Weeks 50-52 Happy New Year

Well, the Christmas rush is over.  Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday. Ours was quiet, just the 3 of us.  We opened our gifts and had a lovely dinner that John prepared.  TriTip steak and baked sweet potatoes with a side salad.  Yum! 

Our son and daughter-in-law gave us a Roomba - you know, one of those robot vacuums.  She is scheduled to vacuum the entire house about every other day at 10:00 a.m. (per my programming).  And like clockwork, she powers up at exactly 10:00 on the mornings I want her to work.  It takes her just under 2 hours to vacuum the entire house and then she goes home to her dock to recharge her battery.  We've named her Mrs. Doubtfire. 

My foot for context...she's about 14 inches across.  The cats don't seem to think much of her - they ignore her unless she is heading toward them on her rambles throughout the house.  Then they move out of her way.

Wishing you all a most Happy and Healthy New Year.  Remember, the 20's are starting at midnight! I don't know if they will be roaring or not, but I'm looking forward to whatever the future holds for us. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Week 48 & 49 - The Holidays are Fast Approaching

In the last couple of weeks we have been approaching the holidays.  John drove to Utah last week with two huge coolers filled with the pork we raised and butchered for our son and his family.  He drove straight thru - 20 hours.  Or almost straight thru.  About an hour outside of Salt Lake City, his truck just suddenly stopped!  Fortunately, it was about 5 in the morning and not a lot of traffic on Interstate 80.  He was able to coast to the side of the road. He called a tow truck who advised him that there was no shop in the nearest town who could work on his truck and he should tow it nearer to our son's house.  Thankfully he took that advise.  After several hundred dollars and a ride in a tow truck, John had his vehicle back, along with a brand new alternator!  He spent a few days with John III, Jill, and the 5 grands and came home on Thursday last week.  It was lovely to have him home...even after 46 years, he's still my guy!

While John was gone, Mom and I put up our tree.  I used our pencil tree this year - 7 feet tall and skinny.  It's already got lights on so all I had to do was put the three pieces together and Voila!  I put in on the bench seat, looking out the bay window.  So far, the kitties have not tipped it over.  I didn't put any decorations on it - too much temptation for kitties to play.  It looks pretty plain during the day, but when the night comes, with the lights on, it's magical!

I saw the following the other day and it really resonated with me. I'm sharing it with you, hoping it resonates with you, too

So now you know, it's up to you to carry on.  

I'm looking forward to 2020.  And this is helping me form my plans.

Positivity is my word for this next year!  

Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday season and a Blessed New Year.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

Week 44 thru 47 - Where Did the Time Go?

Today is the 1st of December.  Have you ever awakened on January 1st and think there's a whole year of adventures and blessings ahead.  And somehow, you suddenly wake up on December 1st and wonder where the time went.  That was me this morning.  Where has that year gone?  I know I retired back in mid-March and have spent a lot of time knitting and quilting and embroidering.  But, WOW, just wow!

I have participated in collecting rows from the annual Row by Row Experience since 2014.  I have several 'themed' quilts planned.  But until this year, I've never actually completed a quilt using Row by Row blocks.  The theme this year was Taste the Experience - all about food!  I decided to concentrate on Ice Cream blocks and collected and designed a cute quilt.  I actually finished it and took it to the quilter 2 days before Thanksgiving.  I didn't even photograph it yet.....obviously, you will see it when it's totally done!  I am not sure which one I will work on next - I've got plans for a Harry Potter quilt, a Wizard of Oz quilt, one with nothing but Guitars, a Musicals quilt, a space quilt,  and a couple more - all using Row by Row blocks. I have my work cut out for me, huh?  It'll keep me off the streets, for sure!

We had several of John's family for Thanksgiving.  Food, family and fun!  Couldn't beat it.

And the next day was our Annual Knotwell Girls Cookie Day.  Everyone brought a batch of sugar cookie dough and it was rolled out, cut out, sprinkled and baked.  We have a whole assembly line all figured out and after 6 hours, we had made over 25 dozen sugar cookies.  Split up into 4 groups, everyone got a bunch!  

Rolling out and cutting out and sprinkling area.

Baking stones staging area.

Cooling area.

The crew!  Mr. didn't participate except to kibbitz!  

First batch ready to go into the over.  

Once the cookies had cooled, they were divided up into takeaway tins we each provided.  I want to try making sugar cookies and then decorating them with royal icing...probably next week...Have never done that so it will be a new experience for me.  I know someone who will gladly eat the ugly ones!

Now is the time when all the Facebook folks are posting memes and pictures.  Some of them are pretty silly and some of them resonate with me.  Here are a couple:

I plan to spend more time really enjoying the season.  I love the music of the season.  I love the lights and the trees and the colors. I love how most people are kinder during the season.  

Thank you all for stopping by!