Winding Down

Ah, the sigh of relief upon reaching the pleasant, lazy week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

We have had our days of traditional food and our days of way too many sweets, some of which coincided with days with family.  Everything was fun, but it tires me out.  Once we get used to quiet days without being sociable, it is an effort to be visiting with people all day long. (No matter how much you love them.)

So now I have confessed my hermit-like tendencies and can fold my tent in peace and go back to my sewing machine.

This is a week to evaluate what was great about 2014 and make plans for the next year. I can do that thinking while I do some sewing.

Remember to comment.  I'm still sending a prize to someone.  This means you, Sandy!

Oh, and by the way, we returned on Saturday morning in Significant Snow.  I think we were driving into the storm.  There was plenty of snow in Houghton when we left, but little plowing had been done, and when we got home, neighbors said that most of the 8 inches fell in just a couple hours in the morning.  It was a relief to arrive home safely.

Happy New Year, my friends!

A Promise is a ......

You will see on the header that I have (at least) put the parts of my winter wall hanging together.

There is more quilting to be done as I put in some TV time, but for now it is stored on the wall.  When it is done I'll add some bells or tinsel or some other frou-frou to the dowel that's holding it up there, but for now it's okay.

In other sewing news, I have been doing a few of the first steps of Quiltville's Mystery Quilt for this year.  I am not making the full size (by a long shot) and only have a bit done.  Here's how the squares look all butted up against one another.  

I know they won't be next to one another in the finished product, but I was curious to see what I had so far.  In Bonnie's full sized quilt, she would have 280 of these puppies.  (That isn't going to happen here.  I am using all scraps----that is my one caveat----and I'm thankful that I have some softer yellow scraps because that lively yellow really grabs a lot of attention!)  Yikes!

I had a follow up eye test yesterday which couldn't be performed when my pupils were dilated so I had to go back.  It consisted primarily of shining a very, very bright light in my eyes and making me read the chart using the distance vision portion of my corrective lenses.  I failed miserably---which qualifies me for cataract surgery.

I'm in no big hurry.  I don't drive at night anyway, being fully aware that I can't see well at night.  I do have an "evaluation" appointment with the eye specialist in February.  I will keep that appointment if we are here and not enjoying some lovely warm place in February.

I have been told by numerous people how delighted I will be with my vision once I have this surgery done and I hope that is so.  I am paranoid about my vision, having always been myopic and having watched my mother go through the miseries of macular degeneration. 

For the time being I'll deal with the devil I know.  

Happy Wednesday!  Leave a comment for a chance to win an awesome prize! 

Make the End the Best Part

For the past few years, I have used some questions from Jamie Ridler's studio that help you think back on what was best and worst of the past year.  While I was reading some of her posts, a statement that she made really resonated with me.

She said, and I paraphrase freely, make the end of the year the best part yet.  December is Family Birthday month again along with all the extra activity that goes along with preparations for Christmas fun.  It could just be busy and busy and more busy---but I am going to enjoy it all deliberately.

I have cards, stamps, a quilt to finish by February, lots of cookie baking ingredients, a wall hanging pieced and hung (though I haven't quilted it yet).  I'm not expecting any company who will care about that.  I might take the safety pins out, though.  That might be good.

I love to receive Christmas cards, so therefore I must send them.  Sadly, a great many of the people I used to hear from (mostly friends of my parents) are no longer able to send cards and I miss them at Christmas time.  I may not think of them very often otherwise, but that is one of the things about growing older.  I just try to concentrate on happy memories instead.  It's good to make more happy memories too, both for ourselves and for the younger members of the family.

I'll take a picture of my wall hanging for you when the light is better.  By 5 PM it is full dark here now.

When I went out to start my trusty car yesterday, there was no response.  I think the door unlatched when I tried to open it and it seemed to be frozen shut.  Because it was unlatched, the light must have been on, depleting the battery.  Which is quite new, by the way.  AAA came and it started in a flash when they gave it a jump.

A family of two shouldn't have to have two cars.  But it is "necessary" if you are used to being able to pick up and go without consulting anyone about their plans.  We'd adjust if we had to, but there would be some grumbling, I think.

I will advise you to do as Jamie advised me.  Make the End of the Year the Best Part!