Looking back ---- Looking forward

Four days to the end of the year - only four days. I keep a list of my projects - mostly so I don't forget something, and this morning, I checked it because I had to add a quilt project. When I did, I realized that I haven't finished anything since August. Now that might not seem like much to you, but last year I finished almost twenty projects. Admittedly, some were small, but a lot weren't. This year - three. Yup, count 'em - three. That's as in more than two, less than four - or, "a few".

Now, by definition, a few is not a lot. A few is only one more than a couple. At this rate, I'll need to live to about 100 just to keep up, and although I'm banking on 95, I concede that the last few years may not be as productive.

Why? (Thank you for asking.) Well, it could be a) the move to the prairies, b) the new job that went along with the move to the prairies, c) the new house that went along with the new job and the move to the prairies, d) the new husband, who is the cause of the new job and the new house and the move to the prairies, e) missing my daughter, who did not make the move to the prairies, f) the lack of a sewing room that is the result of the new husband and the new job and the new house and the move to the prairies or g) the renovations of the ...... (you get it.)

We are awash in dust. We are awash in gyprock dust which is even worse. There was chicken wire in the walls. It has taken much longer than I expected, cost more (which to be honest, I did expect) and completely disrupted my life, which I also expected, but did not realize how much it would upset me. I would post pictures, but I have no camera - somehow it got packed away. I don't even remember where "packed away" is.

I have managed to knit - but that's because it's small, does not need a machine or much space. Someone once asked why I did both, since the last thing anyone needs is two stashes. My reply was that quilting was my artistic outlet, knitting was my comfort outlet - and boy, have I craved comfort.

Daylight is coming. I have paint on the walls, new kitchen cabinets and 75% of a floor. There is less dust. Tonight I will break out the machine - my trusty 1949 Singer and begin work on a quilt for my daughter's new boyfriend. It's simple, but it will be warm, and like all quilts, it will tell its own story by the time its finished.

And I promise to post. Not that I have that much to say, but if I don't say it, who will?