Unraveling

2007 in Review

The first sentence of each first post of the month for 2007 (plus a photo from each month)

January
It's All About Mileage: Say goodbye to December 2006.

February
Three Yarn Stores in Half an Hour: This seems to be the way things go these days.

March
Top Ten Reasons I Did Not Go To Stitches West Last Weekend: 10. It's in Santa Clara

April
We Have Oven: The new oven arrived on Friday.

May
Hello, I Must Be Going: Time sure does fly.

June
Oh, the Places I've Been: The wandering knitter has returned.

July
When It Rains: Thanks to all for your kind words of sympathy.

August
Go Fish: A photo essay.

September
Big Football:  As Mr. Celia tells it, this day could be the biggest football day ever, at least around these parts.

October
a very good weekend: Which I have been trying to write about for days.

November
NaBloPoMo:  In an effort to jump-start my stalled blog writing, I have decided to participate in NaBloPoMo, which involves posting every day during the month of November.

December
Done!: The ISE5 scarf is done.

As I read back through my posts, I spent a lot of time trying to deal with stress this year. And I took a GREAT vacation. I'm determined not to get swept away on the stress train in the coming year. Posting regularly on the blog these past two months has actually been a stress reducer. As have your comments. Here's to a happy, healthy, and calm 2008!

We Have a Winner!

Comment number two thousand has come and gone. We're already at comment 2003!

The winner is Brenda. She doesn't have a blog, but she enjoys reading them. And she has commented faithfully all of December. It's nice to know the socks will go to her.

Thanks to all who participated in my little comment-a-thon. It's great to know you're out there and great to dialogue with my friends in the ether.

I have been caught up in the whirlwind of Christmas and am back at work today, so I hope you'll excuse my tardy replies to the lovely comments that have come in over the last few days.  I am looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight. We were up until 1 a.m. last night finishing the dishes, after a GREAT family party - 22 people altogether - and a lot of holiday cheer. 

I leave you with a photo of the finished stocking.

My Version of White Christmas

Every year in December the star magnolia in my back yard blooms. 

I don't know why. I haven't seen another magnolia blooming so early anywhere else in the neighborhood.  But his star magnolia is very reliable. Every December, its scented blossoms perfume the chilly winter air.

Its discarded petals blow in drifts in the back yard.

And this is what I would dream of if I'm ever away from home for the holidays.

White Christmas.

The End is Near

Yesterday, we went to see The Golden Compass in Emeryville.  We got there early, ran some errands, bought the tickets, and then we had some time left over. Everyone else went in to Barnes and Noble to browse. I stayed outside, sat at a table, listened to the mariachi band, and took advantage of the extra time.

The end is near.

In more ways than one.

As for the movie, the visuals are stunning, with a lot of attention to details (there are a lot of really interesting handknits, for instance), but overall it feels rushed and there is almost no character development.  Everyone in our party who has read the book had lots to say about the ending. I tried not to listen, because I've read about a third of it.

Now I'm off to help Mom with the traditional Christmas Eve boulliabasse.  This morning, I made mac & cheese, for the boulliabasse averse, and cornbread for tomorrow's turkey dressing. It's all happening, and it's all good!

The Darkest Night

   

The darkest night of the year has come and gone.

The sun is trying to peek out from behind the clouds.

The Tiny Man's stocking is ready for a heel.

I think I'll finish it before Christmas, and maybe I'll have time to finish one more thing, which would make me very happy.

Mr. Celia is off doing holiday food shopping.  The Boyo is watching a crew building a lifesize gingerbread house on German TV.  We will have a wrapping blitz over the next three days. It seems like our holiday is handled.

I'm off for last-minute Christmas shopping.  Hoping to pop in and out of the mall before the crowds make it unbearable. And then the Boyo and I will prowl the annual Telegraph Avenue Holiday Market. After that, an early party before I settle in and turn that heel.

It's all fun from here on it.

This is post number 500. Woo hoo! The contest is still on and the end is nearer than ever. You still have time to make my Christmas wish come true. And all you have to do is comment.

Feelin' It

Carolers in the BART station

Wreath in the window

I hope nobody else minds that they won't receive Christmas knits this year, because I'm having too much fun making The Tiny Man's Christmas stocking.

The hardest part of it is over! On with the fun!

Post 499, and we're at comment 1943. Someone's going to win those socks soon!

The Boyo Has Landed!

Turns out it wouldn't have mattered if we had known which airline and what city he departed from in the US, because his itinerary changed when he checked in.  His flight was originally scheduled through Philadelphia, and connecting flights were not departing, due to snow. They rebooked him on a flight from Zurich to Frankfurt, and then straight on to San Francisco! He got here two hours earlier than expected at the International Terminal.

I left for the airport still in the dark as to which terminal.  He called Mr. Celia and left explicit instructions on where I should meet him.  I pulled up in front of the International Terminal and there he was. It was a breeze, not the ordeal I'd been expecting. No parking, no traffic, the whole round trip to the airport was just over an hour - record time!

And now he'll be home when I get there. And we can have dinner together.

I like that.

This is post number 498. And we are 64 comments away from 2000. Wow. We're gonna make it soon, people! If there ever was a time to comment...

You could win the socks. I'm just sayin'...

The Weather Outside

It's frightful. And it's only supposed to get worse.

 

And, of course, this is the day our Boyo is traveling home. Travel delays due to weather are all over the news, and in blogland too. They are not really unexpected this time of year, but you just hope they won't happen while you or your loved ones are traveling. We don't have snow here, but heavy rain and wind really slows things down.

Our Boyo's supposed to get in at 9:45 p.m. tonight. We know which airport he's coming to, but this morning we realized that we have no idea which airline and there are several terminals where we could pick him up. And if you don't know which airline, or the city from which the plane departs, you're kind of up a creek, in terms of getting information on arrivals. So, my Boyo, if you're reading this between planes, please email me with the details. Or call. Collect is fine.

If I continue to post every day this week, I'll reach five hundred by Friday.  As for you my dear readers, don't forget the contest. Your job is to keep commenting.  We are closer than ever to two thousand but not there yet.  If you hit two thousand on the nose, you will be the recipient of a custom-knit pair of socks. Surely that will happen by the end of the year (my fingers are crossed), but you could make my Christmas wish come true.  And all you have to do is comment.

The Good News

I have more of that yarn.

A little over 100 grams. I think there's enough to make a new pair.

After I post this, unraveling will be THREE posts away from five hundred.  The contest is still on.  All you have to do is comment. You are champion commenters!

One Pay it Forward spot left. Here's how it works: I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. You have to ask, people, that's all.

Have a good week!

In Memorium

I lost 'em.