Passwords

Have you noticed lately how many flippin passwords you have. Mine all used to be the same. Then this bank, this company and this monitor all wanted them reset. Then you have to have 9 characters. Now you have to have 9 characters and a capital letter. Now I have to have 9 characters, a capital letter, and a number. Then you can't use the password you used in the past. Have you noticed when you were thinking about buying something and decided against it you shut down your computer and didn't empty the cart : the next day you get an email about a 10% discount. The really creepy thing was when I looked at something on Amazon and then a month later got several emails from companys selling the product. Creeps me out.

getting smaller

Have you noticed everything is getting smaller and we are paying 20-50% more. Just watched Philip Marlow. He paid 20 cents for macaroni and cheese. The soup cans and cereal boxes are smaller and poor Maggie doesn't get full on a can of dog food any more. Fabric is coming in at $15.00 per yard and is four inches thinner. Just spent the past 40 min. cleaning baby Bernina. In a class I took years and years ago our teacher had us use q-tips to clean our machines. Those magic q-tips have extended the life of baby bernina. Well as I was cleaning away, I was able to get these smaller q-tips in little tight spots I've never been able to reach. Greasy, nasty and full of lint devils. No wonder these new high tech machines have to be continually serviced. Official diagnosis: too much gunk and way toooo small q-tips. Happy New Years. I take quilt classes in Dallas this Sat and next. Finished one quilt and starting another: Its going to be called "9-lives" and staring

it's so complicated.

All I want is a free image of a cowboy. Found it printed it and lo and behold its too big. Then, this morning I went to look for a free image of a horse. A horse is a horse of course. It takes forever to choose one. Yesterday, I spent the morning looking at fences and prospective. Got that down. Now I'm ready to draw my image on my quilt. Geez!!!! Can't find the cable. Don't know what buttons to push. George is at work. I'm pushing buttons like crazy and I lost my quilting folder. Oh No!!! It has months and months of free images, ebooks, Artsy craft instructions and even a vinyl bag for puppy treats. Where did it go? Photos to follow. I am weaving a quilt background and putting a cowboy and fence on it. Lots of mistakes. But, a mistake becomes a creative moment. My cowboy is that moment. I hope it turns out. Photos to follow 155 calendar days and I am free to begin working on all my saved ideas from my quilting folder. But, alas it is lost. George tried last night to find it. After a 3 hour search it recorded nothing had been lost. George will try again tonight.

a special relationship

I have a special relationship with my sewing machine. With these new high tech computerized machines : you get so many stitches and the little puppy shuts down. It politely lights up a screen that says: take me to your dealer now for updates and a cleaning. I'm getting close to that magic number now. Took her to a guy in Oklahoma a few years back. He screwed up the machine and it never worked right. After a year here in TX with the local service guy and about $500 later.... She was boxed up and sent to Chicago. She got new parts, new guts and a new chord. Even where my Lizzie had permanently left little teeth marks was replaced. (when my first came out of box there was a little adhesive left on wheel. Liz has a thing for adhesive and her teeth perforated part of the machine). For some reason the top and back was not replaced. Everything else is brand new. Its great to know I have a brand new sewing machine that will last another 20 years...............but it would be real cool to have another one w/ more bells and whistles. Our local service guy no longer services my brand of machine. Now I have to risk finding someone in Dallas. I am so scared. I can't afford a new one and can't afford some 1/2 ass mechanic to work on her again. It's worse than shopping for a new doctor. It's also a 2 1/2 hour drive to drop her off and pick her up. But, I never go more than 48 hrs w/out creating some lovely piece of art with her. 19 hours and I begin winter break. Thinking about going to Sea World in San Antonio.

home from New Orleans and we got mice...

Fly all day. Work all day. Come home and find I have mice. 4 frickin' cats and we have mice. Last week, George cleaned out all the pots and pans from where the little buggers were coming in but one got away. I bet he enjoyed all the cat food. He left his evidence everywhere. George is now outside shaking the evidence out of my fabric drawers while I sit here and finish Christmas presents. Did I hear "deadline". Well I guess I needed to freshen everything anyway. Thank goodness for George Jr. He's the one that went nuts trying to capture the little bugger. But, he got away. This morning when George got up to get ready for work he discovered an early Christmas present. Some little fur person caught it last night and left it for our George. Yup. a present right in front of his chair. Photos of New Orleans and quilts next week. Our resource Officer and his wife loved the baby quilt. I put minke on the back for baby Mason. 102 days and still counting. Listening to Cajun music while I settle down and stitch.

sitting in new orleans

Made it to New Orleans.. Had to be at the airport at 6 am. didn't get to hotel until after 4 pm. Its been a very long day. It was too late to sight see. I walked around looking for something to eat. Had red beans and rice. Just the way I remember it Decatur street used to be a creepy street. Now they have a river walk, aquarium and lots of shopping. Meals start at $28. ouch. Lots and lots of live music. spent my evening listening to blues and zydeco. tried to watch tv: 75 stations and I could only find War Horse to watch. Going to swim pool next. Sitting in lobby writing this. I'm tooo cheap to pay $16 for it. Room with tax is $150. I think that is more than enough. They also want $33/ night to park a car. To get a class of milk: its $4.50 through room service + $3.00 delivery charge. Went to 3 convenience stores and none carry milk. Went to find the apartment I lived in 30 years ago. Still exists. photos later. Its right off of bourbon street. Now its a seedy, creepy part of Bourbon. I'm looking forward to class tomorrow but not looking forward to being brain dead. It will be interesting who gets put in my group..

New Orleans

Thursday I fly off to New Orleans.  Learning how to present workshops to adults.  I jumped at the chance.  It will help me teach  my quilting classes.  I will be staying 3 blocks from the Aquarium.

                                                              Susan's quilt.  flowers and pastels

I just love North Texas

Last year winter was so mild my closet was confused.  I don't have a closet big enough for both winter, fall, summer , and spring clothes. I would hang-up my winter clothes and it would get so hot, I wore my summer outfits.  Then it would turn nippy and I would wear my early winter clothes.  In the meantime I would wash my summer clothes and fold them neatly on the floor in my carpet.  Then, I would need them again.  Wash my winter clothes fold them to the floor and hang my summer clothes.  Today, we had a snow day and its not even Christmas yet.  It's more freezing ice.  I spent the day embroidering and almost finished the baby quilt.  Finally got out of my jammies around 11 o'clock.  Watching Daniel Day Lewis.  He is such an amazing actor.  You can find my quilts at thephotoquilter.com.  Photos to follow.

Quilt Classes

I need a quilt class.  I need to be around my own kind.  Just read an article about why adults take classes.  They learn to improve work, improve life or improve social status.  I like to take quilt classes because you always pick-up tidbits that improve your skills.     Its interesting that when you teach adults they all come with prior knowledge.  I love reading.  Every time you read a book you bring your own personal baggage to it.  You may love it and your best friend will hate.  It just depends on your personal past experiences on how you relate.  I read the "Hunger Games" last year and just saw catching fire.  I completely lost myself into the movie, the book, the sounds the characters and smells.  The scene with the monkeys:  I jumped , I screamed and my neighbors jumped with me because I screamed so loud.  I just love personal baggage and I love that I have a 3 day work week next week and am going to New Orleans to learn to teach adults.

Shorter and shorter. And, I don't mean me.

Have you noticed that canned foods are getting smaller.  Shrinking by the ounce.  Have you noticed that frozen dinners are shrinking in size.  And, now fabric has shrunk.  I was making table toppers and cut several at one time.  Then I went to cut backs from different bolts of fabric and lo and behold the backs were 2-4 inches short.  Whenever I do quilts for customers and friends I always ask for an extra quarter yard.  Holy!  Moly!   I don't even have enough fabric left over to make a pillow.  113 days and I retire.  We have a new M & M at school.  I'm 2/3 done with officier maloney's baby quilt.  Mason was born at 7 lbs.  As soon as it it done I will have time to post photos again.

I'm so tired and I'm so full

I love Thanksgiving.  Had another round of food at supper tonight.  Why oh Why do I eat so much and that Pumpkin Pie is calling my name.  What is this phenomenom?????     The more I eat the more I want.  It should be once I meet my caloric intake I'm done.  But, its nuts.  I'm so full but I want more.  I'm so tired.  I just love tryptophin.