Here I am, ready to complain...went to the dentist's office today...

and had a tooth pulled.  Credit scores always amaze me!  I lent all my savings to one of my family members and immediately, I broke three teeth...and, even though I'm on disability, I was able to borrow a goodly amount to put on my dental work.  A crown/cap, pulled tooth, new partial with a new tooth.  Yikers! 

**These boys are my oldest son and my third son. Doing one of the things they like to do best... computers and gaming.  We had a visit from Big B's family recently and we went to #1 Son's home.  Don't I LOVE to watch my grandkids faces as they interact and play.
**I am getting ready for a Nov 7th Craft Fair here in my community.  We have advertised outside so, hopefully, I will sell enuf to put a bit in my savings.  Every little bit helps, right?
**I have been suffering the slings and arrows of people who don't know me but feel they have the right to guess who I am.  I guess I am suffering them joyfully or some such because it doesn't bother my head (only my heart whom I am reasoning with).  It is wonderful to become more mature and learn to let people's "stuff" go and just let them be.   I am feeling down and working on that every day. 
**I have been having dreams of the past and they are most uncomfortable.  I wake up in a fog even though I know they are only dreams. 
I have not been blogging because the fibromyalgia/PTSD/Lyme disease has made me very tired and I have had to choose my chores and things I want to get done.  And today I choose to write and unload my mind a bit.  I cooked Luby a La-amb for myself and I LOVE it.  It is made from lamb cut up into small chunks, green beans (a lot!), 2 large onions, and a large can of Italian peeled tomatoes.  You brown the lamb chunks and onions in olive oil and then add the green beans (if you used canned, drain well) and tomatoes and cook for 4 or 5 hours over low heat.  It is best served over brown rice...but my fave is putting it into pita bread pockets.  YUMMMMMM.  I will be making my grandmother's fudge recipe next week for the craft fair.  The hardest part of making the fudge is not eating all of it!!  I have to make signs for my tables...yes I have TWO tables because I have a good bit of crafts PLUS recycling and stuff I will sell.

**I am blessed and thankful for the roof over my head and I never forget that.  I am thankful for two sons who love me.  Someday maybe the other two sons will forgive me whatever slings and arrows I have sent their way and stop wasting their lives blaming me and others for their lives and become friends with me again.  I am thankful for my ability to crochet and knit and greeting card recycling.  I am thankful for friends who read my blog and who support me in my moods and tiredness.  I am thankful for Russ S who has kept me "in computers" and now I have a laptop.  Yay!!  Thank you God for making wonderful people... okay, and thank you for the not so very wonderful people.  Big Smile.  I am VERY thankful for the God/dess who made us all.  I wish everyone could have as clear and straight a relationship with their Higher Power.   I have gotten much from the support and surprises I have gotten from God.  I am thankful for my ability to walk to the mall behind our buildings.  It is nice exercise and nice places to look at stuff....and we have a Dollar store.  Nice addition!!  I am thankful, just so thankful to be together in my brain and head and to be able to see my grandkids...the Frosting on the Cake of Life!!  Smile.
I have so much more I should write for myself but am getting tired.  I think I'll blame the dentist for taking the rest of the day off...tic.

This is a picture of my mom c. 1943.  She was a pretty lady and I miss her.  I want to see her again some day to apologize for what a bratty kid I was and hug her!  I have since fixed the picture but it is on another computer.  This one will do.
I have been so busy getting ready for our upcoming Craft Fair on November 7th that I have not had or taken the time to blog.  I really like to journal my thoughts just for me.
I feel so organized...I already started wrapping Christmas gifts that I have made.  Wow.  I impress even myself. 
I have no money.  sigh.  I am learning to live on a fixed income but not learning quickly enough to have savings for my 3 teeth that need fixing.  And soon I may get Medicaid.  That will be so exciting.  I wonder if they pay for dental... probably not.
I got to spend this past Saturday with my granddaughter, Tegan.  It was nice to see her face.  I enjoy just being around the grandkids and observing them and storing thoughts of them in my memorybank.  I also visited my friend, Pat, from FL.  She is visiting her mother who lives with sister Jean.  All the family was there.  It was so nice.  My friend Eileen enjoyed the visit, too.  Yay.  I love showing off my friends to each other and having them enjoy each other. 
Well.  Again, it's time to start crocheting on a sweater I have almost finished...if Bearli will let me, that is.  He has been attempting to get into the clear plastic boxes that hold yarn and thank goodness, so far, he has not been able to get at the yarn.  He is such a rascal...such a um er ah...cat.  Big Smile.  I love my cats.
Keeping this short.  Someday I plan to add more patterns.  Until then, Blessings on your day.
linda

Spending too much money!

These cuties are made with a new glow-in-the-dark yarn.  They are just the right size to be a security blankie.

I have been thinking about how much money we spend on beauty products and cleaning stuff.  I have discovered that I can get around all that.  For rough elbows and feet (callouses or things like that) (and this works for many ppl, not all) get in the shower with an inexpensive face scrub (I use St. Ives Apricot Scrub) and using a rough washcloth and the scrub, wash your elbows and feet where they are calloused with the washcloth.  If you do this every day or every other day, I find that this roughness goes away.  I also find that gargling with hydrogen peroxide mixed with water works very well on your gums.  I have a friend who gave me two different wrinkle "removers" that cost $74 or more!!!!  What is that???  There has to be a better way.  I buy Aveeno creams and they work so well.  I use one on my face and eyelids that make me look "shiny" and keep my skin soft.  If anyone reads this and has any good ideas in this realm, please let me know.  I have checked out Craftbits.com and they have some great recipes for beauty and cleansing!
Last night was bad dream night.  I am glad I am not a kid anymore and don't wake up crying and screaming (that I am conscious of anyways).  I just get up and go on knowing that they are not real.
Not much else to say today.  I am overwhelmed and have taken on too many projects.  Not something I often do...
Blessings!

10 Uses for Aspirin

Compare this recent picture of myself and the one above.  Are there any vestiges of my babyface in this one??  The haircolor is the same--Natural!!  It gets boring from time to time and I used to dye it.  No more.  Don't have the money, time, nor the wherewithal (love that word).
I am sharing the following list of Ten Brilliant Uses for Aspirin that I got from a magazine.  It is public knowledge so I thought it would be okay.

10 USES FOR ASPIRIN


1. Give a dead car battery a boost: When you turned the key in the ignition & your old but trusty car won't start...you call roadside assistance but they won't be here for awhile, reach for the aspirin bottle in your purse, drop 2 tablets into the faulty battery. The acetylsalicylic acid in the painkiller will react with the battery's sulfuric acid to produce a strong enough charge to start your car!

2. Patch up pinholed walls with ease: When you have tiny pinholes/small nail holes, you can disguise these marks without having to spackle & paint. In a small bowl, crush 3 aspirin tablets into a fine powder, then add two drops of water. Stir until blended. Using a plastic spoon, apply themix to the problem spots & smooth with the back of the spoon. The thick paste will fill in & seal the holes, making them barely noticeable.

3. Lift stubborn sweat stains effortlessly: (underarm, specifically) Place 5 aspirin tablets under running water to soften them, smooth the pills over stained areas. Leave on overnight, rinse with hot water in the morning. The salicylic acid in aspirin loosens the sweat/dirt/antiperspirant residue that causes discoloration.

4. Restore & refresh faded highlights: Try this at-home fix: Mash one aspirin tablet & add it to a bottle of shampoo, then wash hair as usual. The salicylic acid in aspirin will dissolve the chlorine buildup, restoring your hair's shine in a single wash. (Worth a try!!)

5. Soothe a scratchy throat fast: To help ease discomfort, dissolve one aspirin tablet

in glass of water. Gargle with solution for 10 to 15 seconds, then swallow. Repeat following day, if needed. The acetylsalicylic acid in the pill will penetrate inflamed throat tissue & quickly numb the pain & reduce swelling.

6. Eliminate bug-bite itch--STAT: To soothe the itch, moisten the affected area of your skin, then rub an aspirin tablet over the bumps. The pill's anti-inflammatory agents will seep into the sores, reducing swelling & discomfort! This really works, I tried it!!!!!

7. Minimize pores in just minutes: To get rid of a pimple, crush an aspirin tablet in dish, add enough water to form paste. Apply mix to blemish & leave on overnight. Aspirin restricts the production of prostaglandins (unsaturated fatty acids secreted by cells that cause inflammation) while easing irritation.

8. Soften callused heels in a pinch: Mix 1 Tbs. lemon juice with 5 crushed aspirin tablets. Apply the blend to your calluses & cover with a plastic bag. Leave on for 10 minutes, then remove & rinse with warm water. The combination of the acids in both lemon juice & aspirin will exfoliate the rough layer of dead skin cells.

9. Double the life of flowers: Drop two aspirin tablets in water-filled vase before adding * the freshly cut blooms. The H20 is breeding ground for bacteria, which causes the flowers * to wilt. Aspirin decreases the pH level of the liquid, which makes it inhospitable to ** bacteria.

10. Wipe away pesky rust marks: To remove rust marks on bathroom or kitchen countertops, wet the area, then smash an aspirin tablet & sprinkle it on the mark. Let sit for 10 minutes before rubbing with a damp sponge. The acidic components in the pain reliever will loosen the iron oxide particles, while the abrsive quality of the powder will help remove any stuck-on grit. (Hm. I wonder what else this would work on.)
 
Enjoy your day and I hope this helps just one person and I will be happy!  Linda

Wednesday and still Cold-City!!

I have a cold and I sound like a guy on the phone.  It has been a long time that I have been ill.  Do you think I should take myself to the doctor's?  "Yep," says Linda, stupidly. 

These smiling faces are my son, Tim, and his wife, Julie.  They are good together! 

I am still trying to make time to knit and crochet for our upcoming Craft Fair, however, I keep getting caught up in patterns online.  I collect patterns and love sitting down to look through them for what I want to make next!!  I love new techniques.  I have been crocheting for over 55 years and I still find new techniques.  It is amazing to me. 

I will keep this short because I don't have much to say today.  I had nightmares last night and that is overriding anything I might add that is good.  In my nightmares I am always looking for something and I am always without clothes in some way and trying to save people.  What a mix-up that is, huh?  Nuffathat.
Have a most wonderful Wednesday.  I pray to Norma to watch over Julie and help her to work her way through what she is experiencing.  Norma, are you listening?  Smile.  I am thankful for small things:  toilet tissue, water, (or is that big thing???), and my computer that allows me to search and learn.

This Cat Sweater is the first sweater I knit that included working with colors. It was frustrating for me & very satisfying because I did indeed finish it!!

The pastel colored thingy is a baby "cocoon" that I crocheted using heavy soft yarn. It came out well, if small. It could be used for a preemie or a doll. It was just an experiment that I didn't write down. I think it would be great for a little one coming home from the hospital. It also has a hat to match. Soft, soft, soft!

Yikers!! Still bleah. This chest cold has moved up to my sinuses. Never had that happen before. I am allowing myself the time to read, rest, and blog.

I am still crocheting a hexagon sweater with a pattern that I got on http://www.ravelry.com/. My granddaughter is a size 14 girls and I am adapting that pattern and also using double yarn so that it will be warm. See how that goes. I am knitting a pair of slippers to felt for my friend, Melinda. I can't wait to see how they turn out! I use a little "wonder" washer pail-type washing "machine" to felt things. The apartment washers do not open once they start and all my felted things would be minute and sized for Barbie and Ken. Smile.

I have to say again and again that I am very Thankful for everything I have and everything I don't have. I have learned over time that things don't matter truly. I have de-stuffed many times and am just about finished de-stuffing. I still have too much. Hm. I am Thankful for my abilities: to handle the pain and physical stress I have from my illnesses; to be in touch with my sons and know where they are; to have friends here who help me; to be with no car now so that I will learn to be simpler and spend less money!; I am thankful for all that God has given me and I think about it every day!! Every day that I am able to overcome my Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (disease? disorder? whatever) reactions, I am thankful. I am very thankful for my counselor who is a Spirit Guided Person and is very resourceful and very nice. I am thankful for Friend Eileen who brought me chicken soup while I was sick!!

Nightmares and Fibromyalgia and PTSD

These are two floorcloths that I designed and painted. The first one was easy (done with lots of painter's tape for the lines), the second one is mostly freehand and I am not an artist but I love the results!! I had a craft room then.....

It has been a most horrible past two weeks. I guess Fibromites call it a "flare up." I don't know what it is but I have been living two lives: one in the day with trying to set up the RIDE program for doc's appts. and getting a Bus Pass to replace the sold car (couldn't afford the car insurance on disability--oh, well); and the other life is at night. After I go to sleep, I have nightmares on and on and on. When I was younger, I would wake up sweating, crying, and have to call someone to help "ground me." But now I just wake up, read a book, hold Bearli or Regan and brush them, or get on the computer knowing that I will not be able to sleep again. And I am ALWAYS and FOREVER tired. I get so tired I could fall down and I can't lay down because it hurts so I wait until night time and do my "Getting Ready to Sleep" campaign. I read a book for awhile, Drink some hot Ovaltine (yum. My favorite drink of all besides to-go stuff), make word and variety puzzles, and then play my handheld FreeCell Game (which has been WELL worth its value!!). And then I just hope sleep comes. I do have trazodone and sometimes use Tylenol PM, however, I hate doing that. Trazodone has a little "hangover" and I feel driftier than normal after I take it. Tylenol PM does help the pain and works occasionally.

So. Here I am, tired, wound up, and grouchy today and it was my day for an appt for a mammogram. I didn't anticipate it and am not afraid of them so things should have gone fine. However, I had the mammogram done and felt totally disoriented in my head and I had to sit down to focus. Then later I had weird pains hither and yon on my body. Bleah. The doctor once told me because of the arthritis (duo kinds) in the back of my neck/spine that I sometimes will have parasympathetic pain. And I think that is what happened. Don't know for sure but it was weird. I must have looked green because ppl kept asking me if I was alright. I told them I am fine. I was NOT about to go to the emergency room just because of a little "green tinged" skin. Hm. What do you think I am?? OLD???? Decrepit?? I am 62 and don't look a DAY over 61. So there.

We have been having sing-alongs downstaires in the community room two afternoons a week. It has been so much fun. Every once in awhile I let loose and act up. I love it. I remember so many of the songs. My hearing impairment doesn't do for me to learn new songs, however, my brain is ALL SET with the oldies and soft rock and 1940's, etc. Yeah!!!

I have been knitting and crocheting up a storm for the craft sale here that will be held Nov 7th. I also am still working on Christmas gifts. I want so much to make most of everything I give but that doesn't seem to be the case this year. I started off with a bang and then went steadily downhill. I got three out of six grandkids done. Not bad, I guess. Two of the grandkids I didn't finish I think is because they don't "appreciate" home made things and I kind of got logged down with that thought.

Please have a most blessed week. I love my sons and their families and want the best for them. I would love to hold them in the palm of my hand forever but that is not the way of life. I want to win the Lottery and give them each money for schooling, a house, new car, trust funds for their children, etc. etc. etc. Again, that is not life. But I can still fantasize, can't I???? Smile.