Christmas, day three

Last week was one of those weeks - I drove 471 miles and was never more than 40 miles from home.

On Sunday (12/16) I went to Metropolis to see Lily, Brady, and Calla sing a few Christmas songs with the other Sunday School kids at Immanuel Baptist Church.

On Monday (12/17), I was back in Metropolis for Brady's Christmas program at school at 2 pm. Then I hung out at Alyssa's house for a few hours and went to the High School band and chorus concert at 6:30. Lexi and Devin both play trumpet.

On Tuesday (12/18) I was back at Metropolis Elementary School for Lily's Christmas program at 2 pm.

Wednesday (12/19) I went to Paducah for a bit of shopping and to knit at the yarn shop.

On Thursday (12/20), it was back to Metropolis at 10:30 am for Calla's Christmas program at Head Start.

Back to Metropolis on Friday (12/21), this time by way of Wickliffe, which added 20 miles to the trip. A church in Wickliffe had some gifts for Lily and Calla, and Alyssa asked me to pick them up for her. Then I stayed with the kids while Alyssa and Stephen went to do some shopping.

I think I stayed home on Saturday.

Then started all the Christmas meals.
Sunday (12/23) I had Carmen and her friend, Alyssa and Stephen, Lexi, Lily, Brady, and Calla over for supper and to open the gifts I got for them (Hallmark ornaments). Last year I decided I wanted family over for chili on Christmas Eve, and wanted to make that a new tradition. This year Christmas Eve Eve worked out better for the working people. I had chili, broccoli/cheese soup and carrot/raisin salad, and Carmen and Alyssa both brought some sweet stuff. When I told the kids a few days before what my menu would be, Lily said she definitely didn't want the broccoli/cheese soup.

On Monday (12/24) Lexi called from her grandparents' house where she had spent the night. She said her Nana had cooked a whole lot of food, and then her father called and said he and his wife and step-daughters couldn't come. So Lexi wanted me to come over and help eat it. Her grandparents are some of my favorite people, so I was glad to spend some time with them. Alyssa and Stephen and the three little ones were there, too. Beverly (Nana) had a children's table set up in her back room, like I had here. (But her children's table is not 74 years old like mine is.)

Then on Christmas morning I went and had brunch with Carmen and Lanny and visited with them for a bit. 

So I think I'm all Christmased out, and will enjoy a few days alone. The kids don't go back to school until January 7, so I'll probably be called upon to babysit some next week.

 Probably Lexi's best gift was notification that she has been accepted by the University of Kentucky. She got an acceptance letter from University of Tennessee - Martin a few weeks ago, but UK is her first choice.

The Rugs

The five on top are the ones I wove at the Walk through Bethlehem. Actually, I only started the fifth one there and finished it at home after my loom was returned. Those five were woven with cut up t-shirts. The bottom five were woven with some stuff that a friend got from a pajama factory years ago. This is the first year I have used a striped warp - I like it! They vary in length depending on how much there was of a particular color or shade. Counting from the top, numbers 1, 3, and 5 are all white, but not exactly the same shade. Number 2 is black and number 4 is dark blue.

On Tuesday, I plan to take them to The Lighthouse women's shelter in Mayfield to see if anyone there wants them. If not, I will take them to the Paducah Cooperative Ministries on Wednesday for women in the Fresh Start Village. I think I have some knit things I can take, too. 

I put on a 12-yard warp with no thought to whether that many rugs would fit on the cloth beam. They did, with about half an inch to spare. Last year, when we were able to do all five nights, I almost ran out of the 8-yard warp I had put on; that's why I put on 12 yards this time,

Over for this year

The Walk through Bethlehem was cancelled both Friday and Saturday. Although the weather in the 6 to 8 pm time slot on Saturday was not bad, it had poured rain through much of the night Friday night/Saturday morning. The men of the church worked throughout the day Saturday diverting rain water from the village. They even build a bridge at the entrance. By Sunday evening, things were good enough for us to go ahead. I guess they were afraid their bridge wouldn't hold the garden tractor and trailer they move my loom with, so two men carried it between the entrance and my stall. Good thing I'm the first stall inside the gate. 

Pastor Steve brought my loom and other stuff home this morning. Now I need to weave a couple more rugs to finish off the 12-yard warp.

Since we only did three nights instead of five, there is a lot of stuff left over. I had made 387 miniature rugs - 220 are left. I also had 366 two-inch squares - 310 remain. That means I won't need to make as many next year. I keep saying each year that I am going to weave some scarves; maybe this will be the time I actually do. I might learn more about weaving that way.