tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242529632024-02-19T11:11:27.504-06:00life, quilts and a cat too.................add a dog into the mix and see what happens!Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.comBlogger1449125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-86321927536182157762017-03-06T13:30:00.002-06:002017-03-07T08:15:22.646-06:00Wedding weekend<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0j8y4xhbtcE/WLy2-wFEXlI/AAAAAAAArRE/zwb3AYZABVY5mbKeTAYurnBvYhQ50pLQwCEw/s1600/taping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0j8y4xhbtcE/WLy2-wFEXlI/AAAAAAAArRE/zwb3AYZABVY5mbKeTAYurnBvYhQ50pLQwCEw/s320/taping.jpg" width="320" /></a>The wedding was a week ago Saturday and I am still kind of catching my breath! I know some of you are waiting to see pictures. Both my DIL Michelle and niece Randi were taking pictures and shared albums on Facebook. My friends and family who use that platform have seen some of these already. My girlfriend Helen was taking informal photos as well but those are coming via US mail in a few days!<br />
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My niece is a talented videographer and there is a video you may wish to see on You Tube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uV9xd_ging&feature=share" target="_blank">HERE</a>. It was a lovely gift for Charles and I but also a way to share our wedding weekend with family and friends who were with us in spirit.<br />
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THURSDAY<br />
My sister Diane was my matron of honor and honestly I don't know how I could have pulled this all off without her! She not only got my parent's flight arranged along with her own but she took over the fellowship hall decor. ( Diane is the brunette at the center of the picture above.) My sister Janet and daughter Randi also flew into ATL from Colorado on very little sleep and met up with the other three at the airport. Janet rented a car for them arriving at my house about 2 pm or so. Mom was absolutely beat and laid down to rest but the girls and my dad gathered around the table to start taping 3 dozen little hurricane vases to "bling them up" for the tables! Diane and I had consulted back and forth on the 'net and phone for about two weeks about size, colors, shapes, which combo of glitter and stones would achieve the desired effect. Then she had the boxes shipped from the vendors or packed them up and sent here. <br />
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I admit I was NOT much help and messed up the one jar I sprayed, LOL so I continued with prepping the ingredients to make Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai for our supper! Charles had a doctor's appointment in Birmingham so was not on hand to greet the family but joined in the glitter party on the driveway on his return. We had soaked two 5 gallon buckets of aqua and clear water beads Wednesday night. The picture shows the vases being filled. (The video, a little sequence of it as well.) Diane did a suspension of teal stones and silver pearls for the three head table vases. I'll have to take a better picture of it for you as it is still holding up! <br />
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I am also missing a picture of how pretty the tables looked with the glittery runner and scattered teal stones. (Randi did this before the cleanup with some of the stones.)<br />
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FRIDAY</div>
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We women took off for Ladies Lunch at Classic on Noble joining my quilting buddies. My sisters made me put on a bride to be sash and the Belles a tiara---you'll see that in the video! After lunch, I needed to run back home to get the frozen lemonade ice cubes and punch ingredients. Charles was waiting at the house and said "there are two gals down at the church who said they knew you in school". He was right! I had expected them for lunch as well when I found out they would be arriving on Thursday. My phone was messing up big time in the fellowship hall.<br />
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Charles and Dad went out to lunch with Abby while we were dining. The guys got the stuff loaded up from "Wedding Central" and unloaded at the church where everyone pitched in to get the Fellowship Hall set up. Well, me not so much---Mom and I were mixing punch base, LOL. It looked lovely! We finished up about 3 and Abby conked out in the car on the way home but did not stay down then. The trip to the church two hours later for rehearsal did the trick. Charles laid her down on the back pew and she did not stir but she also did not get to practice like the rest of us either. Somewhere on someone's phone there is video of him walking her down the aisle practicing throwing her petals. I saw it after the fact as we were trying not to see each other before the ceremony!</div>
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Rehearsal dinner was held at the nearby Top of the River. Helen and Polly my two high school pals were able to join us--finally! Also my brother Dave and godchild/niece Allison's flight got into ATL in the early afternoon so they joined us as well.</div>
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SATURDAY</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f60q8yR8p1c/WLyzVq2duQI/AAAAAAAArQc/rlZ-iO2ccxckI08ICiguOH2M2jLsXK6uwCLcB/s1600/mop%2Bbible%2Bin%2Bbouquet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f60q8yR8p1c/WLyzVq2duQI/AAAAAAAArQc/rlZ-iO2ccxckI08ICiguOH2M2jLsXK6uwCLcB/s320/mop%2Bbible%2Bin%2Bbouquet.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had to go get the wedding flowers first thing. The poor florist had said she would get started on them after Valentine's Day and then come to find out, had gotten a bad case of the flu making the rounds. I had called and left a message and no return call. I followed up mid week with another call and found out it was her first day back in a week. I wanted the Mother of Pearl Bible my mom had brought back from Israel for us girls to use in our weddings incorporated into my bouquet. The wedding instructions/date information and some ribbon I had picked out were with it and then it was misplaced. The date was with the Bible and not in her reminder book as it turned out. She recalled the conversation the more I mentioned about it saying it was a good thing I had called when I did!! The materials were on the shelf and she promised they would be done by Friday p.m. or I said Saturday a.m. would be okay before 11. She did a lovely job and it looked like the Bible was cascading with the roses.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8QTb1mooHp0/WL22bPNpqwI/AAAAAAAArSc/P0mBU35JJus-dgflC6R4kOLMlcFbHHAcwCLcB/s1600/primping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8QTb1mooHp0/WL22bPNpqwI/AAAAAAAArSc/P0mBU35JJus-dgflC6R4kOLMlcFbHHAcwCLcB/s400/primping.jpg" width="400" /></a>Diane helped with hair and makeup and we arrived at the church in our attire. Charles waited to change at the church. People were running interference to keep us from spotting each other. Dad at one point was standing in the doorway looking "O.G" cracked me up! I was hiding in a back Sunday School classroom off the sanctuary but also greeting a few of the guests as they came in and spotted me. My brother Steve and wife Jan arrived on Saturday from Tennessee as did friend Cindy and her husband John. Charles' cousins Jim and Linda were the first to arrive with their spouses. I had met Jim and Rosemary in person recently but not Linda and Frank except online. </div>
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Araya, Emma and Abby were running around before the guests and maybe even afterwards from what my pals are telling me. Charles and Michelle walked Abby through her flower girl duties a couple times, as I said. I was told she was throwing them all willy nilly with Mama but almost perfectly placed and in a row with Gramps. If she dropped two, she picked one up, LOL! You will see a picture below. Her aisle walk in the video is adorable!</div>
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Here my DIL Melissa and SIL Brian are helping with the corsage. Charlie told me 4 people tried to get it pinned on him! He said one of my sisters finally got it in place. </div>
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All dressed up! Grandson Zeke was groomsman. Emma is the twincess on the left and Araya on the right, looking up. Abby the flower girl in front. Their daddy Jeff was home with their cousin who is staying with them this semester--strep throat, ugh! Mommy Michelle was taking pictures.<br />
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Emma coming down the aisle. She and Araya were holding hands and walking in together during rehearsal so I don't know what actually happened by time to go down the aisle. I see Araya peeking out from behind Emma's shoulder. A little story: just before they were to walk in, Araya had tossed down her bouquet in the back room announcing she was tired of playing with it! I said "now it is the time you are <b>supposed</b> to be holding it! Take your sister's hand. It is time to go!" Between Aunt Melissa and I, she got down there. Oh, and I was still hearing from Araya mostly---"but I want to be flower girl!" Diane, Melissa and I all had to tell them that being a bridesmaid was way better. Flower girl job is for little babies, not young ladies! I heard too that they were walking heel to toe in their boots entertaining the guests. Whatever, right?<br />
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Abby taking her job quite seriously!</div>
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<b>Some of the posed pictures after the ceremony</b></div>
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We were also celebrating my parent's 66th wedding anniversary but in typical parent fashion, they deflected any attention away from that. Still quite an achievement. I am proud to share our future anniversaries with them on their day.</div>
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I felt like doing a fist pump---YES!!</div>
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The kids at the recessional with Pastor Chris</div>
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Wedding bands</div>
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Wedding Party. Paul, his best friend, was best man. He was our "cupid" and the reason Charles and I met in the first place watching those Bama games at his house.</div>
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Charles son Brian and his wife Melissa, my DIL and SIL now, provided the cakes as our wedding gift and kindly helped with the food. Here is the cake cutting (I look goofy in this shot but okay!) and showing my pretty cake along with his way cool "Dr Who" cake. Melissa baked 12 layers of cake on Thursday to do both of these! Charles is a huge Star Wars, Star Trek and Dr. Who fan so it was a perfect choice for him!</div>
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Zeke was saying something to me about now I was his real grandmom. Yes, I am! Won't he be a handsome man when he grows up?! Love this man and these kids.<br />
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And here with our other grands Graclyn and Raleigh</div>
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After the reception my family pitched in to clean up the fellowship hall. Charles and I unloaded the vehicles and then met our family at Effina's in downtown Anniston for supper. Came home and opened wedding gifts and cards. I will be sending out "thank you notes" this week. Neither of us was expecting gifts---we just wanted folks to come celebrate with us if they could especially since that required some airfare for my family. I was missing only one sibling. Friends I did not expect to come, did. The quilt groups were represented.<br />
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The leftover food either went home with Brian and Melissa or Michelle at cleanup time. On Sunday morning when I had time to sort through what we might use at home, we ended up taking most of the leftover wedding cake (not the topper though!), leftover disposable plates, cups, napkins and the transportable punch, veggies, cheese cubes, nuts and mints out to Michelle and Jeff on Sunday afternoon. 7 people in the household would make far better use of all that than the two of us. None of us had had lunch yet so we had an impromptu buffet thing on their kitchen table. Groom's cake AND bride's cake? No problem!<br />
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I was resisting going through all this traditional ceremony stuff when we first started talking about this marriage thing, setting a date and such. Charles insisted that I didn't have to do what I did the first go-round (in a church but almost eloping) He wanted me to have the memories, my family close, an engagement ring, all of that. I am happy that he did convince me. It was an almost magical time and I felt so completely loved by not only him but our families and friends. Every girl needs to feel like a princess for one day, anyway??<br />
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Meanwhile, it is back to reality. There is stuff laying around in the sewing room looking for a place to be put away--decoration stuff mostly that Diane didn't need or want back. Melissa does wedding planning and the like so I think I am going to see if she has any need for something like 36 octagonal mirrors. Also we cannot use the gift until the giver is properly thanked so things are still sitting on the fireplace hearth. In the intervening week, Abby has stayed over one week night and the twincesses this past Friday evening/Saturday morning. I had put a moratorium on kids' overnight stays until after the wedding--my only bridezilla-like request. I have a feeling Abby might be back again on Tuesday night as Charles thinks I will be gone all day quilting and that worked last week, LOL. Household tasks don't end just because you got married either, rather increase I am finding. Not complaining, just a fact. Belles is having a sewing day next week and I've got to send out cutting directions or the web link head of that. That and get the ball rolling on this name change thing!<br />
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Thanks for stopping by and the well wishes that were sent to us along with prayers on our behalf. We appreciate all your many kindnesses----Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-61382681958506786562017-02-12T18:59:00.001-06:002017-02-13T08:44:44.304-06:00Checking in<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Checking in from Wedding Central. I couldn't sew in my sewing/computer room even if I wanted to. And who has time for it anyway?<br />
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A couple last boxes are expected to join all this mess in the few days as well. My sister Diane who is my matron of honor is helping me with the decorations for the fellowship long distance. She worked on adding bling to some practice glassware to decide on the color and shape for about a week. Then we debated about glass stones versus water beads too, Skyping, texting, calling and emailing, LOL.<br />
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To that end we have 6 inch hurricane vases (36 of them!) along with octagonal mirrors, aqua and clear water beads and silver beads etc that she had shipped to me. My "colors" are teal and gray/silver but only because my dress is teal and his suit charcoal gray! Now they are part of the decorating scheme. Thursday night before the wedding when Mom, Dad, my two sisters Diane and Janet along with my niece Randi who will be our videographer arrive, we are going to have a glitter applying party. Diane has the process down and will get us work bees in gear. I am to get the water beads to soaking in two separate large Lowe's paint buckets on Wednesday evening. The buckets are hiding behind the boxes. <br />
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I think I am done with all the shopping until Melissa gets me the shopping list for the foods she and my future son-in-law Brian will be preparing/setting up for us. The reception supplies and punch ingredients are on hand. The attendant's gifts are purchased and wrapped. I spray painted that basket for any cards our guests may have and turned part of the driveway, several rocks and a one of my socks not covered by my sandal straps and lovely teal color.<br />
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We meet with the florist one of my Belles had recommended. Miss Pauline will be working on them once the Valentine's Day craziness is done (going with silk). We got the marriage license on Wednesday. I got invitations sent out for Friday lunch out with my friends and family as well as invites to the Rehearsal Dinner. I am not fond of having to write things out by hand anymore<i> </i>but did it anyway! <br />
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I also got music discs together for the fellow who does sound at church but then Charles and I drove ourselves crazy trying to label the darned things for Tommy for 2 days. It took that long to pick out the songs I wanted to use! I tunes was not cooperating with either of us in that regard. I could read the labels on the one I burned it on but not the other three available computers. He even tried on his old home computer thinking that software would be more cooperative. As long as Tommy can pull up the first cut on disc one for lighting the unity candle, I decided I was not going to worry about any of the rest. If it will play while our guests find their seats or at the reception, then I'm good, LOL<br />
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I've got a few minor things to tend to tomorrow but I think I will done with wedding related tasks till the follow week and crunch time. As of this writing we are 13, almost 12 days away. Next week I will be concentrating on cleaning house and readying for house guests. Mom and Dad will be staying with me here. The girls have a hotel room. One brother and niece will arrive on Friday and my brother and SIL in TN will be driving down on Saturday as well as another friend from TN and her husband. Two friends from high school will be coming too, much to my surprise. This is going to be fun!<br />
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Today at church some of the parishioners that we normally sit by were saying "you're getting married!" or "when's the big day?". The one woman with three young sons that almost look like triplets said she assumed we already were married. Apparently word is spreading! Pastor said he would put it in the bulletin and announce it next week but had wanted to check to see if that is what we wanted.<br />
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Other than that the usual household stuff is keeping me busy. I am always washing something it seems. Washing or cooking! Charles has been working a bit out in the shop organizing his space. A couple days ago we went out for two 4 x 8 sheets of pegboard and furring strips to mount it on the studs out in the shed. He has been digging into a big ziploc bag of hangers I had to hang a lot of the most used tools and supplies and clearing space from the shelving and floor out there. This afternoon he was doing some preliminary wiring for a ceiling fan and track lighting that we had brought back from the damaged building at his son's. Eventually we will run electricity out there but until then we can string extension cords out from the carport should he need some power tools. They were supposed to cut up the downed tree at his son's this past Friday but that was dependent on the weather. Charles went out anyway to dismantle his work tables in that space since the lumber could be re-used when the new building goes up. There are still things buried on the other side of the tree. I went out with him the day he needed to try to label the playlist but stayed home Friday working on the invitations and other home tasks. Saturday he got a call from his pal Paul (the best man) about the 220 wire to his outbuilding being cut by some workers on the septic system. Electrical work---man, he was out of here like a man on a mission!<br />
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LOL, in his spare time he put some bling on my treadle machine. One of these days I will have to try it---when I am not steam cleaning my rug, for example. Always something!<br />
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I may not check in until after the wedding--and have some pictures to share. Till then------Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-22817074739052731212017-01-25T20:16:00.000-06:002017-02-09T17:45:09.319-06:00checking in (edited)Not sure exactly how to start this post as things tend to blur together after awhile. When I left off last time, Charles and I were going to watch the 4 youngest grandkids so their mom could take their cousin shopping for school clothes. She will be staying with them this semester and the clothes she brought with her were not meeting the local school dress codes. Fortunately we had good weather and <b>did</b> take the kids into our town's park to play on the cool slides and stuff there. Then we scored point by taking them off to Mickey D's for ice cream cones. Well, there was some grumbling about wanting sundaes but Gramps and I said they all got the same thing this trip. <br />
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This past weekend, the "twin-cesses" came for an overnight stay. I had some helpers for "dough smashing" (Pride of Iowa cookies call for the dough to be flattened with a glass dipped in granulated sugar). I sent most of the output home with the kids though.<br />
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Emma and I---Araya said to pose this way as the last batch was in the oven</div>
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Araya looks like she is doing the pageant wave, LOL</div>
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Plans are to have their older brother Zeke come this weekend. We thought the youngest Abby was going to come Monday evening but at the last minute she decided she would stay with Mama and play outside some more, LOL. Instant grandmom, that's me!</div>
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Charles and I had decided to table several of our household projects until after the wedding. Mostly those plans consist of painting the master bedroom and putting up some shelving on the wall above the desk. He hung a blind I had gotten for the bedroom that had been waiting while the bathroom work was completed. However, Charles had gone out to help his son with a plumbing issue and came home with a closet rod and brackets. Way back in July 2014 I had posted about the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mnbAaBKTgVNf7EnO3lHz8T3IIjr1WLq5K0hvW2yFKeZJ6iIFR4X6-qrA3lnB6D987sJORMhQmcY-IiTOnXOTgRdHeH8dVo8a_LmM69t6iKm_Gx-CvJ9iExzuc0gxtXDDzHEk/s1600/DSC07362+(Copy).JPG" target="_blank">jerry rigged closet rod</a> in the master bedroom and wondered how it had managed to not snap like a twig. It is fixed now, thanks to Charles. We could address this before it got too loaded up with stuff now that those 81 quilts were delivered.</div>
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We <b>do</b> have plans to paint, re-tile my bathroom with the same tile as the master bath we just did, re-size the mirror, replace the light fixture and toilet to a low flow chair height one. Just generally update the room a bit. Again, that needs to wait till after the wedding. Mom and Dad will be staying here when they come down and people will be in and out. Better not to have the house all torn up! I have paint color cards stuck up in both rooms---looking at pretty blue for the bedroom and at first a green for the bathroom. Now I am leaning towards a butterscotch yellow. Jury is still out, LOL but I have time to think about this! I see more trips to Lowe's in our future. If anyone were to ask what we might need as a wedding gift, the answer would be Lowe's gift cards.</div>
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We have not been idle though. He hung a blind I had gotten for the bedroom that had been waiting while the bathroom work was completed. He turned his attention to the utility shed and I went out there to help decide some of the "stay or go" items. In this picture from the bush cutting down days, you can see some of that giant mess behind him! We filled up the trash can rather quickly and had to ask a couple of the the neighbors if they had room in theirs for a couple of things. I resisted going through the subdivision near us at the dead of night to sneak a bag in some stranger's though, LOL. As soon as the can was emptied last Friday morning, I had it almost 3/4's full again with the bags we had waiting. <br />
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At some point he will run electricity out there but a lot of clearing out needed to be done to gain some floor space. Using the scrap lumber bits out there, he put up some shelving to get the Christmas decoration boxes up off the floor. He also re-purposed that old wooden closet rod he just took down in the bedroom and got some chain to hang the ladders from the rafters. The old door that DJ and I had taken down between the kitchen and laundry room is now a work table hinged to a side wall. He put some vinyl tile on the top of it yesterday and added some trim and it looks pretty cool! He moved and re-organized the shelving units and put up a wire shelf unit that DJ had never mounted. It now holds a couple cord reels and a few more items. All the weed eaters are mounted on the other side wall too. There is still some tossing to be done and a surplus of nails found a new home at a friend's house who has a building project coming up but it is looking up! The cat carrier you see below is only in a temporary home at this point. We replaced the rickety sawhorses this past weekend when Harbor Freight had them about 40 bucks cheaper than we had priced at Lowe's. You would not believe how much cleaner and open this space looks like already!</div>
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Oh, that yellow roll of batting is out of there now too as I've got it in my car to run down to the church next week. </div>
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He needs to see if the two compressors we have in this heap still work and the old kitchen chair back needs dismantled for parts.<br />
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Charles at work organizing the shelves but you can see the ladder things he rigged up in this shot.</div>
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Turns out that ours was not the only shed we had to worry about. This Sunday his son or daughter-in-law called and the hot water heater had been tripping off repeatedly for a 24 hr period. Also it had been raining quite heavily (windy too) and a roof leak problem had returned. Charles went out to see if he could fix the problem. I know he cleaned out the gutters a bit and checked into the breaker situation while he was there. Being an intermittent problem, they would have to continue to monitor it. <br />
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While he was there, a pine tree uprooted and sheared the wiring from Jeff's mechanic shed but hit the other one that he and Charles shared. I was just grateful that he was not out in it at the time as he was headed that way for some of his electrical supplies. The one that got hit sort of sits at right angles to other one and the tree went through the left hand third of the building, raising the roof. It missed his big riding mower and all of his electronic equipment and "toys" but bent the tar out of his shelving. There is a motorcycle and tiller under all this mess among other things.<br />
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I went out to help clear things out and see what we could selvage. The insurance adjuster is due out tomorrow morning but he and Jeff were allowed to remove what was not damaged with orders to keep away from the damaged areas. Charles was able to store several wagon loads of stuff in his old apartment downstairs in the house. Some stuff got tossed as it was wet or no longer needed. Some stuff came back here with us as he sets up some shop area here. That wire shelving unit you see against the wall in one of the pictures of our shed above got mounted and nicely holds his electronic course books. It is shaping up!<br />
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In between, Wendell dropped off a length of leather for the treadle machine so that is now fixed though I have not had a chance to sit down and try it. He also started drilling out the bush stumps so they can be treated with Stump-Rid product. The battery packs both died or he might have gotten a bit further this afternoon, LOL. </div>
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We had the pleasure of meeting his cousin Jim and his wife Rosemary a week ago Wednesday. They were up from Ocala, FL and doing some geneology work near here but on the Georgia side of the state line. Jim suggested meeting up in Oxford for lunch near the exchange. Then we all went out through Cleburne County and a church cemetery where their mutual great-grandfather (or was it their grandfather?) is buried along with some other relatives. I believe they plan to come up for the wedding. <br />
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We were finally able to meet with the pastor a week ago Sunday and tour the fellowship hall we will be using for the reception, discuss what we wanted to do for vows, etc. There are several options for the bride dressing rooms and other logistical things explained that will help us get the supplies and such we need. Charles is afraid to use the linen table cloths so I think we will be making a trip out to Sam's for disposable table cover once we get a linear measurement of the tables after church next Sunday, LOL.<br />
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I went shopping yesterday after the Belles meeting for some of the things we will be needing but still need to go for some of the punch ingredients. Charles' oldest son and daughter-in-law will be helping with the reception and providing the bride and groom's cakes as our wedding gift. I am thankful for their help! Melissa and I recently discussed what we wanted to serve with cake and punch and they will prepare/purchase those items or that is the current plan! I also have a lead on a florist so that is what I need to address next along with some rehearsal dinner details. At this writing if you don't count today, 30 days to go!<br />
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All this excitement is sort of tempered for me this week as I am mindful that Thursday the 26th would have been DJ's and my 18th anniversary. February 1st marks the 3rd anniversary of his passing. If I don't mark these dates, then I don't know who will and he deserves to be remembered. He was a good man and loved me as I loved him. I am deliriously happy with Charles and am looking forward to being his wife but I do honor DJ and our life together for 36 years. This made me who I am today, taught me what it was to be a wife and in a long term relationship. I think Charles would thank him for that if they had met. Charles knows what loss is as well. We know just how blessed we are to have this 2nd chance at love and marriage and will treasure every day that God grants us. That we are ready to try again is a testament to our loved ones, don't you think?<br />
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Changing course here and looking to the future---------</div>
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Of course, it probably goes without saying that I am <b>not</b> sewing. Who has time?? I barely know my own name, LOL, and after all, it is changing soon! I do plan on doing the <a href="http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2017/01/2017-patchwork-quilt-along-kick-off.html" target="_blank">Fat Quarter Shop 2017 Make a Wish quilt.</a> I purchased the kits and fat quarter stack of Bonnie and Camille Basics with Christmas monies from Charles and my dear Belles. I want it bigger---I think, LOL. The first block was just released mid-month. I will get to it---actually tempted to make the blocks larger than 5 inches and re-size them either 7.5 or 10 inch finished. Will re-visit that when I can fiddle in EQ a bit----in my free time, HA!</div>
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I would love to have the long planned Disappearing 4 patch in blues and white done for the master bedroom and maybe that is where my focus needs to be. Once the room is painted it would look great in there! That and on the queen sized headboard/bed frame that we will be hunting for at some point. Just gathering style ideas at this point. </div>
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And there you have it for this check-in post. I need to get Oscar into his bed, hit the shower and wind down for the night. Not sure where this day went but it is about over. THX for stopping by to see what's up.</div>
Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-74771852417487404632017-01-13T20:38:00.000-06:002017-01-13T20:38:00.444-06:00home happeningsIn my post in late December, I mentioned that Charles was working on a forced bathroom repair situation complete with leaky and leaning toilet and disintegrating particle board in the master bathroom. The project was finally completed on Friday January 6th--woohoo! I've got some before and after type pictures to share. <br />
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You can see Charles down on his back in the crawl space with the flooring cut away that was under the ruined flooring. He got it all filled in and then discovered that particle board was just flaking away when the two courses of vinyl flooring were removed. (DJ had just put one layer down over the existing flooring while my bathroom went down to the bare flooring). He had to cut out about a 24 x 30 some section total. Thankfully we had the two varying thicknesses of plywood on hand for the initial placement and no more lumber was required. Just lots of that mud stuff and sanding.<br />
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In order to remove the leaky toilet, the curved counter top over the stool had to be removed. Here you see the sink's residence while the work was ongoing.<br />
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In this picture Charles was getting ready to cut down the existing counter top over the vanity from the top side. You may be able to see how it narrows where he has his left hand placed. We were able to salvage the trim for the cutaway and re-use it. I am not fond of this counter (UGH it is in the kitchen and my bathroom too) but it did save money to NOT replace it.<br />
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How it looks now. New bathroom accessories and door pulls. The wall paper border we applied to covers the tears to the paper when the counter came out. Charles idea there so we would not have to strip off the rest of the wall paper or paint. It brightens the room up and matches the existing drape in there. The vanity also got a new coat of stain to freshen it up.<br />
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He also tried to cut down the full size mirror that had been in place. That didn't work out so well. A friend saw a comment I had made of facebook and suggested a place near here that can cut hers down and then she used molding and rosettes on the corners to give it new life. Too late for mine but we are talking about updating mine next. THX Brenda for the suggestion! We picked out this mirror from Lowe's---our home away from home lately!!--when the plan did not work out.</div>
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Charles is a retired master electrician so it was a piece of cake for him to move the electrical box over a bit to center the new light fixture over the sink. The problem was that it did make a larger hole. I thought we would have to get a different fixture with a bar like base but he suggested using a ceiling medallion, painting it and using it behind the round light base. I didn't get what he wanted me to do with two different colors of spray paint as it was not working to try to spray on the darker color on lightly. It was either one color or the other. He finally told me to spray some of the darker paint on paper plate and then daub it on the high spots. LOL, I finally "got" that he wanted me to use like a stenciling, pouncing technique to sort of antique it. In person it looks good with the light globes we picked out. The lighting is much brighter in there now especially with one bulb not hiding behind the medicine cabinet.</div>
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Finally the new toilet made it into the house on Friday morning, once the flooring was completed.<br />
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And here it is in place along with all new quarter round and the shelving above the stool for a bit more storage space. We got a chair height one so it is easier on the knees as several of my friend's were suggesting. One of them asked me the other day what I thought of it and I haven't used it yet!! I have always thought that one secret to a good relationship is never having to share a bathroom with your spouse or significant other if you can help it! I bought a baker's dozen more of the tile so we can use what remains in my bathroom down the line.<br />
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In between tasks and waiting for glue to dry for the umpteenth time, he put a small ceiling fan up in the laundry room. I tried to do what I could to help mostly being the ground guy and holding the flashlight, LOL, That and pick up the stuff that got dropped.<br />
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Earlier THIS week he corrected an long time electrical situation in my living room. For almost 20 years there have been light switches that turned on nothing. From the hallway and the kitchen I had to cross the living room to turn on any light source. Well, that was like waving a red flag in front of a bull or at least throwing down a challenge to the electrician to solve this mystery. We picked up some of his electrical tracing equipment from his home shop and he was off and running. The problem was in the wiring to the ceiling fan and he took the thing down to wire it correctly. I can turn on the living room ceiling light in three places---hallway, living room and kitchen. I can turn on the fan on its own switch--not the speed, I still have to reach up on my tiptoes for that part--but off and on works great. There is one remaining mystery switch in the kitchen and that's challenge for another day, he said. I have been happily flipping switches since he fixed it. Woohoo! Doesn't take much to make ME happy, LOL.<br />
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We had some raining and cold weather recently along with some ice and freezing rain/sleet stuff a week ago Friday. Enough that they preemptively cancelled school on Thursday. In light of the cold weather he couldn't work out in the shed or set up on the sawhorses on the patio. I told him he could work on our chain saw here in the house if he protected the table. Here he is working on the primer pump and tubing which had disintegrated out in the shed. ( He took a small engine repair class after he retired.) It is still not completely fixed but it did take off some limbs on the large crepe myrtle tree yesterday! He borrowed his son's temperamental chain saw to get the last of the holly bush limbs down. I helped haul off the sections to the burn pile and did some of the go-fer stuff.<br />
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Wedding plans are still in a stall pattern. That recent ice deal cancelled church on Sunday but mostly it is because of the pastor's wife's continued health concerns (recent transplant). We went at the appointed time but found a note on the door. He had lost Charles' phone number and we didn't have his cell number so we were not making connections. I think that is resolved thanks to one of church members/usher/deacon that was at the church today helping the missus set-up for a baby shower. We'll try again this Sunday. I should be writing down some of my questions and get my nose back in my <i><b>Weddings for Dummies</b></i> book. At this writing we are 43 days away for the big day---yep, the calendar is marked and we're counting!<br />
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I haven't mentioned the critters. Oscar is back to wearing his belly band as he has been peeing on everything lately but especially since we were gone on that 2nd trip to Gulf Shores. Charles is always asking him "where is your diaper?" as Oscar shimmies out of it when he crawls under the bed. Skyler just gets more clingy but especially at night when Oscar has gone to bed.<br />
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Guess that is it for now---he is asking me if I am writing a book, LOL. Maybe but that is what I get for not blogging for over 10 days. Lots going on but I CAN take a hint. Tomorrow the grandkids are coming for a bit so Mama can go shopping. Decent weather means they are all going to the park and burn off some of that energy! Till next time---------<br />
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<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-88168563444404397672017-01-13T18:52:00.001-06:002017-01-13T19:05:52.809-06:00Quilt DeliveryBama Belles met earlier in the week and Lois' had recently asked me how many quilts I wanted. She had 19 that she had been holding that I did not room for at home. I knew that I needed to get the master bedroom closet emptied out to make room for Charles' things. There were a bunch in there, some dating back to 2014! I took my notebook to the meeting along with my camera to work on the numbering and documentation that will be needed for<a href="http://wraptheminlove.org/" target="_blank"> Wrap Them In Love</a> headquarters.<br />
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I kept 4 out for any immediate need and still had 81 quilts, if I counted correctly and then made a call to the <a href="http://www.phfc.org/" target="_blank">Talladega Presbyterian Home for Children</a> to arrange a delivery time. Charles and I loaded up the van and went down late Wednesday morning to facility's administration office. LOL, they were watching for us to pull up and three of the women came out to haul these into the conference room.<br />
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Here are some of the more recent additions to the 81---I'll add as many as I can but Lois had made 4 Pineapple Blossom quilts and they do look a good bit similar unless you look at the borders and/or binding.<br />
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I somehow missed getting two pictures taken and had to have Charles hold two of them up in the hallway. So this one is wearing tennis shoes and if you look closely a nosy kitty's backside and tail, LOL.<br />
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Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-53483238546351155732016-12-26T16:02:00.001-06:002016-12-26T16:02:37.842-06:00Long time, no postI know it has been forever and a day since I last posted. I thought I kept busy <b>before</b> but my life is proving to be not only busier but so much better with Charles in my life. With him, everyday is a surprise or adventure. How blessed I am! <br />
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A good bit has been happening. Over Veteran's Day weekend Charles and I traveled up to central IL so he could meet my family. As I said previously, between winter weather possibilities in late February and the distance away from family I do not expect them to be here for the nuptials. I felt they needed to at least see and talk to the fellow who has swept me off my feet. We arrived on Friday evening and Saturday met my sister Diane at Schooner's for king tenderloin sandwiches and those famous onion rings. I also took him all over Bloomington-Normal to show him all the places I had lived and worked. Sunday my brother Phil and wife Jen hosted us all at their home. All but one sister was there and even a few of the nieces as well along with two of the great-granddaughters. Charles is still talking about what good cooks we have in our family and raving about Karen's (Jen's mom) cherry pies. Always good to spend time with my family.<br />
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Originally we had planned on stopping on the way back at brother Steve's Tennessee home as he was still recuperating from his double major surgeries in October. As my parents, Charlie and I were visiting Saturday evening, the family room room door opened and there he stood with wife Jan right behind him saying "I hear there is a party going on". I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. We had visited him at Vanderbilt in mid-October right before his discharge home but this was so special to have him with the family after we almost lost him--twice. <br />
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Thanksgiving was celebrated twice in one day with my instant, soon to be acquired family. Charlie's youngest sister Penny hosted his family gathering in Lincoln, AL. Later in the day we had been invited to join his daughter-in-law's family near Lineville, AL, a county or so away. Below is a picture of us in Penny's back yard. The two guys are Charles' sons--Brian on his right with his wife Melissa and her two daughters Raleigh and Graclyn. Missing are the oldest daughter and her two sons. Jeff is on his left with wife Michelle. Charles is holding Abby, the twincesses Emma and Araya are in front of me and Michelle while Zeke is standing in front of Gramps. Jeff has an older boy in high school but Trenton lives in Kentucky with his mom. I have met him though when he visited last summer.<br />
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Abby and I--Charlie's two best girls, I'm told</div>
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Right after Thanksgiving my sister Diane and brother-in-law Rick headed down to Gulf Shores from Illinois. They had rented a condo at Crystal Shores right on beach till the following Saturday and invited Charlie and I to come down while they were there. However, we left on Sunday November 27th to go visit his sister and brother-in-law near Destin, FL. She was the only sibling I had not yet met and Gulf Shores was about a two hour drive to the west of there. It seemed like a good opportunity to visit with them. Danny and Ellen both work at the Sandestin Resort and took us over there after supper to look at the lights and stroll around the lagoon and park like area. This oversized chair, below, reminded me of the old "Edith Ann" skit by Lily Tomlin on Laugh-In. Ellen is such a stitch and I think I laughed until my sides ached! Their neighbor had come by and he was kind of egging her on. I was warned that the situation would be similar if Ellen and Gary their brother who is closest to her in age get together. <br />
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We got to Gulf Shores Monday afternoon and started the return trip on Thursday December 1st that week. We strolled along the beach trying to avoid the jelly fish--ugh there! I love the water though it was a bit cool and windy. There were storms coming in so one day we did have some rain. Charlie and I went souvenir shopping and out to lunch that day so we avoided most of it. The four of us did a nature walk at the state park one day as well. Fun times! Diane and I worked on the wedding invitation/announcement thing we planned to send out and talked about some of the wedding details. She is going to be my matron of honor, after all. Diane took this picture after we left, LOL.<br />
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We have had the grandkids take turns staying overnight with us though Abby has been here a bit more than the others because she is not in school yet. She and Gramps are tight though since she was born after he had retired and his wife and mother-in-law had passed away. We've also been on grandparent detail as Michelle had Christmas shopping to do. Brian and his family live just down the road from me about a mile or so. Charlie had been living with his son Jeff and his family about 33 miles from here in a small apartment in their home. We are usually back and forth from there once or twice a week, sometimes more, especially now that we are gradually moving his things to the house.<br />
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I had two Christmas parties on the same day for my two Tuesday quilt groups but missed the JOY meeting due to the return trip from Gulf Shores. I've gone to see Trolls, Dr. Strange and Rogue One which is more movies in the theaters than I have done for years. Because the whole family is into the Star Wars series, I have now seen 3.5, 4, 7 and parts of others on the marathon on TNT that proceeded the release of Rogue One, LOL. Not too worry about the ones I've missed as the DVD's are on hand along with lots of "Dr. Who". <br />
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As expected I have barely even stepped into my sewing room. That's okay though. I will--when things settle down a bit around here. He is encouraging me to do so as he knows it is something that I enjoy. Smart man! <br />
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He's nursed me through family emergencies, tooth issues and a long run of bronchitis. Recently I've returned the favor---bout of flu and a miserable toothache and subsequent extraction. Later this week I'll have to suck it up and drive the van back from Birmingham and the VA hospital and the eye doctor appointment. I hate driving in Birmingham and on I-20 but I'll do it for him. <br />
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We finally got the brush burnt off from the 4 holly bushes we are attempting to remove at the end of the lane. Apparently there is still some drought situation on-going but there had been enough rainfall to allow the State of Alabama finally lift the burning ban. (I've heard 17 inches behind on rainfall totals.) That burning off two large brush piles was an almost an all-day deal especially since we raked up another 4 or 5 wheel barrels full of leaves, brush and twigs on top of that and I dragged in a bunch of dried up stuff from the kudzu bank too. I know I sort of smelled like a smoked ham by the time I hit the shower--salty and smoky. We need some parts for the chain saw but are hopeful that the alligator lopper can deal with at least some of the stubby bits of the bushes that remain. We'll get back to those later. <br />
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Right now we are dealing with some plumbing issues in the master bathroom. I knew that the stool was leaning to the right and the flooring was suspect. Until recently this bathroom was seldom used and in fact, often had the water shut off in there to prevent the stool from self-flushing. A couple days ago, before the bathroom flooded, we had talked about the need to get this fixed down the line. He also wanted to replace or upgrade the bathroom lighting---well, he is a master electrician and qualified to do so! Go for it, I said. It will be addressed but on the back burner for now. Water was leaking from somewhere--the sink had water dripping a bit near the P-trap but the main deal was cracked tank on toilet. The master bath had a curved counter that extended over to the stool with a large mirror above. With a gap of only about 3 inches above the toilet tank, there was no possible way to pull the stool up without dismantling the vanity, counter top, mirror etc. We have made a couple of scouting expeditions to Lowe's to decide on what we might want for replacement and to pick up needed supplies. He cut out about a 2 foot x 2 foot section around the stool and rebuilt the flooring---plywood with particle board is not a good choice as pretty much disintegrated. As he was removing the rest of the flooring (two courses of vinyl flooring) this morning, we found that more of the crappy floor will need to come out but not as much as we feared. <br />
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Add in the wedding details--two months away, after all. We both had written down our list of friends and relations but I needed to track down the addresses. My <i>Wedding Planning for Dummies </i>said the invitations needed to go out about 8 weeks before the wedding. They hit the mail box on Saturday! I am thrilled to know that both my sisters are coming to the wedding along with my niece Randi. Janet said that Randi will either take pictures or video of the wedding as their wedding gift so we will have a keepsake and family members that cannot come can see it. The best thing is that Diane has arranged for Mom and Dad to fly with her so they will be here too! Dad will give me away--he officiated at my sisters' wedding and if I remember correctly, my brothers walked them down the aisle. I know that Steve and Jan are planning on coming down from Tennessee--they RSVP'd almost as soon as I said I was getting married, LOL. I think another of my brothers and his wife are coming too based on something Diane emailed me. I've gone to expecting just my matron of honor to come to a good many of my family members joining us. Charlie said just because I didn't have my family here the first time or didn't have an engagement ring, etc doesn't mean I can't have those things THIS time.<br />
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Charlie and I will meet with the pastor in early January to discuss the ceremony and get some questions answered about the fellowship hall usage. His daughter-in-law and I have had some discussion about the cake and food for the reception but will have to put our heads together a bit more. Melissa said maybe like this one below but incorporating teal and silver/gray (color of my dress and his suit) and possibly a traditional topper. I assume a rehearsal/rehearsal dinner deal will be needed too especially with family members coming in from out of state. Trying to keep this low-key! I didn't have to do any of this stuff first time around so what do I know about flowers, etc? <br />
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Christmas Day was low key for us. I told Charlie that he was to take the day off from doing anything in the bathroom though! Michelle and the grandkids left on the 17th for Kansas as they await the birth of her first blood niece or nephew any day now. The kids opened their gifts after school let out for break the day before. We had invited Jeff to come join us for dinner but he was not feeling well and bowed out. I had prepared what I could on Saturday tracking down a pecan topped sweet potato casserole that Charlie likes. We expect Jeff this evening after work so I'll pack some of those leftovers for him. I mentioned making ham balls or ham salad of some of the leftover ham but he says he doesn't care for either of those choices. I guess maybe I'll explore some other options! I'm not used to dealing with picky eaters but I'll learn.<br />
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It has gotten so warm this past week that I was able to drag the plants back outside again--low 70's and back to wearing shorts again. Seems so odd after about 5 nights of dripping water from the faucets and opening the cabinet doors to the exterior water source wall. Meanwhile, the Midwest seems to be going through ice and snow issues. <br />
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Guess that is about all I can think of to pass on at this point other than to wish you all the very best in 2017. You never know what unexpected things may come your way when you least expect it! I am living and loving my 2016 surprise, after all.<br />
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<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-13882377344247106432016-11-04T07:08:00.001-05:002016-11-04T09:48:10.925-05:00I said "YES!"<div style="text-align: center;">
So, this happened this past Saturday-------</div>
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and because my friend Pam said "<span style="background-color: #f6f7f9; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Ummm...a picture of that ring on your finger, please!"</span><br />
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If you are Facebook friend, you have already seen the pictures but this IS my blog and news this big needs reporting, don't you think?<br />
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Now the rest of the story----<br />
A friend asked me if this was a surprise. I had asked for some time to be sure we were doing this for all the right reasons when I first learned he wanted to take this all to the next level. Actually I asked him a leading question when we were talking. Because of an earlier promise to me, he had to answer honestly. However, it was not at all how he had planned to bring up the subject. I felt bad about that but told him he could still do it right-- ask me at some special place in a special way, drop to one knee, whatever when we <b>both</b> were ready. So no, not entirely surprised. <br />
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He had asked if we could get sized for rings a couple weeks ago. While we were there, what styles did I like? "Simple" since I am a no frills kind of girl and I prefer gold to silver. I didn't need an engagement ring and he said "why not?" Just because DJ didn't get me one didn't mean I didn't deserve one. I pointed out a couple I liked but the rest was up to him. The last I heard, it would be a couple weeks before it was ready. Turns out they called to say it was ready on Friday. I had tried it on that evening just to see if it fit properly but handed it back to him. A real proposal please.<br />
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We were all dressed up because unfortunately one of the members of our little Bama game watching group had lost her daughter to a long illness just days before and we had a visitation to attend. After a quick lunch and an errand for a missing meal ingredient, he asked if I had anything planned for us that afternoon. Bama had an open date so other than getting said ingredient back home and fixing us supper, no plans. Off we went down the road but I had no clue where---just 21 South heading towards Talladega. Ahhh, we were going up to <a href="http://www.alapark.com/cheaha-state-park" target="_blank">Cheeha State Park</a> but the back way. I'd always taken the route up from the Heflin end. Cheeha Mountain is the highest point in all of Alabama at 2407 feet above sea level. Gorgeous views up there from Bald Rock and near the hotel and restaurant up there. I had wanted to go out on the boardwalk sometime this fall!<br />
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We stopped at the CCC tower and walked through the museum area and then he asked if I wanted to walk up to the top of the tower. I am a bit afraid of heights so "no" and I was in my dressy shoes so not good walking shoes. He dropped to one knee and did it right!! But no ring---he had left it at my house, LOL. No cameras either.<br />
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We had gotten a text from his son about a family matter and planned to go out to see them anyway. Abby his 3 yr old granddaughter had her mama call him as were heading down the mountain so that clinched it. We would ask Michelle to take some pictures while we still were dressed up and just stage the ring deal borrowing the ring box from son Jeff. (It had his master mechanic signet ring in it so Michelle said to turn the box so it would not show up in the picture!) He DID ask me---again--or I would not be smiling so well.<br />
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I'm getting married! Who would have thought this was even possible say, in late July when I was so miserable and questioning my place in this world? Little stories of how this came to be are coming out. How Paul was sort of nudging us. How my flirting with him one Saturday afternoon was missed but he was still looking at me with some realization that it might be worth pursuing.......what do you know!?<br />
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I have also been asked "where?" I live in Alabama and will continue to do so, obviously, since I am marrying a Bama boy! The answer is: Charlie's church home near here. We mentioned it briefly to the pastor at services last Sunday but will meet with him after we go up to Illinois so I can introduce him to my family. I may be cheating them out of another wedding ceremony, just like with DJ, but they have to have at least met Charlie first!! He wondered if I wanted to get married up there to begin with or do two ceremonies? I am leaning to renewing our vows up there late spring or early summer so my family can be there and have my dad do the honors if possible. We will talk about it when we go visit. <br />
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The when? If the church calendar permits, the date will be February 25th. I thought Valentine's Day maybe but that's a Tuesday. When looking at the calendar for the Saturday dates, I told him my parent's anniversary is the 25th and it has brought them many good years together. Let's go for it! I've asked my sister Diane to be my matron of honor. Our friend Paul will be the best man. I want Abby to be the flower girl, the twincesses, his almost 7 year old granddaughters, to be bridesmaids and his going on 9 year old grandson to be a groomsman. He needs another guy up there with him. I think maybe his older grandson might be a good choice if he can travel down from Kentucky but that is up to him. Other than that---the suit is ordered, so is my dress. Beyond that, I am clueless about invitations, announcements, decorations, flowers and all that. His oldest son's wife Melissa does cakes and told us she and Brian will do that as their gift to us or help in anyway possible. I so appreciate that!<br />
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After three drive-bys, I finally met his long time friend Bruce on Monday though his wife Cathy was at work. We have a luncheon date with his brother and his wife on Sunday after church but Charlie thinks more family members will be joining us. We'll see! He will have to deal with the mob scene with my group soon enough--only fair, right? <br />
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Going to be a busy weekend! Abby spent the day/overnight with us last night and Zeke is coming tonight after school. Saturday is the twins birthday with cake, ice cream and a trip to see "Trolls" with the family followed up by Bama-LSU game. It has already been a busy week since I last posted. I had the fidget quilt sewing a week ago---still in pieces but what a fun day! Brenda made three of them and shared at quilt guild yesterday. Both Carol and Judy's were done. I <b>did</b> get some sewing done at the Tuesday evening group, more of the framing strips on the one I started at retreat but only got about half through the stack of blocks. Other than that, the only thing getting done in the sewing room was ironing some pillow cases. I can't stand those looking like a wrinkled up mess from the dryer. I still have stuff to put away from the fidget class, for Pete's sake.<br />
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Guess that's it for this post. I've been awake since 3 so at least some of those hours were spent in a useful way! THX for stopping by------Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-68211803888130310992016-10-26T11:06:00.002-05:002016-11-04T05:32:13.650-05:00Meeting dayYesterday was my quilt meeting(s) day with Belles leading off. I've got the Halloween quilts up right now so could not hang my recent completions up on the design wall to get pictures. The meeting spot would work just fine!<br />
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You have seen this one--the guild <a href="http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2016/04/charming-boxes-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Charming Boxes</a> quilt. The guild members did about 20 some blocks at the spring retreat. I completed the top, Wendell quilted it and Margarita completed the binding for me with a promise to help with our donation quilts IF I ever get them quilted!!!<br />
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This is the <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/prairie-sticks-quilt-kit" target="_blank">Prairie Sticks</a> I completed earlier this summer. Jennifer quilted it for me along with the No Bake Jolly Bar from the same fabric line. I plan on sending this one on to one of my great-grand nieces once it is shown at the next guild meeting. I would have done so LAST month but I had just had that tooth extraction and couldn't drive, etc.<br />
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And finally my version of the Good Karma challenge quilt for the recent fall retreat. The pattern is a take off of Stacey Day's <a href="http://www.americanquilter.com/publications/web_bonus_patterns.php" target="_blank">Rubix</a> which came in a mailer from AQS. She used a controlled palette and I do like that better BUT I had to use each piece of fabric in the charm pack along with some of the aqua stitch yardage. Those of you who know me will also know how much I tweak patterns. I did not want to have 4 little squares of the same fabric meeting. I changed the piecing methods to be framed squares with sashing around them. Looks the same, sorta, in the end but did NOT go together as Ms. Day's did. I call mine "Rubix Redux"<br />
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I had to laugh at the retreat though as my friend Linda N. came up to me to say how much she loved the gray background I chose. No one else had used it for the challenge but she had used gray in one of her own quilts recently. I told her that was as much to contrast with the white pieces in the pack but I <b>do</b> happen to like gray. I mentioned that my mom would probably hate that part as we lived in parsonages that had gray wall paper. Linda, a pastor's wife (now widowed like me and maybe even a PK too), that I had just hit on the reason she didn't care for <b>white</b> backgrounds. Everything white at her parsonages! LOL<br />
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Margarita was my tablemate at the retreat and this Twisted Sister was the 2nd of her two projects. I got her started with one block, and understanding that partial seaming was no big thing, and she was off and running with most all the blocks done by end of retreat. Last Tuesday they arranged the blocks at the evening group and the top completed in the interim week. This will be a birthday gift for a family member. She just wanted to be sure that she had enough backing before passing this on to Jennifer at our guild meeting.<br />
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Brenda also had a "show and tell" piece. I believe she said that this had been a block of the month project from the defunct Heart to Heart Quilt Shop in Trussville (AL). The binding is in progress.<br />
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Lois had brought 5 quilts to pin and I think she said she had 5 more at home! Bev had a cute baby top to pin as well so she got first dibs at the table. We had plenty of hands on deck for pinning though with Marilyn, Jane and her guest Valerie who wanted to learn how we did this. Margarita was getting caught up with her Ashville House Block of the Month stuff with just a little guidance from me. I love how confident she is becoming at reading patterns and cutting! Brenda came along a bit later to help. I probably only got a few stitches in my ancient embroidery project but I don't care. Some days friendship, fellowship, going where needed and just visiting is the order of the day. <br />
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We were having a potluck lunch and she needed to borrow the church's oven to make her yummy contribution. I don't know if this has a name but you de-crust and flatten white bread with a rolling pin, spread it with softened cream cheese, roll it up, dip it in melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar and then bake. She said she had done this with her grandkids on Sunday and it was a big hit! Well, it was a big hit with the quilters too! We also had some yummy butternut squash soup that Lois had made and I've got to get that recipe. Bev found one that might be similar on her i-pad so just need to ask for the link. Ham or turkey and cheese sandwiches, blueberry salad as well as mac and cheese rounded out the meal along with some good Bojangles tea.<br />
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I had to leave a bit earlier than I would have liked after lunch to meet the bookmobile but also to rest up between meetings. Donna is working with a couple of the girls on a sampler quilt to teach them various techniques. Recently we had found a block on Quilter's Cache called Sarah's Choice that had a pinwheel at center and then flying geese for the star points. She didn't necessarily want to follow the printed directions but then there all kinds of ways to do flying geese. As it turns out, Donna's preferred method is the <a href="http://www.patchpieces.com/files/flyinggeese.pdf" target="_blank">No Waste 4 at once</a> version but I still ran home to get my Eleanor Burns book and rulers for the girls to use, just in case. They were going to do them slightly over-sized and trimmed down.<br />
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Another of the girls was prepping her stuff for the Fidget Quilt class we are doing to do at Guild on Friday afternoon. I still need to get in the sewing room and pull some stuff for this like buttons, zippers, rickrack, ribbon, beads and the like sometime between now and then. My friend Bev and fellow Belle is going to teach us how to do this for Alzheimer's patients. This one was one she did for an autistic young boy but you get the idea. I should have kept some of those jeans jumpers for the fabric or see what I can scrounge up at the thrift store for corduroy/textural fabric.<br />
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I tried to leave last night once but Aline's husband had just arrived with a couple pizzas for us. LOL I felt like I had been eating all day after that potluck but it is hard to say "no" to pepperoni. All and all, a good quilty kind of day--and I love it!<br />
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Charlie and I spent a good bit of the extended weekend together. Turns out repairs to his van were going to be more than it listed on Blue Book. The 2017's are coming in though so there were some deals to be made. He wanted me to go look nd weigh in on Thursday and had brought his 3 year old granddaughter along with him. Abby saw Gramps about to leave and he couldn't leave her home. She loved Skyler but Oscar not so much even though she has a large dog and even 3 puppies at her house. I kept Abby entertained (and vice versa) though she wore me out chasing her around one of the cars at the dealership. They had a truck bed loaded with candy and cookies right by the salesman's desk so some of that might have been sugar overload. I heard she crashed and burned once she got home!<br />
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Friday I drove off to his place as we were off to <a href="http://www.bennettfarms.com/" target="_blank">Bennett Farms </a>Pumpkin Patch for the twin granddaughter's (almost 7) school field trip. Michelle was going to go with us but had not gotten much sleep as Abby kept her awake a good bit of the night. We needed to run by the credit union, the insurance place and the dealership plus he had plans to visit with our friend Paul. I had meal prep to do anyway as I was making Shrimp Pad Thai for our evening meal. <br />
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Saturday we went for a drive and thought the kids might want to go as well. Zeke his 8 (almost 9) yr old grandson had an overnight guest so we didn't. The kids were all about to watch "Turbo" in 3D. I had one twin on one leg and one twin on the other as the movie started. Emma apparently got all settled in as she asked her mama why I had to leave just because Gramps was ready to go. Michelle said she's his girlfriend and he likes her and started making "kissy faces". I said "no, He LOVES me" in a sing-song voice like people do. Emma looked at me and said "you like him too" We had planned to watch the Bama-Texas A & M game back at my place anyway rather than interrupt their TV viewing. He even did some of the "honey do" jobs around here and I was free to putter in the kitchen a bit.<br />
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Sunday found us trooping through Walmart for groceries etc like an old married couple or something and going for a drive. Some roads I have been on, some I have not. He had hoped to introduce me to some long time friends of his but they were not home. I think he is still missing some phone numbers after his phone accidentally got burnt up while clearing brush this summer. I guess I meet his brother and sister-in-law a week from Sunday at a local restaurant. That's set up.<br />
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I am truly enjoying our time together. He does taekwondo with the kids after school during the week so I tend to see him more come the weekend but we keep in touch. Couplehood--gotta love it! I am oh, so happy, thanks to him in my life.<br />
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Okay, I got up with plans to clean the bathroom and maybe mop the kitchen floor today but of course, none of that has happened yet. I <b>did</b> get a load of wash done but it needs switched over. I'm dressed, Oscar was walked. Best get crackin' here as I expect to see my honey this evening!Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-84406082419555575522016-10-19T08:47:00.000-05:002016-10-19T18:12:07.276-05:00What a month so far!I am going to address this item first and then get to the "real" life part of this post. I have had several requests recently about a pattern/tutorial for how I do my t-shirt quilts with the shadows added. It <b>does</b> add a little unusual twist to my version as opposed to the more typical ones you encounter. I suspect that it is making the rounds on Pinterest??? I could try to email you but you are coming back as "no reply blogger". One person DID supply her email addy. <br />
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There is no real pattern. My sewing plans always vary with the motif size, once cut and interfaced. I DO describe my process for centering them in columns and there is a post about that found HERE in<b> <a href="http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2008/05/a-sort-of-tutorial-for-tshirt-quilt.html" target="_blank"> "My sort of tutorial for a t-shirt quilt"</a></b>. I always use my EQ software to, in effect, custom size each and every shirt/shirt section. The sashing width stays static but the background sizes are cut to whatever the largest block in that column measures with at least an inch on two sides. That may not mean a whole lot unless you go back and read the post---and even then it may not be totally clear to you. Drop the shadows down about an inch or two on the right and indent it the same amount on the bottom and fill in the rest with background. Want it narrower or look mitered do a 45 degree angled seam like you when joining binding strips---I've seen patterns like that too.<br />
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I hope that answered your questions!<br />
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Yeah, yeah, yeah I know I have not updated for a few weeks but someone has been keeping me a little busy. I am thankful for that as I've not been this happy in some time. Charlie feels the same way. I've got someone to laugh with, be silly with and it is so fun! While we may not have been looking for someone--I sure wasn't-- we were both right there and I guess he needed the nudge from Paul to at least consider it. Once he said "okay, give me her phone number" the ball started rolling though I am finding this out after the fact, LOL. The best things can happen if can open your heart to the possibilities!<br />
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Charlie had wanted a picture of me but I have come to hate having that done as I sort of how forgot how to pose for the camera and smile on command. He had snapped one on his phone but I was dancing around the living room telling him he couldn't hit a moving target. Finally I said if his daughter-in-law could take one of us and manage to capture the kinda sappy way we have been looking at each other, smiling and enjoying each other's company I would go along with it. This was one of my favorites from earlier this month and I think Michelle DID get it right. She had sent Jeff, Charlie's youngest son in to get a joke book to aid in the "getting me to smile part" but we did just fine on our own. Sheesh, when she posted them on Facebook, we got comments from family and long time friends like "is Gramps getting married??" and "what's going on? Are you in need of a maid of honor?" LOL--slow down y'all!<br />
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Unbeknownst to me, my neighbor snapped this one of us heading down the lane walking Oscar and thought we might want it.<br />
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I could go on and on about this relationship but I'll spare you most of that gushing and detail I go into my blogging. Some of those tender moments are private, after all! He is so good to me and good FOR me. He took me to my tooth extraction and <b>still</b> felt like kissing me with a long packing string hanging out my mouth. I don't even remember getting in the car to come home. He stocked the fridge with soft foods, tucked me into bed to keep me from toppling over and kept dealing with the ice bags. He helped me through a family crisis that has spanned about 10 days (more on that in a minute). He's has nursed me through a recent bout of an upper respiratory event, never a pretty event. I lost my voice and sound a bit like Minnie Mouse and ought to own stock in Kleenex. He is living dangerously as he <b>still </b>wants to kiss me but is dosing us both with vitamin C and Cold-Eze. He is enjoying my cooking and I'm having fun having some to cook for. He's taking me around to meet his other son and siblings-I've got two more local ones to go. We've been off to Boo at the Zoo with his cutie pie grandkids, up and back to Vanderbilt Hospital on Monday for my family situation and later this week the grand's school event and weekend plans to look forward to. Suffice to say, we are doing well and I am thoroughly enjoying this. Isn't happy much better than mourning what we both have lost with our spouses passing? <br />
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Okay moving on-----time is sort of blending together here but on Friday evening the 7th we got a call from my mom telling me that my brother Steve has a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. There is about a 1% chance of recovery from this and he had already delayed treatment. Not good. Thankfully, there was an alert vascular surgeon on hand once 911 was called, the repair was performed. Charlie offered to take me up to TN right then but my sister-in-law asked me to be the contact person for my side of our large family so she would not have to deal with all the phone calls, texts and emails. I still felt like I should go as I am the one who lives the closest but that is still about 4-4 1/2 hours away. Sunday evening comes--they moved Steve out of ICU to the floor, not a step down unit and an hour later he had a heart attack, actually his 2nd as it turns out. Back to ICU. He's got blockages but if it were to take more than stents to correct, he needs to airlift to Vanderbilt. Jan insisted he be transferred to deal with any heart issues. The next Friday, the 14th, he has a triple bypass. By this past Sunday he is moved to step down and he's walking.<br />
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Regardless of what Jan said about staying put things had stabilized, we went up on Monday. She needed the support at that point and I needed to see with my own eyes that Steve was okay. I remember only too well what it was like to be the one sitting in the waiting room all alone and far away from any family and friends when DJ had heart surgery. She is overwhelmed with his going home too soon, Steve's a bit wild eyed from the meds and all. I firmly believe there is a bit of mental disturbance with open heart too. Charlie and I both thought Steve looked more relaxed and enjoying a little company and Jan was less stressed out by the time we were ready to go. <br />
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While on one hand discharge home is a good thing, he IS supposed to go home today whether she is quite ready or not. He's a big guy and she's a petite girl and she has some justifiable concerns. The hospital deemed he didn't need home care and she gave them an earful. I wouldn't be messing with a half Italian-half German woman when she popped the vascular surgeon on the back of the head for transferring out of ICU pre-heart attack and putting him at risk like that. I'll go back up there if she needs me. My niece who is a nurse offered to go as well.<br />
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I was up at the fall retreat in Attalla during all this stuff going on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday though I left early as that was surgery day. Gail, the one who is the event coordinator had made sure that me and another person who needed wi-fi access what we needed to maintain internet access or I could not have gone. Margarita was my table mate. I helped her with bordering a "Frozen" panel that will be a gift for a grandchild and then helped her get started on her Twisted Sister block in red, white, blacks. We had started some of this at the Tuesday evening group so she had the cutting done but needed help with the first block. I think she had 18 of the 25 she needed done by the time I left Friday. Last night we were laying out the blocks to start her rows.<br />
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The challenge quilts on the pews. Mine is the one with the gray background. I'll have to have Charlie hold it up for me to get a picture of it opened up. It is a take off of <a href="https://staceyinstitches.wordpress.com/publications/a-year-of-day/" target="_blank">Stacey Day's Rubix quilt </a>but she used a controlled palette. The pattern had come as mail insert from AQS but there is a downloadable pdf file if you goggle it. I had to use all the prints in the charm pack. Also I did not want 4 little squares where the blocks meet and re-drew it with a large square and pieced elements around it. My blocks were pre-sashed and minus cornerstones so it all floats. I'm calling it "Rubix Redux" because it might bear some nodding acquaintance with the original but is NOT the same.</div>
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Here are some of the other challenge entries. 19 of us participated. One even used my Charming Boxes tutorial! (2nd picture down)<br />
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The fall blocks from last year---Aline won them and this is the resultant quilt. Don't know who won the pot this year as I left early.<br />
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I worked on my version of "Framed" from Simply Retro using the Dixie line from Moda's Cluck, Cluck Sew at the retreat. Boring sewing but still enough of distraction with the family situation. On day two I decided I wanted the block to be larger by another row. I had already bumped it up a row longer from 35 to 42 but now it will be 49 blocks square. Anyway that meant a bit more cutting and sewing on Friday morning so I sort of ended up needing to add just one more strip to a lightly increased pile of blocks--much how it looked at the end of Thursday! </div>
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These are a few of the goodies/door prizes from the retreat--well, minus the Alabama t-shirt that came with the sewing machine cover that Lois won. She didn't want the shirt but I did providing it will fit me, LOL. I won the Time to Sew Clock which I need to put up yet. The black and white print was at my sewing place along with grouping of fat quarters that have a vintage vibe. I pulled the two to the left of it in the fat quarter draw---one is definitely a Bonnie and Camille piece and the other a 30's repro. Amanda made the cricut decal for our cars---I got 73 out of 79 on a music trivia quiz so got to pick in the first group. I don't know who made the cute pincushion and the little zip bag but they are coordinating prints. Freda painted the little ornament and also our large button name badge. Gail used those for the prize drawings--come up when your color is called. ( I was orange, LOL.) She also did the embroidery for our retreat shirts that said "hanging with my buds" and showed shirts hanging on the line with Quilt in gorgeous multi-colored threads. Mine is in the laundry or I would get a picture of it. These were hung all around the room like a clothesline with our names above it. We replaced them with our QOV donation blocks and wore them for a group picture. </div>
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I doubt that I am going to get much more sewing done until Bama Belles day next week. At home I am still sort of set up to quilt rather than so but I think I'm putting all that up for the time being. This house looks like a wreck! For 5 days I was not supposed to do anything strenuous with the tooth extraction or risk losing the clot and dry socket, then the retreat, then lots of time with my Sweetie. I plan to get busy dealing with it today since right now I won't see him till Friday! The laundry <b>was </b>caught up on Sunday but that is always an never-ending job. Need to walk first. Walk Oscar too--he's waiting and I'm not dressed yet. Since I was hanging the Halloween quilts last night, I accidentally bent the heck out of the hanging rod and will need to replace it if the thing is going up. (I was attempting to mount a wall hanging over one of the beds, the level fell on it back behind the bed, came out bent.) But the list of things I forgot at the store last night was already growing. I had borrowed the Belles Big Board for the retreat and will probably ran it back tomorrow as it takes up a big chunk of the car's interior. Besides I will need a couple of items from the better stocked grocery store down that way (Publix) to make Shrimp Pad Thai for us on Friday anyway. Combine errands when you can! </div>
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Best get cracking here--------thanks for stopping by. Also thanks to all the prayer warriors who stepped up when I asked for prayers for Steve, Jan and their girls on facebook. </div>
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<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-33198869582090318282016-09-29T22:38:00.001-05:002016-09-30T08:48:41.098-05:00Goodbye, SeptemberOne more day in CDT and the month of September will be gone with the wind. We are getting a taste of more fall like weather this weekend but the overnight temps have been a bit lower. I actually had a quilt pulled up past my feet for the first time in forever last night. Almost a shock to see the hallway thermostat read 73 degrees this morning. Bring it on, I say.<br />
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Like every other week in my life the week has whizzed on by since I last posted. Earlier in the week Marilyn had asked if I wanted to go with her and a friend to the Lick Skillet Show on Friday morning and then to lunch. Then I popped that crown and needed to get in to see the dentist. She was right--he was closed on Fridays but I had told them to go ahead without me and I would probably catch up to them. <br />
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Thing is my friend later asked me out to lunch again on Friday. He lives about 45 minutes away and hoping to spare him the extra 15 minutes to my house, I said I would be in Oxford (it is on the way) at noon at the quilt show. He could call when he got there and I'd come out. What ended up happened is the phone rang as I was driving south and he left a voicemail "I'll be at the front door shortly" an hour and half earlier than I expected him. At my house?? Turned out he was at the quilt show, paid his admission and maybe was walking through looking for me, not sure. Then he met me at the door, paid my admission and walked through with me! Oh, atta boy points for that. I didn't get to the vendors at all but that might have been a good thing after the field trip day and AQS show the previous week.<br />
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Of course, we were running into all lot of people I know from Belles, JOY Guild and some from Friendship Guild in Pell City and introducing him. At one point Wendell our JOY group prez and his wife were in the next group of quilts from us. He stuck out his hand to shake and says to Charlie "we think a lot of your wife's talents" or something like that. Charlie didn't say a word, I probably looked like a deer in the headlights briefly till I recovered and said "uh, we aren't married" but left off the part that this was only our 2nd real date! Oh boy! I felt embarrassed for Wendell and I didn't really what Charlie's reaction was. Charlie and I were laughing about it at lunch. Later I thought had I wanted to "play" with Wendell for the gaffe I could have said " oh we aren't married---at least not to each other" but that would have been 1) a lie and 2) mean even if it did strike me as a little funny. Honestly, I thought he knew I was widowed but perhaps forgot. <br />
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Saturday was Bama-Kent State football day so he picked me up to go to Paul's to watch it. The game was quite early so we all went to supper at Lone Star Steakhouse. I had hoped we would see the National Anthem performed. Susan from Patchwork Reflections' granddaughter Madison who is a student at University of Alabama was performing with the Million Dollar Band but doing it sign language. It was International Sign Language Week as well as Parents weekend. I saw video later but not on network.<br />
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I saw Charlie again on Sunday afternoon fixing some Cubano sandwiches for supper. (I scrapped the idea of going to the chamber music concert, LOL.) Unfortunately right after we finished the meal my missing crown tooth kicked in with shooting pains into temple and jaw and it was <b>bad</b>. He did what he could to soothe me and it finally let up but not before see me at my worst. I didn't scare him away, I guess as I saw him Wednesday afternoon (yesterday) for lunch after our mutual doctor appointments. I think we can assume I am definitely dating and having fun. Oh, Oscar loves him, jumping all over him and giving doggie kisses. I almost think he likes him more than he does me. I rarely get doggie kisses. Keeps trying to jump up right between us, LOL. Since we met in Paul's living room last season, I messaged Paul that Cupid must surely come dressed in red Bama boxer shorts (or so I've been told, LOL), a big belly, Bama cap and hunk of chaw. I don't know if he gave Charlie a nudge or not but suspect possibly.<br />
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Donna and Margarita came by Friday evening after the quilt show to pick up the guild donation comfort quilt as Margarita wanted to test out her new thimble and I had gotten the binding on it for her. Also she wanted to see my sewing room set up. I waited to set up to quilt the challenge quilt till today since I thought Stacy might come on Tuesday but frankly, I didn't have time to get started on it till today anyway.<br />
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I couldn't get in to see the dentist until Tuesday. It was aching but thankfully, no more bad spells like Sunday evening. I had to leave the Belles meeting to go and told the girls to go on to lunch without me as I doubted I would be able to chew for a bit. BUT after talking with the dentist and taking an x-ray, I had a small abscess developing. If we put the existing crown back on, there was not much bone to attach to and it would slough off and it needed a root canal. No thanks---I'm getting it pulled this next Monday. Way back molar anyway.<br />
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I had two of my quilts to pin and had left one of them set up on the table half done with Bev's help. A quick text to say I was on my way back got a response that they were at Olive Garden, come on out and we'll wait to order. Brenda and Bev were doing hand work at the meeting and I was helping Margarita a bit with <a href="http://www.quilterscache.com/A/ADandyBlock.html" target="_blank">a Dandy Quilt</a> block she was making for her QOV retreat block. Between Belles and the Tuesday evening group she got it all finished up. <br />
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I wasn't at Tuesday evening group terribly long but was in full mentor mode I guess, LOL. Donna wanted go start on a Tree Farm quilt block for the guild Christmas block exchange but was having a little trouble understanding the instructions. Got her going. I had brought Stacy the resized idea for the Sweet Life quilt but she was looking through my <i>Simply Retro</i> book and liked the Framed almost as much as I do. I told her I had one all cut out and that it is one I hoped to work on at the upcoming retreat, LOL. It certainly will work for her wonkily cut Kaffe Fassett layer cake. She had a stack of other fabrics and an idea she liked so we all had suggested of what colors to put where from her selections. Margarita also needed some help with her stack of RWB fabrics for a quilt for a family member, "which color to use where" sort of thing using Ami Simms' Twisted Sister ruler and pattern. Turned out she was a little short of what she needed for the block center choice. I told her to just come by and see if I had something she could use as I have quite a bit of red in my stash. Hopefully the one we pulled out will work--we swapped for some of her black and white. Janice was doing just fine without me, LOL working on her block of the month that Donna is helping them with. Her fabric choices are wonderful and she was doing two blocks rather than one. Donna had wanted a star with a pinwheel center and to have the girls work with flying geese/quarter square triangles. I found this one called <a href="http://www.quilterscache.com/S/SarahsChoiceBlock.html" target="_blank">Sarah's Choice</a> on Quilter's Cache that fit the bill but she needed me to print it off for her. The two guests came again so maybe they are going to be joining in regularly. <br />
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Wednesday off to the endocrinologist. For once I was out of there in a reasonable amount of time. My thyroid stimulating hormone is finally back in normal limits so I won't have to go back for another 6 months. However, my scan showed the nodule is a bit larger than it was 6 months prior but still small enough that it does not need to be biopsied yet. That will be repeated along with the labs. <br />
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I managed to get 5 of the 7 rows of my challenge quilt quilted today but have no clue what I want to do on the borders. I am happy with the progress I <b>did</b> make so I can play a bit tomorrow and not feel so stressed about getting this thing done in time for the retreat. Charlie is coming with his 3 yr old granddaughter so we'll go to the park and I already told him I was hungry for pancakes so maybe IHOP. Will see what Abby wants, LOL. Bama plays at 6 on Saturday and Paul says hamburgers before it starts. <br />
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And so it goes------crazy life lately but a happier one in many ways.Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-66620064444224463292016-09-22T16:24:00.003-05:002016-09-24T21:06:20.434-05:00Welcome, Fall!As usual, I have been keeping busy and another week has flown by. Now we flip the page to autumn. We had a cooler morning recently (mid 60's after my thermometer consistently has read 77 for months first thing!). I had some hope that we were headed to some cooler weather but by afternoon, back up in the low 90's. I'm ready! You see some hint of the leaves changing, some are already dropping but I think that is more of a stressed out and drought summer more than anything. We are about 10 inches behind our annual rainfall totals and it is affecting the lake levels which supply hydro-power. The yard is all dried out as well.<br />
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The yard being dried out and dead might be a good thing after something that happened here in the neighborhood yesterday. I was not home when this happened, thankfully, but there was a police chase. Robert was outside working on his deck and saw part of the action and asked the officer he knew at the scene what was going on. They had to drive right through my yard, around the neighbor's house where they hit a spot they could not get through (tree, shed, trampoline, etc). There was a foot chase and they apprehended the guy at the end of the lane. It is amazing that they didn't just go sailing down off the ledge to the road below---it is up at least 10-12 feet, just guessing.<br />
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The Police Department explained what happened on their Facebook post this morning. Quoting the Lt. of our local PD. <br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Yesterday a man decided to steal a truck in Anniston. He fled to our humble town of (_______) in this stolen truck, then fled on foot when he was confronted by the truck owner who tracked him on GPS. When PD officers arrived, a search was conducted and we spotted the criminal who decided to play a game of hide and seek. A foot chase ensued and the suspect was apprehended. The suspect told us that during the foot chase he swallowed a large amount of meth and then began spazzing out. We escorted an ambulance that took him to the hospital for detox, and then we gave him another ride in our cruiser to adult time out at the County Bed & Breakfast facility where he can look forward to some new roomies and a scrumptious oatmeal breakfast."</span><br />
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My other neighbor 2 houses down whose yard was involved said two Police Departments, Sheriff's Deputies and an unmarked car were all down there and then of course, the ambulance too. Quite the commotion! Bob also said that there had been a rash of vehicle thefts recently so this may have been another in that string. Anyway, it won't really hurt the dried up cow pasture I call a yard much to have those vehicles driving on it.<br />
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Where was I when all this was going on? I had one of those sleepless nights but the version where I wake at some early hour and more or less, bail. I pressed two quilts worth of binding and then started sewing on this block. Then I had to run into town to have my thyroid tests repeated ahead of my appointment time next week. From there I went over to our meeting place to pin my challenge quilt since I would already be halfway there. I was gone from about 11 to 2 by the time I circled back to pick up a script. Not sure what time this all happened. <br />
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This block <a href="http://toefeather.blogspot.ca/2011/01/circle-of-squares-block-information.html" target="_blank">Circle of Squares </a>is one that I needed to make for the Fall Retreat I will be attending next month. The hosting guild requested 12 inch finished QOV blocks for donation to be used in their ongoing QOV projects. I am supposed to be making fall blocks too but they changed the format to a "bring however many, pull out however many". I don't think I want a fall quilt when I still have a pass around round robin one I could <b>finish</b>. You can see it <a href="http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2006/12/round-robin-pics.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>---that last border has got to be reworked. I'm sorry but the super dark poly cotton has got to go along with the things in the corner (is that supposed to be a stylized leaf??) That has explained why this has sat so long in the closet. <br />
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Okay, I said my challenge top was done. I finished that up Monday---one block to make, the joining seams. I had planned to sew the backing, binding and prep the batting from sections of previously used rolls BUT that night I could not get to sleep in the first place so got up and did all that. Then because I was so worn out, I <b>did</b> get to sleep.<br />
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Friday I had lunch out with a friend and we visited for awhile back at my house till he said he needed to go. He was supposed to be meeting his daughter-in-law and the grandkids in town and they were all going to the circus being held near here that evening about 4 pm. I think he was going to catch up with our mutual friend Paul while he was in town and had an errand to run as well. He had been gone about 45 minutes when he called and asked if I would want to go with them, LOL. I wasn't doing anything pressing and said "sure" having met the family members a few weeks prior to that. It was fun though the venue was hotter than the dickens. Everybody was thirsty especially after eating that salty popcorn. It was nice to get to know Charlie a bit better than just watching the Bama games. <br />
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Saturday I was off early with the pals from the Tuesday evening group heading to the AQS show up in Chattanooga. This is the last year they are going to have a fall show in TN and are moving it back to Paducah for both spring and fall, I had heard. Margarita had rented a van so 7 of us could ride up together instead of taking a couple cars. It was a fun day. We knew we could not keep up with each other and just said "be out front at 12 pm Bama time" and we would go on to lunch. <br />
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A vendor from Franklin, TN had this cool Scrap Box Chevron pattern which I did buy but was out of the Puzzled Nine Patch one. Slick technique. I also got some Deb Tucker Studio 180 rulers and ran into Lois over there---no surprise, LOL.<br />
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Friends of Donna had suggested the Terminal Brewhouse near the Chattanooga Choo-Choo downtown and it was not far from the Convention Center but the Garmin Lady had to straighten us out in getting there as several streets were blockaded. Food was good and so was the company. I think I got home around 3?? I only took two pictures as silly me, forgot to put my phone on the charger so it was red lining by the time I took those two. <br />
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I had asked Charlie to text me if anything good happened in the Bama game which started at 2:30. At least 4 of us 7 are Bama fans but I doubted anyone would want to listen to the entire game. At one point knowing my phone was next thing to dead, I asked Margarita to turn on the radio or Stacy to pull up the score on her phone. UGH 24-3 late in the 2nd quarter meaning Aline's husband was not going to be a happy camper when he picked us at the rendezvous spot. As I was driving back to my house, Bama did score a TD so it was 24-10 with like a minute to go. I didn't dial up the radio figuring it was just going to be the half time yapping. Charlie texted it was 24-17 as one of the Bama guys had a long punt return TD. I had something to do here at home so texted back saying I might get brave and go over to watch the game once I was done with that. When I arrived, I told the gang that they could send me home if I didn't bring them any luck with a win. Fortunately, that was not needed. <br />
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Stacy had asked me to bring one of my portfolio of patterns to the next meeting so she could "pick out her next quilt". She's working on the borders of her Chevron quilt now and looking for inspiration for her fabric stacks specifically a Kaffe Fassett layer cake. Sunday I did a bit of re-organizing of the two I planned to take. These were some of the more recent magazine clippings, internet printouts, purchased patterns or given to me patterns, etc. Several years back I did a thing where I took <b>everything</b> out of all my notebooks---and there is a bunch from over the years---and separated them all out by categories. One notebook might be kid/donation quilt ideas, another bags/totes and accessories. Others were by technique---4 patch, 9 patch, baskets, curved designs, embroidery, applique, Log Cabins, strip piecing, etc etc etc. The other stuff was just a hodge podge and still kind of is but I know it is the "newer" stuff though some dates back 5 yrs, LOL. <br />
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By the time I left I think she might have narrowed things down a bit. One I had suggested for the large bold Fassett stuff was <a href="https://ninawithfreckles.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/sweet-life-quilt-from-camille-roskelleys-simply-retro/" target="_blank">" Sweet Life" in Simply Retro </a>so those could remain intact but we will have to re-size the block to use her squares. The pattern in the book calls for fat quarters to make 18 inch finished blocks and layer cakes are not big enough. 13.5 inch finished will work as I was fiddling in EQ that evening when I got home. It is one I have considered doing myself and she was able to pull it up on the phone to see the block. Donna had been working with the girls to learn some basic blocks and techniques. So far they have done a log cabin block and friendship star. I think she said the next one was flying geese and she planned to do quarter square triangles, applique and foundation piecing as well. "Sweet Life" has flying geese all right. <br />
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We had two guests that evening and at that point no one had their machine going but we were talking quilt and paging through the notebooks. Actually that worked out well for Donna as I had a foundation pieced star block with a flag at center printed off that I had considered making for the retreat last fall and since I didn't make it, the printouts were just filed. She said it was exactly what she had been looking for but could not figure out the math for the flag part. I said to go ahead and take it. I was going to do something else this year too, LOL.<br />
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I set up the sewing machine yesterday afternoon/evening to put the binding on the guild Charming Boxes. Margarita had gotten a new custom fit to her finger thimble at the quilt show and told me I needed to save her some binding. She's between projects that require it right now, I guess but took care of that last night. I just need to hand it off to her at some point and I am happy that I won't have to worry about it especially since I still need to finish my own on Prairie Stix, LOL. <br />
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I had considered leaving the forward and side tables up around the sewing table to go ahead and start the quilting on the challenge quilt. I've got to get started at some point BUT there is a possibility that I will have some visitors in the next few days or so. A friend from high school who is a Facebook friend messaged me recently to say that he and another classmate were thinking about coming down to Chattanooga and meeting up with a 3rd classmate who lives in Hendersonville, NC. What was there to do in Alabama? Depends on what you want to do, said I. You bike, like music, want to hike? Like the mountains or the coast better? <br />
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They might come down, they might not and I am not sure which day. Frank is supposed to call me. I've not seen any of these guys since the mid 70's. Bill went to my dad's church and even dated one of my roommates. Steve, I don't know as I don't think we had any classes together and I only went to Lexington Community High School my senior year in the first place. I know they planned on camping a few days anyway at Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA. BUT we are currently experiencing some gas shortages due to a leak at a major trunk line from Houston through Alabama and on to Jersey. They are doing a diversionary line but just how soon the work will be done and all stations back up to full delivery schedules is not clear. He talked to me about this on Sunday or Monday evening as Steve had reported outages in Hendersonville already and it might change their plans. Turns out we had some as well but we don't get a paper on Monday anymore and I was not aware. There is a distribution center in Oxford just south of Anniston but they are obligated to deliver to the big vendors first and maybe not all grades of fuel either.<br />
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There is also the Lick Skillet Quilt show locally on Friday and Saturday. Or I could go up to the Collinsville Quilt Walk if I had a mind to. Bama plays Kent State but really early--not sure if I am going over to Paul's or not. So far I've not been invited or he just figures I don't need an invite, just show up. (Last week both he and Charlie asked if I was going.) Sunday I could go to the Chamber music concert at one of the local churches. Who knows what I might be doing? I also lost that same crown that I had to have re-cemented in June. I've got a call into the dentist and waiting for a call back. I am not fond of waiting for the phone to ring, I am finding, and having all my plans up in the air!<br />
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I changed out the quilts on Monday to the fall variety. Still need to hang that blind in my bedroom but not happening today. Today I cleaned up all my thread mess and vacuumed up all the floors and spot mopped in the kitchen. Did the laundry, ran the dishwasher, etc. Poor Oscar was despairing if I was ever going to walk him this morning since I was working in my pj's and headed to the shower after I was done cleaning. We went but it was noon before we did! This afternoon I am just enjoying my reasonably cleaned up house and trying not to make a mess. I'll either drag out my binding or read. The bookmobile is next Tuesday and I am still not done with the first of three books!<br />
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And that is how my crazy life is going lately. Old friends from high school popping up, old roommate going to my parents to get in touch with me on the phone, I may be possibly "dating" somebody but not sure how I feel about that---just nuts!<br />
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<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-87065606556158209332016-09-14T13:37:00.000-05:002016-09-15T08:01:33.595-05:00Field Trip!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For several months now my quilt group and I have been considering going on a field trip over to the Birmingham area fabric shops. Brenda knew of two located in Gardendale (AL)--<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Material-Girls-218670224809781/" target="_blank">Material Girls</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Our-Sewing-Nook-635759789878034/" target="_blank">Our Sewing Nook </a>. Since it was our regular meeting day, we just said "be at the regular meeting spot at 9 a.m. if you want to go. We'll work out how many cars to take then." Four of us were willing to drive, if need be, even though none of us were crazy about driving on I-20 in and around Birmingham. LOL, Brenda and Bev were the drivers, as it turned out.</div>
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Aline met up with me at my house at an appointed time. We were about 2 miles down the road when my phone went off and kept going off. I knew it had to be one of the girls but I really could not pull over at that point. Aline couldn't reach my purse in the back seat or work my phone once she found it. I knew we would be at the church in another 5 minutes and I would take care of it then. Turned out Brenda had a flat that was caused by a screw buried in her tire. She was right next to an automotive place when this happened. She was coming but would be a few minutes late.</div>
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The first stop was Material Girls. About a week ago Brenda had alerted me that in all her excitement about going on the field trip, she forgotten that the shop was normally not open on Tuesdays. A phone call to the shop owner was made and she agreed to come in for us to shop. Turns out she watches her granddaughter on that day and they were both there to greet us. When we were going further and further out to more of a residential area on Route 31, Bev said "where is this place?" Turns out in a house next to Great American Tent Rental Company! The prices were good per yard. One of the girls found some Gingher scissors and Wonder Clips for a reasonable price too. The owner was friendly and definitely accommodating!</div>
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My main objective was to see if I could find a green similar to the one in these blocks. One of the guild members in response to a call out for comfort quilts for children had pulled these out. This much of was made by one of the past guild members who has since passed away. Others have been completing some of Miss Esther's projects over time. The only fabric with the blocks is the pink gingham print. There are three of the smaller framed Bear Paw blocks and one row is complete. I am not sure where she was headed with the Art Square block (I think that is what is called anyway) that is on top. So.......... </div>
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First I found a few fat quarters of the print but not knowing how many more blocks or how to use the ones already made it was good that I found it on the bolt and was able to get a bit more in more linear yardage. It is an Oriental flavored print but should be okay. The gingham has yellow and blues in the little figures on it. The pink-y red is close but I don't see me making any more of those framed Bear Paws! Big ones, yes. Both should work to complete this for a donation quilt.</div>
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Then we were off to Our Sewing Nook which turns out is fairly close to I-65 North in a strip mall. This was a Brother machine dealer who also had fabrics, threads, etc. As a matter of fact, they were loading up a woman's vehicle with a high end embroidery machine as we pulled up. I know Margarita found some "Frozen" fabrics along with a panel piece to make a quilt for her three year old granddaughter in the 40% off room. Aline had some lovely fabrics that could be used for a Christmas quilt but did not "scream Christmas", if you know what I mean? I found this--4 yards of fabric for 20 bucks in the discount room. Moda "Folklore" by Lily Asbury. I believe that this will go with some Sandy Gervais stuff I already have at home though have not pulled out the bin yet to verify. The colors are similar with the yellow gold, orange, lime greens, aquas that I so love. I am considering doing another Chevron quilt for my great niece Emily. Should really finish Lily's first seeing as she is two now and the top has been done for some time!! The leftovers from that quilt should go with this as well. </div>
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Next stop: Lunch<br />
Brenda mentioned a couple of choices near our next stop. The Smokehouse Steaks and Seafood Restaurant seemed like the best choice for 6 different folks to make a choice as it was served up cafeteria style in a "meat and 1, 2 or 3" sides options. Salad or dessert could be one of the sides even. Bear in mind that I had no real idea of just where I was all day but this spot is on Finley Avenue in Birmingham near the Farmer's Market. I know this only from googling it now, LOL. Jackie who had recently re-located to the Birmingham area met up with us at the first quilt shop and had lunch with us. She used to eat there often and vouch for the food. I think we all enjoyed our meal.<br />
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Brenda had one more stop for us at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cottageneedleworks/" target="_blank">Cottage Needleworks</a>. The business is now located in the woman's home when her lease ran out at her bricks and mortar location. (She was a vendor at the recent Heart of Dixie Quilt Show Jane, Hugh, Aline and I had gone to in late July). I think we were in the Inverness area of Birmingham at this point?? not far from I-459 anyway on the return trip. Bev and I had to laugh as we were driving and trying to keep up with Brenda's vehicle on that so busy 280. Her Garmin which did not have the third address plugged in kept trying to direct us somewhere. We guessed back to I-20 but who knows? She goes "make a u-turn" --we were stopped at a light with vehicles all around us--like "just how do you expect us to do that from the center lane?" After about the 4th or 5th suggestion to u-turn, I said "we will u-turn when Brenda does and only then." Wouldn't you know that Brenda overshot the house and did have to turn around in someone's driveway?<br />
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The fabrics were 7 dollars a yard and 5/yd if you took what was left on the bolt. The fat quarter bundles were discounted from the lowest marked price as well. The ones spread out on the left were in the bundle and I found the other two of the same line in the fat quarter mix. This is called "Church Ladies Aprons" by Mary Mulari for Penny Rose Fabrics. All my favorite colors are in here! I also found this cut little pattern post card and some gray Aurifil thread. <br />
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And look! It even kinda goes with the other stuff I bought earlier depending on what I do with it. I have been looking at the <a href="https://ninawithfreckles.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/sweet-life-quilt-from-camille-roskelleys-simply-retro/" target="_blank">Sweet Life quilt in Camille Roskelley's </a><i><a href="https://ninawithfreckles.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/sweet-life-quilt-from-camille-roskelleys-simply-retro/" target="_blank"><b>Simply Retro</b></a> </i>for some time now which calls for 16 fat quarters. Maybe that one with the fabrics already on hand, I'm thinking. <br />
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I should really head into the sewing room and get back to my challenge quilt especially since I goofed off all day yesterday! So far all I've done is messed around in the kitchen for a bit---I tried something called <a href="http://www.ebay.com/gds/No-Bake-Avalanche-Cookies-/10000000208550070/g.html?roken2=ti.pRG9ubmEgRWxpY2s%3D" target="_blank">No Bake Avalanche Cookies</a>. Kinda reminds me more of a Pay Day candy bar, especially since I threw in some dry roasted nuts I had leftover from making Pad Thai recently. I am looking for something to take to the sewing retreat next month and wanted to see if this will work. Once they set up, they are headed to the freezer as I don't think I need the temptation around here---peanut butter fudge-like stuff! I also added some more Rice Krispies to it than called for at the end as some of the peanut butter/vanilla coating was more runny in the bowl. Oh, I'm loving the idea of using scoops for this and the muffins I made recently. So much easier!<br />
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Okay, way past lunch time here and time to get this show on the road since the day is half over already. Guess you'll never know what I'll be up to when you stop in, LOL.Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-30641558719267796062016-09-12T15:31:00.001-05:002016-09-12T15:31:25.066-05:00Monday check-inSo what have I been up to? It would seem sewing and cooking or re-purposing leftovers. <br />
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Sewing: Good Karma challenge top is progressing and at this point I am more than half done with two rows to go and the half row for the bottom. You would have to see the design to see what I mean by "half row" and I can't share just yet. I have taken a couple days off from it but needed to take a little break from it, creatively. I got a whole row done while I listened to the Alabama-Western Kentucky football game on Saturday afternoon and laid out the next row yesterday but never quite got around to firing up the machine. Maybe in a bit.<br />
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Friday I loaded up the car and went up to Jacksonville as the guild has a classroom at the FUMC that we are allowed to use for sewing days. They are trying to get this started up again after taking some time off for the summer. No one was there when I arrived a little after one but there are two sessions--one 12-4 and the other 4-8 so the after work bunch could participate. I stayed two hours and then headed back home. I had to grab another project box though. A different machine is always in the car at the ready but I had a <a href="http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2016/05/layer-cake-lattice-free-quilt-pattern.html" target="_blank">Layer Cake Lattice</a> cut out with this pretty Riley Blake Summer Song 2 that I had picked up at the Heart of Dixie quilt show back in July. Easy peasy sewing though not knowing where they tuck the iron I waited to press till I got home and did the sub-cutting here. It is set aside again but it was fun fabric to play with for a few hours anyway. Image borrowed from <a href="http://www.hawthornethreadsblog.com/2015/05/page/2/" target="_blank">http://www.hawthornethreadsblog.com/2015/05/page/2/ </a> as I think the line is old enough now to be almost out of stock.<br />
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I did some binge cooking on Thursday. I like to do stacked rice bowls with taco meat so set up two servings of that and made the rest into Tex-Mex type soup. It went in the freezer for the time being but a small bowl came out for two suppers when I needed the space, LOL. Mostly it was baking--time to turn the bananas piling up in the freezer into muffins so the old tried and true <a href="http://www.cooks.com/recipe/j46890zo/pearson-house-hummingbird-muffins.html" target="_blank">Pearson House Hummingbird Muffin</a> recipe was pressed into service. The only thing I do differently is add a small cup of applesauce and ease off on the oil a hair and add a cup of coconut to the mix. I also decided to make a batch of <a href="https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/144769/libbys-pumpkin-muffins/" target="_blank">Libby's Pumpkin Muffins</a> but I was getting low on flour at that point. I like to divide the recipe so I can put craisins and nuts in half the batter and chocolate chips in the other. It makes for more dishes but that's okay. I've got a set of big mixing bowls so it is not a problem. I ended up tagging one bowl "needs another 1/4 cup of flour" and just putting the spice/leavening stuff in the other and buzzed down to Winn Dixie as soon as the oven was done from the Hummingbird Muffins.<br />
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I tried a couple of new recipes as well. I had some pork tenderloin in the freezer and found a recipe for <a href="http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/search?q=Cheater+Pork+Carnitas&x=15&y=12" target="_blank">Cheater Pork Carnitas </a>on Slow Roasted Italian, a food blogger I subscribe to. While the recipe called for a pork loin I figured it would work. She also used 505 Southwestern Salsa with Tomatillos, Garlic and Lime. I didn't have that so used a can of green enchilada sauce, a can of chopped chiles, garlic and a fresh lime. (I saw it yesterday at Wal-mart when I got groceries). I shredded up half of loins this morning for a couple carnita meals adding in a bit of Salsa Verde to moisten it. Yesterday I had mixed up some <a href="http://www.billyparisi.com/vinegar-based-coleslaw/" target="_blank">Vinegar Slaw</a> to top them with as someone had mentioned in comments, roughly using that recipe but adding some cumin and a pinch or oregano instead of celery seed to pre-packaged slaw mix. For the rest of the shredded meat, I followed her suggestion of adding cream cheese and cheese to the meat and then rolling them up in 6 inch soft tacos for taquitos for the freezer. Donna does not give measurements so I just eyeballed. I cut the other loin up for Cubano sandwiches which call for roasted pork and ham. The little sample I tasted of the meat was good--as long as it didn't get too spicy!! I don't "do" hot.<br />
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When I got groceries, they had packages of the turkey tenderloins I have been fixing all summer marked down $2.50 a package since they had reached use/sell by. Even though I was not planning on cooking yesterday, I fired up the oven and took care of those. All set up for the freezer--some sliced and most of it cubed for salads. I also decided I wanted some corn muffins with my defrosted Tex-Mex Soup but surely there was a recipe that had creamed corn added to it? I found one for <a href="http://www.cooks.com/recipe/a51ur7jv/creamed-corn-muffins.html" target="_blank">Creamed Corn Muffins</a> and doubled it to use the whole can of corn and tossed in some green chiles too. I did jumbo sized and just baked it 5 extra minutes. They seem a little dry--maybe just a bit of oil added next time?<br />
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Let's see--what else? The town had its annual Heritage Day festivity on Saturday. This year the fire department was doing a pancake breakfast so I went. I had woke up at 5:30 and they were serving from 5-9 so I went early. There was one couple there when I got there and the Mayor came in as I was finishing up in addition to the women selling tickets and the fire department personnel serving. It was too early for the actual event with folks still setting up their booths so I went home for a bit and then back in later to see what was going on. <br />
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If Thursday was cooking day then Friday was cleaning day. I was tired of looking at the strings I had been tracking, the kitchen floor was a mess etc. Vacuumed the entire house, mopped the kitchen floor and then spent the rest of the day picking up little lint bits or stuff Oscar and I had tracked in. Still doing that, LOL. I try to keep the thread clippings corralled but this time I have more fabric slivers and trimmings than usual with squaring up the blocks with each seam. <br />
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I also wanted to share this picture of my dad who at 86 years of age just completed his second trip walking the circumference of the Earth. Can you imagine walking 49,804 plus miles? I sure can't but he is to be congratulated on his endeavors. Most of those are in their little Illinois town. My niece Randi took his picture when she was down Labor Day weekend.<br />
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I only got 3 hours of sleep on Saturday night from like 4 in the morning till 7:15 but made up for it last night. I was beat! From about 10:30 to 5:30 and then back to sleep from about 6 to 8:45. I could hear Skyler meowing at the closed bedroom door. I rarely am in bed after 7 a.m and he knows it! Now, watch--tonight I'll have problems again but the Belles and I have something planned this week so cannot over sleep! Tell you about that later.<br />
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Oscar is telling me it is time to go walk--he can't tell time but he is kind of on a schedule I guess, thanks to me. THX for stopping by----Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-63588338136885066902016-09-06T12:34:00.000-05:002016-09-06T12:34:42.328-05:00September is hereSeptember is here--9 months into 2016. Hope you all had a happy and safe holiday weekend. I know folks think of it as being the last summer blow-out but officially we have till the 22nd till fall begins. It has been a little cooler the last two mornings giving some hope for cooler days ahead. While the afternoon highs are still in the low to mid 90's, I'll take cool mornings anytime! The yard is browning up and getting crunchy again as little rain has been had at my house anyway, in spite of the weather situation in the Gulf recently. The kudzu is flowering and DJ always felt that its days were numbered when you saw that, less growth. <br />
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I'm still hobbling a bit from the banged up toe incident but can at least get my shoe on if I wear thinner socks. Oscar and I have been avoiding the hills on either end of the lane still but we are getting out there a few times a day for the abbreviated version. Walking on the trail is suspended for the time being.<br />
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It was a quiet weekend here. I sewed a bit on my challenge piece listening to Piano Guys, Secret Garden, Peter Hollens, Home Free or whatever is in the You Tube mix. Read a bit, watched some of the Downton Abbey marathon on PBS even though I have seen the episodes and have the DVD's (still love the show and will miss it!). Finished the last dishcloth I was working on while watching the Bama-USC game over at Paul's with the gang on Saturday. I cannot just sit and watch TV, ever. I could have taken some binding to work on but I knew lighting might be problematic as we could not have glare on the TV screen! We went out to a local BBQ place for the rib special but I got BBQ and then went back to his house to watch the game. I took some sheet cake I made experimenting with recipe a bit from the standard Tex-Mex version I always make. Verdict: I like the other better but this was good too. I'll probably take the leftovers to one of the quilt gatherings as the leftovers hit the freezer.<br />
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Shifting gears:<br />
Here are some photos of the No Bake Jolly Bar. I wanted you to be able see the lovely quilting Jennifer did on it as well as the fabrics close up. This corner has some of the add-on's I tossed in to go with the Prairie Line. I had to put something else in besides all those stripes though I will use them in something else down the line---like bowtie blocks probably. I think you can see past the kitty who finally got to lay on the quilt! Actually he got to sleep on it the other night though I bailed for the other bed after a few hours!<br />
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I moved the hooks up a bit so the table cloth won't be dragging as much on the floor. At some point I'll probably hang up my Halloween and/or Kitty City quilt in that spot. I really like how this quilt turned out!<br />
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There is, of course, something back on the design wall once I took the quilt down after the photo op. The Good Karma challenge but I cannot share that till it is finished. An extra charm pack is in the foreground. Being a bit mathematically challenged at times (or lazy!) I did not stop to calculate just how many packs I might need but really I was not entirely sure what I wanted to do when the order was placed and said "get me two" just in case and then ordered another later for the same reason Some prints are duplicated, some are not. <br />
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That pile of rulers has proved necessary for squaring up along the way which is not something I normally do at all. It is taking longer since I am taking this step, that and starching a bit. Normally I cut the pieces for my quilts using the same rulers and mat throughout rather than use die cuts. Well, not so much lately but normally. I like those jolly bars, LOL. I am finding that the charms and mini-charms of the same line are a bit off by an 1/8 of an inch short. That might sound a little like a fuss-budget but those 1/8ths add up. I have to adjust my sewing line a bit to maintain accuracy and sliver cut. When you can see a visible difference, it is automatic for me to question "which one is right?"<br />
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So I'll keep plugging and playing with the bright colored fabric. I think I am going to like the results. Right now I am going back and forth on that, LOL.<br />
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I've just received word that the newest great-grand for my family is here, a little boy and my sister's 4th grandchild--3 granddaughter's and now a grandson. Since her birthday was yesterday, I thought it might be kind of cool if he came on her day but he only missed it by a day! Congratulations to his parents and praise God for his safe arrival.<br />
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Think I'm ready for a bit of lunch so I'll thank you for stopping by and hope you are having a good day wherever you are and whatever is keeping you busy.<br />
<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-50770431853512412942016-09-01T18:04:00.000-05:002016-09-02T18:34:01.566-05:00this and that<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A little of this and that around here this week. These two critters (below) keep me hopping as usual though I am a little slower on my feet. Every time through the living room these two were watching me though Skyler was on the coffee table until I came out with the camera! That's why you only see the retreating tail.<br />
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Monday morning on my way out to feed the yowling cat I ran right into the end of the couch, looking at him instead of watching where I was walking. I had switched the couch and love seat positions when the treadle machine came and there is less room coming off the hallway but the couch used to set there so who knows? If I didn't break my toe, I have certainly banged it up enough to forget about wearing anything but my sandals since. Four days later I can walk a bit more easily but it still stings a bit. I was able to do my grocery errands yesterday though it took me longer walking. Of course, Oscar does not understand why we are not going for walks 3-4 times a day. At most we have just gone up to the neighbors and that has just been since Wednesday evening. <br />
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Yesterday was binge cooking day. Homemade pizza--ate a few slices and froze the rest. <a href="http://www.southernplate.com/2015/09/quick-easy-oatmeal-carmelitas.html" target="_blank">Quick & Easy Oatmeal Carmelita Bars</a> for the guild meeting today. I also made the filling for <a href="http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2012/09/simple-mexican-lasagna.html" target="_blank">Mexican Lasagna </a>from Slow Roasted Italian blog but baked it today dividing it up into two loaf pans--one for now and the other for the freezer. I peeled up what remained of a 5 lb bag of potatoes, cubed, boiled and put most in the freezer for hash or whatever down the line and some for frittata this week. Some other fridge leftovers were added to ziploc bags and stacked up in the freezer. <br />
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Earlier in the week I got my fabric orders so I could cut binding and prepare backing. Look at the messages that came on the Moda yardage. The first is a Me and My Sister Brighten Up gingham piece.<br />
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This is the Sundrops line from Corey Yoder and goes on the Garden Gate top I just finished on Sunday.<br />
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Here is the completed top using said Sundrops line. Sashing added in vertical rows, no top and bottoms added. The backing is prepped. The Fat Quarter Shop sold 3 3/4 yd pieces for backing and I think I was supposed to do it differently than I did as I had a good bit leftover. Maybe 60 inch lengths and then sewn across the 42 or so WOF horizontally or something. The quilt is 50 x 60 thereabouts. Too late now!<br />
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The batting is prepped as well using leftovers from previous quilts. I've got another partials for one more top before I open up another roll of 80/20 batting.<br />
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I also needed some yardage for binding on the Pinwheel tops for Belles. These were some I thought might work from Connecting Threads. I didn't cut it yet but I think the one in the middle is the closest. Bottom one is called Burro, top one Terra Cotta--middle just plain brown. Burro would work but I want to see what the blocks look like together first.<br />
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I got off on a tangent on Tuesday and I am not exactly sure just how or where I saw the link, probably facebook but it could have been one of the free patterns mentioned on Liz Katsuro on <a href="http://www.jellyrollfabric.net/" target="_blank">Jelly Roll Fabrics net</a> as there has been fat quarter ideas as well lately. Anyway, another variation of Disappearing Nine Patch crossed my path. Normally this would be the last thing I would like to do but I sorta liked the idea I found on <a href="http://outsidethelinedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/01/disappearing-9-patch-variations.html" target="_blank">Outside the Line</a> for their variation she dubbed "Double Trouble". Tried it.<br />
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Two monster sized 9 patches that started with 5 inch squares. Note 4 darks on one and 5 darks on the other and different backgrounds. I didn't catch that part at first when I first cut my RWB's and had to un-sew and sub out the whites I had with the navy stars.<br />
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Cut at the halfway point all around (2.25) so you end up with this Puss in the Corner deal in the middle.<br />
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Swap out the cutaways</div>
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Ta-da! two done blocks</div>
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BUT why go to all that trouble when the resultant blocks turn out like this? I see 4 sections in each block that can be strip pieced--2 1/2 inches x 36 with a bit more to spare for trimming/cutting. And those corners? Cut a square 5 inches. Sew two 2 1/2 x 5 strips top and bottom and another 2 1/2 x 9 for the two sides. Do that in both colorations. Cut it into quarters at the 4 1/2 marks. Also need two 4 1/2 inch squares for the center of the block.<br />
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These are not sewn together yet as I was just testing out my theory. It <b>does</b> work though---and this one WILL finish at 12 inches whereas the Disappearing 9 Patch finished at a goofy 12 1/4. Not sure what this is called but surely it has been thought of by someone. Also I am not on the computer that has BlockBase installed to do a little detective work either. HMMM a puzzle for another day.<br />
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My sister-in-law wondered what a whole quilt might look like this and was not getting the right images to pop up using "Double Trouble Disappearing 9 Patch". I told her that it might not be the proper name for it but I was going to draw it up in EQ anyway to see what it might look like. I often do that though I do look for google images too mostly to see colorations folks may have used if different than the designer has used. I liked it in the blues showed on blog tutorial. IMHO, set block to block it was far too busy. Sashing tamed it down a bit and even made it look round, at least in the thumbnail. I think I like it as a planned quilt too, same fabrics throughout or near to the same.<br />
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Will I make one? Who knows? I am supposed to working on my Good Karma challenge quilt---like now! But I will not be able to show you that till after the retreat in October! SHHHHH. I finally got the binding done on the NO Bake Jolly Bar quilt but did not get a picture of it yet. I did take it to guild today for show and tell or can take one here at home. I plan on sleeping under it tonight even though it is a lap quilt!<br />
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Because I was fooling around with those blocks, I was a little late getting over to the Tuesday evening group. Donna needed a little advice on putting on a hanging sleeve for the Lick Skillet Quilt Show later this month. Though not a member of that group, they have allowed outside folks to enter their quilts so she needed to put a sleeve on her king sized Fall Leaves quilt. Stacy was trying to do the join on the binding of a child's quilt. Because it was a solid colored binding, it was hard to tell which was the right or wrong side the angled cuts may have been wrong and possibly cut two short. I don't know that I helped her out much since it needed to be un-sewed and she did not have all her materials to fix it. Maybe next week. Margarita had all her Courthouse Steps blocks completed as well as 4 other small blocks and said she was all caught up with it now. Janice was binding and Aline sewing. I came home to work on my binding for a couple hours though I finished the last 90 inches of it yesterday---just in time for guild. Two more quilts to go--one has the binding machine applied on one side, the other still needs to be done. Another Tuesday project, I'm guessing.<br />
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Guess that's it for now. If it is not raining, I'll hobble up the lane with Oscar at least part way anyway.Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-62337175551881188372016-08-26T18:08:00.002-05:002016-08-28T04:47:51.095-05:00Some progressJust warning you--this post may seem a little more scattered than usual. I was awake till 0530 and only got about 3 hours of sleep. I expect that at some point today I will crash and have to head to bed, whether Oscar is on board with that or not. I hope that this post will make some semblance of sense. <br />
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Part of the "not sleeping part, for last night anyway, was playing with some blocks you'll see a bit lower down in the post. Too wound up! I started placing them at 2300 or so and was still playing at 0100. Basically, I ignored the woozy headed feeling I get when I am over-tired. By the time I got there, I was overheated, felt sick to my stomach and headachy. UGH! Here's hoping for a better night.<br />
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I found out earlier in the week that the quilts for the Veteran's facility in Lebanon (TN) that my sister-in-law was organizing was not happening, after all. The costs of renovation were prohibitive and the project was scuttled. I put the patriotic fabric up for now. Lois has most of a QOV already done. I don't think this is a total wasted effort as what is to keep us from making some to take over to the<a href="http://www.va.state.al.us/crlhhome.aspx" target="_blank"> Col. Robert L. Howard Veteran's Home</a> like the Friendship Quilters group did when I was involved with them? The Quilts of Valor program has a lot of rules and you know I feel about that!! Worthwhile cause but needlessly restrictive, IMHO.<br />
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I have been focused on piecing or getting organized TO piece the last few days. <br />
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First off, I DID get the blocks organized for the Belles Sew-in Day blocks. Monday I had cut the setting triangles that two of them required as I mentioned in my last post. I laid them out on these trays that Valera had donated to the group with the sashing bits if that pile of blocks needed them. I miscalculated and will need to make 3 more blocks but that is not a problem. <br />
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Easy to store the trays until I am ready to work on them. Those overly tight headbands work great for huge rubber bands. Maybe it will stretch them enough that I can use them for their intended purposes without giving me a horrid headache!<br />
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We were a small group on Tuesday. Lois had a lovely log cabin quilt to pin and Jane helped her with that. Brenda was binding on a Christmas quilt as it is entered in the upcoming <a href="http://www.lickskilletquiltguild.com/2016-quilt-show" target="_blank">Lick Skillet Quilt Show</a>. I'll get a picture of it at the show but Bev told me this morning that the pattern for "Tree Farm" is free online. It had been featured on the <a href="http://www.modabakeshop.com/2015/05/tole-christmas.html" target="_blank">Moda Bake Shop site</a> and there is a link in the post for the pdf file. Jelly Roll friendly. <br />
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Bev was binding too and I should have been, LOL but Margarita needed some help with her Ashville House Block of the Months. She had to cut out 4 Courthouse Steps Log Cabin blocks and the fabrics were in neutrals with no clear lights or darks. The pieces provided in the kit did not give a whole lot of room for error in cutting in the width anyway. We put our heads together to unravel the pattern and I got her started with it. Since Lois had a birthday coming up, we told her to pick where she wanted to go for lunch. I was home earlier than usual since two of the gals had other obligations. <br />
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A few hours later and I was off to the evening group---and a little binding DID get done. I am beginning to give up hope that I will get it finished up in time for guild Show and Tell but you never know! I wanted to show you how well Stacy is doing with her Chevron Quilt. The week before we had worked out what she needed to do to get it a bit bigger--ended up just needing 1 extra block per row and one more row. She had cut out all the needed setting triangles and was ready to start adding those. Proud of her efforts! I only provided the guidance and she ran with it.<br />
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Here is a closeup of the focus print.</div>
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Wednesday afternoon the critters let me go sew and this top got finished up. Woohoo! Thursday I prepped the backing fabric after digging around in my stash. The binding choices was a bit more tricky but I think a weird colored Jinny Beyer tone and tone will work. If not, I'll go back to my other (darker brown) choice. I also prepped the batting from the leftover bits in the closet. <br />
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The other slight detour in plans was influenced by this little box. I am subscribed to the monthly Sew Sampler box from Fat Quarter Shop. It is about $30 per month with shipping but they pack it with all kinds of cool stuff. This month it was a neat tin, a binding ruler, a Corey Yoder Sundrop Jolly Bar (which was on my wishlist!!!), that cool bobbin holder, quilt hangers and the little booklet of 20 Jolly Bar patterns. Wowie, do they keep topping themselves each month. Oh and that little recipe card thing is a block pattern in 3 sizes. This is one in in the series, each box has had one. <br />
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The detour? Well, I was going to use the Brighten Up Jolly Bar to do the <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/garden-gate-quilt-kit" target="_blank">Garden Gate</a> quilt and had in fact, sewn the stack of white charms to the whole pile. Now I had the REAL Jolly Bar in my sampler box. After considering this, I sat down and unsewed them. These two were sorta, kind keeping me company while I did this at the kitchen table.<br />
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I'll get one Brighten Up Jolly Bar and do the original pattern called "<a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/step-it-up-quilt-kit" target="_blank">Step it Up</a>" included in it but that meant they needed to be trimmed down to 9 1/2 inches. No biggie. I got the backgrounds cut out as well so that is all kitted up till the order comes and some minor cutting will ensue. I went back in the sewing room around 2000 and had the blocks done and pressed in about an hour. <br />
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<b>Here's the initial layout---it didn't stay that way!</b></div>
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<b>I've fiddled, flopped, swapped and this was one of the incarnations. I've sewed them up but not entirely like this!</b></div>
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And I thought I was done--the rows <b>are</b> done--but you can't flip the strips end to end as there are 13, not 14. Look at the 3rd column and you see why! I put it back the way it was. Tomorrow, I'll put the sashing/borders on the columns. It does not call for a top and bottom border and I'm debating on whether it needs them or not. What do you think? </div>
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I doubt I am going back in the sewing room anymore today. Both of the critters came in there to get me this afternoon as it was. First, Skyler was lounging around on the pressing surface and not wanting me to pin the row when I was supposed to petting and playing with him. Then Oscar came strolling in and acting all lovey so I would walk him. I was just about done, one more short seam, when he appeared.<br />
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I'm tired! I passed on a last minute invitation to go to a local football game because of that but have a birthday party to go tomorrow and will see our friend then. Oscar is making indications it is time again to stretch our legs. Mine feel like lead weights but I'll go and then I'm hogging the couch, Boys!<br />
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And sew it goes------<br />
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Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-35240709461156783912016-08-22T21:53:00.001-05:002016-08-23T08:09:39.024-05:00Checking inAugust is progressing--not entirely sure what I have been doing but the days go by. Ready or not!<br />
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Let's see---I picked up the Charming Boxes quilt from Wendell and Valerie Thursday morning but have not put the binding on yet. I haven't done anything more to the binding I am supposed to be hand finishing either but that's understandable as it is never my first choice of things to do, LOL. I sewed on Friday afternoon in spite of Skyler wanting to help me/keep me company parked right next to the machine. Then it took all day on Saturday to get the blocks pressed--that Garden Gate idea I had with the white charms and the fun Jolly Bar in the last post. Actually I had planned to sew the other half of the Layer Cake Lattice "arms" on a project I had set aside while I was chaining bits through the machine. I had forgotten that I had already DONE that so the blocks were finished but needed pressed also. I swapped out the quilt I had hanging for the vinyl tablecloth and put these up on the design wall. <br />
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The fabric was a Silk Road from Benartex layer cake I had picked out as part of my Christmas money spend-down from DJ one year. Pattern is available from <a href="http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2016/05/layer-cake-lattice-free-quilt-pattern.html" target="_blank">Fat Quarter Shop</a> and the link will take you their jolly jabber blog which includes links to their you tube video and the pdf file. There is one more row but I don't have enough room to pin it up. I really should move the hooks up another foot or so but that is NOT an easy proposition by myself especially since the level is not long enough and the things have to be at least 50 some inches apart. I know what order the blocks go in so row 7 is in the project box. That'll work! <br />
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So far I have resisted the impulse to move these around much since I fiddled around with this for over an hour Saturday evening. I'm living with the result before I actually fire up the machine. Yeah, really what happened is I have not been able to get back in there to sew them. The pile finished up with 10 of the zigzag print, 9 of the paisley one, 6 of the ones that look like ribbons and 3 each of two different florals. I struggle with the limitations of the same colors in different prints even though layer cakes are convenient. Kind of a fall vibe going on though.<br />
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The other day I was asked what we might have planned for the Belles meeting that is coming up. LOL, I never plan much of anything for the others as I never know who all is coming. As individuals, we usually bring some hand work if you don't want to haul our machines in. I could go either way as I always have a machine in the car so pick a project. There is almost always a quilt or two to pin, though sometimes not. Generally unless we are having sew day and a potluck, it is <b>your</b> day so do what you want! However, I replied that I would like to go through the blocks from the LAST sew day and group those into the 4 quilts I know we have in the stack. I am referring to those 4 patch pinwheels I showed you in <a href="https://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2016/07/waning-days-of-july.html" target="_blank">THIS POST</a> from late July. I am figuring on 2 quilts in a sashed and stoned horizontal set and 2 on point. One of those will have sashing, the other not. <br />
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At the JOY meeting earlier this month Jane had brought some yardage rolled on the bolt that she had picked up at Jackie C's estate sale last fall that she was donating to the cause for setting triangles, backing, whatever for the quilts. I still had the muslin bolt she had bought for us at home for the sashing, more blocks, the next sew day, whatever. I cut this afternoon--sashing for 3 of them, setting triangles for the two quilts that need it. The cornerstones will be scrappy on 3 of them and those are already cut. Then other one will look more planned so I cut them. Borders are cut for the two on point. Backing is cut for all four of them. A little of the binding for one of them that was leftover from one of the Ribbon Candy bindings I had prepped. I ordered a 1/2 yard of it just to be sure there is enough and some yardage that I hope will go with the 2nd "bolt". THX so much, Jane. There is a little left over of the Lotus piece but not much! Now to decide which blocks go in which quilt. I'll haul my No Bake Jolly Bar quilt with me as well and who knows? I might finish up the side I started two weeks ago! Stranger things have happened. <br />
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What have I been doing? Washing something, seems like. Dishes, laundry, me---even the dog got a bath and all his bedding. Either washing or doing something with the floors. Always sweeping! Or walking me or walking me and the dog. I still need to hang the new blind in the bedroom but the battery got changed in the bathroom clock. I still need to unload the dishwasher from yesterday. That was DJ's job and I tend to procrastinate that one till I have stuff piled in the sink. I had some computer problems with the tablet on Friday so did my geek thing. I did a little bit of binge cooking, minor though, and a yummy batch of Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai. I had told Paul I planned to make some and did he think he wanted any. He had sampled it the last time I made it and liked it while Miss Kathryn didn't really care for it. "Yes, that's good stuff" but I know he'll need some extra chile paste with it and packed up some condiment containers for him. His friend Charlie was over when I delivered it and he sampled it as well.<br />
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I started reading <i>Higher than Yonder Mountain</i> that Susan had lent me but have not really had much time to read in the evenings for some reason. Some days I can barely read the paper! I've also been listening to a lot of you tube videos chromecast to the TV--mostly Peter Hollens, Evynne Hollens, Home Free, some Pentatonix, Phil Coulter, Secret Garden (Brian Kennedy's version of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UddLOA-QoqM" target="_blank">"You Raise Me Up",</a> the first public performance of the song is one Dad played for me on CD when I was back with Tracey Campbell-Nation performing some backup vocals was one I stumbled on---loved it!). Then I was back on a Celtic binge with Paddy Reilly and the Dubliners, more of Brian Kennedy (good version of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdxgH3-tU0" target="_blank">Fields of Athenry</a>!) and my beloved Celtic Thunder lads but Phil Coulter is a bit of an extension of that! Dad, you might want to hear the version of "Grace" by Jim McCann as he explains the story behind the song on Coulter's "Timeless Tranquility" -<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Gifford" target="_blank">Grace Gifford and Joseph Plunkett</a> and the Easter Rising of 1916. Hear what the lyrics are anyway to the lovely tune though the Paddy Reilly version is more tuneful but minus the explanation. The "Inspector Lewis" finale on Masterpiece is about all I have watched on TV other than the videos and that is more listening that actual viewing.<br />
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Yesterday I got a phone call, after a few earlier attempts from a pal in Florida. Muriel is a friend from the aCozyQuilt Bee list days in the 90's. We had met in person when she and some other friends came from various places for a sew-in at my friend Joy's house--back in the early Wrap Them in Love days. After reading some of my blog posts, she had messaged me on Facebook about calling and could she have my number. Sure! I was fixing a late lunch when she called the first time. She said go ahead and eat and she would try later. Then I missed the 2nd attempt when I could not get to the phone in another room quickly enough but we finally got to chat! Good to catch up a bit.<br />
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I was out walking Oscar when my neighbor Glynda flagged me down. She and Robert are still dealing with estate matters for her SIL Linda/Robert's sister and going through boxes. She was working on some china, crystal and dishes yesterday and found a Linda mug and handed it to me. They are making some progress and things are being dealt with. They pointed out a Singer sewing machine that had probably belonged to Robert's mom since Linda did not sew. It came home with me for the price I offered contingent on whether it actually would sew/run. It is a Singer Merritt model escapes me at the moment but I think it is from 92 from what I read in the manual I downloaded. I got it cleaned up and cleaned out as best I could--no dust cover. The pictures are too fuzzy to be much help with threading and such but I think I have it figured out with the possible exception of the tension knob which keeps falling off. I'll be talking to Wendell about that part when he comes to do the belt for the treadle. Nice mechanical machine with a pretty stitch once I got things figured out. No, I don't <b>need</b> another machine but there are some new sewers at the Tuesday group who might. ( I had given away my Kenmore to one of them not long ago to one of them.) There is also a machine in a cabinet back in the storage space behind some other furniture, not quite unearthed yet. I told Robert to be on the lookout for the machine accessories which could be with the other machine. There was only the one foot on the machine and no built in storage bin like most machines have. I guess I did sew yesterday after all but just on scrap pieces to test the machine, not on any exisiting project. Not sure where to set up for a 1/4 inch though you can change the needle position to obtain one--right, left and center position.<br />
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I've not been sleeping well again and I hope that trend will end soon. I'm tired! I'm tired anyway from the prolonged heat but 4 hours is not enough. I do not like being awake till 2 and 3 in the morning and have the day start at 6:30 or 7. I'm also stiff and sore for some reason on my backside, maybe from walking?? Shoulders down to my rear end--feels like I got hit by a truck. I keep plugging on the laps. <br />
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This past Friday some of the Public Work dudes started knocking down what was left of the foundation of the old Senior Center house. The fire department had used the building itself for a training burn like they often do but it had remained with yellow crime scene tape around it for several weeks after that till this week. By Saturday morning the crew had it all cleared off and bulldozed flat. Today, they must have spread grass seed and straw. The town is preparing for Heritage Days on the 2nd Saturday in September so they may need the space to set up vendors or parking. The crews were doing other prep work today, installing another water source in the area they had used for the food court last year.<br />
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Okay, I've got to check the dryer. Yep, I washed my walking clothes up this load and trust me, they needed it badly! Tired of sweating. One of these days it will be cooler than 76 when I get up. Has to! Thanks for stopping by------<br />
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<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-4252129516705141862016-08-17T19:49:00.002-05:002016-08-17T19:55:04.270-05:00Another weekAnother week, the month is half over and I'm just tired. I have a feeling that a good bit of the fatigue factor is the continued hot and often sticky weather. Yeah, it is August in the South and this is to be expected but it takes the starch right out of you! <br />
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There was some thunder and lightning going on late last night shortly after I had gone to bed. Oscar was whining in his crate and I was bound and determined he was not getting out of there. Maybe I should have to just soothe him somehow but I can't start reversing the message he has been getting about that. He has been doing much better about that lately. Anyway, between the storm (only got 1/4 inch of rain so sound and fury mostly) and such, I slept for a couple of hours, woke at 3 and stayed awake till 5 or so. Went back to sleep and next thing I knew it was 9:30. YIKES!<br />
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I had laid off all last week from walking and trying to get in the swing of thing this week. To be honest, I really didn't feel like going after 10:30 am but did it anyway. Fortunately there was some shade in the park and a little bit of a breeze, not too muggy. Breakfast was at 1130, lunch at 3 and who knows about supper at this rate? Here it is 6 p.m. already! Oscar thinks we should go walk but we just did that at 4. I was hoping to hold him off till about 7 but that high pitched whine may force the issue.<br />
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Robert mowed again on Monday and just like last time, the camellia bush was covered in grass clippings. I raked it up and thought I was clean up the worst of the piles in the front yard. I was only out there for an hour and got three heaping wheelbarrows full of grass. Yesterday I raked up another swath alongside the road--approx 75 feet by 6 ft. and another load of grass to dump in the kudzu. Amazingly, I only got one fire ant bite and a little sunburned where my walking shirt did not cover the back of my neck and shoulders. This raking is totally out of character for me though. I am not an outside girl. I can appreciate that there IS an outside but everything I like to do is<b> inside</b>. Nor am I likely to want to do the whole yard anyway. The lot is an acre and all of it didn't look that horrid. I'm thinking it is where the concentric rounds of mowing come together and that's why the stuff mounds up. Sound right?<br />
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Customer Service from Electric Quilt emailed me back in response to my note about not being able to install EQ6 on the way to EQ 7 installation. Turns out my EQ7 Upgrade did not need to have 5 or 6 installed after all. I could remove those and/or not install 6 as the disc would install the full featured program I needed. I did not know that! What I needed was the EQ6 license number and password information in order to proceed and an internet connection. It DID mess me up on my authorization/validation thing though as you are only allowed the software to be installed on two computers at a time. I did not think to deactivate the notebook when I re-set it over the weekend. However, that was quickly resolved with a call to EQ. I recognized that I was talking to Penny McMorris who I remember from her early days on TV. EQ has been around for 25 years now! I've been using it since version 4 and 98 when I got my first computer. I was then able to do the two subsequent upgrades from the website as well as download the free monthly fabric files and the monthly project they post. <br />
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I have been drawing in EQ a good bit recently. Donna called and needed me to print off the foundation pattern for a Fall Leaf she wanted to make for the upcoming retreat. This one was called <a href="http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/maple-leaf-quilt-block.html" target="_blank">"Not Your Mother's Maple Leaf" </a> on the Generations Quilt Patterns site. She couldn't print apparently but needed the sheets. I couldn't see where the link was TO print it off so I found the block in BlockBase #1740 attributed to Aunt Martha publications but this one had an appliqued stem. A little tweaking and I could print off what she needed to complete the block.<br />
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Another drawing project was finishing up what I started last week. I had resized Camille Roskelley's Framed design from <i>Simply Retro </i>to possibly use it with charm packs at the center. Okay, that would work but now I wanted the book version to be non-square! I wanted a printout and a better idea of how big the quilt would be once finished. Done and done. <br />
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Lastly, I had gotten a<a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/step-it-up-quilt-kit" target="_blank"> Brighten Up!Jolly Bar </a>( half a layer cake in essence 5 x 10) from the Fat Quarter Shop. The fabric designed by Me and My Sister is so bright and fun I could not pass it up for a great-grand quilt or donation quilt. These always come with a free pattern. The link will show you the one included with the Brighten up for a "Step It Up Quilt". I like it but I like the one that comes with the <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/garden-gate-quilt-kit" target="_blank">Garden Gate Quilt kit </a>better! I recognize this as being just a larger version of the Missouri Star <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtLL4liuW8o" target="_blank">Zipper Quilt Tutorial</a> on youtube. However, it is older than that as something quite similar (in the finished product anyway) is in M'liss Rae Hawley's <i>Fat Quarter Quilts</i> and called "Broken Bricks" published by Martingale in '99. Garden Gate just puts them in columns with sashing or borders and possibly treats them as blocks. That's how I would piece it anyway. Judy Martin had one similar on her free <a href="http://www.judymartin.com/free-bom.cfm" target="_blank">Block of the Month</a> August 2003, maybe a bit more elongated. <br />
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Anyway I've got it drawn up for my "road map". Early this afternoon I cut out the 5 inch squares and sashing yardage I will need to make my version. I AM going to sew tomorrow even if this was not on my radar at this time last week. I want to play with some fun fabric and sewing something that will not require a lot of thinking or planning. I don't want to work on something I "hafta" do, just something I want to do for a couple days. There is a difference! I spot mopped a bit so the kitchen floor is okay for now. While I was cutting and had the white background fabric out, I cut out one QOV block for the fall retreat from bits off the end of the 5 inch strips mostly and bagged it up. The other bright blue is for binding on the Framed I cut out last week. <br />
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Sewing. No vacuuming, no laundry as I did that already--yesterday. I spot mopped a bit so the kitchen floor is okay for now. No meetings, only one outside appointment other than walking. Grocery run can even wait another day or two, I think.<br />
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Tuesday evening I took my notebook with me thinking I would finish drawing up the Framed project and left my quilt I am supposed to be binding out in the car "just in case". As it turned out bringing the computer was a good plan. Stacy is working on her chevron quilt and needed a little guidance. There was some question about the layout (the blocks are on point). Do you start with one or two blocks and how many more blocks or rows/ripples did she need to get to the size quilt she was aiming for? I couldn't print off the diagram but I could email her a pdf file to help with the layout, widening it if she wanted to go that route. We also talked about cutting the quarter square setting triangles and why you do it that way instead of half square triangles. The pattern printout that I had given her a few weeks ago from my files<a href="http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/?p=483" target="_blank"> Happy Zombie Super Zig </a>gave us the size to cut them though hers were slightly smaller chunks. Can always trim it down once the top is complete! Margarita had not been feeling well last week at Belles and brought me a couple of goodies for my bday---peach preserves and more of her delicious bread and butter pickles! Guess I'm still celebrating a week later.<br />
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Wendell called me yesterday with a question about the two quilt tops I had given him to long arm as comfort quilts back in June. His notes had gotten cold. You may recall that this was the Charming Boxes block I had taught the girls at the spring retreat and then I took the resultant blocks, made more for a donation top. He was getting ready to load the quilt yesterday and had a question about the D9P I had finished up for Aline. Jane had invited me to breakfast with the radio club tomorrow as Wendell and Valerie (his wife) will be there. I told him if the quilt was done I could pick it up then. Since they had been out of pocket for a good bit of June and July, I told him that the treadle could wait till later in the month or into next month even so he could get caught up a bit. This all means I will have another one to bind but it is all prepped and ready to go on anyway.<br />
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Guess that is about it for this installment. Oscar keeps whining and I am not at all sure what the problem is. He goes out and wants in. He whines by the door but doesn't want out. I don't know if he just wants some attention, doesn't feel good or what, Did the same thing last night. SIGH. Maybe he knows more storms are coming? Who knows? I'll see if some one on one will get him to quit.Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-6330886075551968142016-08-14T17:59:00.001-05:002016-08-14T18:19:52.650-05:00Checking in<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8XvJlcuo0L4/V7C_NRgNV9I/AAAAAAAApc8/Mcw7RikH6v0AzbVPDeWJw8WLOvyrvRGawCLcB/s1600/DSC08300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8XvJlcuo0L4/V7C_NRgNV9I/AAAAAAAApc8/Mcw7RikH6v0AzbVPDeWJw8WLOvyrvRGawCLcB/s320/DSC08300.JPG" width="240" /></a>Okay, it has been a bit longer than usual posting. I've been a busy girl! I'm making me tired even thinking about it, LOL. Some of you comment that I wear you out just reading about it but I'm beat living it this time!<br />
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See how well my plants are doing! The aloe vera plant used to be pot bound in about a 3 cup pot in the kitchen window. I finally re-potted it but the organic potting soil stunk so bad I could not stand it sitting on the kitchen table. Outside it went but I think it is loving the bright afternoon sun and the shade of the mornings. Same with the Wandering Jew. It was three little scraggly stems, one of which had broken off and I had just stuck back in the dirt hoping it would take root. Don't ask me where these will go over winter as Skyler will not leave plants alone and there is not a great spot for light like they are getting now.<br />
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The other thing that seems to be really growing is the whatever kind of grass I have and the bushes. It all seems to love the heat, humidity and sunlight. I think Robert could mow every 4-5 days lately. He mowed on Monday and did part of my side yard yesterday. He also trimmed up all the bushes and I got out with the rake to help him get the clippings up. I notice today that I should go rake up around the camellia bush again. The periphery is covered with grass clippings up about 6-8 inches again. Tomorrow, for sure.<br />
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Anyway, when I last posted: Jane, Margarita and I were ready to do the guild program on the 4th on Dimensional Bow-ties. When I got to the meeting, I showed my pal Bev how to do the dimensional block and she whipped up 2 of them, doing the 2nd one with little guidance from me. Jane was passing squares and threaded needles out to everyone, Margarita had prepped the packets with pins prior to the meeting. I had worked on the handouts, passing those out for reference or take home instructions. She walked folks through the procedure and then the three of us circulated through the group while the ladies made up the blocks. Bev helped the ladies that were seated in the row where I had been sitting. The blocks were turned in for a donation quilt. I did a small demo on the more traditional 4 patch, knot pieced in version after the group was done with the method they stitched up. <br />
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Last Friday and Saturday (5th and 6th) seemed to revolve around the treadle machine. Paul (my neighbor's son or brother depending on which neighbor I am talking about, LOL) came by to get the treadle cabinet from my utility shed. My mom had stripped it at some point, it needed to be refinished and he had offered to do the job for me. By Saturday he had a better idea of what would be needed to complete the task. He was not going to charge me for labor but I told him I would pay for the supplies and off to Lowe's we went. Because he had found the bottom had to be re-built with layers of veneer, that was top of the list but we needed stain, brushes, glue etc as well. We also had to run down to Home Depot when Lowe's did not have veneer in stock after all. <br />
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For several days we had consultations about it. He called me to come over and provide the extra pair of hands while he heated and we molded the layers of veneer. Ordinarily on flat surface you can use a household iron but this area is curved to accommodate swinging the machine head down into the cabinet. There are three layers and we went through two bottles of contact cement. I had to go for a glue run in order for us to finish up. He also had to cut out the area where the leather belt goes through through each layer while I applied resistance to the opposite side. The next day he wanted me to weigh in on the stain we had picked out. This is red mahogany. He had hoped to not have to use polyurethane on it but the project did not work out that way. The wood was dry and some spots were not taking stain as well as he would have liked.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Kkni26N2iU/V7Cfm_yWyRI/AAAAAAAApbs/_1JthturuBEUHO4YZOKtrIKnE5Ri6xcGQCLcB/s1600/DSC08291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Kkni26N2iU/V7Cfm_yWyRI/AAAAAAAApbs/_1JthturuBEUHO4YZOKtrIKnE5Ri6xcGQCLcB/s320/DSC08291.JPG" width="320" /></a>Fast forward to this past Friday (the 12th). I had to stop for more supplies in Jacksonville on my way back from my birthday lunch out on Wednesday (more on that later). He thought it would be ready sometime Thursday. I knew it wouldn't hurt for it to sit another day and dry so we agreed to meet on Friday to bring it home. He would need help carrying it out of his workshop and get it in the truck. I grabbed some towels to put down on the truck bed. I had put the base together earlier in the week and swapped out the position of the two couches to make room for it in the living room. We hauled the wrought iron sections out to the truck bed and he attached the sections. Then into position here in the spot I had made for it and adding the machine part to the cabinet. Isn't it lovely?<br />
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Our guild president works on old machines and I had talked to Wendell about working on it before I even brought it back from Illinois. I know it will need a new belt and whatever it needs to clean, oil and spiff it up before I can pedal power it. The manual found in one of the drawers seems to indicate that this might be a Singer Model 66 which according to the <a href="http://www.treadleon.net/sewingmachineshop/treadles/selectingtreadle.html" target="_blank">Treadleon site</a> was introduced in 1902 and discontinued in 1960. Whether or not this is a "Red Eye", I don't know. Hoping Wendell will know more when he sees it.<br />
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Saturday (the 6th) there was a big churchwide yard sale and bake sale at Catholic church in Jacksonville where Margarita and a couple of the other Belles attend. Margarita is on the bake sale committee with two friends. I knew she was bringing canned goods and hoped to get more of her good bread and butter pickles and so forth. I went too late for those so it is a good thing I went home with her leftover jar at our last potluck! I got some Spicy Blueberry sauce, her Lemon Cream Pound Cake to go with it as well as her apple pie filling and some corn relish. Some cookies came back with me too, LOL. What can I say? Margarita is a good saleswoman! I didn't even yard shop but this was a nice setup. Most everything was inside out of the heat in the fellowship hall. I'll go again and check out Oktoberfest when they have it.<br />
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Tuesday (the 9th) was Bama Belles quilting day. For various reasons there were only 4 of us there. Brenda and I both had binding to do and I DID actually get part of one of the short sides mostly done. I had to laugh though when Lois asked who was ready to help her pin her two tops. I said that it is well known how much I do not like doing binding so I was in. Actually Jane, Brenda and I all headed over to set up the table and help Lois out. I haven't touched my quilt since then either. My birthday was the next day so the girls took me to lunch at Olive Garden. We shared a slice of Lemon Cream Cake--too bad they were out of the Chocolate Lasagna and Chocolate Mousse Cake. Brenda was going to treat me, she said. but the waitress let us have it for free even though technically I was one day early and came out with 4 more forks.<br />
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I was home early and started moving that furniture around in the living room, vacuuming, cleaning baseboards and having to go on a store run for a couple more of those swivel type plug in that won't mash the lamp cords and start a fire. I went to three stores before I found them and then I got all they had in stock so I could use them in the two bedrooms too. By evening I stopped by the evening group down the road from me, mostly to say "hello" and see what the girls were up to.<br />
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Wednesday (the 10th) was my actual birthday. I found this graphic on Facebook this morning and I believe it is all true! Every bit of it. I figured that the day as going to be fairly quiet as I had celebrated the day before with some of my pals. I decided to be lazy and indulgent though. If I wanted Moose Tracks ice cream for breakfast, I was going to but I had to get dressed first. Otherwise, I might have entertained the idea of it being a Pajama Day, at least for awhile. I rarely eat ice cream and that was good! Later I decided I was going to go to Cecil's in Jacksonville for a burger. I have heard for years that they have the best burgers and The Rocket, the best BBQ. Paul had already given me his list on the phone of what I was supposed to pick up at the hardware store. I got that stuff, dropped it off on the way home. Other than a few phone calls and spending some time at the neighbors on a surprisingly pleasant for August evening, it was a fairly day.<br />
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The Belles had given me a birthday card with spending money in it at the JOY meeting, only I didn't know that till I got home. I was busy helping out Jane and Margarita and visiting with Bev and a few people in the group so when Lois handed me a card I just assumed it was from JOY. Wasn't my birthday yet either. Surprise! As it turned out I had a $20 store credit from Fat Quarter Shop. The <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/windham-fabrics/dixie-cluck-cluck-sew-windham-fabrics" target="_blank">Dixie fabric from Cluck Cluck Sew</a> was on my wishlist, a layer cake though, not a fat quarter bundle. FQS had this graphic on their Facebook feed and I pointed out to the girls that this was what I was getting so they could see the pretty colors.<br />
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I had also had this book by Lori Holt on my wishlist for some time! With the girl's generosity I was able to order it as well. You can read all about it at Lori's site <a href="http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/2015/01/pre-order-my-new-bookfarm-girl-vintage.html" target="_blank">Bee in my Bonnet</a>. There are a lot of other projects in the book besides the neat cover sampler. I've not really had a chance to do much more than flip through it. It is sitting on my coffee table waiting for me.<br />
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I had been reading a Kindle book <a href="http://patchworkreflections.blogspot.com/2013/01/an-appalachian-childhood-book-review.html" target="_blank">Susan of patchwork reflections</a> had let me borrow from her. A biography by Deany Brady and Harriet Chessman called <i>An Appalachian Childhood </i>and set in Susan's backyard practically. The link above will take you to Susan's review of the book. There is a sequel to it entitled <i>Higher Than Yonder Mountain</i> as well but in paperback. Susan is mailing it to me to read. Even though this is a true story, I read the first book thinking "I want to know what happens next!" just as I would in a mystery book series. You can read Susan's review of the 2nd book <a href="http://patchworkreflections.blogspot.com/2015/11/higher-than-yonder-mountain-book-review.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Susan has a gift for writing herself, IMHO.<br />
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The neighbors and I were on baby watch this week as their first grandchild/great-grandchild was due to come any minute! I share my birthday with Glynda's cousin who is like her sister and Miss Kathryn's best friend Miss Esther so I wondered if the grandson would come on THAT day. Nope, it was Thursday instead. All in good time! Robert could not keep the smile off his face Friday morning when he showed me some pictures on his phone as Oscar and I walked by the house. <br />
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Speaking of babies, here is a picture of MY family's newest grandchild/great-grandchild/my great-niece. Lily is loving on her baby sister Emily. What cuties! There is another grandbaby on the way, a little boy, late this month. Fun times!<br />
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I've not been sewing but I have been planning! Now that I see the patriotic fabric charm packs I ordered, I may have changed my mind about what I want to do for the 2nd quilt for the Lebanon Community (Veteran's) Home I told you about in the last post. Because there are quite a few duplicates, I could do a <a href="http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2016/04/charming-boxes-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Charming Boxes</a> planned scrappy, I think. I still want to do the Circle of Squares but have not cut it out yet. I DO need to do a 12 inch QOV block for the Fall Retreat we will be going to with the JOY group/Heritage Quilters in Attalla and try it out the smaller version for that but I want BIG blocks for the twin beds at Community Home.<br />
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I drew up the "Framed Quilt" designed by Camille Roskelly in her book <i>Simply Retro</i> in EQ so it could use charm square rather than layer cakes. I could do that if I wanted with any collection I want to---Patriotic stuff even. I was fiddling a couple other files as well on a couple other ideas but not quite ready to share that plan yet (challenge quilt)!<br />
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SOOO Thursday-Friday when not messing with the sewing machine cabinet, I cut out three quilts.<br />
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I did a cut and paste job in my print out for Framed (Kindle book--had to screen capture to get an image to print--wish I had gotten the real book instead as I love several quilts in that book!) I cut up the whole layer cake of my birthday Dixie fabric--42 blocks instead of 25 for a rectangular quilt rather than a square one. If I am short bits for the sashing, I had gotten a fat eighth bundle of the fabric in the <a href="http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2016/07/sew-sampler-july-2016-box-reveal.html" target="_blank">July Sew Sampler box</a> from Fat Quarter Shop that I can cut into rather than use it for the little table runner pattern that came in the goodie box. My kitted up "Framed" is there in the foreground. As I stack cut in piles of 4, I still need to sort out the shorter sections that complete the plus signs but I can do that in front of the TV tonight when "Inspector Lewis" is on.<br />
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Behind it is another <a href="http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2016/05/layer-cake-lattice-free-quilt-pattern.html" target="_blank">Layer Cake Lattice</a> that I cut out from the <a href="http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/summer-song-2-cottons" target="_blank">Riley Blake Summer Songs 2</a> that I picked up last month at the Heart of Dixie Quilt Show in Trussville. These come with just 21 fabrics, like a half a layer cake but I realized that most of these are directional prints. I could correct what I didn't like about the first one I have started if I just rotated the 2nd bundle horizontally and then made my cuts. Unless I totally messed up with the "sideways, upside down, backwards" the blocks should be all on the straight of grain or nearly so when the side bits are sewn on. Again, I need to sort out the smaller like pieces since I stack cut.<br />
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The other box is ssssssh, my <a href="https://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop/detail/40318/moda-fabrics/stephanie-ryan/good-karma-jelly-roll" target="_blank">Good Karma</a> challenge quilt. What you see on top is NOT what is in there but this one is sorted out! I've got enough fabric leftover for another quilt---or two probably depending on what I want to do! See me in late October for the reveal. I've got to start sewing--and soon! It has to be all done--quilted, bound all of that--or I don't participate.<br />
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I've been just plain busy in between that. Errands, laundry, cleaning. Add cleaning out the freezer (can't find something I thought was in there). I am still trying to clear some food items out of there or at the very least, remind myself what is available in there. I shifted some things into the house from the chest freezer. I still need to hang a different blind in my bedroom---it is on the list. The ladder is still in my bedroom. I tossed the other old blinds that were up in the shed rafters, knowing I will never use them again. Not sure why DJ saved them but they are gone now. Looking down at the floors I will soon have a date with the mop and vacuum--or should! Oscar could stand a bath too. Always something.<br />
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In addition I was getting fatal exception (or whatever) messages on my HP notebook. It would absolutely not install any updates and was about driving me around the bend. I finally re-set it which kept my files but not my installed apps. That took a good bit of Friday evening-Saturday morning to try to get it back where I had it minus a few files. I found I was not able to install EQ 6 upgrade edition. EQ5 yes, and EQ6 builds on that. I can't put in EQ7 until I get 6 in. Waiting to hear from tech support early this week about that.<br />
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I told Paul I would buy him dinner as a "thank you" for doing the machine cabinet for me since he was not charging me for labor. He collected last evening. The gang of us who gather at his house for Alabama football games all went: Paul and his lady friend Carolyn, Miss Kathryn (his mom), the mutual friend Miss Esther and his pal and former co-worker Charlie were off in Charlie's van to Cracker Barrel last evening. Won't be long till the first game of the season--Sept. 3rd.<br />
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This should be a fairly quiet week with no outside appointments, save one minor thing. Oh, I've got a list of things to do but I seriously hope I can find my way into the sewing room.<br />
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Ready for a few critter pictures?<br />
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Skyler is acting like I put this here just for him. The past two nights he has slept on the floor next to it. </div>
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I had shifted the fan to the opposite end of the entertainment center so you can walk past the couch at the hallway end. Not easy to do by myself but I managed to move it about 6 inches to the east so the fan would clear the door but now I don't know where to leave my shoes! Skyler is over-seeing Oscar on the coffee table.<br />
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Oscar guarding the door......watch out anyone or anything that ventures onto the driveway. Ask the mailman or the UPS driver! He'll bark at passing cars or the neighbor across the lane and her dogs too.<br />
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........and hoping I'll follow him out to the kitchen. I think he wanted to go walk and I was not ready when I took this. He is whining like he wants to go now and frankly, after sitting here this long pecking at the keyboard I think we both need to GO.<br />
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Till next time---I did not proof this so apologize for clarity issues or typos. I'll edit later if I have to. THX for stopping by.<br />
<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-38752637672688178412016-08-03T17:38:00.003-05:002016-08-04T06:02:06.801-05:00August comes callingAs usual I am posting in a catch-up position and trying to remember just what I've been doing for over the last week. A lot of laundry springs to mind with these being the dog days of summer. Seriously, towels and sweaty clothes means washing about every other day. I can only imagine how much there would be if there was more than one of me in the household. <br />
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I sure have not been sewing since our Sew Day last week until just a few minutes ago. I've been asked to show how to do a 3-D bowtie block at quilt guild tomorrow so needed to whip some "step by step" examples. (no, I have not started either of the quilt's hand finishing either. Too blamed hot to have that any where near me!) I whacked up the cutaways from my two quilts backing for the traditional souped up 4 patch version but thought maybe the darker colors would show up better in the back row. I know you can find video on how to do 3-D bowties--I learned how to make them back in 1999, after all. What I found for a handout for the group was posted as part of the Farmer's Wife 20's Sampler on the <a href="http://frommartimichell.blogspot.com/2016/07/chart-58-carrie-block-21-in-farmers.html" target="_blank">Marti Michell conversion charts </a>for doing those blocks. She gives a bonus block for the<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1kb8x47Ekb_OHE3eUgtYlpXNnM/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"> dimensional version</a> further down in the post. I learned using a graphic from Debby Kratovil's site but it is no longer available. This one will work!<br />
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You see the all blue dimensional bow tie above in the picture? Well, of course, you do! That is the other part of the program. Margarita and Jane are showing how to do "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULjpeUAyGuo" target="_blank">3D Fabric Bow Tie Block</a>" which Margarita learned how to do from the linked video presented by Paw Patch on you-tube. Margarita had made 60 of these blocks for 3 baby quilts. She had hoped to show the video as part of the program but our tech savvy president is out of town and that won't be possible. They planned on having the group make a block at the meeting and turning it in for a comfort quilt. Jane had cut the fabric and threaded up the needles, Margarita had the needed pins set up too. <br />
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After some discussion, we thought maybe be the group should divide up into half or thirds with Jane, Margarita and I leading them along the way. BUT first she needed to show US how to do it and we would take care of that last night at evening quilt group. Actually I got it figured out before I got there and had the block done. BUT we had Donna, Janice, Aline and Stacy try a block or two. That way we could see if we could talk them through the process and see what parts were confusing or could be explained better. That gave us a chance to work on the step by step examples Margarita will use in her display too. I told her I would write up a step by step handout when I got home and did so while I made another block. Also Wendy our secretary/FB coordinator could post it for those not at the meeting too. You want a copy? Let me know in email. It will work in connection with the video. <br />
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While I took my quilt with me prepared to work on the binding, I didn't do so but I did help Donna with an idea for expanding some backing to get more length and width for the baby quilt she was doing for a friend's pending grandchild. Mostly just visited with the girls before I went home to fix supper.<br />
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Over the weekend I heard from my sister-in-law Jan who lives up in TN. She is committing to make Quilts of Valor for a 24 bed Veteran's Home that will be opening in her town and needing help from quilting friends to provide twin-sized quilts. (RWB and gold, 66 x 84 range). It is Jan's hope that the facility feel more like home with the quilts on the beds. She was asking for us to commit to making one quilt or participate by helping with backing, batting, quilting or tying. I told her I would.<br />
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Here is part of her note about the project:<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Last week I heard the story of a family tragedy and how it had resulted in an amazing project for veterans right here in Lebanon. Here’s Angela Jackson own words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"> "</span></span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On June 12, 2015, we lost our 22 yr. old son, Cameron, to an accidental drug overdose.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">After the shock and grief comes acceptance, but we needed more. We started searching for a way to give back to others. We were asked to consider purchasing the Lebanon Veterans Home located at 310 Cedar St. After prayerful consideration, my husband, Jeff and I knew this was our way of giving back to the community.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Our dream for the home is to provide a place for Veterans to live in a safe home setting. We will be offering 3 meals a day, laundry service, recreation, health services and job assistance. Our plan is to house 24 men. This has given us new hope for the future, to help those who may be struggling with addiction or other issues many Veterans face in our world. Thank you for your support in our new venture to serve those in need."</span></span></i></div>
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After making 5-6 QOV's several years back for the Col. Robert L. Howard Veteran's Home in Pell City, I was not entirely sure just how much RWB fabric I had left. I know when I was cutting out a Disappearing 4 Patch for the master bedroom, I was really having to dig around for darker blues and had to order some fabric. Some new and some old--some kits. <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The quilt kits from Connecting Threads that could be re-purposed from the original designs. There are a couple more bins with blues and red but I sorta, kinda have that committed to other projects that are started but maybe something in the one labeled "patriotic" that might work. I already know what I want to make--Circle of Squares since those blocks are larger and I think will be striking against the white background. I blogged about that <a href="https://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2016/06/around-here-catching-up.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> in early June when Lucy told me about the blog and I started playing with it in EQ. The original block was from <a href="https://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2016/06/around-here-catching-up.html" target="_blank">toefeather blogspot</a> but I eliminated a line from corner of each block so I could cut a rectangle rather than seam two of the same sized squares in the same print. Some of these colors will have to go but you get the picture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the Windham Fabric free project section---man, you could spend hours on that site!--there is a quilt called<a href="http://www.windhamfabrics.net/cgi-bin/fabricshop/projects.cgi?patternID=706" target="_blank"> Button Up! by Stacy Day </a>that uses a Circle of Squares but also a round applique, fussy cut I think, that is similar. I've not read the pattern to see if the piecing method is the same but I want probably 15 or 18 inch blocks for my version. I <b>do</b> like the offset block rows though rather than straight sets shown in her version.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But still, not much production around here. I was not necessarily in a good place emotionally for a few days having passed 2 1/2 years since DJ's passing on August 1st. Then too I've been pondering my place in the world. I go back to Illinois and see my family but it is no longer my home. In some ways Lexington was never really my home anyway. We moved right before my senior year in high school, I went one year, started nursing school in Bloomington the following year and only was "home" and weekends one summer after the first year. Bloomington-Normal would be more likely to feel like home since I was there for most of 27 years but it doesn't. Not anymore. I felt out of place at the wedding as it was DJ's family, not mine and he wasn't there. I've been in Alabama for 19 years now but it is where <b>we</b> made our home and a big chunk of me still feels like it is missing. I have friends but not family here. My critters, my house and stuff is here but do I really fit in? </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Guess I've just been feeling a little lost lately. I need to make peace with this and let it go. </span><br />
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Let's move on. Part of the weekend was spent replicating a lost document. I have to keep track of my mail order purchases for state income tax purposes since many sites do not collect state tax. I suppose that self reporting is sort of on the honor system but I cannot lie when I fill out those forms. The 2016 document disappeared on me---poof! gone who knows where. I discovered it when I went to update it. Between saved emails, going back to the sites I use most and the receipts I save to track expenses I was able to come up with the data again but it was a 2 day deal tracking and verifying. I told myself I was going to print it off at least to have a partial record that I could just re-type if I had to as well. <br />
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About the only real cooking I've done was preparing some food ahead. I found some turkey tenderloins marked down $2.25 a package but due to outdate in a day or two after purchase as well as the lean ground beef I use in dishes and casseroles marked down. I came home from the store and cooked that all up. The turkey was cubed up for salads, quesadillas, etc. The ground beef I cooked with chopped onions and then divided in half. One half I added chopped celery for Maid Rite Sandwiches and the other half, taco seasoning for various dishes, taco rice bowls and the like. I also did up a batch of sausage gravy. Half of all of the output went in the freezer. It is still too hot to want to turn on the big oven but I do use the toaster oven a bit if I have to. The poor a/c is barely keeping up as it is without me baking! The thermostat seems to be consistently running about two degrees higher of where it is set during the daylight hours. <br />
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This week I've been to the dentist, yesterday evening quilt group, today was pretty much house-mousing it and tomorrow quilt guild. Saturday Margarita's church is having their annual bake/yard sale and serving breakfast and lunch for a fee AND the annual Friends of the Library Book sale is I want to go. I got the other curtain hung but I think replacing the blind is going to have to happen at some point. The dusty pink blinds have got to go as it looks horrid with the ivory drape. I would love to paint my bedroom a soft lilac, lavender but I hate the thought of moving everything out of there to do it. I've wanted to do THAT for 19 years, after all. I still mull moving into the master bedroom too and swapping rooms, LOL.<br />
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We have had more rain lately but remain about 6 inches behind the average rainfall totals. The grass is going crazy and Robert could have mowed about 4 days after he did. He is good to weed whack and blow the clippings off the drive. He'll even trim up the bushes once or twice a year but neither of us is into raking up the yard like DJ used to do. After two mowings Oscar could not get near the camellia bush to pee this morning. That thing grows really close to the ground and the grass was just piled up all around the periphery of the bush. I drug out the rake this morning and had a wheelbarrow full in no time at all. That was the extent of my yard work. Thankful that he takes care of it for me, for an agreed upon cost.<br />
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Oscar is going crazy barking at anything he is spotting out the front door. Methinks, it is time to wear him "slap out". I had hoped to wait about an hour but that is not going to happen today. He is telling me the best way he can that he wants to go.<br />
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Guess that's it for now----thanks for stopping by. Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-37623824364795205802016-07-27T20:27:00.000-05:002016-07-28T10:50:49.264-05:00Waning days of JulyWon't be long and this month will be gone. I guess since I was traveling/on vacation for about 10 days the month has seemed to fly by when I wasn't looking. As usual I was trying to think what I have been up to since I last posted.<br />
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I got the binding on my two Prairie fabric quilts--just the machine part though I did trim both quilts and press back the binding at the evening group. We met on Thursday evening as the church had an event planned and that always takes precedence when the fellowship hall is needed. I never did get any handwork done but part of that was because I needed to run home for a few things the girls needed. Aline wanted a print out for Prairie Sticks. Since I had used two Jolly Bars, the pattern was included in both. I had promised Margarita a couple of my extra Frixion pens as I had ordered a box of them at one point. I only live about a mile and a half away from there so no biggie!<br />
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Mostly though, Stacy was wanting to make a Chevron quilt for her niece. Donna had done one using the Missouri Star methodology in blues and white. While it was pretty, Donna was a little discouraged by the bias edges that method produced and the three of us were mulling over alternative ways to accomplish this. Half square triangles was one way---I said if she wanted to do it that way she better let me bring her some 4 inch finished triangles on a roll. That's what I primarily ran home for BUT I grabbed Chevron top that I made for Lily to show her another way that took NO triangles. I had directions printed off of two different tutorials including one from Happy Zombie with large pieces. Not trying to cloud the issue for Stacy who is really still learning to quilt but show her there was perhaps a simpler way. 2 rail <a href="http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/?p=483" target="_blank">Super Zig</a>--scroll down to print/download the pdf file. Stacy said "I want the zig zags to go the other way". I said that she should turn the paper the other way for the picture especially since she wanted to make a queen sized quilt. The length given would be wide enough for the queen size and just double it for length. OR I would draw it up in EQ for her later if she decided to go that route. <br />
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On Friday Aline, Jane and I were off to Trussville to the Heart of Dixie Quilt Show. Jane's husband had offered to take us over. Unfortunately I had one of those wakeful nights and in desperation medicated with some Benadryl. Yes, they are saying it might cause dementia but then I didn't give a rip. I needed to get some sleep. Well, between the meds kicking in and the sleep mask the next thing I knew it was 0905. I was supposed to be in Alexandria, about 15 minutes away at 0915. If Skyler had not been meowing at me from behind the closed door, I might have slept even later! I put a call into Jane and Hugh knowing they had probably already left the house and quickly pulled on some clothes, fed and watered the critters, grabbed some water and a cereal bar etc. If they didn't mind waiting about 15 minutes, I would be there or they could go on without me. They waited.<br />
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The show was small but nice. Our friend Jill who we knew from the Pell City guild had quite a few quilts in the show I ran off without my camera and tried to take a few with my phone but being too lazy to upload them to the computer right now. Maybe later. Jill had a nice bargello quilt that did take Viewer's Choice and had Judges honors as well. We saw several of our friends from the Pell City group when we arrived as well as a group of 4 from the Jacksonville group. We went on to Cracker Barrel for lunch.<br />
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Saturday Miss Kathryn invited me over for birthday cake and then on to lunch. It was Paul's birthday and he chose a nearby Mexican restaurant for our late lunch/early supper. We all went home with leftovers for the next day though fish tacos don't quite re-heat the same, LOL. I had some tortillas on hand though.<br />
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Bama Belles had a Sew Day planned for Tuesday so I was trying decide what block for sure. Okay, that re-sized version of Four Patch Pinwheel looked like the best bet. Between that and what to fix for the potluck it was good to finally arrive at a plan. Initially I was going to do a version of Tex-Mex sheetcake but someone else had said she planned on coming and would bring dessert. I did Carrot-Craisin salad and <a href="http://chindeep.com/2016/06/16/grandmas-cucumber-salad/" target="_blank">Creamy Cucumber Salad</a> instead. Not without mishap though. I did the Carrot Salad dressing first in the blender and then rinsed it all out since the cuke salad took something more savory. Not once, but twice, I had the milk and vinegar mix running out of the blender. The first time I thought I had not tightened the base enough. The 2nd time I realized that the rubber ring had dropped off somewhere. I poured it all in a bowl thinking I would just use the hand mixer but then spotted that the ring had fallen off into the dishwasher. I had visions of having to track another one down from Hamilton Beach Wave Action to the point of looking for the model number for next time. Still might not be a bad idea to have one in reserve. That mess made for an unplanned load of laundry too. (The only other cooking I seemed to have done this week is roasting some turkey tenderloins and chunking it up for salads this week. Too blamed hot to have much appetite for anything but lighter fare and re-heating leftovers. Does a small bread bowl pizza count as cooking?)<br />
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I also cut a couple quilts worth of background rectangles!! Right after I finally put the sewing room quilting set up away, that is. Only sat that way since Thursday. You never know, I might have decided to work on binding on that setup. (Naw!)<br />
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This first photo is Aline's Ribbon Candy quilt she was turning in. That was the block from our last sew day. I spotted another top of it in the closet that needs to be pinned but yesterday was all about sewing, not pinning!! Next time it will probably come home with me to add to the stack.<br />
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Here is the block output. 37 blocks and 8 of us were piecing. Beverly has some health concerns that make sewing away from home a challenge but she came for a bit to visit and do some hand work. Fun day! Good food, good times with my buddies doing something we love doing and doing so for others.<br />
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One of the piecers was Brenda's granddaughter Kallie who I think is 9 or so. How old are you in 4th grade as that what year she and her twin brother will be going into. Brenda took a picture of her with the 6 blocks they teamed up to make. Later Brenda texted me to say that Kallie told her on the way home that "days like today are what memories are made of" Sweet!<br />
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Looking at the blocks from the other end of the two tables. Anymore and I would have started pinning them on the table drape! Pretty, huh? If I make three more blocks, then I have enough to make two quilts of 12 in horizontal sets with sashing and two quilts with the blocks on point.<br />
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This week has also been the week that I had to have some of those tests I had postponed in order to leave when I wanted to on my trip. Monday was the dexa-scan that you do bi-annually. Today, my annual mammogram and some followup tests to see just where that thyroid function is and adjust my meds if need be. I've been busy though. I'm beat!<br />
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I had decided that I was going to ditch the pink Priscilla curtains in the bedroom in favor of some room darkening curtains but that meant the dust ruffle that matched needed to go as well. The stuff I had ordered came in a couple days ago but today was the first day I had time to work on it. Though I had purchased a cafe rod I thought I might use, in the end I took it back as I thought it would jut out too far from the wall and the curtain would not wrap around the side as I had hoped. I found one <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Eclipse-Room-Darkening-Wrap-Rod-5-8/37320211" target="_blank">Eclipse Room Darkening Wrap Rod</a> that I liked on my 2nd trip of the day to Walmart. I was going to have to use some wall anchors to mount it though. Remembering the last attempt I made to use molly bolts on something and then losing it in the wall with a large hole I still need to patch, I ran over to the neighbor's to ask Robert for sure how to do this. Drill, pop the plastic piece in the wall and then screw it it, right? He got the right sized drill bit, handed me his portable drill and said to go for it. It <b>is</b> up BUT with only one panel. I didn't read the small print apparently and only got one panel! I thought curtains (with an s, plural) meant there would be two panels, not one. It at least will cover the window till the 2nd one arrives. I may replace the mini blinds<br />
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I laundered the sheets, old dust ruffle and curtains and had to deal with Skyler. He would NOT get off the mattress pad. I tucked the last corner down and let him realize that he needed to move out of there. I was not playing with him and my attempts to remove him where met with biting on his part. When he realized he could not get out, he started meowing. Mean Mama maybe but he was being such a pill! He got the picture and left before I started with the top sheet and quilt. I laundered all Oscar's bed/ crate stuff/toys which smelled too much of dog to the point that I replaced the bed pad completely. He had torn a whole in the foam pad cover I had made anyway so it needed to be swapped out. He is actually willingly going in his crate today. Hope that works come bed time!<br />
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I vacuumed the whole house including the drilling mess I made putting the curtain rod up. Oscar was barking at the vacuum again as I could not find him when I started to have him go outside for a bit. I could not get the filter and cup thing to line up properly at first and a piece fell off of somewhere---still don't know where from---but it didn't affect what I needed to do apparently. I may go look at the floor model at the store to see what it might be next trip to the store. The grocery list is mounting so I'm bound to be going back in the next couple days for that. <br />
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It has looked like rain a good bit today but so far only sprinkles when Oscar and I walked after supper. A couple days ago we had a thunderstorm come roaring in and had 2.5 inches. The yard is green again but some weird kind of grass that took over when the old dried up brown patches filled in. I told Robert it looked like he had been bailing hay or something when he mowed on Monday. I don't know if the drought situation has reversed itself or not but I do know it has not been a good year for tomatoes around here.<br />
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AND one final item, Baby Emily arrived yesterday morning! When I told you about seeing Kristine and Lily on the 14th for lunch and relating things about my trip to Illinois, I had said that Lily's sister would be here sometime in the next two weeks or so. It was the 26th. Here is my sister Diane with her newest grand! She also has a grandson on the way, due sometime late next month, going from two grands to four this year. Consensus is that she has a lot of soft hair like Daddy's side of the family and toes like a family trait. Emily weighed in at 8 lbs. 6 oz and 20 inches long. <br />
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I am not making any plans for tomorrow but certainly hope I sleep better tonight than I did last night. None of the three of us were sleeping well---not Skyler, Oscar or me. I tried both beds, with and without the cat. When I got in my own bed and closed the door, Skyler just meowed and pawed at the door. We tried the other room---no dice. Let's do better tonight, boys!<br />
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<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-79038044325425995882016-07-21T10:07:00.003-05:002016-07-21T10:07:38.076-05:00Thursday check-inYeow is it hot out there! My thermometer hit 100 at one point but may have been about 4 degrees according to my ABC3340 weather app but still, what's a degree or so at that point? Currently it says the humidity is 88% and the dew point is 73% at 77 degrees. I am sure that heat indices are up there. <br />
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I DID walk this morning but as early as I could get out there. It was not too bad as the sun was hiding behind the clouds till the last laps. I laid off Monday as I had breakfast out scheduled and a boatload of laundry and errands to do. I also did not go Tuesday or Wednesday but I had read on Facebook Monday evening that the local Fire Department was doing a controlled burn of the old Senior Center building on the park property. They expected this burn to go on through the night so I stayed away. I have a problem with smoke! It was still smoldering on Wednesday when I went by so I passed again, settling for a couple trips in the lane. This morning there was just littlest waft of smoke but the breeze was not blowing either. The concrete blocks are all that remain of the building and I assume those will be bull-dozed down at some point.<br />
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In spite of the heat I did a little baking yesterday afternoon as Glynda had given me a large zucchini. I am nuts!! I figured I would at least peel, seed and grate it up to see how many cups it yielded and could always freeze it to use later. I had enough for two batches of <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/6698/moms-zucchini-bread/" target="_blank">Mom's Zucchini Bread</a> but only made two loaves of it. If you should try the recipe, it makes a very stiff batter or mine did anyway. I should have used my Kitchen Aid rather than the hand mixer. Instead I added most of a individual container of unsweetened applesauce to the recipe and next time I'll use some grated apple too. Since I had just grated up the zuke, I think that it had not had a chance to pull the liquid off and that may have accounted for less fluid in the mixture. BUT often recipes will tell you to salt it, let stand, drain and rinse it off. This doesn't mention any of that step. I shared half of one loaf with Miss Kathryn (and Paul who was over for supper) and took the other half to Glynda and Robert. The other one is sliced up and quick frozen.<br />
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While I was hunting through the notebooks for the recipe print-off, something happened which saddens me. Oscar was whining and scratching at the front door, a little agitated. I saw Kit Kit, the neighborhood cat was out there so I figured that was all it was. He persisted. Then I spotted what was wrong. She had moved to a different spot but was obviously in distress and not moving. The poor thing was drawing her last breaths and not a darned thing could be done for her. I called Robert since I knew he would have to bury her with Mooch and the other departed dogs in the back acreage. Miss Kathryn was just getting home from an appointment and I called her next. The cat had been fine that morning at feeding time and it was just a regular day for her. Kit Kit was definitely an outdoor cat but Miss Kathryn fed her primarily and she was in and out of her home. Glynda, Robert and I guessed that perhaps a snake had gotten her or she had gotten into some poison as she was a confirmed bird, mouser, frog chaser/kudzu patrol kitty. Later I ran into Glynda and Robert at the grocery store and she said their nephew who lives behind Miss Kathryn had hit Kit Kit with his truck (he thought) as she darted under it running away from a dog in the subdivision near us. The accident could have happened to any of us since she often was under vehicles in the shade and was not afraid of anything. Meet you, Pippi and Tyson Tubbs and all those good dogs at the Rainbow Bridge, Kit Kit. She was feisty but a good cat who showed up, pregnant, back in April, May 2014. We three paid to have her spayed and Glynda found homes for the babies. I hate that this happened!<br />
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Well, on to other things. While I have plans to do some closet purging in the near term, I'm going to pass on that for the time being. Yesterday I was looking into some quilt ideas that take some pieced bands. The quilt group and I are going to have a sew day with a potluck next week. I've got a pile of used color catchers to use for a base if I chose so. Railroad Crossing springs to mind as does two quilts from Miss Rosie's Quilt Company called Ashcombe and Grandmother's Scrap Bag. I see a few of these images on Pinterest but it does not look like the link is active for Carrie Nelson's website. <br />
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Another possibility for 2 or 2 1/2 inch strips is a re-sized version of Ann Pahl's <a href="http://blog.shopmartingale.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Four-Patch-Pinwheels-quilt.jpg" target="_blank">Four Patch Pinwheel.</a> Lois has done one of these and it makes a cool scrappy quilt and would not have to be on point. <a href="http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/11/pineapple-blossom-directions-and-stuff.html" target="_blank"> Pineapple Blossom </a>would work too.<br />
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I'm dithering, LOL. I found that bolt of muslin from Jane in the closet and had I narrowed down what I <b>personally</b> want to do, I would cut some squares for us to use next week. Leaning most to RR Crossing so that means just plain setting squares. That quilt I started hand quilting is around here somewhere that I could pull for an example. HMMM which closet??<br />
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I appreciate Jennifer labeling the bags as to how much batting is left after quilting my two quilts. She also had provided a huge TJ Maxx bag to hold the quilts and I assume put the next one in there for her. I started to say "that's not my bag but the other one is" when she told me what she does. Later when I unpacked all the batting bits from the car and the bags I discovered the notations. Good idea!<br />
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Here are the two tops. Yeah, they look a bit blend-y laid out on the bed but part of that is because they both use the same Corey Yoder Prairie for Moda. I have Jelly Rolls of the same stuff to make another--that neat <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/firecrackers-quilt-kit" target="_blank">Firecrackers Quilt</a> from Fat Quarter Shop. I love this line--can you tell? Jennifer paid me a compliment when she said how nice it was to have square and well made tops to work with as I guess she has been working on some of those older, found tops. I love the loose stipple on both of these as that is exactly what I wanted done with them though I had left the quilting up to her knowing that she prefers not to use pantos.<br />
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Since I am still a bit dampish around the edges from walking, I had swapped out the sewing machines and set the tables up so I can put the binding on. It has been awhile since I've quilted/bound anything in spite of all the recently pinned tops and more to BE pinned. Try May 2015 when I finished up that commissioned <a href="http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/2015/05/done-done-done.html" target="_blank">100 Good Wishes Quilt</a>. I've always enjoyed piecing for more than quilting, though I love to hand quilt but I have quilted a ton of donation quilts since back in 2000. Life changed and I can't stay in that sewing room for hours anymore. I am probably going to have to close the door to keep Skyler off the quilts as I work and hope Oscar behaves himself in the meantime. I'll have a hand project for the evening group and can leave the machine out of the car a bit longer, LOL.<br />
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and sew it goes...............Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-8267826379898076542016-07-19T11:01:00.004-05:002016-07-19T11:10:32.189-05:00What a week + some!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The past 10 days or so have quite a week for my family--and I was present for some of it!<br />
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Great niece Lily, shown here on a recent visit to great grandma's, turned two. Low key party since Kristine is expecting Lily's sister to arrive sometime in the next two weeks.<br />
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Our little miracle boy Wyatt had his first birthday! His grandparents and parents had a open house to celebrate and thank their prayer warriors. According to my sister, they expected maybe 50 people but had maybe 300 well wishers. Standing room only and people lined up waiting to come in.</div>
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This guy, my youngest brother Phil turned 50 making me officially OLD! The best recent picture I could find of him was on his last trip to Land Between the Lakes, KY. Yep, he's the fisher person. Also niece Beth turned 21! Lots of July events.</div>
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AND, DJ's grandson Josh, shown here with his mom LuAnn for the mother-son dance, got married to his long time love Lauren! I've got a picture of the couple too---later in the post.</div>
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That was just the introduction to the post, LOL. Obviously I have not posted since early in the month and 4th of July weekend. I was getting the house cleaned up, doing laundry, last minute errands so I could pack and packing, printing off driving directions. You know how it goes! <br />
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I took off about 6:30 on Friday the 8th thinking "Paducah or Bust". This trip was not undertaken without a bit of trepidation on my part. I have only driven back to Illinois <b>once</b> in 19 years all by myself. If I drove, it was switching off with DJ or like in December, go as far as my brother's home in TN and ride the rest of the way up with them. Mostly I have flown back. This time I needed to get up to my parent's home in central Illinois but I also needed to be down in Edwardsville, IL later in the week for the wedding. Plus there was the treadle sewing machine to carry back if possible and a big roll of quilt batting Mom was passing on to the Bama Belles. I <b>had </b>to have my car this time. Suck it up, Buttercup and drive!<br />
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While the roads are basically familiar to me, parts were not. I hate driving in most of TN specifically around Nashville though I am not crazy about the I-59/I-24 W exchange as you merge in from the left and I almost got hit there one trip. Next trip I may try going towards Chattanooga east and then turn around at the first exit to head back towards Nashville, LOL. I-65 is not too bad till you get up near Franklin, TN and you just feel hemmed in by vehicles. I can take two lane, mostly familiar roads to get over to the interstate. This time I took a slightly different road which angled up towards Priceville instead heading into Cullman at a right angle. It worked out well and put me on the interstate just slightly south of Decatur, AL---about 30 some miles to the TN line from there. <br />
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So I drove, and drove some more, white knuckling through Nashville and all the merging and surprisingly, not a lot of road construction. I knew from my maps to stay near the left lane and just hung on. I was in Clarksville, TN for lunch--just like DJ and I always did. I drove right past the Hancocks of Paducah exit and kept driving. Finally I stopped for the night in Mount Vernon, IL. 450 miles behind me. <br />
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Saturday I did the stretch from Mt. Vernon to Lexington. 197 miles though I stopped at my brother's home since he is just a few blocks off of the blacktop you take to get in the back way off I-74. I had not told them I was coming. I had only decided what days quite recently, moving two appointments so I could go to see my family first and do the wedding on the way back to Alabama instead of the other way around. Apparently my parents had not said anything either. I caught Jen and Laura by surprise then. She invited us to come back the next day for supper as my nephew John was home from <a href="http://www.missouristate.edu/" target="_blank">Missouri State</a> that weekend. He was not going to summer school but stayed down in Springfield to work. Teddy will be attending there come fall.<br />
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Sunday my parents and I went off to my dad's family reunion in his hometown at a local restaurant. At one time there were 42 first cousins in his generation, now down to 6. I didn't know anyone there until two of my 2nd cousins arrived with their spouses. Paul and Karen are close in age to a couple of my younger siblings. Dad was the youngest in his family and my grandpa was the 2nd oldest child. We never lived close to his family till my senior year in high school. Visits back did not coincide with family reunions very often. Large families, lots of cousins you never met or don't remember if you did. Still, it was fun, the food was good. The restaurant packed up the leftover chicken etc in carryout containers so folks to take home if you wanted. Less cooking in coming days!<br />
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That evening we went back to Phil's for dinner. Ted was working at the pizza place and Jen ordered a small pizza just so he would come home to deliver it and we would see him, LOL. The main menu was grilled hot dogs and brats but she had all the toppings for making them Chicago style or chili dogs if you preferred. She had watermelon salad, a pasta salad and made my favorite Rhubarb Meringue dessert. We were playing a sharing your memories type game after we ate and had the best time! Jen packed up leftover containers for us to take--my parents said she often does this---definitely less cooking!<br />
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Monday we went to Peace Meal for lunch and that evening I went down to my sister's for supper. Filets, baked potatoes, salad and <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/12155/creamy-blueberry-pie/" target="_blank">creamy blueberry pie</a> using a recipe she says she got from me. (It is on allrecipes, LOL from someone names Susan Meyer. I just sub lemon yogurt for the sour cream is all). <br />
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Tuesday I was trying to make connections with a friend for lunch but he came by the house to say that he had to make a delivery out of town and we rescheduled for Wednesday. At the time Dad was trying to figure out how we could get the treadle machine in the car so we were out on the driveway looking at the car. The cast iron base and the cabinet were on the garage rafters while the Singer machine was in the attic. He climbed up the ladder to get up there somehow and used a block and tackle to lower it down. No way would it go in either direction because of how the car trunk sloped. I said "too bad the sides won't come off or will they?" I spotted a couple of screw slots and using a pair of vice grips, Dad got them off and into the car. This was taken when I returned but you get the idea.<br />
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One roll of batting went in the trunk---that machine was not going anywhere!! I was afraid to open the trunk for fear the thing would start puffing back out from being crammed in there, LOL.</div>
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You don't dare take the twine off either for the same reason. This is 96 wide 4 oz. poly batting, a partial roll.<br />
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Two shots of the back seat---the cabinet for the treadle went on the back seat with a 2nd roll of batting in that big yellow bag, tied down and crammed in behind the seats. I add two more bags on the way back home as Jennifer the long arm quilter had called to tell me my quilts could be picked up the first day of the trip!! One bag has the two quilts and the other the leftover batting.<br />
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I had stuff in the front seat too but not near as crammed full as the back seat! No way I could have had a passenger or any kind or size!</div>
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We knew it was all going to go after packing the car and a few small packages of batting are buried up there atop the cabinet. I could see out the back mirror easily which is all that mattered at that point.</div>
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I tried to get my old wi-fi device hooked up to my parents computer without much success. The software installed but I must have missed a step or key component. My chromebook recognized it but then it was the one I used to use but no internet to be had. I just made a daily stop at the public library to clear my mail and the like. Thankfully, they provide that service. I did try though and hooked it back up like they had it.</div>
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Wednesday I met Tom for lunch at the local <a href="http://www.pantagraph.com/business/local/kemp-s-upper-tap-to-expand/article_97b56bc0-e661-54ec-b2b0-fccaf7facb5e.html" target="_blank">Kemp's Upper Tap</a>. He would have taken me there last August when I was back but they were not quite ready to open. Good burger! Good visit with Tom. That evening Diane, her husband Rick, Kristine and Lily and I were planning to meet for dinner at<a href="http://www.schoonersbl.com/" target="_blank"> Schooner's</a> in Bloomington but there were severe thunderstorm warnings about the time we were to leave. We postponed till Thursday. We shared their King tenderloin and beer battered onion rings that I crave since I can't get anything like it down here in Alabama.</div>
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I went down to Bloomington a little early on Thursday to do the "nostalgia" tour. I went by the places I used to live and work, minus one stop in Normal. I even drove out to the mobile home park where DJ had lived for a time. I may have turned down the wrong street at first and was a little confused since there is more housing there than used to be along the route but I found the lot. I had gone right past the home he had built near Downs when I went through the country to my sister's on Monday. I picked up a couple of Avanti's gondolas for our supper (and my Friday breakfast, LOL) on the way back from lunch. </div>
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I left for Edwardsville on Friday morning--the wedding was at 5 and the hotel was near there. I-55 is familiar road after all those trips to St. Louis to baseball games though I had never been in the town. Josh and Lauren had both attended and graduated from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville last year. Josh is working on his masters and they were both working at a local restaurant but they are moving down to Florida soon to be closer to his mom and dad. I got myself all turned around driving to the wedding and wound up several stop lights north of where I needed to be. I had time earlier and should have made a trial run, kicking myself. No one knew where the venue was at the two places I stopped to ask. My phone map was little help and was not talking to me when I messed up either. I finally spotted it after my 2nd goof-up and could tell the road access was behind the building. Then I couldn't figure out where the entrance was as the first two doors were locked. I was not the only one who was 5 minutes late! We found the correct door together. (Her husband had a sock snafu so they were running late). We were seated just before the bride was about to be escorted down the aisle.</div>
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I was seated with the best man's parents and grandmother. I had meet Bruce and Nadine several times over the years but not met Grandma Grace. Scott and Josh had been best friends since age 5 and t-ball. Scott and groomsman Cole were friends of Lauren's from school and actually introduced her to Josh at a party when they were 15. It took! After 8 years together as a couple, they are now wed. DJ would be so proud of him and so happy that Josh has a soulmate. </div>
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Coincidentally, July 15 which will be their anniversary marks the anniversary of DJ and I moving to Alabama in 1997. Yep, the 19 years I mentioned earlier. Wow! Where does time go?</div>
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Saturday was the big driving day again. I took some backroads out of Edwardsville to get to I-64. My parents and I had poured over the maps before I had left and avoided some confusing google directions. Nashville was huge traffic jam where 1-24 E hits the turn off for I-65 S. I was going to go back on I-24 to Chattanooga but there are spots where the two routes and even parts of I-40 run together. Had I known what I was doing and not been in a far left lane I could have exited on Briley Parkway and saved some of that hassle. It took well over an hour to get past the bottleneck. I kept driving, thinking maybe I would stop in Manchester or Monteagle for the night. I hit the "Sammy Snake" section just about 4 miles from Monteagle and it was pouring down rain. That clinched it! I knew the windy steep downhill section that followed was best done the following day and I had driven one tenth of a mile shy of 400 anyway and was about 40 miles from Chattanooga. </div>
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Sunday it was just 147 miles to drive---I needed to stop in Attalla to pick up my quilts before I headed home. I had to laugh though. Both times Jennifer has had to call me I have been out of town, like WAAAAAY out of town. Last time I was in Florida visiting Tracy and Luann and this time sitting at the Clarksville, TN Steak and Shake. I hardly ever really go more than a couple county area away but this spared an extra trip to meet up with her. </div>
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After a quick stop for gas and a few groceries, I was home in time to go to Emily's (my former neighbor/Glynda's daughter-in-law) baby shower that afternoon with Miss Kathryn, Miss Esther and Carolyn. After the shower, we drove over to Paul's to drop off Carolyn but came in to say hello. We were joking with him that we were ready for supper and whatever he was fixing, LOL. It was a <b>joke</b> but next thing we know he is out grilling hot dogs, I'm helping with the french fries and Esther went to get some buns.</div>
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Yesterday I met Aline and her husband, Jane and her husband at the Oxford I-Hop for breakfast. I was able to drop off the one roll of batting at the meeting place and run a couple errands since I was close to the exchange. The laundry is done, car is all unloaded thanks to Paul last evening. He is going to refinish the cabinet part for me but we put it in the shed for now since he can't get to it till sometime next month. Now to re-load the stuff in the car that normally goes in there--what DJ called my quilt shop on wheels, LOL.</div>
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Now that I have talked your ear off, I do have some stuff to do around the house. Some things still need to be put away. Some paperwork dealt with, etc. My critters are barely wanting me to get out of their sight. Oscar was under my feet as I have been sitting at the kitchen table and I kept nudging him accidentally with my feet. I finally got his little bed from the living room and he sacked out in it <b>near</b> me. Skyler is being exceptionally meowing and clingy too. I'm guessing they missed me a bit but then I missed them too. I am thankful to Glynda for tending them so I could make this trip and they can stay in their own home. </div>
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Till next time-----</div>
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Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-23109481216514610602016-07-01T17:33:00.000-05:002016-07-19T07:29:45.026-05:00And now it is JulyThink this is what they mean by dog days of summer?<br />
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Oscar seems to have fallen in love with his little bed in the living room. Wish he felt that way about his real bed! Last night he managed to not only move a yard away from the wall again but also made a left hand turn while he was at it. I think he wore himself out with all that rocking and rolling around 2 a.m. I put ear plugs in and did not give in to let him out or scold him. He has been napping a good bit of the day, snoring softly but it really is a bit warm to be out. ( 95 to 98 range at the moment.) Yesterday the temps were a bit lower, the humidity was down as well so it did not seem too bad. The a/c would actually shut off for a bit. We'll go walk when the sun gets down closer to the tree line and shady areas can be enjoyed.<br />
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Not to be outdone, Skyler was keeping me company on the couch.<br />
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He is not fooling me though. He wants to be ON the bag of knitting as there are several washcloths in there that I need to work the stray ends into the piece and it crinkles! The pattern is in a sheet protector in the bag. This little booger decided to hop in the dryer when I was doing laundry earlier today. Just because it is empty and warm does not mean you do silly things like that!<br />
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Nothing to see here! I feel a bit lazy like these two. Don't feel like sewing --though I did get the 2nd arm on the stack of Layer Cake Lattice blocks earlier in the week, they still aren't pressed or up on the design wall. I had appointments and quilt groups this week so haven't just been parked on the couch. Typical errands and home tasks. <br />
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Baking, of course, is out and really any oven time to speak of. The most "exotic" thing I've managed to cook is a crockpot of black beans which took about 3 times longer than the recipe stated, even with soaking overnight. I am considering doing a pizza crust sometime this weekend but that only takes about 12 mins plus pre-heat time. Or not. Ambivalent.<br />
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I binge watched Seasons 1-7 of Inspector Lewis on Amazon Prime over about 6 day period because there was a deadline to do so. The final season will air on PBS come mid August. Some I had actually seen, at least parts of them, though I may not have released just what I was watching when I tuned in. That's where some of the knitting came in. <br />
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Mostly I've been piddling about here at home though. I've been reading but still have an Mary Kay Andrews book to get through ahead of the bookmobile stop on Tuesday. I renewed all three books last time but surely I can finish up in time! <br />
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Nothing really planned for the 4th. Still, that is better than LAST year when I was prepping for a colonoscopy, LOL. Some jerky neighbor has already been shooting off some of his fireworks--like, 4 days ago. I do not look forward to this as it upsets Oscar, akin to thunder to him. I know the general direction it is coming from but not which house is involved. Since the county is in moderate to severe drought, conditions are dry enough in spots for grass fires. Occasionally the debris travels into MY yard and then I get to pick up their mess. They also keep at it till after midnight. I know I am off in the county but you would think there would be a cutoff time for disturbing sleep regardless of address. SIGH Happy Birthday, America.<br />
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So I hope you have a safe holiday weekend especially if traveling. Guess I'll go unload the dishwasher and switch over the last load of laundry. Boring but necessary, LOL.<br />
<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24252963.post-42831640271022348702016-06-22T16:30:00.001-05:002016-06-22T16:30:10.925-05:00Welcome to Summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to the official start of Summer where I annually state " I did NOT move south for the summers. I could sweat just as easily in central Illinois"<br />
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The critters are doing odd things. It is not always easy to get Oscar to go to bed. I've tried various things like letting him stay up longer, "wearing him slap out" as my neighbors suggested. I've read that I should not physically put him in the bed as that might be construed as punishment. Still, I get the whining. It used to be just a little bit when he was first in the bed and he sees Skyler and I are cozying up on the couch. Lately it is 12:30, 1:30 in the morning. He sounds frantic sometimes. What I read says I am to ignore this, don't let him out (a couple of times I did thinking he needed to potty). Supposedly he will give up and quit wasting his energy if the behavior is not paying off. I stuffed in some ear plugs last night because I could still hear him with the door closed and the overhead fan going. SIGH None of us is getting any sleep with this antic.<br />
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So this is what I got up to this morning. He had managed to skid him crate completely away from the wall approximately 3 ft. away. or the width of the two floor mats. I guess this is accomplished by repeatedly banging on the gate. Any suggestions? Laying any old place in the house at night is NOT an option though that is the daytime routine. Only my bedroom is off limits to both of them.<br />
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What is Skyler's problem? He will barely leave the pass through opening above the couch, next to his food bowl. It is up high enough to stay above the dog. He yowls at me when I go into the kitchen when he thinks he might get some food, even if I don't pony up the grub. SIGH again---gets tiresome telling him "no, you already had your treat bite twice and eat yout crunchies." Yeah, like he knows what I am saying, LOL.<br />
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Around here since I last posted:<br />
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I used to have one of these till the wheel broke off. I decided I wanted another one for quilting days. This one has a liner for it--that is it folded up in the bottom. Plenty wide enough for the machine and the bag with accessories I cart around. I had to put the wheels on it as it came partially assembled. I had bits flying all over the kitchen because of the springs you place between the washers but got the job done.<br />
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The next day being a glutton for punishment apparently----I recovered my pressing board in the sewing room with the silver teflon cloth and replaced the double layer of batting underneath it. Of course, that meant prying up and off all the staples with a screw driver and then re-stapling both layers on (separately!) I am almost out of the 1/4 inch staples and don't know that I will be able to order more since my staple gun is a Craftsman. I didn't have much luck on the google search matching all the criteria on the box. I wore a blister on my thumb for my efforts but it sure looks better. No holes, scorches or patches with binding tape!<br />
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I sewed a bit on Monday on the <a href="http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2016/05/layer-cake-lattice-free-quilt-pattern.html" target="_blank">Layer Cake Lattice</a> getting it up to the point of just needing to sew on the<br />
second "arm" on the stack of blocks. I had intended to do that at the evening group but got derailed here at home. The car was all packed up and ready to go. I <b>had</b> pulled some of my Christmas fabrics to see if I had enough for Donna's "Christmas in July" idea for the Nina pattern--I believe I do and I know I do if I mix in some other Connecting Thread lines. It might work or I could use some charms in some manner as I have a couple of those two, thanks to Gene. HMMMM<br />
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Yesterday (Tuesday) I was more or less piddling around here at home, spot mopping in the kitchen, vacuumed, unloaded the dishwasher. Not really focusing on anything and getting side tracked too easily. The next thing I knew I was quick defrosting the turkey breast I had pulled out a few days before and throwing it in the crockpot. This is supposed to be clean out the freezer a bit week, menu wise, and digging out the turkey from the chest freezer to cook was part of it. I had been procrastinating this as turkey and trimmings was part of "spoil your husband night". I had some homemade whole cranberry relish so that got pulled out too. While I had baked a couple of turkey tenderloins for salads recently, I could not make myself do anything resembling his favorite meal. Almost 2 1/2 years later, and I could do it because of what it meant to me, to us. That might sound silly, I know.<br />
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The other part of the equation---the day before Miss Kathryn had given me a huge bag of carrots. I think a local church was distributing them and Paul ended up with a bag but since he doesn't even like carrots, he took them over to his mom's to share with her and his sister. She took out what she wanted and some for Glynda and passed on the rest to me. I'm guessing maybe about 4 or 5 lbs of carrots. I know that the <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/22659/cafeteria-carrot-souffle/" target="_blank">Carrot Souffle</a> recipe I have takes 2 lbs or about 7 cups sliced or chopped carrots. I made a batch ( I cut the sugar back to about 1/2 cup or 2/3 cup though!!!) and then took about 1/4 of the dish over to Miss Kathryn. ( I was going to take the rest to the group last night but now I am thinking I am going to make a batch of carrot raisin salad instead._<br />
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Turns out Paul was over visiting and Miss Kathryn had a batch of butter beans on the stove for part of their evening meal. His friend Charley called to see if Paul wanted to go out to eat with him and his grandson---Paul invited them over instead. Glynda and Paul's daughter came over to install a new appliance. I asked her if she wanted some of the carrot souffle for their supper as I had plenty to share. She sampled it and then started to eat her mom's serving since she had not had lunch. I went home to get some more to replace it. Paul tried some while I was out and declared that it tasted more like custard than carrots so it was okay. The next thing I know I am invited to dinner too. My turkey was due to be finished up till 8 pm so why not have some company for dinner as I am not fond of eating alone? Oh, I had Oscar in tow on the first trip over and Paul's dog was there too but Oscar and Baby get along just fine. I took him home on the return trip. LOL, it was getting a little crowded in the mobile home but she went from two for dinner to 5 for dinner easily. See why I missed sewing last night?<br />
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I took care of the turkey when it finished, de-boning it and cleaning out the crock pot. I cut and/or cubed it up this morning---and had a nice turkey sandwich for lunch and later, some carrot souffle, sparing myself some of the "missing husband" emotions. DJ would always want to do a repeat plate from the night before but I always wanted just a sandwich---with homemade cranberry sauce mixed with some mayo on it. Then I would re-purpose the rest of the meal items in some manner, down the line. That's what I did this time too but I forgot the drippings for gravy are still in the fridge. Opened faced sandwiches would be good if I get some potatoes to mash.<br />
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Today, it has been more piddling--walking, a couple errands, a load of laundry, run the dishwasher, and so on. So now what? Go sew? Finish reading the library book I started on Sunday? I had binged watch the previous seasons of "Endeavour" on Amazon Prime on Friday and Saturday in preparation for the return of the program to PBS on Sunday. Turned out I had seen one episode on PBS but apparently did not know what I was watching at the time. There are a couple of the Inspector Lewis programs I could watch before they remove them from Prime. Maybe tonight--nothing else is on but repeats or stuff I don't care a whit about. Oh, who knows? I might be on last walks with Oscar once the sun gets below the tree line and it is not so blessed hot and visit with the neighbors. The heat just makes me want to mugwump in where it is cooler!<br />
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And that's what is--or is not--happening here in my neck of the woods. THX for stopping by-----<br />
<br />Linda Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585942908710656032noreply@blogger.com3