Next step

 I slept last night without anxiety about the contrast dye because the office never called with instructions, never ordered the pre-medications, and the hospital/scheduling departments never answered the phone.  Rang the last time for four full minutes, the main desk would not take a message, I don't know who the doctor administering the test is, and all are closed until my appointment time Tuesday morning.  I tried my best to give them time to offer another patient my spot, but no one seemed interested.  I also registered online with this new hospital and tried to message, nope.  But I had access to prior EKG results and I am concerned with the reports.  Another cardio will be called for a second opinion but since my eye appointment is a twelve month wait, I wonder how long this one will be.  Whatever.  Shoveling gravel without symptoms is a good sign, but not a reliable one.

As for Kezia, her appointment was postponed also.  She is not having any issues, but her provider is.  Miss Kezia offered her spot to another gal and will wait for an opening in the coming months.

Have a swell Saturday.

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The gravel grind

 Hi folks.  Almost finished moving all the gravel, wanted to show you a few places we used it.   But first, a peek at Kezia.  Time was spent on correcting the misplaced floss cut colors in the border, all is now the same throughout.  I never received a reply about the incorrect symbol from Sassy Jacks.  I'm sorry I didn't change to 3371 for a darker brown.  Am I loving her?  Nope.  Whether linen tone or that green, something is not exciting me.

On to gravel.  These areas can have pots or crocks added with flowers for color, no need to mess with our horrible soil.  I think the neatness of the gravel will accent a pot very well, I can see more annuals in my future!

The gravel is 2" deep, 24' long along the backside of the old garage (mom's rooms) and will certainly make a difference in keeping the dark siding clean.  No more mulch and dirt splashing on it and requiring a scrub.  I added a mini hosta called Bedazzled that grows only 6" - 8" tall, a compact little mound that will be neat and sweet.  Found at Lowe's.

This area of crap clay would be too difficult to excavate and plant, so adding a higher focal point like the wheelbarrow makes a display visible from the rooms.  This is 4" deep.  I sliced plastic pots into rings and pushed into the ground to protect the hostas growth around their base.

This was a mess of roots and moss, now 4" deep stones all laid on landscape fabric.  Edges lined with wood to hold the fabric and prevent stones from roaming, back is done, front will be soon. Short pieces of rebar are pounded in ground against the back of the boards keeping them in place securely, easily removed. All the window wells got a few inches, and there is still more to move.  Why they dumped heavy gravel almost 8" high is a question never answered.  But it's almost gone.

Have a good day.  In September.  Damn.

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I am chicken,

 hear me cluck.

My scheduled HeartFlow test is Tuesday and I am needing an Ativan which no doctor will prescribe.  Not even ten of the .5 mg.  Everything I went through the last two years with Carole during covid and her crises, I was denied a few pills.  My neighbor, friend, and cousin get them like M&Ms.  My blood work from the new doctor after complaining of continued exhaustion ordered CMP and CBC, no B-12, no iron, no d, nothing else.  My husband has no issues and after his yearly visit is ordered CMP, CBC, and a boatload of various tests for all sorts of levels, kidney function, liver, D, B-12, Iron, Magnesium, and some I am not familiar with.  Also offered carotid scan since he's over 70.  

Anyway, I am terrified of the iodine contrast since I have had a previous reaction.  The pre-medications are 50 mg of steroid every 6 hours along with 50 mg of Benadryl.  I took a Medrol pack of 4 mg doses and puffed out with flushing for days.  Half of a Benedryl OTC 25 mg puts me to sleep.  Seriously.  Two doses (even one dose) of 50 and I will be knocked out.  Sorry, but I am very drug sensitive.  The anxiety about this is causing more palps than ever which would most likely require a heart med to regulate/slow beat during the imaging for a better scan.  Since I am so sensitive, how slow would I go without .... well, you know.  Am I being a baby?  A small clot dislodged during a heart cath and Linda had a stroke that required a three month hospital stay, she will never be the same.  Both of us have afib and PVCs (more prone to clots).  So I am clucking away and feel I am being foolish since I could have a blockage in my heart.  Or it could be nothing.  Yoi.

We drove to Hubbard Ohio to get cheaper gas, and stopped at their little General Store where I had previously bought this little tin for a few bucks to offer Carole.  I kept it.  And then bought another later for her.  And kept it.  So today I bought hers.  And another for me.  The dollar (1.25) store has the little LED candles that last 100 hours so I got a few for inside.  My favorite item and the only one they had left is this faux leather pumpkin.  Sweet.  At the General I found neck gaiters in pink for 1.99 so grabbed a few for her aides.  So much easier than scarves and less bulky.

There are tomatoes growing on the large porch off her room, includes a variety I never saw.  A nurse has the seeds, they are strawberry shaped!!  Small and sweet, not a grape, perfect little berries.  Her grandmother grew them and she saves seeds every year.  Not growing well this year, a low spreading plant loaded with fruit waiting to ripen.

These are the magnificent monster baskets lining Hubbard's main street.  Holy crap.  Every year, massive! And although September 1, these beauties show no signs of bare centers or failing blossoms.  The fire truck goes around at night to water them.  The greenhouse I showed months ago with the unusual arrangements must be their creator and I will certainly ask next year.  And the baskets are moss which never hold enough water.  Probably lined.  

I did some work on Kezia, the over one tent and it is taking some time.  As for Jane, husband and I studied the two linens with stitching and the second green in the vine is not showing, neither is the apricot/rust flower.  I really like the Confederate Gray but it may require too many thread changes.  I dipped the Tobias to remove green and it is now luscious.  Will work on that decision after another day with Kezia.

Blab blab blab.  Sorry.  I'm just torn as to what to do and quite anxious.  

Keep on clucking.

Be safe!!

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Mourning summer's end

 but getting a jump on Christmas.  

Hobby Lobby 50% off this week, a plastic needle (no pinching!) primitive little tree for $11.50.  Could not pass this up.  Perfect for any room, decorated or not.  I love the simplicity of a bare tree.  I also got very small wreaths for a few bucks in the same needle/material for cupboards.  I have several small trees that are very sparse and their needles are .... like real needles.  

The trunk is wound with satin ribbon and I usually wrap in brown burlap strips if I want it textured and more primitive looking.  But for the money, a nice little tabletop tree.

I've mentioned several times about ads appearing regarding a subject I sent in an email.  Well to my surprise, I logged into my medical records for test results, saw that my cholesterol was quite high, and what do you know!  I am blasted this evening with ads for products that lower cholesterol.  Are you kidding me?  My personal medical records and test results that I viewed on my private laptop?   First time ever for ads such as these, impossible to be a coincidence and for every outlet I visited to offer ads for the same subject.

Whine with me these last few days of August.

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Jane

 Remember project #2, Jane Southward?  The 3011 vine was not showing well enough on my linen (seems to be the norm).  For some reason, Confederate Gray popped into my head even though I'd only used it once for a small ornament years ago.  I took a chance and ordered a piece for Jane.  Bingo.  I think the 3011 is showing better on this very neutral fabric.

The chart photo is on a golden brown and I don't know if this gray will not do justice to Jane's colors.  We'll see.  I'll stitch a small area with a darker green on my first linen before I decide.  

After some work on Jane I will go back to Ann for a few more rows, then Kezia.  I do have others kitted but three projects at once seems reasonable, any more may lead to a loss of interest.  After being monogamous for decades, I like having other options if I tire of a project or need a break from overthinking.  I have to say that my stitch station is making it so much easier also.  

Having blood work done this week, my tooth fixed, Missy is doing well (but that wound is ugly), and I feel like a wet rag.  I don't understand how I can move gravel for hours and be fine, and other days can barely stand up straight.  

Our friend had very mild covid in January, and has been needing care since because of mental inabilities.  He was taken to a neurologist and found after testing and scans that he does not have dementia or Alzheimer.  He has a severe case of covid fog.  The doctor said he has so many patients with this, all older, all had mild covid, most recover in a few months but some are severe cases like his.  No treatment other than rehab offered to brain injury or stroke patients.  So far, no improvement.

Hope you have a good start to this week.

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Expo

 Happy Saturday.  The last one of summer.  Can you hear me wail? 

Are you checking the new charts offered in the Expo today?  I found a good listing of them at Shepherd's Needle's site.

The hydrangeas are dried and green, my tunias are starting to fade, and we're close to the end of moving gravel.  And I have tired of the "white" trend.  I want my colonial colors back, even if very light.

My facial ravioli is about the size of a cavatelli now, palpitations have slowed also.

Missy is no worse, as I was brushing her I hovered my hand several inches over that leg and she screamed.  If I moved closer I'm the one that would need antibiotics.  The white/black (female?) that she watches has been around all day.  Missy cries (not howls) through the screen and this stray will respond and get closer.  They happened to be outside at the same time and Missy sat, they stared, and then she walked away.  The stray bolted as soon as Missy started moving and there was no intent to follow.  The yellow (male?) won't leave either.  It could have been him that attacked her.   

I know you will shake your head, but after all the floss skeins I was trying out, all very similar, I had the wrong color in the 890 bag.  It's actually 936!!  The 739 was in a different bag also and I will continue using it.  The end motif was done in 890 and the others to the left of it were stitched in the 936.  I made the mistake of having the cut lengths unmarked and that's how they entered the wrong bag.  I realized the error when I was completing the tree to the right of the lion and saw a slight difference from the already in place 890.   Whatever, I would rather remove one on the end than all the others so will continue throughout with 936.  If you study the colors, you can see a slight difference in that last motif.  Really odd since skeins next to each other are not close, 890 is closer to 500 than 936 yet ....

 And here's the kick.  The original 3011 I used is more my style, more primitive, more dusty, softer.  But I allowed the photo of Melanie's work to influence mine and I'm OK with that.  Have you ever been torn between your usual color style and something completely different?  Were you disappointed or pleased with the end result?

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