A late Merry Christmas..

Our Christmas is always very quiet, since it's just us and the kids (cats).  But this year we get a bonus since Paul's brother is living with us.  The good news on his front is he finally got a job, so that's good.   The idea didn't seem to catch on real quick around here, since I was sick the beginning of December, but slowly but surely I got things together for Christmas..

Such as the tree, which is a new little one (the other one the lights finally went).

Lucy with the new tree

All ready for Christmas

 Also had to finish those Christmas cards, with some help...

from Lucy

Finally I got some stitching time in on my "Happy Christmas"...

The two in the back are watching the birds and squirrels, during the rain we are getting here in Virginia.

In the been time I have put the my Jan Houtman 9-11, on the big frame in the living room, so I can working on that as well when I'm downstairs.

If I don't get back to posting I wishing everyone a Happy New Year.  Thank you for stopping by. Your comments mean so much..

Merry Christmas to me...

My K's Creations Floor Stand arrived and is up.  Thanks to help of my BIL, he's so talented.  I thought I was doing it right, but got stuck.  So we took it all apart and he started over.. so here it is.

As you can see it fits great with my work chair.  The piece I have up is Maxwell's (grandson)birth sampler.  I want to get it finished and framed, so I can enter it in Woodlawn this year.  So I will work on that downstairs and Happy Christmas upstairs.  I'm so thrilled.

We also did some shopping down in Fredericksburg today at Barnes and Noble, but other than some wrapping and getting some gift cards together I'm pretty much done for our small little family.

Thank you for stopping by. Your comments mean so much..

Christmas is coming...

Been away again, this time it was bronchial pneumonia... I don't know where the heck it came from but boy did it hit me in my... well let's just say I was down but not out.  I didn't do much stitching, but I'm finally back to it.  Here's Happy Christmas set up in the baby Lap Frame...

40 ct Luna Lakeside Linen, with Gumnuts silk threads

I so wanted to have this done for Christmas, but alas no.  I'm almost there, but no cigar.  But I will keep marching on. 

Now rumor has it that Santa is bringing me a K's Creations Floor Frame.  I wanted a K's so I could switch out scroll bar frames between each frame so I could work either upstairs or down.  I find it so much easier and faster to work in a frame, also a little cleaner since my felines always surround me.

We also have another sick kittie, my senior "Nellie" she is 18, is now Hyperthyroid.  So we have put her on tapazole.  Her she is enjoying the sun...

 An now for the sad things in the world we live, the news of what happened in Newton, Conn has darkened our days and lowered our spirits, but we our a strong nation and we will lift up our hearts and pray and we will stand tall with those of Newton.

Thank you for stopping by. Your comments mean so much..

Happy Christmas and Max...

Well over two finally won out, I have been working again on Happy Christmas, Im about 1/3 done, so lets just move on.  I have enjoyed stitching away and reading on my new little toy.  Yes, I broke down and bought a Kindle HD, for the trip to St Augustine.  So here's my new little toy..

This was my second Kindle HD, I ordered one from Amazon, and guess what it would not charge... so I sent it back.  Then my husband took me to Staples and we bought one direct, well it worked and I was pleased.  I was even more pleased when I was able to transfer my audible account with the books I have downloaded that are sitting in my library there.  I also have downloaded a kindle book, which is the one I'm listening to now titled " The Grand Old Party".  They offer whispernet (words to voice) now on most of their books, so you can either read them (like I did on the plane and elsewhere) or listen while stitching.  This was the final selling point. 

Now the one thing I'm not really pleased with is the fact that I can't get YouTube Videos.   Sometimes I do like to listen music.  Doesn't everyone?

So here it is...

Gumnuts Silks on 40ct Vintage Luna Linen

The other news is Max is out of the crate now, he made it through the week and he is doing so well.  He is still on his antibiotic (which he hates).  He still will not jump up on high things.  He stays in my chair, most of the time, he doesn't even do the stairs much.

He still wants to show you his incision

 So guess who like's the crate..

Annie, the Mama, she is Max's is mom.  She did sit next to cage when he was in there.  Now she is not that motherly, I think she sort of turned them over to me, but sometimes she acts like she likes them..

Alot's been going on...

Gosh, its been way over two months since I last posted.. I knew it was a long time but I had no idea it was that long.  So let me briefly updated on what has been going on.

We have had very sick cat, named Max.  I have mentioned him before.  He has megacolon due to chronic constipation.  As I had mentioned before in earlier posts, we had him on propulsid, and fluids to keep things moving.  Well he had a flare in August and the end of September.  With each of these came a run to the Emergency room, enemas, fluids and painful things being done to Max of a personal nature.  We knew in our hearts that we would have to go ahead with the surgery, however we due to leave for Florida.

On October 3, we left for Florida, St Augustine to be exact. Our son lives in St Augustine, along with one grandchild and the other grandchild is in Tampa (he's divorced).  A Tampa visit was out of the question this time, but we were hoping that Stephanie would allow us to see Gabriel.  But no, she is her usual self.  We can't stir up anything now, till her and Dan officially get divorced and sell the house, once that is done then and things remain the same, then we will see a lawyer about grandparents rights.

We did have a wonderful visit for 4 days and see my cousins, and my nieces new baby.  Here's a look

The South Wind Inn (where we stayed)

The Ponce de Leon - now Flagler College

We got around an saw alot of other places, like Fort Matanzas, Nombres de Dios, and the Lightner Museum which was the Alcazar Hotel.  We met up with family and did some shopping and eating at along St George Street.

Here's my niece, her baby Oliver, my husband and son Dan

Niece Jo and Olver, with my cousin James, Jo's husband Francisco and James's wife Jen.

 

I have been doing some stitching, I started redoing Happy Christmas over one. I will post in a few days.

 

Moving along... slowly

Progressing slowly on Happy Christmas..

For a sampler that is so small it seems to be taking forever....Well football season is starting.  Tonight is the first preseason game with the Bills

In the meantime, I enjoyed Claude Rains day on Sunday when they showed all three of the "Four" movies in order.  It was great.  Love the Lane Sisters and the added sister Gale Page.  Actually my husband has a secret yen for Priscilla.

Tomorrow, the 10th will Lionel Barrymore day,
Saturday, James Mason, YES!

If your not familiar with TCM or what I'm talking about as far as stars with days.  Its August, which means its Summer Under the Stars, every day a new star shines... its great.  Now granted there are some days I'm not thrilled with the star, such as today which was T Mfume, star of Seven Samuri, so today was all Japanese Movies.  Now my FIL (if he was living would of loved it) since he spoke fluent japanese, but not me.

Today, I will leave you with Max, he is such a happy boy, he feels really good.  He runs around and just is such a happy boy... still on meds and fluids every other day...

Lazy days...

Its been a lazy time since we recovered from the heat wave that over took DC the end June through the 6th of July.  Somehow I don't seem to of recovered, I have been running in 3rd gear ever since, but I'm slowly coming around.

As you can see I have been working again on "Happy Christmas"...

I also ordered the threads for "Mary Wigham" which I will also do with Gumnuts silks.  I don't plan on starting it until I finish "Happy Christmas" and get a little further on Houtman's 9-11.

The news has been sad again, so its time to say farewell to "Celeste Holm" and "Ernest Borgnine" He passing was such a surprise.

Celeste Holm, who passed away on July 15th.   I have two favorite films, which are probably everyone else's, "Gentleman's Agreement" and " All about Eve".  She was a driving force with others to help start my favorite channel TCM, she also a fellow Norwegian. Here's the tribute from TCM

Ernest Borgnine, who passes away on July 8th.  I really have only one film that I liked him in "Marty" and "Bad Day at Black Rock".  But we all remember for him for "McHale's Navy", which was my father's favorite show, being a CPO in the Navy and stationed in the Pacific  He also was a friend of TCM.  Here is TCM's Tribute

Tomorrow, July 18th starting at 8pm will be TCM's tribute to Andy Griffith.  I have to admit I didn't really enjoy many of his film appearances, except "Face in the Crowd" but I feel it does poke some fun at the south (put I might be taking things to personally)  I love it when, line by Walter Matthau, about having the vermouth blow a kiss, when making the Martini.  Hope you'all tune in.

TCM will also remember Ernest Borgnine, on July 26, no date has been announced for Celeste Holm.
On another note, the star of the month is "Leslie Howard"one of my favorites, and great company while you stitch.

An last but not least, Richard D. Zanuck, the man who had the insight to change way we seen movies.  He brought us "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Jaws".  

I will leave you now with Max getting fluids, this cat has to be the sweetest boy, he never moves and never complains, he is such a trooper.. such a joy.

Happy 4th!

Happy Birthday America! The DC area is slowly but surely coming back from the "Derecho" we were hit with last Friday night.   Some people are still without power.  We lost power Friday night and it came back 36 hours later.  It was tough, by Saturday night my heart was beginning to feel it.  The temps were in the high 90's with the heat index at 104.  But thank goodness Sunday at 11am we got it back, unfortunately we lost everything in our fridge and freezer.  My biggest concern was Max's med, that has been compounded and needs to be refridgerated, but we kept it packed on ice. 

We have a big silver maple in the front which lost 2 branches, one landed on my husbands truck and the other part on our porch.  We lost a tree in back but no other damage.  But the neighborhood had some serious damage.  The wind during this storm were intense, we felt and heard the branches hitting the house.  We never had anything like that even when we went through hurricane Isabel. At least the village had power and AIR so we went out to eat and ran some errands.  This kind of storm is not typical for the area, and I hope they are right because I don't want to go through this again, for awhile.  We keep saying this every time we have to sit without power, but we are going to get a GENERATOR.  We lost one cat to the basement, but I finally got her out on Monday, and now when they hear a little thunder they scatter...We have had a few little thundershowers and rain since last Friday, like right now, but not with the wind intensity.

I have gotten some stitching done...

I made a small error on the right hand side of the cross, and while frogging cut a piece of the fabric, but I weaved it and I think it came out okay.. well I'm pleased, that's the down part of stitching over one, when you have to frog its tough. 

I hope everyone had a lovely 4th, we had a quiet one.. and stayed in the cool house. Watching "The Revolution" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy".  Its still hot here, temps are in the upper 90's to 100. It's suppose to hit 107 this Saturday, but next week it will be in the high 80's.  But its July in DC.

I leave you now with Edward who helps me while I stitch... and

Farewell to Andy Griffith, a true boy of the South... watching Andy of Mayberry was like going home for me.. Not to mention his friend was that Good Ol' boy "Don Knotts" from my own Morgantown, WVA..

Some Stitching and things

Well here it is, my progress since a week or so ago....

Some how it doesn't seem like much, I have been a little busy with a very sick boy.  Max the larger of the triplets, became intestinally blocked again.  It has been a year, since this happened but not as severe.  We took off dry (well all of them are off of dry and on wet) However, we weren't as good as we thought we still gave them treats, which are dry, but small little quantities.  Well they are now all off "treats" and it hasn't gone down well. 

My vet came last Tuesday, and tried with a SS enema to unblock it, but no luck and he was still growling.  Agression is not in Max's DNA, he is the sweetest boy.  So we knew something was very wrong.   She tried accupuncture to relax his colon, (she actually was so shocked that she was able to put needles so near his rectum with out a flinch (I told her, he was good).  Well nothing.  So she took him to her house, she has a surgery room, with cages (but she is strictly a Home Vet). She gave him fluids on fluids and a med called cisapride and Miralax (which humans take).  Finally on Wednesday nite, I gave her permission to sedate him and go up there manually.  She got alot out.  Thursday we took him home, and he is still on the same routine.  Cisapride, Miralax and fluids (he only gets fluids once a day) but the rest I rotate through three times a day.  We have seen him go twice.  He really doesn't eat that much, but he does eat.  An he's happier to be home with us, even with a shaved stomach and butt. His vet wants to stay on this for awhile.

So here's Max, shave tummy and all

It's turning hot here in Virginia,  it will be in the low 90's tomorrow through Friday.  So its good some good things are coming up on TCM.  Tomorrow is Errol Flynn's birthday, they have a good line up.

So how leave you with Errol...

Errol - Charge of Light Brigade'

And my favorite.. Robin Hood.... hope you take a look tomorrow..

Update on JH 9-11

Here is my update on JH 9-11 over one.  It seems to be moving along well.  We had nice holiday, DH got some things done around the house and I got some inside things done.  My BIL has been working and running his new boat down on the Potomac.

On the other hand I had a much needed doctors appt, on my migraines and other things.  So I have been referred back to the neurologist, its been over 10 years since I have seen him, and things have not been getting worse.  Today my BIL took me to have my CT Head Scan, then on the 7th we see the neurologist.  Well we will see if there is something in my head after all. 

We have had some really warm weather lately, but we should be getting some mild weather in the 70's over the weekend.   I need to fix the screen door and some other things, and of course some stitching.  Thought I would make it to  Woodlawn but its not looking very promising...

I will leave you with Sasha...

Something Different and Happy Memorial Day!

I have completely switched direction again, I don't why or what for, just decided a week a go out of the blue to try stitching Jan Houtman's 9-11 "over one". Now I have tried this sampler several times over one, and never went to far... don't know why just never did, which seems odd since I like stitching over one.  My first ever stitching was Needlepoint, which is "over one" so it seems natural to me. 

So here it is one page done..

Jan Houtman 9-11, Over One, 28ct White Cashel and HDF Silks

I want to wish all my friends, family and fellow bloggers a Happy Memorial Day!! being natives of the DC Metro area we know better than try to go anywhere.  However, I did get my doo done and we went to Walmart and did some other errands.  We also had planned on going to Woodlawn to see the Needlework Show.  If your not familiar you can check it out on the here.   I really want to see a fellow stitcher's work, by the name John K, who is in the DC area and does outstanding work.  If we don't get there tomorrow, we will go next weekend, for sure.

Memorial Day seems to be all around me for some reason this year.  I have been in contact with Arlington National Cemetery to get my parents stone repaired and changed.  I approached them on the fact that since my father had been a survivor of Pearl Harbor, could that be put on his side of the stone. (my mother died last and her info is on the back). So I have dug out my Dad's Military Records and have located the info that proves he was on the USS Medusa at the time of the attack.  The USS Medusa is Repair Ship moored next to the USS Utah.  The Medusa was hit by torpedo below and from the air.  I am waiting for a reply.  Hopefully this won't take forever to accomplish. 

So I would like to this moment to remember those we have have served and are still serving, in all conflicts either on US soil or overseas... and especially those who have had a direct impact on my life and made me who I am....
Dad, CPO SKC Bernard J. Cantley, USN           
     

         

My FIL LTC Allan W. Phelps, USAF

I will leave you now with Lucy....

Great Stitching Weather

Its been rainy with thunderstorms the past few days, it has provided some great stitching weather.

Here's a close up of the yellow

So as you can see it's moving along.  Along with the rainy weather, I have been getting a visit every afternoon from a racoon.  They only come out in the day time when the a really hungry.  She looks like she has given birth to some babies.. So I have been given her some kibble (I don't give it to the kids, since Max can't have it)

Along with my stitching, the movies on TCM the past few days have been a treat.  Yesterday they celebrated Virginia's own, Joseph Cotten's birthday.  They showed two movies that I had never seen.  Today we are celebrating the Nebraska boy, Henry Fonda.  I have seen all but one of the movies "The Long Night" it was a great film noir, with Barbara Bel Geddes, Ann Dvorak, and Vincent Price.  Of course they showed "Mister Roberts" it was my fathers favorite movie, he served as CPO on a supply ship.  But he served on, other ships such as the USS Medusa which was torpedo by the midget sub when it entered Pearl Harbor. 

Tonight and every Wednesday is Joel McCrea night he is the star of the month... But I will leave you with this...

Happy Mothers Day!!!

I wish all my fellow stitchers that are mothers, that will be mothers and hope to mothers, Happy Mothers Day!
At this time I think about those Mothers who have influenced me and are now gone,

Gladys, my grandmother (not the best picture in the world, but she had recently had and I infection).  She taught me how to do my wifely chores, cook, clean and balance a checkbook.  She also never took anything off of anybody.

My mom, Audrey, (this was a year or two before I came along),  She was the hardest working woman I ever knew, and she was my best friend, she died at my house in 1989.  I miss her every day, but she lives in my heart.

My mother in law, also a Glady's, there were days that I could of screamed, but she loved her family and especially her boys.  Coming from a small family this had tremendous influence.  This was taken at my mothers funeral, gosh doesn't my husband look grand (he is the one on her right) the other one on her left (no jacket) is my BIL Mike, who is living us now.  She passed in 2000, and Dad in 2001. 

And we cant forget our feline mom's...Annie (she will get something special)

For mother's to be I want to wish my niece who just graduated from University of Florida, Pharmacy School and is expecting her first today and my nephew wife's, is also expecting her first.  To my other niece's Rachel and Jaime, who have their own little broods that they are molding into wonderful people.
Well while I've got you here let me give you an update on my Happy Christmas...

So Happy Stitching and Happy Mother's Day!