Aunt Chrissy and I took advantage of a gorgeous Saturday to decorate the outsides of our respective houses, so Santa Claus is going to find me this year whether he knows it or not. We stopped at Lowes early and I purchased what can only be described as the most life-changing device known to the history of man (or spinster as the case may be):
THIS! is a remote control for Christmas lights! Yes, you heard me correctly! A! REMOTE! CONTROL! FOR! CHRISTMAS! LIGHTS!
Every year I almost end up in the emergency room due to the stooping, straining, electrocuting, and general pain in the neck-ing that takes place each afternoon when it comes time to Clark Griswold the place. Now I just sit in the comfort of my very own Happy Chair and POOF! the lights all come on with the touch of a button. Genius, I tell ya. Genius. I even got one for all of the outside lights, so there's no more kneeling in the snow blowing on the plug hoping that it's dry enough not to give me a perm when I stick it in the thingie.
I'll take some pics for you as soon as it gets a little darker. Otherwise the neighbors will say "What the hell is she doing NOW?! as I stand in the street in my pajamas trying to snap a pic of Christmas lights in the very broad daylight.
Stitching was wonderful last night. I picked up the Raymond Crawford Merry Christmas canvas and worked a little on Lesson Two. I am behind a bit, so this one might stay "in rotation" until I am right on track with the rest of the class. (Hellooooo, fellow class people! Aren't you glad that I am taking this one long distance?!)
Speaking of "rotations", I started to get myself all twisted up in knots planning out my stitching for 2010, when I decided that the only planning I'm going to do is NOT PLAN! I'm not going to map out a strategy, devise a rotation, develop a schedule, or post a goal. Nope. Not gonna' do it. I'm just going to stitch whatever the heck I feel like stitching, and if it's Easter in the middle of winter or Halloween in the middle of summer, then so be it. My only resolution for 2010 is to not resolve to do anything at all.
Let's see how long this lasts, shall we?
Toodle-oooo's, kids! If I don't get my heiney in gear soon, the parade will have started and I'll still be sitting here with blogs to read!
A remote??? WOW!! DH and I will head to Home Depot to check it out!!
ReplyDeleteI love your canvas! It's gorgeous and the colors are wonderful. Nice job! I've never worked on canvas before and after seeing all the beautiful pieces you've made I'm getting inspired to try it. Is it like cross stitch only on canvas? You use different kinds of stitches, don't you?? Can you suggest any good reference books on doing this type of needlework?
Is Stewey still in his PJ's, too?? He's just too cute!
Golly, I hate those electrocution perms. Burning hair is not my favorite holiday scent.
ReplyDeleteOh - those remotes ARE the best thing since, well, anything.
ReplyDeleteI've started using one for my bedside reading lamp so that when you get all drifty and reading the same sentence for the third time - you just click the light off! No more twisting and reaching for the lamp swith - thereby making yourself all wide awake again.
I've had a remotes on my outside lights for the past two years and I am so thrilled by this it isn't funny. I think the painful part was the trip outside right before bed to unplug things when it's so cold. Much nice to just push a button.
ReplyDeleteLove the remote....AND, I'm with you sista...no real concrete plan of what to stitch when...afterall, it is our decision to relax however we may...so I vote for your plan and that is to have no plan at all... Hear ye, Hear ye!~
ReplyDeletelol your posts always make me literally laugh out loud when I stop in. :D Stewey remains so darling!
ReplyDeleteI'm having a smidgen of a Giveaway on my blog this week; I'd be honored if you'd stop by in a spare moment. :)
http://pathofpinsandneedles.blogspot.com/
The canvas is looking so pretty, it almost makes me get in the holiday mood. I think you are right to not stress about your 2010 planning. I happen to have had a particularly good year with the rotation I planned, so will try to stick with that. Keep in mind though that it is my first rotation ever. I used to be a one at a timer! I also don't have nearly the stash you do so I have less temptation. Anyway stitching is supposed to be fun, right?
ReplyDeleteThat's the way to do it, Coni. No schedule or plans. Just stitch what you want when you want. No meds allowed, either, when you start to get anxious about breaking out of that habit. But it is ok to have a sip of port or a cheesecake if necessary.
ReplyDeleteYou go!
BTW, is plannng not to have a plan still planning?
Oh my, this cracked me up! I can relate with the fear of the electrocution perm. The Christmas canvas is going to be beautiful, now I have seen your work on here and can't imagine that you are taking a class to do it.
ReplyDeleteI like the No Plan plan. Do what you want, when you want!!! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMy plan for 2010 is to start as many projects as I can (I'm new to stitching and totally drawn to EVERYTHING).
A remote for Christmas lights! The person who invented that should get an academy award or something!!!
The remote is a very fine thing... but hey, mine are on a timer! I set them once each season, and they come on and are waiting for me when I come home at night. Woo wee!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I like the no plan-plan. I think I've been on that plan for a very long time :). Happy TurkeyDay. I've been eyeing Ina Garten's books at Costco for a while now. Methinks I might have to break out and buy one!
Hi Coni,
ReplyDeleteThe remote is cool!
But we rig up all of the outside lights on timers (she says while ducking)! LOL!
Are you going to sign up for Yoyo's new SAL? The Christmas SAL?
I decided I am going to work on three different clubs that I will have next year so hopefully I might be able to finish at least one project every month, or every other month, or whenever. I'm not making any radical promises after my "interesting" reporting on the TUSAL. LOL!!!
Hopefully there will be some outside decorating around here this coming weekend. We just have to have everything dry out again after todays rain. It's still a bit soggy but that's been the Mid-Atlantic this year. :-)
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Okay...what time does Lowes open? I gotta have me one'a those thingies!!
ReplyDeleteLoving that canvas piece...such festive colors!
Hope you, Aunt Chrissy, and Stewey have the best Thanksgiving ever!
HAPPY STITCHIN'
Terri
You are such a hoot!
ReplyDeleteI love love your new canvas. I don't understand what you are talking about the lessons that you are taking, tho. Is this a video or something pertaining to that particular canvas?
A remote control for your Christmas lights?!? Oh man!! How cool would that be. I'm still back at the "I want one of those clapper things for my light switches, so I can clap on, clap off, clap on the clapper" stage. Ireland is so behind the times.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I should be planning a 2010 stitching plan when I hear that other people are. Maybe I am missing something?! But there are enough things that I must do, so I figure I can fly by the seat of my pants with stitching and nobody will send me threatening letters. ;)
Love the canvas!