Merry Christmas!
Today is Christmas Day! Can you believe it? I can't! How is it possible that we have lived in our new home five months already? And there is still so much to do! However, I have come to realize that I must pace myself. "ALL IN GOOD TIME" is my new motto.
Some of you have been reminding me that it has been more than three months since my last update. I had no idea going back to full-time employment would be such a adjustment - but I have learned that I must manage my time better if I am ever to get it all done.
Paul is doing quite well after having three separate procedures (in October, November and December!) on his legs. He had poor circulation due to blockages in the veins and arteries. Peripheral Artery Disease Intervention is what they call it, but it is basically the same procedure as a heart cath, but in the legs. They were able to get good circulation going again in both feet, and we are very thankful! He is walking every day again when weather permits and says he can already tell such a difference.
Decorating for Christmas has always been one of my favorite things to do, and this year it was especially fun! To be honest, I didn't do a LOT of decorating due to my poor time-management skills, but it has been fun, knowing my children and grandchildren would actually be here to enjoy the results! We had a wonderful party here last night. It was noisy and messy and SO MUCH FUN! I've missed that a lot and it is wonderful to be HOME!
Finally, after all these years, I have made peace with dirty dishes! My kitchen window has become a place where I enjoy being! I no longer object to time spent washing dishes. In fact, I love standing there (on a thick padded mat, of course) looking out at the trees, the stable, the squirrels, the birds, and the falling leaves. (And falling trees! Did I mention that? You can see it right through that window!) I enjoy it so much that my dishes almost seem to wash themselves!
As you can see in the photo below, I do have a dishwasher, but at the moment it is not connected. It's a long story...but I almost don't want to fix it because then I would have no excuse for spending so much time looking out the kitchen window!
You may notice one new piece of furniture in my kitchen, The drop leaf table is on loan from my daughter-in-law, Donna. I wasn't sure if I had room for a small kitchen island and this was the perfect way to find out. I LOVE IT. She might have to fight me to get it back. It makes a great table to seat extra dinner guests too so it really is a multi-purpose piece. It will be difficult to replace when the time comes!
I really haven't made any major changes to the house since my last blog post.
I just took down all the autumn stuff and replaced it with Christmas "stuff". The orange chair cushions have now been recovered with light blue toile fabric and I am much happier with it.
I found this cute metal and wire TEXAS garland (below) and had to have it. The embroidered fabric
draped over the basket below was a gift from Janice Meagher . I LOVE IT!
I found some cute Christmas pillows at the local antique mall to replace (temporarily) the orange pillows on the sofa. Snowmen always make me smile...
I took these photos with my phone. I apologize for the blurriness. You can't really see them, but the angels hanging on the garland below were given to me by my mom and are
special keepsake ornaments.
I also have a beautiful crocheted tablecloth my mom made for me many years ago. I have "repurposed" it for the bedroom. My mother also made the porcelain dolls in the basket. She poured the molds herself, fired them in her kiln, painted the faces, sewed the bodies, curled the wigs, and made all of the clothes as well! They are family heirlooms that I hope someone in the family will appreciate long after I am gone.
I am not quite done with the tablecloth to curtain project...but I'll keep you posted. I prefer not to cover up the old wood on our door table, but I really want to find a way to display Mom's beautiful crochet work.
The bluebonnet quilt and shams were a Christmas gift from me TO ME!
It took me six months, but I finally found the quilt I wanted and I wasn't about to let it get away!
I am loving the farmhouse feel of our place. Now I just need a few miniature horses, a goat to keep the undergrowth cleared and a cow or two.
We love our country home, but I must admit that it has been far more work than I thought it would be, and I knew it would be a lot of work! There are not enough hours in the day right now.
We are still working to get the motorhome listed for sale. The weather here has been
wet and very cold, with a few rare, warm days mixed in. Between that, Paul's medical issues, and the J-O-B, the motorhome project has taken a back seat. But...it is at the top of our To-Do List now!
Hoping you are all well and wishing you the VERY MERRIEST CHRISTMAS!
MAY 2014 BE YOUR BEST YEAR EVER!
Debra
