More Kitchen Cleaning

Today I have been cleaning in the kitchen again.  Today I cleaned off the side cabinet top with the bookcase on it.  I wish I could say that the kitchen is as clean as it was but it is not quit there but it is not too bad.  A little more work and the counters can be totally cleaned again and I need to cover some more magazine boxes and the table will be cleaned off again.  The floor needs to be swept and scrubbed again.  I'm doing better that I ever had in the past. 

Here is a picture of the cabinet and shelf.

     Looks good, doesn't it? 

 

Rose

Essential Oil update

I am a bit of a sceptic about the value of essential oils but am willing to give it a try.  My goal here is to document what I do and the effects I see from it.  I have been taking the Live Long Vitality Supplements for around 3 weeks now.  I also took the PB Assist +.  I have also been using Lavender and White Fur oil on my feet at bedtime.  Sometimes I drink the Wild Orange oil in water.  I have also tried the Peppermint oil in water. 

I started out only taking 1 pill twice a day of the supplements and one PB Assist+ once a day and after about a week I doubled it to the recommended amounts.  The first thing I noticed was that I only pooped 2-3 times a day and it was more solid than liquid.  This is a great improvement.  But...I bloated severely and had a lot of fluid retention.  I could not wear the jeans I have been wearing and had to get out the jeans that are 2 sized larger than usual. At first the scale did not show any weight gain but then showed a 5-6 pound gain.  Several days later the scale showed my weight back down plus 1-2 pounds less that at the start. Dana had me use the peppermint on my tummy twice a day.  I only did this a couple times but the bloating improved.  I have run out of the PB Assist+, which is a probiotic.  The first thing I noticed is that the poop was 3-5 times a day and more liquid but not as bad as before starting any of this.  I am going to finish the Live Long Vitality Supplement and take the GX Assist first then follow that with another round of PB Assist+.  My understanding is the GX will work to get rid of the bad bacteria and the PB is to replace the good bacteria. 

Now let's talk about the oils.  I do not really like the scent of the Lavender but understand it is to help with calming and sleep.  The White Fir is to help with the muscle and joint discomfort.  My hopes it that it will help calm the aches from the fibromyalgia.  I do not know if it has helped that but I was in a mild flare-up when I started using it.  But I did notice that I sleep longer at a time.  Instead of waking up every 3-4 hours, going to the bathroom and getting a drink to then go back to sleep, I sleep 6-8 hours straight.  Boy, do I need to go to the bathroom when I wake up!  I have even slept 10 hours at one time a couple of nights.  If it is the Lavender or if it is from less discomfort from using the White Fir, I am not sure, but I will keep using these at bedtime.

I like the Wild Orange oil mixed with my drinking oil.  I like the flavor and can refill my glass once or twice and still have some of the flavor remaining in the glass and water.  I tried the peppermint oil in water once and liked it but it was really strong.  My mouth actually felt fresh and cool but felt a but of a burning sensation for about 30 minutes.  Either I need to put it in more water at a time or suck it up and enjoy the sting. 

I want to try the Lemon Oil in water.  I read so many benefits of drinking lemon water.  I also would like to try the Deep Blue to assist with the Fibro pain. 

That should be enough to try for now.  I'll keep you updated on how it is going.

Rose

Essential Oil Experiment

I have been curious about the benefits of essential oils.  I have been doing some reading and found out that my niece is a doTerra essential oil dealer. I just did not know where to begin.  A week ago she took me to the spa to have my hand scanned to see what was all out of whack in my body.  There were 36 of 76 out of line-22 PB Assist, 8 White Fir, 5 (I can't remember and can't find my sheet), 1 Cleary Sage.  That is better than I thought and none of them were for obesity.  Most of it was for gut issues and some for muscle and connective tissue issues.  That makes sense since I have had diarrhea several times a day for several years (supposedly side effects to some of my medications) and I have fibromyalgia.  Today I got my order from Dana.  I got the Lifelong Vitality (that must have been my 5 number), PB Assist, Peppermint Oil, White Fir Oil, Wild Orange Oil for a total bill of $224.01. 

I began by taking the pills tonight with my evening meal.  I am supposed to take 2 pills twice a day but to start with 1 pill twice a day with meals of the Lifelong Vitality and 1 pill three times a day with meals but will start with 1 pill twice a day with meals. These are to help with the gut issues and organ cleansing.  I am to use two drops of the White Fir on each foot at bedtime for the muscle and connective tissue (fibro) issues.  I got the Wild Orange to put in my water that is to help with fluid retention, depression, and lymphatic system. I read a year or two ago about adding Wild Orange and Lemon EO to water to help drink more water and quit drinking soda pop.  I got the Peppermint Oil because it is supposed to help keep spiders, insects and mice out of your home when you mix it with water and spray around doors and windows.  After all the trouble we have had here the past six months with mice I wanted to give it a try.  I have not had mice for 2 months now and am so grateful but will try this in hopes to keep them out. 

Now I must admit I am a bit of a sceptic about this but am willing to give it a try.  My goal is to try it and journal about my experiences here.  You can quit reading now if you do not want to know some personal bodily issues.  I mentioned diarrhea.  It was so bad that every time I used the restroom I had more liquid poo than urine.  Doctors have told me it is side effects from medications.  After changing doctors I am now off several of the meds.  It has helped some. I actually have gas sometimes without worrying I am making a mess. 

I had to quit working full time because of severe stress, anxiety and panic attacks as well as uncontrolled blood pressure and blood sugar and fibromyalgia with chronic fatigue syndrome.  In the 9 years since I quit the blood pressure and blood sugar are both much better controlled.  Those are the medications I have been able to decrease.   Anxiety and depression are better most of the time.  When I get too much going on at once or I get over stimulated I have anxiety and panic issues.  I can't sleep, I dream of whatever activity I've been involved with over and over that just won't quit, I get really crabby at people and feel mad at the world.  There is so much more but I won't explain that more at this time.  When I get stressed or overdo in activity I have much more pain and fatigue from the fibro.  When I feel good I seem to do all I can and then I have over done and hurt and feel wiped out and all I can do is rest (if I am not too restless).  I feel so drained and fatigued that I feel I can hardly lift my arms and all my muscles feel like they are made of cement.  My brain does not always click.  When someone talks to me I just can't seem to put what they are telling me all together in my brain to understand.  I feel like there is a glass wall in front of me blocking the information from reaching me.  I hate the muscle aches.  I ache all the time, just more at some times.  My lower legs, ankles and feel ache all the time and my legs hurt to lay on my side with one leg on top of the other.  The knees hurt where they touch.  The aches are here, there and everywhere but not always in the same place.  There are times that shower water hurts as it hits my body, my legs feel like I have a severe sunburn, my feet feel like I have hot needles poking me and then the knife stabs and severe cramps hit.  I just want to cry and begin to feel so negative as much as I try to stay positive. At these times I try to hide in my house and not associate with others so I don't hurt them by my grumpiness.  All this only helps contribute to the depression but Zoloft helps tremendously. 

My hopes are that the essential oils may help deal with some of these issues if nothing else but to help lift my mood.  I'll keep you posted on what I think of them.

Rose

My View

Looking out my front door
Across the corral and through the pasture
Cattle crowning the top of the hill
Spread out to eat their hay and cane.
How much better can it get?
I love living in the country
On the family farm!

Craft classes at the Oberlin City Library

The Oberlin City Library has been offering craft classes that have been so much fun to attend.  The first one I went to was Crochet Rag Rugs.  I know how to crochet very basic and this fit the bill.  You tear old sheets or clothing or fabric into strips, tie them together, then crochet with a basic single crochet.  I used a flat king size sheet that had stripes running from top to bottom in a few repeats on a white background.  I tore the sheet from side to side.  This created color splotches throughout and looks like confetti when it is crocheted.  This rug is made from just one sheet.  It is a little slick on the wood floor so I put it on the carpet in the living room in front of the TV. 










The second class I took was Pine Needle Baskets.  I got pine needles from branches Ron had trimmed around their house in Wichita.  I pulled needles from the branches and soaked them in water for a week.  Using these green pine needles and hemp twine I made this little ring/earring basket.  It sits on the shelf in the bathroom.  Now I do not have earrings scattered all over the counter.

Then I attended a class to upcycle magazine boxes.  The library had a lot o magazine boxes that they no longer use.  We took them and using craft paper, scrapbooking paper, and wallpaper to cover them.  There are so many uses for them besides keeping magazines. The green one I made holds crochet edge baby receiving blankets.  The red one is just sitting and looking pretty right now while the blue one has bottles of lotion, shower gel, scrubs, etc. sitting on my bedroom vanity table.  I also covered a couple cracker boxes with the blue paper into pretty baskets for little bottles.  It sure makes my table look more organized. 


I have learned a new skill, used a known skill in a different way and just had some good crafty fun.  I have enjoyed these classes so very much.  I look forward to more classes.  Next week I will take a calligraphy class and a crochet class.  They also have a Stampin' Up Card making class the last Friday of every month.  I have made friends with some sweet ladies that have a lot of the same interests as I do.  After the classes most of us go out for lunch together. It has been fun.  Jeannie has resigned as director of the Oberlin City Library but I (selfishly) hope that this type of activities will continue.  I wish we could do something like this at the Selden Library but I do not know people in our community to know what talent is there.  It seems hard enough to just get activities for the summer reading program.  Maybe I'll think on this for a while.

Rose

Tempting Spring

The last couple days have been tempting spring.  It was in the mid 70's and no real wind.  BEAUTIFUL!! I love it.  I opened the windows and my house warmed up.  Yesterday I worked some in the garage and went through a trash can that has been full of things from my garage at the house in Colby.  8 years and it has been sitting outside under the eves of the garage.  It contained some paint and stain as well as my camping lantern and several propane bottles.  I threw the paint away since it was dried up, laid the stain on the work bench and put the bottles in a bucket to have Dad look at them to see if they are ruined or not.

This afternoon I decided to try the recipicating saw I got at Harbor Freight last summer.  I needed to cut a landscape timber to finish out the border around the flower garden around the house. I did it-all-by-myself.  The saw worked really good and I had no trouble with it.  I think I can do more projects that I have in mind by using this saw.  I'm getting excited to do some fun projects.   I may need to trim the one board depending on what I end up doing with the downspout drain.  The rabbits have been eating the plastic on the drain so I may need to do something different there.


Now that the border is finished, I need to put mulch around the bush on the corner of the house.  My 4-wheeler is out of gas and the gas hose on the tank is broken.  The little trailer that I can pull with the 4-wheeler is in the barn full of wood Dad has cut to use for shelves.  The mulch has been dumped in the big garden area across the drive.  I decided to put together my dumping garden wagon I got at Christmas in Wichita at Northern Tool.  I decided I'd try to put the wagon together myself instead if waiting for Dad to help me.  I need to learn to do more projects myself. 

I did it, twice.  I read the instructions and looked at the pictures for more detail.  I'd put something together then when I was ready for the next step, I'd have turn something around or upside down or backwards.  I started out sitting on the porch step to work on this.  The first thing that happened was I dropped a screw and washer and it was lost in the dead grass that is covering the sidewalk.  I was lucky that I did find it.  This happened several times.  The unit was pulled one way, slid another way, turned on end, turned over, fall on me.  Before I was done I was kneeling on the sidewalk, sitting on the grass in the yard, laying over the porch.  I was covered with dead grass and dirt and my hands looked like I had worked in the shop.  I need to work harder to not swear when something happens.  I need more patience and less frustration.  It is like working with my father but I do not swear as much or as bad as he does.  I will have to repent tonight in my prayers.  I had Dad look it over to make sure I had it done right before tightening the lock nuts.  I did it right.   This builds my confidence in my handyman abilities.  Overall, the project went together well.  Now I do not know where to store it since my garage is full.  I really do not want to leave it outside in the sun, wind, rain, snow and ice. 

Now that the wagon is put together, I am too tired to pick up mulch and put it in the flower bed.  It is a good thing that the next few days are also supposed to be nice. 

Are we having an early spring or are we being teased before another big blast of winter?

Rose 

Kitchen is clean

I know this is not a big deal to most of you but it is a really BIG deal to me.  I have had so much trouble with mice and my cabinets were a mess.  I took everything out of all the cabinets, scrubbed them, washed everything that was inside and put it all back in organized.  All my cabinets are clean and organized.  All my counter tops are clear and the kitchen table is clean.  I pulled out the stove and cleaned behind it and plugged all holes in the kitchen that I could find.  I swept and scrubbed the floor also.  It looks so nice.  I have not had any mice for 3 weeks and the kitchen is still clean.  I am actually proud of myself. 

Today I began organizing recipes.  I put each of my favorite recipes that I actually cook with on my Evernote app.  I can access it through the desktop, laptop, and the cell phone.  I will have them with me all the time.  I have cleaned out a lot of the paper recipes that have been torn out of magazines that I have never made and doubt I will ever make.  I still have a lot of papers but most of them are organized into file folders by category.  I have all those along with the cookbooks in the side cupboard that Allen built in the kitchen.  It is all contained in one area and can not be seen normally. 

Over the weekend, my brother, Kevin, helped Dad to put a heat/ac register in my kitchen.  I have not had a vent in the kitchen since we put in the new furnace and central air conditioner 5 years ago.  They put it in front of the dishwasher and it looks good.  I am excited to have the air (especially a/c in the summer) in the kitchen. The wood stove has always kept the kitchen plenty warm but it is still hot in there in the summer.  Not any more.  Kevin told me he swept the kitchen floor for me to clean up the mess they made during the project.  Thank you.  Then he tells me there is a lot of mouse poop under the dishwasher but he could not find a shop vac to clean it up.  I do not have a shop vac so one of these days I will need to get the one out of the shop and do some more cleaning. 

Here are some pics of the before and after in my "new" kitchen.  I just could not show you the very gross inside the lower cabinets.  The mouse tracks and holes were just too disgusting and embarrassing to share.

                                              Before                                                         After

            

     

     

 Three-four weeks after getting the kitchen from this before to this after, I am pleased to announce that it still looks this good!!

Rose

Kitchen counters

As a way to get my house decluttered and cleaned I have started following this Facebook group and trying to work along. I have tried to follow Flylady.com but have not stuck with it very well. If you know me, you know that my kitchen counters and table are always cluttered.  I do not do a lot in the kitchen.  I hope that when I get this done that I will keep up with it and maybe even cook a little more.  This first week focus is the kitchen counters.  I will post a few pictures as I complete tasks.  This is my accountability.

 

Kitchen East Counter (Before) This looks normal for my kitchen.

 

Kitchen East Counter (After) Have you ever seen this counter top this clean?

West side of kitchen (Before) My kitchen is such a mess.

West Kitchen Counter (After) This is good for me.

 What do you think?  Sure I still have the table and floors to work on but next week when we do the cabinets, I am ahead of the game on the west side of the kitchen. 

2015 Goals

I am setting up 2015 goals which is based on projects I did not get done during 2014 and the regular household and spiritual goals for each year. 

 --Unfinished Quilting & Sewing Projects--
1.  Quilt Off-Set Blocks quilt
2.  Quilt Storm at Sea quilt
3.  Quilt Garden quilt
4.  Quilt Garden quilt wall hanging
5.  Finish Hand Quilting Embroidered Baskets wall hanging
6. Quilt Embroidered Flowers Quilt

 --New Quilting and Sewing Projects--
1.  Island Sunset Paper Pieced Quilt
2.  Camping Appliqué wall hanging
3.  Harvest Moon wall hanging


  --Household--
1.  Clean and organize storage in basement
2.  Clean and organize bedroom & closet 
3.  Clean and organize laundry room
4.  Clean and organize mud room
5.  Clean and organize kitchen cabinets 
6.  Clean and organize sewing room/office
7.  Clean bathtub
8.  Install shower surround
8.  Seal bathroom window
9.  Vacuum or wash curtains
10.  Wash windows inside and outside


  --Spiritual--
1.  Read scriptures daily (Note: I have not missed a day in 2 years now)
2.  Pray daily
3.  Attend church services and meetings weekly
4.  Attend temple 2 times (if not more) 
5.  Journal in a jar topics
6.  Work of family history
7.  Family search indexing
8.  Read monthly Ensign magazine

--Physical--
1. Exercise 2 days a week
2. Drink more water
3. Drink less pop
4. Cut sugar intake
5. Lose 15 pounds
6. Cut down medications

Once again I do not expect to accomplish every goal but do want to work on each one.  I want to be a better person, do more, waste less time. 

2015 will be a great year.  I am looking forward to it.

Rose

2014 Household and Spiritual Goal Review

The year is finished and I want to review my progress on the goals I set at the first of the year.  I had set daily routines and have followed them some but not completely.  I do it for a while but then something comes up and I get busy with other things and let it all go.  Below are the goals I set and are ready for review.

Goals:
  --Household--
1.  Clean and organize storage in basement
2.  Clean and organize bedroom & closet  (Bedroom Done)
3.  Clean and organize laundry room (Done)
4.  Clean and organize mud room
5.  Clean and organize kitchen cabinets  (Done)
6.  Clean and organize sewing room/office
7.  Clean and caulk bathtub  (Note 10-14-14: Shower surround is cracking and the entire thing needs replaced)
8.  Seal bathroom window
9.  Vacuum or wash curtains (Done)
10.  Wash windows inside and outside
11.  Install rain gutter down spouts (Done)

 --Spiritual--
1.  Read scriptures daily (Note: I have not missed a day in 2 years now)
2.  Pray daily
3.  Old Testament Seminary Study
4.  Attend church services and meetings weekly
5.  Attend temple 2 times (if not more)  (Done-attended 3 times)
6.  Journal in a jar topics
7.  Work of family history
8.  Family search indexing

Review:
--Household--  Done
1.  Clean and organize bedroom & closet  (Bedroom Done)
2.  Clean and organize laundry room (Done)
3.  Clean and organize kitchen cabinets  (Done)
4.  Vacuum or wash curtains (Done)
5.  Install rain gutter down spouts (Done)
These projects I did work on but did not get done.
1.  Clean and organize storage in basement
2.  Clean and organize mud room
3.  Clean and organize sewing room/office
 4.  Clean and caulk bathtub  (Note 10-14-14: Shower surround is cracking and the entire thing needs replaced)
 5.  Seal bathroom window
6.  Wash windows inside and outside

 --Spiritual--Done
1.  Read scriptures daily (Note: I have not missed a day in 2 years now)
2.  Attend church services and meetings weekly
3.  Attend temple 2 times (if not more)  (Done-attended 3 times)

I needed to work on these a little more.
1.  Pray daily
2. Old Testament Seminary Study
3.  Journal in a jar topics
4.  Work of family history
5.  Family search indexing
I do pray every day but my prayers are a lot of little prayer snippets and not as much as formal, on my knees prayer.  I got side tracked early so quit working on the OT Seminary study.  I did pick a few topics and write about them but not as much as I would have liked to.  I feel so overwhelmed every time I get out family history to work on it.  I did sign up for Ancestry.com and have Root Magic program but have not gotten past the anxiety.  I did not even try to do any Family Search indexing. 

I never expected to get everything done but to at least have a listing and guideline for the year.  I feel good about all I did accomplish.

I will now need to set new goals for 2015. 

Rose

White Out

Last evening we had a little snow and a lot of wind.  Results: White-Out.  Mom & Dad took my Cadillac to church because a pack rat ate through wires on their van.  It started snowing while they were in church. As they were ready to come home Mom called me to let me know it was bad out and they were on their way home.  Surprisingly Dad actually had the cell phone with him and very grateful he did.  15 minutes later I got another call from Mom saying they were in trouble.  I thought they were probably in the last mile, could see my yard light and was giving me a hard time.  I was wrong! They ran into a white-out blowing across the road and could not see anything.  It felt that they were going off the road on the north and as Dad over corrected and  ended up in the south ditch.  He could not drive forward nor backwards. 

Dad thought it was too bad for anyone to come get them so he said they could just stay in the car till it quit during the night.  I threw a fit and he agreed to at least call Derrick to see what he thought.  In no time I saw Derrick on the Ranger going to the shop and he instantly came flying through the ditch and down the road in his 4 wheel drive pickup.  He picked them up and got them home in short order.  Dad said he had to push snow away with the door to get out and there were drifts on the Wachendorfer hill but Derrick was able to bust through.  Dan and Delores called Mom & Dad to check on them.  They had gone off the road twice on their way home and got concerned about my parents.  Thank you for checking on them. 

The snow was to quit around midnight but the wind was not to let up till later in the morning.  The forecast was for -4 degrees.  At this time I decided it was a wise choice to stay home from church this morning.  Nobody should be out on the road in these sub zero temperatures and even colder wind chills.  At 6:30 Sharla texted me that she was not going to church either because of the roads. 

Thank you, Derrick, for being home and able to help Mom & Dad (G-ma & G-pa).  I do not think I could have gotten my Dodge Journey through to get them.  Calling Judy and Steve would have been the next option to get them to safety. 

Today, in the sunlight, Judy took this picture of my car in the ditch.  It was not me that put it there!  So grateful Mom & Dad are safe, home and warm.

I have always said that if I have to put a car in the ditch and have it towed out I'd rather it be the Cad instead of the Dodge.  Once the road crews clear the road, we will get the car pulled out and back home.  Winter in Kansas.

Rose

2014 Goal evaluation for quilting anad sewing

As the year comes to a close in a week, it is time to evaluate some of the goals I set at the first of the year.  Right now I am only going to evaluate the quilting and sewing projects.
Here is a reminder of the goals I set. 

--Unfinished Quilting & Sewing Projects--
1.  Quilt Off-Set Blocks quilt
2.  Frame Welcome Embroidery piece (Done)
3.  Finish tiny wall hangings (Done)
4.  Quilt Storm at Sea quilt
5.  Quilt Double Irish Chain quilt (Done)
6.  Quilt Garden quilt
7.  Quilt Garden quilt wall hanging
8.  Finish Embroidered Baskets wall hanging
9.  Finish Embroidered Baby Sun Bonnet Sue baby quilt (Done)

--New Quilting and Sewing Projects--
1.  Embroidered Flowers Quilt
2.  Island Sunset Paper Pieced Quilt
3.  Camping Appliqué wall hanging
4.  Harvest Moon wall hanging

Here is the evaluation of what I did get done during the year.

--Unfinished Quilting & Sewing Projects--COMPLETED
1. Framed Welcome Embroidery piece
2. Quilted Spring Mini wall hangings
3. Quilted Double Irish Chain quilt
4. Pieced and quilted Embroidered Baby Sun Bonnet Sue baby quilt

--Unfinished Quilting & Sewing Projects--IN PROCESS
1. Pieced Embroidered Baskets wall hanging and being hand quilted

--New Quilting and Sewing Projects--NEW
I did not work on any of the new quilt projects this year but I did several new projects that came up during the year.
1. Noah's Ark baby quilt
2. Baby Broeckelman's baby shower quilt
3. Crochet edged baby receiving blanket
4. Macie's dress
5. Take Away The Blues! comfort quilt
6. Flora's Doll quilt

Other projects I worked on:
1. Helped Karen make a quilt top for Kinsley's big bed.
2. Helped the Altar Society quilt and bind their quilt for Mardi Gras next spring.
3. Designed king size Double Irish Chain quilt for Mom.
4. Helped Mom on borders for embroidered postage stamp borders quilt.
5. Helped Karen with applique on her North Dakota quilt.
6. Quilted baby quilt Judy made for another teacher at school.

OK, so I did not get everything done that I had listed but I really did do a lot.  10 finished projects, 1 project in progress and 6 projects I helped others with.  I am also crocheting on another baby receiving blanket. That is more than I ever really thought I would get done. Nice year for quilting and sewing projects.

Now to set new goals for the new year.  I look forward to see what comes about.

Rose

A new Christmas story

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring except for the mouse.
He was so brave that he ran around and played.
He was eager to come out in the light.

Sticky traps are around the baseboards
but he wants to run in the middle of the rooms.
I could not catch him no matter how hard I tried.
I went to bed in hopes that the traps would be filled.

On Christmas morning I checked the traps
Unfortunately they were empty.
I am so frustrated
What do I need to do to catch this critter?

I heard a rattling in the kitchen
To find he was chewing on a piece of dry bread.
He disappeared between the cabinet and the stove
Not to be seen the rest of the day.

I see his 'tracks' on the counter tops in the kitchen
I see his 'tracks' in the bathroom cabinets
I watch him run around the living room
I watch him run around the sewing room

It is now Christmas night
The mouse again is running around
He does not want to stay to the baseboards
Were the sticky traps are waiting for him.

Poison has been set out for weeks
Some have eaten and some have died
Then the smell begins
And the searching takes place.

Lately the mice ignore the poison
Lately the mice ignore the traps
Any holes are filled with steel wool and expanding foam.
I do not know where they are coming from.

I caught 3 mice and 1 gopher already this week.
I have lost count of all I have caught this summer and fall.
I am so tired of rewashing dishes and towels
I am so tired of always having a mess.

When I get ready for bed tonight
I am setting every snap trap I have
In hopes that the mouse will partake
And the trap will snap.

Plug any more holes
Catch all I can
Clean the whole house
Goodbye, little mouse.


Yes I know I am terrible at poetry or anything like that.  Forgive all my errors in form and format but enjoy the story behind it all.

I have had a nice and quiet Christmas day which falls between a couple of busy weeks.  I will get to see most of my family during this time. 

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior, I remember the reason he came to earth.  I am so grateful for all the blessings in my life.  My prayer for you is a life filled with love and joy that comes from Heaven above.

Merry Christmas all.

Rose

Take Away the Blues!

At the first of the year I set a lot of goals especially with quilts to make and finish.  This one is an additional quilt that I had no idea at that time that I would do.

My good friend, Roni, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  She seems to be so strong.  She will have a mastectomy this week.  My heart hurts so much and I do not know how to express it.  So I do what I know how to do.  I offer help but she has no idea yet what kind of help, if any, she may need.  I turn to what I am best at doing, I make a quilt.  I sat down with the graph paper on the computer and began to design.  I had fun designing the block then the quilt layout.  I thought about using pink an burgundy colors to represent the breast cancer support but I decided that blue would be better.  I used 24 different blue fabrics--thus part of the name.  As a comfort quilt comes the rest of the idea of the name for the quilt.  Roni and I have known each other and been friends for 26 years.  I could not come up with a quilt layout with 26 blocks or I would have done that.  I used black flannel for the quilt back so that it will be soft and warm as well. With every thought and plan in the design, with every stitch made to piece together and quilt the quilt, I have put in all my thoughts and love and hugs and good wishes and prayers for her. 

 

Love you, Roni. I am so grateful to have you as my dear friend.

 

Rose



December Mud

It has been so very dry. There is powder dust everywhere instead of dirt.  Today we gratefully got rain.  Thunder, lightening and pouring rain.  I stood at the church door and watched; water was running down the gutters and across the parking lot towards the field.  As I was driving back to the farm after church, I drove through off and on heavy rain and there was water standing in the fields and ditches.  At Rexford I called home to ask how muddy it was and to notify Dad that I was on my way in case I got stuck and needed to be picked up.  Dad said they hardly had enough moisture to get the sidewalk damp.  Funny, I was driving in rain.  Ok, I'll head down the dirt (mud) road. 

As I turned to the county road, it looked muddy to me.  Oh, boy, was it muddy!  You can see that I was not exactly going straight down the road.

I do not like driving mud roads but I can do it.  I take it slow and slide all over the road but seem to stay out of the ditch.  There were times that my steering wheel was upside down or turned 3/4 around.  At one time I did not know which way was straight and had to just let go to allow it to return to normal. My Dodge Journey has the stability traction control feature that shuts down the engine when it senses the tires slipping.  I was basically sitting in the middle of the road and going nowhere.  I pressed the over ride button to shut it off and to let the car skid some.  I saw the anti-skid light come on once even after turning it off.  I made it home and did not get stuck. Yea Rose!!

I went down to Mom & Dad's and it really poured rain for a while.  I showed Dad the pictures I took as I was driving.  I think I was going slow enough and only need one hand to 'loosy goosy' steer the car that I was safe enough to take the pictures. 

I had .80 inch of rain in my rain gauge and it was leaning sideways so that most likely is not accurate but at least I have proof it rained a lot (just in case driving in it did not let me know).  I think Dad must have been sleeping in his chair and not realizing how  much it had really rained.  Snow is to come tonight.

Rose