The rumors of my demise are false

I am alive, and doing relatively well. Life has been busy with work and life. I realize that's not a perfect reason not to blog, but it's the only one I have. A lot has happened in the last 3 months or so and since I don't have a ton of time right now I'm going to give you the very, VERY quick update and then hopefully find some time to do more in the next couple of weeks. So here are the highlights:

• Got a contracting job back with the company I've been with the last 3 times. I really like working there and this is a nice challenge. So far I've enjoyed it and learned a lot. It's through the end of the year so we'll see what happens after that. 
• I've been to Atlanta 3 times and Charlotte once. The Atlanta trips were a mixture of business and also some pleasure during my birthday weekend. Charlotte was all about family. 
• I really haven't finished anything on the stitching front. I'm very close to having the Mermaid done. The picture below is the latest and taken with my iPhone so not the best, but you get the idea.

•  In other stitching news, I took another class at the needlepoint shop in Atlanta for my birthday and started another large needlepoint canvas. I'll show pictures later.
• In non-needlepoint stitching news...well all I can say is I've been stitching. I can't really tell you what all I've worked on and if I've even accomplished anything. I can say that I've made great strides in obtaining stash. GREAT STRIDES. I'll have to do an entire post on that, so for pics and info you'll just have to wait. Needless to say I've been trying to stimulate the stitching economy practically on my own.
• I have no knitting news to report. I've been in the knitting doldrums. It's been so gastly hot that I couldn't even think of picking it up. I do have a few things on the needles and a pair of socks I really want to start so we'll see what happens.
• Health wise, things are pretty good. Some days better than others. The RA seems to be in control, just have days where I have almost no energy, but those aren't too often. I did have to go to the dermatologist the other day. I had him remove a mole from behind one of my ears and he also took a spot on my leg. Neither are suspected of being cancerous, both were just annoying. The one behind my ear sometimes was being irritated by some earrings and the one on my leg was being caught by my razor so my very nice doctor said they were both going away.
• Upcoming events include a very busy fall. Our EGA chapter is having an open house event the 2nd Saturday in October with a program about Bargello work. Then two weeks later they and our Sampler Guild are hosting a wonderful teacher, Ellen Chester, for a day long class which is completely full! Then the next weekend, (first of November) I'm meeting my DF Heather in the Atlanta airport and we're headed to Mesa, AZ for the weekend and a great class from Jackie de Plessie called Chocolat. THEN 2 weeks later I'll be back in Atlanta for a 4 day class with Tony Minieri called Antique French Ribbons. And at some point I'm trying to find a weekend to meet DF Jill in Tallahassee for a weekend of FSU football. That's enough to make you tired right there! Plus there's work to pay for all the fun. More on all of this later
• This weekend DJ Jackie and I are headed far, far away (ok, it's really only a couple of miles away from my house) to Camp Blanding for a retreat. It is mainly quilters, but I'm taking all my stitching and even some knitting to work on. My goal is to touch each of my current projects for my 2011 challenge. I've taken before pictures and I'll take some afters. We'll see if I make any progress. I'm also taking my bag of ornaments that are stitched and need to be finished. Maybe, just maybe I'll manage to finish one or 2 of those. We'll see.

Ok, that's way more than I intended to write. I hope there are still some people out there who check in with me occasionally to see if I'm still around. If so, thanks for sticking with me and I'll try to do better! Until some time next week....good stitches all around!