Seeing the coastline

Coming to America (CtoA) is so close to arriving to the shores of Massachusetts that I think I can smell those Boston Beans!    I have put all my stitching efforts into only this piece since September and now say with confidence that barring any catastrophe I am going to be rewarded with finishing it on time.    

That said, I, who has always thought of myself as the consummate multi-talker, handling crisis both real and imagined for a floor full of officers and managing a staff of seven at the same time for over 20 years must now confess I seem to only be able to do one thing at a time in retirement.    It is like I put 150% into one thing and everything else slides.    Not housework or preparing meals....things like reading blogs, posting comments, deep cleaning, watching floss tube, taking walks, reading, doing finishing, machine sewing, emails.   It was the same in the summer......yard work, yard work yard work and little else.   When did I become so one dimensional?   

I have known for a long time that I am a process stitcher.   I enjoy the ride more than the destination ergo this could be why I have so many projects close to but not across the finish line.   When CtoA is done, I plan to concentrate ONLY WIPs with the first being the completion of Raegan's stocking.   With the pandemic and holiday travel being up in the air, I want to get this done.   I know I won't get it down before a schedule trip out there later in the month and want to get it in the mail to her mom and dad ASAP.  

I am still spending a lot of time with my sister as she is working through the loss of her husband.   One day at at time.   I've lent her the book, Good Grief by Theresa Caputo that helped me when my our brother passed away.

When I saw that I am on target to finish CtoA I did manage to spend a windy rainy day sorting my summer clothes for storage, donation or consignment store.   The keep pile doesn’t seem to be much smaller but all the tops have been sorted, washed, and neatly put in a tub until next spring.   Next up will be the shorts and capris, maybe today.....maybe tomorrow.  

I also need to tackle the my work clothes.    Some will be kept but most can go.  I want to find a woman’s shelter to donate them to. Maybe some of the women need something to wear to a job interview.   I have been tossing the shabby socks and pjs too.   I think I need to admit I have an excessive amount of clothes as is evidenced by the huge tub of just t-shirts/tops.  I can safely say I could go half the summer and never repeat a shirt.  In my defense, some are "yard work" shirts that are stained and yucky.  I am sure there are more severe offenders out there.   I have things that are years old as they were my mom's - who retired in 1986.   She wore classic, good quality clothes that still look new.     Thoughts are swirling in my head that this could be my mission this week......stitch an hour, sort and purge and hour.   Let’s see how well that goes....I know I have every possibility of running aground.   Sorting clothes is one job where I prefer the end destination and NOT the process.

On a cheerful note, my Thanksgiving cactus is blooming up a storm.  I moved him to the window where my orchids seem to do their best.    I think Mr. Cactus likes the spot too.   Best he has every looked......could be now that I am retired he is getting a little more attention.  

Keep safe everyone, stay healthy, thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.