Amos Lee at the Granada

I've been to one concert (of the rock variety) in my entire life. Now, after Friday night, I can somewhat-more proudly say I've been to three. The first came on Thursday...

SK, one of my best friends, had tickets to see one of her favorite singer/songwriters, Amos Lee. I'd never heard of Mr. Lee but said I'd go along; after all, my life is so exciting! After a splendid dinner near SMU, we headed to the Granada....


We chilled out, half-leaning, half-standing, as we waited for the concert to begin. The place began to fill up and I was glad we got our third-tier, stage center spots early on. The crowd was mixed with adults of all ages - some with grey hair. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect here. The opening act - Dana something - was hardly extraordinary and she was unable to hold the restless crowd's attention. I must admit to feeling sorry for her. It takes so much guts to get up there!


Finally, Amos Lee took the stage and he blew me away right off. I have no idea what song he opened with but he was alone on the stage and it was awesome. Remember, I had no idea what to expect but I was surprised: his voice was unexpectedly pleasant!


His band came on after that and the pace quickened. Thankfully, his voice stayed the same, calming and oddly comforting.


There's something for everyone in Mr. Lee's sound which is indie-rockish/folkish with hints of blues and R&B. It's a unique sound and one that I can't get out of my head. Add to that Mr. Lee's ability to put on a truly captivating show and you're in for a treat.


By the end of the night, I wanted to buy all three of Amos Lee's albums. I was well and truly blown away. The only thing missing from the performance was a bit more of the charming smile we saw too infrequently. Performing in this setting is strangely intimate and Mr. Lee seemed to think he needed to convince us of his talent. Well, sir, you did that in the first song. Relax, you're a talent for sure!

Ballband Dishcloth

Pattern: Ballband Dishcloth from Maxon-Dixon Knitting by Gardner and Shayne
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Fantasy Naturale Multi (pink, 9991) and Lily Sugar n' Cream Solid (cream, 0003)
Needle: US 7
Made for: my mom
Time to completion: 11 days

I usually don't make a big deal out of my knitted dishcloths as they usually aren't complicated or noteworthy. (Hence why you've never seen them here or on Ravelry.) But I've been wanting to try the Ballband for so long.... And I finally got around to it the other night.

This is, however, a good example of why one should have an abundant stash of yarn on hand. My mom had actually bought this pink yarn in Longview, when we went to check out a yarn store five months ago. But I needed another color when I decided to finally use the pink the other night. This cream was the only complimentary color in my stash. The pink has a strand of both blue and light yellow and this cream, I thought, would work with the yellow. Cream is not a good color for a dishcloth, light colors in general are not good as far as staining goes, but I guess that only means I'll have to make some more!

But first, I must add to the stash! Fun!

On the last row of pink, I somehow counted incorrectly (blame it on the Mavs' elimination game last night) so it's a bit off. I didn't have the patience or the motivation to redo it because most people won't notice this minor fallacy. Sometimes, you just have to let it be.

History as Religion, or, Reverse That

I'm really tempted to write about this ridiculous Miss California stuff... But I won't. I'm more tempted to write about Dirk's superhuman effort in Game 4 to keep the Mavs alive. But I won't. I'm going to go a bit more personal, as this blog is a border-line diary to help me get my frustrations and triumphs on paper - well, out.

I'm back in a type of study-mode that I haven't experienced since grad school. My evenings have been made up with reading that would make most, if not all of you, yawn. This is happening because, well, I feel, at times, unequipped to probe any deeper in my research (for work). Generally, this doesn't bother me as my boss' interests and my own do not align. But, as I've been responsible for more material (secondary), I find myself grappling with topics with which our undergrads are intimately familiar. Remember, I do history, not religion.

My boss has given me ample opportunities to write papers, which could easily be candidates for publication (assuming they're good). I've always shied away from these because, as I said before, I feel ill-equipped. But I'm learning, slowly, that there are no definitions of "religion" written in stone anywhere. I can write a historical paper about a religious topic and it can still be termed a religion paper. Now, I may be embarking upon an entirely new entity (for me): a paper that examines connections of biblical and mythological characters throughout the history of biblical criticism. A mouthful, eh?

All this is to say that I'm trying, desperately, to feel at home amidst religion people - that is, in my own department. Thankfully, religion covers everything from Buddha to Ratzinger, Minerva to Calvin. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the possibilities in this field are endless. Or maybe my definition of how history is done is too limited.

Whatever the case, I have a pile of books to go through and there's no end in sight. It's daunting, for sure, but I can't wait!

Sookie Number 9

May always brings a new Sookie Stackhouse book to booksellers and this month is no exception. Dead and Gone came out last week and it was in my mailbox on Thursday. Charlaine Harris has done it again with another action-packed adventure for our favorite telepathic heroine.

In this book, the were-animals "come-out" just as the vampires did before book one. This is a big deal and not everyone likes the idea of werewolves and were-dogs roaming around. Tensions are high in rural Louisiana and it all culminates in another gruesome murder that hits Sookie close to home. But that's not her biggest problem. It turns out that - as these books progress - we learn that those of the fey world - fairies, gobblins, and such - are much more dangerous to humans than either vampires or the were. Sookie, still uneasy with revelations about her genealogy, is caught in the middle of a fey war. All does not go well. Let the craziness begin!

Harris' books are nothing like the debacle, called TRUE BLOOD, airing on HBO. If I had never read the books, I could - maybe - watch the show. But what I've seen is nothing at all like the books; in fact, the show is just plain gross. So, I'm not watching. Since the books are in the first-person, the innocence and longing of Sookie are palpable as you read. The show, however, is not in the first-person and, frankly, there are some characters in the book that I don't want to see or know that well. The show forces these characters upon you in their most pathetic, disgusting state.

BUT. The book is great. Sookie is once again caught between too many men and creatures, armed only with a trowel and a toy squirt-gun. Ha!

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea has been happily perched upon bestselling lists for quite a while now. When a friend loaned me the book, I was excited to have something to read that dealt with Pakistan, a place in the news so often these days. But this book is so much more.

This is the story of how Greg Mortenson began and succeeded in building schools throughout Pakistan, in places that foreigners trek to only to climb some of the world's highest peaks. Greg was a climber and went to Pakistan to climb K2. He didn't make it to the top but on the way down, he was aided by some villagers, an experience that changed his life forever. When he saw the children of their village sitting out in a field, on frozen tundra, which is where they held classes, he made an impulsive promise: he would build them a school.

What follows is a story of how one man can truly change the world. Greg sold everything he owned, he begged for money, he worked until exhuastion in order to build that first school. His efforts did no go unnoticed and he finally gained a benefactor. Eventually they set up a company, the Central Asia Institute, which consisted of Greg alone for many years.

I cannot retell Greg's story here but at a time when most of the world was ignoring Pakistan, at a time when the Taliban was educating too many young men in the region, Greg went around and built schools in the poorest of villages - schools that also accepted women. Shias and Sunnis worked side by side with Greg - literally - in order to help educate future Pakistanis. It's an amazing story and one that should not be missed.

I'm not even done with the book, but I had to tell you about it!

Africa Scarf!

AFRICA SCARF
Pattern: The Corrugator by Paula Smith
Yarn: Berroco Comfort
Color: 9763 (Navy)
Needle: US 10
Size: 40 inches long
Knit with two strands held together.

Ruth began collecting scarves to pass on to the local school children in South Africa and I couldn't resist committing to at least one scarf. Of course, I only got one completed, but E, at school, also finished one to send. Here they are below...


E's scarf is a bottle-green yarn by Lion Brand (Homespun) that refused to cooperate for the camera. On Friday, I sent these off to Ruth with lots of love. There's nothing better than knitting something for someone who you know will get use out of your hand-knit. Too often you give things away, not knowing if they'll be treasured, used, or confined to the back of the closet.

With the scarf done, I'm tackling a short but exciting project, the Ballband Dishcloth. Yay!

Vatican Scavi

I got super exciting news on Tuesday regarding Rome. We're going to the Vatican Scavi!!

The Vatican was built on one of the seven hills of Rome - Vatican hill. During Roman times, the hill was the sight of a necropolis, or 'city of the dead'. Romans did not bury the dead inside the city walls so there are many tombs lining the roads leaving Rome and across the Tiber, on the Vatican hill. During Nero's reign, the emperor built a circus there, a place for races and spectacles. Then, a few hundred years later, in the fourth century A.D., an emperor named Constantine commissioned a Church to be built over the Necropolis. Why? Because St. Peter was buried on the Vatican hill. A thousand years later, another church was built on top of the old one, the present-day Basilica.

When inside the Basilica today, you can go down some stairs near the altar and see the original columns of Constantine's church, amid the tombs of various popes. But there's another layer to be seen...the Necropolis layer.

That's where we're going. You have to write to the Vatican Scavi ("Excavation") office months in advance and pray vehemently for a response. I got a response, long before I expected one. We're going on July 4 to see this underground city, filled with tombs. How awesome is that?! It's similar to the catacombs, containing tombs of both pagans and a few Christians...including the shrine built for Peter. This is where Constantine came after the battle of the Milvian bridge, when he converted to Christianity upon his victory. There is controversy over this shrine and the bones found under it but there is no doubt that it is in honor of Peter - either the place of his crucifixion or the place of his burial.

I don't know if we'll actually get to see that, but it'll be amazing no matter what. My excitement is very hard to contain!

**Pic above is of the Papal Palace at the Vatican, now the Vatican Museums. The Sistine Chapel is in the bottom right of the pic.

Jacksonville, Texas

On Saturday, I actually had something on my calendar. Amazing, huh? I met up with friends of mine from college who are now in Jacksonville, Texas. I had never been to this East Texas town and I was eager to check a town off my list; I'm trying to get my bearings around here!

The drive was only about an hour and it was very pretty. Near Bullard, there are some really cool hills that greatly surpass our gently rolling hills. In fact, there was a lookout point along the highway where you can see 35 miles on a clear day. With all the trees freshly green, it was particularly gorgeous. Of course, I forgot my camera.

It was great to hangout with Z and L for the afternoon, along with their son, J. They are happy people; in fact, I feel out of place if I say anything negative in their presence! Z has just finished his PhD in history and is content to teach at a small college, where they require little to no scholarship from their professors. Z likes to teach more than research so this fits him perfectly. He's teaching mainly US history (ugh!) but he still likes it.

Spurs vs Mavs, Game 2

The euphoria over a Game 1 win for the Mavericks has passed. The heroes of Game 1 made no difference in Game 2 and our stars were lackluster. Game 2 was "The Tony Parker Show," and he grabbed that title as if Barea has personally insulted him in Game 1.

Mavs fans have had little to celebrate of late. We lost in the finals, then lost twice in the first round. This series is now split 1-1. Granted, if you look at the Eastern Conference, we have a superb record, but the West is very difficult. Texas is very difficult.

I like Mark Cuban. He's really tried to make the game fun and accessible to more people, and he's tried (and succeeded) in building a talented team. He's not like Jerry Jones.

But it's hard to be a Mavs fan this morning. Very hard.

Benedict and His Monks

Come andiamo?

That's Italian for "How's it going?" And this is the Friday Rome update...or the place where you can obtain useless knowledge about the Eternal City - whichever you prefer.

Italian CDs have been ordered and more planning has commenced. A bit of progress has been made but I find myself waiting to hear from my boss's friend regarding some technicalities.

I'm also trying to convince my boss to go to Monte Cassino with me (for a day-trip only). He expressed interest in going as his father fought there in World War II. I want to go - of course - because this is where Benedict of Nursia, founder of Western monasticism, established his monastery in the sixth century, the first of its kind. (In case you're curious, St. Antony founded monasticism as a whole, though he's considered Eastern as he lived in Egypt.)

Benedict wrote a rule for monks, appropriately entitled, the Rule of Benedict, and his followers eventually came to be known as Benedictines (when there were other orders being established in the thirteenth century). Clever, eh? I guess you could call the Benedictines, "the originals"; they wear the black habits. The monastery was destroyed during the war but has been rebuilt - not that this matters to me. Just to be in the space where this man lived would be amazing!

The sixth century is one of my favorite times in Rome - as it's very chaotic - and it is also the time of Pope Gregory the Great. I keep coming back to good old Gregory for papers and such because I find him fascinating. He wrote, incidentally, the Life of Benedict.

Evil, Wanton, Sex Goddesses

I went to a lecture yesterday at the Kimbell (which is just a fantastic space) with my boss, who invited me along. The lecture was for the new exhibit at the Kimbell: Art and Love in Renaissance Italy. The lecturer was one of our faculty in the art department and a good friend of my boss's. In college, I somehow managed to never take an art history class and now, that saddens me. I'm not much of a modern art person, but the older works are so very fascinating.

The subject of the talk was Women's Vices portrayed in Renaissance Art - or something to that effect. The speaker talked about how women, since the time of Eve, have been thought of as temptresses and purely sexual beings. Man is where the reason lies; women tempt him from his godly pursuits. Several quotes were read from Augustine, Tertullian, and other Church fathers which were absolutely ridiculous.

I know you've heard all these things before... Women are made from Adam's rib, not in the image of God, like man, therefore we are not holy beings. Women seek only to lure men away from God. Women cannot think on their own, but need a husband's guilding hand in this so very difficult world...

This just goes to show that it is very hard to be both a woman and Catholic. I know that the Church is not the only guilty party of this kind of thinking, but still... I try to forget these things but they keep coming back, much like those annoying Medici. Being a historian, I'm pretty traditional but even this riles my potentially feminist feathers.

Here's one of the pieces of art on display in the exhibition currently at the Kimbell....


Venus, goddess of luv (as my prof used to say), with rays of light coming out of her (ahem!) nether regions, woos heroes from popular culture: Samson, Lancelot, and others. This is how women were perceived - as nothing more than godless, sexual beings.

Geez! I'm obviously not living up to my wanton-goddess potential!

Finished SOCKS!!!

Pattern: Generic No-Frills Sock Recipe by Judy Passman and edited by Linda Lucente
Yarn: J. Knits Super Wash Me Sock
Color: Mesa
Needles: US 2 dbl pts
CO: 60 stitches

Honestly, I cannot believe that they're finally done! Just as I took the picture of them, I realized that one (on the right) is redder than the other. Both came from the same skein but were started at opposite ends. Oh, well, I'm not complaining. They fit and that's a miracle, in my book!

I did the German Toe to finish them and, though this is much easier than the dreaded Kitchener Stitch, I absolutely hate p3tog - ering on small, double-pointed needles. The last four rows or so were torturous but (sigh), now they're done and I cannot wait - believe it or not - to start my next pair. I've already measured my mom's feet so I can get started whenever the mood strikes!

In the end, it only took me nine months to complete these. I was fearing it was closer to a year!

Still an ISTJ

Over the weekend, I retook the Myers-Briggs test as it had been a good ten years, at least, since the first time I took it. Apparently I haven't changed much. I was hoping that maybe I had grown out of the ISTJ phase.....but no such luck.

I read up on my ISTJ self and it is truly scary how exactly this defines me. According to one book, ISTJs are, with their strong sense of duty and responsibility, the rocks of society. We are dependable, trustworthy; we believe in honor and our word is our bond. We are detail-oriented and responsible to a fault. In fact, we grow impatient with and cannot understand irresponsibilty or procrastination. We do our tasks efficiently and without flare, making them sometimes go unseen and unappreciated. We are often promoted because of these well-done tasks, but we generally do not seek leadership positions. Oh, yes, and we're often pessimistic and fatalistic.

In relationships, ISTJs (also referred to as Inspectors - ugh) are most compatible with Artisans (I forgot their letters). However, though we're often attracted to such unruly, passionate, unorganized people, the relationship can easily turn into a parent-child relationship instead of an adult-adult relationship. ISTJs, because of our sense of duty, will never quit a relationship and will even seek to rehabilitate our partners should they suffer from addictions or destructive habits.

Sounds absolutely lovely, huh? It is funny discussing this with my parents. My dad is an ESTJ (or a Supervisor) and we're continually butting heads. Both of us are always coming up with our own more efficient ways of doing things. My mom is an INFJ (or a Counselor) and she is always looking to the future, thinking of grand plans, seeking harmony both at home and work.

In some ways, this test is comforting as it explains some things I consider flaws. I can easily say that "yes, I'm impatient but what else do you expect from an ISTJ?" I can easily see how my personality attracted a boyfriend - or two - and why the relationships developed - and ended - as they did.

At the end of the day, the ISTJ is not the life of the party. In fact, the ISTJ probably went home early to do laundry. The thing that makes us attractive to our mates is that responsibility - we'll take the reigns of a household and pay the bills on time and get the kids to school on time. We cannot resist being responsible. Yes, basically, I'm just plain boring. Why would anyone want to be around someone who is, by nature, fatalistic and pessimistic? Honestly, I have no idea. My mom deals with two such people, so maybe there's a bit of hope....

A Burnt-Out Case

Random Pic of the Day.... This may seem random and it is, but this is where I'm going this summer, which is when I'll need my brand new, spiffy passport. AL took this pic and she can't say whereabouts it is. I'll tell you all about it sooner rather than later, I promise. But it's a cute pic, with the dog and all.

Last night, I finished reading A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Greene. This one was even better than Greene's The End of the Affair, which was truly moving.

One again, you cannot be misled by the summary that appears on the back of my very old, used copy. Going by that, this is a love story. Well, there is no romance here, at least not your typical romance involving two people.

I was a bit skeptical when I was first given this book. It's about a famous architect, Querry, who loses all inspiration for living - for his work and his women. He leaves it all and catches a random plane to Africa. Once there, he boards a boat and goes as deep into the Congo as he can. When the boat ends its journey, he gets off and finds himself at a mission, filled with nuns and priests...and lepers. A cure for leprosy has been discovered and the mission has founded a hospital to treat all those afflicted with this terrible disease.

Querry is given a room by the priests and he lives there, doing nothing more than changing the bandages and dressings for the lepers. Eventually, he helps them build a new hospital. At first, he comes seeking only solitude, quiet, and anonymity. He gets most of what he wants and gradually finds a kind of happiness there, among the "uncivilized" Africans. Slowly, however, the world intrudes and his anonymity is shattered.

This novel is, like a lot of Greene novels, about faith - losing it, regaining it, taking it to extremes. It's about ego, motive, and love. It's inspiring - Deo Gratias the leper, I loved - and interesting - leprosy is something you don't read about everyday. You don't have to be Catholic to read this and enjoy it - and I highly recommend it to you.

Brideshead

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED arrived in my mailbox the other day, a la Netflix. I got around to watching it last night and was surprised; I guess I'd not read the description that well as I had no idea this movie was about religion. Sure, it's set in Britain (post World War I) and has sumptuous sets and deals, once again, with those annoying aristocratic types, but this movie tackles a huge topic: God's grace. (I have not read the book, by Evelyn Waugh, but I may have to as I seem to be on the verge of going through the major Catholic novelists, as Dr. M suggests....)

If you read a summary of the movie it will undoubtedly sound like this: "A middle-class university student befriends an aristocrat and is soon propelled into a world of money, leisure, and frivolous travel." But that only scratches the surface.

Charles Ryder makes the acquaintance of Sebastian Flyte but, just as their friendship blooms, Sebastian's family makes an appearance, bringing an awkwardness into the relationship. His mother is a devout Catholic (Ryder, the outsider, is an atheist) and has apparently used her faith to stifle her children with guilt - at least two of the children, Sebastian and Julia. Catholic guilt, sometimes viewed as preposterous by outsiders and rarely understood by Protestants, is on display time and again in this movie. Sebastian and Julia are constantly weighed down by guilt that they've been instructed to have since birth. They are exhausted and uneasy with their faith. But it is God's grace that will eventually take center stage.

Despite the ridiculous British aristocracy, I found myself oddly moved at the end when upon his deathbed, a lapsed Catholic accepts his last rites, coming back into the Church and proving, very movingly, that no one is beyond God's grace.

A good movie, but one I shall not likely watch again. Let's just say that this doesn't leave you with a warm feeling inside. And, I'm Catholic, and do not need a movie to witness Catholic guilt. BRIDESHEAD does, however, have a soundtrack that, though a bit inconsistent, is interesting.

Annette Vallon

Over the weekend, I finally finished James Tipton's Annette Vallon. This book, though it centers around a romance, is actually a good history of the French Revolution. It is wonderfully descriptive and, though the characters live outside of Paris, you get a sense of what the terror must have been like for ordinary people.

The British poet William Wordsworth fell in love with Annette Vallon shortly before the Terror began, but the Revolution soon separates them. For a novel centered around two people in love, those two share precious few pages together. William returns to Britain and Annette begins to help those who are unjustly hunted by the revolutionaries (including at various times, herself).

In this novel it is made clear just how blurry the lines between royalist and revolutionary truly were, changing with the various tides of fanaticism. And there were so many tides! One forgets just how prolonged and agonizing this Revolution truly was!

This is a great historical novel, with just a hint of romance and tons of adventure. It is refreshing to see a courageous heroine, one who is intelligent and unafraid of anyone's negative opinion. I can't say this made me a fan of Wordsworth, but then, I've never been much into poetry. If you want a good read, I recommend it.

UFO: Ripple Blanket

BROWN RIPPLE BLANKET
Yarn: Berroco Comfort
Colors: Browns/Light Browns/Creams
Needles: US9
Pattern: Edith's Baby Blanket by Edith Elg
For: Me!
Last Touched: probably nine months ago

This picture is an old one. I probably have about two inches of light brown added to the top of this. I really do like this blanket. The problem with it is that it's a blanket and it'll take forever no matter what I do. This is what keeps me unmotivated to touch it. Pathetic, eh? Right now, it's sitting on the couch, begging to be knitted on. We'll see.

To end this UFO week, I guess I should lay out some goals for my future knitting...

1. Finish the socks for they are beautiful!
2. Start and finish the Scarf for African School Children by May 1st so that I can mail it to Ruth. Hopefully I'll get a few more scarves from some colleagues so we can send a package full of scarves!
3. Finish Market Bag - yes, another UFO I didn't have time to mention.
4. Begin AL's gauntlets.

Hmmm....that's a lot of knitting - especially at present knitting rate!

UFO: Lace Shawl

MY FIRST LACE PROJECT
Yarn: Jarbo Garn Baby Pascal Solid
Color: Light Blue
Needles: Circ 5
Pattern: Lavender Linen Lace Shawl by Nancie M Wiseman
For: Me, I guess
Last Touched: Six months ago

Remember this one, dear blog readers? I took a class at JSY last summer to learn how to do lace. This pattern is definitely tricky enough to keep me engaged but I made a bad yarn decision on this one. My budget was stretched pretty thin so I went with a yarn I was not all that excited about. I don't like how it's knitting up. Sigh. Maybe I should start this one over eventually with a better yarn, eh?

In other knitting news, I found out that the other LYS in town is closing. That will leave only Linda at JSY. While I'd only been to the other place a few times - the staff were not nearly as friendly as Linda - it is sad to see any LYS go. It just proves that we need to support our local shops, even if it means only taking an occasional class. Those classes add up as does every little thing you buy.

UFO: Blue Throw

FOUR SEASONS THROW
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica
Color: Blue and grey tones
Needles: US8
Pattern: Four Seasons Throw by Design Source Collections
For: um...that's a long story
Last Touched: A long time ago

Way back, when I was a brand newbie knitter, I began this throw which will - eventually - be made of twelve such squares in shades of blue and gray. And I began this for my boyfriend at the time. There, I said it. He has now been my ex-boyfriend for almost three years but we're still really good friends. I imagine I'll decide who to give the blanket to when I finish it - which will probably be in five years or so, if I'm lucky.

In other knitting news, I had a surprise on my socks over the weekend. I was so concerned with knitting the foot that I kept going...and going a bit to far! While one of them was perfect, which meant I got to start the toe, the other one was an inch too long! So now I'm agonizingly taking out stitches, one by one. My eyes cross after a row and I have to take a break generally. I think I only have a row or two to go, however, after I sat and undid stitches during the President's speech last night.

Still, this is very exciting! I tried them on and they're perfect and beautiful! Yay! I may just finish these in March - like a year after I began them! Woohoo!

UFO: Never-Ending Scarf

NEVER-ENDING SCARF (not the official name!)
Yarn: Colinette Prism
Color: Toscana
Needles: US11
Pattern: Woven Knit by Candi Jensen
For: Me!
Last Touched: Best guess is two years ago but I have no idea

I love this yarn and the way this scarf knits up. Unfortunately, I do not like the tediousness of bringing the yarn backwards and forwards. I have no idea when this one will get finished. Furthermore, there are mistakes in the scarf that I did not know how to correct as a new knitter. Now, they drive me insane!

In other news, my mom and I went into Dallas to see the King Tut exhibit yesterday. She had wanted to see it for her birthday but this was the first day we could both get off from work. We did some shopping (I bought way too much!) and then headed to the Dallas Museum of Art.

I used to like the DMA but I will not be going back (hopefully ever) unless they have an exhibition of outstanding proportions. The staff were rude, the exhibit was badly arranged, crowd management was horrible, and the tickets prices exorbitant. I'm going to stick to the Kimbell, where people are nice and customer service is still alive - and where they do not search purses twice.

The exhibit was good, though there were too many people to really enjoy it. I don't like people bumping into me or having to stand five deep to see an item. We were trying to avoid this by going on a weekday.

Oh, well. I got some clothes by day's end, so all's good.

UFO: Blossom Scarf

My very compulsive self likes the idea of a weekly blog topic. Therefore, this week is UFO Week! No, not of the alien variety but of the unfinished knitting project variety. I'm airing my dirty laundry - er, my UFOs that are stacking up.


First off, the first real scarf I ever made - well, started!

BLOSSOM SCARF
Yarn: Trendsetter Yarns Blossom
Needles: US9
Pattern: um, yeah, knit every row
For: Me!
Last Touched: maybe six months ago, to do a few rows

I loved this yarn when I began and I still do. It's very similar to chenille and would be very nice around the neck - if I ever get to put it around my neck! It's a bit of a pain to work with, however, and is not easy to do for extended periods of time. And it's boring to do: knit, knit, knit, knit....

Despite the fact that I've started two (I think) scarves for myself, neither of them have been completed. Sadly, I don't have a scarf of my own to wear. Other people have scarves from Doniamarie but not me. Ironic, eh?

Maybe some day. Maybe.

Scone Recipe

A colleague gave me a Cranberry/Orange Scone recipe which I have been tweaking for quite some time. Now, I think I have it perfected: I've gotten it down from 6 Weight Watcher points to a mere 3! Here it is...

1 c White, All-Purpose Flour
1 c Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 c Splenda granular
1 c oatmeal (not instant! but original)
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
10 T Smart Balance Light buttery spread
1/2 c Craisins
1 T minced orange zest
1/2 - 2/3 c low-fat buttermilk
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend butter into dry mix by hand until mixture is fine consistency. Add Craisins, orange zest, buttermilk (little by little) and egg whites. Turn with spatula until wet ingredients are folded in - do not overmix. Dump onto floured surface. Divide in half. Pat each half into a smooth disk (1 in thick). Slice each into 6 wedges. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheet. Optional: brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Cook in the middle of the oven for 20-22 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve. Store in air-tight container.

And only 3 WW points per wedge! And SO yummy! The Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is a bit tough to find and I've only seen it at Whole Foods.

The basic recipe is great and I want to try a different fruit next time. Maybe blueberries and lemon zest? Or cinnamon and raisin? The possibilities are endless!

Go Mavs!

Finally, a post about last weekend!

It was a great weekend because I got to spend it with my two best friends. We hadn't been together in a year and a half and before that....we got really close during our 3 1/2 weeks in Europe in 2004. We went to a nice dinner near the American Airlines Center in Dallas and then headed to the game.

It was a close game and very exciting. Dirk had a bad shooting half in the beginning, which contributed to the close score. Then Jason Terry broke his hand (though they made no announcement and we had no clue until AFTER the game). We were down going into the last few seconds until Jason Kidd made his one and only basket of regulation - a three pointer to tie it and take it to overtime. Dirk came alive in overtime with something like 10 to 13 points, securing the win for the Mavs. The Bulls didn't stand a chance once he got his game on!

Granted, the Bulls played some horrible ball, with more turnovers than I've ever seen, so it should have been a blowout. However, the Mavs are not, sadly, what they were two years ago.

It was a great night. I haven't had much friend time lately and it was a blast to hang out with my girls!

Sookie and the Birds

Our crazy adopted kitty is making a name for herself within our bird population here, in the country. She's quite the little terror of the flying things. She stalks them and finally, last weekend, she caught one of them. Talk about traumatizing for her human keepers!


And, she's now killed about four cute little lizards (of the gecko variety, I think). The odd thing is that when she kills something, you can't exactly tell how they died. They're just non-responsive. Some lizards have crawled away overnight but not many. The bird didn't fly away.


Sookie's been wandering further away - out of the backyard, that is - and we got her a spiffy collar and name-tag. It looks as if she likes her home, however, as she sits on the porch, surveying her kingdom for most of her outdoor playtime. She's pretty funny to watch!

Super Bowl Calories

My mother's birthday was Sunday and though she was - at first - quite annoyed with the Super Bowl extravaganza that would play out on her day (in other words, dad in front of the TV), she made the best of it, as she always does. She and my dad invited some friends over - a nice couple - to watch the game and eat and drink. Of course, this meant my mom would have to cook - but she seemed fine with this. And after a few glasses of wine, we were quite happy in the kitchen!


Our menu was quite decadent and I think I gained a few pounds, at least! We started with our new favorite salmon recipe - Citrus-Roasted Salmon - but then had Tex-Mex sides: refried beans, Creamy Cheese Grits (gross!), and taco salad. For dessert I made Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes - which were yummy but not quite as creamy as the pic looks (maybe I overcooked them; our oven is crazy anyway!). I just do not understand grits. I know it's a Southern thing and I was born 'n raised, so one would think I would get this cultural dietary staple...but I don't.

We had chips and dip on hand - along with all kinds of liquor (yes, my parents have become lushes in their old age - haha; just kidding). Our guests brought more dip, carbohydrates, and more liquor. I ended up drinking about four glasses of wine which is more than I've ever drunk in one sitting (ahem, of wine, that is). In my defense, they were small glasses. I think I found a nice Chardonnay as well (I generally don't like white wines). All this eating means I'm doing a lot of cardio for my workouts this week and very little toning. Must burn some calories!

Tahoe Scrapbook

It's been slow here and not much is happening. After our first Snow Day, yesterday, I awoke several times last night to the sound of sleet on my window. So, guess what? We have a second Snow Day today! I may just go stir crazy.

It seemed the perfect opportunity to show you some of my scrapbooking pages I've completed (per Kerin's request). The one up top is the title page. I hate title pages; there's so much pressure in them! This one is mediocre at best but at least it's done. (I usually save them for last so several of my albums have an empty title page still!)


I have tons of stickers but unfortunately I usually forget to use them. This time around, I pulled out all of my wintry paper and stickers beforehand so I wouldn't forget anything!


I won't do the entire album this way, but I love this concept: piecing together a page covered with pics and blocks of paper. It's more interesting than a sheet of paper for the background and, though it requires a bit of cutting, it is simple to do.

On Ice

Twenty or so years ago, when we lived briefly in Missouri, I took ice skating lessons. I don't remember much - mainly that I got to buy spiffy shoes. Ever since, I've been afraid to step back on the ice. On our last day in Tahoe, I conquered my fear and did pretty well, all things considered.


There is an outdoor rink in South Lake Tahoe, just near the gondolas we took up the mountain. My sister, Julie, my neice and nephew, and I went to skate while my dad took pics. Once I got my ice-legs once more, I had tons of fun. It was especially nice to spend over an hour with my niece.


We noticed that there were lights strung up over the rink and decided to come back at night, to see the lights and skate once more. I'm so glad we did! My sister's mom paid for my niece and I to have a short, private lesson where we learned how to twirl - in theory. Mary-Helen did better than I but I still had a blast. And during this lesson, while trying to do a figure eight, I fell down for the first and only time. A kamakazee girl ruined my figure eight and I was trying not to hit her!


It really was a blast and I don't think I've ever had so much fun - well, maybe while building the snowman. Our family friend who joined us on the trip, Eric, also came out to skate, though he seemed a bit shaky. It was the perfect ending to a near-perfect trip.

Up the Mountain!

On our last full day in Tahoe, we bought crazy expensive tickets to ride up the gondola to the ski slopes - where there is a great view of the lake. I was a bit hesitant about it - I don't like heights and movement at once - but I loved it.


On the ride up, it amazed me how quiet it was - when the kids were not screaming. Had I been alone, it would have been almost a religious experience. There is something so magical about the mountains!


The views were spectacular and I had more trouble looking at our route up, rather than looking at the lake below. Stunning!


We got to our first stop: a lookout platform about 8500 feet up. The entire lake was visible and the few clouds in the sky were at eye-level.


At our next stop, the skiers were getting off the gondola to go down the mountain. The trees were heavy with snow and it was truly a white landscape. So incredibly beautiful! This was at 9100 feet.


I will never forget this view. It was cold up on the mountain; my nephew's M&Ms froze as he ate them. How many times can I say this...stunning!

A Sleigh Ride

I am back home from the awesome Tahoe trip, which will surely go down as one of the funnest trips ever. Sure, there were moments of lost patience with some of the family, but when you're in tight quarters, that's to be expected. Nothing, however, could dampen my spirits and I have more pics to show you!


After the big snow on Christmas Day, the town seemed to finally wake up on the 26th. The roads were finally plowed and there was a line of cars trying to get to the ski resort up the street. The temperature dropped and never rose above twenty degrees. We stayed inside until our scheduled sleigh ride in the afternoon.


You know it's cold when the water bottle in your pocket freezes during a thirty minute outdoor adventure. I've never been so cold! But the views were stunning, especially with the lake...


The Pony Express came through Tahoe once a week during it's eighteen month duration in the 1860s, and our route on the sleigh was similar to theirs - though they went farther up the mountain.


Can you imagine seeing this mountain without it's modern homes, businesses, and casinos? It would have been spectacular. Heck, it's spectacular with those things!


After our ride, I went for a walk with a few in our group, where I almost froze. We went down to the lake and it was stunning. The beach was white with snow and there looked to be a few feet of frozen water. The lake as a whole never freezes because it's too deep - 1600 feet. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera on this walk. You'll have to believe me when I say that a Lake Tahoe sunset is unlike anything else.

I'll post pictures of our ride up the mountain tomorrow. Talk about breathtaking!

A Very White Christmas!

I have never had a real white Christmas until this year. According to the ski resort just up the road, we got thirty inches of snow in 24 hours. After playing in it, I believe it! It was absolutely amazing. In all my life, I've never seen anything more beautiful. Here's our house in Tahoe, after the snow...


It was quite a sight watching the snow all day long. Finally, after our big dinner, we got to go outside...


We almost drowned in snow! Our snowman got drenched!


I took a breather and looked up.... Wow.

It was an amazing Christmas - one I'll never forget! More pics soon!

Snow....And More Snow!

I'm writing from South Lake Tahoe, California where it's snowing...a lot! The family (very extended) has gathered here from all around and we have enough food to get through a very long blizzard - or two. Unfortunately, we're running low on alcohol!

The drive up here was absolutely stunning and we stopped in Carson city - which I pronounce Cahson City because of Jackie Chan in SHANGHAI NOON. I didn't expect much but it turned out to be a neat town.


We walked around the town a bit and had lunch. Even my dad was impressed with the town and he's very difficult to impress!

It was so neat to see snow again!

Then we began our ascent to the lake - up and up and around and around. More pics tomorrow! Merry Christmas!

Reno!

Last night, we arrived in Reno around midnight, central time. Though the clock read only 10pm, we were exhausted! We're staying at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino, which has a very nice, new Tuscan Tower, where our room is located.

It snowed here the other day and there are driving restrictions on the route up the mountain to Tahoe. It was a bit alarming to see such restrictions when it was sunny here, in Reno. So, after much debating, we decided to take a bus up the mountain and turn in our rental car. Considering the rest of our family is driving up, we'll have plenty of cars once we get up there. It'll be nice to have a worry-free drive up and especially down, in the early morning hours next week. (The pic below is of downtown, mostly of Harrah's Casino and Hotel.)


Today, we explored Reno a bit. I went to Jimmy Beans Wool, which has a fabulous online store, but also operates a storefront here in Reno. The ladies there were super nice and the store, though small, had a great selection of nice yarns. I was impressed! And yes, I bought some more yarn! I'll post pics later!

After that, we went to the National Auto Museum, where there were tons of cute cars.


The car above was one of my favorites: a 1937 Packard. My dad collects and restores antique cars and one of his cars was bought by the Harrah Collection (which makes up the majority of the cars at the museum), though it was not on display here. It was cool!

Christmas Cards

On Sunday, I finally had two hours to devote to Christmas card-making. Here was the result....


I've never been so pressed for time as I am this holiday season. I'm so relieved I decided to not knit too much this year. It would not have worked! As it is, I'm stressing about Tahoe - especially after this morning's fun filled aborted trip to DFW due to ice - and that's about all the stress I can take.

Tomorrow I get to teach a colleague to knit, to introduce her to this obsession. Should be fun!

Nashville Wrap-Up

I got behind in my blogging last week, during our trip to Nashville. It turned out to be a good trip and by the end of it, we had snow.

My camera is having serious issues - still - so I was unable to take pics of the magnificent Christmas lights at the Opryland Hotel. I've never seen a more beautiful display!

I didn't do much more sightseeing, as I'd been to Nashville before, so I shopped. I found a yarn store that was going out of business so I drove across town to that. It was nice, but picked over. I ended up with some green and purple TOFUtsies - that's it. While there, I went to a fancy mall that made me feel exceedingly poor. I didn't stay long.

During the trip as a whole, I got some knitting done, finishing a quick Christmas present. Now I need to start the next one!

While waiting on our plane in Nashville, it started snowing on Thursday, about an hour before our plane was due to depart. It turns out that this same system brought some flurries to the Metroplex on Tuesday. In TN, it came done pretty hard, as we sat in the terminal, marvelling at the beauty of it all. And there was a good sprinkling of snow on the runway as we left - enough to freak my mom out.

It was a good trip but it's been crazy since we got back. And now I must prepare for the next trip. Christmas at Lake Tahoe with the family!

The Hermitage

Another day in Nashville.... On Tuesday, I headed just a little to the east to go to Andrew Jackson's home, The Hermitage. The day proved to be cool and very windy, but that didn't stop me from making the trek up to the house. I was a bit rushed so I did not get to tour the inside, but at least I saw some of it!


Andrew Jackson was not necessarily a beloved president - seeing as how he deprived the Native Americans of their land and killed a great many of them. Maybe a more appropriate term for him would be hero for he did expel the pesky British at the Battle of New Orleans.


I raced away from The Hermitage to meet a friend in Cookeville. I can't say that the town was spectacular, but the drive was beautiful. I love the hills here and portions of east Nashville remind of Michigan. How I miss it!

Mom and I did more shopping and I got some editing done. It was a very fun, full day!

Super Tired in Nashville

I'm finally in Nashville, but let me tell you - yesterday was the most exhausting day EVER. Honestly, I cannot remember being so tired! Here's a rundown of what happened, based on the template used by The Secret Knitter.

3:15 am: Wake up, look at the clock and groan. Why, oh why, must I have an internal alarm clock that always jumps the gun!?!

3:57 am: Turn off alarm and get up.

4:01 am: Turn on the coffee pot and ready my cream and sugar.

4:03 am: Coffee pot lights up and I start smelling smoke. Turn off coffee pot and call my mom across the way, saying, "my coffee maker just died."

4:15 am: Finish coffee from the house, proceed in getting ready.

4:47 am: Put luggage in the car and hear coyotes. Eek! Walk faster!

4:55 am: Realize I forgot iPod, run to the house, frantically looking for coyotes as I run.

4:59 am: Pull out of gate, we're on our way!

6:33 am: Hit rush hour traffic in the middle of Dallas. Sigh.

6:59 am: Walk up to an abandoned security checkpoint at the airport. I love small airports and I love Southwest Airlines!

7:55 am: Take off on time!

9:31 am: Land in Birmingham. Watch people get off, get on. Soon, we're in the air again.

10:31 am: Land in Nashville. Yay! Proceed to the baggage claim - ultra long walk - and our luggage is there after three minutes. Yay Southwest!

10:59 am: Finish signing rental car agreement, proceed to car waiting area.

11:25 am: Finally IN the car after we were told we would have four different cars at various points, we end up with a Pontiac. Stupid Hertz!

11:44 am: Find food. And coffee. Coffee provides - finally - a bit of energy.

12:22 pm: The nice people let us check in at the hotel and get our room. We run up and back down.

12:37 pm: I drop mom off at the convention center, go back to the hotel.

12:45 - 1:55 pm: I try to take a nap, interrupted at various points by the cleaning staff and one lady who tried to come into the room. Finally give up.

2:24 pm: Search the internet for somewhere to eat dinner. Where are all the restaurants?!

3:00 - 3:30 pm: Knit to CNN Headline News.

3:45 pm: Went in search of snacks

4:26 pm: Picked mom up and went to a huge Outlet Center where there is food! Shopping and eating ensues.

7:28 pm: Return to the hotel, plan for the next day.

9:00 pm: Lights out - SO tired!

Not One, But Two Fairy Gardens!

On Saturday, I took a nice break from writing to do some gardening. Yes, I gardened. More specifically, my mom and I made our two fairy gardens.


I saw the above fountain and immediately thought of making a Tuscan garden. We bought small pieces of marble and the center tile at Lowe's to make a patio, of sorts. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any furniture that matched the fountain, but we'll keep looking.


We found some of the coolest colored plants. I can't remember what they are, but there were reds and greens galore in this fairy garden. I reluctantly put in some Spanish Lavender (as opposed to Provencial Lavender - center right) because it was cheap. And it's not quite symmetrical - something that was difficult for me to consent to, but the two side plants are different - making it unsymmetrical.


Mom wanted to do a Victorian garden of sorts, so we found a cute bench and some fencing, which is hard to see in this pic. We transplanted some moss to make it look like grass. The tree which the bench sits under is actually a tiny Elm tree. How cool is that?! It'll change colors and lose its leaves soon. And yes, we finally bought a fairy. Mom chose some dwarf monkey grass (bottom right) and some creeping thyme (top center) for her garden. (I can't remember the rest, but at least I got those two right!)

Yes, we are a bit obsessed with these. I like them because they're manageable, unlike the thought of a real, huge garden. Now, we'll hope Sookie doesn't decide to play in them!

NaNoWriMo - Mission Accomplished!

Wow. I still can't believe it. Yesterday, around 4:15, I wrote my 50048th word on my NaNoWriMo novella. Together, with Part 1 of my book, I have 92,000 words. How amazing is that? And still, the story is not done yet. I never did the math, but had I written a specific number of words a day, it would have been around 1800 words to get to 50000? Is that right? To put that in perspective... Graham Greene wrote 500 words a day; a professor friend of mine writes 150 words a day. Near the end, I was shelling out at least 2000 words a day. Now, I know my book is not a work of art, like Graham Greene's novel, nor is it a piece of serious scholarship, but never did I imagine myself capable of such a feat. Really.

Through this crazy journey, I discovered some interesting things about my writing habits. For instance, since I generally work from home, it's virtually impossible for me to write - recreationally - during the day. The day is for working, my brain says. Hence why 1800 words yesterday took me over two hours. The first 1500 words were like pulling teeth because it was mid-afternoon: work time!

Hot tea is awesome, especially when it's cold out. This kept me hydrated for the majority of the month. Food, however, is greatly distracting during the writing process!

Outlines are great but even I, someone who seeks organization, even in a fairy garden, cannot stick to such rigidity. Why? The characters are unique and I have no idea what they want to do when I try to make an outline. Sure, I know where I want to end up, but the journey is unpredictable. When those characters take over, it's amazing how easily the words flow. And my main character surprised me. I thought she would be in bad shape at the end of this novella, but she is much stronger than I had anticipated. Who knew?

So, I call it a success, though now my attention must be turned to tedious editing. I've never had a goal for my writing so to accomplish something like this...it feels amazing. Last night, I felt like I could do anything. I even did my hardest workout video. Yay!