The Plague Continues

Along with the sniffing, snorting, and sneezing, I have now added a cough that sounds like I've been chewing gravel.

So this is all I've managed to stitch in two days, which includes a day that presented a Pride and Prejudice marathon with the swoon-worthy Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. This would ordinarily be primo stitching time--not so much, currently.

I have decided not to worry about it. Until this thing runs its course--in three to six more days for a typical rhinovirus--I am just going to sit in the corner and gulp down gallons of OJ and chicken soup. If I drop from sight for awhile, it's because my needle is idle.

One last whine:  I've had major surgery that hasn't interfered with plying my needle, so why has a little thing like a cold knocked me down!?!?!!!!

Achooo!

With all the sniffing, snorting, and sneezing, I have not accomplished much today.

The bottom of the box we'll make in the "Can't See the Forest" project is stitched.

I feel like I should go over the letters again; the yellow thread seems very skimpy next to the other colors.

I also feel like I should take drugs and go to bed early. That feeling seems to be winning out.

Back on Track

There was an emergency in the extended family in the last few days, and we have been acting in a support function while things were crazy. We have returned to our usual state--note I did not mention normal--so I have a minute to post the bit of stitching I've been able to do the last couple of days.

The third panel for the sides of "Can't See the Forest for the Trees" is complete.

My original plan was to finish all the stitching for this project this week-end--and go to the farmers' market in the morning--and see "Age of Ultron"--and work on finish-finishing Fair Maiden--and pick up The Shepherdess again--and maybe corral a few dust bunnies and swab a few plumbing fixtures. However, I am coming down with a cold. It is May and I have caught a cold. Consequently, I fear I will be a sneezy, drippy, achy, grouchy lump of misery for at least a couple of days.

Dearly Beloved is suggesting that I mainline orange juice, and I believe I shall go and do just that.

A very Seussical Tree

And there is another tree in "Can't See the Forest" and, for some reason, this one makes me think of Dr. Seuss's illustrations.

I can't decide if it's the shaggy leaves or the big yellow flowers or both, but I expect to see a Who pop out any minute.

(This is why people have children and hope that their children provide them with grandchildren--it gives you a chance to read kid books and play with kid toys without other people thinking that you're strange.)

Sadly, I have to leave my needle for awhile and iron shirts. Oh, the joy. Being an adult is a pain!

Critters!

I took a personal day today, mainly because I had another visit to the dentist's in the middle of the day. This was a most unpleasant way to spend two hours, and I have to go back in two weeks. I'm not looking forward to it at all.

However, I was home while I had daylight to stitch by, and I got five of the critters on the first two panels of "Can't See the Forest" stitched.

I was hoping to finish another tree, but I don't think it will happen tonight. I stayed up very late last night finishing one of the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries (by C.S. Harris and I highly recommend the series but you really need to read them in order) because I figured I could sleep in this morning.

A neighbor's car alarm went off before 7 a.m.  Then it went off again. Then again.

The lawn service arrived to cut the grass in the community. They started with my cul-de-sac.  Under my window.

The phone rang with a call from someone wanting Anthony. I explained it was a wrong number.  The phone rang again, still with someone wanting Anthony.  I said sorry, still a wrong number. The third time I let the answering machine pick it up. At that point I was awake and was not going back to sleep, it was clear.

And now it's barely after 8 p.m. in my time zone but I am totally cross-eyed. So I am putting down the needle before I make a horrible error over one thread that will require painful reverse stitching.

I made it!

I didn't get the whole project finished in class--but I did get it finished in one day!

We had our second class with Betsy Morgan today, her Edinburgh Reticule, and this was the small we did to review the finishing techniques.

It was another great class with an enjoyable group of people, some old friends and some new--sometimes I think the best part of classes is getting to spend time with people who get this obsession of ours--and I came home, had dinner with Dearly Beloved, and sat down to work on the needlebook some more.

And lo and behold, it's finished.

It is happy dance time, and if I had any energy left, I would boogie. I think I'll go to bed instead.

Leafing Out

One of the trees now has foliage.

That was this evening's stitching. I would take a picture of today's class stitching--let's face it, having a completed project from yesterday's was nothing short of amazing, considering that I don't stitch well in class ever--but I doubt anyone wants to see one flower petal and one spiral trellis ball.

We spent most of today talking about the construction of the pieces of the Edinburgh Etui and, because I was in the right place at the right time, Betsy put the foundation piece for the container together from my materials. When the teacher just happens to be standing right in front of you, and she needs a piece of Mylar for demonstration, and you just happen to have it sitting in your package of materials readily at hand--well, location, location, location. At least one piece of my etui is assembled correctly!