Holiday Domesticity

I am on holiday break and am having a blast. I have been knitting, baking, gift wrapping, and organizing stuff here at home. It amazes me just how much I enjoy doing domestic kinds of things. This is not how I once imagined my life at thirty-two years old, but I could not be happier.
The baking: Michael and I made a batch of peanut butter fudge (my favorite) that just turned out beautifully. Peanut butter fudge, because of the high oil content in the peanut butter, can be sort of hit and miss. We used the recipe on the label of the Kraft marshmallow cream jar, but made a few changes. We substituted one cup of peanut butter for the chocolate, and we boiled for five minutes instead of four. We didn't measure out the marshmallow cream, just used half of the big jar. If you have the small jar, use all or very nearly all of it. I think one key to this recipe is not to make it in a kitchen that's already heated from other baking. Possibly, this doesn't matter, but I think a cooler area to let the fudge cool in helps it set up better. I have decided that this is why in the past, my second batch has never turned out as good as my first batch.
The knitting: I picked out a beautiful cotton fleece yarn (80% cotton and 20% wool) worsted weight yarn for a baby blanket. It's made by Brown Sheep Company, which is my absolute favorite yarn company. If I never used anything but Brown Sheep, I could be completely content. I got the yarn in a pale green that's perfect for babies. My only problem is that I'm having trouble coming up with a pattern that I like. I am still suffering from pregnancy brain, so I don't think I'm up for anything too complex. I thought of doing cables, but can't really find a pattern I like. I'm kicking around this pattern for a garter stitch ruffles blanket. I just have to work out what size needles would create the best effect. This means the dreaded S-word. Swatching. Still, it is a blanket, so I'd rather do a few inches of twenty stitches and decide I don't like the pattern than go to the trouble of casting on 135 stitches. Here's a website with lots of free patterns. Consider it my holiday gift to you. And if you have other free pattern sites, please share them with me in the comments.
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory.php
The organizing: This project is well underway, with the knitting stuff very nearly organized, although not yet in its new permanent location. I had a bit of a slow down because I lost my needle gauge, then found it—broken. Don't ask me how I managed to break a metal needle gauge, but trust me, it can be done.
I've been out a few times to do last minute errands. People are really sort of bitchy this time of year, huh? I've witnessed a server getting cussed out, an ambulance getting cut off by some asshole driver, and other drivers screaming at cops who were working a rainy Friday night accident. What the hell! Chill out people. I know it's a stressful time of year. Newsflash—it's stressful on everybody. you acting like a jerk is only adding to the collective stress. Get over yourself. So what if Wal-Mart just sold out of the very last Skydiving Elmo and now you have to sell a kidney to buy one for your already spoiled rotten, ungrateful kid just so little Timmy won't be devastated on Christmas morning because after all, children really should rate their self worth by the loot they take in at Christmas, right? Here's an idea Jackass, how about teaching your kid that it isn't about the stuff and that poor kids who get nothing for Christmas are just as worthy of love, affection, and gifts as is your little darling. Teach him that Christmas can be wonderful no matter what presents he gets, and then make it wonderful by spending that precious Wal-Mart time with him. Take him to the Humane Society to adopt an animal, or just let him see you giving a donation. Better yet, let him make the donation. Why not try putting the caring and creativity back into Christmas in place of the commercialization. This has been a public service announcement from Kimberly.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday with family, friends, food, and joy.