Once In A Lifetime

Chester

stole my heart the minute I saw him

and has never let it go...

three years without my sweet friend
 he will live in my heart
forever

for Always

Chester

it's been one long year

without him

"...he will be our friend for always and always and always."

~ Rudyard Kipling

Stash Reduction

I've listed a few

rug hooking

items on eBay

this morning...

Some my better stash!

There's been some

hooking

&

stitching

going on around here lately

but even more decluttering!

There may be a good reason for it too

...

I'll find out tomorrow night

Some of you have noticed

the header photo

has been changing

every few days

It's been nearly a year

without Chester

looking back over

all the photos I have

of him

brings lots of smiles

and a few tears...

Once in a while

I think Olivia still looks for him

usually over her shoulder

at the food dish

when she has a

real treat

Thank You

one of my favorite

photos

from 1999

my hooking/stitching chair

was across the room from him

this is how

he would get my attention

to get up and play

it always worked

Thank you to everyone

who commented

emailed

and sent cards

your kind

thoughts and prayers

are most appreciated

Every day brings more smiles

than tears

with the good memories

of my life with Chester

Olivia is having a rough time

she is looking for him

everywhere

spending much more time

at my side

her new nickname

is

Lonely Girl

as she lets me know

whenever I come home

whether I'm gone

15 minutes

or 9 hours...

in time

we will have a

new friend

~

Goodbye to my Sweet Boy

1.30.2010

the last photo

I took of Chester

in his very favorite spot

keeping his eyes

on Olivia

I know he has so many fans

my sweet little fella

he's having surgery right now

for a cracked bladder...

the vet says

it's his only chance

and is not

overly optimistic

I don't even feel silly

asking you

to add him to your prayers

for if you know me at all

you know

how special he is

Thanks my friends...

***

The vet called a few

minutes ago to say Chester

died this morning

right after they intubated him

for surgery...

This & That

~Oh Lucky Me~

A huge thank you

to my friend Lori

for the wonderful birthday

package...

the little quilt of a house

so perfectly prim

I adore it!

plus the best

brown and blue Spring pinkeep

and a bundle of wool worms

for hooking

*****

I'll be 50 next week

watching Olivia
run around with her
little mouse

she's disturbing his nap time

worried about Chester
sneaking up to steal the mouse

finally got around

to stitching this

Stacy Nash design

changed the colors

from the original

going to attempt to frame it

not one of my many skills

at this point

Sweet Friends & Flowers

work in progress

on a design

from my latest booklet...

omitting the

Be Mine

and replacing it

with something else

one very spoiled boy

Olivia has been too busy

to photograph

no standing still for her

today

My Boy

Happy Birthday Chester!

since he was a shelter kitty

they weren't sure

when he was born...

so we picked 1-1-1998

some of his nicknames:

chesterlou

lou lou

moo moo

woolley bear

fluffernutter

monkey butt

pee pod

good boy

you little weasel

Bubba

(think Don Johnson

as Nash Bridges)

hmm
where did that fur
on the curtain come from?
looks like some
cleaning is in order

A Peaceful Day

Another perfect piece

from Debbie...

ah, sunshine

this little one loves it

don't mind the dirty floor...

it's the sewing room

(cat yak stain and bits of wool)

~ carpet is coming up

as soon as the

room is painted ~

the carpet has been

loosened at all the walls

just keeping it in place

to protect the floor

while painting

was going to ride my bike

but she looked so comfy

that's my story

I always know where to find

this guy

Cats and Gifts

Chester is snug up against

the door to the deck...

it's 13* out there

and he loves to lean

on the window day and night

Olivia would rather

enjoy the sun

protecting the catnip scratcher

Some wonderful gifts from Debbie

(woolensails)

she sent along 2 sets of

Jesus, Mary and Joseph

...

one for mom

these are from Lynn R

we were partners in a

Make-Do Christmas swap...

everything had to be created or gifted from

your stash

the photo is missing a reindeer candle

and a handmade thread catcher

also from Lynn

"Catch a Falling Star"

pattern by

Primitive Pieces by Lynda

from my friend Bren

she got my name in the

AAPG Secret Santa exchange
***

Oh Lucky Me!

a perfect prim treasure from Bren

pattern by Cheri Payne