Great Goodness... We Got Gifts

Well, Christmas is over for another year... hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! That was maniacal laughter if you weren't aware.

So the big day is over and I feel rather like something momentous happened but I'm not entirely sure what.
I need to back up actually to a few days before Christmas. And I have pictures to prove it all....
So Daughter #1 and Teapot arrived home from their trip into the great white north where they had had a bit of every kind of weather imaginable. Daughter #1 survived her trip into the wilds with no snow pants and I was very worried about that but the weather stayed on our side and she wore several layers of pants with wind/rain pants on the outside. The weather stayed warm and wet though the last night they were there there was a dump of about 8 inches of snow, but by then she was in her shelter and sound asleep. Yes she had built herself a great shelter that looked like this...

...that's her sleeping bag in there.

They were out there for two and a half days and had two meals for the whole time unless you count the squirrel they managed to catch, cook and eat.  Eeew!Well it was wilderness survival!

But when she got home she was as hungry as a bear and so was Teapot so I had promised them a pan Scramble and pan scramble they got....

Hash Browns, onions, tomatoes, corn, garlic, egg, and cheese.

And while that was cooking I made the cranberry sauce for Christmas day dinner...

They spent the rest of the day recuperating.... from their trip but really they didn't look too worse for the wear.... and in the end a good shower to wash off the stink and they were as right as rain.

Meanwhile I was still working on Socks... remember the first socks that I made that I had trouble dyeing... well, I finally got them finished on Christmas Eve and they looked like this when they were finished....

I know one sock looks bigger than the other but they are not. I tried them up against each other and they were the same size so lets just put it down to bad photography.

I also came back from shopping the day before Christmas and had a party for the Knock-out Knitters.  Here we are enjoying our gift exchange....

Then on Christmas eve day we went to a friend's house and had brunch. we left the Daughters there as they were having a blast playing video games and Teapot and I came home to finish putting up the Christmas village that I hadn't put up yet....

After that other friends showed up for a short visit and one thing led to another and suddenly it was time to go to church. The service was lovely and I had a nice compliment from a fellow who sat in front of me and told me I had a lovely voice. I loved singing all those old familiar tunes and tried to sing them all the best that I could.... I loved that.

We got home late and the girls hung their stockings.... and went to bed leaving Teapot and I to finish wrapping and stuffing stockings. 2:30 a.m. we crawled into bed after taking a couple of pictures of the tee and all the stockings lined up on the couch....

The next morning we were up and opening gifts thanks to Daughter #2 at 7:00 a.m. (she was very excited....)
Here are some of the highlights of Christmas morning......

Surprisingly she did like her present but she wasn't pleased about having her picture taken...

Daughter #1 liked her hoodie too.

I can't wait to try out my reeds.

Teapot needs new glasses I think!

New slippers which I haven't taken off.... except at night when Narmin's nose moves in...

A very happy Daughter #2 getting her Christmas iPad "cheese"

Daughter #1 getting her iPad.... "awesome"

 And then stupid got all choked up... not sure why... lets just put it down to age...

.. I do have to say that I was so pleased that the girls liked their gifts... we also gave them a new snow jacket for Daughter #2 and ski pants for Daughter #1.

After all the gifts were open at our house... we went to my parents house.... and opened more gifts there!

Mudder getting her new bird feeder...

Here's Pops getting a new book...

New boots for Teapot...

New boots for me too...

Dinner was just fine. We have much for which to be thankful...good food, wonderful family time, great gifts of things that we need. Plus a few things that we didn't need. Yesterday was a down day to pat our bellies and no we didn't get out into the bush for our tea because the wind which has been blowing for days and the ground is now covered in ice that is polished to fearful rink. So we will wait a few days and wait for the snow that the forecast is calling for and hopefully then we can go out in the bush without breaking our necks.

This evening there is company coming for dinner and tomorrow Teapot and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary.... then who knows what for the rest of the Christmas season....

But for now I am off to drink another cup of tea and spin some merino rovings.

All's well that ends well...

Shopping?!!!... Really?... On Boxing Day!... Huh?

I realize that there are a lot of people out there who think of boxing day as the best day of the year... because they can go shopping and get great deals on all the stuff they wanted and didn't get for Christmas. I'm not one of them. They can't count me among their numbers. I couldn't shop today for all the money in the world.... well maybe if I had tons of money I might go shopping for great deals. But the money is blown and now is the day I enjoy best of all days of the year. I put my feet up and read... in my jammies, till late in the day if I want... I don't go visiting and we don't invite anyone in... (though I do try to get dressed before 3 p.m. since someone of their own accord might drop by). We might even watch a movie. Later when there is enough daylight we might even go for a mug up in the bush. Daughter #1 will saddle up her horse and down to the forest we will go. We will light a fire, and have a wee drop of tea (probably from one of the nice new ones that my sister-in-law sent) and munch on left over turkey and some of that homemade cranberry bread I made (see my recipes to the right for the recipe) then afterwards we will maybe pass around a box of chocolates and the dogs will beg for left over bits of turkey the horse will munch on some hay and we'll throw a little more wood on the fire to help keep us warm as the wind blows through the tops of the trees. It is warm these days so no fear of getting too cold. i almost wish it were a little colder. Somehow all the ice and warm wind has taken away all the good things about winter. It will be a grasshopper summer... I am sure. But for now I won't worry about that. I'll savour my breakfast of Chilean cherries, and Fruileano cheese, Birdseed bread toast, and grapes. Yum...Then I will the email ( I hope to hear from you) and ignore all the boxing day sale events that will be there from Interweave Press to Amazon.ca to Indigo Books and Cold Water Creek. And then I will go and get that book that I just started on Christmas eve and put my feet up and be taken away into another world, another time and another place.

Hope your Boxing day is all that you want it to be... whether full of boxes and stores or quiet home pleasures, or skating, skiing, or quiet walks in nature. It is the one day of the year you can choose to do exactly as you want!

To Family And Friends Alike

Christmas Poem 2011

I know I moan about it and get a little cranky
But Christmas Day is here again, it's not by choice, quite frankly!
All the preparations seem daunting day by day,
I don't do well with deadlines, they make my hair turn grey.

But this year I am trying hard to see what is so good,
And adjust my attitude to match the predominate Christmas mood.
I've been playing Christmas music and decorating the house,
I've even been a-smiling lots at the Daughters and the Spouse.

But still it crept upon me and the cards sit in a pile,
They haven't been sent you see, and won't be for a while.
I guess that after Christmas when things have settled down,
I'll pass an afternoon or two, and post them when in town.

They'll have to be for New Year's instead of Christmas Day,
But still I'll do my best to have something nice to say.
The year has passed so quickly, we don't know where it's gone,
It seems like only yesterday I was out mowing the lawn.

But now there is no grass around, no single bit of green,
Except for our plastic tree, at least... nothing I have seen.
The white is lying on the ground, I'm sure you have it too,
And if I was to be quite honest, I'm waiting for a slew.

Last week, the school closed up again, for Christmas holidays,
We hoped for skiing parties and parties in other ways.
But here the wind is howling, as Solstice came and went,
And so we sit and read inside, and wait for the jolly old gent.

Our lights are shining brightly in yellow, red and green,
And shiny coloured parcels are hidden where can't be seen,
Where secrets are awaiting to see the light of day,
But until then that's how it should be, it is the Christmas way.

Now there you are in your house, no doubt, somewhat like ours.
But it doesn't seem to be at all like Christmas in bygone years.
The excitement of being a child and looking up at the tree,
Seemed something really special to the very youthful me.

Yet Christmas Eve will come, I know, and in the church I'll sit,
And sing the old familiar carols, while the church is candle lit.
And then the time will come, when we'll all stand for that story
Of a baby child, and a star so bright, and a wintry night of glory.

Now if you are a little like me, you'll stand there with a tear.
And sing so faithfully the tune that in our hearts we bear,
Of Silent Night so holy, so quiet, and so calm,
The soothing melody you know, is to the soul, a balm.

So when you are a-singing, think of me and I'll think of you,
And I will pray a little prayer, of good things old and new,
For you and for your family, and peace, and joy and love,
And whisper all my prayers, to the sparkling stars above.

Merry Christmas to one and all......
From Ye Olde Batt, Teapot, and the Daughters

On Our Way

We are headed off to town to finish our Christmas shopping. I would rather suffer having my finger nails pulled out! But the roads are good though it is dark. I'm looking forward to having this day over. I have finally concluded that my Christmas sock knitting will be given next year. I will have to buy gifts for the knitting non-recipients. It's too bad because the socks that I'm currently working on are truly coming together beautifully. So for now I will sit here in the dark and worry about the knitters party at my house this evening and wonder if I will be home in time to get everything done for that! Arggghhh!

Twas The Night Before A Knitters Christmas

I am up to my ears with no reprieve in sight. Three socks to go and they have to be ready on Christmas Eve morning... I can't even finish them on Christmas Eve day. We will be going for a Christmas brunch at our friends house on Christmas Eve and somewhere in there I need to do a painting and make Raisin bread toutons (pronounced towt'ns). So I'm madly off in all directions as I have to be at the Cameron Lake centre to piss away an hour pick up Teapot and Daughter #1 from their camping trip.... and I'm still not finished all the shopping.... I have AB-SO-LUTE-LY NO-THING for Teapot! Argh..... so it is 6:52 a.m. and I have 3 hours before I go to get them.... I HAVE to knit.

Finished the Christmas newsletter for the PCSW last night late.... you can go here to view it.

In the meantime, I read this Knitter's version of Twas the Night before Christmas, on another blog. I really enjoyed it and thought you might too....enjoy!

‘Twas The Knitters Night Before Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all around me,
Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.
The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care,
’cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
but I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,
And the sweater for him was six inches too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.
Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.

The tangle of yarn, lay deep as the snow
And reminded me how much I still had to go.
Out on my lawn, I heard such a noise,
I thought it would wake both dad and the boys.

And though I was tired, my brain was a bit thick,
I knew in a moment, it must be Saint Nick.
But what I heard then sure left me perplexed,
For the names that I heard weren't what I expected.

“Move Ashford; move Lopi; move Addie and Clover,
Move Reynolds; move Starmore; move Fraylic–move over”
“Paton, don’t circle just stand in the line.
Come now, you sheep, you're working just fine!

I know it’s hard Noro, it’s just your first year,
I’d hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer.”
I peered over the sill, what I saw was amazing,
Eight woolly sheep on my lawn all a’grazing.

And then, in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa’s feet coming ‘cross the front porch floor.
I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,
And as I turned round Saint Nick, I did meet.

He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe
And his clothes were handknit from above to below.
A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,
and his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.

His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace,
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.
The scarf round his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Arrrrrrgyle.

The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable,
And suddenly on one I spied a small label.
SC was stitched, right there, on the cuff,
“Hey Nick," I asked, "did you knit all this stuff?”

He proudly replied “Ho-ho, yes I did,
I learned how to knit when I was a kid.”
He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself for I’d thought up a plan!

I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew he was tied to a chair.
He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap
Where I’d laid my needles and yarn for a cap.

He quickly began knitting, first one cap, then two;
For the first time I thought I’d really get through.
He put heels on the stockings and toes in some socks
While I sat back drinking Scotch on the rocks!

So quickly like magic, his needles, they flew,
Soon, he was finished. It was quarter to two.
He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me.

And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon,
“Next year start your knitting sometime around June!

Update From Here

In the quiet of the night I am writing to pass a little time till the doggies come in. The old cat is out the new cat is in her box hopefully settling down for the night after having pooped in the front porch and making me clean it up. The new fenced run is finished for the doggies and they hate it.... I can tell. Narmin is oblivious, mostly because he has managed to figure out how to scoot between the wires. But the other two are terribly unhappy. I, on the other hand, am ecstatic. I now no longer have to worry about the dogs heading for the bush each time the door opens. I don't have to worry about a deer goring the hell out of the wee one (unless he scoots between the wires which he doesn't do much especially if the other buggers are out). And I no longer have to worry that the dog catcher will catch my dogs because they are out on the road. Teapot has moved the alpacas closer to the house in a paddock that allows them more safety from the coyotes and also gives them shelter on a cold nasty day. So the animals are safely where they should be and all is well. Even the hay situation is satisfactorily settled and we have a pile of hay.... a mound of hay....a mountain of hay in our yard nicely piled up one on top of the other. It feels good to be so well settled for winter.

Meanwhile Teapot and Daughter#1 are away for their winter survival trip. Daughter #1 headed off with a empty stomach which is her own darn fault since she didn't eat a very good breakfast and she won't be getting food till midnight tonight... unless she catches it herself. They have taken some traps for mice and squirrels... I wonder how that will go over. Each night at midnight, they will have a proper meal, a cooked meal of rations provided by National Defense. They have sleeping bags but only the tent that will act as the first aid centre.... they have to build their own shelter. It is mild.... which is good but it is also bad.... good because it is warm.... bad because they will be wet. Wet snow means wet pants and jackets... wet pants and jackets means cold bodies. Yes, I am a little worried. I would have been happier if it had been about -5 or -6 degrees... then the wet would not have been an issue. Right now the snow is dripping off the roof of this house.... so I'm sure they are all wet and miserable. Teapot brought some extra dry clothes and I'm pretty sure so did Daughter #1, wrapped nicely in plastic so that when it is so miserable that they can't stand it any longer they can change into something dry.... if not warm at least. I will be glad to see them back on Wednesday morning. I am planning a nice meal. Daughter #1 asked for a pan scramble.... I can do that.

Well the doggies have just come in and I am heading to bed... it is too late to write more... but tomorrow I'll give you an update on the current socks... plus I'll give you the low down the PCSW blog that I have been working on....

Night night....

More On The Sock Saga And I Promise No Swear Words Today!

They are coming along.... here's a picture of the latest pair...

I'm really liking these socks.... great for a 12 year old gal.... I hope.

I've been having no problems with these socks.... and I'm really hoping it stays that way.  (I'm knocking furiously on wood now!) I am starting to dye for the next pair which will be similar to these but for a boy so the colours will definitely be different. I am doing them in grey (background) with blue, red and black. At least that is the plan. But then... with socks... plans are always subject to change with no notice!

I went to the NPSW Christmas party yesterday.... Oh joy of joys.... it was a great day.  If you want to see pics you should go here....

I got a lovely scarf as my gift....

...so soft with all those nice pastel colours.... I think it is predominately yellow... but I am told that I am wrong. However, I refuse to believe that it is predominately pink... that would be just wrong. Still it reminds me of Easter and spring... and there is nothing wrong with being reminded of spring.

Today is foggy... eew! And... I have an oven to clean since the last two times I heated anything in it, I had a fire... obviously something really spilled over in there and though I've scraped out some crud I'm just not willing for the Christmas turkey to turn into a fireball! Teapot is going to clean off the front deck so that our house doesn't continue to look like a Christmas disaster, and finally get that fence fixed so that the doggies have a proper run and are not running all over the place. That way they can now stop hunting, and eating mice from the hay bales and then promptly spewing them when they come in... yesssss!

But for now I'm heading to the couch to knit the ever lovin' socks.... (sigh)!