Letters From New England

Ch...ch...cha...Changes...

Wednesday

December 29, 2004

Hello,

Today is my friend Judy's birthday.  I have no idea how old she is but I THINK it's 44.  Although she likes to get presents, she hasn't been as happy about birthdays since she turned 40.  WAIT til she turns 50.  Poor girl has no idea what is ahead of her. :)

So, tomorrow is Ed's last day at Heywood.  We are taking him out to eat tomorrow night.  He's looking forward to his new business adventure, but there have been complications and setbacks already...things you just can't plan for.  Like the current owner losing his father on Christmas day and having to shut the store down for at least a week.  Not being here to handle the paperwork and so forth.  Poor Ed!  Well,  when he gets on his feet, I'll have to head out there for a grinder.

Tomorrow is also my son's last day at his job.  He's been in the corporate treasury office as "Sr. Treasury Analyst"at John Hancock in Boston for 5 years.  Getting out of the corporate world altogether and becoming a personal trainer, a holistic fitness trainer and a sports yoga coach.  He'll be great at it.  He spent time with me on Christmas day and was patient and knowledgeable.  (Good Luck, Den!)

As for me, my changes will begin on Saturday, as the clock turns to midnight and 2005 arrives.  I don't make "resolutions" per se, but I do like to set in writing some things I like to manifest over the course of the year.  To that end, I will re-read my journal(s) from this year and write for awhile, setting some "intentions" and dreams that I'd like to make a reality in 2005.   I plan to start a new journal, but haven't decided which one I will use.  I have several but I also fell in love with one at Barnes and Noble in October that I can't get out of my head.  It's still there...because it's like $30 or $35!  But I received 2 B&N gift cards recently (one was a thank you and the other was a Christmas gift), so I have enough money to buy it.  Howevah...I was planning to use those gift cards to get the rest of the books I need for book club next year.  I dunno.... I'll see what happens when I walk in the door.  But as the death toll continues to climb in Asia, it seems ridiculous to think about such trivial things as what journal I'll use next year. 

A friend recommended the book, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson a couple of weeks ago.  I had the library get it for me and picked it up on Monday.  Very rich writing, great story.  Click on the book link to get more info from Amazon, if interested.

Take care,

Kay

An act of God, or the fault of man?

Monday

December 27, 2004

Hello,

I just read another news clip on the tsunami tragedy in Asia.  Death toll at 22,700 and climbing.  I can't even wrap my mind around that.  It's equivilant to the deaths of the entire population of my home town!  There was a photo of an Indian man, crying as he held the hand of his dead 8 yr old son.  However you take care of your spiritual needs, take the time to pray, send healing light or energy to the people there.  It's The Day After Tomorrow come to life.  No wonder I don't watch movies like that!

Is it an act of God?  Is it the stripping of the rain forests?  Is it offshore drilling for oil?  What caused this horrific earthquake?  Reports are coming in that the waves were hitting land at 500 mph!  The human lives taken is astounding in itself, but let's not forget what this has done to nature... the creatures in the ocean, the plants and animals on land.  It will be a very, very long time before that part of earth is restored.

So, how is this effecting us? If it weren't for our media capabilities, we wouldn't be watching this firsthand, would we?  How much sadness and tragedy can we call take in, especially when we can't HELP?  We all have enough personal stress and tragedy to process without taking on the sadness around the world.  Is it any wonder so many people are on anti-depressants?  What a waking nightmare it has all become.

Take care (really!),

Kay

Hunny bunny and baby cakes...

Sunday

December 26, 2004

Hello,

Well, the long anticipated day is over!  I got some wonderful gifts from everyone!  I'm so lucky.

For Fun:  A t-shirt that says "Inside me is this really thin woman trying to get out.  I can usually shut the bitch up with chocolate" :)  I also got a button pin that says "I'm still hot.  It just comes in flashes now".    And I got the DVD of Something's Gotta Give.

Needed:  Two of the books for book club next year... Cider House Rules, and Amateur Marriage.  Also, a new set of exercise bands with a DVD and poster of exercises.  Topped that off with an hour of personal instruction from my son, for which I am paying the price today.  (Soooooo, that's where my calves are!)  :) And, some jersey sheets for my bed.  Flannel's too hot for me anymore (see above)  They are light sage green, really soft.

Wanted:  Barnes & Noble gift card and 2 bottles of ink from Levenger's for my fountain pen... Cardianal (red) and Amethyst (purple)

Practical:  A cute purse from Lillian Vernon with my name on it.  It's a small, black canvas purse with tan leather handles.  I usually lug around a very large black tote bag with everything in it, but when I don't NEED everything, I used a little black leather purse with a long string strap.  I've had it for a long time and it was wearing out, so I'm happy to have this new one.  It holds a bit more stuff too, which helps now that I have a new cell phone.  I also got a Booknotes Journal so I can record all of the books I read this year, along with other sections (books I borrow, books I let other borrow from me, etc).  AND...a tiny flashlight that I put on my keychain for illuminating the path from my car to my front door.

Extra!  A pretty silver circle pin with a butterfly sitting on a branch in the center.  I"m going to put it on my winter dress coat.  Some homemade potpourri from Emma and a thin wooden bookmark with a dragonfly cut out on the top.

But, of course, the best gift was spending time with my kids and grandkids.  It was crazy for a couple of days.  A level of noise I'm never quite prepared for due to my solitary life.  Lots of people in and out.  Presents and food and hugs.  I had so much fun with Sam and Emma.  Em got an I Spy book that we spent a long time looking at last night in bed.  Sam got a drum and cymbals (Oy! :), and a workbench with a hammer (double Oy!) and a remote control car that he zipped around the house.  Even Baylee got presents....a jar of snacks from Emma and a stuffed Canadian goose with a squeeky thing in the middle from the family.  Once again, the kids got so much stuff that Tammy put some stuff back under the tree to open later.  The only grandkids on both sides of the family, ya know?

As you know, I rode up and back with the ex-husband.  Since he's not dead and I'm not in jail, you can be sure that it wasn't horrible.  However, he called me adjectives that I don't think he ever applied to me before.  I heard lots of "honey", "sweetie" and "dear" (DEAR for crissake...who, outside of Hollywood, calls anyone DEAR?). But he saved the best for the ride home.

It took us 3 1/2 hours because there were snow squalls and accidents and cars sliding off the road and backups at the tolls because of all of the above.  I was ready to jump out of my skin by the time we got to Gardner.  Then he said...."Well, looks like we made it, Hunny Bunny".   Huh?  I said..."Yup, finally".  And then, when he pulled up in front of my house, he said... "Here ya go, Baby Cakes!"  Godde save me.

Hey!  Check this out!!!  Not getting my hopes up (and not saying "I told ya so, either) but:   Break For News

Okay, I'm off to cross-stitch and watch a little t.v.  No American Dreams and no Desperate Housewives tonight!  Maybe I'll watch Something's Gotta Give.

Take care,

Kay

Early Christmas post...

Wednesday

December 22, 2004

Hello,

I have some last minute shopping to do after work tomorrow and then I'm leaving early Friday morning for Maine.  Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  I hope Santa brings you everything you need (and want...it IS Christmas after all).  I probably won't have much computer time while I'm away, but if I do, I'll pop in and let you know how Christmas went.

I'm driving to Maine with my ex-husband.  Pray for me (well, pray for HIM actually ;)  He's been calling me almost every day and asking me the same questions!  I think he's just excited but jeez... How many times can I say "let's leave by 9:00 a.m. on Friday."  It's not like he needs to plan the trip to my house to pick me up...he lives right around the damned corner from me!

Tomorrow is the dept Christmas "whatever" at work.  We will have a table set up with food to pick at for most of the day.  We do a Secret Santa thing.  I got Theresa, the oldest person in our dept (ready to retire next year, I think).  She GAMBLES a LOT, and goes to Bingo every night somewhere.  I bought her some of those bingo dabber thing-a-ma-bobs and some scratch tickets.  I'm just making a couple kinds of dips for pretzels and chips, plus I bought the paper plates...extras from Linda's party.  In the morning, we are having coffee and coffeecake with Ed as a "goodbye and good luck" gathering.  He was adamant about not having a party, so only a couple of people who have been asking were invited to come down and say goodbye.  Next week, the dept is taking him out to dinner at The Old Mill.

And the new guy?  He's great!

Take care and have a wonderful Christmas!

Kay

The longest night of the year...

Tuesday

December 21, 2004

Hello,

Today is the winter solstice.  Do something like:  make soup, light a bunch of candles, get out your fleece socks and blankie, drink hot tea or cocoa, snuggle with a significant other/child/pet, toss your nightie into the dryer before you put it on tonight, make a hot toddy! :)

For all of the SADD sufferers out there....starting tomorrow, daylight will be longer by one minute per day!  Chins up, okay?

The list I belong to online (my CJ pals) are sharing this fun quiz today.  I thought, since I don't have much time and nothing to say, I'd share my response here.  Play it with YOUR friends!

A Fun Quiz:

Three names you go by: Kathleen, Kathy, Kay (or Mom, Gram, Grammie Kay)

Three screen names you have: jrnlwtr, specialk (only have 2)

Three things you like about yourself: My eyes, my personal growth over the last decade, my sense of humor

Three things you hate/dislike about yourself: my middle-aged weight, being judgmental, quick temper

Three parts of your heritage: Canadian French, New Englander, strong women

Three things that scare you: President Bush, losing a child/grandchild, illness

Three of your everyday essentials: talking to my kids, reading, taking my medicine...blech

Three things you are wearing right now: lab coat, name badge, rings from kids

Three of your favorite bands/artists (at the moment): Okay...really NOT into the music thing....I like it, I listen to it, I haven't had favorites since high school.  I'm personalizing this question by listing my 3 favorite writers:  Elizabeth Berg, Barbara Kingsolver, Anne Tyler

Three of your favorite songs (books)at present: Pull of the Moon, The Poisonwood Bible, Atonement

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given): financial stability, independence, trustworthiness/fidelity

Three things you want to try in the next 12 months: eliminating debt, losing weight, reducing need for prescriptive meds.

Two truths and a lie: I am a loyal friend, I suck at confrontation, I still love my ex-husband

Three physical things about the opposite (or same) sex that appeals to you: black hair, green eyes, dimples

Three things you just can't do: swim, downhill ski, read boring books

Three of your favorite hobbies: reading, cross-stitching, sitting on the beach with a journal

Three things you want to do really badly right now: lose weight, buy new shoes, leave for Maine to spend Christmas with my family

Three careers you're considering: None really, but...if I had the option: Teaching Journal to the Self and my memoir workshop (Life-Lines), working part-time in a wellness center, starting a reiki program at my hospital

Three places you want to go on vacation: England, Scotland, Italy

Three Pets you've loved: None (Okay, I had a parakeet when I was in grammar school named Petey...I guess I loved him)

Three things you want to do before you die: Write a book, retire in Maine, dance at Emma's wedding

Take care,

Kay

Seven days til Christmas...

Sunday

December 19, 2004

Hello,

At first, I thought I'd unintentionally turned my alarm clock on when I crawled into bed last night.  As I slowly lifted out of sleep into wakefulness, I realized the sound that woke me wasn't the alarm clock at all.  It was a loud, honking gaggle of geese flying over my house, the passengers in the rear shouting their encouragement to the pilot of the V.  Did you know that when the head goose gets tired, it drops back to let the current carry it awhile and someone else takes the lead?  Did you also know that if any goose in their formation becomes ill and has to land, the entire group lands also and takes care of the ill goose until it can either fly again or passes away?  Humans aren't as cohesive, supportive and loyal to other humans as these birds are.  There is something to be said for inherent logic vs. the external forces we face every day when making a decision.  If more of us depended on gut instinct to survive, we'd be a lot better off.

I made a quick soup yesterday.  Had some leftover turkey in the freezer so I opened a couple of cans of vegetable broth, threw the turkey in and added some frozen broccoli, onions and multi-colored orzo and set the burner to simmer.  Then I promptly forgot I'd done that because I was wrapping the rest of the Christmas gifts and addressing my Christmas cards.  It was overcooked, but I ate it anyway because it tasted so good.   I love soup and stews in the winter!  Casseroles too.  Anything where I can put all of the food groups in one pot makes me happy.  I'm not into cooking.

I'm re-reading Prodigal Summer for January bookclub.  I loved it the first time I read it....the interweaving of the 3 stories and all of the characters.  I'm enjoying my second go at it as though I'd never read it before, even though I began to laugh out loud about Garnett and the snapping turtle as soon as I realized I was coming to that part in the book.  I've said many times that Elizabeth Berg is my favorite author (she is, she is!) because when she writes, it's like sitting down at the table with her and chatting over a cup of coffee.  You don't have to WORK at it...and she is so in tuned to emotions...so talented at putting those feelings on the page.  But Barbara Kingsolver is an incredible story teller...very deep writing, lots of imagery. She's able to you to places you didn't think you gave a rats patutie about (like the lifespan of a Luna moth, for instance) and make you wonder how you've gotten along in life so far without this knowledge.  I highly recommend any of her books, but am partial to The Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer. 

Still plugging away at the snowman sampler.  I love the design and colors but I wish it was on larger woven linen so I'm not struggling as much to get it done.  There's no place close where I can buy more fabric and I'm about half done anyway, so I'll finish it.  Don't know what I'll do about the OTHER sampler I want to do that's on 32ct fabric though. 

Rock (the Receiver in our storeroom at work) is REALLY into movies.  He goes to the theater every week to see one and has the largest collection of DVD's I've ever seen.  He let me borrow I Robot this weekend, but I haven't watched it yet.  Maybe this afternoon while dinner is in the oven.  I have an oven roaster chicken from a local organic farm that's been in the freezer long enough.  Going to cook it and have it for supper a couple of nights this week. 

Telephone conversation with Sam:  Hi Sam.  Hi!  What are you doing?  I'm playing. What are YOU doing, Gammy Kay?  I'm wrapping Christmas presents.  (to Tammy)  Gammy Kay is wapping Chri-mus peasants.  (Tammy replies..."do you want your milk, Sam?)  Sam to me:  I love you very much.  Buh-bye.  Apparently he was very thirsty. :)  He's fun to talk to on the phone now.  Sometimes he goes on for a minute and if I miss anything, I get completely lost in the thread of his conversation, so I just keep saying..."Really?"  and "Wow!"  and "Can you put Mommy on the phone, Sam?"

Off to make a cup of tea and park myself on the sofa for a bit.  It IS Sunday after all and tonight....Desperate Housewives! (I miss American Dreams...)

Take care,

Kay

The Christmas Gathering...

Friday

December 17, 2004

Hello,

Judy, Linda and I had our annual Christmas dinner at Judy's house.  Carol usually joins us but she's sick (either a bad cold or the beginning of the dreaded flu).  I was sorry that she couldn't attend, but I did her Yankee Swap for her and brought it with me today.  Before I went home from work last night, I stopped and got 2 quarts of hot and sour soup from the local Chinese restaurant.  Put one in my freezer and gave the other to Carol when I stopped to get her Yankee Swap gift.  If you don't know about hot and sour soup, I'm here to tell you that it's cold/flu miracle in a bowl.  Get some and freeze it.  You'll be glad you did.

Judy had the house all decorated for Christmas and the table was beautiful.   She gave each of us a scratch ticket in our wine glass.  Not a winner for me, so I guess I won't submit my resignation just yet. :)  She cooked a pork roast and potatoes and Linda brought a veggie dish.  I brought a chocolate cake for dessert, and Carol's cheesecake which ended up in the refrigerator for another time. 

The Christmas tree was on the 3 season porch/hot tub room and we went in there after dinner to do our Yankee Swap.  Linda  had #1 and chose Judy's gift.  It was a stall tote bag and had a large mug, box of tea, some biscuits, a nice journal and a "talking" picture frame.  You're supposed to put a picture of your male significant other in it and when you press the button it says things like..."Of course I'll go shopping with you, Sweetie.  The football game isn't important"....or "You've had a hard day.  Let me rub your shoulders"....or "I found a nice cabin getaway in the woods and NO T.V.".   Yup, the dream man.  I'd stick a picture of Brad Pitt or George Clooney in it and prop it on my nightstand. :)

I went next and chose the gift from Carol.  It was a book called Simple Pleasures.  Divided into sections by season, it has ideas and recipes, etc. for simple little things you can do for yourself.  I sat up in bed when I got home and browsed through the winter section before I fell asleep. 

I also chose a gift for Carol since she wasn't there.  I grabbed the gift Linda brought. It was a jar with all of the ingredients to make brownies and a great smelling candle (smells like apple crisp....I couldn't get it away from Judy!).  I gave it to her this morning.  She loved it.

Then Judy went last because she'd chosen #4.  She got my gift which was a small wire soapdish and a variety (7 I think) of homemade soaps...just slivers really...a bunch of different scents.  It also contained a lavender bath fizzy and some scented tea light candles. 

None of us wanted to swap our gifts with anyone else, so we kept what we'd chosen.

After, we had dessert and chatted for a little while.  When Brian came home, Judy had him take a photo of the 3 of us on the sofa near the tree.  Then Linda and I headed home.  It was a nice evening with friends.  Much better than crazy Christmas parties with 500 people.

I am stopping at the local health food store after work and stocking up on Cold Calm and Sinusalia.  Well, I'll be buying it IF he has any in the store, that is.  I like Walter and choose to patronize small local stores over the big ones, but sometimes you just have to go to the bigger places to get what you need.  I just don't feel like traveling all the way to Amherst to go to Whole Foods for what I need.  Oh!  And I have a $15 gift card so want to use it. 

It's another weekend without obligation so I plan to address my Christmas cards (finally) and finish wrapping gifts.  Yesterday, I heard we are supposed to have a snow storm on Sunday/Monday, but one of the guys at work said that he heard this morning that it will miss us.  Yippee!!!  We've been SO lucky so far!  A couple of light dustings and that's it. 

Take care,

Kay

What the doctor said...

Tuesday

December 14, 2004

Hello,

I had a physical today.  Right out of the starting gate, my bp was too high (maybe I have white coat syndrome?).  Not BAD bp, just 10 points higher than it should be.   He said "they like to see it below 120".  It was 130/80.  ON meds. I hate to think what it looks like without medication. I need to lose weight.

Then he looked at the numbers on the scale.  "You've gained 10 lbs!  Did you go on a cruise"?  "I dunno.  Is gaining 10 lbs on a cruise acceptable because if it is, then I just got back from Jamaica".  "Well, that might account for the increase in bp".  I need to lose weight.

I asked him about the increase in bp medicine COST  ($45 from $30 with new health insurance).  Since the last TWO I was on caused problems (dizziness and coughing) and THIS one is working AND it not only lowers bp but helps with cholesterol, I'm leaving it alone.  It's not coming down in price anytime soon though because it's new. He said something about a 7 year patent.  I could get it under control a bit on my own, but I need to lose weight.

Anyway, we talked also about the $45 (from $30) Lipitor.  He changed it to Lescor or Lescol or something.  Said it's cheaper. I need to take if for a month, see how I feel, get blood work done and see if it's working.  "Exercise will help too" and obviously,  I need to lose weight.

Lastly, I asked about the Fosamax.  I had a bone density test done it January and it showed osteopenia in my lower spine.  I THOUGHT I remembered him saying that if I took Fosamax for a year, it would strengthen the bones.  I have one month left to that script.  And today, he said..."yes, indeed.  One year only.  There are docs that keep their patients on it, but I think they are on the Fosamax payroll.  The bones then become TOO hard and snap like a pencil.  I want your bones to BEND, like this pen".  So, that's a $30 savings after this last refill.  "You need to keep taking calcium and exercise to strengthen those bones though, okay?".  And...I need to lose weight.

So, I told him about how my friend, Judy the nutritionist, did a resting metabolic diagnostic test on me and that my resting rate was 1340 so she gave me a 1400 cal a day meal plan.  Hmmm....he chewed on that for a minute and said..."1400 calories, huh?  You're starving yourself".  "But, it's a 6 meal a day plan! I have 350 cals for breakfast, 100 for snack, 350 for lunch, 100 for snack, 350 for dinner, 150 for snack.  That way I keep giving my metabolism fuel so it keeps working". "Well, the thing is, every time your body starts to "fast"  you're giving it more food. So, now it's not using the fat you already have for fuel.  And night time snacking is bad.  It's what causes most weight gain.  You should make dinner the last thing you eat for the night because by 8:00, you will begin the fasting process and your body will burn your fat through the night until you feed it again at breakfast".

Sigh....what the????  I thought fasting caused the body to think "starvation....she's starving us...don't give up a pound!"  REALLY!  People are SO bombarded with contradictory information about weight loss, it's no friggin' wonder Americans are so FAT!  I DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND YES, I'M YELLING!!!

I also told him about all of the WALKING I had been doing with Linda, Nora and Marcie and how it DIDN'T help me lose weight so I have a new plan for the winter. "Have you ever heard of Oxycise"?, I boldy asked.   "No".  "Well, Judy told me about Oxycise and the benefits some of her obese and otherwise exercise inhibited patients were having on it.  I have the tapes and am doing it again.  AND, my friend Nora gave me a key to her condo so I can use her treadmill after work.  AND my son gave me resistance bands for strength training, plus I have small handweights.  So, those are my exercise options because I can't go to the gym....too expensive and it hurts my back".    "Alright, we'll see how much progress you make over the winter.  I've gained weight too...even my patients are commenting on it (yes, he has a little paunch and he's getting a bald spot right in the center of his head so this is when I went on the "aging" tirad I love so dearly)

Okay, so you remember the little ME ME ME rant I had a few weeks ago?  Where I yammered on and on and on about HABITS?  And I told you that I was going to get my s**t together on the weight thing?  Alright then, here's the plan to involve all of you to keep me on track! :)

Right after the holidays (and NO, I'm not using them as an excuse to eat like a 6', 210 lb football player)...so, right after the holidays, sort of as a new year resolution, only I don't make those so it has to be something else...more like a new year plan or manifestation or whatever...anything BUT a resolution, I'm going to put my weight loss numbers right here in the presence of you and Godde and cyberspace.   Right beside the date, you will see in parentheses, a number in BOLD RED with a minus (-) sign before it and the number of lbs I lost.  If I gained (heaven help me), the number will be in BOLD BLACK with a plus (+) sign in front of it. It will be updated every week.

So, let's see what the doctor has to say this time NEXT year!

Take care,

Kay

Wrapping up the weekend...

Monday

December 13, 2004

Hello,

So....as you know, the old sampler is finished.  I washed and pressed it and now it's wrapped up in a cardboard tube waiting to be framed.  Hmmm....

I started the other sampler I've been dying to work on.  It's cute but holy smokes!  It's on 32 count linen and the stitches are SO small.  I need a lighted magnifier if I'm going to work on fabric this tiny.  I took a look at some of the other projects I have aside for the winter and it's not much better.  One is 30 count linen, the other is 28 count.  28 isn't bad...it's what the other sampler was on...but 32! Yikes!  I have projects on MUCH smaller fabric that I did years ago, but I could see past the end of my nose back then! :)

Yesterday, I decided to finish wrapping the Christmas gifts I had.  I sat on the living room floor with roles of paper, bags of bows, boxes of ribbon, tape and gift labels.  I was moving right along when I turned to the left to take ribbon out of the box, then leaned forward to wrap the ribbon around the gift and YEWWWOUCH! I hurt my back again!  Like last time, I stopped moving, waited a second  and then slowly pulled myself upright. 

I headed toward the freezer for some ice cubes and sat with ice on my back for about 15 minutes.  I knew I wasn't wrapping anymore gifts for awhile, so I decided to make a cup of tea and turn on a movie while I worked on my cross stitch.  I grabbed the heating pad and sat on the sofa, sipping tea, stitching away and trying to enjoy a baseball movie (Charlie Sheen....Major League??).  But the mess in my living room was driving me crazy.  I can't stand clutter.  CAN'T!  So, I got up (slowly) and bent down (slowly) and picked up all of the wrapping stuff and put it away.  Then I took some Aleve and sat back down.  I'm a little stiff this morning, but nothing like 2 weeks ago when I first hurt it.

Okay...breaks over.  Back to the daily grind.

Take care,

Kay (shhhhh...the sun is out)

The Finished Product...

Saturday

December 11, 2004

Hello,

Well, it's done!  I've been working on it since the beginning of November.   A little here, a little there.  It sat on the sofa with me for a month and saw lots of sit-coms and a few episodes of American Dreams and Desperate Housewives.  Now it is resting on the kitchen table, waiting for me to (gently) wash it and iron out the fabric.  My newest sampler will probably sit in a tube in the cedar chest for 10 years, but...I'm hoping not. 

I'm taking a framing class at Yankee Cross Stitch in January and my goal for 2005 is to put a variety of cross-stitched samplers on the walls of my apartment.  Especially the wall behind my sofa, which has been empty for most of the 4 years I've lived here.

I can't wait to start the next one.  It's a snowman sampler from Bent Creek.  I also have a flag sampler and a lighthouse sampler from them.  Check out the cool new "row" projects they have though!  Saw a few of them finished at Yankee. 

I need to go book shopping at Half.com.  I usually get my book club books from them, and this year, I have several that I don't already own.  I LOVE Half.com!  Last year, I got allll of my book club books for under $40 (including shipping).  When trade size paperbacks are inching toward $20 these days, $40 for about 10 books is a good deal!  Check them out.  They are part of Ebay.

I stayed in all day.  Did the usual Saturday stuff... laundry, dusting, vacuuming, dishes, etc.  Made the bed, picked up the bathroom, cleaned the toilet, blah blah. I also made an apple cinnamon bread and put out all of my snowmen!  They'be been packed in boxes since spring.  I used to keep them out year round, but this year I decided to put them away.  Now, it's fun to see them out and about again.  So, I haven't been sitting on my abundant butt all day cross-stitching! 

I'm getting hungry.  It's 6:00pm already...where the hell did the day go?  I guess I'll go and make something to eat.

Take care,

Kay