Where Are My Royalties?

Way back in 2006 I posted about making bread in my bread machine and how I didn't like the hole left in the bread by the paddle.

Recently I had to purchase a new machine as my old one was leaking. I liked the features on my machine especially the delay option, and the size both of the machine and the loaves made. So I was looking for something similar. Considering that Superstore is my shop of choice I was a little dismayed that they did not sell bread machines. Yikes that meant going somewhere else - in the winter. I was soon appeased as Canadian Tire had a sale on some bread machines.

A new machine was purchased. The same make as I had before. Two functions that my old machine had that I miss on this machine, are letting you know where you are when going through all the options and letting you know where it is in the dough/baking cycle.

But what it does have that is an improvement on the old, the paddles drops during baking. No more big holes. So come on Breadman surely I'm owed something for my idea!

Winter

In December I posted photos of hat and mittens to show that I was ready for winter but I haven't commented on the weather to let you know that winter is here. Our first big snowfall and freeze hit the night of 15 November and temperatures stayed cold and it continued to snow most days for a good week and a half. We have had a number of snowfalls since then of varying amounts. Last weekend it was very windy. We didn't have much snow but Monday I cleared about a foot of snow from the driveway that had been blown there over the weekend.

Here is a photo of the trees in our front yard after we had an inch or so of snow one night in December and then there is a photo of a Chinook after Christmas.

Starting the Year Off Right

On 1st of January l finished a second sock. I had been really trying to finish it by 31 December but the last rows of ribbing had to wait for the New Year. Here is a photo of them being worn and then a photo to show the pattern close up. The pattern is easier than it looks although rather fiddly as there was much manipulation of stitches. Not something that I could work on while watching a subtitled film.


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Pattern details.

Pattern: The pattern is by Caoua Coffee and available on Ravelry.com

Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns, Alpaca Sox. Bought in Denver - see bottom photo in this post.

I have started and finished two other projects this year already - photos to follow. And the oldest project I have was started when l went to Texas so I am not doing badly for completing projects; although I have a new lace project on the needles which will be a long term project.

New Year, New Resolutions

Unfortunately Not

I am going to reference this post. Especially this sentence:- "But if I continue knitting at least one pair a month I will finish the year with much less sock yarn than I started the year." Just one problem with that, I bought more sock yarn. So not only is this year The Year of the Sock it is also The Year of Not Buying Sock Yarn. As well as socks, I am going to try to use up all the dishcloth cotton stashed away. I have a few unused balls but it is mainly part balls left over from all the dishcloths I made in 2009. It will be nice to use up most of it. And as I completed the lace shawl I have started another lace project which will be my long term project.