The Accidental Domestic Goddess

Life in a Nutshell

Today was a day. I wouldn’t say it was a bad day. More like just a perfect summary of my life at the moment.

Our car has needed a lot of repairs recently. It did this crazy scary limp mode thing, which basically cuts your ability to do anything but limp along. I live in the mountains. We can’t limp anywhere.

We changed the fuses. Problem solved!

For two days. Then we changed the engine coils. Problem solved!

For a few days. Then we tried engine cleaner.

A few more days later it’s the fuel injector. The one that takes three hours of labor to replace. I got an oil change while they had it.

No more limp mode, but a few days later we’ve got the engine light on again. New air filter. Better, but still not the issue. Gaskets are up next.

Meanwhile I’ve been borrowing my mom’s car when she’s in town (which was twice through all of this). Now we’re borrowing my mother-in-law’s beater. A 90-something Nissan. It’s been a trip. I’m grateful for it. I appreciate the help.

And this was the ongoing story in June that has bled into July while the rest of our life is still happening.

So, today. Get up early and drive everybody everywhere. I get to work feeling ok. I get set up, am all ready and then waited. As I’m waiting, my anxiety starts creeping. The panic coming up to the surface. I can hold on, if I can just start my day.

Nope. No call. No show. Sometimes we can fill the slot that quick, but no luck today. Fine. It’s fine. I’ll just run up to Barnes & Noble and buy a book to soothe my troubled spirit.

Turn the borrowed car on and remembered I needed gas. Get to the gas station and I don’t have my card. My husband still has it. I have two dollars on me. Gas light on. I just lost it. That’s it. I can’t. I bawled as I drove to a small, quiet park.

My husband called. The card is in my pants at home. I’m crying. He reminds me I can go to my bank for money. Oh yeah. He talked to me until I calmed down. I still had enough time to get to the bank and back to work for what should have been my second appointment.

At the bank, I patiently wait in line for a teller. I need two forms of ID. My check book with matching address and expired Target card (explains why it didn’t work the other day) aren’t good enough to back up my driver’s license. Besides, who doesn’t have a credit card? Me. It’s me.

So the teller asks the manager to show me how to use my bank app to use the atm. Great. I pull up my app and nothing is working. I’m trying to press any button. He’s trying to press any button. It may have been the humidity.

“This is my fucking life right now.”

I log out and log in again, while debating how inappropriate what I just said to a complete stranger was. It works and I get some money and thank the kind gentleman for his help, hoping he has a good day.

Basically it’s real mixed. Disasters, mishaps, sunshine, and sweet moments. Mostly it’s all ok. Just these few important and expensive wrenches coming at us. And the world’s on fire.

I made it back to work with plenty of time. My next two clients did arrive. A regular and a repeat. The rest of the day was fine. It was hot. The car was hot. No A/C. Humidity was very sticky. I was in the car for almost four hours by the time I was done running all of us around. And I did fill up the tank after work.

But it’s fine. We’re all fine here. Yep. We’re good.

(I got myself two books the next day).

Back to Knitting

I’m taking a pause from the crochet sweater because, surprise!, I need more yarn. I mean, I have yarn, but not what I need. It’s fine. I have three knitting projects that need to get done, or at least make some real progress on, so I can start something new.

This beauty has been with me for a while and I’m so close to being done with the shawl part. To make the hood I’m going to, yep, buy more yarn. I seriously underestimated how much I’d need. While I love knitting this, it can get dull.

When I get bored with the shawl, I switch to this cozy scarf. My first double-knit project. I’ll be working on this forever more. It’ll be worth it when it’s done.

When I get tired of the scarf, I work on this cowl for a bit. Untangling all the bobbins can get frustrating. Lessons have been learned. I want it big, and this time I’m fairly certain I have enough yarn.

I’m working on my favorite part of the pattern now. The grey rows get boring, but changing colors for the horizontal stripes is fun. I’m thinking one more section of grey blocks and one more round of stripes should do the trick. Then it’s a matter of if I have enough purple for the other hem, or if I should just use another color. Decisions. Decisions. (I know I said I have enough yarn. I do. Just maybe not enough of the same color).

Halfway There

Two more books done and I can’t believe I’m only halfway through the series. So much happens in such a short span of time.

In Discover the Destroyer we finally get David’s perspective. The big hero and default leader of the unlikely group of teens. Be-spelled by the witch who dragged them along for her own, and still secret reasons, determined to fight against it, he definitely earns his role by this adventure.

My own teen years are such a jumble of memories, emotions, childishness, maturity, and a whole lot of discovery and hormones. Maybe that’s all teens (or most). These books are like a snapshot of my world from 12-16. That dawning of growing up and no longer being an actual kid. They came out in 2000/01, right as I was in high school and I loved all the references to regular life. It was just before cellphones began creeping into teens’ pockets. Books were still the normal source of information. It hits a nice nostalgia note for me rereading as an adult.

Then we’re back to the group’s jokester, who isn’t funny anymore. Never really was. But also isn’t finding himself so funny anymore, either. The witch isn’t in this one. Christopher is pretty self absorbed, which is fairly clear from the first two books. By the end of this one, his intelligence might be gleaning the impact of his behavior.

So far I love these books. My teen self may not have been able to handle the unknown of if they ever get to go home, but I’m having fun with the ride now. It’s intense and definitely not shy and a great teen read. Six more books to go!

Coffee and Mystery

One can never go wrong with a good cup of coffee. Even a bad cup will do in a pinch. I read another Anita Blake novel before getting to my regular kind of murder mystery. There wasn’t much talk of coffee in Narcissus in Chains, but it was soothing all the same (in a high-action, no rest for the good, one disaster after another kind of way).

I’ve enjoyed dipping into this coffeehouse murder mystery series by Cleo Coyle from time to time. Claire is an easy character to trust on the case and her humor keeps the tension light.

The wealth of knowledge is seamlessly woven into the tapestry of the story. Just enough background on architecture, fashion, cuisine, culture, events, coffee, and more to keep you in the know and the story moving.

The misdirection is wonderfully done. Following the trail of clues as they come. I love the opening from the killer’s perspective. You feel like you’ve been given a helpful hint, but really it makes everyone sound like a suspect. Even if you figure it all out before the end, the big reveal throws in a few more twists to keep it exciting.

As I get older, the characters like Claire, who are reliable, relaxed, and know just how to diffuse an explosive situation are definitely my comfort characters. The kind who have learned from life. Who can be completely out of their depth and still find a way to be successful.

Cheers to another romp of a coffeehouse murder mystery.

It’s Working!!!

A few granny squares only attached to the linen stitch hem.

This is a project I am completely winging. I started some granny squares years ago and just started making some more about a week ago. Just some really basic squares with fun colors.

My husband helped with the design idea. When he’s up for it, he’s got some great ones that I then finagle into something doable. Finally bored with squares I decided to start working on the hem.

Some squares on the hem with a panel of linen stitch waiting to be sewn on.

I didn’t measure. I didn’t do any counting or math. I just kept going until it seemed long enough and then started adding height with linen stitch.

I didn’t even count to figure out the spacing between squares. Just lots of guessing and eye-balling as I attached them. It worked out perfectly! I am amazed!

I even remembered button holes! Hopefully the rest of this cardigan comes together this easily.

The Last 100 Pages

Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton

What a balm to my soul this book was after ACOTR. The “tough as nails vampire hunter” with a heart is my cup of coffee. Plus, Edward is a star in this one and their friendship is one of my favorite fictional relationships.

I’ll admit, I’m not into the club scenes, but they serve their purpose. And the case dragged on forever, but that’s how it can be. Frustratingly endless. The cop drama is fun, though.

With all that, the last hundred or so pages always make it all worth the wait. The pace just starts to take off and then it’s full tilt to the end. The last two books had my heart racing, palms sweating, my throat tightening with the rush. I had to take breaks to catch my breath, but was picking it back up because I had to know.

Rereading these has been interesting. I remember so many details and story arcs, but I can never seem to remember how it all resolves. Maybe so much happens at the end it’s just hard to recall everything.

Whatever it is, I’m having a blast returning to a story that is close to my heart. I’m going to take a break with some royal intrigue and childhood celebrity before getting into Narcissus in Chains.

Three More For May

Books 2, 3, & 4 in the Everworld series.

I don’t think I’m going to read three of the same in a row again. I love this series, but I really just wanted to be done, to take a break, about halfway through book four. They’re short books, so I figured reading three would be like reading one. It is not.

Each one has their own god they have to deal with. There is always the ever running main story, but there are many aspects to the main story. Each book focuses on one and it’s intense. Crazy.

I also forgot that after the second book the point of view changes to another character and the next to another of the four main characters. I appreciate getting to know each of them. Seeing deeper into their dynamics.

I’ll get to the next two books at some point this summer. It’s a limited series. There is an end not too far from where I’m leaving off. I want to know what happens next, but mostly, I want to know how it ends. I just need a little change in scenery first.

Basic Granny’s

I started making these Granny Squares a long time ago and I guess I’m finally in the mood to keep going.

I think I want to make some kind of cardigan, but I’m just not sure how I want it to come together.

Ideas are floating around, but right now I’m just having fun making squares.

Another Sweater

I was so excited to start blocking this beauty. I really thought I had a couple more blocking mats, but nope. I also forget how damp it is where I live and drying takes forever.

I can spend months making something, but get frustrated waiting a day or two for it to dry.

Getting these double yarn overs to open up.

It always makes me laugh when people are afraid to wear what I make them, or are worried they’ll hurt the garment. I’ve already rolled it up, squeezed the life out of it, yanked and pulled almost every inch, and dragged it all over kingdom come while making it. Trust me. If it was delicate, I didn’t make it.

The sleeves are a bit longer than I intended because I forgot to factor in the stretch of the back from blocking. I like longer sleeves anyway. Plus, they’re snug enough to stay pushed up if I want.

It feels so good to wear! Soft and cozy. Perfect for the summer.

Fun at the Library

I had been thinking about stopping by our local library the other night with my youngest and she just happened to come home with a need to check out some books.

She earned a book from the school vending machine, but it’s the 8th one in the series. Upon inquiring what she did to earn the book my child just looked at me like I was being wacky. I said they don’t just let you pick a book randomly. “Oh. Me and another girl got it for getting 100% on a test” she nonchalantly replied. This girl.

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy, The Lost Heir, Winter Turning.

So we get to the library and go straight to where these books would be. The excitement on her face when I said let’s borrow the first two. Since we had what she wanted, she hopefully requested to play for a bit. Sure, kid.

I had planned on reading what I’m in the middle of and not borrow anything. I have ten new books at home I’m aching to read. I do not need to borrow anything.

Outdoor School: Camping and Hiking, Spare by prince Harry, I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, A Kid’s Guide to Native American History.

But they were calling. Whispering to my book loving heart. I picked up an outdoor guide that looked fun for some summer activities. There was a kid’s guide to Native American history that I read with the kids a long time ago. Then I saw prince Harry’s book and I’m so curious. I don’t have an opinion, just a lot of curiosity. Right next to his book was Jennette McCurdy’s book, which I’ve been wanting to read. So they all came home with me.

The pure joy of playing in the toy room was fun to watch. She cooked, organized, created a story, and fed me some pizza.

We didn’t have a lot of time before they closed, so she cleaned up, I checked us out, and she dove right into her book on the way home. She was so excited by the story that when we got home she had to read us all a few lines. I’m so thrilled that she’s so thrilled.

Now if I can just finish this book so I can get to these…