Crocus and Daffodils and Tulips….

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Oh, my! Spring is arriving early to northeast Illinois. We’ve had a week of off-and-on rain. The snow has melted away, grass is greening up, and crocus are in bloom. Each day I visit the gardens that lead to the front door to see what’s newly sprouted. The daffodil leaves are at least six inches tall. The Darwin hybrid tulip leaves are all up. There are scads of iris coming up, sharp little points of green pushing their way up out of the dirt. The lavender is greening up, and I can see leaves on the phlox, foxglove and centaura montana.
I’ve seen the first chipmunk, but not the first robin. My sister said she saw one, so they will be here shortly. I figure the rain has flooded the chipmunk den and floated him up and out, along with the worms. The robins can’t be too far behind, since the worms are such easy pickins.
Dear Husband is getting his ears lowered this afternoon. He said if I accompanied him, he’d treat for lunch. I asked if he would go with me to a quilt show after lunch, and he agreed. It turns out the show is just half a mile from Elegante Mother, so we’ll make a stop there.
Tomorrow, I hope to get some more work done in the basement, and work on my ironing. I let that stack grow until it begins to irritate me, and then spend an afternoon cutting it back. It’s always more fun when there is new fabric to iron, but I’ve been trying to resist buying more fabric until I use up some of my stash. I think there may be about twenty quilts waiting to be designed from the stash, perhaps more. I hope the quilt show will provide inspiration!
I hope you all have a great weekend. Stay dry!

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Use it up

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I’ve been using up things from my freezer. You know the concept….don’t let it stay around so long that it gets freezer burn or looses it’s value as a foodstuff. I moved a roasting chicken from the freezer to the refrigerator three days ago, but by 3:00 this afternoon it had not defrosted enough to roast. I’d left it to Dear Husband to oversee, but I think the US/Canada Olympic hockey game was more pressing.
I was trying to decide what we could do for dinner, running through what was in my refrigerator and pantry. I had hamburger, rice, cabbage, and tomatoes. There was only half a head of cabbage, so I couldn’t really do stuffed cabbage leaves, but I found a recipe for Golumpki casserole on-line, and I decided to wing it. I cooked the casserole for an hour, and it tasted okay, but some of the rice wasn’t cooked through. I wonder if a full head of cabbage would have added more liquid to the casserole, or if a necessary liquid was omitted from the recipe? I’ve added more water (and should have added more salt and pepper), and put it back in the oven to finish cooking. I think it will make an adequate leftover for lunches, and it wasn’t a bad as a “What the heck are we going to have for dinner?” meal.
I want to surf, or check my cookbooks to see if I can find a recipe similar to this that may have more liquid, or less rice in it. Failing that, I’ll just try my hand at cabbage rolls. It’s never too late to learn a new recipe!

Will Wonders Never Cease!

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We slept in today. I woke around 7:00 and got up to feed Edward Scissorhands. I dressed and headed for the kitchen, fed the cat, emptied the dishwasher, made toast and heated up some tea. I puttered around with little things, waiting for Dear Husband to start his day.
After DH had something to eat, we BOTH headed to the basement. He chose to start shredding documents from prior to 2000 for the company, and I started the mammoth undertaking of repackaging fall and Christmas decorations. This chore is difficult because we store not only our own decorations, but all of Elegante Mother’s decorations from years past. At some point, I will invite my sisters to visit and we will go through these boxes to determine what can be thrown out, and what should be kept for Elegante Mother. I think her collections of owls and angels are stored downstairs, plus all her craft materials (batting, fabric, ribbons, buttons, patterns, junk….)
The reorganizing is going well, but I wish I had a longer table. I’ve found ways to cope with the lack of space for now, but I can see purchasing some plywood for the future, so that we will have a larger workspace.
This is actually the start of my spring cleaning. In order to clean on the first floor, I need to remove all of the decorations and take seasonal things to the basement. I couldn’t in good conscience take things to the basement without cleaning things there, first. AND, I’m not likely to invite ALL my sisters to go through EM’s things with the basement looking as it does right now.
My goal is to get things stored on the shelves at the wall, and then try to get the floor washed. It’s a big job, but one I’ll be very happy to see finished.
I want you all to know that I have removed the ornaments from the Christmas tree. It will shine it’s lights one more night, and tomorrow the guys will take it to the basement. That’s another good reason to get things cleaned up. I need to make a spot for the tree.
I hope you’re all feeling as energetic as I am. Happy Saturday!

Brilliant Sun

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It was cold today, but clear, and the sun was incredibly brilliant! We still have some snow, and the sunlight on the snow made my eyes water. We have a few more days of light snow coming this way, but nothing like what the eastern U.S. has been getting. I love the sunlight in the morning when it makes my quilt studio glow, but afternoon sunlight is starting to talk to me of SPRING!!! Have you noticed our days are longer?
I went to exercise this morning. We did our warm-up and about 25 minutes of cardio, and then we were introduced to a guest teacher. Regina is going to start a class next week on “Zoomba.” She took us through three simple, warm-up style pieces. The footwork is very similar to what we do in my present class, with a bit more dancing involved. I have a bad knee, so I’m not thrilled by steps that require very quick shifts of weight, but I was able to substitute simpler steps and keep up the pace. I don’t think I will be signing up for Zoomba, but I enjoyed the chance to sample it.
Okay, tomorrow the Christmas tree comes down. I heard on the news yesterday that the town in which I live requires that your Christmas decorations be down, or you will be fined!! What right do they have to legislate how I decorate my house??? I hope that my evergreen wreath with the red bow in the entryway near my front door is allowable, or I’ll be writing about the fine next week! Actually, I’m going to go check out the law, so that I know how it reads! lol
Taxes are almost ready to go to the CPA (She’ll FAINT!!!) Usually I get them to her by April 1st. I’ll have to drop them off on Monday, just for the fun of it. New insurance is just about ready to be locked in. You can see the top of my desk. Amazing, isn’t it??
Have a great weekend!

Busy Week Coming

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We have a busy week coming up, and then it looks like things might calm down for a week or so. Both Dear Husband and I have finally made appointments with our optometrist. I’ve been battling an eye infection which is most likely due to close proximity to our cat, Ed, and I didn’t want to visit the eye doctor with less than clear vision. And to be truthful, I was lazy about getting around to making the appointment. Had I made the appointment late last fall, I’d have to go back for help with this eye infection anyway, so things have a way of working out.
Thursday, I was the queen of errands. I managed to visit the bank, the post office, get gas for the car, stop at the cleaners, visit with my optometrist for a prescription, pick up the backing for a baby quilt I need to finish, shop for the baby shower, and then stop at the drug store to drop off the prescription, and still get home for an afternoon in the studio! I love days when you are able to sail through a backlog of things with little or no difficulty.
Our optometrist is wonderful. I walked in cold, presented my problem to the receptionists, and they encouraged me to wait to see the doc, who would be available in just a few minutes. Perhaps two minutes later he said goodbye to a patient, and took a moment to talk with me. Rather than airing the situation to the world at large, he invited me to his office, where I could explain what had been going on. My question was, did he need to have the infection cleared up before my appointment next week, and/or did he wish to prescribe eyedrops to clear the infection. He prescribed, and then explained to me it was most likely the very close contact with the cat that was doing me in. No charge…..see you next week! WOW….how long has it been since you’ve had assistance like that from a professional?
Ed, our cat, is approximately 20. He has kidney disease, and at the moment he’s having another flare up. We know his time is limited, and I am loathe to send him on his way, so I will need to make some adjustments. After years of being standoffish, he now wants to glue himself to my body periodically, and he’s taken to settling on my chest at night. It’s rather odd….but I suppose he enjoys the heat, and being stoked and scritched…and he may like the feel of my heart beat. Unfortunately, I’ll have to keep him on my lap from now on to prevent the inflammation in my eyes.
Let’s see…back to next week. We have a baby shower for the little one who will be the first great great granddaughter in our family. She’s due emminently, and the shower is tomorrow. And a week from Sunday, I have promised to attend the Empty Nester luncheon at church in Elegante Mother’s stead. We have been writing to two of the youth group as secret pen pals and Sunday we are to meet our pen pals.
The week is set up alternating exercise sessions with appointments, the shower and the pen pals, so on paper it looks pretty busy. Actually, it’s just one activity a day. I might even find the time to redecorate the Christmas tree! *G*
I hope you all have a great week, and just enough stuff to do that you can get around to it all!

Roses

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It’s Valentine’s Day. Dear Husband has given me the most beautiful bouquet of long stemmed roses. When we were first dating, he called his favorite florist to order roses for me, to be sent to our shop, “Three Sisters Needlecraft.” I was floored by the gift. It was the first bouquet of roses that I had ever received, and I was in my mid thirties at the time. Everyone who came into the shop walked over and dropped their heads to inhale the scent, and I’m sure the whole town (it was a small town) was talking about the beautiful roses.
When Dear Husband came to visit, he saw the roses, prominently displayed, and he looked like a thunder cloud. I didn’t have the faintest idea what had irritated him, and was really concerned. He had ordered a rainbow of colored roses, but the local florist had just dark red roses, so that’s how they had filled the order. DH drove to his favorite florist, told them what had gone wrong, and picked up another dozen roses in a rainbow of color, and returned to our shop. Now, I had TWO DOZEN ROSES!!! Be still my beating heart. It still gives me goosebumps to think about it.
Roses for Blog.jpg
If you thought the town was talking over the first dozen roses, you should have heard the buzz when he brought the second dozen! *G*
I’ve always felt pampered by Dear Husband, in every way, but I love it when he buys me flowers. The bouquet for this Valentine’s Day is that same rainbow of color, and they’ve really brightened our winter days, and reminded me that our love has lasted 25 years.
Thank you, sweetheart!

Hospice

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For the longest time, I have thought that “Hospice” was an association you called when a member of your family was about to pass away. I think most of us believe that is their function. And, we believe that they provide counseling for the family.
Okay, yes, they provide those services, but I’ve learned that they are a LOT more!
Our lawyer recommended that we contact Hospice, so My-Sister-The-Nurse made the call. In twenty-four hours, Elegante Mother had a new chair that can lift her to her feet, a nursing bed with a table, and a seat for the shower. She had three nurses who oversee her care, who have organized her medications, and a doctor who visits once a month. EM’s caregiver has help bathing EM twice a week, and both a chaplain and a music therapist come once a week. Should she need it, a podiatrist will visit. Hospice provides her medication, and all this is billed through Medicare!
Our caregiver is effusive in her thanks for receiving all this help to care for EM. Em is responding to all the visitors, conversing more than in the recent past, and interacting more with the people around her. The change in her is noticeable, and for the good.
I may have written about this before, but I just can’t say enough about Hospice and their work! I’ve been sharing this with everyone who will stand still long enough to listen to me. This morning I spoke with my exercise class, who are all old enough to need this information. The Hospice chaplain who visits with EM is willing to do a short presentation for her Empty Nesters group at church, another age appropriate audience. But, you don’t have to have retired to need to know this information. If you are caring for a family member, or if a neighbor needs assistance, please make a call to Hospice. They can help in many ways, and you don’t have to carry the burden on your own.

Souper Supper, 2010

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The first Friday of each month I host seven ladies in a quilting bee. We each work on our own projects unless someone has a deadline and is in need of assistance. The ladies are quite advanced quilters. One is a fabric artist, another is a certified quilt appraiser, another is the most professional appliquér of my acquaintance. The others are all experts in multiple techniques and a range of quilting styles. My contact with them has kept me up on the news of the quilting world, and the news of my quilting friends.
Some time ago I asked if they would like to have dinner here in February, with soup as the entrée, and they unhesitatingly said, “Yes!” So, for years, we have met for dinner before bee in February. I almost always make two soup choices, but there are days when I feel energetic and make as many as four. The past few years they have told me they would like to have the cheddar chowder and one other soup of my choice. This time I added pasta e fagiole, similar to that which is served at Olive Garden, and those choices seemed to have satisfied everyone. I sent containers of soup home with four of the ladies, and we still had enough left for lunch yesterday.
The ladies each bring something to share, so we had a chopped salad with pasta, and a salad that had orzo, spinach, sun-dried tomato, and feta cheese. One woman brought a wonderful collection of fresh fruit including huge sweet cherries and fresh pineapple. Another brought honey wheat bread. There was a cheese tray, spinach dip, crab dip and a variety of dippers. We eat well at bee!
To end the evening, our dessert specialist provided a heavenly dark chocolate cake with fudge frosting! I don’t crave chocolate, but I’m addicted to this cake!
It seemed it was our night to talk about family problems. Three of us have parents who need caregivers. One woman has just lost her mother to a long battle with Alzheimer’s, so we had lots of thoughts, suggestion and sadness to share. The younger members had their share of family issues bugging them, so we had our own support session in gear.
I’m so delighted to have friends like these. They make a great support system, and I really enjoy being able to offer them the hospitality of my home. Hmmmm…..maybe next time I should have quilted place mats for the table! *G*

Reinforcements

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Last night I walked into the studio to get a chalk marker for a wall hanging that I am quilting, and as I reached toward the utensil organizer the shelving that holds my books, utensils, magazines, batting and unfinished projects, leaned sideways parallel to the wall. I grabbed the upright nearest to me and called for help from the men in the living room. Reinforcements arrived, and the bookshelf was righted, with a promise to tighten up the screws in the morning.
Dear Husband and I emptied the shelves and pulled the unit out from the wall. DH used two boards to create an “X” across the back of the center section to give a little more stability. Because the shelves rest at the outer edge of the floor, the carpet tends to make them tilt in a bit, toward the center of the room. DH found wood strips to slip under the front feet to offset the tilt, and he tightened all the screws that hold the shelving together. Whatta guy!
Of course, I have to return everything to the shelves, but I consider that to be a good thing. It’s always good to have the chance to look over what you are storing. Perhaps you will have the solution to a problem that kept you from completing something earlier, and you can move it to the “Ready to be finished” stack. Or, there may be things that you can finally part with, and there are always new things that need to be fit into the collection.
While DH worked on the shelves, I took a few stitches in a lady reindeer that Elegante Mother made as a Christmas decoration, and I cut and pinned the hems on a new pair of pants. I’ll have two things done and out of the shelves.
Progress. Don’t you love it!?