has time sped up?

Yup, I am well aware that it is January 9th and I am still starting my day basking in the glow of my Christmas tree.  I think it will be coming down today. I don't want to get overly optimistic, as every project I have planned this past week has ended up far major than I planned.  Either that or time is definitely moving faster than we realize. It's like tick, tick, tick... boom it's past bedtime. 

I am wondering if my to do list is too intense or I am getting slow?  We finally got the quilting machine and frame taken down, cleaned, serviced and loaded up for delivery.  It's new owner will have it tonight.  It was definitely bitter sweet.  Especially since my new longarm is at least 3 - 4 weeks away.  Talk about massive disappointment.  But the truth is there are sometimes months that go by without me doing any quilting. I am sure it is just the anticipation. 

I'd forgotten what a beast installing that monster was, and now the room looks so huge with it gone. As I was vacuuming up any of the stray threads that were laying around and cleaning the crafting room, I was stunned by how large it suddenly seemed last night. 

I am going to take advantage of it being gone to finally dig into the Christmas stuff.  I don't want to take anything down until I take it all out, clean it out and organize it.  I have no idea what is in those random boxes at this point.  It seems like every year, as we take it all down and clean up we inevitably find a stack of things that we forgot.  Small, random, missing from their home.  Instead of being responsible and organized, I simply stash them in another bag or box and stick it down there for that moment of sometime later. 

I've discovered that sometime later simply doesn't happen without some incredible effort on one's part.  So today, while I linger on the phone with Cricut, darn heating press is not working, I will pull out boxes, bags and an assortment of other storage items and dig in. Wooo... better make sure I have some serious coffee ready for the effort. 

And of course I had to spend some time this weekend with my littlest grand.  Pedicures, cooking baking and crafting definitely happened.  I figure I might as well start her out on a few hobbies young, and she loves to bake cookies and craft.  

My sweet Hubs is trying to give up nicotine, as someone who never smoked, I don't really understand how difficult it is.  I can tell you as the wife of someone trying to give up nicotine, it is brutal!  The intense internal misery must be off the chain. Because the external signs and actions are unreal.  

We were talking about it yesterday, as I was struggling not to commit bodily harm on my beloved, and he said imagine that you can never create or craft again.  No needles of any kind, no knitting, quilting, crocheting, painting, wood working, any kind what so ever... and you would begin to understand.  I've been processing that since yesterday.  

sublimation... you're up!

not bad for a first try... 

I don't believe I would be a very pleasant person to be around.  I need to create.  I might be very addicted to it, probably similar to how an athletic person is about being active, or a musician is about music... It dawned on me that we all have addictions.  Things that make us feel whole and complete.  Some are probably better for us physically than others, but then again there is not guarantee on that either. Says the woman that has sewn threw her finger, and we won't even talk about the burns, punctures and other mishaps that have occurred. 

I guess I understand.  I know I am trying to be compassionate, I guess I need to try a bit harder. We are all fighting battles that others simply might not see or understand. 

I guess I should be thankful for the delay with my new longarm.  It forces me to have free time to get a few other things done.  It forces me to move those other needles.  At 330 am this morning I was daydreaming about starting another project all together... yeah... I might have an addiction too... geez...

Well, I've lingered, I've stalled, I've chatted and sipped coffee... it's time to dig in... I have planned a lot of activity for today....

love, prayers and peace...

power of a moment...

Anyone else have a rough night of sleep or lack thereof?  I sure did.  Sleep seemed to want to escape me all night long. Didn't get to sleep until well after 10 pm, which for me is the middle of the night. And then I was awake literally almost every hour.  I finally gave up and stayed awake at 4:30 am, I didn't get out of bed, I was still hopeful, but dang... what a long restless night. 

I feel like I have been rushing and frazzled since opening my eyes.  Hubs was up at 3:30 am as usual, so it was the middle of his morning when I finally came downstairs and he was ready for his breakfast.  I just wanted coffee.  I've been dealing with a mild, nagging headache for a while now, I know it's related to the season change (happens every season change), but that combined with a sleepless night has left me a touch on the fussy side. 

I needed Hubs help to load the quilt on the longarm so I had to get with it earlier than I was ready.  He's off to work, my coffee is cold, but I need to stop and reset before I start quilting.  I deeply appreciated the help, I just wasn't ready to human yet. Not sure I am ready yet. 

The best part of the morning was the sunrise that I almost missed.  My photo's don't even remotely do justice to the deep vibrant orange red that filled the entire sky this morning.  It was breathtaking the way it highlighted the brilliant colors of the leaves without even a splash of blue showing.  It was a blessing that I am focusing on as I get ready to move forward with my day.  I am definitely a chaser of sunrises as we all know. 

I didn't manage to get all of my work done yesterday.  The gardens are still in dire need of attention, and a few other minor things didn't get addressed.  I got busy with other things on my list, they took longer than I planned.  It's all good. Our afternoon walk along the river was so beautiful to look at, but the gnats were very annoying and led us to decide to not walk there until it is far colder. 

As I stopped to reload my day, to reset my expectations and where I wanted this day to go I have calmed deep inside.  The headache is still lingering, but the heart is in the right place. I browsed the book for a few minutes.  Looking to see if there are any new recipes that I definitely want to try, pictures of family and friends or inspiring ideas.  I manage my newsfeed pretty intensely and only allow things that are going to lift me up and add to my life.  Today was a small gold mine of positive life enhancing goodies. 

My favorite was a post by a friend, I barely know her outside of the book, I used to see her a long time ago at one of my old Y's, but its been years.  Anyhow, she shared an idea that I am absolutely in love with!  She asked for Christmas cards from her friends for Christmas this year, but not just any old card... a card that contains your favorite recipe.  I love this idea.  I love it more when I think about the connecting of community that it brings.  I love the idea of receiving a handwritten recipe card from all of my family and friends.  I will be buying a stack of index cards and starting to write mine out. 

For Christmas I would like Christmas cards. I want your favorite recipe written inside the card. Even if we hardly talk. Message me for my address if you don't have it. I would gladly send you one also if you would like! How nice it would be to have my mailbox flooded with Christmas cards. I'd love to have the recipe on an index card so I can add it to my recipe box. Oh and make sure you sign it please.

Love this idea! Stolen from a friend.

What a treasure.  Stop for a moment and think about it.  It gives you greater insight into the things that person likes, it could be an heirloom recipe that Gramma made a lifetime ago, or you might find a new favorite of your own.  These are time tested recipes.  I remember long ago when you graduated, got a home or got married you would get recipes from your family.  Somehow that quaint little tradition has died away.  Probably about the time that dining out became the norm, not the special occasion event that it used to be.

I am diving deeper and deeper into sustainability, into being able to walk your own walk, and not worrying about things on that superficial level that led to the panic toilet paper buying last year.  And this idea fits right in with the way my brain and heart are heading. 

I want to be part of a stronger community.  I want to have the connections and the depth of relationships that will enable all of us to weather any storm or calmness that comes our way.  I want to know the people that are integral in my life on a deep enough level that I know what they like to eat, drink, do in their spare time.  I want to know how we can support and lift one another up. 

It's silly how a small idea like has flipped my day.  Has me looking forward to writing all of the recipes out and starting on my Christmas card list.  I have no idea what a stamp costs the days.  I have a bunch of forever stamps in the house currently, heck I even have boxes of cards as I often buy them with the intention of sending them out and then life would get in the way and... boom no cards sent, idea put aside for the following year. 

I am adding it to my calendar for the week of Thanksgiving. When I plan to put up my tree this year and start getting boxes ready to mail full of gifts.  My youngest lives on the coast, and frankly the mail has me a touch concerned. 

I can't wait to see the next brilliant idea that will bring us all closer together.  Forever ago a dear friend wrote in one of my year books... if distance were measured in smiles, not miles all the friends would be together in this world... This was years before computers and even more years before email, instant messaging or social media.  I'm not sure if that friend was able to see the future or just a bigger optimist than I am.  But how prophetic can you get.  Miles don't really separate us any longer, we are able to talk, see and communicate on a moment's notice.  The weeks of waiting for a letter and then weeks more waiting for them to get yours and reply are things of the long forgotten past. 

Well... Hubs put on some old country music for me, the quilt is loaded, my calm is back it's time to get busy.  Time to get lost in the rhythm of sewing and daydreaming what recipes I am going to share with the people that mean the most to me!

peace and love my friends...