Updates and Winners

News...Far Guy finally got the phone call that took him off of hold.  He is once again active on the Lung Transplant list...this time he is listed for two lungs.  It took a whole week for the Thoracic Surgeon to make that determination after he was called away on an emergency during the transplant meeting a week ago.   Far Guy is listed for both lungs because they cannot be certain which lung had the lung fungus...or if it was both.  After transplant one old lung with a fungus could compromise the new lung.   So now we wait again.  It is better than waiting to wait which is what we have been doing the past sixty days.  Far Guy finishes his fungicide medication  on Sunday.

In other news we traveled up north to a VA Clinic so Far Guy could get his last Shingrix shot...he accomplished it all by himself...I spent that time at Hobby Lobby...yes yarn was on sale again.  I will eventually get a Shingrix shot but our local clinic has a shortage of the serum.

In other other news...I have an infection.  Far Guy insisted I go to the Doctor.  As my luck would have it...Dr She Devil was the only Doctor seeing walk in patients at our local clinic.  I almost turned around and left when the Nurse announced who would be seeing me.  Then we waited and waited...I had a little nap with my head against the wall....stress makes me so so sleepy.  Eventually the old bat showed up and diagnosed an infection and said if I get a temperature I am to come back immediately.  For now I have antibiotics and a special cream.  The big old infection is from the cryosurgery I had on November 1...a  wart that was zapped with liquid nitrogen...the wart was behind my knee...Dr She Devil took forever going back through my medical history...she should not have a license to practice in my opinion.  She clicked this and that on her computer...Far Guy rolled his eyes a few times...whilst I just wanted to bolt from the room. Finally we were allowed to leave...Far Guy said I deserve 15 Golden Stars for  my excellent behavior. You can read about my prior history with DR SHE DEVIL here. 

In other other other news...a big old snowstorm is headed our way.  It will most likely be snowing and blowing when you are reading this.  They have named this Winter Storm Ezekiel.  I moved the electric snow shovel to it's spot just outside the front door.

In other other other other news...Winners of the 2019 Christmas Wood carved one of a kind ornament are;

Betsy

Miss Merry

Bonnie

Wendy

Congratulations!  Please contact me by email with your mailing address captainconnie2001atyahoodotcom  I hope to mail packages on Monday !

Far Side

Thanksgiving Report

There were twenty of us that gathered at my baby brothers lake home.  Our youngest daughter Jen and her husband Andy, Grandson Noah and his girlfriend Hannah,  Grandson Adam and Jonas the foreign exchange student from Belgium, Our Niece Stacey and her five children and her beau Justin, Our Granddaughter Maddie, her husband Brenton and our Great Grandson Hey Mikey, and my parents.

Everyone brought some food and everyone helped clean up.  It was a good gathering.

Noah, Maddie and Adam. The boys said Maddie should be in the middle...they called her shorty.

She made them laugh! 

Noah and his girlfriend Hannah.

Hey Mikey and his Mama.  

Far Side

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for my wonderful husband, beautiful daughters and the best grandchildren ever...and one great grand!  I am also thankful that I can spend the afternoon with my parents.  I am thankful for a warm and cozy home, food on the table and people to share it with.  I am also thankful for all the wonderful people out there that read my daily drivel.

Far Side 

Turkey Preparations

The turkey is in the fridge thawing out.  Heard on the news today that you are not supposed to wash the turkey.  I have been washing turkeys for 40 some years...I usually scrub them with salt and rinse them real good...and then clean the sink real well.   Who do you believe anymore??

I made pumpkin bread yesterday. It is yummy!

Today we have three medical appointments... it will be a busy day. 

Cooking will commence early Thursday morning...baked carrots, the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and a gluten free stuffing.  Hope it is all tasty!

Run your lives!

This is a favorite photo of mine taken in February of 2010.  It appears on our calendar for the month of November.

Far Side

Tree and Ornaments

The Christmas tree is up on Main Street.   It has a few decorations and lights.  The official tree lighting ceremony is supposed to be on Friday night...I happened by just after the Power Company finished the lights and they were probably testing them...who really knows for sure.

Yes it sits in the center of the street and takes up about four parking spots.  As you can tell it is gloomy here...it spit rain and then snow yesterday.

Tell me about a Christmas tree in your community...is there one?   All comments will be entered in this years Christmas Ornament Give Away...a fantastic one of a kind wood carved ornament worthy of collecting!

  I will take comments until Friday night at 9 PM ...then I will draw for winners and mail your prize on Monday December 2 in plenty of time for Christmas.  Those of you who like to email me...please do!

The wood carved ornament will be revealed soon.

Far Side

Ticket

Got a speeding ticket in the middle of the boonies Saturday on our way home.  No other cars in sight for miles...he must have been on a mission between Reservations ( Tribal Officer)...you would think he would have better things to do than give old women speeding tickets.

   Far Guy was asleep...so I cannot even blame him...he was snoring and when I said BAD WORD VERY BAD WORD quite loudly he woke up.

MY FIRST TICKET.  Not that I haven't deserved a ticket before. I have been known to speed occasionally.

Oh well that's swell what a end to a perfect run.

Far Side
 

Adam: Vex

Yesterday we traveled up North to see Adam in a Vex Robotic's Tournament.

Each year Vex comes up with a new challenge.

This is a Vex field all set up and ready to go.

Handsome Grandson Adam in the sunglasses

Adam's team on the end.  Each team form an alliance with another team and they work toward team points.  They compete against two other teams also in an alliance..

Robots are on the field in this photo.  They gain points for Autonomus Mode and Driver Control Mode.  Scoring happens when cubes are stacked in the corners or are placed in the cups.

The kids on each team meet before school to build, program and drive their robot.  They have to keep notebooks that detail their work on the robot and on Tournament day judges look over their notebooks and interview the team.

This will be Adam's last year in High School Robotics.   His team did great.  We watched two matches and they won both of them. 
Far Side

Bird's Eye View

Back in September one of Andy and Jen's friends were here with a drone.

They sent us a photo!

A bird's eye view of our place in the woods.

A long time ago my greenhouse extended past the raspberry patch.  I found it very interesting to see this view...almost made me want to look at drones with cameras.

Far Side

Oh Deer

The deer love the acorns in our yard.  Lately they have been feeding at night.

Last night a Fox or a Coyote went through the yard...his/her tracks were out there in the fresh snow, we brought the Trail Cam in to see if our best guess was right but the camera was not focused where he/she walked through.

We saw a buck tracks on one occasion. He showed up once on the trail cam.  He is most likely the buck that my sister in law shot.  She described him as a little six point buck.

Hunting successfully culls the herd.   If there is a good hunt less deer are road kill.
Last night on the way home from Bingo with my Dad I saw four deer crossing the road...luckily I saw them in time and avoided a collision.

My Dad and my Aunt Anna usually split the meat of one deer, yesterday was the day they cut up and washed the meat...ground some up for venison burger and canned 24 jars of meat.  They are meticulous about hair and tallow on the meat...neither are allowed.

We didn't win at Bingo but we were one number away from the $600 jackpot.  Next week there is no Bingo because of Thanksgiving.
Far Side

Catching Up

After several days away, I needed to catch up on laundry and sleep.

It is icy and snowy out now.  Sure hope this batch melts.

We are thankful that we got home when we did, we missed this bad weather.  November is always our icy month...with temperatures that are near the freezing mark and then it warms up...makes for treacherous sidewalks and roads.

Today I run errands in town while Far Guy has his weekly infusion at the Infusion Center at the clinic and afterward he goes to Pulmonary Therapy. Just another exciting busy morning at a healthcare facility.  It is getting a tad chilly to crochet in the vehicle while I wait...so I may visit the thrift shop and the yarn store and wait for Far Guy to summon me by phone!
Far Side

Clinic in "The Cities" Visit

Far Guy's "stuff" was piling up in the cities...he had lots of tests to do...blood tests, a cat scan, breathing tests and a six minute walk.   He saw three of his Doctors and one doing her residency in Infectious Diseases. All four were women Doctors.

Our questions were answered and we even have copies of the Doctor's orders for blood and sputum tests that can be done here at our local clinic.  (Just incase the lab here does not get the Doctor's orders.)

They are still hopeful that they will get him activated again as he has been on hold about 7 weeks now.  This Thursday his Lung Transplant Case  will be reviewed at the Transplant Meeting...where groups of Doctors meet to discuss patients.  If not this Thursday then in about two weeks.

They are all hopeful that once he is back active on the list that a transplant will be a reality.  One Doctor said " Hope I don't see you in six months...I want to see you before then... in the hospital post transplant! "

So we get the winter off and don't have to be back down there again until May unless he gets the transplant OR for some unknown reason they want him to have more tests done.  Is there some small part of him they have not looked at?

We also attended a lung transplant support group meeting.  We have friends there who remember our names.

I took this photo out the window of the clinic...the building at the far left of the photo is the hospital where he will get his transplant.

On the way home we stopped to switch drivers...saw this sign...

Fresh Lutefisk a sure sign that it is nearing Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It was dreary all the while we were gone, foggy and kinda misting a bit.  We left very early on Monday morning and returned home late Tuesday night.  On Monday we did a bit of exploring... found a Cub Foods Store, a Target and a Michaels (where more yarn might have been purchased.)  We stayed in a different Hotel this time...valet parking was $27 for one night...but it was a heated secure garage..and they gave you freshly baked(warmed up) cookies when you checked in....

Far Guy still has three more appointments this week... it is what we do.
Far Side

Turkey

I  will make a turkey next week, mashed potatoes (real ones not the ones in the box that I hate) and gravy.  We are gathering for a Thanksgiving Potluck. 

In the meantime I turned over the pumpkins to find the turkey again...love double duty decorations!

I suppose I should make Pumpkin Bread too...it would hardly seem like Thanksgiving without it.

I was listening to the shopping news and they say that since Thanksgiving is so late this year that the merchants will miss out on five shopping days.  Seems to me it all comes out in the wash....still as many days to shop every year. 
Far Side

Woodcarving

This is Far Guys latest woodcarving.  It has been quite a project and is keeping him busy.  He is working on the Black Walnut base now and then the leaves are next. 

Each petal is carved individually out of Basswood and then they are fit together...like a big old puzzle,   I have absolutely no interest in carving flowers...but Far Guy loves to design them...and carve them...must be the challenge!

The join on these three huge flowers was very interesting.

We have MANY Doctors appointments this week...not much will be accomplished on the craft projects this week other than those I can take along in a bag.

Far Side

Just another day

Saturday was a day of projects.   Far Guy worked on his latest carving.  I went out to the old greenhouse/woodshop and gathered together some of the Cottonwood Bark and cut it to size.  I managed to use the chop saw without chopping off any fingers...only one piece of wood went flying...no one will ever notice that dent in the garage door.   So I am all set to carve little bark houses/buildings/churches if I am so inclined.   Last winter I needed bark and I had to shovel a path...not this year!  My bark pieces are safely in the house!

It was about 40 F or 4 C  eh practically summer like.  Most of the snow melted!

I got a whole bunch of cards done in the afternoon.  Mostly Sympathy cards...as I seem to go through them very fast....people are dying to get them.

I did some laundry, vacuumed in a few spots where the robot vacuum cleaner is challenged. Far Guy cooked supper while I supervised from the table whilst knitting.  Far Guy had a nap...I did not.

Far Side

Day Off

I slept in...Far Guy was up at o'dark thirty.  I can sleep through just about anything.   He likes to sit around in the semi dark drinking his coffee and playing his daily games online.   IF I get up early I usually irritate him by pulling up the shades to look outside to see what is going on out there.  He likes to have a leisurely morning.  I get up... visit the potty, pull up the shades and make breakfast!

I accomplished very little other that starting some new projects...more socks were cast on...I baby them until I am done with the cuff...then I can just knit and don't have to count!  Cards...I ordered photos and picked them up...I must have ordered them twice as I found a folder in my desk with the same exact photos...I don't recall doing that but you never know.  Perhaps I am losing my marbles one at a time.

Gaillardia last summer.

Far Side

Yard

The sun was out for 15 minutes and nearly blinded me.  After that we didn't see it the rest of the day.

Brown and white our winter colors.

Good thing I kept some of the glass plate decorations out...hope they make the entire winter!   They are a bright spot in our dreary yard.
Far Side

Busy Days

It snowed again.  The roads were a tad icy on the way to Far Guy's appointment.   Town streets were slippery too.

I ran errands...Post Office, a donation of empty ink cartridges to the animal shelter, Wally world...for some odds and ends and then back to the parking lot to wait for Far Guy.  Sometimes I crochet while waiting and sometimes I just fiddle with my phone, sometimes I take photos of the gardens between the hospital and the clinic.

Back at home I cleaned the bathroom and did some laundry.  Worked on some socks for awhile and had a nap.   Supper was what we call "freezer"  (frozen leftovers)  in this case lasagna.   We are trying to use up some freezer food...enough so we can defrost the deep freeze and take an accurate inventory.

After supper I curled up on the couch to crochet while I watched Survivor.

I may have adjusted to the time change...maybe.
Far Side

Chilly

It is a tad chilly...it went below zero...about -6 F  I think maybe lower.  That is -21 C  eh!

Icy roots on Fish Hook River.

There will be ice on the lakes soon but the ice is too new to be safe.

Fish Hook Lake.

I have a pair of socks on my knitting needles and plan to cast on another pair soon.  I should work on cards...maybe I should clean some kitchen cupboards...the list goes on and on...I flit from one shiny thing to another.
 Far Side

Socks

I finished a pair of socks for Far Guy yesterday.  They are almost a matched pair!  I was doing great until it came to the toe!  Possibly I knit an extra row or two someplace....or perhaps it was just the yarn!

The yarn was Patons Kroy a color called Torquoise Jacquard.  I fit the sock to his foot several times...he thought it was strange trying them on with four needles!  I told him that I would only make him do this once...or twice and I would have a pattern to go by.   I knit socks two at a time, that way my old brain does stuff twice and makes less mistakes. 

More socks will be cast on soon.  In my opinion casting on the Four Double Pointed Needles is the hardest part.

It is bitterly cold here.  Errands were accomplished.  I am reminded why I fill up when the car is half empty...it is too cold to stand out there for too long and I never leave the gas nozzle unattended....just one of my quirky self imposed rules.  I see other women starting the gas pump and then getting back in the car.   If we had a Full Service Gas Station that would be great...we had one I used all the time in North Fargo...Ted's.

No car wash either it is too cold for the one in town.

Far Side

Thank a Veteran!

Thank you to Veterans their wives and families!

 1997

Air National Guard, Army National Guard or Active Duty...I know how much their family sacrifices.
Far Side

One project finished

Last Winter/Spring I read a blog that mentioned knitting/crocheting hats for an event in 2021, they need 6,000 hats.  I just checked their website and so far they have 2,650 hats...well they will have one more when they receive my creation.

The project is called Nothing But Knit, Beanies for 2021 NBA All Star  for the All Star Weekend in Indianapolis.  The hats will be given to volunteers, hospitality employees, coaches, players and NBA VIPs.

My partially done hat was in the craft bag that was to go to "the cities" with us when we are called for the lung transplant.   I put another crochet project in that suitcase and took this older unfinished project out and finished it yesterday.

Far Guy was kind enough to model it for me.

I didn't tell him it had a flower on the side until after he posed for me.  Navy Blue and Gold are the Indiana Pacer colors.

Yeah me!  Cross something off my list!  The hat is ready to mail.
It snowed again.
Far Side

Projects

I am having great fun with the Crochet Along Project, learning new stitches.

Someday there may be enough squares to make an afghan.

I need more solid squares...I will work on them in the next few days before the next design is released.

I also had a little bit of time to work on knitting on my socks.  Soon I may have a finished pair to photograph!

My other baby brother stopped by.  I gave him the wood carving I finished for him.

It is a wood carving of a Fireman, my other baby brother was a Fireman for many years.  He liked it!

Far Side

Thursday Happenings

We still have snow and it is cold.

My brother's construction company was involved with the dirt work with the power poles out on the highway.   Dirt was removed and a new pole was set in place.  Water was ponding in between the power poles...we have had so much rain I said it would have cattails before long.

On our way back from town we stopped so I could  take a few photos.

In the evening my Dad and I went to Bingo.  We didn't win.  Dad was hesitant to go...he fell last Saturday and has two black eyes and a big scrape on his forehead...he was checked out at the ER and is fine just bruised.   I told him if he wore his hat no one would even notice.   It was dark when I left for Bingo...it won't be light again when I leave until March sometime.

It is good to have the appointments behind us again this week.   Friday is a free day!!  Yeah!
Far Side

Cranky

I am trying my best not to be cranky.  The time change really messes me up.  Who knew one hour could make such a difference in a persons attitude?

I saw something on Facebook it said "If it got dark any earlier we could just stay in bed!"   My sleep is all messed up and Far Guy well he is up before 5AM. 

Peony last summer when we were on different time and it was warmer outside

We have a Fire Stick now and Wifi TV... our cable was going to be discontinued...why in the world do they make such a small remote with no lights on the remote ( some 22 year old must have designed it along with the guide font that is so tiny you can hardly read it from across the room) and why does it keep cutting out after a few hours and asks me if I am still watching...if I wasn't watching/listening I would turn the TV off.  I have complained about the "Are you still watching"  they say an update may be available soon that you can use to opt out of that screen question...I sure hope so.

Far Side

The Hunt

The Minnesota Deer Hunt begins this weekend.

IF we were hunters we could hunt from our yard.

These are photos on the Trail Cam in September.

My brother brought over a jar of canned venison...the last of his 2018 deer.  I think he is counting on getting a deer this weekend.   My Dad also plans to hunt.

It is still cold here, some of our snow has melted.  From the tracks in our yard we have several rabbits and a big Buck (Deer) went through.  Usually the last weekend of deer hunting is cold this year it will be cold the first weekend...maybe after that we will get a good old fashioned Indian Summer...I can always hope.

I finished and painted a wood carving yesterday...it has been in my carving bag a few months...good to finally finish it.  I took a photo that I will share sometime after I have given it away.

Far Side

sNOw again

It snowed again.  Roads were slippery again.  November is notorious for bad roads...as in ice.  When it finally gets really cold...  away from the 30 degree mark our roads will be better.   I "think" this is our second snow...who really knows for sure when snow has been in the air for days but it melts as it hits the ground?

We had sunshine in the morning but in the afternoon it got gloomy and cloudy and snowed some more.

We accomplished some errands and went to woodcarving...we have missed a few weeks...it was good to see everyone again.

I got out a bunch of my stamps... and stamped and stamped...my stamping box for cards is now full.

It will keep me busy a long time!
Far Side

Some Yarn

I have some yarn.  Some.

As I walked down the yarn aisles in Hobby Lobby....I let the yarn speak to me.

A coppery color was speaking the loudest...it wanted to join the crochet along (CAL) that I am working on....I still have a week to do the latest stitch/squares.  It may look a tad like the orange yarn that is in my basket...but it is most certainly a different shade!

It is the largest ball in my CAL basket.   I wind all my yarn into a ball...easier that way...I do a quality control check at the same time.  Nothing worse that meeting a join or a thin spot in the middle of a project.

Then it was the sock yarn... a color I have not seen before.  I swear it jumped right into my basket.

Yarn was 30 % off...who can really resist?  Certainly not me.  I just need time to knit socks...or perhaps I need to resist other projects that take away from sock knitting time!

I contemplated yarn for a baby blanket that I want to make.  The color I wanted was not there so I picked a different color...walked around with it in my cart....took it back and exchanged it for a different color...decisions...decisions.   It will be fine...babies don't care what color their blankets are!  I have about 8 weeks to make the blanket...it is a good winter project as the yarn (Baby Bernat) is so snugly warm.

Far Side

SNOw Kidding

We woke up to a world of white.   Winter has arrived...what happened to Fall???  We need a do over!

The snow stick was not even in the ground for 24 hours...did I jinx myself?

The flowers are freeze dried.

A good potion of our area had roads slicker than snot on a doorknob.

To top it off it was cloudy and gloomy.
November is typically our gloomiest not much sunshine month....and so winter begins.  Ready or not!

At least I was in the mood to work on Christmas Cards...they are complete and are being stuffed into envelopes with address labels and stamps...the Christmas letter can be tucked in later or not.   I am not in charge of that letter.   If a letter goes inside they just have to be sealed and mailed.

We drove up North to see our oldest daughter.  I spent some time in Hobby Lobby where more yarn might have been purchased.

Far Side