I LOVE CHRISTMAS

I love the Christmas season .... everything about it. Family, food, fun, festivities -- I think it's all magical, every year, no matter what happens or doesn't; whether we have much money, or not; whether we have rain, or snow or sunshine. I really just think it's a wonderful time of year! It's fun to be around children, it's fun to be part of the 'hustle and bustle' of it all (but not for long), it's fun to eat all the treats, it's fun to hang out with family and not be watching the clock.

I love Christmas ... and I also love it when it's over. You can feel it in the air, I swear. Yesterday Michael and I got lattes and drove down to Clover Point for awhile in the afternoon -- and yes, it was Sunday, and yes, it's warmed up substantially here -- but there was something else, too. EVERYONE was out strolling along the waterfront -- not walking, but strolling -- walking their dogs, playing with their kids ... and looking MELLOW. It was lovely.

Maybe it's just my imagination. Maybe they're all just brain-dead from the demands of the season, or hung over, or ...? I just know that I always feel a bit 'carefree' between Christmas and New Year's, and I enjoy it, and I think others might, too.

My son took all the best Christmas pics so you'll need to wait for those -- but I got a new camera! It's a Sony Cyber-Shot, and it's going to take me awhile to figure it out, but I love it. Thanks, Santa! :-)

Meanwhile, here's the last of the pics from the old one... first of all, everyone's socks fit, and were appreciated!

From the left, clock-wise: daughter Hailey's purple variegated, grandson River's black-with-gray-heels-and-toes, sister Julie's Noro Silk Garden, son Jason's gray Paton's Kroy, daughter Mischa's 'desert' camoflage, and grandson Gibson's 'forest' camoflage. Missing is son-in-law Jeff, who'd gone off for a Boxing Day afternoon nap with his gray (Paton's Kroy) socks on, and hubby Michael, who doesn't want any more socks!

I also finished the mittens to go with the scarf I knit Hailey this fall ...

First mittens I've ever knit! They are a little wonky -- too big here, too small there -- but cute, and I learned a lot, and I'll knit more.

I also finished a touque for our 'old salt' Galiano Island friend Mike -- and then forgot to get a pic of him IN it.

This was knit from the left-over camoflage sock yarn and some black mohair I had in my stash.

And I just found out that an old family friend (well, actually she's young!) is having a spring baby, so I've gotten started on a baby blanket...

It's a 2" seed stitch border with 'panes' of stocking stitch, and the yarn is Diamond Yarn's Superwash Merino, and I'm really enjoying knitting it.

More holiday pics tomorrow...