sigh...

Sometimes things happen that you don’t expect, and all of a sudden your life changes. Recently we had one of these life changes, and I’m still adjusting and will be adjusting even more in the months ahead.

You learn at times like this who your friends are. I sent out an email explaining things to several people… within minutes of hitting send, I got a phone call. This friend knew I needed to talk, she could tell… and she let me. Thanks. I hung up and the phone rang again, another friend who started by saying “What can I do to help?” Thanks to you too. You know who you are, both of you, and I love you for being my friends.

Others have helped too, by email and more phone calls. Thanks so much for caring, it means more to me than you will ever know.

Please don’t worry, both John and I are healthy and still happily married… it’s nothing like that at all. When I can I will share more.

And life goes on, I am still working on Joan’s quilt. As soon as this is posted I am going to take it downstairs and measure it, make sure it is square… can’t have a lopsided quilt. If it is, I will add the final borders and then get it to the quilter.

Tomorrow is another mystery on Mysteries For Relay, I need to take photos of my samples, I have several.

And I need to update my web pages, a new month is right around the corner… what happened to January?

Saturday sewing day

For those who are wondering, yes I am sewing today. I’m working on Joan’s hearts still, making more for the border, and liking them so much I might just make the whole border hearts… although that would take an awful lot of hearts. I think I will lay it out on the bed again and see how it looks, and then decide where to go next.

I’ve gotten some interesting emails today, very interesting. As of 4:00 I’ve read 285 emails, and replied to about half of them. No wonder I haven’t gotten much sewing done… but some is better than none, so I won’t complain.



The mystery is going just fine. I don’t have a clue how many ladies are truly sewing, or how many are lurking to see if they like the pattern enough to make the effort to make the quilt. But that’s ok with me, I just wanted to share my scrap pattern with them, since everyone seems to have to many scraps.


Here is my friend Anne’s mystery quilt, which she made years ago… so many years that little boy next to her in the photo is now taller than her and in high school.








And here is my quilt made from the same pattern. Looking at this picture I realize how faded my quilt is. I guess it is time to replace it with another one, and let this one go… I’m going to have it made into teddy bears for charity when I take it off my bed that last time.

Woooohooooo

Guess who is sewing this afternoon. All my Relay work is done, and all my web pages updated that needed updating and now I am working on my To Do list. #1 on that list is Joan’s quilt, and I’m making some hearts for the borders, to add to the other hearts which came in from Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Ontario. This is going to be a colorful border, and I just know Joan’s going to love it! If she doesn’t, I’ll just keep it… (Joking Joan, just joking!)

Tomorrow is a mystery day on my Fabricaholics Anonymous group, one of my favorite quilts. My plan is to maybe finish, I hope, Joan’s quilt, and then make another smaller mystery quilt… I almost said the name of it, LOL!

In reply to the comment below, and the emails I've gotten. Those hearts were made by Anne in TN, and she used my Scrappy Hearts pattern, which can be found on my BOMs page

Family history

Last Saturday Jonathon and Steph decided on a whim to try to see now President Obama and VP Biden at the train station in Wilmington. They left their place in Newark a little less than an hour before Obama was scheduled to talk, had no idea where they were going, and yet made it in time!

Jonathon added a few photos to his web site, Gordonious.com including a video which I have not been able to get to play. I’m tickled he finally updating his web site, I was tired of looking at the other page. Thank you son! And nice pictures, despite the tree.

Old Pics

While cleaning out a closet recently we found some old favorite photos.

This first one is Jonathon and Peanut in the backyard in SanAntonio. It's one of John's favorite photos.

The scond one is Mike, I think he was trying to look into the camera from the other side to see what I was looking at. One of my favorites.

And then they are in a field of bluebonnets. If you've never seen these you have no idea what you are missing, Texas turns blue in the spring, and it is just beautiful. I couldn't resist letting them go play in these, which were behind a local 7-11 store.

History being made

Part of me wants to be in Washington DC on the Mall, watching the people and most importantly of all, watching history being made. But it’s cold there, and honestly, I would probably be miserable, I hate crowds.

So I’m sitting here watching TV and taking it all in. I’m probably seeing a lot more people than if I was there, and despite the cold and the crowds, I have yet to see an unhappy face. And to paraphrase an old Sunday school song, red and yellow black and white, they are all happy to be there today.

I’m happy to be here today, watching history, and saying prayers that things will change for the good, and we can get back to the good old days again, less worrisome and peaceful.

Later same day

The fog is gone, but it's been replaced by more of that white stuff... hard to tell in these photos, but honest, the earlier ones were foggy, and this is snowy. (I lived in snow country long enough to know the difference, you can't shovel fog!)

Wonder how long this will last, and how much we will get?

Or will the rain come along and wash it all away?

This was taken looking out of my sewing room window.

Half hour later, the fog was back. I sure am glad that the children are not in school today.

Snow and Fog

We had snow last night, just a trace as the weather people say, but enough to make things look pretty. Well it did, till the fog rolled in. Here are some photos of my yard this morning. The first two are the front yard, and the last two the back yard…











And FYI, number one on my To Do List is done, my desk is clean. Well about as clean as it will get as long as I am doing retreats and Relay.

Hey, I know what's in my stacks of papers, so don't worry about it!

I just can not get motivated…

I just can not get motivated… here is what is left on my to do list. Not much, and mostly pleasurable, except for #1 and #2…
To Do List

1. Clean desk

2. Laundry

3. Mike’s state taxes Jan 20th

4. Work on Joan’s quilt!!!

5. Binding on new UFO

6. Work on Summer Mystery


The desk HAS to be done, the piles are growing, and if I don’t clean it off soon I won't be able to see the monitor. Who knows what lurks at the bottom of the piles, not me for sure.

Laundry isn’t a rush, we still have clean clothes, and there is still room in the laundry basket for more dirties. But I will start it tomorrow anyway, just so I can check it off the list for the week.

Tuesday I will do Mike’s state taxes, federal is done, as disappointing to him as it was. He earned lots, so expected lots more back, but that didn’t happen. Hopefully the state will be kinder to him. (Especially since he needs new tires on his car.)

All I really want to do is work on Joan’s quilt. I’m pretty sure I need to make a few more border hearts, but can’t tell just yet…
first the desk,
then the sewing machine and cutting table,
and then Joan’s quilt!

More Spam

Here are three more funny emails I’ve gotten, spam is so entertaining these days, always good for a laugh.

Date: Saturday January 17, 2009
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm (GMT +00:00)
Location: Dear Sir, I am Mr, the chief Accountant in charge of Auditing and Accounting unit of Bank of Africa Ouaga-Burkina-Faso in West Africa. In due respect and regard,I have decided to contact you on a business transaction that will be very beneficial to both of us at the end of the transaction. During our investigation and auditing in the bank, my department gazetted a very huge sum of money belonging to a deceased depositor,a foreigner who died in october 1999 in a plane crash and the fund has been dormant in his account with the bank without any claim of the fund in our custody either from his family or relation before our discovery to this development.Although personally, i kept this information veiled within my partners and i, to enable the whole plans and idea profitable and successful during the time of execution.The amount involved is USD$14m (fourteen million united states dollars)

Yea, sure, right… delete


Hello,
I am Mr.Wang Hongzhang of the Bank Of China.I have an urgent and very profitable business proposal for you.Please reply if interested.
Wang

Yep, delete


DEAR ONE,

PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. I GOT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT FROM A FRIEND WHO IS MEMBER OF YOUR SITE. I PRAYED OVER IT AND SELECTED YOUR NAME AMONG OTHER NAMES DUE TO IT'S ESTEEMING NATURE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO ME AS A REPUTABLE AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON I CAN DO BUSINESS WITH AND BY THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU FOR THIS SIMPLE AND SINCERE BUSINESS.

And again, delete…

Now to clean my desk, wish it had a delete button too, LOL!

Why nothing gets done

Yesterday when I climbed the stairs to the sewing room I wondered to myself if I would get to sew. I decided I’d better make a To Do list so I knew what had to be done before I could indulge myself in that pleasure. My list is below…
To Do List

1. DONE Pay bills
2. DONE Change sheets
3. Laundry
4. DONE Jonathon’s student loan stuff
5. Mike’s taxes
6. B-i-H contracts
7. Clean desk
8. DONE email list loaded, send test email
9. DONE Kick Off Photos
10. DONE Off line registration form
11. DONE Luminaria Form
12. DONE Meet the Relayer on line
13. Outside errands ALL DONE

1. Make deposits

2. Pick up dry cleaning

3. Walmart

4. food

5. check LLB for duffle

6. Staples

7. get gas
14. Work on Summer Mystery

I didn’t do them in that order, no where close, I just sort of went through them and got done what needed to be done, and what was easiest first. Some things took much longer than I thought they would, such as the luminaria form. For some reason I could not get it formatted to fit one page. I did it over and over and over again… it was one page until I saved it as a PDF, and then it would be two pages. In the end I gave up, and cut out three lines, inserting instructions to put certain information on the reverse side and loaded it up. (Me thinks me will completely redo the form if I have this job again next year, it needs a change anyway, been pretty much the same for years.)

And the outside errands took much longer than I anticipated. Of course meeting my friend Sue for lunch wasn’t on the list, but it sure made going out in the cold nicer. After lunch (Yummy soup at Jakes) I went to Walmart. I didn’t know it was old people shopping day, but there I was with tons of them, I think I was the youngest shopper there. Fortunately I knew where everything I needed was, and was soon in line, the longest part of my time there. (I had to get in line behind a lady who wanted everything rung up separately so she had receipts for each item… grumble) Three hours later my outside errands were all done and I was home again… back out of the bitter cold (19 degrees according to my car)
Then back to the list. I was past 8 when I finally gave up for the day, list still not finished, and no sewing done at all.

And this morning the same thought crossed my mind as I climbed the stairs, would I get to sew? I’ve paid all the bills, the contracts for 2012 retreats are signed and ready to go in the mail Monday, I’m waiting for Mike to come to do his taxes (he wants to learn to do them himself, so I will happily wait!), and the laundry can wait till Monday. So as soon as I post this I am cleaning my desk, and THEN maybe I will sew… hopefully…

I won!

Dear e-MAIL Winner Your email address won £915,810.00 GBP in this month NATIONAL LOTTERY. To file for your claim, contact our agent Rev.Harry Somebodyorother with the details below (Full Names, Contact Address, Country, Age, Sex, Occupation &Telephone numbers) to this email

Gee, they don’t want my bank account number and social security? It makes me suspicious when they don’t ask me for those…. must really be a hoax!
And I could really use that money too!

I have a finish!

Well I guess I can brag that I have two finishes, since I do. I finished a smaller UFO on January 6th. I haven’t taken a photo yet, but I will soon. It was a Trip-Around-the-World wall hanging made completely of purple hand dyed fabrics.

And for the last five days I’ve been working on another older UFO, my 2002 BOM sampler. The quilt has been done for years, honest, and it was just waiting for the binding to be applied. I think I put it off since it was such a huge quilt, almost king size. I decided I’d put it off long enough and took it up to NY while we were visiting John’s Aunt.

So while we were chatting, catching up, watching the kitties play, watching the snow fall (9 inches worth) and just plain relaxing I worked on the binding. And much to my surprise, I really didn’t think I’d get it done, it is finished!

Here is a photo of Aunt Sheryl and John holding it up for me. I can’t wait to put it on the bed!

Christmas is over

Yes, Christmas is over...
Officially now, we just took down the tree. It looked very pretty this year, plain and simple, just like me. There’s a photo in one of my earlier posts.

But I really loved the ornaments I used this year, all homemade and 99% of them made by me. Here are some photos…

This Santa is my favorite. I made a dozen or more of these, one for each family... I wonder how many still make it to a tree every year?

These embroidery ones are from the early 70s, when I was working at the fabric shop in Jefferson Manor in Alexandria. I think they had to hang in the store before they came home, and I know there were more, but these are the only two left.

In the early 80s I used plastic frames.

These were made in 1991 while we were living in Germany. There are a dozen or so.

And these lollypops were made when the boys were small, and when I couldn’t trust to have candy canes on the tree without them somehow disappearing. Well I have to be honest, it wasn’t always the boys, Peanut our dog had a sweet tooth too.

Merry Christmas till next year!

Spam

I love spam mail. Not really but sometimes the subject lines really crack me up. Just now I checked my spam folder to see what was in there and these are the subjects…
“I will be happy to work this deal out with you if you have a corporate or personal Bank Account and if you are capable to keep TOP SECRET.” That came from the Bank of Switzerland.

It was followed by, “Do you have sudden wealth you need help with”. Now how did they know the Bank of Switzerland had money for me?

The next subject was, “Are you ready for a change in your lifestyle”

And the last spam subject line read, “Invitation To The "Feb. 2009 Teen Pregnancy Prevention Conference In London”… yep, I guess that would be a real lifestyle change for me, a 60 year old teenage pregnancy, LOL!

Copyright

I don’t make it a habit of reading a lot of blogs every day, I don’t have enough time. But yesterday one of my retreaters sent me a blog she wanted me to look at. She wanted me to see this blog because the owner was showing people how to make one of my quilts. It turned out it was not one of my quilts, but it was another designer’s pattern, and someone I happened to know. I sent an email to the blogger complimenting her on her quilt and asking her if she had the designer’s permission to publish the pattern. I truly didn’t want a reply, and never expected to get one, but was hoping that I tweaked the consciousness of the blogger enough to make her realize she was doing something wrong.

I got an almost immediate response saying that she had bought the pattern which gave her permission to use it anyway she wanted. That is so not true, so I emailed her back asking her to look on the bottom of the pattern for a statement reading “copying this pattern is not permitted” She replied she hadn’t copied it, and was just telling people how she made the quilt… with exact words from the pattern.

I did not notify the designer myself, someone else did. I am not the quilt police, but I will protect the copyright privileges of any designer, if I know her or not. In this case the designer does count on her pattern sales and classes to help meet her monthly bills, and if someone is publishing them, they are literally stealing from her.

SO… if you post a quilt on your blog, and a million people ask you how you made it, unless you made the quilt from a design of your own, you may not give step by step directions. You may link to a source for the pattern, such as the designer’s web site or personal blog, or a quilt shop which sells the pattern.

And you don’t have to worry about the quilt police either, they don’t exist. However one of your friends who happened to make the same quilt in a class at a quilt retreat just might write to the teacher and tell her. Or some stranger might see your blog and write to the designer. Most quilters are honest people.