Very difficult day

 Handwritten recipes.

Mother, sister, aunts.

 

Going through them is very emotional.  Not only seeing handwriting of loved ones passed, but the memories of gatherings where those dishes were served.  Flood of memories from decades ago when things were so different.  How I miss those women, their focus on family, their laugh, the joy they shared when having everyone gather.

The importance to them of taking pen in hand to a decorated recipe card, and filing in a pretty box what their families requested, was to hopefully pass on.  Little did they know, that many years ago, cursive would be deemed useless.   None can be read by adult grands and great grands.  Not even the title.  I kept what I wanted, not for the recipe itself, but the memory of that dish.  Also found some from the church cookbook of the 60's.  But that's not the way I've ever seen pierogi spelled.

Carole had six boxes of cards in addition to books and magazine snips.  Yes, she loved to cook!

How do younger postal workers know what is on that envelope?  Zip code alone doesn't sort by route or street.  Bills and most mail is in print, but what about script or written greeting cards?  Invitations?  Is reading cursive required for hiring?  Honestly, if looked at closely, why couldn't it be understood with a little effort?  Carole's handwriting is quite scratchy, hard for even me to read.

It's a bird day.

And the trees are loaded with cardinals.  

We have a third piebald, even lighter than the first, but smaller in size.

Hope you are having a good day.  

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Casual cat

Hiya. Is your area as cold as mine?

Every day brings us closer to summer.  

I finished Fred's girlfriend Ethel. Is it 46 count or 48 count? One of those. I thought about giving her a necklace with a charm to reflect the season or holiday, but I don't have the energy or patience to search for them. Would I even hold interest long enough to change them throughout the year? No.  

Ethel may get a small heart charm, Fred may get a bowtie. I'm giving myself one day to decide. I want to finish them and would need to stitch the neck area first if adornments aren't added. 

Regarding the cardiology practice, they are a part of the hospital that closed. Several locations with five docs and two NPs, same name as hospital. They will need to establish the group as a stand alone practice? But no hospital here for them to become staff, continue heart surgeries, or admit patients.  

Hope you're all doing well. Covid is rampant here. Hubs and I are negative, my cousins ​​are positive. When I had my echocardiogram (can't get the results since now closed), he recounted spending a month in ICU in 2021 with failing organs from it. He knows Carole and I from yearly testing, and feels it was certainly her covid that hit her heart and kidneys so quickly.

No holiday decorations to put away this year. Painting will begin soon, found a husband wife team to do it.  

Stay well.

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Close to finish

 We expanded and revised Scott's work in the mini powder room.  Rather than a wood pedestal to enclose/hide pipes, we cut it down the center, added frame, made a door, matched to the wall cupboard.  Much better.

I plan to get baskets to fit along each side, making a shelf midway to hold four.  We could have made this full width but that's too much painted finish, I'd like some naturals/browns mixed in. The wood vanity will blend nicely.

 Haven't decided on the backsplash yet.  

This was Christmas. 

Read this beautiful card from Brenda.

My hubs said, "huh. Every day is Christmas."

My cardiologist canceled my appointment, temporarily closed the practice in order to decide their future.  The hospital closed today. What do I and others needing heart care do now?  The other hospital has a cardio, packed with transferring patients.  I am going there for a CT scan in two weeks.  Their ER and other staff look no diferent than patients.  T shirts, cargo pants, jeans, no uniforms or even cohesive color/matchings scrub tops.  I didn't know who was what, who to ask.  Two women in the hall I questioned were patients' relatives in ER!

That's all. 

Hope you're doing well.

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Goodbye bubble

All gone.  Checkup was good, still have a few flashes but the retina looked good to the doc. 

Just wanted to mention that if you are considering a purchase of Tobias linen, I checked with Seraphim and that light Affogato-y shade is now Tobias.  Completely different but the name was not changed.  I haven't found any online shops that have the original darker bronze linen and once I have even the slightest pickle, I move on.  So now I don't want it.

I usually order from 123Stitch, Hobby House, Hollis Hands Create, and recently Farm Girl.  You can check with any shop before ordering about returns,  Hobby House is accommodating if your purchase is not what you expected (as the significant difference I showed).  Although this is a nice piece of linen, I don't care for the slight greenish hue and have Affogato in my stash that is very close.  Or sell it?  Still have the few pieces mentioned previously that I want to sell, I need to decide. 

These tiny ornaments were found at Carole's, I know my SIL stitched them.  Not being a bead or Mill Hill stitcher, I may become one.  I will be searching for similar projects online.  Aren't they precious?

Hope you are doing well.  

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How many Tobias are there?

One of my absolute favorite linen colors, Tobias.  Beautiful, deep, rich, warm bronze.  Notified stock was replenished, ordered, and can't believe what I saw upon opening the envelope.

This is slightly more green than my Affogato, and the farthest from Tobias.  Returning for sure.  Anyone have any thoughts?  Was the color changed but name stayed the same?

This is my 36 and also 40.  BTW, Jane Southward is spectacular on it.

I give up.

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Finish

I avoid hearts in samplers and most designs.  Love the shape in a finish, but years ago the country style of hearts everywhere wore out their welcome.  Previous Cat finishes were done with the large heart along the neck as charted. 

 I removed it and decided on a scarf.  Other possibles are a bow tie, bolo, or dress shirt collar with tie.  The girls will have jeweled chokers or a string of small pearls tacked on, no stitching.

The first piebald cardinal here had white feathers, and he visited today.  What are the odds after all these years to have TWO!!  They do not feed at the same time but wouldn't that be great to get both in the same photo?

That green santa book is by Teresa Kogut and has many other santa charts included.  Great offer.

The carpal tunnel surgery is minimally invasive with a tiny incision in palm and wrist.  And yes Edie my friend's surgeon was Dr Kann in Seven Fields!

 My least favorite "holiday" is in a few days, the weather turns very cold, and the appointments/tests begin.  But where?

Be safe.

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