STOP and smell the flowers

I'm such a dolt! I'm laughing as I say that! I don't know how many times I reserve an audiobook and then realize that it's an e-book! I swear I'm in the audiobook only database. I finished another audiobook yesterday and was trying to open the next "audiobook." OH NO - I did it again. This is an e-book. Well - that's easy enough to return. No worries - there are two more audiobooks on my shelf, so it's not like I have nothing to read.

I finished a book called "Home Front" by Kristin Hannah. Oh gosh - it's tough to sew when you have tears in your eyes. A great story about a female soldier in the Iraq war: just goes to show how senseless war is. It's very sad to see how families have been ripped apart. I now have 600 books on my list - now that's over about 10 years - nope actually that's over 12 years. I'm good with that - about one novel a week. I don't need more than that.

We had two excellent show n tell sessions via Zoom. Here's another reason to LOVE Zoom. The first session started at 10 AM. Usually, I'd be in the car at 9 AM and on my way to class. I was still sewing at 9:30!!! Then I popped the pictures into the presentation, which was mostly done and then over to the computer to start Zoom. I'm getting spoiled, to say the least. And the commute time with Zoom? Well - you can't beat the commute.

I'll share the photos with you tomorrow and the next day.

I snapped this photo when I was on my walk with the girls the other morning. OH - and Lexi needs to blog because - well, Murphy is totally out of control! I know she is off busy this morning, but she better get to the computer to tell the story or I will!

A flower along the way

I know that my schedule sounds like total chaos, and for the most part, it is. There never seems to be a lack of something to do. I look at the studio, and well - I need a day to do the catchup on the ongoing projects. I'm mostly done, but not quite, and then I have to start prepping all over for the next round. I need a day to finish off some hand stitching. And then I need another day to finish prepping for the next sewing retreat. And there's a quilt that needs to be quilted. And a day to finish off some UFOs that are so close to completion. Yep - I NEED five days of total "nothing" to do but focus on those things.

I think this might be the week. I hope because I really want to get some of those small things out of the way. I get the pictures taken, and the sleeve still needs to be sewn on - stuff like that. I'll just make it the focus of this coming week. Let's just say that Studio B is in a bit of disarray at the moment.

However, as busy as I am with quilting - I don't forget to take time and smell the roses! I try to spend at least one hour every day in the gazebo reading or napping. I walk over 10 K every day, so I'm not neglecting my physical or mental health! The pace is what keeps me alive. And one day, I'll just stop - just like the Energizer bunny!

No incidents involving me last night on the walk, but on two occasions, I was crossing the street, and a car had stopped. I was almost to the sidewalk, and in each of the two times, there was a second car behind the car that stopped for me. TWICE, the drivers honked their horn. Because the moment I cleared the bumper of the vehicle, they expected that driver to start driving again. Seriously???  It's not like I'm dawdling along, and technically, the driver is NOT supposed to move until I hit the sidewalk. That's a new law!!!  I don't get it - why are people in such a hurry?

They get up - they need to drive fast, they have to get somewhere quickly - they want fast all day long. What's the point of living your life like that? If you're always stressed because you're in a hurry? Nope - I like to stop and smell the roses.

Speaking of which, we have a side garden at our house that I totally forget about. It's stuck between two gates, so we rarely go there. One of the gates was open the other day, which is a bad thing. If the girls discovered that, they could easily jump the small gate at the front, which Miss Lexi has done in the past.

When I went out to shut the gate, I discovered some flowers in that side garden. Who knew????

Flowers in the side garden

More flowers

Even more flowers

We don't really order a lot of stuff online, but with all the fabrics being delivered for magazine quilts and other free stuff that I ordered, well, it seems that every day (OK - it's more like once a week at our house), there is something at the door. I love surprises!!!

I had forgotten about this package, and there's only one more outstanding package that we haven't received yet. It should have been here a couple of weeks ago. I've started an investigation on it. But what's in this box???

Well, when the Virtual Schoolhouse took place back in early June, Kimberbell was the lead presenter, and of course, there were giveaways!! I wanted a giveaway! So I signed up, and this is the giveaway.

Package from Kimberbell

Inside the big box is a cute tote bag. I don't want it - so if someone wants it - you can have it, or it's going to the food bank.

Kimberbell tote bag

And inside the tote bag is a kit to make a small pillow. The kit includes the pillow form, the fabric, and some thread. How cute is that? Hey - this might be a great project to do at the sewing retreat. I might just make sure that everything needed is in the kit and then throw it in the laundry basket.

A pillow kit from Kimberbell

I really wanted to do their Love Notes mystery quilt. Is anyone doing the Love Notes quilt??? I need to find a store that is doing it so I can order it. Not that I need it, but I thought it would be a fun project to do in August. The clues come over five weeks in August.


And then we can't forget the porch pickups and drop-offs. Diane dropped off this HUGE bag of finished quilt tops for the Community Projects. Yikes -- that's a lot of quilt tops. Now the leftovers are in there as well, but I doubt there's much for leftovers. Mental note to self - you need ONE day to process all the quilt tops and get the backing and binding ready. The stack of finished quilt tops is getting huge now!!! I think there are five tops in this bag. Thanks so much, Diane!!!!! You've indeed been a blessing to this project.

Quilt tops that Diane dropped off

I did manage to try on the rubber boots. I have some fleece boot liners, and with those on, the boots slipped on and off like butter. They are made for a longer pair of boots, but I don't care. I'll just roll them down, and I'll be fine. So the boots are good. I still need to try on the shoes. I'll wait a day or two longer and then try them on.

My new rubber boots

Something bizarre happened in Studio B yesterday. I was merrily sewing along, and then I noticed this notification on my Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2. What? Why is my phone trying to send something to the sewing machine? I said NO since I had no idea what was happening. I probably touched a button - I use my phone exclusively to take photos now, and so everything is always connected. I had to laugh, though!!

My Designer EPIC 2 received a notification from my phone

I thought this was a neat picture from my Virtual walk along Route 66. I'm in an underpass, which is hilarious since I'm in New Mexico in the middle of the desert. There's a railroad that goes over here, so that's why the underpass. I love opening up the program each morning to see what the terrain is like. It's fascinating, and I'd love to drive down there one day.

Overpass for the railroad

The topographical maps are just the best. It's so cool to see the geography on the map and see the actual pictures as well. I LOVE it.

Topographical map of New Mexico

This morning we have the UFO club, and let's just say that it's a good thing there's no money riding on the completion of our commitments. Today is the LAST commitment for a scheduled event for a couple of weeks. That's a good thing. That's how my week will free up. It's prepping for those scheduled events that take time, and with a set deadline, well - you can't slack off!

I need to spend some time with my calendar later this week to get the month of August and September organized. Yes - there are going to be classes to teach, and I'm excited about that. We've added EQ8 to the list of classes. I picked out the equipment that I still need for my video productions, and I just need to order it. I'm excited about that!

Oh yes - I did spend quite a bit of time at the computer yesterday, and there's more of that today. You just got to love the damn thing. I'm tempted to buy another monitor, but I just don't have space in my current setup. Maybe with this pandemic thing, we'll find a new room in people's houses - the film studio. I could use a separate room so that all the equipment sits in one spot and not all over the place. I suppose I could convert the dining room, but that would be hard to do until I get the rest of this mess cleaned up.

I will say one thing about the amount of stuff in here. It's not as bad as I make it out to be. Yes - there are boxes of stuff, but it's really not that big of a deal.

On that note, I'd better get myself organized for the day.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!