Another Rant!!

Here's another rant I just thought about it! The creepy crud I've had for the past week has decided to go south into my lungs. I now have a dry cough with some phlegm, not much, but some. My nose is still running like a seive and I hate it! I am taking these Chlor-tabs every 4-5 hours, but sometimes they just don't work!

So, when I wake up I have the coughing fits, which do me no good at all. I really hate being under the weather!! I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!

Rainy Day, plus Drs Appt!!

Well, once again I woke up at 3 am today! I really hate doing that! So, I get up and of course that means Rascal (my spoiled Border Collie) thinks its time for him to go up and do his business! But I am not going to let him run thru the house at 3 am, so he is just going to have to wait until 6 am when I "normally" get up!!

Plus, it's a rainy day, oh joy!! More pain, no gain today! There hasn't been a rainy day in so long, my body is really really really reacting to this on! I ache (bone deep) in both legs and arms along with shoulders/neck area! Don't want to take pain meds right now because, and still more joyful sounds here, I have an appt with the pain clinic this am at 9am!! I have to be there by 8:30 though since I have to register and fill out more papers; never mind they sent me a small book of papers to fill out BEFORE I get there!

I'm not looking forward to this appt at all. Only reason I'm going is because my dr is unhappy treating chronic pain! He doesn't like writing Rx for pain meds all the time. All these doctor shoppers and abusers are making it so damn difficult for people with legitimate issues to get the care/meds they need to even have some kind of life! First my dr tried to tell me the State Board would get after him for writing large amounts of meds on one prescription, but as soon as I got home from that appt, I contacted Board of Medicine and read the regs on Chronic Pain Management and nowhere on there did it say a dr could NOT prescribe pain meds of any kind/dosage. So, I talked to a dr who is on the State Board and he said my dr probably just felt "uncomfortable" prescribing them. Well, I think my dr should have been upfront about it!

And believe me, I will bring that up next time I see him in October!

So, I have to go to a pain clinic. I have great misgivings about these places. I have heard they are nothing but pill pushers; that this is where abusers go to get all those drugs they are on; and several different stories about them. I don't like/trust them after what happened to 2 of my family members who went to a pain clinic before! So, I have a great deal of cynicism and distrust of these places.

I called this place earlier yesterday; one to check if my insurance covers it (it does) and then I decided to be frank. I told the girl my concerns. I know my body. I have been dealing with chronic pain for 10 years, and I don't want someone messing with my meds who I don't even know! So I asked questions!! I asked if the person I will be seeing today (MSN-PAC) will actually LISTEN to me, and I was told she would.. I asked if she will attempt to change my meds and I was told she wouln't. I asked if I came in and told her my meds needed to be adjusted she would adjust/change per my request and I was told she would. I asked if she would accept I know my body and she doesn't and I was told that would be no problem.

So, we will have to se what we will see! So, the upshot is I'm going to a place I have no trust, it's rainy, and I still have the lingering sinus issue!! Not going to be a great day! I know I will have to sit there forever, so that is also a minus!! Will be taking some stitching with me tho!!

Prayers for our friends

Here is my cat (really my cat!) offering prayers for our friends and group members in the way of any and all hurricanes/storms this year!

This is my baby Bowie, (Fatema's favorite) offering grace before devouring number 7 squirrel! I caught this pose, earlier this week and thought it was so unbelieveably hysterical! He is so cute!

He is such a funny baby! He loves to wrestle with my biggest baby, Rascal, my border collie, who is my guard dog and my baby sitter! When I was sitting outside earlier this week, getting some much needed sun and warmth on my body, he got so upset that I was outside without him, he was actually getting "pissy" when I came in to stay in! He was jumping up on me and not letting me out of his sight since then! He follows me everywhere I go now!

I have been staying inside the past 2 or 3 days because of my sore throat, ear aches and froggy voice! I must admit, my children are loving the fact I cannot yell at them or for them lately! It is getting better, but still not up to yelling yet. But, I am keeping a list, so when i ge my voice back, watch out! I will be yelling about things they have done all week long! LOL

Here is another pic I named "Not tonite dear, I have a headache!" Just look at the pic and see if it says the same to you! This one was sent to me by my Aunt ( I really don't know where she finds them, but they are wonderfully funny pix!)

I certainly hope I get my SF chart soon. I don't know what is going on, I've never had to wait so long to get my order from ECC before. I don't know if there is an issue with ECC's wholesaler, or what, but I certainly do wish I could get her soon! I can't start her yet, as I still have to finish my FQ first, but am doing very well on her! I would figure I have over 2/3 of her completed, so should not have to much to fnish!

Thank you to all of you who have visited my blog and signed my Guestbook! Pleas try to sign it everytime you visit!

jean

Still not feeling the best, but have an update!

Still not feeling 100% yet, sore throat is going to my ears and back of neck, but just had to show my latest update on PR's Fairy Queen, which I have been stitching on for a few weeks.
Here she is after a little more than 3 wekkes! I think she is coming along so nicely! I have roughly 2/3 of her done.
Working on the lower part of her dress now. Lots of RG and beads on lower part of dress I've found. But will get her done soon.
Still waiting on ECC to deliever my SF, that's the next one I'll be working on. I'm so excited about her!!
Sore throat remains, stiff neck is showing up (feels swollen on the outside, but isn't), and ear ache is rearing it's ugly head! However, no matter how badly I feel, I will have to go out and go to store today! If I sent my dh, he would have another heart attack over the prices of everything, like he did last January when I was on my stitching cruise! LOL
Well, that's all. Think I'm going to go back to bed for a while! Need lots sleep lately. Keep falling asleep over stitching!
Have a great day for those of you checking my posting here and Happy Stitching!!

Under the weather for the past few days

I haven't been feeling the greatest for the past couple of days. :( I have had some serious spasms in my throat/neck and that has caused my voice box to go a little wonkers. I have no voice now, and my kids are loving it, LOL!! However, now the spasms are going away (slowly, but going away) and I am discovering I actually have a sore throat! Due to sinus drainage because (as gross as this sounds) I can feel the post nasal drip! I am not happy about this! I hate it when I get sick, mostly because I don't normally get sick!! The last time I was actually ill ill, I don't remember! So very rare!

I have been stitching up a storm lately. Mon, Tues and Wed I sat outside on my porch basking in the sun, stitching up a storm and listening to my mp3 player for hours each day! Now, I have to admit, I have fallen asleep sitting out there several times, but it was so wonderful outside, I couldn't resist!

Today, I stayed inside due to my throat issues! Rascal, my baby (dog) was very happy I was inside today. He gets so antsy when I'm outside and he's not. He is not a happy camper if I'm not in my bedroom where he can keep an eye on me! He's such a baby! Plus, he wants to make sure I'm well guarded!!




Well, I am certainly glad I don't eat when I'm stressed out or I would look similar to the cat! Have you seen anything that huge before? How does he get around? Does he have a kitty sized skateboard to roll around the house on? Maybe his owner should get him one. It would make it much easier for him than trying to walk! Although, clearly, walking would be much much much better for him!! Here's a clue: stop feeding him so much! They do have "diet" food out there for animals and this fat cat (resembles some of those CEOs of oil companies, doesn't he) definitely qualifies for the diet food out there!

I really love these pictures my aunt sent me, they are so funny! Plus, I got to add my own captions to each one! So really had a field day doing that!!

I am still waiting for my SF to get here. Don't know what the holdup is, usually ECC is much much faster than this on getting out the newes PR chartpacks. Did get an email from Cindy stating Angie (her wholesaler?) had them and and was shipping to ECC, but Cindy asked Angie to mail me mine directly, so I wouldn't have to wait any longer. So hopefully, I will get it this week! I really want it so I can check the fabbie I got for it will actually be good, or I might try my hand at dyeing some fabric for it!

I have everything I need for dyeing now, but to be honest, slightly scared to try it! I have asked all sorts of questions from a lady on the group Stitchers Heaven and they are a great help, but still a little nervous about it! I bought all sorts of dye and even found some actual fabric paint (permanent) at AC Moores and Michaels when I went out searching. Plus got some more 28 count fabric. I would really like to do this and do this well, since the pieces of fabric I buy are usually 20x27 and that is bigger than fat 1/4 that is sold from PTP and Silkweavers. Sometimes a PR design is a very tight fit on the 18x26 size they have! So, think I may just actually do it this weekend!

I received my books from Amazon today (hooray!!) and they have some pretty good clip art/pictures in them. The book that teaches you about drawing fantasy characters is not exactly what I thought it would be, but who knows, I might end up loving it. However, to really utilize that book I will need to find Adobe Photoshop! I think dh has a copy of it somewhere in that mess he calls a basement/office/model builiding room!! Hope it is not a super old version! I will have to spend hours updating it!! But, since I will probably need it eventually for designing, I guess I may as well get it installed now!

Next on my list will be the designing software. All fingers point at something called Pattern maker, so that is whay I will probably buy. But the cost is like $60.00 or something like that. So I'll have to try getting that so I can pursued this part of my dream! I really wish I could draw like some people do, but I'll figure it out!

Today was not a good day!

This is what my bathroom (wc) looks like sometimes if the cat gets ahold of the toilet paper!! He loves that stuff! He will drag it all through the house! Sort of funny unless you are the one cleaning it up! Because he goes right behind you and pulls more out!

Isn't this one the truth? Every family has one of these, whether they admit to or not! I love these cat pictures, some of them are so so funny, but the majority are really gut busters!

Today was not a good day. I woke up with something wrong with my back. It hurt so badly!! I have done nothing but eat pain pills pretty much all day (so if my words are slurred, I apologize!). Sometimes, for no apparent reason, it would actually take my breath away!
So I decided I wasn't going to do anything constructive in the house! I sat outside in the sun, basking in the late sun, listening to my mp3 player and STITCHING!! I was out there 5-6 hours and got a lot done on FQ today too! Hope I get done with a bunch of her before SF hits my house next week! I am so excited for her!!!

Taking the dive!!

Okay, I'm taking the dive! I just ordered some books from Amazon.com to help me in the next step of my dream! The books are to help me start designing my own projects.

One day, (in the not so distant future), people will be buying my designs, sold under the Stitchers Heaven name! I know I can do this, just finding the time away from stitching is the biggest hurdle, especially with the newest PR coming to my house soon!

Also bought some dye today to try my hand at dyeing my fabric. Don't think I will take that one mass manufacturing any time soon! LOL

After I get the first step of my dream out of the way, on to my 2nd step. That will be to have an actual mortar/brick LNS and accompanying ONS named Stitchers Heaven. That step will be some years down the road

Went to see Mama Mia tonight with my Aunt and I loved it!! Since it had been on so long, we were the only ones in the theater so we were able to sing along with the movie, which we most happinly did!! I really like it!

Woo Hoo!!

I just was on Princess Cruise's website to check and see if I can pre-reserve my shore excursions yet because technically can't do that until 120 days before cruise. However, I was quite pleasantly surprised to find I could!!
So I have just spent the past hour (hey, I can't help it if I woke up at 4:55 am today!) looking up and pre-reserving my shore excursions!! I have one for each port: Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Thomas USVI, and Princess Cays!! Yippee for me!!
I now have 124 days before my cruise, which translates to 123 days before I leave, since I am flying out the day before. I was always told to get down there at least 1 day before ship departs.
One time, last fall, I was up at the airport to pick up a lady who was our exchange student over 30 years ago. She was finally coming back to WV for a visit!! However, her flight was delayed because of mechanical issues and the people who were waiting for that flight so they could leave (and there were a lot of them!!) were kept waiting all day long! Some of the people were very upset because they had a cruise they had to get down to Miami to board!!
Some of them had cruise protection, so they would be reimbursed for missing the cruise, and some found another flight, but several lost the price the paid on the cruise because they had no cruise protection and could not find/afford another flight! I felt so sorry for them. So, I now will always be at the departure city 1 day before departure!!

DH is going to a State Job Fair today. There will be so many areas of state job hiring people there. He has about 10 of his resumes to take with him. Going out and talking to people about jobs available is so good for him. He rarely leaves the house now, only to do a couple of errands or go buy some car models for him and youngest son to build. This will be so good for him and I hope he finds something there today.

Also today is the day I am stuck at home all day because Sears technician is going to be here sometime between 8 and 5 to put on that stupid piece on my even more stupid water heater!! I still have not heard back from Lowe's (big surprise) about the $90.10 I paid for installation of a piece Lowe's said I needed, but did not need at all!! AARRGGHH!! So, I will probably call them back today sometime and ask once again what Lowe's plans to do about their mistake. If they don't want to give me cash back (which I prefer), I will take store credit. That way I might be able to get some things to work on this house a little bit!!

Will keep this blog updated on the water heater incident and also as soon as I get my new SF chart, will post it here!!

Fairy Queen update!

Here is Fairy Queen after 2 weeks of stitching! She is coming along nicely! The colors are so beautiful. She is stitched on 28 ct Spring Garden by Silkweaver.
I am working as fast as I can on her so I can have her mostly done when I get the newest PR design, Serendipity Fairy (hopefully this week!). That way I won't have to worry so much about starting on SF or getting FQ done!

Just thought I would just post this update real quickly today, while I took a quick break from beading on her! I am about ready to roll her down some more to start work on the lower dress part! Moving right along, yea!!

Thanks for looking!

New!! Guestbook Added!!

I have finally figured out how to add a Guestbook to my blog!! Scroll down to bottom of posts and please sign my Guestbook!! I would be honored to have you sign it, so I can know how many of your have visited me here at Stitcher's Heaven!! Thanks so much for signing it!!


How's this for a computer technician!! Isn't he just adorable? I thought this was so funny!! I have several hilarious cat pictures my aunt has sent me and I thought it would be fun to put them in my blogs when I don't have any updated WIP pix to put in. (Yes, I know, I need to! ) Will try to add some soon folks!

Here's a good one of a cat dog fight and it looks like the cat got a really got left jab in there !! No wonder it's called shazam!! Looks like something one of my cats would do to my dog! LOL




Today has been a really crappy day! Just one of those days when I should have NEVER gotten out of bed!! Just wanted to bang my head against a wall several times today!
All I can say is NEVER buy a Whirlpool Natural Gas Water Heater and especially don't buy it from Lowe's!! Boy what a day! I spent most of the day on hold with Whirlpool and Lowe's!


Will try to get some pix tomorrow of my WIP!! I know I have been slipping on that, but just wanted to get as much stitching in on her so I will be ready for SF when she comes out this week!! Woo Hoo!

Don't forget, sign my Guestbook!! Thanks!

Some funny pix!

I woke up with a stiff neck!!!<<<<<

Yes, dear, I have the flu!!!>>>>>>>

These are 2 of the many hysterical cat pictures my aunt sent to me today (well, yesterday actually)!! She knows how much I love to see these types of pictures!! I just howled at some of them!! Especially since I have 4 of these fur babies and they all are very weird acting and do some of the strangest things! One cat loves my iced tea!!

Well, today has been a very bad day:( I woke up feeling like a semi had driven over me at least 8 times. Everything in me hurt. I guess it's a combination of the cold front coming in, the rain coming up and just plain stress! Plus the fact it was down to 50 degrees last nite. brrrrrr!

I could hardly move at all today. I just mostly sat in my rocker and rested. I did get some stitching done today, though I took very frequent breaks to stretch (ouch) and go downstairs (much more ouch there)!!

I am still awake although I took my meds a while ago! My body is just in so much pain, it won't let me rest!! I keep having the myoclonic jerking and I really really despise those! I will be sitting/lying there and all of a sudden, my body will just jerk and then stop! Very annoying and usually makes me have to frog!!

My fabric is on its way!!

Hooray!! My fabby is on its way to me!! PTP emailed me to let me know it shipped today! I decided to go with their suggestion. I emailed them a picture of the Polstitches fabric and a picture of SF and asked them what they would suggest. So I am now the proud owner of a fat 1/4 of 28 ct Lugana Confetti from PTP!!

I also received another email from Cindy at ECC (she is so utterly terrific!) letting me know how much my order would be if I added the beads and a couple of cards of RG metallics that I needed. So all of that will be coming as soon as Cindy gets the chart pack!! Supposedly around the 19-20 of this month!! I can't wait!!

Today has been a rotten day. Started out pretyy decently. Went to the Y, worked out on the treadclimber for19 mintes, then went thru all of the Nautilus system with the exception of one machine. Showered then came home. By about noon, feeling very rough.

There is a cold front coming thru tomorrow so I have been feeling rough since noon. Legs are killing me and I keep having those blasted myoclonic jerking things!! I hurt so badly tonite!!

Bitch bitch bitch!! But I can't help it when I feel this badly!! Took out all the garbage today and put it beside the road (how lazy these guys are now) I can remember when they came to the house and took the garbage cans to the road and after they were emptied, another group would come by and put them back!! Forget about that onw!

not much more tonite/morning!

Well, she is mine now!!

Well, I have ordered the newest PR, Serendipity Fairy, and she is mine now!! I just have to wait for Laura to ship them out, which should be around the 19th!! I also went ahead and ordered the fabric for her. I am going to use 28 ct Lugana Confetti from PTP. I have used them a lot for my PRs!! The gals there are so great about answering all my dumb questions! I just sent them a pic of the Polstitches fabric and the picture of the new PR and asked what they would suggest, and Confetti it was!!

DH had his job interview today. Boy it certainly was nice around the house while he was gone! LOL! He was there about 2 -2 1/2 hours. He had to take a personality and intelligent test. He scored very high on both! So hopefully that will help! He had to sign for the background check and that's not bad as long as they don't do a credit check, we have crappy credit!! Especially now, after having the van repo'd!

I am going to get on my soapbox for a moment. I don't think it is fair for employers to be able to do a credit check on you!! A credit check does not tell a lot about a person in real life. It just shows a person has made some boo boos throught out his/her life. Criminal background check is okay and should be done anymore, but this crap about credit checks needs to be stopped!!

Okay, that's it for my soapbox time. I took my meds a while ago and they are starting to work so off I go to la la land!!

Good nite all!

Here she is!! And boy, words escape me!!!

Here she is!! Finally!! Boy, do words ever escape me on this one!! This is Serendipity Fairy, the newest PR masterpiece. Look how utterly unspeakably gorgeous she is!!

I am having a hard time describing her. All I know is I have already written to Cindy at ECC to preorder her!! Don't know when she comes out, but I got to have her ASAP!!!

I don't even care if I have to add her to rotation with Fairy Queen! I MUST have her! Laura always seems to outdo herself with each new design! I don't know how she does it, she is such a wonderful artist and designer!!

I have been making some fairly good progress on FQ, the wings are just about totally done, will try to remember to post a pic tomorrow; here and in my album on the group!!

Was a pretty quiet day today. Little cool for my taste (and my body) but with a cold front coming in, the pains are bad. Did a couple loads of laundry (total yuck on that) and this week hope to do some house cleaning (triple yuck on that as well!! :) :) )!!!

We did have our gs over today for a while, that is always nice. He is growing so much! He is learning to walk and that is such a fun time!! But boy, how that boy does crawl! You literally have to run after him!!

I am so happy our group is so welcome to everyone there! I love it! That is what we (Fatema and I ) envisioned when we started this group just a couple of months ago! and it has grown beyond our wildest dreams!! Now, if I could just get Fatema out from under the chair, that would be great!

I plan on going to the gym again tomorrow and hopefully continue to work on my left leg, to strengthen it. I know I can't get it 100%, but at least 75 % would be nice!! I noticed the other day when I was doing my stretching exercises, that my left foot cannot flex as well as my right. Smal concern there. Shows beginning of a larger issue down the road. But, no time to dwell on what might be!

Still nothing on the job front for my dh!! He is really getting down about this. He seems to feel it was his fault for his job being outsourced. Seems to think (stupidly as men tend to do) that he should have worked harder. This from the man who worked from home no matter the time, date or how sick he was. He even worked on his vacation days!!! Irritating to say the least!!

Well, that's my update for today!!

Got some patterns in the mail yesterday!

I received some totally awesome patterns in the mail yesterday from Margaret in UK!! They are for blackwork. They include Henry VIII and all of his 6 wives, along with Elizabeth!! I'm so stoked by this!! Actually may start on Henry today! I can't wait to get them all done and framed to show my mom, she will croak!! And then beg to have them!! I love it when I have found something I know she will like!! Then I get to tell her no, she can't have them!! ha ha ha (not very nice I know)
Well, it's time for me to go get the boys up for school. Don't think I will make it to the gym today. This heat has beaten me up the past few days!! I don't have energy to do much of anything!
Well, "schoolititis" has reared it's ugly head all ready!! Youngest just came up and said "i don't feel well" Heavy sigh!!! His stomach hurts, his throat hurts, etc etc etc. Told him unless he is running a temperature, he is not staying home! Not going thru THAT again this year! He is so small, he gets picked on at school. AND of course the school does absolutely nothing about it!!! Have called, gone up and complained and nothing is done. If it continues like it did last year, the county may just end up paying for his tuition at a private school!! Will threaten lawsuit for not following their own "bullying" rules!
Well, I've got to go and get dressed myself. Then I think I'm coming home and getting stuff ready for Henry!! Will try to take a pic of Fairy Queen today (outside, so natural light will let the colors of the fabric show up!)

I cannot wait....

..for the newest PR design!! Laura is being so mean to us!! She is just adding a little at a time to the picture on her website. Now she is torturing us with the floss list! Looks to be another masterpiece!! The colors alone are drool worthy!

I have made a pretty good start on Fairy Queen. I am stitching her on 28 ct Spring Garden by Silkweaver. I wasn't too fond of the Terracotta fabric, I thought she needed something more fairy like. Wanted to put her on a Silkweaver solo, but when I opened the fabric up, it looked too much like a sky, so I will save that for something else. So far, the fabric I picked seems to be looking good. I have finished the face (done in Splendour Silks instead of DMC) and the backstitching there, along with a large amount of her hair. Am now doing the wings.

It has been so hot here, yesterday while I was stitching, I kept nodding off!! Every once in a while, my head would drop onto my magnifier and now I have to clean that off because of all the smudges from my nose and cheek!! LOL! This heat has been terrible the past several days. That is why I start nodding off all the time! If there is no break at all, it begins to affect me.

We had a pretty nice "cook-in" on Monday. We went to my mother's house and she grilled hot dogs inside. About 13 people were there. All of us, my niece and her friend, my aunt, and my dd's bf and his 2 friends. Plenty to eat (actually ate too much as usual). Then came home and promptly fell asleep! (another side effect of eating too much)

Went to the gym today and used the treadmill and then some of the Nautilus equipment. Used mostly the leg machines, to get strength back in my left leg. I have noticed something that is not the best of news. I cannot flex my left foot the same amount as my right. There is about a 2 inch difference! Try as hard as I can, I just can't get it to bend any more. That is not a good sign. That shows my left leg is not responding to signals as well as my right. Add that to the weakening of it and there is some concern! So, will keep using the gym and hope I get at least some strength built back up.
I have lost way way way too much weight since January! I haven't been trying to lose it, but it's dropping off too fast. I weighed myself last week at the gym and used the same scale today (dressed in same clothes) and there was an 8 lb difference! Oh boy, will my doc rant and rave at me next month! He absolutely hates it when I lose weight like this!! I hope I'm not starting another episode of metabolic issues again!! I don't want to have to travel up to JH again! No Way!!