Rob's birthday!

Today is my middle son Rob's birthday! Happy Birthday! I love you!

Days Off and trip plans

For several years I have given myself a "Day Off." Since I am a homemaker/historian every day has work and my "Day Off" is no different I just don't plan any housework (except cooking) and allow myself to do what I want. Usually, I go to the library in the morning and perhaps some shopping for fun (not groceries etc). For the last two years anyway I didn't get to take may "days off" but it's a habit I want to get back into now that I'm getting things caught up. All that leads up to the fact that I took yesterday OFF, today too. I did some little chores to finish up the two rooms I've painted and ran some errands but mostly I've been lazy. I even took a nap yesterday and had a long rest today. I think I was getting really tired out again so I've taken some time for me.

Charley has joined Kelsey with back problems--silly dog went heels over head chasing a frisbee the other day! So now I carry two dogs up the stairs!

I'm leaving for San Diego on Nov 5th to hold my little granddaughter, Nora, for the first time. I've seen lots of pictures since she was born on the 12th but I haven't gotten to see her or hold her yet. That's what happens when you live so far apart! She will be three weeks old and I understand is gaining weight nicely. When she's older she won't want to gain weight nicely!

Tuesday, Sick boys and paint

I've had sick boys several days the past couple of weeks; Brayden for a couple of days last week and yesterday and Kolby yesterday and today. Brayden went back to school but I picked him up early--a bribe of sorts to get him to go, he wanted to stay and play with the toys here. Kolby is getting so big (and heavy) that my arms hurt from holding him. He sits like a champ but doesn't crawl yet, soon I think, anyway poor guy has an ear infection so he was cranky! Which is so totally unlike him. I've been painting another bedroom as well the past week and it is finished except for the last of the clean up and some decorating stuff. Not a lot of sewing for this one, praise be. I've decided to wait to paint the hall and living room until after I get back from California in November, will take the time to finish the last of the paperwork, clean house, run errands, and tackle the pile of sewing on my sewing table. I'm making slow but steady progress on all the things that were let go for the past year and it makes me feel good but I miss sewing! I'm generally too tired after dinner to do more than cross-stitch or play around on the computer. Tomorrow, I'm taking hazmat stuff (like RX's and automotive) I hope have to call first, getting an oil change in the van, and many other similar things. There is a memorial service at the VA hospital for those who passed in Sept and Oct and I plan to attend that as well. I have books to deliver to waiting rooms at the hospital as well so two things from the list at once.

Kelsey

This is one of my Sheltland Sheepdogs, Kelsey. She has given me a scare a couple of times in the last two weeks. She has had trouble with her back legs, causing her to be unable to stand or walk. The last one was last night, it was obvious that she couldn't feel her foot at all, she could move it but placed it too close to the other foot so she was off balance. I really thought she had had a stroke. I was terrified that she would die overnight so I let her sleep in my room. (I never do this) This morning when Charley woofed to go out she got up off her pillow and walked out like nothing had ever been wrong! I decided that for my peace of mind she was headed for the Vet. Turns out she has a small bone spur in her back causing irritation and pinched nerves, she gets anti-inflams for a few days. She also gets limited running and no full flights of stairs--too hard on her back. As both she and Charley are 12 years old I was sure it was going to be time to put her down but thankfully no. I don't think I can take anyone else dying this year.

Show and Tell Part 2 take 2

For some reason this top photo didn't arrive at blogspot! This is the sewing table as it would be used.

Show and Tell Part 2

This is a sewing table! It has the inch measurements printed on the top (first photo), it's 36 inches long and it folds up ( 2nd photo). A friend of my Dad's gave it to him he was curious so he wrote to the company stamped on the bottom, they sent a letter with information on the table. It was made by the old Paris Manufacturing Company of South Paris, Maine in the 1920's.

Show and Tell part 1

I said I'd show some of the things I got from my Dad last week so here is one. This quilt was made by my Grandmother, Ora Weddle Hickam, when they lived on the dairy. They moved from the dairy into town when my Dad was 11 or 12 and he's 84 now so it's old and has definitely seen hard use but it's hand pieced and hand quilted and I am thrilled to have it. Dad said she had a quilting club out on the dairy--she said some of the women had no business sewing and was known to pick out some of their stitching! I really needed two people to hold it but Rob was the only one home!

Where has the time gone?

Wow, I had not planned to let this much time pass before blogging again. Naughty me, really busy me. I can't remember what I did last Thursday (must have been exciting!) but on Friday I went to Columbia to visit my Mother in law as she'd had surgery on Thursday. I took her her favorite Krispy Kreme donuts to get her out of bed and moving, took my sister-in-law, Marie, an Apple Crisp as her birthday was last Monday and more donuts to the other Sister-in-Law, Kris (or maybe her husband, Owen .) On the way down I stopped off in Higginsville to check out the marker the cemetery placed on Larry's vault, I wasn't prepared to be kicked in the chest with grief again. It took a while to adjust and travel on. Some retail therapy at the local quilt shop helped, bought some flannel and a really neat book that has quilting information like how many rectangles you can get from 2 1/2 yards of fabric. It's just packed with practical information for quilters. I have to go buy another one for the Mother-in-Law. I rounded out the evening with dinner at an Indian place with Scott and Bri then drove home. I swear that 120 miles gets longer each and every time I drive it!

On Saturday, after delivering some things for my niece to take back to Columbia, I picked some things up at my Dad's. A couple of which will be the topic of forthcoming blogs--I need to take photos. Finally arriving back home I began the process of cleaning up the gardens and around the outside of the house for winter. Rob came out and we trimmed trees, I now have a huge pile of limbs to deal with--think I will soon be the owner of a chipper/shredder as this tree limb thing is ongoing and we aren't finished yet.

Sunday was spent clearing up tree limbs and gardens--blowing acorns out of the garden and grass. Just a small space and probably a bushel basket or more acorns! We could have used a shovel to move them. I don't like leaving them as they roll under your feet and have nearly caused me to fall a number of times while mowing. Not to mention the oak trees I'd have next spring!

Today, I did my normal Monday chores and made a run to the charity place to leave off more things we've deleted from the house and to the grocery. Then I picked up my grandboys. Brayden is showing signs of the bug that is going around so he was a bit cranky and didn't want to do anything but I don't think Kolby has ever laughed so much! He just looked at anything and laughed. Too cute.

Long post, will try for a show and tell tomorrow on at least one thing but now I'm tired, time for rest.

She's Here!

After a very long time in labor and an emergency C-Section our little California Girl joined us at 9:25am PDST! Weighing in at 8lbs 9ozs. Momma and baby are doing well, still groggy from all the pain meds. Daddy went home and took a nap, got some food, etc and was back holding his baby girl when I talked to them. It doesn't get any better than this! Life is good!

Yucky weather!

I'm already tired of the clouds and drippy rain, yet the forecast is for more of the same! The damp makes it seem much colder than the 40's. I have spent the last two days on that huge pile on my desk, sorting and organizing mostly but today I spent some time on the phone and filling out paper work--all that death business again. I promised myself I'd get all this financial stuff done, or at least as done as I can BEFORE I began painting the extra room, really hoping one more day is all it takes. The house is getting cleaner each day--Yeah!--but deep cleaning hasn't really begun. Some of that stuff may get skipped this time, not supposed to skip it more than twice (which I've already done) so I'm going to try. Haven't done anything fun, like sew, so nothing to show. Waiting For little California Girl to be born--Momma's in labor so it'll be soon!

Not "Cat"urday!

Sorry, no cat photos. They were just not doing anything exciting, just curled up trying to stay warm. This cold snap has us all shivering! The trees are still quite green with spots of color--the hard maples are turning red quite spectacularly at the moment and for the first time I've noticed yellow and orange on our pin oaks. Usually, they just turn brown. We must have a zillion acrons, I don't think I've ever seen as many as we have this year! The squirrels, those little acorn eaters, are very busy cutting off leaves and carrying them to their nests, they look funny with leaves sticking out both sides of their mouths! Rob and I put up my closet doors today, well, Rob did all the work I just watched. I bought more window shades had them cut, took them back and had them cut more and they are still just a bit too big. I decided I'd wrap them up tight and use the miter saw on them! Also picked up the foam board so I think I'll cover it tonight then sew. Making a bit of progress on the cross-stitch stocking, I will be so happy to move on to the next one. I got out the Hill country fabric and am trying to decide what to do with it. Scott is coming up tomorrow, Rob is going to put brakes on Bri's car and Scott is going to help Rob with Calculus and Comp Sci--pretty good trade for two brothers! I'm looking forward to seeing Scott. Wish Bri could come but she has HOMEWORK! Those Law Professors keep her busy. California Girl still hasn't put in an appearance, due for sure on Monday but babies have minds of their own.

After--Friday evening

First, here's a picture of the "Tiger's Lair," our collection of MU gear and tv spot. Next is a picture of my new sewing shelves. I still need to get a 4x8 sheet of foam and cover it with batting and flannel for a design wall, it will go in front of the shelves --hiding the clutter and letting me design. The last picture is of my research and sewing area, all squeezed together and alot of work piled up but I think I can work here again. First up, shorten some curtains for Beth! Then on through the pile. All in all I had a pretty productive week. I took five tubs of papers to recycling, hauled out 3 big black bags of trash and have a huge tub of shredding/burning to do. I still have some things I need to find homes for, some go to California or Columbia and some are to be donated or taken to hazardous waste. I'll get it all done eventually. Maybe tomorrow I'll have "Cat"urday photos.

Today, I'm tackling this mess! It might even be worse than in these photos as I unloaded the two white filing cabinets of Larry's over the weekend and there are piles of stuff to further sort all over. I am disgusted with myself for letting this get this way but life overran me! I hope to show "after" photos by the end of the week. I need to get to my sewing machine, see it buried in there?

My newly redone bedroom

These are photos of my bedroom. With the exception of closet doors I've finished painting etc and moved in yesterday. For the first time in over a month I slept on a real bed! Boy did that feel good. The new bed is quite high, so high in fact that a stepstool is required for me to get in it. The poster on the wall is the one we bought in Austin at the Wildflower center, it really pops against the blue (which is, by the way not well represented in this photo.) I still have many things to do in here before I can claim that it's finished, a bedskirt, quilts, slipcover for the chair, runners and rugs. I intend to use the Hill Country print I bought in Fredricksburg in the quilt and will pick up pinks, yellows and greens along with more blue. Blue is my favorite color, as if you couldn't tell. I will need to buy much fabric before it's finished!

The plumber will return on Monday to install the new commode and I will have a fulling functioning suite again! I am happy that one room is tidy again.

I started working at emptying files cabinets this afternoon. I found more paper than I could have imagined in Larry's files--much worse than me and I consider myself a pack rat (9 boxes of fabric, remember?) I am sorting out the things which cannot be recycled due to personal information and then burning that. Sure is a good thing I got a fire pit for my birthday last year!

Last night I sat in my room, watched TV--hello Friday night, NUMBERS, one of the few shows I actually try to watch each week-- and worked on Brayden's stocking. I plan to do that again tonight. It's so restful.