Merry Christmas

At last, peace on earth.
Oh!  But then again.....

Awww....all is calm, all is bright.

Merry Christmas!

Technology

It is great when it works, but when it doesn't, it can be a little scary.  This past week, I was fixing my lunch as usual--heating up some acorn squash in the microwave and sauteing some asparagus on the stove top.  I pressed the button on the microwave to turn on the over-the-stove light.  The light came on, as well as the vent fan, and about 3 minutes was added to the cook time for my squash.  Okaaaay.  I stop the microwave, and consider my next move.  My squash needs a little more time to heat, so I push the number 4.  It shows up as 5 on the display.  Hmmmm.  Okay, I can go with 5.  I push another number and start.  The microwave tells me to enter a second cooking time.  All right.  It doesn't like 4 anymore.  I manage to finish getting my lunch ready and make plans to replace the microwave.  

Plan A:  Replace the mircrowave.  

Get on the internet.  Do a quick search at Home Depot, Lowes, and Sears.  The brand of the microwave we currently have has good reviews, so we decide to get basically the same thing we have.  Check on availability.  Alas, we want a white mircrowave, which is not the popular item right now and will have to be ordered.  No possibility of getting it until after Christmas.

Plan B:  Forget the microwave and just get a vent hood.

Certainly much cheaper.  Can I remember how to heat up food without a microwave? Worked through all those scenarios, even looking up how to reheat rice without a mircrowave on the internet.  (Everything is on the internet!)  Since there won't be a replacement until after Christmas, I will have to do things the old-fashioned way anyhow.   

Plan C:  Look at a countertop microwave/convection oven.

Dual purpose appliances don't get very good reviews.  Toss Plan C.

After going back and forth between Plan A and Plan B, we decide to go ahead with Plan A, since it would be something we would have to do anyway if we were to need to sell the house for some reason.  In the meantime, the thing that is driving me the most crazy is not having the light over my stove.  To make sure I don't accidentally turn it on, I did the Big X.

The one good thing is that over the stove microwaves are a lot less expensive than they were when we last bought one.  And that is a technological plus. 

Reordering the Order, Part 2

Sorting my fabric scraps freed up some room in my stash storage, it was time to deal with the fabric that was spreading onto the guest bed. 

I like to go ahead and group fabrics that work well together, so that projects have a bit of a head start, so to speak.  I pulled out my storage baskets, bundled up the fabrics on the guest bed, and rearranged them back into the baskets.

I counted all the bundles and I have groupings for about 30 quilt projects, both personal and for my quilt group.  That should keep me going for a while.  Apart from adding a fabric here or there to complete a bundle, I will focus on working through my stash.    

The quilt budget this coming year will go to keeping up the thread, batting, and backing supplies as visions of quilts dance in my head. 

Holiday Musings 2012

This is a holiday of transitions--grandparents growing older, children getting married, grandchildren arriving.  As the seasons of life bring change, there is comfort in the traditions that continue and enjoyment of the beginning of new traditions.

Three or four years ago, beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving, I started reading through The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  I have fond, though faded, memories of watching the Mr. Magoo cartoon version as a child.  Last year I read it out loud to my husband at meal times on the weekends, one stave per weekend.  We are repeating that tradition this year and find it to be a enjoyable and thoughtful part of the season.  

Our little tree is up, though it owes being decorated to my husband.  I just didn't have the enthusiasm for it this year.  I placed the ornaments on their hooks, and he put them on the tree, and it was a little task made pleasant by his company. 

The creche is arranged on our new fireplace mantle, and it was a lovely surprise to see how the colors in the creche matched the colors in the new fireplace. 

All that is left of the decorating is adding our bit of lights to the front porch.  Sending out the Christmas cards, wrapping packages, and holiday baking should finish up the preparations. 
Family will gather together, and I am anticipating a time of lots of laughter, bustle, and love. Afterwards I may curl up in a comfortable place somewhere with maybe a book, some knitting, or a movie and enjoy a bit of solitude.