Mosaic Afghan for Aryanna

 AFGHAN FOR ARYANNA

I took a heart from another chart and smoothed it out, then added the crosses to represent Jen's very deep and abiding Christianity.  Something she was able to share with her children and husband.

I have completed about 1/3 of the next panel which are snowflakes. The Poinsettia and Snowflakes remind me of her being born close to Christmas, and passing during on the first day of Winter. The hearts seem to me to be reminders of all the testimonials people had about what a wonderful friend, cousin, mom, wife, sister-in-law, daughter, etc. that she was. She led an amazing life and is missed by many.

SPRING FLOWERS

Well, well, well! It finally warmed up and I have some lovely bulb plants blooming! I'm super excited. I didn't know what Margie had planted while living here and it looks like she has a lot of tulips, too. I'm going to purchase some Iris and a few other plants to make the garden area come alive next Winter and Summer. I love a garden that blooms all year long. Luckily we have a rather well known garden center nearby, across the Snake River so I can probably find everything I need.

PLUMBING ISSUES

I had the soft water system from Culligan taken out. It was expensive, but they do delivery the salt pretty cheaply. However, it kept leaving a salt trail everywhere. I called their customer service representative, James Holt, to come and see what was making it do that. He kept putting me off, week after week, and not returning my calls. It was like a kid who did not turn in their homework because the "dog ate it." His excuses were just as lame. So I canceled.

I bought a Sterling system, which I think is actually made by Culligan, or they have some sort of relationship again. They were different companies at one time after the owners split up in 1936. At any rate, the system was ONE HALF of what Culligan charged, and is working like a charm. Customer service is great because it is a local pluming company, Treasure Valley Plumbing. Makes all the difference in the world. Great people!

Happy Throwback Thursday

Margie Little Wright, 1947 - 2022

Margie is on the left, and that's me on the right. This was taken somewhere in San Francisco right before (I think) she and my brother were married. She passed away suddenly last year in March, breaking the hearts of her entire family and loved ones. Her daughter is the one that passed away last year in December, making the loss of both women too much…..so it has been a hard year we were all glad to see behind us.

Mosaic Afghan coming along

 

I have finished four "panels" of the afghan. I am not doing them in exact order as I want to add a couple of extra heart panels to make the afghan longer, and make it more in keeping with it being a comfortghan for the loss of her mom. Off the top of my head I think there will be seven more panels, but it it isn't long enough I will make 9 more panels.

Tommy Socks 

We go in next week to check his glucose level. He seems to be drinking more water than he had been, so I am a little worried. He doesn't seem to be acting like he has no energy, and he still has an appetite, so that is a good sign. I believe the Young Again Mature dry cat food is responsible for his doing so much better. It is my hope that he can come off the insulin completely and stay in remission for a long time!

He likes to grab his brush and rub his chin on it! Gives himself a brushing like that.

Boise Sunset

I may have posted this before. I took it when we took off from the airport.

My car mishap

I can't believe I backed into a truck coming out of my parking space. The truck was parked a tad out of his space, but I can't say that was any sort of an excuse. The thing is I was looking BACK! I was checking out over my right shoulder, and I guess the panel in the van made a blind spot for the truck. It was a HUGE truck, so should have seen it. Nothing was wrong with his at all. I had to go back into Office Depot and have them page the driver of the large red truck. He didn't hear me, so I started yelling it! I got tired of waiting. My van sustained substantial damage. Sheesh! Thank goodness I was going slooooow! No telling what the damage would have been!

Today it was raining, so it was one of those "When it rains, it pours" kind of day.

AFGHANS & FLOWERS

The newest photo of the mosaic afghan

The top photo was around Friday last week I think. The one below that is this morning. I have 11 more rows to go to finish this strip and then on to the next one…AFTER I get the squares for her father put together and bordered.

I am hoping now that I have the hang of it (mostly) that it will go faster. I just don't see me hanging on for months trying to get it finished.

The dad's comfortghan 

Of course, the squares are from a swap from Vanna's Choice Fan Club on Ravelry. So I can't take credit for "making it" just for bordering and joining it.  I just haven't made many afghans of late…been buying them from Donna Hammell who makes beautiful ones special order! Like the one I had her make for my brother on the loss of his wife last year (and now his daughter). See below.

My brother's comfortghan from last year

😊

My brother lost his wife in March, then his daughter in December. He loves riding his bike and has competed in many local bike races, as well as some in AZ and CA. He, like me, is an avid coffee drinker. However, I only drink FRESH made coffee…not what has been sitting around for 30 minutes. At some point I will try making him a sweater for another comfort piece. This was made after just my sister-in-law passed away. Donna really does the most awesome work!

Toilet Fixed!

The plumber on the phone a week ago on Saturday had me mop out the water from the tank so I could wait until last Monday to get a plumber out at normal cost. So great! The gasket was faulty…NEW Kohler toilet. Couldn't get him to say WHY it was faulty. Installer or Kohler, take your pick. 

Winter still hanging on!

Snowed again a few times last week, sometimes in the early morning, sometimes during the day.  I think March is turning out to be almost as cold as February for the PNW. An old neighbor from WA was complaining they they have no flowers and the trees aren't blooming. I showed her a photo she had just posted with green grass and flowers in her garden! LOL! At least she has green grass and the trees did have leaves on them. Not here, just the ones with needles. She took affront at my pointing it out. 

I have photos from years ago when I first lived in the area and it shows outdoors, in a lightweight jacket, on green grass, with flowers in the background…March 8th 2005! I just went back over the weather from when I first moved here in 2004. That year was dry all year. They had about three different times when it rained. Amazing. I guess it was not good for the farmers, but I liked it! Was thinking this year was super wet, but it's been much worse. Just hope it gets back to be a tad dryer.

The daffodils were in the backyard, along with a multitude of other flowers. The yard grew prettier every year as I planted grass seed and had it fertilized. I will have to do the same on this yard as it is a mess…and the dogs haven't helped the backyard in the least. I will be lucky if there is any grass that survived the winter (and the dogs). At least it is melting now…and the ground will freeze up some at night so it isn't as muddy.

😊😊😊

I hope I can afford to put in a second layer to the deck, some benches, and some walkways in back where fencing off some area for the dogs won't stick out like a sore thumb, and will have the look of real professional landscaping to it. Have been saving photos to use from gardens I seen on line or in books.

I also want to have a space for the cat to get outside. He really has had the short end of the stick. Takes it in stride, but I know he isn't completely happy about it.