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!

and Again

Posted on 2025-05-16 by Holly

It was the real first game for the Valkyries. They started strong but seemed to run out of energy the second half and had just too many turnovers (missed passes, poor shots) resulting in a loss to the LA Sparks … Continue reading →

Posted in Basketball, Home | Leave a comment

May Mini-Village

Posted on 2025-05-04 by Holly

Finished it up today – (1252 stitches) of a total of 3266 give or take. This is the first of four on the new piece of fabric… and back to more of the bird cage for this year’s LolaCrow Sal… … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | 1 Comment

Zwei Schnecken

Posted on 2025-05-01 by Holly

and for the rest of you – today’s bad pun – snail mail. Bundled up and let it grow,,,,, the fabric is more of the Zweigart vintage smoky white in 18 count. The floss in the green one is what … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

and the schedule resumes

Posted on 2025-04-29 by Holly

This morning I felt almost normal. Woke at a reasonable time,  managed to do a bit of stitching. Ran errands which included coffee and Costco, making it back home before noon. Three loads of laundry over the day. Attending UCSF … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers & Software, Home | Leave a comment

was this a monday?

Posted on 2025-04-28 by Holly

As I sit down to dash off this short note, I have little to no memory of most of the day. I was totally and completely exhausted this morning when the alarm went off. I am sure that I got … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Not the fastest route

Posted on 2025-04-27 by Holly

Kind of like “not the sharpest crayon in the box.”  The route I picked home wasn’t the technically fastest route from Cannon Beach back to Berkeley, but it certainly way scenic and occasionally quite challenging.  Let me start with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Travel | Leave a comment

Soup of the evening

Posted on 2025-04-26 by Holly

supper break saw George coming upstairs to the meeting/conference/ballroom to invite me across the street for supper. There is an “Irish” pub. Looking at their menu – there were equal offers of fancy drinks, wines, whiskey, and beer. Says tourist … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Friends, Travel | Leave a comment

And on to Canon Beach

Posted on 2025-04-25 by Holly

Which should have been extremely simple but I managed to make it quite a bit more complicated. In fairness – I had help. Not in getting out of Longview, I can follow directions, at least as far as managing to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Sewing, Travel | Leave a comment

Longview

Posted on 2025-04-24 by Holly

And staying with friends. What I had been quietly thinking of as a restful day after all that driving yesterday turned into a bit more exercise than I had planned. Kris normally goes jogging in the morning. Out of kindness … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Travel | Leave a comment

45th Parallel

Posted on 2025-04-23 by Holly

As we were driving north on I5 part way up Oregon, George saw the sign. It said that we were crossing the 45th Parallel which put us halfway between the Equator and the Arctic North Pole. Huh! Never thought about … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Travel | 2 Comments

Bird Cage?

Posted on 2025-04-21 by Holly

The Frame for the new LolaCrow SAL is looking more and more like a bird cage. Similar to the three previous SALs of hers that I have stitched, the frame has a lot of black and has about 6k worth … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

Ooops

Posted on 2025-04-20 by Holly

There I was, happily stitching along for the second day on the May mini-village. The first tree was done, the first house and almost done with the second. Then I took a close look at the roof of the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | Leave a comment

all that is needed

Posted on 2025-04-19 by Holly

is to finish the rest of this section (Secret Grove SAL) and that bar of chocolate. The first went fine, the second, I am sad to report, was pretty dry and crumbly. I think it need to be used for … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home | Leave a comment

Voyaging

Posted on 2025-04-18 by Holly

Found the 935, finished #2 on the travel series. went to bed early. Just happy to be home..

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Home | Leave a comment

Home

Posted on 2025-04-17 by Holly

Did I leave the house today? Hummm Actually, yes, I walked out, down the stairs, around the back to Noah’s place and picked up an Amazon package before returning to my den. Obviously, I am not going and doing much … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Leaving in San Francisco

Posted on 2025-04-16 by Holly

  Having made the decision that it would be much more sensible to get off the ship today rather than return later today after doing all the document signing at home, sailing up to Seattle (two sea days missed) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | Leave a comment

Last sea day this trip

Posted on 2025-04-15 by Holly

As it turns out, making the decision to get off in San Francisco rather than continue on to Seattle was incredibly easy. Walked down to Guest Services and informed them that I would be departing the ship. Why? Family matters. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Travel | Leave a comment

San Pedro

Posted on 2025-04-14 by Holly

The official documents call it Los Angeles or the Port of Los Angeles. But it is really San Pedro. At one point it was a separate city, but like most areas in the LA Basin, it was swallowed up years … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

the group grows smaller

Posted on 2025-04-13 by Holly

13 April 2025 – drawing down Today will mark the last day for several of those in the fiber get together group. Tomorrow will be Los Angeles. From what we have been informed, it will be the usual first entry … Continue reading →

Posted in Cruising, Travel | Leave a comment

DIY Seder

Posted on 2025-04-12 by Holly

Today could also be labeled at Cabo St Luca. It is a tender port. I was trying to think if I had ever been on a ship that docked here but I don’t think so. I looked back then pulled … Continue reading →

Posted in Jewish Life, Travel | Leave a comment