Thursday, July 19, 2018

Finished Afghan

I mentioned to you a few posts ago that I was trying to finish an afghan by the end of July.

Well, it's done and ready to go to its new home.


Just my opinion, but I think it came out okay.

If you are curious about how to make this kind of afghan, please check out https://meshweaver7.blogspot.com/

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

Losing It

If I post this online, hopefully I will be more likely to do it than if I just keep it to myself.

Indiana rates in the top ten states for obesity. See the chart below from https://stateofobesity.org/lists/highest-rates-adult-obesity/

I'm not saying I'm the largest person around here. Happy to say that actually, but I'm heavier that is healthy for this particular body. So at the beginning of this year I made a resolution. (I can hear you groaning) I wanted to be visibly thinner by Oktoberfest when my brother comes to visit me.

I have managed to take off 10 pounds and keep it off, but the mirror isn't telling me that I've arrived yet. I'm down one size in clothing. Got more to go.

This summer has been difficult because of the heat. Hopefully, now that it seems to be letting up a little, I will be able to go out and do more, like walking farther than just around the block. If all I do is walk to work and home again for lunch, I accidentally put in two miles  on a full work day. The dogs and I could all stand to go a little farther in the morning.

When I make another milestone, or when I arrive at "visibly thinner", I'll post again.

Anyone want to join me?

P.S. I'm reading Shape Up Sisters! by Linda Fondren. She's very inspiring.

Thanks for visiting with me,

Kathi

Top 10 Highest Rates of Adult Obesity (2016)

RankStateAdult Obesity Rate
1wWest Virginia37.7% ±1.4
2YMississippi37.3% ±1.9
3BAlabama35.7% ±1.6
3CArkansas35.7% ±2.4
5RLouisiana35.5% ±2.1
6pTennessee34.8% ±1.8
7QKentucky34.2% ±1.5
8qTexas33.7% ±1.7
9jOklahoma32.8% ±1.6
10OIndiana32.5% ±1.3
10VMichigan32.5% ±1.1

Sunday, June 17, 2018

Our Own Miracle

About a month ago, I was looking for a small table-top organ (or one with legs) for Les to practice on. We didn't find any on first exploration and Les said he didn't really need one.

What I was originally looking for.

A couple of days ago, Les' friend who works at a nursing home, told him that the nursing home was about to trash a Baldwin organ, two tier with foot pedals. Anyone who could move it out of the nursing home could have it for free.

I immediately rearranged the living room to make room. Les tried to get someone who had a pick up truck and some muscle ( the thing weighs about 200 lbs by my gestimate). No one was available and the non-returned phone calls were plentiful.

We gave up the prospect of getting the organ and mourned the waste of a beautiful musical instrument. We took a trip to Columbus and shopped a bit and ate out for Les' Father's Day.

Suddenly, on Saturday around 5 pm. someone from the church called back and offered to help. 4 men and 2 youths showed up in a pick up truck and moved the organ into our house.

I wanted to get a lesser model and pay for it. Now we have this for free! God said "Wait" and here's what we have for our own personal miracle:

It didn't come with a bench, but one of our end tables serves perfectly.

Very grateful and happy,

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

We've had storms for several days (or nights) in a row. It cuts into my sleep when two dogs try to pile on me for protection when it thunders. Abby pants like a choo-choo train and she has really hot breath.

Today the storm came on in the evening. There's an advantage to this - rainbows.


It was a beautiful sight and kept growing more and more brilliant.

Thank you for visiting with me,

Kathi



Tuesday, June 12, 2018

This is my current project. I am warming up to make a whole afghan before the middle of July. It may be something of a challenge as this craft takes longer than crocheting.



I chose this way of making a lap robe because crocheting this yarn made a fairly dark fabric. This way the colors are more spread out. I like it better.

Thank you for visiting with me.

Kathi

Just a note about my garden:

It's a third of the way through June and my tomatoes are huge and beginning to set fruit.


The basil and green peppers are coming along too.


I just wish the chiggers and deer ticks weren't so fierce this year.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi


Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Mother Update

Here is my brother's letter as of today:


Here we are, a week or so after Mom’s triumphant return home, and here is the latest update.

This amazing woman has come a long way in two short weeks.
First, she was 911’d to the hospital with those days of drama and tension.
Through today she has recovered so well, you would almost never know there was a medical event at all.
She used her walker for about the first hour home. She said it was too difficult to navigate it through the house, so switched to her cane.
That lasted almost a day before she started carrying it, or leaving it hang somewhere while working in that general area.
Finally, she put it away and started free-styling all around the house.
It did take the better part of a week before she attempted and conquered the stairs.

Mom is pretty much back to her old self. She climbs up and down the steps and we walk wherever she wishes.
Yesterday, was her first physical therapy session. They last about an hour. Mother loved it and did not take a nap afterward.
Her therapist is a great lady. She knows her stuff and drives Mother much harder than Mom would drive herself exercising at home.
We’ll be visiting her three times a week for the next month. Mom should be pretty well rebalanced by then and strong like bull. LoL

This morning, we went to the laundromat to wash clothes.
After returning home, we went to the bank and back, which is a good 4-block jaunt.
That completed, we took off to go shopping and walked through a few stores for better than two hours.

Physically, she is in very good shape. 

This event hit her brain in the classic stroke style: confusion, speech, and muscle control issues.
There are a few residual issues, but they are minor and infrequent.
On occasion, Mom will take a bit longer to form and enunciate a specific word.

Post first stroke her hands used to unconsciously shake a bit. That has minimized to almost vanished.
She walked kind of flat-footed and cautiously. Her therapist noticed and has her walking properly now.
Although slowly for now, she walks more easily and with confidence.

In the store this afternoon, she stopped to look at the magazine rack.
Mother looked up and thought she had lost me. After a moment or two, she thought to turn around and there I was.

I do not know how things will progress, but I purposely work to stimulate Mom's mind in positive ways.
I try to keep her on her toes and we have a lot of fun in the process.

All in all, Mom’s recovery is every bit a miracle. God has re-gifted her to us once again.
She definitely is a Weeble. She wobbles, but she won’t fall down. (Sorry, old toy commercial)

Nothing in life is certain. After all this happened again, of one thing, I am pretty sure.
When Jesus returns, Mom will be alive and well, and waiting to greet Him with open arms.


Thank you all again for the Blessing of your prayers.
May God give you a Holy hug and fill you with His Love, Comfort and Peace.


Sunday, June 3, 2018

Happy Birthday

Back in the days of the Viet Nam War, I was in college. I remember the Kent State shootings. I remember how many colleges and universities had fires during the years of protest. How many sit-ins and riots made the news.

I hung out with Warren the musician/artist, Linda the singer, and Tony the drummer. None of us thought we would live beyond our thirtieth year.

Tony, happy 70th birthday. I hope you see this and relive a pleasant memory or two.

Back in the day:


Somewhat more recent:


Thanks for visiting with me,

Kathi


Monday, May 28, 2018

News about Mother

About a week ago, my brother John called me with news that Mother went to the hospital again. Her speech was slurred, she had some confusion and motor difficulty. John had her take an aspirin and called 911. She was in ICU for a couple of days and then stayed in a regular room for a couple more.

I am attaching John's most recent letter about her progress.

Let me apologize for not writing the last couple of days. They were filled with projects in the limited time between hospital visits.

I purposely did not write an update on Friday, as I was saddened by my hospital visit.
Coming to the hospital after lunch, I saw Mother finish getting tested by a neurologist, followed up with lunch. 
Sitting up and rotating on the bed evidently is considered a federal hospital offense. She set off the bed alarm, again.
Alarms rang out in her room and across the hall at the nurses station. Nurses and aids came flying in to make sure Mother had not fallen and was ok. 
Once the hubbub settled back down, she ate a half portion of oatmeal with a little skim milk.

About the time she finished lunch the physical therapist arrived.
They put on the big support belt and accompanied Mother steering her walker up and down the hallway, then brought her back to her room.
At her request, they sat her in the chair to chat with me. She looked tired and dragged out.
Mom’s neck was stiff, so I put a pillow under her feet, to give a little support and keep them from dangling in the air like a 5-year old in the big girl chair.
There was a vertical pillow behind her back to help her sit forward, so I put another one behind her head to give a bit more support.

She went from alert to asleep in under 2 minutes.

With Mom still zonked out half an hour later, I went out to chat with her doctor about how she was doing. 
Especially in the neck area, Mom's arteries and veins are not as strong as they used to be, so another stroke is possible.
Doc hemmed and hawed a bit on details, but said there were a couple more tests and they did not want to release her until she gained more strength. 
I thanked her and told them I was heading home.

So, I was not filled with joy or even much hope that day, and decided to wait and get a better picture the next day before penning an update.


Have you ever seen the cartoon with engineers standing at a blackboard with an incredibly complex flowchart drawn on it?
The whole process looks impossible until you see where someone drew in a big rectangle just before the happy ending that says,”Then a miracle happened.”


That was my experience Saturday. Anne and I went to the hospital for a visit. Mother was sitting up in her chair by the window with a big cheshire cat grin and announced that she was coming home TODAY! They told me TODAY!!!

After the way Mom looked a mere 24 hours earlier, I was stunned. Shock and Awe come to mind, for lack of better words.
Apparently the doctor had told her just a couple hours earlier that she could leave. 

After verifying the facts with the doctor, we set about getting everything in order.
After turning off the chair alarm several times, Anne and an aid helped Mother dress, while I chatted with the doctor about Mom’s prescriptions, follow up visits, and everything else we needed to do after leaving the hospital.

We drove Mom home and celebrated with a nice family supper and a quiet evening together again.

Mom will need to be on meds and go to out-patient physical therapy for awhile. That’s ok. 
This time around she skipped ahead of the in-patient month, which she endured two years ago.
And she walks around with a walker or cane instead of a wheelchair.

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all for your prayers.
They caught God’s ear and He delivered another miracle.
Now Mom can spend more enjoyable days at home instead of surviving days in a hospital.

I will not even test her (except perhaps her patience. Mwa ha ha!).

Praise God!

New Craft


For the first time in years, I have tucked away my yarn and am trying a new craft.

I think amigurumi (crocheted animals) is cute, but I don't like working in rounds and counting every stitch.

Making sock toys is like a shortcut amigurumi. I can make the animals without doing all the crocheting.

Mind you, the dog was the first animal I made and the cats came right after. I'm not claiming to be a pro at this yet. It is something to do with my hands while Les and I watch TV.



I'll practice a little more and see what kind of zoo happens in this house. lol

Thank you for visiting with me.

Kathi