Another birthday

We are going to our son Matthew's for dinner to celebrate Ryan our grandson's birthday as well as Matthew's birthday and mine.It should be lots of fun.
I got a message from a lady who was looking at my webshots pictures and wanted to know where I got a pattern for one of my cross stitch designs. I bought that one in San Francisco at one of the shops on the waterfront. Many years ago, have no idea what the shop is called . I have to root out the design to see whose it is. The picture is Morey Mansion and is a lovely old Victorian home. I did three of them from that shop and love them all.
I know that the patterns were not thrown out by me. And I hope not by Ray. He wouldn't do that unless he asked me first.
So maybe I can help her with the company who designed the patterns. I haven't done cross stitch for many years but recall really enjoying it. Cross stitch is so portable , you can take a small bag anywhere, not like quilting which requires yards of fabric, tables for cutting, sewing machines, needles, cutters, threads and other things. I am stuck here at home for the style of quilting I do which is the reason I rarely take classes . There is too much stuff to carry. Although the class I am taking now with Kathy is not too bad as the shop owner allows me to use one of his machines so I do not have to take one with me. Thank goodness.
Take care all.
The photo of Morey Mansion is going up in a minute.:>)

Politics

My sympathy to the Polish people who have lost their President Lech Kacznski and his official delegation in a horrendous plane crash. It is a dreadful loss.
I received a call from my technician that my laptop will be here on Monday and if you believe that I have a bridge I'd like to sell you LOL> But I will be overjoyed if it comes to pass.
Have you ever noticed how your hands and feet are in sympathy with each other. When Ray and I were having dinner tonight I noticed that my left hand was shaking as if to salt my fish and chips while my right hand was actually doing it. So they were both working in concert. Try rotating one foot and see if your other foot helps out :>)) Interesting way the brain works.
No sewing for me today, I had a very full day and just got home. The first thing I am doing after heading for the necessary is to write this blog.
The day was absolutely glorious with the sun shining on the snow up on the mountains that ring the whole of the Lower Mainland, it was a sight to gladden the heart and fill it with joy.
I am feeling very happy , there is a design for feeling happy- choose to have a happy day when you get up in the morning. Even pain does not prevent me from feeling happy and I have a lot of it so it could make me sad but it doesn't. I learned along the way that I have to recommit to happiness each morning. Today only I will be happy and do that each day. It works!! Oh I know many will think me a Pollyanna but believe me to works for me. I do not mean to trivialize others' pain either emotional or physical but do give it a try and if at first you don't succeed keep on trying until it works.
Have a lovely evening!!

No laptop again

I wonder why it takes so long for companies to make adjustments to things.
We went to the shop regarding my laptop and were told it was in the system...Now what does that mean? I guess it means something is actually happening. I did say why don't you just return my money and I'll buy another one that is right here. Well that is an option he said but it didn't go any farther. Farther or further. Is one the correct one to use I wonder. Any English majors out there who can help me with that LOL.
My class last night was fun, but my back was murder. The tables are just too low for this old back.
However I did learn to strip piece a place mat. It is sort of like paper piecing don't you think. I could see the similarities. Needless to say mine was not finished before I had to call it quits. But I'll get it done here at home where I can take my time. I love going to these classes and do learn new things so whether I complete the project there or not isn't the issue...the learning is the issue. Also I meet with the other ladies and we share some laughs and stories. Then I do manage to find things I like to buy.LOL
Who doesn't?
I wanted to buy a table for my Janome 6600 but left the money at home. I'll see if Ray wants to go over tomorrow and we can buy it then.
Time to make dinner, will add photos after that.
Take care and have fun. I do :>))
The photos are up patterns for a friend , things I bought and birthday photos..enjoy!!

missed a day

I was so busy yesterday that I missed the blog. But it is just a bit quieter today, Jim has gone home to Edmonton. The girls Mary and Meg visited for a whie this morning but left just after noon. So I have had a bit of time to read my mail and write my blog.
My birthday was a lot of fun, we had dinner and The Keg and I had the best piece of Prime Rib I have ever eaten. That was just great. They gave me a little cake with a candle on it for my birthday. It is good to be 78 LOL.
Tonight it is my sewing class , Kathy is picking me up at 5:15. The class does not start until 7:00 but the traffic on the bridge is awful and we like to get there early so we can shop LOL, we are true quilters, love to shop .
I want to buy some African animal fabric he has and pick up a Dinosaur panel that I ordered. I sure hope Tom hasn't sold it :>)) I'll add photos of the fabrics tomorrow if he hasn't retailed it to someone else.
Maybe tomorrow I will get my laptop back, sure hope so. I Amd lonseome without it but getting exercise climbing the stairs. Not losing any weight though. Jim says I need to get one of those electric stairs so I can ride up instead of almost crawling. Isn't that a picture.
A photo of my third son Peter is going up tonight. It is one of another birthday we had, either Peter or me, a couple of years ago. Isn't he handsome?
Night folks! Take care.

Hail hail the gang's all here

I had a houseful of sons today along with a granddaughter who were all here for dinner - shrimp salad, ham, scalloped potatoes and cauliflower with a cheese sauce. All except the salad left overs from last night but enough to feed the whole gang so you can see how much Ray cooks LOL. Peter was here to give me a birthday present as I will be 78 tomorrow. A lovely scarf from England and a set a heavy crystal paper weights also from England.They are designed to hold a favourite photograph at the bottom. It is a lovely gift.
The last of them Rick just left and Kate my granddaughter will be back here for the night at 10:00 . Jim is still here .
We are all going to The Keg tomorrow night along with my niece and her husband. This is going to be a great party!!
I am late blogging but for sure needed to get this done now, before I get much more tired.
I was up early and met my friend Pat for coffee, went to all my sewing groups, delivered Paulina's socks which she really liked and the community quilt which was well received.
At Betty's she had a card for me and a container of my favourite little cakes that she makes and because I love them calls them Nan Cakes after me. Such a great friend, she is 85 and still quilts like crazy. She is a prolific quilter. I am a lucky woman!!
Tomorrow more ruminations of of an elderly mind :>))
Buena Sera!
Stay safe.

Singing the laptop blues

Scroll to the bottom for some interesting facts about Vancouver.
Still no laptop,maybe tomorrow , if not Thursday Ben said. I am upset as Jim was going to set me up with another programme to open my embroidery designs , the laptop won't do that,and as Jim is leaving on Thursday he won't be able to do what he had planned. So I am praying that it comes tomorrrow.
Ah such is life!!
We spent a part of the day going to what Jim calls Chip Shops where they sell little bits and pieces of stuff for making computer circuits, and so on. I don't understand any of it but he love those stores and for some reason wants me to go with him. Company? do you suppose? That's kind of nice.
I did manage to find the time to almost finish the community quilt . All I have to do is quilt across the diagonal through all the blocks and add the binding. I wanted to get both these quilts done by today but with so much company I soon realized it would not happen :>(
Next week.
I started the new socks and have done the first 6 inches, just one more inch before I start the heel. It is going well.
Maybe in a week or two it will be finished.
The newspaper today had 124 curious events in Vancouver in the forever time of newspapers. It was fun to read. William Pratt used to work here in Vancouver as a carpenter on the Pacific National Exhibition before moving to Hollywood and changing his name to Boris Karloff.
Ah I can hear you say who is Boris Karloff. Look it up LOL.

half way there

I hope you all had a lovely day no matter what your religious affiliations.
I am over half way through my book on Louis XIV and his secret wife Madame de Maintenon and they are not married yet though she has succumbed to his charms and become his mistress . She has resisted him for decades and now they are both in their 40s, I am wondering when this marriage will take place and when his wife actually dies ,if she does. It is a fascinating time when Louis was the supreme monarch and fully in charge of all of France, a despot if you will.

No sewing for me today. My son was here and we talked the morning away after we had done the same thing last night. Late getting to bed so I was a little weary today.
Instead of sewing I lay down and read my book, lazy isn't it but there are days when I like lazy. I have no shame.
Tomorrow we will have a special dinner, scalloped potatoes, ham and veggies. No dessert, we are diabetic. Ray will be cooking. I made bean soup and fruit salad today so that is what we had for dinner. Jim was away. While Ray is busy cooking I hope to be able to quilt. HA!! Not with Jim and Kate here :>))
Best wishes to everyone!!

What was I thinking

I had half a blog written in my mind and now my mind is a total blank - I'll have to do something else and hope it comes back to me :>) Still don't remember so as my dear old mom would say "It can't be very important then"
I have spent the afternoon cleaning out some old papers from the days when I was the guild president , 2002 and 2003. No need to keep them any more. I found a few Discs that have been misplaced . I worked on my webshots adding photos to the albums. Is it ever slow... I think my computer is getting old. Windows XP, I need to upgrade it . My laptop is not here yet, my son coming from Edmonton tonight is faster than the laptop LOL>
Now I want to do a bit of quilting so I'll do that :>)
And I did.
Then I made a new recipe that I got from a magazine, Reader's Digest I think it was . It was not as good as it appears in the picture. But not bad either. Anyway I am full :>))
I started on another pair of socks thinner yarn and needles And got about three inches done after supper. Now I am going to work on it again.
Been a full day especially since we grocery shopped this morning.
Have a good evening. :>))

Big storm

I mentioned a storm brewing last night and the storm brewed all right. The big trees outside our windows dance the night away and the day too . Huge trees fell across the causeway in Stanley Park and closed the Lion's Gate bridge for hours. But the worst of the storm's effects were reserved for Vancouver Island where the island meets the Pacific Ocean with no protection from incoming storms. Trees down all over the island, hydro lines down so no electricity for many residents, ferries cancelled, a rough night and day for them.
Long Easter weekend and the Canadian dollar is almost at par so many Canadians wended their way across the border but not before they had to wait for 4 hours at the border crossings.
They should have stayed home and gone to church, better for them.
I am being fascetious of course as I did not go to church either , my sister did though.
Ray and I went shopping here and bought new clothes for both of us. New pants and a top for me and three new shirts for him. That makes all our spring shopping over with, just in time for out visitors and for dinner out.
Jim is coming from Edmonton and Katie from Victoria, Jim for my birthday next week and Kate on business for the legislature.
Nice isn't it, I am happy!! Sock phoo going up on the blog tonight, the latest pair which is for Paulina. I have started another pair for Ione, smaller yarn and smaller needles so they will take longer to complete.
That's the news for tonight .
Sta bene, I think I am saying keep well.

Back to Sewing

I should say quilting instead of sewing as that is what I did today. I have 2 quilts from Community Quilts that I brought home to do the quilting. I am not that good at quilting especially free motion but the boss begged for help to get these done. What could I say!!! :>)) Free motion escapes me completely but on this one I used my fancy stitch , the one I like best. It is on the Janome 6600P Mode 2 Stitch 31 if anyone cares to know. Because it falls on either side of the seamline it is very forgiving. And I added the binding to the back of the quilt, turned it to the front and machine stitched it down. First time for that technique for me so I am happy with it. I always feel so terrific when I do something worth while.
My next thought on practicing free motion is to make a large sample like a baby sized quilt and go from there. I need to get better at this.
There is still one more quilt to get done. I'll begin that one tomorrow.
As you can see I am feeling better. Except for my back. The chiropractor told me to take it easy when I quilt and to take breaks. DO I listen? Do you Listen? So I am in a bit of pain but that won't last long.:>))
There will be a photo of the quilt that I finished today .
My chain link bracelet was ready for pick up today. One of the links had broken so the jeweller fixed it.
We thought we were to have lunch with friends but they didn't show up, we had lunch anyway . When I called them later it was to find we did not have a date at all. We had one last week that was cancelled and I thought it had been delayed until this week. They did not know about that LOL
So the day was a bit of Serendipity, a step here a step there...Here a step there a step LOL-accidental discovery of something of value or pleasure. I had a most pleasurable day.
Big storm tonight, should be fun too. I love the rain and wind except when it causes great problems. I am a weather junky. I watch the weather channel when there is a big storm coming on, expecially hurricanes.
I added a photo of a friend's pond where she has many wild life visitors. Isn't it beautiful and peaceful?
Have a great evening!