Monday 19 December 2016

Mr. Grinch and Not Mrs. Grinch, My Last Mistake

This is an updated post from December 19, 2016, our first Christmas here. I have these hangings on the wall and I thought it would be neat to look back at the original finish of them. In reading this post, I discovered a couple of things that I won't be doing these days. One is drinking coffee and the other is going to Costco. Just too busy there for the present times.  However I'm still addicted to lip balms. 

Our best teacher is our last mistake.

If I know one thing about me, it is that I learn from my mistakes.  So I took apart all my tree blocks.  Watched an episode of Without Motive and another of  The Last Detective (the British do murder dramas so well, don't they?) while doing that and it wasn't really so bad, more the idea of it.  You know what I mean.   I have set each 'tree' in a cream or white tone on tone fabric and tried out the trunk idea with it.  Now to line them up into a little forest.


Much better looking isn't it?  Don't be alarmed by the length of the trunks.  I always try to give myself lots of seam allowance. And here they are below, a little forest. 
My little Christmas squares top quickly became a sandwich and I quilted it with the walking foot.  That went well.



   




































I'm sitting here in front of the upstairs fire, drinking coffee and making my Costco list. (Note the chapstick...told you I was addicted.)
 It's one of those stores where I feel I must be organized before going; it's so big with so many people but yet has products you can't buy elsewhere so...The last time we went they had full lamb carcasses for $99, a real deal considering the cost of lamb here. (Though I must confess we both found it a little jarring to see them hanging there in a cooler; obviously we are not accustomed to seeing how meat gets on our plates!)
 They are offering Portuguese flannel sheets on special and there's no denying it is cosy flannel time now.  I also like their selection of nuts in the shell, different kinds of pears, and foreign chocolates for the season. At this time of year, there will be lots of other goodies to check out too and as retired folk we can time ourselves to be in and out before the workers arrive.  Or at least that is the plan.

 Usually we see so many people out and about everywhere, it always prompts Hubby to say, shouldn't all these people be at work.

Concerning Christmas, Hubby is a bit of a Grinch and he doesn't mind admitting it.  He thinks in terms of buying that the world goes mad this time of year.  The sort of shopping and buying whatever strikes your fancy is aimless and foolish to him.  Research must be done first to find the best quality for the best price...always.
That being said, Hubby does like to have presents for people.  Something he thinks they would enjoy or could use, and something he is sure he got a good price on.  He does check in with me to recap what we have for everyone on our list, so I know he doesn't want to be caught out at the last minute.

I'm determined not to be Mrs. Grinch and I think my approach falls somewhere in between. For instance, I will buy a special treat for the dogs for Christmas.  Hubby thinks that's silly as much as he loves them.  They are so well treated all year is his point.  But I come from a home where even in old age, my mother wrapped a gift for each of the 'grand dogs' so you know I have to too.

 Do you buy Christmas treats for the pets?  I bet a lot of you do.










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