Today's the Day!

Today is the 3rd anniversary of my heart valve replacement. Seems like I've been falling asleep to the boom-boom of my St. Jude mechanical valve a lot longer than 3 years but that's all it's been. And we still don't have my clotting factor under total control. Just about anything can throw it for a loop...I'm in one now. My number has been 2.2 for 2 weeks...which makes it just a little too thick for my good. On top of that I'm vitamin D deficient which is probably causing what's left of my thyroid to work over time...T3 factor isn't becoming T4 fast enough (or something like that). It leaves me very tired and sluggish. My doct0r was talking about ultrasound to see how the cysts are growing but I think vitamin D supplements will probably solve my problem. And with Spring coming soon there's a lot of work to be done in the garden. The pile of seed catalogs next to Jeff's chair is growing and he's got some seeds sprouting in the hydroponic system in his living room. He's got some alternative methods planned to increase our garden's production. Pictures will follow. And I listened to my cousin Jo, got a statue of St Joseph and started a novena and guess what?? The camp sold!!! Mom's a little sad that it's sold and we're leaving most of what's up there but where are we suppose to put a full trailer of furniture??? Hopefully, what isn't wanted by the new folks will make it's way across Rte 8 to TWIGS and be sold this summer. We had over 30 great years up there but it's time for a change. Keep checking here for the latest on the garden and our collective health!

Spring or Winter??

The calendar says it's still Winter but we're suppose to have another spring-like day with temperatures in the 40's. Wish Mother Nature would get things straight...these swings in temperatures are murder on my arthritis! The metal plates in my leg act like magnets and the ache/pain starts at the break site and moves up my leg to the knee (that's my 'tennis knee'...can't blame everything on the broken leg, now can I?) PT is still helping a lot...we're working on the muscles supporting the back...but I think it can't go on forever. I've been working on a couple of orders for CCC members and as long as Jeff picks the movies we watch I can get quite a lot of knitting down in an evening. Saturday night we watched something called Bugs that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I got the yoke(neck to underarm) down on a size 2 black sheep sweater. Last night I tried to watch the Super Bowl and work on the sweater but gave up...too much distraction on the field! (YEAH! GIANTS!!) Last weekend Jeff stayed home and I watched Sherlock...on the pc monitor in my room. I really like stretching out in bed and watching a movie! Worked on the other order from a shop member...socks for his wife...and that's working up well, too. I'm also doing baby socks for a gift. When I get these done...hopefully, this week!!...I've got to get started working on inventory for the shop. I think I'm in a 'sock mode' so I may just keep working on those.

Jeff's gone into hydroponics in a big way and has quite a set up in his living room. He wanted to set up in ours coz we have a large southern exposure but Josie put her foot down...loudly...and said no. So he took an old shop light out of our pantry and is working on rewiring that to be a 'grow light'. His basil and peppers have sprouted but neither of us have had any luck getting our heirloom Stevia seeds to sprout! And what I paid for those!!

Ever see the underside of a car? My car has been in the shop since last Wednesday, something called a 'cradle' had to be replaced in the rear end...boy, it had literally rotted away!! And something in a front wheel casing had broken off. I couldn't believe how rusty things are under there!! Carl and the mechanics at Cole's managed to get the rusted pieces off the car without further damage and replaced with this used parts that they cleaned and sprayed making them look new. Only 1 bolt was stubborn and wouldn't come off so we're waiting for a replacement for that. I do not want to see the bill for this job. But if the Subuaru keeps going for another couple of years.... The thing is the car runs great, it's the suspension that's rusting out!! In the meantime, my cousin John has lent me his father's car...a Nissan. (We keep losing it in Walmart parking lot and have to look thru the windows to find the right car!!) When I talked to Fran yesterday he just laughed!

Time to get working!!