The Key to 2015

The key to a successful year in 2015 is not to buy more storage boxes, but to finish more projects.  

My first question is what is a reasonable amount of projects per week to finish? Earrings and stitch markers go very fast at 10 to 15 per day. While a baby blanket might take me 2 to 3 weeks.   A dozen hats can be made in a week.  A hand woven scarf can take a few day to a week or so depending on the width of the wrap and the yarn on the  of the weft.  Sock yarn goes slower than bulky hand spun.  

Maybe not to disappoint myself with a poor performance review I should just make a projects finished counter and see where I am in December.  There is not going to be an empty container count because they will be reporpused. 

So I guess it is time to go back to work on the first baby blanket of the year.   

Eric is Still Home

I don't seem to get my entire to do list done when Eric is home sick.  I think that I am a little to tired to care that I am further behind. Though I did manage to get most of the cleaning done today.  By the time I got to me time I landed up taking a nap.  As with the rest of the day that did not go smoothly either.  The phone rang every time I dosed off.  

On the bright side I did manage to make progress on the baby blanket. I hope to get it finished so that I can get the next one started.  The next one is going to be hand knit. I did not think that crocheting  would be so tedious.  It was only eleven years ago that everything I made was crocheted.  I guess that is just part of my artistic evolution.  

I hope to have Eric out the door on Monday. Then I am forgetting about things like laundry and cleaning, then just spending the whole day on me.  A girl can dream can't she?

Happy New Years

John and I managed to get out for a New Years Eve dinner. This is something that we have not done since the early 1980's. I was surprised that at 5:00 pm we almost did not get a table. I hope that this is a good omen for next year.  

As usual I will not be making any New Years resolutions.  I just plan on having the best year possible. I hope that everyone has the best year possible too. 

Now it is time to finish the next baby blanket.  

I Hope I Don't Get the Bug

As I write this blog, both guys have the tummy bug that is going around. Eric is making copious amounts of laundry, but is not quite on a record setting pace. To break the old record he would need to make 8 loads of laundry today, so far he has only made 6 loads of laundry. I am keeping up with folding in my own fashion, meaning I only have 2 loads to fold right now.

I have cut Eric off from TV for a few hours and making him listen to a book on tape from the Library of Congress. He has a stack built up that I would like to send back.  Right now it is Sports Illustrated Kids. While things are relativity calm I plan on getting some house cleaning done.

I think when Eric's aide gets here this afternoon I might sneak off to get some dinner so that I can say that I have gotten out of the house today. Since I am soloing for dinner I might just get something John does not like.

I have not gotten very much done on the creative side lately because I feel like I have been waiting for the other shoe to fall. I guess that this is it. So its time to get back to creating. I really need to end the year with a few finished projects. Its not like I have not been making and creating this year, I have completed around 15  to 18 dozen projects so far this year including 2 new pattern designs and 200 stitch makers for holiday gifts.  Its just sometimes I feel like I am in a rut.

Repurposing

This is what I did with a spindle that was to out of balance to spin with.  It is currently residing on my friend Lisa's tree. I turned it into a Christmas Tree Ornament. 

I thought it was just hard to spin with a Turkish spindle. No,it's only hard if the spindle is out of balance. If you are having a hard time try to get a hold of a Jenkins Turkish Spindle, they spin like a dream.   

Attack of the Pantry

After one too many cans fell on my feet, it was time to clean the pantry from top to bottom. Well I actually started in the middle which was the messiest shelf.  Did I also mention that it is the easiest shelf for me to get to? I then hopped around from spot to spot. I made an executive decision that John would be the executive cleaning the top shelf so that I do not have to go up and down the step ladder. It must be nice to be tall enough to reach the top shelf without climbing or using a grabber.

Since this was mostly a solo act today, the pantry will not be finished until tomorrow. I have about 3 square feet left to clean and John has the entire top shelf. It will be interesting to see what has landed on the top shelf. I wonder if any of it needs to find a new home?

As my reward I plan on spending tomorrow after the pantry is finished spinning, weaving and knitting. I wonder if I will need to find a hiding place to get some fun time?

Right now even though I am too tired to  move, I think that it is time to get dinner on the table. It is one of those throw everything but the kitchen sink in the red pot and hope it comes out well. Then serve it with store bought dinner rolls. Maybe even cookies for dessert if they thaw in time.

Oops

I know I have screwed up when at the end of the holidays I find gifts that I bought over the summer.  So I need to say oops.  I forgot to give them to their intended giftiee's. So now how do I explain that I have been so overwhelmed at life that I did not pay enough attention to some people.  That is a really bad thing. I still care a whole lot about about these people. So if you receive a call or package out of the blue, it's me not you.  

I am also finding time to work on some fun knitting projects for me and a fundraiser in the spring. I need to change things up a bit. I think I am a little burned out on hats. Which is odd because I only knit a little over 11 dozen hats this year. So it's time to knit up a storm.