Supper club. Saturday, June 22

[purrfect-lady]

Good morning!

We arrived in Talkeetna yesterday about 1:30 Alaska time after a 300 mile drive and got ourselves parked in our RV spot. Then realized we didn’t have sewer at the site so had to pull out and go to dump station to dump waste tanks and then re-park. Then came laundry, including sheets and towels. By the time clothes were all folded and put away and bed was made our friends arrived. We visited, walked dog, supper, another short visit, and we crashed at 8pm. Long day but had wonderful views of Mt Denali. (Formerly called McKinley - 20,000+ ft elev.). It’s only “out” about 20% of the time but it was glorious yesterday.

Today we will walk into town to explore. There used to be a really, albeit tiny, quilt shop in a log cabin. Hope it’s still there. Also a lot of fabric upstairs in general store. I’m feeling fabric hungry today. I don’t have enough material with me to make a single yo-yo. Starting to sweat and shake!

Chickie, how did your babysitting gig go yesterday? What time did you get home? Nice to have those placemats and napkins all quilted. Do I remember correctly that they or strawberry Fabric,?

Becca, I can’t wait for your new twins. Aren’t they due in October? It will be exciting to see what their names will be.

Jana, I hear you about sewing sequins! I did a lot of that in the old days, making dance costumes. I live what might be called a campfire lifestyle now and hardly ever need to bring out the sequins.

Tonite’s supper is going to be grilled chicken with dressing and salad.

[auntjana]

Good morning!

Mary - that quilt shop had better be there, or this trip might be cut short! Nice that the clouds and the mountain are cooperating. Love to look at those majestic peaks.

Today is my Dad's second birthday. His mother always told him that he was born, June 15, 1907. Well, when we sent and received his birth records from the Catholic church in Portugal, it said he was born, June 22, 1906. My grandmother could always tell you her children's birthdays as well as all the grandchildren's birthday and was always right. So my dad celebrated both days. We think that there possibly was another child that died, born on the 15th and that she did mix the two up. My dad was the youngest of the children. So we did cake and ice cream twice.

No idea on dinner yet. Sarah wants to bbq something here tonight and I have no idea yet on what. So we shall see.

I have a few things to catch upp on in the Batt Cave, so that is where I will be.

Enjoy,
Jana

[Irishgram]

Good early afternoon from a semi sunny, weird kind of day in SW. Pa...The sky is nice and blue but the sun is playing hide and seek...

Mary, I imagine those sights are unbelievable and glad the clouds are cooperating...Also hoping you find that quilt shop, sure don't need you having the sweats......

Jana, you made me smile at all the sequin sewing...Long gone are those days in this house and thank goodness I wasn't asked to design and/or make any of the girl's dance dresses...Those were ordered and made in Ireland but I did do all the vests for the boys and skirts for the girls who were just beginning...Maybe I'd better not say never, we do have Lena coming up, quickly....

Becca, hope you are enjoying your day...Have a feeling you've already been out and taken your walk...I'm also excited about the new babies, what little miracles....

It's been kind of crazy around here and I'm not sure if I'm coming or going...I know what Chickie goes through taking care of the fur kids...With Dan and Casey being away, I hate to see the 2 cats alone so I've been taking my cross stitching or a book and try to visit a couple of times a day..Not that I'm spoiling them, but they really do love their treats! Been running with my sister and also try to stop at Kevin's...He seems to be doing OK and officially is on vacation but still has to run into the job??? He's also supposed to be retired but I have a feeling they won't let him, lol...Which might be good if he still needs to get up in the morning and go, at least for awhile....Nick has been in and out and will be leaving next Tuesday...He's excited about his new venture and I'm hoping and praying everything works out...Stephan has been telling him how much he likes what he's doing so we'll see....

I'm also trying to finish Jackie's lion quilt and would be done if I didn't keep adding blocks...
We had a dear, dear friend of Jim's pass away...He grew up 2 houses down the street and like Jim, never left our little village...He and his wife had 4 girls and we used to tease him about only having 2 bathrooms, prom gowns and just being surrounded by females...But, like Jim, was a huge Notre Dame fan as most of the fellows who live around here are...I can just imagine when he got to the Pearly Gates, St. Peter probably shook his head and said, Good Lord, another Irish Notre Dame fan, do they ever end????
So, I'm baking and putting a box with plates, napkins etc. together for them to munch on....
The people who run the funeral home are the nicest people and I keep telling them, they might be nice but I'd rather not hang out with them this much.....

As for my dinner, duh! Maybe Nick will come by and rescue me or maybe when I go to visit the fur babies, the car will decide....

You all have a great day.............

Happy eating.............

[Becca]

Hello everyone,Nice day but storms are on the way.
Maryz The Twins are due mid November.Im just praying she can carry them full term.Her health is questionable .We are excited too.One name is hard enough.
I’m sure you have seen gorgeous .Hope your cabin is still there.

Irish You stay busy & that’s great.Yes I walk in the morning because the heat gets bad.
I too hate going to Funeral Home.

Jana I Too love a nice yard but mine is far from one.Since CA hasn’t been able to fertilize & care for it it isn’t the greatest.But at least it’s all green.Looks Nice When mowed.

It’s been a Trying day for CA.He is having a bad day. I did get 3 beds stripped & dressed & laundry done.Hope to hit the porch with a book & look at Mtns.
Becca

Forgot food.Im fixing CA enchiladas,me veggie burger & corn on cob.

[FarmChick]

Good afternoon from the sauna on the plains! We are 84, but almost matching humidity. The hooligans and I walked almost 2.5 miles, and I was a wet, hot mess when we returned.

Yesterday was Mom sitting day. I arrived at 3:15, and they returned at 9:30. Then I went to the grocery store. I got home at 11:30 p.m. and had to put everything away and do a load of laundry. Which brings me to another story…

Yesterday at noon, one of the tenants at a duplex called and said the water had been turned off for several days. (First we knew of it, and we pay the water the day after we get the bills!) Well, the tenant had called the city when they saw water coming out from under the house. The city rushed right out and shut the water off, told them to call a plumber because there was a broken pipe under the house. So, DH and I went to town to see what was going on. He waded down into the 2’ of water under the house and could see and hear nothing to indicate a pipe was burst and blowing water everywhere. So, we went back home and got the sump and hoses and pumped it all out. Then, he crawled in the very nasty, muddy, dank recesses of the tiny crawl space and checked it all out thoroughly. NO LEAK!!! It was all ground water seep. There is a reason no one has basements in town without major problems and lots of pumps. If you have a basement with lots of rain and the power goes out--you have a flood! There has been almost 15” of rain in town in the last less than two months, and the city has very little storm water infrastructure. In fact, we pay $15 a month extra on both bills so the city can pay off fines for to the EPA for storm water mismanagement. I had taken my truck to town as well as DH taking his, so I went on to Mom sit while he finished up and loaded up the pump and hose. What a worthless mess that could have been avoided if the city would have told DH he might have a leak.

To add insult to injury to DH's crazy day, as we came back from getting the sump pump, he drove through McDonald's for some little cheeseburgers to eat while he was waiting for the water to pump out. He ate one burger and opened the second one to give me the shadow of a pickle... NO MEAT PATTY! He drove through on the way home and got it rectified, but that was a first. They mess up orders consistently, but generally there is a product. Poor DH... just not his day! And he had to heat up his own dinner since I was in town!

Needless to say, I was tired last night when I fell into bed! I got up and met my friend for coffee, then it was on to my sister’s to visit with Mom before coming home. DH and I had lunch here, then I took a little nap before walking.

Mary—your trip sounds wonderful! Hope you found the quilt shop still open! I’m happy to say that the Edna shop is looking at adding back a day—either Monday or Wednesday! I’m so glad for them! Yes, the placemats, etc., are strawberries. I still need to square them up and bind them.

Jana—I don’t have extensive practice with sequins, but I did put 13,000 tiny pearls on DD’s wedding dress. I said “put”, because I started sewing. Then the manager of Cloth World suggested using fabric glue. I made a swatch with glued pearls, took it to the cleaners and had it checked out. It came through with flying colors! I used a syringe and tweezers for the pearls. I know there were 13,000 because I kept track of the empty packages of 1,000 each.

Becca—I know your baby quilts will be darling! I guess I’m going to have to adopt some babies to get to make more baby quilts! I have a baby name suggestion for NOT naming them!!! I was asking Mom a little about genealogy, and she said Grandpa’s mom had gotten married after his dad passed. She had two children with him, so Grandpa had half-siblings. The names are Gladys (not terrible, not a favorite), but the boy—Wadeus! I’ve never heard that, and I don’t wish it on anyone! So sorry to hear CA is having a rough day.

Irish—watch that weird weather! Our sky is almost overcast and bright at the same time… a bright gray. It’s the same kind of weather that brought the tornado I was in before DH and I got together. Oh, may! Those dance dresses are works of art, and I know you did the vests to rival the dresses! That is really interesting about your dad’s birthdays! Mom had to work with the Social Security Administration so she could retire. They had her a year younger than she really was. She was born in Indian Territory Oklahoma. It’s hard to find records to prove.

Irish—even fur kids like coming to Grandma’s house! I had to laugh at your spoiling the kitties by taking your book and needlework and sitting with them. We have Deuce and Tillie come 2 miles across pastures to see Grandma and the Hooligans. The use the doggie door and come right in and act right at home. They want treats and beg like the Hooligans. Usually someone from DS’s will come get them, but usually I pack them up and drive them home. The interesting thing about Deuce and Tillie is that Deuce is a little dog—about 10 pounds, a rescue so unknown origin, but part Chihuahua and probably rat terrier. Tillie is probably 50#, a rescue too, and she only has one front leg after an amputation of the other when she was hit by a vehicle. So, it’s a real effort for them to go 2 miles, and not exactly safe with all the coyotes around these parts.

BIL had ribs last night when they went out for dinner, so that got me to thinking. My little red truck Millie just happened to turn into the meat market on the way home for a slab. We will have them for a couple of meals along with salads. I may figure out something else for sides, too.

Tomorrow is DH’s family reunion. I have all the makings for a big salad, as they bring in pizza and tell everyone to bring desserts. Since I’m always bucking the system, I bring a big salad like Olive Garden serves. There is never any left. I also have my big basket of jams for everyone to take home with them.

Now… heading to my sewing room…

Bon appétit!