It’s been raining since mid afternoon – raining in January! When it freezes and starts snowing, think how slick it’s going to be under the snow. Yikes! I’d better use my poles when I go to the barn.
Today was Millie’s appointment at the specialist vet – she has sniffled and snorted and sneezed for a long time now and my vet says she’s just got a little cold. I don’t believe it so off we go. She also has very itchy ears which is just an excess of wax – no infection. Her heavy breathing has a clear explanation – her back molars are covered with plaque and possibly rotten. Those molars are located right below her sinus cavities. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? She got an antibiotic shot and an appointment for January 26 for a teeth cleaning.
While in Algona I stopped in at one of my very favorite thrift stores – and for the first time ever I left completely empty handed. HIGH PRICES! And poor stock. Very disappointing.
Mortie has won your hearts, for sure, as she has mine. I’d love to see YOUR ginger cats – should we do a ginger cat show? Or an any color cat show? I’d love to see your cats! Can you put the cat’s name on your photo?
I told the vet about my cat distribution system and she told me that at their office everybody has to take home a certain number of strays if they work there. Haha!!
I have shown this quilt so many times but here it is again. I can tell who doesn’t read faithfully when they ask me questions such as – what quilt are you working on?
I’m on the last round. As I read the last steps, this struck fear in my heart:
What do you mean “easing if necessary”? This is supposed to fit mathematically!!!! All this work and it’s not going to fit? I can’t start sewing blocks together until I have them all pieced, for cryin out loud. They’re not identical blocks so I need to place them artistically, don’t I? Now I’m worried. Medallion quilts must measure exactly so that the next round will fit correctly. Oh, brother – the last round and now this worry?
We’re going to have another card shower very soon – I’ve missed doing this, haven’t you?
And in case you’re wondering, I feel like a million bucks! Haha! I know there’s a chance I would overdo something but it’s on my mind and I will be careful because those two weeks of agonizing pain were pretty distressing. I also promise to stay off the ladder – Hank’s mom is tall anyway and has agreed to any future ladder jobs.
Here are my most recent good books – ones that I’d recommend. I’ve read others but they don’t deserve a nod.
Reader photos
Tim is gone again – haven’t seen him for 3 days. Where does he live when he doesn’t live here???
It’s bedtime. Let me know what you’re up to!
Am glad to hear your arm is better!
Love all the kitties I’ve seen. They do keep the days interesting and the nights cozy.
Glad for the insight on teeth cleaning of the cats. My baby is a Persian and always has breathing problems due to her shorter than usual, for her breed, nose. I always worry that aesthetic will kill jer or the fact they they might not keep her on oxygen long enough while in recovery. I’ll be a mess if she dies. She is my last baby.
That Tim needs a tracking collar or needs to learn to leave you a note when he takes off!
Blessings
Nicole – a tracking collar would be perfect! Haha! It’s been such nice weather I knew he’d take off
Your medallion quilt is coming along beautifully. I’m sure the “easing comment” is meant for those of us that don’t always have perfect 1/4″ seams. I have no doubt that yours will go together seamlessly!
I agree that Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See is an excellent book and seemed to be very well researched. I recently finished The Santa Claus Girl, fiction but based on true story about the polio epidemic in 1952. It was a good story, but not amazing.
I don’t have a ginger cat anymore. One of my favorite cats was a ginger that we had for 15 years, a real sweet heart. I would love to see pictures of everyone’s ginger cats, or any of their cats.
We drove down to our recreational property in rural central Alabama and upon arriving yesterday afternoon, found the 20 year old fridge had died and it was really smelly! Threw away everything and got a new one at 9 a.m. this morning – it is much classier than the old one so there is an upside to this story. Now to make up a massive Walmart grocery pickup order for tomorrow. We have been eating soup and sardines from the pantry and some eggs that I providentially brought with us from Illinois. Life is good at camp!
Poor Tim. Wouldn’t he like a place by the fire?
I showed Gus the cat videos with birds on the tv. Now he watches tv with me, waiting, hoping for the birds!
That medallion quilt is beautiful. I sure hope it fits. Probably will, because you cut carefully.
My back and sciatic have been bothering me. I went to a pain specialist at the hospital. They recommend some shot in my spine to see if it eases the pain. Nerve block? Successful they recommend nerve ablation in my spine. Anybody ever heard of that? Or had success with it. I’m scheduled, but Leary. I have arthritis and degenerative discs. I’m 73. It hurts when I roll over in bed and when I walk.
Will try to find a good shot of Gus.
Carolyn, my husband had an ablation on his back just a couple of days ago. He has had it done before and it has given him about a year and a half of relief. He finds it very worthwhile. Hope it does for you as well.
I have a friend who just went through procedure. She had to have two trial blocks, two weeks apart before the nerve ablation. She had the ablation thinking that she would feel great and have the same relief as the two trials, not true. She is about the same, they burned the nerves on both sides of her spine and it will take time it to take full effect 4-6 weeks. The ablation was entirely different from the two trials where only needles were used. The ablation had needles and heat. She is very glad she had it done, just expected instant relief!
Carolyn, that’s so funny about your Gus watching TV! My Westie also loves TV, but he loses his everloving mind when the Liberty Mutual commercial with the seagulls comes on. It’s as if he recognizes it — when the first seagull appears, he jumps up and gets ready … LOL
Mary, believe it or not, I’m working on your “PinkProject” from 2022, using positive and negative 9-patch blocks. Has kept me busy the last couple of weeks. I would love to send a picture of my ginger boy, Sassy, but I have no idea how to post or send a picture. And, having only a flip phone, makes it even harder to do. Anyway, Sassy is a BIG, long-haired ginger, who I rescued and raised since he was just a little boy.
I appreciate the book reccomendations, as this is a good time of year to be reading. It is good to hear the cortisone shot has given you relief, hope it continues for you.
Linda, Please ask a friend to help! If you have an iPad you can take a photo with your iPad to phone, then compose an email and you can send that photo as an attachment..you can find the paper clip at the top then choose photos. Just ask for help! (My granddaughter is an absolute whiz and helped me get a PowerPoint and photos on a jump drive for a program next week! ) Amazing.
Correct to photos (not phone, sorry about that error).
I hope that Millie will feel better after her dental hygiene. One of my daughter’s older cats, a ginger cat named Simba, has lost several teeth. She feeds him wet food, since the dry is hard for him to eat.
I have to laugh at all of us “mommies” telling you to take it easy and not overdo. I’m saying it too!
Right now, I’m not quilting – I’m crocheting a lap robe. I belong to a knit/crochet group that meets at a local hospital. Instead of paying rent for the meeting room, we donate lap robes to the hospital auxiliary. I doubt if they realize how much time it takes to make one, but I think about the person whom it will comfort.
I’ll send you a photo of my ginger cat Rusty.
Hi Mary, just waved off the family as they head to Taiwan for 3 weeks holiday, my brother is staying overnight on his way to one week locum work in the south island, so a nice catch up! My niece lives in rural Victoria, Australia and it was 44 degrees Celsius yesterday, scorching hot! Take care everyone ,best wishes from Sandy
Lovely batik quilt! Remember Gwen Marston’s words of wisdom when piecing borders. ‘If it’s too long cut it off. If it’s too short add on.’ God bless her soul!
Janie – that’s fine if the border is one strip of fabric.
What a lovely post today! You won’t have to worry about easing fabric in the last round of your quilt. That comment is made in case a less experienced quilter either didn’t cut as accurately as they should or ironed instead of pressed the fabrics and now has a some stretched out fabric to deal with. Part of the process of learning for some folks. Love all the cat pictures – we don’t have any animals as we had to put it down our very last dog. We just love on the grandpups when they visit, one of which is here nearly every day as he ‘punishes’ his family if they leave him at home alone. They live close by so he comes here now so we can puppy sit and give him lots of attention when they aren’t going to be home. Our daughter has 2 dogs – a husky named Noel they just adopted and an elderly, blind chihuahua/yorkie mix named Heidi, plus 3 cats. A very elderly gray/ white cat named Pearl (I think she’s around 20 as they got her when her previous family member passed away). The other 2 are a black/white named Delilah, who spends a lot of her time under the bed when someone visits, and the newest is Tigger, the most affectionate and curious orange cat I’ve ever seen. Tim will probably show up pretty soon – sounds like he’s traveling between various houses and it’s just another person’s turn to host him! He’ll return to your place as there is so much of interest going on and he won’t want to miss out.
So glad you are feeling better after the “magic”shot!
Please don’t overdo, and I know that’s hard when you’re feeling good.
I highly recommend the Lisa See book. Very, very good & hard to put down!
Mortie is so darn cute. My last cat died about 2 years ago after 13 years of sweetness.
Takes again for all your efforts to keep your blog going 🌞
I adore all cats but the white cat struck a real chord with me. We had 5 white cats but only 2 are still with me. I personally don’t see white cats very often. And l also adore Mortie!!
I am currently working on a wedding quilt for my daughter. They were married on October 17th of this year and l have only one more border to sew on and the quilting. Better late than never is my motto for now.
I just finished a really good book, The Women by Kristin Hannah. It’s about women in the Vietnam war.
I’m reading my last “Cat Who” book now by Lillian Jackson Braun. The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell
They are fun, fast reads all about a guy and his cat.
Today I’m washing houseplants and cleaning the saucers, etc under them. My husband and I went to a farm show in Vermillion SD yesterday. Always new innovations.
I’m also listing unwanted stuff on marketplace. I’m not fond of doing this but one way to get rid of stuff.
I read”The Women” recently, and can recommend it too. Some years ago I had a conversation with an American Vietnam Veteran at the memorial in Washington. I told him that our Australian Vietnam veterans were also shunned when they returned. He said he did not know that, and we went on to talk about the similarities. I often remember that day.
Pauline – I read that book when it first came out and I loved it. Even though Vietnam happened in my 20’s+ I did not know anything about being
Pauline – I knew nothing about the shunning.
I read “The Women”. Good book. Quite an interesting read. Lots of history that I wasn’t aware of.
Wendy – I read it, too – soooo interesting! The Vietnam war was during my teenage and early 20’s so it’s familiar…except for details found in the book. So good.
We used to have all kinds of orange/copper kitties! Now all we have is 10 black and 1 gray. I love orange kitties! I especially like Mortie. Actually I love animals 🥰
Be careful out there Mary.
We had an orange tabby….Harry… we adopted him when he was 2yrs old and he lived to be 18 yrs old… He was the most perfect cat we have ever had… so very loving…we miss him every day….
you know. that I know nothing about the quilting process but I noticed the same wording in the previous paragraph and it looks like they are referring to the borders. Does that make any sense or help any?
Charlotte, your quilt is stunning! It looks like batiks.
Mentioning reading, thanks to a reader of this blog, I have started the “Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion” . I finished Vol. 3 on New Year’s Eve. A hold on Vol. 4 at the library is already been done. There is also a hold on “Mona’s Eyes”, which I’ve heard is very good.
Mary, glad you are doing better and allowing for some adjustments.
Have a great weekend all. Stay warm!
Jan, I am so happy you are enjoying The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion.
Last summer was a happy one reading those books.
Love Mortie and I love her name! Taking my kitten in Monday to get her fixed. She doesn’t have any idea what is happening to her and just walks around crying (yowling) all day. We are going crazy and she is exhausted. I would like to send a photo and know you mentioned how to in a previous post but not sure where to find it. If you could tell me again I will write it down this time! Love hearing all your shenanigans!
Thank you
Hi Carol, you just need to attach a picture to an email to Mary. If you scroll down to the bottom of these comments just past Mary and Connie’s picture is Mary’s email.
Carol – that’s what we went thru with Mortie as well – I’m so glad her surgery is over and she’s happy again. You mentioned her name – she arrived here on my dad’s birthday, Sept 29. His name was Morton so I named what I thought was a boy kitten Morty. When I found out it was a girl, I changed the spelling to Mortie – what I consider a feminine version. My life has literally,changed since she arrived. My mom’s name was Hazel so now I have Hazel and Mortie!!
Here’s my email:
maryehazel2020@gmail.com
Send you picture to me there.
The books you posted look very interesting. I am going to check them out. I’m in need of a new book to read. Please take it easy and accept all the help that is offered. They wouldn’t offer if they did not want to help. Take care.
I’m putting another charity quilt on the long arm this morning and will get it quilted today. I also quilted one yesterday.
So happy to hear that your pain is gone. But don’t overdo and bring it back! I know, everyone is telling you that.
We had rain yesterday, sunny this morning. May get more rain tonight or tomorrow.
Take care.