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!