Sunday morning

Quick update on the weekend...

Yesterday was my cousin's daughter's christening. So I got up wicked early, pucked my bag and Lupe and headed to Massachusetts. This was my first family event without S in over 6 years and I was really uneasy. After I saw everyone and just took a deep breath, I actually felt really great to be around everyone. I took a couple of pictures and will post them when I get them loaded on my computer.

Last night I went over to my aunt, uncle & cousin's house to spend some time with them. My Auntie Steffi was staying with them as well. The girls sat at the kitchen table and talked for a while. I was glad to just be with everyone again.

I have decided to postpone my surgery until the 14th of October. There are a few things going on this coming week and it will just be easier to do it in a couple of weeks. That said, I can't wait for my shoulder not to be bothering me anymore.

Time for breakfast and to hand out with Dad and Mary before I leave. Hope everyone had a great weekend!!!

Drive by...

Been quiet lately as I've been swamped at work and not signing on at home much. Still knitting away and I need to do as much of it as I can b/c...

I have shoulder surgery scheduled for the 2nd. They are going in to scope it, clean it up and hopefully revers the impingement I have been suffering from.

Not too happy about it, but I can't live with the pain and lack of movement in my right arm. So I'm scheduled and trying to get ready for this. I hope to only be out of work for a couple of days but I'm going to need help with Lupe and just doing a few things. This sounds easy, but I live alone and I don't like relying on people. Going to have to get over that real soon.

So, that's the story for now...need to update more, I know...

Knitting...knitting...and some more knitting

Spent the last 2 evenings knitting at 2 separate knitting groups. Last night was at the Spinning Room in Altamont. We were celebrating one of the knitters 99th birthday (which is today). Betty is amazing and completely inspiring. I truly hope that we are there again next year to celebrate her 100th birthday. I had to leave a little early to come and walk Lupe. It was nice to be around such supportive women...although there is one man that was there. Liz had quite the turnout and there was lots of show and tell.

Tonight I left work a little early and went over to Trumpet Hill to sit and knit for a little while. I also wanted to catch up with the Shopkeeper as I know her from before she opened the shop. It was a small group which was nice. Again, I had to leave early to come and walk Ms. L.

I'm just about 1/2 done with my second sock and am starting to feel inspired about finishing my sweater, modern log cabin baby blanket and maybe even lace. I hope to have more time (which it appears that I will have) to knit. I truly adore knitting and I want to get better at it. It makes me feel closer with my grandma and its a very productive hobby.

So, if you are a knitter and are on Ravelry, come find me, screen name kbeth.

The Omnivore’s Hundred

I got this off a friend's blog and was eating lunch, so figured it was a good time to go through this...

The Omnivore’s Hundred

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at

www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile (when in New Orleans...)
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho (making it is even better)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (has to be New England...)
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut (tried it, man its nasty)
35. Root beer float (always a treat)
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo (again, when in New Orleans...)
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (gotta love Mexico!!!)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala (favorite Indian dish)
48. Eel (UNAGI!!!)
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear (also known as "tuna" in Mexico. Don't ask for tuna and expect to get fish down there...)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (by mistake b/c the bartender didn't know the difference between gin and vodka)
58. Beer above 8% ABV (mmmmmmmm...beer.......)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores (girl scout and camping necessity)
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano (real mole poblano just rocks!!!)
96. Bagel and lox (what about the cream cheese?!)
97. Lobster Thermidor (sniff...this was my mom's FAVORITE dish...)
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (brother brought it home for me)
100. Snake

I counted 49...not too bad seeing that I wasn't an adventurous eater until 6 years ago...

September already?!

I can't believe its September already! The shortened days and cool nights have already arrived. Granted the days are up in the 80's for the next couple of days, but there isn't any predicted rain until late this week! FINALLY!!! I do love this time of year.

The move went reasonably well. Most everything came out of the house on Friday morning and my new furniture arrives Saturday morning. Of course furniture looks so much smaller in the showroom. Everything fits, I just had to do some rearranging. Currently, the spare bedroom and dining room are complete disasters but I'm working on getting them organized so that you can at least walk into them without having to jump over stuff on the floor (more of an issue with the bedroom than the dining room).

Best part of this weekend? Lupe is back with me!!! I knew I missed her, but having her back reminds me how much I really did miss her. She went to the local minor league baseball game on Saturday which was a blast. She got a hotdog and was even fed some french fries by someone in our section. She hasn't been to happy since she has been with me. The apartment is a lot smaller than the house, there is only me (she misses both Zippy and Steve), its a LOT noiser and there isn't a huge yard for her to explore.

I'm hoping she adjusts...I know that I haven't yet and I'm pretty miserable about everything. Having her there though does help my spirits. Just wish it felt less like a college dorm and more like a home.