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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Slowing Down….



Christmas is Saturday! How can that be? And New Years? How can that be a week from Saturday? Doesn’t it feel like it should be far away still? Like…..there is no way this year has passed this quickly?

I tackled a bunch of mundane stuff yesterday and it was nice just going through the motions..not thinking too hard, just doing the next thing on the list. Winding down to enjoy the holiday.

Jason and Kim are coming late Thursday night when they get off work. We’ll have three whole days! Not sure what we are going to do, but I asked Jason via facebook if he had any requests for special meals he’s missed. His reply? “Do NOT spend 8 hours cooking for a meal that takes 15 minutes to eat!” Thank you son!

We hit the grocery store last night…..picked up a spiral ham. The leftovers will be great for sandwiches or fried up for breakfast. Used in soups, casseroles…I just can’t do two TURKEY holidays close together, and Christmas means ham for me!

I want to do SOME easy baking…..so we wandered down the baking supplies aisle, and there was NOT A SINGLE package of BROWN SUGAR to be found in the store! The whole of High Point, NC must be baking at present! It’s okay…I’ll hit somewhere else today, there are a few other things I need.

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Last Friday Dad and I rented a car and drove out to Hoover Dam! You can see by this pic that it was very overcast and a bit rainy. But here we are coming over the rise and seeing the beginnings of the lake! By this time on Friday I was READY to get out of the strip area, and we had a great time doing this….just driving and looking at scenery. It is so very very different than the surroundings I have here in NC. I think of pioneers and others that crossed this vast wasteland, and I just can’t imagine what it was like 100 years ago!

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Dad on the path way up to the new bridge…

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Me at the Welcome to Nevada Sign! At this point we had crossed into Arizona!

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We were so SO SO high up on this bridge! And here I am..it’s raining, and my hands are cold, and I’m trying to get a picture…and I nearly NEARLY dropped my phone over the railing!! I felt it slip, and slammed my hand down on the railing, pinning my phone between my hand and the rail….it NEARLY took a nose dive over the edge. I could see it now…bye bye phone! My heart was pounding to think I saved it from such a fate…but from that point on..I let DAD take all the pics!

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This is just the most amazing site!

It worked well to get the rental car on Friday, because we used it to return ourselves to the airport on Saturday morning, dropping off the car, and catching the shuttle to the terminal. Great planning, Dad!

I’ve got a lunch date today with two of my favorite quilters – Lisa and Karen! And I’d really like to snuggle in later this afternoon, a fire in the woodstove –and spend the rest of the time I have home through the holidays just hand quilting away on the Pink & Brown DJ. It’s been at a standstill for a while again, too many other irons in the fire…but I don’t fly out anywhere until something like Jan 9…..and I plan to lay low and slow til then!


14 comments:

  1. Oh you were in my corner of the world. Glad you enjoyed the scenery. We have two feet of snow today and it is still coming down. Have a Merry Christmas and May the New Year bring you joy.

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  2. Sounds wonderful...a fire on a cold day while you drink tea and hand quilt! Enjoy!

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  3. I finished all 60 string blocks. Phew!

    Enjoy the holidays all and a special thanks to Bonnie for doing this.

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  4. Happy holidays Bonnie! I'm looking forward to meeting you in person in January at Canyon Quilters in San Diego!

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  5. What a great trip for you and your dad. You look beautiful and happy in your photos.
    So glad you saved your phone!
    Have a wonderful time with your family.
    Merry Christmas from California's central coast!

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  6. I hope you're feeling better today, we missed you last night!

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  7. I like your son's theory about the time cooking in relation to the eating! Enjoy your down time and your family, relax and restore, you've been going 90 miles an hour this past year. Thanks for all that you share with us, I enjoy you blog and all your inspiration. I'm currently cutting for Carolina Christmas, it's my new years quilt to start working on.

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  8. You know that you are very fortunate to be able to do what you do. I can't wait to retire and sit by the fire with some stitching. That seems to be all I can think about these days. Maybe it's the winter weather or maybe it's almost time! Who knows? I hope you have a good time with your quilter friends. Stay out of the fabric stores or in your case the Goodwill store.

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  9. Sounds like a wonderful holiday...stitching by the fire with family all around. I hope you do rest a bit and enjoy your break.

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  10. Every time I go to Hoover Dam, I am just amazed by it. Hope you enjoy a nice break!

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  11. Hi Bonnie! I have been reading your blog for as long as I can remember and I just love your writing! You are a admired quilter AND writer you know? I think you got your length (and your looks) from your dad. It is a lovely picture of the two of you together! And I do agree with Jason about the Christmas meal! Love from a sunny South Africa

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  12. Oh beautiful Lake Mead......what an amazing project...it was completed in 1936 and cost 385 million dollars.......over 4,400,000 cubic yards on concrete! Love the tour of the dam too!
    But still there is no place like home is there?

    Happy sewing and Merry Christmas

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  13. Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas Bonnie my lovely! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season together.
    I've just showed Marty your photos, and we can't believe it's 2 years since we were at the Hoover Dam on our way to the Grand Canyon. The bridge wasn't finished at that time, so it was wonderful to see your pictures showing us the dam from a whole new aspect.
    No sewing for me for the next few days, it's all Christmas preparation all the time, but I look forward to working on some of your amazing scrap busters in the new year.
    Lots of love and big hugs
    Tazzie
    :-)

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  14. What? You were right here, in Vegas? And you didn't stop by to help me get caught up on the RRCB mystery? I am heartbroken! We could have at least had some coffee! Next time you're here call me!
    carol @ patchworkinthedesert.blogspot.com

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