Slow, Lazy Sundays from Abroad

Mark and I started a couple of years ago having Silent Sundays about once a month or so.  On SS days we didn't turn on the tv, ipod or do anything to make noise and we just recharged ourselves to get ready to face the week ahead.  I loved those days when I could read, stitch or whatever and he would be sitting beside me reading or surfing the web.  It was just a peaceful time listening to the sounds of the house, kids playing outside, birds chirping, Clarice snoring or whatever.  Now that we have moved to Germany, it is always silent sundays because no stores including grocery stores are open, no vacuum, laundry or dishwasher is allowed to be run per our rental contract and there is absolutely nothing done that might make noise and disturb your neighbors.  I love it!  I just sit here now still wearing my flannel sock monkey jammies, watching Clarice sleep in the sun and dreaming about my next stitching project.  The first few weeks we lived here I cursed the fact that stores weren't open because there was never enough time for us to get things done with Mark working and me not having a car.  But now that the basics are done, I can sit back and relax wishing everyone could experience this "world stopping for a moment" time.   Come on over for a visit so I can share it with you.

Mark left yesterday for home on business and I must admit that I really did want to go with him but the timing just wasn't right.  We are finally settling into our apartment but Clarice is experiencing some major separation anxiety when Mark leaves so I couldn't leave her too.  She actually started this before our move when he was traveling a lot and she would carry her stuffed kitcat around the house to comfort herself.  It's really cute but at the same time distressing because you know she's upset when she does it.  Here is an older picture that Mark took while he was packing one day....she gave him her lovey to take with him so how sweet is that?

And people don't think animals are smart!

 

And now to share with you a picture my momma sent me yesterday of Hubert and her relaxing in the afternoon.  He's healing but will require another surgery to repair his back leg in a few weeks.  He's just a big loving guy and now he's a house cat!  The grandkids call my momma Ninny so this is Ninny and her grandcat doing what they both love to do best.  Yes, she has horrible allergies to cats but she's taking medicine to help that and she just adores this grumpy old guy.  Daddy is taking a bit longer to warm up but that's just because he doesn't like animals in the house period!!!!!  Never has and never will but his grandcats are determined to win him over.  Gizmo is coming home at night to eat and my daddy waits up every night to make sure he sees him before he goes to bed.  This winter I'm sure Gizzy will hang around more but right now his world is still topsy turvy so he's just found him a safe place to stay during the day but he knows where the food source is so that's good. 

 

Well I'm off to figure out what I'm going to start stitching next because I finished Seaside Retreat from the Blackbird Designs Stitchers Retreat book this morning.  It was an enjoyable stitch that shouldn't have taken me 8 weeks to finish but hey, I did have a good excuse.   I started it on the plane trip over and until this weekend hadn't stitched more than a couple of rows in a day.  I'm only 7 projects behind now on my challenge for 2012 with the Blackbird Stitchers group.  Why did I ever agree to stitching 12 projects in one year?  I used to only finish about 1 or maybe 2 a year until I became obsessed with all things blackbird and got brave enough to start stitching on linen.  BTW, I love it and wish I had been brave enough to try it sooner. I made some changes in the pattern-imagine that-but I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I put the "PP" there so remind us of our great Maine vacation of 2010 to Popple Point which belongs to our friend's Rich and Karen Stover.  Look back on the blog for September 2010 to see pictures of that amazing vacation.

 

 

I hope you find some time today to just turn off the outside world and enjoy a wonderful fall day!