I finished a cross stitch project last week.  Of course, it is wrinkled and needs to be washed and pressed, but you get the idea.

It goes with this one I finished at Christmas time.  Although I won't frame either one.

My cross stitching is a "something to do" in my life now.  I can't just sit and watch TV--I fidget.  So I do the cross stitch, to keep my hands busy.

Now that one is off the hoop, I found another free pattern to download.  This should keep me busy until 2022.

I thought I would do it on grey cloth until I realized that the entire background is varying shades of gray stitches.

And so I begin.  Upper right corner.  I may go mad until I run into a section of pretty colors.

Oh well.  It's just "something to do".

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It's rather ironic...all the research I did on the Covid vaccines and then decided the Johnson & Johnson was the safest, with no after effects.

 For the last year plus, I haven't even known anyone who has had Covid.  In the last 3 weeks, 4 people I know have died from it.  Not elderly people.  Men, in their 50-60's.

Vaccinated or not, I think we will still be wearing masks next fall, while we wait in line for the booster shot.

This Pandemic is far, far from over.

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Granddaughter-in-law had Toxemia or whatever they call it nowadays.  Her blood pressure was so high, "they" feared she'd have a stroke, so they induced labor this past Monday.

Now, I would think a C-section would be quicker and safer on high blood pressure than having to labor for 26 hours, but....what do I know.

Eliana Katherine was born on Tuesday, weighing only four pounds.  She kept forgetting to breathe, so they put her on forced oxygen.

She is off oxygen, but still has a feeding tube.  Momma may go home tomorrow.

We have never had a preemie in our family.  I had Toxemia with Jennifer, but I went full term.  Our babies usually have a birth weight of 8 pounds or more.  My Jen weighed 9# 4oz.  They were big enough to hop off the delivery table and walk to the nursery.

I can't imagine Momma and Daddy going home and leaving baby at the hospital.  How do you deal with that?

 Yesterday my daughter Karen had a baby shower for her son and his wife.  These kids got married last June, in a small, intimate, close family members only service.

I met her grandma at the wedding and we spent all afternoon at the outdoor reception, talking with each other.  I just instantly adored her and I guess the feeling was mutual.

I was so excited about being able to see her again yesterday.

My sister Susan, whose birthday was also yesterday, picked me up on her way.  Daughter Pam, who I haven't seen in nearly a year, was riding along with us and Susan's daughter-in-law.

I was drugged up with Advil/Tylenol, a hemp pain patch on my back, a tiny Ativan for my nerves and an anti-acid for my tummy.  I took my cane because I knew I wouldn't be able to walk from their driveway to their front porch without it.

All of Karen's kids and their spouses were there and 2 of my great babies--who of course barely recognized GiGi as they hadn't seen me since last October.

Then my "bonus" granddaughter's Mother, Cathy, walked in.  I was so glad to see her, but...where was Grandma Carolyn?

Cathy explained that her Mother was not feeling well.  She had a slight cold and didn't want to infect anyone, so she stayed home.  She went on to explain, "Mom actually cried, when she told me she wasn't going to be able to come.  She so wanted to see you again."

I could feel tears gathering in my eyes.  I had been waiting to see her and so happy about it for these last few months.  Cathy could see I was upset and she hugged me.  "I know.  I know.  Mom feels the same way."

So the shower progressed.  A really nice shower, only about 25 people and no stupid shower games.  A perfect luncheon of Croissants filled with chicken salad, fruit cups, pink frosted cupcakes and pink frosted sugar cookies.

The happy couple sat at the head of the table and insisted I sit next to them while they opened their gifts.

I got to hug each and every grandchild--and tell them I love them--several times.  Gosh!  It felt wonderful.

Today, my body feels like I got hit by a Mack Truck--probably from all the walking and moving around yesterday, but...I can rest today.  Every pain I feel.  Every spasm in my back today is worth it all.  I got to see a lot of people I love... except Grandma Carolyn.

Carolyn and Stephen and the quilt I cross stitched for them.

These "kids" are both doctor's and in their 1st year of residency.  Can you imagine how busy they are going to be when baby girl arrives in late April?

 Yes, I am still here.  

I really have no desire to post and if I'm going to keep this blog going, I need to post more often that EVERY SIX WEEKS!

I'm sorry.

I started doing leg exercises to strengthen my legs, after having my left leg collapse on me and causing me to fall.  This long isolation time has weakened my muscles.  I've heard that from many another woman my age, so I know it isn't some rare disease like Rickets.  But that knowledge doesn't help my mood!

Now when I walk, I tend to walk "crooked", like my left foot wants to go left while I am trying to walk straight.  After a few steps, the pain hits my left back and spine, causing me to walk even slower.  My balance is off too and I feel like I have to hold onto something to be able to walk.

Lawsy!  It's awful.

The last time I went to the store to get a few groceries, thankfully I had the cart to hold onto because my left calf gave out...or is it my left hip?

I have plans on making an appointment at the orthopedic surgeon that did my hip replacements to make sure they are still situated the way they are supposed to be.

Daughter Karen has had to go get my groceries this month for me.  She can use my food card.  I have my non-food items delivered by the local big supermarket--Meijer.  

The company that does that is called "Shipt" and they are great, but...they won't or can't use my food card.  If they did, I'd have them get all my items from the store and have them delivered.

Of course, that doesn't help the exercise situation.

Before the Lost Year of Covid, I went shopping about every 10 days.  I figured it was good exercise to walk the length and breadth of the store.  With the forced isolation and then the stay home-stay safe orders, most of us elders followed instructions.  We just sat in our recliners, watched TV and crocheted or cross stitched, and our leg muscles atrophied.

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I got my shot.  I went with the Johnson & Johnson because the research I had done, just left me with more questions about Moderna and Pizer.  Although all of my kids got the Moderna vaccine, 3 of my friends, my age and older, had problems after the second injection.

One had blood clot issues the day after the 2nd injection and two had strokes.  This may just be a coincidence, but...........?

If they had all received the serum at the same place, I would wonder if the serum was "bad", but they got them at 3 different places, but...in the same County.  Makes ya wonder doesn't it.

There is a baby shower for my May expected great grand baby, it's a  girl!  Karen is having the shower this Sunday and I am going TO HUG everyone of those grand kids of mine.  

I'll try to do a better job of posting.  I'm glad to see you are all well.

 What in the world is there to post about?

The sameness of everyday is about to drive me nutz!

The Virus restrictions seem worse now than 11 months ago, simply because the Virus seems worse.  How many new variants will appear?

I haven't received my vaccination and I'm in no hurry.  I don't like how the Pifzer one works on the mRNA...heard too many stories of how a year or more from now, because it messes with the RNA it can cause Lupus, MS and a whole host of other neurological diseases.  I might wait and go with the Johnson & Johnson vaccination--one shot and no attachment to the RNA.

I wonder now, if we are going to have to get a COVID vaccination every fall, because it will change every year, like the flu, and "they" have to try and figure out which vaccine will work the best.   Oh--have you noticed that there hasn't been much flu this winter?  Because we are wearing masks and being more careful about washing our hands.

I haven't felt well since the first of the year.  My legs are very weak, so I have started doing leg exercises, trying to build up my strength.  I walk "funny"...sort of stagger.  I was out shopping one day last month, saw a penny on the pavement, bent over to pick it up and my calves gave out and down I went.  Thankfully, there was a lady nearby who works in a nursing home and knew how to lift me up.

Now, why did I topple over?  I bend over all the time.  To put down the cats feeding bowls.  To pick something up off the floor.  I guess it's because I had just come from grocery shopping and walking all over the store and my legs were weak?

Now, I am battling with Positional Vertigo.  It comes from sleeping flat--which I have done for the last two years.  The crystals inside my ear canals have decided to get all stupid, which results in extreme dizziness to a faint feeling.  I am doing the Epley Maneuver, trying to get them back where they line up correcting in the ear canals and specific instructions:  "Do not lay flat for 48 hours after the maneuver."  Sleeping on a big, puffy pillow, to raise my head, which makes my neck hurt and the reason I have been sleeping pillowless for 2 years.

I haven't seen anyone in the family end of December and no calls from the kids.  I have the grocery store home deliver my groceries, so I don't see Karen...who used to go shopping for me.  The store won't/can't take my food card, so I only order non-food stuff, which is okay.  I get the biggest heaviest quantity of cat litter and food there is---they carry it all into the house for me.  

Life isn't much fun right now and hasn't been in a long time.

So what else is new?

Nuttin' Honey.

 

 

It is so surprising, I had one of the best Christmas seasons ever this year.

Who would have thought, with the family Christmas get together canceled?

Last week on Thursday, my daughter Karen stopped in with lunch and we got to talk, one-on-one. Then Friday, my sister Susan and brother-in-law Chuck stopped in and brought prezzies and we got to talk, one-on-one.

On Christmas Eve afternoon, my oldest grandchild Helene, her husband Mike and my sweet ggchildren Della and Harrison, stopped in.  We masked up and stayed outside and they brought prezzies and we got to talk, one-on-one.

I opened my gifts on Christmas Eve and made a video for my sister and a video for my granddaughter, to send to them,  while I opened their gifts, so it felt like they were with me.

Then Christmas Day, my neighbor picked me up and over to her house for dinner with her dad and son, and we got to talk, one-on-one. 

When we have our family Christmas, there are 20-30 people and we talk across the room or the table while we eat and there’s a lot of noise and movement and, unless I grabbed one of the kids and dragged them into another room, there is rarely an opportunity for a one-on-one conversation.

I found this year to be so enjoyable—spread out over a week, with individual visits.

Then I realized how lucky I have been this past year.  With all MY “perceived” isolation, I have had more individual visits than in other years.  Last spring, Karen got my groceries for me, so I got to see her every couple of weeks.  In June, I got to attend a wedding with a small group of family.  I got to attend a small birthday gathering in October.  Karen and Mark were here twice to plant my tree and then to trim my hedges and clean up my gardens.  I had a visit from a friend, I hadn’t seen in years, to work on her genealogy and a recent visit from another friend, I hadn’t seen in years, to bring me photos for her genealogy.  Visits from my sister and Chuck, when they’d come down this way to shop. This has been a really great year for me!

I haven’t been isolated at all.  It was only in my mind that I felt that way.