Back from the dead… with a warning

Guess what I found…

Oh noes! You found it! I’ll have to hide the computer cord better next time….

Yup, I finally found the camera cord so now I can show you some of the wonderful things I’ve been holding in reserve.

Before I get to that though, I just want to take a moment to give a warning.

I recently started a new job in an office, and I needed a wardrobe to go with this change. Usually when I buy new clothes I’ll wash them before I wear them, but this time I just wore them pretty well right out of the bag.

I am never

Ever

Doing

That

Again.

Excuse the really bad pictures of me, these shorts don’t do me any favours but I wanted to show the extent of it. And if you think this is bad, double it, and then add on crazy amounts of irritation. It feels worse than my worst sunburn.

There was something in the manufacturing that I reacted badly with. I have a rash that seems almost like a burn on my skin in places where the fabric rubbed. It’s all up the inside of my thighs (and I think the only reason it’s not down each calf is because I was wearing knee highs), on the back of my thighs where I sit on the pants, and all around my hips where the waistline sits.

It’s not just one pair of pants either, but a couple different pairs that have been causing this. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a lubricant or oil from the sewing machines because it seems to be worst by the seams.

I just wanted to mention this in hopes of saving someone else the irritation and pain I’m going through right now. I tried one of my moisturizers (it’s what I use on sunburns) and that just made it burn more, so I think there’s nothing much to do but wait it out and if it’s not gone by the weekend, call my doctor.

These pictures are also for proof for if it’s not just a manufacturing thing but is just one pair of pants (the ones that started it) and that the other pants just irritated it a bit more. If those pants cause this issue even after I wash them, I’m contacting the company because there’s something definitely wrong here.

Till next time (with knitting content!)

So…. boring

I know, it’s been horrible and quiet around here. I have an excuse.

I don’t like my blog to be just typing and words. Some bloggers do, but I know my words are usually not that interesting, funny or entertaining and I like to break it up with at least a picture or two. I’m not an author, I just write what I think… and that’s not much sometimes.

So, the reason I haven’t been posting with lovely pictures… Peari, my wonder kitty, has run off with the cord to my camera. This wouldn’t be a problem as normally she just moves these things to another room, but this time she has hidden it. Hidden it quite well actually. Which isn’t saying much due to the state of my apartment right now.

Which means I have some major cleaning to do, but I’m also deadline knitting right now.. so rest assured, I will be returning with my posting (I actually have my Christmas post begun but it stalled when I realized I couldn’t access my pictures).

I just need to find my $*(&(*&*( cord.

Till next time.

Of Recipe Boxes and Cheesy Crisps

Just to update on Peari, we took her to the vet yesterday and she got a completely clean bill of health. She’s a perfect weight and has no problems at all that can be seen. We’ve scheduled her booster and rabies shot for a couple of weeks from now and she’ll be getting spayed at the end of January (we want to give her a chance to get used to us and the apartment before taking her for a big surgery). So yay!

Now, Kay over at Mason-Dixon Knitting is asking people for their recipe boxes and favourite recipes. I have one recipe box, but it was inherited from my Mother-in-Law and is currently rather boring on the outside.

I’m going to have to get some stickers or something to make it a much cooler looking box. However I like the fact that I can look through the top at the dividers.. not sure why that’s so important to me, but it is. It does have a nice separator section so that you can find the type of recipes you’re looking for really quick.

This however is more of the “starting out in your own place beginner recipes” type of recipe box with a few extra recipes thrown in from magazines.

My personal recipe storage is on the fridge…

This way my most used and favourite recipes are at my fingertips when I need them. I’m thinking I need to get a binder soon like the Heathen Housewife because I’m very quickly running out of fridge space.

The recipe I’m going to share is one of my favourites. It’s a recipe I got from my Step-mother (she of the nifty knitting bag), and she makes it every time I go over to visit her. These Easy Peasy Cheese Crisps are a wonderful way to use up Rice Krispies when you get sick of making the dessert snacks. These are delicious and perfect for entertaining.

I made a half batch of these today and got about 30 crisps, when my Step-Mom makes it she gets close to 90.

Easy Peasy Cheese Crisps

1 tub Imperial Cheese (like margarine only it’s spreadable cheese)
1 C Butter
Dash Salt
1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 C Flour
4 C Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 350 F

Allow butter and cheese to reach room temperature (or put them in the microwave on defrost for about 45 seconds). Mix together with a fork. Add Salt and Worcestershire Sauce, then slowly add flour and Rice Krispies.

When well mixed, put a small dollop on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Press down with a fork. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. (These crisps don’t rise or grow so you can place them fairly close together).

Bake in the oven for up to 15 minutes. (Ovens may vary, I usually start with 8 minutes, then go 11, then up to 15. You want the crisps to start looking a tiny bit brown around the edges).

Pull out of oven and let cool, they’re really delicious while warm with a bit of red pepper jelly.

It almost sounds harder than it is. These seriously take about 5 minutes to mix up and the 15 to cook. Totally a last minute entertaining specialty for me.

Peari however is a bit miffed with me.

“Mom won’t let me on the counter when she’s baking.”

Till next time.

Meet Peari the new star of the Blog

I hope everyone had a good holiday, Christmas was great for us (all 7 of them >.<), I’ll get to a post about that some other day, but right now we will interrupt the knitting fun with the tale of how Peari came home.

C’s mom recently had to put down her dog (about a month ago), and had gotten lonely without him around. She went to the SPCA, wanting to adopt an adult cat (knowing that kittens get adopted really easily), and was playing with a lovely orange tabby named Alicia. However when she mentioned that she travels up north 3 hours and back once a week, the adoption agency said it’d be too hard on Alicia and that she’d be better to go with a kitten instead so that the kitten could get used to the traveling.

For the next week or so, C’s mom was trying to get someone, anyone to adopt Alicia, seeing as the cat had been there for 4 months. We went and checked Alicia out on Boxing Day, and she was a wonderful cat, she was quite fat, but really affectionate and lovely. However, our apartment was still in a state of Christmas chaos and we wanted to have a chance to clean it up before bringing the cat home.

When we went into the adoption center the next day, Alicia was gone. The poor cat was sitting at the adoption agency for 4 months, and then on the same day, 3 different families (us included) all wanted her. At least she’s in a loving home.

The next day we decided we wanted to go back to check out the other cats, and I checked online to see what cats were available. My first view of Peari was her picture on the website, it wasn’t exactly the best pic.

It’s kind of a little kitty mugshot.

When we went into the adoption agency, there were two cats, Pear, and Banana. When I went up to the cages, Pear (who is 2.5-3 years old) hopped up and was right at the edge to come see me and get pet, while Banana hid. They were both from the same home. This home had 3 cats and a dog all taken from it. Pear and Banana were both really skinny. Pear however had decided that she wanted to come home with us and pretty much latched onto me. (She’s still got her claws which is fine).

When we got her home (complete with toys, carrying case, food, and treats) and let her out of her carrying case. Now the adoption agency told us that most cats hide for a good couple of hours until they get comfortable. Pear however (who was still Pear at this point) pretty much made herself at home.

“This carpet is mine.. and isn’t my tummy oh so soft and pettable?”

After a little while, we were trying to decide on names, C kept throwing out ideas and when he said “Peariwinkle” because she’s been “Pear” for a bit and we can call her “Peari”, it stuck.

“I love my people and I’m totally a Daddy’s girl”

She is very people oriented, she checks things out and likes to lie beneath the futon and the bed but especially likes to make sure we’re here. If she hasn’t seen us for a while she will meowl for us until we call her and she finds us.

However we both agree that we think in her other home she had to fight the other cats and maybe the dog for her food because she doesn’t really eat unless we’re sitting by her, and actually likes us to have our hands by the food bowl to protect it, and even then she’s looks around for any other animals. She gets distracted by any noise and needs to check it out before she comes back to eat. We’re hoping she calms down and realizes all her food and toys are hers and hers alone.

At least in our home she’s going to get tons of love, and all the petting she needs.

Now I need to get started on a Wendyknits cat bed and some Feline Dim Sum from knitty. We also need to get her a bigger cat toy, she can totally stretch to the top of the one we got her without even trying.

“Give me a few hours and I’ll have these humans in the palms of my paws.. next up.. THE WORLD!”

Till next time.