I no sooner got off the computer, updating my blog yesterday morning, when Dennis Said... we're going down the mountain. WHAT?, I asked! Have you seen the ice & snow on the roads, and you want to go to town?? He just says, 'it'll be alright', and I'm thinking, 'Yeah, right'! But, I got ready, and off we went. I did tease him about taking my pillows to put around me for extra airbags! But, thank God, we made it safely, to & from. We did what shopping we needed to do. He had to visit a parishioner that is not doing well in the hospital, and we went out for lunch/supper at Applebee's! One of my favorite places to eat. Besides, I received a gift card from the District Superintendent (Dennis' Boss), so we used that up. A friend had told me a couple of weeks ago that the Applebee's was going to close due to the economics. So, I did ask, and the employee's said no they weren't closing, so I was relieved!
Today, I had a doctor's appointment, my mammo, and a hair appointment. I also went to the local quilt shop to buy some sale fabric to make curtains for the sewing room and visited the folks. The curtains I will make to cover the shelves I have the fabric on, to protect it from sunlight & dust. And, I got extra of the same, to cover my ironing board. And, if I have enough, I'll make seat covers for my sewing chair! Then, my sewing room will look wonderful! All matching! I can get these curtains done pretty quickly. It's easy to do rod-pocket curtains.
Well, I had a big day today, and my back has been telling me about it, most of the day! Pain pills only do so much! So, I am headed upstairs, to rest on my heating pad for a bit. But, I'll most likely just go to bed. It's almost 7 PM. So, by the time I rest a little, it'll be bedtime anyway! I'm one of those people who go to bed early. But, I do watch TV there, and go to sleep around 10 PM. Dennis usually turns the TV off, because I fall asleep with it on.
So, goodnight to all. In the morning, I'll be getting everything ready to go to the country home for the weekend! Just me, Moses (the kids' dog, whom I'll be dog-sitting), and my sewing machine! My dogs are staying home with Dennis as they do not like Moses! Understandably so, as my dogs are miniature dachshunds (Sadie & Sable), and Moses is a black lab who is huge! And, he'll be one in February, and is always wanting to play with my girls . My girls are 10 years old and small, and Moses doesn't understand that they are little when he tries to play with them, you get the picture... my girls are intimidated by his size. He does not hurt them at all. He just wants to play. My girls forgets how it is to be young!
Bye to all! I'll not write again till probably Monday, because Sunday when I get home... it'll be all about the Superbowl & watching the Steelers.
GO STEELERS!!
We did get about 2 inches of snow and ice. They did cancel the schools. It is to continue to have rain & sleet until after lunch, then as the cold front comes in from the west, it is to change to snow. The weather lady this morning says 'snow flurries', so I am not sure where the folks that were saying 8+ inches got their info?? Maybe from the Michigan news?? The weather lady did not give any indication this morning there was to be an 'accumulation' of any amount... we'll see what happens. This weather did make my cleaning lady cancel for today. That is good, as I would not want anything to happen to her while coming to clean my house! Betty is a peach. I really like her. She helps me out a lot, since physically, I can not do the scrubbing and sweeping. She is a God-send!
I will be headed upstairs here in a short , to first get showered and dressed, probably into my flannel pants since I won't be going anywhere, anytime soon! Then, off to the sewing room, to see what else I can do there. Maybe, I'll just set and sew, instead of re-arranging my UFO's... AGAIN! I know that they are there... I don't need to be reminded... teehee! Actually, I should just pick one up, and get busy on it! Make a challenge for myself, per say... that I can get it done by the end of the day?!? That sounds like a plan. In the times I need to rest my back, I have several UFO's that is ready for the binding to be hand-stitched down. I know... if you have been following my blogs, you will know that I have mentioned these items before, and you know what? They are still waiting to be completed! Does this sound familiar? Does this mean I am a procrastinater? If you answered yes, to either or both of these questions, then it must be true! I am not one to make resolutions... because I know it will be forgotten in a short time, and I will move on. So, that will not help me. I guess I will just have to get determined and get them done! One step at a time!
OK... as John Wayne said... "I am burning daylight", so I'd better get moving.
Have a great day!
I did my errands yesterday, and while going through the grocery store, I overheard 2 guys talking, (complaining) about this upcoming ice & snowstorm we are to get, and the amount of accumulation, (like 8 + inches). True, I do not want nor like the ice, but I will take the snow any day... providing it is in the winter. But, my pet peeve or question is... why do people who hate the snow live in the north? It is not like we live in a country where we cannot move to a warmer climate, or to an area we like. You know, as I think about it... you also hear people complaining about the heat in the summer! What is up with that? My Pop always said, "Some people would complain if you hung them with a new rope!" Certain people will never be satisfied! It just baffles me. I guess I am more of an optimist, than a pessimist.
The snow has started... Hooray! I can not wait to see how much we get! Though, with the ice coming as well, they will probably be canceling the schools tomorrow. The kids will be loving that! With my kids being through school, I do not need to worry about such things anymore. And, I have nothing on my schedule of places to go tomorrow, so that is just fine. You will be finding me in the sewing room, for sure!
I am still plugging away at trying to get organized in the sewing room. I need to make a trip to Lowes for shelving, brackets and for plywood, that will be used for the cabinet I want built. I did buy curtains yesterday at the Dollar Store, instead of using my stash fabric to make them. It was cheaper this way, and much, much quicker! I am finding fabric that I have forgotten about, and some fabric that I have, that leaves me wondering why I bought it in the first place, what did I have in mind to make from it at the time? Oh well, new projects are always found, and I will use it, eventually. I continue to cut up strips from my stash, for scrappy quilts. I have my 2-inch strip drawer pretty full now. I will use these to make some string quilts. I already have the foundation blocks cut and ready for this project. I hope to start these next week.
This weekend, I think I mentioned before, will be a sewing retreat weekend for me. I will be at our house in the country. Just me & my sewing machine. I can not wait! It will be so nice! No one around and no phone to answer! I have decided to take along a UFO to work on. A row quilt, that several of us in the guild started years ago. I think a couple of them actually finished their quilts. Everybody else made UFOs from them. Including me! I will try really hard to complete this UFO in 2009.
Well, I will close for now. I am headed upstairs to the sewing room for a while, then bed. Goodnight to ALL!
I did my errands yesterday, and while going through the grocery store, I overheard 2 guys talking, (complaining) about this upcoming ice & snowstorm we are to get, and the amount of accumulation, (like 8 + inches). True, I do not want nor like the ice, but I will take the snow any day... providing it is in the winter. But, my pet peeve or question is... why do people who hate the snow live in the north? It is not like we live in a country where we cannot move to a warmer climate, or to an area we like. You know, as I think about it... you also hear people complaining about the heat in the summer! What is up with that? My Pop always said, "Some people would complain if you hung them with a new rope!" Certain people will never be satisfied! It just baffles me. I guess I am more of an optimist, than a pessimist.
The snow has started... Hooray! I can not wait to see how much we get! Though, with the ice coming as well, they will probably be canceling the schools tomorrow. The kids will be loving that! With my kids being through school, I do not need to worry about such things anymore. And, I have nothing on my schedule of places to go tomorrow, so that is just fine. You will be finding me in the sewing room, for sure!
I am still plugging away at trying to get organized in the sewing room. I need to make a trip to Lowes for shelving, brackets and for plywood, that will be used for the cabinet I want built. I did buy curtains yesterday at the Dollar Store, instead of using my stash fabric to make them. It was cheaper this way, and much, much quicker! I am finding fabric that I have forgotten about, and some fabric that I have, that leaves me wondering why I bought it in the first place, what did I have in mind to make from it at the time? Oh well, new projects are always found, and I will use it, eventually. I continue to cut up strips from my stash, for scrappy quilts. I have my 2-inch strip drawer pretty full now. I will use these to make some string quilts. I already have the foundation blocks cut and ready for this project. I hope to start these next week.
This weekend, I think I mentioned before, will be a sewing retreat weekend for me. I will be at our house in the country. Just me & my sewing machine. I can not wait! It will be so nice! No one around and no phone to answer! I have decided to take along a UFO to work on. A row quilt, that several of us in the guild started years ago. I think a couple of them actually finished their quilts. Everybody else made UFOs from them. Including me! I will try really hard to complete this UFO in 2009.
Well, I will close for now. I am headed upstairs to the sewing room for a while, then bed. Goodnight to ALL!
Cody came on Friday, to stay 'at Mimi's house'... we had supper, made some Jello with fruit in it, played, watched Shrek a little, until it was time for his tubby & bed. We played a bit in the snow Saturday before lunch. He loves to be outside! We got some more use out of our redneck sled, which is an empty 50# bird seed bag. It works very nicely, I might add! After playing for a short time, we came in & had lunch, played a game, read a story and Cody was off for a nap. Being outside must have worn him out... he slept for about 3-1/2 hours! He was still sleeping when Jennifer & Jon came, so Jennifer went upstairs and crawled in bed for a nap, too.
After Cody went home on Saturday evening, I went to the sewing room, to begin my weekend retreat. With Cody here, it did get delayed a bit, but, I am not complaining... My boy ALWAYS comes first!
Today, (Sunday) I finished up the quilt top I was working on for several days now. It is going to be donated to the local quilt shop for Quilts of Valor, (these quilts go to our wounded service men & women). I'll post a picture in my gallery. It was made with fabric from my stash... I love it! But, unfortunately, there is a lot more fabric to go! I also made a scrappy crumb book cover for my Bible. I'll add that to the gallery, too. First, I'll have to remember to take the picture! I will get to retreat next weekend, also. I'll be at our country house, and enjoying the piece & quiet, and a fire in the fireplace! I am trying to decide what project to take along with me. Maybe, instead of taking on a 'new' project... I'll take a UFO that has been shelved for a while! I think I'll feel better if I actually get one of them finished! I have been making so many charity quilts lately, that I think it's time to do something specifically for me, or should I say, something that will stay at my house!
Monday morning, I will be headed to town for the banking, errands and grocery shopping. I will also make the trip to the personal care home to see Mom, and the nursing home to see Pop, before coming home, to do the laundry. Yippee! (That's sarcasm regarding the laundry folks!) Maybe in the afternoon, I'll get to the sewing room. But, if I don't, I have several UFO's that need the binding hand stitched... I have been trying to get to these for a week now!
I am working on my sewing room a little at a time. I have most of my fabric folded and on the shelves. I have been cutting up the smaller pieces of the fabric into strips (strings) for more scrappy quilts. I do want a cabinet made for my storage bins that Dennis got me for Christmas, and have put in the order on the 'honey-do' list... though, Dennis has his seminary school work to do, I think I'll have to find a carpenter to do it for me. I need to make curtains to cover the shelving, to protect the fabric from dust & light. I want to have the walls painted, too. To brighten up the room. Right now, it's brown paneling... YUCK! I do have the permission of the parsonage committee to paint the paneling. To paint though, I'll have to have the room cleared out! That will be a huge chore! Maybe, I can just shift things to one side, paint that wall, and shift it to the other side, etc. That might be easier. The sewing room also needs better lighting... track lighting would be good, but, not practical, really. The next pastor might need that room for a bedroom, where track lighting would not work. Maybe it'll be easier to go with lamps instead. I have fabric to make window curtains, too. I'm going to have a full day of making curtains! I might have to get online to find more of the fabric I already have! I also, need to replace my ironing board cover. I have been trying to decide what fabric from my stash to use. Right now, it is just covered with unbleached muslin... pretty bland, but, it worked! I want something a little brighter & cheerful! Wow... writing all of these projects down for the sewing room, makes it sound similar to my quilt UFO list! When am I going to find time to sew them? ;-)
Well, it's late, (1:30 AM-Monday), I'm not really tired, so I'll go watch some TV. Hopefully, that will help. I'll probably even make a cup of tea, too! I love my tea, anytime of the day or night!
It's one of those nights that I can't sleep. Dennis & Cody are sleeping, so I can't go to the sewing room either. So, I will be having a cup of tea while surfing the internet a bit, and catching up on some blogs, including mine!
I have made some more fabric postcards. These things are so easy to do, and very nice to share with my friends. I made 2 for the Valentine's Swap on Stashbusters, and put those in the mail yesterday. One is going to Australia, the other to South (maybe North) Carolina, I can't remember. I will be receiving one from the UK, and one from here in the states. I am anxious to see them. They may give me some more ideas when I make some more of them! I have only ever received one of these postcards in the mail. And, I am not that familiar with them, and what all you can use in making them. I am sure the possibilities are endless!
We went to see the folks today. Both are doing fine, but Pop was a bit down and teary. That is so rare! I think he is realizing that his recovery from his recent surgery is not going to give him the results 'HE' was expecting. Mom has gotten to the point now, that she is not eating very well with Pop gone. He always encouraged her at mealtime. The doctor has advised the home to give her Ensure, to help boost her nutrition. I am hoping that the nurses can get her to drink it. I took her for a short walk today while we were there, just to get her up & moving as much as possible. She does wander around the hallways, and out for her meals. I think she is actually getting more exercise with Pop not being there. He always kept them mostly in their room; he watched TV, she slept in her chair.
OK, I'm going to close for now. My tea is ready. Then, I'll try to go back to bed and sleep. Cody will be up at 6 AM... so I'd better get some sleep while I can. Cody is used to getting up at that time for daycare everyday... he is not old enough to know he should sleep in on Saturdays!
We have arrived home this evening all safe & sound. We were in Lancaster, PA, at the Bishop's Retreat. This is 3-days away from the normal hustle & bustle for Pastor's and their wives. We had a great time, but, as always, I am glad to be home, too. I did enjoy the 'no cooking' part of this retreat. All that was missing was my sewing machine! Tuesday afternoon during our free-time, Dennis & I did scoot over to Intercourse, and Paradise, PA, and visited several quilt shops, etc. I was surprised that no fabric jumped out at me, screaming at me to take it home! Though, I did buy some baby fabric, (fat quarters), and a half yard of another baby fabric. The half yard was the minimum, and they didn't have that particular fabric in a fat quarter. I do have plans for these though. I had just found out that a dear friend's daughter is expecting their first child. So, I'll be making a small item when I send my congratulations along. Baby fabric is something that I do not have in the sewing room... it's a wonder... I thought I had everything in there, but the kitchen sink ;-)
I am still planning my 'stay-at-home' sewing retreat this weekend, and have already put the message & memo out to Dennis. Just for fun, I am going to make a sign (probably several) and post around the house and on the sewing room door, stating something along the line of, "Interrupt at your own risk!' Though, I don't want to be too strict, because when Dennis has to interrupt me, he usually brings me a cup of hot tea as a peace offering! He's so sweet! I will also get to sew next weekend, too. How lucky am I? I'll have to find some more projects to do!
Well, I am off to bed, with my night cap (Hot tea!!) I'll definitely sleep good tonight being back in my own bed. Though, I did sleep well at the resort. Nice beds & pillows there!
Yesterday, I was in the sewing room, putting binding on some UFO's that got stalled for one reason or another. So, later yesterday afternoon & evening, I was setting and hand stitching those bindings down. I have one quilt, 2 table runners, and 2 wall hangings... I did get one table runner finished (which had to be hand quilted, which I did that also) , and one half way done (binding)... so, I will be busy on the rest while setting and watching TV for my evenings this weekend. I am anxious to get back to the sewing room today, if possible. But, it will only be for a short time today. We must go & visit the folks at the personal care home (Mom) & nursing home (Pop), and then go pick up Cody. He will be staying overnight with us tonight. And, there will be NO sewing after he gets here, at least at the machine. I am also working on Yo-Yo's, in my spare time.
The temps here are below zero... a real deep freeze. The water pipes are freezing in the downstairs bathroom. I have ruined my hair dryer by using it to thaw the pipes... I wanted another one anyway. I'll have to stop at Wally World when we go get Cody.
I did get my Christmas tree down today. I hated to do it, because I love it! Christmas is my favorite... it comes and goes too quickly!
I think I am going to go upstairs... it's warmer up there. Downstairs is too cold and drafty.
Bye for now!
Stay warm and have a good day!
Yep... Uncle Sam got another big hunk of change from us today... I hate taxes!! I'm telling you what, if we didn't need to eat, have insurance or pay taxes, we'd all be millionaires!
Anyway, today did turn out to be a good day. I went to my friends quilt shop and helped her pick fabric & cut kits for her shop. It was an Easter/Spring related wall hanging. I buy kits, I have never had to go through the process of picking fabrics, and cutting what was needed. This put a new prospective on things. We had a good day though and a nice visit. Thanks Crystal!
Well, I am headed up to my sewing room for a while. Besides, it's warmer up there. The temperature here is about zero... BRRRRR... and this old house is drafty. But, I am not complaining... at least I am not outside!
Bye!
Yes, you read that right, you do not need to adjust your monitor... We are having snow right now, also. A very good day to be in the sewing room. I was there, until a neighbor came down & needed my help... so I did get pulled away for a while. But, I am going back. I am cutting up strips, depleting my stash of fabric. Actually, the stash won't count as depleting until I start using the strips (called Strings)... But, I am getting ready for a quilting marathon... and it helps to have the fabric already cut beforehand. Next weekend, we (the Stashbusters group) are having a 'Stay-at-home Retreat'... and I am joining in! It will be crock pot soup for the meals, and Dennis will be on his own! Today, while going through fabric that was given to me, I found some panel type fabric... so I made that into a top. (Cutting it apart, adding sashing & a border). I am layering it now, and it will be ready to be tied by the guild at next meeting in February. So, I am off once again, to finish this charity quilt, so Ta-Ta for now. I'll post pictures when I am done. And, my plans for the retreat next week include... everything for me! I have several kits upstairs, laying on a pile just waiting for me to do them... I say it is time to dig in!
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