Sunday, and the weekend is over

It shouldn't matter to me that the weekend is over I have no job to get to or many responsibilities in my life, yet it does.  I guess it's years and years of getting up at 5:30 to get Larry's breakfast and lunch made then getting the children off to school.  There is still magic in the thought of Saturday.  Today, I took Quinn to the park twice to run on the fields, both times her buddy Hannah (the boxer next door) was there to run with her.  Let me tell you she takes a lot of steps keeping up with full grown Hannah, but she does keep up.  Actually she runs circles around Hannah-literally!  When we get home she naps!

I did some sewing, handles for gifts bags that have been in the works for going on two years now.  I'm putting some serious time in on them now, once finished there will be an empty spot in my sewing room and boy do I need those.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a new arrangement for the sewing room/office.  There are only two rooms in this house that I can't lay my hands on whatever it is I need-the sewing room and the garage.  It is frustration plus.  In the end the answer will most likely be to finish projects and use things up although there will be some re-arranging as well it won't be major, a different layout and another 4 foot table for now, perhaps more later on.

I spent some thinking time on more patchwork ideas, like I need more projects!  And some time surfing Pinterest and other spots for inspiration-again I don't need more projects!  Both things involve my intention to make my home look more beautiful and to make a dent in my "TO Do" list so I'll justify it that way!

Now it's time for sleep.

Scrappy Red Top Finished

Today, Quinn needed out at 5:30am (a very uncommon event) and unlike her I didn't got back to bed.  She went right back to her crate and didn't get up until 9!  Instead I drank my coffee and began sewing on the red top.  I'm finished!  Guess I should thank her for getting me up so early, nah.

Sorry about the photo being dark!  We tried outside but the wind was blowing too hard and wrapped the bottom around Rob's legs!  If you look close some of the seams are off a bit (hey first-born perfectionist here) but I didn't care enough to redo them!  On the whole I'm happy with it, now I need to buy backing (thinking flannel), baste and hand quilt.  But wait! First I have to finish "See What You Started", a quilt I am sick of and hope never to see again after it's finished!

I've also made 3 red klosjes this week. They are quick and easy even though they are hand pieced.  I'll be making some more today and tomorrow, all red for the Scrap Challenge.

I intended to make some of the cute little scrap houses but they are just so tiny!  I tried one a bit ago and unless I take the patterns to Kinko's and enlarge it I doubt I make any, just too fiddly for me.  After I clean up a bit (don't get me started) and iron some (love the new iron so far) then I will cut more blocks and make some red heart blocks to use for placemats etc on Valentine's Day.

Quinn and I will make another trip to the park in about an hour but Tanya is making chili for dinner so I don't have to cook!  After dinner and playtime I'll stitch some more, I had such a busy week I'm catching up!

Quinn at 4 months

So remember these photos?  They are of Quinn when I first brought her home, at 9 1/2 weeks of age.

I took these today so you could see how much she's grown!

She still really likes to "sweep"  I swear she can hear the bristles of the broom gently brush across the floor!  Then it's ATTACK!  I sometimes put her out on the deck just so I can sweep.  The dishwasher is still very cool as there is always the chance to lick a plate clean of "people food"-notice all four paws are on the floor.

She's a good puppy and I adore her.

Updates!

This has been an odd week.  On Monday, Kolby was here as his Day care was without water-turned out he was becoming ill, again, as well so his Mommy picked him up early and took him to the Doc.  Ear infections, again.  At least this time the meds to cure it are not causing him other problems.  Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend before my volunteer gig, much fun.  Today I met Brayden after school to keep him company until Mommy got home.  He is much better after last week's fight with pneumonia, he was very tired so after a snack he watched Power Rangers and I stitched.  I have to say, listening to the Power Rangers wasn't too bad but WATCHING it is agony!  It is soooooo lame.  Tomorrow there is a reception for my old boss at the Trails Center who is retiring. Friday is errand and shopping day.  So everyday I've had something going on outside my normal, I've discovered I don't like it.  I am at the heart of me a home-body, I always have been.  No matter how enjoyable something is, if there are too many days that differ from my normal I get out of sorts! Weird, huh?  What's truly weird is that I'm just now figuring that out!

It's been a couple of weeks with out a cross-stitch update.  Bri especially likes these-it is her stocking after all.  So last time:

And tonight:

I should finish the second page of the pattern (it's in four parts on four pages) tomorrow and begin the third page.  It's coming along slowly.  I've been busy doing some hand sewing projects and working on red scraps etc.  I plan to stitch most of Saturday and Sunday.  I'm going to re-arrange my sewing room, yet again, maybe next week, hoping to arrive at a more useable room.  I may go shopping (ugh) for some cabinets or something to use in there instead of the 4 foot table-maybe something to go under the piece of oak counter top I saved from the old kitchen.

My new iron arrived but I haven't turned it on, maybe tomorrow.  I really need a new ironing board, too. Maybe Friday, then I need to make one of the "big board" adaptations for pressing quilts.  It just never ends!

Scrappy Red!

Today I finished sewing 49 red blocks together.  They mostly look like this:

There is, of course, quite a bit of variation in the prints--scrappy quilt after all.  The pattern I'm using said to press the seams open.  I don't know if I've ever seen a quilt pattern that said that!  Do you know how tiny a 1/4 inch seam is to press open?!  Then I remembered!  Scott and Bri gave me this nifty mini-iron, if only I could find it!  After an hour of hunting in every box imaginable I found it in a crock on top of the file cabinet!  It looks like this:

And is indeed very nifty for tiny little hems!  It even gets really hot!

Quinn and I went back to the park today for the first time in a while.  I dropped her leash inside the first ball field and she ran in circles around me through the outfield of that field, then through the next and then through the last when we turned around and ran through them the other way! Well she ran I strolled.  She is a tired little girl!

Made from scratch Chicken Pot pie, very yummy even if it's a messy thing.

Going to try and link up to SoScrappy with these red blocks, wish me luck!

I've missed few.

Well, my intentions to write here each day sort of blew out the window this week!  For some reason, unknown to me, I have been extremely tired in the evenings this week.  Once after dinner play time with Quinn is over, I watch a little tube sans stitchery most nights, then go to bed early.  Like 8 or 9 pm early!  Then I sleep about 10 hours, get up wanting to take a nap.  I don't know why, I'm not sick or anything.  I think I will chalk it up to the hibernation concept, you know: winter-dark-cold-think I'll just sleep until it's over!  The past couple of days have been better and today I did some sewing on the red blocks after grocery shopping.  I also ordered myself a new iron!  I'm tired of the one I have as it doesn't produce much steam or even get very hot.  Bought a little fabric at Joann's today, some Kona in bone for the leader and ender project and a lovely green for a cushion on the piano bench. It's funny about Joann's, I went in for a 12 inch square ruler and came out with fabric, batting and the ruler!  I really try to stay away from that place!  Well, I'm tired so it's off to bed and read a bit before sleep.

New Zealand Quakes

Did you know that there have been 9500 aftershocks in Christchurch, New Zealand?  Check out Deb Robertson's thoughtful post, I think earthquakes scare me more than any other natural disaster.

Check ups!

Quinn had her four month check up today, got her last puppy shots and won the hearts of everyone she met!  Such a social little thing-I know I've said that before but shelties tend to be more reserved than she is! Today I managed to get the glue out of her ear as well, and Dr V (the vet) cut the rest out on her head (sorry Carol we couldn't stand it any longer!)  I'll work at putting the crease in her ears and glue them back down if I need to.  She is tolerating my messing with the ears again and learning to deal with the toe nail grinder.  She is learning so much it's just amazing.  Anyway, the vet changed her heartworm medicine to one that includes protection against the mite that causes the mange so we are cleared to return to the park!  Yeah!  We've missed it, walking sidewalks is just boring-for both of us!  We are both tired, Quinn's sleeping here on one of her many pillows, I tried to sew on the machine for a bit and ironed some seams put can't seem to get with it so I' headed for the TV room and hand work.  Bed early, I think

Cutting time, sigh

I spent the better part of today cutting fabric.  I've cut 2 1/5 inch squares all week, really should have read the instructions for the quilt I decided to make from the red Christmas fabrics before I cut as I cut many, many more than I need for that top!  I suppose they will come in handy at some point but now I need different storage, everything I have is too big.  I also prepped red klosjes and sorted fabric for little houses.  When I finally finished cutting (wait, who am I kidding I will never finish cutting) I managed to sew up four flannel rag blocks and two sets of blocks for the nine patches in the red quilt.  A productive day all in all.  Wish I could do it again tomorrow but. . . cleaning calls once more, sigh.  Also both Quinn and I have medical appointments, me for blood work( yuck, very hard to get blood out of me) and shots for Quinn.  She and I went back to our twice daily walks but we have to stay out of the park.  Our beloved Hannah (the boxer next door) contracted a very serious mange from being in the same area as a sick coyote and is contagious, since Quinn's immune system isn't fully developed I decided it was best to keep her out of the park for a while.  I'm afraid the mange will travel around to other members of our wildlife community as well, unless we get a real deep freeze to kill off the mites that cause it.  So sad for Quinn, she loved running free on the ball fields so much!

A fun day with the kids!

I spent the day with Scot, Bri and Coco.  I hadn't seen all their recent improvements in person and I want Coco and Quinn to be friendly so they need to see each other often!  The house just gets cuter and cuter check out The Modern Parsonage and see for yourself! We spent most of the time chatting and watching these two play.  Once they got over themselves they spent a lot of time running around like maniacs both inside and out (in Coco's fenced yard-a luxury Quinn doesn't have), then there was sniffing, stealing of bones, food and treats on both side.  They were too cute check it out.

Coco (on right) lost the bone!  Not to worry, she stole it right back!

Quinn "hid" under the couch, if Coco wasn't paying enough attention she would charge out from under to start more play!

The last time these two were together was Christmas, Coco was still bigger than Quinn, Quinn is now taller but not quite as heavy.  Quinn has outgrown the travel crate I brought her home in!  I shall have to buy her a seat belt and harness.  She did sleep all the way home and a lot this evening.  Bri sent home a big pillow that Coco doesn't like,

Quinn likes it!  But she slides off and occasionally gets herself stuck between it and the couch.  Who needs to go out for entertainment when you have a dog, or two!

Friday!

So I went off to the quilt shop today.  Guess what I brought home, 2 yards of white.  Exciting, huh?  I needed it for my red blocks,  hope to begin sewing those on Sunday!  I've nearly finished cutting 2 1/2 inch squares, well except for the white.  Am ready to cut out klosjes as well and to try out a tiny house-think I'll try paper piecing on those.

 Tomorrow, Quinn and I are off for Columbia to visit Scott, Bri and Coco!  Haven't been down for months and months so I'm looking forward to it.  Quinn doesn't know it but Coco has a big fenced in yard-so they can run and play together.  Must take camera for cute puppy pictures.  If the pups are getting along  I really should stop by the hospital there as my Mother in Law fell yesterday and was admitted today with a broken bone in her leg.  Apparently, surgery is the normal treatment but she is on blood thinners so that is not currently an option.  I don't know what the alternative is, don't think my Sister in law, Marie, knows yet.

High tomorrow in the 40s or 50s, short winter!

I missed a day, probably won't be the first!

I didn't post yesterday, hmmm, fell asleep watching tv and didn't feel alert enough to type my own name much less a post.  I'm sure I will miss other days but it seems easier to post every day than not.

So Winter came last night.  Had a couple of inches of the white stuff, which melted when it hit the warm roads then froze when the temps dipped into the teens.  Add to that a blustery wind and it is miserable outside.  Tonight will be the coldest of this winter, tomorrow will be warmer.  For some reason Brayden's school district canceled classes for the day so he spent it with us.  I always make him "rest" after lunch, he doesn't have to nap but has to lay in the dark for an hour.  Today he napped for about 3 hours.  Then got up and said he was "just resting his eyes, not napping."  Funny guy.

I've been cutting 2 1/2 inch squares until I see them in my sleep!  My red scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge seem to be mostly Christmas fabric, so I've decided to make up red and white blocks if there are enough I will make a quilt of just red and white if not there are more Christmas fabrics in other colors.  I'm also going to make klosjies and little houses.  Should keep me busy.  I like the rainbow idea, I think I would be intimidated if I could just begin anywhere!  Still cleaning, still sewing flannel rag blocks, still haven't worked on the Town of Kansas, sigh.

Tuesday's Cross-Stitch update

So I noticed that I last posted an update of Bri's stocking last Tuesday and as I have been putting in stitches since then I thought I'd add an update.  Who knows, perhaps this will become a regular thing!
Last time:

And today:

Perhaps I'll put in a few stitches tonight as well?!

Quinn.

Here are some recent photos of Miss Quinn.  We played inside the softball field today--she ran pretty hard but never far from me which was good as I was afraid I would have trouble getting her back after letting go of the leash!

Today I went back to the Historical Society where I volunteer for the first time since the holidays.  When I arrived I discovered that they were packing up!  They are housed inside the historic courthouse on the square which is closed to the public due to needing a ton of renovation (not even functioning bathrooms) and the county told them to be out by 1 March so they can begin interior renovations.  The exterior and foundation have already been repaired.  So instead of typing I packed boxes full of files.  Not even sure which building to go to next week!

I'm going to stick a movie in and work in the sewing room, cutting and stitching along with a tad of cleaning.  I've coined a new phrase: "A clean sewing room is never used!"

Quinn

So this morning on our walk in the park Quinn and I ran into our friends-Emma and Felipe and then Hannah and Bev.  When Quinn saw Hannah she started pulling and pulling so I just let go of her leash knowing she'd only go a far a Bev and Hannah.  It was a narrow place between two ball fields so she couldn't go far but boy did she go FAST!!! She ran and ran in circles, back and forth like she'd never run before.  When she finally slowed down to play we captured her leash again and then parted ways with the others to walk home.  She is so tired!  She didn't even get wild on our walk this afternoon.  If she does it again I'm trying out the video feature on my phone!  She is getting taller and heavier, also her coat is much thicker than it was and is turning that wonderful Sheltie red, showing more white than before and her face is a bit darker.  She still has glue on one ear-urgh-but I'm working on it a little each day.

I finished cleaning in the kitchen today, only took the better part of a week.  I also cleaned some in the sewing room and cut some 2 1/2 inch squares of red for the scrap challenge and some 2 1/2 inch squares for leaders and enders.  Pretty good day all in all.  More of the same tomorrow.

A little New Year's

This morning Tanya, Heather and I went to see New Year's Eve at the movies!  It was a cute, funny story about likes that merge on New Year's Eve.  Lots of fairly big names like Aston Krucher, and Michelle Piffer but the most fab one (for Tanya at least) was Jon Bon Jovi!  I enjoyed the morning very much.

Back home after lunch I tried to sew some only to be frustrated by the state of my sewing room!  This is such a recurring theme--and not one I like.  This big problem today was that I had gone through the boxes of fabrics and brought out all the red pieces for the Scrap Challenge and they along with the flannel for the backs of the rag quilt are taking up my ironing board as there is no other place to put them!  So I worked at re-assembling the little sewing box I bought last fall, I don't have everything I need to finish and I'm not particularly happy with it, for now it is no longer in pieces and I can clear the other work table (If I don't just decide to trash the whole thing, the sewing box not the table.)

Tomorrow, I have to hit the cleaning heavy again.  I'd like to have the main living spaces clean and back together again soon.  This deep cleaning takes forever, sigh.

Sunset

Clouds rolled in this afternoon but the sunset was still very pretty.

Happy Twelfth Night!

Tonight is the last night of the twelve days of Christmas, sigh.  I have been taking a few minutes to drink up the trees and other decor as they will be coming down this weekend, and I shall have a "naked" house until December 1st (or there about) when I get to put it out again!  The living room tree, the stockings and my North Pole cottages suit me just fine, I'd like to add a few more cottages and finish all the other socks this year, we'll see.  I was only marginally happy with the tree in the kitchen, a candy and cookie cutter tree-it needs something and to be elsewhere in the kitchen, although I'm not sure where that would be.  I'm thinking on it.  The tree in the toy room could stand a few more childlike ornaments but I'd pick them up anyway.  The tree in the sewing room is in need of total decorating!  The only thing on it beyond the lights is a tree top angel my Mom made years ago-must work on that this year.  The hall bath needs a really skinny tree for me to hang my lighthouse ornaments on-still looking for that.  My favorite tree is the one in my room.  Clear glass, crystals, white angels and white bows-I just smile when I see it!  I'm always on the look out for new crystals or ornaments for this one and I'd like a clear glass or crystal star for the top.  I love decorating for Christmas!  The other thing I need is Christmas quilts!  Must get busy.  This is why I have that "intention" to make my house look as good as it does at Christmas!

Thursday, day 5 of 2012

I just realized that I have spent NO time writing 2012, I will really be in trouble if I have to write a check!  Not that I write checks very often-use that debit card!

So Kolby was visiting again today-day care makes him stay home 48 hours.  Again, he was just fine.  A treat to have around today, as he was in an incredibly good mood.  Laughing at everything and playing a hundred games of Ants in Your Pants with Tanya.  Winning or losing he did it with glee!
He wanted to know where the sandbox was as it was 64F and he wanted to play.  I empty the sand out every fall, clean the turtle sand box and store it for the winter then start with fresh sand.  I may be buying that sand sooner than usual if winter remains this mild.  (Oh, the bugs we'll have next summer without some killing freezes.)

I cleaned some more in the kitchen, including the dreaded refrigerator.  I still have to sort out and inventory the freezer side but I don't have to remove shelves and drawers to clean it-thank goodness.  One more day and I should have that room clean.  Then it's on the the living room, after I take down and store Christmas (I shall miss it.)

I watched the last of the Harry Potter movies tonight, I must say it was a better than average adaptation of books to movies.  A few sub-plots where omitted but otherwise very good.  Don't think the boys should watch it for a while yet, though.  I am hoping one of the grandkids really gets into Harry as Road Scholar has an intergenerational trip called Following the footsteps of Harry Potter, I would really like to take that one!  Only some cross-stitching today while watching HP, maybe tomorrow more blocks will be made.  I need to dig into the scraps for reds for the challenge-my scraps are big, maybe they aren't really scraps?

The lack of good customer service

Twice in the past two days we have had examples of truly BAD customer service, one by a major retailer.  It is so distressing to have something that should be a happy occasion, or a gift that doesn't work or isn't being installed.  Lots of phone calls by unhappy folks here, not me this time but I am continually amazed at the "I don't give a d---n" attitude of businesses, don't they know that this is a tough economy and we won't shop were we are badly treated?  Not to mention telling everyone we know about our experience?  Are they stupid? Insane?

I didn't get a great deal done today.  Picked up Kolby at day care supposedly due to tummy issues (have to say he was totally ok we think there might be a food allergy at work there), cleaned a couple of  appliances in the kitchen, picked Tanya up at Best Buy (one cause of above rant), and did seven loads of laundry.  Okay, in retrospect I got quite a bit done today!  Still need to remake my bed so that I can crawl into it.  Tomorrow is another day-I think the dreaded refrigerator cleaning is on tap for tomorrow, sigh.  My least favorite of all household chores in any case but this refrigerator is doubly difficult as the drawers don't come out of the frig without the shelf they fit on, in fact I have to take them to the bath tub to wash them.  Will need a shower after that!  Oh, the exciting life I lead!

The rest of the post

This morning I worked at scrubbing the kitchen again, I haven't really cleaned the appliances, etc for months so everything takes a lot longer than I think it should!  After lunch I head for the office/sewing room and work, today it was 5 more blocks and book work (more of that tomorrow, sigh) and some phone calls (more of that tomorrow as well, sigh.)  It was a bit warmer this afternoon in the park and the weather guessers are talking April-like weather, I hope they are just talking temperatures not thunderstorms!  It would be lovely if it was warm this weekend as Saturday I hope to take down Christmas and store it for next year.  It's darn cold in that attic! Plus there are outside lights to bring in.  I have some things to put in the shed as well, it's nice to do that in less than full winter gear.

So the Iowa Presidential caucuses were today, I am not ready for nearly a full year of political ads and news stories!  Both will be full of innuendo, half-truths and out right lies--it's hard to find the truth buried in all that!

Cross-stitch update

I've been working a little on Bri's sock most evenings.  It's update time.  This is the last time.

And tonight.  Getting there, slowly.  Why won't blogger let me put these where I want them? And add more text after the last photo?  This is so frustrating!

Day Two, Intentions

I decided that this year I would have "intentions" not goals nor resolutions, the word just seems easier to deal with.  I listed my Intentions for 2012 on the side bar, they are a lot like last years with a few additions. I did make progress on things last year, it's just that there is so much more to do!  I did add some, interpersonal interaction for one.  I have plenty of family interaction but I would like to broaden my base of friends and acquaintances, which seems to be difficult in this area.  I've had several folks of different ages and sexes complain about it, even my parents who knew everyone (it seemed) said is was difficult here compared to Colorado.  Anyway, my plan is to join several groups involving history and quilting (I'd planned to do this for a while just making it a priority this year) and to broaden my volunteering to include Brayden's school and possibly one other place.  I also intend to write in this blog everyday, not that I have anything terribly interesting to impart but why not.

Today was cold and windy again, still clear as a bell though.  Clouds would warm us up but they are so depressing!  So cold in the park that we stayed in the trees when we went to walk this afternoon.  I stitched five blocks today-have found a way to make several at once, thus saving some trips to the iron.  Not being terribly creative on this one, it will have more than one block with the same fabrics but then I think every quilt should be different!  Tonight I'm clearing my desk, again, so that I can pay bills.  Isn't it amazing how often that little chore comes around?

The first new day of a new year.

So, yesterday the thermometer missed a record high (66F) by one degree.  I only wore a fleece jacket to walk Quinn in the park, and the sun was brilliant in a sapphire sky.  Today, I wore a fleece jacket to walk Quinn in the park-under my ski jacket.  The high today in the 30'sF, and the wind was blowing so hard that even though the brilliant sun was still up there in that sapphire sky it was cold!  Not frigid, frigid would have required long johns etc, but cold enough especially face into the wind.  So it's January and the cold is more normal, I heard a newscaster ask when the "frigid" weather was going to break-get real, one day? It will warm up again by the weekend-but not into the 60's, still it's been a really mild winter so far.  Here at the edge of the great plains we have a great variety of weather, I'm told it's the hardest place to forecast the weather in the United States, so there is an old folk saying "It you don't like the weather in Missouri wait a day it will change." Truer words were never spoken.

I made a big pot of beef stew to be eaten with a big batch of biscuits for Tanya's birthday dinner today-it was yummy and perfect for a cold day.   Beth, Lucas, the boys and Zoe came to help us eat it!  Quinn found her inner 'wild child' again but I learned how to calm her down this time-we'll be working on that this week!  That's along with her current command to "come".  She answers nicely in the house to her name, but outside is a different story, she also knows "leave it" even if she doesn't always do the leaving at first, and "let's go".   Not bad for a 3 month old puppy.  Bobby brought his new huskie puppy over today as well for a few minutes-he's maybe 3 weeks younger that Quinn and already bigger, really big feet on that puppy!

I also did some tidying up in the kitchen and stitched up a couple of blocks in the flannel while I watched Harry Potter (only two more to go).  More productive than the past week but I didn't get everything finished.  I never do.  Ah well, it will still be there tomorrow.