Sunday, January 20, 2013

Sub Zero

The wind is sincerely howling around the house.  I can hear it trying to reach down our chimney, but I have that fireplace so stoked with wood that there's not a chance it will get through.

What does one do as the temperature plumets from 35 degrees to -4 in just a few short hours?  If you're born and raised up north, you get the heck outside and get as much vitamin D as you can while the sun doth shine, my friends.  Throw on some extra clothes and play a little boot hockey.  (or sit in your heated car and take pictures of your husband and his friends - it really was too cold).

I took a stroll through our local park and admired the ice sculptures.  I guess it wasn't technically a stroll.  More like a moment of hopping up and down trying to keep warm with my back to the wind and cursing like a sailor.

This one was my favorite sculptures - a growler - what do you call them in your neck of the woods?  You know - a big jug of beer that you can have filled at your local brewery and bring it home to enjoy. Ours is The Excelsior Brewing Company - and low and behold, they have a blog.

This chilly day was also "Hockey Day Minnesota".  The highlight for me was watching a high school varsity hockey game being played outside -  "pond hockey" style.  Go Benilde! (they lost)  I watched this game

. . . from the comfort of my couch.  With half of my family and the half empty growler close by.  No judgement, right?  The other half was . . . playing hockey.  I prefer the spectator sports myself.

And now, the sun has set.  All are sleeping - I am here next to the fire working on a Valentine's Day bunting for a friend.  It's so cute, though.  This might find a home right here.

Happy Hockey Day to all and to all a warm and peaceful night.




Wednesday, January 16, 2013

I'm being swallowed by an afghan . . .


Does anyone remember the song, "I'm Being Swallowed by a Boa Constrictor"?   The song is about a snake that starts eating your toes, then knees, middle and so on.

Here at Chateau DeBris, we have our very own boa constrictor in the form of an insanely large and colorful afghan.

I'm being swallowed by a ripple blanket.

Oh no (oh no) he's up to my toe (he's up to my toe)
Oh gee (oh gee) he's up to my knee (he's up to my knee)

And that's as far as I've come with the blanket affectionaly known as Monstro - the ripple blanket from planet Acid-Trip.  I've gone through my first order of yarn and have just placed my second order.  I'm using Brava by Knit Picks because it's so darn cheap and it comes in a big bunch of colors.  And although it's 100% acrylic (shudder), it doesn't squeak - you know what I mean, right?

Are you seeing any color this cold dark January?