Another yummy night at Hot Rods

 beer flights

 brisket cheese steak

Curt's chicken bacon something

Resurrected an afghan started in 2008!

I was in a swap in 2008, with beach themed squares that we would add to to make a cotton beach lapghan or afghan.  This projects has lingered in the back of my projects for some time.  In the last two months I have made 3 more, and am going to try to finish this summer.

These are the blocks I have left along with the yarn (I still have scraps that I may have to use to make borders to build up some of the smaller ones)

 
 

Quick note

I wrote the last four blog posts this past week, and apparently never published them - so apologies if they all hit you at once.

Mysterious

Mysterious: This Magic Moment / Search for Love / The Right Path by Nora Roberts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Needed a quick easy escape book. This helped.



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Tempting the Highlander

Tempting the Highlander by Janet Chapman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Robbie McBain is all grown up and settled in his role as a Guardian. He has several foster boys that no one else wants to take in. He now has to travel back in time to where his father came from to try to save his clan. In the process he meets Cat (Catherine) running/hiding from a violent ex. One word ended my fantasy of traveling back to those times. Bedbugs. shudders...

The side story was heart wrenching. Ian McKeage wants Robbie to take him back so he can spend what time he has left with his wife who his heart has stayed true to for 35 years. Robbie figures that even tough he is going 10 years forward to where Ian left, the aging will be about equivalent. Ian has 4 days to say goodbye to everyone without actually saying goodbye. hearbreaking.



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Totally the wrong book for me to read right now.  I read it right in the middle of 5 days to say goodbye, and I was bawling.  Of course I spent about a full week crying anyway so can't just blame the book.

Prophetic Rose Bush?

My already weird rosebush got all excited about the warm weather back in march and started leafing.  Then we had a snowstorm, hail, freezing rains and deep frosts at the beginning of the month.  I really thought this was the end of the bush - all the leaves died, shriveled and a plant without leaves can't make food from the sun.  I was sad but it fit the gloomy melancholy mood I was in. Now that spring seems to be here for real, new leaves are popping out. 

Hoping the same goes for my mood. (although work seems determined to keep me pissed off, and to top it off they've gone on a firing spree when we are shorthanded to start)

Bleeding Hearts

My bleeding hearts are blooming..echoing my own heart...

A Girl's Guide to Moving On

A Girl's Guide to Moving on is the sequel to Last One Home, but can be read as a stand alone ( I spent half the book trying to figure out where I read the beginning of Leanne and Nicole) Leanne had been turning a blind eye to Sean's years of infidelity but can't stand by when she discovers her son Jake is cheating on his wife (whom she considers her daughter) and the thought that Owen her grandson would follow as well.

This book picks up with the two women living across the hall from one another, Leanne's divorce quick and easy, Sean was almost relieved, it's been 2 years and Jake is doing everything possible to drag out his divorce to Nicole. (Of course he meanwhile has a string of floozies going through, and doesn't seem to spend a lot of quality time with Owen.)   Leanne and Nicole came up with a list of rules to help them survive and move forward with their lives.




   
1. Don't allow yourself to wallow in your pain. Reach out. Volunteer. Do something you love or something to help others.


2. Cultivate new friendships (they quickly discovered that the country club set were not their true friends.

3. Let go in order to receive.

4. Love yourself

Even though Leanne's settlement left her comfortable, she takes a job teaching English as a Second Language at the community center where her star student is Nikolai, who bakes her bread because he cannot use words to explain himself.  Nicole while substitute teaching to pay her bills, volunteers at a thrift shop helping women prepare to enter the workforce.  The day her divorce is finalized she absent mindly backs into a ditch and Rocco with his tow truck pulls her out.

These two men make Sean and Jake realize too late what they have lost.  Sean's illness causes Nikolai t o walk away, while Jake threatens a custody battle causing Nicole to walk away.

Won't spoil the ending but it isn't what I expected. 

I'm betting book 3 is Nicole's oldest sister finally discovering her husband's secrets....

Unexpected Cables

Unexpected Cables: Feminine Knitted Garments Featuring Modern Cable Knitting by Heather Zoppetti

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great patterns! Picked the book up because of the Fulton Shrug on the cover. Really love it, but I would never wrap my neck like that. I may however make Steven's Vest, Safe Harbor Cowl and Rapho socks.

Love all the patterns! Well written, while I haven't actually tried knitting the patterns yet, reading through them, they seem easy to follow.




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Nothing finished but... startitis hit!

First I started my METS Shawl : (the orange/blue beaded one I discussed last week)

I'm using the pattern Luciole:

The yarn and beads is working well, I did have to redo a few times.  There is one block where there are 2 purls but that isn't listed in the legend and I thought the gap was created when I blew up the chart so I ended up short stitches the next patterned row.  The other thing is this pattern's chart is all on one page!  You couldn't read it with a microscope!  I had to blow it up 250% and I still had to blow up the 2 stitch from one and 3 stitch from one symbols on the screen to see them!  I was able to figure out the 3 was only used on the border/edge and the 2 was only used in the field, but still!  Either way I'm liking it!

I'm also making a Ghost Dance shawl ( summer scarf) with Manos Alegria in all the colours!!

3 things day 6

1.  Carl's back!!! 

2.  Managed to kick Braun's from 6th in line to first (in all fairness, I was going to settle for 3) 

3.  The ANgie can come to Sat night's Devil's game with me!!

A Numerate Life

I found out after reading this book ( I follow Paulos on Twitter) that my daughter actually had him for Math class at Temple!! (I'm kind of jealous - I think his class would be fun)







A Numerate Life: A Mathematician Explores the Vagaries of Life, His Own and Probably Yours by John Allen Paulos

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Not an autobiography although there are autobiographical pieces, somewhat cynical of biographies as a whole, interesting approach to applying math to real life (there is actual maths saying you will not be the most popular person on your chosen social network) Geometry shows why it's weird and bland and boring to be "normal" but don't worry very few of us are!


Really enjoyed this book - will be reading his prior books when I get a chance



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New 3 Things Day 5

1.  Thor threw a 99.9mph sinker!  (gods to I luv him)

2.  Devils game fun even though we lost.

3.  I watched 2.4 min of basketball with Curt!!

Train Like A Martian!!

The Mars Generation is hosting this event April 18-24th, the final day being the day British Astronaut "runs" the London Marathon on the International Space Station.  It is raising awareness that while STEM education is important to the future of space travellers, Space is a hostile environment and astronauts will need to be fit to meet the challenge.  There are many school and youth groups participating - as well as older nerds like me. 

It is also a fundraiser for The Mars Generation :


TMG works to excite young people and adults about space and STEM education through three primary programs. The Future of Space Program is a worldwide outreach program designed to gain excitement about STEM and build support for human space exploration. The Student Space Ambassador Program encourages teens and young adults to share their excitement about space exploration with their own communities. Finally, the Space Camp Scholarship Program provides financial backing for young people who lack financial resources but show an aptitude in STEM to attend Space Camp®.

So, everyday from April 18 to 24th there will be a challenge issues (not sure if I'll get them all done on the assigned day because of work) 

More info if you're interested:

 http://themarsgeneration.org/train-like-a-martian/

New 3 Things Day 4

1.  Carl may have called out, but at least they didn't send Gerry.

2.  Cust came in with picture of his baby (really - they all look like aliens, but I said the requisite "adorable" "precious" and "must look like your wife...."  basically to thank me because I got his install booted up 2 days, and the baby came the day after.

3.  Since I anticipated working late on Wed,  I left an hour early.

Crafting with the Angie

If you're on PINTEREST you know, it can be a huge time suck, and you end up wanting to try a zillion things.  One thing I posted several different links for are solid lotion bars.  ( I first noticed the existence of these by shops advertising on Ravelry)  So, over a double boiler we melted beeswax ( holy crap that's hard to cut up - I really wanted the beads, but Joanne's only sells those online and Michael's doesn't have them - since we decided that morning to do them, we had to buy a block)  we had about 33% more coconut oil than beesewax, and then added some vitamin e oil and a relaxing essential oil ( chamomile, lavendar and frankincense ) ok we picked that because the frankincense amused us.  We first melted the wax, then added the coconut oil.  When everything was melted we took it off the hot water and stirred in the two oils.  Then we used a dollar store ice tray and a mini muffin tin to mold.

 Then we wrapped them in cellophane, and gave them to my mom, sister and SIL.

The ice cube ones are a bit small - but they work great on heels and feet.  like the mini muffin size - may find  a mold next time.

There were other recipes that the base is wax, coconut oil and either shea or cocoa butter in equal parts, then the oil.  Couldn't find the butter, may have to order online because I really want to try that version as well.

New Three Things Day 3

1.  Had enough time I left work at 1pm!!

2.  Got to watch the race with Curt.

3.  METS are back!!! 

Three Things new Day 2.

1.  FINALLY got to work with Fred since coming back to work! ( I think they schedule us apart on purpose)

2.  Got to week 10 on my Scoreboard scarf (that's week 10 of the NFL season - yup way, way behind) 

3.  The library finally had Jordin Tootoo's book available for me!!

Starting over on the Three Things List.

1. I almost ran over the new (my old) DM with about 600lbs of carpet...

2.  I may be a PIA but Frank Luvs me!!

3.  Week is over (well I still have 2 days but Friday still good)

Dinner