1 day left

Only 1 day left in February. I've enjoyed trying to blog every day. I did pretty well. Almost didn't make it today. Came down to sign on and no Internet. Had to call verizion and he got it working but how does it just stop?

Had a nice morning at the gym and them meet Ann, Sunny & Lynn at Wegmans for coffee. It was an enjoyable morning.

Having fun going thru all my cross stitch stash - so much stash. LOL

It's a sickness

OK, it's a sickness. I have a craft room in my house. Which since I moved in 2.5 years ago, I've just been tossing stuff in there. It is a mess. Since I came home from work early today - it was supposed to snow and be bad - it it didn't. But I had an unexpected afternoon home. So I decided to work in there. I have so much stuff - don't tell anyone. I can not tell you how many:

1) projects I have stitched that just need to be finished, either frames, made into a pillow, etc.

2) charts I've found that I want to stitch.

3) how many floss away bags I have. I found 500 so far. So when the disaster comes - I'm ready with bags to put our floss in.

4) plastic containers to store stuff in. LOL

I'm bound and determined to get this room organized. At least so I can find stuff I knew I brought but right now have no idea where it is. I'm going to try and work in there again this weekend.

Wednesday

Hump day - middle of the week. This week seems to be going fairly fast.

I wrapped up the gifts for my niece and something for my sister and took them to the post office this morning. They are off. I was going to do it tomorrow but since they are calling for more white stuff (snow) I decided to do it today.

Yes, more snow. The stuff we got 2 weeks ago is still hanging around but I have to say the rain we got yesterday did melt alot of it. Depending on who you listen to it could be any where from 6 inches to 18 inches. Of course, I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, this one is in the morning, so we'll wait and see. Since they have my home number, I won't know until I get home if they cancelled it.

Didn't stitch at all last night because I was watching LOST. First you watch last weeks episode with captions and then you watch this weeks. I can't stitch and watch LOST because if I'm looking down, I miss something.

Also watch some of the Olympics. Watched ice skating and it broke my heart watching the girl skate who's mom just died. You know her mom would have wanted her to compete and she is looking down. She did so well.

Rainy Tuesday

I think that about sums up the day. Rain. Only bright spot is that LOST is on tonite but then are so are the Olympics! Think I'll watch LOST and catch the highlights of the Olympics in the morning on the Today show.

I did finally finish the little heart for my nieces daughter. Turned out ok - I don't do curves to well. but it is cute.

Monday

Not a very creative title for a blog but then it is Monday and I'm finding it hard to be creative.

Had a good weekend - not blogging - can't seem to remember to do it over the weekend. My granddaughter Josephine had a sleep over with me on Friday night. She did very well. We had fun. On Saturday morning we got up and meet some friends at Wegmans for coffee. She was adorable. I have a picture of her Ann - I'll have to try and post that later. Then we went down to my cross stitch shop - and she charmed them too. She is such a little cutie.

Sarah also came home for the weekend - so it wasn't so lonely this weekend. The house is so quiet when I'm there alone.

Going to finish my 'great' nieces gift tonite. I don't know what my problem is. I made this little heart with her name on it and I'm just so scared to actually finish it. The stitching has been done for MONTHS and I'm just scared. I'm going to finish it tonite since she is going to be 1 next week. I'm so bad. I also have an afghan for her and i brought 2 little summer outfits - guilt gifts since I'm so late in sending something to her.

TGIF

It's Friday!! Yay. Sarah come home last night and we stayed up watching the men's ice skating. Didn't get to bed until after midnight - boy was it hard getting out of bed this morning.

My little sweetie Josephine is going to spend the night with Grandma. I can't wait. We are going out to dinner and then in the morning we are going to get up, not that I think she'll sleep late, and we are going to run down to my cross stitch store. I have something to return and I need some fabric - I can always use fabric - and I want to show her off. She is such a little doll baby.

Hope to get some stitching down this weekend....

TISSUES THAT KEEP GIVING

Well, a couple of weeks ago I did 2 loads of wash - both with a tissue left in a pocket. I keep finding shirts from loads. I did put them in the dryer some hoping that would take the tissue off - but no. I pull a shirt out and it's on the inside! I keep having to pick up bits and pieces of tissue off my carpet! Serves me right.

Went out to dinner last night with my nephew Michael who is in town visiting Jim and Mary. We all went to Victory Brewing in Downingtown and had a good meal. Josephine was so good and entertaining to everyone around. She said hi to everyone who walked by and smiled at them. She was beyond cute. I can't wait for her to spend the night tomorrow.

No stitching again last night - too busy watching the Olympics. I can't believe these athletics. The women had the downhill last night and I can't believe these women get up after tumbling down the mountain. And the snowboarders - how do you decide you are going to turn yourself upside down? They are all champions in my opinion.

ASH Wednesday

Missed getting ashes today. Oh well. Today is the start of lent. Remember when you were little you always had to give up something. Candy, fighting with your sister...you were supposed to give up something that would be a hardship. I usually still do try to give up something, or to do something. I think I'll give up salty things - chips, pretzels etc & candy. I know, I'm not supposed to be eating that stuff anyway. But I've become a little lax and need to get stricter. I don't eat chips like I use to, I use to get the size above the 99 cent size, and eat the whole thing at lunch. Then have chips again at dinner. I might only have chips once maybe twice a week now. But I still have 40 lbs I want to lose - and it's not just going to fall off. But won't that be nice.

No stitching again last night - to busy watching LOST and I can't stitch and watch LOST at the same time - I can't look down! LOL
Only half of my scissor fob to stitch and then the whitman sampler tin is done.

Half Way

Well, we are half way thru the month of February, and I think I've done pretty well with posting. I'm trying to post every day and I think I've only missed 3 or 4 days so far. Much better than my monthly average. I might continue to see if I can blog every day. It's kinda fun.

We had some snow this morning - just enough to make the roads wet and to make a mess. Nothing much accumulated. But it's supposed to stay cold - mid 30's for the week, so don't think much will melt. I was over at Joanne Fabrics in Downingtown and I swear those mounds of snow will take to May to melt. They have to be 12 feet high.

Haven't stitched much. Busy cleaning. I hate cleaning. If I clean every weekend - then I don't get to go out and play. I should try to do it every other weekend. But lets face it, it's only me. How much dirt can I bring in. But since Sarah is coming home this weekend (yay!) I thought I'd clean top to bottom. Just need to finish up in the bathrooms and dust some.

Missed

Totally missed posting on the weekend. Didn't even check my email over the weekend.

Uneventful weekend. Went to the gym, cleaned and watched the Olympics. How exciting is it to watch these wonderful athletics compete. They are so happy when the win - not matter which country it is - it brings tears to my eyes. They train so hard and 30 seconds on the slope. And it breaks your heart if they fall. These are true athletics.

Did do some stitching over the weekend. Have only half of my scissor fob left to stitch for my whitman tin and then it is done. I'm trying to find stuff in my stash that is 'almost' done and finishing them up.

I have another goal, I need to finish organizing my craft room. I know, I've been in my house 2.5 years, and it's still not done. It is so overwhelming. But I'm determined to get it done. Whenever I have to look for something - I just make a bigger mess - LOL. If I just get it organized - that would stop.

FRIDAY

You'd think I'd remember to blog on days on off work. But I think it's because my routine is so different. Didn't work on Thursday because the roads were so bad from all the recent snow. It was nice to off during the week and to get out of the house. Went to the gym and then the grocery store.
Then I went home and stitched. I am making some progress. I've been working on my whitman tin piece. I have the inside done, now I have to just do the scissor fob. Of course, then I have to assemble it. I think when this is done, I'm going to pull out a basket piece we brought from a shop in Williamsburg. We brought it so we could all stitch it together...but then something comes up and you have to stitch something else to get it done.
I think once that is done, I'm going to work on my Jeannette Douglas 'stitching treasure box' piece. I think I'm a little scared to work on that one - it's so overwhelming - but I need to just be brave and do it.

SNOWY WEDNESDAY

It's snowing again. This our 3rd major storm in 3 months. Now you're probably thinking that's not to bad..but we are getting 20+ inches of snow each time. We just had 26" on Saturday and now we are getting another 20+. We never, ever get snow like this. In fact, we broke the all time record for the most snow in a season, which had been at 65.2".
I did get my hair dyed - it looks really nice, but no one will see me today.
I am getting some stitching done.
I did take a nap....you know stitching can tire you out.
I am sick and tired of watching about the snow. All 3 major channels had it on all day. No soaps!! At least if I get a day off of work during the week, I should be able to watch my soaps.

LUCKY

You know sometimes you are just lucky? I had to walk over to the bank for work today. A whole 1/2 block away. Walk over, make deposit, walk back. Take off my coat, go to reach in my pocket for my glasses...and they are not there. Look on desk, look on floor - search all pockets in coat. Put coat back on, walk back to bank looking on the ground to make sure I didn't drop them, go into bank, no glasses there. On my way back, I'm thinking 'where the hell did they go' and I look down and right there in front of the door next to ours, lay my glasses. I swear they were not there when I walked by the firs time. How lucky am I that someone didn't step on them?

More Snow

We've gone years with hardly any snow. In December we got 26 inches or so. We've had some snows that were just a couple of inches. This past weekend we had another 28+ inches. And now they are calling for another 12+ inches for Tuesday night/Wednesday. All other 2 big snows came on the weekend - this one is coming in the middle of the week. Can you say nightmare? Where I park my car is already a disaster - I have no idea where they will put another 12+ inches of snow.

SNOW

You would think I could have remembered to blog yesterday - all I did was stay home and watch it snow. And snow it did. We got 28" plus yesterday. There is snow EVERYWHERE. Now, I stayed all day yesterday which made me really want to go out today....but I didn't. We were supposed to have a get together with my knitting group but we moved that to March 7th. I mostly was afraid we'd get up to Pottstown and the parking lot would be a mess. I'm sure street parking is a mess.

Then I could have gone to the super bowl sale at my cross stitch shop, but I really don't need anything. I'm trying to watch what I spend since I'm going to London at the end of April. And trust me, if you saw the size of my stash - I could not shop all year and be fine.

Then I thought, 'I could go to the grocery store' but I really didn't need anything since I went Friday night.

So, I just stayed home. Changed my sheets, vacuumed some, finally finished putting all the Xmas stuff away and cross stitched. I am almost finished the piece I'm working on. It by My Big Toe and it says - 'Stitching is cheaper than therapy...but not if you do it right'. So true.

Snow

Snow is coming, snow is coming. Everyone is rushing to the grocery store because you know we won't get out for days!!!!!!! LOL
I actually hope they are right, and I get up tomorrow morning and look at and just know to stay home. Love days like that.

checking

How many times do you go back and re-check something? The last thing I try to do in the morning before I go downstairs to leave for work is to check that I unplugged my curling iron. And then before I leave to get in the car to go to work - I try to check that the coffee pot is unplugged. I can't tell you how many times I am sitting in the car and thought 'did I unplug the coffee pot' and get out of the car, unlock the door to check again. Most of the time it is unplugged - but in the rush to get out the door I don't remember checking it.
I always feel it is better to take another 2 minutes to check - than to burn my house down.

LOST

The TV show LOST premiered last night. It's finally season. And in true LOST fashion had more questions than answers. But it was riveting and held my interest. Can't wait to see how they sum up all the story lines that are out there.
Some observations - Desmond was on the flight - since they 'sunk' the island in 1977 - it wasn't there for his boat to crash into in 2000 and something.
Sayid dies - but then comes back to life and doesn't know what is going on.
Juliet - dies in Sawyers arms. He forces Miles to communicate with her (he can talk to the dead) and he says she was trying to tell him 'it worked'
Kate is still on the run.
Can't wait for next week.

February

My friend Susan is going to try and do a blog post every day in February. I don't know if I have that much to say - but it is a goal to try and do it.

Today I did a load of laundry before I left for work and hung the t-shirts up on the drying rack. Guess what else I washed? A tissue!! Now I'm sure everyone has washed a tissue or 2 - I think there might have been 2 or 3 in the pocket of my sweatshirt. As I was hanging the shirts - as I was shaking them out - pieces of tissue where flying everywhere. Now I have little pieces of tissue all over the rug in my bedroom.

I guess I'm vacuuming tonite.

It's done

I can't believe I didn't post at all in December. Was a busy month with getting ready for Christmas and the marathon.

It's been 2 weeks since my 1/2 marathon. And I still can't believe I did it. I still can't think about it without getting all choked up.

We arrived in Florida on January 8th, me from Philly and Sarah, Jenny and her mom Karen coming in from Newark NJ. We meet at Disney's magical express - the we were off and running. We deposited our suitcases in the room and headed over to get our timing chips and our packets. We went to the expo where I purchased a shirt that said ' I did the 1/2 marathon'. Now, I was worried I was jinxing myself - to be honest I was scared to death. We had a dinner - the most delicious pasta at our hotel and were in bed by 9 pm. Since we had to get up at 3 am....

We got up on Saturday morning and were out to catch the bus to the race start at 4 am. It's odd when there are thousands of people milling around at that time in the morning. It was about 30 degrees and sleeting - which turned into rain. We walked to the start line where Sarah and Jenny left Karen and I and the went to their place to start - further up than us. You're standing around with a bunch of strangers - making small talk. FINALLY - our group got ready to go. Karen decided she was going run at the start - so off she went and I was by myself. My the time I crossed the start line - 52 minutes had elapsed since the first person went over.

Now, I was use to walking by myself - I just listened to my music - looked around. I was cold and it was sleeting and I'm thinking to myself - what the hell am I doing out here!! I am never going to finish. I kept going - 1 mile down....we are walking to the magic kingdom. We walk thru the park and as I'm coming out of the castle, it's mile 6 and there is a guy there saying, pick up the pace - you have to get to mile 8. That's the first cut off. Now, I'm thinking...what? As I go my mile 7 and I ask someone and I'm informed that you have to get to mile 8 by 2 hrs and 15 minutes or your done. You're put on a bus and taken back to the start/finish line. What - did I know that? I push myself because I have 16 minutes to get to mile 8 - running more than walking and I make it to mile 8 - barely. I'm thinking to myself - I'm never going to be able to do this and I start crying. That's when I met Renee - I say to her 'I can't do this' and she says yes you can - we'll walk together. She reminds me to keep my arms up and to pump them and off we go. She is from Medford NJ and I walked with her for 2 miles - I honestly don't think I would have done it if I hadn't walked with her. She kept up the pace and when we passed mile 10 we had 40 seconds to spare. I got a little ahead of her because she was talking to someone else and about at 10.5 miles I hear - 'hey Mom' and I look up and there is my daughter Sarah. She had finished and walked back to find me! Do I not have the best daughter in the world. Of course, I start crying and she is afraid I am hurt but no, I tell her I'm just cold, wet, tired and scared that I can't finish this. She says ' Mom, you are more than half way done - you can do this'. She always had confidence in me that I could do this.

Sarah keeps me going. Mile 11. She has me run some, then walk, then run again. Always keeping it positive. Mile 12 - the pace people are there and say keep going. Honestly people - do you think we can sweep someone off the course at 12 miles - we've worked so hard to get here. I had never walked more that 11.5 miles. We can see Epcot up ahead. I start crying again - I can't believe I'm actually doing this. Mile 13 is coming up and Sarah is like - we are almost done. Mile 13 now we just have .1 to go. The finish line is right ahead and everyone is starting to cry. I cross the finish line with my daughter at my side - I'm crying, she's crying and saying how proud she is of me. I can't not believe I've done it. They wrap you in a Mylar blanket and then you go and get your medal. Sarah directs me towards a lady who is putting it around your neck as opposed to just handing to you. The lady puts the medal around my neck, puts her hands and my cheeks and says' Patricia (your name is on your number) I am so proud of you and then gives me a hug. Of course, I'm crying. We go and get our pictures taken and Sarah wants me to go alone - she already had her picture taken - but I say no, I want you in it with me. So we have out picture taken - soaking wet, wrapped in a Mylar blanket but with the biggest grins on our faces. She tells me again how proud she is of me. She calls her brother and hands the phone to me so I can talk to him. He tells me he is proud of me too!! I know I'm their mom - but I have the greatest kids. And all this takes place before 10 in the morning.

We then got in line for the bus and got back to the hotel and warmed up. We had a great 3 more days in Disney. I still can't believe I did it - I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and realize that I still have to do it - that I dreamed it. But I did it.