Sure, no problem, I can handle it...

I have a silly little habit of always saying "sure" when I am asked if I could help. I also have a bad habit of not thinking of the consequences of my "sure" reply. This recent "sure" came about when I was at work at the local quilt shop and the teacher of a beginning machine piecing class only had 3 people sign up and she required 5 to make it feasible to drive the distance she has to drive to get to the shop. The shop owner and I were talking about how bad we felt for the ladies who signed up and were so excited about the class. I said I would be happy to teach the class. Then I found out the class was THE NEXT DAY! WHAT? Oh well, I can do it, not a problem. Then I ask the question I should have asked first, how many classes are involved, FIVE??? Five SATURDAYS!!! Oh my, the one day of the week I never work at the shop as it is the only time my family has to "play" together. Ok, no problem I will do this and it will be fine.
I start looking at sample for the class trying to decide what I am going to do, as I feel totally wrong using the teacher’s instructions. I go home and get to work on EQ6 and plan out a sampler quilt that would start easy and build skills.
The first class was a very long 6 hours long. I was exhausted. One of the students works very slow and methodical. I didn't want her to go home before she got one block completed so she could do the homework that I required. To make a long story longer this Saturday's class wasn't much shorter. The good thing is I have shortened the class from a 5 to 6 week class to a 4 week class with a possibility of a later get together for quilting and binding. YEAH!
All the while I have been having fun fun fun with my laptop. The other day I discovered that I was not able to reply to emails, and then I couldn't send even new emails. Now so many things on the computer is not working that even my guru tells me I need a new...SHHHH!!, don't say that, it will hear you!!! He has fixed, reloaded, wiped out, reloaded, cursed, deleted and reinstalled until he said there is no fixing it this time, it is tired. Well it has been to college, been through three teenagers and various term papers. It has been dropped too many times to count, fried by a lightening surge, been on 8 years of vacations, 5 years of quilt shows and has had more crumbs blown out of it than I should admit to. So today I am going to shop today and see if I can find a "friend" for my laptop, you know to help it and take some of the load off of it. No replacing here! No way, my computer is too valuable.
Now I am going to go take my Brother to the clinic to be checked out. It has developed a squeak and I know that can't be good. I am from a family of all sisters so when my sweet husband gave me my Brother for Christmas last year I knew I had to take care of it. I have always wanted a brother. No problem! I have one now!
Off to Pensacola!
Diane

Valentine's Day should be all year long...

We, my husband and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. Occasionally we will do something special, like today since he is actually home and not in Florida I am making him a special dinner. It isn't because it is Valentine's Day, but becasue he is home. My husband and I are very affectionate and have always been and always holding hands. We don't do gifts very often at our house. We never have, but I can honestly say I am rarely told no if I want something. I am spoiled, but Ray is too.
I had a friend once who had a very unaffectionate husband. She loved Valentine's Day since that was one of 4 days a year she was shown he loved her. I couldn't live that way. I want to be shown each day in the small ways how much I am loved. Example...this morning, Ray was dressing at 5:30 am to go offshore. He couldn't find his thermal unders but he wouldn't turn on the light because he didn't want to wake me up. How sweet! Probably 95% of the time he sneaks out of the house so quiet I never know he is gone, but he calls me just 45 minutes later while he is driving to work to wake me to take youngest to school.
After over 26 years of marriage I still can't wait for him to get home in the evenings and I love the fact that he calls me through out the day just to see what I am doing. He is still my favorite person.

I hope you have a great Valentine's Day, but more I hope you have it all year long!

Diane

It's a girl!

I have a brand new niece! She arrived this evening weighing 7 pounds 2 ounces with a full head of hair. I can't believe it, if I didn't have to have my youngest back in school today I would have been able to meet her!
Her mother was just a beautiful baby with the sweetest smile, I can't wait to see them all!!!
I think I need to make another quilt, a pink one this time.
Later
Diane

Home at last

This is what I saw too much of today. A day of driving that should have lasted seven and a half hours at the most instead lasted over ten hours. The first and worst of the traffic jams was two hours long and we travelled approximately 2 miles in that time. I was pretty stressed but knew I had over six hours left in my drive time. Because of the time spent at the first traffic jam it cause us to be right in the big middle of 5 o'clock traffic in Baton Rouge LA. UGH! Nothing like stopped to near stopped on the Mississippi River bridge. Did you know that the bridge bounces? Ask me how I know!
We finally arrived home and my brain is absolutely numb! I am off to bed and plan to stay in bed as long as I can tomorrow.
I will post pictures of my fun in Houston, including my bargello quilt top I made with my SIL, Paula. By the way, she has made her top much larger than the instructions said and it is beautiful!

Later
Diane
PS: If there are mispelled word I am blaming it on numb brain and Blogger not letting the spell check work for me tonight. Well that is my story anyway...

Planning for fun!

I live in an area that celebrates Mardi Gras, BIG TIME! For those of you who know about Mardi Gras, you know we are in the big middle of the season. There is lots of traffic, lots of lines at resturant and LOTS of people from out of town. Our schools even take three days off for all the revelry. This year instead of trying to avoid all the traffic and drunks we are leaving town.
I think this is the perfect opportunity to go and see my friend Linda. I know, I know we talked on the phone for 6 hours last week, and you are wondering what in the world we would have to say to each other. Believe me we will have no problem staying up late and talking all night and running the roads all day.
Also while I am gone the Super Bowl will be played and Bonnie's Super Bowl Bargello will happen. My SIL (remember my quilt twin?) lives about two minutes from Linda so I plan on joining her for the bargello party. I hope the guys will be able to hear the game over us. :^)

There will be no posts from me for several days, but when I get back I hope to have tons of pictures to share.
Have fun celbrating and watching the ball game.

Later
Diane

Answers

Paula said:

Yep, I love it! I think your quilt is going to look great! I suppose you've decided to give it to someone in the family???? Ah, it's going to look great in MY house!!!!!!!!!!! LOL....hugs!



Thank you! I hope I can have the perfect place for it in Florida. You know I would love to swap my quilt for one of your quilts (my choice), since you have several that I LOVE!



Roslyn asked:

I love your quilt at the top of the page-are those your hand dyes?



Yes they are! :^) I have been dyeing fabric for about 12 or 13 years and I travel to quilt shows and sell them.



Linda said:

I love your mystery quilt fabrics and it would look good in my house too. LOL Diane, think you did great with all of your purchases and you did need all of that fabric for the backs of your quilts. And think of all the new scraps you're going to have from the sides of those backings.



Linda, you make me feel so much better! I did need backings! :^)




This is NOT my quilt, but I really like it and want to take my scraps and snibbles and make one. Isn't it great?

Confusion from last post...

All the confusion from the last post caused me to forget to show the backing fabric I chose for the mystery quilt. The start to the whole fabric overload and I forget to even show it. UGH! I am pitiful sometimes. :^)
So what do you think? I love it!
Later
Diane