It had to be done. The needles were going to start dropping in earnest soon and once Christmas is a memory, it's time to be done with it. If I HAD to wait until 12th Night I would be tearing my hair out! The tree is out, and all the decorations and cards put away (I re-use the cards, cut up where appropriate, for gift tags).
So that was this morning's main job, along with a load of washing, taking useful boxes out to the stables until I decide what to do with them, ironing the pile of nearly all my teatowels, and going for a walk along the lane to see my horsey friend and thank her for her Christmas present. I enjoyed the walk, and even managed it up the hill without stopping. The sun was out and it was mild, and so I decided to tidy up in the wake of the hedge being cut, and I emptied two planters which were just housing weeds. I needed the compost to top up the planters at the front, once I'd weeded them. Then I put some bulbs in.
This afternoon I looked for some 32 count linen for a x-stitch project. I had blown the dust off some of my old Just X-Stitch magazines as I wanted to make some more x-stitch Christmas tree decorations for Rosie's tree in future. I found a nice design with a brown-clad Father Christmas, and have made a start on that tonight.
Of course, as is always the way, no matter how many spools of embroidery thread you have, when you start a new project, you are always wanting . . . So far, two colours short but I substituted the dark gold yellow for the DMC colour I didn't have, and also had a green thread just two numbers off the one called for. However, there were tears as I was originally given the fabric by an American penpal who was an Arts teacher and she sent me a big packet of linen and Aida fabrics and x-stitch charts - this was more than 35 years ago, and it was she who encouraged me to take up x-stitch when I was pregnant with Tam. She sent me a little chart of a brown bunny - all one colour apart from its eye and nose. I have the worked bunny still. We had lost touch over the years and so I thought I would check her out. She had moved from the address she was at when we were writing, but I did find her, or rather, I found her Obituary. She had died about 3 weeks ago. I was very sad, and tears sprung to my eyes. She was a lovely lady. So I am sewing this in her memory. For you, Joanne.
The weather forecast isn't brilliant and so I think the planned trip to Tam's to take part in a Treasure Hunt in the next village will be cancelled. Plenty to get on with here.
