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May 16, 2012

10:03 PM

Long and Busy Day

     I fully intended to hit the sack about eleven last night when my two shows wrapped up.  But I made the mistake of going ancestor hunting once again and it was 1:20 when I forced myself to stop, having traced back to the early 1300’s.  Wow!  I got up at 7:40 this morning and was yawning by 8:30 – probably because I skipped my morning coffee.  I finally caved and made some to go with my boiled egg and toast.  
     I made it to church as it approached ten o’clock.  Sandy I was waiting since I have the key to get into the building.  We were soon joined by Connie, Sandy H, Liz, Ellie, Jackie, Jeanette and Charlene.  Ann wasn’t there today and we were all distressed to learn that her husband has been diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer.  “SCLC is the most aggressive form of lung cancer.   Although the cancer cells are small, they grow very quickly and create large tumors.  These tumors often spread rapidly to other parts of the body, including the brain, liver, and bone.”  Needless to say, this doesn’t sound good.  Our hearts certainly go out to her and her family.  
     After we took care of some business things, we got on with our class on two color stranded knitting.  Everyone came with the ribbing done for their hats and the pattern charts I sent them.  Once I got them going they found it fun and easier than they had imagined.  Connie had to leave early to be at work by one o’clock.  Everyone except Liz, Sandy I and me were gone shortly after one.  The three of us chatted a bit and then parted company.  
     I drove into Gig Harbor.  I had an hour and a half to kill until my appointment at CareNet.  I cruised a couple of stores before going into the optical shop to get my glasses tightened up a bit and pick up the lens cleaning cloth I left behind when I got my new glasses.  As I got ready to leave I realized I still didn’t have the two lens cleaning clothes and discovered the tech heading back to her office with them.  Ah ha!  That’s probably why I didn’t get out of there with mine the first time.    
     It was five minutes to three when I arrived at CareNet.  I told the receptionist I had an appointment with Lori for three o’clock and she said she would let her know I was there.  I asked if I could use the restroom and when I came out the receptionist was nowhere to be seen.  I waited and waited and waited some more.  I could hear laughing and talking from down the hall but another lady had entered the place before me and I didn’t know if I was hearing a client consult or what.  I rang the bell and no one came.  I finally followed the noise and found Lori, Dianne (the director), the receptionist and another lady having a gay old time in the volunteer workroom.  I told them I had an appointment with Lori and had been waiting for 25 minutes (counting 5 minutes of early arrival).  Apparently the receptionist didn’t bother to mention I was there!  They were all partying with the other gal, a volunteer whose birthday was today.  Dianne and Lori showed me around the place so I got to see the boutique.  They had a good supply of things but the vast majority of it was “gently” used.  I asked how many people they work with in a month and was told they helped 72 last month.  After the tour we went into a consult room where I showed them the five minute video about Clint.  I had told Lori I do all this knitting and quilting in his memory so I wanted them to know who Clint was.  I showed them six sweaters they could have plus the one I did for Myra.  I also showed them the little bibs and they said they can use bibs up to size 2 kids.  I showed them the two quilts which they really liked although they said gender neutral is good because the gals get to pick out a quilt before they know what they are having in many cases.  I also told them I like to put a label on the quilt that says “Jesus Loves You” in memory of Clint.  They said that was fine so I brought those home to attach the labels and the bibs to add the snaps.  I’ll have to check my stash and see what I can do about some gender neutral quilts.  Once we got past the receptionist leaving me high and dry, things went well.  
     I got out of there a little before four and called Bill.  He wanted me to stop by Hunan Gardens to pick up something for dinner.  I told him to go ahead and call it in.  By then my right eye was giving me fits.  It felt really dry so I went into the drug store to get a new bottle of GenTeal drops.  As soon as I got back into the car I put a drop in my right eye and that felt better.  I know we’ve had a lot of pollen in the air so that could have been part of the problem.  When I drove over to the far side of the shopping center when the Hunan is located, there was a long line of cars in front of the Hunan trying to get out of the shopping center parking lot.  I decided it would take me several minutes to even be able to park in front of the restaurant and then I might be unable to get back out so I moved over one aisle to park.  
     I guess it was 4:30’ish or so by time I got home.  I had called Barbara earlier in the day to see if she was going to the knitting “do” in Key Center tonight and to say I’d meet her there.  I got into more comfortable clothes, ate something and was soon headed off again.  It was quite breezy out.  I wasn’t home long enough to start a new knitting project.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue the cardigan with the YOM (yarn of the month) yarn or rip it out and do a Milo Vest so I set that aside.  That left me with the lace scarf I’ve been working on for tonight’s project.  That was fine as I’ll eventually get it done if I keep working on it even if just periodically.  
     I stopped to pick up the mail on the way to knit.  Barbara wasn’t there yet but I found Denise, Ruth and Sheryl.  Barbara arrived soon after along with Terry and then Lois arrived.  Lois had remembered to bring the yarn I ordered on April 22 despite my failure to email her with a reminder.  However, she only had two of the three skeins I paid for.  I sure she still has another skein because this was the Tatamy Tweed in the pumpkin color that I bought to make Boden a sweater for next winter.  It is so perfect for his red hair.  Terry’s husband called to say he had put something in her radiator which wasn’t compatible with what was already in there.  Apparently it could cause an explosion so she left post haste.  Then Lois’ daughter called to say she couldn’t do her geometry homework because her book was in her mom’s truck so Lois had to head home.  The rest of us continued on until 7:45.  
     I got home to find that Deanna had called but I got no answer when I called there.  Ten o’clock has come and gone and it has been a long and busy day!  
     
Faith is knowing that God is who He says He is, has what He says He has and will do what He says He will do and then putting ourselves in a position 
 
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May 15, 2012

8:37 PM

A Tad Cooler Today

     I wound up watching the last three episodes from Season 4 of “Murdoch Mysteries.”  When the second one ended it left things up in the air as to whether Julia, the woman Murdoch loves, would marry the “other guy.”  Figuring it would be decided in the season finale I moved on to that episode and now I know the answer.  Off to bed at 12:42.  Up and going six hours later.  I spent time reviewing the pattern for Myra’s baby sweater which I’m naming “Pretty in Pink.”  It is ready to go except for a picture.  I’ll have to wait until I get the buttons on Friday to get a picture.  
     Meantime I got an email this morning from a very distressed Ellen.  She ordered something to be shipped to me for Mother’s Day.  When she got my email yesterday with pictures of my lobster dinner and no mention of her strawberries (chocolate covered, I think) she was distressed, mortified and livid.    She sent me the tracking info from the company.  I got an email from UPS yesterday afternoon about a package being redirected to my post office box so I thought that was it.  However, the info she sent showed her package was shipped with Fed Ex.  The Fed Ex tracking info showed that Ellen’s order didn’t leave California until May 12, the day it was “supposed” to be delivered here.  Obviously it was traveling by truck since it left Sacramento at 5:12 a.m. on May 12 and didn’t arrive in Troutdale, Oregon, until 5:21 p.m. May 14.  It left there at 11:58 p.m. that night and arrived in DuPont, Washington, at 5:52 this morning.  I figured it would arrive here this afternoon.  I let Ellen know what I had learned.  She wrote back later to say she called the company and they were going to ship me another box.  Hmm…
     I sewed buttons on two sweaters I want to take tomorrow when I visit CareNet.  Then I printed out care labels for the sweaters I’m taking and bagged them up along with the two quilts I showed here recently and some of the little bibs I made awhile back.  They still need the snaps put on but I can show them as they are for now.  I also rounded up what I need for Fiber Friends tomorrow.  Then it was time to cogitate on what to work on next for a project.  The May “yarn of the month” intrigued me somewhat like that “desert” colored yarn I used in the sweater I gave to Boden when he turned out to have red hair.  Barbara and I think Myra has been spending too much time in the desert with some of her recent color combinations.     I finally got a little cardigan started as I finished listening to the third book in the “Tradd Street” series.  I checked to see what comes next and found that the fourth and final book in the series will come out in January 2013.  
     Barbara was less than thrilled when I called to let her know the computer place in Key Center she has been using is closing up the storefront.  Perhaps the gal will continue working from home but what I read didn’t say one way or the other.  I called Kathy tonight.  She didn’t answer her cell phone so I hoped that meant she was home from the hospital.  I called her house and talked to Vic who thinks she will be home tomorrow evening.  Ellen called.  She was still upset about the missing Mother’s Day gift.  She called the company and told the woman there "My mother thought I didn't send her a card or a gift or call her on Mother's Day and I thought she was enjoying her chocolate covered strawberries."  I told her not to stress over it.  The company didn’t keep up its end of the bargain despite her paying extra for the speedy service.  My package at the post office today was the four tank tops I ordered.  I was delighted to find they are nice and long.  They won’t pull out of my pants leaving me with a cold back.  
     Doyle came this afternoon to check out our bathroom and kitchen faucet situation.  He confirmed what we should look for in the new faucets so we’ll go shopping on Thursday.  Now I’m ready to get on with tonight’s entertainment.  I have the season finale of “Bones” to watch and what I think may be the next to the last episode of “House.”

When the world around you is falling apart, don't lose heart.  Keep doing good, no matter what others do to you in return.  Refuse to allow any person or anything to gain mastery over you – not your relationships… not your work… not your habits… not anything.  Let the grace of God minister to your spirit… and be the source of your strength. - Take a Minute
     
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May 14, 2012

9:09 PM

Accomplishment for Today

     I forgot that I hadn’t seen last week’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” so I watched that last night.  Jason Sudeikis was another “unknown” to me since I don’t watch “Saturday Night Live.”  It was a very interesting story and turned out to be one where the family might rather not have known about their roots.  
     We woke to what promised to be another gorgeous – and toasty- day.  Last year, the first 80-degree day didn't happen until early July.  Our first 80-degree temperatures this year occurred this afternoon.  Putting the outside sunshade down today made a huge difference in the comfort level in here.  Even though it was warmer out than yesterday we got by without turning on the air conditioner.  There was maybe a 30 minute or so time frame when it was a tad uncomfortable but that soon passed and the fans keep the air moving.  
     Bill went into Key Center today since I needed a bill payment mailed.  He came home with a small carton of “drumstick” ice cream.  I guess it is something new but it seems to contain all the things they have in those drumstick ice cream cones we like.  I thought I even tasted bit of the cone.  Yum…  While he was gone I got to work on Myra’s sweater and finally finished that up a little after seven.  I listened to the talking book while I knit and I have just one of the eleven discs left to listen to.  Since it is too dark in here now to pick out something new to work on, I’ll resume knitting on the lace scarf I’ve been working on in bits and spurts.  I have about 28 inches knit and it is supposed to be about 72 inches long.     
     Barbara called this afternoon with a bit of news.  She went to the Monday afternoon knitting group mainly to see if Mary G was there and find out about Knit Guild.  We missed it last Wednesday night because of my birthday doings.  Mary G told Barbara that our president, Gladys, was there with her daughter.  She announced that the Knit Guild would be no more which is what Barbara and I have been anticipating for a long time now.  Any money left in the account will go to Caring for Kids.  Barbara and I (along with the Fiber Friends) will continue to knit hats, scarves, etc., for Caring for Kids.  She had no idea where the bag lady that I saw yesterday could have come from.  
     We expected Doyle – Barbara’s contractor – to come today to check out what we need to do about replacing the kitchen and bathroom faucets.  He called a little after six and is coming tomorrow instead.  Dinnertime has come and gone and I will catch up on Words with Friends and then find something to watch.  I had a 64 point word on WWF earlier today.  Fun…
    
God will never lead you down a wrong path.   
 
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May 13, 2012

8:34 PM

Mother’s Day Minus Clint

     Today was my eighth Mother’s Day without Clint – except in my heart.  And, of course, everyone at church was wishing me “Happy Mother’s Day.”  I wore the rose corsage Bill gave me and, again, I was the only woman in church with a corsage.  Someone at church brought carnations for all the mothers.  I didn’t take one until I was on my way out and the lady who brought them told me to take three.  I chose the white ones with the purple edging.  And speaking of flowers, etc., Bill came home with four little Christmas grape tomato plants yesterday and planted them in our big pot out by the garage.  After TK left he told me to look and see my surprise.  I hope they will thrive and produce some tomatoes.  
     As I drove to church this morning, I came out of our road and headed up the hill through the S-curves.  About half way up I saw something alongside the road and as I got closer I realized it was what I’d call a “bag lady.”  I’m assuming it was a female since she was attired in a long skirt.  She had two hoodie type coverings on her head so I couldn’t really see a face.  She was sitting on the guard rail and had a grocery shopping cart which probably held all her belongings.  There was no safe place to stop and being alone, I would hesitate to do so in this day and age.  The car ahead of me turned around.  There were two passengers in it so I thought (hoped) they were going back to see about her.  I have NO idea where she could have come from.  I was even more shocked to find her still sitting there when I came home from church!  It was about 7:45 the first time I saw her and about 12:30 the second time.  When I told Bill he called 911 to tell them she was in an unsafe place.  Whoever he talked with gave him the third degree.  They wanted to know what color clothing she was wearing.  How did I know it was a woman?  What ethnicity was she?   Good grief!  It wasn’t like I stopped and did an in-depth study of the situation.  I have no idea if they bothered to send anyone out or not as we heard no more about it even though they took our name and phone number.  That fell into the really strange category.  
     I had a few odds and ends to take care of before I wanted the lobster dinner.  Since Fiber Friends happens on Wednesday, I had to come up with some little stitch patterns to use as we work on two color stranded knitting.  I still had to knit the two inches of ribbing for my hat.  It was 4:15 by time I got everything done I wanted to do.  Then it was time to fix those lobsters.  The first two pictures show the larger tails sautéing in the pan and dinner plated up and ready to eat.  Larry H was drooling over my talk of lobster dinner so I said I’d eat a bite for him.  The third picture is his bite. 

     
           
          And bit by bit this Mother’s Day draws to a close.  Bill has been watching “Journey to the Center of the Earth” this afternoon.  I’ve been watching bits and pieces of it.  We finally turned on the air conditioning when it hit 79º in the living room.  It would have helped had we remembered to drop the outside blinds earlier.  We’ll have to do that tomorrow as it is supposed to be even warmer than today.  Now I think I’ll check out that “Sherlock” show Barbara told me about.

Whenever you do not understand what's happening in your life, just close your eyes, take a deep breath and say "God, I know it is your plan.  Just help me through it."
 
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May 12, 2012

11:13 PM

Tech Support

     It is wonderful to have one’s own personal tech support person to help with things like setting up a new computer.  Today was a particular challenge because the old computer had about ten years worth of “stuff” on it.  TK arrived at 1:15 and it was around six by time he left.  The game plan we decided on was to set up two logons on the new computer.  One would have the old data files and the other would be the new one.  He created a public folder which can be viewed by both.  I can drag files I want to move from the old stuff to the new setup to the public folder and then bring them down from there into the new site.  After TK left I got all my Designer Gallery software re-installed and updated so I’m ready to resume embroidering whenever I want to.  The old computer is still here “in case” I find something I missed that can be transferred over.  
    While all this was going on I managed to do a little knitting on Myra’s sweater.  I have about an inch left to knit on the body before doing the edging.  Now it is time to think about heading for bed.  It’s almost eleven and if I work at it, I might get there before midnight.  If I were to watch something, it would wind up closer to one before my head hit the pillow. 
     And one last picture from our visit with Dawn and Reign - here is Reign ready to ride the bumper car.



Be still and know that He is God
For pathways steep and rough;
Not what He brings, but what He is
Will always be enough. —Anon.
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May 11, 2012

9:42 PM

Celebrating

     This was the big day to celebrate my May 9th and Ellie’s May 11th birthdays.  This got started several years ago when I tried to plan a surprise birthday “do” for Ellie because she hosts our sewing “do” every month.  I wound up sending one of the emails about it to her along with everyone else.  Whoops!  Now every May the gals want us to all go out for lunch for our two birthdays.  I was running a tad late after an unplanned stop so I was the last one to arrive.  When I arrived at El Pueblito I found Ellie, Susie, Deanna, Jackie, Grace and Yolanda waiting for me.  There was a stack of gifts in front of Ellie and a stack at my place at the table.  Wow!  I wasn’t expecting that.  Ellie and Yolanda had a Taco Salad’ Jackie had the Mexican pizza; Grace chose the chimichanga; and the rest of us had Carne Asada – my favorite there!  When we finished eating and the table was cleared Ellie and I alternated opening the gifts.  
     When we were done there we moved the party up to Harbor Quilts so I could get my birthday discount.  Ellie didn’t have a card but signed up for next year along with the rest of the gals.  The main thing I wanted was a piece of fabric to use for backing on the hummingbird quilt when I get around to that.  I was thinking that if I take a picture of the pieces hanging on the wallboard, I can cut them like it was the quilt, rearrange the pieces and see if I like the finished look.  My immediate project, however, is to finish the sweater I plan on taking to Myra next Friday.  
     I didn’t notice what time we parted company but I ran an errand or two and then headed to Office Depot to check out laptop computers.  The one in the back is 10 plus years and it has been a good computer but it is still running XP and most of what I’m doing now needs a more up-to-date system.  I’ve had Toshiba computers for years until I got my Netbook – a Gateway.  I have really liked it so I was looking at Gateways.  TK said I should stay away from HP at this time.  I don’t buy anything without consulting him.  I emailed him last night about the one I was looking at but he hadn’t answered by time I left this morning.  When I was in the store standing in front of the computer I called him.  We talked for a few minutes while I told him of the several I saw that had the minimum 6 gigs he said I should get.  Then he said, “I’m next door at Home Depot.  Would you like me to come over?”  Of course I wanted my computer tech to come check it out.  I took that as my “sign” I was on the right track.  When he arrived he looked over the three I had looked at and concluded my original choice of the particular Gateway was the best one of the lot.  It was a $750 computer on sale for $549 through tomorrow.  Ya!  TK will come over tomorrow afternoon and help me get it set up.  Nothing beats having one’s own personal computer tech who does house calls when necessary!  And I did NOT rush right home and open it up.  
     Needless to say, Bill had me bring a carne asada dinner home for him.  Did you think he hadn’t asked me bring something home just because I didn’t mentioned it earlier.  Silly you!  Eventually I went into the kitchen to heat up part of my leftovers from lunch.  I discovered a big puddle of water in front of the microwave.  Hmmm…  I couldn’t think of why there would be water coming “from” the microwave.  I called Bill out to the kitchen and he had no idea either.  We cleaned it up and I got on with my snack.  A little while later I observed more water in front of the microwave.  This time we tracked it to the leaky faucet.  Time for the plumber!  Bill’s brother who can do things like that said he’d come while I was gone to Madrona back in February.  Oh well…
     Barbara’s mystery for the week has been partially resolved.  She mailed a letter last Saturday using Express Mail.  That is overnight delivery (excluding Sat and Sun).  That meant it had two extra nights to get where it was going – NOT.  The tracking info showed it was accepted at our local post office and supposedly departed our local post office and then it vanished.  Today she finally got word that it turned up in Seattle yesterday and was delivered in California today.  And where has it been for five days?  We still don’t know the answer to that burning question.  
     As I write I’m almost half way through the body of Myra’s sweater.  There is hope…  Now I’m off to watch the second episode on my current “Dalziel & Pascoe” disc.  Oh yes, I got word today that “Body of Proof” has renewed for Season 3.  Since we know that “House” is retiring, that only leaves “Bones.”  And there is also the “Who Do You Think You Are?” show now that I’m addicted to that. 
     And here is another one of the rides the Reign went on at the fairgrounds.  Dawn had to go on this one with her so they are in one of those cars.  Gave me the heebie jeebies just watching it. 



In our microwave world, we want everything done instantaneously. But sometimes that’s not God’s plan. Let’s seek God’s help and learn to accept His timing. —Dave Branon
     
 
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May 10, 2012

10:29 PM

Nothing Much Happening

     I can’t say I feel any older than yesterday.    There hasn’t been much going on today.  I called Myra to let her know I plan to have that pink sweater finished when I arrive at her shop on the first day of the Yarn Crawl.  News that makes me happy – “Castle” was officially renewed for a fifth season.  Matthew came over to mow the lawn this afternoon and then Bill left to get a haircut.  Just before he left Matthew’s lawnmower quit on him.  Bill didn’t have the right size socket so Matthew went home promising to return and finish the job.  When he finally returned, he didn’t mow even five minutes before the mower acted up again.  It kept shutting off.  Bill returned home as all this was going on.  Matthew finally concluded that the mower had blown a gasket so he cut what left with his weed eater.  I guess that was better than a pair of garden shears! 
     My afternoon activities included completing two more quilt blocks.  I’m having waaaaay too much fun with these!

           

     Since I barely got to talk to Ellen yesterday, I called her and chatted for awhile.  I got a beautiful birthday card from her today and I wanted to acknowledge it.  I left for church about six.  I stopped by Ellie’s to pick up a carton of eggs.  We chatted briefly before I headed on to church.  I got there early so I could practice something to play on the piano Sunday for a prelude since Debi won’t be there.  We had most of the gang for rehearsal tonight.  We were done early and I made it home while it was still light out.  That was great.  Tonight’s “thought” is pretty much what happened to me when I heard Nancy had cancer back in late 2008.

When we sense His prompting to help someone, we should be willing to say, “I believe God wants me to help you.” —Julie Ackerman Link

We are at our best when we are serving others.

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May 9, 2012

9:27 PM

67 and Counting

     “Castle” wasn’t as much of a cliff hanger as I expected but it leads into another season.  I also watched “Bones” and “House.”  I finally finished the Kid Tunic which seemed to take forever.  I’ll get a picture up soon.  Now I need to finish the sweater for Myra using the lace pattern I sent in for the “Lace One Skein Wonder” book.  I also have to come up with a new name for it.  I used “Hyacinth and Lavender “for the original sweaters since those were the colors of yarn from Angora Valley but that doesn’t fit the yarn I’m using now.  It needs something like “Pretty in Pink.”  If I get it done before May 18 I can take it to Myra when we visit to her shop on the Yarn Crawl.
     Fun, fun!  I scored 74 points in a move on Words with Friends last night.  And today marked my 67th year on the planet.  Before we could head out I had to do a shipping label for Robbie’s box of beef jerky.  I don’t why, but every time I do a shipping label for one of our service members it turns into a fight to the finish.  Today was no exception.  I do international shipping all the time with no problem but that wasn’t the case today.  I went on the post office website where I have an account.  I typed in all the info the label.  Since Bill was shipping it I added his credit card info and at first it didn’t want to go through.  I guess I was typing some wrong or missing something.  Anyway, I finally got past that.  And when I thought I had it all paid and ready to print, a message popped up about the customs form.  When I clicked on that I had to completely re-enter all the shipping information as well as all the info about what I was mailing.  That done, I finally printed out the form and we taped it on the box. 
     We had planned to drive up to Poulsbo and have dinner at Tizley’s Europub where we were would have their sampler platter of German goodies.  We were going to add the Swinehax (pork hank) to it.  Bill called to make sure they would have the Swinehax.  They said it wouldn’t be ready until six.  I didn’t want to wait that long so I gave more thought to plans for my birthday dinner.  Since we’ve had a lot of beef lately with the pot roast and prime rib, I decided seafood sounded good. We got ready and left here about one o’clock.  I decided on Harbor Lights on the waterfront in Tacoma.  As it turned out, that was a good idea.  For one thing, we could stop off in Gig Harbor at the accountant’s to sign the paper for e-filing. 
     We left here about one and drove to the post office in Lake Kathryn which was on the way to Gig Harbor.  That was when we found that I did NOT have the paid shipping label on the box.  I told the postal clerk that the customs bit didn’t come up until I was in the process of paying for the label.  What to do, what to do?  I finally told Bill we should go home so I could go back online and print the label.  I knew I had paid for it because I checked on that.  I knew if we didn’t go ahead and take care of it we’d stew over it the whole time we were gone.  Back at home I called the accountant to let her know I was running late and then I got the label printed.  We went back to the post office and let them determine where they wanted to attach it to the box. 
     Feeling better with that taken care of, we drove into Tacoma to Harbor Lights.  It was 3:15 or so by time we got there.  Had we headed for Poulsbo we would have still been on the road.  We feasted on a crab cocktail, clam’s bordelaise and pan fried trout with burnt cream for dessert.  We were both sorta tired by time we were done with our meal.  We were definitely glad not to be facing the drive from Poulsbo back home.  As we headed out on Key Peninsula I told Bill we should go on into Key Center and collect the mail.  He first stopped at the Food Mart and I looked in the direction of Wine Blends and said, “I wonder how many knitters are over there for the “do” tonight.”  Bill asked if I wanted to go check it out.  And how do you suppose I answered that question?  “Of course I want to go!”  I spied Barbara’s van so I knew she was there.  It started at 5:30 and I got there just after six.  Two more gals showed up after me for a total of 10 knitters. 
     Barbara brought me home and now the day is rapidly fading away.  I had many lovely birthday wishes on Facebook as well as some cards and a phone call from Ellen in South Carolina.  Now we’ll see how long I can stay awake! 

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes real happiness.  It is not obtained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. - Helen Keller


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May 8, 2012

8:28 PM

Cut and Sew

     The one time I checked yesterday it was 74º outside.  That’s a month or so earlier than the last two years so perhaps that bodes well for us actually having some summer this year.  I love looking out and seeing all the apple trees in bloom and our quince bush is flowering nicely, too.  I didn’t realize that pansies come back so I was surprised to see new growth in the pot of pansies sitting outside.  Even though it was only 67º in here when I got up at 7:30 this morning I didn’t need to turn on the heat to break the chill in the air.  
     In the “government run amuck” department…..again, I read that Massachusetts is banning bake sales in schools to curb obesity.  How about they start with all the chemicals and other junk that goes in the food we buy.  I was irritated to find the pea salad I buy in the deli had high fructose corn syrup.  When I was there the other day looking at things I asked about the Mediterranean orzo salad and it, too, has high fructose corn syrup.  Grrr…
     Bill left a little after eleven.  He was driving out to Stewart’s Meat Market to buy some beef jerky.  Robbie, his g’nephew serving in Afghanistan, called home last week asking for Uncle Bill to send him some beef jerky like he did when Robbie was in Iraq.  I was almost done with the Kid Tunic so I knit on it while listening to the talking book.   As 11:30 rolled around I moved back to work.  I cut out some squares for making a Disappearing Nine Patch quilt with the hummingbird fabric I bought at Sew Expo.  I have the pieces on my wallboard but I have to think on them a while longer before I plunge forward with that.  I would, however, like to take advantage of my “birthday sale” at Harbor Quilts on Friday to get a piece of fabric for the back of the quilt.  We get half our age off in a discount so that will give me a 33.5% discount this year.  Yay!   

     
         
After that I did three more crazy patch blocks as seen here.  Bill got back home as I was working on the third block.  I’m having a great time doing these blocks!  I finished up back there for the day and came out to see what goodies Bill brought home like cubed beef jerky, teriyaki pepperoni, BBQ chicken and ribs, etc.  It’s after eight already and I’m ready to watch my shows from Monday night.  One is the season finale of “Castle” and I’m sure it will leave us hanging as it did last year. 
     I called Kathy tonight and she is still in the hospital.  Knowing that you don’t stay in the hospital without good cause these days, it is obvious she is pretty sick.  She sounded quite perky, though, but she continues on round the clock IV and IV feeding.  This was her first day to eat any solid food and she had kept it down so far.  We caught up on our news and despite everything, she says she is happy as a clam.  She feels it is all a part of God’s plan and that He is using her to share Him with hospital staff and family who wouldn’t listen to her if she were well.  I also talked to Nadine this afternoon and she seems to be doing well after her last hospital stay.  She does have another procedure coming up but, as she said, “one day at a time.” 

We need the whole song, all the verses and the choruses to serve us as our own story unfolds because- trust me- life is hard, but God is good. - Gloria Gaither
 
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May 7, 2012

9:50 PM

Full Steam Ahead

     I watched the premiere episode of “Rosemary & Thyme” on Acorn Online.  It was a British television mystery series that starred Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris as gardening detectives Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme. The show began on ITV in 2003, and the third series ended in August 2007.  I know I’ve watched some if not all of the 22 episodes some years ago but all 22 are airing May 7-13 for a Mother’s Day Marathon.  I’ll watch what I can of them if I don’t remember having seen them before.  
     The 54º outside this morning was a vast improvement over 36º yesterday!  What a difference.  After I got done with what I had to do this morning, I went back and did the bindings for two quilts that have been sitting here waiting for binding for over a year.  I was actually able to put my hands on the mitered binding tool AND the instructions for using it so that’s how I finished both quilts.  Of course I had to mis-read the instructions the first time around and that resulted in having to do a tad of ripping in order to fold the mitered corners.  I’ll have to retake the picture of the other one as it didn’t turn out so great.



It was after three by time I finished the bindings. When those were done I did two more crazy patch blocks and got started on a fourth one.  Here are the two I did today.  Each one is just a little different version of the crazy patch quilt block. 

  

It was after seven by time I wrapped up in the back.  I was able to catch up on Words with Friends where I managed a nice 45 point word.  I chatted with Wanda and Peg.  Peg was having lots of rain and is expecting almost freezing temperatures tonight so she had to cover her tomato plants.  
     Barbara was kind enough to point out that my relative couldn’t have enlisted for the American Revolution in 1833.  The paper I was looking at had to do with his pension and that was the 1833 date.  As I told her, by time I wrote the journal last night I was pretty much brain dead after all the ancestry stuff.  I think one of my nieces is looking up stuff as I ran across someone doing a tree on my father’s brother’s family.  I was able to update a little info on the family in Scotland.  Catherine Bethune of Tarskavaig was married to Daniel Kelly.  She died in 1795 and Daniel and nine children immigrated to North Carolina in 1803 leaving one son in Skye.  Can you imagine hauling nine children across the ocean back in those days?  Tarskavaig was a crofting village and you can see pictures of it HERE and read a little of its history.  Very interesting…  I learned from another spot that “A croft is a very small farm, or smallholding.  Sheep and a few cattle will be kept, and maybe a few crops grown, mostly potatoes, since they do well on the often wet and impoverished soil.  Summer is a very short season at this Latitude (57 degrees North).  Very few people will make a full living from crofting and have other full-time employment. There are also quite a few ‘holiday cottages’, or second homes, purchased by ‘incomers’ since many indigenous folk have given up the crofting life for what they consider to be an easier, or more attractive living. The weather here can be pretty unforgiving!”  The one other thing of interest I came across tonight was the World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 record for John Frank Lane who was my Dad's father.  Before I get caught up in that again tonight I’m moving on to do some knitting and watch something else. 

When you feel the tension mounting,
And across the busy day,
Only gloomy clouds are drifting
As you start to worry—pray! —Anon.
 
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