Can October be almost over?

Where did it go? I think I've spent the month hopped up on fun-size candy bars, and deep in my own thoughts, and barely noticed much else happening. I have been working on my master plan for 2014, both in stitching and in life, but it's just a start, so not much to report on on that front.

I did want to share this picture first. My hometown had its annual street festival about a month ago. Chilly day, but lots of fun. Someone small got her share of  'deedees'--dogs and cats--and took a nap. This CAN NOT be comfortable, but Mom didn't want to wake her up.

 

 

Earlier this month, we attended one of the fall church festivals and rummage sales. I know, I am supposed to be simplifying, but the prices were reasonable and it helps the church. I am always on the lookout for cool fall stuff.

 

This was the most expensive thing, and it was $5. It looks awesome with a candle in it.

This picture was 75 cents. I had grand plans to make it a backdrop for a tableau that is not happening. Maybe next year. I thought Leftbrain would be a little annoyed I brought home someone else's old painting, but he said his mom had this one at one point. No it's not hers, LOL, it just looks like it. And it's flat, so it can store easily for the rest of the year. 

 

 

And my other little goodies. I bought the frames for stitching. May keep the little pictures, though. They are pretty and older and someone enjoyed them. But then again, I don't have space for things like this.

And I was pretty pleased to find the patriotic stuff. That sheep is ca-yute!  I didn't decorate patriotic this year. Our garage is a mess, so it was not something I felt like tackling. Next year, though . . 

 

I will say, the little bowl, which I put out for fall because it had a blackbird on it, is gone already. I don't know where it went. But I suspect I will find it in a toybox.

 

We did get out and get pumpkins this year. Last year, Katie was too young to go to the pumpkin patch, and we were too broke, and then Hurricane Sandy happened and I rushed out right before it came through to get her a pumpkin, so it wasn't a fun thing. This year, it rained the few days before, so we didn't go tromping through the patch, but we took her to the farm market. She is giving her cousin a kiss--Katie is a kisser to beat all kissers, much to her father's chagrin--but she is a good picker too.

 

Friday night, I went to a reading and book signing by Wally Lamb, who wrote the first Oprah's Book Club book. Metro Crazyville is not the first place I would have a book reading, because we don't even have a real bookstore--you have to drive 20 miles to browse a Barnes & Noble, or even a good used bookstore--so it was more impressive that I could drive 5 miles and listen to the author of some of my favorite books. I appreciate that he came. I thanked him for writing The Hour I First Believed, which is one of my favorite books, even though it's not an easy read, nor is it a traditionally happy book.  I am looking forward to immersing myself in his newest book, We Are Water, but I have to finish The Monuments Men, another great book first.

 

And I have been stitching more. This is a freebie from Brooke's Books. I am not using the fancy materials the pattern calls for, but I just love the way it looks on PTP Flapper. I love that fabric anyway, but this looks great!

 

This is from a LA book, Fast & Festive: 50 Christmas Designs. I started it Easter 2011, and just found it the other day, so decided to finish it.

 

It's not the best picture of it, but it will be done by Thanksgiving, to be up for Christmas. I made it as a hand-towel. I will put it in our front bathroom. I know Leftbrain wouldn't use this to clean up a mess in the kitchen, but Someone Small likes it a lot and would probably take it and put it with the afore-mentioned bowl. And I can not deal with hunting it down.

 

I also started the Mary SAL from Plum Street Samplers.  It's a nice fast stitch, and I think it will be pretty when done.

 

So that's all that is going on right now in my world. I hope you are ready for Halloween if you celebrate it. I have a cool project I am hoping to at least start on that day. Hopefully, I will have some progress photos on that, but I am not guaranteeing. Otherwise, eat a few funsize Snickers, and enjoy the day!

Cancer . . .

It's out in the stitching blogger community that Pumpkin, whose real name was Cathey, lost her valiant battle with cancer last week. It comes as a great shock to me and a great loss. Cathey was one of the first people to follow my blog, and I loved seeing her avatar on my "Recent Visitors" gadget. That doxie with the wagging tail . . . it made me happy. She was a nice lady. It hurts me that she's not here anymore, even though we were only connected through our blogs. I hurt for her son, and her husband. It's not fair he will not have his mom see him graduate high school, or dance at his wedding. As a mom, that hurts me, that terrifies me, and part of me thinks, why her? See, I have two high school friends who are also fighting this battle. One I have known since I was 4, who I used to sit in the back of our French IV class and goof off because we were both brilliant in French and didn't need to spend a lot of time reading about people in Paris wanting American jeans, and one I used to play soccer with and who I palled around in Materials Science class with; she used to call our teacher a monkey, I don't know why, but she did. We were all very close in my high school; it was a small town, and everyone knew everyone from childhood. Chelsea is 37, with 2 small children, and she is fighting her second round, Joey is 34. Young women with little kids who aren't done living, and they are fighting this . . . bullshit, hateful disease. My gramma fought it too, so did my MIL, but this isn't right. It's not fair. And I realize I am way too old to be still under the impression that life is fair, but it kills me that my friends worry how their husbands will care for their kids if they don't get rid of this cancer. No mom should have to worry about that. No dad should ever have to deal with it. And I'm angry because they couldn't save Cathey, and what if they can't save Chelsea, or Joey? Maybe it's not right that I say this. I'm probably breaching etiquette, but it hurts. Losing one good person makes the world a sadder place. And I wish Cathey would be the last mom we ever lose. RIP, Pumpkin, dear Cathey. Your family, especially Junior and your husband, are in my prayers. I hope that the wonderful memories of you help them get through this time, and I hope they know how many lives you touched and made better. Pat Brie for me. I know she's missed you. Farewell.