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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Will it ever end?

Doctor visits that is. Definitely not the summer. It will be gone too quickly.

Summers for most teachers are spent getting in all annual doctor visits in two months. Dentist, eye doctor, yearly checkup, mammogram. Throw in a colonoscopy (for turning 50) and a checkup at UAMS and I feel like all I've done is visited doctors office. And the mammogram isn't until next Monday.

Normally waiting 2 hours in a doctor's office would have my blood boiling, but my doctor's main office is at the Arkansas Children's Hospital and I know he has emergencies that he has to take care of there before he can see regular patients. And we all know how precious all of those children he helps are.

Double Wedding Ring Applique Border Update

I have all four corners completed. One full side is competed and I am starting on the opposite side. I had really planned to work on it again tonight but after spending the day driving two hours to my doctors appt., waiting 2 hours, and then two hours driving home----Now I'm just too tired lazy. lol


I do have a personalized baby quilt to make for another nephew. The baby's room is decorated in Arkansas Razorbacks. I have some Arkansas novelty fabric to use. I'm going to add some white squares or diamonds with the baby's stats and that will probably be it.  I don't think I'm going to cut and piece blocks. I had one designed but I may change it.

I'm going to spend some time in my classroom again tomorrow. I spent most of the day there yesterday. My goal is to get rid of stuff that I do not use or pack it away neatly. I have a lot of stuff for K-2 that I need to just give away. I do not plan to go down to a lower grade (unless I have to.)

I made good progress yesterday and another good day will have me finished. Yippee. Then I will be finished until August when I go in to decorate a little bit and do planning.

Enough rambling for today.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

In Memory Of



Mama Brown's Story

Larry's dad (Lawrence) was married to Pauline Brown's daughter (Retha Faye) for a short time. She was killed at the age of 18 in a car wreck. A few years later, Larry's dad married Evelyn Koch. Larry and five other children were born to Lawrence and Evelyn over the years. Pauline Brown and her husband, George, remained close with Lawrence and they became like grandparents to Larry and his siblings. They became Papa and Mama Brown. Papa Brown developed Alzheimer's and died almost 10 years ago.

Mama Brown mourned her husband so much, like many older couples, that we did not think she would live long without him. When she could no longer stay alone safely, she moved in with us for a few years. When she was no longer able to stay alone while we were at work, she went to stay in an assisted living home. It was a wonderful place for her but her dementia and other health issues took their toll on her.  Following surgery she was moved to a "Health and Rehab" facility and remained there until she died. The dementia progressed so rapidly that she did not know anyone for the final few years of her life.

So today, I take the time, to rejoice in the memories of her, contemplate things I could have done differently, and thank the Lord for the role that Papa and Mama Brown played in our lives.

Call Me Crazy

but I got up at 4:15 Wednesday morning. Why? Not sure. Woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. So after 10 or 15 minutes I got up. Had my coffee and sat watching the early news and reading blogs and teacher forums.

Then I decided to go sit outside and listen to the world come alive. I got settled on my patio, with my computer of course, and started listening and watching. By then it was 5:45 and this is what my world looked like. Barely light enough to get a picture.


I wish I were a bird fanatic because I heard I don't know how many different bird calls and have no idea what kind of birds they are. At first I counted 3 or 4 but then the longer I sat the more different calls I heard.

I could also hear the Cicadas singing.

I live right off of a main highway (not inside town though) and there was light traffic. I remember 6 years ago when we first moved here. I didn't think I would ever get used to the traffic noises. Now, they are all part of the scheme of things.



All of the sudden at about 6:30 there was almost total silence. I could hear the wind blowing through the trees and the traffic of people going to work, but no animal sounds. Very strange. It's almost as if nature knew humans were awake now.

So, while I know many people are saying, "Why in the world were you up at that hour."

. . . I think of all that I heard this morning and how much I am missing out on by not sitting outside every morning.

Thank you, Lord.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Taking the summer off

Oh, around the middle of February, when teachers and students go through that long stretch without any breaks, I told Larry I was going to take the summer off. He laughed and said, "Yeah!"

Then the list of workshops came out and I saw a bunch I wanted to go to. So I picked out 5 that I thought would be most beneficial to me and signed up for them. (I limited myself to 5 because we have at least a week of workshops before school starts and I was after all taking the summer off. And I am a mentor for a new teacher so that gives me half of the hours I need.)

So I was off for a week and then had two days of workshops. I thought, "Man, what am I doing?" Then I was free to sit around for a week. I was scheduled for two days of workshops the next week. And then I got the call cancelling them. Since they were an hours drive away, I was ecstatic.

So, I really have taken the summer off. I'm working a little bit on this . . .


I have one side completely finished and the 3rd corner completed. Today, after my yearly check up, I'm going to work on the 4th corner. Then I believe the inside flowers and vines will go quickly.

Spending time each day enjoying the views . . .



a lot of time doing this . . . 


And thinking about how I need to be working on school things. (Can't do that until I know which grade I will be teaching next year.) Probably a blessing because I would have been working all summer instead of enjoying real time off.


We even took time off to see a couple of movies. And the latest and last "Harry Potter" is coming out so we will be going to see it on Friday.

Being lazy is great--but it leaves me with very little to blog about. Therefore, not many posts this summer.

But, I should find out my teaching assignment today or tomorrow and then the planning will begin.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Unfortunately . . .

when you are taking the summer off and not doing much, there's not a lot to blog about or pictures to post.

But I sure am enjoying my time lounging by the pool, reading, working a little on school stuff, and only working on one project at a time (the applique border).

I still take time to read blogs and keep caught up with what all of you are doing.

We did go to see "The Green Lantern" last night. Larry and I treated Kelsey and Ismael. I enjoyed the movie and the time with the kids.


I enjoyed it. It kind of reminded me of the Spiderman Movies.

I just realized that if I go see the new Harry Potter movie next week that I will have gone to the movies three times in the last month. I don't think I went to the movies three times during the past year.

The news had a very nice tribute to Betty Ford. It sounds as if she had a very fulfilling life.


Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Just dropping in . . .

to say Hi.

I have not been sewing very much this week.  I have been working on school stuff. My office is a mess.

Hope to get some more applique done this week. I also had a new great nephew born that I have to make a quilt for. So I am behind.

The family is gathering at my house on Monday for an afternoon of fun. So I guess I need to pick up a little bit and get the things I'll need for a cookout.

It's been awhile since I told a Craig story. So I guess it's time for one.

You know when you have children--what's theirs is theirs and what's yours is theirs. lol 

Well, a good while back (maybe 2 years or so), Craig needed to frequently use my printer for school projects. So he took it downstairs and used it there. Over a year ago, he purchased his own printer and put mine in a closet. (I do have another printer I was using.)

On Friday, I decided I needed to make some copies and needed my old printer that Craig had stashed away.  But the power cord was not with it. I looked all over downstairs and upstairs and could not find it.

I searched on-line and found that a new power cord would be $55. No way was I going to order one and pay that.  So I headed to Wal-mart to purchase a new printer/copier/scanner.

Now, Criag will be moving out shortly and decided today was the day to start cleaning out his closet. When lo and behold, what did he find behind the door in his closet? You got it, my power cord.

You gotta love him!

I am guessing that after a year or more of not being used, the ink in it is kind of dried up. I haven't tried it. The printer is so old that the new one I purchased is about half the size. So I'm not sure I'll even worry about hooking it up.

So, all in all, Craig probably did me a favor. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

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