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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