Catching Up

I haven't been purposefully avoiding the computer or blogging, it's just that with all the sleep I've been getting since I haven't been working (oh SING with me about that!!!) I feel able to leap multiple-story buildings in a single bound and I just keep using that energy to do things like clean or go shopping or knit or really just about ANYTHING except turn on the computer.

Today I packed up and put away all of the Christmas decorations after one final shopping trip before I turn back into the big budget scrooge. While getting out all of the decorations from their cardboard boxes and having to pitch a number of broken decorations, I resolved this year to get some of those decoration-storage thingies that always go on sale after Christmas. So I did that. And today I put everything away in them. On Christmas Eve, I got out the paint and glue and with the help of our two final holiday-season guests, finished the 2006 section of the Christmas Tree skirt. Here is a picture of how it turned out. I'm really stinkin' pleased. Next year will be even better, I'm sure. I am especially grateful for that little HMBH. My grandmother, who will be 95 in February, insisted she didn't have the fine motor control to do her whole name, but she was willing to put her initials on it. I am pleased and grateful for the little extras that people added without any prompting from me. I love that my sister-in-law included her cat, that my Aunt added the holly above her name, that Grandma Gaye added a heart and a little swoosh below her name and that my mother put little Christmas lights around her name. I only realized later that they match the shape of the lights that go along my front walk. I glued a line of crystal beads along the border. I can't wait to see what next year's section looks like.

We rented a couch and love seat combo as we did back in April when we were having guests. Because the only thing I look for when going to the rent-a-furniture place is that the cost be as little as possible and that the furniture be not-too-hideous, I'm pretty much stuck with whatever they have on the floor. I was lucky this time and there was a choice of two couch sets (They won't let me rent just the couch. They're always sets. This is okay as it turns out that the one couch is never enough anyway.) so I went with the red set. This set is much more in line with our tastes than the sectional we rented from this place back in April, and at one time or another in the last week, all the adults have fallen asleep on them. I thought it was funny when Chris did on Christmas afternoon and took a picture. (The couch is normal sized. Chris is not.)


It was even funnier when I went to upload the photo though and found that he'd done the same thing of me (and Emily) earlier in the week (on the love seat). This was last week when I was still working on one of my lessons. Emily doesn't need an excuse for a nap. She's a dog. (And she has buried her nose in the UAB.)

For Christmas I finished three pairs of socks. One for Milo (Claudia's Handpainted yarn--100% merino superwash).

1 pair for Max (Barefoot Mountain Colors 75% superwash, 25% something else).
and 1 pair for Ben (Jagger sock yarn of some sort).

But I did not finish Chris' socks. Or even a sock. This was the sock Christmas morning. Now it's about two and half inches longer. That's it. I need to finish those socks though because I learned on Tuesday that the yarn has been discontinued, and since I'm not convinced there's enough in one skein to finish the pair, I need to hurry so that my LYS can find me another skein if need be to finish the pair.

I get one more true day of vacation and then this weekend I need to get back to work. I actually have quite a bit due on the 2nd and my sister is coming to visit for a few days starting Sunday (evening) so I'm hoping to get enough done to work half a day Monday and half a day Tuesday and otherwise be free to hang out with her.

It was a smaller and more modest Christmas than some in the past, but it was a good and a joyous Christmas and we all received more than enough and more than we asked for. I always reflect on the year during this week between Christmas and New Years and this year is no exception. There is no way, even on my most mentally ill day, that I can call this past year anything but a success. Though I have a long way to go on all fronts, we are on better ground on any "life" topic you might care to examine. We have less debt, less stress, more friends, more blessings, etc. etc.

I am grateful for the love and support that has been shown to us this year. We have been lifted up and encouraged on every dark day--and for that the whole year has been lighter. Thank you.