Thursday, December 30, 2021

SO THANKFUL

 As we are ending 2021, we have so much to be thankful for! It’s been quite a year! 

John had surgery at Mayo on December 7. They robotically removed a tumor from his throat and some from the base of his tongue. And a clump of 34 lymph nodes in his neck. Of these only one was cancerous. The surgery was 8 hours, longest 8 hours of my life! The amazing thing was, I was calm all day! Prayer has been my constant since this all started. God is good, I ask daily for him to take my worries and get me through what I am dealing with on that day. This cancer diagnosis was not something we thought we would ever have to deal with, but I am thankful for our never ending faith and the belief that God is always in control. We don’t know the reason John got, not one, but two cancers! But we do know God will get us through this! 

John was in the hospital for 3 days, with a feeding tube. The tube was removed before he left the hospital, and he was on a liquid diet, with a very sore throat and a tongue that didn’t move quite right. His diet was a lot of protein drinks, scrambled eggs, puréed fruit. He lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks. He doesn’t recommend this diet plan!! We stayed with our son and family, for 2 nights, they live an hour and half from Rochester. On Saturday we decided he was doing well enough to come home. Being in our own home was easier, and allowed me to sew while he rested. Sewing is my happy place! He had a drain tube in his neck, that was removed December 20. He was so happy to get that out! 

We went back to Mayo on December 20 for a follow up. At that visit he was told, he would get 6 weeks of daily radiation in his neck and a once a week chemo treatment for 6 weeks. We were hoping not to have to go that route. But because he has CLL, they want to aggressively treat the squamous cell, so it doesn’t come back. What do we have to be thankful for? I am thankful they got all the tumors, I am thankful for a team that specializes in treating these cancers. I am thankful for all our friends and family that continue to reach out to us and pray for us.

The last two days have been a struggle for me. John is my rock, he’s the one who goes out to work, fixes whatever needs fixing, my sounding board, my teddy bear when I need a hug or two, my everything!  Throughout all this it hit me hard how much I love this man! 

As I say goodbye to 2021 and hello to 2022, I am so thankful for the life I have and the people in it. And I look forward to many more years with John! 

Thursday, November 25, 2021

HAPPY TURKEY DAY

In an earlier post I told how my word for 2021 is “thankful “. We have so much to be thankful for, we just have to look around. When I chose it as my word, I didn’t realize it would test me the way it has. I chose it because with the virus and a huge disruption to our way of life, I felt I needed to look to the positive each day and not the gloom and doom our media was reporting. 

In October our life took me down a path I didn’t think I would ever go down. John found a lump on his neck in September, he finally saw a doctor on October 20. He had blood drawn, a chest X-ray and a CT scan of his neck. St Luke’s told him the lump was a cyst but the CT scan also showed spots that could be tumors. We asked for a biopsy of what they called a tumor. They said they would schedule it, but they also scheduled surgery to remove the “cyst” on November 11. They would determine what it was after they got it out. On November 1, they still had not given him a biopsy appointment,I called them and was told that person was out sick and they had no one else to schedule it. That I still don’t understand! I waited a few minutes after I got off the phone, and I called Mayo Clinic. They did not agree with the surgery on something that St Luke’s wasn’t sure what it was. Mayo gave him an appointment for November 8.

When we got to Mayo, they took more blood and the hematologist told us that the blood showed CLL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia. They ordered a full body PET scan to see what all was happening. The PET scan showed a lot of activity in the neck, which they said wasn’t CLL. They ordered a biopsy of one area in his neck. 

November 15 we went back to get the results of the biopsy. He was then diagnosed with squamous cell cancer of the neck and throat, and also has the CLL. What St Luke’s was calling a cyst is actually a cancerous lymph node. He is scheduled for surgery the beginning of December. They will remove the lymph node and hopefully all the tumor. And any other tumors, they said the surgery is a little bit exploratory too. I guess the neck is a complex area to do surgery. At that time they will also scrape his throat to see if there are cancer cells there. This will be tested while he is still sedated, if they find cancer in his throat,  they will try to remove it at that time. He will stay in the hospital three days and then hopefully home for two weeks, at that time he will go back for a follow up. 

Throughout all this, I thought, what do we have to be thankful for??

Well, I am so thankful I doubted St Luke’s and called Mayo. I am thankful for Mayo doctors and their knowledge. We feel John is in very good hands.  I am thankful for all our friends and family who pray for us daily. I truly believe God is in control of our lives. I am thankful for my faith and my trust that the Lord has us in His hands, He is with us throughout this journey. Prayer is on my lips throughout the day. A family member shared this verse with me a few days ago. It came on a day I needed it. I feel God works through the people around us and I am so thankful this was shared that day! 

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. 

 I am thankful for our five children, they are so supportive and are always willing to help. Both physical help, and emotional support. And lastly but definitely not the least, I am so thankful for John and our life together. We met at 11 & 12 years old and have been friends ever since. He was my first boyfriend, then we went through those early teen years of trying to figure out who we were. But every time something happened in my life, I sought him out. He has always been the one person who accepts me, faults and all. Finally at 17 & 18 we knew others didn’t matter. I am thankful for his faith and steadfastness. He has definitely been my rock all these years. 

Always be thankful, even in the worst of times, there is something to be thankful for. May God bless you on this day of Thanksgiving!

Thursday, October 21, 2021

SOCIAL MEDIA

 Do you ever go on Facebook and wish you had never joined? I’ve been in that mindset for about a year now. I love that I connect with family and friends that live clear across the country. I belong to embroidery sites that bring a smile every time I see a post from them. A few of my friends post some sarcastic and funny little bleeps, these make my day! All this makes for an enjoyable time while I take a break and have a cup of coffee. But Facebook can also cause anxiety and stress. The political posts have caused such a division among friends, it is sad to see. And now the virus/vax debate is enough to give me a headache! I struggle with the whole friends thing. If you are my friend, I genuinely care about you. We may not be close or interact daily, but I enjoy seeing your posts and pictures, as I hope you do mine also. For the most part my friends list are those that want me in their life as I want them in mine. But then there are a few who’s name I look at and wonder why they befriended me? In my day to day real life I cherish friendships that both parties are invested. Facebook doesn’t work that way. Most days I feel it’s a place for trolls to follow you around. They don’t really want to include you in their circle, but stay on your page to catch what you are up to. Why? I guess I’m just not cut out for social media. So if you have read this much and are wondering why I stay on there? It is great coverage for Rag Bag Originals, there are customers who only contact me through there.  

With all that off my chest, I’m off to enjoy the day. I’m taking the trailer to Iron Man in Chisholm today. It’s a chilly fall day, but I have heat.! I’m looking forward to a day doing what I love, interacting with real people!

Sunday, October 17, 2021

MITTENS

It will soon be mitten season! Mittens are necessary for our cold winters. But they don’t have to be boring or plain. I have a large assortment of colors and prints in sizes one year through adult large. Team prints, camo, sports, school colors and more. School name or logo can be embroidered on front. 
My mittens are double layer fleece with elastic in the cuff to keep out the cold and snow. 
I will have a pop up shop Thursday Oct 21 in Chisholm by the Iron Man statue. And Friday October 22, Plaza 53 Virginia.





Wednesday, September 22, 2021

I am excited for the fall shows to start! This year will be a little different with the trailer. I am thankful I don’t have to haul all the grid wall in and setup my whole display. But I am also nervous, being outside instead of in where all the vendors are. Will customers come to the trailer, or will it be a bother to stop outside for one vendor, when they can hurry inside and shop with many more? I will miss the chattering among the other vendors. I have always enjoyed seeing them when the shows start up. But even with these few concerns, I am still super excited to get out to the shows! The trailer has lights and heat, and is oh so cozy!  I have been busy sewing inventory and John has started turning again. 
Stop in and say hi, we are looking forward to our first show!
NASHWAUK BOOTIQUE  NASHWAUK RECREATION CENTER 
OCTOBER 1, 4-8 PM
OCTOBER 2, 9-4  




 

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Finger Puppets

 I just love all the little finger puppet designs. The designers put so much detail into them,





I just can’t get enough of them! You can see these and more in the trailer Saturday, May 8. 9:30-4 at the Virginia Miners Building. I will have the trailer setup at the back of the arena.

Monday, April 5, 2021

THANKFUL

My word for 2021is “thankful”. With all that is happening and our way of life turned upside down, it’s sometimes hard to find things to be thankful for. With the craft shows being canceled last fall and my neck trouble this winter, it was getting me down. A couple months ago when I was having my daily pity party, my ever wise husband pointed out some positive points in my situation. I decided the best way to handle that was ignore him, after all he wasn’t living this neck shoulder pain and very limited activity level, plus not being able to sit at the sewing machine! A few hours later he comes back from his wood room with a platform for my sewing machine to sit on. I still couldn’t sit there, but he designed it so my neck/spine would be be in the proper alignment when I was ready. I am able to sit now for 5 minutes at a time, but I am “thankful “ for that much. And I am so “thankful “ for John’s patience, and knowledge at building things. 

My 97 year old Mom ended up in the hospital for two nights. I called her yesterday morning to see how she was feeling, and she yelled in the phone, I’m going home! I was so “thankful “ she was able to home for Easter!  Later in the day my sister Irene called and said Mom wanted to come out. Three of our kids and their families were here and she hadn’t seen them in over a year. We had to get her in the house and there are 6 steps up to the deck. Going up she decided she could walk. Well it took three guys and very slow motion! So after a wonderful visit and some great laughs, she decided she would let them carry her in the wheelchair back down the steps. A lot of discussion and planning was put into how was best to do it. She told them they were in charge of how, but please don’t drop her. 🤣. We were able to push her up the ramp of the trailer, so she finally got to see it in person! I am so very “thankful “ for Irene driving her out here, my sister Kay for being her healthcare advocate, which is a job some days! And my brother James for taking her home after being discharged, John, Evertt and Conrad for their careful handling of her. I hope when I am her age, I will also have a positive attitude and be “thankful” like she is! I am “thankful” that three of our kids and their families could be here and our two kids that couldn’t be here, were making Easter memories with their kids! 

Your reward for being “thankful “ is, the more you are “thankful” for the happier you feel! ❤️


Friday, March 12, 2021

Addy’s Chickens

Last weekend we visited with our son and family. Our granddaughter Addy raises chickens and sells the eggs. She had her egg money in a cup, so I stitched her a zipper bag to keep her money in. It even has chickens on the lining fabric. I am so impressed with her care of them, she is in the coop, carrying them around, gathering eggs and feeding them. Her cousin Marina came to visit, it took her a while to get past the smell, but then she was carrying one around and gathering eggs too. It was fun to watch the girls, Marina was full of questions as this was the first time being around chickens, and Addy was happy to teach her all about it. 
I’m still not able to sit at the sewing machine, but I can stand and run the embroidery machine. The zipper bag was made completely on the embroidery machine. They are fun to make! Tomorrow I hope to make the bags her brothers ordered. 




 

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Lucky Leprechaun

I can’t sit at the sewing machine, but I can stand and operate the embroidery machine. So today was lucky leprechaun day in the sewing room. It was my first time making a stuffie $25, I just love his curly hair and beard! Key fob/ornament gnome or shamrock pickup $8. Snap guy leprechaun, cat in the hat & thing 1&2, $10 each. St Patrick’s banner complete $30 or individual, $10 car, $10 couple, $8 gnome, $8 Lucky, $5 set of 3 shamrocks. 










Cloth Easter $6 egg pockets dress up the breakfast table when used as silverware holders. Or they make a fun home for the finger puppets, lamb bunny and chick finger puppets $3. Snap egg holders, bunny or puppy $8. Marshmallow bunny key fob $4




Wednesday, February 24, 2021

I’m grounded


 After my last post, my shoulder and arm pain increased.  We decided to go to the Twin Cities Spine Center for a second opinion. John and I went to the Cities on Monday, and Amanda went with us to the Spine Center. They said the arm pain and the previous redness was a result of the nerve being irritated and not an allergic reaction to the injection, I’m thankful for that. 

Dr. Mueller decided that I should have another injection, but a different kind than Duluth did. Tuesday morning I had an injection through the front of my neck into the nerve root at C6-7. He said let me know when you feel it in your arm. I don’t think he meant scream, but that’s what I did, wow, painful!! He just said, good I got what I wanted. We came home from the Cities last night, and I had therapy this morning. I will go to therapy two days a week for neck and shoulder strengthening. My therapist said I can do any activity until it gets painful. I cooked a little today. I think John liked the break. No sewing, but I hope I can ease into that in a few weeks. I’m thankful I can run the embroidery machine without too much effort. 

We won’t know for a few weeks if this injection worked. My next step is surgery to fuse C6-7. I’m not crazy about that, so I’m praying this plan works! 



John has grounded my trailer! He has been so good about helping me get out there, but now he says it’s time to concentrate on healing, so that I will be able to operate this new venture for years to come. I hope to be out with the trailer in a month or so. Or as John says, maybe a few months! 

The trailer won’t be out but I have plenty of inventory on hand. I can text, Facebook message or email photos of items you are interested in. I can deliver to Virginia two days a week. Or if you feel like a drive, you are welcome to contact me and setup an appointment to come here and shop in the trailer.  I have St Patrick’s Day vinyl embroidered gnomes, leprechaun and coffee mugs. Easter eggs pockets with finger puppets. I will try to post photos often of current inventory.

The sun is shining and the snow is melting! I drove on clear pavement today. Spring is coming!!

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Valentines Day



 I have much  to be thankful for, I just have to remember to be thankful! I have been having shoulder  trouble for quite a few years. Mostly tight muscles. I would go for acupuncture  treatments and they would help for a few months. It got worse in December, I blamed it on all the sewing I do in the fall. I finally went in the end of December, I went for a few treatments and it got worse instead of better. I was sent for an MRI and found I have a bulging disc and arthritis at C6-7 in my neck. I went last Thursday for an injection in the disc. I felt better that night and Friday. Saturday my left arm started to hurt and my fingers were tingling. By Monday my arm was red and I was very uncomfortable. So back to the doc to find out, I am allergic to the dye in the injection. She put me on an antihistamine and increased one pain med. By Thursday my dry eye was terrible. I had been treated for a few years for that, and it was under control and my eyes were healthy. More consulting with the doctors, to find that the antihistamine was drying out my eyes. They decided I could discontinue it and then prescribed a steroid eye drop. Two days of using it and my eyes are starting to feel better. My shoulder is feeling better and most of the arm pain is gone.Not much sewing for the last month was causing withdrawals! Every time I would sit at the machine, the tingling down my arm was unbearable. So this morning John came up with the idea to change the placement of my machine. He made a platform for my machine that tilts down towards me. So now my neck stays straight instead of looking down and keeping my neck bent for long periods of time. Through all of this John has taken over everything in the house, because I spent most days in the recliner. And today coming up,with a solution to get me back sewing, I am so thankful for him! Sometimes when life gets busy we take those around us for granted. I don’t want to sound mushy and sappy :), but this man is is my greatest blessing! I couldn’t have asked for a better life partner My trailer wouldn’t have happened without all his help and knowledge. Tomorrow is Valentines Day and I won’t get roses and chocolate, but I will know I am his world and he is mine!


 My interview with David Colburn of the Timberjay newspaper.

Saturday, February 6, 2021

CRAZY COLD

 -15 this morning with -35 windchill, and we setup the trailer in Virginia. Crazy people!!! Two Buddy Heaters in the trailer kept us warm! We appreciate everyone who braved the cold today, thank you! 

This was our second time setting up and I am loving it! Both days my friend Sue Thomas with Northern Gnomology came with. She is fun to spend the day with and you just can’t resist her gnomes! 

We had a surprise visit from Dave of Timberjay newspaper. He came to interview me about starting the trailer as a way to keep selling with the craft shows being canceled. It was a fun interview, he has great humor and puts you at ease. I feel honored that he was impressed enough by my Facebook posts, to come see the trailer! So even with the cold, it was a great day!

Our next pop-up is Wednesday February 6. Noon to 5 in Cook at BIC Realty parking lot. But if it’s another cold day with below windchill, we will not setup. 

I will post that morning to let you know if we will be open. 

Thursday, February 4, 2021

February 6, 2021 Pop-Up Shop


Come shop in our new heated trailer. Check out all the fun Valentines gifts. Saturday February 6. 9-2. Plaza 53. .5469 Mt Iron Drive, Virginia, MN
It is supposed to be below zero for a few days. We have a large selection of warm mittens, hats and scarves. 



 


Northern Gnomology will be joining me Saturday, February 6 for our next pop-up. We will be at Plaza 53 . 5463 Mt Iron Drive, Virginia, MN. Hours are 9-2. Our trailer is heated and ready for you to shop! 
Sue makes the cutest gnomes, it hard to choose a favorite! 







 

Saturday, January 30, 2021

January 30, 2021

 Today is the day I have been preparing for, for the last 6 weeks! I am excited and nervous! This will be our first Pop-Up Shop with the new trailer. Come check it out from 10 to 2 today. We will be parked at the Ironman in Chisholm, on 169 across from MN Discovery Center. My friend Sue Thomas is joining me with her gnomes, Northern Gnomology. 

Come shop for mittens, hats, scarves, Valentines gifts, embroidered fun stuff and one of a kind gnomes


Thursday, January 28, 2021

Ready to Roll





 John finished the step platform and the open sign. The mittens and hats are hung on the grids. Chapstick holders, key fobs and more vinyl are hanging. I just have to put the mugs up on the shelves and put the rest of the vinyl up on display when we get to Chisholm. Driving down rough roads sends it all over the floor. 

It is so nice to walk out there and see all of it hanging! A lot easier to do inventory. 

Come see us in Chisholm on Saturday, January 30, 10-2

The will be a free gift with your purchase to the first 10 customers 


Wednesday, January 27, 2021

SIGNS





 A shout out to Eck Design of Marble,MN for the awesome trailer signs! I took my attempt at a design to Ed and he came up with an eye catching sign that I love! Now we are ready to roll. 

Our first sale is January 30 in Chisholm, MN at the Ironman statue parking lot, right off 169 across from MN Discovery Center.  Hours are 10-2. 

I have warm mittens sized from 1yr through adult large, hats, scarves and neck warmers. Sublimated cups, and gifts. Embroidered chapstick holders, key fobs, ornaments and more. 

Free gift with your purchase to the first 10 customers! 

Sue from Northern Gnomology will be joining me with her one of a kind handcrafted gnomes. 

Come check out our traveling store