Fixing Things and Cleaning House

Over the weekend I had the fence replaced. It was costly, but it really needed to be done. This time it won't get blown down by the force of those Santa Ana winds. They were so turbulent last week. The old fence had been here for at least twenty-five years. It had started to lean after the heavy rains that we had last season. The posts weren't cemented, so it was flattened during  last week's storm. I love the new redwood one. Isn't it pretty? It smells so good. My neighbor did the work. I think he did a terrific job.

Yesterday I did some intense decluttering and housekeeping. I picked up a couple of books at the library for inspiration. My favorite one is called Housekeeping Secrets My Mother Never Taught Me, by Joni Hilton. It's a fun read. She has an engaging style. I love hearing her take on homes and how to care for them.

Friday night I attended a fantastic Christmas show at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita. I was so impressed with this production! My neighbor was performing in the children's choir. They had a full orchestra, a large adult choir, and a children's choir. They sounded incredible. We got to sing along with them, and it was very uplifting. I just love singing Christmas carols. It was a wonderful surprise. I was expecting a very small show, and this was the exact  opposite. It was very professional, and they were so well rehearsed.

I finished knitting these socks last week; they fit perfectly! I also completed another tea cozy, and am sewing in the ends today. This one is with some small balls of pink and purple Noro Silk Garden yarn that I had in my stash. Next I plan to knit a hat for my friend in New York. I will use the leftover yarn from his alpaca,merino, and bamboo  scarf.

The fire situation here is much better than it was. There is still a furious fire raging in the Ventura and Santa Barbara area right now. I feel for those residents. I hope that the firefighters are able to handle it. It's just mammoth. Some of my friends are without power or water. This really reinforces in me the need to be prepared in an emergency..

I am thankful that I have a stockpile of food and water, and an emergency backpack in the car. It's such a relief not to be worried about evacuating and finding a safe route to drive. I plan to do some dusting today and enjoy some more knitting and reading. Lately I've been relaxing with a cup of coffee with whipped cream in the evenings.  I probably shouldn't, but if I don't, I feel like falling into bed at 7:00 p.m.! Seriously, I start dozing off.  Something about wintertime  makes me so sleepy at night. I guess it's because it gets dark so early. How are you doing?      

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