That Secret Thing?

The one with the crossed fingers and positive thoughts and whatever else I tried to ask for?

Yeah, it's still weighing over us with decisions to be made - some in our control, some out of our control - as to whether or not it's really a possibility.

But decisions have to come together by Friday morning, or the default of not deciding has decided for us.

And like I said, some of that is in our control, some of it is really beyond our control.

I'm a big "Sound of Music" fan. So, this whole time I keep thinking of the "When God closes a door, He opens a window" bit. And my constant request has been that if this door is going to close, it slam in our faces. Not to hurt us or scare us, but to keep us from taking a risk we shouldn't take.

So, again, whatever positive prayers or thoughts or good luck charms you believe in, we could use some sent our way.

And if this works out, we should be able to talk about the specifics of this in the New Year. And if not... well, I'll let you know to stop crossing your fingers, cry a little, and move on as quickly as I can.

2012 Cross Stitch Portrait

I've been making a little cross-stitch portrait of us for every year since we got married.

I didn't think about choosing a particular month to base our stitched-selves off of until I'd already completed the 2011 look and realized what a huge difference there was between my husband's hairstyles. True, his hair did grow dramatically between summer 2010 and fall 2011, but I kind of wish I had chosen one of the more wild, growing it out looks to capture for 2011.

Especially since now I'm not sure how to indicate that the hair has continue to get longer. I'm thinking of pulling a piece over his shoulder, something like this:

True, he almost always wears it back or up, but those styles are much more difficult to depict without going to a profile view. It's also no where near as smooth as this makes it look. I know I could add some texture by adding occasional 'flip out' blocks to the sides of his head:

What do you think? I'm not a fan...

I think I'm off to see if any one made a pixel person version of Hagrid, since that's what I'm constantly calling him when he does wear his hair down.

Trouble Brewing

Momo is not supposed to be on most of the surfaces in the house.

Like the coffee table,

either computer desk or sewing desk,

or the kitchen counters.

He knows it - at least when my husband's the one watching. For me? No luck. Even when I line the desk edge with things to make it look less like a clear landing space. (Moments after I took the last picture he knocked over both lotion bottles.)

Good thing I like him. And good thing my husband likes me.

Pinterest Challenge: Pickle Dip

I love pickles. I tease my husband that there won't be any telling when I'm pregnant since I already eat pickles and ice cream - not quite together, but often within minutes of each other. I'm also the one who gets called when Grandma winds up with a spicier than expected batch of homemade pickles. I try to share those jars with my husband, but he's got to be fast. I can - and will - eat an entire jar of Grandma's accidentally spicy pickles in a day.

So when I stumbled across a pin for something called Pickle Dip, I knew it was only a matter of time before I wound up making it. I started with this recipe from Homemade By Harper.

Woah, I didn't realize until just now that I basically took the same picture!  

So, here's what we do:

16 oz low fat sour cream
12 oz cream cheese
Most of a 42 oz jar of zesty garlic pickles (diced)
1/2 cup pickle brine
Garlic seasoning salt to taste


If you have one, this is a good time to break out the food processor. A couple of seconds of processing and the pickles are practically perfect - trust me, it's much better than attempting to dice them by hand.

I just throw everything in a big bowl and break out my electric hand mixer.

It's not bad immediately after mixing, but I found it was much better 12-24 hours later. I didn't have any issues with the liquid separating from the mixture, and the flavor only seemed to get better as the tip got older. Not that it had a chance to get too old! The first batch lasted three days, the second lasted less than 36 hours. (To be fair, it went to Thanksgiving dinner, so it wasn't all me.)

I should never have made this. It's way too dangerous. I can't tell you the last time I bought potato chips - now we've gone through more bags of them than I want to admit to. And I want to make more. Today.

I haven't warned my family, but I strongly suspect this will be making an appearance at Christmas dinner as well. After the reception it got at Thanksgiving, I'm thinking it's a pretty good option to bring - especially since I know there are some more pickle lovers on that side of the family.

Thanksgiving Night

I know I spent time earlier this week talking about things I want to do on Thanksgiving, and how I want to avoid turning on the tv. It's still true.

But that's Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Night is about unwinding and watching a movie as a family.

Home movies or slides would be great, and happen sometimes if we're still at someone else's place, but these days Thanksgiving Night tends to be just the two of us either at home or in a hotel room.

Since at this point our family is two adults, the movies so far have been Chocolat, I was a Male War Bride, Court Jester, Hobson's Choice, and The Glass Slipper. None of which have anything to do with Thanksgiving. They've just become associated with the holiday in my mind.

Just apples, grilled cheese, a burning candle, some warm socks, and a little bit of time to unwind.


I'm an introvert, so having some less busy or chaotic time is a necessity, even if it isn't as 'me' time as sitting alone with a notebook and pen or a hot bath. While movie suggestions are great, what I'd really love to have are tips on how to stay sane/get alone time while traveling and seeing family. So far, the best thing I've got is insisting that we stay at a hotel, but that's not always possible. 

Thanksgiving Food

The Main Event: Turkey/Vegi-loaf/Other?

I’m not big on turkey. If someone else makes it, I’ll eat it. But only twice a year: Easter and Thanksgiving. Okay, maybe a third time: Morning-After-Thanksgiving-Turkey-Gravy (which is also the only time I eat gravy).

Thanksgiving with my in-laws means a vegetarian ‘turkey’ loaf. Which most of the gathering prefer to turkey. Unfortunately, it’s somewhat expensive and not something I can find at any of the stores where I shop, so picking up that tradition when it's just the two of us won't be practical.

If I’m ever responsible for my own Thanksgiving dinner, I’ve got a few recipes bookmarked (this was before Pinterest) for the occasion. Most of them feature rubs, marinades, or curry. I haven’t tried any of them yet, but if I’m ever supposed to cook a turkey, it’s not going to be anything like my grandmother’s turkey.

The Sides: Green Bean Casserole, Spicy Applesauce Jello, Spinach Dip, Cheddar-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

My husband loves green bean casserole. Well, more than anything I think he likes the onion bits on top. It’s completely traditional here, it’s on the list no matter where we go, and we’ll most likely be keeping it. Unless we can find something else that fulfils his desire for the crispy onion bits without the cream of whatever soup – I should add that to my list of recipes to look for.

The applesauce Jello is something my mom made for us, and it’s become one of my top two it-isn’t-Thanksgiving-without-this dishes. 1 bag cinnamon imperial candy (red hots) melted in hot applesauce, mixed in with a red Jello. Makes me hungry for it just writing that out. This tradition is staying with us.

Mashed potatoes are a winner with my husband just about any time, but I rarely think to make them. Something about our potatoes tending to grow before I think about them. Anyway, the first time I made mashed potatoes for him, I randomly threw in sharp cheddar, a little Ranch powder, and some garlic powder. He couldn’t stop talking about how these potatoes were just like the ones his grandmother used to make for Thanksgiving. Bonus? They don’t require gravy.

One thing about having sooo many people gathered together for Thanksgiving? Breakfast starts at 4 when the first person gets up to do chores, ends at 10 when the last person is forced out of bed, and then cooking for lunch starts. Which means lunch (our Thanksgiving Dinner time) might not start until two. Which is where spinach dip comes in handy. Someone always brings a double batch, or more, and some bread (French or sourdough). Somehow, these end up on the table from the moment breakfast is cleared until well after dinner, and anyone who is beginning to long for lunch can swing through the kitchen and grab some – assuming they can get through the mob of people who never left the kitchen! It’s only the recipe on the back of the Knorr soup mix, but it’s special to me. It’s also something I would only make if we’re having a lot of people over. I can’t be trusted with that stuff in the house, and I should not eat even a single batch by myself.

In talking about what else means Thanksgiving, we both remember sweet potato or yam casserole (the orangey dish with marshmallows on top). But for both of us liking sweet potatoes, neither one of us like that. There’s no point in making a dish we won’t eat just so we can feel nostalgic, but I would like to have some kind of replacement for it. Sweet potato chips (crisps) probably aren’t the best answer…

Desserts

I can’t tell you how shocked I was on my first Thanksgiving with my then boyfriend’s family when we were sent to Village Inn to pick up the seven pies they ordered for Thanksgiving dinner. I was so accustomed to eating with ten great-aunts who each show up with a homemade pie or two that it had never occurred to me that not everyone had that option. Even in later years when someone on that side does make a pie or two, there’s always at least a French Silk and a pumpkin from Village Inn.

Even with two pie crust making experiences under my belt, and one whole pie baking experience, I’m not sure where we’ll fall. I am a big fan of pumpkin pie, and apple pie, and imagining Thanksgiving without either seems wrong. But do I want to make two pies? Debatable. I’d probably rather make a berry cobbler, pumpkin ice cream, or three ingredient pumpkin spice cookies.

Other: The Morning After

When you’re having a huge sleepover for Thanksgiving, breakfast the next day is equally important. And leftovers usually play a huge part in that – at least in my family. Biscuits, turkey gravy, and whatever leftovers you can find are usually the sum of things. Oh, and coffee, for those who do that. As someone who doesn’t care for turkey, or gravy, this isn’t quite something I’d want to continue, but I like the idea of finding ways to use the leftovers in a ‘new’ way right away.

What foods say Thanksgiving at your holiday gatherings? Any ideas for things I can try instead of green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, or turkey? 

Thanksgiving Activities

For some people, Thanksgiving Day is about football, or yard work, or hunting. Growing up, I was young enough it was about watching the first run through of “Home Alone” on the upstairs tv – which only got three channels, and the rest were football.

As fun as that was, that’s not quite what I have in mind for our family.

For other people, Thanksgiving Day is about beginning the process of Christmas decorating, breaking out the Christmas movies, and beginning the season of Christmas music.

That’s not my plan either.

But I don’t know what I want to do.

I’ve debated making it the day we work on the family photo album. On one hand, that seems like sedentary work. On the other hand, it also seems like a good way to remember the last year, or the year so far, and all the things we have to be thankful for.

We’ve talked about trying to do something like May Day – secretly leaving a little basket of treats, or seasonal décor, or something to bring a smile to the face, on the door knob of our neighbors. That sounds like a lot of prep work, and certainly isn’t practical when we don’t have a neighborhood or many family or friends in town.

Another thought has been to keep a change jar throughout the year and use Thanksgiving as a time to deliver it to a charity, program, or (secretly) to a family who could use an extra pre-Christmas pick me up.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions? I’d love some more suggestions for things we can do than avoid collapsing in front of hulu or the television (one of my weaknesses). 

Thanksgiving Traditions?

We’re still trying to figure out what kind of traditions we want to have as a family – what pieces of our families’ traditions we want to keep, adapt, or do away with.

Growing up, Thanksgiving was a huge holiday for my family. I’m talking 3-7 days of the whole family (sometimes over 100 people) getting together at a farm in the middle of nowhere. Both the best (staying up late, sneaking into the kitchen, watching cable tv) and worst (overworked plumbing, strange food, sleeping on the floor) of sleepovers, plus a healthy helping of gathering eggs, milking cows and goats, riding quads, running around in mud, and (for those interested) hunting, baking, cooking, and fixing said overworked plumbing.

For my husband, Thanksgiving was also a family event. But for them, that looked a lot more like a semi-formal or formal sit down dinner than his grandmother had prepared. Pearls and dress clothes and all. 

Thanksgiving with either my family or his family no longer means either of those things, but those are the things we remember, and the things we want to borrow from for our own traditions (and to pass on to futurekid).

I'm big on Thanksgiving - it's actually my favorite holiday, by far - so if you've got special Thanksgiving traditions or recipes, I'd love to hear them.



And yes, this mostly means I'll be talking about traditions and food this week. 

Adding a Border

I've been having a difficult time dedicating myself to something as huge as working on the wedding present quilt. Which I know is a habit that's going to come back to bite me in a few months when I've got too much to do and too little time. But, working on smaller things has been easier - and fit my schedule better.

You might have seen that I made some changes to the layout of my odd little patchwork quilt.

More of the seams line up now, and that's helped it to look a little better. I'm still not completely happy with it, but I think it is looking much better. And I figure it'll probably get better if I keep working on it.

So, I added a border.

It's quite a wide border, about 10 inches I think. I think it's an improvement over the borderless version.

Hoodie PJs

Last year, our little house stayed about 62 degrees all winter long. It wasn't the most fun, but not impossible. So far this year we've been keeping the heat nearer 52-55. That probably won't last. I hope.

My husband is constantly warm. Even when the house is that chilly, he's fine in just a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Meanwhile, I need a hoodie and two pairs of socks just to sleep.

I've been searching for my hoodies since it started getting cold, and while I've found four zip down hoodies, I haven't found any of my collection of over-the-heads. In desperation, I did sleep in a zipped hoodie one night; I think I still have zipper impressions.

With no zipper-less hoodies to be found, I pulled an older hoodie with a broken zipper from the mend pile. I've never tried to replace a zipper before - and tonight wasn't going to be the time to start.

Since the hoodie belonged to my husband - back in the days when he walked five blocks to school in negative temperatures and snow - there's a little extra room when I wear it. Which means I was fairly confident I could cut off the zipper and stitch it back together without making it unwearable.

Step 1:
Cut off the zipper. This got tricky at the top when it came to removing the zipper from the edge of the hood. A seam ripper is probably more helpful here, or you can be like me and figure they're just going to be worn to bed and cut them all the way off.

Step 2: 
Turn the sweatshirt inside out and line up the two raw edges. Pin them together as best you can.

Step 3:
Beginning at the bottom of the shirt, sew the two raw sides together using at least a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Go slowly over the pockets and other areas where things are bulky. I had to help the feed dogs a little at one point, but it wasn't too bad even at the thickest areas. If you want a larger head opening than just the hoodie, be sure to stop this line of stitching before you get all the way to the top.

I'm sure if you're using a serger or an over lock stitch of some sort, you can probably use a much small seam allowance - but since I didn't, I wanted that large allowance so I could fold it open and stitch it down again.


Step 4: 
Press the seam open and pin the sides down. I was able to use one pin for both sides, but it might be easier to use one set for each side.

Step 5: 
Sew the edges of the seam down along your pins. You will see this line of stitching on the outside of the shirt, so you might want to use matching thread. Unlike me. If you left a larger head opening or v-neck style, you'll need to be careful to turn each side of the neck under.

You might be able to make out (in the above picture) how I was able to use one pin to hold both sides of the seam open.

Step 6: 
If needed, add a little extra reinforcement across the top and/or bottom of your lines of stitching.

This picture kind of shows how I v-necked near the top. It probably would have been fine without the extra lines of stitching across the split there, but I wanted to be certain it would stay.

It's not the most beautiful piece of clothing I own - and yes, it'd look a lot better in navy thread than white. BUT - it's going to keep me warm without leaving zipper marks on my chest - and that's all I was going for.

Zombies?

I may never sleep again. 

"Flesh & Bone" by Jonathan Maberry, Rot & Ruin Book 3

But I'll be happy about it.

I like fantasy - I just don't really like vampires, werewolves, or zombies. Or being scared.

(My exception to the vampire rule is "Sunshine" by Robin McKinley - but I still have to be in the mood and start that at the beginning of a day off. I cannot read it after dark, even though I've been reading it for years.)

Up until "Rot & Ruin," I'd more or less managed to avoid zombies all together. Everything about that sounded too intense for me. Then, somehow I wound up with this book about zombies. And it was amazing. The amazing comes from Maberry, not zombies as a whole. But put them together? And I'm hooked. Even branching out into other zombie stories.

I read the second book, "Dust & Decay" after Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws last year. Fortunately, most of them were distracted by the baby or the tv and didn't notice me shaking and crying by turns in the dining room.

Yesterday, I picked up "Flesh & Bone" - which the librarian had been kind enough to order at my query.

Today, it's going back. I started it at 9 pm. Despite my usual rule of sunlight makes scary books safer. I finished just after 1. And yes, I jumped every time the heater turned on or the cat moved. But it was totally worth it.

Now to find something to distract me from worrying over the characters until the fourth book comes out...

My 7th Quilt: Procrastination Half Squares

Despite some continued issues with the tension settings on my Janome/Kenmore machine, and some serious battles with the binding - I'm happy to say that Procrastination Half Squares Quilt is officially done!

As always, I took a couple pictures pre-wash, just in case something should go wrong in the wash.

I know the aqua binding seems just a little too bright in these pictures. Mostly that's me not knowing how to color balance. It is a little bright for the quilt, but not that much.

A quick trip through the washer and dryer and then out for a few glamour shots before it gets too dark:

It's just about 46" by 50" - and not quite rectangular after I cut off the failed binding! I didn't measure it before washing and drying, but it doesn't seem to have shrunk.

I haven't seen any signs that the colors bled. Since I had to skip the pre-wash, and I was using white sashing for the first time, I had my fingers crossed the whole time it was washing.

Although I'm not as emotionally attached to this quilt as I have been to others in the past, I think it will also probably be staying with me. If it had finished perfectly, I'd be holding this one for the next baby shower I'm invited to, but since I chose not to unpick several lines of quilting to fix the back, I think it's got to stay with me. I think I can handle that without complaint.

November.

I've been having a hard time with this autumn.

It's nothing new for me to hate autumn, but this one has been harder than usual.

For 11 of the last 13 years, I've had a rather large project to distract me from the approaching cold/darkness.

For the last 14 years, November has been dedicated to either watching or helping with a musical.

This year, instead of being out costume shopping or in pit orchestra rehearsal, or jealously watching people do choreography, I'm sitting at home marking just how many minutes earlier the sun went down tonight than last night.

When I went off to college, I was full of ideas of working in a theater - getting to do the things I loved all the time, over and over.

Needless to say, it didn't work out that way. I've tried hard to find other goals, but come November, it's hard not to look back and wonder what might have been.

Yes, a part of me is listing a dozen different things I could try doing for next year. And maybe I will. But tonight I need to feel sad and nostalgic and jealous.

Tonight, somewhere in another time zone, a whole new group of kids are getting ready to put on a musical with the woman who taught me to loved the stage. And I couldn't be more happy for them, or more jealous of them. Or wish more that I were in the audience - or better yet, the pit, or the costume room.

Progress

Improvised Jungle Blocks Quilt

Top is finished.
Still to go: make a back, baste, quilt, bind

Pansy Patch Project

Three faces finished!
Next Step: enlarging each face with a white/green border
Still to go: I still won't list it all. I know I'm really dragging on this one, but a little more progress is good.
Oh, and I'm one tiny green block of each color short. I'm not sure who was counting when I cut all those. Not me apparently. I hope I still have those fabrics...

Half-Square "Procrastination" Quilt

Newly re-bound
Still needs: washed.  

Happily Ever After [Wedding] Quilt 

Needs: basted, quilted, bound, washed

Secret and/or Patchwork Quilts
1. Random Camping Blocks:

It's been re-ordered somewhat so the blocks line up better. Now I'm thinking it needs a border.

2. Denim: Still collecting and cutting denim

3. Scrapbusting Pink/Yellow - No real progress, but I bought some pink/yellow flannel for the backing. 

Waiting to Start:

• Teddy Bear Blanket II
• Curtains for kitchen window
• 2012 Cross stitch portrait
• Holiday Projects
• Cloth (prairie point?) garland
• 
  

I know my plate is full - but I'm much better at starting projects than finishing them. I've already started making a list of things I want to make in 2013. But I've got to have some more finishes first, I know.

Typing with Crossed Fingers

This is going to be a bit of a teaser - because I can't tell you anything more yet... I'm not trying to be mysterious, just cautious.

Yesterday afternoon we entered a waiting game for a huge opportunity.

There's a lot up in the air right now, on multiple levels.

There are several pieces that are going to have to all work together if this is to be. While we've already been doing some negotiating and bargaining towards the outcome we want, one of those pieces is a very clear yes or no, with no room for negotiations.

If this comes together, you'll be the first to know. If it doesn't? Well... I'll at least mention that it didn't work out, but I won't get into the details.

So, fingers crossed!

Banana Muffins

Bananas get used in phases around here. If I buy only three, they get eaten immediately. But if I buy five or six, half of the bunch sits on the pantry until I finally decide to bake something with their brown remains.

This is my go-to baking with bananas recipe. It's slightly adapted from a recipe I found in my unofficial family cookbook. (Multiple people I know and/or are related to contributed recipes to the book, and I'm fairly certain every woman in my mom's family has this cookbook.)

Banana Muffins

3 peeled, mashed bananas
1 egg
2 cups Bisquick
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
Cinnamon to taste
Chocolate chips to taste

Stir together until just mixed. Drop into muffin papers or greased muffin pan.

Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until beginning to brown on top.

Makes about 12 muffins.

I like them best hot from the oven (just cool enough so the chocolate chips don't burn my mouth) but they're also good cold - especially if you used mini-chips. Most Half of this batch went into the freezer for breakfasts next month.

Note: the recipe originally calls for 1/4 cup sugar and no chocolate chips, so if you skip the chocolate, you might want to adjust the sugar.

Re-Bound

Even though I'm still upset over my binding failure, I have to admit that the outcome from that little incident might be an improvement over the original plan.

I had been going for something that would match perfectly (being the same fabric as the majority of the back) but the solid aqua I found has an interesting contrast - while being just shy of matching the aqua in the fabrics used in the quilt blocks/back.

We'll see how I feel once it's been washed and I get some photos of the whole quilt, but I'm optimistic about the outcome again. Phew!

Not-Halloween Package

It's been a while since I've sent anything to Laura and Agent N - but I figure the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is just about perfect for showering them with some unexpected sweets.

I almost included the basket - but I figure I'll at least hold onto it until the spring package.

It's much easier to send packages during the holidays - coming up with a random happy June package can be difficult (though I think I have this coming June under control already).

It's nothing special, but hopefully it brightened her day - especially important now that the days seem so much shorter. I don't know about where she is, but here's it's dark by 5. Which means lots of candles and lots of hot chocolate - for me, I figure candles aren't so good for an almost-two-year-old.

November Goals

November Goals:

• Read 5+ books
• Work on Happily Ever After Quilt 
• I'm hoping to get it basted and start on getting it quilted during November. I won't have much time to work on it in December, and I've got to have it completely finished by the end of February. Which isn't that far away. 
• Finalize design for 2012 cross stitch portrait 
• Which I hope to work on over Christmas, but I might just take it with me for Thanksgiving, depending what we decide to do that day.  
• Finish Christmas shopping
• Wrap all the Christmas gifts
• Make more bags if needed
• Try a new-to-me restaurant 
• Start assembling an all black orchestra outfit for Christmas concert 
• Why is this so hard to do!? Between 1999 and 2009 my closet was more than 50% black. I guess at some point I got tired of that, but now I scramble every year to come up with something all black that's comfortable and looks decent. This year, I am going to start preparing early. Even though last time I went shopping for black pumps - after killing three pairs last winter (which was no surprise since they were all from that ten year period of black performance wear) - I came home with two pairs of beige/tan shoes. And have yet to find more black ones. Whoops. 
• Practice my orchestra music every Saturday morning. 
• 
  

October Wrap Up

Let's pretend this is happening on the first of November.

October Goals

• Read 5+ books
• "An Offer from a Gentleman" Julia Quinn
• "The Viscount Who Loved Me" Julia Quinn
• "On the Day I Died" Candace Fleming
• "A Clash of Kings" George R. R. Martin
• "Raven Quest" Sharon Stewart
• "Exile's Honor" Mercedes Lackey
• Reading Year Wrap Up 
• Make one baking/cooking related item from a never before tried recipe: Gingerbread Pumpkin Bread, Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Chai Kiss Cookies
• Finish wedding quilt back
• Baste wedding quilt 
• Send out the autumn package  
• Something social with friends 
• Meet Baby C if she comes this way - She didn't. Boo. Next time Baby C, next time. 
• Start Christmas shopping/planning
• Try to keep my head above water - I'm not sure if I managed this or not. I wasn't as overwhelmed as some months, but I wasn't as in control of what was happening as I'd like either. And I say that as the me that's trying to avoid being overwhelmed, not the me who is a control freak. Okay, maybe a little of both.