Re: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well it's 2012 here now and I remember something about it coming in lol Today my head hurts and I am reminded one should celebrate less keenly at my age.

I hope 2012 is a better year for all though I confess I am boxing up my stash and am going to sell it, probably offer it first to my old Guild and if they don't want it will put it on the local ebay-like group. Living in a condo if I am not using it, space is valuable and could be put to better use. I had one huge box but it seems that is not enough, so am going to check the garbage room later to see if another good box is in the cardboard recycler. Sad, but practical.

LOL - glad to hear that you had a celebration. DH is still in bed, though the confused dog has now come in here to talk to me. Similarly we had some flash of age reversal and we "woke up" after the ball dropped. It was a low key celebration - home made pizza, liquid refreshment, a pretty good hockey game - at least a really good 3rd period. Then we just went downstairs to the rec room to watch whatever, and then DH must see what the latest state of Dick Clark is. However, we had egg nog, and watched of all things the Lady Gaga concert on HBO. After midnight - voila - suddenly we crack a bottle of sparkly stuff, have left-over birthday cake, and stay up til 4:30 watching a marathon of Curb Your Enthusiasm - which I do believe in the slightly tipsy state is the way to do it - finally coming upstairs to bed and shutting down around 5:30 am. DH says we confused the dog. I have no idea why I was so awake - we were joking about acting as if we were 19 or so.

I can understand that. I've been going thru and sorting stuff into little stacks to send to people, or donate. Started divesting some of my jewelry that I don't really wear much - giving it to the kids that are like our surrogate children. They might as well enjoy it, and then I'm trying to reduce potential future issues. Made DH agree to spend a couple of evenings/days going thru some closet things as I give things away. Donated a good bit of clothing, and I just seem to want to clear up and get the house really in order. And I've been looking at the stash thinking about the reality of just passing the stuff I won't use on to someone that will do them.

When my parents moved from their house to a condo, they had a storage unit in the building, but still my DM really went through this. For some time she actually had what are now my living room end-tables, in the hall closet (it was 6 ft, with doors that swung out) so nothing really long could hang in there. They had a full size laundry/utility room - about 100sq ft, so it was full of stuff as she went thru the I can't give it up yet phase. But, within a short while, many things went away. Then their storage unit got broken into - which meant more stuff just gone. Not so good - as I lost some things from my grandmother, but in the end, it's ok. Just stuff. My DB had done quite a bit of selling off things at a flea market during his senior year in high school, which was right before my folks decided to sell the house & do the move - so I suspect that he had the $$ benefit, and my folks had already been somewhat destashed when they moved.

Well, have some good New Year's Day libations, and enjoy. This afternoon - DH playing hockey in some invitational game - from the "Old Timers." I refer to it as the hangover skate and have promised to come and be their likely single fan. Yup, nothing like cold libations in the parking lot after hockey. It's a fun crew - they range in age from about 40 to over 65, American & Canadian. Almost all of the guys are pretty skilled, just a few weeble-wobbles - but it's a good group. They definitely in hockey-mode sound just like they were all still about 20.... And the guys looking to me close to 70 are amazingly fit & skilled.

Ellice

It's still quiet here in NH - I'm the only one awake. Should be doing something useful, but instead have read stitched played games on the computer had tea and toast

Sheena - it's sad you're giving up your stash. May it find loving homes. But I do understand - I've started giving some stuff away too. Some of it is stitching that I'm pretty sure I'll never do or supplies I'll never use.

Ellice - great move on the giving away jewelry now. I remember the fights when my grandmother died. She had given me pieces that other family members said were promised them after she died. I wish my mother would do the same of her "good stuff". Eventually all the family pieces are supposed to go to my two but it's better if my sister gets some of it now while she can enjoy it.

Happy Year All.

Haven't picked up a needle in weeks. Did finished the gift ornis but still have a gingerbread house to finish stitching and another to put together.

Nothing exciting here for New Years...DM and I were both in bed by

2. As to the jewelry...yes do it now. Supposedly after DA died I was to get DGM's rings. Never did see them. I'm guessing the cousins from hell with the aunt from HELL managed to get them though I don't know how since they ignored DA for years.

Cheryl...best wishes to your DD. About 11 years ago I broke the

5 metatarsal on my right foot....just tripped on a stone in the driveway going for the mail. Labor Day weekend, by the time I saw the orthopedist a week later (after x-rays and referal wait*&$!) he left me in my cork soled Rockport sandals since all the "shoes" were to big for my feet. Wore flats for another 2 months.

NOT looking forward to the predicted wind gusts and the deep freeze. Only 2 inches of snow total this winter.

Nancy

I'm making similar resolutions to Cheryl...use up stash, buy less stuff (unless it *really* calls to me, LOL!), and finish WIPs. I finished stitching - and have ready to assemble, though actual assembly isn't done yet - M Design's "Peace" tree, which I found started and abandoned from heaven only knows when - I'd completely forgotten it. But now it's done, and even prettier than I thought it would turn out. I didn't have anyone in particular in mind when I stitched it, and just might keep it for myself.

Also almost finished with a Blue Ribbon Designs ornament that had been kitted up and was sitting around for some time. I goofed on the counting and it ended up one stitch off on one side, so I'm amending the pattern to allow more white space so the mistake won't be obvious (I hope!)

Tomorrow night I'm going to visit a new-to-me stitching group with a friend.

sue

This reminded me of when DMIL died and the siblings got together to split up the jewelery. One daughter, two sons, and my SIL was *so* considerate in even distribution and being sure that all grandkids had something, even goading her brothers into taking more and each having "top" choices. But the thing I remember most is that there were several diamond rings in the collection, and she asked me if my son would want one for his significant other...I told her I wouldn't touch that subject with a ten-foot pole, and *she* should ask him, because it would be entirely different coming from her than coming from me!

Alas, he had no interest in the ring. And still doesn't...though he's still with the same wonderful woman and I consider her my DIL with or without a ring!

sue

One good system is having them all there together and having them pick. When I condensed to moving to this condo there were many things, not necessarily of great monetary value, but definitely sentimental. So I put it all in the basement then started with the eldest, she picked first, then the next etc. then round again and again until it was all spoken for. There were no fights, everyone had chosen their own things that for one reason or another they liked. Some of the choices somewhat surprised me, wasn't what it would have occurred to me to give that particular one.

I am starting to earmark some things that I specifically want a person to have, to which end I am sticking a name under the object. For the rest, my kids have promised they will do the 'eldest pick first' method - I have warned them I will be back to haunt if there is any fighting lol

I think it's necessary to take some action or other or else, as was mentioned, someone moves in and usually not someone who cared much when they could have done so!

Same to you, Karen, and to everyone else, too!

Joan