Windy Day

The wind has been bad and strong for a couple of days now.  It blew in a cold front.  We didn't get much rain, but the cars all have a lot of dirt on them.  I have not seen a rain so dirty in a long time.  Someone said there must of been a lot of West Texas dirt in it.  I still need to get to the car wash.  The bad news is the wind destroyed the top of my gazebo.  It all happened in the matter of a few minutes.  Once it started ripping, there was nothing we could do but pick it up from the ground.

I save almost everything, so I will find the parts book and order a new top for the gazebo.  I just hope it doesn't cost as much as the gazebo did.  Jim bought it for my birthday several years ago and he got it on sale.

I have managed to get some cooking done.  I have madeChristms Sandies and Ginger Cookies (both recipes are from Better Homes and Garden website).  I also made some fudge.

I have more cooking I want to get done before Sunday.  I finally started wrapping gifts.  I forgot that last year I discarded several of the boxes I save year from year.  So before I can do more wrapping, I have to go get some boxes.  I also need to get some gift tags.  It has been several years since I have had to buy either.  For some reason, I did not buy them at the end of the season last year.  So unfortunately I am going to have to pay full price for them this year.  Oh, well.

It will be a short day at work today.  The office is closing at 1:00 pm. I will finish wrapping today and get going back on the quilt I am making.  Jim wants to go to Greenville today to replace the chainsaw we bought earlier in the year.  It doesn't work.  This is the second one we have tried.  I need to find the sales receipt and the extra insurance we got.  We have started buying the extra insurance when we make purchases because it pays for itself if you ever have to use it.  So much better than...sorry your warranty period is up.  You only use the chainsaw maybe two time a year.  It has been more that 90 days since we last used it and now it won't work.  I'm not positive, but this might have even been the first time to use it.

Hope everyone has a blessed Christmas in case I don't get back until after then.  Enjoy the season and take time to remember the reason.

Handmade Christmas

Each year I try to make something for Christmas.  Either an ornament, decoration, or a gift for someone.  I have a little extra time this year and I have started a quilt for a gift for someone.  I don't know if they read my blog or not so I cannot show pictures yet.  It is going together as quickly as was planned. I sent some pictures of some ornaments on my tree to Teresa at Fabric Therapy.  She was going to an ornament exchange party and has been enjoying makine yo-yo's.  Here are a couple from my tree.

Most of the ornaments on my tree are handmade.  I enjoy making them.  In the past I have sold some at craft sales and usually do a demo at our Christmas program put on by the extension agent.  I have  a new camera and am learning how to take photos with it.  Thei first upload to the computer was something.  I hope to get them organized so I can find them easily.  Need to order a few gifts online to get them delivered in time for Christmas.  And the major job at hand is to start the wrapping,  I have most of mine bought, just need to start getting it all wrapped up (also meaning to finish the shopping).  Have a great night.

The Roller Coaster

The roller coasster is in full swing for the Christmas ride.  I am enjoying this Christmas more than some in the past.  I have more done at this point so I get to enjoy the season.  I am LOVING it.  We finished putting up the lights yesterday (before the cold front hit, YEA).  I am sitting in my room with the heater on this morning, how nice.  The wind is blowing outside, and I am toasty inside.  Good.

 

Here are our deer.  You can see the tree in the window.  Our buck lost his lights, and we are going to restring him like we had to do one of the does.  Jim was surprised it took two boxes to do.  I finished a customer quilt this weekend.  It is the last one I have to do before Christmas, so no I can work on my stuff.  I got a quilt started this weekend.  It should go pretty fast.  It is a jelly roll pattern.  I sewed all the strips and have started cutting them into sections.  I had to run to Walmart to get what the pattern is calling background fabric.  Jim was like, "With all the fabric you have, you don't have anything to use?"  No, I buy in 1 yard incriments and I need 1 1/8  yard.

 I don't have to be anywhere this week after work, so I can work on my quilt.  I have 3 4 quilts going.  If I think too long, I will come up with more.  I think I will do what Judy @ Patchwork Times does and make a list of unfinished projects and finish one  a month.  I work best with lists and it helps to see what needs to be done and get to cross off what is finished.  It's off to work I go, have a blessed day.

Catching Up

It's been awhile since I last posted.  I have been busy and got out of a morning routine.  Now to get back to the routine, maybe add something new also.  Thanksgiving was great.  I actually did not work myself to death this year.  I had more time to relax and enjoy the company.  My oldest son helped with some things the day before and that really made a big difference.

I found a new secret.  On Black Friday, I skipped the mainstream shopping.  I don't like fighting all the crowds.  I scheduled my mammogram instead.  There was no waiting (actually they called me many hours before my appointment that morning and told me to come in anytime, the day was open.  They were waiting for me!) and I was in and out in probably 30 minutes.  I think I may do this every year that I am in town for Thanksgiving.

I have been working on a friend's quilt.  Will post pictures later this week when I finish quilting it.  It was a round robin.  She made the center and then it was passed to four other people and they added a border.  I am always surprised how they turn out.  Our quilt show this year will feature the round robins that were done so that the community can enjoy them.

I have started some of my Christmas shopping.  Two people are already off of the list.  And I have started doing some baking.  Our family favorite is Christmas Sandies.  There are no nuts in the sandy, it is crasins and lemon zest.  So tasty!  Today there is a holiday bazaar that our extension office is putting on and several ladies in the area also do demonstrations.  I did not come up with something to do this year.  This is the first year I have not done a demo.  But, I will be there to support the group. 

Got a new camera, so I will be learning how to use and get great photos.  I signed up for a class at Craftsy.com.  It is mainly for learning to get great product photos, like quilting details for my blog and files.  Well it is time to get ready for work, so have a great day.  Keeping my fingers crossed hoping that I won the Slice kit from slice.com.  I wanted one BAD and the price was really good for a black friday special, but I decided that I could win (the chances are 1 in 64) or continue to cut the pieces manually as I have in the past.  If I don't win, I will keep an eye out for a special in the future.  Have a great day!

Day Off

Had the day off for Veteran's Day. I have spent the day cleaning house. I cleaned the bathroom with scrub free cleaner for bleach. Burnt my nose. I couldn't smell for some time. Only smelt something strange. Warning was to use in a well-ventilated area. No windows in the bathroom. Guess I stayed in there too long. I am better now. I also clearned/defrosted the spare refrigerator. It has been several hours, and it is still dripping. It was freezing everything in the refrigerator section. Hope defrosting it takes care of the problem. Also got the grocery shoppinjg done as well as the laundry. And vacumming downstairs. Boy am I tired.

Matthew took my car to Plano to look for himself a new car. On his way back, I had him stop for sushi. Mmmm, mmm, good. This afternoon, I am going to work on my family cookbook and get rid of recipes that are not famliy recipes and never even been tried. Trying to get it more organized. Might even do a book at Christmas of the recipes and pics of family on Shutterfly.

Have a good day.

25 Years

Today is my 25th wedding anniversary.  Never thought that I would make it (back in the beginning).  Not that we had trouble, but it is a long time.  Jim and I are very happy.  We barely ever have disagreement.  We learned a long time ago to compromise.  He also made me work on communication.  If a couple doesn't talk to each other about what bothers them, it can never be fixed or changed.  We had ground rules we set for us.  I think that cut down on problems that might normally arise.  I can't imagine my life without him.  He supports me in ALL that I do and I know that he loves me deeply.  And most important, we have God in our relationship.  He guides us, protects us, and provides for us.

Elections are over and the President will stay for another 4 years.  I guess life will continue as it has been.  Enough said.

This week is full of funerals for me.  A co-workers father passed away and was laid to rest yesterday.  One of my quilting friends lost her husband and he will be put to rest tomorrow.  The service yesterday was a good one.  He really spoke about heaven and hell.  There was not much crying at the funeral, instead we were laughing at times.  It was a celebration of his life.  Make sure you have your eternity sealed up because heaven and hell both exist.

Have a great day.  I am going to dinner at a great local resturant tonight and have a first rate chef prepared dinner.  Jim and I have been licking our lips for days waiting in anticipation.  We made reservations 2 weeks ago.

Do Your Duty

Today is election day.  I did early voting a week ago.  If you are a registered voter, please make sure you have cast your vote.  If you are not a registered voter, shame on you.  I feel strongly about voting.  It is a duty, right, and gift to be able to vote.  Not all countries get to vote, they just have whatever is in place for leadership and that effects how you live.  I do believe that our soldiers help to protect our right to vote, even if they are fighting a war in another country.  Our country is set up so that we can vote and give our input to the law making decisions.  I also believe it is a gift.  God placed you in the family and country that you were born.  It has affected how you live, how you were raised, your thoughts and actions. You could have easily been born in another family in another country.  I know not everyone will accept that belief.  But I feel blessed!

Today is a sad day at my office.   A co-workers father passed away and his funeral is today.  She has had it hard for the past year.  She lost her mother earlier in the year.  It was a surprise that her health began deteriating as fast as it did because her father had more issues going on.  For about a month, she had one parent in the hospital in Tyler and the other about 60 miles (which was 30 miles from us) from there.  She was in the middle.  She would have to go back and forth between the two cities and try to keep up with the care each was getting.  For the past two months she and her brother have been the care givers and split up the time to stay in the house to keep a watch on him becuase there was not a full-time hospice nurse (he wasn't to that stage).  During the past year she has had her first grandchild born and another daughter get married.  It has been quite a year for her.

Also, a friend has lost her husband.  I think they were married for almost 50 years.  His cancer returned unexpectedly and spread quite fast.  They found out the cancer was back first part of September.  The good new is both men were Christians and they are in heaven with no more suffering and visiting loved ones.  Their loved ones here will see them again another time.

Tonight after work, I have to start gathering for the garage sale.  I may even start loading the car so I can see how much room I have left to stuff things in.  I am going to Waco this weekend for the sale.  Have a good day.

Houston

Boy!  What a trip.  I left on Friday after work so we could spend Saturday at the show.  I have always worried about going on a Saturday, that it would be too crowded.  It was magnificent.  No traffic...on the road or at the show.  We did not have to stand in line to buy a ticket to get in.  We were not cramped shoulder to shoulder.  This allowed us to actually get in the booths and shop.  You had more of a chance to talk to the vendors, especially the ones doing the demos.  There wasn't a crowd you were competing with the be heard and they wanted to sell.  The only downside was that several things were already sold out.  But hey, there is shipping!  My big purchase was Pearl P's Autum Harvest Baltimore quilt. I will be working in this for probably a decade.

The blocks are so cute.  They have pumpkins, squirrels, crows, scarecrows and wheat.  Plus a few more things.  I bought IT ALL...the show stopper special.  The kit, the applique tool kit, and the special tool kit for applying the glue baste.   I would have purchased the thread too, but they were out.  I was with my sister in law and she was surpised I called my husband to get permission to purchase.  He had told me earlier in the year when I saw it on Keepsake Quilting that I could purchase it.  I wasn't sure about it because, it was fusible (already attached and cut out), and it was so expensive.  I know it will take me a long, long time to get it finished, but I will do it.  I think with having my sister in law working on it also, we will encourage each other.  The good thing is, I have it here and don't have to wait for it to be shipped monthly.

Now for some pictures:

BEST OF SHOW

 

BEST HAND QUILTED

I noticed something about my picture taking when I was updoading the images to the blog.  I am a quilter, so I generally focus on the quilting aspect of quilts.  That is why you see pics that are of the quilting and not of the entire quilt.  If I liked the quilt becuase I might want to make something like that or the block really apeals to me, I take a pic of the entire quilt and sometime a closeup of the blocks.  So that is why you do not see pics of the entire quilt in the following photos.  This is not all that I took, just what I posted to the blog.

 

 

 

Have a good day.  I've got to go to work.  I forgot to post about Jim's weekend.  He stayed home, it was opening weekend for deer season.  He got an eight-point buck.  So there will be meat in the freezer.  (We only kill what we will eat.) He was at the meat processor when I called him about the quilt.  He is very happy with himself.

Houston Bound

I'm getting off work early today and heading to Houston.  I am going to my sister-in-law's house to spend some family time.  Tommorrow, she and I will go to the show.  I haven't been in several years.  I am so looking forward to going.  I am not planning on doing a bunch of purchasing, but will have the means to do so if neccessary.  I will take pictures and post after I return. 

Hubby is not going.  This is the first weekend of hunting season.  He plans hopes to get a deer.  I cooked venison burgers last night for supper.  So good.  We have just a few sausage packages left from last year and one stew meat.  Our favorite way to eat venison is to marinate it with one of the McCormick Grill Mates for a long time and grill.  So full of flavor and tender.  We eat that a lot in the summer.

Have a great weekend.

People

People are funny sometimes.  They don't mean to be, but different things they do are sometimes just funny.  I am sure I make people laugh at what I do (or don't do) at times.  I work in a tax office.  Becuase it is a public office, we are sometimes an information center.  We can tell people where most things/people are located in our county. Even though it is a small town, we still have to give directions to the office.  We use the huge hardware store next door as a landmark.  If you are coming from town...if you make it to Hooten's you went one driveway too far.  Coming from Greenville...we are the driveway right after Hooten's.  Hooten's is a family owned hardware store that has expanded so much it covers more than one acre and is almost as large as Home Depot.  An elderly lady poked her head in our office yesterday and asked if this was the hardware store.  We told her it was next door and she could not see it.  After she left we laughed so hard.  We have never been mistaken for the hardware store.  The library (which is next door on the same driveway) maybe.  They come in the office and ask if this is the library.  No, do you see any books?  Politely we redirect them next door to the building that has huge letters LIBRARY on the front.

Another day...people usually lay down their keys on the counter and sometimes leave them here.  I was talking to one man who had laid his keys down.  Then another comes in.  He waits while I finish up and the first man leaves.  The second man sees keys on the counter and thinking I laid down my keys, puts them in his pocket.  The first man returns looking to see if he left his keys.  Man #2 pulls two sets of keys from his pocket identical to each other.  He said I didn't remember putting down my keys and didn't want to leave them so I picked them up.  They had to hit to open button to see which set belong to who.  I have worked here 6 years and that has never happened before.

Hopefully, you are getting some sewing done.  Maybe I can tonight after work.

Design Wall/Table Monday

I am designing some applique for my log cabin basket quilt.  There is a lot of blank space and I think it needs some applique.  I fell in love with the applique in a book called Elegant Quilts, Country Charm by Leonie Bateman and Dierdre Bond-Abel.  So I used several flowers and leaves from the book to begin adding applique.  I have one side pinned down.  Need to make more leaves and vine.  Then I will do a vine heading up the left border.  I have plans for the right bottom corner.  Since I don't have a pattern to trace to place the applique, it is a bit challenging for me.  I also don't want to permantly add the washout marker so I am planning on getting everything down that is under and removing the lines before I iron on the flowers and leaves.  I really respect the work designers do when preparing patterns.  Here is what I have done so far:

I have also gotten two more blocks made on my civil war quilt.  Today, I go to the dentist to get some oral surgery done.  I'm hoping it will fix a problem I have been having.  From my past experiences, I know I will be sleeping the rest of the day and still be able to go to sleep at night.  Have a great day.  Check out what others are doing at Patchwork Times.

Weekend!

Once again it is the weekend.  But, this weekend I don't have a customer quilt to do.  So that means I get to work on other stuff...like clean house (which needs it desperately).  I am going to MIL's in a couple of weeks for a garage sale.  I need to finish cleaning out a few closets and get things gathered up and priced to take to Waco.  Next weekend will be the Quilt Show in Houston.  I also can do some fall decorating this weekend.  Fall is my favorite time of year, and I haven't put anything out yet.  It is almost winter.  It is in the 30's here this morning.  The new heater will be on today.  I have already had to turn it down and it is sweating me out of the room.  I think it will be different when I am over at the sewing machine.  Here is the last quilt I finished.  It is almost a king size. 

 

 

 

I don't think the quilting shows up to well.   It has lots of feathers.  Husband and I both liked it and thought it would be a good all the time bed quilt.  Nice pattern for that.  Colors are not necessary ours, but could change that.  Well off to start working on house.  That way I can spend some time today appliqueing on my quilt.  Think I will just do my machine so it gets done.  Have a good day!

Quilt Show Continued

Here are a few more from the show.

I wonder what they do with the quilt blocks...does it become a quilt next year?  Does one person win them? Do you get yours back?  Is that Hoffman fabric for a challenge?  I love the Sunbonnet Sue block.  I must have good taste, I didn't notice until now that the two I chose to take close ups of were first place winners.

Quilt Show

Here are the pictures from the quilt show in Canton.  I only took pictures of the quilts I liked, but added in a few that are good eye candy and would appeal to others also.  There was probably 80 quilts and several blocks that they made in their challenge.  I wonder what they do with those blocks, do they become next years quilt to sell tickets for???

Cute puppies and kittens.

 

Great dimensional flowers were filling baskets in this quilt.  Close up and then the quilt.

 

A local friend did the next two.  She does great applique.

 

I think this is a great setting for embroidery blocks.  I also loved the blocks.  Great detail in the blocks.

 

My favorites since I am partial to Boy Scouts.  Is that a girl?? peeking out from the tent??

 

I haven't looked yet to see if the whole quilt is in Kim Diehl's book, or just the center.  I also like to piece blocks that have several pieced to them like what is in the borders.  The quilter also did an outstanding job.

 

This is all that would fit on this post.  Will do another.

Weekend's Finally Here!

It finally arrived.  The Weekend.  It will blow thru so fast I won't even know I  had one.  I decided to get up early today, even though I didn't really get any sleep last night.  Work on the computer for awhile.  Then, when Jim gets up we will go eat breakfast to start our weekend at the Y'all Come Back Cafe.  The garden club is having a fall bazaar...I will hit that up before I head over to a friends to go to Canton for their quilt show.  Stop at the quilt shop there, so I can point it out to my friend.  Come back home and we will work on the yearbook for our quilt guild.  A quilt is still on the frame to be finished.  I would really like to finish it this weekend.  I have to also practice some today as I am singnig a solo at church tommorrow.  It will be a fun-filled, fast day.  I will take pics at the show and post my favorites later.  Have a great day!

Columbus Day

Today is a holiday for my office so I get to stay home.  It's seems like forever since I posted.  I hope to "sail" thru the quilt that is one the frame today.  My boss made what she calls a calendar quilt.  I think it is basically a block of the month.  I have the quilting ideas in my head, so it should go fairly quick.  This is the last quilt I have here that is belongs to another person.  Then it will be on to my quilts.  Yahoo!

It is very chilly here this monrning.   I know that the temps are not that cold, but when you were in the eighties and to drop down fast, it seems cold.  I finally lit the pilot on my "new to me" Dearborn heater.  I boy....am I going to love it.  It heated my room  right up in no time and I was sweating big time.  I wonder if I purchased too big of a heater.  I got what the guy selling them told me I needed for the size of the room.  I have a feeling I will be leaving the door open and helping to heat the house.  Anyway, I will stay toasty warm.  This will be the first winter I should be able to work in my studio despite the cold.  I am looking forward to it.  I come out here almost every mornning anyway and sit in my chair and drink my coffe, type of the laptop, listen to the radio, and/or read my bible.  I love it. 

I am still organizing the room, but it is getting there.  Waiting for the garage sell at my sister in law's house to finish emptying the room.  There is a pile of items for the sell.  I don't think that it will  all fit in the car to get there.  May need to make more than one trip.  Here's to sailing thru the quilt to get to start working in my civil  war blocks again.  Have a wonderful SEW SEW day.

Motorcycle Quilt

I looked all over for a motorcyle quilt pattern.  Couldn't find one, so I had to draw one.  I decided not to connect them so I drew it out, copied and enlarged my drawing to get it big enough for the border.  Then I took the copy and sewed without thread at my sewing machine.  I used the Quilt Pounce to get chalk on the quilt so I could see.  Let me tell you that this quilt is different from most that I quilt for people.  She only wanted me to do the border.  The batting she used behing the middle panel is the fat, comforter poly-type.  She hand quilted (outlined) the design on the panel.   Nothing was under the border.  I told her to stitch the batting down so it wouldn't be migrating while I was trying to quilt.  She likes lots of battring so then there is a double layer of batting behind it all.  Then to my surprise, the backing must have spandex in it.  I am sure whoever is getting this, will enjoy it.  I did my best.  And with all the batting, it is very heavy.

Here is image after the stencil was chalked.

 

Here it is off the frame.  It has not been trimed yet.  I don't do that I let the quilt owner trim the quilts.

 

Here is one quilted on the side.

 

 

After quilting 20 of them, I got pretty good at it.  It has been raining almost all day long.  Not  a hard rain, but a good soaking rain.  It was so needed.  My next project is to set up an Etsy shop.  I have a lot of lace and trim to sell.  Many pieces will be good for crazy quilts.  Have a good weekend.

 

Getting Organized

I have several (somewhere near 40) pantographs.  I have kept them rolled in basically a small pail.  Everytime I needed one, I would dig through the pail until I would find the right one.  Sometimes unrolling to see the name or design.  I have previously written the name on the outside of them, but I guess I missed a few.  It was a mess.  I have been on the lookout for a long time for a way that I coould get them organized and labeled.  I knew what I wanted, but I could not find what I needed.  I checked thrift shops...antique stores...department stores, etc.  I needed something like a shoe rack/holder that had open sides, but I could only find ones that were boxy and had a closed back (would not work with wider pantos).  After searching for over a year, I decided a wine rack could work.  But I could not find one that would fit what I needed.  Finally, one day in Walmart they had a new shoe holder.  YEAH!  The hunt was over. 

 

I have them labeled so I can easily spot what I am hunting for.  It is seperated out by Flora/Fauna, Classics, Seasonal, Feathers, and other.  I have a notebook that I put the images in and it is also sorted by that.  I have an alphabetical list at the front of the notebook.  And I have a wish list at the back.  So if nothing that I have will fit what I am looking for, maybe something in the wish list will.  It gives me somthing to let customers look at without having to grab the panto.  Works for me. 

Design Wall Monday

This is what I have done on the Barbara Brackman Civil War Quilt so far.  I am waaaay behind.  I have printed off all of the blocks in case it goes down.  I plan to buy the book when it comes out later this year even though I have the patterns.  I love the history on the blocks and just the way she writes.  I've planned to set it with a medallion center.  I didn't get too much done this weekend.  I have one block cut to sew and and I got one done.  I spent part of the weekend drawing a motorcyle image to quilt on the current quilt.  I could not find any quilting patterns with motorcyles.  If you know of one, please let me know. 

This week is revival at church, so not much will be going on.  I have tried to plan ahead and made a few meals for quick fixes when I get home from work.  The winner of my quilt guilds raffle quilt came by to pick it up.  We made over $1000 on this year's quilt.  That is more than double what we usually make. I think we are getting better at designing and  putting them together. 

It is a medallion style quilt.  It is a king size, so part of it is folded over.  What is folded over is a duplicate of what you can see on the bottom.  We really enjoyed making this quilt.
 Head on over to Judy's Patchwork Times to see what every one else is working on.

A Rare Sight

You don't see walking sticks very often.  There aren't as many around as there used to be.  Also, because of how they look, they tend to blend in and are hidden from our view.  Walking out the back door, I saw a couple on the door frame, sort of busy.  Sorry i caught them "in the act", but you really don't see very many of them. Looks like there may be a few more in the future.

My dog Annie is full of curiosity.  While outside, she began to hunt, catch, and eat grasshoppers.  I used to have chickens that did that.  Now Annie is trying to do her share.  Here is my grasshopper catcher.

Another sight at the house is the Spider Lillies.  I love these flowers.  They come up in several places.  I have planted them in specific locations, but they will spring up where I didn't place them.  I think the gophers and moles help  with that.  I know it is fall when they are in bloom.  Every few years, I dig them up and seperate them so that I can spread them about.  I don't spend a lot of time out gardening, so when I plant something, it needs to come back again and again by itself.  I weed once or twice a year and water when I absolutely have to.  It is a surprise anything survives.  One photo of the spider lilies.

Have a great day.  I delivered a quilt to my 90 year old friend.  She was sitting at her sewing machine when I got to her house.  She is in a wheelchair now, but she still sews as much as she can.  She gets so much joy out of sewing.  I think her favorite pattern is the apple core.  I have started loading a lap quilt that another gave me to quilt the borders on.  It is a Harlely Davison panel.  She wants motorcycles in the border. 

Around and Around



I'm going to tell on myself. At the county fair, Jim says, "Let's ride the Ferris Wheel."  Okay, I've never been on one before.   This will be good.  I can go up high and see all around, take some pictures (because I have the camera with me).  We got tickets, and waited in the slow moving line.  Darn, we didn't get on the last car, so we have to wait for the ride to stop and we will be in the first car on the next ride.  Ride finishes, we get in car, they let the stop down and it starts swinging slightly.  Hmmm, it will be okay, it is suppose to swing.  We go up one spot.  Swinging more.  Jim decides to stretch and the car goes back...like when you are falling backwards in a chair.  NOT GOOD!  I clamp my hands on the bar and say, "this is not good, I don't like this".  With each move up it was worse.  Jim kept trying to calm me, but it wasn't working.  By the time we got to the top, I could hardly breathe, my eyes had not been open since about the 2nd or 3rd move, and I was crying.  I was doing real good not to be screaming.  I guess that was why I was hardly breathing.  The top was horrible!  Then we start the move forward to go down.  Finally, about 3 stops before the end, I had quit crying.  I told Jim it will probably be okay once we start moving.  He said, "No way, we are getting off!"  He began to get the attendants attention to let him know to let us off.  Then I was able to get off of the thing.  My hand felt like I hit it with a hammer the rest of the day it was so sore from hanging on so tight.  Even the next morning I kept do the breathing gasps for air and had a headache from all the adreneline.  No, Cindy does not ride Ferris Wheels.  Never again.  Actually, I never rode it.  I only loaded and got off.  That was an experience I (or Jim) will never forget.