Thursday, March 28, 2013

Thankful Thursday

I have been walking on the treadmill since the first of the year.  I went to the doctor this week.  I had to move my appointment up a week.  I was feeling light-headed this past weekend and felt like it was my blood pressure.  I had checked it at home and it was getting low.  My doctor told me to quit taking my blood pressure medicine!  I am so glad.  That was one goal I had.  He said to keep an eye on it at home and if it gets back up to 140, to take a smaller dose than what I was taking.  I had to have my dosage increased in November due to the higher blood pressure causing blood vessels in my eyes to break.  Now in 3 months of walking 20 minutes most days of the week, I no longer need medicine.

And today, while at the store, someone who does not see me very ofter remarked at how much weight I have lost.  So far I have lost 14 lbs.  I don't think that is a lot, but I know that all my clothes are fitting much better.  It is very encouraging when others notice and say so.  Check over at Judy's Patchwork Times to see what other good news people have to say.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Is It Easter Yet?

I keep thinking today is Easter.  We have the cold weather that always seems to be there for the past several years.  It is spring, everything is blooming and being renewed.  We are doing the Easter program at chruch today.  It just seems that it is Easter.  But, I get another week...a short work week.  I am going to go to my sister's for Easter.  I did not get to visit with my family much for Christmas as we blew in with the snow and had to leave quickly to try to stay ahead of the winter storm.  It was a hard long drive back home.   This will probably be one of the first in a very long time that we haven't spent Easter with Jim's family.

I had a very good weekend so far.  Thursday night, our son called us to join him and his girlfriend for supper in Commerce.  Luigi's opened a restuarant there.  And boy, is it nice and fancy compared to the one in Quinlan...or any of the others around.  I thought we might be getting some news from them, but they just wanted to enjoy and evening with us.  They always have to work on the weekends when we go out to eat.  When we got back home, my oldest son called and said he would be in town and was checking we had Friday night open.  So he and his girlfriend came over and we spent the evening with them.  How nice.  Matthew had come over earlier in the week and spent time visiting.  How nice, they all finally come home to visit (not to live).  It was really nice.

It is coming along on quilting the Piecemakers quilt.  I have all the flowers done in the open blocks.  I am going to keep the rest of the quilt simple.  I am doing what looks like wine glass quilting on the red patches and a cable in the border.  I may not get too much quilting done today, but I will do what I can.  I need to finish this week so I can concentrate on sewing whatever I want to make for the cruise. 

I have gone through my clothes and pulled out several outfits that I will be able to wear.  I have bought several pieces of jewelry this past week to go with some of my outfits.  I am keeping the thought back in my head that it will be warmer, but probably still a bit cool for me.  I really am happy and okay with 95 and above.    Anything below 90 and I will eihter wear 3/4 sleeves or a jacket.  Plus we will be in air conditioning (I am hoping it will be all working).  I also still have one qult kit to cut out.  It is close enough we are starting to get REALLY excited about going!

I am reading my camera booklet so I can figure out how to use several of the settings.  I need to print it out instead of reading it online.  That way I can also take it with me if I need to remember how to set something up.  I don't have too many things I want to take pictures of in the house to practice, but I guess who cares.  I can delete them.  It's not like in the past, you would take it to the printer and pay to get the pictures to see what you did.

I am sure the neighbors sold their place.  Their title company was still calling us the day of the closing to get some things.  Since we provided them, I would think that if that was all they needed before closing, they should have closed.  It is sad to see them go as they are good neighbors to have, but will be interesting to see who moves in.  I don't think they are from around here (as living here now, could have been in the past and returning back to home area) as the company they were working with is from Dallas not here.  I think they will move out/in while we are gone on the cruise.  There was a truck lurking around the end of a driveway they day they were to close that I did not recognize.  No one else would have a reason to "stare" at the vacant land.  You can't see the house from the highway and they were on the driveway to the house.

Just some other short notes:  Contacts are still working out okay.  For some reason, I have to usually work at getting the right one to "get in".  Weight loss is still going good. I am not going to lose 30 pounds before the cruise, but I may lose 20.  I am close to that.  I am going to the doctor before we leave to see if my medications need to be adjusted due to the walking.  I may have to move that date up, I have been just a bit light headed this weekend and that is the only reason I can think of that would cause it.  One last note....I got a HUGE raise at work.  So nice.  It has been 2-3 years since the last one and it may be a few more years until the next.  Jim and I are very happy with the increase. 

Saturday, March 16, 2013

National Quilt Day

I didn't quilt all day long as I planned to do, but I enjoyed the day.  I made biscuits for breakfast.  Always love to have homemade biscuits (makes me think of Grandma).  She always kept yeast biscuits in the refrig and baked them every morning when I was there.  The things Grandma's do.  Then I went out shopping at the thrift stores.  I got a jumper, skirt and three tops at one stop.  Then I went for a pedicure.  I had a "deluxe" and chose lemon grass.  It was wonderful.  My feet feel and look great right now...even hours after.  On the way home, I went to another shop and found a pair of jean capris, a lace top, and purse.  I spotted some items I went back for later in the day; a black jacket, and an orange crystal bracelet.  Once there and I found two more necklaces.  Feel like I found some great bargins today.  Tommorrow a friend who makes jewelry is having a show.  I have several of her pieces and enjoy wearing them very much.  I feel very comfortable in them.  They are not super flashy and reflect my personality and style.  Who knows what I will get tommorrow.  I did get a quilt loaded.  But in honor of quilting day...here are a few pics from the Dallas Quilt Show.

This was the Best of Show.  Simply Amazing!


This quilt won first place in the category I was in.
A beautiful peacock.  There are some feathers that are 3-D.

I love the Pine Trees.  A quilt on my list to do.


This was a quilt in the show theme category.  The quilting
is absolutely fantastic, especially on the yellow cake.


The dinosauer quilts were different.  The quiltmaker was there when I was
looking at them.  She looked young in early 20's.  Very amazing work.


I really enjoyed the quilt show and enjoyed looking back on the pictures I took and zomming in to check out the quilting.  Very inspiring.  And here is a quilt that I delivered a week ago.  Front and back.  You can't see the quilting in the camera too well, I used invisible thread.

 
I spent about 25-30 hours quilting this.  I made a paisley to fit the peacocks.  I worked hard on this one, but I enjoyed it and was glad to get it finished.  Now I am working on this year's donation quilt for the Piecemakers.
 


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Tuesday Thougths

Just thougth I would pop in and write a bit.  I did not win a ribbon at the Dallas Quilt show.  What a bummer.  The quilts were amazing (as the always are).  It is also VERY inspiring.  I did not buy much as all the extra cash is going for the cruise.  I bought a book by Sharon Schrambler (?) on formal feathers.  It is a real neat book in that there are acetate pages for you to practice drawing on.  You can wipe them clean and do it again and again.  Great for eye/hand and memory training for quilting.  I'll post some pics later today (tonight).

Weight loss is still going on.  Thought I had hit a wall and then it started again.  I think that because they move the scales around alot (where we weigh in on Monday's for Step-Up) they are probably off a bit.  They said I lost 3 pounds last week.  I don't think I did.  Scales at home didn't say that. Maybe one or two...and that is undressed.  I don't see how I lost 3 pounds completely dressed.  Especially for this cooler weather.

Speaking of cooler weather, I am so ready for the cruise and going to warmer weather.  I think it will still be cool enought for me not to run around in shorts.  But I am going to be wearing capris and skirts.  I also need one outfit for formal night.  I think I am going to make my dress.  I do have a top I can wear.  I will need to make a skirt.  Anyway, it is fun planning a wardrobe.  Now to go shopping for fabric.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Weigh In Wednesday

It has been awhile since I actually posted this on a Wednesday (or even posted).  The last post was one month ago.  There have been some changes since then...I got sick and got out of the habit of walking daily (it shows in the results).  I also had to readjust my eating because I ate too many "comfort" foods...and I bought some new walking shoes.  First the food and the lack of consistant exercise...if you stop, just start again.  Buckle down and do it!  I feel like I am back on track.  The new shoes...what a difference!  Because of how they are shaped they also make me walk a certain way.  It is like my foot rolls to the toes.  This is closer to how you are supposed to walk.  Can I ever feel it in my legs!  After just a few minutes of walking, I am ready to quit.  I keep hanging in there.  If the people on Biggest Loser can, so can I.  I am not pukeing, and I can do it!  Here are my results:  Weight, 183; Bust Top, 43.5; Bust Under, 35.25; Waist, 37.5; Hip, 44.25; Thigh, 24.25.  There was no change in the hip or thigh, but every where else.  Since the first of the year I have lost 13 pounds!  When you watch Biggest Loser, you think that is not great.  But, I am taking it off slowly, so I have a better chance of keeping it off and it is healthier that way.  I also have other things in the house to eat and my kitchen has not been "cleaned" out.  I did do better at the store last night.  Jim probably thinks I did not buy anything, but I got foods that are heathier for us...no bread.  And, unlike Biggest Loser, I don't exercise ALL DAY LONG.  They don't really have anything else to do.  I am going to schedule a doctor visit later this month to have him check my progress and see if any of my medications need to be adjusted.  There is a lot of things I want to write, but I need to get ready for work.  Until later.