Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Relaxing


 Can you look at him and not smile?  He is living the life!

I was in the sewing room , trying to rearrange some things and came across this fabric. I sent a pic to Lorelei and ask if she wanted a pillowcase.  This is basically the only sewing I have done since working on the curtain panels.  I am not sure when my daughter is coming back for us to finish them.  

I got new puzzles for Christmas besides having some I have bought myself.  I am trying to make up my mind on which one to start.  I want to work my photomosaic of the wolf before I die, but I know it is going to take more than two or three days to do it so am trying to decide whether to start on it or choose another one.

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I have had no more problems with vertigo since right after my previous post.   Hopefully it won't pop up again.  

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I told my Jeremy if I were made of money I would get this for him, but it would be an awful expensive t[shirt for a grease rag.  The part that cracks me up is that last line 'living the dream.'

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Bits


Copper's mom sent me this last week I think...click to expand the view and look at his face closely.  He was talking back to her about something.  You can see it when you look at his mouth.  He is a funny boy.  She had to get a new fridge last Friday and after the guys left, he barked and growled at it.  And for two or three days continued to go bark and growl at it when he heard the ice maker.  

Notice his ears...they tend to say 'Go that way!'

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These are a couple of my favorite ornaments.   I have to put up a Christmas tree till I can use them.  LOL


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I have been dealing with a touch of what I assume is vertigo.  It happens most when I roll over in bed, or first set up.  It did happen once when I tipped my head back to put in eyedrops.  It never lasts long.  So though I call it vertigo, not sure that that is what it is. It is not like when you get dizzy.  And last night it hit after I went to bed.  I was just laying there as still as could be when it started.  It did not last long.  But it sure is a funny feeling.... and my body feels like a dead weight when it hits.   
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I have been trying to get this ready to post for about three days.  I am taking a break from some much needed dusting in this computer corner.  Where all kinds of paperwork sits.  I just do not know how much stuff I should keep up with.  Most people I know have never needed anything like insurance statements, and I have had to have them at least 3 times I can think of off hand.

I bet when we die the girls will have a big old bonfire and I don't blame them.  I wore out a shredder going through my mother-in-law's stuff and finally resorted to burning a lot of it.  But I do try to get rid of stuff....when I am sure I will no longer need it.  I have even managed to let go of a couple things in doing this.  On another day I will do more in-depth going through the papers again.

I know I am planning on going the paperless route on some things....
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I need to go sew a couple lines on curtains Rachel and I are making.  Then will fold it up and put it away till after Christmas.  

If I don't post again, I hope you have a Merry Christmas....

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Short and sweet

 A house a couple mile from here, in the 1995

I just have one little thing to share right now.  If you read nothing else today read I'll be Home for Christmas by Sean Dietrich,,,,it is worth the few minutes it will take.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

This and that...


Just thought I would put up a few pics...above is Copper looking quite handsome.  Don't you love his ears?

Above is a new Christmas ornament from Lorelei's mom...

There are two there, believe it or not...they are finished. The backing is denim from an old pair of jeans.  I like to use denim...I only use the ones that don't have any stretch to them.  It wears like iron, but not the prettiest.


And above is another handkerchief from the box. 

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I got these ready to post last night and actually thought I had.  But I got to thinking I haven't got a single comment.  So thought to look and see and I had forgot to finish the post.  So here it is...I still feel it is incomplete, but shall publish it anyway.


Saturday, December 4, 2021

from the box


Success!   I tried and tried to upload photos last night with no success.  I so was in the mood to share these.  They are hankerchiefs from my mom.  She loved pretty hankerchiefs.  I have a small box of them that she had kept through the years.  The one above was one of the first ones I pulled from the box, and I must say one of my favorites.


The above and below are pretty, too.  They all need washed and ironed but not sure they would last through a washing.  I know some of them are at least 60 years old, and probably older.  The fabric is sort of delicate.  I remember looking at them as a child.


I do not know how many times I have looked in that box.  I don't remember noticing the below clipping that she had saved.  It was upside down is the only thing that I can think.  The back did not have printing on it.  Anyway, you should be able to read it if you click to expand the view.


I have no idea who wrote it...but I have only did a light search.  
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I made a couple of these blocks.  They are going to be potholders.  I just got to get busy and work on them....They are made from scraps except the light gray triangles.  And I will use scraps of batting plus insulbrite for the padding.  I usually use old jean denim for the backing but not sure I will on these.
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 I have a pot of navy beans and ham cooking...I have been so hungry for them.  I am always glad to have something to cook that at least one of us wants.  
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I have a little video to share with you....I think you are going to love it.

Monday, November 29, 2021

Etc...


 I have been playing a little bit...


These stars have a crumb center...


I am not sure that I will ever do any more...just wanted to make them because of a video I watched....I have been thinking about using my crumb blocks some way other than just as a crumb block.  I want to use them as a part of a block, rather than as a whole block.
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Even though we were at the kids I did not take any pics.  But I will show you a couple of Copper that my daughter sent.  She got them new beds and this is the first night after they came.


As you can see Copper is enjoying his.


And Delta likes hers, too.  The vet is considering her a senior dog now and I do think she is slowing down.


And here is Copper all worn out...I cannot remember the reason he was so tired.  

Funny story about him.  He totally loves the brisk weather and liked the snow that we have had so far.  He did not want to come in from outside.  However, he does love for daughter to go in the basement and play.  So, to get him to come in all she has to do is say, 'Hey Copper, do you want to go in the basement and play.'
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We had a great Thanksgiving.  Sarah fixed two hams that were delicious and she also had this dip...not sure what it is called, but I totally love it.  It uses Frank's red hot sauce, two cans of chicken breast, and I forget what else.  The recipe is on the Franks Hot Sause bottle...anyway, I forget what all else she made.  

The ham was delicious and would normally be the star, but I have been wanting the chicken dip for so long.  I got the stuff to make it, but Roger does not like it since the stroke and I am afraid I would not eat it all.  I think I am going to see if I can half the recipe.  From the best of my memory, I should be able to.

My other daughter made sides, plus I went over and she made about 4 or 5 different types of cookies.  I helped a tiny, tiny bit.  One that is Roger's favorite is oatmeal raisin...not that we both don't like them all.  For me it is the peanut butter.  Since the kids left home, I seldom make cookies.

I made deviled eggs and chicken and noodles...the noodles I make from scratch.  What is funny, I never had made them till my boss had me help her make them.  And then she brought me a container of chicken and noodles later.  I have made them every year since then, I think.  For the holidays...and I always have a fear of them not being good but so far, so good.  I occasionally make them other times, but not often...
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I have a video to share...it is a little long but still such a feel good story.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

The puzzle


 I stayed up to finish this Sunday night...for some reason it really bothered me having it sitting out.  It was one of those where I thought a piece was missing till the last 3 or 4 pieces.  A piece in the Blue Jay.  It had those strange, strange shapes.  Not always interlocking.  And it had some of the smallest pieces in the border that I have ever seen.

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Roger and I got our Covid booster shots yesterday.  His arm is slightly sore.  Mine feels like someone has punched it.  And I woke during the night freezing to death.  I do not feel good... my normal routine is off.  And Roger says he does not feel good.  We could have got them earlier, but I was waiting for a week that was totally free of appointments and this was it...

Hopefully next time I post I will feel like myself again!




Sunday, November 14, 2021

Just a random post


 I am posting some other pics of these over on my other blog, and will post this over there, but here it is here, too.  This was taken earlier this week.  I really felt like I was entering a fairyland with them.  I just simply love lotus/water lily pads in all their glory.  You see them brown from a distance and are disappointed but the minute you get close, the magic happens.  There is beauty still clinging to them.

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Thought I would show some of my threads for quilting.  These are almost all variegated....they are King Tut...several of these were part of my birthday.  Some have been used and replaced.  Oh, King Tut is made by Superior Threads.  I heard somewhere that the company changed hands but I do not know if it is true or not.  I hope if they did, that they keep the same quality.

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I think I am going to make potholders from these...they are made from the scraps I buy at this one quilt shop.  They have a bin where scraps are thrown by them, and probably by people taking classes there.  I forget what it costs to buy a quart bag....but I buy a gallon bag stuffed as full as I can stuff it for $5.  Some are just little pieces but I get quite a few nice chungs.  Take the blue with the white flowers, I got at least two pieces of it that were about 11 inches square.  One of these days when I buy a bag, I will lay it out and take a picture of all that I get.  Some bags are better than others.  But I get to pic and choose what I get...it is not like they stuff the bag...
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I have a jigsaw puzzle that I am working and would really like to finish it today but not sure I can.  I just simply cannot leave them alone sometimes.  I got it out one night, and was good the next day.  I did not touch it till evening...but it has been a lost cause since then. 

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I hope everyone has a good week ahead...

Friday, November 5, 2021

update

 I waited till late yesterday afternoon and had received no calls about the results of Roger's second test of his potassium levels.  So I called the dr's office...I talked to a nurse.  She had to go ask the dr, and he told her the levels were fine and to continue as I have been.  I am sorry I did not do the update last night...I had planned to and was so tired I did not do anything.

Here is a little video I think you might like:

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

One last look...


 I did take the opportunity to photograph this the other day.  It was very overcast, so the colors look richer than they really are.  


I have washed it since...but no more pics.  At least it will greatly surprise me if there are.

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I never have give the results of Roger's stress test and echocardiogram.  The bottom line is that he has two valves that don't close good,  but the doctor chooses to leave them alone right now since it doesn't seem to bother him.  He also has a blockage that he wants to keep an eye on.  But right now things are okay.

BUT,  a while back  he had taken Roger off one of his blood pressure meds because his potassium levels were elevated.  After being off them, the level went down.  But I was worried about his BP.  So we put him back on them and had Roger get labs again today after being on the medication for a week.

Late this afternoon, we got a call for me to get him back down there for more labs cause his potassium levels were high again.  So now we wait to hear about that.  I am really hoping that it was something to do with drawing the blood this morn.  I found a list of reasons his potassium would be high...I found the following reason:

Sometimes, lab reports that show high blood potassium are inaccurate. If blood cells rupture while the technician is taking the blood sample or after he or she has obtained it, potassium can leak into the sample and cause a high reading. People with no other symptoms of high potassium should take a second blood test to ensure they are not treated for hyperkalemia if they do not have it.

This sounds possible because the technician had trouble finding a vein.  And she could not even get it this afternoon.  She had to call in another lady to draw the blood.  The second lady got it first thing.

I so hope that is all it is...the first time the labs said it was high, not a week before the Nurse Practitioner had had labs done and it was fine.  So it just never made any sense for it to be high.  His potassium level has always ran a bit low for the most part.

So keep us in your prayers....


Friday, October 29, 2021

New member


 Our Lorelei has a new ...

a baby Russian Tortoise.


Little does it know what a good home it has found.  

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This is finished but I have no place to hang it to get a decent photo of the whole quilt.  It has rained the past two days so I cannot hang it on the clothesline.  Maybe one day next week we will have some clear weather. 

Hope everyone has a good weekend...




Monday, October 25, 2021

Just have to share....

 The kids were gone last week...Lorelei's Rosie went with them, but Delta and Copper were boarded.  Any way, Copper and Delta were really glad to get home.

When my daughter is home, Copper can hardly stand for her to be out of his sight...unless it is when he wants to go outside.


I think he is happy to be home with her.  Notice he is laying on her arm...

And below is the one to make you smile...or laugh out loud as we did.


I think he is happy to be back in his own home...

Friday, October 22, 2021

This and that...

 

 

These are gone now...but we sure enjoyed them once they started blooming.  This does not do the color justice.


This is another rose on one of my daughter's rose bushes...we were over there this week to get in the mail and check on the kitty and it still has a lot of blooms on it.  I have never tried to raise roses, and not sure why because I do like them.  I think subconsciously I am afraid of failing at it.

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I finished quilting my quilt but have to trim it and get the binding on it.  I hope I can work on that this weekend.  It was so rainy and dark and dreary it was rather easy to go to the basement to work on it.  When it is sunny out, it is hard for me to make myself go down there.  I am okay once I am down there on those days...it is just the getting there.

Roger had his stress test yesterday, but we have not heard the results.  I think that will come in the middle of next week.  I am praying that nothing comes of it.  He had a super headache afterwards.  But he had not had any caffeine in over 14 hours.  Anyway, so glad it is over with.  

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I did vacuum this day and mopped...did a load of laundry.  And not much else other than doing the quilting.  I had leftovers for supper.  I still would like to go into my sewing room and work but we always sit and watch a couple game shows and a few other things every evening/night.


I got the little funny below from somone's blog, but I don't remember who.  I thought it funny and so true of some of us.  We like growing things better than money or status.  There is just so much more satisfaction from it.



Saturday, October 16, 2021

Pics of the grandpups...


 As some of you may know, we stayed at our daughters last week because she was working long hours.  So we were there till the dogs did not have to be boarded.

I did not take but 4 or 5 photos...I do not know why.  Copper was his usual cute self.

Sometimes annoying...but Delta just ignores him for the most part.  I don't think I saw her put him in his place one time...though  she does sometimes.

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I am waiting on a package that is being delivered by FedEX and am wondering will it ever get here.  It was supposed to be delivered Wed, but never showed up.  Then yesterday all day it said delievery pending, till around dark, then it said it was scheduled for today.  And it still has not shown up and I don't expect it to.  I see the guys go flying by, and suspect they might actually have it, but I don't think they are capable of getting it here.  But I hope I am wrong.  I keep going and looking to see if it might possibly be on the porch, but so far, no luck at all.

When I got my first Juki several years ago, they were the first to attempt to deliver it.  I saw the kid go flying this way, then he went flying back by...Roger ran out to the road and waved both arms...but the kid did not see him.  I kept checking till it said it had been delivered.  I think I first called Fed Ex and then the place I bought it from.  

The kid came by...he had delivered it one street over.  Keep in mind that this was late afternoon when it happened.  He delivered it one street over.  And he went back to retrieve it and they said they never got it...that it must have been stolen.  To this day I think it was them that stole it.  I even talked to the police and told them someone had signed my name.  They were not interested.

The kid tried to talk me into not saying anything..said he would have to pay for it.  I told him I could not afford to take that kind of loss.  I don't know what ever happened...but the replacement machine was sent by UPS.  And first they sent me the wrong machine, but I had UPS return it to them...and they sent the right one.  (There were two versions of the machine...one had all the extra feet, etc)  And I could see why they sent the cheaper version cause I had haggled the price down to normal asking price for the cheaper version.

Anyway, we have one Fed Ex guy that is really good...but the guys I am seeing this week are not him.  So I am to the point where if I order something, I feel like asking what service they use.

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Another Lorelei image....


 Just have to show this one...another beautiful image from Lorelei.  Not sure what these are...I did not think to ask her if she knew the name.

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We had a lot of rain night before last...the ground is saturated.  There are a few leaves turning, but still a long way to go before there are any beauties.  I am in hopes that we don't keep getting rain that knocks them off before they turn.

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Roger was scheduled for an echocardiogram and a nuclear stress test this afternoon.  Every time the phone rang from the hospital, I expected it to be cancelled.  We were about to walk out the door when they called and the stress test was cancelled because the machine was down.  I felt like a bird that had been set free.   

We went on and got the electrocardiogram...we were not told the results.  But I was even happier that the nuclear stress test was cancelled because I think it would have been too hard on Roger.  

I am so tired this night...I may actually make it to bed by midnight...

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Lorelei photos...

 We are currently dogsitting for our older daughter...Lorelei came to visit last night and she got to showing me her photos.  She reminds me of  the Madsnapper.  


Keep in mind she was just clicking with her phone...I think these first three were at night in her room.  All she had was a little light...nothing special at all.  She was supposed to photograph it and send it to me.  I will remind her later.


I really think she has an eye for photography.

I am loving these....but then, look at the one below...

There is another one of this 'whatever it is' type of bee/wasp that I am going to put on my other blog in a few days....as well as some flowers I have not got over to my computer yet. So, do you think she is a budding photographer or what?

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Life happens....


 I did start the quilting, but have only spent time on it a couple or three times.  It is sort of slow going but it is fun.  It is not perfect by any means....not even close but I just enjoy the whole process.  

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And the photo below shows my hand...the photo does not do it justice.

What happened you might ask.  Monday I decided to get the power washer out to wash the north side of the house and garage.   The north side of the house does not have much room between it and the fence, and I have hostas planted, plus the AC unit is there.  There  is just enough room and a bit more to pull the power washer through.  I did not start it before I got it situated.  I got the hose connected to it and the water turned on, and tried to pull start it.  I was standing in such an awkward position and about the second time I pulled the starter I somehow managed to jam my left hand into the fence post.  

I kept working but had to be careful with it.  I did not notice my hand swelling, till I turned the power washer off and got everything put away.  i was lucky enough to still be able to use soap to slip my wedding band off.  

I have never had the palm of my hand get bruised...it is kind of purplish blue.. but fading.  None of my hand ever really got dark black/purple/blue type of bruise, but had had a gray/purplish shade to it.  LOL  It is slowly getting easier to live with.  I have not hurt it bad one single time today.  


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I just have to share a pic of Kitty Soft Paws that Lorelei sent me resently.  Isn't she beautiful...and she is just as sweet as she is pretty.

I will leave you with a funny little video...the baby is cute but not all the video is also about the dog...

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

got to share this one


I came across this this morn and it is just too joyful not to share.

Monday, September 27, 2021

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Coming along...


 I still need to put borders on.  Not the gray I had in mind for between the blocks.  Our daughter came to work on one of her projects this past weekend.  I enlisted her help in arranging the blocks.  Plus she got to looking at fabric to go between the blocks.  I had not thought of this fabric...it is a deep red and to me has a hint of fuschia about it with some black.  The minute she laid it out, I knew it was what I wanted.

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I did not see the grasshopper in the photo below till I downloaded the photo.  I guess you could say the sunflower/goldenrod had my full attention.