Aaaah....

Well...we have a mess but we also have a cool house. This new A/C is cooling off corners that didn't ever get cooled off before. Our furnace was 59 years old and the A/C was at least 35. That is LOOONG past the average life of either. I am very fortunate to have put off replacing them both for this long.

We also have new holes in the walls. Our chimney liner was well and truly fixed to stay in place forever...being as it was asbestos, I wanted it OUT! So, it is out...and I have to have walls fixed. I am looking for estimates on repairing walls and then will have 3 rooms painted to finish (I hope) this chapter in my life.

One good thing, Katie gets to decorate her room...we will get rid of the Pepto Bismol pink walls and make it more presentable. I am so glad she is back with us! That little darling finished putting my exercise bike together...Thanks Katie!

So, the rest of the weekend is pulling the house back into partial order (I don't want to get carried away) and some hand applique. I have a friend that turned 50 last week so I have to go visit her before she gets so old she forgets who I am. I AM older than she is but she picks on me so much for being old that I have to get my licks in where I can.

I found a fun give-away on my friend Jeanne's blog...I thought I would pass it along so I can enter the contest as well. Check out http://www.quiltqua.com/ for the details! They are giving away a fat quarter set of Frosted Memories fabric...NICE!

Happy Weekend all!

New stuff...

I am pouring over 5 estimates for replacing my furnace and air conditioner. Not so much fun...and LOTS of money. Good thing I have been saving for this for 5 years and more. Man that is expensive but we will be so much more efficient...from 60% efficiency to 97% and nearly the same for the air conditioner. Sigh...I wish it was over already.

The block exchange with my Dear Jane group was wonderful. I have an idea for my blocks that I don't think anyone else will come up with...and my quilt will be quite large (lap robe size) when I am done. I like that idea!

My niece Katie is moving back home. I will be very happy to see her back here. I am sure that Evil Puss will also be happy to have his person back. We need some perking up here.

Have a fun weekend!

Summer is here!

It is supposed to get up to 80 today so I turned the airconditioning on...I cannot take the heat! I am planning to clean a bit and sew a lot. I hope that works out.

We have a block swap in our Dear Jane group on Monday. We are swapping neutral 6 inch Dear Jane blocks. There are 16 swappers. We will have a showing of our Dear Jane quilts in September at the shop. I need to finish binding the Round Robin one and hope to get the Neutral one finished before the show. Good thing we have a four day retreat in August!

I hope all my friends are doing well. My back is still pretty good but I am having trouble sleeping due to pain. I am currently in Physical Therapy and have hopes that I will get past this pain stuff. I am exercising a bit more and need to increase that...I am stuck on my weight loss but I am being a bit lax about the sweets...I am a chocolate hound and just can't resist. I have to get that resolve back and stop with the goodies!

Rainy Saturday

It is about time...we desperately needed some rain. It was a good opportunity to stay in and get some work done. I made a new applique block for my patriotic strippy and will get started on next week's challenge block.

This was a big, fun week for me. I met with Deb, my former boss from Kroll, at lunch on Weds. I enjoyed catching up with her. She likes her new job and seems to be happy. Good deal!

I met with another former boss, Joe, on Thursday. It is always good to catch up with him. He is a busy guy with lots going on at work and at home. I feel bad for him today, he is having guests at his home for his middle child's graduation from high school...and was planning to have these guests outside in his back yard. I hope it all worked out. He knows how to have a good time so I am sure he was prepared with a Plan B.

Let's see...what else....Katie is here washing windows. She needed money to cover a class (belly dancing) and wanted me to help her out...so, she gets to help me out! What lucky kids we both are.

My back is recovering very nicely. This myofacial release work the PT is doing really seems to be helping. The many times I have been to PT before just worked on the area that hurt...and my problems always came back. This time I have a plan...I want to walk out of there with an exercise routine that works for me and that I will do. I also want to have all those issues addressed so I don't have to keep going back. Wish me luck!

OK...enough for today, I want to get back to quilting! Check out my Webshots for pictures of what I have been working on....

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/misc.fcgi?action=invitePickup&uri=album/288514140ojpKqq

Back sliding...

Oh dear...the scale didn't say nice things to me today...I was a little too free and easy with the carbs this week and it caught up with me. Back to the more strict diet and hopefully I will be facing down that plateau spot by next Saturday.

I am off to the quilt shop today to spend time with my Dear Jane buddies. I want to finish the swap blocks for next month. We are swapping neutral DJ blocks in a 6 inch finished size and I can't wait to see the outcome of that swap. I am toying with the idea of throwing in one bright color just to make a point...maybe lime green cornerstones or something.

Long Weekend...YIPPEE!

I love holidays....one more day at home to quilt. This is going to be a nice quiet weekend, I hope!

My friend Susan contacted me today...she is recovering from her hip replacement surgery and will be released this weekend so she can go home and get some good rest. I am so happy that she is doing well. I hope she has lots of time to work on the Heart and Hand applique blocks that we are both doing.

I am going to be taking my car to the body shop next week so I will have a rental...I can't wait to see what I get to drive for the next two weeks. I am sure it will be little and stinky. Why are rental cars always stinky? Oh well, I am sure you will hear about it. I hope the body work I have to have done will be it for this car...I turn it in for a new one in November.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Woo Hoo!

I am feeling good today! Lost 3 pounds over the last week...that makes for 16 since I started working on it in earnest about the end of February. Good progress!

I am going to sew today. I need to finish my block of the week for Heart and Hand and then finish the swap blocks for my Dear Jane group. They aren't due until June but I want to get on to other things and these are in the way.

I hope all my friends are doing well. Susan has surgery coming up next Wednesday, I am praying for your successful outcome and swift recovery.

My house smells like lilacs. The very best part of spring....lilacs. Happy Saturday!