Merry Christmas to All!

I trust everyone is almost ready for Christmas --- except me!  I still have to do my shopping for my family, but otherwise, Christmas is over for me for the most part,  No one would ever believe all the fun I've had, even though October and November didn't have much fun for me.  (I can't believe I haven't posted a blog since early October!)  I haven't always taken time to comment on the blogs I've read, but I have been reading them, and many of you have posted some very interesting reads.

I definitely HAVE BEEN BUSY!

In October I began cleaning house to get ready for Christmas, Everything in my house, --- ceiling to floor, drapes, walls, carpet,  all glassware, --- got a good cleaning, and I must say it really needed it!  I didn't realize how much sheer filth could accumulate in a home!

Then on November 1, I closed down the sewing machine and  began dragging out all my Christmas decorations, and of course, that got everything messed up again,  After getting everything in place, I gave the house a lick and a promise to do better, and moved on to planning parties.

On December 1 when I was wiping off the the back of the refrigerator, my hand came out wet and covered with black rubbery stuff.  A hose was literally  disintegrating on my 28-year old refrigerator.  I thought it unwise to call for an expensive service call and repair, and decided to buy a new refrigerator. I couldn't risk a water problem with my party schedule!  While making that purchase, I remembered that my 30-year old electric range also needed a new oven heating element, and I saw a one on sale and bought a new stove too!  Both were delivered on December 3.  My GS was here and said my old brown vent-a-hood over the new white stove looked really bad, and he thought we should go back to the store and buy the microwave that mounts over the stove, so we did that too, and it was installed the next day!  So----Merry Christmas to all, right?!  *giggle*  I still haven't had time to read all the instruction manuals!

My first party in my home was December 6, and the fifth and last one was on December 18th, and in those 13 days, 80 people were at five sit-down dinners in my home.  (Twenty-two of my high school friends were here on Dec. 16; 6 or 7 of us had started first grade together, and believe me, that was a l-o-n-g time ago!  We always have loads of fun together!)  For all the parties, I prepared the meat, (turkey and dressing, ham, and pulled pork, as well as some of the veggies and other good things like red candied apples and cranberry salads, and some of the desserts,  Others brought lots of delicious foods too.  We had lots more than we could eat at all five parties!  And of course, I had the coffee table covered with my homemade candies, with more in the closet --- divinity, peanut butter balls, orange/coconut balls, fudge, and pralines, and that cereal TV trash,  Every person who attended any of my parties took home a can of candies of their own choosing, and some of the TV trash.  (I tell them that's really why they love to come here.  *wink*   I used about 70 pounds of sugar this year for all that candy! )

I played the piano and others sang a lot at two of the parties, and everyone seemed to have a great time at every party.  I figure the best way to determine whether a party was a success or not is how long the guests stay, and everyone stayed much longer at every party than I had ever anticipated. So I'd say each party was a success!   We did all have a good time! Several said theirs was the best they had ever attended.  I think I had more fun than anyone.  I do love having my friends in my home, especially at Christmas, and they all seem to love to come here.

While I was making divinity for the third party, my son called and said he had been involved in an auto accident; his car was destroyed, but he was not hurt, thank God!  I was upset when I went back to beating the divinity and somehow got my wooden spoon entangled in the beaters.  The mixer gears were ruined and I had to buy a new mixer in order to make candy for all the parties to come!  So almost all my kitchen appliances now are all  new.

I must admit five parties left me a bit tired, but I'll recover in a few days, in time for my family to be here Christmas Eve.   Without all the party fun, my December would have been a disaster, one after another!

I took very few pictures this year; I was really busy!  Most of my decorations are in the same place as in prior years, with only a few new additions.

I'm dreading having to pack up all of the Christmas stuff, but I can't quilt until that is done, so I'll probably be starting that on January 1.  Needless to say, it will take a while, but someday I"ll get to start something new.  No idea what will be first.

I do want to tell you I entered three quilts in a small nearby quilt show, and brought home a First Place ribbon on "'The Big If" cross quilt I had donated to our church youth auction a year or two ago.  I also won two Second place ribbons; one on my Underground Railroad quilt, and one on "My Mother's Flower Garden"  I think there were about 85 quilts at that show. in November.  I have never gotten the pictures loaded into my computer.  Once again, I say, "I've been really busy!?

If you are still reading this saga, let me say to you "Merry Christmas", and I hope all of us have a safe and Happy New Year!

I also hope life will get back to normal for me soon, whatever that is!  And it will --- someday.


---"Love"