Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Written on Wednesday, December 13th, 2017

Since not much has been happening around here lately, I'm posting another piece I wrote during my December break from blogging.

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We had our first real snow of the season which started sometime during the night and continued on until nearly noon today.  I think the total was only around 4" but the coverage was sufficient to make the landscape finally look like winter.


The snow formation on our front deck was something like I've never seen before.  You would think the space between the deck boards was about two inches.  Not so.


The raised garden beds aren't totally under cover, but at least they have a good blanket on them now.


Papa Pea even fired up the Gravely garden tractor with the snowblower attachment to do some clearing.

My head and hands have been happy and busy turning out some projects.


I finished the crocheted rugs using colors I don't think I'd ever have used for myself.  They are a smidge smaller than the ones I usually make being only 30" x 20" and they've already been delivered to our second-hand resale shop.  I'm hoping they end up in some little girl's bedroom.


The rag rug in front of the kitchen sink is one I just finished.  Green and red in honor of the season.  It doesn't really match the other kitchen colors, but it does add a little Christmas cheer.


I haven't done any X-stitch work in an age, but had an urge to make some X-stitched ornaments for the tree.  Got this far and had to think for a day or two as how to finish them.


Decided to back them with red bough fabric with a thin batting inside.  I used the same fabric for the trim.  Two of them above still need to have hangers attached.  I have just enough matching Aida cloth to make one more ornament . . . which I think I will do.

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Back to the present day, Papa Pea's recuperation is going slowly.  Some days his ouchiness and achiness is more pronounced than others.  Neither of us has been sleeping well lately and he's trying to nap on the couch in the living room as I type this.  (You never realize how much noise you make doing simple tasks around the house until you're trying not to make any noise.)

Both of us are so ready for all of his aches and pains to disappear.  He's doing such a good job of remaining optimistic and cheerful which I know has to be hard when all his energy is going into the healing process . . . which seems to be taking so long.  We're considering removing all the mirrors in the house as both of us look about 102 years old.  And that's on good days.

27 comments:

Rain said...

Hi Mama Pea :) But...I heard 102 is the "new 29" ;) I still wish you BOTH a speedy recovery! I know what you mean about being more noisy than you want to be. Alex is back in insomnia mode, sigh, he went to bed at noon today, completely exhausted. Trying to keep the 8 pets quiet while he sleeps is something else. And I also cringe if I clink two dishes together in the kitchen...

Those rugs are so nice! I really like them! :)

Michelle said...

I missed the opening paragraph and thought, "WOW! Papa Pea must be nearly back to normal to be running the snowblower!" Sorry to hear that's not quite the case (yet).

Mama Pea said...

Rain - I have always dreamed about a house where all the bedrooms are secluded up on the second floor where no one would be disturbed by what was going on in the main (first floor) part of the house. But then what would one do if the "sickie" couldn't climb the stairs?

Hoping Alex gets his days and nights straightened out soon. Has he tried melatonin?

Mama Pea said...

Oh, Michelle! If only he was up to getting outside to do that type of thing. Last night and today have been one of those "down" days . . . lots of pain in his hip area which makes it hard to lay. Or sit. Or walk. He did take a 1-1/2 hr. nap on the couch this afternoon though so that was good. I think he was exhausted enough to sleep.

Rain said...

We did try melatonin. We have tried everything known to mankind. He even tried prescription sleeping pills and he fell asleep fast, but woke up after only a few hours unrested. It's a cycle that happens every few months or so. He's lucky enough to set his own work schedule so I told him to just sleep when he's tired. He feels bad though because dinner time is all over the map, but after a week or so he's usually back on schedule. Until then...and I type this at around 5pm, the dogs know dinner time is soon and they are getting uppity lol...I need to give them some chamomile tea lol!

Goatldi said...

What count on the X-stitch? That was a craft I began after sewing for children and before quilting. I only quit because I did a Fresno State Bulldog logo for my then young son and it was something like a 28 + count. So I decided as much as I enjoyed it this most certainly was not the craft to go into my 'er more mature years with.

I love the scene from the Titanic remake when the granddaughter takes her grandmother to look at the items that the treasure seekers had collected on a dive to the stateroom she had traveled in. She picked up the hand mirror looking intently into it sighed and pronounced "it all looks the same but the reflection has changed a bit".

tpals said...

Sometimes I get the urge to write when I should be going to bed then I regret the upset sleep for a few days.

I hope he is having more up than down days.

Your sewing projects are always interesting and varied. I wonder you have time for anything else!

Mama Pea said...

Goatldi - I try to use only 14 ct. when X-stitching. I've done a few on 28 ct. but think there must be better ways to drive myself nuts.

Yep, our mental picture of ourselves never looks anything like what we see in mirrors. Gotta find better mirrors.

Mama Pea said...

Rain - I knew you must have already tried everything you could think of for Alex's insomnia. Wonder what's wrong with his internal clock that he gets wonky like this now and then? If only you could figure that out, eh?

Just for the record, I don't think giving the pups chamomile tea would help them a bit. It's sure never done anything for me. ;o}

Mama Pea said...

tpals - If your life is so that you can take advantage of those creative times (write, write, write late at night), I think it's good to let your creative juices flow then.

I think I am fairly fast when doing handwork projects. You'd be surprised how little time I actually get to spend doing them. I used to do shop samples and custom orders for a quilt shop and the owner was always pleased at how fast I turned out the work. I think it's because I love doing it so much. :o]

Leigh said...

How nice that you still kept up blogging even though you didn't publish them at the time. Nice to keep up to date on your part of the world! Love the crocheted rugs. And I hope everything gets better for Papa Pea soon, and you too.

The Wykeham Observer said...

I'm sure it feels slow-going, but if there is a bright side, I'm glad this didn't happen in the spring when you are so crazy-busy. I think a few days of sunshine might help a lot.

Susan said...

What? You cross-stitch, too? I can't even... It's a bumpy road, indeed, although, as the commenter above pointed out, it is a good thing (relatively speaking) that this happened in your 'down' time. I am starting to think that this whole "down time in the winter" thing is a total sham. Sending you both hugs xo

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

I just love those rugs! I wish I had extra time to learn. Healing is an incredibly slow process is it not? Ugh. I hope Papa Pea continues to heal and the ouchiness leaves. For good.

Goatldi said...

Or we could just drape a cloth over them. 😊

wisps of words said...

Thank you for reading my blog and commenting there. Thus I was able to come here, and read/comment and follow here!

So sorry about your husband. Don't know what happened to him, but wish him well, with recovery.

I love the colors of those pink rugs!!!!! I'm sure someone who also loves them, will get them.

wisps of words said...

Re: your comment on my blog... The book I did not enjoy... Was one of the Agatha Raisin series. I didn't name it, because I know, these books have a *million* readers, who love the series. -grin- But I just didn't enjoy this book.

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,
I'm sure those two gorgeous rugs you crocheted were picked up by a young girl and placed in her bedroom. There the perfect color and size for a bedroom.
Your just so talented Mama Pea!!

It's good to hear a positive update on Papa Pea's health. I'm sure all of your TLC and being his nurse has helped in Papa Pea's recovery.You're not 102 years of age, it's just as we get older we don't heal as fast as we used to.

Send some of your crafting energy this way...
Hugs and love to you both.
Sandy

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - As you do, I use my blog posts as records (for my own personal use . . . since my memory doesn't seem very reliable anymore!) and pictures of what goes on around here.

Thanks much for your kind words, Leigh.

Mama Pea said...

Phil - You are so right about that! We talk often about how very much MORE frustrating it would be if we were in the middle of the summer push . . . rather than the (relatively) slower time of our year!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - We've been so thankful that we've been in a very "snowless" period while Papa Pea has been down and out. Not having the plowing and shoveling to do every other day has really saved our bacon!

Tanx for the hugs! Same back atcha!

Mama Pea said...

Ooooh, this not being able to comment without waiting for 5 minutes is driving me crazy!

MrsDM - We've never had to go through a recuperation period like this (and hope to NEVER again) so we're not very good at it! As far as learning to make the rugs, I could teach you in 30 minutes (seriously!). When can we make a date to sit down together? ;o)

wisp of words - So glad you found me, and I found you! I must have been in the woods too long . . . I haven't even heard of the Agatha Raisin series. And don't think I will bother to check them out because of your review! The only A.R. that came to mind was the author Ayn Rand (did I spell that right?) and I dislike her writing immensely!

Sandy - You have plenty of "crafting energy." Just look at that fabulous keepsake baby cradle you just did! Hugs back to you!

Rain said...

There are a lot of theories that we have been thinking about. It could be stress-related or it could be that his digestion isn't working properly and he might have an allergy to Stella, we're not sure yet. He used to get the insomnia before but it's been rather frequent since we got the two extra dogs.

vaiybora said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Cissy Foster said...

Seeing as my Grandmother lived to be 102 years old, you're doing great! I only hope to make it that long......

wisps of words said...

Thank you so much, for liking my "Bunny reading in window, in library" Header. It does give a sweet cozy inside in winter feel. :-))))

Mama Pea said...

Cissy Foster - With those good genetics behind you, you no doubt will!!