The Love That We Came To Know, They Call It Scanner-du!!

Now I have the roller skating Gene and Olivia's song in my head. I also have a new printer/scanner/copier. Thankfully that is not in my head!!! I suppose if I were one of the Literati I would have been thinking 'Coleridge', but I'm not, and I'm not. I was idly shopping, actually I was shopping for sewing needles, when MrsDrWho rang me to say that there was a printer in the shop for $24-95. How cheap is that?? There was a 'Spend $45 first' rule, but she had already done that!!! It is not a Blue Ribbon printer etc, but it is fantastic because I had no printer. My old printer just printed: this scans and copies. As well. 

The sewing needles accidentally became some Opal Caterpillar that I plan to use for the short row Rainbow socks from this month's Magknits. I am part of The Southern Summer of Socks KAL. I don't have any real goals other than to knit up my sock wool as birthday socks and socks for me. I have finished The Mauritius Socks. I knitted them in Lion Brand in Blues and Browns using 2.75mm needles and 64 stitches. These are a 5ply I think and they were very quick to knit, but there was only a few metres of wool left at the end. Perhaps these took a little longer as a certain Kitten 'helped'  me.

I have started new socks, The Word socks, for my mum.  I have adapted the  Diagonal Fern lace pattern from Barbara Walker. I made a chart and I think I will reverse it for the other sock. The wool is Blues Cashmere/Merino from The Knittery of course!!! Yesterday The Knitting Coven met at a food-and-drinkless place and we had to retreat to a place of cups of tea etc. We were all a little out of sorts away from our comfort zone I think, and we will have to try out a few new places.

The weather has been very Crowded House and we had a blackout on our side of the river on Thursday night. The rain was intermittently torrential and we has a small (30cm), but real, tsunami after an earthquake off NZ. You would think that the rain would wash away all the interesting smells in the bush, but not so. The Labradors walked in the rain and then found a plethora of fantastic smells. There were smells to the left  of them and smells to the right of them!! Harki's ears are pretty much OK now, though she must have drops in them twice a week. Harki always gets a treat for being medically good. Peri is not medically good, yet she asks with all of her 13 paws simultaneously for a treat too. She doesn't see why she should miss out, so she has to do an perfect 'Drop' and lie down as her job. She has 'Come' back when I whistled for her on our walks when there were other people or dogs we didn't know on the track. Truly there are still miracles being performed amongst us!!! You can teach an old dog new tricks.

I have been doing quite a lot of reading lately and I am waiting for a few books to arrive: the new Alex Rider which is set in Australia and the new Fiona McIntosh book, Goddess. My blood pressure has gone back down again, though I still have to go to the doctor on Friday. The Nurse-in-training took my BP and did my blood test on Tuesday. She was very good!!!

It's a long way to the shop if you want a sausage roll. OK, I know the world of popular song parody demands 'Chiko Roll', but I can't cook them. Here, instead, is a delicious sausage roll recipe. Even if I do say so myself.

Sausage Rolls

• 500g (1 lb) mince, I used 100% preservative and fat free beef
• 1-2 tspn ordinary curry powder
• 3-4 tbspn mango chutney
• 1 grated brown onion
• 1 grated Granny Smith or cooking apple
• 2 slices of bread made into breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg extra, mixed with a little water
• 4 sheets puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200-220*C.  Line two trays with baking paper. Place the first 8 ingredients in a bowl and then mix well with your hand for about 4 minutes. This helps the ingredients to emulsify and stick together well.  Cut each sheet of pastry in half. I put the mince in a piping bag and then piped the mince along each of the long sides of the pastry. Then brush the opposite edge with eggwash, roll up the pastry and make sure the join is on the bottom. Brush with extra eggwash, cut into 4 equal pieces, prick the top with a fork and then refrigerate for 15 minutes. Cook for 25-30 minutes and eat hot or cold. I like mine with tomato sauce, but MrsDrWho preferred Sweet Chilli. You can change the flavouring to suit what you have. I am thinking of chicken mince, spring onion, parsley and red curry paste next time. These also freeze well, if there are any left over!!!

Comments

[Rose Red]

I love that rainbow socks pattern - might have to join you in knitting it!

And (as we call them) "snausage snolls"! Love a snausage snoll!

[mrsdrwho]

Scanner Du ?!?!?!?!?!
OMGCB - you are getting WORSE!!!
Can you scan balls of wool?
Did you tell everyone that there will be no pics of the macaroons you made last week because I used them to get through Thursday???

[2paw]

Actually Yes, I can scan a ball of wool, but why would I want to?? Virtual knitting?? I didn't say you had eaten all the meringues, I just roller skated over it!!!

[Sue]

Oh wow! What a bargain on the printer/scanner/copier. It will be so handy for you.
Yummo to those sausage rolls. It is 3.56am. I have just eaten yoghurt and cereal and now I really want a sausage roll. Actually not any sausage roll. One of those sausage rolls :-)

[Tinkingbell]

Thanks for introducing me to Magknits (somedays I am just plain sloooowww) - I just had a quick look and will have to return when I have more time - glad you're feeling well -I must say, I'm a bit tired of this 'spring' weather we're having!!

[Kate]

I LOVE THOSE RAINBOW SOCKS!!!!
What a fantastic find!! Thanks 2paw! I think I'm rethinking one of my SSS plans now :)
Sausage rolls; hmm, ok for parties and whatnot, but what I _really_ need is a good jam coconut slice recipe - any hints?
Those Word socks (another Neutron Bombshell?) look intriguing - is that garter st between ferny bits? Pretty colour!
Batten down the hatches for the weekend - severe weather warnings!
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/warning.jsp?id=IDT28100

[Michelle]

wow!! that rainbow socks pattern looks amazing!!! i've never seen anything like that before!! ah...i wish i can knit more socks!!!

[Shazmina Bendi]

Those Sausage rolls look yummo!

[Carol]

I love those rainbow socks.
You will love the scanner/copier/printer. So much easier to quickly scan a pattern rather than take the whole book out with you to knit.

[Nora]

I'm SO glad that you're all well (you and the puppies)!

[Donyale]

We must all be in the mood for snausage rolls - I made some last week.

[AmyP]

Thanks for the heads-up about Magknits - I am asleep, apparently.

I always thought Crowded House had written that song about the north-west of England, until I found out they were Kiwis and it all made sense!

[Nan]

Your socks look fantastic, your kitty is adorable, even if they get into your crafts, it's hard not to love such a sweet face, huh?

We moved a year ago, and been in our house since January, still haven't found our scanner.... boxes and boxes of things that are mislabeled still lay unopened in the garage, that is one of the reasons I am looking forward to some cool down weather here, so I can work out there with out wilting!

My husband loves turbulent weather, me... not so much. It sounds like he would enjoy what you are having, he has been waiting for a hurricane to get exciting all season, weird interests in those storms he has, but I love him anyway.

Glad to hear your Dr. visit went well and your BP is coming down!

[Ann]

Love the pattern on the Blues Cashmere Merino socks - such a lovely pattern. The Rainbow socks look very interesting - have to add that to my list for SSS!

[meg]

I have also been getting into the reading, at the moment - Tim Winton :) Go the Aussie writers.

[Janette]

mmm first up YUM to the sausage roll recipe.
The printer/scanner looks great - have fun with that. You'll be able to print off all the free patterns and begin a knitting library of your very own.
Your socks look great. I've almost finished my first sock and hoping I will not come down with sss - I'm thinking not as I'm enjoying the process so far. Will post a photo when I have completed the first sock.

[Debby]

Congratulations on the new printer! Technology can be a great blessing (or a curse, depending on the day). Glad you are doing better health-wise, and enjoying spring. Your socks are so pretty!!

[Larjmarj]

My printer is pretty much and antique by geek standards, however it still works so I guess it'll stay right where it's at. Yours sounds pretty cool though. Those Labs, so curious about everything. I have the catepillar yarn and wouldn't you know I started a plain stockinette sock with it. Oh well. I'm sure I have something to make the rainbow's with in my stash. What a cool pattern!! Can't wait to see yours.

[Larjmarj]

My printer is pretty much and antique by geek standards, however it still works so I guess it'll stay right where it's at. Yours sounds pretty cool though. Those Labs, so curious about everything. I have the catepillar yarn and wouldn't you know I started a plain stockinette sock with it. Oh well. I'm sure I have something to make the rainbow's with in my stash. What a cool pattern!! Can't wait to see yours.

[Larjmarj]

My printer is pretty much and antique by geek standards, however it still works so I guess it'll stay right where it's at. Yours sounds pretty cool though. Those Labs, so curious about everything. I have the catepillar yarn and wouldn't you know I started a plain stockinette sock with it. Oh well. I'm sure I have something to make the rainbow's with in my stash. What a cool pattern!! Can't wait to see yours.

[amanda j]

Happy copying and scanning!

I saw those socks on Magknits and might just have to have a go at them next holidays. It seems like they would need some concentration! I like the caterpillar opal.

[Ailsa]

The. Best. Post. Title. Ever.

And they're all great, so this is the best of a great bunch.

GOLD my friend.

[Penni]

Great. Now I have Xanadu stuck in my head! Thanks for that!

Any sausage roll is a good sausage roll as far as I'm concerned and those sound particularly yummy.

Two pairs of blue socks ina row? What are you thinking, it's no wonder those sewing needles turned into some (green-ish) sock yarn.

Thanks for the encouragement on my socks too BTW, I'm still powering along.

[linda]

what a printer bargain. I would kill for a sausage roll now!!

[Terri]

Glad you got some rain. Wish we could get some too. Your dogs look like they had a ball seeking out all the new smells. I had a lab growing up and I know how single minded about smells they can be - particularly in the bush! The progress on the socks is looking good too. Good for you!