Ready?

I think we might finally be ready for Christmas. This year, the whole family is coming to our house for Christmas lunch. Clean, clean, clean.

We still don't have a tree, but it's coming over from my grandmother's with my family on Christmas. I guess we'll decorate it after lunch. Our presents are gathered in the living room. They are our only decoration so far.

Working retail during the holidays really takes the spirit out of things. Work has been fun, but I'm exhausted. Several people at work are expressing their own exhaustion in snippiness to the rest of us. Come on, folks, we're all in this together.

I finished up what I think are the last of the handmade gifts last night. I think the hubby still has stuff to wrap, but he may actually have his shopping done! I'm sure we'll think of something we've forgotten tomorrow night.

All that's left is to sweep the house, finish vacuuming, finish the laundry, and clean up the living room and kitchen. Wow, that sounds like more than I thought! Ugh. And I have to go to work soon. Work tomorrow, too. At least I get a three day weekend next weekend. I think I'll sleep it away.

With all this going on, I find myself obsessively working on a new scarf. I justify it as a relaxation method for me when things get hectic. It may also become a last-minute gift.

2 days to go...

Editorial

Another wise one from the NYT...not that anyone ever seems to be listening.

Crochet Project: Collared Poncho

This was a Lion Brand free pattern I found in Simply Creative Crochet. I'd never made a poncho and it looked pretty easy, so I thought I'd try it.

The pattern claimed that it was easy, but I'm glad I knew what I was doing, because the instructions left a lot to be clarified. It was also one size fits all, but it seems to me to be a bit large. Any thoughts? Or am I just being too picky? I've never been a poncho-wearer, so I may just not know how they are supposed to fit.

I had to add a tie where the collar meets the body because it was so large it slipped off my shoulders. I think the tie adds something and it's been recommended to me to maybe add some above the arm slits (to make a shirred-type effect). That might help hide the extra width.

So be honest: if it's too big, tell me. If I'm being a whiny-butt, tell me. I'm having issues :).

On top of that, I spent all weekend making this when I really should have been finishing Christmas presents!

P.S. Now that I've looked at the free pattern website, mine looks like their photos. Hmm.

To the media

Edward R. Murrow speaks from the grave. He pleads with you - the eyes and ears of our society - to remove your blinders and earplugs and once again question, analyze and criticize what you see and hear happening around this nation.

It took just one man to begin bringing to an end the fear unleashed upon our entire nation by another man.

Who will be the Edward Murrow of this time? Who will be the one brave enough to stand up and point out the hypocrisy and the uselessness of the bickering between the two Great Parties? Is there anyone courageous enough to ask a few tough yet simple questions?

Will the attention span of the American people last long enough to hear this person out, or will we lose interest in the face of commercialism and entertainment?

Kittytainment

Animal Planet. Our cat watches Animal Planet.

I was flipping around and stopped briefly on some Funny Cat Video show. Maddy jumped out of my lap and landed right in front of the TV. She proceeded to watch a good 5 or 10 minutes of the show, right up to the commercials!

We should get a video or something to keep her company while we're gone.