6AM ON A TUESDAY...

 

I just couldn't sleep to save myself, Dearies! So rather that fret myself into a snit, I decided to get up and make the damn good and grab the paper and have a little bed coffee instead. The birds are doing their thing and I'm going to enjoy a little time to just sit and have a good think or two before the day unfolds.

Happy Tuesday!

MONDAY

 

SATURDAY SPINSTER SNACK BLISS

 

IT. NEVER. ENDS.

 

THE PATIENT IS RECOVERING

 

Thank you, Dearies, for your lovely well wishes for Rich's surgery. We've just returned from the follow-up appointment, and he's doing very nicely. Drops are being administered by Yours Truly as prescribed, and for the first time in over 60 years, our JB is able to see more than three inches in front of his face.

He is very happy, indeed.

I didn't stitch last night, but I did go back and read entries from this here blog from the beginning and each June thereafter. Is it just me, or am I now a completely different person? Some things are still the same, i.e., no sense of moderation whatsoever, and a propensity for self-deprication, but I don't know, I somehow feel a bit less...frenetic.

I'm also kind of amazed at how much big stuff came at me all at once, and how completely lost and scared I felt. All. Of. The. Time. I do realize that I am not alone in having to go through those things and that the majority of people on the planet have and will go through the exact same things, but why did I have to do it all at once?  I thank God every night that I had all of you and so many others there pulling me through it, because I can't imagine where I'd be without all of that help! So thank you, Dearies, for being such a big part of me surviving!

So now that I'm contemplating my navel this morning, it might be time to fish through my baskets and find some stitchy things to play with. I am enjoying the Shepherd's Bush piece, but am having a little craving for some Baked Alaska. Who knows what might strike my fancy today?

Happy Thursday to one and all! I hope you get to do something that will blow your skirt up and that you'll come tell me all about it!

NURSE RATCHETT SPINSTER...BACK ON DUTY

 

DAMN, DRAT, AND PHOOEY

I started my day with a cool shower and the newspaper, and am now suffering through a cold brew and my Irish playing poorly against Texas A&M.

I think it's time to pick up needle and thread and lose myself in something different, because my mood will surely not be helped by the impending loss and elimination from this silly tournament.

My Bean Team warned me that my temperature tolerances would change drastically, and considering my aversion to warm weather before transplant, we've now gone from bad to ridiculous. I stepped outside for two minutes to water the balcony plants and was completely knocked flat by the heat out there today. 

(Yes, Betty, I thank God several times a day and night for central air and shelter and lots of ice-cold water to drink.)

(My privilege does not go unappreciated, I promise.)

(For any newbies in the audience, Betty is the name that I have assigned to the person or persons who write to me on the regular to point out my every flaw, berate me for being a miserable jerk, and tell me to just talk about stitching and nothing else...not my dead dog, my dead parents, my stupid love life, or my hypochondria.)

(I'm fairly certain that Betty is actually a nine year old boy who has been grounded since 2008 and who simply does not appreciate my particular brand of humor.)

But I regress...

So today has been a lot about nothing, but very restful and quiet. Rich has started ramping up with worry over tomorrow, so every now and then I have to remember to pat him gently and reassure him all will be well. He has a very real, very large anxiety issue when it comes to all things medical, so despite the fact that he had this very procedure done just two weeks ago...he is still completely wigged and will need to just tire himself out before tomorrow.

Thanks for your lovely comments, Dearies. I breathe them in like oxygen!

Stay cool and safe and hydrated, do something fun, and come tell me all about it!

MONDAY

 

Well, the day started quite nicely with damn good and the paper, and after a few little chores around CS2, I've just finished my nails and am settling in with lots of iced lemon water and The Crown.

Rich's second eye surgery will be Wednesday, so I'll venture out into the heat a few times to take him to and fro.

My Irish lost their baseball game last night, but they're not completely out of it yet. They will play again tomorrow afternoon in an elimination game, but their opponent (Oklahoma) is very fierce indeed!

If you're struggling with heat in your neck of the woods, please be safe and hydrate!

 

FRIDAY NIGHT...GO IRISH!

 

 

ZEE PRINCESS....SHE EES FEE NEE!

Princess Elliana

Nora Corbett

28ct Sprite from Picture This Plus

DMC and Mill Hill beads all per chart

 

 

MONDAY PLAN

It's going to be a hot one out there today, and I woke up feeling a bit like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards. 

But, no matter...we have a plan!

The first thing I'm going to do is finish my damn good and enjoy the birdsong coming from the ferns. I don't know what particular kind of birds are in there, but several are flitting in and out of both ferns while making a terrific racket.

Then...it's going to be The Crown all day. I started re-watching it last week and am plowing through again while finishing the beading on Elliana.

 

I think I have one or two more days to go before she's finished:

That's the Monday report from Hoosierville, Dearies! I hope your corner of the world is wonderfully swell!

HELLO, SUMMER!

 

SHE'S GETTING THERE!

Despite all evidence to the contrary, I am indeed making slow progress on the beading of Princess Elliana. My sessions are short, since maneuvering her about is quite a chore due to her size (and my arms get tired), but every minute spent with her has been very enjoyable.

JB is coming along nicely after his first surgery. We went for the first follow-up bright and early this morning, and all seems to be in order. We're in the drops phase of having to plop both antibiotic and steroid drops into the eye four times a day, but this is very easy to do and he doesn't seem to mind too much.

(I can remember having to administer antibiotics to Stewey four times a day, and thinking I would go out of my mind trying to find the exact right flavor and color of deli American cheese to hide it in. Fortunately, there's no cheese nonsense involved with my Jersey Boy.)

(Thank God.)

In addition to the follow-up appointment this morning were several errands and to-dos to be done, and I'm happy to report that they have all been finished and I am now ready to enjoy the rest of the day...which will most definitely include a nice long nap and oven roasted salmon for dinner.

Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday are my days to finish chores here at CS2 so I can do nothing next week. We are expecting HOT weather ahead, and I'd like to spend it bobbing in the pool rather than climbing Mt Laundry or planting balcony flowers.

Other than that...life is swell, Dearies. I seem to be getting my fair share of nasty notes, comments, and emails lately, but I'm blaming planetary alignment on that. I can go months and months without nary a peep and then BLAMMO...Hate City, USA. I'll never understand it, but at least it doesn't send me under the covers in a tearful mess for as long as it used to. 

I actually appreciate Betty rearing her ugly head every now and then. I think it keeps my ego in check and reminds me how much I really do love this thing of ours that somebody cares enough about it to remind me what a total asshat I am.

Yeah.

Keeps me humble.

Happy Thursday! I hope your corner of the world is wonderfully swell and that you are doing everything you want to and nothing you don't. Come tell me all about it!

WHOA.....NELLY

Dearies, I promise you that I am not, and have not, given up on this here blog! I might stop doing the Instagram and FaceBook thingies, but this here blog is my "diary" and lifeline to the world! There seems to be some confusion about my recent lack of daily postings, and it's presumed that I'm ending Spinster Stitcher.

Um.

Nope.

I'm here for as long as you'll have me. I honestly confess that I am seriously considering abandoning social media, but that has nothing to do with this or the family of friends that I've made here.

So, please don't give up on me just yet. I swear I just need a minute to make sure JB behaves and doesn't fall down the stairs or poke himself in the eye or light something on fire.

OK?

BACK IN A BIT, DEARIES

 I realize that this isn't LaGuardia, and I don't need to announce my departure, but I am on Nurse Ratchett duty for a bit. My JB is having his eyes tended to this month (cataracts), and Yours Truly is officially on duty.

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO...

 

OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND INTO THE LIGHT

Well....climb aboard the crazy train, folks. After spending a year happily lurking on every stitching blog, I decided it was time to jump into the fray. This first post will be all about me, since I'm sure you've been perched on the edge of your chair just waiting for this very important information.

My name is Coni and I am the Spinster Stitcher. Now, for those of you easily offended by the term "Spinster", relax. It is my intention to reclaim the title and make Spinster Stitching the most fabulous thing on the planet.

I'm 42 (ahem). Never married, no children (hence, the Spinster). I live in Mishawaka, Indiana with my dog Stewey. Stewey is a nine-pound bundle of love dressed up in the form of a shorty Jack Russell terrier. More about him later.

I've been stitching since 2003 because my sister told me I was going to. She had moved in with me for a bit and decided that staring at the walls each evening was not her idea of fun in the big city. So we stitched. And stitched. And stitched.

In 2005 I converted the bonus room over my garage into a bona fideSpinster Stitching Studio. Pictures will follow, but I must warn you that my alternate name was The Anal Retentive Stitcher. You see, it's all about the organizing, and I do confess to spending countless hours up there tidying to my heart's content.

I do it all. Cross stitch, needlepoint, canvas work, and hardanger. I'm taking a crewel class in two weeks, so my attempt at becoming the veritible Spinster Stitchy Goddess will surely follow.

Here's what I can promise you, my faithful readers: 1) I'll try to keep the swearing to a happy minimum. 2) I won't go on and on and on about my Stewey, who just happens to be the love of my life and I would marry him in a heartbeat if only he could wear pants. 3) My stitchy pics will be blurry, out of focus, generally terrible in terms of lighting, but somehow "hopeful".

So buckle your seatbelts, kids. We're off!

CALLING ALL CARS...

 

Dearies, many of you might know Ms Susan Anonymouse, aka Ms Susan Fletcher from Canada. She is the Stitchy Sister who was behind the You Caring fund that saved my life by providing funds to help me get through and recover from my kidney transplant. 

Well, she is currently in hospital recovering from heart surgery! 

I first learned of this from her comment about having an emergency procedure, and emailed her to find out what's what. She gave me permission to share the news with all of you.

Here's what she wrote:

"I had some palpitations and an occasional minor ache in my chest and right jaw.  As a precaution, my doc sent me to a cardiologist and a few steps later, I ended up with cardiac bypass surgery on May 20 for some significant blockage. I was in CardioVascular ICU for 4-5 days, on a ward until yesterday, and have now been transferred to a rehab hospital.  I am fairly sure that all the costs are covered by provincial health funding, except for semi-private coverage from my prior work insurance.

My strength is returning quickly at this stage and they expect to discharge me in 10 days or so; however, full strength will take some months.  While I’m here, boredom, bad food, and too-hot rooms will be my biggest problems.  And no TV."

I thought I might also offer to act as postmistress in the event that you might like to send her well wishes.Feel free to send anything to me, and I will assemble a package and send it on to Ms Susan in Canada. Here's my info:

Coni J Rich   244 Toscana Blvd   Granger, IN 46530

(Please make sure to write: "For Susan" on the outside of the envelope.)

Please get better soon, Ms Susan! We're sending you all of our happy thoughts for your speedy recovery!

UGH