The weather prognosticator says we're in for a nasty night with an ice storm, sleet and snow. UGH. The good thing is that I could be driving home in it, but as of today, I no longer have that hanging over my head.. I am officially separated from the hospital as of today.. other than my pension and benefits.
It was a great office day. Kathy did most of the patient work, and NO ONE had any problems along the way! With her working along side of me today, I was able to catch up on paperwork.. a ton of it. I'm so thankful for her expertise and willingness to come in on Thursdays to assist me. The schedules are overloaded and the only real problems are room in the refrigerator for our biologics and parking. That will be relieved in mid June hopefully when we move to our new office.
Once again, I do thank you one and all for the prayer support. I couldn't do my job without it.

I got home around 4pm tonite.. earlier than usual. I made Wendell and me some macaroni and cheese and Harvard beets. I try to make them when the Z's aren't around, as they don't care for the beets. Wendell and I enjoy them so very much.

I've been up since 4am and seem to be making a lot of errors in my blog.. so I think I need to 'hit the sack' for a nice night's rest.
Good night all...

It's winter here in WPA.. we expect a snow storm to come through Thursday night.. ice, sleet, and snow. Nice. This blast won't last long if the weatherman's dartboard is correct. It's to be 35 Thursday, 37 Friday.. and who knows what the weekend will bring. It was a few months back as I recollect, that I started praying that my Lord would hold back the winter blasts until I was completely separated from the hospital. That happens tomorrow. I've been blessed with very good roads for driving all the days I've had to work so far this year. If I have to cancel appointments, it no longer goes on my 'permanent work record'..as a black mark against me.

Physical Therapy is doing some really good work on these shoulders of mine. I still require pain meds, but less often I believe. I'm able to do activities of daily living without too much discomfort, and when it hurts, I sit down and rest it. Ice does wonders. I pray I don't lose range of motion in my shoulders.. that's my real goal.

Tomorrow is office day and as usual, I ask that you remember to pray for my patients as they receive their biologics. Pray for no reactions, and that things will go smoothly. The office is plagued by viruses this past week. Pray they will all be back and healthy again. I'm told Sara got hit pretty badly this week..
Remember Barb, Nicki, Dave and Amy; Sandi, Aunt MaryJane, and Uncle Bob as they recuperate; Thank the Lord for the safe arrival of baby Frank G. whose new Gramma is my cousin Maureen.
And of course, I ask that you pray that the Lord would give me the skills and accuracy I need for tomorrow.
Pray for Cory and Wendy who are having some problems with the schools. Pray that right would prevail and that discouragement would be held back.

Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.
Psalm 46:6 NLT

Be still, my soul! thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past,
Thy hope, they confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be Still, My Soul (v2) , Katharina Amalia von Schlegel (1697-?)

BARB KELLY BENEFIT

It's been too long since I posted an update on Barb. Her Mother in law, Nancy has sent me the following:



Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:04 AM
Subject: Fw: BBQ fundraiser for the Kelly Family
Hi All, if you know anyone in the Santa Maria Ca area, that you could pass this email onto we'd appreciate your efforts.. I spoke with Duane this evening, to ask if he had purchased the braces and shoes for Barb,, He said no, as the remaining monies in the fund was needed to pay for her wheelchair.

The letter below is from the Harbor church. The van has to be wheelchair accessible as Barb sits tall inside and has to have room for her legs when they extend. See the reason below why she needs a van for transportation

Checks need to be made out to CAR QUEST, but mailed to
Lori Bouget @ 3441 Willowwood Road Santa Maria, Ca 93455-7509, or
The Harbor EvFree Church 751 I Foster Rd Santa Maria, 93455

We thank you for praying for Barb's medical needs. and her continued progress.

Love,
Nancy & Don


----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 10:57 AM
Subject: BBQ fundraiser for the Kelly Family
Dear friends,
We are planning a Santa Maria-style barbecue fund-raiser on Saturday, March 1, to help the Kellys purchase a wheelchair van for Barb and pay for ongoing medical and therapy expenses. As you know, Barb, suffered a severe stroke on August 19th. However, she continues to beat the odds and is making a miraculous recovery as she continues to show progress with the help of intensive therapy. She is currently moving her right hand and arm. She has started to write to communicate. Her voice is showing signs of returning, and we are optimistic that she will again be able to speak. However, she is not able to transfer from the wheelchair without help. For now, Duane manually transfers her from the wheelchair to the car, a process that is taking a toll on his back! Hence, the need for a van.

Here are the BBQ details:

Benefit BBQ for Barbara Kellyto purchase a wheelchair van and for ongoing medical expenses

Tri-tip & 1/4 Chicken, Salad, Beans, Bread
$10.00 minimum donation
Saturday, March 1, 2008
10 am to 3 pm
Long's Parking Lot,
2116 So. Broadway, Santa Maria

Sponsored by The Harbor church & CarQuest
We need people to pre-sell BBQ tickets. We are hoping to pre-sell 2,000 meals. They are available to be picked up during the week at CarQuest on 2150 South Broadway, (near Long's Drugs), or at the Harbor, 751 E. Foster Road (office hours are 9-noon and 1-3).There are also fliers available to display on community bulletin boards, at work, in store fronts, etc.We need people to make homemade baked goods for a bake sale on the first.We will need people to help pick up supplies the week before the BBQ.The day of the BBQ, we need volunteers to: prepare food, serve, and deliver meals, clean up.
For more information on how you can help, call or e-mail Lorie Bouget 805-928-3105 bouget.LF@verizon.net
We appreciate your willingness to help make the BBQ a success. Thank you.

DRY RUN FOR GMC

I decided to do some baking today.. It's been such a long while and I do love to bake. These are the childrens' rolls they made by themselves. They asked for knives and cookie cutters.. and then used their imagination.

John likes my cheesecake and when I get the chance, I bake one just for him. Today I started the baking with a big cheesecake and after Joyce put the topping on, a couple of boys wanted to lick the beaters.. Cool Whip and Cream cheese with a little powdered sugar ..

Mmmmmmm YUMMY!


Joyce and I started with the braids.. they came out super nice.
Daniel made the donut in the back, and also the snowman on the right.. That snowman was sooooo cute!

Joyce topping her Uncle John's cheesecake

P3 was making designer doughnuts..

Daniel used a rolling pin to get the dough flat. He also made a braid, but it came apart in the baking process. I think it needed to be tighter.
I also made an apple pie on Wendells behalf, and about a dozen cinnamon rolls.. oh... yummo..


David liked the diamond shapes and Joyce helped him cut them.. They puffed up so big and fat when they were done.


Ironing out the dough..


AHA! You thought Annabelle was too little to bake? she got right up on the pastry board and helped herself to a little piece of dough.. watched Joyce place her piece on the baking tray, and did likewise. It raised, baked.. and Annabelle had made her own little supermini bread. Cute!
Poor Annabelle got totally floured on the board, but she didn't seem to mind.
The children ate apples as I peeled them for the pie.. and watched StarWars ..

CHARLIE'S BIRTHDAY TODAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE !!!
Charlie is my little brother. He lives next door and is our resident gardener. He raises chickens and keeps everyone in eggs. Today is his birthday..

AFGHANS

this one is Mandy's and neither are completed yet.


This one is mine.. I have 4 more rows to put on it now and I'll be done. I'll have crocheted 3 afghans in January. woohoo!! Time to take a breather..

According to my PTP.. that's Picnic Table Prognosticator which is 50 times more accurate than any meteorologist's dart board.. we have about 3+ inches of snow. I have to give them credit though.. they were close this morning calling for about 1" of snow.. we got at least 1 1/2" of new snow which came down very fast and furious. Cars are covered in it.. but the temperature is on the rise. They called for 26 degrees as the high.. it's already 30.
It was disappointing to me to miss church with as many thoughts going on at the same time.. so many things to consider.. snow, ice, icy porch and walkway just to name a few. I was thinking this morning about how we never let a little snow or ice stop us from going anywhere. But these days, I can't pick him up and he can't help me up either. What a pair!!! Even just a little twist in the wrong direction would incapacitate us for a week or more. Growing old is definitely not as fun as retirement.. oh, no no no..Retiring is a hoot.

It'll be a quiet day. The Z's have a roast on for tonite, and I will plan something for myself.. likely chicken based, but possibly some soup. I do love my soups. I'm getting better at making them too. For some reason home made soups are so much tastier. They don't take much to prepare, and are so filling.

Tomorrow is a big day. Lots of things to do in the morning and then in the afternoon, the children are coming and I plan to make bread .. they can help. We shall try our hand at cinnamon rolls, braids, and just shaping the breads. Yummy! This is a craft that all the children but Annabelle can do easily.
One of these days we should try making home made noodles.. yummy! My mother used to make them and they are soooooo easy.

Off to get lunch.. have a quiet and worshipful day..

Brrrr.... chilly! It's 26 degrees and it looks like the temperatures for the next few days will be rising into the 40s.. WOOHOO! Can spring be too far behind? Yes, it can unfortunately. I have to pinch myself to remind me that we are mid-way through winter and have another month to go. This one is always the worst of the worst, so I'll try to hang on till spring arrives.. GLORIOUS SPRING!!!!! Let the longing begin! Hahaha Then I wonder about the not so glorious asthma that plagued me for most of last year. We shall see..
It's actually a pretty decent day here. I slept in till after noon, but I got up at a little before 6am and spent some time doing some hand washing and had some coffee.. spent a few minutes crocheting on the last few rows on the afghan. Till a strong desire to sleep came over me.. peaceful and restful... ahhhhhhhhh.... so I put the afghan aside and snuggled back down into bed, and slept peacefully till I woke up after noon. It's a wonderful life.

So many things to be thankful for.. I'm standing upright and not particularly unhealthy.. feeling good.. Wendell is up and moving too.. a good thing. All has gone well for us.
Remember to keep us in prayer however.. we still have some physical problems that prevent us from doing some of the things we like to do- like pick up our grandchildren for one..
Remember Dave and Nicki.. Barb... Barb's family is searching for a van that they can afford to accommodate her. She's progressing so well since her stroke last year.
Pray for Amy and her leg problem.. healing. And that it will not be anything serious.
Pray for Cory and Wendy.. problems arising at work.
For Sandi too.. my dearest friend.. she looks to testing next month. Pray all will be well and she'll be back to her normal self soon.
Give thanks that Uncle Bob is now home and functioning well.. And remember Aunt MaryJane as she still is residing in the nursing facility.
Pray for Vince too.. healing and good lasting health
Tomorrow is the Sabbath.. hope to see you in church!

Today would have been my last Friday evening to work. Amen. I am so thankful I didn't have to finish out my allotted time. I'm feeling some better, and though I've needed the pain killers a couple of times today, they work well, and I've functioned quite well considering.
Wendell and I made a trip to New Castle today for his birth certificate. We had to wait an hour and so had a leisurely lunch at the China Banquet. It was the best Chinese food I've ever had... hands down. It takes an hour to get to NC and an hour back to home. Wendell was pretty much spent after going in to the Vital Records building. But we got what we went for and since he is a veteran, he got 2 birth certificates at no charge. Nice.
We got the paperwork in to the personnel office in good time and I signed what was left to sign.. we are on our own pretty much now, though the lady in personnel said the door would be open for me should I have problems or questions later. I asked her for an interdepartmental envelope and slipped in a letter for my former boss. She is a remarkable person. I appreciated all that she tried to do for me while I was employed there. We go back a few years, as we worked side by side in the nursery. Not that I got any special privileges, but she is an honest person who cares about her staff and the department., A really good manager. She is kind, generous, and just an overall great person to work under. I'm thankful that she was my boss the last few years. It was several years ago that I mentioned I felt I needed to retire because I felt I'd 'slowed down' a little more than I thought was satisfactory for my position. I had a work ethic that demanded that when I was scheduled for work, I should be there and give all I had to do my job correctly, neatly, and timely. I really struggled the past year by times, but still got highest marks on my last evaluation, other than my sick time. It bothered me just as much as it bothered them, though perhaps they will never be aware of it.
I took some soup and crusty bread to Jane and to Paul's tonite and then came home and made Wendell and I the same. It was very tasty. I made us a thin slice of angel food cake, fresh strawberries and sf cool whip on top. Very good.
Now I'm tired, and instead of having to push myself till 11:30, I'm going to take a nap.. or perhaps just go to bed.. Tomorrow I have many more things to do.. cleaning, gassing the car, and some crochet on the side. I want to stay home. However, it the need arises, I will meet it squarely and go where the need is. I love being retired. I can take my time and do things for others, sleep when I'm tired, and get up at noon if I want. It's a great life.

Wendell and I have been enjoying soups lately..the one we had for dinner last night and tonight too is the ham and bean with slices of crusty white bread.. Oh.. so delicious!


Tonite I also made some chicken noodle soup for Amy and family and for Jane since she has a bad cold. It's very likely the ultimate best soup I have made yet.. I tasted it and it's superb!

Today we had snow. Most of the roads I traveled were not bad, but our backroads made my car slide.. the entire car on ice! I made only one good decision.. to make God the pilot and I'd be the copilot. I got home safely. Thank you Lord.
The snow continued to fall through this evening and we now have about 2-3 inches of it. So much for the weatherman who assured us all that we'd get less than 1" today. Uh-huh. He either needs a new job or a new dart board.

Even the snow and icy roads has not broken my spirit. I'm still walking on air (it's much safer than ice).. After a hot bowl of soup and bread, we sat down to talk about what we did today.
It was another wonderful one.. I hope this keeps up forever. I asked Wendell if I'd told him lately how very content I felt.. He said "no... unless you count the 12 mentions since you walked in the door tonite".. well, I am quite content and it feels so good.
I sat on the bed and pulled up the afghan I've been working on and added 6 more rows. It's almost big enough to cover the top of the queen sized bed. I'm getting low on yarn so I figure another 12 rows and I'll call it quits.
I'm already planning in my head what I will do for the next afghan.. red white and blue for our guest bedroom once our new home is built? Or maybe one for Isaac?.. Esther? Gayle? Eli?
Boy, I could just keep on ... Daniel? Paul? Joyce? David? The grandchildren alone could keep me busy for the next 5 weeks.
Happiness is being retired with a basket of yarn and a crochet hook...

Today is office day. Normally at 8am, I'd be walking in and then preparing for the day. Not so today. I asked Kathy to get us started as we only have 8 infusions to do all day. It's hard for me to stretch upward to hang the bags, so she's gone in early before me to do those preparations for the day. I'll mosey on in around lunch time to finish up the day. It's all good.
I am so very grateful and thankful for Kathy.

It snowed a bit last night but not enough to cause any driving distress. It's cold too.. it was 21 when I got up at 7am, but has dropped to 19 at the moment. The high is to be 22 with snow.. off and on and no appreciable amount. God is good. He has given me good driving days and my prayer is that He will keep our Thursdays safe for us.. not just me, but the staff and the patients who are elderly for the most part (though not all).

I've been searching for Wendell's birth certificate. I need it for my retirement papers. It's the only thing missing. I had it last year for his retirement.. we had mine made too then. I had them in a little drawer so I'd be able to have them on hand when needed (like now). But in the last months, they have disappeared, and for the life of me, I don't know what we did with them. I thought perhaps they got put in the locked box, but they aren't there either. Neither of us remembers taking them out so what happened to them? I never heard of a birth certificate fairy.
If I don't find them today we will be making a trip to New Castle to get a new copy Friday morning. The paperwork is all due Friday. I will call to make sure I don't have an extra couple days to get that particular paper in. Everything else is in order.
Doors have opened widely for us giving me the assurance that this is within God's will. Not that I ever doubted, but it is just reassuring.
Feeling good today. Looking to a great day once again.

Chapter 3 Page 1

That's sort of what the PT said today. It was an awesome day for me. I feel so alive! It's so liberating to not have that schedule any more.
Last night I closed the chapter 2 of my life. Chapter 1 was all my childhood adventures. Chapter 2 was when I married Wendell and all our life together so far. Chapter 3 Page 1 started today for us enjoying retirement together. It was wonderful to be able to sleep in just because I wanted to , and then, I slept all night without waking even once! I got up feeling refreshed and relaxed and ready to start my life again. Ahhhh .... as soon as I finished my cup of coffee and enjoyed every last drop. It occurs to me that other than Wednesdays, I can have all the coffee I want after 8pm and who cares if I sleep in till 10am the next day?
PT.. I purposely scheduled it at 1:30 just in case I wanted to sleep till noon... hehehehe
But wait... all the pain of Monday and Tuesday seemed to be almost gone..just an ache left behind... no need for pain pills.. so I went in. The PT was hard pressed to find all the sore spots that were screaming in agony on Monday and still restless and angry on Tuesday. Today they were all minor aches.. and I learned something else too.. Usually in the quietude of PT, I fall asleep while the TENS and Ice are on my shoulders.. I am normally exhausted and welcome the sleep. Today, I had already rested and when the lights went out and the door was shut and it was quiet and restful, I decided that instead of sleeping, I'd spend the entire session praying for everyone I could think of. It was soooooo good!!! When the time was up, I wasn't done, but promised myself another session like that in a couple of days when I'm back there. I guess this was a good plan and productive.
I stopped for the last couple of grocery items we needed, and was back home with a 'kick' in my step! I had made ham and bean soup for supper and bought a loaf of crusty Italian bread to go with it. No, it's not good for the diet, but it was cold and it fit the bill for today.
So what of the other parts of my day? Well, the office preparations were made, all patients called and verified, and Kathy will come in at 8am to get things started tomorrow morning. I'll be going in at noon to continue and relieve her. It's a light day.. 8 patients.
I spent a couple of half hour sessions working on the present afghan. It's looking so pretty. I'll be posting a picture of the progress very soon.
Oh, and I stopped at JoAnn fabrics to get some matching yarn to the bunch the secretaries gave me yesterday. I used my gift card and still had $3 left!
I had decided NOT to buy any more yarn until I finished one project, but I carried that afghan everywhere with me, and every time I had a couple of minutes, I'd add a couple of rows. It's too big to do that now, and getting a little heavy for my shoulders, so I talked to Wendell and we decided it would be okay to get the yarn and I'd go ahead and work on a granny square afghan when I'm out and about. I'll be making the individual 5" squares. I made one today just to see how it would go.. and I'm pleased. So the little one when I go out, and the big one when I'm at home.
On to the rest of the evening.. things are almost under control in the kitchen.. but there are hot spots all over the place. I can't get to them all tonite, but I'm not going to stress over them.. I'll get to them later.. maybe Friday or Saturday.. whatever! hehehe.. I'm retired, ya know?

I seem to be still in "schedule" mode. I'm checking my calendar to see what days I have off now. Lots of them !
It's a cold morning in WPA. 16 degrees at the moment, and we didn't get but a dusting of the snow they were predicting.. not that they were predicting more than an inch, but we didn't get that either. Works for me!
Today is my dad's birthday. He would have been 93 if he was living.
Gotta get the coffee going.. later all..

CANDLE AND FLOWERS

I went to my hospital retirement party today.. I was really surprised to get this Yankee candle from Cory,Wendy,Isaac,Esther,Gayle, and Eli. There were 2 balloons attached too.. so pretty!



This was one of the many signs posted all over my department, and the beautiful bouquet of flowers from the staff.

The secretaries gave me a basket with yarn ! How appropriate! They know how I have enjoyed crocheting these last few weeks.
They also gave me a gift certificate to JoAnn Fabrics. I was so delighted!

DONE

10 days or not, it's all over and life can begin anew after today. I'm heading into the hospital because my boss had me promise I'd be there today for cake and lunch in honor of my retirement. But last weekend took a major toll on my shoulders, and I just won't be going back. So whether I have 10 days to the end or not, I can't continue doing my job. I've already given a 'heads up' to the staffing office, and I'll tell my boss today. I wanted to wait to see what happened today, if there was any possibility of improvement, but none is evident and I can't continue lifting charts or anything else for that matter until the shoulders heal a bit. For as much pain as there is in the left shoulder since Sunday, I would guess that the orthopedic surgeon is correct, and that it too is tearing. AAACCCKKKK!
What a way to start retirement.
One might think this is would cause me depression, but actually, I'm ecstatic about turning the page on my life. It's the most wondrous thing since P2 was born and all life changed for us dramatically. Just totally awesome! So no matter what is in the future for us, I'm standing back and watching what the Lord has prepared for me/us.
The rotator tear is in his divine plan for some reason, and though it causes me distress physically, I shall accept whatever He has in store.
Keep us in prayer please. And Amy, Vince, Nicki, Dave, Barb, Uncle Bob and Aunt MaryJane. Also Sandi who will be seeing her doctor today. Pray her dilemma is a bump in the road and nothing major.

Where did we lose our way? Please take a look at a short video called In God We Trust.

DAYS TO GO!

If things keep going the way they are, this may have been the last night I have to drive home at night from work. Not only am I exhausted, but my shoulders have been screaming at me all evening despite strong pain medication. I believe it is lifting charts and reaching way above my head at the printer that has left me in such a state. Gotta stop now. I have one more day left on Friday and I want to go to PT more than I want to go to work one more time. We have the party Tuesday for a few hours and then I'll be going home.

It's 5 degrees tonite and breezy.. so very bitter cold. I'd be happy to just stay inside the rest of the week, but it's not gonna happen. Much to do.. places to go, people to see..
No snow..WOOHOO!!!!!

FOR THE LAST TIME!

This is it!!! The last Sabbath I'll ever be scheduled to work!!! I'm so thrilled, but wish I didn't have to go today either. I'm on the downhill slide...

BRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! It's cold tonite! Good thing I dug out my warm gloves when I left for work.
It's sooooo cold! Single digits tonite- 7 degrees predicted. AND the wind chill advisory will make it about 10 below zero! Now we're talking winter. I drove to work today in a white out. It was hard to see where I was going.. big huge fluffy flakes falling as fast as the windshield wipers could go.
Tonite I noticed it's all gone. The sky is clear, and the moon is so bright I didn't need any lights on at all. The stars are all out in all their brightness.. "the spacious heavens declare the glory of the Lord" for sure!

It's now 12 days till the end of the month and the separation of Marilyn from the hospital. Yippee! Moving right along. Now that Saturday is over, I'll be counting scheduled days left of work which now number 3. Such joy !!! One of the days is a fun day when they will let me go home early.. the last day I may have to work. Friday the 25th is the very last scheduled day I have, and if my shoulders don't improve, I'll not be at work then, but try to schedule another round of physical therapy.
It's kind of frustrating dealing with this ol' body aching, and yet my whole body shouting for joy at the prospect of retirement.

Eli is crawling now. Into everything?.. Our Valentines will be coming mid February for a week visit and then a retirement dinner for Wendell and me. Can't wait!!! Isaac is really into Star Wars and will be thrilled to join his cousins playing SW games.

Pray for us.. pray for healing of my shoulders. Remember Nicki and Dave... Barb....
And Sandi who is ailing the past couple weeks. Remember Uncle Bob and Aunt MaryJane too.
Pray for drive-able weather for us in the next couple weeks at least.. traveling mercy going to and from our appointments. Pray for speedy healing for Harold Harrington.. he just had heart surgery. For those in need.. for those who are afflicted..
Thank the Lord for his mercy, his love and for keeping us safe
Thank Him for the great progress Barb has made thus far.
Today is the Sabbath already.. go to church and give God the glory today!

It's Saturday.. my last Saturday I will ever be gainfully employed by the hospital. Hooorayyy!!
I'm so thrilled.
It was nice to have brunch with JJ today. She's been overwhelmed all week. We needed to just sit down and catch up.
Not much happening at the moment.. looking to the future mostly.. happy and content!

We had a very successful day yesterday in my estimation and in everyone else's eyes too. 15 patients got their treatments started before 1pm. Two had minor reactions that were quickly quelled in the end, but it was a very good day.
In all good plans, there is usually one glitch. We had a minor one yesterday when the parking lot got so full that the staff had to move their vehicles to accommodate the patients. Well, if that's all the glitch we had, then so be it.
Thank you for praying for us.
Next week won't be quite so large, but the good thing is that we now know we can do it and do it well. Kathy and I work hand in glove together in every way. It's so encouraging to have someone work with you who loves the work too.
I'll be sad when I have to retire from this place of employment.

When I got home last night, I was greeted by 4 little kiddos. It was a delight. They watched Star Wars .. again. They really love those movies. David lost interest mid way and he and I went searching for some toys to entertain. We found a couple of tractors, and a teether for Annabelle. She liked it and took it home with her. She has a new tooth coming through and I'm certain this teether felt good on her gums.

I made broccoli cheese soup for Wendell and me for supper. It was delicious. We are leaning toward soups these cold winter days. Good thing we both love it!

Today is another super busy day. After a restful night's sleep, I got up at 6am to get started. I'll be really tired at the end tonite. Physical therapy at 10am this morning, then the completion of a root canal and the start of the crown at 3pm, followed by an Office Employee Appreciation dinner tonite at 6:30pm. Fortunately, the restaurant is near home.
My last weekend to work is this weekend coming up. AMEN. I've had enough weekend work that keeps me from going to church regularly.
I thank the Lord for providing the steady hospital work for us for over 33 years. It was truly a blessing and met needs throughout those years. He also opened the office door for us about 5 years ago, and this appears to be a booming position if one looks at the number of patients I had when I started, and the fact that the doctor told me not to quit my hospital position, as he didn't know whether he'd keep the infusion program going or not. I believe I started with around 20 patients then, and it's grown from there. It's over 60 now, and the scheduling is sometimes difficult due to the sheer number of persons who want the treatments.
My prayer is that it will continue until I reach retirement age. Like Wendell, I've found my ideal employment at the end of my career.

Charlie's birthday is the 28th. I've been trying to think of a gift for him. Not sure just what we'll get him. Christmas we got him a new pair of work gloves with a gift certificate for the local hardware store inside. We'd like to give him something useful and unique for his birthday.

I've begun a new afghan. It's variegated browns, ecru, and chocolate brown. Really pretty looking so far. When I sit down, I can do a little crochet. I don't sit down often, but the pattern is so nice to work with, and it goes fast adding about a half inch every round. I won't be able to buy all the yarn I want in the future , but I'll spend MY allowance doing just that. I have really enjoyed getting back into this craft. This one is an elongated granny designed for an adult. Little Paul watched me stitching last night and asked what I was making. I told him it was an afghan for my bed.. "Oh... I don't think it will fit" he told me. Well, I'm just getting started I giggled. It's about 2 1/2 feet long now and 12" wide.
I have plenty of yarn to go, so it'll actually be a good bit larger when I'm done. Our bed is queen size, so it will have to be a bit larger.

On to the shower.. much to do today!

WOW!

DAYS TO THE END OF THE MONTH AND
LIFE BEGINS
ANEW!

Here's the score:
Just 4 more work days in the next 15 days..One of them is a PARTY day, and I would guess they will ask me to stay home on the 25th which is my last scheduled work day. I'm ecstatic!
This weekend is my last weekend I will ever have to work. Thank you Lord for the shower of blessings!
Today is office day and my assistant and I have the most patients today that we have ever done in the office. I believe the count was 15.. or perhaps 16? YIKE! We have been doing 'dry runs' of this scenario in preparation for today. It's going to be like this from now on apparently. We have to make some changes this morning, like commandeering one of the doctor's exam rooms to accommodate our patients.
Pray for success today in all we do. Pray the patients do well without incident, and that our hands would hit the mark on the first tries starting IVs.
I'm still a bit tired from this week. It's been a long one. It won't be over till next Monday when I am off and can relax a bit.
Time is going by quickly .. I have to get ready for work.
Have a wonderful day bloggers!

MY LATEST CRAFT....

You won't believe this, but since NY day, I've completed 2 afghans. It all started when Joyce asked me if I knew how to crochet. "Well, I haven't done it for about 20 yrs, but , yes, I guess I do know how". She asked me to teach her. Just what gramma do you know that wouldn't be thrilled and honored to pieces to teach her grand daughter to crochet? I accepted and we made plans to get the yarn and hooks and set a date for her first lesson.
After about a week, I realized that I hadn't picked up a hook for a long time, and maybe I just didn't remember.. so my friend Sandi who teaches crochet and is active in Hugs and Stitches, offered advice and information. I got the beginner crochet book she suggested and yarn and a variety of hooks. I got myself some yarn too, and planned to test myself to see if I really could remember. I guess I did. It all came back to me and within a few days, I'd made a granny square out of control.. I gave it to Amy for her birthday but had forgotten to take a picture of it.
So today while I was keeping the children, I snapped a couple of photos of the afghan...

Pictures of afghans always need a cute little kiddo in the middle of them, don't you think?

I had yarn left over and since Annabelle liked her mom's so much, I decided to make one for her too.. This time I made it in 3 days.. It's an elongated granny afghan and has no fringe..
I'm really proud of the way they came out.
Joyce has scarlet colored yarn and I gave her her first short lesson today.. she is now learning to single crochet. What I saw was good. I told her to tear it all out and start over with a longer chain and then single crochet that piece. I'd be back to help her turn the work and continue.
When she gets going on it, I'll post pictures..