Blogstalkers 3.0 Week 6

This week's theme is another two-fer: Virtual Potluck and Favorite Holiday Tradition.
Virtual Potluck
I'd like to share a kinda-recipe for a Chocolate Trifle, basically you take a box of brownie mix, bake them up, and use that instead of cake. So it's bits of trifle sprinkled with coffee liqueur, chocolate pudding, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top. The first time I made it I didn't even get any when it was served.
Favorite Holiday Tradition
Even though we haven't been for the past couple of years, our favorite holiday tradition is going to December Nights here in San Diego. "December Nights" is the new PC name for the event; we still call it by its former name, Christmas on the Prado. It's held the first weekend of December in Balboa Park; all of the museums are free to visit, plus there's a tree lighting ceremony, Nutcracker performances, other musical performances, and people selling Christmas gifts. There's always someone to buy apple cider or hot chocolate or nachos (hey, it is San Diego after all) from. The International Houses are open and usually have traditional holiday fare to sample.
We missed it this year because we were in Tucson for the Arizona (yay Wildcats!)-ASU game, but hopefully we will make it for next year.

I got my ball!

My Knittyboard Holiday Ball Swap package , courtesy of the lovely Gwendolen, arrived on Friday, but as I was staggering to the door very late it would have to wait until the next day to be opened. Even then, I didn't get around to it until the afternoon, on account of my wanting to watch a certain teenage-vampire-love story-movie. (I thought it was pretty good, BTW, I'm not one to nitpick it to death comparing it to the book.)
Anyways, upon ripping off the outer wrapper, I was presented with a box, and there were several nice things in the box!

But that wasn't everything! See the ball of yarn! There's stuff inside it! As I unwound the yarn, nice things began to fall out.

Ten minutes later, here are all my goodies!

The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Suri Merino in a natural/light tan color, and I got 1+ balls. I also got tissues, and post-its, which I'd take to work except there's quite a few of us whose name starts with M! I also got a little notepad and some shiny clips (I didn't even mention that I was a sucker for office supplies!) plus chocolate (with coffee, my fave) and lip balm, and a row counter, and a cute little bear ornament, and a heck of a lot more! The needle holder will certainly come in handy; I'm usually scrounging in the bottom of my notions bag for one and inevitably wind up poking myself. And the sachet smells soooo nice!
Gwendolen, thank you so much! I can't believe how nicely you rolled everything up in the yarn! Things kept popping out, I just ran across the stitch markers this morning on the floor, that's why they're not in the picture.

Blogstalkers 3.0 Weeks 4 & 5

It's a 2-fer this time round...

Week 4: What is your favorite breakfast?
Without a doubt, chilaquiles. I first had them several years ago at this Mexican restaurant we used to frequent; unfortunately as they gained in popularity the quality of the food has sadly gone down. I sort've learned to make them at home using corn tortillas and spicy tomato sauce. I've seen places that make them with tortilla chips, and normally I don't care for them, but I had such a version last week at a Taco Shop called Palomino's (If you live in San Diego, they're in Kearny Mesa on Clairemont Mesa Blvd.) They were awesome and absolutely filling, came with rice and beans for less than six bucks.

Week 5: What makes you back into a human being in the morning?
Aside from a kiss from my hubby, it's gotta be the coffee. Can't go without it; if I do I think I actually imagine the headache before it actually hits. I've been good though, making coffee at home instead of hitting Starbucks, saving all of my coffee money for (what else?) yarn.

Blogstalkers 3.0 Week 3

Topic for Week 3: What motivated you to learn to knit?
Learning to knit was my New Year's Resolution for 2007. I'd toyed with the idea of learning, thinking I could teach myself with a couple of books or something.
What really motivated me was a trip to Canada at the end of '06. On the ferry to Victoria, I must've seen at least a dozen women knitting. When we got back home, I went to Michael's and bought some yarn and my first pair of needles. Needless to say, I must make a return trip to Canada, I hear there's a great yarn store on Granvile Island that I'm sure we passed when we were there.

Blogstalkers 3.0 Week 2

This week's topic: "I love _____________ because _________________"

This isn't meant to be heavy, so here's a few random things I love:

I love my husband because he always thinks about ways to make me happy. He just bought me a new laptop so I'll always be able to do my homework.

I love my son because he's a good soul.

I love my local Starbucks because they don't say anything when I'm there in the morning AND in the afternoon.

I love knitting because I can always see my progress.

I love the Internet because I can portray myself with a witty, with-it persona (most of the time).

Blogstalkers!

So it looks like Blogstalkers has started up again over on the Knittyboard. I've decided to join; hopefully this will force me to do regular updates and in that way I'll be able to improve my blogging skills. Our first assignment is Ode to My Knitting.
Come again?
Grad school has taken over the majority of my brain, so I need some help figuring out how to write an ode.
Um, I don't think I can do this. What I can give you, however, is a few hurried lines about knitting, scratched out on my legal pad amongst notes about a Christian Fiction book I just finished reading for my Readers' Advisory Class.
Surrounded by yarn, I am content
The colors make me happy
I knit a hat, and people seem to like it!
They marvel at what I can make, but really, it's no big thing.
Have a seat, and I'll show you how.
Then you too, can be content with yarn.
Sucks, I know, I was never good at writing poetry. But I can knit a mean hat...

1000 Words!

I finally finished my part of a group project for my reference class. I don't know why, but I was just so unmotivated to do it. Perhaps it was because I was overthinking it, or because it's hard to start writing just the middle of a paper. Whatever, it's all done now and it's all good.
I've been doing some baby knitting!

This cute little set is for a lady who volunteers at the library I work at. She's taken a leave of absence for a while, but still comes in about twice a week with her 3-year-old daughter, who is getting a little sister! This is the Baby Bolero pattern from One Skein, and the hat is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Both were knit using Blue Sky Alpacas Organic/Dyed Cotton. That stuff is fun to work with, and I think I might just have enough of the pink to make a matching hat for big sister-to-be.

I have a friend who's expecting her third child early next year. I waited very patiently to find out if they were having a boy or girl; I had two sets of colors picked out for a Pinwheel Blanket. Then the Fall Knitty came out, and I fell in love with OpArt. I've only got a few rounds done but I think it's coming along nicely. I'm thinking of adding a red round in there somewhere, and binding off in red.

Finally, I must show you the beginnings of my Traveling Scarf. I joined this group through the Bravo Whores on Ravelry, and all I can say is that I hope I don't end up with one Hot Tranny Mess. Although I would wear it proudly if that happened, and attempt to lasso Nina Garcia with it should I ever encounter her in public.