Archive for life stuff

tucking in the ends

12.13.09 at 3:23 pm · Filed under freebie links, life stuff, moving, stitching

I remember longing to have perfect backs when I was fairly new to cross stitching. It seemed like when I could do that, I would finally know I’d arrived - you know, become more than just a wannabe stitcher. LOL. My backs are usually pretty neat now, although I never reached the level where my backs could actually be mistaken for the fronts. (And guess what? I don’t care anymore. LOL!)

My True Love Gave To Me freebie from The Sampler Girl
(slightly altered; will put date or initials in blank corner)
stitched on 36 ct HDF cream
GAST Pine and Pomegranate, WDW Whiskey
(cool frame from picnik.com)
SamplerGirl Xmas freebie 004

SamplerGirl Xmas freebie back

But what I’m actually referring to is the tying up of loose ends before our rapidly-approaching departure. One big change will be my email address – what a silly thing to cause such a lot of work! But I used my email address as my user name and contact for almost EVERYTHING I do online (and I have to admit that I do a lot online!). I think I’ve managed to switch everything over to my gmail address, and I’d like to remind anyone who emails me that they will need to make the switch. To keep it simple, my Blogger profile now has an ‘email’ link that you can refer to. :)

Another big loose end that Niek tied up or tucked under last night was resurrecting my ‘puter, which I’m now calling Lazarus. ;) Yep, he managed to extract nearly all the “lost” information and transfer it to our external backup. Then he magically wiped the Dell clean and then painstakingly re-installed everything. Some things might be missing or might be in a different place but it’ll sort itself out. This should mean that I will have online access after our move. Not at the rental house (it’s taking forever to get that arranged because the house has never been wired for cable) but through the various free hotspots around town where you can get a free internet connection. So … hopefully we’ll be able to stay in contact from next week through the New Year. Hooray! :D

I’ve visited with several dear friends and family members and said goodbye the best I can (I am really bad at this!). The suitcases are mostly packed. Things are about as orderly as possible and I’m hoping for timely flight connections and clear weather when we arrive in Maine. For those worried about our warmth, the kids will be bundled up to the best of my ability. Shopping trips for real winter boots will be necessary after our arrival, but we have plenty of jackets, scarves, hats & mittens. :)

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resurfacing, with lots to share

12.06.09 at 3:18 pm · Filed under UFOs and WIPs, exchanges, finishing, kids, life stuff, moving, stitching

Oh, what a week it’s been! Nearly everyone here at Chateau Chaos came down with a stomach bug and some of us still aren’t feeling 100% but we’re all at least feeling better than we did.

lazy days

Because life doesn’t stop just because you feel awful, a lot was going on during our Sick Week.

The international movers came and took all our good stuff away. (Ugh, I lost the picture of Arden amidst the boxes!)

I finished and posted my Christmas exchange (and my partner has received it). The stitching part of the exchange was pretty skimpy because I just didn’t have any decent finishing  materials and my creativity had fled the scene, so I tried to make up for it by packing in lots of other goodies. Chris assures me she’s happy with it, but I always have such performance anxiety with these things! (This is the Vautier freebie I mentioned recently, btw, stitched in HDF Gandy Dancer silk on HDF 36 ct linen.)

closeup of finished ornie

I finished a UFO. This darling design, Fair, Kind, True,  is by Deborah of Midsummer Night Designs. I’ve stitched it on a high count of Lakeside Linens Tallahassee Teal using Paper Roses premium silk by Vikki Clayton. I suspect it will reappear around our wedding anniversary in May, hopefully transformed into something lovely.

FairKindTrue by Midsummersummer Night Designs

I also finished A Winter’s Nap by Erica Michaels. I had to make a few changes to the suggested colors, as they didn’t show up on this ivory banding. The banding was a total PITA to work with and I’m not satisfied with the coverage, although in the end it doesn’t look as bad as I’d feared it would.

A Winter's Nap by Erica Michaels

And I finished Beth Twist’s adorable A Partrige, A Pare & A Turtledove design. I converted the called-for DMC to HDF silks and stitched it on 36 ct Cream HDF linen. I also corrected the spelling because the deliberate misspelling glared out at me and detracted from my enjoyment of the design. I love this one and plan to keep it.

Heartstring Designs

And last but far from least, we celebrated pakjesavond. It was a quieter affair than usual with fewer gifts, less noise, and Max’s absence was keenly felt, but we had fun anyway.

Sinterklaas pakjesavond

To catch up on mundane matters, my computer is d-e-a-d. Niek’s taking it work to try to salvage the lost data, but it’s a serious PITA because of course I don’t know all my passwords, usernames, etc. and emailing is a nightmare from Niek’s PC. I haven’t spent much time online due to the frustration of nothing working like I want it to, and of course because I’ve felt sort of craptastic all week.

Niek’s work visa came in and he’s now able to enter the US. He’s booked tickets for himself and the pets and will arrive in time for Christmas. Hooray!

The upcoming week will be filled with the kids’ going-away parties for school and extra-curricular groups, and I’ll hopefully see a last couple of friends (fingers crossed!). I’m cheating and buying treats for the kids’ parties, but I figure this one time it’s okay not to go homemade all the way. ;)

Thanks so much for stopping in to visit with me! :D

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the last day of nablopomo

11.30.09 at 10:05 pm · Filed under Maine, NaBloPoMo, life stuff, moving

Thanks for sticking with me this month. To avoid navel gazing (a translation of a great Dutch term for excessive and pointless introspection), I like to participate in NaBloPoMo during November (which can be a bit of a dreary month for me otherwise).

When November began, there were so many uncertainties about our move to Maine and all too often when something became certain, there was a negative attached to the newfound knowledge. There were a few times when I really wondered if we would be able to go through with it. But we’ve soldiered on and decided to continue with our crazy plan even though it means the loss of a lot of stability and security (and more than a few bucks, too). In two weeks and one day, the kids and I will be on a plane … I really can’t express how wonderful the thought feels.

Since going public with our decision to move, a lot of people have told me how obvious my ‘homesickness’  was to them, which I found really surprising. I thought I’d done quite a masterful job of keeping my feelings to myself. And for the record, homesickness really isn’t the right word choice. After nearly 13 years here full-time and 5 years part-time before that, I feel that homesickness is something that I struggled with my first year or two here. Since then, I’ve done my best to settle in like any other Dutch person (albeit a short one with a strong accent, LOL). I think what I feel is the certainty that after many years of trying, I’m simply not in the place that’s right for me. Some people, I believe, belong in certain places and just can’t thrive elsewhere. Like plants that require specific bacteria in the soil or something. ;)

December will be a crazy month. The movers come on Wednesday and after they leave, we’ll be camping out in our own house until we leave. And then we’ll be camping out in our rental house, LOL! I’ll post updates when I can but there will likely be a break of a week or two right around the move itself when you’ll just have to Watch This Space as the advertisements say. ;)

While we do still have some time together, I’m very interested in hearing your opinions regarding a name change. When I began the blog, I deliberately misspelled mainly to reflect my connection to Maine and to let readers know that although the blog was primarily about stitching, it was also a way for me to stay connected to my family in America. It will still be a blog about stitching and family, but as I will be in Maine, it seems that a name change would be in order. What do you think? And what would you suggest? I can’t make a contest of it because (1) all my stash is packed and I don’t have any gifts to give the winner and, (2) I’m not sure I actually will change the name. But I’ve been thinking about it and I’d like to hear your input. :D

As I type this, Niek’s working on my laptop, which seems to have finally succumbed. I can’t get anything but The Blue Screen of Death. Keep your fingers crossed that he can revive the old beast long enough to last me 2 more weeks.

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november is the month to cut your thumb

11.28.09 at 8:58 pm · Filed under NaBloPoMo, life stuff, stitching

Out of curiosity (after reading Berit’s post), I flipped back to see what I was doing this time last year, and almost laughed out loud when one of the first things I saw was that I’d cut my thumb. Because believe it or not, I cut my left thumb while making dinner Thursday night. What a buggery place to have a cut – it really interferes with stitching! That night I stitched with a bandage on it – very slowly, and threading the needle was really a laugh as I had to do it with my index and middle fingers. (Today it looks a lot better, btw.) But after Harmien’s visit, I was eager to stitch and couldn’t let the evening pass without at least an attempt to keep the fire stoked. ;) During her visit, I got an astounding 12 stitches made. Yeah, I know that’s pathetic, but I had to convert Beth’s DMC thread choices to Vikki Clayton silks (the only floss I did not pack) and that was surprisingly time-consuming. Here’s where I left off at bedtime. Not too bad for one-handed stitching, LOL.

Beth Twist design wip day one

Since Thursday night,  in between errands and while enjoying some very rare bursts of sunshine, I made a little more progress. As I told Beth, I was drawn to the design because it’s pleasantly different from the usual holiday offerings. :)

Beth Twist design wip

(For anyone interested, or so I can remember later, here’s my conversion for A Partridge, A Pare, & A Turtledove:
355 – Quince 1411
420 – BeWooded
677 – Yellow Spice 4161
729 – Gilded Cage
839 – BeSeeded
3782 – Bird Feathers 4101
3345 – Luteousness)

Niek’s been busy bringing boxes back from the storage unit so they’ll be here later in the week when the international movers show up. Everything has to be under the same roof before they’ll handle it. The house is going to be full of boxes for a few days! (It’s tempting to try to find the boxes with my stash, I have to admit!)

Thanks for coming to visit! I hope your weekend is full of joy!

ta ta for now

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it wasn’t traditional

11.27.09 at 9:09 am · Filed under NaBloPoMo, friends, life stuff, stitchy gifts

… and the closest we came to turkey was the smoked chicken in our lunch salad, but it was a wonderful, memorable Thanksgiving. :D

Harmien came over, and after braving the elements for 15 minutes (because I cannot hear the difference between 10 to 10 and ten-ten) she thawed out over a couple of cups of coffee and some slightly burnt focaccia bread. We also had some salad with smoked chicken and some homemade pumpkin soup. It wasn’t the best luncheon I’ve put forth, but neither did she keel over from food poisoning. ;)

Harmien came bearing gifts. Some speculaas mix (a fabulous Dutch cookie that I will seriously miss) and this lovely rendition one of The Sampler Girl’s fabulous freebies.

The Sampler Girl by Harmien

gifts from oma across the street 019

I had a gift for her, too, but it hasn’t yet arrived from Australia. :(

We both missed Annemarie. (((((Hugs)))))) I am so thankful for the wonderful friends I’ve made here.

A sweet gift for Arden from Nic arrived in the mail. When Nic showed this bunny’s sibling on her blog, I exclaimed (!) that it was JUST the thing for Arden with our upcoming journey to the US, and lamented for the 99 thousandth time that I can’t knit. So Nic very sweetly made Arden his very own bunny-travel-buddy. As you can see, Nic, it’s a big hit! :D I’m so thankful for my blogging friends!!

Arden's bunny from Nic

After Harmien headed for home, I took the kids to the doctor for their persistent cough (which has begun to worry me) and nearly all of them got a clean bill of health. Nicky has a bit of bronchitis-type action happening, but the doctor said it’s very mild and will probably blow over on its own. I was very thankful to hear this.

Later in the afternoon, just as the gloomy twighlight was coalescing into actual darkness, the “Grandma Across The Street” appeared at our door bearing gifts. Though she’s not a relative by blood, she has certainly fallen in love with our kids over the years, and even keeps dog treats on hand for when she sees us walking by. The kids call her ‘the other grandma’ (in Dutch, ‘de andere oma’) and we’ve enjoyed many chats together. She’s very sad we’re leaving, and we will be sad to leave the wonderful people like her in our  neighborhood behind. (Max also recieved a book, but declined a photo op. LOL) We’re thankful for the family-that-isn’t-family.

gifts from oma across the street

gifts from oma across the street

gifts from oma across the street

No matter how many times you count your blessings, what they add up to never fails to amaze!

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ha ha ha

11.25.09 at 10:58 am · Filed under NaBloPoMo, goofing around, life stuff

Why are elephants poor dancers?
Because they have 2 left feet.

What is 2 feet long, has 32 eyes and 2 tongues?
An elephant’s sneakers.

What is as big as an elephant, but weighs nothing?
An elephant’s shadow.

Life at Chateau Chaos is still under construction, so rather than moan on about things not going as they should (like not having any hot water), I’m going to leave you with a few hardy-har-har jokes and wish you a good day.

What’s the difference between a pickle and an elephant?
A pickle always forgets.

What’s the difference between a sneezing elephant and a spy?
Nothing: they’ve both got a code in their trunk.

Can an elephant jump higher than a lamp-post?
Yes: lamp-posts can’t jump.

What do you get if you cross a zebra with an elephant?
A traffic jam.

What do you get if you cross an elephant with a biscuit?
Crumbs.

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horrible terrible no good very bad day

11.24.09 at 8:03 am · Filed under NaBloPoMo, life stuff

Over three hours trekking in the rain and high winds yesterday because my dearly beloved took both sets of both car keys to work without letting me know. That sinus infection I’ve been fighting off has been joined by some other germy friends. I’m going to do like a turtle and pull my head into my shell for a little while.

And then I heard from Annemarie about her dad.

And then Niek came home with more work-related woes.

By 8 pm I was in my flannel PJs and longing for bed. Here’s hoping that Tuesday will shape up better.

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monday morning, so far

11.23.09 at 12:19 pm · Filed under NaBloPoMo, kids, life stuff, moving

This will be the busiest week before our departure. There are several appointments to bid farewell to dear friends, flu shots to be had, sports and activities for the kids, and then this weekend we’ll have the chaos of the final packing. Yikes, huh? But for some reason, this morning has gotten off to a slow, easy-going start. Arden and I are enjoying each other’s company while outside the wind howls and rain pelts down. At breakfast, Rowen told us all the most imaginative story about her experiences skateboarding with our cat and some time-traveling dinosaurs.  I should finish up the finishing on my ornament exchange and get that posted out nice & early. I should also do some housework. But maybe first, I’ll just enjoy a few more pages in the crime thriller I’m reading. ;)

Arden in the morning

Wishing you a wonderful week!

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seeing red … silk, that is

11.19.09 at 5:52 pm · Filed under NaBloPoMo, life stuff, moving, stitching

I liked that design by Isabelle Vautier so much that I stitched a small section of it last night to use as a seasonal ornament. :)

Vautier design

Isa Vautier design 002

Not much has been going on that makes for an interesting blog post. It’s been really busy and having the kids ill feels like someone’s tied my hands behind my back. I know it’ll get done, but it will also be such a relief to have this behind us. Last night, Niek started the paperwork for our shipment of belongings (Monique, it’s going by ship over the Atlantic) and became convined that we’d be hit by import tax for it all. Groan. The expenses keep mounting, despite our attempts to find the most inexpensive solutions.

Oh well, the sun has tried to come out today and Rowen felt well enough to try going to school for the last two hours this afternoon. I hope you’re keeping healthy and enjoying some sunlight. :D

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the midweek hump

11.18.09 at 11:28 am · Filed under NaBloPoMo, freebie links, kids, life stuff, weather

I had a great time chatting online with an old friend on Facebook last night; the downside being that I didn’t do any stitching. LOL. When I finally called it a night, the thought was running through my head, ‘What on earth will I blog about tomorrow?’ After spending all my time in the company of sick kids, I was sure there was nothing to talk about.

But then I got up to this spectacular show from Mother Nature. This picture isn’t edited – that was really what the sky looked like during breakfast this morning. Incredible, huh?

wednesday morning

And these were the not-quite-so-sick monkeys I had breakfast with.

my best friend

Rowen begins to feel better

Actually, as you can see by this picture snapped before bedtime yesterday, Arden’s mostly recovered. Mozart’s got nothing on him, huh? ;)

baby Mozart

Then when I opened my computer, I found that Kirsten has started the biweekly challenge at the Gift of Stitching blog. Go look! Join in!

And for those who just llloooovvve Isa Vautier’s amazing designs (and is there anyone who doesn’t?), go over here to look at an amazing SAL you can join in.

Looks like Wednesday might not be such a bad day after all. ;)

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