Happy New Year 2007!!!

Just wanting to wish all my friends and anyone who reads my blog a most wonderful New Year! My wish for you is that 2007 treats you gently and brings you the dreams you wish for.

Happy New Year!

Addictions met...

Anyone who reads my blog knows I am addicted to knitting, quilting, reading, music and cooking...I mean how could one miss that! Well, this Christmas I received some wonderful gifts that met all of my addictions.

On the music scene: 3 great CDs...

John Legend - "Get Lifted"
Josh Turner - "Your Man"
Rod Stewart - "Still the Same...Great Rock Classics of our time"

On the Reading scene: 6 new books...

Bad President - R. D. Rosen, Harry Prichett, & Bob Battles
Valley of Silence - Nora Roberts
Small and Simple Things - Marjorie Pay Hinckley
Going to Heaven: The Life and Election of Bishop Gene Robinson - Elizabeth Adams
Peyton Place - Grace Metalious
Get Fit: Stress Management

On the quilting scene:

Rotary cutter blades - five of them
Binding and Hem Clips - three packages

On the knitting scene:

A swift
Inox Knitting Needles - Sizes: 6, 7, and 8
The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd
Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush
Sensational Knitted Socks - by Charlene Schurch

On the cooking scene: 3 cookbooks

Roasting
Sushi
Tarts

And, Santa also brought me clothes, shoes, femmy bath products, and things for the house!

I did pretty well!!! :)

The holidays!...

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy the day and the Season!

From the Stacks...Book One

I am so far behind in my From the Stacks reading that I might not finish my goal by January 31...although I sure as heck am going to try.

Book One:

Dispatches From The Edge: a memoir of war, disasters, and survival

Author: Anderson Cooper

Pages: 212

Cooper has been a familiar face on CNN for a while now...but, the first time I learned of him was not from CNN or his news reports - but rather from a reality show called "The Mole"...Cooper served as host...From then on I recognized his face as he reported on the war and many of our natural disasters. His face was always at the forefront. During the Katrina floods I remember watching him as he reported from New Orleans and it seemed that he wore his heart on his sleeve for the trials and tribulations of the people there.

This book covers some of his career as a reporter in the field as well as his survival in the midst of all the tragedy. He has a gift of really touching your heart as he tells the stories of the devestation that has occured not only in the United States but also around the world as well as in his own personal world in dealing with the suicide of his brother.

The book is written in an easy to understand style...and I would recommend it.

4 Days until the Big Day...

Well, now I can breathe!

1) All the presents for Scarlett's employees are done and she delivered them today. Everyone liked what I had made. I ended up making Purse size Tissue Holders from quilting fabric and putting in a package of Kleenex in each. The other project was a quilted postcard of a New Hampshire type scene with a lake and mountains...they turned out really pretty.

2) My daughter's package is gone and she should be getting it in the mail today!

3) What few cards and small gifts I was sending or giving to friends are either in the mail or in their possession.

4) All my Christmas knitting is done! All I have left is to finish up the last scarf from the Red Scarf Project so it can be mailed the beginning of January.

5) The tree is up complete with lights and decorations...which Killian is finding amusing! At least he is not like my daughter's new cat, Sherman, who continues to climb the Christmas tree at least on a daily basis if not more often. (They adopted a second cat right after I was out to visit them to keep their older cat, Buster, company. I actually got to meet Sherman as he was part of a family of cats that lived in her neighborhood.) Of course, Sherman, who is about 3 months old will learn not to climb.

6) My packages for family here at home will be packed up before Monday...and I am intent on having a very quiet next few days....

What's weird about me?...

Both of my friends, Erica and Julie got me...so, I am playing along...it's kind of fun to be part of the "gang"....


THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog

1. Remember the song "Spiders and Snakes" - well, guess what I hate them...along with mice and rats...they give me the creeps and my happy butt is in a chair screaming for someone to get "that whatever"...

2. I hate to wrap Christmas presents with wrapping paper...I think it is a senseless waste of trees and that paper could be put to better use in making more books. Besides the "wrapping gene" somehow escaped me.

3. I do not "double-dip".

4. I do not drink after anyone.

5. I don't walk around bare-footed in my own house.

6. Even though I can quilt and knit and have no trouble with colors in those areas I do not have any fashion sense...

I know I am supposed to tag someone - but everyone I know has done this one...if you're reading my blog and want to play - just leave me a comment and I'll come check out your weirdness...

Knit From Your Stash 2007

While reading blogs today, I saw that my friend, Debbie, posted that she was going to take up the challenge issued by Wendy. Basically, the idea is from January 1, 2007 - September 30, 2007 all of your knitting is coming from your stash...and since I have a nice stash of beautiful yarns I think this will be perfect for me. It does not mean that I can't get yarn as a gift (especially since my birthday falls within that time period) and sock yarn is allowable...or if I am knitting a gift for someone and I don't have what they want in my stash then I can buy for that project...or if I run out on a project I can buy what I need to finish it...plus they have allowed a "get out of jail free" for that "ONE" purchase that you know you cannot resist...Therefore this is just perfect for me...

Tagged...

My friend, Ann, tagged me to share five things about me that you might not know...

1. I have a terrible fear of heights. Yet, I have been to the top of the WTC, Empire State Building, and other high places and even managed to look down.

2. I cannot swim. I never learned as a child and have a horrible fear of water ever since I almost drown in a friend's pool as a teenager.

3. I love walking on the beach but do not like to sunbathe. I also enjoy hiking or walking in the woods.

4. I am one of five children...but, only my sister, Mary Ellen, and I survived infancy. I had two brothers, George and John, who died when they were just days old; and another sister, Evangeline, who died when she was six months old. Also, none of us weighed more than four or five pounds at birth. I weighed 3 pounds.

5. The one place in the world that I really want to visit is Paris, France. My grandfather, whom I never knew, was born there.

I'm Alive and Kickin'...

Thanks for all the little notes asking if I am okay...I am - just working on 60 Christmas presents for Scarlett's employees...make that 60 twice - two small gifts that I am quilting and/or sewing for them...and I have 35 of the quilted ones to go by next Wednesday!!!! See, I wasn't kidding when I said I was tied to the sewing machine!!!!!

Thanks, Ann...

Thanks, Ann! I was wondering what I was going to do today....

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Does this surprise you...

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Snow...

Snow! We got snow yesterday. The early evening proved to be the beginning of snow falling. As the dogs went out after their dinner, I noticed huge thick flakes of snow falling...and by bedtime it was gorgeous! My favorite part of winter is right after a snowfall when you look out the windows and see the beautiful blanket of undisturbed snow. There is a certain brillance about it and it seems to light up the entire house...it is such a peaceful time.

Back to Physical Therapy...

Finally today was my appointment with the foot doctor - which was scheduled, rescheduled, and rescheduled again!!! Back in August I stepped on a tiny rock in my back yard and it seems that I tore some muscle in the bottom of my foot. I went to physical therapy for about two months and it seemed to help quite a bit. So, today, the doctor seems to think that another 8 weeks of twice a week at physical therapy will do the trick. I sure hope so! My foot is better...but, just not quite there yet...

Other than that - I have been working on some Christmas presents for Scarlett's staff...gonna go work on those some more...

Special Yarn...

A while back I mentioned on my blog that I had some fleece that my friend, Mike, left when he passed away unexpectedly a few years ago. I had hung on to it for some reason. This is what it looked like. One of the girls, Cheryl, whose blog I had been reading offered to spin it up for me. We barely knew each other but she sensed that there was something special about this fleece and that it needed to be spun into yarn. I sent it to her and today this is what came home to me. In the span of that time we have become friends...and I am most honored to share her friendship.

Cheryl, my heartfelt thanks to you for sharing of yourself and for caring about others to make this special yarn for me. You truly are a very special person.

So, this is it...three skeins...685 yards of gorgeous soft brown yarn. The color is so beautiful. I am thinking about what I might want to make with it...

Knit Unto Others Ends...

A special thank you to Carole and Margene for hosting "Knit Unto Others" - I had a wonderful time...finished the above scarf (sorry - I scanned it as my batteries are dead - so I rolled it up and scanned).

I also started an Irish Hiking Scarf and am about 1/2 way through...it will be finished in time to ship for the Red Scarf Project where the above scarf and the first one I knit before Knit Unto Others began are going.

Caught in the Act...

This would be Killian...and he is reaching for my knitted afghan...don't look at it too closely - it is just a "junk" afghan...knit out of scraps of yarn that I had left over from various projects throughout the years (and the ends aren't even buried!) ...but, I use it to cover up with when it is cool and I am watching television. He decided he didn't want the other little lap quilt and pulled it down into the chair - so he could have his favorite...He will take this and carry it in his mouth all over the house or make it into a huge pile and sleep on it until I pick it up and either take it to wash 0r toss it back on top of the chair for him to begin his little game again...