I’ve had a couple tiny corrections to fix in the book and then it will be printed again. Here is the stack of orders I got today – with so many personal notes and stories! I have loved reading your letters and some of you have been readers since the Goat Gazette days. Do you remember I used to say “everybody’s got a story”? And it’s true! I love reading your letters and I will save all of them to reread next winter when I need a little pick me up. And the cards are just too pretty to toss!
And now I vent. I will never again believe anyone who says hip replacement is a breeze. It is not. Rick is doing okay but the big worry is dislocating the hip by bending too far.
The quilt show yesterday was fabulous – I agree! And that can happen more often – IF I get your photos. It takes a village, Folks! Smile!
Tomorrow is therapy, an appt in Clear Lake and then lawn mowing. I’ll hang in there if you will!
Hope all goes
Well
At the appointment! Loved the quilt show yesterday, looked at it this morning as I am so far behind with my checking my email! Life is way too busy!!!
Mary, in answer to your question as to why there are so many dogs coming into rescue, breeders are shutting down or taking a break because they are unable to sell their product. The market is overwhelmed. Many of these dogs are breeder releases and many in Ohio. There are more there yet that the rescue will be retrieving in the near future.
This trip brought 12 standard poodles and a moyen,, 6 minis, a Maltese , 2 shih tzus and a birchon, 1 mini Bernedoodle, 1 mini Sheepadoodle, a Bernese mountain dog, and 3 Australian shepherds.
For anyone interested in learning about what this rescue does and/or adoptions, please visit carolinapoodlerescue.org
Pattie – oh, I’m appalled!! These breeders and mills should be shut down instead of continuing to produce dogs that no one can care for. Maybe someone reading will visit the site and adopt a dog? If anyone does please let us follow you on your journey of adoption. I wish I were in your area – you’re doing such a great job, Pattie! And I know your own dogs are having a blast running free. Loved those sweet puppies that arrived so quickly.
Ah, yes. I remember the “keep the hip and leg at more than 45 degrees rule” that my hip surgeon required. That and the “don’t twist to the replaced hip side” were my silent mantras for weeks. I didn’t realize how much I twisted to a side while my feet were planted: a slight twist to get something from the cupboard, off the stove, etc. And not crossing my legs, whether at the knee or the ankle if I was in a recliner. I had to put a big pillow in my recliner as my reminder. Healing well requires Rick to pre-think things. Probably something none of us do consistently.
We have had low humidity days recently. Being outside has been lovely. I sealed wooden deck seating, porch swing, and wooden chairs my Dad made years ago. I even got on a scaffold to seal cedar siding around windows. We are hiring a young man to do the bulk of the sealing, but doing some of the detail work should make things easier when he comes for that task. The older I get, the less I like heights…even if it is only 5 feet off the ground.
I am still debating the March Madness squares, but am leaning more toward actually making them. The project will just take more than a month to get done. Meanwhile, I started a quicker project in order to accomplish it in one month.
Vicki – for your monthly goal of making small blocks, give yourself a number and strive to make that many blocks before the end of the month. Don’t take such a big “bite” – it’s too overwhelming. And the quilt is worth making. You’ve been busy!!!
You are wise. That would help me finish it. Right now, I have had a “power through it” mentality. And the outlook wasn’t good.
Hip replacement is an invasive surgery but if you follow the post surgery instructions it can be an easy recovery. However, if you are a hard headed man the rules don’t apply haha! Rick will get better, just hang in there.
My neighbor gave George a big bag of banana peppers from his garden so I’m making pickled peppers today. George wants to learn how to can so he can have preserved food without all the chemicals. That will be my payment for my custom kitchen, a small price to pay!
Ginny – lucky George! Is your household settling in after your devastating loss?
We are praying for Rick and you both. When people say surgery is a breeze, I believe them for the most part. But RECOVERY is a different matter! One sleeps through surgery, but recovery is hard work!
I’ve been working on restoring some lovely hand crank machines and a couple of treadles, mostly from England, so I haven’t been quilting as much. My to-do list will outlive me! I made my daughter a robe. I haven’t sewn much for several years, so I have to re-learn a bit. But I love seeing everyone’s quilts here.
Erin – we’d love to see some of your restored machines!! Yes, recovery is another whole story.
I’m sorry to hear how much trouble you and your husband is having with his hip replacement. It all depends on how the surgery was done as to whether it’s a breeze or not. Mine was done with the anterior approach (from the front), and there was really no way to dislocate when it was done that way. I was home a few hours after surgery, able to walk upstairs and sleep in my own bed, and drove 150 miles a week after surgery (and it was my right hip that was replaced). I wish all hip replacements could be done that way!
I had ball in my hip at 72 as my lab knocked me down as turning to go in house chasing another dog. No pain ever but left knee 4 timed bigger. This was Saturday and went to minor emergency Monday and told hip broken. Trief to pin Monday night no luck waited on hospital till Thursday noon and he altered the ball with channeling as femur brike about inch down.. rehab for 21 days , two weeks on Walker then cane 1 week. Slept on back for 3 months with a pillow between legs. Riding fir about 6 months was stiff fir about two steps. Then no stuff essential ever. Stull do no cross legs as was a no no. It gets better as went three days a week to read Nd did the exercises on off dYs and weekends. DR at hospital in Tulsa, OK said they do about 650 hip surgeries a year and see 1 or 2 like me as no pain even after 2 surgeries in 4 days. HNg in there it gets better.
For all who are thinking about hip replacement PLEASE look into having the ANTERIOR APPROACH. With this type of new hip there is NO activity or position restriction from the moment you wake up. I know, I have had two totally successful replacements from Dr. Robert Gorab in California. I forget that I even had them done, until I go to the airport. Many doctors don’t do them, it takes special training and a surgery table that costs over $125,000. I am so very thankful for mine.
Dorothy Sheldrake in So. CA
Dorothy – and we are so regretting not going to Mayo!!!! At my insistence because it meant so many arrangements to be gone for the whole day. I am so sorry – this is on me.
Same for my husband. He was riding his bike again in 5 weeks with anterior approach. No therapy, a few simple exercises. But, surgery goes differently for all. I just finished 8 weeks of PT for a knee scope and it’s been a slow process.
I manage to bounce between awe and gult when i see all the wonderful accomplishments of your other readers. Suddenly there are quite a number of sewing projects on my calendar leaving little to no option for quilting. When I get serious about the situation i am just grateful for finally finding some good visual aids that let me accomplish any form of sewing. So I will continue to be a voyeur and enjoy all those fabulous quilts while i get to sew
Great news on future printings of the book…! I can tell I will probably want more—I know lots of small children that will love this book…!
As far as the hip goes—I’m sorry it has been a difficult surgery. I had both hips done, and had no problems…but everyone is different…and no surgery is a breeze…ever! Continues hope that recovery can get smoother…
I love your daily email…more than you can imagine—thank you!
Bev C
We certainly will hang in there with you!!
I am a lifer so you can’t lose me from your world Mary!
We spent a quick weekend jaunt up to Adirondack mountains to a friends cottage who said “bring your dogs and they will get along with my golden doodle who is the same age”. What a generous friend and we made the 3 1/2 hour drive up one day and back the next as we had a medical appt we couldn’t change on Monday. So much fun being on the lake and relaxing and the dogs did just fine. Drove back home in those heavy downpours but just took it slow. Sometimes the impromptu times not planned work out to be the most fun.
The quilts everyone shared were fabulous and I will go back and admire them again as I am getting caught up now on emails. Tonight is our first sweet corn grown locally so very excited to have it for dinner!! Three ears for each of us. Fifty cents an ear.
Kathy – we should be seeing sweet corn trucks any day now and I can’t wait!! Yes, she is a generous friend who invited your dogs, too. This is one of the main reasons we never go anywhere – the dogs.
I hope Rick does all ok with his hip. I had no idea there were different ways to do them. I am sure “Bionic Man husband” will be having one someday. He’s had about every other surgery possible! Last night he tripped going into the bathroom and now we have a nice hole in the wall. Never know what he’ll do next. When our nephews put a hole in their bedroom wall, they hung up a poster of Farrah Faucett (sp) and their parents didn’t know for years. No, I’m not putting up a poster. Yes, he is ok!!
Diane – hang a wall quilt over the hole, Diane! I wish we had done this hip surgery at Mayo – my fault.
Hi Mary, Of course, it is the wall that has a purple Trip Around the World on it so it might
look a little weird to have a small quilt 2 feet off the floor! There truly is never a dull moment here.
It is so hard to have good doctors anymore. We live close to Columbus and our son lives close to Cleveland Clinic if we ever need it, but rural areas have it rough. My sister in Western NY had to go
to Florida to have her gall bladder out. Her husband had his knee replaced there, too. Getting old isn’t for sissies! It will take time, but Rick will do well:)
Diane – haha! I can just visualize a quilt 2’ off the floor! Hilarious!
I was just thinking of a food that was popular during and after the Great Depression. I was wondering if you or your readers remember eating coffee soup? As a little girl in the early forties, I remember my ,grandpap coming home from work, pouring himself a cup of coffee, breaking up saltines in it, adding milk and sugar and eating it with a spoon. I thought that so many of your readers are around my age that someone might remember it. I wasn’t allowed to have it because I was a kid and it was coffee. But later on he let me have it a few times. And I remember that it was good. Just wondering!! Love reading your comments and your posts.
Nancy – I have never heard of coffee soup – anyone else in the Midwest? My mom talked about eating popcorn with milk and sugar like cereal in a bowl during the Depression. Ooohh, this is a good question! Thank you, Nancy!
I’ve not heard of coffee soup – but my grandma (mom’s mom) apparently ate popcorn with milk on it. My mom must have thought it was gross lol, because I never saw her eating it and she never fed it to me and my brother. Popcorn at our house was butter and salt!
My husband has said his Dad broke saltines in a glass of water and ate it like cereal. He loved coffee and always, all day, had coffee in his Mr. Coffee. I’m sure if he had heard of it, he would have liked it.
No coffee soup in our family that I am aware of, but we did enjoy crushed graham crackers in a cup with milk. My grandfather was a Norski and when he came to visit Mom always baked treats because “Papa” liked a little something sweet with his mid-morning coffee break. And yes, the coffee was always on at our house, but I like tea, not coffee. I must have hung on to my mother’s English genes instead of my father’s Norwegian ones!
Mary you are an inspiration. I fins myself thinking I can’t keep up with her. I don’t have any animals to take care of just me and a garden in 4×4′ boxes. I’m not a good weed puller so I utilize my family alot to help with that. I lost my husband 4 yrs ago in the middle of Aug. He was home on hospice for 5 weeks thru July n into Aug so the summer months are hard for me but I’m learning to go do something for someone else and that makes it easier. So I’m hanging in there as well!
I think surgeries and recoveries are different for everyone. My DH had shoulder surgery & looked up post surgical exercises online. He was in his 60’s & had a very high pain tolerance (where I’m a big weinie). He did what the therapist told him to do but also included what he’d seen online. When he went in for his first post-op visit, the doc was mortified at what he could do. At his 6 week therapy, the therapist told him she’d NEVER seen anyone near where he was at that point. Me..? I’d still be a whiney baby. And the doc told him he could’ve done damage by doing some of the online exercises he was doing.
Hope Rick’s therapy and appointment goes well. It’s hard on you too so take care, Mary. Don’t beat yourself up about not going to Mayo. We do the best we can under the circumstances.
I’ve had help with yard work, except for the last month. My helpers have been busy. I’ve been mowing, trimming, and weeding. It just takes me long time because I take a lot of water breaks.
I’ll email you a photo of my blue hydrangeas. I’ll also email you a photo of the two cats I adopted in April. The cats are sweet. They are 2-years old this month and the previous owner said they are brothers.
Oh, Mary, I am sorry if I mislead you over Rick’s surgery. Sitting in my recliner was legal; putting on socks and shoes was not. The robotic surgery was so much easier than regular way. Anterior surgery is fine…if you don’t have a fat apron. But, trust me if the bending is your darling’s biggest problem…robotic surgery is a breeze. My age made me eligible for two nights in the hospital. I took advantage of that with each hip. I guess “men’s work” would make it difficult for a guy. And, in his male defense, I have girl friends that did really stupid things after knee surgery and continue to have problems. In fact, one in particular went to some sort of treatment, followed up a week later by going to a pro soccer game, left the stadium by climbing over the back of the seat and just made a mess of it all once again. 14 years and 12 years out from my s knee surgeries, I would never do that….of course I am 15 years older and wouldn’t do it without problem knees.
For me, it was a breeze; the physical therapy was so much easier than other joint surgeries. My therapist was perfect…and she did the therapy rather than a technician, until one of the last sessions. I would not let that aide touch me again!
And, Mary, don’t knock yourself out. The two of you thought it was the best decision at the time….just like selling a bushel of corn: don’t look back, it was the right decision the day you sold!
Linda – you didn’t mislead me but I am very upset that our doctor didn’t inform us that something else is available and we had already had surgery at Mayo several years ago so we were familiar with them and the facility. Rick’s size and atrophied muscles should have been a clue and the deciding factor. Arrogance possibly? I’m probably too upset to discuss this rationally right now.
Hang in there Rick and Mary. All the PT will pay off. Every surgery and every recovery is different.
I loved the quilt show yesterday. The Quiltmaker’s Gift quilts are really special. @buttonsbug I especially like your quilts. They’re nicely done and beautiful cat. And dog pictures – I always enjoy those.
It’s hotter than he!! here in the Dallas area. Even after 7 pm it was at 100 degrees. Miserable. So I stay inside and sew. My black cat, Magnus still wants outside. He lays under the Turks caps and bridal wreath. The dirt is cooler there are we water a lot. Klaus doesn’t tolerate the heat as well so he only goes out in the morning.
Oh, Mary. Surgery is a snap. You’re asleep! Recovery builds character!!! We have to behave and do our exercises, and have patience. Rick didn’t get this way in a day and he is just out 3 weeks from the surgery. That isn’t very long. He has to get his muscles back to normal AND have the hip recovery. I’d think that he will be seeing some good improvement which will help his attitude. He did make coffee!! And you haven’t killed him yet. The support stockings are a REAL challenge. Frank and I giggled and laughed. Laughter is good medicine.
When did you get Susannah and when did she pass?
Things will get easier. Don’t get upset about it now. Recovery is a bitch!
Take care, everybody. This will pass. Betty in Rapid City