Tuesday, September 20, 2022

It’s been awhile…again.

Hello! It’s been a hot minute hasn’t it? Our life is so chaotic right now. When I have been home I have just collapsed into my chair and done basically nothing. I have finished the Christmas ornaments for our family, but I don’t dare post them here in case someone’s reading the blog. I’ve also finished embroidering a set of tea towels that is also a Christmas gift. I’ll take pictures of everything and post them after Christmas. Both of these projects have been great carry along projects.

I also have started the Stephen West garter squish blanket that is a free pattern on Ravelry. It uses a lot of yarn because you hold two strands of worsted yarn doubled using a size 15 needle! I have never used a size 15 needle before and it takes some getting used to, but this does make a wonderfully squishy blanket. This will be a Christmas gift for Dennis‘s mom as she is always so cold.

Here we are in mom‘s apartment. You can see my toes and that’s it! She loves her new place. This is just a little part of the living room and kitchenette. It’s about twice this big and she has a very large bedroom and bathroom too. She is truly loving the apartment and the meals that are provided. I was there yesterday helping her with her laundry and she said she wishes she had done this years ago.

This is where I am right now. I’m watching Pamela‘s Adoring Crochet on YouTube while I finished hand sewing the Christmas ornaments. Today is the first day I’ve been home in weeks. We do have Bible study tonight, but I don’t have to go anywhere until then. I hope I didn’t just jinx myself. 😍

As you can see I’ve hung up my crocheted autumn leaf garland, as well as put out a few pumpkins for fall. You can also see Zoey’s bed and toy box.

Dennis signed the papers on Mom‘s house on Monday and the new buyers are supposed to sign on Friday. Less than 2 1/2 weeks from when we listed it! Meanwhile, there have been a couple of inspections this week and I’ve been calling to get utilities shut off and insurance canceled, etc. This doesn’t include our daily, at least once a day trips to see Mom. Hopefully that will all begin to slow down now. I have filled up the gas tank in my car three times in the last 10 days! That definitely cannot continue.

In addition to all of this, while Dennis has been doing the final things around Mom’s house, I have been looking at apartments and over 55 apartments for us. We finally narrowed it down to two possibilities, but the cost is prohibitive at the one we really like. The manager told us rent went up 7% last year and they are planning another 7% increase for this year. With the uncertain economy and not knowing what’s going to happen over the winter, I think we decided just to stay put in the house for the time being. Maybe things will change in the spring or maybe we will decide just to stay here. Meanwhile, we have bought a locking mailbox that attaches to the house so that if we decide to go camping we don’t have to worry about our mail. That is a concern in this area. In the past, our mailman was very good about just delivering our mail to mom’s house if we were gone.

I am so sorry I haven’t been around much lately, either writing here on my blog or commenting on your posts. I have been reading them, but I’ve been falling asleep while trying to comment and then what I write makes absolutely no sense! So many of you have told me you understand and this is just a period in my life I’m going through. I have to admit, I have seriously thought of just giving up blogging altogether because life has been so overwhelming. Dennis has been encouraging me to just stay with it and pop in when I can. Hopefully, since we’re not moving again right now, the worst of it is over.

Here’s a funny from FaceBook that I thought you would appreciate.

“This discounted yarn is very challenging to crochet with. The cuteness is distracting, yarn moves around a lot and yarn actually farted once. Would not recommend.  1/10 stars.”

Isn’t that hilarious? The yarn matches the puppy’s fur so well. 💜💕💜 Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday! Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Blessings and love,
Betsy

17 comments:

  1. Oh that is so awesome that your MIL loves her new place. Your blanket looks awesome. I hope you keep blogging. It would make me so sad to not be able to read your posts. Your words of encouragement and scriptures are truly needed in our world today. You are His light in this dark world. Blessings to you always dear sweet friend. ((hugs))

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  2. I would definitely take that Yarn Bee yarn (farts and all)! Too cute.

    I thought about quitting blogging too, but Vera prodded me to "do it my way" and continue on. That's the advice I will pass on to you too. I would miss your posts if you didn't blog at least once in awhile.

    I'm so happy for Dennis' mom. Isn't it wonderful when things turn out even better than you hoped for.

    Dee (http://woolandsteelpa.blogspot.com)

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  3. DEAR BETSY: ME ALEGRO SABER DE TI, ERES UNA HERMANA MUY DULCE, ME GUSTAN TUS PROYECTOS, SE QUE A TU SUEGRA LE ENCANTARA SU MANTA PARA ESTE INVIERNO SUYO. COMO DICE TU ESPOSO, SIGUE ESCRIBIENDO EN EL BLOG Y HAZLO CUANDO PUEDAS, YO TAMBIEN LO HAGO CUANDO PUEDO, ME ENCANTA SABER DE TI ME INSPIRAS CON TUS PROYECTOS DE TEJIDO. QUE LAS DECISIONES QUE TOMES, SEAN LAS QUE TE LLEVEN A TENER PAZ CONTIGO MISMA. BENDICIONES Y ESPERO VER TUS REGALOS A FIN DE AÑO...... ESPERARE.

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    1. DEAR BETSY: GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU, YOU ARE SUCH A SWEET SISTER, I LOVE YOUR PROJECTS, I KNOW YOUR MOTHER IN LAW WILL LOVE HER BLANKET FOR THIS WINTER OF YOURS. AS YOUR HUSBAND SAYS, KEEP BLOGGING AND DO IT WHEN YOU CAN, I DO IT WHEN I CAN TOO, I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, YOU INSPIRE ME WITH YOUR KNITTING PROJECTS. MAY THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE BE THE ONES THAT LEAD YOU TO HAVE PEACE WITH YOURSELF. BLESSINGS AND I HOPE TO SEE YOUR GIFTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR ...... I WILL WAIT.

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  4. Please check in when you can! Glad mom is happy in her new home. Hope your lives slow down soon. Hugs!

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  5. Please do hang in there Betsy as I sure do love reading your blog and hope and pray you will continue to enlighten us all on what's happening in your life. Glad you've decided to just stay put for now.....that's probably a great idea. The world seems so strange right now. Take good care and come back when you can! God Bless you all!

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  6. I’m glad that Dennis’ Mom is happy in the apartment. I bet she likes the social interaction, too. My rent increased considerably this year, but my budget can absorb the increase.

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  7. Blog when you can! It is always fun to hear what is happening with you! Mom's apartment looks cozy, so glad she likes it there and her house sold so fast!
    You can always have your mail held at the post office when you are gone:)

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  8. Nice apartment your MIL has. I am glad she enjoys it. One never knows what to do when they get older. Just stay at same house most likely. We will be here for more years til who knows when. I hope you feel comfortable in your lovely house you bought a few years ago. We have a neighbor that wanted to live closer to one of her daughters but the houses were so expensive that she took her house off the market. Her husband died last year so she's alone but in a nice manufactured home. I enjoy the color of the quilt you're knitting. I have alot of cozy blankets now thankfully. Making gifts is good. I make some but haven't done much printing photos lately. Trying to decide if I want to make a couple calendars since I have a printer I need to use. There is a way to make one on the printer as well but not sure how. Some people have enough calendars they don't want any more. I like making them on Shutterfly which is easier and don't have to buy ink but I do have ink so I need to use, even make cards would be good. Have a blessed week and I do enjoy reading your blog posts. I am sure we can still stay in touch another way if you don't blog anymore since we are friends.

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  9. I hear you about trying to keep up the blog when life hands you more than you can handle. This whole year has been a trial for me but sometimes the blog is the only place that feels "normal". I go back and read my posts and marvel at how I've managed to cope through it all. It also forces me to find something in the day to be grateful for. Even a few minutes of crafting time in a terrible day can make good post. No one has to know about all that terrible stuff going on around it...lol.
    Your MILs apartment looks just like the senior place we found for our aunt many years ago. We could never convince Dad to go there but it was a nice place. They even had a bus to take them shopping.
    That dog/yarn meme made me laugh. Isn't that just the truth about little dogs. So cute but so overwhelming at times. Pup has become so needy since the whole leg operation thing and wants to be a part of everything I am doing which can get so annoying.

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  10. I am sure your mil will setttle in and you won't have to go everyday soon enough. I am praying for your stamina in the meantime! Beautiful blanket!

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  11. Life is sure busy for you at this time but things will slow down. Blog when you can and no pressure on yourself. Same with commenting on blogs. Take good care, ((hugs))

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  12. Betsy, it was so nice to come here and catch up with you today. I miss you at my blog. I hope things calm down for you soon and am so thankful you were able to get your mother-in-law settled in a safe place. I hope you don't have to move again so soon. It is so hard to get settled in, then have to be uprooted again. Whatever you do, I trust God will keep His loving hand upon you and guide your every step, my friend. Sending much love to you today.

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  13. I'm so glad Dennis' Mom is loving her place. I really wish it had been that way for Dave's Grandma. Things would have been so much easier.
    The closing on her house is this coming weekend, and as you can imagine, there's been a lot of drama around it, and Dave is very stressed.

    As for blogging... pop in when you can and give us an update, but don't stress about it. We'll be here when you have time for us. You don't want it to feel like a chore when you already have enough on your plate.

    I love your little garland. I think I'm going to steal the idea and make some things for the vintage radio we have under our TV.

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  14. Bahahaha! I needed that laugh about the cute yarn. Glad Dennis' mom has settled in and she likes her new home, that's a blessing all the way around. Please just blog whenever you have time and feel like it. You have nearly 200 people who would miss you something fierce if you left forever! (Haha, no pressure there, huh.) We love you dearly, my friend! Hugs and prayers!

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  15. Just popping in quickly … praying Betsy.
    Keep posting when you can. Don’t give it up. Speaking as one who has likewise struggled.
    Mine is my health this year has nit been good. Just post when able is good, it keeps us all in tune to keep in touch even if a little is all that can be managed. This month no posts done as very unwell but in up again so maybe next week God willing.
    Only one reason to stop if God directs clearly, not circumstances.

    Praying re move.
    One thing in considering prices of those places you’d like to go.
    Work out how much a more weekly you are spending on petrol wear and tear to your care and yourselves, and subtract it from the total it will cost to live in that place.

    That will give you the true picture. Again God is your guide … but calculating accurately the WHOLE COST, holistically.. that is important
    LORD bless guide and keep in all things.
    Thanks for Sharing, God bless and keep you safe, and all those you love, hugs Shaz in Oz.x

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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