Thanksgiving Eve

Another year has passed and it's time, once again, to do battle in our own personal "Kitchen Stadium". OK, it's really not that dramatic. I've cut down a lot as far as cooking huge amounts of food and desserts for the feast day and what I do do is very easy.

I am, however, going to smoke a turkey again this year. I'm all set, the smoker has been moved to the porch, the turkey is soaking in brine and the chips are soaking in water. Normally, we would keep the smoker on the patio, but it's raining and that is supposed to change to snow. Around midnight-ish, I'll set it up and plug it in.

Christmas knitting is actually going reasonably well. A scarf for my BIL and a hat for SIL are done (and even shipped off today). Another hat for a gift exchange with my spinning group is done, and I've started a pair of fingerless mitts for my other SIL. Other knitting intentions are a shawlette or scarf for my aunt, yet another hat for DD and something for my Mom. Mom, not only am I not mentioning what may be knitted for you, but I'm not even sure what it might be yet! Suggestions are welcome.

Behold, the hat. This is our Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat, or more accurately, two of them. The white is wool/angora, the red is alpaca/silk. I am not a particularly fast knitter and even I can knit one in an evening.

Among the usual things we give thanks for on this holiday (like family, friends, etc.), I'm thanking Stephanie for taking a whole bunch of Christmas knitting pressure off my plate!

Stash Enhancement

It must of been something in the air. The cooler (finally), more autumn-like air, the last of the leaves turning, even a few snow flurries about, I'm not sure sure. I was really quite a good girl at our Fiber Fest in September and really didn't come home with much.

This last weekend, I fell off the wagon, badly. First I went to my friend, Joan's, sale at her shop, Cloverleaf Farms. She's moving, so she put everything on sale at 20% off. Before I knew it, I had some hand-dyed BFL (Blue-Faced Leicester) and some Wensleydale. Also some wonderful "bits" from her mixed bin. Some merino/silk blend in a nifty green colorway. Bubba reviews and approves of my choices.

I'm very happy for Joan. She made it to retirement from of our area's employers (no mean feat, that!) and is moving to the Asheville, NC area. I'm also a bit sad, as she won't be down the street for me to visit (and get a colorful fiber fix) at a moment's notice. I'm going to miss her, a lot, but I do see a road trip in the future.

Next I was off to another friend's place, Wild Iris Alpacas. He is also planning on moving, so other fine goodies leaped into my hands. 14 balls of alpaca/silk blend in colors that I just love and a pound of washed Corriedale. Yep, it is every bit as white, shiny and crimpy as the picture shows.

Ray, however, may be moving closer to me...perhaps he ought to check out Joan's house?

I want to drop what I'm spinning immediately. Which is a really lovely, hand-dyed blue superwash from High Bid Farms...yet another friend...I am so lucky!

Furnace Game

The Yarn Harlot has already written a few times about the Furnace Wars that her family participates in (some of them unwillingly, I'm sure).

We have our own, much milder version, called the Furnace Game, in which we see just how long it is until the furnace comes on. This does not count the once yearly operation check to make sure that it is, indeed, working. You see, we generally heat with wood and the furnace is merely a backup system. We have completed two full heating seasons without having it come on at all. Most years we make it until around the end of January or so before it is just so cold outside that the furnace kicks on a few times overnight. We have heated with wood for so long that we almost sleepwalk to the stove, add a chunk of wood and toddle back to bed without completely waking up.

Due to the freakishly warm autumn season this year, we have not even had a fire in the wood stove until tonight. I will admit that it's been a wee bit chilly a time or two, but nothing some wool couldn't fix.

I'm pretty sure that Bubba is thinking "It's about time! I don't know why you non-furry folk didn't do this sooner, like weeks ago."