Nearly there

Countdown to Australia is getting very low now, single digits.  Lists have been made, but only partially checked off. Sometimes having a deadline freezes me up!  I'm looking forward to having no timetable on my vacation and just "being in the moment" without a list running through my head of all the things that need doing.  It will be a wonderful break from my regular programming.

My DD Erica will be my Administrative Assistant facsimile at Job#3 when I am in Australia and I've been training her the last few days.  It isn't a hard job but the doctor is a bit particular about some things--however he is always happy to answer questions and give more info or instruction, which is great.  He's also getting used to the idea that I may be quitting before long.  Three jobs is a lot and I want to pare down to just two again!  I'll increase my hours at Job #2 so won't lose any income--it will just be a lot easier to get things accomplished without having to rush away to somewhere else. 

Someday I would like to have the job title of "RETIRED".  Social Security may be wiped out by the time I get there so I may have to work until I'm 70.  As long as my brain keeps working, I may be able to handle it--well maybe one job at a time anyway!

Fear of clogging

No, I'm not talking about the dance, I'm talking about the inner ear.

I've been 98% deaf in my left ear since I was under age 5. Sometime in my toddlerhood I had a serious viral infection and suffered nerve damage. Luckily it was after I learned to talk and I never had to "adapt" to losing my hearing: I can't remember ever being able to hear out of that ear. Tinnitus is also something I can't remember being without; surprisingly, I have it in both ears.

Since I was I kid, however, having my ears clog up is my most troubling problem. There have been times when I fell asleep in the car as we drove up and down steep grades while coming back from my grandparents' house and it took days of swallowing, yawning, chewing gum, etc, to get my ears to open up again. The Valsalva maneuver is my friend because my ears will clog up if I go down a freeway off ramp! Sometimes even eating ice cream can make my ears clog up. It is really ridiculous. I may have the world's smallest Eustachian tubes.


My looming long plane ride has me worried that my ears will clog up for an extended period and I fear that thought will keep me from sleeping on the plane. I'm probably worrying for nothing but that's not stopping me from worrying!


As a bit of irony, my main job for the past 20 years is all based on HEARING. I am a medical transcriptionist and for 13 years also used to conduct lengthy intake histories for injured workers being seen by an orthopedic surgeon. How's that for a coincidence?

Sad and Happy Halloween week

This has been a week full of ups and downs. The services for my Grandma last Saturday were very nice. I made it through my speech without completely breaking down, although my brother Tyler, who spoke after me, said, "Thanks for the choke!". Lots of relatives I hadn't seen in a long time were there, and even three of my mom's brothers attended. We shared lots of stories and laughter as well as tears. My Dad's younger brother hosted a wonderful catered Santa Maria BBQ at his house and his wife had made special CDs of interviews she conducted with Grandma and her two sisters and one brother a few years ago of stories from their growing up years. Grandma's special treasures had been laid out and we were able to choose items that meant something to us. I may share pics of those at another time.

Sad news arrived on Monday the 26th, when I called my work friend Pat and learned that her son had passed away in the night, in the presence of his parents, one year and one month after his initial diagnosis of cancer. He was only 43 and had suffered a lot, especially in the last months as his liver began shutting down and affecting everything else. Our hearts break for Pat but we know her son is at peace now. She may return to work as early as next week, as she says she cannot sit at home just thinking about him. Being at work with us was her sanctuary during all the months he was in treatment. We will be glad to have her among us again.

Halloween projects kept me in my sewing room and I finished the Halloween Tumbler quilt this morning.

I made it two-sided so I can enjoy it through the fall, using fabric from my stash. The light orange print fabric was being used as a curtain in Elaine's new place when she moved in. It was just cut in half and not hemmed or anything so I appropriated it, washed it, and will use it up.

I like the way the quilting from the front looks on the reverse.

Erica's cobweb work is exemplary as always. She said she'd be happy to be hired out for this kind of decorating! Lots of people in our neighborhood have decorated with lights and there are a couple of graveyards too.

Here's a ghost I made a few years ago out of cheesecloth and liquid stiffener. The shadows make him look pretty spooky in this daytime shot.

This little woolen pumpkin was made by a dear family friend many years ago. I love his mask and can't wait to put him out every Halloween. I put him on a pillar candle holder to get him off the desk.

We will probably have hordes of Trick or Treaters, as we always do. Grant bought more candy this morning so I think there are about 8-9 bags now. I enjoy seeing all the decorated houses in the neighborhood and there is a "Trailer of Terror" around the corner that always draws lots of folks.

The last happy thing is that two weeks from now I will be flying to Australia. I spoke on the phone to my dear friend Susie the other night and can't wait to get there to see her, meet her fiance Jon, and all their family. I'm so excited and can't believe it is coming up so fast!

Another sewing room visitor

My sister Kathy is here from St. Louis and she visited my sewing room last night. I showed her bunches of stuff and she gave me some advice about design walls and storage. Then she gave me two gifts. Remember this drawer and my comment about my not so bright idea to fold my fat quarters into triangles?

Kathy did this for me!

Look how much more room there is now! She got through two drawers pretty quickly. Surprise, surprise, it didn't take as long as you'd think.

Kathy gave me a pillow. Nice and bright, right? A co-worker of hers offered her ten bucks to see the reaction on my face when she gave it to me.

It is entirely crafted of DOUBLE KNIT POLYESTER. Ewww. Someone even PUT A ZIPPER IN IT! My mom got pics of my curled lip and finger-pinch only grip of the gift. Kathy got a big laugh but said there was no way she was taking it back home with her. She said I had to accept it because she actually paid money for it. Did I mention she loves estate sales and thrift shops? I'm going to find just the right recipient for this gift, and "upcycle" it!

Halloween decorating

The little tumbler tablerunner's progress has been fun to work on. After sewing the tumbler rows together I cut the triangles out of the dot but it needed something more-- so on went a border made of strips from the charm scraps. I am getting my money's worth out of those 5" charm squares! I'm considering using some fall colors from my stash to make stripes on the back so the table runner will be Fall/Halloween. I used to have a Fall/Christmas one that I bought, but they didn't wash the fabric first and it got wonky when I washed it. Then later a ton of candle wax got stuck into it so it became trash, dangit!

These "75 cent bin" panel leftovers from the LQS turned out cute with just a little quilting and ribbon. I unfortunately don't know who made this panel but it is so old-fashioned and cute. This square came to work with me and adorns my cubicle at Job #2. The one on the left in the pic below I gave to Elaine for her their new place along with some spiderwebs, a banner, a pumpkin, and some other little haunted decor. I love Target for decorating on the cheap!





































The backing came from my stash. I just did a simple stitch and turn and added some ribbon I had on hand for a hanger. The remaining panel square I am going to take to work and raffle off with a roll of the dice after everyone clamored for one of their own!







I am hoping to get my "Any Witch Way" borders cut and applied this weekend but am not sure if that will happen. Services for my Grandma will be Saturday in Bakersfield and my sister is flying in tomorrow night so I'll want to spend time with her. We may squeeze in a session in my sewing room, which she has not seen yet :).

My Grandma

Yo-yo Feedsack quilt by my Grandma

Our family had sad news this week as my dad's mom passed away shortly after midnight, October 15, 2009, after suffering from bouts of atrial fibrillation and gastric distress the last week or so. Her heart finally gave out. She was 92 years old. My dad is her eldest child, I am her eldest granddaughter, and my son Nick her eldest great-grandson. My beloved Grandma was a wonderful woman who never lost her sense of humor despite many difficulties throughout her life. She never set out to have a bad time and enjoyed meeting new people and going new places. Grandma loved loved simple things and most of all having her family around her. Now she will be laid to rest next to her husband, to whom she was married 50 and 1/2 years and whom she outlived by 22 years. We will all miss her so much.

This quilt's label says "Made 1934. Tied 1997" and is one of my most treasured items. It came to me after Grandma moved to a care home for dementia sufferers. How's that for keeping a UFO for a long time?

Festival Fun

Blogging took up a lot of my time this weekend as I couldn't stop looking at "just one more" entry into the Blogger's Quilt Festival. I have only gotten through about 110 of the over 400 entrants and look forward to seeing many more. There are some funny, amazing, and very touching quilt stories out there, not to mention talented and experienced quilters as well as enthusiastic beginners! Thank you to the many commenters on my entry of my sweetie's quilt, and welcome to new followers. I hope you visit often and enjoy my little blog :)

Oh, and I was embarrassed into taking another photo of my wallhanging in the header--when I saw how blurry the image was full size I got my camera out again! I wanted to take a pic of the pieced backing on this pumpkin trio but my battery was low, so it will have to wait. I enjoyed making this little wall hanging a few years ago (another AP&Q mag pattern, go figure!) and most of the fabrics I already had---bonus!

This is going to be a difficult workweek as the flu has hit our office staff hard. I'm hoping that if I get it, it is SOON because I don't want to be sick just before I go to Australia in mid November. Fingers crossed!