The Well

Goal One

Lynda — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:39:00 GMT

As embarrassed as I am to admit it...I had to get professional help to lose weight. No drugs...no surgery...just the common sense that most people already have.

In some ways I am an All-Or-Nothing kind of person. "you fer me er agin me" ...you know that kind of thing.

Going from cycling every day to basically never should have changed my eating habits but it didn't. Going from mostly active to licking my MS wounds made it worse. I am not a stress eater, I am a boredom eater and a social eater. I love to feed people and eat with people.

I have had the first half of an appointment at Carolinas Weight Management Center. It is affiliated with Carolinas Healthcare System. So far I have seen the doctor, gotten my notebook of helpful hints, and signed up on LiveStrong.com where I journal how I am feeling today and everything I eat and all my fitness activity.

Turns out journaling increases your chance of success by at least 50% so if you want to join me on LiveStrong please do..I am LyndaBeta. My progress bar will always be updated on my Home Page and I will try to remember to add it here often.

Goal One: Lose 10 pounds by Easter (April 4th).

Cheater's Esther Bolick Orange Marmalade Cake

Lynda — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:23:00 GMT

Any fan of the Mitford Books will know this cake. I grew up with my grandmother's Mandarin Orange Cake and have had a myriad of other orange cakes at Murray Reunions and Pig Pickin's throughout my food-filled life.

Tomorrow we are invited to a Persian Dinner and I can't think of any better dessert to take than an orange flavored cake. Orange cakes are perfect to go with foods that are great but leave you wishing you could clean your palate....like good ol' Southern Pork BBQ and the Persion staple of khoresht.

This is my version of the cake with all of the best (in my opinion) parts of each version...including the cheater's step of using a boxed (ALWAYS Duncan Hines) cake mix.

Lynda’s Cheater’s Orange Marmalade Cake

Cake:
1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments

Syrup:
1/2 cup Fresh Orange Juice
1/8 cup Sugar

Filling:
12 oz Orange Marmalade

Topping:
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant orange (if you can find it) or vanilla pudding mix
1 cup Chilled Heavy Cream
2 Tbls Confectioner's
1 tsp Vanilla

To Make the Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil and mandarin oranges with juice.
• Beat until smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and rap pan on the counter to release air
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Allow cake to cool on racks for 20 minutes

Add the Syrup:
• While cake is cooling make the syrup by stirring together the juice and sugar until sugar dissolves.
• Prick cake with a toothpick every 1/2 inch
• Spoon syrup gradually until no more will absorb.
• Cool layers completely.

Add the Filling:
• Heat marmalade over medium low heat until just melted.
• Cool 5 minutes
• Spread 2/3 over the bottom layer then place second layer on top.

Make the Topping:
• In a large bowl, beat together pineapple with juice and dry pudding mix until blended.
• Set aside to firm up.
• In another bowl whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until you have firm peaks.
• GENTLY stir the two together.

Frost the Cake:
• Use the remainder of the filling on the center of top layer to within 1-1/4" of the edges.
• Frost the sides and the edges of the top of the cake.

Allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Comfort Soup Weather

Lynda — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:37:00 GMT

It is COLD!

If you know me very well you know those words seldom cross my lips...but it is cold...so it will be soup night.

I am going to supplement the one butternut squash that is baking right now with 2 packs of frozen squash. Throw in a Green Bean Casserole and it is comfort food night all the way!

My favorite garnish on this is pistachio and crème fraiche. Cheat and use all frozen squash, it's just as good...and less work!

Butternut Squash Soup

Origin: based on recipe from allrecipes.com submitted by Mary, modified heavily over the years by me
* Can be replaced with equal amount of frozen butternut squash, thawed and warmed.

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Servings: 6

Shopping List:                       Amount:                  Prep Directions:
Onion                                       6 tbls                      chopped
Butter                                       4 tbls
Butternut Squash*                  6 cup(s)                  baked and peeled
Water                                       3 cup(s)
Chicken Bouillon                    4 cubes
Dried Marjoram                      0.5 tsp
Ground Black Pepper            1/4 tsp
Ground Cayenne Pepper       1/8 tsp
Cream Cheese*                          8 oz                         softened


Directions:

Slice squash in half and bake cut side down at 350º for 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a saucepan, sauté onions in butter until tender and slightly caramelized.

Add water, bouillon, and spices.

Heat and stir until bouillon cubes melt.

Peel the squash.

Puree in a blender or food processor: Squash, softened cream cheese, and liquid mixture in batches until smooth. I like using an immersion blender and do it all at once in the pot.

Return to saucepan (or crock pot), stir, and heat through.

Can be garnished as desired: Toasted slivered almonds or pistachios, cream cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella, or crème fraiche

Nasty Little Sandwiches (aka Ham Delights)

Lynda — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:37:00 GMT

This recipe is a favorite in my family now but it hasn't always been a favorite of everyone.

About 20 years ago (boy am I old!) I was standing behind my neice MJP (aka George) in the ubiquitous family buffet line and heard her tell her friend Zinny "Don't get any of those nasty little sandwiches".

I just stood there, grinned and told her thanks...knowing others loved them and it meant more for me! Needless to say now George loves them too (or at least she says she does).

This is George with her more tactful offspring Trace....

These are great for parties especially during hooliday rush time because you can make them ahead and bake them at the last minute. They are good warm or room temperature. In case you are not familiar with Party Rolls..these are pre-baked. If you prefer to make your own rolls that's fine too...just bake before assembly.

Nasty Little Sandwiches (aka Ham Delights)


Prep Time: 10 min         Cook Time: 12 min         Servings:  Depends on size of rolls


Shopping List:                    Amount:                      Prep Directions:
Butter                                   1 cup(s)                     Softened
Poppy Seeds                      3 tbls
Onion                                   0.25 medium             Chopped
Worcestershire Sauce      1 tbls
Mustard                               1 tbls
Party Rolls                           2 pkg(s)                     sliced horizontally
Cooked Ham                      12 slices
Swiss Cheese                    6 slices



Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2 In a medium bowl, mix together butter, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire, and mustard.

3 Spread tops and bottoms with the butter mixture.

4 Top with ham and Swiss cheese. Replace tops.

5 Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes, until rolls are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

My New Friend

Lynda — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:33:00 GMT

If you would like a friend in Africa too check out H3O.org !

Josephine is the economic pillar of her family and has a big heart. She is 45 years old, married to Kutai and they have six children who still live in the family homestead. Josephine and Katau also take care of three children orphaned through HIV/AIDS.

Her husband is a volunteer priest who receives very little income from his church.

Josephine has been able to successfully run a Green Grocery Kiosk for five years in the local Migwani shopping center. The family rely on Josephine's green grocery business to supplement the family income.

Business Description: Green grocery kiosk selling vegetables, cereals and fruits.

Business Challenges: Lack of money for business capitalisation. The three seasons of drought have forced Josephine to travel further distances to procure her produce, which is both costly and takes valuable time away from her business and family.

Loan Purpose:
Josephine requests a loan for $75 to include fruits in her stock, and increase the range of her vegetable produce.

Josephine will use her profits to take care of her family's needs and pay the school fees for all of her nine children, including her three HIV AIDS orphans.

If you would like a friend in Africa too check out H3O.org ! You can loan as little as $10 or $25.

Homemade Yogurt

Lynda — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:08:28 GMT

Not many things are better for you than real homemade yogurt. In my humble opinion it goes further in keeping the doctor away the the ubiquitous apple. It regulates digestion, provides calcium and vitamin D for all of us including the lactose intolerant, regulates high blood pressure...

I could go on but I will leave it to the experts at WebMD.

Here is the recipe courtesy of my mother-in-law, Kenar; a good friend, Ziba; and considerable trial and error. I have added the usual link to the pdf file.

Homemade Yogurt

Origin: Kenar B, Ziba K, Me

Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 12 hours Servings: 6

Shopping List Orig. Size Prep Directions:

Whole or 2% Milk 1 quart(s)
Plain Yogurt (starter) 2 tbls Must be fresh!

Directions:

1 Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble around the edge of the saucepan and the milk is steaming a bit.

2 Pour the warm milk into a large bowl to cool until you can keep your pinky finger in the milk for 20 seconds (110 to 115 degrees on a candy thermometer)

3 Add the plain yogurt to a small bowl and stir in some of the milk. Stir until it is well blended.

4 Mix the starter very well into the large bowl full of warm milk.

5 Cover with a heavy towel and keep in a warm place 6 to 8 hours or overnight. (I put mine in the attic in the summer or preheat the oven to 200 without the yogurt in the oven then turn the oven off. Place the yogurt in the oven overnight).

6 In the morning cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.

7 I like my yogurt really thick so I place a doubled twice (thickness of 4 layers) cheesecloth in a colander with feet. I pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth, put several paper towels on top and place a plate on top of this. I put the whole conglomeration in a large bowl and allow it to drain all day. The liquid that drains is mostly lactose...this is why folks that are lactose intolerant can enjoy yogurt.

Asian Slaw

Lynda — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:10:00 GMT

As Labor Day arrives I couldn't help but think of my go to dish for Cook-Outs (To the Non-Southerner...a Cook-Out is a BBQ. In the South, BBQ is a noun). I double or triple the recipe depending on the size of the crowd. These are four healthy size servings.

This is so simple and convenient. The browning of the nuts and noodles could be done days in advance. You can serve immediately but it is better if it sits in the fridge a while. I’ve let it sit overnight many times and actually like it better. You can also serve this cold or room temperature.

Asian Slaw

Prep Time: 10 Cook Time: 10 Servings: 4

Shopping List: Amount

Oriental Flavor Ramen Noodles 1 pkg, uncooked, crushed

Slivered Almonds 0.5 cup

Sunflower seeds 0.5 cup

Canola Oil 0.5 cup

Red Wine Vinegar 6 tbsp

Grated Cabbage 8 oz pkg

Sugar 3 tbsp

Directions:

1. Brown nuts and dry noodles. (I prefer to do this in 425º oven)

2. Set aside to cool.

3. Combine oil, vinegar, seasoning packets from Ramen, and sugar. Shake very well. This is the dressing.

4. In a large mixing bowl empty the cabbage.

5. Add the cooled nut mixture.

6. Toss well with the dressing.

We Choose The Moon!

Lynda — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:31:00 GMT

Stole this from my friend Heather (aka Tvini)

We Choose the Moon!

A New Southerner

Lynda — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:31:00 GMT

This post is for John of Intercrew Systems. We met John and the Intercrew crew at our first trade show in 2006(?).   They were our booth neighbors in Minneapolis and we have made a point of checking in with each other each year. This year John gave us the address for a fabulous Korean restaurant, Shik Do Rak near the show. Due to time constraints I didn't get to go with J but the hubby and I checked it out later that weekend.

John mentioned that he really likes grits...then he mentioned instant. Ohhhh No....these words do NOT belong in the same sentence unless there is a NO or NEVER involved. John also has a new baby girl...so I had to make sure this little one is not corrupted by these fake grits.



I mean look at that face! We cannot risk her ruination!

I like real grits...the kind stone ground at a mill, preferably from popcorn but regular works too. I get them from the Trade Mill in Tennessee. The former family mill no longer grinds grits so I feel no guilt.

Regular grits will work too just NOT the instant.  These will be smoother and creamier than stone ground grits but they lack that nutty flavor and texture...and they are missing the nutrients of the whole grain.

This is enough to for a hearty portion for four. I usually transfer to the crock pot after the 'main cooking' is done and let then simmer all day in the cooler weather. We eat as we want some.

And without further ado...the proper way to make grits...

GRITS...the right way

Prep Time:   10 minutes     Until ready to Serve: 40 minutes Serves: 4 HUNGRY people

If you plan to use a Crockpot at the end I suggest plugging it in now on high to melt the butter and preheat the crock.

Ingredients:

1 cup grits (NEVER Instant)
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups water
½ cup butter (1 stick)
¼ cup half n half
Salt and pepper to your taste
Various fixin’s as desired: Cheese, bacon, country ham, peppers, shrimp, etc

Directions:

Bring the water and salt to a full boil. Gradually add the grits, stirring constantly. Stir for about 5 minutes for the Quick Cook Grits (NOT INSTANT) or 7 minutes for the stone ground (or for other country cooks… until it seems there is no extra standing water).
Add the half n half and butter (unless the butter is in the crockpot). Stir well.
At this point turn the heat to a simmer or transfer to a preheated Crockpot. Turn the Crockpot down to low. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Crock Pot Notes:

The neat thing about doing it in the crock pot is if you eat some for breakfast and leave the rest until lunch it makes a tadik crust. We say this is Persian meets Southern Cuisine…perfect for us.
This will work well in the 3 Qt (Medium size) Crockpot and you can increase the recipe by 50% (1/1/2 cups grits) and this size will still work. If you want to use the smaller Crockpot that is built for two, cut the recipe in half.

Audiobooks

Lynda — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:21:00 GMT

A few folks have asked me recently where I get my audio books. I have three sources, two free, one not.

NetLibrary is one freebie source. Overdrive is the other.

These are both available through the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County. All you need is a library card and your PIN (most likely the last four digits of your phone number).

For my friends and family back home Catawba County is a member of North Carolina Digital Library which also uses Overdrive. Same requirements; you need a library card and PIN...I have no idea what your PIN will be though, you will need to check with the library.

Audible is the not free source and I use that for books that I can't find at all or can't find in the unabridged format from the freebie sources.

Whatever I currently have loaded on my MP3 player is listed in the sidebar. Rules for me are no listening unless I am walking or cleaning house or gardening or stuck on an airplane (not so often nowadays).

On a personal vent kind of note (so you may want to stop reading now): Tomorrow may be my last blood test. If I fail it I am out of the Onward Study. This sucks! The Cladribine is doing exactly what it is supposed to...suppressing my lymphocyte count but it's doing it a little too well.

The 'non-toxic' lower limit is 1. They will allow me to continue in the trial if I am a 0.8 by tomorrow. I guess that 'non-toxic' limit isn't too hard and fast huh? As of two weeks ago I was still just a 0.5. Last round I came up 0.1 each week for a total gain in between tests of 0.2. This round seems the same since test before last I was 0.3.

My neighbor, M (a neurological nurse...rather handy to have around, don't you think) found information about what causes HIGH lymphocyte count so I did what I could to send things into overdrive. If I get kicked out then it was what God knew was best.

But I have to wait 2-3 days to know the results!! ...dad-gum-it I am not at all good at giving up control to Him!

Food Friday - Pudding Pops

Lynda — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:11:00 GMT

Sister 1 is definitely a Suzy Homemaker. She can sew, cook...and anything else that is a homemaking art. Ok she doesn't knit but that's because she doesn't want to.

She made a gorgeous handkerchief for my wedding from antique silk (200 years old..no kidding!) and Armenian Lace (150 years old) in honor of Rafik's heritage. This picture does it no justice. I pulled it out of it's nice safe place to photograph.

As a matter of fact, when I was little (back when Jesus was a baby) my family used to joke that the Jello people were following her around and copying her ideas. She made the cake with Jello poured into it long before it was ever released in a magazine.

She made up this recipe and has been making these since before Bill Cosby.    You can substitute 1/2 cup heavy bream and 2 cups milk if you don't have half n' half around...or for a low fat version you MAY try just milk. I never have tried that and have no intention of doing so at this time. From experience I can tell you that the Pistachio pops are excellent!

in pdf form

Prep Time: 2 min      Freeze Time: 5 hours         Servings: 8

Pudding of Desired Flavor           1 small pkg
Powdered Sugar                          1/2 cup
Half and Half                                 2 1/2 cup


Directions:

Mix all together
Pour into 8 Popsicle molds
Freeze

I Have a Friend in Africa

Lynda — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:44:00 GMT

David Mbiti Kimongo

David is 70-years old. He and his wife, Helen, are both entrepreneurs who sell to the local market. David is a baker, who bakes bread and makes cakes for special occasions. His wife sells vegetables at the Kyevaluki market.

Demand is rising for David's special cakes and his bread, but David needs funds to buy the ingredients needed to increase the production of his bakery items. With the high-cost of fuel, David is also challenged with being able to transport the items to market in a cost effective manner.

Loan Purpose:
With the help of a loan from h3o, David hopes to open a shop where he can sell his baked goods, along with his wife's vegetables, so that costly trips to the market are not necessary.

I am so proud of my friend. I loaned him a measly $25 and he has already paid back $10.42. There is something about that 2¢ that is precious to me. It symbolozes his struggle and his honesty.

I met David through H30 (Humans Helping Humans). This organization allows you to make micro-loans to a person of your choosing to use to become more self-sufficient in a developing country. The clients are all screened through various organizations. David came through penKenya.org (PEN stands for Poverty Eradication Network).

After you make a loan you have the option of reinvesting or getting your money back. EVERY penny goes to the loan. You can make a donation to admin fees if you like but it is optional.

Take a moment and check out the site if you are interested I know I got $1,000,000 worth of smile from seeing that 2¢ !!!

Hump Day Break

Lynda — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:13:00 GMT

First let me say DON'T turn up your sound. The music at the beginning is very VERY soft.

Enjoy!

How NOT to Do a Trade Show ...OR..

Lynda — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:53:00 GMT

How to Not Do A Trade Show

...can't decide which fits better. At the end of the week this booth had two whole business cards in that pitcher and one of them was the AVAYA rep's. This is from the annural HITec (Hospitality Industry Technology) . This year we were in Anaheim.

For heavens sake if you already paid but can't come either hire a spokesmodel or take down everything. An empty booth just reeks of a failing business or lack of organization in the company.

Not that we were a shining star this year.

We had planned a complete booth overhaul this year and had registered for a larger size...but when February rolled around and it was time to sign the work order we were just too wary of the economy to tie up 30k in the redo.

I still think it was a good decision. Business is ahead of where it was last year for us so we are happy but the show was light and I think next year will be a better year to test packing and shipping a new booth. We
will be in Orlando and plan to drive.

Jay made the HiTec website.

Overall the show went ok. Fewer leads but better ones. Next week I'll finally be back to a normal schedule for a while...first time since early spring!

It's Just Wrong

Lynda — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:44:00 GMT

More days than not I receive at least one chain email. The ones that make me truly crazy are the ones where the kindness of friends and family are being exploited by the lie that the email is being tracked and one charitable cause or another will receive money if you forward this to as many people as possible. More likely the email will eventually be received by a spammer or scammer and used as a new source of email addresses.

The most compelling argument against these chain emails is that e-mail tracking with a tracking device is impossible. Since the e-mail tracking hoax first originated (in the late 1990s), there have been many great strides in e-mail technology that allow some degree of tracking in very controlled environments and circumstances, but tracking on the level suggested by most chain emails simply isn't feasible or desirable.

It isn't feasible because of the simple numbers game. If you forward this chain to ten people who, in turn, pass it on to ten more, and so on, we get one million copies in just 6 generations. At the $2 per forward rate, this would add up to $2,000,000 in just a couple of hours. Now, consider the fact that many chains have been around for more than half a decade in at least a dozen different countries and you'd have a charitable commitment of trillions! And it would take years to sort out the duplicates that would inevitably be created. If this were the slightest bit feasible every religious organazation in America would be using it...and I would have started with my church years ago.

It isn't desirable because of privacy issues. Even if AOL and YAHOO! (or whatever companies are named in the version you received) had the ability to know to whom you forward a message (which they don't), would you really want them to? If they could track how many times you forward a message and to whom, what else could they track? At a time when identity theft is the fastest-growing crime worldwide, this would be a most undesirable thing. But, most people are so caught up in the altruistic theme in these chains that they don't stop to consider the serious privacy issues that would surface if such a thing really were real.

That there is nobody overtly tracking this message doesn't mean that forwarding it on is harmless, either. While they can't be tracked in the manner described above, they can be (and are) collected. E-mail tracking hoaxes were most likely created initially to poke fun at and exploit naive new e-mail users. But, recently, e-mail hoaxes have taken on a darker side. Many spammers and scam artists now employ or seek out chains to build their mailing lists. When you forward a chain on to others, you're putting your e-mail address and likely those of your friends and family out in the wild to be collected. If you've been wondering why you get so much unwanted e-mail, the answer may be no further than your "Forward" button. The more chains you send, the more junk you will receive.

Don't want the junk? Break the chains.

White Peach Sangria

Lynda — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:13:00 GMT

Warm days and brief thunderstorms every afternoon! It is summer in North Carolina!

To celebrate I will be making my favorite Summer Sangria this afternoon...White Peach .

WHITE PEACH SANGRIA

INGREDIENTS:

1 (750 milliliter) bottle white wine (Cheap but consistent Arbor Mist Peach or Orchard Fruits Chard works great)

3/4 cup peach-flavored vodka

6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/4 cup white sugar

1 pound peaches, pitted and sliced (I use frozen when the fresh peaches are out of season)

3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved

3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pitcher, combine wine, peach vodka, lemonade concentrate and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sliced peaches, red and green grapes.

Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Serve over ice, and use a slotted spoon to include sliced peaches and grapes with each serving.

You can add club soda to individual glasses or the whole batch at the last minute to add sparkle and lighten or ginger ale to add sparkle and sweetness.

Call a friend.

Pour a glass or two and put up your feet and enjoy.

Repeat!

Some Small Updates

Lynda — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:10:00 GMT

I added a few links to the Left Nav (Left Navigation Panel) for knitting pattern corrections. They are divided into Magazines, Books, and Additional. If you have any you feel would be worth adding please share!

I also added my latest 20 second diversion...the Sheep Reaction Test . Beware! It only takes 20 seconds but I personally find myself doing it over , and over, and over.....you get the idea.

The Dishcloth Club

Lynda — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:16:00 GMT

I joined a Monthly Dishcloth KAL a couple of months back. I've not been kept it up 100% but that is changing.

I have been frustrated at my knitting speed for a long time. I knit continental but I purl as a left-handed thrower. I have decided to truly put an effort into learning to knit completely continental and the dishcloth KAL is going to be my classroom. This way when my tension is wonky...who cares...it's a dishcloth for heavens sake! This also my be my chance to learn to knit in the dark!

My first attempt. It is quite a bit wonky and WAY tighter than gauge. Instead of 9 x 9 it's 7.5 x 7.5 I'm going to stick it out with size 7s for now so that I will see as things change.

This group holds 2 KALs (Knit-A-Long) per month. The moderator will send an email to the group with a few lines of a pattern a day for about 5-7 days. When you are finished have a dishcloth to use or give away.

1st of the Month KAL: These KALs have a monthly theme and usually have a picture of something pertaining to the month/season. Usually a solid color is best for pictured dishcloths.

16th of the Month KAL: These KALs are usually a repeating pattern of some type. The moderator tries to incorporate a “new” stitch pattern. Maybe something that you haven’t tried yet. Variegated yarns are usually good to use for these KALs.

For both I use cheap cotton yarn (Sugar N' Cream) from Michaels. Even my LYS, Charlotte Yarn, suggested that I go this route instead of buying a more high end cotton yarn.

If you are interested in the club there is a link on the Left Nav to join and there is also a Ravelry group.

Also in the news: I have just finished the first 5 weeks of a clinical trial. It's the Onward Study. I signed up to do it last summer after asking a gamillion questions of course...anything else would be un-Lynda-like.

It is chemo (Cladribine), and according to my lab work I am definitely NOT placebo. You have to have two doctors monitor you so that the one evaluating you never sees your labs. The drop in white blood cells are a dead give-away. I have only been a little wrung out...not the kind of violently sick you might expect from this type of drug.

If I had it to do over I would not have stuck a wedding in the middle of the first two courses of treatment but other than that it has gone pretty well. A really good side effect has been mosquitoes and sweat bees that usually can't get enough of me now land for about a half a second and decide to visit another diner.

Now I just sit back and reap the rewards for the next 43 weeks

Froggy Friday?

Lynda — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:18:00 GMT

Because only a frog could appreciate this weather today. No actual knit frogging involved.

With that said I have been under a rock as I experience on a new treatment but I thought I would plug a couple of things that deserve way better plugging than I can provide.

This article about the therapeutic effects of handwork (especially knitting).

and Wendy D. Johnson of Wendy Knits is coming to Charlotte Yarn this weekend. I am so disappointed that I can't take a class from her right now! But hopefully someone who reads this can jump in and take that last spot that is open.

Where Ya Been?

Lynda — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:20:00 GMT

Wow, I came here to update today and saw it had been 62 days since my last post. It some ways that is shamefully long...in other ways 62 days seems short.

For example...Fikki and I got married. And we pulled it off in less than 62 days...dress and all.

Fikki and I have been planning to get married on May 15th for some time...but Fikki...being a man...had a hard time deciding if he wanted to honor his heritage by marrying in the Armenian Church or his present by marrying in the church that has reached out to him. Me? It didn't matter. As long as I didn't have to renounce anything I believe in or say I believed in something I didn't, I was good.

Thus the problem, the Armenian Church is in the middle of a priest crisis. They don't have a full time priest and the visiting priests evidently don't schedule ahead more than a week or two. Every time Fikki talked to someone at the church about getting married they told him it depended on the priest whether we would need to have an Armenian Godparent (Best Man or Maid of Honor) and if I would have to renounce the United Methodist Church...since it is not an Orthodox Church.

In the end we decided since we couldn't get firm information from the Armenian Church we would marry at the Church in which I am a member and Fikki attends with me, Sharon United Methodist, the ski slope church across from SouthPark Mall. All went well with only the occasional snafu to add to the fun (e.g. the biting ants crawling out of my bouquet)..in the end we are now officially married and I am officially L.A.M.B.