We had a nice trip to Corpus Christi for Thanksgiving and drove back on Saturday night. We were only about 20 minutes from home when there was an accident only 3 cars in front of us. We didn’t see it happen, but saw the aftermath. Several people were injured and one person was thrown from their car, although he was breathing and moving when the ambulance took him. It happened right at the top of an overpass, where there’s construction going on and the road was only 2 narrow lanes with no shoulder and heavy concrete barriers immediately to each side. That almost certainly contributed to the accident, and meant that we could do nothing but park until it was cleared an hour later. All things considered, I’m just thankful it wasn’t us — a split second later and it could have been.
Also: wear your seatbelts. People wearing seatbelts don’t get thrown from cars.
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Jose suggested that we get an artificial Christmas tree this year and — sigh — I think this might be the year I finally give in. I’ve always had a real tree (well, except for the years I lived in dorms and small apartments and had no tree) but our history with real trees in Houston hasn’t been so great. Despite my best efforts, most years they dry out so badly that they’re basically nothing but a huge fire hazard by the time Christmas rolls around. Getting an artificial tree would fix that issue, and would let us put it up earlier and enjoy it longer.
My only request was that it be a GOOD artificial tree. I know none of them can truly compare to a real tree, but I want one that looks at least somewhat convincing. Hopefully we haven’t waited too late to find something at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
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Remember my Intertwined quilt, and how last November I somehow thought I could get it done in only a few days to submit to Quilt Con? My throw-size version has been sitting, basted but not quilted, since then but I finally pulled it back out a couple weeks ago and should finish quilting it tonight. I’m happy with how it’s turning out and will post a picture of the finished product, but I’ve also learned several very good lessons about quilting designs and thread use.
(Spoiler alert: I should have picked a design that didn’t require so many stops and starts because OMG the number of threads I’ve buried is ridiculous. Also, I really should have considered using monofilament thread since that would have also helped reduce stops/starts.)
I’m going to submit it to Quilt Con this year so hey, only a year later than planned! I don’t have a good feel at all for whether it has a chance of getting juried into the show, but I’m happy to at least have it ready to enter.
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Emma’s second tooth finally fell out yesterday after somehow hanging on for weeks. Her first came out at the end of October and the second one had been loose since then — but in the last week, it had gotten so loose it was literally leaning sideways, making her look like she had some sort of weird monotooth! You can see both permanent teeth on their way in so I’m glad this one’s finally out, and I love that little gap-toothed smile.
Do you buy your tree precut, or do you cut it yourself? Do they have tree farms where you can cut your own tree? That would ensure it’s fresh and not shipped from somewhere else and half dead by the time you get it. It’s really important to get the base of the tree in water within an hour or so of cutting it, and obviously that’s not possible if you’re buying a pre-cut tree. Google suggests Christmas tree farms do exist in Houston.
If you’re having trouble with the tree dying and you’re already cutting it and getting it in water quickly, you might just try buying it a week later.
I am a big fan of real trees.
Oh, also, my grandfather was killed in a car accident that he almost certainly would have survived had he been wearing a seatbelt. (There were not seatbelts in the car.) Definitely worth wearing them all the time, no matter what.
I convinced Brian to be a “real tree person” when we met. (He had grown up with fake trees.) We were talking about cost of real vs. fake last week and I decided I could give up the real tree in the name of saving money long term. (We usually spend just $80-100 on our tree from the tree farm, each year.) And then Brian surprised me and said he really likes the tradition of going to the tree farm and having the real tree in our house. So, yay! I guess I REALLY converted him.
The tradition part is what makes me most hesitant to “give up” the real tree — I have fond memories of going to pick our a tree from the tree lot when I was a kid and always imagine my kids doing it too.
Scary about the accident. Glad that you weren’t involved and that (hopefully) everyone ended up okay.
We still get a real tree mostly for the smell. Also we can get them pretty fresh up here in WA. But – I have seen some quite nice and realistic-looking fake trees now if you do choose to go that way. They don’t all look like Charlie Brown tree anymore
Also I love Emma’s smile.