Image courtesy of animekiba.com

I am happy and relieved to announce that I finally picked up a job! It’s an administrative position with the State of Nevada and the starting salary is plenty for me to be able to take care of my impending student loans and begin saving for other things in life. Wow; after applying nearly every day since October, this is a massive weight off of my shoulders. I really hope that now, with a little more security in my life, I can get back to the things that matter.

I haven’t been very productive since my last post. I have been working to improve my bread making almost daily, but the most difficult part about baking is the task of eating your progress. Especially when you need to eat it in order to improve.

I think I posted a while ago that my husband and I began a new way of eating and a regular schedule of weight lifting. We follow the anabolic diet, which is a very low-carb, high fat and protein diet. We have both had tremendous success with this way of eating. Oh and since I’m sure I raised a few eyebrows when I said “high fat” –the fear of all Americans- I have a good documentary for you to watch: Fathead. This explains the relationship of high fat to high carb diets and cardiovascular disease and why a high fat, low carb diet results in a healthier cardiovascular system. Here in America, we tend to eat high fat, high carb diets which can result in metabolic diseases, such as diabetes.

We also perform the Stronglifts.com 5×5 weight lifting routine (awesome and highly effective, by the way). All of this makes being an amateur baker a little…..challenging. Since I make enriched breads the vast majority of the time (I don’t really have a good oven for making rustic, artisan breads) which includes sugar, milk and other forms of carbs, they add up quickly in our diet. As it is, my husband and I typically enjoy only one slice of homemade bread a night, at dinner. If a had a steam oven or a reliable way to add steam

Leaflet cardigan with lace rib edging

to our countertop convection oven, without the fear of a drop of water cracking the oven glass, then maybe I could focus on beautiful artisan loaves. Alas.

Either way, the trouble is clear: how does one continually improve bread and pastries when eating them is prohibited? I have one idea

in mind. Since I just got a new job -and it’s an office job- I may be able to bring in my baked goodies for others to share. Then I can also

get some feedback. Of course, I don’t want to be responsible for expanding the waistlines of my coworkers either. What a conundrum.

Since I heard about the job, I began a quick, raglan cardigan to wear in the office as the chill wears down from winter. It’s from knitty.com; the Leaflet Cardigan by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. I’m using some of the Peruvian wool from Knitpicks, Wool of the Andes in a deep, red wine color called Hollyberry. It’s a bit of a scratchy yarn, I admit. I was trying to clear out some sale yarn I ordered some time ago to make room…..you know, for more yarn. The cardigan is coming along quickly, and I made a small change to a design element. Instead of the ribbed collar and edging, I used the lace ribbing that was a part of the Ophelia sleeveless cardigan/vest found on amingledyarn.wordpress.com. I think the eyelet feature of this ribbing really complements the

The work in progress

eyelet leaf pattern on the back of the garment. I’m also lengthening the cardigan a bit.

Ok, I have some preparation to do before I start work this next Tuesday (clothes shopping and the like)! I wish everyone a wonderful and romantic Valentine’s Day tomorrow! Here’s to things looking up.