Decompression Nearly Complete

After the past month, even with the road trip and the beginning of my tutoring schedule, I have finally reached the point of ahhhhhhhh. Summer is an odd mix of relaxing and getting organized for next fall. And "getting organized" is usually not much of an academic/school endeavor, more a life/routines thing. But I'm getting there. I tutor 8 students, some twice a week, and that is going swimmingly. Great kids with the willingness to do what I ask even if they would rather be off playing on their Sony Playstation or Wii.

I've been watching a series of lectures on the history of London, quite interesting, which has led me to Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year. Written from a fictional point of view but with a great deal of material that he heard from those who lived through it (he himself was only 5 at the time). So much is what I would expect today if something similar happened.

Facebook has become a time sink that I'm weaning myself away from except for a short while once or twice a day. One starts to notice who has a life and who's living through others' lives. ;^)

And I am knitting, even in the hottest weather (it's the A/C that makes that possible). Finished the Percy scarf and just need to tuck in the loose threads.

I'm this close to being done with the Baby Moderne Log Cabin (after which it will be backed and edged), but I'm not feeling it and will probably only try another one if I can get the same yarn--it wasn't a great success with Bazic, probably not because of that yarn itself but because it wasn't quite the same weight.

I have finished a short scarf in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, chambray-ish blue. I love this one, and the pattern, which is becoming a standard for me, a sort of mistaken rib.






I started another scarf in Blue Moon Fibers heavyweight superwash sock wool, in a great colorway ("Jabberwocky") that looks quite autumnal.

And I've been knitting a 3x3 rib scarf in Yarn Lust's washable wool, worsted weight. Notice how the second and fifth ribs are much more variegated than the others? I think that sort of thing is so cool about this type of yarn--the way it tends to pool.

I'm thinking of some sort of fund raising method that will help me sell my knitted items and give the proceeds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (with which DH's Team in Training is affiliated). Don't know if it's worth it to set up on etsy or find a holiday craft fair in the area, or ?? Accepting all ideas about ways to make it work, given that I have to charge at least for the cost of the yarn for each item. But I have now made about 15 items that are selling-quality, and which I think could raise enough to make it worthwhile to try.

I'm also working on a second blog this summer that my tutoring students use. If you're interested, it's here.

Yum!

Have I been out of commission or what? After school ended and I road-tripped with my two oldest daughters, I am now home and ready to spend the summer tutoring, relaxing, and knitting.

But first, here's a delectable salad I made for lunch to share with DD#1 today:

1 small head green or red leaf lettuce, washed and spin-dried
3 beets, scrubbed, peeled, diced, and boiled until soft (cool them, or run cold water over)
1-2 tbsp. toasted almonds or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

dressing:
Into a small jar with a tight fitting lid, put 1-1/2 tbsp. soft goat cheese (chevre), 3 tsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, a dash of Worcestershire sauce (soy will do), and a pinch of tarragon. Shake well to blend, and taste it. If needed, add 1/4 tsp. salt.

Make a bed of torn lettuce, add beets, and sprinkle with almonds. Drizzle dressing over and serve.