Just Pure Gratitude

A list of gratitude for my blog readers:
Thank you to everyone who read my blog this year, to those who commented and to the shy ones who emailed me privately.

Thank you to everyone who vicariously lived through my own annus horribilis, and to those of you who helped me see that - in the words of Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen;

"Sometimes what appears to be a catastrophe, over time, becomes a strong foundation from which to live a good life. It's possible to live a good life even though it isn't an easy life. And I think that's one of the best kept secrets in America."

Thank you to Terese for reminding me to listen to this weeks Speaking of Faith, where I heard the above quote.

Thank you - from the bottom of our collective hearts - to everyone who helped us weather this very rough year. Whether it was emotional, financial or fiber support - we would not have been able to get through this year in one piece without your love and help. Thank you.

Thank you to Minnesota for having us, for welcoming us, and for providing a lovely white Christmas. Thank you to the Mayo for time (any better gift than that?)

Thank you to the many folks who are walking the same path, and have been in touch with Gerry and I, making us feel a little less lonely.

Thank you to our friends in NJ who saw our kids through a hard couple of weeks - and who so graciously accepted it when fate turned 2 weeks into 1 fun and lice-filled month. THANK YOU!

Thank you to every shop, guild and venue that hired me this year - words can't express my gratitude for you guys sticking with me and not bailing out when it became obvious that Gerry's condition was serious and might change at a moment's notice.

Thank you for everyone who saw me cry, rage or lose it in an odd way, and pretended you were looking at a sane woman.

Thank you to new friends and old ones (especially those who invite my kids to swim on a snowy afternoon!)

Thank you to editors for allowing me some wiggle room on deadlines when life took over, and to readers who afforded me a certain amount of slack because my mind hasn't always been 100% on my work.

Thank you to Gerry, who is my hero and my best friend. Thank you to Hannah and Max who have more grace and maturity at 9 and 11 than I had at 22.

And finally, thank you to anyone who I've forgotten in my end of the year stupor. I feel like I could do nothing but good deeds every day for the rest of my life and not pay back the kindness of friends and strangers (not yet friends?) this year.

Stay tuned for more fun next year. Because, when all is said and done, Gerry and I do have a great deal of fun, even in the middle of all the crap.

Fixing a Nagging Rev St St Ridge
I just decided it was bothering me too much, so I got rid of the Rev St St ridge that was at the base of the horizontal i-cord below the bodice.

Here's how (in pictures)
After I'd separated the bodice from the skirt, I worked a row of eyelets (so I can thread a twisted cord "belt" through it - pictured above) and then I kitchner stitched the whole thing together.

It's not as vile as it sounds, really! The hardest part of Kitchner stitch is getting started, once you're going, the rhythm sort of takes over (if you let it!)

Tomorrow I'll have some photos of the revised, finished garment - hopefully on a human being!