Credit where credit is due

First of all, for those not interested in sports, I do have stitching and health news farther down in this entry.

Well, as much as I hate to say it, I have to give credit where credit is due. The game last night was a real roller coaster to watch, but it was an AMAZING game!!

In the first half, the Vols looked about as good as I’d seen them look all season (in what few games I was actually able to see on TV in California). We built up a really nice lead and our D was all over the Buckeyes. We were rebounding really well, taking advantage of turnovers, and were hitting 3 pointers all over the place. Unfortunately, we apparently left that team in the locker room after the half because it just wasn’t the same in the second half.

I’m not sure if, being a somewhat young team, they just got too cocky with the good lead we had, or if it was just an overall underestimation of the Buckeye’s tenaciousness. Regardless of the reason, by midway in the second half, we’d given up the 20 point lead we’d had at one point and the lead swapped back and forth like a see-saw the rest of the game. This was our second very close nail-biter of a game to the Buckeyes this season, both of which unfortunately resulted in losses. We lost to the Bucks by 2 points back in January during regular season play and then by 1 point to them last night. Any way you slice it, the Buckeyes are just a really good team, so I give them credit and congratulations on the win.

On the upside, I think it says a LOT about the quality of our men’s program to play that well against one of the best teams in the nation. Given that Dane Bradshaw is the only starter we’ll be losing this year, I’m really hopeful that we’ll have a great season next year. Our men’s basketball program may actually start getting some recognition and, eventually, be the same type of powerhouse that our football team and women’s basketball team are known for being.

Speaking of our women’s team, we will be facing off against the 13 seed Marist on Sunday at noon ET. Marist is definitely a school that our women can’t take for granted. They first knocked out the 4 seed Ohio State team and then the 5 seed Middle Tennessee State team. So, even though our ladies are the 1 seed in the Dayton bracket, you can’t underestimate a scrappy 13 seed that keeps knocking off much higher seeds in the earlier rounds.

In stitching news, I’m gearing up for the Stitcher’s Retreat next week. I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll be taking a 3-hour class from the ladies at Brightneedle, a 2-hour class from the ladies at Sisters & Best Friends, and three 50-minute round robin classes from Brightneedle, Sisters & Best Friends, and Charland. I’ll end up with 5 class kits. Now I just have to figure out when I’ll have time to actually stitch them. LOL

On the health front, I have the date for my upcoming surgery finally. It will be at noon PT on Thursday, April 12. Given that it’s not a morning surgery, I’ll most likely end up staying the night at the hospital. I’m still trying to not let it worry me, but I’m really internalizing a lot of it. I have full confidence in my surgeon, but there is a part of me that really fears that something will go wrong and that I won’t make it. I’m trying my hardest to quell those feelings because I really believe a positive mental attitude has a lot to do with the ability one’s body has to heal itself quickly. I’ll definitely try to work in a lot of meditation time the week prior to my surgery to hopefully get my fears under control.

Well, I guess that’s it for now. In closing …

  Go Lady Vols!!!

Happy stitching!

Go Vols!!!

Since both the men’s & women’s teams from the University of Tennessee are in the NCAA basketball tournament, I have “adorned” myself in their honor.

Hopefully, in a couple of hours, I’ll be able to say both of our teams are in the Sweet 16!! Our men’s team has already made it and will be facing the fierce Buckeyes of Ohio State on Thursday night. Even as I type this, our Lady Vols are playing Pitt. We’ve taken an early lead of 19-7, so I’m hoping things will continue along this vein.

**UPDATE** Woo Hoo!!! Both teams made it to the Sweet 16!!!!

  Go Vols!!!

Last night was sampler guild. Thankfully it didn’t last too long since I wasn’t feeling too well. I did learn (in theory) how to do hemstitch last night, so I was happy about that. I’ve just never stitched a project that called for it or done any pulled thread work, so I never really had a reason to learn it. Our latest group project is My Stitching Chair Necessaire from Hillside Sampling, so I definitely had to learn it finally. Now I just need to figure out when I’ll have time to stitch this project along with everything else I would love to stitch. So many projects, so little time.

Happy stitching!

Bunnies!!

Oooh, look what I got today! I love it!!

I haven’t done much stitching lately. I just haven’t felt up to it. I do need to get a Quaker RR piece finished, so that will be my focus for the next couple of days.

I did get together with some local stitchers on Saturday though and had a really great time. I had the pleasure at that GTG of getting to meet Dani who is just awesome! We all met up initially at Stitcher’s Treasures for some shopping. I did pretty cool and managed to leave with only 3 cute little bunny Easter egg needlepoint canvases that were on sale for 40% off.

I did end up with 2 other charts, but I didn’t purchase them that day. Several of us had placed a group order with The Scarlet Letter and we got our charts that day. So, I’m now the proud owner of Ann Grimshaw 1818 and the American Quaker Band Sampler. Now I just have to find time to stitch them.

Thanks for the comments and emails I’ve gotten about my upcoming surgeries. I still don’t have an exact date yet, but it looks like it will be either the first or second week or April. I’m doing so-so in dealing with my anxiety over this. Some days I do OK, and other days I’m scared out of my wits about it. I was actually OK with it all until my doctor said, “Well, now I do have to warn you that there are definite risks with this surgery causing possible damage to your vocal cords, carotid artery, and/or your juggler vein.” Yeah, those are just NOT words one wants to hear. I’m just trying to focus on that fact that I have an EXCELLENT surgeon and have full confidence in his abilities.

I guess that’s it for now. Happy stitching!

Sunday, March 18

Breakfast:
Apple-Cranberry bran muffin - 2.8

Lunch:
Bolono sandwich - 4
FF Pringles w/salsa - 1.5
baby carrots - 0
tomatoes - 0

Dinner:
Boca lasagna - 5.4
Artichoke hearts - 0
1/2 tsp canola oil - 0.5
RF parmesan cheese - 0.5
Pumpkin smoothie - 2.0

Snacks:

Total: 16.7
WPA balance: 28.7
Water: 48 oz

Saturday, March 17

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Breakfast:
Apple-Cranberry bran muffin - 2.8

Lunch:
Enchiladas - 8
Rice - 3
Refried beans - 3
Tortilla chips - 3

Dinner:
Southwest salad - 7
Apple chips - 2.5

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 36.3
WPA balance: 28.7
Water: 48 oz

Friday, March 16

Breakfast:
Toast - 1
Veggie omelette - 2.4
AB chai latte - 0.8

Lunch:
Bolono sandwich - 2
baked Tostitos Scoops w/salsa - 3.3
Baby carrots - 0
Tomatoes - 0
Pumpkin smoothie - 2.0

Dinner:
Veggie burgers - 2.6
FF Pringles w/salsa - 1.5
Apple chips - 2.5

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Z-bars - 4.0

Total: 25.7
WPA balance: 34.7
Water: 80 oz

Thursday, March 15

Breakfast:
Toast - 2
Banana - 2

Lunch:
6″ veggie delite - 4
FF Pringles w/ salsa - 1.5

Snack:
Pumpkin smoothie - 2

Dinner:
6″ veggie delite - 4
FF Pringles w/ salsa - 1.5
Frozen yogurt - 5

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Z-bars - 4

Total: 29.6
WPA balance: 34.7
Water: 64 oz

I’m still here

Sorry I haven’t updated in so long. The past month has been a bit rough for me both physically and emotionally. I’m hanging in there though. There’s going to be lots of little updates in this entry just because it’s been so long since I’ve updated. Sorry for not giving more details on things, but if you have any questions, just ask in a comment or email and I’ll get back to you.

On the stitching front, I’ve done some more work on Taj Mahal. Here is my latest progress pic at 66 hours of stitching time:

I’ve also been stitching on The Token by Long Dog Samplers. I don’t have a progress pic on it yet because I’ve just started working on it. I’m stitching it over 2 on 40-count Vintage Basketweave Lakeside Linen using Vikki Clayton’s Kodiak Bear 5141 (formerly Wenge). I really love how it’s looking so far. I’ll try and take a picture soon.

I’ve also been learning needlepoint/counted canvas. I’m really loving it! It’s been a nice change of pace from cross stitch and I love all the texture you can create with it. I have an ornament happy dance already and will soon have a sampler finished as well. Here are a couple of pictures: (I’ve actually done quite a bit more on the sampler, but this is my most current pic.)

My next project is going to be a Halloween piece called Pumpkin Patch. It’s an absolutely adorable piece with 3 pumpkins on it and a glow-in-the-dark moon done in a big Jessica stitch. Here is a picture of my fiber toss and canvas for that piece:

I got lots of goodies from the birthday exchange I’m in this year. Rather than posting a lot of individual pictures, I’m just going to post a link to that album in my photo gallery. I did get one other gift from Wendy, but I’ve not gotten a picture uploaded yet. She set me several skeins of overdyed fibers. There is also a picture there of the package I sent to Jenny for her birthday earlier this month. Here’s the link:

Birthday Exchange Album

Lastly, on the medical front — I had my latest appointment with my neurosurgeon yesterday. He finally got the MRI films from the orthopedist and had a chance to review them. It turns out that not only do I have one herniated disc in my neck, I have two! I also have a pinched ulna nerve in my right elbow that’s been causing all the numbness in my right hand. So, I have the joy of needing two surgeries. If at all possible, he’s going to try and do them both on the same day. He will do the spinal fusion first and if everything goes normally and there are no complications, he’ll do the elbow surgery after that. I’m not sure yet exactly when it will be, but it shouldn’t be too long. It will take 7-10 days for the approval from the insurance company to come through and then we’ll schedule an actual date for the surgery. He said I should expect a recovery period of around 12-14 weeks. I’m trying not to let myself be too anxious about it, but it’s hard not to worry when one knows they’ll be going under the knife.

Well, I guess that’s it from me for now. Happy stitching!

Wednesday, March 14

Breakfast:
Toast - 2
Banana - 2

Lunch:
Vegetable chili - 5
Carrot muffin - 3.6

Dinner:
Veggie pizza - 8.7
Apple chips - 2.5

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 30.8
WPA balance: 34.7
Water: 64 oz

Tuesday, March 13

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Breakfast:
Toast - 2
Banana - 2
FF yogurt - 1.2
AB chai latte - 0.8

Lunch:
Veggie burgers - 2.6
Cheese - 2.4
Baked Tostitos Scoops w/salsa - 3.3
Baby carrots - 0
Tomatoes - 0

Dinner:
Bolono & cheese sandwich - 4.2
FF Pringles w/salsa - 2.0
Apple chips - 2.5

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 30.0
WPA balance: 34.7
Water: 64 oz