Another early morning (not quite 5:00) but I am pretty much sleeping through the night.  While I am still blowing my nose and coughing, it's definitely not nearly as bad as it was!  And it's quite apparent that I am definitely feeling much better, proved by the fact that now I am getting stuff done.

For example, yesterday I got the sleeve attached, 

so now my kitchen quilt is all ready to hang!

Then last evening I made up a star block for the upcoming retreat's Lotto.  

Happy to report that it measures the required 9 1/2 (unfinished) inches.  While I am only entering one (of course the more blocks you enter, the more chances you get to win, so some of the attendees will come with a stack) that's all it took a few years ago to win one batch of spool blocks.  The tan background fabric everyone is required to use to tie all the blocks together is <IMHO> definitely a yucky color, but since everyone's star block is required to use brights for their star that should help.

I started off my morning with the WP Sunday crossword puzzle, doing quite well (hardly any wrong letters once I got stumped and turned on that setting) and then finishing in excellent time.

Then I redid one of my mitered corners of my scrap quilt (at Cindy's "suggestion"... lol) and can now get started on the next row of blocks, meant to "rectangularize" the currently square quilt.  Next I went through my fabrics and pulled out some for the rest of the needed blocks, hoping to get many of them shadowed today.

Once they are all ready, I will need to borrow Marcie's design wall once again for actual placement decisions.  It's been over a year without one of my own, but maybe once I get back from Maryland (still don't know when I'm going, or how long I'm staying) I can remedy that situation and (finally!) cross that off my To-Do List.

When it got late enough this morning I gave Mom a call - and she sounds great.  Of course as usual <g> she couldn't really talk for more than a couple of minutes because she was meeting Mildred for brunch and needed to finish getting ready. 

 But since she mentioned that she expects to be home all afternoon 

I might give her another jingle.  

She had already checked her e-mail, and after just 3 weeks has 1200 to wade through.  Naturally the bulk of them will be junk and advertisements, but it'll still take a considerable amount of time for her to deal with.  

And she mentioned she still needs to pick up her snail mail, 

but that hopefully won't be quite as bad. 

Friday I had called AFW to check on the recliner refund, which had yet to arrive.  They said they had credited it Alex's VISA account after they picked up the recliner two weeks ago, even though I had told them that a new card had been issued in the past year after some hack, and was exactly the reason why they had told me they would issue a check instead (though that would take longer.)  I was somewhat annoyed because I figured it would take an Act of Congress to get the issue straightened out (and we all see how effective - NOT - they are!)  But when Alex checked his 'new' VISA card account, there it was.  Apparently if a new card is issued from the same bank, refunds are no problem. 

Speaking of Alex - he took his new rifle duck hunting yesterday, and snagged two of them.  

Saw him later (via Instagram ) dressing them, and wondering if we're in for a duck dinner in the next day or so before he heads to CA (on Tuesday?) 

Too bad he'll miss Marilyn and 7-month-old Stubby, who are arriving (probably) Wednesday for the big dog show at the AZ State Fairgrounds.  Stubby is entered in a variety of events over a number of days, though 'rumors have it' <g> that he is not expected to do terribly well.  At least it'll be that much more experience for him.

 And Marilyn can load up her vehicle with tonnage of grapefruit to take home!