Returned

I'm back from my visit with family.  It was a good visit.  You know how visiting with family can be.  It can go either way.  And, at several points, it could have gone either way.  We had some nice catching up and some good relationship talk and lots of laughs.  I wandered a grocery store with my Dad, which was a different kind of place for us to find ourselves.  We ate until we complained about not being hungry.  And, we visited and talked about old times and new times and good times and bad times.  My Mom shared some things that I'm going to photograph and share with you, but I haven't gotten to it yet.  I'm still getting oriented back into being home. 

The drive is about 7 hours and add to that another 45 minutes for a quick lunch and bathroom breaks and then add an hour for stretching my legs (otherwise known as walking through an antique store and buying at least one thing in exchange for using the restroom...cuz that's polite...rationalizations are wonderful things). 

In the antique shop on the way home on Monday, I picked up a present for Rob and a couple other things that were seriously underpriced and additions to things I'm already collecting (because I don't need any new collections, believe me...I need to get rid of some of the junk I've collected already).  The lady that checked me out and I started talking and laughing, like I try to do.  She kept making addition errors and making jokes was the only response I could come up with.  I think it helped her relax.  Anyway, we finally got everything paid for and wrapped up and I left.  And, when I got home, I realized I hadn't gotten home with Rob's present.  Well, doo-doo.  But, I called yesterday and they still had it and they're going to ship it to me.  Woo-hoo!! 

Yesterday, I had conference calls all day, so it was a good day to work from home.  That meant I could sew during what would have been my lunch hour and drive times and I got a sixth tree farm block done. 

That means one third of them are made.  Yikes.  They go really fast now.  All the pieces are cut, so it's just a matter of laying a block out and sewing it up.  They take just over an hour to assemble.  This is a very fun quilt.  It's a good pattern and it's a good fabric selection.  It required adding a few small pieces of fabric, and I'm adding quite a variety from my stash. 

And, while I was at my parent's house, I acquired an iris from my Aunt. 

It's beautiful, but I'm having trouble finding a place to put it, so for right now, it's in a pot, in a nice sunny spot next to the new deck.  It will do well there until I can find a more permanent spot, which I might have seen yesterday afternoon, but I need to keep an eye on it to make sure it stays nice and sunny.

Okay, that's it for me today.  Everybody have a great Wednesday.  This weekend is Rob's bday and I'm hoping to spend a few minutes cleaning up in the studio.  I'm moving more stuff on to Goodwill.  I have several boxes started, enough that I was able to start separating it like they like it.  But, most of the boxes are still only half full.  That means I can give away even MORE!!

I hope.

Lane