Cleaning Again

Another day of cleaning. This time I don't have a choice over it though. Apparently there will be an apartment inspection Friday. This is actually the first time they have done this in the two years we've lived here. Last year they just gave us batteries for the smoke detector. This year the note on the door said they also wanted to check the plumbing. I think it's a ploy to enter the apartments and check up on residents. I'm not worried about us, the place stays clean and we aren't violating our lease any, but I do know the neighbors across the way may be in for some trouble. They have a pet, but no pet sticker on their door. Not to mention that it always reeks of pot smoke in the hallway. To be honest I hope they do get in trouble for it. I don't really need that sort of thing going on with Bastian getting old enough to understand it!

In other news... It snowed today! *little happy dance* There was a good 2 or 3 inches when I took Bastian to school this morning and it was still coming down lightly when I walked the dog. I plan to settle into a good quilt and savor a mug of hot chocolate right after the house is done. Open all the blinds so I can watch the snow fall on the sidewalk. The only thing I could wish for today ... well, I could wish for a few things, but what I really wish for is a nice screened in porch overlooking a large pasture and a strong, sweet  man to cuddle up with. Then the scene would be complete. I can settle for hot chocolate for now though! *grin*

Things I One Day Wish To Have - Ep. 03

A Meat Grinder! Yes, I know, for some it isn't practical. For most, buying ground at the store is great. For me... well, I plan on processing a lot of my own meat (rabbit, goat, chicken, game, etc.) and making sausage. So a meat grinder is essential.

My featured meat grinder comes, of course, from the Lehman's catalog. The Chop Rite Clamp-down Grinder.This grinder is ideal for home use on a regular basis. So it can take a bit of a beating and still come out on top. Lehman's also has a bolt down version, but I don't know that I would have the space to put one in permanently, so clamp is good enough for me. Plus a good $100 cheaper. Overall a good grinder will likely run anywhere from $100 to $300 depending. This one is $109 as of today in the catalog online. They do have a stainless steel version for $79 for those on a budget, but I prefer to spend the extra to get the cast iron model.

Isn't it pretty! Now this one only comes with one grinding plate, but you can order 3 others in varying sizes, as well as a sausage stuffing horn and (for those who are interested) a pulley belt attachment for automation purposes. It also comes in a mini model. The mini model processes 1 lb at a time, whereas the small model will handle 3 lbs.

Manic Mondays

It's Barnhop day! Despite the fact that I knew Monday was looming I still completely forgot to prepare for it. I actually didn't make anything interesting this weekend. I was extremely lazy kitchen wise. I did manage to make a bunch of other things though. Which I can share with you now instead of a recipe.

My son wanted me to make a heart:

I also made him a dinosaur as a  surprise last Friday:

It looks kind of more like the Loch Ness Monster, because of how long the neck came out. I really liked his head and how it shaped up though..

If I were to do him again I would alter the neck part of the pattern to be shorter and thicker. I might also position the legs differently. Possibly make them shorter and thicker too.







 Also, I'm working on a horse, which is bigger than my others have been. I only have the hooves done. I hope to finish it by Friday, but we'll see. I may have it done sooner if I can get the house all clean today and not have to worry about it the rest of the week.

Is It Monday, Yet?

Next weekend is a four day weekend for Bastian's school. I am and yet, I am not, looking forward to it. I like the idea that I won't have to be up at 6:45... but I am not looking forward to dealing with his newest "stage." Wherein he fake cries every time he doesn't get the least little thing. Which leads to me yelling and him fake crying louder. I'm sure the neighbors think I beat him regularly.

I know that this is mostly his reaction to the divorce and all the changes. Scott (the soon to be ex) is moving to North Dakota and even though he's not gone yet is never home to give him any attention, so he feels he needs to act out to get mine. *sigh*

An Almost Octopus...

Made this little guy two days ago. He was supposed to be an octopus, but I could only fit six legs around. If I do him again for any reason I would make all eight legs first, position them, then sew them. I think he would make a cute rattle if you put a ball rattle in it.

The Hexapus:

My stitching is getting tighter and neater I think. Considering this is only my fourth little crochet toy. I finished a dinosaur last night. Pics soon. I really like the way his eyes turned out. I was going to embroider over the little yellow spots, but I felt they came out looking like pupils, so I didn't. Eventually I will progress to using beads or sew on eyes, but for now embroidering works.

In other life news: my soon to be ex husband got a job at an oil company repairing satellite dishes. He will be moving to North Dakota soon. I have mixed feelings. I'm happy he got the job, it pays very well. However I'm not happy he won't be able to spend more time with Bastian. Part of the reason I chose to stay here and not move was so he could be close to Bastian. That and he threw such a fit when I mentioned moving, threatening to have me arrested for kidnapping if I took my son out of state. It's been a crazy few months. I just want this part to be past and be able to move on more freely. The good part in all this: the ex will be making more than enough money to pay child support. So no excuses there.

Finally: moving on to crochet my Christmas stuff. I figure it will take quite some time to get all the decorations I want to put on the tree. And have some to position around the house as well. (Christmas items done in between toy requests, of course. I believe the next he wants is a heart -no questioning the mind of a five year old- and then a bee and a bird.)

Odds and Ends

I had some extra photos laying around of things and happenings here that I never got around to posting from last week and that week I was without internet. I want to get them off my memory card thing so I can fill it with new pictures to share!

 The finished evil blanket, finally resting in it's new place. Happy me. Now if I can just crank out a couple of matching throw pillows I'll be good to go.

Made this soap cozy the other day. Used a small moss stitch for texture. I use a glycerin based soap and it doesn't lather very well. This has really helped. I could also cut a floofy sponge and insert it instead of the soap for a loofah type thing.

 

Dinner last week. Something fairly tasty, but I used too many peas. I love peas, everyone else in the house... not as thrilled. I think there was rice on the bottom. Hard to see for all the green stuff. *laugh*

A bruise on my shin. I have no idea where I got it. Maybe kicking something. I had thought barking it against the coffee table, but it's awful round and very large for that. It's mostly faded now. This was almost two weeks back? I can't remember why I took this photo, but I must have had a reason!




There. That's all the baubles and leftovers on my camera. I pry could have stretched each one out into a single entry and had four days worth of posts, but it's all older news. I like to reserve my daily posts for current goings on.

Little Early

I made these cookies the other day. They are very Christmas-y. Nothing too fancy. It was a box mix I had gotten on impulse at the store. It just looked so tasty on the box. Which lied to me, by the way. Not about the tasty... they are very yummy... about the amount. Clearly reads on the box "Makes 3 Dozen." However if you make the size of cookie pictured on the box you can really only make half that. I had to make tiny quater sized cookies to get anywhere close to 3 dozen. Needless to dsay I remembered right quick why I prefer making my own cookies from scratch!

Chocolate Fudge with Peppermint Crushed Candy. I think I may try to work out a recipe from scratch and maybe post it in December. There has to be a better way than the box gives you. They are good, but not great.

Also... here's the ghost I made Bastian yesterday. I dislike it. The proportions are funky. It's just a toy for him though and he loves it, so I guess I did an ok job. Will be trying to find a different pattern for any future ghosties though. His eyes are pink because that's what the five year old wanted. I don't question anymore!