Pizza from Pizza Hut for Valentine's Dinner

 This weekend DH went to California for golfing and Super Bowl madness.  And he brought home Pizza Hut for Valentine's Dinner.  Who wouldn't love not cooking, not going out on a foggy rainy Valentine's Day??  Okay - I did make a side salad!!

I remember when our son, A, was working at Subway during HS.  He came home from working  Valentine's Day incensed over someone coming in and getting 2 subs, 2 drinks and a video rental ...  "If I was lucky enough to have a girlfriend ... I sure wouldn't be that lazy on Valentines' Day!!" Hmmm, married and 3 kiddos now - I'll have to ask how they celebrate now!

In the past, DH would often be traveling in February.  But I'd always get a bouquet of long stemmed red roses delivered.  Usually at work, it really POed a single gal there.  She jumped up from the meeting and ran to meet the delivery man, declaring her true love. she came back disgusted, "They're for you!"

Funny story, DH was usually in the South during February.  And he'd order the flowers from down there. a dozen red roses ... but apparently red roses were cheaper down South.  There were a few years I got 9 red roses;  10 red roses and it drove me nuts.  Why 9?  We were married 10 years ago!!  Does one year not count??  By the time DH got home, we had other fish to fry.  Finally I mentioned it to him - nope, supposed to be 12!

I'm still recovering from the ick mentioned last time.  But at least now, when I cough - always covering it - it doesn't sound like I have consumption.  Last weekend I was able to go 'play' with P.  We quilted, laughed and had a bowl of chocolate mint ice cream to celebrate!  Ahhh, back to normal-ish life -- isn't it grand!

Today is Day 3 of #100dayproject and I'm right on schedule!!  The Disappearing 9patch top is done!  Check!  I have a secret plan for this year.  I'm making 5 quilts as gifts and each week I'd like to make big progress on one of them.  Ready to give away at the start of the summer.  Sounds pretty 'pie in the sky' but so far so good!!

 

Last seam pinned!

I've made 2 'churn dash' blocks and they are pretty darn cute!  One a day plan - I have parts and pieces ready to sew for a week's worth, so far so good!! When I looked up blocks in Ginny Beyers book, it said it was based on a 5-grid and common name was Double Wrench.  But depending on the fabric arrangement it can look like Shoo-Fly or Churn Dash, although those are based on 4-grid.  Double Wrench corners are 2 units and the center is one.  Darn cute to figure out!

We had a arborist in the trees over the weekend.  So fun to watch him tearing down the ivy.  Hooked to the tree like a line-man and up to the very tip-top.  Considering the trees are at least 3 stories tall and are on a cliff that is at least 5 stories tall ,.,  definitely a job for a -young, not afraid of heights - type.

  

PS Did I mention how we celebrate a good long sweat shop day?

February and we're down with the worst respiratory flu ever!

 But NOT Covid  - we have the negative Covid home tests to prove it.  DH was down with it last week.  We thought we isolated each other in the bigger apartment ... guess we were wrong.  I came down with it Monday.

The worst thing ever is - I'm missing the Quilt Retreat!  And they are having it without me!!  Can you believe it?  It's my favorite thing to do - quilt retreat.  Well, I'll just have to live vicariously! And journey on!  

I have no energy or stamina.  Yesterday I was bored and rotary-cut strips for an hour - I was in bed for the rest of the afternoon!  Yes, I'm whining! < Sorry >

Here is the picture of the February gallery wall.  Honestly, I used to have lots of heart quilts and every other type of quilt.  But a couple of years back I liberated them from the tyranny of the closet shelf and gave them to family and friends. So this Guild Challenge is my favorite (that's why I kept it!)  That's hand applique and hand big stitch quilting!  I tried to make it look like a box of candy with the good ones already eaten!!  Not that we have ever experienced that ... or were the culprit!

There are a couple of stuffed hearts over on the bookcase but that's all for this year.  I do have some plans to quilt 2 more quilts for February - maybe by next February?

Besides hacking and moaning I've been reading like a fiend.  Some books in just one day!  I did read a couple of winners!

Hello Transcriber by Hannah Morrissey I thought the plot was engaging and living in a small town ... I could see the possibility .

Better Off Dead by Lee Child and Andrew Child  Who doesn't love Jack Reacher?  I think there are more techie details involved since Andrew joined his dad's team, but still a darn good story.

Interference by Brad Parks  I have been stalking Brad Parks' books ... this was the last stand alone book to read.  And WOW!  I loved it even more than his latest book Unthinkable (the first I read)  I hope he gets busy and gives us a new one soon!  I have 3 more in the series ... also very good!  Well thought out and a sense of humor pops out for 'fans'.

#100daysproject starts February 13!  So in between sneezing, coughing and moaning I've been studying stash / UFOs / and Pinterest!  What will I have as a goal this 4th (5th?) year participating?  The first years I didn't make it to the end - I tried to finish ONE project.  Granted, it's a project I like and want to finish but I can't do it every day.  In 2020 I was successful promising one quilt project that I felt like doing - one block a day. 

It was a quilt I'd put off for - dare I admit - decades????  (I've been quilting for 48 years!!)  And I loved the process and ended up with "Wild Thing - I think I love you."  This is me showing it off the balcony for International Quilters' Day.

Last year was appliqued circles and All Around the Garden wool applique.  Both still ongoing.  Sigh.

SO this year I have choices!  I can make blocks for a Bonnie Hunter Churn-dash; 

Or a scrappy challenge that was done (without my knowing about it!!) in 2020.  #scrapsnapquiltalong.  It's making 10 color-block type - blocks each month and ending up with a throw-sized quilt.  They are so gorgeous and not cookie-cutter quilts!  Check them out on Instagram  or go to Quilts for the Making website.

I'm thinking one day a week I'll throw in "UFOs Lucky Day" and work on an languishing project for one day!  I can pick whichever one strikes my fancy!!

 

As always, there's a myriad of possibilities!!  Just the way we like it!!

Stay safe and always have boxes and boxes of Puffs ... just in case!