A Stitching Post and a Random List of Thoughts Swirling

 I hadn't thought I would do a post this week since we are awaiting Palmer's birth. However, I have been a busy bee since very early this morning and I am sitting down with a busy mind. 

I finished Palmer's name on Saturday. It turned out so cute that I can't wait to get it framed.

Lindsay gave me free reign. She just said, "Make it something he will want to have in his room a long time."

I thought about what I wanted to include and then drew it out on a piece of paper. The M is the one letter that came from the book exactly....well, I did change colors and added a baseball cap to the older boy. As soon as I saw the two boys tossing a ball I knew they would be the one from the pattern.

Did you notice the younger boy's hair is darker? I am guessing that Palmer is going to have darker hair than Tucker:) We will see:)

Then....

I knew it needed a palm tree since I have had always had palm things sprinkled tastefully through my home and my former classroom. Hallie, their Boykin Spaniel is there as she was in Tucker's stitch.

I knew it needed sports - I chose football even though I have no desire for him to play but we love college football in our family. We love baseball and golf. I did my best impression of a Masters' golf flag for the golf piece.

Then Mimi has her space love to pass on.

And then there is where we live with the beach. I knew I wanted to put in the sand dollar as I had done with Tucker's. I just really love sanddollars...always have.

The rest is just a life update and my ramblings...

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Lindsay and Tyler go into the hospital tonight at midnight for Lindsay to be induced. She has struggled with a cold off and on for some time and is feeling awful today. She had planned to work, but ended up not. I think that is wise. I have been furiously getting my ducks in a row since I will be babysitting and also helping. 

I had an allergic reaction to something I ate on Sunday. I had really gotten so much better with the RA and foods in these past few years. Since I had my v@((!n: RA symptoms have kicked in again. I am not against getting it, but it is just what has happened. I have had to tow the strict line and it is not always so easy. I have also felt some fatigue issues come back. I blame some of that on summer heat. I am in a good place in life that I can rest and not have to fight it so much. 

All that to say, I shopped earlier in the week and bought lots of organic fruits and bagged them to freeze so I can have smoothies. There are lots of those prepackaged items in the freezer section but they come from all sorts of places and I felt I could do my own sourced more locally and more economical. I am planning to take of myself so I can take care of others.

You might wonder what I ate at church? I had a meeting after church for some upcoming fall stuff and they had brought in Zaxby's. I have had a reaction a long time ago to their food. I have eaten there since that time and after I got healthy but lately any of the items I had trouble with 7 years ago is back. I think I can get back to the healthy place, but I was so diligent and strict for many years to achieve that place. I have to do it again! I will. 

Grandbabies are motivation.

I have also been so surprised at Miss Oklahoma, the rose I threw in an old pot downstairs. That pot didn't even have fresh potting soil. She is healthier than she ever was in the ground. I think there are several things in play...daily rains, morning sun rather than the brutal afternoon sun of Florida, salty breezes to keep her leaves dried. I haven't had to spray her which was a weekly thing when they were in the ground. She is giving me roses in July of all things. Roses around here are a spring and fall thing.

Look at those healthy leaves.

Little Gus has injured himself and had to have a vet visit yesterday. On Thursday, we swam and jumped to chase sticks in the water for over an hour. Later into the weekend, he became very still and didn't want me to really touch him. I called first thing Monday morning for him to go in after he was only laying in his kennel box. He has tweaked his back and is on two weeks rest. He is being good right now, but I can already tell the medicine is making him feel better so it will be hard later as the days pass. 

All that to say, I realized I wanted him to be a healthy little boy and be right by my side for as long as possible. We are best buds. When he isn't following me, I know something is wrong. 

He is not jumping and is choosing the floor near me rather than on me which is what he usually does. I think I will know he is feeling better when he wants to jump up again. 

I have two more pictures to share after looking really quick at my phone. 

One is an example of my healthy choices that I am having to make, but I got a kick out of my assorted dishes. I will share them with you.

The plate is my everyday dishes picked out when we married. They are called "Ariana"

 by Gorham. They are a perfect example of picking something that is truly you and you won't ever grow tired of them. That pattern is so Sandy!!!

The cup of coffee is a story... I like to drink coffee out of a cup...not a big old mug or Yeti. It drives Jeff nuts when I come out to his truck with a cup of coffee or better yet....the Jeep and try to balance it with Gus along too. Just before I retired I had a teacher friend who passed away and at her service it was mentioned she gave china cups as gifts to young ladies who had a boy because she was a boy mom. She felt it was necessary to have pretty things around with all those boys. I thought to myself ---that is really a lesson to all of us. 

She was my same age and way too young. I decided then and there I was going to use the good stuff and enjoy. 

That cup of coffee is served up in my favorite thing to drink out of ---my china dishes from yes, our wedding pattern. "Lexington" by Lenox. I swannee it tastes better in that cup!

And then there is the organic grape juice in a pig cup that once held Bama brand peach preserves. Those from the south will recognize the brand. Mother brought it over one day because she was cleaning out and said Tucker could drink out of it as his mother had done:)

I am still eating breakfast on the deck as often as I can too ---IN an assortment of dishes:)

If you haven't grown tired of my release of thoughts I will finish this post with a "July on the bayou" picture. IT IS still raining a ton on the Panhandle this summer but one lovely morning about 9:15 the sun was so pretty shining down the bayou and I thought this would be my July picture. 

My little ducks are still hanging out next door on the grass and entertaining Gus and I daily.

I am hoping there will be some little ducklings one morning.

One more thought, I may not respond to any comments for a few days. I have had to put my comment moderation on so it may even take me a day or two to get through them, but you know what I am up to. I will try to post a picture of Palmer soon.