Brrrrrrr

While yesterday was spent wading through the detritus of the holiday-today will be spend with the Super Sucker. When the sun is shining, as it is today, there are vicious looking dust demons living in and around every nook and cranny in the house. Of course it helps that it's 12 degrees outside with a wind chill of -5(cause I needed to know that to complete my day) which means I have no desire to venture out for any reason or any thing. To complete the cycle of crazy weather in the northeast, it seems that by Saturday we will be up around 55. Lets see-everyone with bronchial pneumonia, raise your hands. Last night on the news, in an effort to make you fraidy scared (medical term) they said the Norovirus is making its way out here to the Island pretty darn quick. Nothing gets the hair up on my neck like the threat of a lengthy bout of praying to the porcelain gods.

It's day three of January and I'm sick of politics already with nearly a whole year to go. Gad! Does anyone think they may decide to actually discuss any of the issues in the near future. It's tabloid politics and fear mongering-that's all the press is interested in and they claim that's all we're interested in. Obviously they didn't ask me. I don't care about that crap-I care about what the person is going to do to lift us out of this gigantic black hole that this administration has dropped us into.

Well, there it is for today. I have located some redwork I put away in Dec. and plan to work on that later while I watch a movie or something. I have my Christmas movie bonanza that I haven't watched yet. Maybe I'll watch "Bell, Book, and Candle". There's a scene where the stars are standing on the observation deck of the Chrysler building that reminds me of a lovelier time in the world. People without a care, in love, enjoying the dawn in a skyscraper in Manhattan. There's something I can't imagine anymore. But I can remember.

Hope your day is warmer than mine and peaceful.

I need the cleaning lady to arrive NOW

The mess is so big around here that I need these two ladies to come and sort it all out. I had one of those moments where you just stand in the room and spin because it's so overwhelming. That's how it is in every room. I guess I just need to make a list and check it thirty or forty times.

It's not a big help that I woke up at 3:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep so now I could sleep for hours. I will press on nevertheless.The tree and all Christmas stuff needs to go first so I will tackle some portion of that today. If I can manage I need to do some serious laundry and believe it or not, I still haven't wrapped the gifts for the Quilting Friends. We might be getting together tomorrow so I better make that a priority.

We had a quiet day yesterday and a fairly simple dinner except for the part where I cooked two meals since we have picky people and I was feeling generous. Seriously, James and Dani wouldn't have eaten the pork loin stuffed with onions, garlic, and goat cheese so I made them chicken Parm. I'm going to figure out something simple for today-I'm all cooked out.

The house is quiet-the boys are all off to work-things will shift into winter mode now. I'm itching to get back to the sewing machine but I need to catch up with other things so, for the time being, I'm (gulp) the cleaning lady. Talk to you soon when I will hopefully be able to go back to having a thing or two quilty to talk about.

Last things wrap-up

I'm playing with the blog possibilites so sorry for the new look every ten minutes. I'll settle down soon and make a decision.

I think for a New Years resolution I should learn how to take a decent picture. Sorry for the poor quality-I was probably too close to the ornaments. These delightful things were a gift from my son's girlfriend, Dani. We are big fans of penguins and Hippos. They're just two of natures most awkward creatures and so much fun to see. Dani is also a fan so I am thankful she was willing to part with Miss Priss in the Tubby for me. I smile every time I see her....and Dani too!

My husband got me the Quilt National books for 2006 and '07. Without my asking for them. How lucky am I? That about wraps up my treats for this year. I'm most grateful to have a wonderful family. We have sort of an extended family in this house and while everything is not always perfect-it comes very close to heavenly for me. We are very fortunate to have personalities that jibe very well and I feel protected and appreciated. That's my best gift.

Yesterday I had a foreign film festival. Three delightful and sweet movies that I've been meaning to see for a while. Since there isn't a single thing to miss on tv I watched 2 during the day and one last night. For any of you that are fans of "The Practice" in it's original form with Dylan McDermott, I can highly recommend a sweet little movie called "Mistress of Spices" It's a sort of fairy tale for adults and the scenery is so luscious you could almost climb through the tv and be there. It's nothing deep and meaningful, just pure escape and fun. The second movie is called "The Namesake" it's about an Indian family through a few generations and how they bring the family to America to make a better life and the pitfalls of human nature. It's the first movie that made me cry at the end for a long time. Just beautiful and, again, in the Indian tradition, very lush and colorful. Last, but not least and in the escapist vein, "Bread & Tulips", a movie that has been around for a while that I just never got around to seeing. I recommend it highly, but not if you're fed up with your family. The theme is a wife escapes from her ordinary life with a no-good husband and finds a new life in Venice.

We are having our traditional New Years Celebration of dinner at Intermezzo...mmmmmmm Clams casino-gnocchi Bolognese. That's perfection. Mimosas for midnight and sleep ten minutes later. I hope yours is as delicious and your New Year is healthy, happy, and peaceful.