Getting back to basics includes expressing gratitude, so let’s start there. I’m grateful for my new juicer, for walks with the dog, especially when K comes along. I’m grateful for hands that still work well enough to be able to make myself a new dog-walk-bag (i.e. one actually commodious enough for treats, poop bags, phone, and masks).
I’m grateful I know what an Oxford comma is, that bleach works on dirty toilets, that I now have chargers in four critical spots in the house.
Also for the gratitude file: the tiny health thing that had me worried even though I pretty thoroughly tamped the worry down, turned out to be 100% nothing. Whew! I was flying high yesterday.
I’m grateful for friends that care about me enough to say: take a news break, Dee, even if I have yet to really manage that.
Besides noting gratitude, historically another basic blog task has been to record progress on projects.
My studio is cleaner and neater than it’s been in forever! How nice is that? Still awful but progress is progress. Also, I’ve been sewing a fair amount without comment here.
For instance, this doll came off The Shelf of Unfinished Creatures last week. I’m calling her the Patron Chicken-Saint of Delayed Success. Maybe just Chicken of Trust would do?
As I wrapped her pipe cleaner arms in fabric, began her wings, and gave her an elegant black lace slip, I toyed with the idea of trusting the timing of things (see note about waiting, above). What if things really do happen when they’re supposed to?
Can you spot the Oxford comma in the paragraph above? I know Liz and Deb will, in any case. Speaking of Deb, the wings will be made of Georgian Magic and I’m pretty sure the polka dot fabric for the arms came from Tina. More gratitude.
Lastly, isn’t it nice to have neighbors with a sense of humor?
Keep the long name “Patron Chicken-Saint of Delayed Success”! I love that.
Lots of things to feel gratitude for…I woke up today, and I’m upright and breathing! As always, love your posts, Dee. Xoxo
I like the longer name too, so thanks for the input. To wake up upright and breathing is something. Especially during hurricane season in the south!
Love the Patron Chicken Saint’s hair. Got some of that in the sewing room wastebasket. Now all I need is to build myself—– is a chicken.
Sometimes it’s the hair that starts things going.
Gratitude is everything in my world .. for the most part it keeps me from feeling sorry for myself. From getting caught up in disappointment. Keeps me always wanting to give back .. how could I not when I have so much to be grateful for.
And this goodness shows….
Yay what a post full of joyfulness! will have to google what an Oxford comma is…
LOVE your chicken saint, and how your bag reminds me of your collage work. Glad your health scare was nothing, those sorts of things can stir up so much anxiety, as if any of us need more these days!
“wings, ” I don’t always use it for lists of three, but definitely for four or more.
The bag was a lot like making a collage, actually. Thank you for that observation.
How comfortable for walking are your all stars??
They don’t provide much support but for my 50 minute loop, they’re fine.
I do love “Patron Chicken-Saint of Delayed Success”, and the title is wonderful! Who gives a f*uck about an Oxford Comma? How many of you know that song? Hey, I never learnt about conjunctions properly, so how would I know where to place an oxford comma? OK I googled it, yes, for like the 5th time in 40 years. I blame Mrs. Pennington’s 8th grade English. I soooo *hated* that class and had just started to love writing. In fact she may have ruined my love for writing. I am often accused of using too many commas and its because I know I don’t understand conjunctions, thus I overcompensate? HELP. xo
The Oxford comma is optional. Something word geeks like to discuss. I’ve decided I like the little extra bit of clarity they provide and so now use them. But I’m sorry about Mrs. P! So many would be elegant and interesting writers have to overcome a Mrs. Pennington! Punctuation is the LEAST of writing and certainly not the thing to pay attention to with budding wordcrafters. It’s why I like the AWA method so much (one of the reasons). It is designed to provide strong medicine against those early toxic task masters. And, BTW, as the lucky recipient of your letters for more than fifty years, I can tell you without reservation that you are an elegant and interesting writer!
Aw, Dee. I am moved to tears. Maybe I’ll try to write something!!!
oh and… I’d tell you to take a break, but your art and writing seems to keep you quite sane and healthy!! And maybe it’s in great part the walking of your dog? Maybe it’s those cool sneeks? and what better ways to break from anything and everything? I had my annual physical 2 days ago. I am so relieved it’s behind me. So relieved that I had a bowl of cereal last night b4 going to bed (bad bad bad). I slept like a rock. Was it the cereal?? so many questions, so much anxiety.
xo again.
Glad the annual was okay. Wait. Was it okay? Funny about the cereal. I often find myself having a bowl of the sweetest most delicious granola ever at two a.m. I’ve started to wonder if my insomnia bends to that bowl of cereal and not the other way round. 😋