SIMON

                                                      February 2013-1 April 2026

                                                    My gentle, loving "comfort kitty".

PEPPER

Rest in Peace my sweet Bengal friend.

PEPPER

September 29, 2011-February 28, 2026

 

Uncle Tom

 1 July 1936-20 November 2026

The last of my mother's siblings is gone. My final link to that generation. They were so close in age, just 18 months apart. And they remained close throughout their lives.

Together again. Rest in Peace.

The One With The Political Rant

That was painless. Four pages of well-thought-out political ramblings......deleted in the press of a key.  I think that speaks more to the social and political climate in this country then anything I could actually publish.

Let There Be Photos!

Have I at last figured out the new photo uploading mystery? I think I have.

I've been gone from blogging too long. Caught up in the cesspool that is Facebook and Instagram. Trapped in the Spam Circus that Pinterest has become.

Now I'm back to my safe zone (no political melodrama involved at all)

Knitting, cross-stitch, petting cats.....my usual scope of hobbies continues. This odd photo is the Syli Sweater. A gigantic top-down raglan with textural details. I promptly sold it too!! After many months (years!) trying to sell my crafty items, I've found a niche market for my knitwear. By "niche' I mean my bestie in Virginia buys 90% of the stuff I knit as gifts and for herself and her daughter. I think this biggie is destined for her future son-in-law.

The Autumn scenery is lovely. It is just the view out the back window. My world is very small, due to my dad's declining health. So I take my scenic views where I can get them.

A little cross-stitching.....

A lot of cat cuddling.....

 Simon, Pepper and Timmy are the three remaining cats at the New Jersey house. Sparky, Ollie and Ellen live happily with Joe at the Ohio house.

A life divided, but some how still functioning.

What's New?

 

A lot is new....but more is old, and getting older by the day. So much sadness and loss in my own little world and the larger, global World.

Apparently, my "old" photo system will no longer load to Blogger.....so there goes the rest of this post. Pretty typical of how the days have been going lately........

Deuce

 April 13, 2013-February 10, 2024

Sweet Deuce, my fighter. Mr. Big Ears.

You tried so hard, but now you can rest.

Roy

 August 23, 2008-February 1, 2024

My special boy, shy Roy with his one white whisker.

Gone so suddenly; too soon.

Mel

 My sweet orange girl. Buff Tabby, Carmella, Melly-Moo.

August 23, 2008-January 27, 2024

Yup, I'm Going THERE

 

THESE ARE TERRORISTS

 THIS IS AN UNDERDOG

 If you're smart enough to get into college, you're smart enough to know the difference....

Welcome To Geekville

 Blazing hot out. Even worse at the new gym....and in this house.

So I spent my afternoon in "Geekville". Lost down the rabbit hole that is Wikipedia!! I thought it would be interesting to trace how Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York is related to the late Diana Princess of Wales. Here's my very sloppy and abbreviated version of the family tree

The common ancestor is William, 5th Duke of Devonshire.

On the crafting front, my latest WIP is a Land Girls wardrobe from my 16" dolls. I loved the BBC series of the same name based on the Women's Land Army of WWII England.  A sweater (jumper) is in the works, as are overalls and some breeches, when the appropriate tan corduroy arrives in the mail. For now, a few inspirational photos.

Well, that's about all I can manage with breaking a sweat......

Crushing

 More of a vent then a post.....

This day is crushing me. A day like so many others; common, ordinary, dull, mindless, uninspiring. Endless, boring, lonely. The hours and minutes dictated by others. The sun and the breeze closed out behind slammed-shut windows and doors.

I push away the things that I love and enjoy. Restless, unfocused. Nothing gets done. I want to be sour, nasty, rude....but I can't. Can I blame someone for aging, or another for preferring the peace and independence of another place?

Can I just have the privacy to cry...or maybe just sit and stare off into emptiness? 

Four years of hard work washed away in an instant. "Move forward, get over it, get on with it". Yes, on the outside those things will happen, and some already have. But it's just a shield, a curtain..... that closed door.

RUSTY

17 January 2022

 It has taken more more then a week to speak of the loss of my dear Rusty. For some reason I just could not come to write about him. Even in my journal there is simply a note of his name and a small photo glued to the page.

He came to us on 6 February 2017 and left too soon......

COAL

 Dear, sweet Kitty Coal. My companion for 16 years. "King of the Cats" since your friend Sammy left us 10 years ago.

Rest in peace.

April 22, 2004 - October 6, 2020

Glad.....

....that I've been able to finish some long-dormant works in progress. Not my usual Primitive/country themes. Or even my gymnasts. Two very "color-complex" designs. The citrus fruits date from 2003.

This seahorse was started in 2007!

Glad to be getting back into drawing and painting. I seem to have a thing for birds.

Very glad my old boy Kitty Coal is still with me. My guess is that he is about 16 years old. Getting a bit skinnier and slower, but he has a good appetite and is surrounded with love and attention.

Glad this beautiful family of Romanian cats have found forever homes. Magda is the most loving, generous and selfless champion of feral and abandoned cats. Please consider a donation to her cause via PayPal.

 Glad the noisy neighbors are taking THIS act on the road.

Glad I'm not a high-maintenance girl. I'm out of conditioner and things are getting...well...a little out of control. Going to "Casino de Wal-Mart" tomorrow. It's always a roll of the dice as to what I'll get in my online order/curbside pick-up.

Apparently "Virus Lockdown" has made the other 90% of the population into bakers, gardeners and crafters too! No luck finding yeast, flour, garden seeds or decent fabrics or threads online. I've even heard that sewing machines are sold out. 

Regular grocery items are pretty much a crap-shoot too. Luckily my brother has been the "outside guy" for me and my dad. Joe fairs a bit better in Ohio, where the lower population density makes it easier to find items.....and also less dangerous health-wise.

It's so pleasant here as compared to Facebook. Had to delete or been deleted by a few friends due to their hoax theory/new world order/zombie apocalypse propaganda. Some were really into it......others just used it as an excuse to be rude.

Glad all the birds are returning to my feeders. The Mocking birds and Grosbeaks are back too!

Basically, I'm just glad I can be GLAD for a change.

Missing....

.....the usual craziness of Life.

As The World Slows Down

Fear, sickness, sadness, anxiety, greed, hoarding, profiteering, rumor-mongering.  It's all out there now. But so is:

QUIET
SOLITUDE
NATURE
REFLECTION
GENEROSITY
KINDNESS

I'm not sure what to make of it all. I know there is only so much of the TV, social media news I can handle. Like many others, I have no job...which for me equals zero interaction with anyone (except my dad).
I get outside for fresh air, but these are fearful steps. Not so much fear for my own health, but for my father. It's impossible to use any sort of delivery service, as all are booked up for weeks. The pick-up option at every grocery store within a 50 mile radius is also fully booked.
Of course I am perfectly capable of going into CVS or ShopRite. If it was just ME that would be fine. I worry for what I will bring home to my dad.
What distracts me? What keeps me "normal"?

The local scenery(as viewed from the car)

Paterson Falls

Edgemont Park

 My wonderful cats.

...and lots of knitting, to the point of boredom. I need to jump back into cross-stitching or working with felt. I find it difficult to keep my attention focused on any particular project for very long.

Stay safe my friends.

Stay strong💖💖

Nothing But Net

My father controls the television 99% of the time. This time of year it's all about college basketball and little else. My ordered list of least hated tv sports:

1. Professional Baseball

2. College Basketball

3.College Football

4. Professional Football

and my least favorite by far

5. Professional Basketball

I'm sure the list could be more exspansive......if he actually watched anything else.

The local team, Rutgers is doing well. Kinda like that big kid from Iowa, Garza. Not gonna quote any stats here. That would be going a bit too far.

I busy myself while the tv is on with various knit and crochet projects. For some reason cross-stitch has fallen off my radar.

Mel with my latest giant cactus crochet. I am obsessed with crochet/knit succulent plants. I found a bunch of patterns on Pinterest and purchased some patterns on Etsy. Planet June has some amazing stuff.

My knitting skills continue to improve. This is my Shadow Cables Sweater. A lovely new yarn from Lion Brand called Basic Stitch Anti-Pill, in Steel Blue(teal). The floral fabric will be a coordinating skirt.

This little guy was created for my sister-in-law for Christmas. For those who live under a rock, like me, he's Baby Yoda.

Another sweater finish from the Summer. Displayed on the balcony of The Flagship Resort in Atlantic City. The Vanilla Bean Sweater

Today is finally Thursday. I look forward to Thursdays more the Fridays, as Thursday is knitting group day at the local library. A chance to chat with people my own age (although I'm the youngest of the group!!!) and share ideas and laugh. Anything other than gymnastics. 

I'm in the midst of a 14-day-straight run of no days off from the gym. It's Championship season. All work, no play and a big competition on Sunday. Travel.....in New Jersey....on crowded highways....

But all about that next post.