Tuesday, January 26, 2021

And it went like this...

Truly, I can't believe it's done! To begin with, when I saw how much floss was in the kit, when I studied the pattern... I thought this would be something to last the year, something I would have to nudge myself toward finishing. After the first, then tenth tangle, and umpteenth error with counting stitches, it seemed like it would, realistically, take at least a few months to complete. To my surprise there is way more floss than is required to complete the pattern, and it took me a long while to realize that I didn't have to be so super precious about conserving every inch of it. And once I accepted that following the pattern exactly was simply not in my wheelhouse, two things happened... I began to happily imagine designing my own pattern, and I didn't recriminate myself as much about the many many mistakes I was making.
I am not sure whether I will add the phrase "Room With a View." I have been thinking of other words or motifs I might include. For now, I will leave it blank. I love words! But I am aware that too many expressions and messages displayed around the house begins to make me feel like I am being constantly chatted at... does that make sense? Although, of expressions that are dear, Room With a View is a favorite. Okay, I am settled on not deciding, yet.
It was finished in only a few days, but in many hours. The time I chose to launch this project was better than I imagined, and here are some things that helped...
1. I stopped playing puzzle games on the computer. (Speaking of things that went on for only a few days, but many hours!)

2. The weather has been cold, cold and stormy, windy, windy and rainy, or cold, windy, rainy and stormy. A perfect storm for staying in, and cozy.

3. I am like a deer in the headlights... still waiting for the case to wrap up, still answering emails, and waiting, still coping with the dread that my insurance will not do right by me. Anyway, it really helps to get completely absorbed in something that persuades calm and focus.

4. The Lord of The Rings audio book! Besides cats for companions, I have been with Frodo and Sam, in the woods, and over hill and dale, avoiding dark riders on horses, anticipating lunch, resisting the pull of the ring.

4. Finally, I very intentionally included movement with my cross-stitching agenda, so it's BounceBhangra with Diana, cycling with Geoff, and pickelball with William and Geoff, plus laundry, chickens and goats, and tending to Max with his healing ankle. I make a point of not staying in place for too long without mixing in some other activity, and even though it's hard to put down the stitching, leave the comfort of my nest... I admit the time away actually seems to help the progress, and my energy.
I love the times when something new in life begins to appear or influence other parts of my life... like when the view from the balcony looks just like a cross-stitch pattern! I am eager to play with all of this some more. Thank you for bringing this back into my life, Ruth.

2 comments:

gretchenjoanna said...

Congratulations on finishing the cross stitch! People who have lots of ideas and projects and things they love doing -- I humbly include myself in this group along with you, if I may -- seem to easily and unconsciously add new plans and projects to our lives, like breathing. Then we notice that, Yikes! we have too many things on our plates!

That's when it is tremendously exciting to get one thing finished. That's one reason I like blogging, because even creating the tiniest post with just a few good sentences, and hitting the Publish button, is closure on something. I do wish I had the time to write more, even as it gets more challenging, the more one learns about writing and how the the changing limitations make it more challenging to do a good job at it.

That "boring" post was not boring, by the way.

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Thank you. I am still a bit shocked about finishing... because I agree with you, 100%... I can't help loading a dozen new hobbies on my plate, and then "yikes!" as you say! Probably, at 54 years of age, I should simply accept this about myself, and try to enjoy all I can, as I am. You, too, yes? Let's keep our idea and projects piling on, and make the most of all we can, no regrets, no shame!
Again, you are so right... when it comes to writing, I am more determined, more committed to starting and finishing, and that's very gratifying. I feel clever or just thankful to myself, because I regularly commit to letting my blog posts be a "first draft," and I pardon my errors, mistakes, whatever is lacking or weakly structured by accepting I have no editor, I have no publicist, and I am just "scratching the surface." It gives me a kind of freedom to not "do a good job." It's a low bar, but sometimes doing a "good enough job" is a gift!
And thank you... about the "boring" post. I think I was just more interested in trying to do anything other than fret about insurance business. I need more aida cloth! I made an order!