Using it up

I used to make a lot - around 75 - knitted dish clothes every year. My mom requested them for small gifts for her co-workers, home extension club members, friends, etc. And I always liked to have a few on hand for myself too. Well, both of us are now retired, her home extension group has kind of fizzled. Her friends are elderly and some are no longer with us. I still have some yarn left. I am knitting it up hoping to empty the bins holding the yarn. That should leave me with about 20 dish clothes and 5-6 scrubbies and a couple of empty bins.

I have also started to pull UFOs to figure out what I need to do to finish them. I need to stop creating them! Many were started several years go. Figuring out what still needs to be done, finding fabric - for borders, more blocks, whatever - is often hard, not to mention frustrating and time consuming. I have gotten better at making notes as I go along which makes it easier when I pick it back up again, but still, I need to stop doing it.

These are parts and pieces for Diamond Head by Cozy Quilt Designs.

I am trying to figure out why I abandon projects before they are finished. Sometimes I want to try a new technique or tool. Sometimes the project takes a long time and I just want to move on to something new. Sometimes I get stuck with an idea that isn't working like I thought it would. Sometimes I decide I just don't like the project. I really need to get on with things and get some projects finished so I can get my sewing areas better organized.

I will be so glad to get the computer back! I find using my tablet or phone frustrating. Hopefully next week.

Monday

Since I still have no computer I am typing and posting this from my phone.

I'm trying to finish up some gifts for Son and GF since we are not sure when we will see them again.

I made a cute little bandana for their dog.

Hey, look at that I figured out how to post a photo!

 I am thinking it may be too small though. I used some of the fabric used in their tree skirt. If it doesn't fit I know how to make it and can make a larger one if they like it.

Husband is finally able to do some field work. Not sure how long that wi will last as rain predicted for tomorrow.

Ok. So I am able to do a blog post with a photo from my phone, but it is a different than doing it from the computer so a little frustrating. I haven't figured out how to link to another blog yet though.

Computer Down

We found out yesterday that our computer has to be 'sent out' because the mother board is bad. We had a power outage the other day - off for a second or two, back on for a second or two, then off again long enough for the generator to kick in for about 5 minutes, then back on to stay. The time and date was never correct after that and was gaining time very rapidly. Then other things started happening. Fortunately, all the info on the hard drive has been saved and will be put back on before the computer comes back home. But, it will be about a week and a half before that happens. I am still trying to learn how to navigate the tablet, but it just isn't the same. Facebook, emails, etc. - they all look different. So a little frustrating, but we will get through it. Funny how a person finds out how much they use something once it's gone.

FIL is doing well and is ready to come home. He still needs another procedure to try and remove remaking kidney stones and fragments. He is also still unsteady on his feet and is on a walking program at the nursing home. So he needs to stay there for his safety. And our sanity!

Making Things

My son asked me to make some small gifts for some friends of his who have been very helpful to him. So I made some bowl buddies and a gift card holder. He plans to get them a gift card for a restaurant for show his appreciation.

 

They have cats, he likes motorcycles, she likes bright colors.

Son says his friend wants to get an Indian motorcycle one day and assured me that the fabric I already had would be fine. I hope he likes it!

It has been a week, again! So many things. And today we had to take the computer in to be looked after a power outage a few days ago seems to be cau

Design Wall Monday

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I am participating is a new exchange with my quilt group. So far everyone is reporting that their blocks/units are going together much better. We are only into the first round. We all made our block using our fabrics last month and then passed our bags onto the next person. 

We will exchange bags again on Saturday. 

Here are some of the units HH made.

And, here is my block with her fabrics. 

She is using white-on-white fabrics and shades of blue.

This past Saturday Husband finished the last of the corn at about 5:30.  

What a relief to have the crops out of the fields. Now he needs to work the ground, but we have gotten little bits of rain the last 36 hours making the ground messy so he may not get to that for a bit.

FIL is settling in at the nursing facility. He will have the procedure to remove the remaining kidney stone after Thanksgiving. He is enjoying the meals. He has been eating mostly eggs, hotdogs, applesauce and peaches for the last few years because they are easy for him to cook and eat. He refuses to let me cook or bring him food except on the rare occasion. 

In my efforts to positive I am trying to notice the beauty around me. I am not a morning person but I am getting to experience the sunrise since Husband is up. It was too cloudy today, but Saturday there was a lovely sunrise. 

The geraniums continue to bloom.

And, lastly, the mouse has been dispatched. 

Frosty Morning

I am trying to think positive thoughts. 

While waiting for a load of laundry to finish I took a look out my front door. I noticed how pretty the frost looks. It is sunny here today but the front of my house faces west and doesn't get sun until later in the day. I took a photo through the front door.

That doesn't really show how pretty the frost is. I tried zooming in on a couple of areas.

 

That didn't work very well either.

So I stepped outside for some better shots.

 This honeysuckle is pretty with the frost.

This is one leaf of the honeysuckle bush.

This grass is pretty.

And, these sunflowers - so pretty!

I am busy doing laundry because my FIL needs some clothing for his stay at the nursing home or skilled care facility. Yesterday he made the trip by ambulance from the hospital to the nursing facility near our home. I was elected to be the one to meet him since Husband was in the field and SIL had been dealing with the hospital stuff and needed some rest. He was in good spirits, ate well, was very talkative and seemed to be mostly free of pain. He has a two week wait until they will try again to remove the remaining kidney stone. The doctor decided that because of FIL's age - 95, almost 96 - that the time it was taking to do the procedure might be too much for FIL so he only removed one stone. Meanwhile, he is too weak to stand or walk more than a few steps. I am thankful the doctor insisted that he go to a skilled care facility until then. He was concerned not only for FIL but also the people who would be caring for him at home if FIL were to fall or have medical issues.

Anyway, this morning Husband and I went to get some of his things to take to him. We found clothes that needed laundered and the few other things he requested. We also gathered up the mail and newspapers that Husband had been bringing in since Wednesday. We will deliver all that as soon as the laundry is done. I hope he is feeling as well today as he did last evening.

It's Been Interesting Around Here

the last couple of days.

We got snow on Monday.

It has been very cold. Husband has been worrying. Not only does he farm corn, soybeans and hay, he also raises a few beef cows. He worries about getting his crop harvested. He was able to get a couple of wagons of corn to the elevator before the roads got too slick. He also has to worry about making sure hydrants doesn't freeze so the cows have water. Winter chores just take longer and it's COLD.

Late Tuesday night the phone ran. That is never a good thing. It was FIL, he was having pain on his right side that was keeping him from sleeping. He thought it might be a hernia, which he is prone to. It was after midnight by the time we got him to the ER. A CT scan showed a large kidney stone. There is no urologist at this small hospital so he had to be transferred by ambulance to a bigger hospital an hour away. It was after 4:00 AM by the time that happened. We came home and SIL took over. She's recently retired from a long nursing career so she will be right on top of it all, medically. She kept us pretty informed until mid-afternoon yesterday. They scheduled him for the procedure to remove the kidney stones (they found another on when reviewing the scans) for late yesterday afternoon. We haven't had any word since then. Lack of communication from her is not unusual.

Wednesday one of my good quilt friends was scheduled for knee replacement surgery. A group chat was set up to keep all her friends and family informed. Last night we heard surgery was successful and she was doing well. This morning we heard she had a good night, therapy this morning and will be released tomorrow. Yay for good communication!

The sunset was pretty again last night.

Today my farmer took the rest of the corn to the elevator and is now harvesting the last field. 

Please excuse the poor quality of these photos. I took them through my kitchen window. Too cold to be outside.

I have had a little visitor today. I was pretty sure I had seen this little critter the other night, but it was so fast I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me. 

No, and it is so fast I can't catch it. We live in the country in an old house with cracks in the foundation. We have plugged all the openings we could find, but apparently we didn't find them all. This happens every year during harvest and when the weather turns cold. I have learned to keep certain things in plastic containers that can't be chewed through that keep my items clean - like silverware and food items that aren't in cans or jars, q-tips and cotton swabs which make great nesting material. I once found moisturizer and toothpaste tubes that had been chewed through. I know those things might smell good, but I thought mice didn't like the smell of mint. And I would have thought they would not taste good. Dental floss had been unwound and was tangled in all the items throughout the drawer. What a mess. I threw it all away, sanitized and now have covered plastic tubs in my drawers for storing those items. Growing up my brothers were always bringing home small creatures they found - snakes, frogs, bugs, etc. - so I am not bothered by a few mice. I don't like them, but I am not afraid of them.

Yesterday and today I am working on cleaning out a hall closet that contains everything from candles to office supplies to linens to cleaning supplies. It has four shelves. So far no mice :)

The quilt frame makes for a good place to put everything while I decide what to keep and what to toss.

Design Wall Monday

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I have nothing on my design wall at the moment. This quilt, 4-Patch on Point, is waiting to be quilted since I got the borders added and the back pieced over the weekend.

I am knitting away on the Caldwell Cow Hood. The scarf part is finished and I have started on the hood.

I  like to use sticky notes to help keep my place on the chart.

The sunset last night was beautiful. I took several photos using different filters on my phone. There is a slight difference in each one but none of them really show the color well.

Sadly, the one that shows the colors the best was taken with the flash on Auto without my realizing it until it flashed. 

Please ignore the ugly bits of this photo and look at that beautiful sunset.

This morning we had rain very early that has now changed over to snow. Not pretty snow. Fine, wind-driven, almost sleet-like snow. Yuck. I do not like winter.

I am thankful that I don't have to be anywhere today. Husband on the other hand is taking wagons full of corn to the elevator. I hope the roads are not slick yet.

One last thing. Can someone please explain this to me? On Monday I took my car in for an oil change. They always do a good job - wash the windshield and back window, vacuum the floors, air up the tires, check the air and cabin filters, check the windshield wipers and check with me before replacing any of those. And they are quick. They put a little sticker thing on the inside of the windshield to let me know when I need to start thinking about the next oil change. I appreciate all of this.

Later in the week I received this coupon, good towards my next oil change. 

Look at the dates. There is no way I am going to be able to take advantage of this coupon unless I get an oil change way earlier than needed. I get these every time I have an oil change and they always expire way before I will need the next one. I appreciate the chance for a discount, but I wish they would have just taken $7 off the oil change I just had.

Off to do some cleaning and sewing. Have a great day!

I changed My Mind

I had an AHA moment and decided I should make a tree door hanger for Son and GF using the same fabric I used for their tree skirt. Then, I decided that one side could be different than the other. So I did a little fussy cutting and ended up with this.

I like the snowmen and neither side screams Christmas to me so I think it could be displayed for a while past Christmas, if they choose to.

Then, I got the backing pieced for the 4-Patch on Point quilt.

I had an extra strip that I pieced into the backing. I think there is enough of the backing fabric left to use it for the binding.

My pile of tops is getting bigger. 
I really want to try to do some quilting practice today using the Ultimate. 

I keep putting it off because I am pretty sure there will be some frustration. I was so excited to get a LONG arm but I am finding that it isn't as easy as some people make it seem. And, this is an old set-up. The guy that rescued it and brought it back to life knew all its quirks and just what to do to make it work well. He has moved so I don't have that resource to help me figure it all out. I need to Just Do It!