When it Rains...

The TV went out today, for the second time in a month. It's not easy taking a 26" TV in to the repair shop, even though the shop is about 3 blocks away. My computer was beeping at me this morning, too. That makes me nervous, so I did a quick backup just in case smoke started pouring out the back of it. DS is going to take it to the computer store he works at, to blow out all the dust inside and give it a good cleaning. It couldn't hurt!

I have 35 blocks sashed now. I plan on laying them out tomorrow to see how many more I really need. I don't really trust my measurements, even though I made them on EQ6. Some of the blocks that didn't come out right were printed from EQ6, and I don't know yet what went wrong. I've tested my 1/4" seam, rechecked the measurements EQ gave me, I don't know. Maybe I made a mistake in cutting--but on 15 blocks???

I've bought fabric and patterns to make two jackets for myself, but I will wait to cut them out until I have this quilt under control. I haven't been doing any garment sewing lately because I'm never satisfied with the results. I am lousy at altering patterns. If I get the hip area big enough, the shoulders are too wide, or the bust darts are way off, etc. The patterns I bought are simple wrap jackets, unlined; I should be able to manage to get a decent fit.

I went to the funeral of my friend's husband today. She's in my Red Hat Society group, and she requested that we all attend in our red hats and purple clothing. That felt really strange--I come from the traditional 'black for funerals' crowd. I compromised with a black skirt, purple shell and lace jacket, and a red hat with a black flower and netting veil. She was so pleased to see us, and a lot of people complimented us on our colorful attire.

Bummer of a birthmark, Hal

A good friend lost her husband this morning. I heard about it in an e-mail from another friend. It hit me really hard, even though I had never met the man. I found myself in tears--DH comforted me and I told him I didn't know why it affected me that way. He said it just hit too close to home. I have felt out of sorts all afternoon. DH took me out to my favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner to take my mind off of it.

Today is my youngest son's 24th birthday, and tomorrow is his second wedding anniversary. He and DDIL are going to San Antonio to see a comedy performance. I hope they have a great time. They need more time to themselves. Then Sunday is my birthday.

I cut the sashing and cornerstones for my quilt and began attaching them to the blocks. As I checked the blocks for square, I discovered that 15 of them are 1/2" too small! Fudge buckets!
I think I can fix 3 or 4 of them by narrowing seam allowances that are too big, but the rest will be set aside for another project. I knew a few would be too small, but not 15 of them! I guess I'll be making more blocks over the next few weeks, but I'll go ahead and sash the 30 blocks that are the right size this weekend.

DH is trying to find a California Lilac for me, hoping that the ones bred by Descanso Gardens in So. Cal. will grow here in So. Tex. I miss the flora and fauna of Arkansas/Oklahoma. He has planted a Sarah Bernhardt Peony in a large pot for me, since the ones I have tried to plant in the ground did not survive. I like the tropical plants down here, such as bougainvillea and hibiscus, but I miss dogwoods and redbuds. Anything that needs a cold winter is not going to make it here without a lot of TLC.

Ups and Downs

This is the tray that my DH gave me for my birthday. It is made of Brazilian butterfly wings under glass, with marquetry around the edges, and handles that curve upward. The symbol in the ccenter is th Eastern Star symbol. The tray is 25" X 15-1/2" and has a hanging wire on the back. It was probably made during the thirties, when butterfly trays were all the rage. The wings give it an iridescent quality that is really beautiful! It hangs over my sewing table.

I've been working along on my quilt blocks, and have the last twelve finished, for a total of 44 blocks. I probably won't use them all--the extras will be made into pillowcases or a table runner. A few blocks came out significantly smaller and will be the ones that don't go into the quilt. I have the white for the sashing and the gold for the cornerstones, as well as a deep green for the first border. I still need to buy some red fabric for the widest border, and the fabric for the backing. One thing at a time--the sashing and cornerstones will keep me busy for awhile.


DH signed up for Social Security this week. He is having to cut his work hours down to 4 days a week due to the cancer he has, GCC or Goblet Cell Carcinoid. He can't keep up the pace he used to, and it really bothers him. He has some fluid accumulation in his abdomen that is worrisome, but is not severe enough to need treatment. He doesn't take any kind of treatment, as GCC does not respond to chemo or radiation therapy. It is a slow-growing cancer, but by the time it is discovered it may have been in situ for years. We are trying to keep an optimistic outlook, but occasionally that slips away, and we have a good cry. Then we buck up and get back to our plans for the future. His blood work is normal, thank goodness, except for a low potassium that is easy to treat.

His business is progressing well. His website, http://www.sotexplants.com, is being put together by our youngest son. DH is already getting orders and shipping out plants. His prices are less than any of the local nurseries, and lower than most online sites.

Happy Valentine's Day!

These are the irises that my husband gave me for Valentine's Day. Aren't they gorgeous? He is starting a home-based business, growing iris and amaryllis varieties for sale to nurseries and florists. He will also be selling them online. He got his business bank account today, and has all his other documentation needed, so he's ready to roll. I'll be helping him with the accounts.

I went to my quilt group meeting last night. All the special programs for the year were described, and we could sign up for as many as we liked. I passed on the BOM, the "Fat Quarters" weight watching program, the quilt retreat, the shop hop, etc. but agreed to help with refreshments for August. I also joined the challenge: make a quilt with pieced blocks, sashing, border, backing and quilting. What's the challenge, you ask? When finished, it must fit within a plastic name tag holder, 4-1/8" x 2-7/8" in all. I'll let you know how that goes.

I've done 4 more red and green blocks, and have 8 cut out and ready to work on. I'll probably have enough then to start sashing them. This quilt, if finished this year, will qualify as a UFO in the group's drawing. Last December they gave away three $50 prizes. I also have other projects started last year and earlier that I'd like to finish for more entries in the drawing.

The weather is supposed to get colder over the next few days, with lows in the mid 30's and highs in the 40's. I think we're all ready to see spring. By the weekend the highs are supposed to be up around 70 again. Yippee!

Visitors and Potlucks

I thought I'd post a photo of nine of the ten blocks I have just finished for my red and green quilt. They went together a little better, and are closer to the 12.5" size they should be. I still want to make a few more, but I'm getting close to having enough to put the top together. I will cut the sashing strips next, but I want to find a pretty gold for the cornerstones.

Two of my husband's high school classmates just visited as they passed through town. Here is South Texas we get a lot of pass-through visitors, "snowbirds," or Winter Texans as we refer to them. The weather is now warming up--it's around 70 degrees today--and they are all thinking of heading home for the warmer months. South Texas' population swells by another 20 percent or so every fall. It's great to be able to see people from up north, even if they are just passing through.

We went to a potluck dinner last night at OES. There is always more food than needed at these events, and it's always good. I took a dish of Sausage and Rice casserole from a recipe that one of my quilt group friends uses for the potlucks there. I didn't realize how much the recipe would make, so I doubled it. I had two HUGE pans full! I'll put some in the freezer today for later use, but it's really yummy, so it won't be there long!

I have been pleasantly surprised that I have kept off the 25 pounds that I have lost since last September, even with holiday eating, potlucks, etc. Now that the weather is warming up, I would like to start on the next 25 pounds, hopefully I can lose that much more this year.