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!

Zeroing out

Posted on 2025-12-09 by Holly

I finished today with zeroing out 11 more colors, just leaving me five. Of course, those are ones with a fair number of stitches considering that the Menorah is complete and I “only” have the background squares to finish. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

84%

Posted on 2025-12-07 by Holly

Is my current status on the full coverage Menorah cross stitch. Today is the 7th. I might just have this finished before Hanukkah starts. Seven days – about 5K worth of stitches. My only challenge is going to be losing … Continue reading →

Posted in Basketball, Cross-Stitch, Home | Leave a comment

0 dark whatever

Posted on 2025-12-06 by Holly

I can keep comforting myself with the fact that the days will not be getting any shorter after the next 2-3 weeks. The winter solstice will slide by resulting in a few extra minutes of light at each end of … Continue reading →

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Simple wipe out

Posted on 2025-12-05 by Holly

I spent last night at the eldest daughter’s place while she was working a night shift. The boys pretty much slept thru; unfortunately I woke at 020 & couldn’t go back to sleep. The small one was btight eyed before … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Medicine | Leave a comment

Glasses

Posted on 2025-12-04 by Holly

About a year or so ago, the VA apparently changed contractors /switched from in house to a contractor/whatever for the production of prescription glasses. Last year’s pair was marginal . This year’s? Not good quality. So on Wednesday I picked … Continue reading →

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All the miles

Posted on 2025-12-03 by Holly

Since we (the US) are still not on a reasonable measuring system. After almost 10 years back in the US, I am used to looking at miles on my speedometer, and miles/hr on the speed limit signs. But I really … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Medical | Leave a comment

Second Verse

Posted on 2025-12-02 by Holly

likely same as the first. Normally, the first Tuesday of the month has a lovely Zoom get together sponsored out of Acorns & Threads (Portland). I attempted to participate two weeks ago, it didn’t go well. Neither head phones or … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Medical | Leave a comment

Silence isn’t Golden

Posted on 2025-12-01 by Holly

For anyone else reading this who is old enough to remember that song. But silence isn’t golden – it sucks.  I know that a lot of us fume about how much time younger people spend on their phones, scrolling on … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | 4 Comments

the phone

Posted on 2025-11-08 by Holly

I clearly remember cross country drives. Hour after hour in the car shifting from one radio station after another. Using maps to plot out my route, keeping an eye on the gas gauge, figuring out rest stops. Maps, phone calls … Continue reading →

Posted in Prose | 1 Comment

sixteen hundred stitches

Posted on 2025-11-07 by Holly

were added to this which is now about 20% complete. The cat spent most of the day either supervising me or occupying my lap. Otherwise? Four more lectures out of a Primary Care CME conference, a Grand Rounds on Medicare … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home, Medicine | Leave a comment

Lawrence Hall of Science

Posted on 2025-11-06 by Holly

Many in my area routinely think of the Lawrence Labs, or the Lawrence Livermore Labs and don’t give the whole series of complexes a further thought.  High on the hill overlooking Berkeley, the UC Berkeley Campus, the Bay, Bay Bridge … Continue reading →

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And I really needed the coffee

Posted on 2025-11-05 by Holly

this morning. As well as the final about 200 stitches on this particular cross stitch. I spent a goodly portion of the day on various primary care lectures. Some were interesting, some were a bit too much on the sponsored … Continue reading →

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Can always use more coffee

Posted on 2025-11-04 by Holly

Which is why I started this little gem yesterday. Found the pattern on Etsy. Grabbed three skeins of Gentle Arts that came in some surprise box or another and a piece of 14ct from ForbiddenFiber Co. Put in a couple … Continue reading →

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My special helper

Posted on 2025-11-03 by Holly

Not that I really can afford this level of help . Taking up as much lap space as possible and totally blocking the keyboard. Because, why not?

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It isn’t 99 bottles

Posted on 2025-10-30 by Holly

But rather a lot of cross stitching, completed but not fully finished,and  grouped ion pants hangers. There they are, out of sight and mostly out of mind. Being quiet and reserved in the upstairs back room. I went looking for … Continue reading →

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Puzzles

Posted on 2025-10-27 by Holly

I really don’t have many extra brain cells in the moment. Which may or may not explain why I thought it would be a grand idea to pull out the puzzle board and tackle a small puzzle… This little cutie … Continue reading →

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Sailing into Miami

Posted on 2025-10-20 by Holly

Miami is beautiful and quiet before 0500 in the morning as our ship sails up the harbor, turns and then settles in at the NCL dock. There were few people up and about. Most who got up were seriously interested … Continue reading →

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Pretty Pink in a row

Posted on 2025-10-17 by Holly

We are through the canal and once again stopping in Cartagena. I don’t particularly see a need to leave to port. I wandered to wander the bird sanctuary, but the flamingos were demonstrating what they thought of the hordes of … Continue reading →

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The New Locks – Panama Canal

Posted on 2025-10-16 by Holly

There was a lot of information provided yesterday by various people that turned out not to be exactly accurate. 1) I had asked one of the managers of the Observation Lounge if the lounge would be open early because we … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Cruising, Travel | 1 Comment

Tall Ships

Posted on 2025-10-15 by Holly

When the training ship for the Mexican Navy hit the Brooklyn Bridge, I think it was the first time that most people in the US had heard about Navy’s having Tall Ships for training their new, young officers and crew. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising, Military | Leave a comment