Friday Letters

I was just reading Margene's blog and she had borrowed an idea from Paula---making her Friday post a letter or two to the past week.  Since my mind is a muddle, this will be my device as well.  

Dear Weatherman,

I send you my sincere thanks for this wonderful week of January thaw.  If only all the ice would melt from my eaves, life would be a dream,  (Shi-boom.)

Dear Kriddy,

Thanks for posting the picture entitled, You are what you eat and showing a picture of your honey snacking on "Sweet and Hot" Jerky.  So cute.

Dear Sharon,

Thanks for the great haircut.  Seriously.  When I got home, though, Good Guy didn't discern the difference.  Goes to show that he never looks at me.

Dear Shari,

Your socks are done and being blocked.  Merry Christmas.

Dear Toshiba,

I think my ancient Netbook and I are coming to the parting of the ways.  It is breaking my heart.  

Gentle reader,

Yes, I know it's Saturday.  I don't care.  Have a nice weekend.  

On the Subject of Spam

I have been at this for a few years now, in intermittent bursts of enthusiasm, and I made the mistake of congratulating myself on never having been the target of spam.

I just hate the word verification step in leaving a comment, and tend to avoid commenting in places that require it.  I am not planning on requiring it here, but I'm beginning to understand why bloggers do it.

It will be interesting to see if my spammers leave their usual message about how interesting and helpful my posts are.  Balderdash!

Spamming is a minor blip on my radar however.  I have been working steadily to finish Cameron's adoption quilt.

Cameron's sisters (who were home made, and I saw them when they were but babies,) had baby quilts that have their initials on them.  When Cameron came to live at their house, he thought it would be nice if he had a cover with his initials on it too.  I agreed, and this little quilt, a snuggle size for a seven year old, will be given to him when his adoption is complete next month (I hope).  It is done anyway, the rest is up to the court system.

Also in progress is a pair of socks for my friend, Shari, who requested them in December.  I didn't get much knitting done in December, but they are progressing nicely now.  My goal this morning was to finish the ball of yarn I was working with and I did it and can now go forth into the cold to do errands.  I took a picture too, but Blogger won't let me upload it.  Maybe tomorrow. 

Is it any wonder that I am procrastinating by doing a blog posting???

Actually, it is a balmy +14 degrees, Fahrenheit.  Only six more months of winter.

Have a great week.  

New Year's Tweaking

Yesterday I searched around for a good "winter picture" to use as a header.  As you can see, I didn't have very good success.  I do have some lovely shades of grey and white pictures taken of the St. Croix River one year and I hope they will show up today.

I also want to change some of my Words of Wisdom, and revise my book sidebar (or whatever it is called).

Maybe I will put in a books to read column and you can tell me what I shouldn't miss out on reading.

If you are the sort of person who reads a book, enjoys it, but hates to see the movie-----I can report than I was not disappointed in the movie version of Unbroken.  Admittedly, I did read the book a while ago, but it seemed to contain all the action that was most memorable to me.  What an amazing man Louis was!

My sister-in-law reported that they enjoyed Into the Woods yesterday. I haven't seen it on stage, but I enjoy the music and saw a TV production that I liked.  I don't know if I can sit through two movies in one month though.  (I'm kidding.)

I keep a journal, and have my whole long life----usually in a college ruled big notebook that I buy at the back to school sales.  But this year I've opted to use a leather bound, hand-made book that I couldn't resist.  I was shopping (gasp----me! shopping!) at an antique store in Waxhaw, North Carolina with my dear friend, Margie.  It isn't large enough to hold the whole year's entries, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

I posed the puzzle to my sisters who both urged me to "Use the book!"  I, like you, am not getting any younger.

When there is light enough, I will go out and find some winter scenes worth recording, and change my header to something nicer looking than the Shopko parking lot.  Perhaps.

The Big Winner

Last November I promised to reward a friend who took the trouble to comment here to a prize.

It was more ponderous a process than I thought, since I needed to delete some spam---I have never had spam before, and needed to rule out my responses to your comments.

The random number generator chose number 27, which turned out to be my friend, Auntie Pam, who would like some fingerless mitts.

If she will contact me via e-mail I will send her some home knit fingerless mitts.

And Judy, if you would like some fabric squares, it would be a privilege to send some to you.  Even if random number generator didn't pick you.

Sandy, I'll make a jaunt to CF to take some pictures for you too.  Some day when the roads aren't snow covered and slippery.  I love ya, but I refuse to risk my life, selfish snot that I am.

Have to close because supper is on the way in.  More tomorrow.

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!