Too much enthusiasm. 10-18-20

Yesterday still seems like the turning point, but maybe I over did things a bit!  Today I was pretty much off my feet again, trying to find a position that didn't hurt.  Cutting back on the Norco didn't seem to be a problem, so I enjoyed no woozie brain and being able to read without going to sleep over my book.  So, I have read two whole books since about September 28th.  VERY strange for me as I read about two a week over the year.  And just think of all the "down time" I have had in the past two weeks!  Sad.  

Why these two?  Guess they were at the top of the shopping bag full of "books yet to be read".

I took a stitch or two on my fish, but didn't get get it half way finished.  There is tomorrow!   After I have my doctor's appointment, I will probably need a nap, however, I anticipate feeling much better each day.  And I have a ZOOM guild meeting for Canyon Quilters to attend in the evening.  

I'd love to snuggle with the KoKo dog, but I think he would be better off not seeing me until he can come home.  Soon, I hope. 

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Things are looking up 10-17-20

Better today.  I can walk to the bathroom and to the kitchen with only the cane.  Just a few times today and admittedly I held onto the wall a couple steps and the walker is at hand.  But an improvement. Thanks to friends I had a Starbucks this morning and delicious homemade potato soup tonight.  With enough leftover for tomorrow.  

Have a friend willing to take me to the doctor's appointment on Monday and I also received the 14 page medical record papers to fill out for the Orthopaedic doctor a week from Monday.  I did some sewing on the 3-D fish for the SAQA Florida project and hope to finish it tomorrow.  So, you can tell I am going to get over this.  Maybe not in one smooth transition, but a step at a time.  

While all this has been going on, the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) held their very successful online auction of 12" square quilts and I managed to spend the money I had set aside for this purpose.  This one did not come from SAQA but from the artist's website.  She posted she was having a reduce inventory sale and I jumped at it.  Her work is unique and I like adding new artists to the Collection. 

'Wavy Houses"  Sue Bleiweiss - Massachusetts  2020

12" square Hand-dyed fabric, fused, machine quilted. 

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Still dragging 10-16-20

Thank you for your comments on last evening's blog post.  It is really hard to be sick when one is alone.  Thankfully my friends from Book Group and some neighbors are nearby and willing to help me out.  I have not been able to walk without a walker and I certainly can't drive in pain and taking pain pills.  So, I have to rely on others to get me around.  Today Carol picked up some things from the market and delivered KoKo's anti-flea pill to him.  In all my confusion it is two weeks late!  Since he walks out doors along with all the other dogs he is exposed and fleas will jump onto any warm blooded critter.  Hope I got it in time.  

Carol's husband, Dick, who stayed with me in the ER the first weekend of October has himself been in the hospital with heart problems.  His five day stay ended today.  We hope the meds will keep everything going correctly.  

I have struggled to do anything but moan and groan and nap.  In all this time I have read only one book because I can't concentrate.  It was "The Concrete Blonde" by Michael Connelly, one of his Harry Bosch tales.  Not the best, but since I have read most of the series it was easier to read because the local and characters are familiar.  I'm starting on Anne Cleeve's "The Moth Catcher" from her Vera series.   I would really like to sew and thought I could quilt on a couple completed tops, but no luck with that.  SAQA is calling for fish images for the 2021 SAQA conference.  Table favors?  Small auction?  Just decorations?  Don't know.  So, I thought I could whip up a hanging fish.  Managed to cut a pattern and find some bright fabrics, but had to give up with exhaustion.  Whew!  Have no energy at all.  But if I do a little bit at a time maybe I can finish it and get it in the mail on Monday when I FINALLY go to the doctor's office and find out what the MRI had to say.   Little tiny steps.

Do comment if you are so moved.  Makes a bright spot in my dreary, half conscious day.  Facebook has some great quilty stuff, but the politics are drowning it out.  

Where is Spelling on this new Blogger?

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Health problem out of nowhere.. 10-14-20

It has been over two weeks since I posted and I apologize for not writing sooner.  I have just been too ill to write.  I came down with Sciatica just at the end of September and it really laid me low.  I spent most of that first weekend in ER until they found something to lessen the pain.  Since then I have been on the drug Norco every four hours and struggling to find a position that eases the pain.  It has gone down from 10+ to about a constant three or four.  But I have yet to find the comfortable position.  

Yesterday I had a MRI, but no results yet.  Today I went to an acupuncturist for a treatment.  A number of friends have suggested this and this morning there was a long discussion on ElderOrphans with about half of the posts suggesting acupuncture.  I found an older lady practioner very close to home.   There is no change yet, but I understand it isn't exactly a quick cure so I will continue to go until we determine if it helps or not.  

The Norco makes me slightly nauseous and also sleepy, so I drift away very quickly.  I have almost finished one book in about four days, which is not very good for me.  But I go to sleep and the book falls, along with the bookmark, and when I wake up I have to find the book, the bookmark, my place in the story and then read back a bit to get my head back in gear.  All very odd for me.   I haven't been able to sew because my head and hands don't coordinate very well.  But I have a project all laid out that I can start any time I feel I can handle it. 

My quilting and Book Group friends and some neighbors have been here to help, to provide food, pick up Rx and drive me around for appointments.  I feel blessed.  Thank  you all. 

KoKo is staying with the lady who keeps him when I travel and he had a special visit with Nancy and Bud in San Clemente, returning to Cherie's today.  He is such a good dog, very happy and obedient and will sit on just about anyone's lap.  I miss him terribly, but can't take care of him right now.  They have offered to bring him for a visit, but he MUST sit on me and that is painful.  I know he is in good hands.  Every morning I wake up and reach out for him... where is KoKo?  

I will try to get back to writing and I have quite a few quilt pictures to share from my purchases at the SAQA auction and other TCQC acquistions. 

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Trying to get back to blogging 09-27-20

Have not been able to blog since last week.  On Thursday my dear friend Mabel Huseby of Mt. Vernon, WA, died.  She had been diagnosed with colon cancer in July, had surgery, went through two sessions of chemo therapy pills and ended up back in the hospital.   It was just too much for her, she was 89.  We met in 1999 at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar and just hit it off as good friends.  We started writing e-mails back and forth every evening in 2010, so we were very connected in our every day lives.  There is such a huge empty place in my life I am having a hard time adjusting.  I last saw her in August 2019 when I drove up and spent a couple weeks there, including five days at a class with Sue Benner at the Coupeville Art Center and KoKo stayed with Mabel and Mac in Mt. Vernon.  We had planned another visit for May 2020, but that didn't work out due to the Virus.  Thought about going in October, but it didn't look much better than the May trip.  So now I will never see her again and I just can't get my mind around that.  

Just a week before I had gone to Oceanside Museum of Art to see the Southern California Contemporary Quilt exhibit so I have pictures of that that I want to post.  I'll try to do that soon.

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Pictures tomorrow 09-17-20

The exhibit "Southern California Quilts" at Oceanside Museum of Art is WONDERFUL.  Today was the opening day for the museum which has been closed by the pandemic.  Hopefully it will stay open, but it the Covid-19 cases increase the State will close things down again.  So, if you can, make a reservation and so see the exhibit as soon as you can.  

oma-online.org

Here is just one of the 35 quilts on display.

Measures 21" L X 43" W   

Blue Things 09-16-20

In support of the Biden/Harris ticket one of my Facebook friends has been posting photos of blue things every day.  And I have joined in.  

DETAIL of Pamela Allen's "Ellys in Malawi" quilt

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