Thanks!

What with the big non-demoninational American holiday and all, I thought I'd number up a few things to be thankful for:
1. I can speak above a whisper again. The Husband said at lunch today, "I'm glad you have you voice back, now you talk and I'll just grunt!"
2. Both of the children will be at the dinner table on Thursday. All through their childhood, I was insistant on the whole family being together for one meal a day. I miss them.
Quick update: The Brother called this afternoon and asked the Eastern PA family to come for Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. Family is good!
3. The Husband is a great cook and a total enabler. This is the bread I baked from the recipe he found:

The recipe came from the New York Times. Mark Bittman came up with a way to make artisanal bread in a home oven with very little work. The recipe is in the Times archives, which costs to access. Maybe he'll put it in a book.

The Husband also got me the King Arthur Whole Grain Cookbook. So far, I have had 50% success with the recipes in it. I made some sour cream muffins, but they tasted more like plain whole wheat and weren't worth all the fat and sugar added. The chocolate cake roll, on the other hand was delicious! Elder Son ate one slice and enjoyed it until I told him it was all whole wheat. I had to(scarf down) eat the rest by myself.
4. I have met some great people this year, mostly through their blogs. Thanks for all the well wishes, and keep writing!
5.Friends for whom to knit. This is for someone who needs a hug. I have knit a whole bunch of lace, but this is the first large project in lace weight. It is the Lovely, Lacy, Leafy Shawl from Knitters. I will put the exact pattern up when I'm finished. No, really!


This is about a week's knitting. I can't take it to school because I need to watch the kids (at least that's what I get paid for) and can't take my eyes off of the pattern. I am almost ready to start the leafy pattern which has a purl row every other row. I can look up during that, so reading is possible. Some blogger or other has been writing about reading while knitting and has some good help suggetions. I started reading and knitting while in college (which explains my gpa!)
6. Family who expect wierd things from me. This year (stop reading, Niece!) I am giving a family gift that looks like this:

They are napkin rings with names on them (I hid the name so you won't know which family this goes to). Every couple of years I try to make or find something that can go to every family on the list. This year it's napkins and napkin rings. I have found fabric that is special for each family (well, most of them, I still have a few to find) and made 4 to 8 napkins with personalized napkin rings. The rings are pretty easy and not too expensive. Just string alphabet beads with the name of the family member and add some nice glass beads that go with the fabric, or kitchen decor, on heavy duty beading elastic and knot. I stuck the ends back through a couple of beads, after knotting, and before trimming.
7. I can still get excited by quilting.



I have looked at this pattern for years, and last week I finally pieced it! Apparently, I like the colors and shapes of quilting, but am not so excited by the actual quilting. This is my goal for the weekend: To get this quilted and hung in the entry hall before Wednesday!


8. We live in a country where even though 60% don't approve of the job the president is doing, no one takes to the streets with weapons to "fix" things.
9. We no longer feel the need to hire security for services on the High Holidays. In past years we have had a guard roving around the outside of the building, while inside we are praying for forgivness for our sins. Just in case, you know, someone decides he (or she) really doesn't like Jews. This year we feel safer.
10. I have a place to live, food in the kitchen, a family to care for (and who take care of me), a job I love, and lots of new friends in blogland. Life is good!
Happy Thanksgiving.