Well I have my cast and I wish I could say that all is well, but I am still having some pain associated with the thumb joint. It is really hard not using the hand, but I just can't use it. I am trying my best to not use it and the pain does remind me to stop! I got the stitches (and there were many) out and am now sporting a purple and pink cast. It is scheduled to come off on the 21st.
Duane and Denise came up the weekend before Christmas and we had a great time with them and the grandkids. We basically bought games for the kids and we spent most of our time playing games with them. The weekend went by rapidly as they arrived on Friday night and left on Sunday afternoon. We had our Christmas on Saturday. The kids had never been here for Christmas (we have always gone to their house) and it was really nice to have them here. We don't have any extra room, but we got out the air mattresses and it worked out.
Max and I took a couple of days and drove up to Reno - had some snow on the way, but not too bad. We had a really nice time just messing around and doing some gambling. We came back on Christmas Eve as Max's mom was having surgery on that day. All went well with the surgery
and she got to do the out-patient thing and went home that night. We spent the day at Debby's having snacks and watching movies (The Hangover and Four Christmases). For anyone who is interested, The Hangover was a total HOOT! Max ended up sick to her stomach and did not feel good for a couple of days.
We are having another Christmas on New Year's Day. Kathy is fixing dinner at our house and all the Lawson family will be here. Jesse only gets the kids for Christmas every other year and this was his off year - thus New Years.
I am experiencing some severe boredom due to the fact I can't do anything that I normally do. No sewing, no quilting and nothing around the house really. Not a whole lot you can do with one hand. I am sure Max will be happy when the cast is off and the PT starts.
Later . . .
My hand is pretty swollen as you can see from the picture. Not going to be easy doing this post with one hand - I have never been a hunt and peck kind of typist. I could use the fingers of my other hand except it hurts like hell to move them. The surgery went well according to the doctor. It was delayed a bit and we did not get back home until around 6:30. I am still in more pain than I would like to be in. I was sent home with strict instructions to take pain medications every 4 hours for the first 48 hours. That schedule ended up having me sleeping or nodding off most of the time, but the pain level was pretty high so that was probably my best treatment.
I finally got my sewing machine back from the factory - AGAIN. I had the chance to sew on it today and I am very happy to announce that it is working quite well. The machine sewed like I knew it always should have. I did this design on one of the shirts that I already had decorated for Christmas. It was over 55k stitches and I only had the thread break twice. That it a fricking miracle as previously I could not get 100 stitches without having the thread break or shred.
My part is finished and it really turned out nice. Kathy is going to come over tomorrow and get the binding on. I have a doctor's appointment to check out the nose tomorrow, but it is progressing nicely.
Kathy's quilt is on the frame and I am ready to start quilting. The decision has been made for loops and stars.
We had a somewhat lazy day today. We got the house decorated for Christmas. It looks very cute and I am happy we put up all the decorations. Max is having her office Christmas party here on the 16th and then Duane and family will be coming up the weekend of the 18th. It will be totally fun to have the grandkids here for Christmas. We usually make a trip to their house for an extra Christmas and it will be nice to have everyone here this time.
Still not looking forward to the bandage removal, but also will be glad to have it done. I am really tired of not being able to breathe and I really don't see that improving a great deal in the near future. Time will tell.
Considering I have not been feeling all that great (nose pain). I am making progress on the quilting front. The quilt that needs to come off (above) is almost done. I only have three squares to quilt and it can come off. Kathy's quilt, the one that needs to go on (below) is ready. Kathy just has to get the backing sewn together and we should have a completed quilt the first of the week. Of course Kathy will have to add the binding and then she will have a completed quilt. Diesel (Kathy's new kitten) will be so happy as the quilt is for him.
Tomorrow I get to take the bandages off my nose and I have mixed feelings about that. I am totally ready to have the bandages off, but pulling the tape off my face is not going to be a pleasant experience. I also do not think the cleaning and putting medication on my "holes" is going to be much of a pleasant experience either. However, be assured that I will blog about it and let everyone know how it went!
Max took the day off work to take me in for my nose surgery. She was a very brave soldier (as was I) and tried to be as supportive as possible (they let her be in the room for the cancer removal), but the ordeal was a bit much - she almost passed out and came close to throwing up). She was very good when it was over and we were waiting for the results - she turned into a surprisingly good lair. When I asked her if I had BIG holes in my nose she convincing told me they were not so big and the problem she had during the surgery was with the smell of the burning skin when the doctor was cauterizing the blood vessels. Truthfully, that smell is horrid, but it was the size of the pieces of "meat" he removed from my nose that completely grossed her out. She was sure that I would have a through and through hole in the side of my nose. It was hard for me to judge by feel how much he was taking out, but when I saw the holes - I was genuinely shocked. It took all I had not to burst into tears on the spot. I hated the procedure of shooting my nose full of Novocaine - that is the worst cause ALL the shots HURT!
Next project was to make a pillow case. We had made one years ago and I had completely forgotten how to do it. So we both made one at the same time and they turned out really cute. I want to be able to make some more by myself and I now feel confident enough to do it.
We moved on to place mats. I have been wanting to do place mats for a long so Joy showed me two different ways to do them. One way is to sew and turn and the other is to quilt and then bind. The quilt and bind is really professional looking - more time consuming, but worth it once the project is finished. I have to take the place mats home and complete them there. I also bought some material to do some autumn type mats that I think will be beautiful and perfect for Thanksgiving.
We will have sewing to do when we are home at my house and I am looking forward to being home. It is always nice to visit, but there no place like HOME!
Well thank goodness Debby is safely home from Iraq! In a way it seems like the year went by quickly and in another way it seemed to drag. The family (Kathy, Paul, Michael, Debby, Max and I) got together for the Niner/Raider game. Everyone except Max and I are Niner fans and Max and Debby bet on the teams every year - who will win the most games - who wins the pre-season game (which was the Niners). Thank goodness it was a close game! It was just fun to be at Debby's and have her home and be able to have a friendly rivalry over the game. We had a simple dinner of hot dogs and potato salad. She just arrived home Saturday morning, so she was very tired and we left her to get some sleep after the game was over.
I was able to get the binding sewn on one of the baby quilts that I had done while watching the game. I finished a quilt for Sunny (Debby's Yellow Lab) and gave it to Debby today. I have a quilt on the frame ready to be quilted, but probably will not get to it until the beginning of the week. At least it is loaded. The part I hate the most about the quilting process is cutting the backing for the quilt top. I am getting better at doing it and working better with larger sized material that has to be squared, but it is still something I consider a hassle. It probably also is that I never know what to use. With the dog quilts it is difficult to pick a patterned material and I have been using plain muslin, which seems to do the trick and look good. I am anxious to actually get one of my good quilts on the frame to quilt - time just seems to get away from me.
We are going to Genoa this coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday for a wedding. Max is taking pictures of the bridesmaids getting their hair done and getting ready for the wedding. The wedding is on Friday - so we will be coming home on Saturday. Then the next week we will be going back to Genoa for a week of fishing and general vacation relaxation.
When I did the embroidery before my machine was acting up a bit - so I decided that instead of quilting I should do some more embroidery and see if my machine would behave. I decided to put a design on the front of the shirt that I put the fairy on the back. Then Max asked me to put a cloud and rainbow on one of her shirts. They both turned out nice - I added the hummingbird as an additional touch to the flowers. It seemed to do okay except it cuts threads sometimes and then sometimes it doesn't. It is frustrating to have a machine that cost that much money and have it not do the things that it is suppose to do (and is why it cost so much money). I will say it does do a nice job of sewing and embroidery and the bells and whistles that don't work are not that big of an issue - merely an annoyance!
I am still missing the grand kids, but adjusting to the quiet and loneliness. They certainly kept me focused and busy. Right now I am working on losing the 6 pounds I gained while they were here. So much easier to put on than take off. Also much easier to be watching what I eat when I am not feeding kids.
Glad I didn't decide to slice the top of my finger off while the kids where here. I managed to do it in a spot that if I bent my finger it would come open. I took a pretty good slice right at the top of the knuckle - opps! I was cleaning the drain in the sink and slipped. It is having a difficult time healing because of the bend. To keep it from bending, we made a splint from a card reader that would not work with my memory sticks.
I have my sewing room back and did some embroidery yesterday (I would give it up again to have the kids - the house is quiet and LONELY). I made the horse shirt to donate for a silent auction that is being held for R.E.A.C.H. I am doing it for the benefit of Michael. I am also making a dog quilt and a baby quilt. I added the spools of thread to the front of the shirt that I had previously put "When Life Gives You Scraps - Make Quilts" on the back. I am hoping to get something on my quilt machine today and get back in the grove of quilting. I am thinking I would like to try to use a pantograph and see how that works out. I have sooooooooooo many things to learn and try.
Our fishing trip is just around the corner September 4th - 11th) and we are all looking forward to taking off for a week. Max and Paul are looking forward to not only float tubing in the lakes, but being able to fly fish in the Carson River. Time will tell how my knee will hold up for tubing.
Max and Devin set down to work on the Mustang project. It turned out to be quite the challenge, but turned out really well. Devin had a great time building it and Max was very patient and let him do it himself (with gentle guidance and help where actually needed. He decorated it (with some sticker placement help from Max) and then played with it both inside and out. Of course it does seem to run better on the kitchen floor than on the carpet or the bricks of our patio. There is one place around the side of the house that has a long run of cement, but short turning radius. He really loves the car (and I think I will have to buy one for Max).
Between the swimming and 30 minutes each of video games, I have been able to finally get the binding on two baby quilts and my queen size quilt. At this moment I only have one baby quilt left to bind. Too bad I have MANY quilt tops that need to be quilted and then that means more binding! I seem to always poke holes in my fingers when I am sewing binding because I just can't use a thimble.
Last night we tried playing some games that we had never played before - some were good and some were - NOT! Shark was rejected, M&M Party Game is still under consideration (a bit too much for Deanna) and everyone liked Kerplunk. Because M&M took so long, we did not get too Chutes and Ladders. It was a general consensus that Kerplunk was a keeper. We have more games to explore this afternoon. Max got pictures of us playing games, but they are on her computer and I will have to get some copies (I was busy playing and did not have my camera).
Kathy, Paul and Michael came over for "family craft night". This is where we all get together and work on our chosen craft. After we had a "picnic" in the backyard of McDonald's, we all set down around the table to do our things. Max was teaching Desirae how to tie flies while Paul was tying flies. Kathy was helping Devin and Deanna make beaded necklaces and bracelets. I was doing hand work on one of my quilts trying to get the binding done. After a bit Devin, Michael and I switched to Rock Band. Devin on bass, Mike on drums and me on guitar. We actually did quite well and progressed to getting our "Tour Van".
What a fun filled day! We played video games, played in the pools, had a delicious dinner, had a great cake with ice cream and enjoyed a phone call from Debby (who is about ready to come home from Iraq). Max barbecued tri-tips for dinner and Kathy, Paul and Michael joined us.
As an added note - this may be the sweetest thing in the world, BUT you end up paying the price when she is WIDE awake in the evening and does not stop talking, playing, kicking the wall etc. until around midnight. Desirae can fall asleep with tons of noise and she does not care, but poor Devin, Max and I paid the price for my afternoon snuggle. To give Devin some peace of mind and rest, we moved him to a room of his own. Of course, the night we changed him Deanna was asleep as soon as her little head hit her pillow!
The plans for tonight are that Paul, Max and Desirae and going to tie flies while Kathy, Devin, Deanna and I do some crafts. Max and Devin plan to build the car on Saturday. More pictures after the evening is over.
She is very special . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAXINE!
I must say they are keeping me busy. Now I completely understand why one has children when they are younger. Actually things have been going quite well. The age difference shows up a bit when it comes to playing in the pool. Deanna wants to play, but is not as confident in the water environment as the other two. She tends to stay in the little pool and entertain herself - with dog toys it seems. The pool is their major attraction and it is what they want to do all the time. I wish we had one that was bigger so I could actually get in with them and teach them how to swim.
We all watched a movie yesterday "Flushables", which was quite interesting and really pretty cute. I am taking the opportunity to work on hand work (sewing on binding) while they are playing in the pool, playing video games or watching a movie. It has not been so hot lately so sitting outside with them is easier to do. If it is really hot, I just sit inside by the sliding glass door so I can see them while they play in the water. I will not let in the hot tub unless I am right there with them - too easy to fall in there.
We have thawed out cookie dough to make cookies tonight. We also need to make a cake for Max's birthday, but that will be on Wednesday (not her birthday, but the cake making). Max is taking Thursday off for her birthday and we are having Kathy, Paul and Michael over for a barbecue. We are also considering going to a matinee Thursday afternoon. The movie of choice will either be "Return of the Ice Age" or "Up".
Max was cruising eBay and ran across a fly tying vise that she has been wanting. It is one step down from the one Paul has and is "totally cool" (her words not mine). We decided to bid on it and give it a "snipe". Figured if we could get the vise plus all the extras for the price of a new one we would be ahead of the game. As luck would have it (or crafty sniping) she won the bid. Great bunch of stuff and more than she expected. Unfortunately, the vise had a knob that broke off during shipping, but it can be drilled out and replaced - so no harm and we are still ahead of the game.
We got them settled in and the adventure begins! It is such a MAJOR help to have Max around to help out - I will be missing her a lot this week. After a good pancake breakfast, we set up their new swimming pool. While we were filling the pool they all took a dip in the "no so hot" hot tub. I had turned the temperature down a while ago because we don't really use it when it is hot. Then enjoyed themselves and once Devin got over his fear of falling they had some fun - especially with the jets! Desirae was especially happy because she had never been in a "hot tub" before (and she still hasn't been in a HOT one).
They transferred to the other pool - which is much larger than the one we had last year and had some fun. My battery went dead on my camera, but I will get pictures tomorrow. The new pool has much more room for splashing and playing, but Deanna tends to bail when a lot of splashing is happening. I did get out the little plastic one and she played in that for a bit by herself.
It is GREAT to have them here, but I must admit it is a major adjustment on my part.
Warren, Ann and Jesse came down for dinner on Friday night and then Max cooked breakfast for everyone before we took off at 0800 to make the drive to Sonoma for Warren to take his airplane ride. We wanted to arrive when they opened and get Warren in the air before it got too hot. We were warned the plane he would be flying was enclosed with glass windows and it gets pretty hot in there if it is hot outside.
Warren had such a good time and he was VERY happy. He was given a certificate and a t-shirt. I am sure it is something that he will treasure for a long time. He told me it was the BEST father's day he had ever had! It actually looked like it would be fun to take a flight with them. Don't think I would be up for the loops and rolls, but going in an open bi-plane might be fun.
Anyway, that was the weekend and it turned out well. Kathy and Paul did not go with us as Michael had to work and Paul was working on the bathroom. We did see everyone for a bit on Friday night after Kathy came back from Red Bluff with Michael (he was vacationing with his grandparents while we were in Vegas and stayed on for another week).