Cruise and Kitchen Cabinets

Well I have to say that cruising was fun, but it was not exactly what I expected. But actually I am not sure what I expected. The ship was beautiful and it was very relaxing. It was totally cool to be able to have room service any time you wanted it and be able to get food 24/7. We watched some good movies and caught a couple of comedy shows. We had some really fabulous dinners. One disappointment was a lot of the desserts were soaked, drenched, coated or otherwise alcohol laden. But not to worry, we did manage to have some great desserts. It was a blast to have a five course meal every evening. The way were were eating I was sure I was going to gain 10 pounds, but we did a lot of walking and used the stairs when we could. I only gained a pound for the trip. I also think one of the big factors was portions. The portions were small, but you could have seconds, thirds or fourths and no one cared. A couple of times we had dinner and if the dessert was especially good we would go back later for coffee and another dessert. I did have some problems with motion sickness, but I had medication and bought some ginger pills and some of those wrist bands which seemed to do the trick. Initially, the movement got to me because I was looking out the window of our cabin and but when I turned away I could see it in the mirror. Therefore, we kept the curtains closed most of the time. We spent time out on the decks and that did not seem to bother me. We had some really rough water in the Sea of Cortez, but it was at night and I managed to sleep well. I think maybe if we cruise again we will get a balcony - some fresh air would have been nice. We went ashore a couple of times and it was fun, but depressing because Mexico is so dirty and poor. I did buy a really cool wooden domino set that started at $38 and and I paid $25.

Our new kitchen cabinets are AWESOME. They did an excellent job and I am very pleased. We changed to a microwave over the stove top and it is really nice. I just finished putting everything back in the cabinets - but I am sure I will be changing things around for days. I just needed to get things put together before Christmas. We have pull out shelves in all the cabinets except one. We had planned to get a lazy susan, but the cabinet did not go back far enough - so just shelves. They will be mainly used for storing things we don't use often.

Anyway, I know I am really bad about keeping the blog updated and I am considering not doing it at all. Not sure if I will stop - probably not. I just am not going to be hard on myself if I don't post.

Later . . .

Time passing . . .

Hard to believe that the time has passed and tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  We are all looking forward to Max's arrival for the day - some more than others I am sure:)  Devin continues to do well and is more accepting of his limitations as time passes.  It is difficult to be dependent on someone else to help with all the basic needs.  He is spending more time interacting with the family and using his wheelchair.  He cannot really manage to get around the house because it is a tricky trip because of the extended front for his legs.

I have totally enjoyed my time bonding with Deanna.  She is talking up a storm and it is a trip interacting with her.  She is one BUSY little girl.  Unlike the other two she LOVES to be outside and plays in the dirt and just is always on the go.  If there is no TV or movie to watch she immediately makes herself busy.  She has a great imagination too.

Denise bought Devin the new Star Wars video game which is keeping him very occupied (perhaps too much).  The teachers at school have gotten together and given him a basket of presents so that each day he has a new present to open - something to look forward to.  Very sweet thought and most of the things are something that he can do sitting either on the couch, in his chair or in bed.  I have found an interest in Denise's DS and have been playing a "find the hidden object game".

Max has informed me Darci is mopping around the house and missing me.  She may be thinking that I made the same trip Kodi made and am not coming back.  I have talked to her on the phone, which seems to help.  I am sure she will be very glad to see me when we get home.

Later . . . 

Devin is making great progress and handling it as well as anyone could expect - actually better than some would handle it I am sure.  He does not seem to be in any more pain, which is really nice.  Of course being off the medication brings on the problem of not being able to sleep.  Hopefully it will all even out soon.  His body seems to be recovering and getting back to some normal functioning.  His appetite is picking up and his strength is coming back - wish I could say that my appetite was letting down while my strength was picking up.  I am doing amazingly well with the lifting.  He has to be lifted from the bed to the wheel chair and then to the couch if he wants to go there.  He also has to be lifted from the bed or wheel chair to the potty when he needs to go.  He has a urinal which he can use for that purpose.  I am trying really hard to protect my back and lift with my legs, but my knee is giving me some problems in that area.  Overall I am doing well considering the up and down connected with Devin and then also the stairs for the trailer and just generally keeping up with Deanna is a task in itself.

I am really looking forward to Max coming down on Thursday for Thanksgiving.  I have been gone from home and am missing her - not to mention missing my home and the dogs.  Living in a family with three kids is a BIG change from what I am used to.  Anyway, she will be here for Thanksgiving and then we will be heading home on Saturday.  Denise's niece is coming to stay and help her with Devin after I am gone.  She needs someone to help her with the lifting during the day while Duane is at work and when Desirae goes back to school.

Later . . .

I did it again . . .

Crap - one more time I have neglected the blog.  I am beginning to think I just might stop doing one (I will have to give it some serious thought).  I am not sure where to even start to catch up.

I am at Duane and Denise's with the girls while Devin has his surgery in LA.  The surgery was yesterday afternoon and the doctor said it went very well.  Unfortunately, poor little Devin is in major pain and not a happy boy.  I am not sure when he will be released from the hospital and they will stay down in LA until he is released.  I am getting Desirae back and forth to school and taking care of Deanna.  Believe me this is not something I am used to doing.  I did it back when Denise's dad passed and she and Duane were gone for a week, but I am thinking I am much older now (that would be about a year or so).  I have not spoken to anyone for an update on the surgery and the only information is from Duane's blog last night.

Joy did come up on the train for a week's visit and we had a good time.  She taught me how to cut out a pattern and sew an item of clothing.  I have to say that I am not that excited about the clothes sewing, but I did make a fleece top that turned out really nice.  I taught her how to use the quilting machine and she had a great time practicing.  We packed up the machine and headed down to Ventura and we had a good time there too.   I managed to get some amazing material for an amazing price because a quilt store was going out of business (pricey but well worth it for quality fabric @ $2 a yard).  Joy and I cut out some patterns that we both plan to sew later (fleece tops).  She hemmed and put snaps on two bathrobes she made me and cut out a nightgown pattern to check on style and size.  We got the quilt machine set up for her and James wired lights.  By the time I left on Sunday afternoon, she was quilting.  She is doing quite well and will pick it up fast (I wish I would have had someone to help me when I started, but I feel I am really getting there now).

Later . . .

Spending Money - Economy Be Damned!

I need to be careful about saying we are going to watch what we spend and no major purchased until after the first of the year. Economy be damned - new toys! I found myself knee deep in trouble when I attended the Quilt Show last weekend. I was having a good time and minding my own business when I started trying out the long arm quilting machines. Yikes! Now that I actually know how to machine quilt I could REALLY see the difference between the long arms and my Grand Quilter. Sooooooooooo I now am the proud owner of a Tin Lizzie 18 LS. It has so many advanced features compared to my old set up. 18 inches of throat space and the ratchet system to advance and retract the material is MUCH better. It actually has a larger bobbin! Not to mention that another bobbin winds while you are sewing so you are ready for a change when you run out (no loading a bunch of bobbins in advance and then not needing all of them). I am one VERY happy camper. I have been practicing with it and I am doing quite well. I think because I have been quilting it is coming easier to me, but I actually did a couple of pantograph patterns that turned out well using the laser. There is one small problem with the new set up and that is that it is bigger (deep) than my other one and space is a bit cramped in the garage. The plan at this time is to move the bed out of the extra bedroom and take off the closet doors and that will end up being my quilting room. It will also be nice to have the machine in the house and not have to deal with the heat in the garage. I don't seem to mind the cold, but the heat just makes it miserable. I was very reluctant to give up the day bed, but since we really do not have that much company, it is kind of pointless to not use the space (considering it will be something that will be used a LOT).

THEN . . . Max bought the new Sony notebook that just came out with the 19" screen and a screaming graphics and video card. The color and picture is amazing! She was thinking about the 20" Wacom and debating on the purchase of a Mac and ended up with this one. The new Sony actually has a better everything inside than the new MacPro. After much discussion and investigation, it would appear that 4 or 5 years ago the Mac would have been the best way to go to do photography stuff, but since the Mac's and PC's are both running the same stuff it has become somewhat of a "moo" point (as Joey would say). Interestingly, the new Sony can run all the different operating systems if one wanted to add them. Needless to say, now Max is a very happy camper.

We also just finished getting an estimate for new kitchen cabinets and we are going to have them installed just before Christmas. They will be a medium dark oak. We are getting pull out shelves in some and a lazy susan in the corner to utilize the space that is essentially wasted because you cannot reach back there without taking everything else out. We will have the little pull out drawer in front of the sink and also one in front of the stove (not sure what will go there).

Once we get the kitchen cabinets the only project left will be fine tuning the back yard and getting that extra step out of there. We still need to find the matching bricks to finish off the flower beds. We do need to purchase a new hot tub cover and that will be coming in the next couple of weeks. It needs to be replaced before the rain starts.

Sorry I have been so bad at keeping the blog updated - I just seem to loose track of the time and at the same time I am staying pretty busy.

Later . . .

FINALLY!!!

THANK GOD and WOO HOO! Max was officially hired as a full-time career employee today. The stress of it all is finally over. I had conviction that it would happen, but Max has been stressing about it since they started laying people off. Now we can pretty much start looking forward to retirement. Since the Lab went private, job security is not what it used to be, but it sure beats the hell out of knowing come December 1st she was out the door. This means she is eligible for full medical benefits for both of us when she retires - which means a lot! We went out to dinner at the Fondue Place for dinner tonight to celebrate. We have been wanting to go there since it opened and it was GREAT! Way, way, way too much food, but we did the whole thing - salad, cheese fondue, meat/chicken fondue and chocolate fondue. It was amazing, but no way would I ever do it again - just plain too much food for one sitting.

We were in Cal City over the weekend to visit with the grandkids and family. We had the opporunity to watch one of Desirae's soccer games in which she made her first goal. It was COLD and the wind was blowing like crazy for her 8:00 A.M. game. We had a nice weekend and did a little family "Rock Band" which was fun.

Max took pictures, but Duane posted some shots on SmugMug. Check out his blog for a picture link.

CONGRATULATIONS MAX - WAY TO GO!

Later . . .

Made it to the laundromat

I managed to get to the laundromat yesterday and get the bedspread and the above coasters washed and dried. I went ahead and posted them for sale on Etsy, but I am not sure I will continue with that. It only costs .20 per item to list with them and they take 3.5% of the sale. So it was not a big investment to give it a try and I can always use them for the holidays myself!

We finished painting the kitchen today - so the kitchen project is basically complete. There is some touching up that has to be done on the black wood for the pots and pans rack, but it really looks good and I am very happy with it.

Later . . .

Finished Halloween Bags

So that is accomplished! I think the bags are really cute and I hope the kids will like them. Above in red for Deanna and below in pink for Desirae - same material for both the girls. I think I still like Devin's the best.
Now it is back to quilt making. I am headed off to do some errands and the laundromat.

Later . . .

More Embroidery

I have been working on Halloween bags for the grand kids and the above are the finished embroidery patterns. They were long and tedious designs, but I think they turned out really cute. I have finished Devin's bag and I really like it. Devin's bag has different material than the girls and I really like the way it blends. His lettering is green, which also goes really well with the material. I think I might have bought the wrong "pet mesh" because I am having a really terrible time with it unraveling. The stuff I used before was what my sister, Joy, gave me and it did not unravel like this stuff is doing. It makes it hard to work with because the more you more it around (and there is a lot of that) the more it unravels and the more I have to keep trimming off. Maybe there are different brands or I just happened to purchase one that was not coated well.

Once I get the bags completed, I will finish Chloe's dog quilt. Considering I want the kids to have the bags for Halloween and we are planning a visit the first part of October, getting the bags completed was kind of time sensitive. I still need to make a trip to the laundromat to deal with the coasters I made - simply too many projects and not enough time.

Later . . .

Keeping Busy

I certainly have been keeping busy doing embroidery. Above are the latest sets of four coasters that I have done. I have them all sewn together and just need to make a trip to the laundromat to get they frayed. I have done some in my own washing machine and it is just such a hassle to clean up the mess. I need to wash my frayed bedspread and I will just do them all at once. I cannot even get the bedspread in my washing machine. I did list the other patriotic red white and blue coaster on Etsy. I now have a "shop" so check it out. I plan to put some more coasters up for sale. I will probably put up some of the left over scarves that I did last year. I really don't like the idea of doing stuff for sale because it then adds the pressure factor and I really like doing things for pleasure. I like to do them for myself and friends and family. So the whole selling thing will probably be very short lived. It would be nice to get a little money to replace materials, but I actually have plenty of material to last for a long while (the thread does go quickly when doing a lot of embroidery).

Max and Kathy went up to her mom's for a couple days of doing chores. Max is doing some plumbing work and Kathy is assisting. I decided to stay at home cause I was not feeling all that well. I worked in my sewing room a bit and just kind of relaxed.

Later . . .

Productive Day

We had a productive day today - in the kitchen and in my sewing room. Max made herself a little plastic bubble and sanded, primed, textured, primed and painted the kitchen ceiling while I squared Chole's quilt and added the border and got the binding ready. We made a Lowes run for the moulding (which will be put up on Monday with the help of Kathy).

Max hung the ceiling fan and it actually looks really nice - cute little thing. Must say Max is an expert ceiling fan hanger! It is black and chrome which matches our appliances and cookware really well. It puts out more light than we expected it would, but we still will probably replace the bulbs with some floursecent ones to get a brighter white light.

Later . . .

That time of year again . . . Hatch Chilies

It is that time of year again for New Mexico's great Hatch Chilies. We ordered 50 pounds and Kathy and Paul ordered 25 pounds and we had a chili roast over at Debby's (she is not home but she is the only one with a Weber - the gas grills just take too long to get hot enough to do a good job). Of course I forgot my camera, hence the picture of the chilies bagged and in the freezer. We ordered from a different company this year and have not eaten any chilies yet, but they did come from the same place.

The plans for this weekend are to keep working on the kitchen and hopefully make some progress. It is coming along great and I think will look really nice when it is completed. We picked out a really cool ceiling fan, but have not picked out the molding yet.

I have been working on Holiday themed coasters on my embroidery machine. I just was a bit tired of quilting and wanted to do some embroidery. I have the top for Chloe's quilt done and I just have to square it and then cut the border and binding. I want to get it done so I can get it quilted and on her bed. The dogs are getting along really well and playing and keeping each other company. Darci finally has someone who will actually sleep nest to her and their bodies can actually touch (Kodi was NOT a snuggle guy except with me).

Later . . .

Celebrating 21 Years of Sobriety and Working on the Kitchen

First off it amazes me that I have gone 21 years without a drink and 19 years without a smoke. Life is good and it is a direct result of taking that first big step. Max bought me a Garmin Nuvi 770 (which I have been wanting for the longest time). It is totally cool and will come in handy for many things (especially finding my way home when the traffic comes to a stand still). It also gives you the freedom to explore without the fear of being hopelessly lost.

Our latest project is changing the lighting in the kitchen. We used to have the dropped ceiling with fluorescent lighting and we are opening up the space and putting in a ceiling fan. The kitchen is always really hot and opening up the ceiling will give the appearance of more space. Once the sheet rock is up, tapped, mudded, textured, painted and ceiling fan hung, we will then finish it off with molding around the bottom and top. I think it is going to look really nice and I know that it will help keep the kitchen cooler. The above picture is Kathy and Max patching the ceiling where Max had to extend the wiring to accommodate the new ceiling fan (Max did not hit Kathy with the hammer - she was just goofing around - per usual).

Nothing much new on our front - Hot/Hot/Hot weather.

Later . . .

Finally!

Now this is what I call VACATIONING! The weather was beautiful - not too hot and not too cold. Floating around on a pristine lake up in the mountains where you can smell the pine trees and feel the cool breeze. Even if I did not catch any fish (which I did) it is a great way to relax.

I cannot believe how unbelievably busy I was before we left for vacation and seems like I have been pretty much the same since we got back. Part of the business has been spending time with Debby before she left for Iraq. She has actually been deployed, but will be in Washington preparing for a while.

We had a really GREAT time in Arnold at the Mountain Retreat. We had great chats, great food, great fishing, some special occasions and an all around very relaxing time. I was able to get the bindings sewn on both the dogs quilts for Wanda and also my "Wild Woman" quilt. We also had a good game of poker and a night out at the local Pub for Debby's birthday. I also almost completed the binding for a table topper that Joy gave me. One of the highlights of the trip was getting to be close to a 400 pound Mama brown bear and her two cubs. Thankfully we did not have an encounter with 800 pound Daddy. We had the opportunity watching the Mom and her cubs having dinner in the trash bins at the complex. That is Debby's Toyota that you can see in the right corner of this shot. I was really amazed that Mom would get so close to humans with her cubs, but let me tell you she keep a good watch. Every time someone moved she truly shot them the evil eye until they stood still! There were some beautiful lakes in the area and we had a great time using our float tubes. Max and Paul did some fly fishing in the river and they both managed to hook some up. We were not that successful fishing the lakes, but we did manage to hook up some beautiful trout, but we did not keep any.

The following is a shot of Utica Lake, which was one of the most peaceful, serene and awesomely beautiful places I have ever seen and one we will always hold near and dear to our hearts! This vacation will be one we will remember for a lifetime! I will try to get more of the photos posted on Shutterfly - it is just so hard to add photos to really let people see where we were and what we were doing.Later . . .

Ready for Vacation

Well the dog quilts are ready to make the trip!  I finally got the binding on and the labels made.  I am hoping to be able to do the hand stitching of the binding during down time relaxing at the condo.  We have had a busy week since the kids went home.  Our gardener just stopped showing up so I am doing the yards now.  Got the yards done, pool drained and the slip and slide deflated and put away.  I then tackled the quilts to have them ready to take with me.  Michael had his 25th BD party last night - everyone went to a Karaoke Bar.  Max and I left before the "real" singing got started (she had to work today).  We are very much looking forward to doing some fishing and spending some time with Debby before she leaves for Iraq.  I am not taking a computer with me, but I will have my cell phone (providing we get service up there in the mountains).

Later . . .

Quiet House

We took the kids home Saturday and came back Sunday. Unfortunately we forgot the "warning" Denise gave us about not letting Deanna drink any milk 1 - 1 1/2 hours before putting her in the car. She had milk with lunch and fell asleep immediately when we started driving. The mistake we made was stopping at McDonalds in Bakersfield for dinner and she had milk with her Happy Meal. Shortly before we were about to make the turn off for Cal City, she got sick. Hard to believe someone so little could puke that much. OMG it was everywhere and there was no place to pull off the road for a couple of miles. We thought for sure the other kids were going to get sick just for being next to Deanna in the car. Poor Desirae ended up with it on her and she was trying her hardest not to puke herself. So when we finally pulled over we took the car seat out of the car and got Deanna changed and then proceeded to try to figure out how to take the cover off the seat because there was NO WAY we were going to be able to clean it there. Mission accomplished and we were back on the road and you would never know that Deanna had been sick - kids are amazing!

We will enjoy the peace and quiet for a few days and then start terribly missing them. Once again I will mention that it is really sad that they live so far away, but at least they are close enough to make the drive in one day.

Now we start preparing for our fishing trip with Max's family. Debby will be leaving for Iraq the end of the month so it will be a good time to have everyone together for the week.

Later . . .

Added Note . . .

I forgot to mention Thursday night at dinner all the kids were droppey eyed and yawning and Desirae looked at me and said, "Nana, what are you doing to us"? It was very cute and I had to explain that they were outside in the sun and fresh air and expending a LOT of energy playing in the pool and it was natural that they were all tired. It was funny cause you would think I was working them to death or something. She had such a serious look on her face. At least we will be sending them home with nice color. While packing up their stuff and getting ready to take them home, Max and I are both already sad to see them go and will miss them a lot. If we did not have plans it would be nice to keep them longer. They are all very precious children (spoken like a true Nana)!

Later . . .

Last Day

I cannot believe that the week has gone by so quickly. We went to the movie this afternoon (WALLE) and Max and the kids are now making ice cream cone cup cakes (which are yummy). The movie was not what I expected, but the kids seem to like it and that is what counts. We have not been to a movie since they were here the last time and it is hard to believe that for a matinee it costs $6.50 per person. Popcorn, candy and drinks is something I don't even want to discuss! Now I know why we stay home and watch DVD's.

I will say I accomplished a BUNCH of yard work that I have been wanting to do. Deanna is the greatest little helper and I do mean that she helps. The kids have been in the pool everyday and that has given me the opportunity to work in the yard. We have had some great weather - around 80 - 85. Hot enough to be outside and in the pool, but not so hot I don't want to be doing yard work. The one thing I did not get done was mowing the lawns (I guess our gardener quit as he just stopped showing up).

It will be silent and a bit sad around the house next week, but at least I should be able to get my dog quilts done and be able to take them with me on our trip to Arnold. I should have them completed except for the hand sewing of the binding. I am looking forward to the trip and Max is dying to go fishing. We have not been fishing at all this year. She might be able to do some stream fly fishing with Paul and we are taking our float tubes for the lakes.

Later . . .

I guess I am staying BUSY!

I can't believe it has been weeks since I posted. No need to ask me what I have been doing cause I really have no idea why I have not been on my computer. I did manage to embroider a shirt for Denise that she has been wanting (spinning wheel on the back and knitting basket over the pocket on the front). I am slowly trying to get the dog quilts done, but I have been having issues. One would think that all Pfaff machines would load the bobbin the same way and insert the needles the same. IF that were the case I might not have had such a hassle with thread breakage - check the manual, Donna! Max and I did the Reno trip for a few days and had a really good time. We gambled most of the time and I actually came back with more money than I started with (not much, but that is so cool in my book). Max had a great birthday and we hit some really good cards and had a really nice birthday dinner (the buffets are amazing). We came home to greet Denise and the kids. She brought them down for their week stay and was here when we got home. Having three kids in the house is definitely not something I am used to. I can't believe these little people eat breakfast, lunch and dinner - not to mention snacks and dessert! We are having a good time spending most of the time in the back yard in the blow up pool we have for them. We also bought a slip and slide, but it requires more energy than I can muster to help Devin be able to use it. We played on it for an hour or so and have not set it back up since (believe me it is hell getting old and having arthritis). Having them around is a real treat. We miss not seeing them often. I have taken some pictures, but not as many as I would like and Max has not gotten her camera out. With Max working all day we both seem to be ready for bed when the kids are. We will be taking them home this weekend. Kathy, Paul, Michael and Debby are coming over for dinner tomorrow night.

Later . . .

Keeping Busy

Loading my quilt frame is not an easy task and putting two different quilts on at the same time was a challenge.  I think it will work out well and in the long run save me some time and effort.  Once the quilts were ready to go I then wound 27 bobbins (that was the number I had with no thread on them).  It takes around 15 bobbins for each quilt - give or take.  I like to get bobbins wound before I start quilting so I don't have to do it in the middle of quilting.  Changing bobbins is a pain and at least I have them ready.  One would think someone would come up with a large capacity bobbin for quilting machines!

Later . . .

Embroidery

So this is what had me distracted. I wanted to see what the flowers would look like and the Lady is a new design I got. It was in black and I decided to see what it would look like in red. I actually think it would look good in any solid color. I had a chambray shirt laying around and thus the distraction. I ramble about from craft to craft. I suppose that is the curse of having so many crafts and projects to choose from and work on. Added to the distraction I started reading a Dean Koontz book; which I just finished. I love to read, but when I am reading the book seems to just call to me. I try to get my reading done before I fall asleep, but sometimes I just have to read during the day.

Ahhhhhh well such is my life.

Oh BTW we have borrowed Debby's dog Chloe to see how she and Darci will interact while Debby is in Iraq. They seem to be getting along pretty well - Chloe is adjusting to the new environment and we are hoping that Debby will just let us keep her; considering Debby will be leaving the end of August anyway. Last night they did the bed switch - so I think they are getting comfortable with each other. Max gave them both a bath (shower) today and they are shiny, sweet smelling girls.

Later . . .

Catching up . . .

I finally finished the borders for the dog quilts. I have the batting and backing cut out and ready to load everything on my quilt frame, but I somehow keep getting side tracked. I guess it will get done when it gets done.

Later . . .

Birthday presents for Max

Max made out her wish list for her birthday and I went ahead and ordered the stuff from B&H. She got that mondo macro lens and we were looking at Paul's eyelashes through it - what a trip. OMG it gets close up. Then she also got the extender for her other lens and we were reading the print on a piece of paper attached to one of the trellises in the backyard. She also got a set of glass lens filters. Needless to say she was and is a happy camper. I am also taking her to Reno for her birthday. We are running up there for a couple of days before we get the grandkids for a week.

Later . . .

Making Progress

I finished the other dog quilt top and have the borders and binding cut out and ready to sew together. I am hoping to get both the quilts on my frame next week. It has been so darn hot around here working in the garage during the day is not an option. Early morning hours is not so bad, but a couple of days it did not even cool down at night. I am getting out of bed a bit earlier these days so I think it will be workable. I did not take any pictures, but will post when the borders are on and perhaps when I get them both on the frame (I am hoping that is a doable thing).

We are off to Max's mom's today to do some chores (fixing and painting her bathroom) and will be back Saturday afternoon/evening. Darci has been having a bit of a bad week (missing her brother I am guessing) and I hate to leave her home alone, but she needs to get used to it. I had to do a bunch of running around the other day and I think that is what kicked off her loneliness. Kathy and Debby will probably visit, but essentially we will only be gone overnight (which we have done many times in the past, but she always had Kodi for company).

Later . . .

Finished Bags

Joy is a much faster sewer than I am (that would be because she has made MANY of the bags that she was teaching me how to make) so she finished both bags when she got home and emailed me the following pictures. She wanted to have the bags done to take to her sewing group on Thursday. I knew the they would both turn out great and they certainly did.I have not done any more sewing on the dog quilts, but I did try to make the labels and ended up with a design that just did not work. I hate that when it happens, but I usually do not want to do an entire design just to check to see if it will work. If I was putting something on an expensive article of clothing or something like that I would do a test, but when I am working on material I don't see the point. So I guess I did a test design that sucked and I am back to the drawing board. I have all the squares sewn together in rows and just need to attach them. I hope to get the borders and binding cut out tomorrow and hopefully by next week I can have them on the quilting frame.

It is HOT HOT HOT here and is going to be hotter tomorrow. Good day to stay in the house in my sewing room and work on quilts or embroidery.

Later . . .

Catching up . . .

First piece of good news - Darci did not dig in the yard while she was left home alone. I think maybe she has grown up and does not have all that excess energy that she used to have. She has taken to going around the house and sleeping in the spot that Kodi used to sleep in all the time. I guess she is trying to take over for him - she is still a bit on the skiddish side, but is improving.

Joy did come back with me and she was teaching me how to make tote bags. When we were at the sewing machine shop we saw embroidery on pet mesh and decided we needed to give that a try. We started one at her house and brought it with us, but she did not cut enough material so she had to take it back with her to finish. It was on the black pet mesh and the embroidery was white dragon flies - it was really pretty, but I forgot to take a picture of it. I made the above bag (with her direction) and it turned out really pretty. I wrote down the instructions as I went and then made another bag "all by myself". The below bag is made with material instead of the pet mesh. I like the pet mesh, but I am not sure I want to buy the mesh - it only comes it rolls and I don't know that I would use it all - unless I try to sell some, but there is a lot of time that goes into doing the embroidery and sewing the bag. I really love the one below (pretty girlie bag).

Then we were cruising through some of my designs and she found a design that she wanted on a bag for herself. We prepared the material and I did the embroidery, but there was just not enough time to complete the bag. She had to take it home and will finish it there. Both the above bags have the same design on both sides, but the one I did for Joy (below) will only be on one side cause I just did not have the time to get it on both sides before she had to leave. She went home on Amtrak Friday morning.

We had a good time sewing, but the trip to her house was short and her stay here was kind of short.

Max and I went to Debby's for an early afternoon 4th celebration , but were home early and just hung out around the house. I managed to get some little chores accomplished and we "heard" the fireworks, but we did not see anything.

We are off to Stockton to a birthday party for Jesse's son this afternoon and hopefully we will spend a relaxed quiet day around the house tomorrow. Seems like we have been really busy and pressed for time the last couple of weeks.

Later . . .

Quick Trip

I am running down to Ventura today with the hopes of bringing my sister back with me.  I need to take my sewing machine in for service and the dealer is in Palmdale (about an hour drive from Joy's).  My expensive embroidery machine is having some problems and needs to be serviced and have some adjustments along with the bobbin winder is broken.  I also want to get my Grand Quilter serviced.  I know that I am going to have to start taking my machines to San Jose because making the trip to Palmdale is just not realistic.  It is a good reason to visit Joy, but not so workable when we visit Duane and family cause we usually are there on the weekends.  Anyway - there will be no posts for a few days (I am coming back on Saturday).

This will be Darci's first time being left alone without her brother.  It will be interesting to see if there will be any excavation happening in the bad yard (she used to dig when she was bored).

Later . . .

One top down and three to go . . .

I had a good day sewing today and put together one quilt top. I am making dog quilts for Wanda's dogs and then I am also going to make a couple extra and see if I might be able to sell them. I purchased enough material to do four - so I am on my way. I want to get Wanda's finished first, but they go together pretty easily (they are not that big). The borders are easy, but the actual quilting and then binding it is the real time consuming part. But I am having fun and that is THE name of the game! I think I am going to try to put two quilts on my frame and see if I can quilt two at the same time. They are small enough that it should work and if that is the case it would be much easier for me.

We are having a lazy weekend staying inside with the air conditioner. We did venture out for hair cuts this afternoon. I am very happy with mine and Max is not so happy with hers (I personally think hers looks really cute). For the first time she thinks her hair is too short in the back. It is shorter than before, but I think it looks nice. Now if I could get her to let me take a picture I could post it - but I don't think that is going to happen. Tomorrow with be another lazy day of movie watching, video gaming and relaxing. God I love the weekends!

Later . . .

Getting Back to Normal

I have started sewing and quilting again. Since Kodi's departure it has been kind of weird around the house. Unfortunately, Darci is really having a difficult time without her brother. He has basically been with her all her life and he was not only her companion, but he was her back up. She is a little on the skiddish side right now. She still barks and such, but she will not go to the door without someone going with her - she just looks at you to be her back up. It is sad and at the same time a little amusing. The sad part is when she eats - she just looks at where Kodi's bowl used to be. I am sure she will come around (without the kitten Max thinks will cheer her up). It has turned really hot around here and I am ready to finish the binding on my "Wild Woman" quilt, but I really do not want to do it while it is so hot. Any quilting on my frame will have to be done EARLY in the morning cause the garage just gets too hot. The weather is suppose to cool down this coming week so perhaps it will not be so hot in the garage.

Later . . .

FAREWELL BIG GUY . . .

It was with the deepest sadness that on June 13th we had to let Kodi go.  He was getting progressively worse and after extensive testing the option that remained was that he had a brain tumor.  Max, Darci and I gave Kodi a farewell pizza and ice cream party; which he enjoyed with great pleasure and enthusiasm.  I made the decision on the 10th and had some great time with him before he left.  I cried my heart out most of the week (and am still having a difficult time) but I knew it was the right thing to do - he was miserable and in pain.  His ashes will be spread in the hills of Napa Valley, which is the resting place for many other canine pals. He was the greatest dog and will be missed terribly by everyone who knew and loved him.

Later . . .

Weekend

We had a great time at the Summer Special Olympics watching Micahel play Volleyball. His team won a set and lost a set on Saturday, but ended up with a Silver Medal on Sunday! After his games we (Kathy, Paul, Carl, Nancy [Paul's parents], Max and I) roamed Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley checking out the vendors and having lunch. It was a really nice day as I had not been over there in years. We grabbed a SUPER chocolate/banana/strawberry/whip cream crepe on the way back to the car and finished our Berkeley experience. Later in the afternoon Max staked the tomato plants in the back yard and I washed our cars. I had MANY dead bugs on the grill and Max's car was just plain dirty. Max also fixed the hose as it had sprung many leaks, but there was plenty to cut off the leaking part and still have a good long hose.

BTW - my thumb is recovering pretty well. It still has some pain right in the joint, but I am getting much more pain free movement out of it. I have not played any video games or guitar hero - I am sticking to the mouse on my Mac for any game playing. I have also started using Alleve and it seems to do a bit better job than Advil or Tylenol.

Today has been a typical Sunday of relaxation - if you can call listening to your dog pant and cry and drool rivers around the house relaxing. I am afraid to report that Kodi is not getting any better. The vet called yesterday to say his urine test came back fine - so there is no indication that he has Cushings. Unfortunately, there is SOMETHING wrong with him and we don't know what that something is. I was hoping the pain medication would give him some relief, but it does not seem to be doing anything. His feet are clearing up with the medication and antibiotics, but he is still experiencing a lot of discomfort and he is still ravenously hungry. Needless to say, he is breaking my heart with every pant and whine.

Later . . .

Update

Took Kodi's urine sample in to the vet this AM, but have not gotten any results on the testing. I stopped by the pet store and bought a sweet little toy for the cat Kodi traumatized and took it as a peace offering. They were very appreciative and thought it was a really sweet thing for "Kodi" to do. I also requested some pain mediation for Kodi to relieve some of his suffering - his feet just look painful! He was so out of it on the pain medication that he did not even care when the camera came out. The credit card was hit for $350 today because that included the cost for the x-rays and such from yesterday that I did not pay at the time. Kodi has cost us over $500 this week and he still is having problems and we don't have the answer. He is still one HUNGRY dog.

I finished the quilting on my "Wild Woman" quilt and I must say I am pleased with the outcome. I was a bit concerned when Max and Joy convinced me to use black thread on the front and red on the back, but it looks really nice. Max was VERY impressed and was surprised at how well it turned out - considering it was VERY loud to start with she did not see how it could possibly look good. Kathy had pretty much the same reaction - and I knew it was going to be awesome from the gate!

Later . . .

More Kodi Information

Had to take Kodi in to the vet this morning for x-rays. He got stellar treatment because everyone there loves him - nail trim and teeth cleaned with no charge just because he was there. After all he weighs over 100 pounds and they prefer to just leave him on the table between x-rays and someone has to stay with him anyway. The vet got to take a look at his feet and put him on antibiotics AGAIN. All was well until it was time to leave and pay the bill; which, at that time, Kodi decided to have a Kodi snack and MUNCHED the vet's cat! OMG what a scene that was! The cat hissed at him and the fight was on. Kodi ended up with the cat's head in his mouth and REFUSED to let it go. Thank God it looked worse than it was. They had to pry Kodi's mouth open with a broom handle and whisked the cat away. I left to let them tend to the cat and they called me later to let me know there was no serious injury. No puncture wounds, no internal injuries, no broken bones/neck or back. All in all the vet said the cat was really bruised and sore but doing okay (kind of suffering from whip lash). She was actually amazed that Kodi did not do more damage, but he has never hurt a cat before and he just went into paralyze mode when people started screaming and pulling at him. I am very glad the cat is okay and I wonder if they will all continue to love him like before. I know one thing for sure - he will not have any give on his leash from now on. I just did not see the cat around the corner from where I was standing to pay my bill.

I have to get another urine sample first thing in the morning for Kodi because the x-rays did not show anything. It is pretty confusing to not know what the heck is going on with him and this hunger issue. I am used to the feet problems, but this whole business is difficult. He is also having some urinating accidents in the house which has never happened before.

The saga continues and I will keep posting what I find out.

Later . . .

Kodi Update

The vet finally called yesterday afternoon and all Kodi's lab tests DO NOT point to Cushings! He has something going on with his urine and she wants to do an x-ray of his stomach to check for "bladder stones". His blood work indicated that his thyroid level is low and we will have to adjust that medication. She thinks "perhaps" if he has bladder stones that might cause the excess drinking and urinating, but it does not explain his hunger. I did shave his feet and he had a lot more sores than could be seen through all that hair. I think his crying might have been more connected to the pain in his feet and "maybe" he just happened to be laying in front of his food dish. I think that is really stretching it, because last night he was rummaging in the trash which is something he has NEVER done! I had just opened a package of pill pockets and thrown the package in the trash because I put the pill pockets in a plastic container. Maybe Kodi is like me and eats for comfort????????? When I don't feel good I usually want something to eat! I have to call and make an appointment for the x-ray and perhaps start him on some antibiotics to help clear up his feet (which I will continue to shave so we can at least see what the hell is going on).

Other than that - I am still quilting and staying away from video games. My thumb is less painful than it was before, but it still pains me in different positions and pinching stuff is not working so well for me. Now I am turning to my Mac for some game playing - I seem to be the time wasting queen right now - motivation is not oozing out of me at the moment. I need to make a "to do" list because that usually will get me moving in the right direction.

Later . . .

Kodi

Well I took Kodi to the vet this AM and we are awaiting the results of $200 worth of blood and urine work. It appears that he might have Cushings Disease The vet said she might have the results this evening, but we have not received a phone call. He fits the symptoms pretty well and this could also be contributing to his feet problems and infections. Poor guy - I certainly hope we can pin down what is going on with him. It certainly has come on suddenly if this is the problem, but his behavior is like nothing I have ever seen before. Kodi is such a mild mannered, kind and gentle guy and he has turned into this food crazed FEED ME monster. He steals Darci's food and wants to be fed all day. Poor baby lays in front of his food dish and cries. It is really just too hard not to give him some food when he is crying and he has gained like 7 pounds in the last 2 weeks. I also am going to just have to bite the bullet and go ahead and shave all the hair from his massive manly feet. I keep the hair on the bottom and between the pads shaved, but I just need to have better access for applying his medication.

I will post when I hear from the vet - there are more tests that will need to be run if he has the indications in this work that it is Cushings.

Later . . .

My Bad!

Whew - where does the time go? I cannot believe it has been weeks since I have posted. Things have happened and I guess I just have not taken the time to sit down at the computer and share.

I did finish my quilt from my quilt class. I am very pleased and happy with it. I am working on the other one, but I am also quilting my large "wild woman" quilt. Unfortunately, I can see the need to do some time management and scheduling if I am ever going to get some of the projects I want to do completed. It certainly is a good thing that I am retired - I just don't know what I do to waste so much time.

Max's mom and dad came down for Memorial weekend and we did a photo shoot and did some crafts. Debby and friend came over for dinner and we all played a little guitar hero. Unfortunately, my guitar hero days are done for a while. I went to the doctor regarding my thumb and his serious recommendation was to have surgery. I decided to have another cortisone shot and see if that could give me some relief for a while. It seems to be working, but I am not going to do any video games of any kind that might aggravate it. I am actually saddened by that because I was really having some fun with guitar hero and was progressing nicely at the medium level. I went bad and picked up 5's on all the easy ones (with the exception of Raining Blood which is just a stupid HARD song). I suppose down the road I may be able to play again with LIMITATIONS; which seems to be hard for me to do - moderation is not one of my strong suits.

This last weekend we had Max's family over for dinner and enjoyed a relaxing weekend. Next weekend is Summer Special Olympics in Berkeley and Michael will be playing volleyball. We will be going and it will give Max a chance to try out her new super duper sports lens!

Kodi is sick again and has a vet appointment tomorrow AM. Not sure what is going on with him. He is hungry ALL the time and that is not typical Kodi behavior. He is again having some feet problems and that may be causing him some pain. I try to the best of my ability to stay on top of the feet stuff, but this last bit of hot weather may have flared up some spots. He is becoming an old man and he worries me. I just hate having him be in pain and feeling so miserable. Perhaps he needs his thyroid meds adjusted. I think I will have them do a complete blood work while they are at it. He is crying a lot of the time and that is really hard to handle.

That could be all the news from around here, but I loose track of time so quickly it is hard to say.

Later . . .

Final Class

My final class went well and I learned some good information regarding how to attach the binding and also an easier way to put my quilt label on the back.  I did not get the binding completed, but when I do I will post a picture of the completed project.  I have already started on the other quilt that I was making and had to put aside due to time constraints.  I am looking forward to seeing how I do without any hands on help when I get confused.  If the weather cools off I am ready to start some quilting on my machine in the garage - several for Joy and several for me.

Max and a buddy are going to go shoot at sunset and I will probably tag along.  She wants to do some studio practice with me this afternoon before she does the thing for her friend next weekend.  Other than that we don't really have much planned for the weekend except trying to stay cool and keep Kodi that way.

She has me convinced she needs that Canon 70-200mm 2.8 IS L USM - I mean after all Canon has a $125 rebate going right now and how could we possibly pass that up!

Later . . .

Ready for final class

I managed to get everything done for my class tonight. The actual quilting went well, except for a bit of unevenness on the bottom of the quilt. I had a really hard time getting my binding to come out straight until I walked away from the machine yesterday and came back today. I just could not seem to sew a straight diagonal line from corner to corner; however today it seems to work out just fine. I made the label for my quilt - so I am hoping I may be able to finish it tonight in class. If I don't get it finished tonight, it will not take much to sew the binding on.
I made myself a pin cushion out of a really pretty cup and saucer that I found at the thrift store along with a cup I found for my teacher. I like have a handle to move my pin cushion around and I think they are cute.

Later . . .

Cathing up . . .

I cannot believe it has been this long since I have updated my blog. We have been back from vacation for weeks! We did have a really relaxing and nice time (and that is what we were looking for). The internet connection dropped out and it was really hard to connect - so I just let it go. We did not take many pictures, but did have a nice visit with Joy and Jim and also Don.

We came home on Thursday in time for me to finish my quilt top. The left side of the picture is actually the top of the quilt (I could not get the entire quilt if I shot it upright). Then the class last week was canceled - so this coming Thursday is my last class. I have my quilt loaded on my frame to do the quilting and then we will apply the binding in class (I have to cut and sew that before the class). I also need to make a label for the quilt before the class. I have enjoyed the class and might consider taking another one. It has turned HOT around here and I am going to have to get up early to work on my quilt as the garage gets way to HOT in the afternoon.

Wanda came for a visit and I really enjoyed that. It gave us a chance to catch up on "stuff" and just hang out and visit. We did a lot of nothing - I got her addicted to a couple of video games that I had on my computer, but I could not get her interested in Guitar Hero. I did manage to get her to play a couple of PS2 games (she needs to know how it works cause they bought one for their grandkids). We went out for Sushi and Indian food and that was yummy.

Things are about the same around here. Max still has a job and will probably have one until December, but the morale at work SUCKS. Everyone is unhappy and waiting to find out who is staying and who is going - really a depressing place to be right now. It is hard not knowing if there will be a job or not and trying to decide if she should throw her 7 years away and start over or stay and wait and see. My vote is for the stay and wait and see, but there are some jobs she might apply for and then if she gets a job offer - make the decision at that time.

When we were in Santa Barbara Max was able to pick up a bunch of photography stuff she wanted and today she got her Multi-dome Soft Box (which came with some free online lighting lessons). She really has everything she needs now for a complete studio. She is going to take some studio shots of a co-workers daughter next weekend.

Later . . .

Avila Beach

I did not get the chance to take a picture of my quilt after I did some sewing in my quilting class. I managed to get my flying geese sewn and the side borders attached. I need to get the flying geese squares sewn to the top and bottom borders and then I will be done with the top. Since we left for vacation Friday morning and are not returning until Thursday, I am not sure if I will be able to have the top completed for class. We are suppose to work on the quilt sandwich this coming Thursday, but I am not sure I will be able to have it done. I have not even picked out the backing material as yet, but I am sure I have enough batting. No worries - I can get it done before the last class (thankfully I do know how to put a quilt together). At least I will be there to see the demonstration she will give for spray adhesive and hand/machine quilting.

We are settled in our timeshare and relaxed in vacation mode. Don and Sharon are coming down for lunch tomorrow and we are going to Santa Barbara on Monday to Samys and then meeting Joy and Jim for lunch. This vacation is about just kicking back and relaxing and we don't have any real plans. OF COURSE because I am here, they are having a couple of their HOTTEST days ever for this time of year. God I hate the heat! We have a great view of the ocean and the air conditioning works just great!

I did not even bring my camera and Max really hasn't taken any pics to speak of. We are getting intermittent wireless connection, which allows us to get online. They have wireless connection here that you can pay for, but we are picking up a linksys connection that seems to be working good most of the time.

Later . . .

Quilt Progress

I think the new border kind of tones down the brown in the hour glasses, but it is still not my favorite. I did not get a chance to do the other quilt because I was busy cutting and piecing to get this one done. I have class again tomorrow and I need to cut material for that - so it is doubtful I will get the other one sewn, but it might happen.

Later . . .

Weekend Poppy Festival

We arrived late on Friday night and here is the family arriving at the Poppy Festival.  We had a good day.  Denise found the things she was looking for and I found the hair things I wanted (along with a funnel cake).  Devin and Desirae made bird houses at the Home Depot build a project.

We had a fabulous dinner at some bar-b-que place and then Duane and I broke down the trailer and brought it home.  We were all really tired from spending the day out in the sun and wind.  We all headed to bed.  On Sunday Max shot pictures of Duane shooting his coffee shots.  That was fun and I played Guitar Hero and was beginning to "rock out".  Denise and I searched eBay and found a used one for my PS2 - it is on it way to me as I type!

We had a really nice time for a SHORT weekend visit.

Later . . .