Dog Days of Summer ... already????

Only two weeks of Brookings outdoor pool water aerobics left??  .... how the heck did we get here???  I hate to leave the outdoor pool - you feel like "Iron Woman" swimming outside every morning!  And we have had the nicest summer since I've been here!  More sunny 8 am mornings than ever! Yay!

We've been busy since we took the gkids back to Portland - including going back up to Portland for a visit!  Here are the highlights of the summer!

We had a special session of Tai Chi in the park.  28 people turned up!!  It was fun to do Tai Chi under the trees  but you forget that the ground isn't a floor!  It was lumpy and bumpy causing some missed steps and boo-boos.  Still a really fun Saturday morning.

We had a 3 day sweatshoppe.  And you wouldn't believe how much we got done!!  U was making log cabin blocks for a QOV.  And I'm showing off Mr K's Big Boy Bed Quilt!!  It was a free pattern online.  I was a little nervous about the stripes going across the quilt - they are pieced.  But it turned out darn cute.  You can find the pattern "A Day at the Zoo" here.

Last year mom died 3 days before my birthday.  While I think of her often, I'm glad to say all us 'girls' sailed thru the anniversary with grace.  Last year I was on my way to the Newport Quilt Show when I flew home for the service.  This year I was at the show with good friends and I'm sure that helped ease my day.

Newport puts on an awesome show.  I was helping at the set-up to learn their secrets! And those women ran circles around me!!!  I want to be them at 70!!  So better start working on it now!

My friend J a SouthBeach neighbor and I share a birthday  (on the right) .  So when I'm in Newport for the show - always the first weekend in August - we get together to celebrate!  We 'lunch' at Local Ocean on the bay.  This year she showed up with a surprise - S another neighbor and friend joined us!!  It felt like the Three Musketeers were together again!  Thanks, gals - what fun to see you both again!

AND I got to bring home "Founder's Choice" ribbon from the show.  What an honor!  I'll cherish it forever!  It's on my "Say Uncle Bouquet" wool flower bouquet. Here's the back story on this favorite quilt.

This is the silliest sign just North of Florence!  I always giggle as I picture 'woolie honey' and sticky yarn.  I'm sure that isn't the case, but ...

We headed to Portland to meet up with a golfing buddy of DH.  B & DH enjoyed three days of golf and evenings out for good food and conversation. And I enjoyed spending time with Miss P and Mr M in Portland. And shopping of course!! One afternoon we had castle drawing time!  Miss P's castle features a watch dog and piranhas in the moat!! Beware!!

Here we are - ready to celebrate all of our birthdays!  I'm in August, DH and Miss P are September and Mr M is in November.  How did we celebrate?? On a very HOT day, we're headed to Lion King!!

Here we are at the Keller fountain park - so much fun on a hot day!

When I went to a small group meeting - there was a birthday party for me!!  What fun, - complete with a DQ ice cream cake!  This balloon was from birthday celebration from the month before.  Yes, it was still floating!  I was handed it with a flourish, my assignment to bring it back next month!!  After all, nothing says celebration like a limp balloon!  LOL!  Well, I put it in the garage corner for safe keeping!  We'll see!

This week J - an online Stashbusters friend paid a visit!  We had lunch together in Portland last week. And we had a fun day with a mini shop hop, lunch on the deck and sewing at my house.  There was a parking lot show and tell by J; consulting by both and quality sewing time!  See you next time, J!!

I'm the 9th Lady in Waiting for UFO Queen and you know how I hate being Queen!  So we came up with 2 UFOs that might be able to be finished by my coronation!!

Today there was another great birthday celebration for me at Woolies!!  With a over-the-top Costco Chocolate cake!!  This is the first time we've celebrated birthdays in our groups ... I was surprised both times!!  But I'm easily surprised at my advanced age!!!

AND after the meeting, there was a convenient low tide and I headed down to our beach for the first time since the gkids left.  We've been really busy!!!  The log jammed into the top of the cave was still there and the cave was quite tall!  There were lots of  sea weed bubbles to pop!  Oyster catchers and gulls to listen to, and the beach to inspect for changes!  Check!

Someone's been very busy - nice stockade with a "dragon gate"!

Nothing says summertime like driftwood structures on the beach!

Chaotic Summer!

My DD had a work-related scheduling problem the week after Sisters.  She called and said, "Can you come up to Portland after Sisters and handle the kids for a week?  You can stay here, you can take them to the beach. But you're in charge!"  Just what any Nana loves to hear!

Here's what we did!!

After the Davis Cup event, we left for the beach Tuesday morning!  Lunch at DQ and all good travelers get to eat their dessert first!  I texted that to my DD and she said, "Cool, wait ... what???"

We got here, I ran to the store, they went out to throw the football around, we ate, we watched a Harry Potter movie and off to bed!  But thus began the nightly 'football camp' challenges!  We have a staging area in a clearing by us.  Giant mounds of gravel.  Every evening after dinner we went, tried to break our records for the most footballs caught in a row.  Throwing between the 4 of us!  Races thru-out including up the gravel mountain and back!  Who was the most worn out??? I think it was a tie!

 Swim lessons (2 sessions) began Wednesday morning - plus 2 "Open Swims"  Wednesday, Miss P got her bangs cut!  YAY - I can see those lovely eyes and expressive eyebrows!!

We hung out at the beach - this is at my favorite "elbow driftwood" to take pictures!

We forded streams and skipped rocks.

We made Wonder loom jewelry.

More beach rocks to climb!

Surprise - Disney Celebration quilts for these two!  We all went together in January.

Posing for Nana

We covered notebooks; we read books; we watched movies; we ate on the deck; played briefly at the Kid-town; Ate breakfast pancakes at Matties, went to the golf course with Papa.  Mr M put together a erector set-like airplane.  Kit from the Dollar Store!!  And went to "The Secret Life of Pets" (it's very good!)  Saturday we went to the kite festival.

This is one of the best ways to watch the kite festival!  We then made our own kites with their help ...

And flew them on the beach where it is always windy!

Carefully packed them in the trunk and left for home!  Exhausted!!!! Just the way we like it!