Mermaid Monday

Here it is Monday again, and I had a lovely weekend. I was not nearly as productive as I would have liked, but I did enjoy myself. On Saturday, I did end up watching two movies that I had never seen before. (You wouldn’t believe the stash of DVDs that have never been watched we have.) I chose Becoming Jane and then Miss Potter. I really enjoyed both of them. I stitched and watched and just enjoyed my afternoon. Granted there was more watching than stitching going on. Yesterday I started on a little project for Eric. He has a rather large sword collection, and until such time as we can determine how best to display some of them, we decided that sleeves would be the best protection. So, I spent a bit of my day cutting and then sewing sleeves for the swords. So, not a lot of stitching done yesterday. But, I did settle in last night with the mermaids for my weekly SAL with Anna.

Here’s last week’s photo, this week’s is up at the top of the post.

As you can see, I filled in more of her face and arm, and also started on her back and hand. Coming along! Last night I did figure out that stitching on the Q-snap (I was using an 11 x 17, I think), was really hurting my shoulder. I’ve been having problems with my right shoulder for a while now. All last week my shoulder was killing me, but I couldn’t figure out why. Shortly after I starting stitching last night, I realized that stitching in that q-snap was making my shoulder hurt worse. I’ve been stitching Jane Austen in hand, so I think the movement of going around the q-snap is what was doing it. So, I took the mermaids out of the frame and stitched in hand. I seemed to do better that way. So, you may be getting wrinkled photos from now on! I’m thinking that when I want to stitch in a q-snap, I’m going to have to use my floor stand to hold it, so that I can just leave my right hand underneath my fabric, without the back and forth movement. But, anyway, I am glad to have made a little more progress on Miss Mermaid.

And speaking of Anna, last week she gave an interview on her blog and offered to send interview questions to anyone who wanted to answer some. So, here is my interview…

1. The local news media shows up on your doorstep. It turns out your neighbor is a serial killer. You cannot say, “He was so quiet. This is such a shock. This kind of thing doesn’t happen here.” What do you say? (You can choose the neighbor.)
I’ve known for some time that those two have no respect for other people. They’re always letting their dogs do their business on our lawn, they park in front of our house (why not park in your own garage?), and their trash is always blowing around the neighborhood. But, really I think the thing that makes me wonder is that those two were always fighting – you could hear them straight from their house into ours through closed doors. And he was always spending his time playing those first person shooter videogames. Of course I’d have never suspected since he’s a cop, but you just never know these days. Will they be moving out?

2. What’s the greatest invention created in your lifetime?
I think I’m going to have to go with Anna on this one, since she answered her own questions. I would have to say Google (and of course, the implied internet).

3. What was your best job?
For this one, I probably have to go with when I was the Assistant Manager of a movie theater. I loved being around movies, especially working with the projectors. What I didn’t like was managing the teenagers that worked for me. I loved getting to see movies for free, and getting to bring home posters. And of course, screening the movies before they came out…that was fun.

4. Over the next 18 months, we’re all likely going to have to cut back. Where will you make these cuts? What luxury will fight to save? Will you actually come to blows? (That last one is a joke.)
Prior to Eric and I getting engaged, my finances were in the crapper. I had never learned how to manage my money. Eric taught me how to do that. And the first thing I did was look at where my money was going and where could I cut back. The first thing that went was eating out. I started bringing my lunch to work (which saved the moola and also helped me start losing weight). The second thing that went was the cable box. I gave up HBO and went back to basic cable. I started learning how to budget and eventually paid off all my debts. I was able to start contributing to my 401k for the first time in my life, and also to start putting money into savings. I say all of that because it made a huge impact on my life. Not having to live from paycheck to paycheck (and sometimes not making it from one to the next), is such a relief. So, Eric and I have continued on with such things as bringing our lunches to work, paying off our credit cards, contributing to our 401ks, etc. But, of course, when times get tough, the luxury items are the first to go – so eating out, although we don’t do it often, would probably go. The hobby expenses would go too. There are things that I would fight to keep, like the gym membership, and getting my nails done. I’ve done without the nail thing before, and could again, but it is a nice thing to do for yourself, if you can afford it. Ok, that was a way too long winded answer.

5. Are you a good speller?
I like to think that I am an excellent speller. There are some words that I seem to always have difficulty with – so I try to check myself. I do have spell-checker turned on for my work email as well as in Word. Of course, now that say that I think I’m an excellent speller I’ll most likely get evidence to the contrary from my readers. LOL!

Thanks, Anna for the interview – I hope my answers are acceptable. If any of you would like to partake in an interview from me, leave me a comment (and your email address if I can’t see it from your comment), and I’ll send out interview questions this week.

Hope you all have a fantastic week. In an effort to get back on track with my fitness goals, I thought I would set out my intentions for the week, and then I can check back in next Monday and see how I did. So, this week I am:

  • Focusing on drinking water
  • Focusing on working out
  • Signing up for the wellness program at work and looking into the walking path in the building

I am grateful for watching movies.

14 thoughts on “Mermaid Monday”

  1. Julie's Keepsakes

    The progress on your Mermaid is so lovely, Michelle. I don’t know that I could take on such an involved piece. Is it fun? Looks fun.

    I would like for an interview. I love answering questions and making lists. Do oblige!!! :o)

  2. Julie's Keepsakes

    The progress on your Mermaid is so lovely, Michelle. I don’t know that I could take on such an involved piece. Is it fun? Looks fun.

    I would like for an interview. I love answering questions and making lists. Do oblige!!! :o)

  3. Your mermaid is coming along nicely, Michelle! It sounds like you had a great weekend. I’m a devoted in hand stitcher, too; wouldn’t know how to use qnaps if you paid me. I have problems with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome flare ups so learned early what works best. Loved the interview!

  4. Your mermaid is coming along nicely, Michelle! It sounds like you had a great weekend. I’m a devoted in hand stitcher, too; wouldn’t know how to use qnaps if you paid me. I have problems with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome flare ups so learned early what works best. Loved the interview!

  5. Deborah/LavenderRose

    Hi, Michelle!! What a treat to check in with you. Love your new set up and the beautiful mermaid. And your interview was so interesting. I’d love it if you interviewed me….
    Love and hugs,
    Deb

  6. Deborah/LavenderRose

    Hi, Michelle!! What a treat to check in with you. Love your new set up and the beautiful mermaid. And your interview was so interesting. I’d love it if you interviewed me….
    Love and hugs,
    Deb

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