What a nice week it has been

Zuri learning how to use the Rotary Cutter Safely.

It's been a lovely week with my Granddaughter Zuri visiting Sunday we had supper at my daughter Beth's house, Monday we slept in late, had pancakes for breakfast/brunch then went out to the store and came home and had steak, potatoes and broccoli for supper & watched the long Island Medium.  Today we went downtown to my quilting group and she helped me cut squares for a baby rag quilt I'm making, had Subs for lunch and came home and watched movies, "Despicable me 2, Saving Mr Banks & Frozen then watched the little couple on TV - a nice "Movie Night".  Ate pot pies for dinner and snacked on pears, apples and cinnamon rolls.  Tomorrow we will go down to the Willow River Creative Ctr to work on making fused pendants then its time to pack up and take her home & Honey Home so when Mom and Dad arrive she will be there. 

It's a bright sunny and Chilly Sunday Morning

This is the Small Mug Rug I finished for my Granddaughter Echo.

I am so glad the sun is out today.  It is still  very cold her in Wisconsin, - 13 and that doesn't include the windchill.  There is a Wind Chill advisory out till the afternoon... Brrr - I'm so glad that I am inside nice and warm and safe.  I looked out my window this morning and saw fresh deer prints stretching across the side yard in the direction of my front porch.  I bet the deer was out looking for something to nibble at but the snow here is so deep all the shrubs are covered. 

I plan on working in my Studio today making more "You Have My Heart" blocks.  I made 3 already and sent one to my granddaughter Echo as a present for her 6th Birthday, (I included a small Doll and a hair bow along with a packet of hot chocolate).  I am enjoying paper piecing these blocks. Today I want to do one in Greens for March.


I also downloaded the paper pieced pattern for the March Paper Pieced Postcard BOM for my FB Quilting group so I will work on that today. 

Happy Sunday Morning - Sunshine and Blue Skies

Today holds the promise of a new day.  The sun is out and shining brightly on last weeks snow and the skies area a shade of light blue the thermometer on my computer screen reads 5 degrees.  Yes it is cold here in Wisconsin today. Each morning I look out my bathroom window as I do my exercises to see how the weather is, (see the picture below for the view from my bathroom window.)  The snow mounds in my back yard, (put there by the fellow who plows our road and driveways here at Heritage Cottages,) are covered in clean white snow and the small tree that was burdened with the heavy snow is now only lightly coated thanks to the whipping winds that come off of highway 35 as the cars travel 2 and from their destinations.  The Pines that line the edge of the property also are still covered in heavy snow giving them a "Post Card" look.  There are no deer or rabbit tracks in the snow today - it's just too cold. Boy! those animals are smart - they are staying under deep cover where they can be warm and dry.  That's OK the stalks from my flower bushes along side my patio are covered fully now with over 3' of snow on them due to the drifts of snow.  My Patio furniture and grill are huddling under a tarp that looks like a snow drift itself.   I just love it when it is this clean and white outside, don't you?  Here are the pictures taken on Thursday when we had blizzard like snowfall all day.

The View from my bathroom window 

The view from my Kitchen Window

Yeah! the weather has broke!

February Postcard  BOM Block # 1

My Russian Doll Applique

The Peace Dove

Yeah! I was able to go to my bible study group this am ... the Temp is 25 degrees above zero today no snow and minimal wind.  I was able to get out of the house for a short time to enjoy time with friends.  Only 2 hrs out but such a great relief.  I even was able to use my shoes instead of my boots today... I could have gone out with the retired friends from church to our monthly get together but I thought I should take it easy so here I am back at home.  I will eat a light lunch, rest and maybe even sew a little today.... I am taking it a day at a time and trying to be gentle with myself.  It's been almost 2 1/2 weeks since surgery and i am sore but healing great!   I went to my follow-up appointment with the Nurse Practitioner and have been cleared to carry 20# now and in 4 weeks I can carry 30#'s, then 4 weeks later I can carry whatever I can handle.  I don't have to go back unless I have a problem and the nerve pain/discomfort should be back to normal in 3 - 4 months.  Yeah!  Well, now for lunch and then I will watch TV for a while and later work on my quilting projects....  My February BOM Postcard block for my Facebook Group - Quilting, and Mug Rugs for my Swap with Michelle at the quilting Gallery.

3 days post op - home and healing

Today I'm 3 days post op from my back surgery.   I haven't been able to sit down at my sewing machine to quilt yet but I am definitely thinking about it which is a very good thing.  Monday I went in for surgery and when I woke up I found that I had to spend the night because I had developed a "leak" from a tear, not too bad but I had to be flat on my back till 6am in the morning.  Now I do not normally sleep on my back and spend less than 5 min on my back at a time so this was tantamount to torture.  so on Tuesday morning when they told me I could sit up and move around I was delighted.  I was hoping to go home that evening.  In the afternoon I was very dizzy with a stiff neck and a headache.  they determined that it was due to my pain med and that i needed to stay for another day... Oh my! but at least I could move around and sit on the chair to watch TV.  I arrived home yesterday afternoon before the snowstorm and got settled in.  I found that things were going to be ok, although I didn't feel up to sewing yet I could navigate my bed and home without too much discomfort.  I loaded my chairs with extra pillows, brought my iron patio chair with the arms in from the porch so I could sit at my kitchen table and retrieved my reacher so I would be able to pick up things off the floor without bending.  My daughter Beth stayed with me a while after I arrived home then my daughter Nan came over in the evening to help me with supper.  I went to bed early and slept well and found I could navigate around just using my cane.  I feel blessed by all the caring friends and family and many prayer warriors I have surrounding me.  Thank you Lord!  I really want to blog more but find I am not able to sit long at my desk so tomorrow is another day... maybe I'll be able to blog and put some pictures up.    

I'm back on my blogs! yippeee!

Thanks JC & Max for helping me to figure out why i was unable to post on my blogspot blogs.  It took a while and Max was patient with me allowing me to catch up when i got lost.  but now I am back on and so glad.  It has been a difficult week or two of posting from my tablet. sometimes not being able to post pictures, (which are a big part of my post's).  So now I can get back up to speed and work on my projects.  So Thank you Max and JC! I am ever grateful. 

it's an early morning for me. just woke up, looked out the window..

 The view from my bathroom window is limited, showing the highway lift up by the frequent headlights off passing cars, people on the way to work.  I'm so glad I don't have to go out this early anymore.  Ah! Retirement, whata sweet time in my life.  I have the luxury of time.  Time to take things at an easier pace and to rush only when I need to.  It's only 6:30 in the morning, in bask in bed writing this post on my tablet. LatelyI have been unable to access my blogs with my computer, a glitch in my windows program.  I've tried to fix it by downloading a newer version but it still doesn't work!  Darn! Any suggestions? Here is my picture for the day.  A rainbow from Ireland!  Ah' I remember it well.

A    

Christmas Eve 2013

It is Christmas Eve.  I am sitting here at my computer writing this blog, drinking hot chocolate & listening to Christmas Carols.  The weather outside is Frightful a full 10 degrees, windy and snowing.  A winter storm has started and should last all night with wind chill in the - 0's.  Brrrrrr. I tried to lay down for a short nap earlier but had to get up because my hands were so cold.  I put the electric heater on in my home because it was getting a bit cold inside because of the - 0 wind chills here today.  I have been finishing up so last minuet projects and decorating my tree then I
plan to watch more Christmas shows on TV for the Evening.  Earlier in the day it was sunny but very cold, now it is grey and snowy.  tomorrow is Christmas day and I can't wait to see my family.  We are meeting at Nancy's for Dinner.  The weather will be a bit warmer and the snow should stop around midnight tonight.  Merry Christmas all. 

my newest grandaughter

Last eve my newest grandchild was born to my younrst son Earl and his Fiance Rikki.  Little Amelia Lynn Elizabeth.  She was born 11 minutes to ten. A beautiful little girl who have stolen the hearts of her grandparents and Aunts and Uncles.  I feel truly blessed and deasrly love my large and growing family.

Baby Amelia's Birthday today?

The Mack and Swett familes are here at the hospital waiting for the birth of our granddaughter Amelia.  At 2pm they plan to start pitocin and then things should progress pretty fast for momma Rikki and Daddy Earl.  Grandparents Bobbie and Marshall Mack and Diane Swett (me) & Uncle Jacob are hear in the cheering section. Yea!  This will be their 1st grandchild and my 31st. Wow  i can hardly believe my youngest boy is going to have his 1st child, I feel truly blessed.

THanksgiving is here

It's Thanksgiving day!  I am so thankful for my family and friends today and everyday throughout the year.  I am glad for today, a time for families to gather together and a reminder to all to be thankful.  I hope that you all carry this day forward into the next 365 days and make gratitude an attitude!  Being grateful daily has shown to be a health bonus.  I do hope each one of you make thankfulness and gratitude a lifestyle,  it will have a profound positive effect on your life. 

Computer is down! Again!

Well it seems that both of my computers wont let me on th internet. I am so frustrated!  I love to blog and this certainly is putting a damper on that. So glad for my androud phone and tablet so I can keep updated on my emails.  I hope to be up snd running soon.

Halloween is over and November has arrived!

Wow I can't believe that Halloween came and went so fast yesterday.  I have been having a problem since Monday with a glitch in my back (probably a pulled muscle).  Yesterday I woke up about 9:45 am already late for my weekly Bible Study with my friends, Karen, Sandy, Bob & Gwen and Irvin.  This was a morning I could not rush to dress and go; my body told me different and I got up slowly, ate breakfast. tried to relax a bit so I put on the Chew but it was so uncomfortable to sit I had to take some pain meds and a muscle relaxer.  Oh My!  I went back to bed and slept till after 5pm.  I felt much better but with my day gone it was time for dinner.  This morning I still have a little glitch in my back but it is so much more comfortable to sit this morning.  I plan to eat a little breakfast and watch the Chew on TV again. I am so glad today had a better start. 

It's a beautiful Autumn Sunday

Autumn 2011

On my way home from Church this morning I drove past a lovely fall setting of a stand of trees with their fall colors on display.  The sun wasn't quite shining on them and they looked a little dark and worn today so I did not take a photo of them.  When I got home I looked thru the photos on my computer and found the one I took of the same trees back in autumn 2011 with the sun shining full on the trees exclaiming their beautiful fall colors of rusty red accompanied by the varied greens of the surrounding grass, trees & evergreens.  I do enjoy the autumn colors each & each year they seem to more and more Vibrant.  What a difference to our long winter weather this year and our slow start to spring.  

Early morning riser

GOOD MORNING!  I've been awake since 5am & pursuing the internet, reading my emails and checking out Pintrest.  Found some great ideas for salt dough ornaments, ribbon embroidery, quilting & DIY crafts.  Gathering ideas is a great way to start my day.  I should get out of bed.  I'm hungry for breakfast - oatmeal is a good way to start my day.  Then off to quilting at the pointe with Gwen & Frank.  Maybe Cecilia will join us. (or maybe stay home to work on some illustrations for Nan's book).  Then off to the city with Raymond to check out an apartment.  Hope it isn't to chilly outside. 

I'm taking advantage of this beautifu Autumn day!

Today is so beautiful out, it's 72 degrees out, sunny and breezy.  It is unusually warm for this October day so I am taking full advantage of the weather and I am out on my front porch doing some watercolors for illustrations I am doing for a Children's Book.  It is so peaceful out there. I am wearing my hat as I sit and paint to keep the sun from my eyes. Well my break is over so I need to return to the porch and paint some more. 

A Recap of my Awesome Spring/Summer 2013

This has been such an awesome Spring/Summer for me.  It made up for the long and cold winter we had here in Hudson WI. 


A Snowy May Day

Early May came and so did the snow it continued thru the 5th of May.  No matter I still went on the Bus trip with my ASG pals to Nancy Notion's weekend.  The morning of the 2nd I awoke to 7 inches of snow outside.  I needed to be at the Parking lot in Woodbury to meet the bus that was going to take us to Beaver Dam.  I had to PLOW myself out with my own car since neither the city plow nor our guy who plows our complex had come yet.  I almost got stuck but was able to slowly drive up the slight incline to the city road and make it gingerly over to the park way.  I was late of course by 45min but the bus was another 45 min late too.  So I really was early LOL.  It was a fierce storm and I was so thankful that our bus driver was so skilled.  The trees along the highway were so laden with snow that many of them broke.  Spring did not arrive yet here in the Midwest till mid May so the trees were fragile.  I had so much fun on the trip, even got to meet and have my picture taken with Nancy Zieman. of "Sewing with Nancy",  I had watched her for almost 30 yrs. on TV and have learned a lot of what I know about sewing from her.  We spent 4 days in Beaver Dam WI.

In Late June I went on my 1st Road Trip of the summer to NY State to visit with my brothers, Eddie and Bobby, attend my Niece Kim's Wedding to see my Granddaughter Jessica.  My youngest daughter Beth came with me and we shared the Driving.  Her Goal was to hang out with her cousins and to see the sights of NYC.  We both met our goals on the trip and it was so nice to have time to visit with my daughter as we drove back and forth.  I even got to see my old high school in Elmsford NY and visited my homestead on Taxter Road.  I did a lot of reminiscing on this trip.

We got back to town on July 3rd & no sooner did I get back home then I was off to a Quilting retreat here in Hudson WI sponsored by my LQS "Sew Little Time" to quilt.  I was able to concentrate and finish 5 quilt tops.  4 will become baby quilts and one will be a table topper. 

Then the following Sunday while a church my friend Valoriea was telling everyone about her move to Tennessee and her need for a driver.  Mmmm I was thinking I would love to see Tennessee, I was retired and had no place to be at any specific time, but I wouldn't be able to drive a large moving truck nor help much with the packing & unpacking of the vehicle.  After church I was talking to Valoriea and expressed my thoughts.  "Can you drive a Pickup Truck?" she asked.  I was sure I could if I could get into her truck.  I had driven trucks off the line for Ford Motor Co when I worked there and had owned a Lincoln Navigator and drove that all over.  So we went outside to try out her pickup truck.  I could get into it!  She took me on as her driver - she already had people coming over to pack and unpack her car.  So my 2nd road trip was born,  A working road trip for me.

I was talking with my daughter Nancy about my trip and she was also leaving to go on her Camping Road Trip with her daughter Zuri at the same time.  "Say Mom if you can meet me in Nashville on the 8th of Sept we could drive home together.  Wow. I was sure that would work and it did.  I was able to get into Nashville a couple of days early and enjoyed some down time before meeting Nancy and Zuri at the Nashville KOA Camping Cabin. 

It is a beautiful Autumn Day today!

I am very glad to be home, to sleep in my own bed and to eat my breakfast on my own front porch.  Ah, the comforts of home.  This is truly were my heart is, my children live near by within an hours reach.  tomorrow will be an active day for me but today I choose to relax, unpack, decompress from my long hrs on the road.  Yesterday I slept the day away.  I woke up at 8am, had breakfast, watched a little tv then went to lay down for a nap at 10am.  I did not wake up till 4pm.  wow I must have needed he nap big time.  I then ate supper, watched HGTV for a while and than a movie or 2 on the movie channels.  My friend Sue called about 4:30pm asking me to meet her for dinner downtown but I had already eaten and was still in my pj's, so I took a rain check on that.  Today I plan to unpack my luggage, sort out my papers, hotel coupons and maps that I want to keep in the car.  Later I would like to take the car for a gas fill & a badly needed car wash to rid it of all the bug juice it accumulated on the roads.  I also would like to go thru my numerous pictures, sort them out and post a few here and on Flickr.  I know my emails need my attention too.  I already did my update on FB this am and caught up on news there.   

Another beautiful day here in Tennessee.

It's Friday and I have had a full week and a half.  I left Hudson WI last Wednesday to Attend a family wedding in Lynchburg VA. it took me a good 25-27 hrs. of driving/break time to make my way there arriving about 9:30pm at the Hotel.  The drive thru West VA took longer than it should have because of road construction, It was stop and go most all the way thru the state.  I did make it in time and met up with my brother Eddy and Sister in law Helen at the Bob Evan's restaurant in Lynchburg.  They had already finished their dinner but were kind enough to wait for me.  I ordered a pot pie to go and boy was it delicious.  

My Brother Eddie and Wife Helen
 

 The next morning we met back at Bob Evans for breakfast with our cousins, Marion, Judy and her husband Bob and Aunt Anita.  Then we took a ride to Historic downtown Lynchburg to check out the shops before the Wedding at 3pm. 

Aunt Anita & Cousin Judy - below is Cousin Marion
with Judy's Husband Bob

Another Road Trip! Yeah!

Another Road Trip! Yeah!

Today I left on a Road Trip to Lynchburg VA to attend my 2nd Cousin, Amanda's Wedding.  I am looking forward to meeting all my cousins and Aunts that will be there.  Aunt Flo, the Brides Grandmother is in her mid 90's and I haven't seen her in such a long while and My cousin Judy and Aunt Anita will be there too as well as my cousin Marion.  I am looking forward to seeing them.  I want to take a lot of pictures along the way but opp's I left my Camera Charger at home....on the table.  So I do hope I can purchase an new one at Wal-Mart or Target. 

 

The roads were clear today and the traffic light and I was able to make it to my 1st sleepover destination before 7pm even tho I left later this am than I thought.  My 1st stop was at the La Quinta Hotel in Bloomingburg IL.  I stopped over at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant and had a nice supper of Grilled Chicken and Macaroni.  I also purchased a cute wedding gift for the couple and they wrapped it up very nicely for me. 

 

I just had a hot shower and took my pm meds so I will be going to bed shortly.  I will get up in the am and have a good breakfast here at the hotel then I will be off.  I talked with my brother Ed and he will be leaving on Friday to come on down.  It is about a 10 hour ride for him. 

 

Tomorrow I think I will stop at a quilt shop along the way.  My next stop is in West VA at a Best Western.  Well Good Night all, more updates to come.

 

Bouquet's for my favorite Actors

Friday Sept 6th I didn't make it to West VA but stopped at a day's Inn in Mt Sterling KY about an hour and a half away.  it was 7pm yesterday eve,  I needed gas so I got off the highway and then realized that there was a coupon for this hotel in the hotel coupon book.  (thanks to my brother Bobby I have been collecting them for each state I enter,)  I decided this was were I would spend the night.  I got a great rate, the room was clean with fresh sheets and towels.  the accommodations had been well worn over time, (an older motel)  but I had great internet service & good TV.  I watched "Les Meserables" before going to bed.  What a movie, very good, after all they took home the Oscars.  well its almost 7:30 here so I am getting ready to leave on the last leg of the trip.