Changes...

Time to say, "Goodbye" to the 2008 BJP, and "Hi" to the 2010! I made up the logo button in Photoshop, not actually knowing what I was doing, but getting it done regardless. It turned out okay, I think.

I have my fabric, backing and bead colors all around me, ready to start up on Friday or Saturday when the calendar turns. It will be interesting to start another year with this project, and my only New Year's Resolution (besides my usual: eat ice cream) is to do better with this third BJP than I did with the last one. And that won't be hard to do, at all.

We're having a rare hard snowfall -- 2 inches in 2 hours. It's lovely to look at and slippy-slidey to drive in. I'm safe inside with my kitties and husband, enjoying hot chocolate and keeping warm. And of course, I'm beading!

Winter Solstice 2009

I lit the special cat candle (electric), dedicated to the Solstice and all of our lost friends.

Outside, it looked like this:



Tom and I enjoyed a lovely spaghetti dinner, and afterwards I made the traditional Solstice chocolate pudding. I make it from scratch, chopping up the chocolate, combining the ingredients, and cooking it slowly on the stove. It's always tasty that way, but it doesn't last long around here.

Amazingly, I got to bed around 11:45am, I got up at about 3:30pm, and I'm still wide awake. I like doing without sleep sometimes, so I can work on stuff, and I'm liking it this time. I'm sure I'll sleep well when I finally do get into bed, but... just not ready now.

Now for artwork!

Matilda, R.I.P.

This is the last picture of Matilda, taken yesterday.

We said "Farewell" to our beautiful old cat, Matilda yesterday afternoon. She was, as close as we could tell, at least 20 years old, and maybe 21. She was with us for almost 10 of those years, and quite the tyrannical dictator she was! Now we don't know what to do, without her telling us. At the end, she weighed less than 3 lbs, and was clearly ready to go. It feels like she's still here, and I'm looking for her in her favorite places around the house. I had trained myself to adhere to her medication and fluids schedule, and it will be awhile before I stop thinking, "Oh, it's 11 -- time for the white pill. It's 9 -- time for the pink pill." She was a wonderful friend. May she journey well.

I'm In -- One More Time!

I made up my mind and joined the 2010 Bead Journal Project! I still have a bit of a mixed mind about this, and my ability to keep up with it, but I couldn't pass it up. However much I was able to complete, or not complete, in the previous years, the BJP is all fun and growing and community, and I'm ready to try it again.