"Monogrammed Pillow Cases"

     
I am one of those people who can not sit and do nothing.  It's been a big problem for me over the years. Sitting in a Doctors office or any where, just sitting, without my hands busy  makes me nervous so I have always put a needle work project in my bag, ready to pull out when  I find myself sitting in wait for something to happen.


Daughter number two mentioned, "She would like to have monogrammed pillow cases for her boys".  Well being the mom that I am, I started a new project.  It was perfect to carry to the hospital while daughter number one, was having a bit of surgery.

I picked up three sets of  solid white pillow cases at Khols...  A few years ago I found sheet sets called  "The Big One" in that store and I just love the feel of the smooth cotton.  I also found no matter how many times the sheets were washed they always kept their crisp smooth feel.  
I then took out my washable marking pen and traced the boys initials and got to work with red and blue DMC floss.  Gina wanted no designs of any kind, just their initials.  So I simply made large block letters.

Gina asked for pillow cases of a colored fabric,  thinking the boys would stain white, but look how nice they turned out.
I guess it would not be the right kind of gift to wrap for Christmas... what small boy will open this gift and get excited?  I can see it now... open gift and say,,, "Oh pillow cases".. then toss it aside and move on to the next brightly wrapped package... but, I will wrap them anyway.  

It's a grandma thing.  

The pillow cases will go in the Christmas box as soon as I get back home from Palm Beach.
This past week was all about helping daughter number one and now I'm settled knowing she is doing great and can  go back home and think about Thanksgiving dinner.

It's been raining here for the past few days and I just did not want to drive the interstate in slippery roadways. Tomorrow sister and I will trek back to Tampa Bay.  But first along the way we need to stop in "Old Time Pottery", one of my favorite stores.  I love to buy my kitchen drinking glasses there.  Maybe once a year I make the drive  when my supply gets low...  someone is always breaking a glass.  On a good day you can get the glasses for a quarter.   I also might get a few more Christmas decorations..   if you have never been to that store, find one close by...  I call it a 4 hour store.   It's huge!  

 

Have a great weekend!

Things I should have brought with me to Cyndi's...

 

Visiting a single adult child is always a good thing for a Mom. 

My girl, Cyndi is a career woman and lives in a cute garden apartment.  She commutes 45 minutes from Palm Beach to Jupiter, Fl  5 days a week.

This week I'm at my daughters to help her out after some surgery.  My intentions are to cook, clean and to help her from doing anything during her recovery... Well after going into her kitchen pantry with the hopes of cooking, baking and just making good meals to help her heal, became a problem.  Each time I went into her closets to take out some of the tools needed to cook, well, the items I needed were not there.  

I'd yell to her in the bedroom, "do you have" only to get the response, "I don't have any"! 

"How do you cook without foil"?  I'd mumble to myself. Can't find the cling wrap, "nope, I don't have any", she said.

I did go to the grocery store the first morning here and bought all the ingredients I would need but thinking my girl would have the 'staples' most of us have.  Was I wrong!

 I wanted to make a pumpkin pie but found she did not have a rolling pin. I did buy some disposable pie tins.

Now, I understand not being a baker but my silly self thought she must have a rolling pin.

Then I asked for flour to make the pizza dough.

Flour, why would I have flour? She said.

Then there was the need to scrape the bowl... nope, no rubber scraper!

Make do with what I can find, that is my motto for the remainder of my visit.

I do realize most single working women do not cook and my daughter is certainly one.  Her career is upper most in her mind and the kitchen is only for holding the wine glasses and frozen dinners in the freezer.  As many times as I've visited her in the past, we did not cook.  We went out to eat mostly... this was a wake up call.  My girl needs to learn a few basic kitchen skills.  Although I did try to teach her during her growing up years, I guess it did not take.  I really didn't  know how much she did not know!  Bad mother?  No, she just has no use for cooking.

The only thing that is on her mind are her children.

This is Tessa.

Cyndi's 3 yr old baby.

Just 2 minutes after I took this photo, I put my foot on her belly, really softly thinking she might enjoy the rubbing motion.. well, she must have been in a daze because she jumped scratching my leg really bad.  (I'll spare you the photo of that!)  My daughter felt so bad and ran around getting the neosporin and bandages.

This is 2 yr old Maya

There are times she looks like an Owl!

Both of her kids are rescued and have such loving spirits.

Although I did not have the tools needed to bake, every one is eating the pumpkin pie with cool whip. and they are working on it without talking... that is a good sign!

Cyndi laughed and asked my sister, her Aunt, if she needed WD-40 because for some reason every time she comes for a visit she needs it for a squeak some where in the house. (squeak's drive my sister nuts and she go's around fixing our doors and windows)

The moral of this post,  "Next time I need to visit my daughter, half my kitchen will go into the trunk of my car".

I'm happy to say, Cyndi's surgery was a success.  It's amazing how a woman, 10 years ago, would be put to bed for a week or two after such surgery,  but Cyndi's hysterectomy was done laproscopic to remove a fibroid the size of a melon that calcified and was not seen in past doctor visits because it was outside the uterus... She has three teeny scars the size of your pinky finger nail in her belly. I'm still trying to figure out how they got it all out with such teeny scars?  Today Cyndi is up dressed and walking around.  We even went to Red  Lobster for lunch today. Then this evening we put on our sneakers and took a walk.  All with her doctors blessings and only orders, to not pick up anything for two weeks!

It's only been 48 hrs! 

Amazing!

I came over,  very nervous for her but her attitude about the whole experience has helped me calm down.  I did spend the one night with her in the hospital, crunched in a large recliner chair, as it was good for me to be close to her.

I would like to thank all who sent good wishes and flowers to Cyndi.  

She is doing wonderful.

I'm joining Jenny Matlocks letter "C"

for "Cyndi"

Alphabet Thursday "C" 

" Ibis"

 

"Ibis"

Tonight I'm on the other side of the state,  in Palm Beach.       The weather is so much  hotter than in Tampa and I was wise enough to pack my shorts and tank tops for the week here.

My daughter lives in a rather nice garden apartment and her front door overlooks a large lake with a tiny island directly in the center.  I am literally standing at her door taking the photo below.

Every evening,  at twilight the Ibis roost in the tree, right in the center of the island.

It's an amazing sight, to see them all come flying in, circle a few times then fight with their neighbors  for space.  But first they land in the grass around the lake to get a few bugs and such for their last snack of the day.

Watching this event is really quite a sight.

The birds are noisy and loud as they push one another out of the way looking for the best spot.

 Once all the birds have found their "bed" they quiet down and sleep for the night.  The photo below, it's 8 in the evening and every now and then they squawk and push but eventually they settle down to quiet.

Once darkness falls the tree looks rather like a Christmas tree with white lights, as the moon casts it's light on the area.

   Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn all the Ibis will take flight for another day of hunting for food. I wonder where they go, but I have seen these birds in many cities in South Florida.

When you drive around the neighborhoods you might see the Ibis in someones front yard, grubbing in the grass for bugs. 

But you can be sure, tomorrow

I'll be out on the patio to watch this evening roosting event, 

one more time.