Oh HELLO! Hello, hello! It's March 1, oh my. March 2023. March 2023!
Gosh. I need to let that sink in for some reason.
All of you, first of all, we truly thank you for every one of your kind and gentle comments on the loss of Andy's beautiful mom. I always think of each of them as a small prayer, and each one bring us comfort, and makes us feel less alone in our sadness. Thank you so much. It has been almost a month now, and there are so many moments in the day where I just want to tell her something, or send her something, or send her a picture of Amelia, or tell her something funny that she said or did. All the little things. She delighted in every one of those things, I think. Pops (Andy's dad) got the surprise birthday gift of a new kitten from our nephew, Max, a veterinary student, and I believe he picks her up sometime this week, and we'll find out what he is naming her (he's keeping that secret for now!). There are not many days in life that are better than that first day with a new pet, and I am excited for both him and Miss Kitters, and I know they will bring joy to each other.
We got a very unexpected snowstorm here exactly a week ago, and it was absolutely bonkers for a while. I picked up Amelia an hour early that Wednesday because the forecast suddenly got very real (and my reconstructed foot does not do well on snow or ice). At 3:00 p.m. it started snowing . . . and snowing, and snowing, and snowing. By nightfall, roads were at an icy standstill; it took my friend's boyfriend almost six hours just to get across town. Andy decided to stay overnight at the hospital because the busses had stopped running up the hill. I was home frantically packing boxes for the Nashville Needlework Market, starting to wonder if everything was going to get there in time. We had a small window of about one week in which to get our stuff shipped there; nothing could arrive before February 24. I shipped the box with my stitched models on the 21st. The snow had started flying on the 22nd. By the 23rd the post offices were actually closed (along with almost everything else). By Friday we were able to get our car out and get down to our local P.O., which was mercifully open. And by this morning, March 1, sixteen of my twenty boxes have been delivered, and I am just anxiously tracking the last four, and hoping they get there by Friday, when the show starts. . . .
Normally you know I would be so into a freak snowstorm! But not when I have to ship twenty boxes to arrive somewhere across the country within a small window of time! Golly day!
Andy made it home late Thursday morning. The weather was still really gnarly — very cold and windy, and quite icy. He took Amelia sledding on Friday and then Amelia and Iris sledding on Saturday (we had no school Thursday and Friday), and then we went roller skating with our other friends Stefan and Mia on Sunday. There was a LOT of falling down, a few tears, a corn dog, some Slurpees, lots of fun. Some aches and pains on Monday!
I'm here in a quiet house today. I'm trying to plan for summer, as many summer camps' sign-ups start today. It's basically impossible for me to plan things for summer. I have no idea what's going on or what we will be doing, and I'm terrible at committing. Which, as any parent knows right now, that just won't do, because things fill up fast, and there isn't that much availability to start with, so . . . I need to pull it together. I literally look at the calendar and just blank out, and start sweating.
I have three new designs that will debut at Nashville this weekend. I will show them to you next week! I posted them on Instagram but I need to resize the photos for the blog. I will do that. Literally as soon as I got home from the post office, I started designing two new things, as well. It's funny how that happens. It's like the creative part is literally bottled until the non-creative parts are absolutely done (I had to finish the tax stuff for the accountant this week, too) and then it just comes bursting out. I designed two things in about four days. I've been stitching on the nursery rhymes design I made a few years ago (not sure if you remember that, or when I ever posted it, or I would link to the digital). I watched all of the series called Slow Horses with Gary Oldman and I thought that was really good. I tried to watch The Recruit on Netflix and it just got too ridiculous, so I stopped watching it. Andy is still watching Indian Matchmaking with me and it's the best. I love that show.
I recommend, as always, this spicy chicken and sweet potato soup, which we now make about once a week. And this winter squash and wild mushroom curry was awesome. I've also been watching Indian Food Made Easy (it's a BBC show but I watch it on FreeVee) and it has some great ideas. I haven't made any of the recipes yet but I am going to.
I hope you are all well! What has everyone been doing? What is giving you joy these days?
I don't have to do the summer activities thing any longer but I remember the stress. UGH! I hope you find enough things to keep Amelia busy without breaking the bank.
I love Indian Matchmaking. So a fun show! We just finished up the first season of Star Trek Strange New Worlds which is a prequel to the 1960's Star Trek. Loved it! We are also watching The Last of Us which is a zombie show but the character development is great. I'm really enjoying it even though zombies aren't my thing. :D
Oh gosh, I LOVE your Little Women design!!
Hello Alicia, I would love to follow you on Instagram but cannot find your account and the link up there just sent me to a no posts yet page.I always look forward to a new blog post after all these years.
Hi Alicia,
So glad you got all that done! Your designs are beautiful! Your daughter is getting so tall!! You do get a lot of snow there!! We move and now live in an area where snow storms in May is common. Thank you for the recipes! Sending hugs and positive vibes for a wonderful Spring! I too look often for a post from you. I also look in Instagram.
I'm so happy you had a snowstorm! I don't think we will this year. What's making me very happy right now is your Evening Skate kit. I'm so slow but I'm determined to finish it before the next one is available for purchase, so you can drag your feet on that! ;)
Always love to get your posts! We live in Northern CA and are getting a lot of rain (which I love) and a lot of snow in higher areas. Some hill tops got a little snow and that's always fun. Love your new designs and it's great the show went well.
That cooking show on FreeVee sounds interesting. I don't know what FreeVee is exactly but I wonder if they carry the Great British Sewing Bee?
I Will Always and Always treasure your blog posts. I cannot even begin to tell you how much love, peace, and joy your blog has brought to me through the years. I felt a deep need to tell you that! The Things I Have Learned From You through the Years--amazing and incredible and I am so thankful.
Love and More Love xoxoxo
That winter squash and mushroom curry looks good! Have a wonderful March!
We liked Slow Horses, too. My husband is always finding us good things to watch together because our tastes are so different. I lean towards period dramas and Monty Don gardening shows. He likes dark dramas. There was something for both of us in Slow Horses. Have you seen Patriot? It is similar, but even better.