Friday update

Well as most of you know...
we had a magnitude 5.7
earthquake last Sunday.

And now we hurry up and
wait for Mt. Redoubt
to erupt.
Lots of seismic activity
but no eruptions.
(the link is a live web cam)

we are moderately prepared.
Water: in 2 empty kitty litter containers (will work to flush toilets)
Water: in 2 empty laundry detergent tubs (washing dishes)
Water: in 3 empty 2 liter soda bottles (drinking)
Water: 2 large pots in oven, teapot is full, coffee pot is full, and
a hot thermos is full of water also. Pet bowls are filled too.
Bandanas/ dust masks: check (somewhere)
Portable radio: check must find batteries
plastic bags to cover computers
rags to fill cracks in doors
dog booties: must make so Hugo doesn't bring in lots of ash.
we have lots of top ramen and chicken.
matches for stove
must also get a cartridge for a coleman lantern.
also need to get 3 air filters for cars

and need to review the Emily Ocher circular cast on
so I can attempt to knit a pi shawl during this time.




Kazul asked what a meme was.
Here is a definition.
Internet meme:

At its most basic, an Internet meme is simply the propagation of a digital file or hyperlink from one person to others using methods available through the Internet (for example, email, blogs, social networking sites, instant messaging, et cetera). The content often consists of a saying or joke, a rumor, an altered or original image, a complete website, a video clip or animation, or an offbeat news story, among many other possibilities. An Internet meme may stay the same or may evolve over time, by chance or through commentary, imitations, and parody versions, or even by collecting news accounts about itself. Internet memes have a tendency to evolve and spread extremely quickly, sometimes going in and out of popularity in a matter of days. They are spread organically, voluntarily, and peer to peer, rather than by compulsion, predetermined path, or completely automated means.*

The term may refer to the content that spreads from user to user, the idea behind the content, or the phenomenon of its spread. Internet memes have been seen as a form of art. There exist websites that collect and popularize Internet memes as well as sites devoted to the spread of specific Internet memes. The term is generally not applied to content or web services that are seen as legitimate, useful, and non-faddish, or that spread through organized publishing and distribution channels. Thus, serious news stories, videogames, web services, songs by established musical groups, or the like are usually not called Internet memes.*

*copied from wikipedia

An Interview....

The Interview:

Jane: Q. 1. When and how did you learn how to knit and what was your first project?

(that's actually three questions, isn't it!)
A. I learned to knit about 4 winters ago. 3 different people taught me how to knit, a good friend explained binding off over the phone. My first real project was lace drop stitch scarf from a children's knitting book.

Q 2. What do you do during your long winters in Alaska to ward off 'cabin fever'.
A. work? actually the months of January and early Feb are the hardest on me. I do like to go tanning during those months (when I can). Also if the weather permits cross country night skiing is awesome. But I do sleep and just surf the internet alot, I also used to cook alot.

Q 3. I know you like to cook because you talk about food a lot on your blog - what's your favorite recipe?
A. well my faves go in stages. but I guess the one I use the most is for buttermilk biscuits. I do try to link any good recipe so I can find it later. Like the chocolate shortcake recipe that I didn't link but it was super good.

Q. 4. I know you like the Harry Potter books - what other kinds of books do you like to read?
A. I do read cookbooks, crafting books and Christian Fiction, Anne McCaffrey "Pern" series, and D.E. Stevenson. Usually prefer juvenile literature to adult, and for adult fiction British Authors over American. But Debbie Macomber is pretty good too. She is actually one who really enticed me to learn to knit.

Q 5. What other crafty things do you like to do besides knitting?
A. I sew and attempt to quilt.

For those of you who might want to be interviewed, here are the directions:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions and I will need your e-mail.).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Random Monday

a meme from Lynn.
Here are the rules ---Lynn gave me a letter.
My letter is 'T'.
I need to find ten things I like that begin with the letter 'T'.

1. Tot
2. T-shirts
3. Tea
4. Toast
5. Talking w/DH
6. Traveling
7. Teaching little ones how to swim.
8. Talking on the phone
9 Taking walks
10. toe-jam


If you want to play,
just let me know in the comments section
and I'll give you a letter.
I promise I won't give you an obscure letter like X or Q.

Sunday Quotes

"One of the advantages of being disorderly
is that one is constantly making
exciting discoveries".
-A.A. Milne


Not sure if that would have gone
over very well w/my Dad
on the millionth time of
being told to go clean up my room.

Did take pictures today of
a craft in progress...
but will post them tomorrow
with the finished result.
Bumpkins and I are making beads
out of paper mache'
works ok especially if you
remember to add the flour paste to
the paper mulch.

Very slippery out,
DH and I drove past one section of
highway and then 1 hr later
we drove back by it.
there was an Explorer on its side,
It had flipped. The passengers were
walking around.
And tonight the stars are out
and there is a slick sheen on top of the
trash bins.

Dinner: cheeseburgers w/fried onions and mushrooms. DH put chili on his also. Very filling. Non diet food. Also introduced my family to Little Debbie cookies (they are cheaper than the bakery cookies). The filled oatmeal's are really good.

Saturday Sky....

Sorry no Sky pic.
was to lazy to go outside
in 39 F, clear blue skies.
Beautiful day.
(it was very slippery out though)



Finished Project of the week:
a double moss stitch
Afghan square.
it is 12"
knitted w/US 10
and Paton's Decor yarn.
(like how the Decor felt- nice and soft).


Today started knitting on DM's sock's again.
Hope to finish them up this month.

Really need to work on DH's Birthday present.
His birthday is Monday. Yikes!



We have had some really wild weather.
Last week it went up to 45 F.
there is ice everywhere!
I almost took out the yellow metal gate post at
work w/my van.

My secret sister Reveal was supposed to be Friday night.
it got canceled due to bad roads.
(have you ever heard of Cab drivers
refusing to drive because the roads are to bad?
Well here they did, but school still went on.)

well that's about it,
Hugo is learning to "Stay".

Dinner: fave this year seems to be Frito Pie. Fritos, covered w/chili, topped w/cheese and sour cream. Almost as good as apples and sweet sour red cabbage topped w/brawts.

You Are Buttermilk Pancakes

Your prefer traditional, old fashioned foods. You shy away from anything fake, and you like meals with simple ingredients. It's not likely someone would find margarine or diet soda in your kitchen. Instead, someone might find a loaf of homemade bread baking or a soup simmering.

What Kind of Pancakes Are You?


uh huh..... and there you have it.
(and I don't like fake sugar! better give me the real stuff).

Strange Stuff Tuesday and Blogiversary

(above a self portrait)

realized last night that today
was my 2 year blogiversary.
And for some unknown reason
I really don't feel like celebrating.

But a big thank you
to all who have read this
and commented.


And for some of you...
this will seem wrong.
mulled beer
and interesting read
the history of
mulled beer.

please let me know if you
decide to try this one.
will be very interested in the
results.

And there I bid you
all good night.

And if the above isn't strange enough
tonight there was freezing rain and temps of 31 F.
Last week at this time it was -30 F.
Very extreme weather we are having.

Have started another set of swim lessons out at the pool. tomorrow there will be 4 sets for me to teach. And on Thursday 4 sets of lessons then water aerobics.

Random Monday

Well not much going on here. Except we did get to go outside for almost 30 min tonight. Finally got Bumpkins to sleep before 10:30 also. DH was fired from his job, so cleaning house is more doable. Before someone was always sleeping, so doing chores and getting Bumpkins to bed at a decent time was not happening. Hopefully something will come forward soon. DH did contact the Army recruiter and the recruiter response as to why he hasn't gotten back was "the internet system was down and everyone was out on leave for Christmas".

Knitting; today's knitting was working a BOM square. 12" square of double moss stitch. Am using US 10 needles and Paton's Decor yarn. I really like how the decor feels in my hands, soft. It is a wool/acrylic blend.

Did errands today and went grocery shopping. Bumpkins asked if we were going shopping and I replied that we already did. She said "3 Bears not shopping, no cookie!"

Dinner was a 10 USD pizza. Very large.

Random website: For those of you not in Alaska, check out this wonderful site.... Bookcrossing it is everywhere! (but Alaska). Very similar to geo-caching but w/o a gps and you get books in return. Kazul there are lots of drops in the area in which you now live.

ETA: and if you thought we were cold the last few weeks, people up in Fairbanks had -40 and there were others who had -52. With wind chill -60. Now that is COLD!

Sunday Quotes

"In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter,
Long ago."
- Christina Rossetti, A Christmas Carol

above Pic: is Bumpkin's Fair Isle Scarf
knitted on US 7
With more Kool Aid Dyed yarn.
(it is also a key hole scarf).

DH got me loom for Christmas...
So I made this neckwarmer.

Finished scarf:
Basket Weave
60" long
knit w/US 10
Blue Wool Ease
(took forever as it was my portable knitting).

It has been super cold here. Temps running below -20 F. Planes have been grounded, unable to fly unless it is daytime. Last Wednesday it was -38 at 10:30 am. this Omega Bloc has been in place since before New Year's. People have frozen pipes and cars, thankfully we only had a frozen car. Tot hasn't been able to go outside much lately due to the extreme temps. Now I wish we had some hard apple cider- guess if you freeze hard apple cider you come up w/Apple Jack. Cider only freezes at extreme temps. The mountains have been beautiful, as we have had one sunny day after another. The full moon has been delightful to look at- unable to really enjoy it due to the cold. And the Northern Lights activity has been non existant, which is a bummer.

Today went for a walk the first one in over a month. Hugo loved it! As our temps finally got above 0 F. Not much else happening here except finally got our Christmas Box from Kazul. She sent it before Christmas from Eastern Oregon and it got here last Thursday. Reminds me of the good old days when all freight came up on a barge.

Knitting: Making Kazul a scarf for her Birthday... Mrs Whatsit's Neckerfuffle from the book Wrinkle in Time. Also have made one baby bootie.

And Jane is having a contest over on her blog first is What I did right in 2008. The other fun thing that she has going on is a 52 week challeng, of knitting 52 items in 52 weeks. Well I am going to modify that to making 52 items wether they be sewing, quilting or knitting. So far I am right on target as this is technically still the second week. (week ends on Thursday). And one items counts as 1 item ie.. my single baby bootie is item #1. not sure if UFO's count or not.

Kazul wants everyone to go vote for her snowman titled Kris and Steve's Snowman over on Today's Snowman.

well good night all. hopefully I am now out of hibernation.