comes to my knitting, I envision a white rail fence on a farm with beautiful horses running behind it. I can enjoy looking at them even though I can ride only one at a time. There's no need to stress, or feel pressure about those that are waiting.

On a life note, it's a revelation to realize that I can mentally separate the issues. I've never been good at living with unresolved things. I'm a journalist - write it today and move on to the next thing. And now I have five unresolved problems (ie children) and a business filled with long-term projects, so it's more important than ever to be able to consciously set aside things I can't fix immediately to give my attention to what I can.

As a Christian, this is important because it means praying and then trusting that God is working on the things even when I can't. I'm okay with the praying part, it's the trusting part I'm not so good at.

The pics are from our recent snow day. It's since all turned to ice, but we had fun for awhile.

Beware of Three-year-olds with cameras

You Can't Have Your Yarn and Knit It Too

Thank you for the comments about yarn collection vs. pattern collection (see previous post and feel free to add to the discussion). Your comments have helped me figure out how I feel - I love to have yarn on hand so that if I come across a pattern I like, I can get started right away. It's hard for me to find time to shop and I don't have a lot of patience when it comes to waiting to get to a store - I'm more of the instant gratification sort (thus all the quick projects). That being said, I realized that I feel pressure to knit the yarn I have on hand and since I can't knit it all right away, I've been sort of feeling guilty. I feel now that I can relax and just enjoy having the yarn. It's beautiful to look at and I'm giving myself permission to enjoy just having it around.

Which brings me to my latest project. For Christmas last year, my cousins gave me two giant balls of yarn - the biggest balls of yarn I've ever seen. For 12 months, I gazed at them, pondered them, wondered what they should become. I wasn't sure how much was there and so I hesitated. I didn't want to get through 90 percent of a project only to find out I didn't have quite enough. On the other hand, I knew there was a lot so I didn't want to use just a little on a small project and then not have enough for something bigger.

Then the cold spell came and I had a hankering for a wide, cabled scarf. My budget was busted and I couldn't get to a shop anyway. So I took the plunge with the big ball. I found a great reversible cable pattern and have fallen head over heels in love with cables. By the end, I'd even mastered cableing without a cable needle.

As I knitted, the ball got smaller and smaller and smaller. That made me a little sad. Not to get too philosophical on you - but it's that way with the children only in reverse. I love what they're becoming, but I miss what they were.

So here is my ball now, next to the remaining big one for context.

Here is what we have instead of a giant ball of yarn - I will say this much, it is a lot warmer! As you can see - it is as long as I am tall. I'm told this is a good length for a scarf. I must agree.

Now, the question is - do I keep the balls intact or do I move ahead with plans for a matching hat and mittens? Hmmm......

Found it

How do you locate a pattern for which you have been searching for hours and ranting about ad naseum? Decide to make a different pattern, of course.

I finally decided that the baby hat patter for which I was searching (see below) was gone for good, probably lost in an organizational purge. I settled for being inspired by one of the other patterns I had found - a wide striped hat with a touch of Fair Isle. After casting on and knitting a couple of inches, I paged through the magazine to find my chosen pattern and there - yes, you can see what's coming - was the pattern for which I had been searching - in the same gosh darned magazine! It's the rastafarian hat, which can, I believe, also be found in Itty Bitty knits - or see it here on site of author Susan B. Anderson.

This event has left me pondering the question - is it better to amass a large stash of yarn you love and search for the perfect pattern or to collect patterns and wait to find the perfect yarn? Please share your thoughts on your subject and pass the question around - I'm curious to hear what other knitters think.

Knitter's Frustration

My story starts, as most do, rather simply. I have a new niece. I saw in the store an adorable blanket and sleeper in lovely pink and brown combo. It was on sale. I figured I'll make a little hat to match. Easy enough, right?

We go to the store, the 3yo and I. We find parking right out front (an amazing feat given the lack of parking in Cambridge). We walk in and the very first yarn we pick up is perfect - it's the exact colors we need and it's superwash -- perfect for a busy mom who doesn't have time to hand wash baby hats.

It's a little on the pricey side, but it's so soft and so pretty and I had a gift certificate from Christmas. The only problem is we (I)can't choose from among the four perfect-colored skeins. We (I) decide to get all four and make two hats. (The 3yo brings over to me a $65 skein of pure Cashmere, and says, "How about this one?" Boy, does she have great taste! Yikes.)

Then I get home. Then it hits me - Now that I have four fabulous yarns, I need to have an equally fabulous pattern to match. I remember seeing one in a magazine that might be a good one - but which magazine!? I have stacks and stacks of them. I've been through all of them and I can't find it again. Aaarrrrrggghhhhhhhh! I've found about 202 other patterns I want to make (and consequently feel entirely deprived since I can't begin knitting all of them immediately). Why do I keep all these magazines? Are they treasured sources of inspiration or anchors weighing down my creativity and cluttering up my work space?

I did come across some nice baby hat patterns - but not the one I was thinking of and none of them quite special enough. I've found some other patterns on the web but in the wrong size (I know I can convert, I was just hoping to not have to.) The problem, of course, is that every hour this baby is getting bigger - I have to knit quick so she can wear it at least a day before it's too small. (Maybe I should buy her a doll that can where the hat when she grows out of it.)

On a side note - for hat knitters: in doing research for this project, I came across a purl of wisdom from the Yarn Harlot - when knitting a rolled-brim hat, it will fit better if you drop down a needle size or two for the rolled part. That explains part of my hat sizing problem.

Knitting Dreams

True Dream:

I walk into a consignment shop that has many rooms on two levels. The toothless, wild-haired woman at the front desk takes one look at me and says they have a great package of yarn in the room down the stairs to the right, but I had better hurry. My heart both races because I really wasn't expecting to find any yarn but then my stomach tightens because I don't have much money to spend so I'm worried I might find something I actually want to buy. The whole place is filled floor to ceiling with interesting looking pieces of furniture and knick knacks.

I make my way to the room she is talking about and it is piled high with textiles. Toward the back on a table there is a single bag of yarn with a sign that says "Entire contents $30. Will not be sold individually. Value over $150." I pull out a bunch of skeins of yarn when one catches my eye - silk and some other rare fiber in a lace weight. It is the softest yarn I have ever touched but it is bright red, white and blue - vivid colors as in the American Flag - not my usual palette. I sit their fondling it trying to figure out if I could dye it, knit it for someone else or even whether it's worth the money. I think it's probably value, but I don't really even have the $30 to spend. Maybe if it were $10...I wonder if I should scrimp on groceries, I could afford it - the yarn is so unbelievably soft. And just then the 3yo, who has been running a fever, sits bolt upright and says "I don't feel well."

I am no longer dreaming - I am grabbing her and making a run for the bathroom. We made it just in time. (Later DH remarked on her impressive grammar: I don't feel well vs. I don't feel good.)

After a relatively sleepless night, I'm left pondering the meaning of my dream - do I crave softer yarns? Am I feeling deprived? Should I be stash-building? Is it a sign that I should be more budget conscious?

Coincidentally, a nearby yarn shop is starting its winter sale today...hmmm.....

Humiliated by the Claw

We went this morning on what was supposed to be an innocent trip to the Monster Golf - this is (for the unitiated) indoor, glow-in-the dark miniature golf set in a maze decorated with images of various monsters moving to the beat of Rockin' 80s music. Maybe they figure that's a way to keep the parents mezmerized while their children play.

Next to the golf course are various video games that allow you to earn tickets that you can trade in for trinkets destined tobe be jetsom (or flotsam?) in the clutter of a child's room. The wise parent stays on the sidelines, handing out the quarters, smiling at the wins and comforting the losses. The foolheardy venture to join in the fun.

Of all the games, the one I have asiduously avoided and thus far been able to steer my children away from is the claw. I know that is the money muncher of all games. It looks so tantalizingly easy - move the claw, push a button and it drops down to grab a prize - a cheaply made stuffed animal that will end up gathering dust but at the moment looks heartstoppingly cute. You can't win, I tell my children. It's a rip-off. But today is a holiday, so I decide it's time they learn this lesson for themselves.

The 6 yo stepped up to the plate. No luck on the first try - 50 cents, plooop down the drain. Let me try just one more time? she begs. It's your money, I tell her. And what do you know? She drops the claw over a coveted pink pony and up it comes! She did it! Knock me down with a feather - she got the very one she wanted and on just the second try. Maybe this isn't so hard afterall. (Can you see where this is headed?)

Now the 3yo wants a try. Mommy figures if the 6 yo can do it.... I carefully position the claw over the desired fish. Drop, drop, drop...right to the fish. the claws close in. Yes! We've got it. But no. The fish is round and slips right out of the side of the claw! Now it's in a really good spot. We have to try again. Drop, drop, drop...right to the fish. Same as last time - bloop it slips between the claws. Lets try for another one? Again, the claw is positioned perfectly. It grabs around the animal, but the slippery animal slides right off the claw. After way too much money was wasted, I finally tore myself away. I just couldn't stay away, however. So close! Thankfully, by the time we went back, the machine was busted. It wouldn't take in anymore quarters. I was saved from myself. After that, we concentrated on the games that spit out at least a few tickets no matter how poorly you performed.

In the end, we had a grand total of 128 points between the three of us. This was enough to get
1 pink monster finger puppet
1 Chinese finger trap
1 tiny Pirate spy glass
2 glow plastic bracelets
3 "poppers" (very tiny pieces of stiff rubber in a cup shape)

Honestly, these silly little toys made the girls as happy as any stuffed animal from the machine would have.

Me? I think I've learned my lesson....send dad to the arcade.

In Praise of Pecans

My momma came for Christmas. She brought Pecans. I'm not sure why - maybe for cookies that we never got around to making. What I didn't know is how much I was missing by not having pecans in the cupboard! I just passed over recipes with pecans without a second thought, but suddenly, I was free to include them in my contemplation of what to cook! And wow, what a wonderful addition!

We started with the cinnamon roles that I made before without pecans. They were okay, but with the pecans, they were out of this world fantabulous. The recipes calls for them to be cooked in muffin tins. Last time, I skipped that step and ended up with flat, spread-out rolls that the kids wouldn't touch. This time, I put the in a 13x9 pan, which kept them together and allowed them to properly rise. Thankfully, the kids loved them and saved me from myself!

Next was the nutbread with a struessel topping. You can make a streussel topping without pecans, but it doesn't really compare.

And finally, came the salmon with a pecan glaze. DH of a dozen or so years said it was quite possibly the best recipe I've ever made!

Here it is:
Spread 1 cup of pecans on a flat pan and place in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a small sauce pan. Add 1/3 cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and the pecans. Let cook for ten minutes. (You could add a little extra dijon mustard to taste)

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan. Season salmon with pepper and salt and cook until flaky - about 5 minutes per side. Top with pecan glaze, serve and enjoy the compliments.

Shameless bragging

Please indulge me in some gushing. After years of talking about wantint to write a book, DH actually did. I've mentioned it before, because I just can't stop talking about it. I'm so proud of him and I want it to do well. Plus I think it's a great book. But, of course, I'm totally biased. Here's proof that it's not just me:

This is a review of the Race to Save the World's Rarest Bird, by Alvin Powell
available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

A race that couldn't be won

By Mike Leidemann Special to the Star-Bulletin

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 11, 2009 I missed my bus stop. Even though this book starts by telling you the ending -- the bird, the po'ouli, is going to go extinct -- somehow I got so engrossed in the story that I kept right on going through downtown Honolulu on the No. 56 bus when I was supposed to get off near Fort Street Mall.

Powell, who lives and works in Massachusetts, says he was inspired to write this chronicle of a Hawaii bird that was discovered and lost in the last 30 years after reading a short newspaper article.

"There's something wrong with this," he thought. "Surely, we humans must acknowledge the passing with something more than just a couple of paragraphs."

Maybe in Hawaii we do take such passings too lightly. After all, there are more endangered and threatened species here than anywhere else in the country. But we hear little about the heroic work that is being done to change the situation. Great efforts are being made, millions of dollars are being spent and heroic (and sometimes mundane) battles are being fought every year to change this tide of extinction. But how much do we even hear about these struggles going on in our rain forests or even our own back yards?

Powell's gift to Hawaii is to trace the story of the po'ouli, which was first discovered in the 1970s in some of the wettest, most remote parts of eastern Maui.

Full review

More knitting coming - this cold spell me hankering to knit very warm things as fast as I possibly can!

Obscure knitting reference in pop culture

Have you heard about Arthur? He's walking talking animated critter (an aardvark I think) who teaches children about good, ethical behavior. We usually skip him in favor of Curious George or the Power Puff Girls. But today he appealed to the 3yo.

In today's show, he was referred to a great musician for piano lessons. A friend was warning him how hard the teacher was on students and ended with an ominous mention of the knitting needles.

The teacher ended up "firing" Arthur because he wasn't working hard enough. Arthur was at first elated and then he missed playing so he practiced real hard and tried to get back into the teacher's good graces. After playing his piece and making many mistakes, he saw the teacher get out the knitting needles. Arthur had a terrified look on his face and we were on the edge of our seats waiting to find out what diabolical use the teacher intended. Then he reached in the basket and pulled out - you'll never guess - a pair of fingerless gloves!
"I like to have my students keep their fingers warm," he said, handing them to Arthur.

Now that's what I call a great lesson!

photo fun

Bonnie had a very good point - no photos! I was too busy knitting (and unknitting). I am very happy to report that I am back on track-ish.


Meanwhile, the snow is good for something...

Knitting with cobwebs

I don't remember why I thought it would be a good idea to knit a giant scarf with yarn as thin as a cobweb. And not just any giant scarf - an intricate one with a delicate pattern and beads. This is the Secret of the Stole 2 (set up by the nautical knitter) I started well over a year ago. I'm 85 percent done. I was 90 percent done just two days ago, but after several weeks of ignoring it, when I went to pick it up I discovered I'd done something wrong somewhere and just couldn't fake it. So I went back a few rows. And then a few more... and then a few more!!! How distressingly easy it is to undo hours and hours of work! Zip Zoop Zut done (that's a tribute to the Froggy books, those of you with children might recognize). The reason the stole is still undone is that every row is agonizingly complicated and I know it's hours and hours from being finished. I keep setting aside for simpler projects that can be done quickly - like hats that can be done in a day :)

I'm left wondering if I am cut out to be a lace knitter. I wonder if there are just some things that some knitters aren't meant to knit. Should I just accept who I am and stick to hats and chunky scarves?

Here is what I don't like about this project:

1. There are 99 stitches in a row and every row (except for the purls) is different so there is an incredible chance for error.
2. There are 99 tiny stitches so each row takes an eternity, which means I can only get 10 (20 if you count the purls) done during an hour long show, if I don't mess up and have to tink back.
3. You have to make gosh darn sure you really love the yarn you've chosen because you're going to be spending a gosh darn long time with it. It would be tragic if half way through you start to think maybe it's not quite as pretty as you thought it was when you started.
4. The pattern is so complicated that when you mess up, it's nearly impossible to get back on track without going way back.
5. I'm still working on it more than a year after I started.

On the other hand - there is a good reason I haven't given it up - a bunch of them actually:

So here is what I love about this project:

1. It is drop dead gorgeous. I am unabashedly stunned at how pretty it is.
2. I discovered that adding beads to a project isn't that difficult and it really adds a lot of vavoom.
3. I have learned to read my knitting better.
4. I have gained patience with going backwards.
5. There is great satisfaction at reaching the end of row without error. I feel a little victory every time I get to the end with exactly as many stitches as I am supposed to have.
6. When I am finally done, I will have a wonderful, beautiful stole that will draw many comments and compliments.

I'm torn because there are so many projects I want to try that I tend to pick only things I can finish quickly. On the other hand, there is so much you miss out on if you don't take up longer projects. The problem for me is that unfinished projects hang over my head like a weight about ready to drop and I feel sort of frantic about needing to get them out of the way and not being able to. Maybe what I really need is a change in attitude. I need to accept that there are some things that are meant to just be worked on from time to time. They'll get done when they get done.

Here's my first draft of a serenity prayer for knitters:
Help me to finish the projects I should finish, give me the strength to give up on those that aren't worthy of my time and give me the wisdom to know the difference.

Knitting in the New Year

I had a wonderful Christmas, so this should in no way be seen as a complaint, but there was no yarn in my stocking. Not exactly, anyway. Well, not exactly - dh got my a gift certificate for a yarn shop. The bonus is that it's near where he works so I can have lunch with him when I use it.

But from a practical standpoint, I had no new yarn on Christmas. When everyone else was playing with their new toys, I had just empty needles. It's little like getting a new toy but having no batteries for it!

To fill the void, I dug into the stash and pulled out a lovely ball of purple that was a gift for last Christmas. I have spent a year gazing at it wondering what it was supposed to be. It refused to talk. Not even a hint. But on that day it screamed at me: I AM A HAT. MAKE ME A HAT! And so I did that very night. Thick thin yarn. Big needles. Quick knitting. Even the teens approve, which is a lot coming from them. The 6yo likes it so much she wears it whenever I'm not!

Then shortly after Christmas, I got yarn. Not just any yarn. Silk and merino yarn. From California. From my great friend Allison who knows that I'm not grooving on the cold and snow of New England. The name of the yarn - absolutely true - is Summer Dreaming. It's as lovely to touch as to look at. We had no problems with communication this yarn and I. It told me right away that it wanted to be a scarf. I found the perfect pattern - a lace variation of a bias pattern that I've knit before. It was tricky to get started, but just engaging enough once I figured it out. I finished on New Year's Eve, pretty much as the ball dropped in Times Square. To celebrate the new year, I made a hat to match the scarf. I wasn't quite sure if there would be enough yarn since Santa didn't bring my the yarn meter I requested (again not a complaint - just a statement of fact). It felt like enough and I figured it was worth the risk. As it turned out, I had enough with just a tiny bit left over.

This brings me to another New Year's resolution, however. I am determined to improve my hat sizing abilities. Most of mine are too big - even my nice thick brioche hat, which should be toasty but lets the wind in. those that aren't too big are too small. I'm like Goldilocks searching for the "just right." I do swatch, but it doesn't seem to help. Action: keep track of needle sizes and stitch counts to get a better sense of what is happening. Hopefully this will help me "head off" any problems in the future (lol)

Here is why I really appreciate the name of the yarn - Winter in New England is beautiful but bone chilling and now they say another storm is heading our way - one that might (gasp) force the schools to close just two days after they opened!

Happy New Year

I generally find myself being somewhat contemplative around the end of the year. Actually, I'm like that most of the time but at the end of the year, I have a better excuse. I like to start by looking back and noting how things went. I certainly learned a lot - like when the directions say to knit 5 inches before starting the decrease and you've knit 6 inches - you really should frog an inch even if you're on a serious knitting deadline for Christmas. You can see there results if you don't - a silly gnome-like top. So instead of frogging an inch, I had to frog the whole top! Silly knitter. The result was worth it - a nice rounded top that delighted the recipient.

Thankfully, I remembered a lesson from years past and didn't put too many things on the "must knit" list. There were just the two hats. The pink one was finished on the ride to the party where it was handed over, but it was handed over complete. (Unlike the year I gave my dad a hat with the needles still in the top - I explained that I wanted to get the fit just right).

I also tried something new this year - taking a quick inventory of my favorite projects for the year. I highly recommend that. I found the retrospective made me appreciate the projects even more. My short list includes:
green lace scarf for a friend

felted pink purse for cousin

ruffly baby hat for friend

little itty bitty hats for charity

My other big lesson for the year is that it is okay to frog a UFO. Not everything that is cast on is meant to be finished. It's like taking a ribbon off a kite and letting it fly higher.

Along with contemplation of the previous year comes contemplation of the coming year. Resolutions! My expert tells me they should be lofty but grounded. They should be defined with actions. So here are my knitting goals:

This is the year of cables. I have dabbled in them but now I want to embrace them. I want to understand them and be able to create with them freely.

Action: make at least three items with cables.

Stash collection: I wouldn't call it stash busting since I believe yarn should be collected as much as it should be knit. But I do want to free the yarns that would be better used by someone else to make room for ones I love. This is challenging for a natural-born collector such as myself. I cling to possessions - even useless ones. On some level I think it makes me feel comforted to have an abundance, but it gets to the point of choking me and holding me back.

Action: Donate unloved yarns to good cause.

Sweaters. I have yarn from Italy that is intended for a sweater. I knit a sweater once. It took forever and came out only okay. I have been unable to motivate myself to make another one since. My excuse with this yarn is that I have been unable to find the right pattern. I think I have it now.

Action: Knit the Sweater!

Organization. I have wonderful supplies scattered about the house. I can usually find what I need or I make do with what I can find. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know exactly where everything is?
Action: Clean up messy knitting drawers (again)

I'd love to hear about your lessons and resolutions!

May the coming year bring you many great knitting discoveries and joys along with enduring happiness in the rest of your life.

Merry Christmas

My shopping saga has ended - it was long and drawn out. There were times I was in near tears, but overall, I would have to say I had fun. Not the least bit because I was out of the house while someone else had to deal with the nuttiness that is my family. In the end, there were two crucial presents that won't show up until after the big day. But, the good news is that I was able to find replacements for both for less money!

Now, my fingers must fly - I have one last gift on the needles. Will I be knitting on the ride to the party? Quite likely since tonight will be devoted largely to wrapping all those presents I brought.

I hope your holidays are going well and that your knitting is brining you more peace than angst.

mail order snail order

I thought I would be clever this year and order most of my Christmas gifts on line. Skip the traffic, skip the congested parking lots, skip the crowded malls. It seemed like a good strategy.

But - you know how they say you have two of days to order to take advantage of the super saver rate and have your stuff arrive before Christmas? Turns out, that's not quite right. Of the 18 items I had planned to order, only 1 was expected to arrive by Christmas. My other option was to pay a gazillion dollars for two day or overnight shipping, which pretty much negated any savings I would have had from going to the store. Even to save time and money, I can't pay more for shipping than I would for the item in question!

So much for trying to be organized and on top of the game - I will be out there this weekend with the desperate procrastinators fighting for parking spaces. I can only hope that retailers' desire to dump stock will trump the consideration that shoppers are now desperate and will likely be willing to fork over more dough just to get what they need in time for Christmas! (You don't have to feel sorry for me - I really like to shop so I'm not horribly upset - just hopeful that I can find what I want at a decent price)

I did order one thing that I don't think I will find in the store. The expected delivery dates are Dec. 24th - 30th. This is for the 6yo. Do I:

A) take a chance that it will arrive but prepare a just-in-case note from Santa explaining that he couldn't fit all the toys on the sleigh and one is coming in the mail? or

B) buy an alternate present that I can return if the original arrives in the mail?

I never expected Christmas to become such a high stakes game!

Brioche God Bless You

Is it Green or is it Blue?

My friend Allison mentioned that she was making a brioche scarf and it was like someone had said the secret word that set off a program inside of me: "must knit brioche." I'd looked at the hat in Weekend Knitter any number of times but it always seemed too complicated. Suddenly, it seemed doable. I won't lie - it wasn't easy. I had to start over several times until I finally got the hang of it. But once I got it, it was like the break through when I first got the hang of knitting. It was soothing and exhilarating all at the same time. And then it came time for the crown. I put up an honest fight, but it kicked my but! Once, twice, three times - still not looking right. I was ready to give up and knit in one color but something in me urged one more try. It was like when you look at those magic paintings where you have to cross your eyes to see the 3D image. It just made sense. The big problem, of course, was me and my inability to actually read and follow a pattern.

Now that I'm standing on top of the mountain, I will whole heartily say it was worth it. This is a fun hat to knit and it's warm - which is good since cold weather is headed our way.

The wonders of photo shop

The downside to having five children is that it is nearly impossible to gather them all into one room at the same time to take a Christmas card photo. It's gotten even harder as my older ones turned into teenagers who think it's lame, which is how they feel about most of what I do. I trapped them this year by taking them out to a restaurant to celebrate a birthday. After they'd ordered, but before the food arrived, I popped out the camera. There were a few groans but general cooperation - perhaps they knew the food might never arrive if they didn't comply. Getting them together was difficult, getting them to smile all at the same time proved impossible.

Thankfully, someone invented Photo Shop. And thankfully, I have a wonderful designer friend who knows how to use it way better than I do. And so we have, a nice family photo. Now for the part that I used to think was hard - getting the cards into the mail!

Knitter Spotted

This may be obscure for anyone without children, but others might recognize the show:
Fetch, Ruff Ruffman. It's a bizarre half animated/half real children's show on PBS. A cartoon dog sends real children out on missions during which they learn about the world. My children love it and I don't feel guilty letting them watch it.

So here's the knitting reference - Ruff Ruffman's grandmother was accused of sending her grandson (Ruff's naughty brother Scruffy who is in jail) a cake with a file in it.

Two children were assigned to work with the defense, two with the prosecution and two with the forensics lab.

Meanwhile, grandma knit her way through the show culminating with the miraculous act of knitting a sweater without needles when she was declared innocent.

Now, if they would haver Ruff take up knitting, that would really be something!

Tada

Aside from the fact that it might just be too small for the intended recipient, don't you think this hat is awfully cute? The best part is I had enough yarn! Yeah! There was even a little extra for the tassles! Yeah!

I do like the fun fur stripe - especially because it uses up a left over that I didn't have the heart to throw away but couldn't quite figure out what to do with. Here is what I learned from this project: I decided to do the fun fur accent in knit stitch with a garter stitch border on the top and bottom. It looks better with one extra row of knitting in the main color before changing to garter stitch.

I've already had requests for two more, but they're from the 3 and 6yo who pretty much want just about anything I knit.

The yarn is Knit Picks superwash - very soft and scooshy. Just keep in mind there's only around 100 yards on a skein, so you might need more than you realize.

hats off

Little baby hat = quick project, right?

Not so much, it turns out. This one is supposed to be pretty basic -knit two ear flaps, cast on stitches, knit away. Except that I decided I wanted to garter stitch the earflaps and first inch of the hat. It took way too many tries to figure out how to smoothly transition from knitting the ear flaps on straight needles to knitting the entire hat in the round.

And you know that little voice in the back of your head that whispers, this doesn't look right, it looks to small (or large)? Certainly you've heard that before. I ignored that little voice for far too many rows before reading the directions. I had cast on half of the stitchest I needed!

Then I decided it would be fun to add fun fur for a few rows. It was fun the first time, not so much the second or the third as I settled out which rows should be knit and which purled.

Finally, I'm cruising along. The brim looks great, the ear flaps match and...
(I'm sure you can see what's coming) I'm running out of yarn! It was such a little hat and it was a new ball of yarn so I didn't think to actually check the label and figure out how many yards I needed.

Tonight I will decide to a) order more yarn b) keep knitting and see if I make it or c) add in another color.

At the top of my Christmas wish list is a yarn measurer! I sent the link for one to dh so he wouldn't get confused. It worked with the swift and ball winder.

A novel has been born

My mc (main character) Aggie has gone to camp, gotten lost on a mountain, survived an encounter with a bear, made friends with a lifelong enemy and been rescued. We'll leave her safely at camp contemplating how to accomplish at least one thing on her list - kissing a boy.

All of this in 50,000 words written 30 hours before deadline! :)

Thank you for your encouragement! It really helps to have friends in the cheering section!

I feel like I've climbed the world's tallest mountain - okay, maybe not the tallest one - that would be actually publishing and getting on the NYTs' best seller list - but at least a very tall mountain.

Of course the work isn't over - basically what I have is a roughly formed slab of marble awaiting loads of careful carving and editing to turn it into an engaging, delightful and unforgettable story.

Now, however, it's time to start getting ready for Christmas! A ridiculously long list of knitting projects has been forming in the back of my brain. A couple of hats, a pair of socks, maybe a sweater, a doll or two? And on and on. After all, Christmas is so far away, right? I've learned my lesson in the past - I'm not going to stress. If I have time, great. If not, the shops are open until midnight these days.

Important conversation

A friend of mine who runs a major hospital in Boston has asked me to spread the word about a campaign to encourage dscussions ab--out one of the most difficult topics in the world - How do you want the end of your life to be handled. No one wants to talk about, but it's going to happen and this is a gift you can give to those who will be with you when it does. If they know what you want, then they can feel at peace knowing they are making the right decisions on your behalf. You can read more in the text to the left of this post.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

progress

31,023 words.

Our heroine has hoisted on her backpack and is headed up to the mountians with her fellow campers for four days and three nights to test their survival training.

Among the lessons that the leaders forgot - how to identify poison ivy, what to do in a lightening storm and what to do when you see a bear.

And did you know that water hemlock is the most toxic plant in North America?

On a knitting note - I knitted a baby hat for a friend and the other day she said it's getting too small and couldn't I please make her a new one? I could hardly be more tickled. I've cast on for those moments of the day when I need to be occupied but don't have access to a computer.

I hope all your Thanksgiving preparations are going well. I don't have to host, so I'm off the hook, but my thoughts are with all of you who are furiously cleaning and cooking or planning to cook. May all your efforts be rewarded with a great celebration.

Writer needs inspiration

I'm past the 20,000 word mark on the 50,000 word novel. Although I have more than half to go, I feel I have crossed over the top of the mountain. Still a few peaks to go, however, and I need some help.

I need some inspiration. My story is about a 10 year old girl at typical camp in New Hampshire. Mountains on one side, lake on the other. An out of control fire on the first night consumed the high ropes course so now the campers are going to have survival training and overnight camping trips in the mountains. She also likes a boy who has been hanging around with her arch enemy - a snooty rich girl who never has to wash the toilets like the other campers do.

Anyway, I want to add some realism so I'm looking for memories. If you've ever been to summer camp, please share with me your best or worst memories of it. I'm looking for specific events as well as generalities such as how you were dismissed from the campfire or how the day was structured. I'd also be interested in hearing about any odd personalities you encountered. You can leave them in the message section or email me at jennifer.news@gmail.com. In exchange, I will send you a copy of the novel when it has been edited. If it is ever published, I will also send you a signed copy.


On a totally unrelated note - there is a great website called futureme.org where you can write a note to yourself to be delivered at a later date. I've done it twice. It is wild to hear from yourself about where you hope you will be.

Happy Socks

I received the nicest compliment today. I wore my new stripey socks to a business meeting. My client not only noticed them, she told our designer that my socks made her happy!

I guess it was worth the months that it took me to make them. I could have gotten them done faster, but they were mainly a take along project. I'm very happy with the short row heels - this was my best attempt ever. The method that I used called for using markers rather than relying on counting - much better. I also took the trouble to make sure the stripes match. I totally support knitters who don't need to bother with that step, but for me personally, I'm happier with matching stripes.

I usually like ankle socks, but now that I'm wearing them, I think maybe longer is better for hand knit socks. Next pair - which I will cast on in December.

I'm at 18,651 words on my novel - behind, but still within hope of finishing by the end of November. It is really hard in the evening when I have just a couple of hours before bed and I have to choose writing over knitting. The reality is, this novel will never come to be if I don't and I have some characters who are demanding that their story be told.

Winter Knits

Something happened when the weather started to turn colder - I suddenly felt compelled to knit warm things. All summer I kept thinking I should make some mittens or a couple of thick scarves to get ready, but I couldn't find the motivation. Then suddenly there was this primal urge to cast on wool. First there was the hat with the lace edge and now matching half mittens. I adapted the edging pattern and then turned it into ribbing. The whole time, I kept looking at the dwindling ball of yarn making plans for what I would do if I ran out. I made two at a time using the magic loop method so at least I would run out in the same place. I had just barely enough. I'm sure there is a more scientific way to figure out if there is enough yarn for a certain project, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Next up is the calorimetry from Knitty 2006. I've had my eye on the pattern for many months, but always had something else to do first. I have been wearing my hair up lately and every day for the last month I've grumbled to myself as I pull on my hat that it's time to get to this pattern.

Yesterday, I finally did.

I highly recommend the pattern. It's a fun knit with short rows for shaping. And it's quick - I finished it in a day thanks to the NE Patriots pushing their game into overtime ( it would have been nice if they could also have won, but at least they showed up). I was cutting it close on the yardage for this one as well. I was going to do stripes at one end if I ran out, which I think would have looked nice. As it was, I had enough with about three yards left over. Hmmm... is that enough to at least start a pair of half mits? The yarn is Lamb's pride worsted - a totally dream to knit with.

My gauge is loose however, despite having knit 2 needle sizes down. It could be me, but I choose to blame the yarn.

And finally, I'm sharing my latest kitchen adventure. These are cinnamon rolls using a recipe from the Penzey spice site. I discovered why the directions say to cook them in a muffin pan. Apparently, they are not supposed to spread out into a sort of pancake like shape. Still, they were absolutely delicious due to the vibrant taste of the cinnamon.

The reason I was making cinnamon rolls was to try out the cinnamon, which came in a surprise box of spices from my good friend Bonnie who sews great things and knows I like to think I can cook. She has some great recipes on her site if you're looking for something new to try.

And yet another project

It's November. For thousands of writers that means it is time to write a 50,000 word novel. Not necessarily a good one. Not necessarily one that anyone will ever read. The most important thing is to finish it by the end of the month. Then you can go back and turn it into a masterpiece.

The idea is to blast through writers block, overcome your inner editor and free the story teller.

I really don't have time to do this. And yet here I am for a second year, stuffing writing into the thinnest cracks of time in my hectic life.

I'm a writing about Aggie, a ten-year-old who has left her bustling city life behind for two blissful weeks in the forests of New Hampshire at summer camp. She's planning to finally pass the swim test so she can go to the dock in the middle of the lake, climb to the top of the camp's tall pole and kiss a boy for the first time. She's headed for way more adventure than she expected as her cabin heads up to the mountains for an extended hike.

I thought about having aliens land in the middle of camp but decided that was just a little too far out. I'm a journalist so any sort of fiction writing is a stretch for me. I have a hard time straying away from the things that could actually happen. Maybe next time.

For the record, I did not go back and edit the novel I wrote last year. I still plan to. I don't know if it's good enough to sell or if anyone else would be interested in it. I had fun writing it and I really like my main character.

What I really like about Nanowrimo (National Novel Writers Month) is the challenge to do something beyond the ordinary. It's a chance to push myself in a way that I don't get to do very often. There are times I would rather just watch television, but inevitably, once I start writing I get totally lost in the story and hours pass by.

I'm already behind - to keep the pace, you have to write 1,666 words a day. I'm at 10,591. I think I can catch up, however.

I felt like I needed to declare publically that I've taken up the challenge again. That way, I am more accountable. Hopefully, someone will be watching to see if I make it and that will make me try harder.

Movie Review High School Musical 3

The story is simplistic and completely predictable. The songs sound about the same as the ones in the last High School Musical movies. On the other hand, there is no swearing, the dancers are fully clad and the choreography is fantastic. Another bonus: The movie absolutely mesmerized three 6-year-olds and sent the 3yo dancing in the aisle, which alone was worth the price of admission.

There are, however, few yarn items of interest - a floppy hat made of what looked to be tiny granny squares and a crocheted rainbow skull cap. Not a single scarf or sweater throughout.

Verdict? Okay if you need to entertain someone under 12; best to go with another adult so you can exchange comments a la Mystery Theater 2000 to make it interesting.

Movie Review

Dh and I finally got a chance to sneak away for a movie! With all the kids and all their activities that is a rare occurance.

We were looking for something funny and not too intellectually demanding. Zack and Miri Make a Porno was the closest we could find. There were no worries about it being too intellectualy demanding but it was only so-so funny. At least there were some fabulous hand knit and crocheted items to hold my attention. The characters wore several scarves and hats throughout the movie so it became like a game - is that crocheted or knit? Most of them were made with bulky yarn. They appeared to be handcrafted, but no one in the movie was shown making them. Too bad - that would have made the movie interesting!

As it was, it's disappointingly predictable. Not worth the price of admission.

Halloween Happiness

The costume indecision lasted right up until the night before Halloween! In the end, the 6yo rediscovered her old witches hat and decided that it would be perfect. Due to the earlier costume plans, she ended up being a witch with pink-tipped hair.

The littlest one had multiple parties so she was a

cowgirl, a cheerleader and for the actual day, a butterfly princess - she was supposed to be just a butterfly, but was upset because people kept saying she was such a lovely princess. The easiest remedy was to change the label of her costume and shove a candybar in her mouth! Cause in the end, it doesn't matter what the costume is - the candy tastes the same.

You can only imagine my surprise when I heard said 6yo rummaging in her candy bin the next morning at 6 a.m.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"My homework," she said as if I should have known.

Her assignment was to count all of her Halloween loot, sort it and make patterns. It was amazing how interested she was in school work when it involved candy. She got 72 pieces while trick-or-treating. That doesn't include the stash she grabbed while walking down in the center of town.

She wants to be catwoman next year, she told me today. I'm tempted given the sales, but then again - I'd have to remember where I put it and then there's the fact that she changed her mind 60 times or so this year!

I can knit that scarf in three days or less

Maybe. Our aunt's surprise birthday party is Saturday. On Thursday morning dh asked what we should get her. Suddenly it occurred to me that I should have knit her something. Maybe it's not too late - the felted bowls are fast, I can make a hat in a day, maybe a scarf? There's no time to shop so I am limited to what's in the stash - not much that isn't already committed. My rational minds screams at me - you're on deadline, your mother is coming in to town, it's Halloween tomorrow - DO THE MATH - there aren't enough hours between now and the party. But, just a quick lace scarf? NO! Just one felted bowl? Maybe, not really. But I know I can finish a wash cloth in two hours.

In the end, I decide my rational mind is right - I must finish the articles that are due. I don't need the distraction and pressure of slamming to finish a project when I should be enjoying Halloween. And I want to give mom lots of attention since I don't get to see her very often.

Thankfully, everyone else in the family is kicking in to hire the birthday lady a personal trainer. I'm off the hook. Christmas, however, is just a few weeks away...

Can you measure the severity of the coming winter by the number of hats a knitter feels compelled to knit in the fall? The leaves are turning, the air is crisp and I am driven by some inexplicable force to knit hats. It started with the little hats for the Innocent people then I knit the hat I'd been contemplating for my husband for months. There's was another for my secret pal and then one for Cori and one for me. And I've got a hankering to make more!

This one for the 3yo is by far the most fun of the whole batch. She designed it herself. She picked out the pink yarn from the store and then she went stash diving. It was fun to watch - she knew exactly which ones she wanted and which ones she didn't. Then we had to settle on the design. She turned down so many that I thought she didn't really know what she wanted. Finally, I drew out every possible shape and brim combination I could imagine. Right away she pointed to one. I showed her the drawing three more times, just to make sure. By the last time I think she thought I was totally scatter brained to not be able to remember which one she wanted! The only problem is that I almost don't want her to wear it because I'm so afraid she'll lose it. She has a habit of taking her hats off and walking away.

Mine is a lace edged cap with beads added for a little extra glamour.

I learned something about hat decreases - I didn't follow the patterns since I didn't have it with me. Instead, I decided to just wing it. I had 84 stitches, which meant starting the decrease with 6 groups of 14 stitches or 14 groups of 6 stitches. I chose the latter. I should have chosen the former. My top is okay but it's a tad bumpy because of having so many sections.

The yarn is Ella Rae, which I bought a long time ago to make a felted bowl that I never got around to making. I'm glad, because I love it for the hat. It's soft and comfy. A joy to knit with and to wear - I think it will be anyway. Ironically after my hat knitting flurry, it hasn't been cold enough for hats!

Soon enough, I'm sure.

Halloween Part II

Just three days later:

Mom: Okay, so you want to be Hanna Montana, you have the boots, we can make you a cardboard guitar, what do you need for clothes?

DD 6: I don't want to be Hanna Montana any more. I want to be Tinker Bell.

The organized mother in me (she gets lost a lot, but she is there) wants to run right out and get the costume to check it off her list, but I've got a feeling that she'll be changing her mind.

Halloween is on the way

It's that time of year again - that time when children drive their parents crazy.



What do you want to be this year?
I don't know.

How about a cat? We have the ears from last year.
No.

How about a princess? You could use that gorgeous blue dress?
That's boring.

How about a Robot? We could make a costume out of boxes?
That's dumb.

Well what do you want to be?

Hanna Montana.

Why?
Because that's what my friend is going as.

How about something more, you know, creative?
No.

But Hanna dresses just like you do, it's not like wearing a costume at all.

I don't care.

Red Sox Nation Rejoice

Forgive me my fellow Red Sox fans. I had lost hope. Down 7 to 1 after a demoralizing 13 to 4 loss to the Rays in the previous game, I figured the season was over for our beloved team. I should have known better. Our team has a history of charging from behind. And yet, sometimes I'm a slow learner. Tired from an extremely long day, feeling unable to emotional handle watching a losing game I went to bed.

All thoughts of the game were lost the furious rush of getting everyone ready for school this morning. You can only imagine my surprise when I heard the D.J. say to someone, "well anything can happen, look at the Red Sox last night." What? What? Could it be? Was is possible? Dare I even get my hopes up?

I turned to the news station and it was confirmed. This beaten down, injury-wracked team had pulled it off again! Of course this wasn't the final game and they still face an uphill battle. But I am so impressed that they're still in. And I'm really kicking myself for going to bed and missing what was by far the best come back in decades.

To me, this isn't just about baseball - it's about life. Don't give up. It may look grim, but Big Papi may just have another homerun in him, so hang in and keep swinging.

Go Red Sox!!!!

A cooking mystery

The meatballs tasted fine, but there were green flecks throughout. Those same green flecks appeared in the apple pie, which also tasted fine.

What could possibly have happened?

Bugs? No.

Crayon? A possibility given our household, but no.

Food coloring? We haven't even had any around since last Christmas.

Ingredients:
Meatballs: meat, garlic, cinnamon, mace, egg, bread crumbs.
Pie: apples, sugar, cinnamon, mace, flour.

Think you know the answer? Check comments.

A mighty big thank you

I do not always look forward to getting the mail given that there are always more bills than checks. Besides, who writes letters these days - we all email each other. But on one particular day recently is was thrilled to see the mailman because he was carrying a special package just for me all the way from Finland. My wonderful secret pal, now revealed to be Hanna, had sent me some very soft lace yarn, some delicious candies, a darling book with babies and animals and this gorgeous shawl that matches not only my dog, but nearly everything else in my wardrobe. Before becoming a knitter, I thought of shawls as being sort of for the antique set, but now I appreciate how chic they can be. And this one is a lovely shade of blue in a stunning pattern. Plus, I feel so special when I wear it because someone made it just for me.

Speaking of feeling special - I am loved. My good friend Allison in California has nominated me for this oh so nifty award - Thank Allison! Go check out her story about cheerio chai - too funny.



Here's the deal - it's my turn to nominate four other other fab bloggers -



Here are the instructions:



1. Post the award on your blog

2. Post a link to the person who awarded it to you.

3. Nominate four other bloggers

4. Add links to the bloggers

5. Notify the recipients



So here are my nominees - be prepared to travel around the world!



1. Say bonjour to Anna. Her blog is in French, so you may not get all of what she's saying, but the pictures are gorgeous.



2. Check out my Secret Pal revealed. Hanna blogs from Finland.

3. For a fun take on parent, as well as knitting and living in Alaska, fly on over to Holly Jo's blog.

4. For the best socks ever - and some really cute bags and other things, skip on over to Monica's Works for Yarn.

And on a final knitting note - I've been meaning for many weeks to knit a hat for my husband for his birthday, which happens to be today. So why did I wait until the day before to start it? Well, mostly because I thought it was two days before -- I just didn't (apparently) have a solid grasp on the date. Other than that, I had been planning on buying yarn for the hat but never got around to it. When the deadline loomed, I dove into the stash and found a healthy supply of Cascade 220 from some former project and plenty of a gorgeous verigated yarn hand spun by another former secret pal at Saratoga Knits. The pattern is That Chocolate's Gone Straight to Your Ribs, which is worth knitting just for the title alone! The only adjustment I made was to knit 90 stitches instead of 100 on size 5s.

I realized halfway through the day just how close to the deadline I was and kicked the knitting into high gear. I managed to finish without too much effort in time for bed. Heck, maybe I should cast on a scarf - I have a few more hours before the birthday is over. Maybe not - I do have to make a cake after all!

Pure Mutt, Pure Fun

Check out this handsome pup. And isn't that a lovely collar? It's sturdy too. And I'm not just saying that because we won it in a blog contest!

It was run by a fellow knitter and dog lover at Lapdog Creations . Check out her blog for photos of some darling dogs and some fun knitting.

Pure Mutt is a line of dog and dog lover products to promote the adoption of homeless shelter dogs. A portion of the proceeds goes to support Abandoned Pet Rescue. A good dog deserves a good home, right?

We really needed a good collar since he'd worn his on a recent roll on a dead fish. It took several washings just to get the smell of him.

Watson is a tennis ball addict. He will play for hours - maybe longer - we always give up before he does! If he can't find a whole ball, he'll settle for whatever tiny piece he can get his teeth on. The saddest thing is when he chews them until there is a tiny hole and then brings them out to the water where they sink. He doesn't understand the concept and swims around looking for his ball!

On the day of these photos, we had reasonably warm weather and the sun was shining bright. My 3yo rediscovered her witches hat from last year and is just as thrilled with it as the day we found it in the store! She was going to be a princess for Halloween, but has switched to being a witch.

The bigger kids are hunting for crabs. Much to the crabs' dismay, they found quite a few.

The

CJ's Apple Sauce

I have bought apple sauce all my life and never given it a second thought. I just sort of thought there was some super secret complicated recipe and it only came at the store. (My grandmother is roling over in her grave with that confession). Enter the 3yo. She found a book with pictures of people eating apples in all sorts of ways. Not being able yet to read she got it in her head that it had a recipe for apple sauce since there was a picture of people eating it. She was so excited about making apple sauce that I couldn't resist.

It turns out that not only is the recipe not secret - there are lots and lots of them and the basic ingredients are apples, water and sugar! It couldn't be easier - aside from the need to cut and peel a bunch of apples.

Of course I could have just picked a recipe, but I decided it would be more fun to take bits and pieces of a bunch of different ones. Here's what we came up with:

8 apples (cored, peeled and cut into pieces)

1 cup water

1/2 cup of brown sugar (can substitute white)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon all spice (or cloves)

Mix together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. At this point the apples will be so mushy you can probably just mash them all with a fork. Otherwise, put it all in a food processor.

Serve hot or let it cool. I'm sure it would taste good cool - ours never made it that far. It was devoured almost as soon as it hit the table. In fact, it was all I could do to fend them off long enough to get the picture.

My 6yo has declared that we should have nothing but homemade applesauce from now on because all that store bought stuff is "lame." I don't have the heart to explain that although it is tasty, all that cutting and peeling is going to be reserved for special occassions!

You can leave the peels on, we tried one small batch that way. I liked it but the kids gave it a thumbs down.

I have been knitting - I'm still working out my sock phobia. I'm on my third pair for the year. Two at a time, magic loop. The toes went smoothly. The feet were fine. The stripes of the self striping yarn matched perfectly.

Then the heels. I'm trying a new short row method that has you place markers after every wrapped stitch. Much, much easier than relying on counting. But after I started knitting in the round again, I discovered that my perfectly matched stripes were no longer perfectly matched! They are off, just a bit - could be the yarn, could be that I knitted an extra row on the heels. I hope that it's the yarn or that it won't matter - I really, really don't want to go backwards!

Here we are all ready for Halloween! The 6yo and a friend and the 3 yo dug out our stash from the basement (by themselves) and went to town on the porch.

What to cook tonight

Since I've been working from home, cooking dinner has become one of my jobs. It's kind of funny since I grew up on hamburger helper, tacos in a box and chop suey from a can. It's even funnier because I don't really care all that much about food. It's not that I don't appreciate a good meal - it's just that I'm perfectly happy with a peanut butter sandwich. So one would think I'd be content to designate a dinner a day and have done with it - Macaroni and Cheese Monday, Taco Tuesday, etc. But not so. I have an inexplicable, deep desire for different. It's like wanderlust in the kitchen. It's a curse and a blessing. I'm constantly making discoveries - some tasty, some not so much. Tonight, we stumbled on one that was a big hit with all but the 3yo:

I'm calling it Adventures in Hamburger Casserole
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and a total of 50 minutes to cook

1 pound hamburger
2 cups of rice (uncooked)
1/2 an onion chopped fine
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 to 2 cups of vegetables (I used broccoli - corn would also be good)
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese plus 4 tablespoons.

Heat the oven to 375.
Start the rice (two cups of rice and 4 cups of water for my family of 7) Add a beef bullion cube for extra flavor.

Brown 1 pound of hamburger and onion
Once rice is cooked, combine it with hamburger, soup, vegetables and rice in a casserole dish. Top with 4 tablespoons of cheese
Add 2 tablespoons of water

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

The 15yo says its better with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top after its served.

I think it would be good with tomato soup or maybe cream of celery. I suspect that it's a fairly flexible recipe. But then, I'm from Wisconsin so I'm of belief that if it has cheese in it, it must be good!