I am a Baker.

And in the big world of culinary delights, that is enough. I didn't even post about the entire crockpot full of white chicken chilli that had to be thrown out because I cooked it with the absorbent stuff.

There is a retired cook at my school whose cinnamon rolls were perfection. She occasionally brings in a giant pan for teachers to share and if I see it first, I eat five, grab three for later and then only tell my closest friends that they are in the lounge. I would tell small lies to get more. Oh, I didn't know these were here... Nom nom.

Facebook friend Annie posted some that looked comparable. I pinned the recipe, bought some yeast and most importantly and most unusually, followed directions.

 

The results:

 

 

 

 

 

I am proudest of this last picture. I used yeast and it made a proper looking bread like food item.

As is often the case with posts about my cooking attempts, strangers to this site might be thinking "big deal," but everyone else knows what a small victory it is.

 

I'm tired of knitting hard things so I grabbed some Noro sock yarn and I'm doing this with it until I get bored or run out of yarn.

 

 

Sleeves in Progress.

 

This is how much one can accomplish after starting over one last time and then having four snow days. It is slow going. Every now and then I arrange the yarn so that I don't have to immediately untangle it after the first row. I will be so happy that they are both done. Feel free to remind me of that.

 

These are pictures of my knee. An MRI machine took them. Unlike many (brother of HusbandBob had to be knocked out), I thought getting an MRI was pretty cool. I felt like I was in some Star Trek emergency room. (The one from the 1960's- anything more recent wouldn't sound like what I believe an iron lung must sound like.)

If they're too blurry, I'll just tell you, I have a torn MCL. Not as serious as an ACL as it heals itself a little better. I got it by slipping and then sliding on black ice a few weeks ago. At the urging of concerned colleagues, I got it looked at. I'm happy to know no cartilage was damaged and now I have what I like to pretend is a bionic knee brace with hinges.

The bonus of snow/wind chill advisory days off of school is that I didn't have to miss any school to have this taken care of. The planets aligned.

It's not looking good for school tomorrow and there's said to be more snow on the way for the beginning of next week. I believe I am physiologically conditioned to love the thought of snow days. Because really, I love my job this year and don't feel that pressing urge not to go. It's very peculiar.

The new shawl collared vest has been put to great use. Again, thank you aligning planets, as I was certain the polar vortex phenomena would end as soon as it was complete. Also, what is the plural of vortex? Vortices?

 

Spots in front of your eyes?

Remember last month when I got all fancied up? I kind of liked the whole shellacked nails. BFFAmber and I went back for more today, and as there was no fancy dinner to attend, my fingers look like this:

 

I like to call it the measled finger look. Aunt of Sophanne pooh poohed the idea of true iridescent blue so when I tell her they are now pink, I think she'll be pleased. Until I tell her about the leopard spots.

Further updates on the cow.

• Firstly, the owner was touched by your interest and concern. She (the owner) is none other than SecretarySandy at school.
• There was no hiding twin calf JohhnyMoore (her husband) went in shoulder deep just to be certain. (yes, it's what you are picturing.)
• If a cow is enjoying her favorite grain, she won't notice the 47 crushed aspirins.
• Happily, this cow is no longer dropping to her side and did not need the aspirins.
• Come to find that not all cows even do that while calving. This was her first one and I'm guessing it may have caught her a little by surprise.

In knitting news, the cuffs on the Streymore are finished. After misreading the pattern for four hours, emailing the designer, then figuring out what the problem was (after emailing, before he had a chance to answer) I am ready to start the colorwork. This frustration was not without tinking so as I continue I will be taking them off the double points and putting them back on the circulars. It always takes me an extra few minutes to think of that word, circulars, sometimes I just call them "needles with wires connecting them."

 

Not in a Million Years.

I can play Candy Crush while talking on the phone.

I can play the ukulele, remember the words to a song, know who is singing well, giggle with the aides at the ones who aren't, and send the "it'll be ok" look to the kid standing next to the not so pitch perfect singer, all at the same time.

I can comment intelligently on HusbandBob's video game prowess while memorizing a Kathy Zimmerman cable sweater pattern.

I am a multi-tasker. I was an even more prolific multi-tasker before I hit the second half of my forties.

But, try as I may, with the most competent instructional materials, I have never ever been able to knit two tubes at the same time using two needles. The fiddly tangly of getting started combined with a less than great aptitude for envisioning three dimensional models had left me a one tube wonder on double pointed needles.

That is, until now.

 

Last night Knitnightgina taught me how to do two tubes on two needles. The cascade ecological wool for the Streymoy cardigan arrived on Tuesday. (I was so pleased to discover that it was softer than the marled Eco-wool I once worked with.) I know myself well enough to know that with the enormity and complexity of the sleeves, once I finished one, it would not be until next winter that I would approach the other. Knitting two sleeves at a time is critical to the completion of the sweater.

And for crying in a bucket, I can steek with ease. Two on two should not be harder than cutting your damn knitting!

Step one in the learning process was to cast on with two different colored needles and yarns and figure out the process. Step two was to take it apart and cast on seventeen more times. Step three was to be certain to do it again within a 12 hour window.

I cannot lie. I am so pleased with myself. I am also grateful that Knitnightgina was patient enough to let me learn the way I needed to. She is awesome.

In response to several who have asked. The Alaskan Serial Killer Sweater was so named because much of it was knit during a six season Dexter marathon. Shortly after that, awesome aunt suggested the cruise to Alaska and that is what pushed me to finish it. (Foolishly believing that it would actually be cold there.) The final episode of Dexter added after the fact irony.

For the "oh, you live in Western Pennsylvania" crack me up factor, it's calving season. When mama cows are getting ready to deliver, they lay down on their sides with their feet stiff and straight. When they get in this position and fail to deliver immediately, someone has to help them up. Such was the case with a certain mama cow. Fortunately the calf was delivered the next day. Unfortunately the mama cow's body is still in delivery mode and she periodically drops to her side, stiffens her legs and cannot get up. The vet suggested that she might still be in pain and that maybe she needed an aspirin. The equivalent of one cow aspirin is 47 people aspirins. Now you know. You know these cows don't belong to me, right?

 

Shall I write about the weather? Maybe not.

Instead I'll write about inspiration. Before I do, I must report that while the boiling worked better than the high efficiency washer, it did not work as well as the low efficiency washer. He has removed the initial pair of slippers and combined the last two pairs and seems to be satisfied. Next year I will have to try something else.

This week's polar vortex and accompanying snow days has been a grand opportunity for the wearing of knitted items. Right now I am under the covers wearing the Alaskan Serial Killer Sweater.

 

Over that is an EZ shawl collared vest in cascade marled ecowool. (My first steeked project)

 

On my feet are two mismatched socks that don't have holes worn in them. Why let them go to waste?

And I finally got to wear this doublemassa without my head exploding from the heat. And now it has a pomPOM. Yippee!

 

On the needles is another EZ shawl collared vest. This is the best picture I could get and still stay under the covers. It's in Lamb's Pride and I'm hoping I have enough wool though I've got a good plan for the shawl collar if I don't.

 

The following events have transpired to create the next bit of knitting adventure.

• The cold weather
• Three snow days in row
• Amazon Prime streaming video
• Discovering the tv series Grimm.
• Falling in love with Monroe's sweaters on said series.
• Loving the simplicity of steeking.
• Cruising Ravelry
• Jimmy Bean's wool website accepting Paypal as payment.

Some time next week delivery will be made (3 skeins each) of chocolate and beige Cascade EcoWool and I will be casting on Todd Gocken's Streymoy. (This picture belongs to him.)

 

After the initial excitement, I'll have the sleeves and about four inches of the body finished and it will be thrown into the UFO pile for some months. I'm guessing you can expect it to be finished around January of 2016. But you never know. I did that cable sweater in record time.

 

Happy Unbirthday.

Actually this will be a belated birthday surprise for my cousin.