Even though Tom got up early, I had to wait to mow until 7:00 because the grass was still dewy.  

But an hour later the backyard was all mowed (the horses will be happy that I dumped all the bags of clipping in their pasture), the deck was hosed off, and the pool was skimmed - it's looking nice and spiffy out there.  I've had breakfast and now I'm just waiting until it's late enough to make some phone calls, and also for the library to open at 11:00. 

Guess I could go finish up the binding...

Yesterday made two days in a row <g> without a nap... I could be on a roll, here.  But this morning made two days in a row up at 4:00, and I could do without that kind of roll!

Last night I worked on the binding, and I'm in the home stretch..... on the last side!  I probably could have finished it, except that I've learned to just stop when I start to get tired.  It tends to work out better that way in the long run!

Yesterday afternoon I had Shelly trim my hair.  (She gave Patti's previous haircut a thumbs up.)  It had started looking a little shaggy in a few places, but now I'm all spruced up.

The humidity was down yesterday (thank goodness!!!!!!!!!!) so if that continues today I'll be able to mow the backyard once Tom wakes up.  Other stuff on my list for today, but nothing really exciting.

The kid's happy, the dog's happy, the dad's happy - 

so watch, listen, and YOU get happy on this Monday, too!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4571598176749

Got in my time at the gym this morning, so I'm feeling pleased with myself.  Just finished hydrating and having some protein... and the medical office called to say they'd had a cancellation and could take me earlier.  But since I can't eat/drink for 4 hours prior to the procedure that's not going to happen.

Surprisingly, even after waking up at 4:00 I did NOT take a nap yesterday, plus I was wide awake until Slumdog Millionaire finished at 10:30 last night.  But it's a good thing I set my alarm for 6:30 this morning.  I probably would have slept in, since I was in the middle of a dream when it went off.

Important news: I finished making the binding and then attached it to the quilt - and then spent much of the rest of the day under the hot lamp in the family room with the quilt on my lap.  Ah, Phoenix in late July!   Did get to watch some old movies on TCM while I was working: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (did you know that Julie Newmar played one of the 'other' six brides?), and Compulsion (a very young Orsen Welles played the defense attorney), among others.

FYI - Turner Classic Movies is running a 'special' in August.  Each day they will have a marathon where they showcase more than a dozen films featuring one actor/actress.

Check out the link below for a full list, and mark your calendar for your chance to OD on your favorite star!
http://summer.tcm.com/files/SUTSschedule_2013.pdf

With 400 inches to hand stitch on it'll take a while to complete the binding.

Still...

Of course my goal is to finish it up by Tuesday night so I can show it off in its full glory at the Busy Bees business meeting on Wednesday.

But if it's not done, them's the breaks!  There's always all day Thursday to finish it up since it would be

 to get it in the mail on Thursday before I leave on Friday.

Gotta run - off to the gym to work out with Jim!

I had hoped to mow the backyard yesterday (that's all that's left.)  But it was too dewy early in the morning... plus it was already SO muggy out that I knew it wasn't going to happen. At least Pokey is happy with all the grass out there.

Still haven't made the rest of the binding <sigh> but I did whip together another charity baby quilt-top with the fabric I picked up at the Bees on Wednesday.

It still needs a border, but WOULD YOU BELIEVE that with all the turquoise and purple fabrics I have in my stash, not one was even remotely (!) a good match. Looks like another trip to the fabric store.  

I 'got rid' of another half dozen Marty-project tubs yesterday. Carol chose three (some for her, some for Susan and Annie, some for other Bees who would love a remembrance of Marty) and then we took another three projects over to Betty, who was thrilled with them.

The rest of the afternoon Carol and I helped Betty celebrate her birthday with family.

Tracy painted this happy Ninety Years Young block for her mom.

We were the only non-family members there - 

although Carol has been an unofficial sister to Betty for many, many years.

And since Carol 'adopted' me, that makes Betty my aunt, right?

Here's the Birthday Girl (my "Aunt" Betty!)

I was pretty tired when I got home, and (no surprise) took a late afternoon nap. This 'new' bout of exhaustion/lethargy is getting really old, and it's surprising since I had been feeling so good.

Plans for today include a possible massage; it's another 'twofer' weekend and Carol wants to take advantage of that, but may have a conflict with something at church; she'll call me from there, so I won't know until later.

Woke up at 4:00 this morning so I won't be surprised if I fade later in the day.

Smiles for today:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BETTY!  

While it's not generally considered good manners to tell a woman's age, when you get to a certain point it's something to be proud of.  

I sang her Happy Birthday on the phone this morning - and she didn't even hang up on me.  

(At least I sing better than Dad did; when he sang HB it wasn't even recognizable, so who knows where Andy got his beautiful voice?!)

Mom mentioned that yesterday was Lucille's 90th birthday.  

Happy Birthday, Lucille!

And for another smile: check out yesterday's calendar entry 

Yesterday morning I got an early start and mowed the front yard.  The sky was threatening, and rain was possible - but it never happened.  Even though Tom didn't think it needed mowing yet  (don't think he'd looked on the far west side of the yard, which gets all that sun!) I 'managed' to fill up the entire second trash can with grass clippings.  (Filled up the first one a few days ago, working on the Back 40 hedge trimming the dead branches.  Now that the trailer is gone we have a 'great' view of the hedge, and I look forward to whenever I finish all 60 'shrubs'.)

I managed to get in a quick shower before Mary arrived; she'd been working a shift at the animal rescue place near by.  (She was dropping off some fabric for my next project, which will feature a scrappy look, so I need lots of different WOF strips.)  Of course she raved about Zach & Bekkah's quilt.  And I was able to send her home with a few goodies from Marty's boxes.  

Laura had texted earlier to see if I wanted to meet her and Viola and Sue at 35th Ave. (for the BIG 'Christmas in July' sale) but I declined.  Partly because I really don't 'need' anything <g> but mostly because I did NOT want to wait in line at the cutting table, and then again at the cash register.  But I invited them to swing by here on their way home and show me their goodies, which they did.  Viola, as Charity Chair, had the $200 grant to spend.  Since they got there before 9:00, they got an extra 10% off the already slashed prices, so she really got a lot of fabric out of those funds.  And what a good shopper; her total at the cash register (including tax) came to $200.12 - and I offered to chip in the 12 cents.  They also raved about the wedding quilt.  I am really excited to think that I will be able to get it in the mail soon.

After they left I mowed the Back 40, around the guest house. and on 37 Ave.  By then the sun had come out and it wasn't nearly as cool out, but of course it's also a lot less work sitting on the riding mower.  It was certainly a lot more pleasant mowing the weeds in the 'parking area' between the shop and cottage after all the rain we've had; it had tamped down the dirt and I was not encased in the usual wall of swirling dust!

I did not take a nap yesterday, although I did veg out on the couch and catch up on Law & Order reruns.  (And even caught a couple of 'new' episodes!)

Today I thought I'd mow the backyard - but it poured sometime during the night (I heard it) and everything is still quite wet so that's off the agenda for today.  The other thing scheduled is a trip to MIM.  Tom's never been, and he's going to love it.  It's definitely a world class museum - don't know anyone who's been there to visit who hasn't raved.  I spent 3 hours there on my first visit (mostly on the first floor), and have been looking forward to a second trip to properly do the second floor.

Enjoy your Friday!

 

And to prove it, I did take a nap when I got home from quilting yesterday. 

(I left early because I wasn't getting much done, plus I felt a nap coming on.)  

After I see the oncologist in early August (and get the results of Monday's upcoming scan) I am going to see my primary doctor.  Maybe he'll have some idea why I'm SO TIRED!

So obviously I haven't yet tackled the binding for the quilt.  Instead, I've been watching TV, reading, and playing Clash of Clans on my iPad.  (thanks, Alex!)

While I wouldn't use the word addicted, I am definitely hooked.

(Marilyn: Alex says you should play... and join our clan!)

I miscalculated badly yesterday when I made my bias binding for the quilt, so when I went to sew it on there was only enough for 3 sides.  While not the worst mistake in the world by any means, it was still pretty annoying.  On the plus side, at least it didn't give me a headache...

I had expected that I would be on the final step last night, hand sewing it to the back.  Instead, the quilt is sitting in a pathetic heap until I can grit my teeth and muster the energy to start the binding process all over again.  

I will have it done by July 31 so I can take it to Show&Tell at Busy Bees.

This morning is Charity Day at BB, which is always fun.  

I know that what we really need are ladies to quilt the tops that have been piling up, but my skills in that area are considerably lacking - and it would be a crime to ruin a beautiful top with crappy quilting.  So I'll stick to pinning, ironing, and whatever else needs to be done.  

If all else fails, I'll just kibbitz with the ladies while they work!

Exercise gives you energy; it releases endorphins, and can actually give you a high. (note: I'm still waiting for that!)   

After my gym session yesterday I came home and relaxed the afternoon away, finally succumbing to a late afternoon nap... which lasted until 8:00!  Had enough (barely enough) energy to get up and cook 'dinner' (eggs), and then it was pretty much back to bed, where I slept through the night.

Our trip to Yosemite has been cancelled, so I'm going to be able to go to the Long Beach Quilt Show the first weekend in August after all.  

Which is a very good thing; after this year it's going to be held in Portland, Oregon... which is not nearly as convenient!!!  Instead of driving to CA (nowhere near enough energy for that these days) I'll be flying.  Marcela was thrilled that I'm coming, and is busy planning lots of other fun stuff to do while I'm there.

It took repeated phone calls back and forth between Aetna Specialty Pharmacy and UPS yesterday (does the right hand know what the left hand is doing???) to find out when my meds will be delivered today. 

But I finally found out that it's scheduled to arrive by 10:30 this morning (rather than 'sometime' between 9 am and 7 pm.)  Possibly because it's perishable and they want to stop being responsible for it asap?  

I'm getting quite a collection of the ice chests and ice packs, although did send last month's styrofoam container and some of the ice packs back to Tucson with Lisa, filled with some frozen fish from Tom's recent stay in Idaho.

Tom is back from the post office and is on UPS duty, so I'm off to Target for my monthly shop there.  It's cooler in the mornings, plus I need to be back home before the exterminator arrives around noon-ish.  My afternoon plan is to work on the bias binding for the big quilt - unless I'm too tired again.

And that's my exciting Tuesday.