Trouble

I cannot believe it, you can now buy frosting in a can so that you don't even need a spoon to get it to your mouth. I could be in trouble.

"The check is in the mail"

Actually, it's Tara's online quilting bee block that is in the mail, on its way to her. She went first, picking a house theme. We muddled our way through the initial month, and are now ready to really have fun. we even have "membership" cards--very cool. Ya-hoo!

Isn't it Friday?

I have been thinking today is Friday all day long because I was going to give blood at NIH today, and I usually go in on Fridays. What a fiasco, it seems that breast cancer surgery and reconstruction is one of the cancers tha put you on a two year hold; I can't give blood until I go through two years of no recurrence. This is reasonable, I imagine, but it would have been a whole lot better if the person who called in May for me to come in and give (I'm on a special list because of certain antibodies in my blood-I only give when they have a patient who need that type of blood) and I told her about my surgery would have told me about the wait. Unfortunately, the nurse who was checking me in said that that calling person probably hadn't listened. I asked her to please let management know this had happened, because 1) it was disappointing not to be able to give blood and 2) it took a lot of time from my day that i could have done something else with.

When I was talking with Lillian about it, she asked that I find a venue to "give" that didn't involve being around people, like a soup kitchen, because she didn't want me picking up a cold or flu this winter. It was very sweet. Most likely I will knit or crochet helmet liners for service people, the Lion brand yarn website has a list of lots of charities that need handcrafted donations.

So, the plan is now to walk, sew, and read tomorrow. Lou wants to walk about two blocks tomorrow, then a little farther Saturday, then a little farther on Sunday. As a WW friend says, any walking is better than sitting watching the TV. I'd probably agree, unless it was NCIS reruns. Lou and I have become addicted to them; and watch a couple every night they are on.....

I cannot believe it

Shock. Amazement. Dumbfoundedness. I actually got a button up on the blog.

Tara you are amazing-I followed your directions.

Enough said.

Where Have I Been?

I have been very busy but I'm not sure at what. I feel like it is days since I have checked blogs, and there's so much news to catch up on. I am doing very well with WW (weight watchers) and the pounds are starting to fall again-not very fast, but at least down rather than up.

I have been increasing my steps as the prelude to starting an exercise program: I have my long term goal (to hike the Grand Canyon with Lillian next summer) and have to set up my short term goals. A funny thing at work happened today. One of the young IT guys, while talking about diet and exercise, asked me if I wanted to run a marathon with them next month. Who are they kidding? I'm probably 25-30 years older than most of them, and haven't nearly enough time to train even if I thought it was something I wanted to do. And I have to admit, once upon a time I wanted to train to race-maybe not a marathon, but a 5 or 10K. Though I did do a lot of running in my 20s, I never raced. Omi did-I've even seen a picture of her with her number tag on.

I have been busy cutting out material, both for Lill's costume and for the Halloween apron swap. I was at Bruce's Variety yesterday and got some cool Halloween stuff (as if I didn't have enough already).

I have been to my first meeting of the local chapter of the Pomegranate Guild. What a wonderful bunch of ladies, and they are working on some incredible Judaic crafts. One woman is hooking a wall hanging for her daughter of Chagall's windows, another is quilting challah covers, a third is needlepointing a pillow top while a fourth is a beader, doing beaded yalmulkes (headcoverings) and a really interesting crochet beaded necklace. I hope to have a few of my holiday aprons ready to take next month to show them. This month I took the crocheted placemats that look like Passover candy slices.

I have made four loaves of zucchini bread in the last two nights-thank you, Dave, our next door neighbor, for growing zuccs this summer.....

There are things I have not done. I have not finished the laundry, and given there are just two of us home now, that's pathetic. I have not painted the front door, but that will happen soon. I have not made new seat cushions for the dining room chairs. I have not mailed out Rosh Hashanah cards. But, I have enjoyed some beautiful fall weather, I have talked on the phone with friends, I have eaten some wonderful meals Lou has cooked and I have almost finished reading a book about the last few days of Grant's march toward Appomattox. See, Lill, I can read something besides Nora Roberts.

End of the day thoughts

what a day it's been! I got a great email from my partner, Val, in the Halloween Spooky apron swap, or course I can't figure out how to post the button or you'd know I entered it. Anyway, it's cool knowing who my partner is this time. I have a few really great stash items that I can use depending on her preferences.

I also spent some time tonight looking up quilt blocks for the The Bee Balm quilting bee. It's so sweet of Tara to let me participate when I don't have any clue as to what I'm doing- a true friend and I haven't even met her in person yet! I am honestly in awe of the many women who quilt. I spent some time going through the inventory on a website of Amish quilts from Lancaster, PA. These are some of the most amazing pieces of work I have ever seen-I am humbled at the ability and creativity these women have and yet take for granted. When you look at the close up photos and see the intricacy of design, not to mention these things are hand quilted, you can't help but let your jaw drop. I know I'm good with a needle, but these are truly works of art.

Tomorrow I am going to my first meeting of the local chapter of the Pomegranate Guild, the organization that supports Jewish Needlework. Hopefully it will lead to some contacts for temple holiday craft boutiques. Last night I was looking at some of the things that are being marketed for Passover, made out of the matzo print cloth, and of course I said to myself, Self-you could do that, especially since you have lots of batting and just bought 2 yards of Insul-Bright.... so of course I bought about 3 yards of material from them, and once it gets here will have to decide whether to make placemats and hot pads or reversible aprons. The matzo print is 60 in wide, so 2 yards will go a long way. Sometimes it's the choices that get in the way, you know?

I've got a great sewing afternoon planned for tomorrrow. I'm going to start Lillian's costume-lots of pieces to cut out, but it's going to be so cute I can't stand it already. And, if I hear from Val, I'll probably start on her apron. She likes half aprons, so that's barely an afternoon of sewing and it's done! The question remains: will she want traditionally Halloween in orange and black, racy Halloween in sheers and sparkles, or fall traditional colors? we'll see soon enough...

Nothing like a sale!

There is nothing like a great sale to make sure that I contribute to the economy. Lilli sent the pattern she wanted for Halloween home from AZ with Jack, and since JoAnn's was having a big sale, I talked Angie into going with me. Of course with patterns on sale, I had to get a few-9-mostly apron but some clothes, too, as I did promise myself to do some sewing for ME.

I got great materials for Lilli's costume. If you are a Dr. Who fan, you may remember the face in the fireplace episode where the clock androids keep checking on Mme. du Pompadour until she is "ready". So, Lilli found a costume pattern similar to the dresses the ladies wore-short rather than floor length. I found a lovely brocade with a pink background and a gold/blue-gray paisley, and lavender for the underskirt. The question now is to make the bodice insert the lavender under lace or the champagne under lace. We will have to think on it. the pattern is Simplicity #2832, view B, and these are the basic materials:this shows the border lace, the scalloped edge for the lower sleeves, the brocade, and my choices of bodice top, the underskirt is the lavender. it'll be fun doing some period sewing again..... I will probably start tonight or tomorrow.

I also went wild for the spooks etc swap I entered on Aunt Pitty Pat's blog. It's really going to be something different--shiny, embossed, glittery--I'll post the finished product once I decide which style to make...... I do hope I will actually get some sewing done for sales, I really need to stop giving everything away.....

We have had some lovely fall temperatures this past week, and when we took Sarah up to Providence Wednesday, the trees were starting to change up North. It was beautiful there, cool and sunny. Her room is nice, she probably still has way too much stuff there, and eventually it will get sorted out. Lou and I will now have to get used to being just the two of us again, and when we're comfortable with that, you know they both will be home for the holidays, and it'll be crazy around here again.

I think it's nap time.