Away Again, Naturally

The dude and I did a piss-poor job planning our vacations this summer. No sooner did we return from Canada than we were off to the sea in Maine. Poor planning or not, it was still a relaxing time away from the office. We drove up after work, so I didn't get much stitching done. And I forgot my cheaters (actually, I didn't. I couldn't find them and then I bought a new pair and then I found them again). Where was I? Oh, forgetting the cheaters, so I stuck with a project on lower count fabric so I could see. And that was my August Small, and I'll save that one to show you later.

Speaking of not being able to see, I did have a visit with Maggie while I was in New England. Her eyesight continues to deteriorate, and she is doing less. She gets out plenty--a couple of restaurants she eats at regularly and movies with my aunt. Funny enough, she asked about you. She wanted to know if it was okay to get rid of the 100+ cards you sent for her 90th birthday. Since that was over two years ago now, I gave her permission. I hope you don't mind.

Coming home from our trip to Maine always makes me feel like summer is ending. And today when I walked into work at 8:00 am it certainly felt that way. And then my colleague told me I didn't have to be in until 8:30 because summer hours are over. There were so many things I meant to do on my half-day Fridays but never did. I was waiting until I had a rainy day to scour thrift shops for some supplies for garden accessories I wanted to make. I was going to use another to clean the craft room. I'm sure there were many other "meant tos" on my summer list. But there were some fabulous "instead ofs" too. Like this:

Helping make babies fashionable, scrubheaven

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

My to-do list is getting done.
wrap boss's birthday gift (and happily she loved it!); finish-finish Sissy's (new) present; finish-finish "beer;" (decided to wrap it without finishing, but I did buy the frame); finish-finish stockings; finish-finish uncle's ornament; buy a point driver (unnecessary, see above) ; buy oranges; buy cloves; make pomanders with the kids; clean the house; buy a candle holder for Christmas candles in bathroom; call re lobster (10-12 lbs); buy tall purple pillar candle; put up second tree; buy purple paper plates; see if Home Goods has purple/orange/gold table runner (to match the napkins); paint front door, final coat (we're skipping it until spring); put up storm door; hang wreath;paint patches around door and in hallway and it looks terrific!; get rid of chair; put out all cardboard recycling; find a place/way to display Christmas cards; buy ribbon for presents; buy candle for snowman holder that is on display; pick up gifts from framer see below!; buy pierogis from ladies in Port Richmond the dude took PoppaBitch to Syrenka for kielbasa and sauerkraut while they were out there.

Make lobster stew:

Here's step one. I've had to cook it in three batches; my house smells like a seafood shanty.


Auntie's 60th birthday gift.


And Summer Place for my cousin and her husband (and their new summer place).

Now back to work on those stockings! (crack)

Mission Accomplished

I finished Summer Place today in just a few hours, as I suspected. I wish this picture were better, but I'm stuck with the camera phone until I manage to get myself somewhere where they sell cameras.

I didn't paint the bathrooms this weekend. I just couldn't motivate myself. I didn't let the weekend go to waste, though; I started decorating for Christmas. Yes, before Thanksgiving. So gauche. But I'm not going to be here next weekend and the weekend after I'll be preparing for my trip (and we do have an itinerary at long last). I guess this means I'll be painting up a storm when I get back from England. And if I don't everyone who complains can take a big bite out of my ass.

The Best Laid Plans

Today I dropped off Animal Samplings to be framed. We got there rather late because I was trying to finish Summer Place. And I would have been successful had I not forgotten that we were having dinner out with my family (my belated birthday celebration) last night. Mmmm Teikoku. I have about four hours more work on it. BUT! I did bring it with me and choose a frame for it, so that I can just send it to them on Monday. Yay! No more trips out to Chadds Ford. The traffic was gnarly today. It's already Christmas shopping season. When I went to Home Goods to get some Christmas-y kitchen and hand towels (we've never had people come to our house for Christmas yet!) the place was a zoo. I checked out the tree skirts too, but there was nothing I was looking for. It's terrible when you have enough skill but not enough time to make the things you see in your head!

At any rate, the woman who helped me with the framing was a doll, but they closed at 5:00 and at 5:20 we were just finishing up our transaction. The other woman there was such a bitch. I apologized for keeping them both late and the nice one said, "If we weren't so busy we would have been able to help you sooner!" The other one just stared at me. She didn't even say good night when we left. I don't know, a customer drops almost $200 on framing, I'm a little warmer to her. Apparently she doesn't know I can take my business elsewhere. Anyway, I've got to get back to Summer Place because it's throwing off my whole schedule for this weekend!

Brain Wave

Suddenly, I remember: I have a camera on my phone! So that is why this picture is so crappy. But you can see what is done and what needs finishing. I need to deliver this by tomorrow. Difficult, but not impossible. Worse comes to worse, I can deliver it by the 21st. I'd just have to keep my fingers crossed that they let us go home early. I should stick to the original schedule, especially as I've added duplicate-stitched boy sweaters to the to-do list.

Weekend Review

Last Wednesday, I made a preliminary plan for holiday prep. This weekend I was scheduled to clean the yard, plant bulbs, and make Christmas cards with Sissy. I planted the bulbs (with plenty of red pepper to keep the squirrels at bay) and the dude cleaned the yard. We didn't get as far as we would have liked on the leaf situation but as far as I'm concerned leaf litter is god's gift to plant life everywhere. There is another scheduled leaf pick up, but I'm trying to convince the dude we need to buy a leaf sucker that also mulches. He remains unconvinced. Another hour or so of raking should change his tune.

And, as reported, Sissy and I started our Christmas cards. I counted my labels from last year, and it looks like I need 80 cards. I'll probably make 60 in the next few weeks and twenty when things slow down. The last 20 will be new year cards, which will relieve a lot of stress.

Finally, I went to my stitch-in which was an intimate gathering but great fun. Three of us were from the same decade, but we were also joined by a woman from the class of 1947. She is a treat. I hope that I am as active as she is at her age. She was knitting a "prayer shawl" for terminally ill patients. (She thanked us "youngsters" for letter her hang out with us. We thanked her for calling us "youngsters!") I worked on Summer Place. I really wish I were reunited with my camera because I'd love to show you how far I've come with this. (Too big for a scan.) I am definitely bringing it to the framer on Saturday. (I know, I can't believe it either!)

Update: Summer Place

I have been focusing on Summer Place. This is what it looks like now.

See the roof? That big blob of dark French blue? 972 stitches of 3768. It made a change from all that soft white (3865)--I've nearly lost my mind and finished the skein with the white. But this is going to be something when it's done!

Some Number of Hours on Summers to Be

Stitching on the public transport, it's been hard to count the hours, though I thank JennL for her suggestion about how to do it. I take the bus to the subway, and sometimes I catch the express bus and sometimes, like this past week, I have to take two buses to get to the subway, and that adds about 15 minutes to the morning commute and 45 minutes to the commute home. Sometimes I read on the bus and stitch on the subway. Sometimes I stitch the whole way. Sometimes I daydream out the window. It's impossible to count.

Once I got to a certain point, I decided I wouldn't do five hours on this, but I would finish the chairs and the lettering. Sorry about the cockeyed picture. I cropped then rotated when I should have rotated then cropped.

Had a lobster roll today. (But Wild Willy's for dinner.)

undisciplined

I've been reading how lots of people are making themselves finish things before they make new starts, like Cathy. I, on the other hand, am the poster child for undisciplined stitchers everywhere. And here's the proof:

Cricket Collection
A Summer Place
called for R&R 30-count celadon linen and DMC

This is just so fun and summery I can't put it down. But I am trying because I would like to finish part four of the marquoir soon some time ... ever.