Christmas 2005

Well, it's done for another year! Actually we have had a great holiday. V got in on Thursday, but both Phil and I worked on Friday. Saturday was busy with gift wrapping for the Yankee Christmas, branch spreading and decorating followed by Phil and Vanessa cookie making and general food prep for Christmas Eve and day. Dinner was fun once again, and some of the kids got vicious during the swap ;) Phil, Vanessa and I did the gift thing Christmas morning, and then set about getting ready for dinner: garlic and herb encrusted spoon roast wrapped in bacon, 2ce baked potatoes, stuffed artichokes, spinach salad and homemade bread. Shrimp, cheese cake and various other appetizers and desserts rounded-out way too much food again this year. Phil seemed pleased with The Godfather boxed set, Harry Potter boxed set - years 1,2,3, Shawshank Redemption (finally) and tickets to Spamalot. Add in seasons 5 & 6 of Mash and a video game. Vanessa received Sex and the City season 6, parts 1 & 2, Lonely Planets The Gambia and Senegal, an Entertainment book, silver and stone bracelet, Dukes of Hazard DVD, Sephora brushes, Letters Home, a Nurse calendar, ITunes and her Louis wallet! J got a couple of Polo shirts, some Polo sox, Amazon gift certificate and the pasta pots while Tara got the Food Network Favorites cookbook and Amazon gift certificate. As for me ;) lots of knitting gadgets like cable needles, stitch markers, sox calculator, yarn guide, yarn requirement guide, Raglan calculator and the yarn meter I wanted. Throw in Folk Bags, Vogue quick reference, and Ray, Must Love Dogs, then a new robe, top, pants, cashmere sweater and a gift certificate to Creative Fibers, and top it all off with cash from Mom and Dad - whew! The weather didn't cooperate though, the family was here until almost 11, and then it took Dad over 2 hours to get home in the rain and fog. The card players (Aunt Loretta, Justin, Dad and Dane): Not much knitting over the past month or so, since I needed to get the website up and running. That should settle down soon. And so no blogging except for the school site :( WIP: Phil's sox give him happy feet! So he is getting another pair (need to get a pic of those socks). Bobby Bear, braided neck piece (almost done), felted mittens need thumbs, Entrelac bag, and chain link scarf (which I may never finish). Upcoming classes: Caviar sweater, Moebius scarf, Magic Loop socks, and Mitered Squares Jacket.