The iPad 2 is SO much more useful to me than the generation one was. With the camera feature, I am able to journal everyday about anything and everything, then include photos with my entries in the journal. The video feature is amazing, and the ability to use Facetime is super fantastic. I can pretty much do anything computer related on this device I can think of, except text messaging and phone calling, which are actually cellular activities anyway.   If I could do those two things on my iPad 2, I would totally ditch my phone!

This week was slow at work (everyone is on Spring Break), so I was able to attempt the Facebook thing again. It is a little more understandable, but still confusing. I think the problem I have is that I am not “friends” with a lot of the people on there. I have no desire to connect with blasts from the past, or keep up with people who cross my path from time to time. Getting past the “friend” label and what it means to me compared to what it means on Facebook is probably my biggest hangup about using it. But, in an effort to keep up with my son and his family, I am giving it a go.

Our grandson. William, sent his friend Flat Stanley to us for an adventure. Scott and I took him into town for the tour of the Auburn sites and then he took a ride on the John Deere back at the farm.

The kitchen adventure began this week with the creation of St. Patrick’s Day candies for the people Scott works with at the church. I used some new candy molds I bought recently with green, yellow, and chocolate melting wafers for the candy. This is the easiest candy to make, takes the least amount of time, and produces an impressive result because of the candy molds. The tall ones in the box have pretzels as their “lollipop” sticks and the round ones are chocolate covered mint flavored Oreos.

The cooking continued with the frying of rosettes, something that I have always wanted to do, but just never made time for. I grew up eating these light, airy pastries and have had a rosette iron in the drawer for years. I just never made them before.

The third “candy” item I made this week was chocolate caramels. These are so delicious, but I think I could have let them boil a tiny bit longer, as they are softer than I would have liked. Oh well, this is why I am making these things in the first place, practice.

Finally, March Madness started this week and it has been fantastic! So many close games and with the job I now have I am able to watch all the games! Not only can I watch them from my television, but I can also catch every game on my iPad 2.  Yes, I am a geek.   Friday I went with Scott to Best Buy and while we were walking around the store, I fired up my MiFi and the iPad 2, and watched the live feed of the game on NCAA.com.  Oh yes, I did!   It was really funny.

Back at home, while waiting for Sock Madness 5 to start, I started on a surprise gift for the new baby.

The official name of the team that I was placed on for Sock Madness is “Sock Madness and the Sock of Secrets.” It is a take on Harry Potter, of course, and I like it so much better than the other three team names. Now, the ultimate madness is that I am just waiting (and constantly checking my email) for the round 2 pattern to be released! AAAAHHHH….

This pattern is very easy to follow and I completed it in under a week.  The thread is Lizbeth, but I don’t know the colourway.  The thread was sent to me in the mail as a sample spool from Barbara at Handy Hands Tatting.  I like the thread a lot, but am not too keen on this colourway.

This week we also attended our last Auburn basketball game of the season.  In many respects, I am glad that this season is in the books.  The team was less than stellar this year and even though I have come to expect that, albeit almost enjoy it for the lower turnout it produces, it would have been nice to see them win a few more games.  One of the highlights of the season was Scott finally winning the Chik-fil-a chicken strips giveaway.  He tried every game to text for the win and finally did it.  However, the thing I will probably remember the most about the games is the faithful devotion of Goggle Guy.

Yes, we dubbed him Goggle Guy early in the season and he made it to all the games, save one or two.  Always front and center with his goggles on and his awesome pompom ready for action, he was a sight to look forward to.  If you know him or see him next year, tell him there are folks in the scholarship section that look forward to seeing him support the team.  I’m no expert, but I truly believe if Auburn Basketball had more student fans like Goggle Guy they would probably be contenders for the SEC title.  The lack of student fervor for basketball at Auburn is pathetic.  The new arena deserves better.

Quote for the week:

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you fail to focus on your goals. (Anonymous)

Today’s basketball game is Auburn vs. Alabama.  We pretty much make every home game, as it is a great venue for knitting and we both enjoy watching the game.  This particular game is extra sweet because Alabama will be handing over the Iron Bowl trophy and singing the Auburn Fight Song at half time.  Did I mention that we won the Iron Bowl?  War Eagle!  Oh yes, and the BCS National Championship Trophy will also be in the house for all to admire (ogle/covet).  I suppose I should mention, for those who don’t know, we won that too!  War Damn Eagle!!

On the crafting front this week, I finished my Remembrance Ring and made great progress on the cross stitch I started when I got home from the hospital.  Hopefully, the cross stitch will be completed next week.  Here are some photos of the ring.  I just love it and it was so easy!  What do you think?

Now that I am back from teaching Hand Quilting at the Estes Park Fiber Festival (which was enormously gratifying) and I now have one graduate class, instead of three, on my plate, hopefully, I can get back to smocking, knitting, sewing….etc. It felt really good to get back into the teaching mode at the festival. I really love it when I can see students actually understanding and improving their skills throughout the duration of the class. Thanks to my minor afternoon contribution, I can say that there are 20 more people out there who have a better understanding of the art of hand quilting. Fabulous!

Now, on to the dresses. I have the fabric in the stash for an Alabama Roll Tide dress, but have yet to put a needle to it. Also in the works is an Auburn toddler bubble outfit that is just adorable, complete with paw prints. So, if you haven’t yet visited my Etsy site, please, please, please do. I would really appreciate it!

As always, comments are welcome and appreciated!

Fair Winds

I have begun a new, sewing related, fiber obsession.  I can’t disclose the details yet as I am making the first one for a very good friend in Ohio.  But, it is almost finished and then I will have a big reveal post.  Perhaps I will incorporate a prize or two…

In other news, I have been knitting socks like crazy and am halfway finished with my year long Sock Knitter’s Anonymous challenge of one pair per month.  Hand knitted socks are so much more comfortable to wear than store bought!  For my Ravelympics entry I decided to try to finish my Frost Flowers and Leaves Shawl.

Taking a quick look at the days left in the Olympics and the amount I still have to knit on this thing, I will not finish in time.  However, I do think I will have it to a point where it will be better to finish it than not.

So nice to be back, see you soon…Deborah