LIke a Hamster on a Wheel

So, I suppose it should read, as a hamster on a wheel, but I'm not trying to impress anyone today.

It's been one of those days. I've had a headache three times this week, and one of those times has been today. I just feel blah, but I have so many things to do. I just go into room, picking up a task - maybe doing something to further it along, maybe not - putting it down and going to another room where the process starts over again...over.and.over.again. Bleh!

Hope your day is better.

MK out.

Dinner and a Movie

I've been trying to cook more these days. If I plan my menu for the coming week over the weekend and shop on Monday after work, I usually am motivated to cook on weeknights. Lately, I am so tired by the time I get home from work that the thought of prepping a meal feels like I have to climb a mountain and I will think of easier things to make, or find a way to get out of cooking altogether. Fortunately, cooking dinner every or any night is not part of the marital contract at Chez Merry Karma.

The other day at work - I believe it was Monday - I realized that I had not planned my menu for the week. I was waiting for the boss to finish a case; so, we could go rounding and I put that time to good use. I looked up some recipes on the internet and made out my grocery list. I found an easy recipe for Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Sweet Slaw on epicurious.com. I arranged the ingredients and they looked so good, I snapped a picture. Actually, the green onions are missing because I came home without any. I sent The Kid back to the store with some money after googling "green onions" on the internet; so, he could see what they looked like (Teenagers!) and off he went. He did the grilling and got very indignant when I told him to put the grill on medium high. He told me that our grill was super hot and medium to medium low would be adequate. It was not quite, but dinner was good none-the-less.

So, it's Memorial Day Weekend and it's a great time to go see a movie with the family. We want to see the new Indiana Jones movie. It's also a great time to watch DVDs and lay around and relax.

Here's some movies I've watched recently:

December Boys – Definitely a renter, this movie is about a group of Australian orphan boys who are sent on a month-long trip to the shore. A rumor that one of them might be adopted crops up and tensions rise that threaten to destroy the friendships. It was alright. Of note, Daniel Radcliffe (THE Harry Potter) stars in this movie.
Down in the Valley – In one word – meh. This movie was without point. Evan Rachel Wood plays a teenager who meets a drifter (Edward Norton) who is much older than she it. They soon start dating, worrying her father (David Morse) – the sheriff of their little town. Things turn ugly, but at that point – who cares?
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With – What a cute, quirky little film! An overweight, out of work actor is looking for love. He thinks he finds it in this quirky ice cream parlor girl (played by Sarah Silverman).
27 Dresses – Another cute, but rather chick flick with Katherine Heigl as a woman who has been a bridesmaid 27 times and is still not married. She has a thing for her boss, who barely knows that she is alive.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – This movie is adapted from the autobiographical book about a man who was a wild and crazy guy one minute, and a stroke victim the next. With his brainstem affected, he could only move his eye muscles, and one eye was sewed shut. The book was dictated by him blinking yes or no and his transcriptionist going through a special alphabet one letter at a time to form words. Sadly, he died a few weeks after the book was published. It was very interesting and touching.
Touch the Sound – This documentary is about Evelyn Glennie, a world-renowned percussionist, who is deaf. It was an intersting look at the life of this extraordinary individual.
PS, I Love You – A woman’s dead husband helps her get past her grief and get back into life. It was cute, and definitely a renter.
Seraphim Falls – Pierce Brosnan plays a man hunted down by the man against whom he committed an unforgivable act (Liam Neeson). It was slow and it was long.

Have a good one.

MK out.

There Must Be a Fat Lady Singing Somewhere

Round 3, Game 6 - Red Wings v. STARS - tonight at the American Airlines Center. The Wings won. The STARS didn't turn on the magic until the third period, but they did not roll over and play dead. It was a fun run while it lasted.

So - not too much hockey talk in the next few months. I can go back to concentrating on some knitting and other things in my life.

Speaking of knitting:

For our two-person sock club, Amy and I have decided to learn the figure-eight cast on to make a toe-up sock. I have chosen this sock from Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Needles book.














I tried the toe method she used in the pattern, but I did not like the way it turned out. Since I was supposed to be using the figure-eight cast on anyway, that is what I am going to use.

Here are the Monkeys (April's socks) after I frogged two nearly completed socks and started over.

Here are the May socks with the figure-eight cast on toes. They are still a little more pointy than I like, but at least they don't look lumpy on my feet.

Must go now, but I'll be back.

MK out.

Marty Wins at The Joe!!!

Yesterday, the STARS realized the last of my goals for them...the rest will be icing on the cake.

I wanted the STARS, who were down 3-0 in the series against the Red Wings, to win Game 4, because I really didn't want the Wings to sweep us. I also wanted to give Marty one more chance to win at the Joe Lewis Arena. The STARS won Wednesday night. Then, it was back to Detroit with winning at the The Joe looming in Marty's reach, and reach it he did. The STARS won yesterday 2-1, and there will be a Game 6 in Dallas tomorrow night.

I'll be there.

MK out.

Still Alive

Kicking back, watching Game 4 of Round 3 - Red Wings v. STARS and wearing my recently finished socks out of Opal Rainforest Zebra.







The STARS played with a lot of heart - much like they played in the previous two rounds.

The STARS won. Yay!

MK out.

All About My Mother's Day

The husb presented me with an authentic Sergei Zubov jersey for Mother's Day. Yay me!

I wore it to the game tonight. The STARS worked hard, but I have to say - seeing it up close and personal - the Redwings are just plain good. They sure handled the puck better than us tonight.












In other Mother's Day happenings: The kid wanted to buy me a gift with his own money. So, yesterday, he handed me a Walmart bag. Inside were some Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate with Caramel Filling squares. Yum!

They are his favorite kind.

MK out.

Trends Part 2

Lucy Neatby, another Rock Star in the knitting world, came to The Woolie Ewe and taught a couple of workshops.











Lucy and me.












Sue and Audrey.













Betty and Tasha.












Of course, I bought some of Lucy's yarn - Celestial Merino and Cat's Pajamas - to make some socks.

The battery is dead in my camera; so, while you are waiting to see the yummy colored yarn, I will leave you with a diversion...almost as yummy:














In other news, my BFF Amy and I have a two person sock club going. We started in March. I knitted up my Opal Zebra colorway - and just finished grafting the toes. So sue me, I'm not the most timely person. Anyway, in April, we did the Monkey pattern, and I had them just about finished, when I decided that they were too small. I had gone down a couple of needle sizes to get gauge, but they were tight getting on my feet. I figured that one too many times of forcing the socks on my feet might prove lethal to them. So....I ripped them out. They are still my April socks, but I will be knitting-and-hopefully-finishing them in May. For May, we have decided to each do a pair of toe up socks. Pictures forthcoming, and all that...

MK out.

Trends Part 1

May 3, 2008: Round 2, Game 6.

Celebrating a win after 4 overtimes.









The handshake after a series well played.













Mike Modano speaking with Nabokov.











The two goalies share a few words.












Brenden Morrow being interviewed after his game winning goal.










Last night was Round 3, Game 1 in Detroit. The STARS didn't fare as well, but I am thinking that the trend of winning the series will continue.

MK out.

Must Have Been the Underwear

In case you haven't been keeping up, the STARS were making fishbait out of the Sharks until last night. The series was 3-0 and the STARS were poised to sweep it up and take a break last night, but it was not meant to be. We went to the game on Tuesday night and it was really fun to watch the players skate their hearts out and winning in overtime. I was lucky enough to go again last night. The STARS did play well, but the intensity seemed to be down a notch. I have to say, though, they didn't give up - They kept at it til the buzzer sounded. So, why didn't they win? Well, there was a shower between Tuesday night and Wednesday. I changed my underwear. Sorry STARS.