THE SPINSTER IS IN

Ah, home sweet home. Aunt Chrissy and I have returned from Pennsylvania safe and sound and I am happy to report that all is well in the kingdom once again. Thank you all very much for your lovely notes and thoughts and prayers. We all appreciate them very much. I believe that someone asked me where we were in PA....we were in Butler, which is north of Pittsburgh. (My dad's family is in that area...Butler and New Kensington, to be exact.)

Anywhoose, I suppose that it's a good thing that we were so oblivious to all of the weather here in Hoosierville, since it looks like they had some very severe storms that came through and left messes all over the darn place. I was blissfully unaware, but when I read Nanny's report, she said that both Bosco and Stewey fared well during the crisis and are none the worse for wear.

So life goes back to as normal as it can be in a house with a crazy spinster and her little dog, and all we have to worry about now is what to have for dinner. (I'm leaning toward a grilled chicken salad, but we'll see how long that particular craving lasts. Lately, Aunt Chrissy and I have been wearing a path to the door of the local sushi joint, and I've managed to find everything on the menu that I can eat.) (The spinster doesn't do raw, don't you know.)

Stewey was thrilled to see his Mommie Dearest once again, and was very proud that he got a good report on his behavior and general demeanor during my absence. We did have some "tinkle" issues while I was gone, but thanks to a few well-placed puppy pads, nothing suffered any permanent damage. I have been instructed, though, to finally have THE TALK with the lovely Dr. Nieman about Stewey's propensity to mark everything within a six mile radius of where I'm standing, so we'll see how that goes. Aunt Chrissy was very gentle about it, I must say, but I got the message loud and clear....no more help washing baseboards and drapes. Time for me to re-establish myself as the alpha once and for all. (Hey, what the heck else were we going to talk about for twelve hours in a car together?)

Since I'm pretty sure that you didn't come here to hear me blather on about road trips and my incontinent dog, I'll share my happy happy joy joy over finishing Strawberry Shortcake:

Isn't is wonderful? Doesn't it make you want to run out and pick a big basket full of strawberries and then sit right down on the warm summer grass and eat every last once of them until your fingers get all stained and sticky? I cannot stop saying how much I loved stitching this....it was a wonderful piece from beginning to end and I really was sorry to see it end.

Speaking of....yes, I was glued to the TeeVee during the last and final and tragic conclusion of The Tudors. And yes, I had a headache from bawling my eyes out for about three days. Now I just need to wait for the whole thing to be released onto the disc thingies so that I can re-watch every single episode over and over and over again until some other show worms its way into my little brain and captures my obsessive compulsive need to do something until death.

I didn't do any stitching at all while away, but I am determined to plant myself in the Happy Chair for a few hours tonight. I am either going to start the Shepherd's Bush Come Tarry, or Laura J. Perin's Magnolia Collage, or this:Doesn't this make you want to throw your skirt up and shout "WOO HOO!"? This is a painted canvas by Melissa Shirley, with fibers, beads, and stitch guide selected by the very fabulous Ruth Schmuff of Beadecked and Bedazzled fame. I purchased it during a recent truck show at the shop, and am really looking forward to jumping right into this one.

The garden continues to thrive. I would show you the vegetables, but I think there was a bug out there earlier, so I decided not to tempt fate with the camera, and just shot a few pics of Stewey's daisy and the lettuces instead:

Thanks for stopping by today! Stewey sends his heartfelt love and affection to you all and promises to write very very soon. (At least as soon as the ennui of an early summer afternoon fades.)

Have a lovely weekend and do whatever it is that you most want to do!