With a little help from my friends

 

I was busy all day and don't seem to have a lot to show for it! That darn pattern!! I got an offer from Patti, a pattern designer and writer extraordinaire, to check over my pattern. How could I refuse that offer? And sadly, she found some errors. I swear that we get so close to the details that you can no longer see what is right and wrong. 

I've made some changes and will proofread the darn pattern ONE MORE TIME this morning. Good grief. I'm so tired of it. 

A HUGE THANKYOU to Patti for her support and very generous help. If you are interested in seeing what patterns Patti has designed, pop over to her Patti's Patchwork website to check it out. 

I also did a bit more writing of other blocks and assignments that are overdue or due soon. I cut blocks, and they are stacked up on trays by the sewing machine to get to work later today or tomorrow. 

Trays of sewing to do

Today's goal is four writing assignments, which MUST be off my desk and sent to the appropriate people. I want them gone. I've lots more to replace them with, and so these ones need to be done. I must get back to making samples, I've got quilts to quilt, and I've got some software to learn. 

Speaking of software, I had to laugh at how easy it is to learn stuff these days. I was in PhotoShop Elements adding text to a chart that Patti made for me - she's such a sweetheart! For the life of me, I couldn't remember how to change the font size. So I Googled it - and before I knew it, the font size was changed! There was something else that I needed, and I couldn't remember how to do that either. So I Googled it. That's a whole lot easier than any manual!!

Here are the last two blocks for the Christmas Fig quilt. The assignment is going out this morning, and although the class hasn't seen the assignment yet, there are only two blocks left, so they know which ones are coming. 

Pineapple block

Feather Star

Let's say that the first one was easy, the second one, not so much!! 

I'm so close to being up-to-date with all these ongoing projects - much closer to the finish than I've ever been in previous years! I need one more really good day of sewing to make that happen. That's not happening today as I have a road trip planned. 

There were some cutoffs on some of the Christmas Fig blocks, and so of course, I had to keep them. A few left from the pineapple block to trim, but the rest are sewn and trimmed. I wonder what I could make with them?? Something small - I should count and see if there's enough to make a zippered pouch or perhaps just a block for a larger project? 

Small half-square triangles from Christmas Fig

Oh my gosh --I NEED to empty the trimming basket! It's way past the point of overflowing! 

The scrap basket - a tad full

As I've mentioned many times, that when I'm out walking, I'm observing. This is a tree that obviously has issues. Some kind of disease? Something a worm did? Or a bug? I don't know, but it's very bizarre looking. 

The spotted tree

The second thing I noticed is a bit more troubling. On numerous occasions this summer,  I met a man on the multi-purpose trail on the main road by my house. He was kind of unkempt, but he could have been a laborer. He tended to wear the same clothes every day, but that's not a big deal. I said HI a couple of times. I haven't seen him in a while, and I thought nothing of it. 

I had noticed that there's one section of another major street just around the corner from this area that would be a good place to sleep if you had to. I've no idea why that thought went through my mind. There's a fence along that sidewalk, but a part of it is solid wood that juts away from the street, and there are two rows of pine trees in that jut, so the branches are low to the ground, and it's kind of secluded. 

Lately, I've been noticing that there's a lot of garbage on that street. It looks like someone is sitting and eating. I've seen a couple of blankets and a bag of clothes. Then yesterday, as I was walking Murphy, I saw someone sleeping in amongst the pines. YIKES!!  I had only imagined that in my head when walking and never expected to actually see someone there. Good thing, Murphy was looking at squirrels on the other side of the street, or she would have gone crazy and probably scared the guy to death. 

I wasn't sure if it was the same person, as the man I had seen on the other path was always wearing jeans. Later in the day, I went to the grocery store and took a long way, which took me past that area. The man was standing at the bus shelter, and his jacket was thrown on the ground a few feet away. He was wearing tan pants, and I'm pretty sure that was what the guy sleeping on the ground was wearing. 

When I left the grocery store, he was walking on the opposite side of the street toward me, and our paths would have intersected as I had to cross the street to get home. I was praying the light wouldn't change until I knew where he was going. Thankfully, he kept walking, and I didn't need to walk by him. I was carrying a pumpkin pie in my hands as it wouldn't fit in my backpack! Not that it had anything to do with him, but I would have felt guilty walking past him with that pie in my hands. 

Now that I think about it, I've seen this same guy walking through the park near the elementary school. He hasn't done anything wrong or displayed bad behavior. 

I get it that there are homeless people, but this is a bit too close to home. I think of the forest, which is very close by and wouldn't want to run into him in the forest, although I usually have one of the dogs, but still. This is a bit scary as I don't know his story, and I don't know his mental state. 

Don't forget my offer to send you a Christmas card. You don't have to be far away - you could live next door to me. The idea is that we won't be getting together any time soon, and it's just another way to stay in touch. Send me your address, and I'll be happy to add you to the list. 

On that note, I'm out of here. It's going to be a busy day!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!