Best/Worse/What did I learn today? Always a chair and good friends when you want to chat or need a hug..

Shingles are horrendous. I wouldn't wish them on any one. Worst pain I've ever been through. Lasted for months. Still get twinges.

I'm ready for some warmer weather. Need some porch sitting time.

This message was edited Jan 30, 2020 9:07 AM

If you have had chicken pox you can get shingles. I had a shingles shot a few years ago. I understand there is a new version of the shot so I will look into it. My MIL had shingles and like Karen said she was in agony for months.

Betty the tool I need is small with a latch hook at the end. Knitters and crocheters use it to pull snags and loose threads back in place. I have racked my brain as I know it is here in the house somewhere. The search for it just reinforces my believe I need to declutter the downstairs.

How's the pain today Betty?

We couldn't walk yesterday as it is just oo icy. All 3 of us are huffing and puffing while we look longingly outside. The drive and lane are beyond treacherous. We tried to foray out that way yesterday but lasted seconds.The snow in he fields and bush are even worse.

January only has 2 days left and they can't go by fast enough. I have the winter doldrums big time.

Stay busy, safe and well.

Lordy, almost evening..cold but clear, even had a bit of sun!
Skating rink out there, have to be careful.

Dianne is in mega pain. Might see Linda on weekend, we don’t want to take any chances..

Yesterday I sat and did nothing, was up a few times last night for hot bath hoping it would smooth me..today I’m in pain but can cope.

Thinking of going for groceries as I need a few things but foodland in town is so darn expensive that a trip to midland would save mega dollars.

Mom was going to spend the week with aunt Muriel, about 8 miles from me, she sleeps on settee which is so uncomfortable, told her to come sleep at my house then go to aunt Muriel’s during the day..as she is coming I do need eats or I can just order from the restaurant lol. What to do, what to do??

Dianne, pretty sure I know which latch hook you need, similar to what I have for my machines but no handles..hope you find it

Linda says she is worse today

Oh my. That looks quite uncomfortable.

I hope they are treating that medically as best they can. My sis and I have friends who have had it. Scares me too death! I don't want it!

Home Health nurse came today for intake into the home care skilled care at home. RN is going to ask for lab to check for low iron, Ben has a tendency towards being anemic and he fell this morning, his leg just would not support him to transfer to wheelchair. EMTs called again... he had 2 falls at SNF so that makes 3 in under a month!

I signed up for the big Expo for end of Feb, bus trip, over night and back. Went for the first time last year and had a good time but wasn't interested in going this year. With Ben's health etc, didn't want to take financial risk of not being able to go after paying for it. . Marie really wanted me to go with her, so I caved and agreed. Basically, if it's important to Marie that I go, I can't turn her down.

back to sewing doll clothes... and headed to bed soon!

I didn't know Ben was home. Sorry to hear that he fell again. Did they ever test him for c diff?

Yes, he came home Monday. The c-dif test came back negative, but he still is not feeling good, weaker. Physical therapist came today for his evaluation, they will work with him at home. I left work to attend the eval and need to get back to office. Wish I could take the whole day off. I HATE going back once I have left! LOL.. hey, who wouldn't want to start their Friday off early?

Dull, dreary day here. Just blah !! But it is the last day of January... woo hoo.

Pat I would have loved to have Friday off early when I worked. Never happened. I did have a friend who had compressed hours. She only worked Tu, W,Th - 12 hours a day. She really liked it but she was in her 20's then. I've lost touched with her over the years so I wonder how and if she is still doing and loving it in her 50's.

Ouch Betty... Linda's shingles look sore. Did you see about getting the shingles shot? I paid out of pocket $40 for mine.

No walk again today for either the TH or myself. It is just treacherous out there I had to empty the ashes from the wood stove and when I went to empty the container of old ashes I slid several feet. Didn't end up where I usually dump the ashes but it will have to do.

My order from Amazon of the 5 different sized latch hooks arrived at the PO this morning. Great service - I ordered it on Thursday. Now if I can make it out the lane in the morning I'll pick it up.I have to get out as the TH are out of kibble so I need to get over to the next village for supplies.They still have treats - Tartar Busters which they adore. Diesel goes every day to the closet I store the boxes in and won't budge until I open the door and give him one.

I have a real dilemma. My vet has retired due to ill health and without notice. My vet is actually more important to me than my GP. Going to be hard to replace her. I sincerely hope a young newly graduated vet will move to the area.There would be a built in caaseload.

LK what are you making now ?

Debbie did you get your sewing machine set up ? I know you have a lot on your plate.

~~~~~ to everyone.

Still working on the rail fence quilt. One is done, all but the binding. Other one I have strip sets sewn. I need to cut into 8 inch squares and sew them back together. All batiks.

Tomorrow is national QOV sew day. I've gotten a lot cut out ready to go. Hopefully I can just sit & sew.

Had my second infusion today. I wish I could take this tech with me for every stab. She listened, poked where I said and it was like she had X ray eyes. I barely felt it. Now I go back in two weeks for a draw and then a week after to discuss results.

Today is my oldest granddaughters birthday. Hard to believe she's 38.

Afternoon all, almost evening..

Oh Pat, if Ben is losing strength and falling he will soon have to be in a home for his own safety..glad your sister talked you into going to quilt show, last year you bought some goodies right? I’d be afraid to go, all those sewing tools, would want one of each.

icy everywhere here as well Dianne, just started to snow about 3pm and I don’t know if that is good or bad?light snow on ice is dangerous,myopic don’t see the ice..ok with me, I went and had lunch with Paul and the girls for Suzanne ‘s birthday today. Don’t know Dianne if you have a giant tiger around your area, here they had the boxes of honey and garlic and Texas style ribs as well as chicken wings on 1/2 price, super store had roast on 1/2 price as well, bought one for the crockpot using Joyce’s recipe. Dropped into Canadian Tire and decided to buy some organizing pieces..3 tire cupboard shelf for spices, drawer organizer,Drats it’s too big, have to return and buy smaller and a few other gadgets, expensive to be organized lol. Also bought cookies I’m not fond of just so I’d have another tin to put sewing supplies in to be organized, crazy crazy lady! Tomorrow I start my February pick from a jar to do, my life is so boring that I think that is exciting.

That is great service Dianne, have you been working on you latch rug? It was linda’s Next door neighbour and best friend Dianne who got the shingles, Linda was terrified she would get them, so far so good. Got mine free, new shot came out but doc says the older version should keep me safe so here is hoping.

You are sewing up a storm Lindakay..was looking at Alabama and Louisiana today, girls have me wondering where we can go this summer, up pops a video, thought this looks familiar when I realized it was the river walk in San Antonio..gee that day with you and the girls was so much fun!

Karen, how are you feeling? Any neat projects you would like to share?

I’ve been up since 4am,getting tired, have a hot bath waiting for me, best I get into the tub before it’s cold water, don’t think I will do much tonight, save it for tomorrow

Lordy one of the drawers I cleaned today which housed cooking utensils had 5 scissors, 2 screw drivers and a hammer, what’s with that lol

Feeling good Betty, Tomorrow is National sew day fro QOV. Have a few things cut and ready to sew.

Do you go to it Karen or is it a commitment you make at home to sew for them?

I'll just be sewing at home. Some meet in groups but i don't have one here.

Well you can do it at your leisure then, that likely is better for you.

Linda is on her way, we are hoping to get 4 scroll name pillows done and a mini cat pillow, Sharon will come and play with quilting on the frame so all and all won’t be a hard day but will be busy..

Betty, our thrift stores have those tins you can buy empty, probably cheaper. We also those same cookies in a tin at the dollar store, likely smaller than yours.

Maybe next year Marie and I can finally get involved in QOV projects. Marie says THIS year we will par down the doll project and she is looking for a sewing project that benefits the elderly or homeless. We have lots of fleece that are smaller yardage. I am wanting to design a "hoodie-like dickie". It will have a hoodie but attach to 2 flaps of fabric that tuck into the coat. We'll see, if I ever get it designed I'll show you a sample.

Pat, our sewing group sews lap quilts for nursing homes. 1 & 1/2 yard of fabric by width of fabric. Very easy to do. Just make sure you check with the nursing home to make sure they will accept them, as well as fabric content requirements. Ours have to be 100 % cotton or fleece. Quilting has to be no bigger than every 6 inches.

Remember when LIndakay I did about 25 crochet throws for seniors home residents who had no family and they wouldn’t take them....big sigh

Never thought of thrift store Pat, Friday I think it was $$$ store had large pkgs of long ribbon, all different designs, perfect for the iPad cover I want to make, did check there but no go..had a large one and managed to fill it with the ribbon..they all stack up so nice in craft cupboard..put that on my list of checking points.

Had fun with the girls today, Linda finished her pillows, Sharon quilted on the frame, just loves it and I did a bushel and a peck Valentine’s pillow..they no sooner left I had an hour nap, now my bath, took something out from freezer, put it back in freezer, just don’t feel like eating.

Could sit up and cut out pieces for st patty’s Project

Didn't get a lot finished today. Chain piecing the components takes a lot of time. I made one block complete just because I wanted to see it done. I'm making about 20 blocks. I can only spend so much time downstairs, It's very cold and even with two shirts and a sweater, after a while I just have to come up. Now it will take me a long time to get warmed up.

Karen could they not move your machine upstairs?

There is no place upstairs. I'd need a lot of room to have all the sewing stuff I use a lot at hand. Might look into a small electric heater for by my machine. It's not the house, It's me. My inner furnace doesn't have enough of the right fuel to keep me warm.

Morning all, light snow, should be shovelling but thought I could wait until later...got my to do done, under the bed it was, poor dust bunnies, they looked so comfy there hated to dust them up lol

Karen, those are stunning,love the richness of collours.. my body also reacts easily to cold, yesterday afternoon couldn’t warm up so turned furnace higher, last night I was fidgeting, too warm, forgot to turn furnace back down to 73.. was 76!

basement here is on cooler side so I often turn the fireplace on..might be a great investment for you so you can sew away for hours. Is there a specific date you have to have it ready by? Bet you are not missing the northern winters

Tired this morning, trying to talk myself into making a cover for iPad but so could lay down watch a movie as back sore..chairlift day

Every nursing home or hospital is different. But they usually have certain restrictions about type of fabric and sizes.
Beautiful pillows Betty. Please explain the Poops?

Karen I love those blocks.

There is a place down there for a stand alone heater. We had planned for one but ran out of funds. Besides I'm the only one cold.

LIndakay, they are nicknames for each other, odd but heck guess it works for them lol

Would a plug in heater for when you are sewing work?



This message was edited Feb 2, 2020 11:04 AM

Time to put furnace up, such a light snow but wind is up

Tummy telling me it’s hungry, guess I worked up an appetite, once housework was done I started to sit here cutting out St Patrick’s day pieces, every once in awhile head nodding so maybe a morning nap after I eat

I especially love the blue print in your squares Karen. BEAUTFUL blocks!

We have a stand alone oil heater that puts out gentle heat and is very safe. We have heat pump for heating and cooling here. But ALL heat pumps need a back up heating option as they are NOT effective when the weather is too cold extract heat from. Each heat pump is different what that degree is.

We have base heaters in the game room/ sewing area. We have disconnected them from the electrical panel and used that power source for something else. SOOOoo that means no extra heat source in the game room if it gets too cold outside for the heat pumps to work. Then, to keep the game room warm, I used the oil heater. You NEED a heater Karen. Just because it's "only you" and body not working right doesn't lessen the need. Many of them are under a $100. An oil heater does NOT use oil, electricity heats the oil within to create the "soft heat", not the blast of radiant heat.

Also, if you are NOT wearing a warm hat, put one on & you will be amazed at the difference. Much of our body heat is lost thru our head. Your head may not feel like it's cold, but when you cover it, you will notice a difference. Try it! Knit yourself up a soft wool beanie.

I will get off my soap box.... it's just that being cold is a HUGE trigger for my pain in my hands etc so I am very adamant about doing whatever it takes to be warm enough. In Walla Walla I used to have a heated bed mattress pad. I would turn it on high, go wash my face and brush my teeth, shut it off and then climb into bed. It took chill off and helped me get to sleep. My car has headed seats, I LOVE them.

Pat, I always had electrical mattress cover, so toasty, not sure what they call the sheets I have now are called, so much pile, when you get under them they are cozy plus don’t move ..only have to pull quilt back up to make bed ..need another set but can’t find one same..pity..I take it off to wash and right back on..

Hadn’t realized I locked back door, heard a knock, by the time I got to the door vehicle pulling away... I thought it might have been doc, caught drivers attention and it was Greg..had short visit, was nice..crawled back to bed..

Hi all - hope you're doing better, Betty - that pain of yours isn't good!! Worried about you, girl!!!
busier than heck here - I'm not going to do Handbells after all - I'm going to take up learning the piano instead, and maybe work that into a handbell tree player. I'm not going to be the Senior Centre's secretary after all. Being Secretary/Treasurer at the Wellness Society is enough for me. Piano lessons every Thurs am, and bowling Thurs afternoon.
Other stuff, but scheduled to the max, so. oh yeah, Open House at our Arena on Feb 17 so am knitting stuff for a sale table - tams & matching scarves in black velvet. Feb 15th we have a cleanup crew in the Library so we can open it up on the 17th, and hopefully sell baking, crafts and some of the books we no longer need in the Library. Anyway, better get back to my knitting.

Morning all, almost lunch..it’s 34f but damp so bones acting up..

Susan, always nice to be busy but you take on so much, glad to hear you are lessening your load..always wanted to play piano, maybe in my old age lol. There seems to be a Facebook add that comes on lately showing a man who has a non fail way for those wanting to learn, maybe some of you has seen it, likely a gimmick??

My task for the day was clean my closet, had done some in previous cleaning but worked at it..task done!!

As Melanie is on a cruise I invited Greg for supper Wednesday night, need au just and a few other things so while weather is nice will take a ride into midland..need to exchange something in canadian tire, pick up a few groceries, pick up sleeping pills then go let Ned and Sophie out as Greg is going to hockey game tonight. Greg was telling me soon they will have to have Sophie put down, beautiful 14 yr. old labradoodle..hard for her to get off couch or our for her business..Ned will miss her as well as the family...having to do so is heartbreaking.

Maybe I will go have lunch with a friend..

How is your day and weather..didn’t see our groundhog prediction for early spring or not

Wiarton Willie says Spring will be early Betty. I sure hope so.

Dull, dreary' windy day here.We won't be walking far if indeed we even attempt to go out. Snowed last night so falling over the ice it makes it very treacherous.

My heart goes out to Greg and Melanie knowing they have to make a difficult decision. I think several of us here have had to do the same.

Can't remember if I mentioned I am without a vet. My vet closed her practice with no notice and no replacement. The sad part is she has early onset dementia. My vet is more important to me than my GP. I am hoping a newly graduated vet will see our community as a great place to start up their practice. We had to aggressively advertise to get a GP to move here so maybe we will have to do the same for a vet.

Susan I wish you were closer I literally have hundreds of books needing a good home. I already had Mike who did work on the house throw over 30 boxes of books into the dump.

Karen I agree with Pat - beautiful blocks. What about just a little electric heater? When we lived in the farm house I had to put 1 in the bathroom before we had a shower. My MIL gave me an electric blanket and that was a wonderful gift.Like Betty I would turn it on about 30 min before I went to bed then shut it off. That was when DH was still teaching in TO M - F . He poo pooed the electric blanket until 1 night I had turned it on and didn't tell him. Once he climbed into bed you would have thought he invented the idea.

Oh my the sun just came out ... the TH and I are heading out.

Lordy Dianne, do you have this sunshine snow melting day...it’s like a late March day!!! Kind of day I’d like to get 8n the car and just drive south, that being said, would have to come home and who knows, March winter storms still possible.


Sorry to hear about your vet Dianne, hard when you have so much faith in them...

Sharon feels so bad about Inuk not going to Westminster dog show..apparently they send her a message that on the overhead screen they have they wil” do a tribute to him

Went and let Sophie and Ned out, that Ned wouldn’t come in, walked in a foot of snow trying to get Ned to come 8n, he wouldn’t have any of it...shaking my head..hope the treats I was feeding Sophie wasn’t her cbd oil..

Lovely sunset..

Big sigh, I’ve been itching all afternoon, just took my bath and still itching..sure hope even though 7 days had passed since Linda was with her neighbour who got shingles was still contagious..just me being paranoid..itchy all over especially my head

Not sure what I could have eaten or touched that I might be allergic to, heading to bed, here is hoping by morning it’s gone

Itching most likely not shingles. They are a stabbing pain as it is the nerve endings being attacked.

Sure hope that is the case, talk about itchy

Betty, you have been taking tylenol 3, that can cause itching. That is one of the first signs you may be developing an allergic reaction to it.

Maybe a dose of Benedryl will help the itching.

Morning all,

Seems to have passed, just a tad itching left..suppose to be another glorious day, each day brings us closer to spring 😊. Really so far winter hasn’t been bad!

Meant to say I haven’t been looking for deer lately but went to bring a bin of leftover Xmas orphan pieces to back shed and the entire yard and drive was stampeded with deer tracks so here I am up early watching out for them

Oh say it isn’t so, could live without 4-Tylenol 3 a day, barely make it through with..

Call your Dr and ask him what to do.
Do the deer eat your flowers and vegetation?