Crafty: Crocheted Baby Blanket

A friend of mine was recently pregnant (and has since produced child), so I decided to make her a blanket.  When I started, I felt a bit like I was racing the clock.  I actually ended up mailing it out the day before she had her baby.

Anyway, it was a pretty easy project, and I estimate it took about 12 hours.  I admit though, some of those hours were re-learning basic stitches, as I hadn't picked up my hooks in awhile.

This is a beginner project using only chain, single and double crochet techniques.  I found the pattern on the Caron website, and follow with the exception that I used 2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft instead of the 1 pounder since it was for a baby and I want it to be soft.  I also kind of ignored how many rows I was on, and just made it a square.  It ended up being about 28 x 28 inches at the end.  I did have some sort of wonkyness going on one of the edges.  I think I may have increased or decreased or stitched the finishing row to tight.  I'm still learning, so I am not very good at the troubleshooting part yet.

Now Reading: Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was actually the first book I completed in2012, but I'm still pretty lazy with this blogging thing, so I'm reviewing it 3.5 months later.
I'm also still working out if I want a "formatted" review or just "free style" and since no one even knows this blog exists, I"m just going to go with straight out ramble on this one.
So yes, I am a few year behind on this one.  In fact, I've owned this book for over a year and it has been on my to-read list for a couple of years as well.  So, on a plane ride to Omaha, I finally got around to reading it.  It actually started out slow, too slow for a plane ride (and subsequent 24 hour long car ride), so I finished it at home.

Enough rambling, onto the review.



As has been my experience with many historical fiction novels, Water for Elephants can be a bit slow and dull at times.  I am also happy to report that there are also page-turner moments, and it is a pleasant mix of both.  The story is a first person narrative of a person who is 90ish, and also 19ish (20ish? I forget).  He goes back and forth between now and then, describing his days as a circus vet - now a nursing home resident.

There is love. There is blood.  There is questionable treatment of animals.  I will admit that I immediately wanted to watch Dumbo after finishing this book.  Gruen also shares her "as inspired by" stories in the afterward, which was a neat touch.
Throughout the book are small photos of circus wagons and trains; elephants and their trainers; circus hullabaloos.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to others, as long as you have the self-discipline to push yourself through the bits of bore.  It's not as bad as I am making it seem, I just didn't care for the nursing home portions.  I mean, who really wanted to see the nursing home portions in The Notebook?  Not the same story, but along the same line of emotions.

Food: Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

2 words: YUMMM MMMMY

Actual self-made stuffed peppers cell phone pic

I am a very, very amateur house cook, and this may have been my most adventurous meal to date. It was not hard, by any means, but I have trouble coordinating when each item should be complete in order to move on to the next step.  Example:  prep time 10 minutes?  No fucking way.  It took me 10 minutes just to organize how any measuring cups I needed.  Like I said though, I am a beginning.
Despite doubling the prep time, and not having any clue how to cook rice (thanks google!), my stuffed peppers turned out fan-freaking-tastic and I will definitely be making these again.
My only tips would be a) make sure you know how to cook rice, b) eat at least 3.
We ate left overs the next night, and they were fine.  Makes 8 pepper halves.
The recipe can be found at Real Simple

Now Reading: The Noticer

What a delightful find The Noticer ended up being!  I think I came across this one in the "browse" section of my e-library account.  I will be the absolute first to admit that it is a little bit of a self-helpy/spiritual book, but it is written so well that you barely notice.

The Noticer is a memoir, of sorts, that follows a young Andy Andrews through one of the worst times of his life.  I honestly have no idea how much of the story is true, but for the sake of this review, I am going to assume the basics are true, with of course a bit of story-telling magic.

I will also admit that I have no prior knowledge of Andy Andrews (seriously, his name is Andy Andrews...), who is apparently a self-helpy speaker at corporate events and the such.  To clarify, while I am not a pessimist, I am definitely in the line of realism, and I usually find motivational/spiritually books and speakers a bit hokey.  That wasn't the case with The Noticer, and I really enjoyed it!



If you enjoy Mitch Albom's books, it kind of a long the same lines as his books.  I've noticed (hehe) that this book is listed as a Christian book, and if I recall correctly, there is no blatantly Christian undertones, so don't let that scare you.  Of course, if the undertone is that Jones (i.e. the titular character) is god or something, then I totally did not pick up on that.

Anyway, Jones is a vibrant vagrant that appears in a small beach town every so often, and helps people in need.  He doesn't do anything but have a small chat, and offer them a bit of perspective; hence the catchphrase of the cover. It's true though, take a sticky situation, sit your way out of it, and look at it from someone else's shoes and who knows what you'll come up with.
A truly charming novel that I highly recommend.

Food: Chili-Pasta Skillet

A quick & easy dinner, which doesn't require using too many tools and dishes, since most of the ingredients are canned. It was super delicious, and I will definitely make it again!  Serves 3 to 4.
Here is the recipe, from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook:

I ate some before I remembered to take a picture

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground beef
• 3/4 Chopped onion
• 15 1/2 oz can kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained (I used black)
• 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dried elbow macaroni
• 4 oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
• 2 to 3 tsp chili powder
  
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (I used Mexican mix)
• I also served mine with sour cream

Directions:
In a large skillet cook meat and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.  Stir in beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, uncooked macaroni, chile peppers, chili powder and garlic salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Remove skillet from heat; sprinkle mixture with cheese. Cover and let stand about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yoga: 4 week course

I've enrolled myself in a four week course through the yoga studio I have been attending here in San Diego.  It's a very quaint studio, and isn't overly crowded like that one I attended in LA.  With a bit of encouragement (ok, a lot of encouragement) from the studio owner, I signed up for her 4 week intensive yoga course.

Throughout the next 4 weeks, I have Saturday sessions in addition to a minimum of 3 classes a week.  I already go about that  much already (averaging 4-5 times a week, I think), but the Saturday sessions also include discussion.  It just started last Saturday, so there is still this whole month to go.  I am really hoping to get a lot out of the course, or at least the commitment out of myself to go 4-5 times a week consistently.

Obligatory First Post

Hi Everyone!  Or no one, in my case.  This is my blogging attempt version 65.231.  This time, I am going to stick with it. Seriously.

Anyway, my no theme blog will hopefully have a bit about me, and my life.  My current interests, obsessions and to-dos include:  yoga, crochet, cooking, travel and reading. 

Annnnnd scene.