Kidnapping Pape Part II

Well, I believe that my shoes have a hole in the sole from all the walking we did today in New Orleans. We dropped Pape off at the casino and started walking and walking. After about 2 miles, Sammie stopped because I offered to buy her lunch. She was hungry so we sat down for about 30 minutes. Then off we went. She took more pictures of more things than I can imagine. I haven't seen all the pictures or I would post a few.

When we made the loop to Jackson Square, I sat down! I refused to go further at that moment. Sammie went around the square taking pictures of anything that caught her fancy. I got to rest about 10 minutes. Then we walked down the street, turned walked a block, turned and walked 2 miles back to Canal Street. I am glad after the sights I saw that we did not go 2 blocks down to Bourbon Street.

We walked about 4 blocks down Canal back to the casino and called Pape three times before he showed up at the shoe shine stand. He had the nerve to laugh at how tired I was! He slept all the way to New Orleans and then sat inside a comfortable casino while I drove and supervised and then walked my soles off.

I drove all the way for NO to Siegn Lane in BR. By then I was falling asleep at the wheel. Of course Pape was sleeping in the back seat and Sammie was trying to sleep on my shoulder in the front.

Pape took over at Siegn because I do not want to be in the car when Sammie drives in BR traffic the first time. (Sorry Sammie but I don't trust those idiots when I drive and when someone else drives I get scared no matter who it is.) I snuggled down in the back seat and I don't know who drove or didn't drive but Pape was in the driver's seat when I woke up in Lewisburg.

All in all it was a very good day. Well, gators, I have to go since I read in Facebook that I was going to have company tomorrow. I have to go prepare for them. Sometimes I like company like now!!! Have a blessed evening and a wonderful Sunday.

Kidnapping Pape Part I

Every now and then, I have to 'kidnap' my wonderful husband. Since Thursday was our 11th anniversary and we didn't get to do very much since I felt so horrible, Saturday became the day to do something different.

So today, I am kidnapping Pape with Sammie's help and we are going to New Orleans. That will give us 2 hours to talk and cutup in the car getting there, time for Pape to have alone with his casino machines, time for Sammie to take pictures, time for me to watch people, time to shop in the french market, and time to discuss things on the way back.

That is the plan--now how it goes may be a different thing because lately nothing as gone as planned. That is what makes my life so much of an adventure lately.

More later, gators. Have a beautiful and blessed day. Remember be careful or you may lose something precious to you.

A Morning of Cleaning & An Evening of Laughter Part II

Ah, the backyard! What an adventure! Renee' weedeated the sides of the house and tried to do around the trees and roses. She couldn't get the honeysuckle on the fence so I had the bright idea to get the hedge trimmer. It worked really well except that a few branches from the satsuma trees bit the dust...they needed trimming anyway.

But I got careless and cut down my 13 year old rose bush. That bush was very special to me b/c every time summer or winter I started feeling badly that bush would bloom. I know sounds silly but I was feeling bad this week and there were many blooms. Yet last week I did not see a bud. I wanted to cry but instead put down the hedge trimmer and sat down. Then I looked on the other side of my swing to discover that Renee' had cut down my other rose bush. Not a happy moment.

But my youngest and granddaughter came to my rescue. They started taking pictures of my roses and me so that I could remember how beautiful they always are.

Then PJ got there and started cutting grass with Chris. Those two are a pair. Together they managed to cut the whole backyard. Sammie took lots of pictures of Spirit and my roses. Renee' and I laughed at all of them. Then Pape came in the backyard and I told him what I had done.

He went in the front and got my grape vine and had the kids with help from Sammie and Renee' plant it so that I would have something else to bloom for me.

In the meantime, Lee was getting his grove on with Cleo. It does not matter to him that she makes about 100 of him. He has decided that Cleo is his and that is that! It is so funny to watch him. Yet not so funny when you think about it...he is working himself up and getting nothing out of it. Her tail is bigger than he is and even when she sits down, he has trouble reaching the necessary parts.IMAO

After all the planting, we called it an evening on yardwork and decided to finish up on Sunday. So Sammie and I decided to take Pape to Vidrines for supper. It is close and the steaks are wonderful. It was driving Mr. Stelly...he sat in the back with his hat and glasses and grinned up a storm.
You have to love that man!

At Vidrines, Sammie, Pape, and I discussed the consequences of her grade in Latin. Her mom wants to take away Sammie's cell phone and I-pod until next year or the summer depending on her grade this next 6 weeks. I came up with the following: No phone or I-pod for 2 weeks...enough time to bring her grade to a high C or low B. If she has not done so, then she would give up phone, I-pod, and CAMERA for 2 weeks. If grade has not come up to expectations by then, she would lose all three until end of 6 weeks. If it still does not come up to expectations by end of year, she would lose al three until end of 1st six weeks in fall. Yes, I know that taking away Sammie's camera is cruel but she needs to get her priorities straight and stop making excuses - logical or not.

Well, gators, that is how my day went. I hope it made you smile as much as it has me.

A Morning of Cleaning & a Evening of Laughter Part I

Today has indeed been a very grand day.

I got up and sewed another couple of Autumn Leaves blocks. They are beginning to look interesting but I lost/misplaced several that I made at the workshop.

Around 10am I started cleaning and rearranging my sewing room. The way it was the design wall was totally unreachable and things were beginning to get out of hand. I am still not finished but I like the way it is going. I moved the table so that I now can get to the design wall and have an island in the center where I can cut and sew on either side and still have proper lighting.

In the early afternoon, Pape and I began the yard work. I trimmed the hedges in the front and around the driveway. Some were cut a bit close but they were scratching my car when I drove into the carport.

Then Renee', Sammie, Chris, and Spirit arrived and the fun began. Chris started mowing while Spirit and I worked on her flowers. Oh, gosh Spirit found a worm as we filled the flower pot and I made the mistake of putting it back into the worm bin. She had a fit! This child will not play with a rolly polly (pill bug) but will hold a worm in her hand. In the meantime, Stelly and Sammie went to Billie's to get string for the weedeater.

Chris and I tried to set up our upside down tomato planter...let me tell you it is harder than it seems. It took both of us to fill that thing because you couldn't put it down b/c of the tomato plant. After all that work, I sure hope those tomatoes grow big.

Then we saw a lizard in the bushes and Chris tried to feed it. Renee' warned all three of us, Spirit, Chris, and me, that she would have no lizard in her house. I figured that she needed to chill because Spirit held a rolly polly so Renee' could deal with a lizard. LOL

We finished the planting and bug/reptile playing and went back to work. Pape and Sammie came back with the string. Renee' loaded the weedeater and went to work with a vengence. Spirit convinced Pape to "fix" her bike and started riding. Chris finished the front yard and started the side yard.

Then we decided to go do the backyard which was indeed a fun time except for a few mishaps.
More to come in Part II.

I moved the t

Spring Planting Is Upon Us

I woke up late--9am. I guess my power nap yesterday allowed my body to catch up on some of the energy I had used before or allowed the illness to run its course. Either way I am feeling so much better RIGHT now. I don't know what the day will bring but I am feeling great.

This afternoon I have lots to do between 3:15 pm and 7 pm. Sammie is coming spend the weekend with Pape ad me and I have to go get her. Then at 6pm, Renee, Chris, Spirit, and possibly Byron are coming to help me with the backyard and my planting. We have yellow straight neck squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatoes plants to put in the ground in the backyard along the fence line.

We also have white squash seeds to plant...I love white squash smothered down with butter mmmm and I also love it smothered down and honey added as a preserve. My Little Grandma and Grandma Bob made the sweet squash so that brings back good memories and my T-mom made the butter, onions, salt&pepper kind. Sometimes it was great to grow up with grandparents who were so different in their culture and ways of thinking. Sometimes it was not so great.

I digress...we will also be planting flowers in the hanging baskets. Spirit will be in charge of that so they should come out interesting! Chris and I will try to plant a tomato in the upside down planter which should also be interesting. Then I have a watermelon cup for Chris or Spirit to grow for me so that Pape can plant it under the pine tree.

Between then and now, I plan on working on saving clothes-a chore I hate-and cleaning my sewing room. That is another chore I am avoiding but must be done.

I asked a question earlier but no one answered it. How do you count a piece of scrap given you on your stash report - as added fabric or not? Since no one answered, I am wondering if people can post comments. Please try so that I can know for sure.
Well, off to start so SEE YA LATER GATORS

Happy Anniversary Part III

Pape's home! He got the coffee, bleach, and laundry detergent and quite a bit of other stuff too. Ah, he does like to shop and eat.

I took his blood sugar and it was 201 which is very high. I am worried about that. I just can't get him to eat the foods that will help him with lowering the blood sugar. He loves sugary foods and carbs. I am going to try to show him that if that number were lower he would be feeling better especially his foot. Nothing seems to work...maybe he needs to get truly sick to understand how serious this disease is. I just don't know.

But all that said, I sure am glad that he is home from his wanderings. I miss him when he isn't around...ain't that a shame. I got a crush on my own husband. But I do love that man so very much. He is my heart and soul.

I made 3 more leaves for the Autumn Leaves quilt. I am running out of the little squares since the lady who taught the class didn't give us the right number to cut. I need 6 and we were told to cut 4. I don't have enough fabric on some of the ones I cut to make all the half square triangles into leaves. Bummer. Tomorrow I will cut new pieces and this time I will cut 6 squares per.

Leeapaul scared me tonight...he barked three times. He has only barked 6 times in his life before and then he gets vocal tonight. The first time he just started barking. I went check and there was nothing around. The second time he barked and went to the back door growling so I turned on lights all over the house and went check. Nothing. The third time he barked tonight was when Pape came home. Pape used the front door and Lee barked when he knocked. Don't know what is going on with Lee but I hope he gets over it soon b/c that is too much barking. LOL

Well it is time to put this computer to bed. It has been acting up again. Time for me to go to bed too. So later gators--may your night be restful and your morning pleasant.

Happy Aniversary Part II

Well, as I said in Part I, getting Pape a great meal and taking a Power Nap were the main things I wanted to do today. That was the only things I did except sew together 5 or so leaves for Autumn Leaves.

The plants I bought at Lowe's will be planted tomorrow IF I am having a better health day. My thyroid problems have flared up and are giving me a heck of a time. Since I want to kidnap Pape and Sammie on Saturday, I need to build up my strength and get the problems under control. Easier said than done!

Plans for tomorrow are simple:
1) Clean sewing room or at least pick it up.

2) Mow/weedeat backyard.

3) Plant vegtable plants in backyard and flowers in hanging basket and tomatoes in upside down container. I am really anxious to see how that works.

4) Sew on New York Beauty for guild, on nine patch for guild, and on stars for Be There or Be Square.

5) Try to gain strength and health for Saturday.

Pape is at Casino and is suppose to remember to get coffee, bleach, and washing detergent. This is very much like our wedding. We got married at about 4pm with that funny little Baptist minister, went to a Toastmaster meeting and ate, and then he went to house and I went spend night with Mom at hospital.

I am still bummed at how much I had to give to the IRS. It makes a peson not want to work or save or do a dang thing. It is a shame when they hit the middle class older people who are healthy and have no children to claim. Next year I hope that the IRS owes me more than I paid.

With the rest of my retirement money, I plan to put a road on my farm in Lawtell and build a shed there for the motorhome. If there is any left, I plan on getting a tractor so that I can clear the land there. I may even get a mortage on that place so that I can claim all that interest instead of having it just go to waste. When I do that, I may also put a small building there and start my online and craft show business with my dolls, quilts, purses, and sweatshirt jackets. I could also finish and furnish the back area of the house into a quilt studio like I dream of and claim that as my home office. Then I could claim fabric, travel, etc and maybe come out even in the long run.

My mind is thinking about Steven's Saints quilt. My logic is saying that until I get my sewing room in some kind of order that is not a thing to do. I don't know which will win right now. Probably my logic, it usually does.

Well, that is all the wondering for now. Later gators.

Happy Anniversary - Part I

I got more sleep last night than I have been getting. I think that I was exhausted both physically and mentally from the day before. Pape bringing LuLu in the house for the night may have helped since I didn't have to listen to her cry/bark all night.

In 4 hours I have to go to the dentist which is not that unpleasant but which I dislike with a passion. But on the bright side, it will be over for another 4 months.

Today is the anniversary of my marriage to Pape. I still remember vividly the old preacher man who married us looking so shocked that I balked at saying " obey". Another thing I remember is that he told Pape and me that we were married and that it would stick. He was right it did stick but I still don't "obey!" Pape will say AMEN to that!

Plans for today besides dentist are:
1) Get a nice meal somehow for Pape. I wonder if the dinner in Sunset would have food cooked by 10am. He does like their food or maybe I will splurge and take him to Vidrines/Westons for steak.

2) Begin cleaning that messy sewing room. It is beyond what I can stand.

3) Get the burrs out of Leeapaul's fur. The backyard is full of them and he has been enjoying the freedom of the outside with Lulu.

4) Bathe and clip Lulu so that she can stay in the house without stinking up the place.

5) Weedeat/mow the backyard so that Lee and Lulu can stay clean somewhat.

6)Take a power nap!

Everything but numbers 1 and 6 are optional. LOL

Ups and Downs

Today has been a day of ups and downs. There were more downers than uppers when I think about the day.

First, I woke up to the runs which is never an upper. Then I had to go to the bank because I misplaced/lost my checkbook which is a definite downer. But the banker told me that it would only cost me $32.99 to stop all 25 checks I lost which was an upper. He also let me know that I keep too much money in my checking account and should put some of it in CDs or money markets which was another upper.

After I got finished at the bank, Pape and I went to eat lunch at our favorite place but there were no parking places which was a downer. We went to the Chinese buffet instead and the food was very good which was an upper.

After we finished, I drove home and got dressed to go to Lafayette again having a case of the runs before I left which was a double downer. I picked Sammie up and we got to the doctor's office early and they had Pibb Zero which was a double upper.

The doctor believes that Sammie and Tanya both have hypothyroidism as do I which was both an upper and a downer. I am glad that we know about it but wish with all my heart that they didn't have this disease. Spirit also has signs of the disease so I will begin trying to get her to the doctor too.

We finished at the doctor and the bill was not as steep as I expected and the doctor took off 20% since there was no insurance which was an upper. Sammie and I then went to BQ and I played with their new longarm and made arrangements to quilt the skulls next week which was a triple upper. The price quoted was very up too.

Then Sammie and I went to Ms. Rose's to see what was happening with the taxes. All I can say is that was a 6,952 times downer that still has me bummed. Less said about this subject right now is better.

When we left, my wonderful granddaughter took me to get chocolate and Pibb which is always an upper. She knows what helps me get to an even keel not that it worked. Because I was so depressed, we went to Barnes and Noble to look at books and mags. That was a definite upper although I could only find one mag that interest me.

Sammie and I then drove to her house getting gas along the way and talking about her plans for the future. Knowing that my granddaughter has a thinking head on her shoulders was another upper. When we got to her house, she showed me her new bed and that was an upper since she has been sleeping on a spring in her back for months.

Then I drove home and told Pape about the taxes. The shocked look on his face was a triple downer since he doesn't have that kind of money in the bank and his macho made him feel bad letting me pay for it.

I came online only to find this idiot downing my daughter for speaking her mind which was not only a downer but in the mood I was in made me hotter than a fire cracker. Then Tanya had a post that was a definite downer about how she felt about having to have me help with Sammie while she went to class.

My friend, Denise, gave me another unintentional downer when she told me about the great price BQ has on that longarm I played with b/c I used the money I had saved for my longarm to pay the IRS.

Then I realized that tomorrow is my eleventh anniversary and I am so broke that I won't be able to take my sweetheart out to eat or get him a gift. I so wanted to get him a new pair of bowling shoes with velcro straps which is another downer. Guess I will cook something out of the freezer ugh which starts that day with a downer. I also have a dentist appointment which is always a downer for me...I hate the dentist.

So my friends as you can see it has been a day of ups and downs. This yoyo is tired of all the movement without even 1 power nap.
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Tomorrow I plan on starting the cleaning of my sewing room. It has gotten out of hand. Besides I need to be able to get to the midarm machine to practice circles and writing for the skull quilt. I also need to get the midarm back into working condition since I won't be getting my longarm anytime soon.

Wondering What to Do Next

Pape and I drove all the way to Maurepas, Louisiana which is 129 miles from Lewisburg, Louisiana. We took 2 cars to go and came back in one. Gosh, I was glad we were coming back in one since I don't think I could have driven back alone. I slept from Denham Springs all the way to Lafayette. All that extra sewing time last night caught up with me and I ran out of my meds yesterday. Pape has gone to get them filled since he dislikes this apathy that hits me when I don't take them.

When we got back, I went outside and read the magazine that I got from my eldest daughter. I took a book too but it was not the one I really wanted. I wanted the "Leaders and Enders" but took the "Reversible Quilts". Oh, well! I will get the other soon enough if things go the way Pape wants them to go.

Dorothy showed me 3 of the quilts she is working on. She does such beautiful work and is fast. She quilts using the quilt as you go method and does such a beautiful job. The woman is a worker...she holds down a full time job, takes care of and cooks for 3 kids, a husband, 2 dogs, a cat, a mother-in-law, a in-and-out step-son with granddog, and still finds time to complete quilts! Dang,I want to be that woman when I grow up ---not. Too much for other people with no time for self...I have become too protective over my ME-Time.

My youngest daughter and her children came over to bring me the weedeater. Sometimes between now and the weekend, I intend to work in my backyard. Lee comes in from there with more junk stuck to his coat than a goat.

Anyway, Spirit had a great time running from Pape's "trained bees" and playing with the peanuts her aunt gave Pape. (I think that her mom ate more than Spirit plus Pape did.) Chris bounced the basketball around and was as happy as a lark. We discussed 4th grade vs. 5th grade and I still think that if the LEAP is passed that 5th is the way to go.

Spirit told me about the field trip that her class went on today. It is LEAP time and little kids do not understand that they have to be especially quiet. I don't envy the teachers at this time of year. It is very stressful for all of the stakeholders - parents, students, teacher, and all staff. Glad I am retired!

Now that the skull top is complete, I have to make up my mind as to what I want to do. Should I work on Tanya's graduation quilt or on the "Mystery from H__L" blocks or on the "Autumn Leaves" in batics or on the "Black and Scrapy" New York Beauty blocks or on the applicate "BOM" or prepare things for the t-shirt quilt at BQ or make a purse from one on my three new patterns or work in EQ6 to design the Saints quilt that Steven wants or complete an UFO? Gosh, so many choices!!! I seem to have started lots of projects while working on the skulls.

I know! First, I will clean my machine and then I will clean and rearrange my sewing room. Then I will work on whatever hits my fancy.

As I work on the next project, I have to baste (UGH) the skull quilt and start quilting it. Denise from BQ suggested that I go there and take the class on their new longarm system. Then from there I can baste my quilt and/or rent the longarm to quilt it. Sounds like a plan that can be brought to fruitation by May 14th.

I have a stash question...do you count large scraps received from someone else as fabric added or is it just a freebie?

Hard Part of Quilting

Sleep was not my friend last night. I slept from 9:30Pm to 11pm and then tossed and turned. So I got up and put more borders on the skull quilt. At about 3am, I went back to bed only to get up this morning at 8am.

Last border for the skull quilt just finished. This quilt looks nothing like the magazine (Quilts with Style Sep/Oct 2006 Dia de los Muentos) it came from and nothing like I envisioned it when I started it. It is nice and I am pleased with it.

Now comes the part of quilting that is the hardest for me. The reason why I have so many UFO tops in my stash...the sandwiching/basting. It is so hard for me to even begin that process and I avoid it as much as I can. This time I can't!!! The quilt is due on May 14th which means I have to get busy quilting.

Well, like the old man said...to eat an elephant, you have to take the first bite and start chewing.

Right now Pape and I are getting ready to drive to my eldest daughter's to leave her my element. She put something thru the grill, radiator, and condensor of her brand new mustang. On Wednesday she has a can't miss meeting in Morgan City for work and so .... Pape is already figuring out how to change what is broke on Thursday so the element can come home.

Tomorrow, I will bring granddaughter to doctor and also go tend to registration for t-shirt class at BQ. Maybe when I get there, they will help me sandwich the skulls....mmmm that is a thought.

Design Wall Monday

What is on my design wall? What else but the skulls but that will be changing on Friday because all I have left to do is finish the borders. I am proud of the quilt because there are only 2 repeats in the whole quilt.

Later this week I think I will work on my New York Scrap Beauty. It seems easy after the skulls. The next grandchild will not get to pick their pattern...after this quilt except for Samanatha's (she has already picked hers), I will pick. No more extremely small pieces.

Stashbusting Report Beginning

I decided that I would use fabric from my stash first and try to reduce the stacks/bins of fabric. I have put my stash on a diet since January. My stash diets like I do...not very successfully. During Lent, I didn't buy much fabric. Lent is over so I can no longer use the excuse that I gave up buying fabric (my passion) for lent. I made up for not buying fabric by using the fabric in my overflowing scrap bin to make 2 comfort quilts to be given away by my guild. Yet those scraps keep growing it seems. I know that keeping track of food intake helps me lose weight so I decided to keep a written account of the fabric that goes in and out starting today.
Stash Busting Report to Begin: 0
Used this week: 0
Used from April 11, 2010: 0
Added this week: 9 yards
Added to Date: 9 yards
Change since April 11,2010: + 9 yards

Home at Last

Pape bowled 12 games in a 24 hour period and wonders why he is tired. He finished at around 12 noon and we began the trip home from Mobile. He drove to Isle of Capri in Bixoli where we ate lunch and play for a while. I drove from there to Denham Springs where we got something to drink and snack food we shouldn't have eaten. Pape then drove the rest of the way home...I am glad since Baton Rouge drivers are the pits.

We came back and found that our daughter had not returned our car yet. Cleo met us as we drove up and Lulu let us know she knew we were home. It felt very good to be home but I am already planning more travel for this month and the month of July and all months in between. LOL

Tomorrow I have to sew those borders on the skull quilt and call about the taxes. So much to remember for my pea brain. How do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time and chew chew chew chew. That's how you do all that you have to do in life too.