Have you ever had a lot going on and wanted to talk to your friend about it but don't really have a block of free time big enough for the conversation you want to have, so you put it off until you do have time and then the next thing you know a whole month has passed by? Yeah? That's what happened with this blog. Posting hasn't become a habit yet so it's still something I have to make time for and my time has been used up by other things lately. One of my goals for 2007 ( I don't make resolutions, I set goals instead; it seems less rigid) is to make regular posting a habit.
I finished my tea cozy. I'm thrilled but then I'm easily amused. I made one for my sister for Christmas in a lovely olive green to go with her kitchen and the teapot I gave her to put in the cozy. She was thrilled too. That's one of the reasons we get along so well; we both love simple and goofy things like tea cozies.
Speaking of Christmas, mine didn't really go to plan. It worked out alright but it wasn't very satisfying. There are several simple goofy things I associate with Christmas and if I don't get to do them it doesn't feel like Christmas. First off was the weather. There is nothing I can do about that but it's weird to be driving out to the tree farm on a warm sunny day wearing just a windbreaker. This is the Hudson Valley after all and Christmas time is supposed to be cold and sometimes even snowy. Having the windows open while I'm trimming the tree is just wrong.
Then there was the stomach virus that worked it's way through the family. I'll spare you the gory details but I lost nearly a week of pre-Christmas prep time dealing with the unpleasant things coming out of my children and all the attendant laundry.
Then the totally-rockin' minivan acted up and needed new tie-rods. A week later it needed a power steering pump. I like Steve, my mechanic. I trust him and that is saying alot. I drive nearly twenty miles to have him service our cars because he never says things like "you need turning signal fluid" "It sounds like the Johnson rod" "Your McGillicuddy apparatus needs re-calibrating" If there is something wrong he explains it to me and he tells me how long I can put off fixing it if at all. More than that, if there is a particularly puzzling problem, like the one that resulted in the power steering pump replacement, he will fix it and say to drive it for a few days then if it's fixed come in and pay him. One time I got stuck in his shop for hours because a part delivery took forever and so he bought me lunch. He's just a good guy. So when the power-steering pump died two weeks later he fixed it again, no charge. And then did it again when the second pump only lasted two days. Steve is a good mechanic but it still ate up another week or more.
There were other annoying things that stole hours here and there and so I ended up baking Christmas cookies in January.
Orange Sugar Cookie dough.
Orange Sugar Cookies about to be coated with nutmeg sugar.
Nutmeg Sugar coated Orange Sugar Cookies squished and about to be baked.
Orange Sugar Cookies fresh from the oven. They are my favorite cookie. I had a pretty plate all ready to pose the cookies on next to my teapot and cozy but the other people who live here ate most of the cookies before I had the chance. I have the recipe on an index card. It came from one of the many cookbooks my mother has and when I figure out which one it's in I will let you know. I'm thinking it's a book from the '60s and I could probably post the recipe without stepping on anyone's copyright. I'll get back to you on that.
Judi, as for sewing the Cheater Booga I used 100% wool yarn with a tapestry needle and did a backstitch along the lines in the diagram. This way the sewn lines felted with the rest of the sweater. Hope that helps.
Yes - I did! As a matter of fact - I was thinking about you the other day... glad all is well and everyone is your house is over the icky stomach thing. My daughter had it with both her kids too. Love the tea cozy!
Posted by: Claudia | January 11, 2007 at 02:56 PM
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Posted by: Claudia | January 11, 2007 at 05:34 PM