Eighteen Down...32 More To Go!

BAM! BAM! Here's the third square to Spring Snapperland...the Coop by Bent Creek -

I hate French knots. Do you know how many French knots are in this piece???? NINE! I did them though. I figured I would have some pretty funky chickens if I didn't give them eyes ;o)

Here is another progress picture with the other two squares -

Irene asked me what fabric I am using for this piece and as far as I know it's 32 count Smokey Pearl linen. I bought my Spring Snapperland kitted from Needlecraft Corner. I hope this helps :o)

Sharon wants to know how long it takes me to stitch each Snapperland and that's a hard question to answer since I don't keep track of hours, only days. For Winter Snapperland it took on average about three days to complete each box. I didn't really keep a good track of that one so it's a bit of guesswork :o) It looks like I have been a little slower with Spring Snapperland. Each box is taking me about four to five days to complete. I would say that being back to work has been a factor in this.

Terri has raised a very good question for me. She wants to know what I'm going to do about the colors in the border. Believe it or not, I didn't know because I didn't even look at those colors. When I looked at them last night, I was quite surprised! Brown flowers do not remind me of spring. I will definitely be changing them now and I'll keep my choices secret until it's time to reveal the completed project ;o)

Seventeen Down...33 More To Go!

BAM! I present to you...Hive by Bent Creek -

I just love that little bee :o)

This is what the project looks like so far -

I would have to say that I like this one over the Winter Snapperland so far. I'll have to wait until the border is complete to give my final verdict though :o)

I won't go into details about the weekend. Let's just say that doing my taxes did not make for a very happy day and I really need to win a million dollars. Okay, just a hundred thousand. All right, all right...ten thousand. I'd be happy with ten thousand ;o)

SOS

Sights/Smells Of Spring.

Grass. The snow is going and we have grass showing now! I shouldn’t complain or be surprised because winter never really started until February. The snow we got was minimal compared to other places but grass is always one of the first signs of spring for me. Ask me again in a few months just how much I like grass and it will be a very different story though ;o)

Skunks. I swear they plan and co-ordinate when they will all appear from their winter dens. Their smell permeates the air with their own Eau De PU. We have one that hangs around our house every summer and the sadistic little bugger will “let go” on the hottest and most humid nights. You know, the ones where you “have” to keep the windows open :o(

Deer. Lots and lots of deer. They pepper the fields in large numbers, looking for the new grass growth. It’s an amazing sight to see large herds of them. They are such a beautiful creature.

Cow Poop. Yes, you heard me right :o) Since we live in “the country” we get to enjoy this smell about four months out of the year. With the melting of the snow it soon becomes time to spread that juicy cow concoction on the fields, fertilizing them for the year. Mm, mm, good :oP

Robins. I’m amazed that I have not seen one yet. Usually they have arrived by now. Maybe they just don’t like my yard ;o) Their huge red bellies are so pretty against the raw colors of a disappearing winter.

Dog Poop. You can’t think spring without that smell coming to mind :o) I don’t know if it’s “actually” dog poop. How can you smell dog poop everywhere you go? Maybe it is. I don’t know. There sure is a lot of spring poop going on!

Bunnies. I LOVE bunnies! L-O-V-E! Unfortunately the only ones I have seen have been flattened on the road :o( But seeing their white fur turning to brown reminds me that winter is on the way out.

Chocolate. The stores become filled with this heavenly smell for Easter. Just go down one of the isles and breathe deeply. Very deeply! Ahhhh… Oh sweet sweet dark master, you have such a hold on me :o)

I'm Ready For My Close-Up, Mr. DeMille

This is Brie with her hair up :o)

This is Brie hamming it up for the camera :o)

Sixteen Down...34 More To Go!

I finally dug out Spring Snapperland by Bent Creek and here's the Cottage -

The whole design won't be done before spring, obviously, but I hope to have it done, at least, before spring is over :o) At this rate, I think it's possible.

Today is the first day of spring so it's only fitting that Spring Snapperland is in the works. I wish I could say something more positive about the weather outside. We still have snow although it's much less than what we had before. The heavy rains on the weekend took away a good portion of it. The temperatures are still cool though. On the positive side, green grass is starting to emerge!

I've been down the past few days with another bout of vertigo :o( I swear, this has got to be the worst ailment I've had. I should have known it was coming because on Sunday I had told DH that I was feeling very weird. It never fails and so far I have not learned to recognize the early warning signs. I'm feeling much better today but I sure could go for a huge plate of Chinese food :o)

All Points Bulletin!

News Flash...70,000 pounds worth (monetary not weight) of Cadbury Eggs have been stolen! Story here.

I guess I should find a better hiding spot for mine ;o)

Okay, seriously, if anyone has any information on this or the whereabouts of these eggs, PLEASE...EMAIL ME!

Fifteen Down...35 More To Go!

Think Pink by Lizzie Kate is done! Woohoo!

I just love the way the variegated threads turned out on this one :o) I actually completed this on Friday but just never had the chance to post before this. It was a fun project to stitch although I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it yet. I love the pillow that was made for the model piece but mine won't look as good as that! I'm going to have to put on my thinking cap....

This past week and weekend were extremely busy for me. I'm almost ashamed that I haven't posted since last Wednesday. I think it was the fact that I scared so many readers with my underwear post ;o) Honestly guys, it was just a bit of kicks and giggles. LOL!

To update everyone on the LTD/work issue, LTD came back saying they wanted an IME (Independent Medical Exam) and it was to be by a doctor of their choice. On Friday, I went in for this exam and DH went with me. I believe the visit went very well. There was no denying the fact that I have Fibromyalgia or Mitral Valve Prolapse. I was good and tired for the exam seeing that I was up at 4 am that morning and unable to get back to sleep. Since I also had to work before the exam, the fatigue was very apparent by the time I got to my appointment. It will probably be a couple of weeks before we know anything more but we're hoping we are one more step closer to having this whole thing over with.

On Saturday, I finished cleaning my computer/craft room and I'm SO happy to have a spotless space again! I cannot tell you the last time it was cleaned. There were dust bunnies the size of Brie in there! LOL! Now, this room is quite small and it took a good two days for me to do all the work. I paid for it though because the pain was almost unbearable :o( DH and I plan to do the whole house in stages but he's going to be doing most of the work. I've got the spring cleaning bug ;o)

On Sunday, we met up with DH's parents for breakfast up at Smitty's. My SIL, BIL and nephew were there too. It's been awhile since I've seen the little guy and I was shocked to see that he's got FOUR teeth! I'm told he is quite the little biter though ;o) I can never get over how happy this child is and we were at the restaurant for an hour and a half. DH is jealous though because our nephew has already earned his first paycheck and he's not even a year old yet :o)

What Is Victoria's Secret Anyway?

I’m getting dressed for work this morning and I’m almost ready to go out the door when I realize the fact that if I were to bend over my underwear is going to show. Not an attractive sight when you’re wearing low rider jeans. So, I quickly run to change when I realize that the underwear I want is among a huge pile of laundry that has accumulated over the past two weeks. Now even though it was all stuffed and stacked in the basket, it was done in an orderly fashion. Enter DH this morning and chaos has hit like an explosion, sending bits of clothes here and there, therefore disrupting the organized mess. The ones I’m looking for are not where they are supposed to be, making my morning more rushed than necessary. Thankfully, I located the little buggers. People can rest easy now when they look at my ass ;o)

What type of underwear do you like? A very personal question I know but hey, about 90% of the population wears them. The other 10% I’m assuming are going commando. Myself, I’m very particular about what I like. Very particular! Don’t ask me why but everything has to be plain white. White, white, white. No prints, no colors, no stripes, no frills. White. I prefer cotton but will go with a bit of Lycra if I have to. DH calls them my “Granny Undies” but hey, they’re comfortable and I’m the one wearing them after all. I have ventured into the boy short style panties and they aren’t too bad, but my heart is still with plain old white cotton undies that don’t bunch up into my behind :o)

Thongs. To be brutally honest, I hate them. Who, in their right mind, invented them? LOL! I’d like to meet the sadistic person who came up with the idea. Why would someone love to go around with a piece of string up their butt crack? I know, I know! There are some women who love them and like the fact that they do not get a panty line but there is seamless underwear out there now. My hat is off to those that can pull it off and who enjoy wearing one though :o)

I also hate underwear shopping. Give me a root canal any day ;o) What makes things so frustrating is when I find something that I like, it becomes discontinued later down the road :o( Argh! And let’s be even more honest…I’m not a size 2 anymore. Hey, maybe if I were, I wouldn’t mind wearing all those cute styles that are out there now. What makes things more difficult is the fact that you cannot really try underwear on before you buy it. I realize that it wouldn’t be very hygienic if you could but how are you supposed to get the right feel or style? You know those stockings they have when you try on shoes? Maybe they should come up with an underwear condom :o)

So in the end it all comes down to this…here’s to Granny Undies everywhere! No frills. Cheers :o)

Fourteen Down...36 More To Go!

I hate to say it but I'm still on the pink ribbon bandwagon ;o) On Friday, I completed another piece. This is Where There Is Life by Little House Needleworks -

I am SO in love with this design! It's absolutely gorgeous and the picture does not do it justice! The threads are so soft, the fabric is a dream to work with and the verse is beautiful. This was a joint effort between LHN and Crescent Colors and all the proceeds from the kit are being donated to breast cancer education and awareness programs. There is only one shop that carries it so contact Elegant Stitch for yours :o) You will not be sorry.

The weekend wasn't bad but I have NO idea where it went. On Saturday, we headed down to the ocean to spend the day with DH's parents. DH had to bring some plywood down for his dad and while he was there, he helped with the latest batch of wine on the go :o) I spent the afternoon with my MIL and she taught me how to sew a new project! Unfortunately I cannot divulge what it is but I will definitely post a picture once it has been received. Sewing for me is always a bit nerve racking but with the super easy instructions that my MIL typed up, I should have no problems doing one on my own. I was also in heaven when she gave me three pillow covers that I can CROSS STITCH ON! Woohoo! The fabric is basically a blown up version of an evenweave (although this material is much thicker) so it's ideal. It works out to be 10 count over one or 5 count over two. I'm going to be on the search for the perfect patterns now :o)

Since DH did all the driving this time, I dug out my travel project, Noah's Crew by Imaginating. I fell in love with this piece when I saw a picture of it and a very kind soul sent me the pattern for free! Thank you Ann :o) The frame has been bought and received so now I just have to stitch everything up. On this trip I completed the rabbit :o) I'm sorry I don't have a better picture. He is so cute -

This new Daylight Savings Time that we have been put on has reeked havoc on my inner clock :o( I'm a bit more tired than usual, if that's even possible! I slept half of Sunday away and the rest was basically curled up on the couch with DH and Brie watching movies :o) DH is finally getting over his cold and I seemed to have caught the last bit of it but thankfully it wasn't bad. I took a good dose of Cold FX and I really think it worked.

Today it's back to the grind and reality. I was pleasantly surprised to find a package full of Dragon Floss when I got home though!

Aren't they gorgeous???? Thanks Sue!

At least I can say it's a little warmer outside, the sun is shinning and the days are going to be longer :o)

How To Save A Life

I really love this song. I first heard it last year when I was watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy. It's by The Fray and if you haven't heard it before, it's definitely worth a listen. The lyrics read -

"step one you say we need to talk
he walks you say sit down it's just a talk
he smiles politely back at you
you stare politely right on through
some sort of window to your right
as he goes left and you stay right
between the lines of fear and blame
and you begin to wonder why you came

where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
somewhere along in the bitterness
and I would have stayed up with you all night
had I known how to save a life

let him know that you know best
cause after all you do know best
try to slip past his defense
without granting innocence
lay down a list of what is wrong
the things you've told him all along
and pray to God he hears you

where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
somewhere along in the bitterness
and I would have stayed up with you all night
had I known how to save a life

as he begins to raise his voice
you lower yours and grant him one last choice
drive until you lose the road
or break with the ones you've followed
he will do one of two things
he will admit to everything
or he'll say he's just not the same
and you'll begin to wonder why you came

where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
somewhere along in the bitterness
and I would have stayed up with you all night
had I known how to save a life"

The song is about an adult that is trying to help out a troubled teen but just doesn't know how. The band states that even though this story was the original intent, the lyrics are open for interpretation.

Have you ever saved a life? Do you know someone that has? The only person I can think of is my dad. He saved the life of his friend. It was a couple of summers ago and they were working outside on one of their many projects down at the lake. Luckily Dad noticed the early signs of a heart attack and eventually convinced his friend to go to the hospital. It was a good thing too because his friend was willing to shake it off and continue working!

Do you know someone whose life has been saved? Has someone ever saved your life? My life was saved when I was around two years old. I walked off the end of the wharf at our cottage and sank to the bottom of the lake. A neighbor happened to notice and he jumped in, clothes and all, to bring me back up. Hence the reason why I hate water but then again, if you sink like a stone I don't believe you were meant to be a great swimmer ;o)

Saving a life doesn't necessarily mean saving someone from death. There are other ways that you can save someone's life, as pointed out in the song. Try donating food or winter coats to your local shelter or become a Big Brother or Big Sister. Imagine the impact you could have on a child's life further down the road. There are not only human lives to be saved but animals as well. Just dropping by your local SPCA and donating some dog or cat food would be greatly appreciated.

There have been a few times that I have saved the life of an animal. I'm always on the lookout when driving now after rescuing a poor little dog that was hit by a car and left in the middle of the road :o( I have never saved a human life though, not that I know of. I've seen death in action once and I can't even begin to explain the feeling of helplessness that overcomes you. I received bad news last night that a dear friend, and fellow breast cancer survivor, has lung cancer and that helplessness has returned. How can such a thing happen to such a wonderful woman (she has basically outfitted Brie with all her lovely bandanas). If I could save her life...I would.

Thirteen Down...37 More To Go!

After seeing all these finishes, I know what you're thinking and all you can say is...WOW! I KNOW! My needles have been smokin' :o) This cute little design is the Awareness Ribbon Christmas Ornament by Dragonfly Stitches -

I changed the DMC colors to 604 and 986 and instead of individual pink stitches; I substituted Mill Hill beads (#02005). I really like the effect. Now I just need to figure out a way to finish it. I have loads of breast cancer fabric so I might use that somehow.

I was so excited yesterday when the mail showed up. My Think Pink kit by Lizzie Kate arrived :o) Unfortunately it won't be started right away because I'm missing three of the four specialty thread colors. Figures! :o( This kit is a limited edition of 500, with the profits donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, so therefore it falls under the Charity/Donations exemption ;o)

Twelve Down...38 More To Go!

It looks like I'm on a pink ribbon crusade! LOL! Another one crossed off the list :o) This is I Can Survive! (Pink Ribbon Swirls) by Count Your Blessings -

They were on the same chart so I figured why not stitch them at the same time! I really like the effect of this one and I hope to convince Dad to make me a round frame for it :o) We will see how charming I can be, lol!

Eleven Down...39 More To Go!

Seeing that I just had my mammogram, I thought this was quite appropriate at the moment :o) This is I Can Survive! (Whimsical Girl) by Count Your Blessings -

See what I mean? ;o) I want to thank those who left such wonderful and supportive comments on my Blog since yesterday. It really means a lot! I am dealing with things at my own rate. I'm trying to calm my nerves and reassure myself that it is just scar tissue. DH and I have agreed that he will come with me in August and hopefully we'll avoid this whole thing next time.

This is the second time that I have stitched I Can Survive! (Whimsical Girl). I made the first one into a pillow tuck and sent it down to a wonderful friend/fellow survivor who lives in the US. I plan on doing the same with mine when I get a chance to sit down and sew.

It has turned out to be a good weekend for stitching. We got hit with a good snowstorm on Friday and it left us with about 4-5 inches of snow. Today was a beautiful sunny day and quite warm so hopefully that sun will melt the snow fast and get it out of here! LOL!

Poor DH is down with a cold :o( I've been good at staying away from him so hopefully, knock on wood; I will avoid the whole thing. He is quite pitiful when he's sick but he deserves to be since he has to deal with me like that for 365 days of the year ;o)

Freshly Squeezed

Yup, "the girls" went in for their annual mammogram today. If they had been a couple of oranges, there would have been a pitcher full of juice at the end of my appointment! LOL! Men have NO idea how lucky they are. Although it looks like I have another good mammogram, it wasn't without stress let me tell you :o(

I was so excited when I got to the hospital because there was no waiting and that's something in itself! I should have known better though. When I got to the waiting area for the mammogram, the lady ahead of me informed me that she had been there for three hours. Great! Well, that's not exactly the word I said in my head ;o) She was right though. After they finished squeezing, squishing and squashing "the girls" it was going on the third hour. By this time I was already in a stressful state from being called back into the room three times for more pictures.

Once the last pictures were taken, I was told I had to go for an ultrasound. What? This wasn't scheduled. The stress level rose even higher. When the doctor came in the room to do the procedure she asked if I had felt the lump. WHAT? The stress level officially went through the roof! Thankfully after a bit of talking I came to realize the "mass" she was referring to. This area has been a bit of a concern the past couple of years but they keep assuring me it's just scar tissue from the two surgeries. This time the "mass" looked even denser so I have to go back in six months for another mammogram. So much for year of peace. Sigh!

So now "the girls" are home and we're settled in for the big storm tonight. I picked up some movies on the way home so we're good to go! Hopefully we don't get too much snow but I'd rather March come in like a lion than go out like one :o)

5-5-5

Gee, that sounds like the warranty coverage that I have on my car ;o) LOL! I'm a bit late in doing this. Jamie tagged me last week and I'm just getting around to posting this now. Eek!

Okay, here's how it works. For the first part, I will ask my oh so wonderful followers, er...I mean readers, to either email me or post in the comment's section questions that they want to know about me. One question per person, with a maximum of five questions in total. I will follow up on these questions and answer them in future posts :o)

For the second part, I am to list five things about me that I have not revealed in my Blog so far. This ought to be good...

1 ~ Back in 1991, I was Second Princess in the Miss Fredericton Pageant. Yes, it's true :o) The judges found me quite charming! ROFL! People might find this very odd because one, I'm definitely not a girly girl, two, I'm quite shy and three, I'm FAR from charming. I'd rather dig around in horse poop than wear a dress, the last thing I want in a crowd is to have the focus on me and people find me very stuck up until they get to know me. I found the experience quite liberating though and it definitely made me overcome my fear of public speaking so all was not lost ;o)

2 ~ Like Jamie, I've always wanted to write a children's book. I have lots of ideas running around in my head but I just haven't gotten them out yet. I took a children's literature course back in university and LOVED it! I can't look at enough children's books when we go to the bookstore :o) I'd like to write anything really and I'm not sure why I didn't go into Journalism way back when. It all comes down to dumb choices.

3 ~ The first car I ever had was a chocolate brown Chevy Citation. Did I mention it was chocolate brown on the inside too???? I named that car Guido :o) I can't tell you how many times I locked my keys inside or left the lights on and my battery dead. That car got swore at "a lot".

4 ~ I have a great love for water, especially the ocean, but I hate being in it or have it on my face. I'm not a great swimmer even after years of classes. I do have a genuine fear of water but I'm not sure if it stems from almost drowning when I was a child or the fact that I've watched too many Friday The 13th or Jaws movies ;o) If I can't see the bottom, it freaks me out! Pools are okay but again, I hate being "in" the water. I still shower every day, for those of you wondering ;o) My face has to be out of the water though and I have to have a towel handy in case water gets in my eyes. Yes, I have issues. LOL!

5 ~ I've had fourteen different kinds of pets. Yes, I'm an animal lover :o) Over the years I've known dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, chinchillas, a hedgehog, sugar gliders, a lovebird, a hamster, fish, ducks, chickens, geese and a turtle. Oh, and I did bring home a seagull once but Mom wouldn't let me keep him :o(

Finally, I have to tag five other souls :o) Here you go Katie, Faith Ann, Shannon, Karen and Kim! Have fun!

Ten Down...40 More To Go!

Finally! Part 1 of my Marquoir Sampler is complete!

This took longer than expected. The color placement took a little more thought in this section so I spent a bit of extra time stitching and then frogging :o( Factor in a couple of bad stitching weeks and now I feel very unorganized and behind. I have no idea why. There's no time limit on this challenge. I guess I just know from years of experience how long a project will usually take me and seeing that this one was so simple, it should have been completed about a week ago.

I'm quite happy with the way it's turning out although I'm still skeptical that it looks too Christmassy. Those are the colors of my living room though. Maybe once I have it framed it will look more like what I have pictured in my head :o) Here is a picture of Part 1 and 2 together -

Do you keep track of the time it takes you to stitch a project? I used to try and keep track of the hours I spent but it just never worked out. It was too hard to take into account breaks or interruptions. Basically, I was taking too much time trying to record things rather than stitching so that idea went out the window very quickly ;o) Now I have foolproof way of keeping track of things and it's much easier. I have been doing this for the past two years and so far so good!

I buy one of those small calendar booklets that will allow you to write a few things down under each date. It's small enough that I can carry it in with my stitching. Whatever I decide to stitch on that day, I mark the name of the piece, along with the initials of the designer, under the appropriate date. This not only allows me to see approximately how long it takes me to stitch a piece but how many days a week I get my stitching in :o) When a project is 100% complete, I will mark the word "completed" after it. If a project is made into an ornament I will mark the word "finished" after it. Faith Ann liked the idea so much that she started with it this year so my method of madness must be somewhat acceptable ;o)

For A Great Cause

Tonight was Stitch Night and we had a wonderful surprise waiting for us when we got there :o) A good friend of mine is a cross-stitch designer and her company goes by the name of Fiddlestitch Cottage. If you haven't been to her website, I strongly encourage you to do so! Tracy has just designed and released a new pattern called Hope Tea -

It truly is adorable but that is not the best part. If you buy the pattern directly from her, 100% of the revenue from her sales will go to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation! How awesome is that! As some of you may know from reading my Blog, I am a breast cancer survivor myself. Tracy's mother is also a survivor and one of 33 years! So as you can see, this project is near and dear to our hearts so I am more than happy to promote this for her ;o) If you are interested, or know of someone who might be, please contact Tracy. It's a small cost for the pattern but it will go towards big things so help me get the word out!

Now you may be wondering why I have bought a new pattern seeing that I am on The 50 Project Challenge. Since this is a very special item, it falls under the Charity/Donations Exception. Shannon can back me up on this ;o) I've already pulled the threads and now I need to search through two drawers of fabric to find something that will suit it because believe it or not, with all that fabric I don't think I have a piece of 28 count white Jobelan!

The rest of the evening did not disappoint either. It was so good to be back with the girls :o) We had a good turnout and there were so many lovely projects. Angela brought her Two By Two afghan by Sue Hillis and it's just stunning! I have seen this project completed before and even after seeing it a second time I'm still just as blown away. Faith Ann brought her Gingerbread afghan and all I can say is that she had better hide it when it's done, otherwise I'm going to take it ;o) Her Christmas Village is really coming along nicely as well. Katie was working on her Summer Dragons by Dragon Dreams and she'll be done in no time. There is no way I'm going to be able to catch up with her on this project challenge if she keeps this up! So far my plans of sabotage have not worked. LOL!

I was pleasantly surprised with a gift this evening. Faye gave me a doggy scrapbook just for Brie! She will now have her own picture album :o) I can't wait to start filling all those cute pages!

As I have said before, laughter is the best medicine and there was plenty there tonight :o) It was so wonderful to unwind and not think about all the stresses, even if it was only for three hours. I can't tell you how wonderful these women are. There is no shortage of kindness and each one is willing to open their hearts. They are my link to sanity and my breath of fresh air. I am truly lucky to have these women in my life :o)

How To Properly Eat A Cadbury Easter Cream Egg

As you may have noticed, I have been keeping track of my Cream Egg intake since the first of the year. These little gems usually pop up shortly after Christmas and last all the way until Easter. They are my big weakness. In case you didn't know, there is a proper way to eat these delicious eggs and I'm going to give you a short tutorial on how to do so :o)

First, upon finding the eggs, you must inspect the wrapper carefully. What you are looking for is any indication that the egg has broken or that some of the inner contents have leaked out (this will show as a sticky substance). Once satisfied with the perfection of your egg, you want to carefully take off the wrapper. I usually take mine all the way off but you might want to take it about three-quarters of the way off depending on your preference.

Next, bite off the very top of the egg, taking great care to only break off the chocolate tip. You should be able to see the creamy filling at this point. Now, carefully chew away the chocolate sides, going about halfway down the egg or until the filling starts to go over the sides.

This is by far the best part! With your tongue, gently scoop out the creamy filling, taking care not to break the chocolate sides. You might only be able to get about two scoops but don't worry :o) If that is the case, chew away more of the chocolate sides, taking the egg down to about a quarter from the bottom. This will allow you to finish scooping out the filling until it's all gone. Yum!

The last step is to just pop the remaining chocolate into your mouth and savor it. Ahhhh! Now wasn't that good? Once you eat about two or three of these eggs, you'll get the hang of it ;o)

I know from past conversations that Karen is also a big fan of these heavenly eggs and so much so, that she has posted her tally on her Blog as well :o) So I want to know who else is a closet Easter Cream Egg lover! Don't be shy show yourself!

I'm almost afraid to see what my final count will be by the time Easter comes around :oS What really worries me as well is when MacDonald's come out with their Easter Cream Egg Flurries! Now those are not too bad but really, nothing can compare to the Cream Egg itself ;o)

Nine Down...41 More To Go!

I loved this pattern as soon as I saw it! I have Shannon to blame for this ;o) This is a heart freebie by Sticken-Und-Staunen -

I used my one and only skein of Dragon Floss (Hugs With Stitches) on a piece of Ginny's Iris by Sassy's Fabrics. I just LOVE the effect! My plan is to make this into an ornament for our spring retreat exchange. I think I'll have to stitch another one for myself though :o) I had picked up some lovely Easter fabric yesterday but when I got it home, it didn't match :o( Oh well. It's got bunnies on it so I'm sure I'll find something to make with it.

I've had a few enquiries on this freebie! I guess I should have mentioned that it was featured on the Caron website. Check it out there :o) Thanks for the wonderful comments everyone!

This past week was not a good one for stitching as my rotation got mixed up. My plan was to move Oak Island to Wednesday and Thursday but so far only Wednesday worked out. I did make some good progress though. I hope to get at least one day this weekend to work on it further. I'm back to stitching on my Marquoir Sampler as well.

I do have a bit of positive news to share with you. I was in contact with my lawyer yesterday and LTD has stated that they want me to see another doctor. Although this does not thrill me to be jumping through more hoops, at least their appeal decision has not ended with a "No" yet. My employer has been notified and I will still have my job until the end of the month but hopefully until the end of the appeal procedure. This has relieved some pressure :o)

I talked to my Dad yesterday and they are still enjoying their time down in Florida. Dad was out playing horseshoes with the boys :o) They really like the area they are in and have already booked a month and a half for next year. Dad wondered why they hadn't done this before. Silly man! I hope they are "enjoying" the warmer weather while we are still digging out of our last snowstorm. LOL!

A Special Wish

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I'm sorry I can't celebrate today with you but I hope you have a wonderful day :o)

Happy Valentine's Day

I Love You Sweetie!

Eight Down...42 More To Go!

It's a few days later than expected but he's finally done :o) This is Morning Dragon by Dragon Dreams -

I'm SO pleased with the fabric that I picked for him. If you don't remember me saying, it's called Pumpkin Patch (funny, I know) by Sugar Maple Fabrics. It makes such a wonderful contrast to the Merlin (by SMF) that I stitched Evening Dragon on. Pumpkin Patch is a mixture of greens, yellows and oranges and reminds me of the light of day. Merlin is a combination of purples, pinks and greens, kind of like dusk. I now have Morning and Evening Dragon complete :o)

I had promised a progress picture of Oak Island so here it is -

It's a little hard to tell but there has been a lot of stitching done since the last picture I posted. Today I will dig it out again and see how far I can get this week. Adding this WIP to my rotation has been a wonderful idea and is working out very well. Once Oak Island is completed, I will replace it with another large WIP that I have set aside.

Back in December, I finished my third PIF gift but never got around to posting it! Nancy has received it so now I can share a picture of her -

Nancy told me her favorite colors were red and purple so I immediately knew I was going to stitch the Red Hat Snowlady by The Stitchworks Ltd. :o)

Ice Ice Baby

DH and I are home and it's back to the grind again :o( It's amazing what a little rest and relaxation will do but it's also amazing what happens when the stress and hectic lifestyle is put back in place. Reality is no fun. All I'm going to say is that a wonderful weekend ended on a bad note for DH. No matter what happens, you are still number one to me :o)

As you probably already noted, I did take my computer with me to the ocean :o) It's sad how these things become your third arm. I didn't spend all weekend on it though and to be honest, I didn't do much stitching either. There was a lot of just sitting, reading, napping and just plain relaxing. The quietness there might drive some people mad but DH and I relish it. I think the reason we have the television on so much at home is so that we can drown out the noise around us.

I ended up leaving home without any books to read. It's quite rare when I don't have one on the go. Luckily I managed to find the first two Harry Potter books at DH's parents :o) I've seen the movies but I've never read any of the books. Looks like I'm good for a few weeks!

DH did a lot of hiking while at the ocean and he managed to do all of the photography as well. Usually that is my domain but he has proven to be a good adversary ;o) Here are some of his pictures -

I think they are truly amazing and I'm only sorry I did not venture out into the cold to experience the sights myself.

Down By The Bay

The Passamoquoddy Bay that is :o) As predicted, this time away has been exactly what DH and I needed. Time seems to stop down here. There's no rush to get anything done and there is no set schedule. The television becomes a thing of the past and serenity takes hold. I'm more than happy to stay here and the itch to wander or travel is gone.

This area is rich with history. If you look out over the bluff, you see a piece of land that juts out into the ocean. This is the tip of Oven Head -

Up until a few years ago it remained a vacant piece of land but now one of the wealthiest families in Canada spend their summers there. When DH's parents first bought their property, I did some digging and came across a local gentleman that was able to share some of the history of Oven Head with me.

If you were to walk out to the Oven Head point, you would come across a tiny family cemetery enclosed by a small fence. Upon further inspection you would see that the gravestones date back to the mid 1800's and bare the Fisher name.

Over a hundred years ago, in the little town of St. Andrews, a 17-year-old naval officer by the name of William Henry (alias Lt. Bray) met and married a 17-year-old girl named Mary Kelly. Together they had a daughter, Martha Ann, who was born on May 26, 1792. When William returned home after a year at sea he finally confessed that he could not return to his home in England with his wife and daughter because he was the son of the King and it was not permitted that he marry a commoner without the King's consent.

Around the same time another woman, Rebecca Vernon, was being disowned by her family for marrying a British soldier by the name of John Fisher. On February 29, 1784 they had a son, George Albert. Unfortunately in 1787 John Fisher did not return home and it is believed that he was lost at sea during a voyage. Some time later, Rebecca married again, this time to James Stewart, and together they raised her son George. They settled and received one of the first land grants on Passamoquoddy Bay.

In 1819, George Fisher and Martha Henry's paths crossed and they married. Together they had seven children. Both are now buried on Oven Head. Because of the times and the lack of medical knowledge, quite a few of the Fisher children died within a matter of years. In the case of Carrie Fisher, George and Martha's granddaughter, she was to die in childbirth. In 1895, Carrie met a man in St. Andrews and her pregnancy was a result of this affair. Being a scandal at the time, Carrie requested to be buried alone, out on the tip of Oven Head. But with the winds and waves, her casket soon became exposed and Carrie's father moved her inland to the family cemetery. Back in the 1980's, the movie Children Of A Lesser God was shot there although the beach may not have been recognizable because it was bulldozed and painted for the film.

How did Oven Head get its name? As the tide pushes itself out, more and more beach area is exposed below the 100-foot cliffs located on Oven Head. There in the rock walls are several cave like hollows. Over time, the cycle of tidal movements has caused the rocks in these cliffs to disintegrate, therefore creating these many depressions. It is said that people in the early days likened the caves to a woman's oven and soon it was nicknamed Old Woman's Oven.

So there you go, a little bit of trivia for you on this peaceful Saturday night :o)

Road Trip!

We’re going to THE OCEAN! DH and I are going away this weekend! WOOHOO! We are exchanging houses with his parents so that means rest and relaxation for us :o) Their house has an ocean front and it’s nothing short of pure bliss. Ahhhhhhh! Last year I spent quite a bit of time there, while house sitting and it has become my retreat from this hectic and stressful time. There is nothing that I love more than the music of the ocean. It’s so calming to smell the sweet salty air and listen to the waves hit the beach and the calls of the seagulls. Can you tell that I’m really looking forward to this? :o)

I’ve already got my stitching packed and ready to go :o) I’m going to take my Marquoir Sampler and the current little project that I’m doing and that is almost done. I will hopefully have a picture by the first of the week. Last night I finished up with Oak Island for the week and I’m very pleased with the progress I have made. I have the full left side of the pattern complete! I would say that the right side is about 75% complete but I’m not sure just how long it’s going to take me to finish it. I’m aiming for the end of March so we’ll see :o)

I’m not sure if I’ll take my computer with me so you might not hear from me again until the first of the week. Have a great weekend everyone!

Deep Freeze

I can definitely say, without a doubt, that we are in the deep freeze of winter now. Boy, it was C-O-L-D out this morning! I checked the thermometer, mind you this wasn’t until 8:30 am, and it was -30 C (that's -20-F). Brrrrrrrrrr! If it were possible, I’m sure penguins would have gathered in our backyard. LOL! I love the sound that snow makes when it’s this cold. I think that’s the only thing I like about this bone chilling weather.

They say the coldest temperature on record for North America was a low of -64 C (-83 F)! It was back in 1947 in Snag, Yukon. Yikes! That’s almost unimaginable. Is it even possible to function in such a cold temperature?

When I was a teenager, I used to keep my bedroom so warm that my parents kept the door closed at all times. We had radiant heat in the ceiling and a wood furnace that ran pretty much continually. I kept the thermostat to the maximum temperature. To add to that, I had a waterbed that was heated and I had flannel sheets. Needless to say, it was a pretty toasty room and I liked it that way. Now I almost cringe to think about the electricity bills that my parents paid :oS

A few years ago I went through my first menopause and let me tell you it changed the whole chemistry of my body. I went from being cold all the time to being HOT all the time. The mythical hot flashes are in fact real, trust me ;o) I used to laugh at Mom when her glasses would fog up during one of these episodes but now I can definitely sympathize. They are not fun! I can’t tell you how embarrassing it is to be in public and have your ears turn fire engine red in a matter of seconds. LOL! For two or three years I wore t-shirts in the middle of winter and loved the idea of running outside in one when one of my hot flashes took over. I’m sure that any snow that was in a two foot meter radius around me melted from the heat of my body :o)

Now I find that I have cold and hot days. Sometimes it cuts right to the bone and other times, I just can’t cool down. I know it’s going to be a cold week here but really we shouldn’t complain. We only have less than two months of winter left and plus, it could be worse...remember it could be -64 C ;o)

Seven Down...43 More To Go!

Last night I completed Part 2 of my Marquoir Sampler -

Now I'm getting a better idea of how it's going to look. I'm still a little unsure as it looks a bit Christmassy but those are the colors in my living room. I've gone too far to turn back now ;o) I think I will tackle Part 1 next.

This past week I worked on Oak Island on Tuesday and Thursday as promised and I've almost got the right half of the design completed. Maybe by the end of this coming week I'll take a progress picture. I did try to take a picture of it in the dark but the glow in the dark thread was not vibrant enough for the digital camera to pick up on :o( If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I'm not even sure if it is possible to take a picture of it glowing like that.

Well, I survived Friday! I managed to get through it in one piece although I was in bad shape that evening. It's amazing what mental anguish can do to one's self. I want to thank everyone who sent good wishes and support my way. They were GREATLY appreciated :o) Now I just have to get through my annual mammogram and hopefully I will be home free for another year!

Mom and Dad called on Friday night to let us know that they were okay. They are touring Florida with the RV. I read about the tornado on Friday and I had a bit of anxiety (okay, a lot!) until I found out it was in central Florida and Mom and Dad were in the southern part of the state. Whew! What devastation though :o( They are having a great time and I'm so glad they are, although I am very jealous about the warmer weather ;o)

This weekend was pretty low key. Katie dropped by on Saturday afternoon for a quick stitching session while Alex was at a birthday party. It was SO nice to have a stitching partner :o) DH and I caught up on all of our shows that I tapped last week and we had another rip roaring game of Scrabble. Unfortunately I did not win this time but I think DH cheats any chance he gets ;o)

The F Word

FEBRUARY! There, I said it. I hate this month.

Today is my anniversary. It's been seven years since just one sentence changed my life forever. It's been seven years since I've been cancer free. Now you would think that I should be happy over this "achievement" but every year I dread this date. I've tried to change my attitude many times but it has never worked. Usually I just hide on this day, feeling sorry for myself. I figure if I have to try and forget about it for 364 days of the year, I deserve one day of self-pity. A few years ago I met another young survivor and I was surprised to find out that she felt the same way about her anniversary date. She was smart though and took that day as a day for herself, going out to eat at her favorite restaurant, getting a spa treatment and then indulging in some shopping therapy. While that does sound VERY appealing, I just can't get myself to that point yet.

I've been told on many occasions that over time things will get better, easier. I'm sorry but that is just not the case. I've had seven years to test this theory and it hasn't worked yet. To me, cancer is like the plague and I fear every day that it will return at some point. I also live with the "battle scars" and it's hard to look at them and not think about what brought them to be. Would I like to forget? Sure! Who wouldn't, given the choice? Have I ever wondered what my life would have been like without cancer? Never. I've never gone down that road and I don't think it's wise to. Do I ever think about the future? Yes, but I can never bring about a picture of the distant future when DH and I are older. What does that mean? Honestly, I don't know.

They say that cancer cannot rob you of your hope but I disagree. Many of my hopes were crushed with this awful disease. Dreams too. Dreams are easier to get over though as some just may not be realistic (that's why they are called dreams) but hopes are close to your heart and something we should all have to survive. So in reality, each year when my anniversary comes up, I'm not only reminded of that dreadful day seven years ago but also of some of the hopes that have been lost or that will never be.

So, how will I spend today? Unfortunately work would not grant me this day off so I will be among people but in a fairly miserable mood I imagine. I've never spent this day with people before, besides DH that is. Maybe this is what I need. I don't know. Who's going to want to hang out with an emotionally unstable female? It's not like I'm going to share my grief with anyone at work though. If I have a meltdown, it should be interesting to say the least, and maybe then work will listen to me next time when I request a day off ;o)

Six Down...44 More To Go!

I just completed I Love Stitching by Hob Nobb Designs this morning :o)

I haven't officially attached the buttons yet and I won't until it's ready to frame. I'm always afraid they will break so for the meantime, they will remain nice and safe.

I can't tell you how much I love these designs and the buttons that are created for them. This is the third piece that I have stitched and this one will be for me, finally :o) The colors in it are quite bold and if you don't already have Confetti by Weeks Dye Works in your collection, I suggest you add it. What a fun fiber to stitch with! It's the one used for the border around the stork scissors and the floss in the basket.

So, that makes six projects completed in the month of January! Will I be able to meet that amount in February? I doubt it but I'll have fun trying ;o)

Today, being Tuesday, I will be working on Oak Island. I'm not going to post an updated picture on that today because most of what I stitched last week was with the glow in the dark thread and it doesn't really show up in a picture. I "did" start a new project yesterday however and I'm really excited about it! On Saturday, I had to go in to work to make up the hours that I missed on Friday, and while I was searching on the internet, I found this gorgeous sampler. See what happens when I'm left alone and bored? ;o) This is called Marquoir and it's a freebie from Passion Broderie -

The pattern calls for three colors of floss but I'm going to use four. I'm still a little hesitant about how it's going to look so any feedback would be greatly appreciated :o)

The sampler is in nine parts and I have decided, along with the girls, that each part will be counted as one project completed for The 50 Project Challenge :o) What is interesting about this sampler is that the designer has included background information, or a story, about each part. You may be wondering why the heart is stitched in a metallic gold. The designer states "The heart in this section is for first love. If you are married or living with your first love, you should stitch this heart in gold metallic thread." This piece will not only tell a story but it will be very personal as well :o)

Just a few minutes ago I received my fabric for Morning Dragon by Dragon Dreams so he will be added in to the rotation now. I decided on Pumpkin Patch (I know, believe me it was purely a coincidence!) by Sugar Maple Fabrics and it's going to be perfect!

Fart Therapy

I told DH today that I'm in need of some Fart Therapy :o) No, that doesn't mean that I "have" to fart! Don't you know that farts equal laughter? LOL! It does for me anyway and I'm in desperate need of some laughter right now.

This past Thursday I had my appointment with the specialist and as predicted, the ENG test came back just fine. After going through my list of symptoms that I brought along with me, he finally concluded that there was nothing more he could do for me. He told me to contact my family doctor and possibly a neurologist. Great! No surprises there. I should have been prepared for it because I knew ahead of time what was going to happen anyway but it was just another blow that in turn became a big cloud of depression. I'm back to square one. I was able to move up my family doctor's appointment by four days but that was it. That means it's still another week and a half away and therefore more waiting. That's the story of my life. Waiting.

Yes, I'm in quite the down mood and I've had a lengthy "pity party" this weekend. Chocolate, stitching, shopping...nothing has been able to cheer me up so that's why I figured it was time to bring in the big guns! Farts can usually put a smile on my face :o) It never fails and I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm still a kid at heart. I was in a store yesterday and this elderly gentleman was walking in front of me and the next thing I know I hear pffffftttttttttttt. An instant smile!

Now not all farts are good ones. You know the ones I mean...those smelly, clear the room farts. DH prides himself in these! He can literally wake me out of a dead sleep with one of his! Very powerful! Then you have the sharts. Now those are definitely not good! You know what I'm talking about. You fart a little too hard and something else besides air may have escaped... That's all I'm going to say about that ;o)

Relatively speaking though, farts are funny and I don't know why society isn't more open to them. We can burp in public and say, "Excuse me." Why can't we fart in public and do the same thing? I suppose we can but people don't take too kindly to farts as they do burping. Farts are basically just a "butt burp". Why do they get such a bad rap anyway? Is it the noise or is it the smell? Not all farts smell though.

Did you know that humans are supposed to "pass gas" about twenty times a day? Do you realize that EVERY human being on this planted has farted at least once in his or her life? That means you, your neighbor, your boss, Madonna and hey, even the Queen. Farting is something that we all have in common! So I ask again, why are farts so funny? Why do they make me laugh?

Weird? Me?

Ack! I've been tagged by Mary Ann! That means I have to share with you six weird things about myself :o) Only six? LOL! Okay, so here it goes...

• I read magazines backwards
• I used to have a poster of Freddie Kruger on my wall when I was a teenager
• I can't do my "business" in a bathroom that has any pictures or wallpaper with eyes (hey, I was asked!)
• I eat pie and cheesecake backwards (do you see a pattern here?)
• I have to have my entire cutlery lined up in the drawer
• I can't have the volume on level 13 on the television or the radio

Now, I get to tag six people! :o) Once tagged, please list six weird things about yourself on your Blog and then tag six more people. Please list the people that you have tagged on your Blog along with the rules. So, here it goes -

Irene
Shannon (my weird twin!)
Karen
Jamie
Jenn
Katie (sorry if you've been tagged with this before!)

Five Down...45 More To Go!

With February right around the corner, I thought this was the perfect time to stitch up Ground Hog Day! by Bent Creek :o)

He is just too cute and I've always wanted to stitch him. Now to just get him framed...

I've had a lot of inquiries as to what I have been stitching. A few days ago I decided, thanks to the girls, that I would try a rotation in my stitching. I have never done this before so we'll see how it goes. Since DH has been asking about his Oak Island (Pirate Treasure, The Oak Island Mystery by Lynne Nicoletti), I decided to pull it out again and try and finish it up for him :o) My plan is to stitch on it Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is what I have done so far -

The reason this piece went into "hibernation" is that I was having some issues with it. DH saw the model for this pattern stitched up in a shop and the lady had used the Kreinik glow in the dark thread that Lynne suggests in the pattern. Well, I don't even have to explain about Kreinik thread do I? LOL! Trying to combine this with one strand of DMC was a nightmare! After much deliberation, I finally settled on just using one strand of Kreinik glow in the dark thread. I added to the outer edge of the water on the right side last night and tried it in the dark. It looks SO cool! I can't wait to have more of it filled in :o)

For those of you not familiar with Lynne Nicoletti's designs, check out her website. She is a Canadian designer and is known for hiding images in her patterns. In the case of Oak Island, it's the face of a pirate and that's what will glow in the dark :o) Pretty neat huh? To learn more about the real Oak Island and its mystery, check out this website.

So what am I going to stitch the remaining days of the week? Well that's just going to have to be a surprise ;o)

Is This A Sign?

Your Bumper Sticker Should Be

I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to!

What Bumper Sticker Should Be On Your Car?

Four Down...46 More To Go!

And it's Snowflake that comes in at number four!

This little guy comes from a kit by Bent Creek. I've had him for a while now and what better time to dig him out :o) Would you believe that I have my next project all kitted up and ready to go in the Q-Snaps tonight????

This past weekend was a pretty good one although DH and I are still in limbo, each awaiting our own separate news. Sigh! On Saturday we went through the house and did a quick cleaning and organizing. DH managed to get out once more on the tractor and plowed out the driveway again. I have to say that winter is finally here. The shack wacky state hit in the afternoon and I made a last minute decision to go out to eat Saturday night. After quite a process of elimination, DH and I finally decided on The Palate. We had a wonderful meal but we behaved ourselves. It's no fun being financially responsible :o( I got the seafood lasagna and it was delicious! Afterwards we ran up to Staples and picked up my new Norton AntiVirus.

On Sunday I woke up to the wonderful scent of banana bread :o) DH was busy in the kitchen and had just baked a loaf along with fresh croissants for breakfast. Yes, I do have it good ;o) My friend from British Columbia called shortly after lunch and we had a good model horse chat. Hi Jana! In the afternoon, DH and I had a rip roaring game of Scrabble and I FINALLY won! Woohoo! It made me feel so smart ;o) During our supper of some hearty chili, make by said wonderful husband, we watched Pirates of the Caribbean. Before we knew it, it was time for bed and another week of work waiting for us :o(

WHY? How is it that weekends go by so fast? Has anyone solved this mystery yet?

What's That Smell?

Back a few months ago, I stated in my first confessional that I had a dog that stunk. For those of you who don't know, I have a Miniature Dachshund that is going to be three this year and she weights about ten pounds but this dog could literally clear a room in under a minute! I'm not talking your regular bad doggy breath. I'm talking dirty socks meet roadside kill all over her :o( Even Duncan, our Australian Cattle Dog, who has been sprayed by TWO skunks didn't smell as bad as her!

Brie is a wonderful little dog and a cuddler too. That's what I love about her :o) When she was a puppy, she had that wonderful puppy smell but after she turned one, this unbelievable smell surrounded her like a cloud. Every morning when she'd emerge from her cocoon like cave of a bed, the air around her would turn putrid. Maybe that's why all my plants died... DH and I always joked that she had bad BO (body odor) but I think I remember reading somewhere that dogs couldn't sweat through their bodies. I know what attracted me to the Dachshund breed was that they were supposed to be odor free. DH and I also pondered whether we got a defective dog ;o)

Almost every week Brie would get a bath and all her bedding was either washed or burned ;o) She would be good for about a few days and then the smell would start up again and attach itself to anything she touched. We were at a loss. After living with this stench for two years, we were desperate to try anything! Then someone mentioned the idea of changing her food. DH and I had never thought of that. Brie was eating Canine Plus and I specifically chose it because of the ingredients. I wanted my dog to eat as well as she could.

About a week or so ago, I did a little research and decided to put her back on Iams. This was the same brand of dog food she ate during her first year as a puppy and I knew it was a good choice as well. Over three days we gradually changed Brie's food over and would you believe the smell stopped???? No word of a lie! Even without a bath she smelled better and that's saying something! I'm really amazed that that's all it took. The crazy thing is we could have avoided this whole problem by not changing the brand of her dog food in the first place. I'll blame that on DH ;o)

So now I have my good smelling little girl back and I don't mind her cuddling with me anymore :o) Maybe the saying "You are what you eat." is not far from the truth although if that is the case, I really don't want to know what was in that Canine Plus then :oS

Three Down...47 More To Go!

Prrrrrrrrrrrrresenting...Warmth Of A Good Friend by Raise The Roof Designs!

Don't you just LOVE this design???? I love, love, love it! It's just too cute for words and probably something one of my own dogs would do :oS

I was introduced to Raise The Roof Designs two years ago and I found that they appealed to my dark twisted mind ;o) If you aren't familiar with this designer, check them out. If anything, it's worth a chuckle to see some of the patterns that they have designed. Even their copyright statement is hilarious! Another favorite of mine is Dry Turkey -

I stitched this one two years ago and I'm still trying to decide how to finish it. The next design of theirs that I'd like to stitch is Pushing Up Daisies but that will have to wait until my 50 Project Challenge has been met. I'm getting there though :o)

WWW

Weird Winter Weather. That's what it is. That's what it's been. Every year it seems to get worse and worse. Do we blame it on global warming or are the seasons actually changing? If I were a bear, I'd be having a stern talk with Mother Nature! LOL!

Today, as I type this, we are getting hit with a HUGE snowstorm! There are warnings for up to 30 centimeters. Yikes! Combine that with the rain they are calling for, it basically equals a HUGE mess :o( I don't mind driving in the snow. Actually, I love it! I've got a nice pair of winter tires on my car and believe me, they were definitely a great investment. Snow covered roads are fine as long as you respect the fact that your stopping ability is greatly reduced. That being said, there are some idiots out there that drive the same speed no matter what the road conditions are and it never fails that after each storm we have, there are many accidents and fender benders.

We really shouldn't complain. I remember when we used to get snow from the end of October all the way to April. Now that was a l-o-n-g winter! In more recent years, there have been a few small snowfalls in December with the bigger stuff hitting us in January. That being said, we have been VERY lucky to get all the way to January 19 without much snow :o)

As far as temperatures go, they have changed as well and are just as unpredictable. In my opinion, this has been one of the warmest winters we've had. Remember, DH and I were sitting in front of a campfire on Christmas night :o) We just received our most recent Hydro bill and it was less than what it was last year. Last week we did have quite a cold snap that was around -22 degrees, not including the wind chill factor. Poor Brie froze up a few times while going outside to do her duties. Yes, she literally froze! When this happens, DH or I have to run out and rescue her.

As I watch the big fluffy snowflakes falling, I think about how pretty it's going to look when I get home. There is nothing more beautiful than a landscape blanketed with freshly fallen white snow :o) Now I shake myself back to reality and wonder just how much of the darn white stuff I need to clean off of my car...

Ahhh...Stitch Night!

Yes! Just what the doctor ordered, a night with the gang :o) Believe me, this was a MUCH needed evening out too! Depressed Cathey soon turned into Pissed Off Depressed Cathey on the way to work this morning when there was a HUGE backup of traffic :o( A normal 20 minute drive to work took almost one hour. I was NOT happy! Luckily I had left home early, hoping to make a few stops before work. Good thing I did. Work wasn't much better and as the day wore on, I became Grumpy Pissed Off Depressed Cathey. It must have showed because I didn't get a lot of people bothering me today. Another good thing ;o)

I was only going to pop in to our stitching session tonight but then I said the hell with it and decided to stay for a while. I hardly get out anymore. Our group, called Friends That Count, meets the third Wednesday of every month at one of our local grocery stores. I know that sounds a bit weird but they have a community room upstairs and that's where we meet :o) We have a number of regulars but the group always welcomes newcomers. A lot of the girls have become very good friends over the years so you can just imagine the hen house we have going if we have a night with a good turnout! It always fascinates me to see what everyone is working on and we also bring items for our Show & Tell table as well.

Tonight was a small group and I imagine the bitter cold was a good reason why some stayed home. I was happy to see Katie and Faith Ann there when I arrived :o) Katie surprised me with a little gift -

I've been looking for one of these for a while now and I'm wondering how she read my mind ;o) It will be hung in my computer/craft room window. I finally got to see, in person, the completed Shepherd's Bush stocking that she made for her DH for Christmas. It's absolutely stunning! Faith Ann's progress on her Christmas Village is just amazing and every time I see it, I want to stitch it myself. Good thing I'm on this 50 Project Challenge ;o) I plugged away on my current project after borrowing a needle from Faith Ann. Can you believe that I packed all my stitching and forgot the main item! Oh bother!

Yes, stitch night was definitely needed :o) It's amazing the power of friendship and laughter. I guess that's why they say, "Laughter is the best medicine." I truly believe that it is. Instead of an apple a day, maybe it should be one hearty laugh a day. I bet that would work. Smiles and laughter are infectious and easier to pass around than apples. LOL!

Speaking of which, I want to thank all those that have left such wonderful, supportive comments on my Blog. That's how many smiles you put on my face today :o)

Back To Square One

Sigh! It would figure :o(

This morning I had my ENG test at the hospital to try and figure out why I have been having said vertigo attacks. Although I was unable to take my medications for the past 24 hours and the fact that I had psyched myself out to the point of nausea, the tests were actually not that bad! DH waited while I was being tested :o) Even though I was told it could take up to 3 hours, we were only there a little over an hour. Believe it or not, that was the good news.

During the tests, I could hear her saying "This is good, this is good." NOT what I wanted to hear. After all the tests were completed, she told me that everything looked "normal" and nothing really stood out but that she would be going over the tests again in fine detail. Again, NOT what I wanted to hear :o( A HUGE part of me went in there today hoping that something would show up that would explain these awful bouts of vertigo because believe me, there is nothing "normal" about them. I have a list of at least a dozen symptoms that comes with each of these attacks so it can't all be in my head. I hope my fear that it's something worse is not correct.

So, what does this mean? Well, I'm basically back to square one. It means that I have to wait another week to go back to the specialist for the results that I already know the answers to. It also means that I then have to wait another couple of weeks to see my family doctor to see what specialist I'm going off to see next.

More waiting. More frustration.

It may be the lack of sleep that I had last night but coupled with the results of today, depression has set in :o( I am not happy. It's no fun being a human guinea pig.

That being said, I think it's fair to say that this situation requires a good session of "stitching therapy" so I'm off to veg in front of the television and try to finish up my current project :o)

D Day

Yup. That's right. Today is "the" day. Disability Day. Dooms Day. The last chance to save my LTD benefits. Whatever you want to call it.

As I write this, my appeal letter is on its way to Toronto. DH and I met with the lawyer on Wednesday afternoon to go over things one last time. After a month and a half of gathering information, requesting information, doctor's appointments and meetings, it has finally come to an end. And I say that with a BIG sigh of relief! DH and I were extremely impressed with what the lawyer put together and it was much more than we ever expected. Would you believe that the appeal letter was ELEVEN pages long and he said that that was the short version! :o)

It's so nice to know that there was someone out there that wanted to and did listen to me. He was the only lawyer, out of the three or four that I called, that was even willing to talk to me and offer to help with my situation. I know he is not making big money off of us, although we might think that his rate per hour is astronomical. In the end though, I know and feel good about my decision to turn to a lawyer for help. It has been worth every penny. To be honest, there was no one else out there that would help. The insurance company ignored my doctor's recommendations, my employer didn't want any part of my fight, Human Rights is a joke and the Labor Board referred me back to Human Rights. See what I mean?

I've been part of a circus ever since I started back to work at the end of September. Yes, this has been a l-o-n-g road. By now you would think that I have everything down pat but all along the way, there were many curve balls thrown my way and A LOT of doors slammed in my face. My health has suffered greatly and the only thing that kept me going this long was my determination and anger. Am I sorry for taking this further? No. Would I do it again? You're darn right I would! I have never fought for anything in my life, always giving in to whatever hand was dealt to me, but not this time. Even if LTD denies my appeal, at least I tried and I know that I have tried my best. I feel good about it :o)

Now we wait...they have 30 days to make their decision. My Hell is almost over, at least I hope so ;o)

Today can also be classified as Denial Day. Desperate Day. Or Danger Day

Yup. That's right. There is a massive threat ready and waiting for me. It's out there now, appearing everywhere I go! The only reason for its being is to distract me from my new "lifestyle change". It's a clear and present danger!

Did you know that the Cadbury Easter Cream Eggs are now out for Easter????

I am in SO much trouble! I have to confess that they are a true weakness of mine. Do you realize that I will have three months to try and deny myself all that delicious chocolate wrapped around that creamy, sweet filling... Drool! Okay, I have to confess...I was desperate and had one today :oS Am I sorry for this? No. Would I do it again? Probably! ;o)

Two Down...48 More To Go!

Look out! I'm on A ROLL! Woohoo! May I present finish number two for 2007 -

This is Evening Dragon by Dragon Dreams. He was stitched on a piece of Merlin by Sugar Maple Fabrics. I got the idea from Katie :o) She is terrific for picking out hand dyed fabric.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate french or colonial knots? Argh! Yuck! Whenever possible I avoid them. Most times I will substitute them with beads if it's at all possible. But when a design calls for french knots that are smaller than beads, the air is definitely blue and a few choice words are said until I manage to make a few tiny knots that look somewhat like they are supposed to. If anyone has any great tips for me, please let me know! You may save me some frustration ;o)

What to do next... I actually have a line up of things! It's pretty neat, yet scary, that I have so many projects to choose from at the moment. Basically, it's a sign that I should be on this 50 Project Challenge ;o)

One Down...49 More To Go!

That's right people; I have finally completed my first project in the 50 Project Challenge! Woohoo! May I present Christmas Bunny Ornament by Dragon Dreams -

Isn't he just the cutest???? He was supposed to be done well before now but with the holidays and my wonderful vertigo attack, he got pushed back :o( For some reason this little guy seemed to have taken forever to complete but maybe it was just me. I can tell you one thing though, the Nun Stitch was a bugger and the air was a bit light blue yesterday. I think I have only done the Nun Stitch one other time but that was through only one piece of fabric and not two. All in all, I would say that I am 95% happy with him. I was unsure of how to join the threads while doing the Nun Stitch so I can see where they meet. To be honest though, they aren't that noticeable but hey, I'm an anal retentive stitcher so I see all ;o)

For those Dragon Dreams fans out there, you can get this pattern in the new magazine called A Needle Pulling Thread, the Festive 2006 issue. This is a Canadian based magazine and it touches on all forms of needlework, not just cross-stitch. It seems to be a bit difficult to find around here but I see that Traditional Stitches in Alberta carries it. The magazine has a website as well. In the next issue, another friend of mine will be featured! Tracy has a cross-stitch design and button business called Fiddlestitch Cottage. There are a lot of us anxiously waiting for that issue to come out :o)

If you haven't already noticed, I have added a new link on the right hand side. I have created another Blog to house my goals and finishes and it's called Pumpkin Patch & Co Graveyard :o) Take a look if you haven't already!

The weekend was relatively good. We had DH's parents stay over on Saturday night. They had come up to see their daughters as they were celebrating their 30th birthday :o) HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS! Yes, I said girls. They are twins, although not identical. They hosted a dessert party and let me tell you, it was goooooood! I was bad and succumbed to all the sugar but I think I was good as well. At least I didn't indulge in everything that was there. I figure I came out okay. Alright, maybe in my "own" mind ;o)

I have a wonderful gift to show you! My MIL made me this Chatelaine -

I was SO happy when I opened it :o) She did a beautiful job! I've attached some of my stitching pins but I want to personalize it a bit more. Any ideas?

On Saturday night, I got a call from my parents. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they were in Nashville, Tennessee! Okay, I almost dropped dead ;o) Last Thursday, they had packed up the fifth wheel and headed out on their three month Florida trip. Dad had made an itinerary for the trip down and it outlined every stop, turn and bathroom break! With that schedule, we figured there wouldn't be much sightseeing on the way down, let alone any sidetracks. So imagine my surprise when they called to tell me where they had landed! Mom, Dad, if you are reading this, have a great time :o)

Right now it's snowing and hard too. I was able to switch my work schedule so I am home today :o) I plan to snuggle up on the couch in my fleece, with a cup of hot chocolate and my stitching. How can it get any better than that?

The 50 Project Challenge Has Begun!

As you may or may not have noticed from the ticker at the top of my Blog, I have officially begun The 50 Project Challenge! Am I crazy? Probably. Do I think that I can do it? Possibly. Will I do it? That remains to be seen ;o)

Back in December I started looking over my list of completed projects for 2006 when I noticed just how many projects there were in total. I was already up to 45 and without even realizing it! That included my two big L&L projects as well. Then I got talking with the girls and knowing how much they like to taunt, I think in our conversation somewhere I was dared to do it ;o)

To see if it was humanly possible, I picked up my Snowmen project and completed him. That brought me up to 46. I quickly put together the items I needed to stitch up Be Merry (the Snowmen's companion) and he was finished within a few days -

I was not happy with a few things in this pattern so I changed them to suit myself. I wanted him to match Snowmen a bit more so I cross-stitched the border instead of using the running stitch. I also alternated the colors for the Be Merrys, used Algerian stitches for the snowflakes and to top him off, I placed a white pompom on the top of his hat instead of the yellow star. I'm quite happy with him :o) Be Merry was stitched on the 25 count Moss Green Lugana but he was done over two instead of one. Like I said earlier, I think both pieces will be made into cubes. I was now up to 47.

Earlier in December, I had done up a PIF gift (by the way, I still have two more openings) and had mailed it out to the UK. Karen has received it now so I can post the picture :o)

These sparkling ornaments were in the January 2007 issue of Cross-Stitch & Needlework magazine. I think they are so pretty and you could use any color combination you wanted. Now I had two more under my belt for a total of 49.

The last project I did, I cannot post a picture of because it's another PIF gift :o) It is done though and I hit the 50 project mark for 2006!!!! Woohoo! This only proves that I can do 50 projects within a reasonable amount of time though. Whether I can hold off buying new patterns until that goal is met is another story but I am willing to put my full effort into it. DH is 100% supportive of this but that's only because he has caught sight of my "store" and he feels that I have enough to last me five lifetimes. I'd say it was more like two lifetimes, three tops ;o)

So far I have lost two days in 2007 so I hope I'm on the mend soon so I can get back to my stitching! I bet you are all wondering what I have on the agenda for 2007 :o) Well, here is a somewhat official list -

• Autumn Medley by Heart In Hand
• Snowman Medley by Heart In Hand
• I Love Stitching by Hob Nobb Designs
• Sea Stars by Ink Circles
• Breast Cancer Ribbon Mandala by Ink Circles
• Stargazer by Mirabilia
• Gathering Eggs by Mirabilia - finish
• Giggles (boy) by Mirabilia - finish
• Where There Is Life by Little House Needleworks
• Quilt Time Sampler by Little House Needleworks - finish
• Seaside Sweethearts by Lanarte - finish
• Summer Snapperland by Bent Creek
• Spring Snapperland by Bent Creek
• Autumn Snapplerland by Bent Creek
• Breast Cancer Afghan by Dutch Treat Designs
• Good Night Dragon by Dragon Dreams
• Post Office Kit by Mill Hill
• Church Kit by Mill Hill
• Victorian House Kit by Mill Hill

By my count, there are 31 projects there. Hey, the Snapperland Series count as five in my book ;o) I have pretty much everything, if not all; for each of those projects so I shouldn't have to buy anything in the meantime. You do realize I'm going to have to rely on special occasions to receive stash! I can do it though. I know I can!

Bring It On!

Every year people make a list, either verbally or mentally, about the resolutions they want to keep in the upcoming New Year. I'm one of them. Sometimes my resolutions fizzle out after three months, some limp along all year and then others never even get out of the starting gate. One of my resolutions this year is to get back into my "lifestyle change" that I started approximately six months ago. No, this is not a "diet". Dr. Oz states that diets are a no-no. In reality, the word "diet" puts too much pressure on the individual to meet certain goals in an unrealistic amount of time. Not good. Who needs more pressure?

Dr. Oz is my new best friend :o) I first saw him last year on Oprah and I took to him immediately. He "dumbed down" the medical terms and explanations so that the audience could understand but he didn't do it in such a way that it was condescending or ignorant. I now consider him my Overall Health For Dummies teacher :o) It was shortly after my Dad had two more stints put in that Dr. Oz did a show called Appearances Are Deceiving. He showed the difference between a healthy and unhealthy heart. He explained how and why plaque builds up in the arteries and where the worst place to carry fat was. It pretty much scared me senseless! Just learning and seeing what a few harmful ingredients could do was enough to make me sit up straight and take note.

So what is my "lifestyle change"? Well for starters, it's eliminating harmful and/or unhealthy ingredients from the foods that I eat on a daily basis. Have you ever read the ingredients section on some of the foods that you eat? I do now. I consider it almost like a job interview. If the item has an ingredient that I don't like, it basically does not get the job of being my next meal :o) Hydrogenated oils, sugars, high fructose corn syrup and enriched flour are the four items that I plan to cut out of my diet (food) this year. Up until Christmas, I was very successful in eliminating the hydrogenated oils and enriched flour. I even lost some of the fat that I had accumulated but the holiday season pretty much squashed any progress I made :o(

Last night I watched the movie Super Size Me for the first time. If that won't turn you around, then nothing will! DH and I haven't been big fast food eaters this past year and it's hard to even remember the last time we went to one. I now have that movie taped and I will use it to squash any future fatty cravings that I might have. The more turn offs the better! Now don't get me wrong, this will not be an easy road. I found eliminating hydrogenated oils a bit hard but it's going to be the sugars that will do me in. I have a sweet tooth. A VERY sweet tooth. So far I have been able to wean myself off of Coke but now it's the Country Time Lemonade that needs to be conquered. That and chocolate :o(

I have come to listen to Dr. Oz and I would really love to get his book You, On A Diet. I know there is a lot more to this "change" than what I just listed. The second stage of this plan is to get out and walk more. Will all my wonderful ailments; this has proven to be just as difficult as eliminating unhealthy foods. My idea is to get my hands on a step counter and make walking into a game :o) Oh, I walked 1500 steps today, well let's see if I can increase that to 2000 tomorrow. You get the idea.

What's on your resolution list for 2007?

...Three, Two, One...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To all my friends and family, may this year be rich with love and happiness :o)