Day 548

Because of my husband's love of barns, every time I sit on my couch I appreciate what I have. If he didn't like me snapping pictures of barns I wouldn't have this sitting over my couch:

This poster-sized picture was taken by me while we were driving in upstate New York. Every time I look at it I know how lucky we are. We have done so many things and seen so many spectacular sights all over this country. Not everyone can say they've seen all fifty states, or even traveled to Canada. This barn picture is always a great reminder of our blessed life.

But hubby has been complaining about the barn picture. It has been on the wall a few years now and he's been asking for a new one. Only when I was putting together the photo book of the Alaska trip did I get motivated to get a new one ordered. My plan was to use a glacier picture but hubby opted for one taken earlier this year in Sisters, Oregon on Day 410.

Even though I didn't get to choose the picture, it too will be a reminder of our wonderful lives. I am so lucky, thankful, and appreciative of the opportunities we've been given.

Who gets to take a cruise ship through a glacial field to see glaciers up close, stand in the middle of a suspension bridge, hand deliver quilts to Alaska, and have gorgeous roses in their garden? And if that wasn't enough, I stumbled across another picture to have enlarged that I took on our trip a few years back to Lake Louise, Canada. How many people get to stay at Chateau Lake Louise and experience a view like the one on the bottom left?

I have a great life.

Day 547

I never got into big purses. I figure if I have a big purse I'll wind up sticking all kinds of stuff in there, so instead I'm a small purse gal. I like it neat and tidy.

With all expenses covered on the cruise ship there was no need to use my purse. But when I went into town (buying that quilt fabric) I took it along. And there is where the problem started. I began shoving the receipts into my purse. Then on our way home from the cruise hubby gave me his wallet to hold on to. (He was having enough difficulty with himself that a wallet was the last thing he wanted.) Me holding that wallet came in handy when I had provide his ID and insurance information when he wound up in the hospital before we even made it to the house.

Then came the going back and forth to the hospital and the eating out once a day. Again, more receipts went into the purse. Ever so often stopping at the grocery store after a long day at the hospital produced even more receipts and coupons that printed out at the register.

Even after finally getting him settled in at home the shoving stuff in the purse didn't stop. Physical therapy appointment cards, doctor lab orders, and a whole bunch of crap has made my purse impossible.

So today I sat down and dumped it out. Here, for all the world to see, is the mess these last two months of my life has created. And it was all crammed into my small purse.

 

Most of it went in the trash and now I feel better.

Day 546

I finally found an interesting non-food picture. It's probably good enough to turn into one of those Mystery Monday pictures I used to do.

In fact, I used to do a lot of things. Mystery Monday, Tutorial Tuesday, Win It Wednesday. I used to visit other blogs and quilting websites and post comments and pictures and videos. I used to get lots of readers and visitors because of all that, but I've been ignoring all of those things for quite some time. I'm thinking I need to get back to the tutorials at some point. Maybe. Just not yet.

I just as soon stick with my charity sewing instead. I have some quilts to work on but right now I'm still sewing all those Christmas scraps into strips which will be turned into stockings for Stockings for Soldiers.

But today my picture is the best part of my day. Any ideas?

Day 545

I was able to get away from the food pictures for a total of one whole day.

Kiddo came home today and took over the dad-sitting duties. I finally, for the first time since he got home from the hospital, got to go to work. For a full day. 9 to 5. In my office, with my files and folders and binders and big screen computer. It was nice getting to see people again and getting back into the swing of things. But it was only temporary. Kiddo goes back to work tomorrow and works every day until next Tuesday.

Hubby had kiddo clean house while I was gone (guess he didn't appreciate the housecleaning I was trying to fit in between taking care of him and working from home). And coming home to a what's for dinner after a full busy day at work stopped me from even wanting to think about dinner. Alejandra's, where hubby could have a couple tacos and very few chips, was where we wound up.

I'm sure he would have loved to have this chip. I wouldn't let that happen - I think it probably would have counted for at least seven or eight.

Day 544

I don't know how I found time today to finally get in the sewing room, but I did. When both hubby and kitty were sleeping this afternoon I snuck in and got the machine humming.

On Day 518 when I cut all those stockings for Stockings for Soldiers I had lots of scraps left. Big, little, and everything in between. I'm attempting to use up all those scraps to make even more stockings. So all those scraps were cut down into strips, all those strips sewn together with another strip. Now the next step is figuring out where to go from here. Probably sew strips to strips and then...???