Been Gone A Long Time.....

Apparently, the holidays were more taxing than I could have imagined.  Lots doing so there was no time to visit with the fascinations that occupy my mind, this blog and my world.  But now its a new year AND a new month [what happened to January?  And for that matter, February!?!].  So let's get busy...


Since November, my daughter and sister each spent over two months in SE Asia in the time spanning 2009-2010, both leaving and returning within a week of each other.  My sister to visit her daughter in Singapore and my daughter on a teaching/book tour.  How wonderful that they were able to briefly connect in Singapore during their respective trips.


"The Needlework Maven", my sister, arrived between snow storms and spent a few days with me before heading back home to Virginia.   There, 20" of white stuff was already on the ground with another 24" or so yet to fall.   We shared stitching stories, ideas, and good conversation.


My daughter, the world traveler, spent time in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam, before returning to Taiwan for a teaching retreat.  She returned to NYC and was preparing to come for a long overdue visit before returning to Arizona but the weather didn't cooperate.  We were socked in while nary a flake fell on northern New Jersey.  Rather than risk life and limb, she elected to stay close to an open airport. She is now back in the arms of her students in Arizona, teaching away.

Our recent blizzard conditions altered everyone's schedule.  This is the first time in memory that I've seen my neighbors shoveling more than once during any storm.. Perhaps because it just kept coming - for two days it kept coming - and coming!  We all took rotating turns at the sidewalks just so we could move around when the blizzard finally stopped.  All was fine by the next day.

The storm cancelled the February ANG chapter meeting among others.  Lucky for me...my embroidered heart appears to be in "cardiac arrest" and isn't doing so well and it'll be good to have another month  to resuscitate my flagging progress.

Meanwhile, my attention has settled on curing a couple of problems that require multiple cures:  Adjusting to a new computer, revamping a failing wireless network and managing the tangle of wires for numerous electronics in a convenient spot close to a power source.

Both my PCs [laptop and desktop] fell victim to a nasty virus through the late summer and early fall, prompting a long overdue leap to the world of Apple.   Next, the wireless network issues were cured with an Apple Time Capsule, combining wireless router with wireless back ups allowing me to work anywhere in the house I choose.

The last item -  cord/wire/recharger management - well, that's  supposed to be easy, right?  Just drill a hole in the back of a bookcase, run a grounded extension cord through, add a surge protector and voilà - another gaggle of loose wires on a shelf instead of the floor!  After purchasing [and returning] two ready-made charging stations, it became obvious that my needs would not be met by what was available.  

So its off to the drawing board to design what will do the job in the space available.  Just a little foam core, straight pins and a lot of book repair tape and at last, a nice two-tiered box with a lift-up access door providing lots of room inside for everything.  A decided bonus, it looks good with the rest of its shelf mates.

Well, back to stitching.