Nothing is Working Right

I am sorry I haven’t posted in a couple weeks.  I’ve been in a rough place lately.  My eye was bothering me again, and I seem to be having issues seeing, so I scheduled an appt with my eye specialist.  He put me back on Valtrex.  Yep.  Shingles meds.

He sees some infections but can’t identify it, so back on the shingles meds.  

And increased the steroid drops paired with a med to decrease the pressure in the eye that steroids increase.  Fun.

I am so miserable.  And stressed.

My big fancy 3 year old machine is not sewing so it is back in the shop.  I had to decide to wither trash  or fix it.  At the last minute I took it to Alex to see it if it just needs a new auto thread cutter.  

So I pulled out the machine that Diana’s mother had. It is a Memorycraft New Home, which eventually became the Janome Memorycraft.  It runs like a dream, let me tell you. Much better than the big fancy machine that I hate!

I have several rows of the Sugaridoo QAL to do before the next one comes out next week.  So I plan on immersing myself in sewing.  

52 Snapshots of Life (week 26) Father

This week the theme at 52 Snapshots of Life is Father, I guess because last week was Father's Day it would seem.

But I do have a great photo of Frank, on the sofa watching TV,  covered with dogs.

It is a photo of everybody I own.








He is a good dog father, in fact, I gave him a shirt for Father's Day that says DogFather.........get it?

Week 24 - Snapshots of Life is Comfort - Rusty Things and Skele-Biking

Week 24 already.  I feel like I am always just tryingto catch up!

This week is comfort.  Chloe the Smelly Basset likes to be the center of attention from time to time. 

She will be outside, sunning in the hot hot Louisiana sun on the hot, hot concrete patio and decide she wants to come inside.......maybe.........if you ask her nicely.  And open the door wide enough.

She is not fat by any means, Bassets are built differently though.  Long.  But her idea of her own self is wide rather than long.  She will stick  her tail out coming through the door but she wants the door WIDE open! 

And she barks at the Roomba.  It does seem to bother her a lot.  It will circle back toward her every time she moves out of its way.  I would swear the thing is sentient.  It doesn't do that to the Basset Boyz.  Really.

I tell her it is a First World Problem.  I won't even talk about her housemates who are currently sleeping on my sofas.

I have been reading up on EcoPrinting using plants from several authors.  If you go to Quilting Arts you will see one of the articles that excites me.  I contacted the author, which I don't have her name at the moment, and she told me how she makes her iron solution.  So I have some of the concoction brewing. 

Rusty things and distilled white vinegar.  Got it. You know I do!



Here is the progress on the current quilt.  Frank seems to love it.  He comes in several times a day and rearranges the squares.  I need some dark in that bottom corner, so when he does that I can sew it together.

If you can see it, one block consists of 4 squares and two lines that cross. 

Eh, not sure if I really like it, but it will be a great quilt.

No borders, just a back.  I have not counted anything yet, let's see what I get done this weekend before I have to count it.

52 Snapshots of Life - Week 23 - Swissy Play

I am so bad about keeping up with this photo play.  The 52 Photos one was so easy to do, i jut need to get into the rhythm of this one, I guess.

I am sitting here trying not to die from this bout of allergies that has gone from my chest to my head to my ears.  I am miserable.

The week's prompt is Play.  We certainly got that around here!

The best fun I have ever had has been with my beloved Swissys in at our Fun Day.

These photos are from the 2007 Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Regionals held each year in Perry GA.  I gathered with my Swissy friends from all over the country for years and years and years at the fairgrounds in Perry.  It was the most wonderful place to be with the most wonderful of friends. who shared a love of our tri-colored dogs.

This is Hank and his little brother Dozer.  Our Swissys are drafting dogs bred to pull heavy loads in the middle ages.  We still do weight pulls where a nice pull will be 3500 lbs for 30 ft from a dead stop in 30 seconds.

 These are Rowdy and Keygan.  Keygan was a brother to my Bonnie Doon a couple of litters down.


 Our Swissys were also bred to herd sheep and docile cattle.  They are heavier boned than border collies so they are not as fast.  But since they are herding dogs, they are quite intelligent and exceptionally good at reasoning quickly. They are considered drovers, who work from behind the herd, keeping it contained and putting it where the shepherd wants them.  The instinct is there, the control must be learned!  LOL

And they are also pack dogs.  Swissys were used in WWI and WWII in Europe to carry supplies and draft howitzer guns over terrain.  We use that ability today to enjoy Pack Dog Hikes and sharing the beauty of the woods with our friends.  Walking on the bridge is my dear and wonderful friend Molly E, who passed away this year.  She was a great promoter of our breed and the wonder of what a true and loving companion can be.

I miss my Swissys.  These Bassets are great and fun dogs, but they are not Swissys!