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In the Meat of the Holiday Sandwich

Christmas with the family.  For some people, it’s a stressful, anxiety-ridden occasion marked by an overconsumption of eggnog (in addition to every other edible holiday item) and a rush to pack your bags and get back home.  For others, it’s a relaxing time to celebrate the good things in life with good company.  For me, it was a little bit of both this year – I ate more than my fill of EVERYTHING, but I enjoyed every moment spent in the kitchen or at the dinning room table playing Scrabble, eating a hearty helping of some unbelievable Filipino food, laughing at stories about each other or the kids, and talking smack while battling for every last point while playing Pictionary Man (If you’ve never played Pictionary Man before, go out and get it now!  It’s the same basic premise as the original Pictionary but with a great twist).

Christmas Eve Dinner at Mama and Papa’s

I complain about how quickly Christmas rushes up on me, leaving me little time to enjoy the holiday warmth (which I feel was missing in the general public this year) and play the same Christmas soundtrack a sickening number of times.  When it comes down to it though, I always get what Zach’s mom calls the “holiday hangover,” brought on by putting so much into the the coming festivities and enjoying them that when they go away, I’m left feeling a little empty because, sigh, it’s all over.

This precise time of the year is a little odd because Christmas is over, but the New Year’s celebrations have yet to begin.  Because of this, my 2010 holiday hangover will hold itself at bay until we are officially into 2011.  How will you usher in 2011?  I’m seeing a happy house full of more family, a crackling fire, and, of course, more food!

Complete tangent: I really like the movie “Practical Magic.”  Not sure why it’s playing on a loop on cable, but who doesn’t like to imagine a little magic in their life?

Happy upcoming New Year’s!

The Inevitable Holiday Post

Half tree 2010

I’ve finally reached it: The end of my holiday shopping.  No more mall walking.  No more hours spent in front of the computer putting things in my shopping cart numerous times before finally hitting the “Submit Order” button.  No more agonizing over that one last gift.  No sirree.  My attention has now been turned to that usually last-minute thought of stocking stuffers.  This year I’ve decided to make them not so last-minute.

Once upon a time, I was called “crafty” and “creative.”  Besides the very occasionally knitted scarf or hat, I’ve bemoaned my lack of handmade handiworks.  So this year I’ve decided to make my stocking stuffers.  And what better thing to make than something edible?

I think of all the honestly mindless stuffers I’ve thrown into my cart at the store, desperate to be done with the financial part of this holiday.  And I think of how those things were most likely quickly forgotten and enjoyed so momentarily.  Sure, eating something produces only momentary enjoyment too, but at least I know that what’s getting eaten and not lost under the couch cushions or left to roll underneath the cars seats on the drive home.

I’m working on three varieties of pretzel sweetness to tantalize taste buds and stuff some stockings:

The classic combination: peanut butter and chocolate

Soon to be drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with sea salt

Dipped in a Nutella/chocolate mix

It’s really helping me get in the holiday mood. There’s football on tv, pretzels drying in the kitchen, a tree glowing in the living room, and a general holiday bustle moving around the house.

Happy holidays!

Come on, Coupon

I was so proud of “Beatnik.”  It was knitting up well, I was fixing any miscrossed cables, I was making good progress…until I realized that it was knitting up too small.  You see, I have an issue with checking what they call gauge.  Yeah.  So that beautiful partial piece of green knitwear to your right has been

Bye for now, Beatnik.  We’ll meet again when I buy a pair of size 9 needles.  Which, incidentally, probably won’t be for a while considering that I finally started to do my holiday shopping.

In the age of the internet, when coupon codes and free shipping are abundant, I have managed to order things from websites that don’t offer either of those things.  I once wielded the power of buying a $75 pair of shoes for $55 with no tax or shipping charges.  Not today, my friends.  The internet is not that magical shopping mall for me tonight.  But it’s the internet.  There will be something new tomorrow.

sNOw? Yes!

Today I saw the first snow of the year.  I had to sit still for a while and focus on the air flowing past the big glass windows at work, but I definitely saw it.  Although it didn’t amount to much more than some white dust in the ridges of my windshield wipers, seeing if fly around outside was just what I needed to be ready for it.  My scarf is out, I’ve donned my winter hat, I’ve switched from my fall coat to my full on wooly one, all I need are some good socks and I’ll be fully transitioned into my winter outer wear.  Most people lose socks in that Bermuda Triangle known as the dryer, but I’ve been known to poke holes in mine.  I’m not sure how it happens, exactly, and no sock is spared.  In my unprofessional opinion, I don’t have any toes that are significantly or noticeably longer than the others in an irregular way, so my sock hole-poking ability is as much a mystery to me as someone’s hungry dryer is.

I’ve been filling my nights with Fatima Bhutto’s “Songs of Blood and Sword” and Beatnik.  I’m not sure what possessed me to pick up “Songs” specifically, but I had a sudden urge for non-fiction and since it doesn’t come around often, I thought I’d run with it.  And since knitting season is upon us, I thought I’d be ambitious and pick up Beatnik as a side project.  I’m loving it so far!  The cables are knitting up nicely and I love the green that I’m working with.  My one worry is that I should have knitted one size up, but I’m going to keep going in the hopes that 1) I really did pick the right size or 2) I can block it so that it becomes the right size.

Here’s my progress so far:

Working on the back
Seeing it in a different (dimmer) light
Close cables.  Aren’t they delicious?

I’m hoping to have this done before the cold goes away.  Having it done period would be a feat, too.  I’m notorious for filing away more ambitious projects like this one before they mature in lieu of scarves and coffee coozies.  Pre-New Year’s resolution #1: Finish what you start.

Anew with Knitting

I’ve decided to reinvent my blog and my cyber self.  Say “hello” to Crushedcorn anew.  I’m rollin’ a fancy schmancy new blog (not really, but I’m a huge polka dot fan) and a new focus: knitting.  That doesn’t mean knitting will be my exclusive topic, but it will be something to keep me on track.  Keep an eye on the right menus for exciting additions and to see what I’m whipping up on my needles, and check back for updates and just to show your love.  I’m looking forward to writing out my thoughts, even if it’s just for myself, and to knitting up more than scarves and hats (gloves seem apropos).

I’d love to hear about what you’re knitting and what you’re obsessing about, so keep me updated and I promise to return the favor!