Getting Caught Up

I havn't posted in awhile.  Today I will get it caught up.  I am sitting outside today under my gazebo.  The temp is around 95.  Today is one of the first days I have truly enjoyed this summer.  I am a native Texas girl.  I enjoy and love the summer here.  Most people say it gets too hot.  I am not a big fan of a/c.  If I am not moving around too much and a fan is blowing I am okay with that.  I do however love to sleep with the window unit on which gets the room quite cold at night (I need a blanket).  It has been cooler than normal and raining more than usual (won't complain), so I haven't enjoyed getting in the pool as much..  Today is perfect. I took out my contacts and really swam today for the first time this summer.  I LOVE IT!  I am going to be "bad" and skip church in the morning and spend the day outside.  I am hoping that when I take vacation later this month, that the weather will be like today...not too hot, but hot enough.

Finally got a counter top made right for the kitchen island.  I am thrilled with the results.  The current plans for vacation are to refinish the other piece that I bought at the same time for the bathroom and paint downstairs.  I would also like to squeeze in a trip to Houston to see the new grand-niece and get caught up on all of them.

We have ditched Dish.  We bought a Roku.  I am very happy with it so far.  I am able to watch the shows I want to with HuluPlus.  The unit is completely paid for within 2 months (compaired to what I was paying for Dish).  Roku works with my internet to provide me with TV shows I was watching on regular TV, plus some I was not able to watch. I am able to watch past episodes of many shows and some I even grew up with.  Jim and I are constantly finding something new to watch everyday.    We can watch news clips, TV shows or movies.  We are paying $8.50 a month to HuluPlus vs. $75 month to Dish.  We are happy with Roku.

I had another birthday.  I am now a "legal" senior citizxen.  I got my first discont meal  Friday.  I don't know how much I saved, but that is about the only up on the downside of getting older.  I know there are several establishments that will give discounts to those who are 55 or older.  Now I can take advantage.  I also decided it was time to start an eye creame for wrinkles.  My sister gave me one for my birthday..  Now I am old enough for one.    As I have gotten older, I have heard from less people on my birthday.  My dad has not called me (or my sister for her birthday) for two years now.  Guess he wants to forget that day???or he is so old he forgets the day???  But this year, I did not hear from my mother-in-law or sister-in-law and still haven't.  Maybe they are too busy?  I did hear from my sister and one of Jim's sister's (Laurie who I share the quilting bug with) and many people in the community I live.  Also all my boys called.  Several people were born on same day here.  There are about 6 of us at church.  Jim and I went out for a sushi dinner and then cooked ribs for whoever showed up later that weekend (Matt, his girfriend Amie and her brother.  Ricky had to work.)  It was a very good weekend,.

Guess time to go.  Two grande margaritas and time to hit the pool.  Later...stay cool!

Weekend Work

The kitchen island is now complete!  Hurray!  I love the new space.  I am at the counter working right now on my laptop.  The countertop was delivered Tuesday.  There are a few flaws on it.  Home Depot gave us a credit on our account for that.  The company that made and delivered the top was to contact me to see about fixing some of the chips in the formica, but they have not called.  I will probably never hear from them again.  I am going to try to seal them so it won't wear down any further. 

We found the chairs at a garage sale for $30 (for2).  They are like brand new.  What a deal!  I have seen the same chair online for over $100 each.  Now I have to figure out what all to put in the drawers and have it make sense so I can remember where things are.  That will be one weekend chore.

Jim is spending the day working in the yard.  Grass has not been cut in awhile and it looks like a hay field.  Speaking of that, the hay was cut this week.  Last night, they were starting to rake and bale.  I tried taking a picture.  It looked so neat with all the lights when they were baling in the dark...like something from a movie.  But as the camera went off, he had moved to have the back end facing me, not a side view.  You can't tell what it is.  So no picture.  They will be back today to finish.

Another task for the weekend is to clean up Matthew's room so that the spare bed can be put in it for me and Jim the sleep there when we have guest later this week for 4th of July.  We need to also put the window unit in so that it will be nice and cool at nights.

I just need to get the house organized.  I feel like I am walking all over stuff.  When I had some areas cleared, someone (not naming names here) filled it right up with stuff, and now it is worse than it was to begin with.  So I we decided to clear things up and give away. Not doing anymore garage sales.

Need to get started on the day. He is asking about breakfast.  On the weekends, we cook a big breakfast on Saturday.

The Truck Had Kittens

Matt borrowed the truck and they heard a noise.  They tracked it down to find about 6 kittens under the tool box in the corner of the bed of the truck.  That was on the hottest day so far, Thursday.  I bought some cat food and left that and some water out for the mom.  She is completely wild.  I knew a cat was around here about a month or so ago, but I haven't seen her or heard her in a while.  I know the kittens were in truck this morning, but when I went to leave food and water this afternoon (before the rain), she had moved them.  I don't know where.  I may never see them again.  I plan to leave food out in the same place as long as she comes to get it.  I know she needs the extra nutrition to nourish the kittens.

Looks like that kitten has quite the markings.  Looks almost like a pug dog.  Maybe I can find them and get them tame...then to find homes.
I have been working on one of the quilts from the cruise.  Got a lot put together this past week.  It is going together fairly fast.

I did a test of a four block layout to decide how I wanted to place the lights and mediums.  I decided to go with completely scrappy.They are almost all put together.

We had some rain today and it helped to cool down the temps a bit.  Which is VERY good as our A/C has decided to not work properly.  So we have had it off all day.  Need to get the A/C guy out here on Monday.  I had the plumber here last week to work on fixing the septic line.  It was sticking too far out of the ground had been run over a couple of times with the mower and I think a piece fell back in the line and was clogging it.  Hopefully, I will not get a third thing that needs to be fixed.  They always seem to go in three's.
Have a great day.  Tomorrow is Father's Day.  I may go visit my dad.  I will have to see how tomorrow shapes up.

Almost Done

We are almost done with the kitchen island.  All the new wood (except brackets for holding overhang) have been added.  We also got it all sanded.  This morning I will go out and get the hardware and start painting today.  We should get it all painted.  Jim wants to go see a movie this afternoon.  I also was able to get one customer quilt done this weekend.  I feel like I have got a lot accomplished.  I would still like to get the new top to the gazebo in place.  Here are a few more pics.  Maybe today I will get to take a picture of it right side up instead of upside down.

I have a table in the kitchen that is a bit larger than the island will be.  I have been moving it around trying out locations.  I think I have where it will be placed.  My next hunt will be for two stools/chairs.  I also want to take one of the drawers and change to a wine rack.   We have picked out the light fixtures and need to get them and get them installed.  One day, I will have it all finished and the way I want.

I'm Getting a Kitchen Island

I'm finally getting a kitchen island.  I found a really old china hutch that was made around here I think in the 1920's from what the guy told me about it.  It is in really rough shape.  When we brought it home a couple of months ago, we stored it in my quilting studio. With this being a long weekend, we took an extra day off in hopes that we can get several things done.  We moved the base outside to start working.  It is solid wood and very heavy.  We removed all the drawers so that it would be lighter to move.  I forgot to stick the drawers back in and get a good before picture.  Jim stood it on end for me to start stripping.  We only need to do the two sides and the front.  So here are a few pics.
Here is Jim working on the back.

 This is what the drawers look like.  The drawer pulls are really old and rusted and literally falling apart.

 This is what the front looks like. The two small drawers are divided on the inside.  There is a pull out board in the center that I am going to treat just like a butcher block so that it can be useable.  That is unless I come up with something else to do with it.  I still want to turn one of the drawers into a wine rack.

The plans are to paint it a dark red and I want to antique it.  On the back we are putting bead board.  It is as tall as a table right now, but we are going to have one side extend out for a bar.  So, we need to increase the height.  We are adding 1 x 4's across the bottom to put big bunn feet on. I ordered the counter top yesterday.  We should have it in about three weeks. Can't believe it takes that long.  I also got the brackets to attach and support the extended counter top. 

I got started stripping and even though we got chemical resistant gloves, it was eating through right fast.  So I went to the nearest hardware store to get a heavy duty chemical glove.  Found them and got started again.  The varnish is a bit stubborn coming off.  I expected that.  We are going be sanding so Jim says no problem.  It looked like rain and we were feeling a little mist, so we had to haul it all back inside and quit for the night much earlier than what I wanted.  But that gave Jim time to get the fertilzer on the ground.  As it always goes, since we moved it inside, the rain did not come.  However, it is sprinkling this morning so now we don't have to water the yard.  The pool is now open, so hopefully it will warm up today and I can go for a swim.

I'm Back from the Cruise!

There is so much to tell, I don't know where to start.  First...I don't know how, but I lost 1 lb. while on the cruise.  I ate everything I wanted to and felt super full all the time.  We walked on the treadmills several times during the week...and of course when we went to shore.  And...whenever you wanted to go anywhere, it is always on the other end of the ship.  Lots of walking!  I had my hair braided in Jamaica.

I loved it.  Everyone told me it looked great.  It also felt great.  If you have ever wondered about a quilting cruise, here are a few pictures.

 

One of the quilts we were working on.

Several helping each other.  Denise the teacher is standing on left (in white shirt).

 Jean, one of my new friends.  She was also my table mate at dinner.

 One of three classrooms full of quilters.

The ironing station.  Nine irons for 76 quilters.

I am now the proud owner of 3 more UFO's.  We went to Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica.  Three sea days (when we travel from one port to the next) were the time that we had our quilting classes.  They are from 9-3.  The room stays open until midnight and you can start sewing much earlier than 9 am.  There was a couple of ladies that finished the quilt tops.  My oh My.  I am no where near done.  I'll save more for later.

Spring Is Here

Hooray!  Spring is here.  You know the saying, "March roars in like a lion and goes out like a lamb".  It was pretty windy most of March, and the end was a bit more calmer.  Today, April Fools day and a beautiful spring day.  It was in the eighties this afternoon.  Wonderful!!!!  It is suppossed to rain tonight.  But you know the saying, "April showers bring May flowers".  I haven't planted any yet, but I have some thoughts on the subject.  The iris's a ready to bloom.  They will be beautiful.

I went  to my "weigh-in" today...I gained weight!  I am going to blame my sister for that!  She is such an awesome cook.  I ate more than I probably should have, not only at ther house, but at mine with the leftovers she sent home.  It was soooo good.  I am still eating on some, jsut in small amounts.  It was good to see her.  This is the first time I think we have ever gotten together and not had our kids around.  I enjoyed the time very much.  I wish that we lived closer together.  I used to see her more often when we lived in the same city.  I miss that.

I have been wearing some outfits that I probably wouldn't normally wear, but I am a bit thinner now and I have more confidence.  And, I think I look good.  So, I am happy to wear the outfit.  Someone else might not think I look as good as I think, but that is okay.  Just as long as they keep their thoughts to themselves.

I think we have bought everything we want need for our trip.  I need to make a top for formal night.  I bought an exquisite piece of fabric.  There will be two formal nights on the trip.  I still need to cut out one quilt kit to take and I think 24 triangles.  We are so ready to go!  Hope it gets here soon. 

Taxes are done!  I got them finished this weekend.  And yeah!...we are getting a refund.  I didn't think it would be a good one, but is better than it was when I had most of the return done.  I added our farm stuff and now we have an okay return.  And of course, it is already spent!