My mowers!

Ethan helping Lucas mow.

Several weeks ago Brayden sent me a text message wanting to know

if I had any work for the two bigger boys.

It seems they want to buy a trampoline and

Daddy had finally said yes.

IF they saved the money.

Kolby
So they've been losing my grass.
It came at a good time for me since I am still indoor living.
Brayden wasn't feeling well this last time but
normally he'd be out there.

Anyway, I have the cutest lawn service anywhere!

Brain storms!

Tablecloth clip

I've  been fighting the pin basting of Sparkling Nines 

(thank you for that name Ann!)

I don't have floor space large enough to pin that way~

Not to mention my creaky old knees!

Anyway, I baste on my table.

A soft yellow pine trestle table that my father made back in 1967~ 

think it qualifies as an antique?

Its so soft that if you write on paper without something under it you have your shopping list immortalized in wood.

That being the case several years ago I bought a piece of heavy glass to cover the top.

All well and good 

except

Fabric slips and slides all over the place!

I finally had all the layers flat (I thought) and most of the pins in when I discovered~

You guessed it huge wrinkles in the backing.

Out came all the pins.

I needed a way to make the layers stay put until I had the pins in.

Then I had an idea!

Oh no, not that!

I could use the clips I have for holding tablecloths on picnic tables!

Problem with that 

Mine are in the trailer, sigh.

Quick trip to Walmart.

Much walking around inside.

Finally found them in Sporting Goods!

They came in packages of 6 so I bought 3 thinking I might need 18.

Used 17.

I thought I might have a whole lot of tablecloth clips if this didn't work 

but they were inexpensive so why not?

This the the way the quilt looked when all the layers where put together.

First, I used the clips to flatten the back out and hold it in place.

Then I laid out the batting.

No slipping.

Reached under the batting to carefully move the clip to include the batting.

Laid the top on.

No slipping.

Smoothed out the top, carefully moved the clips again.

Perfect.

 Only problem, 

My fingers are sore!

This was pretty tight!

Once pinned I took a look at the back~

NO WRINKLES!

I will definitely do this from now on, so much simpler.

My brainstorm actually worked!

(That hardly ever happens.)

Lots of stitching going on!

Finished this top today!

All those 2 inch squares worked into something pretty nice.

I hope the person I made it for likes it.

The back is nearly ready to go as well,

then it'll be on to sandwich and quilt!

Perhaps I'll have it finished in the next week?

The last two days were just horridly hot and humid.

The nights brought major thunderstorms,

leaving many without power.

Not here in Greenwood though,

Although it did rain enough to wash the starling nest out of the gutters!

Last night's storms came with a cool front dropping us out of the 90's!

Huzzah!!

All the heat and with issues still remaining from asthma-

I tried Kolby's baseball game on Wednesday (it was a great game, they won) 

but it was a no go as far as enjoying the out of doors!

Call to the doctor resulted in a new prescription but

the pharmacy is awaiting insurance approval.

(When did insurance company employees-who didn't go to medical school-get to dictate medical care?  I find that annoying.)

BUT,  all the inside time led to the above top being finished.

I also worked in the garage, sigh, will it never end?

and began pulling up carpet.

I think taking out the carpet will help with the allergies and it's original to the house.

So some 25 years old.

You would not believe the dirt under it!

That's another project that will be with me a while.

Dance recitals, Flying and Sharks

Nora in her Tap costume!

I'm home from San Diego now, kinda missing them already!

On Saturday and Sunday Nora had dance recitals-Ballet on Saturday, Jazz and tap on Sunday.

She looks so old all decked out with make up and everything!

Both recitals were quite good and lots of fun.

The littles are always so cute!

At Rubios she kept us quite entertained with the veil on her hat!

After Sunday's recital and Diner at Rubios we went for another walk on the beach.

Out to some of the tide pools, got good and wet!

Then it was off for more dessert! 

I should have gained 5 pounds but I guess all the walking kept that down, whew.

I flew home on Monday.

Left the hotel wearing a tank, overshirt and sweatshirt.

Temp in the 60's I think.

Arrived back in Kansas City to 90's and humidity.

Shed clothes down to the Tank.

For the first time in many trips I had a window seat and with the eye surgery I could see

all the drainage and rocks clearly.

Really incredible views.

Left the high desert of San Diego where things are brown unless watered 

and flew into the green.

Watched the section lines appear as roads straight as can be.

Then the appearance of the rivers with trees on both sides.

I do love the green.

Yesterday, and today I have Mr Ethan for a few hours.

He is a shark!

I'm back to trying to establish reasonable habits for a healthy lifestyle,

This week I'm all about creating good sleep habits!

Friday-San Diego

First thing Friday morning was breakfast with Steve!

Always good to have time with one of my children.

And the food was pretty good!

Then I was off to one of my places-

Rosies Calico Cupboard quilt shop!

The fabric in the top photo came home will me,

The top four are destined to be part of the Lucy Boston 

The purple, well, hum. I'm not a huge fan of purple.

I don't have much in my stash and I have a couple of projects that

I will want purple for.

And the Violets are so sweet.

After a trip back to the hotel for the camera I was off to 

Cabrillo National Monument.

Another of my favorite places in San Diego.

High on a peninsula west and south of downtown I always see things I haven't seen before!

Tall grasses with San Diego Harbor in the background.

Cruise ship coming into port!

The historical Point Loma Lighthouse.

I've taken a ton of pictures of this light and still I take more!

This is from the sea side.

When you move from the east side to the west this is what you see.

The Pacific Ocean!

After finding my way back to my hotel I meet up with Steve, Candice and Nora for dinner.

We sat on the patio at the Fish Market-I think we were hanging over the water of the 

bay!

Watched ships - a Navy tanker coming into port, a Navy destroyer headed out to sea, 

a refrigerator ship also going out and numerous 

harbor cruises- very nice.

After that we hit another place I love

La Jolla Shores beach for a long walk on the sand as the tide came in.

Followed that up with dessert at this marvelous cafe which is famous for it's fancy desserts.

Trying to choose just one is next to impossible!

I had a lemon bar-mostly because it was smallish but also because I love lemon bars.

At the last minute

I finished one final doll outfit for Nora.

I would have finished more but this one was time consuming!

Of course as I was nearly finished I found no buttons for the jacket

(I have jars and jars of buttons but none small enough for this)

so I had to make yet another trip to Joanns!

Nora's Mother is quite a good cook so I thought a chef's outfit appropriate.

I've also been working on assembling all those nine patches into bigger nine patches!

When you are just randomly picking up a block from either blue or green they

sometimes look a bit ugly!

Put together they begin looking pretty good.

This is a good project for when I'm slightly tired but still want to sew.

I've made more trips to doctors in the past two weeks than I care to think about!

I had to go back to primary care as I found a tick imbedded in my back.

EEK!

And it had a big red rash around it!

Double EEK!

Ticks carry some nasty diseases, the worst of which is Lyme disease.

I have never had a reaction to a tick bite before so the doc and I decided we would both feel better if she looked at it even though Missouri is not known to have many cases of Lyme.

I don't have it either, which is good news and I will take Benadryl until the itching stops.

The strange thing is I have no idea where it came from as I have been staying inside, 

so either Quinn or Ethan brought it into the house. 

After that appointment I went shoe shopping~ always a dismal event~ I wanted some

cute summer sandals.

Apparently, the shoe manufacturers and I have differing opinions on what makes a cute shoe!

After that I stopped at my local Quilt shop, Quilter's Station!

This fabric followed me home!

A few fat quarters that will hopefully find their way into a Lucy Boston quilt in the near future.

In the morning I'm off to San Diego, CA for a few days with Steve, Candice and Nora!

Quinn is staying at her BFF's (Zoe, Beth's Golden)house.

Where she is sure to have good time!

I'm leaving fairly early so she's gone already-it's way to quiet without her!

Also, I will miss taking her to the dog beach!

More tomorrow from the West coast!

Sewing and other stuff

I've been placed on house arrest!

By my allergies and asthma.

Doc says I need to stay inside, air conditioning on until things level out.

(which could be first frost in October)

New allergy meds.

Steroid inhaler too!

I hate being cooped up but at least I will get some sewing done.

More doll clothes for Nora!

And more yet to make-sort of fun, sort of frustrating!

I've also been assembling the blue and green squares into nine patches.

One or two more days and all the strips I have will be made up 

Then I'll begin making nine patches of the nine patches!

I'm hooking up with Chookyblue for this weekends celebration of 5 years in the Chookshed!

Since I'm being forced to stay in I can at least share my stitching for the next few days!