knitorious

Ten on Tuesday: On my mind

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things On My Mind Right Now

1. It's my birthday!

a. It's also Election Day and, thank you universe, that's *almost* the best present ever! There were 17 messages on my answering machine at last glance. (I am voting this afternoon.)

2. California Dreaming! I had such a great weekend away.

3. Big waves! They were amazing, the weather phenomenal.

4. Time! Time! Time!

5. Snow. (It's in the forecast.)

6. The upcoming quiet weekend at home. It's so much rougher when my day off is on a Monday... the weekend seems *so* far away!

7. Thanksgiving.

8. Christmas is even starting to creep.

9. The holidays are going to be weird this year -- making the best of it, planning new things.

10. Practicing... mentally packing and re-packing my suitcase (with an emphasis on packing light) for a first-ever mid-winter vacation to someplace warm.

 

Traveling knitter's progress

Cast on first mitt at Green Bay and was nearly finished upon arrival at San Francisco. I finished it off last night after a busy day, and cast on the second for the return flight. Progress isn't quite as good, but I'm in Minneapolis and am working the thumb gusset and that's not bad. Full report on my birthday get-away is coming!

Accommodations

We're on a houseboat! It's absolutely amazing.

Alioto's

Dinner at Alioto's on Fishermen's Wharf made a wonderful ending to arrival day. Two more full days and lots of adventure in the Bay Area before winging home again on Monday.

Sticky fingers

Last night was the last of the 2-session "Vintage Collage" class that my friend and I took together to celebrate our birthdays.

We each had our own set of tables on which to spread and sprawl. Here's mine as I continued to snip and cut and play around with my design. It's been rearranged and glued, but there is still some finishing work to be done. I love that we each painted and distressed a frame for our finished piece.

The only complaint, as it were (and we all wrote about it on the eval), is that I wished the sessions had been a week apart instead of only two days. Not enough time! Interestingly, that's what the instructor originally had in mind, but she was overruled by the powers that be.

It was a lot of fun, though, and I'm so glad we did it! I'm looking forward to building my collection of raw material and making more. I have a nice sharp scissors, a glue stick, a big bottle of Mod-Podge, and I know how to use them!!

Snip, snip!

 

On the needles

This is Eisig-Warm. I bought the colorful yarn at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool in September -- I'm not sure who the vendor was and the yarn didn't have a tag, I just remember that it was called "Pansy" and that's all I needed to know. It's beautiful, very soft, and I'm gonna say alpaca.

I've already started a few different projects with that yarn but none of them sang. Eisig-Warm has been in my Favorites for a while and thought I'd give it a try. How hard could it be to find companion colors with that palette? I cast on and knit the first section, then went stash diving.

Well, it's harder than you might think! It took several tries to come up with this arrangement. I really thought I'd find something in among the stashed odds & ends -- one of those extra hanks of Cascade 220 that I used for St. Brigid, for example (it looked "okay," but not great).

I decided to check my meager store of hand-dyed in a weight that would work and Lo! It's sort of freaky how well these go together. I'm quite a bit further now than the picture shows -- that yellow really pops, but I'm thinking it will all work perfectly once wrapped 'round my neck.

A little pop is good, right?

In need of some travel knitting, and quite smitten with Margene's new Ragtops, I know I ran across some marinating stash that would be perfect for another pair (or four). I have two pair already, one in each cuff variation, but both in the same rather bright yarn!

At this time, I'd like to thank President Barack Obama for visiting Austin-Straubel International Airport in Green Bay this morning instead of tomorrow morning!! I'm taking wing for a quick birthday weekend get away -- any guesses where?

 

Setting the stage

Tomorrow, November 1st, marks the start of NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month, the baby sister of NaNoWriMo/National Novel Writing Month). I have been a NaBloPoMo participant in the past (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), successful in daily posting for all but one or two of those days, and I shall give it another go for 2012!

I think I'll have enough to talk about... or to show. There's at least another post or two about food/diet that I'd like to share, there's some upcoming travel to talk about, there's a birthday and an election (all on the same day!), the Thanksgiving holiday, some knitting and dyeing, and the usual various general everyday run-of-the-mill blather...

Here's to the next 30 days!

I snapped this pic of last night's sky while waiting for the light to change. I was on my way to the first of a two-night community ed class called "Vintage Collage." I have always loved collage, and timing was perfect to take it with a long-time friend; our birthdays are a week apart and we're viewing this as a gift to each other as well as to ourselves.

Snip, snip! The paper is flying and creative juices are flowing!

And I felt my first twinge of carpal tunnel-type discomfort in the middle of the night after an evening spent doing fine cutting -- it's been AGES since I've felt that! It hasn't been bothersome at all today, though, so that's good.

More tomorrow...

And the next day...

And the next day...

Heh.

 

Ding*Ding*Ding

We have a winner! Angie left the 20,000th comment on this blog! I've known for a while, but kept it under my hat -- hard as that was (so excited!) -- because I also knew that Angie and I were planning a get together.

And that happened last night! We met at the coffee shop for dinner, lots of gabbing, and a little bit of knitting. Thanks to Ali for taking the photo, something we only manage to remember every 5th or 6th time we meet. Angie's holding her "prize" yarn -- Make.Do Realize Sport -- and you can also see the ball of Cascade 220 Heathers on the table that she was swatching/playing with. Gorgeous color!

I was knitting hexies. At sixes and sevens with every other project I have underway, it seems, hexies are the fall-back project. Also very portable.

I'll be running over to school tonight to pick up Maddy for the weekend. It's been a while since she's been home! School is going *very* well, she picked up a part-time job, and doesn't have her car there, so we're not seeing her very much.

I have a few things on the docket for the weekend, including some kitchen/food prep -- because planning is EVERYTHING and lack thereof was keenly felt this week. Also making "lupper" (like brunch, except it's a combo of lunch + supper) for all the kids + new future son-in-law on Sunday before Maddy goes back.

I'm looking forward to putzing at home, working in and warming up the kitchen -- all of a sudden, it's chilly again! Definitely fall.

Thank you to EVERYONE who reads and/or comments on this blog. I wouldn't be here without you. It's true.

Happy Weekend!

 

Ten on Tuesday: Sweet tooth

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Favorite Candies in My Trick-or-Treat Bag

The world might shift a bit next Wednesday if I make it through my first candy-free Halloween. I am highly motivated, having lost another 3 pounds last week, and even though a good candy bar is tempting... emphasis is on "good" and, well, Halloween just isn't special enough!

I was very surprised at the loss last week! Not that I did anything different, it's just that I'm waiting for a bump or to land on a plateau -- that's the way it's always been! This steady downward trajectory is kind of blowing my mind. I'm waiting for my body to say, "Whoa, it's been a fun ride, but we're just going to hold here for a bit a regroup!" We'll see.

So, ever since I was a kid, these have been my favorite things to find in my (or my siblings' or kids') Trick-or-Treat bags (though many of them were so much better back in the day... sort of disappointing in comparison).

1. Mounds

2. Almond Joy

3. Three Musketeers

4. Peanut Butter Cup

5. Milky Way

7. Snickers

8. Kit Kat

9. Smartees

10. Kisses

Did you used to spread out all the loot on the living room floor and trade with your sibs? Or beg your kids to share?

 

The ring

It's my grandmother's!

I used to wear it all.the.time when I was in high school... at least until my mother saw it and would make me go home and put it away. So pretty. So romantic. Grandma died when I was 8, and this was one of the most tangible things to evoke what few memories I had. It's such a teensy tiny yet very sparkly diamond, and the filigree setting is just beautiful.

In other news: What in the world am *I* going to wear?? Most mother-of-the-bride dresses make me want to barf. I want nice but not too dressy, and with a vintage flair? I have eight months...

 

Ali's getting married!

I've been accused on occasion of burying the lead, so there... I said it!

After a bit of a whirlwind romance with a guy she's technically known for.ever, he played his guitars at the coffee shop one night last week, closed by singing a song he'd written for her, and then popped the question!

It wasn't a complete surprise to me -- Ali told me that they were planning to get married (this just made it official) and I gave her/them my grandmother's ring -- but it's still somewhat... I don't  know... everything.

I've never seen her happier.

Save the date: June 15th.

 

Well.

I'm pretty sure I have the best blog friends in the history of blogging. They're encouraging and supportive and sure know how to make a girl feel good.

Thank you!

And to put a little frosting on that wonderful cake (that I won't be eating right now unless it's a very special occasion), I found a number that I *do* like, such as -20.6 as of this morning! That brings a little light to an otherwise dreary day!!

Randomly...

I walked down to the old Eagle Mill/proposed new library on Thursday night and the beautiful sky, above, was one of my rewards on the way home.

I made the best -- and easiest -- roast chicken ever last week. I had a nice little chicken from Trust Local Foods, and it turned out great. I don't know how (or if) that recipe would work with a larger bird.

My sister started a Rio blog last June and has finally made her second post -- with help from Mack. It's adorable, so you must.

No farmer market today -- we planned it that way and, what do you know, it's the only Saturday morning this whole season that I've awakened to rain!

Next week is the last of the season in our little 'hood and attendance will definitely depend on the weather, which could be anything from 30F to 70F (or even 90F!)... you just don't know at this time of year.

I've been adding to the listings of currently available Make.Do yarns -- Realize Sport, Be Fingering/Sock, and Compose Lace. The process(es) shall continue over the weekend as I continue to slowly ease into this little endeavor. So far, so good!

 

It may start with food...

*sigh* ...but it doesn't end there.

My doc wanted me to have a 6-mo follow-up glucose test and mammogram, and those happened yesterday. I wanted to do them both in one visit, so was up super early on my day off to make it happen!

Blood was drawn by 7 a.m. and I had an email around 8:00 alerting me that the results had been posted. I love that!!

What I didn't love were the results.

Now, in my personal, very humble and utterly non-medical opinion, my initial reading of 106, while technically in the prediabetes range, was not too far off the mark (the high end of "normal" being 100, the point of no return 126). I didn't think there was cause for freaking out, but I did start to watch what I ate -- at least be aware -- and, particularly, to be more aware of the hidden sugars in the foods I ate.

Eventually, as established, I implemented a huge change in my diet a couple of months ago wherein sugar, dairy, and all grains were banished... except for that drip of half & half and few grains of sugar in my coffee every morning, and a few sweet treats when we were on vacation. I also buy and cook "real," "whole" food and rarely buy anything processed. The only cans I've opened are sardines, salmon, olives, and artichoke hearts.

It may seem extreme to some, but I feel that I am thriving. I feel great and it's actually super easy -- I can just ignore about 90% of the grocery store every time I walk in. I've been making more use of a local food business that specializes in "local" -- I place an order for eggs, meats (everything from free-range chickens to elk and bison, to uncured bacon), seasonal produce, butter and pick it up a few days later. Phenomenal and I hope they grow and grow!

Anyway, I have seen some amazing changes in my body -- some big, some small, all huge:

• Elimination of chronic edema. It was most visible in my ankles and feet, but I'm sure it was all over. Seeing my ankles again, day after day after day, after so long -- and pretty much thinking that I never would -- is just thrilling. Being able to wear my rings is wonderful.
• Increased flexibility.
• Fewer carpal tunnel problems.
• Weight loss -- 19+ pounds, so far; though as I checked my medical record today, I see that the highest weight recorded at the doc's office 6 months ago was 8 pounds higher than my current benchmark... so, we could maybe even say 28 pounds lost in the last 6 months! Couldn't we?
• SAY WHAT???
• Watching the visceral fat disappear. My friend and coworker told me the other day that it seemed as if I was melting... it's not quite like that, but sort of! My bowl-full-of-jelly belly is still there, but it is definitely smaller; and the fat deposits on my upper arms that sort of bugged me are finally disappearing, the dreaded back rolls are going down.
• I wake up in the morning and I just feel more lean; literally, like it does sometimes disappear overnight. I put my hands on my hips, on my leg, touch my face -- and I *feel* different. So good.
• Improvements in my skin. Not just on my face, either. I've had chronic problems with dryness and scaling on my feet, probably even some form of athlete's foot, and I just noticed (now that it's sock weather and I "see" them more often) that my feet feel much smoother -- like, wow, are those mine?

I was looking forward to yesterday's re-test, fully expecting the results to be stellar -- gold-star worthy -- and so was pretty disappointed in 103. I don't know if the call from the nurse later in the day to follow-up was truly sanctimonious, or if that was just me... Whatever.

If there'd been chips in the house, I'd have eaten them... maybe. There's chocolate, and I unwrapped it, stared at a square of it for a few minutes, and then put it back. I've done better than ever so far this month, and just couldn't blow it -- not in anger and frustration. When I indulge in chocolate again, it's going to be for a good reason and I will enjoy it!

That, right there, says a lot about where I am and how far I've come.

And, as I've been told, a reduction is a reduction. I've just got to keep at it... and now that the food part is getting easier, it's time to ramp up the physical activity.

Also, the results of the follow-up mammo were in my email box this morning and it's all good! There have been no changes and, well, yay!

* * * * *

FYI: We're coming alarmingly close to the 20,000th comment on this little blog! There'll likely be fireworks... or at least prizes.

Ten on Tuesday: Weekend Update

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things I Did Last Weekend

1. Saturday is my unofficial weigh-in day. It's something I shouldn't actually be doing -- I can see and feel my progress in so many other ways -- but old habits die hard. At least I do it only once a week rather than daily. And did you hear a WOOHOO? As of last Saturday, -19.2 lbs! I wore my beautiful wedding ring all day on Sunday for the first time in YEARS, and it didn't feel like a tourniquet on my finger.

2. It was the coldest farmer market morning yet! It was windy, too, but thankfully mostly sunny and no rain; we've been extremely lucky in the precipitation department this year. The house felt like an inferno when I got home! I thought, MY.GOD, WHO TURNED UP THE HEAT SO HIGH? WHAT IS IT TURNED UP TO, ANYWAY? Haha, yeah, 66F... feels like an inferno after a windy 48F morning outside. It's possible that was our last market of the season.

3. While looking for an electrical adapter, I found a few boxes of old slides that I'd been resigned to having lost forever. They are slides of me, my sibs, and cousins from late '60s-early '70s, even a few through the late '80s, that my grandmother gave me some years ago. So happy to have found that treasure!!

4. I found the electrical adapter! You know, one of those 3-prong to 2- adapters that are indispensible to people who live in old houses. With it, I was able to plug in my flash in the location I desired...

5. ...and take pictures of yarn!

6. After processing those photos, I *finally* uploaded them to Make.Do so that, maybe, I could finally try and sell some -- sport- and lace-weight are currently listed, more to come!

7. I Skyped with my sister Annie in Brazil for the first time! I talked with Mack & Addy, too. Mack played a song on his recorder, and Addison read me a story (learning to read!!) and also sang a song in Portugese. We did Skype-y air kisses, and I can't wait to hug them again!!

8. Boy, did I sleep! A very early (for me) bedtime on Friday and a bit of a sleep-in on Sunday made for two nearly 10-hour sleeps in a row. I'm pretty sure I was fighting off a little something, and Saturday morning took more out of me than a normal market morning.

9. I knit (another FO soon!) and watched the football game with Mom on Sunday. It hasn't been a very fun year for Cheeseheads so far, and I hope we step it up soon. I've been having fun with my fantasy team, though my record there isn't very good, either.

10. On Sunday evening I was trying to print out some shipping labels and sent them to the networked printer in the other room, um, numerous times. Because, you know, if something doesn't print the first (or second or third) time, you just send it again and again! I finally emailed them to myself and printed them directly from that computer. Then I wanted to find a recipe online but my connection was broken. It turns out that my old router died -- not before a last gasp, when all those mailing labels I'd sent came forth. It was just past closing time for anyplace but a big box department store and I sure didn't want to break my streak and go to W... and couldn't remember if Target's electronics department went that deep. I took a drive over there, anyway. They do have routers but only wireless ones; it turns out that most of them work for wired connections, too, and the helpful clerk told me that I should go check my ports before plunking down my money. It turns out that old router was redundant (left in place mainly for convenience) and with just a little switching around I was back in business. SCORE!

It was a pretty fab weekend.

Different + Twisty

An FO:

• Project: Another One Different -- Different Lines by Veera Välimäki
• Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Alpaca, (2) skeins, green
• Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Kid-silk, (1.25) skeins, purple
• Needle: US 6 (straights)
• Start to Finish: September 10 - October 1, 2012

I believe this is the first of Veera's striped patterns that I've knit exactly as written. Oh, my, it is so cozy and soft. It's quite substantial and I haven't even blocked it yet. The yarn was a gift from Dixie for helping her out at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival last month.

Straight into rotation (I've been carrying it with me everyday), I'm sure this one will see plenty of wear-time this winter.

* * * * *

Speaking of Dixie, she has featured my Make.Do Realize Sport yarn in her latest Yellow Dog Knitting Video Workshop for a one-skein project called Twisty Swirl -- a free pattern! It's perfect for fall and winter knitting, and, yes, for holiday knitting.

What!? You know the they're coming!!

Knit in the round -- with an intentional twist -- and featuring an easily memorized lace pattern, Twisty Swirl is a quick knit resulting in a warm and cozy cowl.

It's just the kick in the butt I needed to get some yarn photographed and uploaded, which I did over the weekend. I dropped some parcels off at the P.O. this morning (even though they probably won't go anywhere until tomorrow), but there are still a few one-of-a-kind hanks available. I will continually update these listings (and others), and more of this yarn base is on the way!

Whew!

 

The knitting and the end

There was a fair amount of knitting done during our vacation, but not a single stitch in the car! I completed the body of Low Tide, having made some modifications with short rows and shaping to the body -- not completely sure yet how that's all going to work out, but preliminaries are promising.

Another mod I've made is to the bottom -- I'll be doing a sewn hem for the first time.

I also worked quite a lot on Different Lines. It's finished now, in fact, but I'll just share a teaser here and save the bulk of it for a separate post.

It's so lightweight, soft, and lovely!

On Thursday, we drove down to Lutsen and took Mountain Tram ride to the top of Moose Mountain.

It was a pretty cool ride! The leaves were beautiful and the view was spectacular.

Knitting- and yarn-related stops were relatively few on our trip. I had projects to keep me busy and have recently been feeling the weight of stash. Besides the stop in Bayfield, the only other stops were at Fabric Works in Superior, where I came away with a hank of Malabrigo Sock (what else is new?); at That Little Red House in Grand Marais, where I found a ball of Hundertwasser (what else is new?); and, on the way home, we stopped at Yellow Dog Knitting in Eau Claire to chat for a while with Dixie!

We drove north a little ways on Thursday afternoon to do some more exploring. We never made it as far as Canada, though.

That Little Red House has limited hours, and I'm so happy that we jived. The porch was full of knitters when I arrived, though the weather cooled some and they all moved inside while I was there. Very friendly and worth the stop if it's ever a possibility.

Both my Portico shawl and Fib saw regular action during our trip, particularly in the cooler late day/evening hours!

On Friday, we visited one more local gallery, a museum, and then walked out to Artists' Point. Naturally, I had to take a photo of The Artist at Artists' Point! He'd been out there a day or two earlier and actually did a little painting.

We drove down to Solon Springs and stopped to visit with my Uncle Bob, whom I haven't seen in a number of years (we do correspond some by email). I went my senior year of high school and actually graduated there, but hadn't visited in 30+ years! Things have changed... though I recognized much more of Solon than I did of Superior, where I lived and worked for a year after graduation!

Then we made our way to my sister's and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS! I was so happy to watch my nephew play football. They shut out/trounced the competition and, as is tradition after a win, the whole team then gathered on the field to sing the school song, followed by a hand-slap line with fans gathered on the sideline -- team flag waving high and proud. It was one of my favorite things!

We are in agreement that this North Shore vacation shall not be our last.

 

To the end of the trail, no moose

After breakfast and some in-town doings on Wednesday morning, we drove up the Gunflint Trail. We went right to the very end -- Trail's End Cafe -- and being the end of the season, it was also slim pickin's on the menu but we shared a small celebratory dish of ice cream.

It was a beautiful drive. We meandered a bit, stopping here and there to take in the view or go for a short hike. I still haven't resolved how I feel about the scenic overlook created in the '60s (as so many of them were) that was now completely obscured by a wall of evergreen trees; it was a killer view back in the day, but now there's nothing!

We could not resist stopping when I saw the "Moose Viewing Trail" sign, though I knew, advertised as such, there wasn't likely to be a moose within 100 miles! Still, we hiked to the "viewing platform," spotting first an amazing old Cadillac, slowly being reclaimed by the forest, and then our reward.

Many many dated carvings on the platform railings from those who visited before us. Our favorite:

No moose but we saw Elvis and Bigfoot. 10-18-10. Steve & Sue.
The Loch Ness Monster just popped up!

There was laughing in the woods!!

Looks like rain! It looked much worse than it was -- where we were, anyway -- we saw some fabulous clouds at the back end of a little thunderstorm that just missed us.

Let's talk about food a minute.

As of last Saturday I have lost 16 pounds (in approx. 8 weeks) by following "all-but" Whole30 guidelines (in a nutshell: real food; no sugar, no dairy, no grain). As you might imagine, being on vacation presented some challenges. Mainly, unless you're at a very fine dining establishment, you're not likely to find fresh vegetables on the menu, except for salads (and be sure to read the fine print -- man, they love to load those things up with other stuff).

We brought along a small cooler stocked with pb&j makings for Rusty, some lasagna leftovers (wheat & dairy, I know...), sardines, some fresh peaches and avocados, and we had picnic lunches on the road. We bought a huge bag of Cortland apples at an orchard in Bayfield.

Restaurants were a challenge, and not just in the vegetable department. Our B&B continental breakfast was all bakery/grain -- croissants, muffins, oatmeal, cobbler -- yummy, but all no-nos; I ended up with a little bit of fruit and a side order of bacon. I ordered things like "bacon-cheeseburger -- hold the cheese and the bun!" I found a salmon patty on the menu at one place, which was nice. Fresh fruit or cole slaw was better than fries, so I'd try to order that. I did the best I could and was most successful in avoiding grain -- except for the lasagna noodles and the pizza with wild rice on our last night in Grand Marais.

You know, there are things we grow up with and it's all we know so we just think that must be all there is... like herring. I only ever knew about "pickled herring" and have never seen it at a store any other way -- and never gave it a thought! Not so, people. Pan-fried herring was on the menu at a restaurant we'd visited and I gave it a brief thought (before ordering the salmon patty)... but we found it offered fresh at a local fish market, so we had to try it! It's caught by local fishermen right in Lake Superior, and we brought home a fillet for each of us -- along with salmon, which we knew we liked! We seasoned and fried them in a little butter -- no breading or anything (it's my favorite way to make whitefish these days). Herring has a rich flavor and I liked it. We had a little of the salmon left for Thursday.

(Also, sardines. I've become aware that people eat fresh sardines -- that they aren't born in a can! I'd like to try fresh sardines someday, too.)

I was on vacation, after all, and didn't want to feel deprived, so I had to allow myself some treats and I tried to choose carefully: half a muffin, a bit of chocolate, even an entire piece of flourless chocolate cake (which I demolished quite easily, thank you!), pizza, an ice cream sundae, a local beer, some wine. I think I did very well, considering, and have no regrets.

The last part of our time away proved the most challenging, or maybe I was weary of trying to navigate the dietary vacation waters... or just weak! While there was a great co-op on one side of our hotel, on the other was the "World's Greatest Donuts" shop! Thankfully, it was closed most of the time, but I stumbled through the open door on our last day and, while I intended to just get a plain yummy donut, somehow I ended up with one covered in chocolate!! Ha, I'm not perfect! Then my sister had our old stand-by family favorite CHEESE SOUP on the menu at her house. Yeah, we're gonna need a new family favorite!

More tomorrow... with KNITTING!

 

Chickens, cousins, Grand Marais

It's always interesting to navigate in a city via second-person GPS -- where someone (me) is monitoring the electronics and relating directions to the driver (Rusty). In that fashion, we took an extraordinarily scenic drive to my cousin Gail's house in Duluth.

The garage is to my left -- I'm standing in overflow parking (also basketball court) -- and this is the view from here.

If you're not familiar with Duluth, it's hilly -- like San Francisco -- but with the added excitement of winter!! So here I am from the same spot, looking down at the entry to the house. The chicken coop (shown below) is right below me.

It looks like a playhouse, doesn't it? When Gail saw some photos I'd posted of Rusty doing repairs to our playhouse, her first thought was, "That would make a great chicken coop!"

This is the garage -- I was overcome by it all, I guess, so you'll have to imagine the beautiful view from the upstairs studio. Gail's jewelry studio -- RockOn Jewelry -- is up there. I don't know how she gets any work done. There's also room up there for her boys' instruments and whatnot.

We met Gail's husband, John, and my cousin Gordy for lunch at Lake Avenue Cafe (I had the Squash Spaghetti Salad -- yum!). (I'll talk a little more about trip food in another post.) After some adjustments by both photographer and subjects, we had our picture taken.

Too short of a visit, but I'm pretty sure I'll be finding my way back again before too long.

Aaaaahhhhhhh. We did not mind one single bit driving up the scenic North Shore again on Tuesday afternoon.

Our destination was East Bay Suites, Grand Marais, where we planned to settle and make our base for a few days. It was spectacular.

We had a kitchen, and a local food co-op was practically next door, so we were able to stock the 'fridge, cook for ourselves, and eat in for a few meals. Not to mention coffee. We're sort of snobs about that.

The view from the kitchen/living area.

The view from the bedroom. I took a photo from my pillow every morning!

It's a great little town, and very "arty." The North House Folk School is incredible, and I would love to visit sometime and take part in a workshop. The Grand Marais Art Colony had just held Plein Air Grand Marais and we were delighted with both the venue and the show! We visited a number of terrific galleries during our visit.

Are you bored yet? More to come... food, knitting, yarn, adventures!

 

Along the way

Still making waves in northern Wisconsin...

These clouds just KILLED me.

Picnic!

While I was mostly unplugged during this vacation, I did update and share camera-phone photos on FB the whole time. (I haven't even looked at my actual camera photos yet!) It would be more accurate to say that I contributed to social/electronic media, but was not much of a consumer. I posted but didn't interact on FB much, nor did I blog or answer many emails; I barely used my phone and, while we watched a couple of movies in the evening, we didn't watch TV at all -- I had very little knowledge of what was going on in the whole wide world.

It was really pretty great, though I think it's made re-entry harder than I've ever experienced.

Anyway, I loved Ali's comment on the photo above: Ohhhh, Dad's expressions are priceless.

Because, of course, they are.

This is the lake at Superior (above) and if you look closely (or click to embiggen), you can see ships! I lived in Superior for a year shortly after high school graduation and I never paid attention to, much less appreciated, Lake Superior.

True and very sad story.

I didn't recognize a single thing as we drove through Superior. I never had a car when I lived there, and might have been more aware had I ever driven anywhere. It seemed much more spread out than I remembered. We did stop at Fabric Works and I found a little skein of yarn to take home.

Rusty had done some recon via Google Earth prior to departure and one place he wanted to check out up-close-and-personal was the area on the other side of Duluth's iconic Aerial Lift Bridge. There are a couple of major bridges in that area and we experienced them all!

I didn't connect with my cousin until late Monday night and knowing that we'd likely head back to Duluth on Tuesday, we didn't go far north to find lodging. The Island View Resort at Knife River was cute enough to check out and, boy, am I ever glad we did! That's our view from the cozy porch. The place was clean as a whistle, which is saying something for a 75-year-old resort cabin. The words "Marge Perfect" were even uttered a few times -- a term coined by my sister to describe to her sons the level of clean she was looking for, based on my mother's standard. The boys made a little plaque. Trust me, it is not a term we use lightly around here!

The Lighthouse at Emily's was just down the road, and we lucked out with live music (on Mondays) as accompaniment to dinner.

It was a real gem.

I was kind of sorry that we'd only be spending one night there.

One last view from the porch!

 

North... to Minnesota

We pondered many options when planning our little early fall get-away vacation. Now that I think of it, though, it was always North -- we never really considered heading East or West or South.

We knew we'd drive and that we had a week -- it was Fall Fest at the Farmers' Market on Saturday, so Sunday was departure day. We knew we'd want to return on a Saturday so we'd have a buffer day on the other side.

We thought of Toronto -- and Canada in general. Toronto is actually ever-so-slightly south-east of us, but Canada... you know? It's just North!

The Maritimes *sigh* always on my list. Can't be done from here in a week, though.

We thought of going around Lake Superior, retracing the steps of a trip my dad took us on when I was about 12. We thought of going around other lakes -- smaller ones -- Michigan, Huron.

I didn't think a week was enough for any of it. I like driving vacations, but not vacations when there's nothing but driving!

We settled on going part-way around Lake Superior -- the east end -- with the North Shore as our destination. We'd have the option of going to Canada (Thunder Bay or Nipigon) if we wanted. I remembered that Kathy camps on the North Shore and that Holly's been there and even had a favorite place to stay.

It actually turned out pretty great for a lot of reasons -- #1 being visiting some folks. My cousins Gail & Gordy live/work in Duluth; their dad, my Uncle Cliff, recently moved into a Memory Care unit at a facility in Superior; my Uncle Bob lives half-way between Superior and my sister Karen's, and we planned to spend our last night away at Karen's on the way home.

We'd booked our lodging in Grand Marais, MN, for Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, playing everything else by ear as we hit the road on Sunday morning.

We took US 51, a familiar route north, but we were in unfamiliar territory once we passed the turn-off to County Road FF at Mercer. We pretty much kissed the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at Ironwood, then took a left toward Ashland.

And then to Bayfield, where all of these photos were taken, and where found a place to spend the night. And not just any old place! It wasn't the first place we called because it's so well known and I doubted there'd be a vacancy, but lo and behold...

While there wasn't any room at The Inn, there was a room at another of their properties, Le Chateau Boutin. Some might think of it as second fiddle, but it was simply gorgeous! That's it up there. Oh, the porch was spectacular! It was nice enough on Sunday evening for sitting (and knitting) and we both thought it was way better than the (first fiddle) Rittenhouse porch. Our bedroom -- oh! With a real fireplace in front of which we cozied up to watch a burning log. The view through the windows is from the bed. Yeah. I could wake up to that every morning!

We walked down to a cute place called Maggie's, on Manypenny Avenue, for dinner. (I love saying, "Manypenny Avenue.") There are a million fabulous places to eat up there. I see now that Wild Rice must be related to Maggie's. I was vaguely aware that it was up there somewhere, having seen it on an episode of Wisconsin Foodie a while back, but couldn't remember... and I guess I didn't really try. It gives me a reason to return.

In the morning, we walked over to the Rittenhouse Inn for breakfast (I sat next to that glorious fireplace). Most of these sky views are from the iron bridge between Le Chateau and The Inn. Then we walked downtown and peeked into a couple of shops.

I was surprised by the size of the upstairs yarn shop at Brownstone Centre, and with a good selection of commercial yarns. Alas, I didn't make any purchases there. We went next door for a good cup of coffee, up the hill to an orchard where we bought a big bag of Cortlands, and hit the road!

The weather was great, though definitely fall.

Have I mentioned that I fell in love with a lake?

 

Ten on Tuesday: Let them eat... pizza!

Nothing like a ToT to get back in the blogging swing after vacation... it's more difficult than I anticipated.

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Favorite Pizza Toppings

Not that I'm eating much pizza these days. It's never been the staple at our house that I know it must be at others'. We've eaten most of our pizzas watching football games at my mother's house over the past few years. There have been entire off-seasons without, and that first bite in fall is as good as anything!

So, with that, let me first say that it all begins at the bottom... and I'll have mine on thin crust, crispy on the edges, maybe even with some burned-y parts!

1. Sauce -- just a bit of good tomato sauce or even alfredo.

2. Cheese -- not too much.

3. Mushrooms.

4. Sausage.

5. Olives -- ripe and/or green.

6. Spinach.

7. Artichoke hearts.

8. Chicken.

9. Potatoes.

10. Wild rice.

There was a time when sausage and mushroom was the ONLY pizza for me!

I had potatoes on a gluten-free pizza with Margene in Salt Lake City about a year ago... and, well, you know I've never met a potato that I didn't like.

We went to Sven & Ole's on our last night in Grand Marais (this is skipping way ahead on the vacation travelogue) as per the recommendation of just about anyone who's ever been! We had the Shicken & Vild Rice Zah because I just had to see what having wild rice on a pizza was all about! And it was good.

So, here we are at the coffee shop on Sunday morning as we headed out. Rusty's got our coffee for the week, I have some tea for the road, and Ali snapped the photo. We didn't realize how well our outfits matched until then, and it made us laugh.

Our destination was the north shore of Lake Superior (which would be the south shore of the northeast part of Minnesota) -- specifically, Grand Marais, MN -- with stops planned (and unplanned) on the way there and back.

If you'd like to know more about our (pretty laid-back) adventures, or see a few of the 100+ photos (just on my phone) I took mostly of the water and sky, stay tuned!

 

WIP out of nowhere

Inspired by a number of things, but mostly this yarn from Dixie, in these colors, I've cast on my second Different Lines shawl. (This is the 1000th Different Lines project on Ravelry.) Interestingly, it was a shawl of Dixie's that I saw at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool a year ago that inspired me to cast on the first!

The acid green is DROPS Alpaca and the purple is DROPS Kid-Silk, all from Yellow Dog Knitting.

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN (and ON SALE)!!

Due to changes at HQ, Dixie began closing out her stock of DROPS at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool, and will continue until it's gone. She's restocking the store with new goods from the likes of Creatively Dyed and Wisconsin's Sun Valley Fibers, and from old favorites such as Malabrigo (just arrived!).

And soon from Make.Do, too!

Anyway, things are changing at the Dog, and it's a great time to stock up on DROPS! You'll have the call the store for the current discount, and stock is strictly limited to on-hand inventory.

And, with that, I'm in full-on vacation mode. I have the entire week off next week and it's been ages!

 

I went to a sheep & wool festival...

...and I barely saw any sheep!! It was so much fun helping Dixie at the Yellow Dog Knitting booth that I never went into the animal barns!

I saw plenty of people, though! "Thank you" to everyone who stopped by! And double-thanks to everyone who bought yarn!

We talked a lot with people about the samples we had in the booth. Among the most popular were the designs by Veera that we had: Color Affection and Different Lines. Between Dixie and I, we had three DLs and two CAs -- plus there was another CA on display at Sun Valley Fibers, our across-the-aisle neighbors -- and they were all so different. Dixie had a black & turquoise DL knit in alpaca, an almost monochromatic cream & pale green (?) DL knit in cotton viscose (tres elegant!), and mine was eggplant & pink knit in merino.

(We also had lovely, last-minute neighbors from Little Gidding Farm, featuring suri alpaca. Their Suri Lace Cardigan was a show-stopper... and looked great on Dixie!)

Dixie's CA was one of our show-stoppers; knit in three colors of DROPS Kid-Silk (yep, an affordable version of knitters' crack) it was substantially sized, yet so very soft, light & airy. It was so fun to point out the other two, both in sock yarn, and all of them in completely different color stories.

You'd be surprised, with close to 6000 projects on Ravelry, how many people have never heard of Color Affection.

Also, there are still a number of people who've never heard of Ravelry. I did my best to inform, but I really need to perfect my elevator pitch for Ravelry -- it can be overwhelming to talk about, I can't imagine what it's like for the uninitiated to hear about.

Another show-stopper was a long, cozy sweater vest, just off the needles (the top of which is just visible over the turquoise tank, below). Dixie's been posting some great Video Workshops, and that sweater vest will be the next one (here's a preview) (look for it in the next couple of weeks, along with a link to the free pattern) (the tank has one, already).

Make.Do made it's festival debut with a small display and I was very pleased with the reception... and some sales... and some orders.  ;)  I should have taken a photo on the first day instead of the last; oh well. I took delivery of some stock before I left, and should be humming along soon. Y'all have been very patient as I find my footing in all this. If you have an urgent need (hee-hee), drop me an email.

It's been a long, long time since I was "on the other side" at an event such as the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. I am a people-watcher from way back, so I am right at home and quite happy watching the parade. It's also quite fun at an event such as this where 99% of the people in the parade are extremely interested in what you have to offer... a quite captive and engaged audience.

In junior high, I spent a summer traveling the upper midwest on a circuit of state and county fairs with my Aunt LaFae, a glass-blower; she would demo and I would paint & decorate, and together we would sell her wares. It was so much fun, and fascinating -- mostly because Aunt LaFae was/is fascinating. Not everyone was there for glass-blown gee-gaws, though it was impossible not to stop and watch when she was doing a demo. It was one of the most memorable summers of my life. Anyway, I had a thought of LaFae yesterday at tear-down... the shift in the atmosphere of the place (which is an actual fairgrounds) made me remember. It was a good shift -- especially when it's been 3 days of pretty spectacular weather and satisfactory sales. I hope all the vendors were able to leave pleased, if not happy.

I thought of my sisters a lot. For one thing, it was Amazing Race weekend and we were not there! For another, Jefferson is where Sharon last lived and it was two years ago at Amazing Race/WSWF time that she rented that apartment.

To conclude on a happier note, I had an absolutely wonderful time, and was delighted that my cousin Rae and her husband Michael came over from Milwaukee on Saturday. I spent a little time walking/talking/shopping with Rae while Michael made some sketches of ewes and lambs, and I'm determined to visit them in Milwaukee next month. Can you believe I've never been to Ruhama's (and that it's for sale?)?

I used to marvel at myself in the mirror

Updated with a few links... see below.

Not in a good way.

I used to (not very often) stand in front of the mirror at the end of the day -- or even in the morning, as I stepped into the shower -- and wonder how in the hell I could look 9 months pregnant.

Sure, I'm getting older...

Sure, I gained some weight when I quit smoking...

Sure, I could exercise more...

Sure, I could probably eat better...

But, damn it all, anyway. I stopped drinking soda; I was drinking more water; I was riding for miles on my bike, or sweating buckets at Zumba or in the gym; I was eating less red meat; I was eating more fish; I cut down on junk food; I had freakin' salads for lunch everyday with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar for dressing, lean meats, Lean Cuisine, lots of veggies. All of these things over the past few years -- together, separate, to varying degrees. Nothing made any sort of difference at all!

WHY DID I LOOK 9 MONTHS PREGNANT ALL THE GODDAMN TIME???

And that was without even trying. Hell, if I tried, I could look like I was way over term.

Not a good look. Also? Uncomfortable. And? Unhealthy! The numbers were not good at my last doctor appointment and, well, I'll try just about anything OTHER than medication to control some of these things... many of which are completely in my control.

I'm not interested in dieting -- I will have none of the low-cal, low-fat slurries of chemicals that pass for "meal replacement." Sure, I've had a few; but even way back in my WW days, I also used "real" mayonnaise, salad dressings, butter -- I'd just use less. You'd be surprised how much less you need when you're actually eating and enjoying REAL FOOD.

Anyway, long story short -- and I have not quite finished the story (actually, I think the story is ongoing and won't end until I'm dead), and I have SO much more to learn -- I am taking control.

I may not grow much of my own food, but I can support my local farmer as much as I can, and know the people who do grow my food! I can minimize potentially harmful additives and ingredients in my food by buying the best ingredients -- REAL FOOD -- that I can and preparing it myself. From scratch. It doesn't have to be hard. It doesn't have to be "cuisine" every night.

I am loathe to find the REAL FOOD at my grocery store crowded out, more and more, by yet another freezer full of heat & serve shit. And, ohmygod, have you been in the "health food" aisle? What a freakin' joke. It's chock full of "healthy" s-h-i-t -- crackers, cookies, fruit roll-ups, brownie mixes. Seriously?

(Ooopsie, am I on a soap box? I don't mean to be... I'm just sharing what's happening here.)

So, it's been maybe three weeks and not to the letter.

I've lost close to 10 pounds, at last check. I consider that all junk weight.

Heh, it's a BABY! (Believe me, there is plenty of weight to lose, but I don't look 9 months pregnant anymore... far less.)

Things are changing, and more important is how I feel.

I've already talked about the reduction in swelling; the ability to wear a previously unwearable (but much loved) pair of sandals!

It is system-wide... I don't feel too-full or bloated all the time. I feel as though I may even be able to start comfortably wearing my rings again.

I've already put a pair of pants in the donation pile and pulled another from "the pile" in the closet; I'm just about ready to part with another favorite pair (I've been wearing a belt!) and go closet shopping again!

It must be the near elimination of sugar that's making me sense things differently. I walked into the house the other night and thought it smelled "good" -- as if someone had baked some cookies or a cake. Turns out that Maddy baked a pizza! It smelled so sweet -- not like pizza AT ALL!

And flexibility. Since cutting most sugar, grain & dairy from my diet, I am more flexible -- with ease and without pain. I won't be doing the splits again anytime soon, but I was pleasantly surprised at being able to easily reach (and scratch) between my own shoulder blades again.

Yes, folks, it's the little things. And little by little...

Suggested reading:

That last one just because.  ;)

Ten on Tuesday: See you in September

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things I Love About September

1. Back to school! Only one of mine this year (two next year!), and it wasn't the big production it's been in years past, but still exciting -- mostly because she's excited! There have been no second thoughts and it's all about progress and the future.

One of the things I've always loved most about "the internet" is my friendship with people of all ages. This year, I am so flippin' happy to see so many First Day of School photos from all my friends on Facebook. Whether it's the first day of Pre-K, middle school, or high school, everything and everyone is so happy, bright, fresh, new, and ready!

2. Cooler temperatures. That's how it's supposed to work, anyway. I love cooler temperatures at night, getting snuggly and cozy under the covers!

3. Apples. And so many other things at the farmers market. This is the bountiful season!

4. Wool. I actually had Portico wrapped around my shoulders at the market on Saturday morning. Luckily, I always bring a few knitted things because Ali asked for a shawl, too!

5. Color. It is certainly not going to be peak time for color, but I am looking forward to seeing some autumnal tones when we head north in a couple of weeks. (Two weeks!) Maybe I'll even be inspired to take some photos.

6. Are You Ready for Some Football? I may only have watched about 5# total in the entire pre-season, but I am definitely ready for the regular season to start! It looks like I'll be listening to the first game on the radio, heading home from Jefferson... and that's OK! Hopefully, it'll be very exciting -- to both keep me awake and make the time fly. The high school games have started, too; as the leaves fall, I'll see the field better and better... I love it when the Friday Night Lights come on!

7. Nesting. Forget "spring cleaning," I'm all about getting my nest in order for the Long Winter. This year, I have grand designs for taking stock, cleaning out, and organizing yarn.

8. Cooking. Sort of hand-in-hand with nesting, cooking is all about settling in and stocking up... even if I don't really stock up all that much. The changes I've made to my diet have made me excited about cooking again -- it's all about simplicity, right now, and experimenting with seasoning and flavors.

9. Not Sweating. It was one of the most brutally hot & humid summers we've had in a long time. I was reminded of early days in one of my first apartments -- upper level, no air conditioning -- hotter than freakin' hell. I'd just sit in front of the fan and let it blow; go to the movies, back-to-back matinees (who cared what was playing), just to cool off! Oh, and then there was that summer when Ali was a baby...

10. Vacation! It's a super-busy month with three days at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool, the annual Harvest Festival at the farmers market the weekend after that (a longer day than usual at the market), but the reward will be nearly a week of meandering on the north shore of Lake Superior. There'll be plenty of activity, but also lots of quiet and rest. And knitting.

 

Ugh

This morning, I thought of the greatest title for this post that I wasn't ready to sit down and write. I wondered to myself whether I should jot it down and, of course, thought "No! It's so great, you won't forget!"

Yeah.

I forgot.

It's time to count up the hexagons for a total! I was even inspired to make a hexi in honor of my Color Affection... puny and pitiful though it is. Obviously, I need to loosen up a bit!!

So, here's where it stands as of August 31st:

There was one person to correctly guess the number! Twin Set Ellen, come on down! Your guess of 124 was right on the money.

The randomly drawn number from all eligible entries is 4, and I've sent an email to Melissa.

Thank you all for playing!

* * * * *

Miss Maddy Mo went back to school yesterday... things are going to be a little quieter around here. Not that she's noisy, but it's one fewer person's day-to-day comings and goings.

Quieter.

* * * * *

I had a great Labor Day Weekend of heartfelt and happy laboring, and am very thankful for the holiday.

It'll be a short week ahead, as I have Friday off, too, and will be heading to Jefferson and the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. I'll be there for the whole weekend, lending a hand to Dixie in her booth for Yellow Dog Knitting in Eau Claire. We'll be in the West Country Store, so come and see us (I don't know the exact booth number yet)! I love Dixie's style, and know her booth is going to be amazing -- samples galore! When I saw Different Lines in her booth last year, I knew I had to knit it! This year, in addition to DROPS, she will also have some Make.Do yarns available!

Who's going?

 

Kate's Affections

I dyed some yarn for my friend Kate a while back for a Color Affection. She talked about some summer Caribbean-ish colors and I came up with these:

Making Waves

Cool Blue

She chose a yellow-gold to go with, and voila!

Of course, she had some unused yarn and thought it would be fun to make a coordinating CA for her daughter, so she chose some other colors and knit up a second version:

And, you know, because this is potentially one of those stories that never ends...

These were all knit using the hand-dyed sock/fingering yarn base that I call "BE." It's a soft yet durable 75% superwash merino/25% nylon blend.

I was the lucky recipient of a little leftover ball of the brown... enough to make a hexipuff (minus the puff)! I love those kind.

Have you made your guess as to how many hexis I've made? There are only a few more hours...

Ten on Tuesday: Beachy

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things To Do at The Beach

1. Watch the waves
2. Watch the people
3. Watch the birds
4. Take a walk
5. Take some pictures
6. Take a nap (or a swim)
7. Read a book
8. Read the tide tables
9. Read your palm
10. Have fun!!

* * * * * *

Just in time for our latest little heat wave, I took delivery yesterday of about a half-bushel of tomatoes, leeks, onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs with Roasted Tomato Sauce in mind. Yes, friends, it's about that time of year! I'd originally intended to get them this weekend, but there were plenty of tomatoes ready right now! Unless I get up super early tomorrow and get this done while the kitchen is still cool, I'll be chopping and freezing for delayed roasting.

I need outbuildings! I'd sure love a summer kitchen/studio.

That photo was taken six years ago (!) for the ABC-Along; the farm is right on Hwy. 53 in northwestern Wisconsin toward my sister's house. I haven't been up there in a while, but hubby and I are planning a little road trip to the North Shore -- Duluth, Grand Marais, likely as far as Nipigon, ON, Canada. We thought of a bunch of possibilities -- all the way around the lake, or around another Great Lake, or to Toronto -- but I think we'll go up and explore some of the south, west, and north shore of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee.

Anyway, I think we'll go up and then double-back, but return home along a slightly different route -- via old stomping grounds, visiting cousins, and my sister's -- and maybe even see my nephew play some football (or wam the bench, depending on injuries and depth).

All suggestions for yarn, art, food and lodging around the western half of Lake Superior are certainly welcome!

Look who joined us at the farmers' market last weekend! Ozzie had a nice, cushy spot in there with the felted wool dryer balls.

 

Mine, mine, mine! All mine!

This is it, so far. The project is Low Tide Cardigan, one of the projects in the upcoming e-book from Tin Can Knits called Pacific Knits.

I didn't exactly knit a swatch for this one, but calculated and extrapolated my gauge from another (hexagon-shaped) project that I've done in this yarn and decided to go up a couple of needle sizes. I think it's going to work wonderfully.

The yarn is mine; the color "All Mine."

I will likely work the bottom differently, at the very least a hem or something to avoid the curly stockinette edge.

 

Random Friday

• Yep, one of those days.
• I've finished knitting the bodice pieces for the sweater that I think I'm going to like.
• Katie seems to like it, so there's that.
• The hexi hiatus was on hiatus in the meantime... an' a one, an' a two!
• There's still a week before the end of the month.
• I love counting and stacking the hexagons.
• Yes, simple pleasures and I'm easily amused!
• Whole30 "practice" continues.
• I chopped up a whole head of cauliflower and a couple bunches of broccoli to steam for last night's dinner.
• Due to the hazards of multi-tasking and a lack of designated workspace, I found a piece of cauliflower in the Eucalan bath with the sweater pieces.
• The pieces have been de-vegefied, washed, blocked and dried, and I'm ready to proceed.
• This is one reason (two) why I'm so happy about the Whole30.

• Ankles.
• Also? Those sandals. People. This is one of two pair of sandals I bought earlier this summer, and it is the pair that I coveted on my neighbor.
• Yesterday, I was able to wear them for the second time -- the first time being the previous day.
• I have only been able to stuff my swollen sausage feet into them from time to time all summer.
• Looking ridiculous -- like fat sausages stuffed into sandals -- I'd take them off and hope for a better day.
• Hallelujah! Better days have come!
• Is it Dairy?
• Is it Grain?
• Is it Sugar?
• Who the hell cares?
• Actually, I do care and I do intend to do the Whole30 and find out.
• But right now: MAMA'S WEARIN' HER NEW SHOES!!
• Happy dancin' in them, too.  ;)

• And who doesn't love random photos? Especially of the sky (yesterday morning... it looks worse than it was).

Happy weekend y'all.

 

Let's get real

It Starts With Food.

It really does.

I am slightly short of doing the Whole30, at this point, but I am practicing for it. I think of it as prepping, in the same way that I prepped to quit smoking 7+ years ago. You know? I'd set a quit date and thought I'd just smoke like a chimney right up to the last minute, but I didn't. As I prepared to quit (figured out my main triggers and how I would respond), I just naturally cut back and, well, not that actually quitting was a breeze, but it was maybe a little bit easier. I was aware and prepared.

So I don't know exactly when I'll go whole hog on the Whole30, but for about the past two weeks I've all but eliminated dairy, grain, and added sugar from my diet. It's very "paleo" and "caveman," and it sounds quite drastic; yet, I am very Well Fed.

The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat. Ever. is the best chicken I've ever eaten! It drew raves from the family, as well.

Dairy. I still have a splash of half & half in my coffee in the morning. And if I don't have anything planned or prepared, it's my stand-by Chobani yogurt for breakfast.

Grain. I'd been having a hard time finding bread that I like for quite a while. I've been gradually cutting down on sugar and most commercially made breads and buns have added sugar, of some sort, and are too sweet. I tried a gluten-free bread a while back and "akckakekckkakkaka" pretty much sums it up.

I think of my grandmother. Slicing a thin piece of cheese for each of us, she told me that she'd rather eat a small amount of "good" cheese once a week than the other stuff everyday. Right on, Gram.

So it hasn't been too difficult giving up bread. I had my tuna salad as a salad the other day, on a bed of spinach and with halved cherry tomatoes, and it was delicious! Rusty eats a lot of rice, but I could take it or leave it.

I did have a big bowl of Cheerios for a snack a few nights ago = grain + dairy. I'm practicing!

Sugar. As I said, I've been watching sugar consumption for a while now. I put a little bit of sugar -- 1/3 to 1/2 of the usual -- in my morning coffee with the half & half. I'll still have a bit of dark chocolate at lunch time and, what can I say, husband made oatmeal cookies the other day. I've only had a few, and at least I know what's in those oatmeal cookies and who made them. One of the local vendors at the farmer market had the most wonderful little peaches last weekend, and I've been enjoying them for "dessert" on occasion.

Why all this? Well, because I want to feel better and maybe even look better. I've quit smoking, I've quit soda, I've been eating better food, consuming more water... and with each change I've felt better, in one way or another. But still... almost always with the edema in my legs, swollen ankles (swollen everything to some degree, it seems), and great difficulty losing any weight at all.

The quality of the food I eat has been on my mind for quite a while and an awareness of what exactly "food" is -- REAL FOOD.

What about y'all? Has anyone done something like this?

Enough rambling. How about more random photos? One from our trip to the lake a couple of weeks ago, and the other is the sky after knit night on Thursday.