The Sweet Feel of Yarn

Yesterday Suna and I went to Hill Country Weavers for some yarn therapy. I was exchanging a skein of Jitterbug and just browsing. You can never just browse. I found two yarns I just had to have. So in addition to a gorgieous electric blue and black Jitterbug, I have two skeins of Berroco Seduce and a skein of Dream in Color Starry. HCW had been trying to get the Starry for a year and Suna and I happened to come in on the day they stocked it. I will post pictures later.

This and that

Sally Fields and I now have more in common than being short and cute. Boniva, yes, my doctor said I need to build my bones. Now on to exercise and calcium.

This is the summer of socks. Short and sweet, I am knitting socks for many of my family for Christmas. What, I already started on Christmas? I am usually the one shopping the weekend after Thanksgiving. I don't go out on the Friday though - re: first paragraph. I could be easily stomped.

Jared said that the family pictures are better than the package he received from us. Considering the package had an extra pair of glasses and new boots, that is pretty good. He knows how to warm a mother's heart.

Knowing when to quit

This morning I started working on my Aeolian shawl again, when I realized that I was not having fun. Was it still a technical challenge? Yes. Did I want the shawl enough to stick it out? No. You just need to know sometimes when you just need to leave something behind.

Pixie Dust has been put away, possible permanently. Do I feel guilty, no. Will it never make another appearance? I don't know. All I know is I am not in love with it enough to stick it out.

I knit to relax and enjoy myself. I have other projects that I want to do right now. I am going to be working on the projects that truly appeal to me and are relaxing. For me right now, it is smaller projects. This is my summer to relax and recharge and if it is the summer of socks, well my feet will be stylishly clad this winter.

Pixie dust bit the dust again. I have taken the pattern back almost to the beginning and am starting over. This is frustrating, but will be worth it in the end. This is my mantra at the moment. I feel like the little red train - I think I can, I think I can...

Earthquake Cookies

I have had several request for the earthquake cookie recipe. Well here it is:

Earthquake Cookies

1/2 c. oil
4 oz. baking chocolate
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1 c. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate. Mix chocolate, oil, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time.
Add vanilla. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder into chocolate mixture. Chill for several hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by teaspoonful into powdered sugar. Roll into ball and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Do not overcook. These cookies should be soft and chewy.

Enjoy!

Projects

I keep adding to my projects. I am now doing an altar cloth for the church. That has moved to the front of list. The aeolian shawl has moved down to number two. Of course, I have a simple pair of socks to warm-up with or if I need a break.

The altar cloth is crocheted and so it is totally different. I haven't crocheted in so long, but it is coming back. I am starting with the center motifs. After I do 24 of them, I will go beck and finish them, connecting the motifs at the same time. I want to finish this in the next week or two, so I will be sending lots of time everyday. I will keep you posted.

Job interview

My interview for a new teaching position went really well. It seems that I have the right qualifications and qualities. I answered some of the questions before they were asked. I think that the interviewer was impressed that I am already familiar with the new TEKS. We also talked about some instructional units that I have planned.

I brought up my desire to sponsor a newspaper and yearbook and that excited her. They had been talking about doing a newsletter and thinking that a newspaper would be in the future. I think I impressed them with my experience in the AP program and in GT.

The school will start next year with only four core teachers, so I would be the English teacher. That would be interesting, exciting and scary. They will be using a lot of technology and that would be great. I would even have a good quality video camera so I could have students create documentaries, etc.

This would be a great opportunity.

Tonight a big storm passed through. There was an incredible amount of lightning. At one point Ron thought he heard a tornado and we got ready to go into the closet for safety. Luckily no tornado. Moriahs lights are out, so she has the worst of family members.