Trials and Blessings!

My husband is a diabetic with diabetic neuropathy in his feet.

In March, he stepped on a nail and walked around for half a day without realizing that he had a nail sticking in his foot.

He was headed to our trailer in Arkansas for a weekend of fishing with our grandson, so he loaded up his foot-doctoring supplies and headed out.

The following Sunday night, he came home and was pleased that his foot was looking good.

Monday, he went to work and was on his feet all day. Monday night, he showed me his foot, which was black and blue all over the top. My immediate thought was that he had dropped something really heavy on his foot. He said, "No. I haven't done anything but walk around on it all day."

He wasn't feeling very well, so he stayed home the next two days. In the meantime, I called his doctor for an appointment, but she was out of town for a week.

Wednesday night, I got home to find that his foot had a huge blister on top of his toe. He asked me what I thought, and I said, "I think we need to go to the ER!"

The ER doctor took one look and said, "We're admitting you for IV antibiotics."

By that time, the blister had ruptured and his foot looked like something out of a horror movie. My first thought was that he had that flesh-eating bacteria, and the doctor did order testing for that.

It turned out that my husband had a staph infection, a bone infection, and another kind of infection in his foot.

He was in the hospital for a week, but needed IV antibiotics at home for 4 more weeks.

Which would cost us about $4,500!

Our insurance would cover the cost of home health care, but NOT the cost of the medication. We had no clue as to what to do! We certainly did not have the money!

Praise the Lord for good friends!

For years, we have volunteered, along with our friends, with the Clydesdale Children's Christmas Store. Our main focus is provided needy children with toys, food and clothing at Christmas time, but we also provide small scholarships to deserving students and do fundraisers to help anyone with a genuine need throughout the year. This organization is entirely volunteer, with no salaries being paid out.

On Roger's last day in the hospital, the social worker came by and told us that she had good news for us.

The Clydesdale Children's Christmas Store was going to pay for the IV meds! We called our friends, Ronnie and Brenda, (with tears rolling down our cheeks!) to thank them. Ronnie was so sweet...he said that Roger had done so much for others (working fundraisers, cooking BBQ, etc.) that it was just time to help Roger.

I should also mention that the company providing the meds also agreed to reduce the price by $1200.

Because of their generosity, Roger did not lose any part of his foot and his foot began to heal nicely.

When his foot was nearly healed, we learned that Roger had 4 blockages in the arteries to his heart. He then had to have a quadruple bypass surgery.

Since my husband works in our family business, which is already suffering from the collapse of the housing industry, our income was virtually dropped to almost nothing. What little business we were doing was barely enough to pay our son, who kept the business going on his own.

In addition to the generosity of the Clydesdale Christmas Store "family", a whole bunch of friends threw a huge fundraiser for us, and raised enough money to keep us going through the months of recuperation that lay ahead.

God truly does answer our prayers. We are not out of the financial woods, yet, but we are rich in friends...friends who not only get to work and do what they can to help us out, but friends who offer up their prayers for us. We are truly blessed to have all these friends in our lives, and I thank God for them every day!

True friends are angels without wings who live on this earth and walk amongst us!

I am so proud to know so many angels!

Who are the angels in your lives?

My daughter must have blonde roots!

First...apologies in advance to my blonde friends!

Anyway...I got a load of Target merchandise in at my store this week. In the load was a bunch of flannel Christmas pajamas.

So..my daughter called me the next day and asked, "What price did you put on those pajamas?"

"Three bucks," I replied.

DD: "Well, that's a good price, so they should sell; but, I dunno...with it getting to be warmer weather, you might have them a while."

Me: "Well, some folks might buy them to put back as Christmas gifts, but if they don't sell, I can put them on Ebay and sell them to people in places like Australia."

DD: "Why Australia?"

Me: "Cuz it's fixin' to be their winter. The seasons are different on their side of the equator."

DD: "Really? Then, they haven't had their Christmas yet!"

Me: "Um...honey...December 25 is December 25, although it comes a day earlier for them than us."

I coulda SWORN that her hair was DARK when she was born!!! LOL!

BTW, I do know that she was thinking about the fact that these are pajamas with Christmas print fabric! Still ain't gonna stop me from teasing her, though! Turn about is fair play!

Springtime in Dixie

The grass is greening.


My redbud tree is blooming.

My Bradford pear tree is in full bloom.

The crocuses are running amok!

And, my purple irises are fixin' to bloom, too!

YEAH!!! Spring is finally here!

I'm so happy!!!

Should I post this on RMS? Opinions, please!

Isn't this a beautiful view? It's a lake about 10 miles from our house.


This is the same lake, but a little further along. Wouldn't you just love to live at a place with such a gorgeous view?

I've been thinking about posting this place on RMS...you know...show all the gals how REAL MEN decorate!

Yep, this lovely view is at MY HUSBAND'S DEER CAMP!!!

One side of the porch. Note the LOVELY green plastic lawn chair and the stunning blue garbage can. The blue thing behind the chair is for holding kegs of beer and ice! The red coolers are for those who prefer to drink their beer from a can!

The other side of the porch. The door opens directly into the kitchen. Note the convenient TV up in the corner, so the guys can both admire the lake view and watch the boob tube at the same time! An extra microwave on the porch is an added convenience. The sheet of pressboard on the left is intended for some additional improvements!

A view of the driveway and the "guest houses" from the porch. The "guest house" on the left is called the bunk house, and is filled with beds for the camp members, who are not allowed to sleep in the main house. The "guest house" just to the left of the truck is my husband's private sleeping quarters. You really gotta suck up if you want to sleep in the spare bedroom there!

This is the view of the kitchen as you walk in from the back door. Note the clever creation of a pantry by stacking one base cabinet unit on top of another cabinet unit and topping it off with an over-the-refrigerator cabinet!

Also note the stunning Harvest Gold refrigerator that brings out the beauty of the different woods in the cabinetry. For that "pop" of red color, the fire extinguisher on the floor is just perfect! The fire extinguisher is also very practical...since the previous lodge house burned to the ground because hubby's friend Johnny left a pan of grease on the stove to go outside and check out a fresh deer kill!

On the other side of the kitch is the sink area. The white cabinet really brightens up the space, don't you think? The flourescent lighting is hung in an interesting pattern designed to provide ample lighting for each work area. The guys have all the comforts of home, including a dishwasher, which also served as a dirty underwear washer until one of my hubby's buddies opened it to discover that fact. That same buddy hustled around and found a regular washer and dryer so hubby wouldn't wash his whitey-tighties in the dishwasher any more.

The lodge house has an open floorplan, with the kitchen opening onto the dining area and the common living area.

The walls are covered with stunning camouflage paneling, which is designed to complement any color scheme. There are a variety of textures and patterns in the room...plaid sofas, southwestern print chairs and ottomans, black leather/vinyl...you name it, it's in there!

The entertainment center is mounted in the corner on the left for easy viewing from anywhere in the house. The beer bottle light between the TV and the window provides ambience.

Since Johnny burned the previous lodgehouse down, the members are ever mindful of the need for quick action. The fire extinguisher mounted on the post is very convenient for anyone in the common living area to just grab as necessary. The "pop" of red is...umm...indicative of the guys' pride in being SOUTHERN REDNECKS. Note the innovative storage system for the extra fold-up table....just fold that sucker up and put it upside-down on the floor under the other table!

For convenience, the bar area has an extra refrigerator so that there is always a nice cold drink handy! The bar is adjacent to the kitchen and also serves as a handy buffet serving area. The pot rack over the bar provides out-of-the way storage for pots and pans. The deer on the wall just keeps an eye on everything!

So, whaddya think? Should I post these pics over on Rate My Space? Do you think that Mary Rogers (is she still over there, spreading goodwill?) would like this? If I post these pics on RMS, do you think I should show the guys what folks have to say about their decorating?

BTW, we have FINALLY got SNOW! TWO DAYS after I noticed that the daffodils (we call 'em "buttercups") and the wild pears were blooming! TWO WHOLE INCHES!

Pounding the Pavement has another meaning...

No, I wasn't pounding the pavement in search of a job.

I LITERALLY pounded the pavement! I stepped outside my store this morning for a break.

I have no clue what happened. One minute I was walking, and the next thing I knew...my browbone was smashing into the concrete!

Please excuse the no-makeup look. I cried it all off!



It looks worse than it is. It doesn't hurt, although it's sore to the touch. No concussion, thank goodness! Could have been worse, because I could have busted my nose!

I also apparently jarred my arthritic hip, because it is really hurting for me to walk tonight.


On a more cheerful note, I have been doing a little more sewing in between buying trips for the store and waiting on customers.

I've made three oven door dresses!

100% cotton, and I made the binding on the sleeves and the sash from a coordinating fabric. I might embroider some flowers on the towel skirt.

This picture isn't very good, but the bodice is made of red fabric with little stars in multiple colors all over it. The sash and ties are made of striped grosgrain ribbon, and the sleeves have blue rick-rack inserted in the edges. I might add a little embroidery to the skirt.

I love this apple print fabric. The sleeves have red rick-rack inserted, and the sash is made from green grosgrain ribbon.

I will be listing at least two of these on Etsy, but I'm trying to figure out which one to include in the giveaway that I'm planning. Any ideas as to which one?

Everything you never knew about bras and didn't know you wanted to know

My sister sent this to me in email.

Considering my last post was about the gal with 9 implants, I thought it would be appropriate to post this today!


What Religion is Your Bra?

A man walked into the ladies department of a Macy's and shyly walked up to the woman behind the counter and said, 'I'd like to buy a bra for my wife.'

'What type of bra?' asked the clerk.

'Type?' inquires the man, 'There's more than one type?'

'Look around,' said the saleslady, as she showed a sea of bras in every shape, size, color and material imaginable.

'Actually, even with all of this variety, there are really only four types of bras to choose.'

Relieved, the man asked about the types.

The saleslady replied: 'There are the Catholic, the Salvation Army, the Presbyterian, and the Baptist types. Which one would you prefer?'

Now totally befuddled, the man asked about the differences between them.

The Saleslady responded, 'It is all really quite simple... '
The Catholic type supports the masses.
The Salvation Army type lifts the fallen .
The Presbyterian type keeps them staunch and upright, and
The Baptist makes mountains out of molehills.'

Have you ever wondered why A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, G, and H are the letters used to define bra sizes?

If you have wondered why, but couldn't figure out what the letters stood for, it is about time you became informed!

(A} Almost Boobs...
{B} Barely there.
{C} Can't Complain!
{D} Dang!
{DD} Double Dang
{E} Enormous!
{F} Fake.
{G} Get a Reduction.
{H} Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up !

They forgot the German bra.
Holtzemfromfloppen

Get that gal a forklift!

I was browsing Foxnews this morning and found an article about this gal who has had NINE breast implant surgeries! She is now a 34KKK!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,488384,00.html

I would have posted pics from her website, but her website wouldn't let me. Here's the link.

http://www.sheylahershey.net/gallery_02/

WHY would anybody want such HUGE boobs? IMO, they are FREAKY!

I'm waiting to hear that she had a steel rod inplanted in her back to keep her back from bowing over!

This gal is still young...only 28, I think.

Gravity will eventually take it's toll. I wonder how perky they'll be in 20 years?

Remember that old joke about the old lady who called a doctor's office to ask where her heart was located in her body and was told "to your right of your left nipple". When the old lady tried to commit suicide, she was admitted to the hospital with a bullet wound in her KNEE.

I predict that her 34KKK boobs will eventually be down by her knees, if not her ANKLES!

YIKES!!!

Is there such a thing as Wallets Anonymous?

Yep, those lil' wallets are addicting! I'm really wanting to make some more fabric ones, but I ran out of WonderBond. I hope I can get some of the fabric ones made tomorrow!



Anyway, I happened onto some more cute school folders, so here are the results!



First, a bright and cheery striped wallet! The inside is the same stripe, only the stripes are running crossways.

Then, with Valentine's Day looming, I thought a Valentine wallet might be a good idea!

I have a ton of these black and yellow folders at the store, so I decided one of them would make a really neat and artsy-fartsy wallet.


I will be listing these in my new Etsy shop, just as soon as I get one packaged and weighed to determine the postage, my descriptions written and manuever my way around Etsy to make sure I know what I'm doing!

I made these "Spud Sacks" a couple of weeks ago. Some of you may know them as "Potato Bags". I just thought "Spud Sack" was a cuter name!

Anyway, they are TERRIFC for baking potatoes in the microwave! The potatoes come out with a nice, fluffy, inside, and the skin stays tender...just as if you had baked them in a regular oven!

I haven't tried these ideas yet, but some folks say that the bags are great for heating up rolls and for cooking corn on the cob!

The bags are made of 100% cotton materials, right down to the thread. I also usually wash and dry my cotton fabrics before sewing in order to pre-shrink them.

Oh...and the name of my Etsy Shop? Well, I took a cue from my blogging name and am calling it "Just Plain Petty"!

The Train Bag is finished!

Between customers at the store, along with this-n-that, I finally finished the train diaper bag this morning! All I need to do is wait for the purchaser to send the greeting card to include and it will be going to its new owner!

I made the handles a bit longer, so that when worn on the shoulder, the bag rests at the hip area. IMO, that makes it much easier to reach in and get something when you're holding the baby.

Today, I tried my hand at this little wallet. I used the tutorial so generously posted by ReFabulous on her blog. I have been admiring her paperback cover wallets for quite some time.

I didn't have any suitable paperbacks, so I improvised.

I fused fabric to cardstock, and then followed her directions. This wallet is nowhere near perfect, because I messed around and let the vinyl slip a little on the folds. I didn't have the actual written directions at the store with me, and I forgot to use the tissue paper. Oh, well! It will still work for me!

Here's the inside! This was a fun little project, and I do thank ReFabulous for sharing her tutorial with us!

Just sewing up a storm!

I've been working on a custom diaper bag this afternoon. I had to send my hubby back to Walmart to get some more of the goldish fabric, since the piece of fabric I had bought wasn't straight on one end, which made the fabric about 2" too small to finish cutting out my pattern! GRRR! I also needed more innerfacing...looks like I'm going to have to start buying innerfacing by the bolt!



Anyway, I got the outer shell of the diaper bag embroidered and finished. Tomorrow, I plan on making the lining and finishing it. The new fabric is being washed as I type. Whether it actually gets finished tomorrow depends on how busy my store is. It was pretty busy this afternoon!

I hope the FTC sees the light and changes their new rules so I can offer these in my future Etsy shop after February 10th!

Taking the Etsy Plunge!

I'm still sewing, along with running the store, and I'm now planning to open an Etsy shop!

I'm trying to come up with a good Etsy user name, since the one I WANTED to use is already taken. I also need to add to the inventory. So far, I only have a couple of things ready to list.

Here is a custom-ordered diaper bag I made last week. I love the chocolate and pink colors together!

I had enough fabric left to make a purse organizer. I tweaked my pattern a bit, to add a space to hold an unsharpened pencil...which is used to hold a key ring! No more searching the bottom of the bag for keys! No more having to make sure the key ring is clipped to a loop or key holder! Just slip the keyring over the top of the pencil. When you need to get your keys out, when you feel the pencil, you know you've found your keys!


See how it works? You simply load your essentials into the pockets, roll it up, and place into your purse. When you're ready to change purses, just pick it up and place inside the new purse! This organizer already has a new home that I'm shipping it to.


The next organizer would be perfect for a teacher! When I get my Etsy shop open, I will be listing this...if I don't sell it locally first!



Here it is, loaded and rolled up! The accessories in the pockets will NOT be listed with the organizer, but I WILL include a new yellow #2 pencil!

If anyone can think of a really cool name for my Etsy shop, I'd appreciate hearing it!