It's still July!!!

This is driving me NUTS! People are talking like summer is over already. Back to school sales are all over the place and I am starting to feel almost claustrophobic... it is closing in on me and I am NOT READY!!! So, I tell myself I have almost a whole month left, and my gardens are almost done (I've been rearranging things) and my house is clean (still could shampoo the rugs) and I now have a practice piece on my Nolting so I can work on getting the tension set OK. Hopefully tomorrow I will do that. Right now I am avoiding going to bed. I don't know why I do that. Part of that wanting to control my summer, I guess!

We were at the camper for the weekend, and DH did some new things for the new camper. He made shelves for half of the wardrobe in the "craft" room, and we got plastic boxes to put things in that are needed but cluttered, like replacement bulbs for our lights outside, small tools, electrical stuff, plastic bags, stuff like that. So now that is all arranged. He had also made some shelves for our bedroom closets (small, one on each side of the bed) because we bring clothes that is folded, and don't need to hang much. He worked outside on some things. We took labels off of things. We had our last "tour" at least for now (everyone has to see the new camper). We had some nice fires, one with some friends and DH made popcorn, and one with just us sitting on our swing and talking. It is so relaxing there. I finished another book and started yet another one. Right now I am reading _Flyboys_ about World War II. It is really something! Not for weak stomachs, that's for sure! Very interesting, though.

I called my parents and we are going to go down and take them out for supper. Mom is having a test for her heart on Tuesday, so I hope she will be feeling alright. Our son here and grandaughter will probably be coming along, too. The Doctors are really keeping tabs on my mom with her heart. That will be what she dies of they told her. Quite a lot to be dealing with.

Guess I really should be going to bed! G'nite!

I finished Harry Potter

last night, around 11:30. Then, this morning, DH forgot to turn off his alarm (5:39) and woke me up. I couldn't get back to sleep, so I am up for the day (may take a nap later!). As usual. I enjoyed the book, but thought it could have been a couple of hundred pages shorter. For an adult, it isn't the best writing, but I think it is great that so many kids are reading! Good story though.



I have people coming for quiltling tonight. Have to just do a bit of touch up cleaning on the house. Really good cleaning has been done all last week and earlier this week. I scrubbed the dining/kitchen/laundry room floors with a scrub brush to get that ground in dirt off. It was a hard job, but it looks good.



It didn't do much for my aching upper back muscles though... they were getting better and now hurt like heck again. I'm a glutton for punishment.



I lost 4 pounds, which I am happy about. I need to do a lot more in that department. I started walking, but this week it has been too dang hot and humid. I can't take that any more! It should rain tonight and be nice for the weekend.

Our trailer is soooo nice. The day it was delivered, I can't believe how well they did the parking of it. It was right where the other one was by our deck. I was impressed! DH was a nervous wreck that day. I haven't seen him that nervous for a LONG time! I was glad when it was in place. While it was being park everyone who was there that day (seasonals) all came and sat in our site on lawn chairs and watched. DH didn't sit- he paced. We had taken all of our things out of the old trailer, and that day got everything back in and most of it put away. DH put some shelves in the wardrobe closets in our bedroom last weekend so clothes is now put away (we bring folded clothes, not hanging up clothes). He replaced the railing on the deck with a new, better one, and he also added to the upper deck so it now extends longer under the awning. Now besides our swing we can have chairs up there if we want to sit out with other people. He made a new step to get into the camper (our old one had a step inside). He put the awning clips we bought (what we bought the day we saw the camper) on the deck so the awning arms are vertical. So nice! We had to change the path behind the camper to move it back since the camper is longer. I just love the craft room now! Didn't get any chance to use it though, because we were giving tours all weekend. We'll be up for a week soon and I will use it then.

I took the quilt I had on my Nolting off and got some cheap fabric to do a practice piece again... in order to get the tension right before I work on the real thing. I wanted to do that this week, but part of me must be scared because I keep putting it off. Maybe today or tomorrow I'll get the piece on the machine and start. I get frustrated with it. But I really want to get it working so I can quilt all of these quilt tops!


Well, guess I'll go procrastinate again... (smile)

Let the "fun" begin!

Diet and exercise, that is. I actually started last week, but am "easing" into it. I just walked a couple of miles and I am HOT! I've been gardening like crazy. I had removed sod for a new flower bed earlier this spring, and DH helped prepare it for planting. I am removing all flowers from around the Blue Spruce since it is getting so big, and moving them or removing them. But I not only am doing the new bed, but I am doing the entire garden: thinning plants, moving plants, adding plants; all kinds of work! It is looking a little sparse right now in some places, but it will be GORGEOUS next summer! It really needed to be better balanced with color and blooms all season, so that has been my goal. I find that when I garden, I don't get hungry, and I don't realize how much time I am spending out there. Yesterday I watered most of the flowers, and I watered myself a few times, too! =-) I still have more to do. I think that in the empty part by the Blue Spruce (away from it a bit) we will plant some clumping grasses and put the bird feeders there. That way sun flowers won't grow in the yard! I am also going to extend a flower bed along the side of the patio. I was waiting because we were contemplating putting a three seasons room there, but now we bought a new trailer instead!

Yup! a new trailer. DH and I were up at the camper a couple of weeks ago for a week. One day we went to a dealership to buy some clips for extending the arms of our awning straight down to the deck instead of at an angle to the trailer (which makes us duck under them). While we were there we were looking around and DH said, "Let's just look at a few of these..." Every one we went in we were saying that we wouldn't trade our present one for that, until DH looked at an Outback. He yelled for me to come look. He said, "You have GOT to see this!" It has a floor plan very similar to what we have now, except the bathroom is bigger (yippeeee) and there is another room in the back. It has a sofa "hide-a-bed", with a bunk above that pushes up to the wall (like a Murphy Bed) when not in use. Those are in a second slide out, which really opens up the room. Then, there is a place for my sewing machine in there! It faces a window looking out the back. It really opens up the living space without all of the craft things in there. They are in the back room now. =-) DH calls it the craft room. It is also for our DGD when she comes up. We even gave her two drawers for her clothes we keep up there. It is perfect for DH and me... we got it because it suits our needs so well. We got a really good deal on it and even though we took out a loan we looked at our finances and decided we could pay off the loan with the first payment. Better than paying all of the interest! I was saving for a new car, but I don't need one yet, and even if I do end up having to get one, I can do a three year loan with low to no interest right now. Our "car" savings has paid for the original trailer, our basement completing, and our upgrade to the new trailer. Who knows what will happen next! We want to get a new car before we retire, but I have 3-4 more years as long as my present car holds out. I like that car anyway... no, I LOVE that car! Even if I have to put premium gas in, a new car would cost a lot more than what I am paying extra for gas! Next car will get 40 mpg though!

I have been starting to work on my old physical therapy exercises for my back, to strengthen them. That's part of my "get healthy" plan, too. I really want to get rid of my excess pounds and be active and healthier again. It only takes a little while each day. I MAKE myself do this stuff... I really don't feel like doing it.

I've been reading, too. Three books in the last week.

What I haven't been doing is quilting. I put a quilt on my frame and am having tension problem's with it. I need to take that quilt off, and put muslin on and just work with it until I get it. Then I can get those tops quilted. I ordered some new thread for machine quilting to see if that helps. It should arrive today according to the tracker. Then I am getting at that next. I am almost finished with what I can do in the garden right now. I have a couple of days worth, but I will do it only in the morning and take my afternoons for quilting. Wish me luck! Look for pictures soon.

Well, I am going to go wash my dining and kitchen floors now, and clean my bathroom. Sounds exciting, huh? Once the house is clean I will feel happier. I will feel more like doing other things. I never got my fourth of July stuff out. I think I'll go to my "bees" theme this time. I haven't done that for a couple of years. I'll get the stuff down from the attic tonight after DH is home so he can spot me on the ladder and ledge! I can hand things down to him. Much easier than doing it alone. So I will have to get off of the computer and BUZZ around here getting things done. I must be feeling good. I even washed my foyer hardwood floor yesterday. Of course, that was after I had the door opened while I watered the front flowers and didn't realize that the water was coming in through the upper screen part of the storm door... oops! Off to work!

Seven things you might not know about me...

1. I took tap, ballet, tumbling and jazz dance lessons for 7 years. My mom put me in it to teach me how to walk.

2. I lived in a fraternity house, two in fact!

3. I blush easily.

4. As a child I couldn't draw and felt I was not a creative person.

5. I am the fifth of seven children, so grew up in a house full of brothers and sisters.

6. As children, one of my sisters and I coaxed a wild squirrel into our house thinking we could make it a pet. It freaked and peed all over the place before we were able to chase it out. Our mother almost killed us for that one! I attained a strange affilliation with squirrels after that.

7. I started sewing and knitting when I was 9 years old, and taught myself how to crochet, quilt, and tat from books.

Oh my gosh...

has it been that long since I posted? I guess that is when I must have started to feel down. I am now through with school for this year and will be trying to get myself together and physically fit this summer. So far I am not doing it! I set my alarm for 7 am today and turned it off and went back to sleep. I had trouble falling asleep lat night. But I need to get myself on a schedule and get myself exercising and losing weight. I am going to be in a study group for a drug company. My Dr. gave me the information and I signed up. Haven't gotten the first mailing yet, though. It is supposed to be a plan worked "just for me" and they also call you sometimes (a nurse) to see how you are doing. I have to fill out a survey every 3 weeks, I think. We'll see how it works. They work with you to make one change at a time so it is not overwhelming. That's what I need!!! So, I will probably be talking about that in weeks to come.

Another thing. I actually got a quilt on my machine ready to go. I'm a bit nervous of starting, but will do that today. I am looking for a pattern I was doodling to try. I might have to doodle it again! Doodling is FUN!

I went to a quilt retreat after school finished. I didn't bring my sewing machine, but worked on all cutting things out. I got the rest of my applique Santa blocks ready to work on, and cut pieces to do a Yellow Brick Road for my Mom. I bought rose fabrics about 2 years ago, and decided I had better get it done fast, since she has been told that she has a major blockage in her heart and it can't be fixed. I want her to be able to use it! I also want to do one for my dad. These are nap (lap) quilts.

I think my biggest "problem" is that my soul is not at rest. (No, I don't mean dead!) I mean that I am restless, and not at peace. I feel like I should be doing so much and then become paralyzed and do nothing. I have to break out of that. Can I allow myself a few days of doing nothing? Well, that's what I have been doing. I have to get myself on a schedule.

Today I need to pay the bills and also I have to go pick up my contacts, get blood drawn for a thyroid test, and go to Younkers where there is a big sale on. I am also going to look at a nursery for perennials since we have a coupon for money off. I have been working in the gardens, trying to weed and move some plants.

Starting Friday Rich and I will be going to our camper for a 10 days. He wants to go hiking, biking, fishing, etc. I want to read and quilt and do other crafts. Do we see a problem here? I will have to make an effort to do at least some of what he wants! I know we will go antique shopping and also go to his favorite winery to buy wine. there are a couple of quilt shops and bead shops I want to check out in Door County!

I have to get myself a DVD player for my quilt studio. I want to watch movies, but not just sit there and watch. I would be able to do a lot down here and still watch. I never was one to only do one thing at a time! Well, guess I will get going for today. I'm feeling talked into doing something! Gotta take advantage of that while I have the feeling!

Happy Easter!

Here I am, awake later, since I took a nap this afternoon. We are going to my sister's house tomorrow. I made a turtle cake to bring along. I have to frost it tomorrow morning. I got some ice cream to go with it even though she didn't as for it. Should be goooooooood!

I've been cleaning today. I washed the floors and put things away. Cleaned my bathroom, too. Then I started cleaning out the storage room in the basement. I know that there is stuff that I can get rid of in there and have it less crowded and messy. I am also looking for some things that I can't find right now. They must be in that room. I got part of it done and am taking a break. DH did laundry and carving stuff today and is up watching TV... or sleeping in front of it!

I worked on some post cards yesterday and got a couple of them done. I need to mail one out that is late. I'm fooling around with some other types of designs. I like making more abstract ones, usually. This time I an putting "cutesy" sayings on and making them with more realistic designs. I glued some plastic buttons (bees and hearts)on some after breaking off the shanks. I wonder if they will make it through the mail OK.

I brought some school work home to correct. I think I'll do it Sunday night. Why should I be any different than the kids who wait until Sunday night to do their homework? LOL I never seem to catch up. Oh! I just remembered... I can wait until Monday night if I want because I have a curriculum meeting on Monday so won't be at school! Our curriculum is getting written, but it is like pulling teeth. There are too many of us doing 8th grade and we agonize over everything. I get so bored-angry-uptight-crazy doing this. At least I know that it'll be the last curriculum I work on since I will be retired before they do it again! I'll still be teaching early world history, just will be starting later in time so that we can do more and make it more of a world view as opposed to the western European view only. I'll be teaching some new things, about Japan, China, small Asian countries, and will have more time for the Americas and Africa.

I guess I shouldn't plan to do all of the cleaning of the storage room all at once. If I do a couple of shelves at a time I can relax more and do some things I want in between. The problem is that I have things stacked out in my studio so I can't sew too well until it is done.

Tonight I wasted time by playing ten games of free cell. That game is addictive! I really like doing it. I like to do Sudoku, too, and both DH and I waste time doing those. But at least we know it will help keep our brains active to ward off dementia!

I've been taking DGD to swimming lessons. Last time she finally figured out how to float! Once she did, she was floating and floating on her stomach while the teacher worked with the other kids. I am checking out the summer program and I can get her into semi-private lessons for more money. I might do that because with additional guidance I think she could learn quite a bit faster. She is sooooo ready! With bigger classes they don't get to do too much, and at summer lessons they are only in for 1/2 hour at a time (now she's in for 45 minutes, but with 8 kids). She was so super thrilled about learning to float, but then was acting up in the shower and I got angry with her. We ended up not talking for awhile. I'll have to brag her up tomorrow at our family gathering. I never even told her how proud and excited I was about her learning to float.

DH asked me if I am going to church with him tomorrow and I said, "No." I am so mixed up about how I feel about religion right now. I just tell other people to pray for me as I don't seem to be able to do it for myself these days. Going would make me feel like a hypocrite right now. There, another secret out!

Lazy, lazy, lazy...

...that's how I feel. I think about what I could be doing, and go take a NAP! We had a snow day last Thursday. It also meant some parent/teacher conferences were canceled. We had day conferences on Friday, along with some staff development. We have another night of conferences scheduled for this tuesday night. Luckily it is a four day week. There is a convention day on Friday. I might not go. I am taking a class that is giving me a lot of staff development hours. Way more than I need, but I can "bank" some for next year.

I haven't done any more quilting on my Nolting since the ones for the show at the Rahr. I have fabric here to seam for the backing, and the top is ready and I have the batting here. All of it is here, and I look at it and there it sits. I am slowly getting things put away down here in my new studio. I LOVE this room! I guess it is OK to be lazy once in a while. Rich says it is... I am not used to being lazy! But.... I am going to do it anyway. Now I am too lazy to keep writing... Can you believe how lazy I am???

It's been awhile...

since I last wrote. I've been in such a crabby mood lately. I think I am having a bad case of cabin fever. I'd just as soon crawl in bed and sleep until spring than to get up every day and continue my regular life! I don't think I am depressed, either, just sick of winter. Well, maybe a little depressed.

I haven't done much of anything since I last wrote. I don't feel like doing anything. I was reading a lot today. I wanna be retired!

One thing I am doing is postcards. I joined a post card of the month (PCOM) for this year. Every month I am supposed to make a postcard to send to someone (different each month), with a theme for that month. Last month I did "Puttin' On the Ritz. This month it is "Hugs and Kisses."

One of the first is already mailed. =-)

Well, guess I'll go have a fire with DH. He's been asking. Be back SOON!

OK, I switched to the new blogger

So now I can finally upload my pictures!.















This is my challenge quilt for the Show at the Rahr Art Museum's Art Gallery. We looked at a painting in their collection and were to make something that it inspired us to make. I call this "November Sky Over Lake Michigan." It is looking eastwhile the sun goes down in the west. It was a beautiful time to be walking on the beach. Where I used to live, I walked on the beach a lot. I miss that. I hand painted fabric and then cut it up and stitched it back together to simulate waves, sand and the sky.











This photo is of the quilt I call "On My Way To Live Happily Ever After." I always say that depending on my mood, some says she walking toward the castle, and other days she is walking AWAY! You might be able to tell from the fabrics, that this is an OLD quilt top. I started it 18 years ago when there was a contest for childhood dreams crib size quilts. I was working on it and got hired for my first teaching job in Green Bay, which was to start in one week. Eighteen years later, I quilted it!

I was experimenting with piecing a background out of strips, and then I appliqued the castle, horse and princess. You can't see it in the photo, but the white on her gown is embroidered fuzzy white yarn to look like fur, and there are beads in the fur, on her crown, and on her belt. She has a long "Rapunzel" braid. The horse's bridle is braided floss, and there are little tassels on the horse's blanket. Of course, the horse represents "Prince Charming!









This quilt is a Round Robin Quilt. I made the center square of pumpkins and leaves using a Thimbleberries pattern from a book. Stitcher number two added the right and left vegetables. Stitcher three added the tan border with the vine, leaves only. Stitcher four added the top and left side orange and the flying geese and leaves. Stitcher five added the right and bottom orange and the squash and scarcrow. I adde the final purple border and then quilted it with a varigated thread using the colors in the quilt, yellows, oranges, etc. I just love how it turned out! Round Robins are a fun way to "stretch" yourself. I end up working with colors that are not my normal range and also it makes you get creative to come up with an addition that fits the "feel" of the quilt. I enjoy doing this, just wish I had more time to do it!



This quilt is called "Garden Pathways." I started this in a class with Jeanne Bliss many, many years ago. The center blocks are not pieced, but all of it is done with "mock hand applique." I'll tell you, by the time I prepared all of the pieces to applique, I think it would have been faster to applique by hand! What you did is cut out a freezer paper shape for each piece, iron it on the back side of the fabric, cut out with a seam allowance added, use a glue stick to glue the seam allowance to the back, and then finally used a blind hem stitch with monofilament thread on top and an fine embroidery thread on the bobbin. THEN you had to wet it to loosen the glue and cut out the fabric on the back so you could pull out the paper. This will be my one and only time to use this method to make a quilt. One weekend at a quilt retreat, all I did was prepare leaves. All weekend. Yeah.

The board DH cut to hang it on warped, which is what is causing the "ripple" on the bottom. It really turned out quite square and flat.



We had a fun New Year's Eve with our granddaughter last night (it's "tradition!") and she just woke up, so I am going to end for now. Happy New Year!

I'm almost ready for Christmas!

Too bad that it is December 26th! LOL

I actually had a wonderful day yesterday, just being lazy and reading and sleeping, and then watching a movie with DH. I also called my brother where my parents are visiting and talked to everyone there. My cards are all sitting here, but since I am having to re-type all of my addresses this year, I have an excuse. Weak, but an excuse!

I haven't had any time to quilt, but I DID pay bills and balance the check books which was quite a feat since I hadn't done it for a couple of months. =-)

I was going to upload a few pictures of my four quilts at the show at the Art Museum gallery, but when I click on the add image icon nothing happens. Darn. I am just learning this and they want me to switch to the new way. I suppose that is their way to force me. I will have to see what I can do. But not now... I woke up today at 4 AM... guess all that sleeping yesterday did it!

A stress free life...

what's that? I have NO idea! I just finished 4 quilts, three wall hangings and a full size one. Three started years ago, and one new challenge quilt. I didn't even have time to take pictures, so will have to do that this Sunday at the opening of thte quilt show at the Rahr-West Art gallery in Manitowoc. I'll post them after that.

My student teacher is teaching full time now, but I am still helping to correct, and will do grades this week. We are getting along fine, now that we both have relaxed!

Now I have to think about Christmas. I hope that I can get the house cleaned and the Cmas things up during the next week. But not tonight. Tonight I am going to put fabric away in my new fabric closet. I don't have enough storage yet. DH is still working on that. He had quite a bit done. It is so cool!

More another time.

I've got her working!

After many false starts, learning things and starting again, I think I FINALLY have my baby up and running! I am totally antsy now to get to something REAL instead of a practice piece!!! I still sometimes have the thread break, and I am hoping that as I get better at it I won't hesitate and things like that that I think is causing me some of the problem. I finally have the tension OK. I had to loosen the bobbin tension a bit to get that. Now she is working really well! =-)

DH is putting woodwork around the doors down here right now. As soon as he finishes that, he will build/put up my storage spaces. I wanted him to do the woodwork because I can't put things back into the file cabinet until the woodwork is behind it. I can get rid of about 8 boxes right there. And be able to find some things, too. It will be great to have ALL of the storage once it gets in. My drawers aren't here yet. We ordered a kitchen set of drawers that will be perfect to put fat quarters in by color. I couldn't get that in the "cheap" cupboards, so we went with one that was more expensive. I am glad that DH agrees with me that we should do it the way we want right away.

Our bathroom down here is in now. I still have to get the towel bar, etc., which I plan to get out of a catalog. But everything is in as far as the plumbing. We can use the toilet and sinks. I am going to be so glad to have the deep untility sink. It is a porcelain one. I will be able to use it for socking reed, and clean up of things. It'll be great!

I wish some little elves would come at night and finish the work. I think DH wishes that, too!

Last night we watched a movie that Rich had bought. Called "Uptown Girls," I think. I started to cry at one point and had a crying jag that just wouldn't quit. I don't know what all brought it on, but I just sobbed and couldn't stop. I haven't cried for a really long time. Rich said maybe I just needed a good cry. He just held me. So now today I am OK. Weird. The movie had a sad part, but I don't know that it was THAT sad! Maybe I was crying for me as a sad little girl.

I'm Back Online!!!

And this time I have purchased an external hard drive to back up the computer! I had that on my list to do, and I should have known that the hard drive had problems, but I didn't and I didn't. So, I have lost everything that I had on my computer. Everyone needs to e-mail me so I have your address again! I was feeling very cut off. I could read my e-mail at school, but this site and others I usually go to are blocked on school computers! Boo!

Anyway, here I am again. DH and I have been working very hard on the house. Yesterday and today I primed and painted his carving shop while he worked on the bathroom. He needed his shop painted before he could move things back in that shop and then he can start making my storage spaces. I have sh... I mean stuff... all over the place down here. My Nolting was delivered and set up about 10 days ago, and I haven't been able to even thread it. Too much in the way. But this week I am going to move things and get at it. I was waiting and waiting for it, and now I haven't been able to use it. I unpacked all of the things that came with it and read the book and I am ready to FLY!

Tuesday I am taking a half day personal day to help chaperone DGD's school field trip. She asked me if I would, so how could I say no? =-) We are going to the Botanical Gardens here in GB. Should be fun. Today she was here and DH took the training wheels off her bike and she rode it! She caught on really quick after a summer of the training wheels up at the trailer. She rode it wherever she went up there. Today she came and asked to have the training wheels taken off and woo hoo she did it! We live on kind of a hill, so DH took her down to the park near the school a couple blocks away and she rode it all around the flat parking lot for an hour. She was so proud of herself! I was so proud of her! Grinning from ear to ear... all of us!

Speaking of training wheels, it takes a moment of just jumping in without them in order to ride the bike. I feel a bit nervous about using my Nolting, so I will have to take the lesson from DGD! LOL Maybe fear is part of my hold up. But it is silly, really. I will put my practice piece on first anyway! DO IT SCARED! A motto of mine which has come in very handy for me.

When I picked up my computer I also bought the back up drive and also a new combo printer, scanner, copier, and also a flash drive. I love technology... when it works! I still have to put programs back on the computer. All my quilting stuff, and photoshop stuff. I lost photos, too, tht I hadn't uploaded to the web. Darn. BUT... I have it back, and I am glad. I won't worry about what I had and lost. No use crying over spilled milk! Well, better get going. I need to get to bed early tonight. I am mucho tired.

I'm tired...

too tiiiiired to move! DH and I have been working more in the basement, we spent 3 party days at the trailer and I've got two days in with the kids at school. Is it Friday yet???

The basement walls are ready to paint. Yesterday night we put a texture on the walls. DH worked the implement you use with an air compressor in order to spray plaster for a texture on the wall. I moved the chair, kept changing where the floor protection (cardboard) was, got water, shook more dry mix into the plaster, held the sprayer while DH attached the air hose, and, (and this is a BIG and!) cleaned up the floor when he spilled an entire bucket of water. That was last night after school. The walls are not quite dry, but tomorrow he should be able to knock off some high points and then he can spray on the primer with a paint sprayer. After that comes the paint. The ceiling is also being painted, rather than putting in a hanging ceiling. It will all be white. So, it looks like we are going to make the deadline (next Tuesday) for the vinyl installation! Woo hoo! Soon I'll be able to move into my new quilting studio!

We stayed home last Friday night to work and then went up to the trailer on Saturday morning. There was a party on Saturday night, put on by a guy in honor of his "new" birthday, after 7 bypasses 17 years ago. His wife made "booyah." I'm not sure if I spelled that right; it's a big thing around this area. I call it chicken soup. But they make about 50 gallons of it at a time. It's at every church picnic for miles around! Then Sunday we had another party, for a birthday (although she always just says it is a Labor Day party). Then on Monday for lunch we had leftovers from the second party. The first two had the entire "loop" invited, but the leftovers were just the smaller group around us. We are so lucky to have so many nice people to associate with up at the campground. We already have our date set for meeting at a motel in Sturgeon Bay for a weekend in February. =-)

The beginning of school is so boring. Yesterday we had homeroom to hand out schedules with locker assignment, and fill out some registration things, then shortened classes during which I handed out my expectations sheet and went over it. Then we had homeroom again to hand out tons of stuff for the kids to take home. Today we started with homeroom to collect all of the things that they had to fill out and return. Then I had to take each of my classes to get their pictures taken. We had about 15 minutes left and I went over some classroom routines. Tomorrow I have to do the same thing again except it is to go get textbooks. If I have any time left over I will have them do a "Classroom Profile" graph. It's a big thing we have to do to show them that everyone is different and it also helps us to know how our students feel about their learning, and we use it for differentiated assignments. Then I'll launch into "Why do we study history." Sounds exciting, huh? I try to make it interesting though, and usually I succeed!

The highlight of my day was when we had extra time in my homeroom and one of the boys who knew me from Environmental Club two years ago asked me to tell my "Squirrel" stories. I'll tell you, they love to hear those squirrel stories! I also told some fishing stories. Kids love hearing about my childhood. I don't tell them some of the "adult" stories, but they love hearing about how a teacher got in trouble as a kid. heh heh heh That's why they call me Angel!

Millions of things...

are going through my head. I should be sleeping, since I have to get up in 5 hours, but I was in bed wide awake so I decided to get up and write in my blog. Hey, does anyone know why blogs are called blogs?

We had an inservice day today, and it actually wasn't too boring! We also had time to meet as a staff, and then meet with our department. We discussed department goals and a few things we needed to talk about. I won't even have to have a meeting on our work days! =-) Tomorrow we start with an all school meeting, but it won't be as long since we did some things today. I will have time in the next couple of days to really work on my plans for the year.

On my last day off yesterday I planted a "Fairy Garden" in a pot. It will have to come in during the winter, but it is outside right now. I went shopping with one of my sisters this summer and we both bought little metal arbors, chairs, a loveseat (looks like willow stuff), a little flower pot upside down as a table with a tiny tea set on it, a wheel barrow with garden tools, a watering can, and I even have a little gazing ball. I put it all in a pot with some plants, with texture and different colors of green and heights. I got some moss from my sister, which I have under the arbor, and I put little river pebbles around all of the plants. It's really cute. I'll have to see if I can get a picture.

Yesterday I alsoI painted some fabric. I have to have a small challenge quilt done by Sept. 18th. We were to look at a watercolor painting of a Lake Michigan shoreline that they have at the Rahr Art Gallery in Manitowoc, and make something that it inspires us to make. Because watercolors are so "blendy" painting fabric seemed the way to go. Now I am going to make a design and cut pieces to make it. Mine is going to be "November Sky Over Lake Michigan." I did fabric last year, but I needed something darker for water. So I experimented and did a couple of pieces. Oh, that reminds me, I still have the fabric hanging outside to dry. Last year I went to a friend's house and she taught me how to do it. I realized I forgot some things yesterday. I might decide to paint some more so I know I have enough useable pieces.

DH plastered all of the wallboard seams, and screws tonight. It took him about four hours. Tomorrow night he plans to do a second coat, and since he is texturing the walls, that should be enough. He bought a new contraption that is used to texture. Hopefully it won't be too hard! So he should be painting next week (he's using a sprayer), and then we'll be ready for the vinyl. I am getting sooooo excited! I was down there tonight and I could see it finished in my mind, and I just thought, "It's becoming a reality." =-)

Did you hear about the blond who was driving down the road and saw another blond out in the middle of a farmer's field in a row boat? She slammed on the brakes and got out of her car and yelled at the blond in the field, "It's blondes like you who give blondes like me a bad name, and if I could swim, I'd come out there and kick your ass!

Another one of those nights...

where I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back to sleep. I have a headache. I had a great day, though! I had my lesson on the Fun Quilter. I can hardly wait to get mine now! Because of doing machine quilting with my Bernina, I didn't have too much difficulty, although I definitely need to practice. It is different moving the machine instead of the quilt. She was showing me (and drew them on my practice piece) different designs. Fun is a good name for this quilt machine! After my lesson I went to see a friend. She had me for lunch. I haven't seen her for a couple of years, and hadn't really sat and talked to her for at least SIX years. We picked right up where we left off though, no problem. I hope we don't wait that long to get together again. She told me about a fabric map of the world she had found at Wal-Mart, and I stopped to get one. It will go up on my current events bulletin board and I am going to have students stick a push pin in the part where their current event is from. I make them do a story with a dateline from somewhere outside of the United States. Another thing I did today was stop at a store I like and I found something to get for my sister for a house warming gift. I liked it so much I bought one for me, too! LOL As I was driving to my friend's place today, I spotted a store that I had not seen before. It is called "Primitive Heart." Sounds like it definitely has possibilities! I will need to go check it out. No time today.

Tonight after supper DH and I went downstairs to clean up in the basement. I was picking up the waste pieces of wallboard and sweeping. I got quite a lot done in my quilt studio area. He was cleaning in his shop. Temporarily he is moving all machines to one end so he can put all of the things from his carving shop (he calls them his dirty shop [sawdust] and his clean shop) so the vinyl can be put on the floor in there, too. There are only a few things left in my studio area that have to be moved out yet. After I worked for awhile I asked DH for a mask. I think that is why I have a headache, breathing in that dust at first.

Tomorrow (or later this morning) is my last day of summer break. I think I will finally get that fabric painted! I have had everything out to do it for two weeks or so. I hate to think about being back at work with no time for me again. Hopefully this year won't be as bad since I don't have an overload and I have one year of being department head under my belt.

One of the things I was thinking about when I woke up is my sons. I was talking about them with my friend today. Even when your children are adults you wish you could "kiss it and make it all better." But you can't. So I just love them.

Hellooooooooooo Everybuddeeeeeeee!!!!! Part 2

This seems to be working now. I did a long entry this morning, and lost the dang thing. It wouldn't publish and then I saw two, one published and one a draft. I assumed it had published and deleted the wrong one. So, it is partially my own fault.

The title of this post has to be said with just the right inflection. Do you remember the Muppet named Grover? We had a book I read to my sons when they were little that had him as a character and that is how the book started. I always had to do his voice. Loved it!

Yesterday I spent lots of money! I made the down payment on the vinyl for the basement, and I also paid in full my Nolting quilt machine. It is due to be shipped Sept. 1, but I won't have it set up until after the vinyl is in. DH has all of the wall board up now and is finishing something in his shop. Then he's going to move the things we couldn't move out of my studio area into his shop. He will begin taping the seams and plastering. He is going to borrow something from a friend that will make it easier to make the plaster textured. We are going to paint it with a paint sprayer. He'll be spraying the ceiling white... all if the wood, pipes, etc. We aren't putting a ceiling in. The shop lights will hang from there and there will be a bunch of them so I have a lot of light. I am getting so excited. I am having a lesson on Monday morning on how to use it. I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

I was at a curriculum writing meeting all day yesterday and got really frustrated. I want to have a say in it, but there are some people who argue and butt heads and don't want to give an inch, and then blame the other person for doing it. I had to get up and walk out. The facilitator told me at the end that there are stages people go through as a committee to write curriculum, just like grief has stages. What we are going through right now is called "storming", he said. He also said he isn't worried. He said if we were still doing this in January, then he would have to move us along and get things going better. Well, it drives me NUTS!

This morning I slept in. DH and I went downstairs when I returned from quilting last night and he showed me how far he was. We started discussing the cupboards that we'll be putting in, and I got so wound up I couldn't get to sleep. So I slept later this morning. Then I mowed the lawn, and I got some things ready to mail and finished reorganizing my closet, and did a few other things on my list. We went out to eat for supper tonight and then I dropped DH home and I went to get groceries. Came home and watched Kyle XY since we missed it Monday. Then I read the paper and here I am.

We are going up to the trailer tomorrow and taking our DGD. It is Halloween for the activity and she will go "Trick-or-Treating. I bought treats to hand out. I always get a costume for her, but it's too early for that yet, so she is going as a "Red Hat Lady." She has a long velvety dark purple dress and I have the hat. She can't wait to show the friend at the campground who is two trailers down because she is a red hat lady. DGD really likes her. It'll be fun. I love having her there, but it is definitely not as relaxing when she is there. I won't be bringing my sewing along!

She wants to be a Jack-O-Lantern for the real Halloween, so I will have to get looking for that.

I am re-vamping my teaching this year. I have to keep doing that or I would get bored. I am hoping that teaching in units this year will give me more time to do a thorough job. We have so much and it seems we never have enough time. I've been planning, but have more to do. I have to look at the number of units I'll be doing and figure out how much time I have to use for the units. Some will take longer than others. I need to make a sort of schedule for myself for the year. "Curriculum Mapping" is what it is called. I just call it planning my year. It will be interesting to try a new approach.

Boy, I was really funny this morning, and tonight I am dragging butt. That's what happens after a day of hard work. Will talk to you again soon!

Hellooooooooooo Everybuddeeeeeeee!!!!!

I just spent 45 minutes writng a post and because of a blogger problem it was lost. Damn.

Later. I am going to see if it is working now.

Just finished my coffee...

so I'm awake. I have been getting up when DH gets up so I get used to it again before school actually starts. Even though school has not started yet, I am doing school things. Yesterday I went to our "Data Retreat." A retreat usually is enjoyable- maybe they call it that to try to make us feel we enjoy it. I go because I have to go. As department head for social studies I am in charge of writing our department goals. I was able to complete that yesterday (as a draft- I will discuss it with my department, but knowing them they won't have any changes), and also figure out how I would use department meetings to discuss strategies that we are supposed to be using, and encourage their use. I did have help from an ELL teacher (English Language Learner) who teaches 6th grade SS, so that was good. She's a person who is really on the ball. She's on the Curriculum writing committee with me, too. We have THAT all day meeting tomorrow. At least I get paid for those meetings! Today I am meeting with a teacher who will be teaching both 7th and 8th grade social studies this year but hasn't taught it before. I gave her some things to take home over the summer, and today I am going to talk to her about what I do to teach 8th grade so she can get an idea of what to do. I will share any of the activities I do with her if she wants. You really do have to adapt things to fit your own personality. I am sure that some other teachers couldn't pull off some of the goofy things that I do in my classroom. A couple of years ago I had two high school students come to visit me. One of them said, "You know what, Mrs. V? Sometimes my HS SS teacher says things and I think, 'I already know that. I learned that from Mrs. V.' " Then she said, "I was learning things, and I didn't even know it because I was having so much fun!" That made me feel GREAT! =-)

I am still trying to get things done around the house before my teaching bogs me down. Yesterday I started rearranging my closet. I have been doing things to help DH out (like mow the lawn, which he usually does) since I want him to keep working on the basement. He did more wall boarding last night. He is almost ready to plaster.

One thing I have been procrasinating about is painting fabric for my challenge quilt. My former quilt buddies in Two Rivers and Manitowoc have a quilt show at the Rahr Art Gallery in Manitowoc every couple of years. This year it will be the month of Dec., into January again. The challenge was to take a painting (that will be displayed with the challenge quilts) and make something that it inspires. It is a water color painting, so right away I thought of painting on fabric. After being taught how to do it last summer by a friend, I had some fabric I could use. I decided I needed some darker "water" fabric and I have the things to do it, but right now my confidence is flagging and I am wishing my friend lived a lot closer! I will have to boldly step out and do it, but I have to wait until I feel bold! Soon, very soon. I am going to take the painted fabrics and use pieces to make my quilt which I will call "November Sky Over Lake Michigan." I am also using a new technique to put it together that I was also shown by the same friend. She makes gorgeous quilts, art quilts, and mine won't match her expertise, but it will be something new, which I think a challenge should be. Just have to get my Star Trek courage up... to boldly go where I have not gone before! LOL

Time to hit the shower. Oh yeah, and get in it to clean up, too. Wish I could sit in my jammies all day and read. That's what I REALLY feel like doing today!

Oh, my arms...

ache! I just finished mowing the lawn. I haven't been doing that this year, but since DH is working so hard on my quilt studio I figured I should do that. He finished all of the wiring (in place, but not hooked up) and yesterday he bought wall board and he has almost all of it put in already! He is going to finish that as much as he can, before we go back up to the camper for a few more days. He can't do all of it in the bathroom until he runs the pipes.

I worked on some DJ things the last two days home, because I facilitated the DJ Club last night. We only had 3 of us there. I got phone calls from 3 others, and I think 2 are giving it up, at least for summer. One of them is probably really busy because she alters all of the Packer jerseys. Like Brett likes his sleeves shortened. She also repairs them if necessary after each game, but they only wear them once. They are sold after each game. At least I know that's what happens to Brett's. She says sometimes they are not washed, and they really STINK!

Really got off topic there! I finished 3 more DJ blocks yesterday, but I haven't done my journal yet, so I have to do that to update my numbers. I'm taking it to the trailer.

Next week I have school things going on already. Waaaaaaaaaaah! I am not ready for this yet! (I never am, but once I get there I'm OK!)

Well, I have more fabric to fold... I have 8 tall rubbermaid boxes filled, and have tubs here with special fabrics in, like Christmas, and plaids, that I have to re-fold yet. So I will work on that. Moving this sewing room is a HUGE project in itself! I haven't had any time to be bad. 0=-)