Greetings all! I am excited to have finally tried out "Google Reader", which is probably going to be the only way I will remember to check this blog with any regularity. I am also pleased as peaches with your questionairre, Megan, as I was finding, oddly, that I didn't have anything interesting to say... that plus surveys are always fun. The one thing one never gets bored of talking about is one's self...

1. What are a few significant events or milestones that have happened in your life since the last time we talked?

Uh... you want a list?

A. I have a blog. I heart it. http://osbornfiber.com Okay that's not really new. It's just a shameless plug for myself. My blog has been something in between knitterly-self-discovery and expressive therapy, and it keeps my brain working when nothing else will.

B. I started a business, recycling yarn from old sweaters and hand dyeing it and other yarn with natural materials. See link above. Okay, so I make less money than we spend on breakfasts at Chik-fil-a, but it's real enough - I have to fill out tax forms; I can't imagine it being any more real than that.

C. I work at a yarn shop. happiness incarnate! another shameless plug: http://www.cloverhillyarn.com

D. Jared & I have decided, more or less for sure, to go to seminary this fall. Most likely to Trinity. Jared for an MDiv, me for a MAR (an unfortunate acronym that stands for Master of Arts in Religion) in Church History.

E. Because we're leaving the area in August, and our [lameihateyourar] landlords refusal to give us a short lease, we're moving to another apt. in April. Then moving again in August. every time I acknowledge that in writing, my heart skips a beat, my eye twitches, and i lose about fifteen minutes off my life.

2. If you could describe your life right now as an ice cream flavor, what would it be and why?
Pistachio. Because ... why in the heck would you make ice cream that tastes like pistachios?

3. Read any good books lately?
Between working at a yarn shop, then going home to keep house and "work" at my "second job" at my "business," my reading time consists of the five minutes I have in bed every night while Jared is brushing in his teeth. But I've been listening to a lot of books on tape. I'm just finishing up a novel about quilting (I ran out of the library's collection of knitting books on tape). It's rather horrendously written - I've decided that crafting novels are like Christian movies - they are generally horrible, but we are part of the subculture, so we partake. Aside from the writing, the story is heartwarming, and I'm learning a lot about quilting! Just what I need; another equipment-heavy, stash-creating, hand-crafting hobby!

4. What is the most stressful thing in your life right now, and how are you dealing with it?
The idea of moving twice in five months. It took me a few long quiet times and a lot of blog-whining before I came to terms with how I felt about moving, and became fully okay with the decision that we've made. We made a plan, which helped, but the main way I am dealing with it is - procrastinating. If I let myself start packing and prepping now, I'd be fussing about it from now until it happened, but really - it only needs to take a week. So I'm putting it off until at least a couple weeks before. It's not like I don't have enough to do in the meantime - our moving date is just a week before my hand-dyed yarn is "due" for the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival (only the biggest opportunity for me to sell my yarn like ever in my life).

5. Any recent noteworthy culinary adventures?
Hm.... Jared's been the more culinarily adventurous of the two of us, lately. I made some creamed parsnips - joining a CSA has meant we are swimming in winter vegetables and citrus, when I have no time for clever cooking - so I creamed parsnips. Jared, however, made an amazing chili involving chuck roast, cocoa powder, and a cinnamon stick, among other things. Unfortunately we were out of chili powder (he having used up our supply last time he made insanely hot chili) so he used the dried serranos that had been a gift from his brother for Christmas... ground up... in the same quantity. In order to get through a bowl, i have to drink about a glass and a half of milk. But it's aMAzing. As for me, I've been having *food* adventures... but they don't have to do with eating, so they don't really count as culinary. I've discovered so far - dye from black beans (blue) gets under your fingernails - turmeric (bright yellow) by itself smells disgusting, and I don't know how to get that smell out of yarn - and beets (red) don't really dye at all if you let the pot boil (crap.)

6. What was the happiest moment of the past week?

We were busy Wednesday night, so we decided to celebrate St. Patty's day early. That Irish holiday has posed a problem for us - we've gotten into the habit of giving up alcohol during lent, but St. Patrick's day always happens during lent. But what is St. Patrick's without a guiness?! A sad and watery day, I tell you. So we make an exception. Jared found a pub with a week long St. Patrick's celebration, so we went out with a friend, had a couple of pints with our corned beef, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

7. If we were to go on a road trip this spring/summer, where would you want to go?

Some. Place. Warm.I don't care that I won't be able to wear all my knitted sweaters I want to go to the ocean on a day that I am so hot and sweaty that running into the water 'till its past my head does not require a second thought. I am OVER winter.

I'm a ramblin' woman.... And so thrilled to read all your posts. I've been missing y'all lately, ever so much. Hugs and keep in touch!