fun

Crafting A Leaf

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I made another rug. Or rather-just like you do in Animal Crossing- I crafted a leaf (from the video game Animal Crossing).

The design is pretty simple. So drawing it out wasn’t too difficult. This is now the largest one I have made. It almost filled my 3’ frame. I enjoyed the simplicity of the design, but really worked hard to make it perfect.

Since I was low on black yarn, this design was a great option since it uses four different shades of green. Video game images are fun to tuft. Plus the recognizability of icons and characters makes for an enjoyable crafting experience.

Creating rugs has become a fantastic pastime for me over the past few weeks. I have found tufting to be therapeutic and calming. I listen to music that relates to the rug I tuft. It gets me in the zone. Making two rugs a week seems to be my average. I may slow it down a bit though. I can only have so many rugs in our house.

The next rug to be made will be created by our youngest teen. He has an idea and wants to get it out in the world. I can’t wait to see what he crafts. His first one was pretty good- read about it Here: Son of Tuftleupagus.

Poolside Rug

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I made a rug for my wife. She requested a rug to go outdoors for the summer. A rug that will be for her feet as she exits the pool. So I took what she asked for and made one specifically that would make her happy.

Ever since we moved into our home with a pool, my wife has loved pink flamingos. Naturally I had to make a flamingo rug with a palm tree. After weeks of tufting, I am finally able to make the “waterfall edges” between the yarn colours more defined. A tight cut allowing an obvious transition between each shape.

I love this hobby and have been enjoying the fanart I have created. I make one or two a week currently for myself and my family. It’s given me a good opportunity to learn this skill.After about a month, I’m finally feeling confident.

Perhaps it’s time to start selling some rugs. I can only have so many rugs in our home… I’ll probably start with commission sales and custom orders. If anyone wants to contact me- direct message my Instagram: Tuftleupagus. I’ll do my best to create something that you will enjoy.

Hope you like my rugs and watching my journey to get better.

My Many Faces

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’m not sure what makes me me to others. That seems weird to say. But I don’t feel like I have a regular look. Maybe all my looks are me.

I don’t really know which look people know me for. Do I just resemble them all? Sometimes I don’t recognize the person in the picture that’s supposed to be me.

Every picture of me shares a story. A moment in my life. Some strange journey that was captured showcasing who I am.

I know that I’m not afraid to be silly. I don’t have just one look either it seems. I also don’t have a signature smile. I smile, I smirk, I grin..

But I am me. Whoever you think I am- I probably am. That’s me.

Amazon Delivered!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I was excited about getting home today after work. I had been waiting for an order from Amazon to show up. I have been eagerly awaiting since I ordered the items a couple of days ago. Today’s delivery was arriving just as I got home. I saw the truck up the street and knew it was going to head my way. And it did!

Most folks would not be excited to get what I got. But with my latest hobby- I am thrilled at what arrived for me. More tufting cloth is most important. I also got an equal amount of backing fabric with anti-slip. I got a roller to help flatten and smooth out the glue between the fabric pieces. My favorite item though is the yarn winder.

When I unboxed it, even my 16 year old son asked if it was from the 70’s. It truly looks like it is. Honestly, it’s one of those things that works exactly as it was meant to- it doesn’t need to be changed. I swear it looks like the one my mother had from… the 70’s! I remember playing with it as a kid. Or was I winding yarn for my mother? Either way- this thing looks like I could’ve dug it out of grandma’s attic.

This weekend I plan on winding some of my “pound of yarn” skeins into more manageable sized skeins. It will also allow me to not need double skeins of yarn in colours I don’t use as often.

Getting excited over mundane items feels wrong and right at the same time. I’m glad the items showed up and cannot wait to play some more with my yarn and rug making.

Seven Year Itch?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Six years, eleven months, three weeks and six days. A total of 2556 days of daily blogging.

Tomorrow is the seven year anniversary of writing each and every day. EVERY SINGLE DAY I WRiTE A BLOG ENTRY. I love sharing stories and narratives of my life. Throw in an opinion or two- and my readers have had a chance to learn all about me.

I have had a great time writing all of my tales. I honestly can’t believe that the only thing driving me to write is because I want to. Had I been writing a novel each and every day, I’d probably be published by now or completely heartbroken from rejection. Hence why I just write about my life. I like what has gone on and am proud of my adventures- from menial to epic. Whatever the case may be, I have never felt dejected from my writing. Even if it feels like no one is reading.

I wonder how much more writing I have in me. I wonder if I stopped would I feel regret or would I feel relief? Only time will tell if I end this journey. I mean honestly, have I approached the Seven Year Itch now? Who knows. Even I’m not sure. But if I do stop, I’ll let you know ahead of time as a courtesy to say farewell.

Carpet Kirby

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I made what I consider my best rug yet. I made it for our oldest kid. They requested the video game character Kirby holding a star. I found some images online and created my own design in the end.

I learned some more techniques from following other tufters on Instagram. I have been growing my abilities each week and with every rug. After each colour, I went to the other side and trimmed the edges. It was a bit more time consuming, but the results are superior to anything I have made yet.

This rug was challenging in its own ways. The pink was a different size of yarn and caused me to re-thread it repeatedly. A few curse words may have been said over and over again. But look how cute this rug turned out!

I’ll finish this rug later in the week. There’s just a bit more trimming to complete once I glue the backing on. Hopefully our 20 year old likes this one as much as I do. If not- I have an amazing pink rug!

Another Tufter In The Making

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Every weekend, I have been making rugs. I have been really enjoying this hobby. Last weekend, our youngest wanted to make one of his own- so he made an 8-Ball. Today our middle child wanted to make their own rug. I went through the process of how to do it, guiding them along.

Darwin traced the image and we discussed the colors to use. I only helped with a couple of stitches, but the rest was all them. (I snuck in another soot sprite in the blank space when we had the black and white yarn set up.) I sat by Darwin’s side and continued to offer advice as well as encouraged the work being done.

The image Darwin chose is the moon from the anime- “Soul Eater”. This was a family favorite a few years ago. In fact, we did a family dress up for Halloween as the characters from the show- and then went trick or treating in Disneyland. It was a lot of fun.

Darwin wants this rug for their bedroom floor for when bedtime comes around. Tomorrow afternoon, we will finish the rug. A bit of me is selfishly enjoying the quality time that my kids wanted with me. Spending time with our kids is worth every moment of making these rugs.

How many rugs is too many rugs when I get to spend time with my growing adult kids doing something we both enjoy?

There’s never going to be enough. I’m lucky they want to do this with me.

Terrific Tuesday

Posted on by Josef Havelka

A coworker of mine came in to the office today full of joy and laughter. He said to everyone, “Today is Terrific Tuesday. Blue Monday is behind us!”

I honestly could not agree more. Sharing positive energy and thoughts is a wonderful way to spread kindness throughout the world. Tell a joke, have a laugh, share a smile, say something kind- whatever it takes.

I want you all to have a Terrific Tuesday. I also want you to share and make sure those around you have a Terrific Tuesday as well! If we all do this, tomorrow will be “Wonderful Wednesday!”

Nice Vans.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

A few weeks ago we did some shoe shopping. I needed new work boots- so we went to the Red Wing store. The lady was extremely knowledgeable and also remembered me being there in the summer buying boots for my son. That same day, my wife and I went out and bought new Sketchers for casual hiking.

Both of those sets of shoes have been slowly broken in since the purchase. Something about new shoes can either make your feet hurt or feel really good. There’s no in between. Except when it comes to Vans. There’s something different about those shoes.

The day before buying my work boots and hiking shoes, we hit the mall for our son to buy some shoes with his Christmas gift card. He loves Vans, so naturally his older sibling got him a gift card for the store. On a whim, I bought a pair for myself (my wife did as well… Huh- seems our son is the shoe influencer). It has been about 25 years since I last owned a skate shoe like these. I used to wear Vans and Converse all the time as a teenager.

They were the perfect shoe for hackysack. The abuse that my shoes went through as a teenager far surpassed the life expectancy of them each time. Yet I stopped buying them in exchange for cushioned soles and comfortable tread.

Tonight I put on my new Vans for the first time. They were neither comfortable or uncomfortable. They were just an extension of who I am and who I once was. When I got home, they went back into their box. I’m not sure I want to wear them all the time. Much like my son- I do plan on taking better care of these Vans compared to my youth. Yes, our son loves his shoes and is meticulous about keeping them nice. A very different teenage boy than I was.

So I’m going to be following his lead and take better care of my footwear.

Nice Vans.

Posted on by Josef Havelka

A few weeks ago we did some shoe shopping. I needed new work boots- so we went to the Red Wing store. The lady was extremely knowledgeable and also remembered me being there in the summer buying boots for my son. That same day, my wife and I went out and bought new Skechers for casual hiking.

Both of those sets of shoes have been slowly broken in since the purchase. Something about new shoes can either make your feet hurt or feel really good. There’s no in between. Except when it comes to Vans. There’s something different about those shoes.

The day before buying my work boots and hiking shoes, we hit the mall for our son to buy some shoes with his Christmas gift card. He loves Vans, so naturally his older sibling got him a gift card for the store. On a whim, I bought a pair for myself (my wife did as well… Huh- seems our son is the shoe influencer). It has been about 25 years since I last owned a skate shoe like these. I used to wear Vans and Converse all the time as a teenager.

They were the perfect shoe for hackysack. The abuse that my shoes went through as a teenager far surpassed the life expectancy of them each time. Yet I stopped buying them in exchange for cushioned soles and comfortable tread.

Tonight I put on my new Vans for the first time. They were neither comfortable or uncomfortable. They were just an extension of who I am and who I once was. When I got home, they went back into their box. I’m not sure I want to wear them all the time. Much like my son- I do plan on taking better care of these Vans compared to my youth. Yes, our son loves his shoes and is meticulous about keeping them nice. A very different teenage boy than I was.

So I’m going to be following his lead and take better care of my footwear.

Fandom Rug Making

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Over the last couple of days I finished another two rugs. Spending about four hours on each rug seems to be average. These next two had more intricate designs in them. Both fandoms are near and dear to me, which is why I chose to make these.

Akira has been my favorite anime since I first saw it as a teenager in the late 80’s. Something a bout the style, music, and pace of the film just captivated me. I own every iteration of it on video, I owned a shirt for almost thirty years from it, and the soundtrack has been in my playlist for ages. It seemed natural to want to do something from this film as my own personal rug.

The Powerpuff Girls was something that my wife and I connected over when we first started dating. Ever since then we have been enjoying finding items, gifts, trinkets, etc from the series. (Read more about our love of PPG Here)

I was able to put both on one framing this time. The Akira one will be going on my side of the bedroom opposite the The first one I completed for my wife. The Powerpuff Girls logo is going to my wife as a soft support for her wrists while she uses her work computer.

Both turned out pretty awesome. I completed the final touches on my Akira rug, and my wife wants to do the last bit on the Powerpuff Girls one. Now that I have a better understanding of how to tuft, I am looking forward to making more challenging pieces for myself. Next week, I already have an idea of my next one to make.

Any suggestions on what I should attempt next? Keep in mind that the size is under 36” square, so no area rugs at this time. But I do love my fandoms and anime. I have a feeling those will be the majority of what I make. Once I get good enough- I may just start to sell them.

First Rug Completed

Posted on by Josef Havelka

After a couple of weeks, my first rug was completed yesterday.

Now, it doesn’t take a couple of weeks to make a 16”x30” rug. But in that time I had to buy yarn, build a frame, order a power supply, figure out how to get an image projected from my iPhone, draw the image, tuft, glue, cut out, shave, shave some more, trim, shave again… in the end, the work required to do this rug took me about three to four hours.

A solid start. I learned what I need to do to be better. I also got a feel for the gun and the materials used. I’m hoping that my next few rugs will take about three to four hours but would have more details involved. The next rug I make is for me.

After a slow start on the rug My New Hobby turned out pretty good. I made it for my wife: Lee-Anne. She loves “L” from the anime “Death Note” and this was his symbol. Fitting since it’s the first letter of her name as well. Maybe after I make a few more rugs I will retry this one to perfect it. I know all the flaws I created and it will bother me for ages. But still, a solid first rug.

The Roy

Posted on by Josef Havelka

An ongoing gag in our home is teasing one another and joking about names. Every one of our kids have had their names changed into various nicknames or puns.

Random has been called

  • Dom
  • Randy Candy
  • RahRah

Darwin has been called

  • DarDar
  • Dar-b-cute
  • Dardvark

Theory has been called

  • Theor Bear
  • Bear Bee
  • The Roy

There are plenty of other names, but these have stuck.

The Roy is probably my favorite. It came about at a speed skating meet when he first started about ten years ago. Someone had misspelled his name on the race sheets. Today I was handed a picture from his speed skating club with the same mistake. This is funny because they don’t know about this nickname.

Theory will always have the alter ego- The Roy. A speed skater extraordinaire who talks about himself in the third person. I find it humorous and hope it sticks for years to come- especially in the Speed Skating community.

Day One of a New Hobby

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I finally saw some progress in My New Hobby- Tufting. After getting My Little Corner ready the other day, I have been frothing at the mouth to try making my first rug.

It started with a design. I wanted to try something elegant and easy. I chose “L“ for my wife. Besides it being the letter of her first name, it’s also from one of her favorite anime shows- “Death Note”. I took the image, reversed it, shone it from my projector onto the back of the fabric- where I traced it out with a sharpie.

Then came the fun part! Using the tufting gun. It was a neat process and once I got going, my confidence grew. I started with the outline of the letter, then filled it in.

It wasn’t necessary to keep the lines or yarn touching as it filled out pretty good. My wife gave a couple of tries as well. I think she may want to tuft in the future as it is a very satisfying sound and feeling.

The way the yarn comes out thick a full makes me happy. The rug is already feeling very soft and looking pretty. Obviously I hope to see some progress and get better at it.

After a couple of hours, I had made quite the mess and used two full things of yarn. I had to call it quits since it was getting late and I have work in the morning. There’s still a few more steps to go in the process before I can say I have made a rug. Like gluing the back to prevent the yarn from being pulled out. Or trimming the front so that everything is smooth and even looking. The final step is giving it to my wife to have.

Stay tuned for an update by the weekend on the final results.

New Hobby- Tufting

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I love doing a variety of crafts and art. I enjoy sharing my art as well- not to make money or exposure, but because I am proud of what I make. I am often inspired by others and enjoy jumping in to try new stuff.

Newest obsession for art? Tufting! The art of rug making. Naturally I had to spend some money to buy things that are needed for this hobby. Here are some of the items I got.

This is a tufting gun. It is a cut pile style of gun. It will puncture through the fabric and cut the yarn as I go.

This is the razor I will use to clean up the strands of yarn on the visible side. I will also use it for some added texture to the rugs.

Sheep shears! Pretty industrial feeling. These will be used for more of the heavy labor of trimming the rugs.

Those are just the power tools I needed. The next thing I needed was a frame. So I went and bought some 2×3 boards and went to work building it earlier today.

This is what I want to call my “Starter Frame” It has a three foot square area to work inside of. I added adjustable legs depending if I am sitting or standing to do the work. I added carpet tacks along the frame so that the barlap style material used for rugs can be stretched out and held in place while I work.

My wife and I went to the store and bought a lot of yarn in many different colours. This is the foundation of the rugs. Each spool was around $3. I’m not sure how much gets used, but I will find out soon enough.

Tomorrow I will make my first rug. Sort of. I’m going to be more or less just be learning how the machines react and some basics. Stay tuned for my progress. I’m excited about this new hobby.

Hand-To-Hand Wombat

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I supported a Kickstarter campaign a few months ago for a new board game. I received the game back in September, but kept it aside for Christmas. Last night we played it as a family. Welcome to Hand-To-Hand Wombat.

Mortal Wombat!

Because I backed the Kickstarter from the beginning, I got a bunch of extras for the game. Like a timed stopper, blindfolds,fuzzy cards, wooden wombats, and a neat fanny pack to carry those in.

The game is pretty easy. At the start you are dealt out a card. Only one person will be the bad wombat. All the rest are good. There are four pyramids to build that are six levels high. Everyone has their eyes covered and we all reach into the box and attempt to build the structures- except the evil wombat. They are also blindfolded and try to stop the structures before the timer ends. No one knows who the evil wombat is, so after each round a vote occurs. Unanimous vote means a person goes out. Even if they weren’t the evil wombat!

Talking is allowed to try and communicate while blindfolded. After each round you can try and convince each other who to vote for. Not until one of the teams gets to three points do you reveal your team card.

This game got pretty intense and we played only three matches. But it was chaotic fun! I recommend this game to those who like quick rounds. Plus it can be played with younger to older people without much difficulty.

Pick your copy up at Indigo and have a great time yelling at everyone!

Boxing Day With My Sweetheart

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Post Christmas Day in Canada is Boxing Day. My wife and I opted to not do any shopping this year. We are going out later in the week, but not for any big sales. Just a few essentials for the home.

Instead of shopping- my wife and I are having a day of just the two of us. Our kids are doing their own thing- watching tv and playing video games, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have some quality time together. We put our phones into their new matching cases and headed out into the world.

We went for a Five Kilometer walk in our neighborhood. Most of the snow is gone now and the temperature was almost in the double digits at 9°C. A lovely afternoon together getting some fresh air.

For the balance of the afternoon, we are going to eat some leftovers for a late lunch followed by some video games together. My wife has requested that we play a classic for our family- Skylanders Giants. We are going to start the story from the beginning on our Wii-U.

Chances are we will play pretty steady for the next few days. I’m excited to re-play this game series as it was a ton of fun ten years ago! Let’s see if it holds up.

I hope you are all enjoying your holidays and time with family.

Twelve Days of Appreciation: Day 12-FAMILY

Posted on by Josef Havelka

What better way to round off my 12 Days Of Appreciation than with FAMILY.

I love the time I have spent with my family over the last 40+ Christmases. From being a child and unwrapping gifts to watching my own children do the same. Christmas is the one time of year that I have the fondest memories of family time.

As a child, it was the time that I can recall my father being his most jovial and pleasant. He would sit with us on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas Morning. He would share stories, laugh at our innocence over believing him, and genuinely allow a more emotional fellow to come out. When he smiled, it really lit up the place.

As a father myself, I always do my best to make sure our kids were getting extra quality time at Christmas. If they want me around for playtime, movies or video games- I am there. Their enjoyment of the season is paramount every year. I always share numerous stories and memories of my children. They are the best gift I have ever received, as cliché as that might sound, it is true.

Spending time with the family you love is important. It’s a time to set aside differences and do your best to share the happy stories of years past, as well as live in the moment so you can talk about it in the future. I have had difficult moments in the past with my parents and sister, but somehow we always get through it and work on being better.

As I finish my 12 Days of Appreciation, I want to wish everybody a safe a joyous season!

Lots of love, from your Daily Blogger, Josef.

Twelve Days of Appreciation: Day 6-GIFTS

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that GIFTS are a big part of Christmas. Of course I appreciate getting gifts, but more importantly- I enjoy gift giving.

Christmas morning was the one time that I can always remember my father with a smile on his face as we opened presents. That same sensation came over me as my children unwrapped their gifts. Supplying all their dreams of merchandise coming true. Not every gift was a toy or video game. Most new clothes arrived under the tree as well.

I can’t forget about the stockings either. They were stuffed full of treats like deodorant, toothpaste, hair ties and the occasional chocolate. We always start with stockings before unwrapping anything else. It’s a great teaser prior to getting started into the fun stuff.

You might be thinking that we spoil our children. Perhaps you are right. However, we rarely buy and give anything to them throughout the year. We tend to stockpile our gifts until Christmas Day. That means that a game or toy was saved until that morning to be gifted to them. Same with specific clothing items. As our kids become adults, we are listening to what they desire throughout the year as well and do our best to help in making their lives easier.

I do enjoy unwrapping gifts as well. Especially the ones my kids have given me over the years. The joy when they hand it to me to unwrap and the explanation of why they bought it or how to use it has been extremely fun. The smile on my face is genuine as I do my best to see who I am through my kids’ eyes and why they got the gift they did for me.

Over the years we also gifted experiences to the family. A trip to Tokyo, concert tickets, etc… sometimes those fall flat at first, but when the event arrives, it’s pretty spectacular. It’s sometimes hard to feel joy when you don’t have a physical item to hold. Especially at a young age. But those memories last a lifetime.

Do you enjoy gift giving? Or do you prefer getting surprised at Christmas? Let me know in the comments.

Twelve Days of Appreciation: Day 5-MOVIES

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Christmas isn’t Christmas without holiday films. Like most folks, I have a few that are personal favorites that are a must watch every year. I even have specific dates for a couple of them. Now, we can all agree that most of the Christmas movies out there are filler and cliche- especially those Hallmark ones. Sometimes those are good as background noise where you look up from your phone periodically.

But the ones that hit home- right in the nostalgia senses- are the ones I appreciate most. I do love “Gremlins” and “Die Hard” plus a handful of other films. But these are the ones I want to address today. (Sorry Wiggles, you guys are only for decorating the tree and not quite a film in the broad sense.) As well, those 60 minute or less cartoons aren’t a part of this list because they are always a part of Christmas viewing for nearly everyone.

Every year, on the first weekend of my kid’s winter break from school- we watch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. This has got to be the best way to start off the Christmas season. A father trying his damnedest to make the best Christmas for his entire family. Not an easy task when things are going wrong constantly. Some of my favorite Christmas quotes come from this film. “I don’t know Margo!”

“Elf” and “Dr Seuss How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” both have a soft spot in my family’s hearts. I much prefer the live action Grinch over Elf. But I do find certain scenes amusing in Elf. Both films have great watchability for all ages and are kind of timeless still.

“Scrooged” with Bill Murray is a fantastic adaptation of Charles Dickens immortal classic, Scrooge. (See what I did there? Quoted the movie directly). This film hits me in the feels with a toaster. It influenced me to not want to climb a corporate ladder as you will miss out and push aside people who care about you and people you care about. It is on the verge of not holding up because of being set in a television studio, but I love it so.

My absolute favorite film is “A Christmas Story”. Back in the early 90’s a tv station called TBS played this film nonstop for 24 hours from Christmas Eve into Christmas Day. I had a tv in my bedroom and remembered for a few years in a row that I would let it play and lull me to sleep. I love the story telling in this film and it remains unrivaled to this day. It is relatable to all generations at all times. I still watch this film on Christmas Eve as a way to end the night before Christmas Morning.

What are some of your favorite Christmas movies? Let me know if you like the ones I enjoy.

Twelve Days of Appreciation: Day 2-Decorations

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I love decorating for Christmas. I am one of those people who start decorating on November 1st and finish around now. This has always been my favorite part of the transition from Halloween to Christmas. It’s a slow and gradual season change for our home.

I have always loved putting up decorations. As a child, I would put up handmade snowflakes in my room and I even made winter scenes for my toys on display. With the use of craft paper and white cotton batting- my toys enjoyed a winter wonderland. As I grew older, I continued to make my own decorations and put them out. Sometimes I even made decorations and gave them away to specific folks.

Over the years, my wife and I have changed our styles of decorating. For a while it was whatever hand-me-downs and handmade decorations and ornaments we had. Now it’s still some of our own handmade decorations, yet the new ones have become more elegant and comforting.

Soon there will be a time when some of our decorations will be given to our kids. They have been given ornaments over the years that they will take as they start their own decorating and traditions. At that time, I wonder if our home and trees will feel emptier.

A favorite picture of me after decorating.

But for now, I love seeing our home decorated for the festive season. I also enjoy being inspired by others and how they decorate their homes. Christmas decorations bring me joy and really get me energized for Christmas.

Decorating The Tree 2022

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Last night we went to work decorating our main Christmas tree. In doing so, we kept our regular traditions alive of how we decorate.

First, we put on The Wiggles: Yule Be Wiggling. This video has been played every year for nearly two decades. It’s a favorite of our teenage kids and it wouldn’t be Christmas without singing along!

Second was having eggnog. My wife had a spiked FIRENOG this year. Which we have been making for years. One of the best combinations for a festive drink that i can imagine. So easy: Fireball and eggnog. Warm and tasty going down.

This year we finished decorating the tree in just under an hour. Later this week our oldest will be coming out to put up their sentimental and special ornaments. They were supposed to come over and join in the fun, but got taken down by Covid earlier this week and hadn’t quite gotten their energy back yet. Maybe we can show The Wiggles again while they decorate their portion!

About two weeks remaining until Christmas and I’d say that our home is festive and welcoming for Jolly Old St. Nicholas to swing by. As well as friends and family- we’d love to share our space with you.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Decorating The Tree 2022

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Last night we went to work decorating our main Christmas tree. In doing so, we kept our regular traditions alive of how we decorate.

First, we put on The Wiggles: Yule Be Wiggling. This video has been played every year for nearly two decades. It’s a favorite of our teenage kids and it wouldn’t be Christmas without singing along!

Second was having eggnog. My wife had a spiked FIRENOG this year. Which we have been making for years. One of the best combinations for a festive drink that i can imagine. So easy: Fireball and eggnog. Warm and tasty going down.

This year we finished decorating the tree in just under an hour. Later this week our oldest will be coming out to put up their sentimental and special ornaments. They were supposed to come over and join in the fun, but got taken down by Covid earlier this week and hadn’t quite gotten their energy back yet. Maybe we can show The Wiggles again while they decorate their portion!

About two weeks remaining until Christmas and I’d say that our home is festive and welcoming for Jolly Old St. Nicholas to swing by. As well as friends and family- we’d love to share our space with you.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Poco Lightning Christmas Party

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today was a Christmas party at our son’s speed skating club. As always, it was filled with fun, laughter, tons of food and this time gifts and prizes!

The food, as always, was in abundance and delicious. Such a wonderful variety of asian and western food to be shared. My belly was full by the end. Just like the rest of the parents- we plopped down in some chairs and hardly moved until the end.

There was so much commotion that I was surprised we made it through the afternoon. But it was an organized chaos. Lots of mingling of the skater, parents and coaches. Even our middle has become a friend of many of these skaters. They too ended up with a grab bag and a gift in the end.

It was a good afternoon and a great way to unwind after the beginning season of speed skating. We still have more competitions coming up, but a gathering to hang out was well deserved and needed- by both parents and skaters.

Festive Themed Horror Humor

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Just like the month of October, I am enjoying some outlandish horror films based around the Christmas season. I’m not quite able to make myself watch one every day, but I have been watching them on my days off.

As can be expected- the films I’m watching are pretty budget. The Nutcracker Massacre was set in one house and the Villain (A life size Nutcracker) had two facial expressions. Neither had the mouth wide open like a real nutcracker, so that was disappointing.

Elves was another set in basically one house and a bar. The acting was that of a bunch of college friends trying to make a film. But no one read the script or took acting classes. The best part was the silly Snap Chat special effects on their faces. And even better was that one of them mentions it almost exactly like that in the film.

I have a few more bad movies in my queue to watch. Like really bad. Weredeer comes to mind right away.

I think it’s fun to watch these schlock films. I figure if people put forth the effort to make them, others should make the effort to watch the films.

Even if they are really bad.