How Is Your Memory?

Do you take a specialty ruler out to use only to realize you don't remember how to use it?

Since I know I have a mind like a sieve sometimes (often) I know that keeping the instructions with the ruler or in a safe place is important.

Here is what i do.

All of the original instructions go into a clear bag I keep on the shelf. Everything in one place - no guess work! I also make a copy of some of them to keep with the rulers I might take out of the house - that way I'll never loose my original instructions.

I also use this approach with kitchen/household appliances and gadgets. Everything into a bag - I find those zippered linens bags a great size. I know right where to look for the book for the stove when I want to clean the oven.

And I discovered yesterday that I have the booklet for the breadmaker I left in MA with my daughter. I'll have to remember to give that to her...

Maybe I should write myself a note...

The pictures are of my Deb Tucker Flying Geese ruler with it's copy of the instructions - the other picture is of some of the stuff from my 'originals' bag.

So how do you keep things organized?

There Is An App For That

It occurred to me that I could probably write and send a post to the blog using my iPod - and sure enough... there's an app for that!

So here I sit with my feet propped up and not a computer in sight.

And to check out the picture feature - here's a big sloppy grin...

When Quilters Gather…

I went up to the East Coast Quilters Alliance Show “A Quilters Gathering” in Nashua, NH.  It’s an annual show that I’ve been going to since 2002 – I haven’t attended every year nor have I stayed over every time but living 6 hours away certainly makes that a reasonable decision.  We had a great time – it’s always fun to get together with this group of ladies.  We enjoy the show, the vendors, and sitting and sewing the long weekend in our room.  And It’s great to see some other quilty friends who attend the show individually or with a guild group on a day trip.  Much fabric was fondled and purchased and even a new machine this year (not by me!).

This year I finally attended a lecture and a class.  The lecture was by Louisa L. Smith called “I’m stripping to show my curves”… very interesting way she has of working with fabric and something I may need to investigate further.  I also took an evening class with a couple of my fellow roommates – a Sue Nickels class on drawing feathers.  No machines involved – just paper and pencil.  I’ve never even attempted feathers… but I think I may just give it a go now that I have had some expert guidance.  There will be lots of paper work before I take needle to fabric though… I need to find that doodle thing I bought a while back and use that as I sit and watch TV.

Many years ago I began to use the curtains in our hotel room as a design wall… it’s a tradition of sorts now and I was chided Thursday evening because I hadn’t pinned anything up yet!  The picture isn’t great but here is a sample of what we were up to that weekend.  Last years projects can been seen back here.

After the show I headed to my daughters house in West Springfield, MA – she had power again as of Thursday evening.  Goodness gracious… Mother Nature had put on her big boots and stomped around the Pioneer Valley big time during that freaky October storm the Saturday before.  Much of the North East had damage but the Pioneer Valley was especially hard hit.  I found driving around depressing… you didn’t need to travel much to know that the tree damage is extensive and the cleanup will take a long time.  Some streets you felt like you were driving down hedge rows with the debris piled along the tree belt in front of all the houses.  Driving down some of those tree lined streets is a dangerous proposition as there are still some broken limbs hanging up high… waiting for the first good wind storm to dislodge them.

It did feel good to get back to the pool and back to my weekly therapy.  The gym had asked if they could take my picture and use some comments I made concerning the benefits of the pool program in their program guide.  So here is my minute and a half of fame… LOL

Each and every day I’m pleased with the progress I’m making… I’ll be truly happy if I can get to the point where I can walk fast again!

Sending WARM Thoughts…

Wish I could do more than send Warm Thoughts to my family and friends up in Massachusetts and Connecticut who are without power following this crazy October storm!

I cannot imagine how frustrated you must feel – especially since all you can do is wait until the various electrical and tree removal crews can get in to do their jobs.  I hope they will all be able to work quickly and SAFELY to get everyone back up and running.  I can’t imagine the headache this is for the emergency services folks… it’s tough work when the majority of people are effected through out the area.  You can’t get food or gas because they don’t have power either.

Both my kids are also without power since Saturday – however my daughter at least has a wood stove keeping them warm.  She’s working to keep the freezer cold by running a small generator every so often – but I think my son is going to loose everything again… he was out of power for several days following the tornado in his neighborhood this past June.

We got a fair amount of wet snow here in PA and those areas with lots of trees and power lines in the same place are suffering with the same lack of power.  We did OK right here at the Stone House – lights flickered but stayed on.  We have a conduit running from the garage to the house to ‘one day’ put in a generator… that ‘one day’ may need to come sooner than later.

Here are some pictures from Sunday after the sun had been working at melting the snow for a while.

Out my side porch to the driveway… right there at that first step is where I fell last February – needless to say I did NOT go out there.

This is looking off my side porch towards the front – the butterfly bushes are drooping over… usually taller than me which I know isn’t saying much – but they were easily 6 ft tall this year.

Again from the side porch looking into the back yard towards the garage.  We (meaning The Engineer) did go around and knock the snow off the bushes before they got messed up. 

 

I will be in Nashua NH later this week for A Quilters Gathering Quilt Show.  I had planned to drive up on Tuesday and stay with my daughter and go to Southampton Quilts on Wednesday before heading up to NH.  But now I’m not sure they will be open?  So I may just head up first thing on Wednesday and head right to Nashua… I don’t know just yet?

Some power crews must be working somewhere around here as my power keeps flickering on and off… so I better try and post this.

Stay as warm as you can…

That Was Fun!

And hectic, and exhausting… but most of all FUN!

I returned home earlier this past week from Massachusetts where I had the opportunity to work the 10th Anniversary of the Massachusetts Quilt Shop Hop at Southampton Quilts!

I realized as I made my way north that this was my first road trip since I busted up my knee in February.  It was so good to be ‘on the road’ again – I love to travel and especially love to get in the car and drive.  (Yes I went to Hawaii this summer to hug on a new grandbaby… but I didn’t have to drive to get there so it doesn’t count as a ‘road trip’.)

I am quite happy to report that my knee handled the weekend very well!  Yes it was a little tired but overall I was very pleased that all my hard work to get my knee and legs stronger paid off… well that and those medical compression stockings I recently bought.  I never thought I’d say I loved anything that resembled panty hose on steroids – but I love these things!  I had practically no swelling in my knee after being at the shop for some really long days! 

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed seeing so many quilty friends up there!  It did my heart and soul good to see each and everyone of them – I truly feel blessed to know them.

I so miss everyone from the shop – the owners Nancy and Maureen, and the other teachers Beth, Pam, and Dale.  Each of these ladies are so creative and bring their unique style to the quilting craft – but even more important is that they are all just wonderful folks!  And I don’t want to miss mentioning Gail (a long time shop customer, quilty friend and new shop hop recruit).  She survived working on Friday (always the busiest day) and showed up again on Saturday for more!  LOL

It was also great to spend some time with my kids… I haven’t seen them since they came down here in the Spring – so I was overdue for some hugs!

OK – so what else is going on…

I found a lovely large paisley to make another 4 Patch Stacked Posie…. mmmm pretty!

I’m going to be making (with my neighbor and sister) Sauerkraut on Monday.  I’ll see if I can remember to take some pictures of the process.  In 6 – 8 weeks it will be ready to can.

Oh – I don’t know about you but I have to work a bit to try new things.  In my mind pumpkin belongs in pie.  Coconut milk isn’t anything I would have considered as an ingredient.  But my daughter last spring made a delicious soup – with pumpkin, chicken, coconut milk and curry as the main ingredients.  I’ve had this soup on my mind recently – been craving it actually.  I’ve looked at several recipes and they all use a variety of things so I figured I could just wing it.  So I threw a couple chicken breasts, a quart of chicken broth, chopped onion, and some pumpkin puree in the crock pot yesterday morning.  When I got home later I added the coconut milk and went to add the spices.  I had NO curry powder… none, zip, nadda!  How can I have pumpkin curry soup without curry?  LOL  So I added a little of this, that, and the other in there and came out with an acceptable tasting concoction for dinner.  Curry is on my grocery list.

And because I’m all about sharing the things I learn along the way…

…the problem with using a low sodium chicken broth is that it does not have enough salt in it!! 

An Update in Pictures…

We  went to the farmers market a couple Saturdays ago… and I made cabbage & sausage (no pics), tomato pies and a couple zucchini casseroles (no pics).

 

Here is a family update… Miss K is playing volleyball, 

Kai is excited about Halloween (to infinity and beyond),

and Keanu has been sharing his smile more and more.  I sure miss that sweet face – actually I miss all those sweet faces!

My husband picked grapes off our vines… two 5 gallon buckets of grapes!  And there were many, many more left on the vines.  We have gotten no grapes the past 3 years - didn’t the vines know I wasn’t canning this year?  Good thing my husband helped pick through them… I washed and cooked them down and then strained the juice.  Two days later I canned 3 1/4 gallons of grape juice.  It’s concentrated so we add some water when we drink it and down the road if I feel like making jelly I can use some of the juice for that.

I made some granola this past week… all natural, organic, gluten free, yadda, yadda, yadda, healthy for you and oh so yummy!  That filled a 2 quart jar and two pint jars.

I made some churn dash blocks out of some fat quarters that were sent to me when I was in prison recovering from my busted knee – Thanks Nancy!

A long while back Lori from Dakota City Quilter showed some blocks from a pattern called Swoon Blocks that uses 2 fat quarters and some background fabric for each block – they finish at 24 inches!  I have cut out for 6 blocks (rather than the 9 from the pattern) and this one is ready for final assembly.

And last but not least… My favorite oldest girl went to the Navy Ball with her favorite handsome Navy fella… ain’t she pretty! 

Well that about brings me up to date… except to say… I’ll be on the road later this week for my Annual Fall Pilgrimage to MA.  I am headed up to work the Shop Hop at Southampton Quilts for the weekend and visit with my other two favorite kids…

Oh and my knee… I’m very happy with my progress since I’ve been back – still working it daily at the gym and doing the extra ART therapy… but it’s all been worth the effort!  It isn’t perfect but it’s getting closer!

Searching High–Searching Low…

Searching for my Quilting Mojo…

I guess I have the quilters equivalent to writers block…

Hopefully it’s just a matter of my having had little to no exposure to fabric over the past 7 months.

Yes – I am now 7 months post surgery!  Last week I went to see a different Orthopedic Dr. to get a fresh opinion of where I am and where I can expect to go with my knee.  He said that he thought I was doing well.  He said that these injuries take a good year of healing before you know just what limitations you will have long term or before you would consider any surgery to remedy anything.  I have been seeing a Chiropractor who uses the ART (Active Release Technique) Therapy (Ortho Dr. thought this was great!).  This type of therapy has been a great help in getting my knee working again.  It’s not just the knee joint and the tendons there that need work… it’s also the muscles (especially the quad) in my thigh that need attention to get back to working correctly.  I’m not an athlete but I want to be able to stand without my leg hurting and walk (faster and further) and hopefully without a limp.  I’m very optimistic that I can get there.

The quilting… well as I said I’m in a big slump.  I did go into the quilt shop Thursday to pick out fabric for the November Calendar Quilts and I also worked the Finish It Friday class and I went back on Saturday to pick out for the December quilt.  I was tired but it felt good.

The quilt shop here is closed this next week for the Town Fair… the streets around the shop are blocked off so it’s a vacation week for the owner.  After that I’ll go back to working twice a week (4 hour days) and see how that is on my knee.  There is a local Shop Hop that runs for the first 2 weeks of October and the Shop Hop up in MA is the weekend of the 15th.  I am really happy to say I will again be coming up to MA to work at Southampton Quilts that weekend! 

I am hoping that this increased exposure to fabric and all the lovely quilty folks will reawaken my desire to make quilts!

I’ll never forget That Blue…

That morning was the most perfect late summer, early fall morning in New England.

It was crisp out… not yet cold – just a hint of the winter to come.  The air was dry and the sky was crystal clear – not even a whisper of a cloud. The sun was gloriously bright - adding just the right amount of warmth.

And That Blue… it was rich and deep – the most beautiful color a sky can be.

Later as I pondered the events of that day I remember thinking “how could something so horrible come out of that glorious sky?”

Eventually…

Eventually I’ll get my body clock adjusted to this eastern time zone!

I arrived home Wednesday afternoon after a long flight with not nearly enough sleep.  I blame my long re-adjustment on the fact that I was gone 5 1/2 weeks… I don’t believe my age has anything to do with it… stop it – I heard that snickering.

I had a wonderful visit with my daughter and grandkids… such a pleasure to watch as everyone settles into the new routine of having a baby in the house again.  My daughter asked the last week I was there if there was something I wanted to do… maybe go to the beach? see some of the Hawaiian sights?  I told her that I had done everything I wanted to do – be right there with her and the kids and hold the baby.  I got a sun tan on my feet from walking down to the park with her and the kids and we had gotten out to eat some good seafood (really good seafood) at a couple different places while I was there.  So I was happy… well as happy as I could be about having to leave.

And oh my – that little one… well take a look – he’s not so little.  Here he is helping me pack on the day I left.

Actually I was trying to see if he would fit in my carry on bag… but he was too big.

Here is a video of Kai explaining how he fell down the stairs and bumped his head and had to go to the hospital.  He had a minor concussion so we just had to keep him quiet (HA HA HA – keep a 2 1/2 year old boy quiet) for a few days.  Honestly I was ready to go buy duct tape…

Describing his fall down the stairs

Fortunately he was only about 3/4’s of the way up to the first landing – goofing off and jumping like a frog.  I was already on the landing when I heard him jump up and looked back to see him tumbling backwards down the carpeted stairs.  His mom was in the living room and heard him and when she looked up all she saw was his landing at the bottom… banging his noggin.  He seemed to be fine but we were worried about his neck – so he and his mom spent 5 hours in the ER… on her birthday… Happy Birthday Mommy!

Tuesday I have to be back on Eastern Time… I need to get back to the gym and I have all kinds of appointments this week.

No, No, No…

I’ve always loved 2 year olds… they are just sooo funny!

I was teaching Kai to sing ‘Where is Thumbkin?’  Then the other day as we were walking into a store he was asking me to sing the Pumpkin song with him… ?  After a bit of back and forth and watching his hands we figured out that he was asking for ‘Where is Thumbkin?’.  I emphasized that it was Thumbkin… see my thumb… Thumbkin… and then we sang as we walked.

Later in the car he again asked for the Pumpkin song…

Mom: Kai… it’s Thumbkin

Kai: No, No, No… this is a guy… this is Pumpkin

Mom:  Kai – look – this is your thumb (wiggles' thumb in the air) – this is Thumbkin

Kai: No, No, No… this is a guy (also holds one thumb up in the air)… this is Pumpkin (holds other thumb up).

Mom (chuckling):  Kai – see my thumb?  This is THUMBKIN!

Kai: No, No, No… THIS is a guy (again holds one thumb up in the air)… THIS is PUMPKIN (holding up other thumb)!

Mom & Granny (both laughing and holding thumbs in the air)  KAI… this is a thumb… (wiggles thumbs for emphasis) THIS is THUMBKIN!

Kai: NO, NO, NO! (now annoyed that both Granny and Mom are so STUPID)… THIS is a GUY (also wiggles thumb up in the air)… THIS IS PUMPKIN (holding up other thumb)!!

…of course by this point both his Mom and I are laughing like the idiots the boy thinks we are.

So it’s official… this is a guy (holds one thumb up) and this is Pumpkin (holds other thumb up)!