Thank goodness

 I never washed my windows.  Our cement like clay soil is creating more dust than we expected.  They are getting close to the deck and should finish it all today.  The septic pump company owner has been helped by husband (he's a hydraulic whiz) over the years so when we called, he came right out to empty the holding tank and the lines could be connected today.  We've seen the neighbors on the highway progress and I guess the state (they mandated this) doesn't check because the required 8" of gravel below the pipe is not being installed.  Same company doing all of those installations, six houses, on a state highway.  And we begged to allow a variance so we don't have to destroy property, told absolutely not, regulations must be followed.  Sure.  The less responsible you are these days, the more you benefit. 

Right now the machine is pounding the 4" thick cement patio to break it up and I feel the vibration on the floor.  I've always wanted to operate a bobcat but don't want to interrupt their work by destroying the gears.

Oh no.  Mark just came in and said the pipe from mom's section is broken.  That's it.  Next time, government can kiss my ass, I'm doing what we want like everyone else.    

Filling the eight foot deep trench and lawn repair is not important right now. 

Doc visit yesterday did not happen.  I waited 85 minutes for her to come into the exam room, and decided to leave.  My eyes have been horrible, fluorescent lights and air conditioning make them worse, and I was not sitting there any longer.  I am returning at 8am tomorrow. still not sure if I will stay with this office since I am not comfortable with any of the medical staff after that fiasco.

And this is what the equipment did on this extremely hot day.  Asphalt from the melting road on the new concrete drive that was installed after they tore out the original.  A forever reminder since the concrete had not been sealed yet.  But the installers had the concrete on their boots and walked over the old drive so it's white footprints on the dark aged section, a real mess anyway.  The kids from this company left the 2" gravel in place and threw some dirt and seed over it.  When we told them the gravel had to be removed, grass needs a layer of dirt, they smirked and continued.  All that work was from the company that installed the main lines along the road, and they can't get anyone to work, so it is what it is. 

Have a good ending to my favorite month.  It's gone, passed before I realized. 

Now that this nightmare is coming to a close, I hope to stitch tonight.

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Am I going to jail

 if I snatch an IG photo to share with you?   Probably.  But if people can go into stores and steal whatever they want without consequence, I should be able to steal a photo with credit to owner.  Ya think?  Stonestreet Stitchworks posted this of Mary Taylor Stackney 1828 by Lila’s Studio.  Another one of those Holy Crap look at this moments that make you add a project to the growing list of Holy Crap I will never stitch all these.  Not only did I not pay attention to this repro before, the appeal wasn't great to this simple marking sampler lady.  What a difference it makes once again to see thread on linen compared to a chart photo. 

I continued on without changes to the green in my current work, it's fine for now.  Honestly having problems with concentrating, attention, and symbols so I may just use whatever floss color happens to slide onto the floor.

And so it begins.  Tomorrow morning on the day I am finally getting in to my doctor.  Mark will need to stay here, they are crossing all utility lines, so I hope it won't be sunny since I will have to drive myself.

The right side is coming from mom's addition (former garage), circle is the tank which will be destroyed, and the line beneath the deck comes from the house extending to meet the other.  Petey is in the middle right now but will bolt tomorrow I'm sure.

We rode out to see Carole today with more stuff that she wants and doesn't need.  I ordered three bed jackets to cover those nasty hospital gowns, along with a lightweight pink comforter and blanket, all coming Tuesday.  Never ordered so much in my life and should have kept track for returns and credits.  Her Stitchin' by the Bay bag is still terribly wrinkled, even after stretching, blocking, steaming, and cussing. 

I hope your week starts swell and doesn't finish with too many bangs.  Except for sparklers, I am not one to enjoy neighborhood fireworks.  And neither are the animals, tame or wild.  We saw a dead mama doe on the highway to the nursing home, breaks your heart knowing babies are desperately needing her and won't survive.

Be safe, be well, be bitchy when needed.

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Stitchin' by the Bay

 was close to causing Fire by the Stairs.  Damn.  This extremely heavy canvas bag that can stand by itself even when filled with heavy items, was splattered with blood during a hospital visit.  A port entry decided to play fire hose and sprayed everywhere.  I used liquid Biz and peroxide, and the bag actually held water, but a thorough rinse was needed.  A brief run through the washer and it's completely clean, but what a wrinkled mess. My steamer in the unused tiny bathroom did nothing, so I moved to the next room where my ironing board is set up.  Nothing helped, tried everything.  I want it to stand again!  How about inserting a box to shape it?   No way I would have one that was a perfect fit. ....  I'll be damned, I do!  Inside is the motion light Mark will install on Carole's back porch tomorrow.  Still can't shape/stretch the bottom back to flat but we'll cut a board tomorrow.

I am on the phone with her and a strange beeping starts.  Outside?  Where is it coming from?  A search for a brat that may be up to no good takes me up the steps where I realize it's the fire alarm.  Not the usual alarm pattern, more of a random disco beat.  The steamer was still plugged in with an extension cord that was too hot to touch.  No smoke, so maybe that pattern is for heat?  Getting a new one just to be sure, it is older.  Like me.  Could have been a disaster if I had gone to bed early as I have been since we use mom's bedroom, furthest from the stairs and would not have heard it.  We also sleep with the door closed because brats roam.  That was close!

This bag was my SIL's, an extraordinary needlewoman, and 2007 is the year she passed.  I wish I hadn't had to wash it but there was no other option.  We've lost so many small and large businesses here, I don't even know if we have a dry cleaner left.  

Restrictions for SNF visiting were lifted and we are now offered morning until 7:30 pm and three people at a time.  I took my salon equipment and cut her hair (five months of growth), in the bed, and all hairs were contained in the cape.  She's happy.  My mom was bedridden her last year here and I had a cape with a raised edge for her cuts and shampoos.  So where is it?

Have a great weekend folks.  Last one of June.

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All set

 The beautiful green wasn't working for me with the 500's.  After removing half of the floss bags from their box, I think that series will be good even though I'm tired of it.  So I chose new greens that go very nicely with the teals, less yellow and very complimentary.  You can see the difference compared to the green stitching in the border.  Should not matter at all in a sampler but you know I have a phobia regarding color.

Changed a few others for this linen background, and we're good to go.

Wait a minute.  That doesn't look so bad with the 3346 does it?

Good grief I have a problem don't I?

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

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Starting a new decade

  Seventy.  Holy crap.  

How old do you have to be before you stop making the same mistakes over and over?

I'm considering a new start to the sampler.  Even though I love the green, the following row's chosen colors aren't great with it. That 501 series has been in several of the last projects, I'm tired of it.  And the conversion charts for GAST to DMC can sometimes be way off so before I get too far along, I'd like to look up the skeins online and try to find my own DMC match.  And it would help if I did not put 6 strand cuts in the wrong bags.  I wondered why the reds were so different, I had several pieces of 22 in the 3721 bag.  Happened before and will again.

If you're wondering how the sewer project developed into such a large price tag, the tap in fee is $3000.  The excavating down seven feet, a twelve inch layer of gravel, the plastic pipe, and pushing the dirt back in is $7200.  Breaking up and removing the stamped concrete patio, removing deck boards and joists, and running a second line from mom's added bath, $3400.  To have the 1000 gallon tank emptied and filled with dirt from a sanitary company, $500. To replace the deck joists and top boards, smooth the former patio area so we can walk on it, and hiring a landscaper to remove the three foot pile of removed soil along one hundred feet and rake and seed the lawn, we don't even have a price yet.  Mark started on the deck to save some bucks but the screws break when removing and a pry bar is needed to pop them off.  Not good for anyone's back when one lets loose.

Yesterday my eyes were so bad I could not look up at the shelves in Lowes, nor peruse the plants at the garden center.  I could only look down and when the sun reflected on concrete, Mark had to steer me because I could not see.  He took me back this morning during rain and clouds to get a yellow petunia to add to the barrels.  They usually die but this is a new variety that promises to be outstanding.

 Carole was told by the SNF doctor this morning that both legs will need to be removed.  It was mentioned in CC, not certain, and I wish he would not have said that.

I'm making myself one of my favorite cakes today, the chocolate zucchini bundt.  It's in the oven now, did not have time today.  I never really celebrated birthdays.  Good thing!!  With only a few family members, most of whom forget, that would be pretty upsetting.  
https://marlanco.blogspot.com/2014/09/chocolate-zucchini-bundt-cake.html

After waiting for Amazon deliveries and another storm to dissipate, we drove out to give Carole the items she requested.  Really nice cosmetic bags with handles for the new hooks to hold, a larger mirror and folds flat into a vinyl case perfect for the tray table, and a few other dookies.  The magnetic hooks we found that hold 28# work really well on the inside of the tray's support leg, out of the way but easily reached, and is holding a large hardcover with ease.  All of her toiletries, necessities, notebooks glasses and pens, all have their own bag on a hook.  Perfect for those that are confined yet have everything within reach.

Hope you had a nice day.

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Thin and sweet

 Finally a morning that I did not need a jacket, so I sat on the swing and started Lucy Beam's sampler.  I have a preference for narrow pieces, seem to be less tedious when a row ends quickly.  A sampler with only four rows but great width, would be frustrating for me.  This is very narrow and should be an enjoyable project.

Of course I changed a few colors but only slight variations to work with the linen.

The beautiful facility that Carole is in is the same as before this last trip to CC.  She was in a different section dedicated to short term stays and rehab, and on a different floor.  The 105 year old is known as the candy lady, and passes it out to other residents and wishes them well daily.  Carole said she can't walk at 82 and this gal is all over the place at 105!!  God bless her!

Some of you questioned the problem with her legs.  You can skip this if you know.  
Three weeks before March 1, her lower legs and feet swelled and were very painful when walking.  Bonehead that she is, waited to see her doctor.  Her son took her since she could barely walk, and that appointment on March 1 turned into a trip to the hospital.  Hasn't been home since.  There was one blister on the right toe, nothing else.  They performed an angiogram and diagnosed peripheral artery disease, one blockage in the right and three in the left.  After waiting a full week for a bed in Cleveland to have the procedure (usually done as outpatient) which couldn't be done here, it turned into a completely different issue.  Well, she was there for two days and to everyone's surprise, she had an intra-aortic balloon in her heart to keep her alive, kidneys failed, and her second TAVR (aortic valve) was put OVER the first one.  Mitral is critical too, but she would not survive general anesthesia.  Once released from ICU with delirium, they continued to save her life for another twelve days, and did not treat the blockages.  She returned here on April 3, and the left legs and toes started to blacken, continued for over four weeks. We didn't realize the extent since her legs were always covered, and Covid lockdown prevented visits.  Her docs knew, and I begged for an earlier appointment because they couldn't manage her pain.  Five weeks later she went to CC for the appointment and they kept her, worked on the left, restored some flow, but there is extensive damage and necrosis.  Earlier intervention would not have had the same result.  After that second TAVR, her echo went from 37% to 24%, and what should have been one night after the procedure required twelve days before discharge. The right leg is excruciating, worsening, and we are wondering if this one will be lost too.  They will not open the blockage, said she is not in good health.  So we wait another month,  But don't understand how she would be considered for general anesthesia and the hours involved with amputation, but not the treat the right so she doesn't lose both.  They are the best, but we still don't comprehend.  She is accepting the loss which will be within months, but is asking why if the pain has lessened and flow returned.  It's been a circle of confusion and frustration for us, and devastating to her asking for help, especially with lingering delirium.  Wherever she is, they insist she can sit, she cannot!  PAD pain is commonly during rest, not movement, hers is the opposite.  The main cause of the this condition is smoking (we were told), they can't believe she never did.  

Storm brewing here on a hot and humid day.  June will be ending very soon.

Hope your weekend was enjoyable.

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