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November 10, 2010

Fresh Start!

Welcome to my "NEW" blog!!

I have been a very bad blogger for a long time now and am amazed that I still have so many subscribers in Google Reader. For those of you who have stuck by me despite my horrible lack of posting, thank you very much. I am moving back to Blogspot now that it does some of the things I moved to Wordpress for (multiple pages mainly...) and can add some of the cool widgets that are coded in Javascript which Wordpress doesn't support (the LinkWithin thingie at the bottom of each post which I saw on many blogs and wanted to try out!)

I am fine! The MS gave me a scare in late July when I overheated and overdid it this summer, daily taking girls river rafting swimming and around town in 90 degree weather...for a week or so my right leg was weak and my walking very bad...dragging the affected foot behind me... I thought I would need a wheelchair to get me through the airport on my way home from the States! Luckily I rested and within a week or so I had improved and was able to get home no problem on my own! Had to learn the hard way that being supermama and overdoing in the heat (big enemy of MS) is not the way to go! Since then, have been running around like crazy for girls activities but at a more moderate pace and have been doing well. Unfortunately my eating hasn't been great, after a wonderful summer of weight loss and still enjoying my food, I came back here and started eating all the wrong foods...I put it down to being busy and lazy about healthy eating! I am hoping to make some changes, but will do them slowly!

I still quilt, stitch and knit near enough on a daily basis, even if it is just a row of knitting or a few stitches of hand sewing or quilting, I just have a lot of long term projects on the go, and not a lot to show even on a weekly basis, but I will try to pick up the pace. I do post very often on Facebook, though it is the whole rhythm of my life, crafty and kids and all else in between...befriend me there if you want, would love to connect there too...

Lets see, since our summer in Bend, I have finished a few things...
Mom's Monkey Socks




IMG_1988
Drunkard's Path Wallhanging (and simple quilt for guest bed...)
Currently hand quilting the wallhanging...very slowly!!

Artist at work on her sock yarn painting, finished socks below!






















I have finished Aisling's Kool Koolaid socks, hand painted and designed by the master herself . Since she painted a bunch of pink at one end and multicolored on the other end, she has one pink and one multicolor sock! I am doing these socks toe-up and two at a time on one needle, called the magic loop method. It is great since I get both socks done at the same time!

I have also taught a friend to quilt starting last June or so, she has just finished her quilting (taught her free motion quilting last week, she is a natural!) and we'll do binding soon! It is nice to suck bring friends into this lovely crafting obsession hobby. My little neighbor next door, Aine's good friend, and the girls have all been working on their own quilts as well... Just like my neighbor growing up helped me with my love of sewing, I am hopefully encouraging Aine and her friend (and someday Aisling if she wants!) to sew. Aine has even used the sewing machine on her own now (I thread but she lines up fabric and sews!), such a proud mama I am!! Next week I will get a photo of my friend and little neighbor and the girls handiwork but for now I want to get this post out!

12 comments:

Andrea said...

So nice to see you back - bad Cathi - lol ! So far I have resisted Facebook although I must admit I occasionally go into DH's account so see what our mutual friends are up to. I am also feeling an urge to knit with the weather turning colder but daren't start anything - yes I have knitting UFO's as well as quilting ones xxxxx

Dawn said...

Hi Cathy.. so nice to hear your doing ok....lovely to catch up on all your up too... love the designer socks... so special...Weight loss.....oh dear I struggle sometimes trying to make the right choices. I just tell my self today I am eating healthy tomorrow I may try to but I may not BUT I have permission to eat whatever I want to... I deserve the choice...
Hugs Dawn x x

Sarah said...

This is so weird, Cathi. I was about to send you a greeting. You have been on my mind, wondering about you and your MS challenge. Glad to hear life has been fulfilling with kids, quilting, and knitting. I love how the painted socks turned out. It's absolutely gorgeous. The quilt and art pieces brighten up your room that will bright delight and comfort to every staying visitor :D

Wish I can be your neighbor so I get all the motivation to quilt! I did start a collection of BLUES for my Mary Jane--someday...

Sending my love, hugs, and kisses to you and the girls. We miss you all :D

P.S. By the way, not sure if it's your photos or widgets, your page loading is much slower than your old blog (and I have high speed internet?)

Wendy said...

Hi Cathi, glad to see you back! It's good to know that you are ok and are still puttering along with the crafty side of you. Slow and steady always sees a project completed, so your doing good on that front. Will be checking in now that I know you are back and blogging again. Hope all goes well in the future for you.

Heather @ The Beating Hearth said...

I stumbled upon your blog several months ago and just kept coming back hoping you'd post again, you being an American living in Ireland kept me intrigued. That is what I hope to do someday as the mother of two very pale, red-haired girls (thanks to my husband's very strong Irish-Scottish roots). The sun here in the South West is just too strong...yes, I would move to to Ireland just to help preserve their skin health. Happy to see you're posting again. I'll keep paying attention.

Kristie said...

So glad to hear that you are doing some better! Glad you are posting.
Kristie

barbara said...

Hey Cathi, just letting you know I've updated my Reader to include your move back to Blogger. :D Love those socks! And your quilting always totally WOWS me. :D Take care!!!

Sew Create It - Jane said...

Welcome back...glad to hear you are doing well. I completely get what you mean about your MS telling you to slow down. I'm living with fibromyalgia and like yourself it lets me know when I need to stop...something that isn't easy to do when you are a busy mother!
Love the socks..they look so colourful!

Gina P. said...

Welcome back to blogging. Love your photos. It's going to be hard visiting your family in Bend with heat and MS. Maybe your trip needs to be more toward fall or spring. I bet Aine loves her socks no matter how the colors turned out.

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

I love the new look - I had no idea that Blogger was offering tabs right now! Actually I was thinking of moving to WordPress but will look at the new Blogger templates now. You have been busy, yes! Lots of great summer projects, family visiting ,etc. Take care of yourself! The one thing that helps me maintain my weight is - no seconds! No matter what. I eat what I enjoy in normal sized portions and never have 2nds. For beverages - 1 (even if it is just juice) and then I switch to water. You have the power within yourself to get to the weight you want to be. Cheers! Evelyn

julieQ said...

There is no such thing as a bad blogger! I am glad you are doing well...hope to see more of your fabulous quilting! I love your socks...pretty!

Hedgehog said...

Glad to see you back blogging - I'm back, too, but didn't post such a newsy update - naughty me - glad to see things are going well - and good luck with the rest of the recovery from surgery!