Boy, I have been gone a long time. Sadly, I have no clue what's going on with you, dear Butterfly. Been wrapped up in my own little world, I guess, which is so very awful of me. I've neglected my online family too long.
I am still in Trenton, living in a small apartment here. Mom and Dad still live about 1/2 mile from me. We usually see each other at least once a week, but lately I've not been getting out as much. Mom and I made something like 8 or 9 quilts last year. She's done a few this year, including finishing a third DWR (she pieced a bit on mine and then I brought it here and haven't touched it since). I'm just not motivated enough to do much of anything but sit here and dub videos to dvd (thinking I'll make room if I can get rid of all the video tapes). Amber is my dog, still a Yorkie, but probably not the one you're thinking of. The tiny one was Zena, whom I lost almost 5 years ago (fell and hit her head, vet did everything she could but she died in my arms. I had her cremated by herself, thinking I'd scatter her ashes on Mom's flowers (she has roses now, my brother buys her a new rose bush every Mother's day...sadly 3 of her bushes drowned this spring so now she has new ones moved to a slightly higher spot in the yard...the tiny yellow ones survived all the rain though, which is good. I think those are Dad's favorites as everytime they bloom he sings "The Yellow Rose of Trenton"). I just can't bring myself to do it so she's in an urn on top of my tv. I hope that doesn't sound too weird.
Mom has realized she can still crochet so she does that some too. She had me bring some yarn over and tried it. Has to hold the needle differently, as well as the yarn, but she can still do it. She amazes me!
Health wise, everything is I guess about the same. Kidneys still in remission, RA seems to be flaring, in my opinion. I go back to the rheumatologist in October and will discuss either a change in medication (they had me on Plaquinil (sp) for a bit and then took me off last time I was there. I think it was helping, but who knows?), or something. Currently, my knees ache most of the time and my right foot is bad enough I've joked about cutting it off. Still, I try not to let it get me down. My hands are okay, for which I'm thankful.
The pictures was actually a link to my webshots page (user Tiggs41, I believe). Nothing really special there. I'll need to get some pictures of quilts up there other than the one that Mom and I made for my oldest niece's high school graduation. My youngest niece graduates in 2009 and her quilt is already done.
I've been working on teaching myself to knit socks but I put things down for so long I wind up having to start over again which doesn't really lend itself to anything getting done. I'm trying to learn to magic loop, which is kind of interesting. Maybe I'll pick that up again in the next week or so...probably not though. ;)
Been dealing with insomnia again, seems to come in cycles. Staying up far too late and then not sleeping when I do lay down. Just can't shut my brain off I guess.
I guess that's it in a nut shell. You can reach me privately at snipped-for-privacy@cebridge.dognet (take out the dog...you get the gist. ;)). I check in there a lot more often. I'm trying to make myself check in here at least daily but can't promise anything.
Hugs, Tigg