My sweet son actually made conversation about this piece last night. At dinner, he asked what I was working on. I was flummoxed for a moment. Nobody ever asks what I'm working on. But I recovered and the editing program started to function. With his dad I have between ten and fifteen seconds before his interest shuts down. "It's an Easter piece," would suffice, I thought. "Ah," he replied. "A present for Jesus." This man is an atheist with good reason. He's had bad experiences with christians who don't know the teachings of Christ, much less live by them. No question this was a joke, but I was so shocked that anyone had actually engaged in further conversation about one of my stitchery pieces that I just responded, "Well, I don't think so since the part I've finished is a chocolate bunny with a big bite out of it." He shot back, "Oh, Jesus likes chocolate." Having now broken the record for conversation about Debi's stitchery, he earned yet another sparkle in my heart when he continued the conversation by asking who it was for (me) and why I was making it (for the fun of it). I added further that since most of the things I work on are huge pieces that will take years to complete, I thought it would be fun to work on something that had a chance of seeing completion.
A thoroughly satisfying conversation.
I'm still struggling to come out of a funk. I'm not really calling it a depression because it's not interfering with work and I still get enjoyment from doing things I like to do. I'm just very sad and with good reason. California is broke and, like all teachers, we are paid by the state. We are looking at huge cuts to our budget next year, including laying off up to fifty (out of 330) teachers, some of whom are ex-students of mine and life-long friends of my son. My own sons face lay-offs themselves. Last week I was in meetings every day except Wednesday either hearing the bad news or giving it myself. I would have been doing the same Wednesday except that I attended a funeral for my uncle.
On Saturday I had arranged to meet a young friend (also in a funk) at Disneyland (a passion we share). I was glad that she had other friends meeting her there. After a shared breakfast, we went our separate ways. It was not only Valentine's Day on a three-day weekend, but heavy rain was expected on Sunday so the park was packed. My favorite piano player was not playing and I couldn't get into my favorite stage show. About 1:00 I decided to go home. I kept feeling sorry for myself and that would get me crying and I realized I was just going to change my happy place into a sad place so I headed toward the entrance.
My very favorite flower is the sweet pea, but right behind it is the Iceland poppy and DL Town Square had masses of them. I had to sit and enjoy the flowers for a while.
A thoroughly satisfying conversation.
I'm still struggling to come out of a funk. I'm not really calling it a depression because it's not interfering with work and I still get enjoyment from doing things I like to do. I'm just very sad and with good reason. California is broke and, like all teachers, we are paid by the state. We are looking at huge cuts to our budget next year, including laying off up to fifty (out of 330) teachers, some of whom are ex-students of mine and life-long friends of my son. My own sons face lay-offs themselves. Last week I was in meetings every day except Wednesday either hearing the bad news or giving it myself. I would have been doing the same Wednesday except that I attended a funeral for my uncle.
On Saturday I had arranged to meet a young friend (also in a funk) at Disneyland (a passion we share). I was glad that she had other friends meeting her there. After a shared breakfast, we went our separate ways. It was not only Valentine's Day on a three-day weekend, but heavy rain was expected on Sunday so the park was packed. My favorite piano player was not playing and I couldn't get into my favorite stage show. About 1:00 I decided to go home. I kept feeling sorry for myself and that would get me crying and I realized I was just going to change my happy place into a sad place so I headed toward the entrance.
My very favorite flower is the sweet pea, but right behind it is the Iceland poppy and DL Town Square had masses of them. I had to sit and enjoy the flowers for a while.
Exquisite. The pink is my favorite color.
While I was waiting for my friend earlier, I had wandered through the hotel gift shop and saw something I really wanted for my garden. I didn't want to carry it all day, so didn't buy it, but it haunted me all day. I didn't really feel like walking all the way back to the hotel for it, and they didn't have it at the Emporium on Main Street, but the lead at the Emporium suggested I try World of Disney on the way to the tram.
Score!
While I was waiting for my friend earlier, I had wandered through the hotel gift shop and saw something I really wanted for my garden. I didn't want to carry it all day, so didn't buy it, but it haunted me all day. I didn't really feel like walking all the way back to the hotel for it, and they didn't have it at the Emporium on Main Street, but the lead at the Emporium suggested I try World of Disney on the way to the tram.
Score!
Isn't he a riot? I always swore I would never have a garden gnome in my garden, but hey! It's Mickey!
The Saturday traffic was horrible. It was a glorious day - weatherwise - and everyone was on the freeway. Slow moving but nobody drunk enough yet to be doing stupid things, so I made it safely back to Ventura County. I was not ready to go home yet and it occurred to me that I could stop on the way and pick up some things. Both clocks I had in my room - the wall clock and the small bedside clock - are broken and I wanted to replace them. If I stopped and shopped for the clocks on the way home, I wouldn't have to go out on the rainy Sunday. I also remembered that I'd heard there was a Disney outlet in one of the malls on my way home. That clinched it.
I'm glad I stopped. Two years ago I bought a pair of Mickey Mouse Crocs at DL for about $40. I'd never owned a pair and was delighted at how comfortable they were to lecture in. They were the first pair of shoes I absolutely wore out, and I wanted another pair. Unfortunately, they don't sell them at DL anymore, and the local Croc shops don't have the Mickey Mouse style. Scored again at the outlet, finding a pair of red ones for under $15.
Then I went to a store called Home Goods to look for a clock. No luck with the clock, but look what I did find.
The Saturday traffic was horrible. It was a glorious day - weatherwise - and everyone was on the freeway. Slow moving but nobody drunk enough yet to be doing stupid things, so I made it safely back to Ventura County. I was not ready to go home yet and it occurred to me that I could stop on the way and pick up some things. Both clocks I had in my room - the wall clock and the small bedside clock - are broken and I wanted to replace them. If I stopped and shopped for the clocks on the way home, I wouldn't have to go out on the rainy Sunday. I also remembered that I'd heard there was a Disney outlet in one of the malls on my way home. That clinched it.
I'm glad I stopped. Two years ago I bought a pair of Mickey Mouse Crocs at DL for about $40. I'd never owned a pair and was delighted at how comfortable they were to lecture in. They were the first pair of shoes I absolutely wore out, and I wanted another pair. Unfortunately, they don't sell them at DL anymore, and the local Croc shops don't have the Mickey Mouse style. Scored again at the outlet, finding a pair of red ones for under $15.
Then I went to a store called Home Goods to look for a clock. No luck with the clock, but look what I did find.
There's a bowl, too, with the peony (or is a rose? or a camillia?) on the side and a lovely fluted edge. I got two place settings (dinner, salad, bowl), one of myself and one for a gift. I also got these frames:
In the store lighting they were almost a perfect match, but in the lighting here they are not so perfect, are they? Oh, well. Different walls should take care of that. Whatever shall I put in them? I'm still looking for a frame for the pouty fairy, Chiloe, although I still don't have the face right. I know exactly what I want in a frame, I just don't think anyone makes it.
Anyway, I got the two place settings, the two frames and a cool bottle to give my nephew for his birthday, all for about $40.
Still no clock, though, but by now I was pooped so I headed home.
I went out yesterday (it hadn't started raining yet) to get some scrapbook paper and project boxes at Michaels and to find the clocks. The paper was pretty bad at Michaels (ours is a smaller store and they really never have much of a selection. I did pick up three project boxes (almost half price). This year's colors are turquoise (not bad) and that retro lime green. I will be glad when retro goes away again. When I came out of Michael's I saw that my right front tire seemed low. If my wheel is turned it will cause the tire to bulge a little so I decided to keep an eye on it. Went to Target but didn't find anything for a bedside clock, and the wall clock I bought was the least of the ugly ones I saw.
When I went back out to the car I noticed the tire was definitely bulging, but I thought I could get it home and add some air. When I got home I checked the pressure. 15 pounds when it's supposed to be 32. Yikes. I hauled out the extension cord and air compressor and tried to fill the tire, but the fitting was wrong. I just wasn't in any mood to deal with it yesterday (wanted only to snuggle into my recliner with a movie on the laptop and my stitchery in my hands). Figuring the tire place might be open on the holiday (surely not on Sunday) I just left it sit there. I haven't checked it yet this morning. Will call AAA later, then see if a tire store is open.
I finally gave up on trying to make my day work when I unpacked the new, not-so-ugly clock to hang it in my room. I buy batteries at Costco by the dozens and leave them in a desk drawer for anyone who needs one. Stupid me. I've put hundreds of batteries in that drawer over the years, but now that I need one lousy AA for this clock, the drawer is empty.
Of course.
End of attempts to accomplish anything. I snuggled and watched National Treasure I and II. DH made a fire.
And I stitched.
And it was fun.
In quilting news...
Isn't this adorable!?!
As always on a Sunday morning, I went visiting in blogland and checked in on May Britt. She's been working on this BOM by Bunny Hill Designs. This is a new company to me and I'm so happy to meet them. I'm overwhelmed by my stacks and stacks of stash and patterns that I can't seem to break loose and DO something. I thought maybe a BOM would shake me out of this and lo! Here is a delightful BOM! I had to check it out. Here's the January block:
Of course, it's all moot. I still don't have a space cleared out to sew (and our Christmas tree is still up, thank you.) So maybe today I'll get the shovel out (the mental shovel, that is) and make myself a sewing space.
Instead of grading those sad tests I brought home.
They just add to the funk.
I've decided that since I can't really retire, my weekends need to be my psuedo-retirement.
Sounds like a plan.
In the store lighting they were almost a perfect match, but in the lighting here they are not so perfect, are they? Oh, well. Different walls should take care of that. Whatever shall I put in them? I'm still looking for a frame for the pouty fairy, Chiloe, although I still don't have the face right. I know exactly what I want in a frame, I just don't think anyone makes it.
Anyway, I got the two place settings, the two frames and a cool bottle to give my nephew for his birthday, all for about $40.
Still no clock, though, but by now I was pooped so I headed home.
I went out yesterday (it hadn't started raining yet) to get some scrapbook paper and project boxes at Michaels and to find the clocks. The paper was pretty bad at Michaels (ours is a smaller store and they really never have much of a selection. I did pick up three project boxes (almost half price). This year's colors are turquoise (not bad) and that retro lime green. I will be glad when retro goes away again. When I came out of Michael's I saw that my right front tire seemed low. If my wheel is turned it will cause the tire to bulge a little so I decided to keep an eye on it. Went to Target but didn't find anything for a bedside clock, and the wall clock I bought was the least of the ugly ones I saw.
When I went back out to the car I noticed the tire was definitely bulging, but I thought I could get it home and add some air. When I got home I checked the pressure. 15 pounds when it's supposed to be 32. Yikes. I hauled out the extension cord and air compressor and tried to fill the tire, but the fitting was wrong. I just wasn't in any mood to deal with it yesterday (wanted only to snuggle into my recliner with a movie on the laptop and my stitchery in my hands). Figuring the tire place might be open on the holiday (surely not on Sunday) I just left it sit there. I haven't checked it yet this morning. Will call AAA later, then see if a tire store is open.
I finally gave up on trying to make my day work when I unpacked the new, not-so-ugly clock to hang it in my room. I buy batteries at Costco by the dozens and leave them in a desk drawer for anyone who needs one. Stupid me. I've put hundreds of batteries in that drawer over the years, but now that I need one lousy AA for this clock, the drawer is empty.
Of course.
End of attempts to accomplish anything. I snuggled and watched National Treasure I and II. DH made a fire.
And I stitched.
And it was fun.
In quilting news...
Isn't this adorable!?!
As always on a Sunday morning, I went visiting in blogland and checked in on May Britt. She's been working on this BOM by Bunny Hill Designs. This is a new company to me and I'm so happy to meet them. I'm overwhelmed by my stacks and stacks of stash and patterns that I can't seem to break loose and DO something. I thought maybe a BOM would shake me out of this and lo! Here is a delightful BOM! I had to check it out. Here's the January block:
I think one of the reasons I can't get "into" the Butterfly Garden quilt by Leanne Beasley is that my collection of fabrics is just too wrong.
I really love her pastels, but I bought all these wonderful fabrics when I was in Utah last summer. I think they are much more appropriate for the Bunny Hill BOM than for the Butterfly Garden quilt. And dang! I'm stuck again! Which fabric to use???
Of course, it's all moot. I still don't have a space cleared out to sew (and our Christmas tree is still up, thank you.) So maybe today I'll get the shovel out (the mental shovel, that is) and make myself a sewing space.
Instead of grading those sad tests I brought home.
They just add to the funk.
I've decided that since I can't really retire, my weekends need to be my psuedo-retirement.
Sounds like a plan.
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