Happy Holidays

I haven't been much of a blogger this year. Frankly I will be happy to see 2024 in the rear view mirror. A close friend had spinal surgery in May and is still in rehab. It has been a slow and arduous journey back to health or what will pass for it. He is in generally good health but now has significant physical limitations due to the underlying condition and surgery. I will help with his care going forward and he should have gone home this week. The universe threw another obstacle in out path when I tested positive for Covid four days ago. I hope I didn't infect anyone else as at first I thought it was a bad cold. When I lost my sense of smell and taste, I took a Covid test which was positive. I have had the vaccine and all boosters, so presumably my case was not so bad. Mainly I have extreme fatigue, breathlessness, and congestion. I have turned a corner and can tell I am getting better, but it has not been a speedy recovery. I am observing CDC guideline and observing the required quarantine.

I haven't sat at my sewing machine in over a week - no energy or desire to do so. I will get back to it at some point, I am sure. I delved into a large basket that sits next to my recliner, curious as to what was in it. I found a long abandoned counted cross stitch project which I have been working on. It is quite fiddly and I wonder how I ever made much progress on it. It has been several years since I touched it. I still really like the project but my eyes and manual dexterity have really declined. I found a pair of lighted magnifying craft glasses and they really help. Here is the pattern, Halloween Fairy by Mirabilia. It is stitched on 28 count linen, hence the fiddly bit.

I have decided to stitch a Christmas stocking for our family's newest addition. A baby boy born in February two months early. I was planning on a rather elaborate quilt for him. It's an Elizabeth Hartmann pattern but I am abandoning that idea and will make him a simpler quilt from a tutorial "Dancing Plus" by Jan Ochterbeck.I have made this several times, most recently for a neighbor's baby. See the pattern here: https://thecolorfulfabriholic.blogspot.com/2015/08/dancing-plus-blocks-tutorial.html

Christmas Day will be low key here. My daughter and I don't exchange gifts these days. We have what we need. We will have dinner with our extended family on Christmas evening. My youngest brother is hosting this year. My contribution will be a vegetable side dish - cauliflower augratin. Basically it is oven roasted cauliflower florets finished off with grated cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.

Wishing everyone happy and healthy holidays!