One Step Forward...

This is where I was when last I worked on my bluebird embroidery. If I recall correctly, I set it aside in November so I could get busy with Christmas projects. I brought my stand downstairs so I could stitch in natural light streaming in the dining room windows. I set up my magnifier, threads, and tools, and set about stitching. I stitched for nearly three hours, taking it easy before my work shift last night.

This was the area I was working on. Three hours of embroidery and at around 2 pm I sat back to critique my progress. I realized the colors I'd put into this area (similar to the male out of view above) was too bright. The female is the one flying into the image, and her colors need to be more drab than the male's.

Soooooo, I spent the next hour unstitching my work. When I was finished, she looked nearly like this again. One step forward...two steps back. It's okay. I'd much rather remove threads now than forge ahead and be unhappy in the end.

I'll work on her again today, but I've chosen some different colors. I'll settle back in and see how it goes, and then share what I accomplish on Monday. 

Have a great weekend! 

Well, That's Disappointing...

Web Image from imgflip.com

Handsome had a doctor's appointment first yesterday morning, and then we headed right to my MRI appointment an hour away. Once there, the tech came out and asked if I had the controllers for my Interstim unit so they could be sure it was turned off.

Have I told you this story before? Please stop me if you've already heard it. I had an Interstim unit installed in my upper hip/lower back in 2022 as part of the treatments for the bladder issues that we refer to as "The Troubles". (I know I've told that story). Fast forward to 2024...

I began having heart palpitations, and I knew the Interstim wasn't doing its job no matter how many times I changed the settings. As I sat having yet another episode of palpitations, it occurred to me that the Interstim might be to blame, so I completed shut it down. The palpitations stopped. Just to be sure, I turned it back on two weeks later, and the palpitations started up again. 

I don't know whether or not you've ever had palpitations (or AFIB), but it's not pleasant. I turned the Interstim off for good in June and haven't turned it back on since.

In January of 2025, I contacted my dear Uro/gyno who I knew was scheduled to retire and we discussed the issue with the Interstim. (For the record, he wasn't the doctor who installed it.) I told him I'd searched the internet and was unable to find this as a side effect of the unit in my hip. 

He explained that the lead meant to help with the bladder issues might be too close to the vagus nerve, and that would cause the heart issue. I told him I hadn't had the thing on for months now, and wanted to know if he could remove it. He informed me that he'd already relinquished his surgery privileges in anticipation of retiring, but he trusted his partner to accomplish the task. 

I made an appointment to see his partner (after Handsome returned home from Florida). He told me he'd consulted with my favorite doc, and read my voluminous file. He was now familiar with my trials and tribulations. He agreed the Interstim should come out. As I'd had the thing turned off for so long, I left the controllers with him and made the surgical appointment (which is next week).

In the meantime, my clumsy arse twisted this knee causing what is suspected to be a torn meniscus. Hence the reason for the MRI. However, when we were called to go in for the test at the hospital yesterday, the tech requested the controllers for the Interstim because they needed to confirm it was off. I explained it was, but that the controllers were with my uro-gynecologist and the unit is being removed next week.

They went in the back, made some phone calls to the manufacturer, and were told they would have to reset it to "MRI MODE". As that wasn't possible without the controllers, they couldn't do the MRI on my knee yesterday. I wasn't upset, and said I completely understood. I mean, when I turned over the controllers, who would have thought I would need a test requiring them before the unit was removed? What would they have done had it been a medical emergency, I wonder?

Well, we cancelled the MRI for now, and I contacted the orthopedist's office to cancel the appointment I was supposed to have post MRI, explaining why. 

I'll have my surgery next week to remove all the bits and pieces associated with the Interstim, give myself time to heal the incision(s), and then reschedule the MRI. The ladies who would have performed the test told me that if scheduling puts it too far out on the calendar, I can call them directly and they'll squeeze me in sooner. So, there's that.

Handsome and I trudged back to the truck to drive home, but not before a well-needed side trip for lunch, which, for me included a vanilla malt with extra powder. I was hungry and being fed helped me feel better, plus I managed a little nap on the way home. Once inside, more Tylenol™, elevating my feet, adding a little heat ,and a lovely cuppa tea delivered by my Handsome was just what I needed. I'll set my sights on next week. One (careful) step at a time...

March Artist Trading Card Exchanges...

Treasures March Artist Trading Card Exchanges

There may be one card missing from this lot, but these are the cards I received for last month. The theme was "Shamrock", and I think each and every one was a unique endeavor by all the artists. I love them all! 

As I'm sure each recipient has come to know my style, I'm becoming more familiar with each of theirs, too. I think they're all fun and creative, and are great additions to my collection.

My April Artist Trading Card

I was really late getting my cards out last month, so I decided to get busy early this month. I finished them yesterday, and they're in the mailbox now to go out to the trade recipients.

The first thing I did was search out an image that I thought would best exemplify our April theme: "Rain". I purchased this sweet bunny artwork from VintageArtRealm on Etsy. I knew I was going to add raindrops, so I first affixed the image (printed on cotton fabric) to the base fabric, using a shimmering Madeira thread. Then, I used a holographic thread from Kreinik to make stitches above the umbrella. Each stitch is anchored with a sparkling bead.

All my cards are in addressed envelopes and will be heading to the swap participants today. Now that this project is complete, I think I'm going to turn my focus to my bluebird embroidery. It's about time, don't you think?

I have my MRI and doctor's appointment today, so I may not be embroidering today. I know there won't be the stress that I had with the other one, but I may just choose to take it easy when I get home. We'll see. Either way, I have a feeling you'll see an image of my bluebird embroidery tomorrow...just to remind you what I'm going to be dancing with next.

Fungi...

Image property of Sophie Wheatley

I belong to the Felted Fungi Club curated by Sophie Wheatley from the UK. These are some of the designs she offers in her club. I've belonged for a while, and have learned many great techniques from her. However, I've yet to actually create one of her fungi designs myself...so far.

My list is long, I know, but after I finish the bluebirds (no, I haven't forgotten them), then I'll play with one of these designs.

I had a really great day at work yesterday. We got a lot accomplished, and that's always rewarding. My knees held up well until after I got in the truck at the end of my shift. Handsome dropped me off and picked me up late afternoon. I was tired and a little sore. It's okay, though. I'll rest today and work on getting my April artist trading cards done so I can share them with you. So, if you're looking for me, I'll be sitting in my studio.

A Gift For A Friend...

I was recently browsing on Instagram and came across a lovely Protection Pocket on a page belonging to @marielle. I really liked it and shared it with a few friends. My sister, Di's best friend, Brenda commented on how much she loved it. 

@marielle "Hope's Protection Pocket"

Sorry for the blurry photograph. The original image was on a video, and I screen capped it after Brenda commented about it. I just want to be sure that no one thinks I'm taking credit for an original idea that belongs to another.

Brenda had surgery yesterday, so I sat down and created my version of the pocket to send to her with get well wishes. Rather than a bird charm, I used a vintage bird pin with the pin back removed. I've also tucked a small heart charm into the heart pocket for her. Of course, I added my signature acorn charm to the back.

It's going out in today's post and will wing its way to Minnesota for her. I sure hope she loves it.

Today's my work day, so I'm going to go get ready. Another busy week on the calendar. I'm sure this week, as usual will simply whistle by. Yippee. See you tomorrow!

Sweet As A Daisy...

I had all sorts of suggestions for my future spool animals, so I started Saturday night. Meet "Daisy the Skunk"!

I told this story on Facebook, but I want to share it here, too. When I was a preschooler, my Dad - who was also a college student/veteran with two daughters and a wife - owned a pet shop in Stevens Point. We had lots of fish in aquariums, budgies (like parakeets), and even a pet monkey. 

I've heard stories of how I fell into a salt water tank (right after a fish delivery, no less) and needed stitches above my eye. I also had to have my young stomach pumped because I'd eaten a container of water purification tablets (chlorine). Not too bright then, I guess. The monkey tried to pull out my mum's long hair in a fit of pique, and when someone asked me  what my name was and where I lived, I'd reply, "Donna Uby, Budgie Shop". (My maiden name was Newby, but hey. I was only about three.)

So, among other critters, Dad also had a de-scented skunk he named "Daisy". My grandparents lived on a the south side of Stevens Point, and I vividly remember our family visiting them with Daisy in tow. Somehow she got loose, so Dad went out looking for her. My grandparents lived near a dump, so naturally, Dad headed that way. 

When he saw Daisy, he was so happy. He ran up to her and scooped her up. Thing is...that wasn't Daisy. He got sprayed...a lot...and came back to the house, stinking to high heaven. Mum, my sister and I all squealed at the smell, and Grandma flatly refused to let him in the house to take a shower. She made him strip down outside and handed him a big container of tomato juice. I don't think we ever saw Daisy again, but Dad managed to get back into Grandma's graces after a tomato bath. This is my little tribute to Dad's little skunk...the one that didn't smell. 

I have more animals on my list now, but this is the only one I did this weekend. I also completed Bobbi's travel sewing case which shipped today, but I'm not going to share photographs of it until I know it's in her hands. (I sure hope she loves it!)

Sunday Scripture...

 

1 Samuel 16:7

I'm Still Here...

Daisies From Last Summer

I'm sorry for another tardy submission. Here's the skinny on my day yesterday. Let me begin by saying if anyone ever offers you a recreational "EMG", please feel free to turn it down. I'm glad I didn't do any internet research prior to the procedure, because it wasn't fun.

I'm not afraid of needles unless they're the huge, hollow type, so that wasn't the issue. The needles involved were comparable to those used in acupuncture - which I found helpful and quite enjoyed when we lived in Florida. However, they were soon attached to electrodes to ascertain whether or not I had nerve damage in my left knee. 

Each time the doctor engaged the electricity, I flopped around like a fish out of water. I tolerated that well until he got to the area where I injured myself. I ended up in tears. The great news is that there is no nerve damage. This doctor suspects soft tissue damage, which aligns with the orthopedic doctor's suspicion of a torn meniscus. That will be confirmed (or denied) when I have the MRI on the 10th.

Once it was all over, my dear husband helped me back into my sweats (I had to wear shorts for the procedure), and he took me home.

We walked in the back door to the farmhouse around 9:15 am, I took two (dr. approved) Tylenol; went upstair;, changed clothes and went to bed. I nearly instantly fell asleep and didn't move until around 1:30 pm. 

My gallant white knight stayed close while I showered, and then helped me put on my socks (I could handle the rest of my clothes), and I got dressed for my three-hour shift feeling 1000% better. He even made ham and eggs with toast for me so I'd have some nourishment before going to work. Two more Tylenol and it was off to the store.

He was there right on time to bring me home, and I had two fish dinners in tow so neither of us would need to cook. After dinner, I went back upstairs to bed, watched a little television and went to sleep. Just what this body needed after a strenuous appointment.

I'm feeling so much better today, so I'm not going to overdo anything. I'm planning to sit in the living room and make a few more spoolies. Your suggestions here and in the Brynwood Needleworks Facebook group have been written down, and I'll work through the list. I'll share my completed critters on Monday.

I hope you have a restful, peaceful, love-filled weekend. Of one thing I'm absolutely sure...Love is best shown when someone you care for needs it most. It's shown through unselfish acts of kindness and concern. How you treat them (or are treated) exemplifies the depth of affection. Handsome shows me every day just how much he loves me. I pray every day to be equal to it.

Thank you to everyone who left comments yesterday. You shared your concern for me, and I'm so grateful.

See you Monday!

Sorry. No Post Today...

 

I have tests on my knees an hour and a half from home...at the crack of dawn. I re-injured my knee yesterday, so I'm kind of miserable right now. I hope you don't mind too much. I'll be back tomorrow. 

 

Meet Ursa...

It snowed two days ago and was downright cold until late last night. The wind is still blowing, but the air is warmer. Perhaps we'll have a nice weekend (or not), but I wanted to share my latest spoolie with you. I've come to enjoy quietly sitting with my supplies after dinner, just so I can create something cute from Handsome's or my ideas.

Last night, I created a polar bear because Handsome loves bears. I figured a polar bear would be appropriate for this goofy weather. When I completed "Ursa", Handsome suggested I add a tiny bottle of coke or a seal (think Coca Cola ads), so I added a pet for Ursa...a little seal to keep him company.

I handed this pair to Handsome once completed and he allowed as how each new one brings out a smile on his face. I really like that, so I'll likely continue my evening pastime of creating little spool animals. Which animal do you think I should make next?

Tag's Brother, Trip...

Tag's brother, Trip on the left, and Tag on the right.

This post is long overdue, but was set aside during my anniversary giveaway week. I didn't want to wait any longer to share it with you. 

I only know one of the other puppies from Tag's litter. That's his brother, Trip who went to live with our dear friends, Doug and Marion in Michigan. I've written about them before, sharing photographs of us together in Florida, Michigan, and then here at the farmhouse after we moved back to Wisconsin. 

Marion and I frequently shared conversations about our two lowriders, comparing notes about their personalities and antics. Even after Tag left us, she would tell me stories about Trip with their old Labrador, Nicky - and after Nicky's passing - their new Lab mix, Gibbs.

Trip went on walkabout when he was young and was hit by a car in their neighborhood. The only lasting injury from that accident was that he became deaf. As many Corgis prefer not to listen anyway (at least that was true with Tag), it didn't seem to bother him after he got used to it. He was living a happy life with the best family.

Marion grieved with me when Tag lost control of his back legs and we knew it was his time. They've been in our place before, having to make that hardest, most unselfish decision, so they knew what we went through.

Trip Walter

In mid-March this year, I had a phone conversation with Marion. Trip was having a harder time getting around and she felt his time was getting toward "his time". She repeated that she never dreamed Trip, with new health issues in his later years would outlive Tag, but here we were.

On March 22nd, I received a text. All it said was, "It's done". I knew she wouldn't be up for an immediate call, so we texted back and forth for a while through tears, promising to talk on the phone when she was ready. When she called about a week later, hoping that she and I could talk without crying, she told me that - just like Tag - he just completely lost control of his back legs. 

While many people with dogs that face this issue put them into wheeled carts so they can walk and run using their front legs, that's just something that Marion, our spouses and I agreed we'd never do with our dogs. They both became incontinent with their condition, so we both saw the downside of them using the carts. The agonizing decision was made to let Trip go. He lived just past a year longer than my boy. 

We ended our conversation in tears, and promised to talk again soon about other things. My comfort is two-fold. One, that our brothers are playing together again, and two, that we have great faith that we'll see them when it's our time. I've said more than once, "If my dogs (and all pets) aren't going to meet me in Heaven, then I ain't going".

So, dammit, here I am in tears again as I write this post. People who know me, know that I miss my boy every day. Every day. The tears and emotion are never far from the surface, so it's no surprise that I'm bawling again. I guess that's a good thing, right? I loved him so much, that my grief is an expression of the depth of my love. Tomorrow would have been Tag's fourteenth Birthday. I promise to remember him, but I won't be writing about him tomorrow. I wouldn't do that to you two days in a row. I'll write about something creative instead. He'd understand.

Sorry if you're in tears, too, as you read this. Honestly it wasn't my intention. I only wanted to honor the life and loss of his brother. Run free, Trip. I hope you and Tag (and the rest of your litter who may be with you) snuggle up every night and wait for us at The Bridge. Until then, know you're loved and missed.

I'm taking a deep breath now and pulling myself together. I worked my six hours yesterday, but Handsome and I went back to work after 8 pm last night. There was an incident after I clocked out that left the cashier on the night shift rattled. We only live three miles away, so we decided to go back up and stay at the store with her until her shift was over.

My boss had told me if I did that to clock back in, and I don't feel right clocking in for two hours without doing anything, so I worked scrubbing in the kitchen. (As an aside: When I saw the doctor this week, he put me on medication to help my knee.) 

I tackled the food warmer and the pans that needed to be cleaned from the day's use sparkling clean. As I was banging metal pans around in the stainless sink, Handsome came in and said, "You know why you're doing this, right?" I said, "Sure. I can't just sit still on the clock." He laughed and replied, "No. It's the prednisone." I laughed. I hadn't realized it, but I guess he was right. Steroids can really amp you up. At least that's what's happened to me. Also, unlike many, rather than making me hungry. They take away my appetite. I just get busy.

Anyway, the rest of the evening was uneventful, except that the weather turned crappy and we ended up coming home in a driving snowstorm that turned to high winds and rain beating against the farmhouse overnight. Gotta love Wisconsin springs.

Thanks for reading this far today. I admit it's kind of a roller coaster ride. Today, I'm going to finish up the last of the giveaway gifts that have yet to be posted. These last few will mail tomorrow, so if you haven't received yours yet, you will soon. I'm going to have a coffee now, and get my act together. Talk about a Hump Day!

Beginner Goldwork Kits From The Crafty Heart...

 

I admit when I saw this kit priced as a BOGO deal on Facebook, I was a little leery about whether or not it was a real deal. So, I did a little digging and found that The Crafty Heart has an online shop and they appeared legit, so I took a chance.

I know it's a beginner's goldwork kit, but just to get the class supplies for one kit was worth the $29.99 price tag. Two for that price was even more reasonable. 

The only thing I didn't see was that it was a direct ship from China, even though the shop is in the US. The company said they ship in one to three days, and they kept their word. I received shipping information with a tracking number and could follow the package from ship point to destination, with all the steps in between.

The kits arrived yesterday, and they're everything they advertised they were. Two kits, each containing a printed fabric, a cutting/framing template, a sturdy hoop, all goldwork materials, and a card with a QR code to get directions.

I'm very happy with my purchase, and if anyone would like a kit of their own - or one of the other kits they offer - you can click HERE to check out their offerings. As usual, I'm in no way compensated for this review.

Doctor's appointment went well. I have two tests to confirm what the doctor suspects - that I tore my meniscus in the knee, with the added bonus of some nerve damage. We'll know for sure when I see him (post tests) on the 10th. Until then, I have a course of prednisone that he hopes will offer some pain relief. Fingers crossed.