cool day

Spent today just dinking around town with my sweet husband... a nice lunch out... talking... simple supper followed by a movie and some snuggle time.

...may there be mercy and many days like this one.

fabric, fabric everywhere

With the crazy winter storm we've been having... during my vacation... I've been spending a lot of time quilting. Since I lost 3 months of prime quilting time for Christmas gifts, this is not such a bad deal.

Freezing and beyond freezing outside - 6 degrees with the wind chill yesterday! - so what else would I be doing?

It would be nice to go to the museums in Seattle or over to the San Juan Islands with our cameras, but since we can't, we're just enjoying the absolute rest of this down time.

Since Monday, I've made 2 lap quilt tops, gotten those 2 plus a twin-sized quilt "quilted" on the long-arm machine my friend has, a 4th quilt is almost completed with the quilting process here at home, all the binding has been done, and tomorrow I'll start on a quilt for my sister-in-law for her Christmas gift.

It's been a very productive vacation!

...may there be mercy and plenty of fabric.

another blog

At the request of a sweet friend, I've started a quilt blog to share the quilts I've made. It's going to take a bit of time to get it current with lots of pictures, but it's started now with the first quilt I made.

my quilt blog or click on the "my quilt blog link" in the links section on the left.

...may there be mercy and plenty of time to enjoy my quilting!

Thanksgiving

...may there be mercy and blessings on each of you as you give thanks.

... may there be mercy as we travel.

another little list

• splitting my pants at work and being able to laugh about it.
• spending the weekend with dear friends.
• the 4th Annual Day After Thanksgiving Breakfast.
• finishing packing early.
• the RML Gang... you know who you are, I hope you know how much I love you guys.
  
• being on vacation.

...may there be mercy as we travel.

continued little things

• time to shop when I want to.
• finding what I need at the fabric store... and enjoying everything else they have.
• finishing a quilt.
• my sweet husband running errands for me.
• being able to wear jeans to work tomorrow.

...may there be mercy and an appreciation of these little things each day.

cultivating an attitude

I'm sure it's been noticed that I'm being a bit repetitive with my "little things" blogs. When I find that I'm stuck in a funk, it helps to find those simple little daily things that lift my spirits.

I've also noticed that we skip straight from Halloween to Christmas without pausing to enjoy being thankful... as in Thanksgiving Day. Somehow the celebration of Thanks got changed to a celebration of a well cooked turkey and a lot of side dishes, each containing butter.

So the rest of the week, while I'm still home and have access to my computer, the blogs on little things will continue... helping me to cultivate that attitude of being thankful.

• lunch with a friend.
• strength for the day.
• my sweet husband's smile.
• not being rained on!
• laughing with co-workers.

...may there be mercy and an attitude of thanksgiving.

still more little things

• a nice cup of hot tea with honey on a rainy day.
• encouragement from friends.
• dinner with my father-in-law.
• a warmed up rice bag keeping my toes cozy.
• listening to music while I sew.
• quiet mornings.

...may there be mercy and a thankful attitude for the little things.

more little things

Still trying to focus on the little or day-to-day normal, positive things that keep me going...

• a good night's sleep or three.
• a gift of fabric and a new pattern for quilting.
• great cards in the mail that make me laugh out loud.
• uncompromising love of God.
  
• a boss who understands.
• a lovely glass of wine.
  
• anticipation of vacation.
  
• leap frog.

...again, may there be mercy and lots of little things.

racing

busy...

seems like I'm racing to meet too many deadlines right now.

Vacation starts next Wednesday at 5 p.m.

... may there be mercy until vacation starts!

little things

It’s the little things that keep me going.

v Being able to sew all weekend long.

v My sweet husband’s hug when I get home from work.

v KC inviting us to dinner.

v Hearing about my goddaughter’s teenage life.

v Making 2 fresh cookies each and enjoying them with my sweet husband while we listen to the rain.

v Being able to tell my godchildren that I love them.

v The adorable innocence and grin of a 6-year-old boy as he replies, “I love you more.”

…may there be mercy and lots of little things.

feeling yukky

…am sick…

…need sleep…

…may there be mercy on my pitiful self.

high and dry

After driving home tonight, which does entail crossing the bridge over our flood-stage river, I am once again so very happy my home is on the hill.

Sandbaggers worked hard and got the downtown area as protected as it's gonna be. The river should crest tonight, they say around 10 p.m.

Tomorrow it will be interesting to see how much water is "out" of the river. I'm hoping that it isn't much more than already has happened.

...may there be mercy on our community.

night before flood

The river is going to flood tomorrow. The predictions are that it will be pretty bad. The next 48 hours will be hard on everyone here.

My home is safe, which is good... but we have friends who live in the flood zone.

Sandbaggers are working through the night to try to protect what can be protected. How I wish my health allowed me to help them.

...may there be mercy on our community.

feeling funky

Right now it feels like I live in Crabbyland.

I’m doing all I can to get out of it, but I’m in a major funk. Too much pressure at work, issues at church, hoping my sweet husband will get called for an interview with a particular company, body not being completely recovered from surgery and post-surgery fall, sister in an abusive marriage, still dealing with grief issues as a family, continued sleep/health issues, Mama is going to be laid off soon and financially she needs her job, two brothers about to have surgery, …

… I could go on but it just makes the funk worse.

And yet, I function in the normal day-to-day world as if there isn’t anything going on. As if every single detail of my life is just fine. Nothing is getting to me.

Or if it shows a little, I blame all the crabbiness on lack of sleep. And we all laugh because everyone understands being tired equals being crabby.

For those of you who tend to fret, don’t. (pray instead!) I’ll be okay. I’m a little stuck right now, but I do NOT plan on staying here permanently.

I’m thinkin’ that the myriad number of big things and the massive number of small things that have happened since December 15^th have finally hit that over-saturation point for me. It will take a bit of time to get back to a more normal, cheerful self.

Hoping that my upcoming vacation time will be a big boost for that. I always take the week after Thanksgiving off since it gives me an extra bonus of time that way.

Three weeks from today, I’ll be on vacation. Not sure yet exactly what that will be or if we will go anywhere… but looking forward to 11 days of rest… and missing the end of month chaos for November.

…may there be mercy on my funky self.