It's a great day in the neighborhood!

 Our governor just announced that phase 2 of vaccination distribution will start Monday and phase 2 is teachers and people over 70!  Yay for me!!!  I am excited!  But it was a sad day for my daughter and her family as their 17 year old cat, Hector passed away last night.  

I've been cleaning a lot and finished the family room today although I do have some paperwork to go through still.  I vacuumed and dusted and tomorrow my robotic vacuum/mop arrives!  I am so excited!

I broke down and bought some Swiffers to dust with since I have so many books and they make it so much easier to dust.  The older I get the more I am prone to take the easiest route to do things! LOL!  I may even hire someone to mow my lawn this coming summer.  I don't mind the mowing but the heat and humidity does me in.

This was a cute poem I saw yesterday on FB and I am copying it here in honor of Hector...I knew him for all those 17 years.....he will be missed!

I hope you are all having a good day!

Happy Trails!!!

Monday - books and cleaning

 How is everyone today?  I am rested and ready to hit the week running.  I'm off to a good start too.  I cleaned litter boxes, emptied garbage containers and need to take it out to the street.  I've been cleaning the family room and have taken most of the Christmas decorations down but I can only make so many trips to the basement before my legs start giving out.  Here's the mantle without the holiday hoopla on it.  The lights around the mirror are always there............

This is some sheet music I found at an antique store and truer words were never spoken! LOL!

I worked on my sock last night while watching Da Bears lose to the New Orleans Saints but at least I got to see a Bear's game!  My goal is to finish the leg of sock #1 by YOP Sunday....I have 30 more rounds to go.....

I ordered floss for my Star cross stitch and found some material and was able to start on the border which only calls for DMC 310 (black) which I always have...........

I also gathered up everything for my wool applique snowman and I am hoping to get the pattern traced onto freezer paper.......

I signed up for my new Good Reads Challenge for 2021....I lowered my standards since it was such a fail in 2020!  I read 46 of the75 books that were my goal...so sad.  This year I am shooting for 52 and I am already behind!  

I have finished 1 book.....Virgin River which is still on sale for $1.99 on Amazon for Kindle.  I think I mentioned the love scenes in the book are much more explicit than on t.v.!  I don't like that but the book was good.  It was different than the Netflix series.  I was going to get the next one in the series but it seems like the only thing they have in common is the location.  It looks like each one is a different story.  I'm glad the Netflix series stays with the same people.  The 2 stars from the Netflix series are all over You Tube....i watched one where they were cooking sourdough bread!  Jack is actually from New Zealand but has no accent on the show!  How do they do that?  

I'm presently reading Sylvia Browne...........I've had this book for years and I'm sure I read it so this is probably a re-read....I love Sylvia!  She helped so many people...she's gone now....

This was my Chritsmas read and I need to finish it.....it's another great Agatha Christie mystery!

Here's a little humor as I think we could all use some!

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #28

 

It's only been a week but it seems longer..........it was a long week!  I haven't even blogged too much as I have been glued to the news about the horrific events in our country's capitol.  I am not worried or scared but I am damn mad!  I am tired of these fools who don't use the brains God gave them to be able to discern truth from fiction and those that know they are lies but continue to stoke the flames of hatred and division.  I think there should be laws and punishments for lying! These lies led to the deaths of 5 people and the liar in chief needs to be prosecuted for all the cruelty he has perpetrated on this country and it's citizens and immigrants.  I usually try to stay quiet on politics but I'm done holding my tongue!  This is my country too and I'm not going to stand by and be quiet while a bunch of  "yahoos" try to destroy it!

That being said I did not get a lot of "making" done although when I'm mad I get lots of cleaning done!

I vacuumed and scrubbed floors and shook rugs and did laundry.  I did get some treasures in the mail too...........a book of patterns by Teresa Kogut which was so reasonable and now I know why....just patterns no pictures of finished objects except for the 2 on the front cover.

then this pattern which is my all time favorite!

I did work just a bit on the leg of sock #2 and hope to get more done this afternoon watching football.  I think I only got about an inch done this past week.

I worked on finishing hexie #9 and started on hexie #10

I worked some on Betsy Glover ...........

I also received my big package of fusible fleece.........

and some Christmas fabric to make a Christmas project bag..........

I've finished watching the 20 episodes of Virgin River on Netflix and really enjoyed it but now I can't wait for the next season!  I get emails from Mrs. Darcy on ebooks for sale and this week there was the first book in the series of Virgin River by Robin Carr!  It's even better than the Netflix series except for the fact that it is much more explicit which I do not care for but the story line is still great.   

I am praying that all of you are safe and well and that a vaccine will come to a neighborhood pharmacy near you!  I had to pick up my prescriptions Friday and I asked them if they had any yet and they said no but they are coming soon and they said they had me on the list!  I did a happy dance!

Happy Trails!!! 

Back to work!!!

 I got one more wonderful birthday gift in the mail from my daughter.  I swear she is the best gifter ever.  The Little House on the Prairie Cookbook!!!  I can't wait to dig into this one!

Now that the holidays are over and my birthday, it is time to "get down to business"!  Yesterday I started de-cluttering and did my closet shelves and clothes.  I also went through shoes and accessories.  I'm still behind but I go at my own pace.  I was trying to listen to the electoral vote as I love anything historic and then all heck broke loose so I was glued to the t.v.  I did dry and fold some clothes and I refreshed the litter boxes. I cut some more materials for hexies and I shook rugs.  Today I vacuumed and washed kitchen and laundry room and then promptly ordered a robotic vacuum/mop.  There are too many floors here!  I cleaned off my desk and I'm about to call it quits for the day.

I hope you had a good day!

Happy Trails!!!

Humdinger of a birthday!!!

 Wow!  Who would think you could have such a great day on your 72nd birthday?  It was amazing!  One of the best, thanks to well wishers and phone callers and gift givers!  I got a nice phone call from an old friend and my grandson sent me a video of himself wishing me a happy birthday first thing in the morning.  He and I are the early risers in the family.  I tried to upload the video but I couldn't so here's a screenshot he sent me this morning......

  Then the mail came and holy cannoli!  I got a bunch of goodies!  Most of them were for me from me but there was one package from my good friend Connie from Far Side of Fifty.....I was bowled over by her generosity!

First she sent me one of her beautiful handmade cards......

and a hand crocheted shawlette which I adore because my neck always gets cold in the winter.....

Isn't it gorgeous!?! And so soft!!!  I love it, Connie!  But that's not all!  She sent me one of her hand craved and hand painted houses...........I already had the little house and the tree and now I have a bigger house with another tree!  I practically have a Christmas village!

 But wait!  That's not all!  She sent me this handmade post-it holder to put in your purse...so cute and so handy!  Connie is very talented.........if she doesn't know how to do something she'll figure it out!  Thank you so much, Connie!  They were very much appreciated and really made my day!

Next, the presents from me to me......2 xs patterns I've been wanting for awhile........

 

 

and a magazine...............on sale because it is from 2015..I don't care as that style doesn't get old........

floss for my New Year's Day start...........

and my New Year's day cross stitch start......Betty Glover 1837 reproduction sampler............started today.  As you can see this is a big one!  The other 2 patterns are my New Year's Day start and my birthday start  then we're done  until Stitch Maynia and that will be WIP's and no new starts!

I finally took a walk yesterday...ever since my fall I've been hesitant but I knew I had to get "back in the saddle again"...it was a gorgeous day and I have really missed my walks...........

Since they cleared out the lot across the street I can see the lake now.

There were several things I wanted to do on my birthday and one was to write down my goals for the coming year and monthly tasks etc.  I grabbed a notebook my daughter gave me and went outside and sat in the sun.....quiet and peaceful and that sun felt so good!

  After that I came inside and subscribed to Netflix and watched the first 3 episodes of Virgin River!  One of the YOP bloggers recommended it and it is very good. I had an Italian frozen dinner and cream puffs for dessert of which neither were very good.  I am just so used to home cooked from scratch that they didn't taste right.  I would have been better going to Sonic and getting a bacon cheeseburger! LOL!  But I can't complain when so many are needing food.  

I'll leave you with a picture of Miss Peeps enjoying the tissue paper that Connie had wrapped my gifts in..............she had so much fun!  The gift that keeps on giving!

Happy Trails!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the presents were for me from me............2 patterns I'd been wanting........

 

YOP Week #27

Happy New Year!!! I hope you had a safe and healthy one.  I've had a nice holiday so far and I've stayed busy trying to ensure I start all the things I want to at the beginning of this year.  The 2 biggies are de-cluttering and yoga.  

Let's get on with what I've been up to this week in the "making" department!  I made my first project bag!
Yay!  It turned out much better than I expected too.  I used a tutorial from Celeste Creates on You Tube and she is a great teacher!  Here' s my bag...........

 

I have another cut out but I need to order more fusible fleece.  I love it and can't wait to make more!

I worked on my socks this week.......I finished the cuff on each one and have started the leg on sock #1.

The hexies got some love too................

This next week I will continue to work on my socks and my hexies.  I will probably pick up my Chicken Joy cross stitch and work on it.  A very important project this week is to organize my cross stitch and floss and set up a schedule of what projects I will focus on and what projects I will have in my rotation and how many.  I have goals and plans for other areas of my life too.  

I started the Yoga and the first day was easy but the 2nd day not so much.  I did good at first until she wanted us to sit back on our haunches......but I did the all fours back stretches and it felt good and I am going to continue and although I am already behind I will just progress at a slower rate.  I'll keep trying until I master each area.  She's on You Tube if you're interested.

As for the de-clutter challenge....that starts January 4th....CreatingMarysHome.com and there's a Facebook Group.

I hope you are having a great start to your New Year and that you are inspired to create even more this  year!

P.S. I loved the black-eyed peas and will post the recipe tomorrow.

Happy Trails!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I was  in bed with lights out at 8:00 p.m.....We really do revert to our childhood as we age!  I had a nice day yesterday and got to watch a football game.  It wasn't a good game but it was a game.  I have chosen my word for 2021..............ACTION!!!  As in actions speak louder than words.  Hopefully, my actions will line up with my goals for this year and beyond.

I have black-eyed peas in the crock pot with ham and bacon and seasonings.  I have never made them before but this year I decided I needed all the luck I could muster up so black-eyed peas it was!

I also made some more "turtles"...they are so good and too easy to make! LOL!

I got my fabrics cut out for some project bags and I have more fabric coming! The fabric on the left is the lining and the fabric on the right is the outside and then I have enough to do a reverse bag too.  I got this fabric several years ago and I loved it but as with all things I love, I hate to use them for fear I will wreck them but as I have aged I have become much braver!  This is the time to take risks!  What do I have to lose at my age? LOL!

Several of you asked for the banana bread recipe from Olivia over at Pumpkin Hollow so here it is..

2 C flour

3/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 C sugar

3 mashed bananas

1/2 C softened butter

2 large eggs beaten

1/4 C sour cream

2 t vanilla

1/2 C nuts

In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  Set aside.  In large bowl (this is where I used my Kitchenaide mixer) combine bananas, eggs, butter, sour cream, and vanilla.  Add flour to wet ingredients and mix well.  Fold in nuts and pour into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes....actually mine was quite done at 50 minutes so next time I'll try 45.  Insert a toothpick to ensure it is done.  Cool for 5 minutes and the turn out of pan.

If you want to know the Goodreads Choice Awards for this past year in all categories here is the link

and now for a little humor to start off the year........

Happy Trails!!!