Month's End

This year is flying by. I don't know if it is because I didn't make any clear stitching goals this year or if it is the lack of stitching for the past few months but I feel like I haven't made a ton of progress. Clearly, I need goals.

July goals:

• finish Edgar's neighborhood RR
• start DD's rabbit RR
  
• 10 hours on the apple sampler
• 10 hours on 18th Century Knot Garden
• 10 hours on Snowman Stocking
• 10 hours on Anna's Bird
• bring the total of finished finishes to 8
• blog every day, sometimes about food
  

I did bring in four more pieces to be framed this weekend: the dude's anniversary present, Moon Garden, My Needle and Floss, and A to Z and in Between. Wait until you see Moon Garden. It's going to be spectacular.

Thanks

On Tuesday, I was looking ahead to taking pictures, so I didn't stop to say thank you for all your kind comments. That's been happening a lot to me lately because of the situation at work. I'm looking ahead and fighting imaginary battles. They tell you, in these cases, to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but I am so unimaginative that I cannot even think about how bad things can get. I told the big boss that I was unsatisfied in my discussions with the AVP. He told me he could review my job situation after July 17. Right, after you get a month's work for a low, low price. So I told him that was a long time to wait when I am being expected to do 60 hours worth of work. He said we can talk about it when the AVP returns. My cousin's husband keeps saying let them fire you, rather than quit, but I think they don't care how little work I do in protest of my treatment. I think something's better than nothing as far as they're concerned. Tomorrow he's going over the SWOT analysis with my "group." What a joke. I'll tell him what the biggest threat to my department is! My favorite part is that we've been told we can be honest because "there's no place for your name." Of course, if you're the only person in your department...

Anyway, derailed again. I came here to say thank you for all your comments on my picture gallery.

Thank you!

Abandoned

The dude took off to a conference in Chicago with the computer which means I will have to blog from work where I am ass-deep in it. My senior and junior colleagues are now long gone, making poor-you faces at me from their new desks and laughing their asses off. The good news is the evil AVP is off on a ten day holiday. The bad news is she has increased my responsibilities to 60 hours a week and refuses to discuss salary with me. The good news is I fully intend to go over her head while she is gone. In fact tomorrow. Hey, I gave her chances. And also, I have only been doing my regular jobs rather than work 60 hours a week. I think that's reasonable. Anyway, now you know why the posting has been erratic. Some days it's all I can do to sit upright at my desk and avoid weeping openly.

So anyway, no pictures til the dude returns*. Just boring old blather and whine, whine, whine from me.

*Too bad for Edgar because I've been working on his round robin. (DD, yours is next, promise!)

Pictures of Another Kind

It's the 25th tomorrow and time for more photographs. I think tomorrow's may be the most boring ever. I will be holed up in my office avoiding my evil boss and the dude is leaving for a conference in Chicago before I head to work. Oooh, but I will be picking up the farm share. So look forward to photos of my feet, the sky*, and some vegetables. Aren't you glad I own a camera?
You can see my previous photos here and here.

Photo courtesy of Shimelle; used by permission.

*Check out the pdf for the reference.

picture gallery

The Strawberry Sampler called on Saturday to say the pieces I brought in during their May framing sale were ready. Yay! I hopped right in the car so not another minute would go by without these lovelies in my house.

Trio of Hearts
Twisted Threads
Completed June 2004

You Are My Sunshine
La D Da
Completed June 30, 2006
Gift to the dude for our 5th anniversary

My Whole Heart
SamSarah Designs
Completed July 7, 2007
anniversary gift, 6th anniversary

And presenting, my favorite and yours
In the Tall Flowers
Liberty Street Designs
Completed February 21, 2008

Now I have about ten framed pieces for my stairway gallery. I need my mom to come help me hang. She has a way with these things.

Happily I have filled my second "discount card" at the store and will get 20% off. I have about 60 more pieces that need to be finished, mostly framed...

Counting Cross Stitch

You know I love it when the news media call cross stitch by some crazy variant on the name. Especially counter cross stitch. Today, google alerted me to a new variation:

Originally from North Carolina, Dampier and her husband, Dean, are the
parents of four children and eight grandchildren. Outside of volunteering, she
enjoys going to their beach house in Galveston, reading, counting cross stitch
and going to the Houston Symphony (emphasis added).

Counting Cross Stitch is a band from Berkeley. I hear they have a new song out called "You Can't Count On Me" about a woman who is having problems keeping track of her stitches on a project. They did a song "Round Here"--very popular--about the roundabout kits released by Heart in Hand Needleart. What you may not know is that Barbara was the muse for "On a Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago." Also, "Anna Begins"? Yeah, they know I have startitis and no will to finish my projects.

Of course the editor was probably trying to make the verbs parallel (going, reading, counting, going). However, if they took two seconds to find out how one constructs what one does when they do cross stitch, they may have been happier with "cross stitching" or "doing counted cross-stitch."

We Are Young Despite the Years

The dude and I went to the REM concert with a friend last night. After The National and Modest Mouse, these two girls behind us had this conversation:
"I hope these people stand up when the show starts."
"They won't. They're old."
"I hate going to old people's concerts."

I'd like to point out that we were all younger than Michael Stipe. The dude pointed out that they played a song about the Iran hostage crisis; "what can you girls tell me about that? I thought so." Later they were saying how hot Michael Stipe was and yelling for him to take off his shirt. Um, apparently they didn't know who the old people at the concert were.

Photo from Wikimedia.

More Sheep

Last week, we took care of Sissy's dog from Thursday to Saturday. When she arrived to pick up her pup on Saturday afternoon, she found us asleep on our couches trying to recover from the Day Out with Thomas. Yay-o loved it. Loved! It! And we got to spend the day with her. But it really tired us out.

I spent some time while the dude was doing his library homework (last class!) choosing the anniversary present. Given my late start and the state of my hand (improving but still not right), I've decided to do the 2001 Collector's Heart from Heart in Hand Needlearts. I had to order almost all the flosses. How do you get away with calling something a kit when it doesn't contain everything you need to stitch it?

I've been reading up a storm, but I've done a tiny bit on Curly Q Ewe from LHN. This is what it used to look like.

Making Up is Hard to Do

This one is making the rounds. Make-up is sort of a constant battle for me because I am an old-school feminist from a fashion-forward family. Even my sister tries to get me to wear more make-up.

Foundation: When I have to see my grandmother, I'll put on a bronzer or a tinted moisturizer
Mascara: My mother buys me expensive stuff for Christmas, but I love the pink and green tube.

Day Cream: Mostly in the winter
Favourite Make-up Product: If I only used one thing to enhance my face it would be eyeliner.
Perfume: SJP Lovely, Pacific Paradise and Sunset Heat from Escada (mmmm grapefruit), Hanae Mori Butterfly
Nails: Weak and brittle, I keep them short--but when the hand was bandaged, they grew long and showed how weak they were by curving into waves.
Hands: Right now they're a sight. But the stitches are out!
Feet: Because of the bunion surgery I have two completely differently shaped feet. I do like a pedicure, but don't get them as often as I'd like.
3 Products to bring to a deserted island: Sunscreen, books, potable water.
Women I admire for their beauty: I admire women for their intelligence, strength, and abilities, which may make them beautiful.
Women with the best sense of style: Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn. (They don't make them like they used to.)
My ultimate dream: To stop work and finish up projects around the house before dedicating my life completely to crafting.

How do I define womanhood: It's like pornography; I know it when I see it. (Spoken like someone who worked with MTF transgendered people...)

Favourite fashion publication: Go Fug Yourself

We Lived!

Um...Goals?

At the beginning of May, I had the audacity to record these goals:
May Goals
1. Finish My Needle and Floss
2. Bring the finish-finishing of 2008 up to eight items.
3. Work on some UFOs
4. Start the dude's anniversary present

I must have had a crazy moment of optimism to think I would do any of this! I'd just cut off my finger! Reviewing it does remind me to start the anniversary present. I think I'm going to go with the flow for the rest of the month (duh), but I'll make some goals for July.

My goal for today is to make it through the whole Thomas the Tank Engine brouhaha. The report last night was that she was Really! Excited! That will make it all worthwhile, won't it?

Stitch!

Tomorrow is World Wide Knit in Public Day. Look up your locality and go stitch.

Tomorrow is also the day we are taking my niece to see Thomas the Tank Engine in Strasburg. Depending on how much energy I have after taking a mildly retarded, hyperactive kid to see trains how late we get back, I may join the knitters at Ewe and I in Narberth.

New Stuff

Yesterday on a work break I perused the new releases on Hoffman's site. I made careful notes but my DSL was down when I got home last night so I could not share them with you.

• Bent Creek, Americana Angel: What the hell does she have in her mouth?
• La D Da, Zippity Do Da: A quick google search shows that the actual lyrics to "Song of the South" are Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. I just can't stitch it her way. Cannot.
• Nora Corbett, Letters from Nora: Love! (I know, seems so not me.) When will she get to the letters I need?
• Sam Sarah, Hip Hop Black Cat Doubles: Is it wrong to love the felt thing more than the stitched thing?
• Shepherd's Bush, Scatter Freedom: Um, is anyone else reminded of cluster bombs? It's all I can think of...
• Twisted Oaks, Patchwork Garden Pincushion Ball: I'm not so keen on the stitching, but how much do I love the finishing. Could this be the next biscornu? Stay tuned...

Hearts and Bones

I have been stitching a bit lately (since I got the finger turban) but mostly I've been reading. The action's been going on over here. I recently finished a historical mystery novel. Not my usual thing. I'm not going to consult the OED over this, but I am pretty sure calling someone a dumb-ass in the late eighteenth century may be historically inaccurate. And that sort of thing is why I don't normally read historical fiction of any subgenre. However, I read this one and I enjoyed it in the way one enjoys gummi candy.

If you've ever read Susan Glaspell's "A Jury of Her Peers," this novel will seem familiar. (There's even the obligatory dead caged bird.)

In Hearts and Bones, the midwife-detective, Hannah Trevor, has access to evidence that the men don't. But the best part is the needlework is the most important evidence in solving the crime! Take that Monica Ferris! Margaret Lawrence has thought about embroidery in ways I can respect. At one point someone asks the midwife Hannah if she finds embroidery useless. Hannah defends it by saying when men do useless things it's called art. And the interlocutor responds, "I perceive you do some needlework yourself, Mrs. Trevor. You defend it very well." She does; she's a quilter and the title of the book refers to the quilt pattern she is currently working.

Later, Hannah writes in her diary, "Here I draw out in part the pattern of briar roses from [spoiler prevention: a person's] crewelwork, which I saw on the pocket in Mrs. Emory's room. It is a woman's kind of proof, but proof it is, and no man would think to record it." Okay, okay, it takes Glaspell's short story and beats the dead horse. Still the pattern is kind of cool, and if I didn't have WIPs out the ying I'd stitch it up as a little rememberance of a mystery that really uses needlework as the solution.

Nancy Pearl recommended this book because it is set in Maine. Maybe I just don't know Maine all that well, or 18th century Maine, but I thought this could have been set anywhere where it snows a lot.

Big Sale in NH

Those who find themselves in or near Center Harbor, NH will find all kinds of excitement at the Keepsake Quilting Summer Tent Sale. (I'm pretty sure there's no Winter Tent Sale.) 70% off fabric! There are some allusions to the fact that it's more than just quilting. Knitters, you know them as Patternworks. Cross-stitchers recognize the name from Keepsake Needle Arts. (But the poor scrappers, Keepsake Paper Crafts is going out of business.) You can read about last year's fun here.

I can't be there this year, maybe next. I'll get my cousin the engineer (yes, she's gone back to work!) to start thinking about how best to cram fabric into a zip-top bag (apparently you can buy as much as you can get in a bag for $5.)

Highlights include a fabric auction, games, and great prices. Because in New England, people are cheap and you have to price things low.

More on the Challenge

I have written twice to Tracy Riffle, the designer of the pattern I had hoped to use for the challenge, and I have heard nothing from her. So I am going to keep looking for something else we can use. At any rate, we have to wait until I'm stitching again.

Which may be sooner than I think. I had the big bandage removed today. Now I have a bandaid on the stitches on the side of my hand and a little turban on my middle finger. The ugly bruise on my palm where they shot me up with novocaine is laid bare. I might see how a little stitching goes tonight. But first I had to walk to the library. And it's a much longer walk than I thought; 3.4 miles according to google maps. A book I requested was in and our car has a flat tire which we discovered when we fired up the Civic last night.

Yeah, yesterday was the day of suck. (Or shitty island, because the dude is reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.) Besides the flat, we were late picking up the CSA--according to the guy whose house we had to go to. (All my e-mails said 7:00 pm, but you don't want to piss off the volunteers). It was raining, okay pouring. And we discovered the flat as we pulled out of the driveway to go get the vegetables. We had to walk. I also had to skip the annual meeting of my alumnae club since there's just the one car. And after two blissful and productive days of working from home, I went to work in the office which is rapidly losing its appeal. I think I'm working for Machiavelli, and even my temperate mother-in-law thinks it's a farce.

The Random Integer is 19

N-n-n-n-n-nineteen.

The sisterhood is moving north to Canada: Wendy is our winner.

The dude will be slightly disappointed because he thought it should go to Africa or South America. I'm sure Wendy will have this piece speedily stitched up and ready to move on soon. So bookmark her site and keep an eye on her progress.

From Hip to be Squared

What is in the back of your car? A southeastern Pennsylvania atlas, a squeegee, an ice scraper, a roll of paper towels, two empty soda bottles, an empty McDonald's cup.
What color is your toothbrush? blue
Name one person that made you smile today? It's early for smiling yet.
What were you doing at 8 am this morning? Waiting at the bus stop.
What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Turning on my computer.
What is your favorite candy bar? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Have you ever been to a strip club? No, my friends brought the stripper to me.
What is the last thing you said aloud? Uh huh.
What is the best ice cream flavor? Moose Tracks
What was the last thing you had to drink? a glass of water
What are you wearing right now? A brown skirt with green leaves and red and blue flowers with a brown sleeveless jersey and an olive green sweater.
What was the last thing you ate? an English muffin with cashew butter.
Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Yes, a swim trunks for the dude.
When was the last time you ran? I sort of jogged to the bus stop when I thought we were missing the bus.
The last sporting event you watched? French open
What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Kettle Corn
Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on Myspace? I don't do Myspace.
Ever go camping? Yes. But I don't think I shall do it again.
Do you take vitamins daily? No, don't tell my dad.
Do you go to church every Sunday? No, don't tell my mom (just joking, she knows)
Do you have a tan? No. I'm a little peely-wally these days.
Do you like Chinese food over pizza? Yes.
Do you drink your soda with a straw? Sometimes
What did your last text message say? That chess bitch sent u a book. (The dude won a round of fantasy chess. I know! He asked Shahade to sign it and she congratulated him on winning the fantasy chess and told him to teach chess to all the women in his life. I've declined, but maybe he can interest the others.)
Are you some-one's best friend? I hope so.
What are you doing tomorrow? Going to the doctor.
Look to your left, what do you see? A bookacase full of magazines, a photo of the dude and my dad, a photo of the dude and me at our wedding, and a piece of art best pal gave me.
What color is your watch? the face is dark forest green
What do you think of when you think of Australia? Miles Franklin.
Do you use chap stick? I have a lot of lip balms; one of the ones in my nightstand is a Chap Stick.
What is your birthstone? Opal
What is your favorite number? 6
Do you have a dog? No :(
Last person you talked to on the phone? Kiki
Have you met anyone famous? Sure.
Any plans today? After work I have to go an Annual Meeting for my alumnae club. But first I have to pick up the veg from the CSA.
How many states have you lived in? Four.
Ever go to college? Yes.
Do you dye your hair? Well, I pay someone to do that for me.
Biggest annoyance in your life right now? The bandage on my right long finger.
Last song listened to? Romeo Void, "Just Too Easy." (We were listening to Fred in my sister's car.)
Can you say the alphabet backwards? Yes.
Do you have a maid service clean your house? Yes.
Are you jealous of anyone? Yes, the people leaving my office for better jobs.
Is anyone jealous of you? Wouldn't you be?
Do you love anyone? Yes.
Do any of your friends have children? Almost all.
Do you eat healthy? No.
What do you usually do during the day? Work, write.
Do you hate anyone that you know right now? No, hating takes too much energy.
Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes.
What color is your car? Black.
Do you like cats? No, I'm allergic.
Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes.
How did you get your worst scar? Right now it was having bunion surgery but we'll have to see how the skin graft heals...

May 25

I never did get around to showing the photos from my day o' pictures last month. All that spending time with my MIL got in the way.

Up a little later today. We've got nothing in the house for breakfast, so I toasted some stale crusty bread (Don't tell, but I cut it with a very sharp knife.) Then we went outside to work in the garden. The dude and MIL conditioned the soil. My job was to line up the plants. We got them all in.


Then we cleaned ourselves up and went to Chanticleer.

We had dinner at the General Lafayette Inn and Brewery, which was empty because of Memorial Day. I had the Buffalo chicken cheesesteak. From left, MIL (lamb sirloin), the dude (fish and chips), Sissy (crab cake sandwich). Then Sissy took us for a drive to see Erdenheim Farm. We drove by the Morris Arboretum and saw this field of poppies an installation by Gary G. Miller. All in all a very relaxing evening.

Weekend

This was me at reunion:
"Kitchen accident."
"Not exactly, you know the mandoline slicer?"
"Yes, the whole tip."
"No, it was too small."
"Skin graft."
"I had surgery yesterday/Friday."
"Vicodin."

Every once in a while I had a really interesting conversation with someone and that made it all worthwhile. Plus, each visit is always like an Amway meeting--I come away more invigorated and more in love with my school.

When I came home Sunday afternoon, I took a nap. Then read. Then slept...perhaps I overdid it on Saturday. Then we took my MIL to the airport. I'll miss her. It was so helpful to the dude to have her around. (And I got to impress her with the American medical system. Sure it's expensive, but sometimes you get what you pay for.)

I saw the doctor and they checked on infection in the area where they took the graft. None. Then they rewrapped my hand. If it is at all possible, I am wearing an even bigger bandage on my middle finger now. They'll take off all the bandages for a look on Thursday, but I think I am going to be bandaged for 7-10 days.

I'll be posting some pics from old projects over the next few days so I don't lose the few readers I have left.