Happy Late Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving Day came and went for our family. Last year we went to visit friends, this year we stayed home.  Lola has her first job.  She worked Wednesday until 8pm.  We really didn't want to start driving in the dark for family 6 hours away.  With the speed of life lately, we decided to stay home and just slow down.  If we slow down too much though we get grumpy with each other, too much together time causes family blow ups in our house.

We made the traditional turkey, 15lbs.  A lot for just the 4 of us.  I couldn't talk anyone into coming this year.  They are all coming around Christmas and don't want to make so many trips in a short period of time.  We made turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, and pumpkin pie.  We have so much food left.  Lola & hubby went out shopping on Friday.  They were out for quite awhile.  We have managed to get most of the shopping done.

We also watched a few movies.  I was looking forward to seeing  "Eat, Pray, Love".  I was disappointed with the movie.  The book is so much better. 

Lola and I went to watch "Harry Potter".  I have read the books, Lola has not.  We really enjoyed the movie.  We always try to see it on a "IMAX" screen.  I don't remember how it started, but after the first time seeing the wand fights on that really big screen, you just can't see them any other way.  One of the local cinemas just replaced a screen with an IMAX.  Before we have to travel almost an hour to the museum to see them.  I liked to walk around the museum before the movie.  We just hit the theater this time.  We didn't want to drive so far.  Lola drove there, that is always an adventure.  She is definitely getting better.  She is scheduled to get her license just after the holidays. 

We had decided to take day trip to break up the weekend (ward off those blow ups).  We went shopping to one of the local college towns.  Only Lola had been to the mall before.  We ate at Bennigans in the mall.  The local college game was on, it was fun to hear the crowd....touchdown!

The Christmas Traditions Quilt is just about done.  The outer borders are now on and the binding is being sewn down.  I am a little disappointed.  You can begin to see in the this pic that the blue and red coins are a little full.  The snowman quilting that was so great in the beginning, has shrunk the white fabric enough to have the colors puckering.  These coins were quilt as you go.  I was hoping to be done with this be now.  I quilted 3 lines lengthwise down the quilt, hoping to take in some of the fullness.  It wasn't enough.  So now I am meandering between those lines. It isn't hard just taking longer than I wanted.  Christmas Traditions is next weekend.  I am again waiting until the last minute to finish. 

I really enjoy The Patchwork Times by Judy L.  I have enjoyed watching her sock collection.  As a child I learned to tat, crochet, knit, cook, bake, garden, and quilt from my grandma's.  I did not enjoy knitting.  I could never get the hang of holding those long needles.  I had so many other crafts that I just learned and then never knitted again.  I watched Judy making socks.  She is quite the quilter, but I love to see her socks.  She collects yarn like a quilter collects fabric (she has a great stash too!).  I decided that I needed to try to make some socks.   So I am.  I started them while I was off taking care of my dad.  They are going slow.  I had to reteach myself how to knit.  It wasn't that bad.  I have dropped stitches...I have to fix this myself now.  Grandma always did that for me before.    It is coming along though.  I should have started with thicker yarn and bigger needles.  I find this out later.  Oh well.  I am dreading getting to the heel.  I will need to take a lesson when I get there, I think.  I am holding off taking the lesson until I really need it.   I am having a ball (hahaha!) working on them.  The technique is 2 socks on 2 circular needles, so when you are done you don't have to start over to make the second sock. 

Happy Knitting or Quilting!

Just Another Quilter (Knitter)