A little scary

This morning I couldn't remember where I parked last night. I thought I remembered but then I didn't see the car and it made me think of when my car was stolen and I tried to not freak out but to calmly turn around and think harder about where I might have left it last night. I did find it eventually.

But scarier than that was seeing my Judah-kitty have a small seizure last night. There was nothing I could do for him. His neck and head kept twitching as he was struggling to get up. The two sad, little meows that escaped while it was happening. It breaks my heart a little. He seems like he's doing OK now which is good. He's walking fine and eating and all the normal things cats do. But if you get a minute think good thoughts for him.

Floating Away

Every so often I get offers for free magazines. Most of them I turn down. Just a few moments ago it was Psychology Today. But I have gotten a few years worth of People en Espanol and Spin. I had a year's worth of Art in America. The PAW which comes less than weekly despite the name. But at one point it was every single week. For Christmas my parents got me Smithsonian. I've gotten the first issue of Hispanic Business. I get Ministry Today at work. And I get Elle Decor. I've paid nothing for any of these. I kind of think this is crazy. And good. But also bad. Because this means I have lots of extra magazines floating around that I don't actually read.

Today I'm tempted to get National Geographic for $10. Who doesn't love National Geographic? But I've got magazines up to my eyeballs so I've refrained from ordering a subscription for myself. That doesn't mean that my Christmas shopping hasn't officially started though.

I'm also very bad at throwing magazines away so they just accumulate. What do you do with yours?

(mostly) Wordless Wednesday

The day I have been waiting for

with changing leaves and the bright blue sky. It's been such a rainy October. Something they keep saying over and over and over again on the news. I get it. Rainy. Precipitation. Overcast. I just lived through it. But we've had a few of these gorgeous fall days lately and I'm grateful for them.

Also a gratuitous sunset shot:

I used my car as a tripod, hence the reflection.

I've been feeling kind of crappy lately. Headache yesterday and Saturday. I woke up at 2:30 this morning with such pain above my right eye I almost cried. I took some painkillers and went back to bed. I felt better this morning but have felt all day as though the pressure in my head could easily turn quite stabby. It hasn't yet. I am grateful for that as well.

How did it get to be November already?

Have I made you hungry?

Yesterday I had an old friend surprise me by stopping by the office. I had an errand to run so I walked out with her to her car. My errand was to finally get E's birthday gift sent. His birthday was in August. This birthday gift that contains some Halloween fun. Halloween which is in two days. I had an "O Crap!" moment Tuesday night and determined that I would have to send this package out UPS. The UPS Store is next to a new little bakery. Hello cupcake!

Wordless Wednesday

Stitchy britches

If you didn't read the comments on the last post, I would like to point out the excellent note that Kim left regarding someone's shrink's office decor - a plaque that reads "Change or Suffer". I've decided I need to stitch that phrase for my very own office. And perhaps my home so I have a little reminder for me too a la Subversive Cross Stitch. Do you know about Subversive Cross Stitch? It makes me laugh. I don't think I could hang something that rude on my wall at home or at work but that's what makes them so fabulous. And the ones that combine all the frilly, traditional cross-stitch patterns with the rude words are the best. It makes you look twice.

However, I am not so good with The Math. Which, if you are planning out your own pattern, is helpful. But! There are sites set up to choose your font and it will make your pattern for you. This is awesome for people like me. So last night I looked through my many pattern books for a frilly border and played with the chart generator to come up with something that I like. As I was looking through my books I came across several half-done projects. I thought I had given up on cross-stitch, quite frankly. But for some reason, this project is calling me back to it.

Also, a sneak peak of a gift I finished this weekend. Do you ever have those times when things just jump into your cart or arms as you wander the store? That's what happened to me with this fabric. I did not need more of this type of fabric. But oh my heavens! It was too cute to leave languishing in the store.

Sometimes the answer is "no"

I don't like being the person who makes you look at yourself hard and long and maybe coming to a conclusion that you don't like. I hate making myself do that. I would much rather operate under my illusions and unrealistic expectations, thank you very much. There are usually tears involved.

Today I made someone cry. Granted, that person had pulled an all-nighter, the second this week, but still, it was not a fun thing. I love this person. I just want there to be some clear expectations and some realistic evaluation of what is happening. When something is way down on the priority list sometimes it means that someone else who can place this thing higher on their list needs to step up and take over. It's a hard realization.

So today, I am reality. Reality is no fun.