The color pink

 I forget what this hibiscus was called.  I only had it one year.  I had it and two more, and the following winter, it had subzero days and none of them survive.

*********                                                                                                                        I did some of the normal household chores...vacuuming, and dishes.  And of course going outside with Copper.  He really likes to have company when he is outside.

I did not read any outside today, but would have been a perfect day for it.  However, yesterday I had two reading sessions.  

I am heading upstairs here in a minute...I went up last night but did not sew.  I took a shirt apart.  I have quite the collection.  I want to make another quilt from them at some point.   I get them from Good Will, I only get 100% cotton, and get them when they are half price.  And mostly limited myself to Large size and above.  There is a lot of fabric in shirts.  

I guess I best publish this and get on upstairs if I am going to go....

Latest puzzle...

 This is my latest puzzle...it is one that I could pick the whole think up by holding on to two corners.  It is the Cross & Glory brand...I get them on Amazon.  They were out of this one for a while and soon as I saw it, I ordered it.

***************

I made a meatloaf today for the first time in ages and ages.  Usually I put off making it because it is hard to make a small one for just Roger and I.   But older daughter requested it and she will take some to work with her.  And younger daughter came and ate with us.  

And older daughter made a big pot of vegetable soup to have after work this week.  She likes to cook one or two big pots of stuff, and will take one to work and have the other one for her evening meals.  I will be sharing some of the soup since it is one of my favorite things to eat.

********

Re the quilting on my quilt.  A couple mentioned the orange peel parts/not quilting or not having to quilt.  Technically, I could not find anywhere on the batting how far apart the quilting could be.  That is one thing that always has to be considered.  If it is not quilted close enough according to the batting's specifications, the batting could shift and just be lumpy messes between the quilting.

This was bamboo/??batting...I just looked at a website and found that the batting is not quite 50/50 bamboo and cotton...had a polyester scrim in it.  And on a different sized batting, did find that it can be stitched up to 10 inches apart.  Usually if there is a polyester scrim, it means one can quilt farther apart.  So I could skip stitching the orange peels if i wanted.  But when it is washed, they would be all puffy and not look as good as the rest.  As a general rule, I want the same density of quilting all over.

I hope everyone had a nice weekend...it was quiet here which is a good thing.

Quilting continues

I just now noticed one area looks more densely quilted than the other.  But that might be partly due to the one has lighter background materials.    Next is a view of the back:

I suggest clicking and opening in the new tab to get a better view.

I just go upstairs in bits of time and quilt a little.  I am not sure how many more of these areas I have yet to quilt.  And I will need to add quilting to the orange parts as well.  I am considering handquilting inside of them.  Plus I had two borders to quilt.

I did not do any much at all today.  I had to go pick up one thing at the pharmacy.  But I came straight home.  It has to be kept refridgerated.  

I am so very tired tonight but do hope to go up and quilt a little bit after I give Roger his meds.

 

From the archives

These make me smile every time I see the photo.  Some people are just so creative.

**************

NOT been busy today...I did not sleep at all last night till after I gave meds this morning.  Then I slept 2 1/2 hours...I tried reading, I tried coming and getting in the recliner, then back to bed.  Tried reading some more.  I tried a  word game I do when I am having trouble going to sleep.  Finally about the time for meds, I started having to work to stay awake.  I knew if I went to sleep, I would completely sleep through the time.  So gave them a few minutes early till I could sleep a little bit.

Just one of those nights.  I was not worrying about anything.  

  

Still blooming

 The hibiscus is still blooming...but only a few these days.  Actually, early on it had a couple days when it had more than 20 big, gorgeous blooms.  Then it really slowed down to a few a day.  I didn't count.  Then the last couple of days it had 7 or 8....and this evening i think I counted 11.  It has sure been fun to have.  And the neighbor has one that I think is the same color and it has bloomed and bloomed and bloomed.

**********

It has been a busy day for me.  I had a couple loads of laundry, vacuumed, dishes, and  a bit of dusting in our room.  And just now came down from quilting just a little bit.   I had loaded this photo earlier, or might have completely forgot to post tonight.

Seen at Lowe's today

 I just love Snoopy....and think this is so fun.  I did not buy it...don't know what I would do with it if I had it.

************                                                                                                                 I took a generic Zyrtec evening before last...I feel my sinuses draining, and throat just always feels kind of scratchy and sore.  I did not read about the medicine...Roger takes one every day.  It is the last time I will take something without reading the side effects.

I was so sleepy all day long yesterday, even had nap where I knew nothing that was going on.  I could do okay when busy, though thinking about when blowing off the patio, I really did not feel stable on my feet.  I had the thought if someone saw me that might think I had been drinking.

Last night when I gave Roger his meds around 6:30, I got in bed and slept till he came to bed around 9:00 or a bit after.  I laid there a while longer, got up to go to the bathroom, came in here and turned off the lights cause I had not told my daughter I was going to bed.  I knew she would just figure I was doing somthing for Roger.

Then I thought I will read a while.  So I did that but was soon sleepy again, so got back in bed and slept till around 4:00 I think it was...got up then and got in the recliner and slept till time for Roger's meds.  I even laid back down a little while after that.  But didn't sleep.  But that is the most sleep I have had in a 24 hour period since Roger had his stroke and/or the first day after I broke my leg.  I should have energy to burn but I don't. 

I did think to look up Zyrtec and it can cause drowsiness till you get used to it.  If I had read that beforehand, I would not have taken it.  Anything like that just knocks me out.

Wouldn't you like to sit a spell

 This house is over in Illinois...I could probably even take you right to it.  It is not far off the beaten path and is surrounded by farmland.  I would dearly love to see inside as everything about it seems to be so well taken care of.  It is well loved!  If it were mine, I would always be sitting on the porch when friends came and would invite you all to come sit and have a glass of iced tea, or a Coke or whatever you wanted.         

**************                                                                                                                 Finally, the laundry sink is installed.  It has been stressful.  The company we got are always so on time...this was just a confusing time.  The guy that came gave the estimate, tried to schedule it himself...or thought he was scheduling it.  He was not ignoring my daughter's texts.  

He was supposed to come today.  She texted me this afternoon to see if he had come or if I had heard from him.  I had not so she called the company back and asked what she had to do to get it installed.  They thought it already was.  She told them the deal with it...and told them the guy was very polite, and did not ignore texts, etc.  

So the girl she talked to said dispatch had to schedule things and told Rachel it might not be done today.  Rachel told her she didn't expect that...but that she would like to know because we couldn't keep just waiting and waiting and no one showing up.

In a bit dispatch called and  told her it would be done this afternoon.  And due to all the confusion, they are going to give her this deal where for one year she can get a AC inspection, heat inspection, and drain and flush the water heater.  And any work that needs to be done will get 15% off.  So they are trying to do right.  

Me, I am so thrilled to have it done...and actually glad to have it.  It will be so convenient when I want to add water to the washer before starting a load of bedding. 

But waiting for someone to come really wears on me.  First of all, there is always dealing with Copper.  I have to contain him some way.  If it was a woman, I don't think it would be as bad, but a lot of guys she just does not want anything to do with them.

I feel like I cannot sit out back because if they came without texting or calling, I would not hear them.  I barely feel free to go to the potty when waiting, etc.  I

Anyway, thankful it is done.

At a standstill

I got the circles and half circles finished a few days ago, but now cannot seem to make up my mind how to fill in the melon shapes.  I think I will have an easier time deciding on the other but would not bet on it.  I have set and drew melon shapes on my Kindle scribe and tried drawing in different designs for quilting and nothing at all seems right...and even if it did, I am not sure how good I would be at doing it.

Either I have gotten weaker in my old age or something because it really is a chore to move the quilt under the needle.  Even when using the walking foot.  The rest will be done either freemotion quilting, which is when I move the quilt under the needle with no help from the pressure foot.  Or I have at least considered hand quilting within the melon shapes.  

***********                                                                                                                   The plumber was supposed to come today to install the laundry sink.  He was supposed to come in the afternoon.  No one texted, called, or showed up.  A wasted day.  I did not start anything because I was afraid if I vacuumed they would text and I would not hear it.  

And any place I have dealth with will say they will text when when 3o minutes, I thin some say 20 minutes out.  I swear I don't think any have ever been even 10 minutes away.  They text and are here in about 5 minutes most of the time.  So I did not want to be upstairs and have to rush down.

So tomorrow is another day.  Maybe it will happen tomorrow.

Scratching in the dirt...

 I ran across this picture...I did not pay attention to the other photos enough to register where it might have been taken.  But it is from 2013 I believe.

I have had time to get this post up but have been doing a bit of this and that, and listening to The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony.  I read the book a few years ago, and it has remained in my mind as one of the best books I have ever read.  I then got to wondering if it was as good as I thought it was and was planning to read it again when I ran across it on audible.   It is absolutely as good as I remembered.

Here is a video about him and his experience:

Who could resist a face like this...

 I was strolling through the archives and just couldn't resist this.  He was such a character.  

I sure enjoy reading the answers to my questions.  I enjoy reading the answers to other people's questions, too.  Almost any time anyone asks questions on their blog, I will read everyone's answers.  I try to answer, but if I am on the phone, it will normally be a shorter answer.

I broke down and started a puzzle...at least I have been picking out the orange pieces...there is a LOT of orange.  I did that yesterday afternoon.  Today I have basically only glanced at it.  

I have been working on the circles on the quilt.  around the edge I have half circles to do.  I finally gave in and and counted.  I don't have near as many to do as I thought.  There are 24 full cirlces and 14 half circles.  All I have left to do is one full circle and 4 half circles.  There will still be more quilting to fill in the open spaces but I have not decided how to quilt them.  I am thinking I will go back up in a few minutes.

**********

I forgot to tell a Copper tale...honest to goodness I am not making this up.  At one side of the patio are these evergreen trees...something with needles.  Well, between them and the patio there were just a very few weeds.   And then some thistle at one end...small thistle, not the big stuff I love.  

Anyway, I decided to pull them up again, and of course here he came to see what I was doing.  He started with the grass, and I pushed him and told him to stop...he likes to eat grass and then throw up. He stood and watched what I was doing. I am bending over him...my face is right beside his face.  

You can tell by his ears and just his expression when he is thinking.  He left the grass alone and started grabbing this other weed and jerking it... I pushed him on through cause who knows what is poisonous?  I will say he was spitting them out.  He went on and came behind me and there is this other thing, he started chewing and pulling on it.  It is basically dead...I said 'Copper!'  And he just looks at me and the last thing I had to pull was I don't know what. I thought a vine but it was growing straight up.  (Are you ever tempted to leave something alone to see what it does? I was in this case.) Anyway, he snatched the top of it and pulled the top leaves off.  I send my daughter a text and asked if she knew he was a gardener?

Former draft

I did not know what to post here tonight...I could not think if I had taken any snapshots or not.  I thought I will see what is in the drafts and found this.  I have missed being where I could see these blooms.  I just simply love them.

I did vacuum today. How many times do you vacuum a week?  I don't know if this is good or bad or if I should be embarrassed to admit it, but I only vacuum once now that we just have Copper.  When we had both him and Delta, I had to vacuum at least twice.  And now with my cordless, it will be easier if I have to vacuum up something in the kitchen.  You know how you sometimes drop something or spill something.  I hated dragging out the big vacuum for that.  Not that I did it often.  

I did some laundry and I just came down from working on my quilt a few minutes ago.  I think I did 4 or 5 circles and a half circle....there will be half circles along the edge.  I cannot think how many I have done.  I did not go up at all yesterday.

Sarah and Lorelei came by for a little bit....Lorelei had been to eye dr for new contacts....so they stopped by here on the way home.

That is about all I can think of right now...I still have not opened another puzzle but it is getting harder to resist.  LOL

Quilting has begun...

  This area is only partially quilted.  I will fill in in the orange areas and the surrounding area with more quilting.  

This is the back...I have been afraid to count how many circles I will have to quilt just to get that part done.  It is slow going.  But I am so glad to have begun.  

**************                                                                                                             I did a run to Walmart today.  I should try pick-up because by the time I come home and carry everything in I am wiped out.  But I feel like the walking is better for in the long run.  So I continue to do my own shopping.  I really don't know how I had so much stuff.

***********

Daughter told me tonight, when she is done watching TV for the night, she puts her remote on the back of the couch a lot of times.  Now, che is finding that Copper leaves his bone there.

Hopefully the last for a while...

 I am going to try not to start another one...but I have said that before and it didn't last more than two or three days.  I just enjoy them so much.  They are great while way 5 minutes for this or 10 for that..

**************                                                                                                                   I actually got this quit top layered with the backing and batting and pin basted and ready to quilt.  IF I could just make up my mind whether to hand quilt of machine quilt.  And with either one, I have to decide how to quilt...the stitching design I mean.  It is about 54-56 inches square.

Other than that, I have not done very much...a load of laundry, and dishes.  And it was so warm I got to sit outside and read!  And finished my Alaska book.  I started a new book:  I Love You, Miss Huddleston: and other Inappropriate Longings of My Indiana Childhood by Philip Gulley.  I think it will probably be a light, enjoyable read.

Missing opportunities

 Though there is a neighborhood Red-tailed hawk and either a Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned hawk we see, they are always in flight.  I miss being where I am in traffic slow enough for me to take photos of ones on power lines.

*******

Well, I found out that most of you don't sleep through the night either so I don't feel like the lone ranger.  Last night was another where I lay awake a long time.  I would take a Tylenol PM or something, but things like that knock me out and I am worse the next day than I would be with no sleep.

I am still reading Bring Me Wild Roses: An Alaskan Odyssey and still enjoying it.  I just don't read near as much as I used to. I am really enjoying it.  I would have had more read if it would have been warm enough to sit out and enjoy reading.  I put on this 'jacket' I have today and set out and read a bit.  Then Copper wanted to come inside.  

That is about it for tonight...I almost forgot to post.

Photo from the nursery....

 These impatiens were at Eagle Creek Nursery....I would not mind going back again and walking around and just seeing what is happening there now.

***********

I have not done much more than two cents worth of work.  I would like to know, do you sleep through the night?  I seldom do.  I cannot remember the last time I did.  One time to get up to go to the bathroom is not bad.  But to get up and not be able to go back to sleep really drags me down. Night before last was up twice during the night, but could go back to sleep.  But had a ton of stuff to do yesterday.

Last night I actually laid my kindle down around 11:00, went to sleep fairly easy, but up at 3:17 and then did not go back to sleep till well after 5:00 a.m., then back up soon after 6:00 to give Roger his meds.  I did nap some between then and when I got up to stay right after 8:00...but I was still worn out today.  I am hoping tonight will be better because there is stuff I need to do tomorrow, too.

I so wish you could have seen Copper after I brought him up and let him out and he came back in.  He made me laugh till I cried.  I told my daughter she must have fed him his Wheaties this morn.  He was running here, and there and just wild.  Just for a few minutes.  And he wasn't bad...just hyper.  Then he was calm the rest of the day till his mom got home.

One more puzzle

 One more puzzle done.  Sometimes I wonder if it is really true that puzzles/word games really help generate new brain cells.  If it is, I ought to be a genius.  I love all kinds of puzzles. 

I love the puzzles that you have to figure out how to take apart, then figure how to get them back together.  I have never had very many but they always intrigue me.

************                                                                                                                 I have played and played and piddled upstairs.  You would never know it by looking.  But have rearraned some plastic tote/bins.  Whatever you call the containers by sterlite and rubber made that have lids.  I have been going through and looking at what is in them.  It has been fun touching things.  

We have had shower this afternoon...but not storming.  It gets cloudy and then clears up.  The constant is the wind.  It never stops.

He was our handsome boy...

 Just an old photo of Bubbie...he was handsome and funny...and loved nothing better than to 'talk' us into going outside and sitting on the porch.  You could see the contentment on his face.  He was often ready to go back inside before I was.  

*****************                                                                                                             I got a request to show a pic of the new vacuum...here it is.  I have not taken the time to photograph it.  It is a dyson Cyclone V10 animal                                                                                           

*****

I am watching Bletchley Circle, San Francisco...has anyone else watched Bletchley Circle or Bletchley Circle, San Francisco.

From the old days...

 I have published this before, but it has been quite a while ago...probably 10 yrs or longer.  I had to hunt for something to post.  Since fall is approaching I thought this fit.                                                                                                                           ******************

Ever since Karen at Life is Good got her cordless vacuum and liked it, I have been thinking about one.  I finally did it.  I got one...not just like hers but a Dyson.  It came yesterday, and I LOVE it.  I got mainly for the hardwood floors part of the downstairs, and also the study and the formal dining room.  Both have carpet but have to vacuum around a lot of stuff.  Not a lot of carpet area to vacuum.

I tell you it is a game changer for me.  I love the thing.  But, I did attempt to vacuum this living room...using the strongest vacuuming setting.  The battery died right before I got done.  But it is a really big living room so I am not too upset.  I had did what amounted to all the other on one charge, and it did fine.  I had wondered if the weight would bother me, it weighs almost 6 lb...but I think it is easier than the upright.  And sure is easier to get into tighter spots.

I know it is early days, and I may change my mind.  But it was quicker and easier to do it.  With the other vacuum, I have to deal with moving the cord 3 times...and it is heavier to push.  Though I will probably still use it on the living room.

Another photo from my granddaughter...

 I am not sure what the smudge is on this shot, but I still love the shot.  It is one from their vacation.

I had one of my regular chores this morn, and then did some laundry...took care of the boy.  (Copper in case you didn't guess.)  If he were a girl, he would be named Joy.  He either finds joy in almost everything, or gives me joy.  I cannot describe the things he does, but I have laughed more at him than at any dog ever.

The only animal that ever came close was Bubbie...we called him our clown.  I have been missing him a lot here lately.  He was all about my daughter and my husband until his leg was broke and he had to have surgery to put the pin in his leg.  I took care of him through that, and from then on I was not just the person that fed him, but also a person he loved.

I need to get to bed...maybe I will forego reading tonight...but I am not sure.  I sure enjoy reading a little bit each night.

what to post....

 

The one and only zinnia that survived was this pink one.  My daughter planted seeds, they came up, but almost as soon as they came up, they disappeared.  We have no idea what was taking them.  There would be several of them, the next time we looked...they were gone.  Then there would be a few more, and they would just disappear.  However this one survived.  The plant is laying over on its side.  We have no idea how that happened either.  But it continues to bloom.

She planted marigold seed in pots and I think every one of them survived.  She has been saving seeds.                                                                                                   *************                                                                                                              I made Tomato,Garlic, Basil chicken tonight.  It had been a long time since I made it.  

This is the seasoning that I use.  I am not even sure what the directions are on the packet.  We use skinless, boneless chicken thighs.  The girls started making it first, but neither of them make it now for different reasons.  Anyway, when I make it, I put the thighs in the pan on med heat on each side for 10 minutes.  

Next I have say a cup and a half of water, maybe a bit more and mix the packet in it and pour over the chicken, turn the heat down to a bit below medium heat, put a lid on and continue cooking for 40 minutes.  I turn the chicken every 10 minutes.  I don't know if it is necessary, but I just do it.   Sometimes I have to add a bit of water but most times no.  It is easy and delicious with rice, and serve with your favorite vegetable.

Other than that I have 'piddled' upstairs more...not actually sewing but looking in all my sewing stuff.  Re-arranging a bit of it.  I was up there maybe an hour and hardly got a thing accomplished, other than finding things I had forgotten about.

I had hesitated to use the word piddled...thinking no one else on here had probably ever heard it.  But Mary of Hilltop Post asked me when I said fooled around upstairs if I meant piddlin' with my sewing.  And I told her yes.  She said her mom always said she was piddlin' with her sewing.  I think I got that from my mom, too, but am not sure. 

I hope to get up there and piddle some more before the night is out.

From today

 I worked yesterday in order to have today semi-free.  But got a text that Roger's glasses were ready to be picked up.  It is maybe a 15 minute drive to get them.  So, on the way home, I stopped at Good Will.  I seen a book I should have got for my daughter.  Actually there were two by the same author, and I did not know if she had either one, so took a pic.  

I knew she was busy at work so did not want to text and ask...so she had one of them but not the other.  I also looked around a bit and saw this tea-cup.   I do not know why I did not look at the bottom.  But I thought of Granny Marigold.  She has a big collection of teacups and they are beautiful.  So I always think of her.

It did have a bad chip on the other side.  So even if I thought I had room to collect something else, I don't think I would have gotten it.

It has been a nice day today.  I did get to sit outside and read a little bit late this afternoon.  Next I am heading upstairs to fool around a bit.

Peek-a-boo!

 Not the greatest lighting...and these are just a small cropped portion of the original photos.

Both were taken with my phone.  It finally ran when I got up to come inside.  I should go out there with my good camera.

************                                                                                                                 I got my hair cut today...I always feel so much better when it is done.  I just dread making the appts so bad.  I am lucky in that I can usually call and get in in the same day or the next day.  

Does anyone else have a lot of cardboard?  I get so many things in shipments...that every so often I have a pile of it.  If there was an easy way to recyle it I would, but it is not that easy.  And we don't have a lot all the time.  Anyway, I broke down my latest boxes.  It was hot in the garage when I was doing that.

And I have did a load of laundry...that has been my chores today in addition to the usual Mcdonald's run for Roger and fixing his meals and snacks.  Now it is time to give meds.  Never a dull moment in this house.

Puzzle

 I wish I had thought and taken a photo of all the puzzles I have finished the past few months.  I bet I have worked more since Christmas than I had worked the previous 10 years put together.  I usually only worked 2 or 3 a year, usually in the winter.  

I did back up my blog today...the first time in years and years.  I just wish I had started labeling it when I first started it.  But still there is the search function.  

I have did very little this day...I am heading upstairs just in a few minutes till it is time to give meds.  I did sit outside a good while and finished a book, Alaska Wilderness Adventure.  It was not a 5 star book, but still not bad.  

Little bottle

 When we were moving, this is one of the little bottles I had packed away...Lorelei chose to keep it                                                                                                              **************

I have not accomplished much today, but I did go up and clean up a big part of my sewing mess.  When I make crumb blocks I have all those bits and pieces of fabric laying on my table and in containers beside me.  It is quite the chore to clean them up.  I would hate to count how many crumb blocks I have made.

And as for the little boxed squares, I have 620 made, and need 624 for the quilt top...plus I may yet make a few extra.  But I may put those aside for the time being.  I still want to go up there and do something to try to get better organized but I just have not come up with the solution.

******

I saw a video I wanted to share, but it was one of those shorts and I have found no way to embed one of those.

So instead I will post this one...not sure how many of you will recognize the songs, but I am sure a couple of you will get a laugh of of them.

From the past

 I like this but I do not know why...

*******

I went to Walmart yesterday.  I went to Walmart today...partly because I forgot to write something on my list, but also to return some items.  And also Roger told me he was out of hearing aid batteries.  I tend to stock up on them and just had not realized he was out.  Though if actually needed some, I always carry extra in my purse.

I have not made it upstairs today...not sure that I will.  I have did one or two household chores and that is about it.  Tomorrow I need to do another load of laundry and can probably find more to do.

I noticed a maple that had leaves turning red today...only one.  It makes fall seem close.  As usual I am hoping for a long, slow fall.  

Those were the days!!!!

 

What sweet memories this brings...

I want to thank you guys for telling me what you think about from your past or what you missed or just anything like that is fun to read. I really did enjoy it.

I have did laundry and balanced checkbooks one more time...I was going to try not actually balancing, but thought this one last time and am going to make the attempt to skip it from now on.

We have had overcast skies today, and Copper has thought it was going to storm.  He spent the afternoon in our closet.  He came out once and looked then turned and went back.  Now he is with his mom and content for now.

Wisteria

 One from our old home, a few years ago.  I really do miss this wisteria, even though it is different to the one from my youth.  The one we had at home had the 'pod' of blooms, but it was much looser and longer.  I cannot remember if they smelled good or not.  This one did not have a scent that I ever noticed.  But it would be just full of blossoms.  

A robin built a nest in it and raised babies once, as well as a house wren.  And there we had two cats.  But they survived.  

Are there things you miss from your youth or from past homes?  I always feel like I look back too much...but it is usually to the good things, though there are days I dwell on the negative.

I did not know

 I did not know that hydrangeas came in this hot pink color, till this bloomed.  this is an okay picture...but could be better.

It has been a long day...finally took Roger to get new glasses...I am not saying how long it had been since he had been.  I don't think his vision had changed much but should have had him in to have his eyes checked for anything else going on.

I am too tired to type much of anything, so will close with saying that is about all I did today.  The dr. was thorough and she spoke in a voice that he could hear...which was wonderful

The latest finish

 This is another Cross and Glory puzzle.  After putting them together, you can easily pick up by two corners and hold it up for viewing.  But that also means it is a slow process to put it back in the box.  The pieces almost have to be taken apart, piece by piece.

**********

I have been busy today.  The usual house hold things.  And used the leaf blower to blow off the patio.  We had leftover so no actual cooking tonight.  Just warming up.  I don't hate cooking, I hate deciding what to cook.  I think I have said that before.  Several times, though not all on here.

I need to get the boy (Copper) to go outside...in a short time he will be so focused on waiting for his mom to come home...he won't do anything but lay and wait.  

The one thing I miss

 The one thing I miss since moving here is roads like this being only a stone's throw away.  Roads where I could just stop and take a photo almost any time I wanted...but still I do not regret the move.  I am not saying that at all.  Even before the move I seldom went for a drive the previous year.

Today I have not did a single productive thing...

Now and then....

 My heart just melted when I got this the other day....Two of my beautiful girls.  It seems like only yesterday that Lorelei was that young.  She is still a loving girl...you can tell she loves her mom.  And she loves her dad, too, and used to always miss him so much when he was working so much she hardly saw him.

**********

I don't know what the actual temperature has been...in the 70's, but with the breeze that is blowing was too cool to sit outside and enjoy reading.  I would have had to have a blanket.  LOL

An full view...

 I think I counted 14 blooms today...I wish I knew how this looked on other computers...it looks drab on here.   But they are glorious.

Even what remains after the bloom drops off is gorgeous in its own right.

**********

I still have not made it upstairs to have a try at going through stuff,  but I have went up and sewed a little each day.  I just need a good chunk of time and that is hard to come by most days.

**************

Karen...I still use some of my clothespins, too....they are great to keep bags of chips closed!  But I do wish I had the chance to use them as real clothespins.  That was always a favorite job of mine.

From today...

 I just cannot resist posting this plus another over on my other blog if I don't get sidetracked.  The hibiscus  had 13 blossom day before yesterday I think it was...I thought that was a lot!  Today it  had 18 blooms!  I could hardly believe it.  They are just gorgeous in real life.

***********

I have did laundry most of the day.  Or felt like it was most of the day.  With each load taking an hour and 11 minutes it just drags out.  But I don't dare not use the extra rinse with how little water it uses.  I get so frustrated any time I  wash quilts or sheets.  The washer has a glass lid and can stand and watch.  There will be part of the quilt that bubbles up out of the water,and it will just stay there till I pause the wash, open the lid and rearrange the quilt.  The only good thing about this washer is it really spins the water out.

I need to run to Walmart either tomorrow or Wed...supposed to be raining tomorrow so I may wait.  Other than that, I would like to work upstairs in all my sewing stuff and rearrange it.  But I have thought that before and have yet to do it. So wish me luck.

Down memory lane

 It is actually hard for me to remember him this little...

And I sure don't remember him that much smaller than Delta.

************I am late...totally did not even think about posting anything yesterday evening.  Nothing really wrong.    Though Roger has had a bit of something this week, he seems to be over it.  He felt super nauseated Monday and was not willing to eat very much for 3-3 1/2 days.  He has finally got back to what is his new normal.

I wanted to share this...

 I don't know if any of you ever visited the blog By Stargoose and Hanglands...well, the video below is by John, the author of the blog.  Due to health problems he does not get out on the long walks that he used to take..often with his brother.  He started a youtube channel and films a LOT of bird videoss.  But the video I am sharing today is not birds.  

It is a visit to fresh air sculpture exhibit...and let me tell you there are some beautiful things there.  At least in my opinion.  I hope you watch and enjoy....and maybe click the Thumbs Up...his birding videos are fantastic, too.

Found a poem today

I was going through and deleting a bunch of photos from my phone...I need to delete a whole lot more!  But that is not the point.  I came across a poem...I don't know where I got it or if I found it...I can find no information on the author. But it fits so well the thoughts that goes through my mind when I pass/photograph old houses.

I hope you can read it...if not you should be able to click and open in a new tab and then expand the view.  

***************

I ran across so many memories...just on my phone.  I hate to think how long it would take to go through all my photos!

 

Running out of puzzles....

 I have one puzzle that I just opened today....of course my daughter has a lot she has worked that I haven't.  So I could work one of those.   Or rework one of my old ones.   Better still would be for me to get hand sewing to do.  But I still wouldn't touch it while cooking because I would manage to transfer something from the kitchen to the fabric.

*********

Roger's dr. appt was just for a check-up and to get prescriptions renewed.  And he had a spot on his chest that I was worried about.  But it is nothing.  I cannot pronounce what she called it, let alone spell it.  But I could have jumped for joy.  And she is going to contact a cardiologist that she says is real good...so going to try to have faith that we get a good one again.  That is how we got Roger's other one...I ask our nurse practitioner, and she said I will contact so and so....and try to get him...he is really good and I really like him.  And look how good that turned out.  

The more we see this little family dr. the more I like her.  She is never in a hurry, but she does get us in and out.  One thing she is watching would have needed bloodwork in another month and she said lets just do it now till you don't have to come back.  And another visit in October.

************

Got to meet my great niece and nephew this afternoon late...you talk about two cute kids!  The youngest would give the best hugs...a little boy.  He is two...and his sister is a couple years older...and never sits still.  And has the most beautiful eyes!  

Blue and white...

 The teapot to this set is at my other blog...there is a link on the side bar.  And yes I thought of Granny Marigold when I saw this and the other set.

**********                                                                                                                        I am not going to tell you the long drawn out story I just told my daughter about one of my sewing machines needing oil, and what happened when I forgot to unthread the needle.  It was not pretty, and it was not fun...even the cat purring got on every last nerve.  This was last night.

She was so happy and I was so frustrated...I finally got the thread mess cleaned out, but still had to work more on the oiling.  I don't get to sew for very long stretches, but it adds up quicker than  I realize.  

But it is in working order...and I have another machine up there, and daughter has a machine that I could have put in its place...but it is old faithful...

And I just now thought...I have laundry I need to finish up and get put away!

Lucky shots...

 I am afraid that this is going to be a disappointment for some of you.  This is why I wanted to go back to Walmart.  The Teasel is starting to bloom....I am so afraid I will miss it at its full bloom stage, but it seems to be just starting.

I am so blessed to have gotten these two shots.  They are from my phone and I could only vaguely see what was in the frame most of the time.  Plus the wind was blowing almost constantly.  If you saw my other shots, you would know I am not lying.  To capture it with a critter on it was a bonus.

I still want to try to make it back there before too long.  Though now that I think about it, I wonder if it has mostly bloomed and I just got lucky and caught this one.  There were only a few at this stage.  There are a lot of them.  This one was very close to the fence.

**************                                                                                                             It has been a busy, hectic day for me...had tshirts to take back to Tractor supply...they were for Roger.  Such nice, 100% cotton.  The large was way bigger than the tshirts he wears all the time...I took them back last week and thought, well, medium should work.  No, they were quite a bit smaller than what he wears all the time.  I told a friend, that it is wide range between sizes.

I ran on over to walmart to check out the teasel and also to grab a couple or three items...and then to another store to pick up a couple pair of pants.  It is a store that gets rid of the last season's things for a big name store.  I had gotten a pair of Under Armor pull on pants...thinking for just around the house.  For $10...I liked them so well, I went back and got two more, in the same olive drab color...but I will wear them out in public.  I just could not believe how comfortable they are.  They are strange material...I normally only want cotton...and I do wonder how these would be in heat or cold.  But just to wear around they are fine...

Then home to vacuum, do up some dishes and fold laundry....and I have even gone upstairs and sewed a bit.  Roger had leftover pizza for his supper...I had it for lunch.  LOL

That is about it for this day....

Another finish

 I finished this last week, I think.  You might think I spend way too much time on puzzles.  You would probably be correct.  I need to get something situated to do by hand in the odd moments that I am waiting.  I feel like I spend a lot time waiting on things...waiting for oven to heat up or on the timer in cooking, waiting a few minutes on the dryer to be done, waiting to put laundry from washer to dryer, etc.

I used to always have some hand sewing to do in spare moments.  And for moments I managed to fine.  And I still like hand sewing...I just don't seem to do anything about it.

We just had a storm roll through...it got almost dark for a few minutes, and now the sun is out...for the first time today.  I need to walk out and get the mail before another storm rolls in...unless maybe it really is done.  

Copper's favorite place for a true storm is in our closet...and he spent the worst of it in there.  He is a character...he has eyes for no one else when his mom is home...unless he wants something when we are eating.  He knows I am the one more apt to share with him.