Sprucing and cleaning up

The front porch, a forever in need place of sprucing.

Here I put some flowers in the pocket I made this week by the front door.

Hubbie, trying to move our new stash box/armoire I got at auction last night for 75.00. Solid Walnut. This is just the top of it. It has a beveled mirror and the bottom portion which is not in this picture is solid wood walnut drawers.

A new Walmart find to spruce up the porch. A metal chimes with 2 redbirds on top.

Love it!

And some Lemon Balm. It grew about twice as tall this week before I could get it in the pot. So it's definitely a good part-time sun plant. Rub the leaves between your fingers and its LEMONY!

Here's my mint plants growing....another treat too. Low maintenance....actually no maintenance. Comes back year after year in this pot.

My yard helper.

He is so sweet. He came up to me and he and I just brushed our faces together out of pure love.

I love my cat more than I do my allergy!  ;o

Onward now to the ever dwindling "kids stuff" that's been left here and forever in a massive pile soon to be finding new homes. Also in the process of gathering all my older stitching stuff and putting into boxes for giveaway. Stay tuned for updates.

Well, my Pralines Ice Cream break is now over.....back to chores.

Later.

Saturday....and things

This week has gone faster than any, I think. I have been extremely busy at work, while overall clinic numbers are down due to the economy, this week I have been quite busy. No complaints though as I'm glad I have a job in this economy.

After work, I've been focusing on relaxing, walking, exercising, reading, and stitching to counteract all the stories I absorb during the day.

Hubbie calls it "doggie daycare" for Ren and Abbie but overall Ren is doing remarkably better and today walking around the house, wagging his tail!!!!   He gets a teeny tiny bit of thyroid medicine once a day.
His appetite is good and on occasion he eats whatever I have too. He is a happy camper.
This morning he went to his potty paper and really, has made a good comeback. Logically, I know he is old but I'm so trying to make him comfortable and part of "the pack" until his time.

On the stitching front, I've picked up to this point on Summer Day 1776. I hope to finish it tonight.
I have been watching the news for the past couple of nights while I stitched the blue water and such an irony as they are speaking about the catastrophe in the Gulf with the oil spill. It's a sad situation that I hope they get it fixed soon.

I remember when I was a wee girl, my parents took us a couple of summers to Panama City Beach and how the water was so different than the east coast. The water was clear and blue.

I haven't been back in probably 30 years and in fact I never even go to the beach on the east coast anymore but the Gulf water was definitely a beauty. My heart goes out to all folks whose livelihood depend on this area. I heard just this morning that there is a hurricane heading that way.  Such a disaster!

Last night we had a wicked, and I mean wicked, lightening storm.

 Body Guard and I drove through it and at one point couldn't even see where we were driving as it was raining so hard. We had been to an auction which are usually a fun thing on Friday nights. On the way back home, we drove through this storm.

Of course I have Onstar in my car and I tried to call him in his truck when I couldn't see (it was night) due to the heavy storming and Onstart kept going "pardon, pardon", "you have too much background noise"
then it said "say help if you need help"  so I screamed "HELP" and it said "pardon?"
Gave up on Onstar as an emergency source in the car!

But we made it back home. I did get an antique maple armoire with a center beveled mirror. I got it for about 1% of it's value....unbelievable. I couldn't have gotten a plastic cabinet at Target or Lowes for that amount.
It's heavy and BG is going back today with a truck to get it. Another stashing spot for me in my sewing area in the basement. When we get it here, I'll take a picture. I didn't have my camera with me last night.
I also got a long black bench with a backing for almost a giveaway and it's in great condition.
No linens really at this auction but overall had a good time.
We usually go 2 or 3 times a year.

Body guard, of course, had his birthday this week but we didn't get to celebrate big but Thursday, I got him this little soapstone coaster for his office at work. He likes it. Its simple and small but it just looked like something he would like.......and I was right!

My friend Dot, let me borrow this book to read. I haven't really read much of it yet, as I have been so busy but it's on my to-read list.

She says its amazingly unreal to read and in relation to our world situations today, very applicable.

She said it explains alot.

 

Abbie says it's hot here today and she wants to go swimming.

We are getting alot of little trees and brush cleared by a some folks this afternoon so I will definitely be on guard for any snakes this stirs up......so scared of snakes but Oh, so glad to get this area cleared.

Well, onward to housecleaning and decluttering again in the basement. It's a challenge for 2 pack rats to live together.....LOL

till later.....stay cool as you can!

Jennifer

Wordy Wednesday

Today is BG's birthday. He decided to celebrate by getting his screening colonoscopy. This is probably Way TMI but......it's nothing like the Movies.....where did they get the name for this aweful stuff!

So dinner tonight was alone while he was drinking this.

I was eating a plate of spaghetti with a glass of cold Merlot on  my back porch staring into the mountains and the jungle that surrounds our house.

Yes, I'm opinionated. And yes, it's boring to most who are having real Summers, grilling out, going on vacations, pool time...(not so much since I burn in about 10 minutes)........but really, I'm glad somebody is having a normal Summer.
Ours is anything but that. Vacation?  Well, that is a foreign term here so staycations will involve getting things fixed and other joys!
Hail hit the car and I did get the estimate from insurance. I keep finding gadgets that don't work in the house including our downstairs TV in the basement, flat screen.....looks like it's fried too. Just found out tonight when I tried to turn it on while I was going through more "stuff" in my office. It's getting there.........LOL

So coordinating insurance folks is our hobby as we both work full-time.

Ren is keeping us busy too.
He doesn't know it's not Christmas but he really likes this sweater. I guess it comforts his little hairless body.

He is eating whatever he wants and feels much better. I will say we should invest in the company that makes potty papers......

This photo came in the mail today and I OH SO NEEDED IT!!!! Thank you, Jennifer at Confessions of a Serial Starter Blog!  She is the sweetest and I mean the sweetest stitching friend. I won her giveaway recently and everytime I turn my light out at night I see that beautiful stitched box it lights up my day.

I was caught by surprise in the mail. She said on her blog she found some really good frames and they were pretty for samplers and this pic was in one of them.  I love music and love this print. I will treasure it. Thanks, so much. I will be going through my stash of frames for one to complement it and I already know I will put it on my piano.

I did get in an hour of stitching tonight on this Summer freebie by The Sampler Girl.

I decided to pick this fabric for a pillowkeep for it.

Abbie decided to herald through the living room, and chewing this instead of her "dingie wingie"

I guess to a dog this thread winder probably has about the same texture....but oh my, did she tangle my CC Wavy Navy!!!

Bad girl, Abbie!

found this in a favorite Prim store about 2 weeks ago. I love this color blue!

I also grabbed this old tin with the tulips for the kitchen. It really is cute in the kitchen.

I have a ridiculous amount of old cross stitching stash that I know, several charts are 30 years old.

I have no idea what to do with this group of items but it must go.

If you know a beginner cross stitcher or if you are interested in old charts, I will post the pics soon so you can see if you want any of them. If not, they will be going to Goodwill.

They are part of the "office stuff" I have left to organize and it's my goal that my office will be quite functional by the end of Summer.

thanks so much for the comments and the emails you have sent. They mean alot to me and even though I know my life is quite boring, I appreciate you taking a few minutes of your day to read my daily notes.

Best be heading for bed soon.....work day tomorrow bright and early!

My worke June 21, 2010

A freebie from the Sampler Girl in 2009

Summer Day 1776

fibers, DMC and CC silks

linen is 18th Century Brown

More to come tomorrow........stay tuned.

Our narrow paths on the journey

Sometimes on my journey in life the paths get narrow. I know others have gone before me and taken this path and some choose not to. Others have also experienced losing their family and friends while on the journey as they got side-tracked with things they thought were more important.

I know these narrow paths usually end at some point and open up to blue skies and then when I look behind me I wonder how I ever got through it. But thankful, oh so thankful for the wisdom to keep going and in the process I can be thankful for meeting the most influential people who share a part of themselves with me.

There are some prominent people in each of our lives that usually come and go but really made an impression at a time of narrow path-winding. At the time, they meet up with us, and help us as we travel down it.

I can think of 3 influential people in my life that came at turning points. Real turning points.

To keep their names private I will not list her name but one I dreamt about last night. I haven't seen her in a long time so I don't know what the idea was all about in my head but in the dream, I ran across her as I walked through this huge, huge city on foot. I rested at her house.  The dream ended with her holding my face and saying, "you're going to be just fine. You are." and I felt so much peace when awakening. Maybe it was the fact I saw her again and she represents healing. Maybe it was the fact that those words came from her and I have so much respect for her, they felt like a warm fuzzy blanket. Maybe it was she who knew me most in my whole life and accepted me as I was at the time. She didn't enable me to get through it, she showed me how so I could use the information also at future turning points. She helped me help myself.

Funny how some people influence our lives forever. Their words of wisdom through these narrow parts of our  journey help in future narrow paths.

Today, I'm going to write her a letter and thank her again for being there and making such an influence in the direction my life took. I think when people are that influential they need to know because there is no comfort like knowing that just because you exist, you helped one person through a narrow path.

I miss her and I'm sure our paths will never cross again but she will be in my heart forever.

At our wedding she gave me this hand-made pottery bowl and I loved the colors, she knew.

I remember after the wedding we opened this gift and she said, " look, look in the bottom....do you see the heart. It looks almost like a heart!" I was so thankful for this gift and told her I loved it and it has resided over our fireplace since that time.

So for today, think of one of those 3 most influential persons that walked with you at some very narrow point in life, and write them a hand-written letter thanking them for the direction they gave you.

Onward to writing that letter................

Picking up A Tulip for My Love today

This is what I threw in my tote bag today for lunch time stitching.

I already had the top row and part of the first motif completed but I did get a few stitches put in today at lunch.

I miscounted part of the second one and had to frog it and also the top row is about 15 stitches over....I knew it looked long. I got a little off after counting to 200 in a row though ;)

Examplars From the Heart

Tulip For My Love

I love these needles. I honestly can say they are my favorite. The last project's needle had to go. Do you ever get to that point where the needle just has to go?

These have great points and between that and the silk fibers, it has a nice flow to it.

The linen is 32 count natural Belfast ( I think>???)  I will have to back and see what my notes show but it's been so long since I started it, I can't remember. It may be 35 count???........this really has me stumped....anyway....I'll go back and look. The linen called for in the pattern is not made anymore called Fieldstone, so I subbed.

I love the Dutch-Colonial feel of this sampler.

So far I've stitched in hand without a frame but this will be going in the frame soon.

Well, my love will be......ok, I won't say here online.......hehehehehee.....but he will have a birthday....shhhhhhh.....on Wednesday. So far the only thing he has asked for was a colonoscopy this week.....LOL....just joking....well, it is a true statement......but I have to think of something he might like and to me that's harder for men than it is for women.

 Am I the only one like that when it comes to gift-giving???

Hope your day went well today for Monday. Seemed to go by like a blink today for me.

Commuted to work, talked to Vet, bathed 2 doggies and walked. One day I feel the decision is to put Ren to sleep and I think he has given up......then I come home and he starts drinking and eating again and I can't do it. It's a touch and go Summer.

Stepping into yoga pants and sprinting  fast-walking out on the road actually felt good tonight. I don't jog but I can see why people get runner's high afterward!  It's definitely tempting to do as stress relief but I don't think I could make it up and down the hills too well. I think I will stick with stitching and fast-walking.........

till later.....

made the mistake of putting on lipsmacker----with  Peppermint oil and as I am typing Abbie has now tried desparately to lick this off and I guess her lips will swell up.......she is definitely a Lipsmacker girl!

Earlier we had some time together in the rocking chair which is very soothing to them.

Finished Sweet Land 1831, a Patriotic Pocket

Just finished this design by The Sampler Girl

Sweet Land 1831, a Patriotic Pocket

I used a different fabric that I already had in my stash and also stitched the word Freedom in red instead of the word Sweet.

32 ct cream linen

DMC and CC colors in Wavy Navy and Deep Blue Sea

I sewed two of the fabric pieces together and put an old dark red button on it because I had exactly the amount of material I needed leftover from another project I did last year. I couldn't believe I made the cuts work!

The backing.

The sleeping Abbie.

Who is now looking at my finished pocket while I take pictures......LOL

We have had a very hard night and day with Ren. Looks as if his one day at home doing much better was not so last night and today. He is not eating or drinking well. Doc call in the morning.

He did eat some chicken in the can with juice but today he flat refuses to drink water.

Anyway........don't want to get side tracked.....just a brief update.

He sleeps alot and unfortunately I think he has given up. We are just making him comfortable as we can.

I may just bring him home a junior cheeseburger from Wendy's tomorrow night.

He deserves one at this point.

Abbie has become very attentive to him and if he moves around, she goes to check on him and turns her head back and forth....she knows he is sick. Animals are so smart.

In all my life, and I've always had a dog as long as I can remember bringing them home as a little girl as strays......I'm amazed at their unconditional love, their uniqueness, personalities, and intuition.

Body guard is sick today with stomach troubles as well as myself. I woke at 5am with a burning stomach like I had swallowed fire. I hope ulcers are not back....but I think I have reasons for them to be.

BG is having some tests this week at the hospital so please keep him in your prayers. He is having unexplainable lower stomach pain that they thought was resolved with hernia surgery......then diagnosed as a kidney stone....nope.....then diagnosed as diverticulits 2 weeks ago......now after 2 weeks of antibiotics he suddenly got sick with alot of pain tonight.

When it rains, it pours.

Our vacation for a trip to Chicago to visit his mother, brother and sister-in-law are now postponed until we get alot of this lightning damage, car damage from hail, doggie issues, and health issues settled, if that's possible. I was so looking forward to that trip the week of the 4th. :(

Well, till later....have a great night's rest.

Jennifer

Abbie's new bikini

It's me, Abigail. Just wanted to show you my new pink, polka dot  bikini!!! My mom is stitching and I'm clinging to her lap. My fur is a little like velcro and I love to cling to warm laps.

It's a bad hair day. The humidity does it every time! Where's my hair-gel?

See, Victoria's Secret is having the semi-annual sale and I couldn't resist this swimsuit.

With a body like this, who couldn't resist wearing a polka dot pink bikini???

I've only eaten one pattern in my whole life!!

Not another one, I promise.......

This one is allllllmost done.......

Sunday morning Sunshine

Field thoughts to me are happiness and joy,

While I can lie upon the pleasant grass,

And track some little path and so employ

My mind in trifles, pausing as I pass

The little wildflower clumps by, nothing nursed

But dews and sunshine and impartial rain;

And welcomingly to quinch my Summer thirst

I bend by the flaggy dyke to gain

Dewberries so delicious to the taste;

And then I wind the flag-fringed meadow lake

And mark the pike plunge with unusual haste

Through waterweeds and many a circle make,

While bursts of happiness from Heaven fall;

There all hopes: her fields are free to all.

~~John Clare

I found this little tiny card yesterday in an antique store and it had the prettiest poem on the back.

 Hope you enjoy as the sunshine here is already 85 degrees.  Weatherman says at least 10 days of hot weather with very little chance of rain each day. I do count my blessings that living in the mountains tends to have cooler nights even when the days are hot.

My mind in trifles, pausing as I pass........