Ready or Not...

Christmas 2025 is in the books, and 2026 looms large ahead! I am thankful this year, 5 days after back surgery, that I was able to do some fun things this week! From a nice Christmas visit

to having Christmas dinner with our daughter and her family (and the boys' gingerbread houses),

to casting on a pair of new Christmas socks (Must Stash Yarn in the colorway "Bumbles Bounce"),

to fun cards and greetings from friends!

New gadgets made this possible, and helped me to manage my pain along the way...

TENS unit. I've read the how and why it works, but I've had too many narcotics to explain it to you. Also, it's purple, and I'm sure that helps. 

My back brace is nothing compared to Joan Cusak's neck brace in 16 Candles! Whew!

...I have even managed a few chores along the way, including getting the lights off the tree, 

and I've finished the first Bumbles sock!

So all in all, 2025 has been a good year, despite some hard losses. We've lost friends who were way too young, family members we thought we had more time with and friends who have been like family for decades...we will mourn for them all and pray for those left with holes in their hearts. Please Lord, help them find their meaning and worth in You and in Your Son, whose birth we celebrate every Christmas. 

I've often heard that Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and I'm thankful to Pastor Paul of White Flag Church (from St Louis, we livestreamed their Christmas Eve service on Wednesday) for reminding me that I am the reason for the season, and YOU are the reason for the season. Jesus came for sinners, you and me included, so that we could be connected with God in Heaven forever. Yes, so much to be thankful for! 

Am I ready for 2026? Am I ever ready for a new year? I guess it doesn't matter, because ready or not, here it comes! Let's see what it brings together.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

PS-If you want more details, I had an L3/L4 Laminectomy, with the removal of a synovial cyst on my spinal cord.  The benign cyst was putting pressure on nerves leading to left hip and leg pain, and the recovery has included some pretty intense nerve pain in those areas. But this is just a blip in my lifetime,  and I should be "right as rain" in a few weeks. Prayers and good thoughts gladly accepted, thanks! 

The Ginger-what?

I know you've been waiting, and here is the post you will wait for no more:

Welcome to the Ginger Hood!

Despite the fact that I have a job that gives me a decent break for the winter holidays, I am feeling the pressure to do all the things before Monday, my first official day off. (More about that later.) For now, let's just say that this has been a productive week, from the baking (last Saturday) to the construction phase (on Thursday) 

to the decorating that we did today, 

it's been another, banner, Gingerbread House Year, and the 2025 Ginger Hood is officially in the books! Which is your favorite?

Whichever house is your favorite, I think my favorite moment of the day was when my daughter tried to draw a tree on her own tongue, for fun...does it look like a tree???

Except, when you ask that question with a tongue-ful of icing, it sounds more like, "Huz ick houk yike a heay???," which I did not understand at all, lol!!! I made her eat the icing, ask the question and re-draw the tree for that photo, and I am not sorry!

After the candy was all on the houses, we sent that sugared-up crew home, with their houses, plus a house and candy for their cousins that they will see over winter break. All I have left now are a few, tiny, starter homes displayed on the table. 

Very pretty, and if you visit me in the next week or two, you may even go home with one!

I'm preparing to have more visitors than usual in the next few weeks, because I'll be sidelined following a medical procedure on Monday (I said I'd get back to it, didn't I?). A little back surgery...as little as back surgery can be, I think, because I should be home the same day...and it boggles my mind a bit! But they say that there's no place like home for the holidays, so it should be all good!

I know that God is in control of this, and of all things, so I am as calm as can be expected in the face of a procedure that requires general anesthesia. Still, if you are the praying kind, or the "sending good thoughts" kind, I'd welcome all you've got. I'll also welcome visits in January, as long as I am up to it. I anticipate being off of work for the month, and on limited activity...so if you're coming to see my clean house, please make an appointment for some time in March. (Sweetie will be my housecleaning hero, but he will also be busy caring for Pretty!) But if you're coming to visit and maybe watch a Hallmark movie, I will welcome that warmly from my recliner. 😘

That's about all I've got, except to wish you a Merry Christmas! The next time we talk will likely be December 27, just 5 days post-surgery! I hope you are surrounded by love and finding joy in this winter holiday season, friends. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

PS - I've finished another pig...we have pigs in abundance at Pretty's house!

Oh, What a Week!

What a week this has been! This week included Thanksgiving (there was a very brief post on Thursday), and then a sleepover with the boys last night, so I am just a smidge worn out this afternoon! But it was so good...from the dinner table

to the tree decorating and football

(Yes, I had to fix it...which I'm not proud of.)

to the failed and successful photo attempts...

Our holiday was made complete by the people we shared it with. We have a great family bunch, to be sure, though there is not a photo of the whole bunch...but I did get a shot of the beautiful snow that fell! 

I was not expecting more than a dusting, but we got enough for the boys to make snow angels 

and snowballs yesterday, 

and even their first (Pop Pop powered) sledding of the season! (FYI, Pop Pop is also a little tired today...) So much joy is often followed by so much Ibuprofen...

All in all, it was a lovely week, and now I knit...because knitted pigs do not knit their own sweaters! 

Awww, the little house pig was sooo excited! But the boys have gone and hidden my pig once again. At least I know she's warm, wherever she is! I hope you're keeping warm as well, in body and spirit this holiday season! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, from our house(es) to yours!

However your house has been constructed,

whether heavily deliberated over,

supervised by elves, 

covered in Santa hats...

Even if you needed help from Mom,

or concentrated with your whole self,

we hope that the season has brought you the best of everything that it can. 

Thanks for stopping by, Knit in Good Health and Merry Christmas!

PS-Yes, we will eat them! They are super yummy...see my Pretty Good Recipes if you'd like to try one!

The Joy of...

I was going to title this post "The Joy of Knitting,"...

She says, as though that thought would surprise someone. Anyone? She didn't think so... Also, copyright law...

...because knitting does bring me great joy! But it's not the only thing, especially at this time of year. For example, 16 pair of festive feet(mine!) make my heart sing!

And candy making each year for gift giving...

And little boys with Christmas cake...

And gingerbread baking...

And little, Christmas donuts brought in by a co-worker (thank you,  Jill!)...

I mean, what doesn't bring me joy at Christmas?

She says, hoping the people who know her best aren't paying too much attention...because she does grouse about some things...but not here.

Getting back to the knitting, one thing that brings joy to my knitting heart is a perfectly placed, set-in sleeve...

...or two!

I know that it might be contentious to say to knitters today, but I love setting in sleeves on a sweater! It is so satisfying. 

There are other ways, and every knitter has their favorite...drop-sleeves, top down raglans, bottom up & joined at the yoke... there are even ways to knit that sleeve into the armhole with short rows! But sometimes, when I think about an armhole-in-waiting, 

I just get the itch to sit with needle and yarn, gently easing the two pieces together until they are one. 

So. Very. Satisfying.

She sighs, contentedly and sips her cocoa, while admiring the work. 

What brings you joy in your work? In your knitting or crafting? In anything?  I do hope you find joy somewhere. This life is bleak when there is no joy, and I would not wish that upon anyone. If today's post brought you just a little joy, drop a comment to let me know. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!