Sniffles and Things

It is officially Fall and, predictably, I have the sniffles. That doesn't mean I've stopped doing that which I love; it does stop me from making food for others, though. I'm being a good girl and doing everything possibly to speed along this recovery. I don't like missing days.

To stick it to these drippy sniffles, I finished two knitted hats (go me) and the pictures are up on my Ravelry profile. But to save you the clickings, I'll put them up here for your pleasure.

 Here we have Handsome Lad modelling Jayne Cobb's Cunning Hat. He likes things like Firefly so I gifted this toasty (albeit - in my opinion - ugly) thing to him. He's quite taken. I don't think it's ever coming off. Oh well, I brought this upon myself.








On the right is the Funky Colours Cable Cap. It has a tassel! When I'm not at school I'll do a proper modelling of it. It does not photograph well unless on a head. I admit: I love knitting hats. They're quick and there's so much to play with.

Promptly after finishing this hat I jumped into knitting matching wrist warmers. I'm a nut, but considering Canada's climate, it's beneficial.



Prior to becoming infected with these infernal sniffles I did a little baking. Two cakes were the result and unfortunately, I only managed to photograph one of them before they were devoured.

Behold!

 

Is it not beautiful? And if you find yourself wondering what the heck that is, I shall enlighten you.

Upside Down Plum Cake courtesy of the Food Network.  I highly recommend it if you find plums to be in season. It comes out looking like a little jewel of deliciousness. Also, it's a little more purple than the picture depicts. 

If you do feel inclined to make it, feel free to deviate from the recommended spices. I essentially turned mine into a spice cake topped (or based, it's upside down) with delightful plums. 

I do believe this makes up for my week long absence so until next we meet, I wish you happy hobbies and don't let the cold catch you.

The Fifth Toothbrush

In my recent musings I have alighted upon a realization: even with all the transitions I have undergone in the past few months I crave something more. Like an elusive but nonetheless irksome itch, I pawed at the problem, hoping to relieve my malaise. I have it. Or rather, I feel that I have a meagre grasp on the issue. I want to get on with my life.

It's not that I'm hung up on any slight or offence. No trauma haunts my thoughts, and finally, no long-ignored issue needs addressing. I mean, simply, that I want to get a place of my own and play at being an adult. As long as it remains a play at adulthood I can enjoy the game. Games are but facsimiles of more serious realities.

This is not just an impatience to grow up, as it was in high school or any number of other occasions where my youthful self aspired to maturity. But maturity is a matter of perspective and youthfulness is valuable.  So, to put it some better way, I want a place to be myself in my own company.


Right now, I sit ensconced in morning kitchen smell. The kitchen is not my own and the morning is a late one. Muffins, eggs, toast and coffee, such wondrous small pleasures. I adore breakfast. Actually, I love foods of all kinds but I do believe that I am not alone in my love of breakfast. For some, it is sacred ritual - the way to welcome a new day and a new stab at life. For others, it's a stopover on the way to other things, but there is still a root that resides in that first bite of toast or that first sip of coffee.

On that note, I think of baking. While the baking is simple the meditations on baking are complex. It's homey magic to see ones become wholes. Right now it's cookies or muffins or cake or something. Anything sweet and soft.

In case you're wondering as to the significance of the title, I'll leave it up to you. It's funny how others can find meaning in the phrases you find unimportant.

Morning Yoga

It's a particularly chilly morning, as if the weather is aware what month it is. I sometimes forget it's the other way around; seasons exist because the weather changes predictably. However, I like to believe that just because it is mid-September the weather shouldn't take a sharp dip towards cold.

It seems I have to earn my morning yoga session. I've already expressed my bemusement at the gym-atop-the-mountain but I fail to understand why I decide to ride a bike up that hill (or at least halfway). In summary, any pain I feel, I've inflicted upon myself. I am counting on that old adage to hold true: what doesn't kill me brings me a lot of pain but supposedly makes me stronger.

Or at least I think that's how it goes.

I admit, I am sore and going up and down stairs is misery itself. I shall persevere! I promised myself a more positive outlook on life and my place in it. Since I admit to having body image issues, I'm going by way of the healthier lifestyle. So far, I remain optimistic.

Sore... but optimistic.

Uphill, Downhill...Repeat

The quality of this image is not ideal; however, the content is significant. That man over on the right, in the vaguely discernible top hat is the veritable god of rock: Slash. Seeing him play was well worth the 4 hour drive to the middle of nowhere.

Although it renders this exercise pointless, I cannot begin to express the fantastic nature of this concert. Slash, his band, and singer Myles Kennedy have a live act that struck my very being (although that might have been the base vibrations). The band played some Guns 'N Roses songs (Civil War, my all-time favorite), some Velvet Revolver and some material from Slash's latest album.

I do not know why I was so aware of this next fact but I don't recall a rock concert being as rigidly timed as this one. Bands came and left and even encored exactly on the hour and half hour. They did one song for their encore, then promptly left. Perhaps I have illusions about rock, but I was under the impression that it is a more free-spirited medium.

Handsome Lad did inform me about a rather big name band that played in our City recently who decided that the imposed noise licence was not during an appropriate "rocking" time. They purposefully came onstage late, got through half their set and suddenly, at the hour appointed on the licence, the plug was pulled and the lights shut down.

City is not a small town, it is a metropolis. I do not know how true this story is. Personally, I would rather not believe that such things happen. I'm Cleopatra, Queen of denial.

~~

Good news! My uber-fitness regime began today. Memories of early mornings came flooding back as I rolled out of bed at 5:30 this morning. Yoga is worth it, I keep telling myself.

When I asked 'who builds a University on top of a mountain?' (which I do every morning) I was unaware to what extent the campus ... extended. I now include, in my query 'who puts a gym at the top of a mountain?'. Clearly, mine does. I must work out before I work out. And no, I do not consider a hike a 'warm up'.

All that being said, it really does feel good to work out. I hope this new routine assuages my guilt of spending so many hours in my day seated.

I wish you all a good week, I know I will be trying to have one.