Invasion of the Gnomes

Have you noticed the new look to the blog and how all of a sudden a gnome appeared? It's strange that this is happening in the Winter, but it seems as if I am being invaded by gnomes!

This morning, a gnome hung from our tree offering black seed oil to the birds. I thought it was so kind that the little gnome was handing out energy to the cold birds on this below zero morning.

Two different gnomes must have thought it was too cold to be outside and they found warmth in our home. One lounged around reading books all morning.

The other found comfort in his usual environment and decided to hide out in a house plant we are trying to take care of for a friend. I hope the gnome can use his magic powers and make the plant a little bit healthier.

Unfortunately, I couldn't hang with my gnomies all day and had to go to work. I was greeted by a little gnome on my desk and was thrilled to have the company.

After having a day filled with gnomes, it looks as if a few might have slipped under our comforter and will be joining me at bedtime too.

I like having company in our little gnome sweet gnome. I just hope they'll stick around so in a few months they can help me in the garden.

Jay Knitting Group

I first learned how to knit during the ice storm of 1998 when I was a sophomore in college. With no electricity and little to do once the wood was chopped, my mother pulled out her yarn supply and got me knitting my first hat. We sat around knitting in front of the fireplace and listened to the radio for days and when the power came back on, the hat was complete.

After finding out several friends are having babies in the spring, I got started on another hat. My mother was there to help me. A couple projects later, I began perfecting the art of the scarf. I received help from a gal on you tube. She was patient and never got upset when I'd have her show me how to cast off over and over and over again.

My current project is another hat and I'm still having problems working with different colors.

When I heard that a knitting group was starting in Jay, I got really excited that other ladies would be there to help me. No longer would I have to keep relying on visits from my mother and utilize the you tube lady.

The knitting group meets at the Alpaca Shoppe in Jay and knits in the waiting area of the Chiropractor's office. A woman I sat next to went to the knitting group last year with no knitting background and tonight, just one year later, showed up with a a nearly finished sweater. Seeing all these women knitting together was very inspiring and I couldn't believe that most of them were juggling a few different projects at the same time.

With 20% off on knitters night, the soft alpaca yarn was hard to resist.

After receiving some help on my hat, I caved and bought some more yarn and started the project presented that night, an Alpaca Boucle Scarf.

So there in the waiting room of the Chiropractor's office, I learned a new way of casting on and said good bye to the you tube lady and her sad looking dorm room.

Flood Warning

Driving home last night along the river, I could tell that water levels were high and ice flow was fast. With temperatures in the 40s and heavy rain falling all day, I knew I'd come home to a basement with water. Two inches of water in an unfinished basement does not stress me out nearly as much as those living directly on the river.

However, I am embarrassed to admit that some stress was experienced when The Bachelor was interrupted due to a Flood Warning. I know, I am an awful person and should probably delete my previous sentence.

Believe me I understand the look of devastation on the women's faces that did not receive a rose does not compare to the natural devastations that are happening around the world.

I never take for granted the comforts of our little home above the river and I count my blessings every day that I am not seeking love on the Bachelor.

Indoor Yard Sale

This morning I was looking through one of my favorite sites for home inspiration and said to Drew, "I wish we had real Saturdays off so we could go yard sale hunting." Looking at the home tour online, I desperately wanted to find something as wonderful as a phone booth for our house.

On this Tuesday morning in the middle of January, I settled for an indoor yard sale. The Treasure Hunt Shop is having a going out of business sale and is no longer Russuz, just an indoor yard sale.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted the same old advertisement for Calumet Baking Powder that I wanted back in March.

This was a sign! Calumet Baking Powder finally made it's way into our kitchen along with a few vintage postcards from the 30s. The first person to leave a comment below will receive one, I promise!

Now I just need to figure out where the advertisement will go, because I don't think Mr. Clock wants to hang onto it forever. Maybe it will go in the stairwell once it's finished and painted?

Oh, and if you win a postcard, I'll be putting your name in the drawing "Win a trip Along the Au Sable to Help Paint."

Flat Stanley Along the Au Sable

Back in December, I was told that my friend's daughter selected me to be Host Mother to Flat Stanley and so I anxiously awaited his arrival. If you are not familiar with Stanley, get out from the rock you live under and read the highlighted link on the Flat Stanley Project.

Flat Stanley arrived just before Christmas and during his vacation with me, he participated in many different winter sports activities in the Olympic Region. Flat Stanley went cross country skiing and skated on the 1932 Olympic Arena. He also rode the chair lift at Whiteface Mountain before snowboarding down the mountain.

When he wasn't exercising, he visited the 1932 & 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum. Here, Flat Stanley got to hold the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic torch, tried out a junior bobsled, and met Roni Raccoon, the mascot from 1980.

At the Olympic Center, he even got to sit on the Zamboni that cleans the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena where the "Miracle" hockey game took place.

Flat Stanley did get in trouble once on his trip here, when he ran into a bear! That really scared him, but luckily the bear was friendly and only wanted to dance with him.

Flat Stanley had a lot of fun along the Au Sable, but he is looking forward to seeing Genevieve again. He can't wait to tell her and the other second graders all about his trip.

All at T & T

Okay, so maybe I didn't start the new year exercise thing two weeks ago, but I did finally get a membership to the gym yesterday. Where you ask? At T&T Tanning!

It's right next to the post office in Wilmington in that new little building. When you see the structure from the road, you probably wonder like I did, how there could possibly be a gym inside.After finally checking it out, I was surprised to see that there is a lot to be offered at T&T. Besides the two tanning beds, they can ship your UPS packages, have a jewelry counter and sell many other gifts for purchase.

The gym is set up for circuit training and they recently added a treadmill. I tend to be a big wimp when the temperature outside dips below 10 degrees. Who am I kidding? My exercise regime came to a screeching halt some time in November when I left work and it was dark outside. So, I like the comfort of the indoors and this treadmill will do the trick for a couple months.

As I was running on it yesterday, I was warmer than usual and looked down to notice that the heater was right next to me, turned on high. Luckily, the owner told me I had control of everything including the heat, music, and as many cups of Keurig beverages I would like! I think next time I'll ask if we can turn the treadmill around facing into the room rather than the wall so I can feel less like a caged gerbil running on a wheel.

I'm pretty sure T & T will get me to March and have me looking like this lady I met when I was changing in one of the tanning rooms.

I'll just have to see if Keurig makes a drink that will grow my hair out and color it, get breast surgery, and really hit the T & T tanning beds for the next two months.

Winter Morning

On this below zero morning, I was lying in my warm bed watching the pink sunrise peek over the mountains.

There's not much that can make me get out from under my cozy flannel sheets except for the thought of my car not starting before work. With Drew leaving in 15 minutes, I could not be stranded with a bad car battery. So I got out from under the down comforter and slipped into my down jacket, started the car and checked out the backyard. It's confirmed... another cold, beautiful day along the Ausable.

Heaven at the Little Supermarket!

Can I just tell you that I discovered that the Little Supermarket in Wilmington carries the ice cream sandwich of my dreams?

The Andes Ice Cream Sandwich! I never knew such a treat existed and am so glad I stumbled upon it so close to home. I think I mentioned before my love of chocolate and mint, the best pairing of two ingredients that found each other in this world.

My love of the ice cream sandwich started in middle school. I think from 7th grade until high school graduation I had an ice cream sandwich every day with lunch, along with a bagel of some sort and chocolate milk. Turns out my future husband's lunch consisted of the same. We love ice cream sandwiches and are known to have them in our freezer in the summer. But, now it will be this heavenly dessert I found at the Little Supermarket!

I love you so much Andes Ice Cream Sandwich, it's a shame I'm already married.

New Year, New Pizza

Nearing the end of 2009, Travy G's shut down and Mad River Pizza opened in the same location in Ausable Forks.

I started off the new year by phoning in a cheese pizza for pick up. When I arrived, Mad River was packed with people dining inside and it took quite awhile for the worker behind the counter to ask me what I needed. I hope they didn't name their pizza joint after the "Mad House" I experienced. I realize they haven't been open for more than a week and it was New Year's day, but every worker in there seemed totally overwhelmed, so I probably shouldn't be judging them based on this one experience. But, I guess it all really boils down to the pizza.

I think a cheese pizza is the best way to determine if it's a good pizza. It looked promising, since there were actual herbs sprinkled on top of the cheese. The pizza was okay, but the dough and crust had absolutely no flavor.

I feel like I'm being a little mean, but I'm finding it hard to find a good pizza along the Ausable? There are a few restaurants in Lake Placid that make great pizzas, but they're more of a brick oven, gourmet style.

The search continues for a good, New York style, take out pizza in 2010...