January 8th

It was a pretty groovy day all told. The boys headed back to school and I had my MPRC shift. It snowed last night and then rained some today which makes for sticky wet snow. Can you say snowman? Can you say Oh My Jeez My Back? Good for you. We are supposed to get some flurries tonight too. Maybe winter really is here.
And speaking of winter, whats better than a cozy pair of wool socks? Especially wool socks knit with LOVE?
Pictured here today are Sock One and Sock Two. Sock one is about 1/2 ways done. I am stuck on the gusset part. VEeeeeery frustrating, after turning a heel for the first time, to have to stop. I tried, failed, ripped back to heel flap and top of the foot stitches. I put it on stich holders and shuttled some yarn to continue the work when I have help. Then today I cast on Sock two, the fraternal twin of sock one. See how much I got done in less than 3 hours??! I will get it to "stuck" , and then hopefully at a stitch n bitch (friday maybe?) someone can show me how to pick up the side heel stitches to continue with making the gusset and foot of the sock. That way I can finish them up closer together and present them to Cameron . Then I will make another pair, this time for Ben. If I am not Master Of The Sock after 2 pair, then I know Richard wants some. Mwahahahahahahahaha. I WILL be sock queen of this house. After 3 pair I will be able to try other sock patterns. Not all socks are created equal you know. I am a happy camper.
SexyBeast is getting a workout. What an awesome gift. Since its arrival in all its red shininess, Its been used at least twice a week. Why so much mixing when twere no mixin before? Because we are swearing off store bought bread, thats why. I have been baking our bread since SB takes so much of the effort out of the whole thing. No aching arms.
Todays bread: honey and molasses in very warm water and yeast= let sit to proof. I ground some organic rolled oats in the coffee grinder to make whole oat flour. I mashed a banana and mixed it with 2 eggs and some olive oil. Then threw in a teaspoonish of salt. Get out the whole wheat flour and ground flax. Added flax to egg mixture. When Yeast was all foamy I turned on SB and started adding the egg mixture, then oat flour, then whole wheat flour. Then I got all cocky and threw in some extra wheat germ.. Kept mixing and adding flour until the dough was no longer goopy, but pretty much a ball. Turned it out onto floured counter for a bit of hand kneading until it wasn't sticky then let rise in an oiled bowl (BIG bowl). Punch it down later then shape into loaves, put in greased/oiled pans and wait again (had supper). Its now in the oven. 20 minutes, turn, 20 minutes more ..400 degree oven (convection..for conventional do 15 and 15) with a pie tin of water on the lowest rack. The tops of the loaves were brushed with egg (eggwash) to make them shiney and nice. When they are done, they get tipped out of the pans and cooled. Can I resist a nice warm heel of fresh bread with butter and molasses on it?
So as long as I have the time and inclination, we will be doing the homemade bread thing. Every batch is different (just a bit), zero preservatives and made with LOVE. How can you do better?