Much ado about nothing.........

Where has the month gone???? Last month of course! I have been to Pennsylvania to see my many brothers and sisters... and mother, they were all introduced to the Son in law...who was in on furlough from Iraq...and since the family is so large...only about half had met him at the wedding. A good time was had by all, I bought way too much food for the family party we had last Sunday afternoon... but when some of my sisters...have over 10 kids... nothing goes to waste! We sent home sodas and food with just about everyone.I ejnoyed seeing all of my family.Only two brothers couldn't make it so it was a good time. The son in law took it all in stride. Its a good thing his family likes to show up to visit.... I told him he'd fit right in.... except in our family, they all bring their kids too!So way more little kids around. We will all be getting together for a nephew's wedding later in May...and it is in Pennsylvania...where all but two of us still live. I have done so little sewing except hand quilting on my big quilt.But I have been searching for an older model Bernina...to make up for the one I had in South Africa...and left behind... as it was 220 electricity.If any one knows where I can find an 830 reasonable.... I have been bidding on everyone that comes up on ebay...but lost out on all of them so far.At least I am being somewhat productive. I have just sorted fabrics...and cut up some scraps...like Libby did, she just inspired me to go through one small box ...but at least it is done when I do get my machine.I have a featherweight in TX....but since we won't be heading up there until later in June, I am cutting or "stripping" until then. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. My dear son in law is returning to Iraq tomorrow...so I am helping with the home front. Keep us in your prayers!

Camp purse...literally!

I have been busy..as son in laws family has come to visit with him while he is home from Iraq, and I decided to finally make DD 's "camp" purse from his old BDU"S...fatigues. This is the result. I tried to use all the bits from his old uniform. It had a few problems...but all in all turned out OK. Had to share. We picked out a really wild looing lining...but it is pretty much covered up with the big inside pockets. Have a great day!

Happy Tax Day!!!! If its something to be happy about that is?

Well, the day has come.It is Tax Day! Hope you all have a good one. I have another

good reason to enjoy today. We had this sleeper embroidered for the wee one...Daddy's
Tax Deduction. The picture says it all....he already seems to know that this day is not necessarily a good one!Been working on a diaper bag/purse for DD and wee one...made from Dad's old Army BDU's. Still have to add the straps. But going al0ng nicely...and of course more hand quilting on the other quilt.Have a great day.

Back on my soap box.....

OK, I have left behind many things I hold dear in South Africa.... some intentionally ...some not so! Just before I left, I posted two parcels to myself...full of last minute gifts, and a few more peices of precious fabric...and a handful of household things..that I NEEDED that last two weeks after the container was packed. Well.... I must have CRAZY written on my forehead. My husband asked me why I would waste money.... quite a bit..as in almost 200 US to send two boxes to me. One weighed about 15 lbs.... and the other...weighed about 25 lbs. This week....I received the second package on MONDAY.... considerably lighter.... it weighed under 3 pounds!!! They had stolen all the cookbooks...and a Bible printed in Afrikaans.... and my wicker tea tray... and an orphan quilt that I had almost finished...and a double quilt top flimsy. They left the half square triangles...( so obviously it wasnt' a quilter...or those would have gone first!!!!*0* ) They took a Mandela shirt I had had made for my husband...and all the big pieces of fabric! Now I was pretty cheesed off as you can imagine.... and wrote a very nasty email to the SA post office. I did receive a very nice email saying " that an investigation had been opened concerning my parcel"... but they NEVER asked me what was in the parcel exactly!????? So how does that work. So now I don't have my special fabric...or the last two quilts I made... and worse...my Raj curry powder..and a cople of cute rusk tins didn't make it. Now the really cruddy thing was that the box...was clearly marked fabric...clothing..but it arrived all coverded in grease...like it had been in an auto parts box.....and they even carefully taped it back shut! But the final straw was that there was a bill...dated March 23, for a scholastic book club....addressed to someone else..... inside my box???? Which is why you should never trust foreign mails. I should have knows better...but ....there you go. In other news...I did start hand quilting on my scrap quilt which did arrive safely in my suitcase! May as well get it going....so I can sleep under it this winter! Then had to share this crazy picture. I think this may only occur...in America! Driving down the road to the store...and I pass some seedy places...XXX store...but not only is it an ADULT store...but you can rent your UHAUL there!!! Is it just me...but for one small minute...felt like I was back in South Africa!Hope you all have a great weekend.

Happy Easter belatedly, Baby Door Badge, Quilt blocks and other things.

Special thanks to all the well wishers for the littleMan. OK, its been awhile.Where does the time go..... with a new baby???? I really don't remember them being time consuming??? Of course maybe that is because I am an old lady with "Sometimers". Meaning I can't remember stuff ....sometimes. But I never showed the Baby door badge, I made for our "WEE" one to hang at hospital and on front door when we brought him home. Its a TEXAS thing I think??? Used to make them for the flower shop I worked at when we were still there. Its pretty much a TEXAS HOMECOMING MUM, in baby colors! Also, wanted to show I did actually sew a couple of squares.... who remembers how long ago? My weeks seem to be running together and going nowhere...if you catch my drift.I have actually started to sew on my Baltimore blocks again...as I sit quietly ..... while my eyes still focus...and before I fall asleep! I have today begun to cut some strips to work on the SOUTH AFRICA letters, aka, Tanya style, that I hope to add to my South African Memory Quilt very soon....AND made a stack of Scrapbook pages.... without photos...on them yet..... because I have so many pics to get developed.... that I know I will have photos to go on the nearly 25 pages I have put together. I am so jealous....seems like when I want to/feel like sewing....I am either too tired to start a project... or not in mood to mess up DD's place. So I am going to work on organizing my bedroom...so that I can cut...and putter over books....when the mood strikes me. I did break down and buy both the Civil War Quilt books. But can't even think about starting them....until I get finished with this last star quilt. Think I may put these on point in Medallion shape first...then add the other blocks to the edge. I only have 10 finished so far.... so more to make in order to finish. I am also sharing a photo of DD's quilt that she made for a beginners class she took. It is so fresh and colorful.Hope you all are having a lovely, spring week. I am loving the signs of Spring here. Have a lovely next couple of days.

Top o' the Morning to you..... a bit late.

Ok... another quickie. We had to wish you all a belated Happy St. Pat's Day..... of course there was no green beer for the "wee" one! And had to post photos of the goodies in my fabric box from South Korea. Thanks loads JEN at Wacky Happenings... for those. Can't wait to come up with something to make with them.The wheels have started turning though already! We are still adjusting to this new baby.... not got much time to be online.... but DD can start driving again soon... and then she'll have a little more freedom.The Wee one...is doing quite well.... in all the usual baby ways. I am looking forward to going for a visit to other baby, very soon. Get to babysit while they go on a camping trip in about a month....what a pleasure. Hope al lof you have lovely week...its raining.... lots of terrible wind... and more shingles off the roof. The roofer has been here 5 times since I came, just about once a week! Can't wait till the windstorms subside.Happy sewing to you all. Have had 8 blocks of unfinished quilt sitting by machine since I came home with baby from hospital.... shame.... need to get motivated!

He is here! And is it possible to be more tired.

The baby's Room is finished.... and

Our Dear Baby is here. Mom and baby have had a little bit of drama...but we are all doing well. As the "HONEY" ( what my other Grandkids call me) of the baby....I have discovered..... That I remember nothing about having babies! And what I do remember is ALL WRONG!! Its a wonder, my own children survived. Now there is no giving any water to new babies, they should not be covered with blankets....YOU DRESS the BABY, NOT the BED! And they NEVER sleep like my kids did..... its all info from the internet...and none of it is cohesive.... so it makes these new moms crazy with worry about every thing..... not just my daughter...but every new mom I saw in hospital. Thank goodness, common sense does enter into some of all this. DD and baby are getting along very well....we go to Dr. tomorrow to have baby checked out .... the weather has been gorgeous here.... and tomorrow its supposed to give us some rain. I wanted to tell you all that he is here.... well, quite cute...and my babies weren't particularly...so he must get that from the other side of the family! I haven't sorted out how one sleeping, crying, eating baby....of 5 days old....can wear out two full grown women! I just don't remember being this tired.... so it must fade with time! In fact I was so tired that .... a wonderful parcel arrived...and sat by the front door for two days....as I was too tired to poen it...EVEN though I knew there was fabric from DD in law in South Korea!!!! YIKES! That isn't tired.... that is EXHAUSTION!!!! Will photo some of the lovely goodies in that box the next time I get to the computer.

Finished Under the sea quilt!!! SNOW Days.

Its finished... today is DD's due date... but no progress... if nothing happens by next Friday, that will be his birthday.

These are DD's cats...and in true Academy Awards style...." I couldn't have done it without their help and assistance!!!!" Using DD's sewing machine...left much to be desired...missing my very own machine. Stored (hopefully ) somewhere in Texas...unless the professor put it by the dumpster....don't think he would have, he knows he'd just have to buy me a new one! Hmmmmmmm maybe I could just never find it...and get a new one out of him anyway....???? May need to ponder that a bit more. At any rate... this is how it looks...prepressing... the edges looked wavy...but laid flat after I stepped on them...but by then my "helpers" were back...so no other photos. I am feeling ok about the quilting.... but didn't get it to do as much as I would have liked.Her machine drags...doesn't have drop feed...should have morphed up a cover.... so my stitching wasn't as good as I would have preferred.To be truthful...would have liked to have hand quilted it...but no time. I wish I had a photo of my first Grandaughter's quilt...I did hand quilt that one...and it was a Twinkle Twinkle theme. Maybe DD in law..will take a photo for me. I have made all the GK's a quilt... pretty much asking their parents to give me an idea...if not...I did what I wanted.Still have lots more ideas ...but have run out of grandbabies! It snowed here...and call me crazy...but Middle Tennessee are sissies when it comes to snow.I am posting the SNOW that caused the schools to cancel.HEck in Texas...they walked in 8 inches of snow ......NOT in their bare feet.... before the school board would cancel school! Its crazy, but school has been canceled 3 times since I have been here...and we haven't had more than an inch or two. Also is the little neighbor girl who was home because of NO SCHOOL! Now I get to work on at least one unfinished...actually 3 MIP's (masterpieces in progress) and figure out what to start next!I will be sitting at the hospital soon! Have a great weekend...we are going walking ...in the mall to get DD's labor Party started. At least that is the plan.

Update on Under the sea quilt.... and photo of my ironing board!

Ok, been sewing like a mad woman.... trying to get this quilt done. Have posted more pics ...of "Under the Sea" in progress. Also had to add photos of my ironging board...(since I am staying with DD at moment...not my real one... which is in much worse condition...) Think my old ironing board that I packed up 4 yrs ago...is the heavy Steel one...from the 60's. The legs were rewelded.... but it probably weighs at leat 10 pounds... and the top is holy.... with towels wrapped around it....HAdn't got round to making a permanent cover.I am going from memory...since I hope its stored with whatever stuff we have left...but simply can't remember. I didn't pack everything on the flatbed trailer as it was being transported from the "college" digs....as the professor moved all. I still have no idea if my diamond jewelry made it to storage...or went out to the dumpster with the other "unnecessary" things that the prof threw out. He had finished school... and I was finishing up at work.It was around Mother's Day and trust me.... Florists aren't idle at that time! It was so funny when we were moving.He would take loads of stuff, microwave, coffee pot, crock pot, the sofa....and put next to the big dumpster.... and pretty soon the alley was full of "dumpster divers". Though they didn't have to get INSIDE the dumpster( as I have done on occasion.... but that is a whole other story!) as DH was kind enough to put next to...for easier rummaging! Well, some especially cheeky "divers" showed up at our back door to inquire if we would be putting anything else out.... as they wanted to go to LUNCH!!!! Needless to say... think we went to lunch too! At any rate.... not knowing where or if MY old faithful ironing board is still around...I am using a make shift one here at DD's. My next question must be....are there cat magnets in ironing boards!????? I mean most photos of "ironing" areas.... have a cat perched somewhere on them???? Since mine is just a towel.... I find that hard to believe! In photo you will notice the dusting of snow...probably 3/4 of an inch so far...but snowing still.Must get back to the machine...and hope my helpers will stay off the quilt long enough for me to get the rest done today. Have a great day.

Under the sea update....as in almost done!

Since dd is due on Friday, its a good thing I got all fish sewed on to quilt.I was prepared to add turtle, octopus..and dd said it is fine the way it is. So now planning the quilting. Got some lovely thread(Japanese) in variagated sea colors...which will be used to quilt. Hoping to get quilt sandwich put together tomorrow...do a little practice machine quilting...then off to the races! Still have a few other things to sew up for crib...like bed skirt and rocker pillow covers.We decided to use the leftover fish fabric for pillows. Thanks for the kind comments and the suggestions...think waves and bubbles might be a wonderful thing to try. Still have to set off quilt with thin black border..then more batik fabric.It looked good....earlier but too tired to cut black strips tonight. Be back later.

Under the sea quilt....and Taegu South Korea

Ok,

just a quickie, to show what I have been working on....seems like forever. This is the MIP( masterpiece in progress) of DD's baby quilt....UNDER the SEA. I have all sea weed on....most of the sea floor....now starting to add the little fish....before tackling larger pieced fish...and octopus or turtle.Not decided yet! Just to show that I am doing something! I have also scrapped several pages...and made base pages as well...when the light gives out for hand applique! Whoo. Just uploaded photos from our South Korea trip last year....will start to send some of those out as well. If you have suggestions..... I am open to any as to how to quilt this thing. Also if you have any suggestions about other things to add to the quilt.I am open...but it does need to be finished in less than two weeks. I think sea floor will be done today....then to the little fishes...and start cutting out larger fish...Just a couple. Maybe one , a turtle...and octupus! Just not sure. have many more little fish I can add..... Just want it to look good! I did add one photo from South Korea....taken during cherry blossom season that I
took.The blooms were gorgeous. I did enjoy seeing the gardens...and other things there. We were so lucky to make it there at just the right time. It was cold and rainy...and some of the yellow dust from China did catch us...but the trip was so informative. My dad served in Korea, and talked of rice paddies...and not much else. But the transformation was unbelievable.Technology was evident everywhere....of course in the city so was the sewer odor! Wonder if NYC has that odor also? The city we were in most of the time, was in the south.... Taegu....about 3 million people. So maybe that is why the smell was evident when you passed near the grates.Not sure. Will share more later. Must get sewing.

Dorothy we definitely aren't in Kansas anymore..... and I definitley feel like someone who has been in the "PEN" for awhile!

WOW! Been back a little over a week.... been sick, had snow, been shopping! According to "the PROFESSOR" maybe shopping too much. He dreads the moving of all the stuff I have shopped for...if you know what I mean. And the shame of it is, Garage sale season hasn't even started yet!!! I had been holding myself in check, I thought....but he isn't seeing it quite that way! HMMM....but I digress. I haven't been on in awhile, because of sinus infection. Not doing much of anything else either....not good when a baby quilt needs to be finished soon.... but .....since I have been on. I have been tagged for a meme.... by Sweetp ....will have to figure out how to work the whole adding the links...etc...to the post before I do it? I am just not that savvy.
On to other things. I went to the Post office...the other day to send off important packages, and must admit...it was so good being home seeing the American flag flying there. Not that it doesn't fly at every school, and half the businesses you drive by...but I really noticed it! Something I must have always taken for granted before. But while at the post office, I saw some workmen fixing a KIOSK machine...where you can lay the package on....and it tells you how much to pay to send off the parcel, slip the money into the machines.... and (snapped fingers) you are done!!!! When did that come into being???? I have come back to the US many times.... during the past couple of years we have been gone..but never noticed this kind of thing. And yes......I had used the self scanners at Walmart and a few grocery stores....so I did know that you could self serve check-out at the grocery store. Still pretty slow using them...but getting better everyday.......AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE PROFESSOR!!!!! He looks online to see where I have been and what I have purchased...No I don't have a computer chip in me...... just in the good old bank card! That is a scary thing to think about....a chip which showed where you were at all times....like a GPS device implanted! Seriously don't want to think of that. But also while I was at the post office, paying for parcels, the girl innocently asked if I needed any stamps...... FOREVER STAMPS? Now being as it was Valentine's day.... I asked if that was the Valentine's day stamps( for my foriegn readers...we do have seasonal stamps available... and ones with your kids pictures on them...if you want to order them...or Elvis, or flowers...or whatever you can imagine. I even saw a Yoda from Star Wars one! ) Well, you could have blown me away with a ....well being a bigger girl, it wouldn't be a feather...... but you could have blown me away....when she tells me that it is a stamp that is good forever!!!! As in even in two months it will still be good...when the price of a letter goes up again! I mean..... it is GOOD FOREVER to send a letter....even if I had it for 100 years!!!! and then had my great grandchildren send it! When did this come about???? I was dumbfounded...and of course bought two books of stamps!!!! At least when these get found by one of my decendents in a 1,000 years they will still work????? I found it quite amazing!!!! Well, DD has decided we must go shopping ..... so I am off again!!!!! It is usually her fault anyway. *v* Thats my story and I'm sticking to it!!! Annie, your parcel is on its way.... for the lucky draw! Hugs to you all. I have to uplaod photos to share, of the quilt in process and a few silly things as well. Later.

LOST but FOUND!!!!!!! Luck of the Irish!!!!

Ok, the lost bag..... after much talking, asserting myself, and probably being downright rude...has been located! Once again, in South Africa, still at the airport..... But it took phone calls to three different airlines...with explanations about how it was lost and FOUND by ME last time still in AFrica!!! It was located, then sent to London, then to Chicago...in other words the route I took????? Then about midnight, a day later, I got the phone call to say they wanted to deliver it.NOW I was extremely jet lagged, and woken from a sound sleep...as well as DD who gets up about 5:45 AM in order to drive the hour into Nashville.I was very rude...and told the guy, heck no its not convenient for you to deliver it now...."ARE YOU HERE???" To which he replied that he was still in Nashville...and wouldn't get there until after 2:00 AM???!!!!! The HELL you say. I don't care how efficient you are...and that you are a 24 hr. delivery courier for the airlines. THEY lost my bag...and I am NOT staying up to wait for it to be delivered. He then tells me, rather cheekily, that MOST people are SO HAPPY to get their bag, they don't mind. Well, wrong thing to say to me , I told him, as happy as I AM to get the bag, he can leave it on the front porch....I'll take my chances!!!!! This is the US....and my daughter's mail(packages) have sat on the front porch all day....and don't seem to disappear! Besides it was below freezing and I figured most Thieves wouldn't be out cruising the cul de sac neighborhoods...looking for stuff left on the front porch to steal!!!! It did sit on the front porch all night, it was intact...still in its protective saran wrap cocoon, put on it in South AFrica at the airport to reduce the chance of ...anything being.....stol.....er ....I mean "falling" out at the baggage area. So all the stuff has arrived. quilt is intact... and now I am unpacking! Annie, will send off the parcel of "lucky draw " items as soon as I can. Thanks for the concern about the luggage..... but seriously.... how could they lose another bag? Still haven't sorted that one out. But the good news...is that the other bag, had all my stuff in it. So I am a "Lucky" Irish girl! You all have a great couple of days. I am going to try to get unpacked and sew on this baby quilt for DD. More later! Colleen

Here we go again!!!!!!! HolyCrap tornadoes in February!

As you know...have left South Africa.... to return to Stateside life...sort of! I mean ...I am temporarily homeless.... since living with your daughter isn't really living at home! Especially my neat nick daughter....this morning...she gently said, " Ma, I guess its too early for you to remember the kitchen guidelines?" to which I immediately remembered I had left a wet rag in the kitchen sink! I know.... its a bad habit....that and my fingerprint smudges on the fridge handle are tooooooooo awful. But at least DD didn't gripe me out. I am fortunate in that we get along...as long as I remember not to talk her head off! She is so like her dad in that regard.... hubby just kind of displays the glazed eyes.....then says "What " ????? after I have talked to myself and Him...for 15 minutes! At any rate....settling in here....after a horrendous few days. The trip over was longer by 11 hrs as Chicago had bad weather and then fog on top of that. I missed my connecting flights...then had to be bumped to already full flights as standby, only to have that flight canceled! finally at 10:00 PM Chicago time...my 4:40 flight took off. I arrived so late into Nashville I told DD to go to bed....and I would stay in hotel at airport...which was a good thing....as I was short a ....YEP....... AGAIN....... A BAG IS MISSING!!!!!! And I had to stay at airport and do all paperwork .....at 1:15 AM!!!! I fell asleep on the Chicago flight....BEFORE we took off....Woke up in the air just before we landed in TEnnessee! Can't beleive that I slept through a take off! Thank goodness I could book into hotel at the airport. Got some sleep...then called DD to pick me up the next morning after I woke up. Now bag was nowhere in sight...and so frantically went through what had arrived..... Holy CRAP! Where are the pieces of African fabric...for my lucky draw...... IN THE MISSING BAg... at least most of them. Found one small piece in the one which had arrived. In fact this time the bag I got had clothes...but my quilt...and quilt tops were in the other one! A reversal of fortunes you might say! But the people at baggage claim were most helpful, so hoping all goes well in that dept. Surely I can circumvent the delay this time..I do have some phone numbers and I intend to use them all! I am determined that I will locate the bag.... as quickly as possible. Now if that wasn't enough...of course those of you stateside know about the horrible tornadoes that came through the Tennessee area. Not having thought about tornado "season" yet..... I thought I heard sirens while daughter was at class on Tuesday night.... and sure enough went outside to hear the distinctive wail....but coming from far away! Not expecting it....was freaked out in a major way. So immediately called DD ....to ask if storm cellar near her home...she had no clue either? Then flicked on TV to find out because she has satellite....no coverage...found very fuzzy TV station with weather...which showed where warnings were...of course by county... and which I have no clue what county we are in at the moment. Call DD as I am clearing out closet in my bedroom for me and the animals....she tells me MOntgomery....which of course is on the warning list. So I spent the next 20 min. inside the closet with 3 cats and a very big dog! But did leave the TV on so I could hear where it was all going. The first leg of storms missed us, and then DD came home...it seemed to quieten down... until midnight...when she came into my room and said sirens going off again.... so we stayed tuned and listened to radio to track those storms paths. Although horriffic storms...and much loss of life, and very tragic, it skirted our area...and went north and west of Clarksville. But our roof tiles did sustain damage...so am waiting for the repairman now. This is just to explain what has been going on with me. Only sewed a few stitches in baby quilt. HAve to get with this program...as baby is only 3 weeks away. Have lots of applique to get through. Hope all of you and your families are great. I am missing my South AFrican friends terribly, but looking forward to meeting new ones.... wherever DH and I may end up in a few months. Think it is leaning toward Mississippi, but that could change. I count nothing as concrete until the movers arrive with the stuff..... which in our case is usually Hubby and sons unloading the U-haul! But that is the fun of relocating often.... new places and new faces! Happy to be home....but missing my friends and missing luggage!!!!

Hard to say goodbye....

This week has been one big party for me.My dear friends have gifted me with several going away do's. One was even a surprise..... to which I almost didn't show up for! I had been given a fully quilted quilt a couple of years back.... it is safely back in the US. But one day a couple of months ago....as we all sat around stitching on our Baltimore blocks.... I was having a bit of a down day...and being UNUSUALLY quiet.... and they decided to surprise me with some blocks that were going to be my going away quilt! Well, I cried horribly that day...and the blocks were made as Memories....of some of my favorite times here in South Africa. I received a block of the mountain that our community is named after, and a Xhosa hut, and because I love Cricket, bridge and Algoa FM radio....that was added. They also took photos of our church and then got a bit tongue in cheek with some of my very American expressions....like HOLY CRAP and Talk to the hand( I know very old fashioned, but I do say it) and they included my book drive for the LIbrary, and Rotary...and quilting and Baltimore. It was so special..... I say all of this to say....I decided to sew it up this week....and the first attempt....was horrible....the sashing colors I chose were awful...and deadened it up....then I remembered a bright piece of African fabric I still hadn't given away or packed....and when I layed the blocks on it.... It was perfect. Now it isn't totally finished, but I will be adding a black border...and hope to try Tonya's letters....to add SOUTH AFRICA into the border...then finish with the bright African stuff. This is a photo of me holding it up to show the girls. They are such dears. I have been blessed by these lovely talented ladies. I also asked them...rather cheekily, to make me a Christmas block .... to sleep under ...while I am freezing next Christmas ...and they are all sitting by the pool.I think I have been gifted with about 12 so far. Can't wait to figure out how I am going to set that one out....in the US. It is almost like I am not leaving for good.... but just going on another trip home. I don't think I will really feel it, until my hubby and I actually set up housekeeping...back in the states. I am going to have to start a fund to return to AFrica at least once. It will give me something to work toward. Feeling this way...has made it very difficult to say goodbye... though, because it doesnt feel like I am going home for more than a quick trip. Hope you all have a great weekend.My next post will be stateside!