Trip to the Mountains

Here is my buddy Roscoe enjoying the ride up to Beech Mt last week. We spent a few days rug hooking and enjoying the fall color. Don't you wish some days you could ride with your head out the sun roof and let your ears just fly!!

Bonnie Rocks

Go Postal gave me tickets to see Bonnie Raitt for my birthday this summer. The concert was Saturday night at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach. I came down with a bad cold, the weather was cold and windy...but we went anyway and I am so glad we did. Bonnie looks awesome and was one of those artists that really still seems to appreciate her audience. I didn't snap this picture (honoring her request for no photos) but could have. Her muscisians were very good as well and she played all my favorites! I couldn't believe people would actually go to the beach and never step foot on the sand, but I did that this weekend. We found a car show and a quilt shop to keep us busy Saturday before a great seafood dinner and the show.

Mom would have been 70 Today

I think she would have been bothered by this number. I am trying not to be bothered by numbers like this, rather focus on quality of life at any age! She was about 7 years younger than I am now in this photo and already had three children (ok four if you include her first one here....Thai) If we could spend her birthday together today no doubt it would have included a Starbucks Latte and some Quilt Shops! Instead I will take comfort in my cup of coffee at home and continue to work on Christmas Stockings using some of the fabric from her stash.

This fabric has been out of print for a while, but it would have been the perfect backing for my nephew's Star Wars quilt I am making for Chirstmas. But alas...I drew the line at a $50.51 bid (for three yards) on ebay. I thought I was home free right up until 7 seconds left and someone entered $51.51 and I lost it.

Ebay is awesome, and will someday give me a heart attack. I need to start over on my search. There is a vintage Star Wars flat sheet that would work too.....the auction ends in 25 minutes so I better get back to bidding.

Buddy's Lego Entry

Here is Buddy's fair entry this year. He is in the 6-7 year old category and could have still used a kit but rather came up with the idea to make a car repair shop. I thought it was very creative and he loves to see his projects on display at the fair. Go Postal and I stopped by Saturday night and had time to see the exhibits, eat, and stroll though the yesterday villlage. I saw my first tractor pull and of course we didn't leave until we shared an elephant ear!

Look Who's a Quilter

Here is Dairy Queen with the center block of her $5 quilt. She cut out and stitched every piece in this one. Considering this is only the third block we have done together she did excellent. She was already excited about shopping for the fabric to complete the quilt.....a true quilter indeed.

Every Penny Adds Up

My change crock was finally so heavy I could barely move it to clean the carpets last week, so it got me thinking about cashing it in. I have also toyed with the idea of learning to play the mandolin, so when by chance I saw a music store in an old quilt shop location I thought it must be Karma. I had decided to buy a used mandolin with my change (Which to my delight was more than I needed at $430) I wouldn't feel as guilty making this purchase since its kind of like found money.

I sat down to take my first strum, and the owner said "is that how you plan to hold it?" Well yes, this feels natural to me. He took the mandolin out of my hand and said then you can't buy this one. I was perplexed, did he sense something about me that would not have taken care of this insturment....what could it be? Well, you're a southpaw and won't be able to play this F style mandolin. I have to have an A style wich doesn't have the curl (or pay the big bucks for a lefty F style that start at around $1,000) So we ordered a beginner's A style mandolin that he will re-string for me to play left handed. I guess once Allison Krauss or Sam Bush invite me to play with them I will consider an upgrade.

I may not be able to grasp this instrument, but its something that was on my bucket list to try and since I have some time for lessons and practice right now I decided to go for it. Nobody tell Dad though....my oldest nephew and I want to suprise him at Christmas with a fiddle/mandolin duo performance.

Sisters Weekend 2009

This year to save $$ we stayed at my house and "crafted" They worked on photos and scrapbooks for their kids and I quilted all day Saturday. A pedicure then dinner at Milners completed the day. Sunday we went to church with Go Postal which set us right in the middle of Yadkin's wine country. We had brunch at Century Kitchen then visited Sanders Ridge and Ragapple Lassie.



Middle sister had Monday off, so after a little bit of shopping we picked up Bull and headed over to eat lunch with Buddy. I think he enjoyed having such a big group at the special visitor's table with him.

This was our 6th year (I think) and we hope to keep this tradition going for a very very long time. We moved around a lot as kids, so I can honestly say these are my only two life long friends. Although I am the first to admit I wasn't always the best of friend as the oldest sister when we were little.......they reminded me of the Barbie doll hanging I staged for them one time.