T-time

I'm at DD's, watching my Ts. I am not back to 100% still but I'm feeling better every day, so that gives me hope that there will be an end to all this. Thankfully, too, the Ts are old enough that they don't need the kind of intense care that might well wear me out ... and another praise is that I didn't hit the wall today until after we were done with lunch, chores and school. The three bigger ones went downstairs to play on the Xbox while Little Miss and I had school with play dough ... she's currently studying insects in science, so we made insects out of play dough. I was able to snap a picture to share with you all.



I got T#3's quilt trimmed and ready for binding yesterday. I still need to cut the strips, sew them together, and then sew them on. Since I'll be here until at least mid-afternoon on Wednesday, I don't think I'll get it finished in time for my return on Thursday (watch the older three while #4 has an ENT consult). Maybe we'll have time before/after the Area meet this weekend (it's being held in the aquatic center here in the same town that DD et al live).



I also got most of another MWFG block together.



I don't know if I'll be back online until the end of the week ... until then, I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy! Have a great day!
Kathy

Slow Sunday Stitching

 

 

 

I put the last quilting stitches into T#3’s quilt last night.  Now, had I been feeling 100%, I would have trimmed it up, cut the binding strips and get them sewn together – at the least … so today I could sew on the binding and then in Slow Sunday Stitching style stitch down the binding this afternoon.  But I know that I’ll be sorry if I push myself that hard.  Instead, I finished up reading The Girl on the Train and watched the Blues game.

 

 

Today I’m going to trim the quilt (so I can get a picture to share) and then work some more on my Martha Washington’s Flower Garden.  I have a couple more full blocks to stitch before I start to stitch on the connector pieces.  Once I get my blocks pieced together, I’ll start working on the half blocks to square up the quilt.  I’m a ways from getting this completed and ready to be quilted, but since this is my travel project, I knew that it would be a long-term project. 

 

 

It took 2 full days of antibiotics before I began to feel better, just as the nurse said at the Express Care.  Today is day 4 of antibiotics, and I’m feeling better than I did yesterday.  I’m still not 100% but I’m definitely on my way. 

 

 

And not a moment too soon as I will be on “Nana duty” tomorrow and Tuesday.  DSIL is out of town this week for work, and DD will be spending tomorrow and Tuesday with her former step mother who will be having her second chemo treatment tomorrow (DD’s step sister had nonrefundable travel plans for this week, so DD wanted to step in to care for her former step mom in her step sister’s absence). 

 

 

Look what came in the mail yesterday:

Just in time for Area Championships this coming weekend. 

 

 

It got warmer than predicted yesterday … we were able to open the door to the deck yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours.  It is supposed to get a little warmer today … who knows, I may get out and do some of that slow stitching out on the deck! 

 

 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy

Getting Older Isn’t for Sissies

 

I finally gave in yesterday and made an appointment at the hospital’s Express Care Center.  I can see the  hospital from our front door, but I had to drive 7 miles/15 minutes to get to their nearest Express Care Center in the nearby small city.  Thankfully they have online appointment making, so when I finally decided to go (at 4:00 AM), and I could schedule their first available appointment – 8:30.  I got right in, got seen right away, and got a diagnosis with some meds.  It’s a sinus infection.  Seriously?  Given the way I was feeling yesterday morning (sneezing, sniffling [it was like someone had a hose in my nose – TMI?], coughing, achey, feverish), I thought sure that I had the flu - at the least.  Nope, “just” a sinus infection.  Now, I’ve had my share of sinus infections in the past, and I’ve never felt anywhere close to as lousy as I’ve felt with this one.  I wonder if this is just another lovely aspect of growing older? 

 

They assured me that I’d start to feel better after a couple of days’ worth of antibiotics … and I sure hope so.  But at least there’s a little hope … I actually slept last night … an hour and a half in the recliner while “watching” the hockey game and 8+ hours in bed.  Of course, that could have been a result of lack of sleep the last couple of nights (a total of 7-8 hours Tuesday and Wednesday nights) … I might have just “passed out” due to lack of sleep (who can sleep when they can’t breathe and can’t stop coughing, I ask).   Hopefully another good night’s sleep tonight will help almost as much as the antibiotics, wouldn’t you think?   

 

I got more progress made on T#3’s quilt … not as much as I probably would have had I been feeling my best, but progress is progress.  I’ve finished all the blocks, have marked the borders and have quilted almost half of one of the 4 borders.  I’d like to have all the quilting done by the end of the weekend, but I suspect I’ll be finishing this up next week.  Even so, I should have this finished more quickly than I thought I would, considering all of life’s interruptions … I started quilting on January 26. 

 

The fat quarter bundles I ordered last week arrived yesterday.  Each little bundle is approximately 3”x3”x3” … and tied with a pretty bow.  Aren’t they adorable?

 

And don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead tomorrow evening!

 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 
1. 'In like a lion, out like a lamb'...does the first part of this saying describing March weather ring true  where you live?
March most definitely came in like a lion.  We had 8” of snow Sunday.  I’m so hopeful that we won’t have to wait until the 31st to have lamb-like weather.
 
2. March 4th is National Grammar Day. What common grammatical error bothers you the most?
It might be easier to share which one bothers me the least although a couple at the top of the list would be “your vs you’re” and “of” instead of “have” (as in “I could of danced all night”).  In addition to being a weather geek, I’m a grammar geek, too. 
 
3. William Arthur Ward says- 'The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.' Which one are you?
All of the above, depending on the situation.  Sometimes I’m all three with the same situation.   
 
4. What's something you need to 'march forth and conquer' this month?
Filing our state tax return.  Turbo Tax offers free e-filing for federal returns, which we definitely take advantage of.  But we refuse to pay to have our state returns e-filed … especially since the Illinois Department of Revenue offers free online filing.  It’s rather a pain to have to re-enter all the numbers, compounded by the fact that we owe taxes to the state.  I’ve been putting it off, but I need to get it done.

5. An ongoing debate around here...do you dust first, then vacuum or vacuum first, then dust? Of the two routine household chores, which do you dislike the least? How's that for wording?
Dusting … if only because vacuuming is DH’s responsibility.  Besides, it seems like as I finish up dusting, the furniture that was dusted first is ready to be dusted again. 

6. According to thrilllist.com, the ten most photographed sites in the U.S.A. are-Cinderella's Castle in Orlando, Southernmost House in Key West Florida, The Space Needle in Seattle, The Site of the Boston Massacre in Boston, The Bellagio Lake/fountains in Las Vegas, The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, Coit Tower in San Francisco, The Art Institute of Chicago, Niagara Falls, and snagging the number one spot-The Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
How many on this list have you photographed? Which on the list would you most like to visit and photograph?
I’ve photographed the Art Institute of Chicago (back before the days of digital cameras, so who knows where that photo is now), and of course I’ve photographed Cinderella’s Castle (in 2008 and in 2013 … and hopefully again some day before the Ts all grow up).I didn’t even know about the Southernmost House when we visited Key West … I did photograph the Southernmost Point while we were there … is that close enough?  ha!  If we get back to the Keys (and I hope we do), we’ll have to check it out.  We dream of visiting Boston and DC, but we just can’t seem to pull ourselves away from Hilton Head when it comes time to plan a trip.

7. Fifty years ago Monday (March 2, 1965) The Sound of Music premiered at the Rivoli Theatre in NYC. Have you seen the film? Do you own a copy? On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love it (or not)? Ten=best movie ever. If you're a fan, what's your favorite scene or song from the movie?
I’ve seen snippets of TSoM and am familiar with it.  I’m not a fan of musicals, so I doubt if I’ll ever see it from beginning to end.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I’m now on Day Three of the “crud”.     While it may be keeping me from doing too much of anything (including getting a good night’s sleep), it’s not keeping me from making progress on T#3’s quilt. 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy

Crazy Mixed Up Weather

 

I mean, is that crazy or what?  Winter Weather Advisory for this morning and freezing rain for this evening … with 50 degrees in between.  And for those who were hoping that the 50-degree forecast for today was heralding in spring, obviously we’re not quite done with winter yet … 22 degrees and snow tomorrow.  The good news is that by Friday, we’ll be staying above freezing for our highs … with 60+ degree forecasts for next Tuesday and Wednesday.  Woo hoo!  Yes, I know I’m a weather geek. 

 

I’m feeling even punier this morning, so no walking with Lois today.  I do want to give my sweet hubby a shout-out for running to get bagels from Panera so I didn’t have to prepare breakfast.     I’ll spend today in my recliner … hopefully I’ll be feeling up to spending a little of that time with my needle and thread.  We’ve got a couple of DVDs to watch, so if I’m not feeling like quilting (what?!? - not feeling like quilting?!?    I know!), we’ll pop in a DVD. 

 

I did get in some quilting yesterday … I’m now working on the 3rd outer ring of blocks.  I have maybe 10 blocks left to quilt … then on to the borders.  I’ve been pondering what to work on next.  I’ll save my pineapple blocks for the retreat I’ll be attending at the end of the month, so maybe it’ll be time to piece those KISS blocks into a top and get to quilting on it.  I pieced the blocks together last spring, before I was “commissioned” to make DD’s chevron quilt … which led to the quilts I promised my grandsons. 

 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy

The Weekend Wrap-Up

Another out-of-town swim meet, another weekend on the pool deck.  Another weekend spent with my favorite people.  <insert happy sigh>

Friday morning I watched T#1, #2 and #3 while Mama took #4 to see Disney on Ice – Frozen.  The plan was that I’d be relieved of my duties when they got home, go home, pack and hit the road.  But you know what they say about best laid plans?    It took Mama well over an hour just to get out of the parking lot … she never did figure out what the problem was.  Between Frozen and the long wait to get back home, it must have been just a little too much for T#4 who crashed on the way to the hotel.

We grabbed dinner after checking in and settled in for a restful night in anticipation of Regionals the next morning.

Because warm ups started at 6:25AM and the town where the meet was held doesn’t have any hotels/motels, we had to stay in a nearby town – about 20 minutes away, which meant it really was a very early morning for everyone.

One of the first things I noticed when I entered the Y was the orange tree.  Who knew that orange trees would grow indoors, here in Illinois? 


I have to be honest and admit that my enjoyment was tempered a little by concern over the weather forecast … 5-7” of snow where we were staying, 6-8” of snow back home.  That 20-minute drive to/from the Y was over 2-lane highways.  By the time the meet was over, enough snow had fallen to make driving a little treacherous … I could only imagine what it would be like in the morning. 

Most of the snow had fallen by the time we got up Sunday morning … at least 8” of snow had fallen and it was still snowing very lightly.  The hotel parking lot was a mess, and the street crews had been out but the streets and highways weren’t a whole lot better. 

The Ts swam well, as did their team – they finished 2nd!


Thankfully the roads were perfectly clear for our trip home … and we were surprised by pulling onto a clean driveway.    When I asked on our neighborhood Facebook page who’d cleaned our driveway, one of our neighbors reported that he’d seen a young man, in his 20s with a truck, clearing the driveway.  We can’t think of anyone fitting that description … and other than our neighbors next door, I’m not sure that anyone even knew that we were out of town over the weekend.  It’s a mystery.

Sunrise this morning was especially beautiful.

Today will be a quiet day here at Chez Nana … I’ve got a little unpacking to do, but otherwise I plan to take it easy, as I think that DH shared his “crud” with me.  A little time with my needle and thread and my audiobook sounds like good therapy. 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy

Finally – Friday!

 

That means it’s the weekend – and what a weekend it’s going to be. 

 

We’ll be leaving this afternoon to head to the YMCA Regional Championships.  Swimmers who advance beyond Regionals (by swimming qualifying times) will compete in the Area Championships in 2 weeks … swimmers who advance beyond Area will compete in National Championships.  All 3 Ts have qualified for Area competitions, and T#2 and T#3 both have some more events that they are close to making Area time (T#1 made area time on all his events by the 2nd meet of the season).  Have I said how much I love watching them compete? 

 

 

We had snow yesterday morning … maybe a quarter inch at most … but it was certainly gorgeous as it was falling – nice big flakes, very Currier & Ives-esque.  I would have liked to have taken a picture to share, but I was in my car heading to my Dad’s … somehow he lost his email account on his iPhone.  Since I was going to be out of town all weekend, I chose to go out yesterday morning to restore his email account.  Because of his declining health, he doesn’t get out as often as he used (especially in the winter), he relies on our emails for “company”, and we rely on his emails to make sure he’s doing ok. 

 

 

I got home in time to get in a few hours of quilting on T#3’s quilt … I am almost done with the 2nd of the 4 outer rows of blocks.  Over the next month, there will be plenty of times when Life will intervene to keep me away from his quilt, but I’m still hopeful that I’ll be able to get this done by the end of March like I’d hoped when I started quilting.

 

 

I’ve been watching for the mail man this week, and on Wednesday he delivered a couple of packages, containing:

I won a giveaway over on Rachel’s blog Quilt or Dare … fabric, some quilt labels, and some cute buttons … there was a lot of loot in the package she sent me!

 

and:

Katy over at Katy Quilts was piecing together these fabulous album blocks (if you click on the photo, you can see them better), but in early January, she was growing disenchanted with them.  I kiddingly offered to take them off her hands … and she took me up on my “offer”.  I had thought that with so many other quilts already started, I might not get to these blocks for several months - or more, but after seeing them in real life, I love them even more and might have to move them up higher on my to-do list. 

 

 

I’m looking forward to the mail man making another delivery next week, as I ordered some fat quarters yesterday morning … Sew Sisters Quilt Shop is having a fat quarter bonanza through the end of this month … the bundles are priced at $2.00/fat quarter, so I bought two bundles – one of repro blues and one of repro browns. 

 

 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy