The eye's have it

Been a rough month, between coughing enough to end up with a detached retina, surgery to fix that, and the annoying side effects of the surgery, namely a "bubble" in my eye that moves when I shake my head. It sort of sloshes around, and is kind of annoying. Makes it hard to read, write, and worst of all, nearly impossible until this past week to knit, doodle, or make jewelry.

I'll have some glorious pieces to post once I figure out how to take a halfway decent picture AND how to post them here. There were some beautiful finds in Tucson from my friend and "personal shopper" Lizzie from Copper Rocks -- and a collection of gifts from her and my friend Michelle in my last cab order. Suffice to say I probably have enough cabs right now to last me until Tucson next year. I don't think I could be trusted to make the trek to Tucson myself, though, unless I wanted to mortgage the house. I have almost as little self-control when it comes to rocks as I have with sock yarn.

Friends

I've been quiet the past week or so. Intentional, since I'm really trying to start and end my day with some sort of good thought instead of hitting the floor in the morning whining. Oh, I've whined off and on to my on-line friends, but I've really friend to limit that. I know we all have our issues, and when all is said and done, mine aren't that bad in the scheme of things.

When I brought in the mail yesterday there was a package, and my first thought was "great, [unnamed vendor] finally sent my rock order.". But no, that wasn't it.

One of those "on-line" friends sent me a daily devotions book. She just felt that I needed it. It dawned on me. It was getting hard to start my day with good thoughts when I didn't start and end it with God. So, Diane, and Reverend Graham, I'm starting and ending my day with God.

For those who declare that on-line friends aren't real friends, I wholeheartedly disagree. Friends are those who care about you, who give you a [virtual] shoulder to cry on, who celebrates your victories and lift you up in your defeats. They're the people who will tell you when you're right, but can also tell you when you're wrong.

Doodles, jewelry, and yarn...oh, my!

Too many vices? Maybe.

I like having a release for my pent-up inner artist. Ok, and having people compliment me is pretty darn cool too.

Now, if there were some way that the doodles, jewelry, and knitting could somehow use only 1 stash, and that stash would magically refuse to take over every corner of my house, I'd like that. Hey, I have simple demands -- I don't ask for much.

Buh-bye, 2011!

So long. Farewell. Ciao. Go away.

No, this won't be a list of resolutions. When I make those I set myself up for failure. Besides, resolutions are supposed to be measurable and attainable. So this is just a short list of things I'll try to work on:

I want to be more faithful in my prayer life.

I want to whine less. I know this means that I might not update people on some bad things I'm experiencing, but I want to at least know that I started and ended each day on a good note.

I want to empathize more with what others are going through instead of throwing in a similar thing I've experienced to show them that "I understand.". That just moves the focus to me' and that isn't where it should be.

As far as arts and crafts are concerned, I need to finish knitting projects before I start others. I have yarn to last years, so hold off purchases for a while. Work on jewelry so I can begin selling it.

And back to prayer, continue to pray throughout the year for peace, health and happiness for my friends and family.

2 nights and counting

Slept again last night, and after 5-ish hours of that woke up surprisingly refreshed. Refreshed enough to haul my butt out of bed, get dressed, go shopping for the groceries I missed getting on Sunday morning's Kroger run, and pick up the Christmas gift cards and cards to stick them in. What did we used to do before stores started selling gift cards for other stores? I know I might lose my chick-card for admitting these, but I hate shopping with a passion.

Well, except for yarn shops and jewelry supplies. But those don't count, do they?

Just need to add that it is NOT beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It's rainy and foggy and looks more like a miserable day in March instead of the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. And it really is the most wonderful time.

Infinite Kitten gets some rest

Not nearly enough rest, to be sure. But something is better than nothing, no?

I'd love to say my time away was spent doing wild and crazy things. Or sunning myself on a cruise someplace warm. Maybe YOU were doing that while I was away. If so, I really don't want to know.

No, I've been spending my time, well, I'm not quite sure what I've been up to. I know what I haven't been doing. I haven't been finishing the red sweater I wanted to wear for Christmas. There's still plenty of Michigan winter to wear it. I haven't been Christmas shopping. I haven't been making Christmas cards like I planned to. Shoot, only about 10 friends are getting cards and I just got those addressed.

I know what I NÉED to be doing. I mean besides the obvious things like housework, and feeding the poor starving ca't who's been throwing herself at the closed bedroom door for the better part of an hour.

I really should be working on a game plan and firm up my ideas for putting my Etsy account up to sell some things. What things, you ask? Jewelry, for starters. The stone cabs are an addiction I could do without, but darnitall, they're pretty. And if I sell some wire wrapped pendants maybe that vice could support itself. Maybe I could draw some zentangles cards to just include one with the order, kind of an ATC (artist trading card) sized one with a thank-you written on the back as a way to introduce those into the Infinite Kitten line.

When Infinite Kitten fires up the Etsy site, you'll all be the first to know.

Self control? What's that?

I exhibited a lot of self control today. The problem is that things I didn't show a lot of self control over are starting to arrive. 'Tis the season and all of that. No, it's not that bad. Just nuts. Ok, nuts and nut candies. And fruitcake.

I guess the good news is that the neighborhood squirrels didn't tear into the boxes that sat on my porch all afternoon. No, I'm serious. That's a real problem around here. About 5 years ago those fluffy-tailed rats helped themselves to a 5 lb. box of cocoa butter that I ordered for soap making. So leaving my nuts alone was a good thing.

Now, if I don't get back to knitting my Christmas sweater I'll never get it done!