Machine Embroidery Holiday Party

Two of my babies were basking in the sun Tuesday morning (12/12):

while I was packing boxes with goodies:

and Michael was making breakfast for the both of us :~). He headed out on errands after that (grocery store, goodies to the golf course, bank, CVS, thank you gift to shopkeeper who helped us out yesterday) while I got back to blogging and emailing and quilting:

I worked on the quilt for the rest of the day…and by dinnertime, the quilting was done:

My honey left for the movies after dinner, and I put together my cookies for the cookie exchange for the Machine Embroidery club party on Wednesday. Unfortunately, many of my cookies stuck in the pan for some reason…and we needed to bring 30 cookies and I didn’t think I had that many nice ones!!!

I went to bed stressing about it, and woke up with a solution….I wouldn’t participate in the cookie exchange, but would just bake cookies to take to eat, so I fell back on my old reliable….Oatmeal Jam cookies (thank you Connie!!!):

I hopped up early on Wednesday (12/13) to get them baked before SKYPE-ing with Janice. I had time when we were done to shower and cut up my cookies before leaving for the Machine Embroidery Christmas party. We had a much smaller crowd than last year, but still had lots of fun playing games, eating cookies:

and displaying show and tell:

I had to clean up the kitchen when I got home as I left in quite a hurry and it was pretty messy….with actually a bit more clean-up than I had anticipated. My first harbinger of disaster was this:

which I saw from the laundry room as I came in from the garage…then I turned the corner and this greeted me:

Someone had been very busy being naughty while we were both out (Michael had an 11 AM tee time, so we both weren’t home from around 1 PM til 3). That took me quite awhile to pick up and vacuum up, and my honey got home near the end of it to shake out Freya’s bedding and put what remained of the bed in the trash :~(.

We got up from watching TV at 10:30 PM and threw Freya and 2 chairs and a heavy quilt into the back of the car and headed to the ball field where we hope it would be very dark. No such luck….as there are lights on various buildings down there all night….but we tried to set up our chairs away from the light and turned our eyes to the sky. We were there to witness the Gemini meteor shower….which unfortunately turned out to be just a drizzle :~(. I swear they always promise hundreds of meteors an hour…and we saw exactly 2. Oh well….those 2 were still thrilling and we were back home and in our toasty bed by mid-night.

And our seasonally appropriate funny for the days…all 12 of them....

Dearest John:

I went to the door today and the postman delivered a partridge in a pear tree. What a delightful gift. I couldn't have been more surprised.

With dearest love and affection, Agnes

***

December 15th

Dearest John:

Today the postman brought your very sweet gift. Just imagine, two turtle doves.... I'm just delighted at your very thoughtful gift. They are just adorable.

All my love, Agnes

***

December 16th

Dear John:

Oh, aren't you the extravagant one! Now I must protest. I don't deserve such generosity. Three French hens. They are just darling but I must insist.... you're just too kind.

Love Agnes

***

December 17th

Today the postman delivered four calling birds. Now really! They are beautiful, but don't you think enough is enough? You're being too romantic.

Affectionately, Agnes

***

December 18th

Dearest John:

What a surprise! Today the postman delivered five golden rings. One for each finger. You're just impossible, but I love it. Frankly, John, all those squawking birds were beginning to get on my nerves.

All my love, Agnes

***

December 19th

Dear John:

When I opened the door there were actually six geese-a-laying on my front steps. So, you're back to the birds again, huh? Those geese are huge. Where will I ever keep them? The neighbors are complaining and I can't sleep through the racket. PLEASE STOP!

Cordially, Agnes

***

December 20th

John:

What's with you and those birds???? Seven swans-a-swimming. What kind of joke is this? There's bird do-do all over the house and they never stop the racket. I'm a nervous wreck and I can't sleep all night. IT'S NOT FUNNY.......So stop with those birds.

Sincerely, Agnes

***

December 21st

OK Buster:

I think I prefer the birds. What am I going to do with eight maids-a-milking? It's not enough with all those birds and eight maids-a-milking, but they had to bring their own cows. There is poop all over the lawn and I can't move in my own house. Just lay off me.

Ag

***

December 22nd

Hey:

What are you? Some kind of sadist? Now there's nine pipers playing. And do they play! They never stopped chasing those maids since they got here yesterday morning. The cows are upset and are stepping all over those screeching birds. No wonder they screech. What am I going to do? The neighbors have started a petition to evict me. You'll get yours.

From Ag

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December 23rd

You Creep!

Now there's ten ladies dancing - I don't know why I call them ladies! Now the cows can't sleep and they've got diarrhea. My living room is a river of poop. The commissioner of buildings has subpoenaed me to give cause why the building shouldn't be condemned. I'm sicking the police on you.

One who means it, Ag

***

December 24th

Listen Idiot:

What's with the eleven lords a-leaping? All 234 of the birds are dead. I hope you're satisfied, you rotten swine.

Your sworn enemy, Miss Agnes McCallister

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December 25th (From the law offices Taeker, Spedar, and Baegar)

Dear Sir:

This is to acknowledge your latest gift of twelve fiddlers fiddling, which you have seen fit to inflict on our client, Miss Agnes McCallister. The destruction, of course, was total. All correspondence should come to our attention. If you should attempt to reach Miss McCallister at Happy Dale Sanitarium, the attendants have instructions to shoot you on sight. With this letter, please find attached a warrant for your arrest.

-Merry Christmas