Just when you thought I was gone forever; here I am

Back from Mom's. It was to be a quick trip this time. Arriving on the 10th and coming back home on the 19th.
As some of you know my departure FOR Mom's was delayed because my Mother-in law was very ill and hospitalized. Well my departure FROM Mom's was very nearly delayed as well. Poor Mom. The afternoon before I was to leave, hurt herself quite badly. She was carrying a cup of hot soup and fell, scalding her left hand and arm, bruising and cutting her chin, and breaking her right hand; yes the hand that was so badly injured in the accident last July. She was so discouraged and hurting that I very nearly cancelled my flight home. If it was not that I had appointments here at home I may have stayed longer. Dear sweet Mr. O said to me on the phone that morning, "Well if you have to cancel and stay longer, go ahead..." I know that was not an easy thing to say considering I have been away so much in the last year.

I did arrive home close to midnight Wednesday, absolutely exhausted. It was a very full 9 days to say the least. Doctors appointments, Lawyers appointments, Social Services, Nuring Home appointments, getting my brother settled in his new accomodations, chores for Mom which included painting, sewing, shopping, etc.
I am tired.
 I am home for 6 days and then gone again. Remember the Ottawa Marathon? Well it is coming up the last weekend of May. I have not had any time to walk lately, but hope to try to get back in the swing of things today.
Sewing and quilting will just have to wait...again! I missed our Spring Camp Retreat this year...very disappointing, but It Is What It Is. I was needed elsewhere.
However, on a very happy note, I did take Mom across the border to do a bit of shopping as well as take her out to AppleBee's for supper. It was a good day. When asked by the border crossing guard why I was entering their fine country ; I said I was taking Mom to supper and hoping to find a fabric shop because I am a quilter. The lady just happened to know of a shop that was owned by her sister in law. It is called the Quilted Moose. She even drew me a map to get there. A very enjoyable hour or so was spent there, and I highly recommend this shop to anyone who is the Soo Michigan area. I even found two patterns I was looking for, as well as little quilting notions I was wanting. All in all a good day. One pattern is for this wool wall hanging.

There are some lovely  patterns at her site http://www.cottagecreekquilts.com/

The other pattern is for a "Crafter's Tool Caddy" which I hope to make in the very near future. I have seen this type of pattern on line many times in the last 2 years or so and have thought I might draft a pattern for one, but when I happened upon it last week I decided to simplify my life and just buy the pattern. You can check out  the rest of her patterns here.  http://www.byannie.com/

Well enough of this sitting around wasting time, I am off for my walk.

Oh by the way have you noticed anything about my blog in the last 8 or 10 posts? 

Some kind of a theme maybe?

 More to follow...

I am trying...

to be content. With the dismal weather; with all the unsettlement in my life right now; with things I can't change; with me. Not so content mind you that I quit striving to better myself, but content enough to know life is a journey and somethings just take time, and sometimes plans have to change; and that I really have a lot to be thankful for.
Here are a few pics to go with my last entry.

R.I.P.   Mia

Madison just 30 minutes after birth.

Hello Madison, I am your Nanny!

Inspecting the "New Toy"

Mike and his Biker Chic

 Madison Kimberly..just 2 weeks old. She looks so much older but weighing at in at 9lbs gave her a headstart.

Great Gramma and Great great Auntie sporting our new tattoos. Michelle said, "Don't smile; look tough!"

They say "Born to Quilt" and yes they washed off!

a sleeping angel in her great grandpa's arms.

Home Alone

Here I sit, home alone ...thought I would post a picture of March and the better part of April as I caught it whizzing by. Wow!
Snow storms
Delayed flights
Travelling

Baby's being born
Cuddling a beautiful grandbaby
Family pets dieing...long story
New Harley Davidsons and Tattoos
New jobs
Baby showers
Travelling
Time spent with family
Quilting and Fabric buying
Packing, unpacking, packing...
Tearful goodbyes
did I mention travelling ?
Just one day home ...and then days and nights at the hospital
Code blues,blood transfusions,catheters and i.v's, short restless nights
Cancelled marathon runs...
Company. Husband away on business trips
Nursing home business
Tickets purchased and tickets cancelled for trips to Ontario
Hospital visits
Relief at the improvement of a loved one
Another business trip for hubby in a couple days, allowing me to hold down the fort for another week...
Just ask me if I am looking forward to a trip in September...go ahead ask me!

Just 130 more sleeps!

God must have other plans for me...

My plan was to leave on the 6 a.m. flight out of Bathurst this morning. However if you could see what kind of weather we are having you would understand why Air Canada is having nothing to do with that idea.

This is quite a mild example compared to what the weather has deteriorated to in just the last hour. It is a horizontal snowstorm indeed!

The flight from Montreal did not even arrive last night and because of the backlog of passengers now I will not be able to leave until Friday morning. Funny thing though, when we originally booked these tickets Mr. O. and I had wanted to leave on Friday. We were booking using our air miles and only so many seats are available. We found 2 seats for Thursday and agreed to that.

Mr. O. booked his for Thursday, and when he went back in to book mine there were no places left, so I had to travel on Wednesday. Not what we wanted, but it would get us there so we went for it. When asked when we were leaving we joking said we were taking separate vacations together...OK back to the storm and re-booking.

Long story short, we are both leaving Friday morning and travelling together with no penalty to be paid.

Got to love Air Canada!

Now the way I look at it; I have 2 days to do what I want...I mean I am not even supposed to be here, so these are bonus days to spend exactly how I choose. I think I will go make myself a new bag to travel with.

Speaking of bags...I finished the diaper bag with the scraps from the baby quilt. I even used the charm squares pieced together to make the straps. It took a little more time because I had a lot of piecing to do but I feel great knowing I used it all up and can now go on to another project. It is a pattern for a purse that several of us Tuesday girls have made. The Bow Tucks bag. One of the girls changed the measurements and turned it into a diaper bag and I loved it, so I did the same. What do you think?

It has loads of pockets inside so it is a real organizer bag. I will put a few things(baby wipes, cream, thermometer etc.) in the pockets before delivering it to "mother and child".

No baby yet, but the pains have started again...I'll keep you posted.

I went for a weigh in last night and am now showing 2.8 pounds less. Whoo Hoo!!!

I am off to enjoy my 2 bonus days.

Focused; I have got to get and stay focused

I am leaving in just 2 days and I am not done the diaper bag, my packing is not started, I need to clean out the refrigerator, and on and on it goes. When we booked our tickets to Regina, it seemed like I had so much time to get every thing done, and now all of a sudden it is time to leave and the list of "TO DO" things is not all crossed off. Confession time folks! I am sure it is not because there was not enough time...it is because I am such a procratinator... or maybe I just don't focus on the order that things that need doing.

I have been busy, but just not with the right things obviously. Actually Mr. O. would say it is because I am just not realistic and try to do too many things in the amount of time I have available to me. Whatever the reason; there are still things to be done, so I will concentrate on them today.

This may seem a little dark, but it is so me.

On a lighter note. I did get Sister # 2's shawl finished this weekend. It looks lovely and I am so tempted to keep it for me. I love the chocholatey brown tweed. So pretty. Even though she will not receive it on time for her birthday which is today, I can say it was ready on time. Happy Birthday Sis..see you in a couple days.

And on a really light note...(warning!!..this may get sappy.)

 Just look at what Mr. O brought home to me on Friday after work. He said he was thinking about "us" and thought how lucky he is to have me for his wife. I mean really! Who is the lucky one here?  I am so blessed.

I love you Mr. O.

Egads!!!

National Quilting Day is the third Saturday of March! That's today! ...and I almost forgot. Our guild has a UFO day every first and third Saturday of the month at our local Civic Center and I can't be there...darn! I really wish I had been more on the ball with this and planned better. Just think how much fun we could have had ... Could have almost been like a mini retreat. I will however manage to fit in something "quilty" today. I have to make and sew a label on the baby quilt I just finished and hopefully be working on the diaper bag later today. In honor of national Quilt Day http://nqaquilts.org/ has offered a free pattern in honor of the troops. It is kind of nice and could be used in other ways. Threads magazine http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/12847/national-quilting-day also has an online article.
Pat Sloan is giving away fabric http://patsloan.typepad.com/pat_sloans_corner/2010/03/xxxx.html
One more thing https://www.thequiltshow.com/os/create_account_quilt_day.php/sponsor/bernina
free quilters television , but just for today!
I am sure by now you get the idea. So be a part of the celebrations. Buy yourself a new quilting magazine, go fondle some fabric at your local quilt shop (or your own stash), start a new project, or maybe just share your love of quilting with a friend.

Happy National Quilt Day!

I am off to pay this holiday the respect it is due.

                         

Done! Now on to the next project.

Baby quilt is done and now on to the diaper bag. Had a wonderful "quilty" day yesterday with the "Tuesday Girls" (I know it was Wednesday, but we originally met every Tuesday and somehow that name stuck to our little group.)One of the girls hosted a wonderful supper and we all sat and chatted and worked on various projects. I hand stitched the binding of the baby quilt and worked some more on my shawl for sister #2. Hope to get the shawl finished up this weekend. Did my 5k. this morning...sure was a chilly morning and since then we have had a few lazy snowflakes falling. Must be a last ditch effort to prove we are still in the clutches of Old Man Winter.
Happy Thursday!

Not your typical color combo for a baby quilt, but I rather like it.

I like the random prairie points. If I had my time back I might place them a little differently, but HEY! done is better than perfect and it will still keep the baby toasy warm.

Lined with a warm and cozy flannel.

Counting backwards and a St. Paddy's Day chuckle

I got weighed in last night and gained 1.2 pounds! Disappointing to say the least. I thought I did so well this week...pretty well stuck to the program, walked 6 out of seven days...where did I go wrong? It is hard to fix something when you don't know where you made the mistake...sigh.
However on a lighter note...it is March 17th, and the sun is shining! No St. Patricks Day storm; and none in sight! Now that is someting to celebrate! Want to hear a good one?

Two Irish men, Kearney and O'Riordan were looking at a Mail order catalogue and admiring the models. Kearney remarks to O'Riordan, 'Have you seen the beautiful girls in this catalogue?'

O'Riordan replies, 'Yes, they are very beautiful. And look at the price.'
Kearney says, with wide eyes, 'Wow, they aren't very expensive. At this price, I'm buying one.'
O'Riordan, smiles and pats him on the back. 'Good idea. Order one and if she's as beautiful as she is in the catalogue, I will get one too.'
Three weeks later, Kearney, the youngest of the two asks his friend, O'Rordan, 'Did you ever receive the girl you ordered from that catalogue?'
O'Riordan replies with a glint in his eye, 'No, but it shouldn't be long now. She sent all her clothes yesterday.'

and if that didn't make you smile how about these potato jokes?

What do you say to an angry 300-pound baked potato?


Anything, just butter him up!

**************

How do you describe an angry potato?


Boiling Mad.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

May your fingers be nimble,

your threads seldom tangle,

and

your love be apparent

in all you create.

a little Celtic Thunder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vjwIDelIWg

Babys, Birthdays and Blog give aways...

One baby is here..I have a new great nephew! Kohen Cameron did not fool around; mommy was in hospital just 15 minutes when Kohen made his appearance! Mother and baby are doing well and are anxious to go home already! Grand baby is apparently quite content where she is, and is in no hurry to make an appearance. Maybe she is waiting for me to finish her quilt; after all it is still quite chilly out. I hope to finish quilting it today,and possibly getting the binding cut, then tomorrow the plan is to sew the binding on and get started on the diaper bag...that's the plan...

The shawl I was knitting for my youngest sister is done and guess what? I have started another for my other sister...she dropped a subtle hint that she might like one too, so I took the bait. Hope she likes the color I chose.

I was reading a blog I have bookmarked and found out that this blogger has a wonderful give away to celebrate a blog anniversary. She is giving away a lovely lap quilt!

http://banaghaisge.blogspot.com/2010/03/blogaversary-give-away.html

Go check it out...tell her I sent you.

Anticipation...

Anticipating babys ( a new great neice/nephew, and our first great grandchild)

Anticipating upcoming trips ( to Saskatchewan in March, to Ottawa in May, and the British Isles in Sept.)

Anticipating the next weigh in...oh dear!

While in the midst of writing my entry today I thought I would "google" the word anticipation.


Wikipedia says Anticipation or being enthusiastic, is an emotion involving pleasure (and sometimes anxiety) in considering some expected or longed-for good event, ...

Seneca says

"Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow we lose today." Seneca Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)

“True happiness is... to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” Seneca

Of course while searching one thing led to another and I happened upon the above quotes from the Roman Philosphopher Seneca. I continued to read his thoughts on other aspects of life and come to the conclusion he was a pretty wise man. (Not a startling discovery to some of you, but I  like to draw my own conclusions; not just say it because someone before has said so.)

So...I guess I just got "told"...enjoy today !

Here's to a glorious sunrise and to having a good day, whatever comes my way!

Just 177 more sleeps!

NEW BUSINESS:
We did it! We booked our anniversary trip for the fall. On Sept. 5th we are doing a 20 day tour of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Something I have always wanted to do...
Just 177 more sleeps til we leave. I know that seems like a long time, but I also know that before I get turned around I will be back home and reminiscing about it. I think part of the enjoyment of travel is the anticipation of it, the planning, the shopping for new clothes, the wondering of what surprises will greet you each day. and the pleasant, sweet aftertaste of so many new memories to share. So although we will only be gone for 20 days this is holiday will actually be so much longer.

Fair warning...you may be hearing more about this in future posts, so bear with me...this is my first trip overseas and I am just a little excited.

Now on to old business...(no pun intended, because Molly is the youngest senior citizen I know)
I finished the table topper. We met for a birthday lunch yesterday and I think the recipient was very pleased. We had a nice time chatting and I have to say this is a very inspirational lady. To be so active and healthy at 92 is not something you see every day. They sure don't make 'em like they used to!

Happy Birthday Molly!

Oh! Incidentally Molly is from England and when I told her Georges and I were going to the UK this fall she gave me a list of places I really must see. I hope the tour bus driver knows his way around for all the detours I have listed; and the tour director doesn't mind making changes to the itinerary. [Note to self; don't forget to pack the GPS]

By the way, I would not ordinarilly have used the blue backing for this selection of fabrics, but Molly is a real bird lover and this fabric has lots of cardinals and chick-a-dees, so I knew she would enjoy the back as well as the front.

Want to see a close up?

See ya; I have to go pack!

Just kidding!