Refreshed and returned

I am resting up from my visit with my son and his family.    Recovering meaning, wow, a Damma can get exhausted when she is in demand all day long....and now I am in need of catching up on emails, blog comments, laundry and pulling down all the jack-o-lanterns and Halloween stitchy stuff.  

Let's see, while there, we played games and read stories, made turkeys by tracing our hands on construction paper, giggled, had delicious meals and watched Frozen 2 a time or two.  It was good to get away and leave my worries behind.   

Daddy was being silly and spiked Will's hair.   

Little Miss is such a happy little baby.   She knows "so big" and can wave bye and clap her hands and......from the way she is traveling around the coffee table, she will be walking in no  time!

Each day we picked a location to hike.   One day was at Raystown Lake in Trough Creek State Park.   Raystown Lake is a 28 mile long lake that was created in 1973 by the Army Corp of Engineers when the river was dammed and the valley was flooded.  There were no crowds and almost no other hikers while we were there making it a safe outing.   The weather was gorgeous and it was wonderful to hear the sounds of nature and nothing else.    

 Of course my son has to go off the path with a toddler in hand and a baby strapped on his chest.

This is Balanced Rock from the parking lot.

This is Balanced Rock from the top.  It was a super easy climb to the top.

Afterwards, we went to the Overlook by the dam on the lake.   I just love how you can see forever.

 We were on a narrow peninsula that offered spectacular views.  Turning around 180 degrees, this was the view behind us. 

Following the path down from the other side of the parking area we found another awesome overlook.

Someone was very tired even though she did none of the walking!

On Sunday we explored Penn Roosevelt State Park and took a more level-ground hike.  

It was so good to visit and make memories.  We have FaceTimed twice each day since I got home because Will misses his 'best friend'.  

So enough of me and my blathering on about my kiddos, I do have a teeny tiny bit of stitching progress to share.   I have been able to stitch most of the lamb since I got home.   I need to get my needle back in gear to finish the stitching and get this assembled and ready to mail to Little Miss.  I set it aside on purpose while I was doing Coming to America but that ship has landed and everyone disembarked. 

Once the stocking is done, I want to concentrate on finishing my Blackwork SAL.  I know both can be completed pretty quickly and perhaps a third or even a forth WIP can be completed as well before the end of the year.   Since we seem to be going back into another period of isolation here's hoping stitchy progress can be made.  

Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy, thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.

Intention

I think I found an answer to my one sidedness albeit no guarantees on how long I will be successful.   I stopped making daily lists and this doesn't work for me.   I need a routine.   I've told this is all part of retirement - setting a routine.  So I’ve got to pivot my focus.   No more just one more thread length, no more just one more chapter, no more just one more episode, no more just one more word game.   No-sir-ree    Come 7 a.m. no matter what I am in the middle of I am putting it aside and I am jumping on the treadmill for a half hour minimum.  Once done, I have been proceeding with my morning routine and by 9 a.m. I have walked, showered, made the bed, had breakfast, cleaned the kitchen and whatever needs to be done and the rest of the day is mine guilt-free!   I know......I know.....I am always gung-ho at the start of anything and quickly my attention drops off.....fingers crossed I can keep to it.

As for Wordless Wednesday, a little explanation.   I take photos of whatever I see that week that catches my interest.   It is especially easy if it is something in nature.  Some weeks it is more of a struggle than others.   On those weeks I branch out on a different path and use theme.  Take November 4th - the theme was things that are circles.   Every week won't be a theme but I can guarantee it will be some weeks.  Since I have a weird way of looking at things my theme may not always be obvious but hopefully it is all relatable.

Yes, ta-da.   I finished Coming to America on time.     I was 98% done on the weekend.  I finished up Tuesday and left my initials for the last day.   

I saw a post by FlameFingers on Instagram and had to copy the way she stitched a ship in the embroidery hoop.   

I also added the finish date when adding my initials.    

I really enjoyed this stitching this piece and especially enjoyed all the FB and Instagram groups that helped created a comradely.    

This is the first piece I used my Rolaframe for.   Thank you Shirley for your generous gift of this scroll frames.   Looking forward to putting another project on them.

Off to up a WIP.

Until next time, thanks for stopping by, stay safe, stay healthy and keep on stitching.

Wordless Wednesday #13

N

Grateful in November

For November I am  following something I saw on InstaGram.   For each day of the month I acknowledged something I am grateful for.    I truly believe in the power of positive thinking.     There is negativity everywhere and I think the more we look around the more we see that have to be grateful for and the more positive a person can become.

These are not in an order of importance.   So far this month I have laid in bed each night and thought about the day and based on what transpired each day I choose and often listed the first thing that came to mind -

November 1st -  Gentle rainfall

November 2nd - Friends

November 3rd - The freedom to cast my vote

November 4th - Children

November 5th - Retirement

November 6th - Walking in the crisp air

November 7th - Stitching day with friends

November 8th - Unseasonable warm weather in November

November 9th - The smell of line-dried sheets on the bed

My point is easily proved.   All around each of us are things we take for granted that we can be grateful for......... big and small, physical and not physical, tangible or felt....

I will repost the completed list at the end of the month.

I plan to keep it going.   Maybe it will be a new habit that I continue with long after November.

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

Wordless Wednesday #12

 

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.