June 24, 2012

Travel to No Avail

My sister and I planned to go to the Cape this weekend to see my dad and attend his church's Strawberry Festival, always a fun event (lobster rolls! strawberry shortcake! linens table!), so we headed to National Airport after work and had a relaxing dinner and chat before we were to catch our 10 p.m. plane to Providence. As we walked to our gate after being both body scanned and frisked, we noticed that flight after flight was being canceled and there was a huge line forming in the terminal. We noted that our flight had been moved to 11 p.m. As it turned out, an FAA facility had caught fire in NJ and they had lost the ability to meter flights into and out of airports up and down the east coast, and there were thunderstorms in all the affected areas as well. So we got in line, anticipating that our flight was going to be canceled and reasoning that even if it wasn't, there was a good chance we'd arrive in Providence to find the car agency shuttered (everything there closes at midnight). We didn't want to lose the value of our ticket, although by now--11 p.m. and no sign of the plane--we decided we were too tired to continue regardless. So the exhausted ticket agent refunded our tickets, and gave our seats to two people who had lost out when their flight was canceled at 5 p.m. Hopefully they got to go. Gleefully, we headed back to the car and drove home. Written on our refund voucher are the words "travel to no avail." Lots of people around us in the line were traveling to no avail: the woman from Richmond doing the 3-day museum tour in Portland, Maine, who flew from Richmond to LaGuardia, only to have her plane routed back to DC. The woman flying to Boston for a wedding whose replacement flight on Saturday would get her there too late to attend. We'll try again next month.

In the meantime, I decided I'd clean a few closets and stumbled on this nearly finished project. And finished it! It's a very old project from a book I no longer have, and I started it in roughly 1990. It's on either 16- or 18-count white aida, using DMC. I'm going to frame it and hang it in the kitchen; I think its cuteness stands the test of time even though I don't like the fabric and there are a couple of indelible hoop marks on it. Had I traveled this weekend, I might never have finished it!


Since every finish deserves a new start, I started "Lilies" by Kustom Krafts, Inc. It's Heaven and Earthish, with every square filled with DMC. I want to hang it in a cottagey bedroom full of yellow.





I have not neglected my ongoing major projects either: here is Sarah Hatton McPhail:



And progress on Elizabeth Easdon:


And a close-up of the area I'm stitching now:


Speaking of Elizabeth, Elizabeth and Elvis finding time to cuddle in between renovations of their bunny cardboard tunnel (to date, three skylights).


Although I haven't been blogging much, I have been stitching, as you can see. Happy week ahead!

23 comments:

MarchAnn said...

Sorry you missed your trip but you put the weekend to go use. I like your found project isn't that fun.
Happy Stitching

barbara said...

Great use of your unexpected free time - love the cheeriness of this project! Bunny hugs to the hugabunnies. :)

Margaret said...

Oh gosh, what a pain! I'm glad you got to stitch instead of traveling though. Nice finish! Nice start too! Both are so different from the sampler thing. Love your WIPS too, of course.

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

Travel to no avail seems so appropriate--been there a few times.

Nice finish on your kitchen piece--glad you completed and did not toss.

Samplers are beautiful

Melissa said...

Sorry to hear your mini getaway was cancelled. Your progress pictures were great though. Love the watermelon finish!!

Deb said...

That is too bad that you had to miss your trip, but it looks like you made good use of the time. Nice finish and great progress on both of your samplers. You're going to be finished with Sarah before you know it.

Daffycat said...

I love the summery watermelon project! Good finish!

Jan said...

There is a silver lining in every cloud. What great fun to find a nearly finished project and to finish it. I'm jealous.

I'm so glad Elvis has Elizabeth now. They make an adorable couple.

Cari said...

Sorry about your trip and happy to see a post. I assumed you were busy stitching and such and as happens to all of us...life gets in the way. Love all of your stitching and I'm happy to see the bunnies. Have a good week!

Loraine said...

Oh my, sounds like a nightmare. I will have to ask my husband if he was mixed up in that mess when he fly's home tonight. Haven't heard from him about it.
I'm so sorry you didn't get to see your dad, but your sampler is wonderful, and I'm really glad you got to finish it.
Your other samplers are fabulous too. You have such great taste.

Melissa said...

It's too bad you couldn't travel but then maybe it was for the best (wouldn't want do travel in bad weather). Better luck next time!

Like you said, at least you've been stitching. It's nice you got a piece finished that you can now frame and it's just the right season for watermelons!

Thanks for the comment you left on my blog about work. I can hang my hope on you because in the end you did get work! :-) Have a great week!

RG said...

1. Lilies will look good at Raspberry Rabbit's home or BL's room!

2. A finish! Actually that might be the first time I have seen those words on your blog? Congrats!

3. How about designing a Elvis/Pink cross-stitch?

4. Trip - ugh.

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Lovely picture of the happy couple! And your stitching is wonderful!

Chris said...

Sorry about the thwarted travel plans. The strawberry festival sounds scrumptious. But those watermelons are too. I love the finish. What fun!

Great progress on the other sampler too.
Hugs to you and the bunnies!

Giovanna said...

Congrats on the finish - and nice going on the other projects.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Love your newest finish! There's just something fun about watermelon designs and summertime. Sounds like it was meant to happen that way.

marly said...

Wow! Sarah is approaching the finish of a magnificent piece. Lots of stitches in that beauty. How sweet is that bunny couple!

Catherine said...

Bummer about the trip,but sounds like you made the right choice.
All of your stitchiness looks wonderful!

Karen M said...

Sorry your trip didn't work out. Lucky for me, my daughter was on a flight that took off! Love the pic of Elvis and Elizabeth.

samplerlover said...

Sorry about your trip but the time has been used wisely. Stitching lol.

Susan said...

I was originally scheduled to fly on Friday-so glad I decided to stay in Detroit for the weekend. Sorry you didn't get to go on your trip but you sure put the time to good use. The finish is very summery and perfect for a kitchen. Like the new start and you've made great progress on your WIPs. Elvis and Elizabeth look very happy together.

Brigitte said...

What a lovely find. It was definitely worth finishing. And oh, those Lilies will be gorgeous.
Nice progress on your WIPs.

Anonymous said...

I love your watermelon sampler? Do you remember what book this came from? Thank you!