Final Stocking Count- 1218

Our final stocking count for the Decatur Area for 2008 is 1218..... More then we expected to begin with. Everything is all packed up ready to go. She will be taking it to Peoria in the morning.... Merry Christmas to all the soldiers!

Happy Halloween

This morning at Curves if you came in wearing a costume you were rewarded with a Liv Breast self-exam aid. So I thought why not. Here are some of the results.
Then Gaye Donahue brought us lips to wear.
We all had to take our costumes off to do our rounds on the machines..Way too hot to wear a costume to exercise in.







What a group, we had a blast.



Wearing our lips.



She came in later.

Drum Roll......... We are over 1000

Let's do a Drum roll, When Jason's grandmother came in today, we did a drum roll, she brought us # 1000...+ 68.... We made It. Over a 1000 already and some more to come in. What will our total be, we'll find out by the end of the week.

More Socks

It's a good thing I didn't have these done on Friday yet
Or you might not have been able to see me at all.
Boxes and boxes of socks... All different colors and designs.
Some people tried to be real fancy with theirs. ME? I just tried
to get as many done as possible in the short time we had to get them
done.

Week ends go WAY TO FAST!!!

Week ends, they go way too fast. Another one is coming to a end.... Just like our Operation Santa project for 2008.

My official count of sewing is 566, and yep I quit. Called it enough for this year. If the others in this town can come up with 500 we will have over 1,000 to send to the troops. The official count is not yet recorded because I do not have them to count and put in the boxes ready to go. By next week I should be able to give a full Official count as to how many we were able to complete and take to Peoria.
Put my sewing machine up and swept the floor. Yes, Kim there was a floor under that mess. Set up my quilt frame ready to put a baby quilt in frame. Stacked the boxes in the corner by the closet and in the future will try and start cutting stockings for next Christmas, 2009.
Went to the church Trunk or Treat tonight, but oh was it ever so cold and very windy. Brought the geraniums into the house. They say it could freeze tonight and how I hate to see flowers die because the frost got them.

You might have noticed I changed my picture. That was taken at the office on Friday. I was holding 75 of my 566 stockings.



Julie wanted me to hold all of the ones I made, I reminded her that was impossible since they already packaged 94 stockings ready to go.
Took two filled boxes out to her house when we went to let Jake out. They went to Peoria to see her brother yet before he heads out on the 6th.
So, I must be getting old. It isn't even 9 p.m yet and I am totally exhausted.
Nite.

Hump Day

If we can get thru today, we will have it made, on the downward bend to the week end.
When these socks and mdse are delivered to Peoria, I think I shall take a whole day and simply do NOTHING. Or is that possible? Probably not, since my sewing room looks like a tornado hit it. Last night I noticed that I actually felt a bit nauseated when I went in there. Where do I start? Kim would probably suggest, a big dumpster outside the back window. Open the window and start pitching. But, as of right now I just can't simply do that. It just needs to see a vacuum cleaner being used on the floor. (This olde gal seems to not be able to hit the garbage can with her little strings when she sews). Push the sewing machine back where it belongs and disassemble the make shift cutting table. Stacking a few things in the closet then it really wouldn't look too bad.
Of course, when I get this project done, I want to put in that crib size quilt and get it done before Thanksgiving if possible. But, definitely before Christmas. So I can get it in the mail to the little girl it is to go to. Hopefully it will make her very happy and keep her nice and warm when the snow flys.
This morning there was a live segment at Holy Family with Julie and the kids stuffing almost 100 stockings. The rest we will not stuff, it will all go to Peoria and they can stuff them there. It is live on WCIA Tv morning show with Amber Jenne.

http://illinoishomepage.net/content/morningshow

Julie brought me the ones his mother made, she got rather fancy with them. I wasn't going for the fancy stuff this year, I was going for quantity. If I do 98 more I will have done over 500 myself. The other night a gal from church brought me a ton more material that can be used for socks for next year. May have to make them two tone since some of it looks as tho it is very light colored.
I may try and sew a note in the toe of the ones that I sew next year. Kinda trying to figure out how I would or what I would say. "Sewn with love by Verna, Moundford Free Methodist Church, Decatur, IL." "Best Wishes from Verna, Moundford Free Methodist Church, Decatur, IL".....
Bud came home this morning from his Knoxville, TN run. Understand he is to go somewhere way up in Michigan for Friday and home on Saturday. Said this run was a two man run. So when I know he is out of town, I try and make the most of my time and do something I really need to get done, but have a hard time getting done if I have to stop and cook dinner of a evening.

So Guess it is past noon on Hump day. We have survived this day thus far, on the downward road to a couple more days off, perhaps I shall be able to get that room cleaned up this week end. (I don't have to rack my brains when I clean) so it should be fun and relaxing to get it all whipped back into shape again.
Guess time will tell.

Blue Mondays

This has been a day that we wanted to ask, "Is it Friday yet?" "How Long is this day going to be?"

One good thing, I got a phone call this morning and the puppy that on Saturday we thought was eaten by the coyote's has returned home and is okay. SO, hopefully Melissa and her husband can get down to get him ere he tries to gallivant to the neighbor's again. A farmer 3 miles away found him in his field and brought him back. I'm sure Iree will be very happy when he gets this guy.

Just cool enough that I think 3/4 of the people in Decatur turned their furnaces on and over 1/2 of them didn't work. So the phones have been a bit on the busy side today.

Bud went to St. Louis Airport to pick up friends of mine from church. He took them to the airport a week ago and they spent a week in Texas with their daughter. For a while I thought I would have to go get them. Bud's oxygen level has been very low (55 on Saturday when he went to the emergency room when he couldn't breathe). This morning the doctor once again pumped him fuller of steroids, etc and he is to check with them within 48 hours to see if he is feeling any better.

I'm sure Julie was very grateful that I didn't have to leave her here alone today with the way the phones have been ringing. But, if we can wade over the next 45 minutes we will be out of here for the evening. My desk is a mess, but tomorrow is another day. It doesn't have to all be done in one day.

Mike brought in coffee cake and some kind of real rich chocolate/marshmallow cubes...Very hard on the fact that I too, am trying to loose weight. As I ate the first one, my thoughts were---there goes my work out from this morning. I just simply blew it totally out the door! (But, oh were they ever good)!
So guess in the morning I will have to work extra hard to get rid of these calories today.

Another Busy Saturday

The past two nights there hasn't been a lot of sleep for me. Bud has been coughing so much that I simply thought he was going to pass out from all the coughing.
Last night I went out to help Julie sort items that we got for the socks. So it was late when I got home. On the way home I came up onto a real bad accident at
22nd Street and Pershing. I hate driving in the dark any way and it was hard to see it.Was upon it before I knew it. The man in the middle of the street told me to go East around the front of his van and not between the two vehicles since there was a lot of garbage on the street. Said he called for two ambulances, but they had not arrived yet. Someone, ran a red light.... As I continued on home, I was grateful Julie had gotten a phone call from her mother-in-law and I waited till she was off the phone before I left. Or I might have been right in the middle of the mess.
This morning, I went to Breakfast alone at Debbie's Diner and took his home to him, then left with my sewing machine and supplies in tow....To Thomas Jefferson to a scheduled sock sewing. There must have been 20-25 of us total. I really didn't turn around and count...I was busy sewing.... The lady to my right ask if I drive as fast as I sew....NOPE not me. I try to stay speed limit.
We made approximately 150 socks today total. When I boxed them up when I got home our new count is 454 plus they had about 200 more cut then we got sewed. So yep, I got socks to sew.... Sewed part of them tonight for a while.
After I left TJ's I went to Arthur for a Baby Shower for Tonya. I made a Christmas sock and rolled a baby quilt up and stuffed it inside. Was a challenge to get it inside, but it worked.
When I got home, Bud was not here... I knew he was feeling badly, I figured he went to the hospital, and they would keep him. But when I called him he was just around the corner coming back home. They just pumped him full of steriods, antibiotics, did a breathing treatment. Told him that the cat scan on Tuesday showed another anyurizum...(That ticks us off) they haven't bothered calling us about it. And 1/2 the time they won't tell me anything if I do call them.
They say it is still small and is right below the tharax wherever that is.
Called his oxygen level very low and breathing problem broncitus and His enphazema flaring up. I ask him how low his oxygen was, but, of course he didn't ask them.
Tonight he tells me he is feeling better, but his cough is still very rumbly and deep. Will there be any sleep tonight, or will I hear his every move? Someday, I will get another good night sleep.





The sock and baby blanket I gave to Tanya & "Toes" (His grandmother named him "Toes" since she is always walking on her toes.





Julie is proud of the first sock that she sewed. She doesn't do much sewing at all, I'm proud of her too!


So, yes it has been a busy day, but a good day all in all. And since I am supposed to be a greeter at the door tomorrow at church guess I'd best get some sleep. So away----off to bed we go. Hope everybody has a good night.

Socks and mdse for the troups

Today I emptied the box at Curves and brought it into the office. It was running over. Julie and I sorted the items and put them in boxes, so we would be ready to take things to Peoria, and stuff socks. Found 25 socks that someone had cut ready to sew. So if I sew that 25 plus the 25 that I have already cut at home, I will personally have sewn 300. I'm glad I didn't have to buy all the material to make these socks. At the present our official count ready to go is 290 that are in the boxes ready to stuff. And of those 290 I personally have sewen 250. How many will we be able to sew? The workshop is on Saturday. That answer depends on how many people show up to help us cut and sew.
I told Julie, if the machine lets me, I can sew 10 per hour after they are cut.
Stopping to make bobbin can be a hassel, but I did get a bobbin winder at Walmart and dearly love it. So when I make bobbin I will make 4-5 at a time and that sure saves time.
How thankful I am that Mom taught me to sew when I was young. I only regret that I can't say that I actually taught Kim how to sew. (Does telling her to take sewing lessons count?) I did get her a machine a couple years ago.

Scars

2003 after I had my gallbladder out I was very grateful they didn't have to open me wide open to do the surgery. Today, I am ever so grateful because I am one who scars terribly. You would think that the doctors would find a different way to do things and not put one of their cuts at the belly button area. Nothing seems to work. It is ugly, and gets tremendously sore. Yep, on the pant line, you rub it constantly when you pull your clothes on and off. Someone suggested vitamin E oil to soften it up. How, do they expect you to keep it moist with Vitamin E oil at the jean line? Today, it is about to drive me nuts. (Of Course it doesn't take much to push me over the edge).

Guess it should give me a bigger drive to loose those extra pounds which seem to cling to that waist line. The excess weight seems to be coming off awful slow. But, I do feel better since I go to Curves five mornings a week.
Will my scar be easier to deal with if I loose the inches from the waist line? Or will it just simply appear bigger since it has been stretched so badly?

Busy, busy week

Today is Friday again. It has been a very busy week. Tuesday night I made the trip to Chesterville and had dinner with 3 of my brothers and their wives, a niece and double first cousin and a sister-in-law. It was nice to see them all again. Wednesday night I ended up in the sewing room and sewed 13 more socks and cut about 52 more. We now have 205 officially done and boxed up. Anna gave me more material so I have been cutting it ready to sew more. Julie seems to think she'd like if we could do a thousand this year...Wow I hope someone else is sewing as many or more then I have. My own official count is almost 200.
Last night Trane Parts had a open house in Champaign. So Julie left her 3 boys with her husband and her and I went to the open House dinner. Didn't win the big screen TV tho. Someone From Arthur (who probably didn't really need it) won it.
We were blessed with having a good time. Meeting people whom we speak to on the phone to order parts and for information. So now I can put a face to the voice when I speak to them.
Nothing special this week end, but I'm sure I'll end up doing a bit more sewing before I get back to work on Monday morning. When I went to Miles for Bud's check today to deposit it I picked up what was in their box there. Bless the family who has signed about 150 Christmas cards to be put into the soldiers socks. Even their child signed them.
Yesterday Bud had gone to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a truck. He had stopped for the night. When he came home at 4 a.m. this morning he is very lucky I opened my eyes far enough to see that the noise and man in my bedroom was him. Don't know what I would have used but I would have found something to throw at him or hit him with. Hopefully I can let him know that the next time he needs to call me and let me know he is coming in extremely early when I knew he had stopped for the night. Couldn't sleep around midnight so he just got up and came on in. I keep telling him someday his luck will run out and Bambi will jump out in front of him when he does all this night time driving. Of course, he is sleeping today. Driving that far normally just wears him totally out.
Early this morning I remembered tomorrow is Kim & Clay's anniversary. And Luke (Levi and Anna's grandson's birthday). So Happy Anniversary to Kim and Clay and Happy Birthday to Luke.
While visiting with my brothers on Tuesday night we remembered that it is 31 years that Mother left us. And Dan reminded us that 31 years ago we had 2 inches of that white stuff on the ground. I remembered that they had to carry Dad's wheel chair to the cemetery because the wheels wouldn't turn in the snow. Plus it was very windy and cold and blowing snow awfully when we went to the cemetery. I sure am glad we don't have that white stuff called snow yet. I really am enjoying the fall weather right now. Can we keep it till next year?

Is it Friday Yet?

Back to the phones. This week has been a week where if you didn't use your head set you best have your head examined. Monday night I went home with a kink in my neck. Now since then we have been using our head sets. Only when you want to leave your desk you have to unplug yourself. And if you forget you might even pull that phone off onto the floor.
Tuesday morning when the newspaper came out, there was the Tica sticker stuck to the front. It reminded some that they needed to have their furnaces checked for winter. And others simply wanted to have it because they got the first hour at a discounted rate from normal rates.
It worked, the phones rang non stop for two days. We set up check outs as far as two weeks in advance. Some people weren't very happy having to wait and others didn't seem to mind at all.
Then you get the walk in customers like Mr. X. I don't think he has spent a happy moment in his life. Very hard to please. Wanted a filter, but declared that the one that he got did not fit into his furnace the way it was supposed to. They had sold me a replacement filter, one that replaces the original one and is much cheaper then the original Brand filter. He got downright nasty with me last night on the phone. Declaring he wanted the Brand name filter that the one he got would not fit into his air bear.
I dug his old one out of the garbage and compared it to the one that we had delivered yesterday p.m. It Was the same filter....He just wanted to be difficult!
Neither Bob or Mike wanted anything to do with Mr. X when they found out who he was as they had problems with him before.
Late P.M. Julie decided she would call him, just to see if he got it to work. He then admitted that he hadn't put the rods in like they had been before and when he put the rods back in----IT FIT!!!
I hope I never get OLD & SENILE.
Thank God tomorrow is Friday....Only one more day...I think I can handle that. Plus Fridays are good days...PAYDAYS. YAAAA