" So Busy, My Heads A Spinnin'"

The last few days have been so busy. A whirlwind of activity if you will. My husband made it home Friday evening. We were both pretty worn out from the week. Katie took off with her friend and our car to church. Jake and I had a few beers, played a couple of games of Trivial Pursuit, then relaxed while watching "Karate Kid", the new version which we both enjoyed before so watched it again. 

My husbands ribs were still pretty sore so he laid on the couch while watching the movie and started to doze off. I covered him with a quilt,put a pillow under his head and put a heating pad on him. Gave him a kiss on the forehead and told him "Goodnight". He slept all through the night on the couch.

Katie was home and in bed by then so I went off to bed. Saturday was crazy. We had so many errands that needed to be done, we ran all over town and managed to do it all before noon. We were both so exhausted from the week. We just laid around all day until dinner time. We both cooked, we all ate, a bit more T.V. and went to bed.

Sunday morning I took Kate to church, came home and then took Jake to his truck as he had to leave. It seems as though we never have any time together anymore. Three maybe four days a month if we're lucky. It's because of his job and the gradual changes that have been happening since the economy has spun out of control. You'd think that we'd be making more money since he is gone longer but that isn't the case.

The higher prices of diesel fuel is hitting these trucking companies hard. This is part of the reason that you are seeing your food and other necessity prices going so high. If things keep going the way they are, many trucking companies will fold and your prices will go even higher. My husband thinks sometimes that we are nearing the end of days. I sometimes feel that way too.

Katie started to feel sick over the weekend and is now feeling horrible. Still she went to school. She had a low fever but says she will not miss school or church. I watch her maturing day by day now, and all the while she reminds me that she will be eighteen next year.

She reminds me of this just so she can enjoy my reaction as I cringe each time she says it. Time is a strange thing. One moment it can seem to drag by. Than another moment you find yourself saying "Where did it go?".

Katie told me this morning that she would really like some homemade chicken soup with homemade noodles. I know that my friends reading this know how much I hate cooking. Even though I like to cook soups, I despise making homemade noodles.

I went to church to work for an hour this morning, ran a few errands and started cooking the chicken at 9:30 a.m. The soup, including the noodles were done by 2:45 p.m. In the meantime I cleaned Kates room and vacuumed it. Since she's been sick she let it go. She called me from school to pick her up early and said "My room needs to be cleaned really bad." to which I replied "No, it doesn't".

My daughter-in-law called me around 12:15 and said "Are the chicken and noodles done yet?". I told her "No" so she said that she would pick up a sandwich and came over for a visit. I love my DIL so much. She has been in our family for 15 years now and I think of her more as a daughter and a friend than a DIL. She loves my chicken and noodles and was with me as I was making the noodles all the while asking what I put in the soup and the noodles. She is an excellent cook. But I don't mind sharing this with her. Her families recipe is different from mine. We had a great visit as we always do. She is very receptive to life. It makes it easy to be around her. I only wished that the soup had been done before she left. I told my son to stop by after work tomorrow and I would give them a container full.

I am sitting here exhausted tonight. After the full and busy weekend, we had some pretty nasty storms last night. The power went out two times which was only the third time in twelve years living here. Not a bad record. This morning was a bit funny though. Katie called me at 6:00a.m. and said, "I'm sorry to wake you but the power is out.".
To make a long story short I got out of bed, dressed and grabbed my flashlight. I headed downstairs to the basement to check the circuit breakers. Half asleep. Katie was standing, waiting in the kitchen.

When I got to the basement I opened the circuit breaker box and stood there with my flashlight looking at all of the breakers. They all seemed to look fine but my mind was very fuzzy. Then I heard Katie holler down the stairs "Mom, the lights are on.". 

All of a sudden I noticed that the basement light was on. While I was still standing there with my flashlight trying to figure it out. I didn't even notice that the lights came on. I had no idea until Kate told me!

Whatever, that's what happens when you haven't had a cup of coffee first! When she first called me, all I could think of was, "How can I make coffee with no power?". We have a gas stove but the ignition is electric. Besides I didn't have my old percolator anymore. But it all worked out thank goodness and I went back upstairs and turned my coffee maker on.

There has been so much more going on these past four days but I am just too tired to elaborate. I will try to visit your blogs tomorrow. Today was just way to long. 

Thank God.

A day that didn't fly by for a change. 

" Surprises "

It feels like a long time since I last posted. I know it's just been a few days but it somehow feels longer. I haven't been doing anything out of the ordinary but I did come across a few little surprises this week.

I wanted to post on Tuesday night but the movie "Up" came on and I just loved that movie. Jake and I watched it a few months ago and we both really enjoyed it so I had to watch it again.

Tuesday I cleaned my little apartment upstairs. Not a big thorough cleaning, just a little straightening up, changed the sheets and such. While upstairs I came across a few little surprises. For weeks now I have been searching everywhere for my favorite bracelet that my husband bought for me for Valentine's Day in 2010. I still haven't found it but I also still haven't given up hope.

One of the things that I found pertains to an upcoming "Collections" post. Inside of this thing that I found, I also found a whole other collection that I had completely forgotten about. It was a very nice surprise but it made me wonder "Do other people completely forget about things that they have?". I really thought that I knew or remembered everything that I owned but I guess not. So now I have two different collections that I will post about soon.

Something else was in this thing that I had given up hope on ever finding. The funny thing is that I was thinking about it just a few days previous. It was a little pendant that I had saved my money to buy when I was in the sixth grade. I remember spotting it in the jewelery case at Sears in Chicago at North and Harlem Avenues. It is very small, I am posting two photos of it. I had a heck of a time capturing the details on it because of it's size.

I can't remember how much it cost but I do remember a five. So I am thinking that it was either $5.00 or $15.00. It is solid silver and has a dancer on it. It almost looks like it's from India to me.

I'm sorry for the poor photo quality but it was the best that I could do.

I really thought that this little pendant was long gone. I have had it for over 40 years. I am going to wear it again. It's been a very long time!

Something else that I came across while cleaning upstairs was my garden journal. I started writing in it in 2006. I was reading through it last night and was amazed by all of the information about my plants that I had wrote and forgot about! Helpful information. I also put photos of the progression of the garden in it and it was fun to look at all of them. Katie was 12 years old when I started it and she made the cover for it, front and back. I love it!

I just love what she wrote on the covers, it's priceless! I also wrote various happenings in our lives over the years in this journal but focused mostly on the garden. For example, I learned that our dog Ruby will be 5 years old this summer. I cannot believe we've had her that long!

I also learned that it was 3 years ago this summer that our little stray dog, Roxy, found her way up our driveway and into our hearts. She was sent to us from God. She showed all the signs of being abused, we took her in and gave her ton's of love. She is truly a sweet and loving little thing!

I remembered how much I loved writing in this journal at the end of a hard days work in the garden sitting under my tree with a glass of wine. It was just heavenly!

I stopped writing in it December 5th 2009. My last post was "Mom passed away." It doesn't seem that long ago as I can still feel that aching pain in my gut when I think about it. I miss her so much, but I also think that it's time that I started writing in it again.

That's mom on the left sitting next to Katie on her eighth grade graduation.

Another little surprise that I found on Wednesday, the daffodils are poking through the ground! Here's a photo of them in bloom from last year.

A sign of spring for sure!

This morning as I dropped Katie off at school, I noticed that it was 

"Bring your tractor to school day.". We live in a farming community and every year the kids in the FFA bring their tractors to school. 

Crazy right? But it is sort of cool!

As usual I didn't have my camera on me so I went home to get it. I must start taking it with me everywhere!!!!!!!

And that's what my last few days have been about. I am still reading "Eat, Pray, Love". I know it takes me forever but I don't read it everyday. It's very good. I want to see the movie when I'm through with it. 

Almost done with my daughters crochet project and have been thinking of a new one. I already have something in mind for someone special.

I am hoping to get a "Collections" post in this weekend but I don't know. My husband should be home and he's in pretty bad shape. I want to take care of him so I may not be back until next week.

Until next time, love to you all. Enjoy your weekend!

" A Collection of My Work "

Hello everyone! 

After my last post on my crochet collection, a few of you requested that I post some photos of my pieces. Well I didn't have anything to do last night so I took a walk through my house and was a bit surprised at how many pieces that I actually had.

Last night also brought with it the full moon. I took a picture of it from my yard. It didn't come out that great but I didn't care as I had the greatest sleep last night. I slept in until 7:00 a.m.!

These were the fingerless gloves that I made for Katie and her friend for a school dance.

My camera case.

A doily.

A very, very soft baby blanket that I made for my Daughter-In-Laws sister who is in pre-labor right now. I am hoping that the baby doesn't arrive until tomorrow which would have been my mom's 73rd birthday!

A Table Runner, cotton doily.

Some much used coasters.

A commode doily. Bet you didn't know that there was such a thing as a commode doily!

Some pot holders.

Doily.

Doily.

A doily. And a purse that I had made for my mom.

A set of Goldilocks and the three bears finger puppets that I had made for Kate, many years ago!

A purse that I had made for Katie, many years ago!

A doily.

Another doily.

An afghan that I had made for my grandmother.

A bit of the detail in the afghan.

More doilies.

My very favorite doily!

A triangle doily. I had a purple one too but I may have given it away.

One of two shawls that I've made. I have a beautiful black one but couldn't find it last night.

One of the sweaters that I made for Katie when she was little. I have made sweaters for myself as well but couldn't do them justice unless I had them on. I couldn't take a photo of myself with them on. Short arms!

Another commode doily!

A little Christmas tree doily. The rest of the Christmas one's are packed away.

A little curtain.

A crazy pillow that I made for Kate.

An adjustable sweater that I made for Ruby.

She hates it and won't wear it!

She wasn't happy about this!

A little pair of britches to hang in the kitchen.

And finally, my last photos for today. I do believe that was the most photos that I have ever posted at one time!

What you will see next is another little toy that I had made for Katie and a few other little girls over the years. It is one of my favorites.

There are three flower people.

That can be put into their little basket...

Which can be closed for safe keeping and carrying around!

That was just a smattering of the things that I have made over the years. I have made many afghans. Clothes, toys and oh yes hats! I have five funky hats that I've made for myself and more for other people. They don't look good on me since I've had short hair.

I tried to get the girls to model them for me when they came home last night but they refused!

After looking at the few thing that I have around my house, it boggles my mind when I think of all of the items that I have made and given away!

So after seeing these items, maybe you can understand why I love this hobby so much. I've had to slow way down over the past several years but I hope that I never have to give this up.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my little collection today!

" An Unnerving Day "

Actually I think it started on Sunday. I've always had trouble sleeping the week before the full moon. After many years of this, I don't need to look at the calender to know when the moon is going to be in it's full glory.

It's sort of funny when I think about the conversation dance that my husband and I have during this week. He's usually always gone. He lives in his truck all but four days of the month. He does this not only to pay the never ending bills in our lives but also because he loves me.

My husband keeps a calender on his dashboard. I rarely look at a calender. He marks off the days. He knows when the moon is going to be full. 

As with many long time married couples, the usual "How did you sleep last night?" question is always asked out of love and concern. On the days when my answer is "I tossed and turned and hardly slept at all." he is always quite. And by his silence at my answer, I know that the full moon is upon us.

This week of sleeplessness used to drive me crazy. As I have aged I have learned that it is best not to fight it. Even though it affects my brain and my body, I know that it is just a temporary state. And once the moon turns completely full, I know that I will once again get some productive sleep. Can sleep be productive? I think it can.

This week proved to be worse than usual as I have had the most horrible dreams. Dreams that you can feel in your heart and soul. Dreams that make you wake up sweating and praying to God to please let it be just a dream. Or rather nightmare.

I made it through the sleeplessness and nightmares so far. But today, today was just unnerving to me. I don't usually scare. I don't usually panic. I have always been the sort of person to say "Alright, this isn't right so lets figure out what to do next." .

When I woke this morning again from a horrible nightmare, I thought "Alright, tomorrow is the full moon. You'll sleep good again and things will be as they should.".

Hanging on hard to this thought I walked my dogs at 5:30 a.m.

It was calm outside. Not as dark as it has been. The suns rays were just peeking over the horizon. I could smell skunk. Strange but also welcome as we have a neighborhood skunk that hangs around in the summer. This was the first time this year that the said skunk had made him or herself noticeable. I took that as a sure sign of spring approaching. It sounds like everything was fine yet I had a chill that ran up my spine and it wasn't from the temperature as it was very warm for 5:30 a.m.

Later this same morning as I was leaving for work I noticed that the wind had really kicked up. I watched the weather earlier and knew that it was supposed to be very windy and warm. Springlike.

While I was cleaning the house that I clean weekly, I kept hearing odd sounds. Sounds in a house that I have been cleaning for at least five years, that I had never heard before. At one point I started to feel very strange. I felt that something was wrong. I felt it deep in my gut. Yet the work and the house went along as usual. Nothing happened.

When I got home later this morning, before noon, I walked the dogs again and felt the same weird feeling. The wind was blowing our old wooden fence, what was left of it after most of it being blown over from a straight line wind storm a few years earlier. It was creaking and moving back and forth with the wind.

 

I walked the dogs hurriedly. I thought that the unnerving feeling would leave my body once inside my home. Close the door. Shut it out. But I was wrong. 

This house is 64 years old. It has settled quite a bit. It feels solid. Yet today I kept hearing noises. Not just from this house but from outside. Voices of neighbors, sirens. Lots of sirens. Much louder than what they usually sound like when inside this house.

I tried to take a nap but again, sleep wouldn't come. The dogs were restless. They wouldn't lay with me. They barked. They sat a bit and barked some more. I gave up on the much needed nap.

 

When it was time to walk the dogs again, mostly because they seemed unnerved themselves, we found Wendy's wrapper papers, Wal-Mart bags and Styrofoam sandwich boxes that had blown all over the driveway and yard. And still I can't explain the odd feeling that had been enveloping me since this morning or since the beginning of the week.

For now all seems to be quite. For this I am grateful. It is 10:00 p.m. Past my bedtime. And just now as I am typing this I am hearing an odd noise outside again. One that I have never heard here before.

I really need some sleep. Good sleep. Innocent baby sleep. 

The strange noise just stopped. 

I don't want to have those horrible nightmares again. I want my house to be quite. I want the neighbors to be quite. I just want some good sleep. I wish that my husband were home. He would make me laugh or make me mad. That would be a good distraction from this really weird and unnerving day that I still don't understand and can't explain except for lack of sleep.

Goodnight and SLEEP TIGHT!

" Collections " Part Two

Hi Folks!

Today I am going to post probably one of my most extensive and expensive collections. It has been a hobby of mine for over twenty years now and is very near and dear to my heart.

It is my crochet collection.

I was taught by my husbands late aunt how to do a single crochet stitch when we first moved to Southern Illinois. His aunt didn't know how to read patterns and I quickly grew bored with just knowing how to do the one stitch. Unless you've crocheted yourself, you couldn't imagine how much time I spent making my first full sized afghan with a single crochet stitch!!

So one day I went out and bought a crochet magazine that showed how to make a simple granny square. I learned all of the abbreviations from this magazine and from there I bought more books about crochet and literally taught myself these skills.

Today I can make anything from a pattern and have even designed my own doilies. Unfortunately however, arthritis and carpal tunnel have slowed down my favorite hobby to the point of near nonexistence.

 Still I manage to work through the pain because that feeling I get of giving something hand crocheted to someone brings me great pleasure.

The first thing that one needs to crochet is a needle or two!!

Personally I don't think that you can have enough needles. And you should have at least one in every size!

 Next you will need to figure out what you want to make. You can get so many ideas from books and magazines. You can also spend hundreds of dollars on these books and magazines. If you do, I hope that you have a husband like mine who never said a word about it!

I have hundreds of magazines. I have long since stopped my subscriptions as I thought "How many patterns can one have?".

The books were all at least twenty dollars each. But they were acquired over years. 

Finally, if you want to crochet you will need some yarn.....

And some more yarn....

And maybe a bit more for good measure!

My absolute favorite thing to crochet is doilies.

For that you will need some crochet thread....

I can never have enough colors!

Someday my dream would be to be able to have the surgery for the carpal tunnel and then have cortisone shots in my hands.

I have had the shots in my hands before and they hurt a lot.

But I will say that the pain was worth all of the time I was able to crochet pain free!

I hope that I never have to give this hobby up completely.

But if I had to, I would have to make sure that someone that loved crocheting as much as I do, would get my collection.

Oh Dear, I just remembered a crochet project that I have promised to my daughter Ginny. I am almost finished with it so I better get on that! She designed my blog header for me, it's the least that I can do!

Thanks for visiting my collection!