I enjoyed the hell out of Christmas this year. It's the first year we weren't home for Christmas and that's significant for more than one reason. One, it's normally a time of year that we just don't make plans, and if we do they can be easily upended by weather due to our seasonal business and two, we've entered that point in our lives were Christmas doesn't have to be at "mom and dad's house". Both kids own their own homes and live their own lives and it was so awesome to go away for Christmas. It really was about time that a Christmas holiday not be dictated by having to work. We gave the keys to someone else who appreciated the work and it just worked out for all of us.
The weekend is half over and my regular Monday through Friday job starts back again in a couple of days but until Monday morning, I'm relaxing at home and not worrying about a damned thing. I have a baby blanket that needs finishing, a hat pattern that I started as something to do that didn't take up most of my lap this weekend and I had to get some render time in as well. I found a Mandalorian 3D clothing item for a character and I just had to make this...

This was just a quicky render, that didn't take much time at all, to satisfy my need to render some fan art. I have another 'mando in the works that should take much longer and be more detailed. Grogu is from Thingverse and while I managed to fix him to where I can get him into Daz Studio and he's textured enough for him to be in the background the search still continues for a truly decently rigged Grogu that works in Studio.
Also.... KETO! Monday begins a full keto challenge and I'm looking forward to that. Holidays are hard on my arthritis as it's too easy to give in to sugar, wine and champagne all of which cause my arthritis to flare up to an unbearable point, especially in winter. Wish me luck!

I had to take a break and even removed this blog's visibility for a while. 2020 has been a difficult year. We're still healthy and both my husband and I have been working this entire time. My kids are still working and healthy. My parents have been staying home. They watch their Church online and I've helped them with that. They've been going out a little bit more lately. When we head into town we shop for them. Some from their Church bring them things when we're working. I talked them into meals on wheels and that has been working out for them. I'm still stressed on and off but I'm not going to hide away for an entire year. We flew out to see our son. All you can do is wear your mask when you're in a group of people and use hand sanitizer religiously. It's difficult to take other's fear of going out seriously when you've been working through this whole thing. We had our Thanksgiving with some family. It was the first time my niece, nephews and soon-to-be nephew were able to come for Thanksgiving. I enjoyed showing the boys how to cook a turkey, make mashed potatoes from real potatoes (no flakes!) and make the pumpkin bread and butterhorn rolls. They did a great job. My soon-to-be nephew speaks Spanish so I've decided that instead of my broken Spanish I'm going to dedicate 2021 to learning it fully. I'm buying a year of Babbel. So.... Estoy aprendiendo espanol. :)
The politics are getting ridiculous. I've been watching the hearings and listening to the witnesses detail election irregularities and outright fraud they witnessed. Unfortunately it doesn't look like anyone has the backbone to actually get anything done about it. I've listened to people tell me there was no fraud but when I ask if they've watched the hearings and listened to the witnesses (all of whom signed affidavits) not one of them has. Don't look south and tell me it's not raining north. Common sense. I do know one thing.... no one who voted to put a man with obvious dementia in the White House with access to nuclear codes has a single leg to stand on when they try to criticize anyone who voted for Trump. The hypocrisy is cringe. The behavior of the left is still horrible.
Life goes on and most of our government is corrupt anyway. If nothing else, the wheels are in place to fix our elections from further corruption. At this point it isn't even about Trump, even if they do manage to install (He was not elected) Biden, at least the blinders are off (for some) on our election process. Dominion is done.
This image is my latest scifi render. I wanted something colorful and this fit my vision. I also uploaded a YouTube video and created a channel. It's not ready yet as there's only one video but it's an ambience video of the river behind my house set to ambient meditation music. The thunder in it is real though. That's when I realized I should probably cut the video short and loop it. :) More to come.

Isn't he adorable? Our friend who carved him said he would never do another one. :) He's more comfortable with bears and wildlife and he had to go off pictures we sent him and I think he even bought a plastic one from Target, lol. But he's here and he's mine and he's unique from the artist. :)
I'm happy.