SUNSHINE

   Another day of sunshine, I just wish some of my friends were getting the same thing. I am praying that Hurrican Florence will turn and head back out to sea or at least lose it's strength so that it won't be so bad for my friends in the Carolina's and the East coast. 

   It is getting closer to the first day of fall or autumn which ever you prefer to say. I love that time of the year when the leaves start to turn. I will miss looking out the back door seeing the trees turn in the back yard of my old home. The kids will take me to see the color and I plan on taking my camera.
   I don't know about you all, but I love to do picture puzzles especially Thomas Kincaide's. They have so many pretty colors. The last time I went to Branson with the kids we went to his store. I saw so many things that I would love to have, but I didn't. The kids think that I need a Christmas tree this year. It has been a long time since I have decorated a tree.
    I thought I would show you my chair for my apartment. It is comfortable, but I think I like my recliner better. I know my recliner that is close to my windows make it so easy to take a nap in the afternoon if I am not careful. I am gradually getting it to look the way that I want it.
    My middle grandson is going to to their first 8th grade band competition. He is in the percussion section.and my youngest grandson plays the trumpet and he is learning to play the tuba because they needed onein his band. He still plays his trumpet besides the tuba. He is in the 7th grade. 
     The month is flying by and I don't really know where the time has gone. I wish it would slow down so that we can enjoy it better and smell the roses. 
     Enough of this and that, I need to go do my walk. Take care.
    

LIFE GOES ON

   It has been a while since I have been here in blog land and so much has happened in my life. I had a car wreck the 23rd of 2017 which I had a broken leg. It took two surgeries and I am now walking without using any cane or walker. It has been a struggle for sure, but my goal was and is to walk like I did before the accident.
During that time I spent 94 days in a nursing home, then moved to what was a retirement home, but it was more like assisted living or a glorified nursing home only without 24/7 nursing care where I had a small studio apartment, Then I moved to my one bedroom apartment. I may have to do my own cooking, but

 it is on my own timetable. 
   I got to go watch my grandson ride his horse even going to the State 4-H horse show with them. I had so much fun and he placed in 4 of the 6 classes that he rode in. You couldn't have asked for any better weather and it wasn't really that hot. I did a lot of walking and stairs and was tired when I got home, but I would do it all again. 
   I thought I would show you some of what the fingers have been doing getting some ready for my Etsy shop and a craft show. It will be the first one in over a year and I am looking forward to it. 
It keeps my mind busy and gives me something else to think about. 
I am sorry for the long post and for be missing from here, but after I lost my hubby in March I just didn't feel like it. I know it was a blessing, but you are never ready for it to happen. We had over 54 years together which was a long time. Life is like a roller coaster you go up hill and down hill.  
I have popped in a few times and left some comments and I am looking forward to another adventure getting to watch my youngest grandson race his go-cart which will be interesting. They were waiting for the weather to cool down so it won't be so hot. 
   Take care everybody and enjoy your day.

IT HAS BEEN A WHILE

     It has been a while since I have been here in blog land. One of the last posts that I did was when my husband passed away March 5th. We knew it was going to happen, but you are never ever are really prepared.  I have been learning a lot of things being the surviving spouse. 

    I  sold my home because I couldn't afford to keep it. I had close to two acres of ground with it. It had been a little over a year since I had been inside because of my accident that left me with a broken leg. Steps and I are still a work in progress, but I will get there. It hasn't been a year since I started putting weight on my leg. I am now walking without a walker or cane. It will be a year on the 17th of August. 

    I had three offers on my house with it only being on the market for a day and a half. After all the paperwork was done, my daughter took me to say goodbye to a home that we built almost 53 years ago. Our oldest son celebrated his first birthday there and he turned 53 in April of this year.  We saw a red bird sitting on the gutter which means my guardian angel aka my husband approves of the decision I made. 

    I have lived in a nursing home for 94 days, then assisted living for about 5 months, then moved into a one bedroom apartment where I live at now. My apartment building has a fifth-mile track, swimming pool, and an exercising room.  My apartment is on the first floor of a 6-floor apartment building. I do steps going to the second floor where the track, swimming pool, and exercising room are located. 

    I do my own cooking since moving to my one bedroom apartment. I can sleep as late as I want, stay up late, or basically do whatever I want to do. I spent the afternoon yesterday at my middle son's. My daughter-in-law and I baked cookies. I had bought some cranberry white chocolate chip cookie dough from one of the kids. I baked those, she baked a cookie called sweet surprise and a blueberry breakfast bundt cake. Supper was cooked on the grill. 

     My youngest grandson learned about putting up hay. He is earning him some money to go on an equine tour this next summer. He is hoping to have all of his money earned. He had to be 14 to go. He will turn that in October, 

      My youngest is learning to race go-carts. I haven't got to see him race yet, but that is planned for the month of August. He goes to Boy Scout camp this next year. It will be the second year for him and he is looking forward to it.  I may go out the night they have the family night. I am not sure if I will or not it will depend on the weather and how hot it is. I have been able to watch my middle one ride his horse. 

    I have been putting puzzles together along with my embroidering. Well, I better close for now. Have a safe 4th of July. 

  

 

Where is the sunshine??

   My grandson Matt with Hot Rod winning the high point in his age division at the first horse show of the season. I wanted to go but it was cold, windy, and really damp even had a few snowflakes thrown in. Where was the sunshine? It is only 41 degrees and cloudy today. The sunshine makes the body feel so much better.
   I went to my youngest grandson's band concert last night. It doesn't seem like he should be going to middle school this fall. He is so tall and only 12 years old. He will become a teenager this August. All grandchildren just grow up to fast.  
  I rode with his other grandparents who live not far from my apartment. When coming home one of the parkways here in town we saw seven deer. It was drizzling as I walked back into my apartment. 
   Matt's love is his horse and he has his first track meet the Tuesday after Easter. I am going to get to go to it and I hope the weather cooperates. He and his mommy are coming Friday to take me to lunch and go with them being I didn't get to go to watch him ride. They have a new puppy at their house a border collie named Bode. He is cute and adorable. They had had a rough year losing both their corgi and blue healer. Their mommy said that she didn't want another dog, but they think she will fall in love with him given time. The corgi was her dog. 
   My oldest grandson started a new job. He decided that he didn't want to go to school. I don't think that he really knows what he wants to do. I know when I was his age I didn't really know what I wanted to do. 
   I have so much to do with the death of my husband. I knew it was coming as his liver was shutting down and it finally happens. I know that you say you are prepared, but you are truly not. I can only take it one day of a time and one step at a time. I don't know if I will eventually go home after I get through completely rehabbing my leg or not. A lot of unanswered questions.  

  Take care and I hope you all have warm weather and sunshine. I hope the weather man is right we are supposed to get to 60 degrees tomorrow.

Sad News

  My love of my life for a little over 54 years passed away on Monday.  You all know that he had been sick for a long time and how he had struggled. He doesn't have to struggle anymore. I was with him when he passed. We are having a visitation and prayer service this evening then he will be cremated. We will be back together when it is my time as we will be buried together. 

   I am keeping this very short. All of your prayers have meant the world to me and know that I love each and everyone of you. Take care.

HURRY UP SPRING

Spring can't come any too soon. I want to be able to open my window and enjoy the fresh air. I haven't decided if I want to try to raise a live flower or get an artificial one to decorate my apartment with. 

A boy and his horse. You probably will get tired of seeing them. He has no problems catching Hot Rod, but dad has a problem catching him. They have really jelled and he is already talking about how to pack the trailer to go to state this year.  I am working hard so that I can go watch him ride this summer. They are already riding when the weather permits. They build him a shed to where he can get in out of the bad weather.  My grandson is getting taller and thinks that it is funny that he is as tall as me. He sure does have long legs. Aren't the little FedEx trucks cute? My daughter-in-law made them for a little boy whose dad works for fedex.  Well, it is time to go do my walk and ride the bike so I will be back later.

 

Checking In

    This was the view outside of my window when I lived in a studio apartment getting physical therapy. I have gone from a wheelchair to a walker, to using a quad cane in 5 months. I haven't got to my goal yet where I want to walk like I did before my accident. I still haven't got to go home. I can go up steps better than going down using the cane and hanging on to the railing. I will have to have my knee replaced down the road, but I want to postpone that as long as possible.

I am still apartment living but I get to do my own cooking, cleaning, working on getting ready to go home. Where I  am at now has an exercise room where I can ride the bike, plus a walking trail which is a 1/5 mile around. I started at once around the track than riding the bike. I will do that for a while then increase it. My apartment is aways from the outside door so I also get exercise there. They even have an indoor pool.
    My picture of my door was made by my 13-year-old grandson. He told me that it was really easy to make. It is made out of card stock, folding and cutting it. It took him no time at all to do it. He is looking forward to Spring and riding his horse again. We have had some nice weather so he has ridden then, but not during the cold weather.
   My family has been a god sent for me. They helped me in more ways than I can count. I just know they still determine that I won't get another car. They have brought me food, taken me where I needed to go.
   I have still been embroidering to help spend the days. I started a baby quilt. I don't know how long that will take me to do it.
   I know it has been a while since I have been here, but I haven't had my computer and then it went down. I don't like typing on a tablet. I have to be careful typing on the tablet because what I think I have typed doesn't turn out that way.
   My grandsons are officially as tall as me or taller. I will soon have to look up at all three of them. They think it is funny. My oldest is getting to be my chauffer when he isn't working. He went to school for a semester, but it wasn't like he thought it would be. He is working that is the main thing.
  Sorry about the long post but it will give you an idea of what I have been doing.  Take care.

Up Date from my house

  Fall weather feels more like it is getting closer to winter weather. It has been getting down in the 40's at night. I know that I am going to feel when it happens with my leg. It is progressing. I actually got to try a quad cane for the first time. It was different and needs practice because I sure don't feel secure with it. I have also got to hold on a railing and walk. When I get to end of the railing then I walk sideways holding on to the railing back to the starting point. I just try to improve each day. My dream is to walk like I did before I had my accident.
  My grandson seated with me at the horse show is now just a half inch shorter than me. Soon I will be looking up at all of my grandsons. He told me he is going to try out for basketball.They have both an A and B team. He doesn't care which team he plays on he just wants to play.  I  will go watch if someone comes and gets me. 

  My oldest grandson is now away at school He played Johnny Frye and led the Pony Express 5 k run. Cleo wasn't too sure of the drone that a guy had there, but they managed just fine. They could pet his horse, but they didn't get to ride even though several asked. They brought Hot Rod home so he rides every night that it is warm enough and not raining. He is working with him so he will be easier to catch. The two of them has really jelled. 

   They are supposed to have a trail challenge if it doesn't rain this Saturday and then the awards supper. I am hoping I will get to go but I don't know about it yet.

  We had a little excitement today. The ambulance came for a lady and not ten minutes later the fire alarm went off. They said a smoke alarm battery caused it. It is not fun to be on a second floor without an elevator when you use a walker. Yes, I know you can't use them until you get an all clear. 

  One of my neighbors told me that they have had money taken twice from their apartment. They even had it in a lock box in their apartment. They told me to be sure to lock my door and hide my valuables. I don't have to worry about money because that is one thing I don't keep here. My daughter pays the bills. She comes and we discuss what to pay and when. I don't know who I owe money to of them because they have all done things for mom. 

I did it I did it.

I did it. I actually walked down to the dining hall with my walker and set in a normal chair this morning with physical therapy. It felt so good to be out of the wheelchair for a change. I go to the doctor tomorrow to see the progress that I have made and what our next step will be. I will find out about whether we are replacing the knee or not. The two surgeries have been just getting my leg ready so the knee would have something to rest upon. I, also did 1035 steps on the nu-step machine this morning. My leg is a little sore which I knew it would be with everything that I did. You don't know how much you can do unless you try to do it. 
    My grandson and his horse Hot Rod technical name is Don't scratch my hot rod. They have really bonded in a short period of time. He showed him at State in Sedalia, Missouri bringing home an 8th place ribbon in showmanship. He looked so grown up. He went to the American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri placing 4th in one of his English Equation class. He has been riding Englis for a little over a month. I am so proud of his accomplishments. I got to go watch him ride this past weekend. I was exhausted when they brought me back to my apartment, but it was an enjoyable day.

    Both of the younger two grandsons are trying band. Matt percussions and Ethan the trumpet. I don't know if they will like it or not, but they have to try and see how they like it. My family will be coming to where my studio apartment is where we have a room reserved. It will be the last time seeing my oldest for a while. He is going to the John Deere Technical School in Milford, Nebraska. He wants to work on farm equipment. 
   Hubby is doing as well as can be expected. It is hard to him because I am doing things that he can't-do because his one leg does not support him. Plus they don't really try to work with him and let him try to put weight on it and take some steps. Of course. it will hurt, but that is to expected. I have worked very hard to get to where I am and proud of my accomplishments, It has taken encouragement from other people to help me along the way. I admit there have been times I just wanted to tell them to go away, but I didn't because of what I wanted to be able to do again. Take care
 

It has been a while

     It has been a long time since I have been here in blog land. I have had a lot going on in my life. John is in hospice and has been almost a year with

his liver shutting down. We knew it was coming, but you never want to admit it. 

    I had an accident the 23rd of May where a car turned in front of me. The car was totaled and I got a broken leg out of it. I have had two surgeries on my leg. The last surgery was getting it ready for a knee replacement. If they had replaced it at the first surgery, I would not be able to walk. I found out that my car had two airbags. One in the steering wheel and the other underneath the steering column. They both went off. I was told if the one under the steering wheel hadn't I could have lost my leg. 

    I spent almost a 100 days in a nursing home. Now I am living in a little studio apartment because I can't go home. I still have physical therapy. I haven't been able to put weight on it until the 17th of August. I have a doctor appointment this Thursday to see what the next step will be. I want to be able to walk again. I got to start putting weight on it the 17th of August. The best news was I could actually have a shower that day for the first time since the accident.

     I am bound and determine that I will walk again. Hoping to get so I don't have to use a walker. The nursing home was an experience. Now I live in a furnished studio apartment where everything is included except your phone. The meals are better balanced than what we had in the nursing home.  My hubby misses me and I have to rely on others to take me to see him.

     The kids are hoping that I like here well enough that I will stay here and sell the house. I don't know what I am going to do yet.

     My oldest grandson starts his tech schooling on the 3rd of October and we are having a get Sunday evening with him. My Middle grandson has now got a horse of his own called Don't Scratch My Hot Rod. He has done well this year with him. My youngest, who I have to look up at now, is involved in boy scouts.

I am still doing my embroidery. I will try to be back a little more often. Have a great day.

Checking In

   It has been a while since I have been here in blog land. Really longer than I wanted, but just not enough hours in a day. 
  As many of you know that my hubby is now in hospice with his liver shutting down. The Ammonia level is high so you don't know exactly how he will answer the questions that he is asked. He has good days and bad days. We are getting a new doctor at the nursing home. I haven't met him as of yet. I am glad the other one is gone. She and I didn't get along too well. When you have been a caregiver for a long time, you aren't a dummy that some want to make you out to be.
  I thought I would show you a picture of my oldest grandson and his date for Prom. The theme was on like the Oscar's where they got to walk the red carpet. The picture was taken by the Savannah Reporter. They took pictures of a lot of kids in their formal attire. Her dress and his tux vest and tie almost matched. The flowers had a little of the color of her dress in them. I am glad that he went with it being his senior year. He didn't go last year. The school year is quickly coming to a close. It is the first of May and graduation is on Mother's Day. That weekend I will have a busy weekend with all of the kids that are graduating and parties. 
 

  My youngest grandson crossed over the bridge and is now a boy scout. He is only 11 but he stands 5'4" tall. He loves being taller than his grandma. You can see from the picture that he is built like his dad. His parents have been really involved in the cub scout program, but both will be involved in other things now. She is going to be helping with the Girl Scout program even though they don't have a girl. They want the girls to learn about the construction industry. This past weekend they went to the National Pinewood Derby Race in Omaha, Nebraska. My grandson placed 14th in his age bracket with his car. He had a very successful last year of racing. They had a good time and we are very proud of him. This grandma didn't get to go. You can tell by the picture of him and his mom that he was happy. 
   The weather has been on the rainy side here.  We had some sunshine, but it is going to take a while for it to dry out. I went up Saturday in the rain to check on my hubby. He said that his phone was not working right. The fun part was coming home and getting through the intersection where you didn't have working lights and making a left-hand turn. I made it through only to come home to not having any electricity. It was probably about an hour and a half before I got mine back. My son and his family had a big tree fall across their road taking out their power. It made for an interesting day. At least I had food in the house that I could eat if it stayed off longer. 

 A couple of my latest tea towels. The teacher tea towel is a nice gift for a teacher. I am working on an order for two right now. The fingers have to stay busy. It helps keep my sanity when you deal with people that don't take the time to read medical charts. It would help tremendously if they would.

  I had an upper respiratory infection and ended up in urgent care. I tried our new one here in town. I was impressedwith their service. I got in to see the doctor and picked up my meds that he order and home in approximately one and a half hours. It wouldn't have been that quick at the other one.  I will try to get back to visiting a little more often. Take care.

Update from my house

  It has been a while since I have been here. My life has been busy with helping my daughter, who broke her ankle and had surgery. She has pins on one side of her ankle and plate and pins on the other side. She is finally back to driving. She got rid of the scooter that she used for six weeks. Now she wears an air cast that she has to wear until she goes back to the doctor. That is another six weeks. 
  Hubby is losing weight big time. He has lost over 17 lbs and they say it is what he is eating. They do very little other than keep them comfortable once they have gone into hospice. We were to have bad weather today so I didn't go up today. I didn't sleep very good so I took a nap this afternoon. I worry about him.

  My middle grandson got to go skiing at Snowcreek. He is the one in the baseball cap. He had a lot of fun and would love to go again. I spend two days with him selling advertising for the horse show season. It was fun to watch him because he did the talking unless they asked him something that he couldn't answer. 
  He may get to show Miss Juliet some this summer in halter and showmanship. He has got his new shirt, hat and his tie from last year goes really well with his shirt. He had to put it on so I could see him in it. The season starts the 22nd of April. As fast as the time is going, it will be here before we are ready. 

 My Saving lives Tea towel has been in demand lately. I have made several of them and now I am working on a bridal shower gift. The hands have to stay busy to give me something else to think about other then what is going on with my other half. His ammonia level is up and I get some weird answers at times. If he gets mad at me, he will call and hang up saying that he couldn't hear me and something was wrong with his phone. It was funny because I know that he called and talked to my brother for over an hour. He got put on the back burner as I was busy helping with the kids and getting my mammogram done. He thinks he should be first before I do anything else.
  I just keep telling God to give me the strength to do what I have to do. This week I have to make a trip to the city to see my primary care doctor for my checkup. I hope the weather cooperates. The snow they predicted for today didn't happen. My magnolia tree was trying to bloom and with the cold weather, it has turned brown. It is as though we live in the pocket with the snow and tornadoes going around us.
   My youngest grandson thinks he wants to learn to play the trombone. He may change his mind about that. He is going to race gocarts this summer. I will be watching him besides watching horse shows. I don't know what my oldest is going to be doing since he is a senior in high school. He has been accepted at a vo-tech school and has a sponsor, but he has to graduate first. Graduation is scheduled for mother's Day I will try to drop in more often. Stay well and warm.

Sun shining and Wind Advisory

  We may have winter this weekend or that is what they are telling us to be prepared for today. The wind is horrible today. It is gusting over 38 miles an hour and we have power outages here in the city some of the areas is not that far from my house. 

My daughter and daughter-in-law both told me to stay in today. They don't want to worry about me falling or the wind catching my car door causing it to hit me maybe breaking something. My daughter fell this morning and broke her ankle in two places. They are doing surgery in the morning. She is going to have a plate and pin on one side and two pins on the other side, won't be able to drive for at least three weeks. At least it didn't happen at work. She was going to take her son to school. Slipped on a muddy bank going to the truck. I had thought about taking my books to the library but decided the best thing was to just stay home. 

  Matt and his mom are picking me up this evening so that I can go to the basketball game this evening. I haven't missed one as of yet. His games are normally on Tuesday evenings. Tonight's game is at 6 o'clock. I will get to see the new school which is not that far from my house. 

  I was at the nursing home yesterday and today I thought I would stay home and work on my embroidery project. I didn't realize that my picture posted yesterday. I was having problems with my computer. I sometimes have this urge where I would love to shove it in the floor. I still wish I had my windows program. Why they do some of the things to programs is beyond me?  

  I keep praying that nothing will happen for a while. I think we have had enough things at the present time. We had our belated Christmas Horse Club Christmas party over the weekend. We had a really nice turnout. I saw people there that I hadn't seen before which maybe they will stay around this year. The show schedule is set and judges are schedule for all of the shows. Matt will show, but I don't know about Jake whether he will or not depends on his work schedule. I think that dad is going to show this year which will be fun to watch. I am looking forward to the kids riding whether they are my grandchildren or my adopted grandchildren. I am known at the club as grandma.

   I know graduation is set for Mother's Day. I am not ready for that. You want to keep them young for a while longer. Don't we all wish that we wouldn't get older,

I keep saying we fall apart as we get older. We break more easily that is for sure. 

  Hope you all are safe and warm. There is so many storms. It just depends on where you live whether it is snow, rain or just what. Take care until the next time. 

Where is the sunshine????

HAPPY NEW YEAR

  It's officially 2017 today. We have cold weather with the north wind, but other than that the sun is shining. Did you celebrate New Year's Eve last night? I watch some of it on television of the different parts of the world. I didn't to stay up because I knew when it was here. My neighbor always shoots off fireworks at midnight. He has done that ever since he moved in. There is a city ordinance making it illegal, but they do it anyway. 

  I borrowed my picture from facebook. I love winter scenes except for driving in it. They were predicting rain for today, but I don't know if we will get it or not. It will turn to ice if it does because of how cold it is. 

  Christmas is over and now New Year's Day will be over for another year. The boys had a good Christmas and I got an electric seat warmer that fits over my bucket seat. You just plug it in the cigarette lighter. My oldest grandson installed it for grandma and showed me how it worked. He brought me by a 50lb bag of salt in case it gets icy the other day on his way home from work. 

  Our horse club Christmas party was postponed until this month so they are calling it a Christmas/New Year's party. It will be fun just to get together.  The club furnishes the meat and every body brings a covered dish or dessert. The first horseshow will be in April and with the way the months fly by it will be here before we know it. Ballgames were put on hold during the holidays with people traveling and everything. I enjoy watching the kids play. They play really good at times and with each practice they get a little bit better.Matt's dad had vacation time he needed to use so that he didn't lose it. They hung out together. We can tell we are all getting older because we didn't get together this year. Everybody stayed home last night. 

  I ate lunch with my hubby on Christmas Day. They had a big lunch for us ham, cranberries, sweet potato casserole, devil eggs, green beans, rolls, and pumpkin pie. They had mashed potatoes for those who didn't like sweet potatoes. He is losing weight and the appetite isn't good. They did change his insulin because of having so many lows. It was hitting at night time which was not good. I just think they should wait to give it to him until after he eats to see what he does eat.  He has forgotten how to cast on when he knits. He just wraps the yarn around the needle. It is so hard to watch because he has knitted me sweaters and afghans for the family.  If I say anything he gets upset, so I try to not make waves. 

  My oldest grandson has been trapping. He has gotten possums and raccoons. The possums can make horse sick if they go to the bathroom on the hay. They have been trying to get rid of the coyotes that are too close to the house where he works during the summer putting up hay. His adopted parents that he works for has a small dog that they can't let out unless they are outside too. I don't think I wold want to be that close to them. My son said when they were out surveying terraces the other day they saw a bobcat. There have also been sightings of a mountain lion. The gaming officials don't want to admit that they are in our area.  

   I need to get back to work on my custom order that I am working on. Take care. Stay warm and safe.