Crocs Make Cute Sandals

I bought a pair of turquoise toe sandals and it made my day.

I am working on 3 quilt tops.

Boy A's quilt (lap quilt sized) is almost done. I've appliqued on all the turtles and one of the dogs. I have one more dog to applique on, unfortunately I can't find what I did with it. If it doesn't turn up soon, I'll gave to make a new one.

The retirement block quilt top is 99% done. The problem is I'm afraid to make the quilt sandwich and quilt it. It is hard for me to keep the smaller ones smooth and this will be several times harder. I might breakdown and buy a quilting frame, but I am out of money just now.

But I saw a pattern I really loved, so I've started a modified version of it. All I have to do is post some pictures so you all can see how multi talented I am.

Quilts, Quilts and more Quilts

I'm working on three different quilts, all in various stages of completion. The bad thing is I keep looking for fabric on line. I have plans for another 4 or quilts working in my mind. I want to put the three ones I've started away so I can work on the ones in my mind. I know better. I need to finish at least two first before I start on any other quilts.

Searching for the Misplaced Mother

One of the nice things about retirement is that I can be on call for my folks. They called yesterday. My father had driven my mother to get a colonoscopy but bore she went in for the procedure, he started feeling poorly. She called asking for me to come, help him to the car, wait for her and take her home. Of course I agreed. Then she asked if I knew where she was and I asked if it was the medical center near her house. She said yes. I got a book, my knitting, put the pooch in the crate and set out.

I pulled into the medical center but there was no surgical center. I went in, walked into a Doctor's office and asked for help. The receptionist Kelli, was absolutely wonderful. She called several nearby surgery centers to see if my mother was a patient, but could none were working on a patient my-mother's name.

Since I was near my folks house I went there and looked for clues. The only one I could find said he had an appointment at the hospital that morning. Since the hospital was about 30 miles further north on the same road as the near by medical center I decided that was the right place (even though it was one that Kelli had called) and drove over. I should have listened to Kelli, no mom.

I borrowed a phone book and started calling near by hospitals. I was lucky and found her at the first one I called. Poor dad, it took me two hours to get to a hospital that was 25 minutes away.

Everything ended well. My dad was doing better, my mother was fine and we all had a nice visit and I was lucky enough to run into a woman who spent a lot of her time helping a stranger.

He is a Pain in the Butt

Cole that is. He had a rough night. And if he has a rough night so do I. Afterall, he sleeps in bed with one of us, but on a leash. He is bed trained, but not house broken. He started out in bed with the boys but when he kept crying at 2 a.m. Boy A brought him to me so I would take him out. And take him out I did, three times from 2 to 4 in addition to the time hubby took him out. Which means that we took the little rat tailed, monkey sock, pain-in-the-butt out four times in two hours in the middle of the night. Four times when we would much rather have been sound asleep. And each time we took him out all he did was play.

The fifth time he cried to get out of the bed I decided he could play while I snoozed and I just let go of the leash. Boy was I sorry when I woke up. He left presents all over the place. I don't know how it was possible all that came out could have fit in him at one time. And none of it belonged on the rugs. So I spent much of the morning cleaning up after him and hoping I learned my lesson.

Cole Update

Cole has had all his puppy shots. We are done visiting the dang vet every two weeks, thank goodness.

He is a sweetie, a 33 pound sweetie. He loves to chew and has so far destroyed Boy A's retainer, numerous empty water and soda bottles, my new headphones, various socks, a school book and many toys. This is turning out to be an expensive puppy. No matter he is a joy. He is loving and playful' He has captivated all of us including Camden (excluding the cats of course). He and the cats are interesting.
Cole wants to play with the cats the way he plays with Camden. So he chases them around the house and chats with loud yelps. I keep waiting for Sandy to tear off an ear. Sandy hisses and swats, but I don't think he has made contact yet. Soon, now doubt.

KVS send me an e-mail, Please.

Life is good. I picked up my new sewing machine today. I had time to set it up and read the instruction book and try out a few stitches. By that time it was time to meet the girls for dinner.

Dinner was great, but we spent part of the time talking about how are parents are aging, and how we are getting older. It was our lives, but now I feel rather old. And tired. I think I need to go to bed.

Which makes me realize I may never be fully finished with the catch up with my sleep phase of retirement. The fact that being able to sleep in is a joy is another sign that I am getting old. Neither Boy A or B would voluntarily take a nap or go to bed early for any reason what so ever. Keeping up with them makes me feel old too. Old but lucky.

What's even worse than being old is I am turning into my mother. The crafts that I enjoy are the ones I learned from my mother and her mother (knitting, quilting and sewing) . It is special when I think that those crafts are passed down from who knows how many earlier generations. are the ones I learned from her. It is family, tradition and part of the definition of who I am. But at the same time, not many women want to be like their mother. (No my folks do not know I keep a blog).

Crafting is going well, I felted the three bags and the slippers. I love them all. I used one, the one that I had dyed with kool aid, when I went out to dinner tonight. It was a hit. And if my camera was working I would post a picture. But since it isn't you'll just have to take my word for it that it is very cool.

You all need to see the quilt too. I love it, I love the fact that it is made of various sized rectangles of vivid colors-- hot pink, bright orange, vibrant yellow, wild green. Most of the colors are take from the few prints I am using. I'm using it to symbolize the transition from work to retirement. It is a large rectangle bound with wild green, that made up of rectangles of various sizes each bound with it's own color. Each of those rectangles is mode up of 10 to 15 ish small rectangles. If I can figure out the embroidery part of my new baby, I'll embroidery something around the edge about transition give us the opportunity to use the blocks of our experience to build a new life.

I love the quilt, but it sure is bright.

I love my guys.

I'm falling into a nice rhythm at home. I do everyday cleaning, some extra organizing, time with the pooches and the boys and still fit in time for crafts. I finished my last knit bag, good size and my own version of a fun print, felted it, two smaller bags and a pair of slippers.

I love felting, it hides a multitude of sins.

I'm getting back into quilting. I've been working on Boy Terrapin and big Dog foot fall quilt. I also started a quilt of bright colored, various sized squares and rectangles. It is my transition quilt. I want to embroider on it, with my soon to be Bernina 440 QE, a saying along the lines of -- the sign of a successful transition is that you use the basic building block of the last phase to build a new and more exciting life. I haven't been able to find a quote I like on the Internet, of course I haven't looked all that much. I hope to find a good quote, if not I need to wordsmith the above.

Changing the subject, tonight was a special night. Hubby and I celebrated our 17th anniversary, paid for by Boy A. He wanted to make the event special and he succeeded. We ate a what was, prekids, our favorite restaurant. We had a great time. Thank You B oy A.

quilting squares

My computer is still in the shop and the missing camera piece is still missing. I sure do have a tough life for a retired lady.

I've started working on a new quilt. I don't like making traditional styles, I like making my own pattern and design. Right now I am in to putting together an irregular pattern of various sized rectangles. I want to make a quilt of 6 to 8 large rectangles, each make up of 4 or 5 smaller rectangles and each of those made up of 2 or 3 smaller rectangles. I plan on binding each grouping in a bright color. I know it sounds awful, but I think it will be great. We'll see. If I get the camera fixed everyone can judge for them selves.