This month has been about snuggling indoors in front of the fireplace and tasseling. I'm technically a passementier as tassels are passementerie. I've been doing this all my life. As a child I started by making pompoms out of leftover yarn for shoes, ice skates and jacket zippers. I moved on to basic tassels. Life got busy and I didn't sit quietly to do hand work of any kind other than an occasional pen and ink drawing or needlepoint. I picked it back up six years ago and haven't stopped. It gives me a sense of peace and takes my mind off of any physical discomfort. In other words it's a direct path to my happy place. Oh go ahead, roll your eyes.

Like any artistic pursuit, I've slowly improved on my craft to execute more refined products. I started making the cords and skirts rather than relying on passementerie from sewing stores. I like being able to expand on the colors I can use. I have a micro-lathe to turn the forms as well.

These are for upcoming birthdays of Eric's sisters. I hope they enjoy them as much as I did making them.

I'm still wrapped in the warmth and joy of this Christmas season. The tree may be gone and the gifts put away but it was so much fun for me and held a special meaning. I started the creative process of individualized theme stockings back in July so when the time came for each family member to open their stockings I couldn't wait to see the reaction. I start with a movie and go from there. The stockings had to be BIG because over time all sorts of things can be found to support the theme. For example, my younger sister's movie was Enchanted. She can watch the movie while drinking Enchanted Chai Tea, applying lavender shea butter from Enchantress Body Shoppe or gazing into her enchanted lighted make up mirror. The best time I had was making a shadow box to house the gift certificate from Von Andrini who will cast her an "Enchanted Spell". There was more, of course, but even I couldn't remember all that was in each stocking as time had passed so I was just as entertained with the openings. Making and giving gifts like that pleases me greatly. My family made a heroic effort to travel through the treacherous weather to join me so I cooked up a storm and made everything as festive as possible. The love and closeness we have is precious beyond words.

This time it's my body that's going in for a little repair.

I'm putting my current experience onto this site not to garner sympathy but to let any woman out there, facing yet another bout with metastic breast cancer, that chemotherapy can help, be a good thing and not devastate one's life as I had always believed. I have had breast cancer since 1993 with ten years of great health. Six years ago I dealt with bone involvement that looked like I might not leave the hospital. Last November I had my spleen removed as it housed a tumor positive for breast cancer. I'd say it's a darn pesky disease. Now it's appeared in my abdomen and since I've never had chemo like this before I'm a good candidate. I won't be losing my hair and will work to stay on top of the nausea and other side effects. So far so good. Since I had a port placed in my chest that goes directly into the superior venae cavae, I just get plugged in and save my veins. Chemotherapy has had some improvements made to it and I'm confident that this will knock out whatever is going on in my digestive system. My doc says he can't cure me....dah...I think we all have gotten that message but I feel strongly that I can heal with the prayers, alternative therapies I do and the loving support of my family and friends.

So we left for Spokane early with it raining at home to find it a blizzard by the time we got to Sprague and all the way into the clinic. Eric's an excellent driver and the lux car did wonderfully!

Here's a picture of my port. It's called a Power Port. It's about the size of a silver dollar under the skin and looks a little like I've got the Staples "EASY" button sitting on my chest. I keep pushing it but so far no new laptops or flat screens have fallen out of the sky. It's a short stay surgical procedure under local anesthetic. It was completely healed in ten days and only a bit uncomfortable for four of them. It's worth doing.

So I entered the Chemotherapy Suite, took a seat and started the first round of CMF. I was the only healthy person in there so made an effort to beam out healing light to the really sick patients around me. I had an excellent nurse who also provided me with a chemo class so I'd know all about what was happening, why and how to deal with the after effects. Got lots of prescriptions for some very good drugs too. So no pain, no nausea, no problem.

So dear readers, if you think of me, think positive healing thoughts and see me rebounding to remodel, reconstruct and repair lots more in the coming years. I received, for Christmas from my sister, all the parts and pieces for starting a garden in the Goat Shed green house given to me as a present from Eric. He's still modifying it but it's looking great! What a wonderful guy.

For now I'm going to kick back, relax and enjoy the fruits of my labors on the house and property. It's in the teens outside, snowy and the pellet stove feels so good to curled up in front of with some new books.

Today it warmed way up to a balmy 14 degrees above zero so I announced to Eric that I had a yard hydrant repair kit. The look he gave me was priceless so I went on to explain that I was tired of thawing out the leaking hydrant in order to fill the stock tank and that was that. He'd been gone for a week and I had had to deal with minus 5 degree temperatures, worry about the thing bursting and mucking around with hot water and pliers in the dark. I had a case for going out into the cold snowy day to work. No big deal...just take it apart and put in the new plunger and O ring.

He had gotten a new set of Carhart coveralls from his mother for Christmas so this was the test to see if he was going to still be smiling at me at the end of the day. Nothing goes well in the cold when it comes to unthreading metal fittings...especially old corroded metal fittings. We decided that the whole thing was going to have to be removed from the ground in order to employ the vice in the shop. The ground is frozen, of course, so even that plan was a major undertaking.

After getting it out of the ground and into the vice, it was obvious to both of us that between the cold and our exhaustion, a trip to the hardware store and a new hydrant was the only sane way to satisfy this insane woman. He's still smiling at me.

No, I'm not getting a goat but if you've been following the stories here you know that I've named all the outbuildings. The goat shed has been on the my lists of to-do's for conversion to a greenhouse. A huge job requiring carpentry skills. It sits there looking a little forlorn in its disrepair but built strongly with a concrete floor and power. A yard hydrant sits right outside the door and the side with big gapping holes serving as windows faces southern sunshine.

Well, the goat shed is turning into a greenhouse without my even lifting a hammer or saw. Eric took the project on himself as a Christmas present to me. I'm not allowed inside but he took some pictures for me so I could put it on this site. The windows and door were standing unused and new, albeit a little dusty. He's been hard at work and I'm sure I see a little smile on its face.

We spent Thanksgiving with Eric's family on the coast which gave me a chance to go to Ikea for velvet curtains in a deep turquoise color. The price can't be beat for the great expanse of fabric. They are particularly long but the window in the front is tall. By raising the rod of the side window to match the height of the front one the effect becomes dramatic. Now it is more evident that a rug is missing so it's time to start looking. Also the quarter round molding at the floor needs to be reinstalled. It never ends but the process is what I adore anyway.

I'd read nothing but doom and gloom about Ford Escorts and timing belts. Having purchased this car used with 117,000 miles on it and not knowing any of its history prompted a constant concern that the belt could go at any minute. I rely on this car now more than ever as it gets 40 mpg (with very conscientious driving) and it makes long trips to Spokane fairly regularly. I convinced Eric that he must help to break bolts loose (at least) and to be moral support (at best). We started early on Saturday and found that, without throwing tools, the job is tough the first time. We left it in the shop after dark and returned to the house feeling a little defeated. I researched a Chilton manual and internet forums with the idea that we could start again in the morning and fix it for sure before going riding Sunday afternoon.

Since there is no timing that can be done after the belt is replaced then the exact timing has to be done with the crankshaft and camshaft in perfect alignment. The Chilton book doesn't really help and when a step is indicated there isn't much elaboration. This is when two heads are better than one. We finally got it aligned, belt  installed and running like a top. All with only one ratchet handle being thrown and a few choice words.....mine.

I told Eric he helped save me $300.00+ and contributed to my peace of mind to travel unimpeded a few thousand more miles.

My daughter gave me some liquid B12 complex to be taken under the tongue. If you've never taken a direct hit of B12 then be forwarned. High energy and unbridled list attacks are the result. Around 7:00 this morning I put a dropper full under my tongue. It took effect fairly quickly so that by 11:30 I had the windows washed inside and out, the new insulation plastic reinstated on six of the single paned windows and new curtains hung in the living room. It was kind of like being smooshed, spread eagle on the front of a train. There was no stopping the activity.

I had hoped to get the two single paned windows in the kitchen and the one in my room replaced with new double paned ones but I ran out of time and money. Okay, so it meant installing the shrinkable insulation plastic. I didn't have to think about it as my body was charged up and doing it before my mind had a chance to procrastinate even a smidgen. The two large windows in the great room needed new plastic and cleaning. Now we can clearly see what those horses and mule are up to. I had no idea they could square dance.

One can hardly tell the plastic is there but the difference in room temperature is amazing.

This isn't a how-to but I discovered today how to make four hours feel like one by having a yard burn pile. I think it has something to do with my compulsion to find just one more tumbleweed or fallen limb to put on the fire. This is the last of the yard clean up and work outdoors. The weather is changing and my desire is to stay cozied up indoors with creative projects.

I have Christmas wrapping to do. Yep, I'm done with shopping for this year. Last year I had an unhappy, uncomfortable Christmas so I'm determined to really enjoy this one. Amazon has been my partner in all this planning. No malls, no crowds, just the quiet little click of the keyboard and mouse in the early morning. Shopping online is also a way to make time fly. Yet, when I think of having had surgery last year at this time it seems like a long time ago. Time and its passage....weird.

It was nice to have a weekend to cook, eat and entertain. A quick visit by family and a couple days of lounging in front of the pellet stove. There was wind, rain and fog....good time to snuggle in with books and movies. This winter will be a piece of cake.

The bookshelf is done and the books almost all installed. It seems to me to be a natural addition and I really like it. Finishing the back (bathroom side) and adding a couple of vintage serape are the next steps to completion.

Eric has loaded up the young gelding and the camper for a trip to the coast. He'll spend a few days with his trainer, Bruce Hall, at the academy doing some fine tuning of Shrek (the gelding). He's left the ranch with the pellet stove loaded, more bags of pellets on the porch and me to enjoy a few days of solitude. I'll be entertaining to my hearts content so I'm back to the kitchen to cook for the weekend.

The back of the wall goes up and the braces of quarter rounds for the shelves are nailed into place. The braces are painted and stained.  Eric is very precise with his leveling so I'm left to applying product.  He's been getting ready to leave yet finds the time and energy to get this project done.  It is so appreciated by me.

Eric is back from his trip so the wall construction continues with application of product onto the beams and rear wall. It made such a difference. A pleasant difference. I wanted to avoid wood stain that was too dark and have that look of a 70's water bed frame. I think we achieved the right mix of linseed oil and Special Walnut stain from Minwax. The shelves and bracing will be stained with the same mix. The back wall is Autumn Sunset from Ace.

I was alone on the ranch this weekend and filled it with the completion of many small nagging projects not necessarily on the list. The bathroom trim painted, furniture rearranged, a new front porch light installed and the bird table moved. Best of all was the installation of a water filtration system in the kitchen.

I had the cistern and well water tested. The cistern is in dire need of cleaning as the water from the well is clean and bacteria free. It's on the list of big projects but one I'm dreading. I don't want to go down into that big dark wet space. Seeing what is going to come out of the bottom is a scary thought also. The hole created by mice so they could drop to their deaths wasn't repaired soon enough before the little critters had fouled the water. The filtration system keeps the crud out of my food and drinking water but I still have to get rid of the body parts. Ick. I do feel better now that the kitchen water and ice cubes are free of cysts, bacteria and mouse toes.

We extended the pasture out to the driveway not only to give more grazing room for the horses and the mule but to access a yard hydrant for filling the stock tank. Wow! no more hose to drain this winter. The handy and protected water source is going to make filling the tank in the frigid temperatures a piece of cake. It can snow, it can freeze, it can rain and it won't be a problem.