Day Four After Christmas

My Christmas cactus came through once again. I counted 10 open blooms and at least 20 little tight buds.

I love this little reindeer ornament and fat quarter from Carrie. It reminds me of Carrie, so talented and non-pretensious but absolutely charming. Check out her blog to see the high quality of this very talented lady. Thank you - I love it and I can always use a good neutral fat quarter.

D#1 was just here to collect the Dude for a day of cleaning his room. He is supposed to be back tonight. She cut some strips to put a pieced border on a table runner while she was here. After she finishes the top, she'll be back for help with the batting and backing. She does well, she just needs the confidence that she can do it - comes with practice (lots of practice).

I made an envelop pocket for my new e-reader. I read that there were millions of these e-readers sold for Christmas, that sounds like a booming market for these enverlop pockets. Hmmmm! This is the envelop pocket I made for the Dude's e- reader. He has a Kobo and I have a Kindle but they are basically the same size.

Big T is back at the PC. He is bound and determined to beat my high score on Bejeweled. He plays strategically, lining everything up for the most points. I play fast and take all the little ones I can get and they add up. It's the same way we play Chess (or anything else) - he thinks it all out and develops a good long-term strategy and I play lightening fast for one move at a time. Blows his mind at Chess because he is trying to think through why I made the last move. (What he doesn't understand is that I usually don't know either.)

Hugs - Marie

The Week After Christmas

Unlike most people, my favorite week of the year is the 'week after Christmas'. It is a time of peace and relaxation. Nothing to cook, nothing to wrap, no shopping to do, no cards to write, projects to finish up - no stress and no pressure. It has always been that way and this year is no different.

Yesterday was a day of sitting and watching the snow fall and Big T and The Dude playing in it. They built a massive 6 foot tall 'snow bear' and then wrapped him in 4 strands of Christmas lights. We had about 6" of snow, but my front yard has a large circle (diameter 12') with no snow where they used everything to build the bear.

The Dude got an awesome PC game called 'Bejeweled 3'. Don't buy it - it is truly addicting. It is one of those 'just one more game'. LOL there is no such thing as one more game on it. I see this a.m. it has been installed on Big T's computer as well - at least I'll know where to find him.

Today is earmarked (loosely) as the day to clean the sewing studio. It looks like a disaster and has now for over a month. I don't even want to go in there - it's that bad. I have a choice - clean it or keep the door closed; but if I want to sew, I'll have to clean it. Then I'll reward myself by curling up in front of the fireplace and reading the instructions on how to use my new 'e-reader'.

So, my friends, that is where you'll find me for the rest of the day (or maybe the week if I stop to play 'one more game'). I hope all your holidays were as good as mine and that you got to be with all your loved ones during that time.

Hugs - Marie

What to Do?

Less than 6 days till we leave on a cruise - 5 nights to the Bahama's and back. We just decided yesterday to join M and family. It will be the first cruise for all of us. I am already worrying about what to take. No, not clothes - that's the simple part - shorts, sun dresses, sandals, and swimsuit. I'm worrying about what to take to do while on the cruise. Something fun, easy and doesn't take up much room. OK, here are my choices - maybe all three.

1. Work on assembling the hexagons that are cut out


2. Baste my corner scrappy cuts for my 'flower fields' mini-quilt


3. Add the decorative hand stitches and texture to my Mr. St. Helen's interpretation
   
   

Oh yeah, get this! M and the Dude both got e-readers for Mother's Day and Graduation. Grandma has to take the old fashioned book with her on the cruise. Something is not right with this picture. I may have to find a deck chair on a different part of the ship. I plan to plant myself and do absolutely nothing unless I want to do it. I can hardly wait!! Big T is worried that they only have 8 meals a day.

The cooler weather feels good but it is still too humid to open the house. The Dude says the pool is freezing today; hard to imagine when it was so warm a day or so ago. I'll take this weather any day.

Hugs - Marie