Several years ago, after life went to heck in a handbasket, Ken and I made some decisions about trying to give back. After all, I had been given the gift of life - a kidney transplant, and Ken had survived major brain damage caused by his attempt to commit suicide (had been declared brain dead, woke up in end of life care). Ken began working (volunteering) at First Street Mission and assisting anyone who needed help; I volunteered to teach computer skills classes to at-risk women trying to develop marketable skills. We also began having tough, tough family issues and had no idea how to resolve them. But we decided that no matter how tough it got that we would do our very best to continue to do the right things to the best of our ability no matter how bad it got. It's been a true test.
After talking about it last night and today, we know that the right thing for us to do is to be absolutely sure that the gifts we have for the kids and grandkids get to them. These are our children...forever and always. And we love every one of them. And no matter what the situation is, we are going to do our best to do the right thing - whether its birthday and Christmas gifts, or help when its needed. Ken delivered the things for his son's family to his dad's house so that they could be picked up. And we are going to take everything possible out of both our cars and try to load all the packages for the rest of them into the two vehicles and take them to the kids. Hopefully we'll be allowed to drop them off. For us it's the only right thing to do. We don't want to fight; we don't want to upset anyone or be the cause of any strife. And we are sorry if we have caused anyone one moment of stress. We certainly didn't mean to.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
December 29, 2013
Haven't posted in a while...laziness I guess.
I went to the Cranky Treadlers Retreat in Lone Oak the weekend of 19-22 September. This is so much fun. I drove by myself this time - because I have to take so much stuff. Two machines - a Singer 99 handcrank and a Singer 66 Lotus handcrank. Plus luggage filled with cutting mats, fabric, projects, iron, tv tray for ironing pad, luggage with clothes and personal hygiene products, and food. This was a 4-day event, so needed quite a bit of "stuff."
The first day we spent setting up our individual nest areas, and then started in working on our various projects. I spent the first day sewing fence rail blocks together - I had made them at a previous retreat. It didn't take long for that. Then I started in making binding for the quilt I should have had finished months ago. I got that applied when I got home.
On the second day we loaded up in 3 cars and headed for Mineola to quilt shops. It was rainy, awful. We were about halfway there when a passenger in my car opened up vials of essential oils. Thought I was going to wreck the car...my throat started closing over, eyes started stinging, breathing became difficult. We made it through the quilt shops (one is very tiny but wonderful fabrics and prices) and then headed downtown to a place that has fabulous burgers/food. I had a wonderful steak sandwich - the biggest thing I've ever seen! (I took half of it back for supper!)
By the time we got back to the retreat center I was feeling terrible. And kept getting worse throughout retreat. I managed to stay until the morning of the 4th day and then packed it up and drove home. I managed to be home that night but Ken gave me a choice the 2nd day. He either called an ambulance to come get me or I could get in the car and he would take me to the ER. I let him take me. I was in anaphylactic reaction. Lucky me, while there the ER doc also noticed my left leg...red, inflamed, swollen. Said it looked like I had a blood clot. Oh joy! What else???? They did a doppler, found no blood clot (thank you!) but said I had an infection in the leg as well as the reaction to the essential oils. I got to go home on a bucket of meds and told to go to bed. And I did - because I didn't feel like doing anything else.
The 117th Texas State Convention of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was held in Houston October 4-6 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Although not fully recovered, I drove down, by myself, choosing to go through College Station because it was direct to the hotel. Had no problem. Got there in time to meet up with roommate, have dinner, head to the first evening function (Thursday evening). Enjoyed my time at convention, learned a lot, met a lot of folks -- including a distant cousin on Mother's side of the family. We had a nice time comparing research information. Next time Ken will be going because he is a member of the Sons of the Confederacy and he will be part of the color guard (he has a confederate uniform we had made for him recently). Ken will start color guard training in the next couple of weeks.
Leg had not improved...it got worse. Extreme edema, red streaks, but most of all, itchy red lesion patch about 3" in diameter. Hmm, what is this.
After return from Houston I became busy with activities at the Woman's Club (Woman's Shakespeare, UDC, DAR), and working on presentation of the book Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War, by Victoria Bynum. This book includes information about my paternal gggrandfather, Matt Kilgore, a former sheriff of Jones County, Mississippi. I was preparing the presentation for the November 6 meeting of the Julia Jackson #141 chapter of the UDC. However, I had a chance to present a practice run of it at the Griffith Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans the Saturday morning prior to the UDC meeting. Gave me a chance to tweak it a bit. I gave a successful presentation to the UDC - or at least no one threw shoes at me!
I was also elected Chair of the Julia Jackson #141 UDC nominating committee, along with fellow members Celia Brannon and Laura Wiese. We set to work rather quickly because there will be no meeting in January and we need to have the nominations ready to present at the Feb. meeting. We sent out emails canvassing membership (over 100 members) and very few responded they would take a position. We three met in early December and put our list together. We think we've done a good job. We hope so.
Ken and I were invited to a meeting of the Texas Navy (honorary admirals organization) at Diamond Oaks Country Club for a presentation by the chair of the history department at the University of North Texas on the subject of Italian grave stone sculptor _____________ (name escapes me at present). Having heard Dr. McCaslin previously on the subject of Robert E. Lee and George Washington, I knew we were in for an interesting evening. He did not disappoint. Glad we attended, enjoyed the evening, but found it rather pompus that each member introduced himself/herself as Admiral so and so and gave their date of appointment by the State of Texas and the official granting the appointment (such as Governor Perry). This is an "honor" organization, usually granted because of contribution to city/state/community.
I can't remember what day it was, but sometime in November or early December (brain cannot recall anything any more) I drove to Plano by myself and picked up a Singer 66 Redhead treadle sewing machine from fellow enthusiasts Allison Bayer. Can't believe I made it to Plano and back by myself...and the machine is gorgeous. Hopefully I'll get busy making a project on it shortly after the first of the year.
Ken had to work on Thanksgiving Day. He continues to work at the AT&T stadium (Dallas Cowboys). We are always alone on the holidays anyway so his working did not pose a problem, didn't interfere with any family gathering. I was working on oversize stockings for everyone in my family (meaning kids and grandkids) so used the time he was working to continue on that. I did prepare a roasted chicken with a bit of dressing, green beans, and sweet potatoes for when he arrived home from work - which was about 9 o'clock in the evening if not later. He ate and then promptly went to bed.
I spent the next two weeks sewing stockings - first quilting the fronts and backs, then adding cuffs to them all, and then putting on initials. I think they are cute. Daughter Brandi likes snowmen, so I had some cute fabric that I thought fit her; and for daughter Megan I always think of Rudolph and Christmas for her. She used to play Rudolph on the piano a lot. I had some reindeer fabric, so I made one of those for her. For son Chris I had a dark blue with bears (he used to talk about going big game hunting), and for each and everyone I tried to match up fabric with things about the individual. For little Sophie I put lace on the toe. I used fabric from my stash so I didn't spend money on Christmas fabric other than lining material and batting.
About the time of thanksgiving, or the week after, I got a message from great niece Katie asking me to help her with sewing rice warmer bags she wanted to give as Christmas gifts. She brought fabric and we had a fun afternoon with her operating the machine for the first bag. She got busy and couldn't make it back so I cut the remaining bags out and sewed them together and filled them with rice for her. She and Austin came one evening prior to Christmas and picked them up. I think there were 10 of them. She took them home and put monogram letters on them. And she managed to sell at least one of them. For $20!
I also made something for my daughters because there wasn't much money for buying gifts. I've made some things in the past but wasn't happy with the way they turned out so didn't give them to the girls. This year I liked what I made so have it wrapped and ready, along with some purchased gifts. Kinda goofy gift, but reversible apron made from Christmas fabric. I also monogrammed big initials on the front of them. I guess too corny for my daughters but I wanted so badly to give them something.
Leg still wasn't doing right. Got an appointment with my heart doc since the ER said to do that if the leg did not improve. I had a sonogram of the heart, a review of the doppler of my leg, a physical exam of the leg with explanation that what has happened is the veins are not working...not pumping the fluid back up out of the leg...collapsed veins due to many reasons...part of it due to varicose veins that happened long, long ago on a terrible day when I was very young. No point in delving into that story, ever. But the doc asked me point blank if something like it had happened and I did not lie. He also asked me if I had ever, in my entire life, had an MRI with contrast - and indeed I did...when I had the bone infection back in 2001 and 2002 and they amputated the back of my right foot and removed the heel. Still don't know what that has to do with the left leg. BUT, he is sending me to a vascular doctor, appointment on January 2, to see if anything can be done. In the meantime, I'm to keep the leg elevated. RIGHT!
We missed out on all but one Christmas party this year...weather was bad and everything was canceled. The Daughters of the American Revolution (Mary Isham Keith Chapter) where I am a member was going to honor my father-in-law as a WW II veteran. The luncheon was on December 7 at the Ridglea Country Club. But that was the weekend of the horrible ice storm and it was just way too bad to get Ken's 93 year old father out. And the meeting was canceled anyway. We also missed out on the SCV party for the same reason, and the Lockheed Blanketeer Christmas party was rescheduled to January 5. We made one party this year - the Julia Jackson #141 chapter of the UDC Christmas party and gift exchange. That's it. Otherwise it's been a bit dull!
I asked the girls for Christmas lists for the kiddos, and as soon as I got those we started shopping. There was a terrible long-lasting ice storm in Texas the first week, so I ordered quite a few things online. Unfortunately one order was lost, several could not be delivered. I ordered bedding for one granddaughter 3 different times. The week after the ice storm we made a trip to the store and found the bedding on the shelf an bought it, along with everything else that had not made it in an order to us. We were so excited for Christmas. This year we actually decorated the house, went hog wild. We were still at it on Christmas Eve...still trying to get packages wrapped, trying to clean house, trying to get ready. Daughter Brandi texted in the afternoon wanting to know if we were expecting them. I texted that we were not ready (I stank, needed a shower, house was not ready, gifts not wrapped, food not prepared), that I thought a day after Christmas would be better (I know they have other places to go on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and have Christmas at home that morning. I wasn't going to ask to interrupt plans. So she texted ok.
On Christmas Day we slept in, and about 10 a.m. opened gifts - mostly things we already knew about. Afterward we fixed our small Christmas meal of a tiny ham, baked sweet potatoes, and baked beans. Nothing fancy. Ken would have been happy with chicken and spaghetti. Then we settled in to watch some of the 67 episodes of Jeopardy we had recorded. I noticed the evening of the following day that Brandi had called sometime in the mid afternoon of Christmas Day. I sent a text telling her I had not seen the call. My phone stays in the back of the house and I rarely look at it. I thought everything was ok, but apparently it wasn't. Somehow between Christmas Eve and the end of Christmas Day everything went to hell. She was no longer speaking to me, would not respond to text messages or email, and I had (have) no idea what to do. I thought (stupid me) we would decide what would be a good day for them to come open gifts (we just can't load them and take them this year -- too much, too big), but apparently wires got crossed somewhere and now we're here with a house full of wrapped Christmas gifts that apparently are never going to be given to anyone. And I don't know what to do. I've more or less been told to shove it up my behind, told I'm jealous and manipulatve and she will not allow her children to be exposed to me. Well, I'm not jealous - there is nothing to be jealous of. I would like to see my children and grandchildren, without having to see my ex and his wife, but that has nothing to do with jealousy. It has to do with wanting time with my family - and they are not part of my family. But I'm going to talk to my counselor about it - maybe I'm not seeing something. As for manipulative, I don't see that one either. I haven't seen these kids in about 5 years so have no idea how I could manipulate them. But I'll talk to the counselor about that one, too. But I also think the kids need to examine themselves, because they, too, have got some serious problems. (I learned from a text message that I should have issued an invitation to come over to open gifts. Never entered my mind to do that. I come from a family where invitations to parents' homes, etc., is not needed. I never in my life waited for an invitation from my mother or brothers and neither did they. And my son doesn't wait for an invitation - he calls and says I'm coming. So do my nieces and nephews and the great nieces and nephews. That's called family. I figured they would tell me when a good time for them would be. Wow, the things I've learned in my old age.)
SO here we are, the end of 2013. And I don't have any idea what to do with the truck load of stuff in our den. God knows we have no place to store it, and a lot of it will be outgrown, not wanted in the future...and it won't fit in our cars for delivery.
That's about it...I need to find food. Just can't seem to eat when so confused.
As usual, love to all.
I went to the Cranky Treadlers Retreat in Lone Oak the weekend of 19-22 September. This is so much fun. I drove by myself this time - because I have to take so much stuff. Two machines - a Singer 99 handcrank and a Singer 66 Lotus handcrank. Plus luggage filled with cutting mats, fabric, projects, iron, tv tray for ironing pad, luggage with clothes and personal hygiene products, and food. This was a 4-day event, so needed quite a bit of "stuff."
The first day we spent setting up our individual nest areas, and then started in working on our various projects. I spent the first day sewing fence rail blocks together - I had made them at a previous retreat. It didn't take long for that. Then I started in making binding for the quilt I should have had finished months ago. I got that applied when I got home.
On the second day we loaded up in 3 cars and headed for Mineola to quilt shops. It was rainy, awful. We were about halfway there when a passenger in my car opened up vials of essential oils. Thought I was going to wreck the car...my throat started closing over, eyes started stinging, breathing became difficult. We made it through the quilt shops (one is very tiny but wonderful fabrics and prices) and then headed downtown to a place that has fabulous burgers/food. I had a wonderful steak sandwich - the biggest thing I've ever seen! (I took half of it back for supper!)
By the time we got back to the retreat center I was feeling terrible. And kept getting worse throughout retreat. I managed to stay until the morning of the 4th day and then packed it up and drove home. I managed to be home that night but Ken gave me a choice the 2nd day. He either called an ambulance to come get me or I could get in the car and he would take me to the ER. I let him take me. I was in anaphylactic reaction. Lucky me, while there the ER doc also noticed my left leg...red, inflamed, swollen. Said it looked like I had a blood clot. Oh joy! What else???? They did a doppler, found no blood clot (thank you!) but said I had an infection in the leg as well as the reaction to the essential oils. I got to go home on a bucket of meds and told to go to bed. And I did - because I didn't feel like doing anything else.
The 117th Texas State Convention of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was held in Houston October 4-6 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Although not fully recovered, I drove down, by myself, choosing to go through College Station because it was direct to the hotel. Had no problem. Got there in time to meet up with roommate, have dinner, head to the first evening function (Thursday evening). Enjoyed my time at convention, learned a lot, met a lot of folks -- including a distant cousin on Mother's side of the family. We had a nice time comparing research information. Next time Ken will be going because he is a member of the Sons of the Confederacy and he will be part of the color guard (he has a confederate uniform we had made for him recently). Ken will start color guard training in the next couple of weeks.
Leg had not improved...it got worse. Extreme edema, red streaks, but most of all, itchy red lesion patch about 3" in diameter. Hmm, what is this.
After return from Houston I became busy with activities at the Woman's Club (Woman's Shakespeare, UDC, DAR), and working on presentation of the book Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War, by Victoria Bynum. This book includes information about my paternal gggrandfather, Matt Kilgore, a former sheriff of Jones County, Mississippi. I was preparing the presentation for the November 6 meeting of the Julia Jackson #141 chapter of the UDC. However, I had a chance to present a practice run of it at the Griffith Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans the Saturday morning prior to the UDC meeting. Gave me a chance to tweak it a bit. I gave a successful presentation to the UDC - or at least no one threw shoes at me!
I was also elected Chair of the Julia Jackson #141 UDC nominating committee, along with fellow members Celia Brannon and Laura Wiese. We set to work rather quickly because there will be no meeting in January and we need to have the nominations ready to present at the Feb. meeting. We sent out emails canvassing membership (over 100 members) and very few responded they would take a position. We three met in early December and put our list together. We think we've done a good job. We hope so.
Ken and I were invited to a meeting of the Texas Navy (honorary admirals organization) at Diamond Oaks Country Club for a presentation by the chair of the history department at the University of North Texas on the subject of Italian grave stone sculptor _____________ (name escapes me at present). Having heard Dr. McCaslin previously on the subject of Robert E. Lee and George Washington, I knew we were in for an interesting evening. He did not disappoint. Glad we attended, enjoyed the evening, but found it rather pompus that each member introduced himself/herself as Admiral so and so and gave their date of appointment by the State of Texas and the official granting the appointment (such as Governor Perry). This is an "honor" organization, usually granted because of contribution to city/state/community.
I can't remember what day it was, but sometime in November or early December (brain cannot recall anything any more) I drove to Plano by myself and picked up a Singer 66 Redhead treadle sewing machine from fellow enthusiasts Allison Bayer. Can't believe I made it to Plano and back by myself...and the machine is gorgeous. Hopefully I'll get busy making a project on it shortly after the first of the year.
Ken had to work on Thanksgiving Day. He continues to work at the AT&T stadium (Dallas Cowboys). We are always alone on the holidays anyway so his working did not pose a problem, didn't interfere with any family gathering. I was working on oversize stockings for everyone in my family (meaning kids and grandkids) so used the time he was working to continue on that. I did prepare a roasted chicken with a bit of dressing, green beans, and sweet potatoes for when he arrived home from work - which was about 9 o'clock in the evening if not later. He ate and then promptly went to bed.
About the time of thanksgiving, or the week after, I got a message from great niece Katie asking me to help her with sewing rice warmer bags she wanted to give as Christmas gifts. She brought fabric and we had a fun afternoon with her operating the machine for the first bag. She got busy and couldn't make it back so I cut the remaining bags out and sewed them together and filled them with rice for her. She and Austin came one evening prior to Christmas and picked them up. I think there were 10 of them. She took them home and put monogram letters on them. And she managed to sell at least one of them. For $20!
Leg still wasn't doing right. Got an appointment with my heart doc since the ER said to do that if the leg did not improve. I had a sonogram of the heart, a review of the doppler of my leg, a physical exam of the leg with explanation that what has happened is the veins are not working...not pumping the fluid back up out of the leg...collapsed veins due to many reasons...part of it due to varicose veins that happened long, long ago on a terrible day when I was very young. No point in delving into that story, ever. But the doc asked me point blank if something like it had happened and I did not lie. He also asked me if I had ever, in my entire life, had an MRI with contrast - and indeed I did...when I had the bone infection back in 2001 and 2002 and they amputated the back of my right foot and removed the heel. Still don't know what that has to do with the left leg. BUT, he is sending me to a vascular doctor, appointment on January 2, to see if anything can be done. In the meantime, I'm to keep the leg elevated. RIGHT!
We missed out on all but one Christmas party this year...weather was bad and everything was canceled. The Daughters of the American Revolution (Mary Isham Keith Chapter) where I am a member was going to honor my father-in-law as a WW II veteran. The luncheon was on December 7 at the Ridglea Country Club. But that was the weekend of the horrible ice storm and it was just way too bad to get Ken's 93 year old father out. And the meeting was canceled anyway. We also missed out on the SCV party for the same reason, and the Lockheed Blanketeer Christmas party was rescheduled to January 5. We made one party this year - the Julia Jackson #141 chapter of the UDC Christmas party and gift exchange. That's it. Otherwise it's been a bit dull!
I asked the girls for Christmas lists for the kiddos, and as soon as I got those we started shopping. There was a terrible long-lasting ice storm in Texas the first week, so I ordered quite a few things online. Unfortunately one order was lost, several could not be delivered. I ordered bedding for one granddaughter 3 different times. The week after the ice storm we made a trip to the store and found the bedding on the shelf an bought it, along with everything else that had not made it in an order to us. We were so excited for Christmas. This year we actually decorated the house, went hog wild. We were still at it on Christmas Eve...still trying to get packages wrapped, trying to clean house, trying to get ready. Daughter Brandi texted in the afternoon wanting to know if we were expecting them. I texted that we were not ready (I stank, needed a shower, house was not ready, gifts not wrapped, food not prepared), that I thought a day after Christmas would be better (I know they have other places to go on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and have Christmas at home that morning. I wasn't going to ask to interrupt plans. So she texted ok.
On Christmas Day we slept in, and about 10 a.m. opened gifts - mostly things we already knew about. Afterward we fixed our small Christmas meal of a tiny ham, baked sweet potatoes, and baked beans. Nothing fancy. Ken would have been happy with chicken and spaghetti. Then we settled in to watch some of the 67 episodes of Jeopardy we had recorded. I noticed the evening of the following day that Brandi had called sometime in the mid afternoon of Christmas Day. I sent a text telling her I had not seen the call. My phone stays in the back of the house and I rarely look at it. I thought everything was ok, but apparently it wasn't. Somehow between Christmas Eve and the end of Christmas Day everything went to hell. She was no longer speaking to me, would not respond to text messages or email, and I had (have) no idea what to do. I thought (stupid me) we would decide what would be a good day for them to come open gifts (we just can't load them and take them this year -- too much, too big), but apparently wires got crossed somewhere and now we're here with a house full of wrapped Christmas gifts that apparently are never going to be given to anyone. And I don't know what to do. I've more or less been told to shove it up my behind, told I'm jealous and manipulatve and she will not allow her children to be exposed to me. Well, I'm not jealous - there is nothing to be jealous of. I would like to see my children and grandchildren, without having to see my ex and his wife, but that has nothing to do with jealousy. It has to do with wanting time with my family - and they are not part of my family. But I'm going to talk to my counselor about it - maybe I'm not seeing something. As for manipulative, I don't see that one either. I haven't seen these kids in about 5 years so have no idea how I could manipulate them. But I'll talk to the counselor about that one, too. But I also think the kids need to examine themselves, because they, too, have got some serious problems. (I learned from a text message that I should have issued an invitation to come over to open gifts. Never entered my mind to do that. I come from a family where invitations to parents' homes, etc., is not needed. I never in my life waited for an invitation from my mother or brothers and neither did they. And my son doesn't wait for an invitation - he calls and says I'm coming. So do my nieces and nephews and the great nieces and nephews. That's called family. I figured they would tell me when a good time for them would be. Wow, the things I've learned in my old age.)
SO here we are, the end of 2013. And I don't have any idea what to do with the truck load of stuff in our den. God knows we have no place to store it, and a lot of it will be outgrown, not wanted in the future...and it won't fit in our cars for delivery.
That's about it...I need to find food. Just can't seem to eat when so confused.
As usual, love to all.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Friday, September 6, 2013
Time goes by fast, doesn't it? Just yesterday it was the end of spring, grandchildren were finishing school, granddaughter was graduating from high school, and the summer was beginning. So many things happen and life changes in such short elapses of time.
SO, what have we been doing? What's been happening? Let me see. I was ill and weak beginning in May and that did not improve much in June and July..in fact I was down for several weeks. I missed out on being able to have the grandchildren for some of the time this summer, although I'm sure I would not have been permitted to even if I had been able. Nevertheless, I wanted to have them here.
I've basically been forced to stay inside the house most of the summer because of being unable to breathe due to the ozone. I am fortunate that I have a couple of good friends, Linda and Toni, who put up with me and my inabilities and meet me for lunch almost every week...usually on Friday. We've enjoyed eating our way through the restaurants in Burleson deciding which ones we do or don't like!
Due to extreme depression I haven't accomplished much this summer except playing on the computer. I've spent a LOT of time sleeping, which is scary. But many days I was not able to get up. Ken checks on me because he's afraid I'm dead. Only recently have I been able to do more. I'm still working on a quilt I started in the spring. I keep hoping to finish it "this week" but it hasn't happened. It's still on the machine.
Ken has been very busy. We decided earlier this year that we are officially retired - no more looking for jobs. After all, we're ok on income and the bills are getting paid - albeit slowly. And with the Saturn paid off we're not hurting. So what happened? He was invited to work as a member of the event staff for the Cowboy stadium (ATT stadium since renaming). So he went to training and has been working for the past month or so at that. Means he's gone from home for hours at a time. He's also continuing to volunteer at the Methodist mission...something he does strictly because he wants to. His friends don't understand why he does it, but I do. He feels very fortunate and it's his way of giving back. Other than that he's meeting up with his buddies for breakfast and/or lunch, going to his once-a-month high school lunches, still attending group therapy sessions, still seeing a psychiatrist on a one-on-one basis, and still seeing his MHMR doctors, his eye specialist, and the endocrinologist. They FINALLY have his meds straightened out so that his mood swings are a lot less volatile. He just hates that because he can't help it and it leaves him completely wrung out when it happens. He's still fighting the insulin pump issues...so hard to deal with Medicare and insurance and the suppliers. The endocrinologist suggested a change in supplier but that would mean starting all over and that means all the experimenting with testing, meds, etc. Don't think he's willing to do that.
The big sad news is, my brother Gerald died. I received a call from my oldest brother Joe the evening of August 13 letting me know that Gerald had died earlier that day. I lost it completely. So totally unprepared for that. That just about killed me, too. I was pretty much unable to function for several days except for communicating with my nephew and nieces. Oh, God, it was horrible. I went to bed for two days, but I was working with my nephew via phone and text to plan a small service for my brother. Gerald living in Joplin, Missouri with Sarah and had been since 2001. Gerald's wife died in 2000 and Sarah was a widow. They had not married because Sarah would lose her military widow benefits, but to all of us (and Gerald) he was married to Sarah. Sarah was pretty much at a loss when this happened. She arranged for Gerald's cremation which happened on Friday, August 16. On Friday, August 23, Sarah's son brought her to Quinlan, Texas where the service was held. Very small, very meaningful. Gerald's daughter Brenda was here from South Carolina. She is the daughter who was like my own child from the day she was born but was raised in Georgia after Gerald and his first wife divorced. Anyway, it was a real emotional time.
My own two daughters attended. They were so beautiful. I just want to hold them so badly but my oldest daughter won't even speak to me, and it hurt so bad when she pulled back and actually cringed when I moved close to her. I cried over everything all the way home. My greatest loss is my daughters and my grandchildren.
One thing about losing a sibling, it brings home the realization of our own mortality. No matter how much time I have left on this earth it's not much...not nearly enough. And I realized I'm terrified of dying...terrified of the after life (and is there one?). So many thoughts, emotions, fears, questions, regrets. What's the point in trying to accomplish anything? We're just going to die anyway.
Yet we have to continue to live until we die. So I decided to give it a try. I am sick, sick, sick of the high blood sugars caused by every medication I take, any food I eat, etc. Raging at 450+. So I joined Weight Watchers on Thursday, August 29. Feel like I'm on a starvation diet, but it is working. Not so concerned about the weight as I am about the sugars. They are not all the way in the control zone but much better than 400, 500, 575, etc. Now they are 170-250. Hopefully that can be tuned with insulin. I'm reporting every day to the doctor and I see him next Wednesday. That will be two weeks on Weight Watchers so it should give us a good idea if it works. Taking sugar sticks every 4 hours.
So now September! Grandchildren back in school; granddaughter moved to college; text messages say she's doing ok. And one granddaughter in high school! Unbelievable. Love my grandchildren!
And I'm working on the quilt I should have finished several months ago! I've had a devil of a time doing the straight line quilting - everything wants to pucker! But, it IS getting done and that's the good news!
I'll be off to a cranky retreat in east Texas week after next - need to get my hand crank sewing machine oiled and lubed and ready. I've got to figure out what I'm going to be working on ... I'm thinking some string blocks (need to get muslin for backing), taking a quilt top or two that I've got finished so I can get them sandwiched (make use of the large tables there for laying them out), maybe take hubby's t-shirt quilt to start sewing blocks together, and no idea what else. I need to get a charity quilt made...maybe a couple of those easy receiving blankets. We'll see. I'll start packing for that next week.
Oh, forgot a couple of things about K. He was contacted by the guys where he used to work - where all the problems originated - and he went to see them last week. Seems everything was not as claimed by others and it was recognized. The place has been sold, the old team is back in place, business is good, but K wants no part of it of course. But he enjoyed going there and visiting with the people. He'll probably go back from time to time.
Also, Ken was invited to be an associate member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He can't be a full member because we have yet to prove any confederate ancestry (all Union)...but at least we do know now that he did have family in this country at the time of the Rev. War. Seems his mother's side of the house goes WAY back in this country! So now we are looking for one of her ancestors so he can become a member of the Sons of the American Revolution as well. The one we immediately found has been rejected because he deserted - oh the things we discover when we do research.
Anyway, September begins United Daughters of the Confederacy year as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution year. The UDC meeting was Wednesday, the DAR was yesterday (Thursday). I was elected a delegate for the UDC Texas Division Convention in Houston which is the first weekend in October. I'm getting ready for that - which means, I need new things in the wardrobe (formal wear, hat, white gloves, shoes). I'll start shopping tomorrow. As for DAR, I was invited to be a member of the Membership Committee so I'll be supporting the chair for that.
My friend Ann from high school made application for both organizations last spring. She's getting that work completed. And my friend Virginia visited both groups with me this week. We had previously submitted her paperwork to begin application for DAR. That was voted on yesterday and she was there for it. Yea! Now just need to get her paperwork completed.
K and I are heading to Beaver's Bend, Oklahoma 10-13 October. The NTXCA will be there that weekend. We don't currently have a rig, but we have reserved a cabin. We're looking for a rig but want something pretty small and simple. No more huge houses on wheels. We're even thinking about going back to a pop-up tent camper or maybe a small lightweight trailer. We don't need a mansion.
A few funny things have happened along the way...I stopped at a store after having lunch with my friends last week. Picked up all kinds of things that were on sale and carried them around with me. Finally went through them, selected the "final" things I was going to buy, went home. Couldn't get a certain white denim jacket off my mind...very pretty with silver sparkle stuff on the breast pockets. Saturday Ken had to work so I went back to the store but alas it was gone. I was so disappointed. When I got home I went on line and ordered the jacket and had it shipped to the store (to avoid shipping charges). A day or so later Ken suggested we go out for supper instead of cooking. I stepped into the closet to get clothes and saw the bag from the store hanging on the rod...I wondered what that white thing was in the bag so opened it...sure enough I am the culprit who bought that jacket that was hanging on the sales rack!!! So now I will have TWO of them. I guess I need help.
That's it for now. I've bought a couple of sewing machines...clones of Singer 15...now hoping to find someone who wants them...I'm wanting to pair down to just the few I use.
As always, love and hugs to my children and grandchildren. There's absolutely no way you will ever know how much you are loved except through the feelings you have for your very own.
SO, what have we been doing? What's been happening? Let me see. I was ill and weak beginning in May and that did not improve much in June and July..in fact I was down for several weeks. I missed out on being able to have the grandchildren for some of the time this summer, although I'm sure I would not have been permitted to even if I had been able. Nevertheless, I wanted to have them here.
I've basically been forced to stay inside the house most of the summer because of being unable to breathe due to the ozone. I am fortunate that I have a couple of good friends, Linda and Toni, who put up with me and my inabilities and meet me for lunch almost every week...usually on Friday. We've enjoyed eating our way through the restaurants in Burleson deciding which ones we do or don't like!
Due to extreme depression I haven't accomplished much this summer except playing on the computer. I've spent a LOT of time sleeping, which is scary. But many days I was not able to get up. Ken checks on me because he's afraid I'm dead. Only recently have I been able to do more. I'm still working on a quilt I started in the spring. I keep hoping to finish it "this week" but it hasn't happened. It's still on the machine.
Ken has been very busy. We decided earlier this year that we are officially retired - no more looking for jobs. After all, we're ok on income and the bills are getting paid - albeit slowly. And with the Saturn paid off we're not hurting. So what happened? He was invited to work as a member of the event staff for the Cowboy stadium (ATT stadium since renaming). So he went to training and has been working for the past month or so at that. Means he's gone from home for hours at a time. He's also continuing to volunteer at the Methodist mission...something he does strictly because he wants to. His friends don't understand why he does it, but I do. He feels very fortunate and it's his way of giving back. Other than that he's meeting up with his buddies for breakfast and/or lunch, going to his once-a-month high school lunches, still attending group therapy sessions, still seeing a psychiatrist on a one-on-one basis, and still seeing his MHMR doctors, his eye specialist, and the endocrinologist. They FINALLY have his meds straightened out so that his mood swings are a lot less volatile. He just hates that because he can't help it and it leaves him completely wrung out when it happens. He's still fighting the insulin pump issues...so hard to deal with Medicare and insurance and the suppliers. The endocrinologist suggested a change in supplier but that would mean starting all over and that means all the experimenting with testing, meds, etc. Don't think he's willing to do that.
The big sad news is, my brother Gerald died. I received a call from my oldest brother Joe the evening of August 13 letting me know that Gerald had died earlier that day. I lost it completely. So totally unprepared for that. That just about killed me, too. I was pretty much unable to function for several days except for communicating with my nephew and nieces. Oh, God, it was horrible. I went to bed for two days, but I was working with my nephew via phone and text to plan a small service for my brother. Gerald living in Joplin, Missouri with Sarah and had been since 2001. Gerald's wife died in 2000 and Sarah was a widow. They had not married because Sarah would lose her military widow benefits, but to all of us (and Gerald) he was married to Sarah. Sarah was pretty much at a loss when this happened. She arranged for Gerald's cremation which happened on Friday, August 16. On Friday, August 23, Sarah's son brought her to Quinlan, Texas where the service was held. Very small, very meaningful. Gerald's daughter Brenda was here from South Carolina. She is the daughter who was like my own child from the day she was born but was raised in Georgia after Gerald and his first wife divorced. Anyway, it was a real emotional time.
My own two daughters attended. They were so beautiful. I just want to hold them so badly but my oldest daughter won't even speak to me, and it hurt so bad when she pulled back and actually cringed when I moved close to her. I cried over everything all the way home. My greatest loss is my daughters and my grandchildren.
One thing about losing a sibling, it brings home the realization of our own mortality. No matter how much time I have left on this earth it's not much...not nearly enough. And I realized I'm terrified of dying...terrified of the after life (and is there one?). So many thoughts, emotions, fears, questions, regrets. What's the point in trying to accomplish anything? We're just going to die anyway.
Yet we have to continue to live until we die. So I decided to give it a try. I am sick, sick, sick of the high blood sugars caused by every medication I take, any food I eat, etc. Raging at 450+. So I joined Weight Watchers on Thursday, August 29. Feel like I'm on a starvation diet, but it is working. Not so concerned about the weight as I am about the sugars. They are not all the way in the control zone but much better than 400, 500, 575, etc. Now they are 170-250. Hopefully that can be tuned with insulin. I'm reporting every day to the doctor and I see him next Wednesday. That will be two weeks on Weight Watchers so it should give us a good idea if it works. Taking sugar sticks every 4 hours.
So now September! Grandchildren back in school; granddaughter moved to college; text messages say she's doing ok. And one granddaughter in high school! Unbelievable. Love my grandchildren!
And I'm working on the quilt I should have finished several months ago! I've had a devil of a time doing the straight line quilting - everything wants to pucker! But, it IS getting done and that's the good news!
I'll be off to a cranky retreat in east Texas week after next - need to get my hand crank sewing machine oiled and lubed and ready. I've got to figure out what I'm going to be working on ... I'm thinking some string blocks (need to get muslin for backing), taking a quilt top or two that I've got finished so I can get them sandwiched (make use of the large tables there for laying them out), maybe take hubby's t-shirt quilt to start sewing blocks together, and no idea what else. I need to get a charity quilt made...maybe a couple of those easy receiving blankets. We'll see. I'll start packing for that next week.
Oh, forgot a couple of things about K. He was contacted by the guys where he used to work - where all the problems originated - and he went to see them last week. Seems everything was not as claimed by others and it was recognized. The place has been sold, the old team is back in place, business is good, but K wants no part of it of course. But he enjoyed going there and visiting with the people. He'll probably go back from time to time.
Also, Ken was invited to be an associate member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He can't be a full member because we have yet to prove any confederate ancestry (all Union)...but at least we do know now that he did have family in this country at the time of the Rev. War. Seems his mother's side of the house goes WAY back in this country! So now we are looking for one of her ancestors so he can become a member of the Sons of the American Revolution as well. The one we immediately found has been rejected because he deserted - oh the things we discover when we do research.
Anyway, September begins United Daughters of the Confederacy year as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution year. The UDC meeting was Wednesday, the DAR was yesterday (Thursday). I was elected a delegate for the UDC Texas Division Convention in Houston which is the first weekend in October. I'm getting ready for that - which means, I need new things in the wardrobe (formal wear, hat, white gloves, shoes). I'll start shopping tomorrow. As for DAR, I was invited to be a member of the Membership Committee so I'll be supporting the chair for that.
My friend Ann from high school made application for both organizations last spring. She's getting that work completed. And my friend Virginia visited both groups with me this week. We had previously submitted her paperwork to begin application for DAR. That was voted on yesterday and she was there for it. Yea! Now just need to get her paperwork completed.
K and I are heading to Beaver's Bend, Oklahoma 10-13 October. The NTXCA will be there that weekend. We don't currently have a rig, but we have reserved a cabin. We're looking for a rig but want something pretty small and simple. No more huge houses on wheels. We're even thinking about going back to a pop-up tent camper or maybe a small lightweight trailer. We don't need a mansion.
A few funny things have happened along the way...I stopped at a store after having lunch with my friends last week. Picked up all kinds of things that were on sale and carried them around with me. Finally went through them, selected the "final" things I was going to buy, went home. Couldn't get a certain white denim jacket off my mind...very pretty with silver sparkle stuff on the breast pockets. Saturday Ken had to work so I went back to the store but alas it was gone. I was so disappointed. When I got home I went on line and ordered the jacket and had it shipped to the store (to avoid shipping charges). A day or so later Ken suggested we go out for supper instead of cooking. I stepped into the closet to get clothes and saw the bag from the store hanging on the rod...I wondered what that white thing was in the bag so opened it...sure enough I am the culprit who bought that jacket that was hanging on the sales rack!!! So now I will have TWO of them. I guess I need help.
That's it for now. I've bought a couple of sewing machines...clones of Singer 15...now hoping to find someone who wants them...I'm wanting to pair down to just the few I use.
As always, love and hugs to my children and grandchildren. There's absolutely no way you will ever know how much you are loved except through the feelings you have for your very own.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Today is granddaughter Madison's 14th birthday! How in the world did that happen! She will be in high school when school starts next month. So grown up, so adult now. We were blessed in being allowed to drive to where the family lives this evening, met up with my two daughters and four of their five children and honored to treat them all to dinner for M's birthday. They are all so wonderful.
Following are a few pictures taken this evening.
Last Monday evening we met up with the kiddos and grandkiddos and had dinner to honor my daughter Megan for her birthday, which is July 1. Here are a couple of pictures from that evening.
So, where have the rest of the days of late May, June and early July gone? Well, let's see. We were invited to a birthday party for my oldest niece at her home this past Saturday (July 6). Her birthday is actually July 7 but she was going to be busy on the 7th (lol) - she was going to play bingo all day long because she gets to play for free on her birthday! Lots of fun. She and Robert live in a one-bedroom apartment so it was kinda like how many can you pack into a telephone booth or an old volkswagon, but it worked out just fine. Way too much food, lots of family, very good time. Love being with my nieces, great nieces, etc. Got to visit with my oldest brother and sister-in-law. Here are a few pictures from that celebration. I did not get pictures of everybody because a lot of them were in/out at the pool.
Lots of good food at Lisa's celebration. Their neighbor/friend did the cooking...smoked ribs, sausage, chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., etc. There was so much good food. Ken spent a lot of his time outside with the cook...we made friends with him and are hoping he will come to the house and maybe teach us to cook, too. Robert's son made some scrumptious beans to go with it all, and somebody made potato salad that was to die for. All-in-all a great time.
Following are a few pictures taken this evening.
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| Chloe, Madison, Sophie...being silly. Madison is now 14. Looks so much like her mother, my daughter Brandi |
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| Mr. Nathan...growing up so fast. He's headed to 4th grade when school starts |
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| Cousins - Sophie, age 3; and Nathan, age 9. Sophie's big brother Jacob wasn't there so we missed seeing him |
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| Birthday girl Madison...14 today |
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| Miss Sophie - excitedly told us she went to Summer Camp today - and got to pet the horses |
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| Nathan and Jacob, both age 10...double cousins. Such sweet boys. |
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| Chloe, Sophie, and daughter Megan. Chloe belongs to daughter Brandi; Sophie is Megan's youngest |
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| Daughter Brandi with her oldest child, Madison |
So, where have the rest of the days of late May, June and early July gone? Well, let's see. We were invited to a birthday party for my oldest niece at her home this past Saturday (July 6). Her birthday is actually July 7 but she was going to be busy on the 7th (lol) - she was going to play bingo all day long because she gets to play for free on her birthday! Lots of fun. She and Robert live in a one-bedroom apartment so it was kinda like how many can you pack into a telephone booth or an old volkswagon, but it worked out just fine. Way too much food, lots of family, very good time. Love being with my nieces, great nieces, etc. Got to visit with my oldest brother and sister-in-law. Here are a few pictures from that celebration. I did not get pictures of everybody because a lot of them were in/out at the pool.
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| Brother Joe, SIL Jerrie, Robert, Lisa, Tiffany, Robert Jr. |
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| Tammy - cousin to SIL Jerrie but closer in age to my nieces |
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| Great Niece Crystal, my brother Joe (her granddad) |
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| Mark (husband of niece Peggy), Mark's daughter T'Rae, T'Rae's friend |
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| Niece Peggy - Jason and Tamara on small sofa...Peggy half raised Tamara; Jason lived with Mark |
Crystal wants to get up a family group (huge) to go to a Ranger ball game, and I've promised we will go. It should be fun. Maybe some of my children/grandchildren will go, too.
I'm telling this saga backwards - and it may get even more mixed up than that. I said we met up with my daughter and other family members on July 1 to celebrate daughter's birthday. My cousins from Kentucky, Debbie and Cheryl, along with Cheryl's family, drove in to Texas on Monday. They packed it all in at cousin Judy's house in Watauga. On Tuesday, Judy's family and Cheryl's family went to Six Flags. Debbie wasn't interested in going so I drove to Watauga that morning to pick her up. From there we drove to Weatherford to meet up with cousins Vickie and Shirley at Cotton Patch for lunch! How fun! Afterward Vickie, Debbie and I headed out to Lipan to the family plot at Evergreen Cemetery. (Shirley had to get back to Granbury.) Somehow we took a wrong turn through the country, and of course as any Wright girl will tell you, it became hysterical. But we finally made it...I was following Vickie, Debbie was navigating in Vickie's car.
Debbie got to take pictures at the gravesite, and then we all got in Vickie's car to take Debbie through the area to show her the old school her dad and siblings (our parents) had attended, and the surrounding town. Then we headed out of town a bit to try to find and show Debbie where the old place was where the family had lived back when. Wow, everything is different from the last time I was out there - and Vickie and I couldn't say for sure that we found the exact place. But, at least Debbie got an idea of it all...still have absolutely NO idea why the family ever lived there! But, that's where Papa (granddad) and Aunt Florence (Mother's sister) died and are buried. It was after Papa's death that Grandma and the children moved, finally ending up in Stephenville.
We made it back to the cemetery where Debbie and I parted ways with Vickie - she headed home to Stephenville, we headed to Watauga/Fort Worth. I should have taken Debbie to my house but instead took her to Judy's - and they weren't home and didn't get home until quite late. Debbie ended up sitting in her car in front of Judy's because she wasn't comfortable going in with Judy's dog...who wasn't being too inviting!
So that was Tuesday, July 2, 2013. On Wednesday, July 3, a bunch of family (cousins) met at Babe's in Granbury about 5ish for dinner. Oh what fun. We ate too much, talked too much, laughed too much, visited not nearly enough, drank a little wine, finally moved to the front porch of the place, and then all drove to cousin Shirley's place to continue the same. Ken and I finally checked out and went home - too late for old people. It was so great to see them all...I'm always afraid it will be the last time I get to see them so I never want to miss getting together.
I made a Tinkerbell quilt for the daughter of cousin Debbie (per Debbie's request). I failed to take a picture of the completed project, but have a couple of pics of it in progress. Here is one with only the first border on it...this border is a light green to pull out the green in Tinkerbell's outfit. The second border is yellow to pull out the color of Tinkerbell's blonde hair. For the quilt backing I used a pale pink with tiny calico flowers that I purchased at a place out in Childress, I think, on our trip home from Colorado Springs the end of May.
And then there was the 4th of July! We were invited to a shrimp boil and swim party at the home of friends Bill and Joan in Haltom City. So many friends we haven't seen in a very long time, so much food!!! Ken and I did not swim - there are no suits large enough for me, and Ken deals with an insulin pump which is attached to his body. But, we wished we had taken suits because the water was so inviting. Next time we will - if we are invited agan. We had a great time, but we did not stay for fireworks, we headed home to get there before all that started...our baby Luci Grace (Maltese) is afraid of loud noises like thunder and fireworks.
On Friday I met up with my Lockheed quilting buddies at Palio's Pizza for lunch meeting. Another nice time with friends. I miss seeing these wonderful ladies at work, although three of us are now retired. I was supposed to go to the quilting bee on Sunday afternoon, but my left leg has been bothering me so badly...so much pain. Extreme fluid retention, hard knot on the interior lower side of leg, red as in infection/cellulitis, pain in the shin area where I fell, and pain in one of the varicose vein area. I gotta call the doc...in the meantime I'm trying to keep it up and wearing a compression stocking.
SO, that was the first week in July (lol)!! What happened in June! Maybe not much? Let's se4e, Ken worked for a few days...about a week. Then I made him quit. His car had a problem (the VW). I had it towed to Hiley VW. Although Ken drove my car a couple of days, on Friday I needed it myself because I had plans for lunch with friends. I took him to work - down in the country in far boondoggles of Rendon or somewhere and there I discovered that for his new job he was working in what looked like a couple of old wrecked trailers for offices with no running water and no indoor plumbing/toilets. This was located at the back of the guy's place and looked like a junkyard gone bad. I told him he didn't need to be working in a place like that - he's too old, his health is bad, he has no immune system, and we are not that hard up for money. We picked up his car late that Friday, Ken thought about it over the weekend, went to work on Monday morning, but was home by about noon. I told him that as of that week we are officially retired. No more working, no more looking for work. We are done. If something comes along and falls in our lap, so be it, but we are no longer actively seeking work. SO, since then he's had a couple of interviews and going on another one this week -- but this one is for something to do out at the Cowboy Stadium. Something fun.
Other than that, we've been sticking close to home. We worked out our decision about our totaled car. Damages are cosmetic. We decided to accept the totaling, but to buy the car back at wholesale and pay off the car, electing to take the balance of the insurance money and put it in the bank. SO, no more car payment, money in the bank, car has almost 50K miles on it; it is rarely driven but is still good if we decide to take off on a 5000 mile trip. So that worked out. Along with the sale of the motorhome we have put ourselves back in a decent position financially. We will purchase another RV of some kind either later this year or early 2014, but it may be something very simple and definitely will be smaller than what we've had. But it will be something comfortable and something the dogs will be comfortable in. And something that will make a very long trip and back.
I've acquired a 201 sewing machine - it's been in the shop for new wiring; made it home today. I've won auctions for 2 more machines - a Universal clone of a Singer 15; and a Sunbeam clone of a Singer 15. One of those will probably be going away. If I find a real Singer 15-91 centennial, both of these clones will be rehomed.
I completed my string block quilt - it's very small. I did straight line quilting on it and really like it...I'm using it as a cover for my Singer 66 treadle machine. I like the bright colors.
I will make another string block quilt...I really like these. The next one will be more planned, with a center strip that is uniform throughout the blocks.
Oh, I also acquired a Singer 66 hand crank machine with lotus decals. Oh, it is so pretty. Some of the clear coat is off of it so I've got to figure out what to do about that...and it was definitely used and not set up as a decoration. But that makes it all that much better. We took it all apart, cleaned, oiled (haven't yet lubed), and polished the wood dome top and base. It's looking spiffy. It will go to the cranky treadle retreat with me in September.
We've had work on the house done...at least a little bit. The lady who cleans for us (does the hard work...floors, bathrooms, etc.) also does painting and such. Her family is all in construction. She and her brother have painted both bathrooms, the back hallway, the entry hall, and the lower part of the dining area in the kitchen. I've made the new curtains for the master bathroom and those are hung. I bought new white towels for hanging in there - I decorated them with the same fabric as the curtains. I also made a denim rag mat to go in that bathroom. I made it by weaving strips of denim and including some of the curtain material to match. I used an old towel as the base. I like the way it turned out.
I am currently making a new shower curtain for the hall bathroom. I wanted something that was higher and wider than the normal shower curtain so it would "pleat" or gather a bit more and cover more from ceiling to floor. It is lighthouse fabric which I had to buy online because I couldn't find anything in town or at the warehouse in Dallas. It's very nice, but I'll post a picture later. I have to figure out how to cover the seam where I sewed it together because I can't get the pattern to match. I'm hoping it will have enough fullness that it will gather when on the rod and not show too much. If it does, I may put a piece of ribbon or bias tape down the center and both sides to make it a bit more custom and to cover the flaw.
I've also taken down the heavy darker drapes in the den. Since we've put up the new 2" blind in there, I don't want to cover that window so much. Because it is summer we keep that blind closed but I am not going to put a curtain over it. Instead I have ordered some custom "Savannah" toile fabric and am going to make a valance only. If I decide to put up some side curtains, I'm going to go with the width of half panels that are not truly meant to pull across the window, but only to dress the side of the window.
I'll be using the same fabric to make valances for the dining room and the kitchen windows. Very light cream background. And going with 2" blinds all around. I'm also going to be making lighthouse curtains to go in Ken's man cave. I despise the dark navy tab top curtains that are in that room.
Did I miss anything? Probably. Is it important? Probably not. Wish we could go on a trip - but not in this heat. Wish I could see all my "babies" (who are definitely not babies), but that's not going to happen. Love them all, love ALL my family - immediate, extended, not so extended, and chosen. God's blessings on all of them and all the wonderful crazy friends who keep my crazy self from going insane.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013 - Courtney Graduation Trip
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| Graduate, Mom, Dad, Grammy, and Granddaddy Ken |
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| Isn't she beautiful?! She has on very high wedge heels in this pic. |
We scheduled our trip to Colorado to attend Miss C's graduation and added a few days to the trip so that on the way back we could see Santa Fe and Albuquerque. We got all the hotel reservations made and enlisted the assistance of our foster niece, Tamara, to take care of the fur babies so we could be gone from home. We left about 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 23, and drove to Amarillo, Texas for the first leg of the trip. Not a bad drive at all. I didn't have an upset stomach and had to make no "emergency" stops! We made very few stops except for lunch break - it takes us about 6.5 hours to drive it. We stay at the Days Inn East (always) on I-40. We went to the Big Texan restaurant -- the food is actually good, but I also like their gift shop. This time, however, the sales clerk was a bit rude so I left without donating any of our money at the shop - saving it for Colorado and New Mexico instead.
We dreaded the drive from Amarillo to Raton, New Mexico...the last time we drove that way there was so much construction that it took us forever to get to Raton...start, stop, 5 miles per hour, 35 miles per hour, etc., etc. But we rose early, cleaned up and dressed, had breakfast at the hotel, waited for my digestive system to settle down, and then took off. K had me to do the start off driving because he had driven from home to Amarillo because I could not stay awake (fighting meds). What a pleasure it was this time to have the construction completed and no stops! It was smooth sailing at 70 mph and we were in Raton in no time. We made our usual stop at the All Season's restaurant and gift shop for lunch. We had what was supposed to be clam chowder but turned out to be mostly diced potato with clam flavoring. Can't remember what else we had. We didn't buy anything in the gift shop but pressed on to Colorado Springs up I-25.
The pass is recovering from the horrible fires that occurred in 2011, but there are still many dead/charred trees standing. And I guess we are pretty "Colorado seasoned" now days because we didn't take any pictures while we driving up I-25. We stopped in Pueblo for gasoline and potty break but arrived in CS in about 2.5 hours after leaving Raton, NM.
SO, we arrived on Friday afternoon about 3...got a text from Courtney within minutes! She was keeping an eye on where we were while traveling to CS. We showered off the road rash and met the family at Cracker Barrel for dinner at 6. Nice! We were not expecting them to buy our dinner but they did. That was so sweet. We each had a good strawberry and chicken salad and shared a serving of chicken and dumplings. Very good.
After dinner we made plans to meet up with C&N at 3 on Saturday afternoon to travel to the arena for graduation. (Miss C had to be there earlier.) Then K and I headed to Walmart to pick up bottled water and then back to the hotel where we crashed. We were both so totally worn out so we took required meds and went to bed. Unfortunately it was not an uneventful night for me. I woke up a couple of hours later and realized I was laying in my own mess...what I had been fighting all day had hit while I was asleep. I had to clean up the bed and take a shower, throw clothes away, take meds to combat it, and finally went back to bed about 4. I woke up when K got up because he is never quiet.
We went to breakfast at IHOP and I prayed it wouldn't hit me like a ton of bricks. Then we drove south on Academy where N had told us there was an antique shop. We found it and went through it rather quickly. It is quite large and I saw several sewing machines -- didn't buy a single one, because Colorado prices are out of sight!
After the antique mall we drove to Old Colorado City but didn't get out because it was Territory Days celebration and there were far too many folks there. But at least we found it so we can go back some day. We stopped at Schlotsky's located close to our hotel and grabbed a bite to eat then went back to our room where we rested and then got ready to go to graduation.
We got to the arena about 3:30 and waited outside until 4 for the doors to open; Colorado Springs gets hot in the afternoon sometimes! We made our way in and finally found seats. I was a goner as soon as Pomp and Circumstance started playing and we watched the graduates march in. I cried...this is a huge thing for Miss C, but it begins a brand new cycle for all of us. Another adult generation...the end of childhood. A new era. The ending and the beginning. We are so proud of her, this amazing miracle child - the child that wasn't supposed to happen. I just love her so very much. The baby of my babies (I count N. as one of mine as well).
Afterward there was the opportunity for many pictures, greeting friends, and then we traveled to Monument, Colorado to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner! C&N would not allow us to pay for the entire meal for everybody, so we just paid for our own. It was so good! With us for dinner was Taylor, Courtney's "little sister." Taylor is a sophomore, she and Courtney have been friends since 2006. Taylor's mother works with C. but Taylor lives with her dad, Mark, who is good friends with C&N. Mark was at the graduation with all of us; he and Taylor went to dinner, too.
We went back to the hotel afterward with plans to meet be at C&N's house on Sunday afternoon at noon for Miss C's reception. I made it back to the hotel without getting ill. And fortunately it hit me before I went to bed so I was ok.
The reception was fun...good food and opportunity to meet more of C&N's friends, including the dentist for whom N. works. N. is a dental assistant, not a hygenist. She completed school 2-3 years ago.
We excused ourselves about 2 and went back to the hotel to rest. We were being picked up at 5 by K's sister and husband to go to dinner (yes, we ate a LOT on this trip, lol!). They took us back to Monument to the Colorado Brewery Restaurant. I had a wonderful salmon steak and K had super mushroom ravioli. We didn't realize we were not going to be allowed to pay for it or we would have ordered something far less expensive!
After dinner B and M took us to the Academy because they needed to clean out their horse stalls and feed, and we wanted to see the horses. M is a retired AF colonel; he and B provide instruction for 4-H and Boy Scouts, do trail rides, etc. The stables at the Academy is a pretty large operation and M&B help with that. My son C is stationed at the Academy. So we see it quite a bit when we are in town. This time we drove around to the camp ground and saw where we will be able to stay when we take our RV up for an extended visit - we would like to go and stay for the summer because it is so nasty hot in Texas. That way we can take all the fur babies as well.
On Monday we vegged out during the morning and then got dressed because the kids (CNC) were coming to pick us up for a drive into the mountain area. We wanted to go at least once since we had not been since arrival. We had a beautiful drive to Woodland Park and beyond and stopped at a lookout stop where we had a wonderful view of the area. We didn't stay long because K and I were feeling the effect of the high altitude. We stopped at the Old Chicago Restaurant in Colorado Springs for early dinner - great food, and then headed back to the hotel. I thought I was going to make it all the way back to the hotel with no problems but about two blocks away from the hotel the altitude and food hit with a bang. I managed to hold on to what I had until we got to the front door where I said a hurried goodbye to the kids and ran for our room and the bathroom. I was violently sick and didn't think I was going to be able to get myself over it and then I heard K telling me to hurry! He had the same issue. Oh, Lord, we were so sick.
In addition to the altitude having a negative effect on our digestive systems, we also had chills and sinus problems from the mountain cedar and pine. We went to bed early and begged for relief. We had talked about our trip to Santa Fe and Albuquerque and which route to take so that we saw Taos on the way down. But the next morning at breakfast at Cracker Barrel we decided we really just wanted to go home and that in the near future we will fly to Albuquerque, rent a car and drive to Santa Fe and Taos, but that we were going to go home instead of extending our trip. We canceled hotel reservations in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and changed our reservation at Days Inn East in Amarillo so that we could drive there immediately.
We went back to our room, had our sick period, finished packing, sent a text to the kids, and headed out of CS toward home. We were both fighting being sick. K drove to Raton, NM, where we stopped at the All Seasons Restaurant and gift shop, but did not eat. Instead we went next door to Dairy Queen and had a grilled cheese sandwich with water and shared a small strawberry sundae. When we left K had me to drive. I drove us back to Days Inn East in Amarillo. We were so tired. But excitement was not over.
We checked in, the clerk advised us of the weather (K had snapped a picture on the way in to Amarillo), and by the time we got to our room violent weather struck. Tornadoes were bouncing around, we were told the safe area was in the stairwells. We chose not to go there but to the bathroom in our room. We were certainly glad when that scare was over.
We went out to eat - at a Jorge Garcias, a really good restaurant nearby. We thought everything was ok, went back to the hotel, went to bed. I woke up about 11:40 to violent weather, turned on the news and discovered that even the news crew was in their safe area - the men's room at the news station. Tornadoes spotted, high winds, hail the size of softballs, and we were right in the path. Once again we had to head to safety. When it was over K looked out the window - it looked like big humps of snow...huge ice balls...hail. We knew then that our car would be ruined. Apparently C had been watching the weather and knew we were most likely in trouble because I started getting text messages from him wanting to know where and how we were. I told him the car was probably a goner. He offered to come help us if we needed it. K went out to check on the car ... came back and just looked at me and I knew it was going to be ugly. But he prefaced it by saying that we lost no windows. Then he told me how badly it had been damaged.
K went out in the morning and took pictures and called our insurance agent. We went ahead and had breakfast at the hotel, cleaned up and dressed for the day, went to breakfast, then K carried the rest of our stuff to the car. We looked at the car, decided we had come out on the good end of the stick since cars around us had lost windows, and then we headed to Fort Worth. There were things in the car such as light covers that had been knocked off when the car was hit so hard. K just put them back on and we drove off. I cried a little bit but knew that no matter if the insurance pays or not, I'm NOT buying a new car...I am almost finished paying for this thing and I refuse to have another monthly car payment. The car has less than 50,000 miles on it and is still good for another 5 years. But my ego is hurt - my pretty car looks so ugly. I'm hoping we can get it fixed.
SO, we are home! Bennie and Luci were SO GLAD to see us. I don't think we can ever go away again without them. It was just way too hard leaving them behind. K and I are still so sick. Our sinuses are so nasty and K is coughing his head off. My whole face is chapped and dry and I'm having to keep my mouth medicated because it is so chapped and sore. Can't get enough water to rehydrate. But at least we are in our own house in our own bed.
TandJ came shortly after we got home. They are so good to take care of things while we are gone. They are so much like our own kids. We gave Tamara a good size check for taking care of the fur babies and I thought she was going to cry. She later told me that they had been thinking they would have to pack up and move out of their house because J didn't get paid because he didn't work last week - he was in the hospital with kidney failure due to dehydration. Fortunately they got enough fluid into him to get his kidneys working again. Anyway, I knew TandJ were having some problems because she had told me they were eating at our house because we had so much good food -- and of course she knows we don't care if they eat here and use whatever we have. She told me today that because of the amount we paid her they can pay the rent which is due on Saturday; and I told her if they are out of food to come raid the freezer and pantry. It's really nice living somewhat close to family!
I didn't do much today...just rested - well, of course, I started the laundry, but that's not really doing anything. Tomorrow I really need to crack down - need to get the place put back together, clothes hung up, etc., etc. Just so good to be back home...but can't wait to go to New Mexico!
Love my kiddos...and their kiddos...and all my extended family...so much. Miss them all so very much.
That's all for today.
P.S. K had doc appointment tomorrow morning and then meets with a fellow about working for a while to help the guy get his books set up. That's K's forte - getting businesses on track.
Oh - and am crossing my fingers that all goes well for my Colorado kids as they hop on a plane for a fun trip out of country to celebrate Miss C's graduation. Son has promised to send me an itinerary so I can keep up with them!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Guess I need to catch up! Haven't been on here in a while. Life has been busy. Not sure where to start so will just do random writing.
Bought Ken and myself new toys. We don't have IPads but I saw on shopnbc a neat little Android tablet by Proscan on sale for $97 each. I ordered one for each of us and surprised Ken. Our anniversary is this month - on May 25 - so it was early gifts. These are just the greatest little play things. They come in a case with a little keyboard that plugs in. We'll take those with us on our trip because it is easier to see the screen on them vs the I-Phones.
I'll also take my Kindle...I've been catching up on books by Diana Palmer. I started reading her books way back in the 80's ... stupid romance novels and all written just about the same. I'm about ready to move on to something a bit more intelligent! But not quite as heavy as the reference book I read last month - The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War by Victoria Bynum Alexander. I read it because I have family roots in Jones. My family migrated to Mississippi in the early 1800's from Darlington, South Carolina.
Arrived home Sunday afternoon from 2.5 day cranky retreat in Lone Oak, Texas. A cranky event is a retreat of vintage sewing machine collectors and users - this time women only - who get together and have a ball all weekend sewing, laughing, playing, snacking, eating, and using those wonderful old people powered machines. I took my 1918 Singer 99K handcrank. I made a bag for my great great niece Charlie on it, and I also stitched together strips from a jelly roll to make 5-strip fence rail blocks. If I find another jelly roll like this one I may add to this one to make a quilt for our bed. It fits the blue in our bedroom/bathroom.
While at the retreat I also managed to get my little string quilt sandwiched together so it is ready for me to do straight line quilting. I will do that when we get back from Colorado Springs. We are leaving on Thursday of this week (May 23) because my granddaughter Courtney graduates from high school on the 25th. On the way back we are returning via Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I've never been and it is on my bucket list! SO, we'll be able to check that off!
Speaking of blue - we had the bathrooms painted as well as the main back hallway...all in a pretty denim blue. I've been working ever sense on getting things like curtains completed. I got the ones made for the master bathroom. I bought some plain white towels and added the same fabric of the curtains onto them to match. I currently also have a denim bathmat in progress. It's woven strips of denim with three strips of the matching fabric of the curtains.
We took down the "heavy" drapes/curtains in the den and had a 2" faux wood blind installed instead. The lady who does our house cleaning has family that does all of the kind of work we've been having done. They will be coming back again soon to pain the entry hall, our master bedroom, the lower part of the dining area, and installing another 2" blind in the dining area. The plan is to get this place put together!
My youngest daughter came over on Mother's Day. It was so good to see her. She brought me a dozen roses of the most beautiful color of pink. This is the first and only dozen roses I've received in my life - with the exception of one previous time. My first husband sent me a dozen yellow roses in 1974 when he told me he was leaving...at that time the color of roses meant certain things. Yellow was for goodbye. I've never liked roses since then - until recent years - always preferring to receive carnations. Until recent years roses had a negative connotation for me. BUT i'm over that now so BRING 'EM ON!!!
I've been to all the docs - I'm losing sight in the left eye...but everything else checks out. I have to go to have bone density test and kidney sonogram done when we get back from vacation - I have it in my phone for alert so hope I remember.
OH, I bought myself a 1930 Singer 66 treadle machine in a parlor cabinet from a fellow cranky! I've spent the last couple of days cleaning and oiling it and now it is about ready to go back into the cabinet. I've got to clean the cabinet and irons first and figure out some kind of wood refinisher like Formsby to do a little rejuvenation of the cabinet but this is going to be awesome.
I haven't told Ken yet, but I also have another treadle coming...another Singer 66 but a "red eye" (also known as a red head). Another cranky is selling it - she lives in Plano so I will need to drive there to get it - I'll have to take the head out of it and I dread doing that but it will be worth it.
Also, the retreat I went on is the first time in my life I've been on anything like a camp experience or retreat. I was never permitted to go to church camp, etc. I was extremely sheltered. And I went to only one slumber party in my entire life and that was in elementary school. But I had a blast. The rooms have 3 sets of bunk beds crowded in them. One set is up against the outside wall and then two sets are set up against one another such that the beds are touching. One of the ladies who roomed with me snored like a freight train - and we were in the lower bunks of the two sets that were against each other! I learned a lot! Next time I'll get the lower bunk against the wall.
What else? Oh, the United Daughters of the Confederacy had a end-of-season luncheon/tea which was hat day. I bought the most beautiful big picture hat...purple variations. I wore my purple suit. I also bought a little black fascinator. I'll have to post pictures of both of them one day. In looking at the pictures that were taken I realized that I wear the same purple suit for everything! It was the suit I bought for our wedding in 2001, I have pictures of wearing it for a red hat event with my red hat, and now pictures of me heading off to UDC tea!
I guess that's about it -- I gotta get the laundry finished, chicken in the oven, start packing, need to get to the store to buy "stuff" to go in Charley's bag (great great niece), and pick up a gift card for her dad who shares her birthday.
SO, guess I'll check out. I miss my children every moment of every day. Love to all.
Note: Horrible tornado in Moore, Oklahoma yesterday (or was it Sunday?); and devastating tornado in Granbury last week. The children and I used to live in Moore. It has been destroyed by tornado twice since we moved back to Texas - and that includes where we used to live.
Bought Ken and myself new toys. We don't have IPads but I saw on shopnbc a neat little Android tablet by Proscan on sale for $97 each. I ordered one for each of us and surprised Ken. Our anniversary is this month - on May 25 - so it was early gifts. These are just the greatest little play things. They come in a case with a little keyboard that plugs in. We'll take those with us on our trip because it is easier to see the screen on them vs the I-Phones.
I'll also take my Kindle...I've been catching up on books by Diana Palmer. I started reading her books way back in the 80's ... stupid romance novels and all written just about the same. I'm about ready to move on to something a bit more intelligent! But not quite as heavy as the reference book I read last month - The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War by Victoria Bynum Alexander. I read it because I have family roots in Jones. My family migrated to Mississippi in the early 1800's from Darlington, South Carolina.
Arrived home Sunday afternoon from 2.5 day cranky retreat in Lone Oak, Texas. A cranky event is a retreat of vintage sewing machine collectors and users - this time women only - who get together and have a ball all weekend sewing, laughing, playing, snacking, eating, and using those wonderful old people powered machines. I took my 1918 Singer 99K handcrank. I made a bag for my great great niece Charlie on it, and I also stitched together strips from a jelly roll to make 5-strip fence rail blocks. If I find another jelly roll like this one I may add to this one to make a quilt for our bed. It fits the blue in our bedroom/bathroom.
While at the retreat I also managed to get my little string quilt sandwiched together so it is ready for me to do straight line quilting. I will do that when we get back from Colorado Springs. We are leaving on Thursday of this week (May 23) because my granddaughter Courtney graduates from high school on the 25th. On the way back we are returning via Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I've never been and it is on my bucket list! SO, we'll be able to check that off!
Speaking of blue - we had the bathrooms painted as well as the main back hallway...all in a pretty denim blue. I've been working ever sense on getting things like curtains completed. I got the ones made for the master bathroom. I bought some plain white towels and added the same fabric of the curtains onto them to match. I currently also have a denim bathmat in progress. It's woven strips of denim with three strips of the matching fabric of the curtains.
We took down the "heavy" drapes/curtains in the den and had a 2" faux wood blind installed instead. The lady who does our house cleaning has family that does all of the kind of work we've been having done. They will be coming back again soon to pain the entry hall, our master bedroom, the lower part of the dining area, and installing another 2" blind in the dining area. The plan is to get this place put together!
My youngest daughter came over on Mother's Day. It was so good to see her. She brought me a dozen roses of the most beautiful color of pink. This is the first and only dozen roses I've received in my life - with the exception of one previous time. My first husband sent me a dozen yellow roses in 1974 when he told me he was leaving...at that time the color of roses meant certain things. Yellow was for goodbye. I've never liked roses since then - until recent years - always preferring to receive carnations. Until recent years roses had a negative connotation for me. BUT i'm over that now so BRING 'EM ON!!!
I've been to all the docs - I'm losing sight in the left eye...but everything else checks out. I have to go to have bone density test and kidney sonogram done when we get back from vacation - I have it in my phone for alert so hope I remember.
OH, I bought myself a 1930 Singer 66 treadle machine in a parlor cabinet from a fellow cranky! I've spent the last couple of days cleaning and oiling it and now it is about ready to go back into the cabinet. I've got to clean the cabinet and irons first and figure out some kind of wood refinisher like Formsby to do a little rejuvenation of the cabinet but this is going to be awesome.
I haven't told Ken yet, but I also have another treadle coming...another Singer 66 but a "red eye" (also known as a red head). Another cranky is selling it - she lives in Plano so I will need to drive there to get it - I'll have to take the head out of it and I dread doing that but it will be worth it.
Also, the retreat I went on is the first time in my life I've been on anything like a camp experience or retreat. I was never permitted to go to church camp, etc. I was extremely sheltered. And I went to only one slumber party in my entire life and that was in elementary school. But I had a blast. The rooms have 3 sets of bunk beds crowded in them. One set is up against the outside wall and then two sets are set up against one another such that the beds are touching. One of the ladies who roomed with me snored like a freight train - and we were in the lower bunks of the two sets that were against each other! I learned a lot! Next time I'll get the lower bunk against the wall.
What else? Oh, the United Daughters of the Confederacy had a end-of-season luncheon/tea which was hat day. I bought the most beautiful big picture hat...purple variations. I wore my purple suit. I also bought a little black fascinator. I'll have to post pictures of both of them one day. In looking at the pictures that were taken I realized that I wear the same purple suit for everything! It was the suit I bought for our wedding in 2001, I have pictures of wearing it for a red hat event with my red hat, and now pictures of me heading off to UDC tea!
 |
| Red Hat Version |
 |
| UDC Tea Version |
SO, guess I'll check out. I miss my children every moment of every day. Love to all.
Note: Horrible tornado in Moore, Oklahoma yesterday (or was it Sunday?); and devastating tornado in Granbury last week. The children and I used to live in Moore. It has been destroyed by tornado twice since we moved back to Texas - and that includes where we used to live.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013; 2:52 A.M.
Can't sleep...I worry too much about trying to survive and about family and about what we need to be doing, and about.... and when I do sleep I have dreams about my children so I wake up bawling. and if not about them, it's nightmares.
Yesterday, Sunday, we went to the new church again - we really like the worship service. Beautiful uplifting music instead of funeral dirges as was the case with our old church. The new church, in the sanctuary service, does NOT have the modern music that goes on and on and on repeating over and over and over again. SO GLAD. Today the songs were wonderful. The service opened with Sweet, Sweet Spirit, and then one was People Need the Lord, then a soprano soloist did a rendition of You Raise Me Up (which was not my favorite version but love the song), and then there was Because He Lives. Oh, my gosh, cannot say how much I appreciated the music.
And the sermon was wonderful, too. Jim Conner, the pastor, does an awesome job as does the associate pastor - can't remember her name. Ken really likes the sermons...and we both feel/know we've been to church afterward!
After church we went to Mexican Inn for lunch - I ate about half of mine. I really felt horrible today. I don't understand why I can feel so good one day and then wake up the next day feeling so awful. But that's how it happens. I meant to get all dolled up for church this morning but as it was all I could muster was black pants, decent top, comfortable shoes, and hair pulled back.
I went to bed as soon as we got home from lunch. I slept until after 4 p.m. Ken had leftovers for dinner and I had a bowl of cereal. Ken's been in bed for hours; I've not gone to bed...I hate closing my eyes because of the horrors that visit me in sleep. Today I had a horrible dream during my nap. It was about being in an area where my family lived during my teen years - and the area was ok when we lived there but has since gone horribly awful. For some reason today I dreamed I had been in the neighborhood at some place for educational lessons of some sort but afterwards I had no way home and it wasn't long before dark. I walked to what was a main street in our neighborhood - where there were businesses, but I was not allowed in the store...I was out on a sidewalk with a lot of scary people. I was using the pay phone to call Daddy who was on the other side of town...and he told me he couldn't come after me. I was approached by a couple of evil looking guys but I told them to back way off from me. And then I was hearing crying...couldn't figure out where it was coming from -- turns out it was my precious Luci who was napping with me - she wanted down off the bed to go find Kenneth! Glad she woke me up - at least this time I didn't wake up screaming.
In addition to the bag I finished for great niece Crystal this past week, on Sunday night I almost finished a pretty bag for myself. My new bag is VERY long (about 20") and rather narrow - about 15" wide. It has long straps. It is made out of Asian inspired metallic fabric that I bought about 3 years ago -- beautiful. The fabirc is brown background with aqual/turquoise flowers with gold metallic threads. I lined the bag with a marbed aqua fabric. I put a flap closure on my bag but haven't put on the snap or magnetic closing devise yet. I made Crystal's bag out of the same fabrics - I made hers large because that is what she wanted. It turned out really pretty. Ken took it to the subcourthouse on Friday - he went to buy tags for the VW and my niece (not great niece and not great niece's mother) has an office there. My niece lives closer to my great niece. Anyway, as soon as Peggy saw the bag she sent a text and told me she thinks I can sell them! And thankfully Crystal loves the bag. I'm going to make up a few to see if they will sell -- if they don't, then someone will get them as gifts!
This is a picture of my niece's bag:
Maybe tomorrow I'll post a picture of the bag I made for myself. Have no idea what I'm ever going to do with it but I really like it! Eventually I may cut it off at the bottom and make it shorter. Maybe not.
what else...oh, Ken's eye doc appointment. He got the shot in the eye and a prescrition for eye drops. He has to go back for the next shot in the eye next Friday morning. I'll go with him because it's tough driving home after that! I remember it so well when I had to have it done.
The next day Ken had to go have a blood test done. He got the results on Friday - high white blood count, told to contact his primary care doc. He tried, but it was Friday...they were not there. The answering service would not ask the on-call doc to get back with Ken but instead told Ken to call our doctor on Monday!!! Ken's blood sugar has been raging since the shot (steroids do that) and he has been dizzy and sick for the past 2-3 days. Getting old and having issues is just not fun.
Tomorrow (today!!) I am going to start working on a couple of bags out of Texas prints - I have a couple of packages of charm squares that are Texas fabrics. I'm going to make one of them a rag bag - ragged edges - it should go pretty fast because I'll do all three layers at one time. I'm going to do the second one in the same charm squares but not going to make it a rag bag. I'm going to make flaps for both of them and probably pockets in each of them as well.
That's it for now...I'm going to try to go to bed. Have a great Monday.
Yesterday, Sunday, we went to the new church again - we really like the worship service. Beautiful uplifting music instead of funeral dirges as was the case with our old church. The new church, in the sanctuary service, does NOT have the modern music that goes on and on and on repeating over and over and over again. SO GLAD. Today the songs were wonderful. The service opened with Sweet, Sweet Spirit, and then one was People Need the Lord, then a soprano soloist did a rendition of You Raise Me Up (which was not my favorite version but love the song), and then there was Because He Lives. Oh, my gosh, cannot say how much I appreciated the music.
And the sermon was wonderful, too. Jim Conner, the pastor, does an awesome job as does the associate pastor - can't remember her name. Ken really likes the sermons...and we both feel/know we've been to church afterward!
After church we went to Mexican Inn for lunch - I ate about half of mine. I really felt horrible today. I don't understand why I can feel so good one day and then wake up the next day feeling so awful. But that's how it happens. I meant to get all dolled up for church this morning but as it was all I could muster was black pants, decent top, comfortable shoes, and hair pulled back.
I went to bed as soon as we got home from lunch. I slept until after 4 p.m. Ken had leftovers for dinner and I had a bowl of cereal. Ken's been in bed for hours; I've not gone to bed...I hate closing my eyes because of the horrors that visit me in sleep. Today I had a horrible dream during my nap. It was about being in an area where my family lived during my teen years - and the area was ok when we lived there but has since gone horribly awful. For some reason today I dreamed I had been in the neighborhood at some place for educational lessons of some sort but afterwards I had no way home and it wasn't long before dark. I walked to what was a main street in our neighborhood - where there were businesses, but I was not allowed in the store...I was out on a sidewalk with a lot of scary people. I was using the pay phone to call Daddy who was on the other side of town...and he told me he couldn't come after me. I was approached by a couple of evil looking guys but I told them to back way off from me. And then I was hearing crying...couldn't figure out where it was coming from -- turns out it was my precious Luci who was napping with me - she wanted down off the bed to go find Kenneth! Glad she woke me up - at least this time I didn't wake up screaming.
In addition to the bag I finished for great niece Crystal this past week, on Sunday night I almost finished a pretty bag for myself. My new bag is VERY long (about 20") and rather narrow - about 15" wide. It has long straps. It is made out of Asian inspired metallic fabric that I bought about 3 years ago -- beautiful. The fabirc is brown background with aqual/turquoise flowers with gold metallic threads. I lined the bag with a marbed aqua fabric. I put a flap closure on my bag but haven't put on the snap or magnetic closing devise yet. I made Crystal's bag out of the same fabrics - I made hers large because that is what she wanted. It turned out really pretty. Ken took it to the subcourthouse on Friday - he went to buy tags for the VW and my niece (not great niece and not great niece's mother) has an office there. My niece lives closer to my great niece. Anyway, as soon as Peggy saw the bag she sent a text and told me she thinks I can sell them! And thankfully Crystal loves the bag. I'm going to make up a few to see if they will sell -- if they don't, then someone will get them as gifts!
This is a picture of my niece's bag:
 |
| wish the fabric showed up better - oh well, it is what it is |
 |
| I really like the way this bag turned out. I quilted this bag with long straigh-line quilting. |
 |
| Such a soft color. goes so pretty with the exterior fabric |
Maybe tomorrow I'll post a picture of the bag I made for myself. Have no idea what I'm ever going to do with it but I really like it! Eventually I may cut it off at the bottom and make it shorter. Maybe not.
what else...oh, Ken's eye doc appointment. He got the shot in the eye and a prescrition for eye drops. He has to go back for the next shot in the eye next Friday morning. I'll go with him because it's tough driving home after that! I remember it so well when I had to have it done.
The next day Ken had to go have a blood test done. He got the results on Friday - high white blood count, told to contact his primary care doc. He tried, but it was Friday...they were not there. The answering service would not ask the on-call doc to get back with Ken but instead told Ken to call our doctor on Monday!!! Ken's blood sugar has been raging since the shot (steroids do that) and he has been dizzy and sick for the past 2-3 days. Getting old and having issues is just not fun.
Tomorrow (today!!) I am going to start working on a couple of bags out of Texas prints - I have a couple of packages of charm squares that are Texas fabrics. I'm going to make one of them a rag bag - ragged edges - it should go pretty fast because I'll do all three layers at one time. I'm going to do the second one in the same charm squares but not going to make it a rag bag. I'm going to make flaps for both of them and probably pockets in each of them as well.
That's it for now...I'm going to try to go to bed. Have a great Monday.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Waiting for Irene and crew to get here (cleaning lady). Been up since 7 cleaning up in preparation for cleaning crew!
Had to move around several sewing machines because we went to the NE Texas TOGA in Lone Oak, Texas over the weekend. We didn't get to go for the full 2 days but will next year! We didn't get there until Saturday afternoon. We took our 1918 Singer 99 handcrank machine hoping to get some help with it. Wow! Did we ever get help.
Missy S. came over as soon as I opened the case and began to thread it and checking out the bobbin, and then Margaret S. (sewing machine genius no. 1) came to make sure it would sew - "if it ain't broke don't fix it." Unfortunately it didn't. It had a problem with the bobbin, so thenext thing I know Margaret's looking into it and discovers it has all kinds of "bird's nests" (thread gunk) in it and it becomes necessary to take everything out of the bobbin cavity. Riley G. (sewing machine guru) got back to the table about that time and he begins to work with Margaret on it and the next thing we know, they have it apart, cleaning each part, cleaning out all the GUNK (old oil/lube) in it, and polishing the parts. Riley worked on that machine the better part of two hours. But when he was finished the machine was working super and the case had been overhauled and the top fit correctly - and he polished the case as well! Can't wait to actually use this machine. Here's a picture of the machine with Riley and Maragret...Margaret is working on the small bobbin cavity parts.
We drove home from the TOGA Saturday night after BBQ dinner and a very fun general raffle. Driving after dark is hard for us - Ken has a difficult time seeing at night and I'm no help. The first thing we did was miss the turn for the entrance to I-30 in Greenville and had to turn around to go back to it. And then the 2 hour drive home in the dark through Dallas traffic. But we made it. Once home I immediately started thinking about what I can put together from around here to take back spring 2014 for the next TOGA! Think I may make a couple of lap quilts, maybe some bags, and maybe some placemats, and maybe even some loose blocks.
On Sunday we went back to Genesis UMC and then to breakfast (?) at Rise and Shine. Sunday afternoon I went to the LM Blanketeer Bee where I worked on blocks started at a quilting class year before last. I probably will never finish that particular quilt. I keep all the supplies for it in my roll around bag with my Brother machine so that it's always ready when I want to attend an event!
I had not taken a picture of the second row I made for the blanketeer row quilts we're doing, so while at the Bee I spread it out on Susan's chaise lounge to grab a shot for myself. It's a simple quilt block but was a learning experience for me -- it is my first "on point" block setting and I was surprised how easy it was to do! Here it is -- and the colors are BRIGHT because that's the only mandate we had for making the quilt rows -- bright colors.
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| 12" squares, my first "on point" settings. |
Ken is at our eye specialist this morning - Dr. George Phillip Matthews. Just got word that Ken has a problem -- swelling and hemmorraging in the back of the eye. Treatment is going to be a series of 3 injections two weeks apart. Injections are directly into the eye...I've had these...not very comfortable. If left untreated can lead to loss of eye sight. So, hoping Ken makes it through this with little difficulty. It's not fun.
Guess that's about it for now. Cleaning ladies are here, dogs are barking and going insane. Time to get busy again.
Love to all.
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