January 23, 2026

It has been 2 plus weeks since I last posted, so here we go. We will talk about stitching, puttering around the house, the weather and family stuff.  I think I found enough pictures to break up the words without family being the focus.

First up is what I have been stitching...

I did quit procrastinating and finish The Twelve Days of Christmas. I like it, but it would have looked better framed. Live and learn.

I may fluff it a bit more next Christmas. 

I am currently stitching for another daughter of our friends. You may remember I stitched a verse for Laura on her high school graduation. Her sister Alayna is who told me she would like it. I didn't love the framing, but I was in a rush to do it. 

I had no idea these girls would be so crazy about my stitching. I am now stitching Alayna something I have stitched before. I think it is a just right piece for her. She is still in school working on a master's, but she is working full time too and moved to her first place on her own. I am stitching the sandpipers that I did here. I am enjoying every stitch even though it wasn't that long ago. My favorite designer has definitely become The Crossed Wing Collection. I love stitching the wildlife and plants. I know it seems odd to some, but they are purely delight to stitch.

I am also stitching on a small piece mostly because I am impatient. I am looking ahead to this summer I really wanted a patriotic stitch to commemorate the  Semiquincentennial. I have so many patriotic stitches so I really don't need another one, but it is not everyday a nation celebrates 250 years. I downloaded a pdf stitch from Etsy. Here is the picture of it from the pattern.

From Needle Treasure Nook

I do plan to change the stars to 1776 and the 1776 to 2026. I also am using brighter colors than the pattern called for. They don't look all that muted in their picture but the floss choices are more muted.

I have been working on those hotspots I mentioned in my last post. For almost a week I just walked into the 2 rooms with the problems and pondered the situation before I ever started trying to solve the issues. Both rooms and their problems ended up being connected.

This bedroom has too many things from Mama's house just laying around. Mainly photographs. I worked so hard on them, but I am left with photos that I will probably sort out of albums and either give away or throw away. I can't do that for now, but I have procrastinated finding a home for them. I finally go in there and consolidated some of the bins and rearranged the closet in that bedroom to hold the stuff. It feels so much better when I walk in that room not to see all that sitting out in the floor. Now, I can NOT open the closet or I feel like I am going crazy.

One corner looking so much better. 

Notice that TV in the room. 

That cause the problem in the sewing room. 

I once had the printer on that little table in that room. Didn't love it, but it wasn't a thing you used often. You can even see the printer paper still on that table under the TV.

We moved the printer causing me much trouble to put a TV in there when Mama was here after her fall a few years back. We had cable then, so we moved her a rocking chair and TV in that room. The chair is with her now and that TV just sits. We no longer have cable and I haven't bought a device for it to read the Internet. It is just taking up space and will continue for now.

The printer went to my sewing counter which was driving me NUTTY!

I found a new home for the printer and the counter looks better. I will still have to deal with the stacks that I make. I am a stacker. It is not my best trait. I use this counter to fold clothes, organize taxes, and sew or finish a cross stitch piece. It is multipurpose so I need to keep it somewhat neat. The plant is only there for winter.

I have been working on a few more projects, but that will do for now.

I framed Lindsay some beach pictures for her new office. She had a big wall as you enter her office and a conference table. I think our inexpensive plan worked out well.

Last Sunday before dawn just as local meteorologists said there was a snow flurry.

I am no longer interested at all. No snow I say!!!

I think it is looking a little more possible later this next week. Two years in a row....weird!!!

I am over winter. I have tried to a be a good winter girl. I really and truly have. I have done well, but I am telling Mr. Weather ---February 1st, Sandy is looking for springy weather. 

I bet he is listening!

January entertains me with the ducks and pelicans.

Close up of them.

First camellia bowl of 2026.

Valerie turned 1.

I made her a smash cake and cupcakes. We added a set of zoo animals with tutus and birthday hats. A zoo visit was done rather than a traditional party.

(The boys all promptly removed the tutus.)

Mama has been filling her time crocheting again. She made this one for Valerie.

Gus interrupting my nap. 

He did decide to let me finish.

Hoping everyone stays warm,

Sandy

October 18, 2025

As usual, time just gets away with life. I am still kicking, but was surprised that 3 weeks had passed so quickly. 

Here goes a catch up post.

*****

I have been stitching on 2 things. This first one I was enjoying, but I came across something that would make a wonderful Christmas gift if I can finish it. 

First up is the one I have been working on for fall.

The pattern is below and I think because of the pattern that AIDA will work quite well.

I ordered it from 123 Stitch and it may have to be finished for Fall 2026, since I did come across a pattern for the gift. It is a 12 Days of Christmas pattern and I immediately thought of a good friend who has helped me so much in the past few years. She has held my hand through so much of Jeff's diagnosis of Parkinson's so... if I can finish it that would be nice. I won't worry about it, just try.

Here is the pattern from Stoney Creek. My friend Anne loves the Christmas lights at Calloway Gardens. I specially remember the 12 Days of Christmas from last year when we went together. 

I am stitching them altogether in a grid and thinking a quilted type finish to hang on a door would be a nice finish. We will see what I come up with when I finish the stitching. I started from the bottom and plan to do 4 rows of 3. I have a little more to stitch on number 10.

Now, for some things going on here in the last 3 weeks...

I finally decorated for fall inside and now I feel like life is going by very rapidly. I always feel like fall is the fastest season. I am not sure why, but before you know it is Thanksgiving and people have already forgotten that and have decorated for Christmas. I am a huge Thanksgiving fan. 

I think the weather has been amazing here. It is not what people think of when they think of fall, but it is beautiful nonetheless. 

Blue skies. Perfect warm weather. Lights changing but still giving me plenty of it. Cotton fields a bloom still while some has been harvested and you get those big beautiful bales. All of it reeks of fall in northwest Florida.

I did plant my orange pansies yesterday. I love that they will take me through the winter.

***

Little Valerie at church in one of the dresses Mama smocked for Lindsay all those years ago. She is a cutie in it.

***

We have had another home improvement project this month. It was a quick one and only took a couple of hours. I mentioned earlier that after the removal of the pine trees the kitchen and living room got tons of sun and heated up pretty intensely.

We have thought about lots of options, but Jeff remembered at our previous home we had one of those half circle windows above the French doors in a vaulted great room. It let in a lot of sun and heat in the afternoons. We had gotten a window tinting on it and it had solved the issue. That was 35 years ago, so our thoughts were it would be much improved now.

We had them do the bay windows in the kitchen pictured above and the French doors in the living room right behind my stitching chair. That is all we did. I had really observed the situation for a while and think that will take care of it. We decided we can always add more windows if needed. 

The day we had them install was an overcast day, so we couldn't really tell what it would be like.

You can see that is it darker than the doors out to the deck by the table. We didn't want them all done because it will make the room a good bit darker. We have had several weeks to think it over and I must say we are good with the decision. At first it was liking looking through some lighter sunglasses, but the view is not obstructed with curtains or blinds. We are totally used to the new look now.

The outside does have a darker look, but we have dark screens so we got out on the boat the next day and it is not an issue at all. In fact, the next picture the doors do not have film on them....

and the ones below are the ones that we covered by my stitching chair in the living room. 

We just didn't notice much from the boat so I think we are all good. 

The plus side is if we ever sell, this is removable if future owners didn't like it.

***

Jeff is pictured with Paul Allen's dog, Dansby below. They were at the vet. You may want to caption it and then I will tell you what was happening.

The day before Paul Allen arrived home to discover Dansby had eaten 2 boxes of raisins. If you don't know, raisins are highly toxic and can cause kidney failure. Paul Allen gets home after picking up Miles and I take Valerie to him about 5 minutes after he arrives home. I walk in and he is on the phone with the vet. They told him if he could get Dansby there in 20 minutes they could see him, otherwise it would be an emergency vet. I told him to go. I had the kiddos. 

They gave him a shot to cause him to throw up. He threw up 36 raisins and had to drink about a liter of charcoal water. He was fine the remainder of the day. They wanted to take his bloodwork the next morning to make sure he was all good, so Jeff took him in the next day. He was sitting on the floor, but decided he needed to be closer to Jeff while waiting. Fortunately, he is fine.

***

Now, for a funny...

Miles and Palmer were talking and Palmer who takes after me and loves dogs. I mean as much as me.

So, he asked Miles if he liked Dansby. Miles said, "Not really, but my dad really does."

This is funny on many accounts. The conversation between a 3 year old and a 4 year old, but also truth. Miles has no interest in the dog. Palmer can't imagine that.

***

We went as family to Auburn last weekend. We had bought tickets for the kids to go to the game and we kept the grandchildren. It also turned out that long time friends were there as well.

A little backstory...

Jeff and the other Jeff have been friends since junior high. They were roommates in Auburn. I met Jeff in our apartment complex and the other Jeff met his wife in that same complex too. They lived here in Fort Walton all of our kids' lives. We did a lot of life together. Lots of Auburn trips were made with our 2 (Lindsay and Paul Allen) and their 3 boys. It has been ages since all 9 of us have been together. And of course, now they are married with kids too. Jeff and his wife Nancy have a home on the same street as us in Auburn. Their permanent home is in Huntsville. 

We were altogether for the first time in ages. I thought the below picture was just precious.  Sam, the same age as Paul Allen and the father of twin boys and one on the way was making them all tell each other their names. I put stars on the ones that you could see their faces and are not mine. One of the twins is kind of hidden behind Palmer. There were 7 kids, 8 if you count Valerie.

They had lots of fun and there were some tired boys for Jeff and I to watch. Didn't have too much trouble getting them to bed.

***

Tucker has turned 7. I can not even believe that. 7 years ago he made me a grandmother. One of my best titles.

He is now old enough for a big bike. I feel like it is a new era for him.

He can ride it and Palmer not to be outdone has taken his old bike and will have it down soon. 

My life is completely busy with the kiddos and my mom and just the regular things of life. Sometimes I long for it to be a little less chaotic, but I would not change a thing about living near family. The boys are playing fall ball and it seems like someone always has an issue like a dog eating raisins. We took Lindsay's dog to the vet for a UTI 2 weeks ago. I am just glad I can help them out. 

I am thinking about making a list of all the things I can do in my sewing room or around the house for the months of November, December, and January when the sun goes down too soon. I want to try and avoid going to sleep too early. It is already happening. I need a list of things that I am mostly sitting to do but will keep me awake during those months for at least until 9:00.

We will see how successful I am. Determined not to dread those days this year!!!

For now, enjoying fall in Florida,

Sandy

Summertime Is Here

 After the surgery mess, I did take a full day to myself on Friday. Jeff and I did go and take a short walk on the beach early Friday, and I took Gus on a shorter walk than usual. He wasn't all that happy about that, but I plopped myself down in my clean house and read and stitched most of the day. I pretty much rotated between my 2 books and my stitching all day long. It was a very nice day if I must say so myself.

This did not seem to be Hank Heron (named after Hank Aaron). He didn't fly off and he let Gus and I walk around on the deck. Hank would not do this. Do we have a new guy or girl on the bayou? If so, he may be Lenny or Linda Longlegs.

This surgery tried to ruin our mini vacation to Cape San Blas, but I have recovered that. Woohoo! As for the surgery, the next date the doctor can do it is August 1st, but that is if United Health Care approves it. I am actually not holding out hope for that and honestly that is not a good date. I am praying and thinking to myself right after Christmas sounds about right. We shall just have to see what happens. I am not in charge of this...All in the Lord's hands. I will say I am thinking the insurance company is going to slow roll it until I am officially on Medicare. I did sign up the first week of June. Don't have my card yet, but I am sure it is in the system. I am going to go with Florida Blue which is Blue Cross in other places for my supplemental insurance. My mom has it and it has been a good fit for her. Enough of that. The waiting game is on.

Vacation had been canceled but a mini one has been rescheduled. I am all in for that.

These lush ferns look like they are suspended in air, but they are on the old wagon wheel and obviously loving life.

Gus turned 8 yesterday. Seriously, it seems like just yesterday we drove to west central Georgia to pick him out. 

He is a loyal boy. 

He goes everywhere I go. 

He loves to swim, take the same old paths for walks daily and is a good pal to the grandkids. 

Tucker has had his first tutoring day here and it went well. I think he was quite proud of himself. On one of his breaks he entertained himself by throwing a rope in to the water like he was casting a net. I'd say he did this about a 100 times. His form was pretty good. You may notice Gus is wet because he seemed to think he needed to go get the rope about that many times too.

Summer is here and it is time to be on the water and enjoying the fact that we live where people go to vacation. Valerie is learning young as each of the boys have.

The kids have all been getting out on Saturdays to either fish or swim. I have made it a point to sit on my deck in the mornings or evenings. 

Jeff's therapy went so well. I am so pleased about that. He is really trying to keep up with the things he taught him. I think he is early enough in his walk with this ugly disease to see the value of the therapy. I am grateful for that. One day at a time.

If I have learned anything about the trials that have come along lately, it is to value each day. 

I will be checking in with everyone today and I will share what I have been stitching on soon. 

Until next week,

Sandy

Leap Year 2024

 I feel like the following picture sums up this winter here in the Panhandle. Winter has had a record name of cloudy days. The rain would form in the Gulf and really not go the normal northeast direction but would often linger over us and then fizzle away. It has been the cloudiest on record for our area and FAR too COLD for my blood. I am over it and thought I would not make it:) but the sun came out at the end of last week and saved me from despair. Kind of sounds like a country song in the making. It is once again cloudy to end out February and I am ready for spring.

February has been once again so busy. At one point I was reading along with posts from my favorite bloggers and then this past week and I just gave up. I will catch up soon. I decided to instead try to put up one last post for the month with the good things in life!!!

This little stitch which I think is my second stitch that I ever stitched oh so long ago. I keep it right by the door in my sewing room/office as a good reminder of doing that...counting my blessings.

Even though my mood has been as cloudy as the weather some days, I know I am so blessed and always circle back to being grateful.

*****

I have been stitching only on my Ole Florida Sampler. I snapped a picture before moving the Qsnap.

Then here is the current state of stitching. I am progressing nicely and enjoying the stitch. I am almost at to the border on this side. 

Like I said, February has been fast and furious...

But the camellias have done their best to brighten moods. I have kept a bowl full all winter on the kitchen counter. These decorated the counter for Valentine's Day.

Where on that day, we had our small group Bible Study as usual. We all decided to forego trying to go out since it is hard to get a place anyway and do our usual night. I decided to make dessert for everyone.

The heart shaped brownies were topped with ice cream and chocolate syrup also.

Since it was the start of Lent, we also later had communion. It was the most wonderful way to spend the evening with friends in Bible Study, communion and fellowship.

Jeff decided to hire out the usual chore of putting fresh pine straw out and I didn't complain one bit.

I honestly enjoy working in my flowers and yard, but this year it seemed like such a gift to me to have it done. The guy showed up down the street doing a house. He was not mow, blow and go guy but a landscaper and outside house work guy.  Jeff quickly booked him.

He did an amazing job and I am honestly thrilled with it.

I know many thought I was crazy when I downsized my houseplants and my outdoor pots because I love growing things, but too many is when they become a burden rather than enjoyment. Jeff read his wife well this year and I am just ready for spring. 

Azaleas should be next on the blooms and the day lilies are breaking ground. I have the roses pruned but they seem to be dragging their tails. They will start popping when we have some significant sunshine.

Jeff and I traveled over to Cape San Blas last Saturday to make sure all our summer plans were good ones. It has already been 3 years since I turned 60 and the family went. We said it would happen again soon and yet we haven't made it back. Lindsay is the one to get the plans together and Mom and Dad made sure it was all paid for and set. We will go over again this summer and rent a boat this time. Last time was no fun for Jeff with taking ours. We tried to get the same house as last time, but it was already booked. Lindsay found us another one very similar so plans are made and this time there will be 3 little boys instead of just Tucker and hopefully before full on hurricane season. 

He has also planted himself a garden over at Paul Allen's house so he has something to do. Potatoes and onions are planted with tomatoes coming in March. 

That is the good stuff over here and the other stuff we all have our fair share of. Mom is about the same. She did fracture another piece of her back. No clue as to what she did to make that happen. It may be that her spine is just that weak. Plugging along===she is.

To end this post on Leap Year...

My first Springer Spaniel was a Lear Year Baby. Her name was Sally. We got her a few months after marrying and she became my first dog/CHILD. Never was a dog more spoiled than Sally. She lived 15 years and welcomed Lindsay and Paul Allen.  She loved our family well.

That is a wrap on February. Come on Spring. _Sandy

Finishing out January

 February has arrived but most of my thoughts today are from January. I tried to get back one more time before the month ended, but it was a busy busy week.

I complain about January like many of y'all, but honestly it is a great month for wildlife watching on the bayou and larger bay. I was sitting at the kitchen table early one morning and Gus was doing his morning watch on the upper deck when he took off from one side to travel to the other. I got up to see what he spotted and ....

it was an otter at the neighbors pier. I really didn't get a great picture of him. I mostly tried to video it rolling around on the grass and then swimming away. The above photo was a frame of the video. That was a great sight. I am so glad Gus goes out each morning to survey the bayou and spies cool things. 

Ducks and pelicans love to have conventions in our bayou each January. One afternoon, the bayou was full of blue bill ducks. Again, I didn't get good photos, but Paul Allen had just arrived home to pick up Miles for the afternoon and we got out the binoculars to look up close. He took this next picture through the lens...

Seeing all those cool animals is one of the good things about January, but like most I was so excited to turn the calendar page to February. It can be a temperamental month with weather. Wicked cold can still sneak in there, but it can bring spring like days too.

I was outside yesterday morning moving the rose pots on the bottom deck and clipping...not a full pruning, but that will happen this coming week. The downstairs was still strewn from filling the new seawall with dirt, so I needed to put the pots back in place. I will do a full pruning soon.

I am dreaming of spring already. Patience ---

but then the groundhog says I will get my wish with an early spring.

If y'all could see my pansies right now, you would not think I have a green thumb at all. They have just not been happy. I got out there today and deadheaded and gave them a dose of fertilizer hoping that will give the boost to go the next 2 months.

I stuck photos of Gus in since I don't have pretty flowers to show you. I do have camellias but I didn't take photos. He loves a good stick.

I also lost all of my geraniums so I picked up 2 new ones today and have them already potted on the back deck. I will be walking around with my pruners in hand this next week getting all the things that can be pruned this time of year. It fills me with excitement just thinking of it.

In other January news, Jeff and I traveled one Saturday over to Pensacola because I had heard that there was a new stitching store. Since, there has not been a local stitching store in our area since the 1980's, I had to check it out. The address was on the far side of Pensacola from me, but an address I recognized so we went over and ate lunch too. I do hope she makes it, but I felt like she needed a young person to help her with the marketing. Either way, the most exciting thing for me was to just see linen in person. I purchased 2 larger pieces and came away happy. 

We traveled back on the road by the beach. Beach views, barbecue and the promise of a stitching store made for a fun Saturday.

I have mostly been stitching away on my Florida sampler, but I will wait until I get a few more things finished on it to share again.

Big things happened here in the last 2 weeks. I finally convinced Jeff to cut the cable!!!!!!

I had long ago set up the TVs in the house with a chrome cast, but that cable remote was just too easy and convenient. Last week, I went a step further and set it up with the updated version of chrome cast that comes with a remote. We got Youtube TV and the remote works so well. You can even run the sound bar through it. He wanted a week to practice with it before he cut the cable, but the day arrived. He took all the stuff back yesterday and I did a happy dance! That bill bugged the stew out of me for some reason.

Lindsay and her family visited Disney in January too. They sent lots of pictures. You won't see any of Palmer with the characters. They were great fun as long as they weren't close.

When they got close, he hunkered down.

And just like that we have made it through January. I have stayed busy with my sorting and organizing in the house. You know the key to all of it is to bring less stuff in. I have done very little shopping in the last 3 years and quite frankly it has felt good. The one thing I did purchase last year was clothes. I love the newer pants styles, but even with my purchases I was careful to make wise purchases.  Winter is a good time to do all of that sorting and organizing and even going to bed early. I can see that the days is getting longer and I am all in for it.