August is here

 You can already feel the difference. It's getting dark earlier, and the heat is different. 

I love that we all have the same family calendars! 

 

This afghan is on it's way to California for a sad reason. A good friend of Steph's is not doing well, and she asked for an afghan to give her friend. I sent pix of all my available afghan, and she choose this one.

 Not a great pic, but we had 3 deer in the front yard grazing on both weeds and the zucchini that Ralph put out for them.

 My set up with the new tablet! I'm almost to the 13% mark. Even though I'm a lefty, I have the tablet on my right, and mark off the stitches with my right hand. We lefties have had to accomodate to a right handed world.

Jul texted me last night, a picture of her and her friend Josie playing the card game. I'm so glad she loves it, it's so fun and funny. I'm so glad Amary brought hers to Florida and showed us how to play it.

Sigh. The tangerine twatwaffle is still with us. FDT and his butt kissing minions.
 

July is on the wane!

 we're almost at the end of July. Hard to believe it's been a month since our sad trip to Florida for Morgan's funeral. I text with John every day, and so does Mike, and Charley does almost every day.

 On a lighter note, I saw this on Instagram and sent it to Steph, who is going to Chicago this September with Dan and another couple. The women are all in, the men not so much.

 Yesterday I was feeling tropical, LOL.

Sigh. My chromebook issue turned out to be hardware. The final update does not recognize any apps. Since I only used it for Pattern Keeper, it's now useless. It was only about 5 years old! Ralph gifted me an android tablet, which just arrived and he's setting up. Fingers crossed that we can reclaim my progress. 

Sigh again. I'm officially old. I have to do a minimum yearly distribution from my TSA. 

As always, FDT. And anyone who supports his regime of cruelty. 

 

A nice weekend!

 Temps in the 80's, humidity is down. Tomorrow we're having an early dinner with our cookie swap group- no cookies involved. 

 Boone was celebrating national ice cream day!

12%! This percent went fast, due to large amounts of colors.

 

Ralph put some carrots out, and this young deer approved!

 Yesterday's toppers! Watermelon for the summer! 

And of course, FDT and all involved. 

Another heat wave

 It's been in the 90's again. And the days are starting to shorten already.

We had a lovely visit with Manda and the kids. They got here on Friday night, and I made chicken nuggets and fries in the air fryer. Always a popular meal with the tween set. After dinner they went to Rita's Water Ice, of course. Then we gave them their birthday gifts, which they were happy with.

Saturday we went to Heather's for a family gathering/birthday party for both kids. Frank and Charlotte, Mike and Donna, Mike and Sam, and of course Boone. The kids had fun in the pool and hot tub. Boone is a water baby!

I made turkey sausage and peppers, and turkey kielbasi and sauerkraut. I was surprised, the turkey kielbasi tasted just like regular. So good! We also had mac and cheese and cupcakes. A smaller group than usual, so we were able to have conversations. A wonderful day. 

Sunday morning we went to First Watch for brunch, then they packed up and were picked up at 2:30 for their long flight home. After seeing them for 3 weekends in a row, it will probably be a year til we see them again.

 Yesterday Ralph got his hair cut to donate, for the third time. He says this is it for him.

 And back to Christmas Shoppes! I finally hit 11%! Not working on it for weeks slowed things down a lot.

And of course, FDT! 

Visitors coming!

 Coming back, actually. Manda, Amary and Garrett arrived last Saturday, spent the night, and headed to Delaware. The kids are in Italian day camp (John said that sounds like a spy novel) and Manda is working from the hotel room. 

They will head back here tomorrow when camp is over. Saturday we're having a birthday pool party for Amary and Garrett.

 I have turkey sausage, kielbasi and hot dogs arriving this morning for the party. 

Yesterday Ralph and I went to IHOP and I got the pancake flight breakfast. I ate one set of pancakes and a slice of bacon there and brought the rest home. 

 

Christmas shoppes yesterday. 10.6 % done. I haven't gotten a lot done this month with the funeral and company, but that's okay. 

July is a big birthday month for us. Dan, John, Steph, Connor, Kenzie, Amary and her other grandmother Polly. And Steph and Dan's anniversary. 

And as always, FDT and his band of grifters. 

Florida part two

 We all stayed at Star Island, a resort in Kissimmee that we've been to before. Heather rented a 3 bedroom unit that sleeps 8, and Mike and Michael rented the smaller units. 

 Being in the same place was great! They have a pool with a bar, which those who drink took advantage of. 

Amary brought this card game with her, and we loved it so much that I ordered Jules one. We ranged in age from 10 to 78, and the game is hilarious.

Then, the long rides and flights back home. I'd forgotten how busy and long 95 is.

 

I'm back to working on Christmas Shoppes. I'm a little over 10% done.

 This was hanging in the Hampton House we stayed in. It was behind acrylic, and I couldn't tell if it was fabric or paper. I'm picturing fabric, of course!

And, as always, FDT! And his minions. 

Sad trip

 I rode to Florida with Heather and Ed. I'd forgotten how long the ride is. He drove 12 hours Thursday, and 5 on Friday. Ralph rode with Michael and Jake, and Mike, Donna and Joey went in her car. We all met up at Star Island. Steph and Manda and the kids got in by about 7 pm.

Saturday morning was the funeral.

Michael and Jake got John there, and set him up in the Gator, which is like a souped up golf cart. 

 

It was Morgan's wish to be buried on the farm. Years ago they had Florida designate as area as a cemetery. Her sister Lisa gave an eloquent eulogy, talking about how Morgan went from being Lisa's baby sister to being her best friend and partner in crime. Nick spoke, a pastor spoke, and John sang You are my Sunshine to Morgan, and had us all sobbing. 

The funeral people released a white homing pigeon, which flew around the farm then took off for home. We adjourned to the pole barn for refreshments.

When the floor of the pole barn/workshop was set, John wrote in the cement.

 

John let Garrett drive the Gator, and Garrett had such a good time with that! John talked to everyone, then he was sore and exhausted, so he had the guys drive him back to the nursing home, and we all headed back to Star Island.

Gatherig and packing

 We leave tomorrow morning for Florida, for Morgan's funeral. I have "Do not forget" lists, and today I'll pack. Neighbor Dave came over and got a key, and will feed the cats and get the mail for us. He's the best neighbor ever! 

I did the first few rows on a ripple baby afghan so I'll have a project to take with me to work on in the truck. The cross stitch is not a travel project, as it's the project in the qsnap, five boxes of floss, and a laptop with pattern keeper on it. 

I'm taking the kindle, the iPad, my apple watch and of course my phone. And chargers for all. And meds. 

I'm 9.97 % done on the cross stitch. 

I hope to finish this today. 

I won't post while I'm away. But I will think F*ck the stinky pedophile every day.
 

Florida bound

 I was not originally planning to go to Florida for Morgan's funeral. I don't travel well with my balance issues, and Ralph won't fly. He was considering going down on the train, a 24 hour ride. 

Then Heather asked if I wanted to fly down with her and Ed. I immediately said yes. 

Then we found out Jacob and Michael already had a trip planned there to rent a new pickup, drive down, and trailer back a truck of John's. Ralph could ride down and back with them. 

Then Steph decided she was coming in from Oregon for the funeral, as she'd visited John and Morgan several times, on work trips.

Then Manda decided that if we were all going, she and the kids were also flying in from Seattle. 

Heather and Steph were exploring hotel options.

Then Heather was totally stressed about flying. No direct flights from AC to Orlando, so the plan was to fly from Philly, which stressed Ed.

 Then Heather asked if I was up for driving with them. Yes. 

Then she booked Star Island thru her time share. Hotels for Michael and Jake were booked, first in Lakeland, then near the time share. 

Big Mike positively was not going. Then he might go, but wasn't flying. But probably not. Then as of last night, he and Donna are driving. 

That's the plan, the latest version. It's exhausting. 

 Pix from last week, at Jake and Molly's housewarming. They are surrounded by fields, and the barely visible house in the distance is the farmer. That's Michael, Samantha and Boone in the shade. And of course, Boone in shades! 

And the F*cker's reflecting pool is full of algae, just like his soul. 

A new week

 Morgan's long battle ended yesterday.

 Rest in Peace, Morgan. She fought the good fight with grace and dignity. We are heartbroken for John.

Hot weekend

 Morgan is slowly declining. As long as she's kept comfortable, that's the important thing.

Today we are going to Jake and Molly's house for a housewarming. It's about an hour away. I'm giving them a check, and an afghan that my mom made for my dad. When she passed, I brought it here and stored it for when Jake is grown up. That time has come!

 Over 8%! Because of the bulk, I had to use a grime guard, and can't get too close to the edges.

I finished Ophelia the shark! She's a panel from Patchwork Plus in VA. I saw her on one of their videos and had to have her. First- and last- time I've worked with Minkee fabric. It's linty, slippery, and shifts even when pinned. But she's so cute!

I hear the UFC fight at the White House comes with possible thunderstorms, bats, lots of bugs, and a bunch of two legged parasite. And of course the taxpayers are paying for it, thanks to the spineless Republicans. F*ck them all, especially their grifting leader.
 

Updates

 My sister in law Morgan is slowly drifting away. John has been able to spend time with her, playing music and talking to her. It's just so sad. 

 

I've had this conversation with many people. Is it better to lose a loved one suddenly, or to have them gradually pass? Both have good and bad facets.

 Cousins! My late nephew Joe's son Joey, Steph, Heather, Michael holding his daughter Boone, and my youngest nephew Jake. Joey is 13 and shooting up tall so fast! 

I finally hit 8% on the cross stitch, and moved the qsnap!

And F*ck the tangerine twatwaffle and his band of thieves. 

The good, the bad and the ugly

 We're having a hot spell, sudden summer. The good:

 I filled the qsnap and had to move it last night! Almost 8% done, about 30K stitches done.

Boone is the star of any gathering she's at! She claps, we all clap. She takes steps, we all applaud. She conducts us like an orchestra!

 

Ralph and I were so happy  to have Steph and Dan staying with us for a few days!

 Eddie should hear soon when he takes the boards and can start work in the ER.

Now for the bad and the ugly.

My little brother John's wife Morgan has been admitted into in patient hospice. She's stage 4 lung cancer, and doing poorly. Her sister is there (they live in Florida), and her son flew in yesterday. John is frantic, of course, and we talk every day. I'm so sad for both of them.

And F*ck that tangerine crook and his band of deplorables, and his family. Good for the French who boo-ed the drunk sectretary. 

Hello June!

 May zipped on by!

 The past several days were busy, with Steph and Dan in. Most days we saw them in the morning and at night, they had people to see.

Eddie's party was epic! 

 I made 5 pounds of sausage and peppers in the crockpot to take. I used turkey sausage, and it came out great. Ed was so happy that he could eat it. There was so much food! There was about 80 people there. Of course Baby Boone was the star of the show. 

I barely cross stitched while they were here. Yesterday, they had breakfast with Dan's parents. Heather, Eddie and Jules came up to see them before they left. It's hard for Heather when her sisters leave. 

So today Steph and Dan are home in Oregon, Heather is at work, and Ralph went to Tim Horton's with his brother. Life is back to normal.

And F*ck the tangerine twatwaffle and everyone associated with that grifting pedophile. 

Spring is back!

 After a dreary week, nice weather is back. Good thing, since Eddie's party is Saturday.

And Steph and Dan are in the air on the way to visit! It's a long flight, 6 hours. I've done it many times.

 6.9 %! I missed my 1% per week goal, because I've been doing a lot of fill in of confetti. I don't know how much I'll work on it while Steph and Dan are here, though they will be out as much as they'll be in.

I'm making several pounds of sausage and peppers for the party. I'm getting turkey sausage, so Ed can eat it. The alpha gal is a bitch, and not a lot is known about it since it's so new.

And now that orange f*cker is having E Jean Carroll investigated! sure, investigate the victim. F*ck that twatwaffle and all that support him. 

Sewing project

 Most days I watch the video of the day from Patchwork Plus, a quilt shop in Virginia ( or maybe West VA, I forget) where she'll show things available in the store. I fell in love with Shark Attack.

 The quilt shop has her sitting on the counter wearing sunglasses! She's minkee fabric, which is notorious for being linty. Yesterday I cut out all the pieces.

It's going to be a rainy holiday weekend, and chilly. A good time to stay in and read, sew and cross stitch.

Eddie in front of the ER entrance, posing.

 

Ed and Heather took the kids to Myrtle Beach for a few days to recover from graduation. They also escaped our 90+ heat days! It's a ten hour drive. 

Next weekend is the graduation party for our new BSN. And Steph and Dan get in Thursday night, so they'll be here for the party!

Sigh, I woke up this morning and the tangerine twatwaffle is still in office. Sigh.