Branson Report and Stitch Progress

Getting caught up after being gone for a week has been a major problem. Things really piled up while we were gone to Branson. The newspapers, the mail, the e-mail and the blogs on Google Reader. I had 150 e-mail and 115 unread blogs. Yesterday alone, I read 32 blogs and still have over 80 to read. More keep being added almost faster than I can read them.

The first thing I had to do when we got back was to go on Monday morning to pick up the dog (Muffin) from boarding from the vet. She was sooooo glad to see me. She was licking me all over and got so excited she nipped me on the nose. No damage, but I think it surprised us both. She has not let me out of her sight since. Poor baby.

Along with trying to get things caught up on Monday, had a church meeting and dentist appointment. Just for cleaning, but now have to go back for a repair on a filling in a couple of weeks. YUCK!!! Also so had Monday evening stitch therapy session. It was good to be back with everyone. Lots of things happening since I missed one week. One wedding done without a hitch and one of our group was at the hospital waiting for new grand baby. What fun we had. During our time together we manage to have a few laughs. You have heard the saying "died laughing". Well, I feel like I almost did. I was taking a drink of water during one of our laugh sessions and got chocked on it and spit water all over. Ended up coughing all night.

We had a great time in Branson with Martin and Mary, as usual. Went to 2 shows and road the Branson Scenic Railway while they were with us. We saw Moe Bandy in an afternoon show and The Haygoods in their evening show. The Haygoods are a family of 7 guys and 1 girl ranging in age from 30 to 14 and they sing, dance and play multiple instruments. One of the guys sang one of the best versions of "Mary, Did you Know" I have ever heard. It was so moving that you really got caught up in his singing. They also did a wonderful "Stomp" dance with one of the guys being on the top of a scaffolding. It was awesome. Never really expected that type of show. Later in the week, Morris and I saw "Magnificent 7". It was a variety show of 7 decades of music. It was OK, but we both said we had seen better.

Thanksgiving was spent with my sister and her family and her in-laws at her house in Nixa. We ate entirely too much food, but I think that is just part of celebrating Thanksgiving. There were not many of the homemade noodles that I took leftover. They are a tradition in my family and now we are passing it on to Ruth Ann's step-sons and in-laws.

While we were in Branson, we did get some Christmas shopping done. Still have a lot to do. Yesterday, I did some orders online. Have a few more places to hit yet. Also watched some football games. My team lost again and ended the season with 4 losses. Not sure what the problems are, but hope they can get them fixed by next year. However, it does save me money because they will not be going to a bowl game this year. The best part of my time in Branson was that I got to do a lot of stitching.

Block 2 of Villages of Hawk Run Hallow was finished on Saturday, November 24th. That block was a pain for me. At least, the trees were. I had already started the branches before we went to Branson, but I was looking at the pattern and realized I had made a mistake. The branches were one color and the leaves were another and I had started making them all one color. So ended up doing some frogging. Ugh!! Several people have told me that would have just left it. I decided that I wanted it to be right, since I was putting so much work into the entire piece. Here it is.

Now here is a photo of both block together. I am not starting the 3rd one until at least Friday night. That will be just before the 1st of December. In the meantime, I am stitching on various other things.
On Monday night, I finished the 4th of 4 Christmas presents. So it is off to the frame shop with it either today or tomorrow. I was afraid I had over extended myself in trying to get those presents done. While in Branson, I took time out from VOHRH to stitch on a few other things. None of which I have pictures of. Back working on a design model for the Sunflower Seed, and a couple of other UFOs. Pictures of progress and Christmas items will come later.

Remember in my last post I mentioned I was starting to do some crocheting again. Well, the next two photos are of crocheting that was completed while in Branson. This first is the beginning of a baby afghan for a friend's grand baby to be. It is really soft and fluffy. Then in talking to my niece, Megan on Friday, I found out that I am going to be a Great Aunt again in July, so I guess I am practicing for an afghan for her. That will also mean a baby sampler too.

Here is a dishcloth crocheted with Sugar & Cream cotton yarn. I just found this pattern for a crocheted dishcloth on Joann's.com web site. Always saw the knitted ones, but no crocheted,so I was excited to find the pattern. Now everyone at my stitching therapy group thinks they need one. I had thought about doing that, but they are going to have to be patient. I don't do them very fast. I used the wrong size hook on this one, so maybe the next one using the correct size will be better and faster. Still have to weave in some ends.
Here is a little ornament that I completed the stitching on. It is from PS "Button Up". That pattern is for a big sampler, but I just took one motif out to make an ornament. I guess my camera does not take good pictures when I get too close. Sorry for the blurry picture. It is on 28-ct Lambswool linen and I converted most of the colors to overdyes. The face color has also been changed. I stitched with what the pattern called for and it made the face so dark that he looked like he fell asleep under a sun lamp. Have a couple more motifs in this pattern that I would like to do also.

Today I will be missing Wednesday afternoon stitch therapy. My ladies group at the church changed their meeting today from last week. It was too close to Thanksgiving. Going to see if I can read a couple of blogs before I hit the shower and off to the group meeting. My dog has been fussing to sit in my lap and got tired and went over to the couch and laid down and now is snoring. LOL.

This weekend, my college friends are trying to have a little get together in a nearby town. We are trying to do this on a regular basis. In the summer, some of us got together and now we are going to try again and go see a Christmas parade. The weather forecast is not very good for Saturday, but we will see how it turns out.

Thanks to all that take the time to stop by and read my blog. I know it does take time, since I am so wordy. Also, thanks to all for comments regarding progress on VOHRH.

Enjoy the season we are celebrating and don't get to rushed. Find time to stitch.