Happy 2011

Hoping everyone had a safe happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.  Ours was quiet.  We took down the tree, cleaned up the mess and watched a movie last night on TV.  We were in bed by 11.  We are not very exciting these days.  Our Christmas was exciting.  We left here on Christmas eve and the snow was tapered off here.f  However, the snow was just starting in Northeast missouri.  We drove into it about south of Hannibal.  Took us 4 hour to do the 2.5 hour trip.  But we made it fine with the expert driving of DH.  We did spend the afternoon with the Mother in Law.  It was a hard Christmas for her with the recent loss of her husband(DH's father).  But all of his Children and GrandChildren were in and out all weekend so she was busy and happy that we were all there.   Then on to the daughter's and grandkids.  They were happy to see us and somewhat anticipatory about Christmas.  The older kids are not as into it as the youngest.  The youngest did spend the evening watching the North Pole site for the progress of Santa across the continents.  He was most excited.   On Christmas day we were at my parents.  They are both laid up recovering from their individual surgeries but were happy to see the three kids and several grandkids that made it to the festivities.  We were safely home by 10 pm that night.  On the 26th, we had our good friends over for dinner and a visit.   So that was a full weekend.. 
        Work has been incredibly busy this month of December.   People were trying to rush in surgeries during school break and while their deductibles were met.  Long, busy, hard on the back, days.   Then next week, cases taper off significantly.   After this weekend ( of being on call,  I am at work now waiting for the next patient to come out of surgery), I hope to have my days off for myself again where I can sew, and make cards, and finish the socks I started back in October.  I had to rip one sock back down because I discovered a mistake.  So I will finish the second sock and then go back and knit the leg on the first sock.  I was doing the two at a time, toe up method.  Apparently I was too tired one day when I was knitting and managed to get about 20 rows of the first sock with a repeating mistake which is very, VERY, noticable.  So rip away I went.  It will be much nicer when fixed and I will be glad that I took it back down.  
  Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend and a wonderful start to the new year.

Getting ready

 

Once again the Christmas season is upon us.  Husband and I went to do a little shopping yesterday.  Which was nice because I usually do it alone.  It is cold, with a windy chill today.  At least the sun is shining.  In the past month, my husbands father passed away suddenly.  We are sad to lose him.  But so thankful that he died doing things on the farm which he loved.  He appears to have sat down on the woodpile he was throwing into the basement, and went to sleep.  If we could all choose, would we not choose to just lie down and go to sleep?  So that was comforting to all his children.  It was so good to see so many old friends.  The line for visitation started at 5:30 and ended at 10:15 pm.  At one time the line was out of the funeral home and onto the drive outside.   He was well liked in the community.  He is the next to youngest of thirteen children.  Only his younger sister is left living.  She had a very hard time at the funeral because she is left alone.  But not really because she has her children who live close.  

   So now, I am rushing as usual to finish up my last minute Christmas sewing projects ( which I started last July).   Husband is out cutting down the asparagus and mulching it for the winter.   He is also putting up the storm windows on the east side of the house.   I am warm inside at the sewing machine.
The pictures are of the two of the four hats I knit for gifts.  The other is of the Stocking I made for each family member (Child and grandchildren) that I put out each Christmas.  I enjoy having each of them out whether we get to see them or not.   Enjoy and try to enjoy the season and the opportunity to be with family and close friends.  Remember to stop to thank God for the reason we celebrate and for the many blessings we have in this country.  God Bless, thanks for stopping by.     

Here is the answer

And the answer is $5.00  Yes five dollars.  I wasn't even bidding on this old machine when I realized the auctioneer was going down in price looking for a bid.  When he got to $5 I said yes.  The cabinent is beautiful.  Does need a good cleaning though.  Questions about my ear.  I had surgery in May to resolve a year long infection and repair a hole in the ear drum.  Over the last two months my hearing has gone away again.  Dr. said the hole in the ear drum is back and we need to try a different approach to fix.  No pain or infection this time.  So this week we discovered  why the hole was back and hopefully fixed for good.  Little more painful this time and I seem to be dizzy at times.  That is a new development.  I have not ventured far from the couch except  to look at the computer.  Going up to see the grandkids tomorrow.   Happy news with Ralph.  We started him on Prednisone last week.  Seems to not only have fixed his allergy but has also fixed whatever was hurting him.  I suspect joint and back issues.   Poor old dog things he is a young boy, and wants to go out in the evenings and bark at the neighborhood dogs.   Love being in the country.  His barking does not bother anyone.  And he does so enjoy it.   My back is better since my ESI injection.  So everyone should be fixed now and ready for what ever winter throws at us.    So are you surprised at my bargin?  The picture is of the attachments found in the cabinent drawer after bringing the machine home.  I bought a pink depression glass sugar and creamer for much more than I paid for the sewing machine.  Have a good week.   God Bless.   And thanks to all my good friends for you good wishes and support.  

Can you guess

DH, best friend and I went to an estate auction.  I bought the following old Minnesota treadle sewing machine, made by Sears & Roebuck. It has the original manual and box of attachments.  The machine is well used but seems to have all the working parts.  Needs a good cleaning.  Can you guess what I paid for it?  You will never guess.   I will tell in the next post.   Meanwhile I had a repeat surgery on my ear yesterday.  Doctor found lots of scar tissue behind the drum from my June surgery.  He thinks this is why the perforation reoccurred.  Much more uncomfortable today than the last time.  I am off work the rest of the week.  Hoping I feel better and can get some sewing in before the week ends.     Here is a picture of the completed pillow from a previous blog.  Managed to get that one completed before Christmas.  The weather here has been outstanding all week  and all last week.  DH picked the last of the Tomatoes and we have 2 quart of juice from them.  It will shortly become a pot of chili. 

DH starts a new job on Monday.  No one is more excited than he is.  It has been a long year for him.  It will be an hour drive for him, but he doesn't care as long as he can work.The job will be a little more money than the last job.  Which will help pay for the increase expense for the gas, I guess.   I plan to back off all the overtime I have been working.  I hope to get back to sewing and knitting more, especially now that he has tilled up the garden and it is officially put to bed.    I am knitting a pair of sock with heel flaps done. Just ready to turn the heels.   I am knitting  the two at a time toe up method.  So I hope to get those finished in the next few weeks.  Will post a pic when those are completed.    God Bless this country and all who read this post.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Killed my back

 Yes it's true.  When you are short and overweight, bending to garden and flower kills your back. I herniated a disc last year at this time gardening ( an accummulation of injury all summer long).  Low and behold, after my stupendous weekend, last weekend, I couldn't walk on Tuesday.  I had the shooting pain down the outter aspect of my left leg that terminates right above the ankle.  Limping along as I push the patients to their rooms.  On Wednesday morning I visited my friendly Anesthesiologist at the pain clinic for an Epidural Steroid Injection.   Not much better as the day and night wore on.  Long night last night.  I always have Steroid induced insomnia.  So about 330 this morning I called in sick to work.  Finally drifted off to sleep about 630 or so and slept until 10 AM.  Once I was out of bed, I am no longer limping and the pain is down considerably.   I hope by the end of the day the pain is gone and I can resume life as normal.   A friend tells me I need more pictures on the blog so I am attaching pics of my beautiful mums and also the fridge with a portion of the sweet potatoes.   We had 75 lbs of sweet potatoes from the 13 plants Husband raised off the 1/2 sweet potato submerged in water.     Some of you also want to know how to freeze the onions.  I pulse them in the food processor.  Place wax paper on cookie sheets.  Spread the onions out on the cookie sheet.  Cover with seran wrap and place in the freezer.  After a day I break up the onions into chunks and put them in gallon zip lock bags.  Then as I cook casseroles or soups, etc, I take out as much as I want and add to the concoction.  As I have no where to store root vegetables, this works pretty well.  It is simple enough, doesn't require much work and the rewards are great in the winter.    Have a blessed week and ejoy this great weather  .  Thanks for stopping by.

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The end

The end of the coding class.  Yeah.  Now to try to find something part time to get some experience.   No hurry for that though.   I am so happy to be done.   This weekend I took all the onions ( which was not many) and ground them up for the freezer.  I also took some mushrooms that were on sale and put those in the dehydrator.  I how have some dried mushrooms for the winter.   I like to put them in stews and soups.  I have a hard time using up fresh ones in a timely manner so this is how I keep them on hand.   My friend Betty and I wen out antiquing and traveled over to Hermann on Saturday.  No antiques there.  So we were forced to sit at the Adam Puchta Winery and sip.  I purchased their Vingnoles. A nice simi sweet white.  It was a gorgeous day.  We never run out of things to talk about.  I was amazed at how high the Missouri was.  It was out all over the low places along the way.  Also many of the smaller tributaries are out.  My brother in law from North Missouri tells us we have had over 90 inches of rain since April.  That is a record rainfall year.   Crops are TERRIBLE there.   Get ready for higher prices folks.  Again.  Seems like every year we pay more, make do with less and everything goes up but my salary.    Familiar story everywhere I am sure. 
Husband has three job interviews this week.  Everybody say a prayer that he gets one of those please.    Ralph is still under the weather although not as sick as last week.  He is at least eating again.    I plan to do some sewing this week again for the first time in a long time.    Can't wait.  Love the cooler weather too.  Spring and fall my favorites.   Till next week Bev

Thunder and lightning and rain, Oh my!!

I love the rain.  I love the sound and the smell of it.  I love the way plants and trees lift up to capture the water as it falls.  I love the way the world looks bright and clean ( or muddy) after it rains.  Tonight it is raining.  I have been cruising my favorite blog spots and catching up with one and all.  Today was a day spent at the computer finishing a chapter and taking a test.  This chapter was very involved.  Not hard just very involved and I am most happy to be done with it.  I received the good news that my nephew and his wife has a safe delivery of a new 6 pound baby boy.  Last I heard his name was to be Walker. after our maternal grandfather.  So that was happy news.  I know you are all disappointed that I don't have any canning or preserving news for you.   I hope once I finish this class at the end of the month I can fly through some sewing for Christmas.  I made a good start early but was side tracked by the garden.  I have read the good news from several of my girlfriends, (Gerry, Doreen and Carole)  I have been celebrating with you girls on the new babies and the good health news.  Life keeps plunging on.   My poor dog (Ralph) has been very under the weather this week.  Not eating and not getting up or moving around,  He does not act like he hurts anywhere but he is sure not himself.  If he does not perk up he will make a trip to the vet.  He is about 12 or 13 years old .  He was a dump dog that came to me sick and starving.  I nursed him and loved him back to health and he has been so devoted to me since.  He has been a sweet and loving pet.  
Nothing important to share.  Hope you all have a safe week. Living the Life in Mid MO.  God Bless.