TECHNOLOGY WOES

Well, my laptop which I've only had since Sept. had a major crash Thurs. night. I had finally gotten around to loading my Bernina Embroidery software on it Wednesday and it was running fine. I'd been putting it off because there are so many bugs inVista but then Bernina came out with a service pack that you could download that was supposed to make it run well with Vista and it was -- for 24 hours. Anyway, I'd been on Internet and decided to play do some things in my embroidery program so I clicked on it to open it up. Then I decided to go ahead and close IE since I really didn't needto have it open. Than's when it happened. It totally locked up and I finally just turned it off and then turned it back on. It would reboot and about half way through the process, the screen would flash and it would start to reboot again. Like the song that never ends. I actually don't really know that the Bernina software made Vista crash but that was the last thing I had put on the computer so it kind of seems logical. So, I called the Dell guy in India and we had a 2 hour conversation. During which he didn't understand half of what I said. Know how I know. -- Him: "Turn the computer back on now." I would -- after several seconds -- Me: "It's stopped booting up and has restarted again." Him: "Okay" Several seconds go by -- Him: " Has the desktop appeared yet?" Me: "No, it stopped the booting process and started over." Him: "Oh, okay." Several seconds go by -- Him "Do you see the desktop yet?" By now its on its 4th or 5th start over. But you get the picture. I'd have to tell him three or four times before he caught on and we would try something else and then have that same conversation again when he told me to try to boot windows again. We ended with Dell telling me I would need to reformat the hard drive which means I lose most of my pictures (all the ones since I moved in this house) and then I would have to reload all my software. ARRGH! So, Friday I took it to the local computer shop and they were able to tell that there is nothing wrong with the disks and tried to repair windows but whatever got corrupted, makes it look like there is no operating system to repair. So, now I wait til Monday for them to see if they can at least salvage my pictures and other data files. Then we will go from there. I'm considering just putting XP on there except there are some things about Vista that I've gotten to really like. I just wish it was more compatible with all the other children on the playground.

Of course today I get an email from Brian asking me to email a picture of him when he was short and chubby (his words) so he could prove that he weighs less now than he did in eighth grade. Sorry Brian. Maybe next week sometime if I'm lucky enough to have my pictures back.



On a happier note, I've finished sealing the wood and making a cover for my ironing board. Here's a picture. The cover is a green duck cloth and there are 3 layers of low loft cotton batting under it. I used a spry can of Kilz to seal the top of the board. I didn't do the underside because the can ran out of paint. The cover was really easy to do. I think it turned out great.



After Toby and I go for a walk, I'm going to straighten up so my table is free for eating as I'm having the teens over for sloppy joes tomorrow after evening service. Another couple is helping too. Then if it's not late I'm going to get back to making log cabin squares. I've done the four brown and the twenty blue so I'm half finished. Now I have 24 green squares. Then I get to put them together. Can't wait.

THE $249 IRONING BOARD AND OTHER STUFF

Okay-- you are looking at the $249 ironing board - would I buy it -- NO WAY -- do I want it -- YOU BET. The part you see floating in the air is actually an attachment that makes it into a large rectangle -- great for ironing large pieces of fabric, quilt tops, your sheets (if you're wierd :)) and even very very large sized underwear (if you are even wierder). Okay, I'll calm down. I'm getting kind of crazy here. Too much caffeine free coke I guess.
Anyway, I found a pattern that includes the directions for making a "long board" that fits over your ironing board and also directions for making a cover for it. So, here is my plain old ironing board








and

here is my "long board" $8 for the pattern and $25 for the materials. The Votech guy made it for me and isn't charging me but I'm sending him $15 for his trouble. So far $33. I need to seal the wood and make a cover. I'm guessing for a total of $50 I'll have the ironing board I long for -- here it is sans cover. I saved about $199 on this deal.










I'm also posting a picture of my extension table I got to go with my sewing machine. It is hand made of nice wood and has about 10 coats of varnish on it. Smoother than a baby's bottom. It will be great for quilting. I broke it in quilting the the Nursery Song Quilt. I put a folding table perpendicular to my dining room table and put my iron on it with a "mini" ironing mat because I have to press after each strip that I add to the log cabin squares. This makes the squares go together a lot faster. The piece in front that the scissors are sitting on actually slides out so I can easily change my bobbin.



So there you have it. My newest gadgets.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "FUNCTIONAL" fAMILY

I have decided that every family is dysfunctional. Maybe I've always known it but finally don't mind admitting it. I'm not airing our dirty laundry here but we could use prayers from lots of people. Life happens and it ain't always pretty. Sometimes it's the shock of finding out the person you love most is dying of cancer or some other horrible disease. Other times its having to watch someone have their heart broken and knowing there is nothing you can do to make it better. All you can do is offer support and prayers and keep your anger in check. So, pray for those things and that those involved will have strength and the tools to make good decisions.

On a happier note, I came across a really good thought provoking blog --I've linked to it on the right. I don't know the guy's name but he is a preacher and has some very insightful things to say from time to time. Read the blog -- it's a good one.

I did make three more blocks for my log cabin quilt today. I'm getting faster and faster with them. After I make forty-eight I'll be an expert :)

I'm going to bed at 10 tonight. A good night's sleep should benefit my mood greatly:)

Night all

ANOTHER FINISHED PROJECT - WOOHOO!!

I'll have plenty of hand- sewing this week during down time at school. The yoke linings on the last of the shoulder tie dresses and the binding on the nursery rhyme quilt. I did the quilting yesterday and this afternoon and put the binding on tonight. Don't know why I didn't finish it sooner -- I really like it now that it's done. I used a decorative stitch (# 305 on the Bernina 730) on all the straight lines. The stitch reminds me of a bunch of simplified astrisks all strung together. Then I did some large curley -ques on the sashing pieces and the border. The I did a diamond shape around each of the embroidery designs. It worked out really well. I cut the binding strips so the stripes were perpendicular to the edge of the quilt. I really like how that turned out. The binding looks wide in the picture because I haven't turned it to the back yet. Anyway, the pictures below are of the quilt and also the squares for Jennifers rag quilt. She is going to get a little more material so I can add another row of squares. I'm going to work on getting my log cabin quilt top finished in the next week or so. Then I'm going to try to tackle the quilt top for Grandmother's surprise quilt. Can't wait to share the plan for that -- Let's just say it involves trees and some falling leaves.

Here are some pictures of the nursery song quilt and jens rag quilt squares.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!

My big sister, Beth, has a birthday today.

I wish her a very Happy One and many more to go with it. Great Sisters are rare and mine is definitely a gem. She is the mother of seven great kids and has accumulated 13 grandchildren so far. She has devoted her life to God, her husband and her children. I don't know anyone who has worked harder than she has over the years. In the early years, she kept up with kids and a mini-farm -- collected eggs and milked goats and fed whatever animals they had at any particular time. She teaches class at church and her home is always open for friends and family to drop in and visit. She loves to cook and makes most everything from scratch. Now-a-days she helps out with her grandkids whenever she is needed. She will go to TX or TN at the drop of a hat if asked. When Bob was first diagnosed with cancer, she dropped everything to come and stay with my kids so they wouldn't be alone (and they were old enough to stay home by themselves). They have always remembered how she took such good care of them. When he died she left ahead of her family to get here to be with me and I'll never forget how much that meant. She is a great listener and always has encouraging words and good advice. I admire her selflessness and the way she always puts others needs ahead of her own. She is truly the best sister anyone could ever want. Happy Birthday Beth!

Easter Break

Ok - so Spring Break ended and we had a Professional Development day, three days with students and now it's Easter Break. They could've just given us the extra week -- I for one would never have complained!!!

I finished all the "summer tie over the shoulder dresses" so I'm working on quilts. Jennifer picked out some fabric for a Rag Quilt -- she had seen one in the fabric shop in Franklin. I've cut out the squares - the batting squares are the least fun -- and have sandwiched 16 of the squares and sewed them with a big X. Once I do all of them like that, I'll lay them out and then sew them all together. Here is a picture of the fabric. It will make a really soft comfy throw and she probably won't have to worry about any guys wanting to wrap up in it. Anyway, after picking out that material I thought that these rag quilts would make rally fun presents for the grands for xmas. So, we came up with "signature" colors for each ot the girls and went ahead and picked out Katy's fabric. Her color is yellow. Vail's will be blue, Avery Green, Molly B pink and Suzannah will be purple. It was wierd because I couldn't decide about a color for Suzannah -- the others were easier to pick and then when they were here I found out that purple is her favorite at least for right now so I made a good guess. Sewing is my stress reliever so it's great for me to be able to sew this weekend. Well, it's late and I'm going to bed.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END!

Well, my Spring Break has ended. It is back to school tomorrow for teachers and then students will come on Tuesday. Here are some pictures of the "Grands". The first group is from Nashvile. There are more of them because I always seem to take more pictures when I am away from home. (Sorry Texas Neals)

Jed telling Katy some secrets.










Katy getting ready to eat.











Uncle Michael and Avery catching some fish for supper.










Cousins looking at the snow.











Playing in the crib.

Jack -- the youngest and the handsomest :) "Nanna" and Molly B.

















I had so much fun at Jennifer's. We picked out some fabric for a quilt (I can't believe I broke my rule but hey -- isn't that what rules are for?) Jen and Matty got to have a date night and I got to babysit:) We went to Sam's and the mall and just visited.

I got home Tuesday and got ready for Billy and Stace's visit. They got here Thursday around noon. Funny kids that they are they called as they were driving in and were telling me they were in MS but hadn't gone through Vicksburg yet. Then Billy started talking about politics which I thought was a little strange because he usually isn't much of a talker. Next thing I know someone is banging on my door and guess who it was -- the Texas Neals!!! We had a great time - we ate out a couple of times. Had a pizza and a movie night with the girls and watched Toy Story, went to the Italian Festival (it was the 2nd annual one here) and watched the spagetti eating contest -- pretty disgusting :) played catch with Suzannah - watch out softball players -- a star is emerging , hugged and followed Toby all over the place, sat on the patio, planted a forsythia bush and put up a ceiling fan in the kitchen. It was great!!

Now I'm really tired and heading to bed. Night all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATY JACE!

Katy Jace Ensor celebrates her 1st birthday tomorrow. She is one sweet girl. She is crawling and will pull up and walk around the ottoman or up under the kitchen table amongst all the chairs -- holding on all the while. She loves vegetables and bananas and her blankie when she is tired. She loves to watch Vail play and enjoys her bath.!

Have a great birthday Katy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!

Happy 27th Birthday Brian!! We are thinking about you and hoping you have a wonderful birthday. Hope you know how proud we are of the work you are doing and how much we admire you for being able to live so far away. We miss you and love you very much. Hugs from all of us!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY SUZY-Q

Suzannah Faith Neal was born six years ago today. I remember the call from Billy and collecting Grandmother and going to Longview by way of Cabot AR and getting Jennifer and I think Brian to go with us. We were less than an hour from Longview when Billy called to tell us she had arrived. I remember sitting there thinking -- "my first grandchild!" It was an awsome occasion.

Six reasons why I think Suz is special:

1. 1. She is cool and hip!
   2. She not afraid to compete with the guys!
2. 3. She is smart!
3. 4. She loves her family!
4. 5. She doesn't let her diabetes define who she is. If you didn't see her checking her sugar, you wouldn't even know she had it!

6.She giggles when I sing Happy Birthday to her over the phone :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUZY-Q! I love you!

I WON! I WON!!

A few weeks ago I came across a sewing site that has what they call "Monday GiveAway" The lady posts a picture of what she is going to give away -- sewing notions or some fat quarters (if you take a yard of fabric, open it up and cut it into quarters, you have four fat quarters -- often quilts will call for a certain number of fat quarters rather than yardage). I entered and checked the next monday but my name wasn't drawn. So I left another comment and today while having lunch I thought about it being Monday and decided to check the site. Well, I read "Congratulations to Grams ...." I started out thinking -- oh man I didn't win again and then thought -- Wait! That's me! So, I'll soon be the proud owner of the following "fat quarters"

Not bad -- don't you think.

Dress update: I'm working on the hem in Vail's blue dress and went ahead and cut out the ones for Avery, Suzannah and Molly B. I hope to atleast finish Avery's before leaving for Nashville and then I'll have everything set to do the other two when I get back. They won't take long cause everything including the interfacing has been cut out.

We were supposed to have some weather tonight but other than a few rumblings, it's just been rain, rain, rain. Thank goodness! Don't much like having to sit in the hall bathroom with just me and Toby. Well, I have a hem to sew in to I'm off for now.

ANOTHER NEW DRESS :)

Last summer I picked up two pieces of fabric in Franklin to make a couple of "easy" dresses for Vail Blue. But then my house sold and I put sewing on the back burner. Needless to say the dresses didn't get made. My motto however is better late than never. So, thanks to my "NO" buttonholes pattern. Vail has a new dress as of this evening-- what do you think?

As you can see the front and back are the same. Makes it easy to get the dress on!

Toby and I sat out on the patio for awhile this afternoon. It was so nice outside. It will be prettier when the grass, the bushes and trees are greened up.

Toby has discovered the squirrels now and sometimes I watch him running with his nose pointed straight up in the air as he chases them from tree to tree. One day he's going to run smack into a tree.

Billy and Stace and the girls are coming to visit the end of spring break week. I'm really looking forward to that. I'll be going to Nashville the beginning of that week to see Michael and Jennifer and their families. I'm looking forward to that too.

After Spring Break, we will be in school for three days and then off for a four day Easter Break. Seems weird. Then no breaks til we get out for the summer.

I'm already thinking about how I'll be spending my summer. I figure I"ll be on the road a lot!!