I'm Driving Again!!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Wednesday a dear friend from my Sunday school class took me to physical therapy.  My usual guy, Robert, must have been busy because a lady put me through the paces.  She wasn't quite a vigorous with me as Robert, but she did add some exercises.  I was able to ride the bike for 6 minutes without any problem.  The part that I hate the most - the pressure and cold pack at the end - was not quite so bad today.  They didn't use the electrodes, and she set the pressure a little lower, so I stood it a lot better.  Next time I need to bring a shoe for my other foot as I ride the bike.

Thursday, I really needed to go to the credit union and I had to mail a small package at the UPS office.  I didn't want to ask anyone to take me, so I decided it was time for my "maiden voyage."  The first time in nearly three months!!  I felt confident I could drive with a shoe on my right foot.  So I got the boot on, which is a bit of a chore.  It is large with 2 Velcro flaps and 5 large, long Velcro straps. 

I crutched to the car with my stuff, took off the boot, put on the shoe, drove to the credit union, took off the shoe, put on the boot, crutched in to do my business, crutched to the car, took off the boot, put on the shoe, drove to the UPS office, took off the shoes, put on the boot, crutched into the office to mail my package, crutched back to the car, took off the boot, and put on my shoe.  I thought to myself, "While I'm out, do I just want to get a bit of lunch?"  Naw!  Too much trouble!  So I drove home, took off the shoe, put the boot on and crutched into the house.  Time for a nap!!  But now I'm no longer a prisoner in my home!  I feel like a bird set free!! (Even if it is a major hassle!!)

I've been cutting up shirts this week.

Sometimes as I cut up a shirt, I wonder - who wore this shirt?  What did he look like?  Was he a husband?  Did he have children?  Since it was a nice white shirt, was he a banker, a preacher, a lawyer, or a school principal?  Was he a happy man?  Did he have fun in life?  You just wonder where all this shirt has been!  I'm sure if it could talk, it would tell me a lot of interesting stories.

And speaking of cutting up shirts, I used some of the nice white material from above for this cute little needle minder.

Ever since I got my Bernina 830 LE and have been using the embroidery part of it, I've been using different needles.  In the past, I just used one kind of needle to do all my sewing, but now, sometimes, I need to change to an embroidery needle, or a ballpoint needle for knits, etc.  This always poses a problem - what do you do with the needle you take out?  You need a place to put it until you need it again.  The printing on it is so teeny tiny you have to have 3 magnifying glasses to read it.  When I load a particular needle into the machine, there is a place to tell the machine what type you are using.  So when you take out the needle, you can just look and see what kind it is.  But if you just lay it down somewhere, you have no clue what kind it is the next time you pick it up.  I don't like putting it back into the original container, because you then don't know which ones are used and which are new.  SOOOO, this was my answer!!  It is an in-the-hoop design.  You layer the top fabric, a piece of cotton batting, and a mesh stabilizer in the jumbo hoop and stitch it out.  You then take it out of the hoop, cutting 1/4" around the outside line, cut out a backing, and bind.  It takes about 45 minutes to stitch out.  The binding probably takes the longest - and we quilters know how we all luuuv bindings.  (NOT!)  I found the tutorial in an online Bernina magazine, "Thorough the Needle," issue no. 9.  It gave step by step instructions for making the design using the Bernina software.  BUT, I do not own that software; I have the Floriani design program.  If I had worked really hard I probably could have figured it out, and done it in my software, but I'm not that efficient using it yet.  Somewhere along the way, I found it already designed and available in a file in this large tri-fold size and a smaller single-fold size.  I didn't download the smaller size, because I knew I wanted the larger size.  It came with a page of directions.  Now I'm racking my brain trying to remember where I got the completed design, and for the life of me, I cannot remember!!  ARGH!!  Usually directions will a name or a company listed on them, but this one does not.  I have a quilting/embroidery friend who would like to have the design, and if I had to pay for it, I don't feel like I can pass it along to her.  I'm sure she would be willing to buy it, if I did, but I just cannot remember!!  UGH!  I just hate when my memory fails me, and it happens waaay too often.  Below is a picture of it folded.  I haven't put the snaps on it yet, so a pin is just holding it shut.

Today we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  As we were leaving we had to go around behind the building because there was a bus in our exit area.  As we came from along side the building, I yelled at Guy, "SHE'S NOT GOING TO STOP!!!"  He threw on the brakes as this lady came barreling through the parking lot in front of the restaurant, jammed around the corner in front of us, and NEVER so much as looked our way!!  And we had the right-of-way!  Oh, boy, had I been driving, she would have GOT THE HORN!!  I was going to give the "the eye" as we went by her to turn right, but she was digging in her purse and never looked up.  ARGH!  It was awfully early for the crazies to be out!!

I had another session of PT at 11:00, and I drove myself.  Robert was back.  He put me through the paces and talked with me about some exercises that would strengthen my right leg and knee in preparation for my eventual knee surgery.  They are so good there, and I really appreciated him getting me ready for the knee replacement so I'd have a jump on getting my muscles in shape.

I keep seeing news and FB posts about the Kansas State Fair that opened today.  Guy told me a final "No" the other night on getting to Kansas in time for The Fair.  *sniff*  I know it would be a chore, but I so hoped we could make it this year.  I guess it just wasn't to be.  I know we can plan to go next year, and I'll hopefully be walking on my own, but, at our age, one never knows what will happen in a whole year's time.

More Gifts.....

36.  Able to put more pressure on my foot, and sometimes walk with only one crutch.

37.  Still have not fallen during this recovery - SO thankful!!

38.  Being able to drive again and not having to rely on someone else to take me, although many dear friends have been more than willing.