day off

copyright Brian Crane Dist. by the Washington Post Writers Group

Someone posted a Pickles cartoon on their blog yesterday that made me think of one I had clipped a few years back. Appropriate, right? Sorry but I cannot remember whose blog is was but it was cute too--Earl, the crochety old man character said that he was going to have his ashes at the fabric store so he at least stood a chance of his wife, Opal, coming to visit him. (edited note---it was Beth at bzyqltr so you can see for yourself. Thanks for helping to jog my memory, Beth!)

So far today is a lazy morning but in a way, we are waiting for the other shoe to drop. We had one band of thunderstorms move in about 3 a.m. and the sirens sounded about 5 but at that time no tornadic activity. The weather persons had said last evening that if it were to stay overcast this morning, that perhaps the afternoon storms would be less intense but there are tornado warnings are on the Mississippi/Alabama line near Tupelo, MS and some of the NW counties in Alabama at the present time. I am on the NE side of the state so it will take a little time to impact us. I just read that there was one fatality in MO as part of the same storm system--too sad.

I did nothing of a quilting nature yesterday other than weed through the bins to remove some fabric I am sick of and take out the dribs and drabs. I took a nice sized sack over to the thrift store for someone else to enjoy on the way to the recycle center. Bank and post office errands and off to get my hair cut. Really cut---I am minus about 5-6 inches in length and had some layers cut in. Read: nothing to pull back into a ponytail. I have been thinking about this for a month and it will be cooler for summer. Well, not cooler having to use a blow dryer again which is the very reason why I DIDN'T want to cut it. Too easy to just pull it back or let it air dry. Found out my hair straightener had quit so needed to replace that and off on another round of errands. Some curl is good but some pieces need to come around to my way of thinking!

So basically I got caught up on my blog reading and had time to comment instead of skimming since by 3 p.m. I no longer felt interested in sewing, cutting or quilting. This morning, more computer time but this afternoon I believe I will cut out a top using that beetle fabric and get started on the hst's. I found enough WOW as well as the other fabrics I need for the project when I was digging in the bins yesterday. It keeps niggling in the back of my head so I am going to get it out of my system and in the forefront.

I finally got our iPod shuffle that we were supposed to get for "free" when we hooked up with DISH network in November. Took about 5 mins to get it out of packaging--sheesh. Another new toy to learn how to use but not today. Since it is so small, it will be a nice choice for walking. I love my CD player but there is no easy way to transport it short of stuffing it in my waistband or fanny pack. I guess you have to read the manual online as there does not seem to be much in the way of instructions with it other than what to press to operate it. I'll get it figured out.

Supposed to go to an event in Jacksonville (about 15 mins north of me) tonight and will haul my July bluework snowman that I had hoped to get done last month. Oh well--I had a productive month in other ways and am doing my part to reach our quilt goals for the Boys Ranch.