Week 52 - Wrapping Up the Year 2018

This past week we celebrated Christmas - just as so many other folks around the world did.  There were different traditions, different foods, different gifts....but mostly the same Christmas.  The joy and happiness of the season permeated the entire world - well most of it anyway.

While we didn't decorate as effusively as in years past (we have a new kitten and didn't want him climbing the tree and knocking it down and breaking ornaments), we did put up a tree - with lights and a topper - and stockings; couldn't NOT put up stockings.  

And while we were sleeping, Santa came!

And The Skipper cast himself as the Safekeeper of the Gifts! 

He abdicated his job once the gifts started to be unwrapped.

Gilligan, on the other hand, is an Old Hand at Christmas....he simply couldn't be bothered.

We invited our neighbor and another couple to Christmas dinner.  It was wonderful to spend a few hours with friends and catch up.  We got to talk to the Grands that evening and our son and his amazing wife, too.  Honestly, it doesn't get any better!

Well, 2018 is so close to being done that I'm going to call it a wrap!  We only have 3 more days left and I don't see anything crazy or noteworthy happening to make me want to add a post.  

We hope all of our family and friends (and anyone reading this is truly a friend!) have a safe and Happy New Year.  May 2019 be better and happier and more filled with love and joy that years before.

Thanks for stopping by.

Week 51 - All Things Considered, It's a Wrap!

This next to last week of the year was a bit unreal!  My Mr. Wonderful underwent a heart surgery earlier this week.  We really won't know for another 3 months if it was truly a success.  He spent the night in the hospital and came home the next day.  Gotta admit, he had a ton of bandages all over him and he looked like the little boy who found the band aids and put them all over himself!  Not really. That's just my dramatic side coming out!  He had 3 IV's and 5 lines for the surgery so there were a few bandages once they removed all the hardware.  With the amount of Heparin they needed to give him for the surgery, it was kinda dicey when the removed it all...took about 45 minutes of intense pressure by 3 different nurses (after about 15 minutes, each nurse lost feeling in her hands and wrists from the pressure they needed to use ) to stop the bleeding so they could put pressure bandages on the wounds.  Honestly, that was scarier than the surgery even though THAT involved lasers and cryosurgical techniques.  John took the rest of the week off (doctor's orders) and goes back tomorrow.  He is healing quite nicely.  

We decided not to decorate a tree this year.  Our newest kitten is just too young to know NOT to climb.  We just didn't want him to make the tree fall down and break ornaments.  So here is the sum total of our decorating for this year:

I couldn't NOT put out the stockings...The Skipper has already knocked down the stocking tree...so far, he hasn't shredded either the stockings or the tree skirt....

I've finished wrapping all the gifts so far...only stocking stuffers left to get.  We've settled on the menu for Christmas Day.  And we've invited some dear friends to share the meal with us.  Tri-Tip, mashed potatoes au gratin, roasted asparagus, and Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake for dessert. 

Thanks for stopping by....

Week 49 & 50 - The Holidays are Upon Us

I didn't post last week - I know, I'm a bad girl! No excuse so I won't insult you with a lame one I made up.  

The holidays are quickly approaching.  We are putting the tree up today - always the weekend nearest John's birthday (which is tomorrow).  Because of the Skipper, we aren't putting any ornaments on it, just the lights.  Hopefully, he will leave the tree alone and next year we might try ornaments.  He's still a kitten (8 months old tomorrow) and everything needs to be explored, don't ya know!

I finally finished the quilt for my friend in New York...he loved it.  He gave me permission to post pictures...

It's quite huge - 38 years in the making.  The earliest T-shirt is dated 1980 and I finished it this year.  I learned so much in the making of this quilt - and I hope I don't have to make one this big for another 38 years.  Gary said he was going to start a new collection so I could make him another - told him I might be too old in another 38 years!

Here is a little Advent Calendar that made me smile:

And this just made my day - for all you mommy's out there.

Make mine multi-colored, please, Santa!

Finally, I want to wish each of you a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year...

Thanks for stopping by.