New Beginnings (I hope)

Yesterday I was channeling my inner Crankypants.

First there was the Mylar problem with Fair Maiden, in which I forgot the whole "measure twice, cut once" mantra.

Then I decided I should put the print-outs from the most recent online class postings into their notebooks, only to discover that I didn't have enough page protectors. Since these are all long-term projects, I want to make sure that the instructions are as well-preserved and maintained as possible.

As much as I love Shepherdess, I got off one thread and ended up ripping everything I had stitched on her skirt.

Generally, I was out-of-sorts and ill-tempered.

Dearly Beloved was ducking and covering, because when I am out-of-sorts and ill-tempered, I'm really out-of-sorts and ill-tempered.

On the third walk I took yesterday in an attempt to raise my endorphins, I gave myself a stern talking-to.  As a wage slave, I only get two days off a week to enjoy myself completely, and here I was, ruining one of them with my own bad attitude.

As I have always told my children:

Life is short

Misery is optional.

Deal with it and move on.

So I came in, sat down, and thought about what I really would like to do, other than turn back the clock and start the day over.

There have been yearnings to stitch a complicated sampler stirring in my heart for several weeks now, and so Mary Atwood came out of her pillowcase again. I had worked one of the two alphabets weeks ago in one form of reversible cross stitch, and she needed the second one done.

I stitched in her initials, worked the dividing band, and started on the alphabet. This is the reversible cross that results in a four-sided stitch on the back of the work.

Like so:

Please excuse the strands from the waste knots. One thing I need to remember to ask Joanne the next time I take a class from her is how they started the threads so they would be invisible from both front and back. I know to end the threads by running them behind the cross stitches on the front, but how do you start them? Inquiring minds want to know.

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Another thing inquiring minds want to know:  When did the Post Office start making Sunday--and Easter Sunday at that--deliveries?

I was sitting here with the Sunday newspaper earlier, when I heard a thump on the front stoop and a quick knock on the door. As I didn't expect a delivery from the Easter bunny--or anyone else--my curiosity was aroused. Naturally, I went to the door to find a box from Amazon sitting on the doorstep and a PO truck pulling out of the cul-de-sac.

As we do not have Amazon Prime and didn't request expedited delivery, I am puzzled. I'm not complaining, mind you, but I am puzzled.