Good Morning My Friends,
Welcome to 2024! I trust that you all had lovely holiday times. I sure did. Our Christmas was filled with lots of time with family and wonderful food. Our days have been mostly grey and damp. Mild temps do not necessarily mean mild feeling outside! Days that have been in the 40's or even 50's have felt raw and bone chilling to us. We did manage to get out for a walk on Christmas Day. Colin and I were remembering how one year we walked at Wissahickon Valley Park in Philadelphia and it was 75, Another year he, Bonnie, Mailling and I walked at Valley Forge and it was bitter cold with a wicked wind chill. Each year is different, that's for sure.
Mabel was spoiled by Anna and by Mailing & Colin. She loves her catnip cactus that C&M gave her.
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I had not intended to stay away from blogging for so long, but I did! There were times when I lost track of what day it was! I did some knitting, some reading, lots of cooking, napping and just taking it easy. Exactly what I needed.
Last night, as usual we stayed in. I made our traditional crab quiche
for dinner and we had some prosecco to go with that. Yum!!
Today will be all about doing things I love. Hopefully some stitching, some knitting, some cooking and some reading. It's going to be another cloudy day, but I'd like to maybe get out for a walk. Too early to tell yet.
I am not one to set goals with my making or reading, but as one year ends and another begins, I enjoy looking back and reviewing what I made and read.
2023 found me knitting 12 items:
- 2 shawls (Odyssey and Hitchhiker)
- 2 cowls (Scrappy and Abstract Leaves)
- 8 pairs of socks
I stitched four pieces and made "X" number of granny squares.
On the reading side of things, I read a total of 48 books of which 6 were audio. 7 were read with Fletch and my breakdown of ratings is:
- 5 Stars - 11
- 4.5 stars - 4
- 4 stars - 13
- 3.5 stars - 11
- 3 stars - 5
- 2.5 stars - 2
- 2 stars - 2
I feel good about my ratings - I know I abandoned some books that would have been rated lower, but I have no time for books that do not appeal to me!
For 2024, I've pulled two books and put them on my nightstand for daily reading. The first is Hal Borland's Twelve Moon's of the Year which is a collection of his outdoor editorial essays - one for each day of the year. The second is Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. I've read both of these before, but it's been years since I picked up Simple Abundance.
As a wrap up, it will be no surprise to anyone, but it is simply wonderful to have Colin & Mailing back in town permanently! Their furniture finally arrived from Texas and they are busy settling back into life in a slightly cooler location. I know that they will miss some things about Austin, but they say they are happy to be back.
Cheers to you all and cheers to the year ahead - may it be one of calmness and sanity, excellent health, much joy and happiness.
Happy New Year! I also have a few books that I will read once a week this year and I am looking forward to that pace. So good to start the new year with your people close by. Enjoy
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! You had a very productive knitting, stitching, and reading year. Here's to more of that in 2024.
ReplyDeleteA nice wrap up for the year! So glad Colin and Mailing are close by again! Here's to a good week!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and your family!!
ReplyDeleteYou read and made just the right amount for you! Thank you for reminding me about Hal Borland's book. You were the one who initially told me about it, and this is the perfect time for me to get it out again. I'm glad C&M are back and settling in and you can once again enjoy each other's company regularly!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine a better gift than having the kids back in town for good (though I imagine having Mabel back home is a close second)! Happy New Year to you and your whole family, and here's hoping 2024 brings many new things!
ReplyDeleteYour holiday sounds fulfilling and satisfying. I imagine it was a joyful one, too.
ReplyDeleteYou really accomplished a great deal of Hobbying while working and keeping a home this year! That is an impressive list of making and reading. Well done.
Happy New Year, Vera! You wrote a wonderful summary of this in-between week and I'm glad you have had time to do all the things you love with the people who mean the most to you.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Vera! I love this recap of your makes and reads! But a huge thanks for that Hal Borland book! I did not know about it and have added it to my cart! XO
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! It's been "mild" here too, but so damp that trying to do anything outside is out of the question. I just took down the Christmas lights and had to come in three times to warm up my hands. They'd get wet and freeze in minutes!
ReplyDeleteThe best gift ever, having Colin and Mailing back home. Mabel looks happy too. Your plans for the day sound great to me. I have another dog walking session this evening and have to go give Mom her injection. The home care people who have been doing it are closed for the day.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your "me" time my friend.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy
How wonderful to have your kids back in town for good. I had to say goodbye to mine and off he flew with his family back to Michigan. The cost of living here and the burden of responsibility that comes with the Wash DC DOJ office keeps him where he is. Sigh. I miss those babies.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
What a perfect start to the new year with the family and Mabel back home. And I'll bet kale will be in the mix this week.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to have your son and daughter-in-law back in their nearby home. I imagine the temperature change will take awhile although they aren't native Texans so that should help. We stayed in on New Year's Eve as is our usual. We'd been asleep early but it seems fireworks are not the thing. Grrr.
ReplyDelete