Trying to catch up

Prologue:  This was supposed to get posted 3 days ago, I was just waiting to get good photos and edit them. Didn't happen when I planned.  So the post that was meant for Monday morning was delayed until Wednesday morning.  Read further and it will become a bit more clear.

Ugh, I came home to over 400 entries in Google Reader.  And then there are the 50 or so unanswered comments you kind readers made sitting in my Gmail inbox.   I swear, I was only gone for 5 days.  And packing for a day and a half before driving down to San Diego.  Moving is the pits, but I'm used to it.  The reason for this move is far worse, but I won't get into that now, its too depressing.

In the interest of saving my sanity, and actually getting some of the stuff done I really must before the packers show up, I'm saying I'm sorry.  I sped through those 400 new blog entries last night, and didn't leave a comment on a single one.  I saw some beautiful WIPS, stunning finishes, adorable ornaments, and great 2012 SALs.  This morning I started fresh with another 35 entries in the reader, and I'm really taking the time to enjoy the posts and leave comments.

For all the comments left on my last 2 posts, I've read them, I promise.  I won't get a chance to answer every single one of them.  Please understand I'm treading water right now and not always staying afloat.  I'm sorry, I feel so rude, and it seems horrible that my commenters are the ones suffering from me having to make time trade-offs.

Anway, it was another quick trip down to San Diego, leaving Utah on Tues, and driving back on Fri/Sat.  I still haven't perfected the art of making the 770 mile trip in one day.  The trip down was painful with bright sunlight and my light sensitivity.  The trip back I probably could have, but I had actually made a hotel reservation at a dumpy kitschy place and it was non-refundable.  I can't call it dumpy because the room was actually very clean.  Spartan and dated, but clean.

Tom the Turkey is down at Mom's (and Dad's, not sure why I always refer to it as Mom's, they're still married after 40-something years) place now, being enjoyed, and it was left with a very strong warning it wasn't hers.  Once I caught her referring to "my Tom," and I had to ask "who's Tom"?  The response was "our Tom."  Good enough I guess.

The Threadbasket /  C Mon Monde SAL part came in while I was gone, and I didn't take that project with me, so late Sat night and all day Sun was a mad rush to try and get it done, so I'd get the last part.  A totally crappy picture was e-mailed off to Valerie late Sun night.  I took some better ones today in the daylight.

I also found some time somewhere in the last week to stitch and finish another ornament.  This was just a super simple pillow finish, using some silk ribbon as a hanger.  I don't think I used exactly the colors called for, it was more a matter of what I had sitting next to me that looked right.

Good Tidings by the Sampler Girl, from the 2011 JCS
ornament edition, stitched on 36 ct linen
with assorted overdyed floss

You're probably wondering why I'm taking the time to stitch and being rude and not using that time to respond to the comments.  Well, stitching is about the only thing keeping me sane right now.

Deadlines at least keep me up to date and honest.  I haven't touched the last part of my iStitch SAL, even though its just a tiny amount of stitching.  In the back of my mind a little voice keeps whispering "Carol set a deadline of Dec 8, that's weeks and weeks away, plenty of time to finish."  Yeah right.  Anyone want to take the bet that I wait until Dec 7 to e-mail her the picture of my finished piece?  Sorry Carol, after running such a great SAL and putting a lot of time and effort into it, you don't deserve this kind of disrespect.  I'll try to beat that date.  It might not be a finish finish, but at least I can get the stitching done.