Aaahh

A deep sigh of relief! 

I did a thing. After much consideration and consultation with Husband. I have retired from my position as an aide at the elementary school where I have worked for the last 19 years. 

The longest I have worked at any one place. The job I really thought would be my last and would last until I was much older. 

But, things change and the frustration outweighed the joy so we decided it was time. The decision was made many months ago, but I didn't tell anyone until after the end of year Teacher Institute.

So, big sigh of relief and onward to finally giving my house the deep cleaning it needs but I never had the energy for. 

Onward to finally getting my home more organized, old sewing projects completed and new ones started, spending more time with quilt friends and in my yard. 

I have time to think about how I want my sewing area set up and time to rearrange it if something isn't working. Time to play with my embroidery machine and try new techniques. 

These are things I did every summer, but now there is no more pressure to hurry, hurry, hurry to do things that must be done, but not the things that bring joy and satisfaction.

And, time to help other people. My sister-in-law has decided to move. She has been struggling to live in the house she and my brother renovated, but he will never be in again. She closed on her new house last week and is in the process of moving. While I hate moving I am helping her this weekend. It will be nice to spend some time with her. Time I haven't had before. I hope this move brings her ... something. She says she will never feel better, but I hope she can find more happiness and less sadness. An sense of peace, perhaps.

I will also enjoy spending more time with my parents. We live over 3 hours apart so it really isn't a one day trip. My dad has dementia that is progressing so I really feel the need to spend some time with him. 

I have been walking around my yard more. It needs lots of attention, but I am looking past the weeds to the beautiful flowers that are blooming now. 

I finally got the petunias planted. They are doing well, despite the wind we have had. 

Husband likes red so we chose red and white petunias for the planters. 

It is interesting the variations in the coloring.

Husband was finally able to get into the fields. Still a lot of standing water in some places, but he is slowly getting the ground worked and seeds planted. It was all going great, until it wasn't. 

Something is wrong with this tractor and it got picked up today for repair. As if that isn't enough stress, my FIL was been driving around and around and around the section watching to make sure Husband is working. He starts each day by saying 'I don't want to tell you what to do, but...'. Then he drives around to make sure Husband is doing what FIL didn't want to tell him to do. And to make matters worse he is going about 5 miles an hour and really has no business behind the wheel. 

Before you think that it is possible that he is out there checking to make sure things are going ok and Husband is safe, he isn't. In the past when Husband has had a problem he just sits in his truck, no offer to help or make a phone call, just sits and watches. 

I think I will go take another lap around the yard and take in all the beauty of those lovely blooms.

Around My Yard

I took a little tour around my yard today. I don't get to do this very often until school is out. Too wet in the mornings before school and too tired at the end of the day.

Anyway....

Butterfly Plant

Variegated Weiglia

...these two did not survive the winter.

This Hibiscus is so late to emerge that every year I think it hasn't survived, but I see growth.





It produces beautiful flowers and leaves so I am very happy to see it is growing.







The roses we did not dig out have survived the weed whacking Husband gave them and one even has flower buds.


The iris, phlox and peonies are all doing well.

You can see in the picture above of the small maple tree and iris that we have a 'little' wind today.



That, along with storm warnings (again), is why these petunias are still in my garage and not in outside pots.

I love walking around my yard and visiting all the bright spots of lovely color and fragrance. Soon I will be able to do that more often. 

I also realize that I need to do a lot of weeding. Again, soon. Report card day is Monday. The last Teacher Institute of the day is Tuesday. Then my days will be mine to do as I want. 

Mostly, Husband will still me to help with hay baling.

Happening Around Here

Quilt Exchange is coming up this weekend so I got busy and got my block made.

  

The picture on the left are Collette's blocks and mine has been added in the picture on the right - second row, left. This is a pretty collection of fabric.

I was able to get a little yard work done on Saturday before the wind picked up. Out of seven Knock Out Roses, three had died and needed to be dug out. After I dug and dug (this is when I realized exactly how out of shape I am!) we ended up having to use the tractor to pull them out. This is what the area looked like a couple of years ago. They really were beautiful so it was disappointing to realize they weren't coming back this year.

The three on the right are slowly growing. Three on the left did not survive the winter and the fourth did not look good so we pulled them all out. We decided to throw out a mix of natural wildflower seeds and see what happens.

 









I also got some veggies planted and here are some other things happening in the yard. I love this time of year.

And, there has finally been a break in the rain and Husband was able to do some field work today.

There are 10 school days left; nine with students. I am counting the days, let me tell you! Behaviors are a problem. We use an app called Class Dojo to track student behavior; red Dojo for bad behavior, green for good. Teachers create labels for different kinds of behaviors - kind to a friend, good choice at recess, honesty, on task, bad choice at recess, disrespect, bullying/hitting, not listening are a few examples. The boys especially are getting more aggressive as the days go by. They are acting out some video game or TV show. They are karate chopping and kicking, throwing punches, knocking each other down. The other aide and I have been giving warnings for a few days and today we started giving red Dojos. I have been getting messages from parents. That is good and I hope they talk to their kids. Some of the model students are even acting out. This time of year is very hard and seems to go on FOREVER. We are all looking forward to a break from school and some fun summer activities.

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another

Seriously, sometimes I think the Universe is out to get me. A while back I had a series of things that broke, or quit working, because, you know, things happen in threes. More things in the past few weeks that have made me crazy.

I went to quilt retreat the end of the last full week of April. I planned and packed and was ready to go. Got to retreat and started on my first project. Forgot the matching thread. Guess I didn't plan so well. So I put that project away and got out the Exchange Block for the exchange on Saturday which I had planned to do that first day anyway.

My block using her fabric.

All her blocks so far.

This member has chosen a beautiful bird themed collection of fabrics. 

I then started on another project since I didn't have the right thread for the first project. 

On the second day of retreat I remembered the needed thread and finished this Little Lacey Bag.

It is the perfect size for my machine foot and cord. 

I continued to work on my second project and discovered I had not made enough 4 patch blocks. Rats. Put that away and was thankful that I had thought to bring another project which I was able to I finish later in the day on Saturday.

This was a kit from Boline's in Bloomington. I love the colors and especially liked that it was a quick project - just what I needed.

After I finished that I started on another quilt that was cut, but no piecing had happened.

Corrugated Quilt 

I was able to finish it on Sunday. Again, it went together quickly, but I did make a couple of cutting errors and had to cut and piece more strips. Thankfully, there was enough fabric to that. 

Then I went back to making more 4 patches. I am using Bonnie Hunter's Addicted to Scraps pattern 4 Patch X.

These need to trimmed and I still have more 4 patches to make so I can make enough blocks for the size quilt I want, but that will be a project for this summer.

I enjoyed retreat and it was a great, much needed break from school. 

But, then on Monday morning I awoke to Husband saying "Uh-oh". I was thinking we had overslept, but no. This is what was happening.

Non-repairable leak in waterbed

A terrible way to start any day, but it felt worse on a Monday. Not only was there a huge leak, but the water had dripped down into the heater thermostat ruining it. Then as I tried to get on-line and order a new mattress, heater and mattress pad the internet kept going out. Took me forty-five minutes to place an order. The new mattress arrived on Tuesday, the heater on Wednesday and we got the bed filled, but it was not warm enough to sleep on that night. 

Thankfully I had set up a bed in the sewing room. The waterbed is a King because Husband is tall. The spare bed is a double. I pulled it away from the wall.

Not much sleeping went on for 3 nights because his feet were hanging off the end and I was afraid of falling/being (accidentally) pushed off the bed!
And, as our luck seems to run towards the unlucky side one of the items we ordered would not be available until sometime in May.

I guess it could be worse. At least the mattress and heater were shipped.

We have been having trouble with our phone. It hasn't been working quite right for a few weeks, plus we have a lot of static during calls. So we replaced the phone on Wednesday. Still had static so on Thursday Husband made calls to the internet and phone companies. Many find it hard to believe we still have a land line, but Husband does not like using and mostly refuses to carry as cell phone. Phone line was fixed the next day. Still waiting on internet. They think it is a problem with their wiring at our house. They will be coming sometime this next week. 

And, during all of this we got lots, LOTS of rain this week. The means indoor recess which is not good for any of us.

I did take a walk around my yard between rain drops and am very happy to see all the growth and blooms.Notice the water in the field behind the lilacs.

Apple tree

I am so happy to see any color and flower that I even enjoy the violets and dandelions that are sprouting up all over!

I know my flower beds need lots of attention, but I will get to that this summer. I can't think of much of anything else until school is out. I just don't have the energy.


And, I know I am blessed and need to stop grumbling.