[Contrary Housewife]

I was enjoying myself until I found out that COVID carriers would be coming to our New Year's Party. The idea was that a small group of us who are vaccinated and trust each other would have a safe party. Another person offered to host at his larger home. This morning we were told they'll have house guests from out of state who are not vaxed and were exposed to a known source of the virus just a couple days ago. I had to rsvp our regrets in much more polite language than I would have liked to use. Grr! Glad I'm not trying to sew because I'm really annoyed right now.

But we're going to see lights in the park tomorrow evening and I hope that will be nice, even if it's going to be below freezing. Time to find my thermals.

 

[renmerc446]

CH - glad you found out about the possible COVID exposure before attending, rather than after.

I took this week off as vacation. Well, we had Thursday and Friday off last week for Christmas and Thursday and Friday off this week for New Year's. So I took the rest of the week in between off. Been pretty much not doing much other than binging on DVDs and doing some crocheting. Even then, I'm mostly just taking things easy.

My friend got her afgan and loves it. I'm currently working on a blue 1lb skein on my current grab-bag afgan. I'm thinking of donating it, likely to the charity that picks up fresh food from the local farmers market. It's going to be a full sized afgan so the farmers market charity will likely have someone who needs it. I think it's too large for someone staying at an assisted living facility or hospital, especially in the beds with the side bars that raise and lower.

 

[dlrcpa]

Bummer CH. For the last 10 years at least we just stay home and just have hors d'ouvere type things as supper. Hubby bought frozen Chinese dumplings and egg rolls, making ham in crescent rolls, cheese and olives. I need to decide on a dessert to bake.
I've been working on the dog cross-stitch, in the bottom border of grass and flowers. Also making a kid's hat from leftover yarn balls. Gray yarn is gone, started on the Lion Heartland yarn in green, finished 1 hat. It is really nice to work with - also expensive so I guess I won't be buying any.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

DH and I often stay home, but this current group of friends likes to celebrate, and we've missed it the past 2 years. And I've found out now that one guest was not just exposed, but has COVID, making the 7th household in 10 days that I know of to have it. DH and I talked about it and we're going to cancel dinner reservations, too, and just meet our other friends at the park for the lights. Last time I was in a restaurant at New Year's I got the flu, we were packed into the waiting area like sardines.

We're having snacks for dinner on the 31st, too, because I already bought the stuff. Brown bread with dill dip, veggies, crackers & cheese, maybe some ham in crescent rolls, too.

 

[dcompton]

CH - that’s too bad. I’m glad we cancelled ours. All of us are vaccinated, but some work out among the public and three in a hospital that is experiencing the covid case surge. That’s just too much potential second hand exposure for me to be comfortable with, given the insidious asymptomatic spread.

I got the garden cable border to the point of meeting at one of the corners so I spent some time with graph paper working out how to connect them. I’ll mostly work on that tonight, but probably do a little on the early bird too. After culling some of the WIPs I have needle holders set up for them - long single lengths is a lot of colors. It would take hours to match the symbols on the holders to the colors on the patterns to identify them, and many more to put it all away. I had decided to just abandon it. Then this afternoon I saw the WIP with the tiny flowers on dark gray. It will be perfect to use for that, so that WIP is back in my line up and I’ll be able to use at least of the orphan floss strands.

 

[Spirit Deer]

People really are selfish these days. It's so infuriating. At least you had enough warning to cancel, CH. Sorry you're missing the party, but on the plus side, you're missing the potential sick bed, too.

I got all but 3 rows done on Coffee Shoppe, then got too tired to finish the white. Should be easy enough to get that done and start backstitching tomorrow. I'm wondering what fabric I have to put around those two projects. The blues are more aquas and turquoises, and the reds lean toward corals and pinks, so I think Christmas fabrics will be too green, too blue, and too red to work. Oh, well, let that be my worst problem in life. I haven't looked yet, but I'm sure I'll scare up something.

I got the trim strips painted for the bathroom, and a coat of paint on the shower shelf. I will have plenty of paint, luckily. I have to get the shelf done. Now that we ordered puzzles, no doubt we'll want the table when those arrive. I'm going to start with this one because I love it and it looks like fun. Guess I better get Coffee Shoppe done before the puzzles come, too.
Vermont Christmas Company Camping for Christmas Jigsaw Puzzle 1000 Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LGVMG5B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_fabc_HTPAKZQBG2ED0SY853GD

 

[marthamfi]

that is a cute puzzle! that sucks ch. silver lining is that they didn't hide it. I do the appy thing too cus easy not that I usually am awake for midnight. think it is that time of year..not in mood to do much but have too lol work stuff. car in shop so dh drove me to friends to hang out and he visited with the hubby lol so he could get guy talk. needed girl time.

still mega chilly here for us. like 20 which is warmer then yesterday. so many hungry crows had to feed a few times until happy. plus a few seagulls. got rid of the ham fat etc first. ended up w bag of chips in the end. at least nothing goes to waste. haven't gone to michaels or anything so maybe when at store working tomorrow will see if any deals. not like we need more sweets lol have so many candy canes from deals last year but kids aren't really eating them like previous years. have be taking down xmas decor cus clutter is getting to me. just finished watching hallmark the christmas contest. they are good when they have good actors.

 

[dcompton]

SD - That does look like fun.

I have two sides of the garden border completed - nearly — I’ll be able to finish that off before bed. I think I’ll stop the border there for now. The planning, centering and connecting is figured out and it all worked, so I can finish it in stages. After all, I have 49 weeks to do it in.

I’m waiting for some sphagnum moss with an Amazon order that’s supposed to be here tomorrow to redo the isopod enclosure. I’m planning on starting that tomorrow. It always takes longer than I think and is messy. Somehow I always end up with dirt everywhere. When that’s done I can stow the second small tank, take down an extra folding table that I’ve just left out since I knew I would need it, and have my whole worktable again. That may be the inspiration I need to get the rest of the clutter put away.

 

[dcompton]

Hi everyone! I’ll start the 2022 version tonight or tomorrow. Right now is isopod time.

 

[MaggieTru]

Bring on 2022! I should get out a small packet of beads so I have a manageable amount to try to use up from the huge stash.

 

[renmerc446]

I have no plans for New Year's Eve, other than doing wash and dealing with a car issue. Hopefully that will be done quickly, especially since I was able to get an appointment for tomorrow (Friday) where someone else had cancelled. I just hope that person doesn't show up anyway. I just hope no one decides to set off fireworks tomorrow night, especially around midnight. There are noise ordinances in town but I doubt that will stop people from doing it anyway. Other than that, I'll probably just pick up something for dinner and go to be early.

Still working on the grab-bag afgan. The 1lb skein is coming along. It feels like it's taking a lot longer than the other skeins but then most of the skeins I've used recently have been partial skeins. Then again, if I get bored, I can switch over to one of the purple lapgans. I have one of those already started and that will feel like I'm accomplishing things a lot faster.

Starting to collect the skein ends from this grab-bag afgan for a new scrappy afgan. But that will take quite some time to collect enough for the full sized afgan I want to make for myself.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Beads sound like a nice project idea. I have been meaning to do more with mine. Now that the big quilt is done maybe I can try some other projects. Time to think about 2022 goals.

Our trip to the park to see lights got canceled. The other couple we were going with is reporting mild symptoms. They were kind enough to let us know, and felt they should stay home. DH was sad so I went out and bought a LOT of BBQ from our favorite place. Had them add extra buns, so we have food for several days.

Usually gets loud around here on NYE, but bitter cold expected this year with sleet and freezing rain at some point so I hope everyone stays in. Fireworks illegal here too, but not enough police to catch the real criminals let alone kids with bottle rockets. Saturday is going to be a mess with snow on top of ice and coming down all day.

 

[dcompton]

I set up the new one. We can move now.

I finished the isopod housekeeping. It went faster this time. Instead of trying to sort multiple colonies by color, I just pulled out a bunch of juveniles with good orange or white, and then I only had to set up one tank. There may be a few old enough to start breeding soon, but that will be basically on hold for a while. A good thing. But none of the clean up is happening tonight. I’m just too tired. I had an unhappy surprise. The springtail colonies had crashed in both tanks. I have no idea why. I’ve just ordered a new batch. Without them I will have fungus gnats breeding in there. I need to get them established again ASAP.

 

[Spirit Deer]

I'm working on backstitching for Coffee Shoppe now. I hope to finish tomorrow but might be overly optimistic. I do want to get it all done before 2022. It's turning out nice, now that backstitching is bringing out the details.

Nothing going on around here. The biggest excitement all day was the arrival of the propane truck. Our tank was below 20% heading into a holiday weekend with forecast daytime highs below zero. We're on their keep full plan, but sometimes they don't.

 

[dlrcpa]

Glad you got your fuel SD.
The kid's striped hat was a real pain. Was trying to use small balls that did not go far and keep the colors compatible. Anyway it's finished and I'm back to large skeins for now. The Riolis dog cross-stitch won't be completed today either but getting close.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Looking back at 2021, I had 22 projects make my list, 5 got checked off. Of course, I did much more than those 5 projects. Four of the listed projects were quilts, but I finished 13 quilts during the year. Most never made it onto "the list" of things to do.

Sunny and warming up nicely. Will be a beautiful last day of the year. DH and I are going to do some yard work, clear leaves off the drive and steps, bring in hoses and tools, etc. to make it easier if we have to shovel. They have ruled out rain now and say it will be freezing rain (ice) or snow, 2-6" in the city which I know you northerners are laughing at, but that's a lot for us to get all at once. DH is cutting up firewood to get it out of the drive and under cover out back.

I'm going to make a list of objectives for '22. I think I already know what I want to start with.

Oh, and that earring I lost? It turned up in a shirt pocket (that I had checked twice) the other night.

Happy New Year!

 

[dlrcpa]

So the cats had it up for sale on eBay and I guess no bids so they put it back.

 

[dcompton]

I doubt my day will be very successful. The mess is huge after yesterday, but I woke very early somewhat congested and just got up. The lack of sleep is leaving e lethargic. I think before anything I may have to set aside nap time.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Napping is a valid use of time, DC. Rest, take care of yourself, and hopefully you'll feel better and be able to do things tomorrow.

 

[Spirit Deer]

I never laugh at icy roads, or nuisance snowfalls in places where people aren't used to them.

My last project for 2021 is finished. Ta-done!