Day 182

SEWING SUCCESS

finally got some projects done and well under way

Dark blue blouse, finished!

PJ shorts, done, done, done!

Day 181

NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO SEW

when there is a curious puppy under foot

I've got things to sew! Projects to cut out. Plans to formulate. I love, love, love Beemer, but he wants to be right where I am all the time. Of course in the sewing room are all sorts of hazards from the ironing board with the iron cord hanging down to pins on the floor. OK. So I'm a bit messy in the sewing room.

Compact space but efficient!

I've moved my serger and cover machine over so I just have to spin around when I need to switch machines, which works well for me. But look at all that machinery and lights. That means there are electrical cords all over the place which are a huge temptation for Beemer. And then there are the pins that drop to the carpet from time to time. When Frodo was a pup, he actually ingested a couple of flower-headed pins.YIKES! Luckily they went through his system and right out, and I can't believe he didn't have a perforated intestine! I'm trying to keep this puppy from the same situation. 

And here is the kitchen table which I use for cutting things out.

I've got several projects to stitch up and I hope to get some real work done over this weekend. I have a little part-time "job" that will require a bit of my time in the coming months. Yes, it involves sewing and yes, I can mostly do my work from home. More information to come at a later date.  One could ask, WHY! Why did I go looking to get myself committed to another thing!? Especially when the swimming pool is now fixed and waiting for me. The water is 86 degrees and I took a dip again today with my neighbor. Beemer was napping in his kennel so he didn't need me. The answer to "why" is that I just can't be happy if I don't feel useful. I finished the community newsletter today so that is ready to get out to people tomorrow. I could sit and read a book or two, but even though I love reading my need to be productive out weighs my desire to read.

The downside is that I will probably find myself complaining that I'm too busy one day soon! I don't think I'm the type of person who can easily find the balance between keeping busy and resting. Tomorrow is another day and I will try to keep Beemer safe while I do my thing in the sewing room. I really need to make better use of his nap time. 

Day 180

A FINE DAY FOR A SWIM

and I had the pool all to myself

I just LOVE to float on my back and look up at the blue sky, the green tree tops and the silver airplanes flying overhead. I couldn't help but think about the poor folks who were impacted by the bombing at the airport in Turkey today. So sad. 

And here is another of our lacecap hydrangeas. Big and beautiful!

Day 179

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY

so just what have I accomplished today?

Not much! I got a call this morning about a resident's dog who was on the loose and almost at the gate and could I catch him before he got hit by a car. I grabbed the leash and hobbled (my knee is really giving me problems) out to the street and managed to get the new maintenance guy to grab him for me. This is an old basset hound that continues to escape and management is threatening to contact the humane society. I feel bad because the owner is 94 and this is what is keeping him going.

So, after bringing him home and putting him in our fenced patio area I began to find a neighbor that could walk him home. I can't manage the walk with my knee. As I was on the phone calling my more mobile neighbors, I heard the loudest shriek and cry! Poor Beemer had walked out to the slider and saw this huge monster and was frightened out of his skin! By the time I hopped up and got to him, he jumped up into my arms and was totally shook up. Here was this monster in HIS space! Poor baby.

Well, to make a long story short, after getting in touch with the owner's wife, she got in her car and drove over here to get him. Then I really felt bad because she seemed to have knees that were worse than mine from the way she hobbled out of the car. By then, Dave had arrived home from Costco, I had 3 neighbors involved and one friend stopped by in her car as she was driving by to see what was going on! What a morning! All because of a pesky old basset hound that wants to explore. Otis. I can't seem to get the one photo I have of him downloaded.

I did get the grandmother clock wound today. So that is good! Instead of a photo of Otis, I am including some pictures of a few of my blooming plants.

Lovely rose, eh!?

Oooohhhh. Variegated Hydrangea. Pretty!

We're in the pink!  Another Hydrangea

How about a white lacecap Hydrangea?

And here is one of the two Strawberry Hydrangeas. Love those red stems. First year and it looks like it will bloom!

Day 178

ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MEMORY-FILLED PLACES

love Seattle and the Ivar's Fish Bar at the Salmon House

On I-90

Parking right in front, thank you very much!

Good. It's not too crowded.

Boat watching. There is the Argosy.

Open wide!

Until next time!

I had a difficult time identifying my grandparents' house in Wallingford. But this is it! Wow! It sure looks great and they changed the front porch railing and obviously put in new windows. They also added that top story with the curved deck and they made the top of the garage a usable patio space. I'm impressed!! Wish I could see inside. I have lots of memories from visits to my grandparents. Walking around the neighborhood, playing with the kids who lived around the corner, going with Aunt Mary to the wading pool at the old Wallingford Park. What fun!

Day 177

FINDING DORY

should have been titled "Dory finding her parents"

It was a super fun movie.

When we got back to my house, Jenny (next door) invited us over so she and I could talk and the girls could play with her two cats, Cloony and Bugsy.

Day 176

A HOLE IN ONE

it was a great day for Dave, today!

6 Iron, 154 yard par 3, Maplewood #12

Day 175

TIME TO REPLACE THE BAD LIGHT FIXTURE

we got tired of this light going off and on and off and on

In our kitchen, the light over the sink has been giving us grief for months now. Today was the day to solve the problem for good. Dave bought a new light at McLendon's in Renton and down with the old and up with the new. My big part in all this was to give verbal agreement over the phone that I DID NOT want the white one Dave had called about but that yes, this brushed nickel one would be perfect. $30 or so later and here he was installing it. His arms got tired. His neck hurt from craning it and my arm got tired from holding the flashlight! But we got 'er done!

So far so good. No flickering!

Day 174

DING-A-LING

he's one smart puppy!

At first I thought it was a fluke when I heard the bell ring. But, Dave has actually seen Beemer use his nose or his foot to ring the bell by the door when he needs to go potty. After all, that is the point of putting the bell by the door! So, I shouldn't be surprised, and yet I find it amazing that this puppy knows he is supposed to ring the bell when he needs to go out.

I'm one proud doggy-mom!

Day 173

LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR OLD COINS

wow.....what if?????

But no. Just as I suspected most of the old coins that I had collected and that my parents had passed on down to me are not worth much more than face value. Well, some are worth a few dollars but I was only looking for specific coins today and I didn't find any. The 1970s quarter that was not struck over a blank but instead was struck over a 1941 Canadian quarter could be worth thousands. No luck today.

I still have my penny collection from when I was a child and though I do have the 1925d, it isn't in very good shape and I think it needs to be uncirculated or at least in mint condition to be worth $300

Day 172

GOOD NIGHT WORLD

see you in the morning

DAY 171

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Mexican Dinner

Dave got to spend the day just the way he liked. Church, coffee with friends, then home to watch the US Open. Jason spent a few hours here with his dad and then Kyle called to wish his dad a Happy Father's Day. 

Then we had a lovely Mexican dinner with Pete and Shauna and their girls and Pete's dad and step-mom, Cassandra.  Fun!

Day 170

THE THREE FUCHSIA'S ARE HAPPY

I think I finally found a spot for fuchsia baskets

Last fall Dave cut down our huge rhododendrons almost to the ground. We had the landscaper dig up 5 of them so we could plant something more appropriate in those places, but the 3 in this picture show that these are growing back just fine! We wanted these to grow back to fill in the area in front of our patio to give us the privacy we need so in a year or two it should be just right. These were tall and leggy and I'm glad Dave cut them back and equally glad they are growing so nicely. Oh and my hardy gardenia survived. Yippee. It only has a few flowers now but hopefully it will be healthier and happier next year. The gardenia is the plant in the top photo just above the plastic chair.

Day 169

GROWING UP MAKES ME TIRED

I am now nine pounds!

Poor little Beemer. I took him with me in the car today while I ran an errand. He does pretty well but when I stopped to get gas, he crawled over to the driver's seat and didn't want me to leave him. When I finished with the gas, I opened the door, very carefully...he sort of tumbled out and onto the ground. Luckily he was not able to scamper away but it taught me a very important lesson. I need to take the time to put him in his carrier when I need to exit the car. Frodo was such a good passenger and I forget that Beemer is still learning how to function in the world. Having to go through the puppy stage again is making me really appreciate how good Frodo was!! He may not have been the lap dog that I had hoped for but Frodo was wonderful in so many other ways.

Rest up, baby Beemer. One day you will have all this stuff figured out!

Day 168

TOO COLD IN THE POOL TODAY

but Hailey and Charlotte liked to dangle their feet in the hot tub

Today was Hailey's last day of first grade and she was dismissed at 11 am, so Shauna brought the girls over so they could swim in the pool. Unfortunately management is still waiting on a new heat pump so the water was only registering 77 degrees. BRRRR. Too chilly for Shauna and me. Hailey swam just a little and Charlotte was too busy shivering to be interested in getting in the water. Unfortunately, at our clubhouse, the hot tub is restricted to those over 18, but how could I say "no" to the girls dangling their feet and hands??

We will try again next week, when the weather is supposed to be warmer and the heat pump will be installed. Back at our house I made a couple of mini-pizzas (gluten-free) for lunch. Then the girls played and Shauna and I talked for a couple of hours. All in all a fun time.

This morning I met a friend, Bobbi, for coffee at Starbucks for an hour and a half, then had to stop by the grocery store to get lunch fixings and be home by 11 or thereabouts. After Shauna left, I took Beemer to the vet for his 16 week injections. He is now current on his shots, including rabies. Glad that task is done!

Day 167

TOO MUCH TRAFFIC

too much road construction

This afternoon I needed to take my aunt to a doctor appointment to follow-up her angina attack/hospital stay last week. We had 40 minutes to drive the 2 miles. Plenty of time. Wrong! It took us 35 minutes to make the trip. Cars backed up and not moving. Road construction. So I went a longer route but still it was very slow going. 

Yes, I was stopped when I snapped this photo. I didn't think to take a picture in time when I was in the middle of the mess! And this is on my way home.

My Aunt Eileen turns 94 next week. She is surely slowing down. She was quite tired by the time we got back to her assisted living facility. I got her a Wendy burger and Frosty since she would likely be a bit late for dinner. She ate it in her room where she could relax. Thankful she is still hanging in there!

Day 166

JENNY'S BABY QUILT IS FINALLY FINISHED

except for the label on the backside due to my machine breaking down

Lots of time was spent free motion quilting the flowers on this quilt. I began hearing a strange clicking sound during the last hour or two but ignored it because nothing seemed wrong. Oops, something was definitely wrong as I couldn't turn the hand wheel and the needle threader wouldn't work after I finished. DANG!! I love my machine and have separation anxiety when I'm away from it! Yup. It is now in the shop. Hope, hope, hope it is a simple fix. And not expensive. I am ALWAYS tempted by the newest sewing machines out there. It's like having a car. "Why, mine is 10 years old now. Isn't it time for a new model??" I did actually sit down and look at the newest BabyLock Destiny. Cough, cough. Just under $10,000 with my current machine as a trade in. No thanks. Just look at this baby, though. It has enough bells and whistles on it to make anyone happy but I'd have to do a LOT of sewing to make it worth the $$$. I mean, I already DO a lot of sewing and my machine is just fine, thank you very much. Well....it will be once I get it back in my sewing room!! My BabyLock Ellegante can do things that most people never dreamed they would need in a sewing machine. Besides in a few years there will be yet another latest and greatest and hopefully my machine will still be putzing along!

Oh, back to the baby quilt. I had to use my little "Audrey" lightweight machine to sew on the binding, then I hand stitched the binding on the back side. HANDSTITCHED!! I have not yet been happy with the results when I have machine stitched the binding in place. I will keep looking for the best technique. No label for the back since my small machine doesn't do embroidery so I may embroider a label and take it with me and stitch it in place when I finally do get to go see little Maggie. Such a sweet name.

Anyway. I bought a jelly roll (40 - 2 1/2" wide precut fabric strips) with the intent of making a baby quilt but I didn't have a pattern. I didn't like what I found for patterns in my book stash so I came upon a photo of this quilt online and then had to do some measuring (ACK...MATH!!!) AND planning (that takes the fun out of it) and hope it worked, since there were no instructions along with the photo.

Refer to my posting a few days ago about my new technique for layering and pinning my quilt pieces.

click here

Day 165

WEIGELA

beautiful shrub but we have to keep whacking it back

I love this beautiful shrub but it is too close to our carport where we have to walk back to our trash cans. Whoever previously planted it didn't take into consideration that it would grow so large (6 feet or so) and that the branches would arch down creating even more spread. It is way too easy to plant delightful shrubs and not think about how big they will end up being!!

Day 164

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED

how uncomfortable lady golfers look with the clothes they wear?

I've been watching the LPGA Championship at Sahalee this weekend. Dave would tell you that the ladies are much more enjoyable to watch than the men. Duh! They ARE women. Of course, he is really referring to the effortless look of their swing. They really are a joy to watch. 

However, as I was watching I told Dave that their clothing makes me itch.Well, not really itch, but they just look so uncomfortable! I suppose they would wonder just what I'm talking about, but if you watch the guys, they have nice loose-fitting slacks and shirts. They don't have to walk around all bound up! The ladies, on the other hand, are wearing skorts, shorts or tight pants. Their tops are all tight. Some of them had stretch pants on (tight and wrinkly) and some hems were above their ankles. 

As I watched them, I remember how I usually feel on the golf course. My clothes are usually my biggest issue. Everything is too tight! TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT! We have bumps in front and our shirts would look like tents if we tried to wear our tops as loose as the men. And don't those lady golfers feel their underpants bunching up? And don't they have a bra strap that slips from time to time?

I wonder how the men would golf if they had to wear some of the get-ups that ladies wear. I'm just sayin'!

For example:

I mean really, doesn't this look more comfortable??