the first day

the year in review.  don't ya sometimes wish you could remember everything from the past year?  it's really difficult.  and sometimes what we do remember doesn't really "do justice".

but i do remember this one event that happened about a year ago.  we took a little "weekend away" with our friends downtown to stay at the Palmer House in Chicago.  record cold temps that weekend (of course) i think is was 16 below with the windchill.  we were "shopping" on Michigan Ave.  really we were moving quickly in and out of stores to stay warm.  we were on the 9th floor in this cute little Thai place having Jasmine tea and a snack with a beautiful window view of the lake and Michigan Ave and i looked down to the street for a moment .....and no kidding......there was this guy walking on the sidewalk, with all the shoppers, wearing a Speedo, flippers, mask and snorkel, and his arms "swimming" thru the crowd.  what kind of a dare is that?                anyways..............

i had some great family moments: celebrated birthdays, traveled back and forth from michigan, housed family as guests here, watch the grandson become moble from hands and knees to running feet, shared great meals, took some memorable photos, played with new toys, went to the beach a few times.....

took some vacations: great weekends away to lake geneva, wisconsin. a week in NYC. seista key for a week at easter, beach time at lake michigan, weekend at The Drake in Chicago, a camping trip....

read some great books:  limony snicket, memoirs of a geisha, bee season, french women don't get fat, hidden places, eve's daughter's, chasing matisse, a thousand days in tuscany, cottage for sale must be moved...to name a few.

tried new things: this blog, got a digital camera (someday will put the two together), tried to somewhat child-proof my house after many years, tried new recipes (some great/some not)...

bought too much yarn: end of discussion.

and knitted a few things, some favorites are: one year old gift  blanket for grandson, turtleneck shrug and gold shrug, the two christmas stockings that are hanging on the mantel, the olive and teal felted purse, and the "marilyn" sweater and "eleanor" throw for my living room that are still on the needles.

resolutions?  i'm not much for making them......life seems to have a flow all it's own.

this is the day that we traditionally get together with friends for a "toast of cheer" and remember the past and look to the future.

"If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work". William Shakespeare

CHEERS!!!!!

it's all things sun around here for me.

yeah it's only about 30 degrees outside and come to think of it i haven't seen the sun for about 3 days now.  but it's all about the sun for me right now.  everything on my "to do" list is leading me in that direction.

batteries for the camera, batteries for the portable radio, new flash card for the camera, stock up on cat food, and litter, key to the neighbor, stop by the pharmacy, banking, mail, fit in a few tanning appointments, get a pedicure, what # SPF do we have, make the trip to the attic for the cool weather clothes and suitcases, choose books and knitting projects to take, etc.........

aaaaahhhhhhh  vacation!  in just a few more days.

on the 11th day of christmas. 

not to grandmother's house.  although i remember many a trip like this in my youth.  but this year i'm the Grandma and i'm doing the traveling.  so the gifts are wrapped, the car is packed, and we're ready to go.  a sleigh ride would be fun throught the white and drifted snow......but not all the way from chicago to michigan thank you.

so.....i did it....all twelve days.

on the 12th day of christmas i will be sharing the day with my family.  busy cooking, eating, relaxing, opening gifts, playing with new toys, celebrating His birth.

merry christmas to all and to all a good night!     back on weds.

day of christmas!!!

on the 10th day of christmas my true love and i exchanged our gifts to one another.  with the traveling and the celebrations with family being on all different days this year we decided to open our gifts just the two of us this year.

we enjoyed a cozy little fire by our new gas fireplace that hubby put into our fireplace this year!!!  and we made hot fudge sundaes.  i know.....but that's what i had a taste for.  Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia and Fudge Brownie Raspberry Ribbon.  (i thought those were red and christmasy flavors, work with me on this one).  yummy.

then we did some final packing to head off to see the "kids" for five days!!!

day of christmas........

we had our annual christmas luncheon at work so i made a yummy cream cheese, pesto spread, in the shape of a christmas tree!!  just a little something special, and set a festive table for myself a few co-workers......

gave my students (and myself) a bit of a break today by showing a movie in part, of each of my classes....

figured out how to finish off that final  "lack of enough yarn problem" on my last project......

rewarded my knitting-self by casting on a quick little project for myself, now that i have a clean knitting slate.  it's a cute, new version of a neck warmer.  the pattern is found at www.knitty.com one of my favorite knitting website.  it's the Flora pattern, it think from the Fall 2005 issue.  and best of all i'm using stash yarn!!!!

one and a half days left of school and only three days left until christmas!!!

i got another gift "off the needles"!!!!!!  well....almost.  i'm just about 10" shy of binding off a final project and i have run out of yarn.  can you believe that.  so i'm brainstorming what to do.  i'll think of something.

in the meantime, hubby is working out of town tonight so i had a dinner of left overs.  a hot bath and i think i'm to bed early with a good book.

oh, BTW, aren't you glad i took you on the arm chair tour of the NY windows yesterday, what with no subways or buses these days!!!

and 5th ave for the 7th day of christmas!!!! 

well not really.  only from my arm chair, as they say.  check this out.  http://fredflare.com/diary/windowshopping_2005.php  click on each of the boxes to watch a video of the NYC 5th ave windows decorated for christmas.  how cool is that?!?!?!  (be sure to give your computer a moment to start the show after you click on each shop to start the show!)

and no scarf, muffler, gloves or crowds.

i also made a batch of martha's molasses christmas cookies.  the house smells yummy.  just a few days left. 

how are you spending your count down to christmas?

for the 6th day of christmas with my true love. 

there's nothing like michigan ave at christmas. 

we headed out early this morning, had to catch a quick cup of coffee after we parked the car because the stores weren't open yet!!!  hubby had some shopping to do but i didn't so we split up for a bit.  i think for me that was the fun of it.  no pressure.  of course i found a few more fun gifts for everyone on my list, just couldn't resist!!

it was FREEZING cold but we were bundled up.  had a quick lunch at a sun drenched window seat and headed home. 

break out a bit more of that wrapping paper please.

of christmas i met a friend for lunch at Panera Bread and we sat by the cozy spot near the fireplace.  we ate our lunches, knitted on some last minute gifts and caught up on what's going on in our lives before our travels for the holidays.  her travels to New York and Minnesota and mine to Michigan and Florida.

then this afternoon i put my finishing touches on my christmas cards, letter, and picked up the copies of the picture to be included in the card.

very relaxing day.

day of christmas my true love and i when to dinner and to see a christmas movie.

The Family Stone.  an all-star cast and not to be missed this holiday season.  don't let the "trailers"  fool you, it is much, much better than you think. (and of course Diane Keaton is my all time fav).

i laughed and cried.  just what a movie should be.