"If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?" ~Abraham Lincoln

See that shiny copper disc next to the "IRS" in the photo? That's what's left over after paying 2008 taxes.

But lookee here -- who's on the shiny disc, but Abraham Lincoln himself? The first Lincoln Penny was placed into circulation 100 years ago, on Lincoln's Centennial birthday -- February 12, 1909. The copper has been going strong ever since. Lincoln never, ever could have predicted his enduring presence on U.S. currency. When you're on the U.S. Penny and the Five Dollar Bill, who needs Facebook? Hardly a day goes by when one doesn't circulate a penny or a five dollar bill. And this year Mr. Lincoln went silver when a beautiful Commemorative Silver Dollar was released in honor of the bicentennial.

In fairness to other U.S. Presidents -- like Woodrow Wilson, for instance -- I like to carry a bit of extra cash tucked away in a change purse . . ."just-in-case" money.

This week was a toughie: I had a major counted thread setback with the "272 Words" sampler. To put it bureaucratically: mistakes were made. I miscalculated a line of stitching only to realize the disaster later than sooner. Extensive frogging ensued. Grr. Why do I always find stitching mistakes on the following day?

It can't have anything to do with my habit of stitching after midnight, when my brain power is on a par with a single-cell organism . . . can it? Nah. I suspect that someone is sneaking into my house and rearranging my stitches overnight, while I'm in the arms of Morpheus. This calls for a sting operation -- I have installed a StitcherCam which will nab the culprit in flagrante delicto. Go ahead -- make my day.

The "IRS" next to the penny in the photo is short for . . . "I'd Rather Stitch" . . . (than do all the other things I should be doing to prepare for the Easter weekend). Daffodils have arrived in Riverside Park . . . hugs and warm Easter wishes to all.

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee" ~Abraham Lincoln

Henry from Pennsylvania sent along this Lincoln quote. Henry (and partner Emily) write the world's best acrostic puzzles, and are experts in finding fantastic quotations.

Liz from Philadelphia writes that, yes -- Lincoln Logs are still made . . . in China. (Cue Alanis Morrisette's Isn't It Ironic?) Lincoln Logs were invented by John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Interestingly, Frank was born "Frank Lincoln Wright" and changed his middle name to "Lloyd" after his parents divorced. I keep thinking of a Guggenheim Museum made of Lincoln Logs . . . oh, to be rustic again!

The sampler chart is underway, but the fabric search is a challenge. My chosen fabric is a beautiful linen (32-count Lambswool). But I need a made-to-order mega-cut. This is a sampler on steroids, much bigger than anticipated. Midnight oil and coffee -- that's the deal for the next few months.