BETTER DAY

The day dawned bright and clear and dad is feeling better and I am so relieved. 

Today you can see the top of the Superstition Mountains unlike the photos from yesterday.

Unfortunately, my little brother leaves today.  

He'll be back though when he can, he loves it here!

NOT PLEASANT

This hasn't been the best of days, but I know that there are no guarantees in life that every day will be wonderful.  My mom used to always remind us kids of that fact. 

I woke up to find that dad was sick.  My brother said he heard him in the bathroom several times last night getting ill.  I won't go into graphic details but it hasn't been pretty.  In fact, I've been cleaning, bleaching, laundering, most of the day.  I also had to put dad in the shower to get him cleaned up.  This particular task is something I had never wanted to do, but knew the time would come.  I am lucky to have someone that comes in three times a week to shower him.  Unfortunately, today was not one of the days, she was here yesterday.   

My baby brother was no help either.  He gags at the slightest unpalatable odor and will even pass out at the sight of blood or a needle.  Actually, he had to leave the house it was so bad.  Of course, this is a small house so.....

The weather wasn't good either, cold, gloomy and sometimes rainy which didn't help either.   On my run out to the grocery to pick up Lysol, Germ X and so forth, I stopped to take a few pictures of the Superstition Mountains of which the southern end is right across the road from our house.  I have a connection with those mountains, I love them and think they are beautiful no matter what the weather is, so in fact, they kind of cheered me up!  

You can't even see the tops of the mountain because the clouds are so low.  When it gets colder out here, and it does, we sometimes get snow on the top of the Superstitions.  

At any rate, I think this mountain range is beautiful and even though dad was sick and the weather wasn't great, and the day has been a bust, and Kurt leaves us tomorrow..........I enjoyed the peace I got from snapping these few shots.  

Hope you find beauty in them too.

A THANKFUL DAY

The day is nearly over and all are STUFFED!  It was supposedly the coldest Thanksgiving in 80 years here in the valley of the sun.  Even so, this was a wonderful day and I am so thankful for my neighbors Wayne and Judy and their dog Frosty for inviting us into their home to share the Holiday.

 Wayne & Judy's house

This year was especially nice for dad and I since my baby brother flew in from Indiana to surprise us and spend Thanksgiving with us.  

 That's Kurt, my BIG baby brother, asleep in the recliner after an awesome feast.  Wayne is in the other recliner and check out Frosty, their dog, passed out behind Kurt's chair!!

Dad is passed out on the couch in a 'break neck' position!

This is the fifth winter dad and I have spent in Arizona.  The holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas are difficult since our family is too far away.   I am so grateful that my brother bestowed his special visit on us this year and it will be a Thanksgiving I will always remember 'thanks' to him and wonderful friends. 

I hope all of my Blog friends had a special day with their families and friends too!

ANOTHER PROJECT COMPLETE

It was a windy, gloomy and cold day here in Gold Canyon.  Okay..... cold to dad and me because we are used to 80's and 90's!  I don't know if it even made it to 70 today.  

The weather however, gave me an opportunity to finish my second rug hooking project of this season.  

I turned this 8" x 10" pattern by Sharon Perry, into a pillow.  The backing and front border material are denim.  I wasn't sure about using denim at first but, wow, I love it.  It goes so well with the monochromatic blues I used.  


I will list if for sale in my Etsy shoppe in the next couple of days!

What AM I waiting for????

It's been out there in the same spot every day for exactly the last seven days.  Never moving, goading, daring me everyday as I step outside onto the patio, the demon is there.  It lies in wait, taunting me as I make my way past it.

"What are you waiting for,"  it seems be saying to me, you can take me on today."

"Yeah, I know,"  I say to myself,   " but it doesn't feel right, not today."  And besides, I've got lots of things to do right now.  Honestly though, more than the thought of the beast beating me, I think I'm afraid of someone seeing me fail.  So again, I shuffle past the monster, loosing just a bit more confidence and self esteem and thinking,   "Tomorrow, I will do it tomorrow!"
 

Thing is, I asked for it.  I've wanted a bike for two years now.  I want to tool around the neighborhood, feel the breeze in my hair and enjoy the scenery.   Heck, even this past winter the Orthopedic Doc recommended riding a bike for my problem Achilles heel.  Well, he suggested a stationary bike but that's boring, right!  


Last Saturday we had a community patio sale.  I had made a vague mention to one of my neighbors that I wanted a bike and if she saw anything, let me know.  A few hours later, she came strolling up to the patio with the purple and green monster in tow.  It was a bargain, only twenty-five dollars for a ten speed.  What!  A ten speed, I only want one speed......very slow!  


It needed a bit of work, the tires were good but flat and the chain was rusty.    No problem my neighbor's husband said, he  would come by and blow up the tires and oil the chain.  "That would be great",  I said, all the while thinking, what have I done!   

I'm a tough farm girl who's not afraid of anything.  I've been thrown off, bitten, and kicked by more horses than I care to remember.  Two summers ago, while riding, my horse decided to rear and I realized he was going over backward with me on if I didn't do something.  I let go, slid off over the back of the saddle landing on my back and hitting my head.  He came thudding down on the ground beside me.  I was lucky. I ended up with only a nasty bruise on the top of my thigh where I think his hoof may have caught me.  To this day, I still have and probably will always have a lump the size of a fifty cent piece on my thigh.  But that doesn't stop me from riding.  

I've even survived a total knee replacement and the grueling pain that goes with it.  Yet, here I am looking at this monster called a bike and I admit I am afraid.   I think I would rather fall off a horse.  It's farther to the ground and at least I have time to instinctively go limp, whereas with a bike, you're down fast.  No reaction time.

Of course, at 57 years of age, I'm not getting any younger, and probably don't heal as well anymore.  But come on, a bike!  Am a I really going to let a little ole bike get the best of me?  

For heavens sake......I'm not afraid of anything!  

Ummmm......well, I am afraid of snakes and worms and bugs.  Oh, and scary movies, and maybe things that go bump in the night, and .............purple and green monsters that resemble bicycles...........

Oh well....... never mind.......I AM a wimp!



 

TOO CLOSE OR NOT?

I readily admit I have personal space issues.  

Clearly I start to feel uncomfortable when someone I don't know gets within an arms' length of me.  My arm not theirs!  I don't know if the hair on the back of my neck actually raises or something else sets off an alarm in my mind.  Warning, warning.....unknown subject getting too close for comfort!!! 

Moving in closer than my arm's length and I begin to get upset with people's rudeness.  Caution, caution....stranger danger!

I realize that everyone has different lengths of personal space and I try to take that into consideration but I wonder, how close is close enough?  Also, I think there are different depths of personal space that are or are not appropriate.     Like when driving ones car, how close is comfortable when someone is behind you, maybe even tailgating, or their grocery cart is running over your toe?  Some violations are even unavoidable such as when you are stuffed in an airplane and the person next to you is hogging the armrests and his or her arm seems to be resting comfortably against yours!  YICK!!!  Get it off me!!!

Something that nearly puts me over the top often occurs in restaurants, mostly fast food or cafe types, is an employee sweeping the floor right next to me when I'm eating!!!!  EXCUSE ME!!!!   


Do they not realize they are stirring up dust and yuck and that people don't want that stuff in their food????  Or am I the only one that feels that way?  I try to talk myself out of getting upset over it or saying something rude or offensive to the sweeper.  I realize they are employees and have a job to do that someone a pay grade or two above them has said must be done, but really?  Right beside someone while they are eating?  I've even had them reach their broom or floor vac right under the very table I am eating at.  


I'm just suggesting that there might be other ways to accomplish this task for your demanding boss and still accommodate customers.  Like.....wait till the customer leaves and then sweep around that table maybe?  I'm sorry if this idea causes your chore to become a sort of patchwork sweep job doing sections of the restaurant rather than one big sweep.  And, yes it probably takes a bit longer to do it that way, but trust me, your customers will be happier and have enjoyed a peaceful meal.  At least I think they will?  Or is it just me that seems to be bothered by this??


Hmmm.....I suppose I could be sounding a bit odd, over the top or crazy right about now?!?!   Perhaps I should give my idiosyncrasies a once over and rethink my position.   Nah......I'm cool with this one!  


What about you?

HOOKIN' ON

This is a Sharon Perry pattern measuring 8X10.

Think I'm going to make this one into a pillow also!

A WALKER AND A RUNNER

Life sends us surprises when we least expect it.  Life also sends cherry pitts as well and that's typically the end of receiving that I'm on!

Today however, I went out for a walk to enjoy the beautiful Arizona sunshine.

As I strolled along a path I stopped to take in the gorgeous views when all of a sudden I heard something in the bush in front of me.  Not six feet away from me I found myself face to face with a Roadrunner.

He wasn't afraid of me at all and just stood there as if to say, "Well come on take my picture and get it over with".  I was so shocked I fumbled around for what seemed forever trying to get my phone out of my pocket.  Of course, the picture didn't take well and the elusive bird took off right after I snapped it.

He was so much larger than he looks in the photo.  His coloring and markings were unique I thought, but then I've never been that close to one of these rare birds before.  They used to be quite prolific in Arizona but now are unusual to see.   

Pretty excited to have been on the 'surprise' side of life today and not the 'pitts'!

CHANGE

I woke up yesterday morning to find my Blog in a mess.  My cute, free template from TCP was missing.  

To no avail, I worked on and off all day yesterday trying to get it back.  I couldn't even find the original brown antique looking wallpaper that I used when I first started my blog.  Evidently, Blogger must have changed something or....I am too technically challenged to fix it.....there is that!  


I don't take change well at all.  My stomach gets in knots, my shoulders find themselves up around my ears and headaches ensue.  Not usually over some thing so simple as this, but right now, I have other things in my life I am dealing with that cause these symptoms to occur.  So yep, I ended up with a headache trying to get my blog straightened out.  That's life. 


Anyway...on to something new.  I'm not sure I like my new look, it will take a while for me to adjust to it, that's for sure!

PROJECT COMPLETE!

TA DA!!!!

This is the first time I've ever turned one of my hookings into a pillow!!  

Can't believe I did it.

Ok, well.....to be honest........I had help.

 

This is my friend and neighbor Judy!

There are so many talented quilters and sewers here in our winter community but I am lucky to have one that is my buddy and lives next door.  She really made me do most of the pillow so I would learn but I was able to catch her at the machine getting me started.   

Judy is mostly a quilter and has this really neat cutting board and rotary cutter that I've never used before.

 

The ruler in the above picture latches onto the side of the board and the rotary cutter slides down the edge of the ruler giving an accurate straight edge.  

 

I think I might have to buy these goodies for myself!

HIPA SCHMIPA!!

Ok, exactly what is the point to that stupid HIPA law!  Or those signs posted at pharmacies that say "For privacy please wait behind this line".  Aside from signing the extra paperwork it causes, I do appreciate the Federal Government looking out for my privacy but I hate to tell them.......it's all a waste of time.

Today, as I stood waiting at the end of a long line in my local pharmacy/superstore, a young couple fell in behind me.   Now, normally this would not be a problem however, this couple chose to line up right on my back. A little space here please?!?!!  They apparently don't understand the universal code of body language either.   You know the one where the move goes like this:

1) person in front of you moves up a step or two and subtly looks back over their shoulder at you. 

Does that mean it is: 

a) your cue to step forward perfectly in sinc with the person in front of you.
or
b) BACK OFF BUD YOU'RE IN MY PERSONAL SPACE!

If you answered B, you are correct.  

Said couple however chose option A.  And they didn't get it when I repeated my body language maneuver a second time.


Said couple didn't get the next maneuver either.  That's the one where you shift your body a quarter turn, plant your feet and stare off into nothingness.  If you execute this move correctly your shoulder is now in contact with the front of the shirt on the person behind you!  That should send the message loud and clear right?  Nope, no go, not with these two!


At this point, not wanting to commit 'standing in line rage' (which, if you didn't know, is akin to road rage), I decided to turn around, face forward and concentrate on willing the line to move faster.  Yeah, like that's going to work!  


To make matters worse, the female of the couple is now on her cell phone and because of her close proximity, I can hear every word of the conversation.  In fact, I think I could almost hear what the person on the other end of the line was saying.  I learned WAY more than I wanted to know about 'said couple'.  I learned that their names were Jason and Lisa Barnes of xxx Royal Pines Lane in XXXX Arizona as well as their phone number, 555-xxxx.  (Names have been changed to protect the ignorant......ooops I mean innocent.  


I learned that Lisa was on the phone with a specialist trying to get Jason in on Monday to have two teeth extracted.  Yes, they had seen a regular dentist, Acme Dental and had the referral to the specialist in hand.  Yes they have dental coverage from, What's in a Name Insurance Company and she even provided the policy number right then and there in full earshot for me and probably a few other folks to hear.  


The icing on the cake though came when she told the person on the other end that poor Jason is allergic to Novocaine.  Could they pull the teeth without anything though he really doesn't want to feel anything but can do it without if that is the cheapest way to go.  SERIOUSLY!


Thankfully by then, it was my turn up at the counter and I had to leave behind the two squatters that had taken up residence on my back.  Hopefully all ends well for them and if they happen to read this (you know who you are!) maybe next time they will leave a little more personal space intact.


For me.....I'm going to get one of those signs that say, "For privacy please stay behind this line".  I think it will look great on my back don't you?