You see that its my shop~I'm actually home

Middle of the night to ya... Yep my brain is going a million miles an hour thinkin about all the things I want to get done around the shop while I'm home ... I was so excited after thinkin of nothing but that for the 2 hour drive home... I went straight to the barn as soon as I unloaded the van...I worked on creating shelves and organized what was already up there... I can't wait to share the new storage area with you ...but you're just gona have to wait a little longer... I decided not to share till it was done... hehe... keep ya in suspence!!

I made my way into the shop which by the way is piled high with things I've bought on my drives back ond forth from the Island each week .. or at least the weeks I made it home. What a total mess is out there... that's why I have to spend this time off just going threw the boxes and organizing things...
But I a good jump start on things tonight...After making/creating the shelves out of old wire closet shelving I've been picking up here and there at the thrift store I headed for the shop and started going threw boxes.
I managed to get 6 boxes of assorted wood shelves, some open faced cupboards, Sconces, and other misc wood items carried up to the loft storage area.
I am totally amazed how much stuff I've actually got.. wait till you see the pictures you're not gona believe the great supply I've managed to buy...
withit all crammed in the shop I had no idea half of the things I had... part of my shelving is 18" square wire cubes. So one wall in the storage is nothing but those cubes. I put wood shelves in several cubes, wood sconces in several cubes, Wood Scoops in cubes....so on and so forth. so now when I go pick out something to work on I can simply look in that section and easily pull it out and take it to the shop and work on it.
Once I get all the major things moved to the storage and organize it all then I will have much more room in the shop to oorganize all the other important things needed to create gatherings like Bottles, apothecary containers. bottles & jars, Pitchers Mugs, pans and plates so on and so on... Its gona be a hot time in the old shop soon... I'll be rolling out gatherings right and left....

Then if there is time while I'm home I need to do some serious weeding around the trailer..it is a real mess...
I need to pick all my herbs and get them hung to dry...
I'm gona be one busy lady but at least its not cleaning houses... this is fun because I get to rediscover all the goodies I have and get tem all organized...

I guess I better make this short and get to bed so I can dig in tomorrow and see if I can find the shop floor... sure can't right now...

You all have a wonderful day today and I will to get some pics of the progress to share with ya sometime soon...

Hugs
Tonya

PS...Those of you who showed an interest in Supporting Ava's Blog stop over there and check out the latest post..It's very touching.. While you're there maybe you can pass along an encouraging comment..I think your kind words will be appreciated...

Really missing everyone~Yes I'm actually posting!!

A huge Hello to all of you out there.. I so miss you all.. I feel like I have been gone forever and so out of the loop of things going on in Blogland.. I hope everyone is enjoying the changing of the seasons.. It's hard to believe that its nearly October already...One more month and my season on Kelley's Island will be finished until Spring... Oh I can't wait..I am so home sick for home, my shop, creating, daily blogging, the kids,  the family, the chickens, the goat, the Cats, the horses and my cozy little trailer...

Made it home for one day last week .. Had to pay bills and put a new tarp roof on the old Red Neck shed.. When I was getting ready to leave I had the cutest surprise...So snapped a couple of pics to show you how much the now grown Kittens have missed me... The heading picture is my favorite of the bunch...She's laying in my van window... She has the most interesting face, she looks just like a little Tiger..She has paws like her Daddy and his wonderful lovey personality....

These two were laying on my front seat just lookin at me like you leaving again...Well were going with ya..OK?

If I don't look at her maybe she won't see me and I can hitch a ride for some fun in the Sun on that island she goes to all the time...It was really funny because I got them out and they got right back in ... they were determined to hitch a ride... so I drove them up to the house and then put them out  right before I left... they have grown up to be really nice kittys... If you remember I shared pics of them when they were tiny being rocked to sleep by the kids here....

Although I haven't been able to post I have been checking out everyone's blogs and posting whenever the puter would let me...Ya have to love the Internet services.. I switched to 4G wireless supposed to be the greatest.. Not!! I've had it about 6 weeks and it is just now working well enough that I can post.. Drives me crazy.. Not to mention my Laptop is so sloooooooow... needs dumped and totally restored... But with my schedule and my being so tired I haven't had a moment let alone several hours to clean it out and restore it...I'd really like to buy a new one but ....

I have totally enjoyed seeing everyone's Fall decorations... don't ya just love Fall and all the wonerful colors... Normally I love fall temps too but it has actually been really chilly here in Ohio and Rainy for two weeks off and on... Ugggg.,..all the mud makes for some dirty rentals to clean...
Speakin of cleaning I am almost done for the season as I mentioned and WOW I can not wait to sink my hands into creating some wonderful gatherings...My neighbor gave me a huge storage area in her barn to store all my wood supplies, so this week when I go home I'm going to be working on organizing everything so when I start Creating again it will be so easy to pick and choose what I want from the shelves stocked with supplies...Not having to dig for things sounds so wonderful and so simple..... I'm really excited about that.. I'll actually be home 4 days this week so I should be able to get it completed. Then I'll feel totallly ready to strat Creating and selling on Ebay by the end of October..first of November...

An update on the health issues... I have been on the meds for the Hyerthyroid/Graves Disease now for the full 6 weeks and wow wht a huge difference in how I feel. I went to the Doctors Tuesday... He says, "how you feeling now".. "You sure look like you feel better..." and I do...I am so amazed that a simple Tyroid can mess you up so badly... the only real symtom I have that is totally a pain in the rear is the tiredness.. I can tell when it's time to take the next pill .. I feel like someone unplugged me. the doc tells me taht is normal and should eventually go away for the most part... if it doesn't then he said he would have to adjust my meds.. He wants to wait for the results of my next blood test before he does any changes...to the meds.
He gave me samples of Cymbolta to take as he says he feels I have what Angie & Carmen C have ..Fiber something.. but I read the side affects... tiredness is one of them, & nausa amoung other things that I just dealt with already with the Thyroid ... LOL... I was like I'm not even going there... I can deal with pain but no way can I deal with sick tummy, sitting on the Throne and more tiredness.... Not happening!!
Haven't told the Doc yet that I'm not gona take it...

Not much else going on in my life besides cleaning houses ... It has been a good Summer business wise and it looks like I'm having an exceptional fall as well which is good ...just booked a full week at one of my clients houses to do some major cleaning  of Closets, attics and houses...they have three houses so it will be a busy week...with a good pay check to end the season with....
I've managed to stash some of my loot for winter bills in case the economy decides to affect my selling on Ebay...

I hope you all have a super great weekend!!

Until we meet again may your days be filled with Sunshine and happy memories!!

Huge Hugs to all of you!!
Tonya

Coming to Grips with Tragedy~Meet Ava & her Family

 

 

Hi everyone... I know I have been missing for the past few weeks. Between work, my new Verizon Wireless modem & this here laptop I've had a hard time getting online to blog.. Oh how I have missed everyone.

 

But tonight I want to share something with you that is somewhat off the Prim path but every bit a part of my life. Remember I told you I had visitors about a month ago Vicki & Kenny Ballenger. Vicki lived with me when she was in high school. She is one of Carmen's life long friends and one of my daughters.

They came to the Island to visit and take a little time to themselves.

They have two children Aohdan and Ava.

 

Three years ago Vicki and Kenny were forced to Come to Grips with Tragedy when Ava was born with severe Brain damage due to lack of oxygen caused from a placental abruption, or premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall.

 

Although Ava requires 24 hour nursing she's able to live at home with her Mommy, Daddy and big brother Aohdan. Her future is uncertain but the love of her family is strong. Although each day is a struggle Ava is a surviver, doing well and slowly making progress.

 

  

 

I'd like to invite you to visit Support Ava's blog and get to know her and her family.

 

http://supportava.blogspot.com/

 

As we all know especially those of us who have children there really isn't anything more heart breaking then learning that something is wrong with your child. Mothers especially tend to blame themselves, carrying a the huge burden of sorrow and grief and misplaced guilt when they find out that something is wrong with there child. We can't help it, as mothers we pray for perfection in our precious baby's.

 

I'm so proud of Vicki and Kenny they have weathered the storms that come with such a tragedy. They are great couple and great parents. Ava is lucky to have such loving parents.

 

 

 

But we all know that it's not always easy to be strong. Which is why I have invited you to take a walk with them, share there story and meet there Beautiful Angel Ava.

 

While your visiting Ava's Blog ... share some of the wonderful support & encouragement that all of you have shared with me. Please add this Family to your prayers!!

 

I know that they would love to hear from you. 

 

Blessings

Tonya

 

Below is one of my favorite Post on Support Ava Ballenger's Blog I think you will too!!

 

 

Can you imagine being entertained by Angels?

 

Ava is non-verbal. I mean she coos and grunts and such. But she does not make any identifiable noises, for lack of better terms. And it has only been since age 2 that she really even coo'ed much. But going back to when she was an infant, as soon as she would drift into dream land, she would start 'singing.' And it wasn't words, but she would vocalize at different ranges, and 'trill' is the best way I can describe some of the noises she would make. I remember clear back when she was only like 6 months old, her nurse and I would comment that she was talking to her Angels. So that was just to give you some history on the subject.

Well, for the past year or so, she has been crying when she wakes up from a nap. I mean not just grumpy, she wails like she is in pain or scared, or both. Before I say this please understand that I do not claim to know the ways of God, or exactly how things work in the spiritual realm. But I do know this. We serve a loving God, who does ALL things to the good of those who love Him. And I know He loves my little girl and has a plan for her little life. 
That being said, I have this theory. When Ava goes to sleep, I believe she is entertained by Angels and taken into heavenly places. I believe she has seen the face of God. Maybe when she sleeps she runs, and plays, and does all the things she should be doing right now if she were not handicapped. Maybe she even visits with my Mom, her other grandma who is in Heaven. Maybe when she is asleep she has no pain and can talk and laugh. We can only imagine what Heaven must be like. I mean there are thousands and thousands of accounts of people being taken to heaven only to return and tell us their stories.

So if she is entertained by Angels while she sleeps, she then wakes up in this world and has to re-adjust to her reality here. Is it any wonder that she wakes up crying?
Do not misconstrue what I'm saying. Ava seems to be a very happy child. And most medical professionals would call what she is experiencing neurological irritation. But do we reallllly know what these kids feel? I mean they can't tell us, so it is all theory really. Doctors like to believe they know it all, but they really don't. They say they can prove it with fancy testing, EEG's, etc. But I talked with one pediatrician who told me about the day he quit believing what tests showed. He told me about a 5 year old little boy who was basically, born without a brain, only a brain stem. This child should have been a vegetable. He said when he walked out into the waiting room this child was running around getting into everything. He said never again will he allow a test to direct his opinion of a patient.
So that is my theory on my Ava wakes up crying. I believe she is entertained by Angels while she sleeps. I believe she walks hand in hand with our Lord and talks with her grandma Sandy. I believe she experiences the wonderful things while she sleeps, that her current reality in this world cannot give her. And honestly, this thought brings a smile to my heart.
No one knows what her life will be like in this world, or how long she'll stay in this world. But I do know one thing. God has Ava in the palm of his hand. I was given this vision when she was sick in the hospital, and I was shown that she was taken care of. It gave me a great peace about her life.  I very much struggle when I see a little girl between the ages of 3 and 4 running around, sassing her parents, or whatever.  Because that is what Ava should be doing right now.  It is a big, big burden on both mine and Kenny's heart at times.  But God continually gives me peave about Ava's life. 

Kenny told me not so long ago...and the comment still makes me tear up.  He said when he hears a little girl call for her daddy is makes his heart heavy.  But he said he knows that one day he will "Dance with Ava in Heaven."  Ahhhh, what a tear jerker.  But so true!

Well, Good Night All!!

Vicki

Remembering the Day My Counrty~My America Changed Forever

It was a beautiful day the sun was shinning and I was listening to the Car Stereo as I was driving to pick up a little girl that was scheduled for a visit with her mother. At the time I was working for the Juvinile courts teaching parenting to parents that had there children removed from there homes for one reason or another. This was particularly happy day for me because the mother of the child I was taking for a visit was doing especially with her training and was being allowed to have longer visist with her daughter.  We were almost there and the little girl was getting more excited by the minute when all of a sudden the music stopped on the Stereo and the news caster was describbing what has just taken place in New York. At the time no one was sure if it was an accident or what exactly had happened.
Then my phone started rinning and it was my best Friend Greg and he was seeing it on TV and giving me a play by play description of what they were saying and what was happening. I remember I thought that was better then listening to it on the Stereo and letting the little girl hear everything..  Greg kept talking and I was talking  to the little girl keeping her mind happy.. We arrived at her house, parked the car and her mom came rushing out to hug her and we all went inside.
They were showing everything on the TV and I was finally seeing myself what my friend had been describing to me. The mother ask me if I knew what was happening and I said yes my friend has been filling me in...
The mom gathered her daughter up in her arms and hugged her and for a moment it seems that somehow things would be ok but as we all know nothing was ever to be the same again. It was different in there house that day..Quiet and somber..even the small children seemed to know and understand that something was different something was terribly wrong....
I had to excuse myself for a few moments several times during that day as I found myself crying in disbelief.
When it was realized that it wasn't an accident I was sitting outside on the step in tears trying to understand why and how something so horrible could happen to our country like this when my friend Greg called me back. I had never heard him sound so shaken and in disbelief he was in tears too. We talked so sometime and then I had to let him go and pull myself together so I could go be with the family I was working with. then I heard from Carmen my daughter and I remember being so thankful we were all ok. I couldn't imagine what it would be like not to have my daughter anymore or my friends and family..yet so many were going to have to face that very truth..It was very hard to control my emotions.
When I finally went back in the house I realized as the mother and daughter were sitting on the sofa together this was not a day for teaching parenting it was just enough to allow us all to reflect and try to accept what we were witness to.
When the time came to take the daughter back to her home her mother clung to her for what seemed like forever..There lives changed forever as was mine and every single person I knew and loved. As the day moved on to a new day I cam to understand that not only was our lives changed forever but our Country was changed forever..
Looking back I remember how we all came together as a country ..everyone helping someone to cope or pray or grieve or help in some way. I remember praying everyday that they would find yet another person alive and Thanking God each time they found someone.
We all became one in a nation that had somehow drifted apart..It made my heart swell with pride as I watched that unfold in the midst of so much tragedy..   
When I read the news today and hear of war and loss of the men and women who protect you and I everyday. I wonder how we all forget so easily how important it is to stand as one nation, one people but many have forgotten and I find that very sad...
Many of us lost family and friends on 9/11 and many more losses since then protecting the Freedom that terrorist tried to take from us!!  I pray that we never forget those who lost there lives that day or those who fight to keep you and I and Our Country safe.
We are Blessed as Americans and to be free. I pray that we all remember how easily that freedom can be destroyed..
May God Bless you all May he keep you safe and keep those who protect us safe.
Tonya

Have I got a Funny Scary Story about the fur Babies & an Update on life~

Hello~Hello~Hello to all my peeps out there... yes I know long time no see... but I have just been swamped with houses to clean... This is actually the first time I have been home home in over two weeks and I only came home to pay bills ...
I have shared stories about Tasha & Mama Kitty so most of you are familiar with both of them but I've got a good one to tell this time around..One taht made me laugh at how smart and sneaky Tasha is and how her smart sneaky little self nearly turned into a total disaster..
I can't remember if I mentioned that I let her out into the Summer Room/Dinning Canopy when I'm out there but I do she thinks it is so much fun to be out of the camper with Mommy. I open the door to the camper and tell her to get in the summer room right now and she goes.
About 3 weeks ago she discovered the zipper on the screen and started playing with it... Being the smart little kitty that she is she figured out that if she put her claw in it she could lift and it would UNZIP...
The first few times she just looked at me with that sneaky look she has ..that one you can see in the picture up above...Then one night she decided to see what I would do if she crawled out threw the unzipped part..now mind you I am watching this whole thing take place so I let her sneak out the whole and I watched her..she jsut sat there... so I unzipped it further and said get in her young lady real gruff and she scampered back in looking up at me with these oh so innocent eyes.. yea right!
She repeated the process several times never leaving the spot just outside the screen. Then of course she started to venture further... say 5 feet.. that went on for a week or so then she got brave and walked all the way around the Summer room and back int eh whole and was just grinning from ear to ear..so I decided she was getting way to brave...and I put bricks obver the Zipper...Ha she says and she just scooted the brick away a little at a time tills he could get to the Zipper and up it went...So I decided I needed to play the mommy role and every time she would sneak out I would pick her up and put her back in the camper...No more time with Mommy.. That worked until last Saturday night...
I was sewing Rice bags watching a movie so I brought Tasha and Mama out in the summer room with me...

  This is Mama and as you can see from the look on her face she is very shy and skiddish. She was Ferrel and it took 3 years to get her to let me touch her and get her to where she will come to me and let me brush her and feed her treats..
So I created this little sofa for me to sit on in the sun room to sew out of a blow up water raft tucked inside two sleeping bags and covered with a sheet.. Tasha, Mama and Puddles were laying on it with me while I sewed and watched a movie... I was loving family time with the critters...
Just to express how sneaky Tasha is she gets up walks to the water bowl gets a drink then starts moving around everything like the cooler, fridge, cat cages etc looking and watching me as she did it... I think she is just roaming around so I stop watching her..and go back to my stitching... She knew my mind was elsewhere because she managed to get the zipper up and put out a meow/cry to Mama who by now had also gotten up and was roaming and out that whole they both went...
Immediately I went into panic since Mama Kitty has not been outside since her pelvic was broken by my neighbor and we had to make her an indoor kitty so I yelled Tasha you both get back in here right now...
Big mistake as far as Mama was concerned i scared her to death raising my voice and off into the wood she ran while darling Tasha comes struttin right back int he whole...
So I get my flashlight and go out to try to find Mama...I can hear her panic in her cry but I can't find her only the direction she is.. but each time I would get close she would run in a different direction. This all started around 9:30... Well an hour passed and I still haven't caught her... and a big storm moves in and it just pours rain, thunders and lightening.. Mama is in total panic now and starts running from the barn to the camper to the wood to barn to the camper and so on.. Finally the rain stopped and she is under the camper.. but she will not come to me.. Finally I went in the camper and got the big pink comb that I used to tame her ..she loves that comb and being combed.. I crawled under the camper, shined the flashlight on the come and started cooing and coaxing her to come get brushed... she finally rubbed her head on the comb like she does, I grabbed her and had her safe in my arms.. Now mind you during all this time I am bawling my eyes out and in total panic that I would never catch her...I was so happy and so releived I just bawled my eyes out.. I took her back in the camper and dryed her off as Little Miss Tasha is rubbing against my legs and begging for me to forgive her..acting all innocent..She knew she had done something wrong when I wouldn't talk to her.
The next morning she didn't even try to come out the camper door like she normally does... Smart Kitty that she is...!!
Now for my favorite funny of the week.. Remember I mentioned I was sewing Rice Bags while sitting on my BLOW-UP RAFT covered in sleeping bags... Well I don't know about the rest of you but when I sew sitting on the sofa or chair I stick my needle in the cushion so as not to lose it...
Now don't bust a gut laughing at me... but I was sewing away ended a bag and stuck my needled in my make shift Raft Sofa but immediately yanked it back remembering it was only air under there covered in a thin layer of rubber and a couple of sleeping bags... No pop and it seemed it wasn't losing air so I think I am ok didn't poke a hole in it...well about an hour later I thought geeze my bottom hurts sitting here... and it hit me like a ton of bricks...OOPS.. guess I did poke a hole on my sofa..hehe... and she was darn near deflated... So much for sewing and Air Raft Sofa's..

Update on the Thyroid/Graves disease... I have been on the meds now for 25 days... Wow .. I can see so much of difference in how I am feeling. EVerything I read says it takes a full 6 weeks for all of the stored hormones to get out of the body and for the meds to take affect and work they way they are supposed to.
I am a little over halfway threw the six weeks but I can already see a difference.
I'm still extremely tired physically and mentally I'm still depressed but if I were to draw a scale from 1 to 10. 1 being where I was feeling near complete and total exhaustion, mentally drained, dehydrated, sad and unable to think clearly and 10 being like my old self.
I am feeling like I am at 5 physically, 6 mentally, 5 emotionally and 5 thinking clearly 8 for dehydration.
The thing that is weird is that about every third day I feel like I am back to 2 on all points and just drag, I get  really sweaty and hot, I'm so tired and so sad. I am told that is normal but I can't say I like that but then again I will take 2 days in a row feeling half normal any day to no days feeling normal. Slowly I am getting back to normal.. or at least comething like normal..who knows if I will really ever have the energy I had before or feel the way I did a few years ago.. I have so many things in the way of that but feeling better is such a blessing..I think that I will be able to go back on my Arthritis meds this week which will be an even bigger blessing as I have not been able to take it and the old bones are feeling the loss for sure...especally my hands and my back... I had forgotten how bad it really was until I no longer had the meds in my system...
 
I want to Thank all of you who were so kind to keep me in your prayers.. That kindness plays a huge role in lifting ones emotional state just knowing you have others out there praying for you and thinking of you!!
You guys are the greatest!!

I did get all my Rice Bags finsihed and will be delivering them all tomorrow...

Time for this peep to call it a day so until we meet again I will be thinking of you and wish you Sunshine, cool breezes and happy moments!!

Hugs
Tonya
I

~Funny how something so Simple can make you so Happy~

A wonderful~Beautiful~Super Perfect Good day to my Dear prim Friends..I have had a smile on my face today from the moment I woke up.. Not really sure how that happened other then sometimes the simplist things can make you happy.. I mean just look at those totally beautiful August Lilly's!

Yesterday was one heck of a work day from early morning till early morning. But that's exactly what gave me the smile on my face this morning... even tho my body felt like it had gone threw the ringer a couple times & I didn't fall asleep till 5 this morning... everything went perfectly yesterday which led to my Smile today.

After cleaning I headed off the Rock to my little house in Port Clinton to meet up with the Plumber who fixed my water pipe problems last week. When he left he gave me his # and said call me if you need help around the house so I called him and ask if he would help me trim Trees & he said sure. He arrived here around 5 & we went straight to work. He cut off tree timbs while I trimmed off the access braches to burn and stacked the larger pieces. Then while he was up on the roof he cleaned out my guters taht were growing small Maple Trees and a few other plants..LOL...maybe I should have thrown in a few Herd seeds in the spring and I could have harvested them as we cleaned the gutter!! Then we washed off the siding on the Garage and the house it was amess from all the gutter gunk.....What a total mess we made but in the end we got the majority of the work done...the view is so much nicer and makes a much nicer presentation of the property. I still have tree limbs to cut up and stack today & weeds to trim but I feel so releived that the job was accomplished...... I can't stop smiling... !!

The pile seems so small now but I still have a lot of cutting and stacking to do...but with the beautiful breeze outside today it should be a a nice day to work in the yard...
All I can say is hats off to the Erich the plumber who just happens to be handy at jsut about everything.
The second best part was he only charged me $25 bucks for 4 hours of work.. What a great guy...

After he left I did a quick run to Wall-Mart to pick up a few things and especially some sewing machine needles since I broke mine while I was on the Island & you can't buy sewing machine needles on the Rock..
You ask what in the world would I have my sewing machine on the Island for ..well I got two orders for Rice Bags last week so figured that would be a good project to work on in the evenings so took all my supplies and sewing machine with me...and then broke my needle after sewing only half my bags. it worked out ok I filled the bags that were finished and stitched them closed...

I was in such a happy mood knowing all that work was behind me I set up my machine, popped a CD with 20 movies on it and went to town sewing the rest of the bags I had cut out. I was shocked when I finished I had 80 small bags sewn and 20 large bags sewn and it was 4 in the morning...Yep my creative hours at work... then when I went to bed I had a hard time falling asleep laying there thinking about all the good things that were accomplished and what I wanted to accomplish today...last time I loked at the clock it was 5:10..uggggg... It made for a late start today but it also made for my huge SMILE today!!

All the bags on the sides are finished accept the far top right stack is the 80 to be filled and the center long bags that need filled.. when I finally make it back to Delaware next week I will have them stitched closed, bagged, and ready for delivery..
Yes it was a good day yesterday a very near perfect day!! Now I think I will go make today just a perfect and get the rest of the chore list finished.. I think I will end this day with a long hot soak in the tub to pamper these old worn and tired bones of mine...I might even run the hot water tank cold and really pamper self.

So with that thought I think it's time to go play the roll of landscaper and tree trimmer for the day..sooner I get done the sooner I can soak in that hot tub...

Untill we meet again may your Day be filled with a Smile to match Mine!!

Hugs
Tonya

Basket Full of Fur Baby~Morning Golory's ~Update~

A Wonderful Sunny & Cool Good Morning to all my dear prim friends... It is just perfect this morning No hummity, a soft breeze and sun shine glitter through the trees. this was supposed to be my day off but I decided to stay on the island and do two houses but I'm so enjoying this perfect morning I'm a little slow to go to owrk..hehe... Decided that was fine no real deadline today..
Isn't that Basket full of Fur Baby just the cutest... I walked out the door at home in Delaware last week and here the Kitten was snoozing away.. so I just had to sneak a shot to share with all of you...

While I was home I finally took a minute to go check out my herbs and Morning Glory's.. They hae all grown so nicely and I will hae herbs galore to use this winter in all my gatherings... Next week I will start to pick them and hang them to dry.. I should get a second cutting by the end of October..

then I looked around at my Morning Glory's and they hae taken over the front of the Red Neck shed.. they even wound around the door and I couldn't get it open...LOL.. Had to do a little snipping!!

It's really hard to see all the Blossoms they hae grown so big..but they are loaded..as you can see. Wish i was there to enjoy them.. but duty calls as we all know to well!!

We had some horrible storms last weekend & I got a call from my neighbor at my House in Port clinton telling me that a lot of tree limbs were down in the back yard.. Giggling I think cool now I don't hae to crawl up a ladder and try to cut the dead branches out of my shedding tree... I know its a mess been there done that but I wouldmuch rather clean up the mess then tree climb.. especially with the weird dizzy spells I'e been having with this thyroid thingy... the guy who worked on my Plumbing left me his # and said if I needed any help around the house to give him a call ..and he would get on the roof and trim the tree...so i called him last night and he is supposed to stop by tonight and help with anything that is left to cut... Yeah!! Get that job taken care of.. I need to clean all my gutters too... Maybe I can con him into doing that too.. hate paying for things like that but better safe then sorry I'm thinking...Plus I don't think he will charge me much to help out...

Speaking of the Thyroid situation.. I hae been on the meds now for two full weeks and wow what a total difference. I'm not back to my old self by any means but I feel 75% better already. heck I might een be able to go dancing this weekend... Hehe!
I'm having less sweating, but still have the dizzy's a bit.. I'm spending less and less time on the throne.. thank god.. My heart has stopped racing all the time.. releif...I don't seem to be as depressed and feeling down 24/7..Yeah!! The only thing that has not really changed a whole lot is the being so tired and feeling exhausted... it is better but by no means gone.. Sunday I cleaned 4 houses and I was so exhausted I came home and fell alsleep at 8:30 till 11:30 woke up for an hour and went back to bed till 9:30 the Monday morning... All that Sleep made me feel horrible..but I just couldn't stay awake.. Only time I ever sleep that much is after a surgery or being really sick with the flue or sinus infection... so that is really weird to me and dries me crazy..That has to go.. I can not function when I'm so sleepy...

The real bummer was I wanted to sew rice bags. I got an order for 20 small Rice bags and 20 large bags.. I got the 20 small ones finished saturday night and was planning on doing the large ones sunday night... NOPE didn't happen... guess I'll work on those tonight..LOL..

But over all I can see a huge difference in my overall well being...We shall see that the next few weeks brings.

Hummm I guess If i am to complete my to do list I should get moving... I can enjoy this perfect day at the house this evening cleaning up tree mess and cleaning gutters...

So with that said may your day be filled with Sunshine and Happy moments!!

Hugs to all
Tonya

Tuesday Update~Graves Disease~My Visiters

A Fine and Beautiful Tuesday morning my dear prim Friends... It's just splendid this morning!! There's a beautiful breeze blowing in my summer room and so far not a touch of humidity.. the birds are singing away and they just mowed the grass here so it smells wonderful.. I've got to head off to clean in a few minutes but I've been sitting here soaking in the pleasures of this morning for half an hour or so..

I had a pleasant surprise this past weekend...One of my former kids Vicki and her Husband Kenny came to the island to visit... We had the nicest time. They rode bikes around the Island all day while I worked. Around 6:00 we went up town to have dinner at the Casino so Kenny could see all the go-fast boats and hear the engines roar. After dinner we had a big storm so we came back to my camp site and watched a movie together and visited. they spent the night camped out in the summer room listing to the rain patter above them....It was a perfect time together and really nice to see them..

Monday morning I received a call from my Doctor with an update on the second Blood test he had me get after receiving the results of the first one that varified the Thyroid Disease. Remember he told me that he was concerned that my other Auto Immune Diseases might affect/ play a role in my Thyroid disease. 
Seems he was right and the second Blood Test Varified what we both suspected...
It came back positive for Graves Disease.
I wasn't surprised after reading tons of information about the thyroid and the diseases and complications it can cause in our over all health. Its rather strage but in a weird way I was releived as much as I was upset.
I now understand more about why I was having so much trouble with my eyes last winter and why the Eye Doctor wanted me to have the Thyroid Test done last winter. He suspected Graves Disease then.

Sadly my former doctor who ran blood work last winter and seen the results of the blood work which showed High Thyroid then but she ignored it telling me my thyroid was normal. She is no longer in practice at the clinic I go to THANK GOD. That was the second serious diagnosis she ignored with me and heaven knows how many other patients she misdiagnosed. They tell me she resigned. At any rate she is gone but it doesn't take away my anger at her note treating me months ago for my Thyroid disease. If she had I would never have found myself so sick the past months.

The good news is now I know what is wrong with me and I know it can be treated. My Dr said yesterday that the meds will also help my eye problems as well as lower my Blood pressure, possibly lower the Cholesterol, get rid of the tired exhausted feelings, ease the sweating and heat issues, releive the pressure behind my eyes and basically make me feel like my old self.. I can't wait... this has been the pitts. I feel better already.. but I'm sure that's more so because I've been able to avoid the throne and I'm not so dehydrated... so if the meds will make it even better I really have something to look forward to... being my old self soon!!

I managed to get all my houses cleaned so far.. I have two more today and then I get to take a couple of days off and head home for some R&R..hehehe.. well R&R from cleaning houses anyway..there are plenty of chores at home waiting for me... Seems it never ends the work that needs tended to...

Speaking of work it is 10 after 10 and time for me to make tracks to my first house of the day... God willing the renters were tidy and it won't be to messy...

The picture today was taken in Fla. by a friend of mine several years ago. He sent it to me and said check this out it reminds me of the Wreaths you create from shells and grapevines. It is actually coral and shells all molded together from the Sea and it washed up on the shore and he seen t while walking on the beach. Pretty cool!!

Until we meet again may your day be filled with happy moments and special memories!!

Hugs
Tonya

 

A very Sad Day On Our Island-As we mourn loss of a Friend killed in boat crash

I have some really sad news .....I don't watch TV and hadn't listened to the Radio in days..To busy running to the Doctors and getting meds and resting.. so when I got on the Ferry to come to the Island today one of my friends jumped out of his car and ran back to mine... He ask if I had heard about two of our friends Jen and Tina from the island. I said no whats going on?

He just looked at me and started to get tears in his eyes.. as he told me that Jen was killed and Tina was badly injured and Tina's Dog Chicklet was also killed in a boat crash Tuesday night after they left Put-N-Bay. They had gone to the Bay to celebrate there Birthdays.

There are no word to describe the thoughts and feelings you have when someone tells you that one of your friends has been killed...I just cried .... Jen was a really good Friend of mine and she will be missed greatly..

When you live on a small island  like Kelley's you get to know everyone and the grief  from a loss like this is shared by everyone. There will be many tears and tuff moments as boaters arrive through out the week and learn of the loss of a good friend..

It is going to be doubly hard when Tina returns to the Island... Her Little Dog Chicklet was a 3 pound long haired Chawawa(sp) that she carried in her purse everywhere she went..so She was as much a part of Tina and the island as Jen was..there is a big 11 x 14 picture of Chicklet in the Casino with No pets Allowed printed on the bottom of it.. so you can see that she was as much a part of our lives as Jen and will be missed as well. It 's going to be a very hard weekend..

My heart aches for Jen's Family and for Tina and the loss of her two best friends..

Please say a little prayer for my friends family and For Tina's quick recovery and loss of her precious Fur Baby...Chicklet.

Blessings
Tonya

See story below:

Island residents mourn loss of woman killed in boat crash
By ADAM MAWSON
Morn­ing Jour­nal Writer
KELLEYS ISLAND (AP) — Hearts are heavy among the res­i­dents of a small island com­mu­nity after one of their own was killed in a boat­ing acci­dent..
Jen­nifer Ulisse, of Kel­leys Island, was a pas­sen­ger Aug. 2 on a 27-foot boat cap­tained by Don­ald Dunn, of Put-in-Bay. Tina Callari, of Lake­wood, was also a pas­sen­ger. The Ohio Divi­sion of Water­craft is still inves­ti­gat­ing what caused the boat to crash into break wall at Bal­last Island Marina around 10:35 p.m.
The Coast Guard went to the break wall where they found the three crash vic­tims. Dunn and Callari were found first and Ulisse was found nearby, accord­ing to a Coast Guardt. She was uncon­scious and later died of her injuries.
Dunn and Callari suf­fered head and body injuries. They were taken to Magruder Hos­pi­tal in Port Clin­ton, then flown to St. Vin­cent Mercy Med­ical Cen­ter in Toledo. Dunn is listed in seri­ous con­di­tion while Callari’s con­di­tion was unavail­able, accord­ing to a hos­pi­tal spokes­woman.
None of the vic­tims were wear­ing life jack­ets at the time of the crash.
Gary Fin­ger, who runs The Vil­lage Pump on Kel­leys Island with his wife, Jackie, said Ulisse was well known and well liked among the island’s res­i­dents.
“She’s going to be sorely missed by every­one,” he said.
Fin­ger said Ulisse had been a reg­u­lar to Kel­leys Island while grow­ing up. She lived in a Cleveland-area sub­urb, but was a fre­quent vis­i­tor along with her par­ents. She even­tu­ally moved to the island and worked for the Fin­gers at The Vil­lage Pump. She moved to Florida for a short time, then returned.
Ulisse most recently worked as a man­ager at Kel­leys Land­ing, for­merly Kel­leys Cove. Fin­ger said she and Callari recently had birth­days and he believes they were cel­e­brat­ing.
On Ulisse’s Face­book page she wrote on Mon­day after­noon, “If any­one is not work­ing Tues­day night, we are head­ing over to the bay for Tina’s bday!”
“Our hearts go out to her fam­ily,” said Fin­ger, adding res­i­dents are also hop­ing for the best for Dunn and Callari, who are also reg­u­lar faces on Kel­leys Island. “It’s just a ter­ri­ble tragedy.“
Bill Staiger, the North­ern Region Man­ager for the Divi­sion of Water­craft, said the boat suf­fered “fairly sub­stan­tial dam­age” in the crash but the exact cause or pos­si­ble con­tribut­ing fac­tors have yet to be deter­mined.
He added weather could be a likely cul­prit as there were thun­der­storms and rain in the area at the time of the crash.
“Weather, wind and waves are always a fac­tor,” Staiger said. “If they were in a thun­der­storms the waves could have increased very quickly. The wavers were plus or minus 3 feet when the Coast Guard arrived, but I don’t know what it was 15 min­utes before that. One of the things our inves­ti­ga­tors will be look­ing at is the weather at that time.“
Alco­hol or drugs have not been ruled out, but Staiger said there is no evi­dence they played a role.
“There were tests that were taken when the peo­ple were brought to the hos­pi­tal, but at this point we don’t have any evi­dence alco­hol or drugs were involved,” he said.

Finding out you have Thyroid Disease isn't good news~

A fine good Morning to all my friends out there...Just look at this beautiful picture..it's the Perfect Sunset on the waters of Lake Erie just off Kelley's Island! My friend Mark took this on My Birthday and sent it to me.. I just love it.. its one of the reason I fell in love with boating on the Lake...
I have recently had some good news and some bad news... for the past few months I've not been feeling well at all.. You've heard me complain of the heat something I really never had a problem with..I could sit in the sun for hours on the boat and be perfectly fine but over the past year or so the heat has bothered me o the point of hiding from it. I even mentioned how badly I felt in one of my post from being dehydrated from the heat.
In another post I told everyone about my Sjogren's disease and how it has affected my eyes.
Over the past year I've had other things that have seemed odd like feeling really anxious, restless, even depressed, Which of course with the Ohio weather this year who wouldn't feel that way..hehe..
Then I started having rapid heart beat for no reason then it would go away, weird..I thought what is that..maybe the heat ...
Then my Blood pressure went from low to high.. never had High Blood pressure, Then my Cholesterol sky rocketed. My Sjrogren's got worse
Then on May 31 my favorite past time became hanging out in the bathroom sitting on the throne. Nice way of saying it..LOL.. Which I atributed to the change of diet eating on the Island daily, the heat and all the water I was drinking..It continued to get worse to the point that I was hanging out on the throne up to 10 times a day which was of course adding to the dehydration...By July 31 I was so exhausted and so sick I left the island and went to see the Doctor..I just couldn't work anymore...
I have a new Dr. my old one resigned..I really like the new Dr. he actually knows about Sjrogren's disease and what it can do to the body so we were off to a good start..
He took one look at me and said young lady don't know what's going on but you don't look so good...Tell me what's going on....so I gave him my symoptoms and explained the last two months. He checked me over and then proceeded to tell me that he felt that I might have one of three things or maybe all three.. One being a bacterial or fungus infection in my intestines. Fungus infection could be caused from Thrush that I get due to the Sjrogren's that might have spread to the intestines.. Great I'm thinking...
Or as he said from everything you have told me and your last Blood test you could have Thyroid Disease I see your Thyroid was high last blood test. Did Dr. Q put you on any medication for that. maybe we need to adjust it. I just looked at him in shock...Dr. Q had told me 3 months ago that my thyroid was fine..
Dr. K was shocked as well and siad really... Ok well now I think I know wher we need to take this.
He ordered Blood work, stool sample & I had it done July 31st.
Monday the nurse called me to say No Bacterial Infection and no Fungus infection...so that was ruled out and I was glad to get that news. I ask did they get the blood work back on the Thyroid & she said no not yet.
Tuesday morning I actually received a call from Dr. K personally. He said I have good news and bad news.
The good news is I can now tell you what is wrong and why you are so sick...and we can fix the problems.
The bad news is you have Hyperthyroidism which is High Thyroid hormones released into your body which is really dangerous if not taken care of .
He said your Thyroid test #'s were twice as high as your last blood test done 3 months ago,which explained why you were getting worse by the day.
Now for any  of you who do not know what the symptoms of High Thyroid are let me share them with you.

• Anxiousness, irritability, nervousness, depression
• Insomnia
• Thinning hair
• Diarrhea or an increase in bowel movements
• Irregular heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• Frequent sweating and feeling hot
• Muscle pain or weakness
• Visual disturbances
• Skin problems
• Elevated heart rate, atrial fibrillation
• Increased Cholesterol count 

There are others but these are the symptoms that I have.
Now he says.. for you there are some added complications because you have Sjrogren's. He had another Blood test run and said we would discuss it when I returned for my next vist..so I guess I will know more about any complications there might be.. he also said he wanted to rule out Graves disease which is caused from the Thyroid.
I am now on meds and he has told me that it will probably be for life bu if I am lucky, really lucky the meds may actually turn things around and I might not have to take them for life but not to count on it.. Lucky me we all know my luck... but I shallpray about this and maybe I will find some good luck...Hehe..

It takes up to 6 weeks for the meds to fully kick in and start controling how much thyroid hormone is released.
I can say that my visits to the throne have gone down Thank God...I have read 4 books in the past 2 months hanging out on the throne....hehehe...they were good books!! I even started a new one.. Oh no, I might have to make pretend visits tot he Throne so I can finish it...its pretty good too...

I do feel a little bit better..now that I have rested for 4 days.. We shall see what this weekend of work does to me...

I'm glad I finally know what is wrong and I am grateful to be on meds..especially after the Dr telling me that working and sweating like I was & being so dehydrated could have easily led to a heart attack condisering the Thyroid problems.. As he put it you are Lucky you didn't have a heart attack Tonya!!

If you think you have any of those symptoms go get a blood test Thyroid disease is not good at all and it puts your life at gret risk.

Now as much a I hate to say this I much get packed up and head to the Island I have a hous to clean today and then my weekend starts..11 houses from now to Monday..uggg...

Have a wonderful day my friends!!
Until we meet again may the sun shine on your face and may your day be filled with wram memories!!

Hugs
Tonya

PS..I may not be commenting but my slow lap top won't let me but I have been reading everyone's post and commenting where it will let me.. Your not forgotten and thank you all for all your wonderful comments..