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Still alive and kicking...but just barely...

Hello all. I hope everyone had a safe and Merry Christmas! Ours was nice, it was less about gifts and more about family this year. Things are tight for our whole family, so everyone did the best they could and that was just good enough. The food was spectacular as always, Mom can just about outcook anyone, and we managed to keep our sanity, so that's always a plus!

I've had some serious trials for the past few months and have basically alienated myself from everyone. I talked with Ingrid the other day, and it felt so nice to feel like I still have a friend. I also chatted with Lori for a few minutes, and it was just like we'd never stopped talking. I spend most of my days feeling alone, so these calls were a welcome interruption to my usual stress-filled day. Thank you ladies!

I am having a very hard time dealing with some of the stress that I'm going through and I don't quite no how to get my act together. I won't devulge the details here, as I know prying eyes are reading, and quite frankly...it's none of their business. But I wish that I had more time for my friends, as I'm sure that they could help me through this time. However, some have written me off, and that hurts..more than words can say. I do know that everyone has bad times, and I do know that sometimes you have to get rid of the bad in your life in order to feel good, but how can people that I have known for years just turn their back on me, especially when I am already falling apart? I have been there for them, listened to their every bitch, piss and moan, but when it comes time for me to rely on them, they are no where to be seen. I guess that says it all...they didn't want to be my friend, they only wanted me to be theirs. They wanted me to be there for them to bitch at, but turn their head when I have something to say. I'm hurt...very, very hurt. I shouldn't rely on people, and this is a hard lesson learned for me. I come from a background of helping anyone you possibly can at all costs, and if they never return the favor so be it. But to completely shut me out when I need a shoulder to cry on is cold. Very cold. I guess it's a sign of the times...

Anyway, to all of the friends that feel like I have done this to them, I am very sorry. I did not intend to hurt anyone and I now know how it feels. Very alone.

On a brighter note, we're through Christmas...on to New Year's. I hope next year is kinder to all of us, we've just about had all we can take.

If I don't get to write again...Happy New Year friends!

Lesa's FLRR Block

Really? It has been 2 months since I have blogged? REALLY? Okay. I have got to get out of this little time warp thing I'm in and keep better time. I just don't know where my time goes anymore...

Anyway, I finished working on Lesa's block eons ago and forgot to post it. Of course, we had a month void of mailing and I forgot totally about it, mailed late. The usual. ARG. One of these days I'll see a surgeon about removing my head from my ass. Until then, I guess I'll just have to deal with the discomfort.

Here's the pics...

I appliqued 2 toadstools on, and embroidered a little fairy peeking over the big one. I thought she turned out really well, until I looked at the pic and realized that it looks like she's wearing bunny ears. Well, crap... Also, you can see the toadstool seam treatment I did beside her using cast-on stitch and bullions for stems, I used DMC perl 5 for those. Those did turn out cute! The viney leaves underneath are done using fly stitch in varigated Edmar Iris threads.

An overall view of my work...the curved seam is me too. I also added a shooting star in the sky, and somehow forgot to take a picture of it.

Hope you like my work Lesa!

Have a wonderful day all,

Another Trip Around The Sun

Hello Friends!

I'm doing this post more for myself than for public viewing, so if you get bored, I understand! It's been about 10 days since my birthday, and staying as busy as I do, I seldom have time to reflect on things, so I guess that's kind of what I'm doing today. Not that I'm not busy today, believe me, I am...just having a little bit of self doubt these days. I am hoping that if I make a list of things that I have learned and/or accomplished this year, that maybe I won't feel so bad about things. And if I put it here, I'll be able to look back at it...

So here goes... (I'm doing this from memory...trying to get it on a month by month basis, and will most likely be adding to it for some time.)

*I learned how to plan and execute a baby shower. I also learned how to make several new crafty decorations, and did everything by hand. It was a ton of work, but saved us a fortune! Learning how to make diaper cakes and baby bootie nut cups may never come in handy, but I know how to do it.

*I learned how to demolish a room without tearing the whole house down. It's a lot of work, but in the end, I did learn how to do it!

*I learned how to install exterior doors, trim and all, in an existing hole. Crooked, unlevel, existing hole. It was no easy task, that's for sure.

*I discovered that I am afraid of circular saws. Love jigsaws, handsaws, and reciprocating saws. Petrified of circular saws.

*I have become the master of the drill. Drilling and screwing. No problemo!

*I have learned that the only thing that will keep your car between the ditches in the winter is patience. I have none.

*No matter how much I love the snow, it still has to be shoveled, and that I don't like. I will like it even less this year, now that we have 2 horses to care for, and a realllllly long walk to shovel to get to Dakota.

*I learned that I can keep up with the housework. IF I don't have anything else to do. For 4 months, I managed to keep my house spotless, the laundry done, and the kids in clean cages. After that it was downhill to say the least.

*I learned that my Mom and Dad are packrats. The hard way!

*I managed to get the farm in decent shape this year, that's a major milestone. Cleaning out one of the barns led to the previous list item.

*I built a stall for Dakota.

*I learned the basics of conditioning horses. I knew a lot of it already, but have learned much more now that I'm actually doing it.

*I learned how to treat horses for Thrush. Not fun...but very handy to know.

*I learned how to vaccinate horses.

*I learned how to build a corral.

*I have learned and I am still learning the basics of caring for my horses hooves. That is trimming and rasping and frog-maintenance. Very glad I'm learning!

*I learned how prepare and seal a blacktop driveway. Again, not fun...

*I learned how much work painting trim on a house can be. Ugh...Harbor Sky blue....

*I learned how to properly caulk windows and doors. After I totally screwed up the first one :(

*I learned that when you do for people, do NOT expect them to greatful, most of the time, it doesn't happen. When it does, be surprised!

*I have discovered that in order to do what I want to do, I have to go without sleep. I don't get that much anyway, but I manage.

*I learned that organization is not a strong point for me, and I am no longer fighting it.

*I have learned that a bad situation can produce something good, since the barn was burned, we have made several friends in the neighborhood. It's nice to see a smiling face once in a while when we're at the farm.

*Every year, I wonder more and more why I bother decorating for the holidays. I learned this year that I have special decorations with a lot of memories, and that is why I do it.

*I built Dakota's barn doors all by myself. Yes, I'm proud of that! They aren't small and it wasn't easy, but I did it. The doors measure 6' wide X 12' tall, and 7' wide x 12' tall.

*We hung new runners for the barn doors, and got them up. It was a coooold windy day that we decided to do that, and it was difficult. So glad we got it done when we did, as it snowed and blowed 2 days later. Kept the snow out of the barn!

*We installed our 2nd garage door in 5 years. The first one was new, this one is new to us. (Used, but in GREAT shape!) Thank you to our wonderful neighbors for giving us their old door when they got their new one. We really wouldn't have been able to afford one this year.

*I have learned that I have a great lot of wants in life, and no idea how to achieve them. What a horrible feeling.

*I have learned that we can make due with the slimmest budget ever. Although, things look grim now, I am sure they will get better. Hopefully close to normal.

*I spent many hours shopping for the perfect thing, only to realize that it still sucks.

*I have come to despise plow trucks. I can't for the life of me understand why they think it is best to plow roads down to a sheet of ice rather than leave snow on them.

*There are times in my life when I have to stay away from other people. I can't deal with everything without losing my mind. I have been put through the paces for the past few months and I'm having a really hard time dealing with it. I just can't manage to keep my foot out of my mouth when I'm overstressed.

*We cut windows in both barns for the horses and framed them out. We still have to attach the plexiglass for them to keep the weather out, but they are sooooo enjoying them! Cherokee especially, as everyone in the neighborhood is officially wrapped around his little hoof. Sheesh, he's spoiled rotten!


To be continued....(I'm sure there's more, I just can't think of anything else right now!)

Alien World-FLRR

Happy October all! I can't believe it's already October. No really, where did August and September go? Ah well...another trip around the sun for me, and still no spare time....

I finally finished working on Janet's Alien World Fantasy Landscape RR block and got it mailed. Geez...only 2 weeks late! And I know that I didn't do enough work on it, but I had to deal with life. And believe me, this past month has done nothing but reinforce the fact that I have NO spare time to do the things that I love. I'm sad because of it, but it's the honest to God truth. It took every ounce of spare time I had to get this much done, so please, please, please, don't be too angry with me ladies. And Janet, if you are reading this, I will gladly work on your block again once the RR is over and it comes back home. I really do want to do my fair share, but life gets in the way for me all to often. Ask Ing, she's been waiting for her fairy heart for eons now...and I promise to get it to her ASAP! (Even tho I'm sure she doesn't believe me!)

So anyway, wanted to share what I did manage to accomplish...


close up of the eyeball tree

close up of my version of alien flowers

and an overall view of my work

So anyway, I hope everyone is doing well, and I'm praying for more time for me.

Hugs~

My Crabs for Gerry

Hi All, Gerry was askin' me if I had crabs, and I told her no, but I don't think she believed me....HA!

So I am gonna try to find my crabs and put them on my blog to share with everyone....

Hope this helps Gerry!

Have a super day!

Fantasy Landscape Block

Well, I have been told to get my butt in gear and get rid of the under construction. So, I did! LOL!

I have been coerced into joining a new RR over at CQN, (more like threatened with the disappearance of my baby horsey!!!), so I did it. Talk about something that I was clueless about. This one is a fantasy landscape, and well, lets just say my imagination hasn't been at it's best for the past year or so, so coming up with a fantasy wasn't so easy for me. However, after a few days of cussing fabric, then thread, then more thread, I managed to get it together. I picture a secret garden type deal when I think of it, with tons of flowers, trees, critters, etc. Pretty much anything natural. And I got me a unicorn on there too. Guess that the fantasy part....

So, wanna see?



I can't imagine how it will look when it's done, the ladies working on this RR are all so good with ideas, I'm sure what I see and what they see will be two completely different things. I can't wait!

Have a super day,

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Let me know what ya'll think so far!

Sullen Days

Hi all, sorry for my absence. I was planning on blogging more, and then I had a bad week. A really bad week.

I have lost my baby bunny and one of my precious piggies. I have no idea what happened to Thumper, but Holly had a stroke. I miss them sooooo much, you have no idea. Here's pictures of both, I'm sure you have seen them, but still, I had to put them up again. Just seeing my babies brings tears to my eyes.

Thumper
Holly

I lost Thumper on Saturday May 30, and Holly on the next day. I have been so sad that I can barely function enough to get my day to day things done. I'm feeling better now, but I am still sad and miss them so very much. I know that it will be better with time, but the hole that is left in my heart will not heal so quickly, I love my critters way too much for it to heal overnight.

So, I hope anyone who was expecting to hear from me will understand and give me a few more days grace....

Hugs to all,

Just a catch up day....

Hi All! Hope this post finds everyone well and happy! I have been really slacking, especially with my internet friends, and I hope you all forgive me at some point....

I'm trying to catch everything up today, which I know I won't get it all done, but I'm trying. So, for starters, I thought I'd catch up on my blogging.

First of all, Ing if you are reading this...it's going to be a couple more days before I send your little Flower Fairy heart out, I removed some work I did on it...it looked funky, and I'm redoing it now. Sorry, I know I promised it to you this week, I just really want to do my best and I want you to love it as much as I love mine!

We had a really nice Memorial Day weekend, we visited with our neighbors a bit on Saturday, and Mom and Dad came down Monday evening and we grilled out. It was pretty nice, though I didn't get to relax any, I think I'll survive!

I'm working on getting my flower beds cleaned out and planted, which is taking a lot longer than usual with my new little baby to take care of. I did manage to get all of my houseplants hauled outside and one flower bed weeded and planted before Memorial Day, so I'm getting somewhere, just really, really slow! I still have to plant my Cannas and Dahlias, and need to get that done THIS WEEK, or it'll be too late....

The kids here at home are doing wonderful, with the exception of Pearl, who has once again decided to lay eggs, and she's overdoing it again too. So far 13. Dang, I want her to stop, I just can't get her to. I've been giving her a calcium supplement to help with the strain that the egg laying is putting on her. I think she may be done now, or at least I hope. We'll see, today is the day she's supposed to lay again. The other birds are doing really well, as are the guinea pigs, bunny, mice and cat. The cat is as spoiled as she can be, and craving attention like crazy! I can't get her to leave me alone when I'm inside. She's so goofy!

The horses are doing great as well. Cherokee is having a bit of tooth trouble, so we floated them yesterday, which he absolutely hated. Poor guy, seems like we're always hassling him over something! His hooves are in really great shape now, and he feels like a champ! He even took a little interest in the new little filly. Not much, but at least he noticed her, HA! Speaking of the new little filly, I finally got her papers, and after looking it over, I have no idea where the name Gambi came from....Her registered name is Poco's Sweet Streaker. So, I've decided to change it, after all, she's a paint horse, and needs an Indian name. I couldn't come up with something I liked from her registered name, so I went back to her grandparents. Her name is now Dakota. Her maternal Grandmother's name was Dakota Summer Dew. She really seems to like it, and it's a pretty name for my pretty horse. Although, I wanted her to be my little girly horse...she's definately a get-down-and-dirty horse. So much for girly.... We're doing really well with our workouts, and she's ready to start working in the field rather than the enclosed cement between the barns. This will be interesting, as she thinks she is going to starve to death constantly. Hubs said he would help me until she learns that she is working and not eating in the field. I'll keep you posted on that one....

Alrighty, I think that's it...I'm off to do some laundry and a little stitchin' before bed!

Hugs to all!
Christy