exhaustion

We spent the weekend in Fairhope visiting Mark's relatives.  I just got back this afternoon and am exhausted, mostly because I stayed up really late last night but also because I've been trying to churn out Christmas gifts at a pretty hefty pace.  On the way to Mobile Friday night I made an embroidery for Will, and on Saturday I sewed two fabric grocery bags for a gift exchange at work (the same design I made last year, from this pattern).  Unfortunately, while I was sewing these bags, I noticed that my sewing machine is on it's way out, I'm not sure what's wrong with it or if it's serviceable, but the needle is moving a lot slower these days, to the point where it's almost not moving at all.  But a "new" machine is around the corner: I'm going to bring my mom's old machine home with me after Christmas.

We spent Friday night in Mobile with Angela.  I gave her her crocheted surprise and watched her open it.  While I had imagined the receiver cutting open the crocheted part, Angela chose to unwind the crochet, revealing the surprise a little at a time and leaving her with a little bit of usable yarn.  I feel that watching her open the present completed the act of giving, however, I'm not sure if I need to be around to see every one opened.  I think I'd rather it be a little mystery to me, when they are opened, if they are opened at all.

I think I'm pretty much finished with Christmas gifts that are due Christmas day.  There are a couple of other things I can do if I have time, but the pressure's really off as far as the 25th is concerned.  I have ended up buying one thing (or group of things) that weren't handmade: 7 little candles in individual tins for the gift exchange at work.  But they were made in Atlanta, so it could be worse.

And finally, maybe you remember this mystery vegetable from earlier in the month.  It seems this is a watermelon radish and the inside is a beautiful starburst red-purple.  And they're delicious!