In memory

My brother Charles lost his battle with cancer last week. I made it to Wichita in time to spend the last few days with him and my family. It was one of the hardest, saddest weeks of my life. It was also one of the best weeks of my life. The time spent with my family was priceless. We will all miss him, but know he is in a better place and no longer suffering.


The car on the front of the memorial is the 53 he rebuilt


The American Legion Patriot Guard







This photo really pulls at my heart. Ft. Riley provided the honor guard. This man didn't know my brother. He didn't know my family. He cried for a fellow soldier.


My brothers family.

Rest in peace Chuckles. We love you!

So sorry!

It was never my intention to abandon this blog! If anyone out there is still reading, I'm still alive.

I am not able to post to my blog from my laptop. I am now running firefox and can not figure out how to allow cookies and enable java. I'm sooo computer challenged. I grabbed Bruce's computer for a quick update!

We just returned home from a weeks visit to Kansas and Oklahoma. This is the first time that I have not been ready to go back to work after a vacation. It was soooo wonderful to see my family!

I have no stitchy pictures to show! So sorry! I have been stitching on my Christmas ornaments during my lunch break and that is about it. The pattern I am using is Daffycats' reindeer pattern she offered on her blog earlier this year. Sooo cute! I can not wait to get my hands on the JCS Christmas Ornament issue. We have stitch night this Wednesday, so that is on the list. October 3, my LNS Golden Needle is hosting a UFO Stitching day. From 11am to 11pm! Rules are you have to bring stuff to stitch that you have all ready started and a sack lunch. Dinner provided! I'm looking forward to this "forced stitching time"! October 31 is stitching with Susan Greening Davis at Golden Needle. The project looks wonderful. I just need to get my ars off this computer and stitch!

Now to bore you with all my non stitchy pictures:

Several weeks ago, we had a much needed R & R with friends on Sanibel Island. We went from the pool, to the gulf, to the pool, to the gulf, to the pool, to the hot tub, to the gulf, to the pool.... all weekend long. It was heaven! The Island was very quiet and we were the only occupants of the condo unit that we stayed at.



Then it was off to Wichita to visit my family.
My brothers and my sister
Back: Martha, Jim, Duane, Larry Seated: Chuck, Merlyn

Please keep my brother Chuck, his wife Cheryl and their children and grandchildren in your thoughts and prayers. He has stopped all treatments and hospice has been helping with his care.

My cousin Karen, my baby brother Duane and my cousin Georgia


My nephew Clark, niece Deiedra, brother Larry



My brother Chuck, my Aunt Dee and baby brother Duane


Then we went to Oklahoma to see our sons and grandsons!

Bruce, youngest son Jon, oldest Paul


Grandson Trey


Grandson Jordyn


Jon Jordyn Trey


We came home yesterday afternoon. The laundry is done. The suitcase is put away. It's back to work tomorrow. So sad!

We had a call from son Paul early this morning telling us we would be grandparents again! So exciting! I told them I want triplet grandsons... just kidding!

Take care! Happy stitching! Till next time...
xoxo ~~m~~

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Wow,it has been a while! Sorry! I'm still hooked on facebook and farmtown!
I do have some stitching progress to share!

I worked one weekend on Pretty Pumpkins. So much fun & so pretty!




I also finished my part on the Quaker Friendship Round Robin for Sharyn. This RR has been so much fun



Aside from that I have been working on Christmas ornaments. Did not take any pictures of those. Sorry! Work is still a bear. Have the boss from hell.... makes work that much worse. Only saving grace this week is he is on vacation until next Thursday. It's almost as good as being on my own vacation... Woops... I didn't say that did I???

I will try to do a better job and make more frequent updates! Thanks for sticking with me!

Off to get my wardrobe ready for the work week....
Stay safe! Happy stitching!
xoxo
~~Martha~~

The wrath of grapes et al....

Just to let y'all know....
I'm addicted to farming....
Farm Town on Facebook that is...
I plow. Plant. Harvest. Buy more land. Plow. Plant. Harvest. Buy more land...
Make cross stitch patterns out of my fields.
Sick. Very sick.
I'm saving my money to buy a house and a barn.
Not much stitching here. Too much farming going on.
No pictures to share.
Stay with me. I'll be back to my fat, sassy, mean and nasty self soon!
Enjoy your day. I'm off to harvest grapes!
Friend me on Facebook and I'll introduce you to my addiction!
Happy stitching! Happy farming!!
xoxo
~~m~~

Camp Pictures!

We had a wonderful weekend. Wish you all could have joined us. Lord knows we had plenty of food!!!



Ruby, Linda & Julie are all settled in and stitching away.



Julie & Linda again. Linda brought her own chair from home. In her Mustang. In two pieces... See the cool little stand by Julie? She is so smart. She had a floor stand that she no longer used but liked the tray that was attached. Took the tray off and stuck it in the top of a candle holder and waaa laaaa... this cool organizer for stitching!



Stitchers stitching. Stitchers laughing. That's Ethel with the big smile. She is really a quilter, but became a needlepointer over the weekend...




Ethel is just waaayyy too serious. That only lasted for a few minutes... I think she was faking...



Chris brought this big beautiful bird project. She pretty much stayed in this position all weekend. I wish I would have taken before and after photos of everyones progress!



Gail, Carol Ann and Mary Jane were not the least bit distracted by the basket of munchies on the coffee table...



Barbara & Michelle, mother & daughter. They both got a lot of stitching in. Barbara got to camp late on Friday. She was on a cruise ship that had to stop and rescue some Cuban's from their sinking boat off the coast of Miami.



Saturday lunch salad spread.



This is what Linda's piece looked like on Friday afternoon.



This was what Linda's piece looked like on Saturday night.



Ruth and Ethel hard at work.



Our weekend project, created by Michelle. She made hardanger easy for all!



Julie taking a break Saturday evening.



Saturday dinner crew. Spaghetti with the fixings. Ruby, Miriam, Virginia, Sweet Charlotte and Chris.



We did a 50/50 draw, that ended up being a 50/25/25 draw because the winner offered to split with someone else. Julie was the second winner. She also won the cute little pink totebag too!

Our weekend went by way too fast. by the time we parted ways on Sunday, the meals were all planned for next year!




Sorry for the really bad photo. This is what I started at Camp and finished today at Rubys.


Blogger keeps freezing up my computer and is not being cooperative at all. I'm unable to run spellcheck, so sorry about all the errors.... A speller I am not!

Hope your week is wonderful! Stay safe & happy stitching!
xoxo
~~Martha~~

Camp Stitch ~A~ Way

Starts tomorrow...
More later!!
Happy stitching!! Stay safe!!
xoxo
~~Martha~~

My little brother got married

last night. I didn't get to go to the wedding because:
1. it was in Kansas and
2. I was in the jury pool for the week. Stinks to be so far from family... But, in true family fashion, they made sure I didn't miss a thing...


Mr. & Mrs. Clark

The cake, made by the bride

Flat Martha crashes yet another party in Kansas

Having a drink with my little brother

Having a drink with my new sister-in-law

Having a drink with my niece Dee

Having a drink with my niece Jamie

Having a drink with the best man

3 of my brothers

Jamie after cake! Ick!

My great niece Katie and her date heading to the prom after the wedding

My niece Dee and her daughter Courtney

At least now I know why I woke up with a headache this morning!

Sorry, no stitchy pictures this week. Work, yard work, house work, jury duty and facebook have kinda got in my way. Maybe next post will have a stitchy update!
Thanks for stopping by! Stay safe & happy stitching!
xoxo
~~Martha~~

Happy Easter!

Quaker Gone Tropic update







I just wish there were more hours in the day available for stitching!

Stay safe! Happy stitching!
xoxo
~~Martha~~

Rainy Sunday

I really do stitch....

Progress as of this evening on Family Reunion



And Quaker Gone Tropic



Went to an All Day All Nighter Stitchy gathering Friday. Yes, I made it all night. Barely. Paid dearly for it yesterday. We had a blast. Ate a lot. Drank a little. Talked more than anything. Did I bring my camera? Well, yes. Did I take the time to take any photos? No. Maybe Ruby will send me some to share. Sorry about that.

I spent some time out in the garage today. I have half a dozen totes that I never unpacked when we moved down here over 7 years ago. Sad. I was looking for my older photo albums. Did not find them, but, found half a tote full of old cross stitch magazines and charts! Just like Christmas! I think the bulk of them are going to end up at the swap table at Camp. I wish you all could join us!

That's it from here. Nothing new to chat about. Stay safe! Happy Stitching!!
xoxo
~~Martha~~