Lucky Thirteen, Wednesday, July 2022.

This year is flying by. And I've slept most of it. 

Not sure if it's depression or the Methotrexate medicine. Am not feeling well at all. No energy. Dr. Newsome suggested tripling the prescribed Folic Acid. It seems to help.

Am in more pain now than before the Psoriatic Arthritis diagnosis. Feet and hands mostly. 

My Nurse Practitioner is giving me a referral to a Rheumatologist closer than Dubois - Olean, actually.

We'll see if I get the same diagnosis and treatment plan. 

In happier news, the fingertip I sliced open is healing nicely. Still a bit tender, but the skin has grown back enough to mitigate the tenderness on the very end.

The garden is coming along in spite of several raids by the local doe. Have been eating Swiss Chard and Bok Choi and a bit of lettuce for a while. Summer squash is starting to come in and there looks to be one viable Zucchini in the making. Tiny tomatoes and peppers have emerged. The birdhouse gourds plants are very small. Not sure if they will grow at all.

Another hot day underway.

3 April 2020.

I come from a long line of gardeners. I remember my great grandmother's foundation and border plantings. She had an amazing sense of color and porportion. Her yard and flower beds could have been featured in any number of gardening magazines.

Along the grass and gravel driveway until the side stairs grew a low cut evergreen shrub. I'm guessing it was boxwood, but that's only a guess. I didn't pay much attention to shrubs back then. The front of the house also had evergreen shrubs, perhaps a type of juniper or arborvitea. 

The left side of the house had bridal wreath spirea. I remember it because of it's graceful, weeping habit and the pretty white flowers in spring. Plus the stinky smell of the blossoms.

The back north side of the house was lined with huge three-plus feet high ferns that were so thick you could hear them rustle in the breeze.

March 20th. Spring Has Sprung.

And so has my back, but that's normal when renewing hard labor after a period of rest. Am sure all will be well in another few days. In the meantime I'll just be in pain.

Bandit on the other hand.... Well. He'll be better in a few days too. He was attacked by that big dog (Malachi) on Wednesday when we were coming home on the poop trail. He's been having a hard time getting up the stairs ever since. Today was the first he didn't cry and lay down on the ground when it was time to come inside. Have been giving him ibuprofen and his joint vitamins. They seem to be helping.

Nancy and I spoke with Deb, Malachi's owner. Told her at the very least, he should be muzzled. Suggested both a vet visit and obedience training. We'll see what happens.

Moved some bok choi so they are all in the same bed. Planted spinach next to it and when it stops raining will plant a few more seeds. Have rainbow chard, purple bok choi, radishes and some carrot seeds - all are frost hardy varieties. Also moved one of the greenhouse toppers to the bed I planted squash in last year.

The weather has been in the 50s and 60s. Even reached 71 one day. Glorious right now, but summer will probably be a scorcher.

Sarah Coleson, NPR, called with the results of my bloodwork. My cholesterol is 274, so she wants me on statins. I thought about it, did some research and agreed. Now I'm watching how much cholesterol is in the food I eat. Need to lose weight anyway.

My heart breaks for the people of Ukraine, now in the fourth week of war. NATO and the USA are helping, but fear WWIII should they enforce a no-fly zone above the country. I pray for peace.

That's all the news that's fit to print. 

March 13. The Clock in the Car is Accurate Again.

Clocks were turned forward one hour earlier and the weight if waking at five o'clock in the morning has been lifted. This is the first Winter I haven't altered my schedule to match daylight saving time. Got plenty of weird looks from folks driving by while walking Bandit at 5 a.m. 

Sat and watched the birds for a while this morning. A purple finch perched on the Gala apple tree caught my eye as I stood at the kitchen sink filling the coffee pot with water. It looked so pretty on the snow covered branch with a pale blue sky in the background. Then there are the starlings who have cleaned out the feeders for the last several days and are working their way through the suet log. 

There's about six inches of fresh snow on the ground. We slogged through it on the trail, but four degrees is too cold to linger. 

Missed my doctor's appointment on Wednesday. Drove as far as Gifford before giving up and returning home. Yes. Road conditions were that hazardous. Lots of automobile accidents regionally. Rescheduled for tomorrow morning. Hope the roads are clear.

Neighbor Linda and I went to the Derrick City Diner and had their fish fry (I had baked) it was tasty! She treated, which was nice. Afterward we went to TOPS and got some groceries. She doesn't have a car anymore, so she's dependent on others to get around. There but for the grace of God...

The war in Ukraine continues. It breaks my heart to know this is happening and I'm powerless to do anything to end it. Other than pray, that is. I see clips of what is happening there and just cry.

Here in the states us spoiled Americans are whining about the price of gas going up and blaming inflation on the President.

Some things just don't make sense to me.

Didn't do m

Last Sunday This February.

The weather is in the process of transitioning into Spring. One day temperatures will be mid-50s; the next day the high will be in the 20s. Lots of freezing rain, sleet and rain contributing to flooding in low laying areas. I'm simply happy that the days are getting longer.

Well... After fighting with my Brother sewing machine for days and ripping back countless seams, I decided to try my hand at hand quilting. It went okay, but would have been better if I set up a frame for that kind of work. 

So... I ripped it out and went to the shed to see how much work it was going to be to bring Mom's sewing machine and cabinet in. Moved some of the stuff in the shed yesterday. Moved the shelf and contents out of the office. Today I finished clearing a path in the shed, strapped the cabinet to the hand cart and got it as far as the front steps before I couldn't go any further. Luckily one of the neighbors was driving by and gave me a hand getting it up the stairs and into the house.

Took a while to get it cleaned up and oiled. Tested it out on some scrap fabric before I tried the wall hanging. Took me an hour or so to get the tension right, but she sews like a dream.

"What day is this?", Sunday

As I snuggled down between the flannel sheets this morning, I marvelled at how delightfully warm it was in the bedroom. It being shortly after four, I simply snuggled deeper and willed myself to sleep by counting to one hundred. Eh, sometimes it works.

Forty five minutes later, I gave up and turned on the light. Fed the inside animals, prepped the outside feed and went to nuke a cup of coffee. Discovered that I had neglected to turn the oven off last night. Hence the warm house. Expensive error, but well worth being warm for a change.  the computer to start my day. Played a couple games then fed the ferals (only Little Bit was there) and took Bandit for a walk.

I wish I had a camera that could capture the way the snow sparkles like glitter when temperatures are below freezing. 

Worked on the brown bag project this week. Hoping to finish the blocks tomorrow. 

Made a cutting error and have to get another yard of background fabric. That adage, "Measure twice, cut once." applies to fabric. Another expensive lesson.

The blocks are going to look fabulous together.

Well, the sun is up all the way. Guess I'd better put the bird feeders up. 

May your day be filled with laughter.

Superbowl Sunday.

Cold, cold, cold today. We only managed to walk a mile and a quarter today. Will try to make it up next Wednesday and Thursday when the temperatures reach the mid forties. Yepper. Spring is on the way.

Not much activity this week as far as projects go. Ripped out most of the bad binding on the Mexican Cross wall hanging. Hoping to red bind it tomorrow. Have two of the 54-40 or Fight blocks made. The tips Susie gave me when we spoke have helped, but the points still aren't perfect. *sigh* Still have to rip back the sideways block on the stained glass quilt; black thread on black fabric. Not looking forward to that process.

Went walking with Nancy and her pups, Wrigley and Riley, from the turnaround at the bottom of Droney road to the railroad tracks. Bandit was a mess when we got home. Took about half an hour to wash all the road salt and whatnot from his fur. Won't go there again in the Winter.

Talked with Lucinda. She's thinking of going to the flower show at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh with me. Something to look forward to.

W stopped by briefly and dropped off some shrimp and onion rings from the wholesale place in Buffalo.