Vacation and Disappointment.

I've been on vacation this week, which has been lovely, but I'm not sure I'm a good vacationer.  I love the idea of vacation, but I never seem to enjoy it as much as other people seem to, and I just end up anxious to get back to my regular routine.  That being said (which is a horrible phrase really, and one of my pet peeves), this week has definitely been relaxing.  Mostly I did nothing, a lot of reading, some puttering around my house (my favorite), swimming, sleeping, watching movies, and I visited my sister at her resort near Disney and lounged in the lazy river pool all day.  I'm sun-kissed and happy.  So I guess it was a good vaca. 

I've been thinking a lot about disappointment this week as well.  Kaleigh did something (which I won't go into, but let's just say it's nothing I haven't done in my misspent youth), and I was feeling so disappointed in her and in her idea of appropriate choices that I responded harshly to the situation.  Then my mom called and told me that she has cancer again--this time in her throat.  We knew she was having a biopsy and that she had colon cancer a year ago, and this is not good news.  Suddenly, disappointment meant something different.  What was I so angry with Kaleigh about?  Making mistakes?  Not understanding the consequences of certain actions?  Choosing to take a risk while she is at home and able to get support if necessary?  Isn't that what being seventeen is about?  What is wrong with me?  So I called off her grounding, asked her what she learned, and changed my own attitude.  Growing up is hard (for me).  Sigh.

I'm working on blocks for my new granddaughter's baby quilt--it's gorgeous if I do say so myself.  Brightly colored bow-ties laid out in a love ring pattern.  Picture below.  I'm kind of thinking hand quilting, but I may change my mind.  It just makes me happy to work on the blocks.  I'm taking my time, without pressure of time quilting is such a pleasure to me.  It's been a long time since I worked without the pressure of time, or without money all tied up in it, and I'm really enjoying it.  A few blocks every couple of days and I smile the whole time. 

I have to run some errands today, and I'm dropping K. off at a friend's to spend the night, so I'm free tonight too, I think I will finish quilting the class quilt and get the binding on tonight.  I will surely be glad to get that finished. 

Enough for today, maybe I will write a little about my garden tomorrow. 

I know I haven't blogged in awhile, I've been sick and also, I've never seen any sense in writing just to put words down.  I like to have something to say (NOT necessarily something important). 

Over the last couple of weeks, some things have been going on that are not really earth shattering, but are life-shifting at the least.  Will get to those in a minute.  I'm feeling a little better today after a nasty bout with the flu, it really knocked me off my feet.  I'm still really weak but I feel worlds better. 

My mom called last week when I was sick and asked me if I wanted to go see Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks in August for my birthday--I actually thought I was delirious until last night when she called and said she got the tickets.  I do love me some Rod Stewart, and Stevie Nicks. . . well, do I even need to say it?  She has the right mix of hippie and cool.  My mom kind of rocks.  And when I was seventeen, my life plan was to quit school, go on the road and marry Rod Stewart--I still think it could happen.  Maybe this summer is my opportunity.

The sale of my quilting machine almost fell through, but it looks like it's going to happen after all.  This has almost been too much of an up and down emotional roller coaster for me.  Anyway, things are looking good. 

The other thing is more of an attitude shift (not sure that's the right word), but I've thought since my divorce--no, really it was earlier than that--that I would not get married again.  I really have felt that it's not for me, and it was just not something I would ever do again.  This is even to the point of not being open to the possibility at all.  I just felt like I could never trust another person that way again after what happened.  Well, I find myself being a little more open to the idea again.  This is pretty much out of the blue as I am not seeing anybody at this time or anything like that, but the idea isn't making me nauseated.  That's definite improvement. 

I forgot to write about the results of my dryer-less month.  I went the entire billing month of January without using my dryer for any laundry--I hung everything up, which was a little inconvenient, but not nearly as much as you would think.  So at the end of the month, I compared the bill with last January's bill and the year before that, and I saved over $70.  Some of that may be due to the mild winter, the heat wasn't on much at all this year, but I really feel that at least $60 of that was due to not using the dryer.  So, I have gone back to a modified dryer usage, with the idea that if I decide I need to cut back, that is do-able.  I only dry towels, sheets and things I need quickly.  (I know, not exactly an earth-friendly attitude, but I'm human!)

So, it looks like this weekend I will be preparing my machine for it's trip across country.  And cashing my huge check.

This Week in Review. . .

I am just plain worn out this week.  I decided to take the weekend off and just stay home and do very little this weekend, and it was exactly what I needed.  I like my routine and this week has been one change after the next, no going home on time from work, no consistent days, and different workshops for me and my assistant every day so we've both been in and out of the classroom.  Anyway, this weekend has been good for me.  Kaleigh and I mostly stayed home (we did make one trip to the craft store for batting for my class quilt) and we cooked together, watched a few movies, and rested a lot.  It was nice.  This week should be a lot easier. 

I finally remebered to take a picture of the homemade detergent that I make.  This batch is pink, but if I use Fels Naptha soap it's yellow.  I love the pink-ness of this batch though.

Isn't it pretty?



We planted our veggies and herbs this week, and they are looking happy in their raised beds.  Pictures to come when the plants fill out a little bit. 

I really need to get my hiney off of Pinterest and do some projects.  I found a really cool one using the bottom of plastic water bottles cut into the shape of flowers, and hung from string, and I think I'm going to try that .  I have a couple of flowers cut out, but not enough for anything yet. 

I have chicken marinating and my sister and her kids are coming for dinner.  I love when they come here for dinner--it seems so homey and busy.  I am missing my own kids and grandkids and having the house full helps a little.  Plus, my sister is a fabulous cook.  That doesn't hurt either.

My lesson plan is done for this week, and I've added some really cool art projects for this week.  We are going to drip food coloring onto paper towels for some art for the art show.  I experimented with this today (picture below) and was really happy with the results.  I think the kids will love it.  Although they will find some way to do something different and amaze me, I'm sure. 

I'm going to go to bed early tonight and do some reading.  I haven't been reading much for pleasure and I'm missing it.  I've felt too busy, but I'm realizing that the times that I feel too busy to do what I love is when I REALLY need to do what I love.  Like quilting and reading.  I always feel calm and zen when I've made time to do those things.  This weekend I put together my class quilt and it looks really good.  I might pin baste it tonight or maybe even throw it on the machine to get it done quickly before it gets picked up.  That sounds good.  I really enjoyed working on that quilt.  Picture below.  It's not finished yet, but it will be soon.



Have a lovely Sunday evening.