winter delights

What's the best way to spend a chilly winter weekend? Visiting Three Floyds (a local microbrewery just across the Indiana border), watching The Office with friends while sipping pomegranate martinis, knitting...

Tulip Sweater

Garter Stitch Cardi
(Unique Sheep Superwool, Spruce Sprigs)

Watching the Packers lose to the Giants last night was not part of the perfect winter weekend equation. Oh well... at least I taped the new Northanger Abbey.

cocoa swap question of the week
Now that we're in the thick of 'Winter'... has your knitting changed to match the season? Are you moving on from dishcloths, and tank tops to afghans, hats and mittens? Has your yarn changed from silk or cotton to wool, superwash or heavier cottons?

I always like knitting with wool and wool blends; the change of seasons prompts me to change the size of my project rather than the fiber content. A lap full of wool is delightful in the winter, but awful in the summer. A cold snap prompts me into a mitten and hat knitting frenzy!

Winter is one of my favorite seasons -- sweaters, snowflakes, crisp air, mittens, hot cocoa, piping hot bowls of soup, and fresh crusty bread. Here's a delicious soup recipe, slightly modified from Jeanne Lemlin's Vegetarian Classics.

Indonesian Curried Vegetable Soup

Serves 6-8

1 -2 T. canola oil (I tend to go light on the oil)
2 medium onions, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tsp. minced ginger (I use the kind that comes in a jar as it's far easier)
2 C. thinly sliced mushrooms (regular white mushrooms)
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1/8 or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 C. vegetable stock (I use Better Than Bouillon organic vegetable stock base)
14 oz. light coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
2 large boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1.5 C. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 C. finely diced red bell pepper
1/2 C. fine egg noodles (No Yolks)
juice of 1 lemon

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger, and saute, stirring often, for 10 min., or until the onions are soft and golden.

2. Add the mushrooms and saute 5 min. Sprinkle on the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add the vegetable stock, coconut milk, and salt, and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook 10 min., stirring occasionally.

4. Mix in the green beans, red bell pepper, and noodles. Cook at a lively simmer for 10 min., or until the vegetables and noodles are tender. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving.

last one on the bandwagon

Project Details
Pattern: Fetching
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, 1 skein
Needles: Clover US4 bamboo DPNs

Marvelously fun to knit! I'll be making many more of these. This pair is destined for the cold hands of a fellow graduate student. Hopefully they'll bring a little cheer to the chilly library.

I picked up the yarn at a new-to-me yarn store in Milwaukee, Loop. It's a really cute shop; the staff was friendly and helpful, but not pushy. Dream in Color Classy was in great abundance there, as well as plenty of Debbie Bliss (which is hard to find in Chicago), Frog Tree, Malabrigo, and other lovelies. I'll definitely be back, especially since it's close to my husband's favorite Milwaukee record shop, Atomic Records, as well as a nice coffee shop. This area of Milwaukee is undergoing a great revitalization.

Unique Sheep Superwool, "Spruce Sprigs"
Woolgirl Sock Club ~ December

As I neared the half-way point on a little garter stitch baby cardigan, a horrible sinking sensation in my stomach developed. Yes, indeed, I was going to run out of yarn. Not only would I run out of yarn, I would run out of the December shipment of Woolgirl's sock club exclusive yarn. I emailed Jen at Woolgirl; not only did she dig up the very last skein of sportweight Unique Sheep Superwool in "Spruce Sprig," she also gave it to me for FREE, even shipping it priority. Talk about fabulous customer service... Thanks again, Jen!! :-) Knitters really are the nicest people.

I finished Owl Hat numero dos at knitting night, popped it on my head, discovered it was too big, and handed it off to a fellow (larger-headed) knitting friend. So no photo yet; I'll knit another one, modified for my medium-sized noggin.

Apparently this is hat season. I'm working on Le Slouch in Debbie Bliss Luxury Tweed Aran:
Pattern choice was inspired by Melissa at Owl & Acorn; yarn choice was inspired by Sarah at Blue Garter. Let's hope this fits, as it would look lovely with the charcoal grey wool coat that I ordered yesterday and am now anxiously awaiting. The yarn is lovely to knit; usually tweeds are rough and scratchy and wear out my hands and wrists. A good amount of angora really softens up this yarn, and the color is amazing. It seems to attract even more cat hair than usual, though.

Have you seen Alice Bell's new (free) pattern, the Brompton cardigan? It's cute as can be; I predict that it may be the Drops Swing Jacket of late winter/early spring 2008.

Note to self
New Year's Resolution: Don't wear clogs in the house, especially while working in the kitchen. Poor Capricha loves to be underfoot, and she doesn't deserve to be stepped on by big clunky Danskos.

orangey goodness

There's nothing like a bowl of juicy citrus to drive away the winter blues...
So maybe it's just citrus colored yarn, but still... Sarah and I headed over to Loopy to check out their 40% off sale yesterday, and I made out like a bandit with 5 skeins of Rowan Cashsoft 4-ply in Ginger, as well as enough navy Silky Wool for a sweater (maybe Basic Black?):
I've been reading proofs all day, and the one thing that kept me going was my fabulous new Bialetti stovetop cappuccino maker:
It creates marvelous foam, and all the hissing and whirring is pretty awesome. I had been wanting an espresso/cappuccino maker for some time, but had neither the space nor the budget for a big fancy one. This is perfect -- space-saving and not budget-breaking (even better, it was a Christmas gift from my in-laws). I hadn't realized just how great an insulation layer cappuccino foam provides! My coffee stays so nice and hot now. You can use it to make lattes, too, but there isn't any cool whirring then.

Anybody catch the new adaptation of Persuasion last night? I thought it was pretty awful. The pacing seemed off -- very jerky. The acting wasn't very good, and it lacked all the subtlety and wit of both the novel and the adaptation from the 90s. What a disappointment! The intro by Gillian Anderson should have tipped me off. What inanities! The entire production was marred by a lack of good judgment and intelligence.

Let's hope Northanger Abbey's better...

flu-tastic + cocoa swap questionnaire

I was supposed to spend the whole weekend at an academic conference, learning and schmoozing. After two days at the conference, a nasty strain of the flu sent me home, and I instead did the following:

knitting
-Garter Stitch Cardigan, from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies (not yet photo-worthy)
-Tulip Baby Cardigan, still a WIP (kit ordered online from ThreadBear Fiber Arts, a shop I would love to visit in person)

inspired by Nicole's beautiful version quite a while ago

The i-cord bind-off is marvelous! What a great touch -- it looks very classy, and it's much more fun to work than a standard bind-off.

-Newfoundland Mitts, finally achieving FO status

Project Details
Pattern: Newfoundland Mitts, a free pattern by Creative Whimsy
Yarns: Noro Kureyon #156 (2 half-skeins) & Patons Classic Wool Merino
Needles: Brittany US4 birch DPNs

Notes: It's a great pattern, but I had some stress-related gauge issues that made these take much more time than I had anticipated. If you want the contrast colors to be consistent between the two mittens, you need two skeins of Noro. I ended up doing a lot of cutting because one skein had a knot in it that screwed up the color repeats.

reading
-Quartet in Autumn, by Barbara Pym
-Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books, by Maureen Corrigan
-Death in the Garden, by Elizabeth Ironside
-Not the End of the World, by Kate Atkinson

All great books; I highly recommend each one. Mini-reviews may be forthcoming, provided that the beginning of the quarter isn't too frantic. I'm in the midst of reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, and I'm not terribly impressed so far. Kind of flaky and superficial while aiming for depth and enlightenment, perhaps?

watching
-Knocked Up (cute and funny, rather crass)
-Notting Hill
-Love Actually
-Gilmore Girls (a few episodes from season 4)
-The Office (a few episodes from seasons 3 & 4)

Good old flu... nothing beats chills, aches, pains, sniffling, sneezing, and a roiling stomach to increase one's appreciation of the finer things in life -- books, yarn, and the couch.

Mmm… Hot Cocoa Swap Questionnaire
(Unless you're my swap partner, the rest of this post is most likely not of much interest.)

1. What is your favorite way to drink cocoa? Prepared with milk? Water? from home made recipe or store bought?, In a tea cup, or big mug?
My favorite way is for someone else to make me homemade hot cocoa prepared with milk, served in a pottery mug! In reality, I make cocoa with milk and a store-bought mix. Lately I’ve been using Cadbury drinking chocolate or Serendipity 3 mix, but those are splurges.

2. Marshmallows or whipped cream?
Neither! If I had to choose one, I would go with whipped cream and a dash of cocoa powder. A real treat would involve a healthy dose of Bailey's.

Yarn/Knitting/Crochet
1. What is your favorite type of yarn? In what colors?
Soft worsted weight wool in shades of blue. I also like wine, scarlet, plum, chocolate brown, aqua, lavender… Solid or heathered colors are my favorites right now, but I like some variegateds, too (usually ones that are more subtle). Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and Malabrigo are my favorites, but I also love Rowan 4 Ply Soft and just about anything by Fleece Artist or Hand Maiden.

2. Do you knit or crochet (or both)?
I mainly knit, but do some basic crocheting.

3. What are your favorite type of needles, would you like to try something new?
I like wood needles best. Bamboo runs a close second. My one pair of Lantern Moon straights is my favorite, but they’re too expensive! I always need more 16” circs for some reason (mostly US 5 and 6), and I like straight needles quite well. I don't like plastic or metal needles.

4. Do you have a healthy supply of notions?
Yes – too many fancy stitch markers (I only use plain ones with no dangly bits). I can always use more double ended stitch holders, though.

5. What one thing do you keep thinking you need to buy for your knitting habit (outside of yarn)?
Wooden or bamboo cable needles, like the Brittany Birch ones. I don’t like my Clover plastic ones very well.

6. What is your favorite 'quick knit/crochet' pattern (quick gratification)
Hats! I like Ruthie Nussbaum’s Owl Hat pattern (free on the net).

Miscellaneous
1. What is your favorite thing to do in the Winter?
Go for a long walk while it’s snowing and pet all the neighborhood dogs.

2. What is your favorite animal?
Bunnies! Followed closely by cats, hedgehogs, and puppies. Sheep are nice, too.

3. Do you get the 'winter blahs'?
Not too often. Chicago winters aren’t nearly as pleasant as Minneapolis or Madison winters.

4. What is your favorite way to beat the blahs?
Getting outside and enjoying the snow when it’s nice and sunny. Otherwise, snuggling up in front of my red wood-burning stove with a book or some knitting.

5. What is the thing you are most looking forward to this spring?
Watching all the spring flowers emerge, especially the crocuses.

6. What are your favorite treats?
Good chocolate (especially with mint or hazelnuts), biscotti, scones. Not too many treats, though – I’m trying to watch my waistline. I’m not a fan of gummy or hard candies. I love trying new recipes, too.

7. What is your favorite board game?
Taboo or Cribbage.

8. Do you have any children (furry or human)?
2 beloved tabby cats – Kylie and Capricha. No kids yet.

9. Do you have any allergies or special considerations you partner should know about?
I'm afraid I'm developing a sensitivity to some alpaca -- it can make me itchy. Some types of mohair make me sneeze! I don't enjoy knitting with cotton yarns -- too hard on the hands and wrists.

Last FO of 2007

Woodsy Baby Vest

Pattern: a heavily modified version of the Oz Vest
(from Lousia Harding's Natural Knits for Babies and Moms)
Size: 6 months
Yarn: Cider Moon Glacier, Ren Faire, less than 1 skein
Needles: Clover US4 & US5 bamboo circs (16")

Notes: I converted this to be knit in the round and switched to stockinette stitch for the body. I enlarged the V-neck and armholes; I eliminated the button holes for the shoulder and worked a 3-needle bind-off/join for both shoulders. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. The area where I joined the garter stitch edging for the neck turned out a little wonky. It still needs to be washed and blocked.

This is a great way to really show off hand-dyed superwash yarn. Do you guys have any other favorite non-sock patterns for these kinds of yarns?

2007 Mosaic

Just a few favorite projects from 2007...

January Mosaic, originally uploaded by jodimarieharaldson.

Happy New Year!

Out with the old, and in with the new! Happy New Year's to all. Paul and I celebrated with a small group of friends last night and had a marvelous time ringing in 2008. We made it well past midnight. The pomegranate champagne cocktail (pomegranate juice + ice + champagne) was my beverage of choice. Just think, you're even getting antioxidants!

One of the last FOs of 2007...

Project Details

Pattern: Irish Hiking Hat (two different versions)
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, New Denim, less than 1 skein
Needles: Clover US 7 bamboo 16" circs & DPNs

Notes: Easy project! The hat fits Paul's (rather large) head OK, but not perfectly. It might be a little short. I combined two different versions of the Irish Hiking Hat pattern, both inspired by Adrian's Irish Hiking Scarf, of course.

snow day

struck brightly by the winter
when the snow falls thick and silent
i can only hear you breathing

i will follow a set of deep tracks
other people all stay hidden
as the cars rest under snow drifts

so clearly the dark sky
appears framed by cables
so clearly your breath's white
as you struggle to tell

that the people we have become
still lay awake hoping to hear airwaves
say snow day

~ matt pond PA, "Snow Day"

Matt Pond PA's "Winter Songs" has been the soundtrack chez Caffeinated Yarn this winter (read a review here).

Paul has been wearing his new owl hat proudly:

Project Details
Pattern: Owl Hat, by Ruthie Nussbaum (free!)
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, Natural Mix, less than 1 skein
Needles: Clover US7 bamboo 16" circs and DPNs

Notes: I'm a loose knitter, so sticking with size 7 needles resulted in the perfect size for Paul's rather large head. Easy pattern, very fun to knit. The owls are a little high up on the head for my taste. I would adjust their placement next time. Now I want an owl hat, too!

Today truly was a snow day, albeit a wet, sloppy, and melty one. I slept in, did some knitting, breathed in the pine scent from the tree, and relaxed. I did trek out in the snow to pick up ingredients for baked mac & cheese from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. It's still not exactly health food, but it's much better for you than the Paula Deen mac & cheese recipe that topped the Food Network's Top 100 Recipes of 2007 list. Here's the recipe, tweaked a bit:

Mac & Cheese

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 20 min.

Baking time: 45 min.

1.5 C. 1% lowfat cottage cheese

1.5 C. buttermilk or milk (skim is fine)

1 tsp. dried mustard

Pinch of cayenne pepper

.25 tsp. nutmeg

.5 tsp. salt

.25 tsp. ground black pepper

.25 C. grated onion (or less) ~ I often just zip this through the food processor

1 C. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz) ~ it's worth buying something decent*

.5 lb. uncooked elbow macaroni

2 T. finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese*

.25 C. bread crumbs

* NB: I sometimes cheat and add a little extra cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9- or 10-inch square baking pan with a light coating of cooking spray.

In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, skim milk or buttermilk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and puree until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the pureed mixture with the onions, Cheddar cheese, and uncooked macaroni. Stir well. Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the baking pan. Combine the grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the topping is browned and the center is firm.

Easy-peasy, delicious comfort food!

It's coming on Christmas

They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

~ Joni Mitchell, "River"

That's how I felt for much of December. Too many commitments, too many worries, not enough time, and not enough money to do things how I would like. But now I'm in the Christmas spirit, just in time. The shopping was finished yesterday, gifts are wrapped, the tree is decorated, and cookies are baked. Not many of my holiday knitting plans came to fruition, but my friends and family doubtless will appreciate receiving handknit items in January and February "just because."

I just returned from a lovely visit home to Minnesota to see my family. I even wished that I could have stayed longer, which probably means I stayed exactly the right length of time.

Pattern: Stockinette Watchcap from Charlene Schuch's Hats On
Needles: Knitpicks US5 16" metal circs, Clover US4 bamboo dpns
Yarn: Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran Tweed, 2 balls

The hat for my dad is finished, although I'm afraid it may be too large. Paul will have to try it on for fit. There's also an owl hat in the works, too. I'm still chugging along on the EZ and Newfoundland mittens.
Mia sent me a marvelous Christmas package, complete with a whole battalion of these cute gingerbread boy ornaments. All sorts of other goodies, too -- books, fabric, quilt kits, a baby sweater kit, German gingerbread cookies (YUM!) and fancy French jam. Now that woman sends a great parcel! I'm afraid her parcel won't make it out in the mail until the New Year, though.
A couple weeks ago Paul and I went on our annual Fugly Christmas Sweater Pub Crawl. 150 people were involved this year -- a new record! That many people clad in hideous holiday garments moving from one Wrigleyville bar to another is quite the sight. No one managed to pull off a fugly sweater nearly as well as Colin Firth in Bridget Jones' Diary, though.

ADD Crafting

All the holiday crafting is driving me a little nuts. Not everything will get done, and that's just how it goes. I'm having gauge troubles with any project that involves making two of something -- mostly mittens and sleeves. End-of-quarter stress combined with varying degrees of wrist issues leads to weird tension.

One project that I am very motivated to finish is a little something for a baby shower:
The Cashmere Teddy Bear from Erika Knight's Special Knits for Cherished Babies. The yarn is Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere (one of my favorites), and the knitting went very quickly.

My order from Oceanwind Knits appeared on my doorstep a bit ago. The yarn is so beautiful and so darn soft. I love how subtle the colors are.If you like indie dyers and colorways that aren't too flashy, I highly recommend giving Lori's yarns a try. You can sign up for her new sock club, too. I didn't renew my membership for Sundara's new Seasons club because it was just too expensive, so hopefully this will fill the gap.

The Mmm.. Hot Cocoa Swap opens up sign ups tomorrow. This looks like a lot of fun, especially since it involves knitting a cute little critter.

(mini) holiday gift guide

A lot of people post their wishlists. I'm turning it around and posting a list of things that I would highly recommend GIVING for the holidays. These are all things Paul and I have enjoyed in the past year.

- L.L. Bean Washable Wool Blanket - warm, cozy, and machine washable!

- Garnet Hill Asian Wrap Long-Sleeve Pajamas - super-soft organic cotton

- Fleece Artist Soft Socks/Mittens kit - so much fun to knit, and they hold up beautifully

- J Crew Cotton Cashmere V-Neck Sweater - soft, stylish (but not too stylish for the regular guy) and surprisingly durable.

- Campbell's Rutherglen Tokay (available at Whole Foods) - delicious and different


- Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen

- Cuisinart Quick Prep Hand Blender -- wonderful for pureeing soups. Much less mess!

- spices from Penzeys, especially the baker's box (avoid the curries)

- Smartwool socks. Let's face it, there just aren't enough hours in the day to knit wool socks for everyone.

Short but sweet! Is there anything that you would recommend giving as a holiday gift?

autumn leaves, just in time for winter snowflakes

My Autumn Leaves scarf is complete, just as Jack Frost arrives. Project Details

Pattern: Leaf Lace Scarf, a free pattern by Janet at Twisted Knitter
Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Merino Fingering, "Oak Creek Canyon" - 1 skein
Needles: US 5 Clover bamboo straights

Notes: The pattern is very easy to follow, and the yarn is a dream to knit. I highly recommend both! Janet calls for Malabrigo laceweight yarn, which is on the heavier side of lace yarns. I went with the fingering weight because I loved the colors. A solid or semi-solid yarn would be a better showcase for the pattern, but I'm happy with my choice.

Speaking of nice things that are orange, Mia sent me this cute little guy last month:

hiding in the dining room jungle

It's the Purl Frog! He has been keeping me company through all the end-of-term grading. By the way, Mia is organizing Small Comforts, a drive to collect handknit items for military hospitals right here in the US. It's a great cause.

I had sent Mia a couple care packages a while back, and, man, does she know how to reciprocate. Here's a huge array of quilting books, many with wintry themes perfect for the season:

Oodles of Jo Sharp DK merino yarn:
I'm planning to use these for a simple cabled vest for my dad. Many thanks, Mia! I've already plowed through a few of the novels, too.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Yesterday's snowfall:
A side street right near Wrigley Field:
There's more snow in the forecast for tonight, too. :-)

Marianne sent me a wonderful parcel of goodies from the UK for the Fingerless Mitts Swap -- neat magazines, yummy biscuits, chocolate, and tea, fancy soap (always a big hit with me), a twinkly tree pin that I will wear on our annual Christmas sweater pub crawl tomorrow night:
Best of all (aside from the great mitts), there's this super soft yarn in scrumptious colors:
It's Rooster Almerino Aran, a 50/50 merino/alpaca blend that's just not sold in the US, as far as I can tell. The darker teal is destined for a pair of Fetching mitts. Thanks, Marianne!

December already?!?

A winter storm dropped 5 inches of the white stuff on Chicago last night. Paul and I went for a moonlit walk in the snow, and it was absolutely magical. Our neighborhood is mainly comprised of 20- and 30-somethings densely packed into condos and apartments, so it was a delightful surprise to see people out throwing snowballs, building snowmen, and walking their dogs.

The quarter is almost over; I've been too swamped with grading and schoolwork to post, although I have desperately wanted to and there are plenty of things to share. The grey dreariness of November is also to blame -- decent photography has been nearly impossible. The reflection off the snow really helps with the photography.

Inspired by brainylady, I knit up a pair of pocketbook slippers. What a fast and easy pattern!
They don't look too much like slippers, do they? Here's an action shot:

Project Details

Pattern: Pocketbook Slippers, a free pattern from Knitwits Heaven
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Superwash, less than 1 skein (maybe 150 yds?), Blue Diamond
Needles: US 7 Brittany Victorian walnut, the old pretty dark brown ones that are discontinued
(one of mine is held together by Scotch tape -- very classy)

These are incredibly easy, and the results are interesting. A little odd, but also strangely charming, possibly even elven. They're cozy, very stretchy, and they fit my size 9 feet quite well. I used a skein of Lamb's Pride Superwash that had been marinating in my stash for quite some time, courtesy of Micki.

Next time I would try the modifications by Miss Twiss, available here. Why? The button is very cute, and the button/strap combo looks much nicer than the lumpy seam in the original pattern.

What else? I'd go down to size 6 needles; I might even use a heavy worsted. These would be heavenly in Malabrigo, but superwash seems like a better idea for slippers. Especially since these would make great quick gifts (esp. combined with other cozy things, like fancy hot cocoa mix and a wintry mug).

Why, oh why isn't there a superwash yarn as soft and lovely as Malabrigo? Any suggestions, you guys? My stash contains hardly any worsted weight superwash.

I'm working on a very basic stockinette watchcap from Charlene Schuch's Hats On for my dad. He's a no-frills kind of guy. The yarn is Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran Tweed, in a dark blue (surprisingly enough, not purchased in the big WEBS sale).
The unfortunate part? This is a horrible thing to knit. The dark blue is hard to see, the tweedy bits in the yarn are hard on my hands, and the Knitpicks metal circs are killing me. And it might be too big. At least it's just a hat and should be over soon. :-)

Marianne sent me a lovely pair of fingerless mitts for the Fall Fingerless Mitts swap:
It's the Miss Potter pattern from Yarn Forward, and they're absolutely perfect for me. I've been wearing them a ton already, even at the very cold library while typing. The yarn is Freedom Spirit by Twilleys of Stamford, and it's quite nice and woolly. I've never seen it in the US! Marianne sent loads of other thoughtful goodies, too, which I'll share in my next post.

Another nice surprise -- the new Knitty is up! I quite like the Matrix mittens.

Back to grading term papers...