Friday, June 29, 2007

An update, and leaving

For a week :)

Troy and I are going to stay with some friends on the East coast of Australia, taking the train at *gasp* 7:25 tomorrow morning. Yick.

10 hour train trip, but very cheap $99 return each, and it's a long way. Comfy train too, they've just completely refurbished them!

I am taking a restful night, along with all the threads needed, and the Tranquillity sampler because I'm going to need a break from the one project after a few hours! Besides, I found my spare set of q-snaps which makes things much easier

(well, actually, I'd just lost one of the connectors to my spare set...please dont shoot me... I know I'm bad. And yes, they were missing for six months...)

So, expect big progress pics when I get back! We are staying with one of Troys wargaming friends, so I expect to do a lot of stitching while he and his mate play warhammer/warmachine and his fiance is busy doing other things, or just talking to me :)

*hugs to all - see you on the other side!*

and, here's a restful night with 30 rows done:

27th June

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Bits and pieces and weekly goals (late!)

I forgot I'd set goals, gives you some idea of what my week has been like. So I'll update the goals, and set a few new ones.

217 stitches left of the row to go, woohoo. And all the background stitching, so solid colour-ish. I should get it done tomorrow, if I have the inclination :)

My stitching frame is back in the living room now, for the first time in at least a month. It's kind of nice, being able to watch tv and stitch again and to spend time with the family. Its lonely being shut up in my room.

I've also decided to frog the confetti hair and restitch it. I stitched it in random order, and its horribly lumpy as compared with the smoothness of the rest of the piece, so I want to fix it. It's not really that much to do... I'm thinking I'll restitch it along with stitching the next row when I reach the hair, so it flows seamlessly into the next row and I know I've got it all laying right.

I found an old printout of the chart, with the colours all right, so its nice to look at her in a large size and put her next to my stitching.

Leaving for Melbourne early Friday morning, so I need to pack in the next few days too! Im hoping to go to Lygon st while we're there, for pasta and honestly the best gelati I have ever eaten. There's a place there...wow. Actually, there are two, one trad (the best) and one modern (yummy too, but doesnt beat the first) and we might have to try both!

So, goals.
  • enjoy my stitching yes, I did. Finally seemed to get out of the slump, though it comes back to bite me sometimes still.
  • get row 30 done, try for 40 too!No, but so very close.
  • finish red motif on tranquility
  • Havent touched Tranquility, just been busy stitching A Restful Night. More's the pity, I saw Irene's (up to date) one in the same colourway as mine, and Fudgeys, and...wow. I am loving this one, so glad I started it!
  • finish part 1 of WM
  • Haven't touched this one either. It will get done.
  • not get bogged down by confetti
  • No, not really. Just frustrating!
  • read a book Yes, read 'The Colony' which is the companion book to a reality series that was on SBS a few years back about the early early settlers.
  • cuddle rats This was an easy one. Much cuddles!
  • choose prints Yet another one I didn't do.
  • sleep at the right time I tried...
  • feel better Yes :)
Next Week:
  • Try to meet my goal for ARN for this month - line 50
  • Get packed in time (NOT friday morning...)
  • Clean my room up somewhat
  • Enjoy my stitching
  • Sort the box of thread next to the tv that I discovered the other day
  • Sort all of the threads for this piece (A Restful Night) out so that I can take them with me next week, the current threads (or first few rows, if they'll fit) in my binder and the rest in a spare binder/bag depending of their stitchbow-ness status. I doubt B has a full set of DMC! Normally the full set for a piece fits in my binder, but this one has three pages of floss colours...lol
  • Not explode at mum
  • Sleep lots
  • Eat at least twice a day, proper food.

Monday, June 25, 2007

SBQ

When you start a new work do you look for something small, do you look
for another huge project or do you consider your UFOs?

The permalink to this post is:
http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/06/sbq-the-choices-we-make/

I used to start something new - and always huge, but now I'm having to be good I'm planning to work through my WIP/UFOs, finish two (or major parts thereof) then start something new from stash. I think I'm going to have to make a system with that though, since I'm dividing my WIPs into sections if they're big and some of the starts I want will be quite big too. Oh well, I'll decide when I come to that.

A Restful Night update and life

First thing:

p1010262

Here is my lovely! Shes missing two colours in her hair, but it's getting too fussy to go back (due to parking) so I will fill them in on the next pass as I work under them :)

I have passed the 4000 stitch mark on her! Yay! About 300 stitches into the next row I'll have met the next major percentage marker, 25%. I continue to be amazed by the translucency of her wings - the way you can see the leg through the wing, and the way the wings overlap is gorgeous. All the shades of blue and purple come together to make something stunning. Now that I've started work on the second wing it's quick stitching from here until the end of the row - always is. Mostly blocks of the same few colours, except the background part, and even the background isnt particularly confetti laden. What I will do with the next row though, is not start it until I am certain that I have all the colours. Though I recently found another box of DMC so I need to sort that...lol...and make sure all the colours are there this time around. In the meantime I'll either trim the width of the fabric tranquility's on with my overlocker (it wont fit in Anna's frame, but not due to design size) or get White Musings out again while I'm waiting to get the threads set up.

Troy has got his shamrock out again and is tackling the very fiddly backstitched border again now that I drew him a stitch diagram (order of lines, essentially) for it. He's promised to get it done before I order him fabric for the samurai, so thats incentive - and all the inner backstitching is done, its just a case of this border now. He has 1 and 1/2 sides done now though, and the 1/2 side he did tonight didnt take long, so hopefully it will be done soon and I can show you all! It looks great, I'm very proud of him.

This weekend has been the Fairy Day SAL at the HAED board, and I've wanted to join in but more or less been a dead loss due to illness - not CFS this time! I got a stomach bug or something and have been miserable all weekend, but I ate a roast and several pancakes with (real!) maple syrup and cream tonight which was all very yummy and I don't feel ill for it so that is good. Powerade was my friend - for some reason I dont understand it settled my stomach, and gave me the sugar and things to keep going. What has been fun has been the Cyber Stitching Retreat with Nicole, Lana, Polly, Liz, PJ and others (sorry, I forget all of the names!) which even without stitching for much of it has been thoroughly enjoyable. Talking stitchy things is fun!

I am looking forward to tackling this next part of A Restful Night, because it sees the end of the top wings and the hair above the face - more confetti in the hair, though it seems to have settled into diagonal rows now for the most part - thank goodness, all that colour changing was annoying. The row after starts her face proper, and will give some more definition to the little head I see peeking out at me!

Troy and I have paid for our tickets to Melbourne this weekend, so that should be fun - it's by train, and we're staying with a wargaming friend of his and his fiance and baby son. And baby 2 who is in the oven still :) I can take apart my stand and its getting tucked into my suitcase - why wouldnt I take it given we'll be gone for a week? Even if I dont use it, it's a safety blanket. We've asked if I can bring it and they said no problem. Troy is taking his miniatures, of course, and I predict a few warhammer games during the week! Bianca and I can escape and talk girly things instead.

I went china shopping, which was fun, and got a huge stash of things. All white, to match the dinner set - a 6 cup teapot, sugar and creamer to match (they look like little bubbles! so cute), pie dish, small casserole dish with a lid (for 2 person cassaroles), a big pasta bake type dish, a square one as well for things like rice pudding (or chocolate!) and a little baby teapot for just two people. It's adorable, and I will have to take photos of it. It looks like a white bubble. Troy and I have tested it out, and it pours very well (doesn't drip down the spout, hooray) and makes a lovely cup of tea. Troy's mum has also bought us a dinner set apparently, so that gives us even more flexibility. At the same time (since everything was on sale due to homewares stocktake sales) I got two sets of six glasses for good - Krosno ones, tall cylindrical water glasses and wine goblets. Mum wanted me to get champagne flutes too but I asked her when she thought Troy and I would ever drink champagne. She said I had a point, so no champagne flutes! That was a thoroughly enjoyable day, and I saw dad off at the airport the next (early!) morning to america where he is attending a theology conference which he has been looking forward to with a friend of his - who happens to also be one of Troy's lecturers, which is a bit of a giggle.

But it is a stupid hour (again!) so I need to sign off and get some sleep.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Muffins, china and feeling good

I woke up late yesterday, and had a lazy afternoon. I had an appt with the specialist at 4, and got my test results back. Guess what? I dont have addisons, pituitary glad issues, a thousand other things... I have chronic fatigue. What we'd suspected all along. Good to know, and he's sent the data back to my GP who will process it, and hopefully give me a referral to a friend of ours who specialises in chronic fatigue.
After that Mum went to marion (big shopping centre/mall near here) because mum needed a rice cooker, and filled out the forms that meant that I could get a (free of charge) wheelchair from there whenever I wanted, which would be useful if shopping with friends etc and I got tired. Mum had other ideas though, and dumped me in one anyway since we were going to go a fair distance to Big W and get a rice cooker. I figured it was easier to get in than argue, and it was worth it - my legs were aching and while I've got used to that, not having to be walking was wonderful! As we were going there though, we went past House, and they had this massive sign that said 40-70% off everything. This sounded good, and they had Maxwell Williams white sets (which I have wanted one of for ages, for a good place setting that I can replace pieces easily of) for $50 (about $25 in US prices) which was a bargain! We went in to check them out, and they had European sets (classic white place settings, with plain, but big plates with a raised edge so things don't spill off without it being curved) as a six place (not four) with the bigger, flatter bowls than usual (for pasta, stir fry, risotto, gnocchi....ie all the things i love to cook and eat) for the same price as the four place sets! The only thing they didn't have was the matching cups and saucers, and since white cups and saucers are really not my thing - I collect funky mugs, cups, etc - this was the perfect deal for me. Two extra place settings for four mugs I didnt want anyway. I had to think about this??? So I bought it, and brought it home. Troy and I have an everyday set of crockery - normal soup/pasta/cereal bowls, rice bowls, side&dinner plates, mugs - and a couple platters and bowls, all in a robins egg blue that I got for about $2 a piece a year or so ago, at a stocktake sale, but they're the 'use every day until they are too chipped/broken/mismatched/etc to keep' set that are easily replaceable with a $20-30 set from target/harris scarfes in a few years set. I wanted a nice set for when we had people over, because we'll have a very spend-thrifty place in that Troy's dad will probably make most of our furniture from plain pine and it will be decorated as we can afford - not much, and things like a matching, classy, unchipped dinner set are important then. Maxwell Williams white basics are the kind of thing that don't really go out of style much, and you can always replace easily, so I figured I'd get some with the stashed money I've still got from working. Got home and told Troy, and mentioned that House has all the other stuff that goes on a table to match - platters, cassarole dishes, platters, gravy boats, sauce dishes....etc etc, for really cheap as well and Troy said to go back and be sensible about it, but buy everything else I'd want for a table. So I'm doing that this afternoon :)

Anyway, back to yesterday. We went to Big W after that and bought a rice cooker, and I grabbed super food ideas and good taste at the same time because I like reading them, and cooking from them when I can. While we were having coffee at Hudsons (marble mocha, yummmmm) I flipped through them and came across a recipe for choc-cheesecake muffins. What the? But they looked good, and we had most of what was needed at home, so I figured I'd grab the last few ingredients and make them. And make them I did! I sat down for as much as possible, and knelt on chairs rather than standing (less effort) if I had to be at the stove, and it took me an hour or so because it was a new recipe but they came out GREAT. Soooo good...very very rich, but yummy. Twelve, and some leftover cheesecake batter which I am going to make into mini baked cheesecakes tonight. They have a definite thumbs up from all members of our household.

I got photos, but Bindi's lost the camera cable so when we find them I'll upload them! They look great too.

But I woke up today...and I feel great. Despite the fact that I used all that energy cooking last night! I figured it must have got to the endorphins or something, because I feel better today than I have in ages. So I've been cleaning up my room a bit (all the clothes I didn't have the energy to put away, stuff on floor, etc) and eating muffins, and when Mum gets home in a few minutes we'll go back to marion and buy more china. Yay! Maybe a few other house-y things too, depending on what's there and I need.

Troy and I are also thinking seriously about having our engagement party soon too. Better late than never, right? Its only been six months, lol. So much chaos has been happening that now is the first chance we've had to think about it. So that should happen in the next month or so, hopefully.

And I booked tickets to Melbourne, as well. Troy and I are going over to stay with our friends David and Bianca. Troy met David through a wargaming forum, and they have a little boy named Al, too, and another on the way. Should be good, we're going over on the train ($99 each return, go us!!) for a week, and it should be a lot of fun. I predict much tabletop gaming for Troy and David though. Nerds...hehehehe.

So should be good. I'll get some stitching in tonight, maybe even a bit of MX, and we'll see what happens!


I love days where I feel human again. I still ache, but it's a background thing today. YAY!

Monday, June 18, 2007

day 13

Im missing a few colours, so I couldnt do all that I wanted to today (picking them up tomorrow) but I have finished this row for the first page. Talk about confetti - those last two hundred stitches took about as long as the rest of the row had taken me! But I've got all my threads sorted for the second page of this row, and it's looking fantastic, so it should be good. Im out of confetti hell now (at least for this row) but there is still a lot of blue and purple in the wings to be done. I am looking forward to stitching it though, and getting back to do more hair and start to uncover her face. Might even set it as a race - how quick can I finish the row?

I went to church with Troy tonight and it was good to go but I found it hard to concentrate, and was falling asleep. I wish I could fix that but there doesnt really seem to be a way.

Cleaning up my room continues, but it's still a tip. Mostly clothes though, ones that arent dirty but need to be put away. Eventually they will all disappear, I'm sure. I want an angel of laundry!

Several Passione Ricamo pieces are screaming at me at the moment though, which is frustrating, because I do not need any new starts or stash. But I am steadily plodding through A Restful Night, and its fun seeing how fast she is stitching up compared to anything that I've stitched before.

It's late, and the rats are fed, my stitching is away and I am in bed. Its nice, but I should sleep soon.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Goals for 18-25th June

Recap:
  • get to bed (sleeping) at or around 10:30, 11 at latest at least four nights this week no, but I did manage it twice which is better than last week.
  • finish red motif on tranquility, try to finish row havent touched it
  • finish row 30 on a restful night, try for row 40 no, but getting there (halfway)
  • finish current rows on white musings (diamond rhodes variation and oval darning stitch) try to start next row, which would get part 1 finished when it's done nope, but I have got some more done. All of the diamond rhodes stitches are done, just the cross stitching to do, and the oval darning stitch is half done.
  • choose prints I keep forgetting about this one for some reason
  • work on a chatelaine this week for at least an hour, try for both! no I haven't touched either
  • enjoy my stitching well I have the past two days!
  • stitch at least four days this week no, two though
  • follow the exercise pattern - walk from gate to gate three times, rest for an hour, do again one day, rest the next day doing lying on the floor exercises yes, or equivalent
  • drink more water I have been trying
  • get out of this funk not sure, but getting there
  • read a book yes, deepwater
This week:
  • enjoy my stitching
  • get row 30 done, try for 40 too!
  • finish red motif on tranquility
  • finish part 1 of WM
  • not get bogged down by confetti
  • read a book
  • cuddle rats
  • choose prints
  • sleep at the right time
  • feel better

day 12 and randomness

I got about 500 stitches done yesterday, mostly due to the fact that I hit the patch where it's just basically three colours for a few blocks for the big wing. It looks great, and I'm going to try and get some more done on it today. Introducing all the new colours for the hair is fiddly, but seems to be working well.

I'm thinking it might be worth taking photos every few days with the rate I'm stitching at the moment - I stitched most of the way across the page yesterday. Definately one a week (Wednesday) and when I finish a row. We'll see.

I don't know if I have my stitching mojo back yet, but I am stitching at the moment and that is a good thing. It would be good if I could get a fair chunk done while I can stitch!

In non-stitchy news, Bindi got a ratlet too, called Sospira (sigh in italian) and she is very cute but keeps trying to beat up Sophia, who is having none of it. Much high pitched squeaking ensues, at 2am >_< oh well.

I've got 10% done on A Restful Night now too - yay!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Day 11 (ish)

I made myself stitch tonight! That was hard, but fun. I had to reformat my computer anyway, desperately, and that's my major procrastination tool - I'd run out, so stitching it had to be. And I enjoyed it, it was just a case of making myself work on it. I got about 100 stitches in, most of the lower left wing for this row, which is satisfying, and I'll get her out again tomorrow and work some more. Hopefully all will go well.

It's nice just having the one WIP, but having one or two as options when I'm sick of the current one - I got thoroughly sick of Noon Basking because I worked on it for a year straight, learning all about stitching on linen, blends, railroading stitches, fractionals...need I go on? I've since learned all those skills, but are we in any doubt as to why I restarted that one! I think I'm going to have to more or less use the StRIP method, finishing two WIPs to every one that I start for a while until I'm down to only a few at any given time. I can't deal with too many at the moment, but the idea of not working on any of my babies at all is too hard. So I'll stick to more or less OAAT for now, and see how I go.

As it stands, here is the list in order or what I want to work on when: (I've made 'finishes' out of certain amounts of some BAPs, to make them more manageable stitching OAAT with so many WIPs calling)

A Restful Night (current)
White Musings (option A)
Tranquility Mystery Sampler (option B)

2 parts (end of 4, 5, 6) Mystery X
5pgs Froggy Frog World (equivalent of a QS)
1/4 Noon Basking
5pgs From The Ashes
Japanese Octagon Box
new start - small, like a QS
2 parts (7, 8) Mystery X
5pgs Froggy Frog World (until end of pg 10)
1/4 Noon Basking
5pgs From The Ashes
new start - small non HAED

pattern follows:
2pts MX (until done)
5pgs FFW (until done)
1/4 Noon Basking (until done)
5pgs From The Ashes (until done)

eventually, I want to get down to three projects as WIPs - a current project and two options.

if I start with the three WIPs I have, working mainly on ARN and dipping into the others as I go occasionally, then when I finish ARN I move White Musings into the current slot, and Tranquility to option A, and the first on the list (MX) into option B and keep working.

Idealistic, but I have to have some sort of a plan even if I don't stick to it. Honestly, this I think is the best plan of attack for me! When I get down to 3 WIPs, then I can start thinking about starting some of the charts and kits I have - though I've only really got one 'kit' and thats Convents Herbal Garden. I've just got so many HAEDs calling - ten or so full size charts, and way too many QSs. Gak.

Friday, June 15, 2007

A Restful Night, after ten days

Just over 3100 stitches in. I need to get the tweezers out and get the red things out - no idea what they're from! And a magnifying glass too, they're impossible to see at normal size.


15th June 07

Lost: one stitching mojo. Also ratlets!

I currently have no inclination whatsoever to stitch. Which is not useful. I'm thinking of digging through my stash of TGOSM magazines though (Anna and Rach got me a subscription, then I bought the back issues) and finding a small piece that I can do easily and see if I can get my mojo back. It doesnt help that my arms are aching though - constant fatigue in my upper arms, my wrists and my fingers is fairly normal.

I think most of all though, I really need to get into a good sleeping pattern. Going to be early and getting up at a reasonable hour, consistently. I havent really slept well (except last night) in about a week, and I think it's starting to show. Maybe if I get some decent sleep I'll feel like stitching again! Even if I just stitch a bookmark or something. We'll see. I also have a massive sampler (on 14ct aida - before I discovered linen and such things) which is absolutely beautiful, and the only thing left to do on it is finishing the backstitched border (about 20cm of it) and adding the detail backstitching to a tiny blue wren - its beak, and legs. That's it! And it's been waiting for me to finish it (everything else done) since late 2005...it's sad. It's next to my bed though, so I might try to put a few stitches into it tomorrow and get it done. It desperately needs a wash, but with some orvus it should be good. Its all australian trees, birds and flowers, and I found it in ancient Womans Weekly craft book. It's actually one of three samplers, and I've started the second one (which is meant to go with the first as a framed pair) but never got around to it due to discovering linen. It might also be a candidate for something simple to do in the meantime - I'd fly, given usually I stitch quite fast over one or two on 32ct as compared to 14ct aida! The second sampler is all bands of flowers and things though, which isnt the most interesting thing to do (the other had big picture parts to it as well as bands) but right now I think that just having something simple to stitch is what the doctor ordered. We'll see. I really want to get A Restful Night done, I just can't get myself to work on her!

I also welcomed two members of my family yesterday - two darling little rex ratlets (baby rats). One is white with a black face and blaze (Amina - honest, faithful in arabic) and the other is completely black with a few brown spots (Jemima - dove in hebrew) and they are adorable, with the sweetest curled whiskers!

Photos - because you know I had to have them!


a blurry (but very cute) photo of Amina on my hand - I have tiny hands, and you can see how big she is compared to my hand! And yes, my bedroom walls are fuschia pink and gold.

Jemima (and Amina, hiding) on my arm.

Amina again, in the cage being fluffy and cute.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

I'm having trouble thinking of titles

and I think I need an early night tonight. I just feel blech.

I havent stitched on A Restful Night since last week. And I haven't stitched at all since Friday.
For some reason I just have no motivation to do so. My mind is jumping around the idea of starting a grandmother's flower garden quilt, which is highly unhelpful, and I am just feeling out of sorts. Very out of sorts.

I dont know exactly when I got to sleep last night. Probably about 12. I was obsessing about the test I was having this morning, petrified that it would go badly (they warn you not to have it if you are allergic to stuff or asthmatic - i'm not, but paranoid) and finally Troy gave me some sedative tea, figured out what the test was, informed me that he'd had it and he's not dead yet, and I went back to bed and fell asleep. I woke up at 7:30, because I needed to have my hair washed desperately and Troy used the last of the hot water last night. Staggering out the door with a blanket, my stitching bag, a book and a spare pillow Dad and I drove to the city to the hospital to have this test. He dropped me off next to the building and it should have been fine, except that the entrance makes no sense. After wandering around lost in the very cold air (it was about 8:30) I asked for help and got directed to the right place, filled out my forms and sat down. Dad found me, and the nurse took us to the room in which they were going to do the test - and there was a guy sitting there doing paperwork. Not useful. So they put me on a bed in the room where they do the quick tests, blood tests etc, and pulled the curtain around me, but it was cramped and there were a lot of people in there. I had to rest for ten minutes before the test, and they set the timer - and promptly forgot about me. About half an hour later Dad went to investigate, and another nurse came and took the first lot of blood - and it was the most painful blood test I've ever had, though it was fairly on par with the other two I had this morning... anyway, they gave me the injection which hurt a LOT, and I got to lie down and talk to Dad and sort of doze, as I was sleepy and the injection made me sleepier, with blood drawn after 30 minutes, then again after another 30. After some water we staggered out and up to Dad's office, where I flopped in a chair and read - no point trying to stitch, even if I'd had my bag. At about 12 Dad had to go feed the meter, so he did and brought my pillow and blanket back, leaving them in his office. We wandered down to Rundle St (about a block away) for a very nice pizza and back, and I curled up under the spare desk in his office (does every professor have a spare desk in their office, or is it just me?) with the pillow and surprisingly fell asleep! About 3 Dad woke me up and we went to pick Bindi up from school and come home.

I've had a headache all night, and felt generally miserable. It's not useful but I dont know why I feel like this. Stupid tests.

Tomorrow is QS Wednesday, and hopefully I'll get ARN back on the frame so I can work on her. I miss her. It would be nice to get to the hair, and if I could stitch at anywhere near my normal pace I'd make that fairly easily. I dont know. We'll see.

My room is a tip, and I'm not happy about it, but with this headache and fatigue there's no chance of me doing much with it. At the moment I will be happy to fall asleep tonight.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Goals again

I havent been posting much this weekend. I'm a little out of sorts - havent been stitching much either, just sleeping or being busy with other things. I set goals last week, and here they are:
  • Finish to the end of row 20 this week, try for row 40 Yep, did up to the end of row 20 and started the next row of blocks. Didnt get very far in though, maybe 200 stitches for the total 1500 for the row
  • Get one side of MX 1/4 done, try for 1/2 nope, didnt happen. I didn't stitch on chatelaines at all this week, my stitching mojo has just run off and hid somewhere.
  • Enjoy my stitching I guess, I've just been so out of sorts that stitching hasn't happened the last few days
  • Finish the current rows on White Musings, do the next one I didn't finish them, but I did make considerable progress
  • Try to get the red motif on tranquility 3/4 done nope, havent touched it. I need to overlock it down so that it will fit on Anna's scroll rods and I can stitch it properly!
  • Go to the library nope, didnt happen
  • Buy new pyjamas no, haven't convinced mum yet
  • Choose prints no I completely forgot!
  • Sort out at least some of the clothes in a pile in my room yes I did, a few. Hopefully i will do more this week!
  • Organise another binder-full of thread (4 stitchbow sheets) no, I still need to buy more stitchbows and sheets
  • Take overdue library books back nope, forgot
  • Try to feel better! it's been up and down so I dont know whether I achieved this!
I said if I achieved half of them I'd be happy. This last week has been so weird, I don't know what to think. I've been in a funk the last few days which isnt useful, including staying up until stupid hours even though I dont have to because I either can't sleep or stubbornly won't, for no good reason. Which is not useful at all, given my illness. So goals for this week:
  • get to bed (sleeping) at or around 10:30, 11 at latest at least four nights this week
  • finish red motif on tranquility, try to finish row
  • finish row 30 on a restful night, try for row 40
  • finish current rows on white musings (diamond rhodes variation and oval darning stitch) try to start next row, which would get part 1 finished when it's done
  • choose prints
  • work on a chatelaine this week for at least an hour, try for both!
  • enjoy my stitching
  • stitch at least four days this week
  • follow the exercise pattern - walk from gate to gate three times, rest for an hour, do again one day, rest the next day doing lying on the floor exercises
  • drink more water
  • get out of this funk
  • read a book
Troy, his brother M and I went to the movies this afternoon (M's treat!) to see POTC 3 which we loved. Much pirates and fights and music and ships and...yay. Plot? Who cares about plot, though it wasn't bad. I also bought another big stuffed (plush) red eyed green tree frog (about the size of the average fluffy cat) to match Troy's that I gave him for christmas and have wanted ever since I bought it. His is named Fang, mine is as yet unnamed but determinedly female (Fang's mate) and they had smaller versions too - I melted, and walked away with a small one too (baby frog!) which we have called Squirt but his name is open to being changed. They are adorable, and I need a photo of the froggy family now. M dropped Troy and I at the entrance to the mall so that I didn't have to walk far, then went to find a park, and when he met us at the cinema we found out that the tickets were all sold out. So we bought tickets for an hour later, and went down to the coffee shop near there for chai lattes for M and I (very nice, I might add) and Troy wandered off to get a carrot, apple, ginger and celery boost juice (which was nice, I stole some) and M ordered nachos and wedges, both of which Troy and I pilfered. M bought us lollies too - skittles for Troy and natural snakes for me (yum!) and water as well because sugar has always given me headaches, much more now!

So today was pretty good, I just wish I could shake this funk.

Friday, June 08, 2007

It is a stupid hour

and I can't sleep. I took sleep meds, but obviously they didnt work. I might have to try dad's which really knock me out (and for the next day too...sigh) but we'll see.

I am also very hungry.

To add insult to injury, it was about 1:40 and I had been trying to sleep. My blankets were trying to escape onto the floor (tossing and turning will do that) and I somehow caught the cup of water on my nighstand...which fell into a half open blanket sized drawer full of stitching and books - ACK!

So next thing I knew I was swearing and had the light out and was rescuing things left right and centre and hanging them over my bed to dry. I tipped the water out onto the carpet (it won't care) and left everything to dry but that took the last vestiges of sleep out of me.

So now Im up, and bored. I might go raid the kitchen soon though, there has to be something I can eat. And if Bindi complains about me eating "her" food - if its not specifically labelled gluten free ie special, its fair game.

EDIT:
mwaha! I have eaten. Strawberry fruche, and a couple of corn thins. We have some very nummy soy and linseed bread (I am being healthy, because it seems to help) and sprouts, chicken and cucumber to go on it, but mum's brain wasn't working when she went shopping and she bought cream cheese in blocks rather than a tub *sigh*. And those sandwiches taste dry without anything, and gross with butter, so I couldn't make one. I did experiment earlier with strawberry jam and soy and linseed bread - don't think I'm going to try that again. We have a brand of jam here called St Dalfours and it's made with grape juice rather than sugar. I love it, its the only strawberry jam I'll eat (all others taste too sweet) and now I have an excuse to eat it, being that it's low in sugar! At my nana's house though, I'll eat the house jam...why would I not, it beats even St Dalfours. Especially apricot and ginger. Yum!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Right. I have Chronic Fatigue

saw the specialist this morning. after looking at my bloodwork (and my GP had got EVERYTHING possible tested for) and giving me a physical exam the specialist went right you have nothing physically wrong with you. There is only last test we have to do to test your adrenal glands, but other than that we can assume you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This is how you manage it.

strange how i thought it would help to know. and in a way it does. i could plan, and talk to dad about it all, and figure out how to live life.

but part of me is not at all happy that i just got myself another chronic illness to live with. one that saps my energy, and leaves me helpless. i dont want to be sick like this, not forever. and even though it wont necessarily last forever... i have no way to make it go away, and no way of finding out how long it will take.

so here i go, got another illness and another label. my sister complains about coeliac disease - at least when she eats right she has energy and doesnt constantly have to watch what she's doing, and not stand, and not walk

i hate this.

i was so positive before, but tonight it's just so hard to be.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Yesterday (day 10) and today

As I said yesterday, I got row 2 finished (this week's goal) and I worked on it a little more but finding all the threads for this row took a long time. I swear it uses at least half the colours in the colour list, and given the colour list is three pages...ack. I do have them all sorted now though, and a small list of the colours that I need and don't have (which is normal) and I will hopefully pick them up tomorrow. There is about 50-60 stitches done on this row, but not many because it was quite late by the time I finished getting all my threads together. I am going to be so, so glad when I have all my master set in stitchbows, so that I can just pull the threads... I need to buy some more stitchbows tomorrow too.

I didnt feel like working on A Restful Night today (I think it was all the thread finding last night) so I pulled out White Musings which I've got on one of the Artisan ScrollLok frames that Anna lent me for a little while, along with her lowery scroll frame attachment since I don't have one. Its actually much better for my working in bed, because it gives me a nice wide surface that I dont have to constantly monitor (q-snaps) which is fantastic. I'm working again on the diamond Rhodes, and I might keep on White Musings tonight even though I'm not feeling the same annoyance with ARN now that I was earlier, and get some of these Rhodes done since there are seven of the things and I've only done two and a bit. The cross stitch border around them at least is quick! The next row under is a darning stitch done in Wispa, which is kind of fun, even if the Wispa is a pain to stitch with.

I forgot to mention that I'm seeing the specialist tomorrow because of being on the waiting list, which is great, rather than the 29th, ugh. Turns out he's going on holiday for two weeks, which explains the wait. But someone cancelled, so I'm in tomorrow at 9:45, ugh. I will be grateful. I will!!

I lost it last night. I've been coping and coping and trying to have a positive outlook and finally I snapped last night and spent a couple hours crying and ranting on the phone to Troy, who was an angel as usual and basically told me that yes, its okay to feel like that but you are being stupid at the same time. I did that, and ended up feeling better mentally than I have in a long time, so that was nice. I fell asleep at about 3, and woke up at 3:30 this afternoon. Technically dad woke me up at 1pm, but I pulled the blankets over my head and fell back into a really deep sleep again. Consequently I've actually been feeling quite good today, as far as good goes for me at the moment.

Mum washed my hair tonight, because I didnt want to go out of the house with gross hair, and braided it up for me so I dont have to deal with it or feel guilty for not brushing it. So now I'll just keep it braided, and she can fix the braids when they get too ratty. Makes life much easier.

Anyway I think that's all I want to say, so :) I am being positive!

Monday, June 04, 2007

I would like to announce

That I finished row 2! Yay!

I'll actually make a proper post later :p

A stitch at a time

The way I am at the moment, I have to break things up into little bits - tasks, ideas, stitching...

I stitch HAEDs literally a stitch at a time - threading and unthreading if I have to, using an insane parking system. Trying to explain it would just be confusing, but its quick and it works when I'm braindead like now. I'm trying to take life with the same attitude but it's hard to do. I'm always jumping ahead to what might not even be possible, and I need to learn patience and to enjoy the days and hours. It's just hard to do. Its why I'm trying to put a reasonable amount of detail in here, it makes me appreciate the day for more than just the big things.

I need to learn patience. REALLY need to learn patience.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Day 9

Mum and Dad got back this morning, and I got up about 10 to go see them and get prezzies and things like that.

They got Troy an incredible Harlequin mask from Venice (the proper paper mache, hand made kind) in red and black, and for us three girls (Bindi, Hannah and I) there were Venetian beads (absolutely beautiful) and pashmina shawls. Hannah's beads are teal, Bindi's are red and mine are deep blue, all with gold accents on them, and my pashmina is done in blues and greens while Hannah's is purple and brown and Bindi's is different browns. I will get photos of everything when I can, but our cameras are all broken at the moment (!) so I will have to do them when I can.

I stayed up to talk for a little while, then fell asleep again, and woke up at about 5 to stitch, play KOL and eat dinner. I was falling asleep on the table so I came back up here to stitch, and I've started the right hand top wing for this section and it looks incredible, as usual. I've also finished the second shoe, which was a pain but is worth it. The rest of this part should go fairly quick, so I will have this row done pretty soon so I can start the next one - mostly wings, a little background, the ends of the shoes and HAIR! I can't wait to see the yellows, it will be such a breath of fresh air even if it will be confetti - I know it will be, hair always is. After that it will simply be progressing down over her hair and face with the wings until I get to the mushrooms in a while, but that's plenty of interest for me.

I thought maybe I'd break my monthly goals up into weekly goals, to try and keep me on track. So here we are:
  • Finish to the end of row 20 this week, try for row 40
  • Get one side of MX 1/4 done, try for 1/2
  • Enjoy my stitching
  • Finish the current rows on White Musings, do the next one
  • Try to get the red motif on tranquility 3/4 done
  • Go to the library
  • Buy new pyjamas
  • Choose prints
  • Sort out at least some of the clothes in a pile in my room
  • Organise another binder-full of thread (4 stitchbow sheets)
  • Take overdue library books back
  • Try to feel better!
I know these are all really lofty, but if I could achieve half those goals I would be pleased. So we'll see how on track I am next weekend!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Day 7 and what I've been up to

A Restful Night is really coming together - its beautiful. It's so soft and textured colourwise that it seems like it would be velvety, but it's not. The very tip of the bottom left wing has appeared, and I've got lots more of the top left, background and shoes done. I've basically finished both shoes (only a few more rows in the next lot) and while they were very uninteresting to stitch (ALL THOSE GREYS!) they look awesome.

Yesterday was fairly uneventful until the evening. C came around for dinner and to spend a bit of time with the current residents of our house, and that was fun. Dinner was stir fried vegies and rice, and we ate it watching the Addams Family Values which Im not sure if I've ever seen? But it was fun. I wandered off to my room after C left to stitch and figured I'd be going to sleep soon. But somewhere along the line Jay and Tom came to visit us, both friends of ours through Hannah and somewhere between a 1:30am McDonalds run in the car and a long conversation about religion, science and philosophy they finally left - at 5:45! Somehow I hadn't registered the time because the adrenaline had kicked in and dumbfounded Troy and I staggered off to our respective beds.

I woke up about 4pm today which meant I got 11 hours sleep, which is nothing to sneeze at. Got more stitching done, and Troy told me I could get the back issues for TGOSM and so I did :) And have been having great fun reading through them.

Mum&Dad get back from Florence tomorrow, which will be good, it will be nice to have them around again - and get to see what they brought back! Dad is always one for the presents - lots of small things, so we'll see. Should be fun, Dad getting back from overseas is always like Christmas.

Anyway, I have magazines to read and sleep to get so this will be a short one. And yes I know I was bad for staying up last night.

Friday, June 01, 2007

June Goals

Uhoh...I have a feeling this is not going to be fun.

Last Month:

Stitching:
  • stitch a page on one of my challenge pieces (ffw, from the ashes, hope) Nope. Not even close. I've got about half of the first page of FFW and FTA done...but I've been working on them longer than this month.
  • catch up parts 4&5 of mystery X Ahahahahahahahahaha. No. Almost done with part 4 though.
  • get at least some of the tranquility mystery done - catch up to the beginning of the month, if possible I did actually get quite a bit of it caught up. Not to the beginning on the month, but a lot.
  • stitch something on Noon Basking No, just haven't had the chance.
  • finish part 1 of JOB Getting close.
  • stitch in at least 2 of the QS SALs - yes, actually I think I stitched in all of them this month.

Life:
  • stay up to date with schoolwork No, being sick got in the way.
  • not go mad Well, I havent gone mad...
  • clean up my room Mel did! Does that count?
  • do something about the whiteboard for my room idea No, and at this point I dont think its necessary. I don't have as much that I need to keep track of, a diary by my bed would probably do.
  • get to church at least twice I can't remember, but probably not. I think I went once.


This Month:

Stitching:
  • Finish up to row 50 of A Restful Night (1page), try for row 100 (2 pages)
  • Get one side of MX caught up, try for 2 sides.
  • Enjoy my stitching
  • Finish parts 1 and 2 of White Musings
  • Finish the top row of Tranquility
Life:
  • Go to the library and borrow some books
  • Buy new pyjamas
  • Buy some prints for my room
  • Sort out at least one of the piles in my room of things that are cleaned up but need to go away.
  • Take overdue library books back
  • Try to feel better!

Day 5

It's fun keeping track of how many days I've stitched on A Restful Night, because it's growing so fast it's amazing. I didn't get a lot stitched yesterday because I woke up with massive aches in my upper arms (which is weird because usually my lower arms and wrists hurt instead). I did get a fair amount more done on the top left hand side wing (and will get a photo today if possible) which I am pleased with, and got through a difficult section of background because I'd messed up my chart having not marked it so had to be very careful and use the grid.

Nothing hurts especially today, though my fingers are a bit achey but I am going to get Troy to massage them before I stitch and I should be okay.

We had a chat about the Chatelaines last night, and decided that I can get MX out on Fridays and try stitching it, but not keep going if it's too arduous or I make too many silly errors that I wouldn't have made well. I've also got a maximum of 3 hours that I'm allowed to work on it. We'll see how that goes. I'm letting myself 'cheat' and stitch the walls and roofs together, and start them even though I haven't finished part 4 completely. I figure my stitching time is at such a premium that I may as well enjoy it, and I'll stitch side by side, finishing corner 4 when I get to the side I need to finish it on. Cross stitch is easier on me than all the blackwork, so I should be okay. There is blackwork again in the windows, and if I struggle with it I will leave it. I just want to stitch what I can!

I woke up earlier than usual today, after having gone to bed early last night, and I might try to keep it up. I'd rather be awake during normal hours than later at night, so its nice to be awake in the AM rather than about 2PM.

Anyway, off to sort out my internet stuffs for the day and then jump into stitching MX!