Has it been over 2 weeks?

Oh dear - life happened. Since I last posted I've been camping (pictures to follow),

been in handcuffs (abridged story to follow), had a father's day supper at my house (not much to say - it went well), and have been doing the normal things: coping and moping,

gabbing and blabbing, washing and wearing, noshing and swearing, cooking and looking, tending and mending, wiping and griping, whiling and smiling, etc.

We're busy at work.

House is disheveled.

"Kids" in our life flit in and out, busy making their respective ways in life.

Humorous (to Dave and me) exchange with Gregg, our tall house guest, who has been keeping company with a young lady lately:

Me: (teasing) "Gregg, is that girl your girlfriend yet?"

Gregg: (Serious) "Not yet - we have to date for a while before I make an executive decision".

Me: (more teasing): I have a feeling it's not the executive who is making the decision!"

Dave :( jumping into the fray): No, it's the guy downstairs in the mail room! Bwaa haa haa!

Dave and I laugh uproariously...."Bwaa ha ha tee hee hee hoo hoo hoo ha ha ha...."

Gregg does not dignify Dave's comment with a response, but goes on with preparing to leave the house and visit the non-girlfriend.....

We have to tease Gregg - our other kids avoid us too much. Taryn comes over to visit every 2-3 weeks, and Tristan is busy with work/girlfriend/friends. Gregg, however flies in and out more often between work, practice, games, etc. He comes here for food and showers and teasing .

More later,

Kathryn : )

Love, actually.

Remember the movie "Love, Actually"?

In the opening scene there are people hugging each other as they meet at the airport. People being reunited after short or long times apart. It's a very happy scene, full of people of every colour, age, shape and size - kissing and hugging.

This weekend I saw something that really reminded me of that scene, in general, and of the love between a mother and her child, in particular. The kind of love that spans the globe, endures separation, and survives change.

Our cousin Deb was here in town to visit us, and to see her boy. As you may recall he's been staying with us while he pursues his basketball career; mom, meanwhile lives in another country and keeps in touch through face book and phone calls....but there's no substitute for a great big hug, no matter how old or big your child might be.

Here's something to warm the cockles of mother's hearts everywhere. Just look at the faces!

The grin............

The squeeze...........
The bigger squeeze.......

The even BIGGER squeeze.......

And there's nothing like a family fan club - a bunch of people who know nothing about basketball, but who will show up anyway, and cheer, yell, clap, and scream, just because they're related to the big guy on court.

It's all about Love, actually.

At Last ! - a stitchy post !!!

Hi all,

I finally got back two pieces I finished. These are for......my mom and dad! (Nothing like stating the obvious).

A little late for Mother's Day, and a little early for Father's Day. So typical of me - never doing things at the right time.

I forgot to take pictures of them before framing, so here are the finished products only. Just plain cross stitch, but at least I finished something. Well, two somethings.

Yes, the mats are different, but each one was just the right colour for it's respective stitching, so I had to go with the "marbled" mat for Dad's piece, and the plain mat for Mom's. For all I know they'll hang them in separate rooms anyway.

But...just in case they decide to hang them together I chose the same colour for the frame and inner mat. So - they are kinda different, but kinda the same too. It was hard to get good shots without the glass reflecting.

Thanks for looking!

Kathryn : )