Happiness is...

Celebrating the holidays with family 

Cooking

Laughing

Eating

Playing board games
Watching movies

Puzzles

Packages under the tree

New jammies 

Quiet time

Knitting

Reading

Listening to music

Watching it rain

Going out for coffee

Being thankful

Happiness is...

I did it.  It was said by some that it couldn't be done.  Ha!  Well here it is, the last lap quilt finished for Christmas with plenty of time to spare.  And the fact that the Mr. was in the hospital last week for his operation...well, I am rather pleased with myself.  The Singer Featherweight 221 held up under extreme pressure, my sanity is intact and now all I have to do is some wrapping, the Mr. is home and recuperating nicely.  I couldn't wish for anything more.

I'm giving my hands a knitting break for a week to see if they get any better, my fingers are stiff and swollen and painful...arthritis?  Overuse?  Probably a bit of both.  So, I have no new knitting projects to show off,  just a few WIP's that will have to keep for a while.  I think I need to abandon socks for some larger knitting needle knitting.  I have a sweater in mind that I will share as soon as I make up my mind.

I go back to work on Monday after taking time off to be a private duty nurse.  The pay isn't great but the rewards are many.  The Mr. is an easy patient and doesn't complain even when I know he is uncomfortable.  I wish all of my patients were as easy.

Now I'm off to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas".  The holidays wouldn't be complete without watching Charlie Brown search for the true meaning of Christmas

Happiness is...

(in random order as that is how my brain is functioning right now...  lol)

1.  Having the Mr. home from the hospital
2.  A clear, bright, cold, frosty day today
3.  Giving myself permission to take it easy today
4.  My yoga class this am...very invigorating and relaxing at the same time
5.  My sister who helped me through the past 3 days
6.  All of our friends and family who wished us well
7.  Getting some knitting done during the hospital stay

Yay!  Almost to the finish line

8.  Having the last Christmas gift quilt ready to sandwich
9.  My sister finding and bringing me three bobbins for our mom's old Singer Sewing Machine

Oooo, I really needed these

December begins

OK,  so here it is December and all I have managed to do is change the picture in my header.  I was going to delete the whole thing, reconsidered and now it is back.  I'm thinking that there won't be much posting in December, this has to do with kidneys (the Mr.'s) and my lack of concentration on much of anything besides taking care of him.  Which I am so happy to be able to do.  He's is a good patient and as long as he's doing well, I am too.

I've been working on some quilting projects and simple knitting- great for hours of waiting in the hospital.

The Mr. with my sister's husband on a beautiful Autumn hike

Everything will be fine and we are looking forward to spending Christmas with my sister's family up in Vancouver.

Always learning...

Wonky Cross Quilt                                                                    

 
I have finished another quilt and am proud proud proud...that I actually did finish it.  I also learned a few things along the way about myself and life:

1.  Sewing a straight seam is harder than it would first appear.
2.  My vintage Singer sewing machine is awesome and handled the job well proving to me that old is
     good.
3.  I don't like finish work - binding in this case.  So....
4.  Found a tutorial for turning your sandwiched quilt inside out and voila, problem solved.  No binding      
     to wrangle.
5.  Planning is good and helps you avoid pesky problems on fabric and in life.
6.  Math is good - should have payed more attention.
7. A sharp new rotary blade makes all the difference in the world.
8.  Having a husband who doesn't mind me commandeering the dining room table is priceless!

Quilt back

Happiness is...

The sun's warmth, cherries, time to read, sewing, golfing, family and friends, evening walks, good health, freshly washed sheets, getting to know neighbors, watching our little neighbor take his first ride on a bike without training wheels, vinho verde, meeting baby Malcom for the first time, knit night, growing tomatoes, knitting early in the morning in my periwinkle porch chair, seeing the extended weather forecast is for sunny days ahead, going to the beach, watching the sun sparkle on the water, orange sunsets...

Summer time, and the living is...busy!!

We have had a constant stream of visitors with us since the end of July.  Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit but our good friends from Sacramento, Jim and lisa, were here for a few days and two days later the Mr's brother and his family arrived.  And although this isn't really a 'constant stream', it has felt like it.

It has been fun being a tourist in our own city which we rarely indulge in any more.  We've been all over the UW campus and U District, downtown Seattle, and the Seattle Center.  Then yesterday up to Victoria BC to see Butchart Gardens and roam around the waterfront of Victoria before heading home on the boat last night.

While I've had a great time seeing everyone I'm really looking forward to a break in the visitors and getting back to crafting!  I haven't really knit, spun or sewn for 4 weeks now and I'm getting antsy to get back at it.  

Dennis, Maddy, Norma, Dorian

Parliament building, Victoria, BC

Italian Garden, Butchart Gardens