The weather has taken a turn for the worse....

Well, we've been having early summer weather...temps in the high 60's early 70's and sun just shining bright, but I got up this morning hearing rain and it's so gloomy out you just know summer is over. But that's O.K., I won't complain as the holidays approach we want it to be cooler...I could do without the ring, but again, 70 on Tuesday and Wednesday....thank you Jesus, enough said. We are gearing up for the Thanksgiving weekend....not only for the day off and a holiday of eating (my favorite kind), but also to see some of you in the shop again. Thanksgiving is a huge weekend in Ocean City with many coming down for the holiday. So if you are coming down, come on in and say hi. Sara and I, perhaps Mary as well, will be manning the counters. I'll also be the one trying to figure out how to construct some items as well. While I have spent the last few weeks stitching for Christmas, I still have to put everything together...ugh...not my strong suit. But I'm going into it with a positive attitude since I have plenty of time to do and I'll pray for the best. Brian stopped by the office and taught me a few more tricks on my Mac so perhaps in another year I'll actually be able to use it as well as I use my HP. (Stranger things have happened). Finished another project last night and perhaps sooner rather than later I'll be able to show you some of the stuff I've been working on. Right now however, I've got to get stuff put together, and framed. But I'm going into the Christmas Holidays with several projects almost completed and I've very optimistic at this point that I'm in good shape. Been working on the apartment....2nd guest room almost completely picked up...which I usually do about 1 day before Christmas so I'm feeling good. I also did the pickled peaches and pickled beets which has graced our holiday tables since I was a child. So I carry on the tradition...the only problem is I love them so much I start eating them the day after I've made them which means right before the holiday I have to make more. Oh, Crap...I've been hacked so now all kinds of crap is showing up in my e-mail. Damn...so now I feel I must apologize to all who have received e-mails thinking they were from me and open it up to find porn...yes, porn....I could just die. I'm so very sorry to all who have opened up these e-mails. Rainbow Gallery called to say his wife had the same thing happen a couple of months ago and I should now put my name and a non hacked message in the subject line...so for a while I will be doing that. Of course I've contacted AOL, and I've changed passwords, etc...which is tragic for me as I can't remember what the hell I'm doing so I know I'll never remember another password. But we must do what we must do. And for those who hack...shame on you! I don't know what joy you get in doing this but leave me the hell alone. I'm too old and too stupid to fix any of this. Well, I hope your day goes better than mine has. Have a great evening of stitching and I'll talk to you later.

It's a slow process.....

O.K., I don't blog for months and now I'm posting 2 in one day....it's all about the pictures I want to get up. Even with the "Mac for Dummies" that Vernon got me I couldn't figure out the error message after 2 pictures were uploaded so I published that blog and started a new one in order to get all the pictures up. Since I wanted to show some of the getups the girls wore to the C.A. Wells event, I decided not to give up on it, but to start another post. Who says computers can beat me....not I...I'm determined folks to get things in hand...so stay with me while I fight with the Mac. The first picture is Phyllis Yurack with her witch's hat and a lovely lace web cape...and that's Stasi Buhrman in the background who didn't feel the need to dress up. The next picture is Kathie Renard in the back with her Devil's horns on and the blurry mask wearer is Jackie Janovsky. The next picture is our Kay Fletcher wearing her feathery mask and I have to tell you those masks were really something. They didn't stay on long though, but they certainly dressed up the occasion. The final picture is Debbie Liming who wore a witch's hat all weekend along with her lace cape, and halloween earrings, well all jewelry was Halloween. And Debbie, who celebrates her birthday at this event every year keep in costume all weekend, even when we went out for her birthday dinner. Yes, a proud moment for us all as we sat looking perfectly normal with a woman dressed in her Halloween get up. Well, who's to say what is normal. The C.A. weekend is a time for stitching together, catching up and doing whatever we like. While some wereworking on Christmas gifts, it was hard for others as the people we need to stitch for were sitting there. So Jennifer Humpfries, who you see standing in the picture to the left of Kathie...devils horns...Renard, and I decided that we would work on our Betsy Morgan Toy Chest project. We didn't complete it but we know what we're doing and that's important. Stasi brought her completed Betsy Morgan toy chest so we had it to use all weekend...thanks Stasi...and if push comes to shove I can always ask Paola for help as she too finished hers on her own. And when I expressed concern about putting one of the pieces together, Paola offered to help or to do it for me. Yes, I'm on team Paola now. But I'm going to try to do it myself, after all it's all about learning, or is it? The rest of the weekend was spent talking and eating, both of which I excel in.

Christmas...I'm heading into it at full speed. I'm been stitching like a maniac and I've actually finished a record 6 gifts stitched....with another one just days away from being finished and I've had so much fun doing it. I'm also getting the last of the boxes unloaded, after about 5 years, of my stuff moved from the old place...another Go Team Go! That means that once I get the guest room straightened out this year...I never have to do it again. I can't believe it. The boys room is already back to winter status as I've put away all my summer clothes, however, I'm afraid my sewing room took a hit as it became the drop off point for all my bags of stuff this summer, but I'm slowly going through it and getting things put away.

Why is it I think every year I'll never let the crap build up again, and then it happens? Anyway, I'm a work in progress and so is my living space. As for the shop....well, Renee and Pat have been busy getting displays up and moving things around. They have done such a wonderful job....thanks ladies I appreciate all the hard work. And it's a good thing they did it because you know me....while I may want to help...I just am not moved to do it. And Sara...well she has Jamaica on the brain. She and Vernon and Michael are leaving for Jamaica the first part of December. So she's trying to get ahead on Christmas shopping etc., and so I don't want to ask her to help with anything. Knit and Bitch starts again today...hopefully someone will show up. I forgot about it in my enthusiasm about posting on the Mac and instead of bringing my knitting I brought my Mac machine. Perhaps someone here will be able to give me some instruction. The weather is so beautiful out today...in the high 60's, sunny and gorgeous...we could sit on the rockers on the porch and knit away....except that Vernon in his enthusiasm to close up the hotel has already put them in the lobby. So now we have to work around the chairs...which I'm willing to do as it is easier than fitting tables into Salty Yarns. We need a classroom over there....ummm, now where can I find that room? Well, I've exhausted myself and my Mac knowledge for today so I shall post my 2nd blog of the day. Have a great day and I'll talk with you soon.

Fall arrived and so have I..............

Yes, I apologize for the length of time between now and my last blog...no excuse except that I'm old, yes, I'm really feeling my age this year. I don't know what's different except that I am aging, only now it feels like I'm doing it at warp speed. Plus the amazing things going wrong with me, starting with the shingles which appeared in the spring, and the visit to the doctor's for that which meant going for blood tests which revealed the sugar spike and while I was dealing with that came the bronchitis and then the coupe de gras...plantar fascitis. Of course, over the course of the spring and summer I got the sugar under control, in fact I'm doing amazingly we

ll with that and the shingles, well that for me was just a couple of weeks of pain, and the bronchitis, well that lasted a tad longer than I would have liked, the hacking went on for a couple of months as did the exhaustion that came from it...but just as I was bouncing back from that the plantar fascitis hit and that lasted all summer. But I went to the doctors in September and now I have that under control so now I'm a ticking time bomb waiting for the next thing to go wrong. But in the meantime....all events are over so it's time for a recap, as well as resting up for the holidays which are right around the corner. At the end of September the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild had a retreat here and those stitchers are always a fun group. About 22 of the stitchers arrived on different days, a few always arrive early to get a jump start on the fun, and to get first pick at new stuff in the shop. These ladies do some amazing projects. Theresa Baird who you will hear more about as she has designed a sampler specifically for Salty Yarns, brought her collection of amazing projects designed and executed by her. She stitches on 40 count only (at least that's all I've seen) which is amazing enough to me, but the detail she gets. Mercy, it has to be seen to be believed. But all the ladies were working on amazing projects. There is no more fun that seeing what others are working on and getting new ideas through their inspiration. We had a week in between the Delaware Guild and the Stitchers Jamboree. While the attendance was down a little this year, we still had around 44 stitchers in attendance and three wonderful teachers. Amy Bruecken from Amy Bruecken designed a fall piece with a black crow sitting on a pumpkin and used the new copper wrapped thread from DMC to make tendrils around the stem. Many of the stitchers hadn't seen these fibers used so it was an education as well as a wonderful example of what to do with that fiber. I'd used it once before on the Sarah Elliott box of Greg's. We used it as fencing in a field, but I was unsure how to start and stop it. So this was invaluable to me. I like the dimension of the tendrils and the way Amy showed to incorporate the leaves on it. Needless to say, several people loved it as we sold out of the fiber during the weekend. Elizabeth Talledo illustrated the blanket stitch on a wool case stitchers had to assemble and included a couple of smalls for her piece which had the theme, "Day of the Dead". And Barbara Jackson showed the stitchers how to make a strawberry with her sampler strawberry. Several of the stitchers finished their wool case during the weekend, and I saw many of the strawberries being worked on. Phyllis Yurack was here for C.A. Well

s Memorial Weekend and she was well on her way to finishing Amy Bruecken's piece. So I would say the weekend was a success, thanks to the stitchers who came and enjoyed themselves, especially those who flew such a long distance, like Paola Botti who flew in from Luxembourg and the stitchers from California, Lara Skaggs, Pam Thompson and Kim Bowman. Jenny Berens who flew in from Kentucky and who realized she knew us from having attended the Moss Creek Retreat with her a few years ago...isn't it a small world? And then Barbara Nunez who informed me she was at the same retreat...and I didn't even realize that last year when Barbara was here. And 2011 we had our first male stitcher join us. I think he started off just wanting to be here with his significant other (I told him he could only come if he took classes), but joined in with the various stitching groups in the lobby and fit right in. He took home supplies to make a name tag for his next event. Go Ken! He was a delight to all the women here. Not only was he good looking but he had a wonderful spirit, and a desire to soak in all the knowledge regarding stitching that he could. He initially was taught years ago by his mother so he had done needlework years ago. We hope he joins us again, as well as Susan, his main reason to be here. And thanks also to Sara for all her cooking and goodies, and the designers who flew in and mingled with the stitchers. Thanks to everyone for another great Jamboree, and to all the gifts everyone brought. Cynthia Radley always brings treats and this year she brought a trio of delicious cookies which were gobbled up over the course of the weekend. And then she and Crystal Symansky gifts Sara and I both gift cards to our favorite spots...Sunset Grille save me a seat! Thanks Girls. Paola Botti flew over with her husband at the end of September, toured a few days and then stopped here for us to meet Lorenzo. Unfortunately we had the coldest weather we had since last winter while Lorenzo was with us. But he flew out 2 days after arriving and Stasi Buhrman picked Paola up at the airport and Paola spent several days with her and returned to us the Sunday before Jamboree weekend. We had our usual good times. Paola is an expert at finishing her smalls and we were amazed by the projects she brought to show us. She inspired all of us with her beautiful pieces. And both Sara and I were blessed to received 2 of her smalls, along with several other gifts. I'm putting my gift on the web site and you just have to see it. I will treasure it always. I should of taken a photo of Sara's but forgot. But it's a 15 sides biscornu that is amazing. Then Kim Bowman, Pam Thompson, and Lara Skaggs brought us things from their region. They brought a bag of Jelly Bellies (Sara's personal favorite), Ghirardelli Chocolates (well do you even have to wonder who's going to eat these) and the freshest garlic swag ever. I swear I've never seen such fresh garlic before in my life, big fat bulbs with their paper skins tight around them. I swear the garlic I usually find looks like it's shrunk inside the skin which is loose and falling off. You just know it's been sitting in the store a while. But this was fresh. Sara and I fought a little over it...I got some but Sara who is the garlic queen, got the most of it. That girl does love her garlic. And Ellen Sweeney who struggles every year to find me a new piece of my Polish ware went in a different direction this year and brought me oodles of lottery scratch offs from New York. We were both hoping I'd scratch off a winner, but alas, I had no luck but sure had fun trying. Thanks everyone for making our weekend so much fun. Sara and I have almost as much fun as the stitchers do. The weather was cooler this Jamboree but still beautiful and sunny which allowed stitchers to sit outside on the rockers and stitch while enjoying the sun and surf. We love the sun shining for this event just so we can sit outside. We had a week to

regroup and then the final event of the year...C.A. Wells Memorial Weekend event. As you may remember, this event came about when C.A. Wells cancelled at the last minute as we weren't her time. While the ladies still wanted to get together anyway, and we did, this has become such a fun annual event this year we decided we should thank C.A. Wells. We wouldn't have had this much fun if she had come so be insulting us she has provided us with a great event that we all look forward to every year. Sara decorated the hotel lobby for Halloween, and just about everyone brings a goodie bag so there are goodie bags galore for each person. Not only do the bags contain candy, but Stasi Buhrman made miniature cupcakes which were yummo, Stacy Stinson's contained a ceramic Halloween Cupcake with a candle inside (so cute), and Jennifer Humphries' contained a ceramic pumpkin votive. But every ones contained candy and some had notepads, tissues, nail files, hand sanitizer, etc. Fun, fun, fun. And as with all our events food plays a huge part. Stacy Stinson brought the cutest bread shaped like a spider which she hollowed out and put in some of her yummy dip (which she lovingly made). She also brought a delicious salad which Sara tried to gobble up by herself, and a dessert bar which was excellent. Jennifer Humphries brought cupcakes which I personally enjoyed (my sugar is still good) and I brought my usual Leek and Potato soup, strawberry pretzel salad, cheesecake and my famous chocolate dipped cookies. Jackie Janovsky brought her caramel pop corn, which I love, love love but apparently so did others ..darn it I was hoping to take that home. Sara made her pumpkin curry soup and her Chicken Caesar salad sandwiches which everyone loved. And this year, Sara made Bloody Marys which were enjoy especially by myself, Debbie Liming and Kay Fletcher and also made a green grog which was also enjoyed by ...well the same people. It's so decadent to drink around noon isn't it. I like to think of it as healthy since the Bloody Mary's usually have olives or celery in it and it is tomato based....yes that was the healthy part of my weekend. After that it went to hell in a hand basket. I ate enough chocolate candy to bury a normal person, and yet my sugar was still in the normal range. Unfortunately my weight has slowly risen again...so now I must get back on track...and with the holidays approaching. What the hell was I thinking. The weather didn't exactly cooperate....we had a north easter' on Saturday, but since we're stitchers we didn't really care and we were staying in anyway. We were amazed at the snow totals we were hearing from others as we got nothing but rain, and on Sunday it was gorgeous and back to sunny. But I know many were without electricity (that may have bummed us out but ours didn't go out so hurray!) Anyway, I'm getting back to a normal routine...working in the shop and the office, hiding from salesmen and watching enough reality shows to make a normal person go mad. But I'm also stitching like crazy. I'm determined to get some stitching done for Christmas and so far I've finished 2 pieces to take to the framer (whoppee...I'm done my part). I've also finished 2 pieces which I need to put together (ooops..this could be a train wreck)...but it's exciting to think I could actually stitch most of my gifts this year. A first for me...which makes it really exciting. I'm a stitching fool at night as I have no one who needs my attention...yes, I'm still living alone and loving it.