Step Two

Arrange the blocks...

Baby Quilt

I made an origami bag for Jonathan's friend. A while back I made her a button up the front scrub top with the pink camo fabric. Jonathan asked that I make her a bag with the large remnant.

I'm making baby quilts...this is the beginning of quilt #1.

New Follower

I have a new follower! Welcome Calico Mermaid. I love the green FQ pack!

People are So Nice!

I don't know how many people have commented on my weight loss! They say that it's showing in my face. This morning I put on yet another pair of capris that will go in the giveaway pile. With the elastic waist, every time I bend over, I feel as though my rear looks like Bubba's. ;o) If this keeps up, I won't have anything to wear to work.

A shopping I will go! Cha-ching! (Just not too soon...I want to drop yet another size.)

Celebrate!

10

10

10

I have officially lost TEN BIG pounds!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!!

HALLELUJAH!!!

And maybe even 11. ;o)

Pain Management

Mama had a doctor's appointment Friday. Remember, she can't take the 'good' pain killers. And she is very frugal with what the doctor does prescribe - as far as pain meds go. She takes everything else the way she's supposed to.

Pain meds though. If the directions are four a day, she'll take two and maybe three if it's a bad day. She's been trying another pain med that seems to be working better. The doctor told her to take them as prescribed and he upped the dosage. Instead of four pills a day...she's to take one every four hours. To keep the level of pain more manageable. He also mentioned that that particular med has a time release formula...it's a once a day pill. She's going to check with the pharmacist about the cost.

She's hit the 'donut hole' and has to pay 100% for her meds until the end of the year.

He also asked her if she'd wear a brace. She kinda hummed-hawed a bit and I looked at her. Anything to not have a surgery that is only iffy about relieving the pain. Helloooo....

She wore it to the car. When I stopped at Hobby Lobby, she stayed in the car...and took it off. Said it was uncomfortable just sitting.

Sunday when we picked her up for church, she said that she had it on while she washed dishes and was able to complete them at one time and not have to go back and finish them. (Dishes are one of the things she insists on doing herself...while she still can.)

I know that several of you have her in your thoughts, best wishes, and prayers. Thank you!

Baptism Sunday

Meet the other brother. December 14, 1954. Billy when he was little. Billy Joe when he started school and there were two Billys in his class. Ooops! Where did this come from? Yes...there's a story. I think I've blogged about it before. BJ when his first child, a boy was born, and also named Billy. He was baptized today. I had my camera with me and didn't think about whupping it out in church. I hugged him afterwards and told him that it had been a long time since he'd made me cry. This time...it was a good cry. Mama, Sam and I went to his church today. Along with his friends, we filled two pews. Later, we went to Mt. Pleasant to eat.

I finished my newest purse after I got home this afternoon. You know, this dieting and exercising is just not dropping the pounds like I thought it would. BFF Earlene said that muscle weighs more than fat. Sigh. I'm into month #3 and can't for sure tell you that I've lost ten pounds yet. I thought I had. One day last week, after getting off the scales, I was grinning from ear to ear. Must've been a low water retention day because it hasn't happened again. MOF this morning I started to throw the scales out the bathroom window...and that would've been a tragedy, but they are double paned fixed windows. They do not raise or lower. Pffffftttt. And I guarantee it's not because of the chocolate. I bought this bar before the quilting retreat where the tree limb fell on my car. Finished the last square a few minutes ago. Here's something to make me feel better. I think it's working!! ;o)

Silver

The side benefits of helping Mama, in addition to the unconditional love she's shown me all of my life...even those two-seconds (hahaha) of teenage rebellion... I brought them home yesterday and polished them today. I know the scalloped spoon is a sugar shell (sugar spoon). But that pretty spoon with the cutwork design. I've got to do a little investigating. Anyone have an idea? Found it! eBay has one up for bid right now. They don't know what it is either...just calling it a spoon. It's going cheap...only $2.95 with $2.85 postage. No bids yet. http://cgi.ebay.com/NATIONAL-DOUBLE-TESTED-SILVERPLATE-SPOON-6-/220663323182?pt=Antiques_Silver&hash=item33608f1a2e

On the other end of the spectrum, I found it here http://www.goantiques.com/detail,vintage-silverplate-berry,1121795.html
for $38.50!!! What a difference in prices!! This site identifies it as a berry spoon.

Then there's this dresser piece. Isn't it just gorgeous and unique?! I have Sam's Aunt Joyce's deco hand mirror. They don't match...but they will compliment each other just fine. Found a photo of it.

None of the items are sterling silver...just silverplate...

Sigh

I thought I was going to have to do a head thump...several times. Mama mentioned hiring someone to clean her floors. I said, "No! I'll be over and do them for you." Sigh.

You will notice that I have not mentioned that four letter word that is longer than four letters...exercise...in a week or so. Due to the quilt retreat in which my 4-Runner had a problem with a tree, then dealing with getting the 4-Runner to the body shop, and lining up a rental...I had not been to the gym but once in ten days. I made it yesterday only to find that I've got to build back up to the 20 minutes on the elliptical. Yesterday I made only 10 minutes on the elliptical, did the arm weight machines, and the full 20 minutes on the exercise bike.

I've decided that I will go to the gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Tuesdays are dedicated to Mama. Thursdays to the library and running errands.

Today was the first Tuesday. I changed her sheets...we've got that down pat. Then, she proceeded to tell me how to mop the floor!! **head thump**

Here's the mop.
I can get it Mama, go sit down.
Here's the bucket.
I can get it Mama, go sit down.
Let me move that.
**head thump** No. You go sit down.
Just put that over there.
Okay. Go sit down.
Don't fill the bucket but half full.
**head thump** Yes, ma'am.
Did the water get hot?
Yes.
Oh. I don't pour the cleaner in the bucket.
I do.
She went to the living room to sit down.
And continued to talk...even though I couldn't hear her.
**head thump**

And that's how it went.

Oh, and how I love her!

Flowers and Bushes

Even though it's hot and dry, I still have color in my planting beds out front. I pulled a few of these "weeds" before I realized what they were. I have black sunflower seeds in the bird feeder. This one survived. And it has three more buds ready to open! Here's my Coxcomb (Celosia). My azaleas on one side are so pretty and green. Then...there's these... What is going on here? The 'best' one of these three...and the word 'best' is subjective compared to not the worst...is now turning yellow. I need to soak the ground, then pour on the iron soil acidizer stuff. It won't be today. That half dead azalea is a replacement. So...if all three of these die, I want to dig the soil out and replace it. Sam dug out the red clay and brought soil from the back of the property to build the beds. No telling what the previous owners may have dumped back there...