Festive Friday Photo

Yesterday morning first thing I walked up to the Trader Joe's near us for some specific things related to their Christmas product lines. It was a clear, sunny, cold day and so a pleasant trip back and forth. On my way home, when I got to the corner of the block before ours, I noticed these Christmas ornaments in the trees in front of one of the houses on the street. I know a lot of the photo is in shadow, but you can see them well enough to get the idea. I don't know if they recently put them up or if they have been there, and I've missed them, but I really like the whole idea. So festive, and I have to think that they make everyone smile when they see them.

Today's plans include baking, wrapping, and checking to make sure that I have everything I wanted to have for both The Tim and the kitties. If not, I still have a few days to get them. I know that I need to get some special food for the cats to have their "Christmas dinner" but that's pretty much a no-brainer and really easy to do. I feel pretty well set otherwise. Though I have to admit that I love to go out and walk around during these last few days leading up to Christmas Day, looking at decorations and enjoying the energy, so I'd be venturing out of the house regardless.

Do you have any weekend plans? We just have a few things to finish up around the house, and The Tim will probably wrap some of the gifts he has, since he'll be at work on both Monday and Tuesday for the regular hours. Sunday is supposed to be super cold, so that's gonna be a good day to be cozy inside with Christmastime things and feelings.

Whatever you are up to, I hope you can stay warm and enjoy your weekend. Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice for those of us in the northern hemisphere, so we'll see what this winter has in store for us. I am quite possibly the only person who hopes it will not be a wimpy winter - I'm sick of those! 

Take care, and I'll see you again soon.

Winter Solstice 2023

Happy Winter Solstice!

One of my most favorite days. I know for some people it's their favorite day because it means the days will get longer, but for me it's the fact that it's the shortest amount of daylight all year. You know me - I love the darkness and the cold weather!

I don't mind telling you that I have been having a bit of a hard time lately. Mostly because of my own brain, to be honest (oh my brain - my best friend and worst enemy all at once!). Grumpy people are getting to me, and I usually don't let that happen, but there seem to be more people this year, and they seem to be grumpier. I am good at managing to keep the world and its problems in their own place, but it's really hard to tune out those surrounding you. 

BUT - today, on the Winter Solstice, I am going to pretend that all of those people do not exist. I'm meeting my friend Louise for lunch. I'm going to wrap a couple of gifts. I'm going to get ingredients to do some baking tomorrow. I'm going to set out the last of the Christmas things to go on the tree tonight. I'm going to take my time and enjoy the day with the kitties. Tonight, we'll have a good evening with The Tim, finishing the tree decorations, lighting some candles, and toasting the solstice!

Tomorrow - I'm going to dust around and clean things up so it looks as nice as it's likely to ever look around here. 😊 I'm going to clean up my nails and give myself a manicure. I'm going to wrap more gifts, and do the baking mentioned above. And of course, more cuddling with the kitties. Another nice evening with The Tim and the kit kats, and we are ready for the weekend!

And the whole time I'm at home doing things, guess what? Christmas music! 

I remember as a kid, whenever I would be in a bad mood/feeling grumpy, my mom would always say, "Well, that's fine, but let everyone else enjoy themselves even if you aren't. You have no business ruining someone else's day." 

So as of right now, I'm done with the grumps. And I've decided that since I don't absolutely *have* to be around grumpy people (I'm off work and so it's easier to avoid dealing with other humans in general), I'm going to make myself feel better. And I hope to use this as a lesson for next year and/or whenever I need it, to make a way to find my own happy and fun. Whenever I can remember to take myself and make it MY world instead of everyone else's, I do much better. 

So my wish for you this Winter Solstice is that you can do the same. Enjoy some light in the darkness, and make your own world the way you want it to be. It works.

Winter Solstice 2021

"The edge of the solstice,

the barren darkness,

the wheel.

Nature knows 

that every cycle 

must return

to stillness and silence.

That every inhale 

has an exhale.

That every ending

births a beginning.

That the light

always returns

to a future

beyond imagination."

-- Victoria Erickson, Edge of Wonder

This Past Weekend Was Just ... A Lot

Don't get too worried, because 99% of it was a lot of good stuff - it's the 1% of stuff that still has my brain fried.

Let's just get that out of the way.  It's related to behaviors during the virus, a popular topic for all of us that so many of us can still just not understand. 

A couple of weeks ago, Philadelphia again shut down all indoor dining and placed restrictions on outdoor dining - only 4 or fewer people at tables.  Because you know, thanks to those who can't be bothered, and/or who just HAD to travel at Thanksgiving, cases were up.  So Saturday afternoon when Hamlet and I were out for a walk, we passed a neighborhood place that was jam-packed inside with people partying.  Later in the day, when The Tim took Hamlet out, the place across the street from the place I saw was doing the same thing.  JUST. STOP.

Then yesterday I talked to one of my sisters, and as you know, I love my family dearly, and really I don't want anything terrible to happen to any of them, but I truly believe that unless they experience a tragedy, they will not take this as seriously as they should.  So many of them talk a good game, and then do what they want.

JUST. STOP.

UGGGGHHHHHHHH.

**********

Moving on to the good (thank you for hanging in, it felt good to get that off my chest, so to speak).

We finished our tree decorating, and the last touches of decorating for Christmas in our house, which was so much fun!  We are usually finished sooner, but The Tim had one of his quick sudden projects to finish which held things up.  I finished with my cleaning, and everything looks so happy and so festive!  I think it's funny how people are saying they are not putting up any decorations, since "no one can come to see them."  We always decorate, and we are always the only ones who see them - silly me, I thought you did all of it for your own enjoyment ...

I managed to come out of the weekend with a HO (Half-finished Object):

After making a few pairs of slipper socks for The Tim, I decided I needed a pair for myself, so now I have one down, and one to go.  The second slipper sock is underway as of yesterday.  

And how about that project bag?  I love it so much.  I ordered it from the One More Day Foundation, when they had a few bags of several designs that they were selling as a fundraiser.  (I wish I could have bought each design, but of course, buying one was already being extravagant, so I behaved myself.)  I just think the design is so festive and sweet in the best way possible.  And the work of the Foundation is more than admirable, if you ask me.

Finally, let me share Days 13 through 18 of my yarny Advent calendar with you - I think these were some of my favorites so far:

Aren't they purty??  You can't really tell due to my photography skills or lack thereof, but in the upper right and lower middle, the packages included a coffee cup, and a Santa hat charm/progress keeper.  I love these so much, and I have a feeling that I'll wear these on the bracelet enclosed in Day 1 with the others every day during the holidays next year and beyond!  Honestly, I'm feeling a bit sad that after this week, I won't have a little package to open each day.  It's been such a fun thing to do, and no matter what else has been happening on any given day, I've been able to look forward to a surprise.  😀

Today of course is the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere.  I love this day.  I love the images that go along with it, I love that Winter is officially here, and coziness gets serious.  

Happy Solstice Week and holiday week - let's try our best to make it a good one!

Winter Solstice and Last Sunday of Advent 2019

Needlework

stitched by an angel

on the winter 

solstice night.

- "The Little Square"

by Liliana Ursu, 

translated by Mihaela Moscaliuc

Here We Go

Yesterday, one of the local metereologists posted this on Twitter.

Now, I know for a lot of people, this is upsetting/depressing/whatever.  But for me, this is just the best!  I love this time of year when some of my favorite things/times just come at once!  

But I was already thinking about it, since in my family, there are 15 birthdays between October 1 and December 30 - we call it The Birthday Marathon.  Fortunately, I don't have to have gifts for every single birthday, but I do like to at least try to send a card so that they know I'm thinking of them.

Plus, our anniversary is October 28, and The Tim's birthday is November 18 - which always throws me off, because all of a sudden one happens, the next happens, Thankgiving happens, Christmas happens, and BAM it's the new year!

However, this doesn't mean I start to panic.  First of all, as I said above, I really like this time of year.  Secondly, for the past few years I have tried harder than ever to live in the moment.  So, although I  try to plan ahead as far as gifts are concerned, I don't let myself *get* ahead of things.  I've always been able to do this to some degree, but it's even more so now.  And as a result, I appreciate it, enjoy it, and am always sad to see things end.  

I have not actually started any gift knitting yet (long story involving misplacing things, but it's all good now), but I'm ready.  I'm not making a whole lot of things, but my goal is to be finished with things needing to be mailed by the end of November - end of first week of December at the most.  And I'm thinking it's completely doable.  

Things for The Tim can take longer, because I don't have to mail them, but I try to not leave those until the last-minute either.  

Some hats and some kiddo socks (house-type/slipper socks in worsted weight) are the main items I'm planning to knit that will need to be mailed, so I think I'll be OK there.  

I'm still knitting away on my Pabaigh, and am not that far away from finishing it, but then it's not likely I'll start anything for myself that I want right away until after the holidays.  

Though I reserve the right to start a Christmas-themed project for myself because Christmas comes every year, and it will be for me, so if it isn't finished until January, it will be a surprise for me next year as I will pack it away until then.

But for now, I have to finish September, and get ready for the birthdays to begin.  The first birthday, on October 1, is my nephew's 50th, and though I don't generally send him a gift, I'm hoping to get something together to send him that I think he may like.  I'll keep you posted.  :-)

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice, Newgrange, County Meath, Ireland

Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us,
even in the leafless winter, 
even in the ashy city.
I am thinking now
of grief, and getting past it;
I feel my boots
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart pumping hard.  I want
to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.
-- excerpt, Starlings in Winter, by Mary Oliver