Starting Something new again

A couple of years ago, I joined Judy's Stash Quilts ring. I tried, I really did. I just couldn't keep up with all the quilts. This time, I'm not working outside the house, I need some stimulation and I have some really cool Orange fabric I want to put into a quilt.
I find that, as I get older, I want to experiment more. I'm so bored with the traditional ways.
So, here I am. I'm going to make Bonnie Hunter's newest Mystery quilt. Wish me luck.

Still Kickin'

Here's a quilt I've started, It's a convergence quilt from the Ricky Tims book.

I've not been interested in blogging. I've really got nothing to say. I have never been one to journal or write in a diary. I'm going to keep it going in the hope that I will write again someday.

My computer crashed a few weeks ago and I lost my address book, passwords, everything. So I'm working my way back into the virtual world.

If you want to get in touch with me, please email me. I'm still here somewhere.

Using my Stash!!

Finally. I pulled, washed, pressed and am going to use a few fabrics from my stash. I'm making a convergence quilt from Ricky Tims' book of the same name. It's not a lot but hey, it's something. I have had major computer problems the past few weeks, so I lost all my pictures. They're locked in the hard drive of my old cpu. Dang!! Plus now I've run out of internal memory on the camera. I am going to have to learn how to work with that too.
I'm using 1 3/4 yards for the center of this quilt. I won't know about the border until this part is done. So stay tuned. If we can get all our little electronic ducks in line, I may even be able to post a picture.

Blogging

I'm sorry that I haven't written much lately. It's hard for me to type, I transpose letters, forget what I'm trying to say, and a multitude of other very frustrating things. I'm not looking for pity or anyone feeling sorry for me.
I have fibromyalgia in addition to my work injury. It makes me foggy sometimes, and at other times I just ache all over.
So, if you don't hear from me, be patient. I'll be back.

Stashbusting

I'm going to try to join Judy L's stashbusting group. It's hard, since I haven't touched my own fabric since Christmas week. But I did put together and quilt a little panel I picked up at the Somers show a couple of years ago. I'll post a picture when Mike gets home. Once of these days I'm going to have to figure out how to get the pics from the camera to the computer all by myself.
I still want to organize and use what I have or get rid of what I don't want. Will that count too, Judy?

Speed limit

Yesterday my husband was kind enough to tell me that I had finally reached the speed limit age. No, not 65-the lower one. Yuck.
Anyway, age is an attitude and mine is a smart-ass 40. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I've already messed up on my goals for this year so I'm starting over. I figure that's better than giving up, right? I have got to get in gear so I can make a profit this year. I don't know what's going to happen with the WC so I'm going to work as if the quilting will be my only livlihood. I'm not going to include DH's salary; that' a given.
See ya later.

Goals for 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
It's so hard to believe it's 2008. My goals for the new year are:

1. To finish what I start.
2. To get as healthy as I can.
3. To run my business as a business and not a money making hobby.

I figure if I keep the list short and sweet, it'll be easier to follow through-which is my biggest shortfall. Like this blog. Even if it's just a sentence, I want to journal for me

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to stop by in case y'all thought I disappeared off the planet. I'm still here, just have nothing to say right now.
I'm planning on journaling more in the new year, so stand by.

Oh yeah-Happy New Year!!!

What Color Christmas Tree should you have?

You Should Have a Blue Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of calm, understanding, and peace. You avoid family fights, and you don't get too stressed out - even when things are crazy! You like to make Christmas about making everyone's life a little bit better. You don't get caught up in greed or commercialism. You're too sincere for that. Your blue tree would look great with: Lots of silver tinsel You should spend Christmas Eve watching: It's a Wonderful Life What you should bake for Santa: Chocolate chip cookies

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

It's Done!!!

This is a picture of a friend's Harvest Spice quilt that I did on the LA for her. I finished my top, or flimsy as some have come to call them. We started this together about 2 years ago as a BOM. Obviously, mine was not a BOM. But I'm done!!!! And it's now on the to be quilted pile so I can move on to the next UFO.

It's been a while since I've written here, as one internet friend reminded me.

Mom is doing better, having PT come to her apt. We've decided to have her stay where she is for the time being; she has so many support services at her fingertips living in a larger city. If she moved here, she wouldn't have that. We are exploring having a cleaning service come in once or twice a month to do a thorough cleaning, which neither she nor I can do. Keri and I will go down on the alternate 2 week period to take care of things like laundry.

I'm still home on WC, but quilting my little heart out. It doesn't hurt like driving the bus or even my car at this point. I'm going to the doctor today for a followup, and they're recommending I have carpal tunnel surgery ASAP. I'm a little sick of this by now. Oh yeah, two weeks ago, the rheumatologist confirmed the fibromyalgia diagnosis. Hey-life goes on, right?

I am very blessed. I have my Mom still with me; she'll be 89 in March and still sharp. I have the most wonderful husband who supports me in everything, no matter how harebrained. Keri is graduating with honors in 2 weeks!! This has been a roller coaster ride, but I wouldn't have skipped any of it. Dave and Alicia, the precious twins, are great. We had Thanksgiving at their place with her family. I love holiday tables with lots of talking and laughter. We sure had that. Her Mom is going through some stuff right now, and we're pulling together like one big family. I'm an only child so having more family is like Christmas for me.

I've been reading a friend's blog about organizing. You can read it here: http://anitaestes.blogspot.com/ She has lots of tips for LA quilters and I think quilters in general. I try to read it every day for inspiration.

That's enough for now. I have to get ready to go to the doctor.
Have a great day!!!!

Just another day on the planet

My Mom had her surgery last Thursday, and they were not able to repair the rotator cuff. It was a very large tear and parts of it were older so there wasn't enough muscle to pull across to do the repair. The surgeon did scrape(isn't that an awful word?)a lot of the arthritis out so she'll be more comfortable.
I am very frustrated with New York State and it's Medicaid program. My Mom is a retired nurse and does not get any money except her SS, yet her income is too high for her to have an in home aide from now on. She's entitled to one while she's recuperating, but not afterwards. She'd have to pay over $300 a month!!! I don't have the resources to pay out money like that either. It hurts that I can't help her more. She doesn't want to live with us, our house is almost 100 years old and she's always cold when she comes to visit. So there's no way she'd live here. I called the county office for the aging and every single senior complex here is full with a waiting list. Even the brand new ones-the lists started before construction. So for right now, she'll have to stay where she is-which is about 85 miles from me.
Keri's graduating college in 32 days. What's weird is that the school is holding the ceremony before finals. Her graduating's not in doubt, but what about those who are? Keri's going to be magna cum laude! I am in awe of her mind at times. Then she'll revert back to being my Pookie and just cuddle with me.
Dave and Alicia have a kitten. His name is Riley. He's supposed to be part ragdoll but that seems to be changing as he gets older. They got him from the local shelter and he is a cutie.
I seem to be in a funk again with the customer quilts. I've gotten several skewed backings lately and they're making me crazy! Why can't these manufacturers exercise some quality control? I'd rather pay a few dollars more to have fabric made in the US than some rag from Asia being passed off as quality goods. Can you tell I'm a little steamed here?
Gotta go add some borders to a lady's Mom's quilt that I'm finishing.
Have a great day.

Update on Mom

My son David drove me to my Mom's today. I got to speak to both her doctors and the social worker. She has a very large rotator cuff tear, which she will have the surgery for on Nov 1st. Same day surgery, and outpatient PT. She lives in a senior building that's associated with a nursing home and there's a PT facility in the nursing home. So she'll just have to walk across the garden. I thinkthat's great-she's very settled where she lives.
I finished frogging the quilt that I messed up the other day. Now I can get it back on the machine and get it quilted. Gotta keep on keepin' on. Know what I mean?

Where has the time gone?

Anita wrote on the 2nd about my schedule that was supposed to start on the 1st. Well, that got shot to hell. I'm just running to catch up all the time. Too dang much time on this 'puter!!! I can only blame me-I'm losing all sense of discipline.
Wednesday was our 25th anniversary! No fanfare, just the comfort of knowing I'm still with my best friend. Dave and Alicia took us out to dinner; Keri was up in Albany. She came home yesterday and this morning we found a beautiful card from her. Awww. I'm very blessed with my family.
Yesterday afternoon I had an overwhelming urge to call my Mom. Turned out to be gut wrenching, but it's a good thing I did call. She's not doing well. A few weeks ago she hurt her shoulder closing a window in her apartment and had to have an MRI. That report says her shoulder is shot and she has to have surgery. Mind you, Mom is 88 years old. She broke down on the phone because she doesn't know what to do. David is taking me down on Monday. We'll get her laundry done and do some house cleaning for her. She has to see her own doctor to make sure she's in good health before surgery can be scheduled. I asked her if she'd had PT and she told me she went 9 times before the insurance denied it. I thought Medicare took care of seniors, so I'm going to be making some phone calls on Monday.
Mike and I are going down on the 22nd to help her out. I told her to make her doctor's app't for that day and I'll go with her. I need to understand what the heck is going on.
I should have stopped quilting once I spoke to her. I was very upset and angry at the whole medical system. But I thought doing just one more row would help me focus. It was the 2nd row of a panto-I didn't need to reposition anything. The laser light must have moved because now I'm frogging the entire row of stitch regulated stitches and the quilt is 84" wide. Smart me, huh?
Thank goodness for my zippers. I can get another quilt on the machine today. Mike's got drill weekend so I can work. I can't when he's home. I want to spend time with him, even after 25 years. Isn't that great?

Finding the Muse

I just read an enewsletter from Laura Cater-Woods. In it she talks about finding the time to go into the studio and get something, anything done. It's all a matter of scheduling. I've made up my mind to get my house in order this week and really start to plan my days. I'm setting October 1st as my launch date, and writing it down here makes me accountable.

It's going to be sweltering here in the Hudson Valley today-90 degrees! Where is autumn? I don't want to have to keep running the AC, but I can't breathe without it. Plus, woke up this morning with a little sore throat. I thought that if I wasn't on the bus, I wouldn't get the bug this years. We've always complained that the kids make us sick. Oh well..............
Gotta get upstairs.

What time of day are you?

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Blue Monday

It's been a while since I've written but that's only because life has been pretty boring lately. I'm going through a slump where I don't want to do anything-not even work on customer quilts. Fortunately for them, I need the money so I'm working. Maybe it's because I'm not sleeping well. I do a lot of tossing and turning. Too bad it doesn't count as exercise. haha
Keri has switched what she wants to do. She's not changing majors, she's a senior graduating in December. She's been on the fence between school psychology and clinical. She spoke to an advisor who told her that what she wants to do is more in the social work/welfare field. So she's researching schools that have an MSW program. I just want her to be happy with her choice and happy in her life and work. She's had a tough road, and she deserves the best.
Do we ever stop worrying about our kids? David's married and now I worry about him AND Alicia. I've gone from 2 kids to 3. I hope that's normal. It's how my Mom and MIL have always treated inlaws.
I'm rambling, just trying to fill space so I'll say good night.

What color is your soul painted?

Your soul is painted the color yellow, which embodies the characteristics of joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, gold, hope, liberalism, sociability, friendship, death, courage, intellect, confidence, communication, travel, movement, attraction, persuasion, and charm. Yellow is the color of the element Air, and symbolizes the sun, grain, and the power of thought. http://www.quiztron.com/tests/color_is_soul_painte_quiz_23687.htm

Life Changes

I had a preliminary hearing at the Workers Comp Board today. We are going to continue everything the way it is. I'm going to keep up with the physical therapy and going to the doctors.
I hired an attorney on just about everyone's advice so that I couldn't be railroaded.

But now I have to make a decision. The company policy is that we are allowed 60 work days medical leave. If we go over that, we lose our seniority. I missed 45 days in the spring so I only have until September 26th to go back. I don't know if I'll be ready by then. The surgeon has me out until November 5th, so I'll definitely lose my seniority. Even if I do go back, it'll only be 2 days a week so I can quilt full time. Otherwise, Mike wants me to guarantee that I'll double my quilting income and I won't have to drive at all. With all the ups and downs of this business, how can I guarantee anything?

Sure, I have plenty of quilts now, but the phone isn't ringing very much. August is a very slow month for me every year. I have to figure out what I'm going to do on my art quilts, and I have a double wedding ring to quilt for my new DIL.

Do I have the courage to go for it? I can always go back to the bus. There's not a line out the door for people willing to do my job. This is very hard for me. I'll talk more when I've made a decision. Or not.

I'm in Love!!!

I am officially in love with King Tut thread by Superior. I used it on a quilt this morning and had only one thread break in the whole quilt. I used a cone of "Temple", it looks like natural by PermaCore. I didn't have a lot of lint either. I can see a lot of this in my future. For 7 years, I've been afraid of using anything other than my old favorites. But now I'm FREE!!!!! Ahhh......what a rush!

What to do?

A very good friend told me today that her husband has been drinking. He was involuntarily retired in December from the ANG because he turned 60. He actually ended up in the hospital a few months ago with alcohol induced hepatitis. She's an RN and has tried to tell him what can happen to him, but he just doesn't seem to listen/understand.
I'm at such a loss. They're both friends and I hate to see her hurting like this. He's so unhappy being retired. He does have a part time job-every other Saturday-but I don't think it's enough. He has to feel like he has a purpose in life.
She says he needs rehab but she hasn't got the guts to do it. I just wish there was something I could do.