Thursday, January 16, 2014

Running in Place


I have some photos to show you as a catch up. I put two threads into Tall Guys (Holiday and Sparrow) last Friday, and I started June Morning (Good Huswife) on Saturday.

But I have to admit I haven’t been able to keep up with my goal of stitching two threads every day.

On Sunday, I went to take out Fish Tale—Teresa Layman’s mermaid. You may remember that I had lost the color key. I was so on top of it, I emailed Teresa requesting the color key only for the parts I had yet to finish, and she sent me a whole new one. Color key in hand, I went looking for the project—and I couldn’t find it. I’m sure it is somewhere but I was a little disheartened. So I started grabbing other WIPS—St. Basil’s Cathedral, seems I’ve thieved all the fibers from this one for other projects, same for Watercolor Geranium; I’m still waiting for my orders from three of the four stores (one of those is my fault); I just felt discouraged by it all so I just went and sat.

On Monday, we had Cookbook Club at the library. I don’t think I’ve told you about that. The dude and I joined last summer. Every month, the program director at the library* chooses a cookbook. Sometimes with our help; sometimes with our general direction; sometimes whatever grabs her fancy.** Anyway, we all sign up to make a recipe from the book. Then we get together to eat and talk about what we’ve made. It’s quite a diverse group—a grandmother who loves to cook but is married to a meat-and-potatoes man comes with her adult granddaughter (and sometimes her daughter), mothers and teen children, mothers and adult children, husbands and wives—one of the husbands has over 2000 cookbooks in his collection—single young women, older women with families who leave them at home. It’s fabulous. In fact, it’s such a hit they’ve started Cookbook Club Junior for the littler set.

Anyway, we ate the tiramisu I made on Sunday (soooooo easy! And good!). (The dude made roasted pepper salad.) Then I had an appointment; we didn’t get home until 9:30. And I just didn’t have it in me to face the basket of projects to put in two more threads.

After another day of sitting, I dragged out Off the Deep End for Wednesday stitching with my knitting peeps. And when I pulled her out of the bag, I found Fish Tale. Emerald Mermaid was in there too, so I guess it was a little underwater maiden party. Sometimes you just got to stick together.

*she’s not an MLS and hates when I call her a ‘librarian’ but dude, you work at a library…most people don’t know the difference. Though all props to those who are trained.

**June – The Dean Brothers’ Get Fired Up
July – The Everything Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Desserts cookbook
August – Main Course Salads (agreed: “A lot of work for a salad”)
September – The Greatest Ever Jewish Recipe Book
October – The Dead Celebrity Cookbook (disappointing, but of course)
November – 1896 Boston Cooking School Cook Book (early Fanny Farmer)
December –Appetizers, Finger Foods, Buffets and Parties (we missed this one when the car died)
January – The Soprano’s Family Cookbook (surprisingly good!)
February – Our own family recipes

11 comments:

Margaret said...

I love the idea of a Cookbook Club and wonder when that idea will catch on in New Zealand. Mind you I am still looking for a local book club to join.

Thoeria said...

I absolutely love the idea of your Cookbook Club!! Sounds like a fun way to get social and meet new people while eating yummy foods!
So...because you've missed a 2- thread-a-day or so....does that mean you're going to be making it up and having a 4-thread-a-day somewhere? :D

Margaret said...

Cookbook club sounds so cool! What a great idea for sure. Love your mermaid. And I so relate on the losing the Teresa Layman -- Hate it when that sort of thing happens, and it happens too often these days.

Linda said...

The Cookbook Club sounds like fun. You always make me smile with your silly stories Nikki. Glad you found the missing pieces. Great progress on these.

Linda

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Great idea for trying new recipes and meeting new friends. See what happens when you get everything organized? :-) That is a sweet mermaid piece!

Robin said...

Cookbook Club is a really cook idea. I like it! So funny finding your pieces right where you put them. OMGosh how many times have a organized and arranged only to scratch my head later and think...where did I put that? Hope you get your two threads in this long weekend.

Needle Nicely said...

I understand your not stitching. I went to the TNNA winter market last weekend and stitched on the plane to and fro, but didn't stitch there or since I have returned. Must get my mojo back since I have a "stitching" blog (tough to maintain without stitching, she says wryly).
Love the idea of the cookbook club, though question that early Fanny Farmer.

Jennifer said...

The Cookbook Club sounds like so much fun! I don't think it would catch on here in Pottstown, sadly.

I've always called everyone who worked in the library a "librarian". I didn't know you had to have a degree to be called librarian.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I haven't got a Library Degree so my official title was "The New Library Miss" which is what the pupils all called me to distinguish me from my boss "The Old Library Miss" and my predecessor "That Other Library Miss".

You have some great projects in your rotation, I do like the mermaid.

The cookery book club sounds fun but I don't fancy cooking and eating a Dead Celebrity at all!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

An underwater girl party in a bag ;) I like it! And I like all of your stitching, in fact visiting you, I have found many things that I want to stitch. This visit I'm off to look up Tall Guys. I bet they are Nutcrackers? They look darling so far!
What an interesting group to belong to, I bet that is not only fun, but fabulous food, conversations and such!
have a good week!

Sharon said...

Oh, that cookbook club sounds fun! I can't imagine having over 2000 cookbooks. Your stitching looks pretty-loving all the vibrant colors.