A Good Day

Joe 4, Ashley, My daughter, Angela and Dan

This was taken the day we had the Memorial for George. It was the first time all four of my daughters children had been together for a year and a half. She used to be tall. Seems the kids are all outgrowing her.

Joe is a chef  at an exclusive restaurant at Shady Side on the Chesapeake Bay. Ashley is in her 5th year at Art school in Philadelphia. Angela is starting her Senior year at the University of Western Florida in Pensacola. So we will have two graduating next year. Dan is a Sophomore. Mighty good family.

My niece has gone and this week I am trying to get caught up on a few things. Doing the binding on the quilt I have finally finished hand quilting Will get a picture as soon as it is finished. Finished up my 4th Kids Quilt. But need to get it quilted. Have been trying to get things finished up.

I went to the Neurosurgeon this morning and he told me what he could do. Didn't sound to bad and he said it should help the pain and the numbness I get when standing. So I haven't gotten the dates yet but do need to see the PT tomorrow to find out the does and don'ts.

Otherwise it has been sort of boring around here, Except it was rather cool today.  Got down in the 60s and felt good. Swimming will start again the middle of Sept. Don't know how long I will be able to go but signed up anyway. It is being held at a different pool and we won't have the extra swim time as before but at least it is a heated pool in an assisted living complex.

Hope you all have been having a good summer. Thanks for stopping by.

That big symbol of Picasa I can not get rid of.  Sorry The names are suppose to be under the picture.

Brother and Sister-In-Law

Meet my brother and his wife of 61 years. This was taken at the camp my son and I went to a week  ago in Ohio. I have just been too busy with company to get another blog written and in my experimenting with Picasa I got 4 pictures into 4 separate blogs. Dear friend Kim sent me a link to Picasa which had some instructions. Remember I had asked for help.

It said you could upload 4 pictures at a time. But I  couldn't figure out how to do this. No buttons anyplace that I could see to hold them once they  were selected.

Well, I have my niece is here this week from Colorado Springs . She is a Mack user but finally this evening we got it figured out. Yep, there is a little blue button to the left of all the other buttons at the bottom that you click on to hold the selection. Then do it one by one until 4. Then click on the blogger button and it takes you to sign in to blogger. When You go in there are all four pictures.

But Now I need to write blogs with these other pictures and get them out of the way without deleting them completely. So this is the first.

An update on my brother. I had told you he was diagnosed with lung cancer and had started on Chemo. Had two treatments I believe and the other day had chest pains bad enough that he wanted to go to the hospital and sure enough he had a mild heart attach. Ended up getting a stint put in but is home and feeling fine. Now the Doctor says no more Chemo. So hopefully he will get stronger and have a few more years with us. Sure glad I got to see him and all his wonderful family.

My  niece and I have been quilting and talking. and having a good time. I finally finished the quilt I have been hand quilting for almost a year. Now have another one in the hoop and ready to start.

Yesterday she helped me to get my Carolina Christmas quilt I made from Bonnie Hunters mystery  this winter. Ran out of pins so had to go to the Quilt Shopof course today. Will finish it up tomorrow. It is queen size and I will machine quilt it.

My niece will fly home on Saturday and hopefully I can get another blog written. Thanks for visiting and Another picture next time. 

Quilt Along setting

This isn't the way I was going to start this blog but I am having problems with these pictures. Really with Picasso. I took the download of the Picasso system and I love it as you can do so much with the pictures and see them so much better. So someone who doesn't have the best eyes it is a help. The problem is when it comes to putting the pictures in the holding area on the blog so you can upload them where you want them. The browser won't take you to the Picasso pictures in your laptop. So I need help. I noticed at the bottom you could add them to your blog. Which I did and now I have 4 different blogs with pictures in them. Can anyone help me !, Oh, my question mark key is not working. I think I need to call Dell.

This is all the finished blocks for this quilt a long. I have started this evening to sew them into rows. But this past week has been busy.

My son was here until yesterday and on Friday he took me to Ohio to visit my brother and his family. They were having their yearly get together. So My son got to see his cousins for the first time over 30 years. That's what happens when you move across the country from your relations. It was fun and to see all the little ones. Their great grandchildren. and none of my grandchildren are even married yet. We were married in the same year.

On the way home though I got sick with the intestinal flue. Then Monday night my son got it but it is really going around here. I  had planned to make Chili for the gang when they came here after the game convention but DS made it. It was very good.

The grandchildren and DD came so we could put their Dad and grandfather in his final resting place at the cemetery. He had been on the hearth in his box. At least his ashes were. It was mainly family, A couple close friends that knew him well .

I am back to the regular routine now except of getting some tests done now so the doctor can see any changes since the last MRI and X-Rays. Tomorrow I go in for the nerve study test on my legs. Had this done several years ago when I developed this Neuropathy.

I have no more pictures as I can't get them in here so you have to put up with my talk. But this is it.  I did want to let you know how things were going. I have a niece from Colorado Springs coming on Sunday to visit for a week. She wanted to come for the Memorial Service but I figured we would have more time together if she waited to come later. She is the only one of my sisters girls that quilts when she has time. So we want to get some quilting in. and of course a lot of talking.

But if someone can help me with this Picasso thing please let me know or email me. Thanks for dropping by. 

The Carnival Pride

Here I am in front but a good ways away from this huge ship. This was taken in Nassau. We didn't get one of the paid trips so walked from the boat around and over to where the shops were.

I'm really getting ahead of myself. This isn't the picture I wanted but they are so small on my computer I can't really tell which one I want. I thought I had a picture in port before we left last Sunday the 25th of July. Leaving from the Port of Baltimore was so easy and fun. I took pictures the whole way out. Going under the Bay Bridge at sunset.Of course it wouldn't get into the right place. For those who aren't familiar with Maryland. This is the bridge that goes to the Eastern Shore. Our beaches and Ocean City.

It takes about 5 hours to get out of the Chesapeake Bay. A special pilot gets on at each port to guide the ship where it is suppose to go.

We sailed for 2 days with the first stop at Port Canaveral We got off and went to Cocoa Beach but didn't stay to long as it must have been in the 90s.

I was really surprised at how large the cabin was. This is ours. I had wanted a window but figured it would be a porthole but look a full size window. The heavy dark thing on the bed was put there so we could unpack suitcases on the bed and not get them dirty. Pretty smart heh?

Our Steward was so good. Any time we left the cabin he came in and cleaned it up. Especially the bathroom. Clean towels etc. At night while we were at dinner he would come in and turn back out beds and leave a little something.This was the first night.
The paper with the goings on for the next day. Always two mints.
Every night a new animal.

Here's a picture of us on the forward deck while watching the ship leave dock. Isn't my daughter a doll? We had a wonderful time. I let her sleep in the morning. Would get up and dressed and take my key and book and go clear up to the 9th deck where all the food was . Have my coffee and find a table by the window to watch the sea going by and sometime the sunrise. What a life.
Daughter would come up when she got up and then have breakfast and decide what we would do for the day. Mostly go out on the deck and lay in the sun or get in the hot tub and talk with everyone. That is one thing I found out. Everyone was so friendly. We talked to one couple from Quebec Canada. Another time at lunch in the dinning hall we sat with a couple and their 10 year old daughter from Belgium.  Did you know that Belgium waffles are really a desert? They never eat them for breakfast.

this was when we had gotten off last Sunday and were waiting for the firebnd to come and pick us up. 11 floors and that doesn't count the lower floors where the food is stored and prepared and the crew quarters are.

Just a pretty sunset picture and a buoy. This must have been going out of the Bay. I will have more another time.

Just wanted you all to know that I had a wonderful 80th Birthday. and yes, I got a small piece of fancy cake with a candle and the waiters sang Happy Birthday.

My son came and got me at my Daughters on Monday and will be here until the middle of next week. So have a week with each of them. How blessed I am.  Thanks for stopping by.

A Little What I Have Been Doing

I've been putting in time before I leave tomorrow afternoon with my Daughter on our Cruise to the Bahamas. Well it leaves on Sunday evening but I'm going to my Daughters tomorrow.

To make time go a little faster I have been sewing and sewing those old half square triangles. Every block has 6 of them and 3  four patches. Should you the start last week and here is what I have done now.

That didn't go just where I  wanted it but will do. I have all the rest of the 42 HST made but not trimmed and doubt I will get to that unless I have extra time tomorrow while waiting for my daughter to get her.

I have also finished another Kids quilt. So Have two that I have made out of my own fabrics. Think they turned out pretty good. The other one I had shown a couple blogs ago.

Blogger has made a lot of changes and one is the google photo storage and I have spent a whole lot of time fooling with it tonight and now don't really have much more to say.
Except it has been very HOT in the east and I think all over. I went to town today and the thermometer in the car said 98 when I was on my way home. Bet it was Hot where you are too. Sure am ready to ride the sea.  Hope I get some good pictures to show you.  See you in a couple weeks. Thanks for stopping by.

The Big 80

Yesterday was quite a day for me. Yes, I turned 80. Had a dinner out with my good friend, adoppted daughter, I call her, Robin.
But I had so many well wishes from everyone in my online friends and then also most of the relations on Face book. Yes, I am on Facebook because of my oldest Nephew RL in Houston. After my sister, his mother , passed away several years ago he started it and wanted all the kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews etc. to get on to stay in touch. Even my big brother in Oregon finally got on because of his kids. I don't talk much, not like my daughter who has to go to Facebook as soon as she logs in.

Anyway more about my birthday. My daughter had been up on Tues over night and took me out for lunch after I got out of the beauty parlor. She had lots of things to do before leaving for a week on Sat.
This is the block that Kim found online with the instructions starting this coming week. I didn't want to wait so figured it myself. Using charms so 5 inch blocks to make the HST. 2 1/2 in strips for the 4 patches.

I spent most of the day, sewing. Am making lots of half square triangle and 4 patches . What fascinated me about this block is the many, many ways to set it. I've had to make a few blocks  to see.
I really wanted that to be down here but it doesn't matter. See if you turn the blocks you can have a different design.

So that kept me busy during the day. In the afternoon my oldest granddaughter, the artist, called me for a chat. She's back in Philly working and waiting for school to start, her last year.

Roben called about 4 and wanted to know if I was ready to go. She wanted to go to Wal-Mart sometime in the evening. Decided to head out of town towards Pa. A little town and see what kind of restaurant we could find. First found a neat farmers market and stopped and got some corn and fresh peaches. On and came across this buffet style restaurant that has sort of gone the way, this one has been there for a long time. Country cooking and help yourself to as much as you want. fried chicken and all the trimmings. Too much. Couldn't pass up trying some of the 20 pies they had. Since we were in the area with lots of Mennonites they had an Amish specialty, Sho Fly Pie. Very rich. My Mother-in-law used to make them.

So too full we left to find a new Wal-Mart that she had heard opened. Really out in the country but found what we wanted. I wanted to get some of the oldies I like to listen to on CDs while sewing. Didn't find a Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby but did find 6 that will be good listening. Then she wouldn't let me pay for them. So Happy Birthday.

We headed home and parted ways. Later I got a phone call from my niece in Colorado Springs, who will be visiting me for a week in Aug. Then heard the beep of call waiting. Got the next that I thought would be my son, but what a surprise, My oldest grandson, that I hadn't heard from or seen for over two years. He is a chef in an exclusive restaurant on the Chesapeake Bay. He will be coming to the Memorial in Aug. for his PapPap.

I forgot to say while we were shopping in Wal-Mart my cell phone rang. surprise, Last two grands of Daughters, called and being on a speaker phone, sang Happy Birthday. They used to do this when a lot younger. Now going on being a Senior in College and a Junior in High School, was really a treat. Gee, thanks again all of you.

I had to call daughter and tell her, she had texted all of them to say it was my birthday. But still great. Son didn't call but got another short email saying he would call today sometime. Being where he lives sometimes his cell does not work and he has to call while in the valley. He will be coming in a couple weeks.  I was very late getting to bed but what a wonderful day. Well , it isn't everyday you turn 80 years old. Thankfully in fairly good health. Now looking forward to a Cruise to the Bahamas with my daughter.  Thanks for listening and I will be back in a couple days.

Finished Projects

Heres my completed Charming Friends quilt and if you click on it you might be able to see some free motion quilting I did in the outside setting triangles. I am much better in stiching in the ditch or triangles.This is the first of the Kids quilts that I have made. I got the kit at the quilt shop. This is the project that is sponsered by the Downey Corp. They have woven labels for us to sign and put on the back. The lady in charge here in this area usually quilts them but since I had some large scraps of batting and found a good backing I decided to go ahead and finish it off.

Here you can see a closeup of how I quilted it. Such cute fabric.

This is the second one that I made up of some material I had. Figured it a good way to use up some of this stash. I have it ready to get sandwiched and quilted. Once that is done it takes no time at all to quilt them. Doing the binding takes the longest. From what I understand these quilts are given to some of the local childrens hospitals. There are a couple in the DC area.

Now I have no more pictures. Didn't think to take any down at my daughters home. I went down in the early afternoon on the 4th. It is in Southern Maryland not too far from the Chesapeake Bay. She's living with another lady that works for the government and has this spacious home right on the edge of woods with a stream below. What a wonderful outside screened in porch. They have 4 cats and when M. is gone on business which she is often is for days at a time. DD tends to the cats and the house and tries to pick up after her. They really make a good pair.


They gave me a job in the afternoon of shredding paper. Tedious and time consuming so was glad to help out.

We had hot dogs on the grill and potato salad which DD had made enough to take to the Church for the pot luck after the VIPs sang at the church for their homecoming concert. DD had gone with them the week before to Chicago and area for several concerts. She is the costume caretaker . She doesn't have anyone in the chorus now but the director has gotten to used to having her won't let her quit. She loves it.

Dan and Angela two of my grandchildren were there for hot dogs on the 4th. Didn't go to any fireworks but after I went to bed I heard plenty of them going off.

Monday then was the concerts. Which was the one of the reasons I went down. Also it had been almost 4 years since I had been down there. Had never seen where DD was living.

On the way home I stopped to see an old friend in Annapolis. She had lost her husband a year ago and I had not seen her since. We'd talked on the phone. So that was a nice stop. Also I did what we so often did after coming home from an antique show or DD. stopped in Frederick at our favorite Chinese Resturant and had my late lunch, early supper. Was just nice to get out and drive someplace other than to Hagerstown.

Now will be getting ready for my cruise which leaves on the 25th. Brought my big suitcase up this morning from the basement. Now to start packing it. Lots of new clothes especcialy for the cruise. 

When we get home from the cruise my DS will be here for a week and then we will have a memorial service and put DH to rest in his final resting place. He was cremated as wished and had been sitting on the hearth with his favoite bear watching over him. 
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to get to this more often. Now this time the pictures went in where I wanted them.