Happy New Year!

I do love a fresh start! I want to improve my health in 2025. I also have some fun goals...I am going to do 12 months of knit hats and pick patterns where I learn something new each time. I'm also going to do 12 months of art yarns. Starting this month, I subscribed to a fiber/spinning club. Each month I get fiber and add-ins, dye, or related items to complete a yarn. It comes with a 'recipe' and video for the yarn they do or I can do my own thing. I have a feeling there will be some odd ones and normally I am particular about the things I use so it will be an adventure. If they turn out kinda wacky I can always use them to tie gifts.

Your black eyed peas meal sounds great, Mihani. Is there a tradition associated with having black eyed peas on New Years day?

Too bad about the infrared not being what you hoped, Nanc. Do you notice a difference in your sleep after using it? Google says infrared saunas normally operate between 110F and 140F which is lower than normal saunas but should feel warm because it penetrates deeper.

I couldn't get my sous vide machine working again but when I went to return it, I couldn't find the original packaging. So, I ordered another one of the same model and once I open that I will return the first one in the new one's packaging. I only used it 3 times before it broke so I don't feel bad about returning it. I really hope the next one holds up because it is so great for dyeing yarn.

That is one nasty flu, Mihani! Hope you are feeling better today. Interesting info about the black-eyed peas. Most traditions involve totally unhealthy food, so greens 'n beans are a nice change.

Here's the yarn I dyed before the machine died! Resuming dyeing on Sunday. In the meantime I'm weaving a scarf.


The colors are off, but you get the idea with the color variation. Next up will be dyeing some solids to have on hand.

Have a good one!

There's no danger of me running out of yarn or fiber. Let's just leave it at that, Mihani LOL
Any chance you can take a few days off to recover now that the end of year rush is over?

The weaving continues. I'm trying something new. I won't know how it worked until after it is off the loom and washed. Hope to have it all done by the end of the weekend.

speaking of, Happy Friday!

Interesting Nanc... it looks very spiffy! I hope that is what helped you sleep better and will continue to help.

Carla, I kind of figured there might be a stockpile of yarn. LOL

I got out at 4:00 today, made a quick Fresh Thyme run because I wanted ezekiel english muffins. Grabbed some lettuce and zucchini while I was at it.

Still eating my way through the huge batch of cabbage and potatoes and black-eyed peas. I'll see how much I can get through the next couple days but some is going to end up being tossed. I would freeze it but I'm not sure how good it would be and my freezer is stuffed full at the moment anyway. I have been buying a lot of frozen veggies at the wholesale club store and they take up a lot of room.

I am still not feeling anywhere close to 100%. Was running a fever again earlier today. I have to go in tomorrow at least for a while because we have clients scheduled, but then I'm coming home and not going anywhere on Sunday. This morning they were talking 5 to 10 inches of snow here Sunday to Monday, but prediction is now 3 to 6... they never really know and it's annoying how they like to report every snowflake as the end of the world. I will just wait to see what happens between Sunday and Monday. If it's really bad we won't go in and I can work from home, as long as I have power. Fingers crossed because power outages seriously suck.

Congrats, Carla! And glad to hear you are feeling better.

Home from the office, heating up leftovers, going to take a nap. Finally feeling a bit more like myself today. Hardly coughing at all and the pressure in my sinuses is much better. I have been up since 4 am though, because I went to bed so early and then I felt good enough when I woke up that I didn't want to go back to bed.

I don't think I'm going to do much the rest of the day. I brought a bunch of work home to keep me occupied tomorrow, and I'll do a little cooking and laundry when I need breaks.

I'm back to simplify, simplify, simplify. Batch cooking rice, quinoa or other grains, frozen veggies, canned beans, for easy to throw together bowl meals or salads. Cutting out the junky stuff and calorie bombs like blue corn chips, lara bars, etc. I really want to take off this last 20 pounds this year. I'm so tired of bouncing up and down the same 5 to 8 pounds.

Fingers crossed that you keep your power, Mihani!

I finished my scarf last night. It is nice but not my favorite or anything. I like the pattern I tried and it is nice and soft. A fall or spring kind of scarf, with some warmth but not super warm if it is a very cold day. I have to trim the fringe and weave in a few ends and take pics.

My replacement sous vide machine arrived yesterday so I will be out in the dye studio finishing the dye process on the yarns that are halfway done.

Today we'll have the ratatouille I mentioned yesterday. Last night we had the stir fry, heavy on the broccoli with tofu, on rice. Yum.

Lots of snow... about 4" and another 2 to 4" expected today. My guess is we'll be staying home today but waiting to hear from the boss. That would be fine with me as I have a ton of work that I didn't get to yesterday anyway so if I don't have to drive in this mess that makes me happy. I'm sure we'll be going in late if nothing else, so I'm going to enjoy a second cup of tea and an ezekiel english muffin then head up to my desk.

B - ezekiel english muffin with tahini
L - starch blaster over lettuce with chopped tomato
D - same as lunch
S - apple and/or orange

Am working from home. It's nice to get things done with no interruptions. Snow continues to fall, but it should be done and the roads cleared by morning.

Nanc, yes the starch blaster is a Well Your World thing. I would like to see more of what they do, but I have no patience for youtube videos in general. I don't mind theirs much because they are fun and not annoying, but I still don't want to watch them. I may try watching some on the treadmill. Maybe you should start calling the gym before you leave and tell them to be sure the sauna is on.

How was your day with your organizer, Nanc?

How did your snow day go, Mihani? Were the roads all clear this morning?

I am hoping we don't get snow this year. Usually we are on right on the cusp of freezing, so the snow is very wet and sloppy. Then it gets colder overnight and that freezes, and then more sloppy snow comes along and wet snow on top of hard packed ice is not good at all. It is treacherous for driving and walking both.

I'm still snacking after dinner. I have to cut that out! Evening is always the most difficult for me. I'm going to try having decaf chai tea tonight instead of food.

I think tonight we'll be having Vietnamese Salad w/ tofu & peanut dressing. It is one of my faves.

Carla, yep roads were mostly cleared. The ones back in my subdivision get a quick plow but not salted or anything so it's slick getting in and out of here but once I'm on the main roads it's fine.

Nanc, glad you had a good time with your organizer and have a plan for getting your weekends back.

I have been eating up the starch blaster the past few days. Probably enough for tomorrow and maybe Thursday, then I'll throw together another one. It's very filling and keeps me from hitting up the snack cabinet at work.

Today was good...
B - ezekiel english muffin with a smidge of tahini and an orange
L - starch blaster, an apple
D - big ol' salad (just lettuce, steamer bag of broccoli and cauliflower, coconut aminos, nooch and no salt seasoning)
S - lara bar

I need to use up the lara bars and not buy more, but at least I'm keeping them to one every day or two.

Long couple days at work. Ate the rest of my starch blaster for lunch so I'm trying one of the WYW soups that I ordered tonight. Too late to eat anything heavy and I am not that hungry. The soup is okay. I would doctor it up if it wasn't so late. I ordered the sampler so I will remember to keep notes on what I think of each so I don't reorder ones that I am not crazy about, and I'm not looking at these as regular meals just for days like this when I don't have time/energy to think when I get home.

I'd like to make another starch blaster but don't have it in me tonight. I may be working from home Friday morning and if so I'll do that then. I have some of the Forks Over Knives entrees in the freezer if I need something tomorrow, and I also have potatoes that can be done in the air fryer in 20 minutes.

Going to finish this cup of soup and head to bed.

We're going out for breakfast this morning with Joe's dad & step mom before they go on a trip. I forget what the first leg of their trip is, but the second half is a cruise in the Bahamas.

After that I'm going to continue with yarn dyeing and working on another scarf I have on the loom. Total opposite of what I just did. It is all in one color and very delicate. I'm not sure what will happen once it is off the loom but at least it is just a scarf so not too much time or materials invested if things go sideways.

Burnt orange yarns are finally done. They required multiple dye baths and extra acid to get the color to stop bleeding.

oops running late for breakfast. gotta run. happy friday!!!