Coming or going?

“Are you coming??” She seems to be saying.

Lost a complete post earlier this afternoon---I think I chose to post right during the unscheduled Blogger outage and off it went to who knows where. If I am showing only a Pippi picture or two then you can about bet that I haven’t gotten much of anything quilt related done the past two days other than running the t-shirt top up to the long arm quilter some 30 miles north of here.

You can see how much Pippi resembles Nancy’s Agatha—featured this morning with two of her kitty compatriots atop the ironing board. Nancy commented that they might need a weight limit sign. I agree that my kitty probably has more white especially on her belly and of course, half light, half dark face—probably a good bit of tabby along with that tortoiseshell markings. As pictured she is doing her “follow me to the kitchen and the food bowl pose”. I had already been warned by the three previous circlings and then the “park it” in the doorway. The wet spot on the carpet was from pukers this morning. Poor DJ heard her doing it and had the honors. First time in weeks that she has done that.

The picture below or to the right shows her about to jump up on the pressing/cutting table and being a chair thief. Actually her true mission was heading to see if there was any water in the measuring cup to drink because her trip was short lived---down to the bowl on the floor when there was not to be had.

I took the day off yesterday, as I said, and did a whole lot of nothing really. After working with that t-shirt quilt, I felt like I had been wrestling with a bear. I couldn’t work up much enthusiasm for putting borders on the quilt that was hanging here either. Played around on the computer, some minor paperwork and the like. Had hoped to watch the World Series game last evening but they called it after a two hour rain delay though it looks like they may at least start the game tonight.

Today has been busier as I am hoping to go up to visit my friend Cindy who lives near Nashville, TN for a few days. Judy had asked for more details, LOL. The car is packed up, gassed up and my sewing machine and supplies are packed. Even baked a pie to take to my hostess—well, made two of them. DJ is not one to give up his treats very easily. If I bake he thinks he needs some too or at least the leftovers, LOL. As soon as the pies were done, it was time to fix supper. (meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes (roasted a head of garlic, thanks to Pam), peas and carrots and a piece of pie)

The weather forecast is calling for wind, rain, possible thunderstorms on the Alabama side of the line for tomorrow. My plan was (is?) to leave here about 7 and be there by lunch time and help her set up for the sew-in she is hosting on Saturday. I am nervous enough about driving from Chattanooga through Monteagle area and west of there-—steep grades, winding road without less than ideal weather. I may have to cancel and make this trip another time.

Cindy has moved to a new home that has a gallery area for her to hang her quilts. She has many old quilts and of course, quilts she has made as well. Some have been exhibited at Paducah in the AQS show. Her husband is an avid flea market, antique shopper who collects poker chips and related items but John shops for textiles for Cindy as well. (The bowtie quilt on my bed is an example because I purchased the top from her.) They have set up a quilt museum area in the house and Cindy invited her quilt guild to see the set up and then sew comfort quilts for the Domestic Violence center in their area. We are using the Snuggle Up pattern on the quiltmaker.com site. This afternoon I cut out enough strips that I can make two tops for her.

My brother and his family live the next town over but I stayed with them when I traveled up for grandma’s funeral in August. Cindy claimed me for this trip. My SIL Jan is a quilter too and in the same quilt guild with Cindy. She will be coming to sew while my brother and niece head off to go fishing with one of our other brothers and his son who are driving down from IL. Cindy, John and I are going over to their house for supper Friday night.

That’s the plan anyway---wait and see tomorrow morning if I’m actually going. I am missing the Gadsden quilt show this weekend. Jane took my entries for me and will gather than up at take down. If I don’t go to TN, then I can take care of it myself, I guess.

The only other thing that was going on around here is our mini-blind saga. I had gone to open the blinds in the kitchen yesterday morning and the next thing I knew one over the left window was laying on the floor. The header had snapped off. Oh, oh. I laid it on the chair and more or less, forgot about it till DJ came home and asked if I was ready to go to Wal-mart. HUH? Oh yeah—the busted blind.

I commented that we should have brought one of the slats from that one with us so we got the right colors. Decorator colors change year to year so what color is it—ivory, cream, off white that looks gray, pinkish undertones, what? But no, we do not turn the car around once it starts out to its destination. We found the blind, came home and popped it right in without too much problem. You got it---wrong color compared to the window on the right. A blind man could see the difference---almost. It’s up, it’s staying and at four bucks a pop, get another one for the other window. Actually the new one does match the one above the sink—now that one got replaced because someone by the name of Linda had a small candle lit underneath the raised blind and the bottom warped---my bad. At least I think it matches—not checking really close to find out, LOL.

He went off to get the 2nd one while I ran off on my trip to the long arm quilters. I got home and he is trying to install it---oh, oh, right color, wrong size. Turns out the left hand side took a 36 blind while the right needed a 34 due to the bracket spacing. He had measured the broken one for the width but measured only the length on the one that was hanging. Old one back up for the night.

Today we start again—34 inch purchased and the last one in captivity at this supercenter. An eeny bit too wide but out comes the coping saw. Up it goes but as he lowers the blind there is one cracked slat about a 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. It’s staying. Ignore it? Tape it? Cut the other one out and slide another one on and seal up the cut? DJ finally takes off the bottom plugs, got the broken one out and worked over an hour getting it fixed. Later he admits that if he could not fix it or broke it worse, he would have spent another 4 bucks and ran up to the supercenter 10 miles north of us to get another one. Oh the joys of home ownership……………..

Okay, I’m rambling and the St. Louis pitcher apparently started believing his own press lately. Down 3-0, dang it. Detroit remembered how to hit or he is making it easier on them.

Guess that’s it for tonight.