Marked Absent

I've missed far too many days of blogging roll call.  I don't know how other crafters/bloggers who work full-time manage their time but I've obviously missed that lesson plan!  Part of the issue is my feet and ankles. Since I started my new job doing both more walking and more static sitting, my feet and ankles have been very swollen and painful.  I'm supposed to elevate them (which isn't possible at work) and have begun wearing compression socks, but the recovery is dragging.  That means I avoid my computer and my sewing machine in the evenings, for the most part, and I miss both!  Some stitching time on the bus is still happening, though.

I found this piece of chartreuse yellow linen in the remnant bin at JoAnn's and snapped it up to make a small pillow for DD Elaine's house.  She and Chris have used this color in their living room to good effect, but their side chair needed something.  I have one more row of "ribbon" to backstitch with dark brown floss.  The batik for the backing I picked up in Phoenix when my sister-in-law Laura took my mom and me to a nice shop called Quiltz.  She found lots of wonderful Asian prints to inspire a return to quilting.  I'll do a simple envelope style for the pillow form I already purchased.

A knock on the door from our neighbor with some misdirected mail brought an eagerly awaited package--I won a copy of this issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects from Lynne Hagemeier of Kansas Troubles Quilts, with her lovely quilt project called Friendship Garden (with Pam Buda--who did a wool version).  Lynne is very generous with frequent giveaways on her blog and has recently opened a brick and mortar shop in Bennington, Kansas called KT Quilt Shop.  Sales and service of Berninas, an emporium, and also retreat space.  Sounds wonderful!  Someday I'll go on a retreat, I hope. 

Tomorrow we're hosting our annual Mother's Day brunch, which got bumped back a week due to Erica's graduation. Right, now I'm off to conquer a long list of to-do's, which includes sewing time this weekend for sure--I'm having withdrawals!

Doubly Proud

Wednesday was the first proud moment, when my husband conquered his nerves and actually got on a plane for the first time in over a decade.  It turned out to be no big deal after all, thankfully!  Accompanied by two of our offspring, off we flew for the short trip to Arizona to see our third offspring graduate from college on Thursday, at Arizona State University's West Campus.

After being slightly roasted in the morning's hot sun for the pomp and speeches, finally the graduates made their way across the stage.  I blindly managed to catch this blurry pic of Erica shaking the Dean's hand.   We made plenty of noise for her, along with her aunt, uncle, and grandparents.

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Here she is with her Arizona parents, my brother Ted and his lovely wife Laura.  We were so grateful to have Erica close to family during her school years.  They were very generous with their love and care.

 Happy graduate!  Summa cum laude, no less, with a bachelors degree in Sociology.

Here with her two older siblings, Nick and Elaine, just as proud as her parents. It was wonderful to be away for a few days with the family and enjoy the celebrating! Erica even arranged for the weather to be only in the mid to high 80s during most of our visit, though she stated she did have to pull some strings :)  Thanks, Erica! 

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Tuesday's Orts

Tuesday's Orts--bits and scraps of thoughts and events that land here semi-regularly.

• Biggest story of the past week in our county was the Springs Fire, which started just after dawn on Thursday and quickly, with the aid of low humidity, very dry brush due to serious lack of winter rains, and hot East winds we call Santa Anas, caused many people to be evacuated when the fire raced up the mountains to housing tracts abutting the Santa Monica mountain wilderness.  The plume of smoke visible on Friday morning was incredible--10,000 feet high.  We're about 20 miles away from where the fire burned but were nervous for friends and relatives who live up the hill. Due to some amazing firefighting crews, pilots dropping water and retardant, plus a little help from Mother Nature with a return of humidity and even a bit of rain, the fire is now 85-90% contained.  No lives were lost but some property and vehicles were destroyed, and I think one house. The cause of the fire is unknown but arson was ruled out.
• That new garden area we planted a couple of weeks ago?  I've already managed to half-kill the new plants by forgetting to water and not reminding Grant to put the sprinklers on.  Sheesh.
• Remember that traffic ticket I got my first day at my new job that was $490?  I have a court date the end of this month since I contested the citation--I didn't run a red stoplight.  Wish me luck!
• Traffic Rant:  Drivers who text and web surf.  Stupid, careless, dangerous. Get away from me, please! 
• Walking to work from the bus these last two months I've gotten to see spring arrive.  The other day I was admiring new blooms on the jacaranda trees when I spotted an unusual shape in the branches. 

I could have used this umbrella on Monday but it was gone.  Guess someone else needed it!

Mod Circles Baby Quilt

My DD Elaine was worried the Mod Circles Baby Quilt we collaborated on was not going to get finished by her deadline--Friday--but Mom came through and got it finished!  Here it is all quilted, using my favorite simple design, the wavy line.  I think it is a good contrast with the circles and modern enough to suit the overall feel.

Elaine co-hosted a shower today for her friend and mom-to-be, the lovely Allison, and obliged me by getting a photo of the quilt with its new owner during the shower.  Thanks, sweetie!
 

The yellow polka dot binding we picked out really looks great, if I may say so myself :)  Since I finished the quilt at 10 p.m.--with a label even!--and Elaine whisked it away soon after, I'll have to ask to borrow it back for a photo shoot.  Allison and her husband chose not to learn the sex of their baby so we will all be surprised in a couple of months.  Welcome Baby!

One Word Wednesday

Landscape Architect