Happy Fall guess who's been in the Shop Painting? Hand Update

Happy Day to one and all...Ms. Tonya has some really great news to share with you all today! She has been working in the shop for the past three nights. No nothing spectacular was created but being able to actually hold a paint brush in my right hand and paint wood pieces was better then awesome!
The first night my niece Hailey, my crafting buddy decided she wnted to spend the evening in the shop painting with aunt Tonya...We had the best time..
Things started off a little shaky as I couldn't get the paint jar open at first or the large paint can so Hailey had to help me & together we prepared our work area with paint bowl & paint brushes.
I wasn't really sure if I was going to be able to actually hold the paint brush and paint nice even strokes and when I found I could I guess tears just strated running down my cheeks I was so happy...I said a little prayer of thanks..but I must have done it out loud....Hailey heard me and gave me a big hug and said I knew you would be able to paint again someday Aunt Tonya..
We painted for hours..Hailey has gotten very good at painting the wood pieces. I finally took her in the house around 11 and tucked her in and called it a night.

The next two nights I was on my own and I painted pieces all night long just soaking up the peacfulness of being in my shop once again and actually working on something. It was slow going and I had to rest every 10 to 15 minutes but regardless I'm creating again and nothing could make me happier.
Soon I will be turning those 37 pieces into gatherings and I can't wait so look out cause I'm back in business again!

This is my thumb 11 days after surgery! You all have no idea how excited I am about my thumb. It hasn't bent in more then 20 years and has been in constant 24/7 pain all that time. something I learned to live with. But I'm happy to say that Dr. Awan changed that.


There is basically no real pain other then after surgery being cut pain and pain when I bump the stitches. I can actually bend my thumb. Before surgery my thumb measuered
2 1/2"plus round now it measuers 1 1/2" around and as soon as the rest of the swelling goes down it will be normal looking and even smaller. It used to curve to the left like a hitch hicker thumb and just look at this it is actually straight..After 20 plus years of pain and deformity I am just amazed that it is a normal working thumb that's pain free. Never dreamed in a million years I would ever get it fixed... Very happy lady!

Five days after surgery. Look at the improvment in just a few days.

I'm a bit surprised at how much faster my right hand healed compared to my left hand. The incisions in my palm where he fixed the trigger fingers is healed and basically pain free. the area in my wrist where he did the carpel tunnel surgery is also healed and basically pain free. This surgery was a breeze and successful in every imaginable way!
My left hand on the other hand is still giving me fits of pain down by the wrist and in the middle finger.. I almost decided not to get the right hand done because the left hand still hurt so much ...I'm so Thankful I decided to go threw with it and simply work with the doctor to make the left hand pain free in those two areas. I may have to go to therapy for a bit to resolve the issues in the left hand but I'm ok with that...

In the middle of all my happiness with my hands I had blood work done to test my thyroid levels and sad to say that the blood test came back with my levels high so the doc had to up my Thyroid medication in hopes of dropping it back down... Go figure just my luck that something would go and bust my happy bubble...
Otherwise things are looking up for me... I'm getting in to see the right doctors and finally feel as if they are all working together to get me back on the right track health wise... that's a nice feeling for sure..

Hope all is well with you and yours and you have enjoyed the coming of fall and all the beautiful colors this year. They were just beautiful here in Ohio but sadly Sandy winds have blown the beautiful colors away for this year..
Speaking of Sandy my prayers go out to all of you who were affected by that horrible storm and my hope is that you are all safe and warm..

Happy Fall Blessings
Tonya

Update on Left hand Surgery-Fall Decorating-Tasha Update

Hi my dear prims...sorry for my tardiness...Finally the left hand surgery is  now over with. I can feel both my hands now...even the after surgery pain...LOL...
My daughter April had Tuesday off so she was wonderful and gave up her day off to take me to my surgery at the ungodly hour before the Rooster crows...5:30...
By the way meet April....

April lived with us when she was a teen.I may not be her birth mother but She is my daughter threw & threw...I'm really proud of her..That's another story to share someday..
Anyway i am so gratful the was able to take me to my surgery..otherwise I was going to have to take a cab...that freaked me out totally...

Anyway back to the left hand surgery...It went much quicker then the right hand..and so much less painful then the left hand..As you can see it is in a cast and i am thinking that made a huge dufference since i am not bumping it all the time.

Surgery on the right hand/arm was much simpler to some degree so I am sure that made a difference too! He operated on my elbow on the left hand and that hurt 24/7 till about  week ago..finally it settled down..Thank God!
On the right hand doc did carpel tunnel surgery, trigger finger surgery on first two fingers and then he operated on my deformed crippled up thumb. The thumb surgery is reason for the cast. He removed a cyst from the thumb, bone chips and calcium from between the joint. It had spread the joint completely apart whichis why the thumb thumped 24/7 365 days a year for the last 10 years...
The very first thing I noticed when my arm came awake was taht my thumb wasn't thumping at all...I was so darned tickled....It feels way smaller now..of course I can't see it so have no clue if it is or not but it sure feels like it....
I am so excited to see what my crippled up thumb looks like now....It had gotten so crippled it was pointing out like a hitch hike thumb before surgery....Doc said I wasn't hitch hiking anymore...we shall see..but whatever it looks like it doesn't hurt so far and that is such a relief in itself...

It feels so good to be able to feel things again...I caught myself feeling the texture of things the other day....laughed as I didn't realize it was that bad.. I guess we get used to something and don't really realize just how bad it was till it's fixed...
I can actually hold a glass, pop can, hair brush etc in my left hand now & they don't fall out..I'm not totally sure as I hold things but I catch myself testing it daily.....feel like a little kid learning to do things all over again..LOL..but each tiny baby step is happy moment...soon there will be sand paper in my hands sanding things and paint brushes painting things and needle sewing things....
You have no idea how exciting that sounds to me!

I did a little Fall Decoratingbefore surgery...I won Karen's "How did you get Your Blogg name Giveaway". I won the cutest Pumpkin penny matt that looks perfect on my little table.

 

I filled an old wood bowl with little Pumpkins, a mini bale of straw and under my tree I sat a Pumpkin I created along with a few tiny Pumpkins. I stuck some fall leaves in my tree along with sume sunflowers.

On my shelf I added a few Pumpkins...

Tasha and Mama Kitty have been hangin out with me & giving me lots of kitty lovin...

You can see how skinny Tasha got while she was missing.

 

 

 

then we have miss Fatty...mama Kitty all snuggled in my bed

 

That's all my news for today....Only took me 6 hours to get all of this typed.

 

Have a Happy Halloween weekend!

Prim Blessings

Tonya

I was the winner of Karen's Giveaway~ I love my Goodies~Right hand surgery done~

Hello everyone.....Happy Fall everyone....it has just been beautiful here in Ohio the colors of the trees were just spectacular..sadly they are blowing away to quickly....but I have so enjoyed them while they were here. I decorated my trailer last week after cleaning the trailer & gettimg ready for my surgery on the right hand...
Right in the middle of geting all my get ready for winter & surgery chore list done I got a surprise package in the mail from Karen over at My Colonial Home...

I never win anything so I was just tickled to death when My package arrived....
Karen made this adorable Pumpkin penny rug and look how cuteit looks on my old table....
I have to tell ya Tasha and Mama Kitty love it too...I am forever shooing them off it....

Karen also sent me this adorable Sheep Pillow Tuck that has found a home on my built in china cupboard....I love it and the fabric matches the fabric used in my table runner...so agreat match..

Karen Thank you so much for my goodies... I totally love them and they are perfect for my little space...You're the sweetest!

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((BIG PRIM HUG FROM ME TO YOU)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Tonya

The New RedNeck Shed~Flower Beds~Herbs ready to Harvest~

A Huge Fall Hello everyone...Finally a moment to take a breath & share a few things that have been happening.. As mentioned in my last post only so many days till I have my Right hand surgery which means I have a ton of things that need done before winter/thus before hand surgery.. So busy I've been...
I decided to expand my Redneck Shed so I bought a second dog pen and a pitched Roof for each that are made for the dog pens. Then I put down old skids inside to create a floor so nothing would sit on the bare ground anymore... It turned out awesome if I do say so...perfect for what I need as storage space. The Rood comes with a canvas top but I added two extra tarps to assure myself things would stay dry. So far it has proven to be great no leaks at all and the nice pitched roof lets it all slide off.. Hopefully it will do as well in the snow.

This is how it looked when I first finished it. then last week I spent a day extending the Flower Herb Bed all the way to the end. Mainly I threw that in on my do before winter list because I wanted to plant wintering herbs & cabbage, plus I wanted to get dirt up around the edges to keep out critters and weather.
I tore down all the Morning Glory's and the lattice, searched the barnyard for rocks and in no time it was finished. I filled it with two loads of dirt from the dirt pile. Plated  a Small grass plant that my nephew gave me from one of his landscape jobs. This grass only gets 4' tall so it will look really nice next year.

A huge Sage plant &

4 Flowering Cabbage Plants

Decided to do a little decorating for fall

so I took my Old Wheel from in front of the Shop
 put it on the left to go with the old Plow...

      Then I added 3 Plastic Pumpkins
 an old Cow sign that I had laying around.

Then when I went to the Grocery Store they had all there Mums marked down to 3 for $5.00 bucks ... I said to self......Hummm I think I need three of those for my new Flowerbed...Yep I bought them and sat them in there as soon as I got home...They added the perfect Fall touch to my Redneck Shed Garden don't ya think?
Who Say a Redneck Shed has to look Redneck?   I got the best Redneck Shed around and the prettiest Flowerbed around it...

A nieghbor threw away an old Screen door so of course I had to trash pick it! I decided I wanted to put it in front of the shop where the Wheel used to be, with a little handmade wood Pump I found at GW.

I'm not done with it yet. I want to paint it black and prim it up but I wanted to make sure I liked it there first. I think once I get it primmed it will look better. I'll need to anchor it somehow. Then I will decorate it witht he seasons... See the cute little Pump I found I want to do it in a Rusty color so it will be sealed and look cuter too. then I want to put a wood bucket infront of it...
What do ya think? Do you like the idea of the door in front of the shop witht he Pump?

As you can see my Herbs did beautifully this year and they are ready to harvest. Now if I could just get the weather to cooperate with me and stop raining every darn day I plan to pick it, tie it and hang it to dry, I would be a very happy lady...Why is it always that way when it comes time to harvest your plants?
It is on my list this week because I want to pick it while it is so pretty and green. I have Rosemary, Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Several different kinds of Basil, 2 different kinds of Sage, Maijorum, Dill, Lavender, Organo & something I totally forget the name of so I will be busy...But it will all be worth it when I get to start creating again and start using all of them in my gatherings. I planted Sweet Annie but it never made it. I was so disappointed but I will try again next spring...

The only thing left to do this week is build a new Shop Door. When Lisa Kitty had her baby's they went in and out so much they broke the bottom off the door so it will have to have a new one before hand surgery & winter...Decide to just make a plywood door and then attach the old Red Door to the Plywood cause it is so cool... Boy has my Shop come along way since I took that Picture 2 years ago...See the add on well that is what the cats broke off...the door was always to short because Jimmy put the building up on three cement blocks instead of one.. So it never was real air tight..making a door to actually fir will help me stay warm in winter...I'll just have to let Lisa Kitty in and out once it's built...

I got all my windows covered with plastic & taped on the outside last week. Just in time for that cold weather that blew in...I got the Air conditioner covered too. With my hands I couldn't lift it out of the window so said well ya do what ya can do... Now this week I will put up all the plastic inside the trailer & that will be done.

I worked on organizing & cleaning the shop last week too..Another revamp to make things easier for me.
I will be able to paint things that are already sanded while my hand is out of commission and the shop is set up better for me to be able to do that...I have tons of things ready to paint..

Next weekend is my last weekend on Kelleys Island & then I have to go to my house up there and winterize the house and my Boat. I have to cover my boat too and then I should be done and I can have this second surgery without worry that things aren't taken care of..since the doc says the right hand will be out of commission for up to 3 months...uggg..

Tasha is doing well...Still very very Clingy and always by my side or in my arms...She has started eating again and soon I hope she starts to put on all the wieght she lost while on her adventure...She must have decided taht she missed Mama Kitty while she waslost because the two of them have become friends finally. Tasha doesn't even swat at her everytime she walks by and they ahve take to both snuggling up next to me at night side by side... Its so cute and of course I am lovin it totally...

Life is good today very Good....My chore list is shrinking, my Tasha is home, My Puddles has been doing better and I'm nearly ready for my second hand surgery...knowing it is only a few more months and both my hands will be useable... boy does that sound wonderful!

With that note I will bid you all a Good Week ahead filled with lots of happy moments!

Fall Blessings
Tonya

The Good, Bad & Ugly of September 2012~Thank God I'm the Winner

Hi Everyone...Not sure where to start First I have so much to tell you. First I want to Thank Karen from "My Colonial Home" for having a great giveaway. I'm so excited because I'm one of the lucky Winners. I don't win things very often. Perfect timing to put a smile on my face...Thanks Karen...I hope you are feeling better..

Yes you are seeing right... that is a picture of my Tasha Kitty that I told you went missing Sept 18th. I am happy to tell everyone that she has been rescued.

I thought my year from hell was over with but of course that was not the case. I love my critters with all my heart but Tasha disappearing was horrible & beyond stressfull. A recap of the last 16 days.

Sept 18 Very sad ..My Tasha Kitty darted out my trailer door on Kelleys about 11 Saturday night. Normally she sits on the step or under the trailer for an hour & comes back in. Well not this time...she just vanished, disappeared, gone. Several people helped me look for her but as of today she's still missing. I fear that the Coyotes may have gotten her. I'm heart broken with grief..she was my buddy!

 

Everyday that I've been on the Island I have searched no less then two hours a day with no sign of her in sight. I Hung flyers all over the Island, in the stores, at the marina's, at the Post Office..everywhere.

 

Sept 26    Kitty spotted on KI maybe my Tasha. I got a call today from a friend on the Island who seen one of the flyers with Tasha's picture on it. She thinks that she has seen Tasha in her back yard twice. She said...

the kitty she seen kinda walked funny with a sway in her gate & Tasha deffinately walks & runs funny. Good sign #1. Said this cat was tall & lanky with tiger colored long tail & back end .. good sign #2. Said cat headed back toward where my trailer is ..good sign #3. Said cat was eating bird seed she had thrown out..wierd but Tasha likes seeds.. good sign #4. Said she has never ever seen this cat before..good sign #5
I'm going back to the island early with traps to set close by her house. Its the only way I can think to catch her if she is afraid & lost. God willing this kitty she has seen is Tasha.

 

Sept 27  I couldn't leave right away because we were in the middle of canning AppleButter..We canned 68 jars of Apple Butter & 10 quart bags of Chunky Applesauce yesterday. OMG it smelled so good cooking & tasted out of this world good! My first real test using the left hand. Its sore today but it's worth it....there will be many slices of homemade bread going to be covered with fresh applebutter all winter long....Yummy Yummy!! Thank God for the distraction of spending time with my sister n law making the Apple Butter...

 

Sept 28..I am packed and heading North bright and early to the island with Traps & a cage to try to trap the cat that has be sited. Set the traps as soon as I got unloaded & unpacked. Now the waiting game!

 

Sept 29 Traps were empty..Very Sad!

 

Sept 30 ..Update on the siting & Trapping of a Kitty everyone hoped was Tasha. Around 9:30 last nite my senses told to check the trap right now... so off I went. Sure enough there was something in the trap. My heart leaped w/ hope but somehow i knew it wasn't Tasha before i even got there. As soon as I opened the van door & heard the crys I knew it wasn't her and my heart sank. But it was the Kitty everyon...

e had sited & she looked amazingly very much like Tasha....! I brought the cage back to the trailer, slid some food & water in for her. Came in the trailer, gave her 20 minutes to eat. She ate all the food & then I released her back into the Wild. As she ran off I sat down on the steps broke down & bawled my eyes out..Then reset the traps hoping agaist hope that Tasha is still out there somewhere lost.
Sadly that same sense that sent me to the Trap last night keeps telling me she's gone & its time for me to accept it. Sometimes I love that 6th sense of mine and other times I totally hate it. Especially when I know it 99% right every time...

 

I had Dr & dentist Appointments all week so I headed back home Monday morning so down and out but still hopeful...

 

October 3  The first Good news came After being missing for 16 days. She was spotted by a landscape mower ... at a rental house 3/4 mile from the Trailer 4 days ago. She seen a kitty with a Red Bandana run under the garage. When she went to the post office she seen the picture & told Jean the postmaster who called me right away. Jean went to try to catch her for me but Tasha would have nothing to do with her but she verified it was her. She fed & watered her. Called me again to verify Yes it is her for sure.
I packed up & beat butt to the ferry & arrived at 1:30. I unpacked my things & Mama kitty an headed to the house she was seen last. Wasn't sure what to expect or if she was still there. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt...I went prepared to spend the day if she was to afraid to come out.
It was a glorious moment as I got out of the van, started calling Tasha Tasha Tasha & as I rounded the corner there she was..
She started her purring..walked towards me then turned and walked away...I kept saying her name and she turned around, took two steps &  took a flying leap right into my arms, put her paws out & wrapped them around my neck like she does and clung to me so hard she left 10 big claw digs on my neck.... funny I didn't feel it as I was so happy to see her.. She purred, kneading bread on my neck, touched my face & nusseled my neck.. she wasn't going to let go of me no matter what!

I can't remember a happier moment in a long long time.

 

Of Course I'm bawling my eyes out with Happy tears the whole time..We sat in the van for a long time just calming both of us down & sharing 16 days of being seperated... God I love that Cat!

She was very nervous & when a car went by I thought she was gona jump out of my arms she was shaking so bad...Poor thing...god knows what she has been threw the last 16 days...

I took her with me to show her to all the people who helped me find her and thanked each of them with a huge Hug & Thank-you.

When I got her home I checked her over & found several bite marks on her hip & back. I cleaned them up and they are looking fine now but she jumps if ya touch them.

She has lost at least 5 pounds so she is really skinny will need lots of good food.
I spent the day just holding her & playing with her reuniting with her. She loves to be bundled in a blanket or my T-shirt wrapped up around her if we are just sitting..and she has pretty uch wanted to be held & bundled with her paws wrapped around my neck.....Friday night we fell asleep with me holding her, paws around my neck all bundled at 9:30...when I woke up we hadn't moved she was still next to me and it was 9:30 Saturday morning... I think we both slept off 16 days of stress worry, fear and loss....

So all I can say is Get your Dancin Shoes on we've still  got a Celebration going on & you're all invited to help us Celebrate!! Stand up~Clap your hands & Do the Happy Dance!
TASHA IS SAFELY HOME!

 

Not much else going on in my life...Today I'm helping my girlfriend clean & organize her GreenHouse for winter... Its a beautiful day to spend doing just that...so I'm excited!

 

I bought a new Laptop that I saved a year for so tonight I'm trading one of my know it all computer
friends dinner in exchange for setting up and teaching me how to use Windows 7 on the new puter...I will be like a 1st grader learning to read my first sentence...lol... but at least I have someone to help guide me threw it...so maybe I will make it to 2nd grade in one day...lol...

 

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend gathering some wonderful fall memories!!

 

Prim Blessing

Tonya

 

 

 

Karen's Challange "How did I come up with my Blog Name"

Hi Everyone...I've decided to join in Karen's Fun challenge and fill you in on How I came up with my Blog name.
It would have been really fun if I could have done a whole row of My Primitive Creations across the top..but since I couldn't I picked one of my favorite creations.
I've been crafting/creating things since I was just a kid. When I first started doing shows & selling on Ebay it was easy choosing a name. I wanted a name that described what I did so I named myself *MyCreations*.
When Carmen started decorating her home in Primitive Style she talked me into creating Prim Decor.
Once I started creating Prim Decor I realized I wanted my name to reflect both what I did and the period for my creations so I changed everything on Ebay to My Primitive Creations by Tonya. Once I was established creating and selling Prim Decor Carmen talked me into learning to Blog so that I could see what others were creating and to meet people who liked Prim decor.
After getting over the fear of tackling yet another piece of the Internet world I took the plunge and started Blogging two years ago November 2010.
I was scared to death to Blog because I can create just about anything but doing things on the computer still ielude me totally... setting up my Blog was so complicated for me. Actually its still complicated which is why I haven't changed my blog page in two years.
It was simple for me to carry my Ebay Selling name over to my Blog because I wanted to share the prim Decor I was creating and I wanted feedback from others who were into Prim Decor as well as get idea's from that feedback. I also hoped that my Blog would help interested buyers to find My Primitive Creations by Tonya easier when they were out there searching the net.

My Blog has been everything I'd hoped and more. It has boosted my sales, its given me so many ideas to use when creating my prim decor & its filled my world with so many new and wonderful friends!

Blessings
Tonya

Got a Minute..Much has happened since I last visited all of you..

Wow some blogger I am...I truly didn't realize I've been away so long...Happy Friday night to all of you out there. I've missed you all & have wanted to find a minute to post but so much has been happening there just hasn't been the time.
Quick update on the hand surgery... My hand is healing nicely...I think that I can say that I've gained back 85% use of my hand and fingers ..YeeHaw..Still some minow pain in the plam & middle finger. doing exersises daily to regain full use of the hand. Absolutely NO MORE NUMB fingers..another ..YeeHaw!
I haven't been able to do much in the shop but I've got supplies galore to start creating.
I did manage to finish a New Gathering LOL.... it only took me a month.
~Primitive Sewing room Gathering~


Peg found several Old Quilts at an Auction that I'll be lisiting soon.
Here's a little Sneek peek! If your interested feel free to contact me.

Quilt #1   Measures  86" x 86"

Quilt #2   Measures  107" x  93"

Quilt #3   Measures 135" x  90"

Quilt #4   Measures 93" x  88"


Peggy also created two Halloween Witches Brew Covered Cookbooks
If you would like to have one made to order Please Contact me.
Most of you have heard me talk about my Best Friend Puddles!


If not Puddles is my 15 year old Sheltie that goes everywhere I go.
I'm sad to say he hasn't been doing very well. He's nearly totally blind,
and deaf but that didn't stop him, but over the last month he has been really sick.
He started having accidents in his sleep & then he got the diarrhea. then he started
falling a lot. So off to the vets we went. He ran blood test for Kidney & Liver disease,
as well as Thyroid & Diabetes's.
Mostly the blood test came back good, No kidney or Liver disease, No Diabetes's.
But your not going to believe it but his thyroid came back Hypothyroid,
not enough Thyroid hormones just like his momma.
Can you believe that..poor little guy I know just how he feels..Now he has to take meds too.
We go back next week to run a couple more test and talk about his meds.
He's getting old & it worries me that his time in nearing an end. So he could use some of your prayers.

Just as I was adjusting to Puddles being sick and possibly having to put him down another tragedy hit.

Last Saturday night I opened the Trailer door to toss some pepsi cans in he can drum & Tasha Kitty bound out the door. Normally not a big deal she loved sitting on the step or chasing bugs in front of the trailer so I didn't think much of it other then I was tired & ready to go to bed. I stepped out to try to get her back in the house for the night and she took off running. So I decided to give her 5 minutes to romp around.
When I opened the door 5 minutes later she was no where in sight. Of course I called & called her looked everywhere but no where to be found. She had just vanished.. finally an hour later I gave up looking thinking she would return, meow & I'd wake up & let her in like she always does.

Sadly it is now nearly 1 week later & endless hours of me searching & others on the island searching the Island trying to find her and she still hasn't returned. I'm crushed and broken Hearted that there is every chance she will never return.
There are Eagles, Hawks and Coyotes all over the island, anyone of them may have gotten her.
Remember Mama Lisa & her Kitens?

We found homes for three of Lisa's kittens, several of the other Mother kitty's kittens & the mother cats. We had three kittens left and Lisa. So I contacted the Humane Society to see if they could help with fixing them and they put me intouch with Pet FBI who agreed to sponsered them since Mama Lisa was at one time Ferrel.
Yesterday I had to wake up before the Rooster crows so I could take the last three Kittens and Mama Lisa to the Humane Society to be fixed & get there shots.
Pet FBI paid for there surgery & shots. Huge Thanks to Pet FBI for helping out. Now finally there will be no more Kittens born from these four. Of course people will continue to drop off cats right and left but at least I was able to stop these four from making babies...
While they did there health checks they discovered that Mama Lisa had and Upper Respitory Infection. So they sent me home with antibiotics for her. Of course that meant that she had to come with us to the Island for the weekend so I cold make sure she got her meds.

Funny how things happen for a reason...Being so torn over losing Tasha I really had mixed feelings about taking Lisa with me to the Island...but then when Tasha wasn't sitting on the step waiting for me to come back my heart broke all over again... then last night as I sat on the bench at my table where Mama Kitty & Tasha would lay one on each side of me as I sat and worked on the computer..who jumps up in Tasha's spot and laid down......Sweet lovable Mama Lisa. She was purring and rubbing her head on my leg letting me know she loved me... Mama Kitty was in her spot on the other side...although my heart is still aching over losing Tasha there is no empty spot on the bench...or in my bed last night as both of them curled up next to me and they are both laying beside me as I write tonight...
Lisa can't replace Tasha but I love her just as much. I have a feeling she is about to become not only the shop kitty but the house kitty too..

Two weeks ago I decided to redo the Red neck shed...For those of you who don't know what the Redneck Shed is, its a large 10' x 10' wire Dog Kennel covered with tarps where I store supplies. I had bought one of those Gray pipe & Tarp like sheds but it didn't even last a year..so I decided to buy a second large dog kennel & extend the orginal kennel into a 20' x 10' RedNeck shed. It worked out perfectly because I also bought the pitched roof that goes with them. I hired the id down the road to work with me to put it all together. We managed to get it all built, covered it with new tarps and added a pallet floor so nothing will sit on the ground anymore, in one day. It looks so much nicer then what I had & so far no leaks at all. Then I spent two more days orgaizing all the totes, shelves & other misc. things inside it.
Sorry I forgot to download the pictures...
Then I spent several days organizing my shop that has really been neglected over the past 5 months.
Now all I need to do is get back in the shop and start creating again...

Sadly It will be a while longer before I will be able to create full force because my right hand surgery is scheduled for October 23 so that leaves me just three weeks to create & as I mentioned my left hand isn't 100% yet so still limited, but when the time comes I am set and ready to go.

So my dear friends I haven't forgotten you I've just been busy dealing with a whole lot of things. I do think about you all the time & look forward to winter when I have more time to spend blogging and catching up with everyone. LOL...normally I would never say looking forward to winter but indeed I now have a reason to say it ..spending time sharing and catching up with all of you in Blogland.

I must go for now I have an oder for 20 rice bags taht I need to get finished up this weekend..so I will bid you all a good Night and a Good Weekend making memories!

Prim Hugs
Tonya

SURGERY DONE-Now the waiting-OUCHIE

Hi...this is one finger peckin but wanted to say THANK U for the prayers and well wishes..I can always count on my wonderful friends here to lift my spirits.
The surgery...what an experience...they make your arm totally numb/dead.. I mean it is just dangling with no feeling what so ever from the shoulder down. So when I woke up it was all wrapped up in a sling. Doc comes in tells me it will be this way from 10 to 36 hours depends on how my body processes the drugs.

Then when he leaves the nurse comes in to release me and she says lets get you dressed...lol...now that was a hoot but really creepy at the same time. She takes the ole arm out of the sling and it just flops down to my side and kinda swings a little from side to side....as it hits my leg I think in my mind I should feel it but nothing...so strange..
So nurse holds up my shirt so my mind says lift arm into sleeve....nope not happening..so she lifts it up and puts it in and I do the other side...Ok shirt on..now the pants...oh good grief if I thought it has been hard to put on pants with numb fingers...let me tell you how difficult it is with a dead arm and a numb fingered right hand....impossible when you are still wobblely from surgery... I busted out laughing as I thought about how hard it was gona be at home alone when natured called...Thank God for the nurse...guess I'll worry about that when I get home just get me dressed and out of here I am starving and need a drink my mouth feels like it is stuffed with cotton balls....
Finally we are homeward bound...stopped 2 get pain killers and then we finally made it home.
The girls asked a million questions and wanted to see dangling arm ..it creeped them when they seen it flop down and just hang there...
After about an hour I had to go crash ..I was exhausted for one and my neck was killing me from the dead weight arm hanging in the sling. Igave in and went to my trailer and crashed till 7:00..

Surprise my body absorbed the drugs that numbed the arm pretty quick. I can move my fingers...but I'm thinking the dead arm was better cause the nore it wakes up the more it hurts and its a big hurt not a little hurt... Fine time for one of those pain killers...lol..well I've been one finger typing this post and the rest of my arm is almost totally awake and that painkiller is not doing a thing for the pain...OUCH-OUCH-OUCH
I think it is going to be one long night of thumping pain...but I will keep telling myself in a month this will be behind me and I will be able to feel the good things without numb-tingling and pain....
For now its grit my teeth take big breaths and get threw it.

Good night my dear friends....

Hugs and Blessings
Tonya

New Prim Gatherings~My Boat~Hand Surgery today!

It was a beautiful day here In Ohio Today as I sat pulling weeds..and admiring all of my Herbs and huge Sunflowers.. As I sat there I realized that I haven't posted in forever.. I just sort of disappeared.. I'm not sure why..I think taht I needed time to process everything that has come to be over the last couple of years and work on being me again...
So let me say Hello my dear friends I have so missed you and I'm sorry that I have been in my own little world for the past few months...I've stopped by and kept up with most everyone...just not posting..

I am happy to tell you all that I am feeling more and more like myself everyday...The Thyroid meds are doing there job..after the year from hell... I am so grateful...to be feeling normal again... I still have a long way to go to build my strength back up to par but I'm giving it my best..

I've spent most of my summer on Kelley's Island hanging out with my friends..its been great therapy for me!

I got the best news ever last Friday... My boat is finally fixed and ready to take her first trip out on the waters of Lake Erie...After waiting 3 years to get her finally fixed up and running again... I couldn't be happier!

Sadly tho I will have to wait for her to take that first trip across the lake...Tomorrow I go in to have my left hand operated on to fix the Carpel Tunnel, Dupuytrens Contracture, & the pinched nerve in my Elbow.
So there is no way I could handle taking Slightlytrashed out on the lake by myself...
But I'm looking ahead and thinking that by next spring both of us will be totally fixed and ready to tackle the lake and docking together...hehe!
Gives me motovation to work hard on building up my strength over the winter and when spring rolls around I'll be ready...

I haven't been able to do much creating with my hands being all Numb, tingling & hurting 24/7 but I've been doing some major thrifting and finding tons of goodies to create some awesome gatherings once my hands are all healed... So I'm totally looking forward to getting these Hand surgeries done and over with...
I gotta tell ya I miss my creating in the worst way...but all in good time all in good time!

I did manage to create a few gatherings over the past couple of months.

Primitive Pantry Message Board Gathering


Primtive Pantry Rack Apple Gathering


Primitive Necessary Room Gathering


Primitive Necessary Room Gathering


Primitive Americana Gathering


Time to call it a day 5:00 will be here in no time and then its off to the Hopsital for surgery at 7:30 so I must bid you all a Good Night....but until we meet again may your Day be filled with Sunshine and Happy Moments!

Blessings
Tonya

Ever Feel as if you'll bust if ya don't talk about Something??

Slightly is the Boat with the Blue Camper top

 

Good Middle of the Morning my friends...I wanted to say thank you to everyone who stopped by to wish me a Happy Birthday...It was great hearing from everyone!! I especially liked hearing how many of you related to and or liked my birthday post.

As you all know I've been stuck in funk for some time....  weeding my way threw all the things we go threw when we find ourselves moving from one place in our lives to a new place. I know that many of us have been in this situation and it is over whelming at times!

I like to think that we do get to know each other to some degree as we share different aspects of our life, our homes, our family's, our ups, downs and general struggles with every day life, our Jobs, our great finds at the thrift stores, visits with grand kids, our Happy moments all shared every time we come here to post..

 

I mentioned in my birthday post that I have found myself moving into a new season of my life..and facing it head on. That's not as easy to do as it is to write about it as many of you know from experience...some of us can move on easily some of us struggle to move on.. 

 

We all have dreams most of us never share them but we have them none the less.. Me I've always been an open person.. if you personally met me today you would find me to be the same person you met here..!

 

Some of my dreams have been realized over the years, many actually & for that I am very grateful and feel very blessed. In my youth I dreamed of being a mother and I was Blessed with my daughter Carmen. She filled my life with so much joy growing up.. then I was blessed with my foster children who taught me so much about love, who showed me how much I had to be grateful for as I watched them struggled to find there way in a world that took so much from them. they too were my teachers each of them..

 

Once my time raising children came to end and it was time for me to move on to a new season of my life it was simpler because I knew that it was my time...my time to see some of my personal dreams come true.

 

I wanted to do the things that as a parent you don't have the time or pleasure to do..I followed my dreams and I bought a boat so that I could spend time on the water..I love nature..the sun, the water, the Moon, the stars, I love that feeling of being free to just enjoy all the splendor of Gods creations .... being a lady Captain of my own boat gave me the freedom to enjoy all those things and so much more...

I was blessed with being the Captain off my own boat, spending my summers on Lake Erie & Kelley's Island every weekend from 2001 to 2010. I was one of the happiest people you could ever meet...

In 2010 my boat broke down and although I still lived on her that Summer she didn't run so there were no trips on the water..She was towed to the mainland in October of 2010 & taken to a shop to be repaired. I paid the man to repair her but he never finished the work.. Around the same time I started getting sick.

You all know all about that part of my life..

One of the things you don't know is that every day I prayed that my boat would be fixed feeling that even if I was sick I could still find some peace spending time on my boat with all my friends close by me. I dreamed it to be fixed, I begged the repair man to finish the work on her..but he never did..he took my money, did part of the work and then one day he was offered a job in Florida.. He delivered my unfinished boat to my driveway & off to Florida he went...

There are many things that can break your heart & I've been broken hearted over losing my boat...but the dream that some way, somehow she would get fixed was never far from my thoughts..in fact it was those thoughts & dreams that someday I would once again be free on the water in my boat that got me threw so much over the past two years...
Well there is Good News folks ...A friend offered to fix my boat & picked it up two weeks ago..he has been texting me daily with the progress. Slightlytrashed is the name of my boat..fitting don't you think...lol...

The last Text said:

'Slightly's Engine turned over today & she runs!..I hope to take her out and test her this week on the water and if all goes well I will be bringing her to the Island August 12th. 

I never cried such Happy Tears in my life..well I probably have, but as I cried over yet another dream coming true it seemed like the best Cry I've ever had...I've been in heaven thinking about SlightlyTrashed actually running after nearly 3 years, about being on the water with the wind in my face and the sun on my back, of being in the Casino Dock with all my boater friends and sleeping on her...

 

Then today I realized something that sent me into a tailspin...scared me to death and actually took my breath away and I cried again.. How am I going to Captain my Slightly..How will I untie her lines and get out of the dock on the mainland side?

Oh I can drive her across the water bad hands and all, but what happens when I get to the dock & I can't dock her because my hands are such a mess?

How will I grab my lines as I pull her into the dock, jump off her and tie her up by myself like I have always done, when I can't even feel the lines let alone hold onto anything right now..not to mention the weakling I've become?

Then I'm scheduled to have my first surgery on my left hand August 22 just 10 days after Slightly is supposed to go back in the water..there is no way I will be able to dock her then...

It's horrible to realize a dream only to have it shattered knowing that even if I get to take her out on the water I won't be able to do it alone....

This is a huge challenge for me ..one I'm not sure I am willing to forfeit but one I am not sure I'm able to accomplish alone... god can help me ready myself giving me the encouragement to build my strength up with a promise of happiness again on SlightlyTrashed as I struggle to find my dream but he can't drive the boat and dock it for me..

Two years ago I was a strong lady physically and emotionally..my health wasn't perfect but it wasn't what it is today..Is God telling me you can do it or is he telling me Slightly is fixed it is time to sell her and move on...find a new dream... I'm not sure I'm willing to accept that.. but I also know I'm no where near the person I was two years ago and for now I have to focus on getting my hands back in working order before I can chase any of my dreams, be it Boating or Creating Prim Gatherings.. !

 

I do know one thing I can still close my eyes and see myself riding across the lake in Slighty smiling from ear to ear as the wind takes my breath away and the water sprays across my back..I feel the rock of Slightly as if I were sitting on her and I can hear the slap of the water on her bow as I drift off to sleep!

 

Looks like I have my work cut our for me if I'm ever going to ever be CaptainBlondee again!

 

Sorry this was such a long post but I had to share my thoughts...have you ever had to looks yourself in the eye and realize you have a choice? Like I said in my birthday post I'm a fighter and I look forward to the future...I can only hope and pray that god is bringing home my dream he will give me the courage and the strength to fulfill the dream I've dreamed for the past two years!!  

 

Thanks for coming to visit and until we meet again may all your dreams be realized too!

 

Blessings

Tonya