Goodbye January

I am very happy to say goodbye to January. January was a scary month around here. It seems as though you worry about little day to day things, and they seem really big at the time. But when you are faced with your health or the health of a loved one, you realize that those other things don’t mean anything. That is how January was for us.

I mentioned in a previous post that my husband and I had been to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville at the beginning of the month. This was for his four month check up for the kidney. The kidney is now almost fourteen years old. Well that is if you don’t add the years it was just mine. I think I have mentioned that we named the kidney Baby Kay. The actual transplant date was February 24th, 2011. If you haven’t read our kidney story you can read it here and here. Some of the pictures may be missing, thank you WordPress, but the story is there.

***A picture of us leaving the hospital at Vanderbillt just after the transplant. 2011.***

Anyway, I got a little side tracked. The blood work for the kidney was slightly elevated in areas that were not good. Not a lot but enough that Vanderbilt wanted the tests repeated the next week. My husband did this through our local hospital so we wouldn’t have to drive back to Nashville. Those tests did not show a lot of change. Another set of tests were ordered. These would actually check to see if the kidney was starting to reject. It’s hard for me to write that because it was so scary to think that could be happening. We prayed, and our faith is strong. So we knew we would be led in the right direction no matter what happened.

The last set of tests were done last Tuesday. Vanderbilt notified us a few hours later that the blood work looked good, the levels were back to normal and no worries of rejection. I was at work when I got the news. I screamed. Amy my co-worker jumped and said what has happened? I told her the news and then all of my other co-workers and of course notified all of the family. What a relief. What happened? we don’t know for sure. It could have been a slight infection or just something off. All I know is that it was a really scary time. But then we know that life can be that way a lot of the time.

So February is here and it is almost like spring here. Although, I know colder temps are predicted for next week. I spent most of yesterday crocheting these small hearts. They are so easy. There’s several videos on YouTube with step by step instructions. I made about 35 of these small hearts and I strung them on a garland to hang on my mirror near my front door. I love hearts and I had so much fun making them.

So lots of knitting, crocheting and reading and work and just enjoying our life every day. That’s what has been going on around here. How was your January?

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!

Hello Monday

Hello and happy Monday. Things have been quiet over here, and cold. The weather has gone from 7 degrees F in the mornings to around 32 degrees. I guess that is an improvement. I have been staying in as much as possible except when I have to go out for work. I have had a lot of things going on lately that I have absolutely no control over, and that has left me a bit out of sorts and not wanting to communicate much. Thus the very long lags in my blog posting and blog reading. I imagine things will move on as they always do in their own good time.

I have finished some knitting projects. I finally finished the socks I was working on. But not before I had to unravel almost the entire second sock and start over I don’t know what happened but it was just “off”.

I finished the scarf I was working on and another I had started a while back.

I love these colors and didn’t realize they are very similar. The one on the bottom is a much chunkier yarn.

I started a slouchy hat. I am knitting this on size 2.5 needles and I am constantly dropping stitches. The yarn is silky and fine but I am loving it. If I could just get it finished.

I have to show you this backpack my nephew and his wife gave me for Christmas. I am carrying all of my knitting and crochet projects in it. Well most of them anyway.

***Isn’t it pretty? My family and friends know if they give me anything with a cat on it I will love it.***

***My husband gave me this cat cross stitch for Christmas. I can’t wait to start it. It looks just like my Sadie.***

In the last week or so the lake at our house has frozen completely over. It doesn’t happen a lot. The picture below I took yesterday. There has been some thawing you can see in places. But a lot of it is still frozen and even some snow still hanging around.

I listened to the best audio book. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. It is a mystery for sure and you just can’t help falling in love with Vera. I think I want to be her when I grow up.

So other than a lot of knitting, and staying in and trying to stay warm, not a lot going on over here.

How are things in your world?

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!

A Wild Week And A Snowy Weekend

Happy Monday. This past week was a bit of a crazy one. Last Monday started with our four month check up for hubby in Nashville at Vanderbilt Medical Center. That is where he had the kidney transplant and returns three times a year for his kidney checkup.

As usual we go over the day before the appointment because it is about a four hour drive each way. We used to do the drive in one day but it is just too much. So we go over the day before and have a nice dinner and stay at a hotel five minutes from the hospital. It is a little costly, because the hotel rates in Nashville always are, but we get a small discount because it is a hospital visit and they work with Vanderbilt on that. When we had the kidney surgery, several years ago, we stayed at that same hotel for more than a week until we could both go home.

We went over on Monday. I worked half a day. And then came home about 2:00 to leave for Nashville. And of course the threat of bad weather was hanging in the air. It always seems to be when we have to travel this time of year. We had been watching the incoming snow carefully and had planned to postpone the appointment if we needed to. We didn’t. The weather stayed pretty clear just cold!!!! We did run into a little snow going over but nothing on the roadway.

***This was a little rest stop about halfway to Nashville.***

We got to the hotel and had dinner. We always eat at the Commodore Club at the hotel. They have wonderful food and nightly entertainment.

We had an early morning doctor appointment on Tuesday morning and before we knew it we were headed home. Unfortunately hubby is going to have to have a couple of blood tests repeated but he will be able to do that locally.

It was back to work on Wednesday and we had snow in the forecast for us on Friday. The local weather was predicting 3-5 inches. This probably wouldn’t make most of you excited but we are in the south. We don’t know how to drive in snow. We know how to go to the grocery store and clean out all the bread and milk but we just haven’t learned how to get around in the white stuff.

I went to work on Friday morning and I knew snow was coming. No matter what the weather man, Doppler or whoever, I knew it was coming. When I was growing up my mama and daddy always taught us how to predict snow by the way the way the clouds moved together and the sky would take on a smooth gray coloring. When that happens You know snow is coming. Remember back in their day they didn’t have a weather channel to watch. Doppler Radar did not exist.

As I said I went to work. There was only about three of us there when the snow started at 9:00 AM. We called all the staff and told them not to come in. Finally everyone was gone and I was there alone. I felt confident I would be okay. I had planned to only stay a couple of hours. I had been on the phone with my husband and he said we hadn’t gotten hardly anything at home.

About an hour later he called and said I should come home. I had finished everything that had to be taken care of at work. I headed out. And let me tell you I had almost waited too late. I have an all wheel drive car but many people don’t. There were cars all over the road. It normally takes me about 20-25 minutes to get to work and back home but Friday it took me almost an hour to get home.

***Views from my office window and you can see it was really coming down.***

So we had a great snow weekend. That is after I got home safely and made sure all the loved ones were in safe and sound. Hubby was off all weekend so that worked out great. I was so lazy during my snow days. You know you’re not supposed to do anything when you have a snow day or two. We went out and took pictures and took the drone up to get some shots of the lake and other areas. I knitted and read and listened to some of my audio books. It was such a wonderful relaxing weekend. A lot of the snow has melted but it was fun while it lasted.

Some of the drone photos:

How is your week going is it cold and snowy? I know some of you, in different parts of the country, are experiencing some really nice warm sunny days. I know ours will be here before we know it. Have a wonderful week!!!!

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!

Hello Monday

Well here we are with another Christmas behind us and a new year just a day away. Where did this year go?

Last week was a crazy wonderful Christmas week. We had our big family Christmas at my house. We had about twenty people here, and my house and heart were full. A couple of days later we had a smaller gathering at my sister’s house with food and more food and presents and laughing.

It always seems as if there will not be enough time to get everything done. Buying groceries, cooking, buying gifts, gift wrapping everything, trying to make sure everything is just right for everyone. You have to admit it is a bit exhausting.

But just like that it is all over and you are sitting at home alone thinking about taking down all the Christmas decorations. We always leave ours up until New Year’s Day. Sometimes the decorations don’t come down until a week or two after Christmas. This depends on my work schedule.

I had to go back to work the day after Christmas so I didn’t get a lot of extra time off.

***Christmas at my house.*** ***We do a white elephant exchange and it is so much fun.***

***I love this snow globe that my sister has.***

***Me and my little nephew dog Cooper.***

***My nephew Caleb and his girlfriend Tiesha***

***Nephew Tyler. He brought us all Christmas gifts from London. A book for me about the history of London I love it***.

So a great time was had. I love it when our family gets together. It seems like that doesn’t happen enough these days. My hubs and I had a quiet Christmas Day at home just us and the kitties. It was very nice.

I am ready to get back to a regular schedule and quit the indulging that has been going on the last couple of weeks. Another few days of this and I may not be able to fit into my clothes.

I hope your Christmas was wonderful. I would like to take a moment to say thank you for reading my blog. I feel like I have made so many new friends over the last few years. You all are wonderful and have become such a huge part of my life. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful happy New Year!!!!!

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!