Fun day at Foothills yesterday.  Toni and Jen did a presentation on what's available at TOQS, and it was well-received.  The incredible bargains at The Other Bag Day alone (scheduled on the second Saturday of each month) should be enough to rope in anyone who doesn't already shop there.  Toni and Jen also brought along samples of some of their upcoming classes as well as an assortment of goodies for sale. 

We also had an informative presentation 

by the two women who are in charge of this year's AQG Quilt Show. 

They brought along samples of this year's charity quilt.  We can work on blocks at the show, or donate blocks made at home (or even completed tops.)

IF I can squeeze it in before the end of February, I plan to whip up one of this year's charity quilts to drop off at the show.  Such an easy pattern that it should work up quickly!

Show & Tell (everyone's favorite part of meetings) was wonderful, as always.  

Ruth cracked up all of this with her story about 5-year-old James' quilt.  He insisted that wasn't his name because James does not have an H in it.  By tracing over it with her finger she finally convinced his that it was an M, only to have him ask, "But what are you going to do about the 8? 

 Mary participated in S&T for the first time 

(and it would seem that Marcie and I have gotten her hooked!)

This is Mary's first quilt that Marcie and I helped her with last spring.  She made it for her BFF Lynn, who had been diagnosed with late stage cancer.

All the love she put into it apparently helped do the trick, 

because I recently received this e-mail from Mary:

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for all your help last Spring, in assisting me to finish a heart shaped block quilt for my dear friend, Lynn, who was battling cancer. I have very happy news to report about her!  After undergoing massive, heavy duty in-patient chemo & a stem cell transplant at Mayo, her recent PET scan show NO sign of cancer!!  We all are so elated!

Mary was so happy with the way her first quilt turned out 

that she made this second one!

.

Cheryl's adorable dachshund quilt came with a bittersweet story about much-loved Molly, who sadly crossed the Rainbow Bridge a month ago at age 14. 

Mike and Debbie joined yesterday, so now we have a token guy.

Mike really enjoys doing the custom long-arming.

Marcie's quilts were appropriately gushed over - 

It was no surprise to me that she was strongly urged to enter the embroidery one in some of the major  national shows like Houston and Road to California.  (I have been tasked with 'nagging' her to do that.)  Also tasked <g> with blind-stitching the binding down, so that beauty is currently residing at my house. And yes, it is heavy! 

Afterwards we popped over to TOQS to show Marcie's two beauties to Sheri (and the ladies working in the classroom.)  My pressing sticks had come in, and I also picked up some off-white Gutterman hand-quilting thread so I can get to work finishing up Melody's quilt for her.  Maybe at Busy Bees next week?  

Sheri mentioned there was a bolt on the sale shelf that had my name on it - and she was right!  How could I pass up gorgeous bright fabric she's practically giving away?  Also found a batik that's almost the same as the background one in the wedding quilt that I've been searching for.  If I can't find the exact neutral shade it might work for my next quilt (to use up the "extra" H blocks that don't make it into Elena's quilt.)

We topped off our fun day by going out to lunch for SW salads.

Last night Alex joined Tom and me again for dinner, when we learned that he's been assigned more and more administrative jobs at work - and is the reason that for the past couple of days has been hard at it on his computer.  During his breaks he's made it over to the gym (not my idea of a break, of course...) and yesterday took a soak afterwards.  According to him the tub was up to 102 (thought I'd notched it down to 101) but when I got in it last evening it was only registering a 'chilly' 100.  

For all practical purposes irrigation is tonight (1:30 - 3:30 am Friday "morning") so Alex is going to collect a load or two of dirt today.  I'm hoping that after the water does its thing settling the new dirt we won't have too much more tweaking to do.

Another visit to the chiropractor is on my agenda this morning (the pain has been trying to migrate down my leg.) Then this afternoon I hope to finish up the set of B blocks (I know, I know.... I've been saying that for a couple of days) so that I can move on to set C.