September and a Wish From My Bucket List

September has been a funny month. Some of the days have flown by so quickly I couldn't catch my breath.  Others found me groaning when I realized it was only 9 am and I felt like it was midnight.  Do you have days like that?

I am so glad that the humidity of this summer seems to be steadily decreasing this month. Not by leaps and bounds, which is what I was wishing for, but a small percent each day. My bones are very happy! While I have been around this humidity-filled state for 17 years, I still have trouble with it. Maybe it's my age or perhaps my ever-increasing arthritis, but I still don't like it! Being born in the desert, humidity is something I did not, and still don't, understand!

Have you ever noticed that when one happy moment comes, not far down the line comes a sad one? This month, I lost a dear aunt. She had gone into hospital to have surgery on a blockage and did not make it. She was 82. She was a talented woman.She taught English at high school level, was an accomplished pianist and made the best pies you ever hoped to eat. She was a wife, mom, sister, aunt, grandma and great-grandma. We will all miss her terribly. We also found out that one of my grand-daughters is deaf on one side. It was discovered during her entrance physical for kindergarten. This past Friday, the doctors performed an out-patient surgery to try and repair a hole in her ear. It doesn't look good, as the hole is much bigger than they at first thought.  In 4 weeks, they will see how it is and then make a decision about more extensive surgery. When it rains, it pours. On a happy note, the new grand-baby that is due around Valentine's Day is a boy!! The boys are finally catching up to the girls in this family. It's about time!

Today my youngest, Laura, turns 16! How that happened so quickly is mind-blowing! She is a wonderful young lady, a talented artist, a musician and a wonderful aunt.  I am so proud of her and love her dearly.

So now onto that Bucket List wish. I actually have several Bucket Lists; is that normal? This one falls under Places I Want To Go. If you have read my blog or Facebook or just have talked to me, you know that I love the UK. I have always been drawn to it and could see myself living there and being very, very happy. Each year, in Skipton, Yorkshire, there is a yarn festival named Yarndale. It takes place in the end of September and is a site to behold! The pathway, the light poles, the trees and the Exhibition Hall are all decorated in yarn! Remembering that it was this past weekend, I was reminded of something: a part of me has actually been in Skipton for the past two years! Happy dance moment! You see, each year there is a sort of theme at Yarndale. In 2013 there was bunting, so the Hall was decorated. In 2014, there was a mandala wall. This year, it was flowers for Alzheimer's. In 2013,I made 50 bunting triangles, 2014 I made mandalas. So while my actual body was not in the UK, my crochet work was and that is good enough for me. :) The items are used every year and new ones are placed each year also.  If you have not seen the wonder that is Yarndale, google it. There is a photo gallery and even a shop where you can buy tea towels or totes with the Yarndale sheep on them. They are, by the way, adorable!! I have tote bage from all three years and they are huge bags, just right for holding lots of yarn. :)

Well, that's about all the news from here. As usual, I have been crafting from dawn to dusk, making birthday goodies and getting a start on Christmas things. Now, I must bake a cake, or someone might be a tad upset.

Until next time, laugh with friends, love those around you and live life to the fullest. Remember, you are one-of-a-kind, which makes you pretty special. 

Hugs...

Happy National Dog Day

To all of you dogs out there, I hope you have a wonderful day! You make our lives happier.  You are a friend who is loyal and trustworthy.  You love us when it seems no one cares. You make us smile when we have had a rough day. You make us remember how much fun it is when we stick our heads out the window and let the breeze blow our hair. For many of us, you are our child, a part of the family for all of us.

I think Mr. Schultz summed it up nicely:

Happiness is a warm puppy.

Hug your dog today!  Play an extra game of fetch.  Lavish him or her with hugs and kisses.  

Until next time...

Endings and Goodbyes

I have always found endings and goodbyes difficult.  No matter how large or small. This may be a trait all my own, but that's okay.  It makes me unique.  It makes me ME.

Actually, if I gave it some thought, I'd say that I could handle endings better than goodbyes.  The end of a wonderful evening filled with friends and food, laughter and music.  The end of a wonderful movie that has filled you with happiness or sadness; sadness can be good at times.  The end of a terrific book, you know, one of those that kept you on the edge of your seat, one you stayed up till the early morning hours reading, as it was so good.  Even the end of a relationship, as sometimes relationships ending can be a blessing. One of the endings that will hit me sooner than I want is the end of a house with children living in it. While sad, it is also a happy time, when you see that new life begin for your child.

Goodbye.  Just typing that word is hard for me.  The dead silence after the echo of a door slamming.   Nothingness.  Final.  Death.  Goodbye has always meant lose to me.  At the age of 7, I lost my sister.  Was never lucky enough to hold her hand, play with her, teach her things.  An infinitesimal beginning, an everlasting goodbye.  Over the years I have said that everlasting goodbye to friends that were too young, to relatives I barely had a chance to know.  I lost the grandparents that were a constant in my life while I was growing up.  Relatives and friends that have gone off to protect our country and never returned.  My father.  Three children. Yesterday, an aunt.

As I grow older, I want the goodbyes to be less and less.  I want more hellos, more endings.  Of course, it is sheer folly to think that way.  Yet, it would be wonderful if it were to be.

I don't know why endings and goodbyes have been on my mind so much.  Perhaps it is the changing of the seasons.  I am, after all, in the Autumn of my life.  But just as in the season, there is still life.  I still am creative, still sing and dance and dream.  Still shake my head at this crazy world.  I am not ready to say my goodbyes.  Not for a very long time.

Until next time, my friends, love until it hurts, laugh until you cry and never, ever stop dreaming.

Hugs,
Deb

July So Far

Hello!  I hope all of you had a nice, peaceful July 4th.  We stayed home, but could hear the fireworks going off all around. In years past we would go to the golf course that is near by. They always put on a program before dusk and then end with the fireworks. It made for a long evening and yet was always nice.  

Somehow it seems like I have lost touch with routine.  I am a creature of routine.  Even the little things have always needed to be done at a certain time, in a certain order. I thought I was OCD, but my daughter said she didn't think you can only be OCD about certain things. Who knows, not me!  Anyway, I seem to be doing the same type of thing constantly and disregarding other things. Example: For about 2 weeks all I wanted to do was crochet.  Now, that may not sound too bad, but I wouldn't want to do anything else. Yes, I took care of Laura and cooked, cleaned, etc., yet if I had a spare second, I picked up my hook and started in.  That lasted until reading started taking over. Again, not a bad thing.  It took the place of crocheting.  If I stopped for a second, I picked up my book and started in.  Maybe it's the weather or the time of year.  I just know that I need to find a way to spend time with everything the way it once was. Does this type of thing happen to you?  Please say yes so I don't feel like I've been cooped up too long and am going mad!

In all of the crocheting I had been doing, I finished a project that I was working on for a friend.  One of the blogs I read is by Alex Halsey.  Her blog is Crocheting Thru Chronic Diseases With Alex.  She is a sweet girl with a heart of gold.  Her sister died very suddenly a while back and she wanted to do something as a memory project. She asked us to crochet stars, with a hanging loop. So, on July 13, she will be hanging all the stars in the trees at her parents' home. July 13 was her sisters' birthday.  I crocheted 120 stars and sent them to her.  She has received stars from many people, some even from across the world!  I feel so happy about helping her in this memorial to her sister.  Sometimes, it's the little things that make life so special.

Last night, as I was watching NCIS on my laptop, I moved my right foot, in a normal way, and pain shot up my leg. Now, pain shoots up my legs, through arms, down my back, etc. all the time.  Happens when you have certain diseases.  This was different. It was my knee. Long story short, this normally happens to my left leg. It was the first time it has happened to my right knee. My knee cap seems to have a mind of its own and sort of snaps apart.  When it snaps back together, it sometimes snaps back at an angle. It's a tad painful and makes walking properly tons of fun! It stays like this till it decides to snap back in position.  Until it does, I do a lot of massaging on it and baby it. So today I decided to obtain a walker, as it is safer than my cane or crutches when this happens. Hopefully my knee will decided to play nice sometime soon. 

That's about it for now.  I need to put my leg up for a bit.  I hope all of you are having a fun summer so far.  There still is time to enjoy the sun, flowers, hikes, beaches or what ever you do to bask in the summertime.

Until next time,

Deb

A Museum Mystery

I have always loved a good mystery.It can be in the form of a movie,an audio book,an e-reader or a good old fashioned, hold-it-in-your-hands book.I cannot get enough.I blame my dad.He was a mystery buff. 

Privy To The Dead is the sixth book in the Museum Mystery series by author Sheila Connolly. How I have missed this author in my cozy mystery readings is a mystery in itself! I will say upfront that I did win this book in a contest and am utterly glad I did :)

Nell Pratt is the main character in this series.She starts as the fundraiser for the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society and becomes the President of it along the way. The Society houses documents,furniture and other historic items of Pennsylvania,including a privy. Yes,you read that right,a privy.Now get that picture out of your mind. :)

Take an event of 100 years ago,throw in a present day murder,and what do you get? A daughter that may find out something she didn't want to know about her father and grandfather,a staff of researchers that may not all be who you think they are,an FBI agent that tries to stay out of things and a Society head that has her hands full!

Now a little about Sheila Connolly, taken from her book jacket. Sheila has taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities,worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns,and served as a fundraiser for several nonprofit organizations.She also managed her own consulting company,providing genealogical research services.Sheila loves restoring old houses,visiting cemeteries and traveling.She does have first-hand knowledge of some of the things she uses in her books.

The Museum Mysteries are one of three series that Sheila writes. Orchard Mysteries and County Cork Mysteries are the other two series that Sheila spins her magical web to create. 

So, dear readers, if you find yourself looking for something new to read, why not try one of the series by Sheila Connolly. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Until next time, sit outside, soak up the sun, listen to the birds and broaden your mind by reading a book!

Deb

Trying something new

Good morning, everyone! 

Boy, did I take a break from the blog.  I would apologize, but truth be told, I just didn't write.  No excuses, just didn't do it. I can say that when I don't write, it feels wrong.  Same way I feel when I don't read and crochet daily.  I am truly trying to get into a routine of doing these things daily.  I feel a calming of my soul when I write, read and crochet.  What do you do to calm and nurture your soul?

I have also decided to review books on this blog, instead of starting a second blog.  Hopefully this will keep me blogging more, as I read a ton of books and write reviews on Goodreads and some on Amazon.

Since I last wrote, not too many earth-shattering things have happened.  The cat that we had adopted from a cat rescue didn't work out.  While he was a loving cat, he had way to many behavioral issues that we were not able to handle.  We did have some heartbreaking moments when we talked about what to do, but in the end, we knew that we would not be able to keep him. Broke our hearts, but it just was not to be. He has been placed in a home that is more equipped to handle his issues.  But, good news!  Two weeks ago, we adopted a kitten! He is now 10 weeks old and a ball of energy!  Laura named him Maynard Tubbs, no clue where that came from :) Hopefully, I can sneak a picture of him for you to see.  

One other thing, on the good news side:  Come February, I will be able to show you pictures of a new grandbaby!  My daughter Ashleigh, will be having baby #2!  I don't know if it will be a girl or boy, so all baby items will be pastel colours. For her last baby, I was knitting booties for a girl when she was in labour! This will be grandbaby #11, and if that doesn't make one feel old, I don't know what would!

It seems like summer finally decided to stick around.  The temps have been in the high 70's to the low 80's.  We have been having the occasional showers, but not the rains that other places seem to be having.  Most of the farmers have all their crops planted and it is lovely to look at.  I hopefully will be getting some flowers this weekend.  Still haven't planted much, which makes me a tad sad.  

What are your plans for the weekend?  I will be watching my granddaughter for a bit on Saturday and Sunday and that fills up the days!  At 17 months, she is a ball of fire!  She will be 2 years and a few weeks when her brother or sister arrives. I think she will make a wonderful sister :)

Well, I'll stop gabbing for now.  I hope all of you have a splendid day.  Get outside, listen to the birds, smell a rose. It's the little things that make life full.

Until next time,
Deb

On this beautiful day

Happy Easter to you!  If you do not celebrate Easter, celebrate the wonders of life. To see miracles, just look around you. There is nothing more miraculous than the birth of a child.  Go outside and look at nature, the new flowers working their way up through the soil, the flowering trees, the greening of the grass. Watch the ocean as it comes in to the shore. Walk along the beach and see all of the life that is there. Look up at the night sky and be in awe of the beauty.

Today I wish for you happiness, good health and love. 

Until next time,

Deb