I Want THIS!! Porch Bed

With the cooler temperatures "hanging around" for a few days,

I thought it would be fun to help you perk up your porch!

I have a dear friend whose husband has turned a hobby into a business.

He makes porch swings...but not just ANY porch swing!

This beautiful swing is actually a "swing bed"!

It accommodates a twin size mattress and has been widely featured

in the southeast!

Now, here's a Christmas present for the family!

His charge includes the hardware for hanging,

and if you aren't too far away, he even delivers!

Stain and paint colors are at your direction!

You add your mattress and pillows. Imagine taking a nap on this!

If you are interested, email me and I will get you in touch with him!

The Snuggle Factor

It's here...can't you feel it?

 Temperatures plummeted to the 60's at night...crisp mornings...it's FALLLLLL, Ya'lllll!
My very favorite time of the whole year (unless it happens to snow some time during the 365 days!)

Pull out that yarn and let your fingers fly...if you can't crochet or knit...then do something!!

Don't just sit there...Let the Decorating begin!!

Because I've been more or less confined to the bed since early June,

I've tried to keep busy.

Crochet has been the best thing for me because it only involves

around 500 skeins of yarn and a hook.

Now, the bedroom looks a little fluffy, but painting, mod podging, etc. and bed rest do NOT mix well.

I began with a single color pumpkin...(see My Secret directions below*)

Then I tried a combined two color tweedy look...

and layers of two colors...

Before I knew it...I had a pumpkin patch!!

I added a candle tied with burlap...cute...what else could I use these for?

How about as place cards?
Maybe as a gift for a friend with some candy corn!?
Whatever you use them for, they are cute, fun to do and have kept these old hands busy!

Pictured below are get well flowers from a dear friend!
 Beautiful Columbian roses..
look at that fantastic fall color!
 I had just the right container...my redware pitcher...
I have enjoyed watching them "bloom" out a little more every day!

Snuggle up everybody, make an early morning fire in the fireplace...
(and if it gets warm again, turn on the air conditioner! But keep the fireplace going!)

My PT's said I'd be almost as good as new by Halloween!!!

My Secret Pumpkin directions:

With yarn and hook  of choice chain approx. 25 (longer chain makes pumpkin bigger around)

Row 1:  24 DC...chn 2 and turn.

Row 2:  24 DC (the more rows the taller the pumpkin). I did 5-6 rows of DC.

You now have a rectangle. Stitch two short ends together. You now have a tube.

Use a piece of yarn about 24 inches long and knot one end. Around the top, with this matching yarn and a large needle, make a running stitch that goes all the way around the  top. Pull tightly and tie off. Stuff with fiberfill.

Close the bottom by repeating the "running stitch & tie off" direction above.

I took a long piece of matching yarn and sewed down into the middle of the pumpkin from top to bottom a couple of times, pulling tightly each time to "form" a pumpkin shape.

Leaves: chn 5 and connect to make a circle. (Chain 5 and slip stitch in circle. Repeat two more times.)

In first "leaf" chain, (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 trc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc and slip stitch into next "leaf" chain. Repeat twice until you have three leaves.)

Stitch the leaf topper onto the pumpkin (or hot glue). Use a small twig or stick for the stem and tie with green twine for tendrils.

You, My Friend, "Kneed" Help!

It starts with a pop and a crack. Then a creak and then a pain here and there. Before you know it, you are struggling to get into a standing position from sitting or kneeling. Things spiral downward from there and then you hear the words, "knee surgery". It might be a torn meniscus repair, a partial replacement or a total knee replacement, but whatever the diagnosis, it means you are going to have to face some tough decisions.

I wanted to give you some tips if you are facing (or will face) knee surgery in the near future. I know that all surgeries are different but I am certain that something I will say will help you. Others helped me through this process and I want to do the same for someone. Your knees are very important to your vitality and general well being. When they go, you are in one fine mess.

The first tip is to get to a doctor asap. If there is a question as to what's going on, they can help you through the maze. If they suggest physical therapy before surgery or specific exercises beforehand, DO THEM! The exercises will strengthen your legs and make post operative rehab easier. Don't try to push the pain out of your mind and hope it will go away. If it's something that needs repairing, it will NOT go away. The longer you wait, the more time you lose.

Surgery isn't so bad, it's the post surgery that's hard. Expect it. Go to rehab as soon as possible. It will make your down time shorter. Have a cane and a walker ready. The first few days after surgery, you will need the walker. I used one without wheels, but whatever you have can be used. I also found that walking in houseslippers was not a good idea. I had a good fitting pair of shoes and some slide on sandals with good support that worked better than slippers. Doesn't look so fashionable, but oh, well.

You will need an elevated toilet seat..NOT a toilet chair! It's a seat that elevates your toilet seat by 6 or 7 inches. It just perches on the toilet. It makes getting on and off the "throne" so much easier. (Everybody else in the house can use the other bathroom for a few weeks.)We found mine at Home Depot. It ran about $40...was a GREAT investment.

In a related matter, all the medicine they give you for pain makes your toilet habits, well, let me see how to say this, sort of out of whack. One Senokot S should do the trick. After that, two or three prunes a day are the remedy. (Can't believe I'm posting this.) Drink lots of water (I drank Lipton Diet Green Tea.)

 Resting your leg helps as does propping your legs on pillows. Icing is a must for the swelling. I used a large size bag of frozen mixed vegetables. I put the bag in a gallon size ziploc bag and kept it in the freezer. Ice for 10 minutes several times a day. I put a small cloth between the bag and my leg.

Don't over-do. I did. You pay the price. Move your legs in bed by bending your feet up and down several times a day. I did leg lifts several times a day and tried to bend my knee and bring my leg toward my middle...ouch...easy does it!

Re-hab ... oh, re-hab...what can I say? The first time I waited too long (almost 3 weeks) before going. Big mistake...go as soon as your doctor releases you. I was nauseous the first day I went because I had heard all the horror stories. Of course, my PT was wonderful and I was his faithful follower from the first session on. They are NOT Physical Terrorists! (I was actually sorry to have to quit.)

I am NO professional, but I've had two torn meniscus repairs since June, so I feel this qualifies me to give you some hot tips that might make your journey a little easier. On a more personal level (really? more personal than I've already been?!) Try to look reasonably decent. I almost scared myself to death the third day. (No, I hadn't looked in the mirror.) I looked like something from Hitchcock's Psycho. At least brush your teeth, curl your eyelashes and tame the mop. No wonder the Coach would hand me my dinner plate and run...it was the worst.

I asked other "knee" patients for their tips and they were basically the same as mine. Here are a few more: Don't and I repeat DON'T have both knees done at the same time; Do NOT wait...go get whatever you need done asap; have magazines and some handwork by your side at all times (you never know when the desire to crochet a pin cushion or a granny square afghan may strike) and get ready to see more television than you'd ever want to see...please, don't watch Honey Boo Boo. Maybe if enough of us don't watch it they will take it off the TLC channel.

Life is too short not to be able to walk,

Angela

The Raccoons Have a New Runner

I'm back! Surgery is done!

After a few days in bed, I am propped up and ready to get with the program!

Can't keep a good woman down for long (lol)!

I have almost crocheted myself to death this summer. But in doing so, I have used up

lots of yarn from projects past and created some fun things both to sell and keep for myself.

Fall is coming and there is nothing I like better than to exchange my usual dishes for an older set that I began collecting long ago. I love the transferware look and the autumnal colors.

Light bulb! I need to crochet a little runner for my table.

I dug through my yarns and eureka! I found a brown tweed that I had scooped up on the sale rack last year and had absolutely no idea how I'd end up using it. (See left of pic below).

 I matched the other leftover yarns as best I could.

Granny Squares are my new old favorite.

Four squares later with a border of half double crochet and some 5 chain "lace"

and I have a neat runner....but....wait....

something's not right here.

The runner is too sparse for my big ole oak table!

I am not crazy about the way the runner displays on the table...hmmmm.

Maybe the buffet and the little raccoon family need a lift!

Ah...yes! That's so much better!

 And there it shall reside for the season! Keeping the little raccoon family safe and warm.

What have you been doing to spruce up for fall?

"Talk To You Soon!"

Before signing off for a few days (due to knee surgery) I wanted to touch base. Sitting here listening to the rain I thought how ironic is it that 7 years ago today another hurricane just about took out the coast of our little state and today...well, here we go again. We were without power for 5 days..and it was awful. I can't imagine how terrible it was for those who were without power for weeks, without food and water and who lost everything they had. Please, add Mississippi and Louisiana to your prayers. While Isaac wasn't nearly as devastating as Katrina to most, it is still devastating to many.

Just a few more odds and ends until we chat again...
I have worked on my collection of pine needle baskets this summer. I found these two miniature ones this year and have enjoyed them so much. You don't just find these baskets around any corner and I felt like I struck gold with them! I wonder if anyone else collects pine needle baskets?

I recently saw an advertisement for covered match boxes. The price? Try $16 per box!

Couldn't believe my eyes! So I sat down and covered about 15 boxes for almost free.

I bought a bunch of the little boxes at Dollar Tree for $1 and I had all the trimmings.

These would be cute as place cards or accompanying a pretty gift candle.

Last but certainly not least. I "ran into" a flower weaving thingy at Hob Lob

a few weeks ago and couldn't resist. I found the pillow reduced awhile

back. Gathering purple yarns and beads, I dolled up the little gray

tucked pillow!

Why do you begin liking the color purple when you get older?

Until next time,