Emptyknitster

I started knitting this yarn as a cardigan called Miracle Drop Stitch Cardigan on Thanksgiving 2008. The sweater was nearly complete when I realized I just didn’t like it. The unfinished sweater was put away for a year (until I could bring myself to frog it “rip it, rip it”). Thanksgiving 2009 I started the Sandrine. This sweater is a top down and because that is my favorite kind of sweater I thought it would be a quick knit. No such luck – it must be a Thanksgiving curse. As I worked on the Sandrine I thought that it too, was a dud. Not until I washed and blocked the sweater this week, did its true beauty jump out! Pattern: Sandrine Yarn: Cascade, Bollicine Dolly Amount:9 skeins = 1377.0 yards Colorway: Ivory

If you are a science buff or live around Yellowstone Park, you know that there is an emerging volcano and hundreds of earthquakes have occurred in the past few weeks. Yesterday when I got home from work I was greeted with a picture that my mom had painted on the bedroom floor. The self proclaimed Cat Whisperer, aka: Hubby, had been home all day, so I figured he had a good reason for taking things off the wall. While cooking dinner, he asked me if I had noticed the fallen picture and then told me he’d been reading in the living room when he heard a horrible crash in our bedroom. Abbie came tearing out of the bedroom “scared because of all the noise”. When he went to see what had happened he saw that the picture had fallen and taken the hurricane lamp and several other pieces of glass to the ground. He was sure that it hadn’t been Abbie jumping up on the desk but the nail falling out of the wall because of my poor job hanging the picture. Last night, in the middle of the night, there ...

This is a great casserole that Daughter Number Three found. It has quickly become a family standard.   Rice And Easy Casserole Serves: 4-6 Prep time: 25 min. Total time: 1 hr., 20 min.   Ingredients 2 tbsp. butter, divided 1 cup (8 oz.) rice 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup) ½ tsp. cayenne pepper 1 pkg. (8 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 2 eggs 1 cup milk 4½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. dried thyme Directions 1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 9"x13" casserole dish with 1 tbsp. butter; set aside. Cook rice according to package directions; set aside. 2. Heat remaining butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with cayenne pepper and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more; set aside. 3. In...

Years ago friend and fellow teacher, Kathy W., sang the praises of this mustard plaster recipe. I was ill several times with a chest cold before she could persuade me to give it a try. Perhaps it was the Vicks Rub or just the comfort of the heating pad but I think it works! Today one of our first year teachers came to work with a horrible chest cold. I promised to give him the recipe but I wonder how many times he will get sick before he tries it! Mustard Plaster 1 part baking soda 2 parts dry mustard 3 parts flour................................mix these three things with water to make a paste Layer on chest: Vicks, then the plaster that is sandwiched between a tea towel, and on top of it all a heating pad. Check every 5 - 10 minutes, as it could burn your chest. Stay out of drafts. (the combination really heats things up and your chest pressure is eased)

Years ago, when we were interviewing son-in-laws, it was important to know who their primary football team was. SIL#1 is from England he thinks that the game of football is when the teams run up and down the field kicking a ball and the fans riot when the game is over! We just gave up and let him join the clan. SIL#2 is, was, and forever will be a stanch Vikings fan. He told me then that if the Vikings EVER made it to the Super Bowl he would die a happy man. We let him in the family because he's true BLUE .   Today, the Vikings are playing their final playoff game. If they win, they will go to the Superbowl. If Brett Farve can join the Vikings and become a true BLUE player, I've decided that I can watch and root for the Vikings . Years, and years from now I want my SIL to look back and know that he has had a satifying life...today I'm declaring my loyalty - go Vikings !!

For several years Number One Daughter and a group of her co-workers have rallied for Relay for Life . In February they are continuing their fundraising tradition with a silent auction. I wanted to do something to help out so I knit this mitten pattern, felted them, and tried my hand at needle felting. Here is the result: Could they be million dollar mittens? Pattern: Felted (Fulled) Mittens by Nancy Lindberg Yarn: Two skeins Patons Classic Wool Colorway: Dark Grey Mix, and various bright wool colors. P.S. You can tell by the picture - the snow did hit today and life was much better at the work place!

Oh my Gosh! Without even watching the weatherman on TV I know that the air pressure is changing. I know this to be true because of the behavior of my students today! It was one heck of a day - proof, I'm having a beer as I'm writing! Damn those Californians, why can't they just buck up and take all the weather? H 2 O and all! There's supposed to be a major snowstorm arriving tomorrow. Just like hospitals know when a full moon arrives there are babies to deliver, a teacher knows that when air pressure changes and a storm is coming the students go crazy! I had a student in at lunch recess burst into tears ( blubber ) because he had to finish ( START ) his morning assignments.  I told him that he had made the choice to play earlier and so now had to do his work while the others were enjoying their recess. He told me he wasn't playing...Okay, to clarify son, if you choose to sit there and do nothing you will do work when others are playing. AND by the way, don't...