Uncle

I'm saying uncle!  There is just too much linen and weight to this project to hold even with the spool huggers.  I could cut the excess now but I've made errors before and cut too close, so I'm waiting until I see the stitching extend full length and width.  I gave away the very large hoop stand because I didn't want to bother revamping the legs as I showed in this post. 

I purchased the Lacis sit on stand and I do like it because there is only one leg to it, open beneath so I'm not hitting into sides, and it flips over so easily for access to the back.  Turning it backwards allows the hoop to be raised to almost eye level which relieves the neck strain.  The reviews on Amazon aren't great but I think it is very nicely made and I've had no problems with it.  I plan to order the larger hoop (it comes with a 10").  I'm anxious to see if the linen could be lax enough in the 14" to use the sewing method.  Not a really big deal since there are no large blocks of stitches.

 

My K's Creations adjustable lap frame requires the project to be sewn to the tape for scrolling, not something I want to do.  I think it's time to sell it.

The new cat is only running about 10' from me now and I heard him meow a few times.  He looks so sad and sleeps in one place the entire day.  We made a shelter with Plexiglass walls and open sides so he can see around him and have two exits, but he still won't use it. He lifts his head to his name, Petey.

These two are always looking for him, Bud has warmed up a little more but not Nitzy.

Doing some hot pepper canning, hot pepper jelly, and pepper mustard this week between appointments.  Can't believe it's October.

 

Have a great week!

 

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I've settled down

Ha!  Who would have thought?  I checked a few other plans and found a compatible and acceptable offer to which I will switch.  It was not listed in the Medicare booklet I received and only has % co-pays for tier 5 as before.  Done.

 

I went into the attic where a large black bag has been residing for a few years, filled with larger grungy gourds, and couldn't find it.  I must have burned them and don't remember.  But I did find a bag with nicer shapes and sizes.  Mark reminded me that there is a drawer in the basement with more, and that's where they will stay for now.  I scattered these in a few rooms and put the small wooden trencher back on this shelf.  I'm enjoying your posts showcasing your fall decorations, but a few gourds is my limit.  I may add the Halloween tree in a few weeks, but with all the appointments coming up again, meh.

 

While going through the old photo file, I came across this one and I'm sorry I did.  I mentioned earlier that I wanted something in that colonial yellow that DT Smith puts in kitchens, and after seeing this, wish  I would have done the foyer and stair in it.  Why am I so fickle about color?  Was I born this way or did I make a conscious decision to drive myself mad?  I have been living with the almost white scheme for a few months and like the chosen colors but ….. not sold.  I still want lighter trim than what I've lived with for 25 years, but too light does not appear colonial.  To me anyway.

 

Missy is enjoying the warmer days and they will continue through the weekend.  Darn cool mornings and nights, but at least a few holdover days until the big chill.

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

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Looking back

While sitting and using heat packs yesterday, decided to go through the picture folder to remove extras.  There was an old file that transferred from the dead laptop!  Thousands of photos.  Many of Nitzy when he was a kitten with dad staying close by. 

 

 

 

Budman was a good dad.

 

I also found hundreds of my old labels.  I had deleted them but this old file was unknown to me.  Holy tuxedo cat.  I was surprised at how many there were and some were never even used.  But without Pat Catan's, no more boxes to be had.

 

 

Then the mail came which turned my mood hotter than my packs.  All the Medicare Advantage plans and Plan D mandatory drug coverage plans, have now moved their higher tiers to a percentage co-pay rather than a set rate.  My Eliquis was a $75 a month co-pay before, now it will be 38% of $500 per month (190.00).  Restasis will be 38% of $598 (227.24).  If you use a GoodRx coupon, it doesn't involve your insurance, so the higher pharmacy price will be used as a base price for the percentage. So anyone with higher priced drugs that were in tiers 3, 4 , or 5, will be paying so much more in 2020 that many will be unaffordable.  Enbrel and Humira are $4000-$5000 a MONTH and will now be charged to patients at 38-50% co-pay, if covered at all.  Since 2014, those two drugs have increased 100% and will continue to climb.  Medication costs came up over the friends weekend and I found out that two pay nothing for Eliquis, another nothing for Enbrel.  One is on the retired federal worker plan and two are retired PA teachers.  So far, I have not heard any candidates asked if their Medicare for all plans will include ALL, including government workers and all politicians.  Do you think it will?  Absolutely not. Patient Assistance programs vary in their requirements, yet our income at a fraction of my friend's state pension and SS was denied, she was accepted.

 

I hope I will never need the Enbrel or Humira, but many seniors do.  If you're on Medicare, it may be a good idea to check with a benefits manager to see what is changing in your plan and if there is another better suited.  But if you are on a biologic or specialty drug and had co-pays this year, it looks like you will be paying a percentage next year.

 

Thanks for listening!!

I am pretty hot about this issue.  Better settle down because I plan to stitch this evening and already have a thread tension problem!

 

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It's really over

 

 

The hydrangeas are drying on their stems, a sure sign that I can no longer ignore the loss of summer.  No need for water in the vase, the pink and green has replaced the white and their soft petals have stiffened.  I don't understand why the bushes are still producing new blooms, maybe to appease me, maybe they aren't ready to shed themselves into bare and stiff branches.  It will be eight months before they sprout and thrive and feel the warm sun and winds.  How sad.  And corny.

 

In just a few months this bucket will be holding a Christmas tree and I'll be crabby for months after with darkness coming very early.  My friend has said to me more than once, "don't wish your life away".  I never thought of it that way.  By hoping for summer to arrive quickly, am I wishing for my life to pass sooner?  I complain about time passing so quickly, yet that is exactly what I am desiring and not realizing it.  I am grateful to her for setting me straight.

 

She will be leaving tomorrow.  I hope to start feeling better this week.  I am not stressed about anything, but maybe I am not realizing it, and this is what's causing my symptoms to be so bad.  I got the results of my xrays and was upset about what they showed.  But my cousin's family member was just diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.  Set me in my place rather quickly.  Damn it's hot in here.  Yes the flashes are returning and I have no idea why.

 

 

 

Carol is enjoying her visit here very much, but the first thing she said as entering the house, "what the hell is that!?!!?!?"  So far, not one person has known they are gourds and not from some sort of ritual.  The new landscaper was very professional, very nice, good looking (but no one can compete with Jason), and stared at them while going over our estimate.  I had them on my exterior door at one time, and the neighbors were puzzled, so I removed them.  These three are the only ones I have left, not sure I want to keep them out.  Sort of tired of the reactions!

 

Hope your week goes well.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Frozen fruit salad

1 large can crushed pineapple including juice (I use heavy syrup)
1 10 oz - 14 oz sliced strawberries (I use frozen)
1 Eagle brand condensed milk
1 8 oz Cool Whip (reg. or lite)
4 sliced small/medium bananas

Combine milk and Cool Whip, stir in fruits to blend, and spread into two glass bread pans.  Freeze overnight.  Take out of freezer 15 - 20 minutes before slicing and serving. 

So many versions with different fruits but this is our favorite, sort of like a banana split.  I haven't tried the one made with cream cheese and sugar instead of the condensed milk, but will one day to see the difference.

 

Decided on a stitched piece with black accents for the new built-in.

 

So what am I wearing to the reunion mixer?  Jeans, white shirt, rhinestone bracelets, and a 48# cold sore.

 

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Sometimes ....

you just have to laugh.  With all else happening, we tore apart the bedroom for a good cleaning from walls to floor to corners to bedding.  I washed the HVAC registers and put them in the sun to dry.  When Mark asked for them to reinstall, I walked out a door I rarely use, could not see in the sun, and failed to lift my bare foot for the raised deck.  It's not bad enough that my ankles are fat and shapeless, now they are swollen and skinned from the wood's edge.  And about those fat knees, the swollen sides are making my jeans awfully tight.  At least the highly padded hip isn't any larger, not much room for growth there.  The good thing?  I jammed my left wrist trying to break my fall so the right is ready to go when the eyes allow stitching.  See?  Look for the bright spots.  We had a chuckle this evening about it all.

More good news - I tried a trick I found online and can now get my gmail imported again.  And it did.  All 14,578 emails since the beginning of time.

 

Carole offered to make a very easy and luscious frozen treat for the weekend.  It makes two loaves (bread pans) and uses crushed pineapple, frozen strawberries, bananas, Eagle canned s/c milk, and Cool Whip.  You freeze it and slice it for a very refreshing dessert.  I'll list the recipe (it's not the fluff one) if someone is interested.  Great to have in the freezer for unwanted unexpected guests.  Unfortunately, mine never lives more than a day.

 

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Huggers

Greetings folks.  Received the spool huggers today and secured the ridiculous amount of excess linen.  The silicone grabs nicely and doesn't shift, no ends sticking out to catch floss, and except for the double fabric corner they should work out for this project. 

 

 

 I'm not sure how they would hold on much less fabric, possibly too loose.  Bobbin huggers may work but they are clips like the Clover Wonders.  Because huggers are made of soft silicone they should grab better than Clovers and stay in place. 

 

One end is more tapered and comes to point, it can easily be trimmed to a rounder edge (I already cut it) so it doesn't poke the linen.

 

A few of them are not as tightly wound and by changing which end goes over the other, that can be remedied.

 

My friend from high school is coming to stay here for our 50th reunion this week.  I'm getting a room ready for her and planning meals.  I will attend the mixer Friday night for a brief period but am not going to the reunion dinner.  I can't handle the disrespect and intolerance for others in today's society of labeling and name calling, most not justified.  I'm not a party person.

 

There is no change or improvement in this latest flare of symptoms.  I can't tolerate light, everything is a blur except for 10 seconds after the drops, the burning is even my surrounding skin and eyebrows.  I know there are many issues so much worse, but I am thoroughly disgusted and emotional.  I saw an orthopedic about the associated joint pain and he has seven patients in the last two years that developed auto-immune from their flu shot.  I know the risk is very low, but I am fuming that every possible risk is listed for even an aspirin, yet no one is warned of what could happen when you trigger the immune system, especially if you have an unknown predisposition.  So far, five of my doctors agree that vaccine caused this, and knowing that makes me more angry.  How many people (women are highly more susceptible) developed Crohn's, Sjogren's, and other auto immunes within months of their injection and it was never associated? 

 

My friend will be leaving next week, and hopefully my eyes will start calming down by then.  I went for so long not wanting to stitch, and now that I do, I can't!!  The doctor wants me to start a medication (the one that can cause vision loss) but I am terrified to take it.  Not sure I trust "low risk".

 

Have a great week.

 

Thanks for visiting.  And listening.

 

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A few things

No matter where I am...

 

he knows and parks himself nearby.

 

I have two questions, but don't know if I will get an answer because no emails are coming through even after every trick in the book.  Or I could go to the blog page and read the comments, right?  They were always transferred to my inbox but Google isn't even recognizing them now.  Not sure when if ever I will get it working again.

 

Has anyone purchased a garage door made by Artisan?

 

Did anyone have a subscription to American Country Magazine by Doreen Piechota?  She has discontinued the magazine but I thought an issue went to print on July 20 something.  I never received my copy and cannot find one online.  The cancellation wasn't until August 21.  Does anyone know if that final issue was offered or received?  Her FB page is closed and I'm sure she is flooded with emails.  She has been dealing with breast cancer and family health, missed the deadline for Spring 2019, and received requests for refunds which led to the closure.  If you know where I can purchase the Summer 2019 issue, please let me know.  I love that magazine and wish her well, hope she will return to it one day.

 

Having a great weekend?  Hope so!!

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

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Getting along

Looks like the boys may be starting to accept the new guy.

 

They are staying in the back area where Nosey eats and takes cover from rain in his temporary shelter.  I do not want another cat to care for!  But we feel so bad.  He sits and stares at the house, seems like a very docile male, and does not run too far when I approach.  I think he had a home and owners that dumped him or left him behind.

 

Cleveland went fairly well as did the tests.  The doctor is increasing her new meds and will check her in four weeks.  Depending on kidney tolerance and additional increases, she may not require the surgery.  If she does it will of course be in the middle of winter.  We were exhausted when arriving home yesterday evening.  I had a terrible eye day, my sensitivity is unbearable and the burning is not remedied even after using two full bottles of drops.  I am looking into glasses that are made to counteract the effects from artificial lighting spectrums, I seem to have more trouble in buildings with fluorescent or LED lighting. 

 

It's been over four years since I was wandering the clinic looking for breakfast and dinner and was terribly disappointed to find all the places to grab a quick bite between tests and appointments are gone.  McDonald's was my scrambled egg source every morning, Subway provided lunch (or dinner), the restaurant had good soups and take out, Au Bon Pain took molti dollari from me and provided both of us with delectable sweets.  All gone now.  Au Bon Pain was shut down by the health department!!  So except for a small shop with bagged junk food, there is a cafeteria.  I hate cafeterias or anywhere I have to read a wall behind the server.  I can't see!  A Panera is coming soon, not my favorite place at all, and two options are not enough for the amount of visitors and patients in that massive clinic.

 

Have not been stitching for three days because I can barely keep my eyes open long enough for more than ten stitches before needing the drops.  The computer screen doesn't seem to bother me, and I have certainly been on it for extended periods.  Someone tried to hack my Google account and bank account so I had to change passwords, since then I haven't received my email or blog comments.  When I checked this morning, I realized there was only my server account being updated, nothing from gmail since the day I changed the password.  If you emailed me for any reason, sorry, I'm not getting anything until I try to work out the solution.

 

I am enjoying a warm day at home, in a cloud of stone dust as they fix the front walk.  But after spending the prior warm days inside a building, I won't complain about the dust!!

 

Hope all is well with everyone.

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Hugs

Hey.  What up?  My very young dentist's friends stopped in the office (while my dried out mouth was gaping), and all I heard was "what up".  I thought sup (short for what's up) was the common greeting among people 40 years younger than me.  

 

I recently saw a post from a stitcher who used spool huggers to hold her excess fabric and I thought it looked like a great idea.  This sampler is very large on the 30 count linen and since I don't use a hoop, I've been wondering how I plan to handle the bulky piece of linen.  I have a smaller sit-on hoop that I really like (not for a project this size), and a K's Creations scroll frame that I don't know how to use.  Not sure I even want to because I have always stitched with the linen rolled in my hand.  I've used very large safety pins before and the floss would catch on each and every one at some point.  So I ordered a set of 14 spool huggers from Amazon to try, lightweight and flexible, may be the solution.  Anyone use them for hugging their linen?

 

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Guess who's coming to dinner

And now, he's bringing friends!

 

Nitzy attacked him today and Missy, the little spitfire, joined in.  As soon as she hears the howling, she takes off like a rocket to find the action.  She's half their size but that doesn't seem to bother her.

 

Have a great weekend!!

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Two reckless errors

Hiya folks.  Hope you're all safe, dry, and warm.  Still very cool here and we've been picking up leaves with the mower for a few weeks.  Can't believe the leaves starting falling in AUGUST!!  Looking into the already sparse woods, half is brown.  Enough.

 

Five bottles of Similasan later, I picked up the sampler.  And royally screwed up.  I've mentioned before that I do not refer to the chart and instructions enough.  The first error was assuming the three rows of two stitch high satin were the same color. 

 

My yard's grass is the same green throughout, no variations in shading, so there was no thought to the sampler's being any different.  Of course not you cocky smart-ass.  After completing the rows and checking the color photo for the next motif, I saw the error.  How could that be?  It be.  My satin stitch is sloppy at best and tiny scissors can easily be slipped beneath that tunnel of thread for removal.  Worked like a charm.  Wait.  What's this?  How did I cut the linen thread?  I pulled up gently on the scissors so as not to be near the fabric!!  Dammit. 

 

This piece is 32 x 36, a long and time consuming task to reweave a thread.  But I did.  I pulled the cut piece out first, replaced the thread, then I got to the already stitched house and I just wove into the back.  That cut end will not be going anywhere since it is secured by the block of stitching for the house.

 

Since my eyes can't handle any extended time for close work, I will need to be a bit more astute and a lot less complacent for this return to stitching.  Otherwise, the limited time I have will be spent correcting reckless errors. 

 

This is a new stamp that came out this summer.  We don't have any locally but I usually order online, many more offered than I would ever see here. Should we get a few and affix to charts he visited?

 

 

Have a great day!!

 

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Where did I see this?

Have you ever saved a photo of a sampler, sewn piece, pattern, and can't remember where you found it?  Ta-da!   A way to search online with a good chance for an answer.  You may already know how to do this, but for those that don't, here 'ya go.

In your internet browser, search for Google Images.

Click on the camera icon.

Click on upload an image.

Click browse.

Your photo program should open or use the drop down menu to choose where the photo is located, and click on that photo.  It will show that it is uploading the file.

Your result will show this, but click on ALL SIZES.  If the photo is private, altered, or not originally online when you saved it, it will not work.

Voila.  It will locate sites the photo was used and you can click on any to be directed to the site.

 I searched for my own photo that was posted to my blog to see if it was copied or used elsewhere, and this was the result.

We're looking for a new garage door and I saved photos from several companies, but did not note the model.  So I entered them and was able to locate the original source.  If you need to find the origin of a saved image, I hope this helps!!  Try it!

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Noooooooooooo!!

I have no control over the seasons, must accept the change, but I don't have to be civil about it.  I can't wait until summer.

Laboring on Labor Day.  The old antique white paint really darkened over the years, using White Dove throughout.  Carole came for dinner Saturday and likes the old dark paint much better.  Did that make me question the change?  Nope.  But every time I see Linda Rudman's Behind My Red Door posts, I do!!  Beautiful decorating and she recently painted walls with Navajo White, keeping Powell Buff trim (also Tyler Taupe) which I LOVE.  Still happy with my choices though and added sample jars to the gallon to get the slightly darker white for the trim here, results are very nice.  Door will be replaced soon, Sam is coming for that so I'm not bothering to paint it.

 

We've been watching updates on Dorian and hoping its downgrade continues as does the northern turn.  I was reading about prior storms and found many charts categorizing them by statistics.  The worst in death toll was centuries ago when warnings weren't possible and construction was not adequate to say the least.  All the info is from Wikipedia.

Landfall storms by severity.

Landfall storms by strength.

I know nothing about meteorology and don't understand the difference between strength, severity, and intensity. 

If you look in the distance, you'll see a spot of white.

 With a spot of black.

Enjoy your day.  To those in the path of the storm, hoping you follow the warnings and stay safe.

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