This morning while it was raining. Next week, the forecast has it raining every day.
We’re doing last minute things today that require Don’s physical help. He just came back from recycling (though that’s something I can do, of course.) We’re going to move the egg cup cubby so that I can get the cushions for the porch and Don can switch out a couple of guitars that are stashed there. He’s going to move the two 50 pound bags of salt that are still on the porch to the shed.
He made a pie for us yesterday because he’s going to want some after his surgery. He prefers calling it a “procedure” and maybe that’s the right word for it. It will be done in his doctor’s office. We don’t know yet what time it will be but they’re going to call us today.
I may buy some plants for my pots today. I’d like to take a run to the nursery before the weekend. Lots of people who live in the NYC area have weekend places up here and it gets annoyingly crowded there on the weekends.
Ella in red. I had a strong urge to tie a ribbon around those gorgeous curls, so I did. I have to say, once again, that FerroDolls is brilliant. Her work on faces is beautiful and complex and detailed. They’re called “Face Ups” by the way.
I wish you could feel those curls. The mohair is so, so soft.
I’ll try to write a post before we go tomorrow. It will all depend on the timing of the appointment.
Note: I’m worried about reader Brenda. I haven’t heard from her for quite a while. She hadn’t been feeling well and I also know a family trip to Indiana was planned, so I’ve held off writing about this. But, Brenda, if you’re reading this, can you check in if at all possible? I’m concerned. I’m sure other readers are as well.
Stay safe.
Happy Thursday.
I love those curls! Wish mine would do that—they used to, but no more. Hmmm, considering a perm now. My hair is so susceptible to suggestion it probably would be truly permanent.
Best of luck for all you have planned and for Don’s “procedure”. I’m working on imagining the fragrance of your lilacs and my lost ones at the lake.
Hope you hear from Brenda B. I’ve also wondered.
Prayers Don’s ‘procedure’ goes well and for a speedy recovery.
I love Ella’s curls. I’ve always envied curly hair because mine is not. And my daughter, with beautiful curls, has always wanted straight hair. I am just now, at age 71, letting my gray hair grow in and no longer coloring it. Time to embrace the real me I guess.
Take care
My hair is not curly, either!
Bravo for letting your hair go gray! I made up my mind early on not to fight it and let it gray naturally.
Stay safe, Marilyn.
I wrote to both Brenda and Deb of Phoenix. Now, we’ll see if I hear back from them. I hope I do.
My hair is straight as a stick. It has a slight wave if I let it dry naturally, but it doesn’t last long.
Stay safe, Shanna.
Your green sofa looks so pretty in that first photo!
Best of luck to Don. I have a friend that recently had surgery on her hand for “trigger finger” and she bounced back fairly quickly. She had PT to do and she was back to using her hand in about a week.
Hope all goes smoothly and he recovers quickly.
Thank you Ellen!
Stay safe.
Hi all I don’t reply daily, but I never miss a post.
Claudia, I will be praying for Don and you that all goes well. And, because I have much to tell I will do it personally.
I do love your girls, however, I am going to collect egg cups. I’ve even bought a book.
I have made Don’s apple pie 2 times and have received rave reviews. Thanks Don!
Your room looks so comfortable…love the cottage colors! You can tell in the photo that Ella’s hair is soft, but the mohair must make it really luxurious. Nice that you and Don have a delicious pie to look forward to after Don’s procedure… hoping all goes well!
Thank you so much, Barrie.
Stay safe.
Praying for Don! Love the curls! Hoping all is well with Brenda. It’s cloudy and rainy here but I’ll venture out to pickup my new glasses. Hoping I will be able to see better with my new prescription. Hugs!
Enjoy that new prescription, Linda.
Just write Brenda and Deb of Phoenix – both of whom I haven’t heard from in a while.
Stay safe.
Those curls look luscious…so cute on Ella. While my hair is naturally curly/wavy, I have been fighting the curly part my entire life. Waves I can handle. Maybe if I had curls made of mohair like Ella, I would feel differently. Lol.
I hope all goes well with Don’s procedure tomorrow. Hopefully his recovery will be quick, and all things will return to normal. Hope everything is ok with Brenda as well. Enjoy your day! ;)
I’d love some curl in my hair. Straight as a stick.
Just wrote Brenda and Deb of Phoenix. Now I’ll just have to wait and hope I hear back.
Thanks so much, Donnamae.
Stay safe.
you and don have made such a beautiful home together. exhibit a? that top photo. exhibit b is how well you love each other, balance each other, work together. :)
your little ella reminds me of one of my grandmothers (also named ella, from sweden), with her blue eyes, curls (i’ve only ever seen them pure white) and strength. :)
been wondering and worrying about brenda and a couple other friends here, too. praying for them and you all, too.
hope you can make it to the plant nursery and find what you want without being in a crowd.
praying for don, you and everyone involved in his procedure. also for whatever physical therapy may be required. it will be a relief to get back home tomorrow, huh?!? :) good plan on the apple pie, too. and claudia, please don’t worry about posting tomorrow. we understand. take care of yourself, too. :)
was hoping to get a call to pick up a seat cushion for a chair and a pillowcase for my sofa that i requested by a wonderful upholsterer and very nice man. too soon to expect them (just took in the fabric and placed my order last week. also, he retired a couple years ago but likes to take my projects and his family keeps on at his shop), but am excited to get them in place! same for finishing the free-standing, removable shelves for that cupboard. my brother will help me put it together once i get two shelves re-cut, after i feel better. will get there. just ready already in my mind and eyes … haha.
happy, safe thursday to everyone!
kathy
Just sent an email to both Brenda and Deb of Phoenix expressing my concern. Is there someone else you can think of who hasn’t commented in a long while?
Take care of yourself, Kathy.
Stay safe.
Hope Brenda is okay and you hear from her soon. When people who usually comment go missing you really don’t have a way to contact them, do you? Prayers for her. Ella is such a little sweetheart with her curls and rosy cheeks. I love her cute little socks and shoes. And her bow is perfect. Prayers that Don’s procedure goes well and he has a quick recovery. I’m making an apple pie today, too. Enjoy yours. Hugs, Elaine
I do have their email addresses. I usually wait a bit before I write because everyone has a time or two when they just can’t get to things like reading blogs. But I wrote to Brenda and Deb of Phoenix this afternoon and expressed my concern,
Thank you, Elaine
Stay safe.
After all the years I’ve looked at pictures of your cottage, I was just noticing in today’s how gorgeous your floor is. Always something new to discover.
Good luck to Don tomorrow and hope everything goes well for a complete resolution of his pain.
Take care,
K.
Thank you so much, Kay.
Stay safe.
Thinking of you.
Saying a prayer for Don’s procedure to go well.
Thank you, Mary.
Stay safe.
I just love to see what your ‘girls’ are wearing and what they are up to :) Keeping Don in my thoughts & prayers that his ‘procedure’ goes well, and quick and easy recovery time. Oh, and everytime I see your sofa (and your stove) I just think ” oh how I love this !!!”. Hope all well with Brenda B. too. Take care, my friends.
Thank you for your kind words Dawn! I just wrote to Brenda and to Deb of Phoenix – both of whom I’ve been worrying about. We’ll see if I hear something back.
Stay safe.
I think the color of the green sofa is perfect! Hope you husband’s procedure goes well tomorrow. Take care, Jen
Thank you, Jen.
Stay safe.
Oh, Ella is so cute! That face, those curls, that outfit. Adorable.
I’m so glad you’ve had help with a few things prior to Don’s surgery and now focus on him good vibes for the procedure and healing. The apple pie is a nice thing. I’d want some too!
By the way, that green sofa rocks to the moon and back. Love it! I went to a great estate sale today, hoping to score a sofa and there was a lovely one there but the upholstery (which was in great condition) would have looked terrible in my house. Pity. So, back to the torture rack. Passed up a glorious chair too — just too big for the space. But I did score several books and a box with news clippings and some old magazines, including some I’d written for decades ago, so that was fun.
This just in: Pence testified to the grand jury today. Good luck, Don!
I, too, had wondered about Brenda and Deb. I think I am a bit sensitive to people MIA. I was so happy and so pleased when you reached out to me. I guess I felt I would sound super “braggy” to send a comment asking if people missed me and why I had not commented lately. You gave me the perfect way and opportunity to return. I hope so that you hear back soon.
Glad Don is able to help you with the last minute things. Will keep him in thoughts and prayers along with those who assist with and perform his procedure. And you, too!! The care-givers are so crucial in the rehab progress. Many days when my hubs says it is time to do therapy, I want to just scream….but I know it is necessary and always feel so much better when it is completed. A friend of ours had hand surgery for “trigger finger” about 2 months ago and he recuperated quickly. He had OT and PT exercises to do and they helped so much!! Keep us posted, and enjoy that pie!! Take care.
I hope that Don’s surgery (procedure) goes well tomorrow. Both of you take care and don’t do too much.
Hi Claudia & friends,
It’s nice to know I was missed! I guess it was longer than I realized that I have not posted.
I did miss you! Our life has just been crazy lately (what else is new!) I guess I should start with Covid really hit our family hard even with all the precautions. As my symptoms were getting better, the horrible depression would not let go. We had to bury Bill’s mom, who we had taken care of in a facility ,she had been in for about a year. Now we are both orphans and it feels weird. I can’t complain about the weather here because it has been beautiful. I try to go out and garden a little to help with this depression. Now yesterday I found out I have to have an MRI on my right shoulder. Has anyone had experience with rotator cuff problems? Please I need some input! We have scheduled to go to San Diego (Claudia & Don) your neck of the woods, on May 5th to get away for a few days. I hate to leave Gracie but my daughter will stay with her and she spoils her rotten. We are staying at Humphrey’s by the Bay. We want to be right near the water. So I want to hear how everyone is doing too, so I guess I will go back and read the blog entries. I hope everyone is doing okay. Claudia, I would never leave you without letting you know. I love this blog too much. My daughter is taking me to see the band Old Dominion tomorrow night. Music always lifts my spirits. So sorry if I worried anybody. Take care.
Hi Deb, I had a partial tear in my left rotator cuff about 9 years ago. Very painful. Went through many months of PT. I’ve been having the same pain in my right shoulder now and finally saw my orthopedic dr again and had a MRI a couple of weeks ago. I have two partial tears and “significant” bursitis, plus mild osteoarthritis. I will be starting PT again in May. I’m fine with PT as long as it takes…as long as I don’t have to have surgery! Best of luck to you.
hej, deb! :)
nice to find you back here. you have been missed. just wish more of your news was better.
much sympathy to you and bill on the loss of your mother-in-law/his mother.
and then to have to deal with covid? sorry. hopefully you’re all feeling much better.
no experience in my family with rotator cuff injuries, so no advice from me on that. just keeping you all in my prayers.
i have fought depression a lot over the years. if yours doesn’t go away soon, i hope you will talk with your doctor about it.
glad you’re going to enjoy a get-away and, even sooner, a concert. the only song i know by old dominion is “i was on a boat that day”. sometimes i pull up that video on youtube or find myself singing that song out of the blue. not really out of the blue, i guess … i like a lot of country music and have some extra-happy memories of times i was on a boat. :) anyway, you have lots of fun! i bet they put on a great show!
i’m going to see a long-time favorite, gino vannelli, in september … first big event for me since covid started. i’m a bit nervous about that and being out by myself (in a western suburb of chicago) that night, but will be safe and smart and have fun. :)
hope you have a great weekend.
kathy
I’m so glad you wrote to us, Deb. Sorry I didn’t respond until today, but Don had surgery yesterday and I didn’t get to the blog. I’m sorry that you’ve had to deal with loss and depression. My wish is that you will find peace and don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it.
You’re right – music is a great healer – lifts the spirits, touches your heart and soul. Make sure you get outside when you can – that will also help.
Take care my friend. So glad to have heard from you.
xo
Claudia
Your living room is so pleasant to gaze upon!
Sending all best healing wishes and prayers for Don to sail thru his ‘procedure’ and for quick recovery with good use of the hand forward. Big challenge is to just be patient; let the body repair itself after surgery; don’t rush anything although temptation can be great. (My husband is still on pureed/blended food but when at the bakery today he ALMOST ordered a cinnamon roll; had to tell the girl at the counter, ‘Wait, I just can’t; I’m sorry.’ Like he momentarily forgot; his senses of sight and smell put him into a crave mode! Oh gosh, sounds like me and my husband a month ago with the lifting, when we had to think ahead and have him lift anything before his abdominal surgery; ’cause, ever since, it’s me and, well, stuff that comes up that I can’t do, just doesn’t get done, but it’s a temporary situation.
Will be thinking of you both tomorrow.
Hi Claudia, I know I haven’t read or commented in a long time, but I wanted to say I wish Don all the best tomorrow on the surgery for his trigger finger. One of my best friends just had surgery for that (plus carpal tunnel, at the same time) and recovered quite well. Will be thinking about both of you.
xoxo
Love Ella’s curls. I’ve had very curly hair all my life, I accept them now but when I was younger, would spend many hours straightening my hair because I preferred it that way. We’re never happy with how our hair is are we?
Wishing Don all the best for his surgery.
Don is in my prayers for an excellent result of the procedure . Quick recovery too. May he do just what the doctor tells him to do in the next few days or the week. Spring is here and the weather will be warmer, if not drier. The best to you both this week.
Pray everything goes we well for Don’s procedure x
I’m not sure how I missed this blog post. I normally sit down every afternoon and read your blog. So I am a day behind. Praying that everything goes well with Don’ procedure today and he has a full recovery.