The Secret Project Unveiled

I know, I know--it has been ages since I blogged, both here and on Kitty Son's picture blog. My schedule this term is so awful that there is no time in the beginning of the week, and at the end of the week I am utterly exhausted.

Today, for example, the day after teaching three classes (two in a row!), I was pretty much useless until 3 or 4 p.m. My feet hurt (I came home last night and took some Tylenol), I was tired and sleepy, and my brain was just mush. I have managed, though, to finish grading for one class. Three to go.

Last weekend I went to see Youngest Daughter and we saw Wicked, the musical about the Wicked Witch of the West. It was a great show, even if I did have to run up four flights of stairs to get to my seat before the overture started (they shut the doors and don't let anyone in for 12 minutes once that starts!). We went apple picking, made our way through a corn maze, toured a conservatory, and took a walk in the local park. I taught YD how to make chicken pot pie, roasted red potatoes, baked chicken breasts, and shortcake. We went to Dick's and got her a bike. It was a packed weekend!

On Sunday we stopped by Val's house and gave her the Secret Project (here, too), which I made (and FINALLY finished) for her wedding present. Here it is--eighteen hearts, embroidered in different stitches and colors, alternating with pink heart-print squares.
So the secret is revealed, and best wishes to Val and Mike for a long, happy life together.

Now it's time for ANOTHER Secret Project!

Ten years later

but it feels like it just happened.

God rest the souls we have lost.
God preserve our nation.
God protect our troops.
God judge those who murder innocents in His name.

Month 16 is done!

Month 17's stitches will fill in the bottom right, between the strawberries and the big motif, and also the spot to the left of the pansy. There's one more month to go, but I'm not sure where the stitches for Month 18 will fit--there are no more designated spots on the sampler. I guess it's a surprise!

Got a scare after I finished the Month 16 set. I embroider in my sunporch, sitting in the rocker that was a honeymoon present from Spouse. Next to the rocker is Youngest Daughter's art table, and that's where my cutting mat is, and the ziplock bags with linen and silks are sitting there while I get traveling projects set up for this fall. I'd set my half-filled mug of tea on the mat, turned around to straighten up the sewing table, and heard "clunk!". Kitty Son, ever so graceful, had jumped up on the art table and sent my tea flying. The mug ended up on the floor (not broken, thank goodness) and tea was everywhere. Thankfully, my linens were in bags and the splatter did not reach to the sampler. The surge protector and my phone charger got soaked so they are drying out. What a close call.

More plaited braid, and figure eight interlacing, and ...school is starting...

Top is plaited braid, bottom center is figure eight interlacing. I am up to Month 15 of 18 in this online class. It's a lot of fun! Wish I had more time to play around, though.

But, the time for play, if there was one this summer, is gone now. Classes start Monday and I need to get syllabi and class materials ready. I am teaching four courses this fall, unfortunately, which means I will be crazy busy.

Kitty Mama had surgery Tuesday on her mouth (several teeth removed) and it looks like she has oral cancer. That's bad. She is recuperating pretty well from the surgery; at the moment, she is curled up on a cot upstairs by the window, sleeping in the sunshine. I hate the thought that I will be gone four days out of each week and not here to pet her and love her up. :-( I may decide to commute more often this fall. Depends on how things go.