Cheaters

I don't cheat. At least I try not to. But when it comes to cooking, I cheat. I am so lazy. I use to make my own bread. I even ground the wheat! For breakfast Bruce just wanted toast and juice. So I gave him fresh homemade whole wheat bread and fresh squeezed orange juice. Then I had kids. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Yes, that fast. Four kids in less than four years. It was all I could do to keep treading water.

Last week was Heidi's birthday. and we had planned on going out to dinner. (I had asked her what she wanted - to eat out or have a homemade Greek dinner. She said, "whatever is easiest". Ha Ha Ha Ha! Choke and splutter.) Well, we went to an Indian restaurant that Bruce and I had been eyeing since last summer. It was well worth the wait. Delish! There was even leftovers for the next day.

Then, for Heidi's cake Bruce wanted to stop at Save-on on the way home and get the family favorite. (Sort of a last birthday gift) The cake we wanted was $21! Shock. So, needless to say, we did not get it.  That left Heidi without a cake. It was a Tuxedo Cake - really good too.

The day after her birthday I took out this from the cupboard.
1st cheat.

German chocolate cake. Betty Crocker too! Wow! Right up my alley. (I use to make her recipe from scratch.)

I knew I had cream cheese (cheat 2) to make frosting and wondered if I could incorporate pecans and coconut into that and somehow make an authentic-like frosting. Hmm. No pecans. 

Cheat 3: almonds

We had those in the cupboard.

I was getting lazier by the minute...Having been to Wal Mart to pick up some mineral oil I happened to go by (read: search for) the icing. Cream cheese frosting! And it's Betty Crocker too! I think I'll try that.

Cheat 4:

So into the oven the batter goes and comes out looking like this:

Not bad. But when I turn it over it crumbles a bit. 

Not a problem because I would use it for the bottom layer. I patched it together and so really, no cheat there.

 Almost done.

Almond cream cheese frosting on a German Chocolate cake. Voila!

With Candles. Cheat 5:  2+7=27, right?

I'm so lame, but she loved it.

Best Cleaner Ever! Vinegar Dawn

I have never used a cleaner that I like as much as this one. JoAnne told me about it a couple of months ago and I have used it ever since.  In fact, I cant wait til my other cleaners run out because - yes, it is that good. I wish I had pictures of "before" and "after" but you can go on-line and see lots of them.

I cleaned my sinks, tubs, toilets, showers and counters. A week later I came back to clean my sink and it looked like it had just been cleaned!

The formula: 

1 Cup white vinegar

1 Cup blue Dawn dish soap

In a spray bottle heat the vinegar for about 40 seconds in the microwave. (This helps the dish soap to dissolve, I think)

Add the dish soap

Spray on dirty surfaces and leave for 5-10 minutes. 

Wipe clean.

I usually rinse as well.

Try it. You will never go back.

Diet Days

I'm on a diet. Again. Here's my dinner.

Tilapia and asparagus

It was really, really goood!

No-Slow Computer

Still no new computer. And this laptop is getting slower and slower. I can type almost a whole sentence before it shows up on the screen...sometimes.
Remember this?

Well, I made it into a shawl. It just about zipped off the needles because it was so "luscious" to work with.

Update:

Boneyard Shawl

Hemlock Hat

I made this hat. I really like the pattern. I still do. But the hat is too big! I'm thinking of putting some elastic in the bottom - maybe a strand or two...or three. Something should be done because I really, really like it and want to wear it but it falls over my ears when I put it on.

I actually started the above hat as a blanket - the hemlock ring blanket. Wouldn't you know that as I got to the end of the skein I realized I only had one skein! This was not the yarn I had planned on using. The yarn I planned on using came from Beach Basket Gift and Yarns. I bought a few balls and kept going back for more because I loved the color so much.

Felix helping out a bit as I "swift" my yarn into a ball.

The finished ball.

Amazingly enough, the yarn matches the quilt Janet made me. 

Stack and Wack by Janet

Now to find a bedroom to redecorate!

Traveling Again

Sitting here waiting for B to finish up what he has to finish up before we can leave. Yes, we are off again. This time to see LeAnne in Regina. We thought we would make the drive one more time this year before the snows fall and make the roads impassable. We could fly, I suppose. But there are some in this family that do not like to fly. And it's not me.

We bought Nate and LeAnne a milkshake machine! After hemming and hawing on my part Bruce finally bit the bullet and bought them the machine. I was thinking of maybe a pair of socks for her birthday.

Hmm. Which would you rather have? I guess it depends on whether you're not on a diet or whether you're cold. Could you have both?

Well. B found out I was all ready to go and found some things to keep me busy until he's ready!

Singing on the Beach

Our Siberian Tiger and an Orange Wallaby

He told us he wants to be a Siberian Tiger. We had just watched a YouTube documentary on the Siberian Tiger and he stole this yarn from the basket.  Just add a little orange to that black and white.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcWyyyms07w

Crash!

What do you do when your computer crashes? I guess, if you have unlimited funds, you go out and buy a new one. We don't have unlimited funds. We took our computer to London Drugs last week and had them check it out to determine whether it was worth fixing. We were told that it could be adjusted a little and maybe last a month or six months. At first, we didn't want to hassle with a computer that might or might not work in six months. This was important because this is not a fun computer even though we did "fun" stuff on it. This was a "Work" computer and had lots of important files (like pictures) on it. But in the end we bought a new laptop. After getting it home and messing around with it for a while we took it back because we really didn't want to spend the money at this point in our lives. (If it were up to me, I would get rid of computers and go back to the Stone Age - with my Kitchen Aide - but that's another story.) So, back to the original computer that might not last six months. It didn't. It lasted a week. Then crashed. Three times. In one hour. Grr. (In case you are wondering, I'm using my old laptop and haven't figured out how to configure Picassa on it yet. Haven't even tried). It's a good thing I didn't delete my pictures that I last uploaded to the old computer even though I did re-size, did brighten, did manipulate the pictures to make them as perfect as possible for our website.

The house where B was born and spent the first eight years of his life - in Winnepeg.

Just for fun - because there are no suitable pics for this post and because B will be home in a few minutes from picking up his glasses (another reason we cannot afford a computer today or even next week) so we can go over the border to buy yummy sour dough bread - and get a pizza.

Is it Spring Already? (A January Post)

I was having lots of fun making these little hexagons. At first I couldn't get the concept as to how they fit together so I tossed logic out the window and just did what the pattern told me to do. I thought I was knitting upside down and backwards but no, it all worked out.

When I finally got four together I tried it on my foot. Oops! It was way too big! I asked H to try it on her foot. Hmm. still too big. Then I did what i should have done in the first place. Measure. Sure enough; each hex diameter was too large by 1/4".  What to do with a lei of four hexagons?  I don't know, but I hope I won't need the yarn to finish the socks I'm going to restart. Just in case I do need it though, I'll leave the four hexes together for the time being.

I looked out the back window in time to see our yard full of robins! I wonder if they got mixed up because we had not had a cold spell yet here in the lower mainland until this week. Maybe they thought it was spring because the weather held up so well.

You can't really see but there must have been 15 robins in this tree.

And just as many on the ground.

Cats on a Hot Tin Roof

The girls thought it would be fun to see whether Felix would be afraid of tin foil. Not only was he not afraid he thought it would be good place to sit awhile and take a bath. I'm guessing they thought he would dance or something.

"Amazing"

When I first saw this yarn I thought it was beautiful but way too expensive. But when Micheal's handed me a 40% off coupon I knew just how I would use it. The pattern: One Day Beret. So simple even I had no trouble. (I would give yourself more than one day, though! It takes me at least two days to finish this pattern.)

Then! Micheal's gave me a coupon for 50% off. And another coupon! And another! Now I have four balls of the most luscious yarn in a green colorway. I'm thinking of making a "One Day Beret", some finger-less mitts and a cowl or scarf. Here's the yarn. Lovely, green, and so squishy.

A Visit From South Korea

When some brethren from South Korea came to visit last year we were privileged to go out to dinner with them. We were persuaded to order this after much cajoling from our host and Mr. Shin. One whole lobster, complete with "nut crackers" and pics. Bruce and I shared this meal, for your information. And it was delish!

Mr. Shin and his wife also got the lobster.

Hannah and Mr. J were a little more conservative with steak and fish.  

Rob, Peter and Walter flabbergasted by their meals. 

Kasia, Wayne and Jan digging in.

Some of us got dessert. Certainly not me!

I can't remember, but I think we rolled out of the restaurant.

Tea at Susan's

My List

The first thing I pack or even think about before I go on a trip is: What knitting project will I bring? Do I need to bring two? three? How long will I be away? Two nights? Two weeks? Do I need reading material in case my fingers get tired? Having settled that I need two projects for every night I'm away and two "How To" books and one current knitting magazine I am then ready to pack my bags for non-essentials like medication and clothes. So what if I forget a pair of shoes and have to wear my flip flops instead? Or if I forget my tennis shoes for walking (heh, heh) Or even if I have to wear a shirt two days in a row? (Won't happen. I always over pack when it comes to tops). As long as I have my therapy knitting...

I'm good to go.
BTW just looking at this yarn makes me want to knit this: mitered-baby-jacket. Oh, to have grandchildren.