November 25, 2025

 It’s been two weeks since my last post and tomorrow marks 3 weeks since my total hip replacement surgery. Last Friday (16 days post surgery) I finally got my bandages off my leg. My incision looks good…I mean a little gnarly, but good. I also was given an x-ray to see how my prothesis looked. 

There it is folks. What you are looking at is a miraculous, life changing thing, that took me out of excruciating pain, the loss of mobility and frankly deep depression and despair…. to mobility and health again. I am doing exceptionally well. My physical therapist has said I am way ahead of schedule. I’m walking at least 1/2 mile as of today and each day I add a few more steps. I do my exercises religiously. I am feeling good, and really have very little pain. I quit taking my prescribed post surgery pain meds about 10 days post surgery. I do take them if PT causes me pain, but just at nighttime so I can relax and actually sleep. Other than that it’s Tylenol Arthritis and I’m good to go. I thank each of you praying for me and wishing me well. The Lord has surely walked this road with me and for that I am grateful. I will never take mobility for granted again. Thank you! 😊 

On to my stitching, The “Thanksgiving-ish” start I talked about in my previous post was: 

“Harvest Moon” by Annie Beez

Stitching on 28 ct linen 

2/2 Gentle Arts as called for 

Then I remember that St. Nick’s Day (Dec 6) - his feast day (which is a Remembrance Day for him and his life) - an important day for a Catholic of Germanic descent is fast approaching. For St. Nick’s day you leave your shoes out for St. Nick to fill with coins, candy and small presents. For my kids our tradition was: St. Nick brought their stockings filled with coins, candy, new Christmas jammies and their cross stitch ornament for the year and left them at the foot of their bed. We are keeping the same tradition for Cora, but he takes her stocking (that stays at granny and poppy’s house) to her house, leaves it at the front door and knocks real loud for her to find it. St. Nick doesn’t have her ornament stitched yet…so (s)he better get going! 

Cora’s 2025 ornament is: 

And her stocking was previously stitched right after her birth and was used last year for her very first St. Nick’s Day and of course at Christmas too! 

“Marie’s Stocking” by Shepherds Bush

Here is granny’s signature at the bottom: 

Friday was a big day! Katie and Austin found out they are having another little girl! 

She looks exactly like Cora did in her ultrasound, except Cora wouldn’t open her legs to let us know if she was a boy or a girl 🤣 this baby sure did, clearly! 

So granny needed to order a stocking and she did so last evening at Shepherds Bush…the ladies there are always so kind and just get everything you need in one swoop. 

I have the chart, charms, threads, linen and complimentary fabric for piping, backing and lining all coming to my door soon. I chose “Martha’s Stocking”. 

I’d like to have it done by Christmas because Santa has some things on his sleigh for this little girl at Christmas time and wouldn’t it be sweet to stuff her stocking for her Mama to open?!

 (I will reserve for secret what her name is, I can tell you it isn’t Martha) 

Today a funny thing happened….my good friend Joanie told me that I get a lot of things done. Clearly she didn’t know all that I’ve started in the last two weeks. 

Let this picture trail, tell the tale: 

 

Hey Joanie  …..I’m not executing like you think I am 😂🤣

Well….I think I’ve chattered enough today. 

But before I go, I’d like to offer something. In many ways, I squandered an opportunity for offering my suffering up before my surgery. I tried to carry my cross, but I failed in many ways.. I lost hope, got depressed, cried….Therefore, I’m dedicating my recovery time to Biblical Study, fasting and prayer for mankind. I am praying for those in need and praying for my enemies that my heart softens towards them and that in turn my prayers will soften their hearts toward kindness to others.

If any of you need my prayers, please email me (link in bio or fill out the contact form in the sidebar top right of page). You don’t have to tell me detailed info, if you like you may, but a name and general intention or just a name to pray over is fine for God knows who and what their needs are. I will write names (and intentions) in my prayer journal and I will pray for them unceasingly. One of my goals in life is to be a harbor of peace, kindness, love and compassion toward my neighbor. To fulfill what God has called me to do - be a light, sharing his light. That is what my faith and my God asks of me, and I need to do better, be better.

With that I’ll close, on the near eve of the thankful, grateful, blessed day….

May each of you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day! 

We’ve already celebrated this past Sunday as a family so other families could be visited and celebrated with. Thanksgiving day for me will be quiet and filled with a lot of stitching! AND all done in my jammies- that is like a little slice of heaven to me!

Lots of love to all until the next time! ❤️

P.S. Some have asked how to leave comments: you must sign into Google. Then leave your comment. I have comment moderation on, for obvious reasons, since for some reason lots of people like to not be nice and share kind words. 

I noticed recently some of my previous friends have found me. I hope more friends do. I will not be going back on social media, I’ve been asked about that too. Everything over the last 20 years that I created and shared is gone. Deleted. It got to the point that the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. I tried for years to make lemonade out of the lemons thrown. Futile as I was always damned if I did and damned if I didn’t with many people. I could never please them all and it was emotionally and spiritually exhausting to be judged and always found lacking, always having to defend myself, to explain myself three ways to Sunday. I never had that problem with blogging, but had it consistently with social media.

I love sharing though and I will be keeping this new space filled with what I shared there: my stitching, crafting, life and family photos. If that appeals to you, I hope you’ll stay ❤️