I finally got around to pulling the photos off the camera from New Year's Day - it was a beautiful day - sunny, but cold, with a very brisk wind (see the ripples on the puddle).  Lassen looks so pretty covered in snow!

The dogs did really well staying out of the water, too!  I kept reminding them, and only Koori forgot and went wading.

Jasper really wanted to, though!

What a nice, quiet weekend at my house!  AJ's friends went home (just for a while - I'm sure they'll be back!).  They are all good kids - there just was a lot of them for a while.   I don't care how nice the boys are, you still notice when there is an extra 6 foot + body in the house (or an extra 2 or 3).

Ralph, Alli and I got out yesterday to Palo Cedro to help a friend out cleaning up a rental house (not that Alli and I were a lot of help - we were there more for company, I think!)  Joyce had most of the 'cleaning' done by the time we got there.  The painters were just leaving, so we were 'putting things back together'.  I can still wash windows with the best of them though - not that you can tell by MY house :).  Ralph got the hard labor - putting the light fixtures and fans back up.  They were replacing a couple of fans as well.  He spent most of the day standing on a ladder.  It was a nice chance to visit - we don't see much of Joyce and Jeff anymore - they live down in Dunnigan now.

I pulled out a UFO this weekend.  I pulled out the baby afghan I started quite a while ago.  I had to go look up when I did start it - I didn't remember!  I started it in July - but only did about 10 rows. It is simple - just complex.  Here's what I had done when I put it away last time:

I've got about 30 rows done now - and the next few rows will go quickly - not a lot of color changes.   I learned my lesson about putting it away securely too.  Evidently, I thought I was going right back to it the last time I put it down.  I just dropped stuff in the box I was storing it in, and left it. I had to de-hair some of the balls of yarn.  The afghan was fine - it was stored properly, I just had some of the yarn loose in a box - bad idea around here!  Now, I put it ALL away when I stop - even if it is 'just for a minute'.

I hope to finish up a few more UFO's - the fox stole, a scarf for a co-worker, my quilt, etc.  We'll see how the day goes.

Repairs are moving slowly forward.  We received the test results back that we do NOT have asbestos in the guest house, so the workmen started tearing things out yesterday so it could dry faster.  The air has been determined healthy out there now too - a big relief as well.  The toilet and vanity have been removed from the bathroom, but I don't know how much of the walls have been torn out yet.  We are supposed to get a lead test today - checking for lead based paint.  Once the workmen have the all clear sign, they can write up an estimate for the insurance company.  Right now, they can't even do that until they determine what they have to deal with.  This could be a while still!!!

The HVAC unit is supposed to be delivered on Monday now, and should be fully installed by Tuesday   That will be nice - heat in the whole house!  The pellet stove has been wonderful, but.....it just doesn't quite reach the back rooms.

We got the last solar panel installed on the roof of the guest house.  When the original panels were installed, one was broken and had to be re-ordered.  It came in, got installed yesterday, and we are now fully operational - except for the part where PG&E blesses the installation.  Until they do that, we are making electricity for them, not us.  Bummer!

At least it is Friday!  I'm looking forward to the weekend.  I have most of the purse/bag that I want to make cut out, so I hope to get it started, and....I have the material to finish my Christmas quilt - I hope to start on that as well.  I'm full of ambition!!  We'll see what I actually get done now.  Somehow, my ambition seems to get sidetracked here and there.  Case in point - I have one more scarf to finish, and I think I will be done with projects for others for the season, but.....I need to make bookmarks for the book club too, which meets on the 16th, and I have no ideas at all!  Gotta work on that too!  And, I got a new magazine the other day that had a gorgeous scarf pattern in it, and a co-worker wants to make it for herself, but, she is an inexperienced crocheter.  I worked on it last night to see if it was even a do-able project, and....I like it!!  I may have to make one for me!! (I may have to make it for her first though - we'll see!)  Too many projects, so little time!

Holidays in the middle of the week confuse me - it feels like Monday (again!) and I don't need another Monday, really!!  It is Wednesday though, so it will be a short week at work.

Alli gets to go to daycare today - they were closed since Friday - so she will be in the groove again, and we have repairmen showing up today to get us going with a new HVAC unit.  We've been running the pellet stove non-stop lately, since it is a bit chilly outside.  We will get back to 'normal' soon, I know it!  (I just don't know what 'normal' really is!)

We went for a walk yesterday - beautiful weather!  Bright and sunny, but a bit chilly.  The wind was just a bit brisk.  I got some pictures of Shasta and Lassen covered in snow, but....didn't get them off the camera yet.  Maybe tomorrow??

2012 ended with a bang (or would that be a whimper - mine?!?!?!)  We've done the fire and flood, and since we had 3-4 teenage boys here for the entire weekend, the locust were here, leaving us in famine.  (If it starts raining frogs out there - I'm really done!!!)  We are looking forward to a new year!  2012 wasn't all bad - just the last week or so, really!

Here's a shot of 'the guys' both wearing their new hats:

We heard back from the insurance company for the HVAC unit.  A new one is being installed tomorrow, with our co-pay of $3,000.  Ouch!  It is still better than replacing the whole thing ourselves, but, ouch!  The solar install drained our funds, but...me being me, I kept some aside for an emergency.  I think we just used that too.  Bummer.  Oh well, we will be getting a refund from PG&E for the solar install (eventually) so that will replenish the emergency fund (or at least give it a start).  The water damage specialist will be out tomorrow as well to write up the estimate on the guest house.  At the very least, we will be replacing the carpet and some drywall.  They may have to tear out the tile floor and the vanity as well.  Poor Dawn is living in "the big house" for now, sleeping on the couch, until everything is pulled out of the bathroom - hazardous air out there!

The last day of the year at work was another challenge - it always is.  I thought it might be a busy day, so I suggested a pot-luck lunch, so if needed, we didn't have to go out for lunch.  It was a good thing - I ate at my desk yesterday. I took in enchilada casserole and chili rellanos, and we also had quiche, coconut bread, and a wonderful pecan-caramel-apple cheese cake - yum!!   One reason (excuse?) for the pot-luck is that we were all going to start eating better with the new year, so it was a chance to eat not so good for a day.

I ended up with a small crowd here for dinner last night.  Per AJ's request, I made tortilla soup for dinner.  Dallas is leaving today, so he and his mom both came over as well.  I had leftovers from lunch, so we had a hodge-podge for dinner.  The soup went over big - I had less than a serving left.  Dawn came home off the mountain, so we had a full house.  AJ spent the night at Dallas's, so it was a quiet evening after they left.  Alli went to bed at 9:15, and I went to bed at 9:30.  I did wake up at midnight - everyone in the county was shooting.

First fire, and then flood.  The septic tank decided to overflow this morning.  And of course, the guest house bath is lower than the rest of the house, so it is a major flood in there - no damage to the big house except just to clean up the tubs etc.  I think I'll have to do more in the guest house.  Is it the new year yet????

Meredith and I had our own private quilt shop shop hop yesterday - Poor Ralph!  I left around noon to meet up with Meredith, and we cruised through two quilt shops, had lunch and went to Joann's.  I got home around 5:00.  The shop out in Palo Cedro - The Blue Iris - was having 25% off of everything  and the shop in town - Sew Simple - was having 30% off everything.  I didn't buy a lot - I'm nervous about finishing what I already have started without picking up new protects  but I did find some 'made by' name tags to put on the quilts I have finished.  The tags are so cute!  Now, to actually get them on the quilts.  I actually picked up more yarn than I did quilt stuff.  Joann's had 25% off all yarn, and I had a 15% off everything coupon, so....I saved money by shopping, really!

Since the quilt shops were having sales, I picked up another bag pattern.  Of course, I haven't even started the first bag pattern I had, but....I just might!  I have all the parts and pieces for it now, so I may just try to get it started today.  I had big plans but...I woke up with a headache, and boys scattered everywhere.  AJ had three boys here last night when I went to bed - I don't know how many of them are still here, but Dallas is sleeping on the couch in the living room, so at least one other guy is here.  I don't think I'm dragging out my machine just yet.  The headache has gone (thank goodness for prescription drugs!) but I'm not ready to wake up grumpy boys yet.

Still no word on the new HVAC unit.  We are running solely on pellet stove heat, which is what we did all of last year anyway.  It gets a bit cool in the back areas, but....it's fine. We are really hoping the home owner's warranty insurance we carry will pay for a new unit.  Otherwise, we may be running without a unit for quite a while.  The solar panel install took up most of our equity/savings/cash flow for a while.  Speaking of that - no word from PG&E on it either.  We are making energy while the sun shines, but it isn't doing us any food - it is all going to PG&E.

I finished up Dallas's knight's helm last night, after a few modifications   The size that I made for AJ was the adult size, and it was big,  I made the child size for Dallas, and it was close, but...I needed to take a few rows out of it - it came down too far on his head.  Then, I got it all put together, and had AJ and him measure where to put the buttons for the visor.  I should have done it myself!  Yes, I'm a self-confessed control freak, but in this case it was true - I put the buttons right where they said they wanted them, and then had to take them off and put them somewhere else.  It figures!  It was worth it though - he is so happy with it!  I noticed AJ put his in the laundry - as I said, it is big and it stretched out in the last week.  We are both hoping it shrinks back to normal when it is washed.  If not, I'll be making a new on for him, too, I think.

Well, the HVAC unit is toast.  We definitely killed it with the fire.  We are waiting now to see what the repairmen have to say.  Luckily, we have the home insurance that "should" replace the HVAC - we'll see.  It would be very nice to get something new and more energy efficient for the house, especially with the new solar energy system we just put in.  We aren't live with the new solar system yet either.....one of these days.

We are a lucky, lucky family.  The smoke on Monday and residual odor?  Caused by a gas leak in the HVAC unit that sparked a small fire.  We are very lucky it was a small fire and it stayed a small gas leak!!!  The repairman shut the gas off to the HVAC unit yesterday, and will back today to fix it today (he didn't have the parts with him, of course!)  Lucky, lucky us!!!!  We have a cold house (62 degrees inside when I got us this morning) but no other damage.  I've got the pellet stove turned up this morning - we'll be warm soon!

My mom's had a rough week - her brother Joe died last Friday, and her sister Jenny died on Christmas.  Neither one were in the greatest of health, but....you just tend to assume that they will just keep going.  Jenny had been in and out of the hospital so much lately with so many complications that I think we were kind of getting used to it.  Joe was still working (as a courier) and died on the job.  They think it was a heart attack for him, but they scheduled an autopsy, so we'll know more later.

AJ took some picture of Indy playing with his new Christmas toys.  I think he was the only cat to play with them.  He is still such a kitten!  He still runs and plays - the others  - not so much.  Though they all get together once in a while and chase each other around the house.  Very amusing with the wood floors.

I tried a new recipe yesterday, making simple truffles.  I haven't tasted the batch yet to see if they are any good - but if not, I have a good excuse - I couldn't follow the recipe!  I got the recipe on line, and had my laptop on the table for reference, and Picot slowly crept up to it - and then climbed right on top.  She does this with book and newspapers, I know, but lap tops????  Really??? Good thing she's cute!

We had a nice Christmas - pretty quiet.  I invited Dallas and his mom down for breakfast (waffles, hash browns, sausage, etc.) but Margene woke up sick (Dallas brought home a cold from Pennsylvania).  Dallas came down for dinner as well (simple roast beef, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and homemade rolls - yum!) and we sent a care package back to Margene.

Merry Christmas to all!

For the first time in many years, AJ beat his sister up.  Alli woke up at 6:00, but went to the bathroom, and then went right back to bed.  That's a first for 6:00!  She will sometimes do that if she gets up really early, but 6:00 is later than her normal getting up time.  She slept in until 7:00, and was laughing and giggling in her room when she did get up.  AJ got up about 6:45, not because he just had to find out what Santa left, but just because, (at least that's his story!)  He did open his stocking  and help the puppies open theirs.  They got a new spider this year - happy puppies!  The kittens played with their new toys as well - though why I get them toys, I don't know.  Here is Picot 'helping' me wrap presents yesterday and this morning.

We had a rude awakening this morning - so much for the peace of Christmas Eve.  At 4:45, the smoke alarm started going off, and I could smell, for lack of a better term, burning rubber/burning wires.  It was pervasive throughout the house, so I think something is going on with the HVAC unit.  The smell seems to have lessened some and the smoke alarm stopped beeping, but...I'm up, I'm up!  (Nothing like a little adrenalin shot at 4:45 a.m.!)  I checked everywhere I could think of and found nothing, so.....I think it is the unit.  I tuned it off for now, so it shouldn't keep doing whatever it is it was doing, and hopefully Ralph can check it out today.  

I had the alarm set to 6:00 this morning, hoping to sleep in a bit, since Alli doesn't have school for the next two weeks, but...I was up at the normal time.  (I even stayed up later than usual last night reading a book!!!)   I did get all the Christmas presents wrapped - or at least all of the ones that were stored in the garage.  I didn't see any reason to wake Dawn up at 5:30 getting packages out of the guest house to wrap.  They can wait until tonight - my normal time to wrap presents anyway.

I was digging through e-mails this weekend, and found a photo from the Madrigal Dinner earlier this month.  This is Meredith, Veronica, and myself at the dinner.

I did it!  I finished the quilt top (not the whole quilt, mind you!) before Christmas!  This was the last project of the year for the quilting club, and....I actually finished it before the next club started! I'm proud of this one - it isn't perfect, and I may never make a perfect, or even close to perfect, quilt, but this one turned out pretty darn good!

I got a special request from my son.  He saw a crocheted 'knight's helm' on-line, and asked if I could make him one.  Of course!  Hmm...let's see.  Just how would you go about that???  I know - google it!!  I found a pattern last week, and sat down yesterday afternoon (after finishing the quilt!) and made one up.  Here is the first parts of it - not put together yet.

Here it is - finished and all out together.

One happy kid!

He even let Dallas try it on.  (He asked me to make one for Dallas too, and we wanted to see if this one was too big - the answer is yes!)

I'm happy with it - it is an easy pattern to make.  That's a good thing, because not only does AJ want one for Dallas, he wants one for his friend David too.

I got ahead of myself - I put some pictures up, intending to post them, but....forgot!  Here are pictures Ralph took of the snow we had on Friday.  Not a lot compared to what I got when I lived in Susanville, but more than we usually get in Redding.

I dug up the wedding pictures - 25 years ago!!!