Just Words

 We had absolutely NO doctor appointments for almost 3 weeks around here! What a break! We did get a rainy spell which was fine with me because we have the walk way out back now in case we have to go out in it. We were able to get some groceries picked up before the rain moved in and then I had several days of good stitching!

 

Somehow, a feral pregnant cat got into the crawl space under our house. She had her litter of kittens and after they left, it sounded like she threw a big party! A lot of the duct work going to AC was torn down! We keep that door closed and locked. She must have found some other way to get in! Now we have to get all of  that fixed before it causes some major damage!

 

My infusions will be coming up again around the end of July. I have decided that I will either take in Ann Pegg by The Scarlett House or Be Who You Are by Lizzie Kate. They have both been started and are in my WIP basket.

 

It looks like I will be having several surgeries coming up. The first one will be fairly minor. My fistula surgeon needs to do a little tweaking to help keep the swelling down in my arm. Nothing major or urgent. I just want to get it out of the way.

 

Sometime before or after infusions, I will get something done about my shoulder. The x-rays showed a little more than just a simple dislocated shoulder. This one will be a little bit trickier since I will be wearing a sling for 2-4 weeks and basically will only be able to use one arm for several months. Several of my doctors (and my insurance) disagree on certain things concerning the timing but I am still in pain with it! 

 

Doing about anything that require two hands and/or arms is very challenging! Stitching, typing, cooking, doing laundry and more! My stitching has definitely suffered because of my arm so I have been working on my family history more lately.

 

I realized that I need to get my stitching pulled and ready to work on (in case I can) so I don't have to do a lot of hunting while I am one armed. LOL. I have plenty of WIPs I can work on but I thought this might be the perfect time for a new start. I have two that I am debating between.

 

Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

It's That Time of Year!

 Infusion time! I will be starting another round the last Monday of this month and go for 4 infusions. A lot of you know that I like to take a special infusion project with me to work on. I prefer to work on a prayer, proverb or another spiritual piece. I am taking Ann Pegg by The Scarlet House this time. I would have to get her started the week before I go in. I am stitching her on 18 count Aida in Toffee by My Vintage Needlearts and am using the called for threads.

 

I still have over half left to work on with Mary Eliza McMillan and there is a nice little inspirational verse on it. I have not gotten as far as I had hoped thanks to several days of hand cramps and a visit from my froggy friends! I have noticed that the DMC conversion colors are not quite as bright and cheerful as the silks but I am still happy with her. Here is a picture of her progress so far. Updates coming later.

 

A journaling prompt for this week. What do you do to practice self care? Some days I like to focus on my hobbies. It gives me time to do something I enjoy which helps me to relax. Also I make sure I get plenty of sleep. A cup of coffee is my way of spoiling myself each morning.

 

Dull days are back! Except for the occasional dr. appointment or quick errand, dull has made an appearance once again! We did have a little excitement one day when we got some snow. No big accumulation but it sure was pretty to watch it coming down. Especially since we did not have to go anywhere!

 

When we got our new appliances in 2020, we decided to wait on a dishwasher because the one we had was still working good. It started to act sick the other night and we thought we might be making a trip to the store to pick out a new one but instead we had our local repair man come out and it was a quick fix. It was also a lot cheaper than buying new!

 

I did order Elizabeth Hunter by The Scarlett House. She has not arrived yet but when she gets here, she will be kitted up and put on the top of the stack!

 

I am anxiously awaiting the release of two designs by HATS. Amy Fisher and Amelia Bachelor. I picked up some new stickers for my Book of Days and Journal.

 

Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

What A Week!

 August is a rough month for me. My moma died on August 12 and my dad passed away 40 years later on August 13. I usually hope that these two days will pass without my realizing it. I think of them every day anyway. These days just make the sadness more intense.

The last Sunday in July is always Decoration up in the mountains (where my moma's family is from). All of the cemeteries are decorated with flowers galore! It is a beautiful sight. I have only been up there several times to see it in person but I have heard about it and have seen yearly pictures all my life. This was my Grandma's headstone this year.

I will have another update on Bee Skep soon. I have been working on it some. It is almost like my mojo just flew out the window!  I decided to stop working on the house for a bit so that hopefully it will renew my mojo when I come back to it! I want to at least be near a finish on it before I post another update. Soon, I promise.

I have been making all kinds of stitching plans in my Needlework Press calender/planner book  along with playing in my stash! I will wait a while to share so that I don't jinx any of these good plans!

The microwave arrived. The first of the new appliances. The new range was delayed but will arrive soon. I really do like it and am looking forward to getting every thing else in place to complete the picture!

We measured the counter top area in the kitchen and placed the order for the new counter tops. I think they will help make the kitchen a little brighter and bigger. Especially after we paint. The Grumpy Ol Gazer opted to put them in with some help from our son instead of hiring someone to do it. The installation cost more than the counter tops! He has put in counter tops before and they were wonderful. They will be delivered later this month.

I have two more infusions this month and I will be finished until 2021. I hope the mask thing is over by then! It was really hard to wear that mask through the entire infusion. Other people that come in for an infusion may stay 30 minutes to an hour. I am there for 4-5 hours depending on how long it takes for them to hook me up and get my meds together.

Until next time may you have simple days, an uncluttered heart and stay well!

A Busy Week

Two infusions down. Two left to go. Several days after infusion I feel like I was in a big fight and got the **** beat out of me because I am so sore! Yea, a new side effect! LOL.

Summer has definitely hit the South! We had a mild beginning and it was quite comfortable but now the heat and humidity have cranked up to make going outside for long periods, unbearable! Luckily, we have been having some monster thunderstorms each evening to cool things off a bit.

What a busy, busy week!

No finish on Bee Skep yet but I was able to work on it more and the nurse put my IV in a better spot so it did not hinder my stitching. I do not have an update this week but I am getting close to a finish if I can ever get past THAT house! Unfortunately I haven't been able to stitch much while at home due to all the busy-ness going on!

In my last post, I showed a sample picture of the walk in shower we want to get. We are still looking for someone to do that job.There are a few smaller things to do in our bathroom like new faucets for the sink, light fixtures and paint.

I also mentioned that the kitchen has a lot of work to be done. My range died on me last week so we made a trip to the appliance store to put our order in. Did you know that there is an appliance shortage? What I used to get delivered in just two days at the most, now takes a month! There is also a shortage of electrical items (wiring, switches, ect) and pressure treated wood (not to mention change). That figures! We also ordered our counter tops, kitchen sink, new faucets for our bath and the kitchen plus I bought some new glass globes for several ceiling fans.

While we were out looking at appliances, I picked up new light fixtures for the master bath vanity and a new pendant light for the dining area.

We have discussed the outside improvements. We would like to put in a walk way leading from the drive way around the back of house to the deck. When it rains, there are so many puddles to jump over and it would make it much easier when we have groceries to bring in. I would like to have several raised planting beds for veggies, herbs and a few flowers! So we had a guy come out and give us an estimate for these jobs.The walk way was a lot more expensive than we had planned so it looks like we will be puddle jumping a while longer until we find someone with a better price or a DIY project!

We decided that we did not want a big remodel or anything fancy. We just want to make what we have comfortable, convenient and livable.

Until next time may you have simple days, an uncluttered heart and stay well.

A Long Week

My infusions have started. One down, three to go. The doctor is spacing them out further each year. I started at every 6 months but it was not helping so we started doing them every 5 months which made a big difference! My Vasculitis went quite and I have not had a flare since November 2016. We went back to every 6 months during 2020 and so far there have been no problems. If all goes well, we will change them to every 7 months next year.

After my coffee that the infusion nurse always has for me, getting hooked up and my Benedryl nap, I began to stitch some. No updates pictures of the Bee Skep this week because I wasn't able to stitch much due to location of the IV.  I hope to have a big update next week!

I am not a fast stitcher. I admit it. I take breaks. Sometimes the breaks are because of hand cramps and other times they are just because. Period. I see other stitchers who get two or three pieces completed a month. I could probably do that if I decided to but I am happy to just putter along. LOL.

While window shopping over at Etsy, I ran across this wonderful PDF file called Feed Your Soul. I know, I know. I don't need another piece to add to my stash but my heart just wasn't going to listen to logic! I will finish up Bee Skep before starting on this. I have seen several other "soon to be released" pieces that I know will just have to become a part of my stash family!

Last week, we mozied on down to our home improvement store for some ideas. We have been getting estimates on some of the things we want to do around the house. I am so excited that these are going to finally become a reality instead of just  wishes in my mind! Everything is picked out and we know exactly what we want but we are prepared to change if needed after we start getting quotes. Now to get prices and start!

First things first. We have both been wanting a walk in shower for a good while. Since my hip went bad and I had the hip replacement, climbing in and out of that tub has become as tiring as climbing a mountain plus my balance isn't quite the same as it was before. I looked and looked at pictures and finally found what I want (with a few changes).

Our tub and toilet are located like the one in this picture. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shower. The changes I have made are 1. just a sheet of shower glass (no fancy cut outs), 2. nice clean white subway tile all around,  3. several safety bars and 4. an extra shelf or two for soaps and shampoos. This is just a sample picture so I can show the contractor what I basically want after we find the right person to do it.

My kitchen is a big "must do" on our list. For such a small room in the house, it probably has the most to be done!

There are a few other improvements we are still checking on for outside. It's amazing how fast a "to do" list will grow over the years if left unattended!  I will be sure to share as we get started!

Until next time may you have simple days, an uncluttered heart and stay well.

After the 4th

I am slowly getting more done on my current stitch! The Bee Skep by BBD (in the Agnes Platt Strawberry Sampler book). The bees in this chart were not Aida friendly so I will use some bees from a different design. I am using 18 count Aida in Caramel Creme by My Vintage Needlearts over at Etsy and most of the colors are from the called for list. A few changes here and there out of necessity.

For such a small piece, it is really taking me a long time to stitch it. What with the Grumpy Ol Gazer being in the hospital. Then getting him back home and settled in with home health care. A few personal issues that caught me off guard and that house! Beautiful but very painstakingly tedious! Plus I have had a few ehhhhhh days. You know, the ones where you feel ok but just don't feel like tackling any projects. I am hoping I can finish it up before my infusions begin.

I found this old WIP one day while sorting through some drawers. I can't even remember the year I started it. It had to be after 2005. I did start it with the intention of dedicating it to my FIL who had recently passed in 2005. There isn't much left to do on it so I may just take this in as my infusion project if I can gather everything I will need to work on it.  I have most of the threads except for remainder of the border so I may leave that off. I will see how it works out. If I should happen to finish this up before my infusions are over, I will probably take in Never Enough Thyme by the Goode Huswife to finish. As a matter of fact, I am thinking that I may just take my WIPs for my infusion projects for a while!

A few trips to the grocery store. I found some clementines! Be still my heart! They are very seasonal and not available year round so when I find them, I am in heaven! A few trips to the doctor and pharmacy. Pretty ordinary for us. Once in a while we may venture out to get some ice cream at the drive thru and eat it in the parking lot. A haircut every other month. Once or twice a year we may venture out to our favorite steak house for an eat in meal and go to the home center to pick up plants or other needed items that can not be ordered.

A lot of people are working on Jolly July aka Christmas in July stitches this month. I usually do at least one Christmas stitch a year but I did not get any holiday pieces done last year. This year, I only have one I want to do so I have pulled it, ordered the threads and I plan to work on it. It may not get finished for several months but I will have a good start! Her name is Mary Ann Hutton and she is by The Scarlett Letter. I doubt I start her this month but she on my Top 20 list.

My list of TOP 20 to stitch in 2020 just may roll over into next year. I doubt seriously I will be able to finish them all this year but they are among my favorites and definitely a priority! I really wonder where I will put them all!

I wear my mask like a good girl when we go out in public but I prefer to go out early in the day before the heat gets too bad. Otherwise, I do have difficulty breathing good with the mask on. I haven't said anything about the events here in the US with the monuments being destroyed and so much more. Destroying these statues will not change history or make it go away. History is there for a reason. To help us learn and grow stronger. It is not be ignored. Enough said. This is a happy blog and this is how it will stay!

Until next time may you have simple days, an uncluttered heart and stay well.

Just Words

I have good news and I have bad news this post.

I have been waiting on my threads so that I can start on Lizzie Kate's Things Unseen Mystery Sampler. Bad News - it is taking forever for them arrive! So I am going to start on another piece for now. The threads will probably show up as soon as I get started on a different piece! UPDATE - the threads arrived the day after I started the new stitch!

Good News. I have a new weekend stitch to work on.  Never Enough Thyme by The Goode Huswife! I have loved this design since I first saw it but it has been OOP and impossible to find! A sweet friend shared her pattern with me so that I could finally work on this! I used 18 count Aida in Khaki by My Vintage Needlearts and I used DMC threads from my stash. And no hand cramps yet with this one! I will share a picture next post!

Good News. My LNS is having their Spring framing sale between May 23 and June 16. It is by appointment only. I am hoping I can get one or two more pieces finished up to take in. They usually have a framing sale in the Fall too so any leftovers can be saved for that one.

Good News. My next round of infusions come up in late July through early August. I have been thinking about what my infusion project should be. I have The Fall by Barbara Ana Designs kitted and ready. I also have Faith by Heartstring Samplery kitted up. Or I have several other Adam and Eve designs kitted up and ready to stitch. I like the idea of The Fall. I know I would not finish it by the end of infusions but I would get a good start.

I hope everyone had a nice Mothers Day. We are still not able to go to dine in restaurants but the guys got some good take out so I would not have to cook and I got several charts and some threads.

Until next time may you have simple days, an uncluttered heart and stay well!

Trying to Catch Up

I was able to get in some stitching this week but not as much as I would have liked because of doctor appointments and other errands. Virtuous Woman is coming along though no matter how slow.

My infusions are in full swing. I am at a new infusion center so it will take me a while to learn the layout of the place. I thought about a special start for this but I already have several things going so I decided to just take Virtuous Woman in and work on her during the infusion hours afterall, she is the same inspirational theme stitch that I like to work on during infusions.

I even made a start on Quaker Bluebirds. I think I will re-name it Quaker Redbirds hence the color change. I am using 18 count Aida Irish Cream by My Vintage Needlearts over at Etsy. The threads are Gentle Art Sampler in Mulberry. It's a small start but it gives you an idea of how the thread color will look on the fabric.

I also pulled out Pomegranate Santa by Plum Street Samplers over the weekend and started on it. I am using the called for threads and I am using Evergreen by Fiberlicious fabrics. Maybe I should get the nasties more often! After I feel better, I seem to get a good bit done! LOL

I fought the urge but I just could not contain myself! I ordered another BBD design with threads. Oh Joyous Day is just too drool worthy to pass up! Like Little Birds by BBD, it is out of stock at the moment but they will send it as soon as more arrive. I am fine with that!

Who doesn't love a pan of steaming hot cornbread? While it is still good and hot, I like to slice a piece, slather it with butter and drizzle some honey over it. After it cools off, I have my beloved glass of cornbread with cold milk! Something I have enjoyed since I was a child. It makes a great side or an even better snack!

Ingredients

• 2 cups self rising cornmeal mix not just plain cornmeal
• 2 eggs or 1 extra large egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil for the skillet if using cast iron
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk or regular milk Start with 1 cup of liquid if you are using regular milk and add the rest as necessary

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• If you are using cast iron, place the 1/4 cup oil in the bottom of a 9″ skillet and place over high heat on your stovetop while you make the batter.
• Pour the cornmeal into a bowl and add the oil, egg, and buttermilk.
• Mix until combined and drop a small amount into your skillet.
• If it sizzles immediately, go ahead and pour in your batter to within 1 inch of the top. If you want a thinner cornbread, just don’t pour in as much.
• Transfer the skillet from the stove top to the hot oven.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden and set.

Notes

If you are not using cast iron, grease your pan with nonstick cooking spray and do not preheat the pan. Bake as directed.

Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

In The Good Ol Summertime

Another long hot week. A thunderstorm here and there but not enough to cool the days off. My shoulder is very slowly feeling better. I still have to be careful how I move my arm but I am able to do a little more with it now. I have not gotten the results of the X-ray yet which is good because she said if it was something that needed immediate attention she would call me right away. Otherwise she will mail the results along with my lab results.

My infusion has been scheduled. As a matter of fact the one after this upcoming one (last of the year) is tentatively scheduled as well. I am going to save the remainder of Creation Sampler to finish up in infusion. I know I will finish before I am totally done with all 4 four rounds so I will take FAITH by Heartstring Samplery in to work on. I decided to start over and use and different color thread on it.

My peach cobbler came out perfect! A scoop of vanilla ice cream made it wonderful! Once again, the picture is from the blog where I got the recipe. I ask my family nicely to let me get a picture before they dig in but when I come back with the camera....... LOL. Oh well, I guess I should take that as a compliment! LOL.

I love my Strawberry Rhubarb crumble but I wanted a pie. So....... I had to be careful how I moved my arm around but I got it made and YUM! I did not even attempt to get my camera for a picture this time. Good thing because as soon as the timer dinged, they were all standing around waiting for a piece! Here is the blog where I got the picture and the recipe.

When I went to the store to get my rhubarb, it had not been put out yet so I had to ask a young man in produce if he could get it for me. The head guy in produce over heard me and asked "what are you going to make with it this time?" I laughed and told him "a pie". The young man came back with my rhubarb and said "Mam, you make pies with this? Is it good? What does rhubarb taste like?" I will have to take a piece of it to him!

While my shoulder kept me from moving around like normal, I used the time to work on my Stitching Bucket List. It is a nice long list. I divided it into two sections so it would not seem as over whelming. The top 15 are kitted up and ready to begin any time.

Since Creation Sampler is on the back burner until infusions, I decided to pull a small sampler to work on. Catharine Dickenson 1840 by Scattered Seed Samplers. I love the colors used. I am using Aida 18ct. Irish Cream hand dyed from My Vintage Needleworks on Etsy. I can stitch without much trouble since I have little to none upper arm movement while doing it. I forgot to download my pictures to the computer but will share next post.

Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

Taking My Time

Not much news going on this week. We are still cleaning out closets and drawers. It seems like for every one thing we get rid of, we replace it with 2 things! Oh well!!

No quilt or cross stitch SALs for me this year. Don't get me wrong. I always enjoy them -- at first but then something happens and I get behind. That's when I get stressed. Also I had a made a Stitching Bucket List and boy, was it LONG! LOL. I love everything on it but the more I looked at it, the more stress I felt! I tore up that list and will just stitch what I want when I want! No stress!

My infusions have started and my new infusion project is one from Words to Live By by Heartstring Samplery. I choose Faith for the first project. I am really enjoying working on it.

As promised, here are several more house blocks and another row by row quilt. I made the fish row as a memory of my Grandpa taking me fishing when I was a child.

We have had so much rain since November! I wonder if our yard will ever dry out! I need some hip wader boots just to go out back to feed the birds! LOL. A little exaggeration but you get the picture!

I have been stocking up on some colors for certain quilt projects. Blacks, light creams, dark reds and other neutrals.

Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.