Hello 2025

Yesterday was very sunny with a high of 9C. This morning it is foggy and -1C. Today is suppose to be rainy with a high of 4C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I went out and brought in the two LED projector lamps. I am so happy that I bought them for my outdoor decorations. Rather than worry about getting lights down, I just have two items to bring in and two extension cords to put away. Perfect for me. Easy to put up and easy to take down. 

 Next I was out to get groceries so I would miss the crowds. I didn't get a lot as I am trying to use up what I have in the freezer and pantry. The store wasn't too busy until I was ready to leave. People were coming in to get what they needed as the stores are all closed today. My one splurge buy was to get some finishing sugars for next year. 

I have been looking for these for a month or so and finally found them where I least expected to -- in with the Christmas candy. They are in the freezer ready for Christmas 2025. 

Once home I put the groceries away and had a short rest. I cleaned up the kitchen, vacuumed the floor and mopped it. They weren't overly dirty, more dusty with a lot of cat hair on them. It is nice to have the kitchen cleaned up for the next few days. As I clean up the house, I will try to vacuum the floors. 

I also laundered the blankets and got them folded and put away. I have our old blankets on the couch for now as I am looking for new ones. It may take me a while to find what I want. I will keep the old ones to put over the vegetables in case of frost. I will find a tub or basket to put them into. 

Sewing

I spent most of the afternoon in the sewing room. I got the last letter stitched out. I trimmed the blocks to the proper size.

I also stitched out the three ghosts to at the bottom of the wall hanging. They are ready to soak in warm water so the stabilizer will dissolve. While they were stitching out, I cut out the binding strips and got the first square ready to hand sew the binding in place. 

While the machine was stitching out, I looked for the Spanish hemstitching foot. I found it but it won't work on the Diamond. It was bought for the SE. 

What I do remember is that the lady who sold it to me didn't know how to use it on the project we were making. The plate had never been removed from the package. No wonder I hated this foot. I am deciding if I will order the foot or not. My question is "Will I use it?"

Knitting

I finished the back of the vest last night. Now to start the front. 

Thoughts

    I sat and thought about 2024 last night. It was a year of highs and lows. The biggest high was going to Denmark and Sweden. I so enjoyed the 2 weeks we were there. It left me wanting a more simple and calm lifestyle. Another high was the improvement in my hip until both SI joints came out of place. I am 90% back to where I was prior to that incident. And the last high is still being independent and living in my own house. 

    The lows I had was depression. The cause was weather. We had a lot of dull grey days that left me feeling sad and unmotivated. Pain from my hip also affected my mood. I also noticed that I felt lonely at times and missed the Spousal Unit. This was mainly when I reconnected with old friends, heard about people who passed, or the need to talk about things I only shared with him. One of my focuses this year is to work on my mental health. 

    I put the Scandinavian Winter quilt onto the couch yesterday and realized that I really want navy and light blue in the main part of the house. I can bring in grey and white along with textures. It had me scrambling to find this picture. 

I have ideas popping into my head about what I want to do. 

    I finished reading Swedish Death Cleaning last night and it was a good story. I have done most of what she said to do and am working on peeling away the clutter I acquired in 2024. I am focusing more on keeping my areas clean and tidy as I have decluttered a lot over the years. If I remove the stuff I don't need on a regular basis and tidy up after myself daily, I feel that I can have the house in good order. This will help me keep it clean and tidy. 

Today

My goal is to clean the dining room and vacuum and mop the floor. It is day 1 of Karen Brown's declutter challenge. My job is to find the remaining trash in both the sewing and family rooms and take it out. I also have to take garbage to the curb this afternoon. I want to bind the remaining 2 squares so I can start hand sewing the binding in place. The ghosts need to be soaked in water and left to dry. Tonight I hope to cast on the front of the vest. 

Until the next time............................................................