Guess What Came Early This Afternoon!

I promise this post will be short, but very sweet!

About 3:30 PM I just happened to notice a FedEx truck parked in front of my house, and then saw the driver get back in the truck.  Of course, I hurried to see if he had left a package on my porch, and sure enough, he had left a big box! 

I couldn't pick it up, crippled as I am, but I rolled it end over end to get it into the living room.   Yes, it was from Walmart, so I hurried to get the scissors to cut the tape.  Inside was another nice big box!  It was easy to open, and under almost a roll of  brown paper for packing. 

Inside that box was my new shower chair parts, having arrived a day early!  Can you believe it?  Of course, my son had been here this morning and mowed my lawn, picked up my meds at Walgreens, and brought lunch from Jack in the Box.  He left right after we ate so he could get home and mow his lawn, this being the only day he will have off this week. 

I have to say I was excited that my chair was here, but a little disappointed that it might be several days before he could come back to put my chair together.  Then tonight about 7 PM, he called and said they had to come back here to pick up his meds that weren't ready when he got mine this morning.  It's about a 23 mile drive here from where he lives, and I was just tickled pink that he and his wife had to come get his meds, and he said they will stop by to put my chair together tonight!  YEA!!!----------  They even brought supper! 

The chair literally was a 'snap' to put together, except for screwing the legs in.  I probably could have done it myself.  Took less than 10 minutes, and he had me sit down in it to try it out.  I loved it immediately!  He then carried it to the my shower, adjusted the legs to sit level, and told me to get in it again.  I really like it, but decided I wanted to turn it just a bit to make it easier for me to get in and out of the shower.  It fits perfectly!  He had to adjust the legs again just a bit for it to set level at that angle.  It is going to be so much safer for me to take showers with this.  I'm too tired to try it tonight, but tomorrow, I'm sure I'll be testing it out!  Did I already say I love it?  I just know I will!

Here it is:

This will make it much safer for me to shower!

I did quilt a bit today, but that will have to wait for a picture another day.  I may stay in the shower all day tomorrow!  *giggle* 

---"Love"

What a Great Day This Was!

After sleeping really good all night, I managed to get myself up when the alarm went off at 8 AM.  I always dress and make the bed before I go down the hall to the kitchen, but decided to wait on that until after breakfast.

Last night I had decided to have pancakes for breakfast, made with Bisquick, which I had never done.  The box suggested that for something really special, to add some baking powder, Crisco oil, an egg, and a teaspoon of vanilla, in addition to the milk.  Sounded good, so I tried it, and it was good, though the vanilla did distract a bit from the maple syrup, to me anyway, but I did eat it all!  (I used just half the recipe --- 1 cup mix instead of 2, 1/2 cup milk instead of 1 cup, etc.)  I'm glad I didn't go for the full amount, or I'd be eating pancakes all week!  Anyway, it made for a good start for the day.

It is my habit to read my Bible every morning while eating my breakfast, and I enjoyed reading more about King David and a lot of his wars.

By then, I was feeling more stable than lots of morning, so I decided to take my shower and shampoo my hair before dressing.  Some days I just don't feel steady enough until later in the day, but today was good!  I didn't waver one time in the shower, and it felt so good to get my hair shampooed!  I don't do that with every shower for fear of falling; I've learned to live with twice a week for a shampoo.  And today was that day!

Of course, I always have to check my e-mail and new blog posts, which I always enjoy!  I received a couple of funnies about the mess our world is in.  Here they are.

   "Quarantine has turned us into dogs.  We roam the house all day looking for food.  We are told "no" if we get too close to strangers.  And we get really excited about car rides."

    "2019:  Stay away from negative people.  2020:Stay away from positive people."

  "The world has turned upside down:  Old folks are sneaking out of the house, and their kids are yelling at them to stay indoors."


Next it was time to listen to my church's morning worship service on line, and it was such a blessing.

Yesterday I had sandwiched the pink floral panel wall hanging, and had also gotten my machine all set up for free motion -----which I haven't done in a long time!  So today I practiced a few minutes, and then got brave and started on the panel.  I got maybe a third of it done before it was time to watch the evening church service.  (I really miss going to church, but I'm so glad I can enjoy it online.)  My stitching isn't perfect, but hey, it's for my own bedroom, and I can live with it.  Here's just a glimpse of one corner, not yet quilted.  It really is a pretty panel, gifted to my by my quilting buddy for my birthday. 

I have quilted the white flower.

As I was unplugging my machine for the night, I noticed something, and just have to share this giggle with you.  I had been quilting most of the afternoon, free motion --- with my ruler foot!  *giggle*  I think I'll just keep it that way.  You might want to try it sometime; it worked great!  I didn't even have my rulers out! 

I just hope I can get it finished this week.  I see some of you who finish two or three quilts in a day, and I just can't envision such an accomplishment!  I'll be really happy if I get mine close to finished by next Sunday!  It's not that big or difficult; I'm just slow!  (Remember I'm an old crippled lady!)
But hey, I have not fallen again this past week!  Some close calls, but I hung on until I could sit down.  Yea!!!!

I was in the house all week, except for Thursday, when my friend I'm helping with her quilt, called and said she needed to go back to Gibson's in Weatherford for more fabric for her son's quilt. (If you've ever been there, you know why we go there; if you haven't, you definitely should check it out!  Lots of fabric at good prices, and lots of other 'stuff' too!)  Of course, I was delighted just to go for the ride.  After we got her fabric, we picked up lunch at Sonic and went to their City park.  We found a nice table under a beautiful big shade tree, and just watched kids playing in the park for over an hour before starting the drive home.  It was about 70 degrees, and no wind; just such a wonderful outing! 

So---in spite of my griping a lot, the latter part of this week for the most part has been good.  For that I'm thankful!  Today was beautiful outdoors; lots of sun, no wind, and no rain!  Wish I had felt like pulling weeds in the rose garden!

Hope the coming week will be ever better --- for all of us!

---"Love" 

Cleaning Day and Then A Wasted Day!

Here it is 5 PM, and I've had the blahs all day except for a few minutes this morning.  I enjoy seeing pet cats in blogs by several of you, but I don't have any 'tamed' pets.  I feed lots of wild birds, often as many as 50 big white winged doves, and of course, squirrels..  If you've followed my blog for several years, you know that I really get a kick out of watching the squirrels.  Well, this morning they were putting on a show, and I got some cute pictures of what I'm guessing might be  "Frisky's" grandson, but he is carrying the name forward from today.  I haven't made any progress on the quilting mess from last post, so I thought I'd share some Frisky antics from this morning.  Hope you enjoy!  (I keep forgetting to change the date on my camera; it is one day behind!  These pictures really were taken today!)

I made the stretch, but a challenger is coming!

I'm NOT letting go, even if I am upside down!

Eating while hanging upside down saves me climbing the pole again! 

One leg on pole again, and two challengers coming!

So now you know what I've done this morning; I've just sat and watched the squirrels!
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My two cleaning ladies came yesterday; got here at 8:30 AM.  Believe it or not, I was up, dressed, and had eaten my breakfast.    They brought in all their equipment, etc. and got started right away.  One , using a vacuum, swept the hard floors in the bathrooms, back bedroom, kitchen, and sunroom.  The other one vacuumed my bedroom, the hall, den, and living room.  They each used those little Swiffer dusters with handles to dust everything, but in my house that had not been cleaned in at least two months, that just didn't get the job done.  Not once did they wipe a furniture surface with a rag and Pledge, not my piano, organ coffee table, or dresser!    So today my house still looks a mess, but at least the floors are clean.  I need to make myself get the dusting done!  I had to ask them to move the furniture to vacuum (couch, love seat, coffee table, tables, chairs, sewing machine cabinets on rollers, but not the beds).  They did clean both bathroom really well.  They were here 2.5 hours, and  said I could pay either them or their boss (who had been highly recommended to me by friends).  They gave me a price more than he had mentioned, so I decided it best to write my check to their boss, and I gave them a small cash tip each.   I thought maybe their boss would call to see if all was okay, but haven't heard from him yet.  Probably won't, until he thinks its time to send them back.  I'll have to think about that a bit.  Yes, it does feel really good to walk barefooted over the carpet and kitchen floor, but to be honest, I was disappointed in my first hired house cleaning day!

After they left, I did a little bill paying and bank work, but just couldn't get in the mood to sew, or anything else really.  I was in bed by 9 PM, and I hate to admit it, but I didn't get up until almost 10 AM this morning! 

This afternoon I decided to call to get an appointment in June or July with a vertigo doctor in Fort Worth that had helped a friend of mine.  Of course, I didn't think to get my insurance card before I made the call.  After giving the receptionist my name and birth date, she asked for my insurance carrier and  number.  When I got up to get it from my purse in the bedroom, a vertigo attack hit me, and I almost fell, before I gave up and told her I'd have to call back.  The problem went away in about 30 minutes, enough for me to try again.  When I did call again, I had to leave a message, and I'm still waiting for a call back.  Hopefully she will return my call tomorrow; it's now too late to expect it today. 

Except for one thing this morning, I've just had the blahs all day.   Think I'll go watch the squirrels again!  Oh, and then, I'll go to bed early!  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day for me.  I promise to try!

Hope your days are going better. 

---"Love"

Finally, A Start?

How on earth can anything be resurrected from this mess?!!

Okay, just look out the windows at the pink roses!

Have you ever seen such a scrambled mess anywhere?  I'm sure you are thinking I need to clean house, and for sure I do!  But I can't!  Maybe that should say I can't make myself!  Seems I  can't make myself do anything anymore!  (But for the first time in my life, I have a 'hired'  housecleaner coming Tuesday at 8 AM!  Rats to that idea too!  We'll see how that goes. Hope I wake up in time!

In the meantime, maybe I can turn the mess on the table into some little something worth the time and effort.  Maybe we can make that determination some time next week.

(I think I may have hit Publish too soon a minute ago; the little box above asked if I wanted to revert to draft.  Never saw that before!)

My second week of groceries from HEB was delivered at 6 PM tonight, and I got a bargain.  I had ordered 2 boxes of three different tapes and bandages, and I got two of each, but somehow, someone made a mistake and charged me for just one of each of the three.  I knew I owed the store $12.38 more than they charged me.  I knew I couldn't live with the idea of  hiding their mistake, so I decided to call the store at a couple of minutes before 8 PM (closing time) to report their error on today's sales.  Crazy you may think, but I also knew that if the error had been made in the store's favor, I'd be calling to report that!  The switchboard gal transferred me to the Manager (not who I expected!)  Of course, the regular person had probably already clocked out at 8 PM.  When I explained the situation, the manager thanked me for calling, and said just to let it be as billed.  Oh well; I tried to get it corrected; my conscious is clear.  Wonder who will get in trouble tomorrow?

The fall alert button I had charging last week-end would never work, so I had to send it back, and the company sent another one, which came today.  It's charging now, and I hope I can get it tested with my three call numbers, 2 friends, and my son.  I sure needed it last week when I fell three times!  I look like I've been beaten still again!  Hopefully it will work this time!  If not, I give up on this company, and will try something else!  It kept saying I was "out of range" when I was about 10 feet from the unit.  That just is not acceptable!

I haven't been out of the house in a week now, but I did get to do a meeting with my doctor online (Is that Skype, or?) and we could see and hear each other.  She was working from home.  She watched and told me and my quilter friend, who just happened to be here, what to do and how to bandage the bad tear on my right arm, the result of a fall into the shower.  I'd never have made it without that talk with her, and also my friend's help was incredible! 

I promise I'm going to try to be careful this next week!   Also I hope to get that little quilt panel quilted, if I survive the housecleaner.  My son's birthday is next week, and I don't know how we are going to get to celebrate.  Our City is on lockdown, just like every other place.  We will just have to delay his celebration I guess.  I really don't think he will care, but it bothers me, because he is so good to help with anything I need.

I guess it's time for me to stop rambling and go to bed so I can get up in time to listen to my pastor in the morning online. 

Hope everyone has a blessed Sunday, and a good week ahead.  Hope to see lots of your pretty quilts!

---"Love"

The Latest Occurences in My Crazy Life!

My mail came late Thursday afternoon, and also a package I was hoping for.  It's a fall/help button for me to wear.  I had  received one a few weeks back, but it wouldn't work in my house; when I was in my kitchen or sunroom, it kept saying "Out of Range!"  I decided to send it back, and try another kind, so here it is Saturday, and I've just this morning plugged it in to charge the batteries.  Hope it works for me!  I'll get it figured out later today or Sunday.

Friday I woke at 8 AM, again most unusual for me, especially when I have no appointment as I did on Thursday for my grocery delivery.  As always, I made the bed and got dressed before leaving my bedroom.  That was a good thing!  My doorbell rang at 9 AM!

When I opened the front door, there stood a man I'd never seen, yet he called me by name, and said a common friend of ours had suggested he stop by because I had told her I needed some help cleaning my house, (which was true).  He was very well dressed, very polite, and I decided to let him in, can you believe?  He handed me his business card, and we sat in the living room and discussed what I needed help with.  He said our common friend works with his sister at a car dealership.   He mentioned several names for reference, and also said his business cleans my church each week.  He noticed my organ, and asked if I played at church.  I told him I played 25 years at my former church, and had played the piano several times at my (our) current church.

After a few minutes of listening to him tell me all he is involved in around the church and town, I decided it would be okay to give him the tour of my house so he could see what I need done.  When he saw all the crystal in my cabinets, he asked if I wanted that all washed; I said "No!"  Only I wash my crystal and other glassware; I've always been that way!  I told him mostly I just want the furniture dusted, and the hard floors mopped, and the carpet vacuumed and cleaned.  He said since I'm a member at his church, he will give me the Senior discount, and he is supposed to call me next week with the price.  My house is such a mess, really, so I think I'll probably just let him and his crew do it if the price is not too bad!

So that's the first surprises for Friday.

Next when I checked my e-mail, I learned that my cousin in South Texas had died, and his wife asked me to contact all our other cousins, but decided to wait until after lunch to do it.  (I did finally get that done last night.)  Of course, there cannot be a funeral service as such, unless she can get it worked out online for the rest of us.  His death saddens me, but he is in a much better place for sure!

I was feeling pretty good, and moved a few things around in the house; you know, papers, mail, etc.  Then I put brownies in the oven to bake while I ate my sandwich for lunch.  The brownies came out fine, so I decided to cut one out while it was warm.  Got it on a little plate but didn't pick it up; turned around, and the world went haywire!  I tried to hold on to the cabinet, but slid down to the floor, scraping the inside of both my upper arms.  They are now as discolored as the rest of my arms from Monday and Tuesday falls!  I look like someone has beaten me!  After a few minutes, I was able to crawl to the couch, where I stayed for over an hour. 

While on the couch, a friend called and wanted to come dig up some wild violets I had told her she could have in my front flower bed.   She will hate me this time next year if they live for her. They will take the place! I always enjoy her visits, and she stayed all afternoon.  Just watching her a bit made me want to go pull weeds in my back yard!  As soon as she left, another friend called and talked a long time, and then, finally, I got the e-mail off to my cousins.

When I awoke this morning, my neck and shoulders were stiff from the fall, and I notice another big bruise on the back of my left shoulder!  But I'm feeling pretty good so far. After plugging in the new fall button, I decided to take my phone, cane and camera and get a few pictures in the sun of my pitiful rose garden; never has it had so many weeds!  I wanted to pull some of them, but knew that would be dangerous for me.  Then I looked at my back yard which Son has not had time to mow.  There were a lot of thistles budding out, and I just had to go pull a few before they dropped those seeds!  The ground is wet from all the rain, and they came up so easily, root and all!  Made me feel good just to get my hands dirty in my yard! 

Just as I got my hands washed and clean, the phone rang, and another friend told me to open my front door.  She's the one I'm helping with her quilt.  There she and two of her adult sons stood, (they wanted to see my firemen's quilt), and one of them handed me a little basket with three red paper cups filled with strawberries, chopped pineapple, and grapes, plus three little sweet oranges, and my favorite candy, and Cherry Mash.  Oh, and that's not all --- a colored Easter egg too!  How fun!  They stayed  a few minutes and said they had to go make some more deliveries.  That was a pleasant surprise!

I hope the rest of the day stays uneventful so I can study the instructions for the fall button.  I think I need it to be ready to use, and I'm really looking forward to that!

The sunshine is gone, it's getting a lot cooler, and storms are to come later today and tonight, which I dread.  I'll be watching the Easter service from my church online in the morning, and hoping my pastor will also sing.  He sings beautifully, and is a great  preacher too!  Actually, he is a triple threat --- he also plays the piano!

One more bit of good news --- I had an e-mail from a quilt store I like to visit about 60 miles away.  They said they still have some narrow elastic for face masks, so I grabbed my credit card, and I have already received confirmation of the shipment!   It will be here by Tuesday probably, or maybe even Monday. 

While my vertigo is bad, life in general is still good for me.  I truly am blessed with my son and lots of wonderful friends. 

Maybe next week I'll have some quilting news; I hope!

Hope life is going good for all of you too.

---"Love"

My First Home Delivery of Groceries!

Last Saturday, April 4, I checked out HEB's website, and decided to try their advertised "Home Delivery".  I had heard others talk about it, but had never even considered trying it.  However, since I can't walk the store over, much less drive myself there, and since my son is for some reason getting more hours at his job, I thought, "What have I got to lose in trying it?"

I was amazed at how detailed the website is,  showing not only the different brands of things, but also different sizes of many things.  It was fun to click on an item, and see it added to my cart, as well as my bill.  Before long, my cart was up to over $75!  No, I did no hoarding; I ordered just one of each thing, even toilet paper and Kleenex!  Brand substitutions were made on only two items, and everything I ordered was delivered except the Clorox Lemon Disinfecting Wipes.  I can live without that! 

I received an e-mail saying that the earliest home delivery date they had (last Saturday, remember) was Thursday, April 9, between 9 and 10 AM.  Goodness, they must be making lots of home deliveries!  Anyway, I got up and dressed this morning by 8 AM; it was a beautiful morning, sun shining, and no wind, and just very pleasant.  Crippled as I am, I grabbed my broom and my cane, and went out and swept my porch and even the entire driveway before 9 AM!  It was so nice out there!  I brought the broom back in the house, and while washing my hands in the bathroom, the doorbell rang.  I yelled, "Just a minute!" and hurried to the door, just in time to see a car leaving my driveway.  I looked down, and there sat my groceries, right by my door.  I grabbed my rolling laundry basket, loaded everything into it, and pulled it to the kitchen and checked everything against my order.  As stated above, I was very pleased.  I even got the 10 pound sugar bag and  5 pounds of flour, so I'm set with that for a while! 

You probably are thinking, "That old lady is just crazy!", and you might be right.  But I'm so crippled I can hardly walk without my walker and/or cane.   I'm so dependent on my son and  a few of my friends, so it just felt good to 'buy my groceries by myself' again!  In the survey that followed the delivery, I said I definitely would be ordering again in about a week. 

Wish I had taken a picture of the groceries on my porch, but it's too late now.  If you haven't tried home delivery in your area, you should.  It saved me from exposure to any germs, and certainly was a lot better and safer for me than waddling all the way to the back of the store for things.

I'm already working on my next order!  :)    I think I'll have  a different surprise tomorrow, if I can just get some rest.  This is Thursday, a much better day that previous days of this week!  But with all my activity, I'm really a little tired. 

Hope all of you are having fun and getting lots of quilting done!

---"Love"

The Firemen's Quilt is Totally Finished, and I'm Still Alive!

You're probably tired of hearing about the Firemen's quilt, but I just want to show you a couple of pictures more.  Today a friend helped me bury it far down in the stack of quilts on my guest(?) bed so when the guys have to make a rescue run on me, they won't see it on the table in the sunroom.  I forgot to measure it, but it is BIG.  At this point, I wish it were a little smaller, but it is what it is!  FINISHED!  It will be in storage here until the world's dilemma is past, and the Awards Banquet can be re-scheduled.  (See past blogs about lettering above and below fireman.)

Closeup of center panel

Back folded over top to center from each side.

Okay, that one is FINISHED!  I may burst before I can get it to them!  Maybe I should have been making masks!  (I called and was told they have enough, for now anyway.)

Think I'll probably work next on the panel a friend gave me for my birthday.    We'll see.  I still need to clean house!

I've had an interest but frustrating week so far this week. 

Sunday evening at 5:45 PM, severe vertigo came on me, and I fell in my sunroom on that hard floor, and bruised my left arm pretty badly, and of course, my left ribs are sore.  Friends and my son came and got me to bed.

Monday morning I woke at 8 AM and knew I was having another attack, but had to make it to the bathroom.  I did, and just as I pulled up my pj's, it hit, and I fell into the tile shower, badly bruising my right thigh on the shower step.  My right elbow hit the shower floor really hard, and is badly bruised also.    I had to call 911, and my firemen friends and my next door neighbor came and rescued me.   After getting me out of the bathroom, the guys picked me up by the arms and legs, and lifted me into bed.  However, in the process, my right arm slipped through one's gloved hand, tearing my very thin and dehydrated skin.  A circle of skin larger that a half dollar was just rolled back toward my hand, and bleeding a lot.  (I'm on Plavix!)  He ran and got gauze and stretch tape and wrapped my arm, and apologized.  After they got me my morning meds and settled in the bed, they left.  I slept until noon, and then felt fairly level-headed, but sore, of course, from two falls on both sides.

Tuesday was a good day.  The sun was shining, and my son came to go to store for some necessities and for bandages and stretch tape, etc.  I went along for the ride; we brought Long John Silver' Fish home for lunch, and he left to take his wife to a doctor's appointment, which was cancelled with no notice!  Not good, after driving about 40 miles!

Wednesday I woke at 9 AM, feeling about as good as I ever feel.  A quilting buddy called and wanted to bring lunch from Chicken Express, so I could help her with a quilting problem.  Before she got here I decided to call my doctor and left a message for a call-back, which came after we had started working on her fabric cutting.  Never in my life have I ever experienced anything like that call.  I was just amazed!  The nurse called, gathered all the info, insurance and complaints,from me, and then said my doctor would send me an e-mail with a link I should click on.  I did, and almost immediately my picture popped up on my computer screen.  Man, do I need a haircut!   Then my doctor said hello, and her picture came up.  She was calling from her home! We talked, just as in her office, and she told me to hold up my arm so she could see the elbow bruise.  I had to take my blood pressure, temperature, and respiration rate.  Thank goodness, my friend was here to run around over my house to get all the necessary things!  Then my doctor told me to unwrap the bandage and let her see my wrist.  It hurt like heck to pull that dried bloody gauze off that open wound, there since Monday AM, but I did it!  It started bleeding profusely again of course.  Doc told me to clean it with peroxide, (there goes my friend again),  put the neomicin my son had gotten on it, and then a gauze wrap, and then the elastic tape bandage son had gotten too.    My friend took care of all that for me, but before she did, I had her to take a picture of my wrist.  Remember, this was two days after the injury. 

After taking care of all that, my friend lost all interest in her quilt project, and said she needed to go home.  I don't blame her at all!  But I insisted we first have a bowl of ice cream.  Then she left quickly. 

I've not done much this afternoon; been on computer most of the time with friends.  It certainly has been one of the most interesting days of my life.  I never knew I could converse face to face with anyone from my computer for their phone, much less my doctor!  What an eye-opening experience!  I had heard doctors were doing this with their patients, but I never expected to be doing it myself! 

I'm wondering just what I would do without the help of my son and my friends!  I couldn't make it, that's for sure! 

Thursday will have another new, and good I hope, experience;  it's already scheduled, and I'll tell you about it another time.  This is way too long!  Then I hope the rest of the week will be good to me, Lord willing! 

Maybe someday I'll get around to  quilting again. Hope all of you are having fun and not getting too dejected by all the world news.  Just go to YouTube and find some good music to watch and listen to; it beats the news!  I like the Barbershop Quartet Convention, and those Good Old Gospel Hymn Sing Alongs with Gerald Wolfe.  I could listen all day to either of those. 

Have a good rest of the week, and stay safe!

---"Love"