CONGRATS TO ME! and How a Computer Does NOT Quilt My Tops

Hey, hey, hey!

Did you notice???

I have reached a total of

ONE HUNDRED

followers of my blog.

Now, I realize the Pioneer Woman probably has 100,000 followers
and
Gertie has nearly 8,000 followers
but this is ME!  Nobody from nowhere talking about everything and anything.

I just think it is so cool that even ONE person would "follow" me.  It makes me feel good, so THANK YOU if you are a follower of my blog.

And today's exciting topic is Jackie's first quilt.

For those of you who somehow missed it, Jackie is my Golden-Doodle Puppy that I got after Christmas from my daughter and son-in-law.  I MUST have a picture.  Hold on..............  No pics in this computer, but here is a short video.  This baby is probably 10 pounds heavier after staying with my daughter for two weeks.  Can't wait to see her tomorrow!

This quilt top was found on the top shelf in a walk-in closet in my Mother-in-Law's house when I was cleaning it out to prepare it for sale.  It STILL hasn't sold!  Anyway, I found several quilts.  There were two bow-tie quilts, and I decided to keep them and quilt them.  I wish I knew FOR SURE the story behind them, but I don't.

Anyway, I put the quilt on the table several weeks ago -- maybe months ago.  Decided to quilt it while I am here with Jerry waiting for his next Chemo treatment.  Here is a video that 'splains it.  I say at the beginning,
"I am making this QUILT...."
I meant to say
"I am making this VIDEO..."

I KNOW!  The video just suddenly stops.

I was, after all, UNDERNEATH the table on my knees with batting hanging in my face!  I felt lucky to get this much!

And today I made another video for my family, friends and my employee, Tim (who will never see it, so what's the point), that think my quilts at the store were quilted by a COMPUTER.  You can MEET the quilting computer in this video.  It's name is "Joy"!  (-:

Jerry and I leave in the morning to head back to Oklahoma City for Chemo next Wednesday.  We are leaving now because Phylly and I are going to have a Play Day on Saturday.

PLUS, I want my puppy back while she still resembles a puppy and not a giant black bear!

Hugs, Joy

A Sunday VLOG

I have been in SUCH A GREAT MOOD all day today as I have watched Jerry FEEL GOOD!

I just watch him around corners -- out in the yard -- out my upstairs window that views his barn and all of his "toys" -- while he is working on his computer -- just all the time.  He doesn't know it, of course, except for all the times I run over to kiss him and give him a hug.

I kid you not!  I felt like twirling around and around and just laughing out loud!

I didn't though.

Instead, I made this video for you.  It is 8 minutes long.  Hope it works for you.

Just finished watching Downton Abby with Jerry.  He hasn't gone to sleep even for one second.  Before we knew he was sick, he fell asleep every night once the TV was turned on.  I must rush back into the TV room to my recliner that sits so close to his that they touch each other.  I will rock, as I always do -- recliner or not -- and I will thank God for this WONDERFUL day!

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes.  God is confirming his Word!

And a special HELLO to Debbie!  I love your comments and hope to see many more of them.  Welcome aboard.  I will be sewing a lot more in the near future.  You may find some tips in the Tutorials section over there on the right side.

Hugs, Joy

His Mercies are NEW -- EVERY Morning!

That scripture from Lamentations popped into my mind as I was drinking my first cup of coffee this beautiful Saturday morning in southern Oklahoma.

Lamentations 3:22-23

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

What an AWESOME God we serve.  If we repent - which I do daily - He doesn't hold yesterday against us, or the day before, or the day before that.  We have a BRAND NEW DAY to get it right.  To do someone a favor.  To lend someone a hand.  To smile and to listen and to care.  To forgive someone!  

For me, of course, it will be Jerry since nobody else is here today.  And Jerry doesn't really count because it gives me great pleasure to love on him every chance I get.  He is doing so good!  This is the 11th day.  This is the period of chemo that is suppose to be the worst.  He mentioned a few minutes ago that his fingertips were numb.  Other than that, he feels good.  He sleeps soundly all night long.  He is eating.  Food tastes good.  He smiles and laughs and plays with the cats.  He walked all around the huge back yard yesterday with me and the fence guy, Jason, and held the measuring tape.  It was VERY cold, and he didn't even have a hat on his handsome bald head.  

I just thank God with every fiber of my being that Jerry will completely recover from this minor blow.

Honestly, we haven't mentioned Jerry's condition to a SINGLE person that we haven't heard of a family member or friend with something a lot worse than Jerry is dealing with.  One friend has a brother who has a son and grandson -- and they ALL have some kind of spiderweb brain cancer.  Two are dead.  

The fence man, Jason, who we just met yesterday has a friend who had cancer in his lower intestine, and now it is all through his body.

Another girl told us of her sister who has breast cancer.  She has had radiation and chemo SEVERAL times, and the cancer is still there.

I pray these people all know my Jesus.  His name is GREATER than whatever name a cancer has.  God said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."  Hosea 4:6   It is so true. 

Did you know THIS scripture is in the Bible, and Jesus is the one who said it:

John 14:12, KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

KNOWLEDGE is everything!  The Bible says that the Word is ALIVE and FULL OF POWER.  Problem is -- and how very sad -- that it does NO GOOD at all if we don't KNOW it and SPEAK it.

I am very blessed indeed that my Daddy knew the Bible and taught it to me.  My Mother also.

My heart's desire is that America somehow comes back to God, and once again, our children will be taught about their Creator and His Son who died for them.  

I better get my MERCIFUL NEW MORNING started!  Have a great one yourself! 

Hugs,

Joy

Thursday Already? and Jerry Update

My goodness!  Going to work every day sure makes the days fly by.

I am enjoying going into the store, and the new girl AND the old girls are all working out.  Praise the Lord!

I gave them my usual "Joy Speech" about what I expect of an employee, and what I will not tolerate.  They had a very good reaction to it.  In the past, some have just walked out.  Some have told me I need a Psychiatrist.  One pointed at me and said, "You are NOT going to tell ME what to do!"  Then she walked out.  I was prepared for some of that this time, but it didn't happen.  I am so very thankful for that!

Jerry is here with me after being delivered on Tuesday by our new Oklahoma City employee.  I keep making him food, and he keeps eating it and asking for seconds.  He has gained about 7 pounds back.  The food tastes like it should right now -- instead of like metal -- and that certainly helps.  He has a great attitude, and he has taken my advice TWICE in one week!  How awesome is that?

The first time had to do with the way I wanted to put up an "invisible" fence for Jackie and her someday partner.

The second was when I asked him if he was drinking all the water he is supposed to drink every day.  He is supposed to drink 1 to 2 quarts a day.  He said he was TRYING.  I said, "If I knew I had to drink a certain number of glasses of water a day, I would line up however many glasses/bottles of water that was on the counter top every morning, and I would be sure they were all empty before I went to bed at night.

I came home from work today, and guess what I saw?  Four 16-oz  bottles of water lined up in a row on the counter top.  Three were empty, and one had not been opened yet.  LOVE IT!

Our daughter, Jeree, called yesterday, and Jerry had a long conversation with her.  He really enjoyed it, and I just love it when she calls him.  With Jerry being home so much now, she is able to reach him with one call.  They used to play phone tag so much, they would both give up.  Jerry just mentioned again yesterday -- as he often does these days -- how wonderful it is that our family is so close again.

Tammy, of course, is always sending something -- bringing something -- calling one or both of us -- and taking care of our puppy, Jackie.

Her husband just had surgery on his rotator cuff (?) and has his arm strapped to his body for two months.  She is taking care of him too.

She is WONDER NURSE for sure!

Did I tell you that our puppy, Jackie, got Parvo and almost died.  Tammy, personally, administered the drugs to Jackie and nursed her back to health or we wouldn't even have her.






A man is coming here tomorrow to talk to us about a fence.  I want a huge fenced in area.  I hope it doesn't cost a fortune.  We have 11 acres here that borders Corp land on two sides, so the land goes on and on and on past what we own.  There are lots of wild animals out there that eat people's pets.  There are coyotes, wild dogs, owls, bobcats and other critters.  Owls?  Yeah!  A neighbor told us an owl ate one of our cats!  He said he saw two owls in the road in front of his house, and they were as tall as his knees!  That is why we have to have BIG dogs.  We will keep them in at night.

I have an almost-done new blouse that is just like the last one only different fabric with a few adjustments.  It looks really good on Lucy.  If I'm not careful, I'm going to gain 7 pounds myself while I'm trying to fatten Jerry up!  I REALLY don't want that because I don't want to have to make bigger clothes.  Speaking of that, I better go upstairs and exercise.

All is well!  Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers and nice comments.

Hugs, Joy

Advice Needed FAST!

You do know my husband hired the man, right?  The ATP guy that is supposed to replace Jerry -- as though anyone could do that -- but at least, insofar as the ATP work Jerry isn't able to do.  It requires that he go directly to each patient's home and measure the home -- measure the patient -- decide exactly what kind of wheelchair is needed -- order all the parts to build the wheelchair -- prepare a thousand sheets of paper for Medicare/Medicaid so it will get paid for -- and then give them all to Phylly for billing.

I told you a few days ago how I argued and argued and begged him NOT to do this, but I finally gave up and decided it was better to let him do it than for us to fight constantly over it.  Jerry feels really good right now, and seems to have completely forgotten what weeks two and three are like after chemo.

I figured out how to get Jerry down here tomorrow by having the new guy DELIVER him here.  Jerry decided to give the new guy HIS van rather than pay the guy mileage for using his own vehicle.

Actually, I suggested it, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

WHY wasn't someone there to put some tape over my mouth!?

Jerry just called me a little bit ago.  He wanted to ask me something.  You will never, ever dream WHAT he asked me!

"Joy, you don't mind, do you, if I give Ron a garage door opener to our house so he can park the van in our garage after work every day?"

I'm NOT kidding!  He wants the guy to drive to our house every morning, park his car in our driveway, open the garage door and get Jerry's former van out of our garage and drive it to our store.  Then he is suppose to drive BACK to our house at night -- park the van in our garage -- get in his own car and drive home to his house.

We have three other vans at our store.  Whey don't we park all of them at our house too?

The thing is, our vans have been vandalized a dozen times in the parking lot of our store at night.  Jerry built an enclosure on the back of our building, but only two of the vans will fit in it at night.  One van -- the oldest -- is still parked outside all night.  We have had the gasoline stolen, the copper something-or-other stolen, all of the tools inside the van stolen and a computer stolen and windows smashed each time.  One of our trailers was stolen out of the parking lot in broad daylight while we were inside working.

Sooooooooo, that is why Jerry doesn't want his little van parked there at night.  It is a Transit Connect (weird name) like in the picture below, only his is white.

Our home is in a nice neighborhood, and it is against the neighborhood rules to have vehicles parked in the street for long periods of time, and certainly not all day every day.  It would be reported by unhappy neighbors, and I wouldn't blame them.  That means the new guy would have to park his vehicle IN OUR DRIVEWAY.  Jerry's Mother's Ford Windstar Van is already parked in our driveway.  Jerry will have his truck there (the one he used to drive) and I will have my car there.  It would be constant juggling of vehicles.  And there is no way I'm giving the guy who I've known for one hour a garage door opener to my house!

Jerry was not at all happy with my answer to his question.  I finally agreed to let him park in our driveway -- NOT in the garage -- for two weeks until we get back up there.  Then he is going to have to park at our store.  Maybe we can install an alarm in the van or tie a wild dog to it each night.  WHAT A DILEMMA.  The guy just started today, and it is already causing problems.  He lives in Guthrie which means he will have to drive about 40 miles -- maybe more -- from his house to our store, and Jerry doesn't want to pay for him to drive from his house to our house or to the store which we would have to do if he had our van at his house.  Hope that makes sense.

It is a real shame that such bad people roam the streets after dark.  Jerry's little van was actually broken into right in our driveway at Christmas time a year ago.  I had left a laptop in it, and that is what was stolen.

If any of you have a suggestion as to how to solve this latest catastrophe in my life, PLEASE let me know it!  Anyone have a garage for rent???

Hugs, Joy

Hello on Sunday and Old Boyfriend

Church was so good this morning, as always.  Matthew Hagee preached about PRODUCING FRUIT.  He talked about READING the Word so we, as Christians, will be able to SPEAK the Word like Jesus did after the 40-day fast when Satan tempted him to turn stones into bread.  www.getv.org if anyone would like to hear it.

After church, I started cutting out another Silhouette #550 blouse.  After this one, I am going to use my Sure-fit Designs kit to draw my own pattern.  The only reason I haven't already done that, is I don't know how to figure out how to get the SLIGHT drape at the top.  I'm sure Glenda could tell me, but I hate to bother her.  She is busier than a one-armed paper hanger as it is!  I suppose the simple answer is to compare it to Peggy's pattern.

I sewed the darts in the back of the blouse, and then I went downstairs (my sewing room is upstairs in the former attic) to hang something in my closet.  While I was in the closet, I noticed my black tennis shoes were on the floor.  I thought I should put them up on the shelf where they go.  When I stepped up on the stool to put the tennis shoes on the high shelf, I discovered ANOTHER pair of black tennis shoes on the high shelf.  That meant the second pair came from the other house, so down they came.

Now, you know how these things work.

I was up there on the stool to put the shoes up on the shelf when I noticed the shampoo bottles on the other side of the closet, and I remembered that the pumper stem in the bottle of shampoo in the shower had been removed, and I had to turn the bottle upside down and beat the heck out of it to get any shampoo.  I moved the stool over to where the shampoo bottles were and stepped up onto it.  Our shampoo bottles are very large because I buy the biggest ones available with pumpers in them.  I grabbed the large purple bottle and LOW AND BEHOLD, hiding right behind it was the small wooden jewelry box an old boyfriend had given me when I was about 23 years old.  Actually, he wasn't a boy -- he was a man -- but you don't say "manfriend", do you???

My very first job was right after High School.  I was just 18 years old.  My Mother drove me to General Electric and told me to go in and apply.  I did.  I was absolutely terrified of the strange place and the strange people, but I was more terrified of my Mother if I didn't do what she told me.  I guess I impressed them because they hired me.  I had really good typing and shorthand skills because my Mother insisted that I learn to be a Secretary so I could always get a job.  She was absolutely right about that!

My job was being a Secretary to about 9 men who sat at 3-desk rows in a large room.  On the side of the large room was the office of the boss.  My desk was right outside his office and still in the big room with the 9 men.  I did ALL of the typing for the 9 men and their boss.  I had the latest, greatest Selectric typewriter that I absolutely could fly on at about 140 WPM.

The guys used to stand by my desk and watch me type.  I had to type with carbon paper for copies in those days.  I hated that, but then there came the wonderful invention of Liquid Paper.  Remember that?

ANYWAY, in another office somewhere in the gigantic building was a man named Dale Bennett.  I had to go into the room where he and a bunch of other people worked a lot during the day.  No fax machines then.  If something had to go to another office, it went by "leg express" -- my legs!  I had no trouble staying thin in those days.  The Secretary in the office where Dale worked was named "Carol".  She and I had become friends after she invited me to her house for some reason.  She was GORGEOUS.  Thick blonde hair cut just below her shoulders.  She did modeling for extra money.  That is how pretty she was.  I did not hold a candle to her in the pretty department.  She was taller and more filled out in all the right places.

So here's the deal.  Carol liked Dale, but Dale liked me.  I didn't care a thing about Dale other than that he was a very nice newly-divorced man with two children, and I always stopped to ask how he was doing.  Carol and I were both divorced too.  At first, I didn't KNOW Carol liked him.  He kept asking me out every time I went into his area.  Finally, I agreed to go out with him.  We dated for several months, and he showed signs of really liking me, but I wasn't interested.  I SHOULD have been, but I wasn't.  I was probably more interested in some creep from the factory in the back of the building.  One, whose name was Ron, was a real piece of work.  I'll have to tell you about him sometime.  WHY did I like him and not Dale?
Dale and I dated for several months.  He drove me out to my parent's home one time and we swam in the lake and had dinner, and it was all very nice.  Still, I just wasn't falling, and he was.  I finally told him I was trying to get back with my first husband -- or something -- and I quit dating him.

THEN entered Carol.  She scooped him up like an injured puppy.  She was CRAZY about him!  While they were dating, he still would call me and we would talk.  Oh, yeah!  I remember now.  Isn't it funny how things come back to you.

I WAS trying to get back with Phillip.  He had started calling and coming around with all the I LOVE YOU and I'M SORRY and I DON'T USE DRUGS ANYMORE crap.  Even though we were divorced for years, I allowed him to move back into our little rent house.  I SHOULD have known better, but I was just so naive in those years.  I came home one evening after work to find Phillip convulsing in our bed.  His skin was bright red and he was sick as a dog.  He was shaking and gasping for breath.  I -- being a major "fix it now" type -- asked him what on earth happened.  This is what he told me:

"I went to Sonic and got a hamburger and then I got really sick."

I go into major "Joy-Mode" and grab the phone.  I tell him I'm going to call the Health Department and the Police and Sonic Headquarters and I'm going to get an attorney and sue Sonic.  Then I tell him we should get to a hospital.  Now, Phillip KNEW that I would actually do all of those things just like I said.  He decided he better confess before all Hell broke lose.

"It wasn't a hamburger, Joy.  I got some bad "stuff"."

The "stuff" was why we were divorced in the first place.  As far as I knew, all he ever did was use marijuana, but he was way past that.  I was real, real ignorant about what he really did when I wasn't home.

After he told me WHY he was really so sick, I went into hysterics.  I started throwing things at him and telling him he was a horrible liar and I hoped he died, and I wanted him out of the house if he had to crawl to leave it.

For some reason, I didn't have a car.  Someone from work must have brought me home.  My car was broken down more than it was fixed in those days.  I called for rescue.  GUESS WHO I CALLED?

Yep, my friend, Carol.

Carol came over and picked me up and took me to her house.  Guess who was there at her house?

Yep, Dale.

It was dinner time, and Dale was cooking steaks on the grill.  I told them I better leave since they were eating.  Dale came and grabbed me at the door and begged me to stay for dinner.

Carol said, "Dale!  We only have TWO steaks!  There isn't enough!"

Dale said, "I will give her MY steak!"

Carol was glaring daggers at me and asked me if she could talk to me in the bedroom.  I went back to the bedroom with her.  She said, "You have to leave, Joy."

I didn't have a car, so I had no way to leave.

Dale to the rescue:  "I will take you home, Joy!"

Carol flew to get her car keys out of her purse.  She came back and put them in my hand and told me I had to leave.  I left in HER car.  I don't remember what happened after that other than she and Dale eventually did get married and I haven't seen either one of them since.

Back to the jewelry box I found this morning.  It was from Dale.  I picked it up from the high shelf and brought it down to examine.  I always loved it.  It is a shame I couldn't love him.  I'm sure God knew the amazingly wonderful Jerry B. was in my future.

I wiped all the dust off of it, and I opened it up.

WOW!!!  I had totally forgotten all of the pieces inside.  Some of them are really nice.

A lot of rings.  I don't wear rings now because I think my hands are the oldest-looking part of my body, and I don't like to draw attention to them.  Plus, most of the rings don't fit me anymore.

The large purple stone is a real amethyst set in 14K gold.  The pearl and diamond are also in 14K gold.  The little pinky ring is real too.  The ring under the amethyst is a real ruby and diamonds Jerry gave me for Christmas one year.  HOW COULD I FORGET these???

One of these bracelets is CZ's in gold, and the other is cheap and chipping.

There is a 14K gold chain with several pendants I wore on that chain.  One end of the clasp broke off and it has to be welded -- I guess -- because I sure can't fix it.  I always loved the typewriter charm.  I can definitely use my jewelry making skills and use the pendants again.

This pinky ring is gold, and it still fits perfectly.

I am wearing it now.

I've got to go.

It is suddenly time for lunch.








I miss my puppy, and I miss my husband.

Someday soon, we will all be together, and we shall have a loooooong group hug!

I hope Carol and Dale are still happily married.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Hugs, Joy

RTW 2014 Fast - Garment #2 and Jerry Delivery

For my readers that may not know, I have joined the 2014 RTW (Ready To Wear) Fast being run by Sarah of Goodbye Valentino.  You remember the gorgeous blue dress?

Well, I am up to Garment #2 which isn't too bad considering all that is happening in my life at the moment, and it is still January.

My first garment was Louise Cutting's Relax-A-Little long skirt pattern.  I put a lining in it and it is just wonderful to wear.  I washed and dried it today, and when I pulled it out of the dryer, it didn't even need pressing.  WHY OH WHY don't I make a note of what fabric I use for my garments.  I would buy a boat load of it.

Then I had to buy black boots to go with it.

I had the boots on today for quite awhile for picture-taking, and I am not sure I am going to keep them.  I found a flaw in them, and to keep all of you from getting together and forming a committee to have me committed, I'm not going to tell you what it is.  (-;

Garment #2 is a Silhouette Pattern by Peggy Sagers.

Now, I really love Peggy, and I think she is the most generous person.  However, her patterns drive me crazy!  She is so knowledgeable about all things having to do with pattern making and sewing that I don't think she realizes how confusing her patterns are.

Let me see if I can get a picture of the pattern envelope for you...  Here it is.

Now, tell me the truth.  Do you see any buttons or blousing in those sleeves?  Nope?  Me either.

Here is the BACK of the envelope:

Do you see any buttons, anywhere???  Do you see folds or buttonholes anywhere???

I did JUST NOW notice that it calls for two 5/8" buttons.  It sure doesn't tell you where they go though.

It turns out the sleeves are VERY WIDE and you have to put a fold in them -- add a buttonhole into the fold -- put a button on the other side -- and button the hem edge of the sleeve.  Here is what they REALLY look like at the wrist.

I actually LIKE the sleeves because they aren't the same as all my others, but I think they should be shown on the envelope.  Don't you???

And here I am in the finished blouse.  I tried it WITH a belt:

And I tried it without a belt:

And the back.

This is too big in the top as you can see.  I could put my arm in the armhole twice!  I have redrawn the pattern with a higher back, forward shoulder seams, shoulder slope adjustment and a smaller sleeve.  Maybe I'll get it done tomorrow.

And I'm sure you are sick of this blouse by now,
so I'll tell you about Jerry.

I MISS HIM!!!  I have figured out a way to get him down here with me.  I called and told him about it, and he agreed it was a good idea.  He has hired the NEW GUY that I didn't want him to hire because he is the only one who can train him.  I decided it was worse for me to fight the issue and upset us both -- although I did give it a try -- so I finally agreed he should do what he thought was best.

He wants to work -- of course -- but I don't want him anywhere there may be a germ.  He got so sick a few weeks ago after he went to the store and picked up the flu/cold germs from all the keyboards he worked on there.  Several of our employees have been sick or are sick.  I just want to protect him.  He has SO MUCH to deal with as it is.

Anyway, Jerry is giving the new guy his delivery van to drive.  That means Jerry won't have a vehicle up there.  His pick-up is down here along with our two cars.  Since the new guy is going to be working at BOTH of our locations, I suggested he have the new guy DELIVER Jerry down here to me.  Brilliant, huh???  Jerry has a nice, private office here.  It will be germ-free once I get through spraying it down with Lysol.  Jerry can train the guy here.  Then the guy can go back home, and Jerry can come home with me and I can hug him to pieces and keep him safe.

Wish he could deliver Jackie to me too.

I better get to bed.  It's about that time.

Hugs, Joy

Chewing Metal -- YUK!

My poor hubby!  I have talked to him several times today.  I ask him constantly if he is eating because I know he tends to just forget to eat if I'm not there orchestrating meals.  He went yesterday to the grocery store by himself after I had to make an emergency exit out of town, and he bought a lot of TV dinners.  You may remember from previous posts that when he goes shopping for groceries, he ALWAYS buys frozen shrimp, cocktail sauce and corn on the cob.

He told me that even the corn on the cob he ate for lunch today tasted like he was chewing metal.

That must be awful!

I reminded him that we had plastic silverware which was suggested at Chemo Class, but he insists it is NOT the silverware.

I suggested he put a straw in the protein drinks he has and put the straw in the back of his mouth and suck the liquid directly into his throat.

He guffawed like I must have surely lost my last marble.

Really!

I do that with my liquid calcium that tastes like chalk with blueberries smashed into it.  I try to get it past all my taste buds.

He didn't think he could possibly do that.  He HAS to do something.  If he loses any more weight, we will have to start buying new clothes and underwear.  I've thought about trying double-sided tape under the waistband of his briefs!

I worked all day at our store doing things that only I can do.  I can't really elaborate, but I am hoping that I won't have to be here over two weeks.  My store manager has been in terrible pain for months and months.  She has gone to the doctor and to physical therapy and now to a Chiropractor.  She will know Monday what the Chiropractor thinks is causing all the pain.  All of us feel so sorry for her.  She is a real trouper though.  She is ALWAYS at work.  She is even working tomorrow morning.  She just endures the pain shooting down her leg.  I love working with her because she is so good to me even when I'm at my grouchiest, not that I was grouchy today.  I was sad all day today, but I didn't tell anyone why.

I sure do miss my puppy.  I found out two of my employees have new doggies.  I was telling one that my doggy sells for $600.  She said hers was $800!  Goodness!  Both of them have those little tiny dogs that you can hold in one hand.  My puppy could sit on both of their puppies at the same time and completely hide them.  When Jackie is full grown, I'm sure she could hide them both under one paw!

I brought work home with me to do here tomorrow.  Hopefully, it won't take too long, and I can finish the blouse I started weeks ago and show it to you.

Have a REALLY nice weekend!  I wish I was with Jerry, but he is probably glad to have a break from me.  I must ask him 20 times a day if he is hungry and wants something to eat.  Only 4 more Chemo treatments to go!  This is one time in my life I wish time really would FLY!

Hugs, Joy

Update on Jerry

I hesitate to start this post tonight because I am so hurt and upset about something.  I'm going to TRY to not go into overload and blast you with it.

Chemo day was yesterday.  I should have KNOWN from the beginning that it was NOT going to be a good day.  I had let Jackie -- our 11-week old puppy -- out into the garage the night before to visit with the cats.  I don't know WHY I did that as the cats look at her as though she is an alien from the great beyond.  They hiss and wave a paw, and then they both run and hide under the cars.  In just a few minutes, I opened the laundry room door and she came running back into the house.  The cats were nowhere in sight!

Now it is yesterday morning, and Jerry and I have to be at the hospital at 8:45 for his lab work.  As often happens with me when I know I have an appointment in the morning, I didn't sleep much at all Tuesday night.  I saw 2 AM and 3 AM and 4 AM go buy on the clock next to my bed.  I got up a few times.  I turned my pillow over and around and puffed it up a dozen times.  Just could NOT get to sleep.  Jerry was sleeping soundly next to me except for all the times I woke him up pounding on my pillow.

My alarm went off at 6:30, and I got out of bed feeling like someone must have poked me with a pin during the night and drained every ounce of energy out of me.  I went out to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and landed in my glider to sip it.  Jerry had already been up for an hour and had done payroll.  He KNEW I hadn't slept and was super sleepy.  He suggested that instead of my staying with him for five hours at Chemo, that he just take himself.  NO WAY!  I wasn't about to do that.  I did suggest that maybe I could just drop him off -- come back home and take a quick nap -- and then pick him up after Chemo.  He said that was fine.  So that was the plan.

Before I went back to my bedroom to get dressed, I had to go get something out of my car in the garage.  When I walked out into the garage I smelled something NASTY.  I looked around to see if the cats had died during the night or something, and then I saw it.  Jackie had pooped in THREE different places on the garage floor.  AARRGGHH!!!  I decided to leave it until it was dry, and then clean it up.  I went back in and got ready to go.

It is 8:00 AM and we are leaving to go to Braum's to have a quick breakfast and then go to the hospital.  Just before I turned the doorknob to enter the garage, I said to Jerry: "WATCH WHERE YOU WALK.  THERE IS POOP ALL OVER THE GARAGE!"

Jerry goes ahead of me to get in the passenger side and guess what?????

He steps in the poop! Yep.  He has his brand new Christmas shoes on, and the heel of one is now covered with smashed poop!  I growl something and run to grab some paper towels and a wet wipe for him to clean his shoe off.  We finally get in the car and head to Braum's.  I order a bacon/egg biscuit and he ordered a Big Country Breakfast.  We sit down across each other in a booth to eat.  I take my biscuit all apart -- as I always do -- and put the bacon in one place, the biscuit flat on its bottoms side by side, and the egg in another place.  I salt and pepper the egg.  I put butter and jam on the two biscuit halves.  I pick up a fork and I start eating.

As I'm eating, I stare at Jerry.  As I am staring at Jerry, I notice that he has the WRONG shirt on.  He is supposed to wear a button-up the front shirt so the nurses can unbutton it to get to his port.  I tell Jerry.  He says we have to go home so he can change.  I tell him we will be late.  He says we have to go anyway.  I toss the rest of my breakfast and so does he, and we head back home -- just five minutes away.  I tell him I will run in and grab the shirt and he can change at the hospital.  I came out with the shirt, and he started peeling off the two shirts he already had on and put on the new shirt.  I was not happy driving without his seat belt on him, but I did.  He finally got the shirt buttoned up -- the seat belt on -- and we got to the hospital where I dropped him off at 8:49 AM.  Already late.

Jerry went up to the third floor and checked in.  He sat and sat and sat.  He noticed lots of people coming in after him and then being sent to the lab where he was supposed to go.  If I had been there, I would have said something immediately.  Jerry isn't me -- thank God -- and he just waited.  After a while he finally went up to the window to discover that they had FORGOTTEN to tell the lab he was there.  That made him late for Chemo which is on the fourth floor, but he finally got there too.

MEANWHILE, back at the ranch, I wasn't at the ranch.  I got the idea to go to PetSmart to get some things for Jacque.  I was just going to run in and run back out, but I got mesmerized by all the doggie things they had.  I also went into the grooming salon and talked with the two people in there who had no animals to work on.  One was a very nice young man who came out of the salon and lead me all over the store from item to item that I asked about.  When I checked out, the nice young man handed me a package of Puppy Coupons and told me that I should buy them because I could get all this "free stuff" including a free Puppy Training Class.  I said, "Fine".  I paid $20 for the coupon book and the cashier lady told me I needed to choose a date for my "FREE" Puppy Training Class.  I looked at the calendar she handed me and circled a date.  Then she said, "That will be $109.00."

WHAT??????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you BELIEVING that day, and it wasn't over ....

I tell the clerk the class was supposed to be FREE!  She looks at my coupon and figures out she has put the wrong class in the register.  I wait for her to fix all of that, and then I have to choose a different class.  Before I left, I also made an appointment for Jacque to be groomed at 1:00 on Sunday.  I FINALLY got back home where Jackie was waiting in all of her fluffy cuteness for me to tell her how adorable she was. By then, it was too late to take a nap, so no nap got taken.  I decided to go to lunch and then go get Jerry, which I did.

I walked into the chemo room which was surprisingly quite vacant of patients.  I walked around the whole place, and I finally had to ASK where Jerry was.  He was around a corner and in a corner.  When I walked over to where he was, I immediately noticed several puddles of water in front of and next to his chair.  I turned and said something to the first non-patient I saw and mentioned that there was water on the floor.  The non-patient turned out to be Jerry's nurse-for-the-day named Bonnie.

This was her response to me:

"Yeah, I KNOW.  I spilled some ice on the floor earlier."

My mind thinks, "SHE KNOWS?, and she is doing NOTHING about it?"

Think of it.  It was ice.  It fell and splattered and then melted, so it was in several places -- not just one.  I could very easily have slipped and fallen on the hard floor if I hadn't seen it first.  The patients get up out of their chairs -- and they are weak and sick -- and they have to roll the drug holder thing with them to go to the bathroom.  HOW are they supposed to see the water on the floor which was RIGHT in the walkway to the bathroom?

Bonnie walked away after her pronouncement.  I ASSUMED she would return and wipe up the melted ice puddles.  NOPE!

I decided I would just clean it up myself.  There was a coffee/water/snack bar nearby, so I figured there would be napkins or paper towels nearby.  There was a man volunteer standing near it doing nothing, so I asked him if he knew where I could get a paper towel to wipe up the water on the floor.  He reached over a counter and grabbed a few paper towels -- and instead of wiping up the water himself -- he gave them to me.  Whatever.  I threw the paper towels down into one of the puddles and stepped on them with my shoe.

Here's a picture:

I shuffled the towels around with my foot to the other spots, and found a trash can to put them in.

Later, Bonnie showed up to tend to Jerry's drugs.  I said something to her about water on the floor being very dangerous for these sick people to be walking in.  She informed me it had been there for ONLY ONE HOUR, and she was busy.  She said if I had a complaint I could talk to her charge nurse, Renae'.  Renae' was just a few feet away and she turned and Bonnie pointed her out to me.  Renae' wasn't the least bit interested either, and she turned and went somewhere else.  I never spoke to Renae'.  Jerry and I just left.

The day did not get any better.  Many more things happened, but the worst part was the scolding I received from a friend at how inconsiderate I had been to the poor nurse who spilled the ice.  She thought my mentioning the ice would make the nurse be mean to Jerry on future visits.  I should have just cleaned it up and never have mentioned it.  OH!  I forgot to tell you that the TV on Jerry's chair was broken and had no sound.  I did ask if anyone had advised someone that the TV needed repair.  I was told by Bonnie that he could just sit in a different one.  The same friend told me that I should have just kept quiet about that too because Jerry probably didn't mind anyway.

It is now Thursday night.  Chemo was yesterday.

The good thing is, Jerry did just fine through the Chemo.  He feels pretty good today, although he has those little red bumps all over his back and his front again, and his face looks like he has a slight sunburn.  He says food tastes like metal, and his body feels strange.

The not so good thing is I received a frantic phone call this morning from the Manager of our Kingston store.  Due to several things going on down here beyond her control, I have had to rush back to Kingston and Jerry is now alone in Edmond.  We are 150 miles apart.  He swears he will be fine.  I pray he will be.  Tammy had to come get my baby, Jackie.  I am so sad to have to leave her as I was really getting attached to her.  Tammy, of course, will check in daily on her Dad.  Her husband is having surgery on Monday, however, and I imagine she will need to stay with him after that.

ANDDDDDDDDDD, remember my concern about spelling my puppy's name "Jacque" or "Jackie".  I gave PetSmart the spelling "Jacque" because it is still on her tag.  When I called to tell them I needed to cancel her grooming appointment today, the girl asked me my last name.  I told her.  She responded, "I will cancel Jock's appointment.  I will be getting a new name tag, lol.

I better go.  I am still tired from yesterday, and I need to be at work early in the morning.

Hugs, Joy

Hello on Tuesday Night

WOW!  Did Jerry ever surprise me today.

Not ONLY did he work all morning at his desk, have a man come to the house for a 2-hour interview, do payroll and take it to the Post Office -- all of which ended about 4:30 this afternoon -- he told me he felt better today than he has felt since this started.  Then I asked him if he felt good enough to go out for a steak dinner so we could use the gift cards we received for Christmas.  He said he would love to have a steak.  I was shocked!  He hasn't been eating hardly anything, never mind steak!

He drove and we went to Longhorn.  I had a delicious steak with crab meat on top of it, and Jerry had prime rib.  We both had a baked sweet potato.  Yum, yum!

Chemo treatment #2 is tomorrow morning at 9:00.  It will take 3 1/2 hours.  We are glad but not glad.  It has to be done.  It is just so nice to have Jerry feeling good!

This doggie is keeping me running.  HOW LONG does it take to potty train one of these???  I've taken her out 100 times, but still she will go on the floor if I don't grab her butt up faster than lightning and put her outside.  Her "babies" were smelling so nasty, I just put them in the washer.  It is a good thing she is so cute.

Speaking of said doggie, I have to go!

Hugs, Joy  

Jackie Movie and Thank You Phylly

Nice day.  We went to "church" this morning and watched Pastor Matthew Hagee.  Matthew was preaching about the vine and the branches and being pruned.  He had an actual grapevine behind him, and he was cutting branches off of it.  It was quite good.  I love a visual example of a sermon.

After church, I decided to TRY to make a video of Jackie so you could see her darling little face.  I'm not sure you can see her face, but you can see how totally darling she is.

Jackie is so good.  She even takes a nap in the afternoon.

While Jackie was taking a nap, I figured something out in my jewelry room.  Phylly was over for a play day a few weeks ago, and when she came over she brought me a box with her jewelry making paraphernalia in it.  She says it hurts her hands too much to make jewelry, so she isn't going to do it anymore.  I, of course, was thrilled to get the beads and the wire.  I was taking them OUT of the box she had them in and filing them away in their proper color box of my beads when I realized that her box was adjustable.  It had those little plastic space dividers in it.  As I was removing the beads, I realized the compartments could be made JUST large enough to put all of my headpins in.

Now, I have a LOT of headpins.  It was the one jewelry-making accessory I had not been able to find a good place for.  Up until today they had all been in a big baggie labeled "Headpins".  (In this pic, the bag is empty.)

I emptied out the baggie and cut open all the headpin packaging.

LOOK at how PERFECTLY all of the different colors and sizes fit in Phylly's box!

 The TOP layer of the box has all the non-silver color headpins.





The bottom layer of the box has all the silver headpins.

I also received a Mail Cart from an office supply place I order from at my stores.  Thank goodness Jerry felt good enough yesterday to help me assemble it.  I was getting it together -- sort of -- but I would have had to have the wheels up in the air in order for the shelves to work right.  I would have figured it out eventually.

I didn't get ALL of my bead boxes on it yet, but all in good time.

There seems to be this SLIGHT DISTRACTION around here all of a sudden.  She is black and furry and really cute!  I take her outside about 4 times an hour, so I haven't been making much jewelry or sewing.

Gotta go.  Bedtime again.  Wishing you all a WONDERFUL week ahead!

Hugs, Joy

Saturday Night and Doggie's Final Name

Thanks to all of you who sent me great doggie name suggestions.  Several of them were names I had thought of myself.  My husband, oddly enough, has a very definite opinion on this subject.  Who knew?  After much back and forth -- up and down -- and all around -- we came to a compromise.

He said I could change the spelling to "J A C K I E" so everyone who read her name on her tag as "Jacque" would not call her "Jock".  I started calling her "Miss Jackie" this morning just because it flew out of my mouth, and I like that.  I have said it so much now, she is becoming Jackie.  She is the sweetest dog.  She let me take a wet wash cloth and wash her eyes and her mouth tonight.

I'm concerned about leaving her here alone as Jerry and I ARE going to have to leave to go to Chemo and to Kingfisher to take care of his deceased Mother's affairs.  We will take it a day at a time -- just like everything else.

I don't DARE ask Tammy or Phylly to come by and check on her.  I would come home to find her eating milk bones in my bed!

Since Jerry is already asleep beside me in our bed, and Jackie is already asleep in her bed in the kitchen, I better get to bed myself.

Hugs,
Joy

Broken Hearted and New Doggie Name

I should have KNOWN it was too good to last.  I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that someone asked me if they could come spend time with me.  I didn't really HAVE the time to do it, but I said, "Sure!"  "When and what and how?"  I was going to have to leave Jerry alone with a new puppy most of the day today to keep my promise to go to lunch with friends and then shopping, BUT I thought this person was special enough that she deserved it.  Before she left the other night, I asked her specifics to be SURE she was coming.  Oh, yes, she was sure.

Well, she was a NO SHOW and a NO CALL and a NO TEXT.  I am SO disappointed.  Just when you think you have someone in your life you can count on, you find out they are just like all the rest of young people today.  I cried for awhile, but then I REMINDED myself that I'm not letting other people determine my happiness.  I got over it.  Next time, I will tell her I'm too busy!

Other than THAT, this was a very nice day.  The new puppy who is now nameless, is ADORABLE!  Phylly and Sheila from our store came to have lunch with me today so they could meet her.  It was all I could do to keep them from KIDNAPPING her.

Phylly says she will babysit her at her house if I need her to.  RIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!  Phylly sleeps in a recliner with 2 dogs in her lap and from 1 to 3 kids and maybe a cat or two.  Not happening here -- EVER!  Dogs and children have their OWN BEDS in my world.  Call me mean, but that's the way I am.  My daughter is the same as Phylly.  I have gone to her house and found an entire litter of puppies on her pillows while she was in bed!  She did NOT get that from me.  My first husband of less than two years - her Dad - was that way though.

I have called this doggy EVERYTHING but "Jacque".  It just doesn't "fit" her.  Besides, isn't that a man's name -- like that diver that used to be on TV -- Jacque Ceusteau (sp)?

I have called her "Baby Girl" mostly.  I told Jerry I didn't like her name.  He said I could name her what I wanted to.  I told him I liked "Baby".  He said, "There is NO WAY we are calling a giant dog "Baby".  I told him giant guys are often called "Tiny".  I think it is perfect.  Nope.  He doesn't like it.

I told him I sort of like Bebe, BB, Beebe (how do you spell it?!).  We had a dog when our kids were little I named BB for "Black Beauty".  I didn't think we should have TWO dogs with the same name, but Jerry thinks that is silly.  He really likes that name.  I don't.

I was petting her a few minutes ago, and I said, "She is so FLUFFY!  Let's call her "Fluffy".

"No way, Joy!  I am not calling a big, black dog "Fluffy".

Did I mention that Jerry is REALLY grumpy right now.  His fever has gone up again even after three days of antibiotics.  Food tastes horrible, and he isn't eating.  He has lost all the weight he gained.   I am REALLY FORTUNATE that he is even allowing me to have this puppy.

Since our cats are Bootsy and Barney, I want our puppy to have a "B" name too.  I can think of a dozen boy names, but not girl names.

ANY SUGGESTIONS for a  "B" name for my puppy???   I want a name that doesn't sound like a people name.  I love "Barkley" and "Woofie", but they are boy names.  How about "Bella"?  That is kind of cute.  I just looked it up and it means "beautiful" in Italian.  Jerry will say she isn't Italian.  WHO CARES!?

She is so black, you can hardly see her face.  Maybe Jerry will feel better tomorrow, and he will let me call her "Baby".

I better play with her for a little while before she goes to bed.  She slept all night long in her "box", and she never whimpered or made any sounds.  Such a sweet doggy!

Hugs, Joy

Jerry Update and Meet Jacque

My Goodness!

I am shocked at how much family Jerry and I suddenly have.  Tammy, my daughter, always comes over as soon as she hears we are in town.  We just got here yesterday.  She was here shortly after we arrived.  She left and we got a call from her son, Jacob.  He wanted to know if he and his girlfriend could come over to pick up some CD's I had purchased for them.  SURE!  Come on over.  They stayed for a long time, and we watched several episodes of Andrew Wommack's programs on the TV.  Jacob loved them and wanted to keep watching more.  They left after 10 PM, and we headed right to bed.

Then it was today -- chemo day #2.  Jerry was scheduled to be there at 9:00.  He woke up feeling horrible though.  Chest congestion and a cough.  Took his temp and it was 100.5 which is the EXACT number requiring a phone call to the doctor.  We called.  The doctor said he needed to come in for a chest x-ray and chemo would be rescheduled.  We went.  He was seen by a PA who about fell over when he looked inside Jerry's ears.  He said they are PACKED solid with wax and he can't even see his eardrum.  Jerry's ears don't even hurt.  

NO WONDER the man can't hear half of what I say.  He uses a thermometer that goes "beep-beep-beep" when it is ready to read.  It beeps so long, I finally holler at him to turn the thing off.

He says, "What are you talking about, Joy?  I don't hear a beep?" 

He said Jerry needed his ears washed out by a doctor so the ear drum could be seen.  I asked him why HE couldn't do it.  He said Jerry had to see his primary care physician.  AARRGGHH!!!!  Not THAT again!  How many doctors do you have to have before you don't need any more doctors?  The PA suggested we go to one of those waste-of-time clinics today, but Jerry just did not feel like it.  He rested in his recliner all afternoon.

While Jerry rested, I was fooling around in my office putting together a return of jewelry items that I don't need when someone knocked on the door.  I went to the door to see who it could possibly be at 3:30 in the afternoon, and it was Tammy, Hollie ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND my adorable, precious new puppy!

You may remember me telling you that my daughter and her husband have a kennel.  They raise several breeds of dogs, but they have recently been breeding a Poodle with a Golden Retriever which makes Golden-Doodles.  You can google it and see I'm telling you right.  I have wanted one ever since she told me about them.  They usually sell them for $600 a piece and have no problem selling litter after litter.

All the puppies were gone except for this ONE girl puppy.  She told me about her and how she hadn't sold.  I told her that I WANTED that puppy myself.  She told me that was impossible with her Dad being so ill, but I kept telling her I really did want her.  She asked me how I was going to take care of Jerry -- two cats -- and a dog.  I told her she was probably right.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  I open the door, and there they are.  I was SO EXCITED!  I took lots of pics, but this is the only one I can attach right now.  Hollie is married to my grandson, John, who is stationed in Alaska with the US Army right now.  Hollie came home for the holidays, but John couldn't get leave.  Hollie had just been to the gym to work out so had no make-up on.  I asked her to let me take a pic before they took my puppy back home:

I need to tell you that as I had been talking to Tammy about me wanting this puppy, Jerry had been VERY outspoken about his opposition to the whole idea:

"We CAN'T be hauling a huge dog and two cats back and forth between our houses, Joy!  It is ABSURD!  It is CRAZY!  Don't even think about it!"

I had not ASKED Tammy to bring the puppy over here, BUT all of a sudden here she was in all her fluffy cuteness.  Tammy, Hollie, the puppy and I all landed in the middle of the living room floor -- RIGHT NEXT to where Jerry was resting in his recliner.  The puppy -- who, by the way, was temporarily named "Shannon" at that point -- was perfectly well-behaved.  Just stayed right there with us.  She was as calm as could be.  Not hyper.  Didn't make a sound.  Came right to me and let me hug and cuddle her to pieces.  

Tammy told me that she and Len had decided to let me HAVE the puppy after all.  She said they were really getting attached to her, but they knew I wanted her.  She said that they would keep her for us when we had to go to Kingston to check on the house.  PERFECT!  She told me if I didn't like the name "Shannon", that I needed to name her.  I thought about it and thought about it, but I couldn't really come up with a name because I didn't know her well enough yet.  

ALL OF A SUDDEN -- from the recliner where Jerry was supposedly NOT paying attention, we heard:

"How about Jackie?"

"WHAT?", thinks me.  Jerry is actually going to LET me name her?  He must be going to let me keep her!!!"

I looked at Tammy -- Tammy looked at Hollie -- Hollie looked at me -- and we all said, "We LIKE it.  Let's call her "Jackie".

We played for awhile and then they had to leave.  The dog is still taking antibiotics for a virus, and Tammy didn't want to leave her here until she is all better.  That was good.  Plus I needed to buy dog food and a gate and some toys and ....  They all left.

I wandered around doing some things and Jerry went back to napping.  A little while later, Jerry came into my office, and you WON'T BELIEVE what he said to me!

He said, "Joy, the puppy's father is a poodle, so she is "French".

"I want to spell her name "J A C Q U E".

I KNEW that was a MAJOR confirmation.

NOT ONLY was Jerry allowing me to have the dog, the dog had already become HIS!

Just as Tammy, Hollie and Jacque were leaving, my phone rang.  It was Jacob.  He wanted to know if he and Kourtney could come over tonight.  I told them to come on and I started dinner for four.  We had a marvelous time.  Kourtney worked my 1000-piece puzzle that I got for Christmas while Jacob helped me with supper.  

We got through eating our dessert of four different kinds of ice cream I found in the garage freezer when my phone rang again.  It was Tammy's husband, Len.  They were at Petco buying things for Jacque that I had told Tammy I was going to need.  HOW NICE WAS THAT?  They bought me dog food, doggie toys, a doggie collar with name tag and a doggie gate.  I had to have all those things before I could keep Jacque here.  We have a fenced back yard, so that isn't a problem.  She is already potty trained at 11 weeks old.  How AMAZING is that?!

While Jacob and Kourtney were still here, Tammy and Len came over with all the things they had bought at Petco.  We have had LOTS of company today, and it has been very, very heartwarming and wonderful.  Everyone just gathers around Jerry as he rests in his recliner; and he, being the type that could sleep on a rock in a tornado, just comes and goes as he pleases -- never leaving his chair.  He is surrounded with love from everyone that comes here, and it is as it should be.  We are a "family".  There have been years and years when I wondered if we EVER would be that again.  Whatever has caused it, I can only say, "Thank you, God, and PLEASE don't let it stop."

So much more, but that's enough for tonight.  Just had to show you our new baby.  Tammy says she won't be small for long.

Hugs, Joy