Word for the year: Focus

 Five days into the New Year and I finally decided on a one word intention for the year.  Focus.

I need to focus on many different things and my list is in my head...perhaps I will share it in detail someday. 

For now I am focusing on going through my photo files...I have so much to do...but I have to start before it gets so out of control that it will be impossible.  Going through the photo files will help me with another project on my list...update the Grands photo albums.  A Grandma with a camera has its advantages.  I gave Paige a flash drive of her wedding photos...so I can cross that off my list. 

You can see we still have a bit of snow.  It has turned bitterly cold.  The high yesterday was -1F or -18C eh.  And it was windy...someone described it as teeth breaking, snot freezing cold.  I cannot argue with that.

We had a quiet day yesterday...I made vegetable beef soup.  Some was frozen for quick meals during the Winter.  As I write this on Saturday evening Jen and Far Guy are watching Sioux Hockey, Andy is of town for a Robotics tournament and Sadie makes the rounds from person to person for attention.   I am going to focus on my crochet project unless I get distracted by the puzzle. 

Far Side

List

 I had quite a time with the Baptismal gown.  It had some difficult stains.  Finally worked some magic with some bleach  and gave it a good wash and rinse.  I bought a steamer because my iron is so old it would have made yucky spots on it. ( I hardly ever use my iron...I think it is about 40 years old)

The gown is pressed good enough for now...I have had it hanging upstairs and will wrap it in white tissue paper and put it away in the box.  Who knows when it will be used again. 

Cross something off my list! 

I mailed the Christmas Ornaments yesterday so I can cross that off my list too.  The fellow in the Post Office was not real happy when I showed up with 20 packages to mail....he said "How many"  "Today?" and looked at the clock.  It took him about 25 minutes....I showed up well before it was time to close.

Had my last eye exam for awhile...I hope.  Saw a specialist...yes I have secondary cataracts but she doesn't think they are bad enough to laser yet.  My being suspect for glaucoma remains the same.  Right now I am stable. Cross that off my list too. 

A few Christmas ornaments were hand delivered.   Yeah us! 

Far Guy is working diligently on the Christmas card address list updating it and alphabetizing it!  What a trooper...he spent so much time learning a new program on his computer.  He cusses occasionally...

Far Side

Covid and other stuff

 My Mom tested positive for Covid yesterday.  The day after I spent extended time with her in the emergency room.  The Nursing Home has not done the boosters available this Fall....or the Flu shots or RSV.  Uffda.

Yesterdays project was getting the Christmas ornaments ready to mail.  Not sure when I will get to the Post Office.  

I am almost done with a project I started last summer.  I have my Mom's numerous photo albums and boxes of loose photos.  I have gone through and scanned the really old photos and sorted through them.  I have envelopes filled with photos for many relatives on both sides of the family.  Mom had begun sorting at one point....and now it is almost done.  One more day and I will have it completed! 

My grandfather Albert and a three horse hitch. Three horses don't have to work as hard as two horses and they make a powerful team.

Far Side

4 legged friends

Little Elvis moved right into our room.  He is mostly deaf now so he and I get along just fine. 

 Little Elvis is 13 years old.   He is getting grey around the muzzle but was so happy to see us! 

Sadie is just Sadie...a tail wagging spoiled monster sometimes.   She was happy to see us too!

She likes the day time company...but looks out the window for her people to return.  She lays on the window seat and rests her snout on the window ledge....and looks pathetic. 

We are mostly settled in, we did some grocery and odd and ends shopping yesterday.   I ordered a cube storage thing that holds baskets, so we put that together. 

Far Side

Projects

I have several crochet projects going at one time, I cannot say that I make great progress on either of them since I flit from project to project.

Two of my project containers/baskets.  I prefer to keep like supplies together.  I crochet mostly while sitting on the couch watching TV.   Sometimes I crochet at my computer desk with my ear phones on....blocking out the whole world watching a movie.  

I finally got to see the movie Where the Crawdads Sing on Netflix...the movie was not as good as the book.   Much of the flavor of the book was lost in the screenplay.  I give the movie a 6. 

Far Guy struggled through the address list for the Christmas cards..it is updated and printed.   I ordered the paper for the Christmas letter and will pick it up from the Printing Company next week.  Far Guy says I should write the Christmas letter this year...so I may give it a whirl. 

I finished packaging the Christmas ornaments and they are all set to go to the Post Office one morning next week.  Yeah me...I had packaging supplies spread all over my desk and the dining table for the better part of two days.  

I have been scanning old photos, it is a never ending project.   I have a new project to tackle from cousin Leann...old letters from our Uncle that was killed in WWII.   Once I get them transcribed I will share them here on the blog.  

I have enough projects to keep me out of trouble for a bit. 

Far Side

What's on my desk

 My desk is a mess.  I have way too many projects in the works. 

I have new stamps to try out, a plate from my Aunt Anna's Estate sale to hang up,  two different crochet projects and several more in that bag that I carry almost everywhere.   My Uncle Hugo's Bible in Finnish..waiting on my desk for a response from the grandchild he raised. Various containers (beautiful boxes) filled with "stuff"...

From my desk I can enjoy the wild daisies that grow on the edge of the river rock.

Perhaps I spend too much time gazing out the window....or outside cleaning up the garage. 

Far Guy is doing some practice carving on this years Christmas ornament.   I have not joined him yet.  The design is being refined:)

Far Side

Not Much

 Not much snow, a little ice.  I shoveled the patio and the walk.  Far Guy got the mail and visited his new old car.   I made it through all our issues of Woodcarvers Illustrated.   There are now two  magazine upright storage containers that Far Guy can fill with "stuff."

I figured the crochet stitch out and have an idea for a project...I have a few kinks to work out in the binding.  The stitch is called Apache Tears..the special binding covers up all the ends...I have redone it twice now...but I am persistent. Third time is a charm. 

I watched two old movies or most of two old movies...Unforgiven from 1992 and Men Of Honor from 2000. I enjoyed both.  Unforgiven had some really good writers...if you listen closely there is some humor..."I read you were dead?  I read that too... hell I even thought I was dead, till I found out that I was just in Nebraska."

We started a television subscription to Discovery Plus...what a great adventure that is...no news!! AND I signed up for the no ad version....happy dance. 

I have to pick out another paper project to start this week. Not sure what I shall choose probably something to do with Medicare or Insurance.

Progress is very slow on old photos on my computer files.  I make a few puzzles as I go.

Chance and Peonies June 13 2009 a Puzzle

Far Side