Animals

I was visiting my Mom today and I was telling her that Hubby tapes the programs on Saturday morning about sewing, quilting and knitting, (I don't get up early enough to watch them when they are aired.)  Last night I was watching these programs as Hubby was in the other room reading.  I was doing my counted cross stitch while Arnold, the cat, was on my lap and Mindy, the dog, was on my feet.  Mom says "You need a bird to sit on your head."

A Cold Winter

It has been a terribly cold winter. Last night the temperature hit a -16 degrees.  Several times going to the YMCA at 8 AM to swim does not appeal to me. Mom hasn't been out for months and is really suffering from cabin fever. Mindy on the other hand doesn't mind so much.

Dirty Cars

Today while I was driving to my mom's place, I couldn't help but notice that all the cars on the freeway were covered with salt and dirt. In this terrible cold weather it is not a good time to wash your car.  I remember driving to Florida in a winter snowstorm.  When we got to a rest stop down south there was a man who stared at my car. He said to me "Is that salt?"  Thank goodness the newer cars don't rust like the old ones did.  I can remember my dad saying it was best to buy a "Florida Car"

A star Spangled Quilt

I finished a quilt I started several years ago.  I took a class from Willie Pfeiffer and I must have been drinking something to pick out that combination of patterns. (I don't smoke). I machine quilted it and I am definitely an amateur at that. It is twin size and will be great for a grandchild who is going off to
college

Last Night on TV

Last night there was a program on TV about tuberculosis.  It was really amazing.  Even after scientists had figured out it was the result of a bacterial infection and they knew how it was transmitted, it was still impossible to cure.  They cut the rate of infection some by new standards of sanitation and education.  The sanitariums helped some people to live longer with the infection by building their immune systems by rest, fresh air and good food. It was really sad though the way people were taken from their families as soon as they were suspect. It wasn't until the discovery of streptomycin that they could cure it.  Penicillin didn't phase it. They even found that patients needed several different antibiotics to completely cure it because the bacteria became resistant so quickly.  I know that I had a great aunt who was a nun who worked in a hospital and she died of TB.

An Engineer's house

Hubby is an engineer and a little eccentric (Engineer and eccentric is redundant) We have cats and a dog. We have a cat door to our bedroom because hubby didn't want to leave the door open at night and of course the cats didn't want it closed. For years we had a screen door across the middle of our upstairs hall because two of our cats, Cleo and Fervor, would fight to the death if we let them.  Later , after Cleo died we had a cat door in the screen door so the cat could escape the leader dog puppy, Penny, who managed to terrify Fervor. We have a wooden door at the top of the basement stairs with a cat opening in it so that the cats could go down to the litter box but the Leader Dog puppy could not get down to the cat food and litter box.  Now Hubby is attaching a music box to the door that will play when we forget to close the door.

A Christmas Wall Hanging

Years ago, Carole and I went to a quilt convention, I don't remember which one, and I bought this kit.  This weekend at the quilt retreat I finished the top. I still have to get backing and quilt it. It was my first attempt at machine applique. I still like the looks of needle turned better. So many of the women pay to have their quilts quilted.  I don't know how they afford it.

Knock on Wood

Last Tuesday while we were at water aerobics, Janet made a prediction. "We won't have any big snowstorms this year." As soon as she said it we all let out a moan and remarked that, in the pool, there was no way to knock on wood. Of course the very next weekend we had a monster of a snowstorm.  I went to water aerobics this morning and as soon as Janet came in, she said , "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Quilt Retreat

Last weekend I went on a quilt retreat at Create a Memory Inn It is located in Holly Michigan. There were twelve women on this retreat.  We had a wonderful time.  The house is beautiful and decorated in a very feminine manner (the way you could never do at home without your husband getting sick). The food was wonderful and not just because you didn't have to do the cooking because I don't do the cooking at home. At these retreats I learn a lot from the other ladies and get lots of ideas for my next quilt. This was a picture of breakfast on Saturday morning.