2 Finishes 11.30.18

It has been about 6 weeks since I have posted.  I have been on a reading frenzy.



Reading:
Finished David Baldacci's The Fallen.  It is the Amos Decker character series.
Finished James Patterson's The People vs. Alex Cross
Finished Emily Giffin's All We Ever Wanted
Finished J.A. Jance's Cruel Intent
Finished J.A. Jance's Trial By Fire
Finished Jenny Colgan's Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe

Finished J.A. Jance's Fatal Error
Finished J.A. Jance's Day of the Dead
Finished John Grisham's The Reckoning

Finished J.A. Jance's Left for Dead

Finished J.A. Jance's Queen of the Night
Finished James Patterson's The 17th suspect

Stitching:
I have finished this bird on a teacup.  I used some beads for the little buds.  Finally found a frame that I like after buying numerous frames.  As soon as I get it framed I will post it again.  This is for my niece.  I want to stitch it again for me.

I also finished my Fiestaware and Sunflowers by Janlynn.  I didn't do it totally like that pattern because I did not like the border and the words. But it is finally done and I am happy.   The finishing is going to be tricking since I have zero talent in that area.  Hope to get it done soon. 

Hoping to Heal:

I have been drinking Xango juice for quite a few months.  It is from the Mangesteen berry.  I'm sure I spelled that wrong.  It is very expensive.  I can't tell if it is helping since I still need my pain meds.  I stopped drinking it a few days ago.  Haven't noticed any difference in pain.  Yesterday I received Copaida capsules from doTerra.  I started them yesterday and hope they do some good.  I also ordered some CBP stuff you rub on.  It is from hemp and is suppose to help with pain too.  Hope the new stuff works. Much more affordable.

Peace & Love,

Dianne

My first jury duty 10/18/18

10/7/18  My husband and I life a quiet simple life.  So I am thinking that is why the two of us have so much trouble sleeping.  I was up most of the night.  Fell asleep around 5:30 this morning, so naturally I slept through getting up and going to worship service.

Saturday a local Llama farm had an open house.  It wasn't much and it was quite cold out (for October).  I enjoyed it though.  I got to pet the llamas and ask questions.  They make a strange whiny kind of sound.  Some had the most beautiful fur? coats? wool?  Whatever it is called they were pretty.

10/18/18 - 16 days of Jury duty before I actually had to serve on a jury.  Got to the court house at 7:35am and got out to my car last night and it was 7:35pm!!!  12 hour day for $40.00.  This was my first time.  It wasn't that bad but what a lot of time wasting.  Lawyers repeat themselves so much.

I was employed as the Asst VP of Operations at a bank for nearly 29 years before the bank was sold and most of us lost our jobs.  The people I worked with were like family.  We are having our 10th annual reunion tonight. Love seeing some of those people. Especially those that were in my department.

Reading:  

Finished Catherine Coulter's Paradox.  Finished J.A. Jance's Kiss of the Bees,this one is #2 in the Walker series.  Hope this ends the evil serial killer and they take on something else.  Finished Tami Hoag's Guilty Sin.  Did not see that ending coming.  Now reading David Balducci's The Fallen.

Stitching:

I have finished the stitching on my 3 year old sunflower.

I didn't do it exactly like the pattern but that is just "how I roll".   I don't know how to finish it off. I don't think I want it in a frame.  Finishing would probably be so much easier if I had a clue about sewing or any talent in this area.

I posted some X stitch books on the Facebook site "Cross Stitch Barter"  I wish someone wanted them.  I did have a barter with someone for my HAED pattern.  I got a couple of "fancy" flosses for it.  A good trade.

Hoping to Heal:

OA For Today:  Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.
                             -Aristotle-      For today: Friendship, like the longest journey, starts with one step.

OA Food for Thought: Bad days - There are some days when we wake up in the morning knowing with a sixth sense that the day is going to be a hard one.  These are the days when it is difficult to get out of bed, when we would prefer not to face what awaits us. There is no way around these days; we must get through them the best way we can. Our most useful tool for coping is: abstinence.  Be determined not to escape into food. 

OA Voices of Recovery:  Once we become abstinent, the preoccupation with food diminishes and in many cases leaves us entirely. 


Peace and Love - Dianne

Good Morning 10/3/18

I have jury duty from 10/1 to 11/1.  So far all cases have been settled through 10/8.  Which is a good thing since I only work part time and would prefer to earn a paycheck instead of sitting at the court house.

Reading:
I finished Tami Hoag's Night Sins.  It left you hanging a bit at the end so I had to order the sequel, Guilty as Sin, from www.paperbackswap.com.  Hope that one tells us who did it.

I am now reading Catherine Coulter's Paradox.  I love to read but this one is from the library and I only have today and tomorrow to finish it.  So much pressure!  😉😉😉😉  I have read this whole series.  I love a series.

Stitching:

I pulled out an old project.  Maybe 3 years old.  It is going to go on my kitchen wall someday too.  I had to switch projects.  On my sunflowers and fiesta ware, I had to tear out a whole section of the checkered napkin.  I messed it up too bad.  Then I just got frustrated so I decided to put it down and finish this.  I should be able to finish this in October.  At least I am hoping to.

The colors are brighter in person.  I am not doing it 100% like the pattern.  I am not going to back stitch the flowers in that border.  I want to keep it "blurry".  I am just going to back stitch the sunflower so it pops out.  I am thinking I need to back stitch all around the blue so it stands out a bit more and also all around the border for definition.  

Need to go balance our checking account to see where we stand going forth into October.

Peace and Love,

Dianne

A few hours to myself 9/26/18

Since my husband is retired we are together in our small house almost 24/7.  I will probably keep my part time job for a long time for my own sanity.  This morning he started a part time job.  So now I have a couple hours to myself on Wednesday and Friday mornings. So thrilled.  Today of course I spent my precious hours running all over town doing errands.  But my car tire is fixed, dinner ingredients are purchased and the air conditioner and furnace have been serviced. Whew!

This tiny late summer sunflower is growing out of one of my patio pots.  LOVE sunflowers.

Reading:
I finished reading - J.A. Jance's Hour of the Hunter.  Pretty good. 

My husband brought a book home from the library he thought I would like, Nora Roberts' Shelter in Place.   It was a fast read.  It kept me interested so I read it in a weekend.

I am now reading Tami Hoag's Night Sins.

Stitching:

I forgot about this little finish I had in March.  It is for my cousin's child's child.  Maybe that makes her my 3rd cousin?  Anyway her name is Isla pronounced like an Island so you don't say the "S" .  I figure she will not ever be able to buy something personalized in a store and also people are always going to mispronounce it.  I know the colors are odd but her nursery is not decorated in traditional baby colors.

The aida it is stitched on is more of a sage green that the photo shows.  And the orange is a deep coral.

As for the sunflowers and fiesta ware picture I have been working on for the last 6 months, I spent Monday evening frogging out the entire upper part of the checkerboard cloth.  It was awful, I made a mistake somewhere and tried to mask it and it just was ugly.  Going to start that part over.  I enlarged that portion of the pattern so I could try again.

I did win a chart from Shirl of Tranquil Stitches.  She has a floss tube channel.  She is from West Virginia and seems like a really sweet woman.

I also went to Goodwill and picked up some serving trays to try to use as frames for my kitchen wall.  Whenever I complete a stitching project for that wall!!!   Going to try to use inspiration from Pricilla of The Real Housewives of Cross Stitch.  I also follow them on floss tube.  


That's all for today,

Peace and Love,
Dianne

9/19/18 Sunflower update

Last Saturday we went to Northfield MN for the Defeat of Jesse James Days.  We walked around and stayed for the re-enactment of the bank robbery that the James/Younger gang couldn't complete.  Boy am I out of shape.  I sit for my job, I sit to stitch, I sit to read and I sit because there is less pain.  I need to get up and move.  I am going to attempt a 21 day challenge that starts Monday.  I am horrible at follow through so I hope I can do better this time.

Update - The Challenge program isn't hard but it really isn't my thing.  You need to listen to a recording by the instructor each day and do the challenge. I am rarely alone (husband is retired) and finding time to listen to the recordings doesn't always work.  I also feel pressured.  I would prefer that one challenge lasted more than a day.  There are 21 of them too much to do...  I am sticking with the listen to your cravings one for now.  Am I really hungry or is a feeling of boredom, fear, pain, depression, etc?

Reading:
Just finished The Late Show by Michael Connelly.  It is the first in his new series of Police Crime Solving.  It was interesting.  Kept me interested.  I do love a series.

I finished reading a Spenser For Hire novel called Old Black Magic. Robert B. Parker wrote them before he died and Ace Atkins is keeping them going.  I enjoy Spenser's smart aleck personality.

I finished J.A. Jance's Hand of Evil.  It is a series about a woman (Ali) who is starting over in life and of course there is a crime to solve in each one.

I am now reading J.A. Jance's Hour of the Hunter.  It is a suspense book about a serial killer.  Disturbing to think on the fact taht there are monsters out there preying on people.

Stitching:
I participated in Bendy Stitchy's Alzheimers sale on Instagram and won the bid for a project bag by Diddley Daddle Designs.  Very nice. My first "official" project bag.  She then had a floss tube live sale and I got a few things.  I am looking forward to them coming in the mail.  Who doesn't love fun mail?

Here is my last Sunday night progress on my Fiestaware and Sunflowers.  It looks almost done but there is really a lot of work left on it.

A cross stitch surprise came via Facebook.  I woman I went to school with but really don't know that well are Facebook friends.  We have my high school BFF in common.  She posted a stack of cross stitch books she picked up somewhere (for free).  Her post said she hoped I wanted them.  How special I felt!!! that she would think of me.  They are mostly Christmas cross stitch which I don't care to stitch.  I am hoping to barter them on the Barter Facebook group.  Don't know when I will get them as she lives about an hour an a half away from me.

I am going to stop here and post this.

Love and Peace - Dianne

Labor Day 9/3/18

I am so tired of coughing!  I hate being sick.  I am such a whiner!!!  It was hot and humid most of this weekend.  So the little bit I was outside really caused my lungs some grief and I coughed way too much.  It is cooler today.  We cleaned house this morning.  Jeez, I don't like doing housework but it sure is nice when it is all done.  I vacuum weekly and I really wonder how the cats are not bald with all the fur I get each week. 

READING: 
I finished Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton.  It is her last book since she has passed away.  I didn't like it as much as her other ones.  But I did enjoy this series. 

STITCHING:
I am one project at a time girl.  If I could leave my stitching out I could probably rotate but since I have to pick everything up and put it away each night it is just easier to stick with one project. Everything has to be put back in this basket.  My husband is such a neat freak. 

I am still working on Sunflowers and Fiesta Ware.  I am not doing the border around the design like the pattern shows.  I don't care for it and it doesn't really go with the theme I have for my Sunflower Kitchen.  Here is my Sunday night progress.  The colors don't pop on my cell phone like they do in person.  After this I want to work on the Queen Bee Flower Farm sign to go on the wall with this. ( I am thinking about jumping into the fancy floss for that pattern) I have numerous other patterns to join them on the wall but this is the start.

I am waiting on a response to my eagle pattern give away on the Midwest Cross Stitch Facebook page.  I will mail that out and then post my next give away.  I am really happy with the decision to give away items I know I will not stitch.

HOPING TO HEAL:

Today's Scripture: Matt. 5:24 First make your peace with your brother. Make peace with those around you to open the way to make your peace with God.

OA For Today: Indecision stems from fear of doing wrong...To keep indecision from throwing me into a panic, I keep repeating, Thy will be done, not mine....For Today...Beginning this very moment, I turn my life and my will over to my Higher Power.

OA Voices of Recovery: I do not need to fear failure. I need, rather, the peace of mind that comes with taking the action I have been putting off.  

OA Food For Thought: When confronted with food we know is harmful to us, the simplest response is "No Thank you".   When we ourselves are determined to maintain abstinence, no one else, whether friend or enemy, can prevent us from following our plan. "Protect me Lord, from my friends and enemies."

Peace, Hope and Love,

Dianne

8/30/18 Gift a ways under way.

Since, I got that large sack of kits from my Aunt and I know I will not stitch them all, I am in the process of gifting some of them away.  I am also gifting away some of my own stash too.  It is a good feeling to lighten the load and give stuff away.  Who doesn't like getting fun stuff in the mail?  So far I am sending a package to, New York, Illinois and Minnesota.  Right now on The Midwest Cross Stitchers Facebook page I have my eagle pattern up for a give away.

I still have this horrible cold.  My eyes are so watery it makes it hard to read or stitch. 

I am still reading Sue Grafton's last book "Y".

I am still stitching on my Sunflowers and Fiestaware.  It is practically a full coverage piece with a ton of back stitch.  I am sure it will take up September.

 I love my job and I only work part time, but there are days I wish I could just stay home and stitch. Of course, if I didn't have my job I couldn't afford to stitch. 


That's all I have for an update today.

Peace and Love,

Dianne

8/28/18 Stitching with a cold

Friday I went to my cousin's house and played with her and her 2 nephews (who I think would be my 2nd cousins).  They are 6 and 4 years old. We had fun.  It was a rainy day.  On the drive home my lungs started to feel weird.  That kind of burning sensation with bronchitis or pneumonia.  It got worse and worse and today (Tuesday) I have a full blown head and chest cold.  I have no idea where I picked this up.  Having a cold is miserable and I am all whiny and having a pity party.  My eyes are all watery too.  So I am not stitching tonight.  Here is my update from the weekend.  I think the picture is a bit blurry.

These colors are much brighter and happier than this picture shows.

When I was at my cousin's I picked up the bag of items my Aunt left for me.  She only quilts now so she gave a huge bag of cross stitch kits. Many of them I will never do so I am going to give them away on the Midwest Cross Stitchers Facebook group.  Here is the first one I am giving away.

I also won the auction bid for a project bag from Bendy Stitchy Instagram.  She is selling items for Alzheimer's.  I was quite surprised that the bidding stopped.  I kept upping everyone's bid and I think they just got tired of me.

That's all I can muster up today,

Peace & Love

Dianne

Aug 22, 2018 Sunflower wip and shopping

Reading:

I finally finished Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi.  What a hard read for me.  First off it takes place in Germany right after WWI and goes through WWII and all the horribleness the Jewish people suffered.  But there was also bad things happening to everyone.  Maybe I live in a make believe world but that much hurt was just painful for me to read.  Also, the main character was a little person and so you go through the discrimination with her.  But what I really disliked was the personality the author gave her.  She was a gossiper and passed around secrets and rumors.  That was just distasteful for me.  I sound like such a judgmental person myself right now but the whole story just made me uncomfortable.  Which is possibly what the author was going for.

Starting something lighter now.  Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton.  Her last book before she passed away.  😥

Stitching:  

This is progress on my wip from last Saturday evening when I snapped this picture.  I worked on back stitching. There is so much back stitching on this project.  I got the sunflowers, vase, radishes and the peppers done.  Now I am working on completing page 2. 

I rarely buy anything, I have been trying to stitch from stash and work on UFO's since 2016.  But I saw this Cathy Habermann Hands On Design pattern.  Since I want to fill up my kitchen with sunflowers, and living simply is a good thing, this spoke to me on so many levels.  I am going to modify it a bit and also leave off the woman.

Then I got this inspiration on how to do the kitchen wall. I want to do the upper sign part of the Hands On Design, Pricilla's, Chalk on the Farm, Queen Bee Flower Farm. I plan to modify the flowers a little bit in different colors and maybe leave off the bee hives.  I think I will also stitch it on a blue marbled aida that I have in my stash.   Then I have all these UFO's to finish up that are flowers (see wip above) and birds.  These will be all around the Queen Bee sign.  (I am the Queen Bee, of course!!  😉)

Then I saw this Sunflower Farm and bought it for the all the sunflower borders on it that may come in handy.

So stitching from stash was going good but this isn't too bad of a shopping spree.


Hoping to Heal:

OA For Today: I turn over to God the concerns of the moment, knowing that the answers will come and, with them, a new awareness and depth of understanding.

One Day at a Time (Al-Anon): To be with out hope is to deny the wonderful possibilities of the future. 

Peace and Love,  Dianne

August 10th, 2018 Happy World Cross Stitching Day

I am finally getting a day off.  I am usually a part time employee but when my supervisor goes on vacation I work full time to cover for her.  It is only me and her that do the payroll, accounts payable and receivable, etc.  She is back now.  I actually want to cut down my hours but not sure she will like that.  We shall see.

Reading:  I have been reading Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi.  It is different and not an easy read.  Not sure where it is going yet. Will keep you posted.

Stitching:   I am working on Sunflowers and Fiesta Ware.  There is a boat load of back stitching to do.  But it is for my large empty kitchen wall.  I also had a brain storm about my kitchen wall that this will hang on.  I want to do the sign part of Hands on Designs, Queen Bee Flower Farm for the middle of this wall.  My plan for this wall has lots of sunflower stitching so I think this sign will be perfect. And I consider my self the Queen here at home. ;-)

Here is my progress:

Hoping to Heal: 
Those that have been on my blog before know that I am an alcoholic that doesn't drink, my drug of choice is food.  So that is what I use to heal my broken brain, body, spirit, self esteem, etc.
I am always working to get better.  Although, I do get sidtracked very easily.  Mostly I type out these inspirational tidbits to help me but if they help someone else all the better.

Today's Scripture: 2 Peter 3:17  Be on your guard so that you may not be led astray with them by te error of the lawless people and fall from your own steadfastness.  Put up a strong fight to stay on your path.

OA For Today: Change is not compatible with stubborn pride. Growth does not happen in a climate of arrogance and know-it-all superiority.  To change, I must understand that giving up is not giving in, nor is it failing.  It is no longer needing to be right.

OA Voices of Recovery: We now say yes to this power, deciding here on to follow spiritual guidance in making every decision.

OA Food for Thought: By Your grace may I maintain my integrity in all situations.

Peace and Love - Dianne - 

8/8/18 update

I must be the worst blogger in history. 

Just a quick update I did have a finish at the end of June.

Seriously thought this was going to do me in.  6 months of confetti browns.  What a nightmare! I did it for my husband for our 10th anniversary.  This picture doesn't do it justice.  It is gorgeous and I made a bazillion mistakes but it doesn't matter!

I did a pass the stash to a woman that commented on it in the Midwest Cross Stitchers facebook group. 

I have been too obsessed with being on my phone and social media so I decided to leave the Stitch Mania facebook group and I unsubscribed to numerous some Floss Tubers too.  I still have my favorites:
Michelle of Bendy Stitchy
Leslie of Phat Cat Phlossing
Chelsea and Pricilla - The Real Housewives of Cross Stitch
Stash Sisters
Pam & Stephanie of Just Keep Stitchin'
Deb & Liz of Country Stitchers
Flannel Jammies farm
And last but not least my neighbor down the road, Kelly of the Joan and Kelly Show.

Can't give them up but I also can't have any more, I am just wasting so much time.

That's all for today - Love and Peace

Dianne

May 23, 2018 From my tablet

I finally got logged in from my tablet. Maybe now I Can blog more. although I see it is harder to type than my Keyboard. Goodness maybe not such a great idea.

Okay, I will try for an update, I am still stitching on my eagle and I had hoped to be done by the end of May but the thing is a beast of confetti stitches. I stitch nearly every night but am still so far from done. I also neex to get a picture of it to show you. I have made lots of mistakes but I am still pleased with it.

Nothing else tonreport right now.

Peace and Love, Dianne

4/27/18 Quick update.

I haven't posted for a long while again.  I need to find a way to get time on the computer and away from my husband.  Love him dearly but he is retired now and always in my space.   I am working on my eagle cross stitch and will post a picture soon.  I have been reading lots too.

Have a great day.

2/28/18 Wednesday update

Today I had a doctor appointment to discuss the incredible amount of pain I am in.  It is constant pain body wide.  Mostly in my lower legs and moving is so painful but sitting still can be too.  I may have mentioned this but last May I had a really bad fall.  But an appointment with an orthopedic guy showed no broken bones just damaged tissue.  It took nearly 6 months for some of the bruising to go away and the skin on my right knee is still numb.  Then the 2nd week in December my boss's dog came up behind me and swiped my legs out and I went down hard again.  So there has been pain, but this pain that is building is so bad I really feel like I should be in a motorized wheel chair.  Some days I can barely stand up. This pain isn't doing much for my mental health either.  My doctor put me on an anti-inflammatory/pain med today.  Hopefully I will start to feel like I can walk.  The doctor is testing for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lymes and Lupas as well as some other things.  She also wants me to go to physical therapy too.  I feel like all is not hopeless right now.  We shall see what comes.  The one thing that was disappointing was my weight.  I haven't lost anything.  I really feel like I am not bingeing and such so I thought maybe it would come down a pound or two.  Nope! Dang!  I will just have to keep moving foward.

Reading:
I finished Stitch Me Deadly by Amanda Lee when I was at the clinic today.  Very fast read. Mostly I just enjoy the fact the main character works in an embroidery shop.  I am going to start the 3rd book in that series, Thread Reckoning.

Stitching:
I haven't stitched in the last two days.  I work on Monday and Tuesday and usually feel too wiped out.  I will try to work on my eagle today. especially if these pain meds kick in.

Hoping to Heal:
Today'scripture: Mark 10:18 - Why do you call me good? Nobody is good except one, God.  It is about basking in praise and not giving the glory to God.

OA For Today: It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch one another and find sympathy.   Jerome K. Jerome 

OA Voices of Recovery: I keep an open mind to having an open mind; the possibilities are endless.

Have a great day!

Monday Monday 2/26/18

It is Monday, so back to work.  I left a job in DC that I loved but I just hated living there.  My job here is really enjoyable too.  I do accounts payable & receivable and payroll for a drywall construction company.  There are a total of 60 employees usually.  Most are carpenters, tapes and painters that I never see.  I just communicate with them by text or phone calls if I need too.  It is a good job.  Good pay for this area of the country.  The only downside is the office is in the loft of an industrial garage.  No break room. So the only sink is in the bathroom that is used by everyone. Blech! I only work 3 days a week.  But I like being semi-retired so that is okay.  What is nice is I only work as long as I have work.   I am not stuck sitting there till 5:00 if I have nothing to do.


Reading:
Still reading Stitch Me Deadly.  Book 2 of a series.  I do love a series.

Stitching:
Here is a photo of my eagle project that I started in 2009 or 2010.  I WILL finish it this year.  I want to give it to my husband and then move on.

I also am attaching a picture of my project basket.  My neat freak husband can not stand any kind of clutter or mess so I had to find something I could keep out and he couldn't see my stitching stuff.

Now here is the basket when I had my project out on the TV tray and was working on it.

His name is Shadow.  He is a big boy.

Hoping to Heal:
Daily Scripture: Prov 13:10 - Wisdom belongs to those who seek advice. Through regular prayer, Bible study and application of what we learn, we can gradually strengthen our conscience.

OA For Today: Most people ask for happiness on condition.  Happiness can only be felt if you don't set any condition. Arthur Rubenstein  Setting conditions is putting myself back in the driver's seat.  I can have the courage to trust, to let go and know that the ability to do this is a great blessing.

OA Voices of Recovery: I forget that God does not need instructions from me on how to run my life. god knows all my problems, pains, fears...God does not need a task list from me.

OA Food for Thought: Help me to slow down and appreciate your gifts.

Peace and Love

2/25/18 A Winter Wonderland outside

This is our second winter back in Wisconsin.  Last winter was cold but not much snow.  This winter we have had the extreme cold but also lots of snow.  We are not snowmobile riders but the ones around here are very happy.  It is beautiful. But my poor husband is out there shoveling all the time.  Last night was another 7 inches.  This has caused Sunday worship was canceled.
Our driveway doesn't really get any sun, so he has to keep it shoveled or it becomes an ice rink.  Something we learned that first winter back.

Reading:
I just finished Bring Her Home by David Bell.  It was good.  I didn't know where it was going at times so it kept me interested.  A month or so back I read The Quick and the Thread by Amanda Lee.  They are called An Embroidery Mystery.  It was a fast read.  So now I am going to start Stitch Me Deadly.  Book 2 of this series.  I do love a series.

Stitching:
I have finally got around to watching some floss tube videos.  Some are fun and some...
well anyway😉.  We new it would be a hunker down weekend so my husband went to the library and got a bunch of movie CD's.  Yesterday we binge watched war movies (yuck).  But I stitched away on my eagle.  So much confetti.  That kept me focused on my pattern so I wasn't paying to much attention to TV.  I will post a picture of my progress soon.

Hoping to Heal:
I have been doing fairly good with food issues.  It is best when I eat 3 meals a day.  Didn't happen yesterday.  So by the evening meal time I was extremely hungry and overate.  Felt it too.  I really didn't feel good.  Let that be a lesson to me!!

Daily Scripture: Deut 32:5 - They are the ones that have acted corruptly.  They are not his children, the defect is their own. - We are not perfect but we can control our behavior. 

OA For Today: When one is a stranger to oneself then on is estranged from others too. Ann Morrow Lindberg.  For today - To keep growing in self awareness, awareness of others and of God as my highest priority.  For this I am willing to abstain.

OA Food for Thought: May I not be discouraged by mistakes.

I am off to finish laundry and make breakfast.  Happy reading and stitching to you.

2/24/2018

I seriously must be the worst blogger out there.  I am so inconsistent. My blog use to be called Fighting the Foodaholic Inside me.  I eat when stressed, happy, sad, etc.  But I changed it to be more of what I want to focus on...my hobbies and healing.  I am semi-retired so I am trying to turn to more things that make me happy.

I was keeping track of what books I read on this blog but I deleted those pages.  I have an excel spreadsheet that works so much better.

Reading:
I am reading a book right now called Bring Her Home.  Don't have it with me right now so I can't tell  you the author.  Lots of twists and turns.

Stitching:
I hadn't finished a project since 2016 before we moved from DC to Northwest Wisconsin. But I did start and finish a small one in February 2018.  It is on my 2018 Finishes page.  It is a birth sampler for my Great Nephew.  Now I am stitching on my eagle in flight project that I started for my husband in 2009.  This year we will celebrate our 10th anniversary.  I would really like to give it to him as a gift.  So I am pushing to complete it.  I have quite a way to go yet.  It is a brown confetti nightmare. 

Hoping to Heal:
Today's scripture is Ps 19:13 - Hold your servant back from the presumptuous acts.  Good advice.

OA For Today - We are apt to be very pert about censuring others, where we will not endure advice ourselves. - Recognition of my faults does not always save me from them.  People may seem to want my advice,  but that is no reason for me to give it.  

OA Voices of Recovery: I started the program by doing everything I was suppose to do... Action is the magic word.  Just do it!

We cleaned the house this morning.  Goofed around a bit and now I think I will try to figure out how to access my blog on my tablet.  (I was gifted a tablet - a remarkable gift.)  I also want to finish my book and cross stitch some more.

Happy Saturday.

Trying again from Wisconsin

Hey Everyone,

I put my blog aside in August 2016 when we started the huge task of moving from Alexandria, VA back to our home territory in Wisconsin.

The last 18 months have been extremely hard. In a nutshell - My husband's PTSD was off the charts.  I read a lot of books.  T-Mobile now charges for calls to OA so I haven't been doing that.  I stopped cross-stitching.  My weight has stayed level. Too high but level. I stopped living for a bit.

I am trying to get back on my feet.  I changed the name of my blog to Reading, Stitching and Hoping to Heal.  Now you can find me at ThoughtsbyDianne.blogspot.

That's all right now.  Just dipping my toe in as I get started on the path to happiness again.