Are you sure it's not April 9th?

It's 50 DEGREES today, on the 9th of JANUARY, in MINNESOTA!   Crazy weather.   It should be below zero this time of year.   But I'm not complaining. 

Still not feeling great, but got myself back to work today.   Found out quite a few co-workers have also been out for multiple days with various bugs.   I did feel well enough this afternoon, and with the lovely weather, that I went down to the lake for some pictures.  

I drove over to the Big Beach.   There are two beaches at Nokomis.  The Big Beach and the Little Beach.  I think the official name of the Little Beach is the 50th Street Beach, but no one calls it that.   At the Big Beach they're trying to get ready for the U.S. Pond Hockey Tournaments.   It's scheduled for January 20-22, 2012.  Unless it gets cold pretty soon, I don't see it happening.   Two rinks have been assembled close to shore.

lot's of material ready to assemble more rinks

Couple of brave workers out marking the ice and checking the depth.  Maybe the lifeguard should be on duty!

They may be able to rent out the canoes and kayaks a lot earlier than usual this year.

And I'm still stuck in the house......

Man, this cold is really keeping me down.   It's not in my head, I'm pretty clear there, it's a chest thing.  And a headache the last couple of days.   I haven't been out of the house since Tuesday, when I came home from work without my voice.   It's too bad too.  The last couple of days have been amazingly warm for January in Minnesota - mid 40's the last two days - and would have been great to be out taking pictures at the lake.   I heard equipment has been delivered for the annual Pond Hockey Tournaments.  Wonder if it will happen or not?   I think they have a couple of weeks yet, so hopefully things will freeze up enough for the boards to go up on all the rinks.   The ice certainly wouldn't hold all those people if it were this weekend!

So, another day of COL (cat on lap) working on my knitting, sipping a latte, and playing on the computer.  Things could be worse.   Cleocatra doesn't look happy because I made her stop playing with my needles. 

Change of course

I was home sick again today, so no chance to take pictures, again.   I recognize that I was (maybe?) a little over ambitious with this project.  I stepped back today and gave myself the okay to not take pictures everyday.  I will take them everyday that I am able to.   Much more reasonable goal I think.   I may still blog even on the days I can't get out, even if I don't think  I have anything to say.    I can see my close friends and family grinning at that.   "Catwoman with nothing to say, ha!"   But in reality, inside of me, I am a very shy person.  Until I get to know you, and even after I do, I can be very quiet.  I talk and share when I feel really comfortable with someone.  I'm really more of an observer.  That's not to say I'm not opinionated, because I know I am.   But, that's part of this whole blog - I'm really, really stepping outside of my comfort zone.   I'm giving away some of "me", which I usually hold pretty close.   Wow - I'm growing already. 

Knitting news - oh come one now, you KNOW there's going to be knitting news.  I live and breathe knitting.
I'm loving the sweater I'm working on and the fit is great so far.   I have to get going on the 'Socks for Heidi' though.   I'll work on those some more tomorrow.    Still waiting, somewhat patiently, to hear if the two patterns I've submitted to a yarn company will be bought or not.   It would be soooooooo cool for me to be a real designer.  

I've also spent a good part of the afternoon trying to decalcify my espresso machine.   I've neglected it dreadfully over the last two years and now I'm paying for it.   I think I almost have it flowing freely again.   Now see, isn't that exciting?   Decalcifying an espresso machine.   This women really lives on the edge!

Until the next time..........

Setting Myself Up to Fail

Is the premise of taking daily pictures of  The Lake setting myself up for failure?   It sounds easy enough until life's variables come your way.

I was back to work for two days and am now home with a heck of a cold.  Could hardly talk yesterday. Don't remember having laryngitis that bad before.  I had the Catman take a chicken out of the freezer last night.  It's simmering on the stove with some celery & onion.  Lovely smells are wafting through the house.   Makes me think of my mom!  

It would be lovely if our mom's could always be here to take care of us when we're sick, just like when we were little.   I was thinking of her last night too, when I felt so miserable, and  I remembered that she used to make me hot lemonade when I had a sore throat and a cold.   Fortunately, I had a lemon in the fridge, so I did just that.   Drinking it really brought back the memories!  And it helped my throat.  If I had had some, I probably would have gotten out the Vick's Vapor Rub too, because that's what she would have done. 

I don't think I'll be making the trek for pictures today, unless I feel amazingly better this afternoon.  I'll also miss my knitting group tonight - third week in a row!   But, I will be knitting today, and that's always a good thing.

Drive By Shooting

Not feeling the greatest today so I just did a "drive by".   This is from Woodlawn Blvd. which is across the street and up the hill.   It's warmer today, and gray.   The dark  ribbon in the center is what was open water yesterday.  It froze up a little overnight, but I certainly wouldn't want to walk on it!

Time to make some hot tea.  I have a bad case of laryngitis today.  Could hardly talk.  Fortunately, I didn't get many calls today at work!

Day One

After a false start, I have pictures!  I stopped on my way home from work, took one shot and my batteries went dead.   I had just put them in a week or so ago.  Must have been old.  So drove home, got new batteries, warmer socks, heavier coat, earmuffs, a scarf and heavier mittens (it's 19 degrees out), and made my way back down to the lake.   I was afraid I'd miss the wind/ice surfer, but he (or maybe she) was still there and had been joined by another.  Also the usual portable ice houses were out.

I was a little fearful for the ice surfers as the middle of the lake is still wide open, but they appeared to be staying far enough away from the open water.

See the open water in the background?

And in the foreground.

You can see downtown Minneapolis in the distance.  

So, I've made my start at this project.  Will I follow it through?  I guess only time will tell.   I do have a head full of ideas of where and what I want to shot during the year.  There's so much beauty around this little lake in the middle of the city.  I'm lucky to have it in my backyard.

The Best Laid Plans.......

This was supposed to be the first day of my picture taking of  The Lake, but not sure if it will happen today or not.   We had snow and rain last night and it's quite icy out.  I'm recovering from some surgery of two weeks ago, I'm fine, but I don't think I'll be taking a walk outside and risk a slip and fall.  Really don't want to pull my incision open since it's healing so well.  

I'll be back to work tomorrow and will start my photo journey on my commute home. 

New Years Eve was quiet.   Had a nice dinner with Catman & Princess Kitty - steak on the grill & lobster tails, then watched Cowboys & Aliens.   Very strange movie, and yet, we sort of enjoyed it.  

On the knitting front - I finished my Christmas Knitting and frogged a couple of projects.  For the non-knitter, frogged is a term we use when we take a project apart because of mistakes or because you just don't like the project.  You wonder why we say frogged?  It's because we "rip-it, rip-it".  I know what you're thinking, and yes, knitters are geeks!

I decided to frog the Vitamin D cardigan I had started and use the yarn instead for the Calligraphy Cardigan.  I think I will like it much better.   I also and to take apart my Bellvadere cardigan because I over-blocked it.  I will reknit that one soon.   I also started a pair of socks for my niece Heidi.  She got my gift in the the annual Christmas Eve gift exhange, which was a custom pair of socks knit in one of my pattern designs.  She wanted something pink, so I found a beautiful rosey pink merino/silk yarn and started those yesterday. 

My needles are calling.  Happy New Year!