WIP Thursday

A little progress has been made----all the pieces are cut out including the batting.  You can see how bright the fabrics are if not  exactly where this project is headed.

The appliqued piece is prepped as well, in fact I am about to switch out the foot on the machine and try to do the button hole edge finishing. 

Not sure how much I am supposed to showing you ahead of the blog hop so you see the backside of the piece.  Truthfully it does not look like much, does it?  I used the backside of the one of the prints to get the lighter effect that you see in my directions hanging off the shelving unit.  Lighter and closer to the pink dot in tone, truthfully. See how the stitching goes.  Maybe I'll start on the BHA on the Halloween piece---finally--if all goes well.

On to other matters:

My eye doctor appointment went well---good vision both eyes.  I can even read my email from about 4 1/2 feet away, better than with my readers if the truth were told.  I am still adjusting to the new normal.  I asked when my activity restrictions are due to be lifted----3 weeks post-op 2nd eye which puts me up to Feb. 19th though I may wait till I am seen again on the 26th to be sure.  DJ is not really complaining except for cleaning out the litter box.  I already told you about his just wanting to be called to the table, LOL. 

The way the staff explained it, there are no stitches holding that new lens in place so the exterior has to form its own seal.  Bending over at the waist is the worst thing you could do (and heavy lifting right behind that) as it puts the most strain on the eye.  She also told me about a farmer who did NOT behave himself and immediately started doing everything he has been told NOT to do.  The eye covering slipped, it had to be stitched back on and the doctor had to piggy back on a 2nd lens---more surgery that could have been avoided.  She said that had happened only the one time that she has been working for opthamologists in 6 years. 

Should I slip up and accidentally turn over to the operative side in bed, not such a big deal.  If the eye shield at night is a reminder NOT to lay on that side, then continue to use it for at least another week.  LOL  I am getting used to looking like a cyclops.  Eyes drops continue though one will be tapered off gradually and the other, used till it is gone. I estimate that will be in about 10 days based on how long the previous bottle lasted.  I want a good outcome---I will behave.

Other than dealing with the husband who was working on the taxes that is about all that happened the past two days.  He was grousing about the State and Feds not sending out the booklets anymore.  "We shouldn't have to print off these forms"  Who is this "we" you are speaking of---you mean ME, LOL.  Then he can't decide if he needs 1040 or 1040 A and I have to look for some schedule that goes with whatever line for this or that worksheet.  Do you know that there are over 2000 forms on the irs dot gov website??  Talk about a needle in a haystack!    We also found that this year it would be more beneficial to itemize on the state forms but it meant digging in the desk for receipts, etc for the backing documents.   More fun and games but like last year, we will still end up paying the State but not the Feds.  (Alabama's tax code is really regressive.) More forms to print and salient sections of the instruction book.

Then today I was having "upside down and backwards problems" trying to print the form out on two sides.  Or when I did get that part straightened out then a big blue blob printed where the mailing address typo was made and corrected but for some reason would not clear till I opened up a new form and refilled it in again.  Oh well!  We are not the only taxpayers with gripes and complaints--- if not now, then later.

Off to try my hand at the machine---sounds more fun to me!

Weds check-in

I'm afraid that this is going to be another picture-less post.  That is how it goes sometimes.

My second eye surgery on Tuesday went well though the hospital did not have its act together quite like they did on round two.  The doctor was ready for me but they had not had the anesthesiologist chat with me or even started my eye drops.  He took the guy that was ready instead and I was the last one for the morning.  It matters not, really.   It's done and I'm doing well which is the important part.   My left eye is my "master" eye so it sort of felt like my field of vision was more drastically restricted last night but you only have to wear that shield at bedtime or naptime after the first 24 hrs have passed.

I had hoped too that I would be able to nap once we got home. I did not seem to be as asleep as I was on round 1 for one thing.    The externals here at home were not helping.   DJ was blasting the TV and then was out using the lawn mower to knock down the weeds that had sprung up.   I had a horrible time getting to sleep Monday night---awake till way past 2 a.m.  It did not help that our idiot neighbor was over ringing the door bell after 11 p.m. (stating it was an "emergency" but not what and she "needed 22 dollars."  DJ told her to call her mom.  Or ask that guy that is always hanging around her house lately.  We have been down that road before). 

This morning all nine of us post ops were back in the office at 8 a.m. but the weather forecast was not good!  They predicted the storms that had been percolating in Mississippi and west Alabama would hit here about 9 a.m. to 12 noon.  Damaging straight line winds and flash flooding was possible.  It was not raining when we road into town but the skies opened up while we waited at the office and then the tornado sirens sounded.  The office staff told us to move to the interior part of the building if we wanted.  I was the next one called back that way anyway.  DJ said there is 2 inches of rain in our gauge. 

My right eye tested out at 20/20 and the left at 20/25 though I could have made my best guess on a couple of letters and maybe passed that, LOL.     The doctor is pleased.  I'm pleased.  I will not require corrective lenses for driving and TV viewing is so much easier these days, especially when I don't have to look through tape and shield holes----go figure!  Readers for computer use and hand work, no biggie.

I told DJ that he will probably be the happiest fellow around once my activity restrictions are lifted.  He is willing to help and all that but all the kitchen clean up jobs are pretty much landing in his lap.   He has always unloaded the dishwasher and I help by cleaning up my mess while I prepare the meal.  Let's face it--when it is meal time he is used to just being called to the table.  Now he has to stay in ear shot to help me with the oven or moving food to the table.    Also I need help with the main grocery run---no bending, no heavy lifting or straining.  All this will pass soon enough.

Knitting continues---just finished hat #30 and started another.  I think tomorrow I will sew---those heart blocks are waiting---but not today with the storm systems that may still hanging around in the area.  Tomorrow is supposed to be better and with more seasonal temperatures.  (70 degrees in January with high dew points are NOT good. )   I'll be able to drive myself tomorrow for any errands that need run--cut DJ some slack.  The poor guy is tired.

So who knows?  Maybe one of these days I will have something quilty to show you!