Brownie got his monthly heartworm prevention medication today.

He also had his nails clipped using his new clippers.  Thank you, Marcie!  

He didn't seem to mind having the nails on his back feet clipped, but was less happy having the front nails done.  That was no surprise since he doesn't seem to like me touching his front paws.  Still, it was over and done with quickly (Marcie is good!), and maybe next time I'll be brave and at least try doing his back paws.

FINALLY spoke with Mom this morning!  

When I was able to get through to the switchboard (and that has not always been the case!) I asked for the nurse's station instead of Mom's room.  The nurse walked down to Mom's room, and discovered that her phone isn't ringing... which of course explains a lot!

  Mom had figured out that there was some problem when visitors complained they hadn't been able tor each her via phone, so she was already planning to call "someone" tomorrow and report the issue.

The good news is that she sounds considerably better than the last time I spoke with her, shortly after her arrival in Rehab.  But she admits that she still needs a lot of help with most things, like dressing.  While she is also on oxygen, that shouldn't keep her from "graduating" from rehab since she could take that along with her.

My newsy letter has not arrived yet, so she has that to look forward to.

Brownie and I spent the past hour or so in the Back 40 doing some yardwork before it got too warm today.  While of course that seems endless with a large property like ours, I certainly enjoy yardwork MUCH more than housework!

There certainly was a lot of fabric available for us to paw through this morning, even though the sale had apparently opened earlier than 10; when we arrived, right on time, we saw piles of it already purchased and heading to cars.  

I "only" bought 27 yards, virtually all brights of course; Marcie came home with 52 yards, mostly blender fabrics that read as solids which she needs for an upcoming project.

Driving home I spied a small craft show in a church parking lot, so on the spur of the moment we stopped in.  I ended up finding various wonderful birthday gifts for Mom, Marilyn, and Wanda.  Love when I have the perfect item on hand and don't need to go shopping at the last minute just to find something.

I was definitely dragging by afternoon, 

and actually took a little catnap on the couch at one point.  

Tom asked if I would grill the steaks for dinner "since I do a better job".... (?!) and that was fine with me.  Turns out I grabbed the package of beef ribs (meant for the crockpot) instead of the package with actual steaks (which I never saw.)  So dinner was little tough.

Mary passed on going to the fabric sale with us today so she could work on binding her quilt, and this afternoon she finished it.  Her labor of love turned out lovely, and of course will mean a lot to her friend Lynn.

This evening Tom and I caught up on a few recorded Jeopardy episodes, and I got one of the Final Jeopardy correct when none of them did.  It always makes me feel good when that happens!

19th CENTURY AMERICANS

Though he became a Cabinet Secretary & Chief Justice, 

once he wanted to change his name because of its "awkward, fishy" sound

Jim was a no-show at the gym yesterday, which was a first - and quite strange since during Tuesday's workout he had mentioned that we would be back at 'our' gym by Friday and I'd get to see the renovations.  (The "new" gym does look nice.)   

He had said that he would have to go in on Thursday (one of his days off) to access the computer and move all of his clients back to our regular gym - but for some reason I was not on Friday's schedule.  I did some cardio on the elliptical and then left.  

Mary brought me (and Marcie and Cindy) daffodils as thank you gifts for the help we've given her.  That was totally unnecessary, but a very sweet gesture nonetheless.  

No surprise that she was extremely happy with Cindy's quilting; the yellow was perfect (and as we had told her, not nearly as in-your-face as it looks on the spool) so Mary was glad she'd let us twist her arm about that.  

Then after I trimmed up the quilt 

she experienced a serious WOW moment...

Back here I attached the binding, with her help; she caught on quickly with regard to how to fold the corners.  Marcie arrived just as we were finishing up that step and thus was able to do the pressing tutorial.  Now I see how she gets such spectacularly pristine corners, and my next quilt would make Dad proud!

At 5:00 yesterday I tried to reach Mom via phone again - twice!  NO ONE answered the Arbor Ridge switchboard, and after 30 rings (on the second attempt yes I counted) the call cut off.  Very frustrating, and Mom must think I've forgotten all about her.  

At least she soon should be receiving my newsy letter.

Alex had arrived home from California while the three of us were working on Mary's quilt, and later he joined me at the end of my walk with Brownie.  I had headed up 37th Ave. thinking it would be fun for Brownie to "meet" the various animals at Sara's (the goats did come over to the fence to say hello) and then the mini horses up closer to Yorkshire.  But it was a struggle at first since he was not cooperative, and kept flopping down on the ground and rolling onto his back.  Still waiting for him to realize that going on walks is fun, with all sorts of sniffing opportunities!

After the walk Alex and Brownie and I drove up to Marcie's to pick up the funky board in their backyard, which turned out to be pretty perfect for closing off the eye-level gap in the NW corner of the Back 40.  I do fully realize that the entire east side of the yard is 'open' to the horse pasture, but at least I can see if Brownie scoots under the fence there - and could even crawl under myself if need be to go collect him.  My biggest worry about the gap the board has now closed off is that the street is right on the other side of that fence, and I had no way to get out there to protect him!

  After Alex placed the board 

he and Brownie had a great time playing chase in the Back 40 field.  

Too bad I didn't have my camera to take a video, 

but Alex will be home for a few days so I should get another chance.

After dinner I finished binding the rest of Marcie's quilt, and can give it back to her this morning (not quite the same turn-around time as she did on my curtains) when we head over to an estate sale.  The sale includes "thousands of quilt-store quality fabrics" at $5/yard.  And while it's not that I need any more fabric, who can resist shopping a sale like that? 

Up before 4:00 this morning, and by 5:00 I'd quit trying to fall back asleep.  My eyes feel gritty, so I don't expect to feel like working on my quilt today. 

Here are the pix that Cindy took of Mary's quilt.  

And of course it'll be even lovelier "in person"!

I stayed awake until 10:30 last night reading.  (Anyone impressed?)   I'm about 3/4 of the way through Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and should have it finished by Book Club coming up next Wednesday.  Can't say I'm really enjoying it, though. 

After the usual the nightly bathroom run, I was able to fall back asleep, and next thing I knew it was 6:00 this morning!  Naturally that made me extremely happy - and means I should be able to get lots done today...

Yesterday morning I cruised over to Mary's to hand over Yolanda's owl panel (which Mary agreed is beyond adorable!) and see her log cabin quilt now that it's quilted.  As lovely as it was before quilting, it's even better now; quilting makes the quilt!

It was funny to hear her say that Cindy had talked her into using a shiny copper thread (out of her comfort zone) but it was a good choice, and she's thrilled with how it looks.

Mary showed me some wonderful note cards, with photos of various quilts, that she had received recently as a gift.  She thought that idea could be a good money maker for Foothills, so I'm going to look into Vistaprint and see if they have something that would work for a project like that.

While in her quilting room I got to admire some of her projects in progress (always fun!) and gave my opinion (yes, I virtually always have one... lol) on color/fabric choices for placemats she's going to make from some owl fabric I found for her last year.

Marcie brought over the pink quilt when she and Latina came over yesterday, and I got half of it stitched before I faded last night; I hope to get much of the rest of it done before I head to the gym this morning.  Latina made great strides with regard to being comfortable around Brownie, and he in turn seems to be learning to be less rambunctious around her.

Then the four of us walked back to their house together ( Latina was an excellent model for Brownie, trotting right along) so I could borrow Marcie's design wall for my scrap quilt, tentatively named Blue Cosmos. Happy to report that Marcie agreed with my thoughts with regard to the size sashing to put around the shadow border.

Forgot my camera, so this photo from my flip phone will have to suffice.  

Again the dogs did quite well together, and with another month of 'training' available to us we have the expectation that all will go well when Brownie needs to be  "boarded" there in May.

I got an e-mail from Mary B last night that her heart quilt was done and ready to be picked up today! Cindy, knowing the special circumstances and time constraints, had moved her quilt to the top of the list!  (Cindy also tweaked my place in line last December, when I needed Marilyn's quilt back so I could get it bound and in the mail before I left to visit Mom.)  I immediately sent Cindy a thank you message to let her know how much we appreciate how she well she takes care of us, and here's her reply:

Thanks so much, Bobbi. 
While all quilts are important, some are especially important.  
I try hard to take care of those. 

I'm going to meet Mary over at The Pig to help her trim up her quilt (Cindy's oversize cutting table makes that much easier) and then we'll come back here so I can help her with the various steps of binding.  Lynn goes into the hospital for her lengthy treatment stay on Thursday, and with a little luck Mary will be able to gift her the quilt before then.

Yesterday was Tyga's 7th birthday.

 

He celebrated by playing at the lake right outside Aja's apartment.

Here's a pic from his visit earlier this month:

Still haven't been able to reach Mom via phone.  I did try yet again last night (8:00 her time, as she suggested), and let it ring "forever".  At least she'll soon get the nice newsy 2-page letter I mailed yesterday.  

Now to get my day started.

That Marcie!  When she came over after lunch she didn't bring the pink quilt, because even though the binding was all attached it still needed to be pressed.  What did she bring?  My curtains!  I had specifically said there was NO rush and, jokingly (I thought!) added that I did not want to see them this afternoon.  

Of course she did a wonderful job, matching up the lines of windows - 

which of course would not have happened if I'd made the curtains.

Latina was a lot more relaxed around Brownie this afternoon (we are making progress), and he in turn is no longer trying to get her to play by nipping at her, also good progress.  

Then we went outside. That was when Latina discovered that there was a really big dog in the yard (Wally) though she was considerably less scared than we expected.  AND she may have finally figured out that she's a dog...  

Instead of cowering and shivering (her previous behavior around other dogs) she snapped (for the first time ever!) at Wally when he got his face too close to hers and let him know that was not acceptable.  He got the message, and strolled off. 

 

We may have turned a corner with her?