Friday, December 29, 2006

Water Lillies Washing Up on the Shore of My Sanity


This is the afghan I made for my sister as a housewarming present. She and her husband bought a house last summer. I didn't have it done in time for that, and I stupidly put it aside, figuring that I would get it done for when I would go down to visit in September. Yeah, right. Well, I could always give it to them at Christmas...


Around December 10 I suddenly realized that I had to have the afghan done in only two weeks! Yikes! I still had 12 blocks to make, then I would have to sew the blocks together and put the border around it. I stayed up until midnight most nights of that last week, and finished the border in the car down to the Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul are called simply "the Cities" here, as if there were no other cities in the country).


There were many times in that week when I thought I was losing my mind. That's why I've named this afghan Water Lillies Washing Up On the Shores of My Sanity. But it's done! And it looks rather nice if I do say so myself. It looks so tranquil compared to my feelings when making it!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Goofy Movie Quotes

A friend sent me a link to a site where you enter any word you like--say, your name-- and it will put that word into a quote from a famous movie. My favorite one so far is "Keep your friends close but your Maddy closer." Isn't that fun? I really need to go to bed, but it is addictive to see what they will come up with next!

http://thesurrealist.co.uk/movie.php?word=Maddy

Monday, December 25, 2006

My cats





Look! Pictures of my kitties. Magic is the black cat. See? Black Magic Cat. The white cat is Merry, which is short for Merriadoc Brandybuck. Yes, there was once a Pippin. Don't ask.
Anyway, I went down to Minneaplis to spend Christmas with my sister and her husband, who hosted the presents opening event (they have a three year old, so it was an "event"!) and my brother, who hosted us all for Christmas Eve dinner. It was lovely. I got home tonight and when I came to my door, I found...
A Christmas Stocking!
It was given anonymously, but I have a pretty good idea who is responsible. There were all kinds of good stocking stuffers in it, and some of those were things for my cats! See? Merry kept herself occupied with a little stuffed mouse, and Magic batted around a little ball with a bell in it for over half an hour. I wasn't surprised that Merry played, because she loves to chase after toys, but Magic isn't very interested in toys. But she really likes that little ball!
So to my friends who are responsible for a little extra Christmas joy in my life: Thanks! You know who you are!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Coffee, Not So Good The 2nd Time Around...

Last Saturday (December 9) I was stricken by the stomach plague that's been going around. I got to work at about 7:00 and got a cup of coffee. Now that winter's here (well, it's pretty warm for December, but it's still winter) I really enjoy a cup of hot coffee in the morning. My tummy was a bit uneasy, but the night before I'd been a chaperone at the youth movie night at church and I had eaten quite a bit more than I was used to, so I figured that was it.

No. At 8:00 I left and got home just in time to experience the joy of tasting that cup of coffee going the other way. Wow. Every time I threw up that day and the next I tasted that coffee. Strangely enough, I haven't had coffee in the past week. I did get a cup this morning at work. I even had a couple sips. But instead of tasting like coffee it tasted like... Well, you can imagine what I tasted. Yuck.

I really hope I get past this soon. I enjoy coffee. But when I was 8 I threw up Rocky Road ice cream. Can't stand it to this day. Sigh. Coffee can not be permitted to go the same way.