Monday, December 28, 2020
Elizabeth saw a picture of a donation quilt I made and she really liked one of the fabrics because it reminded her of their eel. I didn’t have any extra of the fabric but after ordering from a couple of different shops I was able to get something that I thought would work.
Just in case the eel wasn’t what she really wanted, I put a fabric that I know she loves on the back.
Author: Loranne Brown
Yeah! This is book 50 of my Goodreads 50-book Challenge for 2020. I don’t see where you sign up for 2021 but I’ll be in for, and keeping track of, another 50.
This is a sad and dark book, but it is very well written and, although slow to grab my interest, I eventually couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t until I was looking for a photo of the book that I read it is a retelling of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale (no wonder I like Andersen’s better).
Mariah, as a young girl, tries to be the perfect daughter. She has few friends but discovers a talent for playing the piano (mainly because she has a huge crush on her teacher). She is anorexic and self-mutilates. She is abused by her grandfather and in an effort to stop him she shoots off one of her hands. You’d think this would be the saddest part but it gets worse.
She becomes friends with a set of twins, Kat and Doug, and eventually has an affair with Doug. When she marries the love of her life, Sully, all should be good. Their first child is born with a genetic defect that lets everyone know that the child is Doug’s and not Sully’s.
What more could happen? A lot.
Goodreads Rating: * * * * *
Sunday, December 27, 2020
I have the most fun as I prepare for my 12-Days package that goes to each of the kids. My Christmas present ideas are usually pretty lame (gift cards) so I like to have some fun with the pre-Christmas presents.
Pieces of a puzzle filled up four days, scattered throughout the twelve days. I picked puzzles of places Pat and I had been (Paris, Venice and Burano) and included a photo that we took in each of these places. I hoped that the photo was enough like the first bit of puzzle that they would think that was the picture they were making. They were instructed to send me a photo of the finished puzzle for an extra treat. Elizabeth and crew were the first past the finish line.
I struggle to find games that everyone might like. This year each family got a game of Jacks. I remember playing this for hours and was actually quite good at it.
They also received instructions on how to play a card game – Garbage – as well as another game played with cards called Ask Me Anything which I purchased last Christmas when we were in Victoria.
I added chocolates, cake-in-a-mug mixes and some word games.
I already have four ideas for next year’s package.
Saturday, December 26, 2020
I was prepared with my cards this year because I started them in October. I made 32 cards and thought I’d have some left to use around the house and as a reminder of the patterns I made. Aren’t I lucky that I have 32 friends!
I started with four different quilt block patterns. Rather than do the embroidery or appliqué in the centre of each I picked a simple cross stitch pattern to use.
I’ve already got my patterns picked out for next year.