Sunday Visiting

Baby G and friend Baby L

Grandpa let her sit on the motorcycle, even though he doesn't like her outfit

Nice hairdo - but that's how it looks after napping, I guess

Well, instead of doing anything productive, we spent the day visiting. First we stayed late at church for the monthly lunch to visit with church friends, and then we took a motorcycle ride to see Baby G (and her mommy - but daddy was playing golf.) It was a great day for a ride - sunny, warm and breezy. We had fun seeing one of Baby G's friends, too, and seeing how excited and happy she was to have another baby there. While it doesn't show in the picture, she waved her arms, babbled and laughed, and tried to hug and kiss Baby L.

We took along the first dress I've made for a baby in probably 25 years. It turned out fine, even though I had to patch together the ribbon trim, since there was only 4 ft. on each spool. That was not enough to go around the hem once. In the back, there are pieces of the same one that's around the waistline to span the gaps. I love the sailor collar.

Finished dress - possibly will fit for Easter

Friday Fix Up

Here is my first Friday Fix Up. As you can see, the shoe pile is in desperate need of help. So here is how I fixed it:

BUT unfortunately, the pile is still the same behind the door. I plan to get to it later this weekend. Really. Now I'm sewing and doing laundry. More later...

Weekend Adventures

This weekend's happenings seemingly call for a less mundane title - there are a couple of less common events to report on. Friday I went home early because we had to give an appreciation dinner to election judges on Wednesday evening. So I got to spend the afternoon sewing! Drh was painting the laundry room, the current house updating project.

Saturday was a good day. I slept a little late, changed the bed, cleaned the bedroom and bathroom, washed out all the silverware dividers and the silverware drawer (not something anyone would notice, but good to have it cleaned), and gathered up laundry. I couldn't start on washing because the laundry room flooring was going to be put in next. Which happened, too, and it's great that the concrete floor is finally covered.

I went running a little after 10:30 - it was beautiful, perfect weather - sunny, 68 degrees. My town was having a garage sale day, so lots of people were out enjoying the day. About 1.5 miles before the end of my 5-mile run, I was joined by two female golden labs. They took off from someone's garage sale area where a little boy was playing with them. I stopped and tried to chase them off, but they wouldn't leave me. I called out to the people that they better get their dogs back, but they said the dogs weren't theirs. So I kept running, and the dogs did, too. A couple of times, I had to slow down and call them back because they were running down the streets and there was a bit of traffic from the garage sales. They obeyed me just like they belonged to me. A few people asked me if those were my dogs, and one elderly neighbor told me I should have them on a leash. On the last portion of my run, I ran past my own house to the end of the block, turned and walked back to cool down. The dogs ran ahead of me, and actually turned into MY driveway and ran up on MY porch before they even knew I was going to that house! It was really weird.

Then I noticed one of them had a bloody foot. They sat down on the porch and said, Hi, we're Blondie and Goldie. Can you give us a drink of water, tie us up in the yard in the shade, and try to call our owner? So I did. One had a collar with a tag with a phone number on it. HA. Drh found some rope for me to use. He kept his eye on them while I took a shower.

Later in the day we had to go eat with friends, so a young couple we know offered to take them to their fenced-in yard. But Drh had time and decided to hunt the dogs' owner, so after doing a reverse look-up on the phone number, he rode off to the next town to notify them. We'd left messages, but thought perhaps some neighbors could help us find them. He found a bunch of information, including that they moved and live about 5-6 miles from us, and the owners' invalid mother's caregiver's husband was visiting his grandma in our town and would be able to take them home. So that is what happened. Isn't it exciting?

On Sunday I got to teach my friend J how to use the quilting machine. She liked the results after she spent the afternoon quilting. That was fun. While she quilted, I fixed two pairs of pants of mine so they wouldn't gap in the back of the waist, started a little dress for Baby G, and helped fix a zipper on J's daughter's jacket. Lots of things to check off my to-do list!

Lost for a Title

Can't think of a clever title for this post... ohwell.


It was a good week. On Monday we took a motorcycle ride to Arthur, which was having a Cheese Festival. The weather was perfect, and we had pork sandwiches, ribbon fries, homemade ice cream, pie, and the free cheese and crackers. There is a nice and interesting fabric shop there, with great quilting fabrics and lots of other choices because the large Amish community makes many of their own clothes. I bought a few fat quarters - who can resist? It was a relaxing afternoon.

I managed to run on Tuesday, go to the gym on Wednesday to lift, and run on Thursday, and we ate fairly well - I made Pork Pad Thai and Turkey Taco Bake this week, and we had leftover pizza, too. So a healthy week, also.

Thursday night was the sewing shop open house where Patty Young was the guest of honor. My little baby outfit won the child's garment sewing challenge, and I was given a nice prize of more Patty Young fabrics and her little girl's apron and chef's hat pattern. She gave an interesting talk on her background and how she came to be a fabric designer, as well as her design process.


Last night and today I worked on and finished this little zip bag. I used some of the pieces in the charm pack sent to me by Julie in the August S.T.U.D. mini swap. It turned out cute, but I should've trimmed and squared up the hourglass blocks before I sewed them into rows. Actually I wanted to practice making this type of bag for possible church bazaar items, and I think I can whip out a few with simpler patchwork or just plain. I probably have hundreds of zippers I've not used in things over the years.

Off to the rest of the day!

Weekend Report

Since we have today off, it's still considered the weekend, but so much has been checked off my list, I thought I'd report the "so far" stuff.

Saturday I ran in a 5K and drh ran, too. He is a biker and does elliptical, so not totally conditioned for running (which affected him yesterday.) But we had fun, and it was a beautiful day, and I got another medal! Third in age group. A&M&Baby G walked the course with the stroller. After the race, we went to their house and played with the baby and fixed lunch. M's parents and grandma joined us for lunch and the afternoon. We all had a nice visit. We got home later than we'd planned, and the evening consisted of a long nap and early bed time.

Have you ever seen a Bumbo seat? That's what the baby is sitting in above. They're new since I had babies (so is practically everything else - HA), and it is a fun seat for babies. They are securely held, but can stretch and turn and kind of bounce in it. She likes it.

Sunday after church we cleaned the house. It probably helped that it was kind of gloomy and threatening to drizzle most of the day. We dusted, vacuumed, tidied up, polished mirrors, changed sheets, washed linens and other laundry, washed the kitchen and front hall floors, put away things, and sorted out paperwork piles. Then I caught up on writing some notes to friends, and some volunteer paperwork I'd been putting off too long, and updated the church website - it took me most of the evening, but all is caught up now! Drh worked on some computer jobs, practiced the guitar, and then went to town and got a pizza for our supper.

Today I already got the checkbook reconciled, the bed made, the dishwasher going. Now for folding laundry and some closet straightening. Later we're going to take a motorcycle ride for lunch. I'm still reserving time for sewing later today!

August Mini Arrived

I finally got the second August S.T.U.D. swap - it may have been lingering in the post office awhile. It's darling! The theme was Buildings and Julie chose to make log cabins into bird houses. Isn't it nice? And she sent a charm pack - wow! I am excited because I've never had one before.

Weekend plans (3 whole days!):

Saturday - run in 5K, visit and eat lunch with A&M&Baby G, and her other g'parents, too

possibly go to last dirt track race of summer (at local track)

Sunday - church; laundry, clean house, catch up on paperwork

Monday - long motorcycle ride - unless the weather on Sunday is just too nice to resist being outside all day, so it might be Sunday instead - or both!

Have a great weekend!!!

Sewing Challenge Done

I just finished the sewing challenge for my machine shop open house. Patty Young for Michael Miller fabrics were required - Patty herself will be at the open house on September 10.

I must say, the biggest challenge was remembering how to sew garments, and how to make buttonholes. But it was fun, the fabric is beautiful and lovely to work with, and I hope my baby granddaughter looks just as cute in it as I imagine.

So besides this cute little project, I have also made two mini quilts, a Bee Pieceful block, quilted a doll bed quilt and my Mod Sampler, helped my sister cut setting blocks and lay out a bed quilt, and taught my daughter how to use the longarm quilter, all in the month of August! It is amazing that I got so much done. I don't have quite so much planned for September... yet.