March 29 & 30, 2016

A Couple of Good Days

With Few Accomplishments

March 29 & 30, 2016

One of my little Spring birds

Tuesday was a slow day at the office for me.  Ron was out much of the day and so I did a little cleaning.  In the afternoon I did some reading while it was quiet.  All day I was very sleepy.  I headed home after work and went right to sleep with no supper.  I woke up about 8:30 and Ron came in about that time.  We each had a little bit to eat.  I did some laundry and unloaded the dishwasher. 

I did talk to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  She has some blood clots in one leg and has had to focus on them for now and delay the unpacking for a little longer.  We are all seeing that the next two months are really full with various activities.  We have a couple of graduations coming up, we have some grandchildren baby-sitting while their Mom and Dad are out of town,  a couple of parties on the schedule, possibly an out of town trip, and a ballet recital or two.  Fun things, busy times, full calendar!

Wednesday was a slower day.  Ron was in the office almost all day.  In the afternoon I had a doctor's appointment for the results of a CT scan done a couple of weeks ago looking for the cause of my constant headaches.  The scan did not provide any answers, but in reality that is good - no tumors, no serious sinus problems, but no real help. 

I had asked the doctor to wear the Cochlear mini mic while he talked to me.  He talked very fast and I needed as much help as I could get to figure out what he was saying.  It did help.  After a few minutes he started down the hall to get the results of the CT scan and I took the mic off as he was about to leave the room.  He said I could leave it on his shirt.  I didn't.  When he came back I put it back on him and he again got up to go find something and went out with the mic on.  At the end of our visit, I reached over and took it off his shirt collar and told him I had taken it off when he left the room, not because I didn't trust him with it, but because I could hear him from 30 feet away.  He blushed and said, "Oh."  I had heard him giving instructions to a nurse and talking to another patient.  Maybe next time he will remember to take it off.  (I did not hear anything personal.)

Back at the office, I cleared my desk and Ron needed some papers from my files so he could finish our taxes.  I got those for him and then went to Walgreen's for milk, etc. before coming home to fix supper.  Headache was still a problem.  Talked again to daughter-in-law in New Mexico.

March 28, 2016

A Good Monday

March 28, 2016

Ron woke me this morning and I actually got up!  He headed to the office and I got ready to go and had breakfast.  At the office, I worked on a little filing and some computer work and I may have a computer bug.  I did a scan just a week or so ago and all was fine.

Ron was out of the office almost all day.  Just before he left a customer came in who used to work for the county and now works for an agency that takes care of illegal immigrant children as they try to find family members to take them.  We had an interesting discussion.

Later, while Ron was gone, I had a customer who was obviously not from this area.  I asked where she was originally from and she said Taiwan.  It was funny because the lock I was selling to her was made in Taiwan and she began wondering where the factory was and if she knew anyone working there.  She spent about 30-45 minutes telling me her life story and she has accomplished so much since we arrived here at a young age.  She became a citizen several years ago and owns several businesses.  Very interesting lady.

The rest of the afternoon I did bookkeeping chores and a little cleaning and I put away some merchandise.  I prepared a bank deposit and took it to the bank on my way home.  Ron again was going to supper with his brother since the brother is going home tomorrow morning.  I had a quiet evening at home.

After I ate supper I spent some time working in the yard.  I didn't stay long because the mosquitoes are bad again.  The rose at the top of the page is one I picked today.  I took one just like it to our granddaughters Saturday when we went to see them.  It is so nice that they stay pretty at least a week to 10 days.  I also love that they have nice long stems.

With my Cochlear phone clip I talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  It is funny when I use it because I don't use the cell phone to talk or listen.  The listening is in the Cochlear device and the talking is done in a microphone I wear around my neck, but I find myself holding the phone up to my ear - Duh...

March 27, 2016

He is Risen!  

March 27, 2016

This was a wonderful Easter Sunday.  The day started out foggy, but by noon the clouds had burned off and the day was outstanding.  I woke up around 5:00 this morning and decided to go ahead and get up.  I needed to make a salad to take to an Easter party in the late afternoon and had started it the previous evening but not finished.  I finished making it and cleaned the kitchen having the dishwasher ready to start when we went to church. 

We had a nice crowd in our class and a great lesson.  Then the Worship Service was very nice.  There was a baptism of a young woman and at the end of the service the salvation of a young boy.  God is good.  I had picked Mom up between class and the service. 

After the service, I got to chat with a friend who has been out of town, and catch up a little on our busy lives.  We came home after the service and had a light lunch.  As soon as we finished lunch, I started on cupcakes for the Easter party. 

 Probably since we first had grandchildren, we have been spending part of the day on Easter at our son's mother-in-law's home.  She invites a large group of her friends and family and her daughters' friends.  One of the daughters was not there today, but there were lots of new friends of the hostess.  She often invites friends who do not have any grandchildren in town for the celebration and they come and enjoy watching her grandchildren hunt for the eggs after a covered dish meal.

This year, as she did last year, she had the main course catered and then everyone brought salads and desserts.  My mom was there; she had gotten a ride with a friend.  I was just a relaxing, good time together.  We had fajita tacos with all the add-ons anyone could want.  The food was very good and the weather was perfect. 

The kids ranged in age from 4 - 17 and all had a great time.  The plastic eggs are filled with coins, candies, or trinkets.  The real eggs shells are filled with confetti.  What fun to crack those confetti eggs on each others' heads.  The party started at 5:30 and ran until about 8:30.  It was good to visit with friends.

March 26, 2016

A Very Nice Saturday

March 26, 2016

Our granddaughter with her new quilt.

Saturday morning when I got up, my husband was not in the house, but his car was here.  I went to the kitchen and in the kitchen window sat a box of Shipley  donuts.  He loves me.  I found him working in the yard.  Eventually, in the next few months our public utility company is going to replace our power lines.  That is nice.  The only problem is that they are underground.  I like that they are underground except that about every 30-40 years, they need to replace them.  They need access to an area of our yard that has been over grown with large shrubs for years.  So we have both been working on the plants in that area. 

Planting the trees we took to our son.

 

Ron took out a couple of trees he dug up in that area, for our son Jeff.  He had said he wanted them.  Shortly after noon, we picked up Ron's brother and headed to McAllen to take the trees to Jeff and so Ron's brother could see where they live.  We got there about 2:30 and stayed until about 5:30.  The trees got planted and watered.  When we got there Jeff and his son who just turned 9 were putting a floor in one section of the attic for a storage area.  That little grandson worked hard and loved every minute of it.

Jeff's oldest daughter was in the family room when

 we arrived building with Legos at the table. 

Our grandson who was helping in the attic, had turned 9 just recently but they had to cancel his party because several in the family had gotten sick.  So we had taken his gift with us.  I gave it to him and he knew immediately without opening it, that it was Legos.  He set the gift down and said he would open it in a little bit.  I finally realized he had gone up stairs to clean his room and then he set up this little area in the photo with a little trunk to hold the package and a lamp to shine on the trunk.  He wanted to open it in a clear area so as not to mix the new set with any other Legos.  Sweet, smart little guy.

Our grandson opening his birthday gift.

 

We enjoyed seeing our son and the kids.  Our daughter-in-law was out of town and we didn't see her.  At one point I was out in the field behind the house and the horse came up to her feeding area.  I patted her on the nose and headed on to where the rest of the family was working on the tree planting.  The horse came around the other side of me trying to nudge me to the feeding shed.  She had thought I was coming to feed her and was not going to let me get away without doing the job.  It was so funny.  This is a very old horse and she knows what she wants but was not a threat - just a funny episode.

The Easter quilt for our youngest granddaughter was just a fun project - not any particular event  (not a birthday), but she didn't have a quilt for her regular sized bed now that she was no longer in the crib.   We took the quilt to her room and put it on the trundle bed she uses under her oldest sister's twin bed.

The new quilt on her bed

 I had finished the binding on the Easter 

quilt for our youngest granddaughter.

Close up of the back of the quilt.  

Bunnies playing in the flowers, and surrounded by bees.

After a nice visit, we came back to town and went to Pepe's, the same Mexican food restaurant where I had gone the previous evening with Mom.  Again, the food was good and it was not as crowded as the previous times I had been there. It was a good day.

 The Easter quilt

March 24 & 25, 2016

Spring is Beautiful

March 24 & 25, 2016

Spring came a little early this year, it seems.  Almost all of the trees are fully leafed out.  Flowers are in bloom every where you look.  The birds are plentiful and noisy.  It is a beautiful time of the year.  I would love to have more time to work in the yard.  I would love to have time to plant seeds for zinnias and other such flowers.  It is always a treat to me to have cut flowers in the house. 

Thursday I went to the office a little earlier than most recent days.  I did some of my own computer work much of the day.  At one point I took a package to the post office to mail for Ron, but that might have been the most productive action of the day.  I did wait on customers as Ron worked on locks for a customer.

In the evening we met our friends for supper at The Texas Roadhouse.  I love their food.  I am not crazy about their noise.  We had a good visit and enjoyed catching up.  My friend had brought some fabric for our granddaughters that I know they will enjoy.

In the evening I did some reading and a little sewing.  I went to sleep about 11:30.  We had discussed closing for Friday, but Ron needed to be at the office to receive a UPS shipment.  I decided to take the day off.  I woke up at 11:00 a.m. Friday.   Wow! 

Once I was wide awake, I went to Wal-Mart to get groceries, Easter treats for the grandchildren, and to do a little birthday shopping for a grandson.  I was there for 2 hours and then came home for Brunch.  I had not eaten before I went.

I did some sewing in the afternoon as well as some reading.  Ron needed to go to Harlingen with his brother so I picked up Mom for supper and we went to Pepe's, a fairly new Mexican Food place that we like.  Mom had not been there, and enjoyed all their decorations as well as the food.  The place is very tastefully decorated.  The owner came by our table and introduced himself. 

After supper I took Mom home and came home and worked on sewing the binding on the little Easter quilt for our youngest granddaughter. 

At supper Thursday night I used the Cochlear mini mic but forgot it Friday night.  I had taken some things out of my purse before going shopping to lighten the load.

March 23, 2016

My Boss Sure is Patient

March 23, 2016

This morning I got up early, spoke to Ron as he was getting ready for work, sat in the recliner to wait for him to be finished using hot water before I started my shower, fell asleep and woke at 10:00.  That means I did not get to the office until about 11:30.

Ron came in my office later and said, "Yesterday you got to work in time to take a nap, and today you got here in time to eat lunch."  I said, "I like this job!  Thank you."  Oh well.  I did wait on customers most of the day so he could do a lot of work on items that had been brought in for repairs, etc.

My cold is better, but I do get sleepy from the medications for the sinus problems.  It was one of those days where the doors to the business kept blowing open with the strong winds.  Ron finally turned off the door chimes but then I would not be aware a customer had come in and he would have to call me to come wait on them.

I did a little filing and general clerical things.  I did a bunch of printing of our invoices.  It seems there are always lots of things waiting to be done.

Ron was going to his mom's for supper with his mom and his brother who is here for a few more days.  I came home - my cough is still bad enough that I didn't want to risk giving it to her.  I don't think I am still contagious, but it is not worth the risk.  On my way home, I picked up supper for myself and ate before relaxing.

The yard was filled with the Red-winged blackbirds again.  There had to be at least 150 of them out there along with sparrows and doves.

Right after supper I had a call from our son in Dallas.  We had a good visit.  It had been too long since we had chatted.

A little later, I talked to our son in New Mexico.  I had seen on Facebook where they were using a snow plow to deal with the tumble weeds in his area.  The high winds are sending the tumble weeds everywhere and then they sometimes stack up on the highways.  We had a good visit.  He is finally feeling better after a bad bug he caught.

March 22, 2016

An Evening With Our Quilt Group

March 22, 2016

This year my amaryllis plants have all decided to bloom at once.  That makes for a beautiful showing but it doesn't last long.  I have enjoyed them.  This pot had 10 blooms.  One broke off in the wind and I brought it in the house.  The other pot had about 8 blooms, but 2 or 3 have already died.

This morning I got up before Ron left for work, and I actually made it to the office by 9:30.  BUT... I was so sleepy from an allergy medication, that I put my head down on my desk and dozed off and on as Ron took care of customers.  About noon he asked if I wanted to go home and I said, "YES!"

At home, I did some house cleaning, reading, fixed some lunch, filled bird feeders and ponds, but could not go to sleep.  I took time to take a few photos of the plants when I got home from the office.

House work is a never ending job.  I kept picking up one item and then seeing a dozen more that needed to be put away, or I would clean one small area and see 5 more that needed cleaning.

The quilt group all came except Mom.  Carmen said Mom was too tired.  Carmen finished her first quilt top.  I had given her a stack of squares when she first started coming to the group, and she has worked hard on this quilt.  She has done a great job - especially with the language barrier.

March 21, 2016

Back To Work

March 21, 2016

This morning I woke up before Ron got me up.  I did a few chores around the house, but was just moving slowly and it seemed to take me forever to get ready to go to the office.  Once I got there I really was feeling well, but talking much can bring on coughing spells.  Ron said he had a lot of desk work to do so would I take care of customers.  While waiting on the second customer, I got to coughing so badly that I had to leave and go get a drink in my office.  Ron came and said he would finish with the customer.

After the customer left, he asked if I needed to go home.  I assured him I felt fine but that the coughing spells come and go and I never know when one will hit.  He ended up taking care of most of the customers for me.

My friend with the quilting machine came by about 1:15 and picked up the quilt to be quilted.  She brought it back at 4:00!  Amazing!  She did a fine job on the quilt and now I just need to make the binding and get it put on.

I paid a few bills and then left the office a little early to go to the office supply store to get a few supplies.  It was about 5:30 when I got home.  I fixed supper and ate.  Ron was working late.  I did some cleaning in the sewing room and little by little, I continue to get things a little more organized.

Talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  Our son has been very sick with a "bug" going around.  Praying he will get over it quickly.  He has had a rough few days.

March 20, 2016

Recovery Continues

March 20, 2016

Quilt top I finished this evening

Being sick any day and staying home, messes up my mental calendar.  There are certain things I do so routinely, and when I miss those activities it throws the whole week out of whack!  Today I stayed home from church.  My cold is better and I am feeling better, but when my sinuses are already messed up, perfumes, and other scented products can set off coughing or sneezing spells.  My cough continues.  It is better, but once it starts, it stays for a while.

It was about 10:00 before I got up.  I just sat in the recliner for the next couple of hours doing nothing except sitting; no reading, TV or anything.  Finally about noon I turned on the TV, sent Ron a text asking him to pick up something for lunch, and went back to sleep.  After he got home, we had lunch and then he took a nap.  I started looking for a quilt project to work on and came across one that I think I started last year.  It is an Easter quilt with bunnies and eggs and praises to God.  I was given a set of 5" squares in these fabrics, and ordered another set.  I had worked on it for our youngest granddaughter but did not finish it.  The top basically was complete, but it needed to be a little larger, so I spent the rest of the day enlarging it. 

A border had already been cut, but it was not going to increase the size enough and I didn't like the shade of yellow that it was made of, so I found a better yellow and removed the one section that I had done of the border last year and used the newer shade of yellow.  Then I selected fabrics for another border and cut them, sewed them and worked on that for hours.  I didn't even stop for supper.

Finally it was all done and is ready for my friend Dolores to pick it up to quilt.  I am pleased with it and hope to have it ready to deliver Friday when I take care of the grandchildren for the day.  I have another one ready to quilt but need to find backing for it. 

During a good bit of the evening I used the Cochlear mini mic hooked to the television and the volume set on mute.  Then Ron could not hear the shows, but I could.  It works so well.  I am pleased with it.  It does cause me some minor problems.  I went out to get the newspaper late this afternoon and heard someone talking.  It was the TV.  The system is supposed to work for a range of about 30 feet.  Somehow in the front yard there was a small area out by the mail box, where I could hear it. 

It was a relaxing day and I hear I missed an outstanding service at church.  Ron is going to get me a DVD of it.  He said it was great.

March 18 & 19, 2016

Sleeping Like a Baby - My

Days and Nights are Mixed Up

March 18 & 19, 2016

One of my miniature roses.

The last few days I have been down with a terrible cold.  It has really messed up my sleeping patterns.  Thursday night I did not sleep at all.  I had been awake since noon the previous day.  There were things at the office that needed my attention, so I went to the office Friday, hoping to come home about noon, but it was almost 2:00 when I left.  I ate lunch as soon as I got home and was asleep by 2:30 and slept until midnight when I woke up and was up the rest of the night.

Seems like all my amaryllis plants are blooming at the same time this year.

 

We had a storm coming through with lightening, thunder, and rain.  It was nice to watch the lightening and I even put on my sound processor for a while to listen to the thunder.  I got back to sleep about 6:30 a.m. and slept until 9:00.  Ron was home so I fixed biscuits for our breakfast and took care of the feeders in the yard.

 Hibiscus blooming today

 

During today (Saturday) I have done very little.  Today is National Quilt Day so I should be sewing, but I have sorted some fabric and found a piece to use on the back of a quilt that is ready to go to the quilter.  As I looked through boxes and boxes of quilt fabric, I could not select a pattern to start making.  Of course I have so many quilts in progress that I should be working on instead, but it can always be fun to experiment with a new pattern.

 Lightening last night.  

It was pitch black, but it would light up the entire sky.

 

The birds have been active in the yard.  Ron has spent the afternoon working at the office.  So my day has not been too productive.  I am feeling better this evening but will not plan to go to church.  I get such bad coughing spells especially is I am around perfumes. 

 A smaller variety of miniature roses have started blooming.

 

One of our grandsons was having a birthday party this evening and I hated to miss but just did not want to pass on my germs.  Then this afternoon I got a text telling me the party was cancelled since several at their house are sick.

 Supper time for the sparrows once the flocks of Red-wing blackbirds left.

March 17, 2016

A Very Quiet Day

March 17, 2016

*Spring is in full bloom

 

This morning Ron did not wake me before he left for the office.  It was 12:00 noon when I woke up.  I sent Ron a text to tell him I was up and could be there in a couple of hours.  He said he was working on a bid for a customer and for me just to stay home.  I returned to bed and laid there for 2 hours - not going back to sleep, but debating how much energy I had.  Obviously it was not much.

At 2:00 I got up and moved to the recliner with my Kindle after having just a little lunch.  I read until 5:00 and then sent Ron a text asking him to pick up chicken pot pies for supper and returned to the recliner.  It was about an hour before he got home with them.  I told him he did not need to eat with me - I do not want him to take this cold.

All day, I did not even put on the Cochlear sound processor.  I just relaxed and enjoyed the quiet.  The television was not turned on.  I did not go out in the yard or anything.  About 6:00 this evening, I started to feel a little better.  Again, it was a shame that I had a day off and didn't feel like sewing.

For a while this evening I did talk to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico and it was good to hear her talking about her preparations for a speaking engagement that she has the middle of next month.   She will do a great job, I am sure.

My day was better than yesterday.  The coughing was not as bad, and the fever I was running last night was gone.  So many friends have mentioned having bad colds recently.  I think it was mid-November when I had a spell of bronchitis, so I am hoping this goes away soon and does not end up in my chest.

* Today's photos were taken last Saturday at our son's home.

March 16, 2016

Ugh...I Have a Terrible Cold

March 16, 2016

When they pack into the flat feeder like this I can't

 help but think "...4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie..."

 

Yesterday at the office, I was sneezing a little more than usual.  It was very windy and it could have been pollen that added to my problem, but by the time I was driving home, I was sneezing over and over.  I must have sneezed at least 100 times on my way home.

Great Kiskadee was back for more nesting materials.

 

At home, I relaxed some and did a couple of things, but was pretty sure what I had was turning into a cold or was a combination cold and allergies.  At bed time I started sneezing and coughing non-stop.  By my suggestion, Ron was trying to stay in the other end of the house.  I coughed with no more than 5 - 10 second breaks almost all night.  It was after 5:30 this morning before I was able to get to sleep, so that meant I got less than 2 hours sleep last night.  I told Ron I would not be at the office today.  He had some jobs planned, but it could not be helped.

My plant may fall out if he keeps pulling the basket liner out for the nest

 

For years I have had more than my share of headaches.  I have assumed they were all allergy related, but finally I had a medical person who was listening to me.  She booked a CT scan for this morning.   I actually decided it was good timing so they could see if it is the sinus cavities that are the problem (she didn't think so). 

The appointment was for 10:30 and I did not see any way that I could be still during the scan with the constant coughing.  As the technician started, I was praying I would be able to be still and we could get it done and out of the way.  God answered that prayer.  I did not cough one time during the test, but started coughing again when I went to the waiting room. 

 They are not good about sharing

 

Of course these technicians never give you any hint as to what they saw, but he did comment, "I will have the same man read it who has read your other tests and see what he says about the sinuses."  Sounds to me like he thinks that is the problem.  He said it would be a week before the doctor's office has the results.

I decided to stop at Walgreen's for milk and bread and a couple of  over the counter medications, on the way home.  As I started to the front to check out, I could tell my nose was starting to run and although I had used all the Kleenex from my purse, I found a napkin.  It turned out to be a terrible nose bleed, not just a runny nose.  I left my basket near the checkout counter (no clerk was there) and went to the car and went through about 1/2 a box of Kleenex.  Finally I gave up on it stopping, so I got some Kleenex and went back in to tell the checker to put the milk back in the counter.

When I got inside, my basket was gone.  The checker saw me looking and I asked if he knew where it went; he said he had put the things away.  I said that was fine; I would come back later.  Naturally when I got back to the car, the nose bleed had almost stopped.  I knew I would not leave the house the rest of the day, so I went back in and he had the medications at the checkout counter so all I had to get was milk and bread.  I checked out quickly and headed home.  The nose bleed was back flowing before I got home.

I spent the afternoon in the recliner doing nothing except a little reading.  I did enjoy watching the Red-winged Blackbirds and went out at one point to get photos of the amaryllis blooms and to fill the fountains.  I napped a little from 5:30 till 6:30.  Ron didn't get home until 7:30.  I fixed myself some pudding for supper and again returned to the recliner. 

It is a real shame that I had a day off and didn't get to spend it sewing.  I kept being afraid that if I tried, I would end up bleeding on the quilt.  Our daughter-in-law was going to be in town with the grandchildren today and I hated to miss them, but they sure don't need to pass my cold around.  Please pray that tomorrow is a better day.  My ribs are very sore from all the coughing. 

March 15, 2016

Finished Another Quilt!!!

March 15, 2016

This quilt is crib size.  

It is the one I finished tonight.

The quilt I finished binding tonight is BRIGHT!  The colors are wild and I love it.  It is another one that I started years ago and for reasons unknown, I never finished it.  Dolores, my quilting friend, quilted in on a large quilting machine for me a few weeks ago. 

This morning since Ron had spent the night at his mom's last night, I had to get myself up.  I did fairly well and got to the office a little earlier than I did yesterday.  Before going to the office I did laundry and spend about 30 minutes in the yard.

At the office, I worked on a few little projects, but nothing of importance.  Our daughter-in-law had checked to see if I could keep some of the children part of the day tomorrow.  At first I had told her yes, but by the time I got home from work, I was was sneezing and coughing and guess I am coming down with a cold.  Yuck.


In the middle of the afternoon Ron went to pick up his brother at the airport.  He is here to help with Ron's mom for now until we can figure out how much help she needs.  She continues to improve.

At home I started working on the quilt, read a little, fixed supper and did another load of laundry.  My sister in Idaho sent a photo of it snowing in the mountains that she sees from her house.  It feels so much like summer is just around the corner here that it is hard to realize how many people are still having winter.

Some of the migrating birds are showing up, so I must keep the feeders filled and the camera ready.

Backing fabric.