In retirement, one needs something to do. A purpose. Since retiring, I've been working hard to adapt the cabin to full-time living, converting it from a weekend/vacation home to a place where we can comfortably live all year round. As that frenzy of activity slowed down, I turned my attention to becoming a hooker.

An old-fashioned Santa decoration, created using rug hooking techniques.

In 2015, Lynne and I were attending the annual Sheep and Wool Festival at the Duchess County (NY) fair grounds when we passed by a booth of hookers. It was shocking to hear the booth owner, quite loudly, expressing her joy to a customer saying something like "Oh, you are a hooker!"

It was a rug hooking booth, and many of the samples were very beautiful. I saw this old-fashioned Santa pattern and told Lynne that we should get it and that I'd hook us a Christmas decoration. The photo above is the result. It was originally meant to be hung on a door as a welcome decoration, but instead, I put some backing on it and slightly stuffed it with filling to make it more like a pillow.

I don't know how much more hooking I'll do. But, this venture was sure fun. Maybe I'll try hooking a Berner face next?