Thanksgivingukkah!... and I rolled all the way home!

Can I say I ROLLED all the way home?  Urgh!  I DEFINITELY ate too much -  and it was all so good! Huge family dinner!  Everyone brought something!  In fact, everyone brought quite a few somethings!  LOL - especially Sherri - who brought enough different pies to probably feed all of Westfield without even trying!

Worst part is that I feel sooooooooo guilty!  I know there are so many folks - including here in Westfield - that have a hard time of it regularly anyway, let alone having the extravaganza that we had yesterday.  and know that there are so many who would have been glad of sharing even a portion of what we had.  Wish I had been able to do that yesterday!

However, while I can't share YESTERDAY's meal - I CAN and want to share today and tomorrow's meals - and think that several visits to the food pantry may be in order.  And maybe, when I can afford to do so, several visits to Doctors without Borders or a food distribution resource on an international level may be a good idea as well - maybe on a somewhat regular basis.  As for hard times re food - have BTDT - NO fun!  and in the process discovered how to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks - a couple of times.  And won't advise that either!  Difficult part now - is that I have the food - BUT it is home dehydrated food or food that I canned - and as such I'm not allowed to share that through a food pantry nor any food distribution resource.

Flimsy AND tablecloth and napkins done! Done! DONE!

Yeehaw!

Thanksgiving Table Runner flimsy!  Needs quilting still!  Will do that tomorrow!

Channukkah tablecloth and napkins - tablecloth fits a card table.  

Also done today - I worked on step 6 - Back to Square One - didn't finish - and not sure what I'm going to do - NOT happy about the square in a square blocks - and NOT happy that the borders are off - not by a lot - but by too much to ease in!  May widen borders - which should extend the width needed for the blocks.  Either that or chop even more of the points off the square in a square border blocks! which is probably what I shall do!  Borders are a total of 1" wider than the medallion!   Grrrrr!!!!

Design Wall for Week 47 - 11-25-13

Yellow Brick Road - needs FMQ - yup!  That didn't happen!

Back to Square One Mystery quilt - actually have an updated version - this is step 5
working on step 6

Thanksgiving table runner
Still needs borders - which COULD be an inner border of the gold and off white background fabric -
to kind of "float" the design - or I COULD use a pumpkin color for the inner border....  so many choices!
Outer border definitely will be the green.  The gold at the bottom will be the backing for it.  And maybe I will use a very dark green for the binding.

Channukkah tablecloths

Wendy's QOV

Swap - Santa blocks - 

Menues for WB 11-24-13

SUNDAY
B:Omelet with mushrooms, cheese
L:PBJ,on whole wheat bread (fresh made)
D:Stuffed quesadillas

MONDAY
B:Kasha
L:Chicken and Rice Chowder, salad, homemade crusty rolls

D:Crock beef sandwiches, cole slaw, carrots

TUESDAY
B:cottage cheese and peanut butter toast
L:Egg salad sandwiches

D:Red beans and rice, salad

WEDNESDAY
B:Poached eggs on toast
L:Cheese/olive or cheese/onion sandwiches (made with cream cheese) on boston brown bread (homemade)
D:leftovers

THURSDAY
B:toasted oatmeal with raisins, apples
L:Thanksgiving at Heather's
D:Sandwiches and pie

FRIDAY
B:Waffles and maple syrup
L:lo lunches
D:Asian Orange Salmon, challah, baked potatoes, greens,carrots

SATURDAY
B:coffeecake
L:chicken pot pie with veggies
D:Baked Rigatoni (meatless), salad (spinach?).

SUNDAY

B:Eggs goldenrod

L:turkeyburger or turkey horseshoe

D:leftovers

Goals for WB 11-24-13

Just a few blocks from my house.
STILL there is city all around!

GO AND DO

• DONE Post Office
• DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
• DONE Walmart
• DONE Grocery store
• DONE Vet for Widget - monitor insulin level - major probs!
• DONE Runnermania class
• DONE Thanksgiving dinner 
• DONE - most of step one! Celtic Solstice Mystery quilt begins!!!!

HOUSE - 

• ZONE 1
• Front porch 
• DONE WHB
• Entrance
• DONE WHB
• Side Porch
• Back Stairs
• ZONE 2 - 
• Kitchen
• DONE WHB
• Dining Area
• ZONE 3 
• Bath
• DONE WHB
• Laundry Room
• DONE WHB
• Sewing Room
• DONE WHB
• Study
• DONE Home office area - 5 minute room rescue
• ZONE 4 
• BR - 
• DONE WHB
• ZONE 5 
• LR - 
• Zone 5
• DONE Toss the trash (includes UNDER the couch, UNDER the cushions!)
• DONE Put away things that go in other rooms
• DONE WHB 

GARDEN

STUDIES - 

• RELIGION
• SCIENCE
• THE EARTH
• Thread of Life (TOL)
• DONE Work on mini booklets and catch up
• Nova 
• DONE Origins - Earth is Born
• MATH
• DONE 71
• DONE 72
• LIFE SKILLS
• Tasks
• DONE - some of it Zone 5
• DONE Menues
• DONE WHB
• YOGA
• DONE - well 1-2 days of it! Week 1
• CREATIVE WRITING 
• DONE 12-3
• DONE 12-4
• RUSSIAN
• Lesson 19
• DONE M (and review lesson 3)
• DONE T (and review lesson 3)

KITCHEN

• DONE - tomato soup for Mon, and turkey soup on Sat! SOUPS (serving kept out for Monday - freeze the rest - portions)
• DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)

QUILT

• DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
• DONE DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
• DONE SLICE AND DICE DAY (Monday) - worked on misc. pieces on my sewing/computer table - 2.5 hours!!
• PIECE 
• DONE - worked on it Improv - applique - the second one
• DONE - sime of it! Bow-da-cious - LE
• DONE Back to Square One - steps 6 
• DONE Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class
• DONE Runnermania - Thanksgiving table flimsy!
• SWAPS
• Sampler blocks (eons old)
• *Christmas Block Swap
• SEWING
• DONE Chanukkah tablecloth and napkins
• KNITTING (Friday!!!)
• Uhhhhhhhhhhh........... I didn't! Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief

Stash Report Week 47 - 11-24-13

11-24-13 -Week 47 -  Well, I succumbed!  to the tune of 2 yards!  Actually what I purchased was WHITE - and since I needed white for Santas, for a Christmassy table runner, and for.... - well, whatever! I got 2 whole yards instead of just one!  And just when I was only a negative 14.8 with more bought in than used in a completed project!  Oh well!  At least it was ONLY the 2 yards and I turned a blind eye to all the other lovely fabrics the quilt shop had!

Used This Week: 0 yard
Used This Month: 0 yard for November
Used Year to Date: 23.513 yds

Added This Week: 2 yards
Added This Month: 4.75 yards for November
Added Year to Date: 40.34yards 
  

Net Used for 2013: -16 .827 yards 

Spent most of yesterday..........I

Part of Westfield State University - which is located not overly far from me

Yesterday I decided to work on my long neglected (and boy are they!) studies!

Picked up my math book and worked on that - NO PROBLEM! (actually this is the one that made me decide to Get Moving! - I have a new text that is On Its Way!  Next level higher!

My Creative Writing was doing fine (hmmm - Wendy is SUPPOSED to have sent me an URL for a writer's group online!  Hasn't yet so far! Hope there is no problem!)  and I was actually a bit ahead of where I had planned!  Today I start on a new assignement!  And this book is also on my gotta get moving because a new text is coming list!

Religion - yup - I'm behind!  WAY behind! It's an easy peasy course - just that I need to create these little booklet thingies!  (lapbooks) - and I have this mental block about it!  Probably the same one I have re quilting too!  Well, am working on that today and should finish THAT little job!  I think I need to figure out how to circumvent the "gotta be absolutely right" bottleneck and just go for the gold and GET 'ER DONE!  After all, that's my goal (well, that and actually learning what I'm studying!)

Science - OH MY!  So far way behind that I've almost lost sight of the potato wagon I fell off of!  However, I DID get moving - worked on the college level Coloring book! Not sure that I remember anything - but I did work on it and get my task done!  Am reviewing over this too - lots to remember!

It's the High school text I am running into problems with - and, of course, the content is very needful! It isn't difficult by any means - and should be interesting!  After all I do science experiments, research - and the activity is quite varied and very hands on - which may or may not be the problem!  And, of course, I am saving all I work on in the form of a lapbook which I am NOT uptight about working on (go figure!)

Maybe it's because I truly did NOT like High school - and this IS a high school level text!  which is silly on my part!  Need to think about this because I truly do need to get past whatever it is that is slowing me down to a standstill and then work like mad and GET 'ER Done!

the Earth course  - I'm still working on - slowly but it's going!  And the lapbook for the Earth (PreCambrian) is coming along!  Slowly!

Yoga - ummm - let's just say that it NEEDS to happen - so maybe I just need to SCHEDULE when I am going to do it - and then just DO YOGA!  Yup!  Sounds like a plan to me!

Russian - having some problems here!  OK - I am working on the new lessons - BUT I've forgotten some of the things I worked on last Spring (especially numbers, grammar - all the "good" stuff!) - so I'm also reviewing over and over what I've learned AS WELL as continuing ahead - approx. 1 lesson a week!  Geesh!  I remember WHILE I am reviewing, etc.  But is there something that says my brain cells have to atrophy after a certain age?   Because I sure as heck am having a problem retaining all the "good" stuff - that is, the hard parts!  Oh well - again - I need to just review AND proceed ahead and do it at a certain time DAILY! (probably right after - or almost after - I do my yoga that I haven't been doing!)

And, of course, I've been VERY CAREFULLY ignoring the part where I am supposed to be QUILTING!!!!!  That is the FINAL quilting - the part right before the BINDING!

And I've got swaps to do too!

Geesh!  Of course the quilting part - and the swaps - have to do with the "gotta be perfect" bottleneck - and mine sure isn't!  I need to remember this is SUPPOSED to be fun!  And most of all - to remember - that DONE is DONE and NO ONE can see the mistakes or crooked stitching as you go driving by at 60 miles per hour!

Yup - that's what I need to remember, all right!

Let's just say - I'll work on  it!

Whew! Have been working on.............

Back to Square One - am seriously SERIOUSLY behind!  In part due to my frustration with doing square in a square WITHOUT chopping points or coming up with wierdly shaped blocks!

So - I finally chopped some points, some I didn't - sewed it together - and will probably take it apart again some day in the far distant future (or NOT take it apart!  after all - done IS done!).

Step 5 - ALMOST completely done!
Picture is NOT accurate since the red is really a red -brown floral but it "glows in the dark" here!
And, no, we will NOT count all the chopped points!

LOL - I think I also need to remember to NOT take pictures against my blue and white bedsheets!  Maybe against plain WHITE bedsheets, though!

HAD thought I might have completed the chanukkah tablecloth and napkins by now.  Also thought I might have done the same with the 2 Christmas type fabrics I found and want to give away.

All of which brings up an interesting point....  and it isn't just limited to quilting.  It has to do with planning more than is humanely possible for 3 - 5 people in a very limited time span (one week in this case).  And I will persistently do it!

BETTER would be to plan just 1 - 2 things - maybe small things - and make sure I do those - then plan 1 - 2 OTHER things and work on those.

However - I seem to have a REALLY bad case of "want it all and want it all NOW!" - whether the house being done, quilting, my studies (which as you can guess - are definitely suffering - and I just got done ordering the next level up on some of my books!) (Oh yeah - son wants me to enroll in college for a course or two.  Hahahahaaaa!!!! WHEN?????  I AM in a learning program - albeit a VERY relaxed program!  I still hope to teach this year - IF this cough would go away!  and I am having problems scheduling in the stuff I NEED to do - like cleaning!  Oy vey! or remembering to make bread!

Well, maybe the answer is - choose just the one or two things and work on those - and as for the rest - just muddle along like the rest of humanity and hope that's good enough!

Design Wall for Week 46 - 11-18-13

Baby quilt - Yellow Brick Road
Machine quilting - Free motion quilting
Tues eve project (need to get it ready tonight!)

Back to Square One - Step 4 is FINALLY done!
Step 5 is ready for the outside corners to be added - and then both joined together!
Want to get Steps 5, 6 DONE then add in steps 7, 8, 9 if possible this week

Halloween wall hanging - the grinning big pumpkins as center
and then smaller "pumpkin-y" ones on the outsides!
The book gives some other ideas - 4" paperpiecing blocks!
Should be worked on Thurs

Improv placemat - this one has to be finished (hand applique and embroidery)
I want to work on the second one this week (different placemat and different design for applique)
To be worked on tonight while I listen to audio books and after I do a slice and dice session!

QOV - would like to get this done and on its way! - on wait and see if I have time list!

ALSO I have an additional border to add to another QOV - and then to check and see if there are quilters for the QOV quilts - otherwise they go in line to be quilted here! - probably Wednesday

Santa blocks - need 6 for swap - may do a lot more! - either today or Wednesday

Thanksgiving table runner - my channukkah (chanukkahgiving?) gift to Nathan and Lynn -
should also finish this one today - except final quilting (tomorrow?)

ALSO have last year's turkey hexies to find and finish up - first I have to FIND it!

Chanukkah tablecloth with 2 sets of napkins - want to get this one done today!

Goals for WB 11-17-13

Westfield Atheneum (public library) across from the downtown "square" park!
Children's library is around the corner!

GO AND DO

• DONE Post Office
• DONE DONE  Library (books and DVDs return)
• DONE Menues
• DONE Walmart
• DONE DONE Grocery store
• DONE Vet for Widget - monitor insulin level
• DONE Landlord meeting
• DONE Pineapple quilt block workshop

HOUSE - 

• ZONE 1
• Front porch 
• DONE WHB
• Entrance
• DONE WHB
• * Side Porch
• Declutter - super fling
• DONE WHB
• * Back Stairs
• DONE WHB
• ZONE 2 - 
• Kitchen
• DONE WHB
• Dining Area
• DONE WHB on Thurs
• ZONE 3 
• * Bath
• Zone - 
• DONE WHB
• * Laundry Room
• DONE WHB
• Sewing Room
• DONE WHB
• * Study
• DONE  Declutter 5 minute room rescue
• DONE  Home office area - 5 minute room rescue
• DONE Super fling
• ZONE 4 
• BR - 
• Zone
• DONE Put away things not belonging in bedroom
• DONE Clothes pile
• DONE Straighten closet
• DONE Nightstand - declutter and clean
• DONE Declutter dresser top (plus one drawer as well, if possible)
• DONE WHB
• DONE change
• ZONE 5 
• LR - 
• DONE WHB 

GARDEN

STUDIES - 

• RELIGION
• * Rosh Hodesh
• DONE DONE   Lapbook 
• DONE Plan next section (2 days) - Chanukkah
• SCIENCE
• WOP (World of plants)
• CB (Coloring book - college level)
• DONE  CB 6 
• DONE CB 7
• THE EARTH
• Thread of Life (TOL)
• DONE DONE (LOE)  DONE (EH)  DONE Work on mini booklets and catch up
• MATH
• DONE 67
• DONE 68
• DONE  69
• DONE 70
• LIFE SKILLS
• Tasks
• DONE Zone 4
• DONE Menues
• DONE WHB
•  OY 
• DONE Ch 41, 193-196
• DONE  Ch 9, 37-44
• DONE Ch 24, 101-104
• EFS
• * YOGA
• DONE Week 1
• CREATIVE WRITING 
• DONE 11-2
• DONE 11-3
• DONE  11-4
• DONE 12-1
• DONE 12-2
• RUSSIAN
• Lesson 18
• DONE M
• DONE  T
• DONE W
• DONE R

KITCHEN

• DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)

QUILT

• DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
• DONE DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
• SLICE AND DICE DAY (Monday) - need 1.5" and 2.5" squares for Bow-dacious!
• DONE Pinks (some)
• DONE Oranges
• PIECE 
• Working on it! Improv - applique
• Working on it! Bow-da-cious - LE
• DONE Back to Square One - Step 4 
• DONE Back to Square One - steps 5 (nearly done
• Worked on this for a bit Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class

Menu for WB 11-17-13

SUNDAY
B:Apple fritters
L:PBJ,on whole wheat bread (fresh made)
D:leftover chicken pot pie with veggies

MONDAY
B:Toasted Bagel, scrambled eggs
L:Green bean soup (beef base), homemade crackers
D:Bulghur Pilaf with mushrooms

TUESDAY
B:Kasha
L:Egg salad sandwiches
D:Crock beef sandwiches, cole slaw, carrots

WEDNESDAY
B:cottage cheese and peanut butter toast
L:Cheese/olive or cheese/onion sandwiches (made with cream cheese) on boston brown bread (homemade)
D:leftovers,

THURSDAY
B:toasted oatmeal with raisins, apples
L:lo casserole
D:Red beans and rice, salad

FRIDAY
B:Waffles and maple syrup
L:lo lunches
D:Asian Orange Salmon, challah, baked potatoes, greens,carrots

SATURDAY
B:coffeecake
L:Chicken and Rice Chowder, salad, challah
D:Baked Rigatoni (meatless), salad (spinach?).

SUNDAY
B:Omelet with mushrooms, cheese
L:Hot dogs (turkey)
D:Stuffed quesadillas

Stash report for Week 46 - 11-17-13

Westfield park "square"
This was renovated just last year.
And yes, I'm STILL mad about all the trees that were removed.
However I DO like the square now - and all the flowers and so on.
Summer concerts are held here - just across from the public library.

............................................................................................
11-17-13 -Week 46 - FQ in!  FQ out! I had the last FQ to turn in for a swap - and of course, didn't have anything that I felt would work!  So I purchased a FQ - and sent that!  Not even changing anything!
Used This Week: 0 yard
Used This Month: 0 yard for November
Used Year to Date: 23.513 yds.

Added This Week: 0 yards
Added This Month: 2.75 yards for November
Added Year to Date: 38.34yards   

Net Used for 2013: -14 .827 yards 

Colors for the Mystery!

Someone commented how lucky I was that I had the colors for the mystery!  Actually one of the things I am trying to do is to NOT spend $$$ on more stash! and to use up what I've got!

The one color I didn't think I had enough of was orange.  And that would be very true - I DEFINITELY don't have enough orange!

BUT then I saw the colors are orange or RUST!  Rust I have!  Yeehaw!  home free!

And then greens - ummm - I can't say my greens are automatically color swatch whatever - but they ARE green - and they are the cheerier side of the green spectrum!  My muted shades I put away!

Yellows, strangely enough - and it IS strange, trust me on this! - these I have as well!  And definitely I have blues - navy is a bit tricky since I've made 2 quilts featuring a LOT of navy - so I'm down ALMOST to the nubbins on this - but I'm still ok.

Whites - yes - I have enough - and even for WOW - barely - but enough!   (I need to remind myself - the NEXT purchase needs to include some orange and definitely white!)

All this from FQ!  Yup!  While I had hoped to delve into my yardage - that didn't happen (excepting the blues and brown or rusts!)

Design Wall for Week 45 - 11-11-13

Mystery Block of month - catching up - I want to be DONE by Dec!
Catch up - hopefully 1 step a day! - or 2 days!

Improv placemat - applique - work on it a bit a day! one placemat a week!

Wendy's QOV - I need to put it together and put on borders.l  This week - see where it is - and put it together - by Mon eve?

Bowdacious - I need to work on the connecting blocks
 - probably LE style!

Eons old sampler - MAY have this finished by Monday!

Holy Toledo - MIGHT have this finished by Tuesday!

And then there's the Runnermania - the table runner I'm doing for Thanksgiving!

Widget and day 2

Our newly (last year) renovated park.
 This is where there are Concerts on the green and speeches, craft fairs and so on.
It's quite pretty - especially in the summer with the fountain going and all.
 (But I miss the old park anyway!)

Day 2 of giving insulin shots to my Widget kitty.  That part isn't hard!  What IS hard is NOT having open choice feeding like usual.  Widget has to be on special foods now and while his diet wouldn't hurt the other kitties - his diet kitty food is a LOT more expensive than theirs!

so - now I allow all kitties 30 + minutes to eat - then pick up all dishes and put them away!  Not a big problem in daytime.  BUT starting at 4 AM - ALL the kitties want to eat!  And I am NOT getting up for them at that time!  Plus Widget is supposed to be on as close to a 12 hour twice a day schedule.  So - that means 8 and 8 for him -and you had best believe, it is now the same for ALL of them!

So far, my Widgers has been shoved off my bed for patting me in the face - MANY times, despite my saying No in increasing tones of firmness!  Finally I shoved ALL the kitties out my door and went back to bed!

then I overslept by an hour!

At any rate all kitties have been fed, medicated (except for Chai who needs her asthma medicine!) and here it is only 831 PM!  Wow!  Whatever shall I do!

Menues for WB 11-10-13

MONDAY
B: Bulghur wheat
L: lentils - sweet sour lentils, tossed salad, fruit
D: Sweet sour lentils, vegetable plate, baked apples

TUESDAY
B:Couscous, brown sugar and butter
L: Egg salad sandwich, juice
D: Eggplant parmesan, raisin apple salad

WEDNESDAY
B: Omelet with a little jalapeno pepper, cheddar, onion, mushroom
L: Cheese sandwich - grilled
D: Penne with gorgonzola sauce, tossed salad, apples and raisins

THURSDAY

B Bulghur wheat
L lo casserole
D Chicken stir-fry (provided today I remember to get the cabbagey greens and broccoli from the garden BEFORE dark!), apples

FRIDAY
B: Apple fritters
L: leftovers from lunch menues
D: Grilled salmon, Potato kugel, carrot apple tzimmes, sweet potato pie, challah

SATURDAY
B: coffeecake
L: Chicken pot pie, applesauce cake, challah
D: Beef mushroom-barley soup, challah

SUNDAY
B Brunch casserole, fruit or juice
L Balogne rollups, fruit
D leftovers

MONDAY
B Kasha and yogurt
L Corn chowder, grilled cheese sandwiches
D Cheese Knishes - unsweetened filling, carrot-cabbage-apple-raisin slaw

salmon bisque, piroshki with cheese filling

Spinach cheese pie, sweet potatoes, fruit

Stash Report for Week 45 - 11-10-13

At Westfield State College!
I love the colors - red, brown, light and dark green, gold, blue
definitely fall!  And very Scrappy!  : D

11-10-13 -Week 45 - Nothing in!  Nothing out!  And boy was it hard!  would LIKE some reds - and whites - BADLY!!!!!  DO have enough for the Bonnie Hunter Celtic Solstice mystery though!  DID finish 2 swaps this week - but some comes back in as goes out - so I'm not even counting that!  It's just a trade-around!  DID get my Scrappy Happy Houses - but it's also just a trade-around - this is the part that comes back to me!

Used This Week: 0 yard
Used This Month: 0 yard for November
Used Year to Date: 23.513 yds.

Added This Week: 0 yards
Added This Month: 2.75 yards for November
Added Year to Date: 38.34yards   

Net Used for 2013: -14 .827 yards 

Goals for WB 11-10-13 - WB Sunday

I'm not sure you can tell - this is a clock tower in the meridian (is that the right word?)  I'm not sure whether this is an old one re-positioned from a demolished building when they were building the other bridge - or whether it is a new one set there to look nice!  Regardless - I like it!  (Again, picture taken from my car with a hopefully aim and click of the camera - as I drove past - slowly - and with traffic car horns going behind me going full blast!)

GO AND DO

• DONE Post Office
• DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
• DONE Menues
• DONE Veterans day - day off!
• DONE - we went out for dinner! Nathan's birthday on the 16th!
• DONE Walmart
• DONE Grocery store

HOUSE - 

• ZONE 1
• Front porch 
• DONE WHB
• Entrance
• DONE WHB
• * Side Porch
• Declutter - super fling
• WHB
• * Back Stairs
• DONE WHB
• ZONE 2 - 
• Kitchen
• * Zone 
• DONE Pantry straighten up
• DONE Broom and mop sweep up!
• nope - had new - then old DW sitting in the middle of it!  hopefully will EVENTUALLY get N. to move that OUTSIDE! Dining Area
• WHB on Thurs
• ZONE 3 
• * Bath
• Zone - 
• DONE Fingerprint patrol
• DONE Bathroom vanity 
• DONE Inventory list
• DONE Baseboards and floor
• DONE WHB
• * Laundry Room
• DONE 5 minute rescue - room patrol
• DONE WHB
• Sewing Room
• DONE 5 minutes room rescue
• DONE WHB
• * Study
• DONE Declutter 5 minute room rescue
• Home office area - 5 minute room rescue
• Super fling
• ZONE 4 
• BR -
•  DONE WHB
• ZONE 5 
• LR -  
•  DONE WHB 

GARDEN

STUDIES - nope - didn't happen!  would LIKE to say it was because of this stupid cold (I HATE colds!) which is still hanging in there! - but the reality is - uh, I didn't wanna!

KITCHEN

• DEHYDRATE
• some cut for stir fry collards/ cole greens
• SOUPS (serving kept out for Monday - freeze the rest - portions)
• DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)

QUILT

• DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
• DONE but scheduled to post on Monday! DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
• PIECE 
• all pieces cut for #1 placemat - and ready for applique Improv - applique
• Step 4 completed and MOST of step 5 is done! Back to Square One
• * worked on it a bit - missing one piece though - grrrr!  Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class
• SWAPS
• * library visit done - BUT will need to hand draw - blast it! - Paperpiece Christmas Block Swap
• DONE Southhampton quilts 4-patch?
• SEWING
• KNITTING (Friday!!!)
• I knit - and reknit and re-re-reknit - and ripped out everything I had knit! Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief

Widget - my disappearing male HULK kitty

A picture of Widget (aka Widgy, Widgers, Lad) in his favorite place in my sewing room!  This picture was taken last January when he HAD gained weight (he has now lost 4 pounds - which is like losing a fifth or even a  quarter of a human person's weight - which is an enormous amount!)

I've known Widgy hasn't been feeling well for a while - and had seemed to lose weight.  I also knew he really HATED the dry cat food I had gotten (used to be a favorite - BEFORE the company changed the formula!).  He had been drinking water like it was going out of style! (uh oh - BAD sign!) and the kitty litter box would resemble that which someone had taken a bottle of water and just poured the water into it - to let it set up like concrete! (not to mention the frequent costs of more litter!)  He had also been pulling out tufts of hair (complete with hair follicle attached).

So I had been feeding him open choice dry cat food (a different brand - one he DOES like) as well as trying to entice him to eat with wet cat food.  But he still appeared to be losing weight - except after he had been drinking water - at which point I swear he sloshed as he walked!  And I was still finding little tufts of hair (not the regular shed stuff - this was pulled out!) in various places.

Because sometimes kitties will drink water if hungry and they can't STAND the cat food at first I hadn't been alarmed. However pulling hair like that is usually the sign a kitty is hurting somewhere or that there is something seriously deficient in their diet.

So I took him to the vet (has to be a woman - he totally freaks with a man!)  They drew blood and sent it off to the lab for testing.  3 possibilities - two of which I had also thought of (along with other possibilites!)

1. that he was in acute kidney failure - and was HURTING - in which case there was really only one kind thing to do because other alternatives were NOT as helpful - somewhat - but not really and not long term.  This both my dd and I had envisioned as a possibility.  And it upset my dd since she had a beloved family member in kitty form who had died from kidney failure created by that cat food sabotage done a few years ago.  This would mean choices I really didn't want to make but which were to keep Widgers from hurting more than he was already.  I'm not into selfishness!
2. that he had thyroid problems - which NO ONE in the family or friends had thought of - but which I have treated a puppy with a few years ago.  VERY treatable.  And I've treated before - although with a beagle dog!
3. that he had Diabetes - which a friend and I had also thought of - and which is treatable - although the cost initially is NOT cheap- but is very maintainable once the level of dosage has been determined. And determining the dosage level is what makes the initial costs so nasty!  Expensive at first - but do-able - mostly.

I talked to Nathan about this - and he was VERY much for Widget being treated no matter what - despite his having seen Widget maybe 4 times since I've had him (Widget "vanishes" when ANY male figure comes in the door - funny thing is when Widget brushes up against Nathan thinking he's me - since we sound very similar - and then realizes that we aren't!)

I called back this AM.

He has diabetes.  Different diet, insulin dependent (I give him insulin twice a day - approx. 8 hours apart) and he gets tested again in a week to see how he is doing.

Diabetes is a nasty thing - it can affect just about every organ of the body - and felines are no exception.  Widget has lost a LOT of his vision.  Hopefully some will return as time goes on - but I'm not holding my breath!  His heart murmur is still at about the same point as it was before - for which I'm thankful!

Other than that and lots of TLC - and the fact that he acts like I do when morning arrives and I have to stand up - meaning that his bones, just like mine, creak and complain!  I do love that kitty - and hope this helps!

I tried it - BUT......

One of two bridges going from north Westfield into Westfield - the main part!
Picture taken by my holding the camera up with fingers on button
and randomly taking pix (hopefully without my fingers in the way) as I drove!

ok - re the WAIWO DAILY posts - I think I'm going to change stuff BUNCHEs - hopefully!

Yes - I will continue the weekly goals post.  NO I will NOT continue the daily goals post - that is MY problem!  BUT at the END of the day I can post what I did and didn't do - on the weekly goals!  And as for a daily post per se - just post those things that were interesting (to me!) or fun (to me!) or were bothersome or whatever!

All this is in an attempt to relieve the ever burgeoning boredom that tends to go with my posts!

Yes - I will continue the weekly menu post!  Also the stash report and design wall.

All these things were in an effort to GET ME GOING - and then to KEEP ME GOING!  and FORWARD - NOT backward!  Did it work?  Yes and no!  It made me aware of what I was doing.  It also made me aware of areas I have been, if not ignoring, doing my lily-livered best to ignore - and fairly successfully!

So - then - what to do?  Several possibilities....
1. Accept that I can and will ignore those areas - and just accept that and go on.
2. find ways to make those areas MORE acceptable and do that
3. Change from what wasn't working to what MIGHT work
4. Continue with what I was doing and just hope for the best

And I am sure there are other possibilities as well.

Re what I view as possibilities.... - the first and 4th really aren't that acceptable to me.  we don't grow within if we refuse to accept the idea of change or refuse to strive for growth.  And inwardly I need a LOT of growth!

The second and third possibilities really are different facets of the same thing.  find out what WAS acceptable (what works) and change the areas where things aren't working (what doesn't work) to something that MIGHT work (making more acceptable).

Then too - change itself may be a key - sort of like jumping from one diet to another - it is the NEWNESS or jumping on the bandwagon for specific goals that is what's working - NOT so much the thing itself!  At least initially - it may work, even though ultimately over long periods of time the word would be No!

Housework - pretty much a given as far as I am concerned about what is SLOOOOWWWWW about working!  Flylady is fantastic, so are little games I play - like Flylady Bingo, beat the timer, Need to do this before I can do that, - things like that.  And they work!  Mostly!  Still after having belonged to the flylady.com group for eons - I still remain a member and periodically I go back to ground zero and review over everything.  Admittedly I don't have as much decluttering, changing attitudes, or whatever to do as I used to - and I know it works!  for the most part - this IS a fairly peaceful, unstressed place - excepting my study and the dining room which I do NOT want to discuss at present!

So - maybe I can explore possibilities on this blog and see what can be done!

Saturday... WAIWO 11-09-13

GO AND DO

• DONE Follow up on tests for Widget - he is diabetic and will need insulin and special foods.

HOUSE - 

GARDEN

STUDIES -

KITCHEN

QUILT

Friday! What WAS I thinking of last Sunday!!!! WAIWO 11-08-13

GO AND DO

• DONE Post Office
• DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
• DONE Dr. appt on 8th
• DONE Veterinarian with Widget

HOUSE - 

• ZONE 2 - 
• Kitchen
• DONE WHB
• ZONE 3 
• Study
• DONE WHB

GARDEN

STUDIES - 

KITCHEN

QUILT

• DONE Open Sew!
• PIECE 
• NOT DONE - left book home!  :( Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class

• SWAPS
• ALMOST dONE Southhampton quilts 4-patch
• SEWING

Thursday - Thursday's child.... nah! Only one more weekday - not far at all! WAIWO 11-07-13

Sign of the golden arches!   LOL - this is my 3rd home away from home!
Grocery store is my first, Walmart is my second!

Have I ever said how MUCH I hate colds?  and this one is a really nasty one.  I can't take cold meds - do drink Echinacea tea - but STILL have fun breathing, coughing, and getting VERY sleepy after virtually doing NOTHING!  (except cleaning up after myself when I have a cold!

Riddle!!  Why is it that a house that has only ONE person in it can become a total disaster - and I DO mean total disaster! - when that person has a nasty cold or does not otherwise feel well?
Yesterday I did get a lot of pickup/clean up things done - despite showing only one item on my list - but had to have a 3 hour nap (which is short compared to the ones after surgery and with the worst part of the cold hanging in there at the same time!)  I mean since I was sleeping most of the time - WHO turned this house into total disaster????

BTW - I want to buy stock in the Kleenex corporation!  I should make a mint!

Pumpkin block!  I removed the areas with the Y seams since they either puckered or dimpled and were driving me crazy.  Not wanting to be committed I thought it would be better to go for simpler!  This is the result.  HOWEVER - the stem COULD have been smaller (I think it was on all the others!) and the block COULD have been centered more - a lot more!  This was the block i kept at home.  Others are GONE and on their way to the swap hostess!

GO AND DO

HOUSE - 

GARDEN

STUDIES 

KITCHEN

QUILT

Wednesday - ANOTHER week half over.... WAIWO 11-06-13

I-90 exit/entrance station ahead (green roof -
 and I probably should have tried to get closer
goes from Albany, NY to Boston - and yes, it IS a toll road! and fairly heavily traveled!
Just don't get on this road right before or after the holidays!
Around Sturbridge you may have 2 - 3 hour wait!

GO AND DO

• DONE Post Office
• DONE Library (books and DVDs return)

HOUSE - 

• ZONE 2 - 
• Kitchen
• Zone 
• DONE Clean out plasticware (esp. the lids without bottoms!)
• ZONE 3 

GARDEN

STUDIES - 

KITCHEN

QUILT

• Bonnie Hunter re-play quilt cam day (Wednesday)
• DONE Played last two instead while I sliced and diced! Start at the beginning of quilt cams again - My sister blocks
• PIECE
•  SWAPS
• SEWING

Tuesday - why doesn't sleeping late when you're retired feel like such a treat??? 11-05-13

Scrappy Geese pieced border 

GO AND DO

HOUSE - 

• ZONE 2 - 
• Kitchen
• Zone 
• DONE Clean out undersink
• ZONE 3 

GARDEN

STUDIES - 

KITCHEN

QUILT

Menues for WB 11-03-13

MONDAY
B: toast and jelly
L: roast beef sandwiches with horseradish sauce
D: Vegetable Beef soup, Cinnamon apples

TUESDAY
B:Couscous, brown sugar and butter
L: Tuna salad sandwich
D: Eggplant parmesan, raisin apple salad

WEDNESDAY
B: Omelet with a little jalapeno pepper, cheddar, onion, mushroom
L: Cheese sandwich - grilled
D: Chicken stir-fry

THURSDAY
B: Corn meal mush
L: leftover casserole
D: homemade pizza

FRIDAY
B: French toast
L: leftovers from lunch menues
D: Grilled salmon, Potato kugel, carrot apple tzimmes, sweet potato pie

SATURDAY
B: coffeecake
L: Chicken pot pie, applesauce cake
D: Beef mushroom-barley soup,

SUNDAY
B: Fried eggs, hash browns, toast, jelly
L: turkey burger!!!
D: leftovers

MONDAY
B: Bulghur wheat
L: lentils - find a good vegetarian recipe
D: salmon bisque,