THANK YOU FOR 2017

Greetings!

I thought I wouldn't be home to post again till Jan 6 but I'm home this weekend not caring for Thomas till tonite, so I thought I would post a few random thoughts about this last year and our lives.

First and foremost, I have to thank all ya'll for reading and commenting on this blog. When I started this in January I wasn't sure if I would like doing this every week, would anyone even read it (much less comment and participate in the conversation)?. I am so pleased to have a small part in this community. I have new friends! yay!

What  have I learned this last year?  How much I miss 2016 before the election.! Just sayin.
If I start posting here how I feel about what's going on in our country now, I would be here all day and I would rather post about other aspects of my life.

HEALTH AND FAMILY
It's been a difficult year due to my health problems, but I think the issues are manageable .  I'm going to be 70 in a few months and someone told me years ago the human body is not designed to last at optimum level forever and there's no warranty. Darn.  70 is old. wow- when I see my reflection in a mirror at the store-I look a lot older than I feel. Oh well. It is what it is. I'm just happy to be here,share my life with my wonderful family and find time to quilt.  hee hee 👵

TELEVISION 
I so enjoy watching Stephen Curry play basketball for the Golden State Warriors. He is such a joyous person. We don't have the NBA channel but sometimes they play on a regular cable channel and we get very excited. I got Thomas a Curry t-shirt for Christmas and he was so happy. Our own Phoenix Suns have been a losing team for a few years now-so sad.
The Hallmark channel has been our favorite all December.  PBS' Victoria and Poldark are so well done and I look forward to each season.  If the Food Network is on Saturday mornings, I'm hooked.

QUILTING:
Sewing is a therapy for me in these worrisome times: politics, health issues, money worries.  Sometimes I need the structure to escape and other days no structure, just mindless piecing!

I've been reading other end- of -year blogs which reflect on the past year, their quilting accomplishments and goals for the next year. They even have "planning parties", goal setting and accountability partners! Really?  I'm not that kind of sewist or quilter. I quilt for fun whenever it suits me. I did not sew or quilt in the month of December which was the first time I've done that in 5 years.  Actually, it felt good not to stress about meeting deadlines.
  I'm an "in the moment" person and I've never made it a priority to count how many projects I completed last year or set goals for next year.  I don't make resolutions for the new year either.  I have posted during the year what I've made and I have a few types of quilts I'd like to make someday, so we'll see if that happens next year. LOL

Until last year, I was the type of quilter who would only work on one project at a time. I know, crazy.  But, now I'm "normal" and have at least 6 WIPS that need to be completed  and given away. It's a process.

I would like to make a "house" quilt and hope to try hand quilting ( I did "tie" a quilt this year).
I don't know if I can hand quilt because I have tendinitis in both thumbs which is painful but, if it was a long term project in front of the tv maybe it would be possible... and easier on my back than machine quilting a large quilt which is what I have been doing. I might be dreaming.

I seem to be the type of quilter to use a pattern only one time which is silly, I have made some really quick simple quilts which I should repeat in other colors.  Unfortunately, I have so many patterns in binders I would never use them all.  I need to purge those binders......someday.

I believe I donated about 5 quilts this year and hope to give away more in the next few months. It feels good!

COOKING
One thing I have noticed is I have been more adventurous (for me) in my cooking this past year.  I even made some dishes in the crock pot without a recipe  which was fun-especially soups.  I've not been a soup person before I tried making my own this way.  It's worked out very well and I now like soups.  The internet has made so many recipes available for free! And, many bloggers have posted their own great dishes which I've been very grateful for.

IMMEDIATE PLANS
January is my organizing month every year.  Put away papers from last year, purge and shred unnecessary paper, sort items for tax filing, rearrange fabrics for quilting, clean, clean, clean. Ugh. I think I'll spend mornings doing these things, then sew in the afternoons, hopefully. It's all abot balance.


Well, I think this is about all the self reflection I care to  do and appreciate you following along.


  I am so pleased to be a blogger and share with you my life.  Everyone please have a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR🎇.

mary