It's been forever (again)

Since I posted. Lots going on quilty and otherwise! First, here's a photo of my (nearly) completed Shakespeare in the Park:




I say nearly completed, because I've added a small yellow border and a 6" green border -- just to make this already gigantic thing bigger (and at the suggestion of my long armer, Barb, who didn't want my star points cut off when it was quilted.) Just need a bit more of the green -- 3 of the borders are on. It'll be about king size, but will fit nicely on my queen size bed (I like them bigger).

This is a photo of a gift my friend (long armer Barb again) and I made for our friend Diane. We gave it to her for her birthday when we went to her house for a sew day on Saturday.

That Saturday Diane, Barb and I worked on X-Block quilts -- using the same tool, different fabrics and different patterns. Diane, who had not even chosen fabric yet, is almost done with hers. Mine is in process -- I cut a couple blocks backwards and have remade those, and am at assembly stage. Photos to be posted on completion. Barb is so busy -- we'll see hers (which is GORGEOUS) when she gets it done.

I have completed my Double Delight -- I think I posted photos. Have completed my 5 yard quilt, no photo since it's no big deal. I'm also working on a hand quilted wall hanging project that should be completed this week. I have a stars quilt in the works for my great-niece -- left over stars from the SITP -- I hated them when they went with the snail trails, but they're kind of cute in a quilt by themselves--and plenty of them too!

As is true in most lives, not all is good, but not all is bad either. My granddaughter, Talya, is doing so so so much better. She's actually the poster child for the procedure that they did. It was 100% successful. She's still on the kidney transplant list -- but nearly 19 lbs. now. It is my understanding that when she reaches 22 lbs, they can do another procedure to help her get even better. Still, her kidneys are not right, and that procedure won't fix them either. Eventually she will likely need a transplant.

My daughter, her mother, on the other hand, has had a rough time the last couple of weeks. After a gynecological scare of being told she had very aggressive cancer, a biopsy was performed on Friday, without anesthesia and they were able to see the tumor on her uterus. They asked her and she opted to have it removed (still without anesthesia -- OUCH!!). They believe they got it all. They did 7 biopsies of the tumor -- 6 were negative, one showed Stage 1 cancer. Not sure what kind of cancer. She's on her way now to have a PET scan done (pray that's negative), and she'll probably need some radiation therapy. And no, I have no idea how they'll handle all that because even though the baby is so much better, she still isn't well enough . . . . no insurance for Meghan, although Talya has MediCal (Medicaid in Florida). Fun fun fun! I don't plan to go out to San Diego unless there really seems to be some way I can help out. I can only afford one trip -- well I can't really afford even one trip -- but if I go, that trip needs to COUNT!


I will update as more info comes in. Back to work for me! Hugs to all.

Billye

Tuesday am - it's been a while!

I haven't posted in forever, I know. Some good news -- here's a photo of Talya sleeping on the pillow and pillow case I made her -- she's doing so much better they were actually able to decline a kidney that was offered for transplant. Despite kidney failure a couple of months ago, when she missed a couple of doses of antibiotics (for the UTIs) due to spitting them up, whatever, her kidney functions were up. The doctors took a risk and took her off antibiotics and, amazingly, she's doing great!

Hmmm....I can't seem to load up a photo -- any photo right now! Darn. I was going to post one of my Double Delight from my long arm quilter -- Barb -- who did a fantastic job! I can't wait to pick it up from her.

I've been working on my Shakespeare in the Park for months. I got almost all the blocks done and laid out (about half) of it on my bed to see what I thought. I hated it. I didn't use the same fabrics for the background in the stars as in the snail trails, and I used too many colors in the stars. I just didn't like it. So . . . I've almost finished recutting for some light yellow stars using the same fabric for background as in the snail trail blocks. I'm pretty sure I'll like it much better. The snail trails were "lost" in my opinion. Again, I'd post a photo if it would let me. Probably some sort of blocker here at work.

My great-niece has requested a quilt after the one I made for her Mom, my niece Mischa. I made a pineapple quilt for her, and she loves it. It's flattering for people to ask for one for themselves, and I'll be happy to make one for Becky -- she just graduated high school with super high honors. One of the girls here at work asked me if I sold them. Diane and Barb and I are making an X-Block quilt (Night Weave I think it's called) mid-July at a sew date at my house. Each of us will be making our own. I'm looking forward to that!

Work has been OK -- busier and a little less worrisome about being laid off. Sometimes I'm really busy (last week) but then this week, not so much. Of course, it's only Tuesday! It's a good job, I don't work particularly hard (certainly in comparison to my last couple of jobs!), I make good money, have great benefits, and work with a group of good people around me, some of whom are beginning to become friends.

One of those friends has gotten me hooked on "The Bachelorette". Yeah, I know. Not my kind of television either usually. And yet . . .I'm hooked!

That's enough for now, since I can't post photos. All is OK. I'm a bit down today, but I'll bounce back up. I always do!

Wednesday Afternoon

So here's a photo of the 7 shirts quilt I'm making for my DGS, Ricky -- it's made from 7 men's shirts. I don't care for plaids, so this is what I ended up with. The back is made from the backs of shirts (and a couple of sleeves) and they are sandwiched. I plan to just do some easy quilting with "X"s across the blocks (thanks Diane for the idea) and slap that binding on and be DONE! LOL. I've enjoyed making something new and different for me, and repurposing. Plus I think it looks like a VERY manly quilt! I hope to get it off in the mail in the next week, together with Talya's quilt and some changing pads and diaper/wipes cases (and for Talya, a medicine case). My sister bought some bonnets as well, and I have a rather large box of soda tabs to send -- people at work have been collecting for us.

As most of you know, Talya is going to need a kidney transplant, and the measurements and a lot of the tests have already been taken to put her on the transplant list. She'll need 3 in all as she grows up . . . but today was a good day -- her functions were up, and the doctors are confused -- it's not medically possible. Except . . . it's happened. Our family knows it's from the prayers of all of us, all of you, and from people we haven't even heard of that have heard about her. Thank you everyone. This is a very trying time and will continue to be, but we keep trying to be positive and think positively. I've not been posting partly because I've been, shall we say, less than cheerful, but I do believe God has His hand on that baby. Please say a prayer for my daughter as well -- she's being pushed beyond her limits and pulled in so many different directions -- finances, stress, sickness, Ricky's school, in-laws, lack of friends or emotional support -- just pray for her too, OK? She's been amazing through all this -- and I'm incredibly proud of her.

I want to make a couple more changing pads, etc. before I ship the box off, and I want to publicly thank Diane for teaching me how to make those too! What a great friend she is, and an incredible teacher and generous person!

Everyone take care -- I'll post more when I have more to post!

Monday morning

Another slow, slow day here at work. I didn't get a lot of quilting done over the weekend, but I did get the 24 9 patch blocks done on Ricky's 7 shirt quilt and I've cut the squares for the snowball blocks. I just didn't feel like sewing yesterday -- and I know that when I don't feel like it, I screw it up.

Tonight is my first quilt guild meeting as a member. I'll pick up Barb and off we'll go.

Marc did very well meeting my co-workers on Thursday and we had a nice date Saturday night. We'll see where it goes from here. I'll file for divorce in the morning -- Greg is being very cool about it and I'm sure he suspects I've decided it's time to date. And so it is. . . I've given him about 10 years and gotten very very little in return . . . time to MOVE ON!

Hopefully I'll get inspired to sew again after Guild tonight. Everyone have a great day -- sorry no photos to post!

Most recent finishes

I took some photos last night of the things I've finished recently and -- voila! Here they are!

This is Mischa's Pineapple Quilt -- done done. The binding is made with some lion/tiger fabric, and so every once in a while a pair of eyes stares out at you. I think it makes it kind of fun.

The above is shown as a couch caddy (which is nice and easy to make -- Lazy Girl pattern), but I've done the adjustments and added the ties to make it a walker caddy for my Mom for Mother's Day. However, not having a walker handy . . . . she's asked for this and she wanted black. You can't see it in this photo, but the speckles are gold. Mom always likes to sparkle so I hope she likes it.

As for me, anybody who reads this blog (like all 2 of you) may be happy to know that I have completed the dissolution of marriage paperwork and have made arrangements with Greg to go to the Courthouse on Tuesday morning to file it. Needless to say, I have to pay for it, but they take plastic, so I'll pay for it over time at least! I figure if I'm going to start dating anyone, ever, I need to be free to do so at least in my own head. Nobody but me (well, and my Mom and sister) seems to think it's any big deal, but it's a big deal to me. The paperwork was easier than I thought and I've checked with the Court that I have everything. I'll be glad to have it over and done with. Main reason? My girlfriend tells me they're getting ready to raise the fees again. It's already $400!!!

The baby is doing well, as of last night. And finally Steve O is off DWTS! And they saved Matt last night on AI -- not quite sure why . . . but that was kind of nice. Too bad Lil wasn't voted off. I love The Rose -- and I thought she really butchered it.

I have a date tonight -- just to a free concert here in downtown and probably not for very long. But still I'm looking forward to it. Marc is coming to the office to get me to go. So the girls will get an opportunity to check him out!

Everybody have a great day. I'm busily working on Ricky's 7 shirts quilt -- I've only got a couple more strips to cut on one last shirt, then I'm ready to begin assembly. I hope it looks at least SOMETHING like I've envisioned! LOL.

D9P

Enough grief already, Diane!! LOL -- I posted the finished one already. The pineapple quilt is quilted, bound, labeled and washed too and I'll add it tonight (probably). I just don't have the photos or camera (or quilts for that matter!) here with me at work.

Besides, Diane has seen them in person . . . so I don't know WHAT her deal is. LOL. She's suddenly Little Miss Super Blogger -- for somebody that didn't even have one a month ago!

OK, so most of you probably know I decided to test the dating waters a little bit. So I signed up for several on line dating sites (I blame Arline for this -- I am not responsible). And no, I haven't told Greg yet, but I will. I'm just going to tell him the truth -- 8 years of my life is long enough and I'll be filing for divorce soon, which he has known for some time. Still, he'll probably manage to be hurt, but I'll try not to.

Anyway, after wading through a bunch of profiles, and shockingly enough to me, a bunch of emails and "flirts" and "winks" and "I'm interested in you"s, and discarding all of them but one, that fellow (who was seeing someone else) invited me to a movie on Saturday. And so I went. Yeah. How about that? And he's nice (so far -- let's not get ahead of ourselves here!). We had dinner last night at Applebee's (not to worry all, as you probably suspected, I'm paying my own way). He's invited me to a jazz concert on the 28th. I know he'd invited another girl and bought tickets for her, but ha ha ha, she didn't like him and I do, so I get to go! Ha ha ha. Not that I know anything about jazz except I like it, but I can learn.

We were going to go to a dance with Arline and the band where I usually go dancing (the Moose) on Saturday night, but it ends up that's a big Moose convention and it will be really crowded. I'm way not into crowds, and it so happens that Marc isn't either. Oh yeah, his name is Marc. Anyway, since I've seen him twice and he hasn't murdered me yet (in fact he's been a perfect gentleman) I invited him to dinner Saturday night and I'll twirl a chicken and stuff. He offered to bring whatever -- I suggested he bring a movie. It'll be interesting to see what he chooses!

The baby is doing better than she's done in like forever, although she's got a little cold, but it's normal baby stuff. We are so grateful that so far the deflux procedure seems to have done quite a bit of good. Make no mistake, things aren't "fixed," just less bad. And for now, we'll take less bad! Meghan has been sick, but slowly getting better. Ricky is great and I am super Nana because I sent the right toy for Easter. Yay Nana!

Bored yet? Probably, so I'll sign off. Everybody have a great day and I'll try to get some photos up of completed projects. Oh yeah, a couple I can't post, but I can post Mom's walker caddy. Need a photo of it too!

D9P Done Done

Well, imagine my surprise that Diane is DEMANDING a photo of the completed D9P. This is for my DGD Natalya -- who has had yet another rough rough day. She was diagnosed with epilepsy today, and her hips have a problem, she has to see an immunologist, and the deflux procedure may not have been as effective as we'd hoped. But, none of those things are life threatening -- it does however mean that Meghan can't work any time soon, and she's going nuts. Unfortunately for her, she has no hobbies, and no close friends out there -- little relief from a constantly sick baby. And yet, with the price of day care in California, she really can't afford to work with 2 kids, even if Talya could go to day care, which she most definitely can't. It's hard to stay here and not help, but they'll manage. Somehow. They did get a car at least!

Anyway, here's the D9P done done, quilted, bound, labeled and even washed. I'm working on Ricky's 7 shirt quilt and will send both when I finish that one. Need to get back to the pineapple quilt too -- that's still on the design wall and not been pieced! It's Ok, though, one thing at a time. Tonight I'll finish the binding on the OBW. I tell ya, that one turned out to be a beauty! In fact, I'm going to post a photo of it too!

I don't know how well you can see the beautiful quilting that Barb did on it, but she used yellow thread (which I chose) and it's gorgeous. she used black on the back (black backing with the fabric as a trim) and well, I just think it's beautiful. Not very practical of course -- I don't know anybody that has a house where this would match, but I love, love, love it. Thank you, Nancy for teaching me! Thank you Barb, for quilting it! Thank you, Diane, for making me believe I could do it.

Hugs to all. Please keep praying for the baby.