marianneland is a lovely place to live, everything there is as it should be and things always turnout for the best. Even if they seem to be troublesome or difficult, in the end they are better or best.

Keith invented marianneland years ago. I told him I did not mind living in New England, that I did not mind the cold (actually, that is true. I used to walk outdoors year round, as long as the ground was not icy) as much as I dislike the heat (7 months a year here are too hot to walk outdoors, I wilt and fall over like a dead flower).

He said living in the northeast was easy for me, since I live in marianneland, where if it is bad out I do not have to go ut and if I am cold I turn up the heat.

So, I have been beating him up with marianneland ever since. It always makes us laugh.

I have been unrealistic about NewNeedlepoint.com.

I expected too much, too soon. A former friend once told me I was “inappropriate and I expected too much”. She meant it to hurt me, I have since made it my motto.

One of the things that has been brought home to me is how unrealistic my entire view of the world is. I suppose I do not live in the same reality as most people. I can’t really explain why or how this is. No one reading this blog wants to read THAT much reality from me, I am sure of this.

So, into another year. I am going to offer international shipping. it is going to cost more. It is going to cost what it costs me.

It ended up costing me $19.00 to ship 1 book to Australia.

I am going to continue offering free shipping, I am going to sweat out how long it may take for some of the more expensive canvases and kits to sell.

That is reality. I do not want to become a cut-rate needlepoint store or only buy canvases for re-sell below a certain price point. That is not me or what I want NewNeedlepoint to be.

So, what can I tell you? Things on my web site are priced to sell at a profit, but well below the accepted 100% profit.

AWK, enough of this stuff. I have moving stories for you.

The tape gun is one of the finest tools ever invented. I give it a 5 out of 5 possible stars. I am a whizz with a tape gun.

I spent yesterday dealing with turning utilities off here and on there. This is time consuming and often frustrating.

I remind myself that it is real people on the other end of each call. I find if I can get them laughing, it goes very well.

One lady at Comcast was named Maybelline. When she said it at the beginning of the call, I could not believe it. I interrupted her “script” and asked her if I heard right. She said yes, I said her parents must be music fans and told her how much I liked her name. And I do, very much.

Many of these utility changes I can’t do until my tenants make the *turn off* arrangements. I hope they are not last minute people. That will drive me nuts, major nuts.

I have discovered no matter how much bubble wrap you buy, it is not enough and Jack The Cat does not find it amusing when I step on the bubbles to make them *pop*.

I just placed a huge new book order. Some replacements and some completely new. I keep finding these books. All I see is the title and author’s name when I order them but some of them sound just wonderful.

Those will probably be the worst and the not so special sounding books will be the terrific ones. (that would be typical of marianneland)

I have some really new, news. Patt, of Patt & Lee Designs just came back from the big TNNA show in Long Beach, California talking about the “hit of the show”, these great Stirling Tote bags and accessories.

They are designed so you can stitch almost any needlepoint (or cross stitch or embroidery) design you like on something sized to fit in the slot.

The bags are called *Self Finishing*. Each item has a self-stick board that you attach you needlework too and put it into the slot on the bag.

These can be changed, as well. I jumped on it and found the distributor, placed an order. I ordered tote bags, accessory kits, key chains, wallets & wallet covers.

I got these pictures from the Stirling Web Site

I should have them very soon, I will list them as soon as I move & unpack.

I bet I list them well before I am all unpacked.

Back to packing.