Just a whinge....

Not to much going on round this neck of the woods...
I managed to make a ham, boiled taters and carrots, along with some stuffing for Thanksgiving on that Friday. Mark picked at the ham and had some sandwhiches from it. I had dinner twice it was so yummie!!!!
Now on the knitting front well Ive done about 4 rows on my toothpick socks and about 10 rows on the gift. Yes I have decided what I am knitting is actually going to be a gift to send to my sp along with whatever else I find to send her in the next lot. I have ideas I just havent gotten anything yet. The first package I sent her she loved. :)
The other day I went on a spring, okay winter clean and while I was scrubbing things my hand found a peice of glass that I thought I had cleaned all up from a broken pot lid (yeah I thought those werent meant to break either but umm the do when accidentally left on an open flame then picked up! *Mark honestly didnt know it was in the flame*). But my hand found the small piece of glass and I got a nice cut just below my thumb from it. It looks nasty.
As well I got a mouth ache. I would call it a toothache but my teeth dont hurt its just my wisdom tooth trying to come all the way through I swear thats the problem. So Ive just been wanting to lay around and cry about that and my hand the last couple of days.
Now off to go get under the covers and moan some more about my mouth. :) btw, TCP taste NASTY but it is making my mouth feel better. :) And keeping it clean while my wittle toofie is coming out...

Turkey Day....

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Well at least those in the states celebrating.
I will be doing my dinner tomorrow night, having a sweet ham, mashed taters, boiled carrots, and fresh yummie stuffing! :) Was going to make the dinner tonight but seeing as though its not celebrated here in England Marks gotta work late tonight and get up in the morning and have a rush day at work to make it home in the afternoon for a docs appointment. To much food will slow him down, thats why I will be making it Friday. :) A day out aint bad? :)
Soup I made yesterday turned out YUMMIE! Mark took 2 bowls worth to work with him I ate a bowl and a half last night it was so good and he of course had a bowl as well, Ive had half a bowl for my breakfast... yes yes yes I know its not breakfast food but hush, its good!... and tonight I will eat some more for dinner and hopefully be able to find Mark a side of cow hes been good eating chicken and fish he needs some beef now and again... And I think after my dinner tonight means that pot of soup will be gone, it was a big pot as well! But about right 6-8 bowls of soup in each pot of soup we have made...
The knitting is coming along, I knit about 16 rows on my secret project and 2 rows on my toothpick socks. See heres my problem with my toothpick socks. I have a naturally sweaty problem. Regardless what I try to do how high/low I keep the temp I either have cold hands and feet or sweaty hands and feet. Mark refuses to hold my hand for long periods because of how bad they can get. Ive always been like this, and hey lets not forget I have oily skin/hair. I would love to know what its like to be able to wash my hair every other day... anyways I digress!... So my problem with the toothpick socks is due to my hands being sweaty and the needles being so small my hands being pretty much closed and trying to concentrate on the small work makes my hands even more sweaty and lets face it, sweaty hands and knitting dont mix... But I get times in the day I have dry hands and I make the most of it and knit as much as I can. But of course that only lasts for a couple minutes hence the short amount of rows completed.
Now Im off to dry my hands, which heres another problem I have, because I have such wet hands my hands are often dry and irritated, specially in the winter I get little red skin rashes on them, I do try lotions but give up on them after they just make my wet hands worse! UGH! Oh well... at least I can knit. :)
Off now to try and knit on me socks...
Happy Thanksgiving once again! :)

Its soup time...

Well it did stop raining, but its back now, and boy is it getting cold. Okay not as cold as Canada, or well from what my mom told me they are having a high this week of -19c where shes living on her farm..... them poor mini donkies and horse! Oh yeah and poor her and John! :) hehe...
Anyways today we decided that we were going to have a nice tomato bean chicken soup.... YAHOO, I never made fresh before! So yesterday I bought all the tomatoes, all 30 of them! Today I peeled and deseeded them and prepared them in the food processor. Meaning I turned it on to chop them into bits without making mush out of them. That took me 1.5 hours and included the clean up. Not to bad if I say so myself! :) Im getting good at making light work of tomatoes after all the fresh pasta sauce Ive made. But I keep forgetting when dealing with the things that if you have a wee cut on your finger its going to find it and sting from time to time.. Oh well its worth having a yummie meal! Soup is now simmering away so Ill be looking to eat in a couple of hours. Cant beat a nice warm fresh bowl of soup! :)
So anyways enough about weather and food I know what you guys want.. you want to hear about knitting.... Ive made little progress on my toothpick socks. Maybe thats what I will actually name them!... I have a complete 3 repeats of the 16 row repeat finished. I probably have another one or two to do before I even thinking of doing the short row heel. But its coming along! :) I have also started another project. I know I know Im one to stick to one thing at a time but Im cheating on myself! The other project is something Im not sure about yet, and unfortunately I cant say much about! See Im not sure if Im going to keep it or gift it! I know I know thats being selfish! But I like spoiling myself! :) So depending what I decide to do Ill let you all know more! :)
I want to eventually get into town and buy the knitting pattern a day calender. We have a new store that opened up and it sells loads of calenders and I spotted the knitting one! So soon that will be mine... I also want to get Mark one that has facts and pictures on space... It just looks cool and hes interested in that sort of stuff, my only problem is would he use it? Or would it sit in the corner of his desk collecting dust.. hmm.. Ill have to think some more....
Thats about it for now... Off to go stir the soup... :) oh yeah and knit!

Always carry an umbrella

This is why in England when they say on the news its going to rain and their are grey clouds in the sky you should ALWAYS take your umbrella with you!

Now I dont mind getting wet, but come on! It was COLD! and every time I walked past a corner I got a cold breeze which made it even colder I stopped and only buttoned up one button becuase it was raining to hard and I just wanted to get home.... All for the love of hot chocolate! :) Now Im towl drying some of the rain from my hair and sitting in my pj bottoms while my jeans are on the heater drying and my coat is on the back of the chair facing the heater drying.. UGH! and oh listen.. its raining again, man sounds heavier Im glad I am home and not getting wet anymore...
Why is it that when your a kid you LOVE running and playing in the rain but as you get older that just isnt the way anymore? Okay so secretly I enjoyed walking in the rain but I was glad to get inside, I just hope I dont catch another cold now from this. :)

All things fun...

So I took the plunge, I went to the new blogger and then I even went to the new layout style. Okay so it took some fiddling to figure out how to get the site meter in there, and then again how to try and add a picture to the side bar.. but all in all I am happy. Hey look I changed the colours of the fonts and all that, Now that makes me HAPPY! I like pinks and pretty things and now Im all pretty, AWWW. :)
Watching tv this morning I spotted a fashion bit that made me laugh. Wearing a sweat jacket and gym shoes (trainers) with a nice fancy party dress. Now see this makes me happy that its cool to do that, I shall run out and go buy me a new party dress, sweat jacket, and trainers! HAAH YEAH RIGHT! As much as I dont need an excuse to get dressed up I would NEVER wear trainers with a dress, no matter how much I HATE heels, only because I cant find ones I wont break my neck in... But man how good is that to know you can walk around in gym shoes and your party dress and know you look cool??? Come on everyone should go out and do it, be like nations party trainer day or something? HAHAHAHA
So the socks are socking along SLOWLY! Who knew that knitting with 2mm needles would be like knitting with toothpicks every move you make afraid your going to snap the things in half! I was doing only 1 row for a couple of days, and then yesterday I did like 6 rows.. I know moving FAST.... about fast as a turtle anyways. haha It is coming along and I cant wait to have them finished, love the look, and the blue I am using. Its a Rowan 4ply Soft, OMG! I need to make a sweater with this stuff, okay will take AGES to make but its so SOFT and LOVELY! and I can see myself cuddled up with my socks and sweater in it on the couch on a coldish day... okay so it may be NEXT year by the time its finished but who cares!....
Off to start dinner, a nice long slow cooked stew, yummie! Then Im going to knit another row on the socks. :)

Interesting things about me...

I cant remember who I stole this from, but its all over the blogs anyways. :)
1. FIRST NAME? Jennifer
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I will have to ask my mom..
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I think it was thrusday while watching Greys Anatomy. AHAH (and Im only on season 2 so shhh dont tell me anything)
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Sometimes when I take my time but when Im rushing I think it looks like chicken scratch..
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Anymore ham or chicken....
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes, because Im nice.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? yep right here.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I would LOVE to! But Id probably puke my guts out before I even got to the top and would have to be pushed off. hahaha
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Rice Crispies
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No, but I try to remember!
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Strong minded, yes, strong physically, HA!, but I am stronger then people sometimes think I am but I think Im weak compared to my mom who can push her piano all over the house and it takes me 10 minutes to push it out of its spot not even a centimeter away.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Vanilla, cookies and cream, or cookie dough, depends what they have at the store when I go to get me some. :)
14. SHOE SIZE? 7 or 8 depending on the shoe.
15. RED OR PINK? Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Inability to take criticism constructively.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mommy.. even though I talk to her nearly every day I still miss her!!...
18. WHAT FOOD WILL GET YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? If Im sleeping, NOTHING... If Im just kind of laying there, chocolate...
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? No pants, or shirt, or shoes! Geesh... Im wearing my fuzzy tigger slippers got as a gift from friends last year for xmas/bday... and Im wearing a black with white polka dots wrap dress... See I am not sitting here naked!
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Toasted cheese sandwhich, yummie!
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? This Old House and also the washer...
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Purple, not to dark but not to bright colour either.
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Cinnamon, fresh baked bread/cookies. :)
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Actually that was Mark this weekend. Needed to know what he wanted from the store because I fergot what he told me before I left...
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Smile/eyes
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? I cant remember who I stole it from.. but its on blogs I read and I wouldnt read them if I didnt like em! :D
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Sprite or hot choccie
28. FAVORITE SPORT ? BLAH! I hate sports.. sorry its my fathers fault for shoving them down our throats growing up and not allowing us to watch anything but... But if I were playing? Softball...
29. EYE COLOR? Brown
30. HAT SIZE? Err the hat I just made was 22in around I got a big head its for all my brains. HAAHHAHAHA
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no but I wear glasses I cant stick my fingers in my eyes anymore...
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Mac and cheese, chicken
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter, I love snow
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs, they make you feel safe..
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Creamy cheese cakes
38. WHAT SIDE OF THE BED DO YOU SLEEP ON AND WHY? The left, Im not sure why, its just where I started sleeping the first time I climbed into bed.. and I like facing the wall while I sleep (evidentually I dont snore on my left side?)
39. IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A FAMILY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING TODAY? Well Im not married, and I dont have a family, but Im in a serious relationship... If I werent here Id probably still be in Canada living on a farm with my mom and step dad. hahahaha
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? On the Run by Greg and Gina Hill
41.WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Mark doesnt use one.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Friends and Judge Judy...
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? I suppose Mark saying goodmorning and my mom on the phone?
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? hmm Im not sure I like things from both of em and dont like things from both of em..
45. THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? What counts as home? from where I was born England, but first Canada, but then that was home, and now this is home so like I say, what counts as home?
46. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I can knit, make people smile and look on the brighter side of things...
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Cincinnati, Ohio
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? No one I stole it from someone, just cant remember who...

Cuteness and Sockness

I thought I would start this post off with something cute....

This little guy is at the very top of a tree on a TINY branch taking a nap... I was doing the dishes and looked out the window and there he was so I ran got the camera, opened the window and zoomed into getting him because he was in the neighbors tree on the other side of their yard... but aint he cute just sitting there sunning? :)

This is my swatch blocking for the pair of socks that Ive decided I wanted to make. Of course designing them myself with using the toe up formula from knitty.com...

OMG LOOK!!! That is my FIRST crochet cast on THAT ACTUALLY WORKED!!! And it came undone easily!! :) I found a site (cant remember where nor cant find it now) that said just crochet AROUND the needle and then your loops were already on them. Well I doubled the needle, ie held both ends together, and then crocheted around so that the crocheted cast on was nice and loose. This morning I took it off and was HAPPY with how easy it was and if I had to do it again I will because in the past I failed miserably each time Ive tried doing them...

Here is the first toe that I did, nearly finished with the short row shaping. I did each toe seperately to get ready to pick up the stitches and then I joined them together on my two circular needles. I was going to do both at the same time but just sort of started the first and kept working on it and then went OOPS! Ill do the second one when Im finished.... :)

Heres the two toes with the stitches picked up and the first row of the pattern worked and look at those BEAUTIFUL stitch markers. I was gifted those by Annarella Check her stuff out shes brilliant. :) .... But see those socks are being worked at the same time on two circular needles. Ive just split the stitches in half which happens to be 64 total so I got 32 on one and 32 on the other. Front of the sock is on one needle and the back is on the other. You just work the 32 sts from the first sock drop that yarn pick up the yarn for the other sock and knit the 32 sts for that one turn the sock around so your working the other side now and repeat. Once you get the hang of it, its so easy to work both at the same time and you never get the single sock syndrom and all your socks will have partners. Now its only up to you to finish them or you will just half half done partners. hehe

Not entirely why I took this picture just felt I had to, perhaps to show you the inside of the toe? or maybe to show them on the circular needles? I dont know really! But thats me socks as of now.... Again Im writing what Ive done so I can do a pattern if anyone wants..

Now Im off to go shopping and come back and knit on my socks.. Last night I made soup with a little help from Mark and it turned out YUMMIE!!! Having some more tomorrow night just dont fancy more again tonight even though I could... instead Im going to eat it for lunch today. AHAHAHAHAHA Btw, its ham tater cabbage soup with some mixed beans and carrots..... its yummie and thick and loads to much on in it. :)

My Celeb Look Alikes....

I know 3 of those people.... hmmm is that a good thing or not? Doesnt really matter I kinda like thinking I may look like a famous person.... haha

Book worms attack!....

Well its gotten cold here now... Thankfully I knit my hat just in time as well!! :) Ive gotten comments while I have worn it how people like it and when they find out Ive knitted it say they would like one as well.. Thing is people have asked me to knit for them, I always turn them down. They offer to pay but yet I turn down why is this? Probably because no one realises the time and money it involves and while I knit for fun I never want it to feel like work. So thats why Im more easily to say no thanks I dont knit for others... Makes me sound highly selfish but I am more then happy to spend money of my own and time of my own and happily knit away and give a present to someone I know and love thats not a problem!! I just wont knit for people I dont know and offer to pay me becuase it seems like work in my mind..hmm.... Though one guy did comment on my hat said he liked it and had one similar at home. I said thats nice but you dont, becuase I made mine... His reply was "but yeah mines designer" I laughed and went may be, but so is mine, its a Jenn design because I did it all on my own thanks... he gave a smug smile and left it at that.... pft I dont care if you spent 100£ on a hat and I spent what 4£? I cant even remember what I paid for the skein.. but thats not me point.. me point is I MADE IT! HA!

So I still havent casted anything on my needles its been almost a week.. OMG! Whats wrong with me you ask? Ive turned into a book worm thats whats wrong.. that ever growing pile of books is starting to grow smaller... Ive read 2 books this week, well Im half way through the second one I know alot of people would have read it by now but I do read slightly slow even if Im always reading the book....

Book I read earlier this week was A Theory of Relativity by Jacwuely Mitchard I really liked the book, didnt want to put it down and couldnt wait till I woke up in the morning to finish reading it, which seems odd becuase I thought the book was scatter brained and sort of went from talking about one thing into talking about another thing. The story itself is about two families fighting for custody of this baby girl named Keefer. Her mommy and daddy died in a car accident and the moms brother (babys uncle) is one trying to get custody while cousins of the father are trying to fight for custody. Sad story but good. Would I recomend it? yep I would!

Book I am currently reading is The Divide by Nicholas Evans It is a story of a girl on the run from the FBI for acts of ecoterrorism, when finally found shes been murdered. Im just over half way through the book and again I dont really want to put this one down either... I just want to find out more and more... Its not normally a book I would buy but its from the same guy who wrote The Horse Whisperer and I remember reading that in highschool borrowing it off of my english teacher after whatching the film and JUST HAVING to read the book... I loved the book just as much if not more then the film.. And so far this book isnt a let down.. :)

Last night we had to go over to the bfs sisters house to return her computer that he fixed up for her and I found she had The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom I read Tuesdays With Morrie (again borrowed from my english teacher in highschool) and I really liked the book I think I actually have that one out front I remember buying it but I dont remember if I lent it to someone and never got it back Ill have to look another day... But anyways I have heard from many people about the five people you meet in heaven being a must read book. I have looked for it on ebay and when and if your able to find a copy goes for stupid amounts of money and I wont pay more then about 4£ for a book... So soon as I seen she had it I begged if I could borrow it and of course she said I could so thats my next book after I finish the one Im reading now.. :)

Alright theres me update, no knitting at the moment just lots and lots of reading....