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West Virginia
When I started my retirement travels in 2009, I wanted a way to share it with family and friends as it was happening. Hence, "My Travel Journal". However I realized I wouldn't always be on a trip and wondered what to do with the blog in between times. My daughter pointed out, wisely, that travels can also include trips to the kitchen to try a new recipe, trips to visit family, trips to my neighborhood Starbucks, or a fun day trip with a friend. You're welcome to join me on any of these journeys! I've set up individual pages for each of my major trips (see tabs above).

Also, I have an Etsy shop where my current needlework resides. The last pieces I posted here were in 2013! So if you'd like to see what I have accomplished recently, go to (and I apologize for having to copy and paste):

www.etsy.com/shop/thedollhouseneedle

I recently added an "Italian Word a Day" thingie which shows up at the bottom of every page. You see the word and can click to hear it pronounced. I've been enjoying it and I think my accent is improving as time goes by.

September 28, 2011

Bits and Pieces

Probably my last post for this trip.  I'm at Heather's (my older daughter) house now.  She had her humerus bone reset this morning and we're not sure when she'll be released to come home.  She's did well with the surgery apparently - they had told her that sometimes they have to get to some other bone in the body to get some grafting material and that didn't happen with hers, thank heavens!  Alex (her husband) brought home a couple x-rays showing what the inside of her arm looks like now and I tell you, it has a very Halloween look to it.  But at least it finally looks straight! 

So I've been puttering around trying to be somewhat useful - did a couple loads of laundry and dismantled and packed up a hefty chandelier she's going to be returning.  Have been meeting the kids' school buses, etc.  There's not really been any good, sane, times to take pictures of the kids (and I try not to post many of them to the blog anyway) but today I took some pictures just for something to pass the time.  Oh, and before I start on them, here's a pic of the miniatures that Chris has in his display cabinet right now just to give a better idea of what I was talking about in my previous post.

A lot of cobalt blue glass as you can see.  Way back in the olden days, Chris was an avid collector of cobalt and way back in the olden days was when I decided I would try and make a roombox that would replicate his then living and dining room.  He's been in two other apartments since then and has moved way beyond cobalt in his collecting, so that's why we're trying to decide what to do with what I've collected for it and what he's collected for it and also why I told him I should just give him all my stuff and let him arrange it in his cabinet.  Probably should get him a petitpoint rug made sometime cause I've made both the girls one.

So moving on to today's pictures...

I couldn't resist the pose on the left.  This is one of Heather's two cats.  And I can't for the life of me remember his name - something Greek, I think.  He is beautiful, isn't he?  Looking a bit more pulled together in the picture on the right.  I hardly ever see the other cat.  They also have four dogs(!) and, of course, now the 13 alpacas.

Some of the 13...isn't the view lovely - and it's lovely 360 degrees around.  I took a couple more pictures this afternoon when I met Sophia's bus cause the sun had finally been out, the sky was blue and there were beautiful big white clouds.


It is beautiful country.  I just hope they don't all get tired of it after a while.  They've put an awful lot of work into getting everything fixed up just so and now have their 13 new family members to take care of...

I probably won't see Heather again before I leave because they won't decide until tomorrow whether they'll keep her another day or two and then probably not til afternoon sometime.  At which point, Alex will come back home where I'll be kid sitting because school is closed tomorrow and then I'll drive down to January's and go home Friday.  So the end of the trip turns out not quite as happy-ifying as the beginning but one can't have everything, can one. 

Probably won't post again for a bit either because I'm hoping to really get things moving on the repairs to my apartment when I get back which will involve some discussions with the contractor guy, some trips to Lowe's/Home Depot probably and a major decision as to who's going to paint what.  And then I have several needlework ideas I'm itching to try out.  I've already sold four little bits in my Etsy shop!  Fun, no?

2 comments:

Christopher said...

I really like that first pic of their house, with the huge clouds... nicely done! If you see Heather before you leave, give her a big (gentle) hug for me!

Chinch said...

So many things to love in this posting!! Starting backwards, Heather's view and house are gorgeous -- don't think she'll ever get tired of that. Do alpacas help keep the acreage chomped down? And Chris' collection is a really neat way to have miniatures and not really be a miniaturist -- makes me want to clear a bookshelf space for treasures. And the cat! Almost enough to make me wish to have a cat again -- emphasis on the almost. And poor Heather. I've been thinking about her a lot these past few days and sure do hope the surgery is successful and wish her a speedy recovery. Kind of too bad that you can't be there longer but you have a goodly share of needing a "hope all goes well" when you get home to the apt repairs so good luck with all that and have a happy visit with January. Love to all.

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