The Knitting Gamer

My Morning Post on G+

Shoot all targets and complete objectives - check
finish match with full extraction of team - check
Pick up knitting while waiting for page to load - check

#masseffect3   #knittingismyobsession  

Knitting has become a large part of my life. I can be found sitting at the kitchen table, knitting and playing Magic the Gathering or other games with the family or grabbing my needles while waiting for loading screens on my PS3 or PC.  Today it was knitting a sock while playing Mass Effect 3 multiplayer with the husband.

I can be found gaming "badly" on PS3 and Steam.

Knit or Crochet! That is the question!

I hadn't realized that I had never blogged about teaching myself to knit. I started last February right before I turn 48. I am still slow but learning steadily.

Since I have crochet off and on since I was probably 7, I am using those skills too. Guess what, learning to knit is making me a better crocheter..

My first ever knitting project with a beanie, cowl and finger-less mitts for the Evil Child.... Surprisingly she actually wears them, even after I had to fix the brim by crocheting it.

My first work in the round a simple purled cowl

Best Friend Head bands for Evil Child and Bestie

Easy as Pie Shawl with has been Frogged (ripped out) due to silly mistake...I was almost done. Starting it again soon

Boneyard Scarf by Stephen West 

which I still need to block!

The beanie and scarf I knitted for my father-in-law, but modeled by the husband and his porn 'stache

My first ever pair of socks and a crochet hacky sack...The cats demanded.

Orko the Magnificent/Terrible with her spoils of war...The boys didn't stand a chance.

Grannie Squares...For the husband's diamond patterned afghan..king size

Current sock knitting project...number 2... I hope to finish today.

If I was faster I would never buy another pair of socks!

Merry Christmas ..

Today my family will have Christmas dessert due to the kindness of a stranger. Jason went to work this morning and was gifted two pumpkin pies. It has been a tough year for us. I have been so depressed since I feel it is my fault that our Christmas isn't what I assume it should be. I am lucky that my wonderful husband and kid really don't care about all those extras. They haven't even complained that we are short on food and I couldn't do the seasonal baking. I cried when he called to tell me about those two silly pumpkin pies, something that I would have normally baked myself.

There might not have been a ton of presents but we made our tightened finances work. I am so glad that  the few stores I did shop allowed me to use a sort of layaway (even when they don't have layaway programs) The Book Stan game store in Killeen, TX rocks! Some game store owners in this area have earned my eternal gratitude and patronage. I was able to get two presents each for the husband and kid because I paid them off over time. I was able to add to the family game library with Gloom and Munchkins because of the same reason. (the family gift)

My gifts.. a simple sterling silver wedding band and a Pink Floyd shirt... I cried at the beauty of the band that Jason gave me. I had never thought that I would ever wear another wedding band again, I can't believe how lucky I am that he got in my car that day and not someone else's.

Fresh Produce!!!

not pictured...carrots, onions, limes, lemons, celery, and so much other yummies.

So I went a little nuts on the fresh produce today. I ended up with a case of pears, which might last a week, more tomatoes than are shown, onions, limes, cabbage and other good things.  Now off to pull out my Sopranos' Family Cookbook and start cooking and freezing.

It was a gift and the recipes are to die for

Garlic Parmesan Flax Crackers

So my diet is shot to hell, but I have tons of flax meal setting around, so today is all about making crackers which are good for me, and yummy.  Did I mention Yummy!!!

Garlic Parmesan Flax Crackers

What you need:

1 Cup flax seed meal
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup water

I add more Parmesan cheese than called for, I also add a bit more salt and some other herbs to the mix.  Now about that water, I find that 1/2 cup isn't enough, so I add up to about 3/4 cup, until the mixture is no longer dry and spreads easily..

Heat oven to 400 F.

1) Mix all ingredients together.

2) Spoon onto sheet pan which is covered with greased parchment paper.

Rolled and scored, I never get the elongated square I want.

3) Cover the mixture with a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Even out the mixture to about 1/8 inch. (  I plop the whole mixture into the middle of the pan, then I pat it down with a wooden spoon and shape it into a brick.  I try to keep it pretty even, then I pull out my rolling pen and start flattening it into a elongated square [sort of, anyway] I make mine a bit thicker, closer to 1/4 inch., then I use my long chef's knife to score the batter to make almost even crackers.)  

It be cooking, just starting to firm up but still needs to brown.

4) Bake until the center is no longer soft, about 15-18 minutes. If it starts to get more than a little brown around the edges, remove from oven. Let cool completely - it will continue to crisp up. (I usually turn off the oven before completely done and let cool in the over.)

5) Break into pieces. (You did read that I score mine, right.  Then they even look like crackers, not broken bits.)

The whole recipe is 6 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 35 grams of fiber.

The original recipe is over at Garlic Parmesan Flax Crackers /Low Carb, but don't be afraid to subsitute and experiment.  

Cooking should be fun and taste great.

Bonus!  My house smells wonderful!

I thinks I have a bit of a corkscrew problem. 

How Morgan became a Mad Scientist

Back in the days before Jason walked into our lives and shortly after T died, Morgan was prone to experimentation.  She was just about 8 at the time and she would haunt the library shelves looking for experiments she could try at home. I encouraged this behavior since I felt that my own childhood had been sorely lacking in the scientific experimentation phase (I was flat out told no, I didn't need a chemistry set....pout!) 

That summer after she had left to be spoiled as the youngest grandchild of my parents, I discovered that she had left me a little surprise. Imagine opening your cabinets to find something oozing out of every container on to the shelves and threatening to take over the kitchen. It seems she had decided to try an experiment to make crystals, so she could make me a necklace.

Awe! How sweet! you say!

Yes, it was sweet, except she could not find all the correct ingredients and made a few substitutions, hence the over growth of flubbery like substance that was taking over my kitchen.

That is the day Morgan became a mad scientist and earned her title of Evil Child.

I Got My Busted Head last night from the Wonderful Talented +Steph Ratte'

I got my Busted Head today from the wonderful and talented +Steph Ratté .. You should really pop on over to her profile and see some of the amazing work she does. She also have a very talented sister +Jess Ratte .

Steph Ratté originally shared this post:

Next up, it's +Anna Rowe ! I kinda improvised on your hair, but I hope you like it nonetheless :) Your Hi-res, non-watermarked version will be PM'ed to you momentarily! :D
#BustingHeads #Art #Illustration #Avatars

Busting Heads (4 photos)

Anna Rowe, your head's been busted! :D I used two pics for reference for this, so I hope you like it! :D Markers and PrismaPens on printer bond. Art © 2012 to SGMR.

2 people were tagged in this album  -  Marc Jansen and Anna Rowe

I am a handy girl to have around. Jan 24, 2012 Almost caught up

Tonight the pipe under the kitchen sink broke. As the man walked grumbling out the door with phrases of "Have to call a damn plumber", "Going to cost a fortune," and "What the hell else can go wrong this week?" I grabbed my trusty pipe wrench, the stretchy fix-it tape and started to dismantle the pipes. 20 minutes later, leak is fixed, didn't cost anything but time and I found a silver three prong fork in the pipes.

#Iamhandytohavearound 

#thosearemytoolsbuddy 

#hardwarestoresrock

 #ideservechocolatecoveredcoffeebeans

Chocolate-Covered Coffee Beans or MY DRUG OF CHOICE!

I am so trying this recipe out as soon as possible.

Chocolate-Covered Coffee Beans

Find recipes for Chocolate-Covered Coffee Beans and other Candy Recipe recipes. Get all the best recipes at Taste of Home. Recipe directions: In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir ...

Just Call Me Sexy!

Have some TARDIS

Call Me Sexy by *PaulHanley on deviantART

By popular demand- a chart of the TARDIS' most memorable exteriors from over the years...

I am going through Whowithdrawal....

My Haunted House part 2 January 23 2012

“I know there is strange things happening in the house, but not so strange the I should find knives stashed everywhere.” 

Yes, that statement just left my mouth. When we used to live in the old neighborhood with the occasional drive-by, I did stash weapons around the apartment. I wanted to make sure there was always something close at hand for defense. It was usually one of the many blades I've collected over the years or my hockey stick. I do swing a mean stick. ;op 

The house is different, than the old neighborhood. The old neighborhood was haunted by the specters of human evil and greed, where the house just feels somehow alive. There is just a feeling of never being alone, even when you know you are the only one in the house. It is like there is someone in the next room from you, but you can never quite find them. At times I get a bit of conversation that I should not hear or make out what the words are, yet I am not afraid. We've lived here over a year now and the only problem that I want to address with my unknown specter is “Please close the backdoor and lock it when your done.”

So far the wedging of a chair under the door is working at night, but the door still opens on other occasions and we still cannot debunk it.

Low-Carb Flax Crust Pizza from January 21, 2012

I am on a DIET!  

I have missed eating pizza since I started the kick the metabolism in gear diet. This is actually a good alternative and I was happily surprised how good it tasted. At the moment red sauce is a no-no, so I used a low carb alfredo sauce that worked perfectly. Pepperoni, mushroom and fresh shredded mozzarella made this a delight to eat and keep the carb count down. 

Only problem, I baked the pizza on greased parchment paper and it stuck horribly. Next time I am putting it straight on my pizza round.

Link to recipe below... 
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breads/r/flaxpizza.htm
#lowcarb #hearthealthy

My haunted house part 1 from January 21,2012 I've been sick ;op

I think the house is haunted. Not in the scary, gloomy way, but in that “what the fuck” kind of way. The back door keeps opening, when we go to bed. I thought at first maybe the wind was jiggling the door open. We ran the normal test of jiggling the door, opening other doors and closing them to get suction or pressure to no avail, I can not recreate the door opening on its own. So tonight when we are getting ready for bed, I am jamming a chair under the door to see what happens next. I am leaning toward haunted and want to set up a camera, just to see if maybe we have a sleep walking specter or something other worldly. So maybe the house is haunted or not, it wouldn't bother me either way, I just want the door to stay closed.

Waking the Muse Post 3

E.P.D. - Are you down?

The Evil Child
Mom, the camera again?

Mom, there is nothing to eat!

I sweep the negative right out the door.

Waking the Muse Post 2.

I didn't realize I had so many of Anne McCaffrey's books.

What does a collection of one author's work have to do with waking my muse?  Everything!  Anne McCaffrey inspired me to look outside of my little world as a child.  I am finding that maybe I have closed myself off and I need to find that magic of imagination again.  So this year is about finding the wonder around me and the magic that the veil of adulthood has masked.

The trolls have been given to me by The Evil Child over years.  They make me smile and seem to end up in the strangest places.

The Troll Brothers

Hurry, we must put our trollish plans in motion before Anna get's back.

Waking The Muse

Let's Fly! January 1, 2012

I thought about joining the 366 project on G+ but I have decide to do my own project.  My Muse needs to awaken.  It will be whatever inspires or ignites a spark in me each day.

I love living with you.  It is always October.  January 2, 2012

My first two pieces are simple really.  A metal fairy, who once lived in my garden, and what Chippewa Man said to me (I am horrid about changing calenders).

The Dream (PTSD)

The dream has started again, twisting through my mind at night, teasing me with truth and lies.

Laying on my back with the sun in my eyes, I hear the whomp, whomp, whomp of the chopper blades.  Shifting shadows leaning over me, I squint trying to make out what they are.  A hand touches my cheek.  Muttering voices grow loader and I realize they are shouting, Medic.  Suddenly it is like time shifts and sound slams into me, I am looking up in Bear’s face as he says, “You’re OK! You just twisted something.” and then the pain catches up, and it feels like my leg is on fire.  Time shifts again and I am standing at attention with my M16, “Ready. Fire. Ready. Fire. Ready. Fire.” as we fire the salute over one of our fallen.  Then suddenly I am in the dark, gasping for breath trying to claw my way free and breathe but all I smell is the alcohol on his breath, the shifting dream saves me as my hand raises to knock on a door, yet I am the one to open it.  I step through into the corridors of the VA and the panic they cause.

The dream is a mixture of truth and lies.  It changes over time but always signals when stresses are getting to be to much in my life and I need to watch out for the PTSD.  It’s funny, the VA claims that PTSD just goes away over time.  I wish it did, I honestly wish it did.

I will write about the Dream often, I have to because it might be the only way to heal.

I write like
Chuck Palahniuk

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

The above badge does crack me up though...

People are "insert proper swear word here" and Anyone want some Crisps! And I like Pie and Apple Pie Cookies.

People Are insert proper swear word here


Yesterday there was an actual post on G+ of a person asking for donations to pay for a speeding ticket.  He called it a "Social Test".  Really.

The Social Test and what other G+ users had to say.  (it seems that for reasons unknown to me the fore-mentioned user is no longer a member of G+, I had resisted writing him, choosing to blog instead)

1.  Some Ass drives their car into my living room and I don't expect anyone to SAVE ME or HELP ME.  It would have been nice but I don't expect it.

2.  Put on your Big Girl Panties and accept responsibility for your actions!  Pay the Ticket, don't ask others who might be hurting themselves for help.

What really pisses me off is we are having to wipe out the savings, and Chippewa Man's TSP account because the insurance companies are not doing their job.   I still have not heard one thing back from any of the companies involved.  24 hour support my ass!

Done Venting,

Anyone want some Crisps!

Sliced with my potato peeler, fried in olive oil and with just a pinch of sea salt over them.

Yummy!

I like Pie! and Apple Pie Cookies!!!!

An Apple/Peach Pie I made.  

Yummy

These are sinfully good apple pie cookies.  

I cheated on the recipe a bit when I made them.  I suggest no cheating because the original recipe is so much better than my life is to hectic to slow down and do it right cheat.  You can find the recipe at Smitten Kitchen.  I plan on exploring that site for many more wonderful recipes.

My Holey House and the Great Orange Paint Conspiracy!

So I am dealing with this the only way I know how, with humor.

I would rather be throwing a temper tantrum but that would help nothing.

I would rather not be having nightmares but they are old friends, just have added bits now.

(I will write about them later)

So last night, I broke down and made my angry pumpkin out of foam board. 

I still say there is a orange paint conspiracy!

There has to be orange paint somewhere!

I wanted the Great Pumpkin!  

I know it is silly but I swear the Great Pumpkin would just make it better somehow.