Something new

I watched the Extreme Makeover episode this evening.  It featured the 100th  house makeover, a Minnesota family who because of domestic violence included the children of the woman's sister.  It was especially interesting because Sara Goodrich from Dassel helped with some of the finishing touches.  Pretty cool.  The house was totally overdone, but showy.  I can't imagine trying to keep it clean--7 bedrooms, 5 baths, washer dryer on 2 floors.  Who pays for the utilities?  Sheesh. 

(I'm NOT jealous)

Thanksgiving passed with much to be thankful for.  (Not having to clean 5 bathrooms is one.)  Javen, Erin and Thessaly had dinner with us and we had such fun watching Tess sit and try to get into a crawling position.  She will be mobile by Christmas, I'm sure.  The kids plan to get a Christmas tree this year--a novel idea considering they have 2 huge black cats who devour growing things and plastic.  But with a new baby, they are thinking about 'traditions'.  

I spent the afternoon sewing a couple of red/white/blue blocks which will become place mats for us. They aren't the same size, and have different fabrics, but they'll be fine.  I still have enough fabric to make about a dozen more.  It must reproduce in the sewing room.

Made soap yesterday--my second attempt at it.  I still have 3 bars from my first batch but since it takes time for the new batch to 'cure', I wanted to get ahead of the game.  I also have been trying to get more familiar with the iphoto and itunes programs.  Want to download a book on c.d. in order to be able to put it on my ipod.  It takes a LONG time to download, so I  have only done 2 disks.  Javen may be able to give me some pointers on speeding the process.  On the whole, I feel as tho I've spent my weekend time satisfactorily.  Now for a bit more quilting on the house quilt and I'll be ready for bed.  

Over and out.

I'm Back!

It has been quite a while since I've reported in.  I have a new (used) Mac computer and gorgeous monitor, a handy-dandy keyboard and shuffle ipod.  Lots of new stuff to learn to use, and boy is it a challenge.  But it keeps me from concentrating too much on any one thing, and thereby actually accomplishing any thing.  

I have a gazillion photos to import, sort and try to print.  I need to figure out how to add photos to this blog, and many other things.  

More later.

I

New Video units

Next week I'll be switching from PC to Apple and anticipate a certain amount of confusion. I am assured that the Mac will be more user friendly and easier to get to know. But I don't have a lot of confidence at this point. I just read the blurb on the 'dashboard' and feel like I'm on the outside looking in. The notice is about making a link from utube to this blog and easily adding pictures to the blog. I'd like to do that, but the jargon is very off-putting.

Had a meeting with my supervisor yesterday. Seemed to go well. We're attempting to create a second assistant position, and have the new hire picked out. But we have to go thru the motions of advertizing and interviewing applicants. In order to discourage qualified applicants, we are trying to make the position less attractive -- We'll see if 'admin' lets us get away with it.

The weekend has arrived. Craft sales abound. I like to support organizations, but don't need more stuff. Dilemma. Guess I'll avoid the sales and stay home to sew. I have a hat cut out. We'll see if I have improved my millinary skills.

Got up early-5 ish cuz I couldn't sleep. Decided to practice my mouse skills with my new spiffy rollar type mouse. It is cool, but needs practice. Now I'm ready for some breakfast.

Beautiful Monday

It was absolutely gorgeous today--sunny, blue skies and colorful fall leaves all over the place. May be I'm enjoying the weather so much because my husband is doing all the raking of leaves this year. He retired from work, and is keeping occupied by doing my outside chores i.e. mowing and raking. I, on the other hand, spent the day washing windows and curtains, vacuuming screens and generally being a good homemaker. I think I should have opted for the outside job. Tomorrow is supposed to be extra nice again, so I will try to get out more.

I was able to give blood today--and managed it within an hour. Usually it takes a while for me do bleed out, but I tried to drink extra water while washing windows, and it worked.
Time to log off. I'm beat.

Sunday interrupted

It's a beautiful looking day, sunny and bright, but below freezing. Leaves are dropping like snow from the neighbor's tree and making a great golden puddle at the base. I love it when leaves fall in the still air and make circles around the trees. Mostly tho, the wind blows them away.



Quick shopping trip to get ingredients for my raised bed garden. We started this innovative approach to gardening last spring and had a fairly successful harvest. My above ground crops did quite well, salad greens, beans, tomatoes. But the root crops, radish and beets were hopeless. I wanted to add the ingredients that would balance the root and top (hydrogen/nitrogen ???). Anyway, we got vermiculite, peat moss, to mix with good old black dirt from the farm, homegrown compost and purchased bonemeal. (don't want to know just where that came from). Now it's time to mix and put it in the boxes, and wait until spring planting.


Technologically speaking, I put pix of my granddaughter on Flickr, and will see if I can find them again.

Breaktime

I'm having a great time at Javen's with baby Thessaly. We have done all the fun baby things like feeding with the bottle, burping, napping, and strolling around the lake with Javen and the wind. Wow, was it windy! Poor Erin is attending a very long and involved manager-type training session and is able to be home evenings, but only in time to eat and get ready for bed. Her day starts very early.
I've been able to catch up on some reading, (fantasy book by favorite author Lois Bujold. And I've been able to do some quilting on the baby quilt for Dee Johnson. I was totally confused trying to get the binding finished--the diagonal seam has escaped me for the time being. I'll get it yet.
I will be attempting to add pictures to this site via Flicker--as per the 23 Steps. Should be interesting.
Later. Mary

First Day

This is a 'first' for me--and I have high hopes of consistantly adding something to it on a regular basis.

From my blog name and address, one may think I have some connection with libraries. And I do. However, I am close to retirement, so if I am successful at blogging, I may have to change name and attitude.

I also am a quilter, knitter, gardener, walker, reader, and most importantly, a grandmother. I'm going to visit my granddaughter (do we need 2 d's in granddaughter?) this coming week. I am also a daughter, and feel a great responsibility toward my mother and stepdad. I have 6 siblings, so I am not alone in my responsibilities. Whew!

I live in a small town, have been here for 30+years, and probably will stay for another 20 or so, unless another, more appealing location shows up. I've been married for 39 years, and hope to remain so for the upcoming 20 years. My goal is to live happily until the end and die suddenly. I want to be cremated and have my ashes put in a lovely urn to sit on my son's fireplace mantel, so he can ask my advice and gain inspiration from my spirit long after I'm gone. Or he can dump the ashes in his cats' litter box for a more practical use.

I have expressed most of my ideas by now, so the future of this blog is at risk. Now I have to figure out how to get back here....