Fresh Start

Since I last posted last October, I am going to catch you all up to what has been happening to me since the last post.

We did make it up to Tennessee and I met Dan's Step-daughter, his grandsons and his ex wife.  His step-daughter was very sweet, his grandsons were cute and adorable and his ex-wife.....well, I was taught that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

In November, we celebrated Dan's birthday with a nice quiet dinner at Cracker Barrel.  We also had a nice quiet Thanksgiving with eating meals that the Am Vets delivered to us.

In December, I had female surgery which went well.  We also went over to my son's house for Christmas and had a very good time.  Both Joey(son) and Jennifer(DIL)  both liked Dan and were happy for me that I had found Dan.  We had an evening meal of dinners that were once again delivered by the Am Vets for Christmas.
The gifts that we got and gave were very nice.  We gave each of the grandkids $50, $25 each to Joey and Jennifer plus a big box of chocolate covered cherries(they both love them).  They gave us a gift card to Applebee's along with a tin of cheese puffs (I love cheese puffs).
Dan gave me a new computer, a fancy robe and slippers, a Nook and a reading light.  I gave him some tools and a couple of Sudoku books as well as some marshmallow Santas.

For New Year's Eve we spent a quiet evening at home....we didn't even  make it to midnight.  New's Year's Day was just another quiet day at home.  We did go out to eat but that was about it.
The surgery didn't solve my female problem so I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon(Jan. 7) to see what the next step is to correct the problem.
We will also have dinner with Dan's family at Cracker Barrel for his parents birthdays.  On my birthday (28th) Dan and I will celebrate by ourselves.

On the stitching front, I have been working on 2 Christmas stockings, 2 Christmas ornaments, 2 5 X 7 projects and hope to stitch a tree skirt this year.  The stockings are Santa Collage for Dan and Santa and Kitten for me.  The 5 x7's are a Welcome sign with a butterfly and Tree Frog Trio.  The skirt is called Holiday Harmony,  I have uploaded pictures of the stockings and the tree skirt but I don't have pictures of the 5 x 7's yet.  I also have pics of the ornaments.  As you can see, I have progress pics  of the ornaments but I haven't taken any progress ones of the stockings yet and I haven't started the tree skirt yet.

That's about it for now.  I hope to do better this year in keeping up with my blog.

Until next time,
God Bless

Connie

Another overdue update

I don't remember the last time I updated you all but I figured it was time to now.

First, I had to get rid of my puppy that I talked about last time.  He refused to be house broken and you can't have that in an apartment.  He would do his business outside and then come inside to do it again.  We kept him outside long enough so that wasn't the problem.  We really don't know what the problem was.  A very nice woman on a list that I am on offered to take him to live with her down in central Florida.  She already had 12 chiuahuas so Lil Bit has company.  She changed his name to Luke but he will always be Lil Bit to me.

Second, both of my black cats got sick and I had to put them down.  It was very hard for me to do but there was no way I was going to let them suffer. I don't know what was wrong with them and I couldn't afford to have the vet treat them.  Now I know they are at the Rainbow Bridge and are healed and having a good time with the other animals there.

Third, a very good internet friend of mine died this past week.  She was the list Mom of a friendship list that she had started and I was a member of.  I had known her since about 1996 or so.  She was a very sweet lady and cared about us all on the list.  There are only a handful of us on the list but we are all close as sisters. 
We will miss her greatly.  Everyone on the list knows that she is a real angel now looking down on us.

On the stitching front, I have 4 projects in my rotation.  They are Aurora Cabin, Butterfly and Blossoms, A Mother's Prayer and A Single Rose.  I have pictures of 3 of them.  I don't have a picture of A Single Rose yet but hope to soon.  I have uploaded  the pictures of the other three and you can see what they will look like when I finally get them finished.
The top one is Aurora Cabin, The middle one is Butterfly and Blossoms and the bottom one is A Mother's Prayer.

This coming week end Dan and I will be going to Tennessee for his grandsons' birthdays.  I am taking these 3 projects along to work on on the drive up, in the motel and the drive back.  At least I hope to stitch on them.  LOL  We hope to leave about 3AM on Friday morning and will return sometime on Sunday afternoon.  I am a bit nervous about going but I am sure I will have a good time as long as Dan is there.

As for Dan and me, we are getting along great living together.  Because he has OCD,  he does most of the housework so I stitch a lot.  But we do share most of the cooking which we each have our own special dishes that we make.  Right now he is trying to make fudge and it is a learning experience for him.  At least, he is trying it where I wouldn't attempt it. 
The apartment complex had a party last Thursday for Halloween.  They said we should wear costumes so Dan wore a shirt that said 'I don't do costumes' and I wore a shirt that said 'This is my Grandma costume'.  Everyone thought it was cute especially the Pinanacle Pointe staff.  (We live at Pinance Pointe, Crestview Rental community.)  One funny part of the evening was when I was introducing us to some of the neighbors, I forgot Dan's name.  He hasn't let me live it down since. Oh, I even won a door prize(actually it was Dan's ticket that won but I went up and got it)...a shiny pumpkin that lights up.  Right now we have it sitting on our bar as that's about as much decorating for Halloween I do. 

Can't think of anything else to write about so I guess I will close for now.  Take care and until the next time, God Bless.

Long overdue update

Well, here I am again late in updating my blog.  I hope you are still with me and make comments because I like to read your comments.

I have had a lot going on these last few months.  First, I have a new puppy which is a miniature long hair chihuahua.  He didn't replace Kiddo but filled a void in my life.  I really enjoy watching her play especially with the cats.  It's a lot like Garfield and Odie when they are playing.

Second, my boyfriend moved in with me at the end of May.  We are getting along fine and are enjoying each other.  I have to get use to him as having OCD but that helps me out because I put off as much as I can when I can.  He does most if not all the housework.  You would think with all the time on my hands, I would be getting a lot of stitching done but I have hardly picked up a needle these last couple of months.

But on the stitching front, I did start a Christmas stocking the other day and did get quite a bit of it done only to find out that I had used the wrong color.  Now I have to frog everything I did that day.  I should have listened to the warning that morning.....of frogs croaking outside of my balcony.  I told them to stay outside but they didn't listen.

I still go to my group on Fridays.  They have a new group that consist of everyone that is the program.  I was elected Secratary for it.  We meet once a month on every second Monday  It's mainly to decide what we want to do each day of each month.  It also decides other things and we can bring our complaints about the group activities to the leaders of the group and they will go to the higher ups with our concerns.
I stopped going on Mondays when they go to the library.  Now that Dan(my boyfriend) is living with me, we go to the library each week ourselves.  We don't stay as long as I did with the group and I am not getting that much reading done there as I did.  Matter of fact, I don't get much reading done anymore.  We watch movies every night with our dinner.  I have seen quite a few movies now that I have heard of but hadn't seen.

Well that is all I can think of to update you with.  I hope it doesn't take as long as it did this last time to let you know what is going on in my life.  Hopefully, I will get a lot of stitching done and can show you pictures of my various projects as they come to life.

Until next time, God bless.

I am so happy

I had a date on Wednesday the 25th and it turned out great.  We met at 10:40 AM and didn't get home until around 3:00 PM.  We went to Ryan's for lunch and stayed there for an hour and a half.  Then we went to the walking park that we have here in town.  After walking around the walking lane, we came back to my apartment complex and sat in the swing that is in the butterfly garden.  We sat there so long, that we each got a small sunburn.  Neither one of us wanted the date to end.  We've been chatting on Yahoo Messenger the last week or so, so it was like we had known each other for months. 
We have another date set for Saturday the 28th.  He is from Ft. Walton Beach and will come up to Crestview to pick me up and take me back to FWB.  We are going to spend the whole day together.  There's whole lot of things to do down there than there is up here.  I will let you know how that date goes.  Oh, we met on Match.com. if you were wondering how we got together.

Other things in my life, I have received Kiddo's ashes back and have them sitting with my Angel collection since she was my angel.  I really miss her and have such a void in my life without her.  I am going to get another pup as soon as I fog the house for any possible fleas.  The vet thinks that was what killed her as she couldn't find anything wrong when she did the autopsy(or whatever they call it for animals).  So I feel a bit guilty that I hadn't some something about the fleas.  What fleas there are don't seem to bother the cats. 

On the reading front, I have finished reading The Unseen by Heather Graham and now reading Catch Me by Lisa Gardner.  I gave The Unseen 4 stars.  And it looks like I will be giving Catch Me 4 stars also.  The book I was reading the last time I talked to you all, I quit reading because it was boring.  If I had finished it, I would have given it 2 stars.  It was The Cypress House but I forget who the author is.

On the stitching front,  I will be starting a project called Bluebird's Nest.  I have been working on one project that is called Conserve Energy  Share a Bath  as well as working on Summer Splendor.  I put Hummingbird and Hibiscus for a little bit.  The black fabric was driving me mad.  Sometime this week I will work on Northern Lights which is also done on black fabric.  It is a picture of wolves on a cliff and wolves in the sky.  It's very pretty.

Well, I can't think of anything else to write about.  So I will say see you later and God bless until the next time.

I know it's been a while

Looking at my last post, I see it was February since I last posted.  So I thought it was time to post again.  Sorry for being so long in between posts.

A couple of things have happened since I last posted.  First, I was in a relationship with a guy that is an American but lives and works in France.  He was coming to visit me at the end of March.  I was going to tell all of you about him coming, but I wanted to wait until the visit was over and tell you of the visit.  Well, the Wednesday before he was to arrive, he and I broke up.  He had only bought a one way ticket to here without a return ticket.  I think he wanted me to pay for his return back but I didn't wait to find out....I broke up with him because I figured he was asking for money and I didn't want to go down that road.
Since then I have joined Match.com and have been looking at men in my local area.  We'll see what happens concerning  that.

On April 9th, I lost my best friend....my chihuahua Kiddo.  She died in my arms while I was holding her.  I was going to take her to the vet on the 10th because she had stopped eating and drinking the last couple of days. But instead, I took her to the vet for an autopsy and cremation.  While there a lady with a chi weenie dog was there.  She said that the puppy was up for adoption and didn't want anything for her.  I got her name and phone number to contact her concerning the pup.  Not that I will be replacing Kiddo but I need a dog for my mental health which has taken a dive with Kiddo's passing.  I still have my 2 cats but you know how cats are.
Of course, Midnight my oldest cat has been sitting on my lap every chance he gets.  He knows when I am depressed and need comforting.  And I definitely need it right now.

Enough of the sad stuff.  On the stitching front, I am working on a kit that is called Hummingbird & Hibiscus.  It is done on black Aida cloth.  I would post a picture but I haven't found the cord that connects from the camera to the computer yet.  I know, I  know, I have had plenty of time to find it but I haven't unpacked all of my boxes yet....I'm taking my time.

On the reading front, I just finished reading Left for Dead by J. A. Jance.  I give it a 4* rating.  I always enjoy reading her books but not all of them are 5*.  I am currently reading The Cypress House by Michael Koryta.  It's not too bad but it's not going to be a 5* book, maybe a 3* - 4*,  The next one I hope to read is The Unseen by Heather Graham.  She is another author that I enjoy reading.  I'll let you know how it is if I read it next.

Well, I am going to close now.  I will let you know what they find out about what Kiddo died of and if I get that chi weenie from that lady.  In the meantime, God Bless You until next time.

I'm Still Here

I know it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted anything here.  But I am going to try and post something right now.

As some of you know, my cat Shadow got out last Monday.  Well, after a week of being an outdoor cat, she is back where she belongs.  How she got out was somehow my door was opened.  I know I locked it and nobody came in to do any work.  But somehow, the door got opened.  And with Shadow being so curious, she investigated the open door and went out. 
I got her back today when I came home from my mental health group that I am in.  She was sitting by a car in the parking lot and when she saw me, she ran under the car.  The maintenance man happened along and helped me get her.  Coming upstairs, she tried to jump out of my arms but I held her tight so she couldn't jump.  As soon as I got her inside the apartment, she jumped onto the kitchen counter and was looking for food.  So I gave her a pouch of food to eat and she ate the whole thing.  I figure she was quite hungry.  She has lost some weight which is obvious but doesn't look any worse for being outside for a week.

Other than that, not much has really been going on with me here.  I have been stitching on Brown Bear off and on.  My stitching mojo is sporadic at the moment....I will stitch one day and not stitch for 2 or 3 days.  I want to start something new but I don't know what right now so I work on something that I have already started.

This evening(20) the complex is having a Mardi Gras party.  I am thinking of going and maybe meet some of the other residents.  I haven't decided yet but I will probably go since I have nothing here to hold me back from going.

That's about it right now that I can think of to write.  I might post something about the party tomorrow if I go to it.  So until the next time, God Bless.

This and That

Here it is February already.  My birthday(Jan. 28) has come and gone.  Just relaxed at home and stitched some.  Had several birthday wishes on Face Book and in my yahoo groups.  I want to thank those you wished me a happy birthday....it was greatly appreciated.

Right now I am watching the Super Bowl while I am stitching.  I started on a new Christmas project called Peace on Earth.  It will be a quick stitch...it is mainly bells with the saying, 'Peach on Earth Good Will to Men.'  It was one of the kits that I was able to save.

You know how those who have had a limb amputated and they have phantom pains....that's how I am with the stash that I had lost in the move....I still have kits calling to me even though I no longer have them in my possession.   I did find an extra Last Supper in the kits that I rescued so I will be working on it this year.  Only thing it will not be on the 28ct. Laguna like I was doing the other one but it will be on the beige 14ct. Aida.

I went to Rent a Center and rented a TV as well as a washer and dryer.  I thought my TV wasn't working so I decided to rent one.  Turned out that the DVR was bad and was causing the TV to turn off and on all the time.  I don't know if I will have them pick up the new TV or not...I really like it as it is HD and has a DVD player built into it.
I used my washer and dryer for the first time today....boy do I need to get used to all the bells and whistles on it.  I have to learn when the rinse cycle is ready for me to put in the fabric softener.  I got use to my other washer where I put everything in at the beginning of the wash cycle.  I may go back to using Bounce dryer sheets...don't know yet.
Now I need to get a bed...I have been sleeping on the couch the last couple of weeks.  The couch is okay but when you have to share it with a chihuahua and sometimes a large black cat...it can get to be uncomfortable and crowded.  I was going to rent a bed but it would have made my rent payment to much and I figured the TV was important so I could stitch while watching it.  I would listen to audio books but something is wrong with my CD player on my radio.  And the door on my CD player on my stereo won't open so I don't have a working CD player right now.

It's funny how I remember things I forgot to pack and bring over to the apartment.  Everyday, I think of something new that I forgot but there is nothing I can do about it now as it is all gone.  I am getting use to going up and down 3 flights of stairs.  I am hardly breathing heavy when I reach my apartment.  Soon I will be able to work out in the work out room that is on the premises.  And when it gets to be a lot warmer, I will use the pool....first I need to get a swimming suit.  I will still be a bit uncomfortable in one but I hope to lose enough weight that it won't be a problem.

Well, that's all I can think of to write so I guess I will close.  I am going to go back to watching the Super Bowl and stitch   Until next time, God Bless.