Beets!

This is not a recipe. This is a how-to.

Christine's "I-want-to-be-damn-sure-my-husband-won't-complain-about-the-lack-of-salad" beets:

Break the roots off the beet greens. Keep for later use (unless you already used them, in which case this step is already done).

Wash the beet greens - they're really flat, so I didn't sweat this too much, just rubbed the whole mass of them together.

Grab the cleaver, and make any neighbours who pass by glad that they're not beet greens. Repeat with some garlic. (I laid the beet greens with the stems in the same direction, and cut every 3-4 cm, so the stems are in pieces, and the leaves are in strips. I used a couple of tablespoons of garlic).

Jam everything in a casserole and steam until done.

As it turns out there might be something to the recipe in the Joy, it looks like frying it with bacon fat would have worked well. (I'm aware that the recipe calls for using actual bacon, but let's be realistic).

Blocks

So, as you can see, I finally got the blocks done. The 21-month-old for whom they were made enjoys them, prompting his mother to comment that he wasn't letting her build anything. (He's 21 months. Enjoying them means that he knocks down towers). They do spell his name in different colours, and although they look a little less crisp after he stood on them a few times, they seem to be holding up. They're based off of the blocks in the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing (they have good projects in there, what can I say). I just had major issues with their design, so I didn't really follow the size. Or the given seam allowance. Or the method for closing up. So I guess you could say that they're inspired by those blocks.

Yes, I cut all those felt letters and numbers out. (Ok, in fairness Allan did 6 of them). Yes, I sewed them all on. Yes, I cut out all the canvas, yes I did all the sewing & trimming of seam allowances & hand stitching to close them. Allan has said he intends to help with the next set a little more (we're starting them right away so that we have lots of time). However, I really doubt that we're going to change our minds on the "only ever making 4 more sets of these". If you have to ask, you're probably not getting one. At least not one with letters and numbers.

False Alarm

I apologise to leaving all one of you reading this hanging. The knitting crisis was solved with a potato masher & a plastic bucket.

Well this is embarassing

So I seem to have found a knitting technique I can't do. And the worst of it is that I left it too long, and it's close enough to Christmas that I might have to actually give up on this.

That Homemade Look

So now that the baby (who I'm sure doesn't use the internet much) has received his gifts, I can show you the pencil pillow I made:
It's from the Readers' Digest Complete Guide to Sewing, and I mostly followed the instructions. I hadn't seen any pictures of it online, so here we go. Sorry there's none with a scale factor, it was just past my waist if I stood it on end on the ground. There's a few mistakes, one of which was me not examining the pattern for what wasn't said carefully enough (there's a trick to turning the point that I forgot about), one was me not thinking when I changed the pattern (no, you cannot do machine top-stitching after you stuff it. Trust me.) One of the problems, however, brings up an interesting philosophical point. The appliqué lettering has issues. Now, had I made the pencil without the letters, it would have been fine. It would fall on the "handmade" side of the "homemade" vs "handmade" dilemma from the knitters' point of view. At least, it could have. But, without the letters, the pencil wouldn't have been quite as good. And the portion without the letters is just as good as it would have been either way. I know that I personally would feel better if I make something simple well, than if I make something fancy poorly, even if I show the same level of skill each time. But when I add something complex to something simple, where does that fall?

And I need to share that having a mechanical engineer around the house is great for sewing, not just for fitting stuff (and knitting). Look at what Allan suggested so that I could more easily do the topstitching:
See that tape? Genius I tell you. (I didn't have a marking on the plate, because I was using the edge of the feed dog, because the topstitching needed to be right at the edge).

Martha and Mary, again

The lectionary gospel reading recently was the story of Mary and Martha. I've always had a hard time with this one. I am very much like Martha, who appears to be in serious trouble in this story. It's a really strong resemblance. When we had "The Sons of Martha" read for us I had a really hard time seeing how it says that life might be better if we cared more for the finer things - i.e. if we were more like the sons of Mary. I'm still not sure that I see it that way. And yet this gospel story seems so clear - it's better to lead the contemplative life than to fret about cooking and cleaning.

Fortunately theology has evolved to recognise that our bodies are important too. Yes, there's still recognition that those who are called to consecrated life have a harder time, because it is so much more counter-cultural, but it's generally understood (especially by theologians) that other calls are just as valid and just as holy - not merely second chances for those who can't cut it with the "good" call. I remember explaining in confession that really, I did corporeal acts of mercy. I'm not very good at the spiritual ones. My confessor at the time reassured me that that wasn't a loss, it was still good service. But yet the story remains.

So after mass I talked to Father Con about it. I told him my dilemma, and how it seemed very clear-cut (but impractical) in the story. He pointed out to me that I needed to remember the context. Why did Luke feel the need to include this story? What was he trying to say? The key message here is to focus on what's important. Don't let yourself get distracted by minutiae. If you serve by cooking and cleaning, then focus on that, but make sure that you focus on the service, not on the cleaning.

I think I can do that. It won't be easy, but it's possible. Which makes it sound much more correct to me.

Attack!

So I think I saw a crow raiding a nest today. While waiting for the bus I heard a starling giving the oddest cry - it sounded almost like a juvenile, but this was clearly an adult bird. I watched it fly in a large circle and land on a roof - next to a crow. Frankly, that part was cool enough - I had heard the bird calling for help in chasing out a crow. (No other starlings ever came, by the way). The starling stood on the roof by the crow for a while, and then backed off to the nearby tree, screeching all the while.

The cool part came when I noticed that the crow was poking its head into a crack behind the eaves trough. Now, I watched it very closely, and it never pulled anything out, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there was a nest in there. I don't know if it was gulping eggs/nestlings down really quickly, or if it couldn't reach. But either way, it was cool.

In Memoriam

I'm fairly sure that anyone reading this already knows, but last week a good friend of mine died at the end of a long illness. The difference in this case is that there are many people with whom he worked who was unaware that he wasn't perfectly healthy. Jeff Aho, a former classmate and good friend of mine, committed suicide. Various people found out at different times, and it always came as a surprise, because he seemed so normal. I know that he, and probably others, felt at times that he should just be happy, but it never worked out that way, no matter how many different treatment options he tried.

Jeff, you were a wonderful person, and for as long as I knew you you always cared deeply for the people around you. The last message we have from you is that you're sorry, and Jeff, I forgive you.

It's Winter

You know I have issues with the whole idea of "growing up" when the highlight of my morning was walking across a snowy field. Specifically the part where I walked into the ditch (I knew it was there) that was completely invisible because the blowing snow had filled it in. It was halfway to my knees! (I LOVE the shock cords at the top of my boots).

In other news, it's not cold enough for the amount of clothing that's needed to be comfortable. I'm not going out with a bare face, or without my splash pants, so the weather needs to fix itself.

Dear Pedestrians

Just because I am biking there, it doesn't mean that it is a road. There is no need for you to hug the LEFT on a multi-use path. Please bear this in mind when I pass you on the right.

That will be all, thank you.

Now to figure out training...

I know I'm possibly jumping the gun a little bit, but I've already figured out what I'm going to do for the Knitting Olympics. After all, athletes know years in advance what they're hoping to get to do at the Olympics. It's definitely an Olympian task. I am going to get my shawl blocked. I'm not quite sure how much I'm going to try to hold myself to "properly", because at the rate I've been going (tried and given up twice so far, been over a year since I finished the knitting), getting it done at all is a good job.

Maybe I should re-block my navy shawl thingy, it does need it, as training. I really don't want to take time out and knit something new in lace just for blocking practice. I have a pair of socks to knit after all. (And a couple of other Christmas gifts, that I'm fairly sure are safe to name here, but are going to be quiet just in case).

Allan, I apologise in advance for the lack of floor space.

Dear Undergrads

I understand that some of you might have cultural issues with sticking your hand up in the air so I can see it easily, however calling me over is more disruptive, and calls more attention to yourself. Nor will it seem rude if you're more aggressive - we appreciate being able to see you, and know that you are trying to get our attention in a large room, and do so quietly. Sticking your hand up to about head height makes it very difficult for us to tell if you're trying to get our attention, or if you just stick your hand up there to think. Waving at me only once I look your way is a) a waste of your time, because then you have to watch for me and b) likely to get you second in line to get your question answered, because I always go to the person whose hand I saw first (thank you for not complaining about this at all by the way).

Oh, and if this is injury, please ignore the above.

However, unless you can match the last excuse I heard for why the guy had a cellphone out (he had an exemption as his wife was expecting), don't give me a hard time when I tell you to put your cellphone away. Especially when you can easily see the clock from where you are.

That is all. Thank you. (And if you're one of the ones reading this blog, you know I love you, and that there's no way you were causing these problems in the first place).

Ok, I probably should have known on my own

But if you search the CRA website for how to change your name and address, it doesn't say that you need to have your return from last year in front of you! The only info from my return that I've ever needed with them is line 150, so I wrote that out... shame that's not what they asked.

What the Rabbit Heard After 45 Minutes of Reviewing a Document

Oh, can you read this while it's upside down like this?

In his defence I hadn't needed to read it before, I was just doing so to follow along with him familiarizing himself with it.

I know you have a reputation, but...

Ok geese. Bear in mind that you are known for tasting good. In fact, a certain faculty of engineering legend is a legend in part because one of you were turned into his Easter dinner. I know that you are known for not having sense, but when I get within a half metre of you, you really shouldn't wait for me to look directly at you and go

"You look like dinner!"

before you start to slowly shuffle off. This also holds true for you not getting up when I walk next to you, carrying a heavy weight. If I need to remind you that you're dinner, I'm going to be right before too long.

I think I need to look into how to clean birds...

Disturbing

It scares me sometimes, just how much importance is placed on academics. If you get good marks, it's assumed that you'll do well in the workplace. Presumably the converse is also true. Given the number of people I know with learning disabilities, I have serious issues with this. (I have issues with it for other reasons, but I digress).

Say What you Mean!

It bothers me that any instance of being unclear in what you say, too wordy, overly technical, or demonstrating that the person you're talking to doesn't have a vocabulary appropriate to their grade level is considered to be the use of big words. Clearly, big means something other than what I was taught as a preschooler. Jam has some commenters referring to her use of big words.

Now, that is an example of tech speak. Not a severe one - I'd be willing to put that in a report, it's reasonably clear. However, it's hardly using big words! At least when I got told that "tact" was a big word (this was by a peer in grade 6 by the way) they could claim that it was a complex word. (They were wrong, but they can claim that and I understand what they're saying).

If someone complains that the words I'm using are too confusing, my response is to use simpler words, not to be less detailed in what I'm saying. If, instead, the problem lies in how the (quite mainstream) words are being used, communications will not have been improved at all. Ironic that the original complaint was about lack of communication, eh?

It's been a while

For i = nGapNum to Gaps.Length -2
Gaps(i+1) = Gaps(i)
Next

About 80 cm

http://xkcd.com/625/

It depends, of course, on what versions you have.

Coding

Coding and motion-sensing light controls apparently don't go well together. Despite me bobbing along to GBS while I was working...

So many Dilbert cartoons make far too much sense right now.

(This may have something to do with me being in the corner, but that just means that someone screwed up royally).