It's Almost Here...

Christmas is almost upon us and I'm just about ready! lol Presents all got wrapped yesterday, everything is in "grocery sacks" to be distributed maybe tomorrow. Caramel corn turned out yummy as usual even though I only made 8 double batches this year. lol Elderberry jelly is hopefully going to be as big a hit as my currant jelly is. The currants did so badly this year due to cold, rainy conditions they just didn't want to ripen. Only got enough for one batch of jelly. :-(

Having trouble getting into the spirit? You need a little one in your life. I had Allie a lot last week and what an inspiration she's been to my holiday spirit. We baked cupcakes and listened to Mickey Mouse's Christmas sing-a-long tape. We laughed and sang most of the morning. She also helped me put up my Christmas village. Now it's HUGE let me tell you. I've got it on most of the surfaces in my good living room. Town on a table top, country village on the bottom of the parlor table, Skater's ponds on the coffee table, and the farm on top of the piano. She was so good about helping me get it set up. It was ME that dropped a piece and chipped it. lol Boy did she give me the evil eye!!! lol

I had the opportunity to take Allie to Wayne's Christmas party at work. She enjoyed all the kids there and was just settling down to eat lunch when who should appear... SANTA! I got to experience that wonder and amazement this year and what a gift it was. She also received a gift from him: a ballarina skirt and tiara with jewels. We put it on and she danced (in her snow boots) with me. Thankfully Grampa was clicking away with the camera. I'd post a photo but it's still on his card!!! lol

I have some sewing to do today to complete my gifts, then hopefully will travel the country side spreading good cheer!

Take care all, and I hope to be more conversive in the future. I think there are a couple people who actually read this! lol sylvia

It's Finally Here...

November 17th is finally here. It's Allie's last day of radiation. Yippee! She's handled this like a little trooper I tell ya. A lot better than most of us. :-) I hope they take the PIC line out for her also. That's the line in her arm that they put medicine into her with or draw blood with. It's been great to have, but we all can't wait for it to be gone... Allie most of all I suspect.

I guess when this is all done, we wait 3 months for all the swelling to go down and go from back for testing then. This will tell if anything has come back or whatever. I don't know how often Allie will be monitored but I supect it will be closely.

November 17th is also the day the new Star Trek movie comes out. Yippeee! lol I loved it and can't wait to buy it and watch it again in the luxury of my own home. It's the best ST move ever!

I got the swine flu last week, after getting home from the Ronald McDonald house. lol It seems I had it before... 1976 to be exact. It came around the first time back then and I must have caught it. Why? Because even though it wasn't fun, it wasn't as awful as some have had it for me. It seems once you've had it, you build up a slight immunity to it and don't get it so badly the second time. Whew. But I'm feeling much better. And quite honestly, this is the FIRST week I've actually felt retired! lol

I have had my older grandson Tony for a couple of nights now. It's nice to visit with him. I see him so rarely now that he's a busy teenager. One thing that surprised me was when I went to pick him up from his indoor track practice, he told me to tune my radio into 93.1 WEST. It seems he's involved with the West High radio station. It was really neat to hear his voice on the airwaves!!! lol

I've been working on the Baltimore's Country Cousins blocks. They're a LOT of work just to get them prepped and not even sewn! First of all, she doesn't give you an entire template, nor one the correct size. So, from there you're enlarging, and printing out mirror images to get an entire layout of the block. Then the overlay, then templates. It's taken two days to do another block. I'm almost certain I won't be doing the whole quilt. I don't want to get wore out from it. lol

I haven't heard from my friend Kirsten in the UK for quite some time. I hope and pray she is all right. Life sometimes has a way of getting us overwhelmed. I hope that's all it is...

Take care!

Where has the time gone?

I'm currently living in the Ronald McDonald house in Rochester, NY with my DIL and DGD who is almost thru her 5th week of radiation. It has started to finally kick her little butt so that now in the afternoon she's napping, and by nighttime, she's ready for bed. She's all but off the effects of the steroids and back to her sweet little self. :-) I'm honored to be here to help them get thru it.

I managed to finish my "Waiting Room Quilt" and am thrilled with the results of my first totally hand appliqued project. It is a Piece O'Cake design that I did thru the Applique Cafe yahoo group and their bom beginner's class. Loved it, and all I learned from it. I've enjoyed hand applique so much I've even started a second project from Susan McKelvey's Baltimore's Country Cousins book. It's like a Baltimore Album quilt, but a bit more countrified. lol

Yes, it's finally official. I am retired. I wasn't sure my "boss" was ever going to get convinced. She in her infinite wisdom, refused to believe me when I told her and proceeded to put me on November's schedule. When I called the HR department to tell them what she had done, the laughed and suggested I #1 NOT report to work, and #2 NOT worry about it. I told them I had NO problem doing either of those suggestions. lol

My Mom is doing quite well from her hernia surgery. My husband is also doing well from his knee surgery. AND, quite unexpectedly, my MIL is doing well from her emergency surgery on a cyst that ruptured inside of her. Oh yes, I'm ready for all of the stuff to stop and some sort of quiet normalcy to replace all this. lol Quiet? ME?

If I can figure out how to do it, I hope to include some photos in this post. I think I've forgotten everything in the time I've been away! lol

Take care, and enjoy the sunshine. We see so little of it this time of the year. lol sylvia

Vacation, and cleaning...

I am still officially on vacation folks, so I don't consider myself retired yet. I did call down and make my selections on my retirement so it's only a matter of doing the paperwork. Isn't that always the way it is? LOl

Allie, Daddy, and Mommy are in Rochester this week for her first radiation treatments. Had to make some adjustments to the mask to hold her face, and to her meds to put her into sleep mode. Once she woke up, they got her out and headed back to the Ronald McDonald house. From there they went to the zoo to see the elephant, nocerous, a turtle as big as a tractor tire, and lots of other things. Then they went to Eric's dream place: Fantasy Hobby. All about RC cars and slot cars and on and on... lol Glad they're making an adventure out of it. As of today, only 5 weeks and two days to go.

Me... well now let me tell you. Life has changed. I get up when I want, go to bed when I want. LOL And this is only vacation!!! I decided to start cleaning my bedroom. Moved everything, cleaned all of it, took curtains down ( who know they would be fuzzy on top from dust!!!) tore the bed apart and washed all my bedding. Including the mattress cover and a down comforter that's never been washed before. Now I wasn't really sure how to do it so thought, ok, just do it. Washing came out all right, but wasn't sure of drying. You ever seen a down comforter when it's wet??? Not pretty. I dried, and dried, and DRIED it. Thought everything was all done and put all my bed clothes back on the mattress. Crawled in that night after 10pm which is LATE for me. Laying there sort of drifting off, when I thought, "I'm damp!!!" Yup, that darn comforter was still slightly wet. Jerked it off the bed and went back to sleep. Woke up at 3:30 am and thought, I still feel kinda damp. Got out of bed, and guess what, that mattress cover never really got all the way wet. Soooo there I am, drying everything. The hint on down comforters is ever ten minutes, take them out and shake the feathers out of them... they lump up. You can tell it's dry the bigger it gets! I have so much down and such in the lint trap of my dryer I think you could crochet a chicken!!! LOL Finally got everything dry and threw it all back upstairs on the clean floor because I decided to let the mattress dry! OMG, it's only my first week off! lol

Shopping today. Going to get a hair cut in a bit. Then on to mall to pick up stuff for my MIL.

Hope this finds everyone well. Enjoy the wonderful fall weather, I know I will be!

October means Fall...

October is a busy month for my family. Lots of birthdays! Starts with Allie's, my son Eric's, my Mom's, my SIL's, my Aunt's then mine! lol So... I'd like to share a photo of the first birthday girl! She

s got her glass slippers on, with her Cinderella dress! You can't see them, but she's got stick on earrings too! Compliments of Gramma! LOL Who knew there was so many goodies for a little girl to become a Princess with! It was really a fun day, ice cream and cake, pizza, chip and dip, family and friends.

Well, I've had several nights sleep but I'm not certain it has truly sunk in that I'm retired! lol But I can tell you, I'm certainly appreciating not having to work this weekend. It's finally quit raining, and turned into a lovely fall weekend. Wayne and his sister have gone hiking today. I'll be picking up Gladys and maybe my Mom to meet them at the camp. We'll visit, show off what we've accomplished, and then all go for dinner. Doesn't that sound like fun!!! I'm having so much fun so far. lol

I've had the opportunity to look around at my home and see all the things I've let go for so many YEARS!!! lol But I've got the rest of my life to putter and get things done. As my friends in the Quilts by Hand yahoo group tell me, don't work at the cleaning and stuff all the time, don't put off those dreams. :-)

Well, I know there's so many things I wanted to share, but can't seem to remember all of them. Enjoy the day you've been given. Know that I will!

My Last Night

What a night it's been! So many calls from well wishers and family and friends. I guess the word is out, huh? LOL I feel like Sally Fields when she accepted her Oscar, "You like me, You really like me!!!" Lol Even gas control called and the guys there wished me well. sigh...

I talked with a dear friend today and she told me I have to have a schedule burning party. For all of you that may have a copy of my shift schedule, burn it, shred it, throw it away. I'll now be like everyone else... You'll NEVER know where I am or what I'm doing. A NORMAL life! lol

I've cleaned out my locker. Thank goodness, I hoed it out 6 months ago, or I'd be forever getting it done. I've sent an email to my fellow coworkers, wishing them well too. Gosh, how will they ever get along without me? :-) I suspect quite well. Again, for the 10th time I told my boss I was leaving, but no goodbye, no thank you, no go crap in your hat. Such is the company of today.

This weekend is Allie's birthday. She'll be 3. I need to get a couple more gifts for her. I've already gotten an apron for her to wear while she cooks, some children's cookbooks, and I want to get a little bag for travel and put some finger nail polish and such in it for her to take to Rochester once radiation starts. She's getting stronger and better every day, more like her old self. Hollie got the call that it starts October 5th. We will get her thru this.

My mind is swirling with the possiblities for the rest of my life. Someone that called tonight told me I'd probably be bored within a month. I just laughed and told him he doesn't know me very well. I've NEVER been bored, and with my quilting, painting, flower beds, family, house, camp....... well, I just don't see it.

I wish you all health and laughter. When you've got your health, you've got it all, and laughter dear friends will get you thru anything... till next time

Fall Wind like in the Scary Movies!!!

Yesterday, I was trying to sleep, and the wind was blowing and howling around the house so much it kept waking me up. It was like in the old time scary movies we used to watch when we were kids! Lol Halloween movies! Booooo! I didn't sleep very well but finally gave up and got a few things done around the house.

Wayne down to his Mom's helping get her house all neatened up. Sheila is home and they're getting outside work done, while the carpet layer is putting new inside. Sounds like a good place for me to stay away from. :-)

Another night almost done. It's cold and damp outside but atleast it's stopped blowing up here.

Not much to add. Keep warm everyone. And watch out for hobgoblins! :-0

Whew! back to work for 3 more nights...

I worked my BUTT off this weekend! If that is what retirement is all about, maybe I should rethink this! LOL Saturday we went down to the camp to try and get some more flooring down. Well, we ended up with lots of company after our late arrival. My brother John and his wife came to visit, my son and his family came to visit too. By the time everyone left, we were starving! Lol We headed over to the local tavern/restaurant and ate. Got back and our neighbors invited us over to visit. Sooooo we didn't get any work done that day. BUTTTT Sunday we gave her hell! Lol We worked hard and got all the wall boards off the big room, all the rug up off that floor, and by then I started into what we've been using as a bed room. I tore down wall, ripped up carpeting, and killed ants! LOTS of ants. Those big black carpenter ants had made a nice comfy home in the wall between the two bedrooms. Well, they're not there anymore. lol By the time Wayne and I got to where we needed to stop, he had flooring down all around the big room in front of the fireplace, and in what was the front bedroom. We needed to finish up burning debris, and pack the truck to head home. A shower sure felt good let me tell ya! I hope you take a moment to go to my webshots albums and view the latest on "starting on the interior". You'll appreciate all my hard work!

This morning I had to get up at 4:45am to get ready and meet my Mom to take her to the hospital for her stress test. She passed it with flying colors. And yes, that means she will be back on for the hernia surgery. None too soon as far as I'm concerned. She told me she's been walking the floor nights in pain. I pray she makes it till they can get her scheduled. I worked on my "waiting room quilt" while she was having her test. Where would I be lately without all that???

The weather has sure taken a turn for the worse... cold, blustery, and rainy. Our leaves are being blown off the trees before they've had a chance to turn colors. :-( I'm really looking forward to not having to drive to work in bad weather! Yippee

Take care, remember to laugh, and enjoy the blessings we all have in our lives... me

Let the Countdown Begin!!!

Well, I'm back to work on nightshift. And the schedule shows that I've only got 4 more night shifts, and two more day shifts to go! Yipee!!! Lol The paperwork came in the mail for me today so I'll have to give my advisor a call about having taxes withheld and all that good stuff. I'm ready. And I'm incredibly relieved to have made this decision. Lol I'll have the entire month of October off using up vacation, personal time, and a holiday. What a way to ease into retirement on the first of November! lol

I purchased Elly S.'s dvd on beginning applique. I enjoyed watching it. Not sure I like her applique stitch, although she does the first part exactly like my teacher Sharon Stroud taught. But unlike Sharon, Elly brings her needle out into the front of the applique piece, thereby not being invisible. Sharon brings the needle out into the knife edge of the applique fold, making the stitch very invisible. Elly teaches a lot of other things that I enjoyed and I highly recommend this dvd for a beginner.

I've posted some new photos to my webshots albums. Some of my "Waiting Room" blocks are done and in there. :-) I've really gotten a lot of this quilt done a lot faster than I expected. Soooooo, I bought a new book and am planning my next hand applique project. It's "Baltimore's Country Cousins" by Susan McKelvey. I fell in love with this. It's like a Baltimore album quilt, but not quite as formal... more my style! :-) I also ordered a fat quarter of each fabric in a collection from Connecting Threads. I might even have a background to use already! lol I sure hope I live long enough to finish all my projects! :-)

OOOOH, my Mom didn't have her surgery last week. It seems the preoperative testing showed she's had a heart attack in the recent past... She was soooo relieved to not have to have the surgery that she raced off to play Bingo at the Sr. Citizen's center, not even giving any thought to the possibility of a heart attack!!! Only my MOM! She has to go have a "chemical" stress test on the 28th of this month. I suppose it will be the difinitive test as to "did she or didn't she" and how bad is it!? sigh...

Wayne worked down at the cabin last weekend. He ripped up the awful orange rug in the big room, fixed another spot in the floor that had a register in it that we knew nothing about, then started sheeting it with plywood. His thoughts are once we start ripping down the ceiling, all the "STUFF" up there that will fall down, will be easier to sweep up on the plywood. I think he may be right. Once we get the floor done, and ceiling up with insulation, then I can look into getting the gas log installed in the fireplace. HEAT!!! Lol I'm so excited about the idea of just going down there and staying and puttering at our own pace.

Allie is having a difficult time getting off the steroids. Each time they get her almost weaned off, she spikes a fever and they have to put her back on it. Dr.s told them it's a syndrome and it could be another month before her body adapts to not having them. I hope it does. She was supposed to start radiation on October 5th, but they told them it could be earlier.

Took Hollie out for a "big girl's" night. We had dinner and a drink, window shopped, and saw the movie, "Julie and Julia." We both enjoyed it a lot. Very good, lighthearted comedy. I highly recommend it.

Take care and I hope your days are filled with laughter and sunshine. It's been beautiful fall weather here, BUT Wayne and I both noticed the song birds have gone. The humming birds are gone... guess they knew it was time to get out of Dodge!!! lol Cold weather will be coming before we know it.

Hugs, sylvia

Some time off... I think. :-)

I finish up in a few hours and then have 4 days off. But they'll certainly be busy. Wayne and I hope to pick some elderberries on Monday. Tuesday I take the Jeep to get service done, Wednesday is Mom's day and it will be an early one. She has to be at the hospital at 6:30am. That means I'll have to get her about 5am. Yawwwwnnn, I shudder just to think how long a day it will be. Thursday, I'll probably be taking her home from spending the evening at my house if all goes well. Somewhere in there the NY state relocation man wants to talk to me and my MIL. Then Friday it will be back to work that evening. OMG, when do I retire!? lol

I can't forget to call back down to West Virginia and get my retirement papers sent to me.

I also hope to find the time to prep another block for my waiting room quilt. Lol Can't sit there with nothing to do. :-)

Today is my middle grandchild's birthday. He's 8. I will leave work at 5:30 and head up to his house to give him his present. Can't let him think I forgot! I'm sure he'll love it since the older grandson helped me come up with something. It's a Ninetendo DS game. I always said I wouldn't get those kids things like that, but they do love it so.

Went to our Station's picknick last night. It was fun seeing the retirees and their wives. We haven't done that in a long time, and our Company does NOTHING in the way of celebratory things for their employees. I guess we should just be glad we have a job and get paid. One of the guys that retired had a good long talk with me about how his life has changed since he retired January. His wife and he are so happy. Even Wayne seems excited about it. Lol

Take care all, and if you don't hear from me, not to worry, I'll be back available friday night. Perhaps I'll have some photos to share... Enjoy the moment, we never know what it will bring.

On my way...

Hello all, or anybody! lol I think I only have one person who follows me! lol I wonder if that's a good thing.

It's been an interesting time off. DH had his knee surgery. He hasn't had ONE BIT of pain since the surgery. Not one!!! Not even from the surgery!!! Says when he goes in for his follow up visit to the surgeon, he plans on kissing him! His knee feels so better. The last two nights we've been walking down the dirt road to our house for our exercise. I have to hold him back!!! lol This morning I asked him what he was planning on doing today while I was at work and he hoped to ride his bicycle some. Hope he doesn't over do it. AND, I hope he gets that half bushel of corn cooked and froze. lol And we're thinking of taking a bucket to pick elderberries too! Jam, wine... hmmm anything! There's lots out there this year.

Well, made it back to the financial advisor. This time I took DH with me to understand the retirement package I wanted to select. He'll be making those choices in the future himself. Course, him being slightly younger and LOVING his job, means I'll have some alone time at the house before he retires. lol She gave me very good sound advise, and I'm going to take it. Today is my first day back to work and I searched out how much vacation, personal, and holiday time I have to take before retirement and if I've done my calculations correctly, I'll be taking the entire month of October off, and retiring November 1st. Yup, that means the rest of this month will be IT for me!!! lol OMG that sounds so wonderful and scary at the same time. I told the advisor how scared I was and she told me she hears that all the time. That she wants to talk to me a month or two after I retire and find out how scared I am. lol I need to call back down to HR and have them send my new package papers up and that will be about it! Sign them, get them back, and work till September 30th. ahhhhh

On to Allie, my DS called me with wonderful news last night, Allie's spinal tap results came back... the cancer did not, repeat did NOT get into her central nervous system. It brought tears to my eyes to hear him tell me that.

My Mom went for her pre operative tests on Tuesday. She's scared and nervous. I tried to reassure her that she had made the right decision to have the hernia fixed. She looked at me and said she knew she did... that she's been having pains lately. Yup! I'm glad she is going in to get it fixed.

Well, I got a 3rd block done on my Waiting Room quilt. lol I've got to get some photos posted. Perhaps this weekend. AND, I'm almost done with the 4th block. I'm addicted to hand applique I tell ya!!! Who'da thunk it? lol Stopped into a LQS on the day I had my Mom, and picked up some more Civil War repros in green. I've about used up all the varieties of greens I have. Not used them up, just used them once I should say. I'll need to have another block all ready to go by next Wednesday when Mom's surgery is. sigh... But Quirky is right, I've been filling each and every block with love and prayers for the people in my family as I've been doing them. It will be a very personal and special quilt when I'm done.

The weather here has been glorious!! I love fall. Leaves are turning rapidly, the air has a smell to it like at no other time, and the birds are flocking up to get ready to leave. We're putting humming bird food in the feeder every day!!! Pretty soon though, I'll walk outside and realize it's quiet... no birdsong. They'll have all left me alone till spring of next year. That's when I'll know it's time to put away the deck furniture, bird feeders, flower pots, etc. I'll start pushing Wayne to get working on the interior of the camp so we can get heat in there. lol

I wish everyone could come spend time with me down there, watch Pine Creek go by, and swing on the back swing while enjoying laughter of friends, or quiet and comfort of loved ones... Till then, take care, sylvia

Another Day, another dollar. :-)

Back at work and boy my heart just isn't into it anymore. lol Perhaps it's been fading for a while now. Only working 3 nights this week because DH is going in for knee surgery. Fixing his torn moniscus. It's only been paining him for two years, what's the hurry??? lol I've prepared another hand applique block to work on while waiting during the surgery. This is the second block I'll have worked on while waiting thru one... and I suspect by the 16th, when I take my Mom for her hernia surgery, I'll be working on a third block!!! Geepers, I could have an entire quilt done if this keeps up! lol Thank goodness for my good health. I try to walk and keep busy.

When I went for my walk today I couldn't help but notice the fall smell in the air. It was 44 deg. F this morning when I left for home at 5:30am. I had already put the flannel sheets on the bed Sunday, and threw a quilt over top also. Was really chilled working all night. I snuggled into bed and slept for 5 and a half hours. That's it... sigh. Wish I could sleep better but can't. So hard to sleep well when the sun is shining outside. The leaves are just starting to show color. Fall is my favorite time of year. Perhaps that's why I'm partial to rich, bold, fall colors in my quilts.

It's coming up on birthday times. DGS, DGD, Mom, Aunt, Son, Me... Lots of birthday cards to look for in the next few months. And, in a week or so our school will be starting here in NYS. Grandkids seem to be ready to go back. Pennsylvania has already started. Hearing some talk occasionally of considering year around schooling. It seems they have so much to teach them in so short a time. Makes me sad for the idea of no summer vacations for our kids. Perhaps they'll change their minds...

That's it for tonight. Just the rambling musings of a tired shift worker... who wishes she was home in the recliner, covered over with a wholecloth quilt I've been quilting on... :-)

Take care, look forward to what the next day will bring: inspiration, peace, laughter...

A lifetime ago...

Well, it seems like it was a lifetime ago that I last posted. So much has happened. But as horrifying as it was to experience, the results have been astounding. My Dear Granddaughter was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor the size of a nickel. It was in the base of her cerebellum, and had also extended a "finger" down her brain stem. This was diagnosed at the Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY, after 3 months of desperately searching for answers to her constipation, vomiting, pains in her stomach, stiff kneck, and headaches: All classic symptoms of this kind of tumor, but nobody here in Corning, NY seemed to realize that. She had surgery on the 20th, cam home the 27th, and is recouperating astoundingly well. As for her Grandmother, well, it's been slow to bounce back for me. We were all so scared. I believe she has a long road to go before it's all done: radiation, possible chemo, but with love and support we'll all get her thru it.

Went down to the camp and finally had a chance to see the exterior all done. Sigh... I so wish my Dad could see what we've done with it. So different from when he was last able to see it. But since I sincerely believe he whispered in my ear how to do it, I'm pretty sure he "sees" it now. :-)

The interior comes next, and that will be our job. No more contractors. lol Wayne is an electrician, I can do just about anything, Eric and family are all willing to help... It will be a true family adventure. And I've got the rest of my life to get it done! lol But it's sooo great to have nice windows and doors in it. We can even open the windows now! lol It will mean gutting the interior, installing natural gas and electricity. Got to have heat! lol Planning on putting a vented gas log in the fireplace. The new ones out now are just beautiful! You really have to look twice to realize they're not a true wood fire. The photo above doesn't show Pine Creek out beyond the camp, but it's a wonderful trout stream. This camp is located in an area outside of a village called Rexford. Great fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, and just being lazy! lol

In a couple of weeks I go to talk to a financial advisor about retirement. Pick the correct package for me and get out. With all that happened with Allie, I know now isn't the time to put it off anymore. Life is just too short and can change in the blink of an eye. I'm ready to live my life beyond these 12 hour shifts. It's time...

take care, and remember, live your life to the fullest...

It's Saturday...

It's Saturday!!! I'm here at work but it's sooo much quieter than the past two days have been. Even though I have a list of things to do as long as my arm, there will be no phones, no people, and hopefully no interruptions to get in the way of my getting them done.

Quirky asked what I'll do once I retire and I LOVE your idea of recouperating from working. lol Unless a person works a 12 hour swing shift, they have no idea what it's like. Well, maybe you do Kirsten. It's like having jetlag for all of your life. Knowing how you travel, I suspect you can put it into perspective. I will love not having to work nights, weekends, holidays. Heck, I'll love not working at all... lol I'm sure I'll be busy though. In the very new future my DH will be going in for knee surgery, my Mom will be going in for hernia surgery... I suspect I'll be busy being a nurse for family members. Then I'll be Gramma to three grandkids, and hopefully I can find a bit of time for myself! lol

Got a phone call from my contractor and he's put in all the new windows and doors at the camp. He's started on the soffet under the overhang, and soon will be the new siding. When all that's completed, the exterior will be done! After that comes the interior. We'll be doing all of that, from gutting it out, to installing electricity, natural gas, heat, and finishing. Tom also said he hung my porch swing out on the back porch that overlooks Pine Creek. I can't wait to go down and sit in it and watch the river go by! sigh... Here's a link to my webshots albums: http://community.webshots.com/user/syl1027

Please, go see from the very beginning all that we've gotten done. Wayne and I have Monday off together so will probably go down to see and take more photos. I'm so excited!!! lol

Take care and thanks so much for dropping in for a visit. I'm still trying to figure out how to do some things with this blog... like put in photos, etc. sylvia

Where do I start???

It's been a good few days off... only makes me want more. Spent the first day trying to get caught up on rest, laundry, dishes, picking up around the house, all that housewifely duties. lol Things that tend to get overlooked while running out the door to go to work, and stumbling back in to find the bed. Someday soon I'll be able to not have to do that. DH finally helped me get the last little bit of info I needed to take back into a financial advisor. I'll be ready soon to figure out which retirement package I'll choose, then from there, go in to work, post the last of my vacation, and BE RETIRED! Ahhhh, there will be such a sigh of relief. I've worked since I was 11. My first job was sweeping floors at the local high school, for 50 cents/hour. Lol, my how things have changed.

I did manage to spend an afternoon in my sewing room. DH was called out to work on Sunday because of all the severe thunderstorms in the area. Wreaks havoc on the pipeline he works on, and being the electrician, he gets called out a lot during these times. It left me with some alone time so I knew just where I was going to spend it. Managed to do some work on the project we'll be doing for Applique_University. This is the side group that Debbie started for her beginner appliquers from her origional Yahoo group called: Applique_Cafe. A nice group of people who are doing BOMs of all kinds. Up until I took my class with Sharon, I was really fumbling, but I feel now I'm making some pretty good strides with hand applique. We're using a Piece O Cake book to work from and using a lot of their techniques. I managed to get the blocks cut out for the backgrounds, did the vinyl overlays for positioning, and the templates for the applique pieces. I'm not all that certain I like this method, but I'm giving it a try. Always something new out there. I'll be "shopping my stash" as they say for this project. My background is a piece of unbleached quilter's muslin that was given to me by my Aunt who no longer sews. It's wonderful... why don't they make this kind of muslin anymore??? And for the applique pieces, I'll be picking thru my scrap bin. It will be a true test of values and colors for me. With my luck, I'll find the exact piece I need, but not enough of it! lol

I also managed to redo another flower bed. Ugh!!! I have lots of perennial beds that are in desperate need of complete redos. Digging out the plants, rototilling some new compost in, dividing the perennials, and replanting, all with mulch on the top. It took me one day to do one bed along the back of the house. This is the sunny side, and usually the first to show growth in the spring. Whew... I've only got 6 more beds to go all of various sizes. Hmmm, me thinks some will be left over for next year.

Tomorrow I want to take my two grandsons school clothes shopping. THAT will be quite a day. It reminds me of something a lady once told me years ago. I asked her how she never seemed to age. She looked at me with a twinkle in her eye and said, "being around all these young people has kept me young... but trying to keep up with them, made me old!!!" LOL

Well, that's it for now. Take care, take time for yourself, and enjoy the ride!

Some time off...

Finally! I'll be having some time off. 48 hours of nightshift is plenty. :-)

During that time I hope to find some "me" time, and get into the sewing room. I'd really like to practice the machine quilting lesson I took with Sue. As I said in previous post, I'd like to unlearn some bad habits.

Something I've done on my evening shift while relaxing a bit was to take a pencil and paper and practice the micro stipple she showed us. It's a really nice accent to machine quilting feathers. If you stipple right up to the feather outline, it pops those feathers out, almost like trapunto. I've gotten a bit jerkey in my stippling over the years. Not smooth and round like she teaches. This pencil on paper practice has helped me a lot to learn new designs. Seems to train my brain! lol Once I practice this a bit, I'll work on the lovely project she sent home with us. It'll be a small wholecloth quilt done with feathers and stippling. Perhaps once I get it done, I'll figure out how to include some photos. lol

I'd also like to work on another block on my heirloom quilt. This is the one I am doing by machine, using a lot of Martha Pullen's techniques. It's what those fancy stitches are for on your sewing machines!!! lol

If the weather holds, I'd also like to work in some flower beds. With all the rain we've had, the weeds are running rampant. Up until the time I had to work all of the overtime for 2 months, I had gotten 3 beds completely tore out and replanted. They're all perennial beds. I've been doing some rearranging of my perennials, and dividing them too. So while I'm tearing out one bed, I'm robbing out others to make them a tiny bit more organized. It would be nice to get a couple more beds done.

You know, I should just retire!!! lol Then I'd have lots of time to garden, and sew, and whatnot.

Take care, and remember to look around you for the beauty in this world. Till next time, take care...

2 days in a ROW!!! lol

OMGoodness, I had a comment on my first blog. How did you find me so fast Quirky!!! lol You ask where I live. I am just south of Corning, NY in a little town called Lindley. And I don't even live in town. I live on the end of a bad dead end dirt road. But I LOVE it! :-)

The first class was with Sharon Stroud, my favorite teacher of all time. It was "All Curves" and "All Points" hand applique classes. I posted photos in my webshots albums. Hmmm, now how do I link that to my blog? lol This thing can become addicting. Back to her class. Sharon just has a knack at teaching hand sewing techniques that I enjoy and learn easily. She teaches at a LQS in Watkins Glen, NY, which is only about an hour away from me. The name of it is O'Susannah's Quilt Shop. Sharon's applique techniques were pure needleturn. Simple, easy, and loved it.

The second class was at a different LQS in Big Flats, NY which is only about a half an hour or less away from me, called Village Sampler. The teacher's name escapes me right now, but will post it at a later date. Her hand applique class was with freezer paper on top, needleturn. I did not care for it at all. I just didn't care for all that FP, and pins, and such in my hands. Yes, it may be slightly easier to turn the edge, but so much fussing with that fp to keep it on the material.

The third class was at a LQS about an hour and a half away, in Dansville, NY, called Material Rewards. Another wonderful shop. I am truly blessed with a plethora of great quilting shops here in my area. Just off the top of my head I can count 6 or 7 all within 50 miles or so. But back to this class: it was a machine quilting class with Sue Nickels, a national teacher of wonderful artistry and talent! She's taught all over the world. Our class consisted of feathers and stippling. I loved her style and technique. And hope to Unlearn some bad habits I've picked up in my 25+ years of machine quilting.

That's it for today. Hope life is good for you!

How on earth do you do this??? lol

Well, here it is, my very first post. I'm determined to learn how to do this! lol

Life has been very hectic lately. Most of it in a good way. I have had three quilting classes in two weeks. One on machine quilting feathers and stippling with Sue Nickels, and two on hand applique. I'm learning lots in my old age. lol

We spent some time down at the camp cleaning inside and out. Burnt up all of the old door and window trims that Leah and I had removed last month.

But then it's back to work. :-( Sure hope that will be ending soon.

take care, sylvia