What? Pictures of Projects? Yes!

Good morning and happy Saturday.  Very quiet this morning at the rancho.  There is rain on the horizon, but so far, no drops.

Moto Kitty had to be up and outside at 5 am this morning.  I disagreed, but after fifteen minutes of having him perched on my back while trying to sleep, I decided that he was right...it was time for him to be outside.  LOL It's funny, the dog is still sleeping.  He has no intention of being off his bed until the sun is well up.

Hubby is doing well.  He seems to be walking a bit straighter and has good use of his right hand.  We are still waiting for the authorization for at-home PT from the insurance company.  Sigh.  It seems that they are moving at their own pace.  He had some problems with muscle spasms last night, but finally got some sleep.  I offered to take him to the emergency room, but he took some medication that he uses for his shoulders and back and seemed to quiet down.  It's tough getting old.  But after spending ten days at a rehab center, I've realized that we are better off than most.

I've been working on some stitching for my retreat mid-April.  I am still not sure if hubby will be well enough for me to go, but I am hopeful.

This is Black Cherry Tart by Plum Street Sampler...

On the sewing front, I've been working on project bags for me and a friend.  This is her stitching, my sewing.  This is one of the smaller bags, vertical placement.  This one will be mine.  I usually stitch in hand, so this is the best size for me.  Each bag has a side zipper and is fully lined.

Here is the fabric choice for the next bag.  Same stitching, but horizontal placement and the bag will be larger.  She likes this combination of colors.

Last bag.  It is 14x14.  She needlepoints and this is big enough to hold her stretcher bars as well as supplies.

The stitching was a free pattern.  Once I get mine stitched, I will most likely do the same fabric.  I love these colors!

Well, I'm off like a herd of turtles.  I am doing chores and sewing today.  I've been running errands with DH all week, so today will be a stay-home day.  Someone needs to scrub the toilets and do laundry.  Pretty sure it will be me!  LOL

Have a wonderful weekend.  Be kind to one another.

Home, Home on the Range...

Happy Easter from the rancho!!  We are back home.  SMILE.

It was a long two weeks.  Hubby spent a total of six days at the hospital and another nine days at the acute rehab center.  We are a long way from normal, but at least he is home.

The use of his hand is much approved.  Foot?  Hmmm...it's gonna take a while.  The rehab center wants us to do two to three days a week of rehab.  They said to go ahead and go to a center in our area, but hubby's doctor said that he would prefer at-home rehab.  Hubby's doctor is also my dad's doctor, so he knows that time is at a premium for me, so he would rather have the rehab at home so I'm not spread so thin.   I have taken another week off from work, so at least I can get everything settled before then.  Doctor is one of my favorite people right now.  LOL

I don't have much other news on the craft side.  I'm working on several different quickie projects, but no pictures yet.  I will try to catch up later this week.

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

A Bright and Shiny Day

Good morning from the rancho.  It is bright and shiny outside my window.  That always makes me happy.

Rehab is going well.  Hubby has regained some of the use of his right fingers and is walking with the use of a walker.  He hopes to be able to walk alone in a few days.  He is insistent that no matter how much therapy they have him do, he does another few hours on his own.  He does leg lifts and ankle flexes every single hour.  In order to gauge his progress with his hand, he writes his name and address over and over again.  I have to laugh, he has always had terrible penmanship.  I'm not sure how much they can tell from what it looks like now.  LOL

I take walks while he is doing therapy.  The rehab center is on the edge of Arroyo Grande, an small ocean side town.  Less than two blocks away, there is farming.  Since we are in California, there are areas that grow vegetables year round.  Here are a few pictures I took yesterday.  It was a beautiful day.  Even got hubby outside in the sun when I got back.  I wasn't allowed to take him further that 100 feet from the rehab.  I guess they think we will try to make a break for it.  LOL

This is broccoli that has already been harvested.

Long rows of some type of red lettuce...maybe?  LOL

Here is a close-up...so pretty.

Last week we had lots of rain.  Five inches in one day!  Here are pictures of the ditch by our house.  I won't call it a real seasonal creek, but it fills fast when it rains.  LOL    This was the morning after our storm.  The water had already went down about a foot.  Please ignore the weeds in the wall...I'm a bit behind.  LOL

This is the neighbor's side.  The kids love to play in the water!

I've been taking some stitching with me the last few days.  Finished my club piece.  If my husband is home and well enough, I will be taking this to my yearly retreat in late April.  He says that I'm going no matter what.  I don't know about THAT...

Meanwhile, I am taking the day to catch up with life.  Hubby is settled at the rehab center, has plans for some visitors, and I really need to get stuff done at home...I started a list last night.  Yes, that was me outside mowing the lawn at 6 pm.  LOL  I've got one load of laundry done and am ready to start cleaning the bathrooms.  Boy, do I know how to party.

I hope that each of you have a wonderful day.  Be kind to one another.

Husband Update for My Peeps

Good morning, peeps.  Here it is Tuesday and and my husband is still at the hospital.  We are hoping to move to acute rehab today.  It was a small stroke, no bleeding, no clots, no blockages.  He is able to talk and eat...walk?  Not so much.  He is using a cane and has to have someone with him, even to the bathroom.  His right arm works, but his fine motor skills are not there.  It could have been so much worse...I talked to rehab yesterday.  They are planning on him being there for at least a week.  My husband is very motivated.  He is only 59 and doesn't want this to be the rest of his life. 

I am getting nothing done.  LOL  I get up, take care of Dad and chores, head to the hospital.  I haven't been able to do any handwork.  I just sit and worry.  I took the week off of work, so that's one less thing to deal with.  Dad's daycare leaves at 3:30 pm, so it's back home, get him fed, me fed, the animals fed, more chores, and drop into bed.  Oh, I did get to Walmart yesterday...we were out of kitty treats and yogurt.  Important stuff. 

Thank you for all the prayers and good thoughts.  We will get through this the same as all of the other walls we've hit in our lives.

Give someone a smile, a hug, some happiness.  Be kind to one another.

Quick Check In...Life in Turmoil

Checking in. 

Short and sweet...my husband has had a stroke.  He went into the hospital yesterday morning.  Small stroke, didn't appear to be much damage.  It seems that being a Type 1 diabetic for 52 years has started to catch up with him.  The neurologist wanted him to stay the night...just in case.  Well, the "just in case" happened.  He woke up this morning with worse damage.  So far, it seems to be his right side, arm and leg.  I am worried...and scared.  I spend what time I can at the hospital, but I've got Dad at home, so I feel pulled both ways. 

I ask for good thoughts, prayers, whatever you have to offer. 

Hold your loved ones close.  Be kind to one another.

Wednesday Whining...And A Cute Wool Kitty

Well, I'm still fighting the internet war.  I want on...it won't let me.  I am starting to think that my ten year old computer is a wee bit out of date.  Or, maybe it's just an operator error...LOL  Either way, calling it bad names does not impress it at ALL!  And tonight, it is ignoring my requests to post pictures.  Really?  Really really?  Bad word....Hmmmm...Wait.  I believed that may have worked!

I've been diligently working on projects.  Trying to get some baskets ready for my finishing retreat next month.  I finished getting them sealed, but I think I may need to paint or stain the lid.  I just don't like the plain baskets.  Still deciding.  I've got four more pincushions to stitch, so that's my focus this week.

I joined a couple of stitching clubs this year through Dying To Stitch.  Here is my first project.  The pattern is by Pineberry Lane.

The colors are very muted.  I changed a few of the threads...I didn't want a white face.  LOL

I finally finished-finished this little bee stitching.  I found the charm at a local bead store.  I went in on a whim and was very impressed.  They had a huge selection of charms.  I will definitely be going back to do a little more shopping.  LOL

While hanging out on Pinterest (I should have been grocery shopping) I found a picture of a cute little primitive wool kitty.  Of course, I dropped everything and made one of my own.  It was basic, so I made my own pattern on a piece of paper.  Pretty darn adorable!

 

Of course, he shouldn't be alone, so I made him a friend.

The general shape is the same as an owl.  Change the eyes, add a beak, no whiskers?  It could work!  And no, I never made it to the grocery store that day.  LOL

Okay, peeps.  Off to get ready for tomorrow.  I really need my beauty sleep this week.  LOL  Have an amazing Thursday and be kind to one another.

My Day at the Farm Show

I know that each of you have been holding your breath, just waiting to hear about my day at the Farm Show.

First, I must explain that there isn't really a lot there for the general public.   But with a little bit of imagination and pioneering spirit, you can find a lot of really great stuff.

Let's start at the corner of Holstein Lane.  For the novices, Holsteins are the black and white cows that are milked at the majority of California dairies.

This is the milk truck that can deliver all the ice cream that I need while I do crafts.

And here is my new candy dispenser.  LOL  It will just about hold the amount of Peanut Butter M&Ms necessary to eat while completing a cross stitch project.

Side note...when you attend a show that is attended by mostly men, no waiting at the ladies' outhouses.  LOL

Down the street, I found a really cool trailer to use for bringing home my stash.  I think it is for silage or manure.  Either way, it is really too pretty for either of those things.  LOL

And of course, you need a truck to pull the trailer.

Wandering down the aisles, I found the perfect place to store my organic wool and alpaca yarns.  I don't think that even my dogs could break their way in to chew up my yarn.  LOL

Multi-purpose product.  It is being sold as baling twine.  Really?  My dad always bought white...And, it can double as knitting yarn when supplies run out of the good stuff. 

I found my new going-to-town car.  It has more luxury accessories than my current car.  Of course, it may be a little tough to find a parking spot.  LOL

All in all, a good day.  I finished up the day with 20,000 steps.  Yes, peeps, 20,000!  My little feet were very tired.  LOL

I finished up my vacation visiting a friend in Sacramento and then a full day hanging out with hubby.  We went out for a burger and spent some time out on the restaurant's patio.  A bit chilly, but still a nice day.

Back to work this morning.  It is still dark at 4 am.  I did not miss getting up at that time while I was on vacation.  LOL  

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

Don't Blink

Don't blink, peeps.  Here is a quick update from the rancho.  LOL

I had every intention to blog on Sunday, but the internet had a different idea.  Even on a good day, my internet is very fussy.  I had major problems a few weeks ago, but thought I had fixed the problem.  Hmmmm, not really.  I think my laptop is a co-conspirator with the internet to keep me silent.  LOL  I was not happy with my laptop and decided to unplug it and take out the battery, hoping that I would reset SOMETHING.  Everything seemed okay, at first, but my sneaky computer decided to change my settings.  Important safety tip, all settings and the password MUST be correct in order for the internet to load.  One phone call and thirty minutes later, the nice lady at AT&T finally figured out my problem.  Sigh.  Serves me right for taking out the battery.

So, while I was suffering from internet withdrawals, I went ahead and made a special dinner.  Pozole, one of my favorite Mexican meals.  Big chunks of pork or chicken, a chili base, and hominy.  I even soak the dried chili and make my own sauce.  So yummy.  It is supposed to be served with cabbage, onions, and cilantro.  I don't care for onions and I hate cilantro.  Cabbage it is...with a few limes on the side.

Bubbling on the stove:

Dinner is served:

Of course, I'm still working on my son's quilt.  I must be the slowest quilter this side of the Mississippi.  LOL  These are the strips waiting for their turn.

And here are the strips that have been put together.  I started in the corners since the pinwheels are on point.  It is really hard for me to get the 1/2 cream blocks set correctly.  Somehow, my brain just doesn't work on the diagonal.  LOL 

That's about it.  Not a lot going on here at the rancho.  I'm on vacation this week, so I've been doing some outside work .  I trimmed the few rose bushes I have left and planted four more.  I lost so many, but decided to replace the ones next to the house.  I will have to make a decision about the others before the bare root season is over.

Hubby and I are off to the Tulare Farm Show tomorrow.  I will try to get pictures.  I know how my peeps love tractors and cows.  LOL

Have a good night.  Be kind to one another.

I Have No Excuses

Good evening from the rancho.  I am sitting here, resting my head in my hands, trying to come up with an excuse as to why I have been missing in action the past month.

I could tell you that I had been on an around the world cruise.  But that would not be true...

I could tell you that I had won the lottery and been hiding out until the dust settled.  But that would not be true...

I could tell you that I had been so incredibly busy that I just didn't have time to write.  But that really wouldn't be true, either.

One Sunday, I woke up and headed to my computer.  A little grouchy, but nothing I couldn't handle.  As I sat and tried to come up with a subject, nothing.  It was if my brain had just shut down.  My memory was shot.  My attitude was zero.  I figured that one week wouldn't make a difference.  But then it went to two, then to three, then to four.  With every Sunday that I missed, it was a bit easier the next week.  Until today, when my son, wanted to know why I hadn't written anything on my blog for a month.  And I had no answer.  Have I been stitching?  Yes.  Have I been knitting?  Yes.  Have I written on my blog?  No.

So, here I am.  My memory is still shot, but my attitude is up to about a four.  I hope that a few of my peeps are still out there, waiting for look into my world.

My sweet dog Moses ended up with some sort of bite on his leg.  Ten days of antibiotics and the "cone of shame".  The antibiotics last longer than the collar.

Sad face...

After five days, this is all that I could find.  I duct taped it two or three times, but the collar still didn't make it.

I finished my shawl.

Made a hat for a friend.  I actually made two, but they looked exactly alike, so I figured that you only needed one picture.  LOL

And started a new project for the new year...

This is what it should look like when I finish.

I also made several pin cushions and worked on my son's quilt.  I will save those pictures for my next post.

Other than my projects, life is about the same.  Dad has lost a bit more weight and seems restless, but no big changes.  Work is work.  Retirement is looking better and better.  Only three inches of rain in our area for the season.  Not looking good.  The solar panels are on the house, we hope to go PG&E- free in the next month.  

Thank you for slogging through my drivel.  I will try and catch up on everyone's blogs this week.  

Be kind to one another.

Welcome to the New Year...Already?

Good morning and Happy New Year from the rancho.  Phew...where did 2017 go?  I've looked and searched and not a sign.  It seems like I woke up a year ago, went back to bed and POOF, here we are in 2018.  When I was younger, much younger LOL, I was always wanting time to go faster...I wanted to be a teenager, I wanted to be a grown up.  Now, I just want time to slow down so I can enjoy it a bit more.

My son headed home the day after Christmas.  He traveled to Phoenix to pick up his GF and then to Denver to visit her family.  It was a long, tough drive.  What should have been a twelve hour drive from Denver to Iowa took closer to fifteen.  He said that he didn't hit snow, but the ice was horrible.  I think I worried more than he did.  When they finally made it home, he sounded absolutely exhausted.  This morning, -20 F in Iowa City.  I cannot even imagine that cold.  Well, I can, but that's the temperature to hold ice cream in our freezer at work.  Brrr....

This morning, we are holding at 50 F with a heavy fog.  I walked outside and it sounded like rain.  For a moment, I was pretty excited.  Nope, just the fog dripping off of the trees.  Very odd.

My son is very pleased with the colors on his quilt.  I've tried to get in an hour of sewing every day.  It is really surprising how much you can get done when you really focus on the task.  LOL

Here is where I stopped yesterday...

And an update on my shawl.  I've got one more skein until I'm finished!

Moto Kitty seems to be spending more time napping with Dad.  Dad always loved his cats, so I think this is a good thing.  Moto stays at the foot at the bed, so I don't worry about him bothering Dad.  Once he's settled, it's pretty hard to get him to move.  LOL  I even tried covering him with a blanket.  Nope.  Just got one of those kitty looks...

And I leave you with this...

Happy New Year to all! I wish each of you a life filled with love, kindness, and joy. Smile a little more, stress a little less. Hold hands, give hugs, listen closer. Take a walk, enjoy nature, smell the flowers. Be the friend that you would like to have. Be kind to one another...