Half Way There

I quilted to the center of this quilt - half way done.

Then Husband decided to give it a try at combining beans so I decided to mow the yard, finish what he started on Saturday, but quit because it was just too wet.

It's a beautiful day here. Comfortable temperature, slight breeze, blue sky. I got the yard mowed and Husband is still in the field, which I take as a sign that things are going well. I probably won't see him until at least dark.

I apologize for my rant earlier. I will try to keep my posts more on the positive side. I know that there is not a thing I can do about my FIL except to be there if/when he needs me. He knows I am available.

A Pain in My Neck

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I literally have a pain in my neck. It is on the right side and even though intensity of the pain comes and goes it is always there. I think it is from too much computer time. I am right-handed and have my arm outstretched with my hand on the mouse a lot when browsing and even reading blogs. I need to try to stay away from the computer for awhile to see if that helps. Should get more accomplished on the quilting front!

Speaking of quilting I got the backing cut and pieced for the Indian motorcycle quilt.

I've mentioned my big cutting table before. It is in my garage. 

Yes, I plan, cut and layout quilts with my car. 

I have this old rolling library cart that used to hold books in a previous life.

Now it holds quilting supplies and sometimes fabric. Here it is holding two coffee cans. How can those be quilting supplies, you ask. I put them right up on the table when I am cutting and use one for trimmings that will get thrown in the trash. The other is used for scraps that will be kept for another project. The rolling cart also sometimes holds rulers and other notions.

It works great for holding fabric that is so long it will hang to the floor. Since I am working in my garage the floor is NOT very clean. We live on a farm. Leaves blow in, dirt and dust come in on boots. I don't sweep in here often. That would be a waste of time that would be better spent quilting!

It has wheels so I can roll it right under the table and out of the way when I am not using it. It was no longer used or wanted at the school library. I am so glad to have it at my house.

The quilt has been loaded on the long-arm and I have made 4 passes.

Hope to finish it the next day or two, if the pain in my neck doesn't get too bad.

Another pain in my neck has been the triangles I have been gifted. 

I don't know why I am struggling so much with these. I have no problem putting squares of different colors and styles together to make a quilt, but I just can't seem to come up with a plan for these. So I put them away and will think about them later.

I spent a lovely day yesterday with 'my' quilting group. There are five of us that do some things together fairly often. Sue (the oldest), Sally, Diane, Cindy, me (the youngest). We range in age from 80+ to 61. We are a fun group. But another pain in my neck is that occasionally Sue and I have a difference of opinion and it happened again yesterday. I can't seem to get it out of my mind. She and her husband were good friends with my in-laws and are the godparents to my husband and his sister. Her husband died more than 20 years ago. There has not been much interaction between her and my in-laws in years. She did visit my MIL a few times when MIL was in the nursing home. She does ask about FIL from time to time, but never calls or visits him. She does share with me that she has seen or someone mentioned SIL occasionally. I haven't seen, nor do I care to, my SIL since shortly after my MIL died. Sue and my disagreements are concerning offering and accepting help with things that can no longer be done because of illness or inability. 

RANT BEGINS HERE. My FIL has made it very plain that no one helps him. His children and grandchildren do nothing for him he tells people. My son lives two hours away and is physically and visually disabled. His other three grandchildren live 2000 miles away so I am not sure what he expects from them. I say he has made it very difficult and is very unpleasant whenever Husband or I have tried to help him. Sue says getting old is hard and frustrating and people don't want to ask for help. I get that, but I say we worry about him, about him injuring himself, or worse, because he refuses to ask for or accept help. Last winter he told my husband about how he lost his footing on the ice, fell and slid under his truck when he went to retrieve his mail from the mailbox along the road. I feel that he is exaggerating this story a bit. Husband has offered several times to bring his mail in for him. He is down there doing chores and would be happy to do that for him. We don't want him to fall, or worse. Nope, he says he can get his own da** mail! OK. He fell going down the stairs to the basement where the washer and dryer are. He demanded a handrail be put up which Husband did immediately. He refused to let Husband do that when MIL fell down the stairs. I offered to do laundry. Nope, he just doesn't do laundry anymore. Nor does he bathe since he can't get in and out of the tub (no shower) anymore. He has refused help with that also. He has refused any kind of aid from us. Will not let us install safety features for him. He told Husband not to bring him anymore da** food. OK. But, Husband's sister has suddenly been visiting him on Sundays for the last few weeks. Sue knew about that somehow. And, what a wonderful, loving daughter she is! FIL said she lays on the couch most of the time she is there. She says he stinks and his clothes are dirty and she is going to throw them all away and buy him new ones. Hasn't happened. Then she tells  Husband HE needs to do this or that for FIL, then she gets in her car and leaves. She doesn't do anything, but thinks her brother should. Oh, he is also suppose to have been 'taking care' of her, making sure she is financially set for life, whatever the hell that means. 

I didn't say most of this to Sue. I did ask her if she felt her own children would not help her if she needed it, or would resent helping her. She responded it is harder for them to come help her since they all live several hours or states away and all are working. I asked what if they lived in the same town as her and she seemed to think they wouldn't want to help her. She then went on the say one of her biggest regrets is not doing more for her own mother when she was older and lived in the same town. By the end of our conversation I was confused and angry. I feel that I should and would do anything necessary to care for my FIL if only he would accept my help. She has made me feel like I am not doing enough for a man who clearly does not want any help. And thinks it is acceptable for him to be so unpleasant. Unpleasant isn't a strong enough word to describe the behavior and attitude of this man. He has always been one to stir up trouble and hard feelings among his family members. He is greedy, a liar, cheat, and mentally and emotionally abusive. Husband has witnessed it and suffered from it for years. The man puts on a different face for other people, most of the time, unless they make him mad. We have been hearing stories for a while now of things he has said and done to MIL and business people he has dealt with. So this isn't just and 'old age' thing, although I do think it is escalating as he ages. I do feel sorry for him in a way, but I also feel like he has put himself in this position of no one wanting to help him. 

Recipe Report and Other Stuff

The latest recipe I have tried is this

I did not use reduced fat soup. I did halve the recipe since it is only the two of us. I used one can of cream of chicken soup and no cream of mushroom soup as I didn't know what I would do with half cans of soup. I expected to be able to get six biscuits since the full recipes says it will make twelve. I only got four, but that worked well for us. Maybe I made them too big but they seemed just the right size for us. We ate half the recipe at one meal. I reheated it the next day covered. I was concerned the biscuits would get hard, but they were fine. We both liked this and I will make it again. 

On the quilting front I have been working on The Indian motorcycle quilt and pillow.

The quilt top is finished. The top part is not visible in this photo. It looks just like the bottom. Today I will get the back put together and get it loaded on the long-arm frame.

I finished the pillow yesterday.

Pillow Front

Pillow Back

I pieced the back and closed it with a button so that it can be removed and washed as needed. Husband thought it turned out well.

My plants and flowers are doing well. 

Last year the pink geranium stole the show. It has gotten a little leggy. It is showing new growth, but no flower buds.

This year I think the red one is going to take over the show.

The umbrella plant continues to show new growth, but I can't seem to get rid of those darn bugs.

 And the treatments I have used are causing damage to the leaves.

Harvest has started around here, but not for Husband. His beans are not quite ready. He tried yesterday, but with the recent rain and heavy dews we have had they just aren't dry enough. He says he will try again today, but we are suppose to get more rain this afternoon/evening.

He has beans that are more ready than these. He likes to plant several varieties that mature at different times. These fields are right by our house. He likes to do them last so he is close to home at the end. Last year he hauled in his first load on September 5th. What a difference this year.

Tuesday

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

Husband gave me my Christmas present early. He's been planning this for a little bit apparently. He said he had measured to make sure it would fit through the doorways and a spot in my sewing room.

I have started to fill it up. I'm sure I will rearrange things a few times before I get it 'just right'.

Then I came across some of my bonus HSTs that people have shared with me.

I started sorting them. I want to put them all into one quilt, but am not quite sure how to do that. They are different sizes and fabric styles and colors are quite varied. This is just one small bag of HSTs. I have many, many more.

I got to spend yesterday with Son and his GF. His dog loves him. 

I had a few things to take to them. She loves - LOVES - fall and Halloween. I had found some of my decorations that I decided I didn't need anymore. I had also found some Halloween lights for a great deal and knew she would love them. We went shopping, then got some lunch. It was a nice visit. Later I received this picture from them.

I knew she would love the lights. I'm pretty sure they got busy putting them up as soon as I left. 

Today I plan to get back to work on a quilt for the guy who manages the dealership where Husband gets his farm equipment. He owns an Indian motorcycle and recently went on a cross-country trip on it with a group. Husband thought I needed to make him a quilt.

There will be a matching pillow too.

It may not look like it, but I do have a plan. It was suppose to be a quick quilt. I ordered fabric about a month ago, but getting the fabric was a challenge with some delays and poor communication from one vendor, but I am on track now. The plan has changed a couple of times, but I am sticking with this plan and will finish piecing the top today. I hope to get it quilted in the next few days.