Via Con Dios Casa

Welcome! Welcome dear readers to my casa!

There is a lot of domesticity going on today in my humble casa. I am going to be whipping up some muesli later this afternoon (from Nigella's Feast). It's actually very low effort, unlike her recipe for Granola which had almost twice as many ingredients and required a tad more effort.

Nigella writes making her own muesli makes her feel like she is living in the 1960's, throwing pottery and writing political diatribes. Mostly it makes me feel like a long haired leaping hippie and that I might on some level be making something remotly good for me.

I can not stop marveling at the world wide web and all the information you can find, useful and sometimes not so useful. But while poking about one of my new fave haunts trying to locate the post about Granola, which I did find and you can check it out here. It seems a little less effort than Nigella's, so after I have mastered muesli - i.e become a Muesli Master I shall have to move on to become a Granola General.

Anyway what I found on the way to the Granola was Ghetto Cocktails, now I can not pass up anything that offers cocktails. The offering that most captivated my attention was the White Trash Marguerita made with Corona. I am a huge fan of Marguerita's, the tequila aside I just enjoy sucking the salt off the rim of the glass. Yum!

Back to the plans at hand, aside from the muesli, also this afternoon I am going to attempt a batch of crumpets. Yeast cookery dosen't frighten me, I not only enjoy it but find it incredibly easy. Pastry making scares me however, so I always rely on prebought.

Around all this, I have been charged with the job of knitting a cosy for my mother's new mobile phone. Her old one some how died, my father who had the same model may also be in need of a new phone as his hasn't died yet but it's on the way out. I don't think he'll want a cosy some how though. Which suits me fine as I can devote my time to knitting something for me or possibly for the Mongolians.

And guess who's joined the land of Bloggers? Are you brave enough to enter the Stash Alone?????

Until next time,
Suzi.
A bona fide red head who loves cooking and is damn proud of it.

What a wicked web we crawl when we plan to seek!

It's always exciting I think when someone new leaves you a comment, because then that's someone else's blog to have a look at. And of course the potential of even more new blogs and other exciting sites that they like to visit...

Well I'm very pleased Ms Fortuknit left a comment, because I got to check out her cool blog. Loved it! And thanks to her discovered such gems as Knit It Black - another excellent blog that shall go on my regular read list.
The second find was the most incredible treasure of all, Punk Rock Domestics. I can't believe it's only now I discover this!
It's coolness aside, I include the link for PRD here mainly for if I am MIA for a number of days you'll know why and where to find me.

While cruising PRD, I was poking about he links section to see what else I could find. And I have two words for you! SKULL NEEDLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and the book looks pretty cool as well.

On the homefront I started to organise the ironing baskets, I've actually managed to elimante a few things form them. Namely towels, so rather than ironing baskets they were more like baskets of washing that didn't get sorted straight away. I've got it all neatly stacked in two baskets waiting for me to get to work on it. I think Friday afternoon will become Ironing day.
Of course the flat stuff like table cloths, tea towels and pillow cases will get done first. Purely because they are so easy, and you can accumalate a pile of nicely ironed items very quickly which makes it look like you have been sooooo domestic.

That's my winning tip, take it, leave it or use it.

Until next time,
Suzi
A bona fide red head who does actually like ironing. Usually.

Lookie! Lookie! Again!

We had SNB today, and after much talking and knitting. Cindy was telling me the new Anti-Craft was up. Yeah!

What particulary interested me was this hat. Also being a bit of a freak about asparagus, I couldn't resist the recipes for it!

Cindy was also telling us about a motorcycle cosy. Motorcycle alone would captivate my attention! Cindy has very helpfully left me a comment with a link to it. I highly reccomend once you've looked and admired, you follow the link to the embroided tattoos.Very cool!

I have given myself a goal and reward. If I can finish something, anything, although preferably one of my UFO's, I will buy myself the yarn needed to make the yoga mat bag from Stitch N' Bitch Nation.

And what is the yoga mat bag for? Well to put a yoga mat in! Yes, I'm hoping to get back into yoga. Still the mind and quiet the soul. I never previously took classes, just practised at home with a video tape (does anybody else remember those days?). With a bit of practice at home, maybe a class, I will have to see what they offer at the gym.

In closing, apparently one of my felow bloggers feared for her mother's safety, what I meant and clearly I didn't make this clear enough wasn't that I was going to beat her mother, but rather I was offering her the tag if she was interested and her mother didn't beat me to offering it to her.
I swear on my buried treasure, I would never have threatened anyone's mother.

Until next time,
Suzi
A bona fide red head who's been put in her place.

Lookie! Lookie!

It's a new magknits, and i am very enamoured with the lace wrap.

Fickle Finger of Fate

Moved slowly across the blog land and stopped and pointed at.....ME? Yes, Katt has tagged me to do a meme thingo.

Actually I'm quite excited, as I was actually going to write a post along these lines of what I wanted to acheive goal wise since I am having my Lucy Jordan/Shirley Valentine quarter life crisis. I caught some legal program late the other night, starring good old William Shatner who has aged not all that gracefully - good on him! He plays a lawyer Denny(?) Crane. And he was saying to one of the younger lawyers "It's fun being me, is it fun being you?"


Seven Things To Do Before I Die:
1. Become a pirate!
2. Las Vegas Baby! (As Elvis sang if I only had 24 hours to live, I'd want to live it here!)
3. Own a Harley Davidson.
4. Body Sculpting - we're talking muscle tone not invisible suitcases.
5. Learn to be a pole dancer. (30/4 Added Note: I refer not to getting naked and making fauz love to a pole but rather fully clothed acrobatics that require you to be able to comfortably support your own body weight with one arm.)
6. See the Rolling Stones live in concert before they die, if it's at all possible they could go before me!
7. Meet Matt Hardy.

Seven Things I Cannot Do:
1. Be normal.
And these are more like can't do yet.
2. Drive.
3. Do pilates.
4. Do yoga.
5. Finish knitting projects in a timely fashion.
6. Wear less black.
7.Marry Johnny Depp (alright so this may actually be a never like number one.)

Seven Things That Attract Me To My Man Pirates:
I don't have one, so I am changing it to something I want.
1. Rum. But why is Rum gone?
2. Johnny Depp
3. Keith Richards
4. Treasure!
5. Jolly Roger
6. The hats.
7. Have ship, will travel, adventure!

Seven Books I Love:
1. Soul Music by Terry Pratchett
2. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
3. All Nigella's cookbooks - a must at bedtime
4. Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
5. Bubbles series by Sarah Stromyer
6. Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
7. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

Seven Things I Say:
1. Excellent!
2. Woman.
3. You daft creature! (This usually follows the sound of something being knocked over.)
4. You're in my way!
5. Boogelly (Thankyou Cindy!)
6. Where is ............? (This is uaually said to the DWC, he never answers)
7. Would you like a bag? (No more! No more! I'm leaving to be a pirate)

Seven Movies I've Loved :
1. Rocky Horror Picture Show
2. Banger Sisters
3. Showgirls
4. Fifth Element
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
6. Any of the Rock's movies bar Doom (can you believe their trying to flog it with Serenity?)
7. Romancing the Stone

Seven lovely ladies I'm gonna tag: Alright I am going to offer this oppotunity to the following and leave it up to them to decide if they want to take it up.

Metal and Knit (now you've commented there is no escaping me!)
Msfortutknit (aonther new one!
Amanda (it's been awhile!)
Karen (it's also been awhile!)
Roberta (don't know you well, but I'm hoping to!)
That Knitting Chick (another I don't know well yet)
Little Purl (unless her mother beats me)

This is all very optional and I will not be offended and I promise I won't make anybody who doesn't want to pick this tag up walk the plank. Pirates honour.

A Trifecta Tribute

At the age of 37 she realised she'd never ride through Paris in a sports car with the warm wind in her hair.
- Ballad of Lucy Jordan, Marianne Faithfull

I owe a lot to my heros, they inspire to me to do greater things. Today I offer thanks to the Lucy Jordans, the Shirley Valentines and the inimitable Cindy who even in a futuristic dictorial world with uniform clones, would still be an individual and also single-handly organise a revolution to bring down the forces of might!

Courtesy of Cindy I present a portion of the letter of resignation I wish had handed in.

As such, I have decided to become a professional pirate. It has always been a dream of mine to live the life of a swashbuckling corsair, beholden to none and master of all I survey. Once my crew of unabashed rogues is assembled, we shall take to the capacious expanse of the high seas to pursue fortune, fame, and hair-raising adventure.

Our path may not be filled with the porcine comforts and technological marvels that ****** provides, but we shall nonetheless move forward to carve a name for ourselves in the annals of bold insurgency and death-defying derring-do. Once I have a keen blade at my hip and the Jolly Roger is flapping high above me, I believe I will find my true calling.

Please note that I am currently accepting applications for First Officer, if any of you are at all interested in applying. I will provide a full medical and dental plan, which will offer immediate coverage of all maladies other than scurvy and the occasional bout of rickets.

Sincerely

Jolly Suzi Tar

Couldn't have put it better myself. Thankyou ladies! I salute you all.

Suzi.
A bona fide red head pirete and very, very happy about it!

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

But you can it seems teach an old knitter new tricks, thanks to Little Purl I have now got a very cool Skull and Crossbones cursor as some of you will have noticed!

Another new addition to the blog, everywhere I go I have seen these trackers that people are using for their weight loss.. I don't own a set of scales, so I have no idea how much I weigh and probably am glad of it. However closer investigation reveas that they have an Excersice and Fitness tracker. This is what I need something that will publicly shame me to getting back into the gym.




However in my defense, it may have been late last year since I set foot in the place but I am still able to fit into size 20 stuff - none of this elastic waist either, I'm talking fitted bands.
When I started I was in size 26 and well, they just fitted. I was a heifer no doubt about it.

Anyway I must get off and do some work. I have some cooking to do for tomorrow for a lunch I am going to. Then some cookign for myself for lunch, I bought the tomato and chilli pickle Cindy told us all about and am planningon tryign it out for lunch in a toasted cheese sandwich.

Until next time,
Suzi.
A bona fide chilli loving red head and dman proud of it.

As Bad As I Wanna Be!

A Diva like you can do what others say can't be done. - Daily Fortune, Bratz.com.

It all started when I saw the Pirate Bratz or as they are more correctly called Bratz Treasures. Then I saw the punk looking ones and I was even furthur enamoured.



Now my fate has finally been sealed, I now own a piece of Bratz merchandise. I am the very proud owner of a Bratz shopping bag. Unfortunatly I don't have a picture so you will have to try select Coles Supermarkets to see it, unless you were at the market with me last Saturday. In which case you will have already participated in the excitement with me.

It's all going to be down hill from here.

But I did find this article and it's the closing in it that makes me smile, very appropiate. But when I was young what I really wanted and never got was a He-Man, you know good old He-Man and the Masters of the Universe! I'm still a little disappointed about that.

Until next time,
Suzi
A bona fide Bratz-lovin red head and damn proud of it.

New Simply Knitting?

I got the new Simply Knitting today, at least I think it's new. It's the one with the stitch markers, I thought we were a month behind but are we in fact two?

Anyway some nice designs, some of the colours did nothing for me. That pink and green number, I don't know if I like it or hate it.

I went op shopping with my fellow SnBer Sandra this afternoon, we picked up two pairs of Clover needles (some sort of wood, maybe bamboo?), a pair of the Casein ones Sandra likes, two pairs of Pony Pearls, a couple of pairs of the old Beehive pearly type needles, an even older pair of 5mm, a crochet hook and what I believe is a cable needle (it's like a really short double point). How much did this full on bounty cost us?

$1.60

I kid you not, that included two pairs of Pony Pearls! These are my fave type of needle to work with but buying them now sees me forking out usually more than $6. They seem to have gone up since I first started buying them, well it was at least 3 years ago. Sandra was very pleased with her Casein ones, 4mm at that as well. There not cheap to buy either now.

However the wool front was disappointing, bags of mixed oddments and nothing under $6. I've got nothing against oddments, my stash is made up of other peope's oddments, scraps and leftovers. Sandra has been having a wonderful time knitting oddments up into hats and scarves ready to send to Mongolia.
Had they put the contents of two bags in one bag and been selling it for $6, I probably would have given it some serious consideration.

The pulse warmer from MagKnits, well my first fair isle and I mucked about changing my technique three times in the space of one design, so it's a little on the tight side. But on the upside I know now what not to do.

Having finished that I was restless to start something else, admitedly I probably shoudl have finished something else. But I wanted new! And exciting! I've started a wrap out of some blue fluffy stuff with a hint of sparkle through it. If it is what the packet says - wool/mohiar/nylon mix I think it is it should be quite nice.

Until next time,
Suzi.
A bona fide cold redhead and damn unhappy about it.

With all the rain today was perfect weather for knitting. The Dulaan Cloud Hat is a little furthur on, my hot water bottle cover now has a complete front. I need to search the stash for some suitable yarn to make a back for it. I wasn't certain what the yarn I was using was but comparing it to something similar in my stash with it's bands I think what I have used is none other than Cleckheaton Country Naturals 8-ply. I suspected it was a wool blend. I've got the magic touch! I can identify Unidentified Yarn at a mere touch of my fingertips!
It's also a possible this was a lucky break. Certain wools and cerain acrylics have a definate feel so you can tell them instantly.

I discovered tonight while trying to start Zombies Need Not Apply from the new MagKnits that when I printed the pattern I was missing a certain portion from the very far right side of the page. I thought it would be something like the ends of words or maybe a word or two. But in some cases it was the whole part of the sentance! I'm not quite sure how the computer processed it to print it but the layout is the same it's just the instructions have been altered slightly.
However when the pulse warmers get underway it will be a different colour scheme. Instead of black/grey/white, I am going with a black/purple/white. Making it a bit girly without going in for bows.

I have my fellow SnB covener Cindy to thank for directing me to a new site - For The Love of Yarn. I have fallen in love already with the Peace Jacket. It appeals to the tree-hugging hippie in me.

Until next time,
Suzi.
A bona fide hippie red head and damn proud of it.

Blast from the Past

Well today, dear readers is a slightly better day.

When in doubt, especially in the cold, it's time to dig out the old comforts. A bit of Nigella, Rosella tomato soup, ye olde wrestling (it's from 95 and that's what? 11 years ago? I was a fan then. Now I'm showing my age), then I start to Google to find out what happened to one of the female wrestlers from yesteryear - Bull Nakano. Who it turns out has lost half her weight and become a pro golfer. As you do. As opposed to Alundra Blaze/Medusa who had her implants taken out and became a monster truck driver. As you do.

Anyway back to the point at hand or the picture to the left to be exact. Back from the days when Rock was a form of music and not a wrestler turned actor (not that I'm complaining), when men had big hair and wore make-up and were still men. I give you, Bret Michaels! Lead singer of Poison. Yes, I know now I really am showing my age!


Furthur clues? Let's see Back to the Future movies, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the original Batman movie with Michael Keaton, dig a bit deeper and I offer you the A-Team and the undoubtable Mr T, Short Circuit and Benji! And now for the final nail in my coffin (won't be long I'll be popping off from old age) how can I not mention He-Man, Voltron and Transformers - the first time round as I realise they've come back a number of times.

Not hard to guess what era I am a child from is it now? I count myself fortunate I wasn't a child of the era that had Power Rangers. EWWWWW!

An action and adventure girl I am, preferably with pirates. Speaking of pirates, I still haven't sourced the new Knit 1 locally. I'm thinking of ordering from the Woolshack as I want some bamboo double points, another thing impossible to source locally.

Happy Easter!
Suzi.
A bona fide old and cold red head and not happy about it.

I hate the World!

It has just been one of those weeks, I can not wait for it to be over. I am just about ready to quit my job. Tonight is a full moon but I think the lead up to it also has an effect on people. Anything that can go wrong has, anybody who could possibly have a gripe has, and of course who could forget the vague requests or the requests for the impossible!

All I want to do is a Bernard from Black Books and suddenly decide to close the shop and chase customers out.

Since Sunday I have been hard at work making a cover for my new hottie. Can you believe after all this time and excruciating pain in my shoulders, I am finally just centimeters away from shaping the top? And changing down to smaller needles! Arrghh!

I have finished a mitten for a Toddler out of 12-ply, once I make the other half they will be ready to send away to Mongolia. The pattern calls for you to cast off the mitten and then sew it up. Which annoyed me, so I've decided to put the yarn through the last stitches and then sew it up. Less actual sewing.

Also on the needles currently is a partially finished (or partially deformed?) GLOVE OF DOOM! It is a meglomanic glove who plans to bring the knitting world down by devouring all the nice feeling yarn and leaving only boogelly feeling yarn. Because of this I plan to call it Vince.

Having said that I know Katt is the only one who will get it.

Tonight I am checking my pantry to see what I do and don't have. I am planning on making some Hot Cross Buns this year, only this year I actually will. Im going to use Nigella's recipe because it seems relativly simple - one of the things I love about Nigella's recipes is it's very hard to go wrong. And also because you can make it the night before and put it in the fridge to prove overnight. All you do in the morning is get it out and let it come up to room temp (shouldn't be long in this weather, if it's at all possible the fridge may be warmer), pop them in the oven and before you know it. Fresh Hot Cross Buns!

I'm not normally a huge fan of religious holidays, but I can't resist Easter with all it's Pagen pagentry. The equal-armed (or Equinox) cross, the eggs, rabbits and new chicks. And I suppose what I like about it is it's true to form in that nothing is ever really new new, it's something old coming back as something slightly different.

Until next time,
Suzi,
A bona fide chocaholic redhead and damn proud of it.

Not Happy Jan

I had nearly finsihed writing a post and then all of a sudden. Poof! Gone jsut like that.

Grr Arrghh! I'm now in more of a mood than I was before.

Ahhh, something not new!

We all like to think we're unique until someone tells us were different.
- ?????????????

You Are a Bright Star Soul

Like a shining star, you have no trouble being the center of attention In fact, you often feel a bit hurt when all eyes aren't on you You need to be number one in everything, no matter how trivial And it's this ego that both hurts your confidence and helps you acheive You're dramatic and a powerhouse of pure energy You posess a divine quality or uniqueness that's hard to define A natural performer, it's likely you'll become famous in some circles. Just learn not to take everyone's reaction to you so personally! Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul and Prophet Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

I get weird a lot. I can't possible begin to imagine why?
Suzi.
A redheaded grade B weirdo and damn proud of it.

Do you knit dead people?

Well do you? I mean who knows out there in blogger land what you all are knitting and not letting on about. But i have to thank Margaret for sending me this link.

Dawn of the Knitted Dead, Day of the Knitted Dead and Shaun of the Knitted Dead. I can't help but admire the time and imagination, let alone the skill to knit somethign like this up. I am in awe!

Suzi.
An awed red head and and damn proud of it.

Big Day Out Tomorrow

It all happens tomorrow, my local SNB is having a stall at a new market opening up in home town.

I'm on first thing in the morning as part of the set-up crew. I'm not sure how well this will go as usually I am a bit of a cavewoman first thing in the morning. I have hair that looks like it was last modeled on the Wildman of Borneo and mostly I grunt and growl. The daft white car looks on, thinking ??????? Who knows what. I'm not even certain what goes in that mad catty brain, if anything.
Then I get out of bed.

Usually taming the savage beast first off involves caffeine, sugar or a combination of both. The DWC is content to cavort through the house while trying to trip me up, I swear he's in the coffee before I even get up or he's a morning person rein-CAT-nated. My only gripe here is, if he is indeed in the coffee, why can't he make me one?

However the ever competent Sharon will be there first up to marshall my fellow SNB'er Sandra and myself into line at the market. Later in the morning my fellow cavewoman and SNB'er Katt will arrive after her husband has got her out of her cave and into the car. Usually assisted by a cattle prod and long pole (to push the coffee close without getting too close).

I'm looking forward to Katt's arrival because I am sure we will see much cavewoman hijinks ensue. Wearing of tea cosies upon the head, chasing people with sharp pointy sticks, ensnaring possible husbands with scarves and of course the compulsory celebratory hooting upon finding a caffeine source.

Ahhh, I can see it now. David Attenbourgh presents a documentary on Cavewomen in their chosen habitat.
"Fear not market goers! At the prospect of a sale these Cavewomen can not only be civilised but polite. We will approach now carefully so as not to startle them.....Hello! I am after a knit beanie for my next documentry to filmed somewhere cold."

Until next time,
Suzi.
A bona fide red headed cavewoman and damn mad about it!

Sock Festival in all it's glory.

Today I attended the 1st Westbury World Sock Festival. I was a bit taken aback to discover that there was a $10 admission - I presume this is based on the St Patrick's Day Festival they run over three days. But had I known in advance I may have thought twice about going.

The socks were varied and interesting, not as many as I expected. I thought it would be a lot bigger with more knit related stalls and displays.

My fellow SNB'ers Cathy and Cindy won prizes for the socks they entered, Katt and Sharon's were also proudly on display. There are some pictures of all the socks over at the SNB website.

Below is some pictures of my sister and my socks getting out and about with other socks. Where will the frivolity end?

I did purchase some lovely Hot Socks wool in a grey/white/black blend. $5.00 for a 50gm ball. However they also had Hot Socks in 100gm balls which they wanted $20 for! I also got to finally see the Sirdar Yo Yo yarn up close, if your not familiar with this it comes in one big ball (about 400gms) supposedly with enough to make a sweater with out joining in lots of little balls. Not a bad idea, if only more yarn companys could come up with ideas like this.

There are no pictures, which I now regret, but there was a Giant pumpkin competion. They were massive! I don't imagine they would all be that nice to eat. As traditionally the very large pumpkins were grown as cattle feed.

Until next time,
Suzi.
A bona fide red headed sock knitter and damn proud if it!

Margaret's sock (left) and my sock (right) mingling with the other socks at Westbury. Note my fellow SNB'ers Katt and Sharon's socks in the background.

The sock wool Margaret and I bought from a stall at the Westbury Sock Festival.

It's been awhile my friends.

Well, have you ever had one of those days where you wake up and just hate everything? I've been having one of those days all week.

And to top it all off, MSN is now behaving badly on me. Grrr arrghh!

And do you know what happens tomorrow? A local election! Who are these people that make these decisions? It's my right to vote and have a say. Fair enough, we are after all supposedly a democracy. But surely then I should have the right not to vote? All politicians annoy me, I'll be glad when tommorrow is over there will be no advertising bombardment coming from all directions.

It's all too much for me, I must go now, in search of my next sugar fix.

Until next time,
Suzi.
An annoyed bona fide red head.