Pondering Day

For several years now I have used some questions posed by Jamie Ridler of  Jamie Ridler Studios as a help to evaluate the past year.  The questions examine both the good and not so good, along with what parts you'd like to keep and what to discard.

Her questions include:
What was the highlight?  
What was the low point?
What are you proud of, what was fun, what has changed, what did you say "yes" to, what challenged you?

Who are the new people in your life?   What will you be glad to leave behind?

There are more questions including one that reminds me of Barbara Walters interviews-----if this year was a painting, what color would it be?

These questions also help me plan for the new year because I can think of what I would like to say next year at this time.  (If the Lord tarries, as my Mom used to say.)

In addition, this site offers great creativity resources.

Speaking of which:  I bought a journal in April in Dubuque at River Lights Bookstore which challenges the reader to commit to making something 365 (or 366, as this Leap year) days a year.  The author is Noah Scalin, who made a skull out of a different medium for a whole year.  Strange, yet interesting.  and funny....

I'm leaning toward letter writing or mail art.  If I have your snail mail address----beware.

Also, I need to address "comments for a cause".  I haven't been begging for your comments in my usual shameless manner, because we have commitments that come due in the fall that money has already been promised for.  Suffice it to say, that comment money will go to South America and provide tuition money for a certain little third grader, and the leftovers will go to Heifer International and Doctors Without Borders.

I do cherish your comments.  I thank all of you who make yourselves known to me.  And I wish you all a wonderful new year.  May all your good dreams come true.

Winding Down

  

Christmas comes but once a year, and when it comes it brings good cheer.

And so many happy memorable moments.  Family Christmas was yesterday with my two sisters and whatever family members who could be there and there was much laughter and love----and plenty of food.

Today, after I go to Weight Watchers, Good Guy and I are headed for Green Bay to watch some basketball and visit Barnes and Noble with my new Nook.  (Technophobe that I am, I need a short course.) 

We will be watching the University of Wisconsin---Green Bay women's basketball team in action.  They are a real powerhouse and we follow their progress all year, even though we only get to a few games.

Another thing I need to tell you about;  Older Daughter and I went to the early Christmas Eve service, and there were little children in attendance.  During a period of silent prayer (much longer than I needed to confess my personal sins) ---- a little voice piped up,  "Wake up!  Wake up!"

The pastor looked out over a full house of chuckling parishioners.  Another child intoned, after every musical number,  "All done!"   I've decided the early service is for young families, and old folks who don't want to be out carousing around at 10 PM.  Good clean fun.

So have a jolly day, finding places for all your new treasures, and finish off those cookies so you can put that canister back into the cupboard.  Just trying to help!

Merry Christmas

Growing up in a household of Swedish folk, I never got to be much of a Santa fan. Our big holiday was Christmas Eve, when we got together, opened gifts, ate ourselves silly and had a wonderful time. So I didn't have new stuff on Christmas morning and I don't recall being upset about it, either. All that by way of background. Today, in my mind, is the Holiday. Have a Happy Day. I have to go and mix meatballs and clear off the tables. Thanks be to God for His Unspeakable Gift! And thanks to you for your part in my wonderful year!

The Shortest Day

Turn on the lights. Light those candles, open the blinds, cheer for the sunshine we have today!

I get to spend much of today with my quilting friends, so that will be a treat to savor. We haven't met for a few weeks, due to travel, illness, and such, so I'm looking forward to this time together.

I have to scrounge around for something quilt-like to do. My Christmas knitting has been my crafty output for the past month(s), so not much is happening on the quilting front. Make that NOTHING is happening on the quilting front.

I see that Blogger is making it uncomfortable for anyone who hasn't switched to the "new interface" voluntarily. The only icons on my New Post bar are the spell check icon, the picture icon and the preview option. Gone are all the other editing tools that used to be there, and there's no way to link. Hmmm.

Consider the truth of the matter, Annie. It's free, isn't it? Quit whining.

Maybe it's a good day to switch my header picture to a shot from Hawaii, just to escape the short cold days. Nah, I'll do that when I get really sick of January. It's still the festive Christmas season!

Hope your pre-Christmas is fun for you. And thoughtful, and thankful.

Just in Case...

I know that not all of you live in a land of snow. I also know you aren't that broken up about it, but----in the spirit of the season and all, I have a little gift for you.

Friday Again

Yowsa! Where did this week go? It is the day we all anticipate with glee---filing fragments and linking up with Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissin' Time.

Birthday remnants: We finally had weather suitable for travel to a fine restaurant to celebrate my birthday with an excellent meal. I left the bread basket alone to make room for a margarita,( love those limes for avoiding scurvy), shrimp tempura, linguine with clam sauce, and a tasty dessert. I sort of split the dessert with Good Guy, but he didn't eat half by a long shot. It was all delicious and the service was wonderful!

Yooper remnants: Yesterday I posted a video someone took of our town. It depicts a very small rural town in its selective choice of views to include. Of course, if it showed Wal-mart, K Mart, Shopko, Wendy's, Arby's, Home Depot, etc.--it would look like every other town in America.

But, the town and environs have a about 20,000 people rather than the 2,000 you might expect from viewing the video. (It's a great place to live, especially if you're really fond of winter.)

My dear friend since middle school days translated a letter for me this week. I'm thankful for the internet and being able to keep in touch with loved folks far away. But I digress. I got a letter in Spanish from a seven year old, and she got the translation back to me in a flash. This little girl is attending a school, now located on the site of what used to be an orphanage where two of my sons lived as small boys.

I am thinking my learning for 2012 might be learning Spanish as spoken in Colombia. That should keep my brain limber.

Good Guy says his travel sites are promoting Colombian travel. Hmmmm......

Our Christmas tree is up, and is quite simple and beautiful, if I do say so myself. It is short and squatty---not our usual Charlie Brown emaciated stray. White light and balls of gold, silver, and frosted white. Very pretty indeed.

In a spirit of inclusiveness, I polished up the menorah too and loaded the candles. If the Lord could keep the oil supply up for the event that Hanukkah celebrates, I can celebrate, too.

In my twenties, I lived in a four unit apartment building in Skokie, Illinois. We were the only Gentiles in the building, and we were very frugal. We didn't decorate for Christmas because we were packing up and heading up here to be with our families, plus we thought we were being sensitive to the feelings of our Jewish neighbors. They bawled us out for not bringing some Christmas cheer to the building.

They were very excellent neighbors. Wherever you are, Happy Holidays, Marlene, Marty, and Rose!

Karen got a Kindle for her birthday---and I've decided I'm jealous. I guess I'll have to put one on my list. Good Guy is shopping for a new TV set. Is that a hint?

In spite of the fact that I have knitting to finish and send, I am nursing an aching shoulder and limiting my knitting time. It's driving me batty. What did I do all the time before I resumed knitting? Played spider solitaire, probably. I wasn't scrubbing floors, I'll guarantee you that!

I think that about sweeps up all my fragments for this Friday. I hope you are joyful in your preparations! Hope and joy, that's what it's all about!

If you have Fragments to contribute, please join us. We love scraps and left-overs.

A Short Tour

This morning on Facebook I found that my little brother posted a link to share with you. (He's sort of an adopted brother, having once been married to my sister.)

I don't know why I feel compelled to tell you that, except that I try to be honest always, and try to tell the truth even when nobody else gives a rip.

This video was shot in my town and has some awesome footage of Pine Mountain Ski Hill. It's toward the middle of the video. Hope you're amazed. (muffled laughter.)

Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzCwJ_cZp4M&feature=share

Let me know what you think, too. Please.

Wednesday Flurry Report

Yesterday morning I hied me hence to do some last minute shopping to fill the box headed for Florida. I sneaked the bags into the house because there were some things for Good Guy, too, and when I hadn't heard him after an hour of wrapping, I called upstairs.

No answer. No car in the garage, either. He was out shopping too.

So we got the boxes off to Florida and Royal Oak. I can't send the Minnesota box until I finish another mitt, but that's OK. If the box gets there early, it'll get opened too early anyway. I won't knit at all today because my shoulder is too lame. Moderation in all things----sometimes your body has to remind you.

In spite of the wise eating plan, I'll get to do some baking today. Because I have eight granddogs, and many niece and nephew dogs as well, I can bake dog treats. They aren't as much fun as cookies, but I'm not (quite) as tempted to snack.

Just a word about our weather. Since the slush that arrived on Monday, our temps have hovered just above freezing which results in a weird, cold fog. I'm glad I don't have to go out in it much.

Oh, and GG got our Christmas tree yesterday. It is short but very chubby. Today we'll decorate and set the cats into a flurry of excitement. Ahh, the Christmas spirit! I'm looking forward to the lights on the tree.

Only one week until the winter solstice. Hooray! (I'm not saying that as a sun worshiper, only as a scientific observer of the need for sunlight for my cheery mood.)

!

Happy Wednesday

Tuesday

This entry is the antithesis of "Wordless Wednesday". I actually was trying to make a new header out of previously taken pictures with Picasa.

They have changed Photobucket again and it is even more difficult (for me) to use than before. Someday I may have time to learn it, but it won't be in December.

This picture is of appliqued letters which will go on a Words Quilt. My sisters helped me put the squares up on a design wall a few weeks ago when we had time together in Young Sister's basement fireplace and sewing room. (It is a wonderful room full of light and comfortable chairs.)

Anyway they gave me good ideas and I'll add more squares and sometime before my NEXT birthday, we will have a big, big quilt on our queen size bed. The weekend we spent dog sitting made me covet our hostess's big, big quilted bedspread. She has made all the quilts and wall hangings in her home, and believe me, they are beautiful!

I had a lovely birthday today, full of greetings, phone calls, and flowers, and presents. We even had a beautiful snowfall which appeared to be big fluffy flakes. They landed as slush balls though, and we decided to have a birthday supper at home and save the special occasion restaurant meal for a night with dry roads. That's just how we geezers roll, folks.

Cozy and Contented

You know the Christmas cards you get that wish you peace and joy?

Well, this morning of my birthday is just that. It is majorly peaceful here with Good Guy still sleeping, kitties watching out the windows, and the furnace running to keep our cottage warm.

The coffee is hot and delicious, and the moon is still almost full, while the temperature is hovering at freezing. (Outdoors, that is.)

My daughter and I attended the choir concert last evening which was very lovely. The church was beautifully decorated, with a stately tree and about a zillion poinsettias.

We have all we need, and some extra to share. No cars are in the repair shop. Saint Bev is recovering from her surgery and no additional treatment is needed.

My younger daughter, on the Virginia Tech campus, was always safe last week. (As was almost everyone else, as it turns out.)

I am happy, I am very blessed, and I pray the same for you.

Happy Preparations Week!

Friday

Thanks to Mrs. 4444, for continuing to host our weekly tidbit dump. I always look forward to seeing what trivia is floating around among her friends and followers. Check her out at Half Past Kissin Time.

She posted a small tutorial earlier in the week on the use of punctuation marks---and that it isn't necessary to put an apostrophe after every word that ends in an S. Good work, Mrs. 4444.

It seems like a curse to know the correct usage of so many words. My own aggravation has to do with the use of Less. I also cringe when I hear the car ad which claims that if it weren't for curiosity, the world would still be flat. Yoo-hoo! The world never WAS FLAT. Bonehead!

I found the coolest website, which is promoting kindness in the new year. It will warm your heart, just reading about it. Look for the Kindness Challenge 2012 Toolkit.

Good Guy saw the surgeon again on Wednesday. All is well and she never wants to see him again. (Surgeons aren't famous for "bedside manner".) Insert laughter here: I'm not picking on anybody.

Since walking outdoors is pretty treacherous, we've walked at the mall a couple days this week. Just like any other exercise, we are finding it is more tolerable if we do it together. Today there's a craft fair in progress, so we'll try the other mall, or even outdoors, if it ever warms up.

My car doors froze up and it made me wonder why people continue to live in this weird climate. I concluded that since my house is paid for, that is reason enough.

This week is my birthday. And my daughter-in-law's birthday. And two sons, two cousins, plus a wedding anniversary. We never get a Christmas tree until this week is over.

Visitors to our bird feeders this week: Cardinals, sparrows, juncos, chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, mourning doves, and Stubby the Squirrel. (His aunts, cousins, and other in-laws have been dropping around, too.) We saw a deer in the back yard as we were leaving the front driveway last night, too. He was cautious, but didn't get scared away.

Have a great TGIF.

They Said It Couldn't Be Done!

My dear husband, ever indulgent of my enthusiasms, did extra duty as an admiring spouse while I knit these podsters. This is sort of a maiden effort, since the real deal will be knit in black yarn and on needles one size larger.

I was so excited to manage knitting these successfully, that I nearly broke my arm patting myself on the back! It was something akin to home made marshmallows----which I was amazed to discover Could Be Made At HOME! (But why would you bother?)

I've never tried gloves before but Glenna's pattern is very clear and helpful---and even free. Check it out here. That will get you to her blog, and the pattern is for podsters.

What fun to accomplish something new!

Right on Schedule!

Having set a deadline for mailing out my Christmas cards kept me on task and except for a couple that require special letters or pictures or something, they are all ready to be mailed on December 6th as planned.

A great many of the presents are on hand and wrapped already. A couple of them are still not assembled, which in Annie-talk means that I have the knitting needles and the pattern, but I still have to find the yarn! That is Really Not Assembled!

Glenna of Knitting to Stay Sane has offered a wonderful glove/ mitten combo for people who have smart phones, or who have to get their fingers free to text. It has the thumb and partial finger gloves, plus a flip over mitten, and a little hatch to get your thumb loose, too. I have never knit anything like this before, but as my Pop used to say, "You won't learn any younger!"

The college bowl games are becoming a bit clearer after the past weekend. The mighty Badgers of Wisconsin managed to outlast Michigan State in the first Big Ten championship game. So they'll play, once again, in the Rose Bowl game. The one I'm torn about is that Michigan will play Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl (at least that's what Good Guy said. He might just be yanking my chain----but that isn't his style). He attended Michigan, my daughter is at Virginia Tech. Who do I root for?

I got my granddaughter's hat, mittens, and scarf finished. For years everything had to be pink or magenta, but she's taken a fancy to teal.

Do you think this will do? I'm hoping the color will turn out something like the way it looks in daylight. I had a lovely all teal cabled cap done for her and it just wasn't warm or tight enough. So I ripped it out and made a simpler, more useful cap.

Good Guy is mending quickly after his hospitalization last Tuesday. Today he went out to grocery shop and he went to the library to read the newspapers from all over the place. He thinks not feeling up to snuff is pretty boring, and he seems to be doing fine. Thanks to all of you who expressed concern about him.

Well, I have time to scan through a book again before our book group meets on Wednesday afternoon. I read the book once, but kept getting the characters mixed up. Maybe a little refresher will help me. We wanted something simple and heartwarming for December, and settled on Friendship Cake by Lynne Hinton. It filled the bill admirably.

In spite of having my cards ready to mail, I feel like everyone else is rushing the season. Perhaps that's because we don't get a tree until after the family birthday clump of the 11-14th. We still get a cut tree if there is still one to be found by mid December, but with all the lights and decorations in our neighborhood, I'm wondering. I have an advent wreath and some Swedish decorations up, and that's enough for us. The Fuzzies look forward to having greens up to rearrange. That means a lot of sweeping for someone else.

Happy Tuesday! Savor the season.

Life Rules, again

If you come here often you know that I am a big fan of Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project.

Of all the thought-provoking and helpful things I've learned from her is this rule: It's so simple and obvious that it shouldn't be a big revelation to me. Yet it has been so helpful.

The rule is Identify The Problem. I used it yesterday morning when I started to write my Christmas cards. Other years I can't keep my materials together. Pen, stamps, return address labels, cards, Christmas letters from the printer, lap desk, (yadda-yadda-yadda.)

So this year I gathered everything together in on box (pretty simple solution, no?) and stashed it in the room where I'll do this task along with my address book. I have a deadline on my Christmas stuff calendar, so I have to keep at it to keep up.

Beth Ann had an excellent post about Advent this morning. It is all about hope and expectation, and I will hold that positive thought in this season of preparation. (If I were a good person, who wasn't in a hurry, I'd have a link to Beth Ann Chiles blog. Maybe later I can come back and do right by her.) Try this.

I am getting a rare opportunity to cook, while GG recovers and the good smell of beef stew and fresh bread are in the air. I had to bake potato bread in the bread maker this afternoon because I had a failure the last time I tried. I have had so many successful loaves in a row, I was drunk with power. I couldn't fail. What do the Proverbs say about pride? So I was humble in success when I got a beautiful loaf out of my efforts today.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Friday, Friday

Greetings from the Dark Side------of the day, that is. Technically it is morning, but I'm counting the days 'til the solstice and the days begin lengthening.

Mrs. 4444 of Half Past Kissin' Time hosts this weekly gathering of like-minded hoarders of bits. So we each sweep up the scraps and link up together to share.

1. I had an alarming (to me) Skype interruption yesterday while I was reading blogs in which an automated voice warned me that my firewall had failed and I should go directly to the address he kept repeating in his creepy voice. Good night, charlie! I was off that machine and shut down so fast it made my head spin.

2. Our desktop seems to be on it's last legs. That one keeps shutting down and restarting unbidden. It's old and not much is demanded of it, but it's unnerving, anyway.

3. Reading-----Night Ferry by Michael Robotham. A tenacious heroine and main character.

4. I'm finally securing the pockets of the nutmeg colored vest I started in October. It'll be nice and big now that I've lost almost 30 pounds. (That's two fragments right there.)

5. As Mrs. 4444's said in her fragments, we had a nice visit at the hospital when she stopped by to feed me baked potato chips, and distract me from pacing the floor. I wasn't really worrying for the first two hours of his one hour surgery----but I was anxious after the third hour and counting. And she's just like her blog---thoughtful, funny, thinking, curious, and cool!

6. I'm not worrying about how many days until Christmas. I'm counting the days until the solstice and the days begin getting a bit longer.

7. Which is not to say that I don't celebrate Christmas. I surely do. I celebrate everything. My son spotted our menorah one visit and said, "I didn't realize Good Guy was Jewish!" Good Guy is a skeptic after being raised a Baptist. But he celebrates Christmas, too.

8. I was so pleased by my grandson's reaction when I proposed that I should spend the Christmas present money on Heifer, International. " That'd be awesome, Grandma!" How heartening! He'd learned about HI at school, where they had drawn T-shirt art to promote it.

That's all I've got, folks. And it's 2 degrees, F. and I've got to feed birds.

Eureka! It's winter!

I'm sure this isn't a revelation to most of you, but our inches of sticky snow this morning made me think of changing scenes in a play.

December 1 ---- scene loaded with snow. Actually it was perfect snowman snow. And if I had my druthers I'd have found my boots and mitts and gone right out and whomped up a snowman.

Instead I updated all the kids and sibs on Good Guy's recovery status. (He's doing okay.) And then I finished knitting projects, and went to Weight Watchers to discover that I lost more than two pounds over the Thanksgiving holiday. I consider that a major victory!

I also spent a little time shoveling. It didn't take much effort, but I thought I'd give the porches and steps a head start, since some melting was evident by noon.

I can't tell you much about Good Guy's experience--nor can he, since he was under anesthesia, but I was very impressed with the convenience and comfort provided for families by Bellin hospital in Green Bay. The waiting rooms are spacious and comfortable, and beepers are supplied so we can wander and return to the outpatient surgery when summoned.

An unexpected treat was a visit from Mrs. 4444 which broke up the afternoon with a pleasant visit and many chuckles. Wasn't that thoughtful and kind of her?

My son and his family came through for me, by feeding me some supper, and entertaining me in the evening, and providing transportation so I could just leave my car in the parking lot. I didn't fancy getting lost. As my daughter-in-law says, "I can get lost in a shoe box!"

We got to go home on Wednesday before the snow began. I feel blessed, to not have to drive two hours in snow.

So that's about all that's happening here. I'm wondering what I should do in place of Christmas baking. Baking isn't that friendly to weight loss. I love sweets and do better when I can be an Abstainer, rather than a Moderator. (Gretchen Rubin says there are two kinds of people---some of whom can do moderate amounts of "whatever" and others who have to give it up cold turkey.)

I can make granola to send to my son who requested it last year. I can bake dog biscuits, because everybody has dogs I have to give presents to. After that? I guess I could bake presents and send them off. I'll keep you posted.

Excuse me while I eat an apple.