Christmas time is here by golly

The holiday season's fast coming to a close and this time around has been more tolerable. Usually by Christmas I'm exhausted with all the hoopla but I discontinued my cable service back in November so I haven't been assaulted with all the commercials. Downtown Portland's very pretty at this time of year with all the lights and festive decorations in the stores. I always enjoy going there to do my shopping for that reason. It's also less insane there with people.

The new year is looking like it will be more austere. The unexpected expenses have been piling on to what's already been noted and an application for refinancing was turned down because of my situation. It won't be a case of living on ramen and frozen vegetables but there will have to be fewer splurges. If nothing else the hobby splurges will have to pay for themselves because the money has to go to getting the debt down. But I've made do before and I'm comfortable enough that I shouldn't feel deprived. The state of my stash room indicates I will have more than enough to play with in the coming year.

I'm being told off by one of my cats. Don't tell me cats can't communicate to humans.

Anyhoo, my Christmas will be a quiet one. I'll most likely put on the classical station which will play Christmas music from classical composers. I may dig up a jigsaw puzzle to work on or read "The Lord of the Rings" (for some reason the wintertime is the best time for reading Tolkien). I have a few days off which I will use for visiting with friends who have time off too. It will be a nice way to prepare for the year ahead.

To one and all, have a very merry Christmas.

Peeping in

Not much is going on lately to write about. Winter weather has made its way in. The furries have their own spots for snoozing in but on particularly cold nights I'm surrounded with lumps trying to suck some of my heat for themselves.

I got a love note from the city on needing to have my sidewalk repaired. The inspectors had come through the neighborhood last year and were now requiring us to make repairs on sections they deemed not up to code. I've been able to come up with some of the funds to have the repairs done but some of my fellow neighbors are having to scramble to find a way to pay for them, including the one I share a driveway with. The city has earmarked our driveway skirt to the street as requiring replacement. It's best done as one piece so I'm waiting for them to be able to put together the funds to help pay for having the work done.

On the knitting front, I am working on a commission that I hope to have finished by next weekend. It's another Harry Potteresque type striped scarf, only done in cream and dove gray. It's coming out very nicely. When that is done, the knitting will be set aside. Work will require me to do a lot of data entry over the next month and a half so care will have to be taken on my arms to make certain I don't get tendonitis.

Onward and upward!