Remembering

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer. (Daddy never wore his white shoes before this day.) Everyone gathers to have BBQs and sometimes too much to drink. Major businesses have big sales, best time to get new furniture or a new outfit,Sadly Police set up drunk driving hot spots to get those that over-indulgent, but what is this holiday really? It is a day to remember those who died for our freedom, those who fought an enemy we may never know, those who spent years of their lives away from family and loved ones! I was born during the Korean War while my dad, who was lucky enough to be home for my birth, was fighting on foreign soil! I thank him and my Uncle Jim Schneider, Uncle Bob Schneider and so many people who I know that fought in this war as well as the Viet Nam war, and the Iran/Iraq was and now the was in Afghanistan. Back in the beginning of the Viet Nam war I got a metal bracelet with the name Kevin Anderson on it, It was all the rage to have these bracelets with soldiers names on them, Turned out this young man had worked at my local A & P supermarket and sadly died over there. I was devastated as a young girl. I had never really met him but the connection was there… Thank you Kevin Anderson, for your service!! I stop and thank anyone who is in soldier garb for their service whenever I see them.
My only regret on this Memorial Day is that I am not back in NY to lay flowers on my Daddy’s grave, My mom is there also and I wish the same for her. I can only hope that some Boy Scout troop has taken it upon itself to lay flowers or Flags on ALL the graves. I miss you Daddy and thank you for the service to your country! Thank you also to any service member who reads this!! Thank a service member the next time you see them for the freedoms you enjoy!!

Spring Fling Craft Fair

So I signed up for the SpringFling craft fair in SandyValley at the Keystone center, but then I thought, Knit hats & Scarves might not sell too well in the springtime,so,,,,,,,I stole an idea from a fashion show I went to!! Lets just say I am tuned into the spring & summer fashions!! Let's just say "you'll FLIP over my newest creations" & "You won't be a FLOP on the fashion scene" Come visit my booth & see what I have for sale!! May 1, Saturday Keystone Center, Sandy Valley NV!! There will be other booths full of crafts, snacks, bakery items, & Breakfast ,Lunch & Dinner!!

Finally! a Diagnosis!!

OK so I went to the DR and then to the X-ray and then called the dr and "nurse' said oh nothing on the x-ray, but I insisted on seeing the dr anyway, so I get an appt and get in to see him and lo and behold, he said from the x-rays I have degenerative arthritis AKA Osteoarthritis!! I told him I called and the nurse said nothing to worry about, He told me to ALWAYS speak to him, not the nurse!! Ok so now we know what it is and he changed my pain meds to something that works!! Tramadol is my new best friend!! It relieves the pain and doesn't make me groggy!! OH happy day!! I am continuing with my vitamin regime adding a few joint healthy vits and continuing to lose the weight! Dr sez every lb I lose is 5 lbs of pressure off my knee!! So I have lost 150 lbs of pressure off my knee so far!! Ya for me and I can't wait to lose more! Clothes are looser,everything is getting more comfortable too. Will start doing exercises for the knees to try to help relieve even more pain! A good nights sleep is wonderful and the wondering of what's wrong with me is gone(read this as NO CANCER)
Gettin old is tough but it's better than the alternative!!

Pain

Used to be I would take an asprin and sleep all night! Now I take an Ibuprofen 800, Soma and warm milk and I am up at 4 am!! What gives? This knee problem has to have an end soon. Dr sent me for x~rays friday and need to talk to him about the results tomorrow,,,it's always there in the back of my mind,,,, maybe thats why I am awake still. Well can't wait till tomorrow!,,,I think,

Camping!

Well we went on the annual Easter camp trip up to Sunnyside NV to fish, camp and enjoy each other's company!! We had all kinds of weather, Sun everyday for a bit, Rain some of the time, wind alot of the time and hail and snow on the last day!! But they caught fish and we cooked and camped and ate and knitted and yakked for 4 days! Got to see niece Kaitlin & nephew Tyler for the first time in a few years, older but just as cute as ever! Hunter terrorized everyone with his fun antics, I say terrorize in a nice way!! He's a cutie pie for sure!! Crista & Jr were great to have around!! We missed Uncle Billy & Piper a lot and talked about them! Crista wanted to know why he can't come fishing with us, I had to tell her they lived too far away & she decided he should come next year coz they came a long way to go camping so He should too!!!Gotta love the innocence of children!3 campers, 3 boats &14 people ranging from 1 1/2 to 70 something! WE HAD FUN!!!

Update of Resolutions

OK this year I vow:
To read my scriptures EVERYDAY DOING THIS!!
Not go to town on all my days off,DOING THIS TOO
Finish all the hats on looms waiting to be done,DONE!
Not to buy anymore yarn till I empty at least one basket,WELL, BOUGHT ANOTHER BASKET *_*
Give away at least one hat a week.DOING THIS!
Tell my hubby I love him more often,EVERYDAY, MANY TIMES OVER
Talk to my children more often,TRYING!
& be a better person everyday!YOU TELL ME!

KNEES

Awhile back my knees started hurting, couldn't get upright away from a kneeling position, so I prayed a bit more(on those knees) and they still didn't feel better. OK so I ignore the pain and carry on as usual...Mom showed me a fun thing when first standing up, stand there for a second, letting things settle, this works!! Still, it's tougher every week. I think ok it must be the weight, Thanx to my hubby, my friends and USANA, I start to lose weight, 27 lbs so far and , nope, the knees don't feel better, in fact they are getting worse, so I finally make an appointment for a dr. Having no insurance means a clinic, find one and can't get in till April 9th! But itis hurting to the point that I can't sleep and I decide to go to a quick care center, what a miserable mistake. I think that since it's a clinic too, it wont be expensive, well I only had $45 and they embarrassed me to death because its $75 for the visit but they ended taking my $ and will bill me for the balance,,ugh. Anyway the visit lasted 3 1/2 hours,5 mins of with a dr who said he could write me pain scrips "IF" I make payment beforehand(?????) He said it "COULD" be a sprained ligament but since I dont have insurance he can't do a MRI (???) I leave there with my leg aced up and 2 scrips for pain meds,knowing I will be charged for the ace bandages too!!!
I will keep my clinic appt because I know I can't possibly be treated any worse than this UMC QuickCare. They already know I have no insurance.
It amazes me how when one part of our bodies doesn't work right, how out of whack the entire body is! Because the right knee hurts the most I have been favoring it and now my left calf has been cramping up at night! The Pain meds do help me sleep tho!!and sleeping makes me a happier person!!
Not having insurance stinks because I know now that dr.'s treat people differently when they dont have it!

Love my Family & Friends!

Just became overwhelmed with love for everyone I know!!People in my life have no idea what they do for me and how I feel about them. Sometimes I think back to times before and know in my heart that every single person has come into my life for a specific reason and tho I did not see it at the time, I know it was good! Thank you to EVERYONE who has ever stepped into this life of mine!Know that you are loved and cherished! I LOVE YOU!

Lazy Sundays

Today was one of those Sundays where I just didn't get up and motivated until it was too late to go to Church!! Hate when I do that but Mark was the same way too, both of us snoring away the morning! But I guess we just needed it!
I am embarking on a new thing. One of my customers works at a cancer care place not far from the bookstore and she came in while I was having lunch and making yet another hat. We got to talking and I told her I am a survivor and we (the seniors & I) had made hats for chemo patients and I was always making some for friends & family and she asked if I was willing to show how to her people. Well of course I said Yes, why not share my gift with others? I plan on leaving a bunch of yarn and some looms so someone else can do hats too, who knows maybe I will go back after the first time. I am pleased to be clean from cancer for almost 9 years now so why shouldn't I pay it back? Wish me luck!

New Years Resolution

OK this year I vow
To read my scriptures EVERYDAY,
Not go to town on all my days off,
Finish all the hats on looms waiting to be done,
Not to buy anymore yarn till I empty at least one basket,
Give away at least one hat a week.
Tell my hubby I love him more often,
Talk to my children more often,
& be a better person everyday!

Things I cannot live without!

1:My dear sweet loving HUSBAND Mark
2: FAMILY
3: Honda Ridgeline
4: Knitting!!
5: Friends
6:REQUIP!!!!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year 2010, so is it two thousand ten or twenty ten? Either way I had certainly hoped for my hover car by now or maybe my automatic kitchen, ask for something and, blam, it's in front of us!! What about the room which turns into different experiences?? So much for the "FUTURE" Here it is and well, lets see, i do have that microwave that makes popcorn in a couple minutes or heats my hot cocoa in a min!! And how many times have I stood in front of it and thought, come on hurry!!
Anyway,,,,It started off a great year, we had Crista & Jr here overnight and celebrated Midnight New York time! Works for me and it worked for them too!! We took off in the morning for the craft store and got "stuff" to do, Painted, crafted and talked all afternoon, I love my grand kids! they are so creative and interesting. And as a BONUS, I now have multicolored bird house for Grandpa to hang up!! I think we used just about every color in the rainbow! And I do believe the trees are now big enough to actually hold a birdhouse! Ya for us.
This year has got to be better than last year, I am blessed still with a job, 3 days a week at the bookstore. Love the place! Mark's business has tanked a bit but he is always picking up work along the way, sometimes paid, sometimes bartered for something we need.too often as a favor. But we are surviving by the Grace of God! We love each other and have a paid for roof over our heads!! We try to keep the bills to a minimum and will survive!! Food Storage Is GOOD!! Thank you President Hinkley for drilling that into my head!!
Don't know if anyone ever reads these blogs, but they are merely for my own self,if no one else! Happy New Year 2010!!

Things about Mark & I

Mark and I met May 16th 1996 at Blueberry Hill restaurant, I had picked him out of a book at a dating agency, he ok'd the pick and we met! Spent 7 hours in the diner and talked about EVERYTHING!! I had no idea he had to travel home 45 mins and then turn around a few hours later to go to work at 6 am! Our next date was shorter but great and our third date was the movies Mission Impossible, with David and applebees after. Things rushed along and we were married on July 27, 1996~727, an airplane so he can remember. We have had our ups and downs but all in all its been so far a great ride!! We have blended the families and have 4 grand children.
Mark's business has slowed down but he has been finding work everywhere and is keeping busy, I am pleased that he is so handy and able to support our little family! I am working at Amber Unicorn books 3 days a week and am crazy busy on the weekends(wish that would stop) Mark is the Elder's Quorum President and I have just been released from the Relief society presidency( YAAAA) He is still looking forward to camping a few more times this winter, don't quite understand camping in the freezing cold, but he loves the solitary time, tho the last time he went he said he wished I was with him all alone in the mountains, aww I loved that thought! I am still hooked on yarn and am always knifty knitting hats!! Did some craft shows and made some $, enough to keep my addiction going!! We are a comfortable married couple that enjoy each others company most of the time!! We keep "things" alive too but that's too personal!! I love my life here in Goodsprings with the best guy around!!

Andrea Bocelli

Once again I won tickets from the KDWN radio station and Heidi Harris show! This time to see Andrea Bocelli!! Decided it was a good idea to take friend Karen because our freindship had waned lately and needed to be renewed!! Found out a few things about her too, but that's another story,,, Karen drove as my Requip makes me unable to drive after 8pm, the time of the concert! We left here at 6:15 pm and got gas, dropped Sarah at her friend's and hit the freeway, Oh my goodness!! Backed up on the exit ramp, backed up on Tropicana and it took 35 mins to go 2 miles,because everyone had to be in our lane to turn into the MGM and they were all in the wrong lane, Karen is as bad as me in no patience with jerks on the road and the so called 'nice' cars that let the fools in our lane!!! Anyway then had to park on the 5th level as the valet was full, the escalaters were broken and it was already 8:30!! Walked about 2 miles thru the casino, shops and hallways,,,finally got to the arena and there is crowds filing in , all late like us!! Funny lady takes our ticket saying, Andrea Bocelli didn't wait for you, Ha Ha! finally found our seats, some guy is in one of our seats goes oopps and moves,settle in for an AMAZING CONCERT!! Cried at various parts but it was GREAT!! We figured out during the intermission that karen and I have gone to more concerts together than with anyone else!! We saw Davey Jones,FREE I won tix,Chigago, Karen got freebies, Engelbert Humperdink, Karen's freebies, but was cancelled after we got in our seats, he was sick, and the this concert!! I have also won Bette Midler tix last summer and took Myrna.
Ok so we are on the way out of the arena like a herd of cattle, slow moving and only 2 sets of doors out!! took 35 mins to even get out of the shuffling madness, needless to say my meds make me weird on regular nights but here it is 11 pm and I am loopy by now!! We got ice cream at Haggen Daz~$16 bucks for 2 sundaes, walking out to the car I got all woozy and nauseas, that passed when we sat in the car, It took 5 mins to get to the freeway!YAA But on the way home I had her pull over and lost my sundae!! Darn,$8 bucks tossed on the side of the road! Karen is a great friend to have put up with me!!We had a great time cept for the traffic, herding and puking!! Hope I can win more concert tickets soon!!

Craft Fairs!

I have done very well at the craft fairs with my addictions!! At the PinkPeas openhouse/craft fair i sold a ton of hats and this past weekend at the Sandy Valley Culturati Craft Fair I sold hats, Fleece blankets and neck rests!! Made more than enough money to pay myself back for supplies and to continue the addiction!! A friend on FB said she added it all up and has 27 MILES of yarn and I do believe I have more than she has!! I just can't help myself!!! If I see the sale I have to have!!and have to have in all the colors!! Thrift stores are wonderful for yarn!! After spraying it all down with Lysol, I wind up balls and get to work, I am almost never without a project on the loom, There is one in the truck, one at work and 2 or 3 at home too!! At least this is a legal addiction!! Pat said our senior group needs more men's hats for the homeless so here is another opportunity for me to give back!! I am even knitting now ehile on the internet!! Cna't stand to wait for my dial-up to go from page to page!! Love to knit!!!

Are You?

Is anyone paying attention? Have we all lost our minds? I am having a tough time believing what is going on lately.It needs to stop!

Fall is finally here

The temp was on the cool side these past few nights, which means Autumn is here. Wish the trees would change but they don't do that here in Nevada, just one day you go outside and all the leaves have dropped off the trees! I miss the New York Autumns but not the rest of the year there!! And I miss my friends so much too.

Being Present

Working at a bookstore, I don't exactly get to read...just skim books so when someone has a semi-vague idea of a book they are looking for,I can have a semi-vague idea of which book it is. Anyway I had a book being processed today and opened it to a section talking about "being Present in the Moment" How many of us show up but aren't really "there"?? Everyone raise your hand!

We go to work, sit at our desk and do things by rote, checking the clock for when lunch time is, then show back up to the desk and watch for the go home time. Do we LOVE our jobs? So many can't say Yes! ( I LOVE my job!!thank goodness)

Do we LOVE our Families?? Can you say you are overjoyed to drive up the driveway and get home? When you hear the door open, do you stop what you are doing to greet your kids or spouse?

Lets try to make our lives lived

'IN THE MOMENT!!

LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO OR DON'T DO IT!!

*Ice Candles*

Take a clean milk carton, the square waxy paper kind. Let it dry after cleaning it. tie a long wick onto a pencil and place onto the top of the container. Melt wax in a double boiler, use a pan you dont want anymore, melt wax, leftover candle butts etc. while wax is melting fill carton with ice, pack it in there!Center the wick OK Heres the fun part....put this ice filled container on spread out papers to protect your counter , carefully but quickly add the wax to the ice, fill it up to the top. wait about 10 mins. pour out the water and let candle rest for about an hour. Peel off the container from the candle and admire your excellent creation! Clip off the pencil and enjoy the candle, remember to burn it on a plate so no wax melts onto counter!

Waste Not~Want Not

What happened to me? I remember my parents reusing EVERYTHING!! We would use milk cartons for Ice Candles* Reusing Foil by washing it and smoothing it out, Carefully folding up paper bags to save for lots of craft projects from balloon paper mache stuff to covering our school books. I remember saving soda bottles to take to the store where we got a few cents off the next few bottles of soda we bought! AND these sodas were few and far between too! I drink somedays 5 sodas a day now,UGH! When my oldest son was little we would save cans to take to the A&P and stick them in a machine that ground them up and gave him a nickle each! If they brought those machines back we could probably recycle every can in the US.
Gramma had the tinyest little garbage can in her kitchen, the size of my wastebasket in the bathroom... and she only emptied it a couple times a week! All the veggie peelings went to the garden, all the paper from the meat went to the sink or formed into a small bag for the peelings and then dug into the ground to feed the plants, most liquids came in bottles, milk was delivered in the early morning a couple times a week and if it was winter, we got the cream all frozen for breakfast!!What a treat!! Hersheys syrup from a can poured over the frozen cream, OH MY GOODNESS!!
During the summer, the ice cream man came by everyday and we got popsicles and saved the sticks so we could make little snowflakes in the winter, glitter and glue and some time, boy was that fun! Now we go to walmart and buy the sticks in a bag or , worse buy the homemade snowflakes at a craft fair!! again UGH!
What happened to us?? Let us all decide today to save stuff, reuses stuff and try to make just a little less garbage this week!