Saturday, December 29, 2007

POST CHRISTMAS HELLO

Hi from western NJ from Jane on her way back from Rochester to NC. I'm visiting kindergarten pal since 1942 on way back.

Hope you all had a good Christmas at least to your liking. I assume there may be those of you who celebrated Channuka with loved ones as well. I was home from CA for only a week before leaving for NY and barely had time to finish one of the rag quilts. I put each of the quilts in a large gift bag and labeled on of them "to my favorite grandson" and the other "to my other favorite grandson". Greg was the looser and I'm taking his back with me to clip all those seam allowances, wash and dry it and get it into the mail before my knee replacement on Jan 22. Also on the list of things to do is get new passport picture and renew my passport early enough that there won't be a last minute panic before heading to Grace's retreat next September. Remember, a passport is now necessary to return back to the States.

Had a nice relaxed time in Rochester. The grands have turned into the most delightful of adolescents after a rather unpleasant early childhood of temper tantrums and constant bickering. There is a lot of love and silliness among them and since I never quite grew up I am amused by adolescent shenanigans. Outside of the quilts the majority of gift giving was a book exchange. We all trekked to Barnes and Noble on the 23rd, split up and bought each other books. Also found out that DD and I had already sent copies of the same book to DD#2. I've been thinking about getting an MP3 player for gym and long driving with books down loaded. DDs went together to get me an I Pod nano so now I have the challenge of mastering it. Since I know nothing about the technology I will be forced to read the owner's manual. I'd sure like to have a book or two downloaded for the hospital stay.

There was one hockey game on the 22nd in which DGS's team lost by a whopping 14-1. It was painful to say the least. They expected to lose but that was the worst defeat in their very brief history as a team.

Am leaving early tomorrow morning and expect to arrive home Monday. Then I will have to face the scale at WW on Thursday. After three weeks of almost no exercise and constant eating, mostly of sweets, I expect the worst. Shadow and I both need to start some serious exercise. I want to be as strong and slim as possible before the surgery.

Will check in sometime next week. Let's all hope for a New Year with no world disasters. Let us all hope that the coming election year doesn't drive us all into a cave to hide until it is over. At least we can brag about the unlikelihood of anyone being assassinated or irrational violence connected therewith. I just hope the time passes quickly.

Jane temporarily in NJ.

Awfully quiet here on the chat page....hope this means that everyone is enjoying the holidays with friends and family....every year I am amazed at how fast the previous months have gone and despite a lot of not so good things that occurred, there have been many many blessings this past year as well. If we only remember the difficult and bad times then I think facing what may be coming at us would be impossible. So I am grateful that this Christmas we were able to have all three sons, two daughter-in-laws and both of us together at 'home'. I did not think that this was going to happen this year and I was dreading the holiday times rather than embracing them. Adding more stress to times when stress can happen because of trying to hard to have everything so perfect. One thing both DH and I have learnt and are still learning is to relax and enjoy some of the simple times. Sounds like a cliche, but oh so true, especially in these hectic days.

In taking my own advice I am going to relax and finish a novel this afternoon and perhaps do some more thinking about how to do the first grandchild's quilt. This baby boy is not due to arrive til March, but now I have a good idea as to what his momma prefers and I can adapt what I had planned to do....better to make something more to her liking and have her use it rather than options....I might have been offended before that this young mother to be has different preferences for what baby furnishings and accessories will be, but I will still be able to make a quilt to keep in my own home for his visits. Good compromise I think!

Wishing one and all a safe and healthy and stress free New Year!

Heather

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Hi to all and a very Merry Chrismas from New Zealand. We have had awonderful family day here with lots of laughs and lots of food. Personally I never want to eat again. It didn't rain un til after church but it is very warm and muggy. We are now home and probably will have a little nap. I would like to wish all a very Special Wish for a great New Year and Peace to all. Hugs my friends I so enjoy your company. Bee in NZ.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Happy Holidays from AZ

68 and sunny here today, most welcome after a few freezing nights. The bouganvillia has some sad spots from that. The rest of the flowers look like early spring. Just DH and me for Christmas. Thank Goodness for phones! My sis called for a long chat this afternoon; the three kids will call tomorrow. It isn't the same without family, especially miss the children.

We are having tenderloin with mashed sweet potatoes (with orange), wilted spinach salad, fruit salads and rolls for dinner. Deliberately made it not a traditional meal so we won't be eating turkey forever. Filled up on that at Thanksgiving. The pumpkin and blueberry pies are baked as are the rolls. May spend some time quilting tomorrow. That would be fun.

Christmas blessings,
MJ

Merry Holidays!

And Happy whatever else you might celebrate this time of year! (I am fond of Winter Solstice pagan festivals myself...)

I am not having my best Christmas week so far -- terribly busy dealing with all the things that have to be dealt with to get my little old lady's home on the market (think cleaning, sorting, packing) and spending a couple of hours a day trapping and relocating cats from a doomed feral colony, thereby running way behind on all the holiday preparations, and then the cold I thought I was fighting turned out to be a fairly vicious case of flu. Several days ago I had to come to a complete halt and let DH take over... Fortunately I am not expecting the usual crowd for Christmas dinner, so I should be able to cope with at least getting a turkey cooked. And if that proves to be too much, DH can follow wheezed instructions from the other room. Did I mention that the latest thing to go is my voice? The jerks keep laughing when I try to say something. I am not amused!

The post about losing a mom and having no place to go for Christmas rang a huge bell for me. Years ago, when my kids were still young, we alternated Christmas between my Mom and DH's Mom. And then one day it occurred to me that we were not making the sort of traditions that would survive the loss of our Moms. I let it be known in the family that henceforth Christmas dinner for my kids would be at my house -- and anybody who wanted to come would be very welcome indeed. There was initially some surliness from some of the in-laws, but over the years, as more and more of the siblings adopted my plan, even the Moms agreed that it was a better way. And now I am the Grandma and one of these I will find myself retired from the Christmas dinner preparations -- and I will try to be gracious about it! LOL

Sorry about babbling on like that! Really, I only stopped in to wish everyone the very best of the season and a New Year that provides the best of everything for you and those you love. And may you all lose your stitch rippers and not even notice that they are gone!

Jean at Mill Bay, in the midst of the Christmas season with not a trace of any senses of smell or taste -- how cruel is that?

Merry Christmas

Or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of year. I was sent this url, and thought some of you might enjoy seeing the pics.

http://www.fluffytails.ca/christmas.asp

Pat in Rockport, TX

Greetings from Oregon

Hi,
Thank you Marion for checking in after the quake. I was pretty sure none of our DUGS lived in that area but sometimes I get confused on things. :-) It sounded like a bad earthquake but I'm glad to hear there wasn't more loss of life or more damage.

I think we are now ready for our Christmas stuff. We'll celebrate with the kids and grands this evening. For the first time, it won't be in our house. I don't mind as I've been tired this year and not having to clean before and after will be a nice break for me. We'll go to the daughter's new home. I think it will be loads of fun as her house is quite large. Extra room for everyone to spread out. :-)

Christmas day is usually rather quiet for us. This year in particular since nothing is being done here. It is weird but we'll spend the day traveling north to clean the carpets at my father's house which will have an open house next weekend. Has anyone ever had such a weird Christmas Day? LOL We figure traffic will be light. Plus it will be nice to have that chore done. My father passed away mid-summer and we're finally getting his house ready to sell. I doubt if many will go to the open house but one just never knows. Keep your fingers crossed for us, okay?

I'm thinking of you all and wishing you the best that you can have for the holiday season. I know it's difficult for many. Just know that others care.

Take good care. Merry Christmas to all and to all a Happy New Year too. :-)

Hugz, Mary in Oregon

Merry Christmas

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Marge in Louisiana

Merry Christmas to all

Early morning here in Florida. I've been out with the puppy twice this morning.
Last night we went to St. Augustine and walked around with the puppy and looked at the lights. We had dinner at the courtyard of a restaurant we like, and they were happy to have the puppy there. Since it is a tourist town I guess they are used to it. I had some crab cakes, and they were wonderful. We walked all over the city, and had a good time.
Today I'm getting one DGS and we are baking pumpkin and lemon chess pies. In the afternoon I plan to take a quick nap, then go for a bicycle ride on our new Christmas bikes. They are next to the tree with red bows on them.
Our cool weather only lasted a few days, we would love for people in Canada and Kansas, etc. to send more. We need cooler weather!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.
We are going to Christmas Eve services at 6:00 PM, then coming back here for hamburgers with the rug rats.
Sara in Florida.

Just wishes

I wanted to come and wish every one a very Merry Christmas or best wishes to those who celebrate on a different day or a different holiday.I wish a very special day for all with family or friends or just the best memories you can remember.
It will be rather quiet here with not too much going on.
We have finally dug out of all the snow we got and then yesterday we had rain. So now we have lots of ice. Will have to watch where I walk and just take little baby steps. Another friend fell this year, well just the other day and broke her hip. It is never a good time to do that, but over the holiday it just seems so much worse.
A very Happy New Year to all also. Right after the New Year Holiday we get to travel to Texas so will be in touch after our trip.
Thank you all for being such great friends even if we have never or will never meet. It is good just to chat.
Grace

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to drop in and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. It's good to see several friends from the original BB checking in. I don' t post much, but I do try to read the boards several times a week.

Christmas is really tough for me this year. With my Mom passing away last Feb., Dad in the nursing home, and the house being sold, there is no "home" to go to anymore. This is only the 2nd time in my life that I won't be going home for Christmas. My parents lived in the same house my whole life.

I've been keeping myself busy the last 2 days working on my BOM quilt for quilt guild. Anyone who brings their completed quilt top using the 2007 BOM blocks to the Jan. meeting, gets their name in a drawing for $100. I could actually have this one quilted by someone else if I win!

Karen in KS

Merry Christmas to all!

Doris, your "other project" inspired me to Google photos of snowflakes and I have been having lots of fun surfing and seeing. How they can take photos of such ephemeral things I don't know but I'm glad someone has. I miss snow for Christmas! I realise palm trees etc were in Jerusalem and Bethlehem at the time, but I need a good hard freeze and tingly air to get in the mood.

This yr we won't be going to the inlaws, they insist on a late-night big meal and DH's acid reflux requires him to eat at about 7, very lightly. So I will make a nice lunch for us, no turkey (it makes too much food), just a little roast and some potatoes, and veggies for me. His brother's widow apparently invited his sister and her family for the 25th, not a word has been said to us, but we are not "cut to the quick" as she might imagine. I would much rather stay home with my sweetie than put up with her for a day without her husband to take some of the sting out of her "sweeter" remarks. Both her sons have left her to herself, preferring to spend Christmas with their wife/girlfriend's families...hmmm. I may not be the one with the attitude problem. DH's sister spilled the beans and then tried to backpeddle, but she did not say "come along, I'm sure it will be fine" and we didn't ask. They don't realise we prefer our own company to theirs. Just call us Badger and Mole (from The Wind in the Willows!)

Spoke to Ginny in FL last night, apparently her computer is down with a virus. But she did send regards to all.

My talk on "the Christian quilt" is translated into English, if anyone is interested in seeing it. I ended up interpreting this AM for some Australian people who are working in Milan, Italy. Tiring but fun to see I can still do it. But I do realise that at 45 my brain doesn't take as kindly to thinking in stereo as it did, even 6 years ago. I was all done after about 25 minutes, to think I used to work 5 hours a day and think nothing of it. No wonder they say the primary cause of death among UN and other high-level interpreters is cerebral haemorrage!

One of my tutoring students called before her class Thursday and asked me to meet her downstairs instead of her coming up. I did so, and she announced, "I want to buy you a present!" We went shopping--in English! and she ended up buying me a pair of earrings that look like roses in full bloom. Very sweet and unexpected. I am inviting one of my students for dinner on the 28th, she is from Senegal and actually studying French Lit here (yeah, I know--in Spain???) but she has to do English as her "second" language and we do basic grammar together. I say "second" as she already speaks French, English, Spanish, Wolof, and a couple of other African languages whose names simply don't register when I hear them because I've never heard that combination of sounds before. Another very nice person.

And now I must go and get ready to dive into "slave narratives" for someone who has a term paper due after the break.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
anna in spain

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Happy Holidays!


Just a quick visit to wish all of you are very Happy Holiday season.

Thanks Doris for the kitty site, it made my day.

Hope that we can all de-stress long enough to be thankful for what the

season represents to us individually. I know for me it represents Christmas past more than present so it takes some pausing & reflecting

to truly be happy this season. We all have to find our own way to find this peace since it's not the same for each of us. So even if we don't have 20 family members around the table or don't travel over the river & thru the glen in knee high snow, and sing carols, we can still hold sweet memories in our hearts, and we can create a little sparks of joy, whether that be making a sales clerk in a store feel good, watching birds at the feeder partake in a feast you created just for them, remember someone who may be alone this year, or just enjoy the colors of the season(quilters are good at that!) Love you all, Jill

Here's Morgan the hospital manager wishing you all the best!