For a week that started with Bodhi...this has been hands down the most hectic (but wonderful) week of my year, so far.
Chris and Tina (and the boys...my grandpuppies: Bennie and Neville) over on the weekend.
Neville (in Tina's lap) in hyper-alert mode. Which is pretty much his MO.
"Really...there is a cricket chirping in Times Square...can't you hear that infernal racket??"
As well as a quick stop by James, Nicole and Aiden...who was absolutely enthralled by the tree.
Cleaning and shopping and baking on Monday for our Secret Santa Sister Exchange on Tuesday.
I got my friend/former co-worker, Tina, in the exchange. We were nurses together back-in-the-day. Spent the afternoon exchanging "war stories" and "do-you-remember whens..." She enjoyed my banana mini muffins with cream cheese icing and I loved trying her Mom's Slovakian Recipe for Walnut Raisin Bread and she is coming over after the holidays to teach me how to make it "Old Country Style"
Wednesday came bright and early and Audrey, Loretta, Sharon, Tim, Eric, John and I were off with the Transit to Bloomington and the College Mall. Brunch at Applebee's!
That's what I'M talking about!
Bourbon Steak...Mall-Ratting...Yankee Candle with the new Seasonal Scents (Berry Trifle, Winter's Glow, and Angel Wings...my favorite) and Bath and Body who provided Loretta and I with our annual Vanilla Bean Noel fix. We found it last year, and are both absolutely hooked. The Mall was decked for Christmas and a Winter Wonderland even though the temperatures were so unseasonably high none of us had to wear more than a sweater. Wonderful day out with friends.
By Thursday I had pretty much collapsed for the day.
But Friday, I was invited to Brunch, Shopping and The Children's Section of the Library with Nicole and Aiden.
Just can't get over how he is a exact-copy of James at this age.
Later I brought down the boys "lovey" box...and he got to meet Hobbes.
Hobbes was his dad's stuffed toy.
Still around after nearly 29 years!
Later, when James came by he re-connected with his old toy wildcat as well.
By today...I have been clearing my schedule completely next week...and I have the Hurst-Mason-Turpin-Thacker Family Christmas Dinner tomorrow, which I am looking forward to...then a week's down time before Christmas proper.
Well, except for the Christmas Fudge Making, of course. And wrapping the presents.
I am going to need it!
Exhausted.
About the Ugly Christmas Sweater.
Still a work in progress...and a lot of fun. I had never made (or worn) one of these before. Now I know why. But it made the Bucket List, this year. And the rest of the family is wearing theirs to our Family Gathering, too. So I am stitching the wired tinsel and ornaments to an old red sweater...and may just add more tacky crap yearly! And the glitter-bomb from the cheap Dollar Tree star will remain embedded in the carpet, oak table, et al...long after Christmas, the sweater and I, are long gone.
Truly the "herpes" of the Craft World.
(...for everything else there is duct tape)
Have a Wonderful Weekend!
