Let's Go Golfing

I'll bet a lot of you have never been to a golf course.


First, you drive up to this rack, called a "Bag Drop," and put your clubs here so you don't have to carry them from the parking lot.

In the bag are clubs of course, tees, balls, golf gloves, a windbreaker, and maybe shoes. (I keep my shoes in a separate tote.) Also sunscreen, chapstick, extra socks, tissues, and pain relievers for when the arthritis kicks in around hole 13. In the the detachable pink caddy I keep money, membership cards, tees, bandaids, ball markers, and a copper bracelet that is supposed to help you be a better warrior but I never wear it. Maybe I should.

After you check in and pay your fee, you can hit a few balls to warm up and get a good rhythm. Hopefully. Sometimes your timing is off and you struggle to find it all day. Other days it comes naturally.

It's important to stretch.

You decide who is going to drive the cart and the bags are loaded on the back. I am riding, so my bags are on the rider's side of the cart.

It doesn't mean I'm not permitted to drive the cart, it's about convenient bag placement. It helps keep you from reaching into your partner's bag for a club, or putting one away in the wrong bag. You might not realize you did that until you are playing golf a week later and the club you need is missing, and your friend has it in her bag in Los Angeles.

After you've taken care of all the particulars, which can take as long as 30 to 45 minutes, you drive off to the first tee.

This is what the golfer sees. Here's Cheryl on the tee box. There are two markers (those little gray things, which are usually red) and the ball is placed between them or behind, but never in front. They move them around so the grass has a chance.

Now I'm up on the tee box. I'm taking one last look down the fairway as part of my pre-shot routine.

There is a lot to think about. Ball placement, aim, grip, 80% of weight on the right foot, head up (not down!!), shoulders relaxed. Watch out for the lake on the right and the trees on the left.


Take a deep breath, pull the clubhead back low and slow, keep the right elbow straight, pause at the top of the backswing and cock the wrists, exhale and let it rip.

Golfing is fun. Or at least it's supposed to be, there are those who would disagree.


I don't know what it is about chasing that little white ball that keeps you coming back for more, but whatever fever it is, I've sure got it and I love it.

Plea for Help

With aplomb and fresh resolve--and a nice breakfast--I set about troubleshooting Godzilla. I isolated the problem to the Sure Stitch, which is the stitch regulator that makes the needle go up and down in tandem with how fast you move the machine/carriage. I'm able to make it sew with the foot pedal, and I can use the other manual switch. I called the Grace Company, and of course the engineer is out for the weekend.

But there are two issues going on here.

My sewing machine does NOT LIKE this quilt. I swear! It's the strangest thing. It will not sew this quilt. Skipped stitches and the whole shebang. It quilted another quilt like buttah, baby.

Would somebody like to finish this Quilt of Valor? It is half done, there is only about 3 hours of work left to do, and I'll send you the panto, which you can keep.

I'd sure appreciate it, as I'm sure the top-maker would also. It's a nice piece of work, a lot of effort was put into piecing it, and I'd hate to see it die on the vine.

Nuthin's Easy

I hate it when stuff doesn't work.

Remember all the problems I had with that QOV quilt? I paid big bucks to have my machine serviced and it still didn't work right, but I since quilted Savannah's baby quilt on Godzilla with no problems, so in the end it wasn't the machine, it was the quilt.

After I finished the baby quilt I oiled and cleaned the machine, cleaned the lint out of the bobbin casing, and put in a fresh needle. This week I picked out all the snarled, messed up stitches that were in the QOV and loaded it back on the frame. I wanted to get it quilted this week--it is on my short list of things to get done.


But the machine doesn't work. It doesn't sew. Actually it's not the machine, that works fine when I push the up/down button, so it's the stitch regulator, that blue thing. It doesn't send the signal. I've had nothing but headaches with this effing thing, and if I could turn back time I'd walk away. I'm tempted to take off the QOV quilt and put something else on just to see if Godzilla is messing with me.

But right now I can't deal with it. Maybe tomorrow, but not today.

Meanwhile, Helen continues on the slippery slope. We wait. Everything has been put on hold, all plans made tentative. At this point we don't know if we're going to Connecticut next week or not. Probably not. And other people have their schedules set, so finding another window in which to go is looking bleak.

Bob brought over the yard art he made for me in exchange for the Ginkgo leaf quilt. It turned out real nice, I like it a lot. It looks like ocean waves.


He said to pick out a color and he'd have it powder coated. Initially I was going to leave it natural (rust), but it disappears in the garden and just looks like a tangle of twigs, so I chose cobalt blue. But will Bob come pick it up and finish the job? Who knows.

It's a kinetic sculpture that moves in the breeze but I took it down because we are having some repairs made to the sprinkler system and the repairman kept hitting his head on it. We had to get an "irrigation specialist" to find the problem, and the valves got covered over with the mulch that our "landscape specialist" put down and were difficult to find. If you are married to a handy guy, consider yourself lucky. I am the handyma'am around here, but some things are out of my scope.


The valves are buried under the mulch behind these coral bells.

The birds make a mess of the mulch daily. At first I thought a cat was using it for a potty, but when I was in the hot tub yesterday I saw the birds rooting through it. Those guys.


Here's something else that doesn't work. At the last house we had one of three pendant lights that refused to work, so it is probably karma. I can take the fixture apart, but I can't fix karma.


Two more days and the weekend will be here. I can play golf with my pals, go out to dinner, and forget about this stuff for a while--it will still be waiting for me Tuesday. Now that's something I am really good at--avoidance. No problem is so small it can't be run away from, I always say.

You have a fantastic and fun Memorial Day. I know I will.

The Week in Review

Wow! Has it been a week already? Time do fly!

The garden is finished. It looks great. I spent most of Monday and Tuesday just looking at it with a smile on my face. The sun came out and stayed out, and now we are having a heat wave. Some of our sprinklers are broken and I have been hand-watering until we can get them fixed. It has been close to 80 degrees out here on the Nipomo Mesa, which is pretty rare.

Yesterday we had a beach party with Judith & Bob and their kids, we couldn't stay long because the tide was coming in, which means there's nothing but soft sand to drive on--Bud does not have 4WD and WILL get stuck, but any longer and we would have been sunburned anyway. I can no longer tolerate the sun. Today I seek shade. All those years of tanning and golfing in the southern California sun with minimal sunscreen has cooked my skin and I have a perpetual red sunburn now. When I think of the hours I spent, frying my skin...

J and I have been revisiting the camper idea. For a long time we dreamed about getting a travel trailer, which is the reason we bought Bud, a bigass gas-guzzling SUV. But then J got sick and never did quite fully recover all his everythings, and the idea of pulling a trailer, backing it up, hitching and unhitching, became too overwhelming and we dropped the idea. Until last Sunday, when we were on the way to visit his mother for Mother's Day. The RV lot was having a liquidation sale. Big sign. Let's just look....you know how that goes. Well, we found a sweet little RV that we really like at a greatly reduced price. Technically, it is a motorhome, and has none of the downsides to pulling a trailer. It's small, and the cab isn't much bigger than Bud, and just as easy to drive.


Who knows if we'll pull the trigger, but it's fun to think about the trips we could take around the country. Yaknow, I've never been more than 100 miles north of San Francisco. There's a whole world up there to discover and I'm not getting any younger. Oh, and southern Utah--wowzer. I've seen it but J hasn't.

Jim's mom Helen has been getting weaker and is in the hospital (again). We are faced with decisions we don't want to make, and we don't know if this is "it" or not, but I think maybe it is. Right now they are trying to get her rehydrated to see if she perks up, but she doesn't swallow and we don't want to put in a feeding tube. She told us long ago she did not want any of that. So you do the best you can, but it's a no-win situation. On one hand you don't want to prolong her so-called life, on the other you feel like you're making her suffer by letting her starve. The medical wonders of today that keep us alive longer, and the laws and notions about euthanasia in this country make it a real conundrum. If you didn't know, Helen has severe dementia, and hasn't been "in there" for a long time. No, the person that Helen was left the building a long time ago.

On a brighter note (I think), we are busy getting ready for our trip to see Michelle and the baby. I say I think because Helen's declining health may preempt our trip. We doubt she will be able to stay alive until we return mid-June, and we don't want to be gone when she checks out. By the way, I sent the baby quilt and they are thrilled with it, and said it is absolutely perfect in the nursery.

J took me shopping for Mother's Day and I bought several outfits for summer--a whole stack of stuff. I just need a pair or two of sandals and I'm all set.

Next week is Memorial Weekend and we have many fun things planned. Our pals Alan & Cheryl are coming up to play golf, and Steve & Barbara will be in town as well. We have all been good friends for many, many years. Cheryl has a golf club (5 wood) that I coveted last time we played and Alan had one made for me. They're bringing it next week. Oh boy. Now if I could just get my putting down...

Tomorrow we are having Bill & Jeanne for bridge and dinner. They were our next-door neighbors before we moved, and they have since moved out of Cypress Ridge. It will be good to see them again.

No news on the quilting front, sorry. But I'll see what I can do to change that.

Happy Mothers Day

Today it's all about pictures.

Here's Poppies, off the rack and waiting for me to sew down the flowers...and add embellishments and seed pods, and grasses, and...


I know, I'm slow, but I haven't been in the mood. Here's a close up of the quilting--my usual swirlicues. Gets the job done.


Here are some pics of the garden since it's been cleaned up. There is more to be done. The sun hasn't burned off the morning clouds yet, so it's kind of gray. Typical coastal weather. I like it.


The sun will come out later. Maybe.


It's easier to find golf balls now. I have an endless supply.


The mist (not quite fog) rolled in last night--here is last night's sunset from the deck.


Yesterday I worked out at the gym, went to the practice tees, and helped clean up the garage. I was finally able to get rid of the last of Helen's things. We just have this old headboard to get rid of, and that's where Godzilla will go.


Except I broke it. Dang it! Seven years of bad luck! Starting with the fact that the charity truck won't take it now and I'll have to dispose of it. Because *I* broke it.


Meanwhile, Riley is having breakfast, oblivious.


The spring shipments are arriving. Oh happy day.


And we have friends and good times in abundance.


Hope you have a wonderful day. J is taking me shopping for some new threads.

Checking In, No Photos

Despite the fact that lately I take my camera with me everywhere. Ever since I passed a road on the way to a winery (Talley) that was called "Big Johnson Drive" and I was piffed I didn't have my camera, I now keep it in my purse. I got a bigger purse when I was in Vermont (Coach outlet) at Christmastime, so we're good there.

I played golf Tuesday, only 9 holes but I walked the course--and it was a big, long one. I crossed paths with the two Steves on the course, that was kind of fun, collecting hugs and kisses from two men on the fairway. My game is getting better although my chipping and putting skills leave a lot to be desired. I was fatigued the next day--sometimes it takes me a day to recharge my batteries--but I can't wait to play again.

Poppies is quilted and off the frame. I just have to applique down the flowers--after I do the threadpainting on the two largest ones. They don't take long to do, I just have to do them. So Poppies is still a work in progress, and that's okay. Otherwise I'd have nothing to work on--I'd have to start something new.

Speaking of starting something new, I have cogitated my idea for the Rally for the Cure raffle quilt. I decided to do a stylized cluster of grapes with a grape leaf or two, in a style similar to my leaf series--this being wine country, I figured it'd be highly desirable. I decided against doing the Victorian woman golfer that is an icon for the event. Too obvious (and terribly dorky, IMHO).

I donated a piece I did a few years ago of wonky coffee cups to a fundraiser for the California Chorale Festival (My friend Judith is Chair.) I didn't have a place to hang it in my kitchen, and it was living in my closet, so I was happy to contriute it. I just learned that it brought over $100 in a silent auction. Oh look, a picture:


I think I mentioned it, but we are going to Connecticut to see Michelle, Chris, and Savannah at the end of May. I mailed the baby quilt last Thursday or Friday so it should be arriving there today or tomorrow. I hope they like it. It will definitely match the decor. The baby is just as adorable as she could be and Michelle is deliriously happy being a mom. All is well.

We will also visit friends at their cottage in Canada while we are east. We have had to change flight schedules and rearrange our own visitors' schedules (we have houseguests on the calendar in June). During the middle of all this, Jim's mom Helen went into the hospital a couple of times, so we held up for that outcome, but she's back home now and out of danger. It was chaos for a while there, but we felt it important to accept this invitation because we had cancelled this couple's gala country club Christmas party last-minute because of my migraines. Which, I'm happy to report, I have not had in two months!

Pam (the horticulturalist) has been laboring long and hard in our garden. She has transformed it. She took out an incredible amount of invasive, overgrown plants and rearranged others. I can see the fairway greenbelt now. I am thrilled. It's almost finished, and when it's done I'll post photos. Remember the Ginkgo Leaf quilt? I gave it to Judith in exchange for a piece of welded yard art made by her husband Bob. Well, Bob has finished the piece and it is hanging in my garden, but it needs to be powder coated. We have decided on cobalt blue. The garden was overwhelming to me before but now its all good.

Tonight we are having the two Steves and their wives Barbara and Teri for dinner. We'll grill steaks outside (under the patio heater!) served up with a salad with my own raspberry vinaigrette, and rosemary potatoes. For dessert I'll pair warm brownies with Ben & Jerry's Caramel Sutra ice cream. There will, of course, be plenty of wine.

That's all for now. Life is good.

The Monday Edition

Life continues to speed along at a dizzying pace. My calendar for May is already starting to get full. Saturday I managed to force myself to work on Poppies for a while, but I am bored with the piece.

The Cypress Ridge News featured me in an article this month and I chose to show Flamenco!, the piece that took a ribbon in the Hoffman Challenge a few years ago. I am amazed at the interest this article has generated in my community. So I took the piece to the fitness center to hang for a while, and every time I go work out I get fresh raves. Now if that isn't an incentive to go to the gym I don't know what is, but my head is now three sizes larger... And I have been asked to make a piece to be raffled off at the Rally for the Cure, an annual Susan G. Komen charity golf event that Cypress Ridge Golf Course hosts. I have played in this tournament in the past but this year I opted to volunteer to work it, in addition to making a quilt to be raffled. The quilt will be the centerpiece of the fund-raising efforts at this event.

I have no idea what I'm going to make.

When I was showing Debby McQuiltnBee my works I realized how many UFOs I have in my collection. One of my goals this year has been to finish these, but you know what? I am a lot better at starting things than I am at finishing them. Which means that I may never start anything again if I have to finish everything first, and that's not necessarily a good thing. But I do need to finish the two Quilts of Valor, that's a must.

It's not like I have a lot of time to spend quilting anyway. I have a renewed interest in golf and I am making every effort to play every week. I love the game and it's great exercise.

We play bridge every week, too. One week we have lessons; the next, group play. I have long wanted to get better at the game--why in the world I have no idea--except that I have never been particularly confident in my bidding. Bidding is everything. There are all these conventions and secret cues that mean something other than what you say--it's a language all its own. The lessons dropped in our laps serendipitously--it's a wonderful opportunity, the teacher comes to us and we (five) are learning a lot. Now all we have to do is retain what we learn. Which is where the group play comes in. Being in a bridge group is like being in a bowling league; people count on you to be there because you need eight players. Bridge is a wonderful game--infinitely interesting. Did you know that 25 million people play bridge? There's a reason it's so popular.

We have been making plans to go to Connecticut to see Michelle and the baby at the end of the month. We had dinner with friends last week who "summer" in Canada every year and they invited us to come up to their cottage for a few days while we are back east. J has been working out the details to extend our trip, but his mom's health took a sudden turn for the worst and she is in the hospital for the second time in two weeks. So we are in limbo about the whole trip. If the powers that be decide that Helen's number is up we will have to deal with that and all that goes with it, on her time schedule.

My friend Barbara's 60th birthday is this week and we were treated to a lovely brunch at Artisan in Paso Robles yesterday. Afterward we all went wine tasting and had a great time. I wasn't driving this time so I tasted the wine, and of course had a raging headache by the time we got back. The group wanted to hang together and order pizza, but we bailed. Ack, I just can't drink wine in the day. Barbara is married to Steve, whom you've met here, he's the guy who wallpapered the Ugly Bathroom and who I play golf with sometimes. He and J went to college together and love to watch basketball or football together.

We are having Barbara and Steve and their house guests Teri and Steve, with whom we have been acquainted over the years, for dinner Thursday. What to cook....any suggestions? How do beef short ribs sound?

The weather has turned cold again. Brr. We actually built a fire last night. By "built," I mean we flipped a switch. We hunkered down under a quilt and watched Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, a movie about a robbery gone terribly wrong. Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, and Albert Finney were brilliant. The movie was well made (Sidney Lumet) and kept us on the edge to the very end.

Pam the Horticulturist is coming shortly to start work on the back landscaping. After I get her started I'll go work out at the fitness center--there is a new step-aerobics class starting today. Then I'll make breakfast, clean up the kitchen which still has stuff from Saturday, shower, then go to the hospital to see Helen (maybe), stop at the store to pick up something to cook for dinner, do some work on the Cypress Ridge website and the golf club--oh did I tell you, I'm the new secretary for the residents' golf club? Yikes, what have I done? Then it'll be time to cook dinner. There will be no time for quilting today, but maybe tomorrow before I go play golf. That's my plan, anyway.

Sorry no pictures, I took my camera but who wants to see phtos of a bunch of idiots eating and drinking and all talking at once.

Meeting an Old Friend for the Very First Time

Guess who showed up at my door today? The divine Miz Debby McQuiltnbee, that's who!!

I showed her around The Manor, showed her my studio and a few of my quilts. She met Jim and Riley (Riley just loved her, wouldn't leave her alone), and she squealed with delight at our "famous" front doors and "famous" barbecue. It was so much fun.

She brought Show 'n Tell. Oh, boy, did she bring show and tell. Look, here she is in my living room. Isn't that cool? Oh wait, she's unzipping something. I wonder what it could be?



It's the Jane Stickle Quilt! OMG, I was in awe. I had tears in my eyes. Even Jim was enamored of the incredible-ness of this amazing work as Debby told the story of how much of her life was sewn into these blocks. Each and every block is awesome, and all hand pieced. Every stitch. She has been working on it for 11 years. WOW! Debby, this blew me away. Everything pales in comparison to this work. I'm getting choked up even now looking at the picture and remembering it. We truly were in the presence of greatness.

I got to touch it. My knees were jello. Here we are together.

Jim said later, "You told me Debby was going to bring a special quilt to share but I had no idea..." He's never seen anything the likes of this. (Me neither.)

We climbed into Bud and tooled up the coast to Shell Beach to a funky little joint I like because you can sit outside and overlook the ocean. It was a stellar day, weatherwise (hey, isn't that a Frank Sinatra song? (Weatherwise, it's such a lovely day...) We chatted on like we had been Best Friends Forever. We do have history through these blogs and forums. Connecting with cyberfriends is so cool!

Debby knows there's not much in the way of quilt shops in my neck o' the woods, but I felt like it was tradition that we should fondle fabric together, so after lunch and a drive through the vineyards, we stopped at The Quilt Attic in the village.


We thought it fitting to have our picture taken with fabric.

Ahh, what a wonderful day. It was special. Debby, I truly enjoyed our time together and I hope you'll come visit us whenever you're missing the cool, green hills of the central coast! Mi casa es su casa!

Weekend Update

Judith and I went to a quilt show in SLO today, called The Seven Sisters because there were seven guilds participating. It was a big show--for this area. But after you've been to Houston, nothing can compare. If Houston is 10, this was a 4. Maybe. More like 3.

Surprisingly, many of the quilts were from kits. There was a Sashiko/Baltimore Album-type quilt that we saw three of. Even the fabrics were the same. We saw a lot of kit quilts. And what were the vendors selling? Right. Kits. And I took issue with the fact that the people who hung the quilts hung like things with like. Which meant that all the GFGs were grouped, all the stack 'n whacks, and those three Sashiko kit quilts I mentioned were hung side by side. Red quilts were in one section, tropical quilts in another, and everything with Asian fabrics hung next to something else with Asian fabrics. Whose idea was that!

I didn't see anything that knocked my socks off except this one piece:

It was the only truly original piece in the show. Here's a closeup:
I really liked the artist's choice of fabrics here. Unexpected. The berries are fabric-covered buttons and the darker shadowy leaf shapes are dark gray tulle, raw-edge, and quilted on. Very nice.

I didn't even fondle any fabric because there were no batiks, and that's all I'm interested in right now. I don't do calico prints or 30s repro. Or brights, or kits, or anything else they were hawking in the vendors booths. Man, am I jaded or what.

We saw obvious knock-offs of Melody Johnson's style. A traveling teacher must have come through the area last year and taught a class on fusing with Mrs. Mel's patterns or (very) similar. There was nothing in my style, although I did see an appliquè piece with poppies. There were only two with machine emboidery--one was trolls (I swear) and the other was script. Flower names, as I recall.

I missed the deadline to enter this show by two days. I didn't find out about it until the deadline had passed. I need to be in a guild so I can stay up on this stuff. Next year I'll enter Poppies.


The party Thursday went beautifully. Everything was perfect. I had my camera nearby, I intended to take pictures of the food, but I was too busy playing host.

I did knock off a couple shots, though. Here's Judith cooking risotto.
When she makes risotto, it's the real deal. She even makes her own broth from scratch. It takes days. I kid you not. It's a labor of love, she says. It's damn good, I say.

This is daunting...
We dirtied 55 glasses. Just about every one we had. And most of 'em need to be hand washed.

We went through 11 bottles of wine (9 people). The lamb and the risotto took longer than expected so we had a break before the main course and the guests got pretty swacked.

Oops, here are two more we didn't quite finish. Thirteen.
Everyone had a marvelous time, and said it was the best one ever. I admit it was pretty good, but I think it was because they were drunk.

Spring Fling

I blew off the gym this morning because I have a lot to do today and besides, I feel like blogging instead. If I get my projects done I'll take Riley for a walk this afternoon (yeah, right).

Speaking of Riley, we went to our bridge lesson Tuesday and somehow he got out. He must have gone out the garage door as we were backing the car out. That in itself is not a problem, he never leaves the yard (he's a very good dog), but he didn't realize we were not inside the house and proceeded to claw the new front doors to shreds trying to get inside. Needless to say, he was a tad freaked out being left outside so long. Well, we have some stain stuff because yours truly has a penchant for marring the wood around here. That and some spray polish made the scratches (pretty much) disappear.

I have been pretty diligent with my diet but I haven't lost any weight for a while. Bummer. I guess my benign sins last weekend did me in. I've been very good about working out and not eating bad carbs. We don't even have them in the house, and at bridge (I played twice this week) I did not eat the crunchy things. I did not eat the cookies--not even a crumb. SO WHERE'S MY REWARD??!!

Speaking of food, tonight is our big dinner party. Spring Fling is the theme. Here is the menu:


I'll do the best I can, but I have a feeling all bets are off, dietwise.

The table is set:


The wine and champagne bucket are ready:


I have been suffering (suffering, I tell you!!) with seasonal allergies this year--have I already mentioned it? Probably, it has consumed me this spring, and it's the first time I have ever experienced this. Ever. Something is blooming out there that gets me in the eyes. It's like chopping onions. Endless piles of onions. It burns, I make floods of tears, and the itching drives me insane. I tried many OTC meds to no avail but I finally found my salvation:

Thank you God! One pill a day and I can live my life without Kleenex. I can even wear eye makeup! Sweet, blessed relief! So if you are having "issues" with the pollen this year, try it.

Oh, and I have only had one migraine in the past two months, and that one was three weeks ago. That is a huge improvement!

Meanwhile, Poppies is slacking off:

When I'm not working on whatever I'm not working on, I loosen the piece so it doesn't stretch...there are no borders on this thing. Yes I paid attention to bias on the edge pieces, but why tempt fate. I'm about halfway through the quilting, but honestly I have been so busy with other things I haven't even gone into the studio in days. By the way, basting the piece to the batt and rolling them together seems to have worked fine. No problems so far and I am rolling back and forth because I am using two different color threads.

I haven't played any golf this week (too busy) but I have joined at the neighboring golf club, Blacklake.

It's just a few miles down the road and much more affordable than my home course. My hope/plan/goal is to play once a week if I can. I really want to get back into golf more. J is even saying he'll go to the practice tees next week with the idea of getting back in the game. This is a huge milestone, so keep your fingers crossed. I'm almost too excited to get my hopes up about this.

If you have managed to suffer through my doggerel so far, I saved the best news for last:

Savannah Erca was born yesterday afternoon. It was a "beautiful, peaceful" birth, according to new mom Michelle. New dad Chris sent photos when the baby was not even an hour old. Isn't she lovely? And isn't technology wonderful? We could see the photos as we talked to them on the phone. Congratulations Michelle & Chris! I am thrilled for you.

Thanks for hanging out with me this morning, I guess I've rambled on long enough.

How Do You Like Your Steak?

Perfectly medium rare? I can do that!

Sorry for the photo quality but I didn't take the picture...actually, it was pitch-dark out there and I was cooking by flashlight, so no wonder the photographer (J) couldn't see what he was doing. I said, "Just point it in this general direction."

Six of us went to the beach for some wine and appetizers. The weather cooperated and it was lovely. Ahhh, we love the beach. I don't know why we don't go more often. (Because it's freakin cold, that's why.) After about an hour and a half the tide started coming in and I had to drive out while there was still enough hard sand to drive on. Big bad Bud is not a 4x4 and it is a sure bet I will get stuck in soft sand.

After the "beach party" we all came to my house where I cooked dinner.

Here's Ellen. It looks like she is getting ready to roast asparagus.


Here's Judith standing next to some lovely cyclamens she brought. Sorry I caught you with your mouth open. I never tell people to pose, and often snap the photo before they know what happened. I like my photos to be spontaneous when possible.


The guys hung out under the patio heaters while I was cooking the steaks. That's J, Bob, and Bill. You've seen these characters before; Bob and Judith are our neighbors and good pals, and Bill and Ellen are our dear friends from Orange County. We go way back. Way. J and El went to college together.

A grand time was had by all.

This week we are hosting the Gourmet Club dinner. That means 10 people for formal sit-down dining with five courses. Needless to say I have a lot to do to get ready. I don't cook the whole meal, just the main course and an appetizer. Everybody else brings a course and serves it, so it's not as scary as it sounds. But I have to plan the menu and set the table and make some tasty little appetizers. It all has to be "gourmet," so I can't just open a can of deviled ham and put it on crackers. Well, I guess I could...

I promise to visit your blogs soon!

I'm Good!

Just popping in to say I've been busy! I'm quilting Poppies, getting ready for houseguests and the fun that will ensue, I'm working out at the gym and playing golf. I guess my focus has shifted from quilting to other pursuits for the moment. There are only so many hours in the day.

I've gotten kind of bored while quilting Poppies, doing the same ol' swoop 'n swirl. It gets the job done, but I really need to develop a wider repertoire of stitch designs to keep it interesting.

Evidently, my interests have shifted away from blogging as well. But just for a while.

J is feeling better, I'm a bit creaky, but with the help of Motrin I'm swinging the clubs as well as I ever have, and Riley hasn't barfed in a long while. So life is good! See you soon!

Love,
Rian

Presto...One Baby Quilt

As if it was that easy~~snap!

Actually, this one was.





We have about 3 more weeks to wait for the little one to make her debut. We're going to visit in late June and I think I'll take the quilt with me. It's so nice when you can give it to them in person.

Just Another WIP Wednesday

Exciting times here on Planet Rian. Not.

I've been trying to finish up a few things around the studio.


I ran out of pink bobbin thread. I swear, if it's not one thing it's another. It would have cost me $10 in gas to go to town to buy more thread, so I got it online for $3 shipping. However, I must wait for delivery. Who knew Godzilla would eat up so much thread! I grouse about pantos, but had I done a panto I would: a) be done by now; b) have bobbin thread left over. Oh well. I'm learning.


This is a Quilt of Valor I quilted with a panto before Godzilla went on the fritz. It is awaiting a binding. I want to finish the other one (peeking out behind the table), the one that Godzilla does NOT like, so I can send them together.


Now THIS is exciting stuff, is it not? I thought you'd like this. (Try to contain yourself.) It is the back fabric for Poppies...


...which is off the design wall and waiting to be quilted. I have basted the top onto the batting around the holes. The backing is merely hanging out here, pressed and waiting to be loaded onto the frame.

After the pink bobbin thread comes...