Happy New Year

It's that time of year again! Time to give ourselves unattainable goals and feel miserable when we can't reach them. New Year's resolutions should be about better ourselves not belittling ourselves when we can't reach our goals. That's why last year I didn't set a weight loss goal. Instead I set goals to be a better person.

At the beginning of this year, I made my resolution list.   I'm pleased to say that for the most part a lot of these resolutions follow through.  I have learned to knit and boy have I advanced my skills. I'm very proud of all the items that I've made and am satisfied with my skills. This year, thank God, we were off a lot better  financially than last. We were able to help out a little boy for Christmas. We got him a nice Lego set. It was a joint effort. Everyone at Jess's work helped out the family. It was an adopt a family event. It was great. Growing up, my family was always involved in some charitable event or other  like this. I was always so grateful to get new clothes or shoes and a toy forget it , I was over the moon with joy . I know how it feels to not have enough to celebrate a birthday or holiday. How people always look at your like you're not good enough to talk to them because your clothes are used and not some brand. I can say that going through that does make me appreciate new clothes better but thrift stores will always have a special place in my heart.

I haven't really given any thought to what I'd like on my resolutions list this year. I guess that will be another post another day.

I want to thank everyone for following and all of your insightful comments. I look forward to what the New Year will hold for us all.  I wish everyone a happy and great New Year's. See ya next year! 


                         Ridley wishes you all a Happy New Year!

Giveaway Alert

Just wanted to let you all know that Techinolo Cutie is having an awesome Besame giveaway. Be sure to check out her blog.

Time, where did it go?

I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since I last posted. I've been trying to finish up Christmas projects and get the house cleaned up. It seems that the closer we get to the end of the year, the busier we get. We've been so busy with life in general we don't even know what we want for Christmas. We agreed to get a couple of "filler" presents for under the Christmas tree Then after the holidays, we'll figure out what we want. A couple of weeks ago wee bought a 6' Noble Fir for $35. It was cheap since we had a $10 off coupon. I love signing up for newsletters because, most of the time, you get a coupon so you become a repeat customer. It works out for both parties.

Over the last couple of years, I've been building my Christmas decoration collection. I've gotten great deals on silk ornaments and some string lights. Most items I've bought at rummages sales or  thrift stores. I love vintage ornaments.They have a lot more character and are made a lot better than modern ornaments.  They have a history. Someone loved and appreciated them at one point.  A while ago I picked up a Holly ball. It's a styrofoam ball covered in plastic Holly leaves and berries.  I turned it into my Christmas wreath. I bought a wicker wreath, a hanger and just placed the Holly picks in the wicker.















I started working on the sweater I post last time. It was going good until I realized that I had made the waist band 10 stitches too short. Yeah, not good. I undid all of my work and this time made sure that I had the right amount of stitches. It gave me a chance to begin the sleeve and see how it's going to look. I haven't really worked on it since I've been working on other projects. I figure it'll be easier if I work on it after the New Year. Hopefully, I'll have it done in time for Spring.

We're suppose to get a ton of snow this weekend. Over 10 inches! I guess we'll see it it actually sticks around. We got some snow this week. I have to say that I really love watching snow accumulate and change the landscape. Especially when it's light and fluffy. Ridley keeps wanting to go out in the backyard but he's too much of a wimp to go out in 14* F weather. Not that I blame him; he never grew a winter coat. I was trying to knit him a sweater but I needed finer yarn. He'll just have to wear him bow tie for Christmas photos.

My in-laws will be coming over this Sunday. It'll be nice to have them over. We'll be spending Christmas Eve at our house eating tamales and pozole that I need to get started on today or tomorrow. I'm going to make the tamales and freeze them. Then on Christmas Eve morning I'll finish cooking them. This way I avoid being all frumpy and put out. Christmas Day, we're going to Jesse's uncle's house for dinner. We'll see how things go.

This is what I see when I decided to step out of the house. I can honeslty say that I love looking at the snow-topped Sierras. Just over that mountain lies Tahoe. It's hard to remember we're at a high altitude when you look up at that mountain.



I everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. I wish you and your family a happy, joyful time. Be sure to have lots of food, drinks, and  love. 

Getting Better

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine wasn't so good. I thought I was having period pain and general discomfort but it turns out I had a head-cold. I felt so bad last week I didn't do any of my chores and I just laid about the house with a splitting headache and congested sinus. I hate being sick. I have no patience for it. I never have, even as a child. I hate that I feel so helpless and useless. I didn't do any dishes and cooked the simplest of meals. I didn't do laundry but I did manage to keep the animals and plants feed. Sunday night I went to bed with a headache.I thought it wasn't too bad but then my teeth started hurting; it turned out to be something close to a migraine. I finally got up and took an Excedrin PM pill and that let me sleep.  Today is the first day that I can tell Im feeling better. My sinus is starting to clear out and my head isn't as foggy.

It's hard to believe that we are almost at year's end. It seems that time keeps moving faster and faster the older we get. I am very thankful that our financial situation has improved greatly compared to last year. I thank God everyday and night that we were given the opportunity to continue ours lives here in this home and town. I'm also very thankful that our families and friends are safe and healthy.  I always ask that everyone who needs helps gets it.

We've gotten a lot of rain in the last week. Friday it rained all day.The sound of the rain hitting the front windows was pretty loud and sounded more like hail than rain.  I really missed the rain. Although, I wish it would snow instead but it hasn't been cold enough for that yet. One thing is for sure, we've gotten a lot more rain this year than we did last year.

A few weeks ago my father called me and asked for my forgiveness. It was an unexpected call to say the least. he was crying and asking me to forgive him. And I did. He hurt my siblings and I  immensely but there is no point in me holding onto such negative and hateful feelings. I can't tell you how much better I feel now that I have forgiven him. I no longer feel this ugly, hateful feeling brewing within me. I feel more at peace with myself and him. He ,however, has not forgiven himself. He's going down a self-hating, destructive spiral that I fear will not end well. I told him that if he truly wants to change he needs to forgive himself, get closer to God, and get lots of therapy both for his psychological issues and his substance abuse. I was surprised that I was able to keep relatively calm and coherent while we were talking. He didn't cuss at him; I didn't yell at him. I was able to give him advice and he listened. Whether he decides to do anything with that advice its up to him.  People have to want to be helped in order for them to get better.

I finished knitting my mother-in-law fingerless gloves similar to mine only shorter. I also made a warm and fuzzy cowl. I just need to buy the buttons to sew on. I started working on my first sweater. Yay! I hope it turns out well. I'm using a similar color and weight. I don't really want to use wool because it makes me itchy and then I won't wear it.


This sweater is called "Jan" and it's out of Joan Crawford's A Stitch in Time Vol.2  I may lengthen it a bit since I have a long torso and don't have the need to show my tummy. This book has so many great patterns. Hopefully once I learn to alter and translate patterns a bit better, I'll be able to use some of the vintage patterns I have stored on my laptop.  And I have a lot of patterns saved.

I hope everyone has a great and fun filled week.