These are the 2 things that are causing me a great deal of problems in my life...and things are getting worse. I guess, in reality, they have been this bad for a while, I have just been in denial of what has been going on. The truth hit me hard today though.
I have been having a lot more pain and stiffness than usual but have just been blaming the weather, moving the wrong way, or something else for the pain instead of facing the facts. Today I tried to stand at my work table to do the alterations on Kevin's pants and I wasn't able to do it. The pains from just standing there and trying to go through the needed movements were more than I could take. I have a high thresh-hold for pain usually. My days for working on large projects are over. I'm okay if I can sit and do the work, I just can't stand and do it. I kind of had a total meltdown for a little while as reality settled in today.
Kevin has been trying to tell me for sometime now that I was getting worse but I just wouldn't accept the facts. I think I knew deep down he was right but I just couldn't admit it until today. I have fought this battle so long and hard and have refused to believe what was happening to me but I guess I lost this battle. I will not just give up though. I will just have to adjust my way of doing things.
I have pain pills that I can take that do help the pain BUT!! they mess up my mind. I thought I was following in moms footsteps of having Alzheimers until I discovered it was the darn pills. I quit them cold turkey, and after a week or so my mind was clear again. I have a very low tolerance for medication and I'm allergic to a lot of meds. so I will have to deal with this the best way I can.
I know there are many, many of you going through this same thing. I would love to hear from you and hear how you deal with it. Maybe we can support each other through this.
I'm a fighter and I don't give up easy, just ask Kevin LOL he'll tell you how stubborn I am about everything!! LOL I keep a bar stool in my kitchen to sit on when I need a break when cooking or baking. It's not easy to sit on a bar stool and work in the kitchen, especially at the stove!
I think I'm starting to ramble, I'm getting tired.
Talk to you all tomorrow my friends,
Blessings and Hugs,
Brenda
Friday, February 27, 2009
To My Followers....
I just wanted to say thank you for staying with me. I know I haven't been posting and visiting with you all like I would love to be able to do, real life sometimes gets in the way. :>( I hate that. I would much rather spend my days visiting with you.
I wanted you all to know how much I love and appreciate each of you.
Thanks for being a part of my life.....
Hugs and blessings,
Brenda
I wanted you all to know how much I love and appreciate each of you.
Thanks for being a part of my life.....
Hugs and blessings,
Brenda
Time Flies & Good News!
It seems like it was just a couple of days ago that I posted and it has been a week already! Time is just going by way to fast. I just can't seem to get back into the groove of things since I was sick. Kevin and I still aren't feeling that good...just can't seem to get that flu bug out of the apartment. I think our energy went out the door instead of the flu!! LOL
I do have some surprisingly GOOD NEWS! I had found an old insurance policy in moms things that was from 1960. I didn't think it was worth anything but have been holding on to it anyway. I called the insurance company the other day just out of curiosity and couldn't believe what they told me. The policy is still on file and there are actually 2 policies and I can claim them both!!! WooHoo!! The face value is $1000.00 each but it will take them a couple of weeks to figure out the dividends since the polices are so old. I was also told that they had turned a cash compensation over to unclaimed funds for over $1700.00. I still can't believe it.
I started wondering if I had an old policy from that company and I do. I just need to update all my info and then I can surrender the policy for almost $900.00 and I have unclaimed funds for around $600.00 too. I figured as it stands now without knowing the dividend amount it is all worth over $5100.00. It will take about a month to get the money from the insurance company and 3-4 months from unclaimed funds.
Kevin and I are desperately in need of a newer van that is lower to the ground so he is able to ride in it. Our van is a 1993 Ford Aerostar that is high off the ground. Kevin is unable to climb into the van since his fall a couple of years ago and is pretty much housebound and going stir crazy in here. The initial money from the insurance company will give us enough for a down payment on another van. I guess God heard our prayers and led me in the right direction to find this help we so desperately needed. Thank you God for hearing our prayers! I have started the mountain of paperwork that will be involved in all of this!!
I spent the day today trying to work on a couple of pairs of pants that Kevin found on sale in a catalog. He had to get a larger size than he needed to get the sale price, they were out of his size, so I am taking these down a size. The reality of how bad my arthritis and fibromyalgia are getting really hit me hard today, more about that in another post.
I hope you all have a good evening and I will be checking back in and hopefully will be able to sit and catch up on all of your blogs.
Hugs and blessings,
Brenda
I do have some surprisingly GOOD NEWS! I had found an old insurance policy in moms things that was from 1960. I didn't think it was worth anything but have been holding on to it anyway. I called the insurance company the other day just out of curiosity and couldn't believe what they told me. The policy is still on file and there are actually 2 policies and I can claim them both!!! WooHoo!! The face value is $1000.00 each but it will take them a couple of weeks to figure out the dividends since the polices are so old. I was also told that they had turned a cash compensation over to unclaimed funds for over $1700.00. I still can't believe it.
I started wondering if I had an old policy from that company and I do. I just need to update all my info and then I can surrender the policy for almost $900.00 and I have unclaimed funds for around $600.00 too. I figured as it stands now without knowing the dividend amount it is all worth over $5100.00. It will take about a month to get the money from the insurance company and 3-4 months from unclaimed funds.
Kevin and I are desperately in need of a newer van that is lower to the ground so he is able to ride in it. Our van is a 1993 Ford Aerostar that is high off the ground. Kevin is unable to climb into the van since his fall a couple of years ago and is pretty much housebound and going stir crazy in here. The initial money from the insurance company will give us enough for a down payment on another van. I guess God heard our prayers and led me in the right direction to find this help we so desperately needed. Thank you God for hearing our prayers! I have started the mountain of paperwork that will be involved in all of this!!
I spent the day today trying to work on a couple of pairs of pants that Kevin found on sale in a catalog. He had to get a larger size than he needed to get the sale price, they were out of his size, so I am taking these down a size. The reality of how bad my arthritis and fibromyalgia are getting really hit me hard today, more about that in another post.
I hope you all have a good evening and I will be checking back in and hopefully will be able to sit and catch up on all of your blogs.
Hugs and blessings,
Brenda
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Vintage/Antique Cloth Advice Needed Please
I have some vintage/antique tablecloths and handkies. I know for a fact that they are at least 50 years old because they belonged to my great-grandmother and my great-aunt.
The tablecloths have some light stains on them... looks like maybe coffee or tea. The stains are faded probably from washing over the years. My question is "how" or "if" I should try to remove the stains they are few and far between. The tablecloths are mostly linen and damask and are white. I have 1 tablecloth that is all lace in a dark champagne color,it has no stains but a couple of nickle size holes in the lace. It is beautiful and so soft! I plan on putting these on my store site in hopes of selling them.
The handkies have some dark stains like age and from being folded. Do I try to wash the ones that aren't too bad? The others I will probably just toss out or maybe sell very cheap for use as cutter pieces for projects.
I would appreciate any suggestions you have. I have no use for these items and would love to find good homes for them so they would be lovingly cared for.I have enjoyed looking at them for many years and it is now time to share them.
Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions you may have. I will post pictures on the store site when I figure out how to care for these and how to price them.
Blessings and hugs,
Brenda
The tablecloths have some light stains on them... looks like maybe coffee or tea. The stains are faded probably from washing over the years. My question is "how" or "if" I should try to remove the stains they are few and far between. The tablecloths are mostly linen and damask and are white. I have 1 tablecloth that is all lace in a dark champagne color,it has no stains but a couple of nickle size holes in the lace. It is beautiful and so soft! I plan on putting these on my store site in hopes of selling them.
The handkies have some dark stains like age and from being folded. Do I try to wash the ones that aren't too bad? The others I will probably just toss out or maybe sell very cheap for use as cutter pieces for projects.
I would appreciate any suggestions you have. I have no use for these items and would love to find good homes for them so they would be lovingly cared for.I have enjoyed looking at them for many years and it is now time to share them.
Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions you may have. I will post pictures on the store site when I figure out how to care for these and how to price them.
Blessings and hugs,
Brenda
I'm back and feeling better!
WOW !!!! the last month has been rough for both of us. We just couldn't seem to get the flu out of the apartment. We were taking turns feeling bad LOL!! Things seems to be on the upswing now. Thank you Connie and everyone else who was concerned about us and praying for us. It really helped!!! I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted last!
I am so far behind on reading everyone's blogs I have a lot of catching up to do. I just didn't even feel like getting on here much. I tried to peak in once in a while to check on things and read a little here and there though!!
The last couple of weeks I have been trying to catch up things around the apartment. I hope today I can finish up the rest of that.
I made a huge stockpot of vegetable barley soup a couple of weeks ago and I was able to can 8 pints of that to use for future meals. Tuesday I made a huge pot of an Italian Sausage & Rice dish that I invented and canned 8 pints of that yesterday too. We now have 28 pints of future meals ready to eat counting the 12 pints of chili I made in January. I love seeing the shelves with canned food like that on them. I'm so glad I was finally able to get the parts I needed for my canner so I could get back to canning. It's been way too long since I did any canning but look out now. I will be canning up everything I can find!!!!!
It is really cold out today the temps keep dropping, it's down to 17º now with a 0º wind chill brrrrr. It's been snowing and blowing off and on too. The winds are so strong not much snow is staying on the ground though!!
I just wanted to stop in and let you all know we are ok and I will be back here daily now, God willing.
Take care everyone, I've missed you all so much!!
Hugs and Blessings,
Brenda
I am so far behind on reading everyone's blogs I have a lot of catching up to do. I just didn't even feel like getting on here much. I tried to peak in once in a while to check on things and read a little here and there though!!
The last couple of weeks I have been trying to catch up things around the apartment. I hope today I can finish up the rest of that.
I made a huge stockpot of vegetable barley soup a couple of weeks ago and I was able to can 8 pints of that to use for future meals. Tuesday I made a huge pot of an Italian Sausage & Rice dish that I invented and canned 8 pints of that yesterday too. We now have 28 pints of future meals ready to eat counting the 12 pints of chili I made in January. I love seeing the shelves with canned food like that on them. I'm so glad I was finally able to get the parts I needed for my canner so I could get back to canning. It's been way too long since I did any canning but look out now. I will be canning up everything I can find!!!!!
It is really cold out today the temps keep dropping, it's down to 17º now with a 0º wind chill brrrrr. It's been snowing and blowing off and on too. The winds are so strong not much snow is staying on the ground though!!
I just wanted to stop in and let you all know we are ok and I will be back here daily now, God willing.
Take care everyone, I've missed you all so much!!
Hugs and Blessings,
Brenda
Saturday, January 24, 2009
I've got the flu or something!
I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately. I've got the flu, Kevin has it too, and it's hitting us both really hard. I haven't even left the apartment since Jan.5th, it's that bad. Kevin and I haven't had the strength to do much of anything around here, including eating right. We just don't have any appetite, but we are trying to eat just to keep our strength up.
I will be back to catch up my blogs as soon as I feel better!
Miss you all!!
Hugs and Blessings,
Brenda
I will be back to catch up my blogs as soon as I feel better!
Miss you all!!
Hugs and Blessings,
Brenda
Monday, January 19, 2009
Another Award!
Karen at has given me the Lemonade Award. Thank you so much, Karen!
This award is passed to bloggers for showing great Attitude and/or Gratitude.
The rules of this award:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.
And now I get to pass the award on to:
1. Gina-- http://catnapinnprimitives.blogspot.com
2. Lea-- http://farmhouseblessings.blogspot.com
3. Beth-- http://myprimcottage.blogspot.com
4. Sharon-- http://primthymesblog.blogspot.com
5. Tam-- http://yakiddyyakyak.blogspot.com
6. Cora-- http://hiddenrichessecretplaces.blogspot.com
7. Tipper-- http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com/
8. Ginger-- http://primitivesbythelightofthemoon.blogspot.com
9. Sue-- http://countrypleasures.blogspot.com
10.Susan-- http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com
Saturday, January 17, 2009
12 Pints of Chili !!!!
I was hoping I would at least get 8 pints but had enough for 12 and some left over for supper! I was soooo happy. I haven't canned anything since about 1997 just before mom started taking a turn for the worse. Mom and I canned 50# of potatoes and froze 20dz. ears of corn plus other veggies that we canned then too! Mom wasn't able to do much of anything the next year and I had to keep a close eye on her, darned Alzheimers.
I was a little nervous at first but it all came back to me like I had been canning all along. I was definitely doing the "Happy Dance" . Kevin looked at me like I had lost my mind or something because I was so happy about canning again. I will be able to can up most of our left overs now instead of freezing them. It will help a bunch because I like to make extra so we have meals ready if we need something in a hurry.
We finally got temps above zero again. I know we haven't had it nearly as bad as a lot of you, but these old bones just don't like the cold the way they used to! LOL. I hope you all have been able to keep warm through this cold spell. I'm thankful our electric didn't go out or it would have been really bad here. These apts. heat with electric heat pumps and we have no back up heat. We aren't allowed to have kerosene heaters here....so it would have been candles and oil lamps for light and heat, but we would have made it with Gods help!
I have been trying to read some of your blogs to catch up on what you all have been doing. I hope tomorrow I can just take the day to play on here so I can read and respond to the many things I saw while skimming through messages. I'm so glad to have made so many new friends on here, you all have such interesting lives. I just love you all.
I had better get off here now and get some supper started. Tonight is "movie and popcorn" night!! We both love the older movies!
Have a great evening and see you all tomorrow!
Hugs and Blessings,
I was a little nervous at first but it all came back to me like I had been canning all along. I was definitely doing the "Happy Dance" . Kevin looked at me like I had lost my mind or something because I was so happy about canning again. I will be able to can up most of our left overs now instead of freezing them. It will help a bunch because I like to make extra so we have meals ready if we need something in a hurry.
We finally got temps above zero again. I know we haven't had it nearly as bad as a lot of you, but these old bones just don't like the cold the way they used to! LOL. I hope you all have been able to keep warm through this cold spell. I'm thankful our electric didn't go out or it would have been really bad here. These apts. heat with electric heat pumps and we have no back up heat. We aren't allowed to have kerosene heaters here....so it would have been candles and oil lamps for light and heat, but we would have made it with Gods help!
I have been trying to read some of your blogs to catch up on what you all have been doing. I hope tomorrow I can just take the day to play on here so I can read and respond to the many things I saw while skimming through messages. I'm so glad to have made so many new friends on here, you all have such interesting lives. I just love you all.
I had better get off here now and get some supper started. Tonight is "movie and popcorn" night!! We both love the older movies!
Have a great evening and see you all tomorrow!
Hugs and Blessings,
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A Good Day to Can Chili !!
Sorry I haven't been around for a few days. I've got that cold/flu bug that everyone else has and it's really been getting me down. Kevin has it too and hasn't felt a bit good either. I know it's bad when I don't even feel like getting on the computer much!
I made a huge pot of chili yesterday...good comfort food! I made plenty extra and I'm going to can that today. I know I will have at least 4 pints and I'm hoping maybe there is enough to make 8 pints, we'll see. I'll let you know later how it went. It's been a while since I have canned anything. I got the parts I needed for my pressure canner a few days ago and put it together yesterday and tried it out and it seems to be working good. I was so happy, I've really missed being able to can up leftovers! I will take pictures if I can find some batteries that have enough charge left in them for the camera!
It is so cold but the good thing is we didn't get as much snow as they predicted. I heard the snow plow last night around 11PM clearing out the streets of the apartment complex. It is done by a private contractor. I wish we had a wood burning stove I so miss that good warm heat. We are all electric here and have a heat pump which does not put out much heat when it is cold. We have to keep 2 electric heaters going 24/7 to make up for what the heat pump doesn't do. I hate to see what the electric bill will be next month!
I'm hoping after I'm finished canning the chili I can get back on here for a while so I can visit all of your blogs and catch up on what you all have been up to. I've missed sharing the good and bad times with you, my friends.
I had better go for now and get ready to mess up the kitchen for a while.
Take care,
Blessings and Hugs,
Brenda
I made a huge pot of chili yesterday...good comfort food! I made plenty extra and I'm going to can that today. I know I will have at least 4 pints and I'm hoping maybe there is enough to make 8 pints, we'll see. I'll let you know later how it went. It's been a while since I have canned anything. I got the parts I needed for my pressure canner a few days ago and put it together yesterday and tried it out and it seems to be working good. I was so happy, I've really missed being able to can up leftovers! I will take pictures if I can find some batteries that have enough charge left in them for the camera!
It is so cold but the good thing is we didn't get as much snow as they predicted. I heard the snow plow last night around 11PM clearing out the streets of the apartment complex. It is done by a private contractor. I wish we had a wood burning stove I so miss that good warm heat. We are all electric here and have a heat pump which does not put out much heat when it is cold. We have to keep 2 electric heaters going 24/7 to make up for what the heat pump doesn't do. I hate to see what the electric bill will be next month!
I'm hoping after I'm finished canning the chili I can get back on here for a while so I can visit all of your blogs and catch up on what you all have been up to. I've missed sharing the good and bad times with you, my friends.
I had better go for now and get ready to mess up the kitchen for a while.
Take care,
Blessings and Hugs,
Brenda
Friday, January 9, 2009
A Sweet Award from a Sweet Friend
I received this award from Tam at Yakiddy Yak Yak
Thank you so much Tam ! You've been such a sweet and supportive friend!
Hugs and Blessings,
Brenda
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