Sooo knitting...yeah.  I kinda stink at it-But, I have 11 months to get to my goal.  I just need to be able to knit a scarf by February 2012 (provided the world has not ended of course.)  I stumbled across a knitting shop while visiting my husband down in Rockville, MD this weekend and met the nicest ladies.  They gave me great advice that I am going to put into practice this week.  They also pointed me to a great website for networking knitters:  www. Ravelry.com. You have to sign up for an account, but it is a great online source for patterns, people, various help and groups (blogs too).  I'm hooked. 

My other project this week was bread.  I’ve have been testing out different recipes and techniques for a few months with mixed outcomes.  This week I wanted to make a baguette. So I created a sponge that I let ferment for about 2.5 hours.  It was stringy and bubbly.  After combining all the ingredients I let it rise for 2 hours before deflating it and kneaded it.  I let it rise for 8 hours. Followed by another deflate. I let it retard in the fridge overnight and rise for 4 more hours before shaping it, followed by a final rise 2 hours.  I heated the oven to 450 degrees and placed a skillet with water on the bottom shelf for steam (just a cup) and baked my loaf for 22 minutes.

The results were good.  I was able to get the color and the crispness to the crust, but not the airiness I was looking for this time.  I think I need to knead more.  I guess it is back to the yummy drawing board.

The Sponge

Since my baking and crafting adventures have been a bit challenging this week, I felt I needed a success of some kind to boost my morale, so B and I decided to drive from Philly to DC and sightsee around the Nation Mall.   This is funny because my sense of direction is…is…hmmm…well it is not good.  I like to look around and rarely pay attention to “important” details like route numbers, street names, or the direction.  When it comes to travel I’m more of a, “It’s not the destination, but the journey,” kinda gal.  I should have a GPS, but that feels like cheating.  I also don’t mind being lost.  Otherwise I am all about details, instructions and structure (“all about” Circa 1993). 

B and I decide we’d most like to see the National Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.  B has been very interested in Abraham Lincoln thanks in part to Presidents Day having just passed and her teacher talking about her own trip to D.C.   We very enthusiastically walked down Independence Ave. (after a rather interesting time finding parking that will not be mentioned other than to say it was still easier than parking in Philly) to Constitutional Ave where B  shouted for joy at the sight of the Monuments.  When I write shouted, I mean, “MOMMA, MOMMA! THERE IS OUR NATIONAL MONOOMENT!!!LOOK MOMMA (gasping laughter)! I SEE IT! (laughter) WE HAVE TO RUN TO IT QUICKLY!!! HURRRY, I CAN’T WAIT!!!! 

She was jumping up and down and trying to run while shouting at the same time It was one of the funnies things I’ve seen, and she’s done (see caption below).

Note:  I, and the school, thought she broke her nose this week during a recess while playing tag.  She was running for base.  She did not make it.

I’d like to point out that this is not Disney.  I would expect that kind of wild excitement at princesses and such. For which there were none.  This was the National Mall.  Stone buildings. She was exuberant and effervescent over them.  I have never been this excited about anything.  Ah, to see things through the eyes of babes.

Falling up the stairs...

Needless to say we had a great week despite a bump or two on the nose—I mean-- in the road.   I did not get lost on our return trip to the hotel and we made it home safe and sound from D.C.   I met some nice knitters who gave me some leads to chase down and I made edible bread.  I guess my glass was fuller than it first appeared at the start of this post. 

J

Beginner's Mind | Yoga Blog | Yoga Journal

I found this blog reassuring. A good place to check into when I feel tense.

Beginner's Mind | Yoga Blog | Yoga Journal

Having a Ball!

So knitting is harder then I thought.  I think part of me expected to be a prodigy and master knitter in only a week. Ah reality...Well I can "cast on" just fine. It's holding the tension while transferring to the second needle that gets me.  My knit is loose and just doesn't feel right.  I've spent the week re-doing my swatches. Yet I am not frustrated enough to scrap it.

To help me careen along, I am using two books to help me look like a knitter. The first is titled " Knitting For Baby," by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas. They have easy to follow instructions with pictures and handy tips like the mantra "Needle in, yarn around, needle out, stitch off (I sing it to the melody of "I am 16 going on 17" from the "Sound of Music")." The authors project ideas are inspirational but too advanced for me at this time. The other book is "Knitting in Plain English, by Maggie Righetti. She has written a couple of books and is very, very thorough in her instruction.  This is the kind of book you should read before you start knitting.  It's like a class.  By that I mean she writes as if you are in a class with her. It's personal yet structured. No fuss, no romance, just action and loads of advice, which I need as I am a S-L-O-W learner.
  

I thought I'd include a picture of my yarn ball.  I am very proud of it. Hopefully I'll have a little something to show next week.  

B and I worked on poaching eggs for breakfast and a dinner this week. We typically boil water and drop the  egg in and hope for the best, which often ends in a soggy broken mess. This time I was inspired to used a ladle to keep the egg out of water and give it a more suitable shape for sitting topside an English muffin. It worked great.  I kept the water line low, put the lid on for steam and voila--a pretty poached egg (well...pretty enough for my 5 yr old to eat with out complaint).  

The ladle was fine for one or two eggs but, who wants to eat breakfast in shifts?  I want to find a poaching tray now.  

This weeks food mission:  Bread (gasp). 

J

The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - Somewhere Only We Know

My Husband and I are in the front row! 

Goals for the Year

I do not make “New Year’s” resolutions. I can never keep them but a few weeks (days would be more accurate). What I like to do instead is set a couple of goals. And I don’t mean “Loose 20 lbs by spring break” kind of ones either.  I mean realistic, fun and hopefully useful ones.  

This past year my family and I moved a few times. One big cross country one and two little ones.  Why is this relevant? Well because it brought to light that I do not have as many hobbies or skills as I would like to. Every new place was an adjustment and I spent quite a bit of time feeling idle. Couple that with feeling a bit nostalgic (as I am missing my friends and family) and you have a recipe for disaster. One of my goals last year was to become a better cook. I scoured and devoured cook books and web pages for recipes and tried as many as I could. Today I feel a lot more secure in the kitchen then I did a year ago. I am married to a chef whose from a great culinary family.  I had to do step up too. I’m no Iron Chef but I can make a couple of really great meals.  Baking is a bit harder. I have found great joy in the processes, finding it at times like mediation and very renewing. Mostly I enjoy feeding my family. I love to hear my daughter’s praises about how “I’m the best cooker ever, even better than daddy…but not gramdma, she’s the bestest.”

Someday I’ll be that good I know. In the mean time I want to continue growing. I feel a bone-deep need to. So this year I have a two interests that have been very persistent  in my psyche. The first one is a life long love. I’m not sure when it started, I just know I have been fascinated by accents and language since I can remember. I think my imaginary husband/boyfriend as a child had a sometimes French and sometime Spanish accent. I have a good vocabulary for French and Spanish, but it is not the challenge I am looking for. My husbands family has a very heavy German component. I can learn the vocabulary and practice with the cousins! My approach thus far has been to learn as a child. My daughter and I practice counting, saying the alphabet, the colors etc… basic vocabulary. Sehr gut. 

My second goal is one that I have admired for the skill. It hits on the nostalgic feelings I’ve been harboring too. I cherish the gifts that have come to me from friends and loved ones.  

The skill is knitting. 

It seems so relaxing, and structured at the same time. I’ve just purchased a started kit and I’ve youtubed a couple of how to videos too! Maybe I’ll knit something German. 

So…Learn German well enough to speak to a German and knit a scarf, these are my goals for this year.  

J

My First Blog Post!

Wow! I’m writing a blog. 

So what will this be about? 

Let’s say it’ll be about the things my family and I are doing, things we find interesting and things we’d like to share with others.

We are living in the Philadelphia area for now.  

Our daughter B is in kindergarten. 

I am teaching myself German and the piano.  

My husband, J is a great chef, an avid on-line real estate researcher, and  a craigslist.org enthusiast.

We love travel, food and bargains. 

My goal is to post weekly about our experiences. 

Thank you for reading. 

J