Dear Ellen,
How in the heck can Christmas be only 12 days away? And why isn’t my Christmas tree decorated? I think we must be in some sort of a crease in the space time continuum. It was only September last week, so something is definitely awry. At least Max has the spirit. He found “Santa Loofa Dog,” one of his favorite holiday toys and brought him out to try to add some holiday spirit to the house.
We did manage to get out to our directorate holiday party Friday night. Thank goodness it was a sit-down dinner. There was dancing, but you could just sit at your table propping yourself up by your elbows if necessary. It was actually very nice — a dinner cruise on the Potomac and the band played music I recognized. We went to Dale’s work party today…YES, THAT’S RIGHT….HIS WORK PARTY! Dale has a job. Yay! It’s only a temp job, but it is reactivating his clearance and has already gotten him a reputation with the firm that picked him up. We think this has broken through the barrier that was keeping him unemployed. This does mean that in the last week I had to go to the grocery store, run a load of laundry and cook dinner one night. Maybe I need to rethink this.
I have one of my Christmas gifts early. I was going to save it, but I want to use it, so I’ll go public. While in England I made it down to Hampshire to spend a few nights with Vanessa. She presented me with this stunning Miko knitting bag and accessories (project and needle bags). It is absolutely fabulous. I shall look quite smart going to knit group in the future!
Through the last week I got bare knitting accomplished. I am partway up the cuff on the first of the Hugs and Kisses Socks, named for the “X”s and “O”s in the stitch 
pattern. (No Ravelry project page yet…it’s coming.) This is the one I commented on reference your frogging post last week. I noted that I had knit a sock and a half and ended up with one sock…that was a typo. it should have said one-half of a sock. At least now I can claim three-quarters of one. I also did some more on my Einstein. I’m at the point of picking up sleeves. Maybe I’ll finish in time to wear it this year.
We did get our Christmas Cards labeled and signed during the Army-Navy game yesterday and into the mail today. And I’ve started thinking about what to send nieces and nephews for gifts…adults may have to make due with 12th night gifts! And now…it’s already time for bed. Good night!
Love, Jan
Jan and Ellen are identical twins who have always had an innate fashion sense. Crafting is an integral part of their lives and they stay stitched together sharing their love of knitting, family and community.
December 13th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
The way I’d figured it, you’d knit one and a half socks, but only had half a sock to show for it.
And getting the tree decorated on Christmas Eve is still a tradition for my family - though I don’t wait until everyone’s gone to bed to do it like mom did when we were little. Wilson’s family will be here doing the tree, but I hope I get some of the other decorating done earlier. A poinsettia counts, doesn’t it?
The knitting bag is truly mahvelous. And Max is awfully cute.
December 13th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I love the new knitting bag! And congratulations to Dale
If it makes you feel any better, we have no Christmas decorations up, and I’m still only about halfway done with the Christmas shopping…
December 14th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Well, as you know, our tree went up the week before T-giving. I would have kicked and screamed against the idea except that A-stan is involved in our holidays this year. Last week, that big ol’ tree in the corner REALLY started bugging me, until… Tom and I went for a walk on that afternoon and came home to sit by the tree, read and daydream. We nodded off and at one point my eyes fluttered open for a moment and I mistook the tree for Jim, who told me just to close my eyes and rest. I would swear a warm blanket was involved. OK, it was weird, yet oddly comforting… and I did as I was told. Zzzzzzz. I love my tree.
(P.S. Just wish we had two cute dogs to sleep on a big round cushion under it!) xoxo
December 16th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Jan, I’m with you. I don’t know how Christmas is suddenly nearly here, and I’m also not sure where this entire year went. I swear that someone pushed fast-forward and now it’s stuck!
December 17th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Christmas? Huh?
Completely agree with you there…I can’t believe it’s that time already.
Congratulations to Dave!