Starting my day....

I have become a creature of habit or better yet routine. I find if I don't do certain things in the morning, the day seems to run amok. For instance, if I don't do the crossword puzzle with my first cup of coffee . . . I like the puzzle from USA today and I play on my iPad. Granted it is not the NY Times puzzle that my mother did in ink (the epitome of conceit) but still enough of a challenge to keep the brain from freezing up. Occasionally USA does not publish the puzzle until I am onto another item on the agenda. I send them an email asking where it is. I am sure they are happy to hear from me. I sent them one again this morning. Then I like 7 little words. These games give me a good start. 

I read my email. I check the spam folder and glance at the topics. Amazing the offers for sex and sexual enhancements I am offered each morning. These spammers need to find a life. I check in with FB and see what my friends are doing. I visit a few blogs. Then it is time for chores. I like to get what needs to be done finished in the morning because in the afternoon I like to knit or do needlework and, depending on the complexity of what I am working on, there might be a movie. Jack and I enjoy watching some of the same movies over and over. Moonstruck, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, A Good Year, Under the Tuscan Sun, No Reservations and A Walk in the Clouds are a few of our favorites.

Because it is just the two of us the chores are not too bad. A weekly vacuum and dusting seems to be enough and bathrooms are done oftener. I like the routine. My projects make the most mess and the kitchen floor suffers when we do a 'big cook".

I have moved the needlepoint to my studio. It was beginning to take over the living room.

Only finished projects shall be displayed.

We have planned a quiet weekend. I am still recovering from the cruise and Jack's wheelchair pushing.

Have a good weekend.

A Good Week....

Lunch with friends started the week. Laishley Crab House in Punta Gorda was the venue.

The view was spectacular and the company was wonderful. Think stories and laughter. We needed this time with friends as we were still recovering from the cruise and Jack's knee episode. I was truly exhausted from all the drama and the stubbornness of he who shall not be named!

The food was very good. Oyster Po Boys for us. Sushi is a specialty but I am not there yet. Soon - maybe....

And, yes, that is a "bad girl" dessert - fried ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Oh my.

So that was the beginning of the week. I have been blog hopping a lot. So many wonderful ideas and clever bloggers. I have been experimenting with tea. No more diet sodas for me. Tough habit to break.

I saw this butter slab on another blog and found a reproduction at Joanne Hudson. The black and white appealed to me.

I reconfigured the beverage set up on top of the wine cupboard (something for everyone!).

I am pleased with the look and everything is in one place.

So, then we went to A Good Yarn. I was looking for a magnifying lamp for my needlepoint stand. That plus other "stuff" came home with me. I love the use of decorative stitching and beading that is very popular and "jumped" out of my comfort level and decided to try this design.

Vibrant colors and so many beading and stitch opportunities.

Glad to be feeling spunky again and looking forward to starting this design with Vickie at A Good Yarn.

I am working on my jacket as well. The second front is almost finished. Dermatitis is still a problem so I knit, I get an outbreak, I heal, I knit.....

And, roses on the kitchen counter always help. Have a wonderful weekend.

Playing

I have been playing with an app called Waterlogue. I have a Mac and the programs to change photos into paintings are not as prolific as those for Windows. 

I have taken a few of my favorite photos and "painted" them. 

 I wish I could paint but these "paintings" soothe the soul.

So, the embroidery machine is working away and I shall knit shortly. It is a beautiful day. 

Painting with yarn.....

I thought I would try needlepoint for a while. My fingers are still affected by the dermatitis so I thought I would give them a rest. Susan and Vickie at A Good Yarn found me some gold-plated tapestry needles so I shall give them a try. The needlepoint department of this store is wonderful. All the latest and the best so I needed to have the D4 frame and I love it (no affiliation). I figured out how raise the frame and now settle myself in my chair with the phone and my water. Once you are set up it takes a minute to "unset".

I have always loved needlework. The needlepoint koi pillow was a labor of love (that means it took a very long time!).

So now I am working on a door stop. Smaller projects seem to work better for my short attention span.

The case for my glasses was made on my embroidery machine in the hoop. I love the way the Kaffe fabric picks up the colors of the needlepoint design. My friend Sue from Naples took a class in embellishment with stitches so I have done some French knots in the center of the flowers.

I shall finish unpacking and make a pot of tea and sit and stitch. I think some music might complete the picture.

What are you going to do?

Glad to be home......

We have been on a cruise and it is good to be home. This year's cruise was not as relaxing as they have been in the past. Paying more and getting less seems to be the norm in many industries. While our accommodations were lovely, we were disappointed in some areas. And Jack became wheel chair bound after somehow twisting his knee. He was disappointed that he could not go to some of the ports and I was disappointed that he was disappointed. 

The ship was beautiful. The lighting and glass created spectacular effects. 

The color of the Caribbean is unlike any other I have ever seen.

And the food.....And we didn't have to shop for it, cook it, or clean up the kitchen.

Room service was quite wonderful when Jack was in the wheel chair.

Our favorite was the grilled Coho salmon on wasabi mashed potatoes with asparagus in a sesame ginger sauce. I shall try to recreate this very soon.

And then there is my knitting. With no chores (except pushing Jack!), there was lots of knitting time. I like the Crow's Nest on Holland America. A chair with an ottoman, my iPad, water and my knitting bag was all I needed for a lovely morning.

And the view was lovely.

As I said in the beginning, it is good to be home.