Saturday, November 25, 2006

Out to Breakfast


It seems we can't stop eating. After a week or so of no appetite, the handsome one has got it back. We went to lunch yesterday and out this morning to this local joint. We used to be able to eat (2 of us) for under $5. It's gone up in price but it's still the local hangout. The town guys get their coffee everymorning. Today there were some hunters still in their garb and local families whose tradition it is to eat there every Saturday morning.














Halloween weekend found us taking pictures of each other trying to lift one eyebrow. Today was the open mouth shot.















I would say he is feeling better. What a goof!













Oh, and I just finished her. She is spoken for but I will be making others. Her name is Morgan. She is from this book.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Thinking Small

After making those adorable baby booties, I was still in that baby size frame of mind. So...for this years ornament exchange, I present Winged Angel Booties, made from recycled wool, vintage rick rack, card stock, and of course with Christmas crafting, you have to have glitter! I love the fact that the feet look somewhat large. I clipped this idea out of Country Living magazine and saved it for a long time. I finally got around to making one. I'll be making a few more. Posted by Picasa

Images I wish I had captured today

The sight of my youngest daughter, sound asleep, with her two cousins all in one bed

Me, with my hairdressers two week old baby, asleep on my chest, while I lay back in the chair getting my hair shampooed. You never lose that wonderful feeling of a precious infant asleep on top of you.

The septic tank guy, after having pumped out our system, telling my husband the bill is $200 and a cold beer. How can you deny a man a cold one after he has shovelled out your you know what?

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Miss me?

That was the email I received yesterday morning, while in the basement, doing laundrey, checking blogs, and general puttering. Would you like to guess who that was from? My Handsome Prince, upstairs in the lounge. I was gone maybe an hour.

Images from our week at home:

Nightime shuffling from bed, to recliner, to sofa, trying to find that position
Mornings, Audrey quietly getting ready for school
coffee together every morning
Afternoon Delight, consisting of a movie and and a long nap
Jello
Visitors
Good food that only I ate
rain, rain, and more rain with wind
Evening movie
Crying over an email
Trying to watch "Jackass" and turning it off within the first 5 minutes because it made him laugh
A slow walk down the road
Emma's room, The Lounge, being a nest and haven for all of us
Us, one holding the other in time of need

And...
Walker, Texas Ranger

Friday, November 17, 2006

Baby loveliness or Lovely babyness


This is one bit of handiwork I managed to get done this week. Despite my big plans, I needed almost as much rest as My Handsome Prince. The shoes are courtesy of a tutorial by Stardustshoes, the lavender hat from "One Skein", and the popcorn hat, me. These are for two of my cycle students who were expecting girls this month. I've heard of one healthy, happy delivery and hope to hear of the other soon.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Christus Consolator

"Come unto Me
All Ye That Are Weary and Heavy Laden
And I Will Give You Rest"

When I was younger, my parents were involved in the Eucumenical Institute, now known as Institute of Cultural Affairs. We would be hauled off to Fifth City in Chicago at some awful hour for a weekend of (at that time) torture. We would complain, moan, and complain some more, yet it provided a foundation for my life and some of my beliefs now. We used to sing that verse to the tune of "Bye Bye Love". In our many trips to Johns Hopkins so far, I have only been to visit Him in person once(this year), for this photo. Yet I know He is there, so I hum "Bye Bye Love" singing to myself "Come to Me, all who are weary and a heavy laden, and I will give you rest, and I will give you rest." My FIL claims to be an atheist. His older son has been a patient, on and off, of JHH for over 30 years. The last one was a close call and afterwards, he bought a replica of the statue for his home. It's not spoken of but is prominently displayed. Comfort comes in many ways.

The surgery went as expected. The nodule was metastatic, from his bone tumor of almost 15 years ago. No other treatment is expected. Hopefully, this was it. As a friend wrote me, a slight detour, not the path.

Relief flooded me after the surgeon spoke to us. My Father and Father in Law (named Big Dad by Audrey - the youngest grandchild) stayed with me that afternoon. I had trouble maintaining my calm (okay, I tried not to cry) as I called each of my children to tell them the good news. My Dad left and Big Dad stayed, he was taking me home. Finally we were able to see My Handsome Prince in ICU.

When we walked in, the nurse kept the small talk up, commenting on how well he was doing, wanting to know what I was making (I had knitting in my hand), yada, yada. Poor baby, grimaced and groaned with every breath he took, yet managed to sweep his hand towards me and tell the nurse "She is beautiful". I did not want to cry. He kept talking about it hurt to lift, as he lifted his head. I kept telling him, don't do it. Finally, he said "No, it hurts to live." I've never been a queasy person, but at this point, I was sweating, cold and naseaous and had to sit down. I didn't want them to mop me off the floor. This was my husband, in a state like I had never seen before. If I felt like this, I can't even imagine the helplessness my Father in Law felt that evening. Finally, a good dosage was set on the morphine pump that he could administer every 5 minutes. He snoozed, woke, assured us he was fine, snoozed, wanted to watch Walker, Texas Ranger (a private joke - check out the Chuck Norris page), and wanted us to leave. We made him anxious and he could rest if we left. We did and it was probably the hardest thing either one of us had done in a while.

Friday, 6:30 AM, phone rings. Shit! Panic. It was My Handsome Prince, saying he has his own private room, he was out of ICU. Amazing guy, thinking of me.

Todays visit was very subdued. He slept. I knit. My Mom read. My Dad came and a friend from church came. Later, after I arrived home, Big Dad called, MHP had been up walking and was sitting up in a chair. He is battling the naseau from anesthesia, but the morphine has been cut off, and he is doing well. His color is good, his breathing is good, he's doing what he's supposed to do. He is such an excellent patient.

This husband of mine is the bravest soul, the most thoughtful man, and the most amazing man. He has had many battles and has come through with faith. I am a lucky woman.

Emma is coming home tonight. All three of us will visit tomorrow. I will show them the statue. I hope it will bring them comfort. I will call my sister and get all the words to the song and teach it to my children. And we will sing.


Post note: Saturday, we brought him home. It's tough, but he's here and we can take care of him. Through his fog of pain and meds, he hears the girls laughing and I think that brings him comfort.
 Posted by Picasa

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Welcome to the Lounge

This is Emma's room. It has been renamed "The Lounge" for a short period of time. My Handsome Prince goes in for surgery today to remove a nodule from his lung. He will be home for a month recuperating. We moved a tv, complete with dvd player, recliner with afghan, and another chair for visitors. Actually, it is quite comfortable. The three of us, or should I say five because the dog and cat like it too, have spent a few evenings in here practicing, watching movies and tv. Sorry Emma, you'll get it back in time for Christmas break, if not Thanksgiving. I'll report in within the next day or two with results from surgery. I know there are lurkers out there who read. My love and thanks to all who are praying and thinking of us. Posted by Picasa

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Thrifting with Audrey


Audrey decided that she wanted to go thrift shopping on Saturday. Her purpose: A pair of jeans. Audrey definitely has her own sense of style and while still in the mainstream fashion, wants her own edge to it. We started at a local place that I had totally forgotten about where I bought this treasure. Someone's knitting book with a copyright of 1950, notes and notecards included for...$.50! Even if I don't use it, it's a treasure. I also picked up a Lands End cotton sweater and a pair of capri/gauchos or whatever you call them. Next stop a high end consignment shop where I bought a formal gown, cheap! Audrey remarked she liked how I'm the one buying stuff and she was the one who wanted to go shopping. Nothing gets by her. Although we did not buy any thrift stuff for her, she did manage to find some shoes for $1 and other items, not so cheap. Another time. We finished the day with an early dinner of burgers and fries and a movie at home.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

More camping fun

Black and tan makings, mmmmm
creek rising two feet during the night
punkin chunkin (check out this web site for real punkin chunkin- one of these days we'll go)
candy stealer! Posted by Picasa

Scary things

a creepy, crawly hand that might jump out of the candy bowl as you reach for your treat
Gangstas, complete with violin case for the machine gun and body in a bag.
Scary lady handing out candy. Posted by Picasa
Plenty of firewood
for cooking over the open fire
and warmth for the cold evenings Posted by Picasa
Men in pajama pants doing dishes (sung to the tune of Bananas in Pajamas......)
guitar lessons benefits