Ann on Why Blog Reading is Bad for You and can Lead to Fever & Chills …..

Posted by ann

Fever symptoms:

somehow, somewhere I followed a link from someone’s blog to 101 Cookbooks. I read the recipe for frozen yogurt and her love for her Krups ice cream maker. In that moment, I became convinced that I too needed a Krups ice cream maker. right now.

A quick internet searched led me to the conclusion that people LOVE their Krups La Glaciere ice cream makers. And to the other conclusion that Krups is no longer making that model. ah, the agony!

I was almost heartbroken until I discovered this Cuisinart ice cream maker on sale at Williams Sonoma. Actually the price isn’t all that stellar, but that extra bowl tie in is irresistible. A quick call to my local Williams Somona store confirmed that they had them in stock. And wasn’t it convenient that I had to run to the mall anyway??

so let’s see, I read about them at 8:00 am and owned one by 11:30.
this is the chills part

I made that frozen yogurt recipe at 101 Cookbooks last night. I used greek style yogurt as they recommend. It was fantastic.

Today’s pig is one that I made with my own two hands. Many moons ago I took a pottery class and made this guy.

~Thank you everyone for your kind words about my canine drama. Life has gotten back to normal around here for the dogs except for the jingle of their new collars and tags~

Posted by ann

Bonnie & Clyde

I think I have only just now recovered from some terrible excitement here on Friday. I had two runaway dogs!

Poe and Bridget were missing for at least five hours. During that time I drove around the neighborhood crying and screaming out of the window for them. I went through half a tank of gas.

It all started when I decided to try starting the lawn mower. I thought the dogs were outback. I spend a good part of my day holding the back door open as the dogs trot back and forth between the house and the yard. The mower started right up, which was a huge surprise. As I was mowing the lawn, I thought it was strange that Poe wasn’t making me crazy with his ball but figured I must have let them back in the house as some point during the morning. So I finish with the lawn and then immediately go to let the dogs outside.

Lucy is the only one at the door. Hmmm. I run through the house yelling for them, run through the back yard yelling for them, back through the house this time looking behind closed doors, back through the yard. No dogs. And no apparent signs of escape either – that is still a mystery although I am suspecting it could be a faulty gate latch.

The only time I wasn’t driving the neighborhood was when I was driving home, hoping they had made their way back. Many people told me they had seen them “just about 45 minutes ago” so I knew they were sticking together. On one of my trips back to the house, there was a message on my answering machine. This man saw someone putting up a sign about finding two dogs and then drove into my neighborhood and saw my signs about losing two dogs!

Poe and Bridget managed to get very lost and ended up on a very, very busy road. (I hate to even think about that part.) Luckily for me and them, someone stopped and took them home. Until this weekend I did not have collars on the dogs – I heard that collars could collapse a pug’s trachea so I use harnesses when I walk them. I was also under the misguided impression that they couldn’t escape from my fenced yard. After spending Friday hysterical and searching for them. I spent a good part of Saturday buying them collars and tags.

Anyway, they are home now thankfully. Poe does not seem to know or care about the magnitude of his transgression. When I went to collect them, there he was laying in the middle of the good Samaritan’s yard chewing on a rawhide. He did not even bother to get up to greet me! little bastard. When we got home, he thought I should start throwing his ball for him right away. Bridget however, was very glad to see me and seemed quite relieved. At least one of them has some sense!

more hex coat ….

Posted by ann

I started the other front of my Hex Coat. The pattern does not tell you to do this. While I was working on the left front I had some doubts about the length of this coat but no one was around to measure me. So I put the whole thing on hold and started the right. It turned out to be a very smart move.

The pattern schematic says that the length of this from shoulder to hem is 40½”. It falls to the model’s knee. I measure 37″ to my knee. Further, I looked at other sweater coat patterns (in Big Girl Knits) and they are all 37″. I absolutely do not want this to be longer than my knee – as a matter of fact, I am not completely sure I want it all the way to my knee.

So I got out the old calculator and figured out my row gauge. I am going to rework the directions for a finished length of 35″, leaving a bit of room for it to stretch as I wear it.

I am also pleased to report that the moss stitch continues to not make me crazy!

another yellow pig!

Posted by ann

Where have I been??

Here. Go and see – you may never come back. Just remember who sent you …..

Ravelry is a new website and I think it is fabulous. If you read this blog for the knitting (snort – yes, I did hear how that sounded, and yes, coffee just came out of my nose) you are going to love Ravelry – I will let Jess and Casey, the brilliant creators explain just what exactly Ravelry is …..

“Ravelry is a place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, and dyers to keep track of their yarn and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration.

The content here is user- driven; we as a community make the site what it is. The Yarn Harlot wrote recently about Representing, showing the world the power of our community, and I believe that on this site we can really show the strength of our numbers and the depth of our creativity.

So what can you personally do on Ravelry? You can talk about your own projects, integrate that information into your personal website and contribute to someone else’s project a world away.

If you are not a blogger, we give you a great way to share and show off your projects, participate in -alongs, and socialize with other crafters. If you are a blogger than Ravelry is the perfect complement to your online journal; it provides structure and organization. All of your information is easy to enter and easy to find. You will not need to update your own FO album again- it is all here on Ravelry!”

So go ahead and check it out, sign up, or if they haven’t opened the sign up yet, then request an invite!

just remember who gave you the pigs, we’ll always have that won’t we?