Blessings to All

Last post before Christmas.  I am all ready for the big day except for making the dessert that I am contributing to the family feast.  I may do a couple of other things tomorrow while getting the laundry done.  A lady on the heart2hearts yahoo group mentioned she was making meat pie and I got a hankering for some. 
Please be careful if you are travelling.  Snow is predicted for our area but not a lot so getting around shouldn't be a problem.
To all of you who share my life by taking time to read this blog, thank you.  I hope my ramblings provide you with a little break in your day.
Bless you all and Merry Christmas

Nearly Done

How are your Christmas preparations coming?  I am just doing the odds and ends that always need to be done no matter how organized you were in the beginning.  Actually, I usually leave some things to the last on purpose.  I can't imagine how Christmasy it would feel if, a week before the event, there was nothing that needed doing.  When my son was little, it wasn't a problem keeping busy until the last second.  Now, with just hubby and I and the big day usually spent with relatives, there isn't a lot to do.  No big meal to prepare.  No piles of gifts to buy and wrap.  No dreading the credit card statement that arrives in the New Year.
Our big celebration is really when we see the grandchildren.  After that, everything else is secondary.  Still enjoyable though.
Well, time to get at the quilting job.  Hope you are almost finished as well and are starting to find time to relax and reflect on the reason behind the celebration.
Blessings,

Wonderful Weekend

These are a couple of little items I made using some batik scraps.  The purses are great for credit or points cards.  The rectangle squares are my version of fabric postcards. 
Hubby and I are still smiling from our weekend with the grandchildren.  We spent most of the day on Sat. walking through various locations in Toronto.  We went to Queen's  Park and the nearby University, Kensington Market and the Christmas Market.  By the end of the day, we had walked 8 miles.  I was surprised at how well hubby kept up given his recent broken ankle and back fracture. 
We did take it a bit easier the next day and did a lot of riding on the transit.  The new subway line extension to Vaughan had just opened and on Sunday all the transit was free.  In the afternoon, we went to the new Star Wars movie and finished the day with a great supper of Chinese food.
The children and their parents were leaving to catch the flight to the Bahama's early Monday morning so we said our good-byes Sunday evening.  It was hard knowing we wouldn't see them again for another year but thankful for the time spent together.
We will be keeping the memories alive (Hope said they were core memories) during our weekly Skype chats.

Now it is time to finish the baking and making the last gift that will under a friends tree.
Blessings,

Money to Burn.

Got the last of my Christmas decorations up which consisted mainly of my nativity sets.  I didn't add to the collection this year and one is getting too battered to use so it was a bit easier to find somewhere to put them.  The old one was the one we had when I was a child so it has put in a lot of years of service.  I may just pack it away and not  use it anymore.  That is a bit silly really because no one else is going to want it.  However, I am not going to throw it away so storing is the only other option.
It has been brisk outside again today but the sun was shining so it was, once again, lovely getting outdoors.
I did a silly thing.  I got two coupons from a pet food company which were worth six dollars total.  I can't use them for our Heidi as she seems to be allergic to that brand.  I decided to stick them in a friends Christmas card.  In the meantime, I gathered up the envelopes from the cards I received plus other paper trash and threw it in the wood stove.  No soon did I close the door when I realized that I had probably thrown out the coupons.  Can't find them so I guess that is what I did.  Won't have to figure out what to do with them now anyway.  Nice to have money to burn.
Blessings,

Table Scraps

The December Island Batik project was a table topper.  The title "Table Scraps" gave me the theme for my quilt.  I love scrappy's and I have a lot of smaller pieces of fabric left over from other Island Batik projects.  I wanted to make a simple one block quilt to be used as a table centerpiece.  I chose non specific fabric-no particular theme so it can be used year round.

I am quite pleased with the result so much so that although I had planned to give this as a gift, I have decided to keep it.   I am now working on another table topper to replace this one.
In January, the Island Batik Ambassadors will be having another blog hop and it will be your chance to win prizes as well as to look as some extraordinary quilts.  I am really excited about the fabric I am using and can't wait for you to see it.
There has been a lot of blustery weather to the south of us so hope that if you have been on the roads that you kept a extra big following distance as things can change in an instance.
Blessings,

Fabric Post Cards.

It is amazing  what a new day brings. Thanks to some excellent advice from our knowledgeable neighbours, our Heidi is back to normal.  My mother- in-law is back at home with her daughter and my son's vehicle problem is being resolved.  Three answers to prayer in the same day!  In addition, hubby is feeling better.  He is no longer in severe pain and is sleeping better.
I made my Christmas cakes today. My mixer is very old and not strong enough to deal with the thick batter so I had to do it all by hand.  A lot of work and my neck was really sore by the time I was finished but the cakes turned out well.  I was able to adapt a recipe to make it gluten free.  I didn't make a cake last year as I hadn't been able to get one to turn out right.  I have a few other things to make but no rush on any of them.
We got a bit more snow today so I am once again able to use the sleigh when taking water to the chickens.  I am going to have to get a small wagon for the not snow times of the year.
A lady on our on- line group, Hearts to Hands, shared a link with instructions for making fabric postcards.  I keep intending to do these but have never got around to it.  I think I will do some in Christmas fabric and give them out instead of bought cards.  Will post a photo when I get one made.
Here is the link if you would like to give them a try: https://calidore.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/postcard-tutorial/
Blessings,

A Challenging Day

This has been quite the day.  Our little Heidi hasn't been feeling well for a few days.  Last night, we were up throughout the night as she was sick a number of times.  This morning she seemed better but then started up again in the afternoon.  I had taken her off all commercial foods and given her a bit of egg.  She really hadn't shown much interest in eating but was drinking water regularly and all other body functions seemed good.  She was even out running and playing in the snow.
I decided that I would call the vet in the morning.  In the meantime I was talking to a friend with lots of knowledge and experience with animals and she suggested to try some pepto bismal, keep her off food for a while longer and then start with some rice and if that stays down, some beef broth with a little burger.  She said that this is what the vet recommends in this case and as we have the same person I can trust the information.
In the midst of all this, hubby's mother was taken to the hospital with some problems.  It doesn't appear to be anything serious and she is expected to be home tomorrow for which we are very thankful. And then my son called to say his vehicle broke down and couldn't be repaired.  This means he won't be able to get to work so that is a concern.
In between clearing up after the dog and looking after the usual chores, I did manage to get some sewing done.  My top is all finished but the last border which I will do tonight.  I am pleased with how it looks.
We had quite the blizzard here today but the hydro stayed on and I didn't have to go anywhere so we weren't affected.  It wasn't cold outside so being out was a pleasure.
I hope the rest of the week is uneventful.
Blessings,

No Reason to Fuss

It has been really windy here.  It started late yesterday afternoon, continued through the night accompanied by rain and thunder and was still blowing today.  The hydro went out for close to an hour so I had to switch plans.  I was going to work on a place mat but decided to hang some more decorations.  Unfortunately, the ones I needed where still in storage and I wasn't going to walk back to it through the wildly swaying trees.  One member of the family being injured by a falling branch is enough.
I did get quite a bit more done on the runner and, when the wind died down, got the other tote with the rest of the decorations.
Hubby is doing better.  The extreme pain he was getting in his right arm is settling down but I am encouraging him to not doing any lifting, carrying or pushing until he gets full clearance from our doctor.  He finds it hard but the time will eventually pass.
We are supposed to get snow tonight.  The bit we had has melted so I am not able to use the sleigh to take water to the chickens and the wheelbarrow doesn't work as well.  I hope the predicted snowstorm doesn't bring another outage.  I asked my personal giftgetter for a decent battery operated radio this year.  I really miss hearing my music when there isn't any electricity.  We can hook a light and regular radio up to our inverter but I hate to drag it out if it is only need for a short period of time.
I don't mind the outages except for the lack of radio and remind myself that a good percentage of the world doesn't even have drinking water.  I have very little to fuss about.
Blessings,

Done is Better than Perfect

Hubby and I went to the village Christmas tree lighting tonight.  It isn't a major event like those in larger communities but we really enjoy it.  The real estate agents supply hot chocolate with marshmallows and there are plenty of cookies and Tim Horton mini donuts to dunk.
While youngster write their names on the decorations that are hung, everyone else joins in singing various Christmas songs.  Hubby and I enjoy singing so this is our favourite part.
Once the switch is flipped and the tree lighted, a few more songs are sung as people drift  back to their vehicles or walk back home.
It is a cosy feeling being with friends and neighbours and another of the times when you are glad you live in a rural area.  Tomorrow night is the Santa parade so we will once again drive to the village and enjoy another Christmas tradition.  Sunday will be tree decorating day at our house.
I have been working on some small sewing projects which will be given as gifts.  I will take a photo and post next week. 
Hope your holiday plans are under way.  Try to not  do so many things that you are overwhelmed and don't get to enjoy this precious time.  A favourite quilting phrase is :  done is better than perfect.  This applies to holiday preparations as well.
Blessings,