bean&noodle

Anticipation (box with a smile)

  
This morning I was faced with a decision... wash my hair or do the dishes? Some mornings are just like that. For any of you that have worked in the magazine publishing industry, fall deadlines are tough, really tough. So today, because I feel frazzled, exhausted and perhaps a little bitchy... I started to plan a vacation for next month to Northern California. Ah, I feel better already.
And to put a cherry on top of my day, I tracked my amazon order and it has been delivered. Few things make me happier than knowing there is a box from Amazon waiting on my front porch. A smile on the box! I mean how freaking amazing is that logo... really? I ordered  a couple new knitting books. It's been a long time since I curled up with a book full of yarn porn. Cannot wait. I read knitting and cookbooks like novels, don't you?

Remember when I didn't like to knit socks? Well, I knew I couldn't force things... it had to happen organically. I am almost done with my third pair of these I'm a clog girl, and these are perfect for wearing with my Danskos. Since I now love knitting socks I treated myself to this book and because the holidays are approaching, this book.

I need to get a new pair started so I have something to knit on the bus this weekend.... more about that tomorrow.

Oh, and my decision? My hair is up in two goofy side buns, but I do get to go home to a clean kitchen.

Bright Star

I finally saw this last night. I'm still thinking about how beautiful it was. The costumes were not only amazing, but the fabrics seemd to be the star. It was achingly beautiful. I knew from the opening scene I was going to love this.

 

Take My Hand...

Thanks to the new Target ads I can't get this theme song out of my head. I knew when I heard those first banjo plinks that it was Free to be You and Me, and I remembered all the words. What I didn't know is what an emotional connection I had with this song. Yesterday morning before work I had to look up the song and hear it in it's entirety. I immediately started to sob, really sob. Not sad painful tears, but I think happy ones. If you were in elementary school in the mid seventies you more than likely remember the series from PBS and probably got to watch it at school too. I can remember how much I looked forward to each segment. I was especially in Love with When We Grow Up with Michael jackson & Roberta Flack. Okay, it just struck me how damn sad and tragic the irony really is, but I digress. In 1974 my sister and I had been with our adopted family about a year, I was 9. I guess this series was just what I needed at a time when I felt like an outsider at school and home. Also wondering if the banjo was familiar to me at that age, since my mother had played one. Hmmm.

Thinking it's time to fix up my mom's banjo and learn to play.

My latest addiction

About three weeks ago I started making myself green smoothies almost every morning, and even sometimes in the afternoon for a little boost. I can honestly feel the difference in the afternoon if I have not had my fix. I've stuck with spinach so far, but plan to experiment with kale and cabbage soon.

My Green Smoothie

In a blender, mix (all measurements are approximate)

1 cup frozen fruit (I buy big bags of frozen fruit for these)
1 banana
1 cup of organic apple juice

when this is blended well add 2 handfuls of baby spinach, blend well and enjoy. 

Note that if you have children or a spouse that will be freaked out by the greenness of this smoothie, use frozen berries and the spinach will be cleverly disguised. If you use peaches, mangos or other light colored fruit, your smoothie will be bright green.

Also new... In an effort to eliminate dairy from my life I have been trying all kinds of new things. The most difficult of which is my morning coffee in which I like it a tad sweet and very creamy. Not being a fan of soy products I have tried rice and almond milk with poor results. No likey. That said, I do like both in my tea. So I have been allowing myself only one cup of coffee in the morning (as I like it) and drinking tea after that. I've rediscovered yerba maté, why has it been so long? It allows me to enjoy the creaminess I love, tastes good, and has a much kinder buzz than coffee.  I need to take a moment to mention that DH and I are absolute coffee lovers. Anyone who stops by can be assured a cup of great coffee. We've been buying ours at Anderson's Coffee  since we moved to Austin in 1996. Anderson's is a small family run coffee roaster and purveyor which has had a loyal following for 37 years. To be honest... I drank my coffee black like forever, but started adding half & half and sugar sometime in my mid thirties when it started upsetting my stomach a bit. Yes, I know it's a bit like drinking scotch with milk because one has ulcers. So either I learn to love it black again, find the perfect dairy substitute, or drink tea.

Go Madmen Yourself... now

For those of us eagerly waiting for the new season to begin... here's a little something to tide you over. Amanda...you better show me yours.

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/

My Superhuman Power & Top Chef

I don't know about you but I squealed when I heard this week's "Quick Fire Challenge". Padma and Season 3 winner Hung Huynh unveiled shelves full of ordinary pantry staples...well the kind you'd find in a home kitchen anyway. Everyone looked stunned, but Jeff was the most horrified. Really?

I laughed mostly because it reminded me of a question a co-worker once asked me. We were waiting tables together and he asked, " If you could have any superhuman power, what would it be?" I replied enthusiastically  with, "the ability to make tasty and nutritious meals with barely anything in the cupboard." he stared at me, shook his head, and snapped, "that is so sad." 

Oh, Jorge, I beg to differ.

 

It's my party and I'll moo if I want to

I was getting in my car this morning, across the street, I spotted the band of marauding chickens that roam the neighborhood. As I pulled away I looked in my rearview mirror and they were headed straight for my front yard... troublemakers.

Oh, for you other gmailers out there, did you see this google link? I was thrilled to Camilla Engman as one of the artists. i usually like my front page served straight up but will gladly stare at this everyday... at least for a while. Don't tell her but I use her "stuffies" photos as my screen saver at work.

I ordered Moo cards today. I can't wait to see them, they are so cute when they're that age.

Did I mention that I totally f%#*&'d up my Gocco last Friday? I was in such a hurry that I forgot to place a filter and screen. I "etched" my image right on my stage glass... completely hosed it. So I got online, let me tell you, it is not easy to find a PG5 replacement at all. I was more surprised by how little sharing actually happened when I posted about my problems 3 days ago... still not a peep from anyone. I cannot believe I was the first person to f this thing up. I felt that there was a big secret that no one wanted to share. This would so not happen in a group of knitters, NEVER. A knitter will tell you where she got everything and how she did it, and whether you needed the yarn she had left to complete yours, she just would. There was a woman who had done the same thing and posted FOUR MONTHS AGO and didn't seem to have much of a response from the community. I was persistent though and finally out of desperation I emailed an etsy seller. Although she had not listed this particular part, I asked anyway. I'm happy to say she came through for me, and even happier that I was able to email this other gal with the news. She was so happy. Oh, the seller has not only gocco supplies but the sweetest Japanese fabrics and cotton tapes. Check her out at A Little Goodness

DH and I are throwing our newly proclaimed annual springtime party next weekend. I just got back from spending my lunch break at Ecowise where I purchased compostable/biodegradable plates, cups, napkins and enough to go containers to send my guests home with a snack for later. Our friend Is smoking a whole mess of brisket, chicken and sausage and I've ordered enough cherry, peach, apple and buttermilk fried pies to make everyone's tummy ache. The last time I tried to throw a party and told everyone not to bother bringing anything... they brought something. I think it's just something in the Southern or Texan DNA that will not allow them to even think of showing up without a dish. So I decided not to fight it.... bring on your potato, Jello and carrot salads... I'm ready. I'm sorry but spring just rocks here. I know, I know... it rocks everywhere, but it really rocks in rural Texas. If you're in the area, come on by.

Texas Toasty

Okay, so it was 89 degrees when I snuck out at lunch Wednesday to buy some yarn to get me through the long weekend. By the time we woke up Thanksgiving the temperature had dropped 51 degrees, I'm serious. I was so thrilled to have a gray, rainy, chilly weekend!

We had about 13 people for dinner and had the chiminea stoked out back and a DVD of this crackling fire inside. . . Texas toasty.

I did get quite a bit gift knitting done.

Brought to you by the Letters M,S,& W

This past weekend I removed all CDs from their Jewel cases and inserted into 3 huge binders. I discovered we love artists or bands that begin with these 3 letters ALOT.  So neat and tidy, been meaning to do this for a thousand years. Which leads me to the huge list of other things I keep meaning to do or have only started...

• visit sisters
• finish painting kitchen cabinets
• plant the 3 freaking Turk's Cap that are still in plastic pots
• paint last two walls of trim in Living Room
• file file file all the important papers and toss the rest in the fire
• finish quilted pot holder
• organize closet
• family cookbook, okay now I am going on three years here...
• train Maisy on Gentle Leader
• Take pics of stash for Ravelry (they may be FOs by then)
• Update Husbands website
• Design my website, oh and logo
• learn to crochet
• Start end-of year tax organization for husbands business BEFORE the end-of year
• make a big batch of granola
• Christmas gift knitting
• Watch the netflix disks that are on top of TV
• Vacum cobwebs that are  way up high in kitchen
• I'm sure there's more, it's just all I will cop to right now.

You Want me to Hold the Chicken, Huh?

After being in the restaurant business for a huge chunk of my life I always love a movie with a waitress. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, 5 Easy Pieces (ah, I mean Tammy Wynette, Chopin, Bach and Mozart all in one soundtrack..genius) and what about Karen Black's Eyes, Spitfire Grill (one of my new faves). Of course, the queen of 'em all, Mildred Pierce. I once worked with a man who wanted to open a restaurant named after the character. I always imagined it to have drag queens with shoulder pads and deep red lips taking your order while looking at you in great disdain. hmmm.

I'm on a roll with "Steve's Bubbly Yet Still Manly Curtain". I'm resisting the urge to go down a needle size, I think it should actually shrink up a bit since it's a linen/cotton blend. This would be a good thing, I could always just roll the sides a bit and baste stitch.

I am trying to get over my serious project monogamy and now have a project at home and the office. Still feels weird, but no more schlepping extra bags to work. I swear it's like I move in every morning and move out at night.