NYE MYSTERY STITCH ALONG

Many stitcher's enjoyed the NYE SAL and I have to say it was just as much fun this year as last year.  It started on December 30th at 4:00 am my time (MST, USA) with the last pattern released at noon on January 1st. Not a bad thing since we can all say that 56 hours of anticipating the next pattern section release seems like never ending suffering for some, I had an incredible amount of fun. 

Here's how it all went down:

Sunday, December 30, 2018, 3:45 am:  My alarm wakens me to darkness and my first thought was, "Seriously?  I don't want to go to work today!"  Groaning and complaining, I roll over and consider practicing a fun game called Lay around like a quadriplegic.  Berating myself on how not PC it is to continue playing a game that essentially makes fun of persons with limited mobility I suddenly remember IT'S SUNDAY!  The NYE SAL starts in a few short minutes! AND I don't work today!

Seven years ago I would have exploded out of bed, leaping like the agile gazelle and gracefully wander into the comfy savanna that is my livingroom/craftroom/mess.  However, it's less than zero degrees outside, arthritis does not like the cold and leaving my nest of warmth and comfort reduced me to the following situation: 

           Imagine, if you will sweet reader, a tangled mass of very long hair wrapped around an arm. The arm is still asleep. The sheet has enveloped the body on the bed like a tightly wrapped burrito.  Slowly the body moves.  The body makes noises, incomprehensible noises.  Moments pass as the struggle to be released from the iron grip of a top sheet that seems determined to strangle and constrict the body gains momentum.  The comforter is no help.  It lays heavy, now more of a burden than safety and warmth;  hindering the body as the struggle turns into a life and death wrestling match. 

          With an inarticulate cry, the body flails wildly and finally is released from the top sheet only to find the hair that had been wrapped around an arm is now slicing it's way through the armpit.  The body reaches over and disentangles the hair and checks for what surely could be deep lacerations.  Nothing.  The arm is now tingling as life flows back into it.  

           The body now rolls towards the edge of the bed.  The brain focused now on getting to the computer right on time.  Feet over the edge, old eyes seeking slippers, hands groping for glasses, and now let's try standing up. IT WORKS! Dragging one leg, hands holding onto anything available to move the body along, the goal has been set....the chair, the floss, the scissor, the fabric, the hoop, the laptop........all are in sight of the old eyes.

          .............and then the body trips on the dog's water bowl. One foot had found the bowl, while the other food insisted on being in the bowl.  The brain wonders WHY?? Moist doesn't even begin to describe wet socks in the morning.  Wet doesn't really cover it either. Sopping is good.  The brain likes the word sopping.  

Thus marks the beginning of a two and a half days journey of stitching.  

The Rest of the Day: A great day!  Kept up nicely, enjoyed all the other stitcher's as they completed parts.  Took a nap.  Woke up, read comments, approved new members, watched some movies.  Had to go to bed because Monday I was required to work half day, but still failed to go to bed early.

December 31, 2018, New Year's Eve Day: Only a few hours sleep, got up and dressed and stitched a bit before having to leave for work. Drove to work. Few cars on the road.  Worked for four hours and drove back home.  Trying to catch up on the patterns to current, another nap, more stitching and movies.  8:00 pm another pattern released, and it is decided I will stay up for the midnight release.  Midnight, Happy New Year, new pattern.  Decided to see if I could stay up until the 4:00 am release and do. 

January 1, 2019: Took a short nap from 7:00 am to 7:49 am and then got back up and readied myself for the 8:00 am release.  Took a bit longer to stitch.  Feeling spacey and shaky.  Eat.  Feel better.  Noon, final pattern released. Managed to stay up until I don't remember what time.

           The body awkwardly made it's way back to the nest.  The top sheet reclaimed it's victim while the comforter returned to it's position of being weighty and warm.  Silence falls and the cold night gets colder.  The body doesn't move, rest at last! 

I'm wondering now what I was thinking during that entire two and a half days?  It's not a competition so "winning" isn't it. I have yet to finish the backside of the NYE pattern, but I had so much fun!  During all of that "waiting" I worked on the border for the upcoming Weaver's Bird SAL and started working on the NFSAL pattern for January.

Weirdly I'm not burnt out.  Usually when I stitch that much in such a short amount of time, I suddenly lose my urge to stitch for a few days, but not this time!  Maybe it was the lack of quality sleep?

I would also like to point out that there are parts of New Year's Eve Day that I don't remember but can say I had some very vivid dreams  which makes everything seem surreal.  Apparently, my sub-conscious is hell bent on moving to Mars and claiming it as my own and mailing back every scrap of expensive equipment sent to Mars by Earthlings.  The people who felt what I was doing was wrong were powerless to stop me and words were exchanged.  Makes me wonder what the heck is going on in my head that I'm not normally aware of!

I regret not one moment of the past few days.  I hope that everyone who joined it did as well!

Until next time, the body says to KEEP ON STITCHIN'!