Happy Days

2011-12-30T09:17:00.001-08:00

Between Christmas and New Year

2011-12-29T20:45:00.000-08:00

Time for another update, though it might not be much because of my arm fatigue. I've found I can find a way to do many things with one good hand and arm. It's just that the constant doing all the time with that one what you'd normally be doing with two really fatigues, stiffens and makes sore that one that is constantly doing. Right now it is saying it has done enough. (I have resolved the 2 liter Dr.Pepper problem and can now open and pour into a glass of ice with one hand. Hooray - no wasted precious Dotor)

Christmas was nice. Dan and Martha invited us for dinner and it was a good meal, good company, and fun to be around the kids. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day both Joe and I were feeling really tired and lethargic. We keep having good days and bad days. We help each other through as best we can and if we can't do it, we just let it be.

Tomorrow will be just 3 weeks since Joe's surgery so he still has a long way to go, But, he is off oxygen and the new valve is working well. We saw the surgeon on Tuesday (thank you Dan for driving us) and he said things are going well.

On December 21, orthopedics put a bright pink cast on my entire left arm, almost to my armpit, with my elbow at a 110 degree angle. You talk about cumbersome and un-handy, this is it! Because of the angle it won't even stay in a sling. But the good news is the set is holding and it looks like no surgery will be required. Yay! It may be a little off when healed but nothing I can't live with. And in one more week the cast will be cut down to below my elbow and I'll have a "little" more flexibility. Doc says elbow will be problematic for a little while after being immobile, but I'm used to physical therapy and will work that out.

My quilting friends continue to be amazing in providing meals for us. I can hardly wait to be well and pay it forward. And I will write a thank you not to everyone of you but I am slow at everything right now with one hand.

My sewing machine calls to me day and night. She misses me and I miss her so much. Over on Bonnie Hunter's group they are working on a mystery quilt and talking about it a lot and I can hardly bear it. All I got done was a few pieces of fabric pulled before Joe's surgery. I was going to sew my brains out on it while he recovered. Oh well.

Here's to a wonderful new year, full of all we want it to be. Pick out a word or two to concentrate on everyday in all you do and it will certainly help you have a more meaningful life.

Kindness, Gratefulness, Order in 2012

Smiling on a cloudy day

2011-12-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

I shampooed my hair myself, alone, at the kitchen sink this morning! Then I even bathed myself with this one hand and I feel so much better. I even blow dryed my hair.

It is cool and very cloudy this morning. It feels like winter. Last night a package of gifts arrived from Jody and Renata and it finally feels a little bit like Christmas. When Joe woke up this morning he was smiling! That was so nice to see. Then he said he wants to do a little shopping online. Surprise! We agreed no more gifts this year because he already got me the diamond hoop earrings I've dreamed of for years and I took him to see Riverdance's farewell performance at the McCallum Theatre. But now he is so happy that he has made it through this and is home that he wants gifts under the tree and surprises. What he doesn't know is that he has some surprises. I just can't wrap them very well with one hand.

This posting was just interrupted by a nice long telephone visit with my sweet sister in Florida. She seemed to know that I needed to talk. She and David are really into Christmas this year and she sounds so happy.

Update and Gratefulness

2011-12-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened lately and I have so much for which to be grateful. A week ago today Joe had the mitral valve in his heart replaced by the best cardio/thoracic surgeon on the planet, Dr. Habibipour in Palm Springs. We had been told to expect complications and that he was extremely high risk. Joe came through it like the champion he is! 23 hours later he was up for a walk! God answered our prayers and I have promised in return to be a better person and not whine so much.

That promise was immediately put to the test 15 minutes after I brought Joe home on Wednesday. As I was bringing his things in from the car, rushing to get him settled and comfortable, I stepped off the sidewalk, fell, and broke my left wrist. badly. painfully. two bones. Thank God grandpa was available to take me immediately to ER at the Naval Hospital. I cried because I had to leave Joe when he was just home and so weak and vulnerable. Finally I reached his buddy Dan and he came over and sat with him. And I cried because it hurt so very badly and I was scared.

Ortho doc put it in place with a temporary cast to see if it will hold. As of today he said it looked good. He will check it again next Wednesday and either put a real cast on it or arrange for surgery if required. In the meantime this thing is heavy. It has made my upper arms, neck and shoulders really hurt. AND, I can't take a shower or shampoo. Heck, I can't even sponge off very well with only one hand. Joe can't help much because he can't reach, stretch or lift as he is protecting that sternum incision. But we are doing the best we can together and laughing at our ineptitude.

GRATEFUL to amazing friends who understand how difficult it is to cook with one hand and yet very necessary that Joe receive proper nutrition now as he heals. They are bringing wonderful food to us! I will try my best to pay it forward as soon as I am able. It really is difficult without family or anyone else in the house to help. My dear friends are the best.

I am continually looking for the things that I CAN do with one hand and finding more ways to get things done. I'm keeping it positive with these and trying to ignore the fact that I can't do a lot of stuff. In 2 days I've learned to hold things between my knees to open them. This does not work well on a 2 liter bottle of diet Dr, Pepper. Just trust me on that one. I learned I can lay clothing out flat on the bed or table and then get a hanger in it, or fold it for putting away. And since I can only carry one thing at a time as I walk through this house, I'm getting twice the exercise doing routine chores.

The pain relief meds make me itch like crazy, but then my friend Adell suggested I take Benadryl for the itching. I asked doc his morning and he said yes. Maybe I will be able to sleep tonight.

I can't sew or quilt though, and that really hurts. I will whine about that. It is what keeps me going on a daily basis. But I can design and plan and dream and scheme and keep making those beauties in my mind.

If you are healthy right now, thank God, and go hug someone who matters in your life. That's what I am about to do.

2011-08-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T10:56:00.000-07:00

It is a day for remembering those who gave all so that we can live this wonderful life in a free country. Please take a moment to do so, and be grateful for them.

On the homefront, I went for the allergy testing and it showed that I am allergic to dust, dust mites, mesquite, sagebrush, airborne molds, and just about everything else that grows here in the desert. The desensitizing will begin a week from Wednesday with shots every Wednesday. In the meantime I was just glad to be able to get back on my allergy meds. We've been cleaning and cleaning what we thought was a clean house. Have you any idea how many places dust can hide? Every wicker basket has to go, along with most of the knick-knacks. What is left has to be put into boxes that have lids and that can be wiped clean often. I should really have a yard sale but haven't decided if I want to go to the trouble or not. It is getting hot here and I don't think the time is right. But then if I do someone else would haul it away for me wouldn't they? (Here, you can have this whole box of stuff for 50 cents!) LOL Anyway, it's a slow process because I can only handle so much of it at one time.

I've spent the majority of the last few days with my new computer and it is awesome! The one thing that drove me crazy at first is that outlook express does not exist in windows 7. If that is what you are used to using for your email, be aware of this. I finally found Mozilla Thunderbird mail program and it imported all of my outlook files from my old computer and is easy to work with and is almost just like outlook. I'm sticking with it because I didn't like windows live mail at all. I think I finally have most of the programs I used before installed on this new baby and they are running so much faster now. The Bose speakers I splurged on are so awesome. I am listening to KFROG country music station live streaming on the internet thru the Bose speakers and it is just too cool.

In the meantime my quilting is lagging behind for lack of time and energy. I need lots more of both. It will all come together one day. Of this I am certain.

Ya'll have a happy day now.

I'm Still Here!

2010-05-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

Don't give up on me. I'll do better. I just have had blogger's apathy the last week or so. That and not feeling good and having a slow computer have kept me away from the blog.

The good news is Dell has finished building my new computer and has shipped it! It should arrive on Thursday so I can spend all of next weekend getting everything transferred to it and learning more about Windows 7! I can hardly wait, as I am certain this old one is on its last leg.

It has been cool and windy here and today beats all I've ever seen in May. At noon it was raining sparsely and was 54. Yes - 54! I think it is up to 64 now with the wind still blowing. All I can say is thank God for global warming because without it we'd be freezing to death! This is the desert, isn't it.

On Tuesday I go for allergy testing - lots and lots of drops of stuff up and down my arms. In the meantime, for the last week I haven't been able to take any of the 3 prescription allergy drugs that I usually use and have for years. Can you say swollen face, crusty eyes, clogged nose, trouble breathing? Yep, all of the aforementioned and more. Of course she will probably tell me I'm allergic to sand, or dust, or maybe even cotton fabric and sewing machines. Whatever the allergies are I'll be happy to take shots for them because nothing else has worked. Plus, this is the worst spring ever for pollen. Even Jody said he can't talk because the allergies have caused so much drainage into his throat that his voice is gone.

In the meantime, I've been sewing and playing with fabric. I need to take some pictures, but haven't yet. I did get these pictures of the apron and basket I made for my friendship group's brithday party. We call ourselves "Hot Needles" and every May we have a party and potluck to celebrate all of our birthdays. We also bring handmade gifts to exchange. We do the exchange by picking a number and choosing gifts in numerical order, being able to steal a previously chosen gift if you like it. It is always lots of fun. My gift was well received and exchanged a few times. What I received was a gorgeous set of 6 placemats with napkins. Plus, I received a special gift of a beaded bracelet of gold beads! I've wanted a beaded bracelet from this particular friend forever. I am cherishing this one. This picture is of most of the members of the group. The redhead standing behind me is Connie, by best friend.

Yesterday I made two little aprons for a friend's church's missionary group. They go to Peru every year and they take aprons to the ladies there. They report that the ladies cherish them and even bring them back to show to them year after year. I've also been working on a precious pink and mint green baby quilt for a little unborn princess. It is still not together yet, but coming along.

Joe is having a lot of bad days lately. When he does I just let him sleep. But I know he needs to be up and about also so I try to keep a balance in his life. What else can I do. He keeps working on his guns and he loves it. He also does a lot of the housework, for which I am grateful because it gives me more time to sew, sew, sew.

The cleaning out has been halted by my allergies. I'll get back to it but right now it's about all I can do to deal with the allergies indoors without adding the garage to it.

Now, I've written a book. Maybe I'll keep up a little more frequently in more short bursts. I'll try. Hope you all are having a great day wherever you are.

Allergies and Other Thoughts

2010-05-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Is it really May 12? Where has this last week gone? I can't say I've accomplished a lot, but I have done a few things. I've ordered a new computer and Dell is putting it together for me. I've been working at cleaning out a little at a time. You know how sometimes things look worse before they look better? Well that is the state we are at right now.

It was a worrisome weekend as Joe was feeling very poorly. Fluids built up in his chest from his congestive heart failure. He spent most of 3 days in bed and I didn't do much but worry and check on him. In spite of it he managed to get me flowers and a card for Mothers Day. And my son sent me a new quilt novel for the occasion. He apparently put some thought into it because it is the latest in a series I have been reading. I was thrilled and surprised when the packaged arrived last Friday.

Allergies are bad for everyone right now as we are having a banner season of pollen. They are really bothering me. On Monday my friend Connie and I made a trip to Palm Desert which included a visit to my sinus doctor. He says my sinuses are healed and looking great but there is still lots of pressure and irritation from allergies. Thinks I need allergy testing which may lead to allergy shots once a week for a long, long time. Right now I'll agree to anything for relief.

Today I am going to sew on my new Bernina sewing computer. So what if I need to be cleaning out and things are still piled up. My dreams are still of quilting so I HAVE to get to it. Monday's trip included a trip to Joann's for a new cutting board and interfacing for a couple of items I have planned. Also have to get my gift made for the friendship group birthday exchange next Wednesday. I think it is going to be an apron and maybe a basket. We'll see how the next few days go.

By the way, it is pretty cool here in the desert for May. How are things in your part of the world?

A Busy, Busy Day

2010-05-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

I had sort of planned to stay in bed and rest today but it turned out to be a day that I was full of energy instead. I made a list when I got up and stuck with it and polished it off and lots more.

The weather is so beautiful right now that I decided it was time to tackle that much put off job of the garage. It will take months, maybe even years, to get it done, but a girl's gotta start somewhere. Now tell me why did I ever think I needed to save 273 shipping boxes of various sizes and at least half that much packing air pockets and bubble wrap? I dunno. But they are outta there now - all broken down and in the recycle and trash cans. The back of the truck is filled with the first load to take to the donation place also. All of that and I can see the first few feet into the garage. A box a day and I'll have it clear by next May Day.

I also backed up a lot of files on my computer today onto my new external hard drive. I don't really know what I need to back up and what Carbonite will have for me, but I'm trying.

Then I watched the video twice more for my new sewing computer. I've cut strips and will sew them together tomorrow as I experiment with it. I called the local dealer (Redlands) and I can't get into an instruction class until June 1. Now you know I can't wait that long to start using it. I'll have to learn the old fashioned way - with instruction book in hand.

Joe got to play with his new power washer today. He washed the car and said it worked great. Before that he washed the kitchen blind after he repaired it. It is always hard to get clean because of the greasy dust that settles on it and it looks like new now. I think the power washer will be well worth the money for my honey. He is really working on his new Sweet Sixteen shotgun, refinishing the stock to a nice dark walnut color. It is coming along nicely.

It has been a day of accomplishments for us and we should sleep well tonight.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2010-05-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am among the living again! Almost everything is put away from the trip. The weather here is gorgeous even while other parts of the country have been suffering. We had winds but they are gone now. We have much for which to be thankful, and we are.

Monday was my quilt guild meeting. I always love the meetings and visiting with the ladies, but am getting a little tired of it being so cold in the meeting room. I understand some of the ladies being hot, but I think 75% of us were really very cold on Monday. The speaker was an expert on applique, which is not my thing. I've mentioned before that I am chairperson for the Senior Outreach Program and I am just overwhelmed with the kindness and outpouring of our members. I collected lots of adult bibs, walker totes, lap robes, and pillowcases on Monday that members have made of their own fabrics and on their own time.

Yesterday my friendship group met and we had a good time. I worked a little more on my English paper piecing. Some of the ladies were making the dammit dolls for hospice, only they officially call them slammit dolls. I won one at the guild meeting on Monday and they are quite cute and useful when you just want to smack something or someone. (Not that I'd ever want to do that)

Joe went to the range yesterday and had a good day of shooting. He came home happy!

My new "stitching computer" has arrived! My beautiful Bernina 820 arrived Tuesday afternoon. I unpacked it yesterday and managed to thread it and sew a little bit. There is a lot to learn about it and I'm going to try to take a few classes on it, but have to travel to do that. I can't wait to just get to sewing with it. I keep dreaming of quilts and quilted items. I'm making myself reorganize my sewing space a little before I spend much time with it because I know I function much better when things around me are organized.

Looking forward to a quiet weekend and lots of sewing and maybe time to work on my computer some. I need to save all my files in an acceptable form on the external hard drive so I can then get a new computer and transfer them. My wonderfully knowledgeable son has advised me and I've decided on the insides of the new computer I want but am waiting to order it when I have time to devote to it.

I thought retirement meant leisure time! Not around here, it doesn't. I'm always busy and I like it that way!

There's No Place Like Home

2010-04-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

Even if it is still littered with unpacked bags and stacks of mail. The trip to remember ended Wednesday as we arrived back in good ole Twentynine Palms. The house looks good. The yard has a few weeds and a lot of beautiful greenery. There were two large boxes of mail waiting for us (Thanks Grandpa!) which I still haven't been through. It has been very windy since we arrived, but that is part of the fun of living here. Most of the bags are unpacked and today I've done laundry all day long. We really accumulated a lot of stuff along the way and packed it all into that little van. My new fabrics are so beautiful. I can just sit and admire them for hours. Joe has already cleaned his new purchase and is probably planning on the modifications he needs or wants to make to it.

I'm happy to be home and I'm very happy to have my spa back. I've been in it at least twice a day since we got home. It is so soothing to my still tired and sore body. I'm happy to have my bed back. I didn't sleep well the first night back but I'm sleeping better and better each night. It was difficult maintaining our strict eating plan while traveling and we eventually strayed totally away from it. My body feels it and needs to get back with it. The most difficult will be getting away from diet Coke again. I do love that stuff.

I have a million thoughts running through my head that I want to express about traveling, sewing, etc., but tonight I am tired and just need to rest for now. I'll be quilting in my dreams.

Two Days in Heaven!

2010-04-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, April 25, we spent the day as close to God as we'll ever get in this lifetime. When we left Limon, Colorado, we headed to Denver and the scenery remained pretty with expansive farms. We saw an antelope on two occasions, a herd of about 12 deer, and even a wild turkey out in the fields. Even though we'd been through Denver before we were really struck this time with the expansiveness of it. Because it was Sunday morning the traffic was light and we were through the mile high city easily and quickly and on our way to Vail. This is when everything else we'd ever seen in our lives became nothing! We climbed higher and higher until we were driving at one time at 10,667 feet. It was snowing lightly and the snow was swirling and lightly blowing across the road. The evergreens were frosted with snow. The awesome beauty took our breath away. This is something everyone needs to experience at least once in their life. Without further description, I'll just post some pictures for you to enjoy. Enlarge them and marvel in the beauty!

A tunnel through the mountain before we hit the snow.

The Colorado River after the snow.

When I thought it couldn't get any better, it did! Monday we drove from Grand Junction, Colorado, to the end of I-70 and on down I-15 to Cedar City. I was totally speechless as we went on and on through the rock formations, mountains, buttes, valleys, etc., created by millions of years of water running through and over the land. I was so awestruck first by the creations and second by our ability to drive through it on a great interstate highway and take in all the beauty. The mountains and buttes looked like castles carved out of the rock. At times I thought I must be in the middle of some giant movie set. Then I found myself asking why it has taken 64 years of my life to get here and see this. I'll never forget it nor ever get over it. There are no pictures to begin to do justice to what we saw yesterday. It was difficult to photograph while riding and it was more difficult to photograph when I just wanted to drink in every second with my own eyes.

I found myself thinking surely there is no place in the entire world more beautiful and more awesome than these United States! I've traveled to a lot of other countries and some of you reading this have been to many more than I, but I just couldn't be happier than I am right now! This has been the trip of a lifetime. Someday Came!!!

Cold Colorado

2010-04-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

We spent the night in Limon, Colorado. It is about 100 miles southeast of Denver and it is as cold as I ever want to be. I am very thankful that we selected a nice hotel (Well, the nicest one in this little rural town - Holiday Inn Express) because the cheap ones would have been freezing all night long. The second half of Kansas became more and more cold and windy yesterday as we drove along. Stopping to see things was difficult because of the cold wind. Driving was a struggle because it was directly into the wind and mostly gaining altitude. However, Kansas was still lovely and so far Colorado is also. The farms are still large, wide open spaces of rolling hills. We also saw lots of oil pumps. The silos and grain storage are the largest I've ever seen. From a distance they look like large high rise buildings in a city! Each little commuity seems to have a quaint and beautiful church with a tall steeple that can be seen from the Interstate. Throughout Kansas we saw a lot of fence posts, then buildings and other items made from a unique kind of stone called fence post limestone. Here are a couple of pictures of it.

We did stop a few times, but it was just too cold to enjoy anything. Without the wind it probably would have been fine. Our desert blood is pretty thin. When we see weather reports for the rest of the country, we are not complaining. We're just happy to be where we are! It seems we left the south and the Kentucky/Illinois/Missouri area just in time. We know the drive today is going to be cold also and it is raining right now in Denver. We are hoping to make Grand Junction, Colorado by tonight. That will keep us on schedule to arrive home on Wednesday night. I know there is a lot to see today as it is a very scenic route.

Hope everyone is having a terrific day whenever you are reading this. My horoscope on facebook this morning was a great philosophy. It said the sure way to predict your future is to invent it. That is what I am doing and a worthy goal for everyone.

In the Land of Oz

2010-04-24T05:05:00.000-07:00

Kansas is NOT flat! It is beautiful rolling hills with wide open, gigantic farms and neat farm houses and out buildings. Everything appears very pristine. We think it is prettier than Missouri, which also has beautiful rolling hills. In Missouri every farm seems to have its own little pond or lake and many of the farmers were fishing when we drove through. We also had our first and only rain in Missouri. It rained all night long!

Seeing the arch in St. Louis was another one of those dreams come true for us. I couldn't stop smiling. It is truly beautiful. Driving through Kansas City was also beautiful and passing by Fort Leavenworth was interesting. We've made several stops along the way when it wasn't raining. (We don't like being out in the rain unless it is in the desert).

I didn't realize how tired I would be from the quilt show. I'm not used to being on my feet for long days and carrying bags a good portion of those days. My entire body aches. My brain thinks my body is still 25, but my body keeps reminding my brain that it isn't. My brain is still reveling in the wonderful quilts and goodies from the show and my body is saying give me time to catch up to you, happy brain.

We should make the eastern edge of Colorado tonight. We've had a good night's sleep. Joe is getting anxious to be home now. I'm still enjoying every minute of scenery and sights of the USA. He is too, but he is just very tired. He'll sleep for the first week when we get home and that's okay. This trip has meant the world to both of us but it has also been a strain on him. We're both so grateful for each other and for being able to make this great trip together.

Incredible AQS Quilt Show!!

2010-04-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

The is simply no way to describe the American Quilters' Society Quilt Show, but I will try. I've been to many quilt shows in my quilting years, but all pale compared to this one. These are the big money quilts and the big talent quilts. Ther are quilts here from all over the world, with many from Japan. Most of the quilts displayed took a year or more of constant, dedicated hand work to accomplish. I am not really into applique but I appreciate its beauty and recognize the tedious and time consuming work it requires. So many of the full size quilts here are covered in hand applique. Many also feature lots and lots of thread work. There was so much to absorb and it was so crowded. I purchased a CD of pictures of the entire show and also a program guide so I can study it all at my leisure. I know for certain that I'll never have a quilt here. I'm just happy that I could be here to see all of this talent! Oh, the shopping was pretty good too. There were lots and lots of vendors. Some had new things I had to have. There were some vendors from Southern California who recognized me and it was nice to see them. Joe had a good shopping day at the local sporting goods stores. We both simply collapsed last night into a very tired and restful sleep.

Here are a couple of pictures I took before the battery died on my camera. In my excitement I had forgotten to recharge it.

A blue ribbon winner. All hand applique.

This one was called "Honey, I'm Home" and is much larger than the picture. All hand stitched.

Machine stitched, oh the matching and the wonderful effects of the fabric.

Gale in front of a poster of downtown Paducah

The carpet in the hallway of Harrah's Hotel and Casino in Metropolis, IL. This is where we spent two nights. Almost every hotel we've stayed in has had quilt patterns on the floor if one takes time to notice.

Paducah!

2010-04-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm here! Quilt City, USA. We arrived around noon today and spent a couple of hours in the American National Quilt Museum. All I can say is "Oh my God!" The work there represents some of the best in the country, both contemporary and antique and it is all incredible. Of course they won't let you take any pictures but they are ingrained in my mind. Joe even enjoyed them. I got some really cool new quilting tee shirts there and a few other things. This town is full of quilters from end to end and beyond. The show itself starts tomorrow morning. After the museum we had a late lunch and then made a lengthy stop at Hancocks of Paducah- THE quilt store. I'd heard legendary stories about the store during the week of the quilt show. I was not disappointed! The back room of the warehouse was open and was filled with bolt ends of new fabrics in one yard lengths. After I filled a cart with those I discovered more tables of one yard batik bolt ends. Both Hancocks and American Express are happy with me tonight and I am happy with me for getting so many gorgeous new fabrics at great prices. Then they had the nerve to tell me to stop by again tomorrow because they put out new fabrics every night. As it was, someone had to carry my bags to the car for me!

Tonight we are at a wonderful hotel in the home of Superman - Metropolis, IL. This is our first time to visit this state. It is green and lush so far and is on the river. We are at Harrah's hotel and casino for two nights. I blew my $20 at the casino pretty quickly and decided I'd rather have fabric than gamble any more. Joe is pretty tired and travel weary. I think he will rest most of tomorrow while I attend the show. I'm a little tired but too happy and too psyched to totally relax. When we leave here it will probably hit me all at once. Right now I am one happy quilter girl!

Another Day in Kentucky

2010-04-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

It has been a breathtakingly beautiful day in Kentucky. When we left Lexington this morning we traveled past gorgeous horse ranches with rolling hills and white fences filled with thoroughbreds. We passed by a racing track and some of the most beautiful houses and landscaping. The gorgeous scenery continued all day as we drove over to Elizabeth and then down to Bowling Green before coming over to Hopkinsville. Just before Bowling Green we stopped at a cave museum and learned about Mammoth Cave and the many other caves in the area. We would have loved to explore some of them but Joe just cannot walk long enough to do it.

Among some of the interesting things we saw today - very large barns painted black, restaurants with smoking sections, very large houses, and one two-story mobile home! We are at a nice Holiday Inn tonight with a hot tub so I'll post a few pictures and go soak my tired old bones.

Lexington, KY

2010-04-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

Ah, the mountains of Kentucky are beautiful! We had a slow and leisurely day today from Knoxville, TN, to Lexington, KY, via many small towns and artsy, craftsy places. The mountains and rolling hills are so gorgeous. So are the small towns. In one small town just south of here we stopped looking for an arts and crafts building and looked up and were parked right in front of a small quilt shop! You know I had to go in and support the local economy there.

I am really anxious to get to Paducah now. We'll be there on Tuesday and the show starts on Wednesday! In the meantime we are just enjoying the leisurely pace from here to there.

I promised pictures, so here they are:

This is Tripp and Murphy, two beautiful Labrador Retreivers who live in Gainesville, Florida and own the next two people, Donna Beach, my wonderful sister, and David Beach, my handsome brother in law.

This is the cutest dog that ever walked! He is Jake and he lives in Fernandina Beach Florida and owns my brother Larry Pierce. When I was there, he pretty much owned me and my heart too.

My handsome brother Larry:

The backyard bird sanctuary of Charles and Judy Yawn in Duluth, Georgia. This is such a beautiful, peaceful place. It is a vacation spot in its own right.

Three of the Yawn siblings, Joe, Charles, and Bonnie

The fourth Yawn sibling, baby sister Gail, with her baby, Mallory. (taken in Gail's home in North, South Carolina)

Joe, Kurt (Gail's son in law and April's husband), and Johnny Corley, Gail's husband

Brian and Mallory Baldwin, Gail's youngest daughter and her husband

Jacob, April and Kurt's son

Barry and Laura Pierce, my only nephew and wife with soon to be born Delainey Rose. Barry is Larry's son.

Catching Up in Knoxville, TN

2010-04-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

This shall be an attempt to catch up. It will probably also be random thoughts. So, it's Sunday I think, and we spent last night in Knoxville, TN, in a so-so Marriott hotel. Amazing the differences in what $100 will get you from town to town and hotel to hotel. In Charlotte we had a wonderful 3 room suite at the Hyatt for the same price we have a tiny little room here. But we had non-existent internet connection in Charlotte and fast, wonderful connections here. And this room in decorated in black and white and lime green with a touch of orange - I see the color scheme for a new quilt!

Backtracking a bit now, we've had a great time for two weeks visiting relatives in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina and are now headed to Paducah, KY, and then westward and California. At Aunt Eunice's in Hazlehurst, GA, we had time with each of the cousins and enjoyed them very much. It was hard to leave them all. I know Aunt Eunice is lonesome without us. From there we went to Duluth, GA, just north of Atlanta, to visit with Joe's brother Charles and his wife Judy. His sister Bonnie was there also. We had a grand time there in their beautiful home and back yard. I think the two boys had the best time visiting that they've ever had. We all laughed a lot and had lots of fun. Charles's hobby is wood turning and carving and he has wonderful wooden objects all over the house. He is quite accomplished at it and has promised me some items. Bonnie is doing amazingly well after having had a brain tumor removed 3 weeks ago. It was difficult leaving them. They were so accomodating and we felt so at home and at peace. We got lots of rest while with them. On Thursday (Tax Day) we drove on to North, SC, a small area just south of Columbia, SC, and the home of Joe's sister Gail and her husband Johnny, and her oldest daughter April and her family. We had a wonderful visit with them in their nice homes and a terrific meal. All of her children and grandchildren except one were there for dinner and it was a fun time. We spent the night in April's guest house behind her lovely house in a beautiful wooded area. She has two teenagers and I can just see the parties going on in that guest house! It was so comfortable and furnished so well, with an outdoor hunter theme for her husband Kurt who is quite the hunter. On Friday we stopped to see April's flower shop before heading on to Charlotte, NC. In Charlotte we had dinner with my nephew Barry and his wife Laura. They are expecting their first baby on July 2. Laura looked beautiful, as did Barry. We had a terrific visit with them and wish we'd have had more time. They brought a large album of wedding pictures from the wedding almost 2 years ago which we didn't get to attend. Now I almost feel as if we were there. By the way, my brother Larry (Barry's father) was totally handsome at that wedding! Delainey Rose Pierce is destined to be a beautiful baby when she arrives. And yes, she will have pink quilts waiting for her.

We left Charlotte on Saturday morning for a short drive to Knoxville and it ended up being a long drive. I-40 through the mountains was closed due to rock slides and we were detoured over 100 miles out of the way. But it was a beautiful drive through the mountains, which were resplendant with green and flowering trees. The little mountain communities all appeared so quaint to us and we had trouble keeping our eyes on the road. We stopped many times to enjoy the scenery. When we arrived here we had a nice dinner and an early bedtime. Joe is still sleeping this morning as I'm writing this, but it is time to get him moving.

I've pictures but haven't had time to edit them yet- maybe tonight. We've a relatively short drive today to Lexington, KY, so if the internet connection there is good I'll try to get some pictures up.

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Laid back days in Duluth, GA

2010-04-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we arrived at Joe's brother Charles and his wife Judy's home in Duluth, GA, just north of Atlanta. His sister Bonnie is also here. This house and yard are a vacation in itself. The back yard is a bird sanctuary and I could just sit on the enclosed porch and watch the birds all day. There are cardinals among others and those are my favorite birds. The trip here was uneventful except for when the hen turkey flew across the road right in front of us just north of Macon. The scenery was beautiful. I didn't know there were so many colors, shades, and values of green on this earth as there are in the trees along the interstate from Macon to Atlanta.

We had a great time with Charles, Judy, and Bonnie last night and so far today. Charles took me to a small quilt store where I found some great new fabric. He and Joe are now gone gun store hopping. I hope they find something good. It is nice to just relax and sew a little, read a little, compute a little and watch the birds a lot. Tomorrow afternoon we will be going to Columbia, SC, to visit for one night with Gail and her family.

Charles doesn't have a router on his computer so there are no pictures. I have lots, but don't want to upload them to his computer. I'll post some later when we have a wifi connection.

A Weekend in South Georgia

2010-04-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yea, I know, 'bout time for an update. We arrived in Hazlehurst, Georgia, on Friday afternoon and were so happy to see Aunt Eunice and the rest of the family as they came by that night, Saturday and today. We've had no internet connection except when we visit one of the cousins, which we are doing now. We are out at Betty's place on the lake right now. It is a beautiful day today. When we leave here we are heading to Phil's for a cookout. Aunt Eunice has treated us like her own children and she says we are like her own. She is certainly the only mother we have left. Phil and Joe have been going turkey hunting and this morning Phil got one. Tomorrow is Joe's turn. He is pretty tired from getting up early to go hunting and then going hunting again at night until late. Tomorrow we are letting him sleep in half the day and he'll be ready for the turkeys when Phil gets off work. Here are a couple of pictures of todays turkey.

In the first picture that is Betty's son, KJ, with Phil. He is growing up so fast. Here is one of Aunt Eunice. She is aging and it seems to me to be the first time I've ever seen her slowing down.

We're having fun visiting everyone and spending time with each one. I went out to Evelyn's last night while Joe was hunting. I could have taken one of her cats home with me. Oh, and she gave me a great bottle of sweet red wine.

This internet connection is slow so I won't post more pics right now. We are planning to leave on Tuesday for Atlanta and look forward to seeing Charles and Judy.

Enjoying Life in Fernandina Beach, FL

2010-04-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

We arrived here on Tuesday afternoon and are loving relaxing with my brother Larry and his adorable dog Jake. Larry prepared us a wonderful steak dinner on Tuesday and North Carolina style barbeque last night. I am in heaven! Yesterday he drove us around Amelia Island and down highway A1A, which was quite scenic and enjoyable. Other than that, it is nice to relax in his comfortable home. Joe needs to catch up on his rest and he worked on a gun or two of Larry's. That made him happy. I have fallen in love with Jake. After a day of running and chasing squirrels, he was content to lay back in my lap last night and sleep with with me rubbing his belly and rocking him for about an hour. He is just the cutest and sweetest dog I've ever seen.

We've made arrangements to meet our longtime friends the Nelsons from Tampa today near Starke, FL around noon. We can hardly wait. There are two grandchildren since we've seen them. We'll spend another night with Larry and then head up to Aunt Eunice's in Southern Georgia tomorrow.

You'll have to wait for pictures because Larry doesn't have a router on his computer so I can't use my laptop where the pictures are transferred. As soon as I can, I'll send a bunch of new pics.

The Joy of Quilting, and Butterflies

2010-04-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

Some of the many joys of quilting are collecting fabric for a special quilt for someone, spending many hours designing and making it with love in every stitch, and finally presenting that quilt to your loved one and seeing their reaction. This is a picture of a quilt that I couldn't post until now. I did all of the collecting, designing, an sewing over a period of a couple of years and was finally able to give it to my dear sister and brother in law when we arrived here in Gainesville. The joy and happiness on their faces told me it was all worth it.

I named this quilt Sea Glass because of the colors of the fabrics. It is for their house on the Gulf Coast of Florida at Cedar Key.

Another joy of quilting is oohing and awwing over other people's quilts. I got to do just that yesterday. Donna took me to the museum at the University of Florida where the feature exhibit right now is 104 quilts depicting Florida. There were some real beauties there! The Sea Glass one I made for her would have been right at home there. Here are a couple of pictures of quilts. My camera was running out of juice and I wanted to save it for the butterflies so I only took these two.

Also at the museum is a gorgeous butterfly garden. Both the flowers and the butterflies are breathtaking! Here are a few pictures I took.

Aren't these gorgeous?

This morning we are taking our time and sadly packing up again to leave Donna and David. We've had a great time and been treated royally, as usual. But we are looking forward to seeing my brother Larry in Fernandina Beach, Florida, tonight. Next to Joe and Jody, he gives the best hugs in the world!

Easter in Florida

2010-04-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter, Everyone. We are in Gainesville, Florida, with my sister Donna and brother in law David. We arrived late yesterday and the weather is beautiful. I have no pictures from the last two days. For some reason the camera wasn't working properly and the pictures I took just aren't worth printing (probably operator malfunction). We left Slidell, LA, on Friday morning and made it to Panama City, Florida, Friday night. We had breakfast in Slidell at Cracker Barrel and let me tell you, that is the southern capital of "stout" folks. They had to have those chairs reinforced. I felt really badly for some of those folks who could barely walk. Anyway, eastward we headed and when we could we stopped on the beach because Joe wanted to put his toe in the Gulf of Mexico. Gale did, too. The beaches in Mississippi were beautiful white sandy beaches and very clean and not crowded. When we got to Biloxi I insisted on stopping at a casino so I could gamble away $20.00. In ten minutes I had $50.00 and decided that was a good time to stop. Onward we rolled through Pascagoula and then Mobile, Alabama, and on down to Pensacola, Florida. There we took highway 98 through Gulf Breeze, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and on down to Panama City. Trust me when I tell you it was not the highway to be on on Good Friday afternoon. But we made it to our hotel in Panama City and good dinner and then collapsed for the night.

We started the next morning at a very nice quilt shop in Panama City, FL, where I picked up a piece of fabric to be used in a quilt for my unborn great neice Delainey Rose Pierce. Then we stayed on 98 all the way over to Perry. We went through some great little beach towns and the sides of the highways were a real treat with plentiful wild flowers blooming all the way.

Needless to say we were tired and happy to arrive in Gainesville. We were treated to a wonderful dinner, great company, hot tub, margaritas, and our own suite with internet connection! What more could anyone ask for.

Joe got to sleep in until after noon today so he is happy. I've caught up on laundry and we are having a leisurely day and enjoying it to the max.

Great to hear that Joe's sister Bonnie is doing so well and was released to home. God does answer prayers.

Thanks for the comments and emails. If ya'll are reading this and like it, let me know either with a comment or you can always email me. I do like to know that someone is out there.

Will be here for a couple of days and will update again later.

We've done Louisiana

2010-04-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Neither of us can recall ever driving through Louisiana before and now we have. We just left New Orleans and are spending the night in Slidell. Some first impressions of Louisiana were that we've never seen so many highway patrolmen ever on a stretch of road. We must have seen over 100 along interstate 10 all the way through the state! It is all two lane and the speed limit is 60 most of the way. It was a pretty drive through woods and swamps and over many bridges. About halfway through the state we saw lots of rice being raised. I'd never seen that before and thought it was really neat. We actually stopped for lunch in a small town at a place call the Rice Palace. They had good food and everything was spicey! We even had a bowl of real gumbo. Then we headed eastward and into Baton Rouge. It is a beautiful city. It is gorgeous and just about took my breath away when we crossed over the Mississippi River on a high bridge and into the city. From there we took highway 12 over to where the 24 mile toll bridge crosses Lake Ponchatrain down to New Orleans. That is the longest bridge that is totally over water in the world and it was pretty amazing. It had 7 crossovers where one could turn around and go in the opposite direction if the need arose. Here are a couple of pictures but they are through a dirty windshield.

Then we hit New Orleans French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and the regular tourist spots. The place is certainly old and very dirty. We didn't see where the storm came in or any damage from it, but were just generally impressed at how unkempt everything appeared to be even in the busiest tourist venues. We did have shrimp dinners there and did a lot of walking and looking around before leaving. Here are a few pictures.

Overall, we are glad we went to New Orleans but have no desire to go back. We just don't see what the big draw is, but then we weren't there for the night life or for Mardi Gras and I'm sure it is different then.

Tomorrow we head for Florida and the beaches along the panhandle. The traveling is so much fun and we love it but we are about ready for a couple of days of doing nothing but resting. That will happen very soon.

20 Miles from Louisiana

2010-03-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

It's our last night in Texas. The past two days have been so much fun! Yesterday we got to San Antonio pretty early but we needed some down time. We stayed at the Marriott, I sat in the hot tub for a long time and we had a nice dinner at the Texas Roadhouse and went to bed early so we could get an early start today. Before arriving in San Antonio we stopped in Kerrville, Texas, where I had been told one of the very best quilt shops anywhere is located. I was told correctly. I spent two hours there and more money than I'll mention here. I got to see and fondle all the latest fabrics and patterns and I even bought some fabric with Texas blue bonnets on it. Along the drive both yesterday and today we saw lots of blue bonnets along the road. Some patches looked as if they had been deliberately planted. They're much prettier than I realized.

We were up early this morning and exploring San Antonio. First we went to the Alamo. We had been told to not expect much but we were delighted with it. We found it very historical and well preserved. We got there ahead of most of the crowds so maybe that was the secret. Here are some pictures.

You can see actual bullet holes in the stone of the archway around this door.

After leaving the Alamo, we walked the entire River Walk. We really didn't know what to expect. I really half expected it to be like River Street in Savannah - lined with shops and totally commercial. It wasn't! There were some shops and restaurants but mostly just a walk along the river. My only problem was the quantity of stairs in several places. But the walk was wonderful and so scenic. Here are a few pictures from that.

This duck posed for me

A tile scene on the wall along side the river

A picture of the door of one of the shops. Gorgeous!

In the afternoon we had a barbeque lunch and hit the road for Houston. Along the way the wildflowers were the most marvelous yet, but I was sleepy and didn't get any pictures. We went through Houston during rush hour and that wasn't much fun. It is really a big city and very interesting. On the east side of the city we even saw boats where the ocean comes up to the city. We kept on going because we had made reservations at this new Holiday Inn in a small town east of Beaumont. The name of it is Vidor, TX. All we can see is that the interstate highway is under major construction and all the roads are torn up. Thehotel is brand new and great. The people are friendly. We had great steak fajitas at a local Mexican restaurant and are ready to call it a day. Tomorrow Baton Rouge and New Orleans are on the agenda. We still plan to make Gainesville, Florida, by Saturday night. We'll be ready for a couple of days of nothing by then and it will be good to spend time with Donna and David.

Sonora, 400 miles into Texas

2010-03-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic day today traveling through the deserts and hill country of Texas. Saw lots and lots of cactus, cowpies, and oil pumps in the middle of nowhere. The speed limit on the interstate here is 80 and it is easy to understand - there is nothing to slow you down. Of course we slowed down, stopped and messed around a lot. There were mostly very small towns or just a gas station off the interstate. Van Horn had a little more, but not much. The road was interesting, though. We stopped at Ozona to see the Davy Crockett statue and park. That was interesting, though the town seemed about dried up. Just before Sonoma we veered off to see the Somoma Caverns. That was a let down. One cannot see the caverns at all from above ground. The only way to see them is on a guided two hours, 2 mile tour. We both knew we couldn't make two miles of ups and downs through caves so we left. I just wish I could have at least stuck my head into them. On to Sonoma which turned out to be truly delightful. First things first, we had not eaten since breakfast so we had dinner at a local steak house. We had the absolutely best ribeye steaks we've ever had. They were large, fork tender and very flavorful. My vegetables were also steamed to perfection. Joe wants to go back for steak and eggs in the morning. It was that good. Then we drove around this little town and found it to be very historic. There are dozens of very old large antebellum type houses and lots of memorials to founders. We stopped at one little store that we could only describe as a local mini version of WalMart. It was stuffed with everything imaginable.

Here are some pictures from the road:

for many miles the road was black on one lane and white on the other!

Finally, if you know me well you know my quilter's brain is always working. These last two pictures I took inside the ladies room of a rest stop because of the beautiful tile work and because they are a quilt and a quilt border waiting to happen.

That's all for tonight. The hotel internet connections have been slow and it is late. More tomorrow night from San Antonio.

El Paso, Texas

2010-03-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today was a real adventure. We crossed the continental divide and the Rio Grande River, and drove through as much of New Mexico as we are going to. Yesterday we noticed pecan trees around Tombstone, Arizona, and thought that odd. Today we saw large pecan orchards all over the place in New Mexico. We stopped in Bowie, NM, site of Fort Bowie where Geronimo was captured and held. While there we visited a pecan shop and purchased shelled pecans. They are so very moist and delicious. There were train tracks following the highway all through New Mexico and we think a lot of pecans must be shipped out that way.

After we left Las Cruces this afternoon we saw some of the largest beef feed lots we have ever seen in our lives. There were thousands of cattle on lot after lot!

Coming into El Paso we crossed the Rio Grande again and could see Juarez, Mexico to the south. Joe was tired today and almost nothing was open because it is Sunday so we checked into the hotel early and he took a nap. I checked into WalMart for some forgotten toiletries and some salad fixins for dinner. Tomorrow we start on the long journey across Texas. There are no pictures today. Most of the interesting things were on the highway as we were cruising and were difficult to photograph. We've now lost two hours since we left home. So we only have one more time zone to go!

Two days into the Journey!

2010-03-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

We are tired but happy tonight after two days of traveling and enjoying! Tonight we are in Wilcox, Arizona, population very small. But it was in the right place on the trip and the Days Inn is nice and the Mexican Restaurant was superb. Yesterday we got a late start from home and arrived in Mesa, AZ, during the rush hour. Jody and Renata quickly picked us up and we enjoyed the evening with them, beginning with dinner at Famous Dave's Smokey Barbeque Restaurant. Here's a picture Renata snapped with her phone at dinner. Cute, huh?

Here are some pictures from the desert between 29 Palms and Phoenix. First the salt mine about 20 miles east of 29 Palms with a whirlwind kicking up.

And another one of the salt mine

The highway that is long and straight except for this one crook because of the California aquaduct

A mountain along the roadside in western Arizona between the border and Phoenix

Today we enjoyed more time and a great breakfast with Jody before leaving Mesa. Then we traveled south and east on I-10, stopping first at Casa Grande for a few minutes. Then on through Tucson and down to Tombstone. We were disappointed with Tombstone because it is so totally commercialized. It was also much colder than we expected and had dressed for. We did however spend over an hour there and saw all there was to see before coming on over to Wilcox.

Here is a giant Saguaro cactus at the Casa Grande Outlet Mall

Driving on the two lane interstate highway, we were so thankful for the beautiful wildflowers which were so abundant just after we passed Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Farm

And the wildflowers grew right into the cholla cactus garden

Another intersting sight was Picacho Peak. We could see it for many miles and it looked like this:

and when we got beside it, it looked like this

Here are all the pictures from Tombstone that we took.

And finally, the Apache ten commandments on a poster that I took a picture of. I love these:

Remember, you can double click on any of these pictures and enlarge them for a better look. That's all for today, folks.

Two Days to Go!

2010-03-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are so very excited. Joe was ready to go on Monday. We are both counting the hours now. We have almost everything ready. Today is a beauty shop day for me and then I'll be ready. We spent time yesterday pouring over maps again. We've pretty much layed out the entire trip now. We plan to return through states in which we've never traveled. We've made hotel reservations through San Antonio, TX for the first leg of the trip.

Here are my latest two quilting projects. Now the machine is covered and resting for six weeks. This table runner is the one Joe likes so well. The pattern is just a star pattern that is the current block exchange for my guild. I made 3 of them, put them together and added triangles on the ends (which you can't see in the picture).

This picture is of a cute little laptop case I just made. It is two French floral fabrics which I quilted first, and then designed and made the case to fit my new laptop. It will be going on the trip with us.

Yes, it is too late for any requests for quilted items. However, if you make your wishlists and give them to me when you see me, Santa might remember you if you're really good.

A Banner Day!

2010-03-20T12:53:00.001-07:00

It's the first day of Spring.
It's Joe's 65th Birthday.
It's National Quilting Day.
It's the first day of Turkey Season in Georgia.

Wow, I'm sure it is probably some other day of note, but that is enough to celebrate today. So far Joe has enjoyed a nice breakfast and received a haircut. He asked for very short and I gave him very short. It's much too short to suit me, but he likes it so I guess it's okay. He's received numerous cards and well wishes and a gift of two new shirts from me. We'll be going out for dinner.

The weather is glorious! We keep reading and seeing on TV about snow in the Denver and Santa Fe and Missouri, and a cold front heading for as far south as northern Florida, and we know why we love the desert so much. (Ya'll remind us of this in August when it's 118 in the shade and the electric bill is $500.)

Phil, I know you've already been turkey hunting. You'd better be calling later and reporting in. Joe is all ready to go when we get there. He enjoyed his conversation with you last night. I think he dreamed of turkeys.

And as I said, it IS national quilting day, so I just have to go spend a few hours in my sewing room now. A couple of projects have to be finished so I can put the hard-working machine to rest for several weeks. She and I will miss each other terribly while I'm on the road.

Seven Days and Counting!

2010-03-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

We leave in one week! The timing is perfect and we are so excited. This weekend we will begin pulling things together and checking our lists. A discovery I made yesterday makes the trip even more exciting for me. We had planned to go through Paducah, Kentucky, on the way back because it is the home of the National Quilt Museum and also one of the biggest and best quilt stores in the country. Yesterday I found out that when we will be there is also when the big, big American Quilters Society annual quilt show is happening. This is the show that quilters dream of attending. I immediately made reservations at a hotel as close as I could find and started gathering information about the show. This is really big! This is a dream come true! This is the show where the best quilts in the world are on display and where there are $120,000 in cash prizes given out. Can you imagine the inspiration? I just hope I have time to see them all.

Meanwhile, here in the desert one day away from the official beginning of spring, the weather has been gorgeous all week. It is warm but not hot. The fruitless mulberry trees are going from buds to leaves overnight. Everything in greening up very quickly. We've a little wind this morning but it only supposed to last half the day. Gives me time to quilt some before the urge to get outside.

Top O' the Morning, Lads and Lassies

2010-03-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to ya! Hope you are wearing your green and planning your corned beef dinner. Don't forget the green beer.

Have you adjusted to Daylight Saving Time yet? I still haven't - adjusted that is. At least my sleep pattern hasn't. I can't seem to get to sleep that hour early and I don't wake up that hour early yet. I'm trying to meet the challenge. We are surely enjoying that extra hour of daylight after dinner though.

It is supposed to be 80 here today! Looks like spring really will be here on Saturday, right along with Joe's big 65th birthday. Of all things, Saturday is also National Quilting Day. I have lots of reasons to celebrate the day. All the trees are budding out, the Ocotillo is blooming with bright orange flowers atop its spiney green stalks, the doves are loving on each other and building nests, and it is wonderful to be outside and enjoy Mother Nature at its best.

Inside, yesterday I went through two more dresser drawers and eliminated about 12 pairs of capris and 10 shirts that were either too tight or barely fitting last summer and are all hanging off me now. They're all in a bag for Angel View thrift store. No more fat lady sizes for me ever again!! Not that I'm thin by any stretch - I'm just not plus sizes anymore! Then I did a little sewing - almost finished the top of a table runner to be my gift for my friendship group birthday party in May. Joe really likes it and wants me to make one like it for us. Only thing is, there was only one yard of fabric and I used it all. I'm sure I will find something similar in this vast stash of mine.

Joe is off to Yucca Valley and trap shooting this morning. It is a great day for it and he enjoys it so much. I'm glad it is available for him. I'll be off the Yucca this afternoon for a few errands.

I made this quilt for the man we call Grandpa a few weeks ago. He is our best friend and one who is always in his garage building something or re-doing something. His wife was the closest thing to a mother I had in my adult years and my dearest friend. I'm going to drop this off to him today. I just know he will love it.

A Beautiful High Desert Day!

2010-03-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

The temperature climbed to 85 in Palm Desert today. It didn't get that warm here, but we were there and it was beautiful. The entire drive there and back was beautiful - wildflowers are blooming on the sides of the road, green grass and weeds are coming up and the flowers the Mexican gardeners set out in Palm Desert are gorgeous. I saw my otolaryngologist who said my sinuses are looking great. He is such a great doctor. He also said the bronchitis I've had is not viral and prescribed more antibiotics. I'll be over it soon! Even sick, I've been happy and had a great attitude and found positive things every day (like the great corned beef on Saturday). I've just been mad at myself for holding up the trip. I have been able to get lots of extra sewing done, though. Yesterday I finished up a quilt top I had started in a mystery class last month. I went back to the quilt shop today with it to pick out some fabric for the borders. The instructor was there and she loved my setting. I had not liked the quilt the entire time I worked on it, but when I put it together I suddenly loved it and so does Joe. It is ice blue and chocolate brown. Then to another shop to get some green fabric for another project already in progress. In between I've made some blocks for exchange and many other little things. I really am happiest at my sewing machine creating something.

Joe and I really enjoyed the day today. The strawberries we got at Sam's Club are as big as kiwi fruit. I ate half of a package on the drive home. They're so ripe and sweet and juicy. And they have the best rotisserie chickens. That is what we had for dinner when we got home.

We both think we will be more ready for the trip this time. We keep thinking of things we need to do and things to pack and making more lists. It will be so good to head out and stop when we want to and just enjoy every little thing. We are also looking forward to seeing everyone and hoping we won't be a pain in the butt for anyone. I don't think we will be in any one place long enough for that to happen though.

Received our census forms today. Now what if we'd been on the trip already? How much time do they give you to fill them out and mail them in? They ask for information on people living in your house as of April 1. Can we fill it now or do we have to wait until April 1? Just musing to myself. After all the hype and media I've seen about this, there really are only 10 simple questions to answer.

A Tiny Bit Better ??

2010-03-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

At least I am hopeful that I will feel better. The codeine in the cough syrup caused a fitful night's sleep for me, but I believe I am getting slightly better. I have sewed a little bit (because I can't sit still and do nothing) and got my nails done today. Oh, and I also posted a couple of messages on facebook just to bug one of my friends. Joe and I went to the supermarket early this morning to get corned beef because it was the first day they had it available and on sale. We got four packages and put three in the freezer. One is still cooking with the on sale cabbages and we are having it for dinner in a few minutes. It smells divine!

See this picture. Look at it closely and you will see guns along with cowboy boots and other items from the old west. It is a pillowcase I made today for my favorite gunslinger. I couldn't believe I actually found fabric with guns on it! The fabric on the cuff is of old badges. It is a Buffalo Bill fabric line and I've some fabric left to go in a quilt. You know that when I saw it I had to have it for Joe. I also wanted to test out the instructions for the 20-minute pillowcase and it came out perfect and done in 20 minutes. My quilt guild is going to make lots of these in bright colorful fabrics for the charities we support. They are quick, easy, fun and will cheer up a lot of invalids. I have lots of fabric to donate to the cause.

Surely wish we were in Arizona tonight at the end of day two of our trip. But I see the need for more rest and recuperation and in two weeks we'll be there.

Bronchitis Still Winning

2010-03-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

Back to the doctor yesterday! Saw my regular family doctor this time - an internal medicine specialist of whom I am not very fond. I haven't liked her very much since she came aboard the base. Don't know why, just don't. Probably has something to do with the fact that she let my ear infection go untreated back in October and it resulted in a burst eardrum. Anyway, she said she has orders for Kuwait this summer and I couldn't be happier for her. She says the bronchitis is probably viral and will most likely last another week or more. She did prescribe Cough syrup with codeine and that is helping the cough, and some more drugs to help the symptoms. I am feeling discouraged to say the least. I'm still wheezing and feeling very tired and out of sorts. I WILL get over this! We WILL take this trip in two weeks!

Since I am stuck here for two more weeks I want to sew but am too tired to concentrate. Some of my friends both here and online finally convinced me to purchase EQ6, a computer program that lets one design one's quilts using over 4700 different block patterns and with the ability to even scan in your own fabrics for designing purposes. It arrived yesterday and I installed it. It looks good, but involves learning. In my drug-induced stupor, I finally managed to get through the first lesson and it looks pretty easy and fun. I already designed one quilt that I want to make (red, yellow and orange of course).

I am totally convinced that the greatest gift God ever gave me is my dear husband Joe. He has taken such good care of me. When I am weak and tired and don't feel like doing anything, I don't have to. He does it all without my asking and without complaining. I don't know what I'd ever do without him.

Still Sick but Planning

2010-03-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

Ick! I'm still very sick. This is not good. The wheezing and rattling are still there. At least the sun is shining today. Yesterday the wind tried to blow us away. It is still blowing a little today, but not nearly so badly. I suspect it is hitting Arizona pretty badly today. Hope Jody and Renata are anchored down. Joe has gone to the range to shoot trap. Whether he actually shoots or not remains to be seen. I haven't done much but sit around and cough and try to sleep and cough and drink more water and cough and, just cough.

We have now decided to try to leave on March 26th, so everything will be two weeks behind our original plans. I plan on feeling great by then and enjoying every moment of this much anticipated trip. It should be warmer by then but still not too hot to enjoy the trip. We still hope to be able to spend time with all our friends and relatives, but ya'll will have to follow this blog to see where we are and what our anticipated schedule is. Sorry, but as you can now understand, we just can't put exact dates on where we will be when. We never know when we may require an extra day or two of rest along the way and we want to be able to do that if necessary.

Interesting quilting tidbit for today: If you have stayed in any hotels in the last couple of years you've probably noticed they are tending to make the beds with duvets and a colorful narrow strip of fabric across the end of the bed instead of a full bedspread. I just received a new quilting book yesterday on making bed runners. That is what they are calling these strips of fabric for putting across the end of the bed. They are approximately 30" deep and as wide as the bedding. The book has ten beautiful patterns and I may try a couple someday soon.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I heard from my only nephew last week. (My father only had two grandchildren, Jody and Barry.) Barry and his beautiful wife Laura, who live in Charlotte, had announced at Christmas that they are expecting their first baby in July. Barry wrote to say it is a girl and they were wondering if I might like to make a quilt for her. Of course I responded immediately inquiring as to colors and styles desired. That will be among my first projects when we return from this trip. They want totally girly girl pink and roses! I can hardly wait to design and begin it.

On the agenda today is trying to straighten up the house a little and more rest. Joe has been so good about keeping everything up for me while I am sick. I should at least pick up things for him while he is out this morning.

Road Trip Delayed

2010-03-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

This morning we decided to delay the road trip. If any of you have any plans, please go forth with them and don't plan around us. I am much sicker than I realized and do not want to start the trip feeling this way. Bronchitis easily goes into pneumonia if not taken care of. The last thing I want is to end up in a strange hospital somewhere. So, we are just putting it off for a week or two, depending on how quickly I get over this. After all, we are going to enjoy every minute of this much anticipated long trip. Being sick is not the way to do that. Stay tuned here for the latest developments and we'll let you know when we anticipate beginning and keep you informed as we travel.

Sick Sunday

2010-03-07T19:40:00.000-08:00

I am now officially sick. Joe said he heard my rattling in my chest and insisted he was taking me to ER on the base this afternoon. It's a good thing he did. Doc said I have bronchitis and need drugs badly. He prescribed them and the pharmacist dispensed them. Then we came back home to a wonderful prime rib roast that had been roasting in the oven. It was so good, but I'm not feeling good at all. Doc promised I'll be better in a few days.

It has been raining steadily all day long. We have a few mini-rivers in our yard. We are so glad we have a new roof, as there is not a leak in sight!

Early to bed tonight. I need rest.

Sunday, Sunday

2010-03-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

It is going to rain any moment now. There is no sunshine except in our mind. It is really cool and it is snowing in the mountains and the snow is expected to reach down to Yucca Valley tonight. I have accepted the fact that I am really sick with this cold - much sicker than a person should be with just a cold. I stayed in most of yesterday and I started taking capsules full of Thieves Oil every three hours. I think it is helping. We are on the countdown to the big road trip and have to start organizing and getting ready.

The quilt show was a big success! Turnout was great. I enjoyed volunteering for a few hours and meeting enthusiastic people. The quilts displayed were fantastic. The vendors were okay. I only bought one yard of fabric and only because it was unusual and I haven't seen it before. This is my quilt that was in the show. The quilting on it is incredible, but it doesn't show up well in this picture. I had some nice comments on it and one lady wanted the pattern.

My sister Donna left a message on Friday saying they are home from Chile and that they were pretty much in the thick of things when the earthquake happened. I've tried to call her back but haven't reached her yet. I am glad she is home and can't wait to talk with her. I guess that is one vacation they will never ever forget. Went to bed happy last night because I got to talk with Jody for a while. He sounded good and next Friday night we get to see him. That will surely start our trip out marvelously.

Today I must work on getting well and getting ready. The lists are growing.

The Beginning of 3 Busy Days

2010-03-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

It is the beginning of another sunshine filled day here in the desert and we're going to be busy again. Tomorrow and Saturday are the days for the once every two years big quilt show in Palm Springs, featuring quilts from my quilt guild and two others in the area. This morning I will be taking my quilt down to be hung in the show, along with some of my friends' quilts. I don't expect to win any ribbons or anything. I think my quilt is beautiful, but all of the quilts displayed will be beautiful and there is so much talent in the area. I entered simply to support my guild. Tomorrow I'll be back in Palm Springs to view the show and to work at the show, and again on Saturday. It is a big fund raiser for us and I hope we do well.

Joe and I will also both pick up new glasses while we are in the area today. His prescription totally changed after his cataract surgery. I had to have non-glare added to mine. It will be nice to get them back. Of course we'll include some grocery shopping at Sam's while we are there. They have the absolute best produce around at the best price! Since we eat so differently now, we have to find the best sources for our fresh veggies and berries, and it is Sam's. The commissary is the best for our meat. We don't eat dairy or grain, so that about covers it for us. Our health thanks us for it.

Joe saw his cardiologist on Tuesday and he said he is looking good! He also found out that he only has about a year left on the batteries in his pacemaker. That means it is working really hard, but that is good. It is keeping him going!

Road Trip Coming Up

2010-03-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

For those who are curious, this is what is happening. On Friday of next week, March 12, we are leaving on a five week road trip across this great country of ours and then back again, taking two different routes and seeing as much as we can see. We were in our 20's when we moved to Twentynine Palms and I have not driven (or ridden) back across the country since then. The Joe's have, but only twice, and both times quickly. We've decided it is time to take our time and really see the things we want to see. We'll be taking the southern most route going, with nightly stops at least every 300 miles and maybe even more frequently. When we see somewhere we want to stop and visit, we'll do that. We want to stop in Tombstone, Arizona, visit caves in New Mexico, see the Alamo in San Antonio, visit New Orleans, see the mountains in Carolina, and Tennesee, visit Paducah, Kentucky (every quilter's dream) and many more places. The fact that we get to see relatives and friends is an added bonus. Just be aware that we are not going to be long in any one place, and if we happen to miss you, please do not be offended. We do have a five week time limit and want to pack as much as possible into those five weeks. We intend to head towards to Florida first and spend a couple of days in Gainesville/Cedar Key and a couple of days in the Amelia Island area. Then it will be up to South Georgia because after all, it will be turkey season and Joe is nothing if not a hunter first and foremost. Then on through Georgia and we'll figure it out from there. We should be in Florida somewhere around the beginning of spring.

You will be able to follow us as I plan to post pictures and narratives here as we travel. That is if I get the new laptop up and running between now and then. It has Windows 7 and I have to get everything transferred to it and adjust to the new format. I'm sure I'll be okay with it.

Today the sun is shining and the skies are clear here in the desert. Jim the painter and his helper are working on the new fascia boards that were installed with the new roof. It is the only day this week that I have at home so I plan to work on the new laptop. My cold is still hanging on and kept me awake for over an hour coughing in the middle of the night last night. Why is it being so stubborn? I'm following all the recommendations of 3 different doctors and nothing is helping. Oh well, it can only last for so long, right?

Another Happy Monday at Quilt Guild

2010-03-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Today was a really good day even before I got to the guild meeting. My sweet brother Larry called this morning and we talked for quite a while. I can hardly wait to see him later this month. I need some little brother hugs.

The guild meeting was great! I won 14 green and white blocks in the block of the month drawing! 12 are enough to make a nice size quilt and the other two will find their way into something else.

I also showed my small quilt that I made at the guild workshop last month. It was the mystery quilt, made in one day, and then borders added, quilted and bound in another day at home. Everyone liked the colors of green and chocolate. Now I've hung it in the hallway for the month of March.

Tonight I am tired, a happy tired. I just soaked in the spa and I'm taking this cold to bed and telling it to be gone in the morning.

A Milestone Day!

2010-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

It is March 1, 2010, and the sun is shining brightly this morning. The year is already 1/6 over! Have you met 1/6 of your goals for the year? I'm not sure if we have or not. I have quilted a lot, given to charity, made people happy, tried to be a good and true friend, continued to loose weight and gain health and energy, saved enough money for the upcoming trip, and read a book a week. So yes, I guess I am meeting my goals, or intentions as I labeled them on January 1.
Today marks 11 years since Joe and I retired! Sometimes it doesn't feel like it and most of the time it feels like we've been retired forever. There haven't been any dull moments! We don't know how we ever found time to work.
Today also marks the day Joe goes on Medicare! This is a whole new adventure for us and we'll have to see how it goes. His 65th birthday is the 20th of this month so his Medicare begins today. TriCare for Life kicks in as the secondary insurance. Hopefully there will be no change in doctors or care that he receives. When July rolls around I'll go to Medicare also. Guess we are officially old farts this year!
Tomorrow I will give more information on the upcoming road trip. Stay tuned. Today I will be at my quilting guild meeting most of the day. I'm glad we cooked that little turkey over the weekend. There is a refrigerator full of good food for the week. My cold is still hanging on but I'm determined to win this one.

Random Thoughts on Happiness

2010-02-28T21:24:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday night and I have had a good weekend in spite of a terrible cold. So here are some of my thoughts about this happy life of ours. People are about as happy as they decide to be. If you are looking for a reason to be unhappy, miserable, or mad at someone or the world, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to smile and be happy just to be alive, you'll find that too.
I knew last Wednesday that this cold was coming on. I told Dr. Finazzo so and he prescribed Tamiflu and said it should knock it right out. It didn't. Thankfully, I am overall very healthy as of late, so I've managed to continue to function even though this is one nasty cold that is dragging on. Connie and I went to Los Angeles for the filming of the TV show on Thursday. She was getting the cold also. It was a long but very fun day. Friday I had a previously scheduled massage. That was wonderfully relaxing and I managed to nap afterwards. I thought maybe that would knock it out. Saturday morning and Sunday morning it was still here and going strong. Even so, I saw the sun shining when it did shine through the clouds. I worked on some charity projects for the Guild. I listened to an audio mystery book while hand sewing the binding on a quilt, then listened to another while sewing the binding on another quilt. I've cut 12 yards of flannel off a bolt that I have to donate for the youth quilts projects. I've made more adult bib patterns for others to make bibs for the seniors. I've been happy because I decided to be happy and be of service to others while I am feeling lousy myself.
Yesterday it was cloudy and windy and it rained for a while. I could have complained about it, but chose to look for the sunshine. That is what choosing to be happy is all about. Things happen in life. People upset one another. Politics is politics. We don't all agree. Why let it ruin our lives and our attitudes. Life is short. Each day is a gift to enjoy and people are a gift to enjoy and not to argue and be upset with.
Tomorrow is my Quilting Guild meeting day! Even though it is a busy and exhausting day I look forward to it. I look forward to seeing all those ladies I cherish so much. I get and give lots of hugs. Who knows how many of us will be at the next meeting? Many of them are elderly but they keep going and keep producing beautiful quilts and having the times of their lives, always smiling, always happy. They are my inspiration.

Off and Running Again - to Hollywood!

2010-02-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining brightly this morning and I'm off and running again. Since I am not a TV watcher I know very little about what is on, but apparently there is a daytime show called "The Doctors". I've never seen it but my friend Connie is a faithful watcher. She has VIP tickets to the filming of it today in Hollywood and is taking me! It should be lots of fun. Our days together are always fun. But it promises to be a very long day.
The roof is finished! A building inspector is supposed to come today and do his routine thing. I see showers are forecasted for the weekend and I'm happy the roof is done. It surely looks nice. The guys cleaned up everything after themselves very well also. We couldn't be more pleased.
Only two weeks before we leave for our great road trip and my list of things to accomplish before then is growing longer and is interspersed with more and more appointments and places I must be. If I accomplish it all, it will make the trip that much sweeter and more relaxing.
What's on your to do list lately? Send your comments.

Tuesday's Sewing and Quilting

2010-02-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the goal was to get at least 6 adult bibs made. Here they are. I made 3 of each of the ones shown here. These are a total of 35 inches long and double sided, so they take a yard of fabric each (with a strip or two left over for the quilt scrap bin). These are fabrics I had procured from the sew what table at the guild, but still that is 6 yards of fabric outta here! Then I made these two pretty green and white placemats. Each month we make a block of the month by an assigned pattern and take it in to the guild meeting. Everyone who brings one in gets a ticket and numbers are drawn with the winner(s) getting all the blocks. The making of this month's block created scrap triangles and we were challenged to "do" something with them. I put them together into little pinwheel blocks and then designed the placemats using them. What do you think? That's it for yesterday. More sewing this weekend. I have three quilts that need binding and that will be first on my long list.

Another Happy Desert Day

2010-02-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

More early morning noise today, but we were prepared this time. The roofing job continues. We continue to be amazed by the professionalism of these guys. Of course the only thing we have for comparison is the sorry a$$ job we had in 1987. The job is almost complete now and it looks wonderful. They should finish today. The painter we've hired will paint the fascia board next Tuesday and Wednesday. Dish Network will be out tomorrow afternoon to reinstall the satellite dishes for Joe. Strange isn't it, that even though he doesn't watch TV much, he has missed it terribly these few days.

I was off to Palm Desert early this morning to see my favorite otolaryngologist, Dr. Finazzo, who performed my sinus surgery just three short weeks ago. He was amazed at how well I am doing. He said I am the best at 3 weeks he has seen yet. I believe it is a combination of his talent and me having my body so healthy now. Must see him one more time before our big road trip.

Early Morning Noise

2010-02-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

Today began with lots of noise on the roof, EARLY! This is good because it means the roofers are hard at work. We have needed this new roof so badly for a long time now. This is day two of the work and the weather is much more cooperative today. It is cool but the sun is shining and the wind isn't blowing. We are so glad we went with Home Depot for a real professional installation this time. It is so different from the first re-roofing job we had done in 1987.

We both get to stay home all day today. I am working on some adult bibs for the Senior Outreach program through my Quilt Guild. I am chairman of this program and I found out yesterday that they need these badly. I hope to get at least 6 done and perhaps a small quilt for them. We'll see. I'll have to wait until I go to Palm Desert tomorrow and stop at Joann's for Velcro to finish them the closing of them.

Joe isn't feeling well. Still has a cold so he'll be resting most of the day.