December 27: 36th Wedding Anniversary

We have been married for a very long time, but most days it seems that we are way too young to be have children let alone 5 grandkids and be middle age.  This year in Vermont has really brought out the kid in both of us. 

Asked Kevin if he would like to be married another 36 years, and he said it sounded like a good plan.  Doing the math makes it seem so distant - 36 + 58 = 94.  I would definitely be old then but probably still young at heart if I continue to hang out with this man.  He is my best friend, soul mate, my counterbalance, and the one person who has always been there for me no matter what. 

I know that I am a very lucky and blessed woman to have him in my life. 

December 26: What We Did for Christmas

We went to our friends for Christmas Eve and ate far too much, laughed often, and had a great time.  We are blessed to have such caring friends who will open their home to all their family and friends.

 Then we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve mass with lots of traditional music. Love going to Midnight Mass, but that was not an option this year.  When we came out of the church the sky was filled with twinkling stars and gave me pause to think about the awesome power of God.

Christmas morning found us sitting in front of the computer about 6:00 AM so that we could "open" gifts with some of our grandkids via Skype.  What a joyous time they were having.  Again, loved watching and hearing all the excitement from Dean, Bryson, and Anna.  Skyped a second time later in the day when things slowed down a little at their house.  Missed being in the thick of things, but loved being able to see what was happening!  Thank you to Jon and Aleah for inviting us!

We had a leisurely breakfast and then spent a couple of hours carving.  I excavated the area around a heart and Kevin practiced some of the lessons I had learned from Terri. After vacumming up the chips and sawdust, we went for a snowy walk on our park path.  Chilly but gorgeous!  Made a stop for 12 AA batteries, which we had not realized we needed.  Then headed home to play with our Christmas gifts.  We are actually very responsible adults, but we do love our fun.  Kevin got a blue helicopter and I got a red one.  Good thing the rotor blades and not metal, and floor has a cushy carpet!  The poinsettia plant is hoping that I learn to fly better very quickly!

We continue to expend our best wishes and prayers for everyone during this wonderful season of peace and goodwill.  Hope you all find ways to play and enjoy that special feeling of relaxing with those you love.

December 23: Another Day of Play

Kevin is on school vacation and was not working up at the school today, so we slept in, had as leisurely breakfast and headed to our walking trail so we could enjoy the fresh 2 inches of snow.  Not time for snowshoes, yet.  Thought I would share some of the photos including another self portrait. the photos that are less sharp were taken as the snow started up, again.

 



We pulled off the road and snapped this on of one of
the many rivers in Vermont.

We decided that we would go find an air pump to blow away the small bits of wood when the Dremel is being used.  Ended up being out for several additional hours which included lunch and finally picking up our truck.  Once we were back home I had a call from my good friend, Sharon which included many laughs and sharing.  Then we went to work to reorganized the carving table to accommodate the Dremel, air pump, and all the other bits and pieces we have accumulated.  Decided to wait until tomorrow to really fire up the carving juices.  We are just going to kick back and watch a Christmas movie or some sort.

Hope all of you have fun plans for the weekend.  No matter what your faith, I wish you blessings.  Merry Christmas to all, and peace on earth to people of good will!

December 22: Quick Thoughts

Earlier in the day, yesterday, we made our first trip to Burlington. I is a 40+ minute drive drive that we don't usually do more than once a week, but I knew we could find exactly what I wanted.)  We went in search of a ceramic pie plate for my Brie appetizer.  Once that was accomplished, it was time for making  another attempt to snap a photo of the fish tails sculpture near the interstate...can't pull over to get a good shot, so I just keep trying.  Can't wait to try to capture the tails in the snow.  I do not even like to eat fish, but these tails fascinate me.

Also wanted to share the hat and scarf my daughter made for my Christmas gift.  She said she knew I probably did not want a skull cap so she made it a bit bigger.  Blue is my favorite color.  I love it, but I am wondering if it was a bit bigger on someone else because it is very "roomy" on my tiny head.  That does not mean that it is too big, but actually I think it is just right!!!!  Now if we can just get some real cold and snow to test it out.

December 22: Still Cutting

Kevin came home early yesterday, so we had a quick,early dinner and then went off on an adventure.  Therefore, I did not get much more piecing done until this morning.  Even that is behind because my husband is on school break and I love hanging out with him.  He is up at the school until late this evening doing some odd jobs and touching wood.  (Kind of the way that I get such a happy feeling when it is time to play with fabric.)

Last night's adventure started by going to the jewelry store to pick up a cameo pin.  Kevin purchased just the cameo 28 years ago when he was on a Mediterranean deployment.  He went on a tour of the DePaola Cameo Factory and watched the artist carving the cameos.  Although this is not the one he saw being carved, he said it was very similar.  Money was tight, so he thought it would be a simple thing to get cameo mounted as a pin in the future...28 years later, when we had my emerald ring restyled he talked to the jeweler and planned the design for the cameo.  Since it was already mine, it was not a Christmas gift, but with our 36th anniversary just days away, he thought this would be just the gift.  He is right!  It is gorgeous and will be worn on Christmas Eve. Isn't she a beautiful lady?

Just past the tails we detoured to Lowe's where we bought a Dremel.  If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have taken an interest in carving.  I have lots of hand tools, but have discovered that the Dremel helps to clear away or excavate all the unwanted wood (negative space).  Kevin is showing a lot of interest in the carving as well, and since he will not even be able to go to school and work in the shop next week, we are planning to carve.  This will be worth lots of post time.

Remember that I had posted that i did not sleep well yesterday?  I thought I would collapse when we got back, but instead I sewed more HSTs while Kevin did some paperwork.  I am going to finish trimming all of those HSTs now and start making table runners.  Love to do that kind of piecing!

December 21: Exhausted

If you read this morning's post you know that I was up way too early.  I actually slept less than 5 hours and that is not normal for me.  I felt great and accomplished my errands, and a few table runner bindings, but now I wish that I could nap.  I am not a good napper!

Guess that means I need to go and make more HSTs and put together the last of the table runners.  Fortunately, sewing is a great pick-me-up!  I will give you a count tomorrow.

December 21: Way To Early!!!

Even in this house, I consider 5:00 AM to be a little early for the computer, but I woke up with a full head of steam and decided to do something quiet so I don't wake Kevin.  I started by doing the hand stitching on a small table runner, and then remembered I actually had some photos for today's blog.

The first is a picture of one of my Christmas gifts.  For the last two evenings we have g-videoed with our daughter and her family and opened our gifts because they have other plans on Christmas.  Monday we watched as the kids opened our gifts.  Being the grandparents, and far away, we loved to watch all the fun that Zoe and Henry were having with the packing peanuts -- Jamie and Wayne did not seem to find it nearly as funny.  Last night we opened their gifts to us. Part of  Kevin's gift were a large package of deer jerky and chocolate - two of his FAVORITE things.  Jamie knitted me a scarf and hat in my favorite color - blue.  I also took a photo of me wearing my new monkey socks.  There was also some Grinch fabric that will be turned into something fun (Missed watching the show this year because everything is in storage.)

Please note the color changes in the bear version,  I think the
group colors are way off, but the others are fairly accurate.
Photos were all taken about the same time but in two different
rooms.  Oddly the green walls did not have a color-altering
effect, but the white walls did.  Go figure!

On the quilting side of my life, I finished the last of 4 comfort quilts that I will be donating to a group that works with patients that have cancer.  The pattern is "Spring Cheer".  The quilts are 45 x 45 and are meant to be small and easy to take everywhere, especially on treatment days.  There is something about a little warmth from a handmade quilt that has seemed to help my friends who have gone through treatments, but a bigger, bulkier quilt always seemed to present issues for transport.



"Spring Cheer" 45 x 45





I tried a suggestion I saw about using my circle Groovy Board
to make circles randomly all over the quilt.  It looks okay but is
something I need to work at for placement.

Another view of the circles.