Thursday 29 October 2009

Flying Brussel sprouts and other events -

Well I figured I better update this blog. It has been very busy since I last wrote so this will be rather long..
Thanksgiving dinner was here at our house. Cory, Jill, Shelby and Jamie came for dinner. Aaron had to work so we didn't get to see him. Dinner went well and we had a nice time but Jill is teaching MY Granddaughter bad table manners. No one is supposed to feed the dog at the table so when I caought DD Jill feeding Leda (the dog) brussel sprouts I told her "Do NOT feed the dog at the table". She then gives Shelby (HER daughter) a brussel sprout and says;" You can't feed the dog at the table so throw it into the kitchen." Whizz goes a brussel sprout past Jamies left ear and into the kitchen....................... Scoot goes the dog after the brussel sprout. Now the dog isn't stupid, she knows where the sprout came from and goes back to Shelby's chair hoping for another sprout. This is the woman who gave me heck because I told my DGD she could spit food she didn't like into her napkin..................
Wednesday (the 14th) I went to Vancouver to pick up Donna's magazines and sisal. The magazine box was about the size of a liquor store box but the sisal box was 3 feet high, 1 1/2 feet wide and 1 1/2 feet deep. Pat brought it out on a dolly and we sort of tipped it into the car. Friday I went to Gail's and her DH loaded the sisal box into the back of the pickup truck. We loaded all our stuff for the spinning retreat into the truck, hopped in and left........................ oh, oh ............... we forgot the magazines.................... Guess whaty Donna wanted the most ................ right .... the magazines.

Well we had lunch 20 minutes out of Cache Creek rather than our usual spot which is 15 minutes out of Cache Creek. Then arrived at the retreat center unloaded our stuff and went to greet everyone. The retreat was fabulous as usual and we all had a great time. Lots of laughter, some fruit and way too much food. I was very self restrained and didn't buy anything. I did sell some of my stitch markers and counting bracelets so that helped pay for the quilting retreat the following weekend. Dispite not buying anything I came home with more than I brought. I got a Grden ornament (sheep) fot the yard from the gift exchange,flax for spinning was a door prize, a sheep in a tin from the hostess's, some lovely lace weight yarn from Lynne. hair braids from Isobel and a lovely necklace from Sheila. Then Marie gave several of us some lovely aplaca yarn and challenged us to have it made into something for the next retreat. Speaking of challenges .................. there was the other Challenge................Donna gave everyon a bag of the SISAL to make something before the next retreat................ If I had known she was going to do that I would have left it at Pat's and just taken the magazines................... NOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS STUFF THEY USE TO MAKE ROPE ..........................WOW what a great weekend you should have seen the show and tell. There are some incredibly talented people at that retreat. Sunday came too soon and it was time to pack and hug people goodbye. I did get the purple fibre spun up and started on the BFL from Lynne. My but it is nice to spin and great colours. If DH ever gets my camera thingy fixed I willl post some photos. Gail and I followed Doris home as she was having trouble with her brakes on the trailer but all went well. I arrived home in time for Shelby's Birthday dinner cooked by the children ( the adult ones). It was a lovely end to a lovely weekend.
To top the weekend off there was a small envelop that had been hand delivered and inside was a small card with the Disney Princesses on the front. Inside the card:
" Dear Karen
The quilting princesses wish to enjoy your company on this coming Thursday for purely selfish reasons on their part. Please say you will come.
Hugs and Kisses from the
Quilting Fairy"
Included in the envelop was enough money to pay for one more day at the retreat. As I have said before I am very blessed to have the friends I do.

Three days at home, clean up after the DGD's party, unpack , do laundry, tidy the house a little ,put away the spinning supplies and pack the quilting supplies, find all the projects I want to take, pack wine and nibbles, try to get some sleep. Thursady morning Jocelyn and I are off to the quilting retreat where again we had lots of fun, Good friends, good wine, good food and lots of quilting. We even did some shopping. I had to get more fabric for my neices wedding quilt as I didn't like some of the fabric I had planned to us. Saturday night some of us were up rather late, when I went to bed at 2:00 a.m. there was still four people up and they didn't go to bed until 6:00 a.m.. Crazy women, I won't tell you what we drank but it was a fair amount. Some people woke up with "Skull Cramps" Sunday morning. I have almost finished the baby quilt for Justin and just need to put hanging tabs on the Manly Man challenge quilt and hand sew the binding. The Halloween wall hanging has most of the faces appliqued in place and some of the blocks are sewn together. I started this last year at the retreat and the way I am going I may actually get it done for next Halloween.
Have to go now...............

I am back, had to go to the Dr. about my knee which is much better this week as something went "kuthunk" earlier this week and I have less pain and more range.

I spent the week after the quilting retreat recovering from the retreats. My friend said "I thought retreats were supposed to be relaxing?" Relaxing YES but restful NO. I was rather sleep deprived.

Last weekend was HALLOWEEN and we went to an ABBA party at Lisa and Rene's. Everyone dressed up and all the kids were there. A good time was had by all including the students that board with L:isa and Rene.

This week has been fairly quiet re: doing things. As far as noise we have the dog and Shelby has been here most days. I have finished a felted bag with matching little zippered bag. My fingerless gloves are almost finished. They maybe for me this time but you never know. The faces are finished on the Halloween quilt and I want to start doing my Dear Jane and Quilted diamonds blocks. I need to finish my neices quilt first and then do her a baby quilt. I am waiting to find out whether the baby is male or female before I make the quilt. That porbably doesn''t really matter as the quilt will be BRIGHT IN YOUR FACE COLOURS because baby's should have bright happy things.
Well I see I have all the seating in the living room covered with knitting and quilting projects so I may have to break down and clean ................ darn........... OH well life must go on and peole who visit do need a place to sit down.

Saturday 10 October 2009

Busy week

Well the dog was sick, my car needed to be fixed, Jill's car needed to be fixed, Cory fell down the stairs, Doris came over , Mo and Barb came over, I went to Jackies, and WNK, Shelby was here for 2 nights, I made three counting bracelets and many stitch markers, I finally mailed Sue"s parcel, almost finished a wee sock, almost finished my car-knitting-socks, dyed yarn for my 'No ducks 'socks.and ripped out the heels as the socks were too short, vacumned (yes you read that right), finished the applique on a gift quilt, did some spindle spinning .......pause for a breath ..............re-organized my bead stash, found a home for three boxes in THE ROOM, send two big bags of fabric home with Doris as well as some patterns and thread, went to Micheal's and the Dollar store, shopped for groceries, hung up my wee sock collection, did dishes several times. Swept the floor, broke a glass dish I liked. I can't remember what else I did but there was more.
What's happening this coming week..................Well
Tomorrow Barb is coming over to do some crafting,
Monday I am cooking Thanksgiving Dinner,
Tuesday is sewing at Jackie's,
Wednesday I go to Vancouver to pick up magazines and sisal for Donna, then knitting at the Pool Hall in the evening
Thursday - I know something is happening just can't remember what. I better phone some people.
Friday- Gail and I go to Desert Mesa Spinning Retreat
Oh on Thursday I have to pack for the retreat. I have a little note book that has retreat information and what I need to bring so every year I review the list and add or remove anything that needs to be changed.

This was my parcel from Rebelyarnmuse on ravelry.My wee timny pickle sock is in the forefront of the photo. I loved all the goodies but the sock is the best. (Gail took the photo and sent it to me)