Update

Although I threatened to stay away until August I thought I'd post another update on my hiatus in case I get wrapped up in work and forget.

Summer is my favorite time of year, and it's not disappointing this time around at Casa PBW. We have lots of rain, but we also have lots of green (everywhere), bask-worthy sunshine (mornings) and nice, breezy evenings when we walk to soak up all the splendor down by the lake (3-4 times a week.) I took this shot of a park fountain on one of those occasions and I think it's the prettiest pic I've taken all year.

Still busy with work and family stuff, but who isn't? I've also shed eight more pounds over the last couple of months. I might just reach my ultimate weight-loss goal to take off fifty pounds total before 2019. We'll see.

I've figured out some things, too. I finally discovered something about the work and me that I never realized, and it's shed new light on so many things that have puzzled me over the last twenty years. Sadly, not why Times New Roman is suddenly easier for me to read. Was it the laser surgery? Am I more focused? Did someone change the font to easier-reading and not send me the memo? Alas, I have no answers. Anyway, what that revelation has done is put to rest my concerns over things I never understood anyway, but assumed I should. Makes my writing life much simpler, always a desirable thing.

If you follow my Tumblr blog you've likely seen these pics of my finished Zen garden quilt:







Eight weeks of hand-quilting in circles every night, and yes, it still looks like Minecraft. But I'm quite happy that I conquered my doubts and fears and made it. Now I know, and knowing is so much better than wondering.

I'll be back to posting in mid-to-late August. Until then, enjoy your summer.

Checking In

I'm going to keep the blog on hiatus for a while longer -- probably until August or thereabouts -- but with all the recent personal drama I thought I should check in and let you all know I'm okay. My eyes are still working great. I have a lot of family stuff going on at the moment, and work is also keeping me very busy.

The rest you know because you're also dealing with the evil and dark out there. I wish I knew what to tell you. All I can suggest is that however you can, be kind to yourself and those you love. Be the light.

As creative therapy I've been taking a couple of hours each night to work on the Zen Garden/Demon Quilt project. As you can see in the pic it's slowly progressing. Still looks like Minecraft, but there you go. I hope to have it finished by the time I start posting again.

Have a good summer, and see you once I sort out everything.

Checking In

Just a note to let everyone know I'm fine. Now that it's over I can tell you that my laser surgery on both eyes also went very well, and restored the vision I had lost again in my left eye. After I got my sight back I joked to my guy that I wasn't entirely in the clear. I never have anything great happen without something bad coming right after it.

Sure enough, a week after my surgery I was robbed. All they took was the $26.00 in cash I had in my wallet, and they didn't hurt me, so I consider myself very lucky. It could have been a lot worse. Thank you, Universe.

I'm going to take a little more time away from the internet to process everything, do some sewing and get back to my regular work schedule. Thanks to everyone who has been e-mailing; I really appreciate you checking up on me. I will be working on replies this week.

See you when I'm fully recovered.

Update

Checking in to let everyone know I'm fine. See, here? I'm getting a home manicure.

The fountain of creativity is slowly refilling, too. My writing group and I attended a talk by a visiting author, which was interesting, and I've blissfully buried myself in research for work. I cleaned out my home office from top to bottom, including the storage closet, and donated a bunch of books to the library and Goodwill. I acquired a Zen calendar with an motivational word every month to guide me, too. The word for January was, oddly enough, inspire.

Tonight I'm starting to work on my first quilt of 2018, which is also an original design of mine. I've lost two more pounds by boosting my daily efforts to exercise, and tried some new recipes to make our meals healthier. Really, the only thing I haven't done is go to Vegas or get a tattoo, but I think I'll leave those pleasures to the younger and thicker-skinned.

I need another month off to finish recharging, and then I think I'll be ready to get back to blogging. So see you in March.