Finally, some pictures

This is my oldest stepdaughter with her quilt - she chose all the fabrics and loves the quilt...

This is the back of her quilt - You can see the quilting quite well

This is my new nephew (Great nephew, actually) Isn't he cute?

Can you see where I quilted his name on here - Jonathan Paul?

Here is the quilt - the yellow/white is flannel.  His mom loves it - and he will too!! :)

  So DH is still in Haiti -we are missing him but he is doing God's will so we are keeping busy trying to not miss him too much!! :)

Good days/bad days

Anyone reading this, and I know one person checks in!, knows I just resigned my job that I held for nine and a half years.  Without going into detail I have had a rough three years - mentally and emotionally.  Now it seems to be effecting me physically also from time to time.  I seem to suddenly run out of steam at odd hours of the day.  Today, DH and I were out to lunch and to buy some items for him to take on his out of the country trip on Monday.  We ate at Olive Garden (gift card!) and as we were finishing, I ran out of steam... this usually means a two hour nap - the sooner the better...  we still had to go shopping.  I've not really spoken much to anyone, DH included, about my last three years - learned as a child to just suck it up and take it.  SO... when we came out of the store something was said and I let him know - briefly, that I am not the 'wimpless' person people seem to think I am... while he is wonderful, he just does not understand... I came home and took a nap... still in a funk, but physically feel better :)  Now, I just need to get up and start tying the last quilt... and then start on the order of the one I have to do, plus quilt another top AND make our DD's wedding quilt.  Thankfully, quilting makes me relaxed...

Just found out...

... how I could make a more intersting looking page... hope you enjoy!!

Quilt Lessons

Many years ago, we won't say when!, I came to college here in S FL.  I was away from home for the very first time for a long period of time.  I mean I'd spent, at the most two weeks, away from the rest of my family.  Now, I was about to embark on the adventure of my life.  I came down a week early (that's when my ride was leaving!).  I stayed with my, then future, brother-in-law's sister who'd been here a couple of years ahead of me for that first week.  Then into the dorms, with a good friend from high school as a roommate.  Do you remember that first semester in college, away from home - a small town as a hometown, where you had TONS of friends?  Well, I had plenty of friends my first semester, but it wasn't family.  Then the rains came.  S FL - rain... uh huh!!  It was a rare thing for November but it was RAINY that Thanksgiving.  Every year there was a Thanksgiving Banquet so the Jr. class in the college could raise money.  The electricity in the dorm was out - how in the world could we get dressed and ready!?!?  Then my friend, Cheryl, decided to invite a couple of us, maybe three - don't remember - to one of her classmate's mobile homes on campus so we could get ready there - they had electric.  Little did I know how that trip to their home would change my life. 
I met a man and his wife I'd seen around campus but did not know... Mr. and Mrs. H.  - and their three year old son and BRAND SPANKING NEW twins.  To make a long story get to the point - quilt lessons - suffice it to say - this entire family influenced my life - by entire I mean entire - - - His parents and younger sister moved down soon after, his next oldest brother/sil were already here and his youngest brother/sil moved down shortly after.  They were ALL here!! I became very good friends with the whole family. 
However, as time would have it... I graduated (after many, many, many visits to their various homes) and moved on... they began moving away (some of them) and we all went our ways, sometimes crossing paths...

THEN - Facebook happened.  I re-connected with the wives for two of the brothers and also the younger sister...  The younger sister - DA - is about to become a grandmother and wanted to learn how to quilt - to make the baby a quilt, of course.  We were just not able to get together .... until yesterday... she called me as her husband was out of town for the weekend.  I just happened to have planned a 'teacher work day' with the boys so I had no responsibility there!!  DA and I were talking - we had YEARS, literally, of catching up to do - but to the quilt.  I was trying to explain to her what to do - we just were not communicating - so I asked if she had a webcam - sure enough!! - we both got on our computers and webcammed our first quilt lesson!!! :)  It was a blast!!  Her granddaughter will now have a wonderfully beautiful quilt and we have re-connected - hopefully to the point that we can continue to share our lives more often.  We spent four hours on our quilt lesson... ending it just in time for me to be able to get our supper prepared and still be ready when my DH returned home from work.  I love quilt lessons!! :)

Ok, Wednesday already

I can hardly believe it's already Wednesday.  The days are just flying by.  I was supposed to post a recipe on Monday, wasn't I?  My days at home are extrememely busy - I'm so surprised.  I truly thought when I came home from working after nine and a half years I'd be so looking for something to do that I wouldn't know what to do... NOT!!  :)  I am busy all the time -  not enough time in any day!! :)  I'm glad - it's better than being bored and looking for something to do.  Tomorrow night we have company coming so I'll post THAT recipe now... Black beans and rice... it's a 'meeting' dinner for those who are going to Haiti next Monday :) - don't you think the whole beans and rice thing is appropriate!?  Anyways - make the beans like you normally would - soak them overnight in water (or boil for a bit of time first thing in the morning).  Drain the original water and fill the pan about an inch above the beans, bring to a boil.  Add a diced onion, some garlic (however much you like to your taste).  Do not add salt until the beans are cooked.  After the beans have cooked for several hours they should be soft.  Add salt, pepper and any seasoning.  Make the rice (I use brown rice) before the beans are done.  I also cook my rice in chicken broth - a tastier rice!!  Do not drain the beans, just set the pot on the table, set the pan of cooked rice on the table.  While both are cooking - dice a red onion, a red pepper, mash an avocado, shred some cheddar cheese, and put some sour cream in a bowl.  Keep all these in separate bowls and place them on the table also.  Let everyone put their own toppings on the beans/rice... so good - you may want to provide some extra hot seasoning for those who are hearty and like some spiciness!!  ENJOY! - This is very tasty and addicting.

Sunday evening

It's quiet in our home right this minute so I thought I'd sneak a post in...  Boys are in bed for the night - DD and fiance have made it to Haiti for the next seven weeks - we talked to her today via Skype! - and DH is outside.  Old "I Love  Lucy" reruns are on the TV - but I'm not watching it.

Church this morning, sandwiches for lunch, nap and then Bible study tonight.  Home and quiet for the rest of the evening. 

Beginning tomorrow I will try to post a recipe I've found that we enjoy each Monday.  I would LOVE to be able to post something each day of the week - but time will tell.

I am almost done with one of the quilts for my great nieces/nephews - binding almost handstitched all the way around... the binding is machine sewn on another (just waiting to be handstitched on the back.)  I will begin the last two tomorrow - need to piece the backs for them, tie them and then bind them also.  I promised they'd be on their way in two weeks time so I'd better hurry.  I then have another top to quilt for my stepdaughter but have to wait to be able to buy the backing.  And I have two orders for quilts - a lap size and a king size (both to the same person).  I will need to get those done quickly.  I am letting people know that if they will buy the fabrics/thread/batting/etc for any items I will donate the labor costs to our dd and her husband to be in Haiti for their support - for one year.  Today I gave the ordered item (a dish soap 'apron') to someone who'd ordered it - wasn't paid - hopefully she will give me money for it next week :) - if not, well, a lesson learned - get money up front when possible...  we'll see.  Granted it was from scraps, but I STILL had to pay for it at some point... I will need to just let it go if she chooses to not pay...

Well, DH just walked in - I will go for now - tomorrow I will post a recipe of some kind :)

Saturday night

Well, here I am again.  I had a busy three days.
On Thursday we took DD and her fiance to the airport (1.5 hrs away) EARLY in the morning - made for a very long day.  Came home and intended to get the backings ready for four quilts that need to be done.  Could not even make it to the bed hardly - before I went back to sleep - way too early to be up - we had to get up at 3:30!!!  Went to church to do Angel Food Ministry with our Food Pantry people.  Sold six boxes!!  Then home to continue recuperating!

Friday spent about six hours on the quilts - backing's made, batting's cut, fronts ironed.  Then a friend came over to help with the tying - we finished tying two of them. 

Saturday, spent the morning machine sewing the binding on the quilts (what I did not finish yesterday) and hand sewed about 1.5 of one of them.  It is coming along nicely now.  But I am TIRED.  My DH says it's age - I pointed out I'm ONLY 47 - he said, "That's what I mean!!"  :)  Gotta' love 'im!! :)

This evening we had to go out and buy a new computer.  The first two 'sales' we found - they were 'just' sold out - we went to five or six stores and ended up buying one at WalMart - we still have to buy MS Word - have a trial version...  Happy to be back on line though.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I hope that this is the week I can keep up with this blog and begin downloading then uploading some pictures...