Friday's five

I thought I woul try to turn last weeks "Five things" into a more or less regular feauture... I've already came up with some ideas for it...
For this week...
Five things I do like (very much so). I leave out the obvious things, like my son, my family, and knitting, ok?

-Tea. Preferably strong earl grey. The more bergamot the better. I still have dreams about the double bergamot I bought in Brussels two years ago.
-Coca Cola. Regular, no diet,not pepsi no cherry or vanilla. Plain Coca Cola. Cold, but no ice. I know, it is lots of sugar, I know what phospdoric acid does, still... The best is what comes out of the small cans (250ml-1 cup).
-Croissants. You cannot woo me with chocolate, but you can try it with croissants. It is kind of hard to get good croissants here. There are a couple of places, but they are out of my way. I couldn't decide if that is unfortunate or lucky (meaning if I could get them more easily I would have more trouble with my weight.)
-Meat. Sorry my vegetarian friends... I actually do not eat all that much meat, but I have to admit I do love it. I mean I am not one of those who cannot feel fulfilled unless they have meat in a meal. I can cook/eat all vegetarian for days. But nothing can beat a big smokey charred steak, or a BBQ rib. Once again this is something P hated. He did liked meat, though he acted like he did not. And keept sabotaging my attempts to grill anything. Do not take me into a sushi place. Take me into a grillhouse.
-Tomato soup. In general I like soups, but my absoulute favourite is tomato soup. I don't mind if it is cold, though I prefer it hot. I don't care if it is the thin sweet one they give you at schools, or thick ones with real tomato chunks, and fresh herbs.
In highscool the lunches were portioned by four. Four of us had to sit at a table, and take/share from the bowl/plate to our plates(bowls). In our class we knew who likes what and always tried to group accordingly. My friend liked peas, when peas were on the menue three classmates shared tables with her who didn't liked them. On tomato soup days two girls who hated it sit with me...
Who knew teenagers could be so considerate? Of course it didn't always worked, but generally... thinking back it was amazing system we worked out.

Anybody out there???

Hello???
I kept wondering, because just looking at the comments, I might as well stop this blog and keep emailing to those who are interested. Then not so long ago The yarn harlot had something in her blog that peompted a lot of response starting with : "I read your blog regurarly, but rarely comment..."
That made me think why? Being a raveler knitter and a blogger I know that comments can make (or sometimes break) our day. They are what keeps posts coming. They show the writer that he/he is not standing in the middle of nowhere shouting into the big nothing. If I bump into a blog (which I do quite often) I try to leave comments even if it is a short one just to let know I was there, more so if I have something to say...(The same goes for ravelry FOs. I try to comment on nas many as I can... because I love getting comments. "Do as you want to be done to you" is that how it is said in English?
And then I thought I would try to see how many and actually who comes over to read my ramblings... And I find there are actually quite a few visitors around, and some of you are regulars!!!
The counter or the feedjit widget does not actually tells me who comes, but I can see where from. Some of the info does have an actual meaning, like I know Kecskemét is my sister, Brussel is my friend, Kim, Seward, Alaska is Nicole, Clearwater, Florida is Angela, right? But there some more regulars, like someone from Athen... (Hello there I am happy to have you around), or Canada, or Australia, or... Welcome all of you!
Now, that I've seen there is someone actually reads this... No I can't promise to post more regurarly (though I will try to) or that I would write more deeply (though I would like to try that)... But at least I know.

Five things

I don't do:
-I don't smoke. (Never did in my life) - My mom was a chainsmoker, and I saw her die of lung cancer in four weeks when she was 58. That should be enough alone, but I also remember when at 14 I tried it. One "sip" that was all, still I felt it on myself for days. I kept eating cheing gum, brushing my teeth and drinking moutwash so my fathr wouldn't feel it on me. Never ever
-I don't drink alcohol. Don't even like the taste of it... except for very sweet liqueurs, like amaretto, or sweet muscat champaign. I've never been drunk. Tipsy? Maybe twice in my late teens, but that was enough.
-Don't drink coffe. Probably because it is basically bitter and that is one taste I can't stand. I have a very sweet collegaue who decided I only didn't tasted the right cafe, and he made me a honey-vanilla cup with whipped cream and brought me to try it... "Yes, my friend, it is nice, but it still tastes like coffe"... I am hopeless.
-I don't eat chocolate. When I was around four my parents were walking me home from kindergaten. I started running toward the store "I want chocolate, buy me chocolate now" "Honey, we need to shop anyway, but have to run home first for money" "no, I want that chocolate NOW" said teh little girl running toward the store while turning back to yell at her father... and her feet got caught in the gutter and she fell to the corner of the store hitting her head so strong it needed staples. No more craving for chocolate.
- I don't like fish, and it is worst for other seafood, like crabs...Which is a shame, because I know it is healthy. I keep trying to work on that though.

Sweet dreams

So, where was I with the bed story? Oh yes, I had a bunch of cash and a nice young man with a Ford Transit. He walked with me through IKEA very patiently, he put everything I wanted on the cart (single handedly, even the biggest boxes), I paid, then it went to the car and he even helped to get all those boxes up in my tenth floor flat. I was lucky with him, because... well, i just didn't liked the guy at the desk of the official delivery guys, it costed me less, I could take EVERYTHING I wanted, and I feel I much rather give the money to someone I know...

Then, on sunday my father was supposed to come around 10-11, and they got here at 3PM. They got some firewood shipment which was running late, and it also had to be put inside, so they were also sufficently tired by the time they got here
.. taking apart the old bed was such a huge and nasty job... OMG what was in there... no wonder I hated sleeping in it... I mean there was an old-old matress in it... which had hay(!!!)... OK, I think it is officially called "Afric" here, but whatever it is it certainly looks like hay, and there was lots of dust and dirt and whatnot, most probably including a complete microzoo. I wouldn't been surprised if I found a dead mouse there... belch... It is a suprise/good luck neither of us gotten atsthma and/or allergic reactions
It was way after 5PM or even later when we could start putting the new one toogether, and by then my dad's wife was out of comission, and my dad's hands hurt badly.
Even being an IKEA piece, putting it toogether was no piece of cake. I almost titled this post to "Screwing Ikea-literally", but that sounded to negative for the mood I am in. I did the actual work, while my father "provided technical support" (LOL)... If not for the bigger pieces I could have done it myself. Unfortunately, because of the time issue, there was no chance to shot pics of the onld one or the process of putting teh new one toogether.
But it was done by ten PM, there is brand new (very pink) bedlinen on it (strong pink sheets, striped duvet cover-different shades of pink) pillowcases with pink prints... Oh and I had pink stiped jammies :-))) Yes I am crazy, when it comes to matching colors... even in bed.

I am telling you its been long I've slept so well :-))) I could hardly make myself get out of it this morning. And you cannot imagine how happy I am...I could swear this morning I even looked better :-)

And here is the point when I wax poetic, and go all gaga and mushy, so please bear with me, because for me this is not only a bed... it has so much more meaning in it for me. It might sound strange to put all this into a bed, but remember, even though I lived as long as I did, I never had a chance to get something like this all alone. Yes, we bought flat, cars, even houses (usually ending up with getting NOT the one I wanted), but that was with P. Of course my work and money was in there, but still didn't felt like I did it (which feeling was encouraged by...y ou know who)
So, I was kind of afraid that I will mind giving out that much money, but it actually felt sooooo good! Maybe that is because I lived for two decade with someone who was so afraid of spending money he rather didn't even made it. All I heard that you will never know what the future brings you have to save now. (Hmm, this didn't always applied when it came to him, but that is a different story. Typically, his first reaction when I mentioned that I am buying a bed was ( I was just asking if he wants the old one) telling me in which store can I get a cheap bed. I did not want a cheap bed. I wanted this bed forever now. And really, handing over that bunch of cash felt good (go figure P, LOL). I didn't mind for one second... it wouldn't do much good for me if I would have all that money, but feel miserable every night, and getting up tired with a bad back every morning would it?

and you know I could have bought a very good bed for much cheaper, actually this is the third most expensive bed in that store, but I loved this one for who knows how long, and it fits in my bedroom just as I thought it would.. I still need to get a smaller (umm narrower) drawer cabinet, and put the shelf I bought on the wall, and right now I am going to relocate the TV set... maybe next month I am going to get a wall consol for it and a smaller thing for the things like the dvd player, the cable internal unit, etc. (the current one is big and black, which does not really go with the pine gardrobe and the white bed...)...
It was so different to sleep in this bed. And not only for the lack of sqeaky, broken springs, but... how to put it... can a bed emit negative energie? All that dust and dirt could not be healthy. nor the not-supporting the body...

This also means that I accepted that I am single. This bed is not a couple's bed, this is not a marriage bed. This bed is the dreams of romantic teenagers (appareantly I am a late bloomer teen LOL), and single women.
Also it is something I wanted. Something I worked for. Something I did from collecting the coins, the exchanging the money, to organize the shipping to putting it toogether. It is all mine. Slightly more that a year ago, P told me, that withouth him, I would sink into poverty, I would go under the bridge... this is a proof that it is not so.

Just a quickie

I between counting and rolling all that money and trips to Ikea there was a good-by party for a collegaue of mine who is expecting a baby girl in a few weeks.

I dropped this little something in the package the office gave her:

She was one of the three persons responsible for employing me in this department, so I am kind of grateful to her. That is why I made the booties, on the other hand we didn't had good relationship and I didn't want her to think I am sucking up (which would be strange anyway since she is leaving anyway) so I asked the organizers not to tell her I put it there. If she puts some effort and think, she could guess though, since I am the only one known to knit... If she not, that is fine too. I already had the yarn and the pattern is small fast and fun. Even at 3 AM.

A bag full of money

A couple of years ago, my father asked me what do I want for Christmas (or was it my birthday? they are so close, I can't really remember, anyway...), and I said with a shrug " a bag full of money". And then two weeks later my presented me with a satin bag full of 100Ft coins enough to buy a portable stereo system. He told me whenever he got one back as a change he put in a jar. Next year it went to buy a rollerskate so I could keep up with my son.

And even though it was said as a joke I really meant it. I practicly have everything. I have an overflow of clothes, I have so much book it is hard to keep track -and find what I don't have-. I don't really need kitchen gadgets (except for a big kitchen aid mixer, but that is way over the xmas present budget). I don't want shower gels, and moisturizers either. Simply put if I think about it carefully I have everything except money. Money to fix up big things in the flat. Money to change old and crumbling furniture. Money to change the sik in the kitchen. Buy a new stereo... things like that.

The bed we've slept on was in crumbles for a long time. For the last couple of years the only thing between me and the broken squeaking springs was only a sheet. Ever since I've seen this bed in IKEA I was deeply in love with it. Evidently P. refused to even entertain the thought of getting this particular one, saying everything coming from IKEA is sh**.

It took me a while to collect myself after he left, but when I did I decided that I am too young getting up with my back aching, and I started to collect money, the same way my father did. It was around the time, when the new 200 Ft coins got into circulation (it worth about 1 USD) every time I recieved one (or more) I did not give it out back, but put it in a jar. Along with the bag I received for my last birthday it was finally enough.

So at one night we put all of them on the table.

Put them into stacks for easier counting.

Then rolled them into neat little rolls.

I still didn't think the cashier in IKEA would be very happy if (in the busiest time of teh week -friday late afternoon) I would present her about 800 coins so I looked around to exchange it for banknotes. My own bank wanted to charge me. Even the post office had rules on how many they exchange free of charge, but it was like 200 coins...So I tried the post office, where I was lucky enough to encounter a very nice cashier lady, in her good mood. And she said she would take all of it from me.

Then I called an ex collegaue of mine with a big car, to ask if he can help me with the shipping. He said "hmm, friday? (that was on a thursday) I can't come earlier than six..."

Good boy that is ...

(I will leave the rest of the story for the next post...just to make sure you will come back :-)

Satisfaction

Knitting from your own handspun... that is... such a satisfaction... even if the yarn is not as perfect as you want, it is still warming...not only the hands, but the soul. Not to mention the fact that one can create something utterly unique... No way anybody could reproduce it...

Remember, I was spinning this yarn? I wanted to have something purple to wear on my hand.

With the Xmas knitting behind me, I finally got around to do it.

Basically it is teh same idea as the knucks "top" (umm fingers) down. This time I had to recalculate the numbers, made the fingers longer, the cuff much longer, added my usual picot edging, and wanting to change I added a simple lace pattern on the back of the hands.

The pics a bit dark, sorry for that, but it IS a dark purple yarn.

Small bits

Knitting:

The last of my handmade presents were handed over...

A hat for my friend, Timea.

She liked my rusty colored beret, so I got one more ball of the yarn, and knitted an other Urchin for her:

Mod: in order to have the hat a bit more slouchy I added a few stitches between the short ro shaping.

Spinning:

I loved the result of the 300 yards of handspun, I thought once again I might try to spin something for a laceshawl. A regular sized this time.

My favourite merino silk mix. Trying to spin it into laceweight. I don't know if I should tell you or not who sold the fiber, because as lovely as it is the seller charged me double for the shipping she said before it would cost, and the two ball is slightly different... the blue is the same, but one had a lot more white in it. Thank god I spin the two separately and will ply them toogether. Hopefully that will even out the difference.

Baking:
Panettone... my standard addition to my Christmas present. It is the combination of two recepie I found in an old Italian cookbook from Sunset books, Pan D'oro di Verona, and Panettone.