Hello from Ruth's Resort

Hey there. All is fine here on my semi-holiday (aka house-sitting 3-ish blocks from my hovel). The weird thing is I had such plans -- TV and stitching with a breeze at least every night and some of those comp-time (aka work-like-a-dog-and-don't-get-paid) days I'm owed spent stitching too. But noooooo. So far the office has kept me swamped and my Ornament Campaign has suffered. This is what I've managed to finish thus far:

Elizabeth Designs Christmas house from the 2007 (I think) JCS


These are JABC's "Jingle All the Way" "freebies"--- is it really free if you need to buy $4.00 worth of buttons? For the record, the buttons aren't actually sewn down yet since I was waiting to get them all done and have an ironing party before affixing the buttons.

The only other stitching that's happened so far here at Ruth's Resort is the start of a new ornie --

I'm only doing the horse and sleigh and the horse you may note has changed color. Despite all the indications that I brought too much stitching with me on this adventure, I did NOT bring enough .... at least I didn't bring enough browns/the right browns for the horse so now I'm thinking he's a nice dappled Percheron. Whatcha think?

Oh and on this over-packing thing. Just remember Murphy's law -- if you don't pack it you'll need it and the corollary for traveling -- if you don't pack several you'll be stranded by a plague of toads or have a unscheduled 14-hour layover where you are not allowed to leave the gate for flight 14 from the middle of nowhere to wherever you really want to be. You KNOW it's true!

Along the the ornie campaign, I'm having the baking campaign while I'm here. You see, several (let's say at least 5) years ago my oven in The Hovel died. So far pissy me has not been willing to spend a week sitting at home dealing with Mr. Fix-It. trust me, I know how this will play out. Day 1, drop in and ascertain that well the burners sometimes light therefore everything is fine. Day 2, explain that stove-top burners are NOT the same thing as ovens. Day 3, Mr. Fix-It decides whether he thinks the stove is heating. Day 4 (possibly) argue that because an oven set to 350 makes it to 212 does NOT constitute "working." Day 5 Mr. Fix It tries something else and decides in frustration that they need to just buy me a new stove. Day 6, realize old stove has to leave for new stove to arrive -- possibly see to that. Day 7, new stove installed (and hopefully checked for operational ability). Honest, that's how it will go. Trust me. I gave up the battle about the ceiling light fixture. "It works fine, lady" -- "fine" does not in my book mean that a brand-new bulb blows out with an audible pop in an hour. That means there's something wrong with the wiring/fixture. "No, lady, see, the bulb I put in works." Sigh.

Anyway, let's not think of the inhospitable. Let's think of my current resort living status .... Wanna see more reasons why I feel (and Kathryn would feel) instantly at home here? Meet the stove:

lol Apparently the lady of the house used to keep a plant there, but then kept having to find a home for it when it got watered. She discovered this sheepie on one of her "orchid runs" (she collects orchids -- not like Nero Wolfe with independent contractors hunting the jungles of South America, but doing her very own hunting through the nurseries here in town).

Wanna see my backyard oasis? I'm about to go out there and edit a report about a children's museum in Las Vegas....



See why I don't want to go?

Oh I almost forgot.... the Baking Campaign -- since I have an oven (actually two of them) that work at my disposal, I have salted in the makings of all my favorite family baked dishes. last night was mom's chicken and rice

And the beef and onions for both lasagna and tamale pie


Sharon-- there's a Jim test? Sheesh, I'm afraid to ask.

Kathryn -- You're not gafiating are you? Nah! Can't happen! I will miss you and LV fandom -- have much fun!!!!!!! I'm hoping (fruitlessly I'm sure) that I can make it to Denvention.

ttfn all -- I'm off to lounge in the back with my blue pen (red is so hard to read for the sad people getting told they can't think in English -- Yes, Virginia, you do need a verb in every sentence. You see, the client expects verbs when he pays you $75k for 75 pages of text and tables.