Moving into Fall

Crochet: I am once again on the eve of a Nerd Wars Tournament, beginning on Saturday. Tournament 2, which lasted through the summer, was a great experience. I found myself challenged in my crafting in ways I did not expect, and I was inspired to start designing my own projects. During the next few months, I expect to work through my (considerable) stash, create Christmas gifts, and support my team, One More Page, as we strive for Nerd Wars mastery! :) I will be drawing inspiration this time from the Chronicles of Narnia, partly because of Father Christmas making an appearance in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I am looking forward to the new challenges and new creations.


Cooking: Regarding my cooking, I have decided that now is the time to begin menu planning.

 Ok, that's as far as I've gotten, but the next grocery trip I make (in about a week), I will have a definite menu in mind. I am hoping that this will enable me to cut some of my food costs.

The beginning

Well, I must "begin at the beginning, and go on until I come to the end, then stop." And I must begin somewhere, so the present will have to do.

Crochet: I have recently discovered a group of creatives online with just similar interests that I feel at home, which doesn't often happen as quickly as this time. I have discovered the Nerd Wars group on Ravelry, and I am very excited to begin my first tournament on Wednesday. I hope to be challenged, to use up a portion of my stash, and to create things of usefulness and beauty over the next three months. I have been assigned to Team One More Page (theme: series fiction) and I intend to complete projects that reflect the Wheel of Time series.

I am also participating in a "Stash Quest" with another group on Ravelry, the Lord of the Rings group. Between the two, I hope to have lots of encouragement as I work through my accumulation of yarns.

Cooking: I am currently on an extremely low carbohydrate diet, which will continue for only two more weeks, so I am getting creative with my home-cooked lunches. Background: I try to avoid processed foods whenever possible, so I make my own "frozen dinners" from casseroles made with fresh, often organic, vegetables and meats. I have already created what I call "fajita casserole" to curb my craving for Mexican food while I am avoiding carbohydrates.

I hope to eventually acquire an herb garden, but at this time I am certain I would kill it before the end of summer, so I am waiting until I can learn to care for my plants as I do for my cats.