Stocking.

Last year I shared with you the stockings my mom has made for nearly everyone in our immediate family. Here's the latest one she's made for my nephew, which he just received as a birthday gift.

This little bunny is my favorite part of the piece!

I love it. We are so lucky that she has made us these heirlooms.

We're having a pretty quiet weekend. Today Mark and N might go to Chicago for the day. I'm almost fully recovered from the surgery. I just have one area that is still sore and cramps up when I do too much. By the end of the day I am pretty tired, but thankful that this recovery was so much easier than the last one.

My sweet boy.

Last week N spent several days at my mom's. In playing around with him, I told him maybe he shouldn't go because I'd miss him too much. He looked at me very seriously and said, "You'll always be in my heart, Mama."

I'm so lucky to be his mom.

Cuff bracelet.

This is what I've been working on while recuperating. It looks pretty nice as is, but it's nowhere near finished.

During my class at Bead & Button in June I saw someone wearing a really interesting cuff bracelet. It turned out that it was a design by Rachel Nelson-Smith. I tracked down Rachel because I knew that sometimes instructors sell kits during break times. I was in luck; she let me buy the Ootheca Cuff Bracelet kit.

Back to beading...

Meet Billy and Billy.

You may recall that a long, long time ago I bought a book for making animals out of gloves and N and I set to work on making a dog. And then I didn't really mention it again because I hadn't done any more work on it. At one point, N got impatient and decided to make his own turkeys out of gloves.

Even that amount of guilt didn't make me pull it out to work on it.

Thank goodness for grandmas. When my mom was here helping me out, N decided he wanted to do some sewing and we suggested that she might want to finish the dog that I started while he made one of his own. Thank goodness she agreed; the poor dog had been without limbs or a head for far too long.

N even fashioned a pair of felt pants for his dog. He's named them both Billy.

He has plans for making other animals in the book. I think I'll just help him make his own next time. He's much faster than I am anyway!

In other news, I saw the surgeon today for the post-op appointment and he said everything looks beautiful. That was music to my ears! I have to go back in one year for a final checkup.

Woo hoo!

Bruised.

Check out the bruise I have on my arm. It was totally black the first day I was home. This actually looks good. I felt like a pincushion in the hospital.

N and I ventured out at lunch time to see if I could drive or not. I have one area that's still pretty painful; luckily we weren't going very far. I was hoping it would be easier than it was. I was exhausted when we got home. It's funny how little things that you do every day can be so tiring when you're not at your best.

N is spending the next few days at my mom's. I'll miss his company. Plus, he's been a really big help since I can't move around easily yet.

Tomorrow I see the surgeon for a post-op checkup.

Getting by.

The hernia surgery recovery is taking a little longer than the doctor predicted. I'm more mobile now, but still have a few areas that are pretty painful. And if I walk too much I get a charley horse in my stomach. Ouch!

My mom has been here almost every day (thanks, Mom!) and Mark and N have been taking good care of me, too. Since I am once again sleeping in the recliner (ugh!) they are sleeping with me in the family room again. In fact, they're both sleeping in here while I'm writing this. I wish they'd wake up already - it's almost 6:30 a.m. How long do they need to sleep? :)

I feel pretty okay while sitting in the recliner, which makes for really long days. Luckily I have Nurse Frida by my side to make me smile when I'm feeling bored and frustrated.

Photo from Ginny's blog

My lovely friend Ginny made her for me. Go check out her monkey shop. Nurse Frida really cheered me up. Isn't she the cutest?

Jamee gave me a Kick Ass Blogger award. Sweet. You can read all about it on her blog. That was a really nice surprise.

I've done some shopping while sitting here, too. Ah, the convenience of the Internet. I've actually started my Christmas shopping. I know, you might be cringing at the thought of it, but I've had plenty of time to get it started.

I might have found one or two things for me, too.

Screenprinted handbag from Ad Love

Beekeeper Earrings from Leaves of Glass

Let's see...what else have I been doing? I watched the first season of Hell's Kitchen. I've done some reading. I finished The River King by Alice Hoffman. She's one of my favorite authors.

Oh yes, and I am doing some beading. I'm working on a bracelet kit from Rachel Nelson-Smith that is a whole lot of work. I thought I'd be able to finish it while I'm stuck in the recliner, but I am starting to think it will take a lot longer than that. I'll try to take a photo of my progress when I'm a little more mobile.

Thanks so much for all of your comments and well wishes. They are the highlights of my day.

I hope Mark and N wake up soon.

One day at a time.

Just popping in to let you know that I came through the surgery okay. I had stay in the hospital Friday night because my heart rate was very high. They felt I needed additional fluids. I was glad to stay for the stronger pain medication! :) I was surprised at how much pain I was in.

The surgeon said there were actually two hernias; one in my belly button and one above it. He also said it looked like what happened was that the infection after the last surgery ate through the sutures, causing the incision to open up. That was the surgery that just kept giving.

So this week I'm taking it easy. Mark took care of me all weekend. My mom is coming over this week, and N is also home and being a big help.

Thanks for all your well wishes. I really appreciate your positive thoughts.

A break.

I'm afraid I need to take a little break from the blog. I have to have another surgery next Friday (August 8), this time to fix an umbilical hernia resulting from the last surgery. The recovery time should be about a week. Then I'll need to focus on getting N. ready to go back to school. Hard to believe summer break is almost over for him.

Clear quartz and sterling silver.

I will try to pop in quickly to let you know how the surgery went. I should be back in full swing with the blog by the end of the month.

Until then...