MRI UPDATE

My Mantra

Oh my word, dear friends, what a last few days this has been.  Your thoughts and prayers from my last post were an encouragement to read while sitting at the hospital. 

Mother-in-law is in Rehab..Progressing slowly but better.  MIL is the one who taught me about all things Quilty.  Her Embroidery is a thing of beauty even with poor eyesight.  She and I have plans to stitch together through the winter...good medicine for anyone don't you think?? Plus it gives her purpose and a goal.

My Uncle was removed from ventilator and still critical but asking all his nurses if they know the Lord.  He has been more of a Father to me than my real Dad (they were brothers).  Prognosis at this point is not good but not hopeless. 

MRI UPDATE on #1 Husband...Take 3

Friends, this man I'm married to has multiple personalities to say the least!  When I last left you, #1 Husband was scheduled for MRI ROUND 2 because the FIRST appt. was not only on the WRONG day but not an OPEN MRI.  #1 Husband said, and I quote, "I'm Not gitten' in one of those tubes! You know how claustrophobic I am!"

So we reschedule for a new day , new facility...everything is A-OK...Right??? HA!  You should know by now it can't be THAT easy..............

MRI Appt. #3. 

 When scheduling for the OPEN MRI, the nurse calls the new facility and she barely gets #1's name out of her mouth when the nurse on the other end says, "Oh yes, we know him, he has trouble.  Better prescribe 2mg. of Ativan instead of 1 mg."

#1 Husband 7 PaPaw

helping Grandson James 

in Therapeutic Horseback Riding

#1 Husband and I arrive for appointment, fill out necessary paperwork, go back to MRI room and there sits the Largest MRI TUBE you have ever seen!  #1's eyes are about to bug out of his head and I can hear his heart racing from where I stand..not really but you know how us wives/mothers have ESP and supersonic hearing.  I immediately speak up and say, "This isn't an Open MRI!"  ...Duh... all the while the MRI technician is scurrying around like a banty rooster pushing buttons, lifting levers, moving cushions in place and talking a mile a minute, saying things like, "Oh this is much bigger than a regular MRI" or "We can get much better pictures with this machine" or "We can be done in half the time as the OTHER machine".

Yeah, right, THAT OTHER OPEN MRI that we came here for!? OH yeah, THAT ONE

The entire reason we came HERE because we wanted the OPEN MRI!!!

All the while #1 is standing in the middle of a cold sterile room in this pitiful faded robe, 3 sizes too big and looking every bit the scared little 10 yr. old boy having his first shot.    Ok, here is where I need to remind you that #1 has taken 2 mg. of Ativan and it's kicked in rather well by this point so I basically have a 6'4" 240 lb. DRUNK man on my hands.  That tech could have placed #1 in a meat grinder and he wouldn't have complained...so it was up to me to speak up!  HA, What was I thinking??!! NOPE...Not even GMAMA JANE could not stop the "MRI Nazi" as I called him (not meant to offend) from putting #1 Husband in the MRI TUBE!

Before I know what's happening #1 Husband is rolling back in a TUBE the size of my Chapstick and all I can do is PRAY.  Bless his Heart, is all I can say at this point.  I do believe ATIVAN is anointed by God in these situations because NO WAY Jose' would I be watching the big guy lying in a sausage tube without pharmaceuticals...modern medicine is a blessing!

30 min. later #1 rolls out of "The Tube" , I get him dressed all the while mumbling about how we were 'tricked", roll him to the car  and hope we can make it home without incident.  

Oh no, 

On the way home we drive by THE Lawnmower shop and #1 insists he is fine and able to "just look".  I knew better but I stopped anyway.  We're inside for about 10-15 min and I'm looking in the bird/garden section when I see #1 at the counter with a huge case of machine oil and other strange items.  Not only has he purchased a CASE of those little bottles of lawnmower oil, #1 is in the process of PURCHASING a O-Turn LawnMower to the tune of several THOUSAND Dollars!! Fortunately, I pull the salesman over to the side, explain the situation, tell him how #1 Husband has just had a little "procedure' and is high on Ativan and definitely NOT competent to make a major purchase of this size. 

BY now, I have lost my Ho-Ho-Ho and ready to get this man home, in the bed, and OVER WITH!!  In my best Take Charge voice, I get #1 husband out of the Lawnmower store with his case of oil ( I thought the salesman deserved something for his time) in the car, and Homeward Bound!

Stay Tuned for The Results

Don't forget the Wantobe Quilter Campaign

over at 

Sew We Quilt

Please comment so we can BOTH win some goodies!!

I'll be back in my sewing room by this week-end and have a few things to share with you, my friends!

Prayers and Thoughts Needed

OFF GRID
 I've been off grid a bit the last few days and I'm so grateful for those of you who have emailed with your concerns.  I'm overwhelmed with the care and concern shown by the Quilters I have come to know here on my blog and through Sew We Quilt.

I will need to be off grid for a bit longer due to some family issues. 

My sweet 82 yr. old MIL fell this past Thursday night and is in the hospital.  She has no major injuries other than a broken tailbone and general weakness.  She is losing the will to live and since I live next door to her and am home all day, it will be up to me and my little sidekick to care for her when she comes home and while in rehab for the next 21 days.

I also have a critically ill Uncle in NC who has been more of a father to me than my own while growing up. #1 Husband and I will more than likely be traveling to NC in a few days for his funeral unless Divine healing occurs.  However, My Uncle Lacy has expressed his desire to go home to be with his precious wife, My Aunt Shirley, who passed away 6 yrs. ago.  She was 14 and he was 17 when they married...a true love story if ever there was one.

So...I'm going to leave youwith some pictures from our last year's Fall Birthday party for Grandson.  Our family loves to party outside here on the farm.  I love the simplicity of the surroundings and the children and Grandchildren have a sense of tradition with the family gathering together for fall meals outside, campfires in the backyard, watching the tractors and combines cut the corn fields, soybean fields and pick the cotton.  

 Be sure and check out the tricked out Golf-cart aka..The Boo Mobile!!

Talk with you in a few days...I'll catch everyone up on MRI part 3 and 4!!  Trust me, it's worth the wait!!

BooMobile

Granddaughter helped decorate the tables.

The bald patches are from lack of rain and dogs digging in the dirt.

This Birthday Cake was Over the Top

but then Daughter #1 does everything over the Top!!

Keep us in your Prayers my sweet friends.  Talk with you later

Blessings

Don't Pick the Apples and MRI saga continues

                                  SCOTT’S APPLE ORCHARD

Do Not pick the apples off the tree...even if you're THREE yrs. old and your Grandmama took you for a walk in the Apple Orchard to see how apples grow and you had just read a story about a little boy named Johnny Appleseed who loved apples and now you ONLY  Three Yrs. Old want to go to the "Apple PORCH" or at least that what it sounded like when Grandmama said it.

Whatever you do, Do Not BITE into "said" apple in plain view of  CASH REGISTER LADY because the Apple Police are coming for YOU!  

Positively DO NOT  pick an apple off the tree, IF you have left your elderly Mother-in-law inside the Apple Orchard Showroom (above) while you take your Grandson to see the apple trees......he reaches up to pull  an apple off a tree while your MIL is standing next to Cash Register Lady yelling at you a Good 150 ft.+  in the orchard, "Don't PICK THE APPLES OFF THE TREES!!!!!!!!!  WE DON"T ALLOW THAT"...........and Three yr. old begins to cry because "that lady said NO"!!

No folks, it wasn't the Hallmark Moment I had envisioned in my head but then that seems to be the story of my life.  Hang with me FIVE MInutes and I'll find a rule to break!

When walking back...no slinking back... with head down, tail tucked between my legs...  Grandson now wanting to COUNT the apples in each of the bags (above)..I politely apologized and replied:

Gmama:  "I've taken my children here for the last 30 yrs and we've always picked ONE apple"

Cashier Lady:  "Well, you just didn't get caught!"

 An Apple a Day keeps the Apple Police Away and Gmama out of Apple Orchard Jail

MRI UPDATE from Monday

Geez Lueez...#1 Husband had the Wrong Day for the MRI Appt. AND the Medical Mall did NOT have the OPEN MRI he had requested.

...and he says I have "Half" hiemers............. Good Grief...but the funniest part is that #1 had already taken his Pre MRI "Happy Pill" because he's too big of a chicken for ANY medical procedure I tell ya.  Not just an MRI, I'm talkin' ANY Medical Procedure.

The Kids had better pray I go first is all I'm gonna say!  They'll have to either have Wife #2 in the wings or move him into their storage closet because the Man can NOT survive Alone for more than 2 hrs.....and that's iffy!!!    

  

WE now have to drive to Dr.'s office for a rescheduled appt. at a different facility that HAS the BIG OPEN MRI.  When the girl at the desk calls new facility and ONLY says only #1's name,  the girl on the other end of the phone immediately recognizes #1 husband's name from a previous MRI last year in which he went a little "wonky" on them and SAYS, 

"Oh yes, he's had problems before, he needs to double the Ativan dosage for tomorrow's appt."

I'm cracking up, I tell ya...................

So now, WE go (meaning I drive the drunk one)  for MRI Do-Over on Tuesday at 4:00

 ( OOps I think this is a DUI Picture for sure)

.......and the saga continues.....until 

Wed....Any bets there will be More to This Story???

 Blessings

Gotta Take Care of #1 Husband Today

Gmama and #1 Husband

YEP, THIS IS US!

I won't be posting much on this Monday only to let you know I'll be taking #1 Husband for an MRI around mid-morning.  No big deal until you hear the rest of the story........(as Paul Harvey used to say on his radio show for those old enough to remember him)

#1 Husband is a High School Guidance Counselor in a very large High School (over 2,000 grades 10-12).  He has been an educator for 33 yrs. and will retire in May 2012!  Last Wed. as #1 exited the cafeteria before classes had begun, coffee cup in one hand, half a sausage biscuit on the other, #1 came upon a *Fight* in the hall.  Two female Asst. Principals had been thrown up against the wall and a large crowd of several hundred had gathered to WATCH the show!  In an adrenaline rush, #1 jumps into action taking the TWO 16/17 yr. old *Thugs* down on the floor waiting for the school police officer to arrive.  Another principal came upon the fight and seeing #1 on the ground with these TWO boys still swinging and trying to get out of the "whatever" my #1 had them in, and proceeded to pull out the thug on the bottom of the pile.  This principal thought #1 was being hit but to his chagrin, realized too late that things were actually under control rather than out of control.  Fortunately by now, the school officer had arrived and took the boys to the office for transport to the local juvenile facility.

FYI:..the boys made it to the D-Home and Back before #1 got back to his office!!

Plus, by this last Friday, both boys were BACK IN SCHOOL with only punishment of time spent in Detention.  Where is the Justice?  Where is the discipline?  Who is Parenting kids today???

It's getting Worse folks, Not Better....  I Digress...

MY sweetheart begins to realize that he may actually be hurt once the adreneline begins to subside.  To make a long story short, The TWO FEMALE TEACHERS were hurt in their back and hips while #1 had scrapes, bruises, and damage to his right shoulder....the very same shoulder that HAD Rotator Cuff surgery in 2004!  The Dr.s think the shoulder is leaking and the anchor that was placed in there is damaged.  If surgery is indicated, a 3-4 week rehab will be necessary.

Do you think #1 and I can try to not kill each other  for 3-4 weeks?  We get along famously as long as #1 has a project, he can go fishing, or he can work on a tractor in his barn. If one of those ingredients aren't in the mix...Oh No........... it ain't gonna be pretty if you get my drift!

At age 58, everyone has been asking #1 Husband if he still "had the goods" to break up a Teenage fight.  #1 has told everyone "I was *Bad* for about one minute and that's all I could hang but I was Really Bad for that one minute!!  

Sounds like that country song by Trace Atkins...I'm not as good as I once was But  ????????

help me with the words, folks!!!

So...off to the Big MRI in the Big City

Wish us Luck...

no surgery, no surgery, no surgery...Please!

BLESSINGS,

GIVE-AWAY WINNER from GUEST POST AT STASH MANICURE

WINNER

is 

Jannette

from

Quilting with Jannette

ALSO

100th 

FOLLOWER

Kathleen

at  

KD QUILTS

If you sweet friends will send me your mailing address, you will soon find a wonderful gift winging your way from the Glorious South to your mailbox.

I was SO Flabbergasted over the response my Guest post received from all of YOU at Sew We Quilt on THursday, it has taken me a bit to reply to everyone as well as get my pdf file with the instructions to do it's thing.  Y'All just tickled me to death with the kind comments and number of replys.  I feel like the Country Mouse gone to see the Country Mouse!

Oh NUTS is right!  When it comes to Computer stuff, Gmama doesn't row with both oars in the water...I'm a pretty smart cookie but I'm an Old fashioned cookie.  I'm not the kind of cookie with "Computer Chips" if you know what I mean??

Sooo....#1 Son is coming to my rescue and will help me "FIX it".  Here in the South, we're always "fixin'" to do something.  

Well, I'm FIXIN' to send out those KLOSJES instructions ASAP!

I PROMISE, CROSS MY HEART...yada..yada..yada..

Blessings

Fall Sewing and I'm Guest Blogger at Sew We Quilt

 

Do you do Fall Cleaning?  How about Fall Sewing?

FYI:  I will be Guest Blogging on Thursday

at 

Sew We Quilt

I'm sharing a fun little quilt block that's all the rage in The Netherlands...Klosjes!  Klosjes is the Dutch word for "Little Spools"

Modern Fabrics for a Traditional Dutch Quilt Block

May I welcome my visitors from Sew We Quilt!

I feel honored to be Guest Blogger considering I'm not a Designer...nope...no special fabric line...na dah...100's of followers?...nah, just small town here...etsy store owner?..zip zilch...I give all my stuff away.  

So why me??  Don't really have a clue, other than Madame Samm likes to involve EVERY type of quilter in this Wonderful World of Quilting.  Her heart really is in the right place, y'all.  Y'all is an official southern word that just rolls off my tongue...can't help it...it feels as natural as having a needle and thread in my hand or getting giddy over the newest fabric over at Jane's Fabrics

Klosjes and Tablerunners are on my Design Wall for September

Autumn Table Runner

This little beauty is winging it's way to a special friend who Stitches by the Lake ...Hmm???...Who could that be???

I made this Table-runner in a class I took back in March 

at 

Mountain Quiltfest, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

We used fusible batting in a quilt as you go technique.

However, both me and the instructor agreed my table-runner looked great "just as"

So, I left it just like you see it above, no quilting.

I have the Freedom to make those decisions and that's why I love the creative process involved in quilting!

Now, for some Klosjes!

3 in. Block Klosjes

Did You Know?...Little Spools is the oldest design in Traditional Dutch Quilt Patterns
I took a modern slant on fabric choice with these klosjes.  Primitive Fabric is more often chosen in the Netherlands. 
I suggest doing a Google search and look at all the fun quilts made from this wonderful little quilt block.  I tried different phrases but was most successful with the following:
*spool quilts in the Netherlands*
or
*little spools or klosjes in the Netherlands*

Here I am..fat arms and all, working on some Klosjes or Little Spools in a Red White and Black combination.
Guess What?  I'm Giving Away 50 of these little Beauties to my fabulous followers!  
Starting Thursday, everyone who Comments and Follows on my blog will be placed in the Prize Pull.
Plus, my 100th Follower gets an extra surprise!!  Who will it be? 

Look at this luscious Halloween fabric...yummy and fun!  Have I told you how I love Halloween..hold over from my childhood when Halloween was kitschy and harmless trick or treating fun in the safe neighborhood and small WV town I grew up in.

I'll be turning this into a Tablerunner...not sure what pattern..may use the one in the picture above.

What do you think?

My #1daughter has already laid claim to this fabric for a Table runner.

So I guess #2 (LaLA) will get Tablerunner #2!

Now DIL will have to have one??

AAH, her's fabric for sweet DIL and Tablerunner #3

Now, I want to make some Klosjes in Fall/Halloween fabric..

So...will you join me??

I'll send you Full instructions for the Klosjes.  All you have to do is request it in your comment and make sure I have your email address.  No Reply Bloggers can go to Sew We Quilt to get instructions cause I don't have a clue!

I'm a VISUAL Learner...so my tutorials lean in that direction.  Give me a picture and turn me loose.  However, for those of you who need more detailed instructions, the written tutorial with templates and measurements can be emailed to you in just a Clickaroo!   Just say so in your comment, OK??

Here is a BRIEF VISUAL TUTORIAL

It's best to contrast dark fabrics with light fabrics so the spools stand out!

                                                                             

 

What will Fall Sewing Look Like For You??

Funeral s and Deviled Eggs

FUNERAL FOOD

Here in the south, funerals are all about consoling the family and FOOD!

Food is brought to the home of the bereaved family and in most cases it's enough food to feed a Third World Country!  I suppose it's the feeling of not knowing how to console the grieving family and friends so we do what any proper southern woman would do...Feed the Folks!!

Sadly, my husband's Best friend lost his sweet Mother on Saturday.  Our home seems to be Funeral Central and I didn't know The Farmhouse would be the destination point for the out of town guests until about 2 hrs. before company arrived!  I'm usually stocked pretty well but the sheets needed changing due to a Grandbaby sleepover.  Oh Dear, I wish I had done____, and ____, and ____, etc....

So...needless to say I've been rushing aorund like a chicken with it's head cut off

as well as

FEEDING the FIVE THOUSAND!

Deviled Eggs 

 A prerequisite for any proper southern funeral wake

#1 Husband is conducting the Funeral this afternoon (no, he's not a pastor) but sadly this family did not have a church affiliation and #1Husband is the closest Christian friend in their sphere of reference.  That saddens me greatly and has made me stop and think about my sphere of influence.

I would hope I leave this world with lots of Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, and most importantly

Deviled Eggs!

Not for me, 

I'll be feasting with The King of Kings at the Lord's Banquet Table

but...

for all those I've loved and left here on this earth for a little while longer...

I would Hate to think they were left craving

Just One More Deviled Egg!

I' m signing off today.  I have Deviled Eggs to prepare...Lots of them!!

9-11 I REMEMBER

I REMEMBER

I WILL NEVER FORGET

Not a day passes over the earth 

but men and women of no note

do great things

speak great words, 

and 

suffer noble sorrows.  

Charles Reade

Appropriate, don't you think?

I WILL BE VIGILANT

BUT

I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

In rememberance to those who lost their lives and to their families and friends.

GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE!