Sunday, December 16, 2007


A bit of progress on LHN Bee pin keep design from A Gift of
Stitching. I've been working on this mostly at work because
time at home is being spent on Christmas preparations. So
much to do and so little time.

I spent much of yesterday in the kitchen doing some of my
baking. I made 3 and a half dozen gingerbread/butterscotch
cookies, 2 dozen small and 1 dozen large raspberry tarts,
and 4 small loaves and 1 large pumpkin loaf. I also had to
walk down to the corner store because, as is traditional
every Christmas season, I started baking and realized that
I was almost out of something vital. Many times it's
raspberry jam, but this year it was eggs. Sorta important,
eggs.
And the rest of the day Saturday was spent watching the
weather channel and tracking the progress of this lovely
winter storm that we're currently enjoying. In some
areas of southern Ontario they'll be getting about 40
centimeters of snow from this system. I expect we'll see
about 20 - 25 centimeters here. We had 5 cm yesterday
too but that was lake effect, not related to this storm.

The news stations are advising people to stay home
and off the roads unless absolutely necessary. Thank-
fully it's the weekend so going to work vs staying at
home is not an issue. However, this afternoon is the
family Christmas dinner at the residence where my
Mom lives. Every year they go all out, and serve
about 300 people with a full turkey dinner and all the
trimmings. Since we have roast beef for our Christmas
dinner it's our chance to enjoy a wee bit of turkey
without the leftovers. Not that there's anything wrong
with turkey sandwiches....mmmm!

Probably a lot of the people who'd signed up to attend
the dinner will not be able to make it, which will be
a shame because the residence owner and his staff
have been working hard all week to put this event
together. We will probably go, since we just live a
seven minute drive away, but the final decision will
be DH's. He's gone to church, after shoveling the
driveway earlier this morning, so he'll be able to
gage the driving conditions. He picks up a lady from
the residence to drive to church, so he'll be making
a trial run, so to speak.

Our main concern is that the residence is
surrounded by steep hills. Well, this is the region
of Halton Hills after all. So getting down, and most
especially back up these hills can be tricky. DH is
a most skillful driver, so it's not us that I'm
worried about. It's the other ... hmm... less
capable drivers that I'm leery of. Well, we'll just
have to see what happens.


Meanwhile, here are a few pictures taken from our upstairs
windows to show the snowfall so far. These are dedicated to
Karen in Scotland who was wishing for a nice deep snowfall
for her Christmas. Hey Karen, we're willing to share!!

This week's read was back to Kim Harrison and the next
book in her Hallows series. I really loved this one.

Rachel has a problem. She's agreed to become the alpha
in a werewolf pack with David, a were and her insurance
adjuster. David is a loner who doesn't want to be forced
to join a pack or take on the responsibilities of a full pack
of his own. So he asks witch Rachel to be his alpha, on
paper only, to avoid trouble with the other weres. In
exchange Rachel will get a good discount on her insurance
premiums.

But Rachel finds herself having to defend her roll as an
alpha against a were who wants the position for herself.
After barely managing to walk away from that confront-
ation Rachel realizes that she's got to make plans on how
to handle future challenges and avoid being killed in the
process.

And then things become complicated. A call for help from
the young son of Rachel's pixie business partner Jenks
alerts Rachel to the fate of her former human lover Nick
who'd abandoned and betrayed her.

Nick, along with the young pixie Jax, went up north to
steal a werewolf artifact from a Vampire. And had then
tried to double cross the werewolf faction that had hired
him to steal the artifact. The artifact was hidden, but Nick
had been taken by the werewolves and was being held a
prisoner and being tortured for information to allow them
to find the artifact.

Unable to leave Nick to his fate, and also to retrieve Jax,
Rachel and Jax head north on a rescue run. And then
things really get complicated.

Kim Harrison continues to write books that are fast paced,
humorous, and richly detailed. We learn more about were
wolf society and it's hierarchy and history. The relation-
ships between Rachel and her friends/business partners
Ivy and Jenks continue to develop and evolve, and Rachel
herself must make decisions and choices that affect her life,
her future and her soul.

I've ordered the next book in this series, but will
probably choose another book to read in the meanwhile.
Something light, since this isn't the time of year I can afford
to focus my attention or time to a more intense book.

Thanks for all the kind words regarding the mittens that
I stitched for Dani, and also for the stash that I received
last week. I'm thinking of emailing Bobbie at Stitching
Bits n Bobs about those two skeins of peachy thread that,
to me, look identical even though the names on tags are
different. I've checked online to see pictures of how
each of those colours is suppose to look and I suspect
that a goof has been made somewhere. Don't want to
mess up a project with the wrong colour.

It's been awhile since I posted a picture of the fur babies.
Here they are, under the lamp and on the desk next to
my computer. We're a little cramped for space, and
someone is laying on my mouse pad, but somehow we
manage.

Hope everyone who's receiving attention from this storm
is home safe and is warm and snug and stitching. Take
care all. Cheers.

14 comments:

monique said...

Awww... your babies are so sweet :) Stay warm and be safe!

Kerry said...

Wow, I just can't imagine what all that snow must be like. We don't get snow where I live at all, it's too temperate.

I tried the Kim Harrison books and couldn't get into the first one, but I know a lot of people really enjoy them.

I've just discovered how much I like LHN and send my mother a wishlist for a possible Christmas present. I hope I'll get one of them.

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Aww..your babies are a adorable!

I've stitched the bee pinkeep too..but not for me :( as a gift...but I DO have it on my list of "to dos" some day! Yours is looking great!
We're having a snow/ice storm too...we've been bundled inside all weekend!
I got the 1st 3 Kim Harrison books...thanks for the list!

stitcherw said...

Your Bee pinkeep is looking lovely, the colors on this are so pretty. All your cooking sounds yummy. I love homebaked goodies like cookies and teabreads but generally don't make them. Since it is just me I'd eat all of them and that isn't such a good thing, LOL. However, thankfully people bring in treats at work, and there are numerous get togethers so I can still get my goodie fix (I just miss having the wonderful smells from them baking in the kitchen).

I hope you were able to get over for the Christmas celebration. It would be a shame if the nasty weather kept to many people away after all the time put into it. However, the weather can be so unpredictable you never can tell when it will shift. Like you it is the other less careful and alert drivers on the road that I worry about. If people would just slow down so many accidents could be avoided.

We got a fair amount of snow here, almost a foot, but thankfully not ice. Ours started Sat. afternoona and ran through this afternoon. It's stopped now and most people have dug out. Hopefully it won't start again and the commute tomorrow won't be to bad.

Good luck on straightening out the floss, it does sound like one or the other somehow got mislabled as to their color. Also, cute kittie picture, mine are always trying to lay on the keyboard, LOL.
Sue

Lynn said...

Hi Judy! We're still getting snow here from the storm. I'm staying at my son's in Cornwall rather than attempt the drive home. The 401 was closed anyways due to a pileup involving 6 transports!
Your pinkeep is looking lovely!
I'm not able to stitch here, not enough light and I've left my Ott at home. A good book is sufficing for now!
Love the fur babies, they're adorable!
Hope you made the dinner for your Mom. I know they've cancelled some things like that up here. It would be a shame to miss after all their special preparations.
Take care and keep warm!

Beatrice said...

Your kitties are so sweet. I miss mine and it's been 3 years!

We sure got the snow here as well. DH does the clean up Thank goodness.

The bee pinkeep is wonderful.
It sounds like you have the baking bug under control.

I get the urge I sit down until the feeling goes away. Not my favorite thing to do.
I love to cook but not bake.
Stay warm and safe.

Jane said...

Butterscotch cookies!! Can you send some over here? Wow that is some snow pic you took. We don't see much of that where I live. I love your kitties too. Sweet! Thanks for the lovely comments over at my blog. I really appreciate it. I am adding you to my sidebar and I will come visit you often!

Kathy A. said...

Wow, all that snow. No wonder I ran away to Arizona. The mittens you did for Dani are just the cutest. I know she loves them. YOur pinkeep is sweet but not as sweet as your baking. I gratefully accept any leftovers LOL.

Michelle said...

Your LHN is coming along beautifully! I hope that you are able to go out to your dinner, it would be a shame to miss it. Good idea emailing about those two peachy threads - hopefully one has been mislabeled and can easily be corrected. Such cute kitties - they look all snuggly.

samplerlover said...

Hi Judy, what amazing photo's of all your snow. We sometimes get snow up here overnight but it melts as soon as the sun gets on it. I think it would be lovely to be around all that snow but I think it is an experience that once would be enough. I hope it actually snows for you on Christmas Day.
I hope you were able to go to the Christmas dinner. All the work and food going to waste.
I have the same problems at Christmas. Mine is with the pudding. I have been making them for 24 years. You would think by now that I would realize that I should buy the mixed peel in at least November. But no not me. I usually have to hunt around all the supermarkets looking for it.
On the Victoria front. The local newsagents are now stocking the first issue. A month after its release. That's usual in Australia. I know now that it Karen decides to cancel her order that I can get it there, but a month later which is ok. - Did you weaken and go buy it.
If you don't hear from me before Christmas I hope you and your family have a lovely time. Merry Christmas - Sandra.

Carla said...

The bee pinkeep looks great! And your furbabies are adorable :)
Hope you were able to attend the Christmas dinner.
Merry Christmas!!!!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Awww your babies look sooo cozy and sleepy!

Great start on your new piece!

Gina E. said...

Judy, I love those photos, even though it makes me shiver to imagine how cold it is there! Gorgeous photo of the kitties!!

Pumpkin said...

That's lovely! Which issue of TGOS is it? I think I'll have to go through mine again. LOL!

It looks like you got a good amount of snow as well :o( I'd wave a white flag to surrender but you wouldn't be able to see it over the snowbanks!

Thank you for your nice comments on my Blog :o) I now have you in my Google Reader.

Can I ask who is the designer of Spot of Tea 1? I absolutely love samplers.

Your fur babies are adorable :o)