Archive for June, 2008

I Didn’t Go

June 30, 2008

My son called me around 10AM.  He asked if I had left yet because I didn’t have to come.  He said he was having a panic attack last night (as if I didn’t know).  He had since settled down and talked to someone.  He is getting some help this evening and tomorrow before class.  He really did sound much better this morning so I stayed here.  This has happened before and it will probably happen again.  At least he recognizes that he is this way and can straighten himself out.  We talked about getting together in a couple weeks.  I promised to bake him something good and bring leftovers.  Doug always complains that there are no leftovers when I go, but he says it good naturedly.

I couldn’t decide what inner border to use, so I put two on.  Tomorrow I hope to start making the patches.orange crush  I couldn’t resist that orange, yellow,red and purple stripes.   Doug isn’t stepping on Gus.  He’s rubbing his belly.

I hate Blue Jays.  If they are not dive bombing Zip, they are dropping their kids on our deck.  We have to get every cat in and wait.  In the meantime, the little twerp poops all over my deck.  Maybe the rain tonight will wash it off.jay jr  Darn.  We forgot about the chairs.  Oh, well.

I also got a little work done on the blue socks.blue socks 

 

 

 

Teacher from Hell

June 28, 2008

I was really hoping to get a lot of work done on my quilt in the next few days, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.  My son called a little while ago, very upset.  He is taking a writing class that he absolutely has to pass in order to graduate.  The teacher has been intolerable and half the class has left.  He has an oral on Monday and a final report on Wednesday.  He is not  worried about the oral.  He always does well with them.  I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll do what I can.  He wants to graduate so badly!  He’s trying hard, but the teacher seems to take pride in tearing everything apart.

The weather is suposed to be better tomorrow and the following few days so I won’t be running from air condiioned room to air conditioned room.  Maybe I’ll take my machine with me and work on my quilt.  I have a million split patches to make which also means a wad of fabric and cutting board and cutter.  michael We’ll see.

guselvis

 

Bye, Guys. 

Very Hungry Caterpillar

June 28, 2008

I have been wanting to make a quilt for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for a while.  I got an e-mail from someone that knew of my involvement with them.  In the May issue of Love of Quilting was a Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt pattern.  They had a kit, but it was already sold out.  You could still order, but they did not know when they would be ready.  I started googling and made myself crazy, so I put it in the back of my mind for a while.  Yesterday, it leaped forward again so I started googling again.  After three hours and three headaches, I said the hell with it.  I wanted to go to one site and get everything.  Is that so much to ask?  Evidently it is.  So I went back to LOQ and ordered their kit, but I bought a different backing from some other place.  What can I say?  It was different.  I liked it.

I measured my quilt top this morning.  One side is off 1/2 an inch and that’s it.  I was so happy.  I assumed there would be inches of difference.  I won’t have to worry about the border now.  No. Wait a minute.  I still have to decide on what fabric to use.  Jeez. orange crushborder  I have several possibilities, but I only need two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip to Dover

June 27, 2008

We were late getting to the doctor this morning.  We left at a good time, but there was road scraping going on.  It was down to one lane and even stopped at a couple places.  Why they would do this in the middle of summer is beyond me.  It’s a beach route.  Most locals know to get there running around done on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, maybe Monday and Friday.  You take your life in your hands on the weekends.

I took the x-rays I had done last week and the ones from six months ago.  The doctor said, “You’d be surprised at the number of people who don’t think of that.”  It seemed perfectly logical to me to take both sets.  He appreciated having both to compare.  Everything is as it should be and he wants to see me every two years with x-rays.

Next, we headed over to Joann’s and Viking.  I got to see the new Diamond.  It is really something!  But, I know that I would never use those big hoops.  I did like the couching kizmo and the designs for it.  That I might buy, but not right now.  I did buy a package of the new colored bobbins since I use 4 or 5 different threads.  Joann’s had Keepsake Calico and Patriotic fabric on sale.  I needed white on white, but this is what I bought.  Even the white on white has stars on it.  There are a few places where I can send quilts for disabled veterans. fabric

Even though it was 90 degrees today, I put on my new socks with my favorite sandals.socks

They are Done!

June 26, 2008

The socks are finished and I have completed an inch on the next pair.  Tomorrow, I go to the doctor.  We’ll see how much I get done then.  I also get my machine back.  It had a nice trip to Ohio and is feeling wonderful.  I bought it two new presents.  If it gets as hot as the weather guy says, I’ll have some time to play with it.  Right now, it’s too nice to be in.

socksock

Almost

June 25, 2008

I so wanted to finish my other sock today.  I knit until I couldn’t see.  The sun went down and about 8:30, I gave up and went inside.  Yes.  I could have knit inside.  I could have turned on my Ott, sat in my favorite chair, turned on the TV and finished that sock.  But I didn’t.   This is where I knit big things that I can’t easily carry.  So I did the dishes, then worked on my big sweater.  I got about two rows done which equates to about one and a half hours.  If I don’t make myself do this, I would never make those nice warm sweatrs that I enjoy wearing when it gets cold.  I would probably have a million pairs of gloves, hats, scarves and socks, but only a thousand mittens.gus

My deck buddiesmaude.  I tried to get Gus to smile, but he wouldn’t do it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Night

June 24, 2008

MaudeWe had thunder and lightning yesterday evening.  Zip was at the door, ready to come in about two  minutes later.  But did Maude?  No.  She knew it was nothing and went on with her business, whatever that was.  Little hard head.  Or, as my son’s kindergarten teacher would say, “strong willed”.  Well, it rained hard and it rained long.  Maude does not like to get wet.  Maude hates to get wet.  We finally went to bed with the back door to the garage just enough room for a seven pound cat.  I woke up around 2AM.  It had stopped raining, but there was no cat.  Nothing at 4 either.  When I checked around 6:30, she came out and ran in the house.  She was completely dry and very happy to see me.  I could choke her.  Did you notice that she is sleeping on my new fabric with her dirty feet.  She slept a lot during the day and stayed in her yard.  (Her yard consists of my house and the two houses on either side.)  We had another rain storm this evening.  She was sleeping on a chair on the deck.  She was the first one in.  And that’s saying something!  We don’t call him Zip for nothing.green things

Look! I’m growing something from seeds.  Only thing is—I don’t remember what they are.  I should have started earlier.  I never have any luck with seeds so I didn’t expect them to actually grow.

Pictures

June 23, 2008

blueNow, if I was a blue person, this is the shade that I would want to be.

heron

  heronThis is why I like low tide.             

Turtle race!turtles

 

New Cup

June 22, 2008

We walked down to the river this morning.  The lawn guy was at the home on the other side of the path.  His dog was in his pick-up and he took off after Gus.  At least the dog knew some commands and I got him to return with “GO” and pointing.  We headed back through the woods instead of the road.  Doug walked ahead and clipped branches and sprouts.  It reminded me of those English novels where the servants would go ahead making everything comfortable for the ladies.  I was chuckling to myself.  Doug can be such a sweetie at times.  Other times, I just want to shoot him.

I found a replacement for my beloved Chesapeake Cat Club cup.  It is shorter and wider and I can get more ice cubes in it.  Isn’t it Cute?  elephant cupelephant cup

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Don’t Nap

June 21, 2008

I’ve tried, but it just doesn’t happen.  I put my head on the pillow during the day and I stare at the ceiling.  There are times when I have napped.  Last year, after surgery, I could nap, but I couldn’t sleep for more than two hours at a time anyway.  Once in a while, when I am absolutely, completely bored, my head will nod.  That hasn’t happened since I retired.  I would have liked to nap today.  Even after three big cups of coffee,  I still felt like a zombie.  socks

It was a nice day, so I took my knitting and sat out on the deck.  The neighbors weren’t overly interesting, but the wife was sitting in one spot weeding for about two hours.  I kept thinking she was dead.  She only moved once every five minutes.  I kept wanting to call 911, but her husband was walking around the yard flinging mulch so I figured it was just some bizarre ritual. They have no idea how good they have been for my sock knitting. 

The sweater is coming along.stars sweater  And that’s all I am going to say about that.

See this tree?  And see the bat house on it?  (You might have to double click on it.)  See how high it is from the ground?bat house tree  Last night, Maude decided it was a good place to sit. I didn’t have my camera at the time so this is all you get.  If it wasn’t for her orange and white hind leg, we never would have known she was there.  After a good while, she backed down most of the way before jumping.  I don’t know about her, but I lost one of my lives last night.

maude