Oy! My Aching Back!

Those who have followed this blog probably know that I love me some vintage.  The other day I was in a local craft store looking for DMC 815 (another story) when I came across these vintage style patterns.  They are only $1.19 a piece and I just love them.  I love the totally kitschy dishes one.  I got the Dutch Girl pattern because I am of Dutch heritage.  I found out a few years ago that my Dutch ancestors were professional embroiderers in the silk mills in Paterson, N.J.  I think the Dutch Girl patterns would look great in a delft blue.  (You can also find Aunt Martha's patterns on Amazon.)

Okay, so here is my DMC sad story.  I am afraid that sometimes I do not plan floss in advance very well.  (Sometime I will share my story of a monochromatic sampler that I did that ended up costing me $150 total in silk floss...)  I went to work on my blackwork sampler with DMC 815,  Obviously, this is an old 815, about 20 years old, I would guesstimate.  Unfortunately, back then 815 was more of a brownish red. Now 815 is more of a pinkish red.  I am now almost out of my old 815.  If anyone knows where I can find a twenty year old 815, please share with me in the comment section.  I would really appreciate it.  I know, I should have planned better.

Today was awesome.  We are having a heat spell here that has lasted several weeks.  This is normally our wet and cold season.  Generally, it rains a lot in January!  My drought resistant plants are even looking a little dry.  I can only water them on weekends because by the time I usually get home from work it is very dark and cold.  I do not want to water and have ice form.  Anyway, I was planning on sleeping in until 9 today because it had been a long week.  Liesl had heard birds chirping though at 7:30 and decided that we must go see them.  I walked outside with her and it was already very warm.  While she was taking care of business I started to pull some weeds that were starting to overrun the flower beds.  Sadly, I was tempting fate because I was wearing my leopard print pajamas.  When you are wearing your Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, Ooh La La, leopard print jammies (they are polar fleece) and you have serious bedhead and yesterday's makeup giving you the Tammy Faye look, the likelihood is that your elderly neighbor will also come out in her yard and want to stick her head over the fence to say hello, which indeed occurred.  

After letting enough time pass, I pulled myself together and put on some decent clothes and spent the remainder of the morning working in my yard.  I waged my ongoing personal battle with oaxalis.  Liesl decided to befriend the enemy and found a nice patch to lay in, directly in the sun to snooze.  I got so much done and gave my plants a good drink of water.  I am already feeling the burn in my back and legs...

I spent the rest of my day cleaning house and re-arranging my furniture. The cozy cottage is looking pretty cute. My friend is coming over to dinner tomorrow night.  (I am thinking of making ratatouille.  I love ratatouille.  It is really good comfort food.)  The house is really shaping up to be what I picture in my mind's eye.   I just love it here and I love how comfortable Liesl is both in the house and her yard.  She has been such a sweetheart today.  She can be such a sweet and gentle soul.  At one point she even found one of my sweatshirts and was totally cuddled up to it.  So darn cute!