Home Again, Home Again! Oh Happy Day!

I'M HOME!  Yes. I'm very happy about it.  YES!  I missed Hubby something fierce.  Chloe was very happy to see me too.  She even slept with me a little.  She usually doesn't sleep with us.  She would be on the bed, then in her bed, then a half an hour later she would come over and lick my face, (she also VERY rarely gives kisses).  Then back to her bed.  Repeat all night.

This was the view out of the airport window in Salt Lake City.  It is really a beautiful view all around the airport.  The turbulence on the flight between SLC and Spokane was terrible.  The flight attendants never even left their seats.  People were actually screaming!  It was like a roller coaster, up and down.  I think the whole thing re-aggravated my whiplash and concussion because I have had tremendous headaches and neck pain again since I landed along with intermittent nausea.  It was no one's fault, but I think now I'll have to heal all over again.  Very frustrating.

Chloe and I drove to Loon Lake yesterday to check out the food and clothing situation at the trailer.  After three weeks, I couldn't remember what I left there and Hubby did stay a night or two while I was gone.


This is Lori's and my garden at the lake that she planted while I was gone.  I know, I know.  Compared to the rest of you who live in more temperature climates it doesn't look like much, but you have to remember that we're only about 70 miles from Canada.  It got down to 35 degrees at the lake last night so it's been too cold to plant earlier.

Rhubarb in one of the tractor tires.  Free for the taking.

See what I mean about close to Canada?  We have lots of visitors here at the resort that come each year and rent cabins or bring their motor homes or trailers.

Lori's flowers by her steps.  I bought mine last night and will get them planted today.

Here's the table runner.  I did some crocheting yesterday while at the lake.  It's about 7 feet long, (I think).  I haven't actually measure it yet.

I have to get gas in my car and run a couple of errands and then Chloe and I are heading to the lake.  Yippee!  I'm so glad to be there again.

Karen is doing well.  I thank you for your prayers and thoughts for her.  It will be a long, slow recovery and she's still very week.  She gets very frustrated as she can't even raise or lower the footrest on her recliner herself.  It puts too much stress on the broken bones in her chest and the incisions.  She needs help getting in and out of bed and she isn't allowed to raise her hands over her shoulders.  Other than that she does a lot for herself now.  Please continue to pray for her and her family. 

And now, I'm off to the lake.  Enjoy your weekend my friends, ours is predicted to be full of sunshine and warmth.

Blessings,
Betsy

Homeward Bound

Hello Everyone,

It's 10:45 on Memorial Day night here and I have my bags mostly packed because I'm heading home to Hubby tomorrow!  Oh. My. Goodness.  How I have missed that man.  I guess that's what happens after almost 36 years of marriage isn't it?  He flew to Portland over this long weekend to visit Miss Piper.  I'm a wee bit jealous of that. :-)  

Karen came home from the hospital last Monday.  She's doing very well, but has been very tired this weekend.  It worries me.  The visiting nurse will be out tomorrow to see her and so will the physical therapist.  I'm looking forward to what they have to say.  Mom and I made a huge amount of food and took it over today for all nine of us for a holiday meal.  I admit, I did buy the fried chicken at the deli, but we made most everything else.

On Friday Mom and I went to the cemetery to put flowers on Dad Queen and Hubby's sister Susan's graves.  We also decorated his Grandparents and my Mom and Dad's graves.  They are all buried very close to one another at Forest Lawn here in Omaha.  Whenever I'm back here visiting I try to take flowers to them and this visit happened to coincide with the Memorial Day holiday.  My Dad was a veteran of WWII.  There were many people decorating their loved ones graves.  It's always a difficult thing for me.  I lost my Mom when I was only 29 and I don't think I've ever really "accepted" that.  It's very hard to lose your Mom, as many of you who have experienced it know.  I was at the age where I really needed her advice on raising my kids and that support was abruptly taken away. 

On Saturday, Mom and I met Brad's parents, (Mandy's in-laws), for lunch at Applebee's.  We sat there and visited for over 3 hours!!  They are great people and Hubby and I really enjoy their company and try to meet up with them whenever we can. We've all stayed at Mandy and Brad's for a week together and we all get along fine.  I truly wish more people could say that about their families.  I think it's hilarious and quite coincidental that Mandy and Brad grew up, within a few miles of each other here in Nebraska.  We even camped at the same campgrounds-probably at the same times, and they never met until they lived in Portland, Oregon.  

This was the mural on the wall at Applebee's.  Ever heard of the Nebraska Cornhusker football team?  Nebraska is pretty proud of them.  This kind of support is everywhere you go.

This morning I snuck away with my sister and niece for an hour or so and had this done to my feet!  They talked me into getting a pedicure with them and then my niece, Chaela, told the lady to put flowers on my toes!  I think the flowers are a bit "over the top" for me, don't you think so?

I've been busy crocheting away on the purple runner.  It's slow going but I think it's about 6 or 7 feet long now. I don't have a tape measure here but I'll take another picture soon.

And now I'm off to bed.  When I wake up I will wash my sheets and remake the bed so Mom doesn't have to do that and then we'll head to the airport.  Yippee!  I'll be seeing my sweetie soon.  Mandy tells me that he's REALLY missing me.  My Chloe leaves the room when he puts me on speaker phone.  I think she's really mad at me.  Hopefully she'll be glad to see me when I walk in the door.

Blessings always my friends,

Betsy

Progress!

Hello everyone.  I'm sorry for the long absence this week.  I've been trying to read and comment on blogs this past week when I could, but I admit it's been "hit and miss" on the ones I've read. Again, I thank you for your prayers and good thoughts for Karen.  We have high hopes that she may come home today.  She had a few setbacks over the weekend, one of which was her heart beating too fast, but with medication adjustment that should be fine now.

It really is amazing what medical science can do.  When I think of the surgery that took place just one week ago today and how she may come home just 7 days later...well, it's nothing short of a miracle in my opinion.  

(UPDATE-No coming home today.  More problems.  Please keep praying for her.)

As much as I've enjoyed the time with family and old friends, I must admit that I'm missing Hubby so very much.  Chloe is so put out with me that when he puts the phone on speaker, she turns and walks away.  That's her way of telling us that I've been gone too long.  I have my ticket to fly home next Tuesday, the 27.

This was our view from the ICU window for most of the last week.  Puffy clouds that look nicer than the storm clouds last Sunday.  The tornado that hit just west of Moms house and a small town just west of Omaha had been declared and F3 tornado in size.  I must admit that I do NOT miss the storms in Nebraska.  There are lots more deciduous trees here than we have in Spokane.  I do miss our evergreens and mountains.  The high humidity here today is something I'm not used to anymore either.

Before Karen went into the hospital I was able to meet all three of my siblings for dinner one evening at Valentino's Buffett, along with their spouses and several of my nieces and nephews.  From left to right, my brother Lynn who is 11 years older than me, Melanie, who is 3 years older and one of my best friends, Me, my oldest brother Roger who is 14 years older than me.  Yep, I'm the baby.  Roger was gone into the Navy before my earliest memory so I have no recollection of him living with us.  Melanie and I used to wash Lynn's car and then he would take us to get ice cream comes at Dairy Queen!  :-)

Yes, baldness runs in my family among the men.  My oldest son Jamie has lost all his hair at 30 years old and Alex at 25 is noticing a hair loss already.  None of them are happy about it but the genetics are pretty strong.  All of my nephews have lost their hair too.  All of us girls seem fine!

We don't see each other very often, only when I make it back to Omaha, but we enjoy each other's company when we can get together.

Mom and I went to a small town named Ft. Calhoun, just a few miles from Omaha for lunch one day the first week I was here.  It's a favorite of all of us and she doesn't make the drive on her own because of her eyesight.  These were some of the wall decorations.  Can you tell we're in farming country?

Teresa, Taci, Gracie, Aimee and all my Oregon readers, the next picture is for you. I was doing some word searches last night before I fell asleep and when I turned the page, look what I found!  Oregon!!!!  Multnomah Falls, Mt. Hood and the Coumbia Gorge were some of the words to look for.  I was surprised that I had been to so many of the places listed.

Progress so far on Jenny's crocheted runner.  I've been working on it steadily all week while sitting at the hospital but it takes quite a bit of time and is growing slowly.

Thank you all for visiting and being so patient with me not being online much.  

Blessings,

Betsy

Thank you all

Thank you everyone for praying and thinking of Karen today.  It was a very long day.  We were at the hospital before 5:00 a.m. and didn't get home until 8:45 tonight.  This was after a long night of tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms so needless to say, everyone is exhausted.

Karen is now in ICU and doing as well as can be expected.  Her husband is staying with her all night while I brought Mom home to get some rest.  Karen's heart is weaker than they thought and we don't know what the future has in store, but she was awake before we left.  It's so hard to see someone like that with all the tubes, etc.  

We would appreciate continued prayers for her recovery.

And now my friends, I'm off to bed.  We need to be back at the hospital bright and early tomorrow,

Blessings,

Betsy

Hospital

After a night of tornado warnings and flooding, it's now 4:00 a.m. And we're on our way to the hospital for Karens surgery.  Please say a prayer for Karen if you are so inclined.  Thank you all my friends.

Blessings,

Betsy

Nebraska!

I made it.  Here at my dear Mom-in-law's house in Nebraska.  We are currently in the middle of a severe thunderstorm warning with tornado warnings to the west of us.  Welcome home Betsy, the weather seems to be saying.  Remember why you were so glad to move to the northwest?  Oh, did I mention it was 103F this afternoon?  Lovely.  Not. As the kids would say. :-). 

Karen's surgery that was supposed to be today, has been postponed until next Monday.  Apparently there was a snafu with the insurance.  Excuse me?? The doctors are concerned about her waiting that long.  It's a very serious surgery and I'm wanting it to be over and done with for her.  It's so obvious that she's desperately in need of it.  Any prayers for her would be greatly appreciated.

This is Mom's house.  She and Dad bought this house about 38 years ago, just before Hubby and I were married.  My bedroom is the middle window upstairs on the left.

Would you like to see some of the things I've made for her over the years?  This is just a fraction of them but a good sampling.

A crocheted runner for her piano.

One of the first doilies I ever made. I wish I still had this pattern but I think I lost it in the move to Washington. I like the detailing in the center.

Mom never starches or irons these, so some are a bit out of shape from washing and no ironing or blocking.

I've made this pattern several times.  I like it a lot.

My first attempt at a rectangle about 30 years ago!

Pineapples.  The coaster is one of a set of eight I made her last summer.  That picture is of Karen's kids. They range in age from 30 to 10.  Those kids need their Mom and she needs this surgery.  Seeing her would have really convinced me if I had needed convincing.

Anybody remember this?  It was popular about 25 years ago.  You wove string into the grid to make the pattern.

Embroidery on printed fabric done about 30 years ago or so.

One of my first embroidery projects.

Mothers Day a long, long time ago.

I made myself an identical picture of the cottage & geese.  Love these quilts.  Both of us have these hanging in our family rooms.

When all of us kids were done having babies I made this for Mom & Dad for their Anniversay one year.  I think it was around 1990.  Then Hubby's brother and his wife had another baby the next year. He was a big surprise!  So the family tree I made still wasn't accurate.  Oh well.  Cory was worth it. 

Finishing up with my favorite of all the pieces I've made for her.  I adore these angels and she's promised them to me in her will when she's gone.  

She has more stitchery in her closets and drawers and sitting out including lots of afghans.  There is literally not a room in the house that doesn't have something I made her.  I love that.  She truly likes my humble gifts and enjoys using them and looking at them.

And now I'm off to bed. This 2 hour time change doesn't like me this trip.  I'm tired.  That could have something to do with the airline calling me three times Monday night with changes in my flights yesterday. Three times they changed my flights in the middle of the night!  The flying itself was thankfully uneventful though and I had very nice seat mates.

I hope you're all doing well and I'll check in soon to let you know how the surgery goes Monday.  Meanwhile, I've talked to one of my sisters and one brother and we're trying to reach my other brother so we can all meet for dinner this weekend.  I am enjoying being with family again but Hubby is already lonely and he says Chloe misses me. :-)

Blessings,

Betsy

Flying Away!

Hello friends!  I'm writing on the run today, trying to get a lot accomplished.  I fly out tomorrow morning with a one way ticket to Omaha.  I'll be there as long as I'm needed by either Mom or Karen.  Today I'm cooking &freezing some meals for Hubby, grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning.  Just trying to make things as easy as possible for him while I'm gone.

I'm only taking one project with me, Jenny's lacy runner.  I wound all of the thread from the cardboard spools into balls to save luggage space.  I have 6 balls of thread left, each about as big as a tennis ball.    I hope it makes a nice size runner.

Here's where I am right now.  I think it's looking pretty, don't you?

Thank you for your sweet comments and prayers about my aching head.  The headache is mostly gone.  Now I'm just dealing with the sore and stuff neck from the whiplash.  That could stick around for awhile.  Karens's surgery is scheduled for Wednesday.  Our family would appreciate prayers for her.  The surgery itself is expected to be 8-10 hours.

I'll let you know how it goes.  My time online may be sporadic as I may just be working with my phone but I'll be thinking of each of you and reading your blogs as I can.

Blessings my friends,

Betsy

So clumsy!

What a difference a few days makes!  Look at these gorgeous blue skies.  Since Monday we have had the most amazing spring weather.  Today is supposed to be 82. Eighty-two degrees!!!  That makes me so happy. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as nice and Saturday a bit cooler but still nice. Sunday things are supposed to change. Back to the 50's and rain but that's okay. We desperately need the rain.

This is the flowering pear tree in the front yard.  Finally some blossoms in my yard after looking at all of yours on your blogs :-)

I'm not sure what this is, but it's beautiful.  It belongs to our neighbor but is growing into our yard.  I love the pink blossoms.

I'll be harvesting some rhubarb this morning. The first picking of the year.  Some stalks are 20 inches long.  Yummy.

The beginning of Jenny's runner.

This is the progress as of this morning.

A little closer so you can see the details.  I am really enjoying this pattern.  Enough variety so I don't get bored and I love how it joins together.

Here's where I'm sitting this morning with my glass of water and my crocheting.  I have to soak up all the sun in these few days that I can.

And why am I not at the lake you ask?  Good question. That's where the clumsy part of the blog title comes in.  Last week I was wiping down the table in the slide-out of the trailer.  Somehow I managed to hit my head -hit it really hard, on the light fixture above the table.  I hit it so hard I gave myself a mild concussion AND whiplash.  What an idiot. So the doctor tells me I can't be at the lake alone until the headache, dizziness and nausea have all disappeared.  I'm planning to go there tomorrow though.  Hubby will be out after work and someone will be around during the day.

So, I'm missing the most beautiful weather so far this spring there, but I'm trying to enjoy it here at home.  In the past day or so we've gotten word that Hubby's sister Karen is having a quadruple bypass and valve replacement next Wednesday.  I'm supposed to fly there, (Nebraska), on Tuesday to be with Mom and help Karen out after she goes home.  But I need to get an okay with the doctor to fly.  I just got a phone call about 5 minutes ago that they want to examine my head again today because the nausea should have gone away by now.  Oh goody.  Can you say clumsy?????  What a stupid time to hurt myself.  

If you would, could you say a prayer for Karen?   She is our baby sister, not yet fifty years old and understandably nervous about all of this.  I appreciate it.

I'll let you all know if the doctor decides whether I'm losing my marbles or not. :-)

Enjoy your day my friends and I hope it's as beautiful where you are.

Blessings,

Betsy