So much...

When last I posted I was at the beginning of my vacation, today I'm at the end of it and have so much to post.

The trip to Michigan was wonderful.  It was great being with my family again, but the highlight was my DNiece's wedding.  Here's the new family:

And here's a photo so you can see her dress (everybody asks about the dress - the pearls are from my mother and are her something borrowed):

The new Mr. & Mrs. and a more experienced pair (DSis and DBIL)

Lots of smiles and laughter at the service and the reception afterwards.  In this post, I showed a piece of the pies that we were making for the table and thank yous.  Here's a picture of the front table with all of them:

Everyone got a lottery ticket and a lucky penny.  Didn't hear of anyone winning big, but everyone did go home at least a penny richer.  Here is my favorite picture of the entire day:

My father and my niece

I took a Dimensions plastic canvas kit with me in case there was stitching time.  I did get a bit of time and here's my start:

You can see the package photo through the canvas. 

And while I was in Michigan, I saw the handiwork of someone who was much more ambitious than I:

Yes, that's a crocheted tire cover.  It's done with, as best I could tell, rip cord.

For the first time in months (about four) I'm posting for .  WIPocalypse is hosted by Melissa at Measi's Musings.  It's an easy SAL, work on a WIP during the month and post about it on the last Sunday of each month.  It definitely has kept me focused over the years and she just announced that she's going to continue into 2018 - Yaaaaaa!!!!!!!  Mel gives us questions each month to help to get to know the other posters.  This month's question is:  How did you begin stitching?  That is easy - my Mom.  My first exposure to stitching was with those stitching cards that some of us of a certain age will remember.  When I was 5 or 6, Mom started me on stamped cross stitch and taught me surface embroidery.  Forward a number of years and while talking Mom mentioned that she'd tried counted cross stitch and thought that I might like it - the rest, as they say, is history. 

The only piece I'm working on from my WIPocalypse list is A Glimpse of Santa.  It was here on my last post:

Today it's here:

I didn't really settle in to stitching until Wednesday, so I'm very happy with the progress. A bit upset with myself for not settling in sooner, but I did identify the block to my stitching when I do finally sit down - my phone.  I didn't realize how much stitching time I was losing until I left my phone in the kitchen one afternoon.  I figured out I would stitch a bit, pick up my phone and play through my five lives on Candy Crush and Bubble Witch (yes I'm still playing them), then do a quick email check, then look something up on the internet, and then back to the games and pretty soon hours had passed and nothing, stitching or otherwise, accomplished.  I have left my phone in another room the last two days and haven't really missed it.

I let the housework slide the last couple weeks, so today has been housework, laundry, banking book updating and blogging.  Once dinner is finished and the kitchen cleaned up, I plan to sit and stitch.  Back to work tomorrow, but I am working from home, so I get a chance to ease back into it.  In all honesty, there won't be a lot of actual work happening tomorrow as I will have two weeks of emails to sort and respond to.