Saturday, January 30, 2016

Blessings in Disguise?

My house is clean, groceries are purchased, and I've been cooking and baking like crazy this week. I planned it all out to make sure that everything at home glides smoothly along during my hospital stay and for the first week or two after I get home. I was so well organized with my to do list. What could possibly go wrong?

Famous last words. How did I get trapped in an episode of "I Love Lucy?


One "oops" after another.

Oops #1. Surgery is on Monday. I'm supposed to come home on Wednesday and, as my husband is unable to come to the hospital, my children have been planning to take turns sitting with me Monday evening and most of Tuesday. Now, the weather forecast calls for a blizzard and heavy snow on Tuesday. Eight inches or more, they say. The worst storm of the season, they say. Good grief!

Oops #2. Snow always blows down from the roof and lands right in front of our door and makes deep drifts on our driveway. Ed, who does our snow removal, had surgery yesterday. He'll be available in about six weeks.

Oops  #3. I broke my oven. Honestly. I broke it. It happened like this. I took the blueberry pound cakes out of the oven and turned it off, but, I turned the knob to "self clean" rather than "off". (Why are those two settings right together like that?) Then, instead of hitting "end" to stop the self cleaning, I accidentally hit "start". The door began to lock, so I panicked and yanked it open. I hit "end" again. And again. The oven was getting hotter. So, I raced downstairs and switched off the fuse for the range. After a few minutes I reset the fuse. The oven cooled down, but the lock mechanism for the self-clean is frozen. It sticks out and the door can't close all the way. 

Oops #4. I called the appliance repair folks. With parts and labor charges, replacement of the lock mechanism on the oven is about the same cost as buying a new range! 

Oops #5. I was all done with the second kitty block for the 2016 quilt along. I thought it was a darling block, so I showed it to Shelley, my cat loving friend. "Oh, how adorable," she exclaimed. Then she leaned back and frowned. "Those are awfully big pencils," she said, "or the kittens are awfully tiny. But it's still cute." Oh dear. Back to the drawing board. 
Pencils too fat? Kittens too small? Maybe both.
Blessings in Disguise 

Blessing #1. On Tuesday, I will be in a place with food, electricity, and all the help I need.  My children have promised to stay home and safe if the roads are bad. We have phones to keep the hubby up to date. :)

Blessing #2. My neighbor with the snow blower has offered to help out and clear our driveway and sidewalk of snow! Good neighbors are a true blessing.

Blessing #3. The burners on the stove work fine, so, although baking came to a halt, I made potato-bacon soup and two stove-top casseroles. In the process, I invented a new casserole recipe that my hubby really likes.

Blessing #4. I'm getting a new range! My range is ancient. The oven temperature is uneven and one burner is unpredictable, but I've been putting off replacing it. Delivery is scheduled for Thursday, the day after I come home from the hospital.

Blessing #5. I've started fiddling with the quilt block design a bit today and I'll have some time to work on it tomorrow. The pattern will be delayed until later in the month, but it will be so much better with everything more proportional.

A final blessing - 
Slowly, but surely, we are moving toward spring. 
February, the month of love, is only two days away!!





14 comments:

  1. Well, as I just accidently deleted the blog post I was just about to upload (grrrr)I'll try again! Pre-cooking meals is a great idea. Last year when I had surgery I announced to my young adult children that as my husband and I would be away for about five days they could make their own meals. Well, they didn't think much of that and managed to conn some money out of my husband's poor overworked and underpaid wallet. They then treated themselves to a diet of takeaways while I had hospital food and my husband ate soggy sandwiches from the vending machine! Well, I do hope you don't get snowed in - you've certainly had some wild weather in your part of the world! What a time for the oven to break down but as you say such a blessing to be getting a new one. We were without an oven for almost a year so when we finally replaced it we made lots of biscuits, muffins, scones, cakes and pizzas and I gained about two kilograms!! Yes, I see what your friend means about the kitties and the pencils mind you I would not have noticed as they're so cute anyway. I do hope that all goes well for your surgery and you make a speedy recovery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2 stringsJanuary 31, 2016 at 4:42 AM

      Oh, Sarah, deleting a post is awful! I've done that, and it's so frustrating. Your children must have been teenagers. Where would young people be without Dad's wallet and fast food? I've been so occupied with the craziness of this past week that the time has flown by, so it's probably been a blessing in itself. All's well that ends well. Thank you for the positive thoughts.

      Delete
  2. I follow you faithfully and shop, shop, shop in YOUR shop a lot!!! I'm so sorry you've been going through so much but my thoughts will be with you. I have gone through way too many surgeries in my 78 years ... when kids were babies and grown up. Life is a challenge but isn't it great?!! So blessed! Hope to see you up and about and at the computer / sewing machine soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for the kind thoughts, Rosemary. Growing older definitely has it's downsides, but there is still so much to see, to learn and to experience. With good friends and a sweet family I feel truly blessed. I should be back at work very soon. If nothing else, I need to use up some of my hoard of fabric! Keep well.

      Delete
  3. Sending good wishes and a speedy recovery. Enjoy the new range when it arrives and you are better.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wish I was closer and could bring over a warm slice to have with a coffee and a give you a hand and a hug. It's a long way to swim from Australia but my thoughts are with you in the coming days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coffee and a slice with you would be lovely. I'll make the cake, you bring the coffee Thank you for your good wishes.

      Delete
  5. Counting your blessings over your oops shows a real positive attitude. Wishing that everything works out for you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Denise. My daughter is on the way and I'll be off in just a few minutes.

      Delete
  6. Karen, good luck with your surgery and hope you are back on your feet very quickly. I came down with a nasty cold a couple days ago. Saw your chicken soup recipe and decided to make it today. Very, VERY good. Also purchased your pattern for the autumn table runner. I'm a beginner quilter and looking forward to making the runner. Thanks for the great recipe and get well soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Susan. Enjoy the soup, and get over that cold soon.

      Delete
  7. Oh my, what a week for you! I think the new block is adorable, although, yes, I guess I can see that those are awfully small kitties. LOL. My kitties, when I had them (sigh) tended to spend less time playing and more time sitting at the window carefully watching the birds flying around the feeder outside!

    Feel better soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sherryl. The new version of the block is much better proportioned. I'll finish it next week when I'm feeling a bit more energetic. Kittens become cats in no time, don't they?

      Delete