I'm trying...I'm really
really trying to get back in the saddle again.
But that horse is so darn tall !!
I have found myself trying to find motivation and inspiration wherever I can. The only place I have truly found it is in the kitchen. I love to cook and I love my cooking magazines. During my hiatus I have gone thru all my back issues of Gourmet and Bon Appetit and have been playing in the kitchen with some wonderful foods. My kids are LOVING it...the husband...well... he is trying to love it but he doesn't have much of an appetite.
On that note...thank you so much for your comments and emails of concern. I will fill you in on a bit of what I have had going on.
The husband went in, just over a month ago, for some "routine" arthroscopic outpatient surgery on his knee. The surgery went swimmingly well. It happened on a Thursday...I dropped him off and he had a big smile on his face as he stepped thru two big swinging double doors. Off to the operating room to relieve the knee pain that was keeping him from doing all the things he loved.
Working out, playing golf , a sound night of sleep... and our 5 a.m walks. Hellloooo? Remind me why I am getting up at this unimaginable hour to go for a high impact hour walk just to watch you limp along??
The surgery was just what the doctor ordered and his doctor was the best in Northern California (the old man should know since he has been in the health care biz for forever). So I drop him...I pick him back up...he is happy and life is good...he is already on the mend.
Friday holds a down day of ice and keeping the knee propped way up on pillows.
Saturday?? hey...if it feels OK... do it...
That is the motto for outpatient knee surgery.
So the old man is up and moving and climbs in the car to go to San Jose (1 hr away) for the 10 year old soccer tournament. Hey...it's only 2 games and about 7 hours of overall soccer and driving. Oh Colleen?? You are in Pleasanton at the 12 year old tournament?? I feel so good I am going to come hang out with you for a bit!!! (always keeping the knee up and icing it, of course). Sunday comes along and what does that hold???? Well the Raider game of course !! Can't miss that. (oh and let's end that day with a concussion and the ER room for the 12 year old...the second in 5 months).
By the end of Sunday life is still good.
"I feel good" the old man tells me.
Monday...back to work...still feeling good.
Tuesday...lovely day isn't it????
So I have to tell you...by Sunday I had pronounced that something was TRULY wrong. This was too easy!! You should feel pain...Pain beyond Tylenol. Where is the discomfort? This was WAY TOO EASY!!
I got a phone call Tuesday afternoon..."I'm not feeling well."
"Flu? Cold? Aches? "
"Nope...Just not feeling well."
Husband comes home and about an hour later we were off to the ER. It just so happens that he had developed blood clots from the surgery. The pain in his chest and through his back was not a heart attack like he thought it was. It was the numerous clots that had left his leg and had traveled up through his artery...THROUGH HIS HEART and had burst into his lungs. HELLO? Why were you downplaying this at home? You didn't want to panic me??? A little panic right now would go a long way!!
So 5 days in the hospital and many many hours of watching him sleep and me, monitoring every breath he took, we were finally released to go home. Only to return a week later from complications to his knee because of the large dosage of blood thinners he is taking.
I could go on and on...tell you about my mommas shoulder surgery that happened in the midst of all this...or about the flu that hit the house the day before the husband came home...or even the horrible horrible throat infection that the 12 year old just got over...or that flu has hit the house AGAIN!!!
But I'm not gonna go there. I will just sum it all up with...Life
really is good...yet short. So let your loved ones know just how much they mean to you. Life is all about change and you never know when yours will.
You are probably wondering about my choice of photos I have here with this post. These are some of the photos that are inspiring me at the moment.
HATS !!
I am loving hats!!
Since I have spent so much time in hospitals and Dr.'s offices I have read all the magazines the waiting rooms have to offer. So I started bringing along my own reading materials and one was a book about the history of hats. I love them all...but don't you think the bathing beauties above are a hoot??
A hat???
To swim in??
Yes....change in life can be good.
This is Bob...remember him? He has kept us on our toes since his arrival a few months back. 
My favorite part is the trim on her pantaloons. I hand gathered silk ribbon to make a wonderful ruffle and then stitched it onto the hem of her pants.
Now I'm just playing a little catch up here. A while back I participated in a trunk show at Cottage Jewel in Danville. Iva Wilcox and Charlene Geiger joined in the fun.
Iva's lamp...which is too too wonderful. The outside is covered in a combination of glitters and mica. This picture does not do it justice. 
One of Charlene's wonderful trees. This one came home with me.
OH and these pumpkins...need I say more? Many of them came home with me too!!
One of Iva's sweet ornaments.
If you have a chance...stop by and visit Marcia at
Pictured here is Iva Wilcox, the very funny Donna O'Brien and the always magical Ulla Millbrath.
And I even found a couple of hours to play paper art with my friend, Connie Govea Stuart and my new friend 
Standing over the hot stove, stirring, stirring and stirring some more...did I mention that we do this in Summer??? The HEAT of summer?
An intimate new show 
