More This N That

Today I'm off to lunch with my old friend Narola. I haven't seen her for a few years. She moved to Florida about 1995.
I'm happy to report Bob went to the eye doctor yesterday, last appointment following cataract surgery, and now has prescription for reading glasses. He was able to read the top paragraph on the eye chart the nurse handed him. Wow, that's one I can hardly read.
Tonight is the Chenango Piecemakers Guild picnic. What to make for my dish to pass. Maybe the cappachino bars. Easy and good. I had just a few left last week after Triangle Guild's picnic and Mikayla took them home.
Or I could make Ella Mae's potato and green bean salad. That was a hit with the Red Hat girls Tuesday.
Off to start my day.
    Chris

Anything for a Free Lunch

That's right, some of us will do anything for a free lunch. Tomorrow I'm doing a trunk show for the North Fenton Seniors.

So many of my quilts have been given away but I think I have enough here to make an interesting show.

Did any of you ever do the Fun and Done quilt. I did two blocks and decided that I'd had enough fun. It's on the back of the toilet as a little runner.

If I took some of my UFOs I'd have a car full and could talk forever. Looking at the boxes I see: Twin Sisters, Scrappy Mountains Majesty, Economy Block, Anita's Arrowheads, Merry Go Round, Lady of Lake Erie and more.

Then I have boxes of strips in sizes from 2" to 4 1/2" and 5" charm squares. I cut scraps up so I have them when I need to make a block. (Then I dig into the stash and use something else.)

Then I have a vest, pillows and pillowcases to show too.

Even though I was on a sabbatical from quilting this winter I have a lot of stuff to pack and take.

I just read the latest from Patrick Taylor A Dublin County Doctor. I'm hooked on Patrick Taylor as well as a number of other authors including Dorothea Benton Frank, Janet Evanovich, Steven Havrill and Dana Stabenow.

This winter I've been recommending www.fultonhistory.com as a site to visit if you are searching for ancestors in New York State in the late 1800s and 1900s. A man from Fulton, NY has scanned newspapers from all over NYS and has them on this site.

One man came back into the library to tell me he hadn't been sleeping much. He'd been on fultonhistory.com every night, with good results.

Another site I use is www.findagrave.com. Paul R. has visited cemeteries around Broome County, NY, photographing the stones and putting them on this site. I found the burial place of a man from Town of Nanticoke back in 1897 for a guy from further north in NYS. Sent it to him & got a message back "You rule!" Guess I made his day.

If you check out findagrave.com you'll see they have burial and pictures from all over, not just New York.

Time to get ready for today's volunteer afternoon at the Local History and Genealogy Dept. at the Broome County Public Library. (We have the NYS Vital Records Index on microfiche there.)

Our department cash register tapes read "We see Dead People".

Chris

Finally I'm Back

I couldn't remember my password to get into blogspot.com to post a new message. Here I am finally. Nothing is easy.

Bob is much better, although his close up vision isn't good. Distance vision is great. He's back doing his version of neighborhood watch. He can see the gas prices change next door. He tells me who is going up the road.

What great weather we've had this month. I put the houseplants on the patio early this week but will have to haul them back in again tonight. It's going to be cooler for a few days.

We will go to his granddaughter's birthday party today. Mikayla is 10 now.

My next step is to figure how to put pictures on here again. Something has changed.

Chris

All Gone

My morning glories are long gone and the landlord put up new fences between the patios back in early November when we had some beautiful days. The morning glories grew through the fence to go visit the lady who lives on the other side. I had 3 plants that Fran traded me for tomato plants. Next year I'll have to plant more. They started blooming in August and delighted me every day.
Bob is doing very well. His eyesight is somewhat better. His home health care ended at the end of November. The people from Twin Tier Heath Care were great. We had RNs checking his vitals, an Aide who helped him shower and talked to him, PT and OT who got him moving. Now he walks around the house without a cane. The walker is here in case he has to go out on rough ground and he takes the cane when he has to go out. His last visit to the Binghamton VA went well. He walked up the steps and back down instead of taking the ramp.
I've done a bit of sewing. The Twister table topper top is done. I made an over sized pillowcase for the big pillow I bought. Now I wonder what people do who don't sew because the standard pillowcases are way too small.
Pat went back to Arkansas eager to show 'those Southern women' how to birth a pillowcase. She made one under our direction when she was here and even French seamed the side seam.
It's really time for me to put the Christmas tree up. Once I do that I'll be more in the spirit of the Christmas season. Only two more weeks. Gotta hustle.
Chris

Quick Note

Isn't this pretty. It's Beth R's wallhanging made for her daughter to hang in her office. She said her daughter likes Claude Monet. This is her second of this waterlily she's made.

We just wanted to update everyone that Bob is doing well, gaining strength. He has therapists nearly daily, 5 days a week.

Yesterday he had his first outing since he came home on Oct. 20. He went to see Dr. Herceg about the eye problem that developed when he was in the hospital.

The doctor who saw him in hospital said "Dry macular degeneration, call my office for an appointment when you get out of here."

We decided not to do that, but a appointment was set up with the office where I go.

A preliminary exam was done and his records were requested from the hospital.

After a thorough exam yesterday, Dr. said "there is a little macular but this is Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. The blood work and information indicates this. The optic nerve is pale."

The doctor will keep a close watch on his eyes and will see him in early January.

Possibly it will improve. We are hopeful and praying.

What's Happening

We've been busy the past month. Bob lost all strength and couldn't get out of bed on Sept. 23. I called 911 and the ambulance took him to the hospital, UHS-Wilson. He had a bacterial infection in his blood and had also had a silent heart attack. After a week at Wilson, he was transfered to Binghamton General, Krembs 6 for rehab. He finally came home on Oct. 20. He is improving and getting around using a walker. In the meantime Chenango Piecemakers had their show on Columbus Day weekend. Here's my Sue Had an Idea for a Cutting Bee, Jacob's Ladder quilt that was at least six years in the making.

Yesterday Triangle Guild had their show at Fall Festival in Whitney Point. I call this one Crazy Chickens. The chicken fabric came from a basket at Keepsake Quilting the first time I went there.

The snowman wallhanging was made by my cousin Ella Lane. She calls this one Dolly. Can you see why?

Thanks to all who sent cards, prayed and thought and asked about Bob. He's so glad to be at home again. Four weeks is a long time to be away in a hospital. He'll have an RN, aide and PT and OT coming to the house starting tomorow.

Chris

Just a few words about the recent flood...

Today I drove to Endicott on Rt. 17. Passed the Vestal Nursing Home with its ground floor missing all the windows. My neighbor who worked there until recently said the beds and other furnishing are piled in the front parking lot.
Home Depot has the parking lot filled with store items covered in mud. Ollie's, a new store here, which I didn't get to, is probably likewise stacked with flood refuse. Couldn't slow down enough on the road to see.
On a personal note, we were okay.
My cousin Marsha in Fairmont Park estimated 16 feet of water in her home. A picture of her in the Wed. Binghamton Press shows her in front of the house with her possessions piled at the curb.
Bob's nephew Unky (his father was Ernie, so they called him Unky, Bob told me) had his home flooded in the cellar. They have cleaned it and he, his wife and daughters are back. Two of his sons are with their grandmother.
Bob's niece Breanne had her home condemned. They were able to retrieve clothing and dishes & photos. Bob sister and brother in law are drying pictures when I stopped by today.
My granddaughter in Greene, Nikki, had 5 ft. of water in her cellar.
I'm so glad I live where I do. Thank you, God.
Chris