mentally and physically. Yesterday was hell at the "club" since it was Super Bowl Sunday and people had to have $300 worth of groceries each to watch it. No lie, the carts full of so much food that it would astound you. I stayed an extra hour and a half so that one of my co-workers could leave early to have dinner with her family to celebrate her daughter's 18th birthday. That wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been working with the folks I was working with. I survived but by the time I left, I felt like I had been beaten with a battering ram.

I came home looking forward to a little dinner and a BIG drink and I no sooner had gotten changed and stuck my head in the fridge than my MIL called. Tommy had "taken his clothes and left" she told me. He wasn't coming back... Well hell, I knew that wasn't true. THEN she told me that A) she was sick of my son's mess and she was calling someone tomorrow to clean everything...he has plates and cups all over the office and there is paper and clothing everywhere...I told her I would be over in the morning to see what was up but she was adamant that she was going to go in there and start pitching stuff last night. The last time she went on a tear, she threw out Army information he needed. I put Tom on the phone and told him to straighten it out but she wasn't listening. Now God forbid he should miss some football and take care of his own mother but no way was he moving so I put my shoes back on and headed out.

I get to the house and I am furious. First, by this time I have talked to my son and he had simply gone out with friends to watch the game somewhere. He didn't take anything with him and had TOLD her when he would be back. I get to the house and she acts surprised that I am there. "Is there a problem?". (in the meantime while I am driving to her house, she has already alled here AGAIN!) I march into the office to see what the fuss is about and there is one cereal bowl and one paper plate on the desk. Yes, there were papers but there weren't even 24 pages...some were bills he had paid and some were Tom's. Thankfully, I did go over before she could toss stuff because all Tommy's tax papers were there.

We had a bit of a "come to Jesus" meeting as my GF calls it. I asked her if she wanted him to leave...of course not, she can't do much on her own and frankly at this point she likes being waited on (which is another sore point. I told her this was the last time I was listening to this crap too. If she doesn't like him living there, I will bring him home and that will be the end of it. SHe has to become a little more tolerant. I believe that in the end, she was just bored and wanted some attention... Well she got it!

I got home after 9 and by then could not eat and of course having had no dinner, couldn't drink. I sat and stewed until after 11 since if I had gone upstairs, I would have killed Tom. I finally went to bed and lay there until after midnight.

This morning Tom called (at 6:30) to make sure Mark was up (which he was, showered and dressed and ready to go out the door)and THEN he asked about his mom and I let him have it with both barrels. I told him that Tommy would stay there for one more month and then he was coming home (or going to Aberdeen for some classes he wants to take but has put off with everything that is going on) and then it would be TOM'S responsibility to take care of his mom even if that meant moving in with her. I am calling this morning on some apartment information and Tom is going to hit the bank this week and finish up all that stuff and we are moving her, end of story. I fail to see where is becomes my son's responsibility to be a parent to an 82 YO woman.

Well breakfast is about ready and Marth is on so I am settling in to sew and do nothing much for the rest of the day...Good grief, what a way to start a week.

not one minute of stitching today but my kitchen is cleans as is the bathroom. There is something really satisfying about that even if I didn't get to do what I wanted to do, I got done what I needed to do. Oh well, I am off again tomorrow.

I can't believe I haven't been here since January 15. Time just seems to fly.

I am getting some stitching done but seem to be sinking in the winter doldrums with not a lot of motivation in sight. I am reading though and enjoying the China Bayles mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert. I am just starting book 4, Rosemary for Remembrance. They are cozy reads. It is easy to sit down with my favorite afghan, a cup of hot chocolate and get lost for a few hours! LOL

On the home front we are once again battling an infection w/ MIL. This one is a UTI and God knows how long she has had it, I am pretty sure a couple of weeks but she is at the point she is not going to say anything because she is afraid of going to the hospital. After what happened to my FIL, I can't say that I blame her but you can't just sit home and be sick! We are still waiting for lab results and hoping that things have not moved into her kidneys.

Well I'd better get moving, I need to get heavy handed with the cleaning in my kitchen and I would like to bake some cookies this afternoon. It's garbage day so if I am ruthless, I can have things to the curb and gone before I second guess myself about keeping something. LOL

A couple of pix of the progress on this box. The stitching is beautiful and not terribly difficult but holy Hannah! Getting that top sewn together was a challenge. I still have the bottom and the little pincushions that go inside the top and bottom to go. I just love the blue and white. As my firend Becky says it is so "crisp". I ordered some Carrie's Creations threads yesterday and I would love to make some more of these boxes with those!

"Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else."
– Judy Garland

How appropriate is that?????? :-)

I saw this on the Morning Show this morning. This is a 19 year old who with 2 friends, went and lived in an assisted living facility for the summer. The interview was great, the clips really heart touching. His blog adds more to the stories and the movie will be shown on Cinemax tonight I believe.

From the NY Times
By MIKE HALE
Published: January 15, 2008
Tammy Signorile, a sharp-witted 95-year-old with a klaxon voice that seldom rests, is one of the stars of the documentary “Andrew Jenks, Room 335.” Late in the film, in a rare moment of sentiment, she offers a philosophy of life: “It doesn’t take much to make somebody feel good. Say something nice to them, tell them how nice they are instead of looking for defects, instead of looking for something they’re not doing right.”

In that spirit I won’t dwell on the fatuous self-regard and not-quite-believable naïveté of Mr. Jenks, a New York University film school student who made “Room 335” when he was 19. Let’s just say that the residents of Harbor Place, the assisted-living center in Florida where he lived and filmed for a month in the summer of 2005, seem more genuinely curious about him than he does about them.

But still, after Mr. Jenks spends the first six minutes of the film explaining his mission (“I want to move in because I feel like I could actually learn a lot from old people. They’ve lived life longer than anyone else”), he takes his camera into a world that’s usually invisible and shines a light on a population that many of us would just as soon forget. There’s something to be said for that, even if the light doesn’t reveal much we don’t already know about the lives and opinions of the elderly.

Among the several hundred residents of Harbor Place, Mr. Jenks has no trouble finding people who, like Ms. Signorile, are articulate and entertaining and more than willing to play to his camera. In the course of the month he’s also present for moments, embarrassing or harrowing, where the camera seems like an almost criminal invasion of privacy. The residents mostly just seem to be glad to have company.

The institutional setting of “Andrew Jenks, Room 335,” being shown on Tuesday night as part of Cinemax’s “Reel Life” series, inevitably calls to mind the work of the documentarian Frederick Wiseman, maker of “Titicut Follies,” “Hospital” and “Near Death.” The contrast in styles, of course, couldn’t be greater: where Mr. Wiseman is famously self-effacing, Mr. Jenks is ever present, seemingly in every frame, paying his puppy-dog attentions to the old folks and desperately wanting them to like him.

Ah well, I said I wouldn’t dwell. Let’s give the last word to Mr. Jenks, who, after a month of recording the dignity, good humor and forbearance of his temporary neighbors, does in fact learn something. “They’re just such incredible people,” he says. “I never realized that’d be the case.”

ANDREW JENKS, ROOM 335

Cinemax, Tuesday night at 7, Eastern and Pacific times; 6, Central time.

Directed and produced by Andrew Jenks; Jonah Quickmire Pettigrew, editor; William Godel, assistant director. For Cinemax Reel Life: Geof Bartz, editor; John Hoffman, supervising producer; Sheila Nevins, executive producer.

I saw this young lady on Ellen today. I had to look her up. I this story doesn't get you, I would have to say you need to look at your life.

It’s just past six o’clock when 11-year-old Michala Riggle plops down in a chair in my office. Her long strawberry-blonde hair hangs over her shoulders, framing the rhinestone “Believe” pin she wears over her heart. If you are not a believer when you sit down with this child, chances are you will be before you walk away.

It is already dark outside the office of Kentucky Monthly and, knowing that Michala and her parents, David and Emlyn, have not stopped for dinner, I suggest we eat before starting our interview. But Michala quickly reminds me that it’s a school night and she’s here to talk business. Her mom smiles and I can see where Michala has inherited her strength.

The business that brought this family to my office started just six months ago when Michala, a fifth-grader at Jeffersontown Elementary, dropped a change purse with $7 on the kitchen table in front of her parents.

The couple had been discussing the experimental treatments for autism their 7-year-old son, Evan, had been undergoing since February. Before receiving the IV infusions of glutathione, Evan was combative and needed speech therapy. Inspired by the improvements in Evan’s behavior since beginning the treatments of glutathione, the Riggles hoped the treatment would become available to other families with autistic children. Unfortunately, beginning a controlled study would cost the Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, where Evan received his treatments, nearly $200,000.

Overhearing the conversation, Michala decided to do whatever she could to see other children with autism benefit as her own brother had. She scraped her allowance together and offered it to her parents, saying, “I know it isn’t enough, but I hope it helps.”

She didn’t stop there. Determined to raise the $200,000 needed to start the study, she began beading bracelets, a skill she learned from a friend. “She was going door-to-door selling these little bracelets then coming in and beading more. We thought what she was doing was sweet, but we never imagined she would take it this far,” says David.

Neither did Michala’s 9-year-old brother, Dawson, who was recruited to make bracelets for the cause. “He told me there was no way we’d raise all that money selling the bracelets. I told him he had to think of it like a baseball game—if you go in thinking you’re going to lose, you’re beat. You’ve got to believe,” says Michala. “So that’s my motto: you’ve got to believe.”

Her $7 began to multiply, and everyone but Michala was surprised. “We learned in Sunday school that Jesus was able to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish that a little boy gave him,” she says. “I’m kind of like that boy, I guess. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I wanted to help.” As she speaks, I have to look up from my notebook to remind myself that these words are coming from a freckle-faced 11-year-old sitting with one leg folded underneath her.

Within a few weeks of telling her parents that she would raise the money, Michala marched into the office of Dr. Stephen Wright, Kosair medical director, and proudly slid an envelope stuffed with $29, her first donation, across his desk. “I immediately went over to our foundation and said, ‘We’ve just started the Michala Riggle Glutathione Research Fund, and here’s $29 to get it started,” says Wright.

Michala first sold her bracelets to neighbors and classmates, but her sales dramatically increased after Kosair donated booth space at Jeffersontown’s Gaslight Festival, a move that sparked the interest of the local news stations.

After the first wave of media attention, Michala and her parents enlisted the help of family and friends to prepare for the St. James Court Art Festival, where Kosair had donated another booth, hoping that the recent news reports would bring a crowd.

For three days, Michala and her “peeps,” as she calls them, took money and passed out bracelets to people eager to meet the little girl with such high hopes. “There was a line just to get into the tent,” says Emlyn. “It really was like the miracle of loaves and fish; we just kept reaching into the bags and pulling out bracelets. I kept thinking that we were going to run out, but that didn’t happen,” she says, smiling. That weekend, Michala and her team raised nearly $11,000.

Michala’s infectious hope started to spread. “People started donating bracelets that they made with their team or church group,” says David. “We thought that we may get one or two donations like that, but it seems like we are getting more everyday. It’s just incredible how people have opened their hearts.”

They also started receiving invitations to appear at craft shows and festivals throughout the state. “She never turned down an opportunity to sell the bracelets,” says Emlyn. That is, until they got an invitation to set up at an Expo in Brandenburg.

“She was supposed to go to the UofL vs. Pittsburgh game with her dad that day, so we told them we would set up the booth but Michala wouldn’t be there. They were disappointed, but that game was so important to Michala,” says Emlyn.

In a strange twist of fate, the person who was supposed to give David tickets to the game had forgotten and given them to someone else.

“She is a huge UofL fan, and we had never had the opportunity to take her to a game before, so she was really excited,” says David. “She was sad for a few minutes, but then she perked up and said she’d just go sell her bracelets.”

Emlyn and Michala packed the car and headed to Brandenburg early the next morning. While at the expo, Michala met the trustees of the Ephraim and Wilma Shaw Roseman Foundation, who were impressed by her passion. “They said they were planning on donating $10,000, but I never expected anything more than that,” says Michala.

Little did she know her dream was about to become a reality. After their chance meeting with Michala at the expo in Brandenburg, the trustees were inspired to throw their weight behind Beading to Beat Autism.

“The trustees called us and asked how much Michala had raised up until that point, and we told them she was just sitting at $101,000,” says Leslie Buddeke, the director of major gifts for the Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Then they asked us to set up a check presentation. They were so impressed with Michala.”

On Dec. 2, friends and family of Michala gathered at the check presentation at Kosair. “We all knew how much the check was going to be, but Dr. Wright wanted to make sure it was a surprise for Michala,” says Emlyn. “He said that she had surprised him every week with a check and that this was his opportunity to surprise her.”

When Michala pulled back the brown paper on the check, revealing a few more zeros than she expected—$100,000—her eyes filled with tears. “I was just so excited,” she says. “I couldn’t have done it without all the people who helped me. I would have been beading in my sleep to raise the money.”

With the money raised by Michala, physicians at Kosair plan to begin their study on glutathione sometime this year. As for Michala, she has her eye on a new goal. “We raised enough to get the program started, but now we want to keep it going,” she says.

Within days of receiving the more than generous donation that helped her reach her goal, Michala’s story aired on Good Morning America. “The phone has been ringing off the hook,” says Emlyn. “We are so blessed, but this has all been kind of a whirlwind.”

Michala is flattered by the attention. “I had to take a note to one of the third-grade teachers the other day, and all of the students turned around in their desk and started whispering,” she says. “You would have thought I was Hannah Montana or something.”

This experience and her natural philanthropic talents have changed Michala’s career plans indefinitely. “I used to dream of playing for UofL, but I think they’ve lost me now,” she says, grinning from ear to ear.

“We’ve all learned a lot from this experience,” says Emlyn. “I’ve learned you can never underestimate the dreams of a child, and I’ve learned through raising a child with special needs that you just have to surrender to God.”

Michala also credits her faith for her success. “Mom let me go to the grown-up service at church one weekend and I heard Greg Allen, the music leader at our church, say that he thought he’d never be able to sing again after having a surgery on his throat. He said he kept praying and telling God that He needed him to be able to sing, but God told him that He didn’t need Greg to sing—He chose him to sing. I feel the same way,” she says. “God chose me to do this.”

I believe her.

Michala is Kentucky Monthly's Kentuckian of the Year. best choice I have seensince I started reading that magazine and I always think they make great choices.

The article was written by Amanda Hervey and I hope she doesn't mind that I copied her work.

If ou would like to donate to Michala's cause you can do that here at the

Michala Riggle Foundation

God Bless Michala!

This was in a recent newsletter from Nordic Needle. I somehow missed it the first time around but reading it today thought I would like to keep it in my thoughts so here it is.

Needlework is a deeply spiritual experience for me. I am always grateful for my chance to stitch in my comfortable home, with my big beautiful collies by my side and a cup of tea steaming on the table next to me and my dear husband reading in the next chair. Sometimes he will read aloud snippets of things to me, but I find it can break my concentration. I like to listen to music so I can best think.

When I stitch, I often think of the legions of women before me who stitched together their lives and the lives of their families.

I think of the first woman to create a needle, to pull a thread.

I think of the women who struggle to make something beautiful from scraps and bits of precious thread, working late into the night, straining for light from a fire or a candle behind a glass filled with water even as they spent their days hauling water and searching for firewood. They stitch to mark birth, death, marriage; to create warmth and bits of beauty in a cold, stark world.

I think of little girls sitting with their mothers, learning the stitches they will make for a lifetime, learning the patterns of their culture. I see the swirling colours of the Middle East, China, Japan, Africa, Europe and the New World of the Americas dancing and blending before my eyes.

I see the Go-Gos (grandmothers) in the South African townships stitching motif laden pieces for sale to support the children of AIDS.

I think of young women, the most fortunate perhaps, attending "finishing schools" and learning the "ladylike pastime" that provided a socially acceptable means of artistic expression, though discredited and diminished by some men.

I think of the women who sat in a circle in Boston, discussing freedom as they sewed and, with Abigail Adams, decide to give up tea and other luxuries from over the ocean -- including fine needles and thread -- so they could support a revolution and help push forward democracy.

I think of quilting bees and church altar cloth makers. I think of the nuns tending the robes of priests and committees stitching pew pillows and baby clothes.

I think of the stitches my own mother made to provide me with a "purple sweater with popcorn" when I was six and the shawls and afghans that fill my home and the homes of my sisters and the socks she knit my father to keep him warm while he was in his final illness. She wears them still to bed to remember him. I think of her and her friends in the Happy Hookers at the Seniors Center making "preemie caps" for drug addicted babies and blankets for women taking shelter from violence.

I think of the cotton fields of slavery and women breaking their backs in the sun in linsey-woolsey, their skin never allowed to touch the soft yarns and threads their work made.

I think of families starving, removed from the land in Ireland and Scotland so their Lord could graze flocks of sheep and join the expanding wool trade meant to feed the Dark Satanic Mills. Still, the women sewed on the decks of the immigrant ships coming to the New World.

I think of Ruskin and the Morrises reclaiming skills and affirming that "craft" for the home is art for the soul -- as well as a means by which women might earn much needed money.

I think of the women who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the women from many nations who banded together despite language and religious barriers to create the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union and the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union. Yes, I think of "Norma Rae" silencing the machinery and demanding her rights.

I think of the weavers, bobbin carriers, and cutters and thread pickers working now for low wages to clothe us and decorate our homes. I think of children who work endless hours, no reading or writing, their growth stunted by work and hunger; their eyes strained from poor light, their lungs coated and full from poor ventilation.

I am thankful that my sewing is recreation, art, rest, reflection. I need not sew each stitch of my husband's shirts or pick apart my dresses to clothe my child. I work carefully to honor the work of the women before me and wonder at their courage and skill. I stitch samplers and reflect on the words in them, one at a time, a letter at a time, a stitch at a time. I stitch presents and think about the person for whom I sew. I stitch treats for myself -- though sometimes the touch of silk thread or fine linen is a sufficient treat and I give away what I thought would be mine.

We are all women. We all sew our lives together. We sew for peace. We sew for love. We sew for change. We sew for stability. We sew for beauty and comfort and the chance to sit quietly and think. We sew for money. We sew and we weave and we start and stop and tear out and begin again. We always begin again, one more time, with patience.

That is what stitching is about for me.

Sincerely, Victoria Cross

I have been holding a needle in my hands for as long as I can remember. I can't ever remember a time in my life that I wasn't sewing, crocheting or with dismal results knitting something. I have always known that I come from a long line of stitchers. Two of my most treasured possessions are a quilt that my great grandmother pieced and my grandmother quilted and the numerous ribbons my grandmother won from entering her quilts in fairs over the years. She stitched and gave away 100's in her life time. My mother is one of the finest needle workers I have ever met. I have lost track of all the quilts she has made not to mention dresses, blouses pants, robes, pj's, purses, tote bags...you name it. Then there is her collection of Black Swan Flower Angels. She has stitched them all with the exception of maybe two... Crossed Wing Collection's Flower Power...L&L's Earth Dancer with its gorgeous specialty threads. She knitted dozens of sweaters for my father. Crocheted afghans for every family member and some more than one! We delight in calling each other whenever a new Keepsake catalogue or Herrschners or Mary Maxim Catalogue comes out. Internet took us to an entirely new way of sharing.

I was always proud to be a part of that line of stitchers and always tried to carry that torch. Until I read Victoria's letter, I never thought about how long that line actually is. From now on, I am taking a few extra moments to appreciate exactly how we got to the wonderful place in sewing that we are today. Thank you Victoria for opening our eyes.

Ladies, show your needles with pride!

It's been a strange week. On Tuesday, I picked up one of my dearest friends at the airport because she is working in Cincinnati this week (she lives in Mississippi)> We worked together for nearly 8 years before I was laid off. Another former co-worker (and dear friend) joined us at the hotel where they are working this week. We set everything up and I helped with some of the technical problems that inevitably arise. After a late dinner because we couldn't solve the immediate problems we came back to the hotel and messed with it some more. It didn't take us long to solve the problem now that we were fed and had taken a break from it... Sometime in those 5 or so hours it occurred to me that for the first time in almost 3 years, I really did not miss that job. I didn't miss the problems, the a$$ kissing, the missing parts, the late nights the stress. I did (and do) miss my friends. Friends however are there whether the job is or not. It was the first time in three years that I am reconciled to not working in education anymore. On the heels of that came the realization that I am relieved.

I realized that I no longer believe that the education system in this state or in the country will ever be fixed. We have become increasingly complacent and neglectful of the education system to the point that decades of misuse use have made it nearly extinct. So I struggle with my youngest child to get him through high school and into a field that he loves, and I struggle with young co-workers who can't add and subtract, they can't write to save their lives and spelling and grammar are just words that they know. They make fun of me when I correct them and they don't care if they ever do things correctly... This is our future.

So now I go to work in a job that isn't really for me and I do the best job I can, and maybe in some small way, I can set an example for these kids. On how to make a future no matter what hand you are dealt.

I cannot say that I am sad to see 2007 go. We started 2007 off with Tom losing his job and I guess we just never recovered.

We went 3 months without him working at all, his former employer screwing up his unemployment, going back to work part time and juggling 2 jobs with 1 car, then him getting sent back full-time but at his regular job and having to commute 70 miles a day. The good ending to that is he finally had enough and found another wonderful job that hopefully will take him through retirement and may be where Mark gets to spend part of his career.

Tommy left for boot camp in Ft. Jackson, SC an I didn't get to talk to him again until the end of March. That was hard but I think good for both of us. It was great to see him in March and hard to put him on the bus for Aberdeen after only 24 hours. He was fast tracked though and surprised me at work one night in June.

My sister in law had a horrible year dealing with her cancer and we thought we were going to lose her. After Chemo, radiation, 2 surgeries, a serious infection, and more chemo we are praying that she is finally on the mend and that she will regain her health and vitality in 2008.

Tom's mom had a totally botched surgery in May and we are just now getting her back on her feet but are fairly sure she will require more surgery before she can get around on her own. I have lost track of the number of doctors visits and prescriptions.

May also brought me to leaving National College after nearly 2 years when I couldn't take the underhanded treatment of the students any more. The people who were responsible for that have since left but since my position was filled I couldn't go back.

I was already to start the MAT program in the fall when 2 weeks before vacation I discovered that I needed to take a number of classes to get through the program before they would even consider me a part of the program. Of course, the class was not offered at Thomas More and one class would end up costing me over $1000 since I would have to take it over the summer in special session. To top it off, I would have to quit my job to do that since the class met 5 days a week. *sigh* They also informed me that I need to take the Praxis before I could start classes and it was only being offered (you guessed it) the weekend of vacation when I was in NY for our family reunion. I finally had had enough of the antics at TM and dropped out of the program. At 46, I think I am beyond juggling someone elses problems. If they had done what they were supposed to have done 2 years prior it would have been a different story.

We headed for reunion anticipating our usual 5 days of fun and that was shattered when my uncle was ordered to the hospital immediately the morning after we got there and was eventually diagnosed with leukemia. He and his family spent the rest of 2007 battling that and he is now officially in remission but in the process contracted pneumonia and had a heart attack. We are hopeful he is now on the mend as well.

September was the straw that I think finally broke the camels back. Tom's dad seemed to be losing ground very, very rapidly (just in a matter of weeks). He was having trouble walking, writing and finally quit eating. I took him to the hospital thinking that he had had a minor stroke and we discovered that he had metastatic lung cancer which had already spread to his brain. By the time we discovered it it was too late to do anything since his brain was riddled with tumors. He passed away 19 days later.

Tommy is now living with his grandmother trying to take care of her everyday needs and struggling with his own grief as well as hers. We are grateful that he is stationed with a unit in Maineville so he can be home most of the month to be there with her. We are now running 2 households since Lil has never paid a bill or grocery shopped. We hope to get her in a senior apartment of her own soon and get the house sold but the mortgage payment is so high that we are not sure we can do that.

The year ended with the death of my father's sister Mary on Christmas Eve. She was the last of my father's family. She died peacefully at home after a long illness but it is still hard knowing she is gone.

Time "off" is at a premium and we are trying hard some weeks to hold on to our sanity. Of course some will argue we do that anyway. :-)

We had some wonderful moments this year too. We gained a new cousin when Chris and Kryssa had Liliana and a new niece when Joe and Stephanie had Grace. I finally got to see my brother's baby in August (when he was 8 months old!), I didn't see nearly enough of him though! Nephew Dan got married on December 15 and we are glad to all Chelsea to the family. Niece Liz graduated from HS and moved back east to attend college at Kutztown State and seems to be happily settling in. Her brother Ryan has been in touch with her and we hope that soon he will be able to leave Montana as well.

Saying goodbye to 2007 was not much of a hardship at all. We are welcoming 2008 with open arms though.

2007 is about to leave the building. I am starting to think about the year that was and unfortunately, not too much of it was really good. I will probably write more about that later though.

This morning I have to take DS#1 to grocery shop and then I have to go pay my taxes. Boy does that suck. I could think of lots of other things to spend that money on. *sigh*

On the stitching front, I am finishing up my second exchange square from the COBS board (one is going out today) and then I am going to start Hannah's Treasure box from Indigo Rose Designs. That was one of the classes I was supposed to take at the Celebration of Needlework Show I didn't get to go to. I can't wait to get my hands on it, the colors are gorgeous!

Here is an ornament I finished off from the 2007 JCS Ornament issue. I mounted it on a giant covered button form and I just love how it turned out. I may have to make another one so there is on for each of the boys.

This one is M Designs Merry Christmas Needleroll and another one off my stash busters list. I love this finished off... I can't post the exchange square until I know she has it so that will have to wait. I am glad we started the Stash Buster group so I can knock off some of this stuff that has been sitting around! LOL



OK ... off to pay the tax man!! BLAH!!

that life was just beyond you? Everything was beyond what you could tolerate or accept or even deal with. My car is having problems, work is nuts, family is well, let's just say "beyond". I am supposed to be getting together a holiday and I don't even want to. I want to curl up in my chair with a good movie and my sewing or a book or music and let the world recede for a while. I am so tired of juggling everything. I am tired of even trying to juggle everything. Maybe I am just tired.

I find myself longing more and more to become a recluse. Not having to deal with anything. No wonder my Christmas wish for this year was just PEACE.

a few finishes for the last week or so. The stocking will be for my MIL (who has never had one). The Poinsettia and Santa are from JCS 2007 ornament issue and the blue pieces are from a Dimensions leaflet called Holiday Elegance.

I am off for 2 days and was planning on making some Christmas goodies so since I had to take groceries to my MIL's last night, I got some baking stuff as well. I got to my MIL's and she is all wrapped up in a blanket...not normal at all. Then she starts with this huge wracking cough. After a huge fight, Tom took her to the ER and sure enough, she has pneumonia yet again. She is a COPD patient so it is overly easy for that to happen. She is insistant she is not going to be admitted to the hospital and is being nasty and argumentative. So instead of being able to stay home today I now have to go get her prescriptions and such. I will probably be coming right back but just the fact that I have to get dressed and go...blah.

To top it off I am having one of those days where all I want to do is cry, the weather is cold and dreary and I can't get interested or motivated in anything. I did get a bracelet made but I am not happy with it so it will have to come apart. I was stitching an ornament and messed that up too. I guess I will stop and rent a tear jerker movie on the way home and then at least I will have a reason to cry huh?

I finished the sampler this morning!! It took 39 days start to finish. Now I just need to get it framed and shipped.

I have also been playing with some beading since my trip to the imfamous Union Bead boutique so here are some things I have finished. I bought MORE stuff yesterday and don't have a clue what I am going to do with all the finished things but I am having fun making them! Guess they will make good stocking stuffers!












And last but not least, my Thanksgiving tart. It tasted as good as it looked. The guys want another one for Christmas! (stop it Pam, I know the counter was dirty, I was baking!!)

Everything has been cooked, eaten and cleaned up. Now other than walking the dog for the night, I can relax for a bit. I have to be at work at 4:30 tomorrow morning so I need to put my feet up.

It was a strange sort of day since we are less than 2 months gone from losing my FIL. I haven't cooked a Thanksgiving meal in 20 years since he wouldn't eat any one's cooking but his own. Sitting at that table today was really weird without him.

Tomorrow the BIL and wife will be here. They are sooo concerned about mom that they will drive out and get here about 3 tomorrow and leave on Saturday morning. How much good do they figure that will do her? Oh well, I will be a good girl once again. I have some yummy pork chops ready to grill and potatoes to bake so it will be an easy dinner. I can get a nap when I get home and still be at my MIL's before they get there. Works for me.

OK, back to stitching and watching a taped Oprah show of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

The eyelets in the boarder are a bear trying to keep them nice and neat when there are 20 stitches in each one. I love the ribbon stitched behind each of the hearts in the border. I still haven't figured out if I am going to put the baby's breath in the wreath though, I really don't like it but it could use some filler. I will probably find a way to add in some beads.

Now I have to get dressed and head to work. How cruel is that?

into the Thanksgiving Crush. *sigh*

I have had two days off and while I guess I accomplished quite a bit of stuff, I didn't really get much of what I wanted to done. Frankly I just wanted to sit and sew... Unfortunately, not much of that happened.

I don't have to be a work until 11:30 today so I still have some time to sew but I am doing laundry and such so I will be up and down, distracted. I close at work and then have to go get Mark from a birthday party while Tom goes and gets Tommy from Maineville. Tom has been at his mom's for 2 nights since Mark has a bit of a cold and I didn't want him around her.

I have been playing with a myspace spot that I am primarily using to interact with friends from work. I am old and they are young and this is a midway point. I found some folks from HS there so I may not be too far off my course! LOL

OK, back to my needle and thread!

I was feeling off yesterday...kind of like I was getting a cold but I didn't have any sore throat or anything. I got to work and cashiered for a while and realized I was aching like I was getting a fever but I didn't have one. At dinner time I took two Tylenol and got through the night but I was restless like something wasn't right and work was really pretty easy last night.

I had a hard time getting settled and getting to sleep but that isn't unusual since I worked until 9 but at midnight I woke bolt upright in bed because I thought I heard the dog having a seizure (she wasn't) after that I could NOT get settled. I was in the throes of trying to get an anxiety attack all night long. Bad dreams, racing heart, dry mouth the whole 9 yards. Today I feel like I have taken a beating. I need to crawl back into bed but I need to be at work at 11 and I want to stitch since that usually gets me back on an even keel but I can't even get into that this morning since I just feel like I want to pace (or hit something)... Man, I haven't had one like this in probably 2 years; not even when Tom's dad was dying. It's nuts.

I guess I will go fix some breakfast and see if I can get myself under control. *sigh*

Here is today's picture. I didn't make as much progress as I had hoped and now there is no way that I can have this finished and framed by Thanksgiving. Oh well, I should still make the December wedding deadline, I just have to figure out how to ship it safely.

It was a busy week and becoming enamored with the bead place and jewelery making hasn't helped. I have made 4 pairs of earrings now and have stuff to play with bracelets and earrings too. *sigh*

News on the home front is my Uncle's leukemia is officially in remission! He is very weak and worn out but he is doing ok and now the treatments are behind him should be able to gain some strength. PTL!

Work sucks...that sums up that week.

Mark's Veteran's Day ceremony took place in a deluge so he wasn't happy. I don't know if Tommy went to his dinner or not.

OK, off to get dressed and go to work. *sigh* What a way to ruin a day!! LOL

THOUGHTS ON VETERANS DAY
from General Douglas MacArthur

It is the SOLDIER, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the SOLDIER, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the SOLDIER, not the campus organizers, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the SOLDIER, who salutes the flag, who serves the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag. AMEN.

God bless our military; past, present and future.

God and the Soldier, we adore,
In time of danger, not before.
The danger passed and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the Soldier slighted.
— Rudyard Kipling

Somehow, I managed to get two days off. I enjoyed yesterday immensely for the most part.

I went to the hospital to see my friend who while being in a good deal of pain, seems to be in good spirits and is very lucky to be surrounded by a loving family even if they are always there! (sorry E!! :-))

After I left there I went to a place I had never been before and oh my, I think I am in love. When my kids were little and I had to go into a store where I didn't want them handling things (for whatever reason) I would tell them to put their hands in their pockets. I felt like that was what I should be doing as soon as I walked into the store. The store is the Union Bead Boutique. They have a rainbow in there. I am not a jewelery person, I don't plan on making it, I don't wear a lot of it but this place just made my creative juices over flow. Their web site doesn't do anything to promote this store. The people were awesome and helped me design a bracelet that was inspired by a bracelet that I saw in a stitching catalogue. I can't wait to go back and pick it up today. They have a gazillion things for my needlework from beads to charms and special centerpieces for things like biscornus.

After that I hit the grocery and picked up stuff for dinner since it was just Tom and I. I hadn't been in this particular store for a long time and I was surprised to find out they had added some gourmet foods including an antipasti bar. I snagged some lovely ripe green olives stuffed with feta cheese which I had for a snack driving home.

I came home and figured out where the mistake was in that stupid bow, ripped it out, started over, and discovered there was a second mistake that I hadn't found, ripped it out, started over again and once I knew it was right, I put it down to go play on the computer. I quit the computer to watch Ghostwhisperer and was in the middle of Woman's Murder Club when Mark called and told us he had called 911 for his grandmother. Mark is there this weekend so Tommy can go play with his buddies. By the time we got there, the life squad had come and gone. She had decided not to go to the hospital but Mark didn't think to call us. *sigh* I think she is having anxiety attacks. She has been trying to clean out my FIL's stuff and it is overwhelming her. I need to get her to the doctor next week and see what he suggests.

I am going back to the bead place to pick up my bracelet now and I may stop at HL but probably not since I have taken the Stash Buster Pledge with Pam. (but I have a 40% off coupon!!! isn't that a waste???) I need to go and get right back since I have the house all to myself today. Tom and Mark are going to TKD and then back to MIL's. When Tommy get's back T&M are going to a party for a new black belt. Chick flix and chinese food for me. *big grin*

When I heard the start of this story, I have to admit my hackles went up big time. The story starts when a "church" in Topeka, Kansas decides to picket the funeral of a soldier. They were thanking God for his death claiming that was God's way of punishing homosexuals. Albert Snyder, the father of a dead soldier who's funeral was picketed took offense to that...*sigh* I can't imagine why (yes that is intended to be sarcastic)...so as Paul Harvey says, here's the rest of the story. Unfortunately, I doubt if those people will have learned their lesson. I personally think some hard jail time and the revocation of their 501c3 would be a place to start. (any politicians with some guts out there?) Then just for giggles, since they believe God hates, the US, Canada and (do you believe it) Sweden, may I suggest deportation. Perhaps to Iraq. We wouldn't want you to live in a land that the Lord hates!

I can't think of another story I have found so entirely distasteful in a long time. To think that my family and so many others has fought for these people's right to have freedom of speech. Shame on them. To Matthew Snyder's father I say, more power to you. God bless your son. God bless all our military.

I wanted to post before I headed out to work this morning. I got some stitching done while I was at my MIL's this weekend but truthfully, I stitch better at home in my own chair with my own light and my own "space". I am making good progress but it seems like it is taking forever now because I am doing the wreath and I am constantly switching colors. Fortunately, I own a Pako Needle Organizer So I am able to thread up needles of each color and just work from section to section. The satin stitch hearts are done with 4 strands of floss so I have 2 needles for that color, one loaded with 2 strands and one loaded with 4.

I have a real dilemma though. This pattern calls for little pieces of "baby's breath" to be stitched with perle cotton throughout the wreath. The blossoms are done with french knots. OK, maybe this is two problems. 1) I really hate doing french knots. I can do them but I really hate it and 2) I just don't even like how the baby's breath looks. I don't like it in the wreath. I thought about doing the stems and using beads for the french knots but I don't like how that looks either. I am not sure how I will work this out. *sigh* there is always something.

Ok, off to get ready for work!

Here's where I am on the sampler. I took an ecru break and put the words on the bottom last night and this morning. I still have the 2 upper corners of lacework to do. That lacework is backstitching back and forth on every row to fill an area. It looks really neat but is very tedious. Yesterday at work I couldn't figure out why my one finger was so sore and it is from the amount of stitching I am doing! That is the finger that guides the needle under the fabric. I put a bandaid on it to cushion it but that was more trouble than it was worth so I will just have to "suffer"!

I am so pleased with how quickly this is going. I am doing absolutely nothing else when I sit down but stitching. I still don't think I will make my self imposed deadline. I know I will finish in time to ship it for the wedding but I would so much rather send it home to them when his parents are out over Thanksgiving.

OK, back to stitching!! Time is limited for a bit today as I have to take my MIL to the foot doctor again and I am spending tonight and tomorrow with her while the guys go to a TKD tournament in Louisville. I am taking my stuff though!!

I was driving home today and was listening to my "classic" Rock station when my senior class song came on.(Forever Young by Rod Stewart). I was listening to the song (and remembering all the words in spite of the fact that is has been nearly 30 years) and starting thinking about what an excellent choice that song was for a senior class song. It still fits today.

May the good lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you're far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As you'd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond

And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young
Forever young

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell

But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young ,forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young

I can close my eyes and still see my friends, as they were of course, hear their voices, see their smiles. Some of these people I have stayed in touch with and "grown old" with and some I am just in touch my mail or email. Some have passed away so young, too young. In my mind, they are and I am forever young.

Hearing that song coming home today is ironic since today I have been thinking about mortality. One of the cashiers I work with is in the hospital. He has had terrible back pain and severe headaches. He'd been to the doctor and heard ruptured disc in his back, chronic sinus problems, kidney stones... and now they tell him he is full of tumors. As of last night, they didn't know if is was cancer or not. I haven't heard anything more today. He is in his early 20's. My heart is breaking for him and his family. I am so sick of walking through life with cancer hanging over my shoulder, taking my family and friends. He's a good kid you know? We talk about all kinds of things. We tease and share books and views, jokes and fetishes. He makes me laugh and he makes me feel young. I so desperately hope that those things will never change. Please pray for this young man and those who love him.

I have the "skeleton" done. I did a little bit of the lace work too. It called for using 2 strands of floss to make the mesh but it was way too heavy for my tastesso I used one. I think it looks good. I wish I didn't have to go to work today! Doggone it!!

I managed to get a day off and to myself today. Yesterday one of the other COS's asked if we needed anyone to work tonight and I gave her my hours. I have done nothing but run when I am not working so today I did only what I had to do and just lazed around for the rest of the day. Tomorrow it will be back to the race but today is slow motion.

I ran this morning and got some new jeans and picked up some of the stuff Mark will need for his SAREX (search and rescue exercise) this weekend. His CAP squadron is going to eastern Kentucky for level 1 training. It is supposed to get pretty cold so I picked up a new sleeping bag among other things. I was home by noon and baked 2 huge pans of brownies for the Children's Miracle Network luncheon at work tomorrow. Other than that, I played on the computer and stitched. I was sitting out on the patio but I think it has gotten a little too chilly for that now so I am packing my stuff up and heading in for the night.

I am making Tuscan chicen and raviolini for my dinner. Don't know what they guys are having. It is TKD night and they won't be home until late.

Well, considering how much I have ripped this week and how little actual stitching time I have had, I am not too disappointed. I need to ramp it up though in order to have this completed and framed by Thanksgiving!

the frog came to visit. I had the bottom left rose done and had started up the left side when I realized I was one stitch off. Since in my ignorance I had decided to do the other half of the ribbon, I then had to rip all the ribbon and the right side out in order to make it right. Now I have very little to show for my one morning off. *sigh* oh well, I am off tomorrow other than taking my MIL to the doctor and making some calls for her so maybe I can get something else done at some point... I am so depressed! WAAAAHHHHH!

Here is the biscornu I ended up sending to Kathy (on the left) and the one she sent to me (on the right). I love mine, it is a gorgeous shade of blue!

I love seeing other people's work and sharing mine too!!

As soon as I finished the Irish Blessing Sampler, I started one for my nephew who is getting married on December 15. Not a lot of time to get something done but since I have done it for his brother and his sister, I feel I should continue the trend.

This design is taken from 101 Best Loved Designs from Cross Stitch and Country Crafts. These are all designs taken from their magazine (in this case the May/June 1986 issue) which I loved. I probably have the magazine filed away somewhere which would tell me the designer but the book does not (I hate that!) In any case, I had a sampler all picked out and while searching for an alphabet to finish Irish Blessing, I stumbled on this one an it grabbed me...you know how that goes. It is really fairly simple with only 6 colors of thread plus perle cotton. I will substitute beads for the french knots since I think that will pretty it up (and I abhor french knots). In any case, I am posting a picture of the sampler in the book, my progress to date (which isn't too bad considering I didn't start it until Saturday evening an I worked all day Sunday and Monday!)and a closeup of the rose in the bottom right corner.

In other news, it is raining, raining, raining!! As of about 15 minutes ago, we have gotten over 3.5" in the last 24 hours and it didn't start raining here until about 2 yesterday afternoon...needless to day, we now are under a flood watch. Northern Kentucky has been under a severe drought short more than half of our normal rainfall for the year so we sure need it AND I am glad it isn't snow! The earliest I can remember snow here in the 20+ years we've lived in Kentucky is October 13 and we have had snow several times for Halloween.

OK, enough chatting, back to stitching since I don't have to be at work until late this afternoon!!

Some days are just satisfying. Today is one of them. I have gotten so much done, not the least of which is finishing off Sweetheart Tree's Irish Blessing Sampler which I started in May for a wedding in June but then totally got sidetracked on. The beadwork took a lot longer than I expected but that was ok because I watched 2 movies (the Holiday and Prime) while I was doing it. In between, I got some cleaning done too so all in all a satisfying day!

I also "transplanted" things from the stitching journal I started a couple of weeks ago into a larger book since the one I had wasn't going to shut and I only had three projects in there. I will use that book for a journal eventually so no harm, no foul! I am glad to have started this journal and wish I had done it a long time ago. It is so nice to have pictures and information all together. I always end up forgetting what thread I used or fabric after a while and it's nice to know those things. who knows, maybe it'll be famous some day! :-)

And it isn't even noon yet! We had some threatening weather move through here, some with the threat or tornadic activity so when I turned out the lights last night, I was sleeping lightly listening for whatever may have come. We finally got some torrential rain about 1 AM but other than that and some lightning, we escaped the brutal stuff. I had to be up at 4:30AM though since DS #1 has Battle Assembly this morning and we have a 1 1/2 hour drive to get there. We left here a little after 5 and I was heading back when DS #2 called. His alarm clock didn't go off and he missed the bus. I was at least 40 minutes from home and was thinking I could get some breakfast and run my errands early so I could be home doing what I wanted to do on my day off but....I rushed home, picked him up and took him to school where he ended up being a 1/2 hour late. Of course, the school thought it was their duty to make me feel like a derelict parent... *sigh* It's now just after 8 so I head to Wal-Mart to pick up the stuff I need there, then on to Sam's club to pick up my prescription that I forgot yesterday (and of course, I am off today and tomorrow and I am out of pills right?) Then I stopped at Lowes to get a new switch for my MIL's lamp and decided I would call my MIL's foot doctor's office back since they didn't return my call on Wednesday or Thursday and well, now I am a little pissy. Of course today is the doctor's day off and apparently he actually gets to take a day off so he was not available and neither was anyone else to answer my questions so I told them fine, I would do what I thought was right and find another doctor that gave a sh*^ and hung up. I called our GP and I am taking her in this afternoon. She has an ulcer on her foot that they have been messing with since May and now I have the doctor telling me to not let it dry out and the home health nurse telling me it has to dry out. SO hopefully our GP will at least tell me if it is ok, getting worse or getting better. It looks better but what do I know?

So I went to my MIL's and dropped off the switch for the lamp, made sure she had something easy for lunch since no one is there and told her I would be back to take her to the doctor this afternoon. Then I came home and unloaded my groceries, ate a bowl of cereal and now I am trying to decided if I want to nap before I have to head out again or if I want to sew which was my basic plan for the day in the first place! All I have left on the Irish Blessing Sampler is the beadwork and I really want it finished. I probably really need a nap though since sleep was elusive last night. I have to be out of her in an hour and a half so who knows... Probably no nap since I jus remembered the garbage hasn't been put out yet either. *sigh*

Send him by email, snail mail...add him to your blogs and web pages. Raise awareness!!

I have almost finished the Irish Blessing Sampler. Thank goodness for the Needle and Thread board that makes me focus on my projects so I won't be embarrassed to say I didn't meet my goals! LOL

I graphed out a couple of different ways to do the names and date before I settled on one. I got the names on this morning and started on the date. I hope I can finish that tonight and get to the beading. Then I should be able to finish that when I get home from work tomorrow! That would be AWESOME!!

While I was looking for an alphabet to do the names and date, I stumbled across a pattern for a wedding sampler I had forgotten that I had. I think that is the one I am going to make for my nephew's wedding. I will have to take a hard look at it though since I would love to have it finished so it can go back to PA with his parents when they are out here for Thanksgiving. That may be pushing it. The Sweetheart Tree one I originally planned on would take much less time. Decisions, decisions...

I open at work tomorrow so I have to be there by 6 and then I think I am out at 1:30. I am off Friday and Saturday other than taking my son to Maineville for his Battle Assembly. He will be at Fort Know this weekend for weapons qualification. I know he is looking forward to it.

OK, that's it for now. I have to go check out Stitch Pink since I see there are new posts.

I got the vines finished at the bottom of the Irish Blessing Sampler this morning. I just have the shamrocks and then bead work to go. There aren't a ton of beads so that shouldn't take too long. I also have to graph out their names and wedding date. That I think I will stitch over one. I am putting that below the sampler itself so it will be a custom mat but I think that is the best way to do this. I can see daylight here!! Happy Dancing on my way to work... who would have thought??? ROFLOL

I did make good progress on my Irish Blessing Sampler today. Of course, more ripping than sewing occurred I think! I probably would have been finished if not for that but I am quitting now as my eyes just don't seem to want to focus. Another day like today and it will be completely finished. Boy that feels good!

It was nice to be doing so little today. I made a pot of potato soup for dinner and that was about as strenuous as it got. I needed some down time. Tomorrow is schedule day at work so I will be in the liquor store from 10-5. More down time. NICE!

I was planning on going to a Sauerkraut festival with a friend today and she has too much to do so it looks like that is off. I was kind of torn about going anyway since I would love to have a day at home just goofing off for a change but I would have enjoyed the festival as well...In any case, I decided that I would sit outside and enjoy the day stitching on my Irish Blessings sampler which is a way over due wedding present. Well those plans aren't quite working either since I had one and a half rows finished when I discovered the first row I did was off by one thread (of course at the very beginning) so the second row was off too and so everything has been ripped out and I am starting again. I thought I would take a little break first though to adjust my mind set. I really want this sampler finished and I don't really have that much left to do. I can make a good dent in it today if I get going and get going correctly! :-)

I also found a neat freebie Halloween pattern which would make a nice Halloween Needle roll on the Whispered By The Wind website and it is calling my name!! I think I will promise myself that if I finish the Irish Blessing Sampler, I will do the NR. Then I will finish another of my goals before I let myself start anything from the JCS Ornament Issue I got this week. I think my first ornament will be either the poinsettia ornament from Brittercup or the Cardinal from Crossed Wing. I haven't decided yet but I need to get back to my sampler and get it finished before I need to make a decision anyway right?

I started a stitching journal this week. I am taking pictures of each piece as I finish it, and in some cases as I work on it and putting them in the book along with information about what kind of fabric, threads, designers etc. If I am mailing it for an exchange I will list that information as well as where it went. I have meant to do something like that for a long time but I am finally making a real effort at it. I keep a regular journal as well but this will be totally separate from that.

ARRRRGGGG. I was planning on attending the Celebration of Needlework conference in Louisville last month but was unable to when my FIL was put into the hospital and everything went into a tail spin. When I contacted the promoters...before two days before my classes, they were going to pick up my kits for me since they couldn't give any of my money back unless they sold my spot (which was probably unlikely) but I really wanted the kits anyway. They told me 2 weeks ago that my stuff was being mailed out (keep in mind the conference was a month ago) and I have been patiently waiting. I finally emailed and asked where my stuff was since I haven't gotten it and they informed me that they didn't get the one kit and they were still waiting for the designer to send it to them. They don't know how long it will be. Doesn't that just stink? They have had my money since MAY. Now granted it was my choice (sort of) to not attend but for goodness sake.

On the plus side that is less to distract me from what I should be stitching on but on the other hand, I am tired of being patient!! *sigh*

my first finsh in October!! YIPPEE... This is a freebie from Michaels. I stitched it on a 28 count fabric I got years ago that is actually a pink floral but it is hard to see unless you are looking at the entire piece of fabric.

Quote of the Day
The whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone.
Oswald Chambers

I find this particularly funny since I have to go to work at 11 today and I have housework tat needs to be done but I would much rather be stitching... I think I just got permission!!! ROFLOL I just leave the housework undone!

Life is short!

This came from a friend today... it's pretty insightful.



If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important?

I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.

If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.

Next confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.

But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.

And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about and we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

September Goals:

Finish Irish Blessing Sampler Not yet, never touched it
Finish Exchange Squares One done up to putting my name and beads on it, I worked on the other one too but it's not even close...
Biscornu for exchange and maybe just for me!! :-) two done, one almost finished....
Considering the month of September this year, I think I am lucky to have gotten that much done...*sigh*


October Goals...

Finish this last biscornu
Finish Irish blessing sampler
Finish exchange squares and mail them!!
Start my nephew's wedding sampler, I would like to get it to them when they come visit at Thanksgiving.

You know of course, everything will get put aside if I find the JCS ornament issue or end up ordering it from Elegant Stitch!

it's been a week today since my FIL passed away. It is amazing how many details need to be taken care of in a time when rational thought seems impossible.

Tom's brother was in charge of the arrangements but of course did not care to do what we asked so instead of having a closed casket like his mother wanted, Tom wheeled his mother into the room looking right at his dad! Talk about shock. In addition, we had requested that no flowers be sent, that the money be sent to the hospice instead...the funeral director neglected to put that part in the obituary and Tom's brother bought over $200 worth of flowers that we had to split with him! All I could think of was that $200 would have paid for someone who couldn't afford it to have nursing care for a day...or medicines...I guess after looking 4 fammily members in 10 years to cancer, I have a much different perspective on these things. It still would be nice to have our wishes respected though.

Mom's Overture. 2 minutes and 55 seconds of laughing for any mom! Enjoy!

Here are the lyrics in case you can't follow them all... not as funny without hearing them though!

William Tell Momisms
by Anita Renfroe
sung to the William Tell Overture

Get up now, get up now, get up out of bed,
Wash your face, brush your teeth, comb your sleepy head.
Here’s your clothes and your shoes, hear the words I said,
Get up now, get up and make your bed.

Are you hot, are you cold, are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat.
Don’t forget, you’ve gotta feed the cat.

Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all,
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall.
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at three today,
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play.

Don’t shovel, chew slowly, but hurry, the bus is here,
Be careful, come back here, did you wash behind your ear?
Play outside, don’t play rough, would you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don’t forget to share,
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare,
Get along, don’t make me come down there.

Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away,
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?

Answer the phone, Get off the phone,
Don’t sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table.
No more computer time tonight,
Your ipod’s my ipod if you don’t listen up.

Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me, makes you welcome everywhere you roam.
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and you’re grown.
Can’t wait til you have a couple little children of your own.

You’ll thank me for the council I gave you so willingly,
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me.
Close your mouth when you chew, we’d appreciate,
Take a bite, maybe two, of the stuff you hate.
Use your fork, do not burp or I’ll set you straight.
Eat the food I put upon your plate.

Get an A, get in the door, don’t be smart with me,
Get a grip, get in here or I’ll count to three,
Get a job, Get a life, get a PhD, get a ????

I don’t care who started it,
You’re grounded until you’re 36,
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once for heaven sake.

And, if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump to?
If I’ve said once I’ve said it at least a thousand times before,
That you’re too old to act this way,
It must be your father’s DNA.

Look at me when I am talking, stand up straighter when you walk.
A place for everything, and everything must be in place.
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about.

oh

Brush your teeth, wash your face, get your pj’s on.
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with Mom.
Don’t forget I love you (kiss)

And tomorrow we will do this all again
because a Mom’s work never ends.

You don’t need the reason why,
Because, Because, Because, Because,
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so.
I’m the Mom, the Mom, the Mom, the Mom, the Mom!

Ta-Da!