Hello Again...

 

Well, Good morning!  Sometimes a Maxine cartoon is exactly the little sarcastic remark that makes me laugh and sets my mood in the right direction.. lol  It's been a long year... and not much fun... so a little laugh is a good thing. 

The holiday season has been upon us for a couple of months.  I was home for Halloween...had my Thanksgiving turkey and dressing in a skilled nursing center...and am finally recouping my strength and energy painting my Christmas cards...however they may not be finished this year..may have to buy some..ughh

I finally got my sewing machine fixed after it sitting unused for about 2 months while I tried to find a repairman.  I was told repeatedly that there was not one in Altus .. the nearest was in Elk City.  Finally went there for another reason but forgot to take the sewing machine and it was a good thing we did forget.  The entire street (the shop side) was torn to bits with road work and we would have had to carry 2 or 3 blocks to get it there.. remember I am 77 and my husband is 82.  I don't think we would have made it..lol 

Then I was in the quilt shop one day and I asked Mrs. Johnson if she knew of any repairmen close by.  Lo and behold.. her answer..."My husband has been fixing sewing machines for at least 20 years here!" Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather.. lol  And he did fix it.  I had no idea how depressed I had become without it!

My husband and I realized that I had not felt very well for most of the year and we half heartedly blamed it on my daily medications with the promise to someday go thru them and see which ones caused those side effects.. sure wish that had been the case. 

To make a long story short:  The meniscus in my right knee snapped just like a rubber band and I screamed like a banshee.  Thanks to Dr. Picket on Sept. 16 that was fixed and I came home to recuperate.  On Oct. 8 I felt well enough (and could walk without a walker),  so I decided to go to the beauty shop for the first time in 6 weeks and then to have my nails done.  Immediately upon arriving home I could barely make it back into the house.  I spent the next 4 days screaming with pain.  I had back surgery in Oklahoma City where 3 abscesses (one the size of an Irish potato) were removed and a full cup of MRSA fluid was drained from my spine. It seems the injections I've had for back pain left pockets of whatever caused abscesses in areas close by my spine and they finally developed. 

I am telling this online only to inform of the possibility that this can happen to anyone.  These were found only with an MRI.  There were X-Rays, CT scans, MRIs done to try to find out why I was screaming in pain for several days and could not tell anyone where the pain was... it was everywhere and unbearable.  

To top it off..lol.. my handwriting was suddenly totally illegible.  My daughter ( my rock during this) had to sign all of my papers.  I really wondered if I would be able to paint or do any of my crafts again!  But things are looking up.  I have painted 2 of my Christmas cards...they are not the greatest, but are convincing me that maybe all will be well once again.  :)   

It's now January 7, 2026...I've been home long enough now for things to feel a little more like normal.  I'm now strong enough to do all the normal things, my hands and fingers work well enough that my handwriting is almost back to normal.  I do have more tremors in my entire body than I've ever had, including my head and feet, but if that's all that comes from this round of incapacity then I'm okay with it...lol  

I've ignored this blog so long that very few if any read it anymore, but I find that I look back over the many years of doing this to find out things that I haven't remembered..lol  So I will continue as the mood jumps up.  

Very quiet Christmas as all the children had other things to do this year so we enjoyed each other, watched tv, and slept away the day.  As we did for New Year's Day.  We've only had a few days of cold weather so far, but February is almost upon us and that's when the real winter hits.  So I've got comforters, quilts, and afghans ready to sit in front of the fireplace with my book, tv and cup of teas all set to go.  

I harvested my lavendar a few days ago and yesterday made sachets with it.  Had some ribbon I bought years ago that I love but had no real use for at the time.  So I made sachets with it.  

01-09-2026  Went to Lawton yesterday to see the Infectious Disease dr.  He says that while they usually prefer to continue oral meds after the IV meds are finished it looks like mine is completely cleared up...YAYYYY!!!  So..free at last...sigh  

Stopped at Merle Norman on the way to the dr... spent a bit of money...hmmm  But is so worth it when you don't have spend money every week on something new because the cheap stuff just doesn't do the job.  Daughter Donna drove me over so we had a good time looking thru the store..lol  It's a good thing we didn't bring huge amounts of money (as if either of us had huge amounts of money..lol)  

Have a great day today... hugs those loved ones every chance you get.. ♥

My Diary: January 24, 2022

I woke up this morning: and stumbled to the bathroom with my eyes closed.  Kinda ready to get up but not quite ready to wake up.  Still cold in the mornings... 26° when I let the dogs out this morning.  It got up to the mid 60s yesterday and is expected to do the same today.  Wanted to climb back in that warm bed, but decided if I did I wouldn't want to get up again until at least 9... lol

I look out my window:  and it's still dark.  The skies are relatively clear so the stars and moon are shining like glitter in the sky.  March13, 2022 daylight savings time will begin again and the sun will be up by this time.  

I am hearing:  the squeak of my chair as I rock back and forth.  Fixing that squeak is one of those procrastination things that I've put off for ...  oh ... 4 or 5 months.. lol  

I am thinking: not much this morning.  My brain seems to be on vacation without me.. sigh   I think I need more than my usual 1 cup of coffee this morning.  May need to add some strong chocolate with it to build up the caffeine.. 

I am thankful for:  the different blogs and posts I read.  Soooo much information... so many new ideas..it's hard to stay stagnant in your thoughts and ideas when confronted with so much new information. So many people now willing to share their ideas, their grasp of new crafts, new how-to information on the use of tools.. sometimes it's mind boggling. 

I am wearing: a plain, pink Walmart house dress.  No touchy anywhere.. just a loose, comfortable, very ugly dress..lol  My sister Tina introduced me to these dresses.. Her words?  "They're so ugly, but so comfortable!" 

I am hoping: that I can figure out a personalized pattern to make my own clothes.  As I've grown older the shape of the body has changed and generalized patterns just don't seem to do it.  

I'm also hoping to start knitting or crocheting again in the evening while watching television.  I miss having something to show for that time instead of Level 450 of some game on my phone.. sigh

I am reading: the 3rd book of the Riftwar Saga books by Raymond Feist.  I finished the second one last night.  I suppose at some point I will be tired of them, but not yet..lol  

I am learning: that it's a lot easier to square up your quilting before you start quilting than after.. sigh  

I am creating:  another full cloth quilt.  I've got the sheets almost ready for the batting to be added and then the tying begins. 

One of my favorite things: that little ceramic bowl in the picture.  My friend Pat and I made yarn bowls a few years ago at a ceramic shop.  I loved it...still love it.. has function and memories..

A few plans for the rest of the week:  include working on the quilt, spending some time finding the bottom of my desk (if possible..ugh),  and making a rug from the strips of fabric torn from 4 sheets.  Not sure I want a totally faded blue rug, but sometimes ya can't have everything.. 

Last thought:  I'm having a very hard time in this second year of the covid stay at home.  I've decided the only way I will survive is to spend more time outdoors, keep working on my crafts and use the phone a LOT to keep in contact with everyone I care about.  Hope you have a wonderful week.. Hugs.. 

Around the World.....

Dad used to say "That guy would go around the world to get across the street!"  Well, that's just about what it took for me to be able to put this photo up... lol   But here it is, the photo of the quilt fabric I'm trying to work with.  I love the lemons and am trying to find a way to use bigger pieces to keep from losing them in the fray.  

The Garden, The Shawl, and Lunch

I think the garden is almost finished for the year.  The okra is still going strong but is putting on very little okra.  However, I did get enough to cook up the other day...

We're only about 3 days away from Daylight Savings Time ending.  That means cold weather is near.  And look what my sweet DD knitted for me.  :)

This is the softest, warmest and most adorable shawl I've ever had.  It will stay on my office chair where I sit right under the air conditioner vent in the summer and just in front of a window in the winter.  Thank you, Paula.  It's perfect.

Had lunch with my buddy Pat B. yesterday.  I stuffed myself with 1/2 order Roast Turkey Fuji Apple Salad and  1/2 Chicken Salad Sandwich.  Oh My Goodness!  Top that off with Sweet Tea and a Cobblestone goodie.. and needless to say, I had to bring the Cobblestone home... Very nice visit and catch up time since Pat has been gone for a while visiting her sweet daughter and family with the  newborn grandson.

It evidently rained again last night.  I opened the front curtains and blinds this morning for Sam and there was a shiny sheen on the road, the drive and the grass.  We so need all this rain, but am getting a little tired of the gray days... and the fact that Sam has to be carried out to do his business since he cannot possibly get his feet wet.. :/

Looking forward to working on The Big Blue Quilt today.  The only thing I got done on it yesterday was to rip out the parts that I had sewn in wrong.. :(   Perhaps I can get the body of it finished today and decide on a border and binding..

Hope you have a wonderful day.  Sing a little, smile a lot.. :)

Freecycle Dolls and Potato Soup Recipe

Got an email from my Freecycle account the other day.  It showed some pictures of the cutest little ceramic dolls and I just had to have them.  It took a couple of days to find the person who had posted them because her posts were showing up in the the emails but not on the group site.. wonder what's up with that?   Anyway, I finally reached her and I did get the dolls.  Love them.. ♥

 I keep thinking this might be a Bye Lo Baby, but then I think not. She is a full body ceramic, anatomically correct baby girl.  There is a broken piece on the neck and the cording that holds her together is loose so I'm not sure I am educated enough in the "Doll Hospital" techniques to fix her by myself.  Guess we'll see how good my searches on the net will be as I try to find information..

I have seen these two faces before but can't remember what they are called.  These two have ceramic face and hands with full cloth bodies.  I expected them to be much dirtier than they are and they should not be too difficult to clean.

The dressing of these babies is what I am looking forward to (and yes... I do realize that I left that sentence ending in a preposition..lol )   I'm hoping I can find a baby doll clothing pattern with multi sizes since I really don't want to spend huge amounts of money on several patterns..  hmmm

My sweet DH asked me about Potato Soup last night.  He says that I used to make a potato soup that he could eat with his diabetes.  Since my mind deserted me about 5 years ago I have no idea what he is talking about, but I will definitely try to find something if he wants it.   Sooo, I got on my trusty internet steed and galloped off into the sunset on a search for the perfect potato soup.  When I found this recipe that I think will be perfect and in the bargain found myself laughing... well.. I just had to share it.

Take a look ..   The Pioneer Woman Cooks   Her writing reminds me so much of  Dear Oldest Son's writing that I was chuckling all the way thru... While you're there, click at the top of her page and see more of her delicious recipes.  Love this site... (By the way, I am only a fan of this page and not affiliated in any way. )

Messed up the Big Blue Quilt yesterday.  I guess I was just too tired to be working on it and now I have to rip out a big part of it.  But that's ok..

Fog has us blanketed in today and it looks like we're going to have cloudy and rain thru Thursday and a sunny weekend... Now is that not a change from the usual??.. lol 

Hope you have a good today..