Author Archives: Patti_is_knittinginflashes

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About Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Living and crafting between the hot flashes

four things | nine

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It’s been a busy week but nothing Earth-shattering.

We (Pepper, me, and sometimes Mr. Aitch) walked four mornings this week. I hope to get another walk in today. The route is about a mile and a half. Once we get used to that, we’ll go farther.

Thursday was a spa day for Pepper (haircut, bath, nails clipped, and whatever else needs to be done) so Mr. Aitch and I got to enjoy breakfast out and do some shopping. We also dropped off a bag of clothes at Goodwill. It felt good to get rid of stuff.

Since we turned the clocks ahead last weekend and lost an hour of sleep, I wanted to nap every afternoon. I didn’t except for yesterday. Our wine, cheese, and cracker lunch helped me nod off for about half an hour.

what I’m watching

We watched the series “Cross” on Amazon Prime. I have not read any James Patterson books so I’m not sure if the series was true to the story lines. We both like mystery, suspense, and action shows/movies but this was dark. Very dark. If they produce another series, we’ll pass.

what I’m loving

Fridays during Lent. I don’t have to think about what we’re having for dinner. It will be fish of some sort. Last night we had batter-dipped cod, boiled potatoes, and peas. Easy. I just peeled a couple of potatoes to boil, then drained, and buttered them. The fish was baked in the oven and the peas heated on the stovetop.

what I’m celebrating

Yesterday was Pi Day and what better way to celebrate than with P-I-E! In fact, we had turkey pot pie earlier in the week.

I couldn’t decide whether to bake an apple pie or a graham cracker pie for Pi Day. I didn’t want to peel the apples and I didn’t have enough milk for the graham cracker pie. So I did the next best thing…I cheated!

We needed milk and a few other things from the market so…I bought this. Mrs. Smith’s crusts aren’t as good as mine but this was easier. And really good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

what’s got me chuckling

A sign on a neighbor’s tree.

Enjoy your week and don’t go too overboard with the green beer!

four things | eight

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March is finally here and spring is just around the corner. The snow flurries we had Thursday are just a memory. The wind has picked up so even though the sun is shining, it’s still cold. This is what March is all about.

what I’m loving

Our new dishwasher was installed this week! YAY!!

It was a “special” order because of the color – black stainless. It’s right next to the refrigerator so I thought it should match.

It’s got three racks and holds much more than the old one. The inside is stainless as opposed to my old one which was white so that makes it seem darker, however, it won’t stain! Looking at you spaghetti sauce and wine drips. I read the manual and evidently some models come with a light inside. I didn’t know that, did you? I never had a light so I don’t miss it but the next one….

what I accomplished

I finally finished the yarn swift bag that I started in January. The fabric is a heavier weight cotton from my stash and at least 35 years old. I bought it to make curtains for my daughter’s bedroom but never did. The lining is cotton from my M-I-L’s stash (also old). I sewed a pocket on the inside with a snap flap to keep the dowels and washers in for easier access. The cardboard square helps stabilize the bottom.

I miscalculated where the grommets should go and didn’t leave enough fabric to fold down for the casing for the draw string. It took me two months to figure out how to fix it. I cut out the grommets, added another piece of fabric to hide the hole, bound the top edge, and sewed on a casing. I had some nylon cord for the draw string and a spring action cord holder (or whatever they are called).

what I’m giving up

Lent began on Wednesday. No, we didn’t have pancakes on Pancake/Fat Tuesday. Actually I didn’t know that was a thing until ten or twelve years ago. My understanding is that (before my time) people gave up butter, eggs, and sugar for Lent so they indulged in pancakes before having abstaining from those foods. In my family we gave up candy. Our parents didn’t give us a choice – we were told that was the edict from God.

We also don’t eat meat on Ash Wednesday or any Fridays during Lent as a form of penance in honor of the death of Jesus Christ. Before 1966 Catholics didn’t eat meat on any Friday but Pope Paul VI changed that to just during Lent. Fish sticks, mac and cheese, tuna noodle casserole, salmon cakes, or meatless spaghetti were common Friday meals in our home.

So for Lent this year I’m abstaining from two iPad games that I’m addicted to and candy…not all sweets, just candy. I have a stash of chocolates in one of the drawers next to my knitting chair. The temptation is there but so far, so good. I’m also getting back into walking around our neighborhood (weather permitting) everyday. Maybe by giving up candy and burning extra calories by walking, I’ll lose the five pounds (or more) that I gained in December.

what I’m working on

Our house sits on about eight-tenths of an acre. That might sound like a lot of land or not so much. When we built our house, we tried to keep as many trees as possible – less to mow, shade in the summer, birdwatching, etc. The downside? More leaves to rake and twigs and branches to pick up!

Over the years we’ve lost some trees, some dead or dying and some that grew too tall and close to the house. We had seven trees removed last summer. Yesterday I marked more trees that (IMHO) should come down.

A few of the dead trees are too big for Mr. Aitch to cut down and several are too close to our house or our neighbor’s fence and shed so we need to get a professional to take those down. Wish us luck in finding someone to do the job!

Have a great week…and don’t forget to turn your clocks an hour ahead tonight.

Patti nona

four things | seven

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Today is the beginning of a new month. A transition month where we (hopefully) say goodbye to winter and welcome spring. We had cloudy, overcast, cold days and sunshine and warmer days this week. One little clump of snow hung around in a shady part of our yard till midweek but it’s now melted into the ground.

In trying to find something uplifting I’ve got four things that I’m loving.

what I’m loving – one

Apricots. When I was little my grandmother got me (and perhaps my sister and brother) hooked on apricots. It was a real treat to have sweet-leathery dried apricots as a snack. I think she only bought them when she made her special apricot spread. We used to slather it on her homemade toasted bread so thick that it dripped off the sides. We, of course, slurped up whatever fell onto our plates. I’ve never found anything quite like hers and the recipe is long gone. I’m pretty sure it did not contain pectin but thickened with cornstarch.

I recently discovered these Mariani dried apricots* at my local grocery store. They remind me of the sweet-leathery dried apricots my grandmother had. I’ve tried other brands but I like this the best. A bonus is that they contain added probiotics. At my age I need all the help I can get.

what I’m loving – two

I used to use a fountain pen all the time. I liked the flow of the ink. I didn’t have to scribble on anything to get it to work. I could customize the ink color by mixing two or three colors together. I had two different fountain pens: one used ink cartridge refills and the other was a lever-fill type. Click here for more info on the types.

When duplicate checks became readily available, I had to switch to ballpoint pens. With a fountain pen, nothing would appear on the duplicate as I didn’t have to press hard at all to write with it. I would often have to rewrite everything on the duplicate which was not very efficient.

A few weeks ago I bought an inexpensive cartridge fountain pen* to see if I still liked writing with one. I do. When I write a check, I go with the other kind. I’m writing with it in my paper planner and book club notebook. (Yes, I still use a paper planner AND appointments on my phone.) I’m going to go with the refills for now. They don’t seem to be any more expensive than a good ballpoint or gel pen but I’ll save the empty cartridges and refill them with my own custom color.

what I’m loving – three

Our new-to-us veterinarian is outstanding. Our previous vet was okay but we didn’t feel all the comfortable with his office procedures. He had his patients call the office when they arrived and wait in their vehicles until he or someone came out to bring them in. He had just one examining room right inside the door. It was small and cramped. His son, also a vet, assisted but we usually “helped” if Pepper got antsy. If Pepper needed medicine, we had to go to his office to get it. That was a 40-mile round trip. Everything just seemed inconvenient for us.

Our new vet is one of several doctors in an animal hospital. They have several vet techs to assist, a lobby with a receptionist, and a pharmacy. We can order routine meds from online businesses, if needed, instead of going to the office for pickup. The vet tech asked us questions and listened to our questions and concerns before the vet came into the examining room. It was a fantastic experience for all of us. Even Pepper…except for the annual shots. Another plus is this place is only eight miles away.

You’re probably wondering why we didn’t change before now. Yeah, we should have. Pepper was treated quickly around last Christmas for an ear issue. Having to drive so far in the cold, dreary, winter and waiting in the car before being called inside helped us decide on a different vet, and we are very glad we did.

what I’m loving – four

Green toes for St. Patrick’s Day this month! I really needed a boost this week so I made a pedicure appointment. The icy blue toenails in January/February were fun for a time until the February Funk set in and I was ready for a brighter outlook.

I’m also loving how the sun comes through the arched window framing my feet.

Have a happy weekend!

*This is not a sponsored post. All reviews and opinions expressed are based on my personal views and experiences.

Is it me?

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Maybe it’s cabin fever. Perhaps it’s aging. Or the weather. Could I be overwhelmed? Underwhelmed?

Whatever it is, I’m in a funk.

I haven’t touched my knitting in over a week.

Yesterday when I was outside with Pepper, I saw everything that needs to be done in the yard. More dead or dying trees should be cut down. The 550-600 pavers want to be a walkway around the deck. The almost bare sometimes muddy path between the deck and garage door and around the garage longs for a paver/concrete sidewalk. The flower beds in front of the house are pathetic.

The good things about being outside were the fresh air and the clear, sunshiny skies with a few whipsy clouds.

Inside the house… Let’s not even think about that!

Well, I have no motivation. My just-do-one-thing voice is on vacation. I sit and play games on my iPad. All. Day. WTH?!

I tried to make pie crust for the beef pot pies we had last week. I completely screwed it up. I forgot to cut the butter/lard into smaller chunks before adding to the flour. Then I forgot to cut the fat into the flour before adding the water. Everything went into the food processor at the same time. I couldn’t figure out why I had this overworked lump of stickiness with a big hunk of frozen lard in the middle.

I took a deep breath, cleaned the food processor, took another deep breath, and started over. Perfect pie crust.

So is it just me? Or do you suffer from the February Funk?

Patti