What a year!

I am sending good wishes for a wonderful New Year to all of you and your families. Keeping positive thoughts for 2020.
This has been a tough year for me... I did not want to admit that I was depressed but finally a melt down and there it is. I began to feel better once I started a med and then....and then along came Murphy. He has been like a whirlwind of love. Murphy and I walk 3 times a day and Alan added the pedometer app to my phone and I track my steps. We walk a quarter mile each time out... it certainly adds up. I am wearing slacks that I could not wear...so loosing some ponds is good. Murphy stays with me at night and we are sleeping much better. My blood [pressure is slowly coming down. Having Alan and Lisa here has also been great. We have melded our home décor and this year Lisa put her ornaments on the tree...here are a few...

This gal needs a new hairdo

This one is looking for a modeling job

Poor gal is missing an eye

We had fun adding and sharing memories for each one

Last night we went out for pre NY Eve dinner...

The Angry Crab just opened a few miles from us...Alan ordered the Boiled in a bag and served in a bucket, Alaskan King Crab.... he ate it all. The food was delicious... the appetizers were great. A new place for us to go often.

Lisa and I picked out the fabric for the French Roses runner.... as soon as we put away Christmas stuff which we will start in a few days we will start it.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and celebrated New Year's Eve safely. We are staying in...shrimp is just out of the boil and cooling! Champagne has already been poured. I hardly think I will see midnight! Tomorrow will be a stay at home relaxing day...the first day of a new year and new beginnings. Murphy met Dianna and Bobby when they stopped by yesterday. A sad note; Bobby's cat of 16 years, Moochie,  passed away. She was a one person cat and that person was Bobby. He is missing her sitting with him in the morning and greeting him when he comes in from work. Keep a special thought for my dear friend. I am happy to say that Murphy brought out a smile from Bobby!

Glad you took time to visit. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Even a dried tulip is pretty

The sun is bright and the temp moving toward the 70 mark then into the 80s today. There is a breeze right now which is bordering windy. As soon as I opened the back gate door and returned to the kitchen I looked out to see the bunny running so fast into the garden through the wrought iron gate opening and right into the Fountain grass. Then last evening as the light just faded, I stood in front of the kitchen slider and there he was... looking at me through the glass. Of course once he saw me off he ran to the grass again. Just opened the gate door and no sign of him...  yet.

I love having fresh flowers in the house. Denny always brought some home to me through the years just because. When it comes time to discard them, I think they still have beauty so I let them stay just a day or so. The tulips had such lovely twists to them....
Sat for a short time yesterday with the embroidery, until my back said it was time to move about. Still not much better today. Is it Monday yet? The hand seems to be finally getting to that loose point and hopefully my fine movements will also improve. The incisions are almost invisible and less tender. ( I tell you this because some of you have asked). Dear Dianna stopped by yesterday morning with some printed exercises for me to try for my back. She actually made me get down on the floor and do a few!
I have hopes of getting into the garden later... most likely it is not going to happen but nice to think I am. I filled the center area with the mulch and put the paver in place...took forever. After a text with Bobby, we decided that I should add landscape cloth before the soil which means I need to lift the paver out then put it back ... not sure if the body will cooperate. Is it Monday yet? All this so I can plant before the temps heat up. April is the time to set it in motion.
The embroidery may get finished today. Just shoes and flowers left and touch up here and there. Still no sure why I chose pinks for her... probably will make another in different colors. Anyway, she is fun to do. Might even get to do some beading again soon.

Could not decide what to have last evening so I tossed shrimp with my salad  and made some croutons to add. I could eat shrimp every day. Guess I should think about tonight's meal and the swishing in the laundry area has stopped so off I go. Glad to chat with you today. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Thank you for your friendship.

Okay...I am prepared...I think

Spent all of yesterday morning cutting up food, putting food into Glad plastic containers and making chicken soup as well as salad portions for a few days.

Those who know me are not surprised by this as I am generally a very organized person. Today I will be using just my left hand...not as easy as you would think... so I can accomplish some tasks. I already opened the gingerale but I think Gatorade has glued the caps on! I had to cross the courtyard so Dave could open it for me. Still have one more for him to open. He even had to use brute strength! But he did it with a smile. I am thankful for him and Robyn for taking me tomorrow and Robyn said I will be having lasagna Monday night. This morning I realized that I forgot to buy butter! It is an important staple in my fridge.
Yesterdays mail brought me this kit.

I ordered it from 123 Stitch using the gift certificate I received from Shelly. I found 2 more Santa's and put them on my wish list for the next visit there. If you have never ordered from them, give them  a try. They are quick to process and fair prices. I enjoy stitching on perforated paper. This will be my incentive to follow doctor's orders so I can get back to stitching real soon. I made the Canyon Santa last year. I love Mill Hill kits.

The Woodpecker was here often yesterday calling out his arrival. He is such a character. Yesterday also brought a coyote trotting though  the courtyard. Looked like he was in pursuit of something that I did not see but obviously whatever it may have been he did not have it as he walked up the street. By the looks of him, he was not starving. There has been a Dove visiting the garden, maybe they will move back in this Spring.
This morning I found that a guy commented that he liked my profile picture on a post that I made on a Facebook page and wanted me to add him to my friends list so we could chat! Really!!! I have deleted the post and him! Not interested in the younger man..... the way to deal is to delete.
The cut on my wrist is healing but sore and of course it is the hand for the IV.... only me. I will also remind them that I corrected the medical info and that I am not pregnant. With that said, off I go to have a day of do nothing I hope is my plan. I will attempt to update you as soon as I am not loopy. Thank you for stopping by today. Thank you for your kind words and friendship.

And the day went well

Everyday seems to be starting out as a cloudy cool day...then the sun makes an appearance and we are off to a warm day even setting or matching records. I love this year round weather of Arizona. Did you see the Super Moon last night? I gazed at it from my backyard....
Lots to share today...
Love getting mail more specifically packages....don't you?

Sis Lyn knew I was out of my favorite Rhode Island Pepper sticks so  my supply is replenished....but she also sent me the seasoning for the best hot wiener sauce made ... now it is not the same as going the NY System but it will do. Besides food...

look... 3 more yellow ducks swimming in the pond!  Thank you sis....now everything is ducky in the pond.
My telephone was busy yesterday. There was the call from my niece Tonya "Pafazzo"..long loving chat. There was the weekly call form sis Lyn ...always a long chat. Amazing the things we find to talk about! Oh and a call from The Brother Alan and Lisa. They called to chat while they decorated their tree

It looks lovely and so don't they! there is even one of my tatted ornaments hanging there somewhere. My day was pretty complete thanks to my family.

I finished my ornament.....but only a sneak peek. It will be mailed this week and then I can show you 

what it really looks like.  Lots of mailing to do this week. I was hoping to tat a few snowflakes, but have not started yet. It is the only snow around here for me.

I have been awake since 2 AM....and since I could not fall back to sleep I thought wee, get up, blog and make coffee. So before I head to the coffee grinder I will leave you with this

The Brother Alan......watching me from afar. Oh there is the Angel I made with sheet music paper!
I am lucky to have my family caring...there is no distance with love.
Thank you my friends for your kind words and friendship.  

Who you gonna call~~~~~

no, no...not the Ghostbusters. I have never seen the movie but that is not who is needed here. Indeed it is a friend who although she laughs with you or at a problem, she does not question, she just helps when called or not called! That is right; sometime she offers and then volunteers the hubby. I am talking about Miss Glenda and Don. Our friendship has grown stronger these last months. Both of them have cared about me and advice given has been taken. On Thursday I needed a few items so off to Safeway and back I came. Later that day I decided to have a cool treat---but I could not open the jar! No matter how hard I tried I could not unscrew the lid. Back into the freezer. I choose Tillamook Vanilla Bean instead. On Friday I tried that lid again and later again and finally before tossing it into the trash, I sent an email off to Glenda telling her that I was desperate. I asked that on their way out if they could stop by to help me. Sadly the email was not read until later. A good friend still does not ignore your cry for help and she called me. Of course Glenda asked what this lid was and when I told her she began to laugh, and laugh some more. She told me one of them would be over on Saturday morning...I said okay. A few minutes later who was walking to my front door? You know it was Glenda and yes she was able after a few tries to open the jar .

Are you also laughing? Sorry but when you crave Sicilian Pistachio Gelato and can not open the jar it becomes desperation! As tempted as I was to eat the whole jar, I only had a few spoonful's. After all the trouble to get it open I want to savor it.  My defense is that I have little strength in my right hand. After resting it these past few days I am ready to tat and stitch this weekend. Next week a bit of machine sewing too. No more heavy duty projects. I will save any that may be for The Brother Alan. Oh I forgot to mention~~~~~he arrives September 19th, one month from today! The countdown begins.  Glad you stopped by today. Thank you for the kind words and most of all for your friendship. Let's have a good day! 

Chestnuts found!

There are certain foods that I can not find here in Arizona that I really miss Rhode Island for. One is chestnuts when in season. Some years they are here and affordable some not. This year my dear cousin Janice sent me some ...but I needed more. We did find them but even the grocery store had to toss out their supply after we bought some and they were all moldy inside. Then I found them but they were $14.99 a pound! Finally I found them at Sprouts yesterday...for $4.99 a pound

so now I will have them for Christmas....just a tradition to have chestnuts roasted for Christmas. It does not take much too much to make me happy. So many of you did just that yesterday with all the birthday wishes for my guy....he thanks you very much. The doctor removed the staples on Tuesday afternoon..he did wince a bit...I could not look.  He had therapy yesterday and they increased his time to 1 hour and he is doing very well with it. Mr H is walking much better and hopefully the thigh pain will subside. We did not have a birthday cake...

instead we enjoyed pastry; Lobster tail filled with whipped cream and custard filled cream puff. I figured it was a special day...cake just does not mark the 70th like pastry does. It was good to see that he is up to going shopping with me.... I am not used to doing lots of things let alone by myself...very spoiled am I. Today I hope to spend time starting my baking and working on my new project....

I am starting on band 5 and forgot just how much I enjoy this type of project. I just needed a break from regular cross stitch. I do find that I need to stop after each band to rest my hand, but that is just fine. There are 2 more projects in this book but I am not sure if I will do them or look to another book. I do have several in the bookcase.The one thing I need to do is get another scissor for thread cutting...like in Hardanger. My wonderful scissor broke and I have yet to buy another. I will probably look to Nordic Needle for one. Just need a tiny and sharp point. Right now, I need a cup of coffee while I wait for the laundry to finish. I thank you for the birthday wishes for Mr H and for your wonderful friendship. Your kind words make a wonderful day for me. Hope you enjoy your day.

Eggs, Cinderella and Elizabeth

I have found a new way, at least to me, to fix my eggs....

First you get a microwave safe dish, scramble the eggs and add what you would like...in this case onions, cheese and spinach and then microwave for 15 seconds, stir and micro for another 10 seconds. You really have to experiment for just how much you want them cooked. Quick and easy. I have these nice dishes from buying Creme Brulee and hate to toss them out. They are good for under small plants, for holding  my hair trinkets and so many other things. I may have to start to toss them as the collection is getting beyond my needs!
I just recieved an order for Cinderella from The Primitive Hare....

Just had to have this. I have Cinderella's coach and glass slipper and think this will be a nice addition to it. Not sure how I will finish it....getting ahead of myself, I have not even started it! This will be next on the list no matter what I have ready to go. As for Elizabeth..

her skirt has 3 rows within the border...I now have 2 finished. Yes, you are not dizzy, it is a bit wonky because I have removed part of the Q-snaps.

love the colors and design. As I have mentioned before, I usually only work on her early in the mornings. There is nor rush to finish. I am simply enjoying the project. I find is soothing to my mind. Recently my mind has been very cluttered. Thank you for you kind words which have been most welcomed. Our community is only 27 homes and we care about one another. Soon our 3 snowbirds will return and then it is officially Autumn, even id f the temps are still in the triple digits. Today may reach 109...I will be at work. My Round Robin piece is almost finished and I have a few items to send along with it to June who is my current partner and the moderator for this RR. We do have the entire month to stitch but it is good to get it finished and mailed to account for travel time. As much as I am enjoying this I need to think about joining exchanges for a group in the future. For now, I must say thank you for stopping by today...thank you for the friendship you share with me and have a wonderful day.