60F+ on November 28th!!

What a beautiful day!

It was so beautiful that we worked outdoors nearly all day!  Leaves collected, lawn mowed to collect even more leaves, outdoor Christmas lights are up and we are tired!!

Rick took his Pontiac to the shop to have the guy work on whatever is wrong with the clutch.  The guy is so busy he can't get to Rick's car until Monday.  Business is good for him and that's a wonderful thing!

I rode my trike (for the last time until spring) to Walmart to get a gift that was ready pickup.  I put stabilizer in my gas tank and filled up the tank, hooked up my trickle charger and brought in my helmet, papers, etc. into the house for safer keeping.  She's all tucked in the garage for the winter months!  It was super nice to be able to get out this late in the year for a little ride.

Busy hands

Yesterday was a doctor appointment for Rick as a follow-up to his pneumonia this summer.  He's doing well, thank goodness.  I'm so proud of him for taking care of himself...I know it's not easy sometimes.

After the doctor, I had to - NEEDED to - get more yarn!!  I spend so much time on the computer playing games and reading articles that I get upset with myself.  I'm finding that if I have a project I can keep my hands busy with, I won't fall asleep while we watch television in the evenings.  I've got a small hand-sewing project to finish, then I will make baby hats to donate to Akron Children's Hospital for an event they are sponsoring in February.  I went to Hobby Lobby which is the closest craft store near me and they didn't have a similar yarn to what I had success with.  Sigh...on to Chapel Hill to go to Michaels.  SCORE!  I got these two yarns.  They are so soft and cuddly...just great for newborn babies.  Hmmm...thought this photo was of the two I bought.  Oh, well, this is one of the yarns!

We had dinner with Cris and Jerry at Applebees and I went to Walmart to TRY to pick up an order I placed online.  It wasn't ready (and that was my own fault because I didn't wait for the email that told me it was ready, but the original email said it would be ready the same day).  Well, it took forever to get the news that it wasn't ready and that was a little annoying.  I finally got notification at 6:30 this morning that my package was ready.  In my book that is NOT "same day" pickup.  Oh, well, it's ready today and since it's such a nice day, maybe I'll ride my motorcycle to pick it up and that will most likely be my last ride of this year.

Rambling about my Thanksgiving weekend

Wow!  What a Thanksgiving!

I'll start this post talking about Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  I made desserts to take to Kelly's family in Pennsylvania.  I made a beautiful pumpkin roll and Rick made his world-famous pumpkin pie.  I got everything laid out to take along with us as we left on Thursday morning and would be spending the night to return home on Friday.  Lots of stuff to take even though it was just one night!

Thursday morning we piled in the car...Rick, me and Sophie and we were going to stop by McDonald's to grab a breakfast sandwich as we drove.  Nope!  McDonald's was closed!!  I didn't think they ever closed.  Even the location by the interstate was closed!!  Oh well, we got on the turnpike and the rest area had a Panera.  I got a bagel and Rick got a sweet roll and Sophie got to get out and go to the pet exercise area to sniff around and squat for a piddle.

We got to Kelly's about 12:30.  It was great to see everybody, that's for sure.  The only sad thing about our time together was the fact that Jennifer and her family weren't with us.  I just adore seeing all the grand children together.  The love each other SO much that it makes my heart sing.

We had a delicious and stress free meal - turkey and all the trimmings!  Lots of desserts, that's for sure.  Evelyn's friend brought an apple pie (and it was sooo delicious, even though it was not homemade but store bought), Diane brought brownies and cupcakes,  we brought pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll and Kelly made a pumpkin bread.  Add an array of flavors of ice cream and you have our dessert table!

Friday morning Kelly and I went Black Friday shopping.  I haven't done that in years!  We left the house about 5:45 (we both slept in our clothes so that getting up and out wasn't disruptive to those still sleeping) with a coffee.  We went to the outlet mall (it was pretty desolate by that time because they had been open all night) then to several other stores.  We were back home by 11 and grabbed a bite to eat.  Rick and I got the car packed up and we left for home.

The rest of Friday was pretty much a rest day!  Saturday I got up and put a turkey in for us. I can't believe I had an 11 pound turkey in the oven by 7:30 am!!!  I don't have a clue why!!!  It was done by 10:00!!!  Hahaha!!  Oh, well, I just carved it up and put it into containers and we had it for dinner!!  I offered it to Rick for breakfast, and we had a good laugh.

I went shopping to try to find an item that Kelly said the girls would like.  Nope...couldn't find it/them.  I checked a few stores to no avail and can't find it online, either.  I picked up a few things at Walmart and then back home.  I worked on some red baby hats to donate to the hospital for an event they are having in February.  Red hats for all babies born during the month of February to support something for heart awareness.  I am using my knitting loom and it's not easy for me to get the hang of it.  Anyway, I made 2 hats, so now I have 4 made!  I need to get more yarn to make some more.

Today...well, today is Sunday.  I threw in some laundry and got my shower.  I decided to sew for a bit and got all the "channels" sewn in the wall hanging I'm currently making.  I got our Christmas tree down while Rick was walking Sophie and put it t
ogether.  While I was sewing, he made all the adjustments to the branches and put on most of the ornaments.  I finished up the remaining ornaments and he put on the garland.  We both commented that it was the easiest tree trimming in our history!

Tonight was turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes and gravy -- all leftovers.  I love turkey!  Tomorrow morning I'll have a turkey sandwich for breakfast and then I think I'll freeze the remaining turkey.  I have broth made, so maybe I'll add turkey, wild rice and veggies to it and we'll have soup later in the week.

My weekend was great.  I'm blessed.  I'm loved and I'm happy.

Sleep is good!

I find it interesting that after I had the cataract surgery(s) that my sleep was "off".  I've been really tired lately, but last night I got LOTS of sleep and I feel great today!  Here's a photo of my Fitbit sleep report!  Pretty great!

I've been pretty busy today, finished this snowman panel into a chenille wall hanging.  I found the concept interesting.  Sew Very Easy had a YouTube video of it and it looked so easy!  Lots more work than I was prepared for and it's not very large, but it sure is cute!!

I got the trash emptied from the sewing room and the rest of the house and took out recycling and trash to the curb for tomorrow's pick up.  I vacuumed and tidied the house a bit.

Dinner tonight (and to Hard Rock Casino) with Portia and Arnett.  Not too excited about going there, but it's ok.  

The EYES have it!

Yesterday was Friday.  Lots of things happened yesterday...

Cris and I went out to hit up the thrift stores to hopefully find some baskets for giving her Christmas nut rolls.  They are absolutely delicious and if we're lucky, maybe we'll get one.  We met in Hartville and while we were at Hartville Thrift and Goodwill, I found 2 stuffed toys for Sophie. (Which, by the way, she LOVES!)  After the shopping, we went to Hartville Kitchen and had a wonderful Cobb salad for lunch.  Their salads are delicious and I often forget about that place.  After lunch, I headed home and she headed to Pickleball. When I got home, Rick was working on raking leaves.  I shouldn't do too much because of my eye surgeries, but I put on my protective eyewear and helped.  Didn't take too long, as we didn't do the whole yard, but it looks so much nicer.  I mowed the hostas and the peonies and mulched the leaves in that area of the yard with the mower.  Rick was so sweet and thanked me sincerely for my help.


Rick and I got to Dr. Ripkin's office and we were called in RIGHT ON TIME!  Now that's surprising, to say the least, as it doesn't happen very often.  The nurse/technician checked what she was supposed to, then we went to the "smaller" waiting room for what we thought was a short wait.  Nope!  All in all, we were there for 2 hours!!!  Oh, well, he's a wonderful doctor and an emergency set appointments back.  As much as I wish we hadn't been there that long, if I had an emergency and needed him, I'm sure he would have taken care of me.  That's worth being his patient.

Anyway, in checking my post surgery status of my eyes, things aren't bad, but things aren't perfect.  Right cataract was removed Oct. 24 and there is a "wrinkle" "fold" in the eye.  My vision is not as good as it needs to be in that eye and I most likely will need a laser procedure.  (sigh)  The left eye was done Nov 7.  The vision is quite good in that eye.  This is the eye that has the black eye.  He explained how it happened...the anesthetist, when he inserted the needle, missed a little and it bled.  I have a couple of lumps in that area that the doc explained were blood and they would go away.  My eyelid itches and the entire eye socket is very tender. I'm supposed to "up" my steroid drops for the next week and he thinks that might help; if not, call him after that week.

After leaving the ophthalmologist, we went to visit Rick's friend Pete.  We drove to Cuyahoga Falls and went to Pete's.  Sophie loves Pete and the feeling is mutual!  We stayed there for 15 or 20 minutes, then decided to have dinner out at Dontino's.  It was so good!

Then we came home and relaxed.  Toys were played with, treats were given to the good dog and cat.

Blow by blow description of my Friday!

Vessels

Aren't these really pretty for using as planters?  I have one succulent planter that I made when I took a workshop at Graf Growers in Bath with Cris.  I love it and when I brought it in from outdoors this fall I had a couple of "leaves" that had broken off and were on the soil.  One had some little sprouts forming and I thought I might like to plant more of the succulents for next summer. I've joined a Facebook group that discusses and ooohs and ahhhs over succulents.  

When I went to the grocery store yesterday, I stopped by the Goodwill store.  I found these and decided they would be fun to use.  The two small ones are actually soup mugs and the one in the middle is a planter.  

I won't be using them until spring, as it's best to work on  your succulents then. 

The Pharting Phrog and his demise

LOL!  See the exploded dog toy in two piles?  See one tired pup pressed up against the draperies by the window?

Sophie has had a toy frog.  She plays REALLY hard with her toys and this toy needed some repair.  I did a "skin" transplant on his belly and his back.  I really did a great job fixing him up, truly I did.  She was given this toy about 6 pm tonight.  This photo was taken about 7:45.  In the realm of things, this toy lasted quite a while!!!  This girl LOVES her toys -- to death!!!

I have to laugh.  She loves to play, she loves her toys.  She waited while I did surgery on this poor guy...her nose pressed against him as I held him in my lap and hand stitched his "graft".  When she got him back, she was just thrilled.  She pranced around the house, showing him to Rick and tossing him in the air.  However, when "Pharting Phrog's" time was up, it was up!!

I'm tired today.  I went to JoAnn Fabrics and it was like they were giving away things for free.  I had to wait about 30 minutes to have my 2 fabrics cut (actually, got them both for remnant prices cause I'm such a savvy shopper) and then had to wait at least 30 minutes to pay.  This does not count the time it took to find fabric that is close to what I wanted to match.

Then I went to WalMart in Stow, Ohio to get the wine that I enjoy.  Our local (Kent and Brimfield) WalMart stores no longer carry it.  Our local Marc's store has it, but I bought the last of what they had. I'm not a big drinker, but this wine (Sangria) is so good and I enjoy having a glass of it at night a few times a week.  I got 2 bottles, some whipped cream in a can for my coffee drinks.  Not a lot of shopping, thankfully.

There were people EVERYWHERE, I guess it's because of Veteran's Day sales.  I don't enjoy being out and about when stores are so crowded.

Hmmm...it's 8:15.  Might be time to have a glass of sangria!!