Tuesday, April 23, 2013

White Flag

I surrender.  Since January of 2011 I have tried and tried to get my life back on track.  I've tried to help my children get their adult lives going.  But nothing is coming back to me.  I just keep getting trampled.  I'm tired of it.

You win, world.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Signs of Spring

When I took the dogs out this morning, this was waiting on the sidewalk:

My very most favorite thing about Spring.  Maple seed helicopters. 

That one little pod made me really happy.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Apres Stitches South

If you've ever been to a Stitches event, you know how much fun it is, and also, how much walking you have to do.  Therefore, come prepared:
That would be yours truly on the left, Mooflower on the left.  In the Market on Day One.  The last time we saw each other was also in Atlanta, about four years ago.  She is truly awesome, and it was great to see her again.  And to meet her friend, Jane.

Day One shopping filled one of my Chico bags.  I'd written down amounts of yarn I needed for specific projects, and stuck to buying those.  For the most part.

How cute is that little guy?  Shame I can't crochet --- Briton's girlfriend loves otters.

Treated myself to room service the first night, having taken a long nap that afternoon and missed dinnertime.
Fruit and cheese basket.  Followed the next morning by
my standard hotel/room service Eggs Benedict breakfast.  With tiny bottles of Tabasco again.

Bought fewer things on Day Two, as I had walked the whole market twice Friday, and had very specific vendors to visit Saturday.  And didn't take a nap, which meant I could go to dinner with Moo and Jane:
Boots are made for shopping and eating.

Got home on Sunday in time to watch Adam Scott win the Masters:
One of my favorite golfers, and definitely the cutest.

Today, I'm working on a cowl with yarn I bought Friday:
 

Oh, and fighting Con Crud.  It was inevitable.

But sort of worth it.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Stitches South

This is my second trip to Stitches South;  Hannah and I came a couple of years ago.  The hotel has redecorated its rooms, going from warm woods with real character to black and white modular which is plain tacky.

The market, which is all I came for, remains the same.  Lots of women wearing lots of handknits.  Mostly shawls.  Don't know how many were wearing handmade socks, but shawls have definitely been the project of choice for, I'd say, 85% of the attendees.

Met up with friend Mooflower once I arrived.  She and her friend Jane have been delightful company these couple of days, despite our difference in style:

The market did have a surprise or two:
This booth was empty yesterday, but there were men sitting and knitting today.  

There was also a handsome man in a kilt strolling around.  Wanted to take a picture of him, but that would have been just creepy.

Got my standard room service breakfast this morning:
Love my Eggs Benedict, and love the tiny Tabasco bottles even more.




Wednesday, April 10, 2013

So

Following the lead of my twinster and knitting a Color Affection shawl.  I'm always late to the game on stuff like this Hot-Pattern-of-the-Moment.  But elann.com is selling yarn packs for Color Affection, and I thought I'd dive in.  I went with Night Flower, if you're interested.

Heading off to Stitches South tomorrow.  Can't leave until after 4, which will most likely put me 1) in Atlanta 5 o'clock traffic and 2) driving into some strong thunderstorms.  But once I'm there, I'm there, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday stretch out before me.

It's possible I won't spend that much time at the actual Stitches events.  I couldn't sign up for any classes --- too expensive.  So the only place for me to go, really, is the marketplace.  Not that I'm complaining.

Hopefully, these few days away will help me mentally.  My therapist called my trip to Folly Beach last year (last YEAR?) "as good as ElectroShock."  I am in desperate need of a Reset.  Because I am perilously close to hitting the Permanently Off switch.

Monday, April 8, 2013

This Week

. . .is starting with a pulverizing headache.

. . .is the week of Stitches South in Atlanta.  I'm going --- are any of you?  Is there anything any of you need me to pick up for you while I'm there?

. . .while at Stitches, I may need to buy yarn in "my" color:

. . .has me taking one new medicine and new dosages of two of my "regulars."  My doctor is seriously considering ElectroConvulsive Therapy.  I'm just stuck.  And still can't give you a good reason for me to go on.

. . .will hopefully have Riley getting her feeding tube removed.  She is eating a good bit on her own.





Thursday, April 4, 2013

This Day

I vividly remember the news bulletin coming over television, saying that Dr. King had been shot.  I was sitting in the den floor playing solitaire.


And then there was Bobby Kennedy, keeping one major city calm:


Who knew we were two months away from another murder.


48

If you've ever rented a movie on Amazon Prime, you know you have 48 hours in which to watch it.  (By the way, why do we "watch"...