Friday, April 14, 2017

Never Ending Sweater

Hello my friends!  It's good to visit with you this morning...although I don't have much to report.  Between physical therapy, walking at the mall, etc., my knitting time has been curtailed and this sweater seems to have unending lengths of knits and purls too.  I had an unexpected day shopping too, that I'll tell you all about.  It has also been quite chilly here this week, with snow falling on Monday, so I've spent quite a lot of time here...
Watching podcasts and knitting on the never-ending sweater.  This is the "Sew Sweet Violet" podcast.  A lovely lady from England with the softest, sweetest voice.  I just love it when I see she has a new podcast out.
Lots and lots of knits and purls!  All I have left now are the sleeves.  Yippee!
Sophie has been here this week and snuggles down under the blanket on my lap to keep warm.  She has four layers of blankets and the sweater on her at this point! 

I received two sweet packages in the mail.  This one full of soaps and lotion bars is from Araignee, (Debra), on my sidebar.  She generously has giveaways of her handmade goodies quite often.  I love it all, but the lotion bars are my favorites.  I keep one in my knitting bag and one by my chair at all times.  They aren't greasy and are perfect for keeping my hands nice and soft.  Thank you, thank you Debra!
And this package with six skeins of Red Heart yarn arrived very unexpectedly from Sharon, who is Grammy Braxton on my sidebar.  Wasn't that sweet?  This yarn is great for the lapghans that I make for the nursing and Veteran's Homes.  I so appreciate it Sharon.  Thank you again for being so generous.
I'll say it again.  Bloggers are some of the most giving people I know.  Many of you have been so kind and giving over the past years and I can't tell you how much it means to me.

Now for the shopping.  My iPad kept freezing up on me.  I had only had it about a year and a half, but I let the salesman talk me into getting one without much memory.  He said I didn't need it.  Wrong!  I went to the Verizon store to check on their new unlimited data plan for my current iPad and phone so I could still facetime with my girls whenever I want to while at the lake this summer.  I ended up getting a new iPad with a lot more memory, it's own internet, unlimited data etc., for not a lot of money.  I think I'll be happy with it.  It took hours at the store though and even more hours when I got home, reloading all of the apps and passwords, etc.  I really don't like getting new devices.  I still can't get the new iPad to do Instagram, so for all of my friends on there, that's the reason for my absence.  Getting it, and setting it up literally took all day and evening on Tuesday.  I still can't blog on it, but that's a blogger issue.  Blogger lets me load photos from my phone or iPad but won't let me write anything.  That's been going on for months now and that's the reason I'm down to one post a week.  I have to type everything on the desktop and that's not always convenient for me or easy to sit at because of my back.

My back.  That's another issue.  The physical therapist said again yesterday that he's not happy with my progress and has taken my exercises away again.  The torn muscles just aren't healing very fast for some reason.  I can still walk all I want or am capable of until the pain sets in, but I can't do any of the exercises.  I feel like it's one step forward, two backwards sometimes.  But I know it's just a slow healing process.

On a brighter note.  It's spring break from preschool for this little Princess, and she and Mommy got pedicures for the first time to celebrate.  She had a blast and guess what color polish she chose?  Pink of course!  Everything is pink for this little girl!  Just look at that smile.  She couldn't wait to tell me all about it and show me her toes.  And that's exactly why having a working iPad is so important to me!
We're heading to the lake tonight to stay for the first time this season.  It's supposed to be 28 degrees overnight, so I really hope we have enough propane to keep the furnace going until Dennis can get the bottles filled tomorrow.  We're staying both Friday and Saturday and I'm so looking forward to it.  Many would call me crazy, but that trailer is my "happy place".  We both have lazy boy chairs there and are taking some movies along in case of rain.  (Thunderstorms are predicted.)  And the camping season has begun! Yippee! 

We'll be back in town for church on Sunday morning to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior on Easter Sunday.  Hallelujah!  This Sunday is the reason Christians have any hope at all.  Our Lord has conquered death and is risen from the grave in order to give us life after we die to this world.  What a wonderful gift we were given.  I hope you have chosen to receive it.

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

And one of my favorites:

"You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  HE HAS RISEN! He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  Go, tell his disciples and Peter, there you will see Him, just as He told you."  Mark 16:6

I hope you have a wonderful Resurrection Sunday celebrating that He Has Risen, just as He said He would!

Blessings always,
Betsy







19 comments:

  1. With just the sleeves remaining, the sweater will be done in no time!

    I prepare all my blog posts on my laptop because I can't determine how to do it on the iPad. I'll probably always have a laptop, so it doesn't really bother me to do it that way.

    Have fun at the lake and have a Blessed Easter

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love your sweater, Betsy. Have a blessed Easter!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Betsy.. I can't wait to see your sweater done and hopefully you'll model it for us! WAHOO on getting the new iPad!! I know you'll work out all the details soon and you'll love having the cellular iPad when you're traveling to see your girls and family this summer! Piper looks simply adorable! What a little doll. Enjoy your time at the lake. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Prayers sent your way for the healing of your back. Oh what fun to get to travel up and stay at the lake. I know you two will have a blast. Little Miss P is so cute. She is growing so fast. I am glad you will get to FaceTime with them more often now. Wishing you and your sweet family a very blessed and Happy Easter. ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your sweater stitches are so beautiful, Betsy! What may seem never-ending to you seems spectacularly speedy to me :) I am excited you got a new iPad which should help you keep in touch with your loved ones! It is lovely that you received such nice gifts from blogging friends, and lovely that you get to spend this weekend at the lake! I pray that you continue to heal more rapidly, and I celebrate with you that Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Love with hugs to you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Betsy,

    WE used to do a lot of camping even in Winter in the great Lakes states. My advise is buy a electric heater. They have them now that can either be a heater or a fan.

    We always camped New Years eve. Cooking bean soup in a cast iron dutch oven over a camp fire. One year it was 10 below zero outside the furnace in the camper and two electric heaters to stay warm. Plus the camper was winterized so had to go out to the bathrooms in the campground. We were comfy but the boy scouts tent camping took over the men's bathroom to stay warm.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your sweater makes me happy. I need a sweater on the needles. It doesn't feel right without one!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your sweater looks so cozy and I like the color. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Our evenings are still cool but today we had sun then rain showers. Weekend warm and maybe it'll stay that way. Phil and I went to good Friday at church this eve. It was good. Sunday's coming. He has Risen Indeed. Enjoy your time at the lake. Hugs and get those muscles better. Prayers!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Betsy, another lovely chat again with you.. and curiously my iPad, or blogger on it, works in reverse to yours, I can write onto it, but cannot upload the photos on it, that upload option is removed ...and only about a month or so ago. Very very annoying.

    Just a suggestion, on my iPad I gave the app called "Notes" I often write up long emails or such on it, you could write your post on this and email it to yourself...
    .... or just write in email and send it to yourself and copy and paste on your desk top, into your post. So mostly it could be done on your iPad. Upload images write order of post on email or notes, and send it then desktop time is minimal with simple copy and paste.
    Mm I can't help wondering if you've some other medical issue to cause your slow healing, maybe have some check with a Dr to see if there is some other underlying reason for it??? Am praying about it for you sis, as think it's something that needs praying about.
    Love your little Piper, she has come such a long way in the time I've come to know you. What a joy to a loving grandma's heart ❤😍...
    Praying the sweater finishes well, and the furnace keeps you warm all night.

    Big hugs dear sis.. and rejoice indeed for He's has risen as He said.
    Hallelujah!!! What a Saviour and Friend so true.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Shaz in Oz.x

    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great work on the sweater-progress on your back needs a stitch marker , too, so you can see that you are healing albeit slower than you knit!
    Yes, the Lord has risen!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Easter to you, sweet friend! SO thankful He is risen and for His amazing grace!! I am so sorry to know that your back is not healing as it should. Will definitely keep praying for you!! Sending love and hugs your way. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. So good to hear your news Betsy... have missed you on IG .... your little girl is so precious ...hope you enjoy your trailer time and I do hope you have a lovely peaceful Easter...sending hugs for a speedy recovery for that back of yours....XXXXX

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy Easter to you and your family! I'm sorry to hear about your back. I really hope you're feeling better soon. Take care, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lucky you getting to go spend time at your camper! Enjoy and have a blessed Easter! He is Risen Indeed! Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you for sharing my Lenten journey with me. I love that you are at the lake and trailer. MORE PICTURES. Love that your grand had a pedi!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hope you had a blessed Easter! Enjoy your time at the lake! We are already in 80+ weather here and mid 50-60 at night. It's going to be a long hot summer!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh Betsy, how disappointing that your back is not healing as it should be. I guess time is what you need...keep taking it easy, and follow Dr.'s orders! The sweater, which is now done, because I saw you model it on IG, is fabulous!!! I am so excited that you are back to your happy place. Boy do I get that!!! And YA for the new ipad! I need one too. Mine is the first one that came out, and it no longer supports certain apps. I can't use IG on it at all.
    And Miss Piper...oh how she has grown. Such a little beauty, she is!!
    I also love those lotion bars....I keep one in my knit bag too!
    Hugs,
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  18. Just catching up and as always such a delight to see your little ray of sunshine, she is certainly growing up fast. Sorry to hear that you are not healing as quickly as you hoped. Hope you had a wonderful time at the trailer and that the weather was good for you. Take care.

    ReplyDelete