I guess the winter slow-down is in full effect here.
That whole "There's nothing you can do about it so why don't you just relax?" kind of suggestion has popped up more than once.
You know me! I can't relax - relaxing is a waste of time. I'll relax when this life is done and over - and not before then. Not while there are things to DO.
As to The Hubster - He knew my "things to do" were going to include the need to go down this drive, and to get back up it again when we were done - which gave him ample opportunity to plow the drive, even with the small amount of snow that had fallen the night before.
There he goes down to that hairpin turn - and below that - the steepest bit of all.
There he goes!
You can barely see him behind those trees - and from there the drive continues downward toward the gate the the road.
The reason for the plowing - even with this amount of snow? Snow compacted by vehicle tires quickly becomes ice hard and then the getting back UP the drive becomes a problem.
Remember my years of having to park the van at the bottom of the drive to be chauffeured up by Razr to get back to the house? All of these things were pre-tractor.
And pre-Subaru - which is preforming wonderfully.
Lola, all "tucky-feeted" and basking in the sunny spot while all of this photo taking was going on.
It was a quick trip, really - I needed to get the mail, retrieve some packages that had been delivered to the front door at the Inn (UPS can't make it up our drive so we have everything delivered there - easy.) fill some outgoing orders, drop those off at USPS and also take care of this miss:
I should have done this by video - but didn't think of it fast enough.
Tula comes running from her little heated house as soon as she hears me call her name.
The snow wasn't nearly as bad down at the inn as it is higher up the mountain where we live.
We have a routine - she comes running....
Flops over and squirms in happiness showing her warm belly -
Does a couple of roll-overs -
chirps and meows -
And shows me to her empty food bowls for a refill, purring loudly all the way. Silly girl!
We made a repeat trip in the evening to pick up yet another package that was delivered later in the day as we didn't want it sitting on the doorstep overnight.
She was disappointed when I gave her a small handful of treats instead of completely refilling her food bowl. LOL!
This morning we'll repeat - that rolling over belly while making biscuit paws is just too cute.
What else can one do on a slow-down snow day?
Yes, the deck is still covered beyond my window but will be melting today. We are expecting 49 by 2pm! YAY!
That also means that the finishing of the terraced steps will also recommence.
Finishing side 1 of round 2!
My hoop where I left it last night, about to turn the corner.
The man who Invented Christmas on Prime. LOVED IT!
In 1843, a struggling writer named Charles Dickens was under pressure to produce a new book in time for Christmas just six weeks away. He had success four years earlier with “Oliver Twist” but his subsequent efforts had not been well received. He decides to write and self-publish a new book, “A Christmas Carol.”
Drawing on observations from the streets of London - watching a wealthy man’s funeral that no one attended - and being visited during the writing by his own eccentric father, plus drawing on remembrances of his own childhood of poverty, factory work, and debtor’s prison, in six harried weeks Dickens writes the story that has come to define the spirit of Christmas.
But is this film historically accurate?
Actor Dan Stevens (Charles Dickens) said, “Frankly, whether it’s historically accurate I’m not that concerned about. I was interested in that moment of the creative process, watching a great man struggle – to me, that's dramatically and comedically interesting.”
We really loved it - that's all I can say.
Today while things melt I'll be making my way back to the QPO Studio (And Tallulah Tula Lou) for another round of desk duty. Friday's Indigo Way Part Five is up on deck - I need to work out any step out photos I didn't take while the quilt was in progress, write it all up and get the PDF made.
Tomorrow is for proof reading - so today is the day it gets written in earnest.
How about you? Christmas Eve is drawing nigh! What family traditions do you have for Christmas Eve?
22 comments:
oh my yes! Six months ago, i might have been one of those encouraging you to "relax" and conserve your energy! But since my vision has deteriorated so much i'm on the encouragement to continue wagon. I so miss being able to sit down at the machine and do a few blocks or strips or whatever!!! I love your energy and your creative child just turning things out... (give that Tula a scritch for me, sigh) so have a happy, let that creative child romp and stomp... I have piles of UFOs waiting for some day that will not come, less a miracle occurs and that's always possible!!! Thanks for sharing your world with me (us really) and all the best of the best wishes to you and the part of the world you call family, Love, Cats in Carlsbad CA
I bet little Tula's a tad lonely without the constant comings and goings of the ever changing group of ladies staying at the inn. I've got a little feral that I feed twice a day but she hasn't warmed up to even let me get close enough for a pet. I'm really liking the quilt you're currently working on...may need that one! Merry Christmas!
Entering the "Oh, my! Daughter will be arriving in 3 days." house decluttering/cleaning phase. Since Christmas Eve is also a Sunday this year, it will be churchy. I'm playing (or should I say attempting to play, bells aren't as easy as they look!) in the Bell choir at both the regular Sunday morning and the afternoon Christmas Eve services. Maybe Sunday is the day for our two adult children to make their traditional, while daughter is home, Hawaiian meatballs and save the ham with fixings for Christmas Day.
This year we are celebrating a true miracle. Here in our little town of under 8000 people we have had two gentlemen receive new hearts. One being my Brother-in-law!!! Even though my oldest sister and her Hubs across the state from family, and we won't get to have Christmas with them!! We are so very Thankful for all God and the Doctors have done!!! Wishing you all the Blessings of Christmas!!!
Since we have moved to Florida - we have started our own little Christmas tradition -- we take ourselves out to dinner at a very nice restaurant. then go to the Christmas eve service in the park on the birth of Christ then walk downtown and see all the lights -- makes for a lovely evening!
Relax is my new word to live by.
That’s one impressive turn-back you’ve got there. The steep decline is begging for a sled ride, which would undoubtedly lead to a real ride to the emergency room. It brings back long ago memories of a time when ‘fun’ was the only thought in my head and danger wasn’t on the radar.
Michele
My son-in-law’s sister always has the family come to her house for dinner. Way too much delicious food and lots of chatting! Merry Christmas to you and yours and may the new year bring you many blessings.
Christmas Eve..... watching "It's A Wonderful Life"!
It's trash day. Hubby took it down, I'll bring it in from the middle of the street later. I have a Quilt that needs to be finished. I'll be working on it still on Christmas Eve. It's time to make my Chocolate Truffles too. Packages are mailed and shopping is done. Christmas comes whether we are ready or not. Love the Kitty act for treats. Tula has gain a little weight since she came to you.
I have a date with jack. Yesterday I sewed two whole rows 90 degrees out of phase. Oh, no! But it happens. We are getting excited because my sister and brother-in-law will get here in time for Christmas, and then we will spend the next three months enjoying south Texas. Retirement is good but it doesn't have to be slow. I'm with you, Bonnie. Keep going! Chris
we always opened presents christmas eve as my mother liked her early mornings quiet....but first we had a supper of delish new england clam chowder...it's a tradition i keep to this day...
Love that quilt you are hand quilting.What is the name of that quilt or will it be one of your future patterns?
OMG What happened to the dusting of snow from the last post ?????
THIS is exactly why I live in Arizona!
Stay warm my friend.
Mary_in_AZ
I, too will be playing in our Bell choir at 3 services Sunday!
Our family has Italian Beef Sandwitches with dill pickles, potato chips, and Lemon Merange pie. Started so we were not wraping presents at the last minute over 40 years ago. A wonderful tradition we look forward to every year. Trish B.
Every year we would all open a present on Christmas Eve, freshly washed NEW pajamas, so that we looked presentable in Christmas morning photos. Its a tradition that is on hold now that my kids are in their mid - late 20s... although my daughter wishes I would still buy her pajamas for Christmas... because I always splurged and bought really nice ones :) I figure that when we have grandkids I will pull this tradition back out!
I did a search on Netflix and could not find The Man Who Invented Christmas -- it's on Prime........ adding it to my need to watch list. Thanks for the recommendation!!!
My favorite movie of all time :0). this year we are going to a party on Christmas Eve....a first for us!
It will be a hot evening here in Australia,we will cook dinner outside on the barbecue and eat fresh oysters and prawns (even though we are 4hrs drive from the ocean).There will be a flurry of last minute cooking and of course there will be cookies and milk for Santa. The last thing done on Christmas Eve night is a good mop of the kitchen floor,ready for the next day.
❤️
This year my mantra was "choose joy.' 2024 the new slogan will be "believe". As in kindness, friends, family, love, friendship and so on.
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