It has been raining for DAYS, 11 so far. I feel like I should have built my ark by now. Today it is “dry” as promised by the weather folks, but until about 3pm it was still quite cold and gray. Now the sun is finally beginning to show itself, and the cats are venturing outside.
Here are the girls one recent rainy day. Hannah is on Sydney’s sleeping bag, and Sydney’s trying out the pizza box that contains quilt parts.
Party
Tammy’s 50th birthday party was Saturday night, a sit-down dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant. Wayne did all the planning, and it was a complete surprise, even though there were 26 of us! It was difficult for Paul and me not to talk about it the last few days, and to get her to the restaurant without suspicion. It was great fun, with Tammy’s Pilates teachers, the folks she runs with and has breakfast with every Saturday, seven of her quilt shop employees, family members (including Adine and Neil), and a scattering of neighbors whose dogs are best friends with her dogs. I was brave and went around to say "Hi" to everyone, even those I didn’t know. Others got there as early as 6:30, we arrived at 7pm, and we didn’t leave the restaurant until about 9:45. A long, happy night. [Sydney missed us: it was a 4-sock night.]
Here are two pictures from the party (that Rich took), when we first walked in and the others all surprised Tammy, and with Tammy opening gifts while we ate dessert.
As his present to her, Paul spent weeks making a video for Tammy. He found a home movie or still photo for almost every one of her 50 years. He added soundtracks of Tammy when she was about 3 and of her grandpa singing and plucking his guitar. He did a fabulous job with the composition, and added a short video of himself at the end, in his orange sweatshirt.
Quilt and Pillowcases
Last week I made an "emergency quilt" for Paul’s grand-niece Alli in Pocatello. [I didn't know I could find a pattern, buy fabric, and have a quilt completely made in 6 days!]. Alli underwent surgery to correct a problem with a one-way kidney valve. I also made a pillowcase to match Alli’s quilt, and made a pillowcase for her 2-year-old sister, because I think she’s just old enough to get jealous if her sister gets all the presents.
For the quilt top I used the “Take Two” pattern from the charity quilts I do for the guild. For Alli’s taste, I chose a focal fabric of large dogs, and a blue print for the second fabric. For the quilt back, I threw out all color sense and bought this “screamin’ green” fabric. I’m hoping Alli will be as amused by it as I was: the dogs are wearing footwear, like cowboy boots, roller skates and ballet slippers. Here are the top, the back fabric, and the finished pillowcases.
Paul found a small box for me to ship the quilt and pillowcases in. We had to make sure that everything fit in the box:
Knitting
Part of my last order of yarn came in, so I knitted up two more helmet-liners. I mailed in 4 finished ones the same day Patternworks announced an extension to their program. They said the helmet-liner program was such a big success they decided to extend it another month and a half. The cynic in me says they extended it because that’s how long it will take for their back orders to be filled! I’m still short one ball.
I also knit a blue & purple scarf with purple eyelash. Debbie seemed to like the yarn, so I just whipped this out for her! She has asked for a knit hat with ear flaps for later this year — that will take more thought.
Here’s one last picture of Braxton in his Christmas hat:
And one last picture of the girls, helping me fold the laundry one rainy day. (Hannah’s working on the white T-shirt).
