I had to include this little guy. He seems to have gotten into some sticky stuff. Could be pancake syrup and then it was Norman...you need a bath. So into the tub he went. What a dog!
Can you believe this...These two are watching a 3 D movie in our living room. It's Beauty and the Beast and the movie house managers are a 3 and 5 year old. The entertainment was great.

Aren't you happy I learned how to post. The house got very quiet around 11 this morning. Wooo...did we notice! So glad to have the happy hub bub of the last few days.

Here you have Andrew working with paper and other stuff and then the last picture he is playing a french horn on the Christmas Tree. Eli has a bib made exactly for his personality that goes right along with the sunglasses. All business with a bow tie. All of us at the table eating Pasties. Well, all but the picture taker who at that moment wasn't eating. And there is little Noah hiding behind his sunglasses which all the little kids received. Fun, fun.

It's the next day.

Now aren't these the cutest pictures...Jacob at the ready...Adam at work and Eli just being Eli...Cute foot and hand! And the dogs...what more can I say. Doesn't Truman look like the commander in chief? Now what would be better is if Andrew and Noah would be added which will probably happen this afternoon when the air will be littered with Christmas wrappings and Pasties are eaten. More pictures folks. I think I've passed the test at least for this morning.

Good grief...another one.

Third time is a charm...well, maybe. Here are some pictures from church showing you the work we did at the beginning at the beginning of Advent. You can also see the restoration work on one of the beautiful hanging light fixtures that are in the sanctuary. What was black is not a beautiful brushed brass including every chain link. New wiring was installed along with new lights and the space is just beautiful. Christmas Eve services were really spectacular. So...I hope you enjoy what you see. Lots of work but so rewarding.

Now...it remains to be seen if all this new teaching stays in my brain overnight. My teachers are hopeful. (Kimmy and Jared)

Christmas No. Two.

Can you tell...I'm having a wonderful teaching moment. I'm being taught! Here are some examples of things that have kept me busy and in a good mood these last few days before Christmas. It's fun, fun stuff for me...Not for some of my friends. It's color and shape and the sewing machine...Yahoo. I call it eye candy. I might get another lesson and you will see even more good stuff. That remains to be seen how patient my teachers are. I'm closing in on the dropping over the cliff for them.

Christmas Day

Wooo...I have family here and I want you to see my newest family member. He, you got it...it's a he is just the cutest thing you ever saw so get ready...Here comes my 4 month latest granddog.

Wed. evening

A little tired here. I've developed somehow an inflammation in my right eye. It's painful, sensitive to light, feeling much like it did immediately after surgery. What caused it...Doc said if he knew he could stop working. So it's drops again and should take about 3 weeks to clear up. Seems to be something new to think about all the time. Last week I decided to do something I wanted to so I played with fabric. I found a wonderful book at the library called Liberated Quilting. The thought is to do what you want to. Well, I've made two baby quilts and they are just so much fun to look at. Lots of color and quilt patches going everywhere. It's liberated for sure. I have one baby to give a quilt to but who knows who will get the second one. I'm wondering if working on quilts made my eye unhappy. Sewing was quite intence. I decided to wrap gifts and that's finished. I need to clean the house, mop the floor and finish thinking about food for the weekend. JB/family are coming Christmas morning. Our family Christmas will happen Sunday. Tomorrow I'm looking at plans to remodel a room at church for visual arts items. Sounds like something I really need to think responsibly about. That happens after Bread and Bowl. It's time for more eye drops and then off to bed.

One very sad thing happened yesterday. Daughter-in-law Kimmy's almost best friend Sammy died. Sammy was Kimmy's first horse and had a very interesting history. First a race horse with some great races, then a therapy horse that was a part of Kimmys sisters rehab from a very serious illness and then Sammy was given to Kimmy to care for. Sammy was a well mannered horse that left anyone ride him...Even me. Great memories but certainly will be missed. Jared has written about Sammy on their blog with lots of pictures posted. That blog is rockinrfarms.blogspot.com

A another week

Well, this has been a snow week. It's all pretty and white and not zero as it was at the beginning of the week. Distributed socks at B and B filled with toiletries. The guys love them. I've done some knitting this week, brought home some liberary books and CD's along with a wonderful wild quilt book. I've started a quilt top that is just simple and crazy all with plain wild colored fabrics. It's a pattern that is easy to do. Hard to make a mistake and lets me play on the sewing machine. Good help at B and B but spent a whole lot of time putting paper products away. Lots of walking but I got some B and B crew members working with me. Yesterday I had a long talk with bro. Jim who is in Mexico for the winter. What fun to visit. Monday I did some shopping but came home and ordered on line. Easier to find and a whole lot easier on the body. Don't need to mess around with shoppers. Yahoo. Most everything is ordered but nothing is wrapped. Maybe next week. I just might put things in brown bags like Mom did. The rest is same old same old.

Friday morning

Life has not been so crazy this week. Thank goodness. It did have it's ups and downs but a little less than last week. Met good friend Janet Wednesday afternoon for a good talk. She was a staff member at North last year and is just a wonderful lady. I made a Xmas stocking for her granddaughter last year and now there is a grandson in the family. Yesterday I put together the grandson's stocking. Lots of fun just playing with happy fabric and interesting trims. I hope to meet her again today and move this second stocking on to her house. Yesterday afternoon I attended a wonderful Holiday program...that's what schools call them now...and saw lots of bears. Cute, cute. Second graders are nothing but cute. I felt like I was driving to Ill. to see the show but it was worth it. Bread and Bowl was very good yesterday. Good help and the folks eating were most appreciative. Second Helpings sent roast beef. Yum, yum. The food was very good. Not much happening today. That's very good news.

Wow...Wow...another Tues. Tues.

I'm way to busy to watch the calendar. Don't understand this time flies thing. I feel like it's gone before it gets here. Last week was decorate the church week and believe me it took all week. Joe Wood was the best help ever but it just takes time to hang wreaths, pull down angels, hang angels, they don't do it by themselves along with filling the nooks and crannies with items of interest. I think again the church visuals tell the story. For many reasons...Last week's good and bad are behind ME! And this week started out with a dentist appointment...Compared with last week (I've left some bad details out of this blog) ...Dentists are very good things. Eye doctor visit on Monday said eyes were on track. I might need reading glasses for very very fine print. Maybe if it's the very fine stuff I don't need to know about. This morning I added to the house decorations. Fun, fun. Same old this week with the exception of Thursday afternoon. My hope is to go el. music teacher and choir friend's December program. It's a second grade presentation of Bears etc. I guess I need to see it to understand it but I'm looking forward to seeing many bear hats put together on my sewing machine along with a few vests. Should be a fun experience with NO stress. I've had enough of that for a whole year. I'm hoping that I'm on the rainbow side of the storm. Tomorrow I'm meeting an old friend Janet W in the afternoon. She needs another xmas stocking for a grandson. I made one for her first granddaughter last year. I sewed up a new kitchen curtain this morning. Red and white strips...It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. Yahoo.

Wow...another Tuesday

That's what the calendar says. We're back from Georgia and we all had a wonderful time. The apple pies flew off the table...all 9 of them. Icecream for breakfast was another something to be mentioned. We broke a lot of rules. Dee spent a lot of time with us watching the 5 little cousin boys and talking about just about everything. We had a visit to the bookstore, glass shop, church, and more. The weather was usually wonderful although it did just a bit of rain. We left Sunday morning at 8;45 stopped for gas once and pulled in the driveway around 6. That's a long ride! Lots of cars on the road. Monday it was down to church to start decorating. Stayed all day and did a bit of driving well, 50 miles come to think of it, to pick up some new things to use at the outside doors. Worked through the evening to get those door decorations finished and then today it was back to church to work with friend Joe with a huge put up things day. I would say we are about 90 % finished although Joe can think of so many new things to do. He was on the 12 ft. ladder for a big part of the morning. This afternoon I'm pouring the Christ Candle. It's 10 pounds of wax in a 4 inch pvc pipe that is about 2 feet tall. I've done these for so many years and it's something that I'm happy to say is finished I think for this year. We seem to have candle issues almost every year. I loaned out our Christ Candle for another event and it wasn't cared for as it should have been. What a bummer, A new one needed to be poured. When will I learn. I'm sitting for a spell this afternoon and Doug said lets eat out. I'm such a bad cook because it just needs to be done over and over again. 42 years is enough I guess. My knee has had a work out and I'm still having flashes of white on the side of one eye. Things are still in the healing mode. Tomorrow I'm on the desk at church and then Joe and I will finish up things in the afternoon. Yahoo...no bell practice for me Wed nights. Thursday is soup kitchen and Choir practice has been moved to Sunday mornings so that's a plus I guess. I need to do some sewing for a friend Kelly. Kelly is a pub. school music teacher and I've been making bear hats for her. She needs more along with some white vests. Life is busy but good.

Tuesday in Carmel

The car is packed with food and clothes and we will be on the road soon for Georgia. We're taking two days...(retired folks) for the trip. I would imagine that everyone will be passing the little Honda but that's just fine. The sun is shining and we'll enjoy the trip. Kids and families are coming as well as Rick from Texas. Brothers will have a great time connecting again and the five little grandsons will play and play. It's boy time...10 guys and 3 ladies. Should be a blast.

The next Friday

The best thing that has happened is that my eyes continue to get better and better. It's 20/30 in one eye and 20/25 in the other. And the word is that it should get even better in the next weeks. I probably need some help threading the sewing machine needle but not much. We had a big work day Monday creating 4 huge wreaths and making other decorating decisions for church. That's WORK. Before I did that I decorated our own tree at home. Stockings are hung and I'm hoping to work on the diningroom and kitchen soon. That's such a great thing to think about it being finished. Yahoo. Today I got the car serviced for the trip to Georgia and I'm finishing up some church decorating things. It's never finished but it's closer to being finished. Tomorrow I'm meeting Patty and we're going to make more decisions about the renivation of the visual arts catch all room here at church. Cabinets will be built among other decisions. It's a busy life and I like it. I continue not to miss my wed. bell practice. That put me over the top and I'm glad I have another night at home. I'll probably do a bit of grocery shopping for Georgia on Monday. And...we plan to leave sometime Tuesday. It should be an easy trip. At least that's my goal.

Friday

It's been an interesting week. Wed. I went back to the eye doc and the second eye is doing well. I said I could see Russia from my kitchen window. Well not quite but maybe it's Alaska I can see. Distance is great and reading is becoming easier and easier. No big print for me anymore. There could be some more improvement in the next three weeks. We'll see. The newspaper is a bit of a stretch but I read the headlines and then get on the Internet with Indystar.com and read on line what I really want to read. The newspaper contrast is not good. Not enough black ink. Doug and I are working on getting trunks to Kenya at this point. SEM left 5 to send and we are down to three. Not bad for a weeks work of trying to find folks going who can take a trunk with them. Did choir last night. Eyes really got tired but I made it through. This morning I had my three month check up with the regular doc and that went well as it usually does. The sewing machine is back and I'm on to some great stuff for a choir friend music teacher who needs stuff made for her Christmas program. It's simple but I can get that crossed off my to do list one of these days. Today Andrew Russell is 4 years old. Such a treat of a grandson as well as all the other 4 grandsons. Yup...just another reminder that granddaughters don't rule in this family.
Happy Birthday Andrew.

Tuesday

Well, the Colts lost. What a game and Collie is down again. So many guys hurt. The Bengals are next and I hope it's a win for us. Today the second cataract came off. I am wearing a huge eye guard and will wear two guards for 7 nights. Lots of drops are going in 4 times a day. Tomorrow it's back to the doc to have today's eye looked at. Already I can tell that I am seeing better. And that should continue to get even better. I asked a lot of questions today and got answers that helped me understand different lenses and what happened to Doug when he needed more lazer surgery after his two lens surgeries. I just asked and asked and the doc just was so unhurried in his answers. So...in three weeks all should be healed again. Doug and I continue to walk around the block about every day to strengthen my knee. I'm taking a break from the stationary bike until my eyes are down the healing path a bit longer. I'm writing a bit bigger so that I can read what I'm typing. So that's it for the last two days.

Sunday afternoon

And...it's almost time for the Colts to play at Philadelphia. We have so many injuries. Will be interesting to see what happens. Busy morning at church. Lots of folks at Hospitality. I thought we were overpowered with pastries but it appears that all was needed. It's just full of people time. Last Sunday Doug made 24 pots of coffee. Andrew sang with the Joyful Noise group this morning. It's a bunch of 3 year olds and I hope that Kat posts pictures. They were so full of joyful noise...Andrew being one of the biggest maker of joyful noise. Zack...was a very little man was one of the songs. Andrew was so CUTE and so intense on doing his job.

PT is now over and I'm out on my own walking almost every day around the block and the stationary bike gets at least 10 minutes of my time. It's that old strength thing that needs big improvement.

We had a long but important choir retreat Sat. singing lots of new Christmas songs. Fun, fun but lots of work. It went from 8 to almost 3.

Tomorrow and Tuesday should prove to be very interesting days. It's take off the cataracts days. One tomorrow and one Tuesday. That starts with a pick up person arriving here at 6:15. It will be a long day. Doug says there is lots of sitting around so I'm taking my third super bowl scarf to knit on. I'm really hoping I can concentrate on what I'm doing. I wasn't so good about that after the knee surgery. Made way to many mistakes. Just couldn't remember purl three, knit three, purl three, knit three. Well, it could have been the drugs come to think of it.

OK...now to the TV and go Colts.

Tuesday

The weather continues to be good walking weather so this afternoon Doug and I walked around the block. This morning was my last PT...I passed the test. The progress will be slow but steady and that's fine with me. Steps still continue to be a problem but that will improve with time. I discovered that my PT lady Nineta lives at the end of our street. Small world. So...she said...knock on my door when you have a question. She also walks around the block. Small world.

I checked out the Monon Center which has equipment, walking track and I think that will be a good place to go during some of the winter months. That is if I can find some time to do that.

I went shopping today for Andrew's birthday. He is having a party Sunday but his birthday is on the 12th. I got some Toy Story things.

Great football game last night. Payton Manning just makes the game so interesting. He's a whizz at problem solving and the game has a lot of places to practice that skill.

Where does it go?

I'm talking about hours, minutes and seconds and days. It's flying away for sure. This week has been busy as usual. I've quite handbells and that was a good decision. I think I've been playing for at least 10 years. Time to quit. The weather has been beautiful. A little windy at the beginning of the week but today is cool dry and sunny. We had a great storm on Tuesday washing the air. I shopped with Sarah Ellen for most of the day Tuesday. My knee really reminded me of that all night Tuesday. I finally iced it at 4 am in the morning. What a night! That has been the last bad night of the week. Thursday was Bread and Bowl and I think we fed at least 90 people. It was soooo busy and we ran out of food around closing time. Doing some knitting and trying to keep things a little simple. My PT with traveling up and down stairs is really stretching what I can do easily. My knee just needs to get stronger. This appears to be a longer process than I thought. Well, what do I know. Haven't had knee surgery before so I don't know. That's it for a beautiful Friday.

Sunday Afternoon

Well, today was a big day followed by an even bigger Saturday so I'm just slow this afternoon. Yesterday morning was a big rehearsal for the Sandi Patty event. It went well. But it was nearly 3 hrs. long. Wooo...Then in the evening I went to the Kenya Gala for a huge evening of food and Kenya videos, Kenya speakers as well as speakers from this side of the pond. It was fun and very good to hear reports of the IU Kenya project along with Ampath reports. This morning we were early to church and got the Hospitality jobs going and then off to a last minute rehearsal and then two church services which were wonderful. Woo...don't want to do that every weekend though for sure. This afternoon I've been sleeping and just being lazy. Feels good. Tonight at 6 Sec. Presb. is doing a wonderful concert of music and I'm thinking about doing that. Should be an evening of sitting and listening to someone else do the work. That might be a good thing. This afternoon has been sunny, cloudy, a little rain and then a repeat. Funny weather. This next week is not very busy. What a gift. Tuesday I'm spending breakfast with SEM and then doing some shopping for Kenya. That is a bi-annual event. I've quite bells so Wed. evening is mine! Yahoo. I'm still working the desk on Wed. morning and that means that I'm answering the phone and talking to people who come through the church door.
I'm laying off PT for this week. PT lady is on vacation. But...I'm almost finished...I hope. Knee is still not very strong but I think time should help that. Sometimes stairs are harder than they should be. That's it for now.

Tuesday in Carmel

Today was a day I've been looking forward to. I saw the surgeon this morning. X-rays were taken and I saw the metal knee that I now have. Looked impressive to me. The better part yet was the fact that because I attended early to my knee I got away with apart of a total replacement. So...bum knee people. Get with it and go before the bone is crippled. Much easier and quicker healing than a total if you can find a Doctor skilled to do the surgery. It's a trickier surgery but my doc invented a new procedure to insert a device he designed with a much smaller incision to get it in. I will still say there is a fair amount of pain. That part is over and I'm a happy camper. I still have three more PT sessions and then I'm free to be me. Stairs still present problems but getting better little by little. Elevators are my friend. This afternoon I went shopping at Good Will. What bargains if one shops. I found two dress jackets but left them there because tomorrow Senior Cit. get 30% off. I REALLY like bargains. They probably will be 3 bucks a piece. This particular store has great stuff for professional people.
Yesterday I was feeling so good that I swept, dusted and threw out a ton of stuff. Now that's a really good feeling. I love it when I can make decisions. More closets to go. Summer clothes are packed away and the drawers are full of winter stuff. I locked up all the windows ready for the furnace to go on. Tomorrow brother Jim is coming to see Mary K and I. I'll be busy in the morning and evening but will find time to see him in the afternoon. I don't know how long he will be here but I'm always sooooooo happy to see him.

It's been a week.

Time flys lately. PT continues. Some days are better than others but I really don't have much to complain about the knee. I have an excellent PT lady. She just knows what to do to make my knee better by the time PT is over. I am grateful for her. I've been busy knitting the second 2012 Super Bowl volunteer scarf. Eric is bring me yarn and people all over Indiana will do a total of 8000 scarves used to indentify those who volunteer to work during the Super bowl week. I also finished a Holloween costume for Andrew. He is to be the Rey charactor, the Man with the Yellow Hat and Noah is going to be Curious George. Now Andrew has a yellow suit and tie. Noah is wearing a previous Holloween monkey costume worn by Andrew. Kat and Eric take the children to Castleton Square for a huge party. Merchants hand out candy.

The weather finally feels like fall. We had a short rain but the ground is powder. This afternoon I managed to fill another garbage container with dead flower clippings. One container was enough for me. I haven't taken pain pills now for a week. I discovered one of the few benifits to pills was that they covered up a lot of stuff leaving me to do things that were probably not the best. I hope I have more sense. Attended choir last night. Our Financial Drive Sunday is on the 24th. Sandy Patty is coming and it should be a grand big Sunday of music. The church budget is 1,600,000 this year. That takes a lot of singing. I'm beginning to feel a nap coming on.

Another Friday

This week is almost over. I've been busy with the usual stuff. PT has had it's ups and downs. My goal was to have a 4 week session but it has turned into at least a 6 weeks session. PT lady found some stuff I couldn't do yesterday. It's weak muscles. Not unexpected in knee surgery. The area around the insision is so tight and unbendable and with massage it gets really loose. I say I have had healing hands working on my knee. Nanita is wonderful. I stayed home from Choir last night. Just not up to doing a whole lot of work. Sleep and night pain still needs to improve. It's always something.

I started to knit the second Super Bowl wool scarf. Thousands are being knitted and will be used by the volunteers who are working the Super bowl in 2012. Mary K has one scarf to knit. I don't think she has knitted for years. Wool yarn really knits up nicely. Fun to do. Nothing on the calendar today or tomorrow. Yahoo. I have to laugh about knitting my first scarf right after the surgery. I made so many mistakes and had to unknit so much. The brain had way to much drug medication to translate instructions to my hands. It's knit 3 purl 3. That sequence can be very hard when on drugs. This time it's better.

I have some sweatshirts and PJ's to mail to the Michigan little kids. I need to look for a box. I love my sewing machine. There is a 50% sale on Fleece this coming Sun and Monday. There is such cute little children stuff on the market. A sweatshirt takes about 5/8's of a yard. Got to sew before the kids get to big.

A whole weekend gone

My...it's been a busy noisy weekend. All 5 grandsons 5 and under and their two crazy dads made lots of noise. What a happy weekend. JB/family came Friday afternoon with Andrew here to welcome them even thought he showed total confusion when they pulled in the driveway not knowing that he was going to see his cousins. It was a great memory. Saturday turned out to be rainy...What a surprise so the day was spent in the house. Woo...that was interesting. I finally decided to pull out of the wild entertainment and work on sewing PJ's for the boys in a quieter spot. I got their measurements and finished Andrews Toy Story Flannel and Sunday and today I've finished Jacob/Adam's John Deere Flannel PJ's. It's been a fun project. I'll take them to Georgia for their first wearing. That's a Thanksgiving trip. Today I'm having lunch with my old teaching buddies, late afternoon I'm decorating tables for a Kenya meeting of ladies at St. Lukes.
Ellen Daniels-Howell is doing a program on Kenya. I always bring the dog and pony part of the speech. That's about it for the day. It's a bit cooler today. The chill is in the air. Jared reported this morning that they had a hard frost. BRRRRR.

A whole week gone

Well, the knee continues to do good things most of the time. Yesterday I managed to pull out enough dead flowers etc. to fill a garbage container. I'm knitting hats again and doing a tab bit on the sewing machine. PT was very good yesterday. My regular lady was at another location and my new PT ran me through the wringer. Good for her. Flexibility and Strength are the two big ones at this point. She had no mercy. My biggest problem is sleeping meaning that when the knee is against the mattress it really gets sore and there is NO comfortable position but to get up for a while. I think I'm a ressless sleeper. That's where the computer comes in and the blogging happens. I've joined a church discussion group who have read the Pheonix Affirmations. Good group and good book. We're meeting once a week at a restaurant which really dresses up the discussion. Yum, yum.
I'm volunteering at the church desk today and planning to rehearse handbells tonight. I hope this is not loading me up to much. I guess time will tell.

Guess what again.

Well, PT is over for the day and the answer to guess what again is that this whole recuperation is going to have LOTS of good and bad days. What a wake up call. So...the goal to get off pain pills should be scrapped first of all and then expect that this is not going to be a steady uphill battle to health. Wow. what a slap in the face. Guess I'm not special...just ordinary like 99% of the population. We're going to Steak and Shake for supper if I can walk. There's got to be some good something for today. The morning meeting at Sec. Presb. went well and once again being with a group of terrific ladies really had it's good memory moments. I started working on a wall hanging that has the big 5 animals of Africa printed on it. I want to spiffy it up and give it to my friend Megan who is an IU medical residency student in Eldoret Kenya right now working with children. I think her goal is to work in Kenya when her med. school experience if finished. She is a Kenya NUT. Seems I know more of those. I'm staying busy with a bunch of stuff. I'm happy about that. So...pain pills...here I come. The container is almost empty so there will be a refill. Boo. but necessary so it seems.

Gurss what?

I had a great time at P. Hefner's last night. Great salad supper and wonderful conversation around the table using the intro to Phoenix Affirmations. Just a super evening. But...good grief. I don't think I have sat in the same spot for 2 hrs and yup...you know it. I had big time stiffness with stabs of pain getting up and walking out. Uck, Uck. Now what's going on. Three steps forward and then one or two backwards. I'm really trying very hard not to take pills for pain but haven't reached that goal yet. I think there might be a build up of what happens all day and the evenings just let me have it.

This morning I feel lilke I need the walker again. Poooo. Boooo. OK. Ada...just remember the ups and downs of this knee thing. I hope I do if the second knee needs attention. Remind me if I don't. I really want to go to the Umoja meeting this morning at Sec Presb. That place is huge and there will be lots of walking unless they have wheelchairs. I'm hoping to be lucky. African Placmats are all completed. I think there are about 40. They are for sale and we'll have them available at an Oct. 4th meeting at St. Lukes.

Then it's PT this afternoon. Still don't have car keys and you know...I don't think I need them today. Someone else can do the driving.

Tuesday Noon

I've been to see the doc. This knee is getting well. No white stockings. Strips have been taken off the 4 inch incisions and it looks very healthy. I've pitched the walker and back on a cane. I'm feeling closer to being completely well. Now...when I can turn the key in the car...I'll be free as a butterfly. That should come very soon if Doug lets that happen. Tonight I'm going to friend P. Hef. joining a group of friends for supper and a book discussion on the Pheonix Affirmation. Very, very good book. Doug will take me and someone will bring me home. Where are those car keys?

Tomorrow at 10, I'm going to a meeting at Sec. Presb. Church. The group is forming to be a ladies support group on this side of the ocean relating to a group of ladies in western Kenya affiliated with Umoja a program whoes goal is to keep children, many being orphans in school completing their highschool education.

PT tomorrow afternoon. It makes such a difference and I'm delighted to get this knee going again. So...I'd better stop writing and get my first of two home sessions in today. So long.

Sat. morning

Well, healing is not as dependable as I would like to have it. Some days are better than others and ofcourse nothing is fast enough. So...slow down lady. Take advantage of what ever there is to take advantage of. Took two pain pills to sleep last night. Sleep usually comes in 2 hr hitches. Then it's up and checking on the internet to see what else is out there...then back to bed when the pain is under control for another 2 hrs. etc. etc. But you know...a couple of naps a day makes life better. I'm doing my PT which is causing some swelling. I think that is unavoidable. So...the white stocking is back on and keeping the leg on ice is the order of the day. My doctor check up is Tuesday. I continue to knit and am working on another set of African placemats. I think this set will have some machine sewing which at this point is easy to do. Gives that right foot a little well deserved exercise. The weather has been an A+++++ Cool enough to wear a sweater in the morning. The bees seemed to have disappeared on the patio. It's as dry as the desert in the dry season. Kipiti Plane has arrived in central Indiana. Not much happening today. Haven't decided if church is a good idea tomorrow. It's a very long morning and nothing is gained if the rest of the day is miserable. I'll do some good thinking. Tomorrow evening is the Manning Bowl. It's a brother football game for sure. That's it from here.

Wed. evening

Well, today was first day of PT...most of the time was spent with evaluation of what I can and cannot do. I have a list of things to work on. My knee really stiffened up after all the pushing and shoving. I would expect the same tomorrow. I have been able to cut back on the pills. Yahoo. Makes me feel a bit with it. Infact since noon I've only taken 2. I'm hoping to cut back a bit for sleeping. Busy today with putting together another set of African silk screened placemats. There are 8 ready for some fancy stitching to beef them up a bit. Tomorrow Rosie and Peggy are coming for lunch. My request was beef broth and sherbet. If the weather is good we'll sit out on the patio. Bees seem to be a problem at times. Did some knitting today but still falling asleep and just making crazy mistakes so I just went on to something else. I need a clearer head. How could I mess up purl 3 knit 3 purl 3 knit 3. Well, I can. Our cable TV is on the fritz so the repair man is coming tomorrow. Can't figure out what it is but there is something going on. Thats about it. Life goes on. Choir practice tomorrow evening. I just might go and sit a spell. And then I might just stay home.

Tuesday morning

Things are a little slow. That's good because I keep falling asleep. It's the pain pills. They are working well. I'm trying to take one instead of two and every 5 hr.s instead of 4. We'll see how that works. Night sleeping is better. The walker is getting me around and I'm working on a second set of African placemats. That's been fun. Eric also brought me blue and white colts colored yarn. The Superbowl 2011 is here in Indy and 8000 long scarves are being knitted for the volunteers for that event. There are two suggested patterns. The blue is really dark blue and one needs to be very careful when knitting that yarn. Dropped stitches are hard to see. Slowing down is the best piece of advice when doing blue. The pattern is easy and looks very complicated. Not much planned for today. Tomorrow afternoon at 1 therapy starts at St. Vincents Out patient care. I'm doing the same thing here at home or I think it will be the same thing. Not to difficult. Just following instructions. It's cloudy and cool this morning. The best kind of weather when one needs to wear long white stockings to prevent blood clots. It's just part of the story. I'm going to put my noes out the door to see what our new doors and painting job look like. Hopefully the house looks better and will be warmer this winter.

Sunday

It's over. Well, some of it is over and some is not. I'm on the mend and trying to keep my mind going. I'm taking lots of pain killers and am happy to do that. Sleeping, sewing, doing rehab and just hoping to survive. It's the slow life for sure. Outpatient rehab starts tomorrow. I did have one huge scare this morning. Doug went to church and I promised to stay on the upper level which I did but I was standing and lost my balance. Don't think I hurt anything but I did land on the floor. That might have been a blessing making me realizing that I'm not as good as I thought I was. So...it's caution time and it's been proven to me that I need that. I got home yesterday...Sat. around 4 pm.

One more sleep

Old knee out and new knee in...One more sleep. I've got to make a bunch of calls back to hospital people I missed yesterday. Questions to answer. Yesterday was a busy, busy day. Shopped at Meijers for Sunday Hospitality. Then off to church to stock the refrigerator and order missing items for Bread and Bowl which will be delivered today. Then to the fabric store. Judy W. gave me a big stash of fabric from S. Africa. Most of it is printed fabric ready to make placemats. We will sell them at an Oct. meeting at St. Lukes. That is after I finish all of them. Then out to lunch with the Muldoons bunch of retired teachers. Friends, friends for ever. Then I went to Mamlins to wait for a TV man to install Cable for Colts games this fall. We're getting ready for SEM and Joe to make their Oct. visit. I got home a little after 5 and then to S and Shake to tired to eat very much. But...I got everything finished as planned. Yahoo. This morning I'm working the front desk at church, making call backs to all those hospital folks and packing my bag this afternoon. I'm taking knitting making little hats for newborn babies in Kenya, good books and trash books and out of the bed cloths. Rehab...here I come. This should be one interesting experience.

First grandson Jacob hit the floor running with his backpack and off to kindergarten for the first day yesterday. He rode the bus both ways. What a grown up kid is appearing in Kimmy's blog pictures. Kimmy says...these first 5 years have flown. I would agree big time. Many, many wishes for success go to Jacob. What an exciting time for all of us.

The weather is still horrible. No rain and the outside world has dried up. Nothing much worse than dried up flowerbeds, grass and rain that just doesn't come and wash the air. I usually do a bunch of patio sitting this time of year but that's a bummer as well. I shouldn't complain thinking about the area southeast of Kenya that hasn't received rain in two years. That thought should tell me that I'm blessed.

If you need a good book to read...try Pheonix Affirmation by Eric Elnes. Makes me think that someone thinks like I do about world religions and a lot of other things. .

This time Sunday

It's Labor Day weekend. The weather is cool and clear and dry. Dry is the big word. The lawns are burned brown but the air is wonderful. Yesterday was the Kenya Carnival at Sec. Presb. What a day of fresh young energy working toward providing 100 high school students in western Kenya with tuition money for school. The goal to raise 32,000.00 dollars was realized because church youth groups chose to work during the year as well at the carnival toward their goal. And the larger church family in ten churches in central Indiana pitched in as well. The larger church family is a coalition of faiths, protestant, catholic, jewish congregations as well as a huge muslim congregation whos youth raised $10,000.

The slogan is Ken-ya help us...the answer is Yes, you can. And they did. It was a busy day. Today the choir was back in great form. Church was good. I'm continuing to march toward Thursday. My good church friend Dr. Tom...the orthopedic bone man really got me more ready to go. Looking forward to a nerve block...they are wonderful but they always could last longer. He thinks drugs will not be a big part of the treatment. That's a big whopp for me! We'll see. I made a trip to the fabric store to get material to do a few little things while on the fritz. A stack of books are ready to go and I'm doing a bit of clean up in the garden. I figure I might just wear out this knee completely. I'm loving my cane...can't do without it.

good morning

Woo...monday. Hot once again in Carmel. I'm ready for cooler longer.

Moving right along to knee day. At this point time can't pass to quickly. Having a bum knee is a bummer. I'm still able to do most of what I usually do but it's just done a bit slower with my trusty cane. Can't take any more pain killers because of surgery coming. The garden is so dry and I refuse to pull a hose around at this point. I pulled a few zinnia which were dead. The rest of the flower beds look pretty bad at this point. We have many butterfly bushes that came up volunteer and the butterfly population flying around is impressive on any given day. Doug has some impressive pictures.

I swept the patio yesterday which hadn't happened for at least two months. Looks better. We had a new garage door installed last week and new doors for the house will go in on Tuesday. The winter should be warmer for sure. I've been doing a bit of hand sewing having fun with a new something for the little kids Christmas. I'm following two new blogs written by North people who are in Kenya, one a doctor who will be there for two months and the other...two highschool girls who will be there for three months. It's the next best thing to being there.

It's time for the paper to be here so it's hippy hop to the mailbox and then a cup of coffee.

Seven days later

It's almost at the end of the week again. Happens 52 times a year! Dah! Lots going on this week. Soup kitchen yesterday was once again a fun time. We laugh at each other all the time. Lots of new people came to eat and we had enough food for all. Thursday has the best help. We work hard but just enjoy getting the job completed in time for the 11:00 opening time.

This week we have been collecting quotes on garage door and doors for the rest of the house. They are all way past unsatisfactory. So...the next few weeks should see some changes around here. I would hope the house would be warmer this winter. Way to many leaks.

Last fall I joined the Indianapolis Quilters Guild and was given a ton(almost) of 6 inch squares all with different fabrics. Last week I decided to make yo, yo patches with them. They are time consuming but fun to make so now the little basket is full and I'm going to keep going for a while. They are 1 1/2 inches across when completed. I hope to make a vest or something like that with them some day. I'll need hundreds and hundreds. I think I'm up to around 75. Should be good for sitting with a healing knee in a few weeks. I think yo,yos look very Victorian which I certainly am not.

The cane continues to be a huge help. It's a bummer when it comes to carrying things which takes two hands. I've figured out that putting things in a bag is a solution. (I'm remembering my old neighbor Annie, when I was very young, who walked with a cane because of sore knees. I must be that old lady now. My dad kept his knees wrapped for a long time. I remember them being huge which my knee matches well. ) Wed. night Eric and Kat and kids came out for supper. We had a blast. I made some Toy Story things for Andrew, dug potatoes with Andrew helping and discovering how sweetcorn grows and how squash and tomatoes grow. Andrew was most expressive when he realized where the sweetcorn and potatoes came from. Doug dug and Andrew picked through the potatoes. We did a lot of picking tomatoes, and squash. We also moved some chairs around so that one will work for me in the sewing room after 9/9. It sleeps (sitting up) just as well as the futon did. The futon is going to Goodwill or somewhere like that. It was replaced with a chair much smaller fitting the room better.

Today I'm working with the car insurance co. Seems that a person abruptly turned into their drive way on Meridian street Wed...the next car came to a quick stop and I being the third car didn't quite make it to a quick stop stage but hit the second car. Booo, Hoooooo. If I had had another foot I would have made it. My hood has a little crimp. But the radiator was not messed up. That fix might just happen when my knee gets fixed. Goodness...it's garage door...inside doors...car...and knee. We should be good to go in a few months. OOPs...forgot...add cataracts to that fixed part. I found out Monday that should happen after the knee. Good grief. Christmas should be the best one ever. It's big time maintenance time for a lot of things. Last year was Doug's turn...It's my turn now. I hope to get a 15 year warrenty at least.

Last Thursday I went to a wonderful presentation on quilt fusing. The presenter was Laura Wasilowski from Wisconson...She is a female Garrison Keeler. Funny,funny lady. Amazon.Com is sending me one of her books...$4.00 by amazon...$27.00 from her. Looking forward to reading more on fusing. I should check out the library today for fusing information. That's after I talk to the insurance co. Uck.

Goodness I'm wordy this morning. Time to see what the TV is thinking is going on in the world. One thing I do know...It's cold in Copper Harbor. 50's at night...It's hot in Indy once again. 90's for sure. Fans keep running.

Almost the end of the week

Friday evening. It's been a scorcher all week. Today 97. I'm hoping temps moderate soon. Most camping clothes are back where they should be. Tent and things stored in the garage are not stored. Might happen by Oct. I've spent mornings spiffying up the garden beds. Weeds take up to much moisture. So...I have another huge garbage container full of weeds and clippings. Wed. night I stepped on a yellowjacket hole in the ground while I was clipping day lillies. Doug told me about it at least a month ago. Did I remember...NO. Got me once on the ankle. Wow...once is more than enough. Nothing hurts as much as a yellow jacket bee sting. We sprayed the hole full last night and it seems they have gone to bee heaven or hell. I worked at church Wed. morning and a couple of hours today. Thursday was Soup Kitchen day. We have sooooo much fun Thursdays. It's one thing after another. The crew is wonderfully positive never afraid to mince words. It just comes out funny, funny. We served about 50 people and put another shippment of food on the shelves. Hope it lasts a month. Thursday was another wedding anniversary. 43 Went to Mark Pi's for supper. Way to much food so we ate the left overs tonight. Nothing planned for tomorrow so might get some furniture moved around getting ready for the 9th of Sept. It will be a walker for a while. The cane so far has been a wonderful help. Woooo, Wooo. for canes. Last night the sleeping was wonderful. I'm hoping for the same tonight.

Four more Superior memories

Doug sitting on his green chair wearing his blue hat making walking sticks for the three biggest grandsons.
Doug strolling Noah as Kat and Eric pack up to leave.
Doug telling Eli all of his goofie nursery rhymes and Jacob repeating them as Mother Goose would say them.
The grand picture of the Russell MEN! Grandsons, sons and father to the sons at the picnic table. That a repeat for the next camping trip when we all are together.
There are more memories but you all get the idea. Who says there is nothing to do in Copper Harbor? That's a bad joke!

Two weeks worth of Superior memories.

It's a long way to Copper Harbor. Did it in two days going and coming home. Big Yahoo
Saw way to much corn and soybeans growing. But...loved every minute of watching the wind farms working mostly in northern Indiana.
Listening to Andrew rationalizing that he needed to play with his cousins! Please, please.
All 4 kids playing in the sand around the fire pit. No fire in the pit! Good idea.
Having breakfast of pancakes at the old folks tent! Love those grandsons! and their parents. Yahoo, and yahoo.
I think we use 6 boxes of pancake mix and some Kimmy Packets during the two weeks along with jarsssss (how many????)of syrup.
Having all the campers minus sleeping Noah and Kat staying with sleeping Noah on the Central Mine. We found a huge bone that we think is part of a bear backbone. Andrew has it.
Hearing a loon and someone spotted bald eagles and a porcupine and a deer but no bears.
Meeting up at the icecream shop in the evening. Yum, yum. Watching the kids play on the icecream truck and running down the hill. Then hearing them play icecream store at our campsites.
Visiting with George and Breanda.
Hearing Andrew play 4 icecream "drum" at the campsite.
Visiting at the pot shot. Thanks Leslie and Dennis. Christmas is coming kids.
Eating at the Pines...who wants to cook!
Eating smoked fish on the pier watching the gulls and boats come and go.
Hiking over to the stony beach.
Playing with the kids at Great Sand Bay.
Stopping at the Jam Pot for cookies
Getting Pastys at Tonys and the Jam Pot...Toaster Oven comes in handy for the frozen ones.
During the rain storm watching Adam soak his head in the rain pouring off our dining fly.
Adam eating rocks. Crazy boy.
Eli taking everything in.
Noah looking through his dining fly eating his meals watching Grandma and Grandpa and smiling ALL the time.
Checking out the first hole in Jacob's mouth. The tooth fairy brought a GOLD dollar. That tooth fairy goes everywhere.
Watching Andrew take off on his bike near the end of the two weeks wanting to do it again and again.
Attending a WONDERFUL quilt history lecture at St. Ann's in Calumet. That really was worth while.
Reading 6 books. Some absolutely worthless and some as mind engaging as the Shack.
Knitting more baby hats for babies in Kenya.
Listening and watching Battery D at the fort. Not a favorite of Andrews for sure.
Reading the Mining Gazette that had absolutely little news for anyone but the local folks. Well the lift bridge did get stuck which made the headlines for three days. That's a pretty important bridge if you need to get to Houghton!
The kids eating Grandpa's Poptarts.
Some nights were a little warm but most were a little cool. Sleeping bags came in handy.
Watching the sun set on Brockway mt.
Listening to all the comments about my kitchen...Micro wave...toaster oven...electric skillet...electric water heating pot... But...the kids used the micro wave and toaster oven and the electric skillet made pancakes every morning and the water heated made washing dishes easier.
I love electricity. I camped without it for far to long.
Watching Eric and Jared race to see who could get to the wood left by campers as they departed the campgrounds. That has been going on since they were very little.

It was a fabulous two weeks particularly with having Eric and Jared with their families. Never a dull moment. We packed up about 5 hrs after they left and went in to town...got a motel room because of the roomer that Sunday was to be a full day of rain...(didn't happen). Packing up in the rain is not fun. Been there and done that!!! I imagine the bed at King Copper was the next thing to heaven! Air mattress are great but beds are better. And the floor is flat! We had Breakfast at the Pines and then on to eventually Indy. Love that Lake!

I took with me a bum knee. I was a bit worried but it all worked out fairly well with my trusty cane which was used ALL the time. I probably didn't walk as much but I did do what I wanted to do. Couldn't have done it without the cane which I have named Miss Clavel. She looked after Madeline and is now looking after me. I get a bit upset when I can't find her. LR

Woo, Woo

Maybe 2 more sleeps. Woo...Fun, fun is part of my life for the next two weeks. Looking forward to lots of interesting days. The knee has really misbehaved this past weekend. That might have been the best thing to happen because it really has taught me to take more care before it just completely is gone. I don't need another weekend like that for sure ever again. Most of the packing is finished and it's on to the truck Friday. Working the front desk today, tomorrow is B and B. Sewing machine is going to the SM doctor today. It's a little out of wack. It's been very hot in Indy but we'll be in the cool zone soon with all the family. 5 grandsons! Couldn't be better. Yahoo.

Fri. Eve

One week from tomorrow...we're on the road to cooler weather. Yahoo. Things are gathering in the bedroom, living room, dinning room and soon the garage. Today has not been as humid as yesterday but it's warm. Yup...summer time. The knee shot went well but I think I'm not going to be lucky on this one. Such a disappointment. I just have such difficulty in slowing down to a crawl. Not an interesting event in my life. I'm heading to the drugstore to see if there are more effective anti painpills. They usually tear up my stomach so its sometimes a no win situtation. I can really get rid of ALL this in Sept. Yahoo for sure. I think I waited way to long. Humm...I've dont that before so it's just another repeat.

It's Monday

Woo...looking forward to my birthday present...A shot in the knee. Right now it is huge and just acting ugly. Time to shape up knee. The shot should hold off knee complaints until Sept. Yahoo for shots.
Janet Wanner has resigned as our Children's minister. Boo Hoo. Kat has been working on a hand and foot print cloth the children have created that I will incorporate into a quilt for Janet this week at some point. That's another sewing project. Worked on bibs again last week and got all the closure snaps on them this weekend.
We had a great rain last night so the garden is looking wonderful again. Little need for attention from me. The mosquitoes are huge and bothersome no matter what time of day one takes a walk in the garden. Visiting Doris D. this morning to see her banner work. She's a remarkable 87 yr old lady who seems to be remaking herself as it pertains to banner work. Fun to note her enthusiasm once again.

Doug and I attended a wonderful brunch yesterday honoring Paige Martin, our Duke intern for North 4 years ago. She works at the University placing students in internships during the summer. She's such a lovely southern bell who loves North Church and it's place in her life. She did a bang up sermon presentation yesterday morning. Then we were off to the North Church softball game of which there were two games and we won both of them. Eric plays so it was extra bonus time with the grandsons as well. They are such cute boys...All three of them.

Warm in Indiana

The temp got to 93 today. Yes...I know it's not 100 like in Tex. where one gets on the bike and rides all over Richardson. It's a mild cool 93. The rain has stopped and now the plants need watering. We switched to city water this spring but we still have our well water for watering. Yahoo. Worked on another quilt top today after working at the front desk at church. It was a very quiet morning with lots of construction guys going through doing their thing. They chopped down all the 60 yr. old pink dogwood in the court yard to get to some much needed drainage problem. Things are really getting messed up before they get fixed up. The electricians are working in the sanctuary removing the ceiling under the balcony working on improving the lighting.

Made some doctors appointments today. July 13...birthday present to me...a good old shot of wonderful med. in the knee. I should be ready for camping in the UP later in the month. Then...I set a surgery date for the knee for Sept 9. I'm giving up after a year of uck with shots now and then giving the knee a chance to get better. Well, it's broken and will be more broken after the 9th with a chance to get better. Tomorrow is B and Bowl. Lots of food to get distributed. It's a record delivery from Kroger. The deserts will be huge. Asthma is better but not gone. I'm getting it under control. My throat feels a little thick and I'm horse of course.

Break time

I'm taking a break from the sewing machine. At our Friday quilt meeting a pattern was distributed and if one makes a patch with the pattern, their name is put in a drawing and one could wind up with all the patches submitted. Well, I'll give it a try. The patch is easy to do and I've made 42 patches for a quilt top already plus the ones that will be entered. The trouble is that we'll be in Michigan when the next meeting happens. I've got to get my patches to a friend. It's a hot day in Indiana today. Fans are fanning and life is a bit slow. We've been home for the holidays. Doug is not one to go any where there are people. My knee is being a pain in the you know what so I'm OK for home this time. Walking is a bit painful. Sitting at the machine is no problem. Asthma is better, Yahoo. I heard on TV that because of the early spring, the respiratory problems are way over the top this summer in Indy. I can believe it. Way to much pollen and dirt in the air. Indiana's air quality is at the bottom of the well anyways. I'm working on baby bibs. They are soooo cute. Lots of color and trim and the sewing machine adds lots of different patterns. It's a blast. All are different. Now I've got to think of what to do with them. Some are going to Kenya but not all.

Woo. Friday evening.

Asthma is certainly better. It is almost under control. Almost! Looking forward to Michigan where the air is clear and the living is easy. I had enough steam to till a small part of the garden this morning and plant corn. It should mature in Sept. if I'm lucky. I certainly could not have done that at the beginning of the week. Now the hope is that those darn nutsage plants are all killed. If not I'll get my trusty spray out once again. We are eating cabbage, peppers and squash and a tomato now and then. Yum, yum. Tomatoes could hurry up a bit. I was all pumped up to make a surgery date today and the bummer is that the office was closed and will not open till Tues. because of the holidays. So...we'll see what Tuesday brings. It will bring a trip to Doc. Goens and we'll be talking asthma for sure. Knee is big but I knew that would happen with tilling. Not unexpected at all. Got to take the bitter with the sweet. I really can't do any more damage. The garden continues to be beautiful. Will be taking day lillies for the altar Sunday. There was a screw up with the regular florist. I went to the monthly quilters meeting this afternoon. There was a great presentation with a very funny lady who owns a quilt shop in Muncie. She was the best. Looking forward to my second night of sleep in bed. Thank goodness for the ability to sleep sitting up. I thought my mom was crazy when she could do that. Must be an age/family related thing.

A bummer few days!

As you might have remembered in the last post, I said I was going to see Cousin Ada and then on up to see the Mich. family. Well, some of that happened and some didn't. I wasn't feeling real chipper as Sunday rolled around but bull headed me!!! thought that I didn't want to change my plans. I haven't seen Ada in a long time and we were anxious to get together once again. So...on up to Goshen I went Sunday afternoon. Sunday night sleep was horrible. Coughing till I thought I couldn't do it any more. Lots of awake time with little sleep in between. But...Monday came and we did our trip around Goshen looking at quilt gardens, quilt murals on buildings and real actual wonderful quilts at the Goshen Bag Company. They were just tremendous. We went to the big Essenhous Restaurant and saw even more quilts. Now I felt like crap for some of this but just plugged on able to keep my mind off of what was an asthma episode unlike anything I had had in the past. Then in the early evening I realized that something else was going on which turned out to be another salivary gland attack this time on the other side of my face. I think my glands are wearing out big time. Wooo...that was miserable. And it turned out that sleep was even less then the night before. 45 minute start and then about 4 hrs of horrible pain with watching TV through out the night till around 3 when I realized that I had some Tylenol for arthritis which I took. Woo...the pain diminished and I slept until 6. Well, that was no way to start another leg of the trip to Michigan much farther from home without knowing how things would proceed. So...I headed back home at 8 and pulled in the driveway at 11 relieved to be home. Woo...that's a bunch of detail. Anyway...I've been taking it easy and feeling a bit better but still coughing more than I wish. The inhaler is a life saver. Slept in a chair for part of the night last night but at least I slept. Yahoo. I'm thankful for little things. This salivary gland thing is driving me nuts. I've got to learn new coping skills. I am determined to make this trip again and making it a successful one next time. Yesterday and today I sat a bunch, trimmed a bit of flowers, watched the birds and butterflies and Doug taking wonderful pictures of flowers, bugs, dead stumps and more. He's quite the photographer. Coughing is diminishing, the swollen throat from coughing is improving. But...taking it easy is my life tomorrow as well. The temp is in the low 70's during the day. What a treat.

Rain, Rain...Go away

Woo...we have been a whole two days without rain. Northern Indiana is getting it big time tonight. I've been busy with bibs. Fun, fun. I want to make 30 to send to Kenya this fall. Won't be hard to do. Today was working at the church front desk. I've been training Joe and next week he will be on his own. Tomorrow is soup kitchen. No bells and choir during the summer Yahoo. Sun. afternoon I'm heading north to see cousin Ada for a few days. We haven't gotten together for a long time so I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about. Might head on north again to see the Michigan grandkids for a couple of days if everything works out for Kimmy and Jared. I'm getting out of Dodge!. Yahoo. Yearly Fish Fry at Pleasant Grove UM church is Friday and Sat. evening. That's been a must do for us for at least 35 years. It's been close to 90 degrees. Taking it easy.

Reporting In

Reporting on another rain storm. Huge one last night. Seemed like it lasted for hours with a little thunder added. Once again the ground is full. Standing water still around this afternoon. We celebrated the death of Greenspace last night. Lots of fun with lots of food and drink! Greenspace is a Carmel group of people who for 22 years has worked on getting greenspaces in Carmel. Well, it's happening big time so we needed to die because we are all getting near to the end unlike 22 years ago. We started with no parks and few trees and now we have all kinds of parks and lots and lots of Arbor day tree plantings over the years. And Carmel is receiving national awards for all of that stuff. Sewing baskets and bibs , placemats etc. Sewing machine is staying busy. Back to the machine!

Thursday

Well, the rain finally has stopped for a few days. 4 days total of huge downpours. Now it's low '90 for a few days and then more rain predicted. The plants will cook so it will be trim, trim. Church continues for today with Party in the Park. One of the goals has been to include the neighborhood and it has happened with outside colorful tents, great entertainment, free food and fun activities for the kids. Lots of work but very successful. We may have cracked the neighborhood ceiling on this one. Bread and Bowl is on the calendar, a little work in the garden and sitting on the patio for a snuzz this afternoon. We are wren watching again. The little guy is singing, and singing and no little lady is in sight. Wooo...this is work! Choir party this evening. Doug will go to eat and I'll come after P in the P. Got to make some pitch in food this afternoon.

Good Grief

Weather...It's not really perfect at this point. Including Sunday, we have had huge rain storms every day. Yesterday there were two huge storms. One mid afternoon and one around 8 last night. Big time rain Lightening and thunder and WIND and then it's the same all over again the next day. Almost unbelievable and it is to continue for a few more days. TV radar has been mostly red during these storms. So far the garden is lovin it but the ground is really saturated. It can't hold much more. Sewing continues. I made two more baby bibs yesterday for a gift. The cut pieces of St. Patrick's Day fabric are ready for placemat making. There should be eight. Tonight is the beginning of three days of Party in the Park sponsored by North Church. There will be a huge tent for a free supper and adult stuff, the children will be across the street in the park with tents as well. Should be fun. The neighborhood has been invited with lots of church people attending as well. It's something new never tried before.

Beautiful weather

That continues to be wonderful for plants and gardeners. I can't remember a summer so happy to be on good weather behavior. We have about 2 or 3 dry days and then a summer thunder storm with just the correct amount of rain. Then it just repeats itself. We just had the rain part this afternoon. This morning I really tryed my best to clean up one of the forsythia bushes. I filled a huge garbage container with bush. More to go but I'm on the way. I've got to wait on next weeks garbage day. Then I tore out some old lettuce and planted more. That usually isn't a good thing for the hot summer months but who knows what will happen this summer. Gardening is a gamble anyways. It's trim and clip and move plants and then just a great repeat. Went grocery shopping and Doug said Steak and Shake tonight. I'm doing some sewing from quilt pieces that Peg gave me. Already cut fabric and she just got bord with the sewing part. Most of the fabric from Sylvia G has found a home of sorts. One more pile to go. I should have included it in the Luthern Church stuff. I'll just make another trip. I made two little quilts and 8 bibs for her twin granddaughters from her fabric. She'll get them Sunday. Bread and Bowl was interesting Thursday. All sorts of folks come. Some are just fine and some have mental problems more so then usual. We had a huge blow up on Tuesday so I was ready for the unexpected Thursday. And it came big time. No one solution fits all. Infact it takes as many solutions sometimes as we have people. Keeps one on their toes for the hr. that we are open. It got very, very explosive on Tuesday and only explosive on Thursday. That was a good thing. We were ready to say the least. We're dealing with fractured people for an hr. who come to B and Bowl. It's another day in the neighborhood as Mr. Rogers would say.

Bummer

The deer found the tomatoes last night. I sprayed them with stinky, stinky rotten egg mixture. It's really bad stuff and should keep the deer away. We'll see. Poor tomatoes. Seven of the eight got it some more than others.

Gone for a while

I just haven't put myself on the chair to make an entry. It's about time or past. Eric had his 40th birthday. Where have the years gone. We went to Steak and Shake and then here for icecream and cake. I just love being with the little grandsons. There is never a dull moment. Working hard on sugar stuff. We've added back a little pill that I was taking a few years ago and didn't take when better days were here. My numbers are great once again and the really importnat thing is that I'm back taking readings. It's such a drag but life could be much, much worse. Don't know really why I'm complaining about readings. Bad girl. The weather continues to be wonderful. The sky remindes me of Ohio days with bright blue color and huge puffy clouds and a great little breeze to go with it. Humidity is very low. The garden looks so lush. Potatoes are blooming, tomatoes look great and the deer has not found them yet. Yahoo. I'm still seeing tracks left in the early, early morning. The whole garden could be gone so I consider my self lucky. Just a few things are missing. Not much on the calendar this week. I'm really trying to keep it that way. A church friend unloaded 9 huge containers of fabric on me so that's been the sorting activity of the past few days. I sorted through all of it, keeping the cotton and flannel fabric but bagging 4 garbage bags that I'm unloading hopefully at a church near by. Don't know what they do with it but the bagged fabric I would never use. There is another stack that will go to the quilters guild. I made two baby quilts for my fabric friend's twin 8 month old granddaughters. They are so cute. That is the babies. The quilts are bad either. I want to work on bibs for these little darlings as well. Church is getting ready for a huge event called Party in the Park. It's going to be a duzzy for sure. All free, huge tent for eating as well as tents for children's activities, jazz band one night, drummers one night and the Lawrence HS band the last night. Should be a ton of fun. I'm a guide along with 4 other people for 2nd graders. I hope not to work very hard.

Memorial Day

We're home enjoying the day just putt zing around. The garden looks lush. I transplanted some zinnias that I planted from seed and every spot seems to be full of something. The wrens have hatched and it's great fun watching them fly in and out of their gourd. Doug has some fantastic pictures of wrens in flight. I'm trying to make some changes in my life since busy, busy, busy has lead to some inflated sugar numbers. I'll hit real reality tomorrow with the doctor calling me for an appointment. Seems my labs stunk! I'm not a bit surprised at that at all. So...days at church are thinning out. I've quit choir a bit early until fall, hand bells are off for the summer. Wed. volunteer day at the church is decreasing in number as well as decreasing number of hrs. at soup kitchen. Seems I need to pay attention to the body a bit more. I'm hoping to change what appears to be what some would call "out of control spin" will slow down for the summer. I had my first 30 minute walk around the block this morning. Uck, Uck. But I did it. It's that exercise thing.

I just finished my third clothes line basket. They are clothes line wrapped with fabric and zig zagged together on the sewing machine. They are fun to do. Patty H. showed me hers which she did in AZ this winter. I sent the first to Kenya to Ann. The sec. one is sitting here. The third one is in the bathroom holding hand wash cloths. It's fun to make something three dimensional.

Hope to stay cool today.

Sun.

Well, it's been a wonderful weekend with both kids and families. JB/family arrived Fri. afternoon and all the kids are wonderful to have around once again. big and little. We didn't do much for the whole weekend except to talk and watch all five grandsons at some point. Eric/family were here for Sat. supper and we all went to church together this morning and then to Stake and Shake for lunch. JB got on the road around 3. The weather was perfect. We enjoyed sitting on the patio from time to time. JB also took a few plants back to Mi. I'm not sure how they will do with a new planting zone. The weather went from cool and cloudy and rainy to HOT sun today. What a shock. The plants are wilting big time but I think they will recover. Andrew sang in church with the Joyful Noise group and they ALL did what I would say is exceptionally well. What a treat. Andrew was front and central singing every word that resulted from many rehearsals not singing a word. Funny kid! It looks like the performance rates at the top and rehearsals don't rate at all. Tomorrow morning I'm staying with the kids. Tuesday is the day to take all of the Pentecost banners down in the sanctuary. There are a ton! Then it's getting the Trinity banners up for one Sun and then...we are into the long green season. Tuesday afternoon a group of people are meeting at Sec. Presbyterian church to discuss putting together a group of ladies here that could work with a group of ladies in western Kenya and thinking of ways each group could benifit each other. That should be very interesting.

Wed. of this week!!!!

I don't know what all this Wed. stuff is but that's when the blog just happens. Michigan Kids are coming to Indy Friday night. 2 more sleeps. Yahoo. The rain should be over by then. I've seen more rain this spring than in my entire life. The plants are loving it but I do think it's time to stop and grow. Cool just doesn't do it. I cleaned up the sewing room on Monday and you know...probably wasn't worth it because I started a small shoulder purse for passports, plane tickets and more for friend Ellen who is once again soon on her way to Kenya. She's taking three trips this year. This one is to take 5 Duke Un. students to western Kenya for their internship summer. I've got to start cooking for JB and family. Always good to have something to pull out of the freezer so I don't need to be in the kitchen when they are here. It's play time for grandma with the grandsons for a day or two. Bells are over for the summer. Wooo...that gives me another night at home. I love that. That's about it.

Guess what...another Wed.

This time it's 5 am and of course I'm still at home doing this job. For some reason I wrote on Monday and I guess I forgot to post. The big news...It was a visit to a new knee doctor and the old doc said I needed a completely new knee and he didn't do those and now the new doc says I don't need a completely new knee and he does the partial replacements as well. Yahoo for a bunch of reasons. There is just one side of the tibia that is in trouble. The partial includes a very short opening to work with and the recovery is about 8 weeks. Now that's the good news. I also got another shot of med which will works for 3 months if the injected med. gets to the right place. That certainly didn't happen with the old doc. That sec. injection never did work. Wooo. Thank goodness for friend doc. Tom Woo for pointing me to Doc. Fisher. I waited for a long time to see him. Then last night I was messing on the Internet and typed in partial knee replacement and found a 70 minute partial knee replacement video and watched the whole thing. Wooo...it was interesting to say the least. So many little saws and screw drivers and all kinds of tools. Lots of fun stuff for doctors to use while playing with ones knee.

For some crazy reason unknown to me I had a horrible sleeping night Monday night. Three hrs from 3 to 6 just doesn't do it. Uck, Uck. So yesterday I really faded around 5 pm and Doug suggested Mark Pi. That was a gift. We had a great talk about our coming summer vacation to Copper Harbor.

Yesterday I did a bit of shopping for Michigan grandson's coming birthdays and ended up at Walmart looking for camping stuff. I've replaced our hot water pot which died last summer and looked for replacements for the card table that we pitched in the dumpster before we left Mi. It was a second throw away that Marcia and Dennis had thrown away after one of their camping trips. You know one of those tables with a cardboard top. Very, very old to say the least. Worked for us for quite a few years but it really got rained on last summer. I have a new table spotted, bigger and better and the new last year cheap, cheap electric skillet just didn't work well at all. So...thinking camping. The Linda Smith Copper Harbor resident writes a blog and she said that the snow cover was really small this year and although they have had some warm days it's cloudy and cold right now. The first fly season has started already. Early, early. There are three fly seasons you know.

Well, time to get the paper in, drink a cup of coffee and then walk the garden as soon as it's light. We might have had a deer visit. I noticed the motion detector light was on during the night. I did spray some of the plants to keep those peskie guys out of the flowers. Just a few more annuals to plant. We need hot weather to get everying moving.

Tonight is bell practice. We play Sunday. Then the next Sun. Andrew sings in church. It's the first time for the 3 and 4 year olds to sing. Should be very interesting. It's a new group with our choir director Mark. The children usually need to be 5 to sing in Denises group.

Wednesday again.

Well, it's almost the same old same old as JB would say. The garden continues on it 's merry way. Potatoes are up and looking great . The beans, lettuse and squash plants are out of the ground. Most of the flowers are planted, the tomatoes are waiting for warmer weather to get moved to the garden. It's been a grand spring with maybe a little more water than needed but that's not under my control. Sarah Ellen is home and we've had one morning of shopping already with more to come at the end of the month. One more week till I see the knee doctor. Yahoo. I'm hanging in there but will be ready to move on to the next part of this adventure. My hope is to have something done sometime in August. We'll see. I've been doing some sewing but not as much as a few months ago. I've got this garden to tend to. More fun to be outside.
The deer are not eating much but I've been spraying deer goop from time to time. I think it's working.

Another Wednesday

Another Wed. The garden is beautiful although last night there was frost. Bummer. I did manage to get most fragil things covered. From now on we should be good to go. We are having a wonderful spring. Monday Joe and I did a change out of banners, etc. at church. Easter banners are put away. The next big change over is Pentecost, then comes Trinity Sunday and then we're in to the lazy days of summer. I repaired another banner and it's back in the closet.
Friend Andrea had a wonderful luncheon yesterday with at least 30 of her friends. What fun.

I shopped a bit for plants on the south side. Didn't find anything that was different than what I have. I'm just anxious to get back in the dirt which should happen this afternoon. We have plenty of rain over the weekend and should have more this weekend although not so much. That's just fine.

Handbells are tonight, Soup Kitchen tomorrow and Choir tomorrow night. It's just the same old same old. Saturday I have a meeting with all the groups that work at Bread and Bowl during the month.

Wed at church

This morning is my volunteer work at the front desk at church. All kinds of interesting questions come across to me. The weather has been perfect. It reminds me of the weather we have camping. Cool days with low humidity. The sun is so gentle. The potatoes are up. I'm thinking about planting corn and beans. Cabbage and peppers are ready to transplant. I hope we can use some of this stuff at the soup kitchen. The flowerbeds look wonderful. I planted petunias yesterday and then dreamed that it snowed last night. It 's a risk and we'll see if it's a good one or a bad one. I'm still checking on deer visits. They have been less and less. Perhaps they have finished cruising. Tonight is bell practice. Tomorrow is soup kitchen day and then choir as usual.

Sunday Eve.

Goodness almost a week has slipped away. The weather has been beautiful so it's out in the flowerbeds getting things spruced up. There are so many perennials up. Such fun to see what's going to hop out of the ground in the spring. Last summer I cleaned out most of the daylily bed. It was almost a dud at that point. I did keep one on each end of that bed but filled in with some new plants. All but one made it through the winter. I've added more from other beds and it's time to edge the bed which I didn't do much of last summer. I'll add some annuals to keep the color going. Five beds are finished and ready to go and there are three more that need work. One of the three is going to be closed down to ivy and hostas only. Wooo...there are a lot of flowerbeds when I stop and think about it. My knee is holding it's own for most of the time. Yahoo. Yesterday we went to Noah's first birthday party. Andrew is just precious and polite right along with Noah. It was a fun afternoon seeing them play in their home setting. Food was good. Tomorrow Doug is getting his left eye lasered. The right one came through in great shape. I hope for his sake the eye problems now have been eliminated. His cataracts grew back fast and furious. That happens for some eyes and Doug had it happen to him. Tomorrow I hope to work outside again. It's such satisfying work to see things in good shape again. It helps to have the deer eating somewhere else as well. They did love the asparagus.

Monday Morning

The town is going crazy with the Butler Bulldog Team. Check out Indystar.com for all the news. Tonight's the night. Easter Sunday was a busy one. Saw lots of people at church. I made a decision not to be in the choir yesterday but stay with Hospitality. That was a smart move. I certainly slept for a whole bunch of hours in the afternoon and woke up at 6:45 this morning. That's an all time long "winter's" nap for me. Yesterday I decided to hit the road early today and do a grand put away at church this morning. You know...get it done. Now I think it can wait for a few days. A break would be good. Maybe Wed. This morning it's another three month check up with the doc. Thank goodness for phone reminders. I had it on my calendar for the 12th. Tomorrow I'm meeting my old retired teacher friends for lunch at Muldoons. We haven't gotten together all winter. Two of them travel during the winter months. The weather has been wonderful. I might get to the flowerbeds again for an hr. or so this afternoon. So tonight it's GO DAWGS. That's Butler DAWGS.

Go Butler

The town is going nuts over the Final Four. Hope all goes well for Butler. It's been a fun run. Big morning at church getting ready for Easter. I see no reason to worry about the morning. I think it's all in hand. I bought lots of flowers yesterday and delivered them to church. The banners have been selected and now it's just a lots of hanging morning. And...tonight at 6 we'll be in front of the TV with the idea that Butler will beat Michigan State. That's the plan. Go Butler.

Wed.

Life is moving right along. I think I'm in pretty good shape for the rest of the week. That's a big YAHOO for sure. Tomorrow is soup kitchen and the rest of the week can just happen. 90% of my preparation is finished. The weather is really warm today. Indy is ready for the NCAA games. Butler is going crazy which is fun to see on the little 4000 less student body. I finished a quilt top yesterday and this morning cut out another one. The sewing machine is calling!!!!

Holy Week

Yes...this is Holy Week. One of my least favorite weeks because it seems like there are to many people spinning out of control at church which impacts my life. It's the same every year. I told the staff that they need an assigned Nanny to see that all the details that they want to happen are known well in advance of their service. Someone who can keep track of the big picture holding them accountable. It's not going to happen but it's a suggestion. Palm Sun. is done and now three more to go. I worked today for 3 hrs putting away Palm Sun and some things are finished for the Thursday service. Friday's will me simple and Sat. we'll bring in the big stuff. Lots of flower shopping on Thursday and Friday for Sun morning. Tomorrow as well as every day of this week I will need to spend some time working ahead. The weather has been beautiful and will even get better. I spent 2 hrs. at Goodwill this afternoon and my summer clothes are well in hand. 45 bucks bought a whole bunch of stuff including a few little things for Eli. I need to get them in the mail. We went to Steak and Shake for Supper today. I've shortened my new pants. I'm ready to watch the ladies play basketball. Go Butler!!!!!

The latest knee headline

Appointment with Doc. Fisher but not until April 30th. Must be a good doctor. I'm very cautious about getting around since this latest flare up. What a bummer. I can still stoop over to pull weeds but I certainly know at this point that a little bit is enough. I'm rallying the forces to get me through B and B and Sun. morning hospitality. The knee is in my face and very personal. So...we'll see what goes. I'm still sewing and will not be on the fence unless it's really necessary. Bummer, bummer, bummer.