[misc] Blueberry Shrub

On the left is a bottle of strained blueberry shrub syrup. Center is my shrub cocktail (vodka, shrub, club soda). Right is a new batch of shrub in the works.

Here's a good article on how to make shrubs. I do a lazy version:

- put berries into jar

- add sugar

- mash well with a muddler

- add vinegar

- shake jar periodically over 3 days to dissolve sugar

- strain through a jelly bag

I'm not 100% in love with this stuff as a drink. I think after I strain the next batch, I will use it exclusively for savory things- as part of a salad dressing or meat marinade. Or reduce it further and use it as a glaze for salmon.

[misc] New Piano

This past summer there were about 50 pianos scattered all over the Upper Valley. Each one was painted by a different artist and sat outside various businesses, for anyone and everyone to play. Once the program was over, what was going to happen to all the pianos? Well, if the business and artist didn't want it, they were being thrown away. They were going to be made available to the public, on a first come, first served basis at the dump. 

I asked Dollar if he wanted a free piano. Obviously, the answer was 'yes'. So we went and got one!!

We got up early, went down to borrow my mom's truck and went to the dump to wait in line. By 8:30, there were more than a dozen trucks lined up at the gate. It was funny to see people driving by on their morning commute, craning their neck to look and wonder what kind of awesome garbage the dump must be giving away that day to make so many people queue up.

We were 3rd in line. We drove around to where about 20 pianos were waiting. After passing over a few with stuck, messed-up keys, I saw this one and immediately wanted it. ALL the keys worked and it sounded very nice.

It took an extra three people to help us lift it onto the bed of the truck. Then we strapped it down and left to go to work. With a free piano. When I got home in the afternoon, I saw that Dollar had already backed the truck up to basement door. I'll gloss over how scary it was for just the two of us to lift and lower an upright grand piano from the bed of the truck to the ground. And how impossibly difficult it was to lift one end of the piano 8 inches up and forward to just get it into the doorframe. 

I will brag and say that I dead lifted the entire thing myself. Why? Because OLYMPICS, that's why. At that point, one end was in the door frame. I went to the other end, put my back against it, grabbed the handles behind me and f'ing lifted the entire thing with my legs. Dollar gets in front of me, puts his hands against the end of the piano just above my shoulders and starts pushing. So we're face to face, going "UNNGGGHH!!! UNHH! NNUUHHHH!! WIGGLE IT!! UGH, PUSH!! WIGGLE IT!!" It must have looked high-larious. I couldn't stop laughing afterwards. But we got the piano in and... I can't even believe it, really.

After much, much, MUCH cleaning, we have a pretty new piano that sounds awesome. It sounds really, really awesome. I was all, "Look at me making music" as I was wiping down each one of the keys with cleaner and disinfectant.

It came with a nice leather stool that opens up:

There are a couple black keys that are broken, but the notes still work and it will be easily fixed with glue.

Neither once of us plays the piano, so I'll get some beginner books and maybe start with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

I wonder if there are any piano/drum duets that we can learn?

[cooking] Blueberries

Last fall we planted 3 blueberry bushes in the back yard. One is doing much better than the other two, but all a producing some berries:

I was able to pick nearly a pint:

I decided to make a shrub. I did a lazy shrub- mashed the berries with sugar, added a bit of water, then apple cider vinegar. I put the jar into the fridge and shook it up periodically until all the sugar was dissolved. After three days I stained it through a jelly bag and put the liquid into a bottle. 

The first drink I made was a bit of shrub, a bit of vodka, some club soda. I was tasty with a hint of vinegar taste and smell. The taste isn't so much a problem, for me it was the whiff of vinegar that came off the top of the drink- I couldn't help bit smell it with every sip.

From what I've read, the shrub mellows over time. I'll see how the shrub is after another week in the fridge. 

[crochet] Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

How to make a PB & J Sandwich. Get two slices of bread:

Apply jelly to one slice, peanut butter to the other:

Close sandwich and enjoy:

But don't eat it!!

This turned out to be a very cute sandwich. The Lopi yarn I used for the bread makes the sandwich a little... hairy. But it serves. I plan on making other fillings to use with this bread (tomato and lettuce, cheese and sliced meats, etc.).

[crochet] Pop Tart

Ravelympics Ravellenic Games start tonight! Haven't gotten around to winding yarn yet. Will cast on for a mitered cowl, knit with handspun.

[misc] To protect and serve... if you're registered.

Had a bit of a scare this morning. Saw a missed call from ADT when I got to work - the sensors that we have in the dining room were activated. I drove home, frantic, worried about what I'd see (burglars, broken windows, cats hurt or escaped, etc etc etc). Dollar was on the phone with state and local police, trying to figure out if they were there, etc.

No. They weren't there and they weren't coming. ADT made the call to local dispatch - no one from local police was on duty yet, so it went to state police. WHO DID NOT RESPOND AND SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO RESPOND.

Because... Our home security system is not registered with the state. 

So. Yeah... Sorry. I was not aware that it even needed to BE registered with the state. ADT didn't tell me. Local police never mentioned it when I called them 12 months ago before installing the system, asking whether or not I needed a permit or something. 

Fine. Sorry it wasn't registered- but you can't even COME OUT AND SEE IF WE'RE BEING ROBBED OR MURDERED?!?!

I was livid. Yes, it was a false alarm- my cats did something to set it off. But this is the ONLY time that the alarm has gone off since it was installed. I need to know that HELP IS GOING TO COME WHEN THE ALARM GOES OFF.

I don't have that assurance. And that's a pretty horrible feeling.

Local police had no idea what happened- state police didn't inform them and I was snottily asked "Why would they? State police were on duty at the time- they didn't respond to the alarm. Why would they tell local police that?" Uh... maybe in case local police would actually want to drive to my house and CHECK IT OUT.

Anyway, after calling everyone I could and trying to find out who didn't do what, I filled out a form and now I'm registered. 

[crochet] Chocolate Chip Cookies

I crocheted more food:

Pattern is from Tasty Crochet.

The worst part was drinking the milk that I poured for this picture and looking down at these inedible cookies :(

[knitting] Zetor Shawl

Pattern: Zetor

Yarn: 70% wool / 30% angora yarn from a local farm. Yarn was about dk-weight, single ply. I used nearly all 600 yards.

Needles: US 8

This was an  easy, relaxing project once I had the pattern memorized. The dk yarn and larger needles made this project grow pretty fast. My only issue is that it probably wasn't the best idea to use angora yarn for a shawl. If you wear a dark shirt, throw on this shawl, then take it off... you're going to have many strands of rabbit fur left on your shirt. 

Still, this shawl is light as air and oh-so-soft. 

[misc] Santana Monday

Hello, Santana. 

We've had Santana for a year. She has really come around- I can pet her side and stomach without her lashing out to scratch me. I can kiss her on her head. She still growls on occasion and lashes out at the other cats, but I think she knows that we're (a) not going to hurt her, and (b) not going to get rid of her. 

Now if I could just get her into a sweater...

[misc] Penny

Santana and Penny, sharing a moment... before Santana inevitably lashes out to hit Penny. Sometimes they play- they chase each other up and down the hallway- but most of the time Santana hits Penny for getting too close.

Had a bit of a scare with Penny this past weekend. Friday afternoon I noticed my pajama bottoms were missing about 9 inches of drawstring. One drawstring was normal, the other side was missing NINE INCHES. I flipped out, because I know Penny chews on them. I called the vet and he said that you can’t x-ray for cloth/fabric- it won’t show up. Watch her for persistant vomiting and fever. If she poops, then everything will be okay. If you see the string sticking out of her butt, DON’T PULL IT. You don’t know what’s attached to the other end- simply cut it. Feed her the normal amount that she usually eats, just in smaller portions more frequently- to get things moving through her system.

So I was on crazy poop watch. I cleaned the litterboxes and just watched/followed her. Fed her. Watched for poop. I saw some in the litterbox later, uncovered. That’s her usual M.O. (poop, but don’t cover it). I saw no string in it so I figured it was just… poop that she would have pooped anyway before eating the string.

Saturday was watch-Penny, beg-her-to-poop day. All this time Dollar sees me worrying, asking Penny to poop, saying crazy stuff like, “You can poop anywhere, Penny. I won’t get mad. Just poop.”

Sunday morning I hear someone scraping around the litterbox and I see Santana and MF in bed with me. I run to the bathroom and see that Penny’s made lots of poops. No string.

I ponder this for a moment... and I think I might remember something. I get back into bed and shake Dollar awake. I say, “Um… I have a vague recollection of something… I think I cut off the drawstring myself. A long time ago. Because Penny was chewing it.” He just does FACE-PALM.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure I cut it. Looking back, it was a pretty clean cut and didn’t look chewed off. Apparently I just want to make my own drama and worry. Penny’s fine and happy and eating and playing. And I’m feeling rather sheepish. And forgetful.

[crochet] Eggs and Bacon

Some eggs and bacon that I made this weekend:

Pattern: Eggs and Bacon from Tasty Crochet

Yarn: Scraps

Hook: D

I just finished a big shawl and I wanted some fast, easy, small, stash-busting projects to work on. Tasty Crochet has LOTS of cute patterns. I'm going to make as much crocheted food as I can, then give it out to nieces/nephews for Christmas.

Poor Dollar was just waking up Sunday morning and asked me, "What have you been doing this morning?" I said, "Making bacon." His eyes got wide and he looked really excited/hopeful. When I showed him the wooly crocheted bacon, he got really sad. Aw :(

[misc] Murderface Monday

It's been really hot and humid here.

Murderface has been laying on the couch, under the ceiling fan.

[crochet] Filet Crochet Curtain

Finally finished and blocked the filet crochet curtain and hung it in the bathroom:

Pattern: Bernat Blocks Curtain (The pattern is free but you need to register with the site to view/download it.)

Yarn: Coats & Clark Royale Classic Crochet Thread, Size 10, Ecru colorway

Hook: 1.75 mm

Notes: As you can see, it's not quite wide enough. I'm not really bothered but someone on Ravelry made a nice suggestion that I might try: get some sheer fabric from Joann's and drap a narrow piece over the bar at either end. The should fill in the gaps.

I opted not to crochet loops across the top. Instead, I simply got ring clips (about $7 for a package 6) and a tension rod.

I really do like how this turned out.

And it's a vast improvement from what was there- a pillowcase clipped to the window locks with clothespins. For a year.

[knitting] Handspun Rikke

I made another Rikke hat, this time with my handspun:

The colors are a little washed out in the above picture. This is the 3-ply that I used- the colors are more true to real life:

It's 50% alpaca / 50% merino, so it still has nice drape.

I've pulled out another skein of handspun from my stash to make another. But I'm currently trying to finish up a shawl. 

[knitting] Alpaca Rikke

My new favorite hat:

Pattern: Rikke Hat

Yarn: Black and white 100% alpaca from a local farm. I bought the yarn at Six Loose Ladies yarn shop in Proctorsville, VT.

Needles: US 5, US 7

Notes: One of the most prevalent comments I read on Ravelry from people who knit this pattern is "WHY did I wait so long to knit this?!?" I, too, am wondering. This hat is awesome and will probably get the most wear this winter. It's perfectly sized and perfectly slouchy. The dk-weight 100% alpaca that I used was made for this pattern.

And the hat is inexplicably flattering on. I know- it doesn't look like much or all that special but I think I might make 5 more just like it.

[knitting] Gretel

Another cabled hat:

Pattern: Gretel by Ysolda

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cloud 9, two balls

Needles: US 5, US 7

I did the mid-slouch version. This is the 2nd time I've done this pattern and it's really great. I used Malabrigo Worsted before (the hat came out wonderful- I gifted it to my grandmother) and this time I used Cloud 9, which is 50% merino wool / 50% angora. I love the halo that the project gets as you work round after round and your fingers make the angora in the yarn bloom.

Can't wait to wear it this winter!

[misc] Murderface Monday

Murderface watches the front door. Good little watchcat.

[knitting] Brambles

I was on a hat kick recently, probably triggered by this project:

Pattern: Brambles Beret

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Rittenhouse Merino

Needles: US 4 (ribbing), US 6 (body)

I knit the Medium size and probably only used just over half of the skein of yarn. The unblocked hat comes out really, really small. Even after blocking around the usual dinner plate that I use for blocking tams/berets, the hat is still small and quite close fitting. I would definitely knit a Large size next time.

It's a pretty pattern and works up quickly.

[knitting] Wingspan

Finished and blocked Wingspan:

Pattern: Wingspan (rav link)

Yarn: Mary Maxim Step It Up

Needles: US 4

Mods: The short rows in the pattern don't call for any wrap-and-turns, so if you knit it as written, you will have holes along the sides of the wedges. I'm not really a fan of the wrap-and-turn short row method (esp with SO MANY short rows to work), so I did a modified German short row technique. You work a yarn-over at the turn, then knit the two stitches together when working back across. It was easy to do and no holes.

This is a pretty pattern perfect for yarns with long, gradual changes in color. But... I don't really like it. Too angular and asymmetrical. And the two wedges of yellow/green at the end (which was a result of finding knots in the yarn) annoy me. I jumped on the Wingspan bandwagon and I'm jumping back off.

[misc] Heat Seeker

This is Penny:

She's very vocal. Mostly I think she just says, "I'm cold. I'm cold. I'm COLD!" She's the number one heat-seeker/seat-stealer in the house. If you get up from the couch, when you come back- she's in your seat. If you sit up in bed, when you try to lay back down- she's curled up where your back was.

Since we let the kitties into the garage after we get home from work, Penny's started doing this:

She lays on the nice, warm vent. 

What I think she's really trying to tell me is that she wants a sweater. One that isn't too big for her, like Murderface's sweater that I put on her a couple weeks ago. 

She will get a sweater, oh yes she will.

###

Went to the Comcast Center last night in Mansfield, MA to see Iron Maiden/Alice Cooper. Good show- Alice Cooper is a great performer and singer. 14,000 people were there to see Iron Maiden. It was crazy. No, wait, that's not crazy. What's crazy were the prices of merchandise and concessions:

Concert T-Shirts: $40 - $50

One cup of beer: $12

Fried dough: $8

I heard one drunk dude next to me say to his friends "I got twenny dollars left... an' I'm savin' it fer chili cheese fries!" Yeah. You're probably going to need the whole twenty.

It was a good venue, good crowd, but it would take a pretty amazing band for me to go back to see another show there. It took way, way, way, way waywaywayway too long to get out of the parking lot. We didn't get back home until 4am.