A Day Out

Yesterday, my family and I spent all day visiting different unique shopping areas in our neighboring Pennsylvania. We took my brother and his wife to Rices's market, New Hope, and Peddlar's Village. In between we visited a boutique in NJ which was held on an Alpaca Farm. S and P enjoyed their day. They had never been to any of these places before. I was the chauffeur. We were so busy sight seeing and browsing through many stores that we never stopped for lunch. On the way home we stopped at a local Italian restaurant and brought home dinner which we devoured upon our arrival at the house. A good time was had by all. My brother and his wife returned home today. I always say that it's too bad they live so far away. We'd see more of them if they lived closer. I wish we could see them for the Christmas holiday as well. Having family visit for the holidays always makes things more special than they are when we're alone. Have a Happy Holiday Season and a Merry Christmas!

The Day After

We watched "An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving" on the Hallmark channel last night. It was a story written by Louisa May Alcott. I enjoyed the program. Unfortunately, I only got a few hours sleep after watching the movie. I was awakened several times by Sandy. I finally got up at 2am and stayed up until 4am. Mom and I watched another movie on the Hallmark channel and decided to try sleeping again. I was successful in sleeping until 8am. Most of the rest of the day was "sleepy". I held Coco often because she still had the collar/funnel thing around her neck. She was like a ragdoll. I couldn't stand watching her anymore. So I've just released her from her funnel bondage. She is now sprucing up. Something she tried to do unsuccessfully while in the collar. I'm hoping that it's not too long before she returns to "normal" behavior. I don't have enough time in my day or life to sit holding a kitten all day long. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a more productive day.

A Nice Visit

Our family had a nice visit today. The meal was superb and so was the company. My pumpkin cheesecake pie was a hit! I even liked it although I don't usually like pumpkin pie. We had Champagne, Asti Spumante and some German wine.

Happy Thanksgiving

The kitchen tasks are done. Cole Slaw is made and so is the creamed cauliflower. I feel relieved that I don't have to cook dinner tomorrow. The only meal I'll prepare is breakfast. Of course, since I'm not cooking tomorrow, that means that I'll be cooking for Christmas. That's no big deal if I prepare things early and don't leave too much for the last minute. I prefer cooking for Christmas. There will most likely be only a small number of people coming for dinner. My gifts are all purchased. My sister and I are going to get together one day to make Christmas cookies. I'll watch the Christmas movies over the next month. So, I'll start to deck the halls. May everyone who reads this have a very Happy and Blessed Holiday Season. It starts tomorrow with a Happy Thanksgiving.

Almost Done

The pies are done! The house is clean! Tonight I'll make cole slaw and creamed cauliflower for tomorrow. THEN, tomorrow I can just enjoy the day. It starts with breakfast. I'm making pancakes and sausage. We'll watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which we do every year. I'll pick my brother up and we'll all go to my sister's for dinner at about 1:00pm.

Altered Plans

My plans were altered for the day because I picked Coco up at 10:00am. She was very "needy". I did manage to make the Cranberry Bread before I picked her up and had started the pie crust. Finally, got the pie crust baked at about 6:30pm. I'll have to make the filling and bake the pie tomorrow morning. Also have two vegetable dishes to make tomorrow. They shouldn't be too difficult.
As far as sewing is concerned, I think that that has to wait until after the holiday. The house will be cleaned tomorrow. Maybe I can knit while watching the tube in the evening with Mom. I feel like I'm wasting time if I don't do something while I watch TV.

Order In The All Purpose Room

The only room I have to get into order after the holiday is the spare room. I sometimes call it the "sewing" or the "computer" or the "art" room. It's best described as the "all purpose" room. I plan on removing the storage items from the room and putting them in the storage closet. Things like the step ladder, seasonal decorations, odds and ends like the tennis balls, the bicycle lock and everything which lands there for lack of knowing what to do with them. If it doesn't fit into the three catagories I've mentioned, it's "out of there". I'll give stuff away or donate it. Anything to get some order in that room. Help! I need a miracle! I need order in my all purpose room. I wish I had a personal organizer to help get this room in ship shape. It wouldn't seem so overwhelming if I had help. Help! Help!

Productive and Creative

Today was another productive day. It started by taking Coco to the vet. When I returned home, I finished straightening up and had time to cut the binding for the next quilt. I sewed the strips together and tomorrow I will attach them to the quilt. Then the tacking on the back, or hemming, takes place. I'll make a label and another quilt is completed.
We had company briefly tonight. My brother and his wife stopped by to say "hello". They are in NJ for the Thanksgiving holiday when we'll see them again. Tomorrow Coco comes home, declawed. She'll be wearing a cone around her head so that she can't lick her wound. I imagine that she'll be very woozy from her surgery. We'll have to use special litter for her for at least a week.
I'm baking cranberry bread tomorrow and also a pumpkin cheesecake. Then on Wednesday I'll make the two dishes I'm bringing over to my sister's for Thanksgiving dinner.
Hopefully, while I'm waiting to pick up Coco, I can get a lot of sewing done. Then I'll work on the knitted afghan block which I started while in DE. As you can tell, I like to keep busy. I feel like I'm being productive and also creative at the same time.

Finishing Up

Tomorrow, Coco goes to the vet to be declawed. She has to fast from food and water after midnight tonight. I'm glad that she hasn't learned how to jump up onto the kitchen cabinet yet. That's where I hope to put all the food and water for Sandy.
Today I delivered the finished quilt to the person who will bring it to my cousin. I'm glad that that's been accomplished. I also rode down the shore to check on a few things. When I returned home, my sister was here. She had prepared Mom her lunch and also gave me a cup of tea. E. brought over some lasagna she made yesterday which we had for dinner. It was an easy day in the kitchen for me.
I'm just washing some bathrugs and a cat blanket tonight. I like to put the cat blanket on the bed so that the cat has a place to sleep without being on the bedspread. Sandy seems to shed more than Coco does. His cat hair is difficult to remove from some furniture so I place a throw of some sort on the chair he usually likes to sit in. I have 2 of those throws to wash tomorrow. I noticed that one needs to be dry cleaned only so we won't let him sit on that again. I have a few more summer things to put away tomorrow. After that is done I'll feel like I've accomplished the impossible. The only thing hanging over my head is the shredding which needs to be done. How I hate shredding!! It's so time consuming and boring to do. I know that if I'd just start it and do a little at a time, I'd finally get it all done. When I look at the quantity I have to do I get discouraged. Maybe when everything else is done, the house is cleaned, the baking for the holiday is done, and the dishes I'm bringing are made, I can get started on it. It may have to wait until after this coming holiday. Hopefully, I'll get it done before Christmas.

Jasmine

The quilt I made for my cousin, Kathie is done. The name of the quilt is Jasmine. I'm dropping it off at her sister's home tomorrow. Since it's winter weather, it will come in handy now. I would have loved to give it to her in person, but with the holiday season upon us, I'm not sure when that would happen. I just hope that she likes it. It think it's beautiful!! I've taken a few pictures of it so that I can show friends and also put a picture of the quilt in the quilt journal which I keep. Next comes the baby quilt. I need to put the binding on it and then add a label and it too can be delivered to the intended party. The baby is due this month. After that quilt there's one more for a little boy who just turned 1. I hope to have that done in December.
It looks like my sister's quilt will not be completed by Christmas. I'd like to get started sewing it together by then. Once the top is done, I'm half way "home".

A Productive Day

Today was a very productive day. I did get to work on one of my quilts. As a matter of fact, I only have about ten more inches to sew and I'm done. I also got out all my sweaters from the Hope chest and put some summer things away. I washed all the laundry in my hamper. I called my sister-in-law and found out that they may be coming up for Thanksgiving. It all depends on the weather. It's a long seven hour drive. Not fun in bad weather.
My neighbors were very noisy tonight. It sounded like the children were running around and jumping overhead. I decided to play Christmas songs on the piano. I hoped that if they heard my noise, maybe they'd get the hint. Of course, they didn't. It's happened before but never for the duration of time it occurred tonight. I actually got a headache from all of the noise. It's quieted down now. They must have been sent to bed for the night. I guess that that's one of the "joys" of having upstairs neighbors.
Tomorrow will be a food shopping day, and a trip to the hardward store for a furnace filter and clamps to hold the storm door in place. I'm also hoping for some time to sew before the day slips by tomorrow. I have another quilt which needs the binding sewn on. Slowly, but surely, they'll get done. Here's to a great weekend!

Update

This has been a week which is passing by quickly. On Monday I subbed for a local Art teacher. Yesterday I had 2 doctor appointments and today I had an hour and a half ride as part of an errand. Then I had the same ride home again.
If I don't work tomorrow I hope to either quilt or knit. Life sometimes gets in the way of ones hobbies. I also have a block of the month to complete for Friday's Quilt Guild. Cutting fabric with 2 cats around is going to be twice as difficult. I haven't tried to do that with the kitten around yet. I'm sure I'll be totally frustrated by the time I'm done. The best way to do it is to measure twice and cut once. Hopefully, it'll be that easy. I haven't written much lately because I don't feel that I have that much to say. I didn't want this blog to end up being like a diary of days. That's what it has turned into anyway.

Pinochle

The pinochle group has departed for the evening. K. won both games. I didn't come in dead last, that's something anyway. Coco and Sandy behaved themselves. That's the first time that friends have been over since I got Coco. I wasn't sure how she'd react. The cats came by the table where we were playing in the beginning but then after awhile they fell asleep in the living room and left us alone. I served pumpkin pie for dessert. They like to have whipped cream on top of it so I had that also. I refrained from dessert since I don't like pumpkin pie. I saved a piece for Mom for tomorrow. We've decided not to play Pinochle in December because it's such a busy month. So, that activity along with the small quilt group will resume in January.

Busy Pace

Life has returned to it's usual busy pace. The trip to WV and the trip to DE were successful and are both part of memory now. I enjoyed both visits and hope to return again in the future. This past week has gone quickly. I went to lunch with a friend from FL who invited us over to her daughter's for the meal. We had a nice visit. I haven't seen her for about a year and a half because last year at this time she had back surgery and couldn't travel. Last night she and I visited F. The quilt group was meeting at her place. It was nice for A. and F. to catch up since it's been a longer time since they've seen each other.
Today was a special day of sorts because I brought a new car home. It's been raining here all day which is Par for the course, so to speak. The car is a creamy white with a camel interior. I took the back roads home so I could get use to how the car feels. It was a nice ride. Tomorrow I'll go to the polytech to have my hair done and on Saturday my friends are coming over to play Pinochle. I'll have to bring my brother over on Sunday so he can see and ride in the new car. The benefit of having a new car is that I no longer have to worry about the gas gauge in my old car which didn't register the amount of gas in the tank correctly. I now feel confident that I won't run out of gas while traveling. I even have a back seat now which enables me to carry more than one passenger if need be. I look forward to driving it tomorrow.

Another Catch Up Day

Today was another day to play "catch up". I had some laundry to do, some straightening up to do and I managed to work on one of my quilt projects. Coco and Sandy were relatively quiet today. They did get me up at 3:00 am however, and started to chase each other around. At 3:30 am I returned to bed and slept until 7:00 am. I guess they had enough activity at 3:00am because they were better for the rest of the day. Coco is entranced by the computer and the tv. She likes to sit on my lap when I type and watch the screen. Sometimes when there is a scroll going across the bottom of the tv screen, she tries to catch it. She and Sandy have made "peace" so to speak. Occasionally, Coco tackles Sandy in a playful way, but Sandy isn't amused. He's like the "older brother" putting up with a "baby sister". Just leave me alone, is his feeling. Two cats are more work then one, but I'm having fun with them. Tomorrow will be a busy day because I'm preparing to go away for the weekend with friends. I'll be tying up loose ends before I can go. Hope to write again before I do.

Who Will It Be Now?

We're watching the election coverage on CNN. I'll be so happy when the issue is settled and we know who our next president will be. I think that all of these pundits are going to have "withdrawal" symptoms tomorrow. I wonder what they'll find to talk about next? I hope that our country gets back on the track and that we correct what's gone wrong lately. May God bless our new president and guide him in all he does.

Every Type of Weather Except Sunshine

We went to WV as scheduled last Tuesday. Unfortunately, our drive was not an easy one. The sun did not shine that day. We went through snow, sleet, rain, white out conditions and freezing rain. Luckily, we arrived safely, only an hour behind our time. The trunk was so full of luggage and other items that I left my laptop at home. We couldn't squeeze another thing into the trunk.
We had a good time while there. I went trick or treating with my great nephews and to water aerobics with my sister-in-law. I'm glad that we made the visit. Our trip home on Sunday was a much easier one. As always, I'm glad to be back home again. Now I'm getting ready to go away with two friends to visit another in DE next weekend. I'm looking forward to that visit as well.