THURSDAY, December 4th

[purrfect-lady]

Good morning,

JANA - said a prayer for Kate and baby Enoch. The good news is in an NICU - a 30-weeker is rather routine - Baby should do fine, though I know it's really scary when it's YOUR baby (or grandbaby!). And if they can hold off delivery even a day or two, the stress of early labor will cause production of surfactant, a substance that helps in maturing the lungs - the last of baby's organs to mature. It's Nature's way of stepping it up. Please let us know how things go. We all love your family.

In other news:
LYN texted me late yesterday. Garry has had a bit of a setback and was transferred back to the regular hospital, which is about a mile from the rehab. She and Garry could also use some prayers.

JUDI - did you go to the concert last night? what instrument does Ryker play? Seems like he was just born and suddenly he's doing concerts! These babies are growing up too fast!

CHRISS - congratulations on your cardio graduation! For all you have done, and all you have survived in the past few years, you deserve a standing ovation along with those brand new windows! We couldn't believe the difference when we got our windows about 4 years ago. Only drawback is now we can't hear the owls at night. But a big advantage is we can't hear the owls at night! Scottie can't stand owls and he goes into a barking frenzy when he hears the owls at night. And it's great news that Dad is doing well enough to get back to work! What is he working on now? The oven space in the kitchen wall? You need to keep finding stuff for him to do. I think you have become his salvation. He needs to be doing these things for you as much, maybe more, than you need these things done. What a purrfect pair you are!

LORI - thanks for the wool tips. If I do use glue, I'll try for just a small dot of it in a spot where I wouldn't stitch - though some of these pieces are pretty small! I also have Sewline glue sticks. I'm using those on my CW's - but I'll try your tips before any glue. Thanks! Yay for a day with no appts!! Today, I have 4. Ugh. Any new treasures turning up at Mom & Dad's?

LOIS - Several quilters advised me to use pen and paper and make swirls and loops and sharp turns over and over again - while watching TV in the evening perhaps. It develops muscle memory and makes following those pantos easier. You'll get it! Like everything else in life - it takes practice.

FLO - sorry you get bruised when you have blood draws. Do you take blood thinners? Do they have a difficult time finding a vein? Some people have rolling veins that are hard to hit. If you're not already, try drinking lots of water for the 24 hours before your blood draw.

TINA B - nope! I see no sense in driving in snow for 25 minutes to jump in a pool to exercise! And I noticed a lot of dr appts in your post yesterday, Hope all is well for you both.

VAL - I think you said you had gotten a start on the KTVC? Check out the Pro Tip on bottom of pg 13 in the directions. To look ahead and cut biggest pieces first. Most experienced quilters would know to do this in a project like this, but just in case . . . Judi and I felt that this tip really should be at the very beginning.

MARY Q - what were you doing yesterday? Isn't today your Community Christmas party? And Saturday your craft show? I'm guessing you are busy.

Yesterday morning I made cranberry muffins for breakfast and then got crackin' on some more cards. They are like having a having a short visit with all the friends and family we see so seldom. LuLu was here so I kind of moved around the house as she cleaned, working at various things. I stitched CW's in the living room, wrote cards in the dining room, and finally moved to the sewing room where I made my label and put binding on my Vintage Christmas. It's ready to go on the bed today. Then we left for dinner in Bremerton (27 mile drive) and met Drew. It's always so good to see him. We're looking for a girlfriend for him if anyone has any granddaughters up for grabs! He's 32, handsome (no, really!), good job, has owned his own home for 10 years, drug-free, non-smoker, loves animals and little kids. And he did tell me if he is able to get out and about while working in Japan and sees a fabric store, he'll go look for some fabric for me! He's a good boy!

Today I have 4 appointments starting with massage at 11am. Then at 3pm I have last appt with surgeon's PA, a CT scan, and some XR's. Fortunately, those last 3 are in the same building one right after the other. In between appts, we're going on a round of gift-delivering - we have cookies for the staff at UPS store where our mail is delivered, Hickory Farms for my massage therapist, and bottles of wine for my old dentist who is retiring and his hygienist and receptionist. After so many years I'm going to miss them all!

Supper is going to be leftover pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, and apples, with salad on the side.

Saying prayers for everyone - but especially for Kate & baby and for Garry & Lyn.

mary z
>^+^<

[grammiequilts]

Good morning, It has been a busy morning here, I decided to clean the sewing closet. I store all the bought gifts there and it was out of control. A large trash bag full. A pile to go to the guild at the Jan meeting. All the bought gifts on the cutting table to be wrapped. I missed one of the ornaments so I will go to the hallmark store this week and pick up one for a special little girl. and then all will be well. All the cookies are in the freezer and more to bake but not today, My closet is walkable. It is a walkin with shelves on one wall they are neat and organized.
I will wrap today and get that done. I am waiting for a gift to be shipped and then done.
Hope you are all getting your holiday spirit on.
I will pray for Garry that he is better and Lyn gets rest... I will pray for the baby that he stays put for a week or 2.
and makes his appearence healthy and happy. I will pray for successful surgery on that errant hip so Mary will be dancing again, I also will pray for everyone else here that needs but hadnt said... I ask for prayers for my DDIL Jennifer, her grandmother a very sweet lady is 93 and has been sent home with hospice care that her journey is smooth and her family does ok with it...
Thats it I need to get busy XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[fabricgirl]

Good morning,

It's cold outside no appointments today and we get a 2 week reprieve.
I'm tired of Drs .
Today I have stuff to do around here someone still has his cold so we are not moving fast.
I'm going to put off quilting untill after the holidays there is way to much to do around here so quilting can wait.

Well that's all the news from here.
Prayers to all.
Lois

[WeeOne]

Yesterday our friends Bob & Carol were going to visit Garry, about 11:15. (MaryZ, you met Carol last Jan.) Got a call just before leaving the Coach, Garry has a significant amount of blood in urine and he started having nose bleeds. They were sending him to the main hospital about a mile away. Kaylyn and I got to the rehab and Nurse told more on what was going on. Transport took him over at 1 p.m. They did several tests and I won't get all the info until today. But the CT scan they did on arrival shows that he's had another stroke in a different part of the brain, a Left basal ganglia stroke, deep on the left side. A different area than 3 weeks ago. He has an infection and they are trying to pin point, lungs, bladder or gallbladder. On a side note, Bob & Carol got to the top of their driveway and water was running across the road. The city had a water line break. They stayed home. Visiting just wasn't meant to be yesterday.

I appreciate all the prayers. Garry's in God's hands and I hope angels are surrounding him.

Jeep is still at the shop.

Jana, Sending prayers for Kate and baby.

I hope everyone has a good day.
Lyn

[velvet]

For all of our unseen sisters who are in need of prayers for them and their families--Please stop today for a few minutes and offer up your prayers and thoughts for them. Prayers work miracles and we are in need.
Diane

[auntjana]

Good morning!

It is a good morning! The Dr's were able to "reset" the possible labor and we have Enoch still stuck inside! The ER team consulted with Kate's OB on the tactics to use. The hope is to get them to 35 weeks, middle of January or so, or later. Kate came home last night. So thank you all, prayers do work! Now, for Garry and Lyn too! Our little Enoch is a very energetic little monkey, bouncing everywhere during all this. So No baby yet, a good thing!

And then, I have a appointment with my dentist in a few minutes for the next step in my procedure. Yippee! A two week wearing of the prototype and then the final permanent teeth will be made. I may make it by Christmas, probably not. But I can hope and sing, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth! Been awhile since I was a kid singing that one!

Karlie will be over later today and will make Grandpa some peanut butter cookies. And help me with decorating. I was a hoot watching me use my stair lift, back and forth, staging decorations for the new shelves Daniel built. I also got out my quilts and skinnies. Sad to say, I have too many! My walls will be quite warm!

My Logan has been out of work for a time at the pool. The city closed the pool for adding a new heating system and now are finally done. So Logan will start back up again. He's now in charge of the life guards and has his shift before high school in the morning. For the old folks water aerobics. He's happy to be back earning money as he wants to attend a church conference for youth that's in Hawaii this upcoming summer. It's a week long and has many activities, but the one he wants most is learning to surf! What a place to learn!

Seems we're back to a normal for this family, running every which way!

Hugs, thanks, and many prayers for all y'all! Especially Garry and Lyn,

Jana

[maryq]

Good Morning All

Yup, I never made it here yesterday, but not for lack of trying! I just couldn't get online here for some reason. I admit to not being very patient when it comes to getting on line or the computer doing something quickly. I did have to get butt in gear and shower etc and run errands... got my newest version of the pneumonia vaccine, then ran some errands. Came home to bake some treats for the Christmas party.... which is tonight!

Maryz..... Yup... this has been a busy week. Christmas party tonight, tomorrow nite after 7:30 we set up craft fair and then Saturday morning I have to be up before the sun to get self showered and dressed as craft show opens at 9am. It only goes until 2pm so it will be a short day. At this point, I just hope I make enough to cover the cost of table rent! I'm not expecting to make a ton of $$$$. I've seen pictures of your Drew and you are right---he is very handsome!!!! How would he feel about moving to MN? I have a beautiful niece! ok she's a little older and has a daughter.... I'll have to go back and check out his news about Japan! Sounds like a great opportunity for him. My cousin that lives in Seattle (one of the suburbs) met his wife in Japan when he was teaching there (many years ago), so you just never know what souvenir Drew will bring back with him.

Judi.... Do you ever find Christmas gifts hidden in a closet AFTER Christmas? It seems to be an annual tradition here. It would be ok if it was something for Jen as her birthday is January and I could hang on to it until then. Shawn, who is a big grinch has forbidden me from buying gifts for all his family---tho he is not the boss of me!!! They have all the need and are in a position to buy what they want. But I am going to get the college kids a bag or box of food. Even tho are in dorms, you can only stand so much cafeteria food. Might do that same for Corinne & Nolan too--as I have NO other ideas what to get a 16 & 14 year old! Prayers for Jennifer's Grandmother---that God be gentle and take her home peacefully.

Lois.... You are going to try pantos? That's all Viv uses and she's kind of taught me how to quilt with them. She has a little laser light on the sewing machine that you follow on the lines of the panto---I tried it! The trick is, with the laser is to watch it a little bit ahead of where you want to go rather than where you are. Viv loves that part of quilting, and I am so grateful she does because it was boring to me. On her LA she can do pantos standing on one side of the machine and do free motion standing on the other side..... When I tried it, I preferred FM. But I sure wasn't very good at it. I'm so grateful she loves it!

Lyn.... Prayers for Garry today... and every day. I have no doubt that Angels are surrounding him. Do you have a loaner car to use while the Jeep is in the shop? Is Kaylyn still close by to help?

Diane.... You are so right.... prayers work. I have seen it so very often. I think when I first realized what an impact prayer had was in January of 1980 when my Mom had a cranial aneurism. She was 56 at time. I prayed and prayed, asking God to please take care of her and not take her home as selfishly I still needed her!. He guided the hands of her amazing surgeons and she recovered and lived another 30 years. So I got to have her in my life and my children knew an amazing Grandmother---who gave them ice cream at 10:00 in the morning--as it was good for them because it had milk in it! Little Miracles happen every day.

Jana... Today as I wander around my house I will send many thoughts and prayers that God watch over Kate and Enoch today. That His loving hands hold that baby inside just a little longer as every hour and every day strengthens that little boy. Good news from this morning that baby is still safe inside! Please tell me how they are pronouncing Enoch? I've heard it EE-knock and En-Oak.

Chriss...Congratulations!! You graduated!!! Did I see Dad is doing better and back on his feet? Can't keep a good man down I guess. All new windows!! How wonderful. My house had needed new windows for years but it was never something I could manage to afford. The kids put all new ones in last spring and they are beautiful!!! I had had a bay window across the front of my house, but they took that all out and put in a regular one (I still love a bay window ) I wouldn't be a surprised if you could see a difference in your energy bill---keeping the house cooler in the summer with new windows.


Guess I better get busy this morning. I do have everything ready to go for the party tonight (I'll be glad when it's over). There are boxes and bags of stuff to take up to our City Hall where we rented a room. Normally we've had it at a local American Legion Restaurant, but they raised the prices so high this year, we found a different option. I kind of have a sneaky feeling, that as out "population" here gets older (we're all old folks here, tho it's not a 55+ community) fewer and fewer will want to go out on a cold December night! (It's 7 BELOW zero this morning).

So as I sign off, I send prayers for all of you...especially Garry, Jennifer's Grandmother, and Baby Enoch. May God bless you all!

[auntjana]

Pronunciation of Enoch - EE-nick or as Grandma here calls him, little mutt!

[zfatcat]

Jana, good to hear Enoch is waiting a little longer to show up and Kate is home. Here's to hoping they get moving with the teeth and you have them before Christmas.

Maryq, dang that's a little chilly to be out and about. Hope the party is fun.

Lyn, sorry Garry is not doing well. If nothing else, I hope he is not in any pain. Prayers for him and you.

Judi, I need to do a little wrapping as well. I still need to find a gift for DIL.

Maryz, those pieces aren't that small. No, I haven't done anything at the parents home. I've been busy with appointment and stuff. I put my Christmas sampler on the bed a few days ago, then took it off. It hasn't been washed and was too stiff to sleep under. When I get time that's on the agenda. Hope all the appointments go well and you are on your way to a new knee.

I was supposed to go to the Huntington Library today for tea, but that got cancelled last minute. So now I'm replanning my day. Jack and I went for our morning constitution. It's a beautiful morning her. Supposed to get up to the lower 70's. I need to water up the street and will go to the Italian market. We'll also make a Costco run this afternoon. So the day fills up fast when you have no plans. Dinner will be chili on baked potatoes.

Have a lovely day.

[auntjana]

Daniel and Karlie put up all my nutcrackers and my what is called the army of Santa's and snowmen. I never really had a whole area to display them. Now I do! I will take a picture and share it tomorrow. I need to organize the quilts that are belo, first. I'm not liking how they are displayed. So a hammer and some push pins and we'll be good. About all that's left is Dickens and my big trees. Tomorrow's project..

Still good news on Enoch. He's staying put. Grandma has now discovered his nickname, because I definitely detest what the parents have chosen, it will be Nicky! A variation of his real name. While he's little, it will be Nicky-boo. I have Gracie-lou, and Stu is still, in my book, little boy blue. Even though he's 6'2" and 29 years old! Daniel is 45 and I still call him by his nickname, Twink. So do the siblings.

Praying for good news with Garry.

Oh my, teeth prototype are just perfect and the dds said, if no problem, next Thursday or Friday he'll call the lab to start the final ones. Sarah thinks these are too white, so we may change the color slightly. We'll see. And it willbe after the first of the year for the final set. Still plastic fork cutting test 7ntil then. But at least the end is insight.

Hugs and good night,
Jana