Saturday, June 28, 2008

checking in

JANE IN NC --- good to see you posting more. I hope your recovery continues well.

SARA IN FLA --- when do you go to Ireland? DH has been there for the past week, on the west/southwest side, with seven other buddies playing golf. The weather has been dreadful with pelting rain each day courtesy of 30 - 50 mph wind. They are NOT happy campers, and are really looking forward to coming home tomorrow. Such a shame, too, as they have planned this trip for a year and it is not a cheap trip.
Sara, bring GoreTex clothing. ;o)

SUMMER is in full swing here. We've had no rain for a month and I've been watering shrubs & flowers like mad so they won't die. I hope it's not too late, as some new yews were wilting. I'm quite stingy with the watering because our water is so expensive. Our heat has been quite bearable, but after last summer, this is like a picnic. Lots to be grateful about.

I got our mini blinds cleaned yesterday by a great local service. They take them down, clean them ultrasonically, and were hanging back up in two hours. I am definitely losing some R- value due to the insulation effect of all that dust & grime that was on the blinds. I haven't figured out a good way to keep them dusted.

I also took some drapes down to have them cleaned, and next I need to have the window cleaners come. It's been a few years, and that is a terribly expensive service. Our windows are double-hung type, with storm windows over them. At my age and my joints, it is too much and the second story windows are too dangerous. I'm sure the dirt is creating a solar heat barrier, so perhaps I should wait until October. (wink/grin)

I hope everyone is having a safe summer. Hugs to y'all,
Doris

Friday, June 27, 2008

We had a speaker last night. She is Anna Faustino. She was born inRussia and moved to the states in 1995 and loved to watch AlexAnderson and learned to quilt from her show. She was a trained artist in Russia, but her worked changed when she started to quilt and madeher own designs. She weaves fabrics and then appliques on top of it,then quilts them. She has earned many rewards. Her web site is http://www.newtechquilts.com/ and she is a member of Empire Quilters in NYand the New Jersey State Quilt Group in NJ. I bought her book, justso I can have the photos of her work.
Also click on her link to Empire Quilters to see her quilts there. I took a picture with my camera, at the NJ state show, of her "Fruits of my land" It is a photo of her husband she painted and quilted. He is holding two bowls of olives from his orchard. What a nice quilt.... There were many other painted and appliqued over a woven background. She claims it is easy and will do a work shop for us. She will prepair all the packets, for a fee of course. I think the guild is having her workshop. I will check at next months meeting. She only does one workshop a month and has an opening in August. It takes a while to get the kits ready. Check out her web site and photos ....
Donna, LEH,NJ

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Quite like old times...

Isn't it fun when there is a dialogue going on between members ? I've enjoyed the exchanges between Jane and Rosey and I've learnt quite a lot.. DH and I still share the same bed, but both of us complain of the other snoring from time to time ! Maybe we should check out the apnea condition. DH has had hearing aids for several years and was delighted and surprised when he got them, to realize all that he had been missing, particularly the bird song. Lately, he has been telling me that he thinks I need them too ??? I am in denial ofcourse, mainly because I can't tolerate things over or in my ears . I can never watch a film or listen to music during long flights I prefer to read a book and leave the earphones in their packet !

Jane, you seem to be doing remarkably well after that nasty accident. Well done. I'm so pleased that you are able to got to the reunion, I hope that will be fun for you. Your hand must be doing well for you to be typing and sewing again. You'll be so pleased about that, it doesn't happen by chance, I'm sure you have been working hard on your exercises..

Not a lot to report from here. It's mid-winter and the weather is cold ! Haven't done much sewing as my DH tells me that he is "desperate " for a warm, woollen jersey, so I have been knitting him one ! Wot a spoilt boy...

School holidays are coming up. DD#2 and her three children are coming down for ten days. That could be a long ten days at this time of the year, so I have booked a couple of nights at a hot springs resort, 2hrs from here, hoping that will break up the time a bit !

Off to the city this morning to a William Morris Exhibition then off to lunch with friends.
Best wishes to all.
Marion

EH?

Don't hesitate to get a hearing aide. They cost like fury but think of all the music you are missing not to mention bird song. One doesn't notice while the accuity is fading gradually. I for one was uncomfortable asking people to repeat themselves. I know how annoying it was when Al constantly complained about my "mumbling". I guess that was easier than admiting that he was aging and all that shooting skeet and sporting clays was taking a serious toll. He finally conceded that real men do wear earplugs but not until serious damage was done well into his fifties. Even then he wouldn't wear them while using a chain saw, weed whacker etc. I got to using them when I run the vaccuum cleaner. I guess it's a case of old too soon; smart too late.

If it weren't for tendon woes in my foot and both knees I'd be ready to try out for the track team. I will have a car rented by Friday and will break out and be able to get to the rec. center to use the recumbent bicycle to rebuild a bit of stamina which is sorely (pun intended) lacking these days. Had to drop the Celebrex after a three week trial. I'd resumed taking a few weeks ago. A few small hives were making their reappearence. RATS! That's another reason why pain is a problem. All the aches of osteo arthritis have come back. I'd been taking Celebrex since it hit the market and just developed the hives last August.

Somebody got some cheese to go with this whine?

Jane in NC

I

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Getting older with hearing problems

Jane, I would be the LAST to admit that I have a SLIGHT hearing problem...but I find myself turning my head so that my ear is facing the speaker these days in some cases and my minister friend Penny and I often haggle with each other, saying: what did you say? I tell her we are getting harder of hearing and she grins...guess we are and hate to admit it. I remember when we first met at the age of 17 and here we are scrabbling around like two old women saying: "what did you say?"...speak up, you're mumbling. Of course, I have this here at home with the person who is sharing my abode and he tells me that I'm speaking away from him with my head turned. Actually, I do many times but he used to hear me whether I was facing him or not.

I'm off to Curves to keep my curves trimmed to the point of still getting into my jeans.

Rosey

Monday, June 23, 2008

CPAP

Well, Rosey, you've given me something to think about it. Not only is my usual roommate very hard of hearing even with high tech hearing aides I don't hear a whole lot when my hearing aides come out at night. Hmmm. I'll have to ask someone who can hear.

Finally got my driver's license replaced with the use of my brand new renewed passport. Now to call the car rental people and start practicing. I'll have to go with Enterprise beause they deliver. I don't want to drive in any traffic until I've got a local few miles under my belt.

Jane

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Sunday afternoon

Sorry, Jane, I've had B&B guests with CPAP machines so I based my comment on my own experience here. They often request a separate bedroom from their companion(s). I haven't heard the machine itself; only seen it set up. I can see that this isn't your experience with it. Everytime I see those letters I have to be careful not to change the first P to an R. My eyes may play tricks on me.

Lots of rain here over the past 24 hrs, something that California, with its terrible fires, could use. The heat down there apparently is unbearable. Then the floods in the mid-west and whole crops being damaged.

Rosey

CPAP

Rosey, what did you mean about preferring the single room because of the cpap? If I could use it on an airplane I would. It does make a low whooshing noise and I've never had a roommate complain about it. My usual roommate who couldn't make the trip with me is quite hard of hearing I must admit. Anyway, my flight and hotel reservations are all set. I can change to a double if someone steps up to volunteer. Hoping others will see their way clear to planning to come giggle with us in Pembroke.

Jane