IT IS NEARLY HERE---

 They tell me -- and the calendar tells me that--

Christmas Day is nearly here--

I am basically --mostly--decorated--just a little bit here and there to do--

But it has been really really hard and has taken me a long time--I just this morning got the tote, and big suitcase back to my storage unit--

So why has it taken me so long--

Well--it seems that another (thoughtless) resident here decided to give some of us an early gift--

the dreaded 'flu'--or virus or whatever they call it these days--I got sick a week ago Saturday as did a couple others in the building--so that's WHY we decided it was a resident here--and I have been 'sick'--is there a word  for 'really' sick??????   Coughing and not being able to catch my breathe is the worse and scary part--I am on an antibiotic but not sure it is doing a whole lot--also am using homeopathic things--but--don't even think that is helping a whole lot--??????

And my daughter in Illinois called 2 weeks ago --to say she  has decided to come for part of the holidays--she will be here Friday night after Christmas through Jan 2nd--we will have the 'family' Christmas on New Years Day--I don't get to get together with my son and daughter in law,, now that they have the busy store, until New Years Day anyways--So--New Years Day is really my Christmas Day--!!!!   The only gift I want this year is totally be over this 'flu' thing by New Years!!!

I have gotten a bit of quilty things done--slow--but finished--

Got this months Woven Wreath square done--

And here is all 12 done--

I really enjoyed doing this panel this year--and am hoping Kathy S. does one for next year--but so far I have not seen anything??

And my Dear Melisa--Here is December's Heart block --

I love stitching these super cute mittens--Thank You Melisa for all the Heart blocks this past year!!  ps hope you are working on something stitchy for 2025!!!???

Here is where I am on my Counted Cross stitching project--

That Crow needs to go on a 'diet'--he is alot of work to stitch!!!!!!

And here is a photo of how I used my latest 'thrift' store find to display my Christmas miniatures--

My little sister, Barbara--(some of you remember her--right??) we both  decorated the little fireplaces years and years ago--about 50 years ago--even and we made the little angels on the top of the tree in the lower right hand section--the painted items I collected at craft show a couple years in a row--again 40- 50 years ago--Oh--that doesn't even sound possible for it to be that many years ago--where did those years go???????????

I am still hand quilting on the Christmas Sunbonnet Sues--only one side border to do and it will be ready for some binding--now that --binding--might be a  problem--did I already cut it and if I did --where is it??????

NOW DON'T GO RUNNING AROUND LIKE CRAZY TO FINISH UP CHRISTMAS--TAKE A DEEP BREATHE--ENJOY A CUP OF TEA OR COCOA--OR MAYBE SOME EGGNOG--AND SIT BACK AND ENJOY SOME HOLIDAY MUSIC--FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE OR TWO!!!

BLESSING AND GOOD HEALTH TO ALL--HUGS, DI 

I DO BELIEVE---

 First that  Christmas is coming like a freight train this month--oh my--!!!!

And secondly--that this move is the 'hardest' move I have done in many years--even harder than my very first move to Florida--nearly 10 years ago--that one was hard cause I had to sell so very much of all my 'country' collections and country type furniture--

Maybe it's because--

1.--really no warning--so no time to pack--

2.--cause I am 10 years older--hummm???

Today --my plan was to get the Christmas decorating done--now that was a big joke--though I am not laughing--grrrrr!!!!

It has just been of those days where everything I attempted to do--either didn't work--or didn't look right after I spent time putting things together--or something----I finally stopped and had lunch and thought that would work--but--it just didn't seem to--------!

So I am going to do this post--and then chill in my rocker with some hand work!!!  and hope I don't mess that up too---( I did have a good day yesterday and did get some things done--but somehow that 'genie' didn't get up with me this morning!!!????)

I have been getting a little stitching done--

I did get the ABC sampler with the turkey done-

and I got it done--as far as the stitching just before Thanksgiving---

but it is not made into a little  pillow yet--???

And I got November's Woven Wreath finished the other day--

So now I just have to do the December one--

And I did this heart one for Melisa's year of Hearts--

for November's block--

it reminds me of my growing up--Family Thanksgivings--we made alot of different kinds of pies--not sure which we looked forward to the most--the Roast Turkey or the pies afterwards????

And this is the Cross stitching I am working on right now--

That sled was so long that I didn't want to get the  count wrong--so I did each package and would do the sled to meet the end of the packages and then the tree--was a good plan and it worked out nicely--now to finish this by Christmas--????

Last night I did buttons on bear sweaters and dressed 2 of them up--

how do you like my Santa hats??? I have had these for years!!!

The little bear on the   left is new--picked him up for $2 last week at a sale!! He is jointed like the one on the right side!!

Here is the rest of the bed--

So at least my bed is already for Christmas!!

And I did do this Christmas decorating in our hallway--by the back elevator which is right outside my door--

I learned today that the lady who used to decorate this area died a couple years ago and no body had done it since!!

And they decorated our lobby area the other day and this year's theme is --Florida and Flamingos!!!

What ya think?????

On Thursday--Carolyn came down and helped me hang up Curtains--it was rough work--even with my new 4 step step ladder--it was still work over my arms and neck--and the window is long--102" --I put the 2 white cotton valances up first--and then I added 2 new lace panels under it--so there was 3 sets of wall brackets for each one including the middle holder) I thought we would never get it done--I did re -add the fairy lights to the valances--just not the ivy till after Christmas--

 And on Friday she came back and we put together the new stand for the kitchen--that was easier!!

at least on my shoulders and neck!!!!  Hopefully that is the last piece of new furniture until after the first of the year--Still need a desk!!!???

I have also been busy most evenings hand quilting on the Sunbonnet Sues--have finished all the blocks and now I am doing  a 'big' stitch in the lattice rows--not sure yet if or what I will do in the outside borders????

I am hoping I am finally back on somewhat  of a routine--(though we did get a notice on our doors at 4 pm on Friday about --waxing all the hall way floors--WHAT--in December???   Now the floors really really need this--but not in December!!!!!!)

HOW MANY DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS---ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT????

HERE IS TO 'HOPE' THAT WE DO--

IN THE MEAN TIME-

CHILL WITH SOME HOT COCOA!!!

HUGS, DI

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE!!!!

 

BIG HUG TO ALL YOU READ THIS POST--DI

SURPRISE--AND THEN SOME!!!

 Oh my what a ride the last '2'1 days have been--lots of hard work--oh--did I mention--

lots and lots of hard work!!!

Moving on a moment's  notice with hardly any packing being done--is very hard--let me tell you--!! Some how with a friend's help--we did get it done----!!!

Now you would think --this apartment being in the same building--every thing-like kitchen cupboards and such would be the sam--NOPE--totally different kitchen cupboards and counters sizes are different--oh and higher up--so someone like me at only 4' 10" (or less with age)--is harder for me to reach--so lots of thought and organization has taken place--!!

Here is some stitching facts for you--

From January 1st to October 31--of this year--I had spent about 1,502 hours using a sewing needle every single day for 304 days--straight--did not miss a day--(knitting is not counted in this total)!!

Then along comes November 1st and the news that they have decided to move me a week early!!!  As I said this was hard and very tiring--I did not pick up a sewing needle until Nov 20th in the evening--that makes it '19' days in a row of no sewing--I did do a bit of knitting some evenings--though my fingers' really hurt and I had to keep stopping and rub them a bit before going on!!!

And this morning I even took a half hour and did some counted cross stitching--yea!!!

Last Tuesday--my friend  Carolyn and I put my new bed frame together--all by ourselves--I don't ever remember having a foot board on a bed since I was a teen ager--occasionaly a head board--but look at this--

And, I even got a nice dust ruffle for the bed--

And then we managed to get the new mattress in a box--by Zinus out of the box and unwrapped-and they had it wrapped up good--and on the bed--there is green tea extract they infused into the foam layers--there was no smell what so ever from this new mattress!

 And here is the bed all made up this morning------

And yesterday--I freed all my quilts from the protective carry bags that I put them in a couple months ago to save them from the mold spores and the neighbor's drug smoke--

 And I swear I heard them utter a sigh of relief!!!

And now when I wake up, I get to see this--

and as I lay in bed waking up--I get to see all my 'memories' for each quilt--oh what fun and a really nice way to start the day!!

Last week end was getting ready for a Rummage sale on Sunday--

Then on Monday a friend, Cheryl--and I went to a couple Thrift stores--I needed to return a couple packages to a UPS store in the area of the one store--

here are my 'goodies' from the day--of course the main reason was to look for things to help me organize--did find a few of those things too--but look what else came home with me--

This bear was for my friend Carolyn who helped with the move and making my bed--that cardinal is the brightest red--had to bring him home--and I have lots of small items for that cute wood display cabinet--and such a cute little log cabin for only a $1--

The little yellow wire basket was on for half price--------so gotta think about Easter for that price!!

And that little wood purse is so neat--and you gotta love the snowmen tray--And the wicker basket in the first photo--is a wall basket--but also goes with 2 other baskets I have in that line--

Oh--and I did get some items for organizing--this little bowl set of 4 is cute but there was only 3 lids--that is ok--I have this set only larger bowls--set of 4 bet the one lid will fit this set too--and I sorta cut off the little red pitcher--it says --Milk--on one side--

Well--enough for this post--I'll be back soon--

IS EVERYONE OUT TURKEY AND HAM HUNTING?????

HUGS, DI

OH MY--WHAT A RIDE---

It took----me at age 76--ok--76 1/2 and my friend Carolyn at age 81--three days to pack me up and to move all the light weight stuff down to the new apartment-- it was alot of work and walking--her cell phone said together we did over 1.5 miles--just the first day!!!

We would start at the old apartment and pack boxes for awhile then we would load up 2 large laundry carts and made a trip down to the new apartment and then back to old one--where we would sit a little bit and drink some water and rest--then it was back to packing and another trip--it was a long walk--the old apartment was on a long wing on the north end of the building and the new one was down one floor and as far south as the building goes--with a long  hallway going east to west in the middle that we had to walk--and then there was the elevator to deal with on each trip!!!   I always sent Carolyn home around 4pm--rested some and then I was back at it--sometimes bringing down a couple more loads--

MY question is---where does it all come from--????  do things multiply while we sleep??????  Or do quilters just have a lot of 'stuff'?????  the fabric did go into medium sized boxes for the staff to move on Monday--I really wasn't ready yet for the move and on Monday-- I had to go on the Van to Walmart--

The 2 men on staff showed up at 1:00 and the taller of the two--'was mean and nasty' though it all--we got to my bed almost last-and he turned to me and asked me what he was suppose to do with it--??  Well, move it of course!!!!

Now I do have a nice new white bed frame and new mattress in a box--and they are both still in the boxes--hopefully that is the plan for tomorrow--to set them up and my son coming for the old but still useful bed for one of their spare bedrooms!!

OK let's talk--new apartment--it is on the second floor and is an end unit--when I go out my door and turn left there is a smaller elevator- I can ride it down to first floor and there is the door to go outside--though it is the back of the building--but it is a nice walk around the building to the front--and now I get more fresh air and sunshine if I go that way--or I can still go through the building to get to the lunch room, mail boxes, ect.   I had been praying that when I moved back to Ascension Manor in a year or so-( oh after this move I am not ready to move anything in the future!!!!---that I would get one of the apartments there that have the new step in showers--WELL--God decided not to make me wait--this apartment has one--the toilet it low to the ground--(where as my other one was a tall one!!)  And the kitchen---it was designed for a giant!!!  At least someone taller than me--and a totally different cupboard set  up that the other apartment--so have alot of thinking to do as to how to organize the things I need and use all the time!!!

So lots of changes to deal with--it took 4 full days to pack up and move the old apartment to this new location and so far 6 days of unpacking--though I am not organized yet--and there is still the new bed to put together and a new desk--(everything comes in pieces now and you have to put everything together--challenging???)

Therefore--I have not  had a needle or sewed a stitch since all this  started--two nights ago I did pick up the knitting needles--but boy did my fingers fight and hurt--had to keep stopping and rub them--they finally got a little better--

time to go--need to move some things around a bit so we can move the old bed to set up the new bed--it's always something--to do---

TAKE TIME TO BUY A VETERAN A CUP OF COFFEE TODAY OR A MEAL TO SAYS 'THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE'--

HUGS, DI