It's not midnight

 It's not Sunday.  But sure does feel like it.  I'm tired!  Carole enjoyed the visit but was anxious to return and rest.  Very uncomfortable in that wheelchair for hours, missed the pain pill dose, and exhausted.  The shells were very good, but not like the creamy filling of Polly-O.  It's hard to explain, but anything with the slightest texture feels like sand on my destroyed tongue.  Painful, and more so when trying to remove the tiny particles from crevices and fissures.  Who would think that a soft cheese like ricotta can feel like sand?  I made the almond cake that Vera led us to, it was wonderful and simple.  She's back now and resting, we're meeting her at the surgeon's office Monday to remove stitches (maybe) and check her progress.

I decided to continue on with Rachel and sorry I opened my mouth about the border lining up.  It did, but bottom only.  We know how frustrating it is to count numerous times and not find a solution.  Well, this is not critical, and I can remove outlines and move them, but it bugs me when I don't have an answer.  I already removed the top to bottom outline twice and will now remove for the last time.  My choice is to reduce the floral border width by two and have the flowers touch it as they should, or keep width the correct number of stitches and add two stitches to the motifs (the entire length is not in position).  Clueless as to why when numbers are correct, but it may be simple and I'm just too ishkabobled to see it.

Happy new year everyone.

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Here she comes!

 After an absolutely maddening day of phone calls and checking on incorrect information, contacting various outlets, getting prices, days, times, measuring doors, calling therapists, I booked a five hour window Friday, got a transport chair that will fit through that opening WITH a leg extension, she will be home for a visit.

Making stuffed shells without my favorite Polly-O ricotta, avocado*fresh mozarella*baby tomatoes with honey and balsamic, garlic bread, and cheesecake for dinner.  Busy day today and tomorrow and I am NOT happy with any of the other ricotta.  It is what it is.

Her goal and plan is to return home once her rehab and one prosthetic (for help with transfers) is completed, maybe two months.

I was involved with catching up on flosstube videos and didn't start Mary, decided to check on Rachel who has been quite lonely.  Finished the right border and outline, beneath the house, and it lined up!!  YAY!!  Lots of over one coming but I can handle it.  After what Carole has been through for ten months and my friend going through with a devastating diagnosis, I'm going to complain about over one?  Put those large white cotton full coverage old lady big girl panties on and shut your pie hole!!  Oooh.  Pie.  I have apples.

I love my battery candle, and am thrilled with being able to have that glow very near to stitchery and fabric.  Carole is happy with hers and my friend hasn't received her gift yet.  Maybe next week we will get together.

Ending a rotten year, but we are still here to bitch about it.  Blessed.

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And done

Mary Bell is ringing for me.

Crabasses paint grumpy Santas.

I'm out of sherbert.

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It's what I do

 Changes.  Difficult to do on larger pieces and much easier to do before starting the stitch.  But I made that decision late and the main reason for the changes.... I'm not fond of initials in stitchery, have never added my own.  They occupied the center area which required several moves to fill.  But who the heck is S.C.?  Lori's would be L.B., and it took quite some time for this dipstick to realize they are the chubby guy's in the red suit.  

So here I am, ready to add the star motifs, and I want to remove the ecru and stitch his beard in white so it shows better.

I made a huge purchase blunder several years ago, a pair of  used DR Dimes red crackle bow backs.  I could never afford new, love the style and color, but the paint is coming off very easily.  VERY easily and they are rarely used.  How could I sell them like this?

It's raining slush, very bad road conditions.  

Winter crap.  Or.... winter.  Crap.

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Get it right!

 Sorry.  The chart I am stitching is not Santa Folk, it's Christmas Folk.  But I changed it.  The top zig zig border of bells is higher on the right than the left, one bell is shorter.  I did them all the same and level.  I moved the big center star up and added a second, moved the date, removed S.C., created a second smaller tree, added a zig to the left border edge, shortened the right, moved flakes.  Is that enough?  We'll see how it materializes!!

The only change shown here is the level border and same size bells.

Making plans for Carole's visit to her home, the patio slider opens to 29", front door would be through mud (yes it's raining for days) with a stoop/step entry too small and high. We'll need to remove the slider's handles and try to extend the opening.  Working on it.  

Enjoy your day.

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Good grief

 My head is pounding like the carpenter that installed my fun-house stair rail.

I'm stitching the clappers with the darker thread directly over the gold.  It's perfectly fine.  Better?  I think so.  But I realized it was much darker than the top border's gray.   I used the wrong gray and didn't realize it, but it's perfectly fine too.   

Do you dislike those solitary stitches as much as I do?  This time, I just kept running the thread around to the next single.

The red I chose for Santa is Brick from WDW and it is really dark.  Not a purplish red, just very deep cranberry.  Not my usual Christmas red but I think it looks really good on this Faun linen with the other threads.  Until I decide it doesn't and change it.

Last week of the year.  One more closer to summer.

Have a good one!

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