Some works in progress

I’ve been meaning on and off to do a post on cross-stitch for a while. But I have so many works in progress (we’re not talking about that) so I figured I’d start with a couple and go from there.

The first one is called Monet Impressions  and I started in January 2004. It’s from designed by Sheila Hudson and was in a magazine called Cross Stitch Collection, I think. There’s a LOT of confetti stitches (single stitches of one colour scattered throughout the pattern) and colour changes so I’ve put it away many times but … last year? decided to pick it up again and chip away at it slowly so I don’t either throw it across the room or burn it. It’s coming along nicely.

 

The second one is Rivendell by CountryMagicStitch. I started it in …. 2019? I think? I have a yearly tradition at New Year’s where I re-watch Lord of the Rings and start a new project. Rivendell was 2019’s start. It’s progressing but slowly. I also have The Mines of Moria and Lothlorien by the same designer.  So far I’ve done one and a bit pages out of four. Slow progress is still progress.

That’s what I tell myself.

The Sunday Post 9; It's Monday! What are you reading? 9

 

The Sunday Post - a chance for bloggers to have a chat and a catch-up - is hosted by Kimba, here: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Kathryn here: https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/

Let's see ...  I didn't manage to get Lily to the vet on Tuesday, of course. So I rescheduled her appointment - yet again - and finally managed to get her in yesterday for her blood tests. They also cleaned her ears, so she came home with a very wet head.

Her thyroid levels have dropped, which means halving the medication she takes every day.

It's a balancing act for sure, and she has to go back to the vet in a  month for more blood tests.

We won at quiz on a tiebreaker on Wednesday night, which was nice because we beat one of our main rivals. 

What else. I didn't do much else yesterday apart from take Lily to the vet and go to my friend's like I do every Saturday. I sort of spent most of the afternoon zoned out, but sometimes you need that I think.

Today spawn went to a birthday party, and I took the chance to go to the library. 

We're going to spend some time watching The Flash (his choice) so I'm going to get my stitching out and do just that for a bit. 

I'm still reading The Two Towers, and also The Rembrandt Affair. I'm also picking up/putting down The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics, which is fun, and also Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit by P G Wodehouse. 

Today's stitching projects are a Narnia stitch-along and also a blackwork stitch-along through a Facebook group. Definition of what that is, here: https://xstitchmag.com/what-is-a-stitch-along/#:~:text=A%20Stitch%20Along%2C%20or%20SAL,stitch%20along%20with%20other%20stitchers.

I'm a little bit further along with both projects than these photos but it gives an idea. 

How about you? What are you reading? How's your week?

Sunday Post (16) and It's Monday What Are You Reading (4)

I'm linking up with Kimba's Sunday Post here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and with It's Monday! here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

I hope everyone had a good Christmas, or whatever it is you celebrate at this time of year.

We had a quiet one - just the three of us at home. I cooked chicken and spawn played with ALL THE TOYS. It was a good day. On Boxing Day we went to my brother and sister-in-law's for a family get-together, which was great, as we all found - after mum died - that the glue that pulled us into family things had dissolved.

So now we try to make a bit of an effort. It was a beautiful day, which is rare at the moment, and a good time was had by all.

I got what I wanted for Christmas - books, jewellery, chocolates - and so did J, so we did all right. And, as I said, spawn got ALL THE TOYS and had a great day.

Let's see. I  finally finished Uprooted last week, which I loved, and which I reviewed here:
http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/review-uprooted-by-naomi-novik.html and I alos did a shorts review post for We Were Liars and Umbrella Academy #0, both of which I  liked a lot.

I got Stephen King's new short story collection, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams for Christmas, and I've dipped into that bit, and I also got Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig which I'll dive into sometime soon, given that I'm still riding the high from The Force Awakens and absolutely plan on going to it again.

As for this week... New Year's will be quiet, but that's no bad thing. It's nearly time for the annual Lord of the Rings rewatch/new project to begin. I'll start on Tuesday and watch one part of each movie per night. I have, however, already started on the cross-stitch, it's so pretty I couldn't resist:

I absolutely love peonies, and the colours in the pattern are amazing.

I'm still working on my Grey Wardens chart, but have to concede that I need to unpick that "V" and move it over a bit. The word is "vigilance" and I don't think I've left myself quite enough room. Other than that, I'm really pleased with how it's turning out.

As for what's next book-wise ... I'm still reading The Gaugin Connection, and picking at The Martian, which was $5 on iBooks.

I'm joining in with Sheila at http://bookjourney.net/ for her first book of the year challenge: http://bookjourney.net/2015/12/05/dont-forget-to-sign-up-for-first-book-of-the-year/

I'm determined to read all of The Dark Tower series by Stephen King in 2016 - I've read the first three books but I'm going to start over on January 1 with The Gunslinger. Should be fun!

Other than that, I'm not sure what I'm going to read next. I should start going through all of the books I've bought since September, perhaps. Hrm.

How's your week been/going? What are you reading?

Sunday post - 12

The Sunday Post is a chance to catch up - with other bloggers' weeks, and to catch other bloggers up on your own week before and also ahead. Hosted here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/

I actually managed to blog last week. I'm still mildly shocked but I did it! I did a post of short book reviews here: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/10/short-reviews.html and a review of the movie Crimson Peak, which is here: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/10/crimson-peak-review.html

I also finished another book - The Rules by Stacey Kade, which is the first book in her Project Paper Dolls series. I enjoyed it well enough, and there should be a review coming this week (fingers crossed).

I'm halfway through, now, Welcome to Night Vale, the novel based on the podcast. I love the podcast and the book is shaping up to be my 2015 equal-favourite along with Station Eleven. I think listening to the podcast definitely helps with reading the book of Night Vale because it is steeped in weirdness. Also, Cecil Baldwin - the voice of Night Vale - has recorded the audiobook, if audiobooks are your thing.

What else. Last week was pretty quiet around here these parts. I stayed home a lot and watched a fair bit of TV and finished my first Dragon Age: Inquisition playthrough. It was nice, but it's starting to be time to put on my big girl socks and like ... look for work.

Anyway. I did buy books last week, because somehow I keep forgetting that I'm not buying books at the moment. They were the three for $15 sort out of the remainder bin, but. Still. No more books. (Including ebooks. For some reason in my head, ebooks aren't included in the ban. But yes. Yes they are.)

I had a makeover at the local Revlon counter on Friday because I'd bought some makeup there before and accidentally said yes instead of no to the makeover thing, but it was fine. The woman was lovely and it was actually kind of relaxing. I also went up to my old office to say goodbye to a former workmate who is also moving on - to a new job in his case.

I went to my friend's on Saturday night for our weekly stitch and watch, and made a bit of progress on my Grey Wardens pattern. I hadn't picked it up for a few days and it was nice to get back into it.

Anyway.

First on the to-do list for this week, is to study the road code and go and get my learner's licence, and then driving lessons. It's very easy for me to be complacent and stare into the void for far too long because it's cosy and I think the void is actually a nice place, but - no offence void - it's not exactly productive.

So, hopefully, by the end of this week I will be in possession of a learner's permit, and also  have booked some driving lessons.

I'm also going to venture back into baking this week, and I'm going to give the chocolate chippie biscuits another go, and hopefully make a lemon loaf, as we accidentally have too many lemons at the moment.

I'm also also nano-ing this year, hopefully I can actually write something instead of just signing up and forgetting like I usually do.

What are you up to this week?