We had some snow the other day – just enough to make things pretty but not enough to screw up any plans. Perfect. Let’s hope this weekend brings more of the same! I’ll be finishing my shopping, baking cookies, wrapping presents and making merry! Busy, busy, busy!
Hope you have a great one!
A few weeks ago my bestie Jo-Ann texted me and asked if I had any plans for Monday, December 9th. I said nooooooo. And then I said what’s up? And she said, “I’m giving you your Christmas present that night. It’s a surprise.”
Now. That sounds very nice, doesn’t it? Thoughtful, even. There’s just one thing.
I don’t like surprises.
I worry and I stress and well, I just don’t like surprises.
But, this is Jo-Ann and she knows me pretty well and I figured it wouldn’t be something I’d hate. So on Monday morning I asked her what I should wear and if I should bring my camera. (I also tried several times to get her to ‘fess up about where we were headed but she was a vault.) She picked me up at 5 and finally told me we were headed to the Hingham Beer Works.
Beer is a great start to any adventure, even I will admit that. Especially when it’s this delicious Christmas Ale.
And so are delicious appetizers – which is what we decided to order instead of entrees. There were those butternut squash stacks – squash, figs, mozzarella cheese and red peppers with pomegranate sauce.
We also had these fabulous pretzel dough bites with cheese fondue.
And cheeseburger sliders. Yeah, we weren’t really worried about carbs and calories. It’s Christmas, right?
Of course, when we got there I realized the true reason for the location. She had dragged me to Paint Nite.
Seriously? Paint Nite? Seriously! Paint Nite!
She has been bugging me to do this with her for a while now and I kept saying no. I have no artistic talent. I can’t draw a straight line much less a circle. I had lots of excuses and that little brat dear friend knew the only way to get me to do this was to give it to me as my Christmas present.
Truth be told – it wasn’t that bad. It might have even been fun.
Because, as we always say, Jo-Ann and I could have fun in a paper bag. Throw in some beer and some paint and it’s pretty damn good. I might even kind of want to go again.
Even if I still can’t draw a straight line.
I finished a pair of socks on Monday. My first thought was – great! – I can take pictures and get a blog post ready in time for Wednesday. It’s good to actually talk about knitting now and again on a blog with the word “knits” in the title, I think.
And then my second thought was – boring! – another pair of picot edge stockinette socks. Like you all haven’t seen that a gazillion times right here. Nevertheless, I pulled out the camera yesterday and I staged them in the freshly fallen snow, trying to get some photos that didn’t look like every-other-photo of a finished pair of socks.
I basically failed at getting anything unique.
This here’s the “whole sock” photo.
And then there’s the “toe” photo.
The “picot edge” photo.
And, finally, the “artistic” one. Nothing new at all.
Except.
As I was processing the photos, adjusting the contrast and adding a warming filter and all that jazz, I was struck by all of those tiny stitches. They line up perfectly and there are just so many of them and even after all this time I sort of can’t believe that I can take sticks and string and make something so pretty.
I guess a finished pair of socks isn’t boring after all.
I’m glad my post yesterday struck a chord with so many of you. And it’s nice to remember to slow down and enjoy the season. But still – it’s a busy time of year and while we are enjoying we also have to prepare. And in the spirit I have to admit that my to-do list is about to explode and it’s sort of all I can think about these days. And so, while I’m still focusing on what matters, I’m also going to unload on all of you. Here are 10 Things On My To-Do List Right Now.
I think writing this all out actually made me feel worse but I’m hoping that reading all of your to-do lists will make me feel better! Don’t forget to add your link below and if you want to receive the Ten on Tuesday email then click here to sign up.
Thursday night was the annual tree lighting on our town common. This event is put on by my Kiwanis Club - we decorate the common with garland and bows and lights, we serve free hot apple cider and apple crisp, we arrange for entertainment and we find sponsors and I, as president of the club get to MC the evening. I thought I’d share with you one portion of my speech that I think we all need to keep in mind over the next two weeks.
As President of the Kiwanis Club of East Bridgewater, I want to welcome all of you to our annual tree lighting event on the town common. We are so glad you are here to kick off the Christmas season in East Bridgewater!
I just have a few words I want to share before we get on with tonight’s program. I know how hard it is make time to attend an event like this. We all lead incredibly busy lives, particularly so during the month of December. We have jobs to go to and children to care for. We have meals to prepare and friends and family to entertain. We have shopping to finish and packages to wrap and so much more that our heads swim when we think of all the things on our to-do lists. But tonight, for just this little while, I am asking you to put those things aside. Instead of wondering what you are going to buy for that last person on your Christmas list, I want you to focus on how beautiful our town common looks during this season. Instead of planning when you are going to bake Christmas cookies, I want you to listen to the voices of children raised in song. And instead of wondering where all the money for the gifts and the food is going to come from, I want you to think about how wonderful it is to be part of this community tonight. There is nothing like the spirit of the season to make us all open our eyes a little wider and take in the magic – the magic of lights and music, the magic of beautifully decorated trees - the magic of Christmas.
