Continuing

 with our daily chores and life seems so selfish doesn't it?  But what can we do?   I made the mistake of watching the video presented to congress.  Bodies of infants killed, injured and crying children, a woman being dumped onto others in a mass grave, the helpless frail elders .... I am glad I was home alone.  Just too emotional.  

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Settled down, I focused on a month worth of bills, and Carole's, my new checks finally came in.  We weren't notified that free checks at our bank were no longer offered so I was caught off guard.  My power bill is $40 higher than when lit for Christmas so I added that utility to my bitching list.  And the new phones for Tracfone do not show remaining service time or minutes which the 3G did.  Verizon purchased Tracfone so I'm expecting pay-as-you-go to end in the future.  Minutes balance is found by logging into the account online, we don't do that from our basic phones and a PITA regardless. Need to find another provider.  

We went to the grocery store's pharmacy for refills, and while waiting, took out a loan for a corned beef brisket.  It's why they have bank branches in stores now.  I will use this recipe which is a favorite.  Sweet & sour but more sweet than tang.  The cabbage will be for soup or fried with bacon and onion.

Jean's border is going well, and my stem count error nullified another.  The stems in the bottom row are four stitches, I used five as elsewhere, but the bottom flowers are charted three spaces from the inner border while the others are two.  (insert spinning head here)  Again, not paying attention.  My error in adding a stitch actually made the placement proper.  I do plan to leave the inside border tent stitch as charted and not change to a full cross.  Very few of the flowers have a "tip" to them in blue, a few have red.  Not adding either, simply because I am not strict in following reproductions, and a here and there element doesn't appeal to me.

Thanks for visiting.

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A better pear

 OMGoodness.  Katherine from @trinkity mentioned me in a post which led me to her.  I adore how she has stitched and constructed my pear!  AUGH!!!  I gave all of mine away except for the July and December pears and don't want to deconstruct and reconstruct those two.  They certainly don't require a lot of time to stitch and I plan to choose a few favorites for a second time.  Definitely Swan Song and Katherine's choice also.  

They are constructed of three panels (two fabric panels and the stitchery), similar to Nan's (which I also adore but haven't ordered yet).  I don't believe I am ready to sit at the sewing machine, still have patience and short fuse issues left over from the last year.  Unless it's a straight seam or hem or repair, my old metal Kenmore should keep its distance.  But the stitchery can be finished and in the pile.

She also has a floss tube that features some lovely sampler projects, and I still don't understand why that bell has to be clicked in addition to subscribe to follow anyone.  But that's me.  

I want to post these on my IG page, maybe tomorrow.  Was hoping to do a different St. Pat's day pear, I dislike that design.  A lot.  But Carole's ordeal started last year at this time, March 1 to be exact, and I was dealing with my misdiagnosis prior to that.  And this year?  Lazy.

The sawtooth border is coming along slower than I expected, and it looks fabulous.

Have a pleasant day.

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Blurred or clear, still green

 Selling a few linen pieces (named differently but the same in color) in order to buy others, hopefully greenless.  If not, I'll have something new to complain about.  I know minutia is selfish and totally irrelevant in the world today.  A fresh bitching invigorates a crabass and is a way of venting of sorts, another outlet when feeling helpless.  And I am willing to bet a pack of Bohin the linen will be accommodating, and green.

When a chart is first received, I study, look it over carefully both graph and written.  But when stitching .... reckless.  So as I started the sawtooth side, following the chart, it bumped into the flower's stem.  How's come?  Because I mistakenly assumed that the stems were the same length throughout.  They are not.  Top is five, sides are four.  Fortunately, moving that border over a full stitch allows the stems to be free and doesn't affect the look at all.

Several readers mentioned how much I can accomplish with my eye issues.  I am adept at administering drops in each eye with one hand every 15 minutes.  People freak out in stores when I do that while walking.  One woman said she can't with two hands and a mirror.   As soon as the drops enter and I blink, clarity returns.  My sis thought her eyes were getting bad, trouble reading, she was surprised that blurriness was caused by dryness and now uses drops regularly.  Similason is my favorite and using with contacts is not a problem at all.  Much easier to use than squeezing a bottle, very easy to use dropper.  As for direct light (which I can't handle), my lamp focuses down with top and sides shielded, and adjusted below eye level.  The wrinkled macula is in one eye, not affecting my vision as yet, will have surgery before that happens (hopefully).

I'm done. Trying not to mention the w**.  

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Ta-Da

 Flowers done.  A little peacock grooming.  And we're done with cross stitches.

The sawtooth border will be stitched and positioned as is charted.  The top and bottom flowers were also, but the irregular spaced sides were changed. The only option for equal spacing was four stitches apart, one wider than the charted top and bottom of three, but more pleasing to me than the original's randomness.

It's hard to photograph how wonderful this sampler is. 

Sawtooth once around and we'll call it a finish.

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This ain't no bluebird

 out my window.

Damn Skippy.

Cheryl mentioned the upside is a great reflection of light from the snow which most enjoy.  But unbearable for me.  I need to wear dark glasses inside my own house, even if the sun is not out.  But my condition is not life threatening and that is the upside I focus on.

We brought Petey's house inside to touch up paint and store, just couldn't bear to see it at the back door.  And the brat that would not accept him, obviously misses him.

Here 'ya go Cranky.  I'm doing it, and it's not as bad as I expected. The borders that really gnaw at me contain too many color changes for just a few stitches.  Only two here, repetitive, and I can handle this so I'm glad you shamed me into it.  I actually enjoy sawtooth so that part won't be bad either. 

Stay safe.

p.s. I made my slaw, egg, cheese sandwich with Walmart's slaw.  Horrible!  Giant Eagle's is the best, maybe Grandma's, but if you try it make sure it's a good slaw.

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Shaming me

 Yep.  I felt the scolding through my screen from that Cranky Crow to put my big girl full coverage cotton panties on and stitch the flower border.  Well OK.  But I did alter it in Paint and space them evenly because I do have issues with symmetry.  

I copied and pasted, ended with four spaces between each and although a little messy print copy, will be used to buckle down and finish this.  I'm running out of ink and blocked the sampler area except for the edges so I can monitor my position.  With the same spacing throughout the sides, that makes it easier for lazy crabs.  I failed at recording daily progress and changes in my notebook, did not even think about it.  Distractions I guess.

Mark is making Petey's cross this morning, same as Bud's, and they are next to each other.  For a cat that we conversed with and cared for without ever being able to handle, we are having a more difficult time than we expected.  Nitzy, who Petey followed everywhere but kept distance, has been searching for hours every day.  My sister is reading a book that we were surprised to hear, involves a cat named .... Petey!

Be well.

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