TICKed OFF!!!!!

No - I am not mad - just wait for it. You'll see why that title is very appropriate for today.

I will start by telling you a story of someone we ran into yesterday who was very ticked off.  Yesterday was another road trip.   No time for details today - let's just say that we did some serious damage at 10 stores.  I know - this is getting bad!   Who ever started that damn row by row and shop hop anyway?????

We were in The Quilting Bee in Fonthill. We hadn't been there very long when a VERY frazzled woman comes in the store. An older than myself person. She was pretty vocal and annouced "where do I get this thing signed and get my block. I've been searching for this store for an hour!".     The staff said "why didn't you call".  She replied "I don't have a phone". Fair enough - but there are maps, there are places to ask for directions and that store is right on the main drag in Fonthill.  She got her free block as part of The July Shop Hop, got her passport stamped and she was out of there. Entire time in the store must have been ONE MINUTE, maybe TWO.  Wow!

We met up with Tish and Anita who were also doing the shop hop and so some time had passed before we got out of the store.  We arrive at Kindred Spirits in St. Catherine's (which is NOT that far away) and who appears  - the same irate woman.  I parked right beside her. She flew out of her car, was almost hit by a car in the parking lot, then had to turn around (right in front of the car that almost hit her) to get whatever she forgot from the car.  So we all arrive in the store about the same time.

She marches up to the cash - gets her block and passport stamped and loudly asks - "how do I get to Georgetown to get to the Hobby Horse".   Oh boy - I know how far away the Hobby Horse is and once you know where it is - the store is obviously easy to find, but the first time was a challenge for me.  OK - that was my first time gettingi to a quilt store in the country. The time at that moment was 3 PM more or less. If it took her over a half hour to get from Fonthill to St. Catherine's, there was NO WAY she was going to get to Georgetown before Hobby Horse closed.  Then she asked that the staff WRITE the directions down on a piece of paper (I don't think they did and I don't blame them).  Seriously??????   This woman had no phone, no map, no GPS and she was trying to do all these stores.   She only had the address. Obviously she had no clue what she was doing. And what was the fun in ripping to each store - I don't think she even looked at ONE THING in either store.

We were tempted to call the Hobby Horse to warn them but we thought the chances of her actually arriving were SLIM to NONE so we didn't bother.  I called Joyce last night - NOPE - that lady didn't get there and if she did - she was nice as pie because no irate customer came into the store late in the day.

I have  heard of those customers on the Shop Hop who just walk in and get the free block and the passport stamped to enter in the draw and then they are off to the next store.  I had never seen one.  I mean really what is the point!!!!    By the time you drive from store to store and pick up those 15 blocks, you could have bought a nice chunk(s) of fabric at your local quilt store. Technically you don't have to buy anything at any of the stores, but at least have a look at what each store has to offer.  I wonder what was going through her mind as she went from store to store?????   Pretty sad existance if you ask me.

In the meantime, my visions of each new project, each new treasure - well my brain was in serious overload after the first shop!!!!    But I'll tell you about the trip later. Let's just say that my fabric license plate collection is growing by leaps and bounds.  Between plates appearing in my mail box at the house and then in the actual post and the road trips - oh yes - leaps and bounds!


First a quick update from the backyard. Those baby birds are growing like WEEDS. Those three little peepers are getting bigger and bigger.  I wonder how long before they leave the nest????

Not so little baby birds on a feeding frenzy

On my way home, I had to drive by the mall and I have been meaning to take a picture forever.  All the scaffolding is gone and it is pretty neat because you can see through the ball.   This wasn't the best pcture because of the sun, but was the best I could get in a hurry.   Will get a better one later.

The mall BALL

When I got home from the road trip, I had to do a rescue mission.  I had to rescue Little Sammy from the vet.

Thanks Mom for rescueing me - I was very scared!!!!

If you are a bit squimish and don't like bugs - then close your eyes for this next picture. The other night I was sitting on the front step and Little Sammy was hanging out with me.  I was giving her a good rub down and I felt this thing on her neck.  I thought it was matted hair since she often gets that.  I worked the knot out.  Hmmmm - this feels a bit too smooth for matted hair. With great trepedation I came in the house and turned on the light.  ACK!!!!!!!!!!    A frickin bug that was alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I HATE BUGS!!!!!   And see how big the thing is!!!!!!   That is my baby finger beside it.

Bug!!!!!!!!!!

I e-mailed that picture to the vet yesterday morning. Tell me this is NOT a TICK.  Oh yes - it is a tick. The worse part was that Sammy had a small lump about the size of that tick in the vicinity of where I found the tick. The vet wanted to see her that same day.  ACK - I am far away on my road trip, DH is down town and M had to go to work.   M was able to drop Sammy at the vet on her way to work. She spent the afternoon at the vet which I am sure did not make her happy. I got her around 6 PM. She was very happy.

They are going to test the tick for any bacteria such as lyme disease. I should know today or early next week. In the meantime, I bought medication for both dogs to kill off any ticks or fleas. She would have picked it up in the forest.   ACK ACK ACK!!!!!!!    Needless to say - I was itchy all day yesterday thinking about that stupid bug.   Hopefully it will be fine and the tick will test negative.

I am trying to get myself organized but I seem to be in slow motion mode these days.  OK - if I would stay home, I would get everything done.  I did manage to make the rest of the binding and finished off quilt number three.  Hand stitching will be later.

Binding on quilt number three

I have left the best to last today.  What do we call those people that we know only from the internet???  Online friends???   Sounds good to me.


So my online friend, Connie - remember her.  I think I mentioned that she was going to paint her bike orange. Well imagine my surprise when I got home last night (to e-mail that was working) and there was a picture of her orange bike!!!!!!!!!!!!

Connie's orange bike

OH MY GOD - I LOVE LOVE LOVE that bike.  I think her bike looks better than the Radler bike!!!   It used to be red, but was looking in sad shape.  That's why she decided to paint it.  Now she was going to paint it herself and had asked her husband to get the paint. When she got home, he had the bike disassembled, prepping the parts and so he painted it and put it back together.   If you look close - I think he spiffed up the tires and everything else.  This is a WELL DETAILED bike!!!!   He did an amazing job!!!!!!   Connie - all that we are missing is a picture of you riding down the street. And you need a basket.  NO - you need bike accessories.  

the Happy Bicycle by Kathy McGee

Wow - it is so crazy - every day has some kind of excitement and I don't ever have to go far to find it!!!!


On that note - I am off to do a class today - not teaching, but taking the class.  I have so much to do before I leave that it will be hard to focus - I have a hard time at the best of times. But anyway - I will try my best - then back home to finish off that giant quilt and bind that last quilt.

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


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!