Monday, October 31, 2011

Trash Bag for Car

I had a little help keeping my "machinery" running correctly today. While Coco was on duty everything went well.

It was a lovely day -between the colors of all the leaves that are almost gone and covering the ground like a multi-colored carpet and that wonderful musky fragrance. It was really intoxicating. DH joined me for a while- I think he just wanted to spend time with me-then later I caught him crying. I know he is so scared and I am too.

So, while he worked on his truck I worked in the sewing room -back on the trash bags for the car. Working with vinyl takes more strength in your hands than I remembered. Plus, after I pinned hems in -as I was removing them while sewing - a larger percent of the heads came off of my pins. Oops- I will need more pins soon at this rate.

I took it out to DH's truck just to see how it would hang and it really looked cute. That makes one for sister-in-law and one for brother-in-law for Dear old HoHoHo!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Car Trash Bin

O my- what started as a "thinking project" turned from thoughts into challenges. My  sister-in-law wants a trash bag to hang on the back of the car seat. So, I tried to draw one out just so I could get a feel for how I should tackle it. I was doing one of those - should I do this -OR- should I do that????????????????????????



Next I thought I should pick out what ever fabric I should use -thinking that might shed some more light on the project. I happened to run across two pretty blue pieces of heavy vinyl that I had made some laptop sleeves from. I thought that would be nice because they would be easy to wipe off just in case some of the trash might be messy. : )



My next challenge was the embroidery part. I was stumped at what kind of design to put on it???? So, I just picked one that I thought had some humor to it-loaded the machine - and flipped the magic switch and - OOOOOOOO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!It immediately started breaking thread! I knew I was in trouble-so I started out by trying all different threads and it broke any of them I put on. : (  Not one of my happy moments)

Next I moved onto the tension and changed it through about ever adjustment it had - but no success. Then I moved on to the needles and I tried every needle I had and just as I was about to call it quits - all of a sudden it took off sewing ! I could hardly believe it - boy - Joy -Joy-Joy! Maybe that was why it happened - so I would appreciate success even more. So, an hours job had turned into several hours and it was almost dark outside.  Sometimes "birthing" these projects is such hard work. : )

I was SO Thrilled to finish the designs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next to figure out what kind of strap I can use at the top ?


Now to figure out how to line the back to cover up the pieces and just make it look more finished to me. I did end up changing the shape of the top from a curve to a straight edge so I could sew the strap on without wrinkling it.I am glad that I did.

Yea- trash bag for car # 1 is finished and boy am I glad. Sewing through all of those layers was quiet a challenge for me at the bottom. I can tell it was a big challenge for me because I am just drained of energy from all that concentration. Amazing how much it can take out of you.

I would love to jump on #2 -but I am afraid that I would just ruin it from being so tired. I will hold my enthusiastic plan for my next sewing treat- hopefully tomorrow. : )
Love to all!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Pluck, pluck, pluck

Today I feel like an ole sitting hen as I sit tight to my "nest" and count my blessings as compared to the states up above us. Just a four hour drive and they are having what the weather station calls a real "North Easterner" and so far they have 12 inches of snow and still pouring down.I have never seen snowflakes as large as what they showed on tv.They said it was the first time that they had ever had snow BEFORE a frost. I forgot how many Millions are without electricity- and you know that scared me because we have not figured that part out yet for us.

It made me think of life without my life time partner and it scares me to death. I also pondered making money to support myself and even if I could find a job paying minimum wage it would take all of that to just pay the real estate taxes and the credit card- not to count the car insurance- gas-food- electricity-medicine-phone bill- internet bill-trash bill and anything else that I cannot think of right now.
I thought maybe I should not post about it-because I am not seeking sympathy - I have two reasons I decided to post it as I go along. NUMBER ONE- it might help me see more clearly if I view it on black and whit.
NUMBER TWo - my story might end up HELPING other women like me find their way - or at least think about how it would affect your own life and how you will cope? I have not known many widows in my life-and to me that is a good thing. "But it also did not shine a light anywhere for me. Plus , as I think about them -half of them drank themselves to death and only a few had husbands who cared enough to make plans for their families to be cared for.

Well, better run and get ready for the last cancer seminar after all week. Here is the link - just in case you would be interested.   http://www.renegadehealth.com/cancer/blog/
Love to all

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Little Progress

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA! FINALLY my cutting table is clear once again. Yahoo! What a joyous event.  Nothing like a clear table to help clear your creative pocket! : )

I was so glad today that I got chores done this morning because as the day tiptoed by - the weather changed to. It went from 50's to low 30's and a Cold rain with deep dark skies. Enough of a change to make your bones shiver. Days like this USED to give me challenges with depression because everything looks so glum-but after living long enough to acquire some creative insights -now I do not have those scourges - all I have to do is start counting my blessings and poking my nose in my imagination and something always presents itself.

In order to see what kind of progress I am making for Christmas I had to wrap my second batch of what I had created thus far.I keep a list -or I would always be Lost in space. LOL  My list is a composition book and I started it years back when I did not want to just give the same gift year after year. So, now it is fun to look back and I have the memories -so it has become like a diary- or - maybe a journal? Anyway - it serves its purpose and now I add tidbits like the size and brand of patter that I use for each person.

I listened to the online  cancer seminar tonight. It was the fourth one this week and there is only one left for tomorrow afternoon. It has been Very Educational. One speaker tonight (Marcus Freudenmann)spoke about the differences in people and treatments.It amazed me to learn that people are being thrown in jail for trying to put out knowledge about alternative medicines . The big drug companies carry a lot of Clout! It is very sad.

They believe that cancer is not the enemy . We all carry a load of cancer cells in our bodies - it is just up to us how we treat ourselves to keep our immune systems working that keeps them in line. If we fall behind in our care -then the cancer cells can start to multiply . So, they suggest that the person first -Detox our bodies to get rid of toxins(and boy-there are gazillions of them), Supplements to help boost your immune system and then change of diet and lifestyle.

I had to grunt a little because he said that some people will choose that path -and - some people have been known to say , " if I have to eat a bunch of grass-then no thanks I would rather die first"- and you know - I have heard DH say that many times . He did say that we cannot force a person to choose which path.

They also noted that unresolved issues carry a large portion of the contributing factor in cancer.Last night they had mentioned using a coffee enema as one detox method. I had taken several of them when I was fighting a gallstone attack and when you read about it - it seems like a lot of trouble - but - they said that back in the 1920's it was an established medical treatment!

It has been a very educational day and it felt good to make even a wee bit of progress.Next to see where a new day takes us. : )  O - would you believe that they are calling for snow tonight and in the morning and then in the 50's tomorrow afternoon????? LOL - and I thought I was Confused! LOL  

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Hiding Under The Table?

Have you ever had days like this where you feel like you could just "hide under the table"????? It has been one of those days for me. After a normal mornings chores and we had breakfast and got a phone call to come to town. While we were there we went down to the mill and picked up critter feeds and stopped off at the little local grocery . I got veggies and DH got salt fish .

We were right across the road from where I will pick up my meds tomorrow and still have to wait and waste all of that gas to come back tomorrow. I am going to ask if I can pick up a paper to take to DH's family doctor who agreed to take me IF the clinic will allow it.  That way I can use a normal pharmacy for my meds and will not have to do without because I have a brain that cannot keep things straight. Believe me - I Have Paid Dearly in pain and tears ,due to not having them.

To make life more interesting I checked the weather and they are calling for rain this afternoon and then after midnight two inches of SNOW!  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. So I took off  outdoors and moved the guinea pigs back into a heated building. : (

Next moved onto the mail - only to discover that I  had neglected to pay the phone bill this month : (
I told you I had a brain that was faulty- so hoping to solve the problem I signed up for them to take it out of my checking account after they email me that it is due and I sent the payment in.. I am wondering how many more things that I can mess up before the day is over.

See how easy your planned for day of sewing can go right out the window????????? Next I have signed up for another two hour seminar on cancer and treatments in 15 minutes. It is very educational and amazes me at how many different ways that human beings can think about our health?

So, I better hop off of here and sign in with them. I Hope you have had a better chance to sew today than I have. IF ONLY I DID NOT HAVE TO SLEEP- then I could sew all night?????????????????????????
: )
love to all

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

One last hurrah

After a very trying day as I rounded the corner of the house my very favorite flower in all the world overwhelmed me with its beauty and this one bloom.  As if this was not enough - for the very first time the fragrance if mind-blowing! Of course to me , this is indeed a gift.


This one I actually covered up for 3 nights due to our first hard freeze. I just could not bear the thoughts of it leaving me too early. It has always seemed to me that each fall the frost hits and kills everything and then a warm spell moves in for a short while . But this time I outsmarted old man winter - I covered my treasure and still have it to adore for a brief spell longer. : )

My dear sweet counselor had to put up with buckets of tears once again-partly due to challenges and partly due to being out of my meds. Who would think ?????

I did get to listen tonight to night 2 seminar about cancer and how doctors tackle it. They go for two hours , but are filled with information. The highlights of tonight were :

I wish you could have heard the seminar tonight .Again it is mind blowing -they say it is not telling people what to do , but just educating people on what is out there. 
The first speaker tonight was Dr. Francisco Contreras in Mexico who covered his beliefs of diet (don't eat red meats, sugar and white flour-- - do eat green juices and vegan diet) Supplements are needed these days : green teas , grape seed extract, digestive enzymes to help metabolize foods better -enzyme therapy to combat inflammation,   laetrile(spelling?) which is a mild anti tumor agent  which comes in Bitter Almond and it releases cyanide inside the tumor cells. 

He was very sweet and he too had followed in his Fathers steps by including traditional meds along with alternative helps.

Second was Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy  and I got the most from her talk. She started in medicine in 1986 and then started to include more and more alternative treatments along the way so she opened New Medicine in California  She has a site www.centerfornew medicine.com"
She uses several steps :
1. Head - what your head tells you -Unsolved emotional issues that a person has not resolved
2. Breathing -we need exercise of some kind to get oxygen to the cells
3. Drink Water-lots
4.Diet - raw foods -juice and greens
Avoid: breads, white rice, pasta,popcorn all turn into sugar, no soda pop(it takes 10 gallons of water to neutralize one diet coke.)
Good: olive oil, coconut oil, raw nuts,grapeseed extract, veggies, use no aluminum  cookware,  use sea salt or Himalayan Salt , wild salmon , fruits in season (unless you already have cancer and then you do not want the sugar to feed the cancer, a good atitude, fish oil-it restores the cell membranes so the cells can communicate, vit. D (5000MG), milk thistle -supports liver, selenium from Brazil Nuts, Green tea, Egcg, shark oil-cuts off blood supply to it, pancreatic enzymes , detoxes important, vitamin C-4000Mg, , liver cleanse, coffee enemas . 

I hope none of you ever have to look for resources about cancer -but just in case- I just throw it out there because I HATE cancer of all types. 

Love to all!
Linda

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Change of Plans

Well, shoot!Don't you hate it when you find a small window of opportunity that you plan to make good use of and then something blows you out of the water????????????

That's the way it was for me today. I went out and completed my morning  chores and enjoyed all of my babies -whether they be fur or feathers and had breakfast  while the laundry was working. I was lining up how to get in that sewing room while I was shaking rugs and vacuuming the living room floor. I changed the sheets on the couch and two chairs that catch all of the doggie hairs and dirt and brought back clean ones to put on. As I went around to tuck in a corner I spotted an "accident" one of the furbabies had had - so I quickly turned to go to the bathroom to get some tissue when I lost my balance and plowed right into an old time dairy milk can that we use for an end table. It caught my knee right where that soft spot is and the pain was so bad that it took my breath and I couldn't even cry because I was trying to breath.

My friend Debbie - has told me all of our life that "I am just an accident waiting to happen" and I am beginning to think that she might be onto something there?????????????DH came to my rescue and helped me to the chair and brought me some pain meds.After I thought it had been long enough I decided I had to put those sheets on and put the cleaner back up-but as I kinda turned an awful sliver of pain shot right through that knee and I had a little talk with myself about not being quiet as young as I used to be and I might should consider taking a load off of that knee for today and not risk any further damage-since our knees mean a lot to our daily activities. : (  

So, I hobbled around and put things back and hunted up my crochet supplies and a big cup of water and a ice pack , which I put on my knee and I sat there the rest of the day crocheting on another chicken-which I was hoping to have completed to show something for my efforts .( That chicken works pretty good at taking your mind off of things you do not want to think about because you have to do so much counting -almost every row is different and if you mess up -then when you sew the two pieces together -they will not fit right)

I was almost finished and as I was sewing those two pieces together - OF COURSE- I ran out of yarn. : (
I put every thing on the table beside me and eased out to go lock up the chickens when DH found me struggling and he said he would do it for me.- so I hobbled back into the house.

I know I need to do some computer work and have that finished by 8pm because I have signed up for a week long -two hour each night - seminar online about cancers- all the traditional treatments and  then alternative treatments . I am praying that maybe I can find some knowledge to help DH in his fight with this cancer that is making him so sick. I have no faith in modern medicine and a memory of something that was said one time about God helps those who help themselves keeps sticking in my brain. At the most - it can not do no harm.

It was a beautiful , beautiful fall day -they say that will change tomorrow night. I need to get that load of laundry off the line outside and hang up the load that is in the washer .Drats, Drats!

I will let you go - sending you all love -and hoping that none of you got hurt today too- because it sure makes it hard to do the things that you want to do! Maybe we are just meant to do something different????
Bye !

Monday, October 24, 2011

It Took a Hem Gauge

Wellllllll - that is at least rubbing shoulders with sewing-it is a very important sewing too.It is a gasket for a part for my DH. After we discovered that I could make gaskets and that I enjoyed working with the hem guide and the scapula to cut threads -also cuts gasket material precisely - I rather enjoyed the challenge and made DH happy in the process. LOL

I managed to have a pretty successful day. After 4 hours of sleep - I struggled out of bed to do morning chores. I could have just rolled over and buried my head but DH had to leave early to take our youngest son to that doctor appointment. I wanted that quiet time . My body did not like my plan and it complained by having me bouncing off the walls as I headed to the door. I knew the fresh air might help and I staggered along. An hour later I had it all accomplished and headed back in -not quiet as dizzy as I had started out and a happy heart because all the critters were taken care of and munching on their own breakfasts.

I rounded up all the dishes and fixed me a bowl of millet and blueberries and then brought in a load of laundry and took out another. As my self-esteem began to rise I moved onto the computer and low and behold I got it doing its thing! Finally it was reformatted and I decided to get a couple of flash-drives to be sure to save ANYTHING important to me on them - and that way I would not be upset when the computer goes crazy-no matter what the cause. I was lucky because I had at least moved all of my pictures before this happened ! Yea!

DH came back home and I fed us and cleaned up the mess and started on the computer in the sewing room. I almost had it finished , when I hit a glitch. Shoot, but I am still so happy with what I  have accomplished . I am tired and I  plan to get more than 4 hours sleep tonight. LOL
Maybe tomorrow I can reorganize my sewing space and if I succeed at that - it will help reorganize my brain.:) I am getting a better idea on that behind the seat car organizer I hope to put together???????? But, I have to have room  to lay it out and ponder.

I signed up online for a week long two hour conference each night about Cancer -everything they can cram into it from traditional treatments to all the alternative treatments-which I lean more to. I hope to take lots of notes because I f you pay for a written form of it - that is a thousand dollars. ( Just pocket change-right) LOL So much to do - so little time to do it in. I still have a corner in my bedroom I am dreaming of cleaning -dreaming might take a while. Seems like life just keeps jumping in front of it -but you know - it will always be there waiting for me . LOL I don't have to worry about anybody else doing it first. LOL

Well, love to you all! Hope you have had a beautiful day!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Two Great-Grand-babies& their Mom & Dad

Brandy-the Mom and little Miss Hannah. She is a month old today and she was a real sweetie. When I held her she was so tiny that I said I was glad I had not seen her any littler. She was such a quiet wee little girl.

The young Dad who came to help cut firewood for us today. I think he enjoyed getting cut free to hang out in the woods with the guys on such a pretty day..

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Black Chicken Nesting

Here is my next little chicken that flew down to roost with me tonight.There is just TOO much life to cram into a day for me. I have been working on her for the past 3 nights when things get quiet, because I cannot crochet and count and deal with noise.

Then today was crammed full of just living-morning chores, breakfast , dishes , laundry in and out , computer work because one of them wants to die on me and I need to Resurrect it -but need more knowledge!

I think DH had expected to see our oldest son today for hunting turkeys-but he could not come - probably working over time.So-the two of us old folks headed out into the woods where I had spotted trees down on the fence. It scared me to death because I knew IF the sheep were to get out -there would be no catching them and probably cause problems with the neighbors and I did not want that.

He got royally miffed at me and had his usual "temper - tantrums" but we worked at it. First he had trouble with his chainsaws -they did not want to start. Then we had flat-tires on the truck-one of his Worst problems that he HATES the most . The fence down was at the bottom of a gully, so we climbed down in there and he cut and I throwed brush off of the fence and we had firewood out of the messes that I tossed up the hill . We worked our way up the hill and then I got stuck in a hole in the fence where the deer had been coming and going. Let's just say -my rumbleseat is a wee bit bigger than theirs! LOL

He went and got the truck and we started at the top of the hill and throwed the firewood on the truck as we went down toward the house. Those leaves that have fallen are slick as ice. I lost my footing and went scooting down one hill - halfway down one foot slid down under a buried root and I got stopped just in time before breaking the old bones!

One time when we were on two opposite sides of the fence and a fallen tree on my side needed to be cut up - I told him that he could hand me the saw and coach me how to cut the tree- of course he would have nothing to do with that-but I told him that I needed to learn how to do it safely because there was nobody else around and I would need firewood. Still, he would have  nothing to do with it and said when he found a saw no bigger than a toothpick -he would teach me to run it. I told him that it was going to take a LOT of toothpicks to keep me warm all winter.

By the time we got back to the house I was exhausted . He unloaded the truck and I cut cuckleburrs out of Snowball - the pekingese who went with us. Then I took him in the shower with me . I don't think either of us was happy -but at least I had one clean dog and a good excuse to scrub the shower walls. We was both so tired by then and when DH sat down he fell asleep in his chair.(worry, worry) .I wanted to do the same thing-but there was more computer battles to do and more laundry to do and more dishes to do. It is never ending .

So I ran out of time by the time It was evening chores  and more computer battles. I almost gave in and just reformatted it , but there are some files that I would love to save and as I researched it I discovered that there might be a way to save them. I hope to try that tomorrow-Sunday -  I need to get my sewing room back to some degree of order  but these computers???????????? are holding me up.

Well, I'm bushed ! It is 2AM and the temperatures has dropped to 32 . I have covered some of the outdoor flowers once again -hoping to keep them as long as I can . So, sending love to all! Bye for now.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Golly jeeper- Life????????????

It is no surprise that by now I need my Secretary Miss Mocha to help keep me straight. I have my sewing room all topsy-turvy as I am attempting to set up that extra computer to store all my pictures and designs and patterns on. I really hate to have it in disarray because it works with my mind.

Then today I worked hard to get everything accomplished in time to go have my teeth x-rayed to make for sure that they can pull what is left by my top ones. I have tried ssoooo hard to hang onto them -but it looks like it is just not in the cards for me.: (

When we arrived I checked in - Just in time to have her hang up the phone from calling to tell me that my appointment had been canceled because men working on the road in front of their building had dug into the water system. : (

So, I moved over to the pharmacy  to ask when I could pick up my refills for my thyroid and for the fibromyalgia pain and depression. I had called them on Monday- but she told me it would be TWO WEEKS before I could get them. I really wanted to cry. I don't understand when the label on the medicine says to never discontinue this medicine abruptly ?????????????? 

Then when we arrived back home I heard the weather saying we are suppose to get a hard freeze tonight. There were still a few flowers I needed to get in -so I tore into that after we ate.While I was working on the flowers -plus-grabbing the laundry-plus locking up the chickens - DH had a neighbor stop by. It was bad news. This neighbor and DH had gone fishing together a few times this summer. A week ago he had stopped by and he and DH had Haggled over trading the turkeys that we wanted for two antique lamps that Danny wanted. They always have a good time trading.

But we had to go to town first and then coming home it was getting dark. Danny called DH and told him that he had the turkeys locked up - to bring a cage and they would catch them.That was what they did and DH brought the turkeys home and we like to broke our backs carrying a cage with four grown turkeys in it. LOL

But- it turned out that after DH left  that Danny's son who was 17 took a gun to the basement and killed himself. It had to be absolutely horrible. The Mom was the one who found him when she came home from work -and I know that had to be the VERY worst thing a Mom can find.  My heart just bleeds for her.

Danny stopped by this afternoon for a minute to tell DH what had happened. He was very worried about his wife. But there is always an investigation and they said that the police might come talk to DH about what time this happened and what time that happened???? It is very hard to remember the exact time of when you do this and when you do that ???? I can't hardly remember what day it is -much less what time I do things???

I am trying to get back to my sewing. I have figured out my next project. DH's sister and husband have bought a new car and they would like some kind of a project that you can hang on the back of their seats and reach behind to drop trash in -to keep it from getting scattered all over the car.

We also stopped in town at  a propane gas business. Just a little small place - but the lady who helped us was absolutely fabulous. She was so kind and so knowledgeable and such a pleasure to be around. It is such a gift to meet someone like that .It turned out that they had 2 little gas stoves that they sell and for 599.00 you get the stove and the total installation . We asked if we could get one tank that was big enough to fill one time a year - in the SUMMER-when the roads are good. So, she said that someone would call us next week and come to the house to see where and how ----- and give us the low-down.  If we can swing it - that will be our heat when the electricity goes off. YEA! But first we have to know for sure the price and then we hope we can find enough junk to take off to sell- and an old car too. But, I am very hopeful.

Well - love to everybody!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Visitors

When DH woke up on Thursday morning - he scared me because he was so sick. The nurse had told us that sometimes the zometa would cause "flu-like " symptoms. He was so hot to the touch and trembling all over and could not keep his balance. He did not stay up long because he was so weak. He went back to bed until his sister came to visit with him. She is the one who raised Casper our visiting parrot. Casper was thrilled to see his real Mom and Dad. He talked non-stop for about an hour and the both of them gave DH some much needed enjoyment.

 This is my favorite game that the two of them play. She rolls him on his back and rocks him. They are so funny-we really enjoyed the visit.
I managed to work on 3 loads of laundry today since the wind was whipping like crazy and that helped to dry them on the clothesline more quickly.

I did not get to do any sewing -but I did manage to work on one of the computers and get it back up operational again. Now I hope to take a spare computer that Lynne gave me -to put in the sewing room and save all of my designs and patterns and pictures on. I am hoping that if I do not have it online that none of those old bad viruses can invade us , thus keeping safe all of my treasures.

I am also investigating the work at home offers-but it is very disappointing that the majority of them are just scams. I am scared to death that if something does happen to DH then I will be left penniless and all of my dear animals looking to me for food-plus worrying about all the bills. Add to that that I will be turning 61 in Dec. and my health is not as good as it once was and no job experience for the last few years -plus my "anxiety" problem???? Easy to see why I am worried . If only there could be some work-at-home jobs that were legal and respectable.

My poor sewing room is a wreck where I have cleaned out a space for the new computer. You know how that is move one thing and then find a space for two more. Sheezzzee!

Well, the wind is about to blow us away and it is 43degrees. I am sure going to miss my Summer. : )
Love to all!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

One of my furangels

I had not intended to post tonight because I did not want to post negative feelings and fears. But when I went to bed my eyes were so tired , but my brain just would not shut down . I finally gave up after an hour and came in here to at least work on another crocheted chicken-something creative.Sometimes I guess that is what keeps us going.

It was a sad day because DH took one of his first treatments of the zometa -which is suppose to help stabilize the bones that the cancer has metastasized into. They wanted to give him his first treatment of chemo-but he declined it-but they also gave him another hormone shot. They told him that these fluids might make him have "flue-like" symptoms? He did ask about his sleeping a LOT lately and Dr. McCoy told him that the disease might have something to do with that and that some of the pain meds might have something to do with that. I sat with him while they dripped the medicine in him and read a book about prostate cancer . I did not like what I read... When his doctor came in to talk to him about meds he checked out his chart and very low he said that the tumor looked like a bomb had exploded inside of him .

I was lucky that I had a counseling session because I managed to maintain my composure until I got with her and I broke down and bawled for the hour. I think that each of you must try to be strong for the other-but I am really lost. I hate this MONSTER who is stealing him away from me. At least when he was burnt we were working toward the goal of getting him better-but not so with this.

You know - I guess All of us married people have this to look forward to. This definitely was not in our thoughts when our love was so new .

I do not mean to be so negative - thank you for letting me share my doubts and fears.
love to all!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Such Busy Days

Casper taking a bath. We are having fun with DH's brother-in-laws bird. I am amazed that DH has taken to him so much- I have never noticed that he was much of a bird person - except for watching the outdoor birds.

We have had two such busy days that I am just plain Pooped! Yesterday DH started working on our outdoor woodstove. There is  a metal box on the end of it where the ashes end up at and it had rusted out and it was so bad that the pipe would not stay on it at all. So he was working on it while I had worked outdoors all around him . By the time I did the chores and then I started on walnuts I have been picking up.There are plenty of walnuts -but all these years I had used the hammer and ended up with more pounded fingers than I did walnuts-so I quit. Then our son told us that a  hardware store had a black walnut cracker for 70.00. SEVENTY dollars????????????? So, I went on E-bay and looked at them -that way I got to study their design and decided that if DH had a small vice I would try that - to which he poo-pooed me, but he went ahead and found it for me and greased it up and told me that he tried it and it would not be worth trying. : )
But it worked Delightfully for me . It still took me 7 hours to crack a quart of nuts -but to me this was like gold!

Since I was picking up nuts -I grabbed the rake and started moving them from where I walked to feed animals -where I had been turning my ankles - down into the driveway so the cars coming and going would bust the green outter layer -leaving the black hard nut shell. I was so proud to have accomplished both. But - I was so tired when we drug in last night I just collasped.

Then today we got up early and went to the mill . I wanted to get that accomplished because they are calling for rain for the next 2 days . On the way back DH stopped at Lowes and picked up several bags of cement mix and screws. He is building a frame that he is pouring concrete into to support this new box for the pipe. I took in and put out two laundries and was just all over the place doing things.I am so tired .

Then tomorrow is my counseling afternoon and DH has to stop at the Cancer Center and take his first treatment with something called zometa .I am dreading it. If you know anybody that has taken that stuff -I would appreciate any feedback that you might have.

Well, - love to all and hope you have enjoyed your beautiful day. : )

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Size xxl shirt starts a new week

Another busy day. We actually got up early this morning and did chores and ate breakfast and took off to W.Va. to see DH's sister and her DH.  Eddie had been having problems with his truck and DH wanted to get it fixed-so he went to work on the truck. Ended up getting one problem fixed and discovering a new one-isn't that always the way it is?

Kat fixed us potato soup , which filled us up and we came home and I did outside chores while DH worked on the wood stove, as the pipe had blown off with the wild winds we have had the last couple of days.

I was very pleased to complete this xxl tee shirt. I really love these beautiful koi. It just does not matter if it has fur or fleece or feathers - I love them all..I read an article one time about a home in Japan and they had built it so that the pond came right up into the living room space and the people would call the koi to come eat. They were a large size and they swam right up into the living room to take food out of human hands. I was mesmerized !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you have had a wonderful start to a fresh new week-let's see what we can do with it. : )

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Saturday Reveal

Sorry I did not post last night , but the health news was so upsetting that I could not put one word out - I guess I was just in shock. This is my DH of 42 years . He was burnt in an explosion back in 1972 while working at a rubber plant.He was burnt over 72% of his body and had a terrible battle . It was awful to watch the things that he had to go through. Through the years he struggled with alcohol addiction because he leaned on the alcohol instead of pain medications to see him through the many surgeries that he had to endure. It was a terribly dark time for both of us.

But,we persevered and now that we are older -peace finally reigns at our house and fear is out the door. Plus, he threw the alcohol away and turned to growing potatoes -which is a real change because he always hated anything to do with a garden. : )

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007  and then had the radiation treatment which put it into remission. After cancer knocks at your door - I guess it is constantly lingers in your mind -always hiding in the shadows and I have been so grateful . But last month he started having that terrible pain in his low back. That was why they sent him to have a cat scan and a bone scan. They found something they thought in his brain-but after the second set of tests they decided it is in the bones of his head instead. So, they have started him on stronger pain meds . and then this week they will start him on some kind of a drip that will take 30 minutes to run into him - hoping to slow it down and preserve as much bone as they can.

We have been together since I was 13 -so you know how it is. After that long you start to become a part of the other person. It is too horrible for me to imagine life without my "other half". The last ten years he has really stepped up to the plate . But he has done so many things that I cannot figure out how to manage without him. Like cutting the firewood and feeding that stove- or finding a way to support myself now that I am in the 60's. Or there are times that our heat system will not run and he knows how to tinker with it to call it to life. I did ride the lawn mower today for the first time and I am trying to learn how to operate it. Machines hate me and I am not mechanically inclined.  We always made a good team because I could read and write -and he could fix anything .

I had started the blog originally to learn how to move about in this virtual world and maybe learn from others how to make a living with it. Haven't got there -but I am so grateful for my wonderful blog family - you guys mean so very much to me. : ) I am not sharing this with you guys  because I am complaining - but just to let you know If I am acting squirrely - maybe you can understand that my elevator is not on the right floor at times.
Love to all
Linda
 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Working on SIL fish shirt

I did not get to much accomplished today except for completeing the designs embroidered on and a collar attached.I had trouble with the neckband because it thought it had a mind of its own and wanted to Jump plum out of where I was stitching. I tried twice before I admitted defeat for the day.

What I thought was to be a day of sewing the hospital called and they had found bad news on one of his tests.The doctor wanted an MRI of his brain - but he told her that he Could Not do that because of his claustrophobia. They wanted us there in 30 minutes. Then he decided that he just could not do the CT Scan - so they brought him a Valium and he chilled out -then this wonderful young man walked right with him and together they got it accomplished.

Then we have to be at the doctor's office in the morning  for a consultation. They think it might be the cancer has gone into his brain stem? I keep hoping that it might just be a shadow - because the other is too terrible to face. It took all both of us could do to keep it together.He went to tell the kids  while I went with Lynne to the Sewing Guild meeting.

We had a guest who owned a local fabric store and she did a presentation about things you could make for your kitchen . Giving classes is the way she keeps her shop afloat. I bet half of the gals in the Guild were already friends with her and they had a really good time. She had a table full of different table runners -then place-mats and potholders and pretty towels.  They were all so pretty , but we do not have a kitchen table and it left me wishing there was room in our teeny house.

Then the gals had Sew & Tell of things they had created  and they were so pretty. One lady had sewn a witch and she had her broomstick and even her black cat . Really neat. There were different totes and quilts - all of which was so pretty. It was such a treat to see that sewing is still alive and well.

They had refreshments and the bit of cake that I tasted was sooooo delicious. It looked like a pale chocolate bunt cake - but the taste was not like anything I had ever tasted and we were just so busy that I forgot to ask.Some gals were buying fabric or kits from what the lady had brought to sell.

Lynne was nominated to take over the newsletter. She is more than capable but she stays so busy now that I worry how she can handle so much. It rained on us coming home , but Lynne is such a good driver. She showed me one of the dolls that she had been making outfits for and it was so lovely and she even figured out how to make Shoes for the dolls and I wish you could have seen them.They were good enough for me to wear- hum???? - I asked her if she was taking on a new career???? LOL

OK, I better go fall in bed so we can get up and go see that doctor in the morning.I hope you are each well and have spent a moment with your sewing machine to save your sanity. : )
Love to all.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Crochet Chickens-black

Well , time got away from me today and I was very lucky to complete this little black hen. I HATE working with black-anything" - it makes my eyes play tricks on me. When I used to clip poodles - the black hairs would get under my skin and  get infected . So , black is not my favorite color- well , technically black is not a color - but a shade- no matter what you call it - it is still Black!

My day ran off and left me once again today. I got up late and went and did chores just in time before the rain came. It would not have mattered if I had got wet because I had to take a shower to go see my counselor. I thought a lot about it coming home and wondered why it is that talking to someone you trust  helps you so much? My brain was thinking - can it really be that easy to understand - just a simple conversation ????? Maybe the reason is because it helps us learn different options? When you have options - things do not ,  look so dark and you can use your experience to shine light into the dark. I am SO very grateful that an angel was sent to help me. As she says we are all in the big stream of life - swimming upstream together.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Shirt # 2 -Size small

It was a busy morning as DH had to be at the hospital this AM by 6:45 and then he had different tests for the next 4 hours. The first test was funny because DH and I both HATE needles and I knew he was dreading it. It was a young man who was working with him and when he got the needle out DH was already griping the counter top and holding his breath and just at that moment the young man told him to relax it was all over - and DH had not even felt it at all. If you could have seen his shocked face - it was funny and I was glad it went so good. I wish All of the ones who take blood could be so talented!

We came home and had to go back in two hours so I went out and did my chores and we fixed us some late breakfast. I felt better after I knew the animals were all taken care of and then we went back once again. There is a little lady who runs his bone scan and they are getting to see each other about every 6 months now and they cut up and carry on and have a good time from a not so good experience. I don't think she likes me very much , but she let's me sit in a chair and keep him company because he cannot bear to have that big thing roll over his face-so I try to keep his mind busy .Today I took my crochet and worked on another chicken -but they went so fast that I did not make it very far.

That was when we made it back home and I worked on this project. I had fairly good luck with it and the embroidery machine BEHAVED itself! Yea!  At least this one I did not snip! I think I am pretty happy with it.  It was nice to be able to work on it and watch it rain!

Monday, October 10, 2011

First shirt is being "birthed".

You know how it is when a Mother - "birth's " her baby - with much  trial and struggle-well that is how this project has treated me. This was one project that I decided to add more than one design to. This shirt is a xxxl - so I knew I would have room to play with. I picked out these koi designs because I love them so much .

I was proud of myself because I had learned how to download a design and how to change its measurements -then how to transfer it to the embroidery machine .(Yep- the same one that I am always "WARING WITH" . It started out behaving itself but along the way it would be mean to me - just to get more attention - and we all know that I am getting fairly good with a screwdriver. )

These designs are really much prettier in real life than they are in the picture. You know how something you would not plan can lead to something interesting ?? Well this sneaky little design changed the entire look of this shirt. Can you see that tiny little red spot there at the bottom of the whisker(yes- koi do have whiskers)  I had completed the fish and was working my way around the back of it - cutting off the stabilizer, and I breathed when I should not have and "SNIP" -yep cut a tiny hole in the fabric - Which is the FRONT of the shirt ! After having a heart-break moment I started to ponder. This shirt was not going to get tossed in the trash after all this effort-NOT!  I took a needle and thread and started to darn it with tiny little stitches in blue - and then I was not satisfied! So, I rummaged through my treasures and found some little tiny seed beads that I had used to make rooster pincushions -for their combs. First I tried my sewing needle and it was too large- but in rummaging through the beads I found the "beading needles" that I had used with them. So I loaded it up and proceeded to add the shiny red trim as accent for the whiskers and fins. OK- now that I had started on this journey -how was I going to tie all three fish together????

 I sat and studied for a few minutes and then pulled  out 3 larger beads for their eyeballs - so now all of them have something in common  and I really like the shirt now.Isn't it funny how a disaster can turn into a learning experience and turn into something good. My only regret is that I could not have snipped the one that is in the bag for me later.

I had to laugh as I was putting the hem in the bottom and sleeves. It seemed the more I sewed the more cat hair I discovered that I was picking off. I finally stopped and looked at Miss Rosie and told her that while I had been gone - I could have sworn that she unzipped the plastic bag it was stored in and doused it with her kittie  hairs!

I am really disgusted that these pictures do this project no justice! In real life the fish are beautiful with their "beadie" (in more ways than one !)  little eyes just shining ! LOL  And that tiny spot you see on the top there is not a stain - it is a drop of water from the iron.

I gotta hop to bed - gotta get up 5am to take DH to the hospital for a bunch of tests. I am so hoping it is good news and not bad.
Love to all !

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Working My Little Fingers To The Bone? : )

Now that the day is almost gone - I pondered why I do not have a completed project and I discovered that it takes longer than you would think to do these embroidery designs -AND- it definitely takes LONGER when you have to fight with your machine. It might have started the battle - but I definitely won the battle today!

I am getting much better at disassembling it and putting it back together! A big old knot of thread got broken off way down inside of there were I could not even see it. I just kept removing parts until I got to the disaster and removed it -put it back together and yea! it managed to finish out the day.

As I was working on them I started to wonder how our American measurements compare with other countries? These shirts are sizes: small - large- xlarge and xxxlarge??? It is an amazing world , isn't it?

I am working on Five t-shirts . The fabric is so light weight it feels like you do not have anything on??? I know this because I have one from two years ago . I am working on koi designs  and have completed putting TWO of these designs up around the neck line and they are really looking pretty. So , each design ended up taking an hour and multiple that times 5 shirts and 10 hours over the last two days -no wonder my time gets away from me????

I intend to put another design somewhere in the center of the shirt, but I am getting excited about them now, probably because they are starting to take on some personality -instead of just a flat piece of fabric. : )

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Saturday boy blankets

This is the second part of those baby blankets -the first was for the baby girl and this is one of two for the baby boy yet to come by Thanksgiving. I added the blue trim on this one.

I thought you might get a kick out of this COAL burning stove! How long has it been since you have even seen a coal stove???????????????? It has been a gazillion years for me- I don't even have any idea where you could buy coal these days in USA. My Mama burned coal but she had a Warm Morning stove-made of metal.I  have seen this kind more in cartoons than in real life.

DH said his grandparents had one and he could remember coming in from the snow with his arms outstretched when he was a little fellow - like you would hug the stove-but he got too close with his hug and burnt both of his arms.

I am considering my next Christmas presents? I wish I had money to go to JoAnn's sale-but at the moment I am going through my stash. While I am doing this I cannot help but remember when Lynn warned me about keeping a stash under control. LOL  First I had one large trash can(that was the cheapest container I could find that held a good size of fabric and I have to keep it covered or Miss Rosie will find a way to give it a "Hair shower"!  There are times I wish she would keep off of the fabric -but then times when I forget and leave out a SMALL piece of fabric and find her perched on it with just her feet -like a 4 x 4 piece??? She certainly has her own unique personality going on and it tends to get a laugh of astonishment from me - and you know that laughter is good for the soul. : )


This is the second little boy blanket . I am disappointed that I could not get a picture that showed the pretty green thread I used to trim it with. Actually I like it much better than the blue .This fleece is sooooooooooo nice and soft. Actually makes me want to curl up with it. LOL

Well, I better get busy going through the stash Hoping to figure out more gifts. Are you all working on presents yet- got any good ideas???? I can sure use all the help I can get.

love to all - linda

Friday, October 7, 2011

Baby Blankets

I needed gifts for two newborns-the little girl is already here and I ran across this fabric on sale and I liked it enough to use it for both babies and added decorative trim in pink for the already arrived baby girl.
At least I sneaked in a little sewing. : )

We had to go to town today and since we were in town we stopped at JoAnn's Fabrics and that is where I picked this fabric up.There was also a really nice store that is full of all kinds of little stoves-coal -wood burning  -propane and pellets. What a variety.

This is the entrance and that really cute bear is saying Howdy Neighbor.

This is the bear on the opposite side of the door. It is a really interesting store to visit as they not only have stoves , but a room full of old timy quilts and different little pockets with different kinds of stoves. It was so amazing.

 These new stoves really boggle my mind. Most of these are wood burning stoves.

This one is a cook-top wood burning stove. If my grandmother could see it now????? : )


DH dug another row of potatoes this afternoon and they are the prettiest potatoes that we have Ever had- amazing. Now he is really hooked on growing potatoes - AND- he did not have any kind fence around it. The deer walked all around it all summer long!

But they did dig two up right now and took bites out of Two of them. I think that is an acceptable loss. LOL

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Stove Day?

Life has so many little challenges . When we were young and first married we both came from homes that had coal for heat in the winter. But the new great thing was an oil furnace in our little trailer. After our first month enjoying it , with memories of carrying coal to feed a stove -we vowed we would never do that again. LOL

Then we moved to our house in the country where we are now and we had an all electric home and we thought we had done a wonderful thing - until we got our first "cold-weather" electric bill and the next 3 months just got steadily worse. We were trying to survive on a disability check where DH was burnt in a terrible chemical explosion at a plant that made tires.

So, that summer we invested in a nice Wood stove for indoors and we cut and carried wood from our own land. That was such a wonderful change. It saved us enough money to raise our kids on and the heat was wonderful -plus each winter when we would lose our electricity -we still had heat and a way to cook our food. I actually enjoyed losing our electricity due to storms because I could haul out my Mama's kerosene lanterns and pretend it was a much simpler time in history. It brought back memories of when I was a very little girl around 5 and people did not have electricity . They did not have televisions either and people actually talked to each other at night by lantern light or played games -like checkers.

Well time moved on and 3 years ago DH installed hardwood floors and they had to take our monster wood stove outdoors while the work was being done. The floors looked so beautiful I could not bear to drag the 4 men heavy stove back to the living room-fear of scaring the floor and if not that way -then carrying heavy wood might damage it - plus the dirt. That first winter we got lucky and kept our electricity all winter -I think that was a first time.

But, the second winter we were not so lucky and when it went off  we were at a loss. The house got colder and colder and I really missed out wood stove. I got cold and my pups got cold -so I curled up in my chair and all 4 of my chihuahuas crawled up with me and I covered us in a blanket and we shivered together. We were so lucky because it came on within a day that time (not like the week when we had a monster storm one other time)

So , that summer we went in debt for a nice generator that was suppose to power the house and keep the outdoor woodstove running. We used it one time that winter and learned that it 1.-It burned a LOT of fuel
and 2. the electic company jumped on us for hooking it to the electic box when we lost our heat. We did not have the knowledge to set it up correctly.

That brings us to face the upcoming winter and my fears of freezing to death again. Added to that is DH's health -is starting to not be so good. He is due for tests this upcoming week and they suspect that his cancer is showing its ugly face once again. I HATE CANCER!He is in a lot of pain and also weaker . So, today we went to look at gas vent free stoves :

Both the white one and the red one were over a thousand dollars. That red one was really a nice stove because they turned it on and the flames were beautiful and you could really feel the heat a good five feet away from it and the building it was in was a REALLY big building with HIGH ceilings.

This one was a cast iron stove and it was a nice heat also -but still around a thousand dollars.

Yes this is another thousand dollar enamel stove. I really did admire these pretty colors. But right now our pockets are not that deep and you have to consider that these are just called "Supplemental heat sources." They are not for full time heat because of the higher cost to operate them and he did say something about the danger of fumes from long time use if your house is too air tight.

 This was the cheaper model at 399.00 and it was pretty when it was lite. The heat does not come out from the top so you could not cook on it -like you could a couple of those thousand dollar models.This one is also very light weight a nice feature for two older folks with not so great backs.

It was a very educational visit -they also sell the tanks and they will sell you one all filled and ready to go . For both the stove and the filled tank - this one here would be 650.00 and it could last you for about 5 days -depending on how high you ran it all the time?

If I had a pocketful of money I would probably grab the red one (which I did not like to start with) because it just seemed to throw out so much more heat-plus when that metal got hot it also gave off heat for while.

Coming home I was torn between being sad and also being amazed at how times change. It seems that there have been LOTS of improvements in so many things-but not so with electricity ?It is nice to have and we do take it for granted when it works - but with the toss of a coin and you lose it due to a storm and it leaves your life in danger.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Middle of the week

and Cocoa is keeping the sewing room occupied. This was one of those days that I find goes by too fast to suit me. Morning chores and breakfast and a shower and the start of some research  on different types of types of heat  sources.. We have the outdoor wood stove-but when we lose our electricity there is no way for us to keep warm. So, I am delving into how to keep warm during a electricity outage and we seem to do that a lot more than I enjoy where we live.
I had only began to scratch the surface when it was time to go to my counseling . After that we went to the next town and picked up DH's new medicine and we stopped at the gas company and peeked through their window to see if they had any examples. We even stopped at a heat - store and the had the most beautiful stoves I had ever seen in my lifetime.But it was late and we could not linger. DH is itching to hang out with me as I check out information online about what is available , how many BTU's , how much space it will heat, how much gas it takes ?? All of those questions that I have no answers to yet.If any of you have any information about how you keep warm during electric outages I would love to know.
Love to All.