Sunday night...

I can't believe it is Sunday night already - the weekend has flown... The time between Friday night to now has had the wings of speed... There was so much I wanted to do but unfortunately I haven't even got close... I think that is part of the downside of working full time - no time!!!!! I think I am going to have to re think about what and how I spend my time...

I was meant to do my block for the CQRR I am involved in but already I am off to a bad start as I didn't get within a bull's roar of finishing it... It will be posted off late... I managed to get the journal part sorted out - which of course is not the important part of it per say... So the task for the next couple of days is to get it ALL organised - I do dislike letting people down or holding up things like this... This is the first round robin I have been involved in since one I was in about three years ago where I got badly 'burnt' and I vowed and declared I would never participate in one again - but of course, 'never' is a very long time, and here I am again... Hmmm... I am looking forward to this one though as I am keen to see other people's work...

Well I am going to head off again and I wil see you all next week... Please all have a safe week and enjoy what ever you are doing...

Life is...

...very hectic at the moment as you can imagine... My life seem to be a whirl of learning a new system, a new work place, meeting new people and getting into a new routine...

My stitching is looking quite sad but I hope to get back into the swing of things when I feel a little less tired. Although, I have joined a CQRR over on the craft forum. I feel like I need to have the motivation to 'keep at it' otherwise I will grind to a stop and this RR sounded just the shot. It is fairly small by comparison to the block we did for sharonb's classes - it is a naked block measuring 4.5 by 8.5 inches (this includes a quarter inch seam allowance.) The completed block can then be turned into a) a needlecase b) a Swing purse for a mobile phone/whatever,or c) Mounted and framed as an art work. I have choosen to make a needlecase as I feel that it is more likely to end up as that but as an artwork it could very well languish with all my other bits and bobs... Because it will only have small patches to embellish it won't be as time consuming and because we are stitching to a deadline it will be more incentive to get on with it - it will also be interesting to see other people's work as theirs does a 'round robin' to me...

I still have M's block to have a 'play with' too and have had it out looking at it... I believe I have made my choice of patch to embellish - hopefully it too will be on its way within the next couple of weeks... With these chilly nights it is more appealing to sit and stitch for an hour or so...

Well that is all from me for the moment... Take care where ever you are in the world... :-)

Well...

...my first working week is over... I am exhausted both mentally and physically but it feels good to be working regular hours again and being able to plan my life again more than a week in advance. P and I have talked about our first holiday destination in 12 months time... How is that for planning??? I appreciate that I can walk to work most days and that I am so local to home... It is all those little unexpected bits that have made this position so sweet...

It has been a lot to take in - new location, new people and a new system. Even though I am still working for the same company because it is a franchise they have their own computer system at the point of sale, etc. It has taken a bit of getting my head around it and I still have a very long way to go - but I am getting there slowly. With this store however because I was always in there browsing and buying I was pretty offay with the book categories - especially the craft section - so that has helped me find most books reasonably easy. I love having a bit of a wander tidying and straightening in fact yesterday I had to remind myself that they are paying me to be there I am just not there visiting!!!!! But so far I have enjoyed myself immensly and I look forward to settling in more...

On my arrival home after my first day P had a present (the book above) for me... Although, as he said it doesn't directly deal with my sewing interests he thought that it might 'translate' into my CQ as far as ideas or designs went. I can see that it will be helpful with just the quick glance I have given itso far...

My stitching has really taken a back seat now - I am hopeful that I might even get to do some today once the 'chores' are out the way...

Well that is all from me at the present... I hope you all enjoy your weekend and have a safe one where ever in the world you may be...

Introducing...

My daugher E and her 'new home'...

Well...

...I am now gainfully employed FULL TIME... Am I surprised??? Yes - although I had some hint of it last week when I touched base with my new employers. When I originally went for the position it was suggested that it would be a 25 - 28 hour position. I was quite happy with that because it was going to be regular hours even though I had wanted a few more. But somewhere between the interview and me starting today it changed. Am I happy with the change??? More than as now I am working within walking distance of home I have only one late night to worry about and rarely a weekend unless I am needed. This is my dream job...

LOL- so it looks like I am going to busy for the next few weeks learning a complete new system and settling into another routine. I am not so sure how much stitching I will get done and I am sure until I get into a regular routine things will go a little pear shaped including my blogging... But bear with me and I shall return to normal sometime in the not so distant future...

The next part of the adventure begins...

Today I start my new job...

Today...

...was a very good day... I had a 'bits to do' kinda day. I made up my mind that I would do all those little bits and pieces which had been hanging around for ages. I walked into BH for the first time in an age and felt so much better for it. I popped into the shop where I start my new position on Tuesday to say hi. I was so warmly welcomed that it straight away made me feel a little less nervous. I met one of the other staff so that also 'broke the ice' so to speak. I find it weird I suppose, that not so long ago, I bought all my books from this store and now I shall be 'that side of the counter'. Looking forward to this 'new doorway' in my life. It is amazing in such a short time life has 'turned around'. I am prepared to embrace this new aspect of life with gusto and do whatever it takes to make it be truely successful...

My stitching still has gone by the way side... I had all good intentions last night but as soon as I sat down I was asleep...

G from Patra's Place came visiting yesterday. She, of course, had some wonderful 'show and tells'... I seriously think she should hold a nominal entrance fee exhibition. I am sure with some co-operation from some of her stitching friends she could have an interactive display of both her linen and people stitching, tatting, or whatever... I think given the right advertising, some thought and planning it could be succesful. There is a little gallery in BH - used to be an church- that might just be the go for something like that.

Well, again that is all I have... LOL I am rapidly turning into boring but I have a feeling come Tuesday - boring will look good...

Amazing the difference...

...one little X stitch can make... I thought that since my CQ block holds no appeal whatsoever at the moment I would once again have a little stitch on my cross stitch sampler (photo a couple of messages back) Now up until date I have had not one jot of trouble with this one - no misplaced stitches - nothing... Well this morning I really 'excelled' myself - after stitching for about an hour I noticed that one bit just would not work. A check of the same motif higher up revealed why - I had stitched a X in the wrong place. Could I fudge it? Not likely!!!! Of course - the offending stitch had to be at the BEGINNING - so I spent another 20 minutes carefully unpicking back to that point... Grrrrrr!!!!!!! Perhaps I might give up stitch related things altogther for a while... Except reading stitching blogs that is... :-))

It's Friday again...

I am still feeling 'a little average'... And try as I might, my stitching just doesn't hold any appeal. I keep looking at my block and I can't bring myself to do more than move it from one spot to another. I am still feeling very tired - in fact more than I did after the op. itself. Perhaps it is my body 'settling down' but what ever it is I seem to be sleeping a lot and my other favorite pass time is suffering too - I am lucky if I can make it down one page before I am nodding off... I am looking forward to a couple of weeks down the tracks when I am feeling more normal... But looking on the brighter side at least it is all behind me... While I am having all this down time I have become quite reflective in my thinking - it is amazing the thoughts one thinks when doing nothing for long periods of time. Well that is all from me at this stage... Take care until next time. Again, thanks to those of you who have left me messages I will get around to a more personal reply when I am feeling a little more 'with it'... Enjoy your week-end where ever you are...

I'm back....

Well it is all 'done and dusted' so to speak. I am home a little worse for wear, but glad that it is all over. I won't bore you with the gory details but it is suffice to say - I am never having it done again!!!!! In actual fact I am not in any real pain - more tenderness and I show no visuals what I have had done - but boy, I do feel it - a wee bit tender everywhere. I dread to think what they do to you while you are 'out'... Apparently it took about two hours to do. I remember bits and pieces of post op - but I am not trying 'to remember' too hard. All's I want to do is drink cups of tea and sleep. I bought 3 magazines before I went in - splurged on the latest 'Inspirations' - I have read about one whole page and that was this morning at home... I feel quite unsettled and keep wandering around the house...

By comparison to some, I had quite minor surgery although it involved a few risks as they work up close to the front part of the brain and the optic nerve. I think it was that that bothered me the most really. You always hear about that one in a million chance of things going off the board. Poor P I told him that if anything went wrong I didn't want to be revived - this was only a little while before I went in. I think that the 'nearest and dearest' go through their own anxious time when any type of surgery is involved. Between P and my girls I felt very cared for...

I have to say that I was treated very well by all the staff from the surgeons right through to the cleaner - but there is no place like home...

Well, onto the recovery part of the plan and once I am firing on all jets again getting onto the next part - the new job. Right now though my pillow is calling once again... My thanks to all of you who have sent me messages they are most appreciated...

3rd time lucky????

I am cautiously optimistic - the hospital HASN'T rung me so I guess I can count myself in on their 'do list' for today... I may be missing for a few days - so all of you out there take care...

Cross Stitch...

Have done a little more on this in between my CQ block... I actually found this quite relaxing - I did the side panel of the blue flowers... The plan is to stitch this between doing my bits on the block...

Saturday arvo...

Took a very quick trip this morning to Hudson - a shop in Balaclava - to have a look at loobylu's softies. After some mis- directions, grand prix traffic, a 'close encounter' with an accident and the general hustle and bustle of Carlisle street on a Saturday morning we found Hudson. More by accident than design we found that Hudson's was on the corner of the side street we had parked in. I think I only recognised the shop because of miss eagles photos... This was the last weekend so I was pleased we went.

Loobylu's marshmellow bunnies were just lovely and I was so pleased that I had the opportunity to see them 'up close'. E was also impressed with the store and the range which they carried - it has inspired her to get her own creation off the drawing board and into the 3D world. I can see more sewing ahead. Today's trip also bought back lots of memories of for us both- when we would catch the tram from Caulfield to there and browse the shops. As much as I like living over here and it has been good for us - both of us get 'homesick' when we travel down to that neck of the woods. Coupled with my feeling odd ( previous post) it has been a dejvu kinda day...

Saturday...

Today I am feeling a little odd... Last night I finished my last shift in my old position... I don't start my new position until the middle of April and I have my op (hopefully) on Monday... I feel in a bit of a no where place and I guess that is what has promoted this odd feeling. I do feel as though massive change is just a whisper away.

This date 5 years ago we had had just spent our first night here - little did we know what was ahead of us. So much has change - people have come and gone as too, have job changes. But nothing remains constant. I have started to consider that I would like to go back to some form of study - once things have settled down I shall begin that exploration. Something to do with literature I think. And so on it goes...