color

LOL, Gene commented about the neutral toned batiks that I had picked out recently.  Actually there is a bit of method to my madness as I have been running around with some Olympic paint chips for about a month now.

The Great Baby's nursery is painted using these colors:  Lunar Eclipse, Hidden Meadows, Galactica and Kiss Me Kate from a picture sent my sister, the Nana to be

The selected shades are circled but I chose the darker gradations as well.  I think this makes it look a bit bluer than it is with that LED bulb in the lamp??   Really it is more towards the aqua and teal tones.   Kiss Me Kate is a just barely there tint.

And then there is the batik fabric I chose------I think it will do, some of it anyway.  I want to make a small Storm at Sea wall hanging and this will figure in there in some manner.  My original selections for the wallhanging were definitely more blue and are probably not the best choices for this project.  I'll do something else with that stuff-- fabric is never wasted, just re-purposed.

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I received a phone call from DJ's old golfing buddy that he and his wife are on the way down on their annual southern swing.  I had told him at the funeral that I was going to need his help in taking care of DJ's golf equipment.  All those golf balls, the clubs he used and the backup ones out in storage.  (He teaches golf and is always putting sets of starter type clubs together for folks.)  They plan on being here in time for breakfast at Jack's tomorrow morning. While I don't think they will be spending much time here, I am going to at least dust in the living room as it needs it, vacuum because it needs to be done too and clean my bathroom.  Yeah, it needs some attention. The kitchen floor mopping and anything else will wait for another day.

Work and then play.

stash enhancement

okay, I had said I might share some pictures of what I had gotten at the Mountainfest quilt show and Pappy's Quilting Place in Maryville, TN last week.  I forgot to mention that we had stopped in Chattanooga at Southern Thread, Inc.on the way up.  Garmin had us exit I-75 way too soon so we were winding all over the place to get there.  Marilyn sews professionally making American doll clothes and those cute little towels that you can hang in the kitchen that look like dresses plus she has an embroidery machine now so she needs all kinds of threads.  I just stocked up a bit on neutral toned serger thread---white, beige and gray.  I didn't take a picture of that but I did of the other goodies.


A selection of batiks from Stitch N Frame from Vicksburg, MS

These were the 5 yard bundles from Bolines at Indian Creek that I mentioned was from my old stomping grounds.  The one of the left most likely will become a donation quilt but whether I used the enclosed patterns or not remains to be seen.  I like the prints on the right a bit better and they may possibly in end up in different configuration for Baby R's drag around quilt...............

Because they also go with some of this stuff too.   I had gotten a few cuts at Hobby Lobby recently---that aqua tone on tone up through that dot piece.  I found the last piece in that stack at Pappy's.  I'm sort of thinking a chevron quilt and calling it waves, LOL.

The two Deb Tucker rulers were from Magic Cat Quilt Shop from Knoxville, TN who were vending at the show.  I have long been fascinated with the Hunter's Star pattern and Lois had recommended it.  The Tucker trimmer is for another of her techniques.  See her you tube videos  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB-BEiK5ebU

In the middle is the pattern that I had drooled over in the Keepsake Quilting catalog but they were doing it as a BOM complete with fabric.  I have a big collection of 30's reproduction so I was not interested in that but no one seemed to be selling just the pattern.  Pappy's had it and it is "Aunt Grace's Garden Party"  from Bloom Creek--a 5 month block of the month.  I don't know that Keepsake ever shared the information so it could be tracked down.

The other pattern just intrigued me.  Colorful Cubes with no Y seams from It'sSewSue Patterns.  My guess is that it is done in rows probably vertically but I have not read it yet. One that I wish I had gotten was an appliqued Sunbonnet Sue that told the "story" of her getting caught in the wind and losing her clothing.  Quite cute!!  People are so clever, I tell you.  I don't see it on their webpage but I may have to send Linda C after it or get some more information.

The three pieces of fabric in the foreground are for my Farmer's Wife Sampler.  I know that the aqua and pink piece are part of the "Scrumptious" line from Bonnie and Camille.  Oh you know how I love their stuff!!  The red scroll piece is Darlene Zimmerman for Robert Kaufman "Hints of Prints"  Jane had them cut her some 30's print pieces and I said to cut me a half yard while they still had the bolt out.  All from Pappy's Quilting Place

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I've put a couple of lamps together today.  One is a natural light floor lamp that will work much better with the sewing machine.  The other went in the living room, floor lamp with a small two tiered glass table that I stuck between the recliner and the love seat.  DJ always used a torchiere type lamp there because he didn't want the light in the periphery of his eyes when he was watching TV.  If he wanted to read, then he moved to the other couch or read in the kitchen.  If I am going to do any stitching in the living room during TV viewing hours, I need decent light.  When I think of how much time I spent in by the computer so I could see my work, it makes me sad that we didn't do something about it sooner.  If we could agree on what to watch together, he would move the lamp so I could see the TV better but that was few and far between.   Regret that now.

Oh, the torchiere went to live with the next door neighbors.     I was dragging it out to the shed and asked if they wanted it.  They have been doing a good bit of remodeling/spring cleaning.  She said she had one like it and sure, she'd take it.   The lamp I had on the previous floor stand is installed on the office desk and the stand went out to the shed "just in case"  If I don't need it in say six months time, it is gone.  The recliner, I am still debating about.  Stay or go?  Skyler is the only one who sits in it.  Napping in it now, as a matter of fact.   I've been toying with swapping out the couch and the love seat location and it would need to be gone if I do it.  It takes up so much floor space.

Well, I said I was going to work on my embroidery today and have yet to do that other than picking up a bit of floss while I was out, slightly darker shade of the same blue I had used in another area.  You'll see soon enough!

My friend Gene came by yesterday afternoon and somehow wiggled or jiggled my speaker line and got the sound up and running. Woohoo there.  I'm calling him the computer whisperer, LOL but he swears that he doesn't know what he did to get it going.  Maybe tried another port and it worked while it didn't when I tried.  Don't care as long as the music, hulu and ballgames can be heard.  No taking it to the shop either.

Guess that's it for today-----

odds and ends

I've just been sort of piddling around the house today though a couple of errands were run as well.  Yesterday ended up being a bit of a paperwork day.  Actually I should be working on the guild newsletter now but I am waiting for a column that is always included.  I'll get started on the shell of it in a bit and then pop that part in when it shows up.

Today I got to play with the cordless drill.  DJ sort of "killed" the old Black and Decker one I had asked for years ago.  When it came time to replace it, I just told him to get what he wanted,  as I had not used it in years.  I wanted to move a few pictures around in his room and needed to drill for the hollow wall anchors.   The existing holes he had made were mostly not centered or in  goofy places so I made more after reviewing on you tube how to install one.

 Anyway, there is now a wall clock in there, what was in that spot is moved to an opposite wall and the winter snow scene picture that he always had above the coach is now above the bed.
 
Of course, this above is where the bed used to sit.  If  you are NOT going to sew then at least you can use the sewing machines as weights!  I am trying to get the fold marks out of the chair mat thing.  Between the heavy tote chocked full of Christmas fabric and three machines, I think it is coming around to my way of thinking.  The packaging said to give it 24-48 hours to let it acclimate to the room temperatures and something about putting it in the warm sun.  Well, I think that just crinkled it up more and I had a hard enough time getting it shoved under the desk legs to pull it out and try it again.  Some day, I'll actually use one of those machines for its intended purpose.

I had shared the next picture on Facebook.    Not long after I had returned from Illinois and DJ's funeral, I asked my friend and neighbor Glynda if she could possibly fashion me a wreath with some of the pieces from two of his floral arrangements.  I knew that she had done this sort of thing in the past as she had some arrangements she had made for sale in the previous beauty shop.  The blue silk flowers had been included in a large peace lily planting sent by a friend and her son.   The grapevine wreath material she mounted this two was in another stylized easel type arrangement of cut flowers from friends in my former quilt guild Hands All Around.  Some it remains for a future craft project if I cannot manage to get a shape made from the plentiful kudzu vines around here.  Glynda added the ivy and the yellow flowers as well as the J for our last name and the kitty.  She told me she was looking for a black and white cat like Skyler but had no luck.  I love it and isn't going to be lovely hanging for the spring and summer months?

Speaking of kitties:

We seem to have gotten ourselves a neighborhood cat.   Female, calico and she has 5 toes.  Sweet cat, very friendly but does she actually belong to some one??  She makes the rounds and seems to head out of the nearby subdivision.   Glynda thinks she might be pregnant and judging by the way she is wolfing down the dry food I put out for her she may be on to something.

I couldn't get her to stand still long enough to be a better picture of her little face.  Like Skyler, they move too quickly.   She doesn't seem to be too curious about Skyler though.  Glynda picked her up so they could sniff each other through the screen door and all she did was hiss at him.

He knows something is up.

Here he is trying to spot her as she is near the bushes on the driveway.   He is back to running from door to door to see if he can see anything, will lay for  hours in front of the door in the sun if the weather permits.   He cries and cries when he thinks she might be out there or if I am out there with her.   He used to do that same thing if DJ and I were out on the carport and he wanted us to come in where he was!!  He does NOT go out.

 Today it is not terribly cold but it has been raining off and on, a bit windy at times.  I emptied almost 2 inches from the rain gauge this morning.  I pulled some weeds while I was out there from the rock garden  area.  That same nettle stuff from the yard is trying to establish itself around the nandinas we have planted out there.  I'm getting out the Roundup once the I know it is going to be dry for a few days.

And lastly for pictures anyway, Susan asked how my knitting is coming.  She had pointed me to the pattern for Mary's blanket having done it up in a soft pretty yellow for a little one in her life.

Mine is actually called "almond".  I did a good bit of this in the car on the way up to Pigeon Forge last week.  Not so much on the way back since I told you I was beginning to get sick.   I've done a bit of my embroidery a few nights this week and have made some good progress on my piece.  Another day or two and I might be ready to continue on with the the pieced elements.  No, I cannot show you as it is for the "What is Your Superpower?" blog hop that is coming up in April.  The preliminary schedule has my featured day scheduled for April 17th.

I have been quite remiss in helping to promote the current blog hop which is Flags on a Stick!  Thearica of Pigtales and Quilts is head cheerleader and as always, this comes from the mind of our fearless leader Mdm. Samm of sewwequilt.  It started on the 25th so today is Day 4 and it will run through April 3rd.  We take the weekends off so you can catch up or catch the Pinterest page for the entrants pictures if you are short on time.  Each hop has its own board.  http://www.pinterest.com/mdmsamm/ will take you there.  I know I have some catching up to do myself!

Here is the entire schedule:

March 25th

Pig Tales and Quilts

Fishkopp

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Jane's Quilting

Seams To Be Sew

March 26th

Living with Purpose

Life In The Scrapatch

Devoted Quilter

Made By Me In Red

Quilting Quietly

March 27th

Bumbleberry Stitches

Quilted Delights

Red Quilts

On the Banks of Frog Creek

Words & Stitches

K and S Sweets and Stitching

March 28th

How arT you?

Just Let Me Quilt

Robin's Fabric Nest

Patchouli Moon Studio

CeLynn's Sunflower Patch

Ravelly1

In Stitches and Seams

March 31st

Grandmama's Stories

More Stars in Comanche 

MooseStashQuilting

Pampered Pettit

ShirleyC 

Farm Gate Creations

April 1st

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Quilt Doodle Designs

Buzzing and Bumbling

Why Knot Kwilt?

Creatin' in the Sticks

Meadowbrook

April 2nd

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Stitchin' By The Lake

Just One More Stitch

The Quilting Queen Online

Selina quilts

Whims And Fancies

April 3rd

DachsiesWithMoxie

Just Keep Swimming

The House on the Side of the Hill

Texas Quilting Gal

Madame Samm

More on Mtn. Quiltfest

I stand corrected:  I heard from pomandchia  who unfortunately is a "no reply blogger" so I can't thank her providing a bit of background information about the show.   I hope it is okay to share that with you since it is otherwise buried in a comment on yesterday's post.

Thank you so much for loving our show. Especially for saying that it was professionally hung. Because it was not, it is just guild members and their husbands and 2 city employees. Between both guilds we have about 70 members. We love that our show is free that was part of our agreement when we joined the city 20 years ago. Pigeon Forge has been wonderful to us and we form a great partnership. They fund the show and we along with volunteers work the show. Hope you can visit again, next year.

See?  I was so impressed with the metal floor stands and draping and thinking there is no way in the world that the guilds actually own all this equipment!  I know what it took to get those racks, poles, stands and all that readied for a show.  Also I know how much we budgeted for our little Friendship Quilters biannual and then you have to find a place to store it on top of all that.  The ladies and volunteer hubbies/family members DID hang the show after all.  Did a great job of it too!   I should also say that the two quilt guilds DO have names and I saw a display that had pictures of both groups on it.  Piecemakers Guild and the Sevier Valley Quilters Guild are the hosts along with the City of Pigeon Forge---a great partnership indeed.

How about a few pictures?  I realize that I took some of not entire quilt but so I could catch a label on a few of these.  Others on the camera were because a particular set, pattern, or the use of colors I have in my stash might work in my own work.  You know, the way a quilter's mind works, LOL.


First, a wonderful example of a pineapple log cabin.  Will you take a look at these cool ribbons they award to the quilts too??  I bet the guilds have some folks that really, really enjoy foundation piecing!

This one was Quilter's DNA and the label follows so proper credit might be given.  WOW!

I just love samplers and there were several along the lines of this one.  Perhaps from a block exchange with other quilting pals?

Gorgeous Baltimore Album quilt--sorry no details as to who made this wonderful quilt.

I love Dear Jane quilts---see the comment about samplers above?  I aspire to do one someday, like if I ever get the Farmer's Wife one done first.  Isn't this lovely done in blues and creams?

There were several basket quilts back near the donation quilt area and possibly these were some of them or  the basket quilts were separate section?  Pomandchia will have to straighten me out again.  The simplicity of the basket block itself attracted me, kind of folk art-y with a Joined at the Hip vibe.  That this one had kitties in the basket, well, you know me.

An absolutely stunning miniature quilt.  I hope that the pictures clicks open big enough so you can read the card.

This is Mexican Star and a pattern I have had on my list to purchase for some time.  I thought that the blocks were bigger though?  Either there were more sizes in the pattern than I realized or this person drafted them up or down in size to make her rendition.    Striking in many color combinations that I have seen.

A wonderfully done Double Wedding Ring---wow!  Judy Niemeyer pattern??

One of our guild members had received Viewer's Choice for her version of this same quilt, a Quilt Show with Ricky Timms and Alex Anderson Block of the Month. Just as lovely and well done in this quilter's version.

This quilt was a amazing and sadly I don't know a thing about it.

Okay I have Storm at Sea on the brain as the pending arrival of Baby R has a nursery readied in a NE nautical theme.  My wall hanging will be a version of this pattern.  4 blocks maybe depending on size.  I love the red heart pieced in this one!

Ah, hexies!  Lovely quilt

 This was something like "Tennessee Waltz meets the Orient"

Lastly, this was just something spotted  on an apron at the All Sauced Up Store in Gatlinburg.  It was funny though in my case, not at all accurate.  Thank heaven for that!

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When I hooked the desktop back up the other day I did not realize that the sound was not working.  I thought that the speakers had died so I got another set and they don't work either. I'm taking them back if I ever get dressed today.(one of those nights)  The only two spots where it can be plugged in are in place. I've checked and double checked.  For awhile yesterday the computer did not recognize that they were.  I updated drivers, still won't work.  There are 6 spots that they could possibly be plugged into and NONE of them work.  The computer just says "you have plugged into an audio jack"   DUH! which one??   Any theories on what might be wrong??? Now it says that the speakers are plugged in and working.  I hear nothing when I do the test of both of them.   This of course, is not acceptable, not with all my music files to say nothing of the stuff I watch on hulu and worse,  the regular season of major league baseball starts days from now and that is how I can follow our beloved St. Louis Cardinals!   I do not want to get a new computer yet nor do I want this one to have to go into the shop right now as I have a newsletter to get out for guild in a matter of days.  Think the sound card went kaput??  I wasted entirely too much time and energy on this yesterday.  I've got laundry, dusting and vacuuming to do, LOL.  On second thought..........

away, back and out of commission

Well, that title probably says it all!  Some of you may be wondering just where I had disappeared to as I usually don't go this long without updating.  I did not want to broadcast that I was going out of town for a few days but I had gone to the Mountain Quiltfest up in Pigeon Forge (TN) for a few days this past week.

My friend Jane and her husband Hugh had reserved two rooms during the show and had asked me to join them along with a guest of my choice.  She had told me about this when we were on our way to the airport soon after DJ's passing, so about 6 weeks ahead of time.  I asked our friend Marilyn if she would like to go and share a room.

Off we went last Wednesday, arriving at the hotel about mid afternoon.  I think it is about a 4 hour drive or so up there from here.    We went out to eat at the Wood Grill Buffet  that evening and then to a show at the Comedy Barn.  Jane and Hugh had been before but they change the show up and there was a new animal act with cats!  How in the world Tony and Alena were able to train housecats, nine of them, to do little tricks is beyond me when mine hardly comes when called!  LOL  They also had trained macaws that night and of course, music, comedy and other acts often bringing in folks from the audience to participate.  I swear, when I hear the Willie Nelson-Julio Iglesias song "To All The Girls I Loved Before" duet I am going to visualize the fellow sitting right ahead of us hamming it up in the ventriloquist act. with that set of braids and some sort of mask.

Thursday we did the quilt show which had free admission---that is almost unheard of but I guess that is because it is hosted by the city (or department of tourism) more than an guild??  There were two area guilds hosting it but that was as white glove ladies, raffle table, etc.  The frames and drapes looked like a professionally hung show so I don't know that they had to recruit as many husbands and ladders as say, Friendship Quilters did recently.  The event was held in the LeConte Center which was a gorgeous venue for this.  Spacious room which allowed for groupings of the different categories.  The quilts showed well against the black draping material too.  Plenty of room to get pictures and not be banging into someone's purse, totebag or stroller at every turn.  There were also areas with small tables for people to sit and rest or in our case, the husband to wait for us!   I did take a  bunch of pictures and will share some of them with you, just not right now.

The vendors were off in the room adjacent to the show, partitioned off by draping material.  A little more crowded in the booths as you might expect.  I found a few goodies, LOL.  Mostly stuff that I thought I might use in my niece's baby quilt(s) as I plan on a small wallhanging to decorate the nursing and of course, something for Baby R to drag around too.  A few quilt toys from Deb Tucker.  Also Becky Boline was there with 5 yard quilt packets and other goodies,  Quilts from Indian Creek.  Someone from home in Illinois and my old HAAQG days.  Seemed funny to be standing in Pigeon Forge, TN overhearing the husband talking about Central Catholic in Bloomington, IL!  I think Hands All Around's Quilt show is coming up this weekend or soon anyway as it used to be in early April every year.    Maybe pictures, but later.

After we had poked around the show all we wanted it was off to lunch at the Happy Days Diner and then on to Gatlinburg for some sight seeing, a bit of shopping (All Sauced up and bulk candy store-- banana caramel Laffy Taffy from Beich's and Bloomington! ).  Once back at the hotel I pulled out my stitchery project (the hop is approaching after all) and sat out our room's balcony which overlooked the creek.  We were up on the 5th (the top) floor so I didn't get too close to the edge but it was pleasant enough outside to watch the birds and listen to the water rolling nearby.  Later we went off for supper and the Smoky Mountain Opry show.  Not just country music either---Broadway tunes, jugglers, dancers, Rolling in the Deep, patriotic ending, Lion King, acrobats, lasers, pyrotechnics.  You name it.  Quite entertaining and a wonderful way to cap off the evening.

We left Friday morning to head home but by way of Maryville, TN on the way to Chattanooga.  One of our Belles had moved up that way and recommended Pappy's Quilt Place.  It is housed in what used to be a service station or gas station/quick shop building as the pump canopy is still in place but I believe that had to have extended the building some as the back big room looked like an addition to the building.  Wonderful shop so thanks Linda C for the recommendation.   A few cuts of fabric that will go in my Farmer's Wife Sampler came home with me and a pattern or two.  Maybe pictures,  but later.

Unfortunately, I had woke up that day with a horrid headache. I've never had a migraine but my whole head just hurt.  I occasionally get an inner ear/balance issue.  I don't think that was a factor but I started getting a bit sick to my stomach and the headache was not going away.  The travel sickness med was not helping and I told Jane we might need to switch places in the car at our next stop.  We stopped for lunch in Ft. Payne, about 90 minutes from home and well, no need to get graphic.

It is 5 days later and I still don't feel all that great.  I don't know if I had an intestinal flu virus or a touch of food poisoning but I have heard that Marilyn and Roger are down with something similar now.  Stomach queasy, no appetite and just exhausted.   I missed Belles yesterday and just the absolute minimum of stuff has been happening around here.   I did ask Robert my neighbor to help me pick up my computer desk I had ordered on Saturday.  I put it together on Sunday but left it laying on the floor.  Over the years I have put together plenty of pre-fab furniture so I didn't even think twice about doing this desk thing.  All those years of me and the boys playing with Dad's old erector set taught me a lot about construction.  If it has good diagrams and all the parts are there, I'll get it done if it takes all day.........and it did.


Monday after their son got off work, Robbie and Robert came over and swapped out the office desk, moving it to the master bedroom where I wanted it.    Tuesday, since I knew I was not going to inflict my uncooperative g.i. tract on my buddies, I had this mess of wires to deal with and get the desktop back up and running.

I had already moved the file cabinets and their contents around in the past 2 weeks but I promised them that would be the last of the furniture moving around that they would be asked to do.

Still not completely done in this area as I need one of those mats so the chair will roll.  Some day I need to find a new home for his golf clubs too but I hope his friend Herb will be able to help out with all the golf equipment stuff-- all the golf balls in the shed, the extra clubs etc.  Tracy and Joshua have their own and they won't want their dad's/grandpa's.  The little charging station has to stay somewhere in the room too.

The closet?  Well, I have worked all the way AROUND his clothing and emptied things out but still not quite ready to deal with the things on the hangers.  Yesterday I was sorting through the last box I spotted on the closet floor.  It was full of greeting cards, most of which were the ones I had given him over the last 35 years.  Some were from friends and family, some were cards from his father and sister, both gone in the early 90's.  I did not read the ones from me, just looked for the signature or I really would have been a wreck.  Instead, I boxed them up for "some day. " I do have some other things to send on to Tracy so it needed to be gone through. Oh, how I miss my sweet man and his sentimental heart.   I don't want that room to be a shrine to him but I do not want to wipe every trace of him from this house either.  A few things are switched up.

Anyway---back in the office and supposed sewing room.  Almost two months past and I still have not sewn anything but a huge basic nine patch for that one blog hop.  Yeah, I know---not like me at all.

 I hate that mess of wires but what the heck are you supposed to do with all of that mess anyway?  The keyboard and mouse are hidden but this stuff sure isn't.  I am replacing the little footstool that sat under the desk so it might disguise it a bit when it arrives.

I want to find some dividers for that small desk drawer and another waste basket.  (The file box is going away as I won't need it with two file cabinets).  It looks tidy on top anyway!  I also have about another foot or so of floor space and in a room that is only 10 foot 4 inches square, it helps.

It was good to get away from all this for a few days anyway---away from the the estate tasks, my "to do" lists.  I appreciate my friends asking me to come along and the time we spent together on the trip.  Just too bad it didn't end a little better, LOL.  Oddest thing though.  When I was down and trying to rest on Friday and Saturday it is amazing how much the phone was ringing.  Quiet as quiet could be for weeks and then boom!  It was like I was sending out a vibe that I was not feeling well or something---8 different calls over two days.  I don't know what today will bring but I have to start thinking about filing income taxes for the first time in I don't remember when---97 or 98 maybe?--and filing some of that stuff in two baskets, not one.  Let's start there.  Baby steps, Linda, baby steps.

Happy St. Pat's

Recently with the "Think Ruffles" Blog hop Joan of MooseStash Quilting created a St. Pat's themed moose in a green tutu drinking green beer through a straw for her entry.  If you missed it, you owe it to yourself to go back and take a peek at it.  She has such a fun sense of humor!

Anyway, she asked us to relate a favorite St. Pat's story in our comments.  Here was mine.

St. Pat's story: way back in 1978 the first time I kissed DJ was in a parking lot at Long John's Silver because he caught me with a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" button on. We were not even dating at the time, I knew him to talk to but that was about it. He maintained for years that it was not a very good kiss---and I always retorted that we were not even dating so why would I really lay a lip lock on him? I also had to kiss his best friend from work too but he was married so needless to say, that was just a peck on the cheek. DJ later found out that I really could do much, much better!

I still have that button and though my desk is virtually emptied out as I am getting ready for it to be carried into the master bedroom, I knew exactly which little basket it was in.  He always insisted that I did not go out with that button on and may have hoped that I had tossed it, LOL.  Trust me, I am NOT the only person who is a bit sentimental judging by the cards and notes I have gone through recently.

 It is a nod to my Scotch-Irish ancestors on my mom's side (where do you think I got the red hair?)  if I were to actually wear it.  I have yet to get dressed so there is still time to put on something green so no one feels compelled to pinch me.  Alas, my shamrock socks have finally had to be tossed (I think).  Last year was a little suspect and I had to wear them over another pair.

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What is going on here otherwise?  I sort of took part of the weekend off from estate stuff unless you count emptying out the desk and swapping out the file cabinets.  Mine goes in the master, his stays in here next to the computer desk that should be arriving today.  I have to assemble it but that is not a problem until I need it carried into position.

 This last Thursday I got the push mower lesson and mowed the back yard.  I still need to know how to use the weed whackers though.   I spent Friday doing a bit of cooking ahead.  I just cannot seem to get in the hang of my old routine of cooking a meal.  There is so much leftover even with halving some recipes plus the freezer is getting full of small containers.  Anyway, some of the leftovers were re-purposed as a black bean pumpkin (chicken) chili, a small dish of cavatini with the rest of the meat stuff going for meatballs (spaghetti or meatball marinara sandwiches).   Still containers of THAT stuff for the freezer.

Yesterday I did attempt to deal with some of the financial papers but I need to verify that my name is not messed up on the death certificates first.  One line has it Linda married name, then maiden name and this is not my legal signature.  Another line lists it correctly Linda married name so is it just some goofy way of writing it?  Once on my drivers license they had it written Linda maiden name, married name so who knows? Checking into this further is on my list of today or tomorrow "to-do's".

It is not a very pretty day---coldish, damp and maybe raining or about to.  We had two inches of rain the night before but yesterday's low is supposed to be today's high with it dropping down to freezing again tonight.  Spring supposedly is almost here but the calendar anyway.  I am not fond of that in between weather as it is not cold enough to trigger the furnace and then it just feels colder inside.   Yesterday I was  wrapped up in a fleece throw and finally put on my outside sweatshirt with the thermal lining.  Between turning on the oven to make some corn muffins to go with the chili and eating the chili, I finally could ditch wearing it in favor of the apron!  I also made some Tex Mex sheet cake but some of that is going to the neighbors and the rest the freezer. I'm going over to get my hair trimmed up soon.   Just wanted a taste of chocolate not eat the whole blooming thing.  I'll bring the rest to Belles next meeting.

I did spend part of Saturday prepping what will be my entry into the "What's Your Superpower" blog hop for next month.. It was National Quilting Day after all.  I was not going to celebrate by sewing as I often would so this was as close as it was going to get.   A bit of it is done.  I did a bit last night in the middle of the night too------sigh, I was hoping that 2 a.m. wake up call was behind me but apparently not.   I also have a couple of inches done on that basket weave baby blanket I had started.  

And so it goes-------

I promised you quilt pictures

I guess with having to cancel two meetings due to horrid winter weather, someone (Lois in particular) got a lot of quilting and binding done!

These were the quilts that were turned in for donation at the meeting on Tuesday.  

Bev's panel quilt.  It is backed with flannel and perfect for a little one.  Bev has a long arm quilting machine that she is learning to use and these quilts are an excellent way to practice.

These 6 blocks were from a BOM project that the JOY group did.  I want to say from Sentimental Stitches maybe?  Lois said she lost interest in the project and used what she had done to make this top.

Lois Scrappy Squares #1

Lois Batik Squares and Triangles.  This was part of a quilt kit she got at the guild "garage sale" and she gave me the leftovers though I don't know that I will do the same thing with it.

No, you are not seeing double.  She made two very similar quilts, LOL

Lois Bridgecreek Blossom using a jelly roll.  Terry Atkinson Design.

A group favorite,  Lois' Pineapple Blossom.  Quiltville pattern

Lois' Hunter Star.  I know that she used a Deb Tucker ruler and technique to make this quilt.

Lois' Chiclets or whatever you want to call it, LOL.  There are about 5 ways to make this quilt.

This is Bridget's personal quilt that she is made for her husband.  Sorry I do not remember the pattern name though she did mention it.  The girls were getting ready to pin it.

And there you go-------

moving to a new normal?

"New Normal"  whatever that is.  Now I get tasks like paying the household bills and yard work in addition to the inside work of cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning.  Not that all the inside jobs landed on me.  How else would I have gotten so much sewing done without him pitching in as he did?  DJ was a good helper, not with cooking, but he really pitched in with the household tasks saying "I live here too so I'm just doing my part".

Cooking and dusting was not his "thing".  I could ask him to stir something but you would swear you thought he was beating cake batter doing it.  Dusting, I would have to grit my teeth as he didn't do it like I did. (spray the cloth, not the surface and no circular motions and quit spurting that stuff all over the place!)  So minor in the scheme of things, you know.  Part of the age old thing--- my way, his way or done?  The laundry disagreements were finally resolved with "let me take care of my darks and you do your own darks, in a separate load."  Undies, I didn't care--go right ahead.

So what have I done today?  Well, now I have to be concerned about the automobile maintenance.  I was one week and about 200 miles past the time I should have gone to get the oil changed.  Then I had to tell the fellow at Cobb's that DJ was no longer with us when I went to pay.  He had just had my car in for an oil change about 10 days before he died, as a matter of fact.  I know DJ always loved joking around with this guy and he gave as good as he got, telling me about their conversations when he returned home.   I told him I had sold the 2nd vehicle but you would not believe all the Cobb's service slips I found in the vehicle maintenance folders.  He smiled when I said that.  He told me what a great guy DJ was and how sorry he was to hear of his passing.

Then I was off to look at push mowers and pick up some Round Up for around the fence and the kudzu patch later this spring.   Oh, I may not have told you about the lawn mower deal.  My neighbor Robert's riding lawn mower had transmission troubles that was beyond repairing.  Getting a brand new one is not in the budget right now either.  He mows yards for a couple of Glynda's beauty shop clients and has more acreage than me to mow.  I think you might figure out where I am headed.

I have no desire to get on that riding lawn mower though DJ tried teach me when he had his heart surgery back in 99.  (I did it once.  The neighbor did it once and then the grass dried up just in time, LOL.)  Thing scares me and I felt like I was going to fall off of it.  Anyway, our rider was a 17 yr old Craftsman, well maintained. Robert was welcomed to it if he will help me keep the yard mowed this season.  The neighbor across the lane and the one next door have also offered to help so I think between us, we can get the job done.

Why a push mower? I had always told DJ if he would get me a push mower I would do the back yard, which is fenced and has a couple bushes.   It would be easier than him having to shift, turn, shirt, back up etc.  Well, I have one now just a basic 20 inch Murray 300 series.  Got the manual on the table for lunch time reading material.   I can do the back yard is the guys will just take care of the front of the house and the side yards.  I figure one can just do a few extra swaths when he does his side yard.

Robert is going to have to give me a lesson on how to use the weed whacker.  Turns out I have three of them out there.  One has a battery pack, one is electric and old.  The third one is just plain hard to start.   He said I needed to get the Round Up for around the fence so I don't tear up the weed whacker.  I need to locate the owners manual first.  Actually I am hoping that the frost we are expecting tomorrow morning will take a toll on that danged purple nettle stuff out in the yard that is getting away from us!

Meanwhile INSIDE the house:
I have been slowly and steadily going through drawers and boxes in his room,  Parts of the closet are cleared out, the other dresser completely emptied.   I still cannot deal with taking care of his shirts and slacks.  One of these days but not now.  I am getting rid of the old bed frame and chest of drawers though.  (It had belonged to the ex-wife and I have always hated that them, bruising my legs or stubbing my toes more times than I care to count).  I bought just a metal frame that the box springs etc set up on.  Much better!  50 bucks of happiness just seeing that stuff go away.  I cannot ditch the bed in case I have overnight guests but a simple frame will work just fine.    When we moved in here, I had made the dust ruffle originally on the bed as well as the valance on his window in a  navy blue plaid  and backed with ticking fabric.  The box springs edge is just plain ugly but the old dust ruffle is much too short in length.  I may get a chance to try out the gathering foot on my serger yet.  I saved it just to remove what is on there now and attach whatever needs attached.

I had called Center of Hope and scheduled a pickup for the bedroom stuff on Monday.  I was over talking to my across the lane neighbor when they pulled up.   Willie asked me what I was giving away---when I said a queen bed frame and dresser, he said he needed some furniture as he had an empty bedroom to furnish.  (Recently divorced and the grand kids stay over a bit.)  Had I known he needed it, I would not have called for the truck.  I had to apologize for their making the trip for nothing but there were a few odds and ends I had planned to take over in the car so they took them.  Willie is supposed to be over this afternoon with a truck and his brother to pick up the stuff.   He is one of my lawn care volunteers so again, I'm bartering.

I have plans for the big office desk to go into the master bedroom and put a small computer desk in here which will get me some more floor space to sew/quilt etc.  Other than that I am not making any other changes in the house other than to continue to downsize,  my stuff and his.   However, I was looking at one wall and thinking that I might be able to have an " honest to goodness" design wall on one wall and on another wall, space for that treadle machine that is stored in the attic of my parent' garage in three pieces.  The dresser needs to be gone first and I have to have some way of transporting it down here but it could happen.

One of my quilting friends had asked if I was going to move into the master since it is the larger room.  My response was along the lines of "why would I do that?"  I'm comfortable in my own room.  All my clothes are in there, the books and entertainment center.  Frankly I don't want to move any of it!  I had enough moving things with putting down the floor in the sewing room.  Little did I know how much stuff I would be moving and transporting with DJ's passing soon after that.   Slow and steady, slow and steady.

I need to shift gears anyway as I finally have the needed forms to deal with the financial matters.  Then there are the taxes to worry about too.  Any wonder that I am still not sleeping all that well??

Creatively??  What might that be?  I seem to recall that I was always sewing or thinking about sewing once upon a time, LOL. Okay, I AM going to participate in the stitching blog hop with sew we quilt and will need to work on the pattern I picked out late last week.  I had a question so was waiting to trace off the design till I heard from our cheerleader Pauline.

I had also decided that I wanted to do some knitting in the evenings in the meantime.  I am going to be a great auntie before long, after all.  Susan at Patchwork Reflections had pointed me towards this pattern in the past.  I am just starting the pattern rows.  Actually I was to that point yesterday but had to start over last night as I had messed up the math a bit.  You need multiples of 8 plus 12 stitches for the garter stitch "frame" around the basketweave.   The pattern is on Ravelry Mary's Blanket but sized for premies and I wanted it bit bigger and cast on 124 instead.  Pick up work.

Look who has made himself comfortable atop the heap!  My campaign to get him to use his perch in the new location is semi-working.  If I only open up that one blind in the morning, he is sort of forced to go looking for the sunny spot.  However, just when I think I have him "trained", I'll head out to the kitchen to find him sitting on top of the microwave staring at the blinds, as if to say "hey, open up these things.  I can't see out!"

Bama Belles met yesterday and I do have a bunch of quilt pictures to share with you. I'll do that in a day or two.  A few quilts were pinned including two that I had left in the closet back in December. That is what he is sitting on while the finished ones are atop the armoire awaiting documentation and assigned numbers.    I'm not ready to quilt my two tops now but it does help that they are ready for when I AM ready to do so.  The tops are the Puss in the Corner shown HERE and the other is On the Boardwalk, shown HERE back in December 2013.  The 2nd one is actually the Mumm fabric challenge I issued to the girls last year with a bunch of our donation fabric in that line.   One of them asked what we were going to do as a challenge this year----not sure, haven't thought about it yet though I do have fabrics that were given to us for that purpose.   Jane, bless her, did the binding on the donation quilt that will be going to Friendship Quilters to fulfill my membership requirement of a minimum of 1 donation quilt for the year.   (THIS is it before the borders went on it. Beth will get a picture of it when I take it to guild)

Well, the timer is sounding for the dryer and I need to scare up something for lunch.  That's how things are shaking out around here. Hanging in there the best I can-------