Halloween

Yesterday was a crazy day.

I jammed up my machine late Wednesday night and drove over hill and dale all day yesterday to get her repaired.

6 hours, 150 miles & $100.00 later, this was removed from her motor & she is cured. 

This morning, Murray arrived.

He was so tired, he slept most of the afternoon.

Then we sat outside and handed out candy. 

It's so cold, I needed a sweatshirt.

Of course, this was happening across the street.

A DJ, zombies, lotsa f bombs, a priest with no pants on, underage drinking...

I could go on...but why?

HALLOWEEN PROBLEMS.

Welcome to the neighborhood. 

It's only once a year.

I chose kindness.

I hope you will, too.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Let's see....

I've spent too much time today perusing the winning quilts at Quilt Fest, Houston.

I'm gobsmacked...over lo quality photos.

Claudia's Fern Rising took 3rd in Embellished Quilts!

I can't wait to hear what Barb thinks....she'll be seeing these masterpieces in person.

Here's the link, if you're so inclined.

http://www.quilts.org/winners.html

I got the binding finished on this quilt.

(These bindings may or may not be responsible for my extended QuiltFest internet preoccupation. Binding = Bleck!  Quilts shows > Bleck!  Well, well, looks like I got my math practice in today.)

Note to self...do not ulcerate about which direction the doodles are facing.

Can you believe that I, queen of 'done is better than perfect', actually resewed a binding cause the doodles were not all going the same way?

Who would have noticed?

Not one living soul.

Clearly, I am not myself.

I wonder who I am?

Whoever that is, I wish she would stop wasting my time.

I also attached the binding to the front of this.

And, I increased my itty bitty 9 patch tally to 117.

Here's what that looks like.

On my way to 196...

That doesn't count the alternating 9 patches....WWIT?

ADT finally came yesterday.

I have to say, that is one of the most poorly run companies I have ever dealt with.

The technician was a real nice guy, the FOB I got in August had a glitch in the programming.

So far, no sirens have sounded and no law enforcement has been called. 

Although, I was on pins & needles all night wondering when the screeching would commence.

Fingers crossed it's fixed. 

And lastly, on this National Cat Day, 2014, I give you.....

                          >>>> insert drum roll <<<<

                            Please hold your applause....

                                Alvin of Syracuse

A cat who thinks he's a dog...

Or a meatloaf...

It depends on the day.

Cat-Dog or Meatloaf...he's the sweetest feline I've ever known.

And he's pretty cute, too.

Alas, he only has eyes for Murray.

By the way, how would you type a drum roll sound?

Inquiring minds want to know.

If there are typos today, please understand. 

I'm afraid to proofread, as I fear I sound especially unbalanced today.

You may applaud now....

For Alvin...

Or because this insanity has come to an end...

Whatever.

Be kind to each other

XO

Better with Borders

This is not something I would usually say....

But I am today.

I added the borders to this flimsy...

And I like it so much better!

I think it needed some fabrical (Meglish) consistency. 

Beau & Lily came for a visit while I was photographing. 

Aren't they cute?

What's funny, is they aren't related.

Or even the same breeds.

But they look so darn good together, don't they?

I enjoyed thier visit...

But it made me miss my Frannie even more.

BooHoo!

Kindness....

Meg

XO

Today

I spent today waiting for ADT.

My appointment was for 8-12.

When they didn't show, I called and they told me they'd be there this afternoon.

When the afternoon passed, I called and they said between 5-8.

At 5:00, they called and said they need to reschedule for tomorrow.

Is it me, or is this ridiculous?

My friend Nancy needed a ride to the doctor and I said I couldn't do it.

Plus, it was gorgeous out today, perfect for a long walk or bike ride.

IMHO, we don't even need a flippin' alarm.

Ugh.

I made this while I was waiting.

I also increased the total 9 patches for marmalade to 80.

I need 196.

Mostly, I languished in front of the TV.

I can't remember the last time I watched daytime television.

(Of course, I was PPPing my Claudia lessons on whiteboard)

I could've accomplished so much more, but I'm just not with it today.

I'm distracted....headachy.

I skipped the HOA meeting tonight.

Hope tomorrow will be better.

Kindness...it never hurts.

XO

Meg

Airing of the Quilts

SWFQG held the airing of the quilts today.

I offered to help out at this event, but was never called.

So, I went as a quilt lover...

Good call, Meg.

It was a gorgeous day, perfect for walking around looking at quilts blowing in the breeze.

There were quite a few quilts.

Some were for showing.

Some were for sale.

Sometimes...

I like to look at the backs...longarm quilter weirdness. 

At the last guild meeting they said they like to have antique quilts hanging.

Apparently, no one came forward with their treasures, so, Sadly, there weren't any antique quilts hanging in the show.

Shoot, I could've displayed Colleens RetroClean miracles.

Oh well, there's always next year.

This event was held at the Edison Winter Home in Fort Myers.

Yikes...what a beautiful spot.

Fig trees abound.

I think this MUST be the fig capital of the civilized world.

The gardens are magnificent, with plants & trees from all over the world.

All labeled with the common and unpronounceable names.

Cinnamon, Allspice...I didn't even know these were trees!

Museums and historical buildings....

All set on the shore of the Caloosahatchee River.

***swoon***

(Hope I spelled that right...too pooped to google)

If I wasn't so tired from driving back from Orlando, I would've spent hours here.

Thankfully, it's close by, so I can revisit as often as I like.

I may even become a member.

Don't forget about keeping kindness.

XO

Inspiration Overload

My classes with Claudia Pfiel were FANTASTIC!

I mean...over the top information, inspiration & fun.

Pinch me!

I knew Claudia's work was breathtaking.

What I didn't know was how generous she is.

Hours upon hours of secrets, tips, designs and shortcuts.

Feathers

Border designs

Shape designs & Wholecloth options.

Quilty overload...I can't wait to get back to Lola-baby!

I should have taken more photos, but I didn't want to miss anything she said. 

And I have the DVD, e books & class handouts to remind me. 

She made it so fun...

She's patient & encouraging...

Open to questions....

She pushes you to try new things...

She's got a contagious love of quilting...

A vault of creative ideas in her head...

And a kickass sense of humor...

The time just flew by.

After the classes, she shared her story & had a trunk show. 

Her Quilty journey is heartwarming, Top Shelf Shit!

(I wish she lived closer, I'd make her be my friend.)

She explained how she constructs these masterpieces...mind boggling.

And seeing so many of her quilts in one place is, well, ErMahGah!

This is the BACK of her Mermaid quilt.

Here's a shot of all of us in front of Fire & Ice.

Vickie, Debbie, Claudia, me, Dell & Sue.

(Not sure who is on the far left, the Trunk Show was crowded)

If you get a chance to study with her, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN.

I promise, you won't be sorry. 

Thanks, Claudia...

I loved you & your classes to hell!

PLEASE, COME BACK SOON.

AND, 

Thank you to Lisa at Wandering Stitches, Orlando, for hosting this great event.

This is a great shop...a must visit for ANY Quilty Orlando visitors.

Great fabrics, kits, notions & staff!

UFO, A Flimsy & Finish

I finished piecing my Tradewinds flimsy.

I'm still meh about it.

Hopefully, I'll like it better after Lola-fication.

More orphans for the pile made from the leftover strips & pieces. 

Oddly, I cut just what the pattern said & had lots leftover. 

I also finished the binding on the 2nd twin quilt for the FL guest room.

I'm meh about this, too.

It is nice to have matching (sorta) quilts in there. 

For now.

I resurrected this UFO this morning.

It's the last of my Marmalade stash....a favorite of mine.

I need to finish it.

Tomorrow I head to Orlando for my Claudia encounter. 

I hope I can sleep tonight...

I'm heading to Pats for baked ziti tonight...

I'll have a glass of wine there, which should help.

Remember....Kindness is always the best choice. 

XO

Quilt Block Converter Fail

This morning while I was perusing my Quilty blogs, I came across this post from Pat in the Finger a Lakes.

http://colormequilty.blogspot.com/2014/10/quilt-block-converterresizer.html

I enjoy her blog and was quite impressed that she could figure this out.

I know I couldn't. 

Any hoo, I'm not usually much of a commenter, but I felt this effort was deserving of a minute of my time. 

I visited her site to comment, and my ipad froze up about halfway thru my diatribe.

So, I closed it and tried again.

Same thing.

After the third visit back, I gave up.

Ever since this event, I have broken into fits of hysterical laughter every time the memory pops into my head. 

I'm so impressed by her computer abilities...

But too computer challenged to tell her!

Stay tuned as I'm going to try to email her a link to this post.

I'm fully expecting another internet misadventure!

Yea, I'm lame. 

And strange.

But we already knew that, right?

Ahhhhhh.....

Air temp...85

Water temp...82

A nearly perfect Sunday. 

XO TOWTOHC 

I'm back!

So much has transpired...

I can't even remember half of it.

Has it really been 2 weeks since I last posted?

And I was doing so well...

I guess I have to look at blogging like dieting and refocus myself after a lapse.

There is a monumental difference between blogging & dieting, tho.

I blog by choice...

I diet out of necessity.

One is fun...one is misery.

FYI....Octobers are beautiful in Florida.

Warm sunny days, cool evenings...pinch me!

I've been walking and floating, with a smattering of piecing, too.

Since arriving, I've been undiligently working on a Tradewinds flimsy.

Undiligently, I should start my own language & call it Meglish.

Too bad everyone is so committed to English, Meglish is so much more fun.

At least for me.

Oh well, back to Tradewinds...

It's meh...I'm not thrilled so far.

If I can practice a little self discipline, I should be able to show it tomorrow.

Who am I kidding?

Self discipline is not for post menopausal, Meglish-speaking women.

But, I will plus along & eventually get her done.

Murray sent me this pic yesterday.

Or maybe it was Thursday....whenever. 

The facilities department hung the RWB twister quilt in his office. 

I'm glad he likes it and even gladder he actually hung it.

(Autocorrect wanted gladder to be bladder...more Meglish)

Am I a bad wife cause I have never once set foot in his office in 8 years?

True confessions....

I'm babysitting Bridget this weekend for Pat.

She's so cute!

I couldn't be happier, I miss Frannie so badly.

I love Bridget, but Frannie is my bestest.

And cutest, kindest, nicest, funest, obedientist & belovedest.

Meglish...it's everywhere!

Remember, kindness is always your best choice.

XO Meg

65 & older

Big day today.

My sister, Meem, turns 65...which is considered geriatric in some circles.

I sent her this package in case she is experiencing senility.

I hope she was amused....I know I was.

Inside, I had this ipad nest.

She loves dogs.

Her dog, Buster, is my Frannie's brother.

I also sent a couple of cards. 

Happy Birthday, Deah!

If you think my sister is old...

well...

you're right!

No, just kidding...

Murray is traveling in a circle that would put her into the youthful category.

Today is also HonorFlight Syracuse Mission 4.

Here's a pic of some of his new friends. 

The average age of the Veterans is around 90.

Murray has been tweeting madly from patriotic points in DC all morning. 

I told him to take pictures of the vets this time.

Last time, he just took pics of the sights....boring.

Pictures without people are postcards...I think he gets it now. 

Only 1 so far that is a postcard. 

If I'm awake, I'll be going to the Welcome Home this evening at the airport. 

(This is the link to my blog about the Welcome Home ceremony last year.

http://theonewiththreadsonherclothes.blogspot.com/2013/10/murray-honor.html)

I'm pooped, I drove him to the airport at 4 friggin 30 this morning. 

It's a yucky day here....

Which makes me feel even pooped-er.

Yeah, that's not a word but you get my drift...right?

Be kind to each other

XO

3 finishes

One of Lesa's Modernish

Murray's Twister Wallhanging

And this RWB Eleanor Burns Pinwheel

I used this one to practice funky swirls without stitch regulation.

I plan to use this design on 2 more quilts...one is mine...one is Barbs. 

I'm not thrilled with the stitch length consistency, so I think I'm going to practice a bit more.

I'm really wanting to feel comfortable in non regulated for my Orlando Claudia Fest. 

Plus, there is MUCH LESS fatigue without the stitch regulator engaged. 

I do have a pretty good feel for the stitching path of the design now.

So that's something I feel I've accomplished. 

Hildegard invited me to go & listen to her opera friends sing at her house tonight. 

I love my Francis friends.

And Sr Colette will be there so I can find out more about Sr Ida. 

Plus...

It will be good for me to get out.

I've got to make myself be more social...not my comfort zone...but necessary.

& I might meet baby for a late lunch tomorrow. 

Good things...things to look forward to...Cheers!

Here's to a nice weekend

XO

Stuff

I hit the studio hard today.

I finished the shower flimsy.

There are so many humility blocks in here, I should name it the humility quilt.

Oh well, done is better than perfect.

I also got the borders done on the this bad boy.

Borders are second only to binding when it comes to everyday Quilty jobs that I dislike.

I also got about 2/3 of Lesa's first quilt finished.

I'll show that tomorrow.

About 9:00 this morning, Rena called.

She said Sr Ida is fine.

Not sore, not even a bruise.

Last night, she colored her hair.

I guess she's all right. 

I cried when Rena told me.

I was relieved, I love Sr Ida & couldn't stand if she were hurt.

I was shocked today when I heard about Pam Bono, her hubz & dog.

I use my Angler all the time..looking at it today was not easy.

So very much sadness of late.....

It does remind me to keep myself from getting isolated.

I could easily allow that to happen.

My prays are with the surviving Bono family.

I didn't know them personally, but my heart is still heavy.

Not so quick Quickie

'Not every day is a good day...but there's something good in every day.'

This is what I'm working on for the shower.

It's coming along...

The color is off in this pic but you get the idea.

I picked blue-ish cause Lisa said it's Michaels fave color.

A small and a larger border will be added...

I'm a slowpoke at assembling on point flimsies. 

If I don't check & double check, all I do us rip.

Even with checking, I've had to rip 2 small seams. 

I have a mental block when it comes to on point assembly...

It's not hard, really, but it doesn't come easy to me. 

Hopefully, it will be complete by tomorrow.

I also got one of the borders on Murray's Twister...no picture, tho. 

Lesa gave me these 2 flimsies at Francis House this morning.

She wants minimal quilting, they're modern-ish.

Even so, with these 2 & Barbs remaining top, I'll be busy til I leave for greener pastures. 

I hope I can get 1 or 2 of mine done, as well.

I accidentally caused Sr Ida to fall by damp mopping the floor in front of the care givers desk today.

It's been dirty for weeks & I couldn't stand looking at it another minute.

She slipped & fell right after I finished. 

I've been upset about it all afternoon.

I called & they told me she was fine.

I'm calling again tomorrow. 

I'm sick about it.

Sr Ida is one of my favorites...

Ugh.

A good thing today was baby boy called to tell me he got a 90 on his cost accounting test.

And, his history professor accepted his paper a few minutes late without penalty.

He was so tired from studying for his CA test, he took a nap after class & slept thru history.

He sent her an email & she let him meet her in her office to turn it in.

I'm always happy to hear things are breaking the right way for my kids. 

I love them so.

Hope your day was more like baby's and less like mine....

XO