An On We Go

We returned from New Orleans on Saturday, March 14.  On Sunday I did a grocery shopping and then entered a self-imposed quarantine because I had been around SO many people while touring NOLA. I was a little out of my comfort zone but I had no idea that NOLA would turn into such a hotbed of Covid-19.  Of course, it has been over 14 days now since our return and, even though we are free to roam from our own quarantine, we have been told to shelter in place for who knows how long.  It is a bit daunting and I won’t lie, in the beginning I was freaking out and feeling like a caged animal.  However, with time I am realizing that my day to day life really hasn’t changed much except for the occasional Target run, grocery shopping and picking up Bean from school.  Other than that it is pretty much business and usual.

However, after the initial shock of the whole situation has worn off — I mean, who has the plague anymore these days?— I decided to revisit some old hobbies and interests.  One of these is cross stitch.

I used to cross stitch all. the. time.  I used to even sell my finished stuff on eBay.  I still have a box of finished items waiting to be put into pillows or frames or something.  But, that doesn’t matter.  What does matter is the activity itself.

About 6 years ago, on a trip home to San Antonio,  I wasn’t feeling well and chose to spend the afternoon in the hotel room while my family did the whole tourist thing.  I grew up there and didn’t really need to do that so I slept.  On their return my family had bought me a tiny cross stitch kit of the Alamo.  I started it then but didn’t finish it — I was REALLY sick — and I just finished it last night.  It is tiny — like 2X3 — and couldn’t have over 200 stitches in it if that but I pretty much had just put it aside and I am glad I picked it back up.

So basically, I reconstructed the Alamo!  My daughter also brought me a kit from Boston of the Old North Church.  It is small too and I did finish it and will share a photo at another time.

When I travel I have a certain criteria for souvenirs — books on the area, a Christmas ornament from the area, and a cross stitch kit of the area.  So, as we were walking (or in my case, limping) around the French quarter my daughter discovered a needlepoint shop.  Of course I was in there in a flash and the needlepoint canvases were gorgeous but I don’t enjoy needlepoint as much so as I wandered through the store I discovered a corner in the back full of cross stitch patterns.  The name of the shop was The Quarter Stitch and I loved it.

Please excuse my drippy cup but I am enjoying a cup of tea as I type.  So, I digress.  I bought two patterns there — now they didn’t have the threads with them but I hoard embroidery thread so I am good — and here they are —

   

They are small and will make a cute grouping with the other small ones — I am going to create a “vacation” wall of tiny cross stitch pictures — nobody can accuse me of being a minimalist!  If you like needlework, check out the website for this shop — total eye candy — and in person it was heaven!

My criteria for buying souvenirs are — a book, a Christmas ornament and a cross stitch kit from the area.  I will share the other souvenirs with you later. 

So, that is what I have been up to during this difficult time.  What about you?