Michael left early Monday morning (2/27) for golf and I got busy around the house.  He came home around 1, soaked and cold…having only gotten in 9 holes…and 9 drizzly ones at that!  I left to get my hair done in the afternoon and we had leftover soup for dinner and knit and watched TV in the evening.

While I was watching TV Monday night, I wrote up a quick TO DO list for Tuesday: make vet appointment, book tables in the Lake House lobby for the food drive in March, print out more letters for Dorothy (friend in nursing home that I write to 3 times a week), make a list of dog sitters for Michael, make out a schedule of where I will be staying while in CT, find my itinerary and put together 2 meat loaves (that were supposed to be done on Monday, but I was just too tired when I got home from the hairdresser).  So, Tuesday morning Michael and I took a walk, then had pancakes for breakfast (yum!!  I really do have an awesome recipe) and then he took off for some time on the driving range and practice green, and I started on my list.  Oh…and he also gave me a letter from the HOA that we hadn’t paid our dues for January and February!!!!!  So, the first thing I did was access the bank on line and make copies of the 2 checks sent in for our HOA dues.  I made a vet appointment (for 2:30 Tuesday afternoon), and started to revise and print out my notes for Dorothy.  I got the 2 lists made for Michael and cleaned the house and pulled together craft stuff for the display window at the Lake House all before 1 when Joanne picked me up for Stitch and Chat.  I had promised several people that I would help them, so I got all of that done and also requested the tables for the food drive before Michael picked me up at 2:15 for the vet appointment.  We stopped into Comporium (phone/internet provider) on the way home to see if we could buy some minutes on my cell phone from last year and finally made it home by 4.  We called the number for the cell phone (that Comporium found), and proceeded directly to HELL for the next hour and 20 minutes!!!!!  We spent 15 minutes on the phone, keying in numbers and talking to people (who you could barely understand with their accents, the lousy phones they were on, and the hundred other people in the call center with them…all talking on the phone!!!) before being transferred…and DROPPED….yes…they transferred us right to nowhere.  So…we call back and spend the first 20 minutes re-explaining what we are trying to do and going over the same numbers we did on the first call….first the serial number is not valid, then it is, then it isn’t…then finally they can’t help us and transfer us to someone else.  Another 20 minutes with this person who supposedly activated our phone and charged our credit card.  But…I don’t believe him and am unwilling to hang up, so he tells me to try the phone right then and he will stay on the line….we try…and we try…and we try….and we try…and he keeps saying ‘oh, I have to check something out’…minutes go by…and he says try again.  It NEVER works….so I FINALLY say ‘forget it and credit our card back with the charge you just made’….of COURSE he can’t do that…we have to be transferred over to the return department.  So….we get transferred and spend another 1/2 hour trying to get our card (that was just charged FIVE MINUTES AGO) refunded.  I was SO FRUSTRATED I couldn’t stand it anymore….gave the phone to Michael…saw Joanne (friend and neighbor) coming up on porch to kindly return a bunch of craft items she picked up for me….so I go outside and proceed to cry and swear a blue streak…I am so FRUSTRATED!!!!!!  I come back in…Michael still on phone….finally, supposedly our account has been credited…a WASTE of over an hour to gain exactly NOTHING!!!!  I put together the meatloaves, Michael opens champagne and we proceed to try to have a nice night.  I feel like I have been running all day with little to show for it…but many of my days seem like that….I really don’t know how I used to fit in working!!!  Anyway…enough of the rant….we had champagne and puffy things for dinner…watched all of our favorite shows and snuggled on the couch…it was absolutely heaven after that phone call.

purses, ruffle scarves, Cookie

Sunday (2/26) was a wonderfully, relaxing day.  I got Italian Wedding Soup put in the crockpot early, so I didn’t have to worry about dinner.  Michael got to watch golf on TV, and Nancy came for a short visit in the afternoon.  I worked in getting the final little details done on a variety of crafts…a new purse to put in the display window at the Lake House:

and 4 scarves in new colors for the display as well:

and of course…someone was interested in what I was doing every minute of the day:

deb w/ curly hair

Thursday morning (2/23) was quilting.  I kept working on beading my wall hanging.  I got home around 1:30 and Michael took off on a walk with Cookie.  By the time he got home, the beds were warm and we took a FABULOUS afternoon nap!  It was positively delightful to catch up on sleep for once.  I made him shrimp scampi for dinner (my all time favorite 10 minute meal) and he left for rehearsal, while I worked for awhile in the studio.

Friday morning Michael had an ear appointment in Rock Hill.  I dropped him off and then hit Michael’s, Hobby Lobby and Dollar General and managed to get absolutely everything on my list.  At quilting on Thursday I got a short lesson on an exciting new project that I’ve been wanting to do for TWO YEARS, but have been afraid to try.  Just give me a little free time…and away I’ll go!!!  Don’t worry, you’ll eventually see pictures in the blog!  Friday evening we headed up to the Lake House to see our neighbor in a performance of THE ODD COUPLE (female version).  It was a hoot, and it was also delightful to be home within minutes of the end of the performance.

Saturday morning Michael left for golf, and my knitting students arrived at 9.  We had a delightful 2 hours together….and then somehow I slept away most of the afternoon.  Michael came home with an 87 for his 18 holes (he got to play for free with one of his birthday coupons) and at 5:30 we took Cookie over to grammy Jan’s for baby sitting, while we headed into Charlotte for a performance of Carmina Burana.  It was thrilling!  We were home (with the dog) shortly before 10, and Michael spent an hour getting caught up with golf on TV, while I got caught up on the blog.

When my students arrived for knitting, I had my hair up in pin curls, so Barrie immediately knew Michael and I were going out Saturday night....I told her I send her a picture of my hair....I really should have had MIchael take the pic from the back...but here it is:

mpd b-day cake, how to make soft butter, mpd & Cookie

Wednesday (2/22) was supposed to be a perfect stay-at-home-all-day day, but you know that old saying ‘man plans, God laughs’.  I had a temporary crown put in a couple of months ago…and the lab tore my impression while trying to make a permanent crown, so I had to go in, in the morning and do it all over again.  First they had to take off the temporary, of course that shattered as they took it off, so it couldn’t be used again.  All in all it took 1-1/2 hours, when it was supposed to take 15 – 20 minutes.  I did a bit of grocery shopping on the way home and finally got home at NOON and called Beth.  She needed some knitting help, so she came over.  I got the batter mixed up for another cake for Michael and into the oven before she arrived.  She is sewing up her vest and it really looks nice.  Once she left, I made the frosting and got another cake all done (this time remembering to take a picture):

I don’t know about you, but I am forever forgetting to take butter out of the refrigerator in time to get soft when I want to bake something.  I think I’ve come up with a really clever way to get butter soft fast.  You just can’t use the microwave because no matter how careful you are, it always seems to melt in the middle before you get the outside soft.  Anyway, I take a coffee cup and heat up a cup of water in the microwave for a couple of minutes.  Then I put it on the cutting board and place the butter next to the cup, but not too near.   

Then I put the bowl of my salad spinner over all, creating a nice warm, terrarium environment.  Viola, in no time at all the butter is soft and ready to use.

Anyway, I had the cake all done by dinnertime and Michael had a piece and pronounced it excellent!  We watched TV in the evening and I also got a bit of time to work on some small purses.

By the way, Michael and I have been very tired since Cookie joined us…waking up at 3:30 AM every morning to take her out has certainly taken its toll.  We are each averaging a nap every other day, here's one of them:

Monday (2/20) felt like it was run-run-run all day long.  I had a volunteer meeting at 10:30, got home just after NOON, spent 40 minutes trying to get Cookie to poop outside (when I knew she needed to)…no such luck…threw her back in the crate and took off for a Machine Embroidery club meeting…got home at 2:30 and spent 1/2 an hour outside until Cookie FINALLY pooped…yay!!!!  Michael went golfing in the morning and came home with an 85 (yay!!!) and I worked on my challenge quilt in the evening…FINALLY sewing the last seam at 9 PM.  I got waffle batter put together before collapsing on the couch with Michael.

Tuesday morning I waited in vain for Nancy to show up…I finally called her at 10:04….and she promptly explained that I was supposed to be at HER house (and not the other way around  L).  What a boob I was….I KNEW on Sunday that it was at her house this week…but somehow forgot that by Tuesday morning.  I grabbed my knitting and my tea and off I went.  We had a great (if shortened visit) and she showed me her weaving sampler….I am so jealous!!!  She is also weaving towels and they are beautiful.  As my penance for forgetting where to go….I will go to her house next week as well  J.  I came home and got to work in the studio…NOT on the challenge quilt for a change, and at 5:15 Michael and I headed over to Jan and Walt’s for dinner.  They guys went the movies afterwards, and Jan and I got to bond over ice cream and Amaretto, until Scott and Amy (her son and daughter visiting from Rhode Island, and coming home from go cart racing) and Michael and Walt got home.

Sunday morning (2/19)  Michael left me sleep in for a bit and then I got to sew a bit on the quilt before leaving at 10:30 AM.  We dropped off Cookie at gammy Jan’s and kept on going to pick up Bob and Joanne.  We had a wonderful brunch at TERRACE in Ballantyne, and then headed into Charlotte for the matinee of SPAMALOT.  I didn’t really think I would like it, because I’m not sure I like Monty Python (on which it is based) but it was TREMENDOUS!!!  I would like to see it again right away!!!  We were home by 4:30 (after retrieving Cookie and dropping off the rest of the chocolate cake with Jan) and I got in a bit more sewing before snuggling on the couch with Michael.

beaded quilt square, Cookie

Thursday morning (2/16) was quilting and I finished beading 2 different blocks on the wall hanging:

In the afternoon, my honey continued to watch our baby and I got to work on my challenge quilt.  We had leftover Chinese for dinner and I went to rehearsal with Michael for just a bit.  The director wanted me to play opposite Michael, so that Michael’s co-star would see how I would do it.  I was home by 7:30 and knit and watched TV until Michael got home and then we both snuggled on the couch.

Friday morning (2/17) Michael left for golf and I got a bit of cleaning done before leaving for a ladies luncheon at 10:30.  We all stopped at Hobby Lobby first, where I got 2 small pieces of fabric to finish off some purses, and a dowel to use in my weaving….my friend Nancy had a BRILLIANT idea of how to set up my yarn to make it easier to warp my loom.  I’ll take a picture next time I warp.  I got home from lunch around 2 PM, had a quick meeting with a financial planner, and then Michael and I had a quick dinner before leaving to see Blythe Spirit at the Fort Mill Playhouse.  Did I mention that February is filled with culture???  Every weekend in February we have 2 events to go to.

Saturday morning I had my 3^rd session with my beginning knitting class.  They are all coming along nicely and I have asked all of them to come next week with a project to start.  Saturday afternoon I got to work on the challenge quilt….I am now over 1/2 way done with setting the flowers into 9 patches.  Saturday night we had a bunch of the neighbors over to finally celebrate Michael’s birthday with his traditional chocolate layer cake (which of course I neglected to take a picture of!!)  Instead, you’ll have to be content with more pictures of our baby:

blurry Cookie

Wednesday morning (2/15) Michael left for golf and I got to work for just a bit on my quilt.  Connie (knitting friend) stopped by around 10 and we discussed several patterns she is considering doing.  I spent the afternoon playing and napping with Cookie.  I really needed the nap since (for some reason) she spent ALL night, whining and barking in her crate…..NOT fun!  Michael finished up golf just in time for us to hit the square dance at 4:30….we were home by 6:30 and had Chinese for dinner and then lounged/slept on the couch until it was time for bed.

Even though this pic is totally blurry, I just had to post with the caption “looking for mom in all the wrong places”:

pizza

VALENTINE’s DAY!!!  Michael left to get the car fixed Tuesday morning and Nancy arrived for our get together.  We talked about WEAVING!!!  It was thrilling…it’s wonderful to have someone to talk about weaving with.  Nancy left at NOON and Michael and I had our Valentine’s Celebration…it was champagne and puffy things for lunch and I got to Stitch & Chat VERY late  J.  I got home around 3 and made a pizza, because Jan and Walt arrived at 5:15 for dinner.  Here it is unbaked: 

 and after baking:

Larry was supposed to pick up Walt and Michael after 6 for the movies, but after dinner Walt started to feel sick…so they cancelled the movies and we just sat and talked for a bit.

My honey made me a gas houser egg Monday (2/13) morning to give me energy to once again attack my flowers.  Beth and I put off our walking until 10 AM to give it a bit of time to warm up.  By NOON the flowers were DONE!!!!  I let out a big cheer and raced upstairs to kiss and hug my honey…and to have some lunch.  Michael went golfing in the afternoon….and shot a 39 for 9 holes….AND GOT A HOLE IN ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  He was thrilled….the only bad news is…he was golfing alone….so it is not official….but who cares….it’s official to us!  Anne M came by to check out Cookie and of course…thought she was adorable:

 We had soup again for dinner (it’s still cold and blustery here) and watched TV in the evening while I continued to knit on my sweater.

OK – I boobed it…had pics of the dough and forgot to post them!!!  Here’s the dough as it was rising:

and one of the finished loaves:

Michael and I got up a bit late on Sunday (2/12) after going to bed at 1 AM the night before.  We decided to go out to breakfast and then stop at PETSMART again to exchange our crate (since it was bent).  Once home, I spent the ENTIRE day and night in my studio.  My sweet, sweet husband entertained our baby for the whole of the day just so that I could put in a lot of time on my challenge quilt.  I made 2 loaves of artisan bread in the afternoon and took a quart of corn & cheese chowder and a loaf of artisan bread over to a neighbor who is going through a rough health patch.  I continued to sew on my flowers in the evening (hand tacking down the centers) but still have a bunch to go  L.

blue eggs

Saturday morning (2/11) I had my beginning knitting class again..they are all coming along nicely.  I asked Robin to bring a project for next week because I think she is far enough along to start one.  The most exciting thing about knitting was that Robin brought me some of her chicken eggs and they are the most beautiful pale shade of blue that you ever saw:

 I’m hoping to blow a few out and keep the shells.  Michael had a massage in the morning (his back has really been bothering him and Marcel works on your muscles and ligaments).  Michael hit PETSMART afterwards for a new (and bigger) cage for Cookie.  I made another soup (Pioneer Woman’s Corn & Cheese Chowder) for dinner, and also got dough made so that I can bake up some artisan bread tomorrow (it is supposed to be bitterly cold).  We took Cookie over to ‘granny’  Jan & Walt’s in the evening and we took off for the symphony.  It was a really cold and blustery night and we really didn’t want to go, but the program (as usual) was fantastic!  It was the music of John Williams….including ET, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars to name a few.  We picked up Cookie around 11:45 and stayed up for a bit at home before finally going to bed at 1.

Friday (2/10) – my honey’s birthday!!!!!  His golfing got very delayed due to frost, so he didn’t leave until after 11.  That was great in my opinion, because he took care of Cookie all morning and I finally got the house all vacuumed and all of the throw-up and pee spots cleaned  J.  Barrie came over to ‘play’ around NOON, and Paula stopped by with her 2 grandkids to play with Cookie.  I got Elephant Chicken soup made in the afternoon…that stuff is SO easy and SO very good!  We didn’t have any egg noodles, so I served it over rice.  I left at 5:30 PM for band practice and when I got home at 10, Michael and I snuggled on the couch for a bit.

beaded quilt square

Beth and I walked Wednesday morning (2/8) and Michael left for golf shortly after I got home.  While I did start hand tacking some of my flowers on the guilt…stll most of the day was spent with Cookie.   We ran and played and napped and yipped and just had a marvelous time!  Michael and I went to a square dance in the afternoon, and just relaxed in the evening.

Thursday morning (2/9) I managed to get a coffee cake baked before leaving for quilting.  I finished beading another block on my wall hanging (I have no idea why these pics came out blurry….sorry!):

and I’m not sure I posted a pic of the previous block:

Thursday afternoon we had another vet appointment.  Cookie has an ear infections, and also some kind of fungus on her face.  This baby can NOT get a break.  The doctor said it is because her immune system is still weak, but she also said that once ‘parvo’ dogs get over the hump, they are usually remarkably healthy for the rest of their lives….can’t wait for that!  Michael had rehearsal in the evening, and I got some knitting done.  I wanted to tack more of my flowers…but I can’t do that with a dog on my lap…and I CAN knit…so that’s what I did.

Jan & Cookie

Tuesday morning (2/7) was my usual visit with Nancy.  We missed last week (being at the hospital with the dog…thank goodness a thing of the past) so I think we discussed….or 1/2 discussed….or 1/4 discussed about 45 things in the first 20 minutes!  We had everything solved by NOON when I left  J.  I had a quick lunch and took off for knitting club.  I had fun with a bunch of friends there, then at 2:30 met with Jim (president of square dancing) to put together our financial reports for 2011.  Once I got home I had a bit of time in the studio and…..this was a historic day (and don’t bother to correct my grammar to tell me it should be AN historic day…..I have always thought that was a stupid rule.  If we were British, and didn’t say the “H”, I might agree!)  anyway….ironing of ALL flowers for challenge quilt is DONE!!!!!   Still must hand sew centers, and sew into 9 patch blocks…but I don’t care…..having all of them ironed is a huge accomplishment!

Jan and Walt came over for dinner…then Michael and Walt left to see the movie HUGO (which they both loved) while Jan and I retired to the studio.  I was able to get a few more things accomplished, because Jan spent her time doing this: 

 We had a wonderful night!

Monday morning (2/6) somehow Michael got his time mixed up and ended up running out of the house with no breakfast after one of his golfing buddies called and said ‘where are you’??  Beth and I took a walk in the morning and Cookie kept right up with us!  That’s the first time she has been willing to walk since last Thursday.  I’m determined to keep tiring her out so that I can then put her in her crate for a nap and I can get some work done  J.

I got to work on my quilt flowers in the afternoon and Eileen and bob picked us up at 3 to go to a memorial service for a friend.  We were home by 6:30 and played with Cookie and knit and watched TV for the rest of the evening.

Sunday (2/5) was all about the dog!  Oh, Michael got to check out his emails…and I got to do a few things, but the rest of the day was spent with Cookie.  We have started crating her during the day (on the advice of a dog trainer at PET SMART) so that we can get a better handle on housebreaking her.  We had planned on having champagne and puffy things for dinner…but Michael’s stomach was acting up, so we nixed the champagne and just had 3 different kinds of puffy things instead!

PS - many of my friends who are parents are laughing their you-know-whats off at my recent experiences.  They all think it's high time I got a taste of 'motherhood'....you know, the sleepless nights, the poop everywhere....the never getting anything done because you are tending a baby... I guess I'm glad you're all having a good time

at my expense.

Barrie & Cookie, Robin, Joy, Eileen, chocolate cookies

Cookie has now learned to jump out of everything we put her in at night, so we finally crated her Thursday and Friday night.  She settled down relatively quickly and we took her out at 2:30 and 5:30 to pee.  It will be great once she is house broken, then she can wander around a bit more.  Saturday morning I started another beginning knitting class.  Barrie came to help and dogsit:

and brought 2 of her friends (mother and daughter) Robin:

and Joy:

and Eileen (a friend from square dancing) made up the 3rd student:

 

We spent an enjoyable 2 hours getting started, and once they left Michael and I tried to get some of our monthly chores done.  I got cookies made in the afternoon (rolled in pink sprinkles for Valentine’s Day, with my sugared pecans in the middle of the dish):

and I also baked up some orange/cranberry scones that Paula had brought me.  Michael homed right in on the scones and pronounced them delish!

 At 7 we headed over to Beth and Bill’s in the evening for a small get together.  Her sister is in from Pennsylvania, so we had an enjoyable time visiting.  This is the first time we’ve both been gone since we got Cookie, and we found her sleeping peacefully in her bed when we got home….wonder how long she barked and howled before that happened  J????????

My life is a TRAIN WRECK!!!!!   Unless both of us are here….no one can get anything done!  Finally crated Cookie this morning (Friday, Feb 3^rd) while Michael was out golfing and got some banking done and some laundry started.  Got about 2/3^rd of the upstairs vacuumed and dusted….cleaned up kitchen a bit…there is crap VERYWHERE!!!

Barrie came over for knitting around NOON and brought the cutest little rope toy for cookie.  When Michael got home from golf, he took over babysitting duties and I got to knit for a bit.  We watched a bit of TV in the evening, while Cookie slept on the sofa between us.

I had a very busy Thursday (2/2) morning.  I was up at 6:30 to take the dog out, and then fed her and helped Michael to give her medicine.  I got roll dough put together and starting its first rise while I went out for a walk with Beth.  Once home I formed up 20 rolls for quilting and got in a quick (as in had to leave at 9:15 and got in the shower at 9:05) shower and headed off.  I got one square of my quilt almost totally beaded (hopefully pictures next week when finished) and we had a lovely luncheon before I came home around 1.  Michael left for his eye appointment and I headed downstairs, hoping to work on the challenge quilt.  NO SUCH LUCK….Cookie would not stay in her bed…and I don’t yet trust her bathroom habits….so she snuggled down for a nap on my chest while we watched TV.  Michael got home around 3 and Paula showed up for a visit with Cookie shortly afterwards.  She has promised to bring over her grandkids to meet Cookie one of these days.  We had sautéed chicken for dinner and I finally got to work on some of my quilting squares in the evening while Michael watched Cookie upstairs.

Michael left for golf on Wednesday (2/1) and I spent the day:

-bathing the dog

-cuddling the dog

-spraying towels to get out poop before washing

repeat and repeat and repeat!

Cookie is still doing well…but as the vet told us, her diarrhea may continue for up to 2 weeks.  I really do feel like we have a new human baby…I’m not getting enough sleep, I do 3 loads of laundry a day and I don’t get anything done because the baby is on my lap….or my chest…or around my neck.  It doesn’t matter because she is getting better and she really is the cutest thing you ever saw!

pizza, Michael & Cookie

Roller coaster once again…the call we got at 7:30 AM Monday morning indicated that maybe Cookie can come home Monday night?!!?!?!?!?  I wish the original doctor was still there, but on Sunday night she told us she would be off for 3 days  L.  I would much rather have had her make the decision, but I guess we’ll just have to see what’s happening and hope for the best.  There was no vomiting and diarrhea overnight, but she also didn’t eat anything else.  I left right after the phone call to drive Jan and Walt to Lancaster to get their cars registered and their property taxes paid.  We ate breakfast on the way home, and Michael left for golf at 11, shortly after I got home.  I spent Monday afternoon in the studio and for dinner put together a pizza to use up some roll dough I made last week (pesto, grape tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers): 

At 5:30 we got a call saying ‘come and pick up your dog’.  We were both apprehensive, but took off to get her (you can see the blue bandage on her leg where she had been getting her IV):

All was well until 10 PM when she started throwing up.  She steadily threw up all night long, and at 8AM Tuesday we were back at the hospital.  The emergency vet was on the fence about admitting her, and ended up giving her an infusion of fluids and a variety of shots and sent us back home.  Michael took off for the grocery store to buy a rotisserie chicken (at the vet’s suggestion) and after waiting a couple more hours to make sure her vomiting was done, we started feeding it to her…..she was RAVENOUS and gobbled it up  J!!  We continued to feed her a couple of shredded tablespoons every hour or 2 and she continued to eat it up!  We were THRILLED!!!  Michael and Walt and Larry went to the movies Tuesday night while gramma Jan held the baby and loved on her.  I am hoping I can finally say this for good….the ride is over…she’s turned the corner and we are one small happy family!