Another Critter

I just finished stitching this one.

Please note the red eye.

Dearly Beloved is now referring to this as the Devil Rat Dog.

One more critter to go . . . then I get to stitch flowers!

It's a Critter

There has been some discussion in our house about the type of animal this thing is.

First impression said it was a rabbit, but the tail is all wrong--but the ears look like a bunny and hares have long legs.

The tail led Dearly Beloved to surmise it could be a long-legged rat.

I suggested it was a dog.

Dearly Beloved said it was obviously a rat-dog.

But the ears still look like a rabbit's.

Conclusion:  it's a Critter. We have wondered if little Martha got into the wine before stitching it.

I have two more of them to stitch. None of them is any more identifiable than the others. (And, yes, I know the stitches are going every which way. It is stitched in a reversible manner, a la 17th century.)

Good Grief!

I can't think of a thing to say. For those who know me, this is highly unlikely, but there it is. With twelve more days to blog in November, I am speechless.

I have not stitched a lick for two days, so I don't even have any meager progress to show on a project.

Pitiful, just pitiful.

Nightgown day

There are times when one must pamper oneself. Sometimes it's been a stressful week (or day). Sometimes one is unwell.  Sometimes one is just in need of pampering.

I call them nightgown days.

I stay in my nightgown, with my big thick robe and soft socks. All day.

There are other parts to this:

• You have to sleep in, which, for those of us who are wage slaves, means either a week-end or vacation day.
• Even if you wake up at the usual time, you snuggle down and doze for awhile.
• This part requires some planning ahead: have food that is easy to eat, unless, of course, you really like playing in the kitchen. Personally, I think scrambled eggs and lightly buttered toast are the perfect start to a nightgown day. Soup is good for lunch on cold days. If you're doing this because you have a cold, getting someone to pick up egg drop soup for lunch for you is divine.
• Do not even think about doing any housework, laundry, work-related emails, paperwork, paying bills or anything else that sounds even slightly like a responsible, adult action.
• Have a pile of movies to watch in a variety of genres because you don't know what you'll be in the mood for.
• Have that stack of magazines you haven't had time to even skim at hand.  A good trashy book is also a good way to while away the time.
• Ignore the fact that there are things you could or should be doing.
• Take a nap.
• At the end of the day, take a warm bath with bubbles or a shower with a favorite shower gel. If you have scented powder or lotion that you've been "saving" (and I ask you, what are you saving it for?), use it.
• Put on a clean nightie and crawl into bed. If you're really lucky, someone will have put fresh sheets on the bed.
• Take a deep breath and drift off to sleep.

I absolutely promise you will feel ever so much better.

I know I do.

Leaves (that don't need to be raked)

All the little bitty leaves are stitched and I've started filling in the rest of the knots. With any luck the rest of the framework will be done before the week-end ends and I can start on the flowers that fit in and around this frame.

I had planned to go to a stitch-in tomorrow, but I am in the red, drippy nose and nasty cough stage.  Therefore, tomorrow will be spent in my jammies and robe with juice and Kleenex in my wing chair.  Between sneezes, I plan to stitch.

Twigs and sprigs done

Although it's hard to see, all the little sprigs and twigs are done.  Now it's on to the leaves . . .

Sharp needle time again . . .

I had thought I would have more done by this time tonight. Of course, I had to remove a few stitches since I misread a symbol and stitched in the wrong color. For some reason, it can take as long to take stitches out as it can to stitch them the first time. And then it seems to take more time to re-stitch than it took to stitch at first.

And I am not staying up much longer.

This morning was my idea of perfect sleeping weather. It was pouring rain outside. Inside the bedroom was cool, almost chilly, but I had a nice warm nest under my layers of blankets.  Too bad the Nyquil wore off before the alarm went off. Since it was a choice between sleeping and breathing, I opted for breathing. So I think I'm going to bed early instead of stitching.  I'd rather stitch, but it is not a good thing to operate a very sharp, pointy piece of metal under the influence of cold meds. I've added enough DNA to this project already!

More twigs, sprigs, leaves, and knots

I finally got to stitch tonight.  I have been working on more of the twigs and sprigs on this band of Martha Edlin.

I was going to work on the flowers on the top of the band before moving to the bottom, but I have succumbed to the Company Cold and in my drug-induced haze, this is about what I can handle.

The Company Cold has been moving inexorably across our quad despite clouds of Lysol and oceans of hand sanitizer and soap and water (well, duh, no wonder my hands have felt like sandpaper!).  My cubicle sits on the far side and I kept thinking the virus would get tired and quit before it got to me.  Nope, it finally hit the three of us whose cubicles line up along this set of windows.

At least we don't have strep. That's hit the quad that sits catty-cornered to us.

I think I'm going to invest in a surgical mask.

Or a gas mask.