Monday Update

Look it's a Monday Update on a Monday new concept right? Haha. Boy I have a lot to tell you about too. So pull up a chair and let's see what's been going on.

I posted last Tuesday then I got busy on the Durene Jones August piece. I got two wonderful days full of stitching on it. I was able to get the front panel on it finished up...

Friday I seen a lot of people talking about how it was World Cross Stitch Day. So I figured that was a good enough reason for a new start. Plus I haven't had one in awhile. Plus I was in the mood for some Halloween stitching. So that all equals a new start right?

As you can see this is Halloween Spooky Sampler from Frosted Pumpkin. I have this one and the Christmas Celebration one and I put them on my YOW (Year of WIPs) list because I would love to get them finished this year. These are my first Frosted Pumpkin designs too. A lady was working on the Christmas one at last years PALs Retreat and I knew I just had to have them both. Peer pressure. My readers know how I am when that happens haha. Anyway Friday I got a little start on it between packing and getting ready for our weekend away at the cabin. Saturday at the cabin I was able to get a little more time in the afternoon while watching movies. So here is my 2 days progress on it so far...

I can't wait to get back to it. The fabric is 32ct Bewitched linen which I don't like stitching on really but I fell in love with the color so figured it was worth it. The pattern calls for some weeks dye works and DMC threads. The border is WDW and I enjoy working with it. The linen is actually really nice. Better than some I've worked on so it's going fine. Just didn't get a lot of time this weekend to make serious progress. Which brings us to the cabin update part of this post so you can see what we were doing instead...

We had yet another wonderful weekend at the cabin. My Grandmother said this place has been a miracle for us and boy I agree. We just love every second we get to spend there. We had a few new things to post about. Izzy our dog had her first visit and stay. Jeremiah got to run a log splitter.

Izzy had a blast. We have neighbors surrounding our house here so she has never really been allowed to be off leash. The campground is surrounded by woods so I thought well let's try it and see what she does. She did amazing. She stuck right with us. Except for one time. Jeremiah went up to the barn to take some DVDs to my dad in his room. Izzy was worried since her bubby went away alone. Boy she refused to come when I called. She was going to check on him to see if he was okay. I didn't correct her because I didn't blame her. She couldn't see him and she needed to know he was safe. When she caught up with him she sit down immediately and then started her way back with him looking at me like Mommy he's okay. It was the only time she didn't listen though. It was a lot of walking and having fun so she was one tired pup...

Jeremiah got to do something new too. He used a log splitter...

When we went to the store to buy our new mower he seen a log splitter and asked what it was. I explained it so he said now he went from not knowing what it was to using one. This log splitter has a lot of history to it. My Grandpa built it from scrap a long long time ago. He couldn't afford one and knew they needed one. He looked at them at the store and said he could build it. He used the front end of a Volkswagen beetle and other parts and odds and ends. In case you've never heard of one you put large pieces of logs into it and the hydraulic pad pushes the wood onto the pointed ax like part and it splits the wood into smaller easier to build fire pits sized wood. The handle to push the hydraulic part was a lever that Jeremiah could manipulate easy enough so he got to help. Much to the happiness of my family to find something we could include Jeremiah into. Now he can say he helped with the stack of fire wood we use for the future fire pits.

Saturday we went into the woods and cut up 2 downed trees and got a truck load of wood from that. Sunday Dad and Bev went to a friends house who lost a walnut tree in strong winds and ended up with 2 truck loads from that. So we are good on wood for a bit. It feels great to help out toward something we all benefit from. Saturday during the heat of the day we went into our cabin and watched movies in the AC. Fred got busy on a craft he does while I was stitching...

My old chair arms were really worn you can see the black foam was peeling off. Fred used paracord and tied knots to form around the arm. Look at that beautiful purple color too! Next time he will finish the other side. It's a hobby that takes time and hurts his fingers but boy the look after is worth it. I need to get a picture of our other chair that he did this too. Helps to tell it apart from other chairs our friends have that are the same style.

On the way home last night Jeremiah and Izzy both passed out on the ride...

Sign it was a fantastic weekend indeed. I told Jeremiah it gave me something fun to blog about too. He laughed and said he's glad to help out. More great memories.

I hope everyone has a great week. Please send any spare thoughts/prayers to my family. My dad is getting shoulder surgery tomorrow and my uncle gets news Wednesday about his cancer battle. So lots to worry about for my family.