Tuesday, December 27, 2011

I guess winter is here ...

Well, it snowed today!  Pretty good, too.  We had to go to Terre Haute, and travel between Worthington and Shelburn was iffy with several cars in the ditch.  But when we got on U.S. 41 there it was AOK from there on in to TH.  If Wendell hadn't had to keep his appointment I think we might have called off that trip.  But it really went well.  Got some errands done and picked up a little extra present for Veronica at Nancy's Antique Mall.  Since we were ill our family Christmas was postponed until this weekend, so I have some bonus time for shopping.  Thankfully we are back to "normal" ... whatever that might be.

I have been enjoying going through some old family pictures, looking for some with my cousin or her family in them.  Of course you have to look through a lot of pictures to find what you're looking for, and that makes it fun.  Great memories!  I think I'll compile some for my sons.  I sure did put them into some awful outfits when they were kids and I think some of my friends would enjoy seeing those pix .....

Wendell & I have decided that if we hadn't bought a gallon of ice cream last week we would still be ill.  We've had a dish each evening and it has done wonders!  We're just about back to perfect health!  Ah, the wonder of chocolate!

Went to the UMW meeting tonight and our President forgot about it!  We are a small group so we called when she was 15 minutes late ... (She thought it was Monday all day today!  LOL!  Bless her heart!)  So we went ahead without her and did ok I guess.  We did a lesson, talked a little financial business, reported on our shopping trip for our Christmas children, and at the end of the meeting had a little fun.  One of the members, Barbara J., brought a HUGE bag of beautiful yarn donated to us for our new prayer shawl ministry by her sister-in-law.  So I brought some home to take with me to NM!   

Well, yesterday I started threading the heddles on my loom.  It is a very intensive job with much concentration involved.  If you skip a heddle, put two warp threads through one dent on the harp, not thread the proper harness (front, back, front, back, etc.), or fail to bring the warp threads through in the proper order, things get messed up.  I stopped OFTEN to run the treadles up and down and be sure I am threading it properly.  I have about 8" threaded with 22" more to go!  At the pace I worked yesterday it should take me about 6 more hours to finish.  I keep telling Wendell if I had a helper it would go faster but ..... (he's busy he says ...)  I don't know if I'll manage it but I would love to at least start a rug before we leave for New Mexico!  Wish me luck.  

More later about my 2011 new year resolutions and how I did ...  And what I have in store for 2012.  Keep warm!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

I may live ...

Back row: Don, Phyllis, Gale; Front row, me, Dave, Jane.  This was taken in the front yard at the farm where we lived, just north of Domestic, Indiana.  I won't say how long ago ... 


Well ... I don't know.   I think I am somewhat better.

Thanks for emailing, calling or sending word in other ways, wishing for our speedy recovery.  Actually Wendell is just about back to normal.  He went to Terre Haute yesterday for two doctor appointments, plus did some shopping; he had a pretty full day.  And he is eating just fine, so I think he is on the mend. 

Me on the other hand ... not so much.  I finally gave in and went to the NP yesterday a.m. because my stomach flu has morphed into sinisitus.  (What else is new ... every time I'm ill it is a sinus thingy ...)  Anyway ... I'm now into the second day of antibiotics and a new med he gave me for cough suppression which is working pretty well btw ... it is the weirdest looking pill ... a little round clear pill that is about the size of a pellet gun pellet.  Goes down easy!  (Hey ... I think I'm recoverying my sense of humor!)  When Gary said the magic word, "antibiotic", I pictured instant cure but then he went on to say not to expect that ...  Said it might take a few days but it should do the trick.  If I could just stop coughing I would feel 100% better!

So, our family Christmas was postponed to a later date ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these drugs work for me and that I'll be up and around in a few more days.  Heaven help Wendell if I'm not ... I think his days of "nursing" are numbered (I'm not a good patient).  He sort of cringes now when I say, "Honey ......"

On the plus side, I have been enjoying catching up with my cousin Jane via email!  We will do more of that when I get better.  Yesterday I went through my pictures and dug out some old ones of the family with her or her parents in them.  The one above is of some of us "cousins" ... enjoy.  And thanks again for asking about how we're doing.  Have a blessed Christmas, everyone.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A picture is worth a thousand words ...


This is what I've been up to lately ... Ya gotta laugh, right?

Not very often both of us are ill at the same time.  It is truly awful.  So far we've just had your typical stomach flu symptoms but I'm feeling a scratchy throat coming on ... great.  Started late Sunday ..  family Christmas is Saturday and I wonder if I'll be participating.  ARGH!  Pray for me ......

Sunday, December 11, 2011

"Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them" ...

After attending a couple Christmas gatherings lately, I decided that the title of this John Ortburg book was true.  You know, when you're at an open house or party, and you try to be social and circulate, and you sit down just to talk for a little while (you think), and someone really opens up to you for the first time?  You get to know them better.  (That is not always a good thing but sometimes it truly IS!)  Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with a guy that I would have never thought I had ANYTHING in common with.  Just a normal guy, husband of a friend, truck driver, quiet.  It is a real joy remembering the stimulating thoughts and ideas that we exchanged.  How often does that happen anymore?  Not often enough for me.  And makes me wish I "got out more".  Sometimes I miss living in Indy ...

Along the same lines, while visiting with Mother this week the chaplain stopped by our table while we were downstairs in the big living room for coffee.  He had just preached a funeral sermon for a 97-year-old woman who had meant a lot to him and he shared his story of her influence on his life.  Not a preachy sort of discussion, but a really good story about how she helped direct his life just by how she lived her life.  Having two stimulating conversations in one week is a good thing.

I had a wonderful surprise this a.m. when I got an email from my cousin Jane.  We had been out of touch.  She lives in Florida so we don't get to see each other anymore.  Christmas must be coming ... good things are happening!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

We got the loom warped!!!!!


Here it is, warped! YEAH!
We cranked on enough to do about 20 yards of rug(s).
Next I have to thread the heddles and harp.
I'll save that for another day ........



We worked out our own "tensioning" system with these clips, crowding the spools together. It worked perfectly! Not only was the loom given to me, but a wonderful weaver/friend gave me his old spool rack! (Thank you, Paul!)


This shows the warp thread being fed onto the sectional warping beam ...



Place cards Veronica & I made for Thanksgiving dinner ...


I feel a real sense of accomplishment today. After much talking the job to death, and with the help of Wendell, we finally tackled the job of warping the loom yesterday afternoon. Really, we intended to do it Monday but kept putting it off. Yesterday we actually went into town and fiddled around a few places, putting it off, before we went home and just got er' done! (Thanks to Denise at Worthington Antiques for once again letting us visit her loom and ask MORE questions.) I took the pictures above during the warping process ...

BTW ... we had a great family Thanksgiving with all of our little family here. There are only six of us total so we are small but mighty! We actually put the leaf in the table for this special dinner; that doesn't happen often ... The weather was so-so on "the day". The really nice day was Friday, so at least the kids had a nice day for travel. Veronica and I made place cards for everyone's place at the dinner table, did some beading, and flew kites. The guys got a new/used bumper on Jeff's truck in the afternoon, and we did a lot of eating in there, too. Played Uno and did some geocaching for a couple hours just before sunset. Yes, we packed a lot into a short period of time ... ( Picture of our place cards above.)

I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving Day, too. God bless...