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!

Slowly but surely making progress ...

 This week I finished TWO UFOs!  Hip Hip Hooray!  Let me first give you my definition of a UFO.  

A project that has been started but is stalled because 

• It's in time out - bad quilt!
• All the thinking is done, supplies gathered but first stitch still coming
• I'm sewing but I have to think my way out of a problem
• Something else got my attention - better known as "Squirrel! syndrome" from  Up - the Disney classic!
• Life gets in the way.
• Waiting for supplies

The second advent calendar of The Season is done.  And may I say this calendar wasn't due until Next Christmas!!  Hip-Hip! Both the calendars made were from panels - both with pockets and both in my stash.  

I have a friend who has made an Advent calendar for each of five grandchildren and she fills them every year!!  YIKES!  And she admitted that sometimes she puts a $5 bill in day 5 and if the grandchild is old enough she puts a $20 in day 20!

Disclaimer:  I make the Advent calendar - YOU fill it!!

And the second finish ... drumroll, please ... is CherryWood Lane.

This lovely quilt is Edyta's Quilt-a-long from 2021.  I talked about this last year - best quilt-a-long ever!  The blocks did NOT get harder or increase in numbers.  

And isn't it just cute as bugs' ears?  I used Cherrywood hand dyed fabrics.  Two other friends joined in.  P and I sewed together each week.  She used Kaffe Fassett fabric.  So, we used the other's fabric for our doors.  I have KF and she has CW.  It's fun to trade and every time I look it over, see the KF doors, I think of all the fun we had sewing it.  I designed (or found) some trees to fit into the rows and added the Cottonwood fabric 'brick' border.

The fabulous quilting is by Lynette of Fernwood Quilting on Instagram.  A good friend who really thinks about the quilting.  She posted that she had 3 days of design work; 52 thread changes! used 5 Handy-quilter rulers; 6 super bobbins and 18 hours of quilting!!  And it shows!!

Part of the delay on this quilt is that L fit me into a slow period and I got it earlier than expected - in the Christmas rush of other things!  

And I've been racking my brain trying to find a way to hang quilts easily on the STAS Gallery Wall.  The little hook on the 'sliding hanging thingies' (official name) is too small for a dowel that will stay straight under the weight of a quilt.  I've tried safety pins (They open easily under pressure.)  A bulb shaped safety pin (really too wimpy)  And white drapery rings (either have to force dowel thru the ring, and then onto the hook at weird angle - or have to sew rings onto the back of the quilt at EXACTLY the same measurement down from the top.)  I thought that was the answer.  But there will be at least 10 collections of 3-5 quilts hung during a year!  That's a lot of white rings and a lot of time exact sewing.  (Not my strength!)

Eureka! Dollar Tree has these chip clamps that come in a pkg of 6(?) for $1; they are brightly colored but will clamp on the curtain rod and hang nicely within the hook of the 'sliding hanging thingie'!  Everything in the same orientation!! I'll try to find them in white ... but meanwhile I think I have a winner!

BUT  I had to put a new style of top sleeve on my bigger quilts.  The clamp needs to attach to the bare curtain rod so it doesn't distort the quilt.  Last night I sewed the 5 partial sleeves onto the quilt.  And - Lo and Behold -  it worked!!  Note to self:  try to have an epiphany earlier in the evening so you can get to sleep!

Some other highlights of the week:  Crab season!  Catalyst Restaurant has pretty good Crab Melt sandwiches.

The Good Guy by Dean Koontz was read.  And he was a really good guy - not often found in Koontz books?  But have no fear, there was a really bad guy in it too.  Reminded me of his Odd Thomas character.  5* rating!

 

It's a long weekend - but they all are when retired! :)

I love living on the Coast.  We were a long time getting here, but it's so beautiful.  And being retired, we have time to explore and enjoy it all.

Here is my newest little rock display.  It's a window sill in the kitchen, so those rocks aren't as big as you think!  Been keeping an eye out for 'heart' rocks on our beach walks.  DH walks diligently as I lolly-gag along!  He found the 'grey speckled' one (in back, second from the right) for me last week on Crissey Field Beach.

I don't think I'll fill the sill - but it's fun to spot them while in the kitchen.

Friday night the tide was so-o low - we had never seen this much sand at Crissey Field Beach.  And oh, my - the rock selection was astounding!!  Above the dunes you can see the visitor center, I would guess there was 3 times more beach and we practically had it to ourselves!

Saturday we woke up to a tsunami warning.  Did you see the satellite picture of the underwater volcano by Tonga Islands erupting?  OMG!  And of course, we are also on the Pacific Ocean and it came towards us.  The tide was low (0.1) Friday evening when we were walking the beach, but high tide was 7.3 Saturday morning.  When you add the swell of 3-4 feet to that ... there was a warning.  We're all happy to say that no damage came of that - but the ocean was wild for a few hours.

I read Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay this week.  Very good, it kept me reading late into the night!  Who-dun-it was a surprise to me.  Of course, I try not to figure it out, just follow the story.  Let me know if you like it!

Sewing room news ... always!  I'm putting up a new design wall this week.  Waiting for the 'wall insulation' from Home Depot to be delivered.  Two panels of 0.5" x 4' x 8'!!  I can't wait!  I ordered 109 wide flannel from JoAnn's to cover it.  You'll be the first to see it!

I'm making 5 quilts this year as gifts (some say, long time coming)  and I'm desperate for space to spread each one out and get the tops completed.  Kind of like a toddler in a toy store - need to see and rearrange!

Meanwhile, my 'not so private' goal this week is to get this quilt bound.  It's been half clipped for a week, and I do need to free those clips to have enough to clip the other half.  We'll see if my follow-thru stays strong!

 PS  The Olympics are coming - it's always good planning to have some dreaded handwork ready for the watching marathon!!  I hope to have this one done but -dare I hope - at least one of the five mentioned above ready could be ready to bind!!  

High Hopes!!  Stay safe.

Happy New Year! It's time to get busy!

 

The first week of the year was mostly rain, and by rain I mean buckets of rain!  Sneaky rain squalls that just wait for you to venture outside with the garbage, to go down to get the mail, or take a library book back! …  You can almost hear Mother Earth cackling with glee to catch you!  Rain squalls beating on your windows, making you dream that the tide is crashing against the building!!  And when you wake up – it still sounds like it!

But today is sunny! I whisper, so Mother Earth doesn’t hear me!!!

Have I told you the ‘Mystery of the Lighthouse’ after moving to the other side of town??  It’s a hum-dinger!!  We lived in Rainbow Rock Condos for 11 years.  It was North of town and our view looked toward town.  We couldn’t see Brookings because of the bluffs between us.  But we could see the St George Lighthouse in California on the horizon.  We loved our view – ocean, everchanging.

SO, we moved to the other side of town.  We are looking toward town and when we look out toward the ocean … we can see the lighthouse!!  Amazing – still a southern view!  101 does twist around in Brookings, but it doesn’t feel like 180 degrees!  And if you don’t believe me – well, I guess you’ll just have to come out and see it for yourself!!  But, I recommend NOT during the rainy season!

View from Harbor

Lighthouse on the horizon

The book I read this week is Bewilderment by Richard Powers.  It is highly rated and deserves it!  I liked the characters, I hardly put it down, even when I didn't want to reach the end!

I'm still having fun with the Gallery Wall.  I just finished "HOME" but it had bright white background!  I know, not like me at all.  Even DH thought it was weird!  So I over-dyed it with liquid tan dye.  In the kitchen sink,  hot water and 2 caps of dye.  I just wanted to take the edge off - I think it's perfect!

Here's the over-view.  You can see my computer station (and oolong tea!)  The quilt behind the table is "All around the town".  I love that quilt and put a sleeve on each side so it could hang 4 different ways.  I was very surprised that it was too big for the gallery wall, yet a little too small for the "big quilt" display area.  Oh well!

Here are the 3 quilts 'featured' this month!  I had to scramble for the third quilt - ended up using "September" quilt on the left.  It has buildings and people on it.  Good enough!  Great save!

I gave away quite a few quilts to friends and family in the past few years - some of which I should have kept!  But it's an excuse to quilt away with smaller projects - should be faster, right?  The wall can take a crib size quilt.

I cleared and cleared out my sewing room stuff before moving.  I reorganized it since I moved and I still have TOO MUCH STUFF!  To actually sew in there I have to ‘rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic!’  I even participated in   “De-stash and De-clutter” by GoodFibers.  Still too much stuff!  I tried to sell some online through their site.  Apparently it doesn’t like Chrome.  Sigh!

So there’s only one thing to do – roll up those sleeves and get merciless!  (Yikes!)  I’ll let you know what I did to help the situation each week!  And of course, the reverse.  But seriously, I’ve been NOT going to quilt stores and NOT buying online.  But you wouldn’t know it!

In fact, I’m headed in there right now!  If I’m not back next week – sent the Coast Guard for a wellness check!

Stay safe!

2021 - Quilting - been at it since 1974, not quitting anytime soon!

 2021  I moved, I read a lot … Let’s see, what else did I do?  Oh, yeah – I quilted every day that ended with “Y”!  Here’s some of my favorite finishes:

When my son and his family were in Panama, all their belongings were in storage.  When the Almeda fire hit, the storage unit burnt down.  No one takes winter clothes and quilts to Central America – the low temp in Panama during the 2 years was 65!! 

They lost many beloved belongings:  photos, paperwork, love letters and 27 quilts!  So first thing on my list was a new quilt for each family member – FIVE! Twin sized quilts.  Twin size is great for snuggling together on the couch!

Disappearing 9patch for my DDIL  This replaced her Master’s Degree graduation quilt. Same pattern and some of the same fabrics!

Double 4patch from my DS  This replaced his Nursing Degree graduation quilt.  I was lucky enough to find the “Nurse Quotes” at Forget me Knots Quilt Shop in Bandon Oregon.  Thanks Michelle!

Stripe Me Lucky quilt for my DGS (10)  A Jen Kingwell Group pattern.  Made with stripes, brights, superhero fabrics and Mickey Mouse among others.  I love this pattern!

                                       

Square in a Square Superhero quilt for my DGS (8)  He’s still into superheroes and this simple quilt turned out really graphic – I like that!

                        

Zig-zag Rail Fence for my DGD (4) This was the same pattern I made for my oldest DGD (15) now.  I still had some of the pink and I spy fabrics from the prior quilt.  A big hit!  In fact, she loaned it to Pancho, the chihuahua, so he would know Nana loves him too!!  But she took it back that night to sleep under!

                                  

P and I took a CraftTour to Japan in January 2020.  Jim West throws a good tour/party!  We brought back some fabrics and some food/candy wrappers and wanted to make a memory tote bag.  18 months later … it was so!  This is a big bag and heavy with the interfacing to keep the wrappers from  ripping.  But I like it already – just perfect to take a whole project to retreats!  

                        

HOME wall quilts.  I was moving; my son and his family were moving back to the US after 2 years.  We obviously needed a wall hanging to welcome us!  I had the Moda Alphabet book – mainly because of this quilt and of course, the alphabet!  So, at April retreat I started making the wall quilts.  P, my table mate wanted one too – soon we were all about “me, me, me!”  They turned out cute.  One was hanging when the Panama gang returned home.  And I just finished mine in time to hang it with other house projects. P made me promise to not tell that her's (pink house) isn't done yet!!

                                  

During the deep days of quarantine P and I worked endlessly on “My Small World” quilt by Jen Kingwell.  They were great fun but tiny pieces!!  We each made ours ‘our own’!  With family jokes, geographic references and printed initials!  There were supposed to be more NY Beauty arcs but we made a little ‘hill town’ instead.  Much easier and still cute as a button!  For the back, we started with the fabric calendars we bought at "Tomatoes".

Back

ModSquad met as often as we could, masks in place.  And after we finished last year’s challenges we moved to Improv piecing. 

Improv is a lot of fun, but we discovered a marathon of improv was much easier than an improv challenge each month.  But the end products were so diverse and fun to see in the group.  Well worth the trouble.  We had one month left after they were done … so our new assignment was a improv holiday challenge.  It could be any holiday!!  I had so much fun making improv trees. There was a wall quilt on Pinterest – I tried to make it (in an improv way, you know!)  but no worries, it turned out different and I loved the process.  I admit I have enough extra trees for another quilt twice as big!!

  

Well, it's January 2, 2022 and I feel better with the blog caught up.  I won't even tell you my plan!!  You've probably laughed enough!  I'm working on more UFOs to generate some quick finishes.  There are at least 2 retreats planned.  And wouldn't it be nice to go on a quilt adventure with Craftours??  We'll see!

Stay tuned for the 2022 adventures!  Including visiting the kids this month so we can have Christmas!!  The weather has to calm down sometime, right??

  

2021 – It’s a wrap

                            

 It's a wrap - and I’m kind-of glad to see it go!  Now, 2021 wasn’t as bad as 2020 but is that any way to rate a year??  LOL!  And when I read my journal to try to remember what I did since May (bad blogger, no cookie) there was a lot happening despite the COVID waves.  Still – happy to welcome 2022!

My Great Niece died in February after a two year fight with cancer.  It was so hard not to be able to attend a funeral; not to comfort each other; not to reach out.  Zoom has been the answer to many things.  But I never felt more alone or despairing as when I was watching the funeral half the country away.  

In August we moved across town after our rented condo sold – don’t let anyone tell you ‘short distance’ moves are easy!!  NOT! 

On the plus side:  We did get to see our Grandchildren a few times.  Our son and his family moved back from Central America where my DIL taught at the International School.  Everyone is glad to be back in the good old USA! And we’re glad to have them back!

Like many people during the pandemic, I read quite a lot this year.  Our library had to close to patrons due to COVID, but they developed an online request system that was put into place.  You put the book on hold; the library emailed you when it was ready; you put on the mask and knocked on the back door during certain hours!!  Sounds kind of like a hold-up, doesn’t it!?  When they were able to open up again, the building was under construction.  Personnel moved over to the annex, but the books were mostly in storage.  They basically kept the same system with online requests.  They even started a “Books in a Box” program.

We filled out a questionnaire about our tastes in books.  Then every month we received 1, 3, or 5 books – depending how many you signed up for  – that was curated by a librarian for you.  No box though!!  

Most months there was at least one that was a winner; many months all of them were winners!!  We were able to travel about by literature and kept our sanity – or what was left of it.  Thank goodness for the library!  Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Out of the 76 books I read this year – down by 12 – I blame the move!!!  These are the ones that stand out.

Hounded by Keven Hearne  First book in a series about Iron Druids and witchcraft in the modern world.  Great tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.

Ocean Prey by John Sandford  Lucas and Virgil team up in this 31^st Prey novel.  John Sandford doesn’t disappoint – especially if Virgil is involved.  Enjoy!

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir  I’m fond of SciFi 😊 as long as it’s about the characters, not the technology – this was a favorite.  It reminded me slightly of John J Nance’s book Orbit - a favorite in previous years.

The First Lady by Patterson & Dubois  You know, I grew weary of Patterson with his one sentence chapters, but by supervising / collaborating with other authors – he makes them both shine!  I loved this one.  And the ones he has written with Bill Clinton

Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams  I hadn’t heard of Beatriz but a friend recommended her.  Her attention to detail and the way the story advances makes her a winner.  Loosely based on some legends about Amelia Earhart

3 winners by Stephen King

Later                      Elevation             Billie Summers

3 books that couldn’t be more different from each other.  Each one hard to put down.  Hard Case Crime;  Science Fiction; and horror.  Thank you, Stephen King!!!

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn     The true story of a couple who lost everything and embarked on a transformative journey walking the South West Coast Path in England.  She has a second book out now – will have to check it out myself!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells  The first book of the Murderbot Series.  It looks like teen book – but language and situations are adult only!  I loved the concept and finished the series in short time.

Victim Without a Face by Stefan Ahnhem  Two men are dead.  They were bullies.  The school class picture is found with their faces X-ed out. A thick book written by a Scandinavian, yet, I read it fast!  Really good.  First book in a series.

Klara and the Sun by Kazoo Ishiguro  Light science fiction about robot ‘companions’ for children.  I’m not sure if I ever put it down!!

State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton  WOW!  Another page turner. Not much got done once I opened the book.  You might sleep with the light on!  Another page-turner, Penny and Clinton work well together.  Read their afterword at the end of the book.

Unthinkable by Brad Parks  A new author (to me!) and he has 7 books in a series and 5 stand alone novels.  I love his writing and the ‘insider’ jokes about his other books / characters.  Don’t you love to find a new author with books you need to read? (And the library has on shelf!)

Stay tuned for my 2^nd 2021 Wrap-up.  My other favorite pastime during 2021.  You know I quilt!!  There will be pictures ....