Fanny

   Fanny left us this morning after almost 2 weeks of limited mobility.  Jeff and I took turns sitting with her and even Zoey sat with her for a while.  

   Fanny was an Australian Cattledog Mix that Jeff found at the Herkimer Country Humane Society for my mother. She was a good watch dog barking loudly when anyone drove into our yard.  Sometime in her first few months with us, she was frightened by somebody or something that she never got over.  After that, every unfamiliar person who came into our house was greeted by Zoey at the door and Fanny from under the kitchen table.  

   She was 15 years old with limited sight and hearing but still enjoyed living in our little woods.  When the weather was good, she would walk thru the woods, around Wally's house and back home, checking out the neighborhood.  Once in a while she would go over the hill into one of the cemeteries...just to see what all the fuss was about over there! When Jeff was offered a Beagle puppy, I said Fanny had final say so.  If she said no, then no puppy.  The day we picked out the puppy Fanny didn't know what to make of it or its' littermates!  She sniffed it end to end with a very confused look on her face before flipping her over and giving her a quick wash up!  Zoey was as much hers as she is ours!

   Fanny will be missed by the 3 of us but she is now free of pain, and she will be free forever walking thru our little woods.

Mine, at last!

 

   Here's my corner of the shop (Cooper Country Crafts, Doubleday Court, Cooperstown)!  The rabbits are based on Bilberry Bunnys by Pat Alinejed and 8-9" tall.  The little dolls are based on Izzy Dolls and Pocket Pals. All their accessories are firmly attached.  The shop is now open daily for its 51st season from 10am-5pm except for Easter.  More Bunnys and Pals as well as their accessories are on their way to Cooperstown!  Hope you are, too!

NEW STOCK NEW PHOTS

   Well, I finally got new batteries in my camera and now I've learned that I can't download photos thru a lap-top so that means a trip to the library to download pictures of this year's new stock.  I've spent the last couple of days...and nights... finishing what I'm sending down for Spring opening next Thursday.  (My bag is supposed to be delivered to Val's today so Bonnie can take it to the shop when she stocks her area later this week.)  My new lines are mostly 'smalls' so they require detailed extras than a larger version wouldn't.  For example, a 5 1/2" Easter Bunny has to look extra cute...his nose, eyes, mouth all have to make you smile when you first see him.  My Pocket Pal Easter Bunny is even wearing a pint size knit hat!!  The Pocket Pal 'Pretty in Pink' Girl has a messy bun that required extra hidden stitches to keep it from getting too messy!  And spending extra time on these 'extras' kept me from finishing 2 of the Bilberry Bunnys I was working on...their parts are knit but not stuffed and I haven't their clothes, yet.

Time Sure Moves By!

     Time has sure gotten away from me this year.  After Christmas I had just gotten the decorations put away when Jeff started the Cold Season...and when that happens it usually means trouble.  This year was no different.

   Jeff's cold lingered for a good month until he was forced to replace his Vicks vaporizer because his current one wasn't doing any good.  He was coughing and hacking like crazy, drawing strange attention from strangers in Hannifords. He even cancelled a couple of doctors' appointments because he refuses to wear a face mask, and Bassett requires patients to use them if they have any symptoms of respiratory illness.  (He has been known for getting into arguments with staff, other patients, generally strangers who demand he stop 'stealing their air'!)

   I managed to avoid his germs for January but as February started, I felt it was my turn for a cold.  And it wasn't just a cold.  I started to experience an overall weakness, with an inability to get out of a chair or walk.  I fell and had a hard time getting back into a chair.  Jeff called the ambulance, and they put me back in my place.  A couple of days later was having trouble moving at all and this time, the ambulance came and took me to the Little Falls Hospital.

    I ended up being admitted and stayed a couple of days after they found an empty bed for me.  I had pneumonia and the flu (virus B).  I was told to contact my attending physician and arrange to see him in a week to 10 days.  Between the weather and how I felt, I didn't see anybody for almost 3 weeks.  My blood pressure was the lowest it had ever been (95/87) and my INR was 4.0.  It took all of March to get my numbers back into their respective ranges.  

   One thing...perhaps the only good thing...I lost my appetite and haven't really found it again.  I'm down a whole size...and I'm still losing. Some days I forget to eat, and I have gone to bed hungry!  Jeff's gone to Burger King alone and when I do go with him, a Whopper doesn't appeal to me anymore.  There isn't any cola or candy in the house.  I'm enjoying a glass of bottled water over ice with a slug of lemon juice.

  The shop, Cooper County Crafts, is scheduled to open for our 51st season on April 17th. I'm changing my line again.  This year I'm going to be doing knit toys.  We'll see how they do.  Photos to follow!

 

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Happy Birthday, Mom!

                Josephine Molinaro Terico, 1914-2013 Today would have been my mom's birthday...she was born on 1/13/1914 in Herkimer, NY. We had a lot of good times together until her passing on 10/17/2013. Her front door (and back door) were always open and there was always a pot of fresh coffee perking. Family, friends, neighbors were always welcome! I miss her every day. Happy Birthday, Josie!

What I sent in the Advent Swap

 Week1

Advent Swap Weeks 1 & 2

    Oh, this year's Advent Swap on Ravelry is going strong!  I sent a package to Cathy Jensen in Little Falls, N.J. and received one from Brenda Turney in Stoneham, MA.  I've had to post the photos of what I've received on Facebook because I haven't been able to post on Ravelry.  Then I realized I could post here, too, so that's what I'm doing!  

        This package really impressed me!  This swap is divided into 4 weekly Advent gifts and 1 for Christmas and all the gifts were nestled into a fabric 'basket'.  The gift for each week...and the one for Christmas...were wrapped in different papers, so the first thing I had to do was open the card and find the key to the wrapping paper.

  WEEK 1: The card was a beautiful Scherenchnitte scene.  

I learned to cut Scherenchnitte when I was in college (all those many years ago) and I have loved it ever since.  The theme for Week 1 was 'Cocoa & Chocolate' and the package included an assortment of hot chocolate mixes, a jar of cinnamon powder, a cocoa butter Tea Tree Oil hand cream, a Pumpkin Spice sachet and a gift certificate for cooking spices (Jeff is still trying to decide which ones he wants to try).

WEEK 2:  This week's theme was 'Snowflakes' and the center piece was a crystal snowflake candy dish filled with Dove chocolates.  

A pair of adorable snowmen and snowflake socks and a 'Souper Bowl'...soup warmer/cooker/server...with a baggie of dried nut completed the package.

My box is still full...there are 2 weeks of Advent to go before Christmas!...and I will continue to post my Advent surprises here. Thank you, Brenda, for 2 great weeks!