WIP*

* Work In Progress

I guess my three day break from knitting was long enough. I couldn't take it anymore and started another project today. Here's a little sneak peak.

what can it be?!

I'll let you know when it's done! Stay tuned!



xxx

Taking a break

Taking a break from knitting, that is.

caution: needles may break when thrown against a wall

A forced break. From my 3.5mm knitting needles, anyways.


whoops.

Lesson learned.

xxx

Merry Christmas!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

fa la la la la, la la la la

'Tis the season to be jolly,

fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra

oooh, so pretty!

Are you ready for Christmas yet? Shopping done, cookies made, etc? I haven't even started yet. Maybe cuz it's only July?

More than half way there, though! wheeeeee!!!!


xxx

TGIF

It's Friday.

I don't really have much to say today, I just wanted to give you some flowers.

sunny sunny sunny

Aren't they pretty? Perky? I got them at the farmers market in town on Wednesday while shopping with my friend Marion (Hoi Marion!). I still am amazed at the price of produce/flowers that you can get at these places. €2.50 for 5 stems (trunks would be a better word for them, sheesh those suckers are strong). Bargain, or what? And I love how they shine.

I don't, however, love how they smell. They don't stink, but they kind of smell like... paint? Something. I can't quite put my finger on it. Luckily it's not very strong, unless you're right up in their face.

Or is it: "unless they're right up in your face?"  However you want to say it.

Grammar. *pffft*


I know it's been really really REALLY obnoxiously hot for most of you in the States. I hope you're coping with it ok. Hang in there, the weather will break soon.

In a few months.

And then it's time again for 6 feet of snow! yay!!!


xxx

Phone Photos

I’ve had my current cell phone for almost two years now, and I only realized it could do this a few weeks ago.

click to enlarge slightly

Panorama!!!

It’s actually six different photos. Well, six different poses. It’s probably about a 180-degree photo. It's not terribly big or high-res, but still cool huh? Imagine the possibilities! Like at a really cool place to take a panorama photo, instead of a cemetery. Though as far as cemeteries go, it’s a nice one.

Hmmm....I wonder what else my phone can do?

*looks for the “Clean my House” button*


xxx

Decorating the Balcony

Our balcony is tiny. Like, can-barely-fit-the-chairs-out-there tiny.  And it’s semi-enclosed. We live on the ground floor, so for security reasons, our balcony is glassed in. That means not much breeze, and the afternoon summer sun heats it up like an oven. Any time I sit on our balcony, I feel like I’m on display. Like I’m in a department store window, or I’m a wild animal exhibit at the zoo.

Perhaps I belong in a zoo?

Anyway, I was never very comfortable. It was too hot, and not private enough for my tastes. After 4 years of living here, I’ve finally done something about it. 

“Nice garbage cans in the back, there.”

I bought some matchstick blinds - cheapo’s, from a discount store. I did have to trim them to fit in between the glass wall supports, but they were easy to cut. They don’t block the light entirely, but I wasn’t looking for a total black-out anyways. I can see through them a tiny bit, so that might mean that people outside can see in a little bit too. But it’s better than having nothing there at all.

To dress things up a bit (make it puuurrty), I bought a tropical flower garland at the same discount store, and a bag of seashells.

tropical paradise (?????)

I used the trimmed off part of the blinds to make coasters. How cool is that? What’s even better about those is that it was Ludi’s idea!

You’re shocked, I know.

I was too. He couldn’t at all imagine me hanging these blinds on that glass wall (the logistics of it), but he can come up with making coasters from the trimmed bits? Call me stunned.

If I could find some giant banana leaves, or palm leaves, I’d put those out there too. I’m hesitant to put plants out there too, because it still gets mightily hot on cloudless days and I think anything I put there would shrivel up and die fairly quickly.

Not because I have black thumbs, or forget to water or anything like that... uh uh...

It’s the heat.


Yuh huh.


I think my previously drab balcony is a little more welcoming these days.

from drab

to fab!

Mai tai, anyone?


xxx

Independence Day

Happy 4th everyone!

photo courtesy of AmericanGreetings.com

What I like about the 4th of July:

• Fireworks
• Cookout food
• Fireworks
• Strawberry Shortcake

Yep, fireworks is on there twice. That's how much I like them. I have really great memories of going to local firework displays at home with my sister and friend. We had a pact to try to always be home at 4th of July so we could go see the fireworks. Sadly I haven't been able to make it the last few years (it's kind of a long commute). Some day we'll take a vacation in July. Some day.

For some reason I always think of having strawberry shortcake at this holiday. Maybe because the fruit is at it’s peak? Whatever the reason, I can remember family bbqs and requesting specifically this dessert. And I make it here. In the Netherlands. Where they don’t celebrate America’s Independence Day.

Here it’s just Monday.

That and the last week of school for kids. So they’re celebrating something at least.

Time to go make some biscuits. Maybe I’ll go all fancy and make them in a star shape. In honor of the holiday and all.

Enjoy your family bbq/cookouts!


xxx