Bye Bye Christmas

FINALLY I have had some time to be at home and the energy to tackle putting away the Christmas things. Its so sad to see it all being tucked away for another year. I have to admit that its so much more fun getting out the Christmas stuff than it is putting it away. And as per my usual attitude about these things when the house looked like this:

I was more that willing to give up and let it stay this way. Tidiness and order are over rated. I say embrace the mess and mayhem. It can be lived with,
look at all those folks on those hoarder shows. They live for years in this sort of environment







Mid project always overwhelms me and so I pause, have some tea and talk myself out of ignoring the disaster I have created. I also had a nice long chat with my only living aunt. She called just as I was working myself up to being overwhelmed. She was a welcome distraction even if I was gently berated for not being in touch with her over the holidays. Rightly so, she is the last Aunt I have and there is no excuse for not keeping in touch with her.  So after tea and family gossip, I forged on and eventually the chaos started to clear and the house is settling  back to normal. (Or as close to normal as my house gets. )

It has taken most of the afternoon but the Christmas things are almost back in there place under the stairs. I still have the big main tree and the Pig tree to dismantle. Then the trees need to be hauled to the basement, the lights and garland taken off the veranda an its all done for another year.

I don't have any lovely after pictures to post for you because the place is still in a state of flux. Its getting there, slowly. By tomorrow things should be back under control. Happenings around the homestead today have been quiet and routine. I did the usual errands this morning, groceries, shopping, errands and I am happy to say I managed to stay on budget which pleases me greatly. I was out most of the morning, had lunch and the rest of the day has been dismantling the house.

Tomorrow I have things to haul to the basement, the kitchen to clean, laundry and some more shopping to do and then I am off  see a movie with a friend. Tonight I am going to start knitting a caplet/poncho for a co-worker. No pattern of course that would be too simple. I do have a sample to go by loaned by another friend. Its a knitting challenge. I am looking foreward to it.  First I need to sort out some supper.

What I need is a cook. How fancy would that be???

Toodles,

Linda


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Is the week over yet???

Sometimes, the week is just too long, its only Wednesday and I am already longing for the weekend. I am not sure what is up with me this week but it is dragging along and it cannot end fast enough for me. Could be the change in the weather has me a stiff as a board and moving about is an adventure to say the least.

I actually had a good day, The ducks (at work) have settled down so I no longer feel like I am being pecked to death. Just in case you don't know, I don't work with ducks, I work as a civil servant in the social services department and it can grind you down at times, just like being pecked to death by ducks. However today was really not a bad day. The biggest bonus of all was that I got to have supper out with my grandbaby's Mommy. Ladybug did not come in to town with Mommy so it was just the two of us. We had a lovely supper and then did a little shopping. It was a nice way to end my day. We need to do that more often. I don't get to see her often and I always enjoy our times together.

Right now I should be cleaning the kitchen and doing some mending but I am just too tired. I will probably spend some time on my latest afghan. I have decided that this year, I am going to use up my scrap wool and scrap material making afghans and quilts to donate to the local women's shelter. I want to give back a little more than I have in the past.

I am blessed, I have a family that loves me,(at least they give that impression)  I have a wonderful WONDERFUL circle of friends who let me know that I may live alone but I am far from alone. I have a good job and I have home that I love, that I can call mine. I do not lack for much in spite of what I might think and whine about some times . I want to start giving back more, in gratitude for all I have been blessed with. So I have teamed up with a friend at work and we are going to donate something to someplace once a month at least for this year. We may do more but we will not do less. I feel so good about this. It may be a little thing but its something. Every little thing adds up over time.

I have so much wool, people pass it on to me because they know I knit and crochet. I am always grateful to have it and now I know how to put this abundance to the very best use. I have one afghan made and number two is on the way. Its rather win win I think. I may have blathered about this before but it bears repeating. I may do mitts, scarves, socks, hats whatever I feel like doing. This is a project that I feel really good about.

So I should go and put my hook to work. Its a blustery cold night here. Winter is making her presence known. Just a perfect night to snuggle up in front of the tv and crochet the night away.

Toodles
Linda

Monday Moment with Minou

I can see right up her nose.........ick

My very first Llama kiss

I just got home from a wonderful weekend visiting my friend Miss Miles out at her century farm. Her husband and son were away so she called and invited me to a girls weekend, sleepover and all . We went shopping, we talked, we ate and we talked some more. It was not all just fun, games and frivolity, no sir.  We She did chores, a baby was born and I got my first Llama kiss. Not bad for one weekend.

She lives in a big old brick house that was built in 1909. Its out in the middle of no where, like most farms on the Canadian prairie. Its quiet and peaceful and you can  see why she likes to be there. They have animals and for them that is as important as breathing.  This farm is an inheritance and sadly like all old houses it needs a lot of work, Miss Miles and her husband  are unsure if they will stay there so they don't know if they want to get into the renovation frenzy this house would require, for now it is in limbo.

I mentioned they have animals  so lets go see some of the livestock. They have recently started to  raise goats. This was the welcoming committee as we she came out to water them. They received a treat of some pine tree branches to munch on while the water was being fetched.

Yes I am too sexy

There are the llamas, back there by the hay bale. Its Annie and Dolly Llama. I see lots of knitted mitts and socks on those to but I am getting ahead of my spinning skills.  I can not tell which is which but Miss Miles knows. She has names for almost all the critters on this farm

 We were walking around the pen, checking the goats and looking at the cows in the next corral when IT happened. I had my back to the llamas, and before I go any farther I need to confess that I do not always know when someone is behind me. Its a trait that has provided my brothers great joy over my lifetime and has caused me many a heart failure.  So there I am standing in the pen, minding my own business, when out of the blue,these lips land gently on the back of my neck and warm breath is snorted onto said neck. The result was instant heart stoppage, knees that commence sweating and breathing ceases as we know it. All I can say is "thank God I'm not a screamer". Annie, in her sweet friendly way, sashayed  up behind me and gave me a peck on the neck. Miss Miles dissolved in a fit of giggles and I may recover in my next life time. Moving on:

They have cattle, most of whom were camera shy but this very handsome bull was more than happy to provide me with a little beefcake centerfold material

There are tiny horses, (two of the little cuties) and there are 

big horses. This is Oden, the others were out in the pasture and were not available for photos.

Cats by the dozen

Theses kitties are lined up at the buffet table waiting patiently for their breakfast. They dine on the table to avoid the dogs getting into their food. The moment Miss Miles arrives in the barn they start to line up for chow.

Here he is, this is the new baby. He is a little ram, born on Saturday night  and still a little wobbly on Sunday. No name for him yet. His Mama is still checking him over and Miss Miles is keeping close watch. He is still getting the hang of eating so he needs some help to get it all figured out

After we she got the newest addition happily gobbling down his breakfast, we headed off to water the youngsters. Here are the kids, well some of them, they were bouncing and running around so much it was hard to catch them with the camera. There was much playful head butting and posturing like youngsters do.

This little fellow is Cadbury, Cadbury loves Miss Miles and she loves him. Its a mutual adoration society between the two of them.

All of her animals are fat, happy and well cared for, just as animals should be. I am sure she would have them in the house with her if she could. Horses, cows, llamas, goats, 12 cats and three dogs, all loved and cared for.( Just an fyi not all 12 cats live in the barn a good portion are house cats and are fixed). Its great fun sitting and chatting when suddenly one of the kittens launches themselves at your leg, deciding that you are perfectly good for a jungle gym. One forgets how sharp little kitten claws can be. Seriously though one look into those sweet little faces and you forgive them the impromptu acupuncture treatment.

Piper the Neapolitan Mastiff stoically tolerates the whole shenanigans.

I had a wonderful weekend, Miss Miles and I don't get a chance to visit very often. I  hope that your weekend was equally fun.

Toodles,
Linda

University Puppets

I have finally finally finally finished the puppets that the university had ordered from me. I delivered the last 7 of them today and thought that was it. Silly silly me. We knew it was coming didn't we???  Yep we were right. I have another order for at least 4 more and the promise of more orders to come. I am not as disappointed about this as I thought. I admit, I was looking foreward to some puppet free time,  some time to devote myself to quilting but on the other hand.................. I do love the money that these little critters provide me. So I will work on the four that they want and await contact for more orders.

I know I have something special in these puppets, I just don't know what to do with it. People have such a positive reaction to them . They are cute, far cuter in person than in pictures. I guess I just have to be open to the possibilities and see where it takes me. I have made over 500 of the little beasties, I have loved each one and I am up to the challenge of making more. I love the fact that I have to pull these little guys out of my head. Make up a pattern and go from there. Its been the best challenge. I have done all sorts of animals, especially for the university.

This is Percy the Porcupine, one of my top three favourites

For now I will take a small break, do some more quilting and the get back at the puppets. I am just happy to have those last 7 finished and delivered.

Toodles

Linda

Oh the best laid plans

Today I had high hopes, I had plans, I was gonna do stuff, I was going to accomplish a lot. I was going to start with a little bit of a sleep in because its the last day of the long weekend and I like to sleep in and ......I can if I want to........... so there. Then, after the sleeping in, I was going to turn into a whirling dervish of activity. I was going to do some shopping, get kitty litter, come home, put away all the Christmas do-dads, take down the tree, clean up the house and then sit back an enjoy the fruits of my labour. So far I have made soup. Sigh.

I could not get my butt going today. I got up late as planned, made a nice breakfast and then it just started to go down hill. I watched Sara Richardson and drank coffee and ignored the fact that the morning was slipping away. I like Sarah Richardson, I like her show and even though on her new shows her budgets are far beyond my reach, I still like to watch her. An hour and a half goes by, ACK!!! I drag myself out the door, to get gas in the car and kitty litter for her majesty. Somehow I ended up with some DVD's that I didn't know I needed when I left the house this morning but they lept into my cart at Wal-Mart. They may go back to the store. I have yet to decide that.

Ok its just now 1:00pm, I can still salvage the day, I have time to accomplish stuff but my chair and the afghan that I am making sent out a siren song and I was sucked in. I flipped on the new Oprah show I taped on my trusty DVR and I was gone. I did chat to my dear friend The Hostess for a bit and the rest of the day was gone in a haze of blog reading and napping and tv watching and generally doing nothing on my "To Do" list. I probably would not have made the soup but I needed something for supper.

Did I finish the university puppets .............No
Did I put away the Christmas decorations.................No
Did I clean up the house.................No
Did I finish the afghan................No
Will the world come to an end...................No

I spent some of today with regrets that I did not do what I set out to do. Then I had a good think about it and I decided that it's ok that I spent today doing next to nothing. I think I needed it. I needed to just look away from the "to do lists" and the quilt of not doing what I had planned. I just needed to relax and do nothing. I could use an entire month of this but I will make do with today. So I have decided not to look on this day with regret but with acceptance that I was doing exactly what I needed to do for me.

Tomorrow is back to work, the holidays are done and its time to get back to the day to day routine. To work on the wishes I have made for 2012 and to make this a better year than last. To finish the outstanding projects and work on the new ones.

The fact that I made soup is a fantastic first step. Its a small baby step but its a move towards getting back to taking my lunch to work and not buying it. I made a wish to be more frugal, and that potato soup is a start.

Now I am going to go and change the cat litter, flick on the tv in the living room and spend the rest of the night working on the afghan.

Tomorrow is fresh and new and full of endless possibilities. I will focus on that and see where it leads me.

Toodles, Linda

Monday Moment with Minou

So that's what a 2012 looks like.......... I have yet to be impressed.