Wednesday, May 23, 2012

OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  I think just about every stitcher must suffer from this to a tiny extent.  Admit it, it takes infinite patience and obsessiveness to sit there for hours making tiny little X's.  Maybe some suffer more than others.  I'll admit I'm probably in that more category.  I like things symmetrical.  If my trainer has us do an exercise for one side of the body and then moves on before working the other side, I'm the first in the group jumping up and down and waving my hands.  Ok, well maybe not jumping up and down since I'm probably sweating buckets, but I'm waving my hands and yelling out.

I also like things completed, although from the pile of unfinished WIPs you wouldn't know that.  Maybe not complete in reality, but the potential to be complete.  That's why something was bothering me about Miss Jenny's Spring Sampler.  OMG, the alphabet only goes to S!!!!  I can handle historic alphabets missing letters, that's supposed to be like that.  But only going to S bugged me.  So I fixed it.  We now have T through Z going down the right side.  I won't need to be sent to the loony bin with an OCD breakdown.

Edit:  I received permission from Theresa to provide my charted changes to anyone that wants them.  Why would I need to get permission from you you ask?  Because I was polite, and I had reproduced a portion of her chart to provide frame of reference.


Or at least there will be T through Z when I get done.  Oops, the ironing board cover is showing through on the picture below.  I was so proud of myself for actually ironing this before taking the picture, then realized the light was getting bad.  Bad lighting would also be the reason why I had to do the auto-fix thingy and the red chimney is looking brighter than what it really is.



At least I admit I suffer from OCD, unlike my ex-husband, but that's a totally different story!  Come on, if your tooth brushing routine takes 10 minutes, and you get interrupted, then insist on starting from the beginning, then you have a huge case of OCD (and no, this wasn't a one-time thing).

There hasn't been any stitching other than Miss Jenny going on, and that's been limited to an hour or 2 most evenings. Am I actually turning into a 1 at a time gal?  I doubt it, I just want to get Jenny finished since she means so much to me, and I've promised the chart to a special person.

Mom and Dad got back from their cruise (which they loved) and Dad promptly went into the hospital for surgery, which was scheduled before they left.  What wasn't planned was the second surgery over the weekend to clear up some complications from the first.  He's a horrible patient and invalid.  At least after surgery #2 he seems to using a tiny amount of common sense and hopefully will have a prompt recovery.

I'll leave you with a few photos from the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park.  We went there for Mother's Day and only saw a fraction of the park.  Its really expanded from the last time I was there, over 10 years ago.  If you want to see the full 150 photos I took, they're in my Picasa Zoo album.

Lazy male lion


White rhino ambling down a road


Cheetah decided to get up and stretch at just the right moment


Not really a zoo bird, but he made the funniest sound
when he puffed up.




Smart guy to get his head and huge beak through the fence

This is one time I wish I had a video recorder, it was amazing
watching him stand on his hind legs to get at
the foliage



10 comments:

Giovanna said...

So clever of you to complete the chart - it's coming along really nicely. I hope your dad recovers very soon.

Chris said...

So glad to have an update from you, I was checking yesterday to see when you had last posted :)
Jenny is looking great, I probably would have been WTF? when I got to that part of the alphabet too. Your stitching is beautiful and I love the colors in this piece.
It sounds like you are keeping up with the exercise and I hope that it is getting easier and you are seeing results.
I hope your Dad's recovery is smooth. Lovely pics of the zoo.
Have a great holiday!

Margaret said...

lol! Well, I love the results of your OCD. :D Jenny is looking wonderful! Please please take your time, work on other things if you want to, etc. You are a sweetheart! Love your zoo pictures. Sounds like the zoo has gotten big! I went there years and years ago, so it must have changed a lot!

Lois said...

Very likely only going to S would have bugged me too (she who has had to add something to a corner of BBD's Christmas Garden because in her mind it just didn't 'look' right without it!!!!). I love this one, have to admit I hadn't really taken it much under my notice but having seen yours? This one could be going on my 'must buy' list. Hope your dad is recovering well.

Kate said...

You're right about stitchers and OCD - but should it not be CDO with all the letters in their rightful place or am I just taking that a bit too far!
Lovely stitching and great pics of all the wildlife.

Melissa said...

Your spring sampler is very pretty! I like the changes you made to complete the alphabet. It does seem strange that it would stop at 'S'! You did good!

valerie said...

Love the changes you made to Jenny Bean and your zoo photos!

Maureen said...

I feel your pain re the missing letters, it is just not right lol! Your changes work really well though.

BeckySC said...

It's looking wonderful :)

Catherine said...

Love your version of Jenny's sampler. I have this in my to do pile and would love to stitch the full alphabet in your version.
Great zoo pics! I could spend hours taking pics at the zoo!
I do hope your father is doing better!