We Can Change the World Together

I was just thinking about the weeks events before I drifted off last night. It also got me thinking about all the first responders and the members of the clergy. Just whom do they go to when they are stressed out. I am sure by now the whole world know about the event in Tucson last Saturday, which was only a week ago, but seems like a life time ago.

I know that we are not all trained to offer counseling services, but the great news is that we don't have to be. I think this week ( longer if you care to ) would be a great time to thank all of our first responders and members of the clergy for a difficult job well done. If the person is comfortable with it you can also add a hand shake or a quick hug. I know that we all need personal contact on some level.

Since it was an unofficial be kind to everyone week in Tucson. I would like to propose  that we take the effort world wide for the rest of the year. Only you can make a difference in other peoples lives by doing simple things such as opening a door for a mother pushing a stroller, also know as a pram in most of the world. Thank a server or a clerk for a job well done. Take part in random acts of kindness.  If you quilt, knit, sew or crochet make 1 item ( or more if you like ) for a stranger and drop it off at a local hospital or shelter. If you have time spend sometime helping out at a local soup kitchen or food pantry.

If you want to take everything one step further go through your closet and cupboards at home and donated the things you no longer use to charity. This act is good on three fronts. 1st your house gets cleaner. 2nd items that you no longer need or use get a new life instead of landing up in the landfill, which by the way is also good for the environment. 3rdly I am sure you will feel a whole lot better with a cleaner house and knowing that you were able to help other people.

Let us all make our own corner of the world a better place and before you know it we can create a kinder and gentler world. Yes there will always be random acts of violence but we can all try to make things better bit by bit. After all we are all in this world together. 

May you have a peaceful week and enjoy your families.

Pepperoni Pizza Squash

OK, I will admit that this recipe is the creation of not wanting to throw left overs out and my local Safeway still being closed. Also I needed to get a good dinner on the table that was different. I was also training a new aide for Eric at the time. Talk about multi tasking. Meaning that I was running back and forth between the kitchen and Eric's room while putting this together, definitely not a fussy dish. This recipe was good enough to make again. The only thing you have to add is the bread on the side.

Pizza Squash

1/2 of a spaghetti squash cooked
1 4 ounce can of mushrooms
1 cup spaghetti sauce
4 ounces of pepperoni cut in bite sized pieces
4 ounces of mozzarella cheese grated

In a casserole dish break up the spaghetti squash. Using 2 forks mix in the spaghetti sauce and mushrooms. Top with the pepperoni and then layer the cheese on top.

For Vegetarian leave off the pepperoni.
For Vegan leave off the pepperoni and replace cheese with a vegan cheese.

Bake at 350 f for 30 to 60 minutes.  Makes 4 servings

Doing Better

I am doing better today. I went to my Tuesday morning class and a lot of things got clarified for me. Then it was off to lunch at 5th Street Deli and as usual the food was good and service fast. A trip to Bookman's on the east side of town was good for zenning the house and John and Teri have $15 more to spend next time they go. A quick walk to Beyond Bread for an epi for dinner and then it was time to go home. Not bad for 3 hours of time.

When I got home I decided to go clean the sewing room. I started off by cleaning out 1 cabinet, don't worry it only had 2 shelves so I was not taxing my self too much. The end result was an overflowing Bookmans' bag and a place to put all my stitch marker supplies. So with that part of the room cleaned I went on to organize bib supplies. I did not realize that I had so many supplies. I had piled them all in one corner in little and not so little bags so it was hard to see just how much or what there was. I have a whole basket of bibs cut, prepped and ready to go. I also have another basket filled with a half and half combo of towels and bandanna's.  I have pulled 4 hand towels out that I just could not match the color of so don't tell anyone but I am sending them to Teri.  I have enough supplies to start a small business. By the way if you need adult size bibs let me know, they are custom made and go for $30.00 add another $10.00 if you want them monogrammed. There might be a little more to this being organized thing than I realized.

I then went through some more magazines and books and more went into the already flowing Bookmans bag. I guess it is going to be another trip to Bookman's tomorrow and maybe the consignment shop for some jewelry that I don't wear anymore. I am hoping that less stuff in the house will mean less clutter and a more organized house.

I wonder if 3 hours of cleaning would count towards any exercise time? Tell me what you think, please.

A big bonus is I have reclaimed the treadmill so I guess it is time to say goodnight and hit the treadmill. Enjoy your families.

At a Loss

Right now I am at kind of a loss about a lot of things. It had started Saturday and by now I am sure the whole world knows about what has happened outside my Safeway in Tucson. I had planed to go to the event but chores got in the way of me being there at 10 am.

I still have at least 1 person I know, whom is still in ICU and still facing more surgeries. My Safeway is still closed and the other stores around me are nice they are definitely not my Safeway. I worry about friends who work or have small business in that mall and how they are faring. It is my sincere hope that this one random act of craziness will not hurt their business in the long term.

Aside from the Safeway there is a Coldstone Creamery, China Phoenix ( a personal note here, this is one of my favorites and the dim sum is something to write home about) a locally owned franchises of La Salsa and Honey Baked Ham. A local favorite called Beyond Bread , 2 banks, a dry cleaners, pet store, nail salon, a pharmacy and a few other small business.

Life will not be quite the same but I am hoping that all those who were injured make a speedy recovery and can get back to some semblance of normal. My thought and prayers go out to the families who have lost loved ones. I my heart I have to believe that they are all now with Gd.

I have to move past this one random act of craziness and move forward, but I find it hard to do with what seems like the whole worlds media attention focused on my little corner of the world. Well it is time to go put Eric to bed. May peace be with you this week.

The Cowl Pattern

The cowl pattern is finally here. My reason for so long between blogs was my darling daughter was here for 3 weeks between terms. So with out further ado here goes:

A Simple Cowl

Supplies:
1 skein worsted weight yarn 3.5 ounces and apx 223 yards I used Paton's Classic Wool in Magnolia

1 circular knitting needle US sized 8 by 16 inches

1 stitch marker

1 darning needle

Abbreviations:
co - Cast on
yo - Yarn over
k2tog - Knit 2 stitches together
k - Knit
pm - Place marker

Cast on 101 stitches using your preferred method.
Row 1 Knit 1st and last stitch together.
Knit 99 stitches and place marker.
Knit 4 more rows in the round. Rows 2 to 5
Row 6 : k1*yo,k2tog* k1
From here forward Rows 1 to 5 will be knit. Row 6 will remain the same.
Repeat these rows 9 more times so you have a total of 10 repeats.
Knit 5 more rows.
Cast off loosely using *k1, yo, k1 pull the 1st knit stitch and yarn over over the last knit stitch* Until you have 1 stitch left on the knitting needle.  Pull the tail through and weave in the end.


A Simple Cowl by Sheri Karobonik is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.handmadebysheri.blogspot.com.

The New Pattern

The new cowl pattern is almost finished. The pattern will be posted soon. I plead Teri time as my excuse.

We spent the afternoon at Savers shopping. Well really Teri shopping and me knitting, working hard on the cowl pattern. I accomplished 2 more pattern repeats and Teri found 2 pair of Jeans and a t-shirt.

I am really enjoying my time with Teri and everything but laundry is going by the way side.

I got to go now. So enjoy your families and have a great and productive new year.

How to Make Eric's Bibs

OK, as promised here are the directions to make Eric's bibs along with pictures. Essentially they are made the same way for baby to adult sized bibs. The only thing that is different is the supplies. So as with any good craft project here are the supplies needed by size of the bib.

Supplies

Makes 2 bibs.
Baby bibs - 2 wash cloths, 1 bandanna, matching thread
Toddler through early elementary school - 1 kitchen towel, 1 bandanna, matching thread , bias tape
Pre Teen - 2 kitchen towels, 1 bandanna, matching thread
Adult - 2 Hand towels, 1 bandanna, matching thread

For all bibs - a Sharp scissors, a sewing machine and a nice thing for the toddler bibs is a surger but you can also use the bias tape which is less expensive than buying a surger.

Step One

For all the bib sizes take your bandanna and cut corner to corner so that you have 2 triangles. Fold the raw edge over and and sew a 1/4 inch seam. Fold over 1 more time and sew a 1/4 inch seam. This is what the first part will look like when finished. You can see how both the front and the back are suppose to look.

Step Two only for the Toddler Bib

Fold the Kitchen towel in half so that the bottom and top of the towel are lined up.  Be very brave and cut the towel along the fold.  Now you either surge the edge or cover the cut edge with bias tape. I have made them both ways and they both hold up well to repeated washings.





Step Three

Along the top edge of the towel position the bandanna so it is centered and both of the upper corners of the towel are covered. Pin into place.  I like to start pinning at the top center and work my way out to ensure a smooth wrinkle free bib. Next pin the bottom center and work your way out again.

The first seam will go along the top edge. When you get to the other side leave you needle down and turn your work to do the first side. When you get to the tip of the bandanna leave the needle in the down position and turn to go across the last side of the triangle. I like to sew the bandanna as close to the edge as I can. I find that the bibs tend to last longer that way. 

Then using the seam line as a guide I then do any personalization to the bib.  In a school or day care environment it is perfectly OK to add the persons name in block letters. Most sewing machines have at least 1 alphabet now a days. To make the bib last longer I have found it necessary to do a bit of machine quilting inside the triangle. You may either do a grid or free form it is up to you.

Now its time to clip all those loose threads and run it through the washing machine before use.

This pattern is for personal use only.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.