Boo!

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Finished! New socks to wear to the Renaissance Festival tomorrow!Specifics: No pattern: Generic cuff down socks, heel flap, wedge toe.
Needles: US 2 Circular
CO: September 1, 2008; BO: February 14, 2009 (I don't feel so bad, Gladys took even longer!)
Yarn: Deathly Hallows based on the American cover art of the J.K.Rowlings book.
There are no words.....

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Where to watch TV shows online.

Grampa's Hints:

• Always remember that advertising can sell junk as needs, garbage as food.
• Be attentive and be suspicious. Buy where they will cheat you the least.
• Foxymoron: A store's loss leader is your loss when you leave with a bundle of overpriced goods.
• Pre-purchase thought: How much more would you have if you didn't buy those things which you later wish you hadn't bought?
• Don't be cool be kind. You'll spend less and friendship grows easier in a noncompetitive environment.
• Instead of driving your SUV to the gym just jog there and back.
• Know the strategy of marketing for your money: Attract. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
• Watch less TV, it's full of persuasions to buy more stuff you don't need. My two favorites on TV are MUTE and OFF. Or use the DVR and fast forward through commercials!
  
• The most expensive products are at eye level. For cheaper alternatives, look up and down.
• Many generics are identical to the name brand items just with different packaging. Give them a try to see if they're acceptable. Read labels. Often they are identical.
  
• Not all generics are equally discounted. I was looking at ibuprophen at Target. For the store brand, the price seemed to be heavily dependent upon the shape and, no kidding, color of the pills. Orange oval shaped pills ("Similar to Motrin") were almost twice as expensive as brown round ones ("Similar to Advil"). The ingredients were identical other than the colorings. It pays to compare all of the alternatives.
• The largest packaging may not offer the best per unit price. At my Kroger, two one pound bags of carrots are cheaper than one two pound bag of carrots. Cheese is similar. Always compare the per item/per pound cost.
• Manufactures and stores offer rebates because most people won't complete them. Don't let that be you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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I have made great progress on my Deathly Hallows socks! I started them last September when we were on the way to Disneyland, and just got caught up in other things. It took me forever to finish up the toe on the first sock. Now I'm hoping to get the second one done by Monday. I want to wear them to the Renaissance Festival on Monday.

John Elder Robinson has written a book, Look Me in the Eye about his experiences growing up with Asperger's Syndrome. Check out his address to a Random House audience.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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President Obama's Weekly Address

Almost Done!

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One sleeve to go! I digressed from the pattern and did the sleeves in the round. As always, if I make this again, I'll do it in the round. I always say that and I always forget when I start a new sweater/shirt!After this is finished, I have the Houdini socks to finish. Just one leg left to go on those.

Still exercising daily with Wii Fit. However, some of the statistics on it baffle me. It gives you a Wii Fit age based on some statistics they gather. My age has gone as high as 71 and as low as 29. I don't like that one is supposed to do the weigh in every day. It's very discouraging to loose weight and then gain it and more back. I know from past experiences with trying to loose weight that one shouldn't weigh in daily....

Many of the exercises deal with balance as well as movement. That's hard for me, but improving. Some deal with rhythm, like the dance moves in the aerobics. I have no rhythm at all. Can't hear it unless it's a pounding drum and then still can't follow it. So my scores are minimal in these areas. I'm still sweating, have elevated heart rate, and still getting new sore muscles, so I know it's working, but....again kinda discouraging. In just the six days I've had it, I feel much better. My joints are looser, I can quickly walk up the steps now instead of dragging myself by the hand rail!

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Knitting accessories made in Finland from recycled materials. Shipping isn't too bad....

Saturday Address

We knit, Wii run, We knit....

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FluffyKnitterDeb has found a way to use up her extra sock yarn. Isn't this gorgeous?

My knitting? The same. I have just about 3 inches done on the front of the sweater. Yesterday was grocery shopping day and those pesky household things seriously bite into my knitting time. That and exercising. More on that later. Today is hair cut day. The local beauty collage is doing free hair cuts. Youngest Daughter got a style. It's okay...not the cut, the style. She likes it, however and that's what counts. Me? I don't do style anymore. I have long straight hair. I love it. It does need a trim. So I'll have less long straight hair when I get done. I hope it's not alot less. Student cutter and all.... Buy hey, it grows back!

Wii Fit. I bought one yesterday. It's fun and it can be counted as exercise. If you do it properly and don't cheat (as Youngest Son the gaming expert in the family figured out how to do already. :::heavy sigh:::). I'll not share my day to day statistics, but at this point I'll give you a weekly update.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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"Way to go, Mr. President! You had the beautiful commemorative invitations to the Inauguration printed on FSC certified and 100 percent recycled paper. You hadn't taken office yet and already you were setting a great example of appreciation and respect for our planet's natural resources." Be Wise With Paper

A really good interview: President Obama and Matt Lauer.

BYOC: Bring Your Own Cup.

Lower your phone, credit card bills: Just ask, "What can you do for me?"

A bag that will recharge your phone using solar power....

This is a list of items checked for mercury in the high fructose corn syrup. Thankfully, I can say we use none of those products on a regular basis-even the ones where no mercury was detected. More info about mercury and HFCS.

T Shirt Progress!

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The back of the t shirt is finished! Here it is in all of it's unblocked glory!Now I have to decide if I want the basket weave pattern to cover the whole front, or just a couple stripes like the back.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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File your taxes for free at: IRS, and Turbo Tax. Our local library provides space for AARP members to help everyone with their taxes up to and including electronic filing. Check your local newspaper for free filing sites.

Nothin' New

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Knitting is the same. I'm still working on the T-Shirt for my grandson. Reached a milestone in it yesterday...the back is finished, well, the bottom back. I've decreased for the arms and still have another five inches to do on that. Hopefully Netflix Watch Instantly and I will get that done today.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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KmKat has decided to promote a Zero Waste Month this February. Zero Waste means not creating anything that needs to be taken out tot he trash. Here are some ideas to cut waste.

Get catalogs you don't want? Get rid of them!

Just a T Shirt

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I got the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in the mail yesterday. It's for a shirt for my almost eight-year-old grandson in Hawaii. I'm using the Nothing But a T-Shirt pattern by Alison Hansel. The plain st st started to drive me crazy already, so I added in some design: K6, P6 for 6 rows. Then P6, K6 for 6 rows. I haven't decided if it'll just be a band or an overall pattern. This will take priority over all other knitting as I have less than two weeks to finish it. I don't think that will be a problem if life doesn't decide to do something to drag me away from my knitting.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Recycle clothing: Help reduce the nearly 9 million tons of clothing tossed into our landfills yearly. Each pound of clothing that you recycle spares 1.7 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere (since creating new materials uses more energy than recycling). Goodwill. Salvation Army.

Sad but true.

Spring will come....someday.

Truely Shameful. Big spending is not PC.

Socks and Mittens Are Done!

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Joansie's Mittens are finished! Once washed and blocked, they'll go into the box of hand knits for the Native Americans at Cheyenne River.And these toddler house socks will go the same way! I used the Magic 28 pattern for these. It's a nice little pattern than will accommodate any size yarn and still fit someone. These are done with acrylic yarn to insure long life. I have a pair of child's slippers OTN right now for my upstairs project.

Still working on the Houdini Socks. Ready to pick up the sts preceding the yarn cut to make the opening for the leg.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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How to make a rainbow cake!
A few years ago I made pillowcases for everyone for Christmas. It really was easy and fun to do.

Houdini's and Afterthoughts

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Just the thumb left to do on Joansie's Mittens. I again traded off between two projects yesterday and got to the Kitchener stitch on both of them. This is the waste yarn for the afterthought thumb.The next step on the Houdini Socks is to pick up the sts, clip the yarn, frog to get to live sts, and then begin the leg. Here's a pick right before the clipping. With the next sock, I'll take a picture of the clipped yarn being frogged back. I have to finish the other half of the cuff. I'm using EZ's Sewn Cast Off as I think it's the stretchiest one there is. It insures the cuff won't get too tight and keep the sock from being worn.I decided to use the "toe" as the heel on these socks. This is the Magic Cast on Toe I did last week. It's not quite as attractive as the regular mitered toe, so it was chosen for the heel. Another benefit of Houdini Socks!

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Handspun newspaper yarn. Two stars of ingenuity and two ?? for what can you do with it? On the other hand, this soda bottle purse would make a great carrier for a ball of yarn. Maybe a hold cut in the top the feed the yarn out of? Info on plastic bottle waste.

Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall....Ommmmmmmm....

Things being given away... Like this $100 gift card to Amazon.com

Houdini Socks

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I traded off between two projects yesterday: Joansie's Mittens and the Houdini Socks. I'm on the home stretch with the second mitten, almost ready to start the top decreases. I finished up the second foot on the Houdini socks. Next is finding the location of the leg opening, cutting, unpicking the sts, picking them up and beginning the legs. I divided the remaining yarn into two balls so I can pretty much knit till I run out of yarn. Just haven't decided if I'm going to do a st st leg or a ribbed leg. They'll be short socks....
A very pretty variation of the Baby Surprise Jacket!

Fiber themed wallpapers for your computer!

So what do you think? Does speed knitting appeal to you?

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Home made fortune cookies! Wouldn't that be fun for a themed party?

Mend your clothes instead of tossing them.

President Obama's remarks on cars and environment.

Warm Toes and Fingers

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The first of Joansie's Mittens are done! Second mitten dutifully cast on and the cuff is just about finished. You'll have to forgive all the detail shots, but I'm so lovin' this camera! Not so long ago I mentioned how the photos of other knitters always made me feel like I need to cast on one more thing. Pictures of nice even stitches just inspired me.These are the kind of photos I was discussing. Nice detail shots.The slippers are finished! And crochet looks nice up close and personal, too.Pattern: Ribbed Slippers
H Crochet Hook
Red Heart Super Saver yarn
Modifications: Switched from FPDC to BPDC for the cuff.
Quick, easy pattern that produces a sturdy, warm slipper.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Everything you wanted to know about freezing food but were afraid to ask...
Single Guy Money is giving away a $100 Target Gift Card.

Slippers and Pictures

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Did a little crocheting yesterday for my upstairs project. I'm using the Ribbed Slippers pattern from Marlo Cairns. It's easy to memorize and works up very quickly.

Didn't get much done on Joansie's mitten as I spent a good portion of the day learning how to use the camera. It does one of the things I wanted...taking good close ups of knitting!Isn't the detail great? Click on it to enlarge! WOW! I know this is old hat for all you camera buffs, but this is the first time I've ever had a camera that did this kind of stuff! And this kind of stuff!!!! This is Youngest Daughter, Eldest Granddaughter and Youngest Granddaughter, all of whom you've heard me "speak" of often.

What do you think of the new Knit Kit? It's nifty looking, and may be good for traveling, but wouldn't you end up throwing it into your knitting bag with the rest of your knitting stuff, which is probably everything that is in the Knit Kit?

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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President Obama's Saturday Report

Sweater & Mitten

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The Baby Sweater is basically done.
I need to buy some gross grain ribbon and snaps for closures and that's that! It's a new born size and I thought I'd overdye it, but it kinda looks cute as a jacket. It's based on a pattern in Family Circle's Easy Knits for Kids.Joansie asked me make a mitten....something she's trying out. I alternated working on the sweater and the mitten yesterday and got past the afterthought thumb and almost to the point of beginning the decreases.What a way cool scarf! Imagine in it one of the Noro Colorways.

I sometimes feel guilty about the amount of yarn I have. Much of it is acrylic I've been gifted with for my charity knitting. And I have several, maybe ten, skeins of sock yarn. I refrain from buying more until I get this knitted up. (And I really do want some of the new Crystal Palace Mini Mochi!) I have difficulty understanding this kind of shopping, "What was worse is that all the yarn I found [eleven skeins] was sock yarn. Assuming I knit socks out of every skein of sock yarn I currently own (even the skeins I bought to make non-sock projects) I have 54 pairs of socks waiting to be made. Considering the fact that I seem to knit socks at a rate of maybe 10 per year…well you can see I sure as hell don’t need more sock yarn since I could knit socks for the next 5 years and still have some in stash." Lesson to be learned:

• Just because one sees a skein of yarn, one doesn't have to buy it.

• There will be more just as beautiful, if not more beautiful skeins of yarn left in the world to purchase once the skein one has at home is knitted up.

Crochet The President! And more good stuff!Knitting Graffiti.Knitting on the Campaign Trail!

We got a new camera! I ran across a good deal on this one at Amazon. It's a refurbished Cannon Powershot E1. I have a new toy to learn how to use today!

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Drastic Frugality. When there is more month than money.

Five simple steps to decluttering.

Frugal Cooking Tips.

When will excessive spending by big corporates become politically incorrect?

Tire inflation. Republicans may think President Obama naive, but if it works....

Home made cleaning products. Good for your budget, good for the earth, good for your health. "According to a study at Virginia Tech, spraying hydrogen peroxide and vinegar right after one another is just as effective at killing germs as lung-irritating, stream-polluting chlorine bleach."