Thursday, March 26, 2020

One Week on Wednesday

Neck Warmer



Another View


























I knitted this neck warmer with wool leftover from knitting a pair of socks, earlier.  I had envisioned a slightly different style of neck warmer - one that crossed over in the front to form a V and was held in place by buttons.  However, since I was using leftover wool, I didn't have quite enough to make it long enough to overlap in the front.  Instead, I just sewed the ends together to make a loop.  It is big enough to slip over my head and snug enough to keep my neck warm, but, not so snug that I feel constrained by it.  I finished sewing it up, earlier this month (but, forgot to post a picture), and have worn it almost daily!  I find that as long as my neck is wrapped warmly, I feel warmer.

Today (Wednesday) marks one week of self isolation for me.  The last time I went out of the house to run errands was on Wednesday of last week, when I went to get my taxes done and to the post office to mail the forms to my daughter.  The only person I've seen since then (other than a neighbor or two when they stood several feet away, in their yards, and we waved at each other) has been M when he came to tend to the garden on Friday.  I am perfectly fine, staying at home, except for the general anxiety about the reason for staying at home!  But, one of the benefits, if one can call it that, from all this is, I no longer have people asking me, "So, what do you do the whole day, now that you are retired?"  LOL.  I felt obliged to be doing things, going places, etc., once I retired.  Instead, I am now doing what I've always wanted to do - staying home and relaxing!

Today, I made waffles for brunch.  I make them with a boxed pancake mix, following the recipe for waffles that is printed on the box: 2 cups of the mix, 1 1/3 cups of water, 2 tbsp. oil, all mixed together to make the batter.  Heat the waffle iron, grease it with butter or oil, pour some of the batter, and bake until the light goes off.  Pry open the waffle iron which won't open because the waffle is stuck to both top and bottom, and scrape the waffle which is now split into two, horizontally, with the spatula.  Sigh.  I had washed the waffle iron the last time I used it and, I guess, I didn't "season" it well enough before I made the first waffle, today.  Even the second waffle proved to be stubborn and refused to come out in one piece.  But, the rest of the waffles turned out well.  But, I didn't waste the waffle bits I scraped off - I ate them too!  I had some of the waffles with the spicy onion sambol and the scraped off bits with a little syrup.  Later in the evening, when I had my evening tea, I ate another waffle.  The remaining waffles have been covered and stored in the fridge for breakfast, tomorrow.

The morning was somewhat cloudy and overcast and it rained in the afternoon!  I didn't go for a walk, today.   Instead, I stayed indoors, washed the dishes, tidied the kitchen, practiced the piano (twice!), made a birthday card (sorry, didn't take a picture), chatted with neighbor T, friend R, and cousin P, tried to knit a scarf and took it apart, again, because I didn't like how it looked, watched news, cleaned up after Dancer (it's hairball time!), and video chatted with my daughter.  It's day 9 of staying at home, for her. 

For dinner, I ate some cucumber salad, some of the roast beef/pot roast from yesterday, and raw cashews and dried raisins for dessert. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- The rain to water the garden
- Neck warmers
- Phone calls, etc. and keeping in touch with family and friends
- Kind blog comments
- Waffle irons

Today's joyful activity was video chatting with my daughter.  She made a loaf of pumpkin bread, today, with whole wheat flour, honey, and maple syrup:

Daughter's Pumpkin Bread


How was your Wednesday?  Are you being required to stay at home, too?  If so, how are you doing?

8 comments:

  1. I bet your waffles were good regardless of what they looked like.

    Your neck warmer sounds like it's just perfect for keeping you warm around the house. I never got the hang of cabling. Whenever I tried it my cables just don't look right so I tend to avoid making anything with a cable. Which is too bad because I do like the look of them on a knitted garment.

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    1. They were pretty good, Debra. I love waffles!

      When I first heard of neck warmers, I thought why bother, a scarf would work just as well. But, I decided to give it a try and now, I find myself using it all the time! LOL. Cabling is a bit of extra work, but, I like how it looks. I'm sorry your cabling doesn't look right - maybe it is your stitch tension? Do you knit "tightly" or "loosely"? I tend to knit loosely.

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  2. Oh, that pumpkin bread looks delicious! I love your neck warmer, too. Yes, I have been staying home, like you. I enjoy it. It's relaxing and comforting. I feel for my friends in New York. It's very scary there right now.

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    1. Thank you, Stephenie.

      Yes, we are safe at home, aren't we, with plenty to do (or not!)

      One of my cousins has a daughter who lives in New York. She is a pharmacist, so, considered an essential worker. My cousin is worried about her and her other daughter, too, who is a nurse (but, in San Diego).

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  3. It's great how something simple like a neck warmer can make you feel warmer over all. I tend to put on a scarf if I don't have a high necked sweater. I almost envy those waffle scrapings. I have a weakness for broken cookies and always eat the smallest pieces of chips or fries first.
    I can now confirm that one should not give up on 7 year old
    yeast! I decided to proof one packet and after 10 minutes it seemed something was really happening but the house was cool and I decided to put the cup with the yeast mixture into the oven with the light on. When I checked it an hour or so later, I was amazed to find that it was all spongy and had climbed over the edge of the cup and some was on the oven floor! It was easy to clean up. I couldn't use the rest as it wasn't enough, and besides, it was damp and rainy, probably not a good day to make bread anyway. But tomorrow I will try with another of the two remaining packets.

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    1. As I mentioned in an earlier reply to a comment, when I first heard about these neck warmers, I thought, why bother with a neck warmer when a scarf would do, but, now, I reach for the neck warmer instead of a scarf!

      Yay, for the yeast! Oops, sorry about it overflowing, but, good to know! There is still hope for my packet of yeast! I have dreams of using it to make a sourdough starter! Need to read up a little bit more before I do anything!

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  4. Your "how-to" instructions for making waffles had me laughing. I've never made waffles myself so I found your description quite funny, as I could imagine mine would come out exactly like YOUR directions. I bet they taste heavenly.

    I love the cable knit of your neck warmer and I certainly understand why wearing one would make you feel very warm in cooler temperatures. I could never wear one of those fancy neck scarves that were so fashionable because anything wrapped around my neck makes me feel over-heated. I must be hot-blooded.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed my waffle making directions! :D Now, if you ever want to make waffles, you'll know just how to do it! Or not! LOL. I do admit to liking waffles. :)

      That particular cable is one of my favorites. I have to keep my neck warm, except in the summer, because, otherwise, I feel cold! I am cold blooded! It's about 68F inside the house, right now, and I am wearing socks, jeans, a blouse, a sweater, a knitted poncho, and my neck warmer and trying not to give into the urge to turn on the heater!

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