Pictures, pictures and more pictures.

Well, I lost my entire post of a few minutes ago so we will try this one more time!!

I got my computer back from the repair shop today. $170 bill for a new power jack. Of course, the warranty expired three weeks ago.We have had nothing but problems with this laptop since we bought it and I will NEVER buy this brand again.

Since my last post was photoless I will do my best to improve it this time. Here we go.

First up, photos of Beatrice, Adriana (Beatrice's mom) and I at our Sunday stitch and visit. I just love these two people and was delighted to be able to spend some quality time with them. On the back of the couch behind us is part of Adriana's latest work - an angel full of Kreinik and beads and she is 92!!

Next up, Cathy B.s Neighbourhood. Cathy asked us to stitch something representative of where we live. Since I spend 6 months of the year in Arizona and have for the past 6 years I decided to stitch something representing the southwest. My block came from a Cross My Heart booklet from 2000 called Shades of the Southwest. I added the saguaro cactus and the mountains.

I worked on Paradigm last week and am within a dozen stitches of finishing page 1. That means there are only 9 more pages to go!!!
Since I was on a neighbourhood roll and I had two in my possession I decided to keep going. Next up was Erin's neighbourhood and she wanted a woodsy, rustic theme. For her I chose my pattern from the Page A Day Cross Stitch Calendar - January 10th to be exact. Since we are presently in Canada babysitting our grandchildren in the midst of the snow I really liked this one. I added the Canada Goose and the Beaver from Thea Dueck's Canadian Cross stitch to add a little Canadian flair. I really enjoyed this stitch and I hope Erin likes it too. I have also included a photo of her neighbourhood to this point too. Since I was done with this so early, I sent it off to Annemarie and when I let her know she says she is already looking at patterns!!!

Last, and never least, I thought I would include a couple of photos of our grandsons. One photo is of Poppa and Jackson reading the newspaper and the second Jackson, Hunter and Poppa are playing with PlayDoh. There are no photos of me since I am holding the camera and therefore am not ever in the photos.

It has been very interesting - a lot of fun, a lot of laughter and totally exhausting looking after our two grandsons. We took them to their swimming lessons last Saturday. My organizational skills revived themselves very quickly making sure we had all the necessary ingredients for a successful trip. Jackson is a little fish in the water and spends more time under the water than on top. DH had to go in the water with Hunter as he is in the very early stages and is rather tentative. Tuesday was "Visit with the Doctor" day. Hunter was due for his needles and Jackson was due for his 3 year old checkup. We left the house, ran into a snowstorm, drove into the city (very slowly) promptly got lost and arrived at the doctors 1/2 hour late. The appointments were successful. Both boys are in great shape!!! Thank goodness the parents weren't around. We may have gotten fired.

Looking after the two boys has revived my earlier days. I am back to organizing backpacks for daycare, meals, laundry, play time, snack time, nap time, bed time and any other time in between. I have picked up 40 sippy cups, 100 little trucks and 1000 legos and assorted toys. I have changed 20 dirty diapers, given 14 splash filled baths, kissed 10 boo -boos and held my hands over my ears only 40 or so times (well, maybe less). Through it all, it has been an experience I will never forgot. The parents return Friday afternoon. We love our grandsons dearly but will happily settle back into the roll of grandparents. It is much more relaxing and much less responsible. I am too old to be so responsible.

Now, to a new problem. Somehow, I have the same photos at the bottom of this post and have no idea how to delete them - end result - too many photos $)%T^&@J

Please stick with it to the end and leave your comments. The comment sections is wwwwaaay down - just keep scrolling. I really enjoy hearing from everyone. Sorry about the blooper.

Stitching time and Computer Crash

Well, unfortunately this will be a photoless post. My computer crashed yesterdy - I need a new power jack. It is going in the shop tomorrow and the gentleman reassures me it will be back in a couple of days. So, no photos to post. I am using my son's laptop and he is in Cuba.I can't figure out how to import and grab photos from his. I will have to post photos when I get my laptop back.
I have had lots of stitching time since we arrived home. I spent all afternoon Sunday stitching with Beatrice and Adriana. We did lots of talking, showed off all our WIP's and our finished projects. I took some photos of the three of us but-----
The next afternoon I stitched with Anne from Knowledge and Needles and Beatrice. Again, lots of conversation and oohing and aahing.
Tuesday night, I stitched with some of the ladies from our Thursday stitching. Judie (of the cows) hosted the evening and it was wonderful. The time flew much too fast. Again, I got to see all their beautiful work. I miss them all so much.
Last night I finished Cathy B.'s Neighborhood RR and it is now in the mail - took photos but--------- I think you get the picture (pardon the pun) LOL
We spent some quality time with our granddaughter and her parents. She is growing into such a young lady. It is wonderful and sad. I visited with my parents and my middle sister too. Mom, sis and I even managed to do lunch.
We are now with the grandsons. We took our DS and his wife to the airport at 3 a.m. and they are on a beach in Veradero with a drink in hand basking in the sun. We took both grandsons to daycare this morning and DH has gone to pick them up. We figured with the cleaning lady coming this morning and us having them all weekend it was best not to disrupt their routine today. In a short while, DH will be home and chaos will reign until their bedtime at 7:30 p.m. Wish me luck.

I've Been Tagged

Beatrice tagged me today.
Here goes:

4 JOBS I HAVE HAD
Secretary at the police department
cashier in a grocery store
hostess in a dining room (where I met Beatice)
Cake decorating teacher

4 MOVIES I WATCH OVER AND OVER
Once Upon a Time in America
Cinderella
Lord of the Rings series
Harry Potter series

4 PLACES I HAVE BEEN
Cologne, Germany
Oranjestad, Aruba
Louisville, Kentucky
Badlands of Drumheller, Alberta

4 PLACES I HAVE LIVED
Soest, Germany
North Bay, Ontario
Ottawa, Ontario
Amherst, Nova Scotia

4 TV SHOWS I WATCH
Law and Order (all three)
CSI Miami
Stargate Atlantis
The Young and the Restless (since the first day it went on the air)

4 PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY
Dani
Beatrice
Joanne
Debby

4 FAVORITE FOODS
Pizza
GOOD steak
Chicken fried steak
Biscuits and gravy

4 PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE (as long as my grandkids and kids are there too)
Mount Rushmore
Black Hills of the Dakotas
Hearst Castle, California
our cottage in Northern Ontario

4 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO
spending more time with my grandchildren
Claire's wedding
Stitching with my friends at home
summer at the cottage

4 PEOPLE TO TAG
Dani
Heather
Lynn
Wendy

That's it for now.

Airplanes and travels

Well, here I am with my feet safely on the ground. Thursday's flight home was interesting to say the least. About 1/2 hour before we got on our flight CNBC news comes on with a story about a plane that had to land in Calgary, Alberta with some injured passengers from a rough flight. My heart jumps into my throat. We are flying to Calgary in less than an hour. The flight was long but very uneventful - no turbulence at all - Thank goodness!!!!!
We cleared customs, grabbed some supper and hopped the next plane to Ottawa, Ontario arriving at 11:30 p.m. to be met by DH's brother. The weather was 32F and most of their umpteen feet of snow had melted. Here we had been getting photos and emails complaining about the bitter cold and umpteen feet of snow everyone had!! Apparently, there had been some extreme warmth into the 50's and most of the snow was gone. I'm not complaining - snow and cold are the reasons we winter in Arizona.
Most of my stitching was done over that couple of days .

Here is my Paradigm update





I managed to make some good progress with my hours sitting in the airport and the two long plane flights. I am almost finished this page - next week perhaps?


Little Book of Stitches has made a re-appearance. I worked on Page 3 for a bit - not much to see but getting there.



Next up is my Neighborhood progress. I am having a difficult time with this one. I am having a great deal of trouble seeing the holes in the fabric. I don't know if it is my eyes or the color. It is 36 count. I forgot my magnifier in Yuma so now I am really struggling. I don't know what the solution is for this. It is supposed to be in the mail on the 15th but I received it late and with my difficulties I don't think it will be ready for mailing on tiime.
I am off to visit with my BFF Beatrice (Stitchingwithaview.blogspot.com) - having trouble with hyperlink today - and her Mom this afternoon. We have not seen each other since mid October so I am looking forward to the visit. I am hoping to catch up with my friends from Knowledge and Needles stitching early next week. I have really missed them while I have been in Arizona and I understand there has been lots of stitching going on so I am really looking forward to seeing them.
I don't know what my stitching progess will be like next week. DH and I will be chasing (sorry - looking after) our two grandsons 3 and 1 while their parents go to Cuba for a vacation. I may just sit in a corner in total exhaustion when I have a few minutes instead of stitching. Will post when I can.

First Finish of 2008

And here we have a finished Crystal Tree!!!!!!! Will take it home as is to show it off and then take it to be framed when I return to Arizona.

DON'T WALK

I shall explain. I was researching some information for a speech I will be making and looked at the discoveries for 1952 (the year I was born). The DON'T WALK sign was invented then. Maybe that's why I enjoy sitting so much - well, it's a valid excuse don't you think! and it gives me the perfect excuse to sit and stitch.

Stitching on Paradigm this week was very frustrating. I seemed to have had trouble counting. The Y, Z, motif below Z and the left heart were all stitched at least twice and some three times. I perservered until I restored them to their proper spot but wasted lots of thread and a great deal of my patience. Oh well, next week will be better.I am very excited with my progress on Crystal Tree - some beading is done, the tinsel is stitched on and the garland is couched. I have finished all the Kreinik bows and even added a beaded bow. I can feel a finish coming soon - well, within a week or two.

I am supposed to be working on a RR but I have the itch to finish Crystal Tree. I am having trouble seeing the fabric for my neighborhood so will compromise by working on my RR during the day and Crystal Tree at night.

DH and I are heading home to Canada on Thursday for a couple of weeks. We really miss our grandchildren - Jackson who is 3, Hunter who is 1 and Drew who is 11. We have told the boys parent's to find some place warm for a holiday and we will look after the children. They have agreed. They are flying "last minute" so have no idea where they are going as yet. Now, just in case you think I am really brave - the boy's parents pay for daycare whether the children are there or not. We will take turns sending one each day and them both one day so that we are still sane at the end of our babysitting. I have also informed DH that this is a two person job!!! Thank goodness he is a very "hands on" Poppa.

We will then travel to visit our granddaughter, my sister and my parents. I hope to catch up with and stitch with my stitching friends from Knowledge and Needles.

Oh yeah - the speech. We are having a Canada Day potluck on Sunday and I am giving a little spiel on the years 1930, 1940 and 1950.

Will be in touch when I can. Till then, keep stitching everyone

2008 - here I come!!!

How's that for an opening line? Do you think 2008 will be a little nervous. I have a few plans for this new year and let's hope they work.



First off, my stitching hopes and dreams for 2008



1. Finish Book of Stitches (haven't touched it in over a month)

2. Finish Paradigm (by years end with the members of the Snowbird SAL)

3. Finish my secret stitch (progress to be revealed in the spring)

4. Continue with my Neighborhood Round Robin

5. Finish Crystal Tree (and soon I hope)

6. Start and finish Noah's Ark Stocking (am ordering new fabric and starting again!)

7. Do 1 ornament a month or at least 10 by the end of the year

6. Start Autumnal Abstract.



Now, I have never wrtten a list like this before so here's wishing and hoping!!

Next up, a beautiful gift from my BFF Beatrice. I forgot to show you this before. Beatrice gave this to me just as I was heading south for the winter and it was packed away for a while. When I talked to her on the phone, I finally remembered that I had not posted it. It is one of the medallions from Paradigm Lost and it is done in blue to match my home in Arizona. She is the best friend ever and now I have a piece of her handiwork and isn't it beautiful!! Love ya girl!

This is Cathy B.s RR. It arrived in the mail a few days ago. She wanted each of us to add something that represented where we live. I am working on the bottom left corner. I have decided to do something that represents Arizona since that is where I live at the moment.

Here is my part. It doesn't look like much but hopefully there will be much progress in the next few days. I am having a hard time sitting and stitching these days. I just don't seem able to stay in one place long enough to accomplish much. I am having trouble seeing this fabric at night for some reason so I think I will have to stitch on it during the day only (and no, I am not getting old and my eyesight is not failing!) okay, so maybe I am having a little trouble but I refuse to admit it. LOL

My other goal for the year is to drop some pounds. I am having some back issues and may have to have surgery at some point. I know when I go to the doctor in the spring he is going to tell me that my weight has contributed to my problems so I am going to beat him at his own game. It is going to be difficult as I love food and I cannot exercise much with my back problems.

I guess I better stop writing and get back to stitching. Till next time