update on my shoulder recovery

Several of you have asked about me and my shoulder, and such sweeties you are for caring. :o)
I am amazingly better than I was a couple of weeks ago. My flexibility is greatly improving and I'm so grateful for each day's improvement. I still have 3 very sore spots, but considering that they removed 6 bone spurs and ground off 3/8"-1/2" of bone at the end of my collar bone, I think I'm doing pretty good. The bruise on the front of me, in the deltoid muscle, is just about all gone. The bicep is going to take awhile before it can help me do push-ups, and I am now on a first name basis with a new little muscle called a trapezius. Me and that "trap" muscle are having go-rounds to decide who's boss and you know, I'm a stubborn one, but every once in a while, it wins. lol Do you know that moving your arm can cause an "interesting" pain up the back of your head? BUT, I'm really not complaining, just noticing. I can move and I know I'm getting better. And...I know that I will feel much better in a few months. When I even think about getting whiny, I remember what they told me at the doctor's office. "You're young and in great shape. You are going to do great!" I don't always feel particularly young. I'll be 48 in a couple of months, but I guess "young" is subjective. And have you guys seen my shape? Yeah, it's great, huh? :o) But I still like the "young and in great shape" definition.
I have been working on quilting, albeit w-a-y more slowly than usual. Tonight, I finished 3 quilts. Tomorrow, I might get pictures. You know how the knee bone is connected to the leg bone and the leg bone is connected to the hip bone? Well, the way I feel today, the thumb bone is directly connected to the shoulder bone. I learned that while I was sewing the last of the binding down on a quilt. I know, I should've stopped, but I was so close to done. You all know how that is , don't you? :o)
Now, I'm going to stop yapping and get away from this computer. I've maxed out my typing abilities for the day and it's time to be lazy, prioritize tomorrow's activities and get some much needed rest.

My new form of shoulder therapy

I always seem to have a need to be busy doing something, and that "something" is not usually napping. I've been doing plenty of napping while recovering and healing this shoulder, but I decided to branch out and see if I could do some embroidery. I got this cute little bunch of violets from a challenge they're doing on SewManySwaps and I think it turned out pretty. And my shoulder is only mildly irritated at me for doing oh-so much work. :o) My shoulder and I had a talk and we decided that it was definitely worth it. I already have many pieces of embroidery, most of it vintage, that someday I plan on incorporating into a nice, feminine quilt. I think the violets will play nicely with the rest of the pieces. I'd show you, but really, I'm too tired to drag out the pile and fold them so that they are visible...and then have to fold everything all back up. Nope, not gonna' happen this week. Someday...

February 14 is a special day

Everybody knows that today is Valentine's Day, but in Oregon, it's also the state's birthday. Today, Oregon is 150 years old. Happy Birthday, Oregon! Happy Valentine's Day!

Mission Accomplished!

I have all my photos saved to disks. It's been on my "to do" list since last April. Now I won't feel so bad if the computer crashes. I've whined about it enough here that I thought that I'd share the good news, too. If I had 2 good arms I'd find something to take a picture of. :o) Instead, I'll go and be lazy and try to heal.

You just can't keep a quilter down

A couple of days after my granddaughter's birthday, I had surgery. They used the largest bandage I've ever seen to cover 3 tiny little holes. Don't worry, I won't show you the holes ... yet. LOL

I was growing an impressive little crop of bone spurs in my right shoulder and it was time to get rid of them. Surgery was Tuesday afternoon and Thursday night I was talking to my sister-in-law on the phone. She had asked if I had done any hand-sewing yet. She and my daughter both agreed that I was maybe a little obsessive in my quilting, so it seemed like a perfectly reasonable question. Of course, I'm all doped up and told them that there was no way that I was ready to do any work on my quilts. Crazy ladies, for even thinking such a thing. Yeah -- well, last night night, before I went to bed, I had to see if I could hold a needle. Hmm, I have you know that I'm only a little obsessive. I did put the needle down after only sewing one thread-length. I managed to get about 8" of binding sewn down.

Yay! Not too bad, considering that I'm right-handed and it's my right shoulder that's recuperating. :o)

Guess who had a birthday?

This week is brought to you by the number 4.




Wren is 4 now and is proud to let everyone know it. She wants to use 4 in her everyday life. She needs 4 crayons, wants to be read 4 books, needs 4 items of silverware and insists on getting 4 M&Ms, but Ben only gets 2 M&Ms because he's only 2. Needless to say, Ben has an entirely different outlook on the M&M distribution plan. The kids had a grand time at the birthday party. Only 3 little kids, but plenty of yummy things to eat and lots of gifts to open.

I'm working as fast as I can

Here is a close up setting of my quilt "Double Delight". It was a mystery from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville site. I set mine straight set, so it's a little different. I plan on gifting it to my sister-in-law Bonnie, so it will be a Bonnie quilt to a Bonnie. She's wanted a "Debi" quilt for years, so I think she'll like this one. And with all the pink in it, it seems just right for her.


Here you can see the whole quilt.


This one just came off of my quilting machine. It is for my Brother-in-law, Brian, in Arizona. You can't see the tie -dyed border, but with it, and all the bright colors in the quilt, it will be perfect for him. Almost every time I see him, he's wearing a tie-dyed tank top.



This red, black and white one I'm making for a teen-ager. Aren't all these blocks gorgeous together? They were made by members of the SewManySwaps group. You quilters did an awesome job!

And this last little one I made because I had enough striped fabric left from the R, B & W one for a backing. It will keep some little one nice and warm.


Now, you know what I've been doing lately. :o) Just quilting away.
Hugs!