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!

Some things are finished

Posted on 2026-09-13 by Holly

Like the FIBA tournament in Berlin. It might sound like heresy to some, but I was rooting for the French team. They are less arrogant than the US team and seemed to play better together (at least for the first … Continue reading →

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

Contemplation and basketball

Posted on 2026-09-12 by Holly

It is a strange combination. To spend part of the day thinking about the past year and the year to come. And, OTOH, see the FIBA Women’s semi-finals playing out in Berlin afternoon and evening (which means morning on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Quiet

Posted on 2026-09-11 by Holly

Today is turning out to be problematic for me. I don’t want to deal with or talk to people. Why? Flip a coin – one side comes up Rosh Hashanah and the other the 25th Remembrance of 11 Sept 2001. … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Jewish Life, Military | Leave a comment

It has been 48 years

Posted on 2026-09-10 by Holly

Since that Sunday in September when George and I were married. We were in Minnesota, in a house still new to us. Like today here, it was hot, humid, and full of sunshine.  I can remember our frantic efforts to make … Continue reading →

Posted in family, Jewish Life | 1 Comment

why am I getting these?

Posted on 2026-09-08 by Holly

I watch various things on YouTube. It varies from stitching, knitting, and cross stitch through some history related programs and the occasional scientific bit tossed in. Oh yes, and some music videos. Most of the time I try to avoid … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

The flavor is

Posted on 2026-09-05 by Holly

Called “Blissful Catnip.” I have a supply of various “Temptation” brand treats bought off Amazon months ago. Some of them he doesn’t really appreciate? This flavor? It apparently is THE flavor. First he sat on the arm of my chair … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Hybrid Retreats

Posted on 2026-09-04 by Holly

I might have mentioned that Acorns and Threads kept up hosting on-line retreats post-pandemic when they returned to in person. I think they just might be the only shop doing this. It takes a huge amount of dedication (extra set … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

the tally

Posted on 2026-09-03 by Holly

I am caught up with bills, have verified banking “stuff,” renewed my license for another year (this isn’t a CME reporting year which makes it easy), and put away yesterdays laundry. And all before 0600 in the morning when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Not on the lake

Posted on 2026-09-02 by Holly

No, I am home, cleaning out the fridge and doing three loads of laundry. I also finished the most recent release in Owl Forest’s Sherlock Holmes SAL. One bobbie and another horse with hansom.  from there I moved on to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home | Leave a comment

New month – new Finish

Posted on 2026-09-01 by Holly

Earlier today, I finished this lovely pattern.  Now, the color suggested by the designer was really awful (a muddy yellow) so I changed it to several colors. In general, I pulled most of the colors from the original illustrations rather … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home | Leave a comment

Summing up August

Posted on 2026-08-31 by Holly

Somehow the month got away from me. Things seemed to be under control until suddenly they weren’t. It wasn’t that I had all that many commitments, appointments, places to go and things to do.  It is just more than one … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

The final fig

Posted on 2026-08-20 by Holly

or two. Now I have to decide which I eat first. Decisions, decisions. Both are figs, the tastes are completely different. I can’t say that I favor one over the other, I would be tempted to want to savor my … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Hair ball

Posted on 2026-08-19 by Holly

This post is not pretty. I do not recommend reading while eating. You have been warned. I try to brush the cat everyday. He sheds. Animals shed, people shed. Fact of life. In reality, the only time you don’t shed … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | 3 Comments

Only small progress

Posted on 2026-08-18 by Holly

Which kind of feels like a riff off Jennifer Estep’s  Galactic Bond’s Series  which has absolutely nothing to do with either cross stitching or cleaning/organizing. Since I finished the Frisian Sampler the other day, I have been only playing with … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

The desk

Posted on 2026-08-17 by Holly

Or is it a table? Actually it probably doesn’t make any difference. What was important is that it has been pretty much buried since I returned home from a cruise several months ago. You notice I am not specifying so … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | 1 Comment

reprise – the figs

Posted on 2026-08-16 by Holly

I went back and checked Alison’s Blog (SpinDyeKnit) to see that the figs were – “Exel, Tiger aka Panachee aka Panache depending on who’s doing the spelling, and Black Madeira.” So there you have it – not Mission figs And … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Home | Leave a comment

All the figs

Posted on 2026-08-15 by Holly

My plan had been simple: ride along with George, get dropped off at Alison’s, get a chance to go to Andy’s Orchard, then reverse the trip. Things started to go off the rails almost immediately. We were late leaving the … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends | 2 Comments

Kitchen utensils

Posted on 2026-08-14 by Holly

Completely mundane and no purple wigs involved. Instead I am turning to kitchen gadgets: It looks so innocent sitting there on the counter. Perhaps my most favorite it performs consistently and flawlessly every time. Doing what – you ask… Why, … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | 2 Comments

Bobbling along

Posted on 2026-08-13 by Holly

We survived the game. The wigs that a fellow season ticket holder decided that we all needed, The time it took the Valkyries to get their act together. And the bub and bobblehead snatch that George was subject to on … Continue reading →

Posted in Basketball | Leave a comment

Off to Ballhalla

Posted on 2026-08-12 by Holly

It has been a quiet day. So far my major efforts have been two fold: a latte run early this morning which furnished me with a much needed dose  of caffeine and an attempt to finish a cross stitch piece. … Continue reading →

Posted in Basketball | Leave a comment