This Looks Like A December Day…

This looks like a "time to remember" day.

And I remember the spring, such a sweet tender thing.

It’s the last day of December. It’s New Year’s Eve. It’s the end of the old year and the beginning of a fresh new one.

http://sweetsugarbelle.blogspot.com/ New Year cookies!

It’s a time of reflection. A time to think about what could have, should have been. It’s a time to realize some things will never happen. And maybe it’s a time to realize there’s a reason they don’t.

And love's summer college,

Where the green leaves of knowledge,

Were waiting to fall with the Fall.

It’s also a time to reflect on the changes and improvements one strives to make. It’s a new time, the slate wiped clean. It’s time to resolve to do better, do more, do something.

http://sweetsugarbelle.blogspot.com/ Resolution cookies.

I can’t say 2010 was a bad year. But there were certainly some down times. And I expect 2011 to be the same. It’s natural.

Bryce under the lighted trees in Johnson City.

Johnson City, Texas, court house grounds.

But I’ll look forward, wish for the best, and do what I can to make it a happy new year. There’s always hope.

 And where September wine,

Numbed the measure of time.

Through the tears of October, now November's over,

And this looks like a December day.

The end of December is the end of my third strip. It’s the fall strip in the series. It seems shorther than the others but I haven’t really measured. When I do I’ll let you know! Day 271, December 27, brought contentment. Things had gone well, everyone traveled safely. It was also a little hurried. We were going on a whirlwind trip to Austin. Alan had a workshop and Bryce and I had to go shop! We ate German in Fredericksburg and then got to go to Ikea. That’s a treat in itself. The night was finished with Kirby Queso then on to the hotel for a night of snoring. Apparently we all do it, or so they say. I have my doubts. I chose a blue and white wool blend that I’m making a cowl out of. Day 272, December 28, was a hurried day. There’s so much shopping to be done and so little time! Bryce and I went shopping while Alan was learning. I have to say he’s the best shopping buddy I have. He’s not afraid to go to new places and we like the same thing. He doesn’t whine that he’s tired but he does get grouchy if you don’t feed him! We found some good things and had fun. I did anyway! The trip home was uneventful. Stopped at Coopers and ate more than our share of meat. Then I slept almost the rest of the way home. Kind of getting sick I think. I chose red sparkly yarn. It was a good day. Day 273, December 29, was a pleasant day. It was another fast shopping trip day. We hit the thrift stores for fun and found a few treasures. There was an orphan hand knit sweater I rescued. It will become something else. I just couldn’t bear for it to sit on a rack alone knowing the lover that went into it. I chose some yarn from the sweater. It’s black with blue, pink and yellow interweaved throughout. It’s pretty yarn and was a pretty sweater. Very well made. Next is day 274, December 30 It’s a bittersweet day. The time passed so quickly. It’s time for Bryce to go back to Europe. There’s a great party he needs to attend! Ah, to be young and have no cares. It was hard, but not as hard for me this time. I know he misses us and I wasn’t so sure the first time! I chose a gold ribbon yarn. It’s for the golden times we had for the holiday and it called to me today. Day 275 is the last day for this strip! It’s December 31, a relaxed day. I’m most likely in pj’s for the day. The great plans for the evening will be to stay awake! Ha ha. We don’t have any Champagne but there’s plenty of other ‘spirits’ so if necessary I’ll console myself. I chose a Noro that has some purple, turquoise, green and gold in it. It’s going to be a new year, the beginning again. Maybe I won’t make the same mistakes. Maybe.

This looks like a December day.

It looks like we've come to the end of the way.

And this looks like a December day.

So This Is Christmas

And what have we done...

Another year over,

And a new one just begun...

What do they say? The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. That seems to be what happened. We rearranged the furniture in the living room where the satellite box for the television and the Internet is. All was good then the Internet stopped working. A call to tech support cured it and all worked but it was late so I decided I’d post the next day. Next morning I got up, turned on the computer and tried to start iTunes. No go. I had a lot to do so decided to worry about it later. Later came and went. Finally there’s another excruciatingly painful call to tech support. There is a funny thing about tech support. The hardware people always want to blame the software people and the software people insist the hardware is the problem. The call lasted well over an hour and the issue was still not resolved. And there’s another day gone. Finally, Bryce looked at it, unplugged it and then plugged everything back in. Voila!! One of the people (there were three or four) in the marathon call had told us to plug one of the cables into the wrong port. Jeez.

So, you missed the Fa la la post, the great Knitters Night Before Christmas poem and who knows what else!

The coolest wrapping paper ever!!!

Again, I’m playing catch-up. It was really busy getting everything ready for all to come to our house for Christmas. We always try to squeeze 3 months of work into one week. It’s not like there weren’t 364 days to get ready! Anyway, it was pretty much working, shopping, wrapping and cleaning taking up all the time.

Somebody must have been good!!!

Christmas went off well. There were four that weren’t able to make it in. Dustin is in Afghanistan. Ty is in Utah and couldn’t get enough time off work to come all the way and Ashley had other plans and it was Kevin’s year for his family in Dallas. But we got to meet the new great niece, for the first time.

Unwrapping presents is hard work!

 

Mom and dad enjoying Christmas.

We had a lot of food. If nothing else goes right I can almost guarantee you won’t go hungry while you are here! We had a Mexican feast on Christmas Eve with tamales, chili rellenos, green chili stew, queso, posole and Mexican stack ups which are sort of like build your own nachos. It was good. Then the next day we had traditional Christmas dinner with turkey and dressing and all that goes with it! There were enough leftovers to pick and choose when anyone got hungry any other time.

Look at me Pappy!

Dinosaur hats!

Grrrrrrr!!!

Sunday morning it was time for everyone to leave. I made some orange biscuits, a family flavorite! Then everyone packed up and they were gone. It was sure quiet!

Smile Aaron!

It was a good time. We laughed at the ornament game we play. We enjoyed the little guys opening presents. We had stockings with so much stuff we have to use bags instead of stockings. It was a good Christmas. And we’ll do it all again next year. If I start now maybe I’ll be ready!

And so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young…

Knitayear is still in progress but I haven’t taken the time every day like I should. So I catch up and it is all good but I want to try to stay caught up. Hmmmm…maybe a resolution? Day 265, December 21 was a very productive day. I went to Odessa and finished up the rest of the shopping. I get some of the groceries I need and now all that is left is wrapping everything. I love whoever she is that invented the printed boxes and also the bags. Pure genius! I chose a thick green yarn. Reminded me of getting things done. Day 266, December 22 was another fruitful day. I got a lot done. Moved some boxes, made beds, did laundry and wrapped presents. I chose handspun that looks like peppermint. Reminds me that there is a lot to be done but I’m perked up and still inspired! December 23, day 267, and panic is setting in. I’m overwhelmed and there is a lot to be done still. I need to decide that it will work and what is done gets done and if it’s not done most likely I’ll be the only one who knows anyway. I chose a crazy silver fur. It’s frazzled like I’m feeling! Day 268, December 24, and I’m wrapping presents. I’m cooking too and Bryce volunteers to go to the store for me so I make a list and send him and Mallory. It’s coming together and I’m just resigned that it’s going to be what it’s going to be. I chose an alpaca mixed with a ribbon. It’s yarn I got in NC that I made a mobius out of. It’s soft, pretty and reassuring for some reason. Day 269, December 25, is Christmas! I’m ambitious, starting the cooking. It’s a fun day and I’m glad to be with all the family. It’s all going to be okay. I choose red fun fur with colored bobbles. It’s bright and cheery and Christmas! Day 270, December 26 and I’m pleased with how everything went. Waiting for Callye to come get Evan. Trying to get things straightened up again. It was a great time and I’m glad it’s over. I picked green with a silver thread wound through it. Now to get ready for New Years!

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear…

I'll Have A Blue Christmas…

Without you…
I'll be so blue thinking about you…

I was born in Lubbock. When I was around 3 years old, the family moved to Albuquerque. That’s where I grew up. But we always went ‘back home’, as my parents said, for Christmas. It wasn’t until after I was grown and married that I spent a Christmas in Albuquerque.

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and probably at least half of the population of the state lives there. It’s a pretty place. The Sandia Mountains run along the east side of the city, and the Rio Grande River flows through the city, from north to south. The town was originally built in a traditional Spanish village pattern. There is a plaza, located centrally and surrounded by buildings. The buildings were mostly government, then, but now are shops. Then there are homes, and a church. This area has been restored and preserved and is open to the public. It is referred to as "Old Town." The church was constructed in 1793. The church is still open and has regular services for parishioners and visitors.

San Felipe de Neri Church--http://www.itsatrip.org

Every year there is a Luminaria Tour in that area of town. Luminarias are part of a southwestern tradition. They started around the 1500s, when bonfires were lit along roadways to light the way to midnight mass. They were lit to commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph as they found their way to the stable. They celebrate the birth of Christ. In the 1800s, people discovered it was easier to use a small paper bag rather than start bonfires. And the luminaria as we know it was born.

Luminaria display--http://www.itsatrip.org

It’s easy to make a luminaria. It starts as a brown paper bag, a lunch sack size. The bag is folded down at the top. Then sand is put in to anchor the bag so it won’t blow around. It also holds a small candle that is placed inside the bag. The candles are lit and a peaceful glow emits through the bag. I’ve seen them now, stuck over Christmas lights or made of white sacks with colored bulbs. All are pretty, but nothing beats the beauty of the traditional luminaria.

Paper bag luminaria--http://hubpages.com

When you go on the tour you can walk or drive your car, or you can ride a bus. We chose to ride the bus because it’s the easiest and it’s fun because we could all be together. That Christmas we got tickets and headed out for the tour. All of the lights are off, and the bus travels around 5 or 10 miles per hour. It’s warm and fairly comfortable and enjoyable.

That night, we were all together on one bus. We had an energetic bus driver who started carol singing on the bus. That’s when the kids found out their dad is really a funny fellow. The other day I asked them if they remembered the time dad sang “Blue Christmas” on the luminaria tour. They did. I could tell you the story, but Bryce wrote out his memory for me. He did such a great job I’ll share.

“I was in my Beavis and Butthead phase (thought still in single-digit age, I think) when during an Albuquerque family Christmas, the family decided to get tickets to the Christmas lights/Luminaria tour through the city. This was something I'd wanted to see for most of my life to that point so I was very excited to go. But once we boarded the bus, I was disappointed. This was because I had to take a seat near the back where instead of being arranged in rows, the seats were arranged against the wall, looking out across the bus...like the rental-car shuttle van that most companies use at airports. Just like how kids want to sit as close to the television as possible, I wanted my face as close to the window as possible and it was uncomfortable to contort myself in those seats. Maybe I was older than single digits...maybe I'd already hit my 4th grade fat stage...either way, I wasn't comfortable.

The neighborhoods participating in the light tour are in different parts of town so to keep interest and spirits up while driving between locations, the tour guide on the bus led the whole bus in singing Christmas carols. Now, when you really think about it, there are only about 10 Christmas carols that the majority of the population knows by heart. We made it through the first verse of the old standards like "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Jingle Bells" but the more intricate songs escaped us. On this bus, we couldn't finished "The 12 Days of Christmas" because things fell apart when the dancing ladies threw a laying geese at a leaping lord or something.

The silent night was getting longer and spirits were slumping when Elvis broke into the opening bars of "Blue Christmas" with excellent accompaniment on the harmony.

I'll have a Blue--do doo do doo--Christmas...

In keeping with the bus's established standards of songs, the first verse was the only one we enjoyed but it was met with thunderous applause. During the next stretch of silence, others in the bus were heard muttering, "I want to hear 'Blue Christmas' again" but there was no encore that night. Maybe soon the long-awaited reappearance of Elvis allow us to again entertain some holiday goers looking for a little bit of a boost to keep their spirits up.”

Yes, Alan belted out Blue Christmas. And he did a good job! I’m not sure how much the song boosted the other riders' spirits, but it was fun and a good memory. And I may or may not know who sang the harmony!

And when the blue—do doo do doo--snowflakes start falling,
That's when those blue memories start calling…

December is winding down and when it ends it will be the end of the third strip! It’s kind of weird because this strip seems to be shorter than the other ones. I really haven’t measured, but just looking at them or maybe the feel of this one in particular makes me think so. Day 261, December 17, I go ahead and go to work. They get out early and it always irks me to give a full day up while they only work a little over half, if that much. I’m antsy, though, and ready to get out of there. It’s like a ghost building anyway. There aren’t many people in at all. I chose a turquoise and gray wool that I used as the fat part on a scribble lace. Day 262, December 18, I wake up ready to go. I’m ambitious and thinking positive that I’ll get everything done before Friday. I choose a bright multi color fun fur. It’s all colors going everywhere. That’s how I’ll be until next week. It’s December 19, day 263. I got a lot done yesterday and I’m determined to get even more done today. I have a basket of yarn I used for Christmas scarves beside me and a red, green and white Christmas yarn keeps calling me! It reminds me that there’s just a few days to go. Day 264, December 20 and it’s another busy day. I hate the rush and crowds. I only had 364 days to think about this. But it’s just like it always is. But I’m going to make it. I choose blue ribbon I know because of the funny story I’m thinking. But it’s fitting too. It’s a blue ribbon for the prize of getting everything ready! I just don’t have anyone to give it to me! But I’m pretty sure I’m doing all right. You?

You'll be doing all rightWith your Christmas of white,
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas...do doo do doo...

Here We Come A-Caroling...

Among the leaves so green!
Here we come a-wandering,
So fair to be seen!

One thing I really like about Christmas is the music. When I was still teaching I would get Christmas CDs and as soon as Thanksgiving vacation was over I started playing them in class. I had every kind, mostly the cheap ones you can get at WalMart and Target and the like. There were a few ‘quality’ ones and then there were even some mixes that were good. Western Auto used to (and maybe they still do, I don’t really know), have a Christmas CD mix every year. It was cheap, like $5.00, so I had many years.

At first the kids would gripe. The ‘cool’ kids especially were irritated. I didn’t cave in. By the end of the first week I would catch them singing or humming along. I’d never let on that I’d caught them but it always made me smile. Some would whistle under their breath without even knowing they were doing it. At that time of year we were usually deep into a final project so it wasn’t a disruption. Soon they were asking for specific CDs to be played. Occasionally I’d hear a song or a whistle in the hall. I wonder now if any of them remember.

I like the traditional carols because I can sing along. I like some of the new or specialty songs that have come out even though I don’t know the words. I don’t really care for some of the improvision that has come about with some of the songs. It especially irritates me for a classic Christmas song to have some new, funky timing or to have a lot of oh-oh-oh-oh’s thrown in where they don’t belong. I was talking to my friend Carlos and he called it vocal gymnastics. He knows a lot about music and studied it in college. He also sang in some pretty impressive local groups. He said it’s a lot harder to hold a pure tone for a long time then to add all of the warbling. That makes me think that maybe some of the newer singers aren’t all that good and they use the warbling to cover up what they can’t do. But I suppose I should just keep quiet since I can’t sing at all!

Have you ever watched people sing Christmas carols? It’s kind of funny. Most everyone knows the first verse. Some know parts of the second but some don’t know any of it. Throw in a third verse and everyone is either mouthing “watermelon” or humming! When the words aren’t known people either make something up or sing what they think they hear. I can sing “Feliz Navidad” along with Jose Feliciano. But after the third “Feliz Navidad”, it says “prospero ano ici ici da.” At least that’s what my mouth says. It blends in well enough but it’s not right.

Someone asked me the other day what my favorite Christmas song is. That’s hard because I like many. So I posted the question on Facebook, just to see what others thought. I’m really fond of “Hard Candy Christmas”, but lots of people wouldn’t even count that as a Christmas song. I tried to think of all my favorites. Between me and my Facebook friends, I came up with a list, but the titles are a little confusing. Can you figure out if your song is there?

 

• Enquiry Of Mutual Auditory Perception
• Personification Fabricated of Compressed Mounds of Minute Crystals
• Altitudinous Celestials Acclaim
• Bantam-Male Percussionist
• Nocturnal Noiselessness
• Array The Corridor
• May The Deity Bestow An Absence Of Fatigue To Mild Male Humans
• Query Regarding Identity Of Descendant
• Give Attention To The Melodious Celestial Beings
• Covert Observation Of Matriarch's Scandalous Osculation
• The Quadruped With The Vermillion Proboscis
• Commencement Of Yuletide Complexion
• Far Off In A Feeder
• Red Man En Route To Borough
• Planetary Jubilance
• Sprightly Venerable Benefactor

Did you find your favorite in my list? Sing it loud!

Love and joy come to you,
And to you glad Christmas too!

It’s getting towards the end of the 9th month of knitayear. I can’t believe I’m still doing it. I know a lot of people who started but gave up. They either got busy or maybe just bored. But I’m going to stick it out. It’s a challenge! And, I like it! It’s interesting to check back and see what I was thinking when I picked a certain color or yarn. Some, I remember exactly why it was the one I chose. Others, I have to look. Day 258, December 14, I’m a bit apprehensive. I have a training today and it could be very uncomfortable, depending on who I have to be around. It’s Cooperative Learning and it’s not that I’m not cooperative. I don’t like touchy/feely things and when it’s with someone I’m not comfortable around it’s torture. In fact, the more I thought about it the closer I came to opting out. But I didn’t and I ended up with a good team. I can’t say I played completely fair on some of the ‘random’ grouping we were required to do. I can dodge fairly well! I chose some red fuzzy yarn. It’s from my novelty yarn days. It’s good in Christmas scarves though! And it seemed to fit. Day 259, December 15, is the second day of the training. Today I was eager to get there. I had the same group as yesterday to start with so it started good then when we changed I ended up with another good group. We had fun with our activities and laughed so much I was afraid the trainer was going to come stand by us. Discipline by proximity! But she never did. It was a great workshop and I wish I’d had the opportunity while I was still in the classroom. But there are still a lot of things that I can use with what I do now. I chose a yarn that is green with a gold thread woven throughout. The gold if the bright spot the teams I was with provided! December 16, day 260 is a finish up day at work. I have some registration things to take care of, some forms to turn in, some arrangements to make and a whole lot of stuff to get up off the floor. I put some boxes on top of the shelf on the desk. All of it went there and it didn’t look as bad or take as long as I thought it would. Maybe, just maybe, when we go back I can clear out the boxes and put the stuff away and not have boxes in the floor! Wishful thinking…we don’t have enough room for the junk we have. Oh well. I was prepared to get it all done and I did. Hooray for me! I chose another novelty yarn, an off white fur with colored bobbles. It reminded me of Christmas ornaments. I’m trying to get in the spirit! The Christmas music will end, soon enough. I’ll miss it. Enjoy your favorites! Feliz Navidad!

And God bless you and send you, A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year!

It's Like A Hard Candy Christmas

I'm barely getting through tomorrow…
But still I won't let
Sorrow bring me way down

It’s that time of year. My love/hate relationship with the Christmas season has begun. Actually it started, oh probably, right after Thanksgiving. But here it is, the middle of December and it’s quickly progressing into full steam panic.

I don’t hate Christmas. Not completely. On a positive note there are some things I really like. I listen to Christmas music as soon as some of the radio channels change over to carols full time. I love the lights. Watching the sappy Christmas movies, when I can get away with it, is a favorite pastime. And I love the classics. I’m fond of black and white movies anyway and the classics are something I look forward to.

But there are many things I don’t care for as well. I don’t like the rush. Weren’t the Christmas items out on the shelf by October? There were Christmas trees and lights up way before Thanksgiving. What is the hurry?

Another thing I don’t care for is the fakeness I perceive to be involved with the season. People I don’t like and that I know don’t like me suddenly find the ‘Christmas spirit’ and do an about face of their natural behavior. I don’t like the pretend goodwill towards men. As soon as Christmas is over so is the benevolence. Granted, some of the goodness is legitimate. But in my mind the majority is a façade. That’s because it doesn’t last. If it was truly genuine people would always be the way they act during the holiday season. But they aren’t.

Probably the worst thing about the season and why I feel the way I do, is what I tend to do to myself. I have a picture of how the ‘perfect’ holiday should be, in my mind. Regardless of how hard I try, it’s not going to happen. So I worry and fret and stress about it instead of enjoying it. And this year I have a sense of apathy and no ambition. I just don’t want to. But all that has got to change because it’s coming, whether I’m ready or not. So, I’m deciding right now, as I write this, that I’m not going to worry any more. If it gets done, it gets done. If it doesn’t then it will later. Or not. It doesn’t matter!

So, if I don’t get your present on time, it just means I didn’t start shopping in January. But remember that I have a warm heart and I meant well. And while I’m flipping you off behind my tinted window because you stole the parking place I was waiting for I’ll be smiling at you and you’ll never even know you irritated me because I’m practicing tolerance…every single day. I’ll have my Christmas music blaring and I’ll watch every movie I can and if the tree gets decorated…well, that will only make things better! I’ll put all my spare pennies in the Salvation Army bucket because they only make my purse heavy anyway. And if you happen to come over I’ll spread some Christmas cheer. Hand me your glass.

Maybe I'll sleep real late.
Maybe I'll lose some weight.
Maybe I'll clear my junk.
Maybe I'll just get drunk on apple wine...

I’m slowly catching up and keeping (mostly) with knitayear. I’m on day 254. It was December 10, Friday and the day off. My attitude improved dramatically! I chose white sparkly yarn because it seemed fresh and renewed. Day 255, December 11 is my day to work. I heard about an arts/crafts fair so I decide to go after I get off. I didn’t listen well and don’t know where it is…and neither does anyone else. I’m searching and never find it so I don’t go. But I did get a little Christmas stuff done. I picked red, green, and white twisted together for today. December 12 was day 256. I’m feeling really lazy today and with so much to be done I shouldn’t. I picked a thick green yarn with silver thread through it. It’s fat like me but with the silver lining I’m always looking for. Day 257 was a typical Monday. It’s December 13, and I’m supposed to teach classes with the doctors and staff I work with. I am uncomfortable with the software to begin with but when I get to the lab it’s not installed. I have to remote to someone’s computer and it becomes a show and tell. I thought it was awful. We were also supposed to meet for knitting that night and the yarn store lady forgot and closed. So, it was just a Monday all the way around. I picked yarn that is black with pink, blue, and white twisted through it. Kind of summed up the day. But tomorrow is another day. And I’ll be fine. Just fine. Really, I’ll be fine.

Me, I'll be just
Fine and Dandy…
Lord it's like a hard candy Christmas…

On the First Day of Christmas…

My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree…

Have you ever wondered just how much it would cost if your true love decided to send you the gifts mentioned in “The 12 Days of Christmas?” Maybe not. But I wonder about strange things like that.

First off, you’d be getting a total of 364 gifts. Well, that’s not counting the eggs the six geese laid, the cows the maids were milking, the pipes the pipers were piping or the drums the drummers were drumming. We’ll just consider that it’s a package deal and count those type presents as a unit.

 

It might be a good thing to consider where you live. If you don’t have a place you’d better find somewhere with a barn or an aviary or even a bird sanctuary. You are going to get about 224 animals! Most of them are birds. There will be 12 partridges, 22 turtle doves, 30 French hens, 36 calling birds, 42 geese, 42 swans and 8 cows. If you have a true love who is an environmentalist you might get 40 pheasants (golden ring neck) instead of real golden rings. That will up your total to 264 stinking animals!

It would be a good idea to have a couple of spare bedrooms as well. You’ll be having a lot of company. The milk maids, there will be 40, the 36 dancing ladies, the 30 leaping lords and the musicians, the 22 pipers and the 12 drummers will be needing a place to stay. You’ll probably need an extra pantry as well to hold all the food needed to feed the group.

Now, back to my business ponderings…how much is this fiasco going to cost? According to http://content.pncmc.com/live/pnc/microsite/CPI/2010/index.html#/book, the total price in 2010 will be $23,439.38. The chief economist at PNC decided to figure out how much it would cost to buy each of the gifts in the song. He didn’t know it but he’s started an economic tradition. It’s now called “The Christmas Price Index” and it’s in the twenty-seventh year. The price of each of the 78 gifts in the song is added together to get the total cost of Christmas. Wait, each of the 78 gifts? That’s only the total of the gifts given each day. But in reality the gifts are multiplied because you’re going to get the same thing over and over. Oh my! Who put math in Christmas!!? After all the multiplication and adding, the true cost of Christmas this year is $96,824.29. It’s the most expensive year in the 27 year history of the index and is up 9.2% from last year.

www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com

If your true love were to give you all of this for Christmas, you would certainly feel special. And most likely you’d make the headlines of the local, if not national papers. Then you might make headlines again as you went stark raving mad trying to take care of or get rid of all that mess! As for me, I think I’ll just take the 40 gold rings, keep one or two and trade the others in for something I really want.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me,
Five golden rings,

Knitayear is going on…for the 250th day! December 6 was a somewhat boring day. I hosted a workshop and it was good but when I was trying to follow my computer hung up. It was fast paced so I never caught up. I stayed in there but just had to kind of sit and play like I was interested. I picked a fuzzy blue yarn. Kind of a good, steady color! Day 251, Dec ember 7, was a day spent trying to renew the debit card, take care of canceling the other card and getting a new driver’s license. It’s a frustrating experience. But I did make it! I chose purple eyelash yarn. Purple makes me feel like I accomplished something and in reality, I did. Day 252, December 8, I was feeling a bit rebellious. I went to eat with a friend and we had a good time. Then I got the chance to leave work early so I took it! The highlight of my day was my Secret Santa package from my LSSK group. It’s an online knitting group where I’ve made many friends, silly as that might sound. Anyway, I got a great package! There were two skeins of Mini Mochi in a beautiful green and purple colorway, one skein of Rittratto in a vibrant hot pink with different color sparkles, note cards with my initial, purple stitch markers, a tin that says Merry Christmas full of chocolate goodies and the cutest tissues ever! She even included pattern suggestions for the yarn she gave me! It was the best package ever and I sure needed it today. I picked the hot pink Rittratto to add in. It’s pretty and it sure brightened up my day!

December 9, day 253 I was assiduous (how do you like that word!) and got a lot of things crossed off the to-do list. That always feels good. I chose a Homespun in an off white with multicolor throughout. The countdown to the holiday is on and I’m running out of time and starting to panic. Deep breaths…it will all come about, like it always does. I hope!

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!