Alpenglow Farewell to 2007

What a nice way to end a year--a carefree trip to celebrate a birthday and visit farflung family!

We met the very charming Boston Boyfriend (hi, Chris, sorry but not looking at the camera will not prevent you from appearing in the picture), laughed with Atlantic Ariel about her crustacean-collecting forays, viewed the latest decorating masterpiece masterminded by ToolMan who has learned the subtle art of manipulating his clients and ate yet another delicious dinner hostessed by the Cruise Queen.

The birthday girl received roses--gorgeous, fragrant, subtly-blushing pink and altogether beautiful just--like the honoree.

We caught someone raiding the freshly baked bread when he thought we weren't looking. Hey, Grand Dude, good thing there was plenty for everybody else or there could have been trouble!

There was way too much picture taking for some. That's what happens when Cobalt Girl gets an exciting new digital camera of her own. And Kayak Man stops talking canines long enough to get grab his camera too. Good thing we are a camera-crazed family (unless the paparazzi are begging you for just one more shot). How else can we remember these treasured family get-togethers that come way too seldom?

The mountain roads, thankfully, cooperated with snow- and storm-free driving. We even witnessed a gorgeous Sierra sunset touched by alpenglow as we raced down Donner Pass on our way home. Thanks, family, it was a wonderful way to close out the year. Fair skies and smooth sailing to all as we welcome 2008!

Nosed Out

Where did her dark nose go? It was black as a puppy. Even a year ago, it was still dark. Heck, it was dark this summer. Suddenly, she's almost a two-year-old and her Yellow Lab heritage is beginning to show up. Kharma has a pink nose.

(Don't you just love Hissy Cat? She came in Kharma's Christmas stocking.)

'Tis the Season

There were gatherings at Christmas Eve. Grammy's tree was beautifully decorated with old Shiny Brite ornaments. The lasagna my sweetie made was wonderful along with Grammy's new pie crust (courtesy of Martha Stewart) filled with yummy Golden Delicious apples left over from Clayton Girl's orchard this fall. Yeah, there were a few presents too. All thoughtfully chosen and gratefully received. And new ornaments: hard to choose between the parakeet ornaments that match Grammy's two birdbrains and the bell-ringing elf that Tigger made! Then we reluctantly went out into the cold and drove home to prepare for the Big Day.

Christmas day arrived leisurely. First order of business was to give Kharma a much-needed bath. She looks so much cuter fluffy and golden and clean! Then Erkie and Grammy arrived to open presents from our stash and see what things Santa left in stockings. We proceeded to put plane #1 on the roof, watch plane #2 flat spin onto the asphalt and die, and completed the hat trick with #3 making an apparently perfect landing only to discover that the wing looked fine but was actually broken in half. It only cost Santa a couple of bucks (greenbacks, not caribou) and we laughed ourselves silly over the toys.

Santa left Kharma plenty of toys, which she opened gently. She was racing around like a two-year-old on a sugar high with all the excitement. Only two of her toys currently are whole, no stuffing protruding or ears chewed off or holes in the squeakers.

Dinner was delicious. Stay tuned...Christmas part deux, tomorrow.

Christmas Challenge

Okay, family! I know you all have beloved ornaments on your trees and special collections of snowmen/Santas/nativities/angels/houses on display.

You went to all that trouble to put them up...Wouldn't you like to share them? Take a photo, or two, or three and email them to me and I'll publish them for you. Feel free to spin a yarn about your treasures too. If you have a blog post about them, send a link.

It'll be like a large family visit together.

At the very least, we want a photo of your Christmas day gathering.

The ball's in your court. Charge up those batteries and get those digital cameras working. No pressure...we'll post the photos as we get them, when we get them (please notice that WE haven't posted any yet either).

Stay tuned and a come back often for our Family House Tour!

Autobots

I hate to do it, but I think I might incorporate a word verification to eliminate the annoying robot that leaves "comments" on my blog. Comments which are not comments. Comments that are just links to business opportunities--think bloggy telemarketers.

And Blogger, in their infinite wisdom, changed comments so that a profile shows up instead of a link to their blog. Bless their geeky little hearts.

Otherwise I'd be pleased to visit a certain commenter on his site and leave a few meadow muffins strewn about for him to enjoy.

We'll see how long my patience lasts.

Clean

No ironing pile! No scrap fabric pile! No old photos pile! No pattern pile!

When enough projects get completed, the cleanup can begin. Too bad there isn't a before photo to go with this after shot of one of our guest beds. (You didn't really want to see the mess, trust me.) Honesty compels me to add that we also have a clutter-free coffee table, dining table and kitchen table.

I'm not ready for sainthood yet though. There is still a "Christmas" room with plenty of presents waiting to be wrapped and/or boxed as well as a few crafts that are close to completion.

I'm sure it was just a total and complete coincidence that my sweetie arrived back home today from his week living in nice clean hotel rooms! Yeah, right.

Counter Raider

Apparently food left on the kitchen counter is no longer safe, sacred or dedicated to humans. Either that, or apples have begun to mysterious float to the floor by themselves.

Clutter

I always make a huge mess when I'm being the most productive. Reorganize a closet? Prepare to watch me devote two entire rooms to piles and boxes. Get ready for Christmas? Haul in storage tubs from three different locations and live with piles of Christmas decorations downstairs for a week before you can see the floor. Finish Christmas craft projects? Uh-oh. Home Organizer Alert: Every single surface in our home has clutter on it.

I've been ignoring it (selective vision) up to now because I've been getting so much done. It's reached that point that even Shrek would get a little uneasy around this much stuff. I've no idea how my long-suffering and very organized sweetie has survived this long without complaint.

But the fact that he just left on a conveniently-timed business trip is somewhat suspicious.

Buddies

Kharma loves going to the pasture even more when Cody is there. Having a fresh snowfall to romp in just makes it that much better.

That's Cody in front with the K-Dog staying just enough behind to keep the game going. Cody loves snow as much as Kharma. It energized him so much that he initiated the game of chase this time.

Empty Spools

I can't tell you exactly what I've been doing just in case you are someone on the receiving end of my projects. (If you are an adult who has previously received one of my Christmas efforts and not living in my house, Do. Not Worry. I'm not mailing anything handmade your way--you're safe.)

I can tell you that I'm on my second really big spool of thread. Well, technically I'm on it, but only for about another 15 inches and then it too will be toast. I can't count how many times I've rethreaded the bobbin. The sewing machine rebelled after the first ten items or so and insisted on a complete re-oiling. I think it's close to needing another lube job soon.

Yeah, I'm involved in a really marathon sewing event. I no sooner finish one mystery item than I think of someone else who might enjoy one or I find another fabric "theme". I can't count how many times I've been to my local fabric stores, but I know I'm contributing mightily to the local economy.

I've fallen in love with one fabric. I didn't realize how great it looked until I started using it. So I went back for more and used it all up. Then I decided I wanted some just for me (yeah, we're keeping two of the mysterious Christmas items, so how bad could they be? All right, already. I can hear all you past recipients groaning all the way up here. You are not getting one. Even if you beg). Three trips for one fabric. Three trips to the fabric store that is not close. I'm not going to calculate how much per yard this sale fabric works out to when the cost of gas is factored in.

And it's a project that uses up stashed fabric. That's a good thing, a very good thing. I've learned that it IS possible to have too much fabric. You may disagree, but my craft closet is much happier in its new slimmer condition.

I love straight sewing for a change. And French seams are my new best friend. I think I like them even better than serging. They have style and that certain je ne sais quoi. (Don't you love it when you get to sling a little French around?)

One thing leads to another, I've found. This mystery item has meant searching through boxes of fabrics here at home, which means I've also run across previously started projects. And I have energy and enthusiasm and hands and fingers that work. So postponed projects are being finished right and left.

There's a downside of course. One is that the adrenaline rush I get when I'm accomplishing something isn't very conducive to sleep. Another is that there are piles of fabric covering both guest beds, the ironing board hasn't been down for two weeks and it's hard to find a nook clean enough in which to wrap presents. The last is that I not only am involved in the sewing marathon and finishing old projects, but I keep starting new Christmas craft patterns.

The madness continues. Where will it all end? No one knows. It's fun while it lasts though!