UFOs

Earlier this fall everything had to come out of my sewing room while we replaced the floors. I took that as an opportunity to clean and sort. I like the layout of the room a lot better, but I didn't get rid of enough stuff so that everything has its spot. That's why you see a lot of things sitting in the floor - there's nowhere else for it to go!

Far left: my quilting/sewing machine, cutting table (piled with stuff and batting, backings, and one tub of fabric stored underneath), the white container holds sewing notions and quilts of valor fabric and patterns, china cabinet with completed quilts, projects in process shelving.  Not show is 2nd shelving, my serger, and a  HUGE wooden storage cabinet. Maybe in a few months I'll have 360 pictures of a cleaner room! Maybe.

This is project pile #2. All the containers inside the cubbies have been started  to the point pieces have been cut out or actual piecing has begun. The storage containers on top of the shelves are pieces sorted by color for a large project and pieces cut according to size.  The basket and bucket contain patterns and the pile in the front is fabric that I pulled out of the closet in search of something and decided not to put it back in. My goal is that it will be used up by the end of the year. :)

Project pile #1 is much neater and smaller. It's under the ironing board I made earlier this year. The projects on the bottom shelf are quilt tops closest to completion. The top shelf is an assortment of projects like pile #1. I quit counting the number of started projects I found when I begin putting things back in the room. It was simply too startling. The cardboard box is remnants from costume fabrics that I've not decided what to do with just yet.

There's also 10 quilt tops hanging in the closet waiting to be quilted. My goal for this year is that anything hanging up in January will be either in the storage closet or gifted by December. My unrealistic goal is that my project piles will be hanging in the closet (if not already quilted) by then as well, with a more reasonable amount of started projects in their place (meaning some emptied fabric containers).

Several years ago a group of us bloggers had project goals that we made the beginning of every month. At the end of the year I found I had accomplished quite a few things (and had some things not finished but a good dent put in them as well), but I also found it was a bit of stress having a public deadline hanging over my head for something that was not essential.

But I'm hoping that by writing everything down for me to see and remember, I'll also focus on smaller tasks and finishing things I start instead of literally running around like a chicken with its head pulled off. (If you've never seen that, they truly flop about all over the place, in every direction, the most spastic of ways.)

I'm glad 2019 is over. And I'm hoping to be just a tad bit organized for 2020. :)

the heron

While this isn't what I often refer to as the "Big bird" or the "Grandpa Heron", it it as tall as the geese. (Can you tell who got a camera with a zoom lens for Christmas?)

I didn't have time to change to action shots to get it diving for the fish.

Christmas 2019

Sunday afternoon, Dec 22 - Late afternoon Bobby came home from his Mom's with a fever. We were thinking kidney stone, and I started mentally preparing myself for Christmas at Rex Hospital.

Two hours later, I crawl in the bed beside him with the realization this is no kidney stone we're facing. 10 hours later, after me being up every single hour, he's no longer physically sick but is still running a fever. Thankfully it's the only time in our marriage we've both been sick at the same time. Being a care giver and that ill simply does not work.  I spend over half of my birthday between the bathroom and the couch, but fever free. About 4pm I finally feel well and  his temp is almost gone. I start packing, though we're still on the fence about going anywhere.

Christmas Eve we travel...no fever and illness for either one of us. Before departing, I realize the septic tank is overflowing. En route to AL I get a phone call from the credit union asking about purchases made on our credit card...which we didn't make. 

Christmas Day...queasy all day, but a low key day with family. Much needed.

26th - we all sleep in. My sisters and I continue the 2,000 piece puzzle that my sisters started on Christmas Eve. It's way harder than it looks. My older sister and brother-in-law finish it during supper that evening.

27th - Mom and Dad's 57th wedding anniversary. We all gather at Jean's on the River for supper. It was a neat experience.

28th - We make the 10 hr trek back home.

It was a good trip and a great time with family. And it's the first time I ever remembering not sampling all the Christmas goodies. Hoping Tuesday is low key and a day to rest before the craziness of life picks back up again.

trip one down

A few weeks ago Mom's cardiologist told her he would like to schedule an arteriogram. Her nuclear stress test showed some new irregularities that he was concerned about.

I know that arteriograms are routine procedures. But routine heart procedures, like any other physical procedure, can always go wrong. And with Mom's health status, it wasn't something I felt comfortable staying home during when we could be there with a few minor inconveniences.

So we shifted our schedules as much as we could. My mother-in-law had an appointment that couldn't be rescheduled Tuesday morning, so we left about 12:30 Tuesday afternoon. We made it to Irondale, AL about 9:30pm Alabama time (10:30 NC time) where stayed in a hotel. With Bobby's disability, bedtime is never as simple as simply crawling in the bed. It was about 11:45 before I turned off the last lamp. Our alarm went off at 4:30am, and by 6:10am we were on our way to the hospital in downtown Birmingham. We got there in time to see Mom and visit a little before her procedure.

Even though my brother had planned to come, he got called in to work. My niece had a final exam, so my sister had to wait for her to be finished (around 10am) before she could come. I was very glad we went so Dad didn't have to be in the waiting room alone. People often forget that preachers need a comforting word during trying times, too. As time drug on and other family members of people having the same procedures came and went, we knew Mom was either having stints inserted into her arteries or they had experienced complications. Dad was getting very concerned.

Finally the doctor showed up. There was a blockage in one of the arteries and it was successfully stinted. The congestive heart failure had improved, as had the pressure between the chambers. Her leaking valve has not worsened. The bad but to be expected news was the he feels this blockage was caused by her lupus and the chronic inflammation. The best outcome was before she left the hospital the next day he gave her the names of two different pulmonary cardiologists (she's had a next to impossible time getting the required appointments with the one she has) AND both of them are in the county where they live!! So that is certainly one answer to prayer.

I wasn't able to get everything done for my parents that I had hoped or planned, but I was able to get a few things done. And my younger sister (who is a teacher) is now out of school, so she's been a great help to Mom today. My older sister will be arriving there on Monday, so between the two of them I think they'll be able to keep Mom in check and help her with the things that need to be done. I think this will be a very different Christmas for us, though a good one.

I'm so thankful for a husband who is willing to drive 20+ hours in four days and help me see about the multitude of things that need to be done.

excitement

Guess what came in the mail today?!!!

still in progress

Last month one of the local quilt shops I frequent (Bernina World of Sewing) had a demo class on their sergers.  Of course, it was leading into their Christmas sale, but one of the perks of taking the class was a few feet for free. I was thinking I wanted to purchase one of the cheaper models, but after trying out the machine and seeing what it could do and then playing on the other models, I decided paying the extra money would be worth it. But would I use it enough to justify the purchase?

Even though I've spent a fair amount of time at the Bernina store, I've never owned a Bernina before.

What amazed me was how well everything was packaged. I mean, the contents of these boxes all fit into the little clear bin next to the iron (which was part of the package deal). There was only one food that wouldn't fit that has stayed in its box.

 

I was able to purchase the thread for it at JoAnns during their week of Black Friday sales, but I've not had time to read through the manual and refresh my mind on everything I learned in class. Hopefully next week I'll get the machine threaded and finish the pillowcases for the SouthernWake Quilter's Guild president's challenge. (I'll have to explain that mouthful another time!)

So I'm branching out. One of the skills I hope to master next year is my serger...specifically hems on pants!