updates

I thought that this might be a good time to do a few "updates' to some
previous posts. Perhaps answer some comment based questions too.

Cinnamonamon said in regards to my entry on making jam that it looked really easy. And I guess I just wanted to say that indeed it is. Perhaps the hardest parts are mashing the berries, but only if you do this by hand, and stirring the pectin in for three minutes. This year I did one cup by hand, and the second cup with the hand blender--I'm hoping that this will cause the jam to be sufficiently chunky while saving me a bit of arm soreness. And this year I let my children do some of the stirring. Given that this year I've made four batches of strawberry and will most likely make one batch of peach (and trust me peach is harder to mash), the more arm saving I can do the better.

I would say though, if you are thinking about making some jam--NOW is the time to do strawberry. In January, when you pull out a container that tastes just like spring, you'll thank me. Unless of course you live in the southern hemisphere--in which case, never mind.

In regards to my yoga
socks post, Kniterella asked if I'd gotten to wear them to class yet. Well... sort of. See usually I go to a class called "slow flow" which sounds easy (or you know vaguely dirty), but really it is about moving from pose to pose with the breath. I like it because I'm used the the routine, and yet I can challenge myself with the poses. But the class is only two days a week, and usually I make sure I have at least one of those days free it is totally drop in) so that I can go at least once a week. The past few weeks though I have been so busy that I've had to schedule things (like work and playdates etc) into "yoga time". But I did have a morning free and there happened to be a class that was billed as a step up from "Slow flow" and it took passes. I thought I could probably handle it so I went, and I wore my yoga socks. The room was so hot though that I ended up taking them off just for a small respite. I should have left them on to test the effects on sweaty feet because after the class I looked like I had run a few miles.
Next class I promise. Also--that class kicked my butt--and I was sore for two days afterwards--a painful reminder to keep my slow flow mornings free.

I also wanted to update on the stuffed animals I made. The pig is still very much loved and occasionally toted around the house. The panda has been relgated to the panda shelf where it looks out over the other pandas--something like 13 at this point. But then I knew that would happen--no Panda is going to replace her favorite--Stillwater is her name.

I have been knitting, even though I have not made it to the LYS knit night lately. I almost went this week, but had the bad knitter mojo combo of not having everyone home for dinner by 5:15 and not having a project in a good "chat" mode--so I ran instead. I'll try for next week--even if I have to cast on a simple sock--although I could cast on the second Monkey sock because the first inch of ribbing isn't hard just after you get to the charts that it gets iffy. Must find a way to make that sock more portable, I have places to go this summer. Starting a simple sock would make it harder for me to finish the Monkey socks.