Stitching, T-Ball, Spring and More

 Time is getting away from me. Here it is the middle of March already. It came in quiet and springy. It is a little cold tonight, but I really can't complain.

I completed my March Christmas ornament. This time I stitched from the book called The Magic of Christmas in Cross Stitching. There is pretty much nothing in this book I don't love and it always lends itself to a fun stitch.

I used a bright red gingham for the back. I think a little red felt heart would be cute on the back, but I haven't done that yet. I will one day:)

The beauty of these is I am using things I have in my stash. Here are the 3 thus far.

After I finished it into ornament status Saturday morning, I spent a little bit of time in my sewing room tidying. It is the one room in the house that I can let get too messy and then it drives me insane. It was headed that way, so I got in there and cleaned up and then pulled out my project bags. I gave each one some thought and decided I loved some and wanted to keep them to do at some point and I got real with myself and put 2 away that I had lost interest in. I didn't even get sad over it. 

I had watched 2 videos that kind of gave me some new inspiration. Well, honestly they didn't make me buy new stuff but just sent me in a different direction with my stash. I have had 2 things in my head for 2 years that I wanted to do. One of those was going to require some thought much like the names for my grandchildren do...in other words, creating something completely original to me but using some old patterns to start me on that path.

Yes, I am leaving a little mystery there. Time will show what I am talking about. However, to finish out this month I am doing a small Easter pattern that I have wanted to do since last year. Then I am starting a larger piece, but not a gigantic piece. I think I am through with gigantic, but never say never.

Now, onto other things. The azaleas had a banner season this year which made up for my camellia bust. I think I must have driven Jeff nuts for 2 weeks saying how pretty they all were. They are done now and I even got out and trimmed them yesterday. No one is allowed to touch azaleas but me. Definitely do not touch with a hedge trimmer. I have been known to go off the rail about that.

I have brought out some Easter decor to mix in with St. Patrick's. 

Here are just a couple of pictures to share some of it. The nest is real, the eggs are fake.

I snipped a few azaleas from the back to enjoy in the house.

Now the bunny and the eggs are alone.

Miles has an Easter basket to match his cousins.

May I tell y'all just how much fun t-ball is as a grandparent vs the team mom and coaching parents of a kid playing t-ball? 

Tucker was so cute. We went to opening ceremonies and games already. 

I am enjoying watching the little ones playing. Tonight a dad had to go out to third base to pull a tooth. I mean ---priceless. Apparently the little boy had been wiggling it for days.

Miles had his first boat ride.

The fight for the chair is real. Gus is winning.

Now for a mouse story.

I am still not able to really write about Lindsay and Tyler's rat story, but that is what caused their flooded house and the insurance company did finally come through and the process has begun. Floors have been started and hopefully soon all will be like it never happened. One day I might be able to write the story.

I had my own story, but mine was a tiny mouse. Don't you doubt for a second what even a little mouse can do. One got in and I feel certain it was because Jeff likes to leave the garage door up too much on the weekends. I saw signs and immediately set out traps. We determined after the first night of traps he was a mouse because he could get the food off the big trap without tripping it. I went and got sticky traps and we set those out with the old fashioned wooden mouse traps. Those are generally the best for our area. Someone asked if this might be a Florida thing who read the story via an email. Yes, I think it is more prevalent here than elsewhere. It is interesting how many horror stories we have heard since Lindsay's story. 

Anyway, the first night of the sticky trap the little monster got stuck on it and Jeff was still in the living room dozing in the chair. He heard and got up to go see, but he was gone along with the trap so he just walked out to deal with it the next morning. The next morning there was a mouse on the wooden trap so we pulled the stove and refrigerator out figuring that was where he had been. Sure enough the sticky trap was turned upside down. My guess is he ran under the stove and the cord that comes up from the wall but at floor level caught the sticky trap and he was able to pull away and then got caught later by the wooden trap. I did put out traps for several days later to make sure there was not more than 1. Well, I told Jeff to leave the stove out as I would clean back there while it was out. Upon further inspection the little monster had chewed on the cord and had probably for more than one day. If he had not gone in there with the sticky trap ---well, we could have had a fire. Paul Allen had one of the electricians he works with to come out and look at it. It was just something we could tape, but now I am going to have to check it on a regular basis to relieve my worries. They really are horrid little monsters, so if a mouse can do that then you can imagine what a huge rat can do to cords and drain lines, etc. 

Until next time,

Sandy