Happy New Year's Eve

Hello! Happy New Year's Eve!

I still have my cold, but it is a little bit better. I think it is mostly due to:

1. my special fresh lemon, gingeroot and honey tea (take two slices of lemon throw into your mug and crush them with your spoon, then take about an inch of ginger and throw it in your garlic press and press it... juice and pulp that comes through goes into the mug, you can add the pressed stuff too if you're feeling extra spicy and then a bunch of honey, it is one of the few things you can sort of kind of taste when you can't taste anything else)

2. I tried to bake some bread today with mixed results - I have some lumps of bread but they don't look all that pretty. I took a picture of the better looking one. And I had problems mixing the dough in the Cuisinart. Perhaps I did something wrong - it took forever, and when I added raisins it really started to chop them to bits, and it looks like i only have raisins in half the loaf. whoops.
It tastes good though.

3. Harland couldn't sleep last night so he was up and noticed the rain gear he wanted was on sale and we still had some money in our hiking fund (which we call the "tent fund" even though we bought a tent months ago) and so we traveled back to REI again (for the third day in a row, we went Friday night to try on packs and yesterday we bought some gear *see post below* and today we were back for rain gear.)

So I didn't get any knitting or cleaning done today but that is alright. I still have one last day of vacation. I do miss winter breaks from when I was a college instructor.

hiking gifts!!

Well, today Harland (with Christmas money and gift cards burning holes in our pockets) went to REI on a mission. We actually went yesterday and looked some packs over and tried them out with weights in the back and we decided on some packs today. Harland had to order his online because they didn't have the pack he wanted at the store. But today we got mine and a pair of boots for each of us.
Thanks Uncle Buddy, Grandpa and Aunt Theresa!! Yay. Unfortunately, I have this terrible head cold so I don't think we'll be camping this weekend, which is a shame since it is like 55 out right now!
I think I may be well enough to go walk a little to break in the new boots this afternoon. One should start off small anyway when breaking in boots, no one wants blisters!!

Cheers!!

Holidays!

I had a very nice Christmas visiting my relatives in Connecticut and my parents in Pennsylvania. It was good to see everyone but really way too short. And now I have some kind of head cold from hell.
For some reason I always get sick between Christmas and New Years. I don't know why. It's good I have off work.

I got a Cuisinart for Christmas from my parents which is very exciting. I have visions of freshly baked bread and onions not making me cry and all sorts of chopped up veggies dancing in my head.

Harland and I also got assorted hiking gifts from family members which also is fantastic since it is our joint hobby, and I also got a few knitting books (thanks Teresa and Mom and Dad!)

I made a bunch of knitted gifts for people this Christmas: hats for my cousins Bob and Rick, Scarves for my Uncles and Aunt Patty, mittens for my Aunt Joanne, etc. All in all I made 8 things which was pretty tough to do in October to Christmas. Next year I guess I'll either knit only a few presents or try to do one per month. I dunno it is so hard to tell whether people will actually use their presents or if they are just ambivalent about them. I spend so much time on them that I don't want to just spend all this time on things only to have people not use them. It was hard to judge whether or not people were excited or not since I was in charge of handing out the mountain of presents and that is a tough job to do and pay attention.

But on the other hand I really like making things for people because the weeks I am working on their project I think of them while I am knitting their gift. So... well I guess that is the problem with handmade gifts. At least everyone seemed appreciative.

Well that is all for now. I need a nap.

My Holiday Wish from you...

Hi Everyone...
To me life is always interesting in the interconnectedness of things. It amazes me when somehow things just seem to converge and really join to show you something striking. Most of you know that I have volunteered for the American Red Cross and I am happy to say I have taken steps to join the here again in the DC area, and as of last week am an official volunteer again!**

And so I'm asking all my friends and family to do something for me for this Holiday Season. I don't care if you send me a card or buy me a gift. Instead I hope you'll do me a favor. Please take a few minutes and become prepared. If anything the recent tragic story of James Kim and his family has highlighted this for me.

1. Please take a minute to check the batteries in your smoke detector, your flashlight, and your radio if you have one.

2. Check the tire pressure in your spare tire of your car. (and your car tires too if you haven't done that recently!!)

3. Create a disaster kit for your home, and a small version for your car.
When going on long road trips, take your kit with you!
Have 3 days of food and water on hand for each person in your household. Keep some extra warm clothes in your car!

It's a little dorky, and kinda a pain to assemble... but please take the time to do so.
If you need some help getting started, here is a nice little list.Kit Suggestions

So please - I know you're all busy with the upcoming holidays - but take a few minutes for yourself too. 'Cause you know I love you.

**[As back story, if you didn't know, I first volunteered for the Red Cross in Auburn during Hurricane Katrina, and then I spent a lot of my time in Korea volunteering as well. I know the Red Cross isn't a perfect organization - but it is amazing to me how many lives they touch -> from blood services, to disasters, to house fires, to helping Sr. Citizens get groceries and go to the doctor, to helping American Soldiers... if you are looking for an organization to donate to, check out your local Red Cross Chapter and help your neighbors!]

Call me if you need a bus moved

(an alternate title I was thinking of was "I'm the new Puff Jessi")

Anyway so the trip to Rebecca's is a fond memory, except my face apparently didn't like being in her house. I'm not sure if it is the cats, or detergent or what - but when I woke up Sunday my eye was very very puffy. I took some benedryl and thought that would be that...
but it wasn't...

then yesterday evening I developed a rash on my face. So I thought maybe some more benedryl would knock that out. Unfortunately I was wrong. I thought for sure I would be back to normal this morning but the rash actually spread to the other side of my face. So I am puffy and itchy!!
I went to the doctor and got some steroid tablets and she assured me by tomorrow the swelling will have gone down and maybe the rash too. Ugh.

But now I'll have super human strength, right? So for the next 10 days feel free to ask me to come lift heavy things for you. (just kidding!!)

cheers...

When punched in appropriate blocks, honor.

Hello, I went to Philly this weekend with my dear hubby to visit my friend Rebecca and her husband Jason and their two sweet kitties Mia and Molly.

The title of this entry comes from the back of my transit ticket for when we went into the city. I don't know why this amuses me so, but it does.

Anyway we saw the sites:

Liberty Bell


Independence Hall




We saw some carriages waiting for patrons

And we ate Lunch in Chinatown.



All in all a great weekend save all kinda of miserable traffic both to and from there. :)