kmkat and her kneedles

Any geeks out there with an electronic knitting machine?

Interested? More details and links to further instructional videos here.

Ten on Tuesday, the essentials edition.

Ten Things I Wouldn't Want To Live Without.
(Carole has ruled out naming people, so these are all THINGS.)

1. Electricity. This is the single most essential thing to a comfortable life, imho. Except good health.
   
   
2. Good health. There, all covered.
    
3. Indoor plumbing, including hot and cold running water. Occasionally we lack the running water part -- well pump is on the cheaper interruptible power grid from the local electric coop -- and it sucks. Although not enough to pay more for the electricity.
    
4. Central heating. Our forced-air, groundwater heat pump system also provides air conditioning, too, but I could live without that. It is nice but not essential this far north. Besides, we live in the woods -- plenty of shade and complete absence of an urban heat island -- and by a lake. Duh.
    
5. A car that is relatively reliable. It's a long walk to town civilization.
   
   
6. Telephone and broadband internet service. The latter is the thing that compensates for any and all perceived shortcomings of living in the boondocks. 
    
7. A computer to take advantage of same. Duh.
    
8. My iPod Touch. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy this little sucker. It does everything that Palm tried to do back in the day, plus much, much more. And does it quite well, thankyouverymuch.
    
9. Dishwasher. When we started looking for a cabin back in 1990 I stipulated that it had to have a dishwasher. Why would I want to go to a place for relaxation if that required me to do work that I had eliminated from the rest of my life? Some might say that a cabin with a dishwasher is not really a cabin. To them I say, Pffft!
    
10. Knitting and yarn. Duh.
    
    
11. Furry pets. Things? I don't know, but certainly wouldn't want to live without them.

* * * * *

I have been thinking about the intentions I posted for last week's Ten on Tuesday, and, although those were good ones, I have some modifications that came to me as I gave the subject more thought. The first three illustrate the axiom that to ensure the behavior ensures the desired result.

• Get the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. There are days when I eat NO fruits or vegies, and that is Not Good. 
  
  
• Eliminate bedtime snacks. This alone may ensure weight loss. Note: I am eliminating the snacks, NOT the glass of wine. Just so we are clear on that.
  
  
• Get on the treadmill at least 3 times a week BEFORE I eat anything. Recent news stories have highlighted the effectiveness of exercise early in the day as a way to get one's metabolism moving at an increased rate. Until the snow and ice are gone -- say, by July -- the treadmill is my weapon of choice for exercise.
  
  
• Instead of having a sock as my carry-along knitting project, I will choose hats or scarves or other small projects. I have enough socks for now, and this would be an easy way to incorporate my charity community knitting into my year-long knitting routine and avoid the crush that seems to occur every autumn.

So that was Sunday.

I delivered #1 Son to the airport in Minneapolis at noon for his 2 p.m. flight back to New York City. It was lovely to have him home, but like all empty nesters, we also find it lovely when our guests leave and life returns to normal.

A few tidbits from Sunday's outing.

I folded his laundry before he packed.

No shortage of hubris and self-congratulatory rhetoric at his med school.

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The temperature when we left on Sunday morning.

Those mittens that I said were too warm? Perfect for a Sunday morning in January.

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We found this sign unaccountably amusing.

What on earth were Papa and Mama McElroy thinking
when they named their son Aristotle?

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But this has to be the absolute best adopt-a-highway sign EVAH!

Way to go, pagans!

A quiz for Sunday.

Quiz is here; can you find 50 movie titles hidden in the picture there? Above is a portion of the picture. I got 33 correct, 6 wrong, and 11 that I couldn't name at all.

Way to start the New Year, ma'm!

Found here.