We all know what it takes to get things lined up and packed up when you are going to be gone for about a week. My husband is NO cook so I had to be sure he knew what was in the freezer or fridge for his use while I was away too----typewritten and posted on the refrigerator door. This time he did NOT brag about not having to run the dishwasher while I was away nor did he eat but two meals away from home either.
I flew into the Bloomington-Normal area mid-day Thursday and my parents picked me up at the airport. After lunch at a Chinese buffet they recommended, we headed up to their home. That evening, her local quilt group was meeting at the Community Center. I know about half the group members from the "old days" since I was a charter member of Sew and Tell and the Magic Needle group too. (Both groups are small groups from the Hands All Around Quilt Guild of Central Illinois.) The gals are doing row robin pass arounds this year but each month is a reveal. I always liked that better than waiting till the end, watching the quilts grow month to month. Maybe for my benefit, they pointed out which quilt belonged to them and a little bit about the rows. Varied themes, colors---what fun! I got to see what Mom had been telling me about over the past few months but shoot, left the camera in my suitcase.
My sister who lives in the area came up to see us Friday after work. I had hoped to meet her new daughter-in-law this trip but she and Blake had planned a trip to Japan for their first anniversary. She has a sister living there and were also to stay with a friend for a few days. Maybe next trip?
We met another brother, my sister-in-law and my niece/godchild sort of in the middle on Sunday evening for an early supper in Dwight at Station 343. While the building is not the old fire station, the guy that owns the place was a firefighter in Cullom, Illinois and wanted to honor the 343 firefighters and paramedics that lost their lives in 9-11 hence the name and the decor of the restaurant. There is even an actual 1917 fire truck used by the Pontiac Fire Department inside the restaurant but mounted up above the area where the restrooms are. We were all wondering just how they managed to do that!! Good visit.
Tuesday evening, I borrowed the car and ran into Bloomington to meet up with DJ's son and daughter-in-law. While I waited I called my sister-in-law who said they were on their way into town to watch my twin nieces play basketball at an area school---7th and 8th grade team. I swung by and caught part of the 4th quarter of play. My sister-in-law, brother and her folks were there. Missed my youngest nephew as he was not back from football practice when they had to leave. The oldest of their kids is away at college now.
I got to talk to my sister-in-law in TN too when she called to return a call Mom had placed. Turned out she was just back from IL and visiting her family. She had rode up with a cousin and flew home. I just missed my sister and brother-in-law from CO however as they are due in a couple days next week. Their daughters both attend school in the Chicago area so they were headed for a visit and will see my folks for a couple days.
A lot of times when I head home, it is a bit of a "bus men's holiday" for me as we are both quilters. Dad was just sure we would be hauling out the back up machine and get the sweat shop rolling, LOL. Mom and I didn't do any quilting or cutting together this time around but I did see what she has been working on in her quest to get adult quilts made for each of the 11 grandkids. I believe at this point she has 3 to go. I needed to work on the blog hop project so that and another embroidery piece kept my fingers flying. You'll see in a minute. The only fabric shopping I did was in "Elsie's Stash". We both found fabric we liked for some purses I will make. I have some possibles for a sewing organizer/thread catcher thing I want to make too. Some books also followed me home--some that were given to mom by a friend and she was sharing the ones she did not want. I tell you, that suitcase looked like it was more stuffed and heavier than when I left!! THX Mom.
I did make a suggestion for the next row is making; when she said she wanted a rotary cutter and scissors block to go with a foundation pieced pin cushion. I knew I had a book and foundation pieced software that would be helpful here at home. She was wondering aloud about background choices and colors for a sewing machine block. When she said "green" it came into my head to suggest using a green that would look like omnigrid mat behind that rotary cutter, meaning it would have to be appliqued. She ran with it! It must have looked really realistic out of the corner of her eye because she kept reaching for it to actually cut, LOL, she told me.
I flew home on Wednesday leaving again at mid-day. Takes about as long for DJ to drive to Atlanta as it does for me to fly there from Bloomington. I was beginning to think I was going to have to page him as he was not standing in baggage claim as I expected him to be. The plane was about 15 mins later coming in but it turned out he had looked at the departure time rather than arrivals and thought I was not due in for another hour. Anyway, we got something for a late lunch and headed home walking in our door about 5:30.
Okay, here is the lone picture for this post. I had the witch on the left and that cat on the pumpkin done and maybe half of that post she is hanging on to before I left. Mainly I worked on this at quilt meetings so it was not getting done any too quickly. By the time I boarded the plane to head back to Alabama I only had the pumpkin and oak leaves from the witch on the right to do along with the rest of the banner. I did work on it a few hours yesterday afternoon. I finished up the lettering on "Halloween Parties are on the Way" this morning.
So what am I going to do with it?? The original plan was that Norma and I were going to include it in our version of a Halloween row quilt. The pattern is called "Witches Hooray" from Bird Brain Designs and it is meant to be a small table runner. We thought we could put some other blocks on either end of it if needed. I may proceed with that plan, or maybe not. Norma had asked me about it recently but I had told her that there was NO WAY I could get it done in time for Halloween. Looks like I managed to get it done to this point anyway. Interesting to see what I managed to get done when I wasn't playing on the computer and had no real home duties to interfere with stitching time, LOL. I could use my dad's computer but silly me, went off without my passwords! I ended up updating some of their software, managed to see a bit of Cardinal highlight video and drew up something for Mom in EQ. Other than that, off line.
Yesterday was so rainy that I elected not to run the few errands that need to be done. Since the stitching is done, I will do that this afternoon. Then I will turn my attention to my project assembly, pin and quilt it. Bama Belles has an extended meeting next week and we were going to try that 4 patch stacked posie thing. Lots to do! When do I not have lots to do though??? Always thinking a month or two ahead or at least till the next hop I am doing, LOL. A couple challenge pieces are coming up too!
Guess that is it for now with lunch time coming up. Good to be back--------
Edited: While I was standing in the store looking at cat food, the cell phone rang and looks like we will have guests sometime Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Yep, the golfing buddy with wife on the way down. Guess I will have to take time out to dust etc. just when I preferred to make a big sewing mess, LOL.
Whew - you've been BUSY!! - Glad to have you back - sounds like you had a good time. Looking forward to seeing your 4-patch stacked posies - ;))
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