Fa la la la la and Shalom

I've been a wrist-warmer generator this past two weeks. AG wanted to give two of her closest friends a pair after both admired the set I made for her in royal blue wool earlier this month. Both celebrate Hanukkah, so my gift-making had to hit much earlier than expected. Thanks to one thing and another, I didn't get to the second set until last evening. As Tin Man rewound on SciFi, I cast on and played the double points until a pair of male kid-size indigo wool wrist-warmers emerged.

Thanks to http://slumberland.org/wp/2005/12/14/pattern-1-day-wristwarmers/. They truly can be made in one day! I made the wrist area and the rounds above the thumb hole shorter to fit kid hands.

Here in Dunwoody, the diversity of faiths makes for interesting holidays, particularly when Hanukkah comes so much earlier than Christmas. The kids work things out really well. I often have no clue who goes where until they have dinner with us or gift-giving starts, when AG announces she needs a Hanukkah gift for this friend and a Christmas gift for another. I've learned to ask about food preferences and "no's" and that's about it. Now that she's knitting, I expect her to take over the gift-making in the future!

I went to a cookie exchange in the neighborhood last week - wonderful fun, beautifully decorated home, and a delightful hostess. Despite working full time and a four-year-old in the house, L had at least three themed trees as well as the primary family tree, beautifully designed interiors, and a spotless kitchen. (Absolutely amazing.) She had come up with a party game - trivia questions about cookies from around the world. The questions touched on traditions from all faiths and countries and was really terrific for bonding among the generations, faiths, and life stories of her guests. What a great idea!

I wore my favorite cream sweater, composed of modular triangles in a dozen different cream/ivory yarns and finished late this summer. To my delight, I discovered that a neighbor, who I didn't know very well, is a knitter of 30+ years. We will definitely be getting together for a knit-and-chat over the holidays. We talked about techniques and works in progress. And, of course, I loved the oohs and aahs over my labor of love.

10 Weekend FOs:

1. One gi-normous Douglas Fir Christmas tree, picked up at Home Depot and deposited in the family room. Decorated in record time the by family, who had "stuff" to do.

2. One pair of indigo wrist warmers.

3. Nine mini-Pumpkin bread loaves baked for the Presbyterian Women's holiday sale.

4. One shift for the PW's sale before and after the Lessons & Carols service at St. Luke's.

5. Raked and blew the leaves from the back yard - since we skipped two weeks, it took three hours.

6. Four loads of laundry washed, folded, ironed, and put away.

7. Two bathrooms cleaned.

8. Four more inches of the lower section of my Einstein Coat knitted.

9. One unexpected movie break early Sunday morning: A Period of Adjustment starring a screeching Southern Jane Fonda (yikes), Tony Franciosa, and Jim Hutton. What a hoot!

10. Two freelance writing assignments started and finished!

Have a great day.