Welcome to my new knees!!!

Time for an update--where does the time go? I'm progressing faster than anyone expected through my double knee replacement surgery and have been driving now for a week! Oh-the joy!
I'm an independent cuss, and although my Son and Daughter were a huge help when
I needed them, I'm so happy to be tooling about on my own.
If there's anyone out there with two bad (bone on bone) knees like me.....get them both done.
You won't regret it. The healing for two is the same as for one and getting both done stops
you from depending on that bone on bone leg to do the work.
'Nuff of that boring talk.
I'm getting back into my class routine and will be teaching an art pin class this coming Tuesday.
I'm also going to be moving into my final and permanent address the end of this month.
Then this hectic year will be over. Holy Cow!......will I be happy :-)
I'll be posting some new photos of my work as soon as I can. I've spent a lot of time healing
in bed, then on my recliner and have been crocheting farmers market bags to keep busy.
Now I hope to get to working on lots of my unfinished projects after I move.
Cheers everyone!
Phyllis

2008--a year to remember!

Oh my gosh.....what a year!   Lost my condo and all contents to a fire in Jan.  Moved into an apartment in Feb.  and just got both knees replaced in August!   I think that's enough in one year for an old broad like me!.   I've got several weeks of physical therapy and can't drive until October, so am pretty much house bound until I can jump in my little Saturn and get back to teaching my classes at a local quilt shop.   In the mean time, I have 3 on line classes to take, several class samples to create for my new classes and a bunch of telephone work, getting ready to move to a manufactured home community before Halloween.  Then----after all the smoke has settled, I'll really welcome some sort of a stable routine...and will even welcome the quiet stillness that winter can bring.

My Son and Daughter have been helping me with my grocery shopping and hey!!!!  I have a perfect excuse to live in p.j's and a robe all day!  Eventually, I'll be adding some new pictures to 

my blog and will be all caught up by years end.  No time for the wailing and gnashing of teeth---I have new knees to look forward to......and walking like a "normal" human being.....pain free!

Thanks to all your encouraging messages.

Phyllis (aka Fiberphyl)

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SLOWLY GETTING MY LIFE BACK

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I think it's time for a new entry.  4 months have passed since the fire.  All 

the units were so badly destroyed that the association members voted not 

to  rebuild.  So far, State Farm has taken good care of me and I'm comfortably 

settled in an apartment until further action takes effect as to the mortgage 

payoff and more insurance claims, etc.

Every day I think of something I lost that was precious to me and impossible to 

replace.......then I have to remember my favorite Grandma Moses quote:

"Life is what you make it.  Always has been and always will be"..... or words to 

that effect.  

So, it's time to do just that.... make my life, starting at a new place and continuing 

on from there.

I'm teaching my classes at the local quilt shop and keep busy with my post card 

swap groups and enjoying my life's blessings of a wonderful family, good friends and great children and grand children.  After all, when it comes to the bottom 

line, these things matter the most.

 

UP IN SMOKE

On the evening of Jan. 20th, everything I owned was lost in a fire that took down all the units in both buildings of my condo complex, putting over 100 people out on the street. The fire started from a short in a bathroom ceiling fan in a unit in a seperate building from mine.

I was insured, and but for that would probably be totally at odds and not knowing my next step.  My insurance company stood by me...put me in the Marriott Residents Inn and cut a check so I could meet my immediate needs of food and clothing.

My Son and Daughter and Daughter in law were and have been of enourmous help to me and I've had my sisters for long distance support as well.

I've discovered that I'm a very fortunate person.  My former workplace collected quite a bit of money for me (I've been retired for 3 years now)...and I've received wonderful cards and packages from my post card groups.  A few nights ago my local art group held a "shower" where I received so much fabric and notions that it took me 3 trips with my car (which came to no harm in the fire)to get it all to my efficiency suite.  It's now filling a coat closet!...bags on bags of stash builders.  

I regret the loss of all my photos and some special gifts given to me by family and friends....but the rest, I've discovered is replaceable and rather fun to shop for.

I can't waste my time feeling all sorry for myself...it won't change the situation or bring things back.  As soon as I saw my condo unit on fire, with the windows blown out from the heat, I had to resign myself to the fact that things would be different for a while.

I've never been one for antiques or precious jewels and furs....

anyway, as you can see, I've already replaced my computer and am back up and running.

I'll move into an apartment while waiting to hear if the condos will be re-built and once settled, will be fine and dandy.

So...take a lesson from me. Be insured!..it's the only thing that's gotten me through the financial end of rebuilding a life.