Catchin' Up (Again)

I don't know why I get in non-wordy moods, but I do.  I'll tell myself it's way past blog time, and I'll answer, with, "And so?"  (I'm wordy like that.)  Anyway, I've forced myself to start a new post, so we'll see what develops.  

In the new truck category, I'm pleased to report that we're getting all the gizmos figured out.  Dan is loving his new ride, and I'm so glad because every now and then I feel like I hounded him into buying it.  

Meanwhile, to our complete amazement, we've entered the twenty-first century TV viewing-wise and actually have a DVR now.  We got it last Thursday and it took until Sunday night for me to have enough time to try to figure it out.  Fortunately, Ann and Eric have one and I've used it when Daniel says, "Want to watch George?" (That would be Curious George.  And yes, Grammy would.)  I was quite dismayed to discover, however, that we had been supplied with a DVR that had belonged to someone else until quite recently, because it was almost full.   Of questionable content.  Ugh.  So I spent my first hour of use figuring out how to remove the programs.  (And for those of you wondering, yes I did let the provider know of my unhappiness and they offered to do several things to make it up to us.)    I am happy to say that I have successfully recorded several shows so I'm on my way to becoming proficient with this new machine.

I told Dan I don't know what's gotten in to us, but in addition to the new truck and the DVR, we also bought a new camera.  So far, I've been able to take photos and get them on the computer, so that's encouraging.  

And last, we now have caller ID!!  Now when "Rachel, from Card Services" calls, I can just ignore her!  What a gift!  

And so, that's today's update here at the (new and improved) resort!  ♥

A Little Sewing

Hmm, I should be down on the NordicTrack, but I'll make this fast.  I teach embroidery club at the shop this week and amazingly enough, I came up with a project (a potholder) two months ago and made up a sample.  But I didn't write the instructions.  Bad! I needed to get those instructions written up, but I couldn't remember exactly how I made it.  So, on Saturday, faced with a diminishing time frame, I headed down to my sewing room and commenced to recreating my project.  

Actually, it was a good thing because I was able to try a couple of different thoughts, so now I have two samples to share and participants can see the difference and take their pick of methods.  Here's a picture of my two.  

The one with blue batik binding is my first sample.  (An interesting geometric truism is at play here:  I assure you that both potholders are exactly the same size, but the one with brown binding looks long in the middle as your eye travels up the center, and the dark binding around the outside edge seems to make it contract and look smaller around.  Thinking of you, Mrs. Towles!!)

I've had a circular sewing attachment for my Berninas for years and I was pleased to be able to use it on this project.  Worked like a champ!  

And now, I'm off to huff and puff!!  ♥

Something Blue. . .

. . . came to our house on Saturday!  A big new blue truck!  

Amazingly, it's not a Ford!  After many, many years of being Ford people, we bought a Toyota Tundra, but it was made in Tennessee.  Dan's not crazy about the looks of the current Fords, and this truck had everything he was looking for, and a little more.  We'll have room for grandsons in the back of this one, a major reason for trading his much-loved green F-150.  We'll also get rid of his trusty old Explorer which he's used for his consulting vehicle, and we'll be down to just two rigs.  

This new truck has all sorts of fancy gizmos and we have yet to sit down in it with the manual and figure everything out, but we will soon.  This afternoon we're off to grandson Keaton's 5th Grade Graduation and this weekend Bruder Bear and I are hosting a party for our dad's 90th birthday and Mom and Dad's sixty-fifth anniversary!  

Patriotic Summer

It's June and the house is decorated for summer.  My loyal readers will remember that I do a patriotic theme for the summer months so let the pictures begin:

It's a beautiful early summer morning here.  The mowing service is at work in our neighbor's yard, Dan is outside working, and the sky is blue and the windows are open. Welcome summer!  ♥

A Tale of Dust and a (Minor) Renovation

Don't you just love titles?  So what could this one possible mean?  Could it be that I am actually dusting? Well, yes.  In a way.  Actually, it's a by-product of a frustration with our family room.  Somehow over the last few years it has become a repository of stuff.  Yes, that's the word--stuff!  And it's not been pretty.  Yesterday when I climbed off the NordicTrack, I took a real look around and I definitely didn't like what I saw.  I finally made myself really look and that's when I decided IT WAS TIME.  I definitely needed to ponder the situation and so my plan of action did not kick in until this afternoon. (I had a haircut appointment and a shop staff meeting this morning.)  

So, armed with several dust clothes and my trusty can of Pledge, I descended the stairs to the basement at two o'clock and began.  First to the TV area.  Piles of DVD's and VCR tapes (yes, we are so backwards as to not have a DVR as yet) awaited me.  There has been some activity in that area of late as we finally got a wall mount installed for our TV thanks to Eric, Cameron and Keaton, who put it up over Christmas.  There had been shelves on the wall before with a space for the old style "fat behind" type of TV, but as we all know, they've "gone the way" for the most part and the space definitely wouldn't work for our larger flat screen model.  Dan had worked hard repairing the wall after removing the shelves and then we sort of dropped the ball, except for purchasing said TV mount. Which sat on the floor in its box.  Along with the TV (actually it sat on a stool--for two years).  Anyway, I digress. 

Back to dust.  Yes, there was dust on the counter below the TV along with those DVD's and tapes.  My plan is to somehow use the counter for scrapbooking.  I lost my perfect scrapbooking area when Dan "retired" and began his consulting business.  Across the family room from the TV area was another much longer counter with drawers below and shelves above.  It worked perfectly for spreading out my pictures, albums and all the paper and trims I used.  Plus, the computer was right there, too, to be used for the journaling to accompany the photos. But, it became Dan's office and it has worked well for him. Except it is one more thing to detract from the room's "family room" purpose.  And so, things just started piling up.  And up.  

BUT!  I have taken action!  The dusting led (as I knew it would) to sorting of piles elsewhere.  Where, oh where, could I store my scrapbooking things and still have ready access to them?  Aha!  The wooden chest we use for a coffee table.  What could possibly be in it?  Well, I'll tell you.  Calendars.  Forty years of them. Records of baby teeth, first words, dentist appointments, school conferences, birthdays and special events.  Time out for a trip down memory lane.  They had to be saved.  A new home will be found for them, and quite a bit of my scrapbooking supplies fit into the chest.  

And so, I moved around the room, moving, sorting, and piling.  I'll soon be back down there, doing more.  I needed a break and here I am.  I am started, however, and I will not be stopped until I have succeeded in reclaiming this lovely room to be more than an office and a TV.  Stay tuned.  ♥

Monday, Monday

I haven't meant to be gone so long, but once again, it seems it has happened.  I worked at the shop four days last week, and then of course, there was housework and cooking to be done.  I have good excuses!!

And now it's Monday morning, almost two weeks since my last post.  It's a gorgeous sunny morning and I've exercised, made breakfast, scrubbed the kitchen sink, washed my hair, made the bed, and contemplated the rest of my chores for the day. Laundry.  Deciding on dinner.  And hopefully, some sewing.  

As I prepared to make my usual cup of French Vanilla Coffee this morning, I reached into the cupboard to choose a mug for the day.  As I pondered my options, I chose this one:

I bought it years ago from one of those PBS catalogs which are so full of fun and unusual items.  I need this mug often because it's so easy for me to think I must be Wonder Woman and accomplish all my tasks early and quickly and then set about the save the world.  Isn't that true for most of us?  In an attempt to remind myself of reality, I chose it again today.  One thing at a time, and then think wisely about the next.  That's my motto for today.  ♥

One day last week I took the vacuum out and set it in the living room as a reminder that I really needed to put it to work.  I regret to say that it's still sitting there.  Add that to my list of contemplated chores for the day (I'm promising nothing).   

I did finish my wall hanging and I will soon be putting it up in the living room.  I am ridiculously pleased with it!  I love the fabric and found quite a bit of it is still available online so I may get some to make a coordinating quilt for the rocker.  Perhaps the matching bigger size?  

Time to sort the laundry and throw a load in.  So thankful I can walk away while the washer churns and tackle another item on my list!  

Happy Monday!

Hooray for the Red, Cream and Blue!

The top is pieced!!  Boy, there's as much work in this wall hanging as there is in a big quilt--the pieces are just smaller.  But I love it!!  

I'm seeing stars and stripes!  I've never done a "piano key" border before, but it fit perfectly, which is amazing given all those seams.  I'm going to try to quilt this tomorrow as I have an extra "day off" (the class Ann usually attends on Wednesdays is cancelled tomorrow) and I won't have to cook dinner as Dan will be at a men's dinner at church.  Stay tuned!