Christmas Tonight

Such a lovely few days so far in the country. Despite all the snow and whatnot Friday, both my brother and I succeeded in getting here, if a little later than planned. We were lucky enough to miss the freezing rain on the weekend that got Toronto and other parts - not a hiccup on the part of our electricity, (and even if it had conked out, we've got a well and a wood stove, so it's not a big issue). The scenery is beautiful outside, even if you're not facing one of the bird-feeders with dozens of little finches and other birds bouncing around in a bird version of Brownian motion.

Mom and I got to a performance of Handel's Messiah by a local group on Saturday, which was really very good, and of course much more interesting when you know half the people singing, including a friend's mother who taught me to spin years ago.

Had a nice visit with a friend who came down yesterday - after she managed to get here. Due to a misunderstanding of road names, she got lost, and was delivered here by the postman. He pulled into the yard and honked like he does for parcels if you need to sign, then asks me if I'd heard about the merger between Canada Post and CAA...at which point I noticed the second car that had arrived and got the joke!

And today I got Skype set up on my computer, so we could have a chat with my sister and her boyfriend. They couldn't come for Christmas - they just bought a house in Whitehorse, and are saving up vacation days to visit in the spring when they come to move furniture back there - so this was the next best thing, opening presents and chatting together, seeing their house - we had a virtual tour, thanks to the power of laptops -  and showing them the new cat here.

Pity they aren't here to help us eat Christmas dinner, but I suppose we'll manage. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Cookie Season

The weatherman is predicting snow - there's a storm watch on. It hasn't gotten here yet, but it doesn't matter. I'm hibernating indoors today anyway, for multiple reasons.

1) It's cold out there. Even the cat hasn't been in the mood for long walks the last few days.

2) I had a little fall yesterday, and did something to one foot near the big toe. I don't think it's anything serious, but it is swollen, and walking is a bit awkward, so I'm figuring best to rest it up for a day or so, and not do something like go out Christmas shopping.

3) Tomorrow I have a cookie exchange to go to, so I've been in the kitchen all morning. Christmas cookies are all about the pretty, I think, so I always make this my excuse to do something a little on the fancy side. This year it's stained-glass cookies, and twisted candy-canes and wreaths. Now I just have to do something about packaging them.

4) Last bits of school stuff I still need to finish. Business plan details, colouring the big plan for one design project, and getting the last of a second done on the computer, and studying for first exam Monday...

Dithering

Ever get that feeling when you want to start something (like a knitting project), but no clear picture of what, exactly?

Yeah. I've got about 10 days to do 2 Christmas gift projects, and I pretty much wasted all of yesterday trying to start one. I know it will be a shawl, and with some dark brown Malabrigo fingering that was gifted to me. And I want to do it in the shallow crescent shape that's popular. Couldn't find a pattern that really spoke to me, tried starting about half a dozen times with various edging patterns to do my own thing, looked through all my stitch dictionaries...ripped out again, thought I might print something today before class rather than winging it...then ran across the Oslo Walk shawl in the only Interweave mag. I have at the apt, and decided to do that one, but in fingering and without the beads. Maybe. I might still print something today, just in case. But Oslo is cast on, and I'm telling myself to quit dithering and JUST PICK SOMETHING.

I tried to start the second Christmas project while I was debating about the shawl. Gloves. Three possible yarn options after stash diving, two of which would require dyeing to get to a colour the recipient would like, the third is fixed as to colour and pattern since I had one glove half-done and sitting around. Restarted that glove, wondered if that pattern was really the best choice for the recipient, put it down...This time I put the onus on her - emailed the fiber options and said 'Pick one'. That way I know it'll be an OK choice.

Now to the next stage of dithering...which homework assignment do I work on this morning? Xeriscape design, business plan, HR research? All that's coming down to the wire too - next week is the last week of school already. Hopefully I'm done for good, this time!