jumping back in with both feet

It's hard to believe it's been over a year since I last posted to this blog...well, actually, maybe not so hard to believe! It's been a strange ride so far this year. I've tried to start this post a few times, each time explaining what's taken me so long to get back to blogging, but I just felt like I was rambling too much, so here are the bullet points!

• our election last November in the US - still has me flummoxed, dismayed, embarassed...so many emotions that some days it's hard to believe I am really awake - but, enough said
• after 21 years at the Oregon City Public Library, I retired at the first of the year. I miss some of the people, but I love being home!
• in February, I had to have surgery on my eyes - retinal tears on the left, almost complete retinal detachment on the right (and then cataract surgery as well) - the recovery was long and uncomfortable - little reading, no stitching or driving
• finally able to get back to "normal" in June - I feel like I have so much catching up to do!
• we were able to take a wonderful vacation to Kauai in October

I had such great plans in January to stitch all the things I had been putting off, but when I couldn't stitch, I just added to my stash instead - online shopping is wonderful! 

When I got back to stitching, the first thing I wanted to do was tackle some of my WIPs. I had joined the Year of WIPs challenge with the Soulful Stitching Facebook group at the end of last year. The goal was to finish at least half of the WIPs we chose. I picked 16 pieces (one is a round robin that I still have to finish). So far, I have finished 12 pieces! These aren't all of my WIPs by any means...I don't even want to count them all! But it sure has made a dent, and I am pretty sure I will be joining in again for next year.  These are a few of my finishes:

Tea with Jane Austen from TheSampler Girl

                                                    Love Letters Celtic from Ink Circles
                                               

                                                Stawberry Garden from Blackbird Designs

                                            Abigail Gould Sampler from The Scarlet Letter


I've also joined Stitch from Stash for the coming year. When I wasn't able to stitch I just spent my time adding to an already huge stash, and then I found so many patterns that I had forgotten I had. So I know that I have plenty to keep me busy in 2018!

If you're reading this, thanks for not giving up on me after all this time, and if you're a new reader, thanks for taking a chance! With all the Facebook groups and Flosstube, it seems that so many people have abandoned their blogs. But I think I have also noticed a trend back to blogging, and I know that I, for one, have been loving getting back to reading everyone's blogs.

So, I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday...whatever it is that you celebrate. And that 2018 has lots of good stitchy times in store for you.

Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to be kind to each other.

lynda