check in b4 DT2OR

It has been a busy week here but mostly spent working on binding---and nothing to show for it. My wrist and fingers are thankful that they didn't have to do of that today!



My Viking has been in the shop for a month, since I dropped it off on the way to my brother's home in TN on our way to IL for our family "Christmas in July" gathering. Earlier in the week, I had very nicely suggested that they would not get paid for Marilyn's serger repairs (done by last week) nor my Viking servicing (still waiting at that point) til the middle of August if we did not come in up Friday or Saturday. We had to drive up together as she doesn't drive or if she does, she has to have someone with her. I'll be gone to Oregon and my friend watches her grandkids Mon-Thursday. It was done two days later and we did our run to Boaz and Albertville today along with our friend Linda C.

Linda swung by and picked up Marilyn on the way and I drove. Our first stop was Out of the Box so Linda could drop off a top for Susan to quilt. Linda conferred with her about a couple other tops and Susan shared a few tops that she had quilted recently. I found that nice aqua 30's repro you see on the left for borders on my Two of a Kind/Cheap Trick. Maybe by the time Susan gets Linda's top quilted I can run that one up for her to do the honors?? A few other quilters ran by so we were all speaking our fav language---quiltese.

From there we went to the Mill Street for lunch though it was a little early--good plan as we didn't have to wait in line and we all were hungry enough to do justice to our sandwich choices. Excellent chicken salad for them and a reuben for me.

Marilyn uses silk flowers for her sewing business so we ran through two spots that had those. One was just a couple doors down from the restaurant and one on 431 had other home dec stuff (similar to Hobby Lobby).

The sewing machine place was up the road about 8 more miles and then last stop, Wilson's Fabric Discount. Marilyn stocked up on some 30's repros mainly and Linda found some cool purples to make a purse but I know she will be back. They had some Michael Miller's that we were both drooling over.

The only thing I bought there was that zipper and a cool set of buttons. I had bought the other yardage a month of so back----I know, I know I said I was not going to make another Tag Along Tote but that's what I intend to do with that stuff you see. I love that orange piece of "Object of My Desire" while the stripe is "Inspirations" by Terrie Mangat for Free Spirit. The gold was in that bag I stuffed at the quilt shop last month (all you could cram in the 6 x 9 ziploc for 5 bucks and still zip it) The zipper was in case I decide NOT to just do a loop and button and one button will go on a wonder wallet.

I restrained myself as there were some nice pieces for a good price but soon, very soon, I will be shopping with my buddies at Fabric Depot in Portland, OR---6 days from now it will be FABS retreat time! Woohoo! I fly out of BHM in 3 days to meet my buddy Pam , in her town near Coos Bay---something we have hoped for since we met online clear back in early 99 on an one list quilt group. We drive up to PDX to meet the others on Friday. Pat will be flying into PDX with her daughter earlier in the week to do some touristy things while Norma and her mom Mayvis will drive down from BC on Thursday. Cher will be our hostess providing a spot for sewing, meals and a bed for me for a few nights. It all promises to be a wonderful time for all of us.

DJ will hold down the fort, yet again, while I go running off and leaving him and Skyler to fend for themselves. I got organized and figured out what groceries I would need to get us through till my departure and laid those supplies in yesterday. He's on his own for the TV dinners he will probably be eating while I'm gone.

It sounds like the rain that has been threatening all day today is on its way in. Thunder rumbles off in the distance and a big old black cloud to the east above the tree line. Best sign off and go watch some of the Cards-Astros game with DJ. Go Cards! Hopefully we won't lose the satellite feed.

Oh, some of you asked---that cake I was fixing last week WAS a miracle after all. I like the plain banana cake better that uses a yellow cake mix as a base. The frosting was a little firmer than usual but who knows how long I tried to make real caramel out of it so no wonder, LOL!