Just A Darn Happy Day!

Do you ever just "wake up good?" I have had one of those mornings so far. The coffee was great, the dogs are behaving, my daughter was cleaning when I woke up... what a treat! (If you can imagine seven Miniature Schnauzers trotting in and out to the back yard full of leaves and twigs about 10 times a day, it's a full time job cleaning up after what they track in!)

I have a project on my crochet hook that's really going well so far, I'm waiting for several packages in the mail from doing my shopping online the other day and a few things from ebay... so the rest of the day should be fun too! Online shopping has really made life a lot easier, hasn't it? When you're recovering from a big surgery and going out is a production, it's a lifesaver.

There are some times it works really well, but some things - like shopping for new yarns  for a project - you can't do except in person. There's nothing like going back and forth down the yarn aisles, picking out this yarn and that and putting them together in groups in the basket, seeing how they interact. Can you tell I love yarn shopping? It's one of my 10 favorite things in life, for sure. SO, I need to do a yarn trip. Just not sure that I'm quite strong enough yet. Maybe I could compromise and cut my time down to say, 15 minutes or so. Hmmm. Now to find a willing patsy to go along with me! I'll have to work on that.

My White Yarn Basket's A Bit Low!

I did get my husband to take me to the shoe store Friday night, and that was just FUN. He is a really great shoe shopper! He has a way of finding things that work. So I scored some winter boots for less than $20 and another pair of blue shoes (I don't own any blue shoes!) I did not find what I was actually looking for, but yesterday I found a 50% off deal on the perfect pair I was looking for online, with free shipping no less! So those are on the way.

Then I managed to go into Sephora for a few minutes and play in the makeup eye candy! I kept myself down to just two items, I was proud of myself:)  I hadn't been "real world" shopping for ages, and it was just fun.

Had a big treat last week, with an unexpected visitor! My son John had a friend Justin growing up in Papillion and he was one of "my kids," over all the time.  A while back, my daughter Cari handed me her phone and said, "talk!" Turned out there was Justin, all grown up and a soldier in Iraq jumping out of planes! What a neat surprise. Well, Justin came home from Iraq recently and though stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, he is spending some leave time back home in Omaha.  So he was my surprise visitor! Here is a picture of him (on the right) with John, reunited for the first time in many years.  So, it's neat that Cari is hanging out with him.  I've always loved Justin.

I was planning to write my blog today about the new afghan I just finished, the "Decadent Indulgence Afghan." So named because I chose each yarn for its feel.  I think I'll just refer you to its web page, where I wrote all about it.  Now I've started on a new project, the "Half Square Afghan," and I can't wait to get that finished and the pattern out on the web! I really like sharing free patterns. It's wonderful how crocheters and knitters share their work on the web. You can get lost for hours just gazing at all the eye candy. 

Sue-Sue Schnauzer test naps my afghan while still in progress. She looks as though she's 

about to fall off of the footstool!  She supervises all my work.

Well, I'd better get this finished, my Koby Moo-Moo Schnauzer is woo-wooing in his kennel, which means "Mom, I'm done with breakfast and my nap, get me outta here!"  Enjoy your day, everyone!

Are We There Yet?

Oh, we're at that annoying point in surgery recovery... when it feels like it will never  be over with, you'll never be back to normal... it's kind of a big waahhhh week, you know? You have more pain than you have been having, I think it's something to do with nerves rejoining or something. I had this same thing the last time.

OK done complaining now! No, just a little more.. VERY frustrated with my weight loss, or lack thereof. I was so hoping this surgery would take another 10 pounds with it! But no... I'm precisely where I was when I went in! I always remind myself I should be grateful I haven't regained anything.  And yet, my rings are all floppy, my clothes are fitting a bit different... I dunno.  Maybe I need to do something completely different for awhile... like eat?

SueSue woke me up at 1:30 a.m. needing to go outside.  I need to take her to the vet, she has been drinking a lot, eating a lot and peeing a lot... plus the extreme irritability - I don't want to think the "D" word, but I have to.  At least, it is something going on for sure. And she's only five.

When one goes, six go.  Once I'm up, I'm up... and I stayed up and worked until about 6 am, then took an hour nap.   So that tells you how I'm feeling now. Hate nights like that. I got another stripe done on the afghan, watched The Social Network, made a pair of earrings (moonstone, clear quartz, blue goldstone)... and thought about what I'm going to do with this top I'm making.  I bought several tops from the same designer that had very long sleeves. I altered them, and ended up with several rather large pieces of fabric that all go together well.  So I'm going to do a colorblock thing out of them. Have to be hand-sewn, because I don't have my sewing machine unpacked!

Continue to be gratified by the response to Harry's memorial page. We are approaching 1,000 hits and for just word of mouth, that really amazes me. He has gone from a rank of 1.5 million to 6,000 in a week. That's pretty cool! If you get a chance, check his page out at http://www.squidoo.com/harryschnauzer.

I'm almost finished with the Decadent Luxury Afghan, and already thinking about the next one! I'd like to make my husband one as his Christmas gift.  When we were practically newlyweds in the early 80's, I used up all my scrap yarn making him a very large ripple afghan.  It is very heavy and I find it a bit scratchy, although it has survived countless washings and comforted many family members having chills over 25+ years!! I think it's about time to give it a rest and give him a new one.

Toying with the idea of sending some of my designs in to a few publishers and see if anyone likes my stuff well enough to publish it.  I've always loved the idea of work once/reward many and that definitely fits in with that mindset.  I always get the biggest kick out of it when someone buys something from my CafePress store, where I put my art on various items they sell.

Well I'm wandering into minutiae.... time to get something done! (Like the dishes:( )

Be amazed... at something today. -Sheila

Happiest Halloween In A Long Time!

Next to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I think Halloween has to be one of my favorite holidays.  I love it all, from the candy corn to the ghost stories, scary music, and tiny trick-or-treaters in little princess costumes.  It's just too much! 

Last year I spent my Halloween in the hospital (ugh!).  I was really disappointed, so much in fact that I made a foray to the hospital gift shop and bought candy to give out to the nurses! I also bought a little fuzzy spider headband so I could "dress up."  

This year was much more fun! Although I'm not walking real well yet, I was able to do some basic dress-up which was fun - Halloween gives me an excuse to wear my makeup the way I really want to, LOL!! Just kidding... 

Anyway here is my costume for this year.  You know where it went? To the surgeon's for a followup appointment (I think he really liked it!) and to the grocery store  to pick up a few things for dinner. 

I never could decide if I was a she-devil (with the horns) or a pet psychic (ditch the horns, add dog collar!)  Anyway I had fun! My 24 year old daughter scoffed at my suggestion she dress up... reminding me of her advanced age! I told her in 25 years she'd be my age and hopefully having a lot more fun!  I refuse to grow up and be a dignified senior citizen! Nah. 

Several of my furkids got in on the act, too.  Here are the three girls - SueSue, Winnie and Ladybug, all dressed up in their costumes. Following that is my little blind Koby, dressed up in the Ladybug outfit! He knew something special was going on, and darned if he didn't camp out by the front door with me to hand out candy! He was a total angel the whole time and never barked or left my side.  I adore Koby. My other helper was Ladybug, who curiously greeted everyone but barked at no one. She was fabulous. The other two were relegated to their rooms for barking violations after the first couple doorbells. 

We had 13 trick or treaters in all - just a nice number without being overwhelmed. Ron reminded me I had no trick or treaters the whole four years we lived down on the farm. So this was a whole different Halloween for a change. 

The other day, I DVR'd all the old Roseanne Halloween episodes, and spent an afternoon yesterday watching all of them. Her Halloween episodes still kill me.  

Well, lots more to tell but I'm so sleepy I can't hold my eyes open - so will sign off for now. 'Night everyone!

Grey Autumn Saturday... Loved It!

Since I was a little kid, walking home from school on Park Street, I've been in love with Autumn.  The smells of drifting leaves, the gusty winds, the gray late October skies, now and then the scent of burning leaves; I love it all.  Here is a picture I took yesterday of the pretty trees on our street. 

I sneaked outside today with my walker (hey, it's only 3 weeks postop on Monday!) and did a bit of desperately needed gardening. It was easy; I had to work on a container.  I had put a bunch of plants together for a plant trade right before I went to the hospital, and didn't make it to get them shipped. They've been wrapped up in the kitchen for over three weeks and were looking a bit scary. Since they were all perennials, the best medicine was to get their feet back in dirt outside, and allow them to freeze tonight. Sounds a bit harsh, eh.  I figure half of them will survive. I'll have to send a double package to the poor shorted trader in the Spring. I feel bad, but I did what I could do before the surgery, and it wasn't enough. 


Brought in my hanging fern and a basket of petunias that were still just to pretty to allow to freeze tonight. I always have trouble with the first frost. I like my plants green and alive! But they'll all be back in the spring and I will be feeling so much better by then, it'll be amazing.


I was so gratified today with the response to Harry's memorial site.  For one of my sites to get over 200 visits in 48 hours is quite amazing. But then I don't think I've ever worked quite as hard to promote anything before. I want everyone in the world to read his story and take something away from it. 


Bailey escaped his haircut today, lucky boy.  Tomorrow he is doomed.  I'm in a flare brought on by the antibiotics they have me on, so didn't get a whole lot done. 


Ron came home from Walmart and was all excited because he happened to run into a Halloween costume that was a Ladybug... and he wanted me to see it so I could get it for our Ladybug of course. So I guess there's my first trip to Walmart in my near future. 


Went out to eat for the first time last night, ate at a Mexican place on 72nd Street... I think it was called Salgado's but I'm not sure... anyway, it was quite different and not bad at all.  During this phase of recovery it's really easier not to go out... the whole walker thing is very annoying to deal with.  Once I can do a cane, it's much easier to go places. 


I just finished an illusion necklace with a gorgeous picture Peruvian Opal pendant I've been saving for something special for years, and the stones were Goldstone, tiger's eye, Citrine, freshwater pearls, poppy jasper, carnelian, blue goldstone, (which is actually black), and black tourmaline.  I was doing leopard colors. Quite happy with how it  turned out, we'll see how it wears.  I crochet these necklaces out of tiny fishing line and this itty bitty crochet hook.  I have dexterity problems and eyesight problems - could I find anything more challenging? Somehow my hands have just learned to cooperate with doing it. It's weird that I can. 

Today Was A Bit Better!

I've spent most of the last two days working through my grief over the loss of Harry Schnauzer by sharing his story everywhere I can on the web, through emails, etc.  It can never change what happened, but it can increase awareness and make rescuers think twice in some situations, perhaps... as I will. I really am gratified by the number of people visiting his web page, and I hope they will spread the link far and wide. The more people who read his story, the better.

I  have been working on an afghan for a few months now, and I'm finally ready to unveil pictures of it now that it is almost done. It's at that stage where you have to cover up with it as you work it, and it's so decadent it often puts me into a nap! That's why I'm calling it the "Decadent Indulgence Afghan." It is exactly that.  The roots of this project were formed three years ago, when I started the similarly decadent dog sweater project. I shopped for the yarns with the most soft, luxurious feel to them in color themes. One time I'd go shopping for browns, another time for purples, etc.  These were designed in stripes, so along with all the colors there would always be another couple of whites or creams tossed in.

Last year, I designed a hooded scarf with pockets, and I did it the same way - color themes with more whites and creams for stripes. I remember more than one time at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby where I'd be on one of my yarn shopping adventures, and someone would come up to me and comment on how beautiful my cart looked with all the various gorgeous soft or sparkly yarns! That was so much fun.

Well, after all of these dog sweaters and scarves were made, I ended up with one big yarn stash - and enough of the whites and creams for an entire huge project of their own. In the photo, I'm almost to the end of it all!

 I started the lap afghan intending for it to be a vest for myself, but by the time several months had elapsed, I lost another size or two and the vest back was now too big.  Some of these yarns are impossible to frog (rip-it, rip-it).  So I added several more inches of rows running down the side of the piece, then resumed the vertical rows - and an afghan was born.  Here is the afghan on my "workstation" - a footstool at my desk where SueSue Schnauzer likes to "test drive" my work!

I'm so amazed at the quality and vast quantity of beautiful, soft yarns out there now! There are too many to list here, but they will all be listed on the afghan pattern when it's completed. What's my favorite? My very, very favorite of them all? Boy that's a tough one, but I think it would have to be Infatuation. It's a yarn from Hobby Lobby and it's soft and silky, yet a bit fuzzy, and it feels like magic in your hands. My second favorite is Pitter Patter, a Bernat baby yarn. It feels like thick terrycloth gone softer somehow. The third prize winner is Enchantress, a newer yarn from Hobby Lobby that has a great feel to it plus sequins! And you don't get to be "SheilaSparkles" without some sequins in your afghan, right?! The stitch is a simple Moss stitch, the yarn is the star here.

If I had the time, everyone on my Christmas gift list would get one of these in their favorite color. But I just realized, I could make a pillow cover instead... hmmm! A decadent nappie pillow, what's not to like!

I worked up the directions today for the Crochet Illusion Necklaces I have been making for over a year now. There are also instructions for a bracelet, and a bit of info about semi-precious gemstones. There's also a suggestion to go shopping in your own jewelry box and look for old pendants you no longer wear - you can give a whole new life to old pieces.

In between the afghan and the website work, I've been working on a little sewing project.  Over the last year I bought several Norma Kamali stretchy knit tunic tops while they were sold at WalMart, because I simply adore them.  Unfortunately all of her tops have these ginormously long sleeves. I'm assuming you should wear them all pushed up in folds or something, but I hate that! I like 3/4 sleeves. So the other day I started cutting off all the sleeves and hemming them to fit me. That in itself was rewarding. But I started tossing all the sleeves in a pile, thinking maybe I could make matching headbands to the tops. After removing the seams from a couple of sleeve remnants, I found there was enough fabric there to combine a bunch of them and make them into a camisole top - so that's what I'm going to do! They're in everything from red to leopard so it may be just a bit wild. If it turns out cute, I'll show you.

On the schnauzer front, everybody is actually well now! That is such a wonderful thing. No one else has come down with parasites after Koby, and he is all better now back to his moo-ing little self! Ladybug is completely better and regaining weight. Bailey doesn't know it yet, but he's getting a badly needed haircut tomorrow!

'Til then, -s

Harry Didn't Have To Die Today.

Harry, happy and healthy, in better times with me. 

Harry was a 9 pound "toy" Miniature Schnauzer. He lived in my rescue, Sheila's Schnauzies, for six years. Last year, incredibly (I thought at the time) a lady in Liberty, Missouri wanted to adopt him as a companion for her other toy Miniature Schnauzer. Both dogs had issues with biting and snapping and she assured me Harry would be no problem to deal with, she was very used to that. Okay fine.

Apparently she was getting ready to leave on a vacation in early October and she contacted a local rescuer, telling her she needed to get rid of Harry THAT day.  Well, things don't usually happen quite that fast in rescue - foster homes and transport must be arranged, all kinds of things. Anyway she wasn't willing to deal with the rescuer's suggestions and tried to give Harry to a family with kids in Kansas. Well,  obviously that didn't end well. After 30 minutes the family called wanting to get rid of him. She picked him back up, and her next stop was apparently to the Liberty, MO animal shelter, where she dumped him on October 17.

Harry,  in a photo that was included with the email - obviously terrified, uncared for, and his tail down. He NEVER held his tail down. 


Fast forward to today.  Another rescuer who became aware of the situation did her job, putting the email word out about Harry. We frequently crosspost rescue dogs in hopes that someone, somewhere, could help them.  I received a frantic phone call from my volunteer, Sheryl, who lives in Iowa, just before lunchtime. She had received the email about Harry and immediately recognized him.

I hung up and called the Liberty animal shelter and had to leave a message. They called me back in about 30 minutes with some very sad news.  Harry had been euthanized just this morning. I missed saving his little life by a couple of hours. I was just absolutely sick with grief.  How could this have happened! We had an agreement with the adopter that if for any reason she didn't want Harry, she must contact us and we would take him back.

I managed to contact her by phone shortly after, and let her know Harry was dead.  She had absolutely no reaction, no remorse, no nothing. I asked her WHY she had not called us and her response was, "I wasn't gonna send him back to you guys." I asked her why in the world not, and her reply was "We don't need to discuss this - we aren't going to talk about this" and hung up on me. And that was that.

I have written so, so many times about the fact that there are two kinds of people where animals are concerned - those that view them as property, and those who view them as souls.  I am obviously from the latter category, and this adopter is obviously from the former. I just don't get it. She spoke to two different rescue groups, and had help offered; she had a contract agreement to contact me, and didn't; instead she chose to sentence him to death by dumping him at a high-kill public shelter.  She damn well knew better.

Nothing will ever help me get over this. All I can do is to learn a big freaking lesson from it - don't trust people where animals are concerned.  Or as Reagan said, "Trust - but verify."  Anyone who adopts a dog from me in the future will agree to a vet reference, a background check, employment verification, and who knows, maybe a credit check.  Hey, they have to be able to afford to maintain the dog and with this lady, it was apparently an issue. If she was leaving on vacation, and had the choice of boarding one dog or two... maybe finances were a factor, I don't know.

I can never thank the rescuers who got involved enough for their efforts.  Everybody tried, everybody pulled together to save him - I found out one of the KC rescuers actually had an adoption placement for Harry and they were going to pick him up today!! Sadly, we were all just a hair too late. Nobody's fault.

Right now I am beyond anger, somewhere in the land of rage... and when I am there, the best thing is for me to be quiet and calm down and get my focus back. So for the next few days I will be holing up and caring for my furkids, and trying to remember some happy moments with Harry.   But watch out - after that, there will be action.  As in legal, if I can raise the funds.  And definitely tightening up our adoption process and contracts.

Hug your furkid if you have one. Help a shelter pet if you don't. Do it in Harry's name, and I thank you.

One Hour At A Time...

I told a good friend today, who is going through tough times of a different sort than mine, "These are the times that we can only survive one hour at a time.  Anything more than that, we'd never make it."  And I was not kidding, either.  It's hard to be in pain and have to do things that violate doctor's orders (like bending over and picking up a 20# sick dog). Or mop up one accident after another from the floor.  (Yes, it is possible to mop with a walker. One skill I'll be happy to forget just as soon as I can!)  BUT as long as you do no harm to yourself, and you survive whatever the situation was, it does give you a very large feeling of accomplishment.  (Or is that Superwoman Syndrome?) 


Weather here was pretty today but we did have our first official freeze. So know what I did today? I equipped my walker and took it down the 3 little front steps and watered my front gardens. I really enjoyed it. There was no one here. Well Cari was, but she left before I came back in. I had my phone. No mishaps other than I overturned my walker right after I went out and had to retrieve it... no biggie. At least I didn't go with it. Everything is SO dry here. I just couldn't stand it any longer. Now that it's frozen, we're supposed to have pretty weather for at least another week. I'm at the point I wish it'd just hard freeze and be done with it so I can quit worrying for the winter. They can't be too dry going into winter, stuff will die. 

I go to the doctor Monday afternoon for staple removal. Oh goodie, can't wait. Staples are absolute torture for me, especially after the last time when it went too many days. It hurt like a SOB.  Like, I was bawling. Anyway after the staples are out, the good part of healing starts, and I'll get better and better. I still am pinching myself that it's really done. 

Ladybug is so much better, improving and getting stronger every day!  Unfortunately Koby now has what she had, and is in very bad shape, in the not-eating phase.  I've spent the better part of the day feeding him a liquid food mixture with an eyedropper. At least he is accepting that, thank goodness.  

Who says you can't be post-op and care for two sick schnauzers? Check out this photo. I just had to snap it. Koby was a terrible mess when he woke up, and I had to give him a bath in the kitchen sink. Here he is post-bath, curled up on my walker, off to the living room to be dried on the footstool in front of my chair.   He is such a good boy.  You can make anything work if you have to! 

And here is Miss Ladybug, who thought it would be helpful if she sat on Koby's back to help dry him off! (Lucky she is very light!)

I'm gonna run now, time to feed the furboy again. I'm doing about every 90 minutes. I have to give him insulin at 2 am, then we are going to catch a nap.  Goodnight, world.