Monday, January 28, 2013

Good News!

We spent Sunday at the Ft. Worth Stockshow.


In this building there were hundreds of pigs.  The breeding class showed on Sunday.  We knew several exhibitors.  In fact, Hog Man's boar had sired the young boar our friends were showing.  And it won!  He won first place of the Hampshire boars AND Reserve Supreme Champion Boar out of all the breeds.  Isn't that wonderful?
 
See this?  I ate one of those Volcano Nachos.  Chips, chili, nacho cheese, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, black olives and jalapenos.  It was good!  And surprising -- no indigestion! LOL  And I don't want to think about the calories!
 

The boar's mother is in our barn with a new litter of pigs. Same breeding.  Lovey had a new litter Saturday night and her daughter, Olivia, the one who won her class in a show in Missouri has a new litter of pigs that were born last night.  I will try and get pictures.  You know me.

I asked Hog Man today--"What did we do Saturday?"  It's been crazy.  He reminded me that we had shopped for a new refrigerator and went to Tractor Supply to get him some new bibs and rubber boots. Then we went to Bowie to pick up gilts that had shown and were coming back to us. Then we moved one sow and her babies out of the barn to make room for Olivia.  Oh yeah,  now I remember! Yesterday was spent in Ft. Worth. Today,  the refrigerator was delivered.  Lowe's gave me a "window"  when to expect them.  I made ready. I had to empty Hog Man's gun case so they could move it.  They were here about an hour.  I must say they did an excellent job.  After they left Hog Man and I ran to town to grab some lunch since the kitchen was tied up I didn't get a chance to cook. Oh darn! 

Then I spent the afternoon working on the Kraz-z Quilters scrap book.  The roofer had come last Friday and replaced the shingles that the color didn't match.  About 30 minutes after he left one of our breakers tripped.  Long story short--it's fixed now.  It was something they messed up.  I have my quilting buddy's electrician husband to thank who came by today and fixed in less than fifteen minutes!  Still getting back to normal!  What is normal anymore?!  Maybe this is the new normal!  LOL 

I haven't sewn a stitch.  My thimble broke.  It is a leather one with a metal end.  The metal broke right down the middle while I was quilting last Wednesday at Kraz-z Quilters.  I was crushed.  I forgot my bag at Kraz-z Quilters with my needles, scissors, and marker.  LOL  Silly me.  Maybe tomorrow I can sit and sew for a little while after I find my other needles and I'll give the new leather thimble a try. : )


Blessings and happy quilting from Catering Quilter




Tuesday, January 22, 2013

It's been a LONG time!

Where has the time gone?! I'm not sure but it's gone.  LOL  Praise the Lord, we have not had the flu or stomach bug that has gone around.  How about you? It has really been bad hasn't it?

Let's see--we purchased a new tv to replace the one that was ruined when the power surge went through our house.  We still had one of the old box type tvs and I had no idea what LCD, LED, etc. etc. was all about.  I googled it.  Don't you love Google? Then at the store they recommended a LED.  It has a really nice picture.  The roof has been repaired.  The shingles are the wrong color! I didn't discover that until I went out after they were done.  They said they will come back and replace them when the weather warms.  It doesn't leak and that is the main thing.  Now to go refrigerator shopping.  I miss the ice maker ours had.  Although, there is an ice place in town that sells a 16 lb. bag of ice for $2. There hasn't been a lot of demand for ice with the cold weather we've had recently. LOL  In fact I have really been enjoying my hot tea. 

I needed a break from hand quilting.  My finger under the quilt got pretty sore.  So I pulled out a UFO to work on.  I NEEDED to sew on the little Elna.  I just needed to.  It is DGS Mac's quilt.  He told me he liked the colors of the block I had made up to demo the Pineapple Plus book so I decided that I would finish it and it would be his. I blogged about here. BUT it got put in a drawer.  I was digging through that drawer looking for something else and decided that now was the time to finish it. And now it is! All but the quilting.
     
 
 
 
After my finger healed up a little and I got my machine piecing crave satified I got back to hand quilting. 


 
Ten done! Six more to go-plus the borders.
 
 
We celebrated Hog Man's dad's birthday a week or so ago.  My mother is doing well.  She called this past weekend.  She said, "Do you believe in miracles?"  "Sure I do!"  She had lost her hearing aid and had looked all over the house for it.  She had swept the kitchen floor to see if it had fallen under the kick plate of the cabinets.  She prayed and asked God to find it for her.  She walked into the kitchen and STEPPED on it!  She says she didn't break it.  She was so relieved.  God is good.  She will celebrate her 88th birthday this year.
 
We had little visitors this past weekend.  DS#2 and wife went to a George Strait concert and needed us to watch their little ones.  Then DGD Aimee called and wanted to come spend the night -- and bring a friend.  I had guild meeting Saturday morning and left Hog Man in control.  And with a toilet that needed fixing.  You know one of those float thingies and maybe the flapper thingy.  Then while I was gone the tube thingy broke in the repair process.  He managed very well.  I had made them lunch before I left.  I stopped on the way home to pick up more milk.  They can go through the milk! And would you believe I forgot to take a single picture. Of course, you believe it.  It's not the first time or probably the last. LOL
 
The guild re-elected the same officers for a second year.  So I get to preside over the meetings for a second year -- plowing my way through.  I'm not the best at protocol.  I have no problem standing in front of a group anymore.  Not like I did when I was younger.  It was bad, really bad then.
 
So back to quilting--I got out another UFO to see what it needs to finish it.  Not that much!  When my finger gets sore or I feel the need for a machine piecing session I will pull it out and "get r dun". 
 
That's all for now.  Happy quilting from the Catering Quilter
 


Thursday, January 03, 2013

Quilting Away and Happy New Year



I have almost completed block #8 on DD Amanda's Dresden plate quilt last night.  I borrowed a bigger hoop from quilt club and it allows me to quilt more before I have to move it.  And I am getting used to quilting with a thimble! I never thought I would-- EVER.  Never too late to teach an old dog new tricks.  The thimble I am using is a leather one with metal on both sides of the tip.  One problem I was having was the leather was stretching and the thimble would slip off my finger.  I wrapped it with a wide rubber band to get it just snug enough to not slip off.  It works. Doesn't look real great but it works! 

Many thanks to my friend, Priscilla.  When DGD Aimee spent the night with us on the 23rd, she asked me, "NaNaw, when are you going to make my quilt?"  So I pulled her tote out with the fabrics I had been collecting and her pattern and we determined which ones she liked and didn't.  We decided she needed to hand embroider a couple more butterflies for it. She had one that she had done on another visit so she started another one.  And this is where my friend Priscilla comes in.  I took the fabrics to Kraz-z Quilters yesterday and asked her opinion.  She is so good with colors.  I appreciate her input and advice.  We all need friends like her. 

I've got to mention here that another quilting buddy, Marjorie, got to take a Bonnie Hunter class recently.  She drove to Plano to Fabric Fanatics for her class and had a spectacular time.  I am so happy for her!  She told me I HAD to go next year.  I am thinking she is right!  It would be wonderful! Priscilla, are you with us?  Mandy?

Goals for 2013 . . .  lose 15 to 20 pounds (there I said it-online-it is out in the public).  I lost 7 pounds this last year and gained most of it back during Thanksgiving and Christmas.  My goal is to lose 1 to 2 pounds a month. 

Finish more quilts.  Always.  Specifically- DD Amanda's Dresden will be finished before May when she gets her Master's Degree.  Her course work is finished -- that is when she will walk across the stage if she chooses.  Finish piecing DS#2 Marcus' quilt and get started quilting on it.  Finish piecing DGS Mac's quilt, start piecing DGD Aimee's quilt, finish the pillow shams for DS#1 Brian's quilt and quilt them.  Get with my younger sister and decide on fabrics for her quilt and get started on it.  That's all the personal stuff.  Then there are samples for when I go and do a demo.  Lots of quilting in the forecast! Love it!

Blessings from the Catering Quilter