Frost on the very cold window....outside that is. And the picture is from last year. LOL.

So last year was the record high snowfall of what was it, 96 inches, this year....we have had 4 inches in the month of December and it rained and washed it away. Now who would believe I would be wishing for snow this year. But here I am, wishing we had some. They say we should get some tonight. I sure hope so because I want to play in the snow with the grand girls before their winter break is over!!!!!

Christmas was quiet here, it needed to be for me. My family is going through a change that has proven to be sad and good at the same time. It makes it hardier to celebrate when you are sad. Many people are this time of year, due to expectations of what this season should be like, the loss of someone close, and so much more. The truth is, we are each human, each have a different perspective of what we wish the season was like, what it is really like, and trying to meet somewhere in between. For me, this year was tougher. I always have nostalgic moments during this season, of childhood memories that make me smile, of change. The hardiest to accept can be change for me. I suppose that is true of others as well. Learning to embrace change is a lifelong lesson for me.

So with the New Year almost here, I am learning to embrace change. Letting go seems to be imperative to change. So here is to letting go and moving on.......

cs

Oh the weather out side is frightful.....lol.
We had our first snow on Friday a whopping almost 2 inches. It was pretty but gosh the cold is chillin these bones. Could it be that that nasty flu shot got me good? I am thinking the answer is yes. Other friends have not reacted at all to the shot, I have never reacted, but this year, well, it seems it may be my year!!!!! LOL. It won't last forever which I am very grateful for. And truly who can tell with some of the symptoms being the very same as fibro. When I got the shot I had to laugh when she said you may get some very achy muscles. That would be nothing new for this girl. So how would I truly know, I won't.....ahhh the live of never truly knowing. See I am mysterious after all. Yes, today I am making fun of myself, I am the best person to do that! Grin.

Now have I accomplished much, maybe not by others standards but by mine, lots. Laughter helps those stomach muscles and brings laugh lines to my face. It makes me remember not to take myself so seriously. Now I wish I could say I laugh at my jokes, the problem being, I can never remember them. Even the great ones I get told. I can remember part of them, but if you paid me a million bucks the punch line is usually what I forget....and why do they call it a punch line....another of those silly questions my brain hones in on.

What makes me think that if I don't get some task on my list done that I haven't accomplished anything. What happened to me sitting and enjoying the day, watching the wind blow through the yard, just plain vegging. We all need those restful, vegging days to rejuvenate. So rejuvenating is the day for me.

Here is to you and yours getting some rejuvenating in too!!!!
cs

So Karin, I finally downloaded a few pictures just so you could see them. The first picture is of the whole crew together. The second picture is of Gimpy, who we keep. He had a lame leg, thus the name Gimpy and he seemed to fit in perfectly with the gimpy household that we have. We don't let handicaps try and get us down. We work at keeping going on good days and bad. Not overdoing mind you because extra pain is not needed.

It has been forever since I have been on here to write. The writing is for me, who cares if anyone reads it or not. Not this girl. Numbers were never my concern. Expressing myself has been.

I haven't been doing that near enough. Just seems like life has come a running along and I have had a tough time keeping up with it. Since the first part of September we have been battling sickness, the darn cold virus that put dear grand girl in the hospital, two weeks later put hubby in hospital and then a few challenges here and there in between. Goodness it makes time fly but certainly not the way I wanted it too.

The weather is chilly here now, making the muscles protest greatly. Working on keeping in good spirits regardless of the fight with the Fibro. Oh, don't misunderstand, it doesn't mean I haven't dealt with lots of bad days in a row, cried because of it, but it isn't what I choose to stay focused on. Ok, truth, when the pain is so bad it is hard to not want to scream dixie all day long, but dang my lungs would be sore if I did.....LOL. Besides, I like to talk to much, losing my voice would be hoard!!!!!!!

So much for being on here much longer, my knees are cold and curling up under a couple of blankets is sounding divine.

Here is to snuggling and keeping warm,
cs

So, what can I say, lots and lots and lots and lots.....l0l. Now, I can say it faster, or it can be delivered faster. We succumbed to getting a faster hookup. The telephone company doesn't know when they will have dsl available here. It is crazy cause we are only 10 minutes from top in a populated area. They have been saying it will be here for the last 2 years, I think I have been patient enough. Enough is enough for this girl anyway. So now that I have the faster hookup can I find my camera cord. Of coarse not, that would make life way to easy.....lol.

So at present I have 5 kitties that help occupy my sewing room that desperately needs a major overhaul. Yes, to be honest, my whole house needs the over haul, but I digress......I have little paws pattering all over and they have learned how to climb up on a few items in here. Thus the kitties have been having a grand ole time. They have not found the yarn collection because it is put up. Could you just see that one, yarn a flying, kittens with it caught all over them, me chasing them, tangled in the yarn and kitties and laughing my fool head off at all the antics that were happening....yep this would be my life.....lol. They are almost 6 weeks so they are getting closer to finding homes, we are keeping the completely black one because the grand girls have fallen in love with here. She will be living here with us.

The chickens are laying nicely and like the more room that they have. I share my eggs with friends, who share other things with me. Like peas, zuchinni and other available products.
Good trade for me. I will be making some zuchinni bread later and we really enjoy it. Yummo, for sure.

So the fibro journey continues, as does life. The doctor has upped some of the medications and that is helping me have a bit better quality of life. Mind you, yes, there is still pain involved but that is part of dealing with this. We have had cooler and rain for 4 days and that makes a difference for me as well. I have in my mind this list of what I think I can do for a day, then I have to check on the reality of what I can do, so the list definitly gets shorter. Now sometimes I do what is on the list whether I can or not, and then kick myself because I know better. But you get irratated and just go for it. Isn't that part of the journey as well....yes, it is. Recognizing that I am very human, that when I am stressed, it tighens up muscles, that then pay me back. It is also part of the journey. I won't stop, I will keep going regardless. I will have my up days and my down days. Also, part of the journey. Watching a funny movie, laughing at myself, always makes life easier. So the journey continues.

Some day I will get back to sewing quilts again, but for now, just enjoying the cooler days cause the hot ones are on the horizon again. Playing in water is definitely in my future....grin.
later,
cs

So here I sit, thinking and going, how in the world did the time fly this fast.

Pretty easily I have to say.....lol Especially during the summer. All my good intentions sometimes just go out the window. It seems like summer just started and here we are heading for August. I had to laugh today when I was thinking about the dog days of summer. Where did that phrase come from. Was it because the dogs had their tongues out panting like crazy because it was so hot? I tend to think this because it has been hot here for a while. Watering and moving the sprinkler have become my exercise for the summer. Getting wet tends to be the benefit from it.

I did do a little tiny garden this year and have gotten one zuchinni from it so far. I had some sugar snap peas and the beans are coming on. I did small amounts of a few veggies. I have 3 tomato plants that have tomato's on them. Now it is the waiting game for them to go read. I did a Topsy Turvy heirloom tomato. I have had lots of blooms but no tomatos yet. It is all an experiment when you garden as to the weather, the rain, and a few other factors. I think I would feel deprieved if I didn't have even a small one. Especially when it comes to tomatoes.
A fresh tomato sandwich, eating one fresh from the vine, nothing better.

Now on the fibromyalgia front. I did do my doc appointment, I learned that I didn't have to stay in the amount of pain that I was in, that we could up the medications. Neurontin for me is working for which I am grateful. It works for some and doesn't for others. For me, it has. We have upped the amounts and now my body is getting assimulated to the change. So far, I feel like a loopey lou, but by the end of the summer it should be settled. So whether I have liked it or not this is to be a restful summer. I have to laugh at times, restful is the way it has to be because this silly girl can't do much else. I have certainly enjoyed going to the library and reading mysteries.

So that has been my summer so far, hope yours have been more adventuresome, or maybe more restful!!!!!!!!
cs

So Nance, bet you thought I forgot you....not the best picture but you should be able to get an idea....

Yes, that would be the fabric!!!!

So I have been enjoying the wonderful 2 days of sunshine we had on the weekend, transplanted some plants that had to be moved before the hot weather comes. I also planted down my petunias that my honey got me. I love petunias, add lobelia, some heliotrope, a few verbena and wahhhlllaaaa you have 2 or 3 pretty pots for all of summer and fall. So I finish that and think, okay if I am going to transplant is has to be now because the warm weather it is a coming.....yep, overdid myself majorly. So came in took a shower, a painkiller and went and laid down. Now I have to tell you Fibro does not in any way appreciate you if you overdo at all. BABY OH BABY I over did it. But I got er done. Oh, Lord have mercy.....So I woke up Sunday morning Mother's Day going, ok, I am not dead, this is good sign!!!! LOL. Then I tired moving a little, ok, not great but not as horrible as I thought it would be, well Monday morning hadn't happened yet......I sat outside at the table with the umbrella, had the grand kids down and playing. It was fun. The grand girls made their mama and me a Mother's Day picnic, we had baloney sandwiches, yogurt, carrots and apples. Their was a blanket underneath the maple tree with magazines and fresh flowers. It was very very sweet. I tinkered a little in the yard but not much. Good thing, because Monday morning came and I though, oh crap, I am in trouble. I had to call for my honey to help me get out of bed....yep that first day wasn't bad, the second was agony!!!!! What was I thinking.....I wasn't!!!!!!

So Monday was a very slow day around here, it wasn't to bad outside but I went with my niece to run an errand to keep me out of my yard. Yes, I have to trick myself!!!!!! Now isn't that sad and sick....lmbo.

Tuesday was another slow day, today it hits me, I leave in two weeks to go help family for two weeks and I have major stuff to get done. Originally I was going to go in the later part of June, it had to be pushed up. Oh no, now I am in bigger trouble because I did all that stuff this weekend....ohhhh noooooo!!!!!!! So now I am tweaking out a little, yep, that hind sight is a very good accompaniment to panic....oh well such is life.

Hope you all are having some interesting adventures all of your own.

And oh yes, Some day their will be pictures of a treadle and quilt tops on here....some day over the rainbow.....lol.....grin

cs

Last week was one of those weeks you really don't want to repeat. At least, I sure don't want to.

Little Bit was extremely sick and was going to have to be put down. I sobbed and sobbed. The vet Jenny called back and said if you will release him I will do everything I can to keep him going, if he doesn't respond at all, then I will let you know. It was extremely hard to let him go. This was my buddy who rode around on my shoulders who I had been hand feeding for 6 weeks. To say I miss the little guy doesn't even cover it. Yes, we love our animals here and they are part of our family.

At the same time, I have a nephew that has been through treatment and is trying with all that is in him to stay clean. He called in the middle of the night, crying. He wanted to use so badly and he called. I am so very proud of him for that. We talked a good part of the night. He is a kid that has had life be awfully hard. So if you pray, just lift one up on his behalf.

I did get to go get a few petunias that I plan to plant today. It is sunny again. YIPPEEEE.......at least for today. Good day to do some planting. I have an old yellow wheelbarrow that I am planting some of the petunias in, then there are a couple of planters that I will use up front by my front door. Petunias are one of my favorite annuals. They bring the butterflies, the bees, and best of all the hummingbirds. They bloom from now till October. So you get plenty of bang for your buck!!!!!

The other project is marking off where the veggie garden will be in the front yard. We are adding ten feet onto the mobile to give us a wee bit more room in the living room and kitchen. I am so looking forward to that!!!!!! Room to move, now how great can that be. It means the piano can move to the living room instead of being in my tiny sewing room. Yippee, more room for counter space and storage. A must for every sewing room.

Yes, now that I finally found the camer cord, I will take picutres of my quilt tops and my treadle. So stay tuned, eventually you will see them.....lol

Enjoy your day girls, taking one moment at a time. Take them in, breathe deep, make memories with the very simple things. Like an iris in bloom, daffodils blowing in the breeze, a smile from a stranger, a hug from your chicldren or grand children, smelling a loaf of bread cooking in the oven, or cookies, even better.

cs

The first picture is of Rascal, dd's family's kitty and the second two are of Little bit which we have been babying along. When they were almost 4 weeks old they got a major cold and Rascal kicked it but little bit was under weight and has been fighting every since. Yep, he is our baby here. He isn't frisky a lot like his brother but eventually he will get there.

It has been in the 70's for 2 whole days, which for us this time of year is not the norm. We usually are in the 50's, so these last 2 days have sure spoiled me. I have spent time soaking up the sun, weeding for maybe a whole of 5 minutes, then sitting in the sunshine again.....lol.

Hey there are never wasted moments, sometimes you just plain need to slow down and enjoy the warm day.

I had the priviledge of getting to go to my quilt group's quilt retreat. I have to say it is fantabulous to get to get together with woman, chat, laugh, tell stories, have inside jokes, sew a bit and eat of coarse. It is refreshing to get a chance to get away to different scenery. Makes your perspective go into focus a bit better. I have to say I am tired and it takes me a bit to catch up, but what a way to go!!!!!!!

I have spent off and on in the sewing room to honestly take a stock of what I want to be doing, what needs to wait and go out to our storage area for my quilting stuff. Decisions, decisions, decisions, no wonder I am tired. Yes, it could be the desire to spring clean!!!!! Parish the thought!!!!!

So off to soak up the rest of the sunshine here for today for tomorrow we go back to regular weather....grin.

So this month has gone flying by, with helping the niece some more, resting and resting and resting. Having to be honest with myself, and step off a couple of swaps because there is not the energy for me to do them right now. Having to go through the challenges that I tend to with going through a major flare up of the fibromyalgia. Giving myself permission to have a meltdown or two. Because I have a few, I always feel sad and bluesy. Part of the no energy, pain levels up to a high degree, break through pain meds not doing a lot for it. So back to resting, streching, resting, do a little here and there. Giving myself permission to have naps and down time. When doing a bit better with those basics, getting out a little bit of embrodiery. Doing any activity in small amounts so that I am not overdoing it. So thus is my life at present, it isn't always exactly like this, but a lot of times it is.

So I have found a method that I want to try out that is suppose to help out with Fibromyalgia and many other ailments, as well as stress, muscle tension. It is the Miracle Ball Method, I have spent the last day reading the little book off and on. It is rather simple, breathing techniques and learning to relax your muscles using two balls. So will be experimenting with this one. If it dissipates some of the pain in any way, it will be worth its weight in gold. They had them at Costco for all of 11 buckaroos, which is worth trying. My dd say it and picked up a set, started reading and said, Mom, you have to at least try this. I was just hoping they still had some when I got the money this weekend. They did, I was thankful. I have to finish reading it all, but when I am done I will be doing this. Hey if it helps improve my health in anyway I have won. Lengthening ones muscles, help them relax. Something your muscles do not do with fibro, and a lot of other challenges we have in life.

So girls who are waiting for my quilt pictures, I am still on the hunt for my cord that hooks into my computer so I can download, and then take the quilt pictures. Some day over the rainbow, skies are blue.......grin.

So it is a Saturday night and my hubby and I are going to pass the time watching a movie, eating pretzels and having a good laugh. Good laughs always make life better!!!!!
So go and enjoy a laugh for yourself, it makes you smile which is exercising all in itself...teehheehheeehhee
cs

That is the bloom from my amaryllis. It now has another stalk coming up for another bloom. This one is all done and I sure did enjoy it.

Today I spent most of my day cleaning up in my sewing room, but not exactly how I had planned. I was cleaning up shards of glass from my fluorescent bulb that broke. Oh my what a mess that makes and the teeny tiniest shards.

Thanks to encouragement from farm girl friends and some very helpful suggestions I think I have it all cleaned up. I am sure as I get to do the actually cleaning and rearranging that I wanted to, that I might find a wee bit more. Thankfully no little paws from my furry friends here were cut either.

Saturday night, mama kitty had kittens. One was the runt and just didn't make it. That made me sad, but she has 4 healthy ones. They are all white at the moment and mama is right there for them. She is being one great mama for being so young. My two small doggies so badly want to go mother those little kitties. Soon enough they will get to cuddle them as well. Not for a while though.

I have been thinking of ways to simplfy my life more. To simply for me, I need to do some more organizing in my sewing room. It not only is my sewing room, it is where my laptop and my paperwork is as well. I now have a fainting couch in here that I found at an estate sale, hmmmm 20 or so years ago. My mom had it for quite a bit, now it is back at my place and in my room. I plan on putting the books and journals and ideas that I have in little boxes and niches to have it all at my fingertips to do. If it is out, then I will do it. If tucked away it is harder for me to access it. So that is part of the rearranging of the sewing room. I need a quiet spot to process life sometimes. To be able to get my feeling good or bad out on paper. It helps me digest it, sort it, find out what is going on so that I can go forward. It is a tool that helps me.

So what helps you sort through your feelings, the ups and downs of life? How do you take care of yourself? As a woman, so many times, I tend to take care of all those around me and wonder why I am feeling out of sorts....ooopppsss I forgot to take care of me. I need to fill up the depleted places in my heart, have them heal, give them some tender loving care. Learn to just breath and rejoice in the fact that I can. Remembering that I woke up this morning in my right mind. Sure tends to give me perspective.

So here is to you taking the time to take care of yourself, in whatever area that you need. cs

It seems I have every good intention to get more done and then I find my days flying by, go back here and realize how long it truly has been.

Now Sheryl-lyn, I will get to getting those quilt tops on here someday soon I hope. Yes, quilt tops, not finished quilts darn it....grin. Yes, I have quite a lot hmmmmm and so many more in progress.

I thought in the later part of fall that I would have my sewing room more straightened up, to be able to get into sewing some more of those tops in progress. It all started out so well. I was rearranging the room, then Christmas starting heading my way, then the water episode. To say that wasn't in my plans was an understatement, but you know life happens to all of us. Me included. So now I am back to working on cleaning it up again.

There there is my having fun signing up for swaps on Mary Janes. Now I have some great gals I have been trading mini aprons with for what is it now, almost 2 years. Then I signed up for a quilt block swap, then there is the regular size apron swap. Plus I have an apron to make for the very sweetest farmgirl who has been very patient with me. I finally found some fabric I love for it. Now, you may laugh, but I had this great idea for making it reversible and doing 2 themes, finally put the fabrics together and I hated it. Literally hated it. Me thinks I may have to make her a couple aprons. I think she would get a kick out of what I tried to put together.

The most challenging issue for me has been my fibro, it has decided to give me a real pain. It has been bothering me daily but was keeping a handle on it somewhat. Now it is running rampant and I don't have any handle on it. It has been the "want to crawl out of your skin" time. What does that mean, it means I just want a break from the pain. So if I could be outside myself for a couple of hours and have a pain free break, then I could deal with it better. Now how is that for silly, but you do what you need to do. For me that means resting on the couch, grabbing the lap top and reading some, posting some and vegging. Still learning to be content in whatever situation I am in, instead of pushing where I should not. You learn to pick your battles with this stuff.

So tomorrow is another day, and I will do what I can with the best that I can and then give myself a break. I did find a wee bit of the house here and that always helps!!!!!! I do have a living room floor!!!!! LOL.

So whatever your challenge, remember sometimes baby steps are all we can take and that is good enough.
cs

So now that our house is finally finished with our water adventure, we can get caught back up again on life in general. Yes, the water adventure is finally finally over. Do the major happy dance. Having pipes freeze and then trying to get to all the leaks has been like chasing a freight train down the tracks with my two cute feet........LOL but true.

Today has been catching up with the laundry, Monday we finally got all our dishes done. Tuesday and Wednesday were putting the bathroom back together again, putting the tub back in, temporary fix for the surround around it, then it was trying to clean all the floors, today was laundry. Getting there slowly but surely.

I did get to go visit my niece with my dd and grands, it was a nice break from the clean up. My niece is engaged as of Christmas time and she wanted to tell us in person so had dinner with her and watched a movie, giggling and laughing were involved as well. A girls night is always a very good thing.

One of these days soon will put up some pictures of quilt tops I have done, that way their is some documentation for them. Especially for some of my farmgirl sisters of coarse!!!!!!

Ok, signing off for now, another load of laundry done, how many more to go......I will never tell.............grin.................