My brain feels like the slush on the road. I have been right out straight ( picked that up since moving to Maine:) since Thanksgiving. Well really before....
We have a Military Appreciation Committee at work that I am a member of and we have been planning a holiday open house party for the family and kids of a Army Guard unit that is currently deployed. For many of them it is the first time and over the holidays. Months of planning, with the week prior driving down to Augusta from Bangor three times for final preparation. It was an amazing experience seeing all the families and especially the kids having such a happy time; presents with Santa, lots of food and goodies, a corner for video messages to their soldiers, live music performed by a co-worker. It was invigorating, emotional, uplifting and exhausting (the good kind)!!! This is Christmas!
The good times rolled on the 14th; the week prior to the big event I had a vacation trip to Kansas with the Mister to celebrate our friends 35th anniversary. It was made even more special because the Navy Girl flew in to spend the week with us as well. I got plenty of hugs in.
I had a stitchy project to finish on the trip. The Navy Girl requested stockings for her friend and his new bride for Christmas. I was so thrilled to do these... And I used the chain stitch; my first time embroidering names with the chain stitch vs cross stitch. And I added the bells for a nice jingle touch.
In between all this I've been elfing away with packages to family; everything is mailed, nobody local.... Can't find my address book to save my life! So cards have been trickling out as others came in with return addresses, OY! Dog ate my page for HRH block six....my bad I left the stitching closet open. I still got my CRAFT ON; I made close to a dozen garlands made from pages of an old dime store romance (see opening picture) for friends and family. Finished....FINISHED on the sewing machine a little balsam pillow for a gift; I was so tired when I finished it I forgot to take a picture. It will ask the recipient to send me one. I have been terrified I would mangle the stitch work on the machine so I have always hand finished what few things I have sewn. I am so glad I faced that fear; no time at all I had it sewn, reversed, filled and stitched closed. Matter of fact finishing another exchange gift for my Hooking group the same way. Liberating!
Tuesday night drove into Ellsworth right after work from Bangor to pick up a condiment dispenser I was borrowing from my girlfriend for our holiday luncheon in our building. We were volun-told to bring a main dish so our department decided to do steamed red hot dogs. Inspired by nostalgia, a co-worker was reminiscing about going shopping in the small towns at Christmas and there was always a hot dog vender. Well my GF just so happens to have a steamer and the condiment dispenser. Another co-worker brought her steamer in, so I just borrowed the dispenser. It was predicted to start snowing Tuesday evening but I made it back home after a fun visit over dinner with out any significant precipitation. So yesterday was all about steamed hot dogs and the fixin's! It was a huge success; every loved the set up. Know what's funny... Another department did steamed hot dogs too. What are the chances of two departments coming up with the idea to do hot dogs. It had never been done before and we were so excited to do something very different. We had some fun with a friendly Best Red Hot Dog challenge. Considering that two departments provided dogs; we made 130, they made 80, they were a Red Hot item because we both had just about a dozen left. There is rough 180 peeps in the building. That's a lot of hot dogs!
The bosses party was canceled for last night due to the freezing rain...which did not amount to too much, but I was kinda glad. I am beat! Predicted ice storm tonight into tomorrow so I have a bit of running to do right in town and then I am hunkering down in front of the fire for some stitching and a much desired NAP. I know it 5:45 AM and I am already planning a nap. :)
I will post more pictures in the next post.
Wishing everyone a safe and joyous holiday with friends and family.
P.J.
P.S. I have a couple of Pay It Forwards to get off in the mail; I really did not forget about them, they just haven't gotten done. I am terrible! But they will happen. Wont it be a real surprise when they arrive. :-)
