The Prettiest Azaleas I Have Ever Seen

Here are 2 pictures that we took at lunch today. This is outside the Creekside Deli where we lunched. The color and the thickness of azaleas were the brightest and thickest I have ever seen!

If you look closely in pic # 1, you will see a busy bee!

Back from EMG Testing

My morning started out getting a nerve conduction test in my left arm and hand. He found nerves in my arms and muscles with needles that I thought I never had! As the Doc cranked up the volume on the needle, I jumped and jumped. He says its definitely the ulnar nerve that's the problem and bad news he wants me to see the Orthopedic surgeon again. Phooie! I'm going to keep going to physical therapy and hope it will help alone. Just dread the thought of having surgery again on the nerve at my elbow. I'm just going to take one day at a time, hoping to avoid surgery.
Still working on the car thing. I was thinking today how our thoughts on what kind of car changes over the years..........

age 16----"Oh, I want a car, don't care what kind it is, just an old used car---just something to drive so that mom or dad don't have to take me places"

Then as the years roll onward-----"My car won't make it anymore. It has about 250,000 miles on it now, wrecked couple of times. I gotta get a another one. Going to swing those car payments now"

Then, even later-------"Oops, gotta a couple of kids now, going to splurge and get a brand new car, a larger one that will hold those baby seats-----a four-door for sure with lots of room."

Then, later-------"Kids can drive now. Gotta make sure its a safe and practical one."

Then, "Man! Kids don't need me to take them anywhere. They drive their own car. Oh, I want a brand new sports car!"

At 45----"Gosh, my joints are aching and I can't even close the car door. I don't care what it looks like but I gotta look for a new car............"

Age 65----"It's a good ole car......gets me to the grocery store and church......that's all I need."

Over 70----"What car? Is that my car?"

The Colors of Spring

Ren went out in the sunshine for a bit. I think Ren needs some Rogaine. He used to be tan with white markings! He is like the Velveteen Rabbbit........all his hair loved off. Remember that book? I guess he can say he is "Real" now!

Raven used to be black, but now a yellow-black color from all the pollen which is pretty heavy here in Georgia right now.

But the new growth and blossoms of Spring are pretty. We have things growing around our house and in the woods that we cannot identify. For example, this tree/flower. We almost cut this down last year as it didn't bloom and actually looked like a weedy-looking.......something.

But we didn't and this year it has about 8 blossoms. They are kinda big and here is one of them. I think it's a keeper.

If I could add one thing in my yard/woods, I would have pink dogwoods.......lots of pink dogwoods!

Today I

1. had a Butterfinger Blizzard---YUM---the second best comfort food besides grits
2. went to work
3. then to physical therapy afterward---OUCH!
4. sighed at all the housework I haven't done
5. sighed at all the pollen on the porches
6. saw a little boy fly a kite with his dad
7. went to look for a new/used car that is not as hard to drive as the Mustang
8. winced at the prices of cars---WOW
9. wondered what 65 will feel like, if 45 feels like it does today......
10. ordered 4 skeins extra of silk floss for the Sarah Bottomley sampler----running short on thread in a kit is one of my phobias! Honestly.

So excited to get happy things in the mail! Got The Sampler Girl Companion, booklet 4, today.
I'm soooo excited and oh, there is a very good diagram in there of the herringbone stitch!!! I searched on the internet for a diagram of the herringbone and didn't realize how many variations and such there are, so I actually stopped one of the older Scarlett Letter patterns because the diagram with it was hard to follow. The one in the Sampler Girl Companion is much easier to understand. So.........one of the patterns in this booklet will make a lovely gift for someone special I have in mind. I have a bit of ADHD I think, lots to work on now.........just got to sit still for a bit. Hope everyone has a great evening and stay safe and content.......

Jennifer

Dance By the Light of the Moon

This picture is from the Silver Needle website. I ordered this project awhile back because this is our yard typically at night on some occasions. Our 2 Black labs will sleep all day ~~~play and bark all night. I've been awake now since 4am due to one of their escapages and can't go back to sleep. This time I just got up and went straight to the perculator and made me some coffee to stay up and read. I'm not sure if Raven and Ruby are "dancing by the light of the moon" but they sure sound like it. Thomas may be at the root of this issue sometimes as he does like to tease and play cat and mouse game with them.
Ren is a whole other issue. He has his own little schedule and nothing wakes him up at night. He likes to sleep late in fact. We have to get him up on days we work to go out before we leave and sometimes he is a little grumpy. When he comes back in , he wraps himself in his blanket like a turban, just his head hanging out.......and back to sleep. He comes alive mostly when I cook dinner and will become quite theatrical until his plate is fixed!
Well, here's hoping that you are getting some good sleep!

This is me in the morning.........no energy

Progress on the Sarah Bottomly sampler--raising the roof

This is a picture of a finished Sarah Bottomley sampler, a dream for me one day! :0


This is pictures of my progress so far on it, in my standing frame which takes a load off my arm and is a God-send.

Well, today has been full of rest and intermittent diversians to stitch (especially if on Flexeril) to help with the arm pain. But all in all yesterday and today, not much completed as I would have hoped. The house is solid stitching so progress feels slow. I can't wait to get to the front door. As you can see in the pic#1 the blue is so pretty and so vintage. With my goal being to complete this house this week I must not tarry long on other distractions.........

The Bodyguard helped me all weekend do some things around the house because he knew my arm is splinted. He's so sweet ;)

Then, we popped some popcorn and relaxed this evening to a movie from the Library called Sense and Sensibility, one of the first Jane Austen delights. I will take it back on Tuesday and see what else do they have or can order for me. I just love the way they talked to each other back in those days, with alot of respect . People actually thought before speaking .

Back to the Sarah Bottomly sampler from the Scarlett Letter~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am currently wanting to finish the roof which is dense repetual stitching and I may put a few more in it before I retire to bed, but probably not many because the medication that the docs have me on are making me very sleepy and tired. I hope I make it though work. At lunch I will be having an EMG where they use needles to test different muscle groups. I hope I don't scream too many times. YIKES.

Here's hoping your Monday is the BEST!!