I am Amazing

Check out this bag! I made this! I made the tube handles! Me! I also made the flowers on the handles!

As per my last post I have been on a crochet kick. It has been a challenge I have enjoyed tackling it. Dan noticed my excitement and interest and asked me to make a bag for his daughter Anna. He paid me well. (so confused about that) It took me about 6 days from start to unravel to unravel again to finish.

  I found this yarn that I thought would be great. Then Dan told me she wanted a green one. I totally lucked out. This pattern was a challenge to me. I called my mother so many times and last Sunday I unraveled the whole thing. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

I want to make me a smaller one--a scripture bag size.

Yarn, Hooks, Needles and Slippers

Two weeks ago was General Conference. I walked down to Jo Ann Fabric near my house and purchased yarn. My initial intention was to make dishcloths for Christmas gifts. While I was there I found a cute pattern for a bag. My little sis just moved to Delaware to nanny and lives on the coast and needed a seashell bag. So I made that during Conference.

I caught the bug to crochet some more.

I am not very experienced. Monday I went to get more yarn and found a book with patterns for crocheting dishcloths. I made all four this week. I had to unravel this one several times and call my mother twice before I got it right.

Yesterday I was at Fred Myer and looking at their yarn I noticed a book with 16 knitted dishcloths. I totally got it. I will start soon. I need a smaller set of needles. I know how to knit only. No other stitches. So this will be my new challenge. I have not really crocheted either but I know the basics and as able to figure out these dishcloths. So I have faith I can figure out the knitting ones. And as back-up You Tube has some great instructional videos. How great!

I feel like such an old maid sitting with my slippers on and yarn ball out. But hey it is kind of fun.

Ruth you asked for the pumpkin pancake recipe....here is the link

PS I will take some orders if you want some grandma dishcloths ha ha ha but serious. what am I going to do with all these?

Bring On The Pumpkin

I think I have mentioned that I have been emotionally eating since January. My heart has been broken several times. I have lost a job I have had for a decade and a dream truck. Needless to say I am a fatty.

For a month I have been eating better and exercising. It stinks and is hard. I have bad habits and new ones are difficult. I have only lost 5 little pounds. I am discouraged. As I do I turned to food.

I decided to try these pumpkin pancakes. I am so happy that the pumpkin shortage is over and I am able to purchase the squash and enjoy. So here are pics of the pancake. I have to admit it was different than expected. Tasty and a nice break from oatmeal. but not as satisfying as I wanted it to be. Anyway, it was a good attempt at something new and I am tickled to try more pumpkin recipes as the fall progresses. Please feel free to leave your fav pumpkin item.

Modesty and Jealousy.

It is a rainy day here in Portland. I decided to take a walk to the movie theater and check out Secretariat. I loved the movie. The theater was packed. The gentleman next to me teared up toward the end of the movie. It was a moving moment. The story was inspiring. The characters were heroic and idiolic. A good story with a good message and heart.

Yet what struck me the most was the fashion. Diane Lane wore the most attractive clothing. It was modest, classy and it impressed me. I recently attended a high school football game here in Beaverton Oregon. The girls were wearing shorts so short and tight that stuff was falling out. Little camel toes everywhere. Their tank top layers were tight and since it was freezing cold their nips were out saying hello with their other parts. I felt so bad for the young men who were supposed to not stare. In 1973 there were many women burning bras and wearing daisy dukes yet the character in the movie choose to wear skirts below the knee and did not show cleavage. She looked so good so classy. I admit I do not dress nice. I wish I had more of a sense of style but I do cover myself up. I feel so old fashioned. But modesty is such a beautiful thing. Women and men who dress nice and appropriate carry themselves with dignity and respect.
I am off my soap box. . . . So Mr Blind Date has not called. I am sure he will not. I am jealous of the front office girl who got $5,200 and a free lap top to go to school this term. All due to her being a single mom. I have been wanting to take some classes to get a masters but the cost is more than I can afford and since my choices have prevented me from having a child I do not get assistance like she does. It makes me so jealous. Not only does she have a little girl but she gets money to go to school. I keep using a hand me down laptop that tests and tries my patience every time I turn it on. Somehow I feel cheated. If modesty is good I guess virtue is also. Although I could have a lot of fun and have a child and money to go to school. As it is I have no car, no boyfriend, no sex, no child, no new laptop, no cable tv and no coach or gucci bags (yes the front office has several of each). Sometimes I feel left out and quite jealous.

Just in Case

Just in case you have been wondering about my facebook post regarding my recent blind date.

My visiting teaching partner, Janice, has taken me in. She is such a sweet giving person. She like many friends is baffled that I cannot find a man. She thinks I am 'super cute, intelligent, got my sh*t together, fun, make good money'. . . the list goes on how great she thinks I am. I laugh. I honestly do not know why I cannot attract men. It is the honest truth. I think I am cute, fun, and smart.Well Janice has taken it as her mission to see me with a man.

She has known a single man in our ward. He lives with his mother due to her age and recent spouse/father death. He has a 13 year old daughter that comes to church with him every week. She pointed him out. I was jolted by his matureness. He does not have wrinkles and only a few strands of gray hair but he dressed stuffy. It hit me so hard that he is my demographic now. I am middle aged. Yikes. . . guess that means I have to date middle aged. Right then I missed Josh and his youthful ways. It hurt to admit that my dates are no longer exciting fun and young. sigh. I resisted the urge to be old so I took a pic of the back of Scott's head with my phone during sunday school--I felt younger doing something so immature.

I put Janice off for a couple months. When Josh got married I said Janice hook me up. So Tim, Janice's husband arranged the time and Janice and I made the food. We ate kabobs. Beef, chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, etc. (this is getting long). So we ate, and talked.

Scott came in a Jeep. I was feeling better already. We sat down to dinner and had a long dinner. All four of us kept talking and talking. We left the dinner table and brought everything into the kitchen. Scott thanked us for dinner and proceeded to stand with all of us in the kitchen for an hour! We moved into the living room and chatted for another hour. The whole dinner lasted 4 hours. He finally left. He said it was nice to meet me and that he had a great time. I truly think he had a great time. We had fun. Janice was ecstatic when he left. She took me home (since I am without car).

The next day she texted asking if he had called. I laughed. I am not at all concerned that he has not called. I know he had fun. I had fun. Lets just leave it at that. But Janice wants him to call so bad. More than I do. She snooped and found out he graduated high school 12 years before me. Tuesday she texted me his phone number urging me to call. I am not. I have called many men. It is time for men to be men and man up and call me. lol. It is killing Janice and my friends from work. I am going to remember the fun time. I am not going to worry that he has not called. I am not going to even begin to think how ugly, fat, annoying, self confident, and more negative things I am and that is why he did not call. I am still great and I had fun!

Happy Saturday to me! I could not resist these lovely flowers from the farmers market. I am going to miss the flowers that have decorated my home all summer when the farmers markets end.

Today I found white nectarines at the farmers market. I tried a sample and just had to buy a couple. They are oh so very sweet. Perfect compliment to their firm flesh. I am so happy munching on one right now.

Next I think I need to learn how to photograph food. . . I always just point and shoot. I should plate it and make it look amazing!

God is great! Mair is good and People are crazy!

Does Pie Mean Autumn? Or Brent?

Here is today's cooking installment. I made fresh raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry pies. I made up the filling recipe.  . . some lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon/sugar. I smells divine.

 

Oregon has some amazing berries. I found these at the local farmers market. I have become spoiled by the huge and varied farmers markets here. Every neighborhood has one. Flowers, plants, melons, beans, squash, nuts, onions, berries, peaches, apples, mint, basil, dill, are just a few of the things you can get here. At the one in my neighborhood you can also get fresh kettle corn, pancakes, sandwiches, pastries, breads, etc.

The artisans who make their wares come and sell them every Saturday from 8-12. It is a huge market place. A lot of them have samples. I love the peach samples. There are too many varieties. . . same with berries. I am really excited for my little pies.

A friend requested I cook when she comes to Washington and we get together. I admit I was shocked. I cant cook! I thought about how in the world she would even think that and I realized my blog is all about food. I did some retrospecting and food is a major part of my life. I love it. I love preparing it, shopping for it, planning for it and eating it! Mmmmm. I do admit I am a better baker than cook. But I loved watching Master Chef. I want to learn how to cook. I checked out a couple books from the library and read them. So now I need someone to cook for. I have to admit it is hard to cook for one. Especially when I can be just as satisfied with fish sticks. Living here has expanded my palate. I have tasted spices and combinations I never thought possible. Who knew I liked mint leaves in my spring rolls (cabbage, carrots, shrimp, lettuce, sprouts and mint). My previous conception of mint was for tea or dessert. Not lunch! But I love it! I love pickled carrots! I like lemongrass! I like basil beef! It has been so fun! Well I better go enjoy a warm pie!

(so my brother Brent's nickname is Pie. . . from the poem our grandpa quoted all the time....Blue eyed pickey pie run around and tell a lie. Brown eyed beauty do your mamma's duty. )

And one momemt of silence (or blank space) for 9/11