***Sweet Interruptions # 235***

I'm here......... barely....... I'm busy trying to figure out a Maple Leaf/Heart quilt block - I have 9 to make for a quilt block swap in the other room. Have Never made this block and I've been having a few stumbling "blocks" lol
I'm 2/3 done ONE and it will help me make the others. The confusing part is the instructions, but I can follow the placement page for help (Thank God!!) Confusing part is the "cutting away" after stitching, cuz there's a lot!

I am here too! Busy sewing 6 teddy bears for a charity for my friend back home, as well as red white and blue blocks for another swap! Trying to get everything done before my Grandson makes his entrance! :) Almost done!

LK - I"m "almost" done mine - have the last Point (and most *&$)#_ part of the block, for finicky-ness!) to do, and I think I did it wrong LOL Ah well, sashing around the outside will fix most of the off-kilter parts LOL

Wow... aren't you all being busy little bees...
I have my veggie garden cleaned up and ready to plant, and I just bought a few tomatoes and peppers to plant.. but I think I'll hang on till after the weekend... or at least till after a rain so the ground is soaked when I plant.

Sue, I just happened to remember how I got pills down one of my son's throat.. it might work for you. I only had one son that couldn't swallow a pill... he'd take a shot any day of the week, but gagged when he had to swallow a pill. So, I crushed the pill, or opened the capsule in a tblsp of honey, then mixed that with a little peanut butter... spread that on a half a slice of bread then folded it over like it was 1/4 sandwich. He would gobble it right down... but said it did leave a medicine taste in his mouth... so he'd drink a glass of cool aid after it. Seemed to work for him... maybe Savannah could do that.

So, is that maple leaf in the shape of a heart? I'd love to see that when you're done.

Yea, Marion... Don beats me up every morning and has the coffee made when I wake up. But then, we fuss at whoever takes the last cup and doesn't make another pot... he's famous for leaving 3 tbls in there, then saying he didn't empty the pot... LOL

BJ - I've finished it, now want to put sashing on it to bring it to 12 1/2" unfinished..........Now to do the other 8!!

I spoke to my sister, Alice, today and her lung cancer has come back and is growing. Her surgeon asked how Alice is liking her oncologist to which Alice says "not at all". The oncologist just says "there's nothing we can do for you". Alice is now seeing someone new (recommended by her surgeon). Alice says if chemo is the way to go, it's what she'll do. Her previous oncologist said "no" to chemo, on Alice's behalf. Alice is 70 yrs old, and can surely speak for herself!
She goes March 14th for her test, and will know further after that.
She's told my sisters Evelyn, Ruth and brother Stan, but not Mom, cuz would get all confused and upset.
Alice says "I'm really fine". She hadn't expected to see her 60th, let alone her 70th birthday.........

BJ, you are right! I'm sore today. Muscles that have not been used for a long time are revolting... plus I have to use the potty often!!!
Kel insisted on lunch at a pizza place, and I kinda gorged on cheesy bread. So good, when the owner was extra generous on the cheese. Anyone heard of Bellacino's?
I stayed up till 4 a.m this morning, couldn't sleep at all.
Nope, no coffee for me, BJ. You're sure lucky that Don would do that for you.
Kel does the same thing to avoid putting away pots. He'd leave a few crumbs in the pot.. saying he couldn't finish it all.
Oh yeah.. the milk too!!

Susan, your sister is still in my prayers. Hope the chemo takes care of that nasty C.
I've cut up the pieces for my blocks, and will be piecing tomorrow. Depending on how I feel.

LK, we are just as excited as you!! At the stores today, I was looking at EVERYTHING boys!!

Ooops Marion, didn't mean to overlook you.
Yesterday it was 84 and rain, today it's in the high 60s!! I saw some snow drops blooming in the lily bed. Think this year, my flowering quince won't be showy.
The weather this year, I believe, will prohibit my garden to return to its' past glory :((

Ahhh.. I won't be inspired to write a happy sonnet!!

Thank you, Jaye - I phoned my daughter to let her know to call Alice. Michelle needs to know about her auntie, too.

Good for you, Jaye, that you've gotten your blocks cut!

Still looking for more rain, what a lousy winter. We always need rain cause we never get any during the summer. I read that there will be a great snow storm around the Great Lakes. Hard to believe since everyone is having warm weather. I'm out pulling more weeds. This one weed has a pretty yellow flower, now if it would just stay in one place I might consider it one of my flowers, but they pop up all over the place.

Awww you quilters are always so busy!

Susan, also sending prayers to your Sister!

My friend Katie that has uterine cancer, is doing well with her chemo treatments. She has had 2 treatments so far, and they are not making her sick, but she is starting to lose her hair. She is out looking for a wig. She said she is even losing her eyebrows and all other hair. She said it will be nice not to have to shave her legs! :)

LK - make sure she knows that her nose hair will go too, and that she needs to guard against infection because of it!
A friend in another room got a nasty cold because of it, and I think the Dr gave her some salve to put in her nose to help "catch" the germs. I didn't realize until Carol said it that losing your hair meant in your nose, too, and that it would then allow more infection into your body.
Boy, what a wonderful machine this body of ours is, eh?

LOL Jaye, Kel and Don are so much alike.

I made a big pot of soup today to use up all the veggies in the freezer from last years garden. OMG it smells good.
An old poker buddy of mine, I've known for years is down on his luck... like so many, he just can't find a job that will pay anything. So, he's doing odd jobs for ppl. I had him do some work in my flower beds yesterday and today. Some of you might remember the massive flower bed down on both sides of my gazebo... we'll, it's really hard to keep because it was really never done right in the first place. It had become a jungle down there. (for those who don't know, "down there" is the lower level. We have retaining walls that give us 3 levels to our property... the lower level is the lake level.) So, I had John get all the trash plants out... get the weed roots out.... and lay landscape cloth down... then cover it all with wood chips that I had the road crews dump on the side of the house last year when they trimmed tree limbs. OMG, he worked so hard and got it all done in 2 days... it looks so wonderful now!!! I might even enjoy the gazebo this year again. I also sent him home with a big bowl of soup for dinner. And I still froze enough soup for our dinner twice, and we'll have it tonight... sheesh, that's a lot of soup.

LOL... Pegi, I have weeds like that too... pretty, but in all reality, not practical where they want to pop up.
I do have those little wild violets that come up under a shade tree... and I do transplant them to places inside flower beds. They're weeds alright, but they do transplant well, and they're pretty in beds.

If it weren't for those little wild violets I wouldn't have any flowers at the moment. They have established themselves in my containers and really do add to the effect. The azaleas are starting to bud out but not as well as past years--might be to early yet.

My yard man got a really bad burn back in December (radiator hose bust and sprayed him) so he hasn't been quite up to his usual work yet.

BJ post pictures please of the work around the gazebo---ah, such wonderful memories of that place!!! I keep looking at my back yard trying to decide where to locate one but then the process of the Homeowner's Association stops me again. Maybe this year....

Susan, let us know if Alice does chemo... and looses her hair. Some of us that crochet might like to make her a chemo cap... there's some really cute crochet instructions online. I made me one, even though I have all my hair... but it's just really cute.

oh my.......... BJ - what a wonderful gesture to make for my sister! I know that Alice would Love it! She made some prayer shawls for other cancer patients, and if she does have chemo, I will definitely let you know!
Her appt isn't until March 14th, so I'll know after that.
IF (if??) I forget who made such a wonderful gesture, PLEASE remind me - I visit so many threads that I get myself "turned around" and forget my own name sometimes lol
btw - I don't crochet, so I couldn't make one, but I used to knit cloches...... are they the same?

Bless you, BJ!

Bj, sounds like it was a lot of work. I remember sitting in that gazebo drinking wine with you! That was a beautiful night! please post pictures of the new area?

Yes, Susan... a cloche is basically the same. It really works up really fast.

Yes, LK... lots of work. I enjoyed that night so much. Perhaps you can come again and we'll enjoy it all over.

Got 10 of us under that gazebo a couple nights... anyone remember that?

I found a whole page of chemo caps - knitted, etc. One of them is called "No Hair Day Hairy Chemo Cap" lol
I have that type of wool, too!!
http://www.headhuggers.org/patterns/patterns.htm

Susan, this is the one I made for myself... I love it.
http://creativeyarn.blogspot.com/2008/02/puff-stitch-crochet-beret-with-bow.html

OH I love that one too! It's exactly what I would wear (colour and all!).
I used to have one that I wore, in the 60's when it was the fashion, with a little flower I knitted on the side.

Yep, and those little crochet hats with the bows and flowers on the side are back in style here in Texas. Especially among the college girls.. my granddaughters also like the crochet ear warmers... they're like wide head bands that go all around the head, with their hair up in a pony tail. it's like a flash back to the 60's when you walk on campus.

omygosh, it would be a step-back-in-time wouldn't it?
I "remember the day" well!
Pony tails, eh? Well, they're certainly .......... tidy lol

Bj, that is so pretty! Wish I knew how to do all those fancy crochet stitches.
Morning everyone! Coffee is ready.

Of course, I had to visit those web sites. Hats are so cute. I may have to take out my crochet hooks and try this. Any one going through chemo would love to have one of these.

I would do knitted ones - glad there's a site for knitting and sewing as well as crochet.......

BJ are you referring to the night we celebrated Janice's birthday? I do know there were several times we were packed in (an having much fun learning more about each other and laughing) under the gazebo. Also was a nice place to sit and read, right Cookie?

The crochet hats are so neat. I have frantically trying to finish a lap throw for Mom but my wrist are giving me some trouble. Guess I can't complain as this is the first really bad flair up since I had surgery in 2005. Hasn't stopped me, just slowed me down some.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day albeit cool here and oh, did I mention WET!!!! Where is that ark?

See everyone is as busy as ever, thought I'd drop I. With a high so muffins in the oven don't burn, you know me, I'd likely go off and burn them sooo here I sit with 10 more minutes to go...

BJ,aww you are plating already..I should have been born a southerner..will post photo when I'm downstairs as to the status of my gardens right now..yours will be mature by the tme mine peek through the sol. Lol

Waving to all

What Betty? Muffins no butter tarts?

Hi Ladies,
I'm back home, waiting for Daytona 500, but the rain won't go away :) Been waiting and waiting for this race like forever!! LOL

Anyhoooo update on my mom. She is some what better now that we have seen specialist. She will be going in for the scope thingie on April 9th. Doc thinks it could be an ulcer, she has had one before and had it removed along with 40% of her stomach. Friday was such a nice day I worked outside. Man oh man, am I ever sore!!! Tried to start the lawn mower, dang then kept bucking on me. OOOhh made me so mad, plus hurt my wrist, that is already bad! Wake up Saturday morning and my shoulder hurts like heck to move, ooooh man. But at least I got the flower gardens cleaned out, everything trimmed up. Just a little bit more weeding then everything gets sprinkled with PREEN to kill back the weeds. Have any of you used this stuff before? My cousin told me she does and never has any weeds.

Please send prayers for a friend in church (Helen) - she's in her 80's and went into ICU yesterday. Apparently her tubes to her colon are blocked (for the 3rd time since June) and it's said there's nothing more they can do for her. She got moved to a room late last night. They can't put a stint in, because the tube is so blocked. Her DD and DSIL were in church today and her DD kept breaking out into tears. Her DH is a member of our choir and he wasn't at church today - obviously by her side. She's such a sweetheart, and has gone through so much in the past years.........

Yes, Betty... I'm putting a few things in the ground... but I will probably have to go out and cover them a few nights to keep some frost off them. The root veggies should be ok, but the tomatoes and peppers will need to be protected. Oh, and the lettuce patch will love the cool temps.

Cindy, I've used Preen before, and I didn't get very good results. But, I might not have used enough. Did you and your mom get to go see your brother?

Susan, I'll remember Helen in my prayers ... and her family. It's just so hard when they tell you there's nothing they can do.

Yep... Marion... that's one night we spent in the gazebo... but that seemed to be the meeting place after dark when it was cool down there.

Thank you, BJ. Helen IS a really dear person, and has been very devoted to the running of the church. She's legally blind, so needs an extra-large computer screen, and cannot do the hand knitting, etc, that she used to, so is forced to sit out a lot of things. It's so hard to see someone, who is so sweet and loving, unable to do the things that would contribute. She comes out to all the church "do"s and even comes out on the chilly "Sunrise Service" on Easter morning. She suffers from cold (allergic, actually) and is celiac as well. Poor lady!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1240591/

Birdhouse swap for anyone interested...

I bought some Preen and will see what kind of results I get. Wonderful if I didn't have to pull weeds so often, or better yet none at all.

No ark needed here this year, not enough rain to satisfy the plants.

Some prayers for Helen and family.

Oh I am seriously looking for the misplaced Ark. Anyone seen it since last year?

Sounds like your getting lots of rain?

You might say that! LOL

sorry maid m, but im using the ark. i can come pick u up.

Morning Ladies,

Brrrrrrrrrr it's cold here this morning 33, we are getting some much needed snow in the Sierra's. Will get some rain here Wed. with high winds do not like that at all!!! Rain is fine but keep the winds Thank You, lol.

Sure hope that PREEN works I hate pulling weeds!

BJ, mom and I did get to see my brother and we had a real nice visit. It looks as if it will be about 2 1/2 years before we will know if he will be released. He wants out so bad because of my mom. He said he will never touch alcohol or drugs again, they ruined his life!!

Hey Sis, how are you all doing?