I'm sorry

For those of you who have been worried...thanks for your emails.

Don't worry.

I'm fine.

Just busy, sister visiting...bloody house projects.

And I have been spending a fair amount of time everyday here.

Yep...it's FINALLY done!

I'll do a before/after post soon.

I love the result...it was worth all the aggravation!

I hope to get back to regular blogging in the next couple of weeks!

Thanks again for all the love...

A Baby Quilt & some love

I finally got a great sleep last night.

It's been a couple of days, Frannie had the runs.

She never wakes me at night unless it's serious....

And she woke me 3 nights in a row.

But, it has passed, whatever it was.

Thank God.

I finished this little flimsy for a sweet expectant mom this afternoon.

I think Frannie approves.

It'll get FMQed upon my return to NY.

Whenever that is...

Saturday, I came home to this on my doorstep. 

A thank you from Pat & Bridget.

Remember Bridget, the sweet golden retriever Frannie & I babysat?

That's a lot of red wine...and Frannie loves the chewy bones.

Totally unnecessary, Bridget was no trouble at all.

Very, very nice of them.

And my favorite thing.....

A sweet note from Herman that accompanied these...

They came last night, & was just the pick me up I needed.

I've been lonesome and a bit blue.

I hate to be whiney, being in paradise and all, but it's true.

Alone on Mothers Day, not one of my peeps here.

They called, but it wasn't the same.

My heart so heavy for a dear friends first Motherless Mothers Day.

The renovation is taking FOREVER.

The thought of going thru this again for the windows is overwhelming.

Then, I got an email that my sister is coming Friday.

I really believe, if you wait & pray, you get what you need. 

In the words of the great Tom Petty, 'the waiting is the hardest part.'

He's right.

Have a blessed day.

Stonehenge Flimsy

In the driveway

In the shady grass

And by the pool and still the color isn't quite right.

Oh well.

Food, Time & Love

'A Mother's Love is Forever.'

'Food, time and love, it's all a kid needs.'

Appropriately, I'm thinking about moms today.

My Mom & my friends' Moms, some still here & some gone.

Moms who inspired me to be a mom.

My motherhood peers, we figured it out on the fly and helped each other through. 

Brand new moms, full of wonder.

Moms of young kids, I love watching their family adventures.

Moms of teenagers, I pray for them most!

Moms who, like me, are finding their footing in a changing family.

Grandmothers, Nanas, Gigi's and Oma's. 

Single Moms & Moms with partners.

Working Moms & Stay at home Moms.

Moms-to-be and Hoping-to-be-Moms.

Moms with no kids of their own, who have shared their lives with others' kids.

All doing the best they can...or the best they could.

My Mothers Day wish is that they know the value of thier efforts is PRICELESS.

Savor the 'Mommy' moments, they are poignant and fleeting.

And, always remember, anything done out of love is done for the right reasons.

Mistakes are inevitable, and kids are resilient.

No Mom is perfect.

No child is perfect.

Food, Time and Love.

My Masterpiece...I love them so.

Happy Mother's Day!

Naples

Naples has a great quilt shop.

I went town there today for a little retail therapy.  

I'm collecting beach theme blues. 

And I had to get this hilarious panel!

Then I headed over to the beach.

It was such a beautiful day.

And it's off season, so there's no parking issues or crowds.

Then I walked around 5th Avenue.

Lots of great shopping.

I got this cute chachki for the house.

The pavers are done.

When I left this morning, the girls were trying out each other's beds.

I guess even dogs think the grass is always greener.

Pat picked up Bridget tonight.

Poo!

I had fun with her, but she was so happy to see him.

And the truth is, Frannie likes being an only child!

Alvin

has gotten rather portly in my absence.

Today

I will do anything to avoid curved piecing.

This was how I avoided it yesterday & today.

I'm still deciding about the blue/green fabric I bought for the setting triangles. 

I will sew this puppy together tomorrow.

Maybe.

Stonehenge Fabric by Northcott.

At least, I think it's Northcott. 

I'm sure about the Stonehenge.

Details...I'm not good at them.

The local shop had a Stonehenge event a while back.

Since they went to all that trouble, I felt it was only right that I buy some.

Fabric...it's a problem I have.

Bridget didn't eat her morning chow, which worried me.

And she was trying to eat grass on all 3 of our walks today.

I think she really misses Pat.

And I think she's a grazer, too.

I can't leave her food out all day.

Frannie would gobble it up & we can't have that!

She did eat all her dinner, so I feel a bit better.

She's such a sweetie...so much like Frannie I can't believe it!

Except the food thing...then they're opposites.

Murray is at a big shindig tonight honoring a Syracuse banker.

Herman Boone is the speaker...Remember the Titans.

He's been talking about this all week.

He brought something for him to autograph.

He's such a dork.

Herman got gutters put on his house.

I think he has such a cute house. 

I love that kid.

The paver work is almost done.

Just a few fills and repairs.

Then it gets sealed and I write a big check.

I can't wait for the cage to go up.

But that will be at least a week.

Patience.

Pool

Bridget is settling in.

But when we walk by her house, she stops and it's hard to get her moving.

She really is a sweet dog.

She loved meeting George, Harry & Larry today.

She sat & watched them working almost all day.

She lives with Pat, so I think she misses having a man around. 

Speaking of George, Harry & Larry.....

Wow!

I wonder if George reads my blog...

Cause they went from creeping to sprinting today.

I think there is less than 15% of original deck left to cover. 

He's bringing the new rail tomorrow. 

And he's going to seal it.

Could the end be near?

The cage should be going up, any day now, too.

We've had some heavenly weather this week.

Not a cloud in the sky and low humidity.

I'd have been out there sitting if not for the bugs.

Patience. 

I'm not good at it.

Nico de Mayo #6

Mucho things going on this Cinco de Mayo.

Unfortunately, a Margarita is not one of them.

I find drinking alone pathetic.

And sad.

Murray left yesterday...so I am margarita-less this Cinco de Mayo.

But....

The ugly pool project marches on.

Or, more appropriately, creeps along.

I finished these...

To go with these previously constructed items...

A cattywampus sneak peek...

You know what this means, my friends?

The next step is the dreaded curved piecing.

Scary.

I hope to get this prepped for curved sewing tomorrow.

I'd really like to see it done. 

Time will tell.

How much time remains to be seen.

I promised myself I would finish at least 1 of my paper piecing projects before taking another class.

Guess what...there is another class I'm interested in on the 21st.

I started this today...

Which was dumb, cause it's another WIP.

But I didn't want to do the curved piecing.

Or another bento box.

Or my stars around the garden UFO.

Or my marmalade UFO.

Ok, I've got to stop myself.

I'm kinda stuck home with my house guest.

I think she and Frannie are warming up to each other.

Or not.

And last, but certainly not least, HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY to the one and only Nico!

Something about this boy.....

3 Dumb Blondes

Meet Bridget...

She's a very nice girl...quiet, well behaved.

Her dad had to head out of town on family business. 

I offered to keep her with us while he traveled. 

Apparently she's very frightened by thunder.

(Please, God, no thunder til Friday)

Frannie is undecided about the situation & keeping an eye on her.

Stay tuned.

A New Mailbox

It took 3 hours and 3 trips to Home Depot to install.

Only took 10 minutes for the birds to cover it with sh*t.

Don't even ask.

Cactus Flower Progress

Happy May Day!

Remember this?

I hemmed and hawed and decided the outer green spike was too blendy.

So I changed it.

To this...

More pop makes me likey mucho more.

So, I finished the lot of outer spikes...

This is what they look like straight off Nina.

Then this happened.

Even Quilty trash is pretty...another reason I'm an addict.

Post trimming, here is a group of four.

A trip outside for a sunny shot.

Yes, I'm happy with my decision.

And even happier I made it after sewing only one.

Minimal frogging is always preferred.

Frannie settled in for some sunning and would not be moved.

That's ok, I sat and checked my email til she was ready to come in.

(She's been doing this since Baby left.  IMHO, she is still waiting for him to return)

Now I only have to make a bazillion of these centers.

Well, not a bazillion, really.

16.

I have to make 16.

Paper piecing.

It's not for wimps.

In the words of Martha Stewart..

Progress...it's a good thing.

Why am I quoting her?

I'm not even a fan.

Although, she's a lot easier to take since her incarceration. 

I'm so odd, I scare myself.

I'm off to the pool with Mr Bixby.

He just returned from golf and wants a dip.

I'll suffer through, I guess. 

Enjoy your day.

XO