Hello Monday Hello December

Happy Monday. It seems like November flew by so fast. I know it’s going to be the same way with December. This post is a catch of of the last couple of weeks so a bit of this and that.

Last Monday I woke up with a scratchy throat. Living in East Tennessee is usually reason enough for a scratchy throat with seasonal allergies and sinus issues. I didn’t think too much about it. However it was the same type of sore throat I had last year when I had Covid. I continued feeling bad all day. By bedtime I had a low grade fever. The next morning I took a Covid test and it was positive. The test was out of date so I wasn’t sure whether I should trust it. When I get sick Mark and I go into action getting him away from me as much as possible. Because he has had a kidney transplant, and is immunosuppressed he is much more likely to become sick and it could turn into a stay in the hospital.

He immediately put on a mask and I did too. I drove myself to the urgent care clinic and got a real test and it was positive for Covid as well. I went home and quarantined all week. I have a small den upstairs next to my bedroom and that’s pretty much where I stayed for the next six days or so. I binge watched Grey’s Anatomy, and knitted a ton of stuff. Mark brought food and left it at the top of the stairs. He mostly stayed downstairs. Luckily I had a very mild case and barely had any symptoms. So far Mark is still in the clear.

I knitted several more Christmas ornaments. I have sixteen total. I may do a few more to give to friends and family at Christmas.

Before I got sick on Monday I got my Santa collection out and got them arranged for the season. I also have several larger ones that I put out on the hearth in the living room. I have been collecting these for years.

The week before I got sick we had to make a quick overnight trip to Nashville to Vanderbilt hospital for Mark’s four month checkup. Earlier this year We started going over the night before the appointment. It makes things so much easier. We stay at a hotel about five minutes from the hospital. I take off a little early from work the day before each appointment and we drive over. It takes about four hours each way. We have a nice dinner and get to bed early and get plenty of sleep. It had become such a chore to drive both ways in one day. Mark got a great report and it rained all the way home. I was so glad we had gone over the night before.

We went to dinner as soon as we got settled into the hotel. Isn’t this drink pretty. An Islandtini. It was yummy too.

I think Nashville is so beautiful at night.

Vanderbilt hospital had their courtyard decorated for Christmas. It was so festive.

So as you can see a lot going on and then nothing but being home bound for a week. Actually I found that staying at home for a week and doing nothing was quite nice.

Have a wonderful week

Always remember
Love your day your way!!!!!

Sunday Morning Coffee Share

Happy Sunday everyone. Come in and share a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate with me. I know we would talk about the weather and what we have been up to all week. I love catching up with you. What have you been up to?

***My nephew gave me this coffee mug a few years ago. It is one of my favorites.***

It is a cloudy and cool morning only about 44 degrees F here. The temps will be fairly mild this week. It has been a busy busy week. Monday we went to Nashville for a quick overnight. Mark had an appointment at Vanderbilt on Tuesday. Back to work on Wednesday and then Thanksgiving on Thursday and then Black Friday shopping with my sister. So a very busy week.

What I am working on: I am still working on the knitted Christmas ornaments. I posted a how-to on a recent blog post. I have also been working on miniature toboggans that I am going to string together, somehow, and make a winter garland out of them. I have been adding a few Christmas decorations here and there. I don’t go crazy with it I like it simple.

What I am reading: I have still been struggling through with the “Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, but in the meantime I pulled off to read Runaway Amish Girl by Emma Gingrich. It was a fast read and very interesting. I will return to Evelyn, I think I am on husband number five.

What I am listening to: Well Christmas music of course. I made a Playlist of all the Christmas music I have on my phone. This way, I don’t have to search the bazillion songs I have in my library to get to the Christmas music. What is your favorite Christmas song?

What I am wearing: I hate to say that I have been wearing jeans or leggings or hoodies almost everywhere I go. I don’t have to dress up a lot. I have a few Christmas outings coming up so I need to put some things together for those. At work I pretty much wear a uniform or a uniform shirt and jacket. I don’t have to, but it is simple and makes getting ready for work extra easy. It’s also warm.

What I am loving: Spending time with family and friends during the holidays. It is such an exciting time. Celebrate was my word for the year and there is always so much of it this time of year.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!

Its Monday, I ‘ve Been Making Christmas Ornaments!!!

Hello and happy Monday!!! I started a new coffee share on the blog yesterday. If you missed it, check it out here. I think it will be a lot of fun.

The temps here have been so warm and dry. There are burn bans everywhere. We desperately need rain.

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is Thursday. Mark and I are going to my nephew’s house, but I will be making a few things to take with me for the dinner. I will tell you it won’t be a pecan pie. I made one last week for Mark. I forgot I had the oven set high and it burned. It was terrible. Poor Mark tried to dig it out to eat it, but I wouldn’t let him. It was just too bad. I threw it out and promised him another one soon. I don’t know why pecan pies are always tricky for me, but they are. Sometimes good sometimes bad.

I did make a blueberry cobbler that turned out pretty well. I gave half of it to my nephew.

We put up our Christmas tree over the weekend. Someone at work just ask what colors I used and if there was a theme? We have had this tree for about thirty years. I put clear lights on it, and it is decorated with the ornaments that we have collected over thirty plus years of marriage. I love it!!! Every year when we start to decorate it, we pull out all of our ornaments and talk about where we got each one. It may sound boring but to us it is a treasure. I do change the topper out occasionally. I haven’t decided for this year yet.

I have been working on these Christmas ornaments for a week. My friend Annie from work sent me a TikTok video on them and I just loved the idea. I bought clear ball ornaments from Walmart. You can get them just about anywhere this time of year. I used double pointed needles size 5 US. It doesn’t take a lot of yarn so this is a great way to use little bits of yarn from previous projects. I cast on 23 to 24 stitches depending on the yarn weight. Leave a long tail when casting on. I knitted a little pouch about 3.5 inches long. You then thread a darning needle and run through the loops on the bottom and pull together. Do the same thing at the top but put your glass ornament in first. Weave in the ends on the top and bottom. They’re so easy and knit up really quick.

This is some cotton yarn, and it is thinner. I had to cast on 25 for this one. I am a relaxed knitter so that means my stitches tend to be looser. The best thing to do is just knit a few inches, before you get too far, and see how the glass ball will fit into it. I had a bit of trial and error.

This yarn and the one below was thicker, and I only had to cast on 22 stitches for this one. However, don’t knit beyond the 3.5 inches in length for a regular sized ball or you will have a pouch that is too big.

This is what it looks like before you put the ball in and pull the top to make it tight.

***I plan to make a few more of these and put them in a bowl on my table.***

So, Thanksgiving and Christmas are definitely in the air around here. Have a wonderful week!!!

Always remember

Live your day your way!!

Sunday Morning Coffee Share

I started a new series on my blog. A Coffee Share. Come on it andThis will just be a quick sharing post.

It is a beautiful Sunday morning. Only about 42 degrees F I am enjoying my second cup of coffee. Come and join me for coffee, hot chocolate, espresso or whatever your choice might be.

***This is my favorite coffee mug. My niece got it for me for Christmas several years ago. I love the design and that it looks like a knitting pattern.***

I get up really early every morning usually around 5:00 AM even on my days off. I made pancakes and bacon this morning as per hubs request. The only time I cook a big breakfast is on our days off together. That’s not a lot.

***Oh!!! Such a beautiful sunrise this morning!!***

It has been an emotional week around here. We sold my Father in law’s house. It sold really quick and we have already closed on it. It’s hard to believe the whole process started only about three weeks ago and now it is done. My father in law moved here a few years before we did. He has been gone for six years now. The house was hard to keep up so we decided to sell. I guess it just hit us extra hard this week. I think Mark and I both had our moments when the memories were just a bit overwhelming. But we know it is for the good so enough of that. If we were having coffee I would discuss with you:

What I have been working on: I have been knitting Christmas ornaments. Well I actually knit the cover and put a clear glass ball inside. I am loving them. I have finished eight so far. I think they look vintagey, I don’t think that is a real word but you know what I meant. More on those later.

What I have been listening to: Tyler Childers. I am loving his music. He is from Kentucky and plays neotraditional country, bluegrass, folk, honky-tonk. The thing I love most is how much he gives back to his home state and areas around Kentucky. There is a lot of need there.

What I am reading: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I have to admit this one is a bit slow. I have been at it for a while.

What I am loving: I know a lot of people disagree but I love this time of the year when it is dark by 5:30 PM. I think it is just so cozy. It’s winter anyway and you can’t do a lot outside. I love cozying up inside and doing inside things.

What I am looking forward to: Thanksgiving and being with family and friends. Mark and I are going to my nephew’s house for dinner. I will make a few things to take to eat as well.

I would love to hear how you are and anything you would like to share.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!