A family post, and a present

I hope you all don't mind, but since my last post was on Thursday, and I want to save the big reveal of Ann Smith for when I'm actually done with her, this is just going to be a family post.  If you're just interested in the stitching, you can skip this post.  :D

First off, would you like to see the huge branch on top of my car from the nor'easter?

Please note, all those bush-like things away from the house are not bushes.  They are fallen branches and limbs.  Get the picture?  lol!  That's not all the limbs and branches that fell either.

Before I get into the family stuff, I wanted to show you a present I received from Isabelle in France.  Isabelle has started a lovely new blog about Japanese embroidery.  I'm embarrassed to say I can't find the link right now despite the fact that it should be in my reader.  Sigh.  But here is the link to Isa's other blog.  When I find the right link, I will post it.  It's so worth looking at -- Isabelle's Japanese embroidery is so exquisite!  And Isa's first blog is wonderful as well!

Edited to insert link to Isabelle's Japanese embroidery blog.  Thanks for understanding, Isabelle!

Anyway, I became the first follower of Isa's new Japanese embroidery blog, and she gave me a present just for that!  Isn't that amazing?  And here is what arrived.

Look what was inside!  A lovely note pad made by Isabelle!  Isabelle makes the most amazing things.

The inside.

Isn't it wonderful?  Thank you so much, Isabelle!  You are so sweet to give me such a beautiful gift!

Back to the family.

Now here's what the girl child did for Halloween at college.  She was Link from the Legend of Zelda.  Cute, huh?

Now for the boy child's school play.  The company did Noises Off.  It was absolutely wonderful!  The cast did a great job, as did the crew.  Look at this set!  Keep in mind, the whole set has to spin around so you see the back of the set for Act II.

And it was a massive set!  I'm going to show lots of pics now, so I hope you enjoy.  The boy child, in case you know the play, played Tim Allgood, the stage manager.

Here's the back of the set in Act II.

And the front again.  It was fun watching them spin the set around between acts!

The three burglars.  :D

The boy child taking his bow.

And the whole cast.

After the show.

And a rare smile.

Congratulations to my boy child.  I'm so proud of you!

Sunday was the memorial service for my FIL.  It was a moving, special event.  It was so nice to see the old Unitarian church again where the Father type went as a child/teen.  And the old friends too.  FIL was greatly loved, and you could tell by the tributes given at the service.

I hope you didn't mind this family post.  I will be back to stitching next time.  Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  Hope everyone has a great week!

Now I have to go find the girl child's glasses and overnight them to her.  She forgot to take them back to school with her.  Silly girl!  lol!

(Mia with a face towel from the girl child's room.  She loves to rummage through and attack any of the girl child's possessions.)