I'm back :)

Dad has been gone 6 months today, I still can't believe it.  My life has completely been overtaken by events surrounding his death, but aside from wishing he was still with us, I wouldn't change anything.
Moving back to Erie has allowed me to spend time with my mom, connect with high school classmates, pick up my stitching and crocheting again, and enjoy the beautiful fall weather that Northwestern PA is so famous for, leaves with burst of colors, long winding country roads and watching all the farms do their annual fall harvesting.

So we are somewhat settled in our new little ranch house, it sure is nice being on one floor!(next major project is to create an upstairs laundry room)  I love having a pool, we kept it open all of Sept.  (the gas company loves their new customers too)  it was lovely having a heater and swimming every night.  Best sleep I have had in forever, evening swim and then right to bed.

My childhood home was sold, along with 44 acres of Concord grapes, we just had our final harvest last week, I will surly miss that.  Mom is now in her new little home just 2 miles down the road from the farm.  We are still trying to get her to adjust, she is having her good days and bad days as are to be expected after her and dad were married just short of 62 years.  I am glad we are short drive away from here.  She remains stubborn, had to buy this house, and now she regrets the purchase wishing she would have moved in with us as first planned, ugh!  Had to buy a mini van, now it's too big for her, ugh!  Growing pains, lol.  I can only laugh, at least she is keeping us busy.  She now understands that no major changes should occur in the first year.  She know she is surrounded by love from my brothers and I and we will do what it takes to keep her happy as best we can. Dad will never come back but we can keep our promise to him - taking care of mom, everything is for mom.  

You would think I could behave and be happy with all my stash that I have accumulated over the past 30 years, but nooooo, I still jump online and buy more patterns....damn you designers, damn you, I have no will when it comes to all the lovely patterns and floss and fabrics.....when I die, just roll me in a bolt of linen, make me like a mummy with all of my overdyes!  When the mail comes I have to hurry and thow packages in my car so hubby doesn't see them, and then when I open them, I have to peel the price lables off so he doesn't see that when they show up in my bag (oh that?   I bought that a few months ago....it was on sale....)  sound familiar?  I have even ordered patterns from Canada now, Traditional Stitches was the only place I could find "Merry One" from Plum Street Samplers when the store I ordered it from originally was sold out and I called a few of my other online stores.  Yes, I have an addiction....

I don't have any pictures to show at the moment, I will have to do that from my other computer...as for finishes, I don't think I have any, lots of wips though.  I picked up Cinnamon Stars that I started 2 or 3 years ago when the chart came out?  I have been trying to concentrate on that before I start something new.  I surly have 20 wips in various levels of completion.  Am I the only one living in this chaos?

I have been job searching, not too much to choose from without my masters degree.  I am however qualified to be a substitute teacher, so I working on that at the moment, just waiting for my orientation next week and the last of my background checks to come back and the physical I need to schedule...then I can pick and choose assignments,  the flexibility will be nice, I will be still be able to help mother out and get some stitching in.

I hope everyone is blessed and enjoying this fall weather. 
Happy Halloween! 
Be blessed!
Hugs and stitches
Dawn