I've been busy as a bee

the carpet was installed yesterday.  

I've had a migraine since Monday.

The weather is a changing so I'm expecting the headache to leave SOON

I've been moving furniture, rearranging furniture and trying to get everything to cooperate.

and the washing machine timer went last week...we ordered a new one and I did several loads today on the last one there came a loud thumping sorta noise...oh brother, can't wait to tell Paul when he gets home.

And somehow, some way I got poison ivy just a little on my leg and my wrist and under my chin.  Sheesh.

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On Memorial Day we went on a long bike ride to The Flight 93 Memorial

It is starting to look really beautiful.  The first time Paul and I went a few years back there wasn't much there, a chain link fence to keep you away from the site, I flag marking the impact area, people left momentos on the fence.  

It was just as emotional then as now.

The weather was beautiful and we were out for about 6 hours; rode with Paul's sister and her husband and one of Paul's friends from HS who just got a bike a few years back.

Me and Paul at Rt. 30 overlook

I've finished a couple quilts, thought I was having trouble again with HQ but I 'pretended' to quilt with it for about 5 minutes and no stalls so now I don't know what to think.  The last pass on this quilt it kept stalling and then I'd have trouble starting it again.

I think I'm going to load a small quilt and try it and see what happens.

Notice the cement floor!  I wanted to get this one done before we had to dismantle everything AGAIN for the carpet installers.

close up of quilting

and Otis inspecting my work!  Haha.

dwmonday

72 x 90

Fire Escape is all together-the color is off in this picture it's not drab at all.  The new lights in the basement are super bright, which is good for my eyes but I will have to figure out how to take better pictures. maybe.

HQ is working fine.  I called about the stall lights and they said it will not cause any problems. But if I want I can send the front handles in and they'll check it out further....hmmm maybe someday when I don't have a ton of quilting to do.  Or if I really get into panto's (after I re-learn how to do them).

I'm about oh 1/3 of the way done with this quilt.   It's going to be very pretty, if I do say so myself; very feminine.  

My work schedule has calmed down but that just means time to do stuff around here.  

And biking season is here finally.  We went for 5+ hours yesterday. (my butt hurt) and saw Cucumber Falls at Ohiopyle State Park.  

Lovely.

 I've been googling waterfalls, thinking that might be a fun destination idea for rides.  We've done covered bridges in the past.  

DWMonday

The basement is the same with only my smaller design wall up. The carpet install is scheduled...May 29th boo-hoo... sooo  long to wait.  I'm getting antsy about it! :) 

I miss my big design wall terribly, hell; I miss all my stuff and knowing where 90% of it is.  

The part for my HQ came in and Paul installed it.  The stall lights are still on but it seems to work.  I haven't even had time to load anything to try it 'for real'.  Today is my 7th day in a row of work!  Tomorrow I have so many things to do--haha it's not even realistic but I will try!

The design on the wall is called Fire Escape. It's a Terry Atkinson design.  And as is typical with her stuff-clear directions and pictures. It's going together easily.

 I think if I were in my old sewing room (or the new one), I would have had the top cut and pieced in one day.

sigh....the good ole days of efficient sewing at long stretches of time...sigh

I've only had to un-sew one seam as I had one of the  the white 'steps' blocks turned...Easy for me to turn  a block on any day but way easier working on the table top. (yah, that was a little whine-I smacked myself and threatened time out if it happens again...which actually sounds rather appealing at this point)  

buwahahaa

 This quilt will be twin size so it has 12 rows.  The picture shows 4 but I did another late last night.

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BIG NEWS AND MOMMY BRAGGING ALERT!!!

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Meghan was offered and accepted a position in the CV/ICU unit where she is doing her preceptor (interning)!

She has worked several 12 hours shifts and a couple 8hr ones.  She says after the 12 hours ones the 8 hour ones seem to fly by!

Yesterday the family of her patient took her aside and thanked her and said she was the most compassionate nurse they've ever had. 

It made her day.

Mine too.  

Damn I am so proud of this girl!

the official graduation picture!

Prelude to a 'happy dance'

A design wall.....

with blocks on it....

also known as: the light at the end of the basement renovation tunnel is getting brighter.

The blocks above are granny square blocks with signatures of my co-workers.  A comfort quilt gift for another co-worker who was injured in a car accident. 

It is all together now but I can't quilt it as my HQ's power pod went bad.  A new one is on the way.  My nice HQ  dealer let me finish a customer quilt (with a deadline) yesterday on one of their display models. 

Dangerous!

 It was lovely. 

I told my husband I'm now dreaming of 

He said: 'keep dreamin baby, keep dreamin...'

gotta love a guy with a sense of humor ;)

and since he didn't flat out nix the idea...I'll take that as a 'sure honey'

communication is the key to any good relationship you just have to know how these things work.

j/k  j/k hahhahaa

almost there

The view from the back door looking in.  The door on the right is the laundry room. 

Notice on the wall there an extra outlet up high.  I was thinking the ironing board would go there, now not so sure.  There is also an outlet in the ceiling on the other side of the bulk head that I'm hoping will work for HQ.

See all those lights on the other side?  It's super bright over there.  No more dark dungeon-y feeling. 

I took this picture standing by the closet that you can see above.

I'm behind HQ table and it's really bright! The door on the right now is the powder room.

I pulled up the plastic that was covering the HQ table and it's very clean-whew!

I did bring the carriage and machine upstairs so safe keeping.

Today I go and order the carpet.

Yesterday after work, I came home and did some serious piecing!  

The partial blocks are ready for the signature pieces that will go in the center.

I am really missing my design wall!  I know I quilted for years with out one but once you get used to it. 

Wow.

It felt wonderful to sew and play with blocks!

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 Yesterday at work a lady came in whom I've known for years.  She used to be the receptionist at our eye doctors. It was back then, probably late 80's that I went to her house after we made the connection that we were both hand quilters. 

I remember telling her a few years back when I ran into her that I was now a machine quilter...well let's just say she didn't jump up and down enthusiastically! wink!  

Her house is beautiful. She is a passionate antique collector in the early American style and primitive too.  I remember when I walked in her front door being blown away and thinking it was just how I'd do my house if I could. 

Well, back to yesterday. Dorothy came into the store and we started chatting.  I asked her if she was still quilting.  She said no it's too hard on her back bending over a quilting frame. But for the past several years she has become very involved with hooking!  My co-worker, of course, got wide-eyed and said "HOOKING!!"

ha ha.  I got all excited and started questioning her and yep she is a rug hooker-primitive style and wanted me to come over and see her rugs.  So after work at 3 I went straight over. I wish I would have had my camera.  Her work is fantastic.  

Her daughter, who is retired now, is also a hooker and she and a few friends are coming to Dorothy's in a few weeks for the weekend for a 'hook-in". If our schedules don't conflict, I'm going to stop over and see their work and get some pointers etc.  

And the next time I go I will take my camera!

OK the crazy busy train that is my life is about to leave the station so I gotta get my arse moving!!

Fun times, fun times!  Life is good.