My sewing buddy

 Last night I was trying to work with my hexies, and Bubbie wanted to be close to me...here he is half asleep.

Speaking of hexies:

They are  hexagon shaped pieces of paper about the weight of some card stock.  They need to be stiff to keep the hexagon shape.

They are lain on a fabric 

And I use a ruler to cut around them, allowing for a seam allowance.  Normally, a quarter inch seam allowance is critical in quilting but in this not so much.

I use a pin to pair the hexie with its fabric... 

Next the 'seam allowance' is folded over the hexie and I baste it in place.

Later they will be whip stitched together, in my case to form a flower.

I am worn out tonight...going to close now....without a video or anything funny.  I hope you all are having a nice weekend.

Photo overload...

Just a few

photos of Bubbie

from

last

night.

Did you survive Christmas

I am sitting here watching Alone in the Wilderness....Documentary tells the story of Dick Proenneke who, in the late 1960s, built his own cabin in the wilderness at the base of the Aleutian Peninsula ...I have seen part of it before but not all of it.

Anyway, our tree and what few decorations I have are put away except the nativity set and my Christmas stocking.

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When you really look, you can tell he is in high spirits.

This was just a few seconds before...he had the entire tree shaking and his paws were just a blur.  It is as if were a young cat again.  If it is not the tree it is something else.  And we are having warm weather and it is in an out, in and out.  Roger said, "What is wrong with him?'  I asked him didn't he know?  Bubbie was wanting us to come outside and sit with him.  They just love for us to come and sit outside with them...they are perfectly content.

Well, I have to stop till I can watch this show...

Not quite a three dog night....

Instead a Two Cat Night....

Every so often, I have a night I can't sleep.   I cannot say that this was a sleepless night...I think I dozed a little bit over an hour...at one point I had been to bed and read a long while and tried to go to sleep in there but just could not settle down...then came in here and boy did both cats come to attention when I came in and picked up the quilt.  Soon as I got it spread out, here they came.

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Roger's ear was hurting this weekend, but he did not want to go to urgent care.  Then it snows Sunday/Monday and I did not want us out in that.  And when I asked how he felt, he just said he felt strange..and I did ask about his ear and that was his answer...and he has not mentioned it hurting again.  I should say that any time I asked how he feels, his standard answer is he feels strange.  I really am stupid, though...he has never mentioned an earache in all our married life.  So should have taken him whether he wanted to go or not.

But his hearing aid had been whistling so bad, he could not stand to wear it and he had lost the little  dome that goes on the tip of it.  So we went down to the hearing aid place to get it fixed this afternoon right after lunch. She looked at his ears first and said that he had an infection, and she was afraid that the dome was stuck in there.  I called our doctor and she was not in today, so he ended up going to Convenient Care.  We were down to Terre Haute before 2:00, and it was almost 4:00 before we got out of there.  It is just an infection...not that that isn't bad enough. 

I have waited since we got home to get notification that his meds are ready but have not received notice. I am to the point I am ready to go get my pjs on.  Roger always says he looks forward to when it is time to go to bed.  I look forward to taking off my shoes and putting on my pjs.

How sweet is he???

At some point almost every day, this guy snuggles in my lap...and sometimes two or three times a day if I set down.  He spends a lot of time outside, and comes to meet us when we come home.  He will walk in front of us and flop down on the sidewalk and squirms around.  He wants us to play with him.  If we walk around him and go on, he jumps up and runs back in front of us and does it again.

When I am outside doing something, he is usually not far away.  As long as I don't have something that makes a lot of noise.   If I sit down to take a break, all I have to do is say his name or pat my leg and here he comes.

The past year or two, he has started getting in behind the curtain like above.  I would love to know what goes through his mind.   We used to play hide and go seek.  I would run and there is a certain way/beat I pat my legs and call his name and it is Game ON.  Then I remain quiet and let him come hunt me....I jump out and scare him.  He is a jumpy cat...he is so easy to scare.  Anyway, I scare him and he takes off and I run to tag him.
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I raked a few leaves this afternoon...did a load of laundry... a tiny bit of housework...just this and that.  But felt good to accomplish a little.  Leftover chili for our evening meal.  Roger was even content with it.  I don't mind soup at any time but Roger is not crazy about soup in warmer weather.
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This is my current read...O Rugged Land of Gold by Martha Martin.   I saw it as a movie years ago and when it told it was based on this book I looked at the library and believe it or not, they had an old copy of it.  It was hard backed and well worn.  And I read it probably a couple times over the years.   And I told a blog friend about it as well as some of my other favorites.  So in talking to her, I decided I wanted to read it again, so I just ordered my own copy.  And it is as good as I remembered it.

Such a fine kitty

Bubbie went through a spell where I did not see him sleeping like this very often but now he is back in fine form.  He still makes me laugh so often.  When I sit in the swing now, he is showing his age.  He gets up and sits beside me.  A few years ago, you could not have paid him to get up there and relax with me whether I swung or not.  Now he gets up there and will go to sleep if I am there for little while.

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We stopped in Books-a-Million a bit back and I picked up three books.  All used.  I did not know they had started selling used books.

The first that caught my eye to seriously consider was The Kentuckians by Janet Holt Giles.  You know how some authors you can almost bet money you will like their books.  Well,  not so for me with Giles.  I have read two or three that I really, really liked but others I have picked up at the library I could not get into.  So, I picked this up to read a few lines.  By the end of the first page, I knew I wanted it.  I did read it right away.

Another I got is A Place Near Home  by Mike Lunsford.   He is from nearby Parke County and his columns have appeared in the Terre Haute Tribune Star.  I also got another one by him titled The Off Season .

Anyway, I got all three books for less than $20 and am quite happy with them.  I am currently picking up A Place near home and reading a couple of the stories every day...sometimes more.  They are feel good stories about real people.  The kind that make you feel better for having read them.

Here you can see a list of his books.......and read about the author HERE....

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We have been watching a show called Shetland and I am going to get off here for now till we can watch the final episode of one season.  This is one show that sure is full of intrigue and that keeps you guessing till the very end.  It is set on the Shetland Islands...it is murder mysteries.

I hope you have a good week.

Its a Bubbie post....

Usually every night at some point he has to set with me, sometimes more than once.  Sometimes only for a few minutes sometimes for an hour, give or take a few minutes.

Who can resist a face like this.

He often covers his face like this.....

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This is the first Simon's Cat I saw, when Bubbie was just a youngster...and it is so him.

This and that again

A little cuddling is needed every night...by Bubbie.  At some point or other he comes and gets up by me, on my lap if I don't have my computer.  As you can see, he more than fills my lap.

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Remember we went to Arthur, Illinois a week or two ago.  Well, I bought some fabric...not because I loved it but because it was on sale...and I have plans for it.  If I can ever get around to settling down to a good sewing session.

This first one I got thinking I might use it as a quilt backing for some of my wild crumb quilts....I do like it.  Just not love it.

This one and the one below,

I am not sure about.  I may make pjs out of one of them.  I love just plain old cotton pjs.

The bottom one is thin, and I thought about trying a pattern for a top on it.  Still not sure.

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Remember the video in my last post...the part about having hearing problems.  We had our moment here tonight.

Lorelei is here....Roger had come in with licorice.  I wanted a piece...licorice is something I  want in small doses.  So all I wanted was one piece, and Roger was trying to give me a second one.  I don't know which of us ask Lorelei if she wanted a piece, and she said she had never had it.  He said, 'You've never had licorice.' and she said no, and he said, " I can't believe you've never had licorice!'  and she was saying no, she never had.  And he said something else...teasing her.

And she said papaw, 'Papaw, quit being so Loud!' and he said what?  She said it again, 'Papaw, quit being so loud.'  Now she wasn't being hateful...she was teasing.  I said, 'Papaw isn't being loud.'

She came and bent over and looked at me and said , 'wowed, Mama, W-O-W-E-D!'  So all the time I thought she was saying 'loud' she was saying 'wowed.'

That's my boy!

I was taking a break while mowing the yard, and Bubbie came and got up on the little table in front of me and was looking back at me....letting me know it was my job to pet him.
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We got the yard mowed once again the other day...even though our yard is very small, I am worn out when we are done.  We are just using the push mower right now.  Which is good for me cause I do forget about my ankle/foot or what ever you want to call where my leg was broken.  And it is just good to accomplish something that does not have to be done again the next day!

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I pay attention to the music in commercials quite often.  The other day I caught just the very tailend of a commercial for an Infinity...but I didn't hear enough/memorize enough to search for it.  Tonight I thought to hit the rewind button and played it again.  It is such a short clip of the song...but find it I did!



Now who would have thought this would feature in an Infinity QX50 commercial?  I think it was QX...the 50 part is right.  Anyway, love it...

And while I am at it...



this one caught my attention a year or two ago...it was in the commercial for the Samsung Note 9....the name of the song is Thunderclouds.   It figures that I would like a song with that title.

While we are at it...we listened to an Austin City Limits I had recorded and heard this guy sing this song...



Hope you find joy in at least one of them...they are all different.

NOT what I am doing

Since I am not working on much right at the present time, I thought I would show a couple things my daughter is working on...

She has all the blocks above made and has them set aside while she experiments with a design she made.

This doesn't show as good as in person in ways.  She is going to do it in a different colorway.  Right now she is trying to make up her mind to finish this one before she starts the new colorway. 

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This is what I see lots of the time when I look down at my lap at night.  He thinks he owns me and that all I should be at his command.  He does bring a lot of joy.

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I have no plans for the next few days.  I should sit and make a list of what needs to be done.  I never was one for making lists, except in my head.  That doesn't work too well any more, so I should start writing a physical list that I can check off.

I have so much I need to take care of...besides all I want to do.   I am slower than Christmas and cannot get used to that.   Have you slowed down as you have gotten older?  My mom did not slow down at my age.  She could get down in the floor to do things and get back up with ease.   It is a real struggle for me to get up, and I cannot get on my knees on a hard surface for love nor money.  So always have a pad to go under them.

I hope your weekend is a good one. 

Smile!

Lorelei, along with a friend helped Sarah babysit a little one for a friend of theirs...can you see the joy on Lorelei's face?  (Don't you like my artwork in hiding the face?)

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Roger is pretty much back to normal...or what passes for normal for us any more.     It is a real relief to have him want something to eat.

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Bubbie sleeps like this quite often...would you believe he is almost 12 years old.  and was the runt of the litter?  He is just the lovingest boy.  A happy cat.

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Is anyone else watching/or have you watched this season of Call The Midwife?   It is wonderful as always. 

How about Mrs. Wilson?  Have you seen either season of it?  I watched the 2018 season I think, but didn't recall it being based on real people.  I highly recommend it. 

My hyacinths are in full bloom...the trillium is about 6 inches tall but no blooms yet.  But I don't think it will be long.  And the blue bells have buds but no blooms....

Hope you all have a good week ahead...

A bit of this and that...

This is Lorelei's Otti dog  (Otto)  He is aging so much...

Bubbie takes over my lap at some point most nights....lays on the computer...on me...whatever it takes.

I cannot put out wrapped gifts because he would not leave them alone.  See that ornament above his head?  He will decide to send it flying.  Or will take a run and go and try to slide under the tree shirt.  He does not understand why he does not slide on carpet...which is what he will do the towel in the bathroom with the tile floor.  Oh, I forgot the part that he will pull it off the rack...he will try to get under it...may walk away and then come back and slide under it.

This quilt top now has another border on it...but I cannot seem to get motivated enough to finish it...

This was a tree near my daughter's house in Terre Haute.  Isn't it a beauty?

Don't it warm your heart

No matter how many times I come in and see one of the cats under the Christmas tree, it is an ahhhh moment for me. I took the one above and Roger took the one below.
They all lay under it a little bit here and there, but Bubbie does probably spend the most time.

Could you sleep like this?

Could you even come close to getting in this position IF you wanted to sleep like this?

This is our Bubbie who I talk about fairly often. I was in here in the dining room and Roger said look at this. I got up and walked over where I could see and here he was all curled around in the basket. BTW, that is a pillow under him. A bed pillow. He is a big boy.

Anyway, Roger started to pet him and I told him to wait a minute...he did not move when I took the photo.

Then tonight the joke was on me...we have a fridge in the garage and we just put our cases of Coke in it and got get a few when we need them. Well, I turned on the light out there and here came Bubbie to go out as I went out. I did not really pay attention to where he went....just made sure he did not run in the garage ahead of me.

I got the Cokes and came strolling back down the walk and he rushed out at me from hiding at the end of the garage...I did not drop the Cokes but I did squeal. I had just totally forgot about him....
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I got the fleur de lis all quilted this afternoon/evening. Now to think about what to do to fill up the blank spaces on the outside blocks. I am wanting to get this done till my daughter can have it....plus she wants pillowcases made.

After that I have so much I want to do...and am really in the mood to start a new project. I need to do more quilting, though. I have several tops that are waiting their turn for free motion quilting.

Bubbie in a basket

A little bit of history first. Lorelei's cat, Diesel, is always stealing Otto's bed...so Lorelei's mom got this big basket and put a cushion or blanket or something in for Diesel to sleep in. Did Diesel appreciate the effort...not at all. But he will sometimes sleep in a box that is laying on its side...but for the most part he still prefers Otto's bed.

So, Sarah gave me the basket...I put an old pillow in it and Bubbie and Puss Puss both love it....
Above is Sleeping Beauty sleeping Bubbie....
ahhhh, stretccchhhhhh.....that feels good....
Then he gives me this look....what the heck are you staring at?

Mixed post....

First I have to show Bubbie...he was trying to block the light from his eyes...I just had to show him. He is so cute.

But what this post was going to be about is my current project...
a year or two ago, my older daughter chose this grouping of fabrics...above is the group of tans. I must tell you that the photo does not do them justice. And below are the more colorful characters...
I really wish we had picked up at least another green or two...but am making do with the two of them and the couple of browns...I am just not sure how much I am going to like it once the quilt is all together.
Above is one of the blocks....I have to make 13 blocks with these colors...notice the diagonal line of the red fabrics. These 13 blocks will be alternated with 12 blocks that are predominately in the tan colors.

I worked a while on them yesterday and the night before...I do not even want to tell you the mistakes I made in sewing....and the ripping out that I done. I only finished four of these blocks, but if I had not made all the mistakes I could have finished at least another one.

And would you believe in looking at the photo of the block above, I see a couple of glaring mistakes....I did not notice them till I loaded them on to here!