Still no stitching

I haven't had an opportunity to do any stitching yet. DH had a nerve block on Monday for his back (ruptured L4). Now, he has begun physical therapy and it is helping relieve the pain. He will be off work a few more weeks at least. He's been busy with music, practicing and performing.

DS/8 is feeling better after having strep throat for the second time since June! It's so hard to see him sick, especially when he runs fever.

DD/24 is busy planning her wedding. She has selected her florist and photographer. She doesn't blog too often, but she did write about the proposal. You can read about it here.

DS/19 is being illusive. That's not unusal, but hard to get used to, since he doesn't have a phone and doesn't answer my emails. I do a lot of praying for him.

I have been having some foot pain problems for some time. I'm having trouble walking at times. I plan to see a doctor soon. In the meantime, my DH bought me some "sensible" shoes. They are Skechers. We bought the at Kohl's for $44. They are very comfortable, although I have to wear inner soles with a heel support in them because of the heel pain. The challenge now is what to wear with them! LOL!

Maybe I will get to stitch some tonight since DH has a gig tonight.
It will be just DS/8 and me at home.

Busy, busy, busy

These past few days have been very busy.

• Last Tuesday was Bunko night at my house. We all had a great time.
• Wednesday night was church/choir night.
• Thursday night was DH's gig at the Shanti Steak House. (DS/8 and I didn't go, but worked on homework.)
• Friday night, DH played a gig at Isaac Hayes.
• Saturday, DH had a gig at City Cafe in Holly Springs, MS. It was a Jimmy Buffett Tribute. It was a fun night.
• Sunday, we went to church and had a potluck lunch.

Yesterday, DH finally had his appointment for the neuro dr. to read his MRI and discuss treatment. He has a ruptured disk (L4) and he is having a nerve block on Monday. He will begin physical therapy soon. He'll be off work for at least another 3 weeks. He's already been on sick leave for about 1 month.

DD and I went to Macy's and she picked out her china pattern and silverware. The china she picked is Vera Wang's "Golden Grosgrain" Dinnerware Collection.

As for cross stitching, I haven't stitched one "x"! I hope I can squeeze in some time on Gathering Honey in the next day or so. I miss it. Cross stitching keeps me sane, I think.

Catching Up

DH went on a road trip with the band and Dani to the BayDays Festival in Hampton, VA, last Thursday. They had 3 gigs, one on the way, and the other 2 were at the festival. On Friday night, they were the headliner. On Saturday, they warmed up Bo Diddley, the famous guitarist! DH got to visit with him in Bo's trailer and got a photo with him. DH was supposed to arrived back home Sunday night. Instead, the trailer, that hauls the music equipment, broke an axle. So, DH had to spend another night and he should arrive home this evening.

I've been trying to get the house in order because I have Bunko at our home tomorrow night! The kitchen is about 85% complete, and I hope we can knock some more of the work out tomorrow during the day. The great room has gotten in such a mess that it has been a "de-cluttering process" before I could begin to clean.

I still have to buy the food for Bunko and clean the house. I have already bought the gifts for the winners. I'll try to get a photo of them.

DS/8 has a soccer game tonight, so this will be a late night for me.

I haven't cross stitched any, but I can't wait to get back to it.

Katrina - Giving Me a New Perspective

Hurricane Katrina has been such an eye opener! I am so glad I don't work for FEMA. What was the delay all about? Politics! Protocol! Oh, Pleeeeassssse! Thousands of people ripped from their homes, losing love ones, and some dying before FEMA can get their act together. It just makes me sick for all those people who, not only have to deal with the devastation of the disaster caused by Katrina, but also the disaster created by FEMA's incompetence. No apology will replace the loss of life that was caused by this mess.

Our church is housing and feeding about 117 Katrina survivors and growing. They even had a job fair today to help the survivors find employment. In an email I received from our church staff, it states, "Only a few hours ago the first Bellevue Disaster Relief Team left for Louisiana to assist with the immense relief efforts of helping the many people displaced by the flooding. Bellevue plans to continue to send at least one Disaster Relief Team a week to the disaster area for the next year."
They will be taking supplies and monetary gifts as well as feeding those who need that assistance. I think other churches are giving the same type of help. Hopefully, it will shine some light on these dark days.

On a totally different note,

I managed to run over my cell phone yesterday following my grandmother's funeral. Leave it to me to do something that lame! It fell out of my lap as I was getting out of my van. I later moved my van into the driveway (and ran over the phone, I think). If I didn't run over it, my neighbor did or the big school bus ran over it. All I know for sure is one of us ran over it. It will work randomly, but I can't dial any numbers. How awful it must have been for all those people involved in Katrina who didn't have cell phone service to call their loved ones! Everything seems to take on a secondary value to human life...isn't that the way it should be?

Bad News & Good News Day

Yesterday... what an emotional day!
We wake up to find we had been "misled" about an issue near and dear to us. Bummer! Bad News.

Bought necessities to stock some kits for refugees of Katrina. Dropped them off at our church that's housing 300 refugees.

By noon, I get a call to tell me that my Grandmother, who was like a mother to me, has died. (She was ill with Alzheimer's Disease for 8 years.) Sad News.

By afternoon, my 19 year old son calls me to tell me he's finally gotten a job! Great pay, too! Job doesn't start, though, for 3 more weeks! Overall, good news.

What a roller-coaster of a day!

Today, we are still working on the kitchen renovation. Painting, patching, and nail pulling. Yuck. It's slowly coming together. The area is actually 2 rooms, the kitchen and the dining area, separated by the cabinets and stove.

No stitching time...what a drag!