YOU'RE WELCOME, DEARIES

 

This is Rick Springfield.

He is 76 years old.

If you're anywhere near 60 years of age, you're hearing Jessie's Girl in your head right about now, and you're thinking back to Saturday afternoons on the back patio listening to Casey Kasem's America's Top 40 on the radio whilst adding more baby oil and Sun-In to get that "fresh from the beach" look, even though you were 125 miles from anything resembling a body of water larger than a municipal swimming pool.

That photograph, by the way, is from one of his RECENT concert appearances. 

As in last week recent.

Did I mention he's 76 years old?

MONDAY...AGAIN

Good morning, Dearies. I'm up and moving, but not very far and definitely not very fast. The fatigue level is stupid-high lately, and it's about all I can do to keep my peepers open.

But I am freshly showered with clean hair...a mighty undertaking when doing so feels like running an IronMan marathon...and I am happily attired in my "leisure wear". (It's basically a pajama set that I fished out of the closet, but it's black and with the right accessories could pass for...pajamas.)

I've got my water filled and ready to go. I have to ask, though....is it possible for these sippy cups to lose their ability to keep things cold? I notice that ice is not lasting as long as it used to, and by the time I make it to the bottom of my fourth or fifth fill, I've gone through much more ice than I used to.

I had never understood what a hyper-fixation meal was until it dawned on me that I have been eating the same thing for my first meal of the day for over a year now:

There's something about the contrast of the cottage cheese with everything bagel seasoning combined with the fruit that makes me feel both healthy and satisfied. This is just such an easy go-to for me, and I usually have it between 11ish and 2ish. I can't seem to eat when I first wake up, and my appetite really only wants two meals a day with maybe a small snack of cheese and crackers in between, but this is a) highly approved by my people, and b) somehow exactly what I want. 

Go figure.

I finished Anna Karenina and sat with it for a few days and then grabbed this off of my TBR shelf. I really loved her previous book, Babel, and although it was completely out of my normal genre comfort zone, I decided to try this one, too. It's good, and I'm enjoying it, but definitely different than my normal thing.

When I finish this, I'm going to do a deep read of Joyce's Ulysses. I've never read it, but I wrote my Senior Thesis with a Joyce scholar named Ed Cronin, and he always told me to wait to read it until I knew it was the exact right moment to do so. 

I think this might be it.

My stitchy life is so quiet I have to poke it with a stick every now and then to make sure it's not dead. No worries, though. I go through this every single year at this time, so I'm sure that once I get a needle back in my hand all will be well once again.

My evening television viewing has been bingeing, bingeing, bingeing. First, I watched the final two seasons of Outlander. I had already seen Season Seven, but was so lost that I decided to re-watch it so I could enjoy the final Season Eight.

And I did.

Then, I watched Rooster on HBO. I was never a fan of The Office, so Steve Carell wasn't somebody I knew/liked a lot, but Rooster really did it for me. I loved his character and acting so much that I finished Rooster and jumped over to The Four Seasons and watched all of it.

Now I'm on Season Two of The Bear. Totally different sensibility, and I find myself having to pull my shoulders out of my ears because of the tense feeling of the scenes, but I'm also loving it (and Jeremy Allen White).

Other than that, I'm trying to behave myself while Rich is getting his mom situated in New Jersey. She had another fall a few months ago, and has been in a re-hab facility, but it's time for her to transition from living alone in her condo to a more secure situation. I think they've found the perfect place...so fingers crossed that it will all work out. (And if you're so inclined, a prayer to The Big Guy that the nuns at Villa Raffaella in Pleasantville can work their magic would also be appreciated!)

That's life in a nutshell here in Hoosierville, Dearies. Quiet. Easy. Beautiful. As I sit here writing to you, a teeny little girl is playing and singing on one of the balconies across the courtyard. Every now and then, her mom bursts out in the most beautiful laughter over something the little girl has sung, and it sounds like wind chimes to me. I can't understand the words...they're in Mandarin maybe?...but I could listen to her sing that funny little song all day.

Happy Monday. I hope your week is off to a wonderful start. What are you up to? Come tell me all about it!

 

HAPPY WEEKEND DEARIES!

 

GUESS WHAT I GET TO DO TODAY?

Somebody needs to fire my Appointment Secretary. Who ever heard of having to be somewhere at 9am?!

Yesterday I deep-cleaned the bathroom, so today I can't lift my arms or move my legs. Good thing all I have to do is GO TO THE DENTIST AT THE FREAKIN CRACK OF DAWN!

Happy Tuesday, Desries!

GUESS WHAT I'M DOING TODAY?

 

THIS AND THAT

 

I got the bright idea to flip my closet from winter to summer, and the task ended up being an all day affair. In between the grunting and the sweating and the purging of things, there were several major insights that resulted in me on the floor clutching pajama sets that I wore in high school.

I have hereby decided that I am going to give up the fantasy of weighing almost nothing, having a flat stomach, toned arms, great boobs, and a wardrobe full of cute little size six outfits.

I've spent the better part of my sixty years on this planet hating this big fat lumpy body of mine, but after a good long session of bawling my eyes out and praying for forgiveness for being so ungrateful, I have sincerely apologized to said big fat lumpy body, and I am, instead, very happy to acknowledge the miracles this body has been able to pull off to keep me here and in good stead. My focus now will be on taking care of it. (I see a lot of moisturizer in my future, as well as salads, evening walks, and maybe even a haircut.)

Besides...those cute little size six outfits would look ridiculous on a sixty year old, and who needs a flat stomach when you can use a big fat flabby stomach as a convenient place to prop your stitching? Or a book?

So Operation Acceptance has commenced, and we'll see where it takes us. Today my task is to figure out pants. Louie presents a few challenges in that department, but I'm sure I'll figure it out! He and Belly Bean are hanging in there...a few medication issues to sort, but the team is on it and I'll be right as rain very soon!

I haven't stitched in quite some time thanks to Ms Karenina, but I might give it a go later this afternoon. We have a few small errands to run, and I would like to attempt some time in the kitchen, so hopefully needle and thread will make it into my hand this evening.

Life is beautiful here in Hoosierville, Dearies! What's new with you?

THANK YOU, DEARIES

 

Writing this blog and meeting all of you has been the biggest joy and blessing of my life. (And God knows I have had more than my fair share of enormous blessings.) This blog has been my stage, my platform, my soap box, my confessional, my therapist's couch, my kitchen table, my refuge, and a source of all of those things I've needed to stumble my way through this crazy adventure of being a portly Midwestern spinster who likes to stitch. You have watched me navigate both the best and worst of times...sometimes simultaneously, and your unwavering presence here has shown me the true nature of friendship, love, and unconditional acceptance.

It's been a ride, Dearies, that's for sure! I thank you from the very bottom of my heart, and I cherish each and every one of you who has done so much to make this life of mine so very beautiful, indeed.

DONE AND DONE.

 

I was in Lima this weekend gathering with classmates from my high school days. We got together at a parish carnival, and it was wonderful to catch up with them for a little bit and to be "home".

It got me thinking about how incredibly lucky I am to have "people" from all walks and stages and places and interests, and how having these various people has been the single biggest gift of this beautiful life of mine.

Dearies, I know that I'm not stitching as much as I have in times past, and that my blatherings seem to be shorter and less frequent than they used to be, but I'm still here and futzing my way through the hours of the day with good intention and a lot of hapless adventures.

As soon as I get my little chores done for the day, and as soon as I figure out what we're doing for dinner (Oh, who am I kidding? I'll say salmon, rice, and green beans, but we'll go face first into leftover pizza like the animals we are), I'm going to put. the. phone. down. and pick up my needle and thread.

How 'bout you? What's blowing your skirt up today? Come tell me all about it!

 

THURSDAY PLAN

Rich is substitute-teaching today (pause for giggles), and I am doing my level best to get into a healthy routine. I got up early and had my requisite damn good, enjoyed quite a bit of quiet time, did about 30 minutes of little chores, and now I am wearing actual clothes (instead of pajamas).

All in all a very good day. I have always been a creature of routine, but the routines I'm able to follow now are considerably different than they were in years past. That 30 minutes of little chores just about killed me, so priority on my to-do list is to rebuild strength and regain stamina. Stat.

The best news in all of this whole unwell thing is that I'm dropping weight like a maniac, and am almost well past my transplant table weight! Nutritionally, I am being super careful to get all of the requisite things, but portion sizes have reduced drastically! I think my days of being a healthy but big eater are well behind me. Now I'm a twice a day small whole food meal with protein forward kind of eater who still likes an occasional ice cream or cookie treat. 

I think I'm going to log off for the three-day weekend, Dearies. If you're observing Memorial Day, please be safe and happy. If you're just having a regular weekend...do the same! Either way, come tell me all about it!

WEDNESDAY PLAN

 

I would love to tell you that I'm over here in Hoosierville tearing it up and taking names, but the truth is, I'm not doing much of anything other than eating yogurt, drinking lots of water, and sleeping. I have about another five days of antibiotics to go, and then I'm hoping and praying to wake up feeling human.

Are you as tired of hearing me bitch about not feeling well as I am? 

WELL, NOW I GUESS I NEED TO LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT MOURNING DOVES

 

SATURDAY

 

I had the best intentions of accomplishing a lot today, Dearies.

(But we all know where my intentions usually get me.)

Rich is doing his thing over on campus all weekend, and I won't really see him until late tomorrow evening. Graduation weekend is an "all hands on deck" situation, so he'll definitely be busy directing proud parents and sweaty graduates to and fro, I'm sure.

He has also started substitute teaching, and his next assignment will be Monday. I really can't figure out where he finds all of this energy at 70, but I sure do admire his willingness to stay so active! 

(Maybe I should take the hint and get myself similarly motivated?)

Naaaahhhhh.

If you need me, I'll be in the big girl sleigh bed with my book or perched in my chair with my stitching. It's a bit overcast today, so I figure...why waste a perfectly good nap day?

What have you been up to? 

FANCIFUL FLIGHT FEE NEE

 Fanciful Flight

Robin Pickens Cross Stitch

28ct Seaglass Soft cashel from Colour and Cotton

all threads Colour and Cotton from stash

IN WHICH THE SPINSTER CELEBRATES TINY HAPPY THINGS

I'm a person who has a TON of big fat huge miraculous things to celebrate...and I do...every single night when I put my head on my Target clearance bin pillow and thank BG (*) for all of the gifts, blessings, and miracles of my life.

But my day-to-day life is also filled with thousands of small things...not life-changing or earth-shattering, mind you, but nonetheless important to me and how I enjoy my life.

Like finally finishing the anti-biotic, and being able to do so with purified ice and water from my favorite amazon sippy cup:

Or starting a new book about people who love books, and being a big fat beautiful bird away from finishing a project that has brought me stitchy joy:

Or finally figuring out that if I eat yogurt for breakfast it's good for my gut, bones, heart, BellyBean, etc and that it will lead to a 40 pound weight loss that puts me almost lower than my post-transplant weight:

And loving the fact that a stitchy friend who sent me an amazon gift card is with me every day when I look up and see the beautiful little tree that her gift enabled:

Is this the wisdom of age, Dearies? Or am I finally able to enjoy the smaller (though no less significant) things that make this here life of mine so wonderful? Sometimes I think I get so gobsmacked by the fact that I received a kidney transplant, or was blessed with support that enabled me to start a new life in a new home, or that I survived a surgery and recovery that should have killed me...and then I wake up to an emptied dishwasher (thank you, JB) and a big huge cup of damn good that I can taste again now that this cold/flu/plague has finally started to lift.

So today I'm going to enjoy my little things a bit before plunging in to chores and to-dos. Rich is doing his thing over on campus. (Can I just say that he looks so damn handsome with his new smile and his nice blue blazer and that head of beautiful hair?), and then I think it will be time for spaghetti or salmon for dinner. Slow and simple...but...happy.

Futzingday is upon us! How will you spend your hours and minutes today? I hope it will involve doing something fun and that you'll come tell me all about it!

(*) BG = Big Guy

GO OUTSIDE, THEY SAID...FRESH AIR WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU

Phooey.

Last week I went out into the world like a normal adult and did various and sundry things.

This week I have a cold/flu/plague situation that is making me think I should probably re-watch the 1970's classic film "The Boy In The Plastic Bubble" to review important safety tips.

Why can't I a) just be like everybody else and b) be smart enough to WEAR A DAMN MASK whenever I leave the house?

Yup. 100% self-imposed, and I do not feel one bit sorry for myself that I am now sitting here wanting my mommy and a TV tray with chicken dumpling soup, saltines, and ginger ale next to me. I give myself no grace for thinking that I could spend 9 hours in an ER or go to umpteen medical facilities without catching SOMETHING from SOMEBODY.

Lesson learned. Your Spinster will forthwith be donning appropriate PPE and will be avoiding all crowds, labs, restrooms, and plague-ridden facilities for the immediate future.

Seriously, Dearies. No fever, GI symptoms, shortness of breath, pain, etc etc. Just a damn cold/cough that has me guzzling fluids, carefully administering doctor-approved Mucinex and Tylenol, and sleeping my butt off.

Stitching progress:

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing...I hope it's blowing your skirt right up! I'm going to settle in with a hot shower, fresh pajamas, and something good in the TeeVee this afternoon and hopefully finish my project!

What are you up to?

 

WEEKEND PLAN

 

THIS WHOLE LEAVING THE HOUSE THING IS FOR THE BIRDS...

If you've been my friend on this here blog for any length of time, you know that I am what you would call a "homebody". (Mental health professionals call it "agoraphobic", but....potAAAto, potAAAHHHto).

My Lima family (sissyfriend Denise and brotherfriend Jeff) were here for the Notre Dame football Spring game, and although I was unable to go to the actual game (too much walking, sitting on bleachers, and lack of fast access to a restroom), I still made it out to dinner on Saturday night and then brunch on Sunday.

Yesterday I visited with my Louie surgeon, Dr Thompson. I needed to follow up with him for an ER visit (Friday night I thought I had a simple UTI and went to Urgent Care, but because I'm me and can't do anything easy, so I was sent to the ER for extensive tests and CT scans.)

(No UTI, but evidence of inflammation near Louie that requires antibiotics for ten days.)

Today, I had an iron infusion at the "spa doctor" (*), and then I have to take Rich to the dentist for a check-up later this afternoon, and bright and early Friday morning I have to go get kidney labwork done.

Phooey.

That is more "outsiding" than I've done in calendar year 2026, and I need a smack in the head for scheduling this stuff all at once. Silly, silly Spinster. I thought that I would be perfectly capable of playing the part of a functional adult, with shoes, and a bra, and actual athleisure-wear that is not, in fact, Target clearance bin pajamas, but all I am at the moment is overwhelmed, exhausted, hungry, and wanting my blanket.

But...there are updates to be shared, so share I shall:

I'm making good progress on Robin Pickens Cross Stitch "Fanciful Flight" and am enjoying it very much! I'm using both fabric and threads from Colour & Cotton that I had in my stash, and am loving how it's coming together.

(*) The place where I go to get iron infusions is called Flourish and it looks like a very upscale hair salon on the outside, but is one of the most professionally run medical facilities I've ever been in on the inside.

The infusion rooms are lovely, private, and super comfortable. I'm only there for about an hour, but it's the most relaxing hour of the day!

That's it for now, Dearies! I need to give Rich his first sedative for the dentist (yes, Betty, I hide it in a piece of cheese, and yes, he has SEVERE medical anxiety and requires this help to even walk in the place...so zip it), and then it's time to put the bra back on and head out.

Happy Futzingday to one and all! What's on your menu for the day?

 

IN WHICH THE POOL OPENS AND THE SPINSTER CONTEMPLATES A SWIM

 

A LITTLE SUNDAY NIGHT PROGRESS

 

Don't ask what possessed me to stitch all of the green first....I didn't even realize I was doing it until it was done! After all these years of stitching, I think this is the first time I've ever done that?

Tomorrow is infusion day. My poor hemoglobin has not rebounded since surgery, so in I go for a (hopefully) big boost of iron!

Otherwise, quiet and still feeling a little "off", Dearies. Nothing to fret about, since I am fully aware that not being a bundle of joy and bubbles and giggly happiness all the time is perfectly OK, if not considerably tiresome for my JB to have to put up with. 

I hope you've had a wonderful weekend! What's new?

IN WHICH THE SPINSTER'S HEART OVERFLOWS ONCE AGAIN...

I am in perpetual awe at the sheer volume of happiness I feel because of the love and kindness of my Dearies. Thank you. Turning 60 was a milestone I never thought I'd see, but so far...so good.

I did have a lovely day. Rich and I ate the most delicious little cakes at the stroke of midnight...I think the Martin's (our local grocery store) called them Mississippi Mud Cakes, and boy oh boy were they delicious!

The next day I had a kidney check-in with my local doc, and then I came home and made a cold brew:

Opened an amazing box of beautiful things from my sister:

Played with the little case that I bought a few months ago, but swore it was my birthday gift to myself to justify the spendiness:

Fished through my WiPs:

And started a new project...Fanciful Flight from Robin Pickens:

So there you have it...a wonderful day enjoying the things I love and being so very grateful for all of them. You're at the top of the list, my dear and previous friends.

Thank you.

 

WAIT....HOW DID THAT HAPPEN SO FAST!

 

I can't seem to find the words today, Dearies.

So....how about the ones from when I turned 50? An awful lot has changed in 10 years, but one thing has remained the same.

I have a beautiful life.

💐

Here's the post from so long ago:

Today I am 50.

Wow.

Time sure flies when you're having this much fun.

If I've told you these stories before, forgive me, but they've been rattling around in my brain since the wee hours of the morning, and I guess they must be in there for a reason...

When my mom went into labor with me, my dad happened to be in San Francisco giving a speech.  The urban legend/family story has it that he was addressing the audience at a podium and someone passed him a note that said "Mr. Rich, your wife has gone into labor" and Dad looked out at the crowd, and said "Excuse me, please.  My wife is having a baby" and walked off the stage to a standing ovation.  (I'd like to think that this was my first).  Then he found the nearest telephone, called my mom and said "Don't do anything until I get there" and hung up. 

The second part of the urban legend/family story is that he made it back to Lima in time for my arrival, and after traveling all day and night, patiently waiting in the waiting room (as dads were wont to do in those days) and then kissing me on my tiny little head, he got in his Pontiac and drive to a plant nursery and bough a little flowering tree that he took home and planted in the front yard of 25 Beaumont Place.

I don't know if any of that is true or not, but when I finish this here blog post, I'm going to Google Earth 25 Beaumont Place in Lima, Ohio to see if my tree is still there.

The title of my post is courtesy of my Aunt JoAnn.  Every year (for as long as I can remember, anyway), my Aunt JoAnn calls and leaves a message on my answering machine that starts out with "It was the most beautiful day that Lima, Ohio had ever seen".  And then she tells me the story of how she was with my mom at the hospital and how she held her hand and told her to be brave, but not to embarrass anybody by crying.

I love those stories.

I guess, come to think about it, I love almost all of the stories of my life thus far.  Some have happier endings than others, true, and some have handsome princes and evil queens, but all in all I just don't have one darn thing to complain about.  I have been spectacularly blessed with incredible things and interesting challenges and wonderful opportunities and hilarious perspectives, and I don't think I would change one single solitary moment of one single solitary day.

Oh, what a ride it's been.  I can't wait to see what happens next!

So, my dear friends, I thank you from the bottom of my pitiful little heart for being such a huge part of this crazy life of mine and for making it so....lovely.  I'll leave you with the card that was attached to a beautiful vase of flowers that arrived as I was heading to the library.  They are from my dear dear friend, Lou, and I think it is the perfect example of why I walk around with a silly grin on my face....how did I get so lucky to have people like this in my life?

WOOHOOOOOOOO!

All Manner of Thing

Shepherd's Bush

32ct hand dyed linen

Weeks Dye Works Overdyed Threads