Orchid
Ply | 3 ply
Yardage | Approx 230 m/150 gms
WPI | 18
Fibre | Superwash Merino in Orchid
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5:1 ratio]

Seriously, I don’t mean to toot my own horn but the base for this colourway is simple amazing! Smooth and silky with a slight sheen, it beats the previous merino which I first dyed as an experiment. That base was more for felting but this one? Ohmy, ultra soft and great for next to skin items!

Because I have too much yarn in my stash, I’ve decided to let this one go on sale at the shop. It’s one of a kind like my other colourways, and I’d most probably churn out some handspun yarn for sale on a regular basis with my own handdyed fibers or those from my stash.

Going back to the process, I’m in love with Navajo plying. Sure, it’s different from the conventional 3-ply but for maintaining colours spun, it does its job well. The first time was a bit iffy, trying to coordinate both hands was not easy but after a while, it’s quite alright. The only complaint I have with plying (overall) is that once you start, you can’t exactly stop. It’s fine if you don’t have much on your bobbin but in my case, I was at least a good 200 over metres on each bobbin. Talk about being glued to the chair!!!!

Still, spinning with a wheel definitely has its perks.

And oh, just a quick question: what’s fascinating about Playstation 3?

It’s getting cold and the brown, red signature colours of autumn are fast fading as we head into winter. Everywhere I go, there are signs of the coming festivities - poinsettias, Christmas decorations, Christmas cookies, Christmas chocolates…

Here, Christmas is perhaps the equivalent of Chinese New Year for Chinese people like myself - it is more than just exchanging gifts, but instead is a time for family gatherings and merriment amongst family members. It make me misses home sometimes…especially when here I am dying to put up decorations but because of space constraints (I have turned the living hall into an atelier of some sorts) and naturally, money plus the fact that we won’t be around, Christmas will probably be a quiet, non-decorative affair for us. Well, honestly, I’m more worried about arrangements for the gerbils. I think Nil’s colleague will drop by once in a while to make sure that their water bottle is full and that they are fed.

Believe it or not, I’m still in the summer mood, dressed in my T-shirt and shorts. The heating is not really turned out, so to speak, in our home - the walls are hot enough for the piping - but I get a shocking reminder every time I step out to the post office or just to run some errands. I guess it is time to break out all the wool that has been sleeping away in the cupboard for the past few months.

Anyway, I’m off to catch up on some good old Tales from the Cryptkeeper (just finished downloading Seasons 3 and 4), spinning up some Merri Meric for a swap and yes, more assignments…Hydroxycut, bleh.

Even thought half of the shop update is complete, there is the other half to pack up and label, not to mention photograph…and then there is the yarn to be dyed as well as orders & fresh supplies to bring in.

If you are wondering, life has been kind to me despite the autumn cold and foggy days. I still get weird assignments like “diet pill” and what-not and down days. Remember my bemoaning not so long ago about being jobless? Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for any sort of job, really…even part-time work is fine by me.

Imagine my delight when a certain nearby language school called to inform me that they have arranged for two private one-to-one classes for me! I’ll start in two weeks if all goes well…which means a meeting with a fellow teacher to discuss some details and some preparation for the lessons. On top of that, couple with the sale of at least five items out of the seven new ones that I put up for sale…it has indeed been a good week for me!

I must make a note to celebrate this week’s good news as well as give thanks for it!

Sweetness galore…seriously. But if you just want to settle for the smell of freshly baked cookies, this is just what you need!

Now, I found the recipe a bit tad sweet, although it would go very well with espresso or unsweetened black coffee, so I intend to cut down on the caster sugar bit the next time I make it. Nevertheless, it’s very airy and light due to the baking powder. For those of you Malaysians, this is so similar to those yummy Famous Amos cookies!!!!

Oh, if the center dips a little, don’t fret…some cookies are meant to do that when you pull them out of the oven and as they cool. Mine dipped quite a bit for some because I accidentally made the fork (used to flatten them) too wet.

Also, I love my cookies nutty so I used up all the chopped hazelnuts in the batter and sprinkled the top as well with more nuts! Less if you like more dough, more if you like…that crunch!

Chocolate chip hazelnut cookies

Ingredients
115g or 1 cup plain flour
5ml or 1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
75g or 1/3 cup butter
115g or 1 1/2 cup caster/fine white sugar*
50g or 1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
5ml or 1 tsp vanilla essence
125g or 2/3 cup chocolate chips
50g or 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts**

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F. Grease 2 to 3 baking sheets. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl before putting it aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until it’s pale and light with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence until well combined. Add in the flour gradually on low speed and mix well.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips and half of the hazelnuts, using a wooden spoon or spatula.
4. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to the prepared baking sheets to form 2cm mounds. Space the cookies 2.5 to 5cm apart.
5. Flatten each cookie lightly with a wet fork and sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts on top of the cookies.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and leave to cool.

* I’d cut down on this since I find the cookies too sweet for my liking
** You can replace this with almonds, walnuts or cashews…it’s up to you!

I have always wondered if that is an appropriate reason for adultery and betrayal. Too often, I hear the following being said to innocent hearts about the be broken…

“I/We had no choice; I am/we are in love.”

No, no, this has nothing to do with me and Nil. Just an observation from the forum - someone recently posted a thread talking about his few-month-old illicit affair with a newlywed (his client and a woman six years his senior). As to be expected, a lot of those who responded were married and therefore, didn’t look too kindly on this fellow, especially when he started justifying his actions to love and spark & chemistry, about how people deserve second chances, about how this is his first serious relationship (despite being in one with his girlfriend and having countless of exes in the past)…

It touched a nerve, I must admit.

From the start, I have never believed that people lack the ability to make decisions and choices in life. Yes, in general, people are limited to the few choices that life gives them BUT they still have the ability to choose. This young man, for example, had the choice to wait for this woman to obtain a divorce before engaging in an intimate relationship with her while she was still married to her husband. The woman had the choice to get married or not instead of just going ahead with the wedding. She had a choice to speak up and obtain a divorce instead of two-timing on her husband and giving the young man less of what he deserves.

On top of that, this woman is his client! Ohgosh, what does that speak of this man’s sense of professionalism and business ethics?

To be honest, when he started talking about how this was true love and all, I nearly fell backwards. True love in a few months and in the form of adultery, especially after I read the words “spark & chemistry”? That is not love. That is a dick and vagina talking. Now, I don’t profess to be a guru in true love BUT I know love involves time, experience and intimate knowledge of your partner and by intimate, I don’t mean sexually. I mean intimacy in the way of knowing the person’s feelings, insecurities and all…and more.

A fellow forumer implied that I was harsh with my observation and words. I guess if by being politely blunt, I was harsh, then so be it. I have no qualms about calling it what I see it to be - someone cheating on their partner and helping another person cheat on someone else. I have no respect for such individuals, to be frank. It reminds me too much of the past and some people I knew then.

Anyway, what annoyed me more than anything else was this man’s implication that what he was doing is right by all accounts…why? Because he is in love. He even quoted “love conquers all”!

*sigh*

I have seen families fall apart, hearts broken, lives changed…all supposedly in the name of love. If love had a voice, would it agree with these people?

Is love the right reason and justification for adultery and betrayal?

I think I shall go rest my feet lest I get the horrible Plantar Fasciitis problem (painful foot condition in the heel and arch area)…

On the menu tonight, some Northern Indian food in the form of Fragrant Prawn Rice, or perhaps more commonly known as prawn briyani. Although a little time-consuming on the preparation side, this recipe is creamy and fragrant. Definitely a keeper!

So what’s on the menu tomorrow? I’m not too sure but chocolate chip & hazelnut cookies are on the list…

Summer into Autumn
Ply | Single
Yardage | Approx 224 m/100 gms
WPI | 12
Fibre | My own handdyed merino roving
Tool | Spinning wheel [5:1 ratio]

I read somewhere that once you start spinning up fine singles, it can be hard to churn out bulky weight singles; on the spindle, this theory has been proven to be true. I can’t, to save my life, spin bulky singles on a spindle (perhaps it is the weight but even with my heaviest spindle, it ends up being laceweight and such). So needless to say, when the wheel arrived, I pulled out my first handdyed roving and decided to get some bulky action going on.

Of course, at first it was crazy trying to figure out how to get the fibre into the orifice and some action going but after googling and watching some videos on the Net, things started going smoothly…

A night later and after 24 hours of skeining, washing and drying action going on, the Summer into Autumn yarn is finally ready. It is safe to say that this yarn is considerably thicker than the others I have spun up with a spindle and it is still overtwisted - something which I’ll need to work on. But otherwise, it is a nice combination of even and thick-thin in some parts and suitably thick as well as long enough for a hat.

The colours were a surprise - I hadn’t anticipated the colour change and intensity - but still, it’s a good yarn.

Now while this was drying, I started working on one of my recent handdyed superwash merino. I know I started one on the spindle but I didn’t want to work half on a spindle and half on a wheel so I pulled out another colourway instead. As so far, it’s turning out beautifully. So beautifully that if it goes well, I might just use this for a handwoven scarf but we’ll see…

In the meantime, there is laundry, brunch/lunch and assignments like mesothelioma to put up with…