Don Harmon

I keep thinking if I write about this week and the events that happened, maybe I can move on. Generally people on TV don't really affect me except for I cried when the Wolfman died and Captain Kangaroo was a large part of my life when I was a kid, but other than that, they are just people I don't know.

Don Harmon was the meteorologist for 12 years on the local FOX news morning show. I remember when he came on he was 29 and oh so young. After a few weeks I decided he was much better than the arrogant guy they had on before him. Don became a part of my morning life getting ready for work. I planned my day and clothes around his forecast.

Don was a goofy guy what was just a big kid who never grew up. He was infectious, he could make you laugh even if you didn't want to. He wore some of the most outrageous clothes but he never stopped working for some of the local charities, he would do about anything for a charity to raise money.

When Don came to town he drove a land yacht, it should have been scrapped years ago but he loved it. FInally one morning we watched as it was crushed for a charity, Don cried and many of us did as well for him. He finally married and had a child, we lived through his life for all those years. When Lauren came on board she was somewhat put off and stuffy, but Don loosened her up over the years. He was loved by thousands and thousands of people living here, everyone loved Don. There was even a Flat Donny that people would take all over the world when they travelled, he was just that infectious.

I don't know what demons lived in his head that made him end his life Tuesday evening. I had just watched him that morning and I am sure he said something to make Lauren's eyes roll at him. He always did. THis week the co-workers have been talking about Don and his antics and talking about depression as well. I am sure the entire city has been in tears all week and maybe next week we can move forward and remember the good times Don brought into our daily lives.

My prayers go out to his co-workers, his family and the viewing area as we mourn the senseless loss of someone who made our lives a little brighter. RIP Don, we loved you and you will be terribly missed.

Holiday Elf

This is a free pattern from the Knit Picks website. I had some stash Palette and thought I would use it up. It does use very little. I put bells on instead of pompoms. A good project for an afternoon of bad weather movie watching. They are fun and took me about 4 hours total to make one. I will make more.

Einstein Jacket

So third time is a charm. While I did not get a good picture of the jacket, it is done finally. I used Vanna's yarn from my stash in the purple colorway and buttons from Knit Picks that look like the Harmony needles. It took me 16 days to finish and now it is getting cold I can wear it. I did wash it and it stretched a bit but I wanted a longer coat like jacket to wear.

Fairies

Can these get any cuter? Susan B Anderson has done it again. I wish she would quit creating, I can't knit all her stuff fast enough. I finished this in 2 days but there are so many small parts, it is like sewing Barbie clothes. I plan on making several of these along with some mushrooms and put them in Easter baskets for next year. I know I have Christmas knitting to finish but they are small easy projects for when you need something to occupy your time.

BTW you can find the pattern in KnitSimple Holiday 2011.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Never buy them again, you must make them because that is the only way to have them.

The recipe calls for:

60 maraschino cherries (drain really well and de-stem if necessary)
3 T butter ( do not substitute)
3 T Light Corn Syrup (the clear kind)
2 C Powdered Sugar
1 package (14 oz) Wilton Candy Melts

Before I get into the making of the cherries I used a large jar I got at Sam's. They are bigger and sweeter. The label says 170 but I had 162 cherries in the jar. For all of them I used 2 sticks butter, 2 lb package powdered sugar, and a small jar of syrup. I used 2.5 bags candy melts in Light Cocoa flavor. I find candy melts make a much prettier and better cherry than almond bark.

If you don't have one of these Wilton candy melt melters, get yourself one, they are $20 at Walmart and are so much better than a double boiler.

I also like the spoon in the Wilton candy maker set it works perfect for the cherries.

Get out your cookies sheets and line with waxed paper. Make sure you have room in the frig for them to sit for about 30 minutes twice.

I like to use tins rather than any other container to keep the cherries in while they are making. I line them really well with wax paper and put a layer or two of wax paper in between each layer. Store them in the attic or garage or anywhere where it will be about 35-40 degrees. You don't want them to freeze but they need to be cool to juice up. It takes about 3 weeks to juice. Do not put them in the frig they wont juice up.

You need to drain the cherries really well and de-stem if they have the stems still on them. It does not hurt to drain them overnight, they will have more juice in them than you think.

Mix the powdered sugar, butter and corn syrup until you have a kind of clay, marzipan consistency. It helps to let the butter sit out overnight and get soft.

Take a bit of white dough and wrap it around a cherry, cover as much as possible. This will turn to the liquid juice. Put them on the cookie sheet. When you get a sheet full put them in the frig for about 30 minutes to set.

When you are working on your last sheet of cherries put the Candy melts in whatever you are using to melt them and get them started. If you are using the Wilton melter you can let it sit and stay melted for a long time.

Cover the entire cherry and make sure every bit of it has chocolate on it and put it back on the wax paper lined cookie sheet. When you have a sheet full put it back in the frig to let the chocolate set and take the next sheet out. Continue til all cherries have been covered in chocolate.

Once the cherries have set in the frig for about half an hour take them out and make sure the chocolate has set. Then pack them in containers to set for at least 3 weeks. I usually try one after a week and then two weeks and then three weeks to make sure they juicing and then they are ready.

Bet you can't eat just one.

Make Your Bed Or Not

There is a letter in the paper today about making your bed. This "person" says children spend 3 minutes a day making their bed and that amounts to 18 hours and 15 minutes a year wasted when they could be sleeping. Seriously I don't think 3 minutes a day will matter. She also says that a lack of sleep is a major problem in our world, again we are talking 3 minutes a day. She goes on to state that when teens are up late studying, a made bed is too enticing. They tend to desire sleep instead of completing tasks essential for being successful in the future. She says whether you make your bed or not could determine whether you find a cure for cancer, solve world peace or even end proverty.

As my friend Mike McPhee says shes smoking dope and she votes.

My parents made me make my bed, thanks mom and dad I could have cured cancer but you made me make my bed instead.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

My favorite day of the year. How perfect is a day where you can pretend to be anything you want and get candy. You can participate or not, it is totally up to you. No one really cares either way.

When I was a kid we were allowed to go out until we were 12 and then we were too old to Trick or Treat. I like that now and think it should be adhered to. I don't like it when the big kids come with no costume and a pillow case to collect candy. That is just wrong.

The best place to trick or treat was Parkview Village in Oklahoma City. When dad would go to school we would stay there, there were 243 units with 7 to a section with a yard in front and swings. Every mom was June Cleaver minus the heels and pearls, a veritable candy fest on Halloween. You could collect a grocery sack full of great things like popcorn balls, candy apples, and of course the loose candy. You did not have to be afraid of what some lowlife scumbag might put in there to hurt you (seriously why would you do that, did you not get to go Trick or Treating when you were a kid). We were only allowed a piece a day and when you have a sack full of candy well it can last until Easter.

Do you know there are 9 BILLION pieces of candy corn sold a year? There will be some 41 million trick or treaters out this evening. (For those of you buried under snow, that just really sucks that you can't go get candy). There will be 116.7 million potential stops for candy, how much money are the candy companies making today? There are 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins produced in the US. We consume 24.7 pounds of candy a year, I know I do my fair share. And there are 1719 number of costume rental establishments in the US.

So what are you doing today, Trick or Treat?

Happy Anniversary mom and dad, 57 years and still going.

The Bra You Have Been Waiting For

http://swagsoldseparately.com/victoria-secret-2-5-million-luxury-bra/

Dear Victoria Secret: Why would anyone buy a bra worth $2.5 million and where would one wear it. Seriously bras are to be functionable and worn under the clothes. With all the extra bling on this year's bra you would not want to hide it. How many of these do you sell? What do you do with them when they don't sell and how many do you make a year? Or are they really not for sale but as a company you truly have too much money and don't know what to do with it so you spend it on diamond bras.

This year’s diamond bra named the “Fantasy Treasure Bra,” is aqua colored, and boasts nearly 3,400 precious gems, including 142 carats of white and yellow diamond, pearls, citrines, aquamarines set in bright 18 karat white and yellow gold. The center of the bra holds two large white diamonds each an astonishing 8 carats with two 14 carat yellow diamonds to give it a more opulent look. The bra is made by Long Island’s London Jewelers.

If anyone buys one of these let me know where you wear it and how comfortable it is. Oh yea I dont the delicate wash cycle will work for this or hand washing either.

It Has Been A Year Already

One year ago today I attended the funeral of a co-worker. We were talking yesterday that Jerry has been gone already a year. Where did that year go? Jerry was one of those guys that everyone liked, he never had a bad day even though the cancer and other things ravaged his body. He died in front of us at work and we could not help him; it is still difficult at times to walk down the hallway. Jerry had just purchased his dream property for retirement with Linda his wife and they were planning on moving there soon. He was about to turn 60 and had the rest of his life planned to live in the country and just simply enjoy life.

Don't let life pass you by, enjoy every moment no matter what it is because we never when our time is up.

RIP Jerry, we miss you.

Roger Sings Johnny Cash

I went to the Roger Daltrey Tommy concert last night. Roger is 67 but you would never know it, he still has it.

The show started out with Paul Freeman warming up the audience for 30 minutes, he has an amazing voice and range and was quite humorous as well. Check him out he is good.

The crowd was mostly middle age with a few younger in their 30's and half a dozen children. The Midland was packed, the lady I sat by was from out of town and had a flight this morning so thought she would find something to do and said at 4:30 yesterday afternoon there were 7 seats left. I still wonder about the Midland being so small but the fans were true blue WHO fans.

The concert was to promote the Rock Opera Tommy written by members of the band in the 70's. In case you never saw the Opera you can still get the movie with Ann Margaret. Roger had an amazing band and the lead guitarist was off the charts. They started with the music from the beginning of the Opera and finished with the last song. Of course the crowd favorites were Pinball Wizard and a few others but when the crowd was asked to sing the lyrics there was no hestitation we knew them all.

After the music from Tommy was sung they brought out some favorites WHO songs. Towards the end Roger explained he has been through some throat surgeries and the doctor told him to sing some low songs towards the end of the concert, so he did a medley of Johnny Cash songs. Who would have thought Roger Daltrey would sing Johnny Cash but he said he was a fan so he did and we loved it.

The show went on for 2 hours with Roger slugging down hot tea and water to keep his throat going and the crowd loved every minute of it.

When I was in High School I remember I had my Roger Daltrey poster complete with the long curls and my yellow Roger Daltrey Tee, I wore that out and wish I still had it.

It was one of the best concerts I have ever been to but then The Who along with Journey are my favorite bands. I suppose there will come a day when Roger's throat will give out and we won't have the pleasure of listening to him sing anymore but I do have my memories and he is truly a classic.

Olive Garden

I have not been to Olive Garden for a very long time mostly due to the last two visits of extreme waiting times just to get a menu and finally walking out without getting waited on for over 20 minutes. This just seals that I will never go back to an Olive Garden again.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/12/2450137/restaurant-firm-responds-to-flag.html

Why Wasn't He Fired?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/oct/5/justice-official-financed-romantic-travel-with-tax/

As a federal employee this burns my butt to no end. People like this give all of us a bad name and further more this is why the Government is broke, he should be fired for what he has done, made to pay back the money and NOT get any retirement at all. Until we clean up the government we will never get out of this mess the country is in.

This should surprise Noone

http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-national/breaking-new-evidence-show-hillary-a-mastermind-behind-gunwalker

Every since Hilary was caught up in the whole Vince Foster thing and came out squeaky clean, we know she has a lot of involvement in shady dealings. So how about we get a twofer and remove her and Eric Holder out of their jobs and try them for treason.

Let Her Eat Cake

I don't care what anyone eats as long as they pay for it themselves. But don't come on TV everytime I turn around, and flouce your big butt in my face and tell me I need to eat healthy and that you feel the pain of the middle class. This is an interesting article about the obutts and their dining out. I will eat what I want and if I want to be bigger than a barn that is my RIGHT and you keep your food plate to yourself. Even if I could afford to eat like this I wouldn't because I know it is not healthy. So you need to walk the talk or be quiet.

http://thekitchencabinet.us/2011/10/10/first-lady-michelle-obamas-upscale-menus-unaffordable-for-most-americans/

Loopy Ewe 4th Quarter Challenge

I dont really need to start another project as I have Christmas knitting to do but this jumped out at me. You have to use an entire skein of Madelinetosh for the project and have it posted by 1/2/12. So I admired the Catkin from the 1st Month Camp Loopy projects and thought I would give it a try. My colors are Ink and Blue Gingham.

Plus the designer is a local so that is even better.

Einstein Jacket

I had started on my Einstein Jacket, my knitting group is knitting this as a group project. I had almost finished the bottom and as I was to attach the 5th skein of yarn I noticed the rest of it did not match, see the picture.

I think the ball on the right will become some stuffed knitted apples or leaves.

I remembered Ihad some more yarn from this company and it all matches and I have just enough. I like the color better it is more me and matches the buttons better.

I realize the pictures don't do the colors justice but that is ok the second one is much better.

Possum Yarn

My friend Marcia just came back from Australia and brought me some possum yarn. I have enough to make this sweater, it is Paton Lace and Cable Cardigan. I also got the pink alpaca and blue wool from an outlet mill there waiting for a project.

You should feel the possum yarn, it is so soft and yummy.

Camp Loopy

I finished all 3 of my Camp Loopy Projects and posted the picture on time so we each got a skein of Wollemiese. The elves could not have picked a better color for me because outside of purple I love black and white and this will turn into this: http://lilygo.blogspot.com/search/label/Reminiscence

Hermione Grace

This is my oldest being her silly self laying on the floor just minding her own business.

Good JuJu

Good JuJu is an antique store along with several others in the bottoms that are only open the first weekend of the month. Finally I got to go see what the rave is all about. I found this gem just waiting for, a great sewing box. It is in really great shape so it sits in my dining room waiting some project that needs a holding place.

Fall

The City planted maples in our parking several years ago and now look at them. They are the most brilliant red, many are bare this weekend due to the lack of rain and wind, but the trees are gorgeous this year.

Baby Afghan

A friend of mine is having another grandchild soon so here is the baby blanket made out of Bernat Satin.

Pattern is Pine Forest Baby Blanket.

SugarBunny

Knit Picks has this new yarn called sugarbunny. It is 80% merino and 20% angora. Trust me you want to pet this all the time. It is a dream to knit with, so light and airy and feel so good. I bought two skeins to play with and love it. I made this cowl. This would make a very snuggle blanket but kind of pricey at $7.99 for 136 yards.

Can't wait to wear this.

October Rug

I decided to do a 5 sided granny square out of a large skein of dishcloth yarn. I though the colors were kind of Octoberish.

Sweaterbabe

I have a membership in Sweaterbabe.com. You got a monthly pattern and there are giveaways. I won this cute little sweater kit with the pattern and yarn. The yarn is GOA, a cotton/acrylic blend and very nice to work with. I used all but about 10 yards and made the 12 month size. It took me two days to make this. Her patterns are very well written and this is a pattern I will make for charity sweaters for babies again.

Reason To Get Up Early

Finally

Finally he stopped long enough and posed for me to get his picture. I sure wish they were here all year long but I enjoy them while I can.

Camp Loopy Project 3 (Blue Skies)

I am finally done with a couple days to spare. I made mine bigger and used about 1200 yards.

What a Beautiful Tribute

In you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.~Psalm 25:2-3



“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew.“- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001

I received this today and thought it needed to be shared.

Thank You Budweiser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3eQmzw6n3k&sns=fb

I remember today 10 years ago, it did not seem real when it first happened. I know our lives will never be the same and we need to remember those innocent lives lost. Thank you to all the rescue workers and many thanks to G.W. (thank goodness he was the POTUS at this time). May God watch over us all and bless those who lost someone on this day.

Hummingbirds

He still sits in the walnut and the other taunts me to try and get a picture.

Snow

Don't the clouds look like a big snowbank today? No I don't want to even thing about snow but...

Hello, What is Your Name?

Yesterday afternoon I noticed this little guy just hanging out in the walnut tree. He spent most of the afternoon there. Now he is back this morning. There is a feeder on the deck.

RIP Betty

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
I'd stay in the garden with Him
'Tho the night around me be falling
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

Camp Loopy Project 3

I was about 2/3 done and decided I did not like the yarn with the pattern, so I found another pattern and have started over, better hurry as I only have 2 weeks. The new pattern is Sunshine.

Perhaps Alfred Hitchcock is Lurking Nearby

I head cawing the other day and look what was on my deck, his buddies were in the walnut tree. The squirrels froze and pee'd all over the deck, I almmost pee'd my pants too. Ain't noone dead here, move along. Where is that bb gun?

Sunflowers

My September Rug is made with a large skein of Sugar n Cream, they call the color fruitcake but it reminds me of sunflowers. A simple V stitch using all but about 10 feet and voila a rug. I love the rugs made out of dishcloth yarn, they last a long time, take a lot of washings and they are soft and the kitties like to lay on them especially when they come out of the dryer.

Salt and Pepper Shakers

As a child growing up on Belgium, Andrea Ludden was fascinated by the little saltbox in her godmother's kitchen. Ludden now owns more than 20,000 salt and pepper shaker sets which are displayed in the Museum of Salt and Pepper Shakers in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

She started scouring flea markets in the 80's when she lived in California. She was looking for a durable pepper mill to season her food. None of the contraptions seemed to work properly so she set them on her windowsill along with a few salt shakers she'd bought because of their creative designs. Her friends and neighbors thought she was collecting the sets, so they brought her bags of them.

The dispensers are in a 3200 square foot building and have been featured on the Food Network's Unwrapped show. The museum also features 1500 pepper mills. They continue to search for shakers at antique shops and malls. They still run into some they don't have. Last year they opened a second museum in Guadalest Spain.

10 Big Moments in Breakfast

Eating breakfast can do everything from boosting your memory to helping you lose weight.

1600's: Pilgrim's Brew. Mornings were harsh in the New World's first settlements, but that's not why colonists knocked back a pint with breakfast. Beer or hard cider was safer to drink than the not-so-potable water. The settlers also downed "mush" a maize porridge they picked up from their Native American neighbors.

1700's: The Dutch Do Doughnuts. Immigrants from the Netherlands introduced oliebollen (oil balls) what we now call doughnuts. These deep fried dollops of dough later became ring-shaped as part of an effort to speed production time and solve the soggy middle problem.

1902: Radical Flakes. Dr John H Kellogg and his brother, Will, baked up the first batch of corn flakes in a sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan. Kellogg was a pioneer in proclaiming grains a healthy food. His growing business of mail-order cereal soon helped him spread the word.

1906: The Presidential Whopper. William Howard Taft was a big fan of breakfast. On a visit to Savannah, Georgia in 1906, the 350 pound POTUS broke his fast one morning by eating shrimp with hominy, potted porridge, boiled venison, waffles with maple syrup, hot rolls, and a grapefruit. Fellow diners reportedly watched in awe.

1940's: Orange Juice Goes To War. OJ was just a season treat until WWII, when the government charged the Florida Citrus Commission with finding a way to ship Vitamin C packed juice overseas to prevent scurry among the troops. Their solution, frozen concentrate, was literally created in a vacuum. By the war's end reconstituted juice had reached the front lines. And by the 50's housewives were stirring up OJ for breakfast year round.

1960: Green Eggs and Ham. The Dr Seuss book became the fourth biggest selling children's title of all time.

1961: Audrey Hepburn Gets It To Go. The trailer for Breakfast at Tiffany's promised the "wildest night New York ever knew" but it was Holly Golightly's early morning idyll outside Tiffany's that became the film's most iconic scene. With takeout coffee and danish in hand Hepburn made brown-bagging it look positively elegant.

1970's: The Birth of the Power Breakfast. New York's Regency Hotel claims to have launched the power breakfast trend when its hotel chairmen met with city leaders to forge a plan to save the Big Apple from bankruptcy.

The Crunchy Set. What travels well in rucksacks, goes with nuts and berries, and doubles as code for "hippie?" When granola caught on with the kids in the 70's everyone else gained a whole new way to label the eco-friendly.

2008: Breakfast of Champions. Swimmer Michael Phelps' eight gold medals were big news, but so was his standing order: three fried egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise; two cups of coffee, one five-egg omelet; one bowl of grits; three slices of french toast topped with sugar; and three chocolate chip pancakes.

The Lord Outdid Himself This Morning

We have rain in the forecast to start soon and to the South of my house we have this:

And to the west we have this:

Wanna Win a Book? Little Red in the City

This looks like a great book to have in your knitting library. I just entered the contest along with a gazillion other people but you never know it may just be my lucky day. By August 15 go here: http://ysolda.com/2011/08/08/how-will-you-wear-your-angostura/ and tell how you would wear this vest. I know I plan on putting this book on my list of books to buy.

From Michelle's Mirror

If you are not reading this blog, you need to. It is the only thing that keeps me sane some days.

This chart tells it all, and why we need a true conservative in the WH.

My Toilet Paper Holder

I posted the other day about Cottonelle and their "naked toilet paper" holders you could send off for. I don't use Cottonelle because I can get Angel Soft much cheaper so I decided I could make my own. I was at Joann's yesterday and in the paper mache area they have these containers. So I put scrapbook paper on the top and bottom and a green rafia ribbon around the top. I realize the flower on top does not really match but then it adds some bling. My bathroom on the main level is terra cotta orange so I mixed bright orange and chocolate colored paints and painted the bottom. As soon as it dries my naked toilet paper will be stored in style.