End of Summer - how is it possible?

Rainy Sunday afternoons just seem perfect for thinking, blogging and reading! So, today you get a potpourri of thoughts.

How is it possible that next weekend is Labor Day weekend? Where on earth did the summer go? I was looking at a picture of a friend's DD and DGD at the Nebraska State Fair - they were in shorts, camisole tops and sandals - and my first thought was "My, they must be cold!" I'm sitting here in jeans, socks and sweatshirt - how quickly I can forget the dog days of summer in Nebraska. It's been alittle TOO cool here - I never thought I'd miss hot flashes!!!

I just finished reading a friend's copy of "A Year by the Sea" by Joan Anderson. I really loved it - it's a quick read. It's out in paperback with reading group questions in the back. I'd be interested in what you think. Do I love it because I'm starting a year by the sea? Do I love it because she describes me so well?? Read it and tell me "What do you think?"

My second week of the Olympics didn't accomplish much. We were babysitting 2 of the nights - and all those late nights were making me cranky!?! So we didn't watch it as much. I did finish the Prairie Schooler Santa from 2006 (!) and started the Santa for 2007. I'm pretty excited - I'm caught up more than usual! I found the 2008 Santa up by L's house and he's standing by at the ready! I've been known to marathon finish the Santas into little hanging pillows on New Year's Eve - one year - I finished 7 at a time! I do have everyone of them - and boy - I'm already trying to figure out where to put 23 of them in this space!

I finally bound the denim quilt owed to my Nephew in Nebraska. He graduated from college last May. I had tied it a month ago and there it was - sitting there - sucking all the joy out of my sewing room!!! Do you have projects like that?? LOL!! Well, I joined this GREAT quilting group here. They meet every Friday - for the day! 10 - 4! In the morning you bring your own project. You also bring your own lunch. And then after lunch we quilt on frames! I'd forgotten how much I enjoy quilting on a frame. The room we are in is big enough to have THREE quilts on frames. I love this group! So last Friday I took the denim quilt. I had the binding made - so in the morning I sewed the binding on and then, turned it and sewed the binding down with a decorative stitch - and I was done in 2 1/2 hours!!!! WOW - what a relief!

My goal this week is to border, tie and bind the 'I spy' quilt for my great Nephew in Nebraska; sew a Christmas stocking for a niece's dog(I know!) and have them all ready to mail to Nebraska the day after Labor day. There's a jazz festival here this weekend - we're kind of excited about it. It's the end of summer push!!!