Life is interesting

This past week brought us a few surprises.  Tuesday Bud developed a little rash on his back and asked me to put some lotion on it.  Wednesday morning the rash had spread a bit and he was beginning to wonder if it was Shingles.  He went to the 'walk in clinic' right away that morning because he couldn't get in to his regular doctor.  They confirmed the diagnosis and gave him a medication to help with the virus, hoping they caught it early.  He went to work both Thursday and Friday but by Friday afternoon he was feeling a little 'punky' so we didn't go out to an event that we had planned that evening.  He decided to just stay in this weekend and try to recover.  He has been sleeping and continues to feel 'under the weather'.  I stopped by his sister's house this afternoon (she is a dermatologist) and she is going to make a house call later.  He is restless and in some pain and mostly just tired of laying around already.  

 I have been continuing my O.T. on my wrist and am able to be around the house without the brace.  I am doing many exercises and am able to do some strengthening exercises so it is getting better.  I still don't have full range of motion and it is very stiff but I have been able to do some sewing so that is better.  I have been blessed with some very good books to read the last couple of weeks so that has been helpful.  I have also been going back to Kingsley to help at the school so that is nice.

I did get new tires on my car this week so I was ready for another trip to Coleman. I drove down on Thursday evening.  Leo fixed me Swiss Steak for dinner, following Mom's recipe.  I don't ever fix it here so I told him I would bring the steak if he would fix it for me.  It tasted very good.
Friday we went to a doctor's appointment.  It was a 6 month check up with his pulmonologist, we have another appointment this next week with his oncologist.  The drive down was uneventful.  I beat the worst of the storm when I came back in the afternoon.  It was windy but not too bad. On our way home from Midland I noticed that the snow seemed to be blowing across the east-west roads so I thought the drive home on mostly north-south roads would be fine.  Leo told me this story about the snow blowing in N. Dakota.  He said that it really didn't seem to matter which direction you were driving, the snow always seems to be blowing across the road.  I was lucky that I beat most of the snow and blowing.  My new tires were helpful too.
On my way home I talked to Glen in N. Dakota.  The weather was in the mid 30s on Friday.  but it had been about 30 below zero the day before.  He called me again today and said it was cold, snowy and blowing out there today.  And we think that Michigan weather is unpredictable.
HEY, I am listening to NPR on the radio and they just finished a little promotion about N. Dakota.  They are planning to do a week long story on the oil boom there.  I guess that N. Dakota is the place to be.  You must be a tough person to tough out their weather though.  I think I will still stay in Michigan and visit N. Dakota in the summer.

I have an exciting thing happening in my life.  Two of my small landscape quilts will be in a local show.  This is a picture of the postcard advertisement.  As you can see it is an 'Invitational' quilt show.  Now,  just to be clear, it is just a local show but I do feel privileged to be a part of this show.  I have put prices on my pieces but won't be shocked if nothing sells.  I am OK with that.  I really have never planned to make my hobby in to a profit making business and probably don't want to know the real cost of any piece I make if you factor in the labor and materials.  This piece pictured above is just part of the whole piece but it is one of my experiments.  I was very pleased with the way it turned out.  If you want to see more of the piece, you can go back through earlier posts and check it out.  I am just thankful that my wrist is getting stronger and I am able to get back to sewing.

WELL,  I guess that was a bit of a lengthy post.  I really didn't mean to ramble on and on.  AND, I hope you forgive the title of the post. It probably wasn't that interesting.

Stay warm and think nice thoughts of beautiful summer days.  We received our advertisement for the State Dock houseboat trips in the mail this past week.  That is something to look forward to on these cold winter days.