Long Post and Pictures

Thank you all for your comments of concern for DH. We both appreciated them. He has had several follow up visits with various doctors since coming back home and the news isn't as good as he had hoped. It looks like some changes are in our future.

Unfortunately, this year has not started off with the stitching bang I had planned. According to my list for the year, I should have several finishes behind me by now. Not yet. Does that mean I'm giving up? No way. I just won't have the number of finishes for the year I had hoped for but they will still mean just as much to me. I will continue to get my "fix" by watching the progress of all of your work in blogland. The first part of an old song by Dionne Warwick keeps popping into my head when I see my poor stash sitting on the shelf "Wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' Plannin' and dreamin'......" But, life happens.

Earlier in the week, we were hit by that horrible storm that moved through 20 states and left so much destruction. The day before the storm the wind was so strong, we could hardly walk outside in it. It felt like we using all our strength just to get from the house to the car. We came home later that day to see our roof in shambles because of the strong winds. Later that night the storm moved through. It didn't last long but the winds sounded like a freight train rolling through the neighborhood. Power transformers were blowing up all around us lighting up the sky. Trees were falling like dominoes and landing across the roads on power lines pulling them down, on cars, big store signs blowing over, taking out stop lights and well, you get the idea.



Our section of town was hit the hardest and people are comparing this storm to a mini Hurricane Hugo. We were without power for over 50 hours (also water, gas and phone for much of that time) and there were power companies from many eastern states called in to help. It was not unusual to see 15 or more power trucks gathered in a spot working on lines. Sirens were in the air constantly from ambulances, fire trucks and police.



There was no time for stitching during the outage because we stayed busy getting things done before it was time to light the candles and pull out the flashlights for the night. It made me wonder how people managed to find time to make those beautiful and detailed samplers so many years ago.



DH had to make another trip to hospital during the outage because he not been able to use his breathing equipment as required. It was early in the morning before there was any type of outside light to help matters and all I had was a cell phone and a not so bright flashlight. Not the best of conditions but we got him there and luckily they didn't have to keep him overnight. Even a lot of his follow up visits with doctors concerning the previous trip to the hospital were canceled because they also had no power. Once the power came back on, it was touch and go for awhile. A power line pole caught on fire at the top causing a lot of short bursts of power then another black out but only for a short while this time. Once the power was stable we each headed for the item we missed the most. For me, it was the coffee maker. I can drink instant but once I got my first drip coffee maker, I was spoiled so that had been sorely missed and that first cup tasted oh so good!



So for now we have power and our fingers crossed it stays on! After the first 24 hours without power, it stops being an adventure and becomes nothing more than a nuisance. Dull days, I miss you! Thank you for stopping by again!