Thrift shopping- online

Shopping is not something I love to do. Lately I have only been brick and mortar shopping for groceries at Aldis, sale things at CVS and just a few other things at Walmart and Joann's. I don't think I have even been in a thrift store in a month.

In October, I bought just a few things online. The first 3 are used books bought on half.com. Books there can often be bought for less than $1 + the $3.99 shipping.

I bought this one because my friend Tammy at My Corner of the Prairie said her grandson likes it so much.  She was right about it being a little boy pleaser. My grandson thinks it is great too. Thank you Tammy and Brad.

We watched a 25 year old home video of my children a few weeks ago. One of our sons had been at kindergarten that day and was trying to recite something about  " a snoring granny and a dreaming child"   In the video, he was thinking so hard to remember all the lines.
I did not know what it was so I googled it and found this book, The Napping House. 

I read it as soon as it came in the mail and I am sure my grands will like it as much as their uncle did. 

I ordered this book as Jilly at Nutmeg and Linen blogged about it. 

Of course I want more elegance, order, beauty and joy, who doesn't?

And........

My very favorite find

My mom made this very same sampler for her sister, my Aunt Bernice. I have wanted one and have been looking on EBay and Etsy for years. I finally found a kit, still in its factory package and it appears to be in perfect condition, on EBay just before we went to the hospital.

I'll be stitching on this later today- I need to get out some hoops and embroidery hoops first, and I may need to finish off the edges of the linen before I stitch too.  The stitching part is pretty simple.  

It is the verse that I think is so special 

“Overheard in an Orchard"
Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,
“Friend I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”      ―by  Elizabeth Cheney in 1859

Last of October fun.....

I sewed aprons for my son and a friend to wear at a costume party, inspired by a tv show I have never seen. I used an apron pattern I found in my stash. Mccalls 5551. I don't know if it is still in print. 

It has a different feature as the stings are all adjustable, there is a casing for the facing on the top slanted part. The sting goes in the side bottom and then down the other side and ties in the back. 

It was a style that sewed up especially quickly.  My daughter made the iron on emblem on the apron fronts with her silhouette machine and heat press. 

The only problem was the drawstring, made as the patten said, was too short. They said they could barely tie them in a knot and not the bow that aprons are usually tied with. 

I may make this apron again so I wrote that change on he patten envelope before I stored it away. 

Our church had a fall carnival, we did not go as we were at the hospital.

My son in law's step mother made and worked this fun booth at the party. 

It is a big nose and the children reached inside and either got candy or slime. Ewww

Knowing Patty, only big boys who would appreciate slime got slime. 

Sweet or squeamish little girls only got candy. 

I hope the nose does not offend any of you but just makes you smile. 

At the hospital.....

My husband had surgery this week, the second revision to his 3 year old artificial knee replacement.

The hospital stay, at a civilian hospital paid for by his employer provided insurance, was so nice. 

I cannot say enough good things about it and we are just so thankful that it went so well.

This photo was less than 24 hours after surgery. He was already alert and happy. 

He has taken very little pain medicine since because he says even though he has some discomfort from the surgery, his knee hurts less now than it has in 2 years. 

He is feeling so good, we even went to church this morning. He was tired by the end of service but I am so happy he felt good enough to try. 

 Another happy surprise was the food at the hospital. We both could order anything we wanted off the room service menu. I was given complimentary meals for being his coach. It was so nice to eat in the room with him and not have to leave the hospital when I needed to eat. 

The meals were really good too. 

My breakfast tray one morning- fruit, oatmeal with little containers of cinnamon and brown sugar, bacon, blueberry muffin and hot chocolate.

Husbands tray- croissant sandwich with a cinnamon roll and fruit and orange juice. 

After the second day, we ordered less. Even though it was a real treat and tasted so good, we knew we should not eat quite that much.

Our last night, we did not order. This fancy meal was provided by the physician- steaks with steamed veggies, rice pilaf, dinner salad and chocolate lemon cheesecake.  

Who ever imagined a steak dinner in a hospital? 

We are home now and a home health nurse came this afternoon  Some of the advice she gave was to eat extra protein to help speed up healing after surgery.  The protein doesn't have to come from meat but her advice made the steak dinner seem like an even better idea. 

Thank you all who left comments and for the prayers. It meant so much to know others were thinking about us.

It is too early to know for sure, but we really think this surgery was a success!