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!

Thankful Thursday

For the whole year!  Our designated day to be grateful for the welcome the natives here gave to our undocumented aliens who landed, starved, and had a rough first year in this unfamiliar place.

Not that I think about the first Thanksgiving very much.  I try to always remember to be grateful, because I know how much I am blessed and always have been.  I wouldn't trade lives with anyone, anywhere, which I think is a wonderful blessing.

As for you, dear reader, I am thankful for your visit and your kind, brief attention.

I have been busy here, making the end of the year the best part yet.  I'm knitting some socks for a grateful family member, and piecing a wall hanging for winter decoration.  I would say a Christmas decoration, but 1.) it's of evergreen trees, and 2.) I don't change things around very often.  I will probably have evergreen trees hanging next August, if the past is any indication.

So that is my excuse for failing miserably at blogging faithfully during November.  I don't think anyone really minds too much.

I hope that you are having a happy relaxed day, enjoying good food, family and friends, and football (if you so choose).

Excuse me, because I may have to do some Quality Assurance work for the pumpkin pie.  I don't want to feed my kids untested food.

NomNomNom.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Swatching

This month in one of my Ravelry groups we are knitting swatches to send to our swap partners.

I tend to knit the same sort of thing in the same weight of yarn, or knit things that will be used by someone it fits if it is given to a charitable organization.  Which is by way of explaining---that I don't do too much swatching.

I am enjoying this exercise however.  I have chosen to try the same unfamiliar stitch with a couple of different weights of yarns and sizes of needles.  This yields quite a different look and sometimes you need a few more inches to really get a sense of it.

After the swap is done I'll show them to you.  I know, you're dying with anticipation.  Silly me.

In other late-breaking news, with the help of my car's defroster and twenty minutes of smacking and scraping and sweeping, I finally got the accumulated snow removed from my dear old car.  I had taken the newer car out to do errands a couple of times, but I much prefer driving the car I usually drive.  (I am not being paid to share this information with you.  It's a 1996 green Toyota Camry with 188,000 miles on it.  It is a wonderful car.)

We have had two others since we purchased that one.  Reliable, handsome, and I'm a loyal fan.  It sounds like I'm describing a husband.  (He's reliable and handsome too.)

Well friends, we are embarking on a new week.  Make it a good one!

Dr. Seuss and I

Sometimes after I have spent an inordinate amount of time on the internet, I think of the Seuss book with the words, "Oh the places you'll go!"

In just an hour or so this morning I read messages from women all over the world who were reporting on letters, post cards, and gifts they had received from other members of the group.

I was directed to read about a teacher who gave his students the assignment of writing a letter to their future selves; the person they hoped to be in twenty years.  He saved the letters and sent them  when the time was up.  That was very moving and meaningful to both teacher and former students.

I visit a few other bloggers, some of whom are nearby and who I have met now, in person.  Some are celebrity knitters (the blogs I read, not the people I've met.)  One is a bundle of energy who travels to teach all over the country, and quilts like the most prolific quilter you've ever seen!

I also found some folks who went on the road, traveling year round in their travel trailers.  Some of them are also gifted writers and it is great fun to read about the world as seen through their eyes.

Then there are book recommendations.  (I have grown more and more finicky about what I will read as I grow older.)  I may read one trashy book, but I won't subscribe to the whole series, thanks anyway.

Let's see, where else did I go besides stopping to check in with my sister, and try to use my reluctant Words With Friends game.  It's very slow to use these days, now that it is improved.

I think that was about it, because I went shopping and got the gifts for one of the main people on my Christmas list.  (All week I was going to make a couple project bags, but just wasn't in the mood.  Once I find a fabric I really like for this, I will be a model of industry.  Trust me on that.  Chuckle.)

I'm going to award a neat prize to a commenter between Nov 1 and Christmas.  I promise to use the impartial random number generator, but the more you comment, the better your chance.

I will even appreciate knowing what your idea of a neat prize would be.  Would someone like a ginormous box of quilting scraps?  You would be doing me such a service!  You have no idea!

Hope you are having a fine weekend!