Looking Forward

I LOVE the week between Christmas and New Years! My energy starts to rise as I make way for new things--the tree still lights up the living room, creating a cozy sense of security, while I happily clean and organize and plan for the future.

Gingko was here for Christmas, and it was a joy to have her here. I felt a bit saddened to realize that this is the start of her adult life apart from us, that it is very likely that she will become more and more a visitor. A parent's hope fulfilled, but sad nonetheless. We enjoyed some simple traditions--each year we decide what is important to us and what is expendable. Our holiday "musts" are modest, actually: home-made Party Mix; cinnamon rolls for breakfast; a tree, which we decorate only until we a satisfied--no need to use all the ornaments we've amassed; lights in the window: candles; and a trip to the ocean with Shadow, weather permitting, on Christmas Day. Gingko made an amazing Yule Log:

 

My nephew Jake has come home safely from Afghanistan, although it is by no means certain that he won't be deployed again. We are grateful that he is back, and I am very excited to announce that he and his wife are expecting a baby in June! The first of many baby clothes, a Baby Surprise Jacket in nubby, cushy handspun:

But this is an end-of-the-year blog entry, so I must include by knitting resolutions for 2009:

• I will make progress on my Fair Isle from Scratch (I've started spinning, by the way).

• I will finish Redbud.

• I will start Lingonberry.

• I will finish designing my two new brainstorms: Feather & Wing (a long jacket) and Ellen Terry, a short fitted sweater.

• I will redesign the masthead of this blog, so sadly cobbled together way back when.

• I will write up the pattern for the Sashiko Jacket.

• I will teach more! These last years of living in two cities robbed me of energy and momentum, but now I'm ready to expand my teaching and writing. In 2008 I refined my color and design workshops and I developed technique classes on jogless jogs, steeks, and changing colors, so I'm feeling very excited about teaching.

• I will figure out how to get out of the bullets command.... Until then, Happy New Year!

Comments

[(formerly) no-blog-rachel]

Happy, Happy New Year!

[Susanna in Seattle]

Happy New Year Janine!

I look forward to seeing you at Madrona in February.

[Carol (at The Web-sters]

Happy New Year, Janine!

Maybe we'll be able to get you to teach a class at The Web-sters this year... And I'm looking forward to the Sashiko pattern.

[Stephanie]

Happy New Year, Janine. I need to put my mental list of resolutions down on paper... or must I? Writing them down makes them real and public, doesn't it? See you in February.

[Maia]

Happy New Year! You are a very daring woman to make resolutions and post them as well!

[JoVE]

Happy New Year!

This Christmas I learned that what the Swedes call Lingonberries are exactly the same as what Newfoundlanders call Partridge Berries. My parents discovered this when walking in Newfoundland, seeing some partridge berries, and a Swedish couple were also walking and ... Not that that is relevant but I thought you might be interested.