Between Chickens and the Weather????

What a day? I am pooped. It started off normal with morning chores and then breakfast for the two of us. I ran the vacuum  and did a laundry. Then I sneaked away while DH was watching his "cowboy movies" and I completed this little crochet chicken. I cannot help myself - I just think they are so very cute.

The day just slid by too quickly and I had accidentally checked the weather in my email -which some days I do not fool with -but - boy was I lucky today as the weather was expected to change dramatically. Of course my first thought was the rest of my flowers that I still had to move in-so - I flew to the living room and told DH I had to scoot him and his chair over so I could have room to move the couch and fix my flowers back up for the winter. As bad as he has been feeling I expected him to just go back to sleep-but he got up and said that he would go try to find us some firewood-which he did while I cleaned that wall and it is the only wall in there that has a window - so my flowers just have so share the little space. Last winter I got smart and rigged a metal flower stand on top of a little table -that worked so good that I now worked on the same project. I vacuumed the floor and then went out on the front porch and unloaded the flowers so that I could wipe it down and then carry it in the house and put up on top of the little table. I then "hog-tied" it to the table and started bringing flowers back in to vacation for the Winter. It just kills me to see Summer abandon me and Old Man Winter head my way. He must have heard me complaining because the temperature started to drop and the Wind started to blow and now we have a high wind warning till tomorrow night.; )

But I managed to get all of my flowers in but 1 and I am hoping to get it in tomorrow, as it is not expected to freeze tonight. : )
While I was making my rounds I went out and picked all the rest of the peppers in the garden and on the front porch. I told the plants on the porch how very much I appreciated all of their hard work this summer and how they had outdone the peppers in the garden and maybe If I put them in the compost pile that they could come back next year as fertilizer and work in a different job-but still contribute to the job.: )

Just hearing the wind outside Whipping like a mad person makes my hands turn cold - just imagining how winter will be. It is hard to believe that today is the END of another month??? Where do they go- so very fast????? I get the feeling that I am going slower and that makes them go more quickly. I think it is a dirty trick and I must come up with a "battle plan" to try to keep up with them. LOL
Love to all!

Hannah Lane Arrives

My family was suppose to have a baby shower , but instead of a shower - they got the whole package! LOL  I could not help but think to myself that Little Hannah wanted to make her own personal appearance. So instead of being at the shower Mother and Father were attending the birth at the hospital.We all just think we are in control of our lives and it is cute when a little seven pound angel  can move mountains. Mother and baby seem to be doing good. Brandy's Mom sure picked the perfect day to come from out of town for a visit.

Then today I spent most of the day making TWO PINTS of crabapple jelly! It just seemed to be one thing on top of another to complicate my process. Plus having DH still sick is worrying me something fierce. He ate a small breakfast at noon and then went right back to sleep and slept in his chair all day long. He woke up later and ate a cup of corn bread and buttermilk and then went to bed and is sleeping. It scares me to death and I did call his cancer doctor and spoke to the doctor's nurse and she changed his appointment up to this coming Tuesday instead of two weeks away.

I am still "hoping' it is a bug because after I ate I got the "trots" which made it hard for me to accomplish the evening chores. Poor ole stomach is miserable, or maybe that came from the worrying?????  Who knows - we are just taking it one day at a time .
Love to all.

                         Vinegar Tips:
Vinegar and Arthritis
After spending billions of dollars on medicines and over the counter drugs -the American Dietetic Association notes that both medical and nutrition authorities agree on one important fact about arthritis care: The only specific treatment for arthritis is "weight control///and a nutrient-dense diet"
This respected journal goes on to explain the conclusions nutritional scientists have drawn from studies of the eating habits of arthritis sufferers:Sometimes the patient's diet is found to be - grossl deficient in some nutrients.
Perhaps this helps to explain the long-standing belief by many that apple cider vinegar can play an important part in relieving the pain  and slowing the progression of arthritis . At the very least it is less likely to hurt the one taking it than some of the more outrageous chemicals which have been advertised as being able to ease the symptoms of arthritis. And in addition it is inexpensive.

The tim-honored vinegar recipe for dealing with arthritis is 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, mixed into a glass of water and taken morning and night..

Others believe the proper dose is to drink a glass of water, with 2 teaspoons vinegar in it before each meal (3 times a day)

Another tonic which has often been recommended for those who suffer from arthritis discomfort combines vinegar with celery, Epsom salts and citrus (for vitamin C) . Combine in a saucepan:
1/2 grapefruit     2 stalks celery
1 orange      4 cups water
lemon

Cut the celery and fruit (including the peelings) into chunks. Simmer in water - uncovered-for 1 hour. Press the softened foods through a jelly bag and stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon Epsom salts. Drink a full  glass of water morning and evening to which 1/4 cup of this tonic has been added.  With any of these vinegar regimens -expect it to take about a month for relief to begin. For more immediate results many doctors say a gentle rubdown may help. One old-time liniment combines vinegar and oil with egg whites.
2egg whites     1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup turpentine      1/4 cup olive oil
Mix all ingredients and use right away. Gently massage aching joints and then wipe it off.(most all medical authorities would recommend leaving the turpentine out of this remedy.)

I have seen arthritis do HORRIBLE things to people and I Hate it !
Love to all!

Yes, It's Me - Still Wishing for More Minutes in My Day.

Because they just fly by much too quickly. I was up working late into the night and thus, I woke up later than normal. I think I "Just Died" I was so tired. Then I ran out and did outside chores this morning and came back and fixed us a "brunch"- half breakfast and half lunch because it was lunch-time by then - which we ate with Much enjoyment.

This was the finished product of the hot banana peppers -stuffed with hot dogs and the next little batch was where I substituted tomato juice instead of water to the vinegar mix. I have read it before and you know how that curiosity can be a real "Killer"! LOL So, of course I decided to try just these few to see what DH will think of them.

I actually made it to my counseling session today and it was such a blessing. I told her about this mysterious illness that has plagued DH this past week and how I did not know whether to call his family doctor -or- to call his cancer doctor and that we had just been taking it one day at a time because if it was a "bug" it would go away. She thought it would be wise to call the cancer doctor because he is such a special doctor -who really cares about his patients. A bad doctor you do not want to waste your time talking to and a Good doctor I hate to bother because there is just too FEW of them. So, I guess I will see how DH is in the morning and if he is still having trouble I can call Dr. McCoy?

I love my counselor-she is truly an angel for me.I have discovered that when you have a special friend that you can trust with all your heart that it relieves the burdens of heartaches tremendously. I go from that desperate feeling of being lost and scared - to sharing the problems and being given the gift of knowing that I am not alone.This human life is really challenging ! But, I am so blessed that my Heavenly Father has dropped her into my life and into my heart. : )

We came home this afternoon and I had the sink piled full of little apples that I had washed and left there to dry so I could peel them and stick them in the crockpot for some more apples that I freeze for making fried apple pies this winter. But I knew it would get dark on me -so I ran out to the garden and finished digging my row of sweet potatoes. That way I worked on the sweet potatoes until it got to the point where I had to let them wait to cool enough I could handle them -and during that time I peeled the apples and got them going in the crockpot-TRYING - to make the best use of my time.

They are calling for the weekend to be cooler in the 50's and I am trying to rake in every bit of food I can find.I am hoping tomorrow to work on the crabapples -that is one project that truly amazes me- taking those little tiny apples and plopping them in water and cooking them - only by then they look like little dirty brown balls and then using that juice and it turns the most beautiful shade of red jelly. Truly amazing to me. I hope to get you a picture to see for yourself.

Sewing is still very much in my heart. Every chance I get I peek at my John Deere lounge pants that I am working on. See what I mean about not enough minutes in a day AND that staying up all night long sure does wear you out. I'm not so good at that. I think I have done it for a whole three nights in my lifetime and even though I wish I could do it more often - this body of mine just complains everytime I do it!  I would blame it on age - but I think I just have to accept that the body does not appreciate being taken for granted and thinking that I am trying to over use it. Phoo!

Vinegar Tips:
Still talking about memory and vinegar. The worst of the mind robbing diseases associated with aging is Alzheimer's . Some studies show AD suffers are particularly short of calcium, thiamine and  niacin. And low serum B-12 levels have been reported in up to 30% of elderly patients with this kind of dementia. Almost every patient in a recent study of nutrient deficiencies showed complete recovery when given B-12 therapy. Folate supplements also proved valuable.

Thiamine deficiency is another nutritional cause of chronic memory problems. If the diet is sufficiently short of this nutrient, nerve cell loss and hemorrhages in the brain can result. The more we learn about good nutrition and the importance of getting an assortment of vitamins and minerals  each day - the easier it is to understand old-time reliance on apple cider vinegar. one grandmother suggest this way to a healthy old age: "Stir a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey into a glass of water and drink it with your meal. Do this 3 times a day to remain bright and alert all your life."
Treating malnutrition with megadoses of vitamins is being tested , with mixed results. Sometimes it is difficult to get the balanced dose a particular individual may need. There is always the possibility of doing harm by giving too many vitamins or of giving an over dose of minerals. Vitamin therapy can also be expensive. It is much better to prevent nutrient shortages by eating a balanced diet. For balancing the diet- it is hard to match the nutritional store house contained in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

It sure is not hard for me to get myself in trouble.

After a hectic morning of chores and the trip to the feed store I came in and changed clothes to head to the garden. DH is still sick today and as soon as he got home he went to bed and I went to the garden and plucked up all 8 of his hot banana peppers. I had picked up the hot dogs to stuff them with and I was anxious to get them finished. This was a treat that his Mama always made for  him and I have carried on the tradition as he enjoys them so much. Usually the heat from the pepper will go into the hot dog leaving the pepper very mild. He usually eats them on peanut butter sandwiches all during the winter when he wants a snack.

So with peppers in hand I went to the basement and started carrying up the jars to can them in. As I washed them up I had the memory of being little and Mama always asked me to wash her canning jars because my hands were so little and it was easy for me to get my hands in there and scrub. We did not even have running water and the water I used was just cold water-but it always did the trick. I enjoyed that memory .

I fixed up the vinegar solution I would pour over the stuffed peppers and put my canning lids in the water to boil and then simmer.I pulled out a pack of plastic gloves and went ahead and cut the ends off and split the sides so the hot dog would fit in. I ended up with a giant tupperware bowel plum full and running over. I had the jars in the oven to sterilize them. Next I would get a jar and lay it on its side to gently stack the peppers in and then covered the peppers with the boiling vinegar solution. I was making good progress when I started to get the feeling that I was in trouble. One time years ago when I had made them the first time -I had not known to wear gloves when working with hot peppers and I ended up with burned hands and terrible pain.

Well it ended up I was in trouble - I had burnt them again with the peppers. I don't know what happened - something to do with the gloves. They must have been too thin and the peppers juices some how got through to my  hands. Talk about pain - I Hate this. I put them in cold water  , I even tried soaking them in milk-but it seems nothing eases it. I will just have to suffer. I have put aloe juice on them and am still hurting. Sure takes the enjoyment out of my hard work. But I am still tickled to have something to help feed us this winter.

I also had the crockpot full of apples that I had cooked over night-so I put them in a freezer bag and into the freezer with dreams of fried apple pies yet to come.

Well , my hands are on fire - so I will make this short and sweet. Love to all!

Miss Rosie is snoozing on the job!

I have been working up a storm and happened to look up to the window and catch Miss Rosie napping! She looks like she is about to fall off of her little perch, but I know that sun coming through the window feels good on her back.

I had my Celtic music playing in the back ground when all of a sudden the dogs went off like the biggest alarm you have ever heard. I thought it was DH and his brother coming in so I did not pay any attention-it turned out to be my oldest son and he stopped to dig up a plant that had gone wild on us.

It has taken up half of our small garden . It is such a blessing to have sons as talented as mine are. I had grabbed the camera and meant to take a video of the digging -but it turned out I hit the wrong button in my excitement and all I captured was this one picture.Shoot!

He was gone in the twinkle of an eye and I came back in and managed to finish that Stubborn chicken. She certainly has been a big pain in my rumble-seat! Since she has given me so much grief - it seems like I have trouble making two sides identical with this chicken I am considering crocheting with Two threads and see if she would turn out nice and thick -so I would not get burned ????  Working with two threads might be a little hard with my arthritis -But - it might make it easier on  my BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!! : )

They are calling for a cold weekend coming up and when I was watching DS dig that plant up I noticed that the hot banana peppers that belong to DH have certainly grown quiet a bit and I must pick up some  hot dogs tomorrow so I can stuff them for him. He loves them that way . Then he will put them on peanut butter sandwiches. LOL To each his own. : )

                                               Vinegar Tips:
Vinegar and Memory
Memory loss is one of the most common and costly diseases of the elderly. Not only money - but disrupted lives. Quality of life is ruined for those with memory loss and often for their loved ones as well.

The three most common causes of memory loss are : Alzheimer's , multiple strokes, and alcohol abuse. Many other elders endure mental impairment caused by poor nutrition and reactions to prescription drugs.

Too often m memory loss in individuals who are over 55 is treated as if it were irreversible. Yet, information continues to pile up which proves memory loss can be successfully treated. More and more doctors are echoing the words of one specialist:
several of the causes are treatable, resulting in an arrest or actual reversal of the symptoms.
Diet is an important factor in control of risk factors for memory loss and to reverse damage which has already been done. Good nutrition can decrease the likelihood of stroke by lowering cholesterol. It can also protect the mind from some of the worse causes of loss.
Some forms of dementia-those due to excessive alcohol intake or vitamin deficiency- may be entirely preventable and partially reversible through diet.


Some studies indicate nutritional deficiencies are a problem for 36%of the over 80 year old population. Nearly half of all nursing home patients have been shown to have some fitamin or  mineral deficiency. These lower than normal levels of vitamins and  minerals are important because they contribute to loss of mental ability. For example, memory loss is more frequent in patients who have lower than normal blood levels of vitamin B-12 and folate.

Apple cider vinegar supplies a balanced dose of vital amino acids , vitamins, and minerals that both the mind and body need for good health.

Until Tomorrow ! : )

A Day of Hard Work and Delimas

This lovely picture shows that I finally got a buttonhole  worked that I can run a cord through the waist as a drawstring.Of course DH showed up and I had to hide it in a drawer.

He has really been sick for the past two days and I am trying not to panic and be scared. After cancer drops in for a visit it seems that most anything that goes wrong can worry you..I know something is wrong because of the pain in his back and the headache and he has slept most of the weekend away - and he is not one to go to bed and sleep if he is ok. But , I am trying to remain calm and if he is still under the weather tomorrow I will call and make him a doctor's appointment.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning the little back porch or mudroom as some call them. It is only 4ft. x 8ft. but it is amazing how much I have out there. It took me all day to drag EVERYTHING out of there and clean. About half way through was when My energy gave out on me - but I was too much into a disaster to give up. I had to clean it to be able to put it all back and get through the kitchen. BUT - the other thing I discovered that I was being invaded by these new weird "stink-bugs". I say , new - because last year was the first time I had ever seen them. We have our own natural sting-bug- but these dudes are somewhat different and I really hate them. I don't usually kill bugs -but these were zooming in like they belonged here. I bet I killed a hundred of them. As I was moving my stuff back in I discovered that they were also hiding in boxes and plastic containers. It was WAR.

I also moved one shelf back in that had my flowers who had vacationed outdoors for the last 3 months. I really hate to drag them indoors and watch them languish through the fall and winter and spring. I soooo wish I could live where I would never have to bring them indoors at all. But , you know how Wishes are. : )

I realize that most people do their " Spring Cleaning" -but I have decided that I am doing "Fall Cleaning" - I always have to be backwards from the normal folks. : ) Gosh, I am so tired and my hands are so swollen I cannot close them entirely.  I think I am remembering one reason I have not been too fired up to clean. LOL

Now that I have had a shower and washed some of the crud off of me - I pulled out the chickens I have been working on and - they do not match! So I will have to rip one of them out and redo it as I have to have two of them to sew them together to make a thickness that would not allow us to get burnt. Pooh!  One thing that I like about crochet is that when you make a double thickness potholder - I have never got burnt using them . Add the fact that they are almost indestructible.I still have some I made 30 years ago and they are good to go. : )

On a more positive note -how about some more vinegar tips?
A correlation between eating lots of foods containing beta carotene and a lower risk of cancer has also ben documented. Researchers , in more than 70 different studies, agree beta carotene lowers the risk of getting cancer. They include those at State University of New York at Stony Brook, the University of Western Ontario in Canada , Tufts Universality and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. 


In addition to giving cancer protection , beta carotene boosts the body's immune system. It works by attacking the free radicals which destroy the immune system. 


Carotenoids are also the body's raw material for producing vitamin A, another potent antioxidant. They act together to protect from cancers associated with chemical toxins. When the body does not get enough vitamin A it is particularly susceptible to cancers of the respiratory system , bladder and colon. 


old timers have long recommended taking a teaspoon of vinegar ever day in a tall glass of vegetable juice. With all we now know about fiber and beta carotene this may turn out to be very good advice.


Love to all and enjoy this new beautiful week before us. : )

What a Nice Day

Except for both of us feeling bad - it has been a perfect day.  I have got to do some sewing and making some progress-so that makes it perfect for me. DH is stuck in front of the tv-so that is a perfect day for him.

This is the lounge pants I have worked on for Cory for Christmas. I have always used fleece for this project - but curiosity got a hold of me and I wondered how about using a knit so that they would be worn in the Summer time ?????? I found this knit with the cars all over it -so I decided to just try and see what happens. I do like the way it turned out and I am happy with the end product.

The part that gave me trouble was putting a button hole in the band for the cord and the elastic . My machine is just as stubborn as I am so that makes for fixing dilemmas  a challenge. I finally figured out that I had to turn off the machine and then readjust the button -hole design and then it would sew it -but it would not let me sew one button hole after another. I thought that was a lot of trouble to waste time with - but what ever works  is the path I have to choose. :)

A very productive day-considering??? LOL

Even our feathered friends like a scratch every now and then. This is Casper (DH's brother-in-law and his sister's bird that we are still playing with. -and -getting educated with! ) (Be warned - they sure do poop a LOT)   LOL 

I had been complaining to my Father in heaven that I needed more "Time" to do my creative endeavors  - and  HE found a way to provide me with that- so be careful what you  whine for!

I was awakened this morning while it was still dark outside. I rolled over to check out the clock , but I had turned it with its back towards me because it needed to be set AGAIN after our electricity went off -and I just did not have the strength to accomplish that last night.

Not finding an answer I rolled back over and caught a few more minutes of sleep - only to be awakened once again with that thought in my mind- He plainly reminded me of wanting more time to work -so I struggled up out of bed and ran into the wall in my sleep induced dream. : )

I had to laugh as I washed the sand man out of my eyes and pulled on clothes at 4AM. I asked for it and I got it! So I pulled out the pair of lounge pants that I had already cut out and bagged up for DH . I got them out and laid them on the cutting table pinning which part went with which part and LOW and BEHOLD - the door popped open and there was DH himself! He could not believe I was up at that time of the morning and I think the sand man was in his eyes so bad that he did not recognize the John Deere fabric! Can you believe that - 4 am in the morning and I still get caught red-handed! 

I worked carefully in my weak condition -being double careful not to make boo-boos! I did manage to get both of the legs sewn -then the crotch to sew them together. I hemmed the legs and did that good-then I moved to the top and I serged it to have it nice and neat. Everything was looking good -UNTIL- I decided to try to insert a button hole for the hole for the cord -and of course I ran into trouble. This machine has never enjoyed making button holes and it makes it known in not uncertain way. I finally gave up -put it away -and went out side and did the chores as daylight was creeping in. It is so beautiful this time of the morning and the temperature was just perfect Came back in and ate a bowel of cereal with DH.. We had to go to town  and I think we both felt so bad.

DH has been in and out of bed all day long and I know how he feels. For a quiet moment this afternoon I put the dogs and cats up and brought Casper out of his cage and he flew to Doug's chair , where he combed his hair and had a good ole time. So, DH went off to bed again and Casper fell in love.

 If you look behind him on that blue pillow he has spotted our little dog , Blondie who he claims as his new flame! He had a little chihuahua at his house named Buttons and she just recently passed away and he had been grieving . But now he has spotted Blondie and it has seemed to put the "red back in his head"! LOL  Blondie just keeps telling me that she will pass-as she is keeping her eye on him. While they were eyeballing each other I was keeping busy close at hand. I still could not pull off the lounge pants for Dh - so I was working on a crochet project to throw him off scent.: )

So, I created Chicken # 2. I love these gals - they just make me smile to see them. It always amazes me how you take some yarn and turn it into something amazing.

Well, I am sending you love and I hope we ALL can get some good sleep-somehow. I definitely will not be asking for more "time" tonight! LOL

Life bowels me over again?

This week has been a big ole Pain! On Tues. our refrigerator went out.DH tried his hand at it , but he had never worked on a fridge before. Finally he gave up and said to call a repair man. which I did- if just to make him quite  his "husband-fits". It was late by then and I knew it would not get fixed that day. I spoke to a very nice gentleman who said he would check on parts for our fridge and would call me in the morning to tell me what time he could come.

O - that sounded good to me. But, our house was a total wreck and it was so dirty. We had pulled the machine out away from the corner it was in and I was shocked at the dirt and doggie hairs that was crammed back in there and up under it. So, I pulled out the vacuum and started cleaning it. It had been four years since it had been cleaned back there because I cannot move it by myself.

By then I wanted to clean-it was about 4pm and the more I cleaned the more there was to clean-and I came to the point where I wanted it to be clean for this repair man. I started on the wall behind the  fridge  and worked my way up to all the top cabinets and then down to the floor. Everything was a disaster and by 1am DH gave up on me and went to bed.

I kept telling myself how nice it was to work and not be interrupted during the night hours ,but I would not even let myself stop or even allow myself to look at the clock because I knew that would allow me to be even more tired than I was .

I did stop and sit long enough to have a drink and rest my back for about 15 minutes. By then I had the memory of one other time and how my back is always the first thing to give me trouble -but I persevered on. I was making such wonderful progress. It was the up and down on the ladder that was killing me . This was the first time I had been on the step ladder since I had broken my ankle and my leg. I was terrified of  falling and breaking something else - which I NEVER want to do again.That pain was just unbearable.

I realized that the morning was creeping up on me as light steamed in through the window-so I took off outdoors and tackled the outdoor chores because it was calling for rain. By the time I got back in DH was up . He looked almost as bad as I did because the vacuum  cleaner had  kept him up a lot. LOL  I had to chuckle at him because it is so hard to clean house with him in the house -during the day - he and the tv are married together and then in the evening and night - well, let's just say they have a Long Lasting Relationship!

We got a bit of something to eat that was simple because the stove was covered up with things from the freeze and refrigerator . By then it was lunch time and the repair man had not called - so I called him.
I got his young man in the office who told me that we were on the list for Thursday afternoon. By then I was a little upset at them for not calling to tell me.I tried to make a path where we could get through the house with stuff stuck everywhere because the refrigerator was so big that now it was pulled out it took up half of the kitchen  and then I went out and did afternoon chores. I was so tired when I got back in I collapsed in the chair for a breather-and that was a Mistake. I woke up an hour later and DH had already gone to bed and it was dark outdoors. I was so bone tired I could barely drag my weary bones up and then realized that I still had to lock the chickens up because not all of them had been up while I was out.

If you could have seen me stumbling and almost crawling out doors -you would have thought for sure I was drunk. It seemed like a never ending stroll, but I finally made it and went right straight and collapsed in the bed.

Thank goodness for sleep! I do wish I could stay up for two days all the time because I got so much accomplished and it was so peaceful! But - BOY- is it hard on a BODY! : )

Then this morning I went outdoors and did morning chores and then fixed something to eat - o-yea- it was two bowels of cereal. By then it was after lunch time and he finally called to say he was coming -to make sure we were home! He did show up and was very fast .He took the inside of the freezer off and looked and the coils were already frozen up once again since DH had defrosted them on Tues.One look and he said that our heaters had gone out . They are in there to defrost the coils ( I would have never dreamed a fridge had a heater? LOL

Of course to my dismay he said he had mixed up the papers of the model number of ours with someone elses and that he did not have that heater with him-that he did have one at his shop. So we followed him to his shop  and paid him and got our parts because he had showed us how to put it in. The bill was 76.00 for his visit and 77.30 for the part.

So we returned home and installed it and I worked at putting the room back together . I have not completed it yet. There is still dishes in the sink and I am just to tired to look at them right now. When I woke up this morning my hands were so swollen I could barely move them .( I think they are mad at me for trying to kill them!  I do have the dishwasher running with some lime-away in it. I would never have thought to use that in it where it was throwing crud back on your dishes - but we asked him and that was what he said to do.

Dishwasher are disgusting creations- This is the second one we have ever had. The first one was a big disappointment and when We tried to take it back to the dealer - we discovered that the business was closed up and he had run off with his secretary!

Then this is the second one and it worked great for about 6 months and then it started throwing more food back on the plates than was on them to start with. We even tore it apart one day and cleaned everything because it was so stopped up. But, I knew I could never do that again all by myself . So, of course when it started doing that again 6 months later - I just started using it as storage.

But we did manage to ask this fellow and he told us to run LimeAway or CLR  in it.I guess when it is unusable to start then there is nothing to lose ? I will wait and see how it comes out?????

But, somehow I did manage to at least get that set of lounge pants cut out . I am so curious to see how they turn out??

I certainly hope that you guys have had a Better two days than I have! LOL

Well, Shoot a Monkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

O NO! Definitely do not ever shoot a monkey! That just happens to be one of my Disheartened comments! I had bought this piece of knit fabric to make my oldest son a pair of lounge pants. I had made all of his with flannel and then thought Maybe a knit would make them comfortable for the summer as I see them in the stores?

I pulled them out yesterday and got all ready and then had to do some things for DH and I was lucky to remember to put it away or Miss Rosie would have deluded them with her white fur.This today I have pulled it out once again and ran into complications again. I had called DH's meds into the drug store and she called me back to say that we had already picked them up this month on the fifth????-and they cannot fill them again until next month (and by then they will be gone as they are closing up shop.

I was flabbergasted??? I checked the cabinets first and only his empty bottles. - then I checked the car -No. Then I came in and checked both his checkbook and my checkbook and nothing there . Then I checked the calendar and he was already gone with his sister to visit their kin for the week -they left on the 1st-so it just cannot be???  SO SHOOT!

Then I had misplaced a cd and I have turned the house upside down and cannot find it anywhere! SO SHOOT!

On top of that our refrigerator is not cooling. We tore it out last night to clean behind it and it took Both of us pulling as hard as we could to barely get it moved out. I was shocked to see so much Dirt! It was so horrible-but I cleaned for a good hour just on that - and then it took ALL of Our MIGHT to move it back into its corner space. Our backs are hurting on both of us- it sure is challenging as you age.  Maybe it does not help that refrigerators are even bigger.

But DH says it still is not right -so I got a thermometer  and put inside of it to see what is going on.   So I am pooped and covered in dirt and still cannot find the cd - or know what to do about DH"s meds???

I hope you guys are doing much better than I am today???? : )

Casper Visiting

This is Casper , my sister-in-law and brother-in-law's bird. He is still visiting because DH is enjoying him so much and we are learning so much about larger birds. One thing I would caution ANYBODY who thinks they might love one ( and you surely can love them) but you need to be prepared for when they get so loud it makes your ears hurt. Anytime there is something going on and the dogs are barking or a new person comes in -the dogs bark and Casper Shrieks at the top of his little bird lungs. : ) Like I said - Very Educational!

Daughter-in-law #1 came up to bring me some chickens to keep through the winter time for her and of course they had to come visit with Casper. She did show me how to offer him a wood spoon and he would step up on it and come on out to sit on your shoulder or play with her hair. While there was so many of us we did gang up on him and between Four of us -one holding one light, two bosses double checking to make sure we did not hit a cuticle  and then the major surgeon who did the cutting . We all managed to have him come out with a new pair of  feet and no blood. Yea!

To further his "spa-treatment" Tracy offered him a nice warm bath.

She had laid down a soft towel on the edge of the sink so he could climb up when ever he wanted to be finished.

All and all it has been a very educational experience and it is so nice to have brother and sister-in-laws who are kind of enough to share their precious bird with us. To me that is a big honor and some of the things we are learning -it really helps to have "the real deal " to learn them with. He is constantly asking us "whacha-doing" and he calls the dogs " here boy-here boy" . Of course he is still a "souper-pooper" as Tracy found out last night -all down the back of her hoodie.

He was so funny after all of his excitement that when he went back in his cage -he stuck that head up under his wing and went sound to sleep. LOL  Now that was a first for him because I have always covered him and told him good-night up to this point. LOL I think he was kinda "done" with us humans at that point. LOL Maybe he is kinda like us humans when it comes to "too much of a good thing" - wears us all out to!

I know this is not sewing , but when you kids stop by - you just have to take the moment to enjoy with them because we are not guaranteed the next time.  My youngest grand-daughter took home a pair of doves to test her skill on. We both agreed that we like the doves because they cannot "bite your finger off" and their sounds are nice and soft. LOL
                                                 Vinegar, Beta Carotene and Cancer
Aging , heart disease, cancer and cataracts are symptoms of the harm done to the human body by free radicals, the loose cannons of the cell world. They damage chromosomes and are probably responsible for many of the physical changes associated with aging.

Free radicals roam through plants, animals, and humans , bouncing from cell to cell, damaging each in turn. antioxidants absorb free radicals making them harmless. Beta carotene , a carotenoid found in vinegar , is a powerful antioxidant.

Carotenoid occurs natural in plants such as apples. Vinegar's beta carotene is in a natural easy to digest form. One example of how this antioxidant contributes to maintaining good health is the way it protects the eye's lens. "This happens when free radicals alter its structure. Studies show that eating lots of antioxidant containing foods decreases the risk of forming cataracts. I sure hope that is right because my eye doctor informed me that he thought he saw signs of them in me and I SOOOOO do not what that to happen.

Well, love to one and all and a whole new week of adventures !

Ramsey's Shirt

Recognize this fellow-well he has caused me enough trouble! After I made him the first time I was not satisfied with the size the shirt turned out and that was when I got lucky because I got to talk to my youngest granddaughter and she told me that he was now wearing a 3X. Thank goodness for informants ! LOL

As you can see - it is much larger than the first one, which was a Burda pattern and because it is meant for very trim men -that made it a full size larger than the Butterick pattern. So , this time I used the Butterick pattern to have room for those growing "tummies"! LOL

And Thank Goodness this is the end of that horribly naughty knit rayon fabric! We fought each other the entire journey because that yellow dye gave the fabric entirely different properties than the green colored areas . At least I finally did learn to watch out for it and give it extra attention-kinda like you would a child!  So we are really and truly Finished with each other! YEA!

The good thing about being out of fabric is that I now  have to start on a new project???? But I am lucky because I picked up two pieces of  fabric on that Shop Hop last week end and it is all washed  and dried and ready to transform into something new. : )

It has been hurtfully cool here today , but my DH does have a fire going for me. I don't think he knows how much the cold Hurts my fibromyalgia. It makes me ache deep down and my face will turn red -just from the pain.We are now up to a hot and balmy 56degrees and a steady drizzle of rain. You know how rain can make you feel chilled to the bone.

I did look ahead today to see what the next weeks weather will be and it is calling for rain all week long and chilly. POOH! I wanted to dig those potatoes-guess I will not . The first decent day is for next Saturday a week from today. -so maybe I can tackle that then. It makes me nervous to have to put things off that long -during this time of the year when I am scared of a sudden attack of cold and a freeze-which would not be good.I Hate this time of the year because with one swift swoop of the temperatures - all the beautiful flowers will be murdered and my joy will be squashed! : (

Remember those beautiful peaches I just canned - DH found one today that did not seal (or so he said :????) and he has been gobbling them up- I think the others are in danger long before Winter and the peach cobbler that makes its own crust rolls around. LOL  He does not feel too good today -maybe the weather has him down also. He managed to go get us a load of firewood and he is parked in front of the tv  pigging out on anything he can find. I caught him nodding his head as Mr. Sandman was sneaking up on him -he caught a glimpse of me passing through and those eyeballs POPPED OPEN  because he did not want me to catch him sleeping. LOL

Vinegar Tips:
                                                       Vinegar and Digestion
Apple cider vinegar is very similar to the chemicals found naturally in the stomach. Because of this it has traditionally been hailed as an aid to digestion. And so, by improving digestion, it is felt it will improve the overall metabolism of the body.

Those who regularly imbibe of this elixir feel it helps cuts and abrasions heal faster, as well as speeding up the healing of more serious woulds.

Vinegar is considered by many to be able to attack and kill harmful bacteria which  has invaded the digestive tract. This may lessen the likelihood of the body developing toxemia and other blood-borne infections.

Some doctors suggest regular vinegar use to prevent food poisoning. They recommend its use when visiting questionable restaurants or foreign countries. The usual dose is to take 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 30 minutes before meals. It can be mixed with a glass of water, vegetable juice , or any other beverage. Honey added to vinegar and water makes the taste more palatable for most people .

A vinegar experiment anyone can try is to use it to make legumes more digestible and so less gas producing. Just splash a little vinegar in the pot when cooking dried beans. It will make them tender and easy on the digestive system.

So you can say that vinegar adds fiber and is low in fat, salt and sugar and all of that is good. : )

Happy Trails To You! : )

I'm am so sorry & Cowboy says HI!

But last night was not my fault - I was heading toward the computer to blog and all of a sudden it was pitch dark. Pitch dark - I could not see my hand in front of my face. I was so Miffed! I wanted to spend some "quality-time" with my blog family. So, I gave up and went to bed, with no heat and it was 44 this morning when I got up-Burrrr!

I hate this time of year because DH just hates to fire up the wood stove and I just Hate to be cold. But at least   he has started a fire tonight. : ) I am so tired I can barely move- my fibromyalgia Hates to be cold too. It just sucks the life out of me and it takes quiet a spell to regroup. It's miserable.

Thursday was when we met DH's sister and we took them to turn their new car in for some odds and ends of work and they had promised them a wash job and full tank of gas. I think their help forgot there was a front end of a car because it was covered in "bug-juice" that they had neglected to get. Then we took them to run some errands while they worked on the car. By the time we got home I was so exhausted that I locked up the chickens and went to bed.

I have run across a wonderful blog called Commonsense Homesteading and she inspired me with all of her hard work growing and processing her own food. She inspired me so much that we picked up half a bushel of peaches and I canned them. I had forgotten how beautiful home canned foods are.

Then we went to pick up my prescriptions and to look at some gas stoves-? Something that we might be able to use when our electricity goes off and at least keep warm, as our electricity is not that dependable-we lose it a couple of times a year , at least and that is miserable. I am anxious to get back to my Christmas gifts as time is really flying now. Somehow I will have to mix things up as I need to dig the sweet potatoes and DH needs to dig the regular potatoes.He helped me dig a small pot full of white sweet potatoes this afternoon  as the ground was so hard I almost could not make a dent in it. We eventually found enough for one mess and I was tickled because this is the first year I have ever tasted White Sweet Potatoes and they were really good! I shredded them and plopped them in a skillet with a dash of canola oil and they cooked while I cut some fresh chard into slivers ,washed it , boiled it for a minute and then added the oil and a dressing of soy sauce-salt- red wine vinegar and some agave  and it was really good. Then DH fixed some scrambled eggs and we had a "scrambled- supper" ! LOL  Not like anything I have ever had , but at least it filled my tummy and I believe it was good for us.

I did get to take my walk this afternoon as dark was descending on me and it matched my dark mood of missing sweet Dixie -darn it- I just wish she had not had to go. But, you know how it is with cancer , be it human or four-legged. I HATE cancer with a purple passion!
Well, let me get down to the vinegar tips :

Vinegar contains a treasure trove of complex carbohydrates as well as a good dose of that mysterious stuff called "dietary fiber." Both complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber have been recommended by the U.S. Surgeon general to help build resistance to cancer.

About fibers...yes there are different kinds of fibers. Some are water soluble and some are not. A water soluble fiber soaks up water (adding bulk) but also has the power to interact with the body. insoluble fibers soak up water (adding bulk) but do not interact with the body in the same complex way soluble fibers do.

When vinegar is made from fresh , natural apples it contains a healthy dose of pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber. It dissolves in water, making it very available for the body to use. In addition to soaking up water, it slows down the absorption of food and liquid in the intestines. Therefore it stays in the body longer than an insoluble fiber.

An insoluble fiber, such as wheat bran rushes through the system. Particularly , it rushes through the intestines. This gives it laxative properties. Wheat bran my also produce large amounts of gas.( O NO - that is why I am called , An Old Fart!  : ) Sorry , couldn't help myself!)

as pectin (apple cider vinegar fiber)works its slow, gentle way through the digestive system it binds to cholesterol. Then pectin pulls the cholesterol which is bound to it out of the body. Less cholesterol in the body makes for a reduced risk of cardiovascular problems, such as hear attacks and strokes.

I will say good-night and best wishes to all.

Detour ?

.

This is Snowball and he is doing his best to console  me and also keep my mind busy.        He helped me carry in the laundry today and any piece that he could see peeking out -he would grab it and carry it all by himself - so very proud of his accomplishments.  He is a stinker for sure.I  did get to start this morning with my next project. I have cut out a larger size tee shirt to replace that XL that I was so worried about. It turned out I got to talk to my youngest granddaughter and she knew that he wore a XXXL- so my XL that was really a size large in this pattern definitely would not work.I cut out the XXXL  and then took it to the embroidery machine - that horrible beast that loves to torment me and destroy projects . I told it that I was not letting it upset me today. So, it stated out letting me get about 6 rows of stitches and then it broke the thread- so I politely stopped and took off that red and put on a different red  and it sewed and it sewed and it sewed and it actually finished the design . I was Amazed.Then I went to dreaming about sewing this booger up and putting my mind to rest - and then - DH came through the door and wanted me to ride to town with him to get a part for the lawn mower. I almost begged off, but decided IT might not take LONG! YEA Right- we left about about 1 and it was 9pm when we got back in. : ( Another day gone) I took the flashlight and went out and locked the chickens up. Don't want some Sneaky raccoon sneaking in and having himself a chicken dinner.

O, I forgot to mention that the reason it took so long was the bank called and wanted me to pick up a check that I had been given that they rejected. I asked them what was the problem and they said it was either altered - or - fictitious??? I had never heard of that before so we went by the first police station and they sent us to the next police station and we sat there for an hour waiting for a policeman to come take the report . The poor policeman finally called and explained that he was the only deputy taking calls in the county tonight and he was just covered up. He was at a DUI -waiting for the towtruck and then he had to take the prisoner to drop off at he jail and then he had a stolen car to go to and he apologized profusely . I felt sorry for him -but I thought he could not say his job was Boring. : ) We agreed to try again Thursday and he wants us to go to the bank and have them run a check on my account and fix up a statement saying if my account is ok and be sure to bring that with the check when they take the report and it would help speed things along  - just in case it is some kind of scam or an attempt at identity  thief. I hope to do that tomorrow and we are meeting up with DH's sister and her husband at the hospital for his checkup. They always make him sit an hour after they give him some kind of shot -to make sure that there is no reaction.

It never ceases to amaze me how complicated our lives have got to be?

DH did buy a bag of raw peanuts today to share with the "feathered friend " that we are baby-sitting -OR- it started out as baby-sitting while they all went on vacation-but now DH has been having so much fun playing with Casper that he asked them to extend his vacation at our house for a while-to which they agreed to. ( I wonder who this is that has taken over my husband's body???????)

Good Bye My Sweet Angel-Dixie Doodles

tThe day started off as normal-morning chores and when we came back in something just was not right.  Dixie had been sleeping on her big over-stuffed pillow when I went out, but now she was laying in the hall and I noticed water around her.

I picked up a towel to wipe up the water and looked into her eyes and my heart just sank. Her eyes were glazed over and I recognized that look all to well from losing sweet Pee Wee last year. Seizures! Horrible tortures of something that you love that throws them all over the place ,writhing in misery. How could something so horrible come upon one of the sweetest little furbabies that ever set a foot on earth

I called the vet and they let us bring her right in. I scooped her up and took her to the car, placing her in the back area where I keep the seat down and an open area to haul things . I keep it that way because I am a "truck person" and this way I keep a "truck bed" to be useful.

One time she had curled up to the back door -the way she always did when we took her riding . She loved to take in the view and then sleep as when we drove two hours to go see DH's sister in W.VA.She always got hugs and kisses from her too.

The next time I looked she had started to have another seizure as she thrashed about and my heart was just breaking into pieces..We arrived at the vets and I carried her in. I knew it was serious and our vet was so kind. She asked to run blood work to see if her organs had been damaged and as clinging to straws . I was hoping it was something medicate-able. It turned out that as they were doing the blood work she started to seize again and this time they could not contain it.

I asked what was the doctors guess and she suspected cancer. I Have always Hated that monster. So, I agreed to let her go . The doc had fixed her up so nice with a down pillow while they had her on gas. I gave her hugs and kisses and told her to go wait at the Rainbow Bridge with my other furbabies and I would follow shortly.

Then she went ever so peacefully . You know you have done the right thing- but it is still so very hard. Any of you who have loved furbabies knows what I mean. Ten years - it went by so very fast-too fast for me. We brought her home and DH buried her. He had tears too - and he is one that never cries. His nick-name for her was Dixie Chickie.

There is a big hole in my heart tonight. I really wasn't expecting this quiet so soon. She had been going with me on my walks and I thought that was a good thing-making her stronger and more healthy.I miss her so badly - I double missed her on my walk tonight. She is not on her pillow -or- behind the couch in the living room - and she is not sleeping beside my bed tonight.

I have a buzzing headache and m eyes are as red as they can get and they are so swollen I  can barely close them. You know how those "If ONLYs' are . You know how it is.

Love-to-all tonight.

Ramsey's Shirt

This is the shirt I have been so miffed at-remember it had long sleeves and when DH tried it on for me the sleeves were too tight for him -so I knew they would be too tight on a young person. I am hoping maybe the rest of it will fit. SO I cut off the long and hemmed the short and am hoping for the best.

Of course Cowboy was there to direct me which way to do things.

It has been a beautiful day and when I looked on the calendar I noticed that in not quiet two weeks Autumn will begin and my beautiful, perfect Summer will be gone.  Drats, it will be time to clean off the back porch and bring the flowers back in and dig the potatoes and make crab apple jelly .

Vinegar Tips:
Relieve itchy skin, by patting on apple cider vinegar. If the itch is near the eyes or other delicate areas dilute the vinegar -4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. For a full body treatment put 2 or 3 cups in the bath water. A handful of thyme can help too.

Dampen a gauze square  in apple cider vinegar and apply gently to ease rectal itching.

Use a cloth moistened in vinegar to clean armpits. Do not rinse it off and it will eliminate offensive odors for several hours.

Cool the burning of a sunburn by bathing in a tub of lukewarm water to which a cup of apple cider vinegar has been added . Anytime a sprain or ache needs to be soaked in very hot water, a splash of vinegar in the water will make the water seem cooler.

One reason vinegar is so very helpful in treating skin disorders is that it has a ;H which is nearly the same as healthy skin. So applying vinegar helps to normalize the pH of the skin's surface.

Love to all

Wish I Had Their Energy

They say when children are playing they are not only learning, but getting their exercise also-so these two certainly should be in good shape. They are sweethearts and have spent their life time playing all the time. they are so funny especially when they play tag and they play just like kids do! They run so much that I feel like it is me getting the exercise.  Snowball(in the back)  is funny because when we  are walking if I make the mistake of drawing something like a sweater or scarf too close to the ground - he will jump up and claim it as his as he "hot-rods" off with me chasing. Honeybear(in front) is funny because she loves to scratch her belly by dragging her back legs and feet Down the hill coming to our house . My furbabies seem to be my sanity and I love them dearly.

I am just too pooped to pop! I got up and did the morning chores. DH was home so he ate scrambled eggs and I ate that same grain I did yesterday with my blueberries and toast. That fueled me for the morning of dishes, laundry and vacuuming . Then I started on the search for that design to do with the garden once again and after an hour I found what I thought would work- I think it is cute and I am so close to finishing it, but "tired" hit me all at once and when I get so tired I start to make mistakes and I do not want to make anymore than I have too.

Of course the embroidery machine and I had to have war once again and that last several hours. I won in the end , but it was a tough battle. I was for sure it would be agreeable to work today as the last time had ended successfully . But I put my first color in and it started off great-that white bottom thread was not showing and I was thrilled so I turned my head to consider the "other shirt " that I am mad at and Yep- broke the thread. So, I re-threaded it and it broke once again. I tried to pull on that forgotten knowledge  that I am suppose to have up there , and got lucky and decided to try a different thread after all it is a red radish and they have different shades of red .That was a wise choice and the red sewed out perfectly-long enough for me to get my mind back on the other shirt.

Time to change colors to green and the war was on-it teased me by sewing almost one whole leaf and then the breaking started . It would break and I would try a new green-over and over and over. : (
Somewhere in there it also decided to skip stitches so I took it apart and cleaned the race and the war was on.  Let's just say I finally succeeded after several hours of the battle.

Then I started putting it together and the further along I got (now this is a size Small Men's in Butterick) and it is larger than the size xl that I am mad at. Well, too late now because that garden guy is going to Jimmy-maybe he can use it for a pillow case??? I might suggest that to him! LOL I am all the way down to the cuffs on the sleeve and they are the wrong size-something about that dumb fabric that likes to trick me. I am so glad that it is almost gone. Don't you hate to be out-smarted by a piece of fabric. Something about that yellow in that camo just stretches to a different length than the greens??? I will just grit my teeth and "fake it"! LOL

I asked DH to try on that "fishing man" shirt today so I could study it . It is too big for him in the shoulders and the sleeves are really too tight-so I cut the long sleeves off and am going with short-at least it won't be too tight on the grandson's arms.

I think my "sewing angel" has take vacation on me through these camo colored projects and left me to "wing it" all by myself. So let me share the vinegar tips with you -at least that is something positive .

Vinegar Tips:
Historically, infections on the face, around the eyes, and in the ears have been treated with a solution of vinegar and water. It works because vinegar is antiseptic(it kills germs on contact)and antibiotic ( it contains bacteria which is unfriendly to infectious microorganisms).

More recently, vinegar has been used to treat chronic middle ear diseases when traditional drug-based methods fail.One treatment currently being prescribed for ear infections at Ohio State University 's hospital is irrigation with vinegar..At a Yale-New Haven Hospital began cleaning the scrub-room sink with a 1/2%solution of ordinary household vinegar. It worked better at eliminating the offending bacteria than the commercial product it replaced!

Two old-time remedies for treating mild burns were to douse the hurt with apple cider vinegar or to let a snail crawl over it. If you don't have a friendly snail around, you may want to try dabbing a bit of apple cider vinegar onto the painful area. Vinegar is particularly useful for neutralizing alkali burns.

I have used it for sunburns and it worked like a charm.
Love to all and we will try again tomorrow-right now before I fall over I need to go sneak some beans in the crock-pot for tomorrow. That way my wee brain will not have to go on over-load trying to feed us. : )

Wait For IT!

I know I fell off the face of the earth once again-but I Really was busy. Yesterday was the Sewing Guild meeting and by the time I got all the chores , both inside and out completed -the day had just flown off and left me.
                                         Wait For It!
The Sewing Guild meeting was lots of fun. By the time they had announcements of all the off-shoot groups and  what they were doing they had some guest speakers. They had brought dolls with them and they passed them around and when you had them in your arms they felt and looked like the "Real-Deal" - minus the diaper changes and the 2AM feedings that we all lived though - or will live through. LOL

The first speaker was the one who had started the Foundation . She was so beautiful and spoke about how she wanted to make a difference for people and that her training in school was the ability to raise money and she was very good at it.

Her Mom was the one that started making the dolls to help raise money for projects for the "working poor". They spoke about when the people come in how depressed they are and they have them write out a "What you would like to achieve". Then a young lady in her early twenties spoke about how she had followed the program , she had dreamed of buying a home of her own and then a business of her own. Now she has started both. She said that the foundation was more like a Family than just a group . She said that she made 15 of these dolls a day and how much she loved it. They charge 55.00 a doll and you can buy them already made or you can attend a workshop and make your own , thus picking out your colors in clothing and she mentioned how it seemed that you  bonded with the baby.

The main lady talked about how she had brought in other groups and were intermingling , thus drawing in  a wider variety of people -like you would go in to purchase home made bread and you would stay for the dolls , ect. The had just purchased a big -big empty building and were in the process of bringing it to life with All of these different interests. She said one young man who came to help was legally blind and he would paint the walls -then he would go get her to see if he had missed spots and how just that was changing his life because he was out and socializing and feeling needed.
                                                                Wait for It! 
By the time I got home and fell in bed and then opened my eyes it was time to roll out of bed and Lynne and I went to some more Shop Hops. There were six shops kinda close together and then a choice of two out of town. One of the two out of town were up our direction in a big old schoolhouse that I really love, and we hit that one first.

They have one X-class room downstairs and it is my Knit room . As I went through the door I hardly recognize the room . The entire center section was changed out with new tables in the center and everything arranged so nice. I got lost in there -poor Lynne was already finished and waiting on a bench for me. LOL I asked Jerry , the owner why he changed the room . He laughed and said that one morning he came in and was at the cash register and he heard the loudest noise and it seemed the entire building shivered. He went to look and the Monster big table had collapsed. I asked him if it was from the earthquake and he said no - from age. LOL

Lynne got to take a picture of the roses at the front door and then we were off to the next 6 shops , all of which had lovely refreshments  to fuel us through the day. It was a lovely sunny day , it had started off cool but was very warm by the end of the evening. Our last shop we turned in our cards that we had to have stamped and they will be put in for a drawing for 6 nice "treat" baskets. At that shop I was captured by a gentleman who had made all these beautiful place-mats, mug rugs and all kinds of lovely rugs by looker hooking. He even showed me how you used a hook that looked like a crochet -hook with a hole in the opposite end . You would pull the strips of fabric through the canvas and then pull the string through all of them. They were all drop dead beautiful . I adored them. All of these beautiful pieces of "eye-candy" were so inspiring.
                                    Well, here it is! LOL
Val, from Life's Little Garden had perked my interest in her crocheting that she has been learning and having so much fun and making such cute things. I like it when you can create things that you could use.  So, I happened to run across a pattern that I thought was cute and just went for it. It has been many years since I picked up my crochet hooks , due to bursitis-but I finished my project and am so tickled with it . It is just one of those things that makes me smile  and since  I was so disappointed in that last shirt not being the size I thought it should -this was a nice distraction.

Vinegar Tips:
The exact composition of a particular vinegar depends on what it was made from.Even apple cider vinegar varies with the kind and condition of the apples. Partly because of this , medical scientists do not always know exactly how or why it promotes healing. They do know it is both antiseptic and antibiotic.

An early Assyrian medical text described the treatment for ear pain as being the application of vinegar.

Vinegar was used as a healing dressing  on wounds and infectious sores in Biblical times.

Thieves Vinegar got its name during the time of the Great Plague of Europe. Some enterprising thieves are said to have used vinegar to protect them from contamination while they robbed the homes of the plague victims.

Wasted Day On A Search for Garden Man

Yep, wasted an entire day -other than all the necessary things we all have to do. I was so close and the one shirt I had cut Out , I wanted some kind of design that has to do with a man and his garden. Cocoa was so patient -really more patient than I have been.

I Hate to "be on the hunt " for the perfect design. I ramble all over the virtual world just searching and searching and it usually leads you to the very opposite of what you are searching for, at least for me it does.:( I did get the second side of my crochet project done, but now I have to add details, so maybe it is not a complete loss.

I am still not happy with that shirt I completed yesterday. A little voice in my head keeps telling me it will be too tight. Darn it !  Plus while I was searching for a design in my personal collection I learned something very interesting?

Do you happen to remember when I finished this shirt lately for my brother-in-law. Well, I went to store it in my almost empty tote that I keep all of the Christmas projects in and you will never guess ????

LOL - I had forgot all about the blue one that I had made him back in March!Needless to say I am not real happy with my track record so far. Two shirts of the same design for one and a shirt that I suspect is too small for another? GRRRRRR!

I forgot to show you who I am baby-sitting with. His name is Casper  and he is a riot. He talks some and he makes sounds that make me think someone is in the house(errrr- well someone really is) LOL  He likes to be the center of attention and he starts screaming when someone comes in or catches me on the phone. When DH called last night I told him that Casper had to be the "poopingest " bird I had ever cleaned up after. Instead of papers to change - I need a small toilet ! LOL

He is 28 years old and was born in the same year that my youngest son was. I had not known that , until now-so at least I can keep up with his age. About a month ago the family lost their little dog that was his companion and I thought he had been grieving .So when they brought him to visit last week he did not know what to think. Then all of a sudden my crew of doggies came running to see what he was -He took one look at the dogs and his eyes lite up and he started bouncing up and down and started hollering , " What'ssssssssssssssssss You Doing????????????????????????? He was one happy bird. I told them that they needed to go to the dog pound and get a small dog for Casper. LOL

Vinegar Tips: Vinegar Fights Disease
Apple cider vinegar enthusiasts can recite a long list of aliments it is reported to be able to cure or prevent. It is claimed vinegar can banish arthritis, forestall osteoporosis , prevent cancer , kill infection , condition the skin, aid digestion, control weight, preserve memory, and protect the mind from aging.

Can apple cider vinegar possibly do all that is claimed for it? One answer may be: Yes, because it is such a marvelous combination of tart good taste and germ killing acids. Vinegar is fermented from sweet apple cider and takes its honey-gold color from tannins which flow from ruptured cell walls of fresh , ripe apples. When these naturally occurring colorless preservatives come into contact with air they develop the rich , golden color we associate with cider. This is called enzymatic browning . It contributes to the distinctive flavor of cider-a flavor with more spunk than simple apple juice.

Vinegar is made when fresh, naturally sweet cider is fermented into an alcoholic beverage (hard cider). Then it is fermented once again. The result is vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar contains more than thirty important nutrients, a dozen minerals, over half a dozen vitamins and essential acids and several enzymes. Plus, it has a large dose of pectin for a health heart.

When apple cider vinegar is exposed to heat and air, it give off some hints of its character. Take a healthy sniff and what you inhale is the volatile part of vinegar-the portion which will evaporate easily.

Love to all.

Still Making Progress and Watching It Rain from Lee

Man - I have Never seen it rain so hard. I made it to the critter building and got caught there and the rain on the tin roof was so loud that it hurt my ears . It was raining so hard that I could not see out the door. Talk about getting a read "scrub-down" - Mother Earth sure did get it. : )

After I got back in the house and dryed off I decided that Val, from Life's Little Garden had given me a case of the "want-tos" by showing her crochet work. I had ran across a pattern that I wanted to try so I pulled my crochet hooks back into action while it gave me a chance to rest.This was what I came up with to start the day-

Aaaahhh - it felt so good to exercise those crochet hooks. I only worked for approximately 45 minutes and my shoulder started to hurt because of  my bursitis so I decided to hop on the next sewing project. I am narrowing down on them, but I am fearful that this one might not be big enough for one of the boys . It says it is a XL , but it is for one of those modeling bodies and this young man has a chubby tummy. Shoot.

Well, shoot ,let me try again.

See, he's really cute. Darn these sizes and my wee little brain trying to figure it out. I think I am going to have to give up on my Burda pattern except for my DH and my brother-in-law . They are both slender , but most of the rest of us have that extra tire around the center.

I have had such a nice day , minding my own business and having fun.

Vinegar Tips:
Soothe tired or sprained muscles by wrapping the afflicted area with a cloth wrung out of apple cider vinegar. Leave it on for 3 to 5 minutes and repeat as needed. For extra special relief, add a good dash of cayenne pepper to the vinegar.

Banish the discomfort of nausea or vomiting by placing a cloth wrung out of warm apple cider vinegar on the stomach. Replace with another warm cloth when it cools.