The Day After . . .

My husband said it best this morning, as he sat on the floor trying to put batteries into yet another "batteries not included" toy--"I love the day after Christmas, because it is over." I have to say that I agree this year. Christmas Day was lovely--the kids were starry eyed, the dinner great, everyone got along, and the day ended with me finally getting a chance to swatch and cast on my Central Park Hoodie. Best of all--my gauge came in spot on, and I love the way this yarn looks when knit up. And yes, there was a huge sigh of relief as the day ended. Gads, please remind we (with a brick attached to it, if necessary) that I don't have to knit something for everyone. Gift baskets are just great.

This year seemed particularly rushed--Christmas seemed to come right on the heels of Thanksgiving and with the power outage that stole a complete weekend I'd set aside for Christmas preparations, all of a sudden the big day was here and then gone. And my knitting? Well, that was the first to fall to the way side.

Yet earlier in the season, I had vowed that one tradition that we'd let slip past for too long was going to find its way back into our lives. Years ago, my DH and I would pick a weekend in December and escape. I say "would" because this was B-4-Kids. We took long weekends in Leavenworth (a charming little Bavarian-like village in the Cascade mountains) or a get away to a B&B in the San Juan Islands. Lovely weekends of quiet time and far from the craziness that can be Christmas. And then the munchkins started arriving and, well, you all know what happens.

But this year we were determined to try it again. Somehow, some way, we were getting a night away. Just one little night of no interruptions, a late dinner and well, no interruptions. And when you are persistent and really, really want something, the stars usually align. So it was that we got our night away. It wasn't like we went far--downtown Seattle, like twenty minutes from our house--but we spent a delightful afternoon and evening enjoying the lights and decorations, the bustle of Pike Place Market. I even found some decorations that were more woolly when I wrangled some time at So Much Yarn, a delightful and friendly shop in Belltown.

Now I know I'm not really supposed to be adding to the stash, but I couldn't resist. I fell in love with this ball of Filatura Di Crosa 501. It might say December on the calendar but this ball of yarn just screamed "Spring" to me. So I gathered up every ball they had and some others in some great shades and indulged in a little stash building. I'm thinking of doing a slipstitched sweater--haven't quite worked it out in my mind yet, and may need to go find more of the purplish color. But I want to do something that will wake up the gray days ahead as we close into the real dark season that is winter in Seattle.

With Christmas now officially over, I am starting to plan my New Year knitting. Anyone else starting to think of resolutions as to what projects they will finish? Try? Rip out and bury in the backyard? I'll put mine together and post them New Year. See you then!