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So, Monday evening I was going to do a little sewing after supper.  My plans changed suddenly.  I was slicing a cucumber on one of those mandolins.  My hand slipped and I cut a huge piece of thumb off my right hand.  Thank God my neighbor  was home and she could take me to the hospital.  I had to keep pressure on my thumb and couldn’t drive.

It took quite a while to get the bleeding stopped and I was really afraid I was going to have surgery, but they worked their magic and got me fixed up in the ER.  So, no sewing got done.  And  with the dressing on my thumb, it’s hard to do anything.  I have to keep it clean and dry.  And, it really hurts.  I can’t believe how much pain there is with it.

After spending a few hours at the ER, I came home and found the piece of thumb I cut off on my kitchen floor.  YUK!!!  So that’s how my Monday ended.

I’m so glad for my Kindle…reading is about all I can do for a few days.

Look at this cute cake.  I’m sure it would make any quilter smile.

I know I have talked about doing this before, but I finally decided that today is the day to revamp my blog.  I wanted a change, a totally different look.  So, here it is.  I am sure it will take me some time to fine tune it, but today is a good start.  Will be working on it off and on today while I watch the football games.

Every year my family, that is kids and I have a football pool for the Super Bowl.  Bud picked the names and teams on Friday night.  We each get an NFC and an AFC team.  We have been doing this for many, many years.  It started with my husband’s family, his parents, his brothers and their wives and Gary and I.  As far as I know, we are the only ones left that continue with it.

Have a good Sunday!

© DUTHZ
Published on January 2, 2017

I’m late with this greeting.  But I mean it just the same.  I hope and pray that 2017 is a good year for us all.

I was doing really well after Gary’s death.  Christmas came and I really thought that it would be really hard for me.  I guess because I had my grandchildren to spend the day with it seemed OK.  Don’t get me wrong, it was hard, but I was able to manage.  My friend Iris was here and she kept my busy leading up to Christmas with quilting.  I survived Christmas.

Then came New Years…it hit me that Gary isn’t coming home again.  New Year’s Eve was always our special holiday.  We just did the grown up things..going out dancing, out for dinner, etc.  My daughter had invited me for good luck pork and sauerkraut for New Year’s Day.  I just couldn’t go.  I just felt awful.  Reality had set in.  I knew in my mind Gary was gone, but not in my heart.  What a few days I have had.  I gave myself time for a pity party…then I said enough!!!

It’s 2017 and I am looking forward to a great year with family and friends.  I have been working on the “stuff” in the house again and have thrown so much out or donated it to charity.  I think I have mentioned that Gary was a pack rat.  I am finally making the kind of headway that can be seen.

I am making the house my own.  Transitioning from our home to my home.  If you know what I mean.  I plan to move my quilting room to the back of the house into the big family room which I don’t use.  It will be wonderful when I get it done.  I have a lot of plans for 2017.  Onward and upward.

I didn’t finish my reading challenge for 2016.  I had hoped to read 100 books and only got 95 completed.  I am proud of this accomplishment.  I just couldn’t concentrate the last part of the year. For 2017 I hope to read 101+ books and I have joined in on some of the year long challenges.  It will be interesting to see if I can complete this year’s challenge.  Just like last year I will keep track of my progress here on my blog.

Here in south eastern North Carolina we will be getting a snow storm.  It’s so funny, just whisper the word snow down here and everything stops.  Schools close, stores sell out of everything, and meetings of all types are cancelled.  After growing up in the north east part of the country where snow didn’t stop much from going on, I marvel at how the area handles snow.  Now remember, even if snow lays on the ground, it usually melts within hours.  Of course this area is not really prepared for snow removal so I guess that’s why the “snow panic.”  🙂

Have a good day and keep warm ya’ll.

Just finished my Santa mini quilt.  Didn’t he turn out cute?  I love making different mini quilts for the different seasons.

Happy Quilting!

Oh Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds.  Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Today Iris was over to work on my jacket she is making for me for Christmas. I have always wanted a quilted jacket made from a sweat shirt, but was too afraid to try one on my own. Anyway, it’s coming along nicely. We have done our own thing with the pattern, but I like it. We may work on it again tomorrow.

After she left, I started working on the pillow covers for Samantha again. Here’s number 2.

Number 2

Good morning all!  It’s a beautiful, sunny, mild day outside.  I am sitting here in front of my office window just marveling at the beauty of our planet drinking my coffee.  I haven’t posted for quite a while.  I got home from Miami on the 20th and was back on a plane to PA on the 28th.  In between I was going through years of Gary’s collecting.  The house was appraised and everything is on track for the closing this month.  It will be nice to have that straightened out.

There are a few things I would like to take care of with the house.  Just some minor changes.  I would love to get rid of all of the carpeting.  Since I now have asthma, dust really bothers me.  So, I think it would be easier without the carpets.  Also there are a few things that need to be repaired.  Rome wasn’t build in a day, so I expect it will take me some time to get it all done.

I so look forward to getting back to my quilting.  I miss the wonderful women I have gotten to know through it and just the joy of creating something out of the fabric.

I have been waking up at 5 in the morning.  I’ve gotten a lot done, but I find I need a nap in the afternoon or I fall asleep early in the evening.  Gracie is influencing my sleeping habits.  She’s doing so well and is really great company for me.  I was so afraid that when I got home from Miami she wouldn’t really know me.  She had spent more time with my friend than with me.  But she came running to me tail wagging and jumped right into my arms.  It warmed my heart.  I was watching TV last night and she was sleeping on the end of the sofa.  I woke her up.  She looks a little perturbed with me.  LOL

I have to head out to do some food shopping before it’s time to go to Mass.  I am manning the gift shop at church today.  So have to get my errands done early.  I have a few book reviews to post, but it will have to wait until I get back.

Enjoy this wonderful fall weather.

Well to say I have been busy is an understatement.  My daughter-in-law had a second surgery after she returned home she developed a post op infection.  I got a call at 3 AM on Monday September 26th that they needed me to come to Miami Beach to help out.  So on Wednesday the 28th I hopped on a plane and here I am.  Karina was discharged that evening and is now recovering nicely;

As sorry as I am that she and my son have had to go through this, I am delighted to be spending so much time with my granddaughter Isabella.  She is just a delight.  Here she is sitting on the bed playing with mommy.  She’s in the middle of mommy’s pregnancy pillow.

I can tell you that this little girl is wearing me out.  I know now why we have our babies when we are young.  I have been walking her every day and have fallen into a routine of daily exercise.  I hope to continue with this walking when I get home.  I won’t have Isabella to keep me going, but I will have Gracie who just loves to go for walks.  

I think I may be here another week.  On the 28th I am flying to PA for Gary’s Memorial Service.  We had one in NC, but he has so many friends and family up there that we decided to do one there as well.  

I’m refinancing the house to cut my mortgage payments and the appraiser called me to come out to the house.  I told him that I will be out of town for a while yet.  Thank goodness he said there was no hurry.  

There is so much to take care of when you lose your spouse.  I still find myself thinking he will be there when I get home.  I am blessed that my son needed me to help out with the baby.  It has helped me through this adjustment.  

Have a good weekend.

Well, my new air conditioning system will be installed on Tuesday.  They have lent me a portable unit until then.  It has helped me so much.  At least I can stop from what I am doing and go into the cool room.

I am still working on the kitchen.  So many pots and pans.  I think Gary must have wanted to cook for the whole county.  He loved his kitchen things.  So I am sorting and putting my island back together.

Gracie has really settled in.  She is still a little shy, but becoming more animated as time goes on. She is such good company for me.

Tried to get back to my book last night.  Just can’t seem to really concentrate right now.  I am sure that will change as time goes on.

When Sue was here we ran to Wilmington and did a little shopping.  I picked up a couple of cute patterns to make Isabella some clothes.  I can’t wait to get sewing.

Enjoy your day.