I Been Thinking

Years ago someone gave my husband a little plaque which said "Sometimes I sit and think and sometimes I just sit".

Well, I been doing a lot of sitting and thinking recently and this is what I've decided. I have only one stitching obligation left to do and that is a Christmas ornament for a stitching buddy in England. The JCS ornament issue this year is one of my favorite so far and I would like to stitch a bunch of them. So, when I clear the area to do Leah's ornie, I think I'll just finish out the year stitching ornies. I still have some LHN's to do, but I think I can get quite a few done.

Anyway, that's what I'm thinking today.

Here is a picture of the Halloween Revelry pillow I did for sweet friend Julie Buck of In The Company of Friends. She's a designer herself so that was a little intimidating, but she's also a beautiful soul so I knew she'd like whatever I did for her. This is taken from The Primitive Needle's sampler and stitched on PTP heritage. "Juliebee" as we call her in our yahoo stitching buddies group likes witchies.

And here is my little finish for the week. I can take credit for the mistakes but not for the beautiful colors; it's Shepherd's Bush My Pins kit.

Thank you for your comments and hopefully, I will get better at having something for you to comment on :) It's been a strange year both personally and on the stitching front. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Hugs,

Babs

Something to celebrate, a day trip & and a finish!

Well, I forgot to add my finish for the week.
It's called Be Still and Know by My Big Toe.
A favorite verse of mine and got me
through some rough patches this year.
This blog post has been started,
deleted, restarted, drafted, and it's gonna'
go right now just like it is. Phew!





Grampa and Luke returning from their trip to Russell Cave. I'm taking the picture cause I

couldn't make the walk, but that' s ok...they're buddies :)

Tuesday the 5th was a good good day. No more chemo! No more blood tests! Well, not until

Dec. 13 for a pet scan, the 15th for colonoscopy and the 21st for consult. But that seems a life time away.

He shooked the doctor's hand and hugged all his nurses before he left the cancer center, but his favorite person, Hezekiah, wasn't there for him to say good bye. They sat in those recliners and got to know each other so well. I wonder, do people stay in touch? Herman will be off to Pennsylvania the day after his birthday which is Oct. 17th.

I hope he doesn't check in on my blog cause on the 16th my youngest daughter who is a photographer is trying to get this whole family together for a family picture out in the back yard. He thinks it's just for the picture, but they will have cake and all the fixings for his birthday. One will be absent for sure, our granddaughter in the navy, but Karen will phtoshop her in I'm thinking.

Our day trip to Chattanooga Choo Choo model trains and to Bridgeport, AL's Russell Cave with our grandson Luke was a fun fun day! There was one condition to him going with us....we had to be home by 7PM for the Alabama/Florida game...we walked in the door at his house at 6:55. He is a die-hard Crimson Tide fan and he just turned 9 last Wednesday the 6th...the Tide won so made for him a perfect day.

I call this pic on the left "watching the wheels turn". Luke loved working all the levers on this engine at Chattanooga Choo Choo. He told me if I looked close I could see the wheels turn.

On the right he's standing in front of one of the "coolest" displays at Russel Cave museum.

This is Luke and me showing off the fountain behind us...they just wanted me to be in at least one of the pictures :) I really am there.
And this last picture is my personal favorite....do you see Luke in the upper corner? It's just a reflection of him as I took the blurred picture of one of the model train sets. My heart skipped a beat when I caught sight of his image.

Happy Stitching!
Babs

Friday finishes and other things

It's been a while, and looking back I'm not sure why I haven't checked in sooner.

Maybe it's because chemo was winding down and my heart and mind was on getting through it without any surprises.

God willing, he's had his last treatment; will go for bloodwork and consult with Dr. Becdash on the 5th and then make plans for returning to work. He came home from Philly, ya'll, on February 17th and he's been here since. He's feeling ok, but he's so run down...his appetite seems to have come back, though. He's proud to show me he cleaned his plate for the last few evening meals...it's been a struggle getting him to eat.

Not much stitching since my last post except for the halloween exchange piece I work on a little bit every chance I get. Can't show that cause it's a surprise and I know she will check my blog when I post :)

But I can show some of the recent finishing on some not so recent pieces.

This is my oldest piece; it's Northanger Abbey by The Sampler Girl I stitched back in 2004, but just made it into pillow this week.

Next comes Say Grace also by The Sampler Girl; it's not quite as old but done in 2009 . I loved this piece the minute I saw it.

Then there is Land That I Love I already shared with you, but now a part of my patriotic scene. Wow! one stitched and finished in the same year :)

Last and least, but not my least favorite for sure is Blackbird Designs which I finished right after I showed you the WIP of it, but too lazy to post.
Oh yes, the little sheepie piece was stitched by dd Tami and was supposed to be pin cushion but decided to frame it. I love all things sheep!

I've read a few books, (listed on the right) but the biggest surprise of September was my Kindle! Baby brother Ed and his wife Twila bought me a kindle just because...the best kind of gift, huh? Everyone is always calling and asking about Herman, but then one day Ed called and said he wanted to know how his sis was doing. Before we'd hung up the phone (he lives in Kansas), he had ordered the kindle and the cover. He called this week and asked if I'd figured out how to use it yet. I told him Sure! you just order a book and read, right? I LOVE it!

Tomorrow, Herman and I are going to try something we haven't done in awhile. We are going to drive to Chattanooga, TN to see the model train display at the Hilton. In case I haven't mentioned before, Herman is a model train (HO & N scale) enthusiast and Luke has come a lot to "play" with him during all this chemo stuff. He will be nine years old this week. Last picture, of course, is Luke, the only grandson that carries his grampa's last name. He tells people that's why his grampa loves him so much.

That's about it for this afternoon. Maybe I'll have some pics of the day trip tomorrow.

BIG thanks and hugs to all of you who have prayed us through these months. It means a lot to me. Just in case ya'll don't know....DJ's (you know, Tickled Pink) birthday is the 18th of this month a day after my hubby's. She'll be one of those "landmark" ages, but she thanks God for everyone of those days and years and gives Him the glory for walking alongside her and even carrying her through this year of surgeries and chemo, setbacks, struggles, tears and laughter...always laughter with DJ. She has been an inspiration for me dropping in via snail mail or email just when I need it the most.

I know she's been an inspiration to many of you and now is a really good time to let her know :)

Love,

Babs