Thursday, July 28, 2016

Hello Everyone!

Hello my friends and happy Thursday!  It's been an eventful week around here.  Last Friday we had a storm blow up out of nowhere.  I had been at a luncheon that we do for the senior ladies at church who don't get out much and the sun was shining brightly.  I had just driven three of the ladies home and barely got in the door to our house myself when the hail began.  Look at the pile of ice that was still there on SATURDAY morning.  Dennis chopped it up with the mower when he cut the grass!
Friday morning this was a solid mass of flowers.  Several people commented on how many flowers were on it when they left after Bible study Thursday evening.  Now look at it.  So sad.  I'm hoping it reblooms.  The hail was about quarter size.  It chopped off every bloom on my geraniums too.
I've seen much bigger hail when we lived in the Midwest but it never lasted as long as this did.
This was Tuesday afternoon at the lake.  It was my first time in the water in 13 months!  The cardiologist wouldn't let me in the lake after I got my pacemaker last year because of the incision and the chance of infection.  The water was finally warm enough this week to jump in and boy, did I enjoy it.
Here's Lori, my partner in crime.  We spent about 3 hours floating around the swimming bay.  Dennis and Paul got ready to go water skiing Tuesday evening when they got off work, and another storm blew up and we ended up sitting in our trailer eating ice cream instead and watching the wind and rain.  The guys quickly ran to the boat and covered it as lightening and thunder were flashing around them.  Lori and I were yelling at them to hurry up and get away from the water!  Ha!  They don't listen well to us, they were more worried about the boat.
I had my Nuclear Stress Test at the hospital this morning.  So far so good.  They let me leave anyway and if it was anything awful they would have made me talk to the doctor right away.  I should get the results next week.  It is NOT a fun test.  It's my third time having it done and I feel awful for a day or two afterwards.  My BP was 192/114 at one point during the test.  I'm exhausted but glad it's over with.  

Anyway, last time I had it done, the technician saw me knitting dishcloths while in the waiting room and asked if I would sell some to her.  I ended up selling 25 dishcloths to several of the nurses there.  I wanted to give them to them, but they insisted on paying me and I used the money to buy yarn for baby hats for the hospital.  When she saw me this morning she did a double-take.  She said she had just told her husband last week that she needed to call me and get some more because her grown kids keep taking them home with them.  So, I had three made already in my gift closet and just started another one a few minutes ago.  She couldn't believe the timing. :-)
I started a baby blanket over the weekend.  It's just the granny's favorite dishcloth pattern with bigger needles and baby yarn.  It makes a really cuddly and soft baby blanket and is a favorite with the hospital when I donate for the newborns.
I'm ALMOST done with my Monkey socks.  I can only work on them when I have no distractions because of the intricate pattern.  I think I'm going to like them, but it seems like they've taken me forever to knit.
We're doggy sitting with Sophie this weekend while Larry and Nita drive to Portland for a funeral.  It's so hot they don't want to have to leave her in the car while they stop to eat, etc.  We'll just take her to the lake with us.  She loves it there too.

Next week we're keeping Maddie while Paul and Lori go tent camping at Priest Lake over in Idaho.  They plan to do lots of canoeing and Maddie would be stuck in the tent or car while they're out on the lake so we volunteered to keep her.  Sophie will be back with us again next Friday while Larry and Nita drive back to Portland for a family reunion.  So next weekend we'll have all three dogs at one time and have them at the lake with us too.  They all get along great and we've doggy sat with them both before, but not at the same time.  Should be fun!

I guess since we can't go anywhere because of me right now, we may as well take care of the fur babies for the people who can go.  And I realize that even if I can't travel very far right now, we are so blessed to have our lake place so close to home.  Some people travel across the country just to camp where we are lucky enough to go all summer.  Our son, Jamie, texted yesterday and asked if he could bring our grandkids for a weekend next month so they can go play at the lake too.  Guess what I said?  Absolutely!!!  I wish they could come and just stay for a month.  It's really nice too, because Dennis is giving the sermon at church that Sunday so they'll get to hear him speak.  Oh how I miss my kids and grandkids.

Mandy and Piper just face-timed and Piper was getting ready to take her nap.  She told me to have a good rest too.  Isn't that sweet?  I just want to pick her up and kiss her through the computer.  

I hope you all are having a great week and that your summer is going well, (unless you're in Australia and having winter!).  It's hard to believe that it will be August next week.

This verse reminds me of what happened when my heart stopped for so long last year before I got my pacemaker.  It was in my devotion I read this morning.  We do have something wonderful waiting for us after this life.

"However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"-the things God has prepared for those who love Him."   1 Corninthians 2:9

Blessings,
Betsy








16 comments:

  1. Hi, It's great to hear from you. That float on the lake looks SO inviting... We are having a very hot summer here in TN this year... YUK---Wish I were out floating on a lake!!!!!!

    Sound like (HOPE) your stress test went well --since you haven't heard anything. Hope you will get the okay to travel soon. BUT--I'm glad you are busy dog sitting and grandchild sitting for awhile.... ENJOY....

    Love love love those socks. How neat is that!!!!! You are just so talented.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. Hello Betsey. It would have been wonderful to have been in that lake last week. It was soooooo hot here. Glad the test went well. I am going to be looking after my mum :-) , guinea pigs, and grandchildren during August - not all at the same time :-) socks look fab. I have one sock done, one half way - ashamed to say started some time ago now! Take care Anne x

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  3. Jumping in a tube sounds amazing! Im so happy your heart could handle it this summer ! many Prayers of intercession for your heart to be healed. I LOVE dishcloths homemade too. How nice of you to recycle the money for another great yarny cause

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  4. Hi Betsy, I'm glad your test is over and I hope you get positive results. You looks happy in your floating chair.. I need one of those for Waldo Lake! I'm happy your son is bringing the kids for a visit.. have you asked to keep them for a week or two? You're so nice to give those dishcloths to the nurses. I think I need to knit another one. Have fun with the kids, ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. You are a knitting machine with those washcloths! I sure wish I had a nice cool lake to float around in. It is so hot here it would probably be boiling! I bet the Bay is steaming right now.
    I am going to be furbaby sitting in August. First the kitties then the doggies. I go to them because then it is like a vacation for me too!

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  6. So glad you could finally enjoy the lake in your float chair with your friend! Yes, positive results would be great! It's been a busy week at work and so thankful we had the chance at a getaway last week at the coast. I uploaded my photos the other night and looked at all of them and the videos that I took. Now I need to get them into some sort of program and make it look good enough to share. Happy furbaby time! and time with your grandchildren and son. Hugs and love ya, Becky

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  7. Betsy,
    Can you share what size knitting needles you ise for that baby blanket? Is that pattern on your blog? Do you think it would be suitable for a beginning knitter? I am glad your test is behind you and you were able to get into the lake.

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    1. I use size 8 needles for the baby blanket because I knit fairly tightly. You could use a size 9 if you knit a little looser. The pattern is online everywhere as "Granny's dishcloth" or even "Idiot dishcloth" because it's so easy. I know you could do it. Basically you start by casting on 4 stitches, then every row you increase. So the row goes k2, yo, k to end of the row. You do that every row until it's as wide as you want, then you start to decrease. That row is k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to the end of the row. Repeat that row until you have 4 stitches left and bind off. Very easy.

      Feel free to email me if you have any questions and I'll give you my phone and we can talk or text to help.

      Blessings,
      Betsy

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  8. Hope the test results come back OK. I couldn't believe all that ice, it must have been some hail storm. Thrilled for you that the family is coming to visit, happy times. We are in the midst of summer visitors, hence the lack of posting but it is fun to spend quality time with family. Take care.

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  9. That amount of hail is just crazy!

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  10. Looks like you've been having a wonderful time. I love all your pretty projects. I am still trying to figure out what to knit up next. :) Praying that good news comes your way from all the test sweet friend. Blessings always.

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  11. Well, being such a bad blogger lately has meant that when I do fire up the computer and begin reading blogs, I see that I have missed so very much!! I feel bad. I will comment here for all of the posts I read today. First of all, I am so sorry that you are not feeling so great. That nuclear stress test is ucky. My neighbor just had it done too. I hope you get to the bottom of your not feeling well, and they can get you back to your old self soon. I did love to see you floating in your tube at the lake. Our lake is very cold. I don't like to go in it. Although usually, I love lake swimming. Bass Lake, near Yosemite, where I have been going since I was little, is a favorite place, and I love to float and swim there.
    Loved to see all of your knitting. I have become such a knitter lately! Not the caliber of you and most of you knitters I know, but still, I am enjoying it immensely. I can't wait to do a shawl. Is that one you did the 3 color shawl? It is so pretty! And I want to start a sock blanket too, not that I have bits and bobs left over from all of these socks I am making! LOVE socks!!! How fun about the dish cloths when you went to the doctor. They are the best!
    I have missed you. Take care of yourself!
    Love,
    Kris
    PS that must have been some hail storm!!!

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  12. Oh, my, I can really identify with you. I knit that dish cloth pattern and also have made one baby blanket from that pattern. I think I had that nuclear test also! I have a couple leaky heart valves and an aneurysm in the ascending aorta. The doctor was keeping an eye on the aneurysm and it has not grown. The leaky heart valves have not given me a problem yet but I have chronic lyme disease and my doctor went on medical leave! Hope you continue to improve with your health and if you have time visit me at my blog. http://ccozythymecottage.com/ I enjoyed your post. Nancy

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  13. That was one major hail storm!
    People really like those knitted dish cloths. I've used them for years, and when given to someone who hasn't seen them before, they are an instant hit!
    Cute monkey sock too!
    It's been awful hot here ~ 97F with 110 heat index. Feel like you're trying to breathe in an oven. I would love to have floated in that lake!
    Enjoy your day ♥

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  14. WOW! That is an incredible pile of ice from a summer storm! It reminds me of driving through eastern CO in a hailstorm in June many years ago. We had to pull to the side of the road and stop while the road and fields became covered in ice! I hope your plants can recover from the beating they took. I'm so glad you got to float on the lake and I hope you will be feeling better and better! I love seeing your stitching! I have not made a baby blanket with that pattern but want to give it a try. It is great that Jamie and the kids are planing to visit soon and fun to hear of your Face Time visits with Miss Piper :) xx

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