Merry Christmas!

It’s Christmas day and as I look out the window it’s snowing.  When I look again it has quit but it will start up again.  That’s how it is here.  It’s about 1pm and I have already been to the quilt store to try to finish getting ready for our big year end sale (oh, it’s snowing again).  It’s funny how even when you put off the things you need to do, Christmas still comes and goes whether you are ready or not and as Christmases go, I’m never ready.  We had a small Christmas Eve dinner with the kids last night.  Our kids were here (we never know if our son will show or not) and we had Raclette which we found out about from a Swiss friend of ours.  It involves an appliance that fries and broils at the same time.  You can fry things on top while in a small tray/pan you can broil things under the grill.  It’s a great group dinner as you are visiting while, you cook whatever you want.  Our daughter spent the night as she was going to be coming back today anyway and figured she’d save the toll fee on the bridge.  I’ve been to the store and quilt store and we are now patiently waiting for our son and friend so we can open presents. (still snowing)  We are watching a 1979 FA Soccer Final between Arsenal and Manchester United.  Yeah, I know, exciting.

DH and I spent Friday – Sunday up in Squamish, BC, Canada to take pictures of eagles.  This is a huge winter site for bald eagles and DH is getting interested in photography.  So off we go.  We left at 11am and got there around 3:30pm.  We checked out all the eagle sighting places  but it was getting dark so there wasn’t much to see.  Once we were getting ready for bed, don’t cha know, it was snowing.  Well, we were prepared for snow but taking pictures in the snow is a bit of a hassle.  Fortunately it doesn’t get light real early so we got up at 6:30am (but it could have been 4am).  We had to get to where the birds are before it gets light or you miss all the feeding frenzy. (Yeah, I said feeding frenzy.) Well, I’m pretty much a fair weather anything person so taking photos out the window of the car is where I’m at.  We did get out and trek around some and it really wasn’t bad (better than rain).  I got some nice photos but DH wasn’t real happy with his.  Oh, well.  We did this both Saturday and Sunday mornings but it rained Sunday (I did not get out for photos) and we were out of there by 9am on our way home. (I should have been home getting the store ready for our sale.)  No, we had a good time and I’m glad we went.  But now it’s Christmas and well, I’m back to where I started.  The dog just came in and, yes, it’s still snowing.  We have 2 dogs – black dog(BlkD)and brown dog(BrnD).  Both dogs got chewies from Santa and as soon as BrnD left his chew to follow DH then BlkD grabbed BrnD’s chew and ran with it under the dining room table.  Which now that I think about it, I have to clear off a year’s worth of fabric and quilting stuff off the top so we can eat our Christmas dinner (prime rib, yum!).  I know it’s a year’s worth because the sewing machine that I took to a retreat in January 2007 is still there on the floor.  Pretty sad, huh?  Now we are getting phone calls from the Mothers (mine will be 88 in January and his is 84) because of the snow they don’t know if they should come.  We’ll be planning a carpool here pretty soon so I better get going.  And it is still snowing. 

For those who have found this blog, I wish you a Merry Christmas (because that’s what I do) or Happy Holidays for those who don’t.  Enjoy where you are and I will get back soon. PGVIN

Christmas in the Harbor

Last night was our annual Lighted Boat Parade in the harbor and some of the shops stay open until 9pm.  I stood and watched the parade out my office window. It was a beautiful clear, cold night and the boats were great.  They start about 6pm and they jump into the parade as they are ready then float around the harbor 3 or 4 times.  Afterwards, people can do some Christmas shopping. 

I worked on a Christmas present for one of my kid’s friends.  I managed to sew a couple of rows upside down so I did my share of ripping and restitching.  I am also working on a large poinsettia pattern from O Carol Designs for myself.  It won’t be done for this Christmas but it better be for next.  I think that I will carry the pattern in the store after the first of the year and maybe even have a work day for those who want to make it.  You should go to www.ocaroldesigns.com and see the beautiful floral patterns she has for sale.  I’ll let you know when I finish mine.

We had several groups of people stop in and shop and share our hot chocolate and cookies.  I guess we are officially open for the Christmas season.

Later, PGV

I Found It!

Well, it’s about time!  It has taken forever to find my blog site and now that I am here, I am at a loss as to what to do.  This will be fun once I really figure out just where all the buttons are and what they do.  My new BFF, Jennifer, has been a great help.  Thanks, Jen!  I am sooooo not computer smart so we’ll see how long it takes me to figure out just what I AM DOING.  Actually, this is pretty easy.  I just don’t know how I got here.  You see, between my new BFF and myself, we managed to set up 3 different blogs for me and we couldn’t remember how to log into any of them.  Now that we’ve figured out how to get in, I only manage to find the sites I plan to delete.  I obviously found where to post ’cause here I am.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get back here again.

As soon as I can come up with a picture of myself that I like (maybe never) I’ll put it on line.  I have an idea but it will take me a while to find it and make it work.  There is alot to discover writing a blog and it will be interesting to see how I progress as I learn more about blogging.  Hang in there with me and thanks for stopping by.