Error #1- fixed

 Once the larger right side border is stitched, the sampler will be balanced.  Easy solution, no stitch removal, whew.  I like it.

The thread is Needle Necessities overdyed that I've had for years.  A furball has hidden my bag of DMC 3777.  I can't find it anywhere so decided to use this thread, the shading hits several DMC reds, no purplish or bluish areas.  The fabric is one of my favorites, PTP Sand.  

Last year's post https://samplers-and-santas.blogspot.com/2021/06/blog-post.html showed Missy at Bud's grave.  She has somehow known from the beginning, but is spending time with all three now.  She has taken to Nit's favorite spots inside.   May be a silly thought, but we are searching for a black plush cat in a sleeping position to see if it comforts her.  

Mark is driving Carole's friend and me for a visit tomorrow.  I made spinach/pine nut pesto and will top a few cheese ravioli with it, along with a few other treats.  I have to mark "specimen" on an odd looking container for the resident's kitchen fridge.  An little old snoop is always taking her drinks and foods.  There is a kitchen with coffee maker, microwave, fridge, cabinets and counter for residents to use.  As I said, a wonderful facility, so many features to make it feel more like a home.  If you want to see a few photos, they are on this post https://samplers-and-santas.blogspot.com/2021/06/a-nice-layout.html.  This kitchen is adjacent to the activity/lounge and across from a nurse station so a watchful eye can prevent accidents.

Enjoy your day. 

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Final mention

This is breaking our hearts almost as much as Nitzy's suffering.

We only allow her outside once a day for a short time and she goes directly to their graves, lies in the shelter next to them that they all loved in the summer, and then stares.  She will come in and cry and cry and cry, allowing us to touch/brush her for the first time in a decade.  Well, some blood is involved but not as much as before.

Last time - I'm still getting emails about the charges and why we did not go forward, and I will explain once more.  In PA, you can file charges if a dog enters your own property killing/attacking your domestic animal of any kind.  But.  Since these attacks were toward animals, even though horrific, courts usually feel they are not a danger to people.  Completely different case if a person was harmed. This is what officials were trying to explain to us about the process.  Both dogs were kicked and hit to stop them but did not retaliate or attack.  The requirements to house a dangerous dog may not even prevent these two from escaping again, and we do not trust this man to keep them muzzled.  They had two other dogs for a brief period, not cared for, and took them to the shelter.  I can't sleep thinking about this and have nightmares of what they may do.  My only hope is that someone will shoot them and they are not in a fight club.  I hope this explains it, no more questions please.

Rain and storms tonight, working on the sampler and enjoying it.  Both appointments went well.  If Mark doesn't respond to treatment, an MRI will be ordered.   I cancelled my HeartFlow test for now, I do not believe my blockage requires a stent, no symptoms, but will have it rescheduled before July.

Be safe everyone.

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Error #1

 A big one.  READ THE ENTIRE CHART.  PAY ATTENTION.  When will I learn?  How many recent errors were caused by failure to refer to the chart?  Many.  And this time, right off the bat.  It clearly states to leave two inches at the top when finishing as a pouch.  Well I did not.  I don't want to add a piece of the PTP Sand linen or fabric I will use for construction.  My only option is to turn upside down switching the top and bottom border patterns.

Switching this with the vertical right side border will also work.  But the more I look at the chart photo, I think these leaves need to be at top.  Whether I start over and follow the chart, switch top and bottom borders, or use the same for both, needs to be decided before I go any further.

Afternoon appt with Carole's surgeon followed by Mark's appt for his knee, which will probably result in some sort of surgery required.  We have one hour and thirty minutes between the two and an hour road time.

First time, had an iced Taco Bell Cinnabon Delight coffee, was very good.  I wonder if Torani brown sugar cinnamon or vanilla cinnamon syrup (both come in sugar free) will mimic that goodness.  Methinks it will.

As for the neighbor, she did report it, was told first offense without person injury would not be a case, as Lauren experienced.  They did not witness their cat's killing on their patio, not admissible.  Both of us could have filed charges after reading the PA laws.  We were misinformed I believe, or we misunderstood.  The officials handling this took it seriously and were in touch regularly, I'm thinking they are familiar with these types of issues and have seen outcomes. Has nothing to do with police protecting one another.  The owner was fired and arrested previously.

Have a good day.

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A start

 as soon as I choose a freaking linen.  BBD's book Ooh la la offers a sweet pouch with a simple design.  

Kezia requires too much thought right now and as happened before, this book slid off the pile and was on the floor.  Best way to choose the next project, let the stitching spirits do it.  This book was not even in the running!  But I realize now, the perfect choice.

I went through the linens and plan to use 36 count.  Recommended 32 count would be a little larger pouch but I prefer the mottled fabrics and have none in the lower counts.  I have one piece of PTP Legacy barely enough for a larger sampler and do not want to cut it. 

 Many models in this book were done on Oaken and they look exactly as I would prefer, but several floss tube videos claim it to be very green as is Veldt.  Is it?  We've all been through it except the lucky ducks that can see fabric before purchasing.  I just don't understand the green in everything.  Hazelwood sounded brownish and lo and behold, it's exactly like the Affogato, pinkish ground with olive green, not brown, mottling.

Or is it the other way around because my other Affogato is much lighter (yes, both are the same color).   So which one is the real Affogato?   I'm seeing a trend here and future purchases will be with other dyers.

And I showed these before, Caramel Macchiato, Buttermilk, and Oatmeal, no difference.  Much darker and much greener than shown here, not a good fit for the project.  Colour & Cotton and PTP have been the most consistent and reliable color wise.  

There is another chart in this book, also red, very similar in size that could be a second pouch, and even a third red sampler that is slightly larger.  Three red samplers, simple and similar, hanging together on a peg sounds good to me.  Linen?  Who knows.  But if I plan to stitch all three, should they be the same linen?  Probably not.  Similar?  Yes.  

I want to thank everyone for the sweet cards we received.  This one is handmade by Brenda and so special. The dogs are gone.  We don't believe anything he reported to police and if they are in fact in Louisiana now, I'm sure they will be fighting, or killing, probably both.  My neighbor that had her cat killed and dog attacked has stopped speaking to me because I didn't pursue a lawsuit.  She had vet bills, emotional trauma to her kids, her husband is an officer, but it was all put on me.  She wanted the dogs removed so her children can once again go outside.  Accomplished.  But she is still ticked, and that's her problem.  After speaking with others, I do not believe we would prevail.  Missy is beside herself and constantly searching for her son even though she was sniffing him and knew he had passed.  I'm still not sleeping well, to be expected, some visions are hard to forget.

Good news - Carole is being fitted for the prosthesis.  Finally healed and her new neighbor is a gem.  They are at the end of the hall with a glass door that leads to the largest porch, very private area.  Staffing is suffering, I don't understand why people are not working now but did at the worst time.  Signs for help everywhere and the facilities are no different.

Hope May brings peace, comfort, warmth to all.

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A test

 After looking through charts this morning, Kezia is calling to me.  She is not as large as the others shouting, around eleven inches on 36 count.  Except for the border, the stitching is not complicated or crowded.  But that border.  Oh that border.  Stunning isn't it?  You know I hate borders.  Not as much as winter, but close.  So why did I choose Kezia?  Good question since my sampler choices for decades have been marking style.  I still like them, they conceal errors very well, offer many options to change letter colors, and perfect stitching for less stress.  So I am surprised at my preferences the last few years.  Houses, motifs, pastures and freaking borders.

You remember Kezia Turnock from Sassafras Samplers.   Very high quality chart that includes the thread card (another photo of sampler on back side), and a second full size chart with over two if preferred.  Am I losing my mind?  Why would I consider that massive border over one?  Because I am losing my mind.

And here's why.  An element of the border that I really like is the two color outline.  In order to achieve this, tent stitch over one.  The over two option's only noticeable difference, is the solid color outline.

So here's my attempt at an easier solution.  I'll test a larger section of border with backstitch, three rows, light center and dark outline.

My tent is on the left, and backstitch on the right.  The backstitch would be neater on the angles, and may be more defined outline throughout, but what is your opinion?   I think it would be fine.  If I would lose all sensibility and attempt the three rows of tent, the rest of the border and its flowers would need to follow the over one chart.  Correct?  Backstitch would require the same number of linen threads as over two and allow the rest to be also.  The tent is three linen threads and I'm assuming would cause over two flowers to be off a thread.  Can anyone tell me why the hell I am considering this at this time?

 If all this becomes too much for my brain, the center area can be stitched and a different border chosen.  I've already decided to create full skirts for the girls, this area is still so wonderful that a simple border will do, and the birds at the bottom would make a nice drum or folded needlebook.

I should be looking at small projects.  It's already too much and I haven't even attempted choosing a linen color!  Whether she becomes my next project or not, at least I have a plan for that time.  The other plan is to decide to keep or sell three 40 counts that are too green for me.

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Prompt action

 I misunderstood and no vice will be used on any man parts.  He was kind, courteous, professional, and not the person my neighbor thought handled their complaint.  It was sent to animal control, not him.  We have the right to press charges, but dogs killing cats is not uncommon, and this would probably end in the owner's favor.  It doesn't sound like killing a few cats makes them dangerous and the dog they attacked didn't require surgery.  As it stands now, he is rehoming in Ohio to family.  I can't take much more stress.  I've decided to not press charges which would take months, only to be dismissed, and during that time the dogs would be required to stay with the owner on my street.  Compromise is to fine for leash law violation and remove from premises.

I can't imagine sitting on my deck without the vision of horror that occurred there.  In time I guess.  The worst was here on the floor with him for his final hour of suffering and that we must deal with daily.  Very warm weather for this weekend, but I certainly won't be on my swing.

I finished Jeny and will always relate grief to the sampler, like a song that was playing when you experienced a tragedy and sends you back. The plan was for a pouch with brown leather strap, but I will put her away and get rid of the chart.  No stitching plans, no charts chosen, maybe in a few days.  

I hope we will feel like partaking in a dinner soon.  We're hungry, but appetite and stomachs aren't cooperating.  

Doctors next week, sister wants a haircut (from me of course), we'll find projects to keep us busy.   Mark is having such a difficult time and tomorrow will place the third cross he's made for our boys, all resting together.  I still can't believe this happened.

Take care everyone.

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