Progress Update

Has there been progress?  You betcha!  I can get up and down out of chairs with only an ouch, I can hobble about (although not to far with out a break) and best of all I can sleep and change positions without any pain at all!  (All while keeping that leg as straight as possible so the scar tissue won't make the skin too short.  I don't even want to think where that might take me!)

I didn't want to get out of bed this morning.  I was awake and pain free for the first time since Monday morning, I didn't want to give that up!  Plus it was chilly out from under the covers and the cat had me pinned.  Hum all excuses but in the end I had to go potty so I got up-it was nearly 8am.  I usually get up at 6am and I went to bed at 8:30pm last night.  I think I might be catching up on my sleep!

Fall is here.  Thank goodness.  My favorite time of the year, cool crisp mornings, trees changing colors, and crisp fresh-picked apples.  Just The Best.  We won't talk about what happens when those pretty leaves fall on the ground, sigh.

On the sewing front, the past two days I have been working on the fills for Scott's rhombi.  I should finish those today and begin adding them to the top.  The top will be finished tomorrow, maybe.  Then it will need quilted, which I plan to do on the machine.  Still must get black batting, can't order it until I can measure it.  I've decided to use a heavy cotton for the backing, I have it in my stash and it will aid in stabilizing the odd shape of the thing for hanging.

So I'm off to finish Harry Potter's adventures while I stitch those fills!

I love my office chair!

Surgery yesterday went well, I think, but the pain was incredible!  The cyst sat on the main nerve in my leg and hurt all up and down my leg, much worse that last time.  I told the kids that meant he hadn't messed it up which was a big concern! It got better about halfway through the night.  The best thing is--I thought to have Rob get my desk chair out of the office (narrow doorway) and I just roll around through the house!  So much better than the crutches which just jar things up good, and I am terrible at them so I'm always losing my balance.  At first I used the crutches to propel me along, sort a odd looking little boat begin poled along the water!  Now I just go backwards!  Works like a charm, just have to think outside the box sometimes.  Now I must go propel myself to the back door to stop my yapping dog!

Happy Birthday Quinn!

Today, my best pal Quinn is two years old!

I don't know if you can tell but she has a white spot on her behind and sort of a skunk stripe up her back-like she's a sun-bleached blonde!

She has so much personality, and can be a wild child from time to time!  Always busy, always alert to anything going on inside or out!  Always ready for a walk, or to play with her favorite toy, a soccer ball!  She got a new ball for her birthday, as she had demolished two others, and it already has teeth holes in it!  Must find one made of different stuff!  Even when I think she nuts I can't imagine life without her, she makes me laugh every day--that it a big thing!

Ready!

I didn't believe it possible, just looking at the list of things I wished to have finished by surgery day, but I have for the most part completed everything!  Those things that aren't finished aren't all that important.
Tomorrow's the big day and I am ready!

Getting ready.

I'm scheduled to have surgery on my knee again on the 23rd of this month, removing the baker's cyst which has been annoying me for months now!  Yeah!  I don't know how long it will take to recover but I'll have stitches for 10 days.  Soon after that leaves, the raking of them, begin.  Added to that is the winterizing of the gardens and truck etc.  Then we are into the heart of the holidays!  (I'll still be raking until the first week in December, Yikes!)  Anticipating all that I have a pages long list of "to do's!"  Likely I won't finish all of them  but I am making good progress.  Lots of cleaning, cobweb getting, etc-It took three days to really clean the laundry room but boy does it look great! Cleaning isn't just about wiping up for me, it can also be about re-arranging.  Usually I make a huge mess in at least one other room!  (The laundry made two messes, as I had to move things about in the garage as well.)  I've only two things left on the yard list-finishing up the edging by the peonies and tidying up the shed, will finish those this weekend.  Then it's more cleaning!  I've cut fabric to finish 5 quilts-as if I'll finish all (any) of them!  The blocks are made for all but one-"Twisted"- I'll have all the pieces for the tops cut to keep going if I feel like sitting at the machine.  The new sewing room layout makes cutting more of a challenge, first I have to set up the cutting table or raise the table the machine is on, then there's pressing the wrinkles out of fabric that's been folded awhile. I even pulled some backing fabric for a couple.

Anyway, that's what I've been doing, getting ready.

Cooking!

Thought I'd report on my cooking experiments!

First, from the Bread Bible I made Seven-Grain Honey Bread.  This has to be one of the best breads from this book!  Nice texture and crust, it's still soft 3 days later!  Tastes yummy too.

Then from the internet I made Megan's granola, just fabulous! And super easy.

From Eating Well Serves Two I've made:  Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Orange Glaze and Black Bean-Smothered Sweet Potatoes.  Neither was a great dish.  I only remake great dishes!  I had the sweet potato tonight and I came away wishing for a hamburger!  Of course, I went in wishing for a hamburger!

I'm feeling SO much better!

The meds have gone to work and I am feeling much better-only the knee is still an ongoing issue!
You know I'm feeling better because I'm cooking again! I made a "messy" dinner tonight.  Corn fritters and fried green tomatoes to go with our French Dip, the fritter recipe has hit the recycling!  Too much dough and too bland.  I've started cooking my way though a new cookbook:

So far I've made the Warm Arugula Salad with Chicken and Chevre-Very yummy! Even left over!  Will definitely make it again.

I also finished another quilt!

This is "See What you Started" for Larry's Mom.  The names of all her descendants are penned on it like this:

Although, most do not have birth and death years on it, but only their name.  Robin did a fantastic job quilting it, as usual!  This one has been in the works for several years and I am really glad it is finished! Now to pop it off to her on UPS!