Brrr!

 It was 12 this morning! The high will be in the low 20's! And a storm coming in this weekend. We're set with bread, milk and eggs, yarn, kindle books, and fabric. 

 This is the pattern I'm using for Steph and Dan's tree skirt. The strip sets are sewn, today will be cut into triangles day.

First day of spring semester at Stockton University! They live close enough to commute, and neither had any interest in the dorms. You'll notice that they are in hoodies even tho it was 17 degrees. Mom Heather asked Julianna if she wanted gloves, and got an "are you crazy?" look. It's Eddie's last semester, and Julianna's second semester.

 

Sallie the snake is growing! I did 20+ rows last night while watching last season's Will Trent. It was going to be Boone's first year of temperatures, but may turn into her first 6 months due to size.

 My best score ever on Wridges, the WaPo daily word search game!

Snow and heaters

 We got a new heating system a few years ago, and have a service plan, thank goodness. In the last two years, the circulating motor has gone out about four times. Ralph thinks it's just not big enough. It's been replaced, the last time in December. Last night it went out again. It got down to 60 in here. He left a message with the company, and they called first thing this morning, they will be out. We plan to tell them that the owner needs to figure out what the problem is and fix it, because this is ridiculous. They have been great to work with, and I hope they can come up with a solution.

So. Yesterday- sleet, snow, sleet, snow. Total about an inch or so, but the roads are probably a mess, so we stayed in yesterday, and will today. I was productive in the sewing room!

 Strip sets laid out and ironed. There are 3 strip sets.

There are 9 strips in a set, and each strip gets offset by one inch. They will be subcut into triangles. This is the first of three, I hope to do another today.

 

I did another 20+ rows on the snake last night while watching last season's The Rookie. I'm thinking Sally the Snake for her name.

 

Winter weather Sunday

Rain, sleet, snow? Yes to all the above yesterday. Today no sleet (so far) but rain and snow all day. So we are staying in. 

Yesterday my back hurt, so I alternated ibuprofen and tylenol, and took up residence on the couch, with the snake and the TV. I'm catching up on last season's Rookie on hulu, after our DVR deleted it last year.

  Over the course of the day I added 28 rows, so up til the end of March, using the high temps of the days. 

I got into the sewing room Friday and set up my strip sets for the tree skirt. Yesterday I wasn't up to standing or sewing, so better luck today.  

Snake!

 I've gotten the snake's head done, and started on the rounds.

 I have to put some more stuffing in to make the snout more pronounced. I can't call her Sammy the snake, because Boone's mama's name is Samantha. I have to think about other S names. 

It's cold! It's 26 now, and next week could find us in the teens! Yikes! 

Plan for today is to stay in. I want to get into the sewing room and read the directions for the tree skirt pattern. 

Forgotton Flower

 I have a finish!

 I named her Forgotton Flower because I have no memory of making her! I do remember that she is paper pieced, so she must have been a class. She's machine quilted, but not by me. I sewed the binding on, so now I just need to get a curtain rod and clips, and decide where to hang her. 

This beauty is now 11 months old! She's the picture of her daddy. Since her birthday is in a month, that means the temperature snake of her first year better get worked on!

 

A terrible pic of the snakes head and first two rows of days. Once I get some stuffing in, you'll be able to see the nose of it. But it's in progress!

For the sewing room, Steph and Dan's Christmas tree skirt is up next. 

Weekly Goals

 The new planner I got for my crafting activities has a calendar view, then the next pages are broken down by weeks, with space to write in each day. At the top are a space for weekly goals. 

 I found this on top of a box of flimsies! I have no memory of making it. It's paper pieced, and 49 inches square. It's been machine quilted, not by me. All it needs is a binding. I had some of the dark blue. 

So the goal for this week was to cut the binding strips, and bind the quilt. I used my new stripology ruler to cut the strips, which is did in a jiffy! I got them sewed together and folded and ironed. Today's goal is to review how to mitre the corners and get the binding sewed (sewn?) on. 

It's Sunday, so lunch is at the Outback this week with Frank and Charlotte. Tomorrow, I see neuro for a followup.  

First Finish of 2026

 Last night I finished/ran out of purple yarn the scrapghan I've been working on for a few weeks.

 It went pretty fast, it was two strands, and is very heavy and snuggly. 

And I had a good score on Wridges, the Washington Post's daily word search. 

And I took inspiration pix of these two:

 

I may add them to the to do list, along with prosperity hens.

But next up is getting Baby Boone's Temperature Snake started. Her first birthday is February 12- yikes! I've been noting the temps since the day she was born, I have to decide today whether I'm doing the hots or the colds temps. I've had the yarn pulled since before she was born, more pastel colors than the  other snakes I've done. 

I'm getting labs drawn at noon, and when we get home I'll start the snake. 

Manic Monday

 The weather is so goofy. In the 30's today, up to almost 60 by the end of the week. 

My stripology ruler came yesterday, a day early. It's really big, and I'm eager to try it out. Last night I crocheted while getting caught up on Tracker on Paramount Plus.

 One of my Christmas gifts from Heather was a 40 ounce cup for my water. Yikes, it's big. My other one is 32 ounces, and there is such a size difference. It's so pretty, I love it! She also gave me two pair of house slipper socks, which I request every year, since I wear them all year long. The gray cup is my iced tea cup- I have one glass per day, then switch to water. 

Labs today at 12:15 for the neurologist. 

First Sunday of 2026

 This week between Christmas and New Years is so confusing. What day is it? What do I want to do? What to make for dinner? I'll actually be glad for the routine to kick back in tomorrow.

I didn't take any pictures yesterday. I started watching this season of Tracker on Paramount plus last night while crocheting on the scrapghan. I finished the first 8 oz skein of yarn of the year! 

This morning I did .15 miles on the treadmill, 900 steps, 8 minutes. Did my PT exercises on the vibration plate. 

It's Sunday, so lunch today with Frank and Charlotte. Filomena's this week, a local Italian place.  

Another cold day

 Right now it's 30 and cloudy. We see our new physician at 1 pm, all the paperwork has been filled out.

I did my exercises, but haven't walked on the treadmill yet.

 My current scrapghan in progress. It's two strands, one white and one shades of purple, with an H hook. Using up purple leftovers!

Happy New Year 2026

 Hello 2026! Hello January!

 I started the New Year right- .2 miles and 12 minutes on the treadmill, as well as my vibrating plate workout.  We had snow this morning, maybe a 1/2 inch, if that. Right now it's windy and 27 degrees, with a blue sky. 

Plan for today is to move things into the sewing room that are all over the house, and later to crochet on the scrap afghan.

 I made chicken enchiladas last night, with enough for tonight. We discovered pineapple salsa, which is sweet with a kick to it. 

Taylor Swift is playing on the Amazon Echo for background music.