Tea for Two

Ok, so maybe not for two... But, thought I'd babble on tea today.

I don't drink coffee. I used to. It was one of those things, that "everybody" does. Drink coffee in the morning. Go for coffee. Have a cup of coffee with friends....

So I did. Didn't really like the taste of it much. Now and again, though, I'd find a restaurant that served coffee that actually tasted all right. But, I really didn't like the taste of it overall. So, a little over three years ago, in the spring time, I finally "woke up" one morning... sorry... and realized, that I didn't *have to* drink coffee just because everyone else does.

I started making coffee in the morning for my husband, and making tea for me. I'm so much happier. I still get a shot of caffeine in the morning, and then I switch to drinking water or herbal teas.

But, we're not going to end the discussion there. ;) I've been buying an assortment of herbal teas. Trying different ones out, forcing myself to finish one type, stocking up on another. Different brands, different stores...

I really enjoy several flavoured teas. One of the store brands, called "President's Choice" has some interesting flavoured teas. As does "Stash" brand. I used to buy a lot of "Celestial Seasonings" teas, but they've gotten boring - I've shopped at a few stores, and the variety/selection isn't that great. They still have some interesting ones, which I pick up now and again.

Besides the herbals, in the "regular" tea department, I've really developed a taste for Earl Grey, Lady Grey, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, and Traditional English. So much so, that recently, I was using some "orange pekoe" tea that I'd bought for the cabin. Finally understood something that I'd heard way back when I was a teen.

My family are immigrants. They came from England. Some of my aunts and uncles also emmigrated, but they settled in the North Eastern US. One summer, I got to go visit some of these relatives, along with meeting some who still live(d) in England. One morning, when one of my cousins asked for tea, our aunt pointed out to him that he wouldn't enjoy it anymore that day than any other, (they had arrived before me) as she had told him before that the tea in US was not the same as the tea in England. That she'd had to get used to it herself over time. Now, back then, I thought tea was tea, and didn't understand.

Of course, being of English background, I'd grown up on tea. Tea in the morning was normal. I even had (still have!) a favourite pink teacup. Recently, I've learned that the difference between white tea, green tea, and black tea is all in the picking - older leaves are used to make black tea, younger leaves for green tea, and the baby leaves for white tea. I've also learned that technically, the stuff that I call "herbal tea" is really mostly a "tisane". Not a tea at all, because there are no tea leaves in most of them. But, since they come from the store in the tea and coffee section, and since they are packaged in tea bags, and since they are made by pouring boiling water over the bag and steeping them, I'm gonna call them teas....

So - what was that last bit all about? I discovered that the English style teas do have a distinct different taste than the pekoe style teas. And I definitely prefer the English style teas over the others.

Now, what the heck am I going to do with all that orange pekoe tea?

You know you are getting old when....

you start thinking about buying sympathy cards by the box instead of one at a time.

We're going to a funeral today. A very dear friend lost his father last week.

Really can't think of much else to say today.

Thank you to....

"Anonymous" for posting a comment on my blog post from the other day. I had a momentary lapse of memory; I plan to track down some yarn and knit up a scarf or maybe a hat. My favourite hat pattern, quick and easy (at least in my opinion) is
http://www.needlebeetle.com/free/seacap.htm
Worked up in a nice worsted weight yarn like Patons Decor, it can be quite warm, and washable.

If I do a scarf, I'll probably just cast on 40, or 44, then do a k2 p2 rib. My standby scarf pattern.

Depending on what yarn I have laying around, I might just make a match set. We'll be going away this weekend, so I'll try to hunt up some yarn today to take along.

Finished!

Well, it was two weeks later than I wanted to be done; and turned out the baby was born on the third. So - it was two weeks late. Sort of - a lot of people save the baby gift giving until after the child is born anyway.
So - this is how they turned out:
The knitted sweater. It was a free pattern from the net.











The crochet sweater - the picture on the right hand side is closer to the true colour. I didn't find out the left picture wasn't great until this morning, and the gift is no longer here, so I can't retake. Anyway - this is the crocheted sweater, and the blanket to match:
These are also from a free web pattern - I think it was from Red Heart, or Coats and Clark, whatever.

So. I finished all the stuff by Tuesday night, and washed everything yesterday morning. Wrapped it up, and then went to run errands and deliver the gift. They were very very happy with them. As I said, the baby was born - a boy. And they didn't think the scalloped edge on the sweater was too "girly" - they like it all just fine.

Well, I guess this means, onward with the rest of the baby gifts. I have two more babies coming in January that I could/should make for. I was about to describe all the gifts, in fact, just typed it all out. But I better not - I'm not 100% sure that the moms do not read my blog. I doubt they do, but just in case....

I guess it wouldn't hurt, though, to say that the next batch of gifts will be knitted. No crochet for a bit. I do want to take a bit of time to work on a project or two for me. But I doubt that will happen. I'll probably start, or work on, a shawl or two for a couple days, but then I'll start getting nervous, and feel the need to get going on the other gifts.

In case anyone is wondering - I know I posted progress pics of the gifts I just finished - that is because the recipient is slightly distanced from me - one of DH's co-workers (actually ex-co-worker, now) and is highly unlikely to be interested in my blog, or even be aware of it. The two due in January know me better - they are both extended family. So, there is a greater chance that they have seen my email sig line, and may have been curious about my blog, or may become curious in the future. It will be no surprise that I will be making something, but the surprise will be in the finished item. So - everyone will have to wait until I finish.

I can talk about the progress - but I won't be able to share pictures.

Two more pics I can share - want to see Lady? :) And Delko? Ok - here are two recent pics of them :)

I just don't understand....

Ok. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Which means that I'm entitled to mine. I plan to share it here, along with the reasoning that created said opinion. Some people seem to have opinions with absolutely no basis in any reason - they just say something for the shock value, or to stir up controversy.... Anyway, I digress.

I just don't get "yarn graffiti" or "yarn bombing" or whatever it is called on any given day. The kind of thing where people knit or crochet a piece of "fabric" or a shape or whatever, then attach it to a public place. Some call it "art". I call it a waste....

I get art. I do. I get the large art installations, which use yarn or other fibre as part of the media with which the art piece is created. I get "wearable art" - which is what some people call their sweaters and garments they've made.

What I don't get, is when people will take perfectly good yarn and use it to "decorate" telephone polls, trees, lamp posts, bike racks, and other urban installations. I'm not talking about that one picture (no, I have never bothered to save the link, but I'm sure if you haven't seen it before, it won't be long before you see it again) of a tree that is nearly totally covered in yarn/crochet work. THAT is art. Same with the house that is covered, the gas station, the car, the motorcycle. Those are all art projects.

What I mean, is the people who go out and crochet a granny square, or knit a tube, or a long narrow strip, then wind it or otherwise tie it around an object. There is no rhyme or reason to the colour or shape, it is just there.

Right now, according to what I'm reading on Ravelry and on Facebook, there is a local landmark, a bridge going over a river, that many of the local knitting groups want to "knit". They are calling it "knit the bridge", and they want everyone to knit 11 stitches wide, and as long as they want/can, then meet on a certain date, where they hope to have a piece of knitting as long as the bridge.

Now. I'm thinking....

If someone has the yarn to spare, the time to spare, the energy to spare - rather than making something 11 stitches wide, why not make it 33 (or 36) stitches wide, and about 5 to 7 feet long. Then, rather than attaching it, or just draping it, or whatever means these people are going to use on the bridge project, why not give it to a homeless shelter, a charity group, a school?? See, this city where I live, this place where this bridge is located, will all too soon be in the grips of a cold harsh winter. And, just like many other urban areas, there will be adults with no job, no food, no home to shelter from the cold. There are limited beds in homeless shelters. There are also many children whose families are on welfare who don't always have the proper winter clothing. Schools are often left the enormous responsibility of caring for these children, trying to keep them from freezing during outdoor recesses in any way possible. (lost and found boxes are often called upon to temporarily supply needy children, teachers and other parents often provide for "emergency" clothing, local charities do their best to help out). There are also many families who "fall through the cracks" - the single parents, the unemployed, the laid-off workers, the "working poor" - minimum wage earners who struggle to provide basics such as food and shelter. Charity groups are always glad of anything that can be donated - not only do they try to help the aforementioned people, but several will help short term - people who lose everything to fire or flood - both of which can happen at any time of year. (we have such harsh winters, that we often have underground water main breaks, which result in flooded streets, yards, and yes, even basements in some areas in mid-winter).

So. Knit the Bridge? I don't think so. I think that I will try to find some yarn that I can spare (I don't have a lot of undetermined stash - I mostly buy for specific projects. But I do have some bits and scraps, and while I don't believe that just because you are disadvantaged that you should deserve any less, I'm sure that when it comes to warmth vs fashion, I can guess what will win out) and I think I'll knit a scarf, or a hat, or some mittens. Doesn't have to be much - even one item/pair of mittens is one more than zero - and donate it to a homeless shelter. And I'll do it in protest.

Anyone else?

Didn't make it again....

Though I finished crocheting on the blanket. Now to weave in ends. I have three more buttons to sew onto the knitted sweater, and I have to sew 5 buttons on the crochet sweater, sew in the sleeves, and weave in ends. Fiddly little time consuming jobs...

But, I've already done the laundry. So, either I'll track down some things to toss in to make a small load when I'm done the finishing on the gifts, or they will be done by next laundry day... :(

We've been having super hot heatwave type temperatures, with high humidity, and no breeze for several days. I've been trying, but it is hard to find cool time to work on these things. Mostly, it has been worked on in moments between supervising new doggy outside.... Lady and Delko are getting along fabulously, but it is still a good idea for me to supervise their playtime, to make sure it doesn't get too rough. Plus, I need to work on training her for good manners outside. As in, it is perfectly all right to bark two or three times when someone walks by the house; that is what dogs do. But, after that - need to keep quiet.

I don't have to stand outside hovering over the dogs for that - I can sit at the patio type table. But, I'm the type that would go insane very quickly if I didn't have something to keep my brain or hands occupied. So, that is when I work on the projects. (I could take the laptop out, though, too, and play around.... hmm.... NO!!! Wait - discipline. The baby gifts come first!!!!)

My Grandson Has a Way With Animals

Besides being a great football player, that is.

When we got Delko, he was very shy around strangers. Especially men. As for children, well - he was totally afraid of them. Didn't know what they were, or how to behave with them, or much else. Then, one day, I had GS over. Admittedly, I did make Delko let GS pet him, and scritch under Del's chin (a sure fire way to Del's heart). Within five minutes, they became bestest buddies.
I think that GS would do well to go into some sort of animal work when he's older - vet, vet tech, animal trainer, zoo work.... he really is great with dogs. I have more pics of him with dogs, and with his sisters.










Wait, what is that you say? Yes, at first glance, these pictures do look a little photoshopped. Honestly, I wish I knew how to do that. However, they are not photoshopped.

Did grandkids bring their dog with them? No, actually, their dog is some sort of shepherd cross as well, and several years older than D. Their dog is the same age as Mica, as a matter of fact, which makes him some 6 years old.

So, who is the mystery dog? Well, she's D's new little sister, Lady. She's 9 months old, a border collie rescue, and she's had a bit of a rough start in life. But, she is now in her "forever home"; at least as far as I'm concerned. So far, the dogs have hit it off well. Poor little girl doesn't know how to play, but Delko is working on that. He pokes at her, barks in her face, bows to her, challenges her, bites at her, until she finally gets pissed off enough to start chasing him. They run around the yard, and the look of joy on D's face is great -- of course, though, they only do this while the camera is out of reach.... lol.... I'll get a movie of that eventually.

Lady also got Ashleigh to like her after about ten minutes of whining and looking totally sad.... Mica on the other hand is slower to make friends. I was surprised at that - Mica is, after all, the "little black dog". Not sure what is up with her. I'm sure she'll come around soon enough.

So, I have a lot of work to do - training up the new baby - in many ways, she is like a two month old puppy in a nine month old dog body. I've still got those baby gifts to finish - have to sew buttons on the knit sweater, sew the sleeves to the crochet sweater and add the buttons, and am about two thirds of the way done on the blanket. I was hoping to have them done by last week's laundry day, then figured today was fine.... If I don't get them done by next laundry day, I'll really be late with them. :( All I knew for sure was that the baby was due in August. And I'm still working on that special project. That one is going to take more time than I first allowed - I thought I could pull it off in six months; I still might, but a more realistic timeline is 12 months, from what I've been learning while working on it. Not happy about that, to be honest, but it seems that it is not just what I want, but what really works. Oh, well, I can only do my best.