Rainy day inside and rainy day outside

It is only now, at the end of the day, that I have any energy.  And, the grands are at their cousins...so no excuse at all.  I guess the expectation that every day be brilliant is way off the mark, for me anyway!!

The YMCA has gifted the two younger kids with three afternoons at a water camp.  Thus, the towels yesterday, and today the snack packs.  Thank you to Jennifer at Ellison Lane for linking me to the tute.

I decided to start with the largest size.  I had some laminate scraps that Marie had given me way back and thought that that might be stronger for what I wanted.  This tute was so easy and very functional.  These are the four I made this afternoon

See, the largest size fits, the sip-up, apple, cheese string and Goldfish for their camp snack.  I am filling two and putting them in the fridge for tomorrow...all ready for my sister to grab when she drives them to camp.

The smaller sizes should be cuter and perfect for just the Goldfish, etc..I will make them out of novelty fabric and the ripstop.

Today's accomplishment:  Getting up, getting kids ready to go to cousins' house, going back to bed, sleeping forever, heating up lunch someone else made, for the two of us, doing some laundry, and making these...a very, very poor showing...but..tomorrow is another day ...TBTG..Taking my man to the doctor.

Today's Good Stuff..

Look what adorable handmade ornament graces my tree today!!!  A sewing machine from Beth in Houston...How cute is this and what a perfect way to spread the joy.  Thank you Beth.  Thank u mucho!!

Good friends took the grands out today...again...more friends and more free time.  It gave me the space to meet my sister and friends for her birthday lunch.  And it gave me time to make swimming towels for the youngest two grandchildren.

  Pre-printed letters from Hancocks of Paducah made it a piece of cake.  I did a bit of Wonder Under, some machine applique and some free-motion quilting for security.  The few days swimming camp next week is for 3 to 5 year olds.  That leaves the 8 year old out.  I am going to make him a towel anyway and I gave him the choice of yellow or green.  Oh, no..he is upstairs in his bed pouting because he cannot have the color I chose for his brother.....Lordy, In my old age I did forget about the jealousy.. 

Happy Things

An upcycled present from Rhonda...tea towels from her sister-in-law's old curtains.

 My grandchildren making gingerbread houses from IKEA gingerbread house stuff that I had frozen..  I see some candy is missing......

 My birthday fat quarters....My birthday was on the 17 of December....my sister's bday is tomorrow...My mother had this thing about March I think...We are 11 years and 11 days apart....Our group gives two fat quarters to the bday pot...so much fun.

Meeting my mother at Walmart...she was coming on an outing from Sunrise Assisted Living where she lives, and I was just dropping by for an errand...I surprised her and we had a great gossipy chat...I just loved it and so did she.

Friends who are taking our grandchildren on outings..every single day of Christmas break...and friends who are bringing dinner so I do not have to cook between crying jags....So wonderful...

And a little Blue Moon:)

Rowing against the tide

  The new life, the new tree, the new normal...This tree has spawned some interesting decorations...I spy four different paper airplanes that I have never seen before...my guess is that they sailed up there while I was sleeping.

And, what is a Ty stuffed animal doing on this tree????

Jean, you did an awesome job at putting the names on these stockings for the grands...Thank you sooo much

 With the kids off to a movie with friends...I got a chance to sew together some random blocks...sigh!

 Beth brought Christmas dinner tonight...I love you Beth....We ate this part early. 

And so it goes...the love of friends makes the going a bit easier.  Ken said tonight that with our group, if one member cannot row, then the rest just row harder.  That is so nice.

Hanging on a thread....

Woe is me...It started like this...I made my own birthday cake.  It collapsed!  I lost my touch somewhere along the way.

  I think it reflected how I felt...Oh, my...such a birthday start.. 

The children all voted to eat it anyway...lol...

 It ended like this!!  How could any one be glum with this group..all smiling for my birthday.  And believe me, at my age, it took the village to blow out the candles.

Mr. O'Quilts always does the fabric ball for my birthday...you know with a dear piece in the middle wrapped with string and another piece around that and around that, etc.  When I asked my grandson how he thought that Mr. O'Quilts knew that I liked fabric..
.His answer......."Well, Grandma, he knows that you have a shop!"
Ha ha ha ha ha Evan...!!!! U r hilarious...
 With the children now living with me, my failed Modge Podge project was definitely over.  But, my mind clicking away, came up with these instead.  Lucky me already had the bag of ground walnut shells from the pet store, in the garage.  And, lucky me already had tons of "made fabric from scraps"...
So, a few happy hours in my sewing room created some improvisational pincushions.  These fit the bill for my friends at the quilt group Christmas party. 

 These garden gloves from Lowes were presents too...A double winner for either the free motion quilter or for the gardener.

Irish twins live with me now...a year apart, with their big brother, two cats, one dog and my dear man.  Believe me this old lady needs a nap every single day...

A huge huge huge thank you to all my friends for bringing food and fun and love.  Beth, the coolers out front are a brilliant idea.   With Mr.O still downstairs in the hospital bed and the three little ones upstairs snug as a bug in a rug...I feel so surrounded by love and caring.  Thank you dear friends for doing the Santa stuff and being on call for when the thread breaks...xxoo

Happiness is....

Oh, Cousin Ann...if you only knew how happy you made me when this little number arrived in the mail...all the way from London.... came joy.....the gift of a bag, but best of all, the gift of you quilting.. Thank you!!!!  I love both:)

 Tonight was the first night in my sewing room in the 11 days I have had guardianship of my grands.  I had so much fun messing with my scraps..Mr. O"Quilts is getting better from his ordeal of the lungs filled with blood clots and the day today, was a good one.  There is so much to be thankful for.

Beth...thanks for the heads up .......

The Great British Sewing Bee Christmas special

I will miss it, but sure hope to catch it on U-tube!!  Let me know when it goes there...I just loved that program.

The Wannabee Wise Grandmother

The wannabee wise grandmother...not owls, but cats!!! of course...

 Thursday was the day....The day the poop hit the fan and I became legal guardian of my three grandchildren.  My son and his wife were having way too much fun partying...

Friday Mr. O'quilts came home in his hospital bed to our new reality.  His body is healing so slowly from all those blood clots in both lungs...His left leg no longer works at all.  He is fatigued, he is giving himself shots in the stomach...I hate it.  

Now, among Home Health nurses comes Head Start attendance, cooking for five and adjustments of all kinds.  Calls came from dear ol' Ma giving me motherly advice.

I was so scared that I would never see my sewing room again, when my girl announced that she was coming back to Charlotte, for now, to help with the crisis...I love you my Dear Daughter...You are the best!!!!.  

Meantime, I am grateful that Mr.O'Quilts is home...I love you too...In fact, I think I love all of you today.  Thank you God for such wonderful friends and family...sister that is you, for sure
..I am old and tired, but oh, sooo lucky.

Today, another new beginning..She was so excited....the first day of Head Start!!

A new day dawning...

The best news ever is that my husband has turned the corner and can talk and breathe a bit better now.  He still is very sick and will be on Coumadin forever, but I am so grateful.  There was a blood clot on his left leg from the hip to the knee.  Pieces broke off and headed right to his lungs.  We are very lucky.

AND, to top it all off.....

Just look what I found on my porch this afternoon after my hospital visit.  I have never had a wreath so nice.  It was hooked onto a cooler with Honey Baked Ham and sides and cookies and love and more love.  I just cannot believe that we are the recipient of Joan's grace like this.  The cluster of bells are to celebrate Mr.O'Quilts brand new day!

Charlie Brown

A welcome to our new normal and our new tradition....$39 Charlie Brown tree from Walmart...

6 foot tall..and pre-lit...

An 8 year old and I put it up in 5 minutes. 

 Just maybe I will get used to it instead of being sad.  Maybe decorations will cheer it up....  I will not need to worry about watering it.... and, it is certainly funky and different....I keep trying to remember that "happy" is a choice and not a goal...

Tonight they found more blood clots in my husband's left leg.

Thanks to all for all your much needed support and comments.