Soup's on

I have been wanting to sit and write for days now but between work and my MIL's visit and being just plain tired it hasn't happened. Thankfully no migraines for at least 2 weeks now. We have seen 2 shows in the last week the first Bette Midler at Caesars!!! All I can say is she was incredible beyond all imagining!!! And then last night we saw Johnny Mathis at the LV Hilton! I just love him and his voice so many memories. So today it's a lazy day I just put on my Butternut squash soup and am taking time for me to update this sorely neglected blog......

Last sunday it was the Annual Stitcher's Retreat organized by my LNS and two sisters at a local golf course!!! I look forward to it every year and this year it was no different! I love seeing what everyone has brought and is stitching on and there were a lot more needlepointers. All in all about 45 people were there and I had so much fun. They serve a buffet breakfast and lunch and then there is a raffle drawing...look what I got... It looks like fun!!!! Then that night it was Bette Midler!!!!!! In addition to working 4 out of 5 days but it was all worth it. What made it even better was that the retreat was on my sister's anniversary so I got to spend the day stitching and just remembering her!!!!

Now on to some updates..... first up isTrick or Treat Fairy.... I am doing the Kreinik now and having so much fun...I may just have to finish her up!!!! Next is a new start from Rosewood Manor .... I am doing it with our last name... It is stitching up fast just a week to do that block...I've already started the next one in a pretty red and will alternate the blocks. and then we have Ocean's Daughter !!!!! So I have been stitching and plan to tonight as well!!! Although Fairy Moon is calling my name so I may just bring her out tonight....

I must say that I went red....my hair that is and am loving it!!! I am feeling vibrant and happy. Sometimes a change is good....as well as getting my belly button pierced yesterday....amazingly it didn't hurt and I'm being hypervigilant about keeping it clean!!!! See what happens when you turn 50 or at least when I turn 50!!!!! I also have a picture or two from the pool the other day....... Here I am with my niece and her DBF and Storm!!! And a group shot of us looking serious with my MIL and her DBF... Not bad for October 16th.......My niece was on her way to California to live!!!!! And stopped by for a few days on her way..... I am thrilled since she will be closer and we plan many visits together!!!!

Well I need to go check on my soup so I'll sign off her and promise more later......

I am grateful for being migraine free.....

Rather boring

Well I've wanted to post all day but something or the lack of time prevented the post. I have been rather boring today. Yesterday I went to the Saturday SP group and had fun and stitched a fair amount. Then it was a bit of shopping and to the poolside. I do love just relaxing on a raft in the pool which is a warm 86 degrees most days considering it was 111 degrees today....a nice warm dry heat. I did remember to hydate. I actually used my new pink goggles and did some laps today. And I did like it but my stamina is not great for swimming so that I'm going to work on this summer!!!!

I have no new pictures to share but Fairy Celebration 3 is coming along quickly. I will have more pictures by midweek so stay tuned. As I said I'm rather boring and it's time for bed so sweet dreams everyone!

I am grateful for joy and sunny days.....

Poolside......

I woke up today and thought it was a wonderful day and just how did I want to spend it? So I cancelled Pilates for the afternoon...I really struggled yesterday at Pilates I did the workout but decided to listen to my body so I'll make it up next week!!! I finished Pride and Prejudice last night by the pool....I have to say that I love the world of Jane Austen. I put the lounge chair in the pool and positioned the umbrella and there I spent the day.... I was just at the beginning of Harry Potter #3 and can now say I am done. It was my second read of it and I love it! HP #3 was truly a favorite of mine! I'm off to find book 4 and lose myself in his world again.

I did have a new start yesterday during my weekly stitching group at SP. I found the perfect fabric for the handdyed floss that I posted last time. It is Dill 28ct by PTPlus . I started LHN Schoolgirl Lessons...Here is the start...I will have enough thread and fabric for both LHN's! Right now I'm off to pull threads for Fairy Moon by Mirabilia. I know I have so many large starts but she has been calling my name and the fabric I found is perfect...so stay tuned.....

I'm off to stitch and continue the relaxation of the day since DH is at work!!!

I am grateful for lazy days and books............

Monday so far....

I wish I had stitched more yesterday but I had a wonderful day just reading and hanging by the pool. I am truly enjoying the pool and started doing my version of laps. You see I never learned to swim...float and doggy paddle yes but swim no. So hubby is helping me along. I of course had to stop after each length of the pool but soon I won't have. And I have Pilates 3 times this week since I have to make up for missing last week. I am re-reading Harry Potter 1 and another small book along with my magazine reading. Then I thought I'd take a short nap and woke up at about 1 am and you guessed it I stitched to 6am.....It was actually so nice the quiet and just stitching. I am stitching on "Sweet Sweet Babe" by SamSarah designs for a friend back east.They just had a baby well actually in February but it took a while to find something just right.... here it is and again I tweaked the photo to get a truer color representation. I am doing it on PTPlus 28ct Heritage linen with all hand dyed specialty threads. So far I am loving it.

I was thrilled on Saturday morning when they cancelled me at work! It meant I could get to the framer's 2 days earlier than originally planned! I brought in Fern, Alphabet Heart and Fairy Celebration!!! And she didn't seem to think that Fern would pose a problem to frame. I was thrilled to say the least since I was a bit concerned that I was only left with an inch at the top and bottom of her. I will have them back after the 11th and will post a picture of them all. I went without matting on all 3 I really liked the look!!! And I got all of my errands done that day as well including a surprise visit to SP if only I had brought my stitching with me.. since the stitching group meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I may have to start taking Saturdays off and work sunday so I can go 2 days a week...Oh well. I picked up material for a new project that I have been dreaming about...more on that next post. And I really must take out my remembrance piece for my SIL's cousin that I started a wee bit back! Maybe by writing it here that will motivate me to start it up again. Her cousin isn't aware that I'm stitching it and I think she'll appreciate it whenever but I'd really like to get it done...Here it is as of last picture taken.... Actually I think there's a bit more done on it but I can't seem to locate the right picture.....but it is in my sidebar.

And on the car front it's been 2 weeks and finally there may be an end in sight. The insurance company and body shop finally agreed on exactly what was to be done .....only after hubby got involved and requested a new adjustor. So maybe I'll have it back by next week. I really miss my car!!!

I am grateful for sunny relaxing days.....

Stitch or Read

After working 2 (12hour )days I took myself to B&N to pick up my copies of Harry Potter!!! I actually got 2 because one is a present for a friends daughter! And I have read the first 10 pages or so....and then I stitched! I am now up early since I can't sleep and that never happens after working but so here I am. I am going to make a pot of coffee and read outside by the pool. I never posted about the HP movie that I saw last week. I loved it !!!! I truly think it was the best one yet even if they managed to leave some of my favorite stuff out it was a 700 or so page book! I have to mention my brother's post about HP as well here....it moved me so! I also started reading HP to have something to talk to my younger niece as well. I really didn't expect to get hooked as I did but now can't imagine life without HP and the way it helped my relationship with her! She is amazing! But then he helped raise two strong articulate daughters each individual in their own way!!!! So I'm off to divide my time between HP and Fern! I feel I have to savor this last book and I was torn about starting it and even reading it after Book 6 but Harry is after all Harry! I plan on reading them all again after I finish Book 7.........I so miss my train time in NY I got so much reading done then ..it was a 3 hour commute round trip...now I drive and well seem to read less. I read on my lunchtime now. I think I'll read this morning and stitch this afternoon and evening! Oh and I must call my dear MIL back since she called to see if I got my book yet!
P.S. Fern is looking so wonderful.

I am grateful for reading and being off............

It's late

I had a wonderfully intense Pilates workout this am and signed up for an additional session tomorrow for a total of 3 this week! My leg muscles are still talking to me. It was so good! And it's late or early depending on how you look at it..... and I'm off to bed in a little bit. Today was a wild ride with mom but in the end oh well.... I made a nice dinner of chicken and dumplings which we all thoroughly enjoyed and had a quiet night at home. Last night (sunday) we had fun at one of the local casinos and she and hubby won a little bit of money at the blackjack table, I just watched. So tomorrow we'll probably go to the Strip with it being her last night and all. I keep forgetting that she's 81..... our relationship has been stressful and rocky for as long as I can remember. Which is unfortunate but a fact of my life. Long story short she was very connected to my sister that passed away and I am the daughter that is still here.....there is no easy way to write that last statement....I have accepted the fact. Been through years of therapy and also know that she went through an impossible loss as well. But we all lost a valuable person and I still feel my sister's loss daily....a hole in my heart springs to mind....Well enough of that. She leaves on wednesday afternoon and then I have till the end of May till my dear MIL visits! I plan to stitch by the pool tomorrow..... it's been too cold to go in but hopefully it will warm up...mom hasn't been able to swim yet so we hope she can tomorrow or wednesday before she leaves. Let me leave you with a picture of hubby doing laps which was taken when my brother and niece were here....

Edited: I am so grateful for our pool..........

Here I am

Don't ask me where the time went! I really meant to write this post last tuesday or wednesday and then work happened......I had such a wonderful time with my niece and brother!!! We relaxed and had fun and just did whatever we wanted!!!! The time just went way to fast...... and I didn't miss Pilates...my niece took classes with me!!! So cool. We saw the Beatles Love show! One of the best shows on the Strip right now and one of my favorites..... Oh and we finally went and saw the New York New York 9/11 T-shirt exhibit! Long story short...after 9/11 firemen and policemen from all over came and started placing t-shirts outside of the casino New York New York.......it was hundreds if not more. The casino made it into a permanent exhibition on the outside where they had been placed. To say the least it was moving.....they really did a great job with brass plaques of famous appropriate quotes from statesmen and the shirts were personalized. It makes one stop and think about the impact...at least it made me pause.

We lounged by the pool and in the pool and around the pool.....And one night just took a night and stayed in and watched the Basketball game and then movies. On the last night we went to Mandalay Bay and the vodka bar "Red Square" where on last count they had over 300 different vodkas and the bar is an ice bar! I love that place! My favorite vodka is "the tall blonde" so smooth but so dangerous ...since it's almost like water ..... but oh so good!

Let me try and post some pictures. The first is of me relaxing on my new pool chair! It even has a drink holder! I was totally relaxed and yes I had sunscreen on! The next is my swing in the final stages of completion! Thank goodness my brother volunteered to help! They say two heads are better than one.......dear hubby may love the swing now but truly hated the process of putting it together! So thanks again dear brother!!!! I must take a picture of the final swing and with me in it of course! And I even have stitching news!!!!! And now maybe just maybe my slump is broken.....I knew Tink' s fairydust would do the trick. Oh and my brother made me take the graphic of her getting spanked off.....whatever...I like the new one better. She's still sprinkling a bit of fairydust and that was the intention after all!!! Oh and before I forget thanks to all who voted in my poll! I took all of your advice and it's working the small piece is a joy!!!!!


For the first time ever I stitched outside in truly natural light. I did start a small project and I am loving ever moment of it! I got it from Sharon's blog and it was a freebie "Alphabet Sampler." I chose to stitch it all in one color of overdyed floss Weeks Dye Works in "Purple Majesty" on PTPlus 32ct lugana "Whimsey" It's a much lighter purple not so dark IRL.....Here's a WIP picture plus one of me actually stitching outside!!!!!

So there you have it. I promise to post more often.....although mom is coming on thursday night. I'm in my final stretch of 6 out of 8 (12hr) days......I am exhausted but I am stitching and that's what really matters. It's Pilates tomorrow which I really need I haven't been since last wednesday basically because I've been working and I truly miss it so much. And I fell off the wagon with not a thud but a crash! So I have to go pick up the first part of my order......and I'll post which Passione Ricamo charts I got tomorrow after I've picked them up! More tomorrow...

I am grateful for stitching again!!!!

new graphics...

I did my usual last night which is "I won't stay on the computer long"......but then I found some really cool graphics and they actually worked....way cool. I adore Tinkerbell always have!!! She is amazing nothing gets in her way, nothing keeps her down and yes I do realize I'm talking about a fictious made up character.... but she is my favorite! I've even been called Tinkerbell in the past!!! It may be because I tend to be rather stubborn....yes me stubborn streak a mile or more wide! LOL If you notice I placed the one of Tinkerbell sprinkling "pixie dust" over my current projects so maybe the pixie dust will also help work it's magic on the slump ! Which will be broken today! Who is your favorite? I think who our favorite cartoon character is says a lot about us .... there's probably a study or two out there somewhere..... I also love the book Wicked as well as the Broadway play and who can forget the movie that started it all "The Wizard of Oz" my absolute all time favorite movie hands down!!!! And my favorite character from that movie was and is the Wicked Witch of The West!! I mean I even cross stitched her! My hubby says there is something wrong with me for loving her the way I do but she was such a great character! Think about it.....she was pure evil and relished in it. Gotta love that!!!
Oh and I added a 9/11 tribute as well....I'd been thinking of this for a long time and found this one ..where I can't remember now....but I think it's appropriate. I've written about it in the past on this blog and wanted a memorial on my blog!

I'm off to coffee a few errands and a day of cross stitch since I only have today off and then 2 more 12 hour days of work but then good news 8 whole days off!!! And my niece and brother are visiting for 6 of those!!!! I am so looking forward to their visit! It couldn't come at a better time...me feeling so homesick and just needing family but mostly my big brother and niece!!!!! We have show tickets.....and best is the pool is ready and we're going to heat it up and play!!!! Can you tell I'm just north of ecstatic!!!!

edited to add: I took a long nap this am...guess I needed the sleep what with my schedule....Thought I'd include a pool pic:

I am grateful for sunny mornings and coffee....