long Christmas weekend

We did what we normally do over Christmas and went camping.  It was the normal type of camping in December in Texas, one day it was 70 degrees, three days later it is in the forties, raining, and blowing.  We are prepared for it but it does not mean getting out of bed in the  morning is every very simple.

And tea does need to stay close to the fire to stay warm!  Sometimes it is not even hot.  We camped very simply.  Much more simply then normal.  I did not mind but it was good the day it rained consistently was the morning we were planning on leaving.

My best friend gave me a foldable rocking chair for camping and on the warm days it was lovely.

I had been given water buffalo bone crochet hooks for Christmas. Four in all.  A little personal shaping and I think I really like them.  They are not as warm as wood but they do have nice feel in the hand and they do not slip out of my work as easily.  Sitting in a rocking chair by the fire or picnic table working on a scarf with them was nice.

And I did get a scarf finished!  It is another very long one.  The Tall Short Person says her neck is always cold.  The darker middle is merino and yak.  I did not have quite enough of that yarn to make the length I wished so I spun some yak and silk yarn for the ends.  The ends are a bit asymmetric because I guessed at was half the ball.  I am pleased with the scarf.

I enjoyed the time camping.  Some ways I am glad to be home but in some ways I wish I was back out there.  Both make me smile.

slowly moving forward

This is a busy time of year.  It is busy with things I like to do very much.  But the Small Mister and I have come down with the crud.  it started the night of skating outside.  It floored me yesterday, which was my Beloved's birthday.  We went out for dinner instead of me making shepherd's pie.  I needed a four hour nap just to do that.  The rest of the evening was spent watching the last season of Warehouse 13 and me spinning.  I got all the yarn made for gifts and then I started this yarn above.  It is also for a gift but not for Christmas.  Oh well.

Today has been about errands.  To the grocery.  To the library.  Finishing up Christmas shopping.  I have always liked to use real silver or silver plate silver ware.  I found some today.  Goodness.  Very unexpected because I usually have to be looking. 

I also found a basket.

A basket for my spinning and crochet.  Also a few friends.  My corner of the room feels much more organized.  When Miss A goes through some of the yarn for her art classes, I am hoping it will feel even better.

It was a productive day.  Just not productive in the ways I thought it would be.  That is alright.

Yes, it is a good day.

Life is very interesting when you make your own yarn.  If you do not have enough of one color it is not like you head down to your local yarn store and buy matching yarn.  You either have change the pattern, change the yarn, or find something to work with what you have.  I though I had enough yarn of one color for the second scarf I was making but I did not really.  I decided to spin some yarn for the ends in a yak/silk fiber I picked up in Taos.  It does mean that the package will get delivered later then it should but I am told that it does not matter.

I am thinking about spinning more yarn for after the holidays for more scarfs.  I have some merino/yak that is so soft that a sweater made from the yarn may not be the best thing.  I will have to see.

I was walking to the post office today to pick up more boxes for shipping.  Most people I work with think it is much to far to walk at lunch but I do not.  I am the crazy person who rides her bicycle in a dress to work most days too so that gives you an idea of how much I fit the norm.  I got to an intersection and thought I had heard my name.  There was a homeless man sitting at a base of a tree, hands in a praying pose, head bowed in blessing, looked at me and said "It IS a good day."  He made me realize in that instant it was.  I replied back, "Yes, it is a good day!" 

I looked for a place to buy him a cup of coffee on the way to the post office but there was none.  On the way back, I stopped when I got to him.  I handed him some money and said, "Thank you for reminding me that today IS a good day.  I looked for a place to buy you a cup of coffee and could not find one.  I would appreciate if you would accept this and buy yourself a cup of coffee and a meal."  His response was "Oh, sweetheart . . ."

Yes, it is a good day.

i am a klutz

I did my baking for Christmas boxes this weekend.  I tried a new recipe that is much to fragile to ship but that I like.  I will share it soon here. 

I am a klutz because I bumped my right thumb knuckle on the top of the oven.  Other then it smarted something horrible for the rest of the day and I had dishes to do, it was not a big deal.  I did have a very loved friend who has been fussing at me something fierce in his own unique way.  I do not understand because he is a mechanic and has the potential to get his hands banged up all the time.  He does not seem to get that I am a klutz.  My family just asks if I wish to have it kissed better.  DO NOT TOUCH PLEASE! 

That is  how big of a klutz I am.  And nobody was around to hear the hiss.  That usually causes the whole house to come running to see what I did.  There has been much blood with that sound.

I did not mentioned I feel at the rink yesterday either.

The biggest issue with this burn is that it lines up exactly with my sewing scissors.  I could not have done that better if I tried.  I still have most of my Christmas sewing to do.  When I started cutting out that first piece of flannel for a Christmas present I said ow!!! so many times it was not funny!  It could definitely have been called a mantra.

The cutting out of the flannel means I am back to working on my sewing machine.  This makes me very happy, very centered, my world right.  I got to spend time on my spinning wheel tool this weekend.  I do not have enough yarn to finish a present so I had to make more.

Other then being a klutz and being fussed at in a very unique way, it was a good weekend.  I just have to get the boxes out now.

ice cream sandwiches

I have been doing a lot of Christmas baking this week.  I go through flour, sugar, and butter faster this "week" of the year then any other.  Most of the cookies get sent out into the world to family and friends but we always munch on a few.  This year I had an idea to put chocolate hazelnut frozen yogurt between two cookies.  An ice cream sandwich.

Oh my gosh yum!  So far, only the sables and molasses crinkles have been tried but so good.  There are currently chocolate cookies in the oven and I can see more experimentation needing to take place.  I cannot call this a recipe but I would definitely give it a try with any cookies and ice cream or frozen yogurt you have laying around!

Simple things.