Day Ten...

Sunday, a day of rest...I took this one to heart and spent a good portion of the morning and early afternoon in my jammies reading, drinking coffe and managed to squeeze in a nap, I was already in the outfit so, why not?

Empty Spool variation

After I got cleaned up, I dove into my block of the week, Empty Spools...the original block lacked a bit of pizazz so, armed with my new deck of classic quilt blocks, I stitched four empty spools in one block.  Technically, this turned out to be one of my better blocks...

Dinner out with Ashley and back home...computer and mindless TV...

Day Nine...

I met Debbie for coffee this morning.  We swapped some quilt blocks and had a very good visit, we gossiped about work and had a very personal conversation about kids and motherhood…she’s a great friend and I truly treasure our friendship

We hopped in the Mercedes and went to the Olde World Quilt Shoppe out in Cave Creek.  She needed to pickup her fabric for the setting squares on her Farmers Wife and I found some wine fabric in the clearance section…no, I didn’t really need it…we also spoke to the shop owner about quilting our completed Farmers Wife quilts, the plan is to get them in for quilting around the end of September

On the way home, I stopped by the Quilters Bee and got one more yard of background fabric for the FW quilt, that really ought to do it…I hope…there are a couple of redos, I am within 10 blocks of finishing!

Cabin Cats - Ichigo

While Ashley was out with her dad, I worked on the Cabin Cats, Ashley’s Christmas gift, I put on the border and got Ichigo fused…

Did a take out order from China Rainbow, again they recognized my voice on the phone and they tossed in a complimentary order of hot and sour soup…it’s kinda nice to be a recognized regular…

The evening was rounded out with several episodes of the TLC wedding dress shows and some reading

Day Eight...

Bug day…or bug spraying day…this morning I had a 9-12 window appointment time and the bug man was at my door at about 9:10.  Normally they show up at the end of the time slot…he was pleasant enough and reminded me of the recently departed from the Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck…

I did a fair amount of reading today, opting for the intellectual experience as opposed to the hygienic one…yep, the first vacation day without a shower…my teeth were brushed…

Fruit Basket Variation

So of course, it was necessary to leave the house today.  We had to go to Kinkos to fax a document for Ashley because the original had not been received by the time she made the call.  With that behind us, we headed to Costco so she could get a hotdog and churro.  We ended up wandering around and looking at books, furniture and mass-produced oil paintings…

Later in the evening I managed to sew one more block for the Farmers Wife…

Day Seven...Dad's Birthday...

I was much more adventurous today than yesterday...I actually left the house!

I was pleasantly surprised when I logged into my checking account to view the amount of my first post administrative reassignment paycheck...

Six months of sewing little blocks...almost there!

Armed with this info, it was time to hit the "Christmas in July" sale at 35th Ave...they had been reopened for a week with the promise of 50 new fabric collections, and I had resisted and waited until payday.  It was kinda funny when I pulled into the parking lot and the giant inflatable Santa and snowman were bobbing and shining in the Arizona sunshine.   I will say, all in all I showed great restraint in my purchases, there was something specific I was searching for and I did find it...

At home I decided it was time to layout all the fabulous little quilt blocks I had inventoried the day before.  Thinking that the cats were sleeping, I laid out the blocks just to see how things were shaping up...and they shaped up very nicely...then the cats woke up and had one of their tussles on the blocks...

Lunch today was special, it is our annual tribute to dad at Subway.  We had a sub and a good visit and a toast to dad...We all miss him every day!

My wedding shoes...

More retail therapy ensued after lunch, the 99 Cent store for cleaning supplies, Anna's Linens and JC Penney for curtains, both a bust...and finally a trip to DSW where I found the shoes for the wedding.  Ashley and Justin were very helpful in choosing the right shoe...

At home, it was more sewing and the season premiere of Project Runway...

Day Six

Cheryl's Block

Hovering Birds

Today was really a one note kind of day...

I counted and inventoried all of my blocks for the Farmers Wife quilt and determined what I needed to finish.  Then, I pretty much sewed for most of the day...

When I stepped outside at 7:45 to check the mail, I realized that was the first time I had done anything close to even leaving the house...

Almost Amish Basket

Day Five (or lets just call it Tuesday)

This morning went much better in my efforts to get to the gym...I actually made it!  I increased my cardio time to 35 minutes, it seemed time to do that...I thought I was making good progress until I saw the elderly gentleman on the elliptical next to me...He was almost at one hour and he was really working it...outpaced by a QTip!

It felt pretty good to me home and cleaned up by 10:30am...Seemed like a great time to dive into my book, I have been reading "American Wife" I found it in the bargain bin about a year ago.  It has been a good read so far, it's supposedly loosely based on the life of Laura Bush...had a great nap during reading time too!

Kitchen Woodbox

Sewing was hit and miss today, some of the blocks I did turned out well and there was one that I flat could not figure out...scrapped it for now, I need to do a block count and figure out where I'm at and if I need to draft anymore patterns...

Friendship

Ashley had a job interview today, the only employer that has called her back in all the apps she has filled out...when she came home early from the interview, I knew it was a bad sign...she got lost so she never made it...to make matters worse (or infuriate me...) she didn't call them...a big fight ensued from that point...I'm not proud of these moments but they do weigh on my mind so, I include them here in the blog...

We made a trip to Red Robin for Ashley's free birthday burger and my vacation fish and chips...very tasty but not the same as Spuds at Alki Beach...

Farmers Wife

Found out too that Matt Hasselbeck will not be returning to the Seahawks...mixed emotions on this but, it's how the game works...

More sewing, reading and mindless TV...

Day Four...

A few blocks for the snowman quilt

I had the best of intentions...I really did...

I woke up at 7am, precisely the time I start work in the summer...I chuckled to myself, played on the computer, made a conscious decision not to go to the gym and went back to bed and slept until 11am...I seem to have no problem slipping into vacation mode...

Today was a good day because the NFL lockout is over...football will be starting in a few weeks...very excited!For my creative endeavors, I worked on a quilt that Debbie and I are doing together for Dorene.  It was a cutting and fusing project...I love the way the cardinals came out...

Flock 1

Flock 2

Lastly, I did two more blocks for the Farmers Wife quilt.  The "flock" block is by far one of my favorites, so I took a couple of my favorite fabrics and added two more to the group...I think I have 20 or so to go before I can start sashing...

Day Three...

Happy Birthday Ashley!!

Today was a fun and kick back kinda day...

In the morning I spent some time on the flickr site and wrote a good plug for the Army Baby quilt project.  One of the other quilters had just contributed a quilt to the Army Baby project based on a comment I had made on the site (I sure wish I could remember what I said!)  It was flattering that I inspired someone to contribute to the project...

In the afternoon, Alyssa and Steve came over and we headed to NYPD for a pizza lunch and free Birthday dessert.  After lunch we caught a viewing of "Captain America", what a great movie!

The day was capped off with a trip to WalMart where I was pleasantly surprised when I spotted Kiltlifter in the cooler section...who knew?

Day Two...

Week 30 Peterson Star

Saturday is Civil War block day...each Saturday since January, I have gotten up and booted up the computer pretty much first thing.  This has been such a fun project.  the blocks are all so different and not blocks that I would normally give a second look at...

Since last Christmas when I made two quilts for the Army Babies project, I have wanted to make an Americana palette quilt, the Civil War block of the week project was just the ticket.  Every time I go into a quilt shop, I always cruise the patriotic fabrics,  have quite the stash built up...I can make a few more quilts with what I have!

Week 30 Rockland Star Tribute

I received a lovely note from someone in the Civil Flickr group, she was inspired by me and has just shipped off a quilt to the Army Baby project...how exciting!

Sewing and crafting was the order for the day...caught up on several episodes of "Say Yes to The Dress" on TLC...reality shows are so silly yet so addicting...

Day One...

First up on the crafting journey...primitive design in wool

I slept in...normally I am up around 6am or so on my days off but I managed to snooze until about 8:30...Did the normal morning stuff and checked a few things on the computer...

Hit the gym around 11am...Friday mornings at the Fitness Center is Silver Sneaker day so, I feel like a whippersnapper during my workout, truth be told, there are some folks there that could run circles around me!  I followed a gentlemen on the shoulder press that had the weight setting twice of what I could handle...

After a trip to WalMart and a shower, Ashley and I braved the heat for a little lunch and shopping.  At 2pm we hit Costco for the $1.50 hot dog special, the place was packed!  Forget fancy restaurants, Costco was the place to be...

Next up Arrowhead Mall...I needed to replace a well loved cosmetic product and invest in a hair thickening product that was recommended to me...I was amazed by the number of people out and about for a weekday on such a hot day...

Little stitched pumpkin

We stopped by Borders to check out the "Going out of Business" sale, it was crowded...and a little sad.  I always enjoyed going to Borders for a cup of Seattle's Best Coffee and flipping through a magazine.

Last stop was Joanne's to purchase just a few items, or supplies actually for the upcoming crafting spree...we used every coupon in the sale flyer.

Home for a nap, a cup of coffee and to work on the primitive wool project.  Stitched and watched the West Wing on DVD...first full day of vacation, pretty darn good!

On Vacation...

What a day at work!  Despite my best efforts to be organized and plow through the to do list, it was still a crazy, hectic day complete with some drama and last minute "but you gotta help me..."

I have concluded that it is days like this that validate the fact that a vacation is needed...

The highlight of the day was a call from Josh after his shift at Fort Drum...after 15 months in the Army, he is finally getting to do what he enlisted for...the sad casualty of the day was the chipmunk that ran out in front of his patrol car...

Journal Musings

Cardinal Log Cabin Block

Another blog?

Yep...another blog...

This is going to be a different kind of blog...this will be an online diary of sorts as I work, play, go to the gym and generally "do my thing"

I am hours away from my vacation, a well earned vacation.  Each year I pack my suitcases and catch a plane to Seattle.  Not this year...this year my credit cards, unemployed kid and engaged kid have diverted my resources.  I'm still a bit in denial about my annual trip but, on the other hand, I am lucky to have a great family and job that I can deal with...so, I won't complain anymore...

Work has been interesting for sometime now, no two days are alike at GCC, there are many characters and some pretty crazy people at work...in my 21 years at the college I have accumulated a few stories, gray hairs, wrinkles and yes, a couple of pounds...

So, since I'm not leaving town for vacation, what am I going to do?  Sleep in, read, sew, clean my room and whatever else I feel like...

One more day of work to wrap up the loose ends and leave notes for the person covering my desk for the next two weeks...