It is GORGEOUS out!!!!!!!

Good morning (yes, it is still morning here in MA!)!!!

It's a lovely overcast, cool and rainy day outside.

Now where did the lovely come from? Probably came from getting within eyesight of finishing a flimsy I've been playing around with this last year or so! Yes, I found my Flying Geese directions AND the ruler (at the same time - they are both now in their "home") - and have finished MOST of my flying Geese (I only have 12 more to go - actually less since I did the beginning stages on 2 sets of 4 last night) Then off to trimming and stitching the flying geese and log cabins up in rows, attaching the setting triangles and stitching the whole thing together!!!! THEN I get to send the whole thing to Wendy!

DID occur to me - as I'm doing my Leaders and Enders that I COULD work on my next quilt! So I STARTED with these really cute churn dash blocks (a favorite of mine!) that I dressed up into flower gardens - then discovered entirely too soon that (1)

I needed to cut up a LOT more of fabric for more of these - and while searching through my blocks and strips - got wonderfully sidetracked onto what had to be a gazillion rectangular blocks of various widths that I had trimmed from some blocks that a friend gave me (she got tired of working with them) and that I had sized down considerably so as to get something remotely like a uniform size (those blocks are also ESSENTIALLY stitched together - BUT am missing one vital color currently). It occurred to me that one quilt I have wanted to try for years was a very simple basket weave! So - with that in mind I have my new and current L&E project, keeping in mind that I do tend to hyperfocus - and the add-on project all too often becomes the major project!

Now - this morning it occurs to me that since I want to tie BOTH quilts with blue yarn (I want the pom-pom effect) - that maybe I want to combine them - as in putting all the big blocks in the center and basket weave a border all around! Maybe/maybe not - have to think on this more - but mostly =- have to get both finished as far as I can go!

Did have a wonderful time yesterday though digging in all that fabric - sorted (sorta) out my block bin - and discovered I REALLY do NOT like sizing the blocks - PLUS - the block bin is NOT my scrap willy-nilly bin for odds and ends I don't want to size down. Attended to this yesterday - so that is somewhat straight. It was amazing though - that the block bin - for being as full as it was - after I pulled all the blocks for the project I started with - and then after I pulled all the blocks for the blocks for the basket weave - is a LOT LOT LOT smaller! Actually almost reasonable again!

Then I really made history (at least in my family) I actually PUT EVERYTHING AWAY where it goes! Yay! Go me! So this morning was NOT a horrifically frightening mess to walk into! AND I have lot of blocks that I sewed on yesterday that have to be pressed (hence my "running away" for a few!)

At any rate - today - am finishing up writing on a couple of modules, cleaning my house, doing my poor laundry, and cooking up a storm for this week (soups, bread). If I have time today - still have to do some garden work - won't get it all done - but will definitely get SOME done! And am having to think about WHEN I'm going to diet - and HOW I'm going to diet with my crazy schedule and all.

Did talk to - and actually visited with Nathan yesterday for a short time - he came to pick up his mail - and arrived before I had finished sorting it all out. We talked and he also did some fixits on the dryer outlets. Sadly though I will have to get a new dryer - the one here is ancient - plus does NOT fit any of the plugins for current day 220.

Also chatted briefly with Wendy this AM - will talk more with her later today hopefully! I called early - mostly because I really hate to interrupt their family time in the PM. But had forgotten that they had company this week! My bad!

That's it for now - more later!

Whoa - it just turned lovely and sunny with a tiny breeze mixed in! Just gorgeous out! Now I want to go out and play in the garden!

Wonders never ceasing

Wow - will wonders never cease??? It's Wednesday - and I'm BLOGGING!!!!

Have moved some stuff around on my blog a bit - and will be doing so this coming weekend again. Among additions - several work related items - ie, courses I take while I'm at work (nearly finished with 2 - need final exams done - and of course - FORGOT my study notebook! : /

Anyway - Wendy commented to me on how much I had on my week's agenda - not that I really EXPECT to get it all done! LOL At any rate - how to do it all? Tread water!

More in a bit.........

This and that.........

Egads! It has been a while!!!

Glanced over my last post and noticed I talked about my ARCHITECTURE module for learning! Geez! No~ I MEANT to say my archaeological module for learning! Or rather some of the items that I feel would give me (or any child) a fairly good idea of what archaeology is all about!

This for starters. And this study of archaeology would continue throughout history as well.

At any rate - I have the basic module set up on that - complete with experiential activities, etc. for a variety of ages. And am studying as well - while currently designing learning modules for different eras here on earth - starting with the Archaean era or Pre-Cambrian era. [Evolution, infinite variety of life (1)/First day – Precambrian, cyanophytes, stromatolites, primitive bacteria (2)/Paleozoic – Cambrian (1) and Ordovician (1) = 5 weeks]

Also am working on my Russian - starting again (I should be REALLY good on Chapter 1 by now! LOL)

Wendy and Vince visited here July 23 - was so neat to see them both! And I miss Wendy! She called on Sunday - and we played a bit - at least until my headache caught up with me (has to do with a pinched nerve because I slept "funny") Sure hope next year she and Vince can spend a lot longer! Also would love it if Nathan could go up there and visit a bit as well. Preferably with me tagging along - but at least to visit with his sister a bit!

Wendy brought me a copy of her newest book - this one photography! Was really neat! and I can understand why it keeps selling out!

Associate Satisfaction week was last week - when the company I work for rewards all the Associates with all kinds of fun activities - and the Focus team I was on was responsible for ALL the activities of the whole week. True - we farmed out 2 days for some of the entertainment - but still maintained the focus for fun activities and for food events as well as the 3 days that were exclusively ours! Busy - busy busy!

Had a lot of fun though - and the last day - we had dancers in from the Ethnic Dance Company in Hartford. And of course we had to do the Limbo - which I dearly love and which I USED to do quite well (of course this was - ahem - a LOT of pounds ago!) It WOULD have helped a lot if I had remembered just how long ago that was and how much less I weighed then than now!

Now I'm - uh - let's just say I am NOT top heavy! if you know what I mean! At any rate while trying to bounce under this stick held by coworkers - I bounced a little too hard and sat down very suddenly - on my - um - sit-down place. VERY hard! which did not help any headache I had either! However - it was a great lot of fun - as was the whole week - and today the management rewarded EVERYONE with an any flavor at all ice cream cone - which was just a lot of fun! (I had a chocolate sundae thingy! Yum!)

Tomorrow - I am looking forward to a lecture by Breast Cancer survivors group - and Wednesday I have both a meeting as well as a training session - which makes for a very easy day as well. So - when do I work? Yeah - trust me, I do - and very hard. It is just that right now our volume is way down - and so it is a very good time to do all this other stuff. I do like the idea of receiving training time during working hours though.

I do know one thing for sure with all the food I've eaten this last month - I'm lucky I can still walk in the door - instead of rolling my way in!!!

This week (and last) in retrospect......

YAY me! So far - shiny sink almost every night this week~ and 15 minutes de-cluttering as well! Can't say as much about movement though! Although with the advent of a/c being put in - I can breathe easier - and actually walk with ENERGY! So maybe that counts for something!

Something else this past week - I've talked about it before - how I spend too much money (and take in too many empty calories) doing the fast food inhale! (a la McD. and Taco B., etc.). I've tried to cut out completely all fast food intake but it was amazing the number of times I "forgot" my lunch.

So I decided to give myself permission explicitly to eat out. BUT there are several changes. First I can eat out ONCE a week ONLY. Second it is at a nice sit-down restaurant and while not costly - it will cost more than a fast food "meal". Third I have to EARN it before I can do it - which means that is the ONLY meal I eat out in a week - no breakfasts, snacks, dinners, etc. out other than the one earned.

What this means is that this week for not eating out - at least 5 out of 7 days (and this includes munchies at the deli in the grocery store, junk food at the gas station counter) - I will get to eat out NEXT week. At a planned and specific place - and probably will invite a co worker to share with me. I do have a cost limit though (lunch is cheaper) and $10 is my limit.

The following week is snack time out - and this place I have probably chosen - the Italian bakery with all the cannoli and baklava - that I pass on my way home ($5-$8 limit). Week after that is for dinner out ($20 limit) and the one after that is Breakfast (probably about $5 - but may be as high as $10, depending on whether or not I order "Dutch Baby" or not.)

True - I'm spending money - BUT figure it this way - 5 days a week of $10 a day x 4 weeks - and you have at least $200 a month. Consider that as opposed to $48 a month. Yup - this way wins! PLUS the money saved from that will get moved in the bank over to a special "save it" account with my first planned purchase being a new stove! Or at least PART of that will go there. Another (larger) part will go towards a new furnace for my apartment! The immediate gratification part - well, I'm eating that part! LOL!

And then the HIDDEN consideration - if I pack my lunches, etc. I can pack HEALTHY stuff - and who knows, I may lose some weight! Or at the least be living a healthier lifestyle!~

Other things - have re-designed the Architecture module for learning - almost done - not totally - should finish today. Tomorrow I return to the pre-history folders. New books have arrived - WOW! Although this kind of got me into trouble ordering these this last time - I'm glad I did. However I do think that book buying is going on my intermediate savings list! But then I have all (I hope) that I need for this coming year of learning! And God knows I don't need any more quilting pattern books! Oy vey!

Garden - LOTS of misses - especially where the birds swooped down and did target practice on the new veggies (squirrels helped! wiped out ALL my cucumbers, melons! Ugh!) Beans are blooming - while I need to "fill in" the many bird smacked spots in the beds! Am starting to think in terms of intermediary spending goals of a few permanent beds this fall - ones I can't walk down!

Allergens are still doing their thing - I didn't realize how much they affected me until the a/c was in - and it was like a tight band was removed from around my lungs!

Am cleaning - and de-cluttering this house as I go. Sort of a Fly-lady de-clutter session combined with spring housecleaning on a babystep by babystep basis! Add to that son and I have discussed re-doing the bathroom and pantry so that I can not only have my pantry but also have some better organization for my stuff there! That also is on my list for this fall IF POSSIBLE! Son and I will be doing the deconstruction and he and a friend of his will be involved in the reconstruction part (except for plumbing in the bathroom which desperately needs working on). And as much as I dislike painting - I CAN paint it!

I'm cooking quite a bit - sort of the once a month stuff - keeping in mind that I have NO oven to speak of. And then freezing meal sized portions for later useage.

Quilting - ummm - yeah! Some wild bee zapped me - it must have! I put up the shelving for non-quilting fabrics - and really did a good job cleaning behind everything - and all the shelving etc. - and put stuff back on shelves WHERE IT GOES. What WASN'T done - all the stuff in the middle of the floor (fabrics, LOTS of fabrics! Unsorted fabrics! Sigh!), that on chairs and the cutting table (fabric remnants that NEED to be sliced and diced and put AWAY). And that room is HOT! (Of course with the a/c and a strategically placed fan or two - or 3 or 4 - it wouldn't be for long!) At any rate - that's my excuse and I'm considering it!

That's it for the moment at least! Who knows - with the thunder and lightening storm outside I might even figure out how to download my camera onto my puter, clean things up a LOT and upload photos onto my blog. Of course, the question then comes - do I get RID of the cartoonies or not. I actually enjoy them - and worked hard to earn each one (except for those gifted to me for my birthday! and those in the "anyone can have this" bin)

Odds and ends..........

Urrrrgh!!! I COULD have chosen a better cartoony last post - but I didn't!

Have done SOME quilting - but haven't finished a whole lot. More on this this week. Was PETRIFIED I would become queen of UFOs! - which I probably deserve at this point!

Actually have been a bit down this week - not really sure why! This is NOT a good thing - because I tend to go nuts and SHOP! I did manage to stay away from quilting fabric (putting together my last set of fabric shelves and struggling in SWEATY hot weather - then discovering that I had the shelves on upside down may have been a deciding factor!!!!)

And I didn't start another quilt either! I did write down the quilts I want to start on a piece of paper (which I promptly lost!).

Um - what I did (ok Wendy - you KNEW this was coming!) was to go online "just to see, mind you" some of the books for homeschooling - particularly history books. (OK _ Wendy I can hear you laughing! Just don't fall off the chair!) NOT telling you how much I bought - just that it was a bunch - but I DID delete one humongous amount! and should have a really good selection on ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, not that what I had was any slouch either! Now to read them..........

Honestly - I am at the point I would LOVE to just stay home! NOT work, but to stay home and read, quilt, and do other good stuff. Not that this is going to happen in the very near future! 'though it would be nice!

Weather here - was beastly hot a couple nights ago. I don't like to use my a/c (not that it's in or anything!) Now it's back to downright chilly! Don't know what it drops to - but it is soooooooooo lovely! Although my kitties will wake me up when they climb up to cuddle next to me and get warm!

Had eye dr. appt today - eye pressure still high - borderline actually - checkup again in 6 mos - and if there is no change they will do some sort of xray or whatever!

That's about it for now - except to update my lists. More tomorrow

The week in passing...................

Whew - am glad June is almost over! Sorta! Still planting! Still working on this apartment! Still WAY WAY behind on everything (and this is new?)

Sorry about the continued siggie cartoons - I STILL need to figure out about my camera. Currently I have something like 208 photos on there - and I have GOT to sort them out! UGH!!!!

Work has been insane - as per usual - just am glad that I have Sunday and Monday off (worked today!) and that I'm once again back on my original schedule! YAY!!!!!

Re Flylady focus - I am drinking 8 glasses of water daily. However as regards shiny sink - it is essentially reasonable - BUT this needs definite work!

And 15 minutes of movement - let me pick myself up off the floor where I fell when I was laughing so hard!

Ahhh well - goals are an ongoing movement! I KNOW I will keep the shiny sink, decluttering and movement ones for sure next month - these are my major challenges! That and paperwork!

Hmmm - as regards the "this week......" I think the dots say it all! STILL working on planting herbs and the last 2 catchall beds (2 LONG ones actually) - our monsoons seem to be somewhat at bay for the moment - added to which - I have the day off tomorrow. Housework - Zone 2 and 4 done.

Quilting - ummmm - did join Stashbusters (need to send the FQ though for 2010 challenge groups) - still need to send stuff to Wendy - plus a book - will finish packing that tomorrow so it can go out Monday, along with the FQ and the group blocks. The Baby blanket #1 can hopefully go to raffle on Tuesday.

Would REALLY like to get my Brother machine set up so I can do quilting like Wendy does. Only that machine has a MAJOR oil problem - I had loaned it to a friend who I guess decided it needed more than a drop or two of oil and literally saturated it! :(\

And as per usual - I didn't get home really in time for starting on online quiltathons this past week - and when I did get home - I would be falling asleep within 20 minutes or so.

However - now to make up for lost time!!!! Hehehee

Good joke on me..............!!!!!!!!!!!

This morning I bleary-eyed got ready for work - did this on rote! Did NOT check my calendar. Was groused because a really cute shirt I bought over the weekend - on clearance, of course, and an extra large to allow me to wear it over another shirt - sort of like a jacket - it was entirely too tight! And this was just on the arms and across the back! Thank goodness I didn't try to button it! Even though it's on clearance I'm going to try to take it back - can't hurt.

Raced to work - and managed to get there about 20 minutes early (YAY me!) Rosa and Gloria (my best friends and adopted sis - as well as team leaders) were all smiles - and then said they hadn't expected me! Immediately my tummy tensed up - since I get VERY paranoid about statements like that! I asked why - it seems that Christina called Rosa and said I wouldn't be in today. By now I was REALLY tense - felt like I was gonna cry and all! LOL - it seems that today was a vacation day for me! And there I was - ALMOST ready to sign in (but I hadn't)! So I turned around and headed home! And now plan on doing all the good stuff I didn't get done this weekend - ie, cleaning, gardening, cooking, quilting!

OK _ time to wake up the brain cells (hopefully!) On the menu for today...........

01. Call for eye appt - this is to check eye pressure AND also to get the other glasses fixed (nose piece)
02. Work on and set up next 2 garden beds - bottom to top - 1st bed (greens/peas/roots/beets), and also bottom to top 2nd bed (lettuce-salad stuff including celery and any remaining greens/beans/the raspberries that think they are a replay of Pinky and the Brain/root crops - uh - think beets) Max time - 3 hours. Continue this week as needed.
03. House - think Zone 2 - Kitchen - as in Flylady Mondays (also Tues, Wed). Zone will be carried on all week.
04. House - IF time - Zone 1 - finish this up. Zone will be carried on all week.
05. House - Zone 4 - if possible - my room - last of zone work - and scrub that floor.
06. Cooking - make refrigerator soup (vegetable soup)while doing housework.
07. Cooking - make deviled eggs - boil eggs while cleaning.
08. Cooking - make sandwich filler for this week as well
09. Quilt - Baby blanket #1 - complete while watching education video
10. Quilt - get stuff mailed to Wendy - Friendship star quilt
11. Education - finish setting up unit study goal - prehx.
12. Education - Check reading. Videos - use as quilting movies! LOL
13. Paperwork mountain - 15 minutes max - quick sort
14. Pamper mission - Foot spa (while working on studies)
15. Exercise - log in. Do exercises
16. Exercise - yoga

Quilt-a-thon coming up!!!!

Yee-haw!!! Another Friday night sew-in - June 18! Am so excited! Between Heidi's Friday Night Sew In (see side bar for the button - this month you will be re-directed to Crafty Vegas Mom's page - Heidi's moving!), stashbuster's UFO challenge, and my personal retreat time as I stated in liberated quilter's - I'm in Quilter's 7th heaven!

Who knows - by then I may have figured out how to use my camera thingy!

The garden is hatching..... the garden is hatching........

I just love it when the garden starts "hatching" - it is such a miracle to me! Never ceases to get me really excited about gardening! At any rate - my cucumbers are coming up, so are my potatoes, beans, squash.

On another note - I had to transplant (at this late date) both the apple and pear tree - knowing that they might not do well with the transplant - but also knowing that they would probably not survive the summer in the "heeled in" "temporary" place I had shallow dug for them last year (temporary - we were doing house remodeling - and it was supposed to be done in July - only finished THAT segment this past March!) The pear tree looked fantastic - a little wilty around the edges - but basically fantastic. The apple - oh my! courtesy of it lying mostly sideways it had root sprouts here there and everywhere - and it has had a really rough go around.

Last night we had a humdinger of a thunder lightening storm - I just went out a few minutes ago - apple tree still hanging in there - looks sad as all get out - but it is alive. The pear tree has gone from having many leave to NO leaves save one - and this seriously overnight. (green leaves all over the ground) - and does NOT look good. Hopefully it will survive. Hopefully.

On another note - (lots of notes!) I had expected son to show up today (he was going to try to - and I wanted to ask him to help me put up the bean fencing). Among other things - he had lots of mail to pick up. So I called - gave him suggestions - among which was that I go there and take his mail to him. Guess which option he chose!

But then I get hamburgers from the grill out of that!

SUPPOSEDLY I am cleaning house. Uh huh! SUPPOSEDLY when not cleaning I am sewing. Uh huh! Does this tell you I am the queen of procrastinators? Oh boy - and how!

Amazing!!

It is so amazing to me the kinds of "rational-lies"-ations I can come up with. I happened to see that our local quilt shop had Bonnie's newest book. HAD to get it! Never mind that the quilt fabric tag sale was the next day. But I HAD to get that book - THEN!!!

Got the book (was the LAST one they had - they were sold out otherwise!) And of course to not be rude I had to have a look around. I was pretty good though - stayed with the fabric scraps - 1.49 or something or other per ounce. Had a WONDERFUL time playing with scraps and mixing and matching. Put some back even! And, of course, to not be rude - I purchased some ($60 and felt lucky it was ONLY that!) Now - how can THAT be called SPENDING money and buying MORE fabric? After all, I was only not being rude!!!

Seriously though - I loved the fabrics and have made a point of NOT getting in my car today - nor tomorrow - or like a homing pigeon it would journey of it's own accord right back to the quilt shop!

Am on a personal retreat this weekend - quilting almost retreat (almost because my house REALLY needs help - a LOT of help!) Will post every so often - or as I remember to!

Aargh! So much for staying with the blog on a daily basis!!!!!

Actually life has been "interesting" to say the least.... Garden season and digging up and planting in, at work - digging in (increased volume), at home - digging out!, sewing/quilt - digging out and onward, learning situations - digging down (you knew that had to be in there somewhere, didn't you!)

Garden - just about all planted - which is not an unusual situation from what I understand - for MA - just beastly late from where I stand! I hope to get the last of it in today. At least until next payday and I can get some more herbs (maybe) and flowers (possibly). today I will be planting peppers, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts (OK - I chickened out - was going to raise from seed - didn't happen - may yet for late fall - we'll see!), lettuce, leafy greens (still like spring here - at least until this stuff is planted - then will be like the Sahara in January! HOT!), root crops, peas, and some more beans. Sounds like almost everything - doesn't it - but honestly - this is the last 1 - 2 beds! I already have 8 planted - fully!

And - I have my watering/weeding/mulching schedule set up. Let's see if I keep it or not! Currently I'm only 24 hours behind schedule (it POURED last night!)

Work - Urgh! Had a volunteer job I did last week - I worked for Habitat for Humanity - LOVED it! Even if it was on the hottest day of the year (actually - hottest day on record for this area at least!) LOL - even got to throw my weight around. Seriously! They needed someone to hold boards in place (boards slightly bowed) until hammered in - and I used my weight to help! LOL Also ran into someone I knew from Toastmaster's (when I used to belong). We left almost at the same time!

Work - learning modules - I am so far behind now it is unbelievable - but am still plodding away - even if one of my courses did vanish (I had everything done except for the final exam!) Work itself - it is high volume again - so I'm busy!

Home - right now my house is seriously reflecting not only my feelings re cleaning (it isn't), but also some depression for this past month (was anniversary date time - just sort of a culmination of stuff in the spring - which USED to be my favorite season! Stuff includes Mom's death in March, Dad's death several years later (5?) in June, S's return to a not so great home situation, a very chaotic (to put it mildly) fostering situation - and probably a couple of other things along the way. Just not an easy time - and I usually feel somewhat down. This year - along with that we can add work stress, and most of all - the house and my finances - which are essentially ok but not where I want them to be by any means. Will be - just not yet!

Quilting - ummm - I haven't even really gone in there other than twice since Wendy started working - why? because when I do - I have to press a mountain of blocks! which of course I can do in front of the TV tonight (after laundry time). And I'm finishing up a quilt (I SHOULD be excited - but it's like preparing to miss an old friend already!)

Last week Melissa - my son's significant other - graduated from college. I'm so proud of her! She will complete 2 additional courses - but isn't sure about graduate work, per se. And oh yeah - am pea green jealous - she has a VERY nice high GPA as well! Wish mine had been that nice!

Anyway - I was invited for the graduation party and thoroughly enjoyed myself - and ate entirely too much! DEFINITELY entirely too much! Was so good though!

Son still has maybe 1 semester to go - unless the college finally approves the work credits that they have been delaying on - if they do - he will graduate as well! Wow - am so proud of my kids - Wendy has her BA, Nathan - ALMOST has his BA, Melissa just got hers! Very cool!

As for me - I STILL need to finalize on my learning modules this week - and seriously need to get going on it. Hope to do that tonight - while I'm at the laundromat! Hopefully!

Also hope to prepare some blocks for hand quilting at work when my hours change a bunch.

Really Neat Giveaway!!!!!

Wow! In case no one has seen the really neat giveaway - in honor of Hoki quilts 2nd birthday Miche'le Armstrong Hokitika from Westland, NZ is giving away a Moda Jelly-roll plus a matching set of charm squares!

http://byhokiquilts.blogspot.com/2010/05/birthday-give-away.html#comment-form

In order to enter this contest (drawing is on June 3rd) you have to (1) follow along in her blog, (2) Make a comment on her blog (I think it is moderated - at least mine didn't show up immediately), (3) post about the contest on your blog. Each item is a chance to win in the give away.

As I said - it's a really cool drawing!

This weekend.........or ........... the laundry says it all!

My son was nice enough to mow and till my garden (or most of it) for me on Thursday! Yesterday - Saturday and today I worked on preparing and planting the 3 beds he didn't have a chance to get to - the perrenial bed - which already had strawberries and asparagus in it - and down along the bottom rhubarb plants (which with the new rhubarb plants bought in makes a total of 4 plants. Yum!) I put some horseradish in the perrenial bed - but did NOT put (against my better judgement) the horseradish into a large pot for growing. What plants are growing there are VERY healthy looking - despite a major covering of leaves from last year. They now have added peatmoss, more leaves, compost as well.

The bed between the future tomato (after pay day this week) and perrenial bed I planted with potatoes - the new bought in, the store bought that was eyeing me quite well, and last year's potatoes - which I had forgotten about and - OH MY were the sprouts definitely overgrown there! The only ones I am truly worried about there are the ones I had grown - because I think the sprouts are TOO overgrown and may dry up and wither away - and not enough potato to start any more eyes.

After mentioning to everyone about the Sew in this last Friday - of course, I forgot! :( will have to make up for it probaby either tonight or tomorrow night.

DID however work quite a bit on a baby quilt - doing the final quilting, etc. Hope to finish that either tonight or tomorrow.

Managed to pick up either an allergy (as in hives), stinging gnats (I'm also allergic to them), a rash on tiny mosquitos (same here too!) - and my arms are nicely swollen and red and itch like fury! Even my favorite cure-all of vinegar is not helping completely. The reason I think this is allergy-allergic reaction to some sort of contact whatever - is that my innards feel scraped raw, throat sore, and inside my mouth feels like someone sanded it raw. Can I say whatever it is - it is throughout my system? UGH! Am trying to NOT head to the Dr. - but may have to after all if this gets a lot worse.

Haven't gone hiking at all this weekend - although I had vaguely (very vaguely) mentioned that as a possibility. I think if I am going to exercise I shall have to make appointments with myself - date and time and all. WOULD like to get it done say around 6 AM - however I like sleeping more! Thinking on this!

And to that end - I may stop this eat a thon I'm on and actually start dieting again!

Apparently I started something when I mentioned on one list that I had the Dear Jane book (actually I have 2 - totally by insanity - I wasn't paying attention to what I had JUST ordered - and did it again! :( ) Found a website on doing this paper piecing style. I have several problems with this quilt - one is the precision which everyone else does this (and which Jane did NOT do! - her points are as broken off as mine are, and seams look like I did them! Her knowledge of patterns however was great!) Then too - I think that although it is so neat and all I can't really appreciate each block in and of itself - it's too busy - thinking on this - and may do a much more liberated version (to do away with the precision Jane didn't do but her followers attempt), and perhaps not quite as many blocks (hmm - a series???? placemats, tablecloths????? Hot pads??? Wonky letters on the bottom saying Dear Jane or Dear Wendy???Dear Nathan????)

Oh yeah - my house sure needs it - cleaning and cooking - and laundry time! Tonight laundry and some cleaning. Cooking is on it's own! LOL

New Quilting things!

Oh wow~ Oh wow~ Oh wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week I recieved a FMQ CD from my dd - FANTASTIC! And then today in the mail I recieved an autographed copy of Dear Jane by Brenda Papadakis - AND have been recieving garden seeds all week!

WAS going to do the lasagna gardening thing (think sheet composting) and may still - at least in some places - BUT if possible someone else is going to rototill the main part of the garden - maybe! Regardless I want it DONE tomorrow!

My strawberries do look soooooo cute popping up out of the mulch - and the rhubarb is so robust looking (about time for me to harvest some! LOL) Asparagus - some I've been munching on already - but by and large it needs to grow another year - and I need to figure out where the REST of the plants are!

Oh yeah - the leeks that I thought were goners - came through the winter in FINE shape - having cream of leek soup tonight! And even so have a LOT that needed to be separated out and transplanted for optimum growth! Carrots I am still harvesting from last year too! Brussel sprouts have gone to seed however! MAN I'm anxious to get the garden in!

Also - made shopping list on line and printed it - and bought - and bought and bought - spent entirely too much but my little bitty pantry is full again! Do need more fruits and veggies though! And chicken!

Oh yeah - exercise - this is day 3 this week no less - that I've been walking with friends at work - 15 - 20 minute walk - has been lovely! And we're going to explore a different direction on Monday - has been nice!

ALSO - was asked by a couple of folks to attend a civic meeting this coming Monday evening - has to do with the major shock I got when I drove downtown here - and discovered that ALL the beautiful trees were chopped down, hauled off, and the square or roundabout looked like a dirt parking lot - and in fact will be one - for the bulldozers, etc. working on our streets! I am soooooooooooooooo mad! I loved that little park! And now it's gone! I came home and just cried! Anyway a couple of folks overheard my moaning about the trees and park and told me to come to the library for a town meeting on Monday. Darn it anyway!

Yesterday's Tomorrow which is Today!

staying home today - hopefully. Am so dizzy with the whatevers and hacking and sneezing - that I would be a danger to myself and others on the road, let alone being a typhoid Mary if I were at work!

Even so - in an effort to "get my head together" as it were (WHERE did that expression come from?) I am going to be doing things SLooooooooooooowly to eliminate possible in-house allergens (the outside is on its own! Besides I figure that if this IS allergen related it is probably allergen overload! if I dump some of the overload that hopefully my system will be able to handle it!

Also - I hope to spend some time quilting - since otherwise I would be sleeping in an effort to sleep this stuff off!

Appointments to be made - Kitties - their fur is doing its level best to take over the house, poor things. Definitely well beyond my usual brush and comb - so it is now time for their annual ..... SHAMPOO and SHAVE!!!!! YAY! (Yay because I'm not the one having to do this! I value my life entirely too much!) Garden also falls under the appointment category - maybe!

Also decided to do week 1 of yoga routine - let's see how sore I can make myself by tomorrow!

Today - in May..................

Yesterday and today I haven't been feeling good. We had a team "huddle" yesterday - and to day was jam-packed with meetings - first a really awesome training class - and then a team-meeting. Now this team - let me go on record - to me, at least is one of the most important teams in the entire work facility - and truly I'm honored to be on it! I do wish though that I could get caught up with some of the items that need to be done!

Anyway - yesterday - I almost passed out - several times. I know I scared folks - I must have been as pale as a sheet! And went to stand up - and almost passed out then! And if there are 2 things I hate in this world - one is nausea and tossing my cookies - and the other is feeling dizzy (which is why I don't drink!) Felt a little better today - earlier - but now - Oh MY! And I can think of all kinds of reasons from out of whack blood sugar to out of whack blood pressure to nasty allergens in the air due to spring, to allergens of mold and dust spores which abound in plenty here - especially since I've been focusing on either work, sleep, or cleaning upstairs (which is another whole ball game in and of itself - plaster dust! UGH!!!!)

What am I going to do about it other than kvetch?
1. Clean my house - slowly to be sure - but clean it - to get rid of allergens and any problems
2. spray any possible places where mold could abound inside (I think it is coming from outside - warm humid weather and LOTS of leaves!) with a clorox type of compound
3. Make sure my blood pressure is relatively normal
4. FINALLY get around to getting that blasted blood sugar test - yup - the 14 hour fasting one (the 14 hour is the part I have the problem with!) and find out what my blood sugar level truly is!
5. Get the back yard either lasagna mulched (preferably) or tilled and then lasagna mulched (very preferably) with someone ELSE doing the tilling (DEFINITELY preferably!)
6. Oh yeah - get around to searching out and discovering a new to me doctor! and then setting up an appointment. I am not in this world to be ANYONE'S person to be picked on, made fun of or be yelled at or be sneered at! I deserve better than that!!

Oh yeah - other things -
1. Garden - placed orders online last night and followed up on one that didn't go through today (was true - didn't go through - I probably screwed up something! was hard to see keyboard at the time!) Son and I also collaborated on some plants - I will probably pick up any remaining plants this weekend.

2. Quilt - um,..... - I bought a Dear Jane book. Am hesitant to mention - because I KNOW what my family will say - especially since I have so many books and WIPs now! HOWEVER I have truly lusted after a Dear Jane quilt for some time now - so it is time to make that a reality!

3. took a nap today. Wasn't sure I would make it home without falling asleep - despite my sleeping for a total of 10 hours yesterday. AM tense though - so tonight before bed - will do yoga, and then maybe take a pain reliever because that is why I wake up every so often through the night!

Geez! It doesn't take a rocket scientist..........

Geez! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out a seed order! At least one would think so! But then one wouldn't be LATE.... or greedy..... or want every seed in the book ...... or one would have the money - and space - to be able to do all this stuff!

Even so - I was SOOOOOOOOOO glad to hold the veggie seed stuff down to less than $100. Of course - this includes seed I have held over from last year (still good) and does NOT include plants - nor really take into account that I have to prepare the planting space (lasagne gardening? I sure have the leaves!) Nor does it take into account that I have a job, I'm ancient, have an ouchy back, and have a life other than gardening. Otherwise - who is going to pack away/can/freeze/dry/salt - or otherwise preserve this wonderful harvest (provided it makes it that far!)

Still - this is what I'm ordering - and have reviewed ad nauseum and ad procrastinatium (is there such a word? If not, there SHOULD be) this list. And have sent it off to son Nathan - who will promptly have apoplexy about the size of it all. I DID keep a copy of it for after son refuses to get 90% of the order - so that I can order the rest myself. And I DID order from Pinetree this year (has smaller amounts than the usual packet - and costs about half as much) - thank goodness - or the $$ amount would definitely be in the 3 digits! As it is - I am going to have to delegate space strictly!

Other chores for today - um... did laundry - EARLY this AM (before work!).

Also - news - the city road construction folks who are working down at the end of the block - not content with wiping out my phone last week (they had the phone guys down there earlier showing where NOT to dig - now reconnected TG), today sliced through a gas pipeline - had to evacuate all the houses on this block - and probably the next - Oh joy! Also had to re-route traffic (around the OTHER end of my block - took FOREVER to get out!) And - yup - the gas guys had also mapped out where NOT to dig! (And of course, I forgot that having all gas for the block radius shut off so they could prevent explosions - meant that my pilot light was NOT on!) My concern is that NEXT they will ignore where the electric lines are buried - despite clear enough signs! Ugh!

YAY - another Sew-in - Friday, May 21st!

What to work on????????? Hmmm - WIPs of course, Apple Cider quilt, Double Duty - or - ummm - square in a square charm? Have to think about it - probably the AC or DD though.

Grateful list.....
1. Thankful that my house did NOT explode!
2. Thankful that I FINALLY got my seed order together - and sent
3. Thankful that I FINALLY got at least most (except sheets and reds) of my laundry done

It's DAYTIME!!!!

Today I have to set priorities! Unfortunately not necessarily the priorities I want! I have 2 rooms to finish up cleaning upstairs (paint removal and all!), a basement I don't want to clean (think maybe Monday or Tuesday?), a garden that MUST be done (think maybe an hour a day?) and 3 baby quilts needing to be done yesterday - actually several weeks ago!

I DID get the friendship quilt sent off to Wendy - unfortunately it needs some adding to (this is why God invented tape measures!) - and I am now sending the "extra" friendship stars, extra fabric, the backing to Wendy. Wendy is to embroider the names on the quilt of the folks who sent the stars. And it was Wendy who discovered that my quilt was too narrow and too short! She has offered to add to my quilt for me - hence the extra stars, etc. going her way! And will do any extra stars as needed. When done - she will do the quilting overall. I suspect I will owe her my first born - except that she IS my first born! I am thinking this one is definitely a joint effort! Love ya, my daughter!

OK - priorities for this week........
1. Finish upstairs 2 rooms
2. post remaining fabrics, etc. to Wendy to Canadian addy
3. Baby quilt #1 - rest of quilting, binding, trim and finish.
4. Baby quilt #2 - borders, quilting, binding, trim and finish
5. Baby quilt #3 - the whole magillah!
6. House - actually this one fits in here with # 3 - 5 - it HAS to be cleaned. Same with.......
7. Laundry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This time put it AWAY!
8. Garden - set up beds. Will post more as I get to this one!

Grateful list -
1. For my 2 kids - son who has been terrific and put up with a LOT from me - and who has worked his franny off getting this place ready for tenants, etc. - daughter who has provided encouragement, and is working on one of my quilts for me. BOTH of them are a source of inspiration, amusement, moral support, - and just about anything else that's positive for me! I love them dearly!
2.

The Sun will come out Tomorrow... Bet your bottom dollar.... (on second thought - hold ON to that dollar - with today's economy you might need it!)

Tomorrow's goals (tomorrow being Monday, a workday which is no fun!)

1. work
2. post office and mail all packages/squishy envelopes, etc.
3. Finish up baby blanket #2 - at least to the hand quilting part!
4. Carpenter star.... - figure out the challenge there and fix it. All it really needs is to be sewn together - AFTER that one block is sized down! Once that's done - do the borders and set in bag to take to SH quilts for pinning.
5. Garden for an hour - do lasagne method in setting up bed. Perrenial - side and bottom
6. Finish up zone work in my room - which means catch the 2 windows, sweep and damp mop floors - the rest is done, done, done!
7. Paperwork - 30 minutes - Pay those bills! And file!

Helen's do-list (my "take" on Cindy's do-list)

Hmmm - seems to me that I had joined Cindy in her March Madness some time ago. But then it is no longer March and I'm NOT going to comment on the Madness part - save that it appears that April frenzy is finally calming down! TG!

Sooooooo - thought I would pick up again on the March Madness (Cindy's theme) and for this last week - and possibly through May (May Meanderings????) I would continue it.

Idea is that this is sort of a scavenger hunt - and I need to post the pix of whatever it is I see (provided my cable for my camera appears within the next century!)

1) Shop at home (credit/debit cards on vacation - YAY!)
2) Eat healthy (I'm sure there is a fancier way to say this - however........) and BE healthy (exercise) (Sparkpeople.com for each)
3) "Flylady" cleaning
4) Quilt for 30 or garden for 30 or whatever - I can choose here - whether it is something I procrastinate on (I procrastinate quite well) or is a new challenge. Theoretically something different every day.
5) Grateful 3
Cindy's list was for a month. I think I lasted 3 days on the month part. I'm working on a week for now - and then we'll see. Plus as per my dd suggestion I pared it down (from 8 - 9 items) to 5.

EGADS!!!! It's almost the end of April!!!!

and I feel like I've just started this month! Good grief!

Melissa and Nathan stopped by today to change into clothes for wedding they are going to. They looked soooooooooo nice! When I asked them where they were going - Nathan piped up with" We're going to get married." I came back with "and you didn't invite me??!!!????" Turns out Nathan was joking. I think if I'd been Melissa I woulda smacked him on the arm! Love him but he's a rotten kid!!!!!


Goals for this month SO far - NOT MET! and I need to see what I can do to change that one for sure!

* Baby blanket #1 SHOULD finish this one today!
* Baby blanket #2 SHOULD be ready for quilting tomorrow
* blocks sent to group. SHOULD also have this one ready to mail Monday AM
* Carpenter star quilt (Karen?) I would LIKE to have this ready to sandwich - almost there!
* Friendship quilt sent to Wendy THIS one is ready to mail Monday AM
* Garden plans THIS to be completed today
* Garden seed ordered TENTATIVE order set up - will finish order online tomorrow
* Order cable for camera TO be completed today
* Remodeling area CLEAN TOP floor is done! YAY! 2nd floor mostly done - will finish tomorrow - YAHOO!!!
* Remodeling done - all floors almost all of it is done!!! YAY!!!!

FAB 4 for today anyway -
Baby Blanket #1
Baby Blanket #2
Blocks
Friendship quilt

Spark diet and food journal
15 minutes - yoga for stretching
15 - 30 minute walk
Read the next chapter (2) and begin activity - collect points for reading and for activity.

Garden - finish perrenial bed (sliced paper strips and "lasagna"
Set up Peas and beans bed - lasagna.

Grateful list
1. Am grateful for son who feels free to tease me (and for my dd who is the same way!)
2. Am grateful for the GORGEOUS day outside! It is just lovely!
3. Am grateful that we are almost done remodeling - and it looks great!

Today..........

1. Garden - strawberries, garlic, perennial fruits/veggies )

Last of strawberries planted. Still have garlic, onions, and a gazillion other stuff to go.

2. WORK Oy Vey was there work!

3. THIS apartment clean Hmmmm
4. Quilt-a-thon Working on it
5. quilting for 30 (at least) Playing quilt a lot, clean a little with Wendy
6. paperwork Got much needed paperwork mailed, picked up mailer envelopes and box to send to Wendy
7. Stick to nutrition plan! Hmmmm
8. Shine my sink! DONE
12. Zone - Bathroom DONE
13. Declutter 15 minutes - living room - trash, declutter DONE
14. BLOG some more! Working on it!

Planning a movie and Press blocks and quilt night! YAY!!!!!!

What I'm Grateful for -
1. I have a fantastic son and daughter who are VERY supportive of whatever I want to do and each of whom are very talented as well.
2. As much as I gripe about my job (and boy do I!), I'm glad I have it - especially when I consider some folks who don't have any job
3. When I complain about dieting or exercise, it could be worse - I have the opportunity to exercise whether or not I choose to do so, and at least I have foods.

ok then - TOMORROW.............

1. Garden - strawberries, garlic, perrenial fruits/veggies (tomorrow - peas, early beans, etc. Saturday - cabbage, broccoli, etc. with onions, Sunday - Potatoes, roots, Monday ready for squash group, Tuesday ready for tomato group, Wednesday ready for corn group, Thursday - the Other border and fence area. Friday - dig in bushes, Saturday - dig in trees. Sunday - new flower beds, Monday - herbs That's the game plan anyway!)
2. WORK
3. THIS apartment clean
4. Quilt-a-thon
5. quilting for 30 (at least)
6. paperwork
7. Stick to nutrition plan!
8. Yoga for 15 - A group
9. Walk - for 15
10. Morning routine - focus - kitty litter.
11. Shine my sink!
12. Zone - Bathroom - cobwebs
13. Declutter 15 minutes - living room - trash, declutter
14. BLOG some more!

Today...........

Oops!!! Forgot to plan for today!


To Do:

MOST IMPORTANT......... CALL WENDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 (Yay!)

1. Garden - strawberries, garlic, perrenial fruits/veggies (tomorrow - peas, early beans, etc. Saturday - cabbage, broccoli, etc. with onions, Sunday - Potatoes, roots, Monday ready for squash group, Tuesday ready for tomato group, Wednesday ready for corn group, Thursday - the Other border and fence area. Friday - dig in bushes, Saturday - dig in trees. Sunday - new flower beds, Monday - herbs That's the game plan anyway!)
2. Upstairs apartment - finish cleaning
3. THIS apartment clean
4. Car appointment -
5. quilting for 30 (at least)
6. paperwork
7. Stick to nutrition plan!
8. Yoga for 15 - A group
9. Walk - for 15
10. Morning routine - focus - kitty litter.
11. Shine my sink!
12. Zone - Bathroom - cobwebs
13. Declutter 15 minutes - living room - trash, declutter
14. BLOG!

Sigh! The list gets longer and longer and.........

My list of things to sew!!!!

AM reposting (where I can see it) my list of things to do.......


1. Send quilt to Wendy - Friendship stars
2. Finish handwork on one baby quilt.
3. Last of the baby quilts finished (have more planned - can't start THEM until these are done!)
4. New Year's Mystery quilt done - at least for the upgrade - will send this off to be quilted - maybe.
5. Get a LOT of squares ready for hand work on Grandmother's flower garden - this will go to work with me.
6. Carpenter Star (needs rows sewn together and borders, then get ready to send to quilter)
7. Umm - next part involves several sampler quilts with the same patterns - so doing each block for each quilt - Nathan's, Underground Railroad, and another quilt - spring sweets
8. Apple Cider Quilt (aka Sweet and Sassy)
9. A charm quilt - square in a square Sure wish all the charms were the same size! AND straight!
10. Kids quilt - pink flamingo
11. Kids quilt - Zoo and purple lions
12. Nine patch chain or double nine patch - I need to make up my mind on this!

QUILT RETREAT!!!!!!! YAY!

First though - how I did on last night's list....

1. Clean up the debris - nope - took a nap instead.
2. SEW SEW SEW - see above!!!
3. Go to work (would rather do #2 above!)Yup!!!
4. Sew-in retreat! Yup!!!
5. Shop at home........ Stay AWAY from SH Quilts - So far so good!!!!
6. Foods - GOOD foods Um - does cereal and more cereal count?
7. 30 - 45 minutes exercise... Take pictures of previous items and POST them! We walked around the plant for 15 minutes. No camera though!
9. A few minutes spring cleaning (Kitchen sounds good, pantry also. My room sounds terrific) Um - yeah! DEFINITELY limited time here already!
9. Old or new! SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW!!!!! Tonight - pack up Friendship quilt. Work on baby blanket #1. Can also slice and dice materials! Need to find box for Friendship quilt (Wendy embroiders beautifully!) And got sidetracked on other item.

Now for today's.........
1. Clean up the debris
2. SEW SEW SEW Sew-in retreat! Pack up Friendship Quilt.
3. SEW SEW SEW Sew-in retreat! Baby blanket #1
5. Shop at home........ Soups - bean, also Salmon chowder - get several going - peak season is coming up. Freeze 1 - 2 cup amounts. Shop at home ONLY!
6. Foods - GOOD foods Well, THAT cereal is gone now! Proper food rest of today though! Lunch = salad, soup. Dinner = salmon bisque OR turkey noodle mushroom veggie casserole.
7. 30 - 45 minutes exercise... Take pictures of previous items and POST them! 15 minute walk
8. A few minutes spring cleaning My room sounds terrific, THEN pick up rest of the place and do dishes!) Need to limit time spent here - ONE hour max!
9. Old or new! SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW!!!!!

Quilting movies

Question is - what makes a QUILTING movie - at least in MY book?

I don't want something sweet and loving - because then I watch the movie and forget to sew.

Something that is scary frankly upsets me so much I CAN'T sew!

Something very sad and I cry over whatever it is I am sewing.

something funny - and I have to keep jumping up and making potty trips! Or else I get the giggles and wipe out whatever it is I am sewing.

So I watch movies like Eraser, Running Man, Total Recall, - something on that order.

Now IRONING is an altogether different story - and I REALLY like funny movies then. To that end I have Queen Latifah in The Last Holiday. And so I am planning SOMETIME this weekend to have a major ironing session!

Today 's goals.....................

It WOULD help if I noted stuff for today I HOPE to do.

1. Clean up the debris
2. SEW SEW SEW
3. Go to work (would rather do #2 above!)
4. Sew-in retreat!
5. Shop at home........ Stay AWAY from SH Quilts - I look like I have at least as many quilt fabrics as they do! And keep Bonnie's idea in mind for quilt backing!
6. Foods - GOOD foods
7. 30 - 45 minutes exercise... Take pictures of previous items and POST them!
8. A few minutes spring cleaning (Kitchen sounds good, pantry also. My room sounds terrific) Need to limit time spent here - ONE area spring cleaning - rest can be picked up!
9. Old or new! SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW!!!!! Tonight - pack up Friendship quilt. Work on baby blanket #1. Can also slice and dice materials!

Yup - it is SEW in night - for quilt retreat (Liberatedquilters@yahoogroups.com), International quilt day, AND I THINK - the Friday Night Sew-In (Handmade by Heidi).

All to the tune of nice quilting movies aka Eraser, Rocky II, Beverly Hills Cop, etc.

As per Cindy's blog.....

March may be more than half over - BUT I found something on someone else's blog that I want to start doing...... and as soon as I figure out how to add buttons - I'm going button crazy and will be adding hers as well.

Anyway - it's Cindy's Porch and has lots of good advice/ideas, etc. Among which is her DO-LOG - which is what I want to add here!

Anyway - Day 1 or 2 - walked yesterday - wanted to scavenger hunt for several items (as per Cindy's list) - fire hydrant, bird, something different or new from what I usually see, (she had suggested someone wearing a toque). And of course forgot the camera! Hopefully will remember this today when I'm at work and we walk!

Found the fire hydrant - of course, right after I made the statement to some walking buddies that there was NO fire hydrant in sight!!!!

Re birds - you could HEAR them. You could see the heron nests. You KNEW the nests were occupied. BUT you couldn't SEE them - that is until we startled some birds in the rushes and reeds near the pond - and one flew away (blue jay? next time I wear my glasses so I can SEE !).

Something NEW - well, new to me - and I settled on a really bright mustard yellow motorbike.... hadn't seen one THAT color before! Now as long as I don't dream about that color.............

Other things for yesterday - overall goals are....
1. Shop at home and shop ONLY with a list. Wally world - I DID get a $5 movie (Queen Latifah - a favorite actress of mine). Also DID get some cold cereal (had lots of hot cereal at home), milk, cheese, bread (was out of this stuff) Didn't do a list!
2. Lay off the crappy foods. Ummm - 2 candy bags (2/$1) and a package of graham crackers later........ Did NOT do well at all on this one!
3. 30 - 40 minutes exercise. DID walk for 15 minutes which is 15 minutes more than the day before!
4. A few minutes spring cleaning. NEXT time I pick up FIRST - THEN spring clean. Worked on paper stuff - mostly put unused notebooks/tablets into a crate to be used later. New rule - do NOT visit office supply until I get this all used up!!! Printed up a batch of stuff - and put into notebook. All the garbage paper - using for paper piecing - and put into a special tub.
5. Old or new. Old - that would be my paper project - did work on that. House now looks like a wreck - guess what I will be doing this PM!

Keep in mind this is based on Cindy's blog - experiences are my own.

Wahoo! The side porch is PAINTED! and other miscellany

Yay! Side porch is painted!

Other items of interest - plumber called (at noon) my son who then called me to tell me that he would NOT be by to work on stuff. Will be by tomorrow when son is here. Sure wish he had called earlier! A LOT earlier!

Did NOT go to Wallyworld or buy anything - since I need to make sure my bank acct shows the deposit BEFORE I use it.

DID copy a lot of Food Storage info. So far - all the stored stuff I've just about wiped out this winter!

Kitty did NOT go visit groomer today - am hoping for tomorrow.

Sewing did NOT happen today

But oh man! I finally got some sleep! As well as some paperwork stuff, dishes, etc.

Reconnected up with Cindy's Porch - and am thinking of doing the March madness stuff - at least as much as I am able to do!

As per her suggestions, I want to.......

1. Shop at home FIRST! I have some food storage that really needs to be gone through - and this is as good a time as any!

2. Cut out the crappy foods! I already use whole grain foods. Now I need to set up my menues (by the week and as much as possible from foods I already have!) and FOLLOW them! Plus a shopping list based on my menues is so much cheaper!

3. Ummmm - 30 minutes of exercise - morning yoga routine plus 15 minutes walking - either at work or when I get home! Do the scavenger hunt - (looks like fun!) with my camera! (and then post pix on FB)

4. Few minutes of spring cleaning - focus on rooms - this order - bathroom, my room, sewing room (need more shelving), kitchen (and maybe pantry)

5. Something old or new........ OLD: pile of paperwork - on bookshelves, bottom drawer of filing cabinet and dining room floor (thank you kitty - I LOVE to pick up the mess you knocked over!) 30 minutes.

Soooooooooo sleeeepy.....................

am soooooooooo sleepy today. not as much as yesterday though. Well - to work, to work, to work!

Today is a vacation day for me (YAY!) Am waiting for the plumber (who unclogged my sink Monday - YAY!) to finish up a job upstairs. I was under the impression he would be here in the morning. Nope!

Problem is - I need to leave the house - get food for dinner, lunch, kitty food, my meds from Wally world, take the kitty to the groomers' and a couple of other things that I forgot already! And I KNOW that if I leave that the the plumber will choose THAT time to show up! Nor do I know the plumber's name and phone number (son contacted them).

In addition, I have the side porch floor to paint (I volunteered - son was determined to paint last night - was falling over he was so tired), clean house somewhat, papers to sort (am looking for specific paper - not finding it so far!), and SOMEWHERE in there SEW!

Sigh! More later

It's MONDAY!

This is entirely too early Monday - especially since I FORGOT that we are now doing daylight savings time (too bad we couldn't save daylight on BOTH ends - so I could sleep late as well as get off work early!)

Was a delightful weekend - sewing interspersed with 15 minutes of doing chores (laundry excepted - and THAT is done for the week!)- and MOSTLY sewing on my quilt stuff! as well as finishing up the current batch of slicing strips and packing them into tubs!

Re tubs - I figure I probably have another couple of quilts there - AT LEAST! YAY!

Plumber comes today! YAY - my sink will get unclogged and I can do dishes!

And re the pictures - Nathan showed me what to do on this - hope to start with the pix tonight! Am so glad! AND I am hoping to get some of those packages SENT!

New day! New week!l

what I will be working on

OK - I may get it altogether YET, today!

Mind you, it is a rainy icky day and one of those chill to the bone kind where all you want to do is snuggle down under the covers (preferably sans cats) and snooze. At least that's my excuse! Reality however...........

The brain IS GOING!!!!

Hopefully not!

Anyway - Just so I don't drift aimlessly through the retreat - accomplishing little to nothing....
I'm listing ongoing projects in order of working on - hopefully I will accomplish quite a bit. Hopefully.

Won't accomplish ALL of these - but this is the Master List - will add more as time goes on, trade things around and remove projects as completed.

1. Send quilt to Wendy - Friendship stars
2. Finish handwork on one baby quilt.
3. Last of the baby quilts finished (have more planned - can't start THEM until these are done!)
4. New Year's Mystery quilt done - at least for the upgrade - will send this off to be quilted - maybe.
5. Get a LOT of squares ready for hand work on Grandmother's flower garden - this will go to work with me.
6. Carpenter Star (needs rows sewn together and borders, then get ready to send to quilter)
7. Umm - next part involves several sampler quilts with the same patterns - so doing each block for each quilt - Nathan's, Underground Railroad, and another quilt - spring sweets
8. Apple Cider Quilt (aka Sweet and Sassy)
9. A charm quilt - square in a square Sure wish all the charms were the same size! AND straight!
   
10. Kids quilt - pink flamingo
11. Kids quilt - Zoo and purple lions
12. Nine patch chain or double nine patch - I need to make up my mind on this!
    

The recipe for the retreat

Duh! Forgot - want to post a recipe for the quilting retreat next Friday/Saturday, etc.

This is from Leanne Ely's "Saving Dinner" (2003, Ballantine book)

Crock-Pot Chicken Jambalya (serves 6)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 pound kielbasa, sliced
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 onion chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped

Put everything in crock-pot and turn n low for 7 hours.
serve with brown rice and a big salad.

This and that and OH MY it has been a while!

I can't believe it has been so long since I've blogged! Egads!

Oh yeah - Wendy - re this computer having a tiny slot - and re the photos........ No - this is a basic form of the laptop - no memory slot. I asked Nathan!

At any rate he uploaded the photos to HIS computer and sent them back to me as an attachment - zipped.

Would be nice if I could open the attachment! Firefox does NOT believe me when I say I want to open it and that it is safe! Grrrrrr! Can I say I want an open window with a big ditch nearby????

At any rate - will post pix either when I find the adaptor cord to connect to this puter or when I finally get the email open..... will be a while though!

PS - the camera

Forgot - (and am hoping this will add on to the other post! NOT replace it) - tried to upload what I've done - camera works great - I need to work on figuring out how to upload though!

Friday night Sew in and other stuff

ok - managed to crawl out of bed today. Went to bed VERY early (830 PM) Fri eve - was exhausted - and dehydrated. Up Sat - off and on - only long enough to drink fluids and eat something. Slept all Sat night - and feel soooooooooooo much better today. Actually almost feel re-hydrated too which helps a LOT!

Did spend enough time online last night to peek at Wendy's blog - oh my! Just gorgeous! My blocks are still WIPs. Hope to finish those today - along with sorting a mountain of papers, cleaning house and flying off to Timbuktu to campaign for world peace - just me and Superman!

Anyway - have general idea set - and will be probably working 20 minutes, quilt 20 minutes, papers 20 minutes - or something along this line. Will post more later

YAY It's Friday - and Friday Sew in!

YAY!!!!! FINALLY I figured out how to get back into this blog! I really really REALLY hate it when I either can't find the blog - or forget what my password is (I only have maybe 10 - 20 passwords - at least!).

Anyway - I'm looking at Friday night Sew in! Am so excited! And of course I want to sew it ALL!

Focus - in order of must do's:
1. THOSE blocks
2. Package up the Friendship quilt to send tomorrow AM
3. Carpenter Star
4. Apple Cider quilt

Sounds like a lot - maybe/maybe not - not sure. Mostly just bits and pieces of nearly done projects to catch up on!

ALL of this - with housecleaning - 20 minutes of every hour until done - then 20 minutes of paperwork - and I won't get done with that one tonight for sure!

Tryin' again!!!

going to try to keep up with my blog - note the key word there TRY!!!!

I saw something on several friends' blogs - a grateful list - and thought this would be good to do here as well!

Today - didn't do a lot of much - but DID catch up on some much needed sleep (which now I've lost again seeing what time it is!!!!). DID shop though - which is something I do enjoy doing (did I say I was wierd???) but must have done something wrong since my bill this time was higher than what I thought it should be - and all I spent it on is fruits and veggies (and cheese and milk!) Will be soooooooooo glad when my garden is finally doing it's own thing!

Speaking of gardens - need to remember - tomorrow after dr.s appt I need to get those poor tomatoes staked before they are beyond help! Vines look great though! Just wish there were more tomatoes - and ripe ones at that! - on them! LOL my neighbor downstairs thinks my garden is huge! LOL - little does she know that I've raised a REALLY huge garden for years (well over an acre and a half!) and that this is tiny for me! She has also displayed to me how little she really knows about veggies and plants regardless of what she says! Oh well!

Tomorrow as I already said - I have dr's appt - very nervous about this! I want this blasted thing GONE GONE GONE!!!!

Have decided also to lose some weight - not saying how much - just that I weigh entirely too much for me! So - to that end - I MIGHT post my meal menu. Maybe. or not!

Grateful list...

1. Grateful for rain when we need it and sun for growth
2. Grateful for my son and daughter and their significant others - all of whom I love dearly. Also grateful for my foster kids - tall small and other sized in between - love them all!
3. Grateful for good friends who listen to me kvetch and STILL come around!
4. Grateful to have a job and good friends at work who believe in me
5. Grateful that I CAN quilt, sew, cook and do all the things that I do - there are those who can't.