Hands To Work

Happy Thoughts

  Man oh man, am I ever stressed over the news.  The stock market is a mess (which means our 401K is a mess), politicians are blaming each other for the financial screw ups (and the blame game reminds me of my formative years with a bossy older sister and two rotten brothers) and the election is looming closer which means nastier commercials.  So this post is dedicated to happiness.  And my current happiness is a beautiful and funny baby that is waving bye bye, shaking her head no and telling me what the sheep, cow, daddy's truck, puppy and kitty all say.  It's really hard to stay stressed with a ten month old in the house! 

 I'm finishing up the class project that I'm teaching later this month.  I had it finished but just wasn't happy with the design so I reworked it, am restitching and will be assembling this weekend.  It's such a happy thing.  I will be at Covered Bridge Needlearts the 17-19th and then at Dyeing To Stitch in November. 

Don't know if I told you all about my trip to Charleston SC.  Wow, what a beautiful city!  I didn't get near enough time there and am looking forward to going back.  The most fun of all was walking through the old cemetaries.

We stayed at the beach on Isle of Palms Island.  Lily loved the ocean and especially the sand.  I had forgotten how many places sand can get on a baby.     

I suppose I should be heading off to bed.  Friday is Elisabeth's birthday and I am making her favorite meal tomorrow while her sister and brother in law are in town.  Last year E was pregnant with Lily and we were all so anxious about what was to come....now look how fun our lives have become!

Checking In...

I suppose I should reintroduce myself as I haven't written in so very long.  I wish I had a good story about why I've been away but the truth is that I've just been hanging out with Lily and working here and there. 

As many of you know, I didn't go to the St Charles cash and carry market.  I feared that I wouldn't be ready and it turns out that was the right decision.  I wish I could have gone just to see all of my friends.  Markets are so much fun!  Lisa from the Primitive Needle was at her very first market and we were excited about meeting each other for the first time.  She and I had been in a stitching round robin together and talked on the phone once or twice.  I saw her new releases and they were fabulous!  Of course Kathy and Anne had marvelous offerings as well. 

Anyway, I was trying to get to sleep tonight and since my killer heart burn was sabotaging that effort, I put on my head phones and listened to the latest installment of This American Life.  This a wonderful weekly hour long program on National Public Radio and Ira Glass discusses the most interesting, ordinary things that happen in average people's lives.  This episode was about a woman trying to get her mother to reconnect with the family in Poland that helped to raise her during WWII.  Cool story.  So I'm still not sleeping and I start to think about my father    and the stories he has told me about serving under General Patton during the war.  I remind myself again that I HAVE to videotape him describing his service and maybe I should take several days to go visit and get that done.  Recently he told me and my brothers about being shipped out of Europe and he thought he was going to Africa.  Once the ship got out to sea, the announcement was made that they were going home instead.  The roar was so loud he was sure his mother in West Virginia heard!  His ship was one of the first to arrive in New York Harbor and was met with water boats and cheers and bands.  Quite an exciting thing for a young man that had led a sheltered life in a small town raised by schoolteachers. 

The other thought that popped into my head was how lucky I am to have him as my Dad.  In this world of disappointing politicians, celebrities and even religious leaders I have the best person of all to call a hero.  Sure he has made mistakes and there are things that he wishes he could go back and change.  But he took care of his family, remains faithful to his God and always, always stands up for what he believes in...even when it's not the most popular thing to do.    Thanks Dad!

I have pictures to share, new projects in the works and stories to tell.  I am going to try to get this little blog updated at least once a week.  Thanks to all of you that have inquired about my whereabouts.  I am going to do better!

Happy Sunday.