Molly Bee's Attic

Yay ! 30 entries in 30 days!! Woot ! I finished Grammie's Christmas socks last night. I will definitely be using the leg and heel pattern again. I really like the way they turned out and it's a good use for plain, non-striping sock yarn! I made a wicked good supper last night. There is no recipe....'cause we don't need no stinkin ' recipe! Just saute three minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper and whatever other spices you like in olive oil in a large skillet. Add sea scallops. Cook on one side for 2 minutes. Flip. Add a package of fresh baby spinach and put the cover on until it wilts. Then toss it with pasta of your choice. I like angel hair but I only had thin so that's what I used this time. Put some freshly grated Parmesan on the top and TA DA! Simple tasty supper! Jazz it up with a salad and some crusty bread. I'll bet it would work with shrimp too. NOM !

Just got a comment on my last blog entry reminding me that Monday is actually the last day of November, not today. So I have TWO more entries to complete NaBloPoMo; today and TOMORROW. How sad would that have been...to blow the whole thing because I can't read a calendar? I just figured, hey, December is coming next week, might's well start it out first thing on Monday! This here is a picture of my BubberKev and I at Thanksgiving. We're taking a momentary break from strangling each other to goof at the camera. Our mamma must be so proud! Back to online Christmas shopping! Have a great Sunday evening!

Today and tomorrow and that's it for NaBloPoMo ! Yay ! It's just too hard to think of something interesting to post every day. I'm sure you've noticed! I put up a few Christmas decorations this morning, but have 99.9% decided to not put up a tree this year. It'll just be me and Mr. Happy Waggy Tail here this year. I have to redecorate the bottom 3rd of the tree every time he goes by it, so I think it will be a low key year in the decorating department. Went to Last Saturday Knitting this afternoon. I am so blessed to know such wonderful women. We always have a great time. I worked on Grammies second white lace sock. I finished the cuff, did the eye of the partridge heel flap, turned the heel and did half the foot in two hours. And I double checked when I got home...I did it correctly! Usually I'm such a chatty monkey that I have to rip out any work I do at Last Saturday or Knit Night the next day because it's wonky. Now I'm settling in to watch Dr. ...

Paris is nothing like they say. Coming in to town, the sign says 'Established in 1836'. All the books about Paris make it sound like it's waaaay older don't they? The natives were all really nice; so polite and helpful, and there wasn't any sign of the language problem that I had been warned to expect. There's a slight inkling of a southern twang but it's cute rather than snotty like they described. It didn't impede any of my business dealings at local stores or eateries. Their money was remarkably the same as ours. I guess Paris must have just said 'no' the the Euro. There weren't as many croissants as they implied there would be but the Thanksgiving dinner there (even though I was told that they don't celebrate Turkey Day in Paris-but they do) was scrumptious and more than made up for the lack of pretentious bread. I also didn't have any of the Customs problems I had heard about, coming back through Chicago. Some things were li...

Ben and I made it down to Paris just fine yesterday. I gave him a new bone which kept him occupied in the backseat the whole way so he didn't continually lick the back of my head the hole way giving me troll hair. That isn't to say that he didn't give me a couple of cursory licks now and then just to let me know that he was still back there. Went out to dinner last night with Kevin and Shiela and new nieces, Kali, Kelsey and Brianne as well as Brianne's boyfriend David. Ben stayed home with one year old boxer, Sophie and 3 month old P eekapoo Izzi . It's a full house but it's nice to have some noise and activity around. Shiela has been knocking herself out making Thanksgiving dinner and I counted 5 desserts out there so far. I am trying to stay out from underfoot in the kitchen while making sure I'm close at hand to annoy my brother in the living room. It's a delicate balance....but I believe I am achieving greatness in this arena. I've had years ...

*Mr Gobble Gobble strapped in the front seat? Check! *Mr. Bentley strapped in the back seat? Check! *Illinois map and driving directions? Check! * Industrial sized coffee for the drive? Check! *Instructions for folks staying at my place this weekend conveyed? (Just giggle the handle...it will stop!)Check! *Socks and underwear? Check! *Enough needles and yarn to teach new sis and 3 branks spankin' new nieces to knit? Check! (Never missing an opportunity to lure minions to the 'dark side'... priceless )! *Nablopomo # 25? CHECK! Let's be careful out there today people! If you're jammin' to Cat Stevens today too, seat dance with me! Otherwise put down the Big Mac, the Norellco, the mascera and the cell phone and just drive safely!

I'm a busy girl getting ready for Turkey Day. As busy as I am, nothing significant enough to post about has occurred today, and yet, her I am! NaBloPoMo Day 24! Am looking forward to seeing Bubber Kev and his bride and my new nieces tomorrow. I should say, new to me nieces because they are all grown up young ladies of 15, 19 and 22 but still. Wonder how Bubber Kev will fare against FIVE feisty females for a couple of days!?! Heh ! Heh ! Heh ! I'm hoping Sistah Shiela will lend me her laptop so that I can post from their house on Thursday! Hate to blow this blogging every day in November thing just when I'm nearing the home stretch! If you're hitting the road for the holidays, drive carefully and have a wonderful trip!

Counting down the days until Ben and I go to my brother's for Turkey Day. Just talked to them last night and found out, that in addition to their 1 year old boxer, they just got a 3 month old Peek-A-Poo or some such adorable little white pup (much like Wee Fergus may he rest in peace!). Old Ben will be in his glory. He needs some play time. He's been a little depressed since he fell off the sidewalk last week. He still has a slight hitch in his gitalong but it's nothing serious. He's just bruised but is being a drama queen about it. He's such a delicate flower! I finished one of Grammie's Christmas socks and LOVE the pattern. It's a 5 stitch pattern from one of Charlene Schurch's 'Sensational Socks' books. I also did an Eye Of The Partridge heel which gives it a little different look. I really like how they are turning out and I think I'm going to have to make a pair for me! I'll have to go stash diving because this is definitely a sti...

This is going to be short since I burned one of my typing fingers to a crisp on a hot cookie sheet. Am I taking one for the Nablopomo team or what!?! I receive an email every day called Megan's Munchies . Today's recipe was for SnickerDoodle Pie . It's basically a custard pie with a cinnamon sugar crust on top. It looked good and I had all the ingredients so I decided to make it. Megan made a vegan version but I made the original. It came out great and I'm going to shuttle some up to the boys upstairs in a few minutes. The recipe calls for the pie to be placed and then baked on a preheated cookie sheet in a 350° oven. I wish there had been a step in the instructions that said to make sure your left pinky finger wasn't between the pie dish and the hot cookie sheet when you set it down in the oven. Would have saved a lot of pain. And blue language air pollution. At least YOU'VE now been warned. It turns out that 350° is very, very hot . And pinky fingers don'...

I would just like you all to know that I show no pregidous when it comes to messing with people's heads. I am an equal opportunity pain in the butt. Christophe and I went to see the IMAX 3D version of A Christmas Carol (Don't do it! It was like a really bad carnival ride!) on Thursday night. Christophe is from France and has been to the states a few times but isn't a seasoned pro at it or anything and really should bhave been given some sarcasm amnesty....but no. We walk into the theater and it's wall to wall, ceiling to floor, tween age girls, all dressed in their jammies , with their blankies and pillows waiting for the premiere of the new Twilight sequel 'New Moon'. Christophe is stunned and asks me what is going on. Without hesitation or though (in other words...business as usual) I say, 'Oh, this is where we keep our homeless girls. We keep the homeless boys at a different facility.' Sigh. I know. I've taken diplomacy classes. I know that...

My patience and persistence has payed off! The first of the blackmail photos have started coming in. Upon inspection, I do have a dilemma though.... Is it a Turkey ? ... Or a Princess Laei !

My first instinct when something isn't right is to think it's my fault. My second instinct is to try and fix it, smooth it out, apologize or otherwise makes amends. This morning one of the kids sent out a web link, via email, to our global colleagues. The web link led to a web page that I had built and now maintain. Wasn't long before he came to me to tell me that the international folks couldn't access the link. Oh My Gosh! I must have some permission errors on the page or something else wrong! I'll get right on it! I spent nearly two hours looking for the problem only to discover that the kid in question had simply typed the web address incorrectly in his email. This is commonly called a PICNIC Error ( P roblem I n C hair N ot I n C omputer). I took great delight in telling him, "I tracked the problem down and it's YOU!" That was the first of TWO times I got to use that phrase this morning. Feels good to have the shoe on the other foot! Now if I...

I started off today with a rainbow! Here is a photo of it on it's way out. I knew that it was a sign that today would go better than yesterday. Or at least that it would be sunny and rainy at the same time! Since it has been delivered today, I can finally post pics of Sweet William's Super Secret Thanksgiving Suprise project. Behold, the Turkey Carcass Thanksgiving hat! He's going to hate me for life! I am the essence of pure evil! Heh Heh Heh! Wanna torture your the kids in your life? The pattern is on Ravelry. It's very poorly written with lots of mistakes in it but I made it through. It's pretty gnarly up close but at a distance (and for photos of him wearing it that can be pulled out for his Prom date's entertainment at a later date) it's OK! It's going to be difficult to find something more evil than this to make the kid wear for the upcoming Christmas holidays but Aunt Min is trying! Love you Cookie Boy! Your folks too! Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been one of those klutzy weeks. Monday I slipped in the bathroom. I didn't fall, but I twisted to catch myself and took all the skin off my arm on the texturizing on the wall. Yesterday I started in with a back spasm that is getting worse by the minute. Then I came home from work, hooked Bentley up on his retractable leash and let him run out onto the lawn to pee. He got to the end of the leash and I hadn't hooked it properly so it reeled back in at 90 miles an hour and the metal hook at the end caught me in the ribs. I have a bruise of epic proportions today. I feel (and walk) like I got hit by a bus. And apparently it's contagious . I took Ben out and tossed the ball for him this noon. He went scrambling for it and fell off the sidewalk. The edge of the curb hit him in the ribs. He ran back in the house like he was fine, but when I got home tonight and petted his side, he squeaked. Tonight he's pretty low key and snuggly, although he got up on the couc...

You know how sometimes you’re just sitting around thinking. Gosh I wonder what I’d look like if I was captured by Cannibalistic African Head Hunters? Come on now! Admit it! We all do it! Here’s what I would look like. (Not for the faint of heart!) I’ve developed a severe overbite! http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/expedition-week-headshrinker/?mid=ngc4b01c66a6fe73&source=e-mail-headshrinker I LOVE Expedition Week on The National Geographic Channel! I am such a science geek. Give me documentaries on Head Hunters, The Mayan Calendar, Bog Mummies, The Bermuda Triangle, etc and I’m a happy, happy girl! Until last night. I tuned in to see the Head Hunter thing. It was OK-a lot of hype, but OK. Then the next show was on Celtic Druids. Now I LOVES me the Emerald Isle and all things Celtic so I snuggled down to watch. Started off OK…great imagery; narration was good. Then they trotted out their primary ‘expert’ for the show, Professor Miranda someone-or-other from the UK. C’m...

OMGosh you Guys! I just watched 'Doubt' this afternoon. It's been on my list for a while and now that I've seen it, I'm kicking myself for not watching it in the theater on the big screen. What was I thinking? Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep in the same movie! How could it be anything but AWESOME...and it was! Seymour never lets me down and Meryl is an absolute chameleon! There was a great dilemma at the end and it made me really think about the gossip machine and how it can profoundly affect life. Run! Don't walk to rent this one. Have been laying low again today although my head is much better. I have a supper date and really wanted to go so I've been taking it' easy. I ran out and got the paper and spent the morning with that. I must be getting some of my brain function back because I completed the Time's Crossword and the Sudoko ...in ink....thank you very much. Then I made a nice stuffed pork chop, baked potato and squash lunch, did the di...

I have a humdinger of a headache today. Last night it was a migraine but it's backed off some and I can see out of my right eye again. Now I'm just left with a steady thump and foggy brain. I don't get them very often for which I'm eternally grateful ! Today is a stay at home day for the most part. I had plans to go to numerous craft shows and yarn shops with friends but begged off. Then I was supposed to go to game night in Stoughton tonight but called I cancelled that too. I can't imagine driving to Stoughton in the dark with this head! I did go get a few groceries and took some stuff to the library and that was more than enough movement for one day. I got the new Diana Gabaldon book from the library today. I've been waiting for it for months, but can neither see nor comprehend it in my present state. Irony. Bleh . Can't even work on my knitting! The application for comprehending small print and fine details is still rebooting. National Geographic ch...

Today Molly Bee... Remembered in the nick of time to write something here today. Nablopomo ...you're doing it right! 's computer is having issues. It's like it has a uncannily strong desire to doom my Nablopomo mission.Oh Yeah? Well, sabotage....you're doing it wrong! Ha! had it out with the cable company mentioned a few posts earlier. Quel Suprise ! That $30 service charge hadn't been deleted from my account like I was promised it would be. is amazed and amused that said cable company has an unblemished record of not completing one single task or service that they said they would correctly . went to see 'Couples' Retreat' . I loves me some Vince Vaughn! had a Slurpee and a small popcorn for supper...kicking back after a long week...you're doing it right! taking a hot bath and a cup of tea and hitting the hay early. G'NIGHT AND SWEET DREAMS ALL!

I love to try out new recipes and the majority of them are pretty successful. The most successful ones I post over on my kitchen site. I never write about the duds. But recently I made the dudiest of the duds and so I'm posting a warning to prevent any of you from replicating the disaster. Last year I learned that you can mix a can of pumpkin with a cake mix and it makes a pretty good low fat/higher fiber cake. So I says to myself says I...why not brownies? They mixed together alright. They looked ok when I spread them in the pan. It even smelled right baking. However when I went to get them out of the oven, the top was dull not glossy, they had barely risen at all, and you know how they pull away from the sides of the pan when they're done? These looked like they were horribly afraid of the sides and had run as far as they could from them. There was a half inch gap all the way around. I cooked them 10 minutes less than the brownie mix said so they weren't over done. They ...

Cousin Crystal (she of the cool Halloween skeleton shirt a couple of posts back) delivered her beautiful boys, Hayden and Zachary, the Monday after Halloween. Told you she held out just so she could wear the cool shirt! Both boys were about a month early, not unusual for twins, but weighed over 6 # each! Way to go kiddos! I finished the second Baby Surprise Jacket last night and will get them in the mail to the boys tomorrow. I probably won't make the pattern again. Although it's cool the way it folds up to make a sweater, I'm not a fan of the clunky increases and seams on the front. I'm sure the boys will look adorable in them clunky seams or not though!

(Click to bigify-more detail) This is the hugantic herd of turkeys that lives across the street from my house. They are almost always out there. I've grown very fond of them over the past months and have even named some of them. See the one on the far right? Her name is 'Giblets'. And the one next to her? 'Cutlets'. And that big tom right about in the middle? He's from a french speaking province in Canada. His name is ' Monsieur En Croute '.... They are pretty nonchalant for T minus 15 days and counting! Just sayin'.

Nablopomo # 9 Today was a blur. Was at work before 7:30 and didn't leave until 5:45. Don't think I stopped moving once all day but I sure did cook through the pile of work on my desk. I will be working from home the next couple of days. I was supposed to find an Executive Assistant type seminar to attend for continuing education, but nothing of any note has been given in the area, so I am taking the next couple of days to do some on line work; lots of tutorials, tips and tricks etc that I've been saving until I 'had time'. That hasn 't happened so I'm taking the time and having a couple of do-it-yourself seminar days! I learn best on my own anyway. Came home and used my new birthday skillet to make a huge batch of Pasta Fagiolo ! It's been simmering on the stove for an hour and my house smells SO GOOD. I think I'll ask Mike and Hef down for supper. I've got a loaf of crusty bread to bake up and some fresh Parmesan to grate over it. If it sound...

Nablopomo Day 8! Mr Ben and I just got back from a rousing game of fetch....er... that is to say....a rousing game of 'You Throw The Ball And I'll Go Get It, Bring It Half Way Back And Then Head Off Into The Tall Grass With It Causing You To Chase Me, Catch Me and Call Me A Bad Dog And Making Me To Feel Bad Until You Throw The Ball The Next Time And I Bring It Half Way Back Only To Head Into The Tall Grass Again'. Lather, rinse repeat as needed. He's now laying on the floor wheezing like a bagpipe, but I suspect he'll re inflate in time for supper. It's so hard to be a big doggie . Did a whole bunch of not much today primarily focusing on procrastinating about finishing the BSJ . Why is it that when you HAVE TO (self-imposed HAVE TO or course but still...) knit something, you don't want to, but when you should be doing something else, all you want to do is knit. I am my own worst enemy. Off to order the new John Irving Book from the library before you ca...

Went to Knit Night at The Ear last night. Did everything I could to talk myself out of it but the lure of my buds and Chocovine was too great. I didn't stay a whole long time, it was too crowded and hot, but they lifted my spirits immensely in the short time I was there. They are the best. I'm a lucky girl. I even managed to finish these: I like this Trek yarn. If I can't decide what color sock to wear, I'll pick these since they seem to have ALL of the colors in them! With a little help from my friends, I am finally beginning to crawl out of my self-imposed funk today. Ben and I got up at 5:45 and took a walk for about an hour and fifteen minutes. We watched the sun rise and enjoyed the warm temps. I even had to take my fleece jacket off and tie it around my waist. Ben didn't take his coat off but he did pee on a lot of things to stay cool. Came home and had some yogurt and fresh berries for breakfast, stripped my bed and loaded the linens into the washer, cle...

On days like this when I feel less than wonderful and it seems like the whole world is coming apart at the seams, I try to concentrate on the little things. There's so much to be thankful for: My family who loves me no matter what My doggie who is a snuggler-most-excellent My cozy nest A hot pot of rose tea and a warm blanket A wonderful book Knitting My journal And the knowledge that life has a way of working itself out and that tomorrow will be better

My Mommy is sick tonight. She has a bad tummy and feels yucky. She says it must be from eating healthier and says she is going back to eating cheeseburgers tout de suite . I don't know what that means. I, Ben-the-Dog, find cheeseburgers quite savory don't you? They are not too sweet at all. Anyway. She asked me, Ben-the-Dog, to write a blog guest post since she joined Nablopomo (National Blog Posting Month) and is supposed to make some sort of entry every day for the month of November. So I sat down and thought about it... (This is me thinking about it.) but couldn't think of anything to write so I, Ben-the-Dog, will just issue an invitation to all of you to come over and see my toys and maybe throw the ball. If you throw it, I, Ben-the-Dog will go get it and if you throw it I, Ben-the-Dog, will go get it, and if you throw it I, Ben-the-Dog will go get it, and if you throw it I, Ben-the-Dog will go get it....ahem...times infinity! You get the picture. And if we are extr...

I went to Chicago with friends yesterday. It was a gorgeous day. The sky and the lake were both so clear and blue it hurt your eyes! Since I was on his turf, I looked around for Franklin . Obviously I didn't look everywhere, but I covered quite a lot of ground and never find him. He's a pretty good hider that Franklin . If you happen to see someone who looks like me on the National News some night soon, it IS me! I got interviewed by an Associated Press camera man about the new holiday airfare taxes while we were dropping a friend off at O'Hare . I had a lot of opinions on the subject, especially that $25/bag fee. I thought it was funny that he chose me, especially since I wasn't even traveling. If you see me on the News in regards to grand theft auto, kidnapping or generally running amok in some other way, please disregard. That whole business has been cleared up now. The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Shedd Aquarium. What a beautiful facility. We saw some...

When my dad passed away 10 years ago, I inherited a piggy bank that he had. It's made out of an old postal/mail box combination door...you know...the ones with the dial with letters and you turn it this way and that, stopping on letters or in between them to open it up? [It's a wonder anyone could access their mail at all in 'the old days'. It's much like trying to remember the password on my Yahoo account now a days; trial and error. ] Someone had mounted the door on the front of a wooden box and put a coin slot in the top. It's a handsome thing and it reminds me of my dad. It's one of my few prized possessions. Whenever I have change I put it in and then on November 1st (his birthday) and April 1 (the day he passed) I take it down to the bank and cash in all of the coins for 'real money'. November 1 was a Sunday this year, so I took it to the bank today. I came away $86.90 'richer'. It always feels like it's 'free money' or that...

I hope Cousin Crystal doesn't mind me pinching this picture from her blog. I think this is the coolest costume ever! She is expecting twin sons any minute now. In fact rumor has it that she hasn't delivered before now just so she could wear this for Halloween! I don't blame her! Too cute! Our office party was decidedly dark this year.....The grim reaper and Draculetta showed up... Genghis Kahn was in the house Dave didn't wear a costume. He just came as...well... Dave. And even I came as the scariest think I could think of....my driver's license photo! I won the prize for the funniest costume but believe me, my driver's license photo IS NOT funny! Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

I spent four hours carving those pumpkins. So imagine my dismay when I found this yesterday. I must admit I threw a wee bit of a hissy fit. One of my neighbor hooligans has sliced off the Celtic knot and stolen the lid of my time-consuming creation! I love my neighbors. What had I done to tick one of them off? What would be next? Keying my car? Mugging me in the garage? Oh the angst! A little later, as I was moping about it on the sofa, Bentley got really enthused about something outside. I got up to look and found THIS: A HA! The culprit! And upon closer examination... Oh No! A dingo ate my baby ! Uh...well... a squirrel ate my pumpkin puppy! It's just as traumatic! I banged on the door and ran the little varmint off, only to feel bad about it when I found him trying to pay for his Halloween feast with squirrel currency later on. As I write this there are about a half a dozen more in there. I think he's payed handsomely and left a big tip. At least they were both intact a...