Christmas giveaway

 This year's gift is a chart from 1988 that has several samplers of various sizes.  

"The Sister Samplers - 1839 booklet features antique sampler designs that were completed in 1839 by Sarah and Melvina Holland and have been adapted by Margaret Jeffries McKee.  The booklet has 16 models which have been inspired by the two original samplers."  

Photos from the chart are not very clear.

As for my sister, I have spent the afternoon leaving messages and waiting for return calls, she is crying all day from what seems to be nerve pain at the amputation site of five weeks ago.  Started after last weeks suture removal and trimming.  Nothing is helping.  Nine months of this and other causes of excruciating pain, should not be.

I'm not drawing a name until later in the week, too many things going on, so let's say Thursday at 8 pm.  Please make sure to include your initials or email address so I can contact the winner.  If you can't leave a comment, email your entry.

 samplersandsantas@gmail.com

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Straight and steady

 can still be crooked and frustrating.  Now, if I didn't follow the irregular pattern of these straight rows, would it be noticeable?  Absolutely not.  So why did I waste so much time counting and moving?  Regardless, I did, and when it finished as charted I felt pretty darn good.  But tonight I can get closer to the house since I haven't stabilized the center for the rice stitch motif yet.  The large outside borders were to be rice also, but they weren't boxed as four stitches and I rarely read instructions.  No matter, because I would have used basic cross as I did.  I also filled the borders and center with the 3013 that I held off on because of the difficulty with seeing such a light thread.  My eyes were slightly better last night so I got those threads filled, and was surprised at the amount of stitches and time that it took.

Still decided whether to start a small seasonal project, and now I understand why Merry Old Soul is sold out.  I caught up with floss tube and saw that two favorites featured him two weeks ago!   Procrastinating always bites me and I had several sites with him in my cart before that.  I also noticed that quite a few cart items on Amazon and other sites are several dollars higher on this Cyber Monday sale.  

Repair is here right now and the fridge can be fixed!  Ice buildup from defrosting blocked some hickeyamabob and the thingamajig burned up.  Lots of other calls and such today, can't do much else with snow and ice covering leaves, too cold to finally get windows washed.  Probably continue cleaning and bring a few small trees down.  I've been looking at the battery candles and wonder how long they actually last before needing replaced.  Some have rounded and stationary flames, some have flat flames that move.  Not sure which would be best.

I found this old box at the only local vintage shop, and I really want to visit the large antique shop in Ohio.  Just never works out.  I think the price was a little high for this but I do like wood boxes and especially this size with its iron handles.  Scrubbing the grime is disgusting but needs done and if not filled with greenery, a small tree may call it home.  Lestoil is the absolute best but I'm trying citrus cleaners first.  It's sitting in mom's shower, best place to catch the filth splatters from scrubbing.

Hope your last days of November are good!

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The Putz is puttering

 Between Carole's calls, I started getting the rooms cleared of clutter, dust, cat hair, and a few things that I don't recognize.  I'm sure I will remember what they are for as soon as I need them and can't recall where I stashed them.  Mark was so busy taking care of me and I had let things go in the household department for quite a while before that, so it's nice to finally feel strong enough to make a dent in the mess.

I had two trees picked out (pre-lit) but fairy lights don't sound bright enough, and micro (?) I am not familiar with either.  Cannot believe prices of smaller artificial trees and I will pass on that purchase this year.  We did find two fridge models that are close to counter depth but the cabinet would have to go.  We also learned that no one locally knows how to replace a compressor, and no one is learning appliance repairs.  The salesman told us a compressor would cost around $600, we should just purchase new.  The new is $1000 more than the repair, but that is the thinking in today's disposable times.  I don't like either fridge, fingers crossed ours can be repaired.  No return calls about the garage door, maybe Monday.

Carole's, mine, Mark's phones are all 3G and need to be replaced by year end.  I really have no idea what to get, where to go, and I am not looking forward to more time being spent on choices and decisions.  I like my little $5 phone but it has to go.

Have a pleasant Sunday!  

Tomorrow is Sunday, right?

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A little Snippy

 Hello shoppers and stitchers.  I didn't do much of either today.  We went out to get those unattractive but very useful TriBurst lights for the garage.  Thought it might prevent another door from being destroyed.  That was it!  Kraynak's is still so packed with people I am uncomfortable browsing.  Maybe Monday at store opening.  The older I am, the more I avoid gatherings, crowded stores, even celebrations like weddings.  Complete opposite of younger days, and I don't like it one bit.

I removed all the stitches and need to stabilize the linen in that area for the rice stitch.  I've mentioned before about using Lift 'n Snip clippers for better control when cutting.  Several inquired about those snips and I don't believe this particular brand is still sold.  There is a folding version I believe, mine are decades old.  

These are the blades.  

The bottom hook is quite sharp and easy to slip under the top threads.

I ordered Notforgotten Farm's charts, Christmas Folk and Spools of my Thread.  I'm 70, and limiting spending on inexpensive items that bring joy will have greater impact on mood than on budget. 

Merry Christmas to me.

She featured it in her Christmas show announcement and I searched her Etsy page after page several times and did not see it.  But I ordered today along with that sweet sweet little bag that I have loved for a long time.  Then I found a file that was downloaded months ago from Pineberry Lane, A Sprig of Holly.  Add those to the latest from Lori Rippey and I have several smaller Christmas projects to think about.  It better be soon because I have less than a month!  I may switch to one or two with a promise to myself that I WILL return to Rachel.

Surgery is scheduled for December 9.

Snowing here, black ice, lots of accidents.  Be careful!!

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and ... end of that day

 Hello thankful people.  Am I an egghead or what?  Things happen, debt is incurred, frustration with objects and possessions is constant, overdyed linen will never be what it should, and none of it matters.  It's life baby.  Put your big girl white Fruit of the Loom full (and I mean full) size briefs on and continue with your boring life.

We're home, Carole enjoyed the goat cheese, Dalmatia fig spread, cherry tomatoes with fresh mozzarella pearls drizzled with honey and balsamic, kiwi, mango, smoked swiss, and iced coffee.  It was a nice visit.  The people at this facility are top notch, so caring, always upbeat, and extremely kind.  I hope I did not offend any when they came into her room to say hello (yes these workers just stop to talk with residents) and each hugged her and exclaimed how sorry they were to hear the news.  My mouth opened, fig seeds filling teeth gaps, and I announced this surgery is a shame, yes, but they aren't thinking about the extreme pain for months that will end, the ability to sit, mobility with a wheelchair, go outside, in the kitchen, at home, in a restaurant.  Yes yes yes it is horrible and sad, but don't make her feel worse.  Tell her although devastating, it will free her from that bed, from the pain, from the isolation.  And then I finished the goat cheese.  Boom.

Mark went out to get a bag of ice for two small coolers and we will keep coffee cream and juices, daily use items near the kitchen.  Boom!

So dear friends, I am sorry I spouted off like a whiny weenie.  I'm so tired, and like all babies, expressed my crankiness.

Hope your day was good.

I'm using Paypal to pay some things and decided to spend my $10 on a WTNT Santa chart.  Either Merry Old Soul or Peppermint Pals.  I'm sure I can move a few bucks into the stash fund for postage.

I just realized the Steelers aren't playing tomorrow, it's Thursday not Saturday!

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One day

 Wishing you all a thoughtful Thanksgiving.

Yesterday was quite frustrating and I'm trying to let it all go today.

The awning window in mom's bathroom is crammed with dried grass every year by a nutcase bug.  I saw a little blade sticking out and oblivious to common sense, cranked it open.  The wind blew all that crap into the bathroom.  What a mess.  New vacuum, outstanding pickup, but I can't adjust.  It fell over three times in a little bath when using a crevice tool, and I struck my head on the iron TP holder when getting up from the floor.  Massive headache.

So I sat for a while and decided to place orders for an extra pair of boots for the kids at the hugely reduced sale price.  All were sold out, every store I browsed, my fault.  Too many other issues and time slipped away.  Seems like yesterday I was bitching about November and it's ending.

 When your house is stained very dark and it's dark outside, even lights are sometimes not enough.  Distracted while we were discussing sister's situation, the garage door did not open on the first press and .... yep.   Boom.  This door is no longer made and the panel can't be replaced.  Impossible to find colors to match very dark monotone houses. Too cold to paint but the time of delivery cannot be offered, may not be until ?????  So I'm ticked after a morning of phone calls to companies that not only have no workers, have nothing to offer for months.  

And then, my fridge died.  It's a bottom freezer model that fits like a glove in a custom cabinet, counter depth.  My small kitchen demands it because any of the current models extend quite a bit and my butt would hit it when bending to open the oven door.  No appliances available here anyway, another item that would take six months.  High end models of built-ins cost more than my car.  We need more coolers but stores to purchase are not open today.  

We are often dropping what we are doing to drive over to check on Chris when he doesn't answer (type 1 diabetic with pump) and in the middle of dinner yesterday got calls from my brother's neighbor that he is not answering the door.  If they would have tried again, it would have saved us the trip.  He's fine.  We greatly appreciate people checking on others but bathrooms, basements, showers, sometime prevent hearing a visitor.

Taking low sodium treats, fruits, and such to Carole today, she is expecting everyone to go there.  The are four of us, two are going after lunch, and honestly, as much as this is breaking my heart, I can't deal with it.  I have matching wreaths and a tiny sweet tree for her but I'm sure as with everything else, it won't be right.  I don't know what I can do to help her deal with it all.  There is a difference between being compassionate and accommodating.  And either can weigh heavily.

The surgery will be soon and I need to increase my credit limit that started with installation of the mandated sewer project and additional monthly fee.  I have $10 left in my stash fund, and am so grateful the shop I purchased from allows returns so not much wasted on linen I didn't care for.  I hope the hotel will have openings that soon, others further into Pittsburgh are even higher in price.

I have much to be thankful for,

I have much to be sad about,

 I have much to be enraged about.

Don't we all?

Today we should focus on thankful.

We can bitch tomorrow.

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