WELL CHE-LOW 2011!

As much as I would love to tell you that Aunt Chrissy and I are just returning from some mad crazy trip around the world to celebrate the issuing in of the New Year, the truth of the matter is that we were very sedate and boring this year. We're boring and sedate EVERY year, but now we add the bonus old lady headache that comes from drinking three sips of champagne and staying up past 8:30 on a school night. Oey.

(And before you get all offended at my characterization of the headache, may I just point out that I've worked very hard to get to this dilapidated stage of life, so if I want to embrace my old ladyhood, then you should let me do so without comment. Ahem.)

You would think that I would have three new starts to show you, seeing how this is the third day of the year and all and most everybody on the stitchy planet joined the Crazy January Challenge way back in 2010, but alas, it is not to be. Instead, I have only one new start to show....it's Color Study: One Long Panel by Miss Laura J. Perin Her Very Self. This was a Christmas gift from Aunt Chrissy to lil' ole me, so I decided that it would be just perfect to start on January 1st. (Note to Miss Laura: Avert your eyes! I started this at the bottom and did so without heeding your very polite warning to NOT start this at the bottom! I tried, I really did, but I have this weird thing about building from the bottom up instead of the top down, so here I am at the bottom of the design. I do promise, though, that when it comes time to stitch that border that I will be a good little stitcher and will follow your directions PRECISELY and won't fly in the face of your expertise ever again.)

Oh, sorry. You're still here, arent' you? Well, what I was saying is that if you stitch this piece, you must be very careful to do exactly as the DESIGNER tells you because the border is built in such a way that you must start from the top. And the designer is very helpful in that she gives you two different places from which you may start this piece, but I am a boob and had to start it at the bottom. So do what she tells you. K?

Stewey and Bosco returned from their Vegas trip moments ago smelling of expensive perfume and cheap wine. Methinks their luck ran out at the tables by about Saturday, so they ended up doing God knows what with God knows who for the remainer of the trip. All I know is that every time I ask Stewey if he had a good time, he raises his little paw and says "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, Mo-ther" and then he replaces the cool compress on his head and burrows back under the blankets. Is it really possible for a nine pound Jack to have a hangover?

Today the sun is shining, which means that it's time to consider taking down the Christmas decorations. Aunt Chrissy wants to get her outside decs down sooner rather than later, but I'm inclined to leave mine alone until the Spring thaw. Would that be so wrong?

Happy New Year! Here's hoping that we're off to a good start!