Days 2 Through 5 of the First Project of 2015

I haven't been posting because I've been stitching. You're going to like what's happening.

Day 2.

I got a lot done on day 2. I had a huge computer issue which necessitated a reloading of my World of Warcraft game client. That meant that I took time off to spend with my cross-stitching, and the cats. Pilchard loves my lap but was not staying as long as she did in the summer. I would think winter would be better. She'd be in a warm lap instead of a cold box on the floor, but she lasts only for around an hour before jumping down.

Anyway, this might be a familiar shape to some people. Day 3 was just a bit of stitching.

It was more fill in of what I'd done before, rather than stitching into the empty space. On Day 4, I filled in the rest of what I had outlined before.

What you can't see with the camera and flash are the subtle color changes in the grays of the design. I tried a non-flash photo but since I'm stitching at night when I come home from work, flash is needed. I'm hoping to complete this design this weekend and then I'll see if natural light will better illuminate the color changes of the floss. To give you an idea of the power of the flash, the hoop is robin's egg blue.

I'm still struggling with stitching on black. I have difficulty finding the next hole for the needle. I'm grateful that I chose a design that doesn't have half or quarter or three-quarter stitches. I think I'd have to set this aside until summer when I could stitch outside in sunshine in order to see.

I worked more last night. Day 5 had the design fleshing out more.

Seeing how well and fast this is coming together makes me want to continue, setting aside things like the dishes in the sink and the wash in the basement. There is a border and lettering to be done, but I have high hopes I'll be finished within my target time.

Beverage:  Irish Breakfast Tea

Deb

The Printed Word

I managed to get 7 books read in 2014. I didn't review the last one. I don't even have a photo of it. It was a cat book with a copyright of 1976. It wasn't very informative or insightful. The study of the cat has come a long way in the almost 50 years since the book was published. Thankfully, I got it used so I don't feel cheated by spending money for a book containing now largely discredited information. I guess it's interesting to see how far science has come to trying to understand the cat.

The book that's been on the ottoman since the cat book has been Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication on the Rights of Women. I feel I should read a classic every year, either something I have read before or something I haven't. Wollstonecraft's book will, periodically, be used as a reference to women's rights. She wrote it in the 18th Century and was an uncommon woman. But it's kind of like slogging through a thawing peat bog. I'm half-way through it and I kind of feel like I HAVE to finish it, rather than want to finish it. That's a clear sign that I need to set it aside and pick up something else, something more engaging.

Lately, my eyes and brain have been assaulted by other books. As you know, I honestly don't NEED books. I should take a bag to Half Price Books because they will buy stuff and give you a store credit, which would promote the purchase of more books, but I'm sure I can find things to use up the store credit. At least I'd have the books out of the house. If they gave me $15 for a bag of books, I could, perhaps, find something large which could be a Christmas book for someone.

After much thought and reading, I purchased these from my friendly bookstore, Just the Bookstore, in downtown Glen Ellyn.

The Guild Leader's Handbook is a reference tome for people who lead guilds in computer games. As you know, I lead a guild in World of Warcraft. Any help I can have to navigate the needs of the guild and the drama of having 85 people in one place is welcome.

Living in the Shadow of Death is the book which sparked the PBS "American Experience" program about tuberculosis.

Amusing Ourselves to Death is a book about how television has eroded the ability to critically think and discuss politics, science, most anything. It was originally published in 1985, but I've seen it referenced in quite a few articles on the news and science sites I frequent. If eight different authors refer to this in eight different articles, I figured I should see what they were talking about.

As You Wish is the memoir of Cary Elwes who played "Wesley" in "The Princess Bride" movie. It's one of my favorite movies and has become a part of our culture. I probably should, at some point, read the original novel, The Princess Bride by William Goldman. While Goldman wrote the script for the movie, he left out a great deal which fleshes out the characters more.

I tend to steer clear of memoirs. A huge number are released every year and it's tough to find one that isn't about a horrible family or event which colors the author's world outlook. I guess if you had a happy childhood, you don't need to write a memoir to exorcise your demons. But the doom and gloom of most memoirs, even with a happy ending, turns me off. This book, however, promised to be very narrow in scope. It only deals with the time Elwes was filming the movie. Since the book's release, I've read probably a quarter of it on a wide variety of web sites. Everything I read was funny and well written. It seems like the perfect late winter book when the storm rages o'er me.

The top book was an impulse purchase. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up crossed my news feed in, of all places, a couple of craft blogs I read, as well as a book review on NPR. The premise of the book is the Japanese method of decluttering your life really will remove the stress we feel when our homes are filled with stuff. I've said, a lot, that I want to declutter, purge, remove. The Aunt Peaches blog to the right had a wonderfully glowing review of this book and that's what made me get it when I asked Renee if they had it in the store. I guess I need to read the whole book before jumping into decluttering. One of the tips is to hold up an item and say, "Does this bring me joy?" If not, it goes. I'm sure there is more to it. You'll be the first to know.

So, Mary Wollstonecraft is going back in the pile. I'm not sure which one of these I will start with. My goal is still to read a book a month, 12 books at least, per year. I think decluttering would go hand in hand with that. Did this book bring me joy? If not, add to the get rid of bag.

Beverage: Earl Grey Tea

Deb

Frosted Windowpanes

Monday's frost was the kind just made for photos.

I love the look of feathers. It's kind of a bear to scrape but it was lovely to look at.

This compares with this morning's ice.

This is the kind where you have to take the edge of the scraper and run it over the ice, breaking it up. Only then can you scrape off the chunks that result. Both of these will make you 10 minutes late for work.

I'm sure there is a scientific reason why the frost forms in feathers on a windshield. As difficult as it makes the start of the day, it did put a smile on my face.

Beverage:  English Teatime Tea

Deb

Comfort

I went shopping with Pam this weekend for the final piece to my wedding ensemble. Once that was obtained, we wandered about this great outlet mall west of us.

I hadn't been here in a number of years. Some of the stores had moved from where my admittedly faulty memory remembered them. Thank goodness Pam was around to map out the places we wanted to visit.

It's an outdoor mall with covered areas in some wings. It's also expanding and will have a lot more stores open by August. We got there right after stores opened. By the time we were leaving, people were circling the parking lot looking for spots. We were quite amazed. They need better parking, but if we went there again, we're the kind of people who would get there at or before opening time to make sure we had close parking.

Anyway, after buying the last piece I needed, we wandered about. One of the stops we made was at the Clarks shoe store. The last time I was here, I bought a pair of Clarks and I was in the market for another pair. This is going to sound like a commercial for Clarks but I like the brand so much, I want to tell you about this.

I need another pair of shoes for work when I am on my feet doing inspections. I need something reasonably lightweight because I don't need to be really tired because I'm dragging a pair of work boots around.

I need sturdy, too. Stylish comes way down on the list, after affordability. That's why I liked going to the outlet. I regularly price Clarks shoes and know what they start at regular retail price. I can wear last year's styles. I don't care. This pair won.

I had foot problems years ago and the podiatrist I saw recommended Clark shoes. My rheumatologist has said Clarks have great fit and support. These shoes were billed as a help for people with foot problems. That kind of sold me on them to even try them on.

The other thing I liked was the tread. We tend to go into places, like basements, which have accumulated dirt or be outside in mud or snow, where having treads on the sole provides me with that much more stability. In the snow of a Monday morning, they were perfect.

Clarks are expensive. That is without question. I really can't afford them when they are on sale. I had to put the wedding shoes into the budget and cut something else, even though they were on sale, in order to get them. But I will wear the crap out of these. I'm still wearing Clarks which are 10 years old. They gave me a free shoe horn too. I've found that sliding into some of my shoes has become a bit tougher in recent years.

Perhaps the best part of the deal, the box.

Beverage:  English Teatime tea

Deb