Happy New Year!!!

To all my friends and acquaintances, I send you these wishes for a Happy New Year!

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy! May the problems you had, forget your home address! In simple words may 2011 be the best year of your life! Happy New Year!

And this shall be a sign...You will find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
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We had a quiet day here today. There was just hubby and I. We cooked a small turkey with all the trimmings and it was delicious. Then we watched Christmas movies and Old Dogs on tv. We enjoyed Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief and just lazed around.

Last night, we went to Michelle's for Christmas Eve dinner. Roast beef and all that goes with it was the menu. Then they laid out a spread of cheese, crackers, pickles and Christmas treats. We opened gifts and had a great time. This year most of the gifts were just token gifts, as this has been a hard year for us all. Somehow it was better because the focus was on enjoying each other's company and not on gifts. Barry's parents and my mother joined in the celebration. The boys got hoodies and a book from hubby and I. No expensive games or gaming systems.

Hubby and I got a gift card for Swiss Chal*et from Barry, Michelle and the boys. But Christmas isn't over for us. We will have another celebration at Mom's on New Year's Day. That is when she has hers so everyone can enjoy Christmas with their immediate family. She's done this for several years.

I hope that all my blogging friends and acquaintances had a wonderful Christmas. I would love to hear all about how you celebrated with your families and the traditions that have been handed down from one generation to another. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

New Kitchen Floor

Some of you may remember that last spring, just before I had my heart attack that we put in a new kitchen ceiling. Since I wanted the kitchen to be red and white with a black and white kitchen floor, we painted the metal strips between the ceiling tiles a dark red.

Below is a photo of the floor that we've worn out over the last 18 years. It wasn't new when we bought the house and over the years, it lost the pattern. I never did like the parquay looking tiles much. It made the kitchen way too dark. There are only two windows in that room and one of them faces the porch, so not much light comes in there. The other is a north window, so not much light from there either. We needed something to make the room brighter.

The new floor was delayed until December 16th, which didn't make me real happy. The flooring company forgot to order it and then told me it wouldn't be laid before Christmas. That got my backbone up a little because it was originally to be laid during the second week of December. Because all of the appliances would have to be moved into the living room, I was unable to do any decorating until the floor was down.

On December 16th, last Thursday, the men arrived an hour late. He told me that instead of taking up all the old flooring, as they'd said they would be, they were going to put mahogany sheeting over the existing floor. See the mahogany sheeting above.

It took them until 4pm to get everything done, but above, a photo of the new floor.

Here is another. This one is the opposite way of the room. It looks great and is bright and makes the room more inviting. The yellow cast is from the overhead flourescent light. I'm hoping that can eventually go as well.

I know we kind of did things backwards here because we still have to paint and paper, but since the floor ended up being a gift, I can't complain. I absolutely love it but in case you are considering a black and white floor, be aware it is high maintenance. I sweep it a couple of times a day and we have to wash it at least every other day and some times every day. However, I'm happy that after 20 years I finally have the floor that I've wanted for so long.

Happy Anniversary, Hubby

22 years ago today, hubby and I were married. We've walked the deep valleys and climbed the high mountains, but we continue on our journey. Happy Anniversary, Dwight.

Hubby and the Doe

Just an update on what's been going on here. On Wed night/Thursday morning, a deer ran into the right side of hubby's van. He didn't see it coming until it was right there and bam...she ran right into the front fender. The impact was enough that it knocked her down. Hubby got out of the van and she was lying on the ground. She got up, shook her head and bounded off into a field.

The next morning, we reported the accident to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP.) The right fender of the van was dented until the right passenger door would only open part way. The headlight was broken and the signal light was hanging by the wires. We took it to the body shop and they gave an estimate of $2793 to repair it.

Friday afternoon, hubby had to take the van to the OPP accident center so the officer could see the damage. At that time the officer told him that around noon on Friday, the doe staggered across the field where she had gone, crossed the road on weakened legs and collapsed in the ditch at the end of a farmer's driveway. He called the OPP and the officer had to put the doe down because it seemed she had internal injuries.

Hubby is fine and the van will be as well once it is repaired, which should only take a few days. It's kind of sad that the doe had to suffer until noon the following day and that the accident took her life.

There is a huge deer population in this area and these types of accidents are common.

New Flooring

This is what I wanted for a new kitchen floor. Everyone turned their noses up when I told them. ( Well, people in the real world) They said it would look terrible. The only one who could see my side of it was Mom. She said she thought it would work.

Mid-November, hubby and I went to pick out new flooring. We needed a couple of estimates. One of the stores we went to sent home samples. Hubby didn't think it would work, but when I laid the two samples on the floor side-by-side, he chose the black & white.

The grandsons came at two different times within the next few days and I asked both of them when I laid the samples down. They both voted for the black & white. Mom did as well. So, we ordered it.

Two weeks later, I phoned to find out why we didn't have a date for the flooring to go down. They'd promised it would be done for Christmas. The young man who answered the phone said the flooring had never been ordered and that I wouldn't be getting it in time for the holidays. I told him, oh yes, I think I will. Someone (the owners) were to call me back. Two days later, still no call. I phoned them again. The floor would be ordered that day.

By this time I was getting just a little annoyed. I kind of lost it but still tried my best to be pleasant. The lady who works there did phone me back that same afternoon and she told me it would be laid December 16th. No apology for not ordering the flooring on time, just the fact that it didn't get ordered.

I wasn't impressed. Because our place is so small, we can't put up one Christmas decoration until the flooring is down, as we have to move all the appliances and furniture into the living room. But...I am going to have it for Christmas. I will try to get both before and after photos.

Book Swap Partners

I have closed the book swap and went to Random Generator. org to choose the partners. There were ten people who wished to join. They were:

1 Jojo
2. Paula
3. Denise
4. Sammi
5. Midlife Mom
6. Jackie
7. Pea
8. Barbara H.
9. Melanie
10. Mary

The partners are as follows:

Jackie and Paula
Jojo and Melanie
Mary and Sammi
Midlife Mom and Barbara H.
Denise and Pea

I will be contacting everyone with their partners name and website.

3rd Annual Christmas Book Swap

*This is a sticky post and will remain at the top until December 1st. Please scroll down to read my regular posts.

For the last two years, I have hosted a Christmas book swap. It's been so successful that I'm going to host it again this year.This will be loads of fun, just as it was last year. We must get the books in the mail by December 7th to be sure that everyone receives their book before Christmas. So I'm going to make the deadline to sign up December 1st. This will give me time to partner everyone, gather the addresses and let everyone know who their partner is. I've extended it a couple of days to see if anyone else would like to join.

Now for the rules. The books have to be Christmas books, either fiction or non-fiction. Christmas decor and cooking magazines are fine if your partner agrees. Talk to your partner and find out the type of books they like and then send them a book or magazine that they can enjoy. Please do not send books that are not Christmas oriented unless it is included as an extra surprise.

Please, if you sign up, be sure that you send a book. What a disappointment to sign up for a swap and receive nothing after you have done your best to send your partner a book that they will enjoy.This was a LOT of fun last year and I hope you will join in. Everyone is welcome. Just leave a comment saying you'd like to take part. You must either have a blog or leave an email address where I can contact you and of course I will need your mailing address.
Blessings,Mary

THE BOOK SWAP IS NOW CLOSED!

I saw something over at Betty's Country Charm that brought back memories of a different time in life. I hope Betty doesn't mind that I share it with you.

Both Mom and Grandma had a clothes line when I was young. At a very young age, as soon as I could reach the clothesline, I was taught to hang the clothes out to dry and then bring them back into the house. This gave the womenfolk time for other chores. This is what I was taught.

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
(If you don't know whatclotheslines are, better skip this.)
1. You had to wash the clothesline before hanging any clothes. Walk the entire length of each line wiping the line with a damp cloth.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.

3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail! What would the neighbours think?

4. Wash day on a Monday . . . Never hang clothes on the weekend, certainly not Sunday, for Heaven's sake!

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)

6. It didn't matter if it was sub-zero weather . . . Clothes would "freeze-dry."

7. Always gather the clothespins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky!"

8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothespins with the next washed item.

9. Clothes had to be off the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.

10. IRONED? Well, that's a whole other subject!

And this little poem also stirred up a few pleasant memories. Thank you, Betty.

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two. For then you'd see the "fancy sheets" And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths" With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung, So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way . . ..
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!
Author Unknown

I still use my clothesline if I can, though now I have to climb a steep set of stairs to access it from the upper deck. Still, there's nothing so pleasant as the fragrance that comes from the fresh air when clothes are hung out to dry.

I also find it relaxing and good exercise to hang clothes on the line. If there's a brisk breeze, towels couldn't be softer. How times have changed.

Christmas Angels

I have been visited by Christmas angels before in my life, but this year, the angels are at work early. They knew that we needed a new set of winter tires for our van. The ones that were on there were in very poor condition. The front ones were worn badly on the outside because we hadn't been able to get the van aligned. The back tires more or less racing slicks. They had absolutely no tread left on them and the one on the left rear had had a plug put in it last summer when we found a screw in it. After that, another screw in the same tire, so another plug. Hubby was having to pump up that tire two to three times a day. I was thankful that we had one of those tire pumps that plugs into the cigarette lighter. It made pumping up the tire easy as well as free. Most places here charge $1.50 for air.

Well, we made an appointment to take the van to get new tires. It was going to put a real financial burden on us. However, when it came time for hubby to pay $630.96 for the tires, the manager at the garage told him it had been taken care of. We were stunned. Who would have paid for a complete set of tires and an alignment, plus the $20 disposal tax that is on tires here in Ontario?

We asked the manager who paid for it, but he told us that the person wished to remain anonymous. Who would have done that? We hadn't seen anyone in the garage or the store attached to it who we knew.

We still wonder and will always wonder who paid for those tires. Another Christmas angel story to add to my memory book.

It's less than a month until Christmas. The time is passing quickly. So much to do. So little time. It's the same every year. Instead of the holiday creeping up on us, it speeds our way, leaving us a little stressed wondering how we're going to get everything done in time.

Yes, I have a lot to do. But I've come to the conclusion that none of it really matters. What is important is to enjoy good health and the love of family and good friends. If the house isn't perfect, so what? Another year will pass and it will be Christmas once again. Maybe next year I'll be ready, but I doubt it. LOL

Health Update

I'm feeling better than I have in years. Amazing what a difference a quadruple bypass can make in the way you get around on a daily basis. For years there were so many things I couldn't do and I was tired all the time. Now, I have energy. I'd almost forgotten what it was like.

Today I had an appointment at the cardiologist's for an echocardiogram. This is actually an ultra sound of your heart. I saw and heard it beating on a monitor and it was pretty amazing. I've seen this before when my daughter had one in her teen years. It's even more amazing to see your own heart. It seemed to be working well.

The technician said only that the measurements were all in order, which means, as far as I know, that my heart isn't enlarged. I will get further results from the cardiologist himself when I see him on December 14th.

So, for the time being, all is well and I really don't expect any different. It's nice to have energy, be able to walk without feeling like I'm going to fall flat on my face and carry on with some of my responsibilities around here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my friends and readers in the USA. Enjoy the love and laughter of family and friends and give thanks for abundant blessings.

Things Are Looking Up

It's been a while since I've posted again. Been busier than a one-armed paper hanger for the last week or so. Along with my Etsy business, I've started to try to get my house in shape for the holidays. It's really gone downhill since my heart surgery.

Jordan came over yesterday (Friday) after school to help out and stay overnight. We had hamburgers for supper and then he helped me organize the vintage items that I sell on Etsy. We tore boxes apart and put other things in boxes, labeled them and then ate a bag of popcorn and chilled.

This morning we relaxed a little. He enjoyed a couple games of chess on the computer while I read the newspaper and had my morning coffee. Then we went and picked up Brandon and then the work began.

Hubby and Brandon loaded some boxes in the van to take to the dump. I'm a bit of a pack-rat and this stuff needed to go. They moved out the stove, fridge, washer and dryer and cleaned under them. Jordan washed down the appliances. I went through some drawers and sorted all the stuff. Found Canadian Tire money, lots of junk that went straight into a garbage bag, some things I had misplaced and my old student's card and license. The boys got quite a kick out of seeing Grandma in her younger days.

So, the kitchen is looking much better and so is my living room. Still have a long way to go before our new kitchen floor gets laid. The old one has been in this house since we moved here and it is worn all the way through in some places. I'm ashamed to let visitors come in the house. We picked a black and white one-piece flooring that looks like tile. I'm going for a retro 50s look. The walls and cupboards will be white and the trim red. I started this in the spring when we installed the dropped tile for the ceiling, but then had the heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery, so haven't been up to doing much since.

I paid for all that I did today, but it was worth it. Things are looking good.

What I've Been Up To

I've been really busy lately and life is hectic. I would love to live in a small town where life was easy and there was no hustle and bustle. I don't think it's possible in this day and age. I think everywhere is probably the same. If the phone isn't ringing, there's someone at the door or there's appointments to keep and errands to run.

Anyway, that is not my idea of a good time. I like things quiet. So, when hubby is not here or when he's resting, I take a little time for myself, relax and create things. Let's take a look at what I've been up to.

The postcard in the photo above is handmade. Yes, I made it from scratch. First I scanned one of my vintage postcards, then printed the image, made a postcard blank and fastened the image to the postcard. It has been sealed to prevent damage by inclement weather. This was a really fun project.

I've also been making greeting cards. The one above is a half fold card, which means it is only folded once and it's on 11x8.5 inch cardstock. It is a blank Christmas card and there is lots of room to write a lengthy message to someone who you haven't seen in a long time...or, if desired, I can put a verse in it. I enjoy making cards and this image is also scanned from a vintage postcard from my collection.

The other thing I enjoy making is ceramic tile coasters. This is one of my Christmas tiles. It is also scanned from a vintage postcard, cropped to fit the tile, then adhered to them. I make them in sets of four but can always make more if anyone desires more than that. The tile are coated with several coats of sealer and then a finishing coat to give them extra protection. They are so much fun to make and I've made several sets as gifts. Everyone loves them.

So that is what I've been up to when I haven't been online.

My computer was down a week and a half ago and had to be taken into the shop. They got it up and running but didn't get it completely fixed. I phoned yesterday and they will have it all day tomorrow. The computer guy says he suspects the video card may have to be replaced or possibly the computer is overheating. Say what? This computer is not even a year and a half old. I've had a lot of trouble with it. I will never again buy an AC*ER computer. The best computer I've ever had was my Dell.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

Today is my dear friend Pea's birthday. Drop by Pea's Corner. She's having a sock hop and it's so much fun. She would love to see you.

Pea, you're welcome to take a copy of this vintage postcard. Happy Birthday, dear friend, and many more happy, healthy years.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

Canadian Thanksgiving is on Monday and this is our Thanksgiving weekend. Today I will be having dinner with my family and we will be enjoying turkey with all the trimmings. Because Mom has been in hospital and not well, we're doing it a bit different this year. Mom still wanted to have it, so everyone is bringing food. In the past, she wanted to cook everything herself. That's just no possible this year so she is cooking the turkey (her choice) and we're all bringing the trimmings.

We all have much to be thankful for this year. My brother is thankful he still has his son with him, even though he is still recuperating from the brain injury he got in a car accident in March.

I am thankful for my health. After 4 years of feeling terrible, I'm feeling great. The heart surgery was a great success and I am so thankful for that.

We are all thankful that Mom's stroke didn't leave her paralzyed or unable to speak, though her speech is still slurred. At least she can still communicate with us.

We're thankful for food on the table, a roof over our heads and the company of each other on this Thanksgiving weekend. There are so many people in the world who don't have even the bare necessities of life. We have much to be thankful for.

Some Great News

This is a photo that was taken of Brandon just before his grade 8 graduation. He had just turned 14. Last year he went to high school and though he had always disliked school while he was in the elementary grades, he loved it. He worked hard and was moved from regular to advance math at Christmas and did an excellent job. He passed into grade 10 with a nice round figure for the year's average.

Last week he got a special invitation to attend the grade 12 graduation on October 20th. When I first found out, I was a bit baffled. Why would a grade 10 student be invited to a grade 12 grad.

Well, it seems my grandson made the grade 9 honor roll last year and he will be presented with a special award the night of graduation. We don't know yet how many guests he can have but I'm hoping I can go and see him accept his honor.

A Bit of an Update

Yes, I have been awol (absent without leave) yet again. I'm sure most of you know that Mom had a major stroke in August. She was in the hospital and they sent her home without care. I took her to a hospital out of town and she was there four days. Not only had she had a major stroke, she had urinary tract infection again.

When she got out of hospital, she went to my niece's (her granddaughter) out of town but wasn't to be left alone. Last Tuesday she was given the okay to go home. The neurologist told her she is one of the healthiest seniors he has ever seen. She takes very few meds and is very independent. She can drive and do for herself once again. He told her to go home and live her life normally.

Mom does still have a bit of a speech problem. It isn't as bad during the day but at night it increases...some nights to the point where you can barely understand her. It will be harder to know if she is having a stroke in future because her speech is already affected.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to get around to visit everyone. I am trying my best to get my life back on track but things continue to keep me away. Hubby has been sick all week with a cold & a fever and this morning I woke up feeling terrible. It seems he has been generous and given me a gift...yes, his cold. I was freezing all day today, coughing and sneezing.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Fall is officially here and our leaves are just beginning to turn. Have a great week.

Autumn Project

In August, I decided to create some autumn art for my Etsy Shop. There's nothing like something unique and fun to decorate your garden. I spotted these garden rocks and decided to dress them up a bit.

Meet Mr. Ivy Boulder. He has so many wrinkles, bumps and lumps on his face that you can't help but smile when you see him.

Mr. Ivy seemed to be a bit lonely, so I gave him a wife. She would be great to add to a garden or patio for autumn and right on to Halloween. She has maple leaves for a hat, which is adorned with berries... artificial flowers for ears and a little bird has made it's home in the nest of leaves.

Just me being silly, but it was fun and they've had a lot of views online.

First Day of School

It was the first day of school for our kids today. They always go back the Tuesday after Labor Day. It was a much nicer day today than it was over the long weekend. The weekend was cold, rainy and just plain miserable. Today there was a brisk wind, but a nice day all in all. This afternoon was warmer than I'm comfortable with.

Brandon was looking forward to getting back with his friends and was really quite excited about what grade ten would hold in store for him. Jordan was less enthusiastic. He is in grade eight and just wants to be out of elementary school.

About 4pm, the boys' dad called me to see if I had heard from Brandon. I hadn't. Seeing that he was dismissed from school at 3pm, I was quite concerned because he wasn't home. He should have been bussed just three doors down and in the house by 3:30. I tried to phone the school, the Board of Education and the bus company. No one answered at any of these places even though they are to stay open until 4:30. I was getting quite frustrated and decided to go looking for Brandon in case he missed the bus and was walking home. It is about 5 miles from the school to his place and the last time he walked it too him and his friends about 3 hours. I certainly didn't want him walking alone all that way, but couldn't see him doing that. He carries a cellphone in case of emergency and knew he would call someone if he had missed the bus.

Just before I went out the door, I phoned Jordan and he told me that Brandon was about 15 miles out of town...on the school bus. I couldn't believe it. I told him to have Brandon call as soon as he arrived home. When he did, Brandon told me that the bus driver was within about ten blocks of his house to drop other students but forgot to drop the kids from his neighborhood at their stop. He drove all that way out of town before he realized what he had done. Around 4:15, Brandon called home and told his dad where he was. All in all, there were seven teens missing from that one neighborhood for over an hour and no one in the education system to take the parent's phone calls. I'm thinking the bus driver should have radioed the company, admitted his mistake and asked them to call the parents to let them know where their kids were. It was a scary situation for a few minutes and I'm angry that the system is letting the kids and the parents down.

Just venting a little. So thankful that Brandon and the other teens were safe and sound, even if they were on a bus for an hour longer than they should have been. Counting our blessings.

Friday Night Sunset

There was a beautiful sunset tonight. Love the pinks and mauves with the silhouettes of the trees.

Update on Mom

Mom has been released from hospital. They did an MRI and determined that she could be released if she could stay with someone. She choose to go to my niece's (her granddaughter's.) Her speech has been affected by the stroke. They're calling this one a major one and she has had a major stroke before that we had no idea about. She has had many mini strokes or TIAs.

She will be getting speech therapy and she has to see a neurologist. She still has a urinary tract infection and they didn't give her a prescription for antibiotics when she left the hospital, so our problems aren't over yet.

It's been crazy hectic around here and it's taking its toll. I'm tired. The stress of this year has been a little hard to handle, but what doesn't kill you makes you strong. By this point I should be super woman. LOL

One of these days I will have time to visit everyone and play catch up. I hope it is soon.

Update on Mom

This is a photo of Mom when she was about 16 years old. In September, she will turn 83. Where do all the years go? I can remember when she was in her 30s and now I'm a 60 year old grandmother.

As my regular readers will know from my previous post, Mom had a stroke yesterday and they sent her home from the hospital around 6pm. I was horrified. They didn't do a swallowing evaluation nor did they check her out completely. Last night her speech was very slurred and she had a terrible headache from the new meds they put her on, which was a blood thinner.

This morning I called her and she was still slurring her words. She said she was feeling good but I was still concerned. As the day progressed, it seemed her speech regressed. My niece came from out of town and we decided to take her there for another assessment. We went in about 3:30 and she finally saw a doctor, who ordered a urine test, blood tests and more.

The results were not good. Stroke...and four previous ones...we knew only about two and urinary tract infection. Mom was in hospital for 3 weeks this spring for urinary problems and we thought they had them all cleared up. However, we found out differently. So, they are keeping her for at least a couple of days and she's not happy. She was very emotional and angry at us for taking her, but she is where she will be taken care of.

Please keep Mom in your thoughts and prayers. She is going through a difficult time right now. This has been quite a year for the entire family.

And So It Continues...

This has been quite a year for us. My regular readers will know that it's been tough ever since March. For those unfamiliar with these events here is a quick run-down...

March - My nephew, Josh, was in a car accident and suffered brain damage. He is still in the hospital's rehab unit. He was able to spend a night last weekend with his father and tonight he's staying with his mother. They're hoping to get him in a group home by September and are thinking about allowing him to spend the Labour Day weekend at his Dad's.

April - I had a heart attack and within a week was in hospital for quadruple bypass surgery.
A week after I came home, Mom went into the hospital and was in there 3 weeks. Since then she has been getting stronger and finally getting back into her daily routine, with a lot of coaxing and reassurance from us that she CAN do it.

June - My friend of 36 years found out that the cancer in her jaw that was surgically removed in December '09, had spread to her lungs.

July - On the 14th of July, my friend passed away from the fast growing squamous lung cancer.

August 26th - Remembering Dad who died 29 years ago.

August 27th - Mom had a stroke this morning and was taken to hospital. They released her at 6pm but they shouldn't have. She still can't talk properly and may never do so again. All of her speech is slurred, as if her tongue was swollen. The ride side of her face droops. She should have been in hospital under observation for 48 hours, but told us we had to take her home. She can't be left alone until Monday.

And so it continues. It seems the entire year has been one thing after another. And life goes on...

What's Happening

Not much has been happening around here and I'm finding it very difficult to find something to blog about. There has been a little news of Josh. He has been allowed to leave the hospital on a day pass to spend time with his Dad (my brother.) He is still having a lot of issues and will continue to spend time in the brain rehabilitation unit at the hospital. They are working with him daily and are hoping that, if he adjusts to being with his father, that he will be able to get a pass for the Labor Day weekend. That is good news.

They are also talking about transferring him to a group home in mid-September. There he will learn to live on his own, possibly. They are not sure how long it will take him to master that, but here's hoping he will be able to eventually.

The boys are doing great and Brandon is looking forward to returning to high school. He will be in grade 10 and will be taking more academic subjects first term. That doesn't excite him but we've explained if he does it, then it will be over for this year. He understands that but really likes the hands-on experience of the shops much better. He aced out on his advanced math with a grade of B. He got 79 and B+ is 80. He was a bit disappointed but we told him B is a decent grade.

Jordan on the other hand is going into his last year of elementary school. He isn't at all excited. I told him just do his work to the best of his ability and then next year he will be in high school and he will like it much better.

Mom is doing great. I've actually coaxed her into sewing a few things. She told me she didn't think she could do it and I assured her she could if she took it a little at a time. Now she has made herself two new pheasant cushions for her living room for the fall season. Yay! for Mom. She will be 83 in September. We thought she had given up, but she's getting her independence back and is driving again, taking herself wherever she wants to go.

The weather was hot & humid last week, but has been nice this week. We had rain over the weekend & Monday but the last three days have been beautiful with no humidity and a cool breeze.

Hope everyone is doing great. I'm gearing up for Christmas shopping season on Etsy. It will be an interesting fall.

Sunday

I thought Sunday was to be a day of rest. LOL Well, this morning was quiet, but this afternoon, hubby and I went shopping for Jordan's birthday. He had showed me exactly what he wanted...a chair for himself. We saw it last week when we went to Sta*ples to pick up supplies. I talked to his mother about it and neither she nor I could figure out why a 13 year old would want an office chair for his birthday, but then Jordan has always been different than most kids.

Hubby and I went and got the chair and took it to their house. Brandon and hubby put it together in about 20 minutes and Jordan was beaming. You'd thought he'd received a million dollars from the look on his face. Where was my camera? Home. Dang, I would have loved to have had a picture of that.

We came home and hubby laid down on the couch. A storm was moving in and it was too hot and humid to do anything outside. I read for a while and then had a little nap of my own. We had burgers and corn on the cob for dinner and since then I've been crocheting some dish cloths.

A very quiet Sunday. In the next few days I will try to post some of my most recent projects so you can see what I've been up to.

Have a great week.

What's Been Happening

Well, I was doing so well blogging on a more regular basis and then suddenly life got in the way again. Seems my SIL, the boys father, is going to have surgery on August 20th for his Crone's Disease. Not good at all. He has suffered for years and now it is getting worse. They're hoping to do it laproscopically, but the surgeon has told him that he may have to go in surgically. So we will see how that goes.

Last year hubby and I planted a hibiscus. This spring he told me it had winter killed but I told him to wait for a bit because I saw a green shoot in among the old stalks. Sure enough, it began to grow. I can't believe how big it is after only one year. We counted the blooms the other day and counted 61. Jordan counted them on Thursday and counted 80. He may have counted some twice. Here are a few photos of what it looks like.




Not much other news except for the fact that it's been hot & humid here. August is our hottest month and this year it's been extremely humid.

I will try to get by and visit everyone who commented on my last post. Just don't know where the time goes.

Grandson News

I haven't written anything about the grandsons for a while and some have been asking. They are doing great. They both did very well on their school year. Brandon was in his glory in high school. Loved all the shops that he takes and got promoted in the last semester from regular to advanced math. He did well with that and is looking forward to new experiences in the fall. Jordan also did very well last school year. This will be his final year of elementary school and he's also looking forward to high school.

Both boys have grown a lot and Brandon is now 5 feet 11 inches...the tallest in our family. He loves it. Jordan has grown in the last year but he will be short like his father. That doesn't thrill him as he'd like to be tall. Don't we always want the opposite of what we have?

Both of the boys have been doing yard work this year and earning a little money. I think it's terrific and they are learning how to manage their finances. Brandon is a saver and has already saved enough to buy a Wii. Jordan is younger, not making as much and likes to spend his as fast as he gets it. Of course when Brandon was his age, he did the same, so hopefully Jordan will learn.

Today Brandon mowed our lawn and Jordan weeded the flower beds. He did a fantastic job. I'm still not up to weeding and never really planted anything this year, so no annuals. We do have a few perennials blooming. I miss taking photos and blogging about my garden. We did plant some tomatoes and peppers this year, but that is all. We didn't go to extremes because I wasn't able to do it.

Today I sat on the porch and watched a sparrow pecking around on the ground in the area where Dakota plays. I couldn't figure out what she was doing, but then dog hair began to accumulate in her beak. I couldn't believe how many she picked up and when her beak was stuffed full, she flew away to her nest. It's amazing how much they can carry.

Glad to be back in blogland. I'm hoping to get to visit many of you soon.

Getting Back to Normal

I'm beginning to get things around here back to normal. I'm doing a little more, cleaning some things that haven't been taken care of since my heart surgery. Hubby tried his best, but just don't do things the way I do. So this morning, I took dust cloth in hand, cleaned out a couple of cupboards that had become badly disorganized and spent a few hours putting things back to normal. After that, I was tired. I can't believe that I can't do more but do know that heart bypass surgery knocks your socks off. So, I will attempt to do a little each day and try to get things straightened out a bit.

I'm doing okay health-wise, although my blood pressure has been zipping up and down. For those who know anything about blood pressure readings, mine was a bit low at 106/57. I wondered why I didn't have any energy and that was why. A fill-in doctor told me I was on way too much blood pressure medication and cut it down a little. That seemed to work for a while but then my blood pressure went up to 160/77. The top figure was too high and that made me a little anxious, which made it go to 170/80. This all happened in a matter of two days and then it was down again to 140/60. Not sure why it's doing that, but I'm wondering if the hot, humid weather is a factor. I know it can be, but don't want to assume.

I need to go for some blood tests. My appointment at the cardiologist last week to have a sonogram (ultrasound) went well. I have not heard anything from the cardiologist, so either the test results aren't back or everything is fine. It would be nice if they notified me either way.

But life is moving forward. Hubby has been having some tests of his own and he has to go for more, so we will see where that leads.

I hope all of my friends and readers are enjoying a pleasant and safe summer.

Summer Fun

It's time that I posted about something that is fun. Jordan stayed over Sunday and after dinner, he took Dakota out in the yard to play. Dakota has a plastic newspaper toy that squeaks. It was given to him by a neighbor. He loves it. He also likes to throw things down the terrace and have somebody throw them back to him.

Jordan throwing the newspaper called, "The Doggy News," up the terrace to Dakota.

Dakota surprised Jordan by leaping high into the air and catching it.

Jordan threw the newspaper a second time...over Dakota's head. By the time I could snap the photo, Dakota had disappeared outside of the frame. He brought back the newspaper and he and Jordan continued their game of fetch.

Dakota throwing the newspaper down the hill to Jordan. He only throws it when he is good and ready for Jordan to have it. As the play progressed, he began to give it up a little easier each time.

He scrambles to get it when Jordan throws it and often tries to take it right out of Jordan's hand before it is thrown.

Sometimes he becomes a bit obstinate and won't give it up. He tried this on Sunday night and Jordan decided he'd take it away from him. Dakota was determined that Jordan wouldn't get it and they had a little game of tug-of-war. Who will the winner be...

And the WINNER is, Dakota.

They had a blast and played this game for about an hour and a half. They were both tuckered out when they came in for the night. Neither of them was long going to sleep after they went to bed. Great exercise for both of them.

Jo Ann has Passed

Jo Ann passed from this world on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at approximately 6:50pm EST. She had been sleeping a lot during the day, due to increased morphine. She was comfortable. She opened here eyes and passed very peaceably on to the next world.

I am fine with this. We said our goodbyes on Tuesday when we had a few moments alone. It was a melancholy moment that is forever etched in my memory.

Thank you to all who prayed that her passing would be gentle. It was. May she rest in peace. On day we will see each other again.

What's Happening with Jo Ann

My friends and regular readers will know that my friend, Jo Ann, is terminally ill. She has refused treatments of chemo and radiation because the cancer was stage 4 before it was found. The cancer has now moved to her bones, liver, stomach and lungs. Originally, it was only in her jaw.

Friday night she had terrible nightmares and ripped her intravenous and feeding tubes out. Saturday night she had a good night but Sunday night she once again ripped out her intravenous and feeding tubes. She doesn't want any more nutrition and told the nurses she's had enough. They have increase her morphine and she can take it whenever she needs it. She is not in pain but the doctors have told her family her body is shutting down.

Because of body shut down, they have moved her to pallative care. I'd like to thank you all for continued prayers. Please pray she won't suffer any pain and that she will pass over peacefully.

Update on Jo Ann

Today I went to see my friend, Jo Ann. My regular readers and blogging friends will know that Jo Ann has terminal cancer. She had surgery for cancer of the jaw last December and in June they found that she had stage 4 lung cancer. The cancer continues to spread. It is now in her bones, her liver and her stomach. I can see her failing each time I go to see her. She is getting nutrition intravenously and she can now administer her own morphine whenever she needs it.

Jo Ann's time here is very limited and she is quite aware of the fact. She has signed a DNR form and has refused chemo and radiation. The cancer is so far progressed that she figures it would only prolong her pain.

Please pray that she will pass away peacefully and that the pain will be minimal. I will try to keep you updated.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying.

Christmas in July

We've all heard of Christmas in July and this month Etsy is having a Christmas in July sale. Though Etsy is only sponsoring it for one week, many sellers are celebrating the entire month, including myself.

Now is a great time to do a bit of Christmas shopping. Not only are Etsians offering Christmas items, they are offering some great deals on regular items.

The Item of the Day thread is another great place to get deals on Etsy. Drop by the thread and check out the beautiful items being offered by very talented artisans.

With our heat wave, which has brought temperatures of over 100 degrees F to southern Ontario, it's kind of nice to think of Christmas with the cooler temperatures. Hope everyone is keeping cool.

Dakota Update

Dakota has always been a handful since we got him in January 2009 as a puppy. He was a rescued pup and was very aggressive even at 8 weeks old. When I came home from the hospital after my bypass surgery, I expected to have trouble with him from the moment I stepped in the door. That wasn't the case. He seemed to sense that I wasn't well and was very calm and well behaved for me.

As I get stronger, he is again challenging me. A month ago, I decided it was time he learned to obey. I felt more up to handling him than I had in the past and so the battle began. Surprisingly,
a few squirts from a water bottle when he misbehaved has calmed him considerably. Here are a few photos to show you his favorite past time, which is playing with a stick.
He finds any stick that he can and holds it in his mouth just to show off.

Then he chews on it for a little while. Not to destroy it but just to chew on something.

After than, he becomes a little more aggressive with it and chews it apart.

What are you doing, Mom? You know I don't usually look directly into the camera.

Well, okay, I'll let you get a couple of good shots of me since you don't really have any.

He has now learned to lay in the grass. We have a lot of white clover in our lawn and it is soft and cool when the yard is shaded in the morning. This is Dakota's favorite time to be out in the yard. He lays and chews on a stick or tosses stones about and I sit on the porch and listen to the birds singing or watch them squabble amongst themselves. There are lots of crows around here and the cardinals and blue jays often dive bomb them.

Last month, I watched the baby cardinals learn to fly. There are many creatures around this area and the baby squirrels tease Dakota and he teases them back. I've had many a good laugh in the yard. Isn't that what life is all about?

My Friend of 36 years

Many of my friends and regular readers will remember this photo of my friend Jo Ann and myself. This was taken last year just before Jo Ann and I left for the Charley Pride concert. She had the tickets given to her and had chosen to invite me along. I'm so glad I went because now Jo Ann is in critical condition.

Last December, Jo Ann was diagnosed as having cancer of the lower jaw. They operated December 23rd and the prognosis was she was cancer free. The health care system chose to believe that, even though the cancer had spread from her jaw to her lymph nodes. They didn't do anything else except take care of the jaw...no X-rays or tests to see if the cancer had spread.

About two weeks ago, I tried several times to reach my friend. No answer. This was very unusual because she has a big family and someone is usually home. I finally got her and she told me that she's been to the ER and several doctors in those three days. They had diagnosed her with cancer of the lungs. The right lung was full stage 4 and there was some cancer in her left lung as well. Terminal, they said.

Jo Ann was in the hospital for 3 days and then went out of town for an appointment with her cancer doctor. He sent her home and said they would talk about chemo on the next visit.

A few days later, Jo Ann was on oxygen at home. She was very weak and not doing well. She returned to hospital last Friday night around midnight. I've seen her several times since then and her siblings have flown in from eastern Canada and the USA.

Today I went to see her and once again the cancer has spread. It is now in her stomach and her liver. She told me the doctor has been bugging her to have chemo but she has no desire to do that. I told her it was her choice and that she needed to stick to her guns and do what she wanted to do.

I know the inevitable. My friend is going to pass from this earthly plane. I wonder how I will cope. We have talked at least 3 times a week for all those years... more often everyday. I'm not upset because I have lost many loved ones to cancer. I'm well aware of the circle of life. However, my one desire is that she not suffer.

Jo Ann is on morphine and resting comfortably. Please pray that she will continue to live out her life without the severe pain she was feeling a couple of weeks ago.

I Can't Believe It

I can't believe that three weeks have gone by without me posting. Seems like time goes faster by the day. Not much happening in this neck of the woods.

The only exciting thing that happened was last Wednesday we had an earthquake. I would call it a tremor. The epicenter was on the Ontario/Quebec border north of Ottawa, which is a long way from here. We did feel it though and I would guess it lasted about 30 seconds.

Brandon was cutting the lawn and hubby was keeping an eye on him and doing a bit of trimming. Dakota suddenly began acting really weird, running from the computer room to the living room. I thought he was just trying to see where Brandon was. Then he jumped on the boys' bed, which is unusual in itself, and looked at the ceiling. About that time the house began to shake. Now keep in mind this is an old two-story victorian era house...built in or before 1856. (I saw the top of it in the newspaper when they showed one of the old factories down the street.) It swayed from side to side and I knew right away what it was. Unfortunately, I've experienced tremors before.

They say the earthquake was 5.0 on the Reichter Scale. Apparently no lives were lost and no damage was done. We were truly blessed. Tremors were felt from as far away as the New England States, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois...approximately 300 miles, so the new informed us.

Brandon came in the house when he was finished the lawn and said he thought he was having a heat stroke. He was dizzy for a few minutes while mowing the law. When I told him what it was, he couldn't believe it.

Other than that, not a lot of news. I did have my follow-up surgeon's appointment and he says I'm doing great. I don't have to see him again, but do have to see the cardiologist in July. I am still a little sore in the upper chest area, but that is normal.

Mom is home. She left the hospital after three weeks and went to my sister's for two. She came home last Saturday and is getting around good. She isn't completely back to normal yet but she's coming along nicely.

When I went to my follow-up surgeon's appointment, we stopped in to see Josh. I know he has come a long way, but he isn't the Josh I knew and doubt he will ever completely recover. I'm not sure he even recognized me. He seems to be very focused on one thing and that is talking to his Dad (my brother) to find out when he is coming to see him. Nothing else seems to matter to him. It's sad how a speeder can change the lives of others in the blink of an eye.

That's about all the news for now. Sorry it's taken me so long to post. So much is going on here. Hope all my friends and readers are enjoying their summer.

Etsy is going to be having a Christmas in July sale. That doesn't mean that all items on sale will be Christmas items, but rather, it's a good time to get a head start on your Christmas shopping.

Hubby's Test Results

Girly Comments & Graphics

Today hubby had an appointment at the stroke clinic. I'm not at all impressed by the doctor's diagnosis. Hubby has had several spells where his vision blurs and once he had garbled speech.

The doctor says it has nothing to do with the stroke he had last year and that he has a little hardening of the arteries in his neck. His diagnosis...it's the beginning of migraines. Not sure what migraines have to do with speech, but I'm not a medical professional. I've never known anyone that couldn't talk while having a migraine and hubby didn't have a bad headache. He has had headaches, but nothing that made him very uncomfortable. Just a nagging ache. So, I'm not sure if the news is good or bad. It's getting until I don't have much faith in doctors.

The one thing the doctor did notice is that his fingernails and fingers are not normal. He said that can be the beginning of lung or kidney disease. Now he is going to send him for a catscan of his lungs. I do know that the fingernails can indicate a plethora of diseases, so it's good that he caught that. Hubby's fingers and fingernails have been curved for many years. Hopefully there is nothing seriously wrong.

We've had cool rainy weather this week. The cool is okay with me, but not quite this cool. I like it to reach 70. LOL Today was a little better, but it's been quite chilly in the evening.

Other than that, not much news from here.

Another Update

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It's been an entire week since I've posted anything. Doesn't seem like that long, but time marches on.

I'm doing more everyday. Yesterday Mom was at home and I went to help her sort through some things. She's decided to downsize. After an hour and a half we were both tired out, so quit. I told her there was always another time and we could work at it little by little. She will be staying at my sister's for another week or so. She's doing fairy well getting used to the permanent catheter.

On Wednesday, I phoned the drs office and asked the receptionist when Dwight's appointment for the stroke clinic was. She told me she had just faxed the information that morning. I freaked out a little and asked her why it took her a week to send the information. She stuttered and stammered and didn't know what to say. I was not happy and she knew it.

I thought it would be days before we heard from the stroke clinic, but they phoned Dwight Thursday morning. He had to go this morning for blood tests. Monday he has to go for an EKG and next Wed. he has to go out of town to the stroke clinic. It seems the local stroke clinic is closed for vacation. I didn't know strokes went on vacation but then I guess I'm being cynical. Everyone deserves a vacation but you would think that a medical facility would remain open with a skeleton crew. But what do I know. I am getting really disillusioned with our health care system.

We had quite a dry spell there for a while but last night we had more rain and I hear thunder rolling in now. It is to rain all weekend, so maybe the water table will rise a little.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.

And the Beat Goes On!!!

Well, I couldn't figure out a title to give to this post. Don't know why this one popped into my head, except it seems the trend continues. Hubby had to have an ultrasound on his neck last week. We are waiting for the results. He was having trouble talking and after his stroke last year, it alarmed me, so made him to go the doctor. Yes, MADE him go. He tends to use every excuse in the book not to go. So, when he needed meds, I told him he HAD to talk to the doctor about the spell he had. We should get the results tomorrow or the next day. The doctor is going to refer him to the stroke clinic to see if they can find out why he's having dizzy spells and having a hard time speaking. Of course that was a week ago and we still have no appointment. So tomorrow I will phone the office and get on the secretary about it. She has a habit of putting things off until you raise a fuss and I can certainly do that if necessary.

I was talking to Mom this morning and she doesn't sound good. She is staying with my sister after getting out of hospital on Saturday. She now has a permanent catheter and I think that is causing her to be depressed. She says she is very tired, but they have her on a pain pill that is a narcotic so that, I believe, is normal.

Josh is doing okay...coming along, but still in his angry stage. I can certainly understand that and am hoping to get down to see him soon.

I'm doing much better. Walking a block every evening after it cools down and am going to start now going twice a day...once in the morning before it gets hot and again in the evening. I can do more things, am helping hubby get meals and doing the odd load of laundry. Little by little I'm getting there.

Not much other news from here. We had a bad thunderstorm with torrential rain last night but it only lasted an hour or so, then rained for a while. We certainly needed the rain, but not the torrenetial downpour. We actually need about 3 days of a nice steady gentle rain to bring the water table up.

What's happening in your area? Anything interesting?

Good News

Finally! I have good news to share. Well, mostly anyway.

Tuesday I had my follow-up cardiologist's appointment. I like my new doctor. He is very thorough and has a great bedside manner. So different from most of the doctors I've met lately. My heart surgeon was great but he only does one follow-up after the surgery and leaves the rest to the cardiologist. Anyway, he listened to my heart, took an EKG and checked me over. Great news. I have to do a follow-up in July where I will have blood tests and a sonogram. If all of that comes back good I don't have to see him again until December. He will continue to monitor me after that on a 6 month and then a yearly basis. I completely trust this doctor and feel very confident that he is knowledgeable and thorough.

Mom's catscan came back showing that the spot on her ovary was NOT cancer. Whoohoo!!! She is doing much better. Thursday afternoon we had a family meeting with her health professional team. They've slated her for release on Saturday. She will be going to stay with my sister for a week before she goes home to be on her own. She will be getting therapy. The only drawback is that she now has a permanent catheter, but she will soon adapt to that. Mom is spunky and very independent. Go Mom!!!

Josh is making headway, though it is very slow. Right now he is still having some anger issues, but that is normal. He is feeding himself, getting some real food, not just pureed and is getting around in a wheelchair. He has an intense speech and physical therapy program. I have the greatest confidence that he will move forward as time goes by.

To all my American friends, I wish you a safe and fun long weekend. Enjoy!!!

Time for an Update

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I was finally able to get up to the hospital and see Mom on Thursday. She seemed to be in good spirits while we were there, but phoned later in the afternoon and seemed a bit depressed. The doctor had been in and told her that IF the spot on her ovary was cancer whether she would want chemo and/or radiation or if she just wanted to let it take her life. I freaked out! What right does this woman have asking my mother such a question when no diagnosis has been made. I can see her asking if a diagnosis of cancer had already been made, but they don't even know for sure what the spot is. She's been waiting 2 weeks to have another catscan. She was also to be getting therapy for her leg, but nothing had been done about that either. She was just lying in the hospital doing nothing. So, impatient person that I am, I called the hospital administrator's office.

They were not happy to hear from me. First I blasted them for the doctor asking Mom about the chemo...well, not so much that as the way she put it to her. Made me madder than a wet hen. Secondly, they didn't like hearing that Mom had been in there 3 weeks and hasn't received any therapy. Within an hour, she was moved to the therapy floor. Today she has a nice male nurse and sounds more like her old self. I think she was getting depressed because they weren't doing anything for her. She is also getting better care for her bladder on the therapy floor, so I guess I did the right thing.

I am getting a little stronger each day, but walking the halls to find Mom's room on Thursday really tired me out. I have been tired ever since and today being cloudy and raining...a gloomy day...hasn't helped. I'm hoping to feel better tomorrow. Yesterday I rested and slept a lot, but that is part of it. I go to the cardiologist on Tuesday for my post op checkup, so may have more news then.

Josh has been going through a phase of anger, which the specialists tell my brother is normal. He did enjoy a nice visit from his girlfriend the other night. She came and spent 4 hours and the staff said he was certainly in a better mood the next day. I'm sure he thought she had deserted him but she is going to school and working two jobs, which takes up a lot of her time. I'm hoping to get to see him in the near future, but it's a 30 minute drive to the hospital he's in so it won't be for a while yet.

This is the Victoria Day weekend here in Canada. Wishing all my Canadian friends a safe holiday.

What's in my Garden and Yard?

Dakota is enjoying the nice weather. The birds land just out of his reach and he sits there and watches them. Then when they fly away, he tries to chase them. It's comical to watch.

My pink columbine. Aunt May gave me a piece of hers about 5 years ago and I am extremely fond of this because it is something to remember her by.

Forget me nots are blooming. Every year they spread and take over more of the garden. However, they die back early and give way for the hollyhocks, delphiniums, carnations and other flowers that are planted here.

Today hubby and the boys weeded the flower beds and the veggie garden. Next weekend we will be planting tomato plants and leaf lettuce. Mmm! I can hardly wait for fresh veggies from the garden, but don't want to wish the summer away.

My iris. This plant had dozens of blooms this year. Some died back and we removed them which made way for more to bloom. They are one of my favorites in the spring garden.

Since these photos were taken my Black Knight iris is blooming. Just a couple of blooms on it this year. I really need to transplant it in August to see if it will do better. I also have canterbury bells coming into bloom, peonies and my Oriental poppies. The hollyhocks are about a foot high but have a long way to go. I'm watching the garden patiently to see what will be the next to bloom. My guess is the peonies. I'll try to get some photos when the buds open.

Update:

I'm doing better everyday. Yesterday hubby and I went treasure hunting and found a few things at the fleamarket and a couple of garage sales. Last night I was really tired and was in bed by 10pm. Today I'm doing fine and supervised the garden weeding.

Mom is still in hospital and not doing great. She's had a lot of nausea since Thursday when they changed her meds. I have a hunch that the new meds don't agree with her. They have done a scope on the bladder and an ultra sound but haven't given her any results yet. They are keeping her in hospital until they find out exactly what is going on. I'm very frustrated that the nurses still don't want me to go to see her in case of staph infection. She's been in hospital 2 weeks and I haven't been able to get up to see her. We made sure she has a phone so we talk once or twice a day.

Josh is doing much better and in a very intensive therapy program. At present he is frustrated and angry because his brain is telling him he can do things that he can't do. I totally understand that.

Please keep everyone in your prayers. We are all on the mend.