tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42027123086998787412024-03-13T00:23:31.562-07:00Whodunits, Cross Stitch, and Poodlesgwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-5153899666000428172014-05-24T18:35:00.001-07:002014-05-24T18:36:10.476-07:00Knitting, Crocheting, and SpinningAs if I weren't crazy enough with the cross stitch, I've recently become addicted to yarn crafts, specifically crocheting and knitting. Because one can't just buy yarn or thread, I've also decided to start spinning and making my own yarns. So, about a month ago, my friend Tara and I went out and bought a couple of fleeces, spent some time learning how to wash, dry, and card them. We both bought spinning wheels, and now we're spinning fools. Well, she spins very well, and I'm the fool. I'm not good at it--yet--but I have a great deal of fun with it. <br />
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I should probably try to figure out how to change the name of my blog, but I'd rather be spinning or crocheting or knitting. Look for pictures soon!gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-88482677232216736712010-07-18T17:36:00.000-07:002010-07-18T19:52:33.797-07:00Knees, Part Two--In the Hospital and on to RehabAfter the surgery, I spent four days in the hospital. While I've had surgery before, I've never had to stay overnight in the hospital. As many have said before, you don't get a lot of rest in the hospital. I was awakened a couple of times a night for a check of vital signs, and the lab work was always done at the crack of dawn.<br /><br />The physical therapy people showed up twice a day every day that I was in the hospital. My room opened not only to the hall but also to a PT work-out area. Around 10:00 in the morning, I'd hear a knock on that inner door; it would open, and here would come the PT team. Getting up was always difficult. Because of the femoral blocks, my legs stayed numb and kind of stupid for almost the whole time I was in the hospital. Anyway, the PT people would get me up, and I would stagger into the work-out area. The first day, I was able to take only about 20 steps. Every day, I was able to go a little further, but to call what I was doing walking is a bit laughable.<br /><br />On the fourth day, I was transferred from the hospital to a PT rehab unit at another local hospital. During the transfer, my pain meds ran out, and I didn't get another jolt of anything for hours. Needless to say, my first night at rehab was awful. As the nurses took my history and did all of the other stuff they have to do when a patient first arrives, they also told me that I would be expected to get up and get dressed Monday through Saturday. Additionally, I would have breakfast and lunch in the dayroom with the other rehab patients. Each day, I would have 3 hours of therapy. Saturday afternoons and Sundays were rest times. Thank goodness!<br /><br />The rehab sessions themselves could be real bears. At first, I couldn't do the exercises very well at all, and I could only walk about 30 feet down the hall. By the time I left rehab two weeks later, I could walk 350 feet (with a walker), and the exercises had gotten a little easier.<br /><br />Life in rehab was not just about the exercise. I found that I also became interested and invested in my fellow rehabbers. Many of them were elderly patients. A few had had strokes, but there were other joint replacement patients there, too. The day I left, two patients were admitted who had had hip replacements. Obviously, I felt a kinship with the other joint replacement patients. It was really nice to have others pulling for me when I was working in the gym, and I liked being able to cheer others on, too.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-9135463759484516502010-07-12T06:26:00.000-07:002010-07-12T06:46:09.775-07:00New Knees, Part II'm on the other side of knee replacement. I had surgery on June 7, so I'm beginning my 6th week of recovery. It's been--and continues to be--a long and often torturous road. I thought I would write about it before I forget about all of the highs (!) and lows.<br /><br />Before I had surgery, I lost my beloved Spenser. I didn't think he would be with me for very long after his birthday, but I wasn't ready to lose him. He fought hard, but finally he was just too tired to keep going. I still miss him.<br /><br />On to the surgery. I don't remember much about the day of the surgery. We (my sister and I) got to the hospital around 5:45 am. I was the first case of the day for my surgeon, so things moved pretty quickly. I had my blood typed and cross-matched, was hustled upstairs to outpatient surgery (even though I most definitely was not leaving the hospital that day), and then the nurses got to work. I was surprised at how fast things moved. In previous surgeries, none of them as major as this one, the old adage of hurry up and wait had held true. Not this time. Before I knew it, I was being wheeled down the hall to the elevator, on my way to the surgery holding area.<br /><br />In the holding area, things continued to move fast. At one time there were four or five people--OR nurses, anesthesiologist, etc.--all doing something to me or telling me something. My head was reeling! After an IV was started, they wheeled me into the operating room. The anesthesiologist and one of the OR nurses did an epidural. I remember that the doctor asked if I felt anything, and I told him that my toes were tingling. He laughed, and said, "That's good!" They laid me down, and we all talked for about 2 seconds. Then I was out.<br /><br />I have no memory of the recovery room at all. The next time I was conscious, I was in the hall, being taken to ICU (typical for a bilateral knee replacement). I saw, or more accurately heard, my sister and the friends who had waited with her during the surgery. I'm not sure I opened my eyes, but I do remember hearing all of their voices. The next time I woke up, I was in ICU. At one time there, I was cold, so I pulled the sheet up over my head. I thought, "Maybe not a good move since you're in ICU." I didn't want to doze off again and then find myself in the morgue. LOL.<br /><br />I spent one night in ICU, and the following morning I was moved to a regular room. Before I made the move to my room, though, the physical therapists showed up. Not quite 24 hours after surgery, they stood me up and had me take a couple of steps. No rest for the wicked!<br /><br />More to come later!gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-60719412646264883292010-04-22T18:31:00.000-07:002010-04-22T18:40:19.510-07:00Long Time, No BlogI knew I hadn't been around in a while, but I had no idea it had been so long. Wow! <br /><br />Those baby kittens are now almost a year old, and Billy's name is now Simon. Billy just didn't work for him, so he became Simon. I joke, though, that I should have named him Alvin. I spend a lot of time, saying, "Simon, <span style="font-size:130%;">Simon</span>, <span style="font-size:180%;">Simon</span><span style="font-size:100%;">." He can be quite the terror. Little Gracie is a sweetie, most of the time. She can get herself into a spot of trouble, too. </span><br /><br />Spenser, my oldest standard poodle, just celebrated his 14th birthday. He is frail and fragile, but he still seems to have a drive to live. As long as he demands his "cookies," I know he's not ready to go. Everyone else is doing fine. <br /><br />I am getting ready to have bilateral total knee replacement surgery this summer. My sister has helped me get my house cleaned up and ready for a person with a walker, canes, and/or crutches. I got the news today that the cardiologist has cleared me for surgery, so now I just have to get my surgery date from the orthopedic surgeon. <br /><br />Off now to try to get some grading done.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-9403682597299597332009-07-18T10:55:00.000-07:002009-07-18T11:05:09.883-07:00Kitten updateTwo kittens, one gray female and the gray and white boy, found a new home with a friend of mine. A few days after taking them home, he called me and said, "I thought you gave me kittens." I said, "I did. What's up?" Then he tells me, "They're not kittens; they're terrorists!" We both started laughing. Apparently, Madison and Taylor (he's a history prof, hence the presidential names) keep him busy! <br /><br />I've got two kittens myself, one of the black and white boys and the other gray girl. My little girl's name is Gracie. I can't even tell you why that stuck on her, but from the time she was little bitty and I had to bottle feed her, she was my little Gracie May. I'm having trouble naming my boy, though. Right now, I'm trying out Billy, as in Billy the Kid or Billy Bad-Ass, depending on what he's doing at the moment. I'm not fond of the name, but nothing else that I've tried has worked. If anyone who reads this has a suggestion, I'm listening.<br /><br />The other black and white boy, Spike, unfortunately, had a liver and/or cardiac problem and didn't make it. We sweated it for a while, worrying that he had FIP, but all of the tests for it came back negative. I made the very hard decision to put him to sleep on Wednesday. I've lost a number of pets over the years, and I've got a 13-year-old dog right now whom I know won't be around a lot longer. The decision is always difficult, but this one was almost unbearable. I think it's because he was just a baby and never really had a chance. I'm tearing up just thinking of him. <br /><br />I'm working on introducing Billy and Gracie to the dogs and my other cat. The dogs find the kittens fascinating. The dogs don't seem to have a desire to kill the kittens--thank goodness!--but I do worry that because they are so much bigger than the kittens that they'll hurt them just by stepping on them. So, kitten-doggie playtime is monitored very closely. <br /><br />I'm off to spend some time doing the much dreaded housework. What a horrid way to spend a Saturday afternoon!gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-40919324624706120812009-06-04T15:48:00.001-07:002009-06-04T16:01:18.841-07:00KIttens!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXAI-PSP1SBmjBTXcVAX9h8u6ZUxyNdEdDD1ptrsVDo0nnu9KPcaGwE6NLGYjlD69brG1SxVs5L2AKd_s9G5InS_r-ZFv8onySSt0piZ1kF7yb1ym4caU428A6oWRHPcucBWZl95Mzbg0/s1600-h/100_2076.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343610414679847698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXAI-PSP1SBmjBTXcVAX9h8u6ZUxyNdEdDD1ptrsVDo0nnu9KPcaGwE6NLGYjlD69brG1SxVs5L2AKd_s9G5InS_r-ZFv8onySSt0piZ1kF7yb1ym4caU428A6oWRHPcucBWZl95Mzbg0/s200/100_2076.jpg" border="0" /></a> Last week, my friend Tara called me and told me that she and her family had found a litter of five kittens in a piece of heavy machinery that had been bought at auction. There was a wee note of panic in her voice--she and her folks have never had a cat--so I volunteered to take the kittens off her hands. I foolishly thought that it would be easy to give these kittens away. WRONG! I've got one taker and two maybes. I'm praying that the maybes turn into yeses.<br /></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmqTO75BwpyFNpRBuibqrC6gPmItqwK-2zNnANyDH7K_c63qYDmd5Zdbtl-2LoZLZJ-auSd8wS19ylSd6YByQOKR2W7nAlLyD-M6f6SizYHJfjqw-u3dtG80GJ9q9HFpLp4cxxvR3e8KI/s1600-h/100_2065.jpg"></a> </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmqTO75BwpyFNpRBuibqrC6gPmItqwK-2zNnANyDH7K_c63qYDmd5Zdbtl-2LoZLZJ-auSd8wS19ylSd6YByQOKR2W7nAlLyD-M6f6SizYHJfjqw-u3dtG80GJ9q9HFpLp4cxxvR3e8KI/s1600-h/100_2065.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343610636687117346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmqTO75BwpyFNpRBuibqrC6gPmItqwK-2zNnANyDH7K_c63qYDmd5Zdbtl-2LoZLZJ-auSd8wS19ylSd6YByQOKR2W7nAlLyD-M6f6SizYHJfjqw-u3dtG80GJ9q9HFpLp4cxxvR3e8KI/s200/100_2065.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>The babies are very cute, though, and I do enjoy taking care of them. They were three to four weeks old when I got them last week, and just a little bit malnourished. They've more than made up for the hunger they had when I got them, though. They're getting four meals a day now, with kitten milk added to help moisten it. The smallest one, who did have to be bottle fed for a couple of days, weighed three-quarters of a pound at the vet's office Tuesday, while the biggest one weighed a pound and a half. </div><div><br /> </div><div></div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-17781768859836118742009-05-17T11:09:00.000-07:002009-05-17T11:13:43.336-07:00Didn't Know It Had Been So LongI knew I hadn't updated the blog in a while, but I didn't realize it had been almost three months. I'd love to say that time flew because I was having so much fun, but the truth is I was just busy with work. Finals are over for me, and while I still have a mound of grading to do, I feel liberated. Summer vacation has begun! I'm off until mid-July when I go back for the second summer session, but I'll be ready to go back by then. I'm looking very forward to the time off, but I know I'll get bored.<br /><br />I've got lists and lists of things I want to do while I'm out of school. There are many things I want to do around the house. I'm really in a throwing-out mood. I've got so much junk that I don't need. I really want to purge the place and start fresh. The packrat in me won't let me completely purge, though, but I am going to clear things out and try to get some semblance of organization into things. <br /><br />I'm off to a dance recital in just a few minutes, but I want to spend some time stitching tonight. I'll try to get some pictures of the few things I'm working on and post them later today or tomorrow.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-31294950736708890842009-02-11T18:26:00.000-08:002009-02-11T18:47:51.026-08:00Flower Power update<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUn0vi_SOCrc_DkqTE8a2cF-k1sEwXFoz4veKerviY_Yk5oQFIae_xfBKVlvj3EQfVLr0MUXwkpqZOu-1Uws8_FbeuCadDyxb6wnA4ES8rOMX028IRh-olonNLREekVjhwIJaCx-wXRXF/s1600-h/Feb11_09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301732883099843522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 162px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUn0vi_SOCrc_DkqTE8a2cF-k1sEwXFoz4veKerviY_Yk5oQFIae_xfBKVlvj3EQfVLr0MUXwkpqZOu-1Uws8_FbeuCadDyxb6wnA4ES8rOMX028IRh-olonNLREekVjhwIJaCx-wXRXF/s200/Feb11_09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Here's my latest progress on Flower Power. I didn't unfurl all of the fabric, so it really doesn't look like much right now. I just had to stitch that one columbine, though. The leaves were making me kinda crazy. LOL! I'm going back to leaves, though, when I sit down to watch <em>Top Chef</em> in just a little bit. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-4iyBEx3ntt6P_KXHEhRhsKW9ptUh3X4dOh-uH9rS8FfEOoSDesaudezdQE-0HDcb2SFfbBRPBDDkuqfufiSOLAcYhYJzZP4sFfngEJykUDZOnAKTX0qi68-FMXQmdsyWaDN5CmZqrxN/s1600-h/100_2039.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301733742379247026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-4iyBEx3ntt6P_KXHEhRhsKW9ptUh3X4dOh-uH9rS8FfEOoSDesaudezdQE-0HDcb2SFfbBRPBDDkuqfufiSOLAcYhYJzZP4sFfngEJykUDZOnAKTX0qi68-FMXQmdsyWaDN5CmZqrxN/s200/100_2039.jpg" border="0" /></a>Here's a picture of my bad boy Ace, just because I thought he was looking cute the other night when he was sleeping sitting up with his head resting on the back of the couch. He needs to be groomed very badly, but I still think he's a cutie. He's been home with me for about 8 months now, and I've fallen in love with him all over again. He was the busiest puppy I ever saw, and he's still a busy boy. As I write this, he's in the living room barking at his mother and sister for who knows what reason. They're probably both sitting up on the couch looking at him as if to say, "What!? You want us to play with you? We don't think so!" Poor boy! </div><div> </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div></div><div>All the dogs and I watched the Westminster Kennel Club dog show when it was on tv earlier this week. We were rooting for the standard poodle, but unfortunately she didn't win. She's a really beautiful girl; I'd like to see her in person, but I doubt I ever get the chance. I don't imagine she's going to be hitting the dog shows in Southeast Texas any time soon. I have seen the Sussex Spaniel that won in the flesh, though, since his handler lives in Houston and is at many of the shows in this area. The Sussex is a pretty boy, too, and he deserved the win. I'd really like to go to Westminster one day just to say I had been there. Many people say it's one of the worst shows to exhibit at, but I know a lot of people who would give their left arm to have the chance to show a dog there in spite of the crowding, small breed rings, etc.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>Watching Westminster and writing about dog shows really makes me miss the whole thing. Well, maybe not the late nights grooming, but I really do enjoy going to the dog show. I don't have anyone who can go in the show ring right now, but maybe one day I will have a show prospect again. I feel bad saying that my youngest two aren't "show dogs," but they're really not. Ace has been neutered, so he can't be shown in conformation. Emmy is a very pretty little thing, but she's too soft, too shy, to be a good show dog. She goes to trembling if more than 3 people look at her. LOL. </div><div> </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div></div><div>Almost time for <em>Top Chef </em>and a little bit of needle time. </div></div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-83751443853206679572009-02-07T09:03:00.001-08:002009-02-07T09:09:31.786-08:00Stitching SlumpI've been in a bit of a stitching slump lately and haven't really made any progress on anything. I did get some stitches in on Flower Power last night, but I feel like I'm stuck in a never-ending loop of leaves. When you look at the pattern, you see all of the pretty flowers. What you don't realize at that point is that for every pretty flower, there must be ten leaves. I'm really getting sick of the color green! LOL.<br /><br />I picked up some crocheting, thinking it might be the thing to get me moving, but I can't even say that it's doing much for me. I did find a pattern for a rectangular granny afghan (thanks to Mary on the 123 message board), and it seems like it will be a good stitch. I'm very much a novice crocheter, so I have to have simple patterns. This one is, so maybe if I'm successful with it, it will motivate me to try something a little more difficult.<br /><br />Today, though, I feel like doing some sort of needlework. I've got the first disk of season two of <em>The Tudors</em> and a couple of other movies, so I may just park in front of the tv and stitch. If I make progress on anything, I'll post later.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-28012636136949007382009-01-02T21:44:00.001-08:002009-01-02T21:49:26.698-08:00Flower Power update<div>My friend Tara and I got to spend some time stitching tonight. We're both working on Flower Power; it's actually her fault that I decided to stitch it. </div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IRwJublOE-tLywh6trIqbv9jA8p4EQy8UOMCdoUP4AbC6LtXiDmMcYZWGlZvFMXLWzcm21wKRmAqJp0IXGOpwJrEIk1voKiWM7xvMAF0h5FCCCZz1us1bz3gD-oQ5d0fNF8f9K5S_ToM/s1600-h/100_2034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286939863623702018" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IRwJublOE-tLywh6trIqbv9jA8p4EQy8UOMCdoUP4AbC6LtXiDmMcYZWGlZvFMXLWzcm21wKRmAqJp0IXGOpwJrEIk1voKiWM7xvMAF0h5FCCCZz1us1bz3gD-oQ5d0fNF8f9K5S_ToM/s200/100_2034.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Here's a picture of my progress as of tonight. I'm in the midst of a huge bunch of leaves, and I'm finding them to be a bit tedious. I know that once I wade through them, though, that the stitching will become more fun--until I have to do more leaves! </div><div> </div><div>I'm feeling sleepy, so I'll leave more updates for later.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-77545377922354466252008-12-28T12:36:00.000-08:002008-12-28T12:56:20.893-08:00Another Year Almost GoneChristmas is over, and the celebration of the new year is almost upon us. For many years now, I've not been a fan of this time of year, and I can't say that anything this year helped change my opinion of it. I think the hustle, bustle, and general insanity of the Christmas season have gotten way out of control. I did most of my shopping online this year, avoiding the mall experience for a couple of short forays to get gifts that either couldn't be obtained online or that were last-minute, impulse buys. I plan to do the same for next year's shopping. The less time I had to spend among the crazy hordes at the malls or in Wal-Mart or Target helped make my holiday brighter.<br /><br />I've put the Christmas stitching away (with the exception of one little ornament) and gone back to working on my "real" projects. Last night I did quite a bit on Emma's Garden (I don't think I'm ever going to finish her hair, though!), and on Jan. 1, I plan to take Flower Power out for a brief spin. I'm going to concentrate on Emma's Garden, though, since it is something my sister more or less commissioned for a friend of hers. As I've commented here before, my sis's good friend, whose only and very beloved granddaughter is named Emmah, lost her home and most of her belongings due to the flooding from Hurricane Ike. The family has bought a new home, but they have very few furnishings or decorative pieces. I'd like to get this piece finished in the next couple of months so that we can get it framed and given to them.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to the end of the never-ending fall semester, too. As much as I've tried to take a vacation from work, my mind keeps returning to my end-of-term plans. I'm ready to get back into it and get finals given, papers graded, and the semester finally ended. The spring term should go much more smoothly, and then it's time to prepare again for hurricane season. <br /><br />I don't know why hurricanes are so on my mind right now. I'm already fretting over next year's season, even though I know there's nothing I can do about it. The dogs and the cat are my big worries. It's difficult to evacuate with as many animals as I have, and then when we add my sister's crew into it (an ancient mixed breed, a humongous lab, and five cats), it's hard to even imagine where we could go with such a menagerie. My family and I were lucky with both Rita and Ike with only minimal damage from either storm, but who knows what the next storm will bring. I just need to shake it off and quit borrowing trouble--at least for the next few months.<br /><br />I hope that all who read this have had a peaceful and joyous Christmas and that the coming New Year will bring much luck and prosperity.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-51293767502327437802008-12-07T17:18:00.000-08:002008-12-07T17:30:33.099-08:00Another Sunday NightWe celebrated my nephew's birthday last night, and he seemed pretty pleased with the dragon. He opened it, looked at it, and then took off to find a place to hang it in his bedroom. When he takes a gift to his room immediately, it usually means that it's a hit. Last year, my sister and I did a little scrapbook for him with pictures of his grandparents, who are all deceased now. He really only got to know my mom well; my dad died shortly after my nephew's first birthday, and my brother-in-law's parents lived in Massachusetts. When he opened the scrapbook, he paged through it and then took it to his room before even opening his other gifts. I know the scrapbook means a lot to him, so I hope that the similar reaction to the dragon means the same thing.<br /><br />On a less bright note, I've got two more weeks of work to slog through before the Christmas break. Hurricane Ike really threw a monkey wrench in the semester. Normally, we would be doing final exams at this point, with commencement this coming Friday. Then we would be out of school until right after the MLK holiday. This year, we'll have two weeks out of school. We'll be finishing up the fall term during the first two weeks of January before beginning the spring term at its usual time. I know I shouldn't complain, but the loss of our usually lengthy holiday is a real drag. <br /><br />I'm still stitching on ornaments and bookmarks. As always, I think I've bitten off more than I can chew. Luckily, in going through some finished items I found some ornaments I stitched last year but never did anything with. I think some of those will make their debuts this year as stocking stuffers for a few people.<br /><br />My other big accomplishment this week is finishing all of the <em>Twilight</em> books (I know the last three have different titles, but I can't remember what they are). I can't say that I am in love with them, but I also can't say that I dislike them. The biggest thing that disturbs me is the way the main character, Bella, allows herself to be subsumed by Edward, the vampire she falls in love with. For me, her infatuation and single-minded desire to be with him is too much like the infatuations--sometimes dangerous--that many young girls develop on their boyfriends or boys whom they wish would be their boyfriends. I don't think a healthy relationship operates like that. <br /><br />Off to watch tv and stitch.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-78956890622038372402008-12-02T17:25:00.001-08:002008-12-02T17:28:35.980-08:00The DRAGON is Framed!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T6u0xvG54Wi_hyJDrBbimElE0z_1SkrNDNHwHFcCV319kILMhWjvXVhiTkbAdBkc1WYXzhibSHUhEeC9ejB18vwtq4CTDUCrBJaUs81rntaVKKHYCx1vU0SwMGayW8RV35hE3EWA8Aw6/s1600-h/100_2028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275369091041751378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T6u0xvG54Wi_hyJDrBbimElE0z_1SkrNDNHwHFcCV319kILMhWjvXVhiTkbAdBkc1WYXzhibSHUhEeC9ejB18vwtq4CTDUCrBJaUs81rntaVKKHYCx1vU0SwMGayW8RV35hE3EWA8Aw6/s200/100_2028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The picture is not great, but here's the framed dragon. It looks great in person. I left the plastic around the edges because I don't want to ding the frame up before it actually gets to my nephew. </div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-76003531427905139812008-12-01T18:18:00.001-08:002008-12-01T18:24:17.359-08:00Wine, wine, wine . . .<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEND-Sj3_0ktJqC10UkbPYWGcoWQRKY0jOxwNXTWkBUa8NSzIhSW2hiHl35w_Y5b5C1D2jqsICPEugUm65U0D1NijDMzMQ0g1psu-7PMbr6drd2leBW_ShU4P-Lpowp40kiDbDS73uSG0/s1600-h/winewithframe.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275011788049076274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 191px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEND-Sj3_0ktJqC10UkbPYWGcoWQRKY0jOxwNXTWkBUa8NSzIhSW2hiHl35w_Y5b5C1D2jqsICPEugUm65U0D1NijDMzMQ0g1psu-7PMbr6drd2leBW_ShU4P-Lpowp40kiDbDS73uSG0/s200/winewithframe.jpg" border="0" /></a>Just finished the backstitching and adding the charms to this little piece for my sister. I'm going to take it to the framer tomorrow when I go to pick up the dragon. I don't know which I'm more excited about--finally getting this one finished or seeing the dragon framed. I'll post a picture of the dragon after I get it home tomorrow evening. <br /><br />I'm off now to work on ornaments and bookmarks. I've got to finish at least two more of each before Christmas. My friends and I at work don't exchange big gifts, but I would like to have a little something for each of them just to show them that I'm thinking of them.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-5732030477916122492008-11-23T18:05:00.001-08:002008-11-23T18:36:29.325-08:00Oodles of PoodlesMy poodles had a big day at the grooming shop yesterday, and since<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp-QR1F-5Lkmp0XU7DPVNQ8fGbwXjJyVmz5W_VGsG2Keub-7gCbniyOVpouaSbcrNQLPb68O4kjAD7EELkW5ae4Q77Q6WKI2PD8KiLqtTgRa0hfANTVTRpeCGhYEWsgUFnkJzdQGJFG9N/s1600-h/100_0109.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272040704012819826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp-QR1F-5Lkmp0XU7DPVNQ8fGbwXjJyVmz5W_VGsG2Keub-7gCbniyOVpouaSbcrNQLPb68O4kjAD7EELkW5ae4Q77Q6WKI2PD8KiLqtTgRa0hfANTVTRpeCGhYEWsgUFnkJzdQGJFG9N/s200/100_0109.JPG" border="0" /></a> they're all nice and clean and in my good graces for right now, I thought I'd write about them. The big guy sleeping on the couch is my oldest standard poodle, Spenser. Spenser's official name is Champion Cadbury's Spenser for Hire. He's 12 years old now, and he is my first champion and the love of my life. When I look back at his show career now, I have to shake my head and wonder about my sanity. It took almost 3 years--and a ton of money, blood, sweat, and even more tears--to get him finished. I can remember the day he finished his championship like it was yesterday. It was a March afternoon in 1999, and I was playing hooky from work. (Shhh--don't tell anyone!) He was one month shy of his 3rd birthday, and I was desperately hoping he would finish before then. My friend who was actually in the ring with him had an asthma attack while in the ring with him, and I'm not sure how she made it around the ring with him. She did, though, and we spent the rest of that weekend on cloud nine.<br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1Hl5R4r8KkPiHz98pK8CJGx5yihUxQijgJJyOv51WgZpVjKy_w_ngmqwcIkg6cY_YWUUTEsmXz_rpbtE_IE4EmcqVT8UM_AgCx9d2hCVow7_o2LTw0iQWzw0nwlQIbkhD2UBWtsoi_sX/s1600-h/rory+pca.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272040978530211698" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1Hl5R4r8KkPiHz98pK8CJGx5yihUxQijgJJyOv51WgZpVjKy_w_ngmqwcIkg6cY_YWUUTEsmXz_rpbtE_IE4EmcqVT8UM_AgCx9d2hCVow7_o2LTw0iQWzw0nwlQIbkhD2UBWtsoi_sX/s200/rory+pca.jpg" border="0" /></a>The lovely girl in the second photo is Rory, now almost 7 years old, officially known as Champion Cadbury's Evening Star. I got her and Spenser from the same breeder, thus accounting for their kennel names. Fran Fischer of Cadbury Standard Poodles, is best known for her brown standards, but Spenser and Rory, as you can see from their pictures are both black. Fran knew that I liked black dogs, so I was lucky enough to get these two from her. In this picture, Rory is being shown at the 2004 Poodle Club of America show. While I (and a friend) showed Spenser to his championship, Rory went to a handler to be shown. It took her significantly less time to finish than it did Spenser, no doubt because her handler knew what she was doing. Rory is a real pistol. Even as she moves into middle age now, I never know what to expect from her. My couch is in the middle of the living room, and Rory never walks around it in order to get onto it or off of it; she sails over the back of it as if it were the most normal thing in the world. </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Y0GlVoKRX0KOKdA5VqTpyQ4nh-QctB_vXHRkRTLL9vIghok2QiP8Q1ZSnsQ173K-Cnt1mq3s9SqkKXdYprNF0lPWyJ2SH9O6EJxVSqi3i7ejWgRFMEfi4d4sddE14dRxz3Sys_bdrXP1/s1600-h/100_1969.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272041737322551730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Y0GlVoKRX0KOKdA5VqTpyQ4nh-QctB_vXHRkRTLL9vIghok2QiP8Q1ZSnsQ173K-Cnt1mq3s9SqkKXdYprNF0lPWyJ2SH9O6EJxVSqi3i7ejWgRFMEfi4d4sddE14dRxz3Sys_bdrXP1/s200/100_1969.jpg" border="0" /></a>The little brown girl in this picture is Rory's daughter, Emmy. Her registered name is Cadbury's Terms of Endearment. Fran and I bred this litter together, and Emmy was the puppy that remained at home with me. I had high hopes that Emmy, too, would be shown and become a champion, but her temperament is not well suited to the show ring. She is a baby, in every sense of the word. It's hard to tell from the picture, but she is pretty small for a standard poodle. She doesn't like to go places, and she gets nervous if too many people look at her. At home, though, this little girl is a demon. I've lost count of the number of shoes that she has eaten. Yes, I said "eaten." I wish she just chewed on them. I might be able to salvage some of them if they just had teeth marks on them. She has finally trained me to put my shoes up--way up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kr6WDLmT8mg0XU1PqX6_NFIUl_H9wFucG5KLNjTSOWLKUr7xDcduqD8wVEDyEjMiJr0iakhmmEhUHgy-LmGYVAw8FXQpqhRYKZhUvS-DJun9HcaO46-KJ44ZUQNf8zi32bsnQRyV6XMq/s1600-h/100_2019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272041339571536482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kr6WDLmT8mg0XU1PqX6_NFIUl_H9wFucG5KLNjTSOWLKUr7xDcduqD8wVEDyEjMiJr0iakhmmEhUHgy-LmGYVAw8FXQpqhRYKZhUvS-DJun9HcaO46-KJ44ZUQNf8zi32bsnQRyV6XMq/s200/100_2019.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>The black boy in the last picture is Emmy's brother Ace, also known as Cadbury's Helpful Hardware Man. Ace and Emmy are 2 years old. Ace lived for a while with a friend of mine in Wisconsin, but for various reasons he came back home to me this past summer. He was a delight as a puppy, so I was happy to have him come home. What I didn't know was that he had grown up to as much of a terror as his sister. He likes shoes, too, but he likes cross stitch supplies even better. He seems to be particularly fond of overdyed floss and Silkweaver fabrics. I'm now trained to keep my cross stitch things put up--way up. I have had some nervous moments worrying about the things he's ingested, but so far--knock wood--there have been no complications as a result of his bizarre tastes.</div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-26517917671229626472008-11-21T21:29:00.000-08:002008-11-21T21:38:18.399-08:00It's Been a While . . .I haven't posted in quite a while, mostly because I've been so busy. The semester has gotten crazy with lots of papers and tests to be graded. Grading, to me, is the least favorite part of my job. I have a hard time forcing myself to sit down and start reading papers. Once I get started, I then have trouble stopping, even if it's getting late or I need to get moving in order to get somewhere. I'm glad that we have a short week next week. I can't decide if Friday will be a shopping day or a resting day. Guess it will depend on how much turkey I eat on Thursday!<br /><br />I took the dragon that I stitched for my nephew to the framer this afternoon. My sister went with me, and she helped me pick out a frame that my nephew would like. It's not the one that I would like if I were keeping the dragon; I would put a big, ornate frame on it. My sister reminded me, though, that my nephew is not very ostentatious and doesn't really like things that are loud and gaudy. So, we went for a more sedate frame and a much lower price than the one I had originally gotten. When I get it back, I'll post a picture here.<br /><br />I've been working on some cross stitched bookmarks for Christmas gifts for people at work. I hope to finish at least 4 of them in the next 3 weeks. My needle better get to smoking, though. I think I'm the world's slowest stitcher, especially when I've got a deadline in front of me. The bookmarks are easy, though. I found the patterns online after someone on the 123Stitch message board posted the ones she had done. They are simple, symmetrical designs, so they do stitch up fairly quickly.<br /><br />I'm off to bed right now. Even though tomorrow is Saturday, it's another early morning for me. I'm loading up the poodles and taking them to the grooming shop. Rory and Emmy are going to have haircuts, while Ace and Spenser get baths. Two weeks from now, the boys will be getting haircuts. It nearly kills the groomer--and my budget--to groom all four of them on the same day.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-13090675349428352212008-11-02T05:20:00.000-08:002008-11-02T10:08:41.991-08:00What a Week!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyzAUpqayxQs-sYwSHe-RTizbMYH4y9_cMb_zbKbVDeCb1C1MKrtuTFrjkp1Vohc6h076fjtHXuPPIcTJ9HKFTzJBCKb148VPSn4-4iS7A_ub8aJz_VJjO07BErru1cb0DKjYc55lLmnc/s1600-h/000_0009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264121037379111458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyzAUpqayxQs-sYwSHe-RTizbMYH4y9_cMb_zbKbVDeCb1C1MKrtuTFrjkp1Vohc6h076fjtHXuPPIcTJ9HKFTzJBCKb148VPSn4-4iS7A_ub8aJz_VJjO07BErru1cb0DKjYc55lLmnc/s200/000_0009.JPG" border="0" /></a>This past week has been a tough one for me. On Tuesday night, my best friend called me around 10:15 pm to tell me that her standard poodle, Capri, was sick. After talking with her, we both set off from our houses to meet at the emergency vet clinic. Capri had bloated, and her stomach had twisted. (The appropriate and technical term for what happened to Capri is gastric dilation and volvulus.) After dealing with one of the worst vets I have ever encountered, we made the very hard decision to have darling, beautiful, wonderful Capri put to sleep.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div></div><div>Desi (my friend) got Capri about nine months after I got Spenser. Spenser was born in April, and Capri was born in October of 1996. Desi and I became friends because of these two dogs. When I needed help grooming Spenser and showing him, she stepped in and helped me out in a big way. When Capri came along, we fell into a team rhythm with the two of them. I bathed and brushed and learned how to put topknots up; she groomed and handled. We had so much fun in those years of showing the kids, as we've always called them. We lost many more times than we ever won, but win or lose, we enjoyed going to the dog shows. Our lives have moved on now, as lives are wont to do, but we both look back fondly on those days. </div><br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwnn1mvx0wGGThO81n0BvVcLOpkyWAou7jXOETnmM0Wp2_3KkWDkELhnHm-hN3murrJqv_FnqPTh7SELR3i9kqqsDsqgmDwBBIxujm-8jY0Z8PTiGY0WsTT2lIKUDw_R6UnA5z3bA8Etp/s1600-h/100_0973.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264121583201219378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwnn1mvx0wGGThO81n0BvVcLOpkyWAou7jXOETnmM0Wp2_3KkWDkELhnHm-hN3murrJqv_FnqPTh7SELR3i9kqqsDsqgmDwBBIxujm-8jY0Z8PTiGY0WsTT2lIKUDw_R6UnA5z3bA8Etp/s200/100_0973.jpg" border="0" /></a>In 2006, my last litter of puppies was born. Capri was utterly captivated and fascinated by the puppies, and my girl Rory (the mother of the puppies) seemed to be pretty content to let Capri observe the puppies and sometimes even climb in the whelping box and hang out with the puppies. In this picture, Capri was lying on the couch, and we put one of the puppies up on the couch with her so that she could snuggle with it and love on it. She never had puppies of her own, but she loved those little guys of mine as well as any aunt anywhere. When they got older and got too rowdy, she would look at them as if to say, "Whew! I'm glad I don't have to take 'em home with me."</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsO8IDli4orSZsN3rnjHWVMcO1SIO9npF4Z3S0PrLTnqBkJyDVA8Uk5Jx3LW_eOwC7h6pAbGTd82C8knBZh0MaXQjlo_-haC1Sp-s6BvFYA6DGU8lqpuMtqjc9aCIAwgzY1YPGEgezsX3q/s1600-h/100_2023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264122395868968226" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsO8IDli4orSZsN3rnjHWVMcO1SIO9npF4Z3S0PrLTnqBkJyDVA8Uk5Jx3LW_eOwC7h6pAbGTd82C8knBZh0MaXQjlo_-haC1Sp-s6BvFYA6DGU8lqpuMtqjc9aCIAwgzY1YPGEgezsX3q/s200/100_2023.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div>On a brighter note, I got some stitching done this week. On Friday night, I finished one of the Mill Hill ornaments I just bought. I always think these are fun stitches. I like the beads! I use little things like this as stocking stuffers for friends. Today, I'm going to start stitching on Emma's Garden. It won't be finished in time for Christmas, but I do want to get it going. And with that said, I think it's time to head into the living room, find something totally without merit on television and start stitching!</div></div></div></div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-17738822452809682562008-10-23T14:46:00.000-07:002008-10-23T15:09:50.207-07:00Almost Friday!<div><div>Another week is almost over--thank goodness! I remember as a child thinking that each week seemed interminable. Now, as a middle-aged adult, it seems like Monday morning starts a roller coaster ride. </div><div></div><br /><div>Still working through things I've finished and looking at them, and I thought I'd pos<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3phXgttQqLwis3ZLKhEpkziVpLuWcBhNfsh9z0wCUxrupZVuDngEu6mviAz-_mXyf2AycKdqKy1Rc0kqfBwtALNVqVXufYSa33L7HEKeP8w5_j7t2IrQC_EtloTVsd7XxnMOZf4bf9tf/s1600-h/100_2004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260472645650849266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3phXgttQqLwis3ZLKhEpkziVpLuWcBhNfsh9z0wCUxrupZVuDngEu6mviAz-_mXyf2AycKdqKy1Rc0kqfBwtALNVqVXufYSa33L7HEKeP8w5_j7t2IrQC_EtloTVsd7XxnMOZf4bf9tf/s200/100_2004.jpg" border="0" /></a>t a few more. As usual, I'm not sure who the designer is for the piece; it's probably Heart in Hand or Bent Creek, but I wouldn't want to swear to that. I probably also originally stitched this for my sister. She's got two yellow cats--One Ton and Two Tone. The cat on this piece reminds me of Two. The girls got those rather bizarre names as kittens. My brother-in-law found one kitten in the yard and brought it in to my sister. While she was getting things ready for a teeny kitten (had her eyes open, but wasn't really ready to be away from her mother), he appeared with another one and said, "Well, here's number two." For some reason, One and Two stuck as their names, and as they grew older (and One got chubbier), they became One Ton and Two Tone (she's yellow and white).</div><br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDgGngx_gb5P_usz1FhugVa-4Uzu2zaTHLqCi0mQ3u0ynNmgyzz-mS5CrSHZ4NPTzmE5iVQoYXc9-G_4iB-pUFhYDdd2ZebOPk0eVvj57uvpweVZgRrst-Wylh01lRlmAXdlPgHzQAnzw/s1600-h/100_2005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260474020258383010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDgGngx_gb5P_usz1FhugVa-4Uzu2zaTHLqCi0mQ3u0ynNmgyzz-mS5CrSHZ4NPTzmE5iVQoYXc9-G_4iB-pUFhYDdd2ZebOPk0eVvj57uvpweVZgRrst-Wylh01lRlmAXdlPgHzQAnzw/s200/100_2005.jpg" border="0" /></a>This one is a Bent Creek design that will one day be framed and hang in my office at school. I like the school books and the cat sitting on them, but I'm still a little creeped out by the glasses that make the cat look like an owl. I guess I'll get used to it! It was a fun and easy stitch, as I recall. I think I stitch more for the therapeautic value than for anything else these days. My job seems to be becoming more and more high stress, so when I come home in the evening, I want to sit down and unwind. For some reason, counting squares and making stitches makes me happy.</div><div> </div><div> </div></div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-57800614440696847262008-10-17T14:58:00.000-07:002008-10-17T16:08:57.738-07:00TGIF!I'm so glad to see the end of another week! My big plans for the night include going through my stash and kitting up some projects. Of course, in doing that, I will discover that I need this color of floss for one project and a piece of fabric for another. Guess that means I'll have to make an order from my favorite online shop--123Stitch. Oh, dear. LOL!<br /><br />I just ordered Emma's Garden (Lavender and Lace). We've got a good friend whose granddaughter is named Emma. Their family lost everything in the flooding from Hurricane Ike's storm surge. I'm going to stitch the piece for her as quickly as I can so that when they either move into their rebuilt home or a new one, she will have something to help decorate the place.<br /><br />I am anxious to get my stash out and go through it. I packed it all up a month ago in preparation for Hurricane Ike, and it's still in Rubbermaid containers. I think it's safe to unpack it now. At least until next year. <br /><br />Hurricane Ike, like Hurricane Rita, has been a defining moment in the life of my community. We suffered so much damage in this little corner of Southeast Texas, and much of the time, we feel like the rest of the world not only has ignored us, but never heard of us to begin with. It's a bad feeling for all of us, both those who lost everything they owned due to the flooding and those of us who were so fortunate and didn't lose anything. While my house may not have been damaged, my town was, and it makes me heartsick to think of it. <br /><br />Ah, on to something cheerier. My dogs are being groomed tomorrow--I hope. My groomer, who is also one of my best friends, slipped and hurt herself earlier this week, so I hope she's able to get the kids done out, as we say. They haven't been groomed in almost three months, so it will be a big job to get all four of them done. After they are groomed, I will try to get some pictures of them to post here. After all, all of us proud moms like to brag on our children.gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-55979728795232328112008-10-14T18:38:00.001-07:002008-10-14T18:52:31.363-07:00The Butterfly is Finished!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWbbv6gf_9mktiF67DK-KGTjgytLAtXhMb4NgH6uojLtTluqu9VYMBcFrGFJ9GJQXCGR2MQwie5Kx3hAvYvzNE-O8yUSlR9ywpwvEsXwWdLyTfUIUufUwr3r1f7Ww6btlt7ewrnT1fjs3/s1600-h/100_2006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257190528200299906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWbbv6gf_9mktiF67DK-KGTjgytLAtXhMb4NgH6uojLtTluqu9VYMBcFrGFJ9GJQXCGR2MQwie5Kx3hAvYvzNE-O8yUSlR9ywpwvEsXwWdLyTfUIUufUwr3r1f7Ww6btlt7ewrnT1fjs3/s200/100_2006.jpg" border="0" /></a> One down, and how many more to go? I finished <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MNcw5yK6dqGYHq5_HLJpJt3JRmCw8i-PuoyZqUdStwDtflqZ78v365DZC5Dk6Lv_L3_4KMILUlBsWDEb_DE3uFwsw9yAFbpayqfq4kmjKsgAYdIMK0GWafl6JZY0G8DJv7_esHas_Hr6/s1600-h/100_2007.jpg"></a>the first of the butterflies on Flower Power. Stitching over 1 nearly made me crazy. I wear magnifying glasses (those cheap little cheaters you can buy at the Dollar Store or Joann's Fabrics), but even with the help, I still had trouble seeing what I was doing. I think I did most of it by feel. I'm not looking forward to the rest of those little suckers.<br /><br /><div>In other Flower Power news, I'm trying to finish up the leaves and stems that go with the coneflowers so that I can move on to the next group of flowers. I'm aggravated with myself because I'm one stitch off, and no matter how many times I think I've corrected for it, it keeps coming back to kick me in the head. I think I miscounted on the second flower, and there is no way I'm frogging all of that work. I'll just have to keep correcting and hope I don't end up way off somewhere. </div><div> </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozeAkjh8Bk5cm6gOiMWcb8qTh7TZAGzMPmLLjfhczk-qEkmLVJWQJ2AryWkUzV0-YUulVYrUo2E-fZMWsiHLTlVdqYxAuMyZCq27H2-BfrCWG_Lqceo63qZrhj7GQw7XXJFtWHZvqdDTN/s1600-h/100_2007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257190760493149330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="139" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozeAkjh8Bk5cm6gOiMWcb8qTh7TZAGzMPmLLjfhczk-qEkmLVJWQJ2AryWkUzV0-YUulVYrUo2E-fZMWsiHLTlVdqYxAuMyZCq27H2-BfrCWG_Lqceo63qZrhj7GQw7XXJFtWHZvqdDTN/s200/100_2007.jpg" width="121" border="0" /></a></div><div>Here's a close-up of the butterfly. I can spot all sorts of things I did wrong on it, but I'm hopeful that when all is said and done, that it won't look too bad. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /> </div><div> </div><div>I'm off to catch the very end of <em>Dancing With the Stars</em>. For some reason, it's imperative that I know who has been sent home this week. My hope is that it's Cloris Leachman, but I think she'll be there for another week or two.</div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-46992057088618352402008-10-13T16:33:00.000-07:002008-10-13T16:55:16.202-07:00Ms. Margaux Hemingway<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFHid01O6K5MlqKweB7nTFLTkdjgTL1f30iwewqHbaMhMubwG6VtpUh6jUhfqq0-6sZAv1k1-cbyjnkxO4GLS-5V2Ss6yEiVzvmBwKAvNkmWF7S-BNOhW9YtBN2lRodXkZo9CsUhYReCS/s1600-h/100_1983.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256788873216785650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFHid01O6K5MlqKweB7nTFLTkdjgTL1f30iwewqHbaMhMubwG6VtpUh6jUhfqq0-6sZAv1k1-cbyjnkxO4GLS-5V2Ss6yEiVzvmBwKAvNkmWF7S-BNOhW9YtBN2lRodXkZo9CsUhYReCS/s200/100_1983.jpg" border="0" /></a> I didn't get as much stitching done over the weekend as I would have liked to, but I did get some housework done. Clean floors and clean clothes went a long way toward making Monday morning more bearable. Tonight, while I watch <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> I will be working on that dadgum butterfly. Maybe I will triumph tonight and finish it. <div></div><br /><div>I was watching the dogs and cat a few minutes ago, and I got to thinking about what an odd cat my Margaux is. I got her in 2005, just a month or so after Hurricane Rita had hit my home town. She and her sister, who also came to live with me, had weathered the storm outdoors, and after the storm, someone captured them and dropped them on my veterinarian's doorstep. Originally, Ellie (the sister) went home with a vet tech, but after she was disruptive in that household, she came to live with me, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I took Margaux and Ellie in, I already had four cats. Yep, that's right--four other cats. The three older cats didn't last long after Rita. It seems that the stress of storms is often too much for old people and old pets to bear. That left me with Frankie, Margaux, and Ellie. </div><div></div><br /><div>Now, I know that many people won't agree with my actions, but I do let my cats go outdoors. I live in a very quiet neighborhood, well away from a busy street, so the cats can wander around my house and a few neighbors' homes. Ellie went missing first, and Frankie followed her a few months later. I think that both of them moved in with neighbors. I thought that Margaux would probably get tired of life in the "poodle house" and join the others. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2KGBtp08dltcWPNPn0fJiGab7AOkFkVKyDzfMgTrxtiNcNgD90WKTve1vHdEbMC3P0ITToivfSKRzx3c1Eq3q9QmlfHjtqjupYZ-sZLWo7JRHBxpZ5BgckMsje34iMPOJrZLXFnToh5v/s1600-h/100_1835.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256789729454141266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2KGBtp08dltcWPNPn0fJiGab7AOkFkVKyDzfMgTrxtiNcNgD90WKTve1vHdEbMC3P0ITToivfSKRzx3c1Eq3q9QmlfHjtqjupYZ-sZLWo7JRHBxpZ5BgckMsje34iMPOJrZLXFnToh5v/s200/100_1835.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Well, apparently Margaux is enjoying being the queen of the household and the ruler of the poodles. As I watched them today, I was struck by how happy she looked as each one of the dogs stuck his or her nose in her face and gave her a good sniff. She particularly likes to cuddle up at night with Rory, my six-year-old female. The two of them bathe each other before finally falling asleep. </div><div></div>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-85023616415190225462008-10-11T13:52:00.000-07:002008-10-11T14:17:26.343-07:00What to do on a Saturday Afternoon?<span style="font-family:arial;">I've been sitting around the house all day today, telling myself that I should either stitch or do housework. So far all I've done is watch reruns of <em>The Rachel Zoe Project. </em>I think I'm about to get motivated enough to start stitching. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zQ7cdiaM827ARBicMB6vVYulvrnXyeA9wDycosB2bJ45aNQOg8QAl-5mVUSSxEJDpNkZiFwmEJDf29GdNDvvnBYk3v1cAwanrdpbdWhUymzixWInyNUz_ofL_dEwSLJA5Sasd90C70wt/s1600-h/100_0230.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256003550091793954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zQ7cdiaM827ARBicMB6vVYulvrnXyeA9wDycosB2bJ45aNQOg8QAl-5mVUSSxEJDpNkZiFwmEJDf29GdNDvvnBYk3v1cAwanrdpbdWhUymzixWInyNUz_ofL_dEwSLJA5Sasd90C70wt/s200/100_0230.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">I thought that I'd post some pictures of other cross stitch projects I've completed. This dragon was done for my nephew, but it's never been framed. When I took it to the framer's for an estimate, I nearly fainted. So, it's still sitting in my pile of finished projects until I feel flush enough to get it framed properly. I wish I could remember the designer for it; I know it's not the Theresa Wentzler dragon. I bought that design, looked at the pattern and floss list, and said, "No way!" This dragon took me long enough to complete. I'd be working on the TW design until I died!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">The cats and dogs design is one I stitched while my mother was h</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-fkXiLbkN3BnrRs46bj0G5ivLq5qobMpJYT-SVKpTGfwvhOU3MeCwccToEdwsdMrVr0Avo49X_5AXp5O6_L8t1YftsER8Ih172n9Ny8UPC9XLd6c4lKMG1o-k_qolCNo0LCjfrAF17CA/s1600-h/100_0231.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256007380287900626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-fkXiLbkN3BnrRs46bj0G5ivLq5qobMpJYT-SVKpTGfwvhOU3MeCwccToEdwsdMrVr0Avo49X_5AXp5O6_L8t1YftsER8Ih172n9Ny8UPC9XLd6c4lKMG1o-k_qolCNo0LCjfrAF17CA/s200/100_0231.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">aving chemotherapy and radiation treatments for lung cancer. The waiting area had a whole wall of windows, and I could stitch a little bit every day while she had radiation treatment. On the days she had chemo, I got to put in quite some time stitching. It wasn't the most pleasant of places to stitch, but it helped me pass the time. Mom recovered from lung cancer, and lived for a couple more years before other issues caught up to her. Every time I look at this piece, though, I remember the comments I got from others in the waiting area, particularly an elderly male patient. He would come check my progress every day and tell me that I needed to stitch faster. He wanted to make sure I finished it before he finished treatment so he could see what it looked like. The piece is stitched on a piece of 10 count material with Caron Wildflowers (or maybe it's the other thicker thread). Some day I will have this finished into a pillow. For now, it's safely tucked away.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The reason much of my "stuff" is tucked away is because of my four-l</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUNJfQKz78Vlrw20Pn37lZF1PwnnqrXJx5zLxlKJ2QuFaP1qSq8hWax-z_lgf5x47wca8FpjNHn2FWf2rsathFpMEvRuRF3Qgyl2FzRXFHVgQhtVLRgOjUwhCKINpmoTifNKVP7dOSq1G/s1600-h/100_1971.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256006320403884418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUNJfQKz78Vlrw20Pn37lZF1PwnnqrXJx5zLxlKJ2QuFaP1qSq8hWax-z_lgf5x47wca8FpjNHn2FWf2rsathFpMEvRuRF3Qgyl2FzRXFHVgQhtVLRgOjUwhCKINpmoTifNKVP7dOSq1G/s200/100_1971.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">egged children. I have four standard poodles and one cat, and they are rough on everything! They don't always intend to be, but I really wouldn't want them to have much contact with this piece once it's made into a pillow. And, since the house is maintained for their comfort, I'm sure that one or the other of them would want to put his/her head on it. My oldest guy, Spenser, is in the picture on the right. He's 12 years old, and he is the absolute apple of my eye. Maybe someday I'll blog a little bit about his show career.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4202712308699878741.post-46571302624226073482008-10-09T19:16:00.000-07:002008-10-09T19:26:48.193-07:00Now I've Done It!I've finally created my own blog. I don't know that I have that much to blog about, but I wanted somewhere to share the things I love the most: mystery novels, counted cross stitch, and poodles.<br /><br />The big thing on my mind right now is cross stitch. More particularly, a piece that is kicking my behind right now: Flower Power by Crossed Wing Collection. I've been working on it for about six weeks, and I felt like I was making pretty good progress. I've finished the coneflowers, even though I miscounted on one and had to make some adjustments to the pattern as I went along. I'm almost through with the leaves and stems that go with the coneflowers.<br /><br />Then I started the first butterfly. Instead of stitching over 2, I'm doing it over 1. Let me tell you, my eyes are too old for over 1, even with magnifying glasses. I'm about two-thirds of the way through with it, and I'm not super pleased with it. Up close, I think it looks kind of lumpy; from a distance, it seems to be okay, though. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcS6fFenUwkEjK1q1kUwMargCRC4j0Any9IU54TfqvHrPHM6KylbEe0ZWXAsXDcGhLhfzbSJH3gD-a6l7UvreIktkN6gZ8Z3J9__yqgiAQN3VSdKkTFPfqVAPCOQh1fJI4mav3pJS6rx8/s1600-h/100_2001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255345110704575026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="257" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcS6fFenUwkEjK1q1kUwMargCRC4j0Any9IU54TfqvHrPHM6KylbEe0ZWXAsXDcGhLhfzbSJH3gD-a6l7UvreIktkN6gZ8Z3J9__yqgiAQN3VSdKkTFPfqVAPCOQh1fJI4mav3pJS6rx8/s320/100_2001.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When I finish the butterfly, I'll post a new picture of it, but for now, here's the last picture I took of my progress.<br /><br /><br />It's easy to tell I'm new at the blogging thing. I'm not sure about how the picture is going to turn out! Oh, well.<br /><br />Back to the butterfly!gwynethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04001697443362330165noreply@blogger.com3