STITCHING WITH IRIS

 I went to see the 9/11 Memorial yesterday. I went to the gym on Monday morning for my silver sneakers class and a woman I have gone to the gym with for many years asked me if I would like to go to NYC to see the Memorial with her. I originally said no but they changed my mind. She had bought 2 tickets for her and her husband. Unfortunately her husband had back surgery in May an it has been acting up for the last week or so and he didn't feel comfortable riding in a bus to NYC and back. So yesterday morning I met Lois at the local YMCA and off to NYC we went. We were half an hour late leaving as we were waiting on a passenger to show up. Funny thing she was already on the bus. So we arrived at the Memorial about half and hour late which threw the timing for the rest of the day off. The Memorial was wonderful. So fitting as a memorial for those who died on 9/11/2001. I did take some pictures and will post them on my blog later today if I can get to the desktop computer this afternoon. Bob seeks to take it over every afternoon. So Lois and I head upstairs to go to the rest room and see a film. After the film we walk downstairs and for some reason she decides to walk out side to see the pools. We walk around the pools and that is a really moving experience with all the names of the deceased etched on the rim of the 2 pools. People put roses in the cracks and there were many British flags in the cracks also. Unfortunately once you walk outside of the museum building you cannot get back inside so we missed the museum that is on the lower floor of the building. Lois and I walked down the street towards where we were to meet the bus and found a mall where we could go to the restroom and then spent a little time walking around the mall before heading back to where we were to meet the bus. We were suppose to have 2 hours in Times Square but because of getting a late start and then the heavy traffic from Ground Zero to Times Square we only had about 45 minutes. We decided not to get out of the bus as my right foot was hurting and her knee an shoulder were bothering her. Now I wish I had at least walked into the square and taken a few pictures. Anyway we left NYC with some pretty light traffic and headed to a restaurant in Bordentown, NJ. Had a wonderful meal there and headed home. It was a very nice day. All the passengers on the bus were very nice. I am so glad I went as I don't believe I will ever have a chance to see the 9/11 Memorial again.

Here are some pictures I took in and around the 9/11 Memorial.  I hope someday I will be able to go back and actually see the museum but I don't think I ever will.

It's hard to see but there is a tiny British flag in a crack to honor one of the Brits killed on 9/11. There were many of these small British flags along this wall.

Here someone had put a rose in honor of one of the people who died on that horrific day.

It was a touching and memorable day and I am so glad Lois asked me to replace her husband on this trip.

I have a small finish that I stitched for my niece CJ, 2 WIPs that I am currently working on and a finish that I stitched in 2007 had it framed at AC Moore's and have always hated the way it was framed.  I took it to Just Cross Stitch and Carolyn reframed it and it looks so much better.

Designer:  The Stitcherhood Project:  Autumn For: CJ

This is one of 2 WIP. Country Cottage Needleworks Afternoon In Paris

My 2nd WIP Prairie Schooler 2007 Santa

I stitched this in 2007 and had it framed by AC Moore. I have always hated the way it was framed. It had no padding and it was all wrinkled. I took it to Carolyn at Just Cross Stitch in Lederach, PA and she reframed it using the same frame.  I love it now.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Labor Day.  Nothing going on at our house.  It is just like any other day or weekend.  Yesterday I got up early and made a baked bean casserole for dinner, then I made a batch of tomato sauce with some tomatoes from our garden.  Then I made some Blueberry Cream Cheese Parfait to which I added some peaches for a different twist.  After cleaning up the kitchen my right leg was throbbing.  At about 1:00 I went downstairs and Bob asked me what I was making for lunch.  I told him I wasn't making lunch so he came upstairs and made himself lunch.  Never offered anything to me. 

This morning I got up and made a peach pudding.  I also changed the sheet on the bed and made lunch.  Just par-cooked some potatoes that he will finish off on the grill with the steaks.  I need to make a dressing for the potatoes and then make a salad for dinner.

For the last hour I have been starting to organize all the recipes we have been collecting but I haven't gotten very far.  It is an overwhelming job.  So I guess I will just have to do a little bit when I feel like it.  I took a bunch and listed them on my spreadsheets so now I have to file them so I am ready for the next bunch.  We need to STOP collecting recipes.  Yeah like that is really going to happen.

Well I need to get busy and mix up the dressing for my potatoes.

Have a great rest of the day.

It has been hot here in SE PA and I haven't been stitching much.  I don't want winter but we sure could do with some days that aren't in the 90's and humid. 

It doesn't look like my BIL has stomach cancer, thank goodness.  He had an infection of the lower bowel and colon.  He was in the hospital from Monday and released on Thursday.  He is on high doses of antibiotics.  Saw my sister at the grocery store yesterday and she said he was very tired.  Thanks for your prayers and good thoughts.  Once the infection is cleared up he will go back to his chemo treatments for the cancer in his hip and groin.

Here are a couple of pictures of my stitching.



Country Cottage Needleworks Afternoon in Paris is my current WIP.

Designer:  The Prairie Schooler Project:  1987 Santa Fabric:  16 CT Lambswool Aida Floss:  DMC Started:  08/17/2015 Completed: 09/12/2015 I am going to make this into a little pillow to display with other PS Santas in a basket

I stitched this design while I was recuperating from my foot surgery during the winter.  I never wrote the information down in my stitching journal.  All I know is I got it from Facebook on the Candy Cane Stitchers Group.

Finished into a No-Sew Cube

My niece called me last night to let me know that her step-father is in the hospital.  She doesn't think he has long to live.  She believes the cancer that is in his groin and hip is now in his stomach.  No confirmation of that as the test they took after he was admitted yesterday hadn't come back when my sister left the hospital yesterday. 

I feel so bad that my sister hasn't called me or our older sister to let us know what is going on.  I don't understand why she would want to go through this without our support.  Especially our older sister's support since she has gone through the death of her husband.

Please keep my BIL and sister in your thoughts and pray my niece is wrong about the stomach cancer.