Just a very few miscellaneous items today. I've been dealing with some cat issues--mine was just diagnosed with pancreatitis. She's feeling very unwell at the moment and we're trying to get things back under control (after a very frustrating month of trying to get her to feel better and find out what was making her sick). I'm trying to learn more about what causes the illness, what it does to the animal and most importantly how to treat it in order to go forward, but first she needs to be stabilized. Keep your fingers crossed for me that we can quickly get things under control now that she is taking medication. We've both been having a very rough last few weeks.
As I've been spending time every day taking care of Chispa, cleaning up accidents and just attending to normal everyday chores, my reading has gone a little wonky (then again when is it ever quite normal--this has been such a weird year for me). So, something easy today.
Have you seen the new Harry Potter stamps? I think they have caused a few raised eyebrows, but I think they are fun and will be ordering a few books to use in my correspondence.
Speaking of which--something that has suffered from lack of free time is my Postcrossing mania. I've had to curtail things quite a bit, but I am still keep in touch with friends. They can expect to see some of those fun new stamps (and a few other new/holiday ones...I've just got an order of stamps in the mail today as a matter of fact).
Since I am on the subject of other (non-reading) hobbies, I am looking forward to doing some stitching over the Thanksgiving holiday (I'm taking an additional day off on the following Monday). I'll have five whole days free from work (ah, the anticipation!). I'm in the middle of a small project at the moment. I also just came across two very tempting classes/needlework clubs.
So you know all about book subscriptions? How about something similar with needlework? I'm very tempted by this. I'm curious what the kits/designs look like, but I do like Colonial themed needlework.
My favorite needlework magazine is Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly. I've just received the Winter issue and on the back was an ad for Thistle Threads. They offer online emroidery classes, which sound really cool. Maybe next year instead of picking a massive chunkster of a book (and I've not done well with them this year at all), I should pick out a nice big, ongoing needlework project. I certainly have plenty to choose from in my stash (the online classes might be a little too rich for my budget at the moment).
Two other projects for 2014, but of the bookish variety: I like the sound of the Vintage Mystery BINGO Silver and Gold edition. I do love a good mystery and had a binge of them earlier this year. Maybe I'll do the same next year, too. Last year, although I don't think I officially joined, I attempted to read only from my own stacks for the first part of the year. The Triple Dog Dare would be a good thing--no new books for the first three months of the new year? I certainly need to pay a little more attention to those towering TBR piles, that's for certain! The year has been flying by, hasn't it? I must admit that while I still have lots to finish this year, a new start sounds kind of refreshing at the moment. I've been thinking of reading plans already, though I will try not to go overboard . . . (easier said than done!).