IT'S FINISHED

  I promised you all that I would show you my quilt when I got it finished. A lot of stitches and here it is my latest project hot off my embroidery hoop. I am pleased with how it turned out, but my pictures never do it justice. It has a happy home to go to and she is thrill with it.She has been able to watch the progress as I worked on it. The kittens and birds look so real. I finished it last night after I went to supper with my kids before my oldest left.
  Our oldest son had come home for grand jury duty. He had drove a lot of hours because he worked on Saturday. He got up yesterday to go to the federal courthouse to learn that if they had known he was working out of town he could have been excused. Plus the  guy that was suppose to have a jury trial decided that he didn't want one at the last minute  so he felt like he came home for nothing. We went to what I called Brunch after he got back in town so I got to spend time with him. All of the kids and us went to supper last night so I got to spend a little more time with him. Time was much to short and he left this morning to go back. It was back to Louisiana and then to Texas for a month working at an oil refinery. He was going to have to shave his beard because the job requires him to be clean shaven. It was good to see him no matter how short the visit was. He is suppose to let me know he made it back o.k.. The weather wasn't going to be the greatest for him.  He promised that he would stop if the roads were back and find him a motel room.
   I have been spending time at the nursing home with hubby to make sure things were going o.k. He stayed in bed this morning and ate his breakfast  because it was so cold. The walls don't have any insulation. You can lay your hand on the walls and feel the cold. They still have several people that are still trying to get over being sick. So far we have been lucky. 
    Our weather has been like a roller coaster, but we haven't had what they have got all around us. I am hoping to be able to go to the city Thursday for my doctor appointment, but I will just have to wait and see. We are suppose to have rain, sleet and snow mix tomorrow. I will just pray and keep my fingers crossed. 
    I have been trying to decide what I want to do for my next project. I just know the fingers have to stay busy for sure to help me keep my sanity. I have another baby quilt partially done I may just go ahead and finish that one.
    All of you in blog land are very special to me. You give me the strength that i need to accomplish what I have to do. Your comments are greatly appreciated. I know that the man upstairs is there with us every step of the way. Life is like a roller coaster it has it's ups and downs. Sometimes we can be a little discouraged, but we have to pick ourselves up and continue on because no body is going to do it for us. I try to keep a positive attitude, but I can tell you the tears have fallen after learning that he would be living in a wheel chair and being told very bluntly that I wouldn't be able to take care for him. Luckily, I didn't cry in front of him, but I did when I got home. It is your comments and prayers that helps me  so very much. 
  Stay warm and take care. Prayers and hugs are for those in need. 
   
    

PATIENCE

   Sometimes I think that my patience wears thin, when dealing with people. You can be told one thing and do it only then to get told Oh! no, you have to have this other information. I am going to have to continue to deal with people like that. I just added a couple more phone numbers to my list. I figure I can get more from them if I treat them like I want to be treated. 
   It just caused me to make a drive today that I would have much rather not made, but it is taken care of for a while at least. The sky was cloudy off and on with some sunshine, but we have never gotten out of the teens. We started off at 5 below and I don't know what the wind chill was. We  have had a few snow flurries. Not really amounting to anything yet.
  I would much sooner just curl up on the couch in front of a fireplace with a nice fire whether I read or embroidered would to be decided with a cup of something hot then being out in the cold. 
   At least when we had hubby out yesterday to go to see another orthopedic doctor, it was cold but not like today. It was windy, but warmer.  We finally got to see what the x-ray looked like of his hip. We now understand why the leg will not support him. The piece that got dislocated is just out there not attached to anything. If they tried surgery again, they would have to take out what was put in and they very bluntly said that would  cause more harm then good. He will be living in his wheel chair and at the nursing home He requires more help then I can give to him and the fall risk is to great. We don't need him breaking anything else. I told him at least he is still here so that is something to be thankful for. That is enough about that. 
   I had fun with my grandson's this past Tuesday. We went to check on a price of a part to fix their 4 wheeler. My middle grandson told brother he had enough money to pay for the part, but he had to pay it back. He told him he would talk with mom and dad. We did exercises that my middle one needed to do. He had that done before mom got home from work. He still had what he needed to do on the computer and there is no way I want to know their password to get on the computer. That way they can't get on it when mom and dad are not home which I think is a good idea. He didn't argue with me. He is looking forward to hanging out with grandma this summer.
   Well I need to fix me something to eat so I will close for not. Everybody stay warm and take care.
   

More Snow

   Another day of snow in our area but nothing like the North and East Coast has. I know I live in tornado alley, but I would much sooner take my chances there then have all of the snow like Boston and some of the other areas. The picture is not here, but one that I liked.
   I am staying home today and working on my quilt. It is almost finished and I am hoping to have it done by the weekend. I know it is going to a new home, but I almost wish I could keep this one. Oh!well, I can always make another one if I want. 
    Basketball season came to an end this past Saturday. I think they were tired. It is asking a lot  of ten year olds to play three games or more in one day. One day they played four. He is already looking forward to hanging with grandma this summer. I don't exactly what we will do, but it will be a fun summer. They did away with the program that he has been doing.
   My picture of my parents is kinda fuzzy, but this was the last time that all my brothers and sisters were together. After that it always seemed as though we were missing someone. 
   We still try to get together once a year at least, but so many health issues. It is the pits as we age why can't we just stay young.
   The snow reminds me of the coasting parties that we use to have when I was growing up. We went to a one room school house with all the grades in one big room. We took our sleds and would go coasting at lunch time. Those were the days that we might make it back in before time to go home. The old er kids helped the younger ones while the teacher worked with others. We had so much fun.
   We even used my mother's wash tub, a scoop shovel, or a piece of tin to coast on. We would get in trouble for that especially when one of my brothers couldn't turn the piece of tin and hit the barb wire fence. He had to have a few stitches, but we still did it again. When we moved closer to town later we always had a bunch of friends at our house. Mom had cookies and hot chocolate when we came inside for all of us. They always said that if they were at our house they knew what we were doing.
    We walked on top of snow drifts to school. I can even remember doing that to go home one year for Christmas. It is amazing what we did and the kids today think they have to be taken everywhere. Those special childhood memories can never be taken away. I even think about when we moved from farm to another. It was always cold and snowy.
    I will be glad when this week is over. We have doctor appointments. One for hubby and one for me. Mine is my annual that I have to do once a year. Just what I want to do, but I know that it is necessary. Hubby's is to see if they can do anything to help his right leg. He says that he will accept whatever he is told even if they say it is something he just has to live with. I just don't think that pain pills or cortisone shots are the answer. I still think if he could get heat packs they would be more  helpful.  Oh!well so much for that. 
   Thursday evening I will find out the horse show schedule for the summer. I am looking forward to that watching the boys and the other kids ride. It is just one big family. I get introduced as grandma and called that by a lot of kids who are my adopted grandchildren. It is fun and I don't mind a bit. 
    Prayers for all of those in need. Try to stay warm and safe if you have to be out in this crazy weather. Those warm days spoiled us. Take care.

Busy Weekend

    Just think next weekend is Valentine's Day and the month will be half over. It is flying that is for sure. Do you do anything special for the day?
    It was a busy weekend for me with the Pinewood Derby and basketball. Basketball is just about to come to an end after next weekend. They have one tournament left to play and it called the sweetheart tournament. Good choice considering they are playing on Valentine's Day. They lost a heart breaker last night by one, but they had played three games in one day. I think it was a little much for them as they are only ten years old. 
    My youngest grandson won 1st in the pinewood derby at  the mall. He was so excited and his Uncle won third in the open division. Daddy built the cars so it was a very good weekend. It came down to the last race if the one that he already beat once had won, they would had to race again. It was a fun day between the two boys. I know that I was tired when I got home. Plus I was driving home and an idiot decided he wanted my lane. I thought I was going to lose my front end. He would have hit me in my door and front panel. I hit my brakes and prayed that the one behind me didn't rear end me.If he had hit me, I know I would have been hurt. A car pulled up beside him in a turn lane and told him something. It didn't seem to phase him because he kept changing lanes as he went up the highway where he didn't really have room. He was an accident waiting to happen just in to big of a hurry. 
    The weekend has been beautiful and the snow has almost melted. The only places that haven't is where it was piled up when my driveway was pushed. We had 60 on Saturday and it got into the 50's again today, but it is going to go down again this next week. We are getting closer to spring and I can't wait. 
    It will soon be time to get their horses ready for show season. They have to have all their paper work showing that the horses have had all of their shots required. I am looking forward to watching the boys ride this summer. Some of the weekends, there will be a show on Saturday and again on Sunday. 
    Sending prayers to those who have been getting the bad weather on the East Coast. Also, sending prayers to those in need with sickness, deaths,and injuries. Take care.

More Snow

  Another 3 inches of snow fell today starting at about 10 A.M.. At least it wasn't a wet snow like we had over the weekend. The picture was looking through my storm door when the snow was so wet. I just know I had a heck of a time getting the snow off my car. It was so heavy and deep when I got it loose it came off in chunks. We got up to 41 degrees yesterday so I ran some errands and went to check on my other half at the nursing home. His nurse was leaving going to work at another job. She is also expecting her first baby so she didn't really need trying to lift patients.

   They had a birthday party today for all of the February birthdays. He actually went and had fun. He won a bingo game. I stayed home because of the snow and road conditions. At least it wasn't a wet snow this time. Some schools let out early. I know the visibility wouldn't have been very good when I looked out the window. You couldn't see the house next door very good and it isn't that far away. I can only imagine what it would have been like  on the highway. I know they would have some icy spots from where the snow melted running across the road. 

     I can remember coming home from a trip getting caught in a snow storm. You said a lot of prayers and neither of us really wanted to eat when we got home because of the driving conditions. You had to not only think about yourself, but there is always some one driving way to fast for the road conditions. You would think that they had a little common sense when it came to bad weather. 

    Decisions, Decisions, we have a big decision to make of whether to see another orthopedic doctor about hubby's leg. They will bill medicare, but not medicaid because their office in Kansas. Others do, but I guess they are so big that they don't think it is their responsibility. I would like to know if I have to pay some out of pocket what the cost might be. Just a rough idea, because I would like to hear if there is anything that can be done to help other then surgery. We have to decide what we are going to do  before long. If they say, there is nothing that can be done then he will have to except that it isn't going to change. Pain pills whether strong Tylenol or other that is not the answer. 

    Of course getting answers is like pulling teeth. We have had several changes at the nursing home. There will be a new doctor coming. I don't know if he or she has arrived yet. Some of the nurses are leaving. One on day shift and one on night shift that I know about. We will just have to set back and watch to who comes and goes. . 

   My lap quilt is coming along still have a ways to go. I am changing colors alot and that takes more time. I have several needle threaded so that I am not constantly threading them. I have a question for the stitchers out there. Do you have problems with needles breaking where you thread them? I am trying to decide if I just got hold of a bad package of them or what. 

   Mother Nature is not being kind to a lot of people. Please be careful if you have to be out. Take care. 

Snow Arrived

  We had rain most of the day and then it turned to snow. Looking out my back door at the trees in my back yard. I don't know how much we have got except when they pushed my street they filled the end of my driveway. I don't need to go to any place. I have talked to hubby a couple of times so far today. He was watching it snow. We are in a winter advisory until 9 o'clock. Some of the Super Bowl parties might be a little hard to get to.

    A couple of my Valentine tea towels. My From My Heart towel will be going to a new home if I can get to the post office tomorrow. I have to be able to get out of my driveway, but then it will probably be plowed later this afternoon. 
   My next project will take me a little while because I have been commissioned to do a lap quilt for a lady. It requires changing colors quite a bit so I just use more needles and keep them threaded until I get it done. 
   My other heart has a little bit of a three dimension look to it. My pattern slid just a bit and I am happy with how it turned out. 
   My grandson's team won their ballgame yesterday 18-4. I didn't go because it was raining and the parking is something else. I also didn't have enough time to get there. When you have to deal with stop lights, and they have adjusted the timing on them, you never know how long you will have to wait for them to turn. He didn't get released by the physical therapist on Friday.
   If you have to travel, please be safe. I know my limitations when the weather turns bad. I don't want anyone worrying about me. They just make sure that I don't need anything. I went to the store and bought groceries so I am good. I have food for sandwiches if the electricity should happen to go out. I know how to turn on my faucet so the water line won't freeze and I know what to do to stay warm.
   Are you going to watch the Super Bowl? Do you have a favorite team playing? I like to watch the commercials and I really like the new Budweiser commercial with the puppy. It is so cute. 
   Well I need to get back to work on my lap quilt.