Merry Christmas Y'all :-)

Christmas Eve 2013,  I hope this finds everyone in the Christmas spirit and enjoying friends and family.
Rebecca is here, Ashley, Josh, Tinsley and Tyler are coming up this evening for the Candle Light Service and then dinner at home.  Christmas this year is at Ashley's.
Hopefully Marcia and Don will be stopping by on their way back to Florida, looking forward to seeing them!
Here's some recent pics.

Built this mantle to replace the el cheapo one !

Ashley needed a bench to go with her dining room table, after pricing chairs at $150/each,  the bench $23.

fits just right :)

There is absolutely no comparison between a Toy Tacoma and a Ram, truly the nicest vehicle I've owned..... so far :)

Christmas Eve morning heading home from the grocery store.

Approaching the lake.

Its cold out there today  35 degrees.

Our lake runneth over after 3" of rain day before yesterday.

Mary is blooming again for Christmas!

Thanksgiving delayed a little :)

We had our Thanksgiving on Saturday to accommodate busy schedules and to recover from a fast and hard hitting virus that went through the whole family at the same time earlier in the week. Great food, great football (way to go Auburn), and fun with the family.

First Annual  pumpkin roll in Ashley and Josh's new neighborhood.  Tinsley won :)

New curtins in time for Thanksgiving.

Gramma movin so fast she's a blur :)

Everything's good! Gramma.

Where's mine?

Let's eat!

Whew, Glad That's About Over!

Well gang it looks like Ashley's ordeal, and believe me it has been an ordeal for her, will have brighter days ahead.  Last Tuesday we returned to Emory so she could have a Cholangiogram.  Basically they inserted a dye through her drain and x-ray'd to see if there were any more blocks of bile ducts.  That went well.  Since she's been home the pain has subsided some and she's eating better.  This wasn't a fun way to lose 30 lbs. Her incision is scary (to me), so I don't look!  she has stitches on the inside but the incision itself is wide open.  The Drs. say this is the best way to heal (from the bottom up) to prevent infection.  So twice a day she has to change dressings, clean the wound and bandage it back up.  She does have a visiting nurse every other day to see how it looks and keep track of the healing process.
Tomorrow, we'll take her back to Emory to see Dr. Sarmiento (her surgeon), to go over the Cholangiogram and she hopes to have that last drain removed.
Last night we took a walk with the kids around the block in her neighborhood then ordered pizza!  They're slowly getting back to "normal".

Room with a view.

Tyler, my prediction... 6'4" by Jr. in high school.

Tinsley loves her cars!

When we brought Ashley home the first evening, Tinsley was sitting at the dinner table eating and pointing to Ashley saying and repeating "My Momma!"  ....words to heal by :)

Anyway fall is here, the leaves are falling and I'm burning all the scrap wood I can to make room for the next project!  a new mantle for the fireplace,  there's some nice red oak in the shop saying cut me up!
I hope this post finds family and friends are well!  Enjoy and cherish each day.

A short update :)

Took Ashley to Emory Hospital yesterday for a scheduled angiogram to her new Dr. could make sure there was no other damage caused during her first surgery.  As I understand the results the hepatic duct was clamped along with a blood vessel. One of the drains they installed was beginning to "come loose" so that was fixed. The Dr. said her liver had already started growing new blood vessels to compensate for the clamped one.  On Monday she has a consult with the surgeon and pre-op paperwork. So we're on schedule for the 22nd.  It's comforting somewhat to have "professionals" from Emory on this case.

Scientists say they've proved the existence by DNA!, wonder what they compared it with?  Who needs DNA!  :)

Home!

Well Ashley came home last night.  Glad to get her out of there (hospital) she actually came to our house for the weekend to rest and figure out life in the mean time with drains and how to keep the kids from yanking on them. We'll figure it out.  Sunday or Monday we'll get her home to the kids, everyone misses each other but are doing very well.
Yesterday was typical of this place recently.  Ashley had both kids at this hospital and throughout everyone and the care was exceptional.  This stay has been a qualified disaster.  Around noon she was told she could go home if she felt up to it.  Carolyn and I got there about 4:30 and her discharge paperwork was being "worked".  She also had to have her PIC line removed and was required to lay down for an hour before she could get up a move again.  Carolyn and I went to get a bite to eat.  We returned around 7:00 and still waiting on the paperwork. Her PIC line was removed around 6:15.  I asked the charge nurse on the status of her discharge and got the 1000 yard stare.  I took a deep breath and calmly and politely advised her I have had it with this place, who was responsible to get it done? why wasn't it done? and someone better get it done immediately.  The previous shift dumped everything on this shift and left! This is just a small minor example of the incompetence we've dealt with. 
Anyway, that's behind us, Ashley is slowly feeling better, has an appointment in a week and may get a drain removed then.  Once the Drs. think she's up to another surgery to attach her small intestine to her liver.

Just Damn... again.

Well not sure exactly what happens now with Ashley.
Day before yesterday they inserted a wire and drain through her liver to the bile ducts in order to install a stint. Well whatever the first incompetent Dr. did is not allowing that to be done.  Its suspected the first Dr. cut the duct when removing her gallbladder, and/or the three staples the Dr. used punctured the duct.  So as of yesterday, the plan was to send her home with drains hanging out of her for 4-6 weeks to give her intestines a chance to recover and then return for surgery.  That could mean attaching removing the staples and attaching directly to her small intestines.  With that being said... anyone know a malpractice attorney!  If somehow a badguy did this to my daughter I would be arrested for police brutality.  (I'm pissed)

Just Damn!

Hi all!  time for a past due update on what's been going on. First, Carolyn has had two good scans and is doing great.  Next scan is in a few weeks.  Although I just read under Obamination Care, cancer treatments are subject to panel reviews (they don't exist according to the govt.)  must be a misprint.
Anyway, we had a great vacation with Ashley, Josh and the grandkids although cut short by a stomach ache that turned out to be a serious gallbladder inflammation that required it to be taken out.  A week later Ashley is worse than before, she has a bile leak (not uncommon) which required an ERCP (you can google it) well the Dr. couldn't fix it so they kept her over night to try again, still no luck! So the surgeons have been called in and she will have another procedure to fix the leak. Hopefully this will get it, poor girl has hardly eaten a thing in over a week. So cutting this short so I can get to the Hosp. this morning.  Take Care!

Has it really been three months?.....

Just Damn! I can't believe it's been three months since I last wrote something here!  Well lets see what the significant things that have happened since we were last here.  I guess most importantly Carolyn had another clear scan. :)
Ashley is recovering well from her surgery and everything looks like she'll do just fine.  Rebecca has passed her math class (she has my curse in that math does not come easy to us). Rebecca's plans are to stay in college and is currently thinking of continuing towards a Reg. Nurse degree.  That may come in handy for me, while building all those chairs, etc., I have a decent case of plantar faciaitis (sp?) in one foot and tendonitis in the elbow again.  I still say I'm growing older... not up! but getting older isn't for pansies :)
We had a good trip to New Hampshire, flying into Boston, renting a car and driving to Nashua.  Carolyn's brother Rich married Amy, they found each other, new it was right! and didn't waste anytime gettin hitched.  Carolyn's other brother (Kirk) brought her mom over from New York, she looks good and was a real trooper for a long drive and wedding in one day.  On Sunday we drove to Mount Sunapee for a Arts and Crafts show that was quite something, the talent and quality on display were amazing and easily out of our price range but for one item.... a $50. butter dish :)
On Monday Rich, and Amy took us to Essex, MA to a seafood place called Woodman's, the place was familiar in that I'm a "This Old House" fan, one episode had Kevin the redheaded guy and the plumber guy highlighting this place.  Their claim to fame is they "invented" the fried clam.  Their fried shrimp is pretty darn good too!
Tuesday was a drive into Boston for our flight back to Atlanta, always fun.
Being the middle of August and out high temperature today is 72 degrees is absolutely amazing. We plan on having the wettest summer on record (no complaints).  Next excursion to Marcia and Don's, we're renting a condo for a week and will be exclusive babysitters for Tinsley and Tyler. Looking forward to that! :)
Here's some pics...



Rich with sister in law Robin
 

Carolyn, Lee (nephew) and Amy

Carolyn, Mom, and Kirk

Rich and Mom

Happy Memorial Day !

A good week passed and some things got done! 
Tinsley likes her chair and is taking orders for me :)      I completed two more chairs for some folks here in Lake Arrowhead so they can look out onto the lake in style.  The rough sawn oak I got from Ted cleans up nice but I'm afraid it's taking a toll on my thickness planer, I'll need new blades soon.  The oak that's been planed has been fitted on the beam and looks good, two more sides on the post and that'll be finished. 
We are enjoying some nice weather, sunny, cool and low humidity knowing that won't last too long I decided to get the kayak into the lake yesterday morning.
Today I've already prepped the grill for a bunch of chicken wings that have been marinating for two days in Brooks BBQ sauce, the sweet corn is ready along with all the snacks!!!
Enjoy your Memorial Day everyone.  It was given to us by those who sacrificed all.
Some pics...

Tinsley taking orders...

you want how many?

I don't think so....

A more refined version...

The oak is going up!

I made a keystone from cherry to break up the long expanse of oak planks,  cutting 'em shorter their not so darn heavy!

Git'er Done :)

A nice week without rain, although this weekend we're supposed to get a little more.  Spent the week in the basement finishing the Adirondack chairs. My buddy Ted wanted them "semi-rustic"!
Carolyn was able to get some organizing done with craft stuff and I got a good start on a kitchen table for Ashley.  I'm slowly coming around to liking thrift stores.   Table and 4 chairs online... $700.00, at the thrift store $60.00!  :)
Still waiting on the lakes and rivers to get back to more normal stages for paddling...
Hope this finds you all well and happy mother's day to all!

Kitchen table for Ashley and Josh... work in progress :)

Adirondack Chairs from red cedar, Ted's requested semi-rustic look!
 

Chair #3 of 4.   Got to admit they smell good!

Looking towards home!

 

Rain!

Who talks about rain?  Well, we do especially when we get it.  It's amazing that we are actually having a spring and not going from 45 degrees to turning on the AC.  The pollen has been typically bad but I think the worst has passed.  Yesterday Carolyn arrived at the William Holland School of Lapidary Arts in Young Harris, GA for a week of "claying" and teaching.  On Friday I'll pick her up, and Saturday morning we'll fly to Wilmington, NC for a long weekend on Oak Island, NC for our friends Donna and Kevin beach wedding.  Hopefully this week I'll get some chairs built - the first four are "rustic" models for Ted, (my lumber guy) then some for sale.  Next on the list... get a start milling some oak for a new fireplace mantle and trim work in the house, and lastly some touch up painting (ugh)!
Hope this finds everyone well!

Back to the Blogger !

Time to get reacquainted with the Blogger website.  Recently Wordpress' site was attacked by hackers, though it didn't have an effect on my blogs it became one more reason to give Blogger another chance. Now on to what's happening lately!
Carolyn is getting more energy everyday even through the turmoil of having the house torn up for a week with sheet rock dust, noise, etc.  We were lucky to get a very good contractor who did a good job for us.  There are a few things remaining like cladding the beam and posts in white oak from the local forests. The oak is raw so will need to dry for awhile before using it.  I wonder if I can convince Carolyn I need a kiln to dry the wood?
We have scheduled our 11 month "punch list" for the house, hard to believe we're coming up on a year here already.
Spring has finally fought its way to Georgia though this morning we woke up to 39 degrees after hitting 80 yesterday!  The trees and flowers are blooming and pollen is outrageous.  We have some small travel plans in the works, first, in May we're heading to Oak Island, NC where a friend of ours for years is getting married (again) on the beach. Plus it'll be Cinco de Mayo, so another reason for a fun trip!  September, Ashley has arranged a vacation to Florida and we'll be staying in Marcia's building. One way to insure a good vacation is to build in babysitters (grandma and gramps)  :).
The rest of the summer is play it by ear.  Lots of wood working projects, paddling and who knows!
Some pics....



Old photo of kitchen with walls to be removed.
 

Dining Room table for Ashley and Josh.  Made of spalted Maple, will be doing some "fine tuning" on it today!

 

 
 



This is a combination of Cedar, White Oak, Maple, and Cherry (for the counter/bar tops)

Destruction!  walls are down and dust everywhere! 

 

 

 

The Cherry lumber is now countertops.  It was "interesting" to work on the "live edge" and rustic look, imperfections are ok!  I like that :)