I Don't Think I'm Going To Post To The Blog Today

Dear Readers,

I don't think I'm going to post to the blog today. I don't feel like writing. I've been busy spinning and I made some wicked decent yarn out of the red Portland. I'm pretty excited. That, right there, is an example of understatement. It's drying now, 140 yards of it. After it dries, it will be delicious for mittens for the Warm Hands Along.

Before I leave for my deposition this afternoon, I might cast on for the scarf that I'm going to test-knit in Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool. I should have taken a photo of the good red yarn AND the evidence that I finally figured out how to use the niddy-noddy (hey, don't laugh. I was seriously concerned that I had not yet demonstrated the mental faculties to do it), but I was too lazy to track down the camera. I took it with us this weekend, but never used it. I remember dropping it in the garage and picking it up on our way in, (don't worry; it has a padded case) but I have no idea where it ended up. Am I bad? 

Yes, there was certainly some snow in Utica and environs. Seventeen and a half inches of it, when last I checked the Weather Channel from the comfort of our B&B before we came home. They don't call that place the Snowbelt for nothing. We only hit it in the last hour and a half on the way there on Friday. The last hour and a half, I should add, that should have taken 15-20 minutes under normal conditions.

Driving was a bitch. The Native Vermonter (that would be me) made the Bostonian (that would be David) get the hell OUT of the driver's seat so we could get there in one piece. (ha, I just realized my double meaning in the previous two sentences. Guess I'll just leave it, since I'm not really writing a blog entry.)

The blizzard continued through dinner, which we ate at the college dining hall, together with parents from Texas and Georgia who were pretty much shocked and awed into silence, having just endured a bit of the same driving we had. And when we parked in the visitors' parking lot and trudged through the snow to the theater in snow blowing at gusts of up to 30 miles per hour, I was damn sure glad I had my new blue hat to wear. It worked, and it was perfect, in case you're wondering.

While at the school town, I had another wonderful visit with Lee.  I brought her Lana D'Oro yarn and a lace scarf pattern. She was thrilled. Odds are the scarf is done by now. She is one incredible woman. She showed me the replica of my brown felted bag that she did last spring. It is incredible.  And she had chosen the most marvelous pewter dragon brooch for the front of it ("It's just something I had"), and she had put a piece of wood in the bottom of it to give it a nice flat, sturdy bottom. I could almost cry. She is such an inspiration. I can hardly even believe it.

Amazingly, on the drive home, the roads were clean, after we left the little college town itself.

During the drives to and from, I finished the back of the Ribby Cardi. I expected to cast on one of the fronts yesterday, but then all this spinning and lazing around and the idea of test-knitting a scarf for a friend came up. Mostly lazing around, come to think of it. Anyway, I also just about finished (with about six more rows to go) the brown-and-tomato-red scarf. It is very appealing, colorwise. I may have to make myself one in that color scheme, maybe in alpaca or something. I'm collecting quite a good pile (thanks to people sending me stuff) of items to bring in to Kaleidoscope for their knit drive.

I cast on, knitted, ripped out, cast on again, knitted again, ripped out again, a hat that I was trying to make. Since the weekend success with the new hat, I thought a nice brown and beige hat made of my handspun chocolate brown alpaca and the alpaca yarn my Better Pal sent me would be nice. But the pattern I was trying was lacy, as I was trying to extend the yardage. The yarn is sportweight. I looked at it and felt it, and I thought it was foolish. I decided to order more yarn so I can double it and make it warmer. It was like putting fishnet stockings on my head. What's the point, unless I want to maybe rob a bank or work in a hamburger joint or something?

I am concerned about my spinning wheel. It seems to literally eat oil, and it is oftentimes hard to work. And it makes noises. I think it needs something. Perhaps it needs to be looked at by Dave. That Dave. It probably just needs some minor adjustments, or maybe it needs some parts replaced. I don't know. It just doesn't seem quite right.

Well, anyway, when I feel more rested and perky, I'll write an actual blog entry. Updates later.....

Fond regards,

Norma

P.S.  Has anyone else been craving gingerbread for a couple weeks, or is it just me? Perhaps it's time to do something about it.

Comments

[Kit Knits]

Yes, definitely no blogging here. *laugh* Cute. And yes, I'm dying for gingerbread, but then again, it's 2am and my stomach is going HEY! WHERE'S BREAKFAST?

[Dave Daniels]

I can understand, based on your weekend travels, that you are not up to posting today. Besides, you have spinning and knitting to get to.
Regarding you wheel-do you ever take it apart and wipe it down, and re-oil it? Sometimes you just need to clean the old oil and gunk off it. Also, check for stray fibers wrapped around any moving parts. Those merino fibers can float around and get stuck in the weirdest places. (Liken it to beach sand. I'm not saying more here about that subject.) Just like a sewing machine and thread, you just never know.

[Cassie]

'Wicked decent'? Is that proper English?

[margene]

I love it when you don't blog;-) My craving this time of year is egg nog, especially in latte form.

[Kathleen]

Speaking of egg nog lattes...I was craving gingerbread on Saturday but it had nuts on it at Starbucks--so I passed it by. That driving sounds horrible.

[Cara]

Oh Norma! Don't worry about not blogging if you don't feel up to it. We all understand.

Now I want gingerbread men. Crap.

[Lee Ann]

At least you're getting your exercise treadling ;-) But do us a favour and don't wear your typing fingers out, okay? because this not posting stuff...well, we can only go on so long this way, you know. Norma Withdrawal and all that.

[JoVE]

Sounds fun. Good call on getting the guy from Boston out of the driver's seat in a snowstorm. Glad you are finding time to knit and spin despite your crazy workload at this time of year.

[Teresa C]

I'm craving hot chocolate and peppermint bark. BTW-Could you not post again tomorrow?

[Scout]

You crack me up! I never hear anyone say *wicked* anymore out here in New Mexico. Also, you are more than welcome to come visit and get away from the snow whenever you'd like. I can't handle cold and snow anymore!

[--Deb]

Well, I'll miss your blog for today, of course, but really, I understand perfectly!

[Carole]

Some people just don't get the concept of wicked good, do they? Now I want gingerbread. And Chex Party Mix, too. It's the most wonderful time of the year . . .

[Katy]

Yes to gingerbread. Pumpkin gingerbread. Mmm....
My wheel eats oil too. I think it's okay.

[erin]

hmmmm...I'm glad you shared with us how you didn't want to blog, and all. It was a very Cassie thing to do. :)

[jpt]

Am working my way through the set of gingerbread recipes in the Fanny Farmer Baking Book. The sour cream one is in the lead so far, but am very curious about the pale one with no other spices besides ginger.

[Isela]

Definitely no bloggin, LOL. I love gingerbread.

[Cathy]

Yep, take apart the wheel, clean all the gunk out then reoil and reassemble. Or reassemble and reoil. Something like that. I have to do that periodically with the newer wheels. The 30 yr Clemes and Clemes has been there, seen everything... I should paint a t-shirt on it :-) And please, knock it off with the gingerbread reminders... this is a tough time of year for a diabetic.

[cari]

Well...I wasn't craving gingerbread before, but NOW I certainly am. Thanks, Norma.

[Chris]

Driving was a bitch - love it!!

[Lene]

So, you drove, yet found time to knit on the way?

Are you sure that's safer than letting the Bostonian drive?

[Elizabeth]

I am making gingerbread biscotti this afternoon if all goes well. Next time when you don't blog, remember to find the camera and take pictures too, okay?

[Beth S.]

Nigella Lawson has a very nice gingerbread recipe. Hers has icing, with lemon zest in it, I think. I made it last year for the office Thanksgiving potluck, and it was a big hit.

[k]

Pumpkin gingerbread? This is something I have to look into. This could veer off into molasses cookies, you know.
We aren't getting snow. We're getting cold. It was -5f. this morning. Snow would make more sense.

[Carrie]

Is there ever a time I don't crave gingerbread? I must say that Sonic, if you have them, makes wonderful Gingerbread blasts. It's sortofa thick milkshake with gingerbread crumbled in it. Maybe it's a little unseasonal for Norma, but just right down here by the Mexican border, where we were wearing shorts all weekend.
Oh yeah, and Eggnog Lattes RULE. (I just finished mine, and I want more.)

[Caren]

It's a good thing you didn't blog today.

I, too, have been craving gingerbread cookies. How can you not during the winter season?

[Marcia]

Oh, crap! I've been waiting all weekend, and now you decide not to blog?! I've been thinking gingerbread waffles ever since I stumbled onto Rachel Ray over the weekend. And trying to find my old Martha Stewart Christmas book for the gingerbread house....but I probably threw that away when they threw her in the slammer.....

[Rachel H]

so sorry you didn't post today. and now wondering where my sudden craving for gingerbread has come from...

[Tish]

My daughter's lacrosse team was sponsored by a local store called "Wicked Smart Lacrosse" and she and I cracked up her fellow Colorado teammates by pronouncing it like her Worcester ("Wuhsta"), MA born and bred Grandma does- Wicked Smaht. By the second practice, the girls were complimenting each other on their "wicked smaht" passes or goals, and the girls on the other teams were looking a little confused. I satisfied my gingerbread craving somewhat with some Bahlssen Pfeffernusse (little iced soft gingerbread cookies) washed down with hot Celestial Seasonings Madagascar Vanilla Red rooibos tea, liberally laced with (fat free) half and half. MMMMMM! I hope the kids didn't find where I hid the rest of the bag! Oh, and I sent for a hockey camp brochure/application from Hamilton. My kids were hoping to go back to NY this summer to visit their friends, and my favorite yarn shops are calling....

[Laura]

LOL! I'd love to see the entry when you ARE in a posting mood.

Try Sonic's Gingerbread blast. Chewy, lightly seasoned gingerbread in soft serve ice cream. A pure diet wrecker.

[Marcia]

I don't think I'm going to leave you a comment, today.

[Kay]

Dear Norma,

Glad you gave yourself a well-deserved day off from posting. Surely you will return, rested and restored, tomorrow.

Until then we are just dying to know what's been happening with you, and not just in some sketchy kind of terse, curt, non-existent NOTE on the back of an ENVELOPE-type post. xoxo Kay

[Mia]

Norma, my favorite gingerbread recipe is the one from the King Arthur cookbook. although if I am making it to take to the fire hall for a donation, the box stuff works. But I now need to go and check and see if I have all of the ingredients to make some gingerbread tonight because it is snowing right now. And snow equals gingerbread to me.

[liz]

I'll make you a deal, you listen to me complain about snow and I won't make you come down here in August.

[Laurie]

My wheel is also misbehaving. I have to find a Schacht expert. I've twisted and pulled and adjusting everything I can adjust and nothing changes. It won't take up the yarn. Poor husband has to wait for his hat.

[Sharlene]

We just made HUGE gingerbread cookies this weekend. Photographic evidence available on my blog!

[Chris]

Hmm, although it's bitterly cold here (Minneapolis, MN), I'm not sure I'd want to trade for that much snow...

[Kristen]

gingerbread, or gingerbread men? Both are two of my favorite things, year round, but are much easier to justify now. (especially with fresh whipped cream and lemon sauce.) Stephanie, the Yarn Harlot had gingerbread for an event (a birthday?) and hasn't yet shared the recipe. Think you could tease it out of her?

my grandparents used to pay a 3-5 year old me pennies to say "wicked good." There's nothing like a four year old lisp...