The Road to Hell...

Are you familiar with the phrase "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions?" It's always in my head. Especially when I intend to do things and then can never seem to get around to them. Such have been the last few weeks. I've intended to do a LOT of things and actually got around to doing some of them but many more remain in a state of limbo. My knitting room is still a wreck, I'm way behind on paperwork, and the I intended to bake lots of my famous holiday goodies and give them as gifts. And yet for the second year in a row, it didn't happen. I intended to knit ALL of my holiday gifts. I'm happy to say that 90% of my gifts were knit but that 10% is eating away at me. December was a blur of teaching knitting classes, working on commissioned knitting projects, working full time once again in my "real" job and lots of entertaining. And while I'm a bit exhausted now, this holiday season was truly everything that I'd wished it to be. I got everything I wanted and SO much more. I spent several special evenings with various groups of friends including my newfound knitting buddies from the past year. Nothing is more fun than food, fun and fellowship in my book. My parents, brother and nephew spent Christmas at La Casita de Muse this year. We haven't spent Christmas all in one house in years and it was just as magical as I dreamed that it would be. But the best gift of all came from our California friends - who are now back on the East Coast in North Carolina and only three hours away - who drove all the way across the US just in time to spend New Year Eve with us for the first time in 13 years. I'm still pinching myself that they're here and you'll be hard pressed to rip the permagrin off my face. You see, for me, the holidays aren't about whats under the tree but the joy in my heart. I'll long forget what was given to me this year but I will never forget the conversations and laughter that was shared round the kitchen island, the roaring fire and by the Christmas tree.

My resolution for 2006 is to work harder year round to maintain the spirit that Christmas instills in me. And to enjoy the gifts of love, laughter and friendship that have so generously been bestowed upon me. I look forward to sharing more yarn related adventures with all of my cyberfiber friends this year. I have truly missed everyone over the last few months. I'm very slowly catching up on emails and blog reads so please be patient with me. This little Phoenix is just starting to rise from the ashes :)