Calm down!

This is a work week I'm eager to get behind me. We have a big, scary, financial meeting tomorrow. I've spent much of the past week preparing for it and not doing my day-to-day job. On Wednesday, I have to go to the Bay area for the day and am feeling guilty about being out of the office, for a whole day, after being so frantic. Ordinarily my trip up north would be one I'd look forward to but I'm just so beat.

Today was especially intense. As a result, when I got home, I ate a quick dinner, washed my face then jumped into my pjs. Next up, more cross-stitching! It's been the one thing that really calms me lately. This is what I'm working on now:

I'm doing the pattern on the top, in red. It's almost finished!

Next, I plan to start this one:

This pattern is one of four seasonal patterns I'm currently obsessed with. Shandon had Spring and Summer so I bought Winter and Autumn. Now we're sharing our patterns. I think this one (Winter aka L'Hiver) is my favorite. I figure I'll eventually do all four patterns then hang them and swap them out as the seasons change. Of course I'll probably be 90 before I'm finished with all four. Still, it's a nice goal.

Here are the other seasons I plan to tackle:


Today I received this one. I'd almost forgotten I'd ordered it:

I think it's safe to assume I'll never need another cross stitch pattern again. These should help keep me "calm" for the rest of my life.

(In case anyone is interested, these patterns are available on 123 Stitch. The first is designed by Carriage House Samplings. The rest are by Birds of a Feather.)