Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Last Post...

...of 2009. Doesn't that just make you kind of teary-eyed? Me neither.

So this would be when I show off all the finished projects in 2009, but you know what that would mean. Yep, pictures. It ain't happening. I will say that I was happy to finish a number of things (some of them are in the list at the very bottom of the page) and that a couple of Finished Objects were BSPs (that's Big Stinkin' Project, Melissa, which you would have known if you had been reading my blog but that's okay I'm just your poor old Mom and what could I possibly have to say that you would be interested in anyway?) Ahem.

This also would be when I list resolutions for the coming year, but I really don't have any. At least not new ones. And I don't really make resolutions, nor do I set goals. I think it's tough to resolve to do something and maintain that resolve through all the ups and downs of life. What happens most of the time is that we break our resolve and eat that entire carton of ice cream (just an example--not anything I know about from experience koff koff) and then chuck the whole diet resolution because we've just blown it. And setting goals has always been a weird thing for me because it's so closed or something. I mean, I could set the goal that I want to learn to play violin, or learn to speak Italian, or learn to paint, but when are you there? How do you know when you've reached that goal, and what do you do then? Sell the violin, toss out the watercolors?

Sooooo, I prefer having intentions. (And don't even mention that old saying about the road to hell!) Intentions work much better for me, because they can be things that will never end. I can have the intention to eat more healthy food, and because it's an intention rather than a goal or a resolution, it can last as long as I need it to. I think intentions suit me better because they have a little wiggle room, too. If I have the intention to eat better and I pig out on ice cream occasionally, I don't feel like I've blown some rigid standard I set for myself. For me, it produces a better mind-set.

So, do I have intentions? Oh, yeah--lots of them, and not just for the new year:

Continue learning the violin
Daily Bible reading
Work on finishing fiber projects (spinning, knitting, needlework, quilting)
Get some painting done in the house
Plan, plant, and maintain flower beds in the spring & summer
Take better care of my physical health, which includes regular exercise
Socialize more

Well, there are a few. I'm sure I have more, but that's what comes right off the top of my head. And now all this talk of ice cream has had an effect. I'm off to answer the call of the wild Mint Chocolate Chip that's residing in my freezer.

BTW, check out the comment on the last post that Mommy X left. Everybody's a comedian!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Finally!!

A post with pictures! Yes, I know, it's amazing. Even if my poor daughter did take pity on me and forward them from a friend. Hey, I don't care how I get them, and you shouldn't either, right? (BTW, hop over to DD's blog and enter her giveaway. It's soooooo worth it!)

Now, without further ado, we have pictures:

This is from the shower for Baby X and family. The quilt is the one I made (ta-daaa!) That's Mommy X on the left, Daddy X on the right, and Rugrat is in the center, "helping" them open gifts (when she's not eating chocolate treats.) Oh, and Baby X is the bump that's blocking part of the quilt, obviously. He's due next Monday, and I'm hoping he's going to be one of those people who are never late. I'm sure Mommy X feels the same way.

And here's the picture that proves what's really going on at the X home. You see Mommy X ooohing and ahhing over all the lovely gifts, so you just know that she spends lots of time in Baby X's room looking at all the pretty clothes and blankies and baby hygeine items, folding, refolding, rearranging. Daddy X (my son) clearly is only interested in playing with Baby X's toys. I may have to find another sock monkey before next week.


I'm starting to get excited. I need to be prepared for "the call." (Well, they'd better call when she goes into labor!) I just hope it goes quickly and easily. Oooooh, I'd better be thinking about a project to take along--time to cast on another pair of socks for hospital knitting!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Regrouping Yet Again

I'm not even gonna go through all the apologies and excuses for not posting on the blog for almost 3 weeks now. Life's just funny sometimes, and I'm in one of my periodic regrouping modes.

First up, I can now tell you about the three Stealth Projects that I finished in the last couple of months. They were all gifts for the soon-to-be-born grandson (in two weeks, more or less!!!) I knitted him a pair of tiny socks and a pair of tinier mitts, and I finished a quilt I had started some time back. It was a sample for a class I taught when I worked at a quilt shop, and all I had to do was quilt and bind it. I want to make Baby X something just for him, so I feel a little conflicted about using the top I'd made all those years ago, but on the other hand it was kind of neat to use something that had a lot of memories in it. He won't care either way--I'm sure he'll be an equal opportunity poop-on-the-quilt baby whether it was created just for him or not. I also found a cute sock monkey that I put in the gift bag. I have a feeling that Daddy X wanted it for himself. He has a thing about monkeys.

Do I have pictures of these items? What do you think? (Big hint to Daddy X: Take pictures and email them to me!!)

I'm still behind on the "52 Projects" plan because, as I suspected would happen, I've burned through all my quickie UFOs and am now stuck with a lot of BSPs. That's ok, though, because I've put them into a rotation so I get to each BSP at least once a week or so. Maybe I should lower the goal and make it "26 Projects in 52 Weeks." Yeah, that's more like it. I'll give that a shot.

So, the regrouping thing. I'm doing a lot less on line these days. I've pretty much stopped posting on Plurk, and my Ravelry presence is way down as well. I want to make better use of my time now that I don't have to go out to work. It's been too easy to get on the computer and putz away a couple of hours. Those are hours I would prefer to spend in Real Life, doing things like playing the violin, reading, or actually doing something with a friend. That last thing is the hardest for me because I just don't get out and about a whole lot, and when I do I'm usually alone. I need to get out of my "hermit" rut, and I know that will be the hardest thing for me to do. I kinda like my hermit rut. But I know it's not necessarily good for me. Soooo...time to get out of the comfort zone a little. Not that I plan to turn into a social butterfly or anything. I'd really rather stay home and knit.