Friday, December 23, 2016
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
a cowl
For Sinterklaas my sister got me one skein of yarn. She really wanted to give me enough to make something big, but was shocked by the price. She did tell me where to find more, but I liked the idea of just using that one skein and made myself (another) cowl. Since we don't have really cold winters here, I hardly ever use thick wool cowls. But I do have a jacket that doesn't close all the way up, so something to keep my throat warm would be nice.
(I used a free, online pattern for this, but I can't find it...)
Fun fact: when I told my sister what I made (a few weeks later), she said she thought that skein would keep me occupied most part of the winter. Does it show she's not a knitter? ;-)
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
yarn along
joining Ginny's yarn along
Knitting: I cast on a hat last Monday, but this morning I frogged it. Too small. Oh well, it was the distraction I needed at that point and I'll cast on another hat with that soft grey yarn soon. But first I'll start something with that lovely green yarn my sister gave me.
Reading: The girls got me that magazine. I love looking at cozy pictures like that, though I learned the hard way that it doesn't translate too well into my own home and life. I'm also reading another Nora Roberts trilogy and when I finish that I look forward to read some Christmas stories.
So what are you knitting/making and reading?
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
On Tuesday
I know, I'm a day late. But yesterday was hectic and I still wanted to join the fun. so here's my Happy Homemaker's Tuesday.
As I look outside my window:::
sunshine! It's cold and frosty. I love that. So much better than our usual rainy days.
Right now I am:::
At my desk and my bigger screen since we discovered that my laptops screen is giving me headaches. Also, it's better for me to work from a set place, not from the couch.
Thinking and pondering:::
Hmn, I'm not sure if I should elaborate on this, but I'm partly thinking about family, what to accept lovingly and where to draw lines. And partly about how much priority writing should have in my life. That has been a struggle ever since my first book came out. Balancing ambition (sell more books, make a living writing), reality (I do make money with it, but very little. I do have a publisher and readers, but I'm not at the top of any list) and other important life goals (my marriage, my family, my home) is really hard for me.
On my bedside table:::
Just my alarmclock, but it's running slow (right now it's 17 minutes behind - oops), so I never really use it. My husband has an alarm at his side of the bed and we get up when it goes. It's one of those alarms that starts with a light that keeps getting brighter. It doesn't beep, but plays birds singing louder and louder when it goes off. I have a love/hate relationship with that thing.
On my tv:::
Nothing. I don't even feel like watching youtube.
Playing on the radio:::
Radio 10. They have the Top 4000 right now, running from Nov. 30th till Christmas Eve. The higher numbers are fun to listen to, because a lot of them are forgotten songs that somebody decided to vote for. And getting closer to the top, it's more and more great songs that I love to hear.
On the menu for this week:::
I really don't know. I have some onion stew left over from yesterday, so I guess today I'll add some veggies and have an easy meal. I'm craving simple meals, just mash or something like that, so I guess that's what we'll eat for a few days. We have some great plans for the weekend and will be eating out a lot.
On my to do list:::
- Clean up after Sinterklaas festivities (Saturday we had my extended family over -11 people- and yesterday our own little family -5 people-, fun but messy)
- Some bookkeeping tasks (taxes)
- Deciding on and finishing the last posts for the year on my writer's website
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
I started a hat yesterday to help me through a difficult group conversation (knitting helps me to focus on what's being said, and protects me from channeling other people's feelings). I also want to start working on a cowl from the lovely skein my sister gave me.
My simple pleasure:::
cleaning up after holidays. I love remembering how much fun we had with every piece of paper I pick up.
Lesson learned the past week:::
That I need to be honest to myself. Even if that means that I can't please everyone.
Looking around the house:::
I think it's good that I already decided to make cleaning and decorating it a priority these weeks. Ahem ;-)
From the camera:::
Quote:::
You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They're the things we carry with us. The things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain. (Captain Kirk - Star Trek The final frontier)
As I look outside my window:::
sunshine! It's cold and frosty. I love that. So much better than our usual rainy days.
Right now I am:::
At my desk and my bigger screen since we discovered that my laptops screen is giving me headaches. Also, it's better for me to work from a set place, not from the couch.
Thinking and pondering:::
Hmn, I'm not sure if I should elaborate on this, but I'm partly thinking about family, what to accept lovingly and where to draw lines. And partly about how much priority writing should have in my life. That has been a struggle ever since my first book came out. Balancing ambition (sell more books, make a living writing), reality (I do make money with it, but very little. I do have a publisher and readers, but I'm not at the top of any list) and other important life goals (my marriage, my family, my home) is really hard for me.
On my bedside table:::
Just my alarmclock, but it's running slow (right now it's 17 minutes behind - oops), so I never really use it. My husband has an alarm at his side of the bed and we get up when it goes. It's one of those alarms that starts with a light that keeps getting brighter. It doesn't beep, but plays birds singing louder and louder when it goes off. I have a love/hate relationship with that thing.
On my tv:::
Nothing. I don't even feel like watching youtube.
Playing on the radio:::
Radio 10. They have the Top 4000 right now, running from Nov. 30th till Christmas Eve. The higher numbers are fun to listen to, because a lot of them are forgotten songs that somebody decided to vote for. And getting closer to the top, it's more and more great songs that I love to hear.
On the menu for this week:::
I really don't know. I have some onion stew left over from yesterday, so I guess today I'll add some veggies and have an easy meal. I'm craving simple meals, just mash or something like that, so I guess that's what we'll eat for a few days. We have some great plans for the weekend and will be eating out a lot.
On my to do list:::
- Clean up after Sinterklaas festivities (Saturday we had my extended family over -11 people- and yesterday our own little family -5 people-, fun but messy)
- Some bookkeeping tasks (taxes)
- Deciding on and finishing the last posts for the year on my writer's website
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
I started a hat yesterday to help me through a difficult group conversation (knitting helps me to focus on what's being said, and protects me from channeling other people's feelings). I also want to start working on a cowl from the lovely skein my sister gave me.
My simple pleasure:::
cleaning up after holidays. I love remembering how much fun we had with every piece of paper I pick up.
Lesson learned the past week:::
That I need to be honest to myself. Even if that means that I can't please everyone.
Looking around the house:::
I think it's good that I already decided to make cleaning and decorating it a priority these weeks. Ahem ;-)
From the camera:::
Quote:::
You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They're the things we carry with us. The things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain. (Captain Kirk - Star Trek The final frontier)
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