Monday, February 23, 2026

Monday Mish Mash

 Hello friends,
Today I am featuring a mish mash
of Valentine pics over the years.
Some I do not even remember. LOL
Hope you enjoy the picture show.











  



In other news,
When my brother and I took my mom out
last Thursday, she was being a grouch.
She would not answer my brother
with any questions he had.
He finally said are you ignoring me?
She said yes.
She did not want to wait for lunch,
nor see her nephew or niece....
even though she was the one who wanted 
to meet them for lunch.
However afterwards on the way back
to her studio, she said it was nice seeing them.
UGH
I went back to see her on Friday,
and at least she talked to me.
Then again on Saturday, my sister went
to visit her and she ignored my sister.
What gives?
My mom will not answer my phone calls,
so I flat out told her I would not call her anymore.
Maybe my brother and sister should also
tell her they wont visit if she continues to ignore them.
I know she is mad at us for moving her
to assisted living, but it was not an easy decision.
Hope she gets over her childish attitude.

Today my brother and I are headed back
to my mom's house.
She agreed to sell her car to Michael my grandson.
Since his accident, he had been driving
Mikayla's ( his sister) car...well now hers died.
Michele asked me what we were going to
do with gramma's car, so I asked my
brother and sister if they had a problem
selling mom's car to him.
Then my brother and I asked my mom.
Mom will no longer be driving,
and her car has been sitting in her garage now 
for 7 months. We start it up when we go there...
but it needs tires.
Michael will pay for new tires and the car.

It is snowing again. UGH
 Wish me luck since I need to drive 
the car to the tire shop before getting it
to Michael.

Monday Blessings To All!
Janice 




Thursday, February 19, 2026

Love Was In The Air


You Make My Heart Smile.
Hello friends.
Here were my Valentine displays
in our living room this year.
Hope you enjoy although late in the game.

















 
In other news,
the other day while taking Tundra outside,
I spotted this cute bird.




It is part of the Finch family called
a House Finch.
This is the male.
 I do not see them very often like the other birds.
It has been hanging out with the Sparrows.

Yesterday I had a dentist appt. and driving through
 the marsh I noticed in spots there was a lot of mud
where water should be.
Water level is really down this time of year.

Speaking of the dentist,
I have to have a crown down. UGH
It will be scheduled soon before I retire.

Today my brother and I will be taking my mom
out of her studio to go get blood work done.
Then she needs to do some banking 
at her bank in town.
After that we are meeting my cousins
for lunch in her hometown.
She will be surprised when she sees them. 

Well my first week of sabbatical has been 
mostly appts and just relaxing.
Not a lot of stitching or much of anything.
Hopefully next week I can be more productive.

Love Blessings To All!
Janice 


Sunday, February 15, 2026

Sunday Starts

 Hello friends!


Today I want to show you a few
new cross stitch starts.


First is Sweetheart Pears.


Doing these on a Rose linen with 
gray flosses.


My next start is 1776


Finished Liberty.


Finished Justice.


My start on 1776.
This should not take very long at all.
My favorite of the three.


Finally I decided to start a new sampler.
This one is called Faith by
Samplers Not Forgotten.
I chose the called for linen
which is 36ct Pewter and the called
for overdyed flosses. 


The saying is what drew me to this sampler.
"The best and most beautiful things
in the world cannot be seen or even
touched. They must be felt 
with the heart."

In other news,
well tomorrow starts by 6 week sabbatical.
I cleaned out my desk.
Brought all of my trophies throughout
the years home with me.
Brought my name tag home too.
Shredded all the paperwork
I would no longer need.
When I go back to work that final week...
it will be just to sit around and talk...
not something I am use to doing at work.

Tomorrow we are taking my brother
 out for dinner.
He seems to be handling things pretty well.
I call  him every other day just to chat
He will be going back to work soon, so that
will be good for him.

Before dinner,
Bob and I are headed out to visit
with our CPA to have our taxes done.
Then headed to the meat market to stock
up on meat for the month.

Then need to go to our township
to pay both our Winter house taxes
plus the water bill.
It will be nice spending time with Bob now
when he does not work the store.

Dinner tonight will be roast beef au jus
sub sandwiches with melted provolone,
along with twice baked potato.

Last night I made bbq chicken tacos.
We had margaritas with those.
A Valentine dinner just for the two of us.
We did not want to go out with all of the crowds.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Valentine's Day.

Post V Day Blessings To all!
Janice

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Whippy Wednesday

 Hello friends!
Here is my February Whippy progress.


Am almost to the finish line 
with Sarah Casey Unwin.



Just this final corner of the border and one motif
to be completed and then off to the framer.
A year of stitching thus far but well worth it.


Next up is the mini version of
Prairie Schooler February.


Last year I ended up with just two blocks done.
Glad I did the groundhog last year...
cause am not a fan of him this year. 


Already finished the third block.


Am hoping to get this finish by month end.


My lunch stitch is Winter Quaker.


Last month this was where I was at.


Currently almost complete....
however I only have two work 
lunches left. WOOHOO!
So this may have to get finished at night. 


Feniscowles Hall in January.


Stitched in now the fence, 
deer and a few flowers.


Plus more of the house.


Plugging along on my tribute piece
for my paternal grandparents
and their parents.


Finally Two Hearts.


This was a start from 2024.
I never touched it last year.


Have gotten much farther along now.
I did change this snowman 
from pink to turquoise.

In  other news,
thank you to all the heartfelt comments
regarding the death of my SIL.
My brother seems to be in good spirits...
at least when I am talking to him.
It is so hard losing a spouse.
He has lost two wives now.

We had a heat wave yesterday.
It reached 45.
Bob said time to get out the shorts. LOL

Only three days left of work.
WOOHOO.
My portfolio has been taken 
out of my name now...so not much to do.
I do have meetings the rest of the week
just to discuss my clients 
with those taking over.
I just hope they take care of them
as good as I did.  

Well off to work I go now.
Getting up early will not be something I miss.
Neither will my hour drive each way.
Looking forward to getting up when
I feel like it...and just doing whatever
I want daily.

Mid Week Blessings To All!
Janice



















Saturday, February 7, 2026

February CupboardScape



My February CupboardScape
shaped up better than I imagined.


Added in some red including these
child's red shoes.


Then one day I was at our store looking
for more antique Valentine's when Bob
pulled out this box of antique postcards.


Perfect I said.
He wondered how I was going to display them.


Told him I was going to purchase some
small wood clothespins and hang
them from my antique tree.


Don't they look wonderful!
The red/ cream coverlet is hanging in the back.
Also wrapped the base of the tree in another 
small red coverlet piece.
So glad Bob did not know how to display them
in the store...otherwise they would not be 
featured in our home now. 

In other news,
I saw an old friend Sandy the other day.
We met through our store.
It was nice catching up with her.
Sandy when I retire, we need to go to lunch.

Last night I could not tell you how many
trucks I saw out on the bay near us.
Was told the ice there is 20 inches thick,
You would NEVER catch me out in
a vehicle at night or even the day
on any ice.

Today we will be headed out soon
for my SIL's funeral.
Not a fun time for my brother.

One full week of work left 
then off for my 6 week sabbatical.
Then 1 week back and its off 
to the sunset.
Cannot believe I have been talking retirement
for a year now...and it is finally almost here.
WOOHOO!

Well my friends, I hope you have
a blessed weekend.

February Blessings To All!
Janice