Friday, October 31, 2008

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


It's that time again. To all of you: have a great day- and night. Stay safe, enjoy all the treats and give all the little witches and ghosties a hug.

May all your treats by chocolate- or in my case, vanilla or lemon.

Monday, October 27, 2008

SATURDAY


Having your own blog has advantages. Grandmothers like me have a chance to show off kids and grandkids.

Saturday everyone was here: John, Michael, Laura, Bradley, Grace and Ann. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and watched the LSU game (oops!).

It was wonderful and growing old does have compensations.....

Friday, October 24, 2008

NEW (TO ME) BLOG

Just stopping by quickly with this blog link. One of the ladies in the Jane Austen Stitching Group gave us all the site. It is beautiful and came at a time when I needed something like this.

The Button Willow Chronicles: http://buttonwillowchronicles.typepad.com/
There are some recipes, too. The gingerbread cupcakes sound yummy.

My kids and grandkids are coming from Houston tomorrow and it will be great to see them. Went out and bought Halloween goodies for them. And I ran into son Michael at WalMart. It ended a better day than it began.

And to Jo: again, glad you're home and doing great.

Back to my surfing........

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

UGH!

I'm sitting here in bed with my wonderful laptop sitting on a pillow in front of me and feeling really LOUSY. I've had a weight problem for quite awhile. A little over a year ago I had lap band surgery and lost 50 pounds. And it still does a pretty good job. I still "revisit" a lot of things that won't go through it-mostly sandwiches, donuts, steak, etc. And it cured my acid reflux. But it really didn't do all it should.

So my cardiologist (I'm a great spokesperson for the AHA) suggested that I try Byetta. It's a diabetic drug (I'm not one yet but am doing my best to become one!) but researchers discovered that it kills the appetite. It does. When Gustav hit I kinda got off it. Then decided to go back on it.

Well, my prescription was for the large dose-1omcg. I should have started with the "starter" dose of 5mcg. The larger dose sometimes causes nausea when one first begins it. Imagine, if you will, beginning with the larger measure. I just thought I felt bad a few months ago when I started the maximum dose. Now I'm walking around very green and with a large rock in my belly......BUT......very little appetite. It will go away soon-I think- and life will return to normal. Right now the only thing that agrees with me is yogurt.

Such is the life of a thin-want-to-be.

The good news in all of this is that, for all practical purposes, I'm a vegetarian. Not a bad thing.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRACE!


Today is my grandaughter Grace's eighth birthday. She's a true princess and the light of my life. So is Ann! And Bradley!
Happy Birthday to her and I hope we see you soon. She and her family live in Houston.
I've also joined two new groups, both related to quaker stitching. On one of them we'll be stitching along together on a project and the other is for those of us who like quakers, period.


Monday, October 13, 2008

BUSY, BUSY


I got real busy during the LSU game Saturday night, pulled out my acorn ornaments and decorated my fall tree. They were really the first thing I did on linen-a long time ago. I put them down many a time, swearing never to pick them up again. Thank goodness I did because I really like them. I used all the fabby, threads and felt that the directions called for. And Robin at my LNS helped me make my first cording. Now I have one of those little gizmos and it's so easy to do.

I also finished my Quaker Sampler this morning. It is a SAL and now 2 of us have finished. You can see the blog by clicking on the site to the right of my blog. Now I may take on the Beatrix Potter sampler. There's a new blog for it, too. It's a lot more fun having friends stitch along and share ideas.

But in the meantime I'm going to start Rhapsody in Blue. My finger have just been itching to get started!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

FINISHES-SORT OF!




In spite of it being such a sad week, I did get some stitching done.

I finally finished "A Love Song" by Fouroaks designs. I've been working on it for several years. I recently bought "Rhapsody In Blue", it's companion piece. Unfortunately, the fabric I used was no longer available. I chose the next best thing. And instead of using Anchor thread, which is my favorite and what I used on "Love Song", I chose a DMC color: 3842. I don't plan to begin Rhapsody until I finish Bygone's "Quaker Christmas"( I'm going to show a picture of it on the Quaker SAL site later today) . No plans to frame them until both are done. I want them framed alike.

I also finished "Home Is Where You Hang Your Needlework". The sampler was done weeks ago. I just had to finish the pin keep and pincushion. This was my first BIG experience with crushed walnut shells. Now I'm hooked!! Hopefully I'll get the sampler to the framer's this week.

Alabama is not playing this week so I'm sitting here pulling for Tennessee to beat Georgia (won't happen). Later tonight I will yell really loudly for LSU, who is playing Florida. Texas just beat Oklahoma. I was pulling really hard for OU. A really good friend of mine graduated from there.
Hopefully Arkansas will CRUSH Auburn.

Enough of that stuff. Time to stitch and watch. Oh, Tanya Anderson has started a yahoo group for those who follow Stacy Nash. She's one of my favorite designers and I just bought another one of her designs last week. Great idea, a stitching group.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

ERIKA


There's something I need to do. I've put it off since Monday. Sometimes I climb into my boat and go floating down the river deNIAL. Now I need to grow up.

In the late hours of Sunday night I lost a dear friend. Erika Duffield lost her battle with cancer. She was just diagnosed a few months ago and then was treated at MD Anderson. It's difficult to beat cancer of the liver but I thought if anyone could do it, Erika would. She had faced physical problems before-always with a smile- and to my tiny brain she would beat this.

Erika was one of the strongest women I ever knew. Nothing stopped her-until Sunday night. Erika might tell you something different. She MIGHT tell you she won the battle. She was also one of the softest: she had the softest, fluffy light red hair, she wore soft clothes (usually some type of peasant skirt and blouse). She was from Munich, Germany, but she had the softest German accent I've ever heard. She said it was because she learned English the hard way. She didn't learn English in school. She learned it by coming to the States and living with people who spoke English. And she always worn a beaten-up pair of Birkenstock sandals.

Erika and I spent some time talking about Germany after I returned from a trip several years ago. I was there in the winter and loved the snow. She didn't like snow. We both spent some time in the Munich "beerhall" (get over it, my Baptist friends!). She returned to Munich often and finally sold her apartment there. I would loved to have made a trip there with her. In the spring, maybe.

Her husband is a doctor at LSU's vet school so she knew a lot about animals. She had a little dachshund (of course!) and I have my little Rose. We often spent time talking about our furry little children.

And she did something I could never do: she took very good care of her mother-in-law. The lady lived with Erika and her husband and she was forever taking her somewhere, doing things with her. I can't help but think again of how strong-and loving-she was.

Her funeral will be on Saturday. I won't go. I will say good bye to Erika in my own way, privately. I think I have already begun the process. Last night she was on my mind-never far from my thoughts. And I want it to stay that way for awhile. She made my life better. I don't think I ever got to tell her that. But I think she knows that now.

Rest, Erika. I'll see you again. And we'll have some catching up to do!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

MONDAY AGAIN

It's Monday after a big weekend. Friday, or course, was my birthday. It was very quiet, which is the way I really like things. Saturday was election day and one I enjoy because I get to see my neighbors. Still 5:15 AM until 8:30 PM is a LONG day. Our mayor was re-elected over three other candidates-after some very dirty, typical Louisiana politics. I've been a Republican all my voting life and don't intend to change now. But I do admit voting other parties. Our mayor is a Democrat and does a great job. The two Republicans in the race were not my idea of mayoral material. My candidate for DA was a Democrat. Oops. I just put it into writing and I'm sure some of my Republican buddies won't appreciate it too much.

Last Wednesday night I came home from church to see about a million fairy lights strung all around the house two doors down. By Saturday there was a huge tent set up on the front courtyard. And Sunday lots of little white table and chairs were set up. Turns out there was a wedding reception there Sunday night. We heard no noise so they were pretty well behaved. There was a long, white limousine parked in front of the house. I did my best to spy out my windows to see what was going on. Unfortunately my windows are not made for peeping!. Best of luck to the couple-whomever they are.

My team won again Saturday-by a thread. One poll actually had us as #2 in the nation. We have this week off and then we play Ole Miss. Hoddy toddy, Ann!!!! LSU plays Florida this Saturday and I'll cheer VERY loudly for LSU. May even wear my forbidden sweatshirt. Nov. 1 is our Homecoming. We're trying to decide about traveling plans right now.

Friday, October 3, 2008

ONCE AGAIN

Today is THAT day again. Of course, I'm glad I have it. World of hurt if I don't. Today is the 23rd anniversary of my 39th birthday (62). Just three more years I become church organist emeritus. Sounds fancy!

I received these wonderful flowers from David, the boys and Rose. Mary Margaret at Marino's always does something fantastic. She knows I like pretty containers. For my 40th anniversary in August the flowers were in the most fan-tabulous crystal vase. Takes two hands to carry just the vase.

I had a couple of finishes this week. I'll get them photoed later. Good news, though. The camera I thought I had lost during Gustave turned up this morning in the pocket of my raincoat. Imagine that! What a birthday present.

I found the prettiest song. It's called "Gabriel's Oboe" by Amy Grant. You can hear it on Creekside Cottage. CC is on the right side of my blog under "Inspirational Blogs".

Thursday, October 2, 2008

HAPPY OCTOBER!


It's officially Fall now and time for pumpkins, colorful leaves and ghosts and spiders. It's also time to bring out the Prairie Moon Halloween Tree. I'm proud of this one: it took forever, it seems, to finish it.

Football continues. Alabama plays Kentucky at home on Saturday and I'm stuck here playing Commissioner of Elections. We have a major election : mayor, city council some judges. It will probably be a very busy day so I won't take any stitching. Probably a book. I'm reading Tess Gerritson's The Apprentice right now. Can't say I'm totally involved in it. I plan to go to Books A Million tomorrow to see what I can find that might be more interesting.

I've added some more blogs to my site. And have some wonderful decorating sites to add. I could get into this blogging thing.

Tonight is the Big Debate. I'm going to stitch and watch. I have no dog in this fight. Just as I have no choice for whom to vote. Even though he is not the best candidate my Party could have chosen, I have to vote for McCain. It really is a hoot watching Biden fall over his own feet as he sticks them into his mouth!