Playing Koi

Here's a picture of my latest project:

It is in cross-stitch, and I got the pattern from Issue 155 of The World Of Cross-Stitching. I amended it slightly; namely leaving out some of the "wave" details as I ran out of time! I think the dark blue Aida more than makes up the difference, though. I have also used the colour chart as more of a guideline than a Bible, as I have literally hundreds of skeins of thread that I wish to use before thinking of getting more. I had originally planned to do about 3 of these koi projects as gifts to family, but this one took so long I've had to have a rethink because the dreaded C-word looms large!

That is another one of my little self-imposed rules that I might as well explain. I love the Yuletide season. The festivity, generosity and warm-fuzzies that the season brings infects me as much, if not more, than the average bear. However- and this is very important- the Festive Season should not, under any circumstances, start before December 1st! I don't want to hear any carols, see any decorations displayed or hear a single "ho ho ho" until that date. Why? Because it become irritating after awhile!

It is true that this is a rule originally imposed by my father in my childhood, and now that I'm older I can appreciate the wisdom of it. My mother and I in particular had to be beaten back with a whip and chair from the stash of decorations come November. He stood firm and would not allow as much as a hint of tinsel before the turn of the month, at which point it would be like a starter pistol had fired!

One year, my Mother's sister put up her decorations in early or mid-November. We're talking tree, baubles, lights- the lot! Her motivation was to extend Christmas and revel in the spirit for as long as humanly possible... Unfortunately for her, and this is not a word of exaggeration, those festive trimmings were torn down with a vigour just short of violence that year! She told us she couldn't bear the look of them for a moment longer, and as soon as the Christmas lunch was eaten she called time on the season, and promptly packed up the offending items. A lesson, I think, well learned!