Baked Brie

Anyone need their batteries charged or their car boosted???? If so, I've got just the thing -

ROFL!!!! This was our little girl this afternoon during her second acupuncture session :o) Yes, you heard me right...acupuncture. Electrified acupuncture. This was so over the top that I just had to take a picture. Dr. B called her Frankenbrie. LOL!

I did some research on the internet about treatment for Doxies that have had back surgery and acupuncture was one thing that was mentioned. It not only stimulates the nerve endings but it was also suggested that it would help with incontinence problems. Of course at our last visit, we found out that Brie had a urinary tract infection :oS So now that that is being treated with medication as well as with acupuncture, we are seeing improvement!

Dr. B is still very happy with Brie's walking. She still goes a bit wonky when she first gets up from a nap and she loses a bit of control of her back end if she gets too excited but that will all improve with time. We've been working on strengthening her hind end and that is going well. She even gained 0.2 Kg since last week and her hair is almost all grown back in :o)

While I'm on the subject of the critter kids, I took the time today to groom another member of the family...Pickles. He's my bunny wabbit :o) Pickles is changing his apparel at the moment, i.e. shedding. For some reason, he looks like someone drug him through a knot hole backwards. I felt so sorry for him that I took him outside to brush him. The next thing I know, I'm in the middle of what looks like a dandelion fluff storm! I took as much fur off of him as DH takes off of Duncan!

When Annie commented on my last post, she hinted to the fact that contractors are very unpredictable. Well, she's right. They came back long enough to finish the brickwork on the foundation of The Needlework Shop but now they've disappeared! Good thing I didn't pay them yet ;o) I know they'll be back at some point though.

I'm SOOOOOO excited! My fabric arrived today for Tot!!!! WOOHOO! It is absolutely amazing and just what I envisioned for her :o) I couldn't resist...as soon as the fabric was ironed, I started stitching her. Maybe that's why my contractors are taking a break. No picture yet though. I'm building up your anticipation ;o)

Okay, I was a bit behind on my Blog reading and came across another award that I was nominated for. This one came from Rachel -

Seriously, you've got to stop this because my head just won't fit through the doors in the house anymore and DH is getting tired of having me inside ;o) Here are the nominees, again, in no particular order and not to hurt anyone's feelings -

Loreta - a new Blog for me, her stitching is just beautiful and I love the fact that she's from Lithuania.

Jenn - she seems to always come up with great ideas.

Tammy - a stitcher with great inner strength even though she doesn't realize it.

Iris - she's a Halloween freak that does amazing finishing.

Olga - another new Blog for me and I'm inspired by her designing.

Chiloe - she makes me laugh with her antics and I love seeing her pieces come to life.

Judy - a fellow book lover and stitcher with a huge heart.

Again, there are some rules:

1) Put the logo on your Blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3) Nominate at least seven other Blogs.
4) Add links to those Blogs.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their Blogs.

There's a long weekend coming up! I hope everyone will enjoy it :o)

Welcome To My...

Needlework Shop -

As you can see, it's still under construction but it's going at a pretty good pace. How they have the upstairs windows hung in mid air like that, I'll never know ;o) The brickwork on the foundation should be done in another day and then the upstairs walls will go in. The architect, CCN, did a lovely job designing this place don't you think? LOL!

LOOK -

When I saw this there was a HUGE smile on my face :o) That means that fall is just around the corner AND it's my favourite time of year. The nights have been cool and I've been enjoying that but the mosquitoes are still out >:o( DH is talking about going camping in Maine sometime during the month of September. Brie and I are all for it!

Today I went and had FOUR vials of blood taken out of me. It started hitting me on the way home even though I had some apple juice and a donut ;o) You didn't hear the donut part. Shhhh! The girl that took my blood was really good but then again, I have 'wonderful' veins. I almost associate those nurses with vampires because they mention this every time I go in. LOL!

On my way home, I took a quick peek to see if I could find myself a strapless bra for my dress. Wouldn't you know it...I did! Not only is it black, my size and seamless, it's got straps so you can convert it to a regular bra AND it comes with those 'invisible' straps :o) When I got in the dressing room, I stuffed the girls in and put my t-shirt back over top to see the effect. Not only does it hide 'the' nipple but it makes the girls look like twins again. My only problem, trying to stay in that thing!

I'm almost embarrassed to say but I've been nominated for another award {blush}. Jennifer awarded me this -

Here are the rules:

1) Only five people allowed.
2) Four of them have to be dedicated followers of your Blog and one has to be new and live in another part of the world.
3) You have to link back to who gave you the award.

Here are my nominees and again, they are in NO particular order -

Mumsy - as you know, this is my mother and she has been an avid reader and fan of my Blog.

Karen - I know you're not Blogging at the moment girl but we've got a lot of history together.

Lori-Ann - a retreat buddy that Katie and I converted into a Blogger buddy.

Nancy - the queen of scrapbooking and an artist.

Joanne - an Aussie with a flair for stitching and cake decorating.

To round off my day, I just got THE most awesome, life changing news!!!! My mind is racing with uncertainties, my face is flushed with happiness and my heart is relieved :o) I hate to be a tease but I cannot say a word for the time being. I know, I know! But there are some things that have to be taken care of first before 'the cat can be let out of the bag'. Stay tuned.

Birds & Bits

Even though there are still some hot and humid days lingering, the feel of fall is in the air :o) It's during this month that DH and I see a special kind of bird flying high in the sky. Over the years, they've been too high to determine what they are but this year, I think I've finally figured it out! They're called the Common Nighthawk and contrary to their name, they are not strictly nocturnal.

This year they were flying low enough that we were able to identify a white band on each wing and we could also pick out some brown, where before we thought the bird was completely black. It's so interesting to watch these birds because they fly in small flocks and they sore the sky like jets, scooping up insects in the air. I read in our bird book that one Nighthawk alone will consume over 500 mosquitoes! Heck, I'd set them up with housing if they would stay around all summer ;o)

Our other bird encounter this year has been with the American Goldfinch. For as long as I can remember over the past several years, there has always been one male and one female around our place. That's it! No other Goldfinches whatsoever. I'm always wondering if it's the same pair that comes back every year. You know they're around because you either hear their beautiful song or see a streak of yellow fly by :o)

This year we had quite a few sunflowers by the back patio and they were just the right height, around mid-thigh. About a week ago I startled the female Goldfinch when I walked out the patio door. Then I noticed why she was there. The sunflowers were turning and going to seed and she was packing up for the winter :o) I tried several times to get some good pictures and I don't think I was too popular with her at first -

But finally, with lots of patience, I snapped this one -

On to other things...I've noticed from my last post that I received quite a few comments! To my new readers, this is just a sample of my twisted sense of humour and I hope I didn't offend anyone. It's meant to be a funny post and I want people to laugh with me so I hope you will and never feel bad about doing so :o)

I know a lot of people are using Google Reader now so we're not directed to a Blogger's main page anymore :o( I just wanted to point out that my Cadbury Easter Cream Egg marathon has finally run its course. With those few extra from Shannon last month, I was able to achieve a breaking record but you'll have to go to my main page to see what it is ;o)

A lot of you have asked about Brie and don't worry; I will be putting up a post later this week about her. I have something very interesting to show and I didn't have the camera with me the first time around :oS She is doing just fine though and gaining even more strength in her hind end. DH and I think that she loves her new bed just a little too much because we've had a few mornings that 'we've' had to get 'her' up. LOL!

And finally...I want everyone to know that my mother now has her own Blog! That's right :o) I helped her set it up on the weekend and I'm quite proud of her :o) She's the quilter in the family and has even won a Grand Champion. I'd love it if you would head on over to her Blog, Quilts & All, and just say a little hello. She's been tickled pink with this new adventure and I'd like her to be welcomed into the Blogging community.

Stay tuned as there's more to come this week :o)

The Phantom...

Menace! No, but that was an awesome movie :o) The Phantom of the Opera! Nope, but what a classical love story that is. What about The Phantom Nipple? HA! That got your attention didn't it? ;o)

I'm sure you've all heard about the 'phantom limb' that people experience when they lose a leg, arm, finger, etc. Even though that part of their body is no longer there, at times they still get sensations as if it were. Apparently, this includes nipples as well :oS

As most of you know, I no longer have 'identical twin girls' ;o) For those of you who are new to my Blog, I had a radical mastectomy on my right side back in 2000 due to breast cancer. During that operation I had reconstruction surgery but all I have is a bump with no cherry on top. LOL!

There have been times over the years that I've had this sensation where that right nipple should be. Basically, it's like an itch that you can never scratch >:o( And that's pretty much what it feels like, an itch. It can drive me bonkers! I can scratch it all I want but it's like rubbing your lip after you've had it frozen at the dentist's office. Do you get my frustration? Probably not ;o)

I have a family wedding to go to in a few weeks and I'm having a dilemma with my dress. Because of the way the top is cut, none of my bras will work so that means I either go 'commando' or I try a strapless bra. Dilemma number two...because the girls are no longer twins, there is a significant difference when they are let loose or not held together properly ;o) My job is to find a strapless bra that will be comfortable and provide support. Does such a beast even exist????

Another problem I encounter a lot is the nippy 'hard on'. You know what I mean girls, when it's too cold outside ;o) Well...it looks kind of funny when only one pops up. In this instance, I have some options as well. I could have one surgically put on but my surgeon and plastic surgeon have tried for years to convince me but knowing where the 'extra' comes from, they can keep trying until they're blue in the face ;o)

Option two is to buy some nipple covers. Yes, believe it not, they do exist! That way, the little 'ready when done' pop up nodules are restrained and you look, well, just very well rounded ;o) The last option is to buy a nipple. Okay, maybe I should have mentioned earlier that you should have put down your coffee or tea before reading this post :oP Such a thing can be bought and I've even seen one. They're like suction cups with a bump. I never did ask how they stay on though... Just imagine you could actually create your own third nipple like Chandler on Friends! ROFL!

Sixth Finish For 2008

Woohoo! One more step closer to the goals I set for 2008 :o) This is Herb Garden by LHN -

I really love the colors and I can't seem to say that enough. I'm not a purple person either but this fabric is so soft and lovely.

Here's a close up of the brown hare himself -

I shouldn't have a problem finding a frame. It's getting off my butt and actually stretching the piece is what will probably slow me down. Hey, I'm being honest because I know myself ;o) LOL!

So, this piece will go towards one more small finish. I really need to start focusing on my medium sized projects because so far I have none completed :oS I was really hoping my fabric for Halloween Fairy (I've named her Tot, short for Trick or Treat, thanks to Rachael) would arrive today but no such luck :o( I'm anxious to start her. My lips are sealed about the fabric until I show you my first WIP picture ;o)

I guess that means I either dig out my project for the Christmas ornament exchange or I can start one of the medium sized pieces that I have lined up and actually have all the stuff for. Hmmm....I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone know a great substitute for 28 count Vintage Lentil linen by Lakeside Linens? They say it's close to DMC 644.

There are a few thank yous that I want to extend. The first is to Suzanne for her RAOK :o) She sent me this pattern off of my Want List -

The other is to Rachael for nominating me for this award -

I know I say this a lot but I can't tell you how much it means to me when people tell me that they enjoy reading my Blog :o) From some of the comments that were left last time, it seems that a lot of you have memories from my fart posts. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing! LOL! Anyway, this time I will follow the rules and pass this award on to other people. Please DO NOT be offended if I don't list your Blog. My criteria this time is to promote some awesome Blogs that may not be as well known in Bloggerland :o) So here they are -

Jocelyn - this mighty woman adds magic to everything she does from stitching and quilting to gardening and baking.

Mary Ann - I am in awe of the kindness that she spreads around with her stitching for sick children.

Sue - I love watching all her stitching come to life and she's a fellow animal lover.

Nursy - she's finally been roped into the Blogging world so check her out to see how she's doing.

Renee - this wizard does model stitching for Nora Corbett and Country Cottage Needleworks, plus she's a great friend.

Cindy - not only does she make beautiful fobs but she's a huge Bon Jovi fan as well.

Stitch Pink - a wonderful Blog set up by Kim and deals with anything that has to do with breast cancer.

For those of you who have been awarded, please post the following rules on your Blog -

1. The winner can put the logo on their Blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other Blogs.
4. Put the links to those Blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the Blogs of those you've nominated.

That'd be it :o)

Who ARE You People And Where Do You Come From?

No, I'm not talking about aliens! Although... LOL! This morning I was out doing my daily Blog visits when I came across something neat on Chiloe's Blog. Like Chiloe, I wonder who exactly stops by my Blog but never leaves a comment. I know, sometimes people are shy, or too busy to write but I love getting to know my readers so here's your chance to speak up :o) I know my counter speaks volumes so who's reading my Blog????

Here are the rules:

1) As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I have had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we've never met, leave me a comment about your favourite post that I wrote and why it was your favourite.

2) Next, re-post these instructions on your Blog (if you have one) and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your Blog and leave one about you :o)

You Know The Weather's Bad When...

You open the door and even the dog won't go out :oS Poor Duncan took one look and if a dog can show disgust, he hit it spot on. LOL! What a rotten summer this has been. We've gone from hot and humid to wet. And with that comes the Blah's :o( Yuck! Curling up on the couch and watching television is as good as it gets this week.

Today I went to apply for a job with Michael's. It was 'supposed' to be for an Office Assistant but I wasn't told until I got there that it was already filled. Grrrrr! Waste of time. The good news is the store will be opening on September 13! At least I got that bit of insider news ;o)

In my last post I talked about Cindy being an inspiration. Well, I'm going to talk about her again because she is also one talented girl ;o) I have a HUGE thank you to pass along to her for sending me these gorgeous scissor fobs -

I apologize it took this long to get a picture up but...the weather is just not cooperating >:o( Now I have a pair of scissors waiting for Halloween and the pink ribbon fob goes very well with my pink bunny scissors. If you want to check out what Cindy sells, take a peek at Cindy's Stitchy Stuff.

I've been plugging away at Herb Garden, although not very enthusiastically. I'm pretty much at the halfway mark -

Please forgive the crooked linen but I was too lazy to take it out of the Q-Snaps ;o) I'm still really loving the colors in this one and since it fits a 5 x 7 frame, it should be easy to get up on The Wall of Stitch.

I did have a burst of ambition yesterday when I decided to go through my two drawers of fabric. Yes, I did say two drawers :oS I now have a better inventory system and they are grouped together by count and type. I thought it might be going too far if I went for color too. LOL! So not only will my fabric be easier to find, I now have spreadsheets done for each count so I know what I have on hand (count, type, color and size). Did anyone else do something motivational this week?

Brie is still doing very well :o) My parents were over on the weekend and said they noticed a big difference from a few weekends ago. It's harder for DH and I to see because we see her every day. That was nice to know. I was afraid we weren't going anywhere. She will now allow me to lift one front paw at a time as long as she is standing. Her hind end is becoming even stronger. On the weekend, DH and I bought her a new kennel because the other one was just too small and she would get too stiff if she spent any amount of time in there. Today I bought a huge pillow and some fabric so this week it's my job to cover said pillow with said fabric :o)

Seven Wishes

"If you were handed seven wishes, would you turn your back for more? Would you hold on tight to what you have, would you try to change the score?" ~ Lyrics by Night Ranger

After reading Cindy's Blog the other day, this quote caught my eye and peeked my interest. I knew an idea had already engrained itself in my brain and I asked Cindy's permission if I could borrow it for my own post. Thanks girl :o)

Okay, imagine you've been presented with seven wishes but you have three options, what are you going to do? Will you ask for more, keep what you have or try and change your present circumstances? Seems pretty straight forward doesn't it? I gave this serious thought and although I am not one to look back on the past and run through the "What Ifs", I have come up with my own answer.

I definitely would not ask for more. I feel that when it really comes down to it, I am very lucky in life. Yes, there have been some crrrrappy things happen this year but I have a roof over my head, food in the cupboards, clothes on my back, friends who enjoy my company (I think!), family that love me, critter kids to torment me and the love of my life, DH :o) How could you dare ask for anything more when you have all that?

Now here is where the waters become a little murky...would I keep what I have? YES...but no. As you just saw, I listed off a number of great things in my life and those I would definitely not wish to be different. What would I change then? There are two things. Only two. One would be to erase Brie's back problem. Brie has been nothing but the sweetest of dogs and one that only knows unconditional love. She never deserved the fate that was dealt to her.

The second change would erase some of my health problems. The breast cancer I can live with. I've come to terms with that and I think it has made me a better person. It's the Fibromyalgia and the Chronic Fatigue that I would want taken away. They have brought nothing but grief to me, both physically and mentally. I want to break free of this prison and have my original life back.

And finally, would I try and change my present circumstances? To be completely honest, yes, but not in ways you may think! Do I want to be rich? No. Do I want a perfect body? No. Do I want to create world peace? It would be a nice thought but not truly realistic, so no. End world hunger? Again, unfortunately no. There are only two things that I'd want to be different. Really, really :o)

One, I would like it if DH and I had jobs that we absolutely loved. Jobs that made us truly happy and that we looked forward to going to every morning. Two, I would absolutely love it if DH and I had an oceanfront property :o) I just want a view of the water from every window of our quaint little house and a small beach where we can go beachcombing every evening. A quiet solitude away from the bustle of a hectic society. Sigh.

As you can see, my wishes are not extravagant. Yes, this is all for fun but I wanted it to border realism at the same time. So...which one would you choose? My challenge to you is to try the same thing. Be honest with yourself. Look deep inside and let your heart tell you what you 'really' want. Believe me, it's not as easy as you think ;o)

When Good Donuts Go Bad

A sport's store sells sporting goods. A pet store sells pet supplies. A grocery store sells food items. It would stand to reason that a donut shop would sell donuts. Or so you'd think, right? That's what I always understood.

This morning, I went into town to do testing for a job that I applied for with the government. It took about an hour and a half. After I finished a few errands, I thought that I would stop and treat myself to a gooey treat :o)

Up here in 'da nort', we have a chain of donut shops called Tim Horton's. They are literally like a cult and it's the coffee, not the donuts, which pulls people in. There's practically one on every corner and their drive thru line ups have actually caused problems because they've been so long. Some people travel there a couple of times a day, seven days a week. Now that's dedication!

Anyway, I'm over by the Exhibition Grounds so I stop in at the Tim's there. I pull up to the drive thru and the lady comes on and asks me if she can take my order.

"Yes, I'd like a Strawberry Blossom and a chocolate glazed donut please."

"Um, I'm sorry but we don't have any more Strawberry Blossoms."

"Okay, can I have one of your chocolate cookies then?" ~ I'm looking right at a picture of one on their drive thru menu board.

"Nope, I'm sorry, we don't have those either."

"Alright, what do you have for filled donuts?"

"Do you mean the powered donuts?"

"Yes."

"Oh, we don't carry those here."

O-kay... I bet you that if we had a Krispy Kreme here we wouldn't have that problem!!!! Btw, if anyone can stuff a KK donut into an envelope and send it to me, I'd be FOREVER grateful ;o)

Corn Boil

Thanks to my DSIL, C, DH and I ate in style last night...hydro cooled, peaches n' cream corn on the cob and LOBSTER! Mmmmm-mmmmm! It seems like forever since we've taken a trip down to Maine so this was definitely a nice treat :o) I can't remember the last time I had lobbies. The corn is awesome too but that has to come from the Saturday market and we don't get there very often. Apparently, I sleep in too late for DH :oP

My four legged friend seems to be quite the popular little girl lately! Not only did TC send her a toy made by Shannon but she also received another package in the mail yesterday. This time it was a pink toy purse (with squeaker) from Daisy, Tammy's little one :o)

Brie absolutely LOVES it! I made the huge mistake of squeezing it while Brie was sleeping. LOL! I swear, sometimes she can sleep through an earthquake but squeeze a toy or open the freezer door and the next thing you know, you have two beady eyes looking right at you.

Brie is now walking 100% on her own as of this past weekend. She is learning to sit properly by using the muscles in her haunches and she can now do her 'business' unassisted :o) The number of accidents is zero since the end of last week too. We 'may' have finally figured out her new schedule! It's bad enough trying to keep track of one's own. LOL!

My exchange with Sonda arrived yesterday as well and she surprised me with some adorable doggy fabric -

This will definitely get used :o) Thanks so much for the great exchange Sonda! We'll have to do it again sometime.

I'm really enjoying stitching Herb Garden -

It's such a change to actually be cross stitching again! This piece is being stitched on the recommended 32 count Lilac linen and I almost dropped when I actually had that in my fabric stash. It's such a pretty shade. I had bought a piece about a meter long when a LNS closed.

I came up against a snag with my Christmas ornament exchange idea. I know I have the fabric but...I can't find it! My computer/craft room really needs to be organized again. I've got a backup color and I'm hoping it will work out much better anyway.

Have you seen the contents of the JCS Halloween Issue yet? If not, check out their site where they have a little slideshow. I'm really loving some of those Halloween ornaments, especially the one by La-D-Da ;o)

I want to thank everyone for all the nice comments that they left regarding Stargazer. You all are too kind! I hate to say it but she will be going into storage for the time being :o( She was supposed to be framed and ready for the fair in September but that's not going to happen. Oh well. There's always next year!

She's...DONE!

If you've dropped by my Blog over the past few days you may have noticed my little note but if not then listen up...Stargazer is officially DONE!!!! Yup, you heard me right...D-O-N-E! :o) Considering everything that has been going on here, I'm proud to say that I was only one day over my goal. I estimate that I was putting on approximately 70 beads each day that I worked on her and if it wasn't for that darn Kermit, I probably would have had her done by July 31 >:o( As much as I want to stitch the Halloween Fairy, part of me doesn't want to see another bead for awhile. LOL!

Can there possibly be anything worse than a visit from 'the frog'? What is the worst thing that comes to your mind? If you said running out of fabric, you're right! As I started adding the beads in the sky, I realized that I was going to cut it VERY close on the right hand side :oS How this happened, I have no idea. She's either not centered correctly on the chart or else I made a grave error in counting. That's a good possibility because I seemed to have a real problem counting beyond ten with this project. LOL! It is tight as I only have a two inch allowance on the right but my plan remains not to have a mat but if worse comes to worse, in that instance I can always sew on a piece in order to lace her.

So, are you ready to see her? Are you sure? ;o) Here she is -

What do you think? Since the weather has been the pits, I've had quite a time to get a good picture of her. I think this one represents the colors in their truest form. I stitched her on 28 count Blue Clouds Jobelan by Heaven Lee Creations. Their colors are so soft and nicely blended. I LOVE their fabrics but they do take a long time to ship.

Now you're probably wondering what my Happy Dance looked like ;o) Well...I thought about doing the Hamster Dance... -

...or the Dancing Baby -

Then the Chicken Dance came to mind... -

...but in the end I just rocked it and it looked more like this -

ROFL!

Now, I can thankfully cross off this huge project off my list of goals for the year and concentrate on the rest :o) I've just started Herb Garden by LHN. I thought it was quite appropriate since we do have a little brown hare on our property.

The Halloween bug has bitten though and I can't wait to get a hold of the new JCS magazine! I've seen the cover and already I'm excited! I checked the stores on Saturday but they still have the Christmas ornament preview issue on the stands :o( Drat! As you can probably see, patience is not one of my virtues ;o)

Thirty-Seven And Counting...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!

Sorry, I couldn't resist ;o)

It's been an interesting week to say the least. There's been a new development with my employer. They want to arrange to have an independent doctor examine me. Wait, it gets better ;o) Their new insurance company (my employer changed providers shortly after I went on LTD) is going to bring in their own doctor to go over all the reports and documents from this independent doctor, my LTD insurance company and my family physician. Why are they doing this you wonder? This is the best part! My employer wants to make sure that my disabilities are legitimate enough to request the accommodations that I did "even though" they've been given letter after letter from my doctor. HELL- O! I've been on LTD for the past two and a half years you idiots!

To add insult to injury, I just spoke with the Human Rights Commission and they are dismissing the complaint against LTD >:o( They state it's outside of their jurisdiction when it comes down to medical information. They also advised that I should go along with the IME. My complaint against my employer is going to go forward and any loss of wages and benefits will be taken into consideration as the investigation proceeds. UGH! Honestly, my hands are tied yet again :o( Does anyone know of a lawyer in Canada that will take on a case pro-bono?

Brie is doing really well and can walk unassisted for about 80% of the time now :o) When she concentrates, she walks close to normal but when she doesn't, she walks like a drunken sailor. LOL! She is starting to sit with both legs under her so those muscles are developing again. We're still doing physio and on Sunday, DH and I took Brie to see some of my relatives and she was able to swim in the ocean water. After a malfunction, on my part, my girl took off like the little otter she is. Here she is in her life jacket -

Brie also received a Get Well card and gift from Aunty Shannon and TC :o) Shannon stitched Brie's name onto a stuffed bone that she made. Even though the note said that it was hers to chew, I still cringed when I gave it to her but I have to say, she loves it! Brie wanted me to pass on a thank you to you Shannon and TC as well -

In that same package was my birthday gift from Shannon -

The majority of it was packed into a gorgeous box, all tied up with a ribbon :o) Shannon spoiled me with an adorable notebook with a Doxie puppy on the front, Jasmine body wash by The Healing Garden, pretty pink butterfly clips, bunny clips, two magnets, TWO Mill Hill kits and a piece of fabric (Fairy Dust) by Enchanted Fabrics. Tucked in beside the box were TWO Cadbury Easter Cream Eggs!!!! I might actually make it to 50 this year! Thank you so much Shannon and please pass a scratch behind the ears to TC ;o)

I also received what I thought would be two charts (Halloween Sampler and Hop Squared by LK) from Judy but when I opened the envelope, this is what I found -

Judy decided to play dirty and add a few more goodies into the package. LOL! She also added some yummy hot chocolate mixes (Hazelnut Truffle and Double Chocolate Truffle), some adorable stickers by Mary Engelbreit and an amazing watercolour by Susan Little. Thank you so much Judy and you'll be hearing from me soon ;o)

Yesterday I was in town and wanted to track down the current issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework. I went to Chapters and wouldn't you know it, I got THE last issue! Whew! Even though I do NOT want to see another bead, Halloween Fairy will hopefully be started soon ;o)

Before I close I just want to warn you that a fully fledged Happy Dance will be underway very shortly so keep your eyes peeled for that post :oD Am I a tease or what! LOL!

A Good Ol' Fashion Western Fast Draw

"A tumbleweed rolls by as the dry, hot breeze stirs the dust. Silence falls over the street which has become quickly empty except for a couple of horses, tails lazily switching against the flies. From the shadows steps the enemy, spurs clicking on the glossy black boots, not a speck of dirt on the black pants and shirt, decorated with silver and turquoise, a hat pulled low over his eyes and the face all but hidden by the waxed mustachio - yep, a dude alright, not a man to be trusted. Our hero also steps out, a little worn, a little dishevelled, but packing a piece capable of dealing evil a mighty blow..." ~ thanks to my OT, N :o)

As some of you may recall, I've been having major issues with my employer and my LTD provider. Back in May, LTD sent a letter stating that I was to return to work on July 7, with a gradual return to full-time work schedule that would take me up until August 25, at which time my benefits would be cut off. You may remember this as being the time that P disclosed my personal medical information to my employer >:o(

Knowing I would not be returning to work full-time, I scheduled a meeting with my employer on June 20 and explained that I could not return to my full-time job as LTD stated I could but that I was more than willing to work at a part-time position. I provided my documentations (signed by my doctor) and my accommodations for my disabilities and was told they would get back to me with an answer the following week. On July 7 (the day I was supposed to start back to work) I still didn't have an answer from them.

In my June 27 post, I stated I had just sent in my final reports and documents to LTD in the hopes that they would not cut off my benefits. When I talked to my case worker, J, she stated that my report on the FAE wasn't even relevant because I should have dealt with it at the time it happened. Well, from what I can recall, my doctor never received a copy of the original FAE report AND I was in no condition health-wise to be going over it. From that point, contact with J ceased.

So...on July 16 I decided to call J on the phone since she was not answering my emails and I get this message "You have reached the voice mail of J. As of July 15, I am on an extended leave of absence. Please do not leave a message because it will not be returned." WTF? Nice of her to let me know. Even nicer of LTD to let me know who my new case worker was going to be. During that same week, my employer informs me that they are going to listen to whatever LTD says regardless of my doctor's orders. In other words, they expect me to return to my full-time position. If I want part-time hours, I have to 'resign' from my full-time position BUT they will not provide me with accommodations in a part-time position because LTD states there is nothing physically wrong with me.

It's July 28 and I am STILL waiting my fate. I REFUSE to resign from my full-time position because do you think they're going to re-hire me part-time? If you said no, you're 100% correct ;o) I have contacted LTD and my new case worker is J (a different name). We have talked and she must have the same script that my old J had because I got nowhere. She talked around in circles and so far I haven't even heard about the letter of complaint that I filed against P.

Are you still with me? LOL!

Do you remember me stating that I had a backup plan? An ace in the hole? I am happy to say that it was deployed on July 14 :o) Are you wondering what it is? Well, since we cannot afford to hire a lawyer again (and I do NOT hold this against Brie) my only other option was to go to the Human Rights Commission. As of July 21, they have a complaint against my employer AND a complaint against LTD. SWEET! Because both parties are discriminating against my physical disabilities, I am able to bring this to the attention of the Human Right Commission of New Brunswick.

Basically, it's like a court of law but you are your own lawyer. There will be a mediation service that will hear both sides of the story. What's the outcome? I don't know. I'm not going to hold my breath about anything. In the meantime, it doesn't help me with an income so I'm not sure just what we'll do. But the fact that I didn't give up or quit means more to me. 'I'M' the one in control here and that is such a good and satisfying feeling :o)

I'm Honoured

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that two of my readers (Mary Ann and Sonda) have given me the Kreativ Blogger Award -

Wow! I feel so special. You do realize that all this fame may go to my head ;o) LOL!

I really do appreciate the award and knowing that you enjoy visiting and reading my Blog :o)

I know I am supposed to pass this award on to five other people but to be honest, I just can't do that. For one, I have approximately 50 Blogs on my Google Reader and I read each and every one of them every week.

The second reason is that each and every Blog that I do read is a window into the personality of the person that hosts it. Yes, the common factor is stitching but there is so much more. A lot of these people are very dear friends and others are becoming one :o)

Thank you again Mary Ann and Sonda. I truly feel honoured!

And The Winner Is...

Since I didn't have an extra pair of hands (paws don't count) and I didn't want to waste paper, the next best thing I could come up with to draw a name was...Scrabble! LOL! Don't worry, I haven't gone completely off my rocker, yet ;o) There were 23 names that qualified for the giveaway and since there are 26 letters in the alphabet... See where I'm going with this? So I dug out just one tile for each letter from A to W, placed them back in the bag and drew a letter without even seeing the list of names. The letter P was drawn from the bag. P is the 16th letter of the alphabet and the 16th name on the comment list was...

Daffycat!!!!

Congratulations Sharon :o) Email me your mailing address and I'll get your surprise out next week!

Thanks to everyone that entered. You guys are the BEST!

Brighter Days Are Ahead

This morning I took Brie to the vet to have her stitches removed. Poor peanut was pretty traumatized when I put her in the car :o( Hey, who could blame her. Once we got there and she saw Dr. B, her anxiety quickly decreased. She likes Dr. B :o) So, the bandage and the stitches have been removed and things are looking good.

Dr. B took a look at her mobility and stated that Brie was doing very well. What was even better was that she was using both hind feet independently and that's a very positive step :o) I've got some more physiotherapy exercises that we can do now and a better idea for her swimming therapy. All in all, Brie passed with flying colors! Don't get me wrong, there's still a LOT of work ahead of us but at least we now have a positive outlook.

On our way home, I stopped in and bought Brie a stuffed toy with a squeaker in it. These are her favourites! She'll squeak that thing until the squeaker actually dies. It's a LOT of noise but it makes her happy and that's the main thing :o) Then I had to call DH and Grammy S to let them know just what a brave girl she was.

I've actually gone back to Stargazer :o) I'll be slowly working away but even though she won't be in the fair this year, I still want to see her complete. My goal was the end of July and I still 'might' make it! I've also have a great idea for my Christmas ornament exchange. I just have to pull the colors and hope they work with the fabric I have.

Since I'm trying to see the brighter side of things, I thought that I would share a few pictures with you. Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of time for my photography but I'll get a shot in here and there. This is a male Ruby Throated Hummingbird that I caught the other night -

These little guys are so quick that it's hard to get a good picture. Most of the time, the colors in the bird come out dark but I'm pretty happy with this one :o)

Here's a rosebud off of my Rugosa Rose bush -

And here's the open rose -

My grandmother used to have an old summer house that we always referred to as McKee's Mills as it was located in McKee's Mills. LOL! Down one side of the house, there was a row of Rugosa Roses and every time I smell them, I think of the summers that I spent there as a child :o)

Remember, you still have until the end of tomorrow, July 23, 2008, to enter my giveaway!!!! See the post below for the rules and instructions.

Fourth Finish For 2008

Stitching? What's that? LOL! Somehow, I've managed to fit a bit of it in this month. Stargazer has been put on the shelf but I dug out a small project, something that I didn't really have to concentrate on and that was easily transported. This is The Crab Is In by Waxing Moon Designs -

I've always LOVED this pattern and it's SO appropriate for me :o) I think it should be hung up on the door to my computer/craft room. Okay, okay, it should just be hung around my neck. LOL! This will be the second completed small project that will go towards my goal for the year.

I thought it was about time that I got back to stitchy talk before I lost all my readers. I see most of us are (im)patiently waiting for the September issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework to come out ;o) When I first saw Nora's Halloween fairy, I wasn't that impressed but then I saw a better picture of it and I think she's adorable. I'm not sure what to do because I will want to stitch her but I haven't even started the Vicki SAL yet and so far only two out of the four of us have finished her :oS

Speaking of the four of us, Katie, Faith Ann, Shannon and I have decided to do a Christmas ornament exchange. We each have the name of our secret person and now the challenge is to decide what to stitch! At first I thought it would be a breeze but the more I looked through my stash, the more ideas started to swirl around in my head. It is NOT a good idea to go stash diving when you're in a vulnerable state. LOL!

Brie is still doing well. She's one happy puppy to be home. On Tuesday I take her in to have her stitches taken out. Her bandage is still on so I haven't even seen what it looks like underneath. Surprisingly, it doesn't seem to hurt her because we've seen her sleeping on her back and she still enjoys rolling around on the carpet :o)

I really don't know how I can thank everyone for their wonderful emails and comments that have been full of support and kind words. I do know that by reading them, they have given me that extra strength that I needed. So...I'm going to do the next best thing that I can think about...I'm going to hold a giveaway! What's the prize you ask? It's a surprise but I know it's something any of you will enjoy :o)

There are a few rules though. This drawing is a way of thanking all my friends that have been there to support me during this time so rule number one...you must have left at least TWO comments from July 1 to 17, 2008. Your name will not be accepted if this step has not been done. I will ship anywhere. You have up until July 23, 2008 to leave a comment on this post and enter your name. Please leave a way to contact you should you be the lucky name drawn. The winner will be announced the next day :o) Good luck!

Welcome Home Brie!

I know you are all wondering how Brie is making out and I do apologize that I have not updated my Blog sooner but things have been much more difficult than I expected :o( DH and I are running low on fumes but at least I can say that this experience has removed any doubts about whether we should have had children or not :oS

On Monday morning we took off for another long drive to PEI and this time I brought my camera and got a few shots of the Confederation Bridge despite the fog -

When we arrived at the hospital, DH and I got to finally meet the new student that had been looking after Brie. Meeting her in person only solidified my opinions of her personality and it's not one that should be dealing with people or animals. We were displeased that she had not prepared Brie ahead of time for our visit. Taking her out to use the bathroom would have only taken a few extra minutes of her time and would have decreased Brie's anxiety level :o(

As it was, Brie was extremely upset that she could not run to us or jump into our arms. My heart just sank when I saw how listless her hind end was but the doctor still had great hopes for her. Poor peanut looked like a skunk with the long, wide, white bandage down her back ;o)

I can't tell you how relieved I was to get her out of there. She was very happy to see the two of us but still very confused as to what was going on. I think there was a bit of resentment that we had left her there for so long but we quickly got back into her good books when we all stopped for some Cows ice cream :o)

Brie's first night home was a nightmare...for all of us! She was very scared and off a schedule she had been on for almost two weeks so that equalled a very sleepless night :o( The second night DH and I became smarter and put her bed beside ours :o) She seems very happy with this new arrangement and so are we. LOL!

We are having a bit of trouble controlling her urination and starting the medication that was given to us just made things worse :o( We have since stopped it and she is gradually getting better. The second night she was up twice in the night. That was the night we saw her tail wag for the first time :o) Last night she was up only once.

DH and I are doing doggy physiotherapy with Brie :o) We do the leg movements during the day and at night we do swimming. Finally, we've been able to use the life jacket that we bought her last year! LOL! Although they are only baby steps, Brie has made remarkable improvement since we brought her home. Last night while talking to my dad on the phone, Brie walked unassisted for about three feet! It was amazing :o) She can even stand on all fours for longer period of times as well.

For the most part, we use the sling when we go out for walks. It keeps her hind end up off the ground but today I noticed that she is starting to swing her back legs to walk. In the house, she just scoots around and when she hits carpet, she can actually pull her hind end up.

So, between the dirty pee pads, learning to walk, the extra laundry, play time and nap time, it's like looking after a newborn baby. No wonder we're both exhausted! Not to mention other things that have been going on but I'll update you about that later....

I have doubted myself a lot during these past three days. There were many times when I thought I couldn't do it. But then I look at that sweet, little face and remember all the times that Brie has been there for me, to lick my tears as they fell and to sit on my lap and comfort me. Now it's my turn to look after her and I don't regret, even for a second, the decisions I made. It is going to be a long road but we brought up a fighter...a girl that never quits and that doesn't know the meaning of the word "No". :o)