String and Beads

Even though I hadn't stitched much this summer year, I did stop by The Bead Garden a couple of times. I took two classes where I picked up a needle. (One had to be a makeup class because I totally forgot I had signed up for the bracelet. Sheesh.)

First, we have the "Himalayan Brick Stitch Necklace." I have no idea what makes it Himalayan. This will become a necklace once I add the chain. As I wondered around the shop, I got the bug to do something. There is something about seeing a lot of color in one place that makes me want to create! 

I also took the Super Striped Herringbone Bracelet class, well, I had a private tutorial. I'm about 2/3 of the way through this one, but it's been so long I fear I might have forgotten when I was doing.

The good news is it was during these trips to the shop that I found someone help take care of Stella! Since I started working outside the home almost four years ago now (!)--actually since, about a year into the job when Stella got semi-kicked out of daycare--I have been racing home at lunchtime three days a week to let the dog out. She could probably hold it all day, but that seems so cruel. (There were some times I just had to do it, and she was fine but I was not!) This racing home did put a crimp in my lunchtime--it's 18 minutes each way. Plus I only had two days a week to have lunch with my friends. Fortunately, I met Nicole, an uber-beader,  who lives and works in my neighborhood, and lets dogs out at lunchtime.

When she came over to meet Stella, who is a really amazing guard dog, it started out a little rocky. So we took a walk; this always has a remarkable effect on Stella's ability to understand who a person is and how they belong. After the walk she was giving Nicole kisses and being an angel. It is such a great relief to have my lunchtimes back and a caring person looking after the pooch. Now I just need to figure out what to do with that hour!