SATURDAY, Dec, 9th

[purrfect-lady]

Good morning,.

Wasn't that fun yesterday - finally opening our Secret Santa gifts. It looks like we were all properly spoiled! Thank you, TINA, for hosting another fun year!

It was such good news to hear Hadlee went home from the hospital, and so far, Brodee is no worse. Hopefully they will both be back in good health.

MARY Q - did your kids get off to Germany OK? And you had no snow to on the drive to the airport? What small projects are you working on?

CHRISS - those little pocket tissue holders are nice. I still use the one you made for me oh so many years ago. And I've also made dozens since to give out to people. I don't like those bubbly coats either, and yet, I have one. It's for really cold weather so I haven't worn it much which is just as well. But when the temp dips below 40*, it's my go-to coat!

FLO - great feeling to have it all done, isn't it. And please pass the enchiladas!

SHARONA - is there a way to make the default position of your presser foot UP? My Bernie has up/down needle - I can set it how I want it just by pusing a button. I hope you don't get a real blizzard. Just a small gentle snowfall would be nice.

JUDI - Your quilt sounds like it will be finished soon. It will look nice over the couch in your new room downstairs! I'll be looking for a picture soon! All those projects I kitted up for trailer sewing? No, haven't done a single one of them. We've been spending more time with the kids this year than most years. They love free babysitting! But this week I did get started on Fab Farm.

JANA - I'm betting something is going on - or not going on - at your machine repair shop. I think an in-person visit is in order and you might want to take Aaron along.

We ended up not going on our ride yesterday. Bill got busy doing some computer work, made some phone calls, did an hour workout outside, showered, and by then it was lunch time and he fell asleep in his chair! lol! So I sewed. I have the four horses and four goats done and the four cows cut out. This morning we're going to Aut's library to see the mini-horses. This is an annual event so we've seen the horses before. So cute! They come up to just between my knee and thigh and are so gentle with the little kids. A&A are bringing Amara to see them. This afternoon we have curbside groceries to pick up and maybe we'll take the long way around coming back to the trailer - and call that our 'ride'. Any spare moments will be spent building cows.

have a great Saturday!
mary z
>^+^<

[suzette58]

Good morning Mary and those that follow.
There isn’t much going on here. Today I have to run an errand and then we are hoping to put up lights on the house. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to be bad on into Monday. Once the lights are done I will go downstairs and hopefully finish cutting the fabric for my new quilt. I worked on my fabrics yesterday trying to get them straight. I told me husband yesterday I was going to continue going through my stash before I buy more fabric. Of course backing fabrics doesn’t count. LOL. Well I am going to get some more coffee and see what is for breakfast. I hope everyone has a great day.
MaryZ - I am glad Hadlee is going home. I have to get the RSV and Penumonia shots. I have always been prone to respritory issues. My spelling isn’t so good this morning. I really need my coffee.

[fabricgirl]

Good morning,

I have finished all the runners and I'm making two bigger bowl cozys to go with 2 smaller ones that my sisters sister in law wants so that's easy I also have wash to do the elves were busy again .

Yesterday when I was cleaning I got to thinking about my kids and Christmas because my sons MIL seems to take over Christmas I decided to have our Christmas on New Years Day and I told my kids I was switching the day and we are turning into a party will have sandwich platters and a charquti fruit board auderves and will all play cards I made a lot of people happy including myself.

Mary enjoy your day it sounds wonderful.

Well that's all the news from here.
Have a great day.
Prayers go out to all.
Lois

[purrfect-lady]

LOIS - you are brilliant! I like your idea of taking your family celebration to New Year's Day, and I really like how you plan to celebrate! My kind of gathering! I woudn''t mind crashing your party!

SUZETTE - I hope you got your lights up before the weather hit. We have a very high roof line so we put those lights up (LED C-9 multi-colored) years ago and just left them because I hate for Bill to be on a high ladder or leaning over the roof. They are on dusk to dawn all year long, not just Christmas because I never get tired of them. Guests have told us they like them, that they feel the lights are welcoming them. We do put out more lights on the shrubs at Christmas, even when we're not there and we put them on timers. But they come down in January.

And now back to my morning chores - dishes, trash, sweep, and then walk as soon as it's light.

Later, Dudettes!
mz

[suzette58]

MaryZ - it looks like Mother Nature has changed our plans. It is raining already. It wasn’t supposed to start until later in the day. Maybe it will stop later and we can get them up. We don’t put a lot of lights up anyway.

[auntjana]

Good morning!

Still dark and still cold! My big grands came out yesterday to rake up the last of the leaves, but Mother Nature said, ah, no! Snow has now covered them over, so we'll wait until spring.

It's a same ol', same ol' day here. We do need a run to the hardware store this morning. We have a smoke/co detector than needs to be replaced in the Batt . It doing its replace battery chirp, which we did and it's still chirping. It's been in place for quite a few years, so its time. Daniel will be over sometime today to fix the outside lights. Those lights are in place, just need power. Me, what else I straightening the inside.

We have family pictures scheduled for Monday afternoon, late. Sarah and I have hair appointments that we had to move to then too. So our hair will be styled professionally this time! Our girl is very good, so no worries.

Enjoy your Saturday!

So glad to hear the good news with the twins. That fever and nothing else has struck here in the family. First, Sandee, then Karlie. Then is was gone in a couple of days.

Hugs and prayers,
Jana

[grammiequilts]

Good Morning been busy this morning when Ken is home we have coffee in the sunroom and chat about the news and what ever subjects come up then it was time to feed the dog ( 9 am sharp) after the feed they need the #2 walk. and Ken did that for me while i cleaned up the kitchen...We will do brunch today in a bit...
SS was fun yesterday. Everyone does such a nice job on their gifts,,,the hints help as i try to get whatever my elf asks for....
Today is warm to the 50s and some rain,,,so im not sure what the plans are...I might just finish sewing the quilt top and work on it today,,,,Ken might have other plans....so we shall see,,,he has now decided on pancakes for brunch so there goes the clean kitchen.....he rarely cooks anything so I let him try his hand at it...
So gld the babies are doing well...and the visit with the miniature ponies should be fun,,,I like the idea of New Years Eve party,or new years day...but I have cornered the market on Christmas Eve,,,it is in the kids wedding vows...and carved in stone...no one is exempt...I told the other in laws I only ask for one day a year....where the littles are mine for the whole day...Not after the other gramma or leave early to go to the other gramma...Kids and in laws have been pretty nice about it.so far.....I have never met the new additions parents so I dont know what they might have to say,,,I will keep this up as long as I can...( the arthritis is getting worse as i age ) My girls are a lot of help...( I let the other grand parents and parents do all the other holidays during the year,,),,I will have family dinners on non holidays,,,
Well I must see what Ken os doing,,and help as i need,,,Have a wonderful day XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[WeeOne]

A gloomy, overcast day on the coast of Texas.

Becca, I'm so glad your little ones are doing better.

MaryZ, glad you get to see Amara with the horses.

I think I took a stupid pill or something. Thursday I was fixing a "meal" in the Ninja foodi, chicken thighs, rice a roni then add zucchini. I was trying to get it to pressure cook and the little round thing wouldn't pop up to seal. So I took the closest pointy thing, my small ceramic knife and slid down along side and proceeded to break the end of the knife off. But button popped up and sealed. Then it gave an error message of "watr", so I shut it off and quick released pressure. But, the end of the knife disappeared. It was no longer next to the pressure button thing. I didn't think it could fall through onto the food but took no chance and bagged that food to hunt through rice later and started over. I have yet to find the tip which is about a quarter inch.

Then yesterday I decided to have toast, leftover bread from friends visit. I have been storing the toaster in the dishwasher cause I prefer washing by hand. Opened it up to find toaster covered in mold. Then I remembered that I had run the dishwasher in Kansas, in September. After I emptied the dishes, I put the toaster back in. Obviously there was moisture left. Grrr So no choice but to throw out toaster. I have had that one for 30 years.

Today will be some Christmas shopping online, looking at my Secret Santa gifts, very overwhelmed and maybe some sewing.

Hope y'all have a great day.
Lyn

[maryq]

Good morning Girls

Sure not a very pretty day here this morning. Doesn't even look like Christmas... No snow, cloudy and rainy. Supposedly we are getting snow today, but it's so warm it's hitting the ground as rain! I'll not complain tho... I can do very well without snow!

Maryz.. Man you are really going to town on that Farm Animal Quilt! The kids got off to Germany ok, as far as I know. I'm going to call Bren and Evie after noon (they're still sleeping, I'm sure) and tell them to come over for supper. Shawn has an international phone plan so he promised he would call or text from there--ain't technology great! I'm so happy--he's usually such a fuddy duddy about traveling!! But he was promised lots of good German Beer!!

Suzette.... Buying backing fabric doesn't count? OH yeah... now I don't feel so bad about wanting to shopping for the backings for several quilt tops I have done!! I have a couple tote boxes of just large pieces... bought specifically for backing... but there's never just the RIGHT one or enough of it! After Christmas I just might have to go shopping for backings! I feel so much better now that backings don't count

Lois... GREAT idea... have a big old Party on New Years! It's always hard for kids to have to go so many different places for Christmas. My kids have their in-laws of course, but then somehow have to squeeze in time to go to their Dad's. When he lived closer to me, sometimes he and his wife would come to my house, sometimes I would go there. So much easier for the kids--especially when the Grandkids were little. Now DEX lives about 2 hours away, the kids will pick a different day to go visit.

Jana... You know, I think smoke detector manufacturers make that "dead battery" chirp so irritating on purpose!!! Then you KNOW you have to change it. Not sure about Utah, but in MN you have to have a smoke alarm in every room. The one in my living room is up high on the wall of a 16' ceiling. Can you see me trying to change that in the middle of the night!?

Judi... Do you find things are different between your DD and your sons? Like My DIL Sara... would never ever consider NOT going to her parents for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, but her family graciously invites me. But I couldn't plan on having Christmas Day dinner here. Last year it worked out the kids came for Christmas Eve, not sure how this year will go. I do count myself lucky tho, as the kids always make sure I'm not along on a Holiday (even though that sometimes would be okay too)
You were wise to have that "codicil" put in the wedding vows!!

Y'all would be proud of me this morning, I was up at 0800, got a load of laundry in the washer and supper in the crockpot. I'm going to make beef stroganoff, if I remember how! But I have the feeling the beef I had on hand isn't the best, so I'm going to cook the be-jeesus out of it. I suppose I could google it, and find a proper recipe, but I do remember it has sour cream and I did grab that at the grocery store. Was debating whether I should start baking some cranberry bread, but I think I'll wait until later next week. Instead I'm going to finish up a table runner I started a while, since I did find backing for it in the garage. Then, as luck would have it, I also found some border for the Autumn Wonder Quilt in the garage, so I may do that as well.

Lyn... Your story about the knife in the Foodi.... make me think... good excuse to go out for dinner!


Well, my washing machine has played it's little tune, which means it's time to throw another load in and get on with my day. My coffee is cold as well, and since there are more things to do around here, I'll need another cup or two.

Wishing you all a Super Saturday

[Marilynsgrammy]

Good morning. It's going to be a fun day today.

I went to town yesterday looking for that elusive coat. Walmart, Target, Big5, Kohls and Ross. Ross had a coat that I thought would be ok. Really didn't want to spend $70 but I tried it on. It was one of those puffy coats but didn't have fur around the hood. By the time I walked the short distance to the mirror so I could see how it looked I was too hot, not the coat for me. So I bought a $40 coat on Amazon with a soft shell, fleece lined (not fur or sherpa) and a removable hood. It will be fine. I don't often wear a coat but the weather is changing and I want to be prepared. The coat will be here on Wednesday.

I have a friend who is a member of the Soroptimist. They are sponsoring a Christmas home tour. People decorate their homes, inside and out, and for $20 you can tour these homes and afterwards have a lunch all put on by the Soroptimist. Lunch will be some kind of soup and there are 6 homes to tour. My friend offered to pay my way if I would drive. She likes to go places but doesn't like to drive, I like to go places and don't mind driving. It's a perfect match.

After I get done here, I will go finish up sewing those Kleenex holder thingies and if there is time prep some of my deviled egg stuff for tomorrow's church party.

Maryz, boy, cow building and mini horse seeing, what fun. Sure hope, and I am positive I won't be disappointed, that there will be a picture of Amara when she sees those horses. I also love the tissue holders, quick and easy to make. I cut out a dozen at a time, sew them up and move on to the next dozen. And they can be assembly line sewn. win, win.

Suzette, my plan is also to not buy anymore fabric. I have way too much as it is. What I really need to do is organize it, use up the smaller pieces first, then make bigger quilts with the bigger pieces. And you are correct, backing fabric doesn't count. What is for breakfast? Maybe I'll invite myself.

Lois, I think your New Years instead of on Christmas day is a spectacular idea. brilliant. You are doing two things. Letting the MIL know that her hogging Christmas isn't a big deal making you the bigger person and creating your own special new tradition. Frankly I think NY sounds like a lot more fun and way less work for you. Smart girl. You're right, bowl cozies are easy to make. Thank you for giving me the pattern so I could make them for my elf.

Maryz, on NY morning I will pick you up and we will show up at Lois' house ready for the party.

Jana, those smoke detectors don't last forever. Nice to have the kids do the raking. We used to rake in rows to make rooms in a house, kind of like a blueprint. Then we would play house within the leaf walls. A fun memory.

Judi, Moose just did his #2 walk. We have a fenced in yard and a gate that goes into the pasture. Jerry built a smaller gate within the gate for Moose. He walks alone and scratches on the back door when he is done. So? Are you ready to get your very own dog? Love that you own Christmas Eve, and everyone knows it.

Lyn, Ugh, finding a new toaster can be difficult. I would love to have a toaster just for regular bread instead of the ones they have now that are big enough to put bagels in so they are too big for my cauliflower rounds. Happy online shopping. We aren't shopping for eachother this year, and I have to say I am glad.

Maryq, wow, your day has been very productive. Hope the beef dish is wonderful. We are in quite a rut, chicken, hamburger, repeat. I fix these in different ways but really don't use much else as far as meat goes.

Well there goes my plan to sew this morning. Jerry isn't feeling great so I will put the washed dishes away and offer to fry him an egg or preferably, put some instant oatmeal in the microwave and go take my shower.

Whatever you girls do today I hope you have fun.
Chriss