Show-and-Tell is my favorite part of the monthly quilt meetings 

(and I know I'm not the only one) and today was no exception.

Because I write the blurb for the monthly AQG Chatter, I also take pix to accompany each submission.  You would  think I'd know by now to recharge my camera batteries the evening before, because this is not the first time my camera has died on me.  (Wish it would give some warning before just shutting down!)  So Carla passed me her camera; I took one picture, and her battery died.  Carolyn then lent me hers (which is similar to mine - in fact she got the same brand because she really liked the pix mine took) but it worked somewhat differently, so I wasn't really comfortable with it.  NEXT month I'll be better prepared!

This afternoon I had my well woman checkup - probably not anyone's favorite way to spend the afternoon - but at least I liked the new doctor, and I got a clean bill of health pending the results of the Pap.  Afterward (so the afternoon wouldn't be a total loss...) I rewarded myself by stopping in at a new quilt store just a few blocks away.  While her inventory is still small (she only opened 10 days ago) I liked everything in there, so I'm sure I'll be back.  

And yes, I did make several purchases.  Surprised?

The Gingerbread Boys will be going to show-and-tell at Quilting this morning sans eyes and buttons, but they said they don't mind. 

Check out this possibility for a 'somewhere down the line' quilt:

Love straight lines that don't behave!

I got my first holiday package mailed off yesterday, which was a wonderful feeling.  Only one more batch of presents that will need to be mailed.  Would be great if that happened sooner rather than later, but that will only happen if I get busy and figure out what to get them... so guess I'd better move that to the top of the list.

It was not anywhere near as warm as predicted yesterday (when our temps plummet below 70 I haul out the sweatshirts.)  And the next few days they're talking about highs only in the 50s (since that's where our lows usually are, they made sure they were very clear that these absurd temps were going to be the highs just so there wouldn't be any confusion out in TV Land.)  On the plus side, at least we know it's only for a few days.  I do NOT miss the winters of my childhood!!!!!!!!!!

It certainly didn't help that my bedroom had 2 outside walls, was situated over the (unheated) garage, and (just to add insult to injury) was last on the heating line.  Just stepping into my room from the hallway I could feel the temperature drop.  Always said that when I could choose where I lived it would be some place warm (still not sure how I landed myself on Lake Michigan outside of Chicago for college...!) And that's why I'm happy in Arizona, despite our slightly warm summers.

Sharing the smiles

I enjoy ZITS - always glad to know that others also share my pain. <G>

I swear that Jerry and Jim (the writers of the strip) 

have been spying on us!

PICKLES is usually good for a laugh.  And it reminds me of Dad, who also got a charge out of it.

 And Baby Blues also gets it right:

 

I feel the pain of this mother in Stone Soup.  Not that long ago I had just gotten home from the grocery store (where I dropped a bundle) and was busy putting all the food away... while Alex was trying to talk me into taking him out to lunch.

Dagwood usually has food on his mind, but every now and then he's a little insightful -

And this BC strip will appeal to anyone who feels we've lost an entire generation to video games!

Hope you enjoyed the funnies - I know I did!  :-)

editorial hits nail on the head

I agree whole-heartedly with today's letter to the editor, 

on 'consumerism run amok':

Black Friday makes me sick. I've watched a wonderful and humble holiday be dumbed down to mere carbo-loading for an extended orgy of vapid consumerism.

More people show up to shop for junk they don't need than to vote. Consumers first, citizens if they get around to it, maybe. But that latest gadget is going to be in the shopping cart even if you have to trample over everyone else.

I want to see people lining up to help kids learn how to read. I want to see people scouring the Internet for the latest way they can get involved in their community. Next year, after we give thanks with our families, let's have Give Back Friday and take a little time, effort and money to give back to our community.

-- Michael Cornelius, Phoenix

LISA'S NEW CAR!!!

JUST got back from the car dealership (would you believe we've been there since 9:30 this morning?  I was sure we'd be home well before noon.... NOT) But the good news is that Lisa's new ride is now happily tucked away in the garage, awaiting her arrival.  Exciting!

Less exciting news is that Alex's car (currently parked on the left side of the garage, above) is currently waiting to be towed to the shop - for a new alternator?  He's about to discover the true joys of car ownership...

But it's another beautiful day, so enough bad news.  

Time for a bite to eat before I try to get some of my other running around done.

Got a bunch of odds and ends done this morning, and just as I was thinking about going out to mow Patti called to see if I'd accompany her to Cabela's.  While I was there I found a pair of jeans on sale for $10 - so now I have two pairs that fit the 'new and improved' me.  Of course they'll need to be hemmed - but I'm used to that: can probably count on one hand the number of pants I've bought that didn't need that adjustment.

Of course the yard was still waiting for me when I got home, but at least it's a beautiful day to mow.  At this point I'm taking a break, but the backyard is all done, and also part of the front; and as an added bonus the horses next door are happy (they love it when I mow.)  Unfortuntely the trash can in filling up, so I may have to put off mowing the rest of the front.  Too bad.... NOT!

7 loads of laundry!

Now that you're (maybe?) feeling sorry for me, I will admit that 3 of the loads were in the guest cottage (3 sets of sheets, 3 sets of towels, from our recent guests) which has a small washer and dryer.  The other 4 were here at the house - Tom just got home Wednesday night from working in the cold country up north for a couple of weeks, so lots of heavy, bulky clothes.  And one load was towels from Alex's room.  Of course it could have been much worse. At least I didn't have to schlep to a laundromat, or use a washboard down by the river.

Another beautiful day!  Tom spent all of it working in the yard; I wasn't outside as much as I would have liked, but I do plan to do a lot of mowing tomorrow.  

Kathi came by today to pick up some of the leftover tabouli, and we ended up chatting for quite some time.  We didn't solve all the problems of the education system... but we certainly have our strong opinions!

 

Things to do...

 

Lots of things I should be doing... but it's a relief 

knowing that most of them won't float to the top of my list today. <G>

The crew from Canada flew out this morning, so at some point it's back to the guest house to get ready for our Australian visitor, who arrives on Tuesday for a 10-day stay so Tom can teach him how to knap.

I woke up around 4:30 this morning, when Alex got home from his Black Friday madness.  He'd gotten into line at Best Buy around 6:00 p.m. last night, hoping to be one of the lucky ones when the store opened at midnight.

 Apparently his quest was for naught - he wasn't close enough to the head of the line to snag the primo TV deal.  (My guess is that to make the ads legal they would have to have some at the give-away price... but if you bothered to read the fine print you'd see 'supplies limited'!)  But if he wanted to participate, that was his business.  However, I couldn't believe that he called me after I was already in bed, reading, wanting me to bring him and his friend some food because "they were starving".  (A bit difficult to believe, given the mountain of food that he consumed just few hours earlier.)  No way I was getting out of bed, dressed, and schlepping to the mall, so (*brilliant idea*) I suggested that one of them hold their place in line while the other went to get food.

 

No surprise that he wasn't too thrilled with that idea, and tried to guilt me into it with 'but I crack your back' (which, admittedly, takes about 5 seconds each time... think my list of what I do for him is a tad longer?)  Didn't lose too much sleep worrying over his predicted demise, and slept until I was awakened upon his return in the wee hours of the morning.

Another fine Thanksgiving feast under my belt

I didn't fall off the wagon too badly - at least until dessert.  

But how could I resist Patti's death-by-chocolate concoction: a layer of brownie, a layer of chocolate pudding, a layer of chocolate chips, a layer of Cool Whip; repeat; then repeat again! 

 At least it was a small serving (Dave!) and I can still button my jeans.  

The true test will be tomorrow morning on the bathroom scale. 

I've really been enjoying watching the numbers on the bathroom scale drop, although the original intent of my new food regimen was basically to get my cholesterol under control. 

And I won't know if that's working until the bloodwork in January.

Hope everyone had a great day with family and friends!  

Too often we take so much for granted, 

but all we have to do is watch the news to quickly realize just how very lucky most of us are!

And today's Words of Wisdom:

Will be spending the day with friends at their house, so no good turkey smells wafting through the house here while I watch the Macy's parade.   One of the dishes on my list is the veggie plate, which (sadly) is not anywhere near as creative as this one.

Maybe next year?  

(Not likely, but I can dream on!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Turkey Shot Out Of The Oven

The turkey shot out of the oven
and rocketed into the air,
it knocked every plate off the table
and partly demolished a chair.

It ricocheted into a corner and
burst with a deafening boom,
then splattered all over the kitchen,
completely obscuring the room.

It stuck to the walls and the windows,
it totally coated the floor,
there was turkey attached to the ceiling,
where there'd never been turkey before.

It blanketed every appliance,
it smeared every saucer and bowl,
there wasn't a way I could stop it,
that turkey was out of control.

I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure,
and thought with chagrin as I mopped,
that I'd never again stuff a turkey
with popcorn that hadn't been popped.

- By Jack Prelutsky

This morning (at Recording for the Blind) Jane was wearing a Thanksgiving vest with a cheery turkey appliqued on the back.  Wish I'd had my camera - would love to recreate it for a sweatshirt.  Happily she says she'll bring it next week, so hopefully I'll notice the post-it note on my calendar and remember to grab my camera.  

Jane also had bra purses with her (to show someone else there) that were quite creative - I plan to get some pix of those next week also. 

Not good news on my bone density results - have lost 7-8% in my hips (loss in my spine wasn't quite so dramatic), and obviously if that trend continues I'll be in serious trouble.  They drew blood to check my vitamin D levels, and the results of that test determine the next step.  

Gee, after 60 it's just patch, patch, patch! <G>

Progress

Got the quilting done and the binding made, but I didn't quite finish with the binding last night as hoped; maybe that'll happen later today.  On tap today are lots of phone calls and errands (typical Monday), but with a little luck I'll be able to find some time to veg in front of the TV with my sewing.  Then all I'll have to do is sew buttons on and it'll be ready for a new home.

Soy batting?

One of my errands yesterday was to JoAnn's to get batting.  I found a new (?) blend of 50% cotton and 50% soy that feels really soft, so thought I'd try it.  I had planned to buy 4 yards to hold me for a while (might as well make good use of a coupon.)  But as I saw her unwrapping it I decided I'd just take the 'end of the bolt', which turned out to be exactly 4 yards.  So it worked out perfectly.  

Of course waiting in line at the front of the store to check out I was 'trapped' by those two enticing rows of impulse purchase offers, and 'somehow' ended up with a chocolate-covered Peep. But it wasn't really as satisfying as expected, and didn't work out quite so perfectly....  just sort of sat there in my stomach.

Speaking of desserts, yesterday Patti and I worked out the Thanksgiving menu for Thursday.  I'll be bringing things like tabouli and salads and veggies - but she's told me I absolutely can not be on my diet that day.  After hearing about the chocolate dream dessert she's planning on, I had to agree with her.

Now I'm off to quilt my Gingerbread Boys.

Maybe later today I'll be jumping for joy because I finished and am able to post a picture!

Irritation Update

Things did not go quite as planned with irrigation last night. 

I schlepped up to 35th Ave. and did those gates at 10:00 (they keep them well greased, so it's pretty easy, just takes a lot of turns of the wheel to open one set and close the other) and then came home and crawled into bed.  Watched a little TV, and then went to sleep.  

Alex came home as scheduled at 12:40 to do his part, only to see water pouring down the street from a house upditch from us, and also find NO water in our yard.  He was 'kind' enough to wake them up before their house got flooded (for some reason they had their gates set to take water, although they weren't signed up), and then woke me up to see what he should do.  Unfortunately, I had to instruct him to open our gates; if we'd taken our 2 hours of water it would have screwed up the schedules of everyone else on the system.

So - no water for us this cycle, and I still got to get up at 12:40.  Certainly not a win-win situation for me!!!

Here's hoping that my plans for the rest of the day make up for it: 

QUILT, QUILT, QUILT!

 Carry on!