Christmas Eve 2011

Well it's time to get rid of the pictures of THE MESS!!! You didn't even see half of the terrible mess!!! I've been spending this eve trying to clean it up with more decorating along the way. Mainly just the main open area of the kitchen,dining area & living room. We won't talk about the other rooms.The stuff had to be hidden somewhere, didn't it LOL!!! Whoever brings me Communion tomorrow will be shocked if it's someone who's been here in the last 2 weeks. Did ya ever notice that you never see male Angel ornaments???
Guess there's a reason for that!!! I've had these 2 crystal like angels on my tree for years. One for my Mom & one for my sister. Was wishing I could have one for John,but as I said no male Angel ornaments. Well as I was cleaning up the mess tonite,looking through a box with ornies & stuff that wasn't putting up,I found a tiny snowman,maybe not even 2" tall that had John's name on it. I prolly bought it years ago at a craft show or something. It's a wonder I found it in that box. I truly don't even remember it.I put it right up at the top front of the tree and as tiny as it is I can really see it from my chair. Everything's lookin' pretty good now,but everytime I sit down to rest,I see something else to do,so I'm pretty tired & hurtin' all over LOL!!!
There was a terrible thing today with my sweet 14 yr. old grandson that I can't even get into,but right now I guess he's ok.
Thank you all for all the kind caring posts and emails. Please know that they mean everything to me,I read them over and over. AND guess what??? I been alone today and haven't cried!!!!
Please enjoy your celebrations of this most blessed and holy time and maybe give members of your family an extra hug and an "I love you".
Sherry....OUT

TIS THE SEASON

I've kinda had a breakdown this week.Haven't combed my hair,taken a shower,gotten dressed,I have been brushing my teeth though. These are my decorating for Christmas pictures.Actually just a few of them,cause every room in my house is a total wreck.The living area is better than it was though.I've been trying to unpack my nemesis,THE GARAGE while trying to decorate for Christmas. I have unpacked many many boxes. I have always decorated to the hilt and went all out full steam ahead at Christmas time.I always knew why I did it,it made everybody happy,but it also masked the pain of a 10 year old girl whose Mom went to the hospital Christmas night and died the next day.For the last 5 years John & I were so unhappy where we were living and with the money problems that forced our bankruptcy,that there just wasn't much decorating at Christmas.When I managed to get this house for us,one of the very 1st things that John said to me was,boy we're really gonna decorate this Christmas.So I have been trying so hard to do just that!! But at the same time I'm still continuing to deal with problems since John died almost on a daily basis.It would probably take me 2 days to explain all of it to you.People tell me how strong I am dealing with everything,but I don't feel that. All I feel is an extreme lonliness like no other.What seems to have really set this breakdown off this week is that I looked at the calender and remembered that today would have been my sister's birthday if she was still here.Then I thought about how alone I really am and how totally isolated,since I can't drive and go anywhere.THEN the sobbing started.Not just crying,sobbing to a point that your head hurts and you feel like you want to throw up and yet you can't stop.When I would finally stop,it would just start over again.BUT i have continued to hook,& stitch & sew & decorate,not finishing anything.I HAVE to tell you though about my 2 Lories who have steadfastly stood by me on the phone!!!!That would be Lori Rippey and Lori Brechlin.There's not enough good words that I can say about them,other than I love them and thank them with all my heart.Lori B. called PayPal and told them that she was a Social Worker and my Advocate and they needed to get things taken care of for me the RIGHT way.We then ended up on a 3 way call & things are in the process of being taken care of.You're thinking,PayPal what do they have to do with this?? Well years ago when I didn't even know how to turn the 'puter on,John set everything up with Paypal & eBay so I could start selling.BUT when he did that he used all his info,SS # & birth date,etc.Well in these past months it hasn't been enough for PayPal to tell them my husband died.It almost takes an act of Congress OR a threatening Lori Brechlin to change things!!It's not like I haven't been working on this for months.But they'd tell me I had to provide impossible things,like a picture of my attorney REALLY. But thanks to Lori it's in the works right now to change it to just have my name on it and not have John's as the primary.Would you have EVER thought my husband's death would be that big of a problem with a stupid little PayPal account??? That's how things have been everyday since John's been gone.Lori made another call too I guess it was to the department of aging in Cleveland who in turn called the MS society and I spoke to both on the phone.On my own I called Hospice and a counselor came right over yesterday morning.First I had to adamently assure all these people that suicide is SO TOTALLY out of the question for me!!! The Hospice counselor is very concerned when she came and saw the condition I'm in.She's afraid that my medications aren't working and that it's not usually a part of grieving that I have stopped doing the basic things for myself,like combing my hair.She sad that I am very clinically depressed.I'm very ashamed to say that my kids have no clue about the condition I'm in because they haven't called or come over or checked to see if I have any food,which I don't.This is NOT the way that they were raised.They saw their Dad and I always helping others. They're just too busy. But I say selfish. I'll pull myself out!!! I always have since I was that little 10 year old girl who had to become an adult overnight.And I'm working on getting in to see a woman neurologist who's also a physiciatrist that the MS Society recommended to me.
God knows that this is an UNBELIEVEABLY long post And I'm sure that I have all the pictures screwed up,but I'd like to show you 2 things that I finished last week that are original designs and both are for sale.

Both thes original hookings can put a smile on your face all winter long!!!
The Snowman rug is 11" round. It's $79.00 + shipping
The Hanging Snowman is 6" long. His hat is made from an old sweater and there's an antique button sewed on the end of his hat. He's $29.99 + shipping.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE!!!!!
Sherry....OUT

OLDE THYME CHRISTMAS

Pierre Noel olde timey looking Santa stump doll. I've used vintage fabric to create him,rag stuffed him and gave a little weight to the bottom with crushed walnut shells. His nose is needle sculpted.I used artist pencils for his eyes. Old sheep's wool for his beard,forelock and eyebrows. His robe and hood are fashioned from a vintage army blanket. Such a great green color!!! His belt is grungy cotton with rusty bells. On his back he carries his bundle of switches For the bad kids (just kiddin'LOL). He's 9" tall & 5 1/2" wide at his outstretched arms.
For $29 + shipping "Pierre Noel" can come live in your primitive home.
PIERRE NOEL IS SOLD THANK YOU JUDY!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!! It's back to work for me as Josh Grobin serenades me!!!
Sherry....OUT

I LOVE this rug!!! It really has an olde thyme look to it that I was trying to achieve by using hand dyed and textured wools. Doesn't it remind you of Christmas's long ago??? It's a great Mad Hen Primitives design that I found in the Winter Issue of Primitive Quilts & Projects.
OLDE CHRISTMAS rug is 15" X 20". I have to sew the binding on yet, but it can be in that perfect place in your home for $179.00 + shipping.
OLDE CHRISTMAS RUG IS SOLD THANK YOU MARGARET!!!!

L@@K!!!!!

So I was sitting in my room hookin' away yesterday and I looked up and WHAT do I see,but 3 wild Turkeys lookin' at me!!!!! Oh cool,that all rhymed!!!
Anyhoo they stopped right in front of my house and the one turkey came up closer to the window and looked right at me!!!! How cool is that and on Thanksgiving Day no less!!!! Personally I think that they came to thank me for eating chili for my lunch yesterday. I know that there's a lot of people who don't like turkey so other things are on their tables besides turkey for their big feast. BUT I bet we won't find many,if any in the US who ate chili yesterday!!!! AND how many people in the US got a personal visit by not one,but 3 turkeys (live ones LOL) yesterday????????
Yes I was alone yesterday. It was my choice. One of the kids would have picked me up to come to their house,but nobody needs mom cryin' in her gravy. I wanted to be alone. It was ok,I just hooked and took down some Fall wreaths. Really shoulda cleaned up the kitchen,but I didn't. Had my Scarlett attitude about that,tomorrow's another day!!! The kids did stop over later though to bring me left overs from their meals Got several hugs from 2 of my grandsons and they also took down all my corn husks and put them in the construction dumpster that's here since there's still building going on. So all that was REALLY nice and I didn't cry!!!!
Well tomorrow's the big day at Notforgotten Farm,Lori's Open House!!!!
I will have to try very hard to restrain myself from calling her every half hour to see if I sold anything LOL!!!!
BTW I'd like to say that I would like to comment on many of your blogs and respond to posts on my own blog, but I can't blogger won't let me and I just don't get it,SHOOT!!!
Sherry.....OUT

GOOD MONDAY MORNING EVERYONE

All these things are packed up and will be on the way today to Notforgotten Farm for Lori's Christmas Open House this Saturday. Wish I could pack up me and Sissy to go too. See her little head checking things out??? Hope I sell LOTS cause my son Mike picked up the van last nite to be fixed, AGAIN.
I won the award from Ohio Retired Police and Firefighters Board. I will be getting a pension based on John's death being caused by the injury that disabled him. Don't know what I'll be getting yet. It'll be based on half of what he would have gotten at normal retirement if he had not been hurt.
AWARD. Strange word to call it for losing my husband isn't it????
Well Mike just called. He says it will be $1376 plus tax to fix the van. The van that I can't even drive. But if someone ever takes me anyplace,my electric wheelchair goes in it. Told Mike to tell the guy to go ahead and fix it and the van will just have to sit there till I can pay for it. Hope I sell lots at Lori's LOL!!!!
Tomorrow I have to find someone to go pick up my Thanksgiving dinner from the Community Center. I made my time for 5:15 to make sure the kids were off work. So Tuesday I'll eat my Thanksgiving dinner and of course I'll have to share with Sissy. We always have shared Holiday dinners with our dogs. At least my Sissy Girl will be happy.
Well off to count money to see how much I can get together today for the van!!!
Sherry.....OUT

WED. NOV. 16th A VERY BIG DAY

Hot off the frame!!! Another primitive tree rug in neutral colors. 11" round.
$80 + shipping.

Today is the day that there are some people in Columbus,Ohio,I picture them all sitting around a big table, deciding my life. I hadn't said anything before,but right after John died I called the Police and Fire Pension Board in Columbus to tell them like I was supposed to. They told me that they'd send the packet to me that I needed to fill out,because he was disabled and his death was due to his disability. I got the packet,filled it out right away and sent it back with everything they wanted in July. During the summer I called them a few times to check on it,they'd always tell me that it takes awhile and I'll be contacted. In October I decided to call again. The guy on the phone said let me check,then he didn't say anything but hmmm, uh, hmmm, then I'm going to connect you with someone else. Well turns out that they didn't send me the right packet for the monthly death benefit that I'm supposed to get. I was devastated to say the least!!! I could have been waiting till cows flew and still trying to live on $513.99 a month before I would get the money. I called the president of the union and he told me that they really dropped the ball. They finally sent me the right packet and said I had to get it back to them before Oct. 17th or I would be missed for the Nov. 16th meeting. I had to have what they call a Host (he's a Fireman) come here to due all the paper work. I could have NEVER done it all on my own. He was here 2 1/2 hours as we worked on getting all the paper work together. He took it all home,faxed it to them AND mailed it,he said so that they couldn't say that they didn't receive it in time. He also added a very good letter that if you kinda read between the lines he said you better give this to her after what you put her through. While he was here, he asked me,"do you know what a pension is?" I kinda just looked at him blankly,I didn't know what to say. He said a pension is an insurance policy and insurance companies DON'T want to pay you!!! I'm not worried,it's the truth that John's death was way to soon caused by being in that back draft and his retirement years were very very hard for both of us. So they owe me. And as the Host Fireman said,they need to make me whole again. That's really not possible since John's gone now,but they at least need to pay me enough to live on.
Thanks for all the kind words and caring that you send me. It means so much to me cause I'm so alone and sad. But I keep workin'!!! Thank You God for that ability!!!
Sherry...OUT

A LOT to Blab I mean BLOG About

Getting these things all in the right order will be a minor miracle for me!!!!!
I have my newest hand dids for you today!!
A very primitive hooked tree mat / chairpad not just for Christmas for all the time. 11" round. Can decorate your house for $80 + shipping

This Penny Rug / Candle mat rug I hooked in traditional red and green wool. The red plaid that I used is vintage wool. I've hand sewn the same green wool on the back. It's 11" X 11". $82.00 + shipping

And here's another very primitive hooked round tree mat / chair pad for you. 11" round $80.00 + shipping
I have some news to share!!! Many of you have seen on my buddy, Lori Brechlin's blog that she's having a Christmas Open House at Notforgotten Farm on November 26th.the Saturday after Thanksgiving from 10:00 - 4:00. Well I'll be sending her some of my work to be for sale at the open house!!!
What will I send?? I don't know!!! Could be some of these primitive tree rugs shown here,could be Santas, could be Snowmen,could be dolls,could be pinkeeps and stitcheries,could be rugs..... I really don't know. I make whatever my heart leads me to make. Soooo that means you'll have to go to the open house to see!!! I told her today that I'd like to have myself crated up with my wheelchair and send myself!!!!

I'd like to thank all the people in Ohio who voted NO on issue 2. I could not believe all the lies that they were able to get away with trying to get people to vote yes. Why am I so concerned about issue 2?? Cause I'm the widow of a Fireman and could easily dispute the lies that they told the people of Ohio. We are SO NOT millionaires as they tried to get people to think. In fact I would show anybody my bank account. Since my income is open to public knowledge I will tell you what it is to prove that voting no was the right thing to do. As a Fireman's widow I net $513.99 pension per month. I actually get $734 gross but my insurance,that issue 2 proponents tried to tell you that we don't pay is what brings me down to my net income. Everyone who has heard what I'm getting is shocked. So thanks again if you voted NO,cause I might have lost more money. I must tell you that I have been fighting for what I am due because of John's death being cause for his being disabled from his job as a Fireman.

My flag flies proudly today for ALL veterans including my husband who was in the Air Force. And a HUGE HEARTFELT THANK YOU to ALL the men & women serving and protecting us today. I am SO PROUD to be an American!!!!!