A new start to end the old year

 It's New Years Eve Day! And this is post #52 for 2023, so I got to my goal of an average of a post per week.

 So I started a new project a few days ago, the first project of 2024, started early. Counted cross stitch, 18 count aida, tent or half cross stitch, 3 strands over one. I just can't do anything smaller, or one over two, that would make me even more nuts.

It's called Winter's Welcome, and I just love it. 

So far there is a boatload of confetti, but I'm dealing with it. 

Our plan for today is lunch with Frank and Charlotte, and do some cross stitching. Some reading of course. And lunch leftovers for dinner!
 

Goodbye 2023

 Another year has sped by! The older I get, the faster time moves.

My loose goal for 223 was to post once a week, and I've about achieved it. 

 Ralph and I had a quiet Christmas day at home. We opened gifts from each other, and from our PacNW kids. I made a turkey breast roast with all the fixings for dinner, which gave us food for 3 days. Turkey sandwiches, my favorite! 

 My niece posted a pic of her grown up crew on Christmas morning. 

Yesterday our oldest daughter turned 49! How did that happen? 

 

Christmas Eve Eve

 With nurses in the family, you learn to be flexible. We've celebrated Christmas on a variety of days. The first time moving the day was the hardest, after that we got the mindset that Christmas is when we say it is.

This year Heather had to work nights on Christmas Eve. So we got together with them on Christmas Eve Eve, then they did made Christmas Eve morning into Christmas morning. She worked Christmas Eve, slept, and they spent the afternoon with Ed's family. It worked out for all!

I gave Kokomo and Montego Bay to Eddie and his girlfriend Steph. They are beach people, and loved them.

 

Julianna already has several afghans, so I got her a huge body pillow shaped like a flower. She snuggled right up to it!

There was fun with props! 

 

Ed is so hard to buy for! I enlisted Heather, who said he wanted to make pasta- he loves to cook. We decided on the pasta attachment for their Kitchenaid mixer. He was surprised and happy to get it. We got Heather lots of coffee, and some items from her wish list. It was a really fun day, and they made us a vegan dinner of baked ziti, ceaser salad, and garlic bread. For dessert I made a cranberry eggnog bread pudding, which they all liked, and I took the little cream puffs that Ed and Eddie like. All in all, it was a wonderful, relaxing day.

 Even Honey Rose got a gift, I got her a stuffed chicken. She's getting old- eleven or so- but loves to carry her stuffed babies around.

We have a porch!

 Tucker finished up around noon Friday. The project took a full 4 weeks.

 I love it so much! The loveseat from my old sewing room is laying on it's side til Ralph can get protectors for the bottom- don't want to scratch the new floor! The armchair is from Mom's house.

My girls think the ceiling should be painted, which I hadn't even thought of. It's too cold to paint now, so I'll call the painter in the spring. Manda suggested blue, as they do in the south, to protect from ghosts. Works for me! The fan is huge, and has a remote.

 My neighbor Kate sent me this pic, taken from her back deck, of how nice it looks.

Eddie got his substitute certificate, to earn a few bucks between semesters. 

It's Christmas Eve Eve!
 

Trim! Lots of trim!

 The contractor and helper have been doing trim for a few days. Today is more trim, install the ceiling fan, and clean up. It's been a four week process.

In other news, Heather and Ed got Julianna a car for Christmas, but were too excited to wait to give it to her, so she got it last weekend.

 

It's a 2020 Buick Enclave, with less than 20K miles on it, it was a lease return. And they did a great job, it met her specifications as to size, color and interior color- she cared less about minor details like the motor. And of course, a person's first car has to have a name, and her name is Alice, for Alice in Wonderland. I have to tell her that Alice is also the name of one of her 2nd great grandmothers, Alice Carson from Ireland, my dad's mother. 

Because of Heather's work schedule, we're doing Christmas with them tomorrow. Darn hospitals just won't close down for holidays! When Ralph, Heather and I were all working hospital, we celebrated Christmas anywhere from the 22nd to the 28th, so it's no big deal for us. 

We have a floor!

 The floor guys came yesterday.

It's the same floor I have in the kitchen, and I just love it! I think we're in the home stretch now, they have some more beadboard to do, and a lot of trim.

Walls!

 The walls are being put it, along with insulation. The walls are a wide white beadboard, kind of like paneling.

I love how it's looking! The floor people will be here today, so the contractor cleaned up and will work somewhere else today.

 

I borrowed this picture for inspiration!

More progress!

 The porch is coming along so nicely!

They are working on insulating the walls and part of the ceiling, and putting up the walls. The walls are white, wide beadboard, and I love it! So bright and happy!

Progress!

 Tucker, the contractor, and his helper are moving right along with the porch project!

Inside the porch looking out.

From the sliders in the kitchen looking out onto the porch and deck.

From the side yard.

Looking good!

Underneath the porch, all insulated and boarded.

It's going to be so nice when it's done!

Moving right along

 Progress is being made!

We have windows! And a subfloor!

After the workers left, Friday cat had to peek under the fence to make sure they were gone. 

They got so much done yesterday!