Day 244

I'M ALL PACKED

well almost!

This is no fun. I have to pack my bag and prepare for my hospital visit but I DON'T GET TO BRING A SWEET BABY HOME! Well, not that I really want another one, but it's the same type of prep but all I will get to show for it is pain and a bionic knee.

I will find out tomorrow what time my surgery is scheduled for my total knee replacement. Every time a person needs surgery it is imperative to give the hospital a copy of my Power of Attorney and Medical Directive. Sure hope they won't need those! gulp. Just like 2 years ago when I had my other knee done, they want you to bring a couple of changes of clothes and rubber sole shoes. They do not let patients lay around in their hospital gown. Each day we need to get up and dressed, just like they expect us to do after we get home. I will be walking the hall on the day of surgery and then the next 2 days Dave needs to attend my rehab class. Overlake Hospital really has their after care down to a science. They have a way of doing things and I'm really not looking forward to the in-hospital rehab. It was brutal last time. And you add in all the pain meds and I was pretty dopey. At least I know what to expect this time so I won't be so horrified at the amount of pain I will be in. I'm hoping for less pain this time. We shall see.

Beemer is going to the dog sitter for 4 days so Dave doesn't have to worry about taking care of him. That way he can stay at the hospital longer....or not! I packed some magazines and a crochet project and a pack of playing cards. I won't have time to be bored with all the nursing attention! I hope I sleep through the nights. 

Sunday afternoon Dave will bring me home and then it's Dave who will be in pain! Once again he has to tend to my every need. He is concerned about the dog jumping on my leg and I'm hoping the little muttski will sense that he needs to be calm around me.I don't think that will happen. Ah well. I'm anxious to get this behind me and start thinking about the next cruise we will take. Ahhhhh. I think I will comfort myself while in the hospital with the thoughts of some warm sunshine, sparkling blue water and upbeat steel drum music in the Caribbean! I wonder how long that image will last......

Day 243

IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE OLD ONE

but prints faster and with better quality

We shall see how long this one lasts. I'm happy to once again be able to copy, scan and print but drat....wish it at least looked a bit different! This is the Canon MG7720 with 6 ink cartridges instead of the typical 4 or 5. They have added a grey cartridge. Hope it helps slow down the ink usage.  One clever upgrade is that we can print from our cell phones or tablet. Dave got things all set up this afternoon.

It sure is frustrating that things break down so quickly. Must be because of all the circuitry and plastic. Not that the plastic was a problem with our old printer. Yup, this is another ink jet printer. Can't see a need for a laser printer. We will be using generic ink cartridges in this like we had been doing with the old one to try to keep costs down. I want color when I want color and refuse to always be so conscious of the cost of ink. What we buy is a fraction of the cost of Canon ink. OH! And it prints my photos without a white border. YES!

Day 242

PRETTY, PRETTY

me thinks these begonias won't bloom this year  but love the color combo

Begonias and Caladium!

Day 241

TICK, TICK, TICK,

time is moving way too fast. How can it be day 241 already?

I got the message in my email. It was time to charge the battery on my fitbit. Again. It really is only every 7 or 8 days, but it seems like I just did this yesterday! And here it is day 241 of 2016. Summer is over, Christmas will be here before we know it, and I haven't done much of anything. (darn knee) As the years pile up I am constantly struck by the fact that the stages of life go by quickly. It seems like it was ages ago when the kids were small and I was busy carting them around and cooking, cleaning and creating. In those days it seemed like time stood still. So many things to do, places to go, fun times to be had. Now I'm tired. Been there done that. It is easier to just relax at home than go visit people. Do I have to go get groceries AGAIN?? And then there is the realization that time really is ticking on. And when you don't have school or work schedules to work around, everyday seems like Saturday. In many ways life is slower. I get less done in those 24 hours. How can life be slower when time is ticking on so quickly?? It is a conundrum for sure. My brain gets twisted in a knot trying to figure all this out. So for now I will unplug my fitbit and wait for the email reminder that it is time to plug it in. AGAIN!

Day 240

HAPPY 6 MONTH BIRTHDAY

to Beemer

I love him!

Day 239

IS IT REALLY OK

for puppies to EAT their toys?

Gulp! Guess it is time for this to go in the garbage.

Day 238

IT'S A BANNER DAY!

I finished my last issue of the Leisure Times as Editor

How about a little pear crisp to celebrate!

Day 237

HOPE THOSE BABY TEETH FALL OUT 

soon!

chew

Chew

CHEW!

We don't know why, but the refrigerator freezer and icemaker began working last night after we threw out all the defrosted food. Repair people didn't give us the courtesy of a call today even though they said they would. Don't yet know what to think about this Samsung refrigerator. Will it quit again? Why did it conk out in the first place? JUST WHAT IS GOING ON?? Are we in the Twilight Zone?

Day 236

WE DISCOVERED THIS AFTERNOON

that the freezer in our refrigerator quit working

And into the garbage most of the food went.

Day 235

THANKS, NATALIE!

for the good looking pears from your tree

Day 234

LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON

spending time with Chip

After dinner the guys spent time flying

While I tried to figure out this crochet pattern. Take apart and try again....4 TIMES!!

Day 233

CAT AND DOG

I went to my neighbor's home to sit on the patio and crochet

"So, let's just lay here and feign interest."

"Is your nose as warm as mine is?"

Day 232

IT'S A BIT WARM OUT THERE

but you won't hear me complaining!

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon in the pool. Ahhhhhh.......

day 231

ITTY BITTY TRIANGLE ZIPPER POUCHES

I made eight of these and am busy giving them away

Day 230

HE WAS A WILD DOG AGAIN TODAY

but Judy had a way of quieting and calming him...at least for a little bit

Dick and Judy stopped by for a couple of hours this afternoon and poor Judy! She is not particularly fond of dogs, but as she says about our friendship "Love me, love my dog!" Beemer was especially excited to have company today and he just.....could......not.....leave.....Judy......alone! She took hold of him and "trapped" him in her arms, spoke quietly to him and he settled down. Until she put him on the floor. VVrrrrooooommmmm! Off he went to find a toy and bother her husband! 

Beemer is one week shy of 6 months old and I am hoping that he will learn to calm down when company arrives. I'm not holding my breath! 

Day 229

BEEMER IS AFRAID OF HORSES

at least he is when watching them on TV

Here he is laying on the foot rest as he watches the jumpers at the Olympics. A few minutes before this he had climbed on my shoulder while watching. I bet he just can't figure out what those big things are. Beemer wasn't feeling too good today. He urped up on his pillow earlier this afternoon and he wanted me to hold him from time to time while I was at my sewing machine or computer, which wasn't normal. Poor boy. 

Then Dave got stomach pains later this afternoon which seemed to clear up after an hour or so and by golly tonight I began having those same stomach pains. Wonder what we have. Did we get this from Beemer? Highly unlikely me thinks. You would think it could be from something we had eaten, but Dave and I haven't eaten the same things all day.

Oh, and yesterday's apples went into the yard waste container today. They were full of worms and brown spots. I think the pears will also end up tossed. So far, when they turn yellow they go to mush. Guess I won't be making applesauce this year.

Day 228

TIME TO MAKE SOME APPLESAUCE

or maybe even a pie for Dave

My dear neighbor, Jennie, brought me a big bag of apples and pears from a client's trees. Guess tomorrow's day will be somewhat busy as I tend to all this fruit. She said she will be bringing me more as the days go by. Yikes! I had made brownies today so was able to give her some brownies as a thank you.

I enjoyed going to the pool over the weekend but today I decided to stay home and clean the house and work on a sewing project. My stack of projects is getting taller and I fear I will never see the bottom. I wonder if I could sneak off tomorrow for some pool time. My knee feels better once I am in the pool but today it has been hurting a bit more so perhaps yesterday I overdid it in the water.

Now to try to find a dog sitter so we can get away for a couple of days. I just hate leaving Beemer when he is still a puppy, but it is so gorgeous out that this will be our only opportunity to get away before my knee job. I hear the Oregon coast calling, but I also hear the rushing river on the North Cascades Highway. Decisions, Decisions.

Day 227

RIPPPP!

sometimes you just have to rip it out and stitch again

especially if you want an exact 1/4" seam

Day 226

HE LOOKS SO INNOCENT

but this evening Beemer is a wild dog

Awwwww....Sweet.....but this is after......

He figured out how he could jump up on the bed using the foot board. Such a smarty pants. A blur of energy and enthusiasm.

Finally he is calm. After a lot of running, jumping on the bed, jumping on the chair, jumping on the couch and running, running, running. Dave has taken him on two walks today but for some reason he has had energy to spare. I did some sewing earlier this evening but he began chewing on the wood TV tray that I use to put some of my equipment on. UUGGGHHH. STOP, STOP, STOP!! Now that he seems to have slowed down and has his tongue back in his mouth...pant, pant, pant......maybe I can have some quiet and calm lap time with him as we watch some TV.

Day 225

DAY TWO OF TWO

all day instruction on top-of-the-line Bernina machines

Shelly Fitzgerald, representing Bernina, was a wonderful teacher and my head was swimming with new and creative ways to use these machines. I need a nap.

Day 224

DAY ONE OF TWO

learning about Bernina sewing feet and stitches

I'm tired after spending a day learning and doing. Sixteen of us met at the Bernina of Renton store from 9 am until 4 pm and learned some new techniques with some of the specialized presser feet for the Bernina machines. A yummy lunch was provided. Our object was not to create a work of art but to learn some things that we may or may not have known about these wonderful machines and their accessories.

We did end up making a small felt bag to remind us of what we learned. Tomorrow we spend the day learning more amazing things that these machines can do. I have loved my Baby Lock Ellegante but boy, I'm super impressed with the quality of Bernina sewing machines. I always knew....

The bag will not be used for anything at all, but will serve me well as a sample of techniques.

There are lots of bits of thread, fabric, roving and nylon cord on the back side. It is simply a reminder of ways to create.

Day 223

ANNUAL GATHERING IN BREMERTON

15 of us from our home bible study group

And I only got one photo! I thought I sent the ones from Judy's camera to my email, but somehow they did not show up in my inbox. OOPS! 

Jeanette and Gayle

Day 222

PLANNING FOR THE INEVITABLE

sometime in the far, far future

This evening our community brought in some guys from Dignity Memorial to talk with residents about the importance of preplanning our death/funeral arrangements. I think we are pretty well prepared, but there are some things I would like to attend to so that all our ducks are in a row, so to speak. Of course, I won't be there during the 'difficult time" :) after I die but I will be peaceful and happy without a worry in or out of this world. Perhaps there are some things I could attend to to make my going easier on the kids. I will handle these things tomorrow....or the day after....or maybe next week. Aw heck, we all know I will forget about it until it is too late!

Day 221

I LOVE HAVING PRETTY FINGERNAILS

but I got tired of paying for them ever couple of weeks

I love gel polish because it lasts and lasts without chipping. I even purchased the LED lamp and several bottles of Gelish, including the top coat and glue coat. I found that I wasn't as steady as I needed to be to try to paint my nails with my left hand and that is why I began going to the salon. 

Today I was at Bartells and thought I would look to see what was new in the way of nail polish. To my delight I found several brands of gel polish that don't need to be cured under a LED or Ultraviolet light. So, here we go. I bought the Sally Hansen brand since there was a $2 off coupon for it. I will give it a try and see how it works. I don't plan on going back to the salon so if this doesn't work I will just go "naked!"

Oh, the problem with most regular nail polish, besides chipping easily, is that it takes FOREVER to set. I just cannot force myself to wait and wait and wait for it to get hard. I think tomorrow I will throw away all my regular polish so I don't have to look at it and be tempted to "try again." Oh the challenges of life!

Day 220

SUNDAY VISIT WITH BOB

and then on to the hospital to see how Marv is doing

Bob and Dave

After church we came home for an hour or more and then went to pay Bob a visit. We got there just in time to watch the Blue Angels on TV. It is Seafair Sunday and as the years roll by Dave and I become less and less interested in Seafair. But we did enjoy watching the performance with Bob. After our visit we drove to the hospital to visit Marv, who has been in the hospital since Tuesday. He was asleep when we arrived so we visited with his wife for a bit and then decided to wake him up. Marv was looking pretty good and we discovered that he gets to go home tomorrow. We had fun joking with he and Merrely until it was time for us to get on home.

Funny thing happened this morning. I woke up tired and getting to the 8 am church service was a bit of a struggle for me this morning. I even dozed off during the sermon! Oh MY! ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Embarrassing. So by the time we got to McDonalds I was complaining to Dave about how sleepy I was and he suggested that I needed a cup of coffee. I've been off coffee for 3 weeks or more trying to eliminate possible sources of inflammation in my body.  So, I said "OK, go ahead and get me a cup of coffee." Well, after about 45 minutes or so Dave, who had been sitting at the far end of our extra long table, said "Wow, I can tell the coffee has kicked in!" I hadn't realized how AWAKE and animated I had become. Not tired at all. I guess coffee really does perk one up!!

Day 219

THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA

performed at Mt. Baker Theater in Bellingham

Today we drove up to Kyle and Kari's, dropped off Beemer (the dog) at their house, and went on to meet Kari's parents at the theater. We arrived in time for the 3 pm performance. I must say that the group did a great job! Since I didn't know the story line, I couldn't tell you if it was true to the book, but Saben said there were no leprechauns in the book. 

We went to eat some Mexican food nearby and were joined by Kyle and Kari and Saben. K&K's friends also dropped off their 2 little girls and they all were going to watch the 7 pm performance. Rushed to get Beemer and arrived home by 8:30. We are now pooped out and ready to settle in for the night. I love being a gramma but sure wish they lived a bit closer so we could come to more of the kids things. Soccer season will be coming up and I fear I will not get to attend a game this season. Phooey.

Annika is in the middle on the right side

This theater is certainly fancy!

And then a little dinner before Annika's next performance at 7 pm

Day 218

MISS SNAGGLE-TOOTH

the 2nd of Hailey's front teeth is ready to fall out of her mouth

She looks a little tired today because she was out late at her cousins' last night.The cousins all just LOVE each other and relish their times together. I went to Shauna's this morning (as I did yesterday) to lend a hand with laundry and organizing a bit. My daughter is a little more happy doing these chores when she has someone around to keep her motivated. I was having a bit of difficulty with my knee going up and down her stairs and though I am stepping very carefully my knee collapses and I shriek with the pain. This morning I had my mandatory blood work done and EKG in preparation for my knee replacement. I got the results of the blood work and I am pleased that all my numbers are within the normal range. YIPPEE!

Yesterday Dave and I went to the class for people who are having knee and hip replacement surgery within the next month. Pretty much knew all this since we've been through it before, but when I asked why some people have had an easier time with less pain after surgery than I did, I discovered that #1 everyone is different and #2 if there had been previous surgeries on the joint often times the pain will be greater during recovery. BINGO! I had arthroscopic surgery about 3 months prior to the total knee replacement. This gives me HOPE that I will have an easier recovery this time around.

Anyway, Shauna and Pete are having work done in their backyard and the crew said they would be done today, but no such luck Pete ripped out their huge, rotting deck and instead of building a new deck they are having a patio installed with a drop down to a planter area and then another drop down to the grass. The part that won't be done today is the gravel area at ground level where they will have a burn pit and seating. It should be lovely when finished. But what a huge project! 

Day 217

ONE OF MY FAVORITE

stores for quilting

Gossypium Quilt Shop in Issaquah. Gossypium is another word for cotton. This store has loads of cotton fabrics and all sorts of patterns and accessories.

After stopping in here to get some fabric for the binding on my floral quilt, I headed over to Quality Sew and Vac for their monthly Sew Fun. They have lots of ideas and of course products to recommend. I never tire of learning more about my hobby.

Day 216

TODAY'S GOODWILL FIND

and only a couple of bucks. I love senior discount Wednesdays

This itty bitty Bodum coffee press is perfect to make one cup of tea using loose tea. The baskets and spoons specially made for a serving of tea just don't cut it!

Day 215

QUILT TOP LAYERED AND MACHINE QUILTED

tomorrow I will need to purchase some fabric for the binding

Day 214

JUST ONE DAY LATER

and it's even gotten pinker!