Christmas is coming, the Goose is getting fat. . .

The Stockings are hung on the mantle with care

Mark Meyer's Christmas Stocking design from his pattern site; and,  Candy Cane from Kaye Judte's recent book:  " 'O Little of this and  'O little of Tat"  (which gives needle instructions, also)   I used Flora red and Lisbeth snowy white, and a scrap of green Valdini thread I had on hand.  I did a very average job of tatting on Mark's fine stocking; and that candy cane!  What a can of worms and it 'seemed' so easy.

Needed a quickie bookmark for The Tatting Forum's November Bookmark and because so much life has been happening and I've been so distracted by negative challenges;  I came upon this 1994 pattern by Bonnie Benilla of her Sassi Serpent.  I used Zarina's HDT (from the garden path series, I forget which one).
Bonnie used those 'googlie eyes' from the craft shop (it was for a child, I guess).  But I don't like beads on bookmarks, so picots will have to do for my Serpent's eyes.

WHY did I pick a serpent when there are so many fall themed bookmarks?  In 1997 after our big flood, I was out at the ranch.  It was a cold,  overcast day, the ceiling was still dripping flood waters, there was an unsettling silence shattered only by DH and his friend, Jim who were trying to salvage what was left of our home.  I had on layers and layers, to ward off a chill, topped by a hood.  As I walked up the driveway I passed under my beloved, huge mulberry tree.

Thud!  Something fell on my head, I thought it was a small tree limb and reached up to brush it off.  Only it slithered down my hood and lay upon my shoulder.  I was so angry at this final insult to my home and being, that I knocked it off my shoulder and yelled, "I need a shovel…get me a shovel".  The guys were alarmed at my yelling at them but by the time they arrived,  I'd retrieved a shovel from the garage and dispatched the snake.  It was over three feet long and apparently was quite cold and had lost its grip on the tree.  Fortunately, it was not a rattler (which abounded after the flood). Jim said dryly, "That may be an endangered specie."  I looked him square in the eye while standing over the chopped up bits of snake, "Well, if it falls upon me, it is definitely endangered."

One thing I love about the Southwest is we do not experience those grey, grey depressing days.  We have rain during sunshine!  At least here on the ridge, I  see low clouds on the nearby mountains, not fog.
Yes, it gets cold and sometimes we have snow; but, all in all there are four gentle seasons.   I've lived here on the ridge for almost six years and have yet to see a snake.  I've seen javalina (peccary family), deer, coyote, fox, bear, wolf, roadrunners, humming birds, quail and once an Ostrich at the side of the road.
Oh okay ~ the Ostrich had escaped his pen, but still. . .

So, here is my Sassy Serpent for November.  A friendly, colorful serpent; nothing like the snake that decorated my shoulder.

I have not spoken of this at large, only a few tatters really know the extent of my health challenge this last year or so.  At that time I was told that I needed to begin dialysis for radiation nephrology; and, that the condition was terminal.    I decided, at that date, to forego such painful treatment and procedures and receive palliative care from my primary physician.

However, this decision was based upon the metaphysical moron who said I was, "To old for a transplant." In point of fact, I am not a candidate because of my prior cancer history and suppressed immune system.
Further this obnoxiously oblivious individual said, "You'll come begging for dialysis, honey," (it was the 'honey' that got me)!  He offered no information regarding renal diet, symptoms and did not answer any direct questions.  And he considers his trips to Silver from Albuquerque as, "My charity work" (at 480.00 an hour)?

 We've been watching the creatin and bun rate climb.  When I had the surgery in California it had gone to 4.9 and my kidneys were functioning at 6 percent. My surgeon and friend Dr. Schwartz was distraught!  I bought two cookbooks for renal failure/diabetes and my granddaughter, bless her heart, has been planning and preparing meals from them since we returned from Tucson.  The meals have been quite good because she introduces various spices and herbs which gives taste to otherwise bland foods.  


I've only returned one un-tasted dessert (a rice dessert); and, broke my own cardinal rule, "Take a no thank you portion."I apologize Rebekah!  Publicly!  It was very rude of her grandmother to just send the dessert back untouched -- it was a un feeling act on my part.

My DH and my Dad love/ed rice puddings.  I have a low tolerance for rice ~ and I can't have fried rice but do like a good white or brown rice with cranberries in it ~ like Rebekah makes.

ANYWAY (I digress) because my friend Bob in Venezuela sent me a lot of urls and did the basic research, with a not so vague threat of coming and "getting in your face," I decided to make an appointment in Tucson with the nephrologist I met while Loyal was having the aortic valve done.   Depending upon how much information I can glean from Dr. O'Brien (he is Irish through and through) I can at least make a semi-intelligent decision.  There IS a dialysis clinic in Silver; and, I've read that being on dialysis does not mean that I can never leave Silver City (a chilling thought).  I'm not interested in being 'tied to a machine' in my 74th year and henceforth.  And there will be two shunts.  Do they show?  Are they horrid to take care of?
Can I travel?   These an other questions will have to be answered before I put myself at the mercy of physicians and technologists.    I would appreciate your prayers.  I have no fear of death, I never have had as it seems a transition in my life journey and I trust God's wisdom and guidance; consequently, how can I not trust Him with eternity?  We all walk on the "edges of His ways"-Amy Carmichael.

BACK to the Christmas tatting…12 Days of Christmas, here I come.  We will see how this project fares since it is secondary to the rosary that I'm tatting for Luz.   My tatting projects seem very immediate to me now and I find I'm choosing the things I've wanted most to tat.  I really wish someone in my family had REALLY wanted to learn to tat ~ not as a curiosity but as a need to continue this fine art form. I remember how desperately I wanted to learn with not a tatter within my sight around 1994.  It took me another 5 years to begin to find out how to begin!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We two are alone again this Turkey day, but we began as a couple and it is okay to end as such.  I do love turkey breast and cranberry sauce; even though pecan pie is no longer on my plate!  LOL