Cross-stitch update

A little cross-stitching was done on Sunday, but none since.  I couldn't seem to do anything but sleep on Monday, took two naps!  Think I got over-heated on Sunday working in gardens and painting.  It wasn't that hot temp wise but it was all in the sun.  I should know better at my age but...   I over-estimate my staying power sometimes! 

Today I managed a little housework and my volunteer time but I'm headed for the feathers now.  I'm shutting all the pets out of my room at night and sleeping much better!  Simba thinks he needs to walk on me at 4:30am and Kelsey wants me up and feeding her about 5.  I get to sleep to 6:30 or 7 if I shut them out!  Of course, they think they are being abused!  Really, I should have it as good as they do!

A little update

Oh well, I didn't make ANY of last weeks updates, sigh.  Likely because there was nothing to update!  I had to go and get the actual book for the cross stitch I'm working on, I had copied it out of the library but  it wasn't clear enough to see as I went on.  So no progress there.  I did work on the 9 patches, which are now waiting for me to press them, but nothing to show.  I've worked hard in the yard trying to catch up outside from two years of neglect (in places).  I'm making Very Slow Progress there.  Digging out where I want to put pavers is slow and tedious--so many tree roots to dig out and the ground is very hard, too many years of things just setting on it I guess.  I'm also trying to touch up the house paint, every year I seem to have some paint pop or peel and I haven't touched up in two years either so there is more than normal.  I took off the shutters and cleaned behind them, as we all like the house without I won't be putting them back up!  With all these slow projects and the return of the 90's heat (sounds like a monster--Return of the Mummy etc--okay maybe it is!) I'm feeling a bit down trodden,  seems like I work and work but never finish things.  Threatened to take the camper out for a week just so I don't have to look at it, alas, it would just be there when I got back and I would feel guilty on top of it. Urg!

I did have an eye appointment to check on my cataracts--no significant change in cataracts or script--which left me a bit fuzzy, vision wise for the rest of the day.  I had Brayden parts of Monday, Tuesday and all of Wednesday as he had strep throat but antibiotics have put him right again, well except for being so spoiled by us all waiting on him that he's cranky without.

This week I hope to finish the paint and the yard, excepting the pavers which I'll be lucky to have in this year!  I'm having aches and pains from the inflammatory joint disease so I'm thinking I'll call my General practitioner for a new anti-inflam as Advil helps until it wears off.  I really don't like taking either very much but all my auto-immune diseases are flaring up at the moment.  Hopefully, things will calm down inside my body soon and I can go back to no meds.

Last night when Kelsey and I took our evening stroll to the park we were the only ones down there-no girls playing softball, none of the other dogs and owners either.  The circadias are quite loud this year and we are quiet so the fox stuck his head out of the woods, looked at us and disappeared!  I noticed then that the sumac are already turning red and this morning I noticed a gum tree with leaves changing to yellow.  Is seems early for this, usually we don't see color for another 6 weeks and sometimes its later.  Wonder why so early ?

Kelsey and I will be heading out in a little bit for the evening saunter, wonder what we will see.  Then I'll be making little x's on fabric!

August finish!

After several months of no finishes, I finally finished this make up bag for the OPM challenge! Haven't been sewing much this past week. I did work on a few more nine patches but nothing really to show.

It is storming outside (don't worry my laptop is unplugged!) big thunderclaps. I love thunderstorms! It's a natural fireworks display and it's amusing to watch the raindrops bounce when they hit! I know, I'm easily entertained. I'm tired so I'm not watching. The satellite tv is searching for a signal think I may as well turn it off-the tv that is.

It occurred to me that my trip to Ireland is only like 5 weeks away and that I needed shoes and clothes plus misc stuff. I have a horrid time finding clothes and shoes that I like so I went shopping. I hit the jackpot! Bought 4 pairs of shoes, I can tell you this is something I haven't done for a long time, maybe ever. They had the sketchers I love in both brown and black (they don't always carry them so I bought both) I have two pair I bought 2 years ago and while they aren't really fit for going out they're still in terriffic shape for raking etc. I also bought new walking shoes, tennies, and a pair of flats that will be easy to manage through airport security. Also found two long-sleeved T's for wearing under sweaters. Will need to get on line and get a raincoat with a hood and some more shirts. I'm starting to get excited!

Beth and I went to see "Eat, Pray, Love" last night after dinner at Red Lobster. It's such a treat to spend time with her alone! The movie was fun, too. I loved the book and hey Julia Roberts! It was very good, somehow they managed to make Julia even look a little like Elizabeth Gilbert! That's a bit of a stretch as Julia's very tall and Liz Gilbert is maybe 5'2" and 100 lbs soaking wet! Anyway, it's good but probably fits the "Chick flick" category!

Well, I think I'll go watch the storm.

Cross- Stitch Update

This is last week's post on the left, just really getting started there.  What little I had done on the broom had to be pulled out, wrong color!








On the right is this week's progress.  It's tough as I'm doing it backwards--I think I pulled out the broom twice because I didn't have the correct color!  The transparency idea just didn't work--it wasn't clear enough to tell which symbol was used.  I always do these on 22 count hardanger cloth over 4 threads so it's fairly large-that makes it some easier.  This pattern has less objects on it as I have run out of patterns exactly like the others.  Well, ones for girls anyway.  I think it's moving along pretty well. 

The weather finally cooled down for a few days, although the weather folks say the heat is coming back, urgh!  Maybe it won't make it up quite so high?  I've done a little work outside, got the gardens tidied up and some more stuff cleaned out of the fence.  Lots more to do there.  I'm taking the 30 minutes a day approach to digging out for pavers--that dirt is like cement!

I went to Columbia last Saturday to see my MIL who was just out of the hospital, and is improving.  I wanted  to see Scott and Bri's new apartment as well.  Had to have dinner at the Indian restaurant there.  The apartment is SO nice!  I've never actually lived in an apartment for more than a few months but I think I could live in that one!  Plus Scott bought me Mexican Coke a Cola--no corn syrup, just sugar, and bottled in glass--amazingly good and so different than Coke in plastic or aluminum! 

Quilt progress

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I bet you thought you'd never see this again! This pile of squares will eventually turn into sets of disappearing nine patches and then into Holiday gift bags. It goes fast at this point. I plan to practice machine quilting on them, we'll see.

Still hot, but there is a rumor that beginning Sunday it will only be in the 80's! and the 60's at night! Woohoo, hope they don't change their mind.

Visit with the good Dr Elton

A quick update on my hand.  Dr Elton says it is most likely the beginnings of Dupuytren's disease.  It may (or may not) cause my fingers to draw towards my palm.  It usually takes a long time for that to happen and surgery is the remedy.  There is no pain involved and no cancer so---I'll take the old wait and see approach hopefully I'll be one of the ones who take forever to have the contracture problem.

Tuesday's Cross-stitch Update

In the fond hope that I will stitch little x's before next week here is this weeks update. This will be Tanya's Christmas stocking, eventually. I hope to finish it long before the holidays as I have 3 others to do (there's Bri, Kolby and Nora yet.) This one and the one I chose for Bri are designed backwards to the way all the others hang so I'm doing them in reverse which is tricky. I am trying a new idea, I printed them on transparencies and flipped them over, still tricky. Mostly because it's hard to see the symbol that's being used. I'll keep trying as I usually find it gets easier as I go along.

I have an appointment with my hand doc in the morning. My right palm has developed a couple of bumps. Dr Elton thinks it's probably nothing but wants to look, so I'm off to Overland Park during rush hour tomorrow. I have not been happy with the healing of this hand-I don't have any pain but the flexibility isn't what it should be and causes a really tight "tug", even after I've stretched, so I want to ask her about that as well.

Still hot.

Friday Update

I had the best of intentions when I set up blogging times but alas I haven't made many of them!  I have postponed all outside work until the hellacious, sultry weather(105F actual and 114F heat index) leaves us for longer than a day or two!  We're currently in a break for a few days where temperatures are only in the low 90's and it isn't sultry but it will return next week. I do have a couple of projects that need to be done before winter but delaying them a few weeks won't make a great deal of difference.

Brayden and Kolby were here Sunday thru Wednesday as Beth and Lucas are in DC.  We had fun, Brayden played in the basement with Uncle Rob and Aunt Tanya--Wii, movies, etc.  Kolby ran a fever one night and day, I'm so out of the habit of thinking about things like that it took me until 2:30am to figure out that's what was wrong, poor little guy.  He was better when I handed them off to the next set of Grands.  Kolby is just getting going on the talk thing, with a big brother as verbal as Brayden he can hardly get a word in edgewise!  He did start saying his version of "Rob", that would be RA.  He stood at the top of the stairs and called for RA, and stood in front of my digital frame and said RA every time  Uncle Rob came on.  He really likes his Uncle RA!  He's learning his colors as well, especially Yellow-he can pick out a yellow crayon if asked, pretty good for a little guy.  Brayden is not showing much interest in learning the names of the letters but we played a game with one of the  I Spy books where he had to tell me what things had beginning sounds like the letter on the pages.  He did pretty well and seemed to like it.  I don't know if he'll want to play again or not, we'll see.

I haven't done any sewing to speak of but I did finish cleaning and organizing the woodshop in the garage.  At least as far as I can at this time.  It was a big chore but I like being able to find a screw if I need one! Or a screw driver for that matter.  I still have some de-cluttering to do in the house but it's coming to an end as well.  I should find lots of time now for research and sewing!