Good Morning Calif.....

Hi Kim,

I just recently started and I'm doing the counted.  It's not easy, but it does keep me occupied and it's so cool to watch the picture all of a sudden be there.  I'm still only doing small ones that are very manageable for me.  I don't think I'm ready to go to one of those huge ones.  Not yet anyway.

Steph

Ok Steph.  Do you know how to find the center of the fabric, how to mark it and how to start off right? What is the stitch count of the fabric are you using and what size needle?                                                                                       Get really good at it and then I can show you how to work with waste canvas so you can cross stitch on fabric.  Talk about fun! 
Once you really get into it, you will notice a difference between Euporean designs and American designs.  Both are pretty.

Kim

Afternoon Lu and Cali gang
Am I ever so happy to be back in the land of Sunshine!  And Warmth!!  MoMo..how do you do it????  I have been freezing ever since we left a week ago Saturday for Washington!!  I should have known better after we woke up on Sunday (a week ago) in Weed and found an inch of SNOW on the ground that life as I knew it had drastically changed..and for the COLDER!  I mean, I layered thermals under sweaters under coats just to stay warm during the DAY...I won't even speak of the nites. :-9  Of course, all the Washingtonians just laughed at me...my grandkids were running around barefoot and in shorts!  Granted, the days were gorgeous (mid 60's most days) but dang!  There is still the chill factor to be considered :-(

Our visit was fabulous (even Lon's daughters were tolerable! hee hee) and we thoroughly enjoyed staying at Lon's son's house, with all 5 boys and some neighbor kids thrown in for additional fun. LOL  It was the drive home Saturday that just about killed us...as in freezing to death!  We 'threw a rod' in the engine 30miles north of Grants Pass OR...had to be towed twice and still ended up being parked in a parking lot of the auto repair shop where we have left the rig.  We thought we had electrical but blew the fuse on the outside pole so couldn't use the heater to keep warm.  Then we tried to use the propane heater inside the rig to stay warm...that worked until we ran out of propane.  It was frigg'n 28degrees outside!!

I now know the true meaning of FAMILY...Lon's son and daughter-in-law could be poster models in my book.  They drove 5hours from Toledo WA to Grants Pass, picked us up with our 4 dogs, 2 birds and as much 'stuff' as we could pack into the trunk and car. They then drove us all the way HOME, which was another 6 hours south.  They did a potty break and then hopped back into their car for the 11 hour drive back home to Washington.  Gratitude and Appreciation are just words...they will never express what we feel for those 2 'kids'....(46 & 34).

So, we are home safe and a little less sane than when we left our wonderful WARM California LOL  Ends up we have to get a new engine for the m/h but what are ya gonna do? We have put too much money into it to just junk it; and we love the rig!  Besides, I always believe that the Man Upstairs throws you garbage...just so you can make a beautiful garden with the compost ;-)  I learned a few things about myself this trip...valuable lessons, which I am so grateful for the opportunity.  Adversity will either destroy us or build up our character....I think I came out a much stronger, more compassionate and less negative person...pretty darn good for almost FREEZING to death!! LOL

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving...remembering just how fortunate we are.  I missed alot of what was going on here on the Boards, but I did try to pop in at least once a day..but I know I missed 'something' important LOL I look forward to catching up and hearing all about YOU...I've missed you all!
Hugs
Nancy aka Sunray