Hospital Visit to a Mighty CDH Warrior

WE have made many a trip to the hospital to visit our little great grandson, who is recovering from surgery--he is a CDH baby.  Baby JD is now six months old--celebrating with his nurses and parents one day last week.  He has had at least nine surgeries but the last one was by far the most serious, reconnecting his intestines.  

Here is our path after we park in the large underground parking area (got to remember where we parked!)  We come up the elavator to floor 8--sign in at registration where we are given our pass to the Pediatric wing; sponsored by Roger and Debbie Clemens--there are several "pods" in the wing, each with a different city where Roger Clemens played baseball.  JD was first in Houston pod but after his last surgery, he was transferred to New York pod.  Throughout the wing, there are displays of various baseball gear and several art projects that the children have created.

This is the door to JD's room--he is quite loved by all the staff!  He has been one of the longest staying patients in the wing.  The baseball card is the birthday card that was designed by nurses and doctors on his care.

Sweet baby JD!  working hard on his recovery.

Our last visit he was not in a great mood and was ready to take a nap.  I rubbed his head and held his hands till he drifted off to sleep.  His grandmother visits every day after work and he knows her voice so when we do a face time, he is smiling and happy to see her face and hear her voice!

We can't even imagine how much their hospital stay is costing--out of his six months of age, he has only spent 5 weeks at home!  He is intuned to the hospital room as his home--

We are working on a fund raiser for him and CDH warriors like him.  WE are gathering donations for silent auction plus a chance of 50/50--there will be food, music, good fun and lots of great gifts to bid on.

We hope that this will be helpful with the family and besides, it gives us something to do for his care--we feel so helpless most of the time.

If you believe--please pray for JD and his caregivers!  He is definitely a warrior!!

 

Agatha!!

I’m back reading Agatha Christie as we have been watching some documentaries about her life.  A few years ago, I was a member of Agatha book club

The group was reading Agatha’s books in chronological order-sorry to say I didn’t keep up with the list—always a chance to begin where I left off 

The other day there was a mention of a “new” Agatha book —alas, there have been no great discoveries of new found manuscripts—this book is short stories written by today’s female authors!  

New stories about Miss Marple!  What could be better than that?  Of course, reading her original books are the best; this is a nice read—each author gives their interpretation of Miss Marple in short story form—

In the organized Agatha book club, the object was to read the book and find a knitting project that would fit the story line.  Sometimes, that wasn’t an easy task but challenging! While I was reading these short stories, I decided to continue on my cooking adventures.  I fondly remember our times in United Kingdom and afternoon teas.  I decided to make scones to serve with English tea.  Searching for the right recipe--Authentic British Scones!

Yes, you can buy mixes for scones but the above recipe is easy to make from ingredients you have on hand.  There is a recipe for clotted creme but I took the easy way out and bought it! 

Found it at our local grocery--little expensive but we're indulgent for this time.

Look how pretty the scones turned out--whipped up within an hour from dry ingredients to table!

I've even serving the scones on my English purchased dishes--along with fruit jam and that delicious clotted creame!  What a nice treat for the mid afternoon 'tea' time!

Wait, got to fix the tea to go along--which teacup will I choose?

 

Pull Up THose Panties!!

 Yes, I gave myself a lecture—pull up those big girl panties and get to work!  I said to myself—“ quit giving yourself disclaimers! You can do anything you  put your mind to!  Just do it!!”  Gee, that was a tough lecture!  So, I took it to heart!  Pulled up my big girl panties and hit the studio!  

Worked up the August block for A Quilting Life— so proud of myself and then ……….looked closer—it wasn’t right!  Gosh darn it!

Had to rip out one corner and get it right!  Okay—that done, decided to do Sew With Me August block.  Wonder how I can screw this one up!?

Really thought this one would be grand—but, sewing machine gods were not with me!  Threads kept breaking—retread—sew and the stitch was a big mess under side!  Pull out thread and do it again!  Finally!  Got a good stitch!

Almost exhausted my patience—mumbling a few unpleasant words!  We got it done through!!!

What else can I screw up while I’m on a roll?  Let’s tackle the border on my top—

I only needed one side border—had to make more half square blocks—that’s okay and easy!  Then I made too many!! What’s wrong with me?  Can’t I count?!!

Let’s get that border done—sewed the 1/2 squares together and guess what—it doesn’t fit!!

Oh sure, It isn’t right—left side has 11–count them 1/2 squares and the right side has 12!! Really??!! And the end pieces aren’t right either!!  And the more I look at the quilt top, I see other mistakes—gee whiz!! 

Calling it quits today!  Maybe, another day will have my karma in the right place!

Oh Hum!!

 I’m back in my oh hum mood again—then I read my FB group—Louisiana’s Best Recipes-Cajun, Creole and Southern—they were talking about old cookbooks—people find interesting ones @ estate sales for little of nothing.  Then someone will look on eBay or Amazon to see a high asking price!  

Got me out of easy chair to pull down all my cookbooks and explore!  I’ve stock piled a few of those treasures
myself—why not use those recipes to create a dinner plan—we do eat!  And I hate thinking of “ what’s for dinner?”  All the time.  

So here we go—from this box of special recipes

, I’ll be making 

Is so delicious, from what I remember!  Dates to 1967

Aside here—Asphodel Plantation had a delightful restaurant which was a favorite—this bread was always served with your meal

From a recent book, 2022, the entree will be

Instead of pasta, spiralized zucchini will take it’s place! 

 

we have room for dessert, I’ll serve a light sorbet! Mango! 

Boy! That feels so good to have dinner plans and thoughts of meals to come—I’m on a roll!!  I’ve mostly forgotten about that disaster of a quilt border….

Wonder what’s dinner tomorrow night?  Back to pawing through those old books find something interesting and easy to prepare. 

I’ve Got……

 Hello there!  It’s still HOT!  Still NO rain in sight!  My energy got up and left!  So, therefore—I’ve Got absolutely Nothing to write about, talk about, broadcast about—absolutely NOTHING!  

Oh, today is the anniversary of Elvis death, also anniversary of the day our son proposed to his wife—that marriage last only three years—there’s nothing to write about that—oh, I could… but, best keep my thoughts to myself.   

Oh, today is also “National Rum” day!! Now, that’s good news—I could use a rum drink about now!

And….. it’s National Tell A Joke day!  Isn’t that something—let me tell you a joke then………………well, I’ve Got NOTHING!! 

I haven’t even sewn a stitch for a week—haven’t read a good book either—or seen a good movie since “MI-5” and that was a month ago—although, I did finally finish knitting June’s dishcloth pattern in July which means I’m knitting (well, sort of) on July’s pattern in August—seems to be the trend.  

This HEAT gets up down; just slaps you silly!  

But—we are one day closer to cooler temps and one day closer to rain!  Just not sure when that day will come!!

Over and out for now………

Have Knitting……..Will Wait!

Have my knitting at the ready—need to go anywhere outside the confines of my cool comfortable house, it’s in my bag ready to pick up. 

Only place I travelled too—Firestone for tire rotation and alignment.  I just love the smell of fresh new tires!!  Here I sit, breathing in that wonderful rubber smell—but my hands are busy

I love making these hats; easy to cast on, knit, knit, knit; decrease; weave in ends and bam--you have a finished hat!  Plus--added bonus, using up all itsy, tinsy bits of yarn!  Just hold two together, case on 80 or 88, join in the round and you are on the road to a hat!

I send my finished hats to Emily's Hats for Hope Initiative 

She'll gladly accept scarves also 

I really like the way the yarns add dimension to the stitches.  going to dig through my stash and see what else I can find

And when you finish one hat, what do you do--but begin another hat!

Maybe, that new tire smell got to me!

have knitting, let's wait!

 

Oh Well!

 My bags are all packed and I'm ready to go--just one small thing--I've got nowhere to go!   Isn't that the way life is?!!  I've been lazy lately so it's a good thing I don't have anywhere to go--just staying inside being cool--the toughest item to conquer is what's for dinner!  Check out the pantry and freezer, plan something that's not complicated and I can continue to sit back relax and do nothing--but read, binge watch a series or two, nap maybe-- oh, no!  I hear some chores calling--they can wait for another day when I'm not so lazy.  Did you know that August 10th is declared National Lazy Day??!!  Guess I’m there already!

I did visit my sewing machine for awhile--really would like to get these quilt blocks together.  So far it has taken me three days

The blocks are from Pat Sloan's Sweet Childhood Memories earlier in the year.  While assembling the blocks, I knew that I had all the ones I needed but alas--was I wrong!  I was missing one of the larger blocks--had to go back and find out which one I did not sew!  And there is another problem, she issued the layout at the beginning of the sew along, but did I do it as I made the blocks?  Of course, NOT

I'm working on the border--need to make some half square blocks--there were a few I made about two weeks ago; not enough though.  I found this roll of 3" finished papers; best use them up.

Back to the sewing machine--trim up, tear papers and there you have a perfect 3.5" block for the border

Whoops!  the corners are all wrong--a date with Jack the ripper!

I'm bored and now I'm going back to my easy chair to be lazy some more!

 

It's Done!

 I got tired looking at it!  Every time I walked by, the mistakes were glaring!  Thought I could ignore those mistakes, telling myself, "it'll come out in the wash" or 'no one else will notice".  It really bothered me--these could go down in history!  Especially for those who take the item and place in a chest of drawers (an aside here--why is it called a CHEST of drawers?)   Sorry--being a procrastinator--back on topic!

Finally, I took the scissors (think it was one day last week) and cut it off!! Yes, I cut it off!  Whew!  that was a big decision--it's done now; that can only mean it must be fixed RIGHT so I can continue on.  What I'm obsessing over is my latest tea towels on the loom--I'm weaving with my handspun cotton and there it is--SEE IT?  On the left hand side--three threads in one dent instead of two--I checked it once, I checked it twice when I was sleying and then on the loom after weaving a few sheds--it stuck out like a sore finger!   

I finished weaving this towel; will hem and wash--it will go in my kitchen cabinet for use.

I pulled out all the threads and resleyed them two in each dent--tied it back on the front beam and wove away--well, darn it!  looks like another mistake--but, trust me, there isn't a mistake--I checked it with a fine tooth comb (where did that term come into my word phasing?)  

I found this skein of indigo handspun cotton--probably some of the first cotton I spun!  I wound the skein off into a ball and using for weft--think all will be fine once it's washed!

Okay, I feel a little better now--I just hate to cut off a warp--oh, the warp is continuing from many warps ago--just tie on a new warp and wind onto the beam.  It's all good--until the back beam becomes loaded with past warps.

over and out for now!

August?? Already??

July was another month to tick off the calendar!  It was hot, hot, hot! Looking forward to August--

better things weatherwise is just around the corner--yay!  Also, it should be the month when our great grandson will have his surgery!  Prayers please for that!

Just look at him!  He's the cutest!  Just perfect on the outside but all messed up inside.  But, he's getting better each and every day.

A new mystery quilt for Quilts of Valor started August 2 with fabric requirements.  Clues will be weekly and end on September 20.  YOu can check in with Quiltygirl to find the clues!  I'll be sewing along with the group--love red, white and blue quilts.

I find this interesting--how about doing an 2x2  piece of art a day?  Begin August 7- 11.  Mindful Art Studio

is the place to sign up--and see what's it all about!

I uncovered these little dainties' the other day!  I know I've been neglecting these for so long--maybe, that's why they were buried under other stuff on my table!

I don't remember how many I made--evidentually those little pieces will go into this block--I do have some made--this is from a pattern (free) from Lisa B

She has another quilt along ongoing now--but, I said NO this time--maybe, some other time I'll want to work with those tiny pieces again.

Couple of blocks from July--whew!  finished before another release.  This one from Sew With Me

This one from A Quilting LIfe 

At least, I'm trying to keep updated.

It was an easy knit but boring as far as I"m concerned!

I've begun July pattern--

Using my handspun cotton, 4 ply.  I spun most of this cotton while watching Tour de Fleece--

😔 but it's over till next year.  I was in a rhythm to spin some each morning--hopefully, I still be able to do some spinning the rest of the summer==

 washcloth pattern from Galene, the kitchen sink patterns