No Room in the Barn

Just so those of you who are reading this blog will know, I don't live in a perfect world.  Far from it.  I just like to share the best of my life.  Today started out very nice.  I went outside in the frosty air in my nightgown and my husband's boots.  Quite the sight, but no one can see our house from the road so who cares.   I walked around and took the pictures which I posted earlier.  Lucky for you, there are no photos of me in my nightgown, winter coat and big boots.  Then I got dressed and went shopping.  We went early enough to avoid the crowds.  We found some last minute gifts and purchased the groceries I will need for Christmas Day.  About 3:00 we came home, I put everything away, made some supper for dad and headed out to see our grandchildren in their church Christmas program 40 minutes away.  Three of them were in the program with our grand daughter playing the piano. I was looking forward to it.   It was to take place in a barn in the country, so we dressed warm because the place didn't have any heat.  We were almost there when my daughter texted me and said that there wasn't any more room in the barn and they had shut the door.  We were already trying to find a parking place, which we couldn't find either.  We are always very early for everything, but not tonight when we really should have been.  It was very dark in this strange barnyard.  So we turned around and headed back down the road.  We went to McDonald's and waited for the program to finish.  Forty five minutes later they hadn't called, so we headed home.  Half way home our daughter called and said we could come to the church for the after program cookies and coffee.  We declined.  I have never before driven 40 minutes to eat at McDonald's and then turn around and drive 40 minutes home.  I probably won't do it again for a very long time.  This is not the barn, but I think it is bigger than the one we almost got into tonight. 

A Beautiful Frosty Morning in Princeton

After the Storm

Snow blowing the driveway is hard work
but now it's time for fun 

 

Snowshoeing through the woods

Winter Storm-December 20, 2012

Today we had our 2nd major snowstorm of the season.  The schools were closed and the kids got an early Winter Break.  We received about 8 inches of snow, but some areas received more than twice that amount.  It was a beautiful sight but also very heavy and wet.  Our snow blower could not handle it and it clogged up.  Hopefully tonight it will get cold enough for the snow to dry out making it easier to remove.  Our driveway is too long to hand shovel.  If necessary we will have it plowed.

Because of the weather and the roads being slippery, it was a perfect day to stay home. We started a fire in the fireplace and started to wrap presents.  It took forever.  We decided to use up all the partial rolls of wrapping paper.  Nothing matches, but we used up much of the old paper.  Don't tell the little kids, but Santa came early.  Instead of stretching out the stockings that are hanging on the fireplace, I made fabric bags with each persons name.  These bags make it easier to fit our stocking stuffers.

Tomorrow I will be baking.  I have some challenges this year because some family members can not eat wheat.  Hopefully I can come up with a few good things.  Thanksgiving was successful, so I'm sure Christmas will be as well.

Christmas projects finished

Today I finished the last of my Christmas projects.  I didn't do a lot this year.  Usually I'm finishing up on Christmas Eve, so I'm really proud of myself.  I love making socks, both functional and Christmas stockings.  When I was young a family friend made my sister and I a Christmas stocking.  In later years, I copied the pattern and made many for family and friends.  Now I see the 1945 pattern is being published on some websites.  The original is much smaller but the pattern is similar.  I also made some fingerless mittens.  Everyone has smartphones or ipads.  This makes it easier to use the phone without taking off your mittens.  Then I had time to make a pair of socks for myself.  I am so frugal that I often buy pretty sweaters at garage sales or thrift stores, unravel them and knit socks from the yarn.  Sometimes it's wool or fancy silk yarn.  Notice the sock blockers on the striped socks.  I love them.  They make handmade socks dry to a perfect shape.  I got them from @The Loopy Ewe online store, www.theloopyewe.com/…k-blocker/wooden-sock-blocker/. Another of my favorite things to knit socks is the 9" circular needles.  I got mine from an ebay store named @missbabs, http://www.missbabs.com/, but knitting stores can order them if you ask.

The White Poinsettia

A year ago we had a pretty rough patch in our lives.  My mother had broken her hip in the summer of 2011.  She was moved to a nursing home for rehab and then 7 weeks later we had a decision to make.  She was unable to go to her home where she lived with dad.  My dad had poor vision and mom did the all the chores at home which required vision.  We moved them into a modified assisted living apartment.  She didn't really like it there, but they got cleaning services and a meal a day.  We took care of groceries, laundry and the other household tasks.  They were doing better and adjusting around Thanksgiving of last year.  Then around Christmas, Mom became quite ill and eventually died in January of 2012.  During that Christmas season the people in the complex received White Poinsettias.  After mom passed we moved my dad into our home.  We cleaned out the apartment and I took home the poinsettia.   Half of the plant died, but eventually the other half lived.  After a while the remaining half began thriving and now at Christmas time is starting to bloom.  I believe it symbolizes my mom and dad.  They had been married 65 years.  Half of them died and although it took a long time, the other half is beginning to thrive.  Although my dad misses my mom terribly, he is doing well.

Raggedy Ann and Andy come Home

Today I came home from shopping and found a package on the porch.  It was from my sister in Michigan.  She had sent some Christmas packages for us.  As I was unpacking them, I noticed something on the bottom of the box.  It was an afghan that I had made when I was expecting my first daughter 41 years ago.  It had made the rounds to all the babies and there it was again.  I remember buying the cheapest Red Heart yarn that I could find and afford.  So much for saying that you have to pay a fortune for yarn for it to hold up.  I was just so happy to see it again and that it was in very good shape.  I have knit and crocheted hundreds of items over the years but for some reason I remembered this blanket.  I still have the pattern.  Thank you Jan for keeping it and sending it back.  I can't wait to show it to my daughter.

Worrying Won't Help

Well today I woke up in a bit of a panic.  In a week I have to have all my Christmas preparations completed.  I have packages to send which have to be sent by tomorrow, December 18.  I have cookies to make.  Some have to be gluten free for a couple family members who can no longer eat wheat.  I have to take inventory of the presents I have purchased and make sure everything is even.  I know they don't know that every gets the same value, but I know.  I will have to get groceries for our Christmas brunch meal.  I have to clean the house only to have it trashed on Christmas day.  And I have to finish knitting and crocheting a couple projects that I started, thinking I had plenty of time to finish.

DEEP BREATH

I'm ok now.  The birds have calmed me down.  They are so busy today too.  The squirrels are leisurely eating the leftover seed.  Everything will get done and if it doesn't,  it isn't the end of the world.  Or the end of the world will come on the 21st and I won't have to worry either.