The Weekly Wrap Up

THE WEEKLY WRAP UP

Production is back up! I made 3 & 2/3 squares this week! I've been doing a lot of reading/research for my papers at home which allows me to sit at my desk and knit, pausing occasionally to take note of something important. The picture looks a little different this week because I was changing my sheets and put the squares down on an even surface instead of my bumpy comforter. This allowed me to line them up quite close together so I could get an idea of an actual size. Looks like I'm going to have cold toes when my friends come!

Last Week:

Progress:

To sew or not to sew, that is the question. I have 19 more days until my friends come and will probably crank out about 6-8 more squares in that time (imagine one more row width wise to this). I'll want my blanket to be bigger than that - probably at least two more rows in width and one more in length. Should I start sewing so I can have an extra blanket when my friends come in three weeks (which was my whole goal of this project) or just keep it separate? Decisions, decisions...

Dianna's Weekly Dash of Different Diction

Welcome to this week's edition of Dash of Different Diction. Today's phrase is "Nice to see you".

I've used this one myself a few times in America saying, "Nice to see you again." One of my favourite British shows is now Come Dine With Me where four or five strangers come together for a week's worth of dinners at each others homes. Each person takes a turn impressing the others in a bid to win a 1,000 pound prize. Oooh! The first night is always the most awkward. Now, you might not think this is strange but I sure did. Person A would walk up to Person B and say, "Hi, I'm Ellen." *hand shake* And Person B would respond by saying, "Hi Ellen, I'm Daniel. Nice to see you." I let it pass the first few times I heard it and finally I was like, "What...?" So... "nice to see you" = "nice to meet you"!

The Weekly Wrap Up

THE WEEKLY WRAP UP

Production has slowed a bit this week. Usually I spend my afternoons watching tv (while I'm not in class of course!) and while I do that I knit. This week, however, reading has been a priority (and, unfortunately, it's going to continue being a priority). It's time to start research for my papers and hopefully begin them soon so I can have them done by the time my friends visit. This week, only 2 1/4 squares were made and that was pretty much done this weekend.

Last Week:

Progress:

 

The De-Baubler

I am a sucker for 'As Seen on TV' infomercials. The second the commercial comes on and I see something amazing and unbelieveable I want to jump for the phone. It's even more difficult when you hear that 'But wait! There's more! Call now and...' voice at the end and your order is double, NO tripled! But alas, I'm a good girl and usually resist. However, sometimes it gets me when they've made their way to the store.

My mom succumbed to the advertising of the Topsy Turvy which is supposed to be great for tomatoes. All the commercials advertised huge tomatoes but somehow we got cherry. I think we got a total of about 5 cherry tomatoes from it. I succumbed to Proactive, which did help my skin although it bleached my sheets, and I think I bought a cd once that I ended up regretting to the extreme later. One thing I did not regret was the Pedi-egg which helps get rid of those dry winter feet when you can't go to nail salon.


But what I wanted to share with you today is the Fuzz Wizard (which I like to call the De-Baubler for some reason). It's AMAZING. I'd seen it on commercials before I moved to Scotland and when I was home for Christmas shopping for stocking stuffers I saw it and knew I had to have it! It really works! I'm not sure how though. It's extremely helpful because over here we have no dryer so my things can get a bit linty at times and I bought cotton sheets that seem to continually rub little lint balls all over things (you should see my dark green carpet...no...you shouldn't. It looks disgusting). But the Fuzz Wizard has come to the rescue! Here's a before and after shot of a sleeve of an undergarment that I wear under short sleeve shirts when I'm sleeping and it's cold.

 See! Just like new! And here's the yummy pile of fuzz it takes with it.

 

Dianna's Weekly Dash of Different Diction

Welcome to this week's edition of Dash of Different Diction. Today's word is pants.

Okay, so I'm assuming your initial reaction is hmm...I think I know this one. Those things you wear on your legs? Those are referred to as trousers in most areas of Britain (although not all...see awkward story coming up). Pants are what you wear underneath those trousers...also commonly referred to as undergarments, bloomers, pantaloons, etc.. Apparently there are areas in Britain that use pants to refer to those things you wear on your legs just like we Americans do. I've got a friend from Manchester who found out the hard way that people in Scotland mean panties when they refer to pants. He'd just moved to Edinburgh and met some new friends. They asked him if he'd like to go out with them that evening. His reply, "Sure, I just need to go home to change my pants." *Commence Awkward Staring* They thought he was very awkwardly informing them he needed to change his underwear. Moral of the story: pants don't equal trousers (everywhere).

Fruit & Veg Box #2

Today marks my second fruit and veg box! Before I list my new items, let's see what we learned over the last two weeks...
1. Do not wash beetroot before putting in the cupboard for storage. The beetroots will go moldy and you won't be able to try them. :(
2. Be prepared for all of your green bananas to turn yellow at the exact same moment and need to be eaten immediately.
3. The flavour of parsnips are very strong. The soup you make with parsnips, potatoes, and leek will taste only of them.
4. Kale does not taste good raw especially when you were under the impression that it was lettuce.

This week in my fruit box I got:
-2 clementines (there is the slight possibility these may be tangerines but I am fairly certain they're clems)
-2 grapefruits (not a fan...maybe there's something I can do with them {suggestions?} otherwise I may give them to a friend)
-9 green bananas
-3 kiwis (love!)
-3 tiny plums
-6 apples

In my veg box we have:
-1 extremely huge garlic bulb.
For an example of its hugeness, see one clove sitting next to a clove from a bulb I bought at a local grocery store.
-1 broccoli floret
-8 mushrooms (not sure the exact kind but something like button)
-6 potatoes
-1 leek
-4 carrots
-10 Jerusalem artichokes (which I had assumed were ginger since I'd never heard of the things)

Here's to another couple weeks of healthier eating!

The Weekly Wrap Up

THE WEEKLY WRAP UP

This week I made a record FOUR squares! It could actually be a blanket now! Well...for a toddler or small child. I only have 31 days left before the Week of Visitation (it's the Thursday when my aunt and cousin come and then that Sunday my friends get here) and I'm starting to doubt whether it's possible this can be done! I know I'll have a blanket but it's questionable whether it will be a good size. If figure if I continue to make three a week, it will at least be long enough to use and then eventually it will be wide enough. I'm tempted to start sewing it all together but I want to save that as the last thing since it will really be the final touch!

Last Week:

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