by Kat | Aug 1, 2019 | General, In This Moment
I woke up this morning thinking how nice that it was finally Friday and about 30 minutes later I realized it was Thursday. Sigh. I hope those were not the best 30 minutes of my day! Ha!
I am joining with Carole and Friends to share three things from my week thus far!
Thing One:
I went for my annual mammogram last Saturday… a necessary “irritation” I never expect it to “not be fine” but I am almost always called back for additional views. This year the place where I go is only using digital imaging and I did not need to go back for any additional views! Bravo for technology!
Thing Two:
I went to the dreaded DMV yesterday and unbelievably; technology has improved things there as well! I checked in and received a number which was immediately called… I am not kidding you. The thing that took the longest was the machine that immediately printed my new ID – I was in an out in less than 10 minutes! Well done PA for improving what was truly a painful experience.
Thing Three:
AUGUST! At long last July is over! Not that I am rushing summer, but I really needed to turn the page on July! My August calendar is a blank page… and I look forward to filling it with some very good things!
What about you? Did you have some very good things this week?
by Kat | Jul 26, 2019 | General, In This Moment
It is almost painful to type these words: The last weekend of July is upon us…and while I have no desire to return to the ungodly temps we had last weekend, I would like to put July on pause and slow down these days that are just racing by!
Thinking –
I did not make a “Summer Bucket List” this year, but with July almost over I have been thinking about what things I’d like to do before September is here. One thing I have wanted to do for some time is visit the Woodville Plantation which is around the corner from me. Sunday I will be able to check that off as I am going with a girlfriend!
Grateful –
I have struggled with finding gratitude in recent days and I realize that finding even one thing to be grateful for is crucial to my wellbeing. This morning’s Tiny Bit of Quiet is an excellent reminder to pay less attention to the “what” and more attention to the “how”… Today I will pay more attention to all the how’s of my day – and I am so excited to have this reminder that sometimes you need to change your focus, to look beyond.
Inspired –
By so many things! But this crossed my radar today and I love that steps can be art!
Finally –
I laughed at a tied vote between Daelyn and The Weekend yesterday. I bound off my Early Bloomer yesterday… she is having a bit of a spa treatment currently and I hope to be wearing her soon! And, I am hoping that plums will be available at the farmer’s market tomorrow – they are one of the best tastes of summer!
That is all I have for this week! Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jul 25, 2019 | General, In This Moment
It’s Thursday and I have three things to share so I am joining with Carole and friends again today!
This morning a curious quiet greeted me when I took Sherman out – no bird song, no frenzied hum of cicadas – just silence. It seemed that nature was reminding me that summer is fleeting, and I should spend more time enjoying it than I do complaining about it!
I am going to try and heed that advice, especially with warmer temps returning today.
Thing One:
This Willow Variation crossed my feed reader yesterday and I see a lovely flannel version in my mind – paired with a black long-sleeved shirt and leggings. Yes, fall is creeping into my mind – if ever so slightly!
Thing Two:
Last month I injured my ankle but after a couple of days, though it was still a little painful, I could walk and so I ignored it and carried on. And then July came and my focus to walk every single day happened, and by the 15th the pain was, well, much more painful. It was now constant pain, pain that interrupted me, and, yes – pain that stopped me from walking or doing Pilates. Enter, Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy. 10 days of Motrin and immobilization have helped considerably. Yesterday was day one of doing some very careful movements to stretch and build up the muscles and tendon and know what? I feel like I could walk today – but I won’t! I am going to get back on my Pilates mat today though and incorporate some more of the stretching and mobility exercises! Moral of the story… self-care is important and when your body is telling you something, don’t ignore it!
Thing Three:
So that yarn… I swatched, and swatched, and swatched – and no matter what needle I use, I CAN.NOT.GET.GAUGE!!! In fact, I could not even get close to gauge! And, then I took a breath and pulled out some leftover Joyful and swatched…perhaps the key is in the name, because I too was JOYFUL. I got gauge!! I have 1280+ yds and now that brown yarn is back in a pile by my desk. However, one of the swatches matches gauge to Andrea Mowry’s The Weekender and Isabell Kraemer’s Daelyn Pullover. So, my question for you… which would you choose and why?
Happy Thursday, everyone!
by Kat | Jul 19, 2019 | General, In This Moment
There is no black-and-white situation. It’s all part of life. Highs, lows, middles. – Van Morrison
Mary has challenged us this week to share #goodnewses, and, Gentle Readers… the struggle is real. How do you find good news when there is so much horrific news? Part of me feels that even finding something good is being a Pollyanna, especially not in the times we are living in. I think Van Morrison is right – it is not a choice of good over bad, but rather understanding that sometimes it is not either or, not good or bad, but rather just bad.
And, so rather than trying to write a forced TGIF post – today I am taking page from Michelle and sharing #atinybitofquiet.
My plan for today will include cutting out another Uniform Dress, finish the last 3 inches of the body of my sweater, and be comfortable in the fact that bad news is part of life.
Happy Friday everyone… if you are in the path of the heatwave, stay cool! See you all back here on Monday.
by Kat | Jul 18, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Joining together with Carole and friends this week again. And, I don’t know about you, but holy hell this been the week of all.the.horrific.things!
My things this week, have been things to pick me up…and I hope they do you too!
Thing One:
This week I discovered #tinypricks on Instagram. Stitchers might just be the most brilliant people ever! (And, my inner juvenile laughs hilariously at the hash tag…)
Thing Two:
Speaking of Instagram, @ladydyeyarns shared this awesome support list! I do not consider myself an “influencer” but I absolutely believe we should all support these businesses!
Thing Three:
Finally, because in this week of hell I have looked to James Baldwin for hope and wisdom and I stumbled across this article that is full of both of those things! I watched the video and I agree that James Baldwin is still very relevant today and I will leave these words here. I will be spending some uncomfortable time pondering them today.
There are my things… what about you? Do you have any things that are helping you get through this week?
by Kat | Jul 12, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Another Friday and another weekend. Summer is not being lazy at all!
Thinking About:
The future came and went in the mildly discouraging way that futures do. – Neil Gaiman, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
I find myself pondering the passage of time this month. In less than 10 days, Genevieve will be 4 years old and that seems so impossible to me. July is almost halfway over, and that also seems impossible to me. Gaiman’s quote seems most appropriate – indeed the future is coming and going all to rapidly. And speaking of Genevieve – her mom and dad took her to get her ears pierced last week. Genevieve has been begging and begging to have this done. Well, as you can see – she has one ear pierced but there was no way in hell she was getting the second one done! I confess, I am laughing about this – I should not, but I am. That face looks so angelic… ha! Bribery to get the second ear done has begun in earnest but she has not yet succumbed!
She looks so innocent…
Grooving On:
Early Bloomer’s color work! There is something addictive about color work – it is hard to put down. The urge to knit just more row to see how the pattern will unfold pulls me in and keeps me knitting. I have one set of flowers to go and their magical lure will be complete! Vera asked to see the colors I am knitting with… a dark brown, coffee-colored yarn paired with a green and a turquoise. I think they work well together. I am a little concerned that the neckline is going to be too wide – but maybe not. Once I am done with the color work, I am going to take Heidi’s suggestion and finish the neck to check the fit.
Just one more section to go!
Impatiently Waiting:
While I would like summer to slow down a bit, I am eager for my growing tomatoes to ripen! I think we need more sun than we have had for that to happen, but I am hoping that soon I have at least a handful of tomatoes to put on my salad!
Yes, those are raindrops on my tomatoes!
Fed Up With:
Rain. And really, the volume of rain we have been having! We got another 2 inches of rain yesterday. The flooding here is crazy and my garden has had a moat surrounding it more days than not. I might not mind the rain so much if we had an all-day, soaking rain versus the torrential downpours we have been having. They are “rain events” not rainstorms.
That is all I have for this week! I have my fingers crossed that I will win the battle and Happy Hour tonight will be outside. Have a great weekend everyone and I will see all of you back here on Monday!
