My preferred hobby for meditation is jigsaw puzzles, but a lack of flat space that is safe from both cats and alternate uses makes it difficult. I've tried the puzzle caddies, but you still need a flat place to put it on to work, and cats still hop up and say, "Whatcha doin', Mom? Were you doing something with these little pieces, Mom? Do you mind if I lay down right here, Mom?"

I've done crochet, but I always lose my place in knitting. Crochet doesn't have the requirement of remembering which way you were going. I've also done handweaving, counted cross-stitch, and bobbin lace, but until I get new glasses--and decide if I'm going to break down and go for bifocals--they're more grief than I like.

I'm a process person more than a project person, ie, I like learning how to do something but I'm not necessarily inspired to continue the process to the end. Which is why there are so many half-finished projects around the house. Including one that I've been working on since college. The cloth is doing to rot away before I finish doing that miniature prayer rug.

I love cross-stitching. It goes slower than crocheting but you can make pretty pictures and frame them.

My big, burly, weight-lifting, football-coaching dad has been doing this since he was coaching at Ole Miss. He was told it would relax him and give him something to occupy his time besides yelling at people. I suppose it worked. I used to have a cross-stitch thing he did of all the teams in the SEC.

Connie, my parents use a folding card table for their puzzle-working. It seems to work pretty well, and they're able to keep the cat off of it for the most part.

My big, burly, weight-lifting, football-coaching dad has been doing this since he was coaching at Ole Miss. He was told it would relax him and give him something to occupy his time besides yelling at people. I suppose it worked. I used to have a cross-stitch thing he did of all the teams in the SEC.

Well, they didn't have Cat Stacking, back then.

Huh. I always do cross-stitch with blunt needles. Tapestry needles, to be precise.

It's all so 21st-century domestic. I need to take pictures.

My regular Monday-night socializing thing is the local gothy Stitch & Bitch. The rest of the gang knits (or spins their own yarn from angora goat hair, 'cos they're hardcore fiber junkies now), and I sew black lace trim on to black lace or velvet clothing.

Well, they didn't have Cat Stacking, back then.

I should introduce him, but he's still a little technology- not phobic exactly, apathetic is probably a better word.

I used to have a cross-stitch thing he did of all the teams in the SEC.

I love this. And it makes me think of the mini Christmas tree covered in Auburn-themed ornaments and blue and orange ribbon in just the right shades that my dad's younger sister made for him while he was recovering from his heart attack 12 years ago. She's a big Bama fan--shrine to the Bear in her bedroom and everything--so this was a real act of love. She claims she went to a store where no one knew her for supplies, and that it's hard to sew with your eyes closed.

I'd love to inherit that tree, but I figure it'll go to VCOB, who, after all, actually graduated from Auburn.

She's a big Bama fan--shrine to the Bear in her bedroom and everything--so this was a real act of love. She claims she went to a store where no one knew her for supplies, and that it's hard to sew with your eyes closed.

Hee. He was showing me a cool pattern over X-mas that has the LSU Tiger with all the other teams we played on our way to the Sugar Bowl last year lying bloodied and beaten in its wake (except for the Gator which was picking its teeth).

ETA the right season.

My parents have many Auburn-themed ornaments on their tree. In addition to the Auburn throws, Auburn jewelry box that plays War Eagle, Auburn mail box, Auburn ceiling fan light, Auburn tire cover on their RV, and Auburn/War Eagle horn on their RV. And, of course, the Auburn cross stitch that my mom made.

And I broke their hearts by going to Bama for grad school.