Cleaning Cupboards and other Domestic Tasks

Once in awhile, you just gotta get in there and clean them cupboards.  The deciding factor was the jar of honey that lived on the counter beside my kitchen sink for two weeks because there was no room in the cupboard for it.  There was no room in the cupboard for it because the last two empty or almost empty jars of honey were still in the cupboard.  Sometimes it takes a while ... like two weeks ... for the annoyance factor to kick in and motivate me.

Yikes!

I found this ...

... FOUR bags of cornmeal!  Okay, in my own defense, the bag in the front is only used for the bottom of pizza crusts and artisan breads that I bake on my oven stone slab, so really it's only THREE bags of cornmeal.  I am NOT turning into Gramma!

Miss Boots proclaimed her boredom all the while I was cleaning.

Enough of the scrubby-cleany stuff already.
We play now kaythx!

She finally gave up on me and created her own entertainment.

It's a cloth grocery bag ... with a tail!

No, it's a BORED kitty playing hidden monster!

I also tackled the front entrance closet and the hall linen / "everything else that doesn't have an official home" closet. 

No, I did NOT find my Christmas ornament!  Not that I'm admitting in any way that the missing Christmas ornament had anything at all to do with the weekend cupboard/closet cleaning spree!

At the end of it all, I was left with this burning question ...

CAN THESE TWO EMPTY JUICE BOTTLES BE MADE INTO DECORATIVE SNOWMEN???

Your creative suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  Cheers!

Knit Knit Knit

Like many crafters (I suspect), I go in spells ... for awhile I'm a dedicated quilter, then maybe a couple of weeks of nothing but cross-stitch.  Last weekend and this past week, it's been all about the knitting.  I did several of these ...

 ... hand-knit kid mohair / silk scarves ... light as a sigh and luscious against the skin ... in several different colours (ice blue and raspberry shown above) along with these ...

... felted flower pins to match the scarves.  This yarn felts beautifully by hand ... just massage gently with a little dish soap under running water ... and dries to a delicate soft felted finish.  I have also knitted several pairs of these ...

... thrummed mitts, or "30 below mitts" as I like to call them because all that unspun sheeps wool knitted inside ...

... will keep your pinkies perky when it's forty below!  (I know because I wear mitts like this myself, and it gets that cold here at times.)  All this knitting has been very satisfying ... seeing all these finished projects stacking up ... but not very pleasing to the feline.

My hu-mom keeps playing with sticks and string, and it all looks REAL interesting ...
but she keeps telling me "NO!  BAD!" 
Hmmpppffff!!!!!!!!

Maybe that's why I've found this ...

... in my bed several mornings this past week!  (It used to dangle from a door knob for Her Pussness's batting pleasure.)  It squeaks very realistically and feels quite convincing when rolled upon unexpectedly.  Boots will be happy to know that I'm about "knitted out" now, and looking forward to starting a big new quilting project soon.  She loves it when "we" quilt (together).

Winter definately seems to be here to stay in my part of the world.  According to the local "old timers" and the Farmers' Almanac, this is going to be a colder snowier winter than usual.  Something to do with "La Nina".  I've probably said this before, but I truly don't mind the cold of winter, which often surprises me with special sights like this ...

... a frozen spider web in the corner of the bus shelter!  (Apparently another bus rider didn't appreciate its beauty because it was gone when I got back from work that day.)  I carry my cheap little digital camera around with me and try to record neat things like the above, or this ...

... lovely but lonely snowy little tree that lives across the street from my apartment building.

Speaking of trees, I have developed a tradition of hanging my one and only Christmas ornament on my little Norfolk Pine tree so that no one can accuse me of being a total un-festive Scrooge.  Well!  Houston, we have a problem!  I can't find my little beaded snowflake ornament this year!  I remember taking it off the pine tree last January ... no, Miss Boots was not involved as she didn't come to live with me until March 2010 ... but have no clue where it went after that.  I might have to go hang out with the above lonely snowy little tree ...

Signed,

Undecorated in Northern BC

Still Snowing

A little warmer up here right now, about minus 1 at the moment, and snowing.  The snow was THIS deep ...

... when I left for work this morning, and keeping THIS guy ...

... very busy.  (That's the front of the building I live in the background ... my balcony faces the opposite direction.)  The roads looked like THIS ...

... and people coming into our office throughout the day have all commented on slippery driving conditions.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch ... er, apartment ... Miss Boots is spending a lot of time looking out the windows and longing for nicer weather!

Looking at the above picture of her looking out my bedroom window, I realize she has become quite the svelte sleek gal.  Her bulgy saggy belly is gone!  (We will not be looking at photos of the hu-mom's profile!  LOL!)  Bootsy had a lot of digestive issues when she first came to live with me, and it took awhile to find cat food that agreed with her sensitive system.  (She doesn't tolerate grains.)

It is almost 4:00 pm Friday as I write this.  My work day took an unexpected shift left earlier in the day as I learned a big funding proposal I had been working on cannot be submitted for another 6 months.  Consequently, I was able to end the week by leisurely tidying up some odds and ends instead of scrambling to meet an application deadline.  Sweet!  It also means I get to go home on time, and I'm looking forward to a cozy evening with a glass of wine and a good book.  Or maybe my knitting.

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Busted! Caught Red-Handed ... er ... Red-Pawed!

 Today started out bright and sunny, and Miss Boots actually ventured out onto our balcony to check it out.

Above is as far as she went.  Apparently at minus 15, any humans/dogs/wildlife invading our back yard can bloody well have at it!  Bootsy figured her energies were much better served coming back in and warming her paws on her hu-mom (who was still in her jammies at the time).

She has grown into a very loving kitty ... when she doesn't have an ulterior motive for the snuggle.  I've grown to be suspicious, and for once had my camera right at my side and caught her in the act ...

... trying to steal my bling!  Okay, so it's only an inexpensive little silver pendant, not fabulously expensive diamonds or anything, but this cat REGULARLY tries to steal my jewelry!  She gets up on me when she thinks I'm asleep and tugs at whatever earring or ring or whatever happens to be visible outside of the bed covers.  A necklace is usually the object of her affection when she snuggles on me, and heaven forbid I should neglect to put jewelry away in a CLOSED jewelry box or drawer the very second I take it off.  Same with barrettes and pony tail holders.  This cat HAS A BLING THING!  And what does she do with all her treasures?

Everything she finds (steals) through the night ends up under the dining room table.  Here is this morning's collection:  a pine cone (from a basket on the coffee table), a ball of wool (from my knitting basket), a sock monkey arm (also from knitting basket), a pen (who knows where that was), an unopened package of bias tape (from my sewing machine table), assorted cat toys (that were in HER basket), and front right, AN EARRING that was mysteriously IN MY LEFT EAR LOBE when I went to bed last night!  It's not like this critter doesn't have toys of her own.  It would sure be interesting to know who this cat was in her previous life/lives! 

I have to keep this bit of new knitting well hidden from the beast.  It's kid mohair / silk and wants to grow up to be a scarf and a gift for someone special.  She thinks it's EXTRA SOFT.

So I did go and buy myself a pair of new boots.  Nice little short suede leather dress boots.  As you can see above, WE HAVE SNOW, so it will be boots from now until spring.  (Apparently I didn't do such a great job ironing my grey dress pants ... where did that weird crease come from?) 

So I'm going into work today to PAINT.  We have decided we need a feature wall in our front office on which to display awards, plaques, and special certificates.  It's going to be the brightest royalist BLUE possible.  The rest of our office walls are VERY pastel pinkish-mauve, so a blue feature wall should really stand out in the crowd.  Have a great weekend, y'all!

Winter arrives

Winter made its first serious attempt last Saturday.  The roads and sidewalks looked like this ...

... slippery and sloppy to get around in as the temperature hovered right at the freezing mark.  It was very pretty later in the day as the sun disappeared and what had been water drips earlier solidified into ice.

Like rows of little diamonds.  My cheap little digital camera didn't do it justice!

Last Saturday happened to be one of those days when you officially get a year older.  I like to keep pretty quiet about the event, so took myself out for a glass of wine ...

... and some dinner at a local establishment.  It was Szhechuan-style chicken.  Very good.  I had a second glass of wine and read my book and felt quite happily relaxed after a stressful work week.  Just what I needed!

This morning, Miss Boots opted to climb into her "cozy cave" ...

... a fake-fur cube with a hole in one side ... after breakfast instead of bugging me to get out on the balcony where she usually spends some time telling off any passing dogs or wildlife.  Smart cat!  It looked like this when I left for the bus ...



... about 8:30 am with blowing snow and about 10 degrees below zero.  Minus 10 is not particularly uncomfortable ... okay, at least not for me ... I'd rather have cold than heat any day, and that's probably why I'm happy living up here in The North!  However, my feet (who totally prefer to spend their days nekkid) were not at all happy being confined in these ...

... knowing that they will probably be so confined until April or so next year!  My coworkers were all waiting to look at my feet this morning to see if I actually had boots on as I always push it with footwear wearing sandals well after frost and shoes well into winter.

Note to self:  those are really crappy looking boots ... quit being such a cheapskate and go buy yourself a dressier pair already!

With today's not-so-balmy temperatures I discovered something disturbing ...

The cable of my Denise Circular Knitting Needles WOULDN'T BEND!  As much as I like knitting while waiting for the bus and riding the bus, I was a little afraid to force it to bend for fear of snapping it in half.  Time to revert back to good old serviceable bamboo single-pointed knit needles!

Have a great day y'all ... stay warm!

I'm still here!

I've received numerous phonecalls and email messages wondering WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU cuz I haven't blogged for AGES.  Yes, I had a computer problem the last time I posted.  No, I don't have a computer problem anymore.  I've just plain been BUSY.  Or maybe a bit LAZY.   Anyway, I'm still alive and kicking up here, so y'all can rest easy again!

Since I last blogged, we've gone from this ...

to this ...

Yes, that is indeed our very first dusting of SNOW.  It didn't last long, but this is The North and more can't be far behind.  The Old Timers around here keep saying ... as does the Farmers Almanac ... that this is going to be a Winter to Beat All Winters for cold and snow.  I heard minus nine degrees overnight tonight.  

Miss Boots is not impressed with this cold.  It ruins her sunny outdoor balcony experiences and makes her come in and walk all over the human (me) in order to get her paws warmed up!  So lately she has a new pursuit ...

... escaping down the hall in our apartment building!  (That's her WAY DOWN at the end of the hall.)  There is a new kitty down there, and she feels very strongly about going down to the new kitty's door and expressing her displeasure about its intrusion in HER building.  (New kitty reciprocated with much hissing and yowling the other evening at our door.)  Lord only knows what will happen if they met face to face!  I guess we'll find out if my scaredy cat is a lover or a fighter.

We ... I could NEVER manage to do this without the aid of Miss Boots! ... are nearly finished hand-quilting our oranges/reds autumn quilt (photos in previous posts).  Originally, I had planned to machine quilt, but find I really enjoy hand quilting.  I'm looking forward to finishing it though so I can get on with some BABY QUILTING.  Yes, there is a new great-grand due in the spring!  It's fun being an adopted Nana.

So, WHAT'S NEW WITH Y'ALL????

Life without a computer ...

... means more time to pursue other interests, like quilting ...

... and Miss Boots is VERY pleased about that!  This is the centre of "our" Fall Quilt ...

... mostly oranges and reds and blacks, alternating squares of "Friendship stars" and nine-patch blocks.  I managed to construct the entire thing with scraps from my (rather extensive) fabric stash, and only had to purchase batting and a large enough piece of flannel for the back.  Using scraps was fun ... 315 little 2 1/2 inch squares, 68 of which contain 3 pieces each!  That spells KITTY FUN!  We spent a fair bit of time playing "search-a-square" as Miss Boots swatted and rearranged things numerous times!  The border around this colourful centre is ...

... a green and white checked background with pumpkins and gourds and squash and autumn leaves appliqued around it.  Miss Boots was very "paws on" when it came to placing all these appliques ...

... especially while the pieces still had paper backing attached!  However, she was a little doubtful about my choice of flannel fabric for the back of "our" quilt ...

... until she gave it a thorough examination (involving sniffing, kneading, and taking a nap on).  "We" are currently at the actual quilting part of the project now.  This is going to involve some machine quilting and some hand quilting.  No doubt Miss Boots will be an active participant in both!

The flowers and herbs growing out on my balcony are starting to look a little ragged. 

No frost yet, but I suspect it won't be long now.  It's almost too chilly to sit outside after supper now ... for both of us!  I did some furniture rearranging over the weekend to accomodate moving plants I want to keep indoors. 

It's going to cost more to repair my laptop than I'm prepared to spend on a 2 1/2 year old computer, so I'll be saving up my pennies to buy something new.  Consequently, I'm blogging after work but at my office, and blogging is likely to be sporadic for awhile.  Same goes for reading blogs ... I'll try to check up on y'all as regularly as I can, but that might not happen daily.  By the end of most days, I want to go home, kick my shoes off, and have supper, not hang around the office one minute longer.

That being said, it's time to pack it in and go home.  Have a great week everyone!

Mysteries solved

No, the mystery of my dead home computer has not yet been solved.  Well, it sort of has ... I know how much it's going to cost to repair it, and I'm now in the throes of contemplating buying a new laptop instead of having the repairs done.  So I'm posting via a friend's computer.

Today's mysteries are:

1. WHO KILLED JOHNNY JUMP-UP?
2. HOW AM I GOING TO SATISFY MY SUMMER ICE-CREAM CRAVING?
3. WHAT DISH SHALL I USE TO TAKE MY FIG/ONION/CHEVRE DIP TO TONIGHT'S PARTY?

Serious stuff, oui?  Oui!

First, WHO KILLED JOHNNY JUMP UP?

I have never had this happen before!  Normally, I start a bunch of Johnny Jump Ups, and a few months later, I curse both their longevity and productivity.  These guys simply could not have just up and died, so I want to know ... WHO DONE IT?  A Murder Mystery right on my own balcony!  Was it ...

... the BUTTERFLY hovering next to the corpse?  Or was it ...

... TOMMY THE TURTLE from down in the Basil Fields?  Or was it ...

... MAEVE THE MOOSE from over in the Norfolk Pine Forest?  Or was it ...

... the ANGEL lurking in the Rosemary bushes?  Or was it ...

... LARRY THE LOUNGING LIZARD down on his sunny rock?  Or was it ...

... HUMPER AND THUMPER THE BUNNY BROTHERS over by the Chives?  Or was it ...

... RHONDA AND RHODA THE FLAMINGO SISTERS from Sweet Pea Corner?  Or was it ...

... MISS BOOTS ON THE BALCONY WITH A WATERING CAN???

Hmmm . . . . . . . .

Second, HOW AM I GOING TO SATISFY MY SUMMER ICE-CREAM CRAVING?  Since I grow less tolerant of lactose with each passing year, AND I seriously love my ice cream during these hot summer evenings, this is a MAJOR mystery.

Well!  I did better at solving this one than the previous mystery.  I found this stuff ...

Oops ... sorry!  Fuzzy photo!  I was so excited about getting it open and chowing down when I snapped this picture.  This stuff is make out of COCONUT MILK ... nothing in it to disagree with me, and it tastes DARNED FINE!  Mystery solved!

FINALLY, WHAT DISH SHALL I USE TO TAKE MY FIG/ONION/CHEVRE DIP TO TONIGHT'S PARTY?  Serious mystery, folks, honest!  This is a VERY yummy dip, and not just any old dish will do!  I'd been pondering on this mystery for days.  Well!  I happened to be out of my office for a meeting this afternoon, and noticed this delightful little dish in a shop window on my way back to work after the meeting ...

Mystery solved!  It's perfect!

Okay, now I have to go get myself bee-oo-tee-ful for the party.  Laters . . . . . . . .