To Retreat Or Not To Retreat

Yes, that is the question…

Every year, for the past seven years, I have attended a stitching retreat at Camp Wildwood. It’s only about a two and a half hour drive from home so I consider it pretty local. The weekend consists of two nights and three days of stitching, shopping, eating and catching up with friends :o) It’s not The Ritz mind you but that’s fine with me because as long as I have a bed to sleep on, a chair so I can sit and stitch and a table that will hold my food, I’m a happy camper. LOL! The camp provides two or three meals a day plus two or three snacks in between. We even have the LNS set up there so we can indulge without even having to leave the lodge :o)

There are two retreats a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. Women come from all over and on average there can be anywhere from 65 to 80 women. Yes, that’s a lot of female hormones in one place at the same time ;o) You should see the look on a husband’s face when one dares to come and pick up his wife! There are chairs, Ott-Lites, tables, totes, foot stools and extension cords e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e! It really is quite a site. Many ladies have been coming there for far longer that I have but each year there are always a few newbies that are welcomed into the family.

At fall retreat we have an ornament exchange. It’s a wonderful way to start off the holiday season. A Christmas tree is put up and during the weekend, more and more stitched ornaments adorn the tree until the last day, when they come off and are presented to their new owners :o) In the spring we do another exchange but this can be anything that is stitched. It’s amazing the creativity of some of these ladies.

Each retreat, for as long as I can remember, we have joined together and held raffles and auctions. Most of the time the funds raised have been going towards breast cancer research but there have been other causes as well. The generosity of these ladies is amazing as we can usually bring in around $600 in one weekend! There have been a lot of tragedies and sad stories shared there but on the other hand, there are a lot of hugs available and shoulders to cry on.

Last week I received the email announcing our upcoming spring retreat and I have to be honest, it did not fill me with the usual excitement :o( The past few letters have gradually become colder but this one was completely void of warmth. New rules are being implemented and the price has increased again. This has not gone over well with me or some of the other gals that go. Two retreats a year has now become only one as some of us cannot afford to go to both now. And while I do understand why prices have to increase, there are other issues. Maybe it’s time for a change of hands.

So my answer is…no, I will not be attending spring retreat this year. Instead, Katie, Faith Ann, Flat Shannon and I are going on a trip! We are heading to Bangor, Maine for the weekend to do a little shopping, and more shopping and more shopping ;o) I’m sure we’ll fit food and sleep in there somewhere. LOL! As much as I shouldn’t be going, I really do need this time to unwind and forget about things, even if it’s only for a few days. I’m hoping that maybe we are starting our own spring tradition, something new to spruce up the old. Don’t worry though; the Ta-Ta Twins will still exist! We might even morph into the Ta-Ta Quadruplets ;o)

Hippity Hop

HAPPY EASTER!

I hope the Easter Bunny finds everyone and spreads the joy of chocolate everywhere :o)

Twenty Down...30 More To Go!

SHIZAM!

Woohoo! It's finally done! My completed Spring Snapperland by Bent Creek.

One more pattern checked off of my 2007 list :o) As mentioned before, the original design called for brown flowers. This did not call out as spring to me so I made some changes to the border. I pulled the two lilac colors out of the individual boxes and used those as substitutions for the flowers. I'm quite happy with the effect it gives. Like the Winter Snapperland, I have developed a dislike for this project and I have no idea why. Maybe it's just too busy. I don't know. LOL!

DH and I just got back from a nice walk along the beach. The snow is still here but it's starting to melt. It's still cool out there too. I'm not feeling the best this weekend. As hard as I try to relax here, I'm still worrying about work and LTD. DH talked to our lawyer on Thursday and we were told that my file was going to be looked at by LTD at the end of next week or the first of the following week. Hopefully this whole thing is coming to an end because I am SO tired of it. The energy and anger I had that kept the fight in me going is no longer there and I'm ready to admit defeat if this is not the end :o(

I forgot to mention that DH and I celebrated Easter on Thursday morning. A little early, I know, but the Easter Bunny thinks I'm special ;o) I woke up to an Easter egg hunt and I collected a bowl full of mini Cadbury Cream Eggs and dark chocolate Lindt eggs. There was a hollow chocolate bunny waiting for me as well. The Easter Bunny has continued this tradition for many years :o) I hope he finds everyone else too! As a child, this was my favorite holiday and it still is. Did I mention that I LOVE BUNNIES???? It's plain to see in old pictures why this is because I've had stuffed rabbits for as long as I can remember :o) One year I entered a coloring contest at the local drug store and I won first place! The prize...a four foot stuffed rabbit!!!! In the picture that my Dad took, its ear tips are just above my head :o)

On Thursday night, DH made a wonderful turkey dinner with all the fixings! It was yummy! We had mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, creamed corn, turnip and cranberries to go along with the delicious turkey. It was around a twelve pounder too so we are set for turkey for the next month ;o) For dessert we bought some of Mary's Carrot Cake. This is the most delicious carrot cake I have ever had. It's so moist and the frosting is to drool over! Sooooo good!

Has anyone figured out how to stop time yet????

Is it Christmas Again?

This is what DH and I woke up to this morning -

That's right! About six inches to be exact. Poor Brie could hardly plough through it. She had to do bunny hops just to get around. Maybe I should invent stilts for Dachshunds :o)

DH and I went for breakfast over in Calais, Maine this morning and we overheard people saying we were supposed to get 14 inches when all was said and done. ACK! I have to wonder if this is some cruel, twisted joke by the Easter Bunny. If so, it's not funny! Green grass, gone. Bare roads, gone.

In case you haven't guessed, DH and I are spending Easter weekend down at the ocean :o) My in-laws are on a trip so we have another wonderful, peaceful weekend of pure silence and bliss. Ahhhh! We arrived last night and when we parked the car, I noticed the outline of a deer in our headlights. It was on the hill behind the house and it wasn't too afraid of us. When it started to walk away, the poor thing was limping. I guess it has been spotted before and it has a mangled back leg :o( DH thinks it was coyotes.

While across the lines, we dropped into a favorite place of mine that carries bolts upon bolts of fabric and at "really" good prices. Their motto is "I should have bought it, when I saw it, at Marden's!" This is very true. Sometimes you go in and there is absolutely nothing. Other times, like today, I was lucky and this is the fabric I picked up -

Believe it or not, but since we arrived last night, I have hardly put a stitch in my Spring Snapperland. I hope to have it completely done so I can move on to something else. It seems I have enough here to keep me relaxed that I don't need my stitching. I know! Hard to believe ;o)

Reign Over Me

After a terrible, terrible, terrible day on Thursday, DH surprised me and asked me if I wanted to go to the movies that night. At first I didn't think it was a very good idea, considering the mood I was in. Then I took a minute to think about whether I wanted to sit at home and mull over what a rotten day I had or go somewhere that was going to take my mind off the crappy news I had received. Hence...the movie idea won out. Plus, I couldn't pass up the chance to get a Coke slushie and some popcorn ;o)

DH and I had seen the trailer for Reign Over Me many times on television and that was our choice on Thursday night. I probably should have gone with a comedy but I figured I was already wallowing so I might as well be even more depressed. We were not disappointed with our choice though. What a powerful movie it was. If you are looking for action or a real thrill, this is not the movie for you. It did have its comedic moments but they were well placed within the movie. DH and I like Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler but both gave such tremendous performances that we love them all the more! You definitely walk out of this movie thinking...

...and thinking I did. The movie touched on how we deal with loss. What, we as a society, think is appropriate behavior when we loose something or someone that we love. The proper response, as dictated by society, is to grieve, lean on those around us for support and start living a normal life within an appropriate amount of time. Basically, we are supposed to go through the five stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. But what happens when someone chooses to grieve outside of this box or they become hung up on one of the five steps? They will be judged by those around them. The foreign behavior startles people and drives them even further away. They have no idea how to deal with it and in turn, alienation occurs.

But is it appropriate to grieve in our own way? I believe it is. Grieving is a process in itself. Do you scream and yell? Do you cry until you can't cry anymore? Do you just sweep your emotions under the carpet and try to forget about them? Some people take longer to get over a loss than others. There may be some that love so deeply that they literally think their heart will break. Then there are others that cannot seem to climb out of the depression that washes over them. Everyone deals with loss in a different way and to me that is acceptable. To me that is normal. That is part of what makes us unique :o)

How do I deal with loss? Not very good. I never have. I've had many losses in my life. I've had family, friends and animals pass away. I've lost jobs. I've lost control over aspects of my life. I've lost a breast. I've lost hopes and dreams. Some losses I have gotten over faster than others. Some losses I am still dealing with. Some, I have not dealt with at all. Is it healthy? Maybe not but it's the best way that I know how to deal with things. It's the best way that I know how to protect myself.

I think it all comes down to time. Time is the key factor. Take the time to grieve. Take the time to heal. Take your own time, not someone else's.

Nineteen Down...31 More To Go!

BAM! BAM! BAM! The fourth and final square...Hutch by Bent Creek -

Again, more French knots but I'm quite pleased with myself as I think I have finally mastered them! I love the effect the knots give the bunny's tail :o)

Here are the four squares together -

The next step is the border. After a friend of mine raised the question of the colors in the border, I finally took a look at what colors the pattern actually called for. I was not impressed. Brown flowers for spring? I think not! I have since changed the colors and I'll keep things secret until I unveil the finished project :o)

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)