We alive and well, and almost dry....

Wow, this past week has been different, to say the least. We had 2 days of driving rain and 3 days of gale force winds. The town flooded, Baltimore Avenue became a 2 way street as Philadelphia Ave. was flooded in spots and could not be used. St. Louis Ave. was flooded and couldn't be used, and they had to close off the streets from the bridge south due to flooding. Schools were cancelled so the children were at home and you couldn't go out. Added to the confusion I have been fighting the flu...so I was thrilled to have to stay home on the sofa. But thankfully, Saturday the sun came out and today peace and calm have been restored...at least to the weather situation. I have never seen a Northeaster' last so damn long. I thought we got off lightly though what with the gale force winds. As I was driving up to the house today I thought, "oh, my someone lost part of their gutter," which was about the only damage I saw and then realized I was the someone who lost part of the gutter. This was so banged up it wasn't even worth salvaging. Now I've got paint chipping and one gutter off...I have become "that" house on the street. But, folks will just have to wait until spring before I can afford to paint and repair, and I'm holding my breath on that now. Anyway, in my never ending medical catch up...the doctor's office called again the other night (we should just put in a direct line) to say I have a Vitamin D deficiency that is so bad they must prescribe a pill for it (I seem to be deficient in everything but fat...why don't they have a pill for that). So one more medication I have to get through and then today was my digital mammogram. That was a real treat. While the digital isn't quite as bad as the regular, you still have some tech whose moving your boob around a platform, and asking you to move a little this way and that, stand this way, raise your arm, keep the other arm under the machine, now let me clamp your breast in here and now breath naturally. Hell people you have my boob smashed under the plexiglass tray, it's awkward, I stripped from the waist up so natural is just not going to happen for me. But after putting up with that indignity for 20 minutes I was out of there , clothes on and running for the car. Tonight I get my next B12 shot and then I'm free until next Monday when I have to go in for the glorious, "pap smear." Holy crap...that's high anxiety for me. I was amuzed today to open e-mail from Jane Blocher keeping in mind I have my pap smear coming up. This is so me I can't believe it happened to anyone else, although it's given me a few ideas, perhaps if I fancy mine up the dazzle will throw Wendy off and she will see that I'm not depressed. This is what Jane sent....

'The Washcloth'
I was due for an appointment with the gynecologist later in the week. Early one morning, I received a call from the doctor's office to tell me that I had been rescheduled for that morning at 9:30 am. I had only just packed everyone off to work and school, and it was already around 8:45am. The trip to his office took about 35 minutes, so I didn't have any time to spare. As most women do, I like to take a little extra effort over hygiene when making such visits, but this time I wasn't going to be able to make the full effort. So, I rushed upstairs, threw off my pajamas, wet the washcloth that was sitting next to the sink, and gave myself a quick wash in that area to make sure I was at least presentable. I threw the washcloth in the clothes basket, donned some clothes, hopped in the car and raced to my appointment. I was in the waiting room for only a few minutes when I was called in. Knowing the procedure, as I'm sure you do, I undressed, hopped up on the table, looked over at the other side of the room and pretended that I was in Paris or some other place a million miles away. I was a little surprised when the doctor said, 'My, we have made an extra effort this morning, haven't we?' I didn't respond. After the appointment I heaved a sigh of relief and went home. The rest of the day was normal ... Some shopping, cleaning, cooking. After school when my 6 year old daughter was playing, she called out from the bathroom, 'Mommy, where's my washcloth?' I told her to get another one from the cupboard. She replied, 'No, I need the one that was here by the sink, it had all my glitter and sparkles saved inside it.'

So ladies, I'm off to buy my glitter and sparkles and get my game plan for next Monday's pap smear...yes Wendy will be telling me to dump the antidepressents by this time next week. Alleluia.
Have a great day folks....I have to get back to reading e-mails, sending out orders...thanks to all those still ordering despite the shipping calculations...you know I only add actual shipping so bless you. So stitchers get busy we only have 38 more stitching days left before Christmas.

Oh Crap....Huston we have a problem!

I had a couple of calls from customers to place orders over the phone because they couldn't do it on line. So I went on line last week to investigate and sure enough we had a problem. Realizing that the last time I had an issue with the cart was when the price of postage changed I called my web person and asked her to check it out. As would only happen to me, the person who changed the code on my postage was no longer with her and she couldn't figure out how he did it so suggested I use a monthly service which would alleviate the problems I've gone through when postage changed. That sounded like a sane idea so I contacted Doug and agreed to a monthly fee to plug in his services, which he assured me I could do myself. Of course I couldn't do it so I called my web person and told her to do it. Then when I saw she had done it on Saturday, I went in and ordered a $4 chart to test it and found a slight error since it was charging me $42.84 for shipping on $4. So I called Doug and said, I don't know what's wrong but clearly something is wrong. We realized it was the figure that in the past I put in to calculate shipping is wrong and I know have to go back through 189 pages, with 6 items per page and change all of those figures to get the correct shipping. So folks, as you know, this will take me a lot of time. But as you also know that shipping charge means nothing to me as I charge actual shipping, but in the meantime...my cart is now a work in progress so I ask for your patience as I work my way through this quagmire. Life sure is fun isn't it? To add to my stress, I got a call my from doctor's office to see if I wanted to come in for the flu shot. I said, "no thanks, but thanks for calling." And then she says, "Sally, you haven't been in here for 2 years and we need you to come in." I belong to what I call a boutique group as I pay yearly to belong to their practice as my doctor opted out of the HMO thing. So I said to her, "Look I pay you yearly so I don't have to come in." But apparently that is not what I'm paying for so after insisting I come whether I want to or not I went. Of course the first thing they do is insist I get on the damn scale. Crap I can tell you I've gained...hell I gain when I breathe. But she just looked at me, sympathic but unrelenting and I climbed on board and prayed for the best. I then went to wait for Wendy, my physician's assistant who likes to tell me about gastric bypass no matter how many times I tell her "No, and stop suggesting it." So she comes in, asked how I'm doing, I'm such a wreck over the anticipation of "our talk" that I have a mental breakdown. I'm telling you, I was a red hot mess and embarrassed and unable to figure out what to do with myself. Her determination..."Sally, I think you are suffering from depression." Hell yes, thinking about our talk about gastric bypass. I kept saying, "No I'm just having a moment, but I'm fine." Of course I was just thinking, "For God's sake move this weight train along and let me out so I can get some lunch." She was so taken back by my "depression" she never mentioned the weight...hey maybe I'm onto something here. Of course she then prescribed an antidepressent which has about Sara over the edge. While I know for certain that I'm not a depressed person...my cup is always half full trust me...I decided to go along with the program and take the meds for a month to see. Then I had to go to the hospital to have blood work. Since I hadn't eaten since the night before (who eats before they are getting on a scale, because let's face it...that little bit a weight makes up for 2 years of eating), anyway, I went right over where they did a chest x-ray (I had a cold which they probably thought was something else), and took 5 vials of blood. I usually only give 2 so I thought it was odd. Wendy called me that night to say my sugar levels were off the chart (I guess my C.A. Wells weekend eating cake and cookies wasn't out of my system yet) so I was put on medication for diabetes...I can handle that, plus I've gone back on the program so that will help. Then a couple a days ago they called again to say they got more of the tests back and my B12 was so low (I finally get a low figure and it's on something that needed to be high...damn the luck) I needed to start a series of B12 shots. Honestly, this is what I get for skipping 2 years. So now I'm running over there weekly for a B12 shot and while I'm not sure I notice any difference, perhaps I do have more pep in my step, but in any case I'm sure it can't hurt. Of course I still have to do the mammogram and the pap smear (I just love that test...I have no dignity left at all anyway). So folks, for the time I'm here, eating healthier and hoping to lose weight and get off the meds. By the way, after stewing about the weight...I'd lost 4 pounds in the last 2 years instead of gaining. So run a flag up the ole flag pole....let's hope I keep the trend going. At that rate I'll have a normal weight when I'm 200. Got to run...Mary and Brian have begun bringing my stash downstairs...haven't seen it in 5 years, I've uncovered some real treasures....and a whole lot of trash. It's funny how our tastes change.

C.A. Wells Weekend was a blast....

Just a glimpse of our beverage table complete with

eyeball goblets and skelton glasses..we had so much fun and even had a little trick or treater, my little Solomon who came as a golfer and brought his caddie, his mother Mary. At first he was so scared of the welcome man he could barely come in the door but eventually he tried to make friends with him too.

Just a few scenes from the hotel lobby where we held our annual C.A. Wells memorial weekend. The Noel Stocking if from Blackbird's Joyeux Book and done by Phyllis Yurack. The next picture shows Kathie Renard, Kay Fletcher and Stacy Stinson stitching away. Then you see Stacy again along with Jennifer Humphries. Everyone was busy stitching, eating, comparing notes and having just the best time as we spend 2 days just having fun being around people who enjoyed the same things. Does it get any better than this...I don't think so. Sara and I want to thank everyone who participated, especially Kay Fletcher who spent days cooking to keep us fed, Sara who also spent time fixing food and Stacy Stinson who brought one of her specialities to the table...yes we were certain not to starve, that's for sure. Here we see Linda and Candi hard at work. Poor
Linda is exhausted after helping Candi finish a
a project for Christmas (and I'm using the help word loosely). Candi was working on her Shepherd's Bush project (I've turned her into a Shepherd's Bush fanatic....it's good to have company. Thank God Candi is a fast stitcher because she finds something new for her stash every time she comes in.
The weekend got underway early as Debbie Liming and Phyllis Yurack arrived on Wednesday. They always bring us show and tell and Debbie, especially, had been working day and night finishing up many projects she had started. Remember the Casket Etui from Blue Ribbon designs, well, Debbie is the only person I know who ever finished it and it's absolutely adorable. But on black over one...oh, my what a project...but so worth it if you have the patience and the eyes. While that was the most impressive to me she brought several other projects, a Liberty Hill project from years ago...a round box in which you find a pin cushion you made...it's so cute... finished which ranged from adorable to fabulous. Good job Debbie! Phyllis had brought her big pile in during Jamboree so while she had several projects with her, her one exciting finish was the Halloween Box given out at Jamboree from Prairie Moon Designs...with a pumpkin that is stitched on black on the top. She did a wonderful job, and it's so cute. Best of all she finished off the inside using scrapbooking paper and it's as cute as the outside. What a wonderful idea. In the picture at left she had not finished putting the cording around the inside bottom obviously, but you get the picture. Isn't it cute? And imagine it with a set of smalls and needlework supplies inside. A wonderful sewing box for Halloween. Then she also brought in, completely finished her Catherine Jordan class piece and it is wonderful. She painted the box a dark blue which I feel really sets this piece off beautifully. The rest of the stitchers arrived early on Saturday with Linda Wimbrow, Candi Whitehead and Jennifer Humphries getting here to open the doors at 10:00 a.m. Kathie Renard and Kay Fletcher arrived with tons of food which lasted us for 2 days (you have never seen such an array). Stacy Stinson also arrived with a crock pot of beef for sandwiches and of course our Sara brought some of her specialities...so we weren't going to starve..that's for sure. Greg McCord also showed up to help us celebrate the memorial to C.A. Wells. Sara had also done up the lobby in rare form. Greeting the stitchers was a special character with a special greeting and our purpose for the weekend. We have turned this memorial into quite an event. Kay Fletcher made goodie bags ....or tins I should say as each of us got a small tin holding candy and a pair of Halloween socks. Sara, Debbie, Phyllis and I made goodie bags with fun stuff inside to give to everyone, so we ended up with each of us getting 2 goodie bags...and who doesn't love a goodie bag.
Sara had so fully decorated the lobby that we had people stopping in all weekend to ask if this was a haunted house. Going up the stairs to the first floor was our "I'd turn back if I was you" along with the pumpkin man, all of which lit up. Hanging off pictures and mirrors were huge black and red spiders. We had legs hanging out of drawers and arms hanging out of things. And we had Matilda the witch sitting in the T.V. cabinet with a bowl of beads to hand out. It was a wonderful weekend and we all had a great time. But the Halloween decorations are now a thing of the past and C.A. Wells Memorial weekend has ended. Can't wait to see what next year brings. But everyone has inspired me to get busy stitching so I thank everyone for participating. Also in the mood were Pat and Renee who worked the shop. They both sported the cutest little witch hats, handed out candy goodie bags to customers and Renee particularly who covered herself with everything Halloween, from head to toe. Yes, Halloween is one occasion we all can get into to. Have a great week...