August 29, 2011

Taking a deep breath

It's more than three month since I posted here last time. This is the place I correspond to my friend, on a not-so-regular basis, so followings are (pretty random) messages to y'all, guys.

1. My mother is doing OK. Considering her kidney condition and age, it's more like "well" than "OK", but, well, whatever. I had a text message this morning from her and I almost prepared myself to rush to her neighborhood hospital (where she stayed for two months this spring), but she was at home and it was just a thank-you mail for some local pickles I brought her from our vacation. She sends me (and to my sister and brother) every morning a text from her cell phone, just to prove that "she's alive", and we all return to her, just to prove that "we are doing OK". One of my friends says it's super cool of my mom (again, considering her age) to use text message like that. I am not sure about that, but, I know enough that if my friends say so, she really is cool.

2. My daughter is doing much more than just OK. She loves her school. I guess that's more than enough reason for me to be happy.

3. Right now Pokémon is the main thing my daughter has on her mind. We don't possess any Nintendo DS in our household, so it's just TV anime (every Sunday) and card game. She is having a very good time playing the game with her Dad, like, three times a week. Thank goodness the man I have married and had a child with is a right guy.
And I ended up making this;
pokémon card game field


4. I didn't have much time to knit, but not that I had no time.
Ahoy! scarf
Pattern; Sailing by Teresa Boyer, in Nursery Rhyme Knits: Hats, Mittens & Scarves with Kids' Favorite Verses (linked to the Ravelry page)

Little snakies
Pattern; Rattlesnake Creek Socks by Anne Poddlesak, made only the cuff part

Both are knit with the yarns that used to be my mom's stash, now mine. These are "good" yarns, you know, fingering, 100% wool, and need to be hand-washed (ugh).
There were tons of acrylics, too, and I made a decision this summer. NO FINGERING ACRYLICS IN MY STASH. I don't like them. And we don't have extra rooms for anything I don't like to use in our tiny apartment. They had to GO. AWAY.
.... And then, I found out this pattern.
Maybe, would it be nice to have a new rug or two on the bathroom floor?

Yes, it is.
knit grass rug

And the crochet version is nice and fun to make, too. Actually, I like crochet version better.

5. Major house re-organization is under the way. Due to the limited man-power (only me, basically) and operation time (half of my week is consumed to teach and prepare for the class), it's a slow process, but our house is looking better and regaining its original relaxing atmosphere.
These are my own summer project. For Home.
ribon boardeco bag wall pocket
And this throw/afghan/whatever has been finished and found its place.
PC room afghan done and used

6. I have four weeks before my fall term class opens.

7. So today, I finally found time to take care of my "nuka-doko", fermented pickles "bed" made with rice bran and salt (and some more, naturally). My mother's side is from northern Kyushu (Kokura area, to be exact), where fermented pickles is one of the staple food. Mine is a descendant of the one my great-grand mother brought from her mother's kitchen when she gets married. It would be more than a shame if I kill something which has at least 100 years history. (note; edited to fix grammar. If not fixed, please send me a comment. ) Like a good sourdough starter (well, I have never kept a sourdough starter myself so it's just a guessing), you don't need rocket science to keep good pickles bed go on, but you have to love it. My daughter doesn't fancy its smell. Yet. We'll see.

8. We had an awesome summer vacation this year. That'll need another post.