A late Friday on the Needles

We had someone here working on our electric baseboards yesterday so I had plenty of time to sit here knitting. With -30ish degree celsius weather over the last three days, the fact that we had no heat in the basement was really beginning to show. We had also unhooked the heater in the living room when we installed the wood stove, just until we could put in a shorter length heater. Suffice it to say that it was chilly, but more than bearable, we did not use the portable plug in heaters this year because of the wood stove I guess. All the same, it is nice not to have very cold floors. Oh and the basement wasn't as bad as all that, because my potatoes and things I store down there did not freeze LOL.

Now Friday's are my day when my dad goes out for a seniors socialization group, and then I pick him up afterwards and take him to visit my mom (who has Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home). It's always a nice visit, and when we leave I swing by the grocery store to pick up something quick for supper and come home to cook. Now when I got home yesterday, I took photos of my lovely project on the needles...a (drum roll please) sock. Good, that done, I wanted to upload my photos and link up to Patchwork Times for Friday on the Needles. WELL! Enough battery juice to take photos, but not  enough to import them. Ugh! I think it is time to purchase new rechargeables cause these just ain't holding their charge long enough for me!

Ok, enough chitchat...bring on "The Sock"...

See Vickie M. even my couch has roosters in the print lol!

 I cast on Friday morning. Frogged at least five times just the cast on. I'm really not good at calculating for the "long tail cast on".

I've never knit a sweater either, but I assume this is how I would do lovely cuffs as well. Loving my yarn, nothing fancy...Patons Kroy Socks in muslin. I'm also using the free pattern: Patons Kroy Spiral socks (to knit).

Feeling a sense of accomplishment just here at this point. That may very well change to "oh, and now I still have the second one to knit" once I manage to complete the first one lol. At least that is how I am with slippers.

So for what it's worth, here is my Friday on the Needles, just on Saturday. Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Oh and 's first hop of 2014 starts Monday. Let the fun begin!

Wake up to Kona!

of Just Let Me Quilt has us all cheered up and ready to go!

Newest Household Purchase

Well, we have been talking about this for a few years now, and finally did something about it. Let's see if you can guess what we did...

On Monday, we had a friend of ours come in and install some ceramic tiles.

The dining room became a bit chilly because we had to turn off and remove the electric baseboard heater to make room for these tiles. You can see the small electric heater we plugged in to help dry the tiles overnight...

Tuesday morning, I washed down all the tiles in preparation...please note that they are not yet grouted...nor will they be right away.

Tuesday afternoon, the next stage began. What have they done to my wall??!! Betcha just guessed what we are doing here now!

Yup, we are making a hole to the great outdoors. Yes, that is snow you see through the portal. We are turning our house into a submarine LOL.

Of course not, we are having a wood burning stove installed. And even better, it has an oven on top! This is a J.A. Roby Atmosphere stove with oven. And I am so, super excited. I can't wait to bake bread in this baby over the winter! It will also be just perfect for keeping hubby's supper warm waiting for him to get home LOL

My first time lighting this stove (about 6 p.m. Tuesday) taught me a lesson about the flue. Yes, it is supposed to be open when first starting to catch the paper and kindling, and it is also best if the door is not fully latched to allow a bit more air intake so that the smoke goes up the chimney and not into the house. I love the smell of wood smoke but you could have cut this with a knife...and I did prove that my stairwell smoke detector does work very well.

Once everything started burning nicely, we enjoyed the flames for a while but about 11 p.m. I put on the last big log and shut the flue down for the night.

 About 5 a.m. (this morning) I opened the flue to see if there was anything left, because there were no flames or embers to be seen through the window...and lo and behold there was plenty of embers left. I know it is best to open the flue and let everything catch back on fire (if there is anything), because if I open the door first, I risk a back draft and any flames will come out the door towards me instead of up the chimney) Once safe, I just added more wood and it is burning nicely again.

 

So, now today, we are busy changing rooms (living and dining), but I will leave that for another day once we figure it all out. We could just as easily revert it all back, it would not be the first time. LOL

I have wanted a wood stove forever. One that I can cook on should the electricity go out. I do not like pellet stoves, and hubby does not like the price of propane. Since this house is not made for a cookstove (which I would absolutely love)...this is what I got instead. I am in seventh heaven! and toasty warm too! Harpo and I had a little catnap in front of the woodstove last night. Mmmmmm. Scrumptious!