Baby Quilt

There will be a baby shower for the daughter of a friend of mine in a few weeks. I decided to make a baby quilt for the new baby. I know it's going to be a girl so I chose something appropriate for her. I pieced the top together today. Tomorrow I'll pin the 3 layers together and when I return from the shore, I'll start to machine quilt the baby quilt. I practiced the stitches I want to use on a scrap piece of material today. I hope that the quilt turns out as I have planned. It's pink and lime green. The baby's room is in browns, greens and girly pinks. I hope that the mother of the baby is pleased with the way the quilt turns out.

Five Hours of Mah Jongg

We played Mah Jongg for 5 hours today. We started at 11:00am and played until 4:00pm. I was happy to win one game. Most of the games were "wall" games today which means that no one wins. We haven't played in a few weeks which may account for the duration of play today. Next time we play, next week, I'm hosting the game at my place. I'll be sure to put the fan on in the DR because that way Sandy will leave the gal who is afraid of cats alone. He's afraid of the fan. But what I can't believe is that anyone could be afraid of a cat. He's not a lion or a tiger nor a panther or a cougar. He's an American short haired cat. He loves people. Unfortunately, they don't all love him. Such rejection!

The New Cat Bed

Today I bought Sandy a new cat bed. He's stepped in it a few times but hasn't settled down for a nap in it yet. I'm hoping that he begins to like it because then maybe he'll stay off of the furniture and I won't have to vacuum it so often. I'm also trying a new litter box which has a lid. The saleswoman suggested that I let Sandy use it without the lid for a few days. When he's used to using it, then I can put the lid on it and hopefully, using it will have become a habit. Both of these new Cat articles were not cheap. If he doesn't use them I'm going to be annoyed.

A Fall Quilt

Got a new quilting magazine today. Lots of pretty quilts inside. One appealed to me more than the others. It's for fall and has fall colors, like orange, in it. It doesn't look like it's too difficult for me. The name of the quilt is "Golden Autumn". The skill level is intermediate which is about where I am in my quest for perfection. The good thing about this fall quilt is that it can be put on display during the entire fall season. It's not specifically for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Basically, it's the coloring which indicates a fall theme. I have alot of coals in the fire when it comes to making quilts, so I won't be making this one soon. I will keep it in mind for the future. It may even be a good idea to look for fabrics now that the fall season is approaching. I would make it a wall hanging size instead of a bed size. All I need is a blank wall to hang it and the others on. I always thought it would be nice to change the quilted wall hanging for each season. That's a long way off because I'd need to make at least 4 quilts to get started.

Another Day

The day has begun. We're up before the sun. The morning news is on. I'll have a cup of Joe while I watch Morning Joe. When that show is over at 9:00am, all the days activity will begin. So here's to a good day. When the errands are done there will be time for some fun.

Wide Awake

I'm wide awake. It's fast approaching the bewitching hour of midnight. I've been up since about 5am this morning. Maybe it's because I had a good time chatting with people at the shower and I have a lot on my mind, but I couldn't sleep right now if I tried. I didn't have a nap today either, so I can't use that for an excuse. When I'm done writing I'll try reading. Sometimes that makes me sleepy late at night. Another thing which brings me to being able to sleep is when I get into bed and start to say the rosary. I usually fall asleep a couple of times before I get to the end of it. It brings me peace and I have a good night's sleep.

If I Were A Rich Woman

If I were a rich woman I'd do many things which I can't afford to do now. One of the things I know I'd purchase for my home is the piano I saw last Thursday. It has the capacity to be a player piano as well as an instument which I could play. When you play the piano, the enjoyment you get from the music is not the same as the enjoyment you get as a spectator or listener. There is pleasure, don't get me wrong. It's just different. Kind of the pleasure of a job well done when you play something well. When you are in the room hearing piano music, it's the pure pleasure of hearing beautiful music. You've hardly had to work at enjoying the music. Does any of what I've written make any sense? I love piano music. I love to listen to it and play it myself. Unfortunately for me, I don't play as well as I can listen. So the music is more beautiful to me when I'm not the active participant in the playing, but only in the listening. One thing I remember my father saying when he wanted something he couldn't afford at the time was that he'd "get it when his ship came in". Well, when my ship comes in I'm going to buy a baby grand piano which can also be a player piano so I can sit back and listen to it play beautiful music for me.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. So, where do we go from here? How do we improve on a good thing? More of the same and beyond. It's the beyond that is unknown. How does one proceed through retirement? The first desire is to relax, and to be able to play a bit more than you could while you were working. Having had the opportunity to travel during vacations when I was involved in my career, I didn't have an overwhelming desire to travel when I retired. I've visited friends in FL. and GA. and saw some of the sites there when I visited them. I've been able to delve into my hobby of quilting more than I could before. I could delve into my other hobbies more enthusiastically. That is probably what I'll do as I step into the "beyond". But there is more to it than that. I think there needs to be an intellectual pursuit of some sort. The book club at the library is a start. I've been interested in the political scene and enjoy the discussions on certain programs. Politics and religion aren't good topics for general conversation. Tempers could become involved as people are usually passionate in their beliefs. Maybe I could study French again, but it would only be fun if I had someone else to study with. That's what's missing! Someone to discuss what you've learned with you. I need a partner in this quest for knowledge. Hmmm, Who shall it be? That remains the guestion.

Rain For The Shower

The bridal shower was lovely. It was an afternoon Tea. The favor for all who attended was the teacup and saucer that we drank our tea from. Mine is white with pink roses on it.
It was nice to see long lost relatives again. My mother's cousin, Anne, and I will meet again in September while my house guest is visiting her elderly aunt in the town that Anne lives in. It is a small world indeed. One of Anne's friends just got a job last year in the school where my former college roommate teaches. It seems that wherever you go someone knows someone you know or vice versa. I left the tea at about 3:30pm. It was raining heavily. Instead of the 40 minutes it should have taken to get home, it took an hour and a half because of flooding on some of the roads and downed trees. Happily, I left the rain behind me. What is it they say? "Happy the bride the rain falls on"? Today was just the shower but I hope the wedding day is a beautiful sunny day.

Four Mysteries

While I was waiting for the book group to start this morning, I decided to look through the large print section of the library for a few more books to read. I came away with four mysteries. Three of them are written by Mary Higgins Clark and one is written by her daughter, Mary Jane Clark. The good thing about taking these books out is that I have them for a month. The books I had been taking out were only 14 day books. It's not always possible to get the books read in 14 days if you also have a "life". I also like to share them with Mom because she enjoys reading and can't get to the library. Fourteen days doesn't make sharing them possible, because Mom doesn't live around the corner. So, I guess I have the rest of my summer reading planned. I'll save the "heavier" books for the fall. Mom lent me Patrick J. Buchanan's book to read. It's titled, "Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War". Mom finished it and said she learned a lot from reading it. I have great respect for the author. He is fair minded when discussing politics on the shows he appears on. He is not biased, therefore, It'll put more credence on his opinions in this book. But, summer is for light reading, so I'll save the non-fiction for the fall.

First Meeting For Me

This morning I went to our county library to join a discussion of the book, "Water for Elephants". It's the first time I attended this group. I enjoyed the discussion and even contributed to it. I found out that this group meets all year round not just in the summer. It may be something to look forward to. The book they're reading for August is called, "My Antonia". I've started that book and need to finish it this weekend because it's due on Monday. The August book is written by Willa Cather. So far I'd say it's an OK book, but it hasn't grabbed me yet. An interesting thing occurred this morning. I found out that not everyone finished the book they discussed today because they didn't like it. The facilitator of the group was one of the people who didn't finish the book because she couldn't get into it. So, it's a relief to know that if one of the books chosen isn't my cup of tea, I don't have to feel bad if I don't finish it. This is not a high pressure group, but meets for enjoyment. They aren't trying to prove anything, like how brilliant they are.

Computer Frustration

The website I'm using is new. The laptop I'm using is new. I've tried to send an email several times today and have been put "off line" for some reason. I don't know if it's something I'm doing wrong or if the internet provider is at fault. It has been quite frustrating and a total waste of time to try to rectify the situation to no avail. I guess one needs a degree in computer science to fully understant the workings of the computer world. Well, I have all the degrees I'm going to get so I'll continue to stumble and make mistakes and unfortunately get frustrated with the new technology. After all, I'm not even a baby boomer. I'm older than dirt.

So Many Quilts, So Little Time

The quilt shop is a very interesting place to visit. There are many quilts on display which get your creative juices flowing. You want to make each and every one you see hanging on the wall. At this time of year they start to show all the fall and Halloween quilts, wall hangings and table runners. I found a kit I'd like to get and make for Halloween. I will wait another week or so because I'll get my birthday card with the birthday discount when August comes. Shopping at a quilt shop is sometimes a bit more expensive than shopping from a catalogue, but since there is no shipping and handling fee, it is sometimes beneficial to buy directly from the shop. It's quite a lot of fun to view the bolts of fabric on the shelves. It's like being in a candy store and looking at all the different pieces of candy in the case before selecting the one you'll finally buy. And isn't it tempting to get one of everything? Of course that's not possible because the cost would be prohibitive. The same reality sets in in the quilt shop. If I only have X amount of money to spend, I have to make a decision on a smaller purchase. So, you wander around the store looking and eliminating the less favorite fabrics until you finally decide on the one you'll be taking home. The only thing is, one piece of fabric does not a quilt make. So you'll be back another day, after you've found a pattern, to purchase coordinating fabrics which will go into the quilt. It's not an inexpensive hobby because the material is not cheap. The time you spend putting the quilt together and quilting the finished top is hard to put a price tag on. So, a word to the wise, If you are given a homemade quilt by a friend, treasure it. A lot of time, money and love went into the making of it.

One Stop Down...

This morning I took a leisurely trip to my favorite quilt shop. I asked the questions about machine quilting which I was interested in and got helpful answers. They also gave me the name of someone who machine quilts for hire. I called her and left a message. I'm hoping that since the quilt top is small, it won't be too expensive to have it quilted. If I go that route, it'll get done faster than if I quilted it myself. Now I just have to wait for the call back. I have a couple more stops to make today, but I have one down.

It's A Fact!

It's a fact. I didn't start to gain weight until I signed up for a weight program on line. So much for that. Now I have to start exercising again. I had stopped walking and doing water aerobics. The humidity is a deterrent for me when it comes to going outdoors to exercise. I do arise early each morning, but it takes me awhile to fully wake up. When I've had a cup of coffee or 2, and eaten a small breakfast, I should go out and walk around the complex before the heat of the day is a turn off. It's more fun to walk with someone because you are able to converse and you forget that your purpose for walking is EXERCISE. It's more like passing the time of day with a friend when you have company as you walk. However, we can't always have what we want, so I need to just DO IT.

A Day For Errands

Tomorrow will be a day for doing errands. Grocery shopping, recycling an old computer, visiting the quilt shop to get advice on quilting my cousin's quilt. I will also stop in at the piano store to see a new arrival which they got. They gave me a call and told me that it was like the piano I had been admiring except that it's a bit smaller and therefore, less expensive. I know I won't be buying a piano any time soon, but I'd like to look at what they called to tell me about. Oh, to be rich instead of beautiful! (Just kidding!) That was an expression I heard growing up. Someone I know very well would say from time to time, "Why wasn't I born rich instead of beautiful?" I'm reminded of a graduate class I took. Some of the men in the class and I were talking and I said, "I want to be rich." One of the older men said to me, "You are rich!" , which made me laugh. I said, "I mean in money". It's interesting, but when you get older, the compliments don't seem to come as often from the opposite sex. We may not look as good as we did when we were young, but we still have a lot to offer someone. Only brilliant men would know that.

A Productive Day

The day started by pampering myself. I went and had a pedicure. Afterwards I took my car to get washed and vacuumed. I even paid a few dollars extra so that they'd clean the wheels. The car looks great. It looks like a new car with shiny silver wheels. When that was done I came home for lunch and started to clean the living room. At about 3:00pm someone came by to help me clean the rest of the condo. The usual stuff was done. I have bigger plans for cleaning before my guest comes in September. E. said that she'd come an extra time to help me. I want to wash/polish the cabinets in the kitchen and the 2 bathrooms. I also want to wash the kitchen window inside and outside. I'll need help with those 2 things since I don't have too much "elbow grease". I'd love to get my bed on sliders so it can be moved away from the wall. That way the baseboard can be dusted behind the bed whenever I want to do that. Another thing I'd like to get done is organizing the cabinets under the sinks. I'll have to get some sort of containers to help that situation. Last but not least, the bed clothing has to be washed and a new dust ruffle has to be put on the bed. I'm also going to look for a different litter box for the cat, one which has a lid. I hope they come in extra large sizes, because my cat is a huge cat. If I purchase a new one I'll keep my fingers crossed so that he won't refuse to use it. All in all today was a productive day. The next month will be also. There's lots to do.

Return To Normal

The house guests have all gone. I'm trying to get my home in order. I've straightened, picked up, done laundry and washed dishes. There's still much to do. Tomorrow is another day and I'll continue cleaning by polishing the LR furniture and if there's time, the bedroom furniture. I decided that I'd treat myself to a pedicure in the morning. I may even go to have my car washed and vacuumed. I'm hoping that I get some time to finish the book I'm reading tomorrow. It's due back in the library next Monday. Time at home was shortened today because I took my mother home, did her laundry and shopped for a few groceries for her. I returned home at 3:15pm. Hopefully, things have returned to "normal" and I'll get to do some of the things I've wanted to do this week. I hope to visit my favorite quilt shop on Wednesday and go to a book discussion at the library on Friday. On Thurday I'll have my car serviced. I need to buy a gift for someone. I have a bridal shower to go to on Sunday. As of today, I have no plans for Saturday. Maybe I'll go to mass in the evening since the shower starts at 1:00pm on Sunday.
I'm hoping that the week unfolds as I've planned. I'd like to get some R&R this week too.

Happy Birthday!

We celebrated my brother's birthday today. It was a small celebration and a day early. Five of us were present. We had a delicious lasagna meal and a brownie cake with strawberries for dessert. He liked his presents and thoroughly enjoyed the day. I'll have to call him tomorrow on the "real" day and wish him a Happy Birthday.

Too Busy!

We finished watching the "John Adams" dvds today. The story was very well done in movie form. My mother has decided that she'll borrow my book of the same name now that she can put a face with the characters. The book was very well written. I enjoyed it immensely. I have to return the dvd to the library on Monday. Then I have one week left to finish "My Antonia", by Will Cather. It is a library book selection for August.
The week went fast. I've had to cook for two and run errands for my mother. I'll be happy to return to a more normal week next week. The reason the week went fast is because I was so busy. Too busy for my liking. Tomorrow is a family birthday celebration here. I will read in church at the 8:30am mass before the guests arrive.

Nothing Special

Today was an ordinary day. Nothing special happened. The day went quickly. I went grocery shopping. Helped Mom with some things. Went to D's to give him something. I had risen at 4:00am. I took a one hour nap at 12:30pm until 1:30pm. Made supper for us, cleaned up. Mom has discovered TCM channel. She watched it almost all day. I'm wishing that I had a family room or library away from the tv so that I could read. Sometimes I feel like the tv causes your brain cells to die. Or that it causes numbness of the brain. I did pick up a DVD from the library yesterday and we've agreed to watch part of it tomorrow. It's the HBO movie of JOHN ADAMS. I read the book, a biography, several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it would be fun to see the movie version of the book. I also will watch the DVD instuctions on how to open and refold my origami golf cart tomorrow. In the afternoon I'm taking Mom to a doctor's appointment. Hopefully, everything will go well and it won't take too long. If I can fit it in I'll sew the border on another quilt which is almost done. I plan to put that quilt on my bed. While we're watching JOHN ADAMS, I can hand quilt on my "white on white" queen size quilt. I'm about a third of the way done. Will I ever finish hand quilting it is the question. It sometimes seems overwhelming. It is enjoyable however, and is also relaxing. Tomorrow will be a busy day, but should also be a lot of fun.

A Week At The Lake

Last week I vacationed at Big Bass Lake in the Poconos with 3 friends. It was a very relaxing, quiet week. I didn't watch any TV. Read "Water for Elephants", quilted, swam, hit balls at the driving range, ate, and we played a game every night. We taught one of the gals to play Mah Jongg, we played Rummy Kube, Phase 10, Mexican Train Dominoes and caught up on everyones news. It was so peaceful. I enjoyed sitting on the screened in porch to eat our meals. Even the rain that fell didn't ruin any day for us. My cousin invited us for a BBQ. He has a place at Eagle Lake which is nearby. Another friend invited us for lunch at her home in Buckhill. We visited the shop called Twiddley Bits in Moscow, Pa. I bought a walking cane/flask, a quilted square which I'll use as a kitchen curtain valence, and I managed to buy 4 green depression glass dessert plates which were very reasonable. It's strange how when you return home, although it's good to be home, it seems like the vacation was many weeks ago instead of last week. We are planning to rent the house at the lake next summer also.

Independence Day

The Chocolate chip cookies have been made. The trunk is packed. All that needs to be taken out tomorrow is the food stuff and the toiletries. I've been running around all day collecting things and packing things. Now, I'm ready to relax. I'm watching "A Capital Fourth". Later I will watch the Boston Pops concert on another channel. That concert is my favorite. Yes, I'll be watching the fireworks on TV instead of in person in a park nearby. But when I'm ready to retire I won't have to fight traffic to get back home since I'm already there. Happy Fourth of July! God Bless America!

Getting To Know You

It's not so easy getting to know a new computer system. There are little things which cause a bit of a problem. Nothing big, just little annoying things. But, that's what the manual is for. It's a good computer, easy to use the hardware. I have some software to load on the computer, but I'll save that for another day. I'm happy that I upgraded to a new system.

Busy Day

Yesterday I visited Mom. I picked up groceries she'll need for a week. I returned home this afternoon and picked up the mail, checked email and went out to get a filter for the furnace. I also treated myself to 2 pairs of flip flops that I looked at the other day. I can take them with me when I go on vacation.
Tomorrow I will make some chocolate chip cookies which was a request from a friend I'll be vacationing with soon. I'll also need to get clothes ironed and make a list of things I'll need to take with me. I'm looking forward to a week with 3 other friends at the lake in the mountains. It'll be nice to get away and have a change of scenery. My cousin invited us over to his place the day after we arrive for a BBQ. I love BBQ because I never get it anymore unless I'm invited out to someone's home.
I'm hoping that my family can survive without me for a week. I'd prefer no phone calls unless it's an emergency. Here's to good friends and to restful vacations filled with fun.

A Visit From A Friend

This afternoon was delightful. I had a visit from a friend I haven't seen in awhile. We caught up on the "news" since we last saw each other two months ago. After our visit, and lunch we went out and about. I had to pick up a house warming gift and she wanted to browse in a few stores. I found a unique serving piece for ice cream sundaes. It is a lazy susan for the items one might choose to put on top of a sundae or a banana split. I also purchased 4 ice cream bowls to go with the lazy susan. I hope that the recipients like ice cream sundaes. But then, who doesn't?

The New Notebook

I'm using a new notebook computer. I paid someone to set it up with the printer this morning. It's different than the old one and will take some getting use to. I've decided to have the old laptop refurbished and give it to my brother as a birthday gift. He doesn't have a laptop now that he's retired. He usually uses mine when he visits so I know he'll be pleased with the gift. All he'll need is a router for home use.