I survived the first round of Nerve Block Surgery!

 

 

One Tired Tasha Kitty after a day of running & playing in the yard!

It offical surgery #12 is over with and Yep I survived the Nerve Blocks in my lower back today...

Thanks for all the prayers they truly helped.
My arrival at the hospital started off a little rocky.

Hospital sent me the wrong information not telling me I would be put to sleep so I would need a driver to transport me home. Needless to say, I didn't have a driver to take me home, so it was either cancel the surgery or opt out of going to sleep so they would do it today.

I went with just local numbing of the back. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......

It was extremely painful but I managed to get threw it using good old lamase breathing, some great curse words & a few minor screams.
After it was all done I was actually glad that I didn't go to sleep, I have none of that after surgery sluggishness to deal with.

Dr. Ken said, I was one brave lady & I did better then any patient he ever preformed unsedated nerve blocks on...

So far not much pain but I was told tomorrow would be the worst..we shall see. I've iced my back every half hour and took a four hour nap when I got home. Dr. Ken said it can take up to 14 days or so to heal the muscles, kill the nerves & know if the blocks did there job.

He said considering my pain tolerance level I will Probably know in 5 to 7 days. In the mean time take it easy, no heavy lifting, running or cart wheels...lol...
I think I will take it easy and let the muscles heal and the nerves die, so I can be one of those 5 to 7 day healers...

Feeling some pretty good vibes about this...

 

Until we meet again....Have a Great Week filled with Sunshine and Smiles!

 

Hugs Tonya

Meet Cody the newest member of my family!

Howdy Everyone....
It's Offical after 16 years.....I've fallen in love again with the cutest Puppy since Puddles! Oddly I stepped out of my bounds, although this little guy looks a lot like a Sheltie he's actually an Australian Shepard who happens to look just like Puddles did as a puppy minus a tail. He's going to be bigger then I'm used to but he has plenty of room to run and play here on the farm..lots of kids to play with too....so its cool..

Puddles & I went to meet him tonight and he took to me in a heartbeat and that was all it took to hook me!

I went in to meet him first then we took him outside to meet Puddles and he hid between my legs. Wasn't sure what to think of Puddles at first.

Then Puddles got the scent of him and came closer. Puddles is Blind and Deaf so he only has his scent to guide him. As you can see Cody turned his way but stayed between my feet.

Finally he decided Puddles might be ok buthe still stuck close to me.

He followed Puddles around for a few minutes then he came back by me...as did Puddles.

So I introduced them...

Cody was so curious but a little shy for about 20 minutes then he tried to play with Puddles. Puddles politely informed him he was to old to play  & gave him the I am an adult Dog little boy behave yourself...Of course Vicci and I cracked up knowing Puddles is harmless but he put Cody in his place on the spot.

Cody's 2 1/2 months old, Crate trained, almost totally potty trained, Smart as a whip & I'm sure he's gona give me a run for my money with all his energy..but it will do me good to focus on such a cute bundle of fun..
He did wondeful in the van on the drive home...something I was really happy about since I travel so much.

I think Cody is going to be good for me and my little family! I know all the kids here will be delighted to have a puppy to play with...I think Cody will be good for Puddles too, as they grow to know each other..Puddles will have the scent of Cody to help him along when they are outside.

Ms Tonya is a happy lady tonight...I can't wait to get him outside to play tomorrow..

With that I will bid you all a good night...

Warm Blessing to all..................Tonya

Great News here in my neck of the woods

Awe the pangs of Puppy Love...isn't he just adorable!

A fine good Evening everyone..I've got some good news to share with everyone.
First Thanks everyone for the prayers and wonderful comments on my last post. You have no idea how much I needed them!
So on to the good news. After I found out how long I was going to have to wait for the nerve block I emailed my Spine Dr. and ask if he could do the Test nerve block on my neck & if they worked we could do both at one time save money & time and of course make me feel better from top to bottom.

Well he called me personally and said Tonya that is to long for you to wait, how about we move up the nerve block to May 20th. I know you want to get the neck too but I think getting the lower back done now is more important and the sooner the better..
Of course I jumped on the update and said Yes yes yes to May 20th...only 11 more days..I so can't wait... I know there is no absolute that it will end this pain but if it works as well as the test blocks worked I have total faith it will turn out good. Everyone's prayers must have surely reached high!

Still waiting to hear the surgery date on the tumor in my sinus and that's ok.

Today I had an appointment with a Dental Implant Dentist who is willing to work with my Regular dentist to try to get some implants in the top front where all of those teeth that broke off at the gum are.
The best part is that there prices per implant are reasonable about half what any other dentist has quoted me. My Insurance will not pay for implants but will pay for any extractions and crowns. So I can finally see a smile on my face and no more pain in that area in the future. Very good news.
I really liked this dentist too..very kind and understanding of my medical/dental issues.

Had a great week on Ebay last week..Always feels so good when 5 buyers that look at 1000's of items on ebay all decide that mine were what they wanted and clicked Buy it now...

Now tell me what do you think of that Little fellow in the picture?

Not sure why this picture is sideways but he's still adorable.
My Puddles as I have mentioned is 16 now. He's Blind and deaf. He hears some very high pitched sounds but his eye sight I feel has gotten do bad that he may not even see light anymore. I know our time together is drawing to a close so I have been looking at puppy's not really ready to get a puppy just looking.
Then on facebook my cousin post this adorable picture of this puppy, who by the way looks exactly like Puddles...So I ask about the little guy.
Turns out she rescued him from a lady who had bought him for her grand daughter but it turned out that it was to much for the grand mother. My cousin saw her dragging the little guy down the sidewalk & then saw her smacking him on the head with her keys. So she flat out went to the lady and said what are you doing to that puppy he is just a baby. She ask the lady if she wanted to sell the puppy but she said No. then the next day the lady shows up at my cousins car in the parking lost and said she wanted $150 for him. My cousin said, I'll give you what I have in my purse $50 bucks. The grandma said no...but then she shows up the next morning and said, you still have that $50 bucks if so you can have this mut.
So she gave her the $50 bucks and how has this adorable Puppy. She took him to the vet who tells her that he is 99.9% sure he's pure Australian Shepard.
So I look up Australian Shepards to be sure I know what they are which I did.
He will grow up a little bigger then I had wanted but they have great personalities, are smart and beautiful just like Shelties.
OOps I think I fell in love with him so far...I'm planning on going to meet him Monday evening. If he takes to me and I to him I'm gona bet he is gona be in my front seat on my way home.
I think a puppy will be good for Puddles too, Puddles loves Puppy's. I have to carry him out to potty so that will work perfectly for the Puppy too. Puddles can follow the puppy's scent and Puppy can follow Puddles direction in potty training.
Plus a puppy will help me focus on something positive every day.
If anyone has anything to share about Australian Shepards I'd love to hear.

So there you have it a whole bunch of positives...

Have a Great Weekend!

Tonya

New Creations & an Update on things in my neck of the woods..

Wow...I hang my head..I've been missing much to long...Thought it was time I stopped in and caught up on life in Blogland and let you all know what's been going my way...
I've been creating but not as much as I'd like to.. with everything else going on in my life it seems that my mind gets much to distracted. I sit down to create and I can't seem to pull things together and I get all frustrated with my creative mind..
But I have created a few nice gatherings while fading in and out of creativeness.

Back In the Colonial Days the Pineapple design was a sign of Hospitality so I Created this beautiful Pineapple Pantry Gathering. Its filled with some of my Fresh dried Herbs from my Herb Garden and a beautiful Copper Pineapple punched backing & Wood Pinapple bowls. I really likehow this turned out.

This Darling heavily distressed Black over heartland Blue Spice Drawer Keep turned out perfectly.
I love the heartland Blue peaking out..

This Simple Farmhouse Afternoon Tea & Coffeecake Tray gathering looks and Smells so inviting.

Another Beautiful Open Faced Spice Bottle Cupboard gathering. It smells of all the Fresh Dried Herbs from my Herb garden.

I have really struggled in dealing with my health issues and the limits it's put on my life as I knew it. To the point of breaking down at my Dr's office explaining I simply don't know this person who lives inside this body thus I have no clue what to do with her...That's a scary statement both for me and for my Doctor..but in all honesty I really don't know who I've become..I was an active, fun person who was always on the go, always active, either Cleaning houses, Creating 20 or more gatherings a week or socializing with friends & family.
That person no longer exist and ya want to talk about feeling lost..Just when I seem to get a handle on things along comes something else to trip me up. The most recent trip up comes in the form of yet another Surgery to be scheduled in the near future. The Tumor in my Sinus has grown and now blocks off my tear duct in my right eye. Which is causing pressure from fluid build up behind the eye. Its good to finally understand what causes the Ice Pick stabbing pain in my eye. I'm not looking forward to another surgery. But if I don't have the surgery I will probably lose my eye sight in the right eye...

My back has continued to deteriorate so much that every minute of every days is filled with pain, now its going down my left leg driving me nuts. It wakes me up out of a dead sleep, so I'm tired & sleepy all the time.
The good news is both the test nerve blocks worked so insurance will cover a permnant nerve block for my lower back... Thank god..but sadly the soonest they can get me into surgery to get the nerve block is July 2nd....that's going to be the longest 2 months of my life I think...
If all that isn't enough my last Blood Test showed my Cholestrol has shoot sky high... and my Thyroid numbers are to high again so adjusting my thyroid meds again..my Potassium is running low for the past 3 months...My sugar levels are high one week and low the next.......all of which is steeling away any motovation or energy I might have........its like enough already..alright!

I did finally take a weekend and go have some fun a couple weeks ago. Went to hear my friend John's band play on a Friday night and then went to a Boater Bash on Saturday night...had a great time with my friends and that helped to lift the spirits.

I have been going to Kelley's island for the past 3 weekends and that always makes me smile being on the Island...so good to be around all my boater friends...

I spent the last two days cleaning my house and yard in Port Clinton...been months since I've been there and it needed some TLC... much of the things that needed done I couldn't do, so had to find someone to help..
She was a pure blessing helping me get it all done.. The place actually looks great inside and out...for now!

Guess that sums things up here in Ohio....Life goes on!

Until we meet again may your days be filled with sunshine and happy moments!

Blessings
Tonya

They tore down the Old Barn --Awesome Video of barns & a Story!

Morning

I grew up on a farm with Three big Barns. When I moved away to start my own life one of the things I missed most were those old barns. So many memories of the Forts we built in the hay loft...my 4-H Sheep I raised in them, feeding & grooming my horses, Milking the cows, gathering eggs, storing hay for winter in them and the quiet strength of those old Barns. They were 100 plus years old when I was a child.

Our old Farm house and all the old barns are long gone and oh how I miss the farm and all the old Barns!

We had the main barn, a huge two story work barn, a huge Chicken coop, a small brewder house for baby chicks, a Pig Barn, two Machinery Sheds, Two corn Cribs, a Milk house & a small barn turned garage.

 

Threw the years I've found myself driving the country roads, noticing all the old barns thinking about all the memories that lay inside there broken down walls.

 

Our old barn looked alot like this One Only our Barns were all painted white.

 

We had an old machinery shed like this one 

Anyway A friend sent this video my way this morning....  between the pictures & the story, a flood of childhood memories danced around in my head of our old barns and why I love taking a drive down country roads checkin out all the old barns, wondering what secrets they hold... 

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/J8Ioa1gVVeA?showinfo=0&rel=0

 

 

Take a minute, sit down, relax & enjoy this video...whether you like old barns or not, they provide a great story line and back ground for this video.

 

Happy Saturday

 

Hugs

Tonya

This is just the cutest Re-Do I've ever seen ..I had to share it with you!

Howdy everyone....How many of you remember these old Console Television sets? I do..actually owned several.
Every time I had to throw one out I remember always thinking its such a shame to throw out that beautiful wood...wonder what if I keep the Shell if I could create something out of it. So a couple of times I tore the TV out and saved the shell only to throw it out years later when I hadn't thought of a single thing to use that wood for....How about it did you ever have the same thoughts?

Well finally somebody has found the cutest way to RE-USE the old console TV shell.
Now why I never thought of this is beyond me but I think its an awesome way to salvage & make use of that heavy duty beautiful wood.

They turned that old TV console into an indoor Doggy house complete with a bed and pictures.
Is that not just the cutest thing? If i had room in my trailer I'd be GoodWill shopping trying to find an old TV console to create Puddles his very own Doggie house and bed.

In fact I even thought of my nephew who takes his nap on a blanket in the middle of his MiMi's floor every day. I bet he would think it was pretty cool to take a nap in one of the bigger TV consoles painted up to look like a Firehouse or Garage...There goes that creative mind of mine again...

Anyway I had to share this cause who knows how many of you still have one of these old consoles sitting in the garage or barn just waiting to be Redone into a Doggie House Bed or a Kitty Cat House or even a napping spot for one of the Grand kids...

Have a great week!

Blessings
Tonya

Easter Blessing & The Story of the Easter Bunny!

Happy Easter to all my Dear Prim Friends... May your day be filled with the Love and Happiness! As we gather to celebrate the Easter, take a moment to Reflect on Christ who gave his life so that we could all be forgiven our sins.

Easter Blessing
Tonya

I was reading Pet Centric this morning and they shared the Story of the Easter Bunny! 
Thought I'd share it with you!

THE STORY OF THE EASTER BUNNY

  

These days, Easter is primarily a religious holiday. But in the mainstream consciousness, the day still maintains very old, non-Christian customs, including the legend of the Easter Bunny, a Santa-like rabbit who delivers colored eggs, candy and other treats to well-behaved children. But where did the Easter Bunny myth come from, and does it have anything at all to do with Christian traditions? Read on to learn all about the origins of the venerable Easter Bunny

RABBITS AND FERTILITY
Aside from the aspects of the modern Easter celebration that are specifically Christian, much of the holiday is overtly dedicated to the advent of springtime and new life. Rabbits have long been symbols of fertility and rebirth because of their oft-noted capacity for reproduction. As a result, they are often seen as the animal kingdom’s top representative for springtime traditions (and prolific breeding, in general).

EOSTRE
The origins of secular Easter traditions can be traced back to a pre-Christian Germany in the 13th century, when people in that region still worshipped pagan deities. One of these was Eostre, aka Eostra or Ostara, a goddess of spring and fertility who was honored with feasts during the month of April. It’s from her that the holiday of Easter takes its name. One of Eostre’s symbols was the rabbit, because of the animal’s well-known fertility.

MOONGAZING HARES
Rabbits and hares were symbols of fecundity, vitality and moon worship in pagan traditions even preceding the Teutonic goddess Eostre. The image of the moongazing hare, for example, was a widely observed symbol in ancient times. Pagans believed that to see a moongazing hare was a good omen of growth, rebirth, abundance, new beginnings and good fortune. Of course, these are all concepts closely tied to springtime and the celebration of Easter.

EASTER EGGS
Part of the modern Easter Bunny tradition is that it delivers eggs on Easter, both as gifts and as hidden prizes for children to find on Easter egg hunts. It’s no wonder that rabbits and eggs should be so closely tied as Easter symbols, since both are powerful symbols of fertility and new life. The concept of a rabbit who delivers eggs on Easter was first written down in a 1682 book called “About Easter Eggs,” by German physicist and botanist Georg Franck von Franckenau.

EGG-LAYING BUNNY
The goddess Eostre has more to do with Easter than just granting the holiday its name and old pagan traditions. There’s also a particular myth that may have contributed to the idea of the Easter Bunny. The story goes that one winter, Eostre encountered a bird who was starving and cold. The goddess transformed the bird into a rabbit because, as a rabbit, it would have fur to keep it warm and an easier time finding food. The now-rabbit survived the harsh winter, and it also retained its avian ability to lay eggs. The rabbit would decorate its eggs and leave them in gratitude as gifts for Eostre.

THE EASTER BUNNY IN AMERICA
Between Christmas trees and the Easter Bunny, we owe a lot to the German immigrants who brought their holiday traditions with them when they came to America. In the 1700s, Germans first imported the concept of Osterhase (the German name for the Easter Bunny) to Pennsylvania. The children’s custom of making nests for the Easter Bunny to fill with colored eggs eventually spread around the country. Over time, Americans replaced the nests with Easter baskets and chocolate treats were added to the mix.

CHRISTIANITY
While Easter is now primarily observed as a religious holiday and the secular customs of the Easter bunny are generally thought of as wholly separate from Christian beliefs, the histories of the religious and the secular aspects of Easter are more entwined than you may think. Early Christians celebrated Passover at this time of year. It was when they tried to convert the pagan Germans, who were reluctant to abandon the customs of Eostre’s feast, that Christians chose to adapt those customs to their own beliefs, thus creating the modern Easter and uniting Jesus with the Bunny.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Prim Friends!

An Irish prayer just for you! 

 

   A good old fashioned Irish Hug just for you!      

 ((((((((((((((((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))))))))))))))  

  TONYA     

Peggy's Easter Forever Tree & Easter Decorations...

A fine Good Eveing to all my dear friends...Thought I would show you where the rest of those pastel Spring Easter Eggs & Carrots went...I created 200, gave away 15, hung 30 on my tree and the rest of them are on Pegs Tree...The pic doesn't show them off very well but you can see the Carrots. So here are a few close ups...

She has an Old pastel Quilt under the tree.

Sign on top Says "Happy Easter"

Bunny's surrounding the Fireplace..

Bunny's on the End Tables..

Bunny's Everywhere....

Then here we have 15 month old Ethan who just learned to get up on the chair by himself. So he decided to help his MiMi & Mommy do dishes....He's one serious little fellow....

Next is a video of him helping..not sure it will work or not but maybe...

Hope you all had a Great Day today! I'm off to create 30 Rice Bags for the Eye Doctor.
Until we meet again may your days be filled with happy Moments!

Blessings
Tonya

And the Winner is...Drum roll please...

What a Beautiful Spring like day we had here in Ohio...66 degrees with Sunshine calling the kids, critters and us big kids all outside to enjoy it!
Being so busy enjoying the wonderful weather we were blessed with today I almost forgot I needed to draw a winner for my Easter Egg Giveaway...
But Alass...the sun started to takes its leave so I came in turned on my computer and I remembered it was time to draw the Lucky winner....
I called Hailey my 10 yr old niece and ask her to run out to the trailer and draw a name for me...So she ran out in her Pj's and picked my lucky winner!

First I'd like to Thank all of you who entered my little giveaway.
I wish you could all be winneres....I had such a great time creating all the Eggs for our Forever Trees & can't wait to send along a tiny Touch of Spring to the winner!

And The Winner is ..................................................Cyndy from CrafterStitchers.

Cyndy can you please email me your shipping address.
You can find my email address to the top left under Special orders on this blog.
If I receive it tonight or in the morning I'll ship your little touch of Spring Easter Eggs out in tomorrows shippment.

Again Thank you all for entering the Giveaway and do have a wonderful week ahead!

Until we meet again may your days be filled with Warm Moments & Happy Memories!

Spring Blessings
Tonya