December already, sheesh!

Gosh, as I toodle along day to day, I just can't believe that it's almost the end of the year! Just not sure where all the time went.

Quilt guild was this week and that was fun. I showed two quilts during show and tell. One simple patchwork with an allover design, and mom's quilt with feathers. Both were well received. Yesterday I finished Carolyn's bowtie quilt. I'm pleased with how it turned out. Initially I wasn't sure about my design choice, but she doesn't want heavy quilting, so I went with the Continuous Curves. Once it was off the frame, and I walked away for a bit, it's okay. I also finished the lime, hot pink and black quilt for Darla this week. I'll call them both for pickup appointments - it would be nice if they could both come tomorrow (nice for $$ Christmas money, for me that is, LOL!)

The next one to go on the frame is a small wall hanging and the customer doesn't want heavy quilting. She doesn't really like this quilt, so my goal with the quilting is to make her love the quilt (no pressure, ha!) I have a custom (very large) quilt up after that -- and she would like it to be done for Christmas. I really like the colors and pattern of it, so I'm looking forward to starting it, and expect it to fly along since I'll be enjoying it. I'll hate having to give it up when it's done though.

The house is staying tidy - woo hoo. I've only let the dishes slide a couple of nights in the last four weeks, pretty darn good for me! Laundry is staring to pile up a little, so I'll focus on that this weekend.

Ellen is babysitting tonight, and has pep band tomorrow. I hope Marci & I can still make it to Mass around taking and picking up El. Marci pointed out last night that we'd missed a Holy Day of Obligation the day before - Feast of the Immaculate Conception - ACK!! Just when I think I'm on top of it . . . . . . . . WHAM! So I really don't want to have to miss this weekend.

So that's what's up and where I'm headed ;0)

Staying busy and strangely productive!

Shockingly, the house has stayed tidy for a WHOLE WEEK! Woo Hoo!! And, I've continued to make slow steady progress on Mt. Washmore, otherwise known as the laundry, LOL. There have been 2 bags sent to Goodwill already, and another is pretty close. The kids are supposed to be putting their clothes away and bringing me things that no longer fit, or won't be worn. Since I'm not getting anything from them, I must conclude that the pretty folded clothing piles I'm sending them to their rooms with are not getting put away! Might have to do a random inspection on each of them tonight to get that laundry moving into drawers and closets where it belongs!

Tim had a Dr. appt. and he'll be continuing on 2 Rx's for his blood pressure for 3 months and then they'll reevaluate. Dr. K said that most people take 3 blood pressure meds, so this isn't unusual. If only the Arthritus could be fixed with pills! He's still working on the truck in the barn that got an engine swapped into it. Probably more stuff too, but it's barn stuff, so I'm not paying really close attention! When I have to plate and insure it, then it will be on my radar, LOL.

Max had a good week working on his room. It's about 60% there I'd say. The toughest parts are done - under the bed (YIKES!) and under the desk. He actually did a couple of loads of laundry too, though I'm not sure they got folded and/or put away -- but it's a start. He's coming to the end of the first semester at Ivy Tech, and says that grades are good - B's in both classes. I find myself holding my breath, played this game before you know? And in college, I don't get a username and password to check up on him, so I have to wait till report cards to see . . . . . . and hold my breath hoping I'm not being lied to (again.) You know, I read the blogs of some moms in my circle and their darn kids are just so stinking amazing and awesome, I must admit to some jealousy. One just got an early admission into college, another is on track to recevie a scholarship for athletics, full-ride probably, somebody else is doing a great Senior project that the community is thrilled about . . . . *sigh* can I be THAT mom for a day?? Max will "get it" someday, but somedays it seems like a long wait.

I've actually had a productive week quilting too. Finished the quilting on mom's quilt yesterday and we shopped for binding fabric in North Vernon. I got the binding pieced last night, along with binding for my lap throw. Both of those and the current QoV got trimmed, and the lap throw got the binding attatched. Tonight I'll attatch mom's and the QoV's that's been waiting for binding for months! Met with a customer yesterday afternoon and she brought two quilts for simple pantographs. I didn't even talk her out of that and into more complicated work! Sometimes, a simple -- read: FAST -- job is better than a more expensive but complicated job that enevitably gets stalled along the way!! Done and paid is much better. So I'll do her two quick ones, then move on to the little bowtie quilt. I finally know what I want to do on it - the border was stumping me, LOL. The bowtie customer also has a snowball quilt with me and I need to come up with ideas for it next. She is a quilt guild customer so it would be nice to have them done before next guild meeting so she can get them bound and show them at show and tell! I could use the free publicity ;0)

Now it's time to get to work on the newsletter at my real job, more blogging later ;0)

Let's catch up

Um, yeah. . . . . it's been awhile. But really, no one is reading so, it's not like the end of the world or anything, LOL.

Actually things are good right now. Max is finishing his two classes at the community college. Won't be taking any next semester because he has to ramp up working and saving up for a car. He's driving Tim's winter truck, and um, winter is coming and Tim needs the truck to get to work . . . .you see the delima, ;0)

Ellen is right now babysitting for the second week at Bethel in the nursery. She's very nervous, but excited to have a job. Unfortunately, she's considered a staff member, so that means there will be witholding on her weekly $25, bummer. Welcome to the real world missy. She's doing ok in school, keeping B's and some A's mostly. Some of her friends drive her crazy with their drama, and she never has homework because she does it all at school, or so she says. Not sure if we talked about this since I've not blogged in ages, but she had a mild heat stroke at a band practice and a couple more heat related incidents at other practicies and a contest. The result is the Dr. benched her from marching this year and next year as well. This is serious stuff :0(

Marci is LOVING Jr. High. And she seriously LOVE LOVE LOVES PE class, how weird is that? She has discovered that she is strong and fast and can keep up with the 8th graders in the class running and stuff - wow! Her grades are good, but she does have a lot of homework. She has some drama around her with girlfriends and boys and stuff - but that is normal for her - she's our little social butterfly afterall.

Tim had his second spinal injection of cortazone on Friday, so we'll wait to see if it helps with his arm. He is working on getting a truck up and running - Marci has her eye on it for when she starts driving, LOL. I'm still working at Bethel and quilting. The house is tidy right now - actually clean, not just tidy -- woo hoo!! Working on getting the laundry caught up, and I really think I will get there this time. Although, my short sleeve shirts drawer is stuffed and I still have the dark laundry to get through so I'll have to go through and get rid of some. Probably will encounter the same problem in the long sleeve drawer too.

Chickens are all good. We hatched 4 little babies from our own eggs about a month ago and they are so cute. 3 Chocolate frizzles, and one black smooth feathered which I think is a girl. Not sure on the frizzles, but I suspect 2 roos at least. We did add 3 Silver Spangled Hamburgs this year and they are darling, so dainty! We are down on regular egg layers though. Actually, we need to add some brown egg layers this spring. I'd like to get them at point-of-lay so we'll have eggs right away. I think we only have one brown egg layer right now and she's our momma, so no eggs from her right now.

So that's my update, and I'm stickin' to it ;0)

Vent Ahead, proceed with caution!!

I came, I vented, I feel better.

I deleted :0)

However, there was one line worth saving - Going to town with my MIL & SIL is like taking Bevis and Butthead out into public!

time is zooming by!

Haven't posted in awhile. Been busy and sick and just not feelin' it, ya know?

Max graduated. THANK GOD! I really feel like they should have walked out into the audience and handed me the diploma, God knows I worked harder for it than he did! And after all the whining and belly aching about tidying the house and yard for his party, he declares, "I wish it was graduation day everyday!!" After he opens the cards and gets showered with cashooolaaah!

Marci headed off to summer band this morning for the first day. She has her plate FULL! She'll be learning to play percussion in the 6th grade band from 8- 9, then switch to tenor saxaphone with 6th grade band from 9 - 10, then pick up her clarinet for 7th grade band from 10 - 11, and she thought about doing 8th grade band from 11 - noon and playing bass clarinet!! Sheesh, my lips are worn out just thinking about it! She decided this year that she wants to be a music teacher when she grows up, so she is trying to learn a few new things this summer while she can.

Ellen starts marching on Monday evening. Just started taking her asthma meds YESTERDAY! So it should be an interesting first week, I expect several attacks until she gets her meds going steady. And for the record I told her to get going on this when I realized she wasn't taking them . . . . . back in the WINTER!!

Tim is working and me too. Quilting has remained steady. I have a baby quilt to put on the machine this weekend, then some freebie work for a few cousins. The guild has a UFO challenge going on this year and I totalled mine UFO's that I have (not counting a few that I knew I'd never get to this year, or might even put in the auction, just the ones that I know what needs done) and had 58! YIKES! That's a whole lotta quilting!! So far I've finished 8, and have a couple that are very close to done. I'm hoping to cut the number in half by year's end.

The house and yard are lovely right now thanks to the efforts to get ready for the party. I planted pretty annuals around the front of the house and a little on the side too. Three trips to the nursery, at least $150 spent, UGH. But I've been remembering to water morning and night, and it does look really nice. I still have some Zinnias and wild flowers (seeds) to plant around the chicken coop, and along the deck. Then I can sit back and enjoy the pretty!

The pool is up, but waiting on parts to run the pump. We need one stinkin lousy seal, GRRR. Hopefully it will be here Saturday, because we put the pool away kinda dirty, and with leaves and yuk. So when we filled it. . . . . . it didn't stay clear and blue :0( Putting gallons of bleach in each day to keep it from getting worse, and once the pump is going it should be fine. It's still cold and swimmable so that's all that matters really, LOL.

Chickens are doing so so. We put the meaties in the barn for their second night and Tim asked me the next morning - "How does that 4H auction work if you don't have any birds?" Turns out, a raccoon got them through the bars of the cage -- ALL of them, all that's left are bits and pieces scattered on the floor of the barn *sigh* Luckily, the 4H leader has spares, so I called and got 5 more. They weren't as big as Marci's had gotten in the 10 days we'd had them though - bummer. So we are keeping a light on them at night to encourage them to eat, eat, eat! Hopefully they'll catch up and be big by fair time.

The 10 polish babies are 9 after losing one. It just got really weak and lethargic and I wasn't able to save it. That happened to one other a few days earlier and I brought it in and spoon fed yogurt & mackeral and it bounced back (now it has a name: Danika, like Dannon Yogurt, LOL). The roosters are figuring out that they are boys and fighting for top position, so a couple have been seperated. So far, they haven't figured out girls yet, so one gets to free range with the flock each day for now. Once the hormones hit, we'll be putting all of them in cages to protect the girls feathers from getting broken and mangled from mating.

That's all the news from my corner for now. Hope to post more and even some *gasp* pix soon!

Peace out and purring ;0)

Today we are NOT talking about being sick

even though we still are sick :0(

But, on to other things . . . . . . I haven't seen my son in 2 days. It's weird. He's gone to school when I get up, and I went to bed early Wednesday - like, right after I got home from work early! So he wasn't home from school yet. Then the next day he's gone to school before I get up, and there was a thing after school, then he had to work in the auditorium that evening for a concert. I heard his truck rumble in about 9:45pm or so. Then today, again, he's gone when I get up. Strange thing is, I have Bunco tonight, I'll leave about 6:15pm or so. . . .and if he's not home yet . . . .my goodness, I may not recognize him the next time I see him, LOL

The most exciting thing that happened since last we blogged - is the quilt show!! I got to be in the judging room and wow, it was a full two days of learning. The two quilt judges (one of whom looked JUST LIKE HER PICTURE IN THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE QUILTY MAGAZINES!!) poured over each quilt. First we read the quilt's name and entry number. Then we held it up so they could see a full-on view. Well, actually, backing up, the quilts in one catagory were all on a table, piled one on top of each other with the largest quilts on the bottom. Then they are folded in half, over each other. So the really first thing is two helpers stand on either side of the table and "open" them back out - kind of fanning them for the judges to see the whole group. Well, it's just impossible to explain without my hands or you having been there - but that's how it starts.

So then after we hold it up, we put it back on the talbe and the fun starts. The judges move in, as if drawn by magnets! They are touching and looking close and talking to each other the whole time. "Ooh, look at these little pieces" "Oh, did you see the points are cut off on the stars" "The quilting stitches look good, how bout on the back" "Oh this binding was handled exceptionally well" and on they go. Questions and answers, observations. Then they will make their "Comments" for the critique sheet. One judge is the "Speaker" for them for each table full of quilts. Then they swap for the next table. Some things they obsessed over surprised me, and some things they didn't look at much suprised me too. I had always heard that on your binding, you want lots of tiny invisible stitches, like 10 to 15 an inch! They never looked much at the stitches there. Just felt ALL the way around the binding to see that it was full and even, and they did look to see that the corners were mitered and perfect 90 degrees. There were only a couple that weren't full bindings, and on the first one the judge actually said she was shocked by it! They hardly ever run across it because most entering shows know it's a biggie they'll look for.

All in all it was tiring , but really fun too. And to hear what they said, and what they looked for, makes me encouraged about entering a quilt next year. Plus, I was a hard worker and volunteered for next year, so that means I can put my poker face on and watch them go over my quilt with their fine toothed combs!

On the other hobby front, the chickens, we have our 10 chicks for spring in a brooder in the living room. They are not quite 2 weeks old. One is quite curious and if he turns out to be a rooster he'll get the name "Curious George" for sure. He'll likely be the first to escape the brooder box by trying to fly over the sides! We also rehomed two of our bigger girls. One was a chick we swapped for last August and had started laying, the other was one of Carly's cast-offs we'd brougth back to good health and laying too. Friends needed more layers and we needed space to keep a couple of these chicks so it was a win-win all around. So a no-name girl and Matilda have gone to a nice family nearby.

Actual quilting hasn't been happening. The next customer quilt is loaded, and has been for at least a week, maybe more. But . . . . .just not started yet. Need to though. It will be custom work and good $$, so maybe my mojo will hit this weekend. So far, not sure if it's the weather or taking away one of the depression meds (or not being 100% healthy) but I could really truly stay in bed all day, every day. Come on warm spring weather and bright sunshine, where are ya?

It's just a Wednesday

Everything seems to be pretty even keel these days. Ellen is back on antibiotics for bronchitus. I really wish she'd do a better job at taking her meds as directed. I remind her and nag her, but still she manages to only take 2 of the 3 a day antibiotics and I'm sure that's not good *grrr*

Work is ok. Muddling along. It is awfully quiet though. I have more visitors than usual, a couple of deacons check in once a week or so. And my lady who used to call and chat once a week, calls me almost every day - so I'm not all alone. The fellow filling in on Sundays is being received well, so that is good. Our numbers have seen a slight increase in attendance, and that is always good.

I did finish a Quilt of Valor over the weekend, first quilt off the frame for 2011! Next up is a 1930's sampler for a favorite customer. I'm pretty certain of my design ideas, I'm still figuring out thread colors though. Tonight I get to go to a class to make fabric bowls - it's my birthday present, yipee! The cool part is, I stopped at the shop yesterday to ask a question, and while there discovered that there are only 2 of us in the class - talk about plenty of teacher/student attention!! I should have this new technique down pat!

House is all good. Staying pretty tidy, though the laundry is piling up again. Need to address it though, because those baby chicks are coming soon and we need the downstairs bathroom to set up the brooders - the only place really big enough and suitable. So we need clear floor space. I've been doing a couple loads a day, but I'm seeing that the clean, folded clothes I send the kids off to their rooms with, are not making it into the dressers - that must be addressed, or I'll just be getting those piles of clothes back in the dirty laundry (still a little folded sometimes) when they clean their rooms the next time. They'll just gather up all the piles of clothes, call them dirty laundry and send them down to the bathroom/laundry room - silly kids! I can tell the difference.

back among the living finally

It was decided that I likely had Pnumonia just like Tim. Mine started the beginning of January and got me really down about the 10th. I finally got out of bed on Tuesday the 18th - WOW!

At this point, I still have a little cough that folks tell me will take a few weeks to completely go away. but that's it, so I'm happy. I also am off caffiene. I wasn't getting my Diet Coke while sick, so by the time I got better, any withdrawls were over. So I've decided to stich to caffiene free and see how it goes.

My boss retired at the end of January. So it's just me, all alone here at the church. Awfully quiet *insert cricket sound effect* But so far, it just feels like he's on vacation. It won't be until a few weeks go by that it really HITS me.

Home is good. Had a major ordeal with Marci last week that I won't get all into (since you never know who all is out there in space reading all this personal stuff) but we met with a student services guy who is WONDERFUL!! And after a long afternoon with him, she is doing better. It mostly stemmed from the "Mean Girl" stuff going on at school. She's been giving and getting it (not that she tells me the parts she is doing of course!) and it just got to be too much and overwhelmed her. I've been doing a lot of reading about "relational aggression in girls" which is the technical term for mean girl stuff. And it's amazing to learn about. I'm not far enough in the book to give her many good suggestions to handle it yet, but I'm sure hoping to get there soon because this stuff at school is certainly not going away any time soon. *sigh*

On the quilting front, I haven't loaded a single quilt yet this year - YIKES! Need to do that though because I could use the $ and I have a few scheduled to come in at the beginning of March, so I need to clear out the ones on hand. I hate to be behind, and my goal this year is to schedule better so that I'm not in that spot so much.

Looking at seed catalogs and planning our garden. We'd like to switch to heirloom seeds and will be taking that plunge this year. Hopefully the fruit trees will produce a little something this year. I've stocked up on canning jars in hopes of an even bigger harvest from the garden, berries and trees this summer!!

Somehow I got in charge of ordering the chicks for our 4H group, LOL! So there will be 60 chicks coming to my house in the middle of the night late in February. Only 10 are supposed to stay . . . . . .but I'm already thinking 14 - oh, that crazy chicken math!!!

All for now, peace out and purring!

Cough, cough, sneeze!

Oh, we've been sick, again, or still. Ellen was sick before Christmas break and it seemed to get better - maybe it was only laying low for awhile, waiting to rear it's ugly head and infect us all!!! Tim of course, had pnumonia so he was sick too. His vacation, getting rest and a normal sleeping schedule helped a lot. But he's started having lots of drainage in his head. And he feels the proper way to handle that is to blow it all out in his hankie. All fine and good, but when I have to listen to a long, damp nose-blow twenty times an hour - it's no longer all fine or good!

Then, I ended up not feeling well Tuesday night. Light-headed, chills, feverish - ugh. So since yesterday was a snow day, I packed all the kids up and took us to the WOW clinic. We all have variations on the same thing - and we're all on Sudefed to dry out our faces, cough medicine to help us sleep, rest and fluids. I tried pushing the Sudefed on Tim, but it isn't drying his face out too much, or too fast. Bummer.

I didn't sleep much last night - though I was pretty bundled up: long underwear, top and bottom, a flannel nightgown on top and two pair of socks - the outer pair being Max's tube socks that I pulled up almost to my knees! I'm at work, and starting to feel my throat getting sore, so probably head home, make a really, really lame dinner (not pot pies, I did that last night, LOL), take cough medicine and crawl into bed.