Spent the weekend on the boat and, again, had a general idea of dinner each night with very loose ideas for lunches (because lunches are often leftovers due to limited fridge space). Lunch on Friday (that link might not work anymore…go to cookinglight.com and search curried chicken salad with apples and raisins) was from CookingLight.com. The only thing was that I didn’t do the lemon pepper chicken so I boiled the chicken in water spiced with cumin, curry, cayenne pepper, and garlic. Then I shredded it and let it cool. I did everything else the same except that I used yellow raisins and served it on a mixed green salad. It was so nice on the first really warm day. Friday was spent on the hook in Still Pond with only 2 other boats (very unusual). We grilled a flank steak that had been marinated in a mango curry marinade I picked up at Safeway. I served it with sautéed butternut squash and Brussel sprouts in butter with garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper (you will see an Indian theme to our weekend).

Saturday was a gorgeous day and we sat around with coffee much too long. I decided that it was ridiculous for us to eat breakfast at 10 so we had a banana and then had an early lunch. I served a 2 bean and kale soup that, again , I got from CookingLight.com. You are probably thinking that I am lying about the not planning thing but I am serious… I might make a couple of things ahead but most is made onboard. We are only weekend cruisers and, while this recipe is easy, I’m not sure that it is something I would have messed up the galley to do onboard. We stuck around Still Pond until about 2pm and then moved to Ordinary Point on the Sassafras River. The wind was really blowing until just before we entered the river and then we pretty much ghosted in. Dinner that night was chicken korma. The sauce I got from a jar but I added Crowder peas, butternut squash, and snow peas. I coated the chicken with a mayo, cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper, and black pepper rub and grilled it to almost done. I chopped it into bitesize pieces and added it to the sauce. It was served over basmati rice.

Sunday was GORGEOUS! Definitely the best day of the weekend!!! At the last minute I threw together an Easter Brunch. We had left over chicken curry salad on mixed greens. Now here is where the title of this post comes into play…. I opened the pantry and just rummaged until I found: a can of mandarin oranges, a can of pineapple chunks, dried cranberries and walnuts. I mixed all that together and added to that: one avocado that would have gone bad, one diced apple, one sliced banana, and poured lite coconut milk over the top. Jay said it should be sweetened a bit, so I sprinkled some sugar in. So good and I was so proud! The wind was really whipping so we decided to take advantage and head out before it calmed. We had a great sail to a couple of hours, tacking back and forth across the upper bay just south of Turkey Point. The wind died and we spent hours trying to find just enough wind to get us home. We didn’t mind…we were enjoying Jimmy Buffett on the radio, couple of drinks, and salsa, guacamole and chips! We did make it into the marina just in time to be invited to Easter dinner on Joint Venture. Nothing beats ham, cheesy potatoes and asparagus on Easter Sunday!!! Great way to end the weekend. We really weren’t ready for the weekend to end so we took the cats home and came back to the boat to spend one more night aboard.

Check out the Eastern Shore Yarn Crab Crawl website!

Thanks!!

I have been knitting…a lot! Want proof? Well, first, let me tell you the method behind the madness. I was getting a little fed up with my WIP that were in time out. I should be better than that. So I made a deal with myself that I could still start new things as long as I pull something from the “time out basket” and worked on it, too.

So here is what I have finished from that basket:

Minimalist Cardigan by Ruthie Nussbaum (IK F07)
Cascade Sierra #60
According to my Rav entry, I started this on Aug 14, 07. I finished it Mar 17, 09. Sad, cause I think of all the time I lost that I could have been wearing it. It is definitely one of my favorite things that I have knitted for me.

Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A Clark (IK F06)
Schaefer Yarn Anne (not sure about the color)
03/12/08-04/11/09
This is my first real foray into lace. I’ve done a doily and all but not a shawl. I don’t intend to wear it over my shoulders in a traditional way but like the picture with it more like a scarf. It is very warm. I LOVE it!!

There are somethings that have been purged from the basket, too, either because I didn’t feel a connection to them or I thought of a better use of the yarn. One of these is the Jeanie shawl. I feel sad about it but I just don’t think that I would wear it and it is a lot of work to not actually use. I’m on the look out for the perfect top for this yarn. I’m thinking Pioneer, though I know that the yarn it calls for is sport and this is fingering. Ugh! Any suggestions? I like seamless things these days.

OK, you’ve gotten a taste of what I have been doing. I have more to share of what I have finished and what I have on the needle (some of which you can see on my Rav page). And I want to share what has been distracting me, too. All in good time (and not too much time, I hope).

I wanted to quickly respond about the cat news. Besides feeling that we are being taken over, all are well, so don’t worry.

Remember LK and Curly? They are doing well. This is a picture of them sleeping together a few weeks ago. A real Ying and Yang, aren’t they?

I noticed that Curly was limping a little so I took him into the vet. Yes, he had been into a couple of fights and had some wounds on his legs and was missing a couple of claws (ouch!), but the main thing that the vet was concerned about was a fungal infection on his skin. He was sent home newly bathed and with a bottle of special shampoo for me to continue to bath him once a week for 3 more weeks. Right! So that is what I have been doing, with a lot of help from a very, very, very good friend! Its not easy bathing a stray cat even if it is Curlique.

In the meantime, poor LK has been out on her own probably wondering where her man has run off to. And then another, Bob, starts coming around to take Curly’s place. I decide to catch LK and move her into the Florida room with Curly for a little vaca. Unfortunately, LK is not as dumb as she looks and she avoids the have-a-heart-trap. Bob is dumber than he looks and walks right in. Do you think Bob woke up that morning and said, “this seems like a good day to have my balls cut off!”? Hhhhmmmm. Yeah, well, it happened anyway. I eventually get LK into the FL room and she is none too happy but none the worse for it.

So that is all. The count stands that at my house there have been 6 neuterings and 4 spayings. Want to come hang out in my back yard?!?

Dexter says it is time for bed and to please turn off the lights as you leave.

Where have I been? Nowhere and everywhere. Christmas and a few events after just took it all out of me. Plus, you really just get to the point where…oh, nevermind. Hopefully, I’m back. I know I certainly have a lot to talk about…both knitting and sailing related.

I’ve started a new page (see the tabs at the top) for items I have finished in 09. I would like to go back and catch up on all of that BUT let’s start small.

In the world of sailing, INDIGO sold! Yep, you heard that right! We’ve have already headed down to TX to pick out our new baby, a Valiant 42. We are told that it will take approximately 7 months. Its kind of a short gestation but I might get a few things knitted in there. I’d like to do an afghan and maybe a pillow or something.

I’ll share this with you…I finished it last night. Hopefully I will have some better pictures of it soon.

Tang by Wendy Bernard (from Custom Knits)
Twist by Laines du Nord #666

Wonderful book and wonderful pattern. All the patterns are top-down and seamless. It really spoils you cause when you are done, you are done! I’ve started a Crochet sweater (more about that later) and, while it is going quickly, I have to keep reminding myself that I am only working on the back right now. Bummer.

Other things I am working on…

Opart Blanket (from Knitty.com)
for SDC (Jennifer’s new baby)

I am much further along now…only 4 (?) more stripes to go. Of course the stripes get wider and you add 4 more stitches with every row, so it can be slow going right now.

I am also working on a scarf for my mom and a poncho for my niece. I can’t remember when I started them…oops.

Oh, and I have cat news. Remind me to tell you. But right now I have to run. Thanks for stopping by again!

pattern: Tang from Custom Knits (this and all other links will be Ravelry links) by Wendy Bernard
yarn: Twist by Laines du Nord

I am loving this pattern. All the sweaters in this book are done from the top down. Some are yoke/raglan type sleeves and some are set-in sleeves but are done by picking up the stitches at the arm holes and knitting down. That’s right! No seaming!! There are so many beautiful sweaters in this book. Its been a LONG time since I have picked up a book and wanted to knit nearly everything in it NOW!! Tang was not going to be my first knit. This was not because I didn’t eventually want to do it but I was just in love with Ingenue (love the shape!), Jewel (yarn in stash), and Slinky Ribs (just love it!). A KAL was started on the Knit and Tonic Knitters Group so I thought this would be a great way to start knitting from this book.

So, I had casted on and gotten part of the back of the top of the sweater done (too much to try to explain here!). In the 10+ hour drive, I got the back and front finished to the armhole and the sweater joined in the round. I would have gotten more done but it got dark and I didn’t bring my reading/knitting light. I put the stitches on scrap yarn and tried it on. It is going to be a great fit! Since then I am now to the waist…finished the decreases and have chosen to add an extra inch to the waist (I’m a little long waisted). I can’t wait to get to the arms!! I am thinking that this technique that she uses might just work for my Minimalist Cardigan, too.

Also finished over the holidays:

pattern: Eyelet Yoke Cardigan by Lionbrand Yarn
yarn: Jeanne by Plymouth
This is the one for my 2 yo niece. I began another that will be identical except that it is ina 4yo size for my other niece.

I feel very productive!!

I hope everyone had a terrific Turkey Day.  I was visiting family and had a fine time.  In my last post I showed you the gifts I finished at the last minute.  Well, here they are with their new owners…

My nephew’s new obsession is the lasso. Well, you can imagine the fun he had when his aunt and uncle handed him 2 gloves connected by a very long cord!

And T seemed to really love her blanket!

I got a good bit of knitting done while traveling. No pics right now but very soon!

I did hear from my SIL that she did get the package with my niece and nephew’s birthday gifts. Then I remembered that I never posted L2′s Wonderful Wallaby.

She said they were wearing them this weekend and really liked them.

And, when I got that picture off of my husband’s camera I was also able to get these:

These were the socks that I knitted for the 4th year I was in the Hogwarts Sock Swap. The pattern is Heather Colorwork Socks #347 by Rebecca Hatcher. I used Trekking Pro Natura. I really enjoyed making them for Angela.