A Very Long Week...Time to Regroup

Good morning from the rancho.

It is early, early, early Saturday morning.  Quiet and cool.  Okay, it's 70 degrees, but that's not bad. Our forecast is in the 100's, again.  Here is what I found last Saturday when I got in my car...

It dropped to 113 degrees as I went down the highway.  I guess that was a bit better.  We have at least another week of this weather.

Since it has been so hot in the afternoons, no yard work for me.  Here is my stitching update.

So...we have failed at hospice.  Medicare filed a request for review.  Since my dad has been on hospice for four years, Medicare felt that we were abusing the program. Based on the review, we have been taken off of the program.  I am not angry at hospice.  They have done everything to keep us, but Dad is dying too slowly for Medicare's liking.  That is the nature of his disease. There was not enough monthly change to justify their participation.  To be honest, the only parts of hospice that we used were the weekly baths, the nurse visits, the music volunteer, and the social worker.  I use a caretaker service while I am at work, and the ladies have offered to do Dad's baths.  My husband's doctor is also a friend, so he will take Dad as a patient and do house calls.  But the moral support? The music?  Those I will miss.  Our music volunteer had made a point to learn the old western songs for my dad.  Sigh.  I don't know who cried more, me or my worker...

I am torn.  I want my Dad, but the man in the hospital bed is not really my dad anymore.  He hasn't spoken in over a year and his body is very contracted due to the Parkinson's.  I miss his smile so very much. All I can keep thinking is that my dad would be angry to know that this is what he has become. Hospice has recorded in our file that my dad is alive because of the excellent care that he receives. But, I won't ignore him. I will take care of him until the end.

So, after a pretty trying week, I am looking forward to a three day weekend.  I have a few chores to do, but plan on spending some quiet time with myself, trying to regroup.

Be kind to one another.

 

A Very Warm Welcome To...

Happy Tuesday from the rancho!!

Everyone, put your hands together and give a warm welcome to the COMPLETED Cherry Hollow Farm Sampler by Stacy Nash.  Two and a half long years.  I tried to stay focused (cough), I tried not to work on any other projects (cough, cough), I was comitted (cough, choke, cough)...oh, never mind. LOL I am like a squirrel with a tree full of nuts.  They all seem like the perfect nut for ME! I just hop from one nut to the next.  LOL

This is the first one over two that I stitched and I am very pleased with the result.  So much, I'm doing the same thing with my new project.

This is a Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers design from 2006, Moonlite Garden.  I'm using Weeks 35 count linen, called for threads, but one over two.  So far, I'm liking it.

Moses is in love with my hubby.  LOL  I can be giving him all kinds of belly rubs and ear rubs, but as soon as DH walks in the room, I'm dropped like a flattened squeak toy.  He really has a thing for laps...Moses, not DH. If you look closely, you can see that there is not much difference in size.

And if Moses isn't hanging on DH, he's hanging on Daisy.  They remind me of Pinky and the Brain. She is the brain, always up to something...Moses is the brawn...LOL  Definitely out to take over the world.

I leave you with my Christmas Carol Aloe. I've had it three or four years, but this is the first time that it's bloomed.  I love the red edges.  And if you look carefully, it's having babies!  LOL

Wishing each of you a wonderful week...be kind to each other.

Heading Towards the Finish Line...Kinda

Good morning and happy Saturday!!

I have been working on this stitching project for two and half years, yes folks, two and half years!! Granted, I've worked and finished on other projects, but I originally chose this pattern because I fell in love with it.  I should respect it enough to get it stitched.  LOL

Still working on pottie training.  I am ever hopeful that I will win.  LOL  Here's the doggies waiting for snacks. Daisy takes her snacks VERY seriously.

Big smile for the camera.

My stepson's birthday gift was a new phone.  Here is our last picture of the summer:

I didn't realize that the camera came with it's own effects.  But boy, once I did, I had FUN!! This is my favorite picture.  I never knew that I would look so good with a clown nose.  The glasses are my regular reading glasses, but they definitely add to the look.  LOL

Took my stepson to the airport last Sunday to fly home.  Can I just say that LA traffic is enough to make me scream?  And once again, California chooses the worst time of the travel season to shut down and start working on the freeways.  I suppose I should just count my blessings that I only head down south a few times a year...

I am off to start my chores.  I was up early this morning to walk before we hit triple digits, but I haven't done much else.  Got to get moving.  LOL  Have a wonderful weekend!

Be kind to one another.

Ready, Set, Finished!!

Happy Saturday from the humid and miserable rancho.  I just want one day that is below 90 degrees and 80% humidity.  I don't think that's too much.  Sad Face.  My hair frizzed out about two weeks ago and no matter how much "de-frizzer" I use...let's just say I've got some halo effect going on...  Thank goodness for ponytails...LOL

I AM FINISHED!!  Yep, finished the last piece for my September class.  I was a little annoyed with myself when I realized that stitching by memory instead of looking at the pattern was not a good idea. One row, just one row. That's how far I was off on the last two strawberries at the bottom.  And how did I happen to notice? That would be when I was adding the backstitch.  Hmmm, how odd that the last bump on the backstitching isn't as large as the first.  Why that would be because I stitched by looking at the other four strawberries, not at the written pattern!!!  After an hour of un-stitching, and 15 minutes re-stitching, done!  I guess I'm a really good stitcher....my tension was nice and tight. Looks great, but hard to frog. LOL

Moses and Daisy are settling in very well.  It is a little weird to seeing a 20 pound dog run and jump on a 100 pound dog, but Moses is so excited to have a friend, I don't think that Daisy scares him that much.  LOL  They play and play and play until they both flop on the ground to take a break.  Ten minutes later, it's back on again. I was sad at the quiet around the house, guess they've taken care of that!

Tomorrow we will be taking my stepson to the airport.  It's about a four hour drive, but at least his plane is leaving at 4 pm and not 4 am.  LOL   It's been a nice visit, but I think he's ready to see his mom.  He'll have a couple of weeks to hang out before school starts.    

I'm trying to decide what to start next.  Do I work with yarn or floss?  Hmmm, I'm thinking floss. I can't imagine having a blanket on my lap right now.  I think I'm more of a winter knitter. LOL I need to finish my Cherry Hill Sampler...but then I've got a quilt to work on, and some sorting to do, and more, and more, and more.  The list is really long.  LOL  

I wish each of you a wonderful Sunday.  Be kind to one another.

Out of Room at the Rancho....

Happy Sunday!!

So....we went from a dog-free home to a full house in two weeks.  LOL  First, hubby was gifted with Daisy.  Very sweet, small Australian Shepard.  I don't think I'm her favorite, but she will lay with me as I am stitching.

Then, late Friday afternoon, I got a call from a friend of a friend.  He is involved with a rottie rescue group up in the Stockton area.  He had heard from the group that a family was looking to place their two year old male, but it had to be by Sunday.  They had been trying to re-home him for a month, but everyone wanted a puppy.  We were off on a quick road trip...

And here is Moses...

He is very sweet, kinda trained.  He knows how to sit, how to wait, he is housebroken.  When you start to pet him, he flops over for a belly rub.  He gets along well with Daisy, so I think this will work. I have to admit, he seems to be a man's dog.  Went right up to my husband, flopped over, and raised all four legs in the air for a good rub.  Guess I'm not going to be anyone's favorite for a while.  LOL But it will be okay.  They both needed a family and we needed dogs to love.  Moses still hasn't reached full size, so I think we're looking at 120 pounds based on the size of his feet and head.  LOL I will be having him neutered as soon as possible...I don't want to add anymore animals to the world. Oh, and Moses is a closet knitter...well, more like a closet un-knitter.  And guess what? He loves natural fibers just as much as me!!  These two skeins of alpaca/merino will never be the same.  Sigh. I think the blue made it through with minimum damage, but Moses was very careful to chew the white into twelve inch lengths.  I think the only thing I can use it for now is...fringe.  LOL   Oh, and he didn't even touch the skein of acrylic that was right next to them on the table.

Next, it is Fair time here in SLO county.  My sweet husband managed to score some tickets to a Garth Brooks concert!!!  He had seen him once, me...never.  Very excited.  Since he picked up four tickets, we took my sister and stepson.  IT WAS AWESOME!!

                                                 

The true stars of the show...Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood...I would definitely see them again if I had a chance.  I always say that his song "I Got Friends in Low Places" is my work theme song....LOL

Here is the update on my stitching.  I'm still planning to be finished by tomorrow!!

My sister and I leave this afternoon for LA.  She has an out-patient procedure tomorrow, so I can stitch while I'm waiting to drive her home!!

Wishing each of you a wonderful week.  Be kind to one another.

Surprise...Here It Is Tuesday...And Here I Am

Happy Tuesday from the rancho.  Life has been moving at the speed of light...I, however, am moving at the speed of tar on a winter's day...  I get up, go to work, come home, make meals, do some stitching, go to bed. Sometimes, I fit a nap in between one or more of my chores.  Actually, I'm fitting a lot of naps in between.

The heat has been HORRIBLE the past two weeks.  Most days are 100 degrees...and that's a cool day. I got in the car last week, it was 115 degrees on my car thermometer. Thank goodness it dropped to 111 degrees as I started down the highway.  Sigh.  I am getting too old for this.

My husband has brought a puppy into the house.  He has wanted an Australian Shepard for years, but never found the right one.  He has a friend that breeds cattle dogs and there was small female leftover after the last litter.  She was supposed to go to a woman that wanted to use her for agility trials, but backed out at the last minute.  Since the puppy was already 14 weeks, she wasn't as popular as the newer litters.  My husband's friend had been by several times since George died and knew that I was having a hard time.  She offered the puppy...but only if I was ready...  Not my breed, but hubby was very excited and I didn't say no.  We've named her Daisy.  She is not George and seems to be more of a family dog than MY dog.  I will take care of her, I will love her, but I don't know if she will ever hold my heart.  But it's okay...she's playful and fuzzy and very smart. Not house trained, but we're working on that.  I've already taught her to sit and wait.

Here is Daisy...yes, she has blue eyes...she will be on the small size, only about 30 pounds when she is full grown.

She lives in the house, but has a kennel out on the patio.  When she is in the house, her favorite trick is to CLIMB into her water dish, spread the water as far as possible, and then flop in the middle of the kitchen floor. She is very, very good at it. Due to the heat, she has a baby pool in her kennel with a few inches of water. She lays in it...and then flops in the dirt.  I see a pattern.  She gets a bath almost every day.  LOL

Since I'm not doing much yard work, I am getting a lot of stitching done.  Here is my progress on the last piece of my class project.  I will be done by the end of July.

The ladies at my table are always trading small gifts.  I decided to get some boxes that are the same shape as the class project.  I've painted them the coral shade (with green brush strokes) that is on the pincushion. Since there are keys and leaves in the stitching, I thought I would tie my boxes into the theme.  I found some small keys, made leaves out of felt, and will put a chocolate truffle in each one as my gift.  I think that they turned out very pretty.  

The one at the top left was my trial box.  Didn't like the color, much too peachy.  Pulled out more paint and found a pinker shade.  Much better.  I had the fabric in my stash and will take some extra with me to the class.  I know that we will use fabric to make one of the bags and I might use mine instead so that my stitcher's box matches my candy box. 

Well, I've run out of time.  Need to finish some Dad chores and head off to bed.  I've still got vacation photos...maybe next post.  I don't want to bore you too much at one time.  LOL

Be kind to one another.

My Week at the Rancho

Good morning and Happy Fourth of July to my American peeps.

It has been very, very quiet at the rancho this past week.  Moto does his best to be the perfect cat, but I'm afraid that my heart still belongs to George.  I know it will get better...but right now there is still something missing.

I've got pictures of my latest stitching.  I've been good and stitched a bit every day.  I know that I need to get all the stitching done before class in September so I am staying very focused.

This will be a pincushion when it is all done.

 Next up was the scissor fob.  Not a great picture, but front and back.

And here is the waxer bag.

I took lots and lots and lots of pictures of my vacation, but I will try to keep from overloading the internet.  SMILE

Of course I stopped at quite a few rest stops...you know how important those are to me.  It seems that states have finally figured out that rest stops can be more than a toilet.  Many I visited now include state information and walking trails.

Colorado rest stop.  Love this trail that goes down to the river.

Wyoming had amazing views that seemed to go forever.

Took a walking trail to the top of a hill in Wyoming and found these native flowers.  There was a bench, so sat down for a few minutes to enjoy the view.

Utah has become one of my favorite states.  The views go forever.

I've got lots of pictures and stories of my visit.  I will share more in my next post.

I am off to do chores.  There is always laundry to do.  I'm not sure what our plans are today, but I definitely need to get some outside work done before the heat hits this afternoon.  

Wishing each of you an amazing day.  Be kind to one another.