Put a smile on your face!

 OK -- even though I'm seething inside, I'll put on a happy face today! 

Yep -- after a LENGTHY discussion with yet another UPS agent who ASSURED me that the package would be leaving yesterday -- it's still on hold. Now that's a full 72 hours AFTER the paperwork was submitted to the CORRECT e-mail address. I know they have it because they are reading it back to me. 

It takes 24 - 48 hours to clear stuff like this, so what's the hold-up? I'll have to make the blog short, so I can call them yet again. I've about given up. All I hear from those agents are LIES!!! I'm so frustrated -- well, I'm beyond frustrated at this point!

On the other hand, I have to laugh because someone said to me last night, "you have such an exciting life."  Ah -- no -- I just make it look that way. You have to think about it -- I don't travel - at least not much and certainly not lately, but I look at even the small events as something exciting! I hope I can keep that outlook for a long, long time!

Yep -- I make my own entertainment and then make it entertaining for you! Isn't that what a good storyteller does? 

I got all the blocks done for the Tula Pink class last night. That presentation, as well as the three different ones for today - all are done!. I'll be on Zoom for pretty much the entire day! Wait a minute -- I have one more picture to add, but I have to iron the flimsy first. It looks pretty bad!!

While piecing my blocks for Tula, I managed to get FIVE of the hexagons done for my One Block Wonder Panel quilt. Five done - 55 to go! Yeah!!!!  Actually, these do not take that long to sew together. Just make sure those center lines are straight, or it will be harder to sew the rows together.

Hexagons for the One Block Wonder quilt

I had several trays of cut pieces at one point, and I was seaming from all of them to make my sewing more efficient. I'll share the Tula PInk tomorrow when I have a bit more time. 

Trays of blocks ready to sew

At some point, I was running around the house gathering quilts to take pictures for the presentation this afternoon. Of course, I had company! I swear -- the moment a quilt goes on the floor, help is right there to test it! I know that happens at your house, as well if you have furry friends. I wonder why they love this? To get our attention? Or do they like the feel of the material on their feet? Oh -- they are just attention seekers - at least Murphy is. 

Yes, Murphy -- I can see you, and you're gorgeous!

And oh my gosh -- look what I found in the demo box for borders. A picture of me as a new quilter, somewhere in Southern Ontario at my very first quilt retreat. Look how short my hair was, and oh my -- look how young I look! I think I had barely been quilting a year.

Me -- as a new quilter

Oh - how you look is strictly a matter of the beholder. It's how old you feel in your heart. Breathing correctly, walking tall -- it's all part of how you feel. Or should I say - how you can MAKE yourself feel! That's the key. 

Here's a complete sidetrack, but it's important because I've been thinking about it often lately. And can you tell me why these random memories stick with us? I remember when I was in Grade 7 or 8  - so many years ago. There was one girl in our class; actually, she was in the grade ahead of me. She was very tall, and she walked tall. I remember thinking how fun it would be to be that tall, and she walked with her shoulders back, although she didn't hold her head up to match the shoulder posture. I also remember thinking that she was way too confident for a Grade 9 person and how dare she be that "forward." 

She was part of the popular crowd - by the way -- what are all those popular crowd people doing these days? Boring stuff, probably! 

Yep -- that's the kind of thing that goes through the head of a country girl who had to travel 30 miles by bus to "town" school. We didn't get that kind of advice from our parents. I did get my knuckles wrapped from the piano teacher who wanted straight fingers, but that was about it! If only I had learned a lesson from her to stand up straight and be proud of who I was -- well, I wouldn't be slouching today.

But just try it and see how different it feels. Pull your shoulders back, lift your head up, close your mouth, put a little smile on your face, and breathe deep. Yep -- it feels unnatural, and it feels like we have to expend a lot of effort to do that. And trust me - it can be exhausting. But man, oh man -- it sure boosts your confidence!! So I'm trying to do that more often. It's not normal for me yet, but I'm working on it. 

Other stuff happened yesterday, including a beer tasting, but I have to leave that for tomorrow as I have to call UPS to find out what the heck is going on. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!