What a day/what a month

This month in my area the sun has been practically non-existant. As of Saturday, we'd had less than eight hours of sunshine for the entire month of December. That puts us on track for the cloudiest month ever around here. So, when the sun peeked out this afternoon, I decided I had to take advantage of it. Although I have a heap of dirty laundry that needs tending, I hopped in my Jeep and took off for a short road trip. I ended up at my favorite beach, about a half-hour drive away. The temperature reading was 40 degrees F, but the wind was gusting up to 40 MPH, so it was bone chilling cold outside. I did manage to snap a couple of pictures to share.

This is the Grand Haven pier and light house. There were some people out on the pier today, but the wind was cutting through my wool coat, so I decided not to venture any closer.

This is a view of Lake Michigan. If you look closely, you can see the water behind the snowbank. I would guess that about a week ago, you would not have been able to see the sand at all. We had a thaw over the weekend that melted most of the 17"of snow that they had on Christmas Day.

Here is an action shot of my hat as it was blown off my head. (It's the black blob at upper left of the pic.) The wind carried it quite a ways, and I thought it was long gone. I had no intention of being the silly fat lady running after her hat on a windy winter day. This photo was taken at Grand Haven State Park. The yellow lines on the road are actually campsites. They are really close together and the park is usually full during camping season. The campground is closed for the winter.

See that dark spot on the sand? That is my hat. It came to a temporary stop just to tease me. I did actually end up getting my hat back when it got blown up against one of the electric boxes. But my hair was a complete disaster by then. Oh well. On the bright side, I spotted this on my trip back towards home.

Can you believe that?! Naturally I stopped and filled up. I would have thought I would never see gas priced that low again. It was $1.56 a gallon back at home. Today was a twofer! Sunshine and low gas prices. Woohoo!

Where did this month/year go?

Gosh, I just cannot believe how fast this month has flown past. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was very enjoyable. I have been busy re-organizing my sewing room for the past few weeks. I still have a little work to do before I am ready to get back to my quilts. In the mean time, I found this on another blog, and thought I would give it a go. Those Items that I have done will be highlighted in blue.

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning-it's really bad when you don't know which end to point towards the toilet
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse-have seen an eclipse, but not sure if it was a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset -both!
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language-took a foreign language for 3 years in school, but not
self-taught
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted-I did have a characature done once
48. Gone deep sea fishing-I went fishing in the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii; I think that would count
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie- but it was one we made for a school project
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies-bought quite a few, does that count?
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check- but it was not intentional
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited Brazil
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Lake Michigan
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant

Christmas Came Early

Last night I was blessed with the arrival of my very first grandchild!!!! Jayda Christine is beautiful and I am thrilled. Congratulations Kyle and Crystal. I am overjoyed. Such a beautiful family.

Here I am holding her for the very first time.

My days have been otherwise filled with preparations for Christmas. My house is partially decorated. The tree is up, but absolutely bare at this point. Shopping has begun, but I am a long ways from finished.

Hubby has been on his annual hunting trip for a week now. For those who don't know me personally, that means I have been sleep deprived for seven nights. So I am really dragging. Friday can't come soon enough for me. Hurry home, honey!

I decided on Saturday to redo my sewing room. It is in a complete shambles right now. What was I thinking?! My current piecing project is not turning out to my liking, and I think I took out my frustration on my sewing room. I have a lot of work to do before I can get back to sewing.