Almost Wordless Wednesday

Nephew, Bob, aka Bobalicious, doing his trigonometry homework....if your looking for his tail, there is none. He's a Manx! Smartest cat around!

Adjustments

Adjustments are coming at me left and right....some in the healing form of chiropractic care. I do love my chiropractor and over the last few months she, along with some other practitioners NOT using drugs, has helped me to heal a terribly sore hip, soothed my soul and brought me a very long way from the tight ball of stress which had emerged since the death of my Dad. That's a really good kind of adjustment....realizing I had the power, mostly within, to heal myself in many ways.

Then there are the adjustments such as I am facing tonight. After work I went to an appointment to have my hair neatened up around the edges before our long-awaited trip to Ontario, Canada next week. I have no idea what the stylist was thinking of when she cut an area about 5" square within 1/4" from my scalp on the left side of my head just down from the crown. Of course, it is not fixable, so now more had to be cut off and it is not going to be easy to manage this until it grows. Obviously this mess will be a part of my trip. So, from deep disappointment I have had to roll over to adjustment contentment with what is. For someone who is way too concerned about how she looks on a daily basis, you can only imagine how huge this adjustment will be. In an interesting twist, just today I was telling someone that I have always been WAY TOO concerned about how I look, and wishing above all else that I could just be happy with who I am at any given moment. We wondered aloud how we came to be this way, and I am at a complete loss as to the origins of such ridiculous thinking. Of course, it is nice to want to look as presentable as possible each day, but..... Now, tonight, as I reach my hand up to feel the large nearly bald spot on the side of my head, I wonder, is this a test, brought about for me through the universe to teach me that I can indeed be adjustable and accepting of what is??
As I type, I can feel the huge knot in my stomach brought on by this challenge. I have to do some deep meditating and come to a peaceful place with the new hairstyle... c'est avant garde! Half a mohawk pour moi. Perhaps I'll buy a new hat....that won't do at work.....acceptance will, and I better start laughing at myself now, because the laughter will be loud at the office.
Oh, well......just had to get this out.
By the way, I knew that the stylist knew she made a huge mistake, but there was no sense in saying anything. Too late and I just couldn't make her feel any worse than she did. She must have been distracted or having a bad day. Happens to the best of us.

Amidst all the other chaos going on, I brought Sara and Samantha along with me to pick up my latest quilt from the professional quilter. We had a great visit and I love this picture of happy Samantha talking with her Daddy on the phone. He is a long distance truck driver and has been away for awhile. One time that having cell phones makes life a lot easier.
I'm very pleased with the quilting for this quilt. It is a wedding gift for the niece of a dear friend. The stitching shows off beautifully on the light green Kaffe Fassett fabric. If you look closely you can see that there are pale magenta interlocked circles on the green fabric. I'll get more photos this weekend when I can photograph it outside.
With the back folded over you get a view of the crazy striped border and a glimpse of one square which has partying cats on it....Ms G appears in a yellow outfit with matching orange hat!!


The binding is about 3/4 attached and should be finished this weekend. I hope they will love this as much as my friends, Jeff and Laurie love their quilt. I so love the process of hand sewing that I find myself slowing down as a project comes to an end, in order to prolong the joy of holding the fabric in my hands, and feeling its warmth across my lap.

My health challenge continues. The TN symptoms abated over night after a dose of the anti-seizure med but now I have huge swollen glands, sore throat and an earache on the other side. Saw the doctor today and she ruled out the presence of infection. Next step is to be tested for Lyme's disease but we both highly doubt that is present. It could all just be related to the flare of TN. I'm going forward as though nothing is wrong and making the most of each day, as healthily as possible.

Today, the contractors are putting new windows in LM's bedroom. It will make such a difference in appearance and also in heat savings this winter.
Off to the land of LM and Ms G after work....can't wait. We are going to take a long walk tonight....not Ms G, of course.

This Just In

My wonderful doctor, Mary, called me late this afternoon to tell me the MRI is clear. WHEW. This is good and bad news. It means that I am indeed having attacks of trigeminal neuralgia for which there is no cure. The episode I am in right now is really painful, so she insisted that I go back on the anti-seizure medication. I'd stopped it last weekend as I felt SO DRUGGED and I hate that feeling. Also, it is very hard for me to work feeling that way. Anyway, back to the med and hoping the side effects will ease out over time.
Thanks for the kind comments, I surely do have the loveliest and most thoughtful blog friends and your comments mean so much.
Off to sew the binding on my latest quilt.
Happy almost weekend!!

Scene Along the Way

I had the brain MRI this morning and the process took me right straight back into a full fledged episode of trigeminal neuralgia, or whatever is happening to me. My left face, head and neck are entirely numb and in burning pain, my ear and throat are throbbing and the burning in my mouth makes it not worth trying to eat. My eyes, as well as my brain are foggy. The scan was at 7:30 and I managed to get to work by 11:30. They placed a halo-like contraption on my head and then very tight earphones over my ears and I think that pressure set off this attack. It is scary and I can feel my spirits sinking to my toes. My trusty healer drove me this morning and is now off on a car trip so I cannot call on him for a miracle hug. That will have to wait until tomorrow.
In the meantime, I can focus on some beauteous things which came across my path last week, and share them all with you!
Last Friday evening I was taking a drive around my beloved spot on this earth and happened on this scene at a local salt water pond in Chatham. Right place, right time.
The next morning I spent a few hours with my sweet baby Teddy.....he loves his new car but has not figured out how to make it go forward yet, reverse, yes...
I love the way he peers in to the camera lens. A joyful child.
Saturday evening LM and I caught this sunset at West Dennis Beach.

I caught this critter sitting in the middle of the dining table on Saturday evening. I love my baby girl!
This wonderful fisherman was caught fishing in the Parker River just after we shared an early dinner at a nearby restaurant on Sunday. He can never resist the opportunity to make a few casts.
This weekend will be spent getting ready for the Canada trip, finishing a quilt, resting, and cuddling with Ms G and my healer, hopefully with this face/head pain issue resolved. Not sure when I will get MRI results.

Long Island Funnies

Oh my, the faster I go the behinder I get, to quote some smart person from long ago. Chez Ms G is busily preparing our next road trip!! We will be off to Waterloo, Ontario for a long-awaited visit with my sister and family in a few weeks. We look forward to seeing lots of new things through our collective eyes, especially Niagara Falls, and LM's first trip out of the USA. He gets to use his new passport.
In the meantime I have these few last photos to share with you from our lovely North Fork of Long Island trip. We love to find the funny and unusual around us so here are a few:
This great fish gate which guarded the entrance to a private waterfront parking area in Greenport, NY.
LM spends most of his life, well almost - we all know that most of it is consumed by being Ms G's indentured servant, and that's what he gets for "stealing" her from me - defending the rights of fishermen to have access to as many fishing areas as possible. When he found this sign on a primo fishing pier, he had to have a picture.
In Greenport we came across a store with a front window filled with an amusing collection of rubber duckies....some masquerading as cats! There was a mini railroad running there, too.
Greenport, NY legend has it that a great white had a piece of this boat for lunch.....hmmmmmm.
And last but not least, across the street from the "Jaws" victim, sat this very sweet new friend!! He watched us intently, and then very slowly sauntered across the quiet street to a pretty front porch, and approached the door, asking to be let in.
Since we returned from the trip, I've been in a spate of Dr's visits related to a severe facial pain problem. I've been diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia. It is a baffling and painful sporadic disorder. For me it presents in the form of severe left ear, face, and mouth pain/numbness/burning (the worst part of it). It also involves a dull headache and pain in my eyes. This last episode lasted 10+ days and was the worst I've had yet. I realize that this has been happening off and on, to a much lesser extent, for about 10 years. I had been attributing it to a mild cold or sinus infection each time, and would often have to leave work. Tomorrow morning I will have a brain/head MRI using dye to rule out any other problem which could cause these symptoms, such as tumors. Meanwhile, as quickly as it started, the episode ended last weekend. What a relief!! (LM claims he is "the healer," as, I went to bed in pain Saturday night at his house, and woke up Sunday morning pain free). The burning in my mouth, tongue, etc was so awful, and the head pain made working so difficult. Meanwhile, I am using meditation and biofeedback to relax the jaw and face muscles. So far, so good.

Tonight, I pick up a second completed quilt and will finish it over the weekend. A dear friend will present it to her niece as a wedding gift next month. Sara and Samantha will join me on the trip to get the quilt.
We are amidst the most beautiful time of year here with crystal clear warm days and cold nights, so I have had lots of energy. Winter clothes have been coming out and I'm culling things from my summer/fall and winter "collection" to be donated to others. Last weekend, I did a lot of pruning at LM's and just loved being out in the garden again. There is a lot of raking to do, too.

Ms G is extra frisky and loving this cooler weather.....she's keeping LM busy playing fetch! She's also very happy that the bathroom re-model contractors are ALMOST done. Happiness wll not reign on Friday when they come back to replace the windows in LM's bedroom. BIG TRAUMA, so she will hide in her upstairs lair, then COMPLAIN very loudly to LM when they leave. He says she has been literally throwing herself on him screaming for affection in the evenings when the house is once again hers, thus, he can do nothing (which he loves) but sit and be at her service with lots of patting and reassurance.
She'll be paying you all a visit before the end of the week.
Love to all........

Long Island Part II

Here we are, back on tour...a few more photos of our room at the Inn at Shorecrest. This chair was so comfy but we needed a second one! A lovely very old crazy quilt over the back was fun to examine. Beautiful fabrics which have withstood the test of time to varying degrees.
The chandelier in the living room was truly amazing and intricate, and it hung from a spectacular ceiling rosette. That table in the corner held a lovely plate of chocolate chip cookies and my favorite cookie monster was in heaven.

Our room was on the first floor but I loved this view to the second where a charming wooden cat observed the arrivals.
By the fireplace. The doors behind me slid open every morning to reveal the most elegant dining room with its table set formally for breakfast. Never managed a photo as I couldn't do so without inconveniencing other guests. Each dish was beautifully prepared and presented, many made with fresh from the garden ingredients.
LM enjoying his first coffee of the day on Sunday
Our inn had the most beautiful gardens...they were just beyond their summer peak but still glorious. My dearest LM, dragon-fly-expert-extraordinaire, was so thrilled when we walked out the front door on the way to dinner to see literally hundreds of them in flight around the garden. All the colors were represented and we stood there watching for the longest time. Amazing sight! LM enjoyed recounting the countless hours he spent as a child studying every aspect of dragonflies. They were particularly drawn to these spider flowers (not sure of the true name).
After breakfast on Sunday morning we set out on the North Fork Foodie Tour. This was our first stop where we picked up the map and sampled some lovely fresh foods. I particularly enjoyed a fresh corn, black bean, and tomato relish. They had fresh celery with a delicious cheese filling and many other treats. We also had a little cup of sangria in which apple slices were soaking. SO GOOD.
This farm had a community garden and we managed to snap the following flower photos. People were there harvesting their crops. These morning glories were truly wonderful and glowing.

DahliasOur next stop was at the Croteaux Vineyards. They are famous for their delicious sparkling rose'. The grounds are beautiful with gardens everywhere as well as thoughtfully restored farm buildings and house. Beyond in this picture is the farmhouse which is also the site of The Farmhouse Cooking School conducted by the owner of the vineyard in the Fall and Winter.
The vineyard owner....serving their wonderful wine and a delicious apple cake
The winery's inviting garden seating....the chairs rocked, literally!

Someone I love enjoying the apple cake and wine!
We really loved this wall of the barn comprised of their beautifully etched bottles, created by the owner's husband, a graphic artist.
Our next and most favorite stop was at the Krupski Farm in Peconic. The owner, a 4th generation Long Island farmer, led a fascinating tour of his farm. Here he is explaining how they rotate crops, and had just given us a lot of background on the farming process and the struggles of the family farm. This area of LI has worked very hard to protect the farmers and their very valuable land. This area is actually a very rich peninsula jutting into Peconic Bay. We learned about their process of raising a few chickens for eggs to sell at their stand, and also how many plantings of the same crops they cycle through in a season. He gave us a good overview of the types of equipment he uses. We were able to see sweet potatoes as he pulled them, ready, from their row. Beautiful. A major problem for these farms is the heavy deer population and that explained the very high fencing surrounding all the fields. Being a farmers daughter, I was in my glory hearing how he has followed in his father's footsteps and how his father, now in his 80's, still gets out on the tractors to help out.They have two lovely farm stands and the tour ended at the largest on on the main road. We learned about all the types of pumpkins and squash, which were best for pie (the medium sized flesh colored are the best), etc.
Last we stopped at the stand and bought a pie pumpkin and some baby pumpkins for Kristi. The cutting flowers were lovely. The Krupski Farm is also famous for its Halloween celebration with haunted rides and mazes, etc. Sounds like a lot of fun. He said it takes a month to prepare!
All of a sudden we felt weary and decided that we should get our money's worth out of that lovely room at the Inn and quickly we were back there and had a very luxurious nap....much needed by these two bathroom re-do-weary people....we woke leisurely and got ready for our fun dinner in Greenport. More on that tomorrow, but not before I get some much needed rest, and spend the morning with Teddy tomorrow. After that will come time with my beloved....maybe some pruning in his garden, maybe not. We shall see.
Have a wonderful weekend. It will be lovely here, I just know it.

Long Island Sojourn - Part 1

Sighing a huge breath of relief, we set out on Saturday morning at 7 am for our long awaited getaway weekend on the East End/North Fork of Long Island, NY. We drove to New London, Ct and boarded a huge car ferry which took us on the 1hour 20 minute jaunt across Long Island Sound to Orient Pt., NY. The day was picture perfect and we spent most of the trip on the outside deck enjoying the views and each other, and working hard to relax and leave behind the stress of the bathroom re-do and a lot of other weighty challenges.
As we left the dock in CT we passed by the US Coast Guard training ship, The Eagle. A magnificent sight on this glorious morning.
As we walked around the ship, we loved this view of its wake.
Arriving on LI we felt immediately transformed and once again in awe of the great beauty and peace in the tiny villages begging to be explored. We stopped and had our little picnic lunch, then made our way across to Shelter Island via a very cute little ferry from Greenport. There are just no words to express the unspoiled and charming beauty of Shelter Island. I really thought it would be a very beachy/touristy area. Instead, it is high forested land with amazing trees, and surely lovingly preserved old homes. Many are in the graceful old shingle style, they are most all hidden down long drives and gardens in their very quaint place. You get the feel of being back in the 50's. I managed to get a few photos but we are definitely planning a time when we can go back there to walk and check out more of the side roads.
This house was on a hill above the ferry dock. Below is the Shelter Island Beach Club.
Taken through the windshield, this is a sample of some of the many beautifully maintained old homes on the island
This wonderful building was in the center of a tiny village.
Being 9/11, this memorial by the Shelter Island FD was sobering, especially that we were in NY.
On the other side of the island we boarded a second ferry that took us to Sag Harbor on the South Fork, a bustling place but mired down in traffic. Still very old and a beautifully maintained seaside community. Huge yachts were moored and the town was teaming with crowds attending an arts festival. We kept going with the goal of touring some of Easthampton but the traffic held us up and we had to leave before we saw very much. Our check-in time at the Inn was quite strict and we did not want to be late. What we did see of Easthampton was so beautiful and what will always stick in our memory are the rows of amazing elm trees creating canopies above the streets. We will definitely plan a trip back there in the future.
I only managed one photo as we were busily finding our way.
After two return ferry rides, we were back on the North Fork and arrived right on time at our inn, The Inn at Shorecrest in Southold.
We were warmly greeted by the innkeeper and some incredible chocolate chip cookies, and quickly settled into our beautiful room for a little rest before launching a tour to find where we would have dinner. While LM took a shower, I walked to the private beach in the early evening sun, regrettably sans camera :(
We chose The Soundview Inn, just about 1/4 mile east of our inn (I think we both fell for the view!). We had some delicious flounder.
This shot was taken right from my dinner seat. It was a very beautiful evening and the Long Island Sound waters were very calm.
Next it was time to work off all the time spent in the car that day and do a little walking tour of downtown Greenport, NY. We both fell in love right away with its charms. Formerly a bustling whaling port, Greenport is now a popular tourist town, abuzz with busy restaurants and other attractions, the town was really humming. There was music everywhere, and we loved the open access to all the piers along the harbor. We picked out the spot where we would have dinner on Sunday night and made a reservation.
This great clock was in the village by a lovely open green area filled with families.
A beautiful carousel.
We were determined to get up close to this beautiful bird sculpture and were finally successful. It is right on the harbor and we had spotted it from the ferry on the way back from Shelter Island earlier in the day.
After our walk, we got back to the car and noticed we could hear wonderful music emanating from a nearby pub with an outdoor garden. We debated on going over for a drink but then decided to sit right there in the car and enjoy the music. We sang along for awhile and really enjoyed the concert. Soon we were looking at each other and realizing that a beautiful room with a comfy bed was calling our names, and we were back to the inn for a lovely evening and sleep.
Part II soon....I'm temporarily derailed by illness, again, and as soon as I digest more, I will be back with the story.