Author Archives: Holly

About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!

Another Year creeps by

Posted on 2023-10-02 by Holly

In this case, I am not referring to the cross stitch pattern designed by Tracy Horner of InkCircles but just the simple phenomenon of having gained another year of age/experience. Notice that I did not claim brilliance, sophistication, or some … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising | 1 Comment

Bayview Trail

Posted on 2023-10-01 by Holly

My original plan was to catch an organized shuttle bus to Pike’s Place Market ~0900 with a return ~1300. All of that was derailed by US Customs/Immigration proceedings this morning. Those who had a ship’s tour obviously were rapidly accommodated. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising | Leave a comment

Afternoon Tea

Posted on 2023-09-30 by Holly

It is Saturday, we are in Victoria, British Columbia. It isn’t a bad walk from the Ogden Point Cruise Ship Terminal to the center portion of the city, at least the tourist, museum, and government building portion.  I was here … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising | 2 Comments

Pacific Coastal Cruise

Posted on 2023-09-29 by Holly

0500 Rather than get off the ship today – well actually I might have to get off, clear immigration and get back on – I have a lovely day planned of stitching and relaxing. Failing that – I will go … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising | Leave a comment

Radiance OTS – final day/sea day

Posted on 2023-09-28 by Holly

This cruise is extremely short for me. Seven days – one of which was the boarding day – three ports and three sea days. The cruise companies may be mercenary, but even they are stupid enough to attempt to count … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Cruising | Leave a comment

Day 6- Ketchikan

Posted on 2023-09-27 by Holly

Rather than dark and rainy on arrival, today we were gifted 1000 for an arrival time. Along with cold and rainy. It wasn’t Minnesota cold or Ottawa cold but according to a couple of the Florida flowers on the ship, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising | 2 Comments

Day 5 – Juneau

Posted on 2023-09-26 by Holly

Some how it seems startling – Day 5/7. Perhaps it is because I rarely get on a ship for less an 14 days. A seven day cruise is awfully short. OTOH I do have this fall’s upcoming adventure with George,,,, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising | 3 Comments

The Glaciers are receding

Posted on 2023-09-25 by Holly

  Let me start out by correcting my geography. I don’t know why I keep thinking Sitka is off the end of the archipelago, but  rather it is hundreds of kilometers short and much nearer the main body of North … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

Sitka!

Posted on 2023-09-24 by Holly

Sitka, Alaska is about as far west as most of us will ever go while remaining in Alaska. I was going to say “United States” but then would have had to go back and edit to say “continental United States” … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

Pineapple Luncheon

Posted on 2023-09-23 by Holly

I should be polite and call today’s invitation only luncheon by the proper name of “Cheers with an Officer.” This particular event used to be, prior to Covid – Luncheon with an officer and you actually had one of them … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Cruising | Leave a comment

Radiance of the Seas

Posted on 2023-09-22 by Holly

and the answer to “What are you doing in Vancouver?” Looping around Alaska. At least that is what is planned pending the azipods performing and the weather holding. I am booked into a balcony cabin so as to really enjoy … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising, Travel | 2 Comments

getting to Vancouver

Posted on 2023-09-21 by Holly

Some days start out with a bang. Others with a lot of whining. I went to bed early last night anticipating getting up in the middle of the night, but the reality of 0245 is always worse than what I … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

It has been

Posted on 2023-09-10 by Holly

45 years since 10 Sept 1978 which also fell on a Sunday.  George and I had just moved into our new house, got up early to clean since we were having our wedding reception in our (mostly empty) dining room … Continue reading →

Posted in family | 1 Comment

Arms too short

Posted on 2023-08-21 by Holly

There is always the slightly wry joke about one’s arms being too short to easily read a book as one ages and the eye’s lenses no longer are as flexible. And then there is the challenge of having both cataracts … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home | 1 Comment

The Four

Posted on 2023-08-17 by Holly

and I finished Winter Dog this morning. So here are the four seasonal critters from Barbara Ana – each runs about 1200 stitches. Meet Winter Dog Autumn Cat Summer Dog and Spring Cat They might just fit in the five … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | 1 Comment

Do the eyes have it?

Posted on 2023-08-16 by Holly

It was not particularly fun to be woken up at 0300 with serious pain in my right eye. Literally eye watering pain. This is not what happened with my left eye, and it was neither expected or desired. Over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Medical | Leave a comment

Fourth of four

Posted on 2023-08-15 by Holly

And yet another project that has been languishing in my project pile for well over a year. Background – a long time ago – at least a couple of year before Russia decided to invade the Ukraine, I had purchased … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

Stuffed Pals

Posted on 2023-08-14 by Holly

Ok, I probably have more switchable stuffed animals that anyone could possibly need. I keep saying that I going to embroider names on them. If I was really smart, I would have a number of the smaller ones in reserve … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home | Leave a comment

Second eye

Posted on 2023-08-11 by Holly

It was another Friday, four weeks from heading to SFVA and having my left eye freed of its cataract. This time, my right eye …. my dominant eye and a lot more anxiety on my part. At really dark and … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | 3 Comments

Ducks are Done!

Posted on 2023-08-10 by Holly

Let me introduce you to “Born to be Wild” art by Gordon Fitchett and the chart from Heaven and Earth Designs. This is one of the smaller charts and is charted without background. The fabric is reprinted Aida called Sea … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment