Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas!!!



Our traditional Christmas breakfast of coffee and cookies has been eaten.



The presents have been opened. Even K.C.'s - although she's scared of the whole Christmas experience and won't touch any of her new toys.   At least she cowered near the coffee table long enough for me to get this shot of her by the tree on Christmas morning.

Now we're off to my parent's house for more celebrating and feasting!  Hoping you and yours are having a wonderful day too!!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Melted . . .

What's that?



Okay, it's an icky, dirty garbage can. But what's inside?

Failed snowmen.

Remember those snowmen I knit last year and never got around to felting?  Well, I decided to finally throw them in the washing machine this morning.  But it didn't work out so well.

First, they didn't felt all the way.

Second, they developed several holes.

Third, they were lumpy and fuzzy and just butt ugly.

So I chalked it up to bad felting karma threw them in the trash.

It's okay.  It's a learning experience.  I will cast on some new snowmen - but first I'll go down a needle size so they start off stronger.  And I won't put in so much stuffing so it doesn't try to bulge out and create holes when I felt them.  And I'll put elastics around the neck and waist so maybe they'll hold their shape better.

And if that doesn't work, I'll just toss some more melted snowmen in the trash.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Meme Monday - Christmas

Okay, I'll admit it. I didn't have a Meme lined up for today. So I Googled "Christmas Meme blog" and found this one . . .  ummm, somewhere.  I don't remember exactly which blog I found it on.  (How very Scroogey of me - sorry!!)

1. What is your Favorite Christmas Movie?
Hands down, it has to be A Christmas Story.  But I know that doesn't surprise you after my last post.

2. What is your Least favorite Christmas Movie?
I've never had any desire to see the newer ones, like Santa Clause or Elf or the Grinch one that isn't a cartoon.

3. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Carol of the Bells

4. What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy?
Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer.  And Dominck the Donkey.  Yuck!!

5. What is your favorite Christmas Drink? (ie. egg nog, hot chocolate)
Sugar Free Gingerbread Latte from Seattle's Best, of course!!

6. What is your favorite Christmas Memory?
Having waffles by the tree while we looked at all our toys.  Christmas was the one time of the year mom would make us waffles for breakfast!

7. What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
I guess it was the little rocking chair I got one year.  I still have it in our bedroom to this day.


Rockin' the '70s red pants in my new Rocking Chair!


8. What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
Last year my stocking contained nothing but anti-bacterial hand soap.  Not sure exactly what Santa was trying to tell me there.

9. What do you LOVE about the holidays?
The shopping and baking and anticipation.

10. What annoys you about the holidays?
The rude people you have to put up with during your shopping.

11. Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else?
A star!!  (See below)

12. What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas?
I don't really have one.  But every year at Christmas I make pizzelles, just like Grandma did.

13. Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime?
A Who - although this year I've found myself having a few Grinch moments.

14. Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them?
Love them!!!!!  But I hate all of those blow-up lawn thingies that are getting so popular.

15. Santa's at the mall - Fun times or Creepy?
Really good Santas are fun - but some I've seen venture quite into the creepy.

16. Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no?
I do.  I will.  I swear they are going out this week.

17. What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?
Spending time with loved ones.

18. What is the worst thing about Christmas?
It seems to become more and more stressful every year.

19. When do you put the tree up and take it down?
It varies each year.  This year, it went up yesterday.
Don't worry, ornaments are going on tonight!!  I'll probably take it down on the first Sunday of the new year.

20. Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your truelove to give to you?
I guess I'll take the Golden Rings.  All of those birds would be awfully messy, and the maids and lords and drummers would put quite a strain on the grocery budget.

21. Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer?
She must have been trying to make time with Old St. Nick.  I'm sure those reindeer are very loyal to Mrs. Claus.

22. Who is your favorite reindeer?
I guess Dancer - since I do ballroom.  There isn't a reindeer named Knitter, is there?

23. Do you believe in Santa Claus?
I do.  I think we all should!

24. What is your favorite smell at Christmas time?
The pine tree - even though I might be allergic like my dad is.  And the cookies baking - which I am not allergic too!

25. What would make you happy at Christmas this year?
Spending time enjoying the season with my husband - it's what makes me happy every year!  Also, K.C. getting over feeling traumatized by the new decorations and smells and coming out of hiding!!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Things that burn . . .

  1. Me!!!  It seems all of that NaBloPoMo writing burnt me out but good.  I felt like I needed a bit of an internet break this week, so I took it.  It felt good.  And allowed me focus on other areas of my life, such as . . . 
  2. Fat and Calories.  I've been working hard on burning these.  Which also causes burning . . . 
  3. Muscles.  Ouch.  Feel the burn.  It's good though.  Right?
  4. Money.  As in, the Christmas shopping has begun and I'm burning through my budget!  My credit cards are getting just as hard a work-out as my body is!   But it's been fun.  The favorite gift I've bought so far is for a Yankee Swap at my best friend's Family Christmas.  One lucky guest will enjoy the softly burning light of . . . 
  5. A Leg Lamp Night Light!!!!  Please note: Cat not included with gift!!

 

Friday, December 04, 2009

Sick . . . .



A nose that’s stuffed,
A throat that’s sore,
Blood sugars running high.
Chills and shivers
And ears that ache,
Just make me want to cry.

Some stupid germ
Some mean virus
Has nestled in my head
Making me sneeze
And sometimes wheeze
And turning my poor nose red.

Can't clean or blog
Or do laundry
No treadmill for me today.
Will soup and tea
And a nice long nap
Please make this go away?

I'll watch TV
and get some rest
And have plenty of time to knit.
And hope that tomorrow
when I awaken
I no longer feel like like . . . .

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

How many days until Christmas???

I should probably have a plan.  At least a knitting plan.  I should have a list of hand-knits I'd like to gift my loved ones with. I should be rummaging through the stash for the perfect yarns to warm the important people in my life.  I should be working diligently on those gift knits every day.

What have I been working on instead?



Yup, those heavy socks I cast on for myself.  And as you can see, I haven't even been working on them that much!

I'm beginning to understand that I may be a self-centered, selfish knitter forever.  I can find a million knits I want to make for myself.  But finding things to knit for others always gives me trouble.  What's a knitter to do???

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

You didn't think I'd post today, did you???

That's right, it's December 1st. And that means November NaBloPoMo is complete.



I did it!  And I no longer HAVE TO post every.  Single.  Day.  To be honest, when I signed up for NaBloPoMo I wasn't sure I'd succeed.  30 posts in 30 days.  On two blogs.  It's a tall order, but I did it.  Of course many days I used the same post on both blogs.  In the end, I wrote 46 posts in 30 days.

Did I love feeling pressured to post every day?  No, I didn't.  Did I write some lame posts that are just taking up valuable Cyber-Space?  You bet I did.  Did I still manage to neglect posting about some big topics I need to sit down and write about?  Absolutely.  I still need to write up a post about Stitches East - and I can't believe I didn't get it finished during the 30 days of constant posting!!  But overall, am I glad I signed up for NaBloPoMo?  YES I AM!!!

I had become such a blog slacker before November.  There were months when I barely posted once a week.  Usually I was just being lazy about blogging.  I had gotten out of the habit of being on the lookout for potential post topics.  NaBloPoMo helped remind me how much I like blogging and how many blog topics are there just waiting to be noticed.  I've even had a request to keep up "Sunday Snapshots", so I'll be sure to get a few of those in every month!

Will I post every day in December?  Nope, I can tell you right now that won't happen.  But I will try to post much more than I had been lately.  I'd love to be a consistent Monday - Friday blogger, although I know I'll miss a few days here and there.  Maybe more than a few once the holiday crunch really gets going.   I'm okay with that, because blogging isn't really about how often we post.  It's about the connections we make and the pieces of our lives we share.  That is what's most important and that's what makes blogging so wonderful!