Who knew:

Diet and exercise works. I lost 5 pounds, David 4.5.

Napkins and Towels

These napkins and towels are 100% cotton, made for my friend Tony for his new apartment. Hope he loves them!

Back to Weight Watchers Today

An embarrassing confession: We quit weight watchers because it was just wearing us down. I've gained all the weight I lost plus some...so now it's back to it. Hopefully for good this time. I don't know how to get over that desperate hump.

Good news: I've been exercising almost daily since the beginning of the year. I hope to actually start seeing some weight loss now that I'll also be watching what I eat.

Reminder to self: Take everything one day at a time...one doesn't move mountains in a day. Sometimes it's just a spoonful towards the goals, but that's a spoonful that wasn't there the day before.

New Computer...

...it isn't quite a love affair, but it's close. This new computer is great. It's so quiet I don't even know I have it on...who knew the other's constant grumbling was getting on my nerves.

It's fast. I can open web-pages without having to wait (and I thought it was our connection! ha!)

It's got all the new updates, and while I fight them in the beginning they are more efficient, thus convenient.

Plus my new monitor dresses everything up in a crisp new picture.

So, I concede. New eras are sometimes good things. You just have to get used to them.

Merry LATE Christmas to My Mama

These placemats are a Christmas gift for my mother. Four of them are from Alyssa and Elizabeth and the other 2 are early mother's day gifts from me. They are 100% cotton in gold, lavendar and a creamy yellow. The pattern is called an "M&W".

Book Review: The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kilogradis

The Borgia Bride follows the life of Sancha of Aragon, princess of Naples during the end of the 1400s. She is a strong willed fearless young woman who is prey to the poltical machinations of her family. Married against her will to an 11 year old, who happens to be the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander, she falls into a world of incest, political intrigue, and murder.

The book pretty much is a whole bunch of horrible accounts of the pope's household and how Sancha has to maneuver her way through it the best she can in the hopes that she'll be able to save herself and her brother. She fails at the latter, but does manage to save her brother's son and escape from the madness that was Rome in 1500.

I liked the book ok. It wasn't great, but it was well-written and did suck the reader into it. I got a little weary of all the horrible accounts...it felt rather repitious towards the end, and I was glad to be done with it.

Recommended.

The End of an Era (sort of)

The computer I've been using for the past four years is on its last legs. It grunts and groans every time I turn it on...it's slow to move around sometimes...it locks up...sometimes it just won't go.

So, it's being replaced, but I'm going to miss it. I don't want to move to a new Windows operating system. I like XP...why did they change it? At least I'm not going to Vista, but I just don't understand why they can't leave a good thing alone.

And I really don't like doing this in the midst of dissertation writing. I mean, so many things can distract me from my mission...and a new computer is certainly one of them.

But change must happen, and so it will. Sometime this weekend all files that I need will be transferred, and the new computer will be operational. The old one will be backed up and then put down (poor thing).

Book Review: Katherine by Anya Seton

Katherine by Anya Seton is a thoughtful, beautifully written book about the love shared between Katherine Swynfod and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. The two meet when Katherine is introduced at court after spending her life growing up in a convent. Katherine is quickly married off to Hugh Swynford and finds herself in a miserable life in a miserable "keep" with surly servants, unruly serfs and a crazy mother-in-law.

The love between Katherine and John grows slowly and following the deaths of both of their spouses evolves into an affair that astounds them both and puzzles many of their acquaintances. The book follows all these paths, both positive and negative, and traces the cosequences of such a love.

I liked the book. I thought it was very well researched and evoked the 14th century in amazing detail. You could feel the grit, dirt, and drafts; taste the food; feel the strife of living in a time when communication was so difficult; and find the transcending power of love throughout the whole. I look forward to reading the rest of Seton's repertoire.

Laid Back Boogie by Eugeni Rocherolle

Misty Night Blues by Martha Mier

I didn't think of the potential significance of playing a blues song on the Aggie's bowl game day while wearing my 12th man jersey, but we'll hope it's blue for Georgia and not for us! Lovely little song. Hope you enjoy it.

Three Scarves that were Gifts

Red and White Towels

The red and white towels are finally finished.  I don't know why this project seemed to take me forever...at any rate, I think they are worth it as they are probably my favorite towels yet.  I hope Grandma and Laura LOVE them!

Merry Christmas to all!

I wish everyone a merry Christmas and hope you get all the wonderful gifts you've been hankering for.  I know I did.  I always consider birthday to Christmas to be a "season" in and of itself.  This year I got my big present for my birthday--a beautiful key shaped necklace from Tiffany's.  My parents bought me some ramikens so that I can cook some of these interesing meals I've been wanting to try, some cookbooks, and a panini press.  My anniversary themed gifts were Ayala Bar earrings (google her if you're interested...LOVELY jewelry).  And my Christmas gifts are crafting inspired.  The daughters bought for me a reed holder for my weaving studio as well as a ski shuttle (which I'm very excited about).  And David bought me 4 cross stitch patterns and had them "kitted" so that I have all the material and yarns I'll need for each project.  And finally, David bought me some wonderful "in season" Ranier cherries to be sent in May/June when they are at the peak of ripeness.  I can hardly wait.

This Christmas season I have known the true joy of giving.  I bought for my mother a bread machine, and hearing her experiments every day has truly warmed my heart and brought me more joy than I thought it would.  I have the pleasure of seeing her try new things, have them turn out beautifully and then share them with her family and neighbors.  I feel like I have a little part in that extra-gifting and have honest joy in the knowledge that I "hit it" this year with her gift.  Enjoy for many years mama!

Angels for my house

Any of you who have visited, know that I stitch an angel to go above each of my doorways. I'm mostly finished with the angels needed for this house with these last two additions.  The angel with wine bottle is hanging in the kitchen and the anel cat is in my bedroom.

Christmas dinner

We are having dinner with the girls tonight...serving Christmas Pasta (Rachel Ray recipe, quite delicious), french bread (from my bread machine), salad, pecan pie, fudge. here is a picture of the pecan pie...more to come later.

a work in progress

I thought this one looked so pretty on the loom that I wanted to share before it's even finished. It will be 4 towels...2 for my Aunt Janice to give as a gift to my grandmother. The other 2? Up for grabs!

sharing

Book Review: Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden

I'm a little delayed in getting this book review uploaded. Not sure why but I've been running around like crazy accomplishing very little...so here goes.

Molly Fox's Birthday was a terrific book. I enjoyed it from start to finish. In fact it was one of those book that after spending about 10 minutes with I knew I would love it. The writing is impeccable and the main character's voice is very accessible.

The basic story line follows the first person narrator (whose name we never learn) in her ramblings--both mental and physical--on June 21st, Molly Fox's Birthday. Molly is an actress and close friend of the narrator who is a playwright. They two also share a mutual friend, Andrew, and the narrator's brother, Tom, plays an important role in both women's lives. Finally, Fergus, Molly's brother is a conduit between the two women as well.

And that's really it. The novel is about the relationships between this group of people, but it's so much more. Themes abound throughout the novel, including what it means to be an actress, the ramifications of parental neglect on children, country vs city ways of knowing the world, the ex-patriot's dilemma, and the relationship between humans and animals.

Recommended.

Place mats for my music teacher

This is one of eight placemats that I made for my music teacher, Jan Mesrobian. David saw them and said, "they look rustic." And I told him that that is exactly what I was striving for. They are 100% cotton "slub" yarn (thick and thin) and so so very soft.

A christmas medley

Arrangement by Martha Meir: O Little Town of Bethlehem, Sing We Now of Christmas and Joy to the World. Enjoy!