It's just another New Year's Eve

We celebrated Thanksmas at Stephanie's, two days after Thanksgiving. Manda and Ben couldn't come for Christmas, so we improvised. We already knew that Ed, Heather and the kids couldn't come up in December.
Our newlyweds- Ben was doing his surprised face.
Steph and Whiskey were ready for presents! Steph made us a wonderful meal of pasta, salad, pineapple stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Manda, Toast and I cuddled on the couch.
I wanted to try to make a crocheted poncho. Steph modeled it for me, and decided it would keep her warm at work.
Ralph, Steph, Toast, Whiskey and I drove to NC on Christmas Eve Day. After dinner, the kids were allowed to open some gifts. My Mom gave Julianna the Hallmark dog, which she named Jingle Bell.
I crocheted her a scarf with fun fur. The children loved all their gifts. Christmas night Heather had to go to work, so everyone tried out the Wii. During the night it started to snow, and we got about 5 inches.
Eddie and Julie played on Eddie's new trampoline, even in the snow. The dogs weren't crazy about the snow!
It sure looked pretty!
Ed and Heather have a nice view from their deck! By Monday the roads were totally dry, and the snow was mostly gone by the time we left for home on Tuesday. It was supposed to be a 9-10 hour trip, and ended up being a 12 hour trip! General slowness on 95, then a standstill near Philly airport with all the crazy football fans clogging up the road, so they could go sit in the snow and watch the game.

It was a fun trip. Next year we hope to get the family in the same place at the same time to do Christmas. The date will depend on Heather's work schedule.

Mom Florence is still in Rehab. She's had a series of small strokes which has left her very forgetful. She'll be discharged to Frank and Charlotte's next week sometime, if she's physically ready. They're also taking Mom's cat Sheba. Sheba is at Mom's house right now, and is so lonely!

While we were in NC, we took Heather out to lunch to celebrate her birthday, which was December 29. We also did some post-Christmas shopping for bargains!

I took the Nook with me on the trip, so I could do a little reading. In December I read 12 books, which brings the total for 2010 to 150 books.

We're having a quiet New Year's Eve. We had a nice dinner of ravioli, salad, and garlic bread. Today I cleaned up the desk and the computer desk. What a bunch of junk I had! I filled up a trash can!

I've pretty much given up on New Year's resolutions. I would like to get back to sewing and quilting- this year has been a bust for those.

Goodbye 2010, and Welcome to 2011! I'm hoping for good things from 2011!

Holly

December 16!

How did that happen? December is flying by, and I can't keep up! Mom, who watches the news, tells me that we have a chance of snow later today. It's sure cold enough, we've been living in a deep freeze for days now. 18 degrees in the morning is hard to deal with!

Mom Florence had a stroke Monday night at rehab. Her speech got slurred, so rehab called Ralph and he went down, as did Charlotte. By Tuesday her speech had cleared, and they plan to move her back to rehab today.

Xena, The Warrior Princess Hound, died the week after Thanksgiving. She was 13, which was old for a Blue Tick Hound. Mike and his family were heartbroken. Big Mike felt the best way to honor her life was to start the life cycle again, with a puppy. So now Abby, a 10 week old dobe puppy, is the new member of their family. She's driving them all crazy, in a good way. She barks at her reflection in the sliding glass door, she chews shoelaces- she's a puppy.

Barbara came over with a twin sized quilt for her granddaughter and quilted it on my HQ16. We're getting better at loading, we got it right the first time. I finished the poncho I was crocheting, and now I'm making Eddie a scarf from Lion Brand Homespun. It's textured, and awful to work with! I'm glad I only got one skein, and I'll never buy it again.

I just finished The Reversal by Michael Connelly on the Nook, and I'm reading Painted Ladies by Robert Parker- the latest and possibly last Spenser.

Steph and Kate went on the Ski Club trip to Stowe last weekend, and we dog sat the herd. They were really good. Whiskey goes out, does his thing, and will come right back in. Toast wants to wander around, no matter how cold it is. Ben and Manda leave tonight for Omaha, to see Becca graduate from college and to do Christmas with his family. Then they'll do Christmas in Houston, and in January they're going to visit Heather and Ed and the kids.

We're going to NC for Christmas, weather permitting. It'll be a short visit, because Steph has to be back to work the next Tuesday. Julianna is convinced that Heather has a direct line to Santa, and can call Julie's order in anytime.

And I have to get dressed and go out in the cold and go to work!
The beat goes on!

Holly

It's December!

Wow, it's December already! It's true, the older you get, the faster the years whiz by.
We have December birthdays- Ed is on the 8th, David the 19th, and Kamee the 23rd, and Heather the 29th. Megan's is also around the 23rd, but I'm not sure of the exact date.

I only read 8 books in November, one of which was on the Nook, and the others from the library. I finished Kate's afghan, and am working on a poncho. The poncho might be for Manda, or it might stay here- I haven't decided yet.

I got the bulk of the Christmas shopping done. Heather and Ed want a Wii, Manda and Ben got tickets for TSO, and Steph got a ski trip. Eddie, Julie and Jake are getting various things.

Thanksmas was lovely, tho neither grandmother was able to attend. Mom Florence is in subacute rehab, and Mom Mary Jane wasn't feeling up to it. Steph made a salad with field greens, apples, cranberries and a vinigerette dressing that was fabulous! Stuffed shells, roasted veggies, pineapple stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Really good! We listened to Christmas carols, visited, and exchanged some gifts. A very nice day, after which Ralph and I went home, the they met up with friends and saw Harry Potter. It was hard to put Manda and Ben on a plane the next day.

Last night was a cookie-less Cookie Swap. We went to Franny's, and Jake cooked for us! Salad, lasagna, meatballs and sausage, and pumpkin roll and doughnuts. Carol knitted us each a skinny scarf of fun fur, and we had fun choosing which one we wanted. Franny got us each an ornament in the shape of our initial. We caught up on each others lives, and had a nice evening.

I've done some mending, but no creating on the sewing machine. I'll be 7 months postop on Monday, and I'm pretty much back to myself. I tire easier, and my hair is awful. I consulted the Cookie Swappers, and we decided I need some layers, so I'll get to the hairdresser and get that done.

I'm reading The Reversal by Michael Connelly on the Nook, and Audition by Barbara Walters from the library. When I talked to Manda yesterday to remind her about Free Book Friday at Barnes & Noble, she said how she loves her Nook, and didn't know she needed one til she got it. That's good to hear, because I wasn't sure how much she'd like it.

Next weekend is Steph's Ski Club trip to Stowe, so the grand-dogs will be here. I hope it's not too cold when they visit.

And the beat goes on!
Holly

Gobble Gobble

It's Thanksgiving morning! Manda and Ben are here for a few days. Mom Florence has been moved to subacute rehab, and is going to Frank and Charlotte's today for dinner.

We're going to Mike and Donna's for dinner. I have Joseph's Trifle and cranberry-pineapple sauce made. Sweet potatoes are in one crockpot, broccoli casserole in another, and brussels sprouts in a third. I have to put the veggies (yams, potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts) in to roast, and get the piggies in blankets ready.

Manda got her Master's degree in Physics from the University of Houston in May. It got overshadowed by the wedding, so we surprised her with a graduation gift when they got here. We got her a Nook! Something she didn't know she needed, but is already loving it.

It's so good to have them home. Steph went and got them from the airport Tuesday night, and I had soup and sandwich fixings ready. Yesterday they went with Ralph to see Mom Florence at rehab, then we met Steph for dinner at Carrabas.

Heather and Ed and Eddie and Julianna are going to her friend Angela's for dinner today. Heather is introducing them to pumpkin roll and pineapple stuffing. Angela and her husband are from Michigan, so they're also newcomers to NC.

What I'm thankful for today: my family, close and extended. That Mom Florence is doing so well at rehab. That it's not snowing!

And the beat goes on!
Holly

Almost Turkey Day!

November is such a fast month- so many days off of school. Election Day, Teacher's Convention, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

Mom Florence is in acute rehab and doing well after her surgery. This week she should be transferred to sub acute rehab. Sadly, she'll be in rehab over Thanksgiving.

Ben and Manda will be home for Thanksgiving! They get in Tuesday night and will be here til Sunday. Thanksgiving will be at Mike and Donna's. I just got back from foodshopping for the dishes I take. I make roasted veggies (yams, potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts), a broccoli dish in the crockpot that everyone likes, a new to us brussels sprouts dish in another crockpot, sweet potatoes, pineapple in cherries in yet another crockpot, a chunky cranberry sauce, and Joseph's Trifle. The bad news is that because the newlyweds used so much vacation time for the wedding, they won't be able to visit both families for Christmas. Rebecca is graduating college in December- Yay Becca!- so they're going to Nebraska for that and an early Christmas. They'll go to NC for a long weekend in January for yet another Christmas celebration.

Saturday we're doing Thanksmas at Steph's. She's making us a Vegan meal, and we'll do gifts with Ben and Manda. She had to make some adjustments to the meal due to Ralph's soy allergy and my almond allerty- two foods that are good for you if you're not allergic to them.

It looks like Ralph and I and Steph and her babies are going to NC for Christmas. The weather will determine when we actually leave- right now it's looking like Christmas Eve day. It'll be nice to have Christmas morning with Eddie and Julianna.

I just finished reading The Last Lie by Stephen White, the latest in his Alan Gregory series. It was very good. I hemmed two pairs of pants for Steph, and fixed her jeans yet again. I sewed more patches onto Ralph's vest. I'm still in crochet mode, and am almost finished the current project.

This week we have Morgan, Donna and Joseph's birthdays! Three of my favorite people!

I'm missing my Dad. He loved Thanksgiving- what's not to love with a holiday that revolves around eating! And my friend Pat's husband died 9 years ago this month. He's missed terribly.

It's a clear day with a blue sky and it's chilly out. Hopefully Manda and Ben will remember to bring coats with them.

And the beat goes on!
Holly

Veteran's Day

Thanks to all those who serve! We are the land of the free because of the brave.
Ralph was in the Navy Seabees and served in Vietnam. My cousin George is retired Army, and his son is in the Army. My Dad was in the Navy for WWII and Korea. My grandfather was in the Navy in WWI. Ralph's Dad was a Marine during WWII. Ed's Dad was a Marine. Lou was a Marine during Korea.

My mother in law Florence is in the hospital. She fell down some stairs and cracked her left hip. She had surgery and 3 pins placed. Now she has rehab in front of her. We're all very worried about her.

It was nice being off today. My friend Barbara came over and we muddled thru a quilt for her on the HQ. I made the mistake of observing how well it was going, which meant that immediately after we had issues- batting too short, thread breaking.

The time changed, which means it's almost dark out already. B101 is playing Christmas music on it's website, so it'll soon start on the radio. I love Christmas music.

Steph told me that Toast is feeling much better. She's still on the anti-inflamatory, but hasn't needed the pain meds lately.

And the beat goes on!
Holly

Steph's Phone Case

Someone on Facebook was figuring out how to make a fabric sleeve for her Nook. It would be like making a phone case, but larger. To make Steph's phone case, I measured her phone. Since I have the same phone, it was easy. I added a half inch to each side for sewing allowance- I use 1/4 inch seams, being a quilter. I figured out how long to make the strips- I positioned paper how I wanted to fabric to fall, and measured it. I cut two strips that size.
I put them right sides together, and sewed the two long ends and one short end.
I put the phone on the strips, and folded the bottom up and the top down to decide where the velcro should go.
I sewed the velco pieces on, then I topstitched all around.
This is what the case looked like open.
The case closed. I like the look of the white thread, but matching thread could be used.
The case isn't large, but it's lined and gives the phone some protection. I don't need one for my Nook, since I have a leather(ette?) case I bought when I got the Nook.
Of course Millie had to get into the act. Ralph was pinning patches to the leather biker vest that he bought to wear when he goes with the group that greets returning servicepeople.
She got shooed away, so she retreated to the edge of the work table.
Good thing my Janome is such a workhorse- sewing the patches to a leather vest needed a jeans needle, and a good heavy machine.

Holly