Olympics Are Over! Now What Do I Do?

Let's get the mourning over with first.

I really, really wanted the US hockey team to beat Canada. I really, really did. It was a great game and the team has nothing to be ashamed of! They gave it their all. Tying it up in the final few seconds and going into overtime, what a great finish! Ryan Miller's interview after the game was heart wrenching, he was so dejected.

I would love to know what coach Lindy Ruff told him as they hugged at the end of the game. It looked like some really intense moments. Imagine what you would tell an opponent, who the next moment is the backbone of your hockey team and will have to get his head back in the regular season!

I was glad to see him enjoying himself at the closing ceremonies. After all that's a silver medal around his neck. I just wish there was a little less rubbing salt in the wounds at the final moments of the ceremonies, Canada.

So back to knitting. I finished the little Citron shawlette, and I do mean little. Possibly it will get a little bigger with blocking. Maybe just a neck warmer, but it was an easy knit and looks great. I may make this again, but a bit bigger by about half. I had to break into another ball of yarn which was a different dye lot and with kettle dyed yarn that is saying it is almost a totally different yarn. I alternated it row by row and it blended in beautifully.

I wanted to start some new projects, so I cast on the monkey socks and the Central Park Hoodie. I also want to work on a Vanilla sock pattern of my own, for knitting up all the sock yarn I seem to have acquired in the past few weeks. Seems like all the craft stores are having sales on their yarn. Who can resist! Apparently not me.

We watched the kids every day last week, because the aunt had sick children. Did not want to have germs go back and forth. We also had Nathan and Mya sleep over on Saturday. Frankie loves to have friends over. It was about 34 degrees, and no wind so they were out most of the morning on Sunday. Frankie hasn't moved since Mya went home. All tired out!

Go USA!

Okay, it wasn't even the game for the gold, so why does the USA hockey victory over Canada seem like it was the BIG ONE? What an awesome game. I couldn't even knit while I was watching it!

I know the Canadians really want to win the gold and they still might. Any other time I would even be rooting for their win. After all Lindy Ruff (Buffalo Sabres coach) is an assistant coach with the Canadian team. But with Ryan Miller in goal (Buffalo Sabres goalie) and Patrick Kane (a Buffalo kid) playing, even Chris Drury an ex-Sabre, made it seem like a hometown team.

How important was this win to the US team? They were wearing replica Jerseys from the 1960 game which was the LAST time they beat the Canadian team in Olympic play! So I would say it was very big!
I'm busting my buttons with pride this morning. The Buffalo News has the report about the game on the front page, so at least in this town, it is big news!

Painting Weekend

We've got a few days off this week. The kids are on break and we won't have them until Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so we decided to paint the mud room (the most used and abused room in the house). It hasn't been painted since we put on the addition, so it is way past due.

I am not going to join the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. Even though it is way laid back, I still just want to do my own thing. I have 6 blocks finished on my CB, 14 more to go. I would love to get into single digits by the end of the weekend. Although watching the Olympics may not be conducive to my knitting. I was enjoying the opening ceremonies so much, I actually goofed up one of the squares. I had to frog back about 12 rows. Frogging a pattern I have repeated over 60 times. You'd think I be knitting on autopilot by now.

Was it just me, or were the commercials during the opening better than the ones during the Super Bowl? Also, I have seen enough interviews with the same three people to last me the next 16 days, NBC. I am glad I am close enough to the Canadian border to get Canadian broadcast stations. They have better coverage and cover more than just their athletes.

Loved looking at all the knitwear during the parade of nations. Thought the USA had some of the best, though I would like to make a pair of Canadian mittens with the maple leaf on the palm.

The Diamond Yarn blog has a pattern for it that I may just have to make.

Today is a soup and bread day. Dilly bread and Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup. These are both savory recipes. I changed the Dilly Bread (that can be found by following the link) recipe slightly. I use Bison Cottage Cheese with Chives and don't add the minced onion. Really adds a great flavor throughout the bread. I also use half whole wheat flour for more heartiness. I got the soup recipe from my daughter. Yummy.

Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup

2 tbls olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed

4 cups of broth (I use vegetable broth to make it a vegetarian meal)

2 cans beans (cannellini or whatever)

3 sage leaves

1 bay leaf

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 heads of roasted garlic

Saute onions,salt, pepper and fennel until onion is translucent. Add broth, beans, sage and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf, add roasted garlic and puree. Return to pot and add lemon.