Man - life is Soooooooooo much happier now that I can do paragraphs and such!!!!

Life here... - house LOOKS like it is cleaned up - relatively speaking.  The relative part is  because I STILL have a lot of things with no home at present (don't worry, Mom!  I know it is in the middle of the floor where I put it - but I'm building shelves next day/week/month/year....you get the idea! - and then we'll put stuff away!  I'll even help you!  (NOT!)

I'm slowly - as in sloooowwwwwwwlllly - unpacking and putting away the rest of the binsd I brought here to MA when I moved from IL.  I did say slooowwwwwwwly didn't I?  That's because I moved here in 2005 - Dec.  Moved to this place in 2006 August.  Remodeling so far over 2 years (and this year we tackle - gasp! - the two bedrooms).  Still not done. 

Seriously - we've acquired another house as well - and with remodeling that (easier - no one in it!) and there really isn't any time!  Also - with remodeling here - I may be moving to the other house - which has 3 floors (hmmmm - stairs?) and which may/may not be sold as condos - or rented out (for more $$$ than I currently allocate for my rent) 

Still and all - it has a HUGE back and side yard - just perfect for a lot of gardens - BIG veggie garden, along with herbs, flowers, orchard (mini) space. and playyard for kids!  Am seriously thinking of it.  I do love this house here though - but NOT the partying that the kids upstairs do!

Plus - I'm almost unpacked.  This would mean re-packing and putting stuff away again!  Ugh!
So - just thinking on it.
More later.

Later....

back from PT - and have been officially discharge - not because I don't need it anymore - but because my insurance runs out tomorrow - and I'm back on Sr. Citizen garbage starting tomorrow!  Most Drs. approach that like the Bubonic Plague - and apparently PT's are no different!  It is funny though - that those things we paid for most of our life (and, trust me, we DO pay for them - beforehand - from our paycheck and at present - from Soc. Security amount deductions!) that the actual benefits from them - while helpful - are NOT as good - and that Drs - most of them - REALLY hate Medi-whichever one it is that you have to be 65 or older for!  Why?  Outside of the fact that they are VERY slow to pay - they will disallow AT LEAST 20% of the actual bill (which means (1) EVERYONE'S bills get hiked up, (2)at the least the patient's bills are inflated to compensate for that 20% or more!)  MAJOR ugh!

That not withstanding - dd called - and instead of doing what I WAS going to do (every hour - 15 minutes study, 30 minutes papersort and/or process - I'm behind again!, 15 minutes house clean).  It WILL get things done - trust me! and the time is short enough I can stand to do that.

Anyway - dd called - I'll be doing that tomorrow - today is sewing day (which I was going to do tomorrow).  Yeehaw!

So far - I've gone through the rest of that tub, started on the next one - stuff put away or put in with laundry - or with ironing - depending.  I've sorted and gotten stuff together for a Bonnie Hunter Leader/Ender mystery - an old one - Orange Crush! =- and I'm ready to go.

Maybe more later - if not - tomorrow!

Today.....

Of course - now that I finished up the other post - what I want to do.....

1. Morning routine, of course
2. Send Non-Sew Swaps (REALLY - this is ridiculous - these are NON-SEW!!!)
3. Finish up sewing swaps for sending on Monday.
4. TOTH (Top of the Hour) - alternate between 15 minutes Sewing room sort and toss (yup - am actually tossing SOME) fabrics or Ironing some of the fabrics/blocks/yardeage already to go.
5. Would LOVE to journey out to SH Quilts and get my log cabin book - which of course, is probably the ONLY one I don't have!  I have IFmore than enough fabric so that I can do a light/dark scrappy one - and actually am looking forward to it!  Also am hoping that I can do this block without wanting to run screaming from the room.  I LOVE the overall look - but as fiddly as I am - I REALLY do NOT like that I fuss so blasted much over each and every stitch! (which invariably has to be done over again!)
6. IF I get my swaps done in time this weekend - or even today (I am setting a goal - just for today) - then I will get to (EXCITED tones here!) start on .... (notice the START on) Bonnie's Orange Crush quilt! 

I wasn't so thrilled origiinally at that particular quilt - as I saw it with all that ORANGE in the print out part.  But WOW - the final quilt is just delicious!  SOOOOO - I gotta do one!

I Have Such Wonderful Children...

Seriously - my kids are great!  Of course they're fully grown - one married and one certainly thinking that way! 

Anyway - Wendy gave me all the info I needed to "fix" my blogs so that there was PLENTY of spaces!  AND I have a FEW of the old pix save - but (sniff) not many of those I managed to earn!!!!  I rather imagine that if I contact the lady I got them from and went to an old website I might find them - certainly hope so!

I also hope to get my regular photo pix up and running as well!

BUT.... until then, I'm sewing up a storm!

Oh yeah - finally did send the Carpenter Star Quilt on to Wendy - will do a show and tell when it eventually gets back to me!  I know she's busy - and this may take a year or more to get there - but I don't want to push her.  She does such beautiful work!

Woo Hoo!  Wendy has TWO books coming out! - One is a collection from Breeze - that's a literary group she belongs too - most definitely will enjoy that!

BUT the OTHER one - that's an anthology of some of Wendy's works!  Oh so very cool!  Can hardly wait to see and read!

Congrats, Wendy!!!!! 

Son called yesterday - honestly - am so excited about the "other house" near here getting worked on - have been staying away.  BUT - we are also working on MY room, the sewing room, living room and dining room here this summer - and possibly upstairs as well - hopefully!  Would LOVE to have that front porch done as well - but we'll see!  I may move into the other house in the interim.  Do wonder though how much it would cost to rent this unit out - I REALLY do not like moving - although you would never believe it with all the moving around I do! (Upstairs to downstairs, to son's while my bathroom and kitchen were being remodeled). 

Besides he is wanting me to move orchard trees and garden over there - which I think would probably be a good idea.  Soil here is certainly better than it was for sure!  AND I would have a LOT of garden space over there - trees, a huge back AND a huge side yeard as well.  Hmmm - have to think on this one!  Briefly! 

Downside - it does have STAIRS in it - 2 sets - but is like a condo - sorta!  And I really like that!  Plus it will have or has soundproofing between the units - which is even better! 

Would miss my neighbours from here though - even if I moved only 2 blocks away!  Folks just don't like to really walk and visit like they did when I was a kid growing up!  I have neighbours from many different countries - and I thoroughly enjoy each and every person as well as the flavour and customs of each different culture!  So very neat!

And, too, all the big dogs (the ones other folks are scared of) know me and act like overgrown puppies around me - knowing that I love them all!  LOL - Frustrates my neighbours (especially the ones who say their dogs are fierce watch or guard dogs!  NOT!) no end!

Does anyone know how......

Does anyone know how to put paragraphs/indentations, etc. into their posts?

Mine seems to ignore all indications that I want a paragraph or any kind of spacing - no matter WHAT I do.... (and yes, I even would skip up to 2 and 3 LINES in order to give my - and your - eyes a bit of a break!!!

PS - Wendy just called - AND...... (Ta Da!)  I can now.... not only edit - but ALSO do paragraphs, identations and such!!!  (such an easy thing to figure out!  LOL)

Now that I Know HOW.....

Yeehaw - I can EDIT!!!!! FINALLY figured that part out!

Now to figure out how to take pix and upload to my computer - or to my blog - whichever!!! And to the owners of the blog - I apologize!!! Profusely! Even though I still believe that if something isn't broken - DON'T fix it!

More later - am off to a rousing morning of home-doned PT (they called and cancelled - yippee - saves me 3 hours! 2 of which are travel time!) and my "homeschool" (don't ask - I just re-set my studies - and already I'm behind!- so what else is nu?) as well as cleaning, paper sorting and .... and....

Oh yeah - this afternoon I plan on SEWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just saw a neat idea on Heidi's blog - I too have these hideous plastic crates that I use for.... holding my study books when not in use, a launching pad of stuff I NEED to remember to take to the car/deliver/drop off, holding my ironing (they aren't big enough for all my mending!) So - I may be working on that this weekend - along with a kajillian other things!

Other noteworthy events - I had planned on going out to lunch with some of my former co-workers (I'm the former - they're still current) - but one of my friends couldn't make it - so we're re-scheduling for February - am thinking of a bigger group anyway!d Should be fun! At least 2 management, 2 team leaders, including my adopted sister, and several of my co-workers! Hmmn - not sure how I'm going to do this! Oh well, I'll figure it out!

Former... - oh yeah - well - I was laid off - which is just as well since there was NO WAY I wanted to go back through another spring season there - I don't do well under stress and pressure - and boy, there is definitely stress and pressure.

Not in the negative sense because folks there are great - but it is the sheer volume of work and the fact that it ALL has to be ACCURATE which is my waterloo right there! Not that I'm not accurate - but when it usually doesn't count as much! When it does - OH MY!

Regardless, I love the folks there dearly and miss them terribly - and I know they miss me as well. I don't have sour grapes about it because they kept me on a lot longer than I would have in their shoes, for sure! Terrific people!

Other news - I just harvested the last of my fall cabbages - well, ALMOST the last one - and the last I'm going to attempt harvesting - there are 2 more - little bitty things! It has now gotten VERY COLD although today is warmer than it has been. And I've finally discovered the cabbages to put up for fall/winter harvest - Savoy cabbages - they don't seem to hold as much water as the other ones! Which is what I want for winter harvest!

This week - today I am thinking - I'm sending one quilt top to be quilted and by tomorrow at the latest will have 3 packages ready to send of row strips (TG!!!!!) - and with a bit of luck - that last of all my swaps as well!!!!!! Re the quilt top - it will take quite a while for Wendy to get around to it, I'm sure - but it will be gorgeous when done! It is just that she doesn't really have a lot of time - because she is now in an entirely different type of position than what she used to be and is EXHAUSTED by the time she gets home - so we'll see! Anyway - that's where I'll be re quilt tops this weekend.

Then for the rest of the month I want to work on last year's quilts - finishing up 2 of the 3 baby quilts - with the third one going on THIS YEAR'S list.

LIST - oh yeah, I goofed (amongst all the other times!) I got my list together s- then mostly because of my stupid computer problems and not being able to edit, etc. - I procrastinated on sending the info and URL to Judy L.

Result? I (sob!) missed the date for being ready to post the list! With (sniffle, sniffle!) the slight possibility of being able to identify what number is being posted next - I can still work on that one. If however I can't -= I'll download the hat and use THAT for identifying. OR I'll ask Wendy to close her eyes and pick one! (and NOT the hardest - least done one either!!!!)

That's it for now - more later as I modify/change/edit to my heart's content!

STILL FIGHTING THE "NEW BLOG FORMAT" - UGH!

Ugh - other than getting a DIFFERENT blog spot (which I may do yet) - I honestly don't know what else to do - I have indications that I can edit - but they don't! Instead I get an error message!!!! Ugh!

AND I've posted for help at least twice I know of plus have posted on the forum -= and found others who aren't getting the help either! What gives???? UGH UGH UGH!

Re my Siggies - they're gone! I have to save each of the ones I already have again - and then figure out where I can get others! My old computer crashed - of course - just about the time that the blog stuff was all changed around! Ugh!

Anyway - Quilt list - I'm posting here because I can't change my sidebar - blast it anyway!

2011 SUMMARY - one quilt completed (Carpenter Star), others actually worked on - Underground RR (almost done), Christmas Ribbons (um - fair to middlin'), Samplers (that's a whole other story here!), Double Duty (this should have been a separate number - and I'm STILL looking for my setting triangles =- which I KNOW) I have - in a safe place, of course! The other 7-8 - uhmmmm - yeah!

2012 - I'm carrying over some - and hoping I'll finish up the tad bits on others without them being otherwise mentioned. Oh yeah, I TRULY hope to figure out the camera/photo stuff this year and put that on the second (or 3rd) page. Also am re-vamping a lot of other stuff too!

1. Samplers - this one I MUST do this month - and will trade whatever other item for the numbjer is drawn - so this one HAS to be my January. Let's just say I'm overdue on swaps - and leave it at that. Now if the quilt police show up at my door mid-month - you'll know why! And - this is absolutely the LAST swap I will do - at least at this time - and then ONLY with my dd who understands why I get so uptight about it that I can't do the work!

2. Nathan's quilt - Nathan is my son - very patient - fortunately - and I'm NOT telling how long I've had this quilt WIP

3. Double Duty - I will have sorted all my fabrics - and shelved them by the end of January. Hopefully. So if I haven't tossed - or used them elsewhere I will find the setting triangles - and will finish this doodad up!

4. Block in a block

5. Springin' out all over - my design

6. Child's choice - re-vamping a much disliked other quilt - I think this one will be fun - sort of an I-spy in a box

7. Baby quilt 3 - this is the zoo one. Should be cute - although I think I will change my mind about the chinese coins for a surround! Egads! That's a lot!

8. Victorian Crazy quilt - not expecting to finish this one - just want to work on it

9. Charm around - this was a swap I actually did ON TIME. Only involved sending fabrics around. which is why it was on time! Now to design a quilt around it. Has to be special because the focus fabric I only have a dab of - but I dearly love that fabric!

10. Tobacco Road - this was a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt - and fun for sure!

11. Row by row - uhm -= this depends on my January project - this was the swap I messed up BIG TIME ON - and then a ocuple of others - and it went from there!

12. Quick patch pink and blue - this is strictly a quicky - and is however big it ends up - possible twin bed or possibly a coverlet - not sure. Will be yarn-tied with blue. And there ya have it!

PS - FINALLY!!! I figured out how to edit stuff!!! Yee haw!!!!! Of course I STILL haven't got it figured out how to LIST stuff in the main blog!!!

Yeehaw! I can post!!! I Can Post!!!!

Yeehaw!!!! They fixed it = well, at least SOMEONE did!!!! I can post!!! I can post!!! Since my last post in September, I have been laid off (November 15)- am still on severance pay (TG!) which means my medical is covered - which is the only thing I've been concerned about!

Life here - well, I am enjoying the slower pace TREMENDOUSLY!!!! I've been to open sew - and am cleaning up this place the way I want it to be. I also am reading up a storm and have been putting myself through my own form of homeschool (currently behind - too much medical stuff to wade through!)

Have another quilt - the Carpenter Star - that I'm sending to Wendy - and am trying to finish up some VERY out of date swaps (who will definitely NOT want me back - not that I want to swap again for sure! My life is too chaotic for that!)

Also am finishing up 2 baby mats (the quilting part), 2 baby blankets - and, now that I have the framework of the sewing room back together - am trying to get the 5 bags and 4 bins unpacked, sorted and ready to go - a VERY needful thing since I have all the setting triangles for my Double Duty Quilt mixed up in there SOMEWHERE! Hope to have all that done this weekend - in addition to lighting Chanukkah candles, and wishing friends and family Merry Holidays!

Have signed up for a slew of quilting classes - just trying to figure out now how I'm going to pay for them! :/ They promise to be quite interesting though! One is a Log Cabin class - which isn't really hard although MAKING them is NOT my favorite thing to do - I do love the overall effect though! Another is the Quilt a Quarter class which I'm really excited about! And then there is the Open Sew class. Sigh! And that's just for January!

So I guess between that and housework, and studies, and volunteering either at food pantry and/or hospital as a cuddler that I'm going to be back in a somewhat frenetic pace again! Ugh! I need my brain examined!

Oh yeah - this is my new computer. Unfortunately, however, when the old one died - it took all my Siggies with it - which makes me NOT very happy! I need to replenish, I guess. Barring that - I guess I will have to break down and figure out how to upload photos from my camera to the computer and from there to the blog!!! Hmmm!!!!!

New computer!!!!!!!!!!!

Do NOT ask how I like my Janome!!!!

Grrrr!

Did I say I LIKE my sewing machine? You know - the one that snarls at the drop of a hat (am using quality thread)that breaks almost as fast as I thread it? I KNOW there is a hook somewhere that is catching the thread that SHOULDN'T be - I can see it! That is - I can see the upper thread stretched across the top of the bobbin - just not what is holding it there! At this point I am ready to (1)scream, (2)cry, (3)quit sewing and never sew again - that is, if only I would quit dreaming of new things to sew!

What am I sewing? I'm trying to finish up the last 2 borders on my Carpenter star - in preparation to sending it off to Wendy to do her good stuff on it!

Me thinks I need to set up and get going the new-to-me Singer straight back and forth sewing machine. Nothing fancy - just good sewing!

Wow - look what Wendy is sending to me!!!!

Wow - look what Wendy is sending to me!!!!

She has finished the Friendship Quilt I sent to her!!! Oh my! She is one talented lady!!!!

Oops!

I was TRYING to post on the other pages - and other than editing the original post - I can't figure out how!!!!

It has been one wierd week!

It has been a strange week (only ONE week?) - an earthquake (which I didn't even know about until I read it on FB!) and now a hurricane - which is on its way here. I've never been in a hurricane before (other than the one that came up the Mississippi - and that was just a lot of rain and a little wind).

At any rate there seems to be a whole culture about them. First are the hurricane parties - which I do NOT understand! I mean - like - a hurricane is a disaster - why then celebrate it with a party? Esp when you are using up supplies you may need in the next few days?

Second on the list comes the last minute rushing around and invading the grocery and other stores. Honestly it is worse than Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) with people being almost as rude and careless! Like - someone backed into my neighbour's car as she was out doing last minute errands. They didn't even apologize - but just drove off. Meanwhile another lady started ranting and raving at my neighbour because my friend's car had blocked the new lady from getting HER car out of the parking space. When my friend stated that she had just been involved in a car accident - the OTHER lady (new lady) screamed that she didn't care but just move her (friend's) car out of the way! Ugh!

What was I doing? Of course - last minute shopping - and hoping - bottled water (none to be found). Came home and carried my expensive purchases indoors (kitty litter, kitty food - both DESPERATELY needed - TODAY! as well as 1 pound cheddar cheese - a splurge!) Anyway - once that was in - I went to my garden - harvested several likely tomatoes, eggplants, green peppers, some potatoes, greens (mustard I think), and am wondering if ANY or even some of this lovely produce will be here after the hurricane finishes in the area! I sure hope so!

Came inside - filled bathtub with water (for flushing the john as well as emergency useage), have filled all available containers with water (two pitchers, 2 thermos, 3 water bottles, and my "carry cups (3)) - this water all Brita filtered. Put that in the refrig - which should work until the power goes out (when I have a big cook-a-thon! - and by which time I can have most if not all water "canned" in my canning jars.

Speaking of canning - I have FISH and tomatoes (last year's) galore in my refrig - REALLY hate the idea of power outage and not being able to use all this lovely bounty - but I have no pressure cooker (item to get on new list) or appropriate jars for pressure canning (think Kerr - NOT the Mayo jars I usually use in Water bath canning). Still though I DO have veggies, so should do fairly well. Shall see! and make notes for next year.

Otherwise - what to do? Clean - of course. And quilt. At least until the electric goes out - then applique or slice and dice until it gets dark - then go to sleep! Oh yeah - and I MUST do laundry TODAY - BEFORE power outage!

Odds and Ends and a Carpenter Star to boot!

Ugh! I was going to post a picture of the project I'm currently working on (finishing up my Carpenter Star - only 3 years overdue!!!) but it would certainly help if I could find my camera! Definitely will be doing some picture posting this week - AFTER I find my camera - and AFTER I figure out HOW!!! Am excited.

The quilt wasn't really as far along as I had thought - but now I have to connect my rows together - tried some - but while I was "in the groove" yesterday - that sure isn't the case today! So - am working on the apartment - and doing laundry - which is really a good thing since I think there may be a ban on my showing up at work in just skin! At the least I know it would take a long time for my boss as well as CT to recover from the shock of it all!

Other stuff - Re-watched DaVinci code which I find interesting - but may decide to re-home the DVD - haven't decided. Not really my cup of tea!

Nathan is here today - and working on the second coat of paint in the bathroom - YAY!!!!

Made some Pasta Fagioli - VERY good - except I like mine spicy hot - and, of course, discovered at the last minute I'm out of hot peppers! I would say I will add those later - but the soup isn't going to last that long! I really hate to say how many cups I inhaled for lunch today!

Garden wise - still weedy - we had a really ominous looking thunderstorm - so no weeding - BUT - I harvested tomatoes (4), a few potatoes (um, a bit late - they were sprouting already!), and one of my eggplants - which are the long skinny kind! And I REALLY want some for supper - AND sooooooo..............

YAY - have reduced BP meds! Go Me! AND I lost 8.5 pounds since June!!! Yeehaw!

Wendy and I played work for 15/play for 45 yesterday and today - was GREAT! Mostly I focused on cleaning up my sewing room - which I did NOT finish - but it is better - a LOT better! YAY!

Two POSTS - what AM I thinking of.....

What! This is some kind of record here! TWO posts in one month! Maybe I should get a reward or something!

I miss Wendy and Vince something awful. I miss Nathan and Lynn too! (Wendy and Vince - back in Canada - relaxing after the visit last weekend - and having company this one! Nathan - in Canada on business - VERY late time getting home Fri night - and on call this weekend! Talked briefly to Lynn on Friday - which is when I found out about Nathan's hours! Short phone call so she could get some rest before picking him up)

Saw Dr. on Fri - and - YAY - I have PT prescribed for me now! Maybe with that my shoulder can give me a bit of relief! (and yes - he did offer me pain shots - No! that particular med is NASTY on the kidneys! and mine may need all the help we can get!)

Also made appt for cystoscopy in Sept. - It's during work rush season again - but I screwed up the last appt - don't dare miss this one! God willing it won't be anything major. But if it is - well, then, it is - and I will deal with it then!

All on hold in the adoption dept until I finish clearing up the remodeling aftermath and get some shelving up (so I can get stuff put AWAY!) and the cystoscopy is done.

Am de-cluttering like a fiend! Well - decluttering anyway! This is of EVERYTHING!

Still haven't worked on quilty stuff for a while - but I'm really getting itchy about it! AND I want to work on my fall wardrobe too!

Oh yeah - I have TOMATOES!!!! RED ones! And POTATOES (from volunteers!) BIG ones!

More later!

....And Now... It's AUGUST!!!! (Ta-da-da-dum! - drum roll here!)

aargh! And now I remember why it is usually a good thing to save my posts as drafts!!!

This particular post last week I tried to post 3 different times! And - my computer got them all!!!! Ugh!

Basically - I wanted to post about seeing my daughter Wendy - which was absolutely delightful! My work gave me the day off. So I had no really uptight time schedule!

We met Kathleen from Liberated Quilters - and then all of us went for pizza slices at the Pizza brick oven place in Simsbury! Was delicious! I will say though that I was really proud of myself for resisting the gorgeous batiks at the fabric shop there~

Wendy and Vince followed me home to my apartment - where we divided up the fabrics galore from Carole! (I still think Wendy came out short!) and then we all journeyed to Nathan and Lynn's where we all ate dinner and spent the night - and talked until fairly late! Next morning I headed back to work from there - and Wendy and Vince headed to Canada.

Friday we had a closing on the other apartment house! Exciting! (I saw the interior for the first time on Thurs night - Nathan had seen it before). Really liked it - and the lot is HUGE!

That's about it for now~

This, that and then the other thing.....!!!

Went to work today. Can I say I felt like warmed over bubonic plague victim???? BUT by the time I can home - I could seriously say - "I survived" Yippee.

Anyway - now to fix dinner - I have some pollock fillets. The last time I fixed this it as so bland as to melt away into nothing. This time I used allrecipes.com - found 2 possible recipes - Pollock Montreal - which I think I will fix - and copy the rest of the menu as well - asparagus (with a sauce) and rice. (Can I say FAT-TE-Ning????)

The other recipe is fish fillets with stuffing which really sounds equally intriguing! Both are rated 4 star high! So - I think I am about to discover some new faves!

Also recieved another RxR from Annie - gosh does that girl ever quilt!!!! And it is lovely! As I have done with each of the others I've recieved - I did a show and tell with both post-mistresses - who are becoming increasingly intrigued with quilts - and online quilt groups. Yay!

Now to clean and cook - but then it is at least 100 F outside - and me with no a/c yet! (Tomorrow is the big day! Excited about that - mostly not because of the heat - though that too - but because it means I will be able to BREATHE!!!!)

How does putrid green sound???

Feel like yuck today. Called in sick. Although I know it isn't - it FEELS like my face is alternating between a putrid green and a grayish beige. Yuck!

Saw Wendy did some quilting today - looks wonderful - as always! She is so talented - and this is not only her mom speaking!

Actually I'm very fortunate - both my kids are fantastic young people and I'm very very proud of both of them! Not so much because of what they do - although that too, but just for being themselves. I count myself very fortunate!

ok - off to beddy bye - which seems to be the place I've spent the most time this past weekend (when I had planned a LOT of delightful things to do!)

July Ho-Hums!

TG June is over - that's one of my busy seasons - and this past one was no exception! Add to that my returning home from a several month (since mid-February) stay at son's home. And yes, the house is NOT finished - but in terms of gasoline, etc. - soooooooo much less expensive to drive to work!!!

for those who are somewhat observant (certainly NOT me - it would take me to mid-December to notice this!!!) I've added 2 buttons - one for Judy Lacquidera's Monochromatic Challenge and one for her stash busting! Both more than well-worth while! (And both of which I am WAYYYYYYYYYYY behind on - working on last January, here!!!)

Other news - I decided after all to put in a garden - have some veggies (plants all) in - and as soon as I figure out where I stashed my garden seed will get that in too. I figure I've got until mid-next week before some of the veggies are on the no-no list for this year! Wish me luck!

Re the remodel - it is gorgeous gorgeous GORGEOUS!!!! LOVE my kitchen - and the bath is painted to match!~ AND I have a DISHWASHER and a REAL STOVE with a REAL OVEN!!! Yeehaw! I'm in hog-heaven!

Okay - who fast forwarded my calendar to May???!!!!

Geez - it seems like April just STARTED!!!!!

This month my challenge is #9. Hmmm - there is ANOTHER stars and stripes thing - this time my kaleidoscope!!!

The monochromatic challenge according to Judy is Red! Good! That is something I CAN do!!!

Swaps I'm in - Charm around (just this week caught up!) Row by row (mine has to be mailed out! - Monday is THE date - though not when it was SUPPOSED to be mailed out! sigh!) AND I've already got the next row by row - and keep envisioning blocks to go into it! I know I shoulda written it all down - because now I've forgotten!

Oh yes - other swaps (see how I keep sidetracking???) - Jacob's ladder - which I HOPE will be in different colors! An advance block - Twinkling star which is NOT twinkling terribly well for me at this point bt had better best be by Tues or Wed when I'm mailing it out! Also a 4 patch ladder which I think wold be cute and fun and may use p some more scraps!

I found out about a quilt retreat this week - which sounds WONDERFUL - in New Hampshire no less! They retreat twice a year - once in May and once in November - this is a ski lodge, btw - so it should be fantabulous!!! Hoping to find a way to go!

More later.....

Just got back from dinner out with son and his girlfriend (who I like a LOT!) It was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

At any rate Lynn and Nathan (son) had just gotten back from a painting party at my house in W. I'm so excited - but neither will let me see the renovations until they are DONE! - this means paint, cabinets - the whole enchilada! I'm very excited to see it - although the moving back in aspect does NOT thrill me - but then, I'll get over that!

Re shoulder - saw the ER doc - and trying to make an appointment with the regular doc re my shoulder. ER doc thinks it could be an injury to or torn muscles with the scapula. Oh joy! This however would explain the pain, that I can't lift my arm above shoulder height, the pain, and so on. I need physical therapy for this arm for sure! and lots of painkillers!

Oh yes - the big thing - my life has now returned to almost normal - that is, normal for me! No more extended hours, wierd schedule - at least until next month!

More next time!

April???? Oh no... How Could It Possibly Be April????

I just went to Judy L's site - and found out that the NEW UFO challenge for April is #4 and the Monochromatic challenge is Orange. But.... but.... I'm not done with my March challenge (Or January or February's FTM) and just started my monochromatic challenge for March as well (ONLY because I REALLY wanted to start something new,.... - and it happened to be in mostly browns (and golds and orange-y browns).

URGH!!!! I am NOT ready for April - truly I'm not!!!! WAAAHHHH!!!!!!!