blogging break?

yeah, yeah, yeah---should have posted before now but there is seriously not a whole lot going on around here. That point was driven home last weekend when I was chatting with two of my FAB pals. They were off here and there or had friends and family to spend time with AND both were finding time to sew and/or finish up binding and organize their sewing rooms in some manner. Wore me out just reading the conversation! Then one pal asked what I had planned. Plans?? what are those? It might have been a holiday weekend but it was more like any other day of the week to me. Laundry, walk, read, straighten up the housem unload/reload the dishwasher. That last fun filled activity took a whole 5 minutes of my day. Seems like I am always washing something---me, the clothes, the dishes and sometimes even the dog.

I am NOT sewing and don't much feel like it either. However, Jane reminded me that I have a 12 inch finished QOV theme block and a 6 inch fall themed block that will have to be turned in on the 1st of October. We are going to a 3 day sew-in thing up in the next county in October and the organizer wants it turned in ahead of time along with a baby picture. I guess this all goes with some activities they have planned. I will have to give this some effort and thought--soon. I guess some of the girls have been sewing together one afternoon a week at a church near me and they invited me to come join them. I may just do it if I cannot seem to carve out any sewing time here at home. Thing is, we are supposed to NOT show our blocks to our buddies and that is the very thing I should be working on. HMMM

I have been reading a good bit---going through the Joanne Fluke Hannah Swensen series of books which contain some good sounding recipes. Some I have done on Kindle and just used the snipping tool to get the recipe in my files. One is an audio book and others I borrowed through the Alabama camellia dot net library system. I bought a couple in the series too, for Kindle. I'm on the waiting list for two of the books. Actually I plan on making one of the recipes tomorrow as I need to take some cookies out to a visitation on Saturday. I am entering some of the recipes into my cooking software and have found them online. The Pineapple Right Side Up Cookie Bars I plan to making was one of them.  The submitter attributes it to Fluke's Fudge Cupcake Murder but it is in Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, the former being one I have on hold and the latter one I had already enjoyed.   I am probably going to make another bar cookie while I'm at it---Christy at Southern Plate posted a recipe for Quick & Easy Carmelitas today.  I have to turn on the oven and heat up the house anyway,   I picked up what I needed at the store on the way home from a quick bite out tonight.  On they way home I ran by Lowe's for ant killer, took the stuff to the recycle bins at McClellan and found where we will need to be on Sunday when Aline, Jane and I go to see the CAST performance of "Anything Goes".  That should be fun!

When I got out of the car to verify the address two women were sitting outside apparently waiting for others in their party or waiting to go in.  By this time it was about 6:45 and it was to start at 7:30.  Yes, I was in the right spot and people parked along the horseshoe shaped drive or in a lot across the street.  We got to talking and one woman asked where I was from originally--"central IL but we moved South in 97."  My Yankee accent must have been a tip-of, as usual.  Turns out she worked for State Farm in California but had been to Corporate for classes over her career but has lived in this area for 23 yrs, 5 more than me.  Then she asked if I bowled.  Seems she is the secretary for a women's bowling league and they are needing some subs and full time members.  I was on a bowling league in the late 80's/early 90's when I worked at the podiatry clinic and had served as the treasurer.   I'm not that good but I might consider it.  They invited me to come visit.  Maybe I'll go.

This has been sort of an odd week for me anyway.  With Monday a holiday, you get confused about what day it is to begin with.  Then I get a text from one of the Belles saying she forgot it was Belles day Tuesday,  I'm thinking "no, it's not!" and go check the calendar.  Yeah, it was.  I had marked the calendar correctly to start with.  Then looked at it thinking "that's not write and marked off the other two Tuesdays.  I had it in my head that is was NEXT week.  I cancelled it, made a few calls to fix my goof up.  Turns out about 5 of us were unavailable anyway.  First time I had done that in 15 years!   I had taken the day off from walking and had errands and such to run anyway.

Yesterday Jane, Aline and I went over to the Friendship Quilters small group meeting.  I had to get that quilt I had bound over to them and Jane and Aline needed to pay the balance of the retreat fees.  None of us were going to go to the meeting on Saturday as we are going to the visitation then.   Also my little map dot town is having their Heritage Days festival---70 years as a town.  I'll go for a bit but will have to walk on the trail instead of  my laps in the park as that's where they are setting up the music, vendors and food.   Meanwhile, they have not done a thing to the Community Center building on the edge of the park since the roofing went on about 3 weeks ago.  It is all closed in with windows and doors and outside brickwork laid but they must be waiting on the electrician and/or drywall crew to come in next.   I don't know if the town has ever said a projected date.

now the critter report:
Oscar had drug his pad down to the floor today for some odd reason.   Here he is with his squeaky Froggie, tug-o-war sock and somewhere on their his rawhide bone or what's left of it.

His new gate came in on Friday but I didn't get around to trying to put it up till Monday.  It is placed a bit crookedly in the hall and probably not entirely even heightwise.  I struggled trying to do this by myself.   it is a tight squeeze and  I had already scratched up the drywall doing it.  I was not going to try to take it down and do it over.

The thing will not latch  BUT hey, a bungee cord works just fine!  Unless Oscar develops opposable thumbs he is not going up the hall.  He DOES watch me going in quite closely maybe thinking he could squeeze in the doorway past me??   Skyler has a bit higher of a jump and it is placed back further in the hallwat so I can access the utility closet.  He can't take a flying leap off the couch anymore.  Or I don't think so anyway.   Oscar will go through the cat door so leaving that open for Skyler is out.   I got Oscar to come out by rattling a bag in the fridge so he did not enjoy his trip for long.  The prospect of chicken fingers lured him out, LOL.   String cheese didn't do it before as he just poked out his snout and grabbed the goodie and stayed under the bed.  Bad boy!

Not to be left out, Skyler in his latest favorite spot.   He gave up on the kitchen chairs a long time ago though will hop on any chair that I vacate. On the dog crate or up high is where you'll find him.  Neither of his perches interests him anymore.  I am not entirely sure that he doesn't sleep on there a bit at night too.   He'll come to bed with me occasionally but does not stay long.   Because it is late and I'm writing this on the chromebook seated on the bed, he wants to either sit on it or on/near me but it won't last.  Some nights I let him settle in and then go to the opposite bed we were on just so I can get some sleep.  The licking and scratching drives me nuts when I am trying to go to sleep.   Still, I love the cuddle time!   He has never been a lap kitty or would sit on DJ's and not mine but mostly they just shared the recliner.  Lately though he is wanting to climb on my chest or lap in the evenings or on the arm of the couch to my right.   Taking his turn near me, I guess.

I best be getting ready to turn in.   It is still warm enough in the mornings that I need to get out to walk fairly early.   I hear we might be down in the 50's by the weekend but it has still been in the high to mid 60s and humid.  I'm more than ready for fall!

THX for stopping by------

this and that

Here I am! Before the search party comes looking for me, LOL. I'm still here plugging away, keeping busy with I am not entirely sure what. It seems like one minute I am out walking laps and the next winding down to go to bed. This week I had Bama Belles, two sides of a queen sized quilt to finish binding and the guild newsletter to get out in addition to the usual household stuff. Well, the kitchen floor still needs mopped. I even snaked the bathroom drain this week and wondered why I didn't do it weeks ago.  Yuck but man, does that water drain out well now!

That is the quilt that I was binding, or actually one just like it.  Sorry I have no clue about the pattern source or pattern name.  I was not asked to make any blocks or do any of the applique or might be privy to that information.  Some were sewing the blocks at one of the sew-in's but it was obvious they had it well in hand without MY assistance.

The one pictured is the guild opportunity quilt but they made a 2nd one just like it to be given away at the guild Christmas party.  Anyone that helped work on this is eligible for the drawing.  The opportunity quilt might be hand quilted?? and this one I had was machine quilted.   Being the opportunity quilt it is one of the guild fund raisers at the quilt show come June 11, 2016.  I was piddling with the binding at the last two quilt meetings we had but did not get very far with it.  Aline had put it on the quilt and hand finished two sides and turned it over to me---yeah, me who hates doing it but does a good job.  Just to get it finished up I drug it back out Wednesday afternoon, put Oscar outside and set up at the kitchen table.  The backing was a dark background floral with burgundy colored binding and not the easiest thing to see but I kept plugging.   I told myself I would work on it till 7 pm and would quit regardless of how much was left then.  Woohoo,  the whole thing was done by 6:30 so Oscar and I headed out for last walkies of the day.  Closest I've been to doing something quilt.

I don't have any quilt pictures from our meeting the other day.  Several of us had been out of town (not that I personally was working on anything, LOL) and we were doing hand work-- Beverly, Lois and I were all doing binding while Bev was working on her yo-yo throw. Lois didn't have tops to pin either though Jane was prepared to help her out if she had.  Mildred came a bit later and we all went out to lunch at McAlister's Deli out near our mall.

This past Wednesday was National Dog Appreciation Day.  Well, mine spent his literally in the dog house.  Naughty boy kept banging into the hallway gate and running under the bed, first the master bedroom, then my room and so on.   I don't want him up the hall or why put the gate up??

Skyler rats him out though, standing guard at whichever one Oscar has chosen.  I walked in my room after yet another escape and Sky was on the blanket chest with his tail puffed up like a bottle brush---dead give away.

I have been quite frustrated with him.  He won't come out.  Growls and snaps if I make some attempt to force him out.  He waits till I go outside or into the kitchen to try to go to----sneaky! However, he has been  brazen about it too.  Glynda suggested I try her First Alert Bark Genie thing with a loud NO and see if that would be a deterrent.  It works IF I catch him but sends Skyler leaping over the gate to get away from it.   A facebook pal suggested a food enticement.  We tried that---he poked his head out long enough to get the bite of string cheese but not long enough to grab his collar.  Eventually he comes out and does that cute act "flop and pet my belly" though I am not falling for it.  Outside he goes for awhile.

I was debating about replacing his gate with something he won't be able to barrel through but thought I would try this first.  I had his old gate in the closet so I used it to reforce the first as the bars are touching on the side he goes through.  It worked well last evening though I was mostly in the living room once I got done with the newsletter.  I had been working at the kitchen table but Oscar was logging some outdoor time till I was done.  He has gone near it once that I know of.  Normally when I go off to the desk or sewing room,  shower whatever he waits for me on the loveseat as you see him pictured or on the floor in front of the gate.  I may still replace his gate with something I can walk through as this gives me a double chance of tripping over it.  My niece has a Carlson extra wide walk through gate that has extensions on it that might work for us.  This setup just gives me a double chance of tripping over it.  Stepping over just one gate has led to two falls and several near misses.

Skyler was helping me re-load and recharge my Ipod for walking.  The dude said I had a "low battery" after I finished up my morning 2.2 miles.

Yep, still walking most days.  Took Tuesday off for our quilt meeting but I still try to go 6 out of 7 days, weather permitting.  I was having some shoe issues one day and had to cut it short.  At least I hope that was the problem.  My left heel and ankle was giving me fits and had me wondering "heel spur?"  while I knew I was getting a blister on my right heel.   It seems to be better with some change in shoe padding and inserts and a change in socks.  Meanwhile,  the town is having its Heritage Days in a couple weeks and there is a run/walk 5 k.  I was half considering trying it.  I know I can walk 3 miles/day but usually that third mile is in 3 separate trips with Oscar on the lane.  Maybe not quite ready yet.

We had three mornings this week with the humidity down and cooler, that little hint of fall around the corner.  Up to the 80's by afternoon but even that is a blessing after all the 90's and super sticky ones we have had this summer.  They say it is supposed to warm up again this weekend and rain chances increase.  I'll whine and say "but, but I liked it like it waaaaaaaas"  I miss baking and making things that go in the "real" oven.  I mean, I LIKE salads and sandwiches but it is getting old.  I keep seeing recipes to Pin that DO require an oven, not a toaster oven, and I just have to wonder "where in the heck do YOU live that you think that will work for MY evening meal too?"   Yeah, maybe in October it would be great!   The closest I've come is Baked Oatmeal and I did use the toaster oven for that.  Or a little bread shell pizza.

Time for a veggie break and maybe make a low cal version of iced coffee.  I picked up a cup of senior coffee (yes, it has come to that!) from Jack's earlier today when I was out on errands and stowed it in the fridge so it might have cooled enough that the ice won't dilute it.  Got some Torani sugar free syrups for it too.

THX for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead------

Checking in

A year ago I was in Buena Vista, Colorado at my niece Amber and Greg's wedding having gone out to help my sister prepare the food for the reception and meals for the crowd we expected to feed.  Then on to spend a few days in Illinois with my parents.  Well I was off to Illinois again this year and not posting about it till after the fact.

Earlier this month,  two weeks ago to be exact, I piled into the car and drove up to my brother Steve and sister-in-law Jan's home near Nashville, TN.   Because they are downsizing their home, there is no guest room so I got to spend a bit of time with my friend Cindy and her husband John before bedding down for the night on two successive Sunday's.

Come Monday morning (the 3rd), the three of us were heading up to Illinois to see family and friends for a few days.  However, the true purpose of the trip was to help the third "kid" down the line celebrate a milestone birthday.   He knew he was having a party but NOT the entire guest list!  SSSSH.    While they went on to the Chicago area, I stayed with my parents.  Here is Mom to the left and my Dad holding Lily at the party, not happily it would appear.  (My nephew Drew is in the background and Lily is blocking his Uncle Mark.)

Mom and I didn't sew, cut or any of that stuff.  I supposed I could have taken something up to sew but I brought my embroidery along and didn't even touch it.  Not in the mood.  I was time to catch up, rest, read.  I did keep up my walking though while I was away.  I did 1.8 miles in laps but you have to walk to the park and back which I think added another mile to the proceedings, Dad said.  He walks daily, maybe even twice a day, but goes way early.  Definitely earlier than I can drag myself out of bed!

I borrowed the car on Wednesday to do the nostalgia tour past my previous home and apartments in Bloomington-Normal.  Before leaving their town, I stopped by the town cemetery to "talk" to my husband and see the headstone that had been placed last fall.  Once I left our B-N home site and a run by Miller Park, I stopped at Gene's for a vanilla cone as DJ and I would do occasionally on a summer night.  It was about 6-7 blocks from our house and we would walk over and sit on one of the benches.  We walked to Miller Park too for 4th of July celebrations lugging the lawn chairs.

In addition, I drove past the places I had worked.  I knew from the Pantagraph feed on Facebook that the old Mennonite Hospital where I worked in two separate 6 year stints was being torn down.  I may have mentioned this earlier?  What a gigantic mess of rubble!  The nursing school building is still standing as it has been used for some time now by Illinois Wesleyan University, the campus buildings are a block away as is my first apartment.  When I graduated from Mennonite School of Nursing in the early 70's, it was still a hospital based 3 yr. diploma school for registered nursing with some college courses taken at Illinois State University.  10 plus years later it became a baccalaureate program and based entirely at ISU as one of its colleges.  There is a remnant of the Long Term Care wing left where I had last worked and a three story section above the lobby.  I'm guessing they have to clear up the bricks and such before that can come down.  Sad for me to see---the hospital I trained and worked at was absorbed into BroMenn Healthcare merging with the old Brokaw Hospital shortly after we moved to Alabama.  It later changed hands and is now called Advocate BroMenn.  The school/dorm building still stands but is not "my" school.  Nothing stays the same, nor should it perhaps.

I had hoped to catch up with a friend and former co-worker while I was there but turned out she was vacationing in Florida.  She was between terms at ISU where she is an adjunct professor at yep, Mennonite College of Nursing.  We did have a good chat on the phone when she returned my call.  I also met up with an old friend Tom who was doing an afternoon of grandpa detail.  He and the kids picked me up on a street legal two seater golf cart type thing and we chatted while the kids played.  Later that evening I met Herb and Phyllis at Avanti's for supper.  GOT to have an Avanti's fix while I am home!  We stopped at Steak and Shake on the way back Sunday but I didn't make it to Schooner's this trip for beer batter onion rings and pork tenderloin (as big as a pizza pan--they ask how many buns you need).  My sister says we have a date next time I'm back!

Jan and Steve came back down to my folks on Friday.  After lunch, my niece Kristine came with Lily and Diane came from work.  Saturday was Dave's bday party.  His jaw dropped when he saw the long distant family.  My sister-in-law Ann and niece Allison did a great job getting things ready for the party and her sisters pitched in too.

I took my camera but didn't take any pictures.  My sister took these and I borrowed from Facebook which she wanted us to do anyway.  From left,  Jan, brother Steve, Lily and me and my sister Diane who is Lily's Nana

Sibling shot but missing our sister Janet.  The birthday boy is in the melon colored shirt which he wore to match Allison's dog Sophie's party dress, LOL.  On the end is our youngest brother Phil.  He came with his daughters.  His wife and the two boys were in Springfield, MO getting the oldest son John set up in his apartment at college.

We started the trip back to TN on Sunday the 9th with them dropping me off at Cindy's home where my car had sat.   Monday the 10th I drove on back to Alabama.  I was in Gadsden about 11 and stopped for an early lunch as I knew the cupboard was bare.  My friend Jane had given me her copy of Fannie Flagg's "All Girl Fililng Station Reunion" book on tape to listen to on  the drive and I was happy to have it.  It really helped to take my mind off the journey especially during the hilly windy part that has me clutching the steering  wheel a bit too tightly outside of Chattanooga.  I am not fond of driving in TN to begin with, as that was always DJ's leg of the trip back to IL.  I'd do KY, part of Southern IL and AL on the way home.  

Tuesday would be a return to the usual laundry and errands.  I had cancelled the Belles meeting for Tuesday as several of us were going to be gone around that time.  I  had packed for an extra day just in case I didn't come back till Tuesday.  The suitcase was stuffed with dirty laundry by the time I got home. 

Of course, I was happy to see my furry friends.  They seemed happy to see me too!  Skyler is still spending a good bit of his time up high atop the pass through.  Lately though he is, even sitting on the refrigerator which he would never do before as well as getting on top of Oscar's crate---bunk beds.  I was piddling on the notebook in the kitchen so both of them were in there with me when I took the picture.  A bit dark but Oscar IS in there amongst the camo bedding, LOL.  Can't find Skyler in any of those two spots?  Try MY chair in the kitchen where he seems to be hairing up another chair pad, LOL.

In the middle of all that, I had another birthday but no big deal there.   Dave's is the day before mine and someone asked me if we celebrated mine as well.  Nope!  It was all about him as it should have been.  I did that milestone three years ago, thank you very much!   Jane, Aline and I did go out for lunch on Friday but we all three have summer birthdays.  Jane's went by quietly and Aline will not be available on her day.

 However, I did get this lovely fabric bundle as a present to myself.  You know how much I love Bonnie and Camille fabric!    This is the "hello darling" line that was just released and I knew I wanted some of it when I saw it online.   Not entirely sure i it ends up in its own special project or appears with some of the bits of previous lines in a resumed Farmer's Wife Inspired Sampler that I set aside two or three years ago.




 BUT I should not buy any more fabric till I make some effort to sew something up from my existing stash.  I have really gotten out of the habit of sewing!  Oscar can start logging a couple hours outside and let me get back to what I love.   I miss my lovely sewing room.  Hold my feet to the fire.

Friday afternoon I discovered that the a/c was not working properly.  It is set at 77 usually and with a fan assist, it stays fairly comfortable in the house.   I set it there and it stays ON--not what DJ used to do and we constantly disagreed about.  It kept getting warmer and warmer till I realized it had hit 82 in the house!  I could not remember what firm DJ had used nor find it in his directory and called the neighbors for their recommendation.  The guy came out a few hours later but could not find anything wrong.  Whatever checking he did got it cooling again but he said that the bearings might be going out in the motor.  He was not going to change it out till it really crapped out, nor did he charge me for a service call.   He told me what to watch for and said to call if it acted up again down the line.

I was good until about 3 pm yesterday. Another power surge zap.  Temp back up to 82, blades not moving, casing hot to touch.  Shut it down, turn to fan, call him back.  There was a mix-up about the motor, it being Saturday afternoon and everything was closed.  It hit 85 in here and stayed there.  Once the sun went down I could put a fan in the bedroom window and by morning, it was 80 in the hallway, a little cooler in the bedroom. By 4:30 am the crickets and whatever else it is that buzzes were driving me nuts!  I shut the window but could not get back to sleep.  Actually it was not too horrible last night, thanks to a cooler night,  though I now have a sinus headache that does not want to quit from the fans hitting me right in the face.

He came out at 10 am today and had the motor replaced by 1030.  It was back to 82 by then but now back to cooling, slowly coming down currently at 79.   I'm going to finally head to the shower when it drops another degree!  No service fee or trip charge or a fee for it being the weekend which I appreciate.  Not money I necessarily wanted to spend but you HAVE to have a/c when it is in the 90's and 76 % humidity at one point today.  No time is a good time when something involving plumbing or electricity goes kaput on you.  Let's hope next week is dull as dishwater!

Happy to be home and not ready to take off till a few months down the line when I will go down to the Fort Myers, FL area to see DJ's son and daughter-in-law.   Woohoo!  Once I ran the proposed dates and flight times passed LuAnn she said "Book it!"  and I did, LOL.  There is a 3 day quilt retreat coming up too but not an overnight deal.  Things to look forward to.

Guess that's it for this installment.  THX for stopping by though I suspect some of you may have been checking to see if I updated.  Well, this time the stop was rewarded!

about time?

Yes, I know.  Been a bit since I updated again and I bet there are a few of you anyway that might be checking in periodically to see if I have posted.  I've been busy mostly around the house, running errands, walking as has become my routine.   Seems like I am always washing something---me, the dog, laundry or dishes! Lots of sweaty clothes and wet towels to deal with.   It has been so hot and sticky with heat indices in the low 100's a good bit.   UGH!  I repeat, I did not move South for the summers.   I could sweat just fine in Illinois, LOL.  Picture spotted on FB recently----it seems true!!!

I should be drummed out of the Quilter's League at this point. It is not that I don't have things I should or could be doing. I barely go in my sewing room and when I do, it is to use the desktop. ( That's rare too though I have had to do some updates on it.  Love my Chromebook!)   Ordinarily in a creative drought like this, I am at least thinking about my next project(s) or looking at quilt books or old magazines, browsing Pinterest.  Nothing!  I'm not knitting or embroidering either.  Reading, yes.

I DO have some hand finishing to do on the binding of the guild's volunteer raffle quilt.  Aline passed it on to me to finish up.  She put the binding on and has already done two sides.  Yeah, I know--me and binding but this is what I can do to help.  I do a good job doing it but just not my favorite part, by a long shot.   Those that work on the guild opportunity quilt or this one too(?) get their name added to the pot.  The quilt is virtually identical to the opportunity quilt, I believe.   I'm dragging it with me to quilt group tomorrow and get started on it anyway.

Look who came to see on Sunday!  I got a call Saturday afternoon from my sister, Diane telling me that she and her husband Rick were heading down my way and going on down to the Florida Gulf Coast.  Was I going to be available for a visit?  Yes!  I happily took the day off from walking though Oscar and I did a lap around the park after lunch.  Bonus--my niece Kristine who happens to be the precious Lily's mama and great niece Lily were with them this trip!   Her Papa took the pictures while her Mama was doing funny things behind her dad to get Lily to smile.  Must have worked on me too!   Isn't she adorable channeling her inner Pebbles?

I had been looking up at the ceiling fan that badly needed dusting and down at the kitchen floor that could use some attention not 30 minutes before the phone rang.  It is too hot and I'm too tired to clean now, I thought!  Well, I put it in high gear.  Diane had said "we aren't coming to see your house"  and "we're taking you to breakfast so we won't hardly be in the house"   Still, it needed to be done and I wasn't so worried about Lily scooting around on the floor.    They arrived a bit before nine.  We visited here for a bit and left for Oxford I-Hop for breakfast though I drove down with my sister in my car so they would not have to backtrack.  Just hop on the I-20 exit and Birmingham as I assume that was still the most, non-two lane or divided highway route to Panama City for most of the trip.

I've never been down there though years ago DJ and I had vacationed down in New Orleans and took I-10 out to Biloxi, MS and then on to the Mobile area.  We took a side trip to Bellingrath Gardens in Theodore, Alabama.  When he asked me if I wanted to drive on to Pensacola "just to say we were there" I turned him down.  I wanted to get OUT of the danged car and walk down to the water and at least dip a toe in the water.  He, on the other hand, always made driving his job for the day.  Oh, we'd stop for meals and bathroom breaks as needed but doing the tourist-y sight seeing thing?  Not so much.  Although I wanted to, we never did get down to the Gulf area again though we did spend a few days in Montgomery for our honeymoon trip.  Trips were usually back to Illinois to see our family.

I've also been tending to the neighbor's dogs as they too have been down on the coast though on the Alabama side of things.  Glynda's mom (who is also my neighbor)  has been tending the small girl poodle mix dog.  I've walked her over to play in the fenced backyard with the two dachshund boys several mornings.   The older alpha dog  Mooch is a bit of a hog and I've been worried that the younger one Pup Pup is not getting anything to eat.  I've separated the two of them a bit or let the other one eat what he wants first and then get Pup Pup back in there.  The little flirt is wanting to play, pee on all the spots he normally doesn't get to or wanting to see what I'm doing.  Anything but eat though he did settle in to his bowl a little bit better.   He is a cutie, black with brown eye brows and wanting to snuggle up with me.  Have to check my legs for little dirt paw marks though.   I've been chatting with Miss Katherine as well, get the mail in, drag the trash cans out on pick up day and drag them back.  Yesterday we both got caught in one of our pop up afternoon rains yesterday while talking out on the car port and had to move the conversation indoors when it really started pouring and blowing. I would have gotten drenched had I tried to hurry home.  We got almost an inch in about 45 minutes.   At least Oscar was not with me at the time!  I guess they managed without me.

This was the recent view around here.  Oscar was using his Froggie for a pillow.  Skyler meanwhile can be found either in front of the door or up high.  He never goes on either of his perches in the bedrooms lately but I guess he doesn't have to when he has a "window seat" at the door.  DJ hated this storm door and had always wished he  had gotten a Larsen instead but we did the right thing for Pippi and Skyler with the glass pane all the way down, I guess.  Oscar came after DJ's passing so he didn't plan for him.  I really should clean off the nose smudges though!

Mostly I've been spending more time on  Facebook than I should but it seems to be the update center about my little premature great nephew Wyatt though the texts and phone calls have been coming as well.  I call Mom  "get on the computer.  Randi posted some new pictures of the baby"  Or his parents have taken them too.

Well, he had a set back late last week in that the heart valve that had closed with medication opened up again.  If matters did not improve on their own, the doctors in MT said that he might have to have surgery to correct it.  Spokane, WA was mentioned as the site, read:  another two states away from their Colorado home.  I guess at some point someone said "well, if he has to be med-evac'd for surgery, how about getting them back to the Denver area".  That is what happened.  He and his mama were LifeFlight'd on Friday afternoon.  His daddy drove back with one parent in one car and the other in another arriving from Missoula sometime Saturday (14 hour drive approx.)  Wyatt DID have to have surgery Sunday morning.  By the time I got home from breakfast with my family his Nana had text'd the procedure was over, succesfully so posted his Papa. They are now closer to family on both sides, friends, their support systems, though about an hour from their homes and probably not eligible to be in a Ronald McDonald House, across the street.  That part is not so ideal but he is in a Level IV NICU facility with an excellent reputation.  Please keep Wyatt, Greg and Amber in your prayers along with his aunties and grandparents?  There some other family concerns that I will not get into; the Good Lord above knows all about those.

Oh I tried a new recipe a few days ago---Pineapple Fluff.  Nice and cooling on a hot summer day.  Half of it is up in the freezer and I gave a bowl of it to Miss Katherine who passed on an ear of grilled sweet corn that her son had done up as part of her evening meal.  Next time I think I'll play up the Pina Colada idea and add some rum extract.  Brandie of the Country Cook says it is a take off of Orange Fluff, sorta.  That uses jello and ugh, cottage cheese ordinarily.  The Pineapple version uses a pudding base.  I could only find the cook and serve version of the coconut cream pudding so used vanilla.  I thought it was good, and different.  Stiff enough that it could be used for a graham cracker crust pie too.  Yeah, more calories, LOL.

Guess that's it for this round-up.  Hope you are staying as cool as possible in your locale.  I know my power meter is spinning like a top and the bill was about 35 bucks higher than this time last year.  I don't care--the a/c is staying on, set a degree or two less than where DJ put it and augmented by fans in whatever room I walk into.  Works for me!  THX for stopping by------

another week went flying by

Here is the view this morning.  As I said last week, Skyler has developed a great fascination for the up high position.  That and the laundry basket which had been sitting on the love seat.  I'm not sure but I think he slept in there last night as he was in there on  an early night bathroom trip.  I had to put him out of the bedroom so I could put on the clean sheets but so far he is not acting like he wants to nap in there.

Oscar, on the other hand, is staking claim on what is supposed to be Skyler's spot.  Mostly you find him getting as close to me as he can.  I put the tablet on the coffee table and sit forward some times and he is sure to crawl in behind me.  Or I get the doggie hind end and back paws glued to my leg.  It is far too warm to have critters so close!  He is my protector though and really gave the UPS guy a barking when he came a bit ago.

Skyler, the eye in the sky.  He'll come down when I open the refrigerator door or he thinks it is time for his treat bite.  He loves the open front door and stakes out a spot there too.

Actually I had both of them kind of confused yesterday as I was cleaning out the refrigerator, whipping up the shelves and tossing the outdated stuff.  They were sure they were up for some sort of taste.  Okay, Oscar got a bite of string cheese and Skyler, some aerosol whipped cream.

So what's been going on?  Not a lot, LOL.  More phone calls than usual with family updates.  We did get some good news yesterday in that my niece was officially discharged from the hospital as a patient but staying close for the baby.  Wyatt is holding his own.  We had good news in that a heart valve  that normally closes at birth (in a full term baby) is now closed with the help of some medication.  It can take up to 9 doses but he needed just one, his Papa Rich posted.  Two prayers answered.  This will be a long process for his family as they were told to expect his remaining in till his late October due date.  (He is in a Level 3 NICU facility.)   Keep fighting, Little Man.  My sister, brother-in-law and niece Randi and Greg's mom and step-dad are still there for support but they will need to return home at some point making trips back and forth to MT .

Quilting group met on Tuesday though few of us were there.  Bev was joining some of her brightly colored yo-yo's for a bed runner while I was stitching on my "Snow Happens" embroidery.  Lois had a couple of tops to pin; Jane and I helped with that.  One of the tops was a four patch pinwheel I had told Lois about.  Since she is our scrap queen I am not surprised that she whipped one up but that she did so that quickly!  She and Les have been quite busy dealing with the garden produce lately.   Seems as though we all had somewhere else to be--I needed to meet the Bookmobile in my little burg--we broke up early.  I've barely touched it since then.

I did try a couple of new to me recipes this week.  One was a Greek Tortellini Salad from the Slow Roasted Italian blog.  However, I did not make the Greek Salad Dressing as I had bought a bottle of Greek style viniagrette some time back and I subbed out the Kalamata olives for some black sliced olives I had up in the freezer.  Not sure I like Kalamatas anyway.   The other was a Thai Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wrap recipe on the back of a Washburn Mills Quinoa and Grain Blend (Thai Peanut) blend though I put a tad more rice vinegar and soy sauce in the peanut sauce.  It is not overly spicy though I did not add any additional red pepper, chile paste or hot sauce.  Not  bad!  It was a multipack box I had gotten at Sam's so I best be finding some use for the remainder!  Other than a little salad purchased at Publix I had not had quinoa.

My committment to walking continues.  I've been at it for two months now and am starting to see some of the same faces out there either in the park or out on the trail.  We wave.  My start time is variable depending on what time I get up but out I go, first thing.   I am watching the new Community Center building project come along as I do my laps as it is going up at the southeast corner of the park.  Over the weekend they were watering the base with two sprinklers for some reason that is not clear to me.  For three days we had water running down hill over the walking path and puddles to try to straddle.  By Monday morning the lumber truck was pulling in and more hands on deck.  Today they were almost done with all the outside walls, lacking about 10 foot or so.  Lots of windows it looks like.  I think they will tear down the old house being used as the Senior Citizen center on the park property once the new building is completed.

It has been  plain old hot and sticky and a typical July, I guess. It occurs to me that I passed our anniversary of our moving date yesterday, starting into year 19 in Alabama.  DJ and I moved here on July 15, 1997.  We had severe thunderstorm warnings two nights ago but I think parts north and over near Birmingham got the worst of that deal.  Some folks were still without electricity this morning.  Here it just spooked the critters and barely dampened the walking trail.  We are in a cycle where tstorms or popup storms are possible any day of the week, in the afternoon.  I've dialed back Oscar's walking or we don't go as far and stick to the more shady areas when we do go.  Yesterday he was running around like a maniac dog at the prospect of going for a walk--I was trying to hold off till after 6 but he was not having it--that he was almost panting before we went out.  Silly dog.

My neighbor Robert mowed this morning and thankfully, did not get stung this time.  Last time out some wasps or hornets got him when he got near that huge cedar tree in back.  He could not get off and away with the mower fast enough to avoid getting stung up near his eye.   Well, I guess we know now that it was hornets as he spotted their hive this time right at mower level and pointed it out to me.  He had me back up with my car and spray the living snot out of it with Wasp and Hornet spray out the drivers' side window.  Got to remember to put that on the grocery list and watch to see if there are more lurking around it.  Wasps, we get trying to build their little nests all along the carport and front patio but this is the first time I've seen a hornet's nest around here.

I've been reading a good bit doing the MZ Kelly Hollywood series of "Alphabet Thriller series" now---I'm on D.   Not sewing but not in the mood too either.  I'll get the desire back at some point but it doesn't look like this week.  I do have the guild raffle quilt here to work on the binding though.  Aline started it and I'm going to finish it up.   Mostly I have been hanging at home mostly and trying to keep cool.    Activity produces sweat and doesn't take much to make my hair "rain".

Guess that's it for this installment.  Stay cool-----

checking in

See what Skyler has been doing lately?  He has re-discovered his fascination for hopping on the fridge and either heading to this spot but more likely, on the high kitchen-living room pass through.   There is more foodstuff than usual atop the fridge today so he may find it a deterrent.  I don't care that he's up there till he starts chasing imaginary things or goes a little crazy.  He has fallen off there once.  DJ was sitting in the living room and said Sky bounced about a foot up in the air after hitting the couch.  Then did the classic "I meant to do that" walk away from the accident scene.

Okay, a week has passed.  In some ways it has drug and others, flew by.  Sunday afternoon, evening, all night long it was colonscopy prep.  I went in at 8 on Monday morning with my pal Lois accompanying me.  I was in the g.i. lab around 10 and the last thing I knew it was 1015.  1045 I'm in recovery and on the way to my room.  All went well though Lois got the briefing.  I'm okay, I think, for another 5 years.

I crashed and burned Monday night though as I had only had about 5 1/2 hours of sleep in two days time.  Saturday night it was because of the neighborhood sharing their fireworks till after 1 a.m.  I was awake by 6 with no hope of going back to sleep.  I may have dozed briefly on Sunday night-Monday morning but didn't need the alarm set to get up and take another bottle of Mag Citrate at 4:30.  I'm just glad it is over.  THX again to Lois for volunteering to take me and keep me company.  I am not a "patient" patient.   I lost a little more than 4 lbs with all that laxative overdose and being NPO.  Wrung me out and squeezed all available moisture.  Hard way to do it.  Naturally it went back on once diet and fluids resumed.

Wednesday I had to take the car in for its recall work so I got up early and hit the walking trail by 0545.  They had told me they would need the car all day and they shuttled me home.  All day stretched into most of yesterday too.  My neighbor ran me into town about 3: 45.  Earlier I told him it was going to be delayed as I  didn't want him to have to hang around waiting for me to call for the ride.

I don't know what it is about feeling like you are stuck at home when you have no wheels.  I am home a lot and never feel "stuck" but I guess there is some comfort in knowing you COULD go if you wanted to or had to.  The car is there and waiting.  Well, unless it is 8 miles away in the shop!  The two days just drug with me spending way too much time on Pinterest and such.

 I had meals all covered even with the extension of repair time but did have errands to run today.  With all the vegetable bounty have been given lately---some cukes, fresh picked sweet corn (yummo!), tomatoes and zucchini--I have tried a few new recipes.  I tried my hand at making fried green tomatoes; I have had them before in restaurants but I should have known that I wouldn't be crazy about cornmeal breading.   I also tried Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries, baked not fried.  Pretty good though I forgot to put any salt in them and they needed it.  I reheated the other half of the small batch I had made for lunch yesterday and they crisped right up in the toaster oven.  This afternoon, it was Pesto Pizza Grilled Cheese.  I love tomatoes on regular grilled cheese sandwiches so it was a good combo.  The tomato and basil from the store bought basil does sort of give you a pizza vibe.  None of these things were exactly diet food!!

 I'm down to my last tomato but Glynda and Robert have more that she offered me though I was not quite ready then.  I did come back with another zuke though.   I might try one of the chocolate zucchini recipes I have seen on King Arthur Flour and some other suggestions --there is a cake and a brownie recipe.  Rather than shredding it, for the brownie recipe anyway , PJ Hamel suggests pureeing it,  This eliminates the stringiness you sometimes get in your zuke baked goods but keeps the moisture.  I'm not crazy about turning on the oven these days but I might consider it.  How bad do I want some chocolate??   Or get one of those Veggetti things and pretend I'm eating pasta?  OR maybe in some type of casserole.  I've got a few recipes for that like using it instead of eggplant for something similar to Moussaka or one my mom recommends.

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On a more personal level,  I am going to ask for prayers for one of my niece's who developed big problems with her pregnancy.    Amber was at the 23 week mark and Baby Wyatt had to come way earlier than expected by emergency C-section due to the risks to them both.  She and Greg were two states away from home when all this happened.  My sister, her husband and Wyatt's auntie are on their way to Montana from the Denver area.  Greg's mom, and I assume step-dad, were with them in MT so they are not without family support till Jan and Rich get there.   There is a long road ahead for the parents and a lot of unknowns.  Please hold up Wyatt and his family in prayer if you would.  THX

I'm skipping guild tomorrow so I can be near the phone or computer for any updates from my family.

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Birthday, America!

Yes, I know tomorrow is the 4th but I bet a good many working folks have the day off anyway since it lands on Saturday.  I am borrowing an earlier posted image as tt is pouring down rain here.  Any plans I had of draggin out and climbing up the ladder to put our US Flag up are NOT happening today.  It started in about 6:30 with distant thunder rumbling and has been pouring intermittently with a hair less than 1.25 in the gauge at this writing.  It seems a bit unusual to be having morning rain and storms as our weather patterns in NE Central Alabama tend towards heat and humidity percolating to the point of afternoon and evening happenings more often.

Oh speaking of 4th of July.  FYI:  The Winn Dixie, Hi-LO and Harveys stores will be donating 100% of their July 4th profits to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Strikes me as a good cause so I have a little list started.  You can read the press release HERE as to which states are participating.

Needless to say, I am not walking if thunder and lightning are part of the occasion.  Gentle rain, maybe but I walk in the park and there are tons of tall, tall pine trees.  Even on the Chief Ladiga Trail, our Rails to Trails walking/biking path, there are lots of trees on either side that you have to walk through to get to the parts where there are fewer ones.  Us fair haired folks with warning labels on their meds need to avoid too much sun exposure.  Get enough for vitamin D but not too much, LOL.

  After all,
The National Weather Service recommends taking cover if the time between the lightning flash and the rumble of thunder is 30 seconds or less, which indicates the lightning is about 6 miles away or closer.  "Remember the 30/30 Lightning Safety Rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing the thunder.  Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder."    
(See this LINK)

Now I am not entirely sure how you know which IS the last but maybe when you take note that the storm is petering out and then start timing it??

So here is the view this morning as I am writing this post.  I guess they both want to be near me.  Skyler is not upset about rain but will high tail it under the bed if it begins blowing and raining hard enough to make noise on the chimney stuff up above.  As you can see. he is still stealing Oscar's spot on the couch, not playing with the toys of course but not letting Oscar on it either.  Oscar took my spot near the light source.  Well, you know Skyler is not vacating until he is good and ready or treat bites are offered.  He sure isn't going to let Oscar lay that close to him.  Pics like the one I took of the two of them giving me a moment of Christmas peace are rare.   I'm allowed the middle of the couch.

I took this one a couple of nights ago.  Skyler gave up the coveted spot.  Oscar and I were playing with his frog.  It was close to his bedtime.   I say "Oscar, time for bed." He runs to the back door as if he needs to take care of business.  Sometimes he does but most often he just barks to let the neighborhood know he is still on the job (I guess!).   When he comes back in, he hops right in his bed and he settles in till morning.  Occasionally we get the whiny bit, and I repeat the going out part, just in case.

What else has been going on?  No sewing though I had hopes of getting back in there the window slammed shut for whatever reasons.  I'll get in there when I can.  If I thought it were pressing, I would drag the table back in here, pain in the butt or not.

Jane and I went over to Pell City on Wednesday to drop off our finished pillowcases.  We thought Aline might go with us and we would take a side trip to the quilt shop in Ashville as her machine (purchased at the shop) needs servicing.  Her schedule would not permit it.  To our surprise, they were not sewing and finishing up with the pillowcase project as I thought was planned. They were having a quilt show organizational meeting and wanted us to sit down and participate.  Jane had to get home as she and her husband had something planned that afternoon and we had about an hour's drive back.   Also I am not re-joining next year.  My opinions and suggestions do not matter as I will only be a spectator/attendee.   Truly, we went to deliver the goods. There were a few things that needed to be changed/included in the newsletter I needed to get out.  Usually takes me 3-4 hours time to get it all together and I'm always waiting for one last thing.

Without DJ here as a backup, I worry about the house being unattended but mostly, I worry about the critters.  It is too hard to be gone a big chunk of the day several times a month and know Oscar is stuck outside in the blazing sun (or crap weather) or stuck in his crate all day.  Bama Belles are my first priority.  Lately we break up after lunch though we have the building till mid afternoon if we want.  Sometimes I stay and sew but that's no fun by myself.  I can, in theory, do that at home any other day of the week.

However, I can do something about the Pell City trips.  I love the ladies in the guild but not the running back and forth part when home responsibilities fall solely on me.  I'm tired of committee work too as all but the first year, I have had a job.  1st, secretary for two years, then website and I'm 1 1/2 years into newsletter person.   Frankly, I don't feel like going through another quilt show set up.  It is time to step back when this year ends and my obligations can be passed on. I have done my part.  Don't worry---I'm not going to become a hermit or anything.   DJ never wanted me to join an other guild anyway.  "You are always gone"  "Who gave you all these jobs?"   As much I loved the man, at that point I needed a little time away with the girls.  Now, I still do but not for the same reasons.

Anyway, the newsletter shot the rest of Wednesday once we got back and a chunk of yesterday.  I got my hair cut, ran errands, the usual household stuff.  I took Wednesday off from walking as we were going out of town and then got rained out today.  I did tally up my totals  45.3 miles walking in circles at the park, kind of alternating 1.68 or 6 laps with 1.96 or 7 laps though one day I quit after 4 laps as my shoe was rubbing a blister.  Another day I simply lost count and did 2.2 miles.  Then add the Oscar trips up and down the lane, mostly 3 times a day, for another 25-30 miles.  Weight is about the same as it was a month ago.  I keep gaining and losing the same two pounds, it would seem but 1 pound is often sweated out.  I wonder how much will drop with the colonscopy prep in a few days??  Oh yummo, plain jello--- but no red or purple.  I'm stocked up with clear liquids and gatorade which I never use to mix with my laxative overdose.

After a bit of phone tag,  Tuesday I did have a good talk with DJ's son Tracy after months of no contact.  At the time he was driving the moving truck through Macon, GA on the way to their new home in south Florida.  His wife was driving one of their vehicles and their son Josh, the other.  Josh will have to get back up to IL though once he helps his parents unload. I assume he is flying back to the STL area where he and his fiance live.  They were to close on the house yesterday so this will be anything BUT a typical 4th of July holidays for them.  I see LuAnn on Facebook occasionally and she messaged that they had not gotten in til 4 in the morning Wednesday.

The neighbors and I were revved up about the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter on the 30th.  I had seen them earlier in the month but didn't know what I was looking at, thinking it was airplane lights, LOL.  Unfortunately on the day in question, we could see them but not as brightly as the previous night when they had tried to call me to tell me to come see (phone was off)  What we did have was a orange red sun and a orangey golden full moon!  Not only the clouds of the evening but the effect of smoke from the wildfires in Alberta and Saskatchewan.  BUT we could see them close together with the naked eye, if faintly.  I had taken my binoculars out but trying to stay focused on the night sky and looking at them whirl around started giving the same headache and woozy feeling that riding and looking at Christmas lights does.  (The way my eyes track or something).  I went out an hour later and I could still see them.  Then they disappeared behind the clouds so I never did see them right on top of each other.

My mind is going blank.  Seems like I had something else I was going to post but it flew right out of my head. As I close this up, it  is now a little after noon and I believe Oscar and I might be able to go do walkies---cue the dog running to get a bit of food before I get the leash on him, LOL.

Have a safe and relaxing if possible 4th of July weekend.  Happy Birthday to my pal Cindy and the good ol USA