What is 75 - 6?

Well, if you live in S.E. Kansas, the answer is 1 week! 

   Last Thursday we woke up to -6º if you remember. And had over 20 inches of accumulated snow on the ground.





Today we had a high of 75º!


This squirrel was quite the acrobat most of the afternoon as he was determined to feast from this bird feeder. (Sorry about the blurriness, it was taken through a somewhat steamy and very dirty kitchen window)

Baby It's Cold Outside!

I have to admit I was laughing to myself Monday night when I went to bed.  Area schools (even PSU) and other organizations had already cancelled Monday classes and events and even after 24 years living here I still find it amusing that things are cancelled before the first snowflake even materializes.  It was very hard to believe that anything like the snowmaggedon that was being predicted was actually going to happen.  We don't get much snow in S.E. Kansas..ever.

Well, guess what?  When I woke up Tuesday morning it was snowing so hard you could barely see acrosss the street.  This was looking out our front door around 1:00 when it had temporarily let up a bit.

By the time all was said and done we received 16 inches of snow!  In S.E. Kansas!!!  Unbelievable.  Growing up in N.E. Iowa I've lived through more than my share of blizzards and driven down country roads where the drifts were taller than the cars,but this is the most snow I've seen in Pittsburg since I moved here.  According to the local TV station it will go down as the second or third highest snowfall since they began keeping records in 1888.

Once it finally seemed to be stopping (around 5:30 or 6:00 pm) Tom went out and shoveled a little bit.

Broncos coat, Soviet military hat and it was still cold!

Today we are in the single digits for highs but at least the sun is shining. 

The big pot of ham and bean soup has lasted three days along with some squash bread

Last night I made some peach cobbler and today a BIG pot of meat sauce is simmering with plans to make lasagna tomorrow and freeze the rest for more pasta dishes later.  I don't mind being snowed in at all!



There Will Be A Pause For Intermission

Slight bump in the road.  Went to the orthopedist today.  He took x-rays.  Didn't see anything except the obvious observation that my hand is swollen and sore!.  Much to my chagrin I came home looking like this....

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I asked him, "how am I supposed to quilt and applique"?.  He said "can't you take a break?".  No..not really.  Things to do, quilts to start and finish...........

I have to be like this for a week.  Waiting to see if something comes to the surface (like a thorn) or if immobilization helps.  If not, he may have to "explore" the knuckle.  I don't like the sound of that!  Right now it is throbbing with pain both from his manipulation and how tightly he has wrapped it.

Dang..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not happy. 

In 1997 I had my right shoulder reconstructed and my right arm was strapped to my waist for six weeks.  I still managed to work from home and get 8 or more hours a day of accounting and statistics done on the computer.

In 2005 I had my right index finger's knuckle replaced with a ceramic joint.  I was in a couple of different splints for several weeks.  I still figured out how to quilt and piece.

This morning I worked on the 4th block of the project from last Monday's workshop.  That's it above under my hand.  I was ready to sew the rows together, then add it to the other three blocks to complete the first quadrant.  Don't know how that is going to happen now as all that is free is my index finger and thumb.

To make matters worse we received two new siggies today. I have some pieced, but they need embroidery added.  I don't see that happening this week.

Do you know how hard it is for me to NOT sew?  Pray for my patience.  Typing is tricky too so don't suppose I'll be here much.

Later

The ABC's of Me

My blog friend, Karen posted this list and I found it really fun to learn more about her. I've decided to take her challenge and post my answers. I'm surprised how many of her answers I didn't have to change to fit me.


A. Age: 64 (as of 2 weeks ago)

B. Bed size: Queen size – no room for a king in our bedroom.


C. Chore you hate: Defrosting the freezer


D. Dogs’ Names: No pets but I used to have a Doberman named Elsa among others

E. Essential food item: Homemade breads

F. Favorite color: Probably blues, but also browns and yellows. I least like pink.

G. Gold or Silver: I do not wear much jewelry as I am allergic to some metals. My wedding ring is white gold. I usually wear a simple locket.

H. Height: 5’2″

I. I am: always praying for longer days (maybe I should change something about "T" below)

J. Job: retired in 2003 because of lung problems. Worked 10 years as a nurse and then 25 years as an accountant/controller.

K. Kids: 3 grown sons, Michael, Mark and Jeffery. A step-son, Jean-Richard, is deceased.

L. Living Arrangements: My husband, Tom, and I own a home in extreme S.E. Kansas.

M. M is for more projects in my head than I can ever finish in this lifetime

N. Nickname: Cathy. My middle name is Catherine and I went by Cathy until 5th grade when another Cathy joined our small class and the teacher insisted I had to start using Mary. Only a very few people are left that call me Cathy. I think I have a split personality because of this! Cathy and Mary are totally different people! LOL.

O. Overnight hospital stay(s): too many to count

P. Pet peeve: liars

Q. Quote from a movie: can't think of a single one

Right or Left handed: Right

S. Siblings: 1 half-sister but we weren't raised in the same household. My grandparents raised me and she lived with my mother and step-father in a nearby town.

T. Time you wake up: much later I used to..8-9 a.m. most days.

U. Unique thing about your car: Last year I finally got rid of my beloved 1987 Colt. Wish they still made them.

V. Vegetable you hate: hominy

W. Ways you run late: I’m normally early and hate it if I run late – I would rather show up early than late.

X. X-rays you’ve had: too many to remember

Y. Yummy food you make: from scratch yeast breads, especially cinnamon rolls

Z. Zoo animal favorite: zebras maybe? not sure I have a favorite

Headed to the Northland

As soon as we finish the last of the packing we are headed to the "Northland" as Tom calls it. That means Iowa. It will be great seeing family and attending a big family reunion on Saturday. Probably won't have access to a computer during that time, so I'll catch you all next week!

Happy quilting!

Summer in SE Kansas

Another wild afternoon in S.E. Kansas. Tornado sirens started going off late afternoon. Tom was just getting home from VBS and drove me across the street to the neighbors who have a basement (we don't). It rained buckets and we had marble sized hail for a short time. Luckily there doesn't seem to have been any damage reported.

After about an hour we came home and Tom took these pics while it was still raining (the spots on the lens). The drainage ditch that runs through our lots was overflowing again. Here it is backing up at the brick bridge.

The water really gets to churning when the rain comes this fast.

Another hour passed and a second system roared through with tornado sirens blaring again. If you've never heard them, Judy L posted a video on her blog last night. She lives about 40 miles from here across the border in MO. They had a rough and tumble night as well. This time I was too tired to even think of traipsing back to the neighbors, so I just sat in my recliner and decided if it was my time to blow away, so be it. Once again luck was on our side and no damage seems to have been done by the storms.

Tom had another fun day at VBS, though the afternoon swimming plans were ruined. Here's one of the four groups in their music session.

Awkward Families

I found the funniest blog this morning. If you want a good laugh check out the awkward pictures here. Be sure to view some of the older posts. Warning...your sides may hurt the rest of the day from laughing at some of them.

Rain, Rain Go Away

The rain just keeps coming. According to the TV we've had 2.5 inches so far today. Seems like a lot more. Just before noon, the drainage ditch that runs through our property was out of it's banks. A dead tree that was cut up and waiting for our lawn keeper to haul away, floated here and there. The water had obviously been higher prior to me taking these pictures. I was busy doing paperwork for Tom's retirement on the computer and not paying attention to how hard it was raining.

Brick bridge about 10 feet from our back door. See the chunk of wood and chair that floated?

To the east of our house the ditch bends from north/south to east/west. It's slightly out of it's banks here. All of the cut up tree was piled here..now only a couple of pieces left.



East of our house..another wooden and iron bridge with the water going THROUGH it instead of UNDER it.

We've had much worse, many times. The following pics were in 2007 and these weren't even the worse we've seen. Remember the picture above of the ditch making a curve? This is the same area only the whole yard is under.

Looking out our kitchen widow to the East..see the wooden/iron bridge just barely visible in the upper left corner.

The brick bridge behind our house. On several occasions we've had water going over the TOP of the brick sides. Guess it almost is in this picture.

Looking out the back windows at the water churning out from under the brick bridge and also going over the top.


There are more pictures of some of the damage flooding has done in our yard in My Garden album on Photobucket. Page two has pictures of one of the times the wood/iron bridge itself was picked up and carried across the yard.

I'm ready for the rain to stop any time now.

Catching Up.

The week is more than half over already! Hard to believe how quickly the days pass sometimes. Nothing too exciting going on.

Pie baking Tuesday night.

Eye appointment yesterday morning to get the measurements for my implanted lens. First surgery on my left eye a week from today.


Chicken and noodle dinner at church yesterday.


My hoya plant is blooming again. I think I have 5 large blooms this time. Here are two with one still in the process of opening.



Mailed off four more siggy blocks this week.
And received two............... This one from Sara in Washington state.
And this from Marjo in The Netherlands.
Finished another Dutch Treat block..."Dancing Daisies".

And playing around with a possible new project..

That is how the one day melts into another around here. Spring has arrived and it's BEAUTIFUL weather

Concentration Required

One of the immediate benefits Tom is experiencing from his cataract surgeries is a new appreciation of color. What better way to celebrate than by looking at the awesome sand paintings being made by the Buddhist monks. Such patience and concentration!

And a shrine to the Dalai Lama

And a present for me!

Tracking a Quilter

My husband, Tom left this note on my sewing table:

"Hunters track game by their droppings. Here are quilter droppings on the quilting room floor before Tom came home and vacuumed!"

I'm glad he's home.

Happy Birthday, Elvis