Atlanta Visit

Here is our main purpose for the trip to Altanta...to meet Sofia's new baby sister Jaquelyn. McKinley was all too happy to hold her while Lila helped Nathan get our dinner on the table. Jaquelyn is five weeks old and sleeps a lot. She even went to her first Braves game with us on Sunday! Without a job, I was able to get her quilt made and delivered in record time.

We had an overcast day at the Zoo but it was nice since it wasn't too hot. Here is Go Postal and Sofia joining the rest of the group after looking for "monos" (monkeys). Marshall is feeding a parakeet in a new exhibit where you walk into a huge cage of parakeets flying freely about. I am not sure what this next bird is...but anything that likes to eat mice is ok by me. And my favorite shot of the day is of this old man. He looked like he was having as much fun people watching as we were looking back at him.

Rug Hooking...Its on the Bucket List

Salem Stitcher and I headed out to Fraser's this morning to get supplies for my first rug hooking project. I bought a hook and some wool for my Bee Content pattern I selected a few months back. I am going to made the cat an orange tabby and may find out soon that I have selected a more complicated pattern than I can handle and scale it back some. Seems you have to learn to strip before you can be a hooker. So the next step is to take this hand dyed wool and cut it into small strips. This is on my bucket list to learn....but it may be years before I get it done (making an entire quilt seems less daunting right now than this project)

Tin Roof On!

You can't really tell by my picture, but the barn has its tin roof. Next come the stairs...thank goodness because getting up the ladder to check out the second floor is tough when your hips are wider than the studs in the wall.

Buddy on First

Last year he was still using a tee, now with the coach pitching he can actually make a pretty good hit. And look at this form and concentration as he got a turn on first base. OK so the ball did come his way and sailed right through his glove but they all had a lot of fun. They all get a chance to bat each inning and its more about learning the game right now than who wins or loses. I like that. I will have to get my softball glove out and have a catch with this little guy at the beach this summer.

And the Winner Is....The American Cancer Society!

Here is Go Postal and others serving ice cream at the Relay for Life event held last Friday night. Our team had several fund raising events including the raffle quilt that Miss Bee Havin made (you can see it in the background) We raised about $8,500.

Thanks to everyone that supported the raffle quilt by purchasing tickets. We raised over $1,000 with tickets sales. The winner was drawn....and her name is Vicky Grimes. She is a cancer survivor (and my Aunt).

King of Pilot Moutain

Little Man loved scrambling up all the rocks around the Knob trail at Pilot Mountain. With his hood up bouncing down the trail he looked a little like the travelocity nome.

A Quilt UFO

Sis helped me clean up my sewing room. It is almost startling to me to walk in and see it so clean. I put every project in a tote, all the fabric up, and cleared off the cutting table. This basket contains the second quilt I every started. It is a double irish chain....and I cut out all the 1.5" blocks before I had ever heard of strip piecing. Needless to say it will probably never get finished (its about 23 years old). But Zorro decided it was finished "enough" to be a comfy napping spot. So maybe a quilt doesn't have to be done to bring somebody some comfort! Zorro, Enjoy!

Ikea is awesome!

Sister, Little Man and I went to the new Ikea in Charlotte today. I found all kinds of things I didn't even know I needed. Seriously though they have great deals on furniture and all kinds of cabinets and storage items. I picked up a catalouge for Go Postal as I know he will want to outfit the new barn with some cabinets and shelves. We were walking through the laundry section and found this octopus that you can hang socks from to dry. Sis asked...who dries socks like that? Well Go Postal does....he thinks that his SmartWools get too fuzzy if they are dried in the dryer. So her you go...perfect for his laundry room. I also picked up some kitchen gadgets and a great big cutting board for only $10. If you haven't been yet let me warn you...plan to stay a while and eat at least one meal. They have bacon and eggs for .99 and of course Swedish meatballs.

Star Trek Nerds

It was full ov action, humor and even had a romance I would not have predicted!!!

Two Lunch Thursday

We had an opportunity to eat with both boys yesterday. First we went to the Special Ladies Lunch at preschool where Mom's/Grandmothers/and a few Aunts joined the kids for a special Mothers Day event. It was early so we then had time to suprise our first grader for lunch at his school. He was very excited because it was "breakfast for lunch" day....I opted for the grilled cheese instead.

Quilt Stamps

My friend Sam thought of me when she saw these quilt themed stamps and made me a great gift bag. I can use these for cards or labels...or whatever. She even made the card on the bag (trying to look like a quilt block...she got very close to an attic windows four patch....hmmm may have to try it in fabric sometime) There are little quilt blocks and some great sayings....

When life throws you scraps, make a quilt

May your bobbin always be full

May your sorrows be patched and your joys quilted

And my favorite...and Sam my sentiments to you!

In the crazy quilt of like...I'm glad you're in my block of friends

I will put these to use for years to come! Thanks Sam (And Thanks for being next year's Ski Club President...you will be great)

Time to Get Fit

Heaven knows my fitness level has slipped over the last few years. But what scares me more is the loss of flexibility and how easily sore I get (especially in the back). OK I know I am not twenty anymore but I do think I can get things back in better shape. So now that I will have a little more flexibility in my schedule I have signed up for a three month membership at Golds. They are offering two to three different yoga/pilates classes each weekday....so No Excuses.

And I am going to get bike riding as soon as the weather dries up!!

Poor Baby

Remember the scene in Shrek II where Puss in Boots tries to give his pitiful face to get his way...well Banjo was trying his best last night to be fed early. Seems he has been sharing his breakfast with a gray cat and an opposum. I sneaked him a little extra last night before heading home....don't tell Go Postal.

Second Floor!

The roof trusses are next, but with all the wet weather this week they may be delayed.

Go Postal said there was about a 1/4" of rain water on the second floor. It was slowly dripping through the seams in the sheathing. All the second floor space will be now available for storage and he may decide to add a few more windows down the left side so there will be more light up there. Its exciting to watch the progress.

Chips and Salsa Time

Like I really need an excuse to eat Mexican...but tonight Go Postal and I will do just that! With the rain, some of my to do list today will be tough. But I have a quilt that needs basting, laundry, some internet search work to begin....and maybe I will bake a pound cake. I just realized our outplacement office is near my favorite quilt shop, maybe that will make me want to go more once I begin the job hunt!