Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Diet shot to hell?

Mine is!  I think Charlene has the right idea.

This guy doesn't seem to mind getting weighed...

And this little guy seems happy enough, although if I weighed that little I might not mind either...

I was doing fairly well, maintaining, but lately have gained back several of the pounds I lost.  This might be why...

Granted I've been even less active than usual because of my foot (still hurting) but I never was much of a runner... look what can happen!

Basically it's mostly a matter of will power, just saying NO to chocolate and other sweets.  But lately I've been a little low on will power.  However, when things aren't going as planned, remember what Maxine says...

Quick Trick block

Sandy did a demo on this block at quilting this morning.  It makes a dramatic quilt, yet looks simple enough.  Can't wait to try it.  Here's Sandy with a small quilt that Colleen made.

The Quick Trick block uses only 2 fabrics.  Cut an 8 ½” square of each and sew them, RST, around the border ¼” from the edges, but leaving a 2-inch gap on opposite corners.  

Cut across this sewn-together square diagonally, being sure not to cut into the gap corners.   

Stack the resulting 2 triangles same-side-up, with gap corners aligned.   

Mark/cut 2 ¼” from each of the ‘square’ sides.   

You will end up with 10 pieces; press seams and then lay out the pieces with opposite colors touching, as shown. 

Sew each row (there will be 3 rows) together.   

Join up these 3 rows and your block is complete.  (It can be done with different size blocks, but you will have to adjust your 2 ¼” mark/cut line.)

Can't wait to try one (which is why I have so many projects started, but not finished...) 

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Quilted car

My polka-dotted car was so 60s.... check out this 'quilted' car!  Don't have any details on it, just stumbled across it on a quilting blog.

Funny bone up and running

Quite a number of today's funnies seemed worth sharing, so get ready to smile.  

B.C.

ZITS (I could probably post this strip most days...!)

PICKLES

 One a more serious note, some family/friends on the East Coast have had their power restored, but others have been told it could be another week without electricity!  I feel for everyone impacted by Irene, and hope for swift recovery and resolution for all!  Good Night, Irene!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Another reason to smile

Had my semi-annual visit to the dentist today, and everything looks good.  That's what I want to hear.

Just got back from mailing off Lisa's birthday gift.  Although it would have been nice if I could have given it to her to take back with her yesterday, it was too big, and both of her (large) suitcases were stuffed to the gills already.  Plus it's always fun to get mail, especially a package with birthday goodies in it.
 
But how did my baby girl get to be 21 already?

Gratitude

I kept a gratitude journal for years, but for whatever reason I had stopped doing that until I started up again recently.  Some evenings I have to think a little to find my 'required' 3 entries for that day, while other times I have 'trouble' picking from a plethora of choices.  In any event, it's definitely a worthwhile exercise - everyone should try it.  It's a delightful way to discover that in the Big Picture, there's SO much in Life for which to be grateful... but too often we focus on hole and not the bagel!

 And Marvey McKay's column today, Never Forget to Express Your Thanks, starts off this way:
A university professor began reflecting on the people who had a positive impact on his life. In particular, he remembered a schoolteacher who had gone out of her way to instill in him a love of poetry. He hadn't seen or spoken to her in many years, but he found her address and sent her a letter of thanks. A short time later, he received this reply:
"'My dear Willie, I cannot tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my 80s, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely and, like the last leaf of autumn, lingering behind. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years, and yours is the first note of appreciation I ever received. It came on a blue-cold morning, and it cheered me as nothing has in many years."

The teacher's note brought the professor to tears - and then he began searching for others who'd shaped his life, just to say thanks.

If only more people held onto gratitude the way they hold a grudge!
None of us got to where we are alone. Whether the assistance we received was obvious or subtle, acknowledging someone's help is a big part of understanding the importance of saying thank you.
It's more than just good manners. Saying thank you - and meaning it - is never a bad idea. It appeals to a basic human need to be appreciated. It sets the stage for the next pleasant encounter. And it keeps in perspective the importance of receiving and giving help.


Sunday, August 28, 2011

I love my son

I really do love Alex, although those of you with sons may sympathize with me.  I honestly don't understand him much of the time.

Exhibit A: Baby Blues
The other day I got back from the grocery store and asked Alex to bring in the (heavy) watermelon.  He did, depositing it on the kitchen island.  When I asked him why he didn't put it in the frig to chill, his answer was that I didn't ask him to.

Exhibit B: Zits
At work yesterday at the carwash the owner/manager was late getting back to close up.  When it got near closing time Alex took it upon himself to do what needed to be done.  When the owner did arrive to close up, virtually everything was done, and he was stunned and amazed.  So was I, when I heard about  it.  Getting Alex to help around the house is usually a major battle.

Exhibit C: Dennis the Menace
There's a lot of 'drama' when Alex doesn't get his way.  He never threw tantrums as a kid, but I don't know what else to call them now.

I could post lots more, but you probably get the idea. 

OK - done griping for the time being, and now will go write in my gratitude journal!

The sun is shining

Not only here, but in Baltimore, where Lisa has landed.  Unbelievable!

Nature by Numbers

The video (just under 4 minutes), which starts out with Fibonacci numbers and the golden spiral, is a beautiful visual for math lovers (like me), quilters (like me), nature lovers (like me), and pretty much anyone who appreciates the beauty of order.  Pretty music, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P0tLbl5LrJ8

Lisa finally in flight :-)

We headed to the airport at 6:00 am. this morning since we hadn't gotten any notice of cancellation... although we both checked online this morning before heading out.   (Last night I dreamed that because my watch stopped I was wrong about the time, got the airport late, and she missed her flight.  Do you think getting her back to school has been on my mind?)  

I was a little concerned when there was NO line at the Southwest curbside check-in kiosk.  In fact the guy actually came over to the car to help unload her suitcases - but that could be because we got there an hour before flight time.  (I am, after all, my father's daughter.)  So I was glad to see that her flight did take off on time.  However the plane does make a stop in Denver, which means there's still a chance of delay.  The news on TV is full of Irene in NY, but nothing about how badly Baltimore got hit overnight. 


In the Other News You May Not Care About Department: Last night was a full week since my toe stubbing incident.  The bruising and swelling has subsided considerably, and is not that evident any more.  However, my foot still aches.  I'll give it another week (just how long should a broken toe hurt?) hoping that the pain disappears and I miss the 2-week 'anniversary' completely.

Yesterday Patti came over and we watched A Big Hand for The Little Lady, which she'd never seen before.  
It's a wonderful old movie from 1966, with an impressive cast: Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, Burgess Meredith, Paul Ford, and others - I highly recommend that you put it on your Netflix list.  The acting is superb, the plot is full of twists and turns (Patti was sure she knew what would happen at each juncture but kept getting surprised... I made the same assumptions the first time I watched it) and the denouement at the end is priceless.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

lizard visitor

We discovered this little guy inside one of my cache pots on front porch this afternoon.  He was less than thrilled about being handled, so we only bothered him long enough to snap a few pix. 

Yesterday I saw a bird on the back porch that had a long narrow tail (much like the occasional roadrunner we see) but was definitely not a roadrunner.  Anyone know what it might have been?

Space Invaders


I usually get a chuckle out of PICKLES, but especially today, when it reminded me of a story.  Years ago, while on vacation, I shared one bed with 4-year-old Lisa and Tom shared the other with Alex.  Lisa, quite the wiggleworm, was not especially fun to sleep with.


The following morning, I awoke to find Lisa's foot inside my underwear.




We've ALL been there...

Not necessarily by drinking, but by being tired, distracted, or when just plain rushing to get a project finished.

NOT that anyone I know would ever procrastinate, or back herself into a corner with too many promises...

Weather woes

As the East Coast deals with Hurricane Irene (and we do by proxy, trying to get Lisa from here to there for school), we continue with our excessive heat.
 Yesterday we broke yet more records.  With temps hitting 117, we not only set a new record for the day, but for the entire month of August, which has never seen a temp that high.



Friday, August 26, 2011

Green hair

Today we dyed Lisa's hair green, in preparation for her planned return to college tomorrow.

However, as John Lennon is credited with saying,
Or, in this case, Hurricane Irene.  Lisa's flight tomorrow has been canceled.  They've rescheduled her for a Sunday flight, but I'm guessing we'll eventually find that flight canceled also.  Looks like she's going to miss the first day of classes (at least), as well as all the hurricane parties. Not too surprisingly she's pretty bummed, but there's really nothing we can do about it.

Words Can Hurt

I was teased/bullied in school, and then watched my daughter go through the same pain.  If only people didn't need to tear others down to make themselves feel good!  Maybe more programs like this will help solve the problem. 
There was a wonderful program - Challenge Day - at our local high school, and I volunteered as one of the adult mentors.  The impact the day had on everyone attending was absolutely incredible, and I wish every school was able to implement the program.