SNOW IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Yes, it's true! Large flakes of snow are falling but not sticking, darn! I know, I know all you folks who got hammered are ready to ship me a truck load or more.

Growing up in East PA and having snow every year brings back good memories of my childhood. Course I wasn't the one who needed to clean up after it either.

How many are glad 2010 is over? I know I am. On Wednesday, December 29th, my father was admitted in the hospital. His symptoms were dizziness when rising, shortness of breath (he has had problems in the past). Like alot of men, he didn't think he needed to go and finally my stepmom convinced him it was time.

Then there was "the phone call I had been dreading". My father has a spot on his right lung in the upper part under the shoulderblade area. They claim it measures 2 1/2 cm by 1 1/4 cm big..Is that small? medium or large?

He had a team of doctors ordering tests. It's hard because apparently where he worked, he inhaled toxic chemicals that are destroying his lungs. So they can't do the normal biopsys, some sort of needle tests that help find treatment for him.

I know we all are going to die one day, and I and my father do believe in the Lord almighty and are sealed with the blood and all that, but it's still scarey. He's no spring chicken at 81 (to be 82 on 1/13/11)so I'm sure that's another mark against him. However, it really makes you stop and think how fast life passes by.

My dad has always been a joker, even now he lives up to the name that's tatooed on his arm (JOKER). He used to let us kids (6) guess the letters and #'s on a dollar bill and if we got some of them right we got the dollar. That was just one thing he did.

The one thing that stands out in my mind is him saying that when I'm 15 I'll be (blank) years younger than him. Then he proceeded to say when I'm 30, he'll only be (blank) years older than me...continuing on. He's good at math can calculating things like that.

Just like my grandmother, Mildred, used to do, he is always in a good mood and laughing all the time. Now he's very depressed and cries alot.

I would appreciate any prayers for him- Ken Rabenold; and his wife, Anne Rabenold. She is a saint. This is her third marriage that her husband has had cancer. She is a breast cancer survivor too. Keep them in prayer if you will. Prayer does change things.

I'll keep everyone up to date here on my blog. He goes for a PET scan sometime this week which will tell exactly where the cancer is, if in fact, it is cancer.

Well, the snow is starting to fall pretty heavy and sticking. Hubby said it's supposed to snow all night. Maybe I'll be able to make a snow angel after all.

Before I close I'd like to invite you to check out my newest designs on TDIPT Mercantile . There are some great designs this month. I have several Valentine's Day offerings and an adorable Laundry Maid - Wanda. Thanks for stopping by.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Summer is in full force here at the Stevens household. I have been trying to update my website with alot of fall and Christmas designs while it's slow.

Between that, I have been making homemade laundry detergent. If you haven't made any, or tried it, you are missing out! It cleans so much better than storebought and costs so little. It makes everything very soft too. Here's a big ole batch I made the other day. I tripled the recipe so I don't have to make it so often. I store mine in plastic Hawaiian Punch bottles that we go through like water. They hold 1 gallon. In this particular batch I used Zote soap, that's why it's a pretty pink. However, I used Ivory Soap last time and I think I'll stick w/the Ivory. Just personal preference.

How's your pocketbook holding up in all this crazieness with gas prices, food increases, etc etc etc..Alot of folks are losing their homes here in California. Thank goodness we are not one of them. We have alot of taxes on everything here and our gas tax is crazy. However, hubs said that the price is going down. Duh yeah, when people aren't purchasing it. I heard on the news that the gasoline companies made another HUGE profit. I can't believe those jerks actually have the gall to broadcast what profits they are making, all the while taking from the middle class and poor. It's a crime!!

Okay, I'm off my soapbox about that. Can't control it, why worry about it.

On another note, wanted to let you all know that Eric is now on a 30 day leave and is back home in Phoenix visiting with my grandson and his parents. He will then report back to his home base in New York, and await arrival of the rest of his unit and be discharged in November. My daughter said his hand looks pretty bad but that's to be expected. Oh by the way..found out he had a staph infection in the bone of his wrist. Don't know how he got it. So thanks for the prayers and expressions of concern. Please remember to keep all the servicemen and women in your prayers.

Sometimes in my "spare" (which is rare) time on the computer, I like to find new blogs that I wouldn't really search for. Back in November of 2007 I found this blog of a Christian Love Story author named Kristy Dykes. She was a beautiful women inside and out. And although I never knew her personally, I kept up with her blog as best I could. She was diagnosed with brain cancer (the kind that Sen. Kennedy has, I believe)around that time.

Her faith in Jesus Christ was nothing more than simply amazing!! She was such a perfect example of what Christ is like!!! If you ever get a chance, check out her blog. Her husband, Milton, is a pastor at their local church, of course, Kristy was a pastor's wife. He is continuing the blog with memories of their life together. It is a perfect love story in itself.Click Here to readI tried to reduce her picture but it wouldn't take. Sorry so big. But isn't she beautiful?

Now for some upbeat, positive stuff..I have been creating alot of new fall designs like I stated above. Plus all the many primitive co-op websites that I'm on have some awesome designs for sale. Be sure to check them out.

To help ya out click on these links PFATT MARKETPLACE; TDIPT MERCANTILE; THE PRIMITIVE GATHERING; HUMBLE ARTS; and SIMPLY PRIMITIVES Some good eye candy for ya on those places. Be sure to check em all out. Also, like I said, I added some great fall/christmas items on my website, here's a few up for adoption, Let me know if you see anything in the slideshow or on my website you can't resist.

One last thing that I want to share w/you is my trip last Saturday to the Quilt Festival in Long Beach, California. We were so happy to finally have a place to come together and be able to purchase some awesome stuff. Course, being a fabriholic, this was a bad place on my pocketbook to say the least, but I tried to contain myself and promised myself that "I WILL USE THIS FABRIC OR KIT". I am determined, and I have to say that I have successfully completed a kit that I purchased about 2 years ago hehe. That's because I received some injections from my pain management doctor and had to take it easy, so I handstitched the woolen pincushions (applique). The design was by Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings which used to be "Backyard Quilts".

WOOO HOOO YOU FOUND IT>>NOW JUST EMAIL ME AND TELL ME THE TITLE OF THE POST IT'S IN to get another entry in the box. GOOD LUCK-- She has so many awesome designs and they are much better looking that on her website. Check out her site. Awesome stuff!! It's okay to Drool hehe

With that I leave you the task of reading this post. Sorry it's so long. I really have to work on disciplining myself more. Maybe tomorrow :-)