Sep18

Twiddling thumbs

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We have a new HDtv, but still with no HD hook-up. I cancelled a class at a local cross stitch shop to wait on the technician. At 3 o’clock, the company called to say the guy’s van was still not running. I called dishnet to complain. They said my name was still not tied in with the account. Like Tammy, I’m the one who pays the bills, and my name is on the check too! Geez. Bri called after dinner and said if they don’t show up on Friday, we are switching companies. It’s ridiculous!

I missed meeting a cross stitcher from England. I had signed up for the class, but heard it was a mobile, so I wasn’t really interested in sitting there working on that between 5:30 and 7:30. If you want more info, Jennifer blogged about it at Sweet Pea Stitches.

Bri went food shopping with me after dinner because of my sore back (which is better) as I didn’t want to lift too much. It’s a wake up call for him as he can’t believe we spend so much for two people (and a cat). We got a few extras like vitamins and a magazine. I also saw the ‘Tim Daly’ (cutie) of our church (and the store was rather empty), so that made it more interesting for me as Dan said ‘hi’ to me and then Bri. Bri was not amused. HAHAHA

Enjoyed good tv tonight, for a change. I had 3 shows to watch in a row while I worked on my kitty and read my new magazine.

We are having a picnic dinner for my mom’s birthday this Sunday, similar to what we had last year. Bro #2 will probably be there-he wasn’t living up here last year, but not Sean. Not sure about the other two older boys. I plan to make a ham and cheese pasta dish and broccoli salad. I got buy one get one free on the broccoli. I figure they will hold up better than a lettuce dish, plus each are like a meal.

Sep17

Awesome nature!

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I went outside to look around yesterday. I’m pretty much through with gardening until I have to put all the decorations away, which is a back breaking job in itself. My back wasn’t good yesterday and I made it a little worse watering potted plants after dinner. My heating pad isn’t working that great and I even tried the infrared thing-a-ma-jig. Bri found some Therma-care heat wraps and so far the one I have on is awesome. It’s like having little warm peebles on your back. It seems to be getting hotter, so I better watch that. I need the winter to get myself ‘fixed’ and ‘rested’ again.

So enough rambling! My mom went back to the eye doctor and he took a stitch out of her repaired right eye. Imagine laying there while he did that! He still wants to see her again on Friday and her next surgery may be postponed until she can see better. I was hoping she would be lots better by now, but it was a hard cataract.

Heard brother #2 went to see Joe Biden last night at Linvilla Orchards, a neat place we use to go to all the time as kids. They had hay bales there for the people to sit on. I believe Gov. Rendell was there too.

Here’s what I found out in the herb bed, munching on fennel and dill:

I think there were about 20 Monarch butterfly caterpillars on these herbs! I guess since I’m not using them, they decided to move in!

Also did a little art last night. A few more Skinny cards. My flickr pal had sent me one, so I made her one too:

Found the neat weathervane in an old American history book, the crow from an old bird guide, and the stone wall is from a desk calendar.

And I thought this turned out cute:

I call it ‘Dear Child’

Later the Dishnet guy is suppose to come upgrade the tv. He cancelled out on Monday due to van issues. Bri had to call to reschedule since I wasn’t the name on the account, they wouldn’t let me do so! I was the one who scheduled it in the first place. Needless to say, I was a bit steamed. It better be so worth the hassle.

I’ll show an update of ‘Sleeping Kitty’ later. I’ve been working on him diligently as I want a finish to frame soon. I also want to do a few Halloween designs from the JCS Halloween issue. I have a little Halloween tree for such things with little round orange lights. Someday I’ll take photos of some more of my autumn decor.

Sep16

Wizard of Oz swap

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I was so happy to hear from my swap partner, especially since she is from Texas and had to deal in part with Hurricane Ike. She said she had people staying with her who didn’t have power and she would be a little late sending mine along. I said I understand completely.

Anyway, if you haven’t looked on my Flickr, here is what I sent Irma:
Wizard of Oz Clipboard with Oz swag for Swap

It’s clipboard! The above has a swag with a Dorothy bookmark and a Wicked Witch of the West ‘flight license’. I found the license in a little store in NJ. This is also funny as I live on the west end of a very long road that runs through Chadds Ford to the far end of my town. ; )
Wizard of Oz Clipboard without the swag

This is without the swag. I used part of a desktop I made for the middle which helped a lot! The paper on the bottom has a texture. So it is tactile too. Some of the art came from an old Oz book-Toto and the tree behind the Tinman. The poppies are from an old flower ID book. My friend sent me an assortment of papers and the green bubbly stuff represents ‘Oz’.  Hope you like it!

Trying to get my crafty mojo back, as my mom’s project took a lot out of me. Did a little last night. I finally took Cos out for a walk too, though the part of the yard he loves (he scratches on the chestnut trees) are bombarding the yard with chestnut burrs. I almost got hit a few times earlier in the day. It looks like we are being invaded by alien pods. ; ) I had to move my pretty coleus and other plants as I am giving some to a lady from Flickr who was interested in some that I had. I can’t seem to overwinter them, so she can have her pick.

Keep my Uncle Don’s wife Mildred in your thoughts. They thought she had pneumonia, but here she aspirated water in her lungs. She’s in the hospital in a fragile state. She’s in her 90s, so it’s scary.

Sep15

Productive and Non-productive

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Sunday afternoon was good for me. I finally wrapped up all the pastel things, including teapots and butterflies and packed them away. I got most of the living room cleaned and decorated and started to have an allergy issue. I thought it may be from dust (and there was a lot of it-where does it come from?) But I also feel this was the issue:

We had had Chinese food the night before-I knew it was in it the first bite-way too much. I swore I’d never eat it again (unless the restaurant states they don’t use it, but Bri read most fast food uses it too) and I set myself up for problems. I did make Bri a nice steak dinner, but within an hour after eating,  I felt a bit dizzy (probably my sinuses reacting) and had to lay down. I’m sure I had to pass that toxic dinner out of my system-I’m warning you all! ; )  I did notice the rub for the steak had some in it too. I did start to feel better, but I was a bit scared. I’m about to head for bed. My eyes were bothering me as it was. I sat down to do some ATCs and had to get up.I did go on to watch tv- a new show called ‘Fringe’-interesting and some medical mystery shows-maybe I should have skipped them.

But we also had soy sandwiches for lunch made to resemble chicken. They were on wheat buns and we didn’t care for them-a bit tasteless. I’m not sure if that’s what upset me, but it could have added to it as I don’t eat many soy products. Oy! Hopefully the weather will cool down and we’ll get in the fall frame of mind again. : )

Update-noonish

I didn’t sleep well either. Went to sleep about 4 and had hit the hay at 12:30. I definitely am having allergy issues. Did I say it was 80 degrees last evening?

I’m expecting the dishnet guy here between 1-2, so will try and get my act together.

I got an email from an old friend who is having a rough time. Goes to show, there’s always someone who is going through more stuff than you. I feel so bad for her as she has an Erma Bombeck sense of humor, but her health issues, eyes and post traumatic distress (she lost a daughter several years ago) that she is having trouble coping. I do understand people need to take meds, but if there was some alternative, I’d try that first. I’m one of those people who can’t tolerate meds well. That may be a good thing now, but I hope down the road it won’t effect me too much. Anyway, N, love ya lots!

Sep14

This is September?

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The thermometer already reads 86 and expected to go up to at least 92 which will feel like 100. I think I’ll stay inside and do something quiet as my sinuses around my eyes are complaining.

My mom is seeing a little more each day, though she can’t watch tv. The anesthesia made her act a bit funny (feeling sorry for herself), but she is better today.

I’ve been working on a 18″x20″ canvas that I recycled. I’m giving it to my mom for her birthday. I’m almost finished, just trying to figure out if the top needs more. It’s a collage, with some things that reminds me of her. This lady, from the cover of a catalog, inspired me. I learned my lesson-that this particular paper is so thin and wrinkles or tears like crazy. I should have mounted it on card stock first.

I’ll show you the rest on the 23rd, which in my mom’s 78th birthday.

Brian’s dad is getting help in his house 3 days a week now. He is having a nurse dress his wounds and hopefully help him with other things. He hasn’t slept well for nights on end and is so disheartened. You get to be 85 and stuff like this happens to you. Also, Bri’s aunt has been there a few times now. I knew she would step up as that’s the kind of person she is. We appreciate it so much!

I’m keeping the people in Texas and Louisiana in my thoughts and prayers.

Sep12

Mom update, etc.

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My older brother came and took Mom to her follow up visit. The eye doctor said it was healing slowly and she couldn’t even read the big ‘E’ on the chart yet. I had called her before she left and she was sweeping down the steps! OMG-with an eye so susceptible! What was she thinking? Thank goodness she is loading the eye up with 4-5 different drops. She said she had a monster headache all evening. The doctor said that was probably from the anesthesia. He also said she was probably ‘feeling’ it as the anesthesia was wearing off too soon. Mom said she didn’t sleep well, was thinking about all the mess in her house. I told her to worry about her eyes. My mom mom always said the dust will be around in 100 yrs and you won’t.  Wise woman. Mom gets rechecked on Tuesday-keep thinking about her please. : )

I forgot to mention that we got a new t.v. on Wednesday night. We went with Courtney’s suggestion, and got a 26″ Samsung LCD-HDtv. We need to get the high def hooked up. It has a really great picture, she was correct. I am still getting use to the rectangular format over the square. I’d like it maybe 2″ higher too.  I am so old-fashioned! We’re getting our Dishnet updated on Monday to HD-made those arrangements late in the afternoon. Won’t cost anything and we can sell back the old receivers too. I was talking with the young lady and she had cataract surgery as she got a hockey punk to the eye, sort of a coincidence.

It’s rainy here again. It couldn’t rain when we wanted tomatoes and peppers. And there was again another Philly police officer, a woman, who got killed by a 16 yr driver who went out of control in an SUV (I believe). Our local stations have been televising the funerals-so sad.

This evening-

Saw James Taylor selling his new CD ‘Covers’ on QVC tonight. You know, I wonder if I could have been in the stinkin’ audience? Ahhh! The QVC studio is about 25 minutes from here. I guess I’ll have to see if they have a calendar. James seems to have a deal with QVC as he’s been on before hawking CDs. He’s sure not comfortable doing PR and must have taken 8 sips from his water bottle in 1/2 hour.

I’m working on one of those canvases I bought to alter and so far it’s not proving easy. My main image was the front of a catalog and she is wrinkling-a lot. My friends swear by gel medium and I use tacky glue or Mod Podge. I’ve been sticking little holes in it to get the air out. I will just have to layer more. I painted it with Gesso first, that got a little crackled. Then I added red and gold acrylics. I can see ‘something’. My 3 pieces of large art that I found (two from a Christie’s auction catalog) are pretty. I’ll definitely share one way or another.

Sep12

Show & Tell #9

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I thought I’d share the talent of my mom’s only sibling, my Uncle Don. He is 85 yrs young, a prostate cancer survivor and former music teacher (and coordinator), for an entire school district near Philadelphia. As you can see, he loves birds and painted the Bluejay and carved the Cardinal and Purple Finch for me. The one piece is as old as my son (almost 22) and I should give it to him someday.

Uncle Don has had a rough few years and lives by himself, though his wife is still with us, but in a nursing home. He has a hard time getting around now and can’t drive or do much of anything except worry about his sister. I think she keeps him going sometime. : )

Sep11

One down…

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…and one to go!

My mom did fairly well with her cataract surgery today. She thought it would have been an easier experience though. Said she was really aware of the surgeon’s work. Now if that was the case, I think she would have been hitting the ceiling in pain! It must have been an anesthesia that didn’t knock her out all the way. The cataract was so hard, he had to do it without the use of an ultrasound procedure and do it the old-fashioned way.  She had to go to a seminar last night and the nurse (also the doctor’s wife!) gave it and was there today. Mom said she was so kind to her too. Mom called me a little while ago a bit weepy and needing some TLC. She should have come home with me and then I’d have to take her to the doctor for the follow-up, but it’s a little trip out here, not sure if she was up for it. I was hoping my brother’s would take her some dinner. I got her lunch and she only took a few nibbles of it. She has to put 4 kinds of drops in her eye 4 times a day. I watched her do it the first time and when she called, she was an hour behind with it. Keep her in your thoughts-maybe she’ll see like a 20 yr old again. : )

This was a weird day with it being the 7th anniversary of the attacks. I was at my SIL’s first, she does my hair, and hearing planes going over was making me think back and how close the planes were that horrible day.

A really cool gift to me was being featured on Sherry’s blog- If I could set my soul free. I was so flattered and it really lifted my spirits! Thanks again g/f!