January 2012

Let me start this with the most important thing in a Super Bowl post – GO PATRIOTS!!!

Yep, my team made it to the Super Bowl and I’m psyched.  Can’t wait for kick off on Sunday night.  Carole suggested a great topic for this week, as I plan for the big game – 10 Favorite Super Bowl Party Foods.  Here goes:

1. Buffalo Wings – classic wings, deep fried, tossed in really good wing sauce and served with chunky blue cheese dressing and celery.  And of course, the only really good wing sauce is the original Anchor Bar sauce.  I have one bottle left from my last trip to Buffalo and I’ve been saving it for the right day.  Oh Sunday, I can’t wait for you.
2. Chili – a football must-have.
3. Ribs – hmmm…
4. Chips and salsa and guacamole.
5. Pita chips and hummus – not because it screams “football” but because I’m mildly obsessed with it lately.  always in my house.  I think of it as my “healthy” snack food.  that and its yummy.
6. cheese and crackers and pepperoni
7. veggies and dip
8. Sam Adams Beer – duh, the Pats are in the Super Bowl.  what else would you drink?
9. unless you’re like me and not a beer person – you drink margaritas.  and tequila – shots may or may not be necessary.
10. Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes – boozy cupcakes seem like the right choice for the big game.

And one more time – Go Pats!

I’m a day behind – blame the long weekend and not wanting to wait to share what had just come off my needles.  This week’s topic is perfect for this past weekend – 10 Things to Do When Its Too Cold to Go Outside.  I gave myself a stay-home day on Monday – a much needed break from everything, including errands and running around for this and that and the other thing and I just hibernated.  In fact, I spent a lot of my weekend doing that.   Here’s my ideas for a day or a weekend like this past one:

1. Snuggle someone you love – furry or otherwise.
2. Enjoy the quiet – I turned off the tv, lit a candle and found a comfy spot on the couch to curl up with a book and my knitting.  Cold days are perfect for that.
3. Cook – A made a big pot of chili on Saturday to eat while I watched football.
4. Bake bread – Turns out I don’t need a holiday to make Grammy’s bread.  I just need a few hours and a longing for comfort food.
5. Call a friend – My oldest and dearest friend and I can get on the phone and talk for hours, like we’re in high school again.  Whenever I call her, I have to make sure I have a couple of hours free – cold days are perfect for that.
6. Finish things – a good book, a knitting project, something around the house.  I did book – Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and knitting project – Daybreak – this weekend.
7. Speaking of household projects, fix something up, clean something or plan a project – I started eyeing the rooms I haven’t painted yet this weekend.  My kitchen and dining room might get done this summer…
8. Warm up with a nice drink – I have a certain fondness for hot cocoa with a little splash of something boozy mixed in to kick it up on a cold day.
9. Play with a kitty – Over the course of the weekend, I had a sparkle ball dropped in my shoe, in my knitting bag and on my head (sleep is no excuse for not playing) and the ribbon wand thing dragged onto the bed when I was folding laundry.  Thumper and Gizmo don’t do subtle hints.  We played until one of us was too pooped to go on – usually the human.
10. Knit or spin – do something fibery!

This week’s topic is 10 Things You Want To Do in 2012.  A bit of daydreaming about what the year might bring and this is what I came up with…

1. Take a vacation – the kind where I don’t stay at home.  Since money is an object, it won’t be far away or fancy or even very long, most likely – I’d just like to get away someplace fun, even just for a weekend.
2. Spend more time outside – more walks, more time at the park, more fresh air.
3. Plant a little garden – Maybe in containers or maybe I’ll take over the little garden space that sits empty in a corner of my yard (though I’m not convinced there’s enough sunshine to grow much).  I’d like a few tomato plants, maybe a pepper or two and to put my hands in the dirt.  I miss that.  I’d like to do something more than my little herb pots from last summer.  And yes, reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is rubbing off on me.
4. Speaking of books – read more.
5. Spin more – no more leaving my wheel neglected between Guild meetings.
6. Knit more socks than last year – 2 pairs was sort of sad.
7. Knit the Kousa Dogwood Shawl – I’m 2/3 of the way through spinning the singles for it, then on to plying.  Then, I’m finally getting my little dream project on my needles.
8. Keep growing my programs at work.  I’ve got plans – big ones.  Once we get our youth shelter open, onward and upward.
9. Spend more time with my friends.
10. Take more risks – no more playing it safe! (and no, I’m not elaborating )

Here’s to an amazing 2012!