Bonnie's new mystery

Bonnie Hunter has a new mystery quilt that begins today. Like I need to start another quilt. I haven't finished her Carolina Crossing yet and Orange Crush does not have a backing. Might as well finish out 2008 like I started! I have decided to go with her colors this time. I have to go forage in the sewing rooom to see what I have. I know I need some shirtings. I don't have a lot of these colors in there but that has never stopped me before. Gretchen has blogged that she will also be doing this one. I wonder if Becky will jump on the bandwagon! I have been working on several smaller projects (they are finished) but I can't disclose because they are gifts for friends that read this. I have piectures that I will post later on!
I decided to work tomorrow and will be the RN in the house. That means I can't be playing with my sewing..but there is always the weekend.

Henry has developed a new habit. Every time I sit down at the computer, he insists on sitting on my lap, with his chin resting on my arm. He is such a good boy, but it makes it a little hard to type!

Happy New Year to all my blogging buddies....see you soon!

Spiff says, "That's one funny looking cat".

Lilly has arrived in Alpharetta. Laurie went to a rescue shelter yesterday and adopted Lilly. She is a mixed breed with some dachshund and other stuff. She seems very sweet...so far! And Laurie is happy to have a roommate once again.

We want to live with Gretchen....

Dear Gretchen,

We want to live with you because your guys got presents and we didn't. And we were good boys this year..most of the time.

Sincerely, Henry, Spiff and Spooky

Christmas Family Photos

A few faily shots of the Christmas festivites. I realized yesterday that there is not one shot of Tyler! I will have to go get one of him all by himself.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas night.....I am exhausted. We have been pretty much on the go since yesterday afternoon.....details to follow but I twisted a few arms to get this picture. It isn't easy getting us all at the same time. Sue, Kris and Sarah look pretty good. Laurie, Emma and me...not so much!

All in all, it was a good Christmas...lots of laughs and too much food!

Ms. Grinch

I needed to find my Christmas stocking. I think it is in one of the Christmas boxes of stuff in the garage. But since I have felt rather Grinchy this year, I decided to make myself a new stocking. I have had the fabric for a couple of years and I found it this morning while talking to Laur at 6AM. She was up too! (That's what happens when you try to sleep in the same bed with Sarah!) Laur ended up on the couch.

At any rate, I whipped up this stocking after wrapping presents this afternoon. I will embellish it after Christmas. It needs to be jazzed up a bit!

On another note-I am off the hook on the lawsuit against a former employer. I was on the witness list but I found out today that the trial ended last Friday. Woot woot, I didn't have to testify.

While I was baking and then not sleeping....

I feel like a Becky copycat! But I guess great (?) minds think alike. I had grabbed this pattern out of my "pattern pile" on Saturday after the cookie exchange. Cindi was needing a holiday charm square and I went into the charm square pile for her and picked this set out as well. I decided that I would try to make this bag. Gretchen already has one too!
So last evening I commuted between the kitchen and the sewing room being creative!! The coffee bread was finished by about 9PM. I had some this morning...yum-it is not quite right-it doesn't cut well but who cares...it tastes like Christmas!
I was awake at 4:30 this morning. I seem to be having a serious sleep problem lately! So I got up and finished the bag. I will be needing a nap after work today. But I need to wrap presents. Don't have that many to do but I need to get all of the paper and stuff out.

Can't believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve.

If nothing else, I am determined!

Swedish coffee bread did come out the second time. I changed the shortening and I used the "official bowl". I was too lazy to get the step stool out yesterday. I still don't really know what I did differently yesterday to create the disaster but I have redeemed myself! Yeah me. I hope it tastes good because this was way too much kitchen time for me

Time to convert the oven to storage....

Kitchens...totally not my forte...yesterday was the great cookie disaster and now today....

I always make Swedish coffee bread on Christmas eve...but I have to work on Wednesday until about noon and then church is at 4Pm and then onto Kris an Tyler's house. No time for baking that day. I figured I would be too tired to start the process after work on Mon or Tues, so I had better do it today. I don't know what I did or didn't do but the bread went from the oven into the garbage-did not pass go or collect $200. It was nasty. I guess I will have to try again tomorrow after work after all.

On a brighter note...Becky brought her Sassy 16 quilt yesterday. It is really beautiful. I knew I had to go home and find the pattern and make it too. I had the In the Pink 2 line sitting on my sewing table, so I got busy cutting. I finished the quilt top this afternoon. I will have to find something to use as a backing.

The pictures are the cookie exchange and the Most High Exalted Thimble showing the first project we will do in January.

why I should stay out of the kitchen.....

Today is the day of the cookie exchange for the Silver Thimble quilt club. I got the needed ingredients last night and this morning I du out the cookie gun. I put new batteries in the little thing and started to make the dough. Well the first couple of times I got the press to work...sort of. Then....nothing. So now I have these wonderful cookies (yum they really are tasty) that look like crap. I won't even say what the Efman girls call the tail end of the batch.....BUT they still taste good. The recipe is one from one of the ladies back at St. Mary's in Mohegan Lake. In my recipe file (funny huh!) they are called Peg Clark's chocolate Spritz. I don't know what there real name is. Now I am going to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen and be done with it!!

Bestest Friend

Kathy and I go away back-our girls were little when we first met. Now we are both grandmothers-go figure! Anyway she is still a northerner and I miss her terribly. We have shared a lot. And she is a great cook too! I miss that too!!

This evening when I got home, there on my porch was the box. I had asked her to send me a calendar with pictures of the Hudson River Valley. The calendar is published and supports a local charity. The photographer is a man named Joe Deutch. His photographs are take your breath away beautiful. Now I have the calendar with the pictures to look at. It is a weather calendar as well and tells when to expect snow or other forms of bad weather. AND in the box was extra treats. Bless her heart, she sent me Drake's coofee cakes and my-t-fine chocolate pudding too! Breakfast tomorrow...yum!! Thank you, best bud.

Laurie is home from Japan. I have had high anxiety over the past couple of days. Don't know why but I did. Chalk it up to being a mother I guess. So I left work a little early today and drove over to her house. I beat her home from the airport. She looks well although tired from the long flight. Kris joined us for supper and then we all went home to go to bed. Well I'm not there yet, but soon!

Surprise for Auntie Eww

The reason for my crafting madness last Friday was to have the girls make homemade decorations for Laurie's Christmas tree. She is flying home as I write this. So last Saturday morning, I dug her Christmas tree out of the closet and put it up. Then Sue brought the girls over and they decorated the tree. I also bought ornaments that I thought would appeal to the little girls-purple, pink, lime green. The construction paper chain and the glittery blue snowflakes really make for quite the tree! Not really Laurie's taste but set up with love by her niecelets!

Getting the rear in gear....

Two weekends until Christmas. I needed to start getting my act together. After I left Sue and the girls, I headed over to Northpointe Mall and the American Girl store. I should have known it is a botique! At any rate, into yuppie-dum I go-me with glitter and glue on my pants! I had no idea what kind of doll to get for Sarah. So I picked a cute one out with blond hair and freckles. One present down!

This morning I decided that I should continue so after church, I headed ITP. Mission accomplished two presents down. I sure wish I could afford to live in that area. It is really beautiful with the old homes and parks. Ah well-not in this lifetime!

Stopped and took care of 2 gift certificates.....I am on a roll!!!
Got stamps for the Christmas cards.
Now I think I am done for the day.

Don't you love those Publix commericals at Thanksgiving and Christmas? They are just so warm and fuzzy. No matter how many times I see them-and it is at least 2 or 3 times a day, they make you feel good. Go Publix!!!

Messing up someone else's house..

Last evening I went over to watch the girls while mom and dad went out to play. I decided we should have some Christmas crafting fun. So on the way there, I stopped and got construction paper and glue and odds and ends and then stopped at Publix and got some stuff to make sugar cookies. The plan....trash the house! And I must say, the three of us did a pretty good job!

Sarah and Emma are quite good a decorating the cookies as you can see by the picture. We also made some brownie type cookies that were not quite as successful. I think Emma was a little disappointed that there were no chocolate chip cookies. Next time we will do that.

Then on to the crafting. I found these great snowflakes and we just glittered them up like crazy. We also mad construction paper chains with lots of glitter. I bought Emma her own little scissors. Rob should be used to this by now as I think I gave Sarah scissors before this. Emma was little Miss snip making all kinds of little pieces!

All in all it was a fun evening except for the fact that Lainey (the dumb dog) got into the cookies and ate about half of them! I hope she got a really bad tummy ache!

Slow week in blogland

It is hard to believe that 2 weeks from today is Christmas. I have yet to start shopping-just can't get in the mood. Is the house decorated? that would be no. I dragged the reindeer out of the garage and put them in the front yard. There is a light out so one of them only has half a head lit. I unplugged them and that's that.
Could it be seasonal affective disorder? Or am I just a lazy slug? I am glad it is thrs and only one more day to work this week. It has not been a great week-full of angst. The administrator left yesterday, the DON has resigned and the rumors are flying. At one point in the last few days, I considered going with him to his new facility but I have changed my mind. It is a problem facility and I really don't need to put myself in a situation like that...and I have such a great commute now-only 8 miles. I can be at work in 15 minutes on a good day.
Also have to deal with the lawsuit against the last facility I worked at. The case goes to trial on Monday. I am on the witness list. Met with the lawyer this evening. Goody. If there is anyone out there considering being a nurse, think long and hard. You no longer take care of people, you write reams of paper, hoping you have documented enough so that somebody can't sue you. The sad part is that as the boomers age, there will be fewer and fewer nurses to be caregivers. It certainly is not what I went into nursing to do. Oh well
Have not touched the quilt I am working on since last Saturday. But the weekend is coming. Tomorrow though I am going down to take care of my little girls. I think we will make cookies or do something Christmasy.
Laurie comes home in less than a week. I have to get a carvel cake for her birthday which is also next week. I am looking forward to the get together on the 20th with the quilting peeps and cookie exchange. I have to find my recipe for my favs...maybe Sue has it handier.

Play Date

Sarah and Emma have play dates so why shouldn't I? And yesterday I did! Becky coordinated a great day with friends from "Sisters". We met out at Sweet Home. But it was bonus time. Several more Sisters were having playdates also and Sister Superior was in the house! She has a "class Picture" on her blog Silver Thimble Talk.

Becky, Ktistie, Gretchen and I worked on differemt projects. I brought 2 with me. Was I optomistic or what? At any rate, I did a lot of swearing because my project has directions that are terrible. I need to email the author and tell her her directions....well you know. Gretchen said it much nicer! It should have been simple. It is a pattern called Drama Queen and I chose this great fabric Melisa had in the front room. It will be quite pretty when I finish it, I think.

It was great being with the quilting peeps and I am so glad that Pat has found us a new location AND that Melisa will provide the kits. Quilters Rule!

Tis the Season?

The mail came today...not so unusual-after all it is Wednesday. And there it was....the first Christmas card....and I knew before I turned it over to check the return address, who had sent it! This is ALWAYS the first card to arrive. By now my girls are chuckling because they know......"New friends are like silver, but old friends are like gold". The card comes from a couple who now live in Virginia. We were neighbors in Mahopac for only a few years, a long time ago. We never really had much in common except living on the same street. We only are in contact this one time of year. Truth is we will likely never meet again. But still we exchange the cards. She always writes the "Christmas letter" with the news of the year-he's retired from the FBI and she now has gone back to work, and he went hunting over Thanksgiving and bagged another deer. You know-really annoying. But still kind of funny because she always writes in the third person!

I haven't even thought about cards yet. Drat I guess I will have to dig out the list. But back to her letter..she laways closes with thesilver/gold friend thing too! I am not ready for Christmas this year. I will have to crawl over all the junk I threw in the garage before the cleaning lady came to get to the Christmas decorations and right now it is too cold to fiddle with the wire reindeer. Calgon take me away!!! I guess I will go finish the book and think about decorations and cards tomorrow...or next week!

I'm a sap....

So after I dragged myself away from the book to get dressed for work, I started thinking about the WHUD calendars and the beautiful pictures. I used to get the calendar every year. I went in search of one I had saved from a few years ago and found it. Then I went on line to see if I can order one. Yipee...I can. I will send off the check today so I can look at snow pictures. That is all I want of snow-to look at the pictures-not shovel it, or be in it, or drive in it, or worry about whether it will snow and I will have to leave home. Here in Ga when and if it does snow, it is either gone in a wink or you just stay in the house until it does! Only downside is for Sarah and Emma who don't get to play out in it (but Sue doesn't have to shovel the driveway!)

Nose in a book..

Last evening I started reading Lover's Knot-a reccomended book from Becky's blog. I hate that I have to go to work today-I want to finish it. As I started reading it, I realized it takes place near where I lived half my life. A small town on the shores of the Hudson River, north of NYC. I think it is prbably patterned after Garrison, NY which is a cute little town between Peekskill and Beacon. It sits about opposite of West Point. Garrison was used for some of the outside shots for a movie Barbra Stresiand was in, I think Hello Dollyy but I am not sure. Again I am connected to the Hudson River valley. To those of you who only know me here in Ga, it is a beautiful, albeit cold place. Sometimes I miss it.

2008-21

Wide awake at 4AM-I knew this was going to happen!
Last evening I finished the binding on the Dasiy Chain quilt from my very favorite book. Both Gretchen ans I love this book and are sewing are way through it! The fabric is from the Portobello line. I am pleased to day that it passed the quality control-Henry and Spooky give it 4 paws up!
Anyway back to the early hour-so after I finished the binding (only had about a half of one side to do), I got under it with another quilt and watched tv. The end-I was gone-fast asleep...but it was so cold last evening, I felt like packing my bags and moving to the equator. I hate being cold and it is January cold and not promising to get warmer anytime soon.
The cold weather should make me feel like doing Christmas shopping but it doesn't. I have yet to get in the mood. The Christmas decorating Natzi (Sarah) wants to come over and help me decorate the house. Yikes-I have a hard time saying no to Sarah. Unfortunately she is not too interested in putting the stuff away after the holidays are over! I have dumped so much stuff in the garage, I'll have to climb over to get to the Christmas stuff-that's another story! My girls decided I needed a cleaning person. She came yesterday. I spent part of Sunday cleaning! My guest room now looks like a guest room but don't open the closet because that's where all the stuff is! There and in the garage!

2008-20!!!!!

Woot woot...Henry (top right corner) inspects finished quilt. #20 quilt completed this year! The pattern is called Civil War Scrappy from the Jelly Roll Book. I (as Laur would say) heart this book! The fabric is from a jelly roll Wildflower Serenade by (of course) Moda.

My thumbs are aching but I am now sewing binding on the other quilt picked up from Peggy on Friday. Also from Jelly Roll book.

Later for you!

Contributions to the 401-F

I am not one of those Black Friday shoppers-I have never been at the store at "dark thirty". BUT Melisa of Sweet Home, AKA Evil Temptress, The Enabler, had a sale this morning starting at 7AM. And of course, I am driving to Conyers, in the dark, praying I don't do a dance with a deer on 20. I made it safely there at 7AM....first one in the door, thank you very much, I have my priorites straight! I got my backing and binding for the quilt I just put borders on. Then I prowled around for more good stuff. I'll have to post a picture later when I get home from work.
I told Melisa that I found a bag in the sewing room yesterday with a receipt from 2006. It had a whole collection of fabrics. I haven't got the slightest idea what I was going to do with them. Now I'll have to figure out a pattern all over again! Maybe if I look further, I might find Jimmy Hoffa in there!
Now I am going to pretend to do a little work for awhile. This afternoon I am going to pick up 2 quilts from Peggy and introduce Krissy to her. I have her quilt and another ready to be quilted. When I get the binding on the pickups I will have met my goal for 2008 with a month to spare. Well actually, there are probably more new projects in that group than completed quilt tops waiting to be quilted Next year I will try to do better(who am I kidding!)

Now to work.....

Thanksgiving 2008

Family and good food-that's what Thanksgiving is all about. The Friedrichs-Efman-Reynolds family meal-we had a wonderful time!

Time to make the donuts.....

if I were going to make donuts! Since I am not responsible for the turkey, there is no reason to be in the kitchen right now. Kitchen??? Oh yeah-that is the room where the microwave is...and other rarely used appliances! I do have to use the oven today- i dusted it yesterday before I did make a maple pecan quick bread (mix from Wm Sonoma).
If this is a little garbled, it is because currently Henry is sitting on my lap helping me blog. It is not easy typing with the boy! He is thankful he is not a turkey!

I read Laurie's blog when I got up. I hate it that she is so far from home in these troubled times. As I watched CNN last evening I was trying to remember where in Mumbai she had stayed last year.

So what am I thankful for:
I thank God first and foremost for all the blessings He has given me
I am thankful for a wonderful family-daughters who have grown to be carrying, thoughtful individuals, sons-in-laws who love and care for their wives and tolerate their mother-in-law, my little Sarah and Emma, who light up my life.
I am thankful for friends-past and present, here and far away. I have some of the best "girlfriends" a person could have!
I am thankful for this country despite shortcomings, we have more freedom and opportunities than most others in the world.
I am thankful that I am gainfully employed and I am thankful for the families of the residents I take care that they trust us with their loved ones.

All this before a second cup of coffee. So Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night! And a great day!!

Twas the night before Thanksgiving.....

and all through the house.....wrong holiday. Left work a little early today-just because....anyway I did make a maple pecan quick bread to take tomorrow. I will make the broccoli puff in the morning.
I also put the outer border on the quilt top I started over the weekend. I used the Nancy Halvorsen Cider Mill fabric and the pattern I got out at Scarlet Thread called "the Teacher's Pet". It is meant for a jelly roll but I had purchased a fat quarter bunch from Sweet Home. As you can see, it goes together very quickly. I don't have a back or binding for it yet.
Peggy called and the 2 quilts are ready to be picked up-Scrappy Civil War and Daisy Chain I think. I have more to go to her..yikes. I will get them on Friday after I work for a little while!
Laurie has great pix on her blog of Hong Kong. She will be home in 3 weeks-just in time for her birthday.

Spiff and Henry discuss the upcoming holidays....

I think they were probably just trying to bully each other into who would get to sleep in that particular spot but it struck me funny!

2008-19

I finished "it" last week-Laurie's Far East quilt. I decided to take a picture of it in it's new home. I guess I will need to figure out something for the pillow area. Laurie-I hope you like it!

Anticipation...

TGIF and it could not come fast enough this week. Last evening we had the Thanksgiving dinner for residents and their families at "the home". Our dietary person asked if I would help her with the set up and the next thing I know I am in the kitchen with a hairnet on and gloves. Now y'all know about me and kitchens....mine is used very little and if it weren't for the microwave-hardly at all! She has me arranging the dessert trays. No just throw the cookies on a tray for her......arrange them. (Why bother-they are just going to be eaten anyway). Then we are taking orders ala waitstaff. There is a reason I am a nurse! I ran around like a fool and you only got what you ordered if you were lucky! Anyway, afterward I crawled home and took advil and passed out.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. Several 'sistas' are meeting at Sweet Home tomorrow. It has been ages since I saw Gretchen. We will have some catch up time and some good shopping time as well since the Evil Temptress sent out a coupon. You know that puppy is already in my purse. Like I need anything! I haven't touched the stuff I got there last week. But descend on Sweet Home we will.

I should look at the pile of finished tops and see what the status is on a Quilting Essentials project I did. It was a BOM and I think I finished it but anyway. Pat of Silver Thimble is featuring it as a new pattern. I am thinking maybe I should do it again.
Speaking of Superior I think I have to consider a new name-one that deals with cell phone deficits. That woman has more problems with cell phones than anyone else I know! Her blog really made me laugh

Productive weeked

I guess a good thing about a cold weekend was that I did a lot of sewing. Yesterday afternoon I finished the binding on the Far East quilt. I made binding for three quilts and I also made the backs for the same three quilts. That really doesn't count because all it is is cutting a piece of fabric in half, tearing off the selvages and sewing the two pieces together. Three more quilts to go to the quilter. Laurie's quilt makes #19 for this year. Peggy has 2 quilts now and hopefully I will get them back before the new year. I will have made my appended goal. Back in Jan or Feb I decided to finish some of the quilts I have started in past years. I did finish some of them but also added more new quilts to the pile.

I think today I need to venture out of the house....just because otherwise I might be considered a hermit!

On another note, I made a call to my friend Jacky in NY and requested some MyT Fine chocolate pudding. I have used up my supply. I also told her she could send me some Drake's coffee cakes. I have been here in Atlanta more than 10 years but I still need the need to import those two things. Comfort food for me!

All in all, it has been a great time away from work. Unfortunately I need to work to support my habit. One of the ladies I visited with out at Sweet Home on Friday said quilting is not a cheap hobby. Yes, Pogo you are right but it is one that makes me very happy!

almost instant gratification!

If ever I need to make a quilt quickly...this is it! The pattern is Jelly Maker's Cabin. Fabric is Bistro by Moda and it takes 52 strips to complete. Basically it is 6 blocks with a border. I cut it out last night and made it today!

Gretchen knows me well....

Yes, she does! I made another trip out to Sweet Home yesterday to get the navy fabric so that I could finish Obama Blue. It really did come out quite nice, if I say so myself! And it was nice to hang out there for awhile and visit. It was a good day for quilters-rainy and damp. So I stayed and visited and wandered about the store. Drat the Evil Temptress!

The fabric on the top is from the American Primer line. Melisa and crew has fussy cut this for a border and it looks great. I have a jelly roll of this line so I will just add this to it.

Then I cam home and finished Obama Blue and cut the Bistro jelly toll to start that project. It is a quickie and I should have it mostly done by the end of the weekend. I bought the tan fabric to back it (also from the Bistro line and I will bind it with the red. I am on a roll!

A cold front came through during the night, so It will be a good day to stay in and sew. I have some repair work to do on Sarah's brownie sash and also have to hem a pair of pants for one of my coworkers. He was walking around with his scrubs rolled up and I felt sorry for him.

sleeping disturbances

For the past few nights, I have had trouble staying awake in the early evening. I attributed it to drinking a glass of milk with supper. Even when I eliminated the milk and switched to tea, I still fell asleep. So much for the milk theory. Last night I was determined to stay awake. I decided to do some sewing on the Obama blue quilt-working on the borders. I sat down to watch TV at 9PM Yeah-I'm still awake. I watched all of Criminal Minds and then began CSI-NY love that Gary Sineese (sp). I woke up at 11:30 and now I have no idea who dunnit. DRAT!

This morning I got up and worked on the quilt again but am at a stopping point since my calculations again were wrong and I need more fabric for the outer border. Another trip to Sweet Home! But since this is my long weekend off starting tomorrow, I can head out there then-finish the quilt. I also plan to cut the binding for Laurie's quilt and get that puppy started. Spiff will have to surrender the quilt for me to sew on the binding. I will need to clear off a large space on my sewing table as this quilt is ginoumous!! I will be hand sewing forever!! Maybe it will be done by the time she comes home from Japan. I'm thinking...what a great birthday present! Heehee, Laurie

Melisa made me do it!

I made a booboo when cutting out the blue quilt. I guess I got carried away with the election because I have too many pieces and not enough strips to finish. This morning I frantically called Melisa to see if there was any of the fabric left and yes she thinks so. Lunchtime trip to Sweet Home and yes I was able to get the needed material. I also took a piece of the outer border for the Far East quilt to see if I could find something suitable. Again yes-that is the gold color piece in the picture. Then the Evil Temptress struck....the piece of fabric with the large flowers beckoned me over....it is one of those "gotta haves" and of course gotta have something to go with it. Three more pieces of fabric. THEN I mentioned to her that the pattern I intended to use the Bistro line in the Jelly Roll book didn't work and so I have a jelly roll with no plans. So she shows me this great pattern. It is called "The Jelly Maker's Cabin". Looks like it would be good for the Bistro EXCEPT, you need 52 strips to make the quilt top...so another jelly roll-all this for the needed half yard of fabric. BAD MELISA!!! Actually she is the best. And she has her new web site up which I need to link with my blog. It is wonderful. sweethomequiltco.com/weblog/ Check it out!!!

Laurie's far east quilt trimmed and ready for binding. The back is pieced and as you can see, Henry and Spiff are doing their preliminary inspection.

As Larry the cable guy says....Get er done!

From my favorite book Jelly Roll Quilts-this one was called Blue Lagoon only I did it in fabrics I got from a kit at Sharon's garage sale! I am going to back it in a Laurel Birch fabric Yum!

Here is Kris's bag..an Amy Butler pattern called Birdie Sling. Kris really is into AMy Butler's fabrics!

After I do a little work around the house, I can go back to sewing some more. Hopefully it will be a good weekend!

TGIF says it all.....

My it has been a long week. Probably because of the mid week trip to So Carolina. It really isn't that far but it is such a boring ride. I left work early on Wed so that I could be up there before it got dark. Mission accomplished. And after dinner with some other HMR people, I went back to the hotel and promptly fell asleep. The hotel is less than a mile from home office. The meeting was, as usual, way too long. By 5PM I was pretty much numb frozen over and then had to drive back....mostly in the dark.....with all the trucks.....not a happy camper to be sure. The one good thing about the meeting was that I won two prizes...one a pretty fall centerpiece and the other a totally useless decoration. I think Laurie usually has a dumb gift giveaway, so I will give it to her to put in her regift closet.

This weekend I intend to work on Kris's bag and maybe a little of the Obama blue quilt. I so wanted to take my sewing machine with me and work on it in the hotel!

Laur called last night and surprise,surprise, she is not returning until sometime before Christmas. Since I don't have animal responsibilities this time, it is not so bad. I wonder where she gets her gypsy blood? She emailed me pictures of the party she planned for the third quarter incentives. I forgot to ask her if the weather is cooling down over there. Hope she isn't too interested in who is the Ga state senator because it looks like a runoff and another vote...goody more negative campaigning!

So blessed to live in the USA....

What a night it was...and the woman who falls asleep on the couch before 10 was still awake to hear our new President tell the country that a new day is dawning. I started working on the Star Gazing quilt while listening to the TV. The fabric is from the American Primer line by Moda-my Obama Blue quilt.
This morning I am TIRED and have to drive up to Easley this afternoon but watching TV last night was so exciting!

The Temptress is at it again.....

I needed to get some aurafil thread for Kris. I know Melisa has it but am not sure about other stores....besides I haven't been there since......well that's beside the point..okay-so i have been there recently.
At any rate, after work today I headed down there to get the thread since Kris is ready to sew her quilt top. Now you can't just go all that way for a spool of thread so I have to check out the store and chat with Melisa. Heard all about Houston and her adventure with Pat, AKA Sister Superior!
She had Pat's pattern Star Gazing next to the shelf with American Primer on it. I decided I needed to use that fabric with that pattern. I look at it has contributing to my 401F program! But right now it is on the kitchen table...and I just about got the kitchen straigthened up this weekend and here I go again. But At least I used constraint and did not go to part 2 of Sharon's sale.

Wednesday after work I have to drive up to So Car and the dreaded semi annual meeting at home office. I will be bitching all the way since it is such a waste of time. It could be done on a conference call just as easily and save lots of money. And I could sleep in my own bed. I am bitching already. But now I guess I should go to bed!

If Spiff was waiting for the trick or treaters, he was disappointed because the doorbell didn't ring! Of course, the house was dark and I was holed up in the bedroom with the door nearly shut! Who says the grinch only comes out at Christmas. But I did not hear much activity outside, so maybe it is just a quiet neighborhood.

And now we hit Nov 1st. Holiday time is upon us. But first I need to finish picking up the house. Didn't finish last weekend and now I have no excuse. (A dollar says it won't happen this weekend!) The decoration natzi will soon be making noise about fixing Meena's house for the holidays.

On the Today show this morning, they mentioned Gwinnett Co. and 10 hour waits to vote. Am I glad I went on Monday and only had to wait two and a half hours.

What happened to Fall??????

I am not happy. It is downright cold here. I don;t enjoy having to put a coat on in October. It is not supposed to be that warm this afternoon either. And I need to add that my boys are not happy either. When I woke up this morning Henry was under the covers with only his little head and front paws out. He was so cute.

I have been watching the news and the voting insanity for my out of state friends (and Laur) continues to be nuts. My boss waited 4 and a half hours to vote yesterday afternoon. So far over a million people have voted early in Ga. Maybe those waiting for actual election day won't have a problem and will sail in and out.
I am totally disgusted with the elected officials campaigning. Last evening the TV bombarded with negative adds for both Saxby and Martin. And the adds were one after another, after another ad nauseum. Come on Nov 4th!

Meanwhile the cleaning did not get completed on the weekend and I sat with my nose in a book last night. I did get Kris's bag cut out finally!

Third time's the charm....

It was not raining today but the front came through about 8AM and the wind was blowing and it is crazy cold for Ga in October. I got to the voting site at 8:45 this morning. It opened at 9. I cast my ballot at 11:15-yup two and a half hours on line...in the cold...

Had dinner last evening with Laur and she is on her way back to Japan this morning. She is supposed to come home Nov 15th.

I am going to spend the rest of today working on straigthening up and putting away stuff. I am almost finished with the kitchen. The next task is the guest bedroom. But first I have to thaw out!!!

I tried......

I am off today and I thought-good it is raining so I will go vote. Got the body up and out of the house and headed out for the voting place. I could not believe the line. I was not dressed nearly warm enough and it IS raining. Went to get a haircut-needed it for about 6 weeks! Then went back...line is now at least twice as long. Since I am also off on Monday, I will try again then...since starting Monday there are more polling places open. Laurie di get to vote today but she is in Fulton-only had to wait an hour and a half. While I am glad to see that people are interested in the election this year, I also wonder why????
So now I am back at home and forced to clean up the clutter mess from getting the new floors. I have piles of "stuff" all over the place! And it is cold in here today!!!! Whine.........it is not supposed to be cold yet. whine......
And in Laurie's final words on her blog today...."go Obama" and I say ditto!!

Touch of Fall in the air....

The past 2 mornings have been quite chilly (for Atl standards). And it chilly in the house when I get up. I added a quilt and 3 cats to the bed for sleeping. They have all moved into the bedroom with the onset of the cooler weather. I am trying to hold off on turning the heat on-at least for awhile. Especially since the air warms by noon. I love this time of year crisp cool nights and warm days

Haven't done any sewing this week as the library book that I had been waiting for came in. It is another Emilie Richards Shenandoah Valley novel. Laurie loves teen angst-I seem to be on older women angst! But since there is nothing on TV that I want to watch, this is a good time to read. I did finish the rows of the latest jelly roll quilt I have been working on and need only to sew on the borders. I'll post a pix when I get around to doing that!
Guess it is time for coffee......

It's a tough life.....

Henry and Spiff relaxing after a hard day's work!

Inspector Spooky

Spooky fianlly emerged from the closet after the floor guys left-although it was not for a couple of hours. He is very discrete! The boys are not too sure about the missing carpeting!

Just blogging around....

So I checked Gretchen's blog this AM-Stella Bella and then went on to check out Michelle's birthday blog. Such fun checking on what others are doing!

Laurie and I had dinner last evening. She is doing a little bit better. Although her house is certainly quieter now (and she hates it). She has another trip to Japan in the next few weeks but when she comes back, I'll go with her when she looks for a new roommate.

Yesterday I decided to make a call to Empire and find out about flooring. Did not expect to get an appointment on the same day! Yesterday afternoon I met with rheir rep and discussed replacing the disgusting carpeting in my living room and bedroom. Ahhhhh it is happening on Friday! Also not quite what I expected! But the carpeting is the original in the house and is very sad. It is probably builder's grade to begin with-so come Friday I will have laminate flooring in the 2 rooms. I am going to be very busy in the next couple of days moving stuff- clutter around so they can proceed with the project. Yikes I have so much "stuff" to move!

Road trip...

Since gas is once more plentiful here, I decided that I needed to check out the quilt shop that Peggy Barkle told me about a few weeks ago down in McDonough. (Had to look at a map to see just where McD was).
Mistake number one was to mapquest the directions to the store instead of using the directions on their website. I figured cutting through the backway would be faster than going down I75. I knew I had seen Rock Chapel Rd on one of my trips to Conyers. Could I find it yesterday? Last evening when looking at a map found out Hwy 24 is Rock Chapel Rd once you hit the DeKalb line) but I digress...anyway I meandered around in circles and saw some pretty nice houses (don't know where I was). I love being on a road that I have never been on before and I had the magical gas, so who cares! Eventually I ended up on I75 and made my way to The Scarlet Thread-which by the way is right off the interstate. The shop is a very nice one with lots of different types of fabrics-brights like Intown and the more traditional like Sweet Home. (More to come about the Evil Temptress)

I bought the pattern Kris and I have been waiting for for the Amy Butler bag that she wants and 2 other patterns.
Then I decided I would check out the sale in Jackson. I lost another road on Mapquest but got to Jackson anyway. Nothing tempted me at that shop so I was in and out in about 15 minutes.

On the way home I detoured off I75 again and decided to come up on smaller roads-it was a pretty although cloudy day-looked like a real Fall day. So I am on GA20 going north because I know I can cut up to Snellville that way. Funny thing happened the car (on it's own) turned toward Sweet Home. I wonder if the Evil Temptress has tampered with my automobile??? So I am in Conyers, I guess I might as well check in on Melisa and her gang...I did help the economy there and got some fabric for latice and a border for a pattern I bought earlier in the day.

And as I told Melisa, when I got home I took a nap. It is hard work doing all that planning!

I'm not a computer geek.....

If I were, I could put comments along with the pictures but alas......as they say
So the quilt camp quilt is finished and Spiff and Henry are checking it out. Actually, I think Henry is probably looking for any morsel to eat. Foolish boy-there is nothing to eat in that kitchen!!

Next shot is leftovers. I had so may strips left over that I took them apart and made 4 patches out of them-there is over 100 on the tray and a pile of cut up fabric. Not a clue as to what I will do with that stuff!

Next shot is my pile of binding. I haven't quite figured it out as you can see and ALWAYS have left over binding. I am afraid I will get three and a half sides of a quilt done and run out-thus I make lots. But what does one do with all this leftover binding?

To see a really great blog-go to Stella Bella-I need to have Gretchen give me a lesson on how to get the comments with the pictures