That's why you make a list!!!!!!

Trying to be very productive with my time (OK - so there was nothing in the house for breakfast) and I popped out to Longo's to buy groceries. There is NO ONE in the store at 7 AM when it opens. I LOVE IT. I remembered everything on my list (that I didn't have with me) until I got home and went to make a bagel and CRUDE - I forgot the margarine!!!!!Oh well - cereal it is!!

But the good news is this...........................

Yes Marian - there WILL be a traditional Christmas dinner - no grilled cheese!!!!!


I was in a bit of a panic because when I went around this morning, I did NOT see the frozen turkeys - just fresh. But after asking, they dug one out of the back for me. Yeah!!!!!   Same with the cranberries - I had to hunt for them. Just have to get some veggies - but frankly - at this point - I don't care if we get veggies or not - we HAVE TURKEY!!!!!   Now I still have not solved the gravy issue, but I can always fake that on Christmas Day!!!!


As usual, even though I was working on a quilt yesterday, the day lacked no end of EXCITEMENT!!!!

I started off by calling HP to see about getting my printer fixed. I was looking for a quick fix to tide me over until I could purchase the new one. My all-in-one printer is quite old. After calling them (all these guys are in India!!!!) they say that the printer is OBSOLETE - well they are OBSOLETE as soon as we take them out of the store so that was not a surprise. Since the warranty was gone, it was going to be $40 for a call - why not buy a new printer for $160!!!!   And they had the model that I wanted so I bought a new printer. Just wait until you see it - wow - the price of printers and what you get for them is amazing. They gave me a deal on extra ink cartridges and now it is winging its way to me - not from India, but from Canada.

But thank goodness, I have an older wide body printer (prints up to 13 by 19) and I dug that out because I needed a printer yesterday. And why did I need a printer???   Well I was helping someone out by embroidering a name on a Christmas stocking for their grand daughter. I know - can't say NO. Well - I have to do some embroidery for M today so might as well get the machine set up for that.

Anyway - we choose a font, got the machine set up and loaded up the stocking. And HONESTLY we checked which was the right side BEFORE we started stitching.

A TIGHT squeeze to get that stitching done

But Sticky stabilizer, a couple of pins and a prayer and it worked no problem

The problem was when we turned the stocking right side out (the cuff folded over and it was easier this way), the darn name was on the BACK of the stocking. CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!!!   Oh well - Santa will just be able to check that he is at the right house BEFORE he comes all the way down the chimney!!   Took just a few minutes to rehoop the stocking and stitch the name on the front. So there is NO way you can cheat and use this stocking for someone else!    Gayle was happy with the stocking and I got back to quilting.

And...........................................  





I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well the quilting that is - I still have that t-shirt quilt to bind.

LAST customer quilt of 2011

Detail of quilting

The quilt on the machine

In case you think something like this is easy on the long-arm, it is to a certain extent. You see how big that design is and it preferable to stitch the lines without having to stop and start. So I had to stitch one line, advance the quilt ONE INCH, then stitch another and advance one more inch. Ooops - not too far, now I have to do the stippling. Well you have a LOT of stuff happening all at once and you have to be on your toes. and if you are changing threads for different things - well it just gets crazy!!!!!

Bottom line - I am calling the customer this morning - she can pick it up whenever!!!!!

And today, I get to sit down all day while I stitch that binding. Let's just hope I stay awake!!!!!


How is this for customer service - so remember that printer I mentioned earlier. I had to zip down to Staples to get something. Before I left, I thought to check the ink cartridge box. Under the computer desk is a BOX labelled Ink Cartridges. I found a BRAND NEW box of ink cartridges for the OBSOLETE printer. Hmmmmmm - I did not have a receipt for the cartridges, but I thought maybe Staples would exchange them for cartridges for the new printer. The expiry date of the cartridges was December 2012. And while they did NOT exchange them, they gave me a CREDIT towards my purchase. How cool was that!!!!!   Kudos to Staples because not only did they give me a credit towards my purchase, but they had to do some work on the purchase and they turned it around in HOURS. I wasn't expecting it until today. That was EASY!!!!!    Thank you Staples.

I will continue to use the OLD printer as a photocopier until the ink runs out and then out it goes. See how cheap I am!!!!!    And the old wide body printer - well I found one more ink cartridge for it. I have a bunch of stuff to print on the wide body and instead of using the new printer - I will use up these ink cartridges and then that printer is ready to go to a new home. It still works - just don't need two printers once the new one comes. Oh darn - now I gave you a hint of what it is.

Now I know you are dying to see how many of those half square triangles I got trimmed. Well I walked past that cutting table a LOT. See what I mean.......................

There are ONLY FOUR LEFT!!!!   OK - I left them as a token so I could take the picture!!!!!

I have become psychic - NOT psychotic  - crude - how do you spell that??????   Well you know what I mean. I got an invitation to make some beads over the holidays with clay. I have a box of clay that I dug out when we originally talked about making the beads. Then in my "let's put things away", I put the box away and did NOT remember where it was. Yesterday I thought I would try one more time. I literally stood in the scrapbooking area for two minutes - eyes scanning back and forth, back and forth and VOILA - there was the box!!!!!!     Who knew!!!!!

Box of clay. 

Hey - if I give what I don't use to Lisa and only keep the orange to make snowman noses then VOILA - another box of stuff out of my house and I get beads in return. Awesome! The box is now sitting on the "staging" table. This table is for stuff that doesn't belong to me and is awaiting a guild meeting to be delivered or waiting for pickup by the owner.

I LOVE my new dishwasher. I finally got RinseAid this morning and started the thing. This is the ONLY way you can tell it is on.

The LIGHTS ARE ON

When they say QUIET - they mean QUIET. You cannot hear the thing run. Honestly. And even though it has a delay start, I will NOT run the dishwasher in the night. It is right below our bedroom and the clanging of water in the pipes often wakes me up. So not only do I get nice shiny clean dishes out of this deal, but I get a MUCH better sleep. I am so EXCITED!!!!!!

Now here is something else to get excited about..........................

Do you know what this is??????

It is a MASSIVE new gym that is being built just minutes from my house

It was so WARM yesterday that they were testing the outside water stuff. See that yellow thing - it is like a shower and the water was running in full force. 

This is the outdoor pool area. 

The place is GIGANTIC (153,000 square feet), includes three full basketball courts, a soccer pitch on the third floor and LOTS an LOTS and LOTS more. I signed up for a trial membership. Let's see what happens - will it open on time - March 10??????  And will they be able to keep their promises??????    I already talked to Alwin about it. It is HUGE news in the city and everyone (who is anyone!!!) is talking about the gym. It is called LifeTime Athletic. Apparently it is big in the US. Remains to be seen - what will happen here, but stay tuned!!!

I am happy to report that so far the squirrels and I are at peace. They seem to be happy to sit on the opposite side of the deck or eat the leftovers knocked on the ground by the birds.

But look at one of the cheeky little devils............

FAT FAT Squirrel - he needs a membership to that new gym!!!!

I wonder how long it will take for them to realize that they can knock that ball off the deck. So far so good!!!!!


Have you heard of this cream?????

Udder Cream

Somehow (I wonder how that happened) I ended up with TWO tubes. I was using one and it didn't really seem to be doing anything. Then I found another tube when I cleaned up and oh wow - now I know why.

Tube One - the cream broke down. It was watery and did nothing to soften hands. 

The second tube is creamy and works amazing on yours hands. 

Tube One - is GONE!!!!!


Christmas Eve is tomorrow and are you ready????   Well the quilts are all quilted, the tree is up and presents are under it..................

The stockings are hung and I hear Santa has almost all the things to put in them

Stockings are hung by the chimney with care

The house is clean and MOST of the Christmas dinner is here.

WAIT A MINUTE - where is M's Christmas list??????   I still have shopping to do and I CANNOT find her list. CRAP - I had better run and get started on that binding. And TOMORROW - wow - I will be able to do whatever I want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Have a great day!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!