It started off as a good day......................

The sky was clear - well at least there wasn't any snow. I didn't make it to the gym AGAIN - I know this is a stupid reason, but Sparky managed to make it upstairs and when I got up - she wasn't ready to come down so I had to wait until she was ready so she wouldn't slip and fall.  I know - I NEED baby gates to prevent her from going up!!!!

I did check baby gates the other night at Target.  I want a pressure one - not one that I have to screw into the wall. I do not want to screw it into my banister!  So just a pressure one is fine. She isn't aggressive about going anywhere - if the space is blocked - she won't go as she is apprehensive of stairs now anyway. Well those gates were $60!!!!   I didn't want to pay that price - I have TWO stairs cases.  Someone from embroidery yesterday mentioned the baby consignment stores - good idea. I will check out one or two of them and see what I come up with.

We had embroidery club and loads of fun as usual.  The conversation ranges wide and far and always positive which makes it even more fun!!!!  Of course there is show n tell..............

This is a baby quilt that Virginia is making and it is absolutely GORGEOUS.  Hand appliqued, hand embroidered, hand quilted.   Some lucky little girl is going to be the recipient of it. 

A close up of the applique block.  See how that embroidered outline makes the bear pop!!!!   Just stunning.  And take a close look at her pink sashing. Notice how all the squares are PERFECTLY lined up!!!!!   

Tish is cleaning up and getting lots of little projects finished. She made a cushion from a piece of cross stitch that she did years ago!  I love the pillow but the cross stitch is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is another of Tish's pillows.  The main part is Sashiko (a form of Japanese embroidery) and note the matching fabric that she used around the edges. Sorry - I didn't get that great of a picture of that fabric, but it has dragon flies on it. 

After everyone left - I got another quilt partially loaded on the machine and by this time it is starting to snow. ICK!!!!   I have my bald all season tires on the car because I haven't had a chance to buy new ones. I am torn between buying a new set of all season (oh - I think they call them SUMMER tires now) or buy WINTER ones.   Hmmmm  - got to decide and soon.

Anyway - I was off to a visitation. The husband of a friend of mine passed away.  He had been ill for some time and NOT old.  The funeral home was packed - they had many friends and loads of people from both their places of work were there. I had a hard time finding a parking spot and when I did find one on the road, I thought I would scoot across the grass to the funeral home, only to find that I was scooting across grave sites!   Yikes!!!!!!!!

A very sad day, but Linda was surrounded by many people that care for her and I know she will be OK. I met up with another quilter whose husband passed away four years ago. What is it with the quilter's husbands?  

Back home - the roads were getting a bit slick but no big deal.

In the morning, I had decided to call the vet and see what to do about Sparky. She just hasn't been herself for the last couple of days.  We would barely touch her and she would whimper like she was in pain. Then I would pat her down trying to find the exact spot that hurts and NOTHING.  But then she would whimper when she tried to get up. She has spent more time than usual sleeping. Of course the vet said to bring her in. The appointment was for 4 PM.  I got home from the funeral home, loaded up both dogs and away we went.

Sparky is a basket case in the car so I put lots of blankets and her dog bed in the back and she was just fine. And she did NOT whimper once when I hoisted her into the car. Matter of fact - she was kind of excited. OK - so what gives?????

Look how cute they are in the car and does Sparky look scared - NOPE!

Let's just say the traffic was a night mare because by this time it was snowing. NOTHING like what they had in Buffalo. By the way - if you have NOT seen pictures - check this out. I was stunned when I saw them.

Buffalo snow pictures

More Buffalo pictures


I saw some other incredible pictures last night, but can't find the link.

Anyway - between my house and the vet there are a couple of hills. They are NOT huge hills, but the number of cars that had spun out was crazy. And there was one person just spinning her tires beside me as she crept up the hill.  I (with my bald all season tires) just rolled up the hill like it was nothing.  HEY PEOPLE - lay off the gas!!!!   I also have a standard and so I gear down - not sure if that makes a difference. Well I think that made up my mind - I am buying a NEW set of all-seasons or summer tires.  I don't think it is so much the tires as the driver and the winter tires are a cop out.  OK - so I think it is all a big marketing hype.  I can't help it - I am a Virgo and we are suspicious of EVERYTHING!!!!   Yes - I could still be in an accident, but it is more likely that someone will hit me than me hit them and having snow tires on my car is NOT going to make a difference.   OK - at least that decision is done! Now to call and get the new tires.



I arrive at the vet and Sparky jumps out of the car on her own steam. NO whimpering. All that dog cares about is TREATS and she sure gets her fair share at the vet.  When we lifted her onto the examine table - NO whimpering. The vet poked and prodded - NOTHING. The prognosis - Sparky is getting old and perhaps has behavioural  issues.  Seriously?????   Yep - could also be canine dementia!!!!!!!  

Once Sammy gets to the vet - she is not a happy camper.  I think she was trying to hide behind my purse so the vet couldn't see she was there!!!!!!!

I did try to clip Sparky's nails on Monday night and since then - she has been sulking!!!!    That bugger!!!!   Well she has pain meds for three days to see if that makes a difference. Then when she goes off them we will see how she does. I tell you - she is just a crotchety old lady! And making no bones about it either!!!!!   I'll be watching you Sparky!!!!

We were late getting to the vet by about 10 minutes because of all the spin outs on that hill. And on the way home - well it was CRAZY.  What is normally a 15 minute drive took ONE HOUR!!!!!   But we made it home safe.

Then I had a MOMENT that lasted for hours!!!!!!!!!   I really really need to clean up the studio.

There is STUFF everywhere

The main work table is filled - pretty much after the embroidery group left - I filled the table again.

The cutting mat - buried

So it is TIME to do something about this.  I started in the storage room - OH yes - I think I wanted to get a couple of Christmas decorations out and that room had gotten a bit messy. I cleaned it up and put things away properly.  And GUESS WHAT?????   That missing pattern I commented about yesterday?  - I FOUND IT!!!!!!!!!!    Yep - there was another box of patterns in that room and so now I have the missing pattern. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Now if I could only find my little "thing" that holds my thimbles and hand stitching stuff. I have bindings I want to sew on and I need my thimble for that.


Well one thing led to another and pretty soon - the room looked like this..............

Books on the floor

Then more books on the floor

Sorting books and magazines

I have come to the realization that something has to go!!!!!!!!   Do I really need all these books????   Well - if I am going to read them - then YES. If I am NOT - then some can go. Part of the problem is that books on one topic are all over the place.  So I sorted. Now I did not get done as it is a HUGE job. But I made progress................

Bottom two shelves on the left are picture books about quilts and quilt collections. Landscape books are on the middle shelf as well. Top shelf is all applique books. Bottom shelf on the right is more picture books of quilts, middle is paper piecing, memory quilts, making dolls and log cabin books. Top shelf is miniature quilts, paper pieced quilts and serger stuff. Well - that may be entirely right - but something like that. 

Needless to say - there are still a LOT of books on the floor and I have to get the room ready for people to sew tomorrow.  It will happen. Anyway - this is a start. I really need to catalog those books now and I haev to STOP buying unless it is a super fabulous book that has something new and unique.

Instead of getting books from the library - I MUST go through my own collection and read those. I will likely purge some of them - just not sure when and how.

However I do have a LOT of older books. Which I do NOT want to part with.  Look what I came across last night - a book dedicated to HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES.  Now you may think this is ho-hum, but to me - this book is a treasure.

Half square triangle book - published in 1987.

I often buy books from guilds as they cull their collections.  Have a look at the label inside.

This was the FOURTH book the Guild purchased!!!!!

Speaking of purging - I came across this case that I do NOT want. It is a scrapbook case. BRAND NEW.

Options Scrapbook case

Lots and lots of pockets inside.  It is on wheels and has a telescoping handle

If you know someone or you want it - let me know. I just want it out of my house. Otherwise it goes to the donation center.


And while I am cleaning all that stuff last night, my cell phone rings. AH - my parents. They NEVER call unless something is up.  It is my Dad.  We chat a bit about the snow and then he informs me that my Mom is in the hospital.  Hmmm - something to do with her heart. Apparently she had some issues in the summer (which I knew about) and they attributed it to the heat. Well she was at the doctor's office for something else and when they took her vitals - they immediately called an ambulance and whisked her to the hospital. Her pulse was very low and probably high blood pressure.

When I called the hospital last night, they forwarded my call to the ward where she was for the night. The fellow answered the phone "ICU".  SERIOUSLY????   I don't think she has a clue!!!!   She must be fine as she says "I sure wish I had of brought my crochet!!!!!"    See - I get this busy hands things from her!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway - they had her hooked to all kinds of monitors and such and well - I'll call back this morning to see how she fared over night. I imagine they will be doing all kinds of tests today to figure out what is going on.

Then I was really fired up - and I didn't go to bed very early. So I really got a lot sorted out!!!!!  

Today - I MUST hit the quilting machine. No choice.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!