O'Quilts

Saturday, March 29, 2014

So Come Again Another Day......

The visitors left. But....They booked a flight back in June...How about that. How awesome is that...so we do not feel alone and do not feel like it is goodbye forever.

Awesome is the key word.

The visit was a great success in many ways. Geraldine bought the kids books...

Well..Dear Evan who hates to read has almost finished the book she bought whilst sipping tea..the Irish way :) Geraldine knows math too and Declan fixes screens and handles household spiders..

A big thanks to both of you.....now safely back home in Dublin.

Quilting night...deciding to just finish off bottles of gift wine, etc....gotta recycle, you know...

Muggs got carried away at the store with bday cakes!! No one complained!!

Cleaning day...all hands on board. Someone.... is the only one small enough to get into the bottom freezer to clean out the ice...you go girl.

A race with the dog..~~better these two than me~~..How much fun!!!!

...

Non stop nerve racking construction. No wonder there is no quilting post.

Now all the downstairs doors are wheelchair accessible.

Sometimes it is just too much.

Mr. O'Quilts has now ordered a trapeze for his hospital bed so he can get up and turn over.

Random cheer...Molas...What to do with all of these that I got in Panama years and years ago...I just had to throw this one in...

And then there is this cool power cord covers tute..I put it in my Evernote files for future reference when things calm down...when things calm down...when things calm down...

I am out of chocolate.

Good night.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Who Would Have Known......

The good life!! First of all...Sew EZ Designs is having a close-out sale...again..!!! Her 40wt and 50 wt Aurifil thread is $7 a spool plus 10% off and $6 shipping for a UPS envelope holding 30 spools...Going together with friends to fill it up makes the best sense. Check it out...My heart!!

Then...my wonderful pool peeps gave me an awesome gift cert...They said to buy a little something for myself...hmmm...Just happened to be at IKEA and found this wonderful batik..a package for $19. It is FIVE yards worth...sigh...it made my day! Blood pressure still rises looking at its beauty.

Visitors here...who would have known...Auntie Geraldine from Dublin is a whiz with kids...Sigh!!!! A HUGE help. She did the reading, the baths, the walks to the river, the homework...I am so very grateful.

Uncle Declan came with her...ha! Here the brothers...Mr. O'Quilts and himself supervise Brian organizing and cleaning our garage...lucky Brian!!

A lovely sunny day with Carolina blue...perfect for a picnic.

And so it goes...family and friends continue to gather round helping in every single way.!!! So blessed here.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Happy St. Paddy's Day

All ready to celebrate at school...I came with them and read "Shamrock Sean"...Thank you Aunt Maura for bringing the cool book

So much fun on St. Paddy's Day

And then, how hilarious are these???

An ALS friend died today. It was two years after diagnosis...This is pretty hard...gotta get the energy somehow to get involved into a project!!!! Get going Diane...

Friday, March 14, 2014

The Phoenix

So....It was not quite a nervous breakdown...rather a breakdown of other sorts. My back went out.! My body said STOP and in to the bed I went...twice!!!

My EXD and my USB and my VGA all broke...forever ...it seemed.

Really, I do not know which was worse...
But, lucky me has a genius of a daughter and her genius boyfriend..tonight my computer and I are back..

TBTG for my sanity and..my blogging therapy..

Below we have my dear man relaxing in the lovely Charlotte weather after an amazing fundraiser for himself. 250 people came out to hear the Irish band and support Mr.O'Quilts. He was able to play the piano in his wheelchair and enjoy the night. It was the best all around!!!

Mr.O'Quilts is totally downstairs now. My daughter and her man moved his whole office into his downstairs room..which is why my computer moved here...Idea thanks to Sherry!!! Thank you Sherry.

Thank you Terri for the cute Valentine's heart.

Thank you Ellen for all the wonderful goodies to make my broken heart sing. Can you believe it...the adorable pincushion alone would have put me over the moon.

You notice the chocolate...( between you and me...there were also M&M's)....gone..I do not know where!!!! Do not ask ...please!!.

And the greatest of these is love...given to me by my girl Emily...my very favorite flower.

With gratitude, I am back.

Friday, February 14, 2014

The New Normal

Fitting it all in...our new normal.

This was my office for 20 years...Now, it is Mr. O'Quilts bedroom, a playroom and ...in spite of it all...my design wall!!!!

This has been a very tough day.

The minute quiet came...around 9 ish...I went looking for an old project to get into.

I found these unfinished pinwheel blocks. I think some might be missing, but I do not care. I am carving out part of the room for myself.

I think it might be the new family room!

See the wooden carved table that I got in Morocco for a carton of cigarettes and a kiss on the cheek. I lugged it all the way home on the airplane. Of course that was in the day when I was kissable on the cheek..ha ha... And the vintage doll house I got at Andy's sale for a song.

Lynsey loves it..and actually I find the boys trucks in there too.

Trying to get a grip here.

Since my daughter cleaned out my computer, I cannot send thank you emails for comments...Just know that I love you all and will see what she can do to help me during a lull in the storm..

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Hello There Mr. Sun....

Day two of the snow in Charlotte. Mr. O'Quilt's family from Ireland is bound and determined to visit him for day two. No wimps in this family. The taxi dropped them off at the top of the driveway and they had to walk to the door.

It was not enough for them to suffer the storm...We had to put them to work as well...

Because it took the taxi 45 minutes to get out of my neighborhood after dropping them off this morning...saying good bye meant driving them up the street so they could walk up the hill to his taxi. All worth the effort of love!!!

The kids are home now and in bed. I am working on an exchange block for the Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild. Isn't this an adorable fabric. I now have 6 blocks done out of 13.

My daughter is all over me to get rid of stuff. I agree, but now really, her ideas of what to get rid of, and my ideas are very different.

I found these incense holders from my trips to India in my hippy days...She was not impressed, but I love them so.

My friend Judy gave me this cat purse about 35 years ago. I just love looking at it. How could I possibly part with such things???????

And, so it goes. The snow event in Charlotte is almost over. This afternoon we had Carolina Blue skies and 46 degrees. It will freeze tonight again making ice, but will be 46 again tomorrow. Sounds pretty nice for melting. Lucky us..

Ramblings from the South!!....

FYI Charlotte, North Carolina is in the South....!! The South...and we are now snowed in. They have called out the National Guard.

We thought we were ready...but the firewood man sold us new wood which will not burn.

The screened in porch????

Knock on wood, the ice storm is coming on top of the snow. We are sort of ready...grateful for our electricity..for now..

My husband's five relatives were set on a three day visit to see him. From Ireland to Tampa to see one brother, they arrived yesterday in the middle of the snowstorm...one of the few flights into Charlotte. Driving to the hotel was so frightening, that they just could not venture out again. So close, and yet so far. TBTG the hotel suggested its favorite van taxi service and TBTG he was brave and strong and true. Navigating the storm, he not only got them here for a visit, but came back to get them. Joy! More snow today keeps them at the hotel. I, of course have my priorities right....so excited with my presents..Irish dish towels...

....and fat quarter treats....:)

The new handicap bathroom is almost complete.

New chair lift for $3000....but oh, so worth it.

The children went off with the best of the best to play in the snow with their kids...Life is good.

Dishes done, laundry done, Irish soda bread baked....all cozy so far, snowed in in Charlotte.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

The Thrill of it all....

As Beth noted for herself, the thrill is back. For me, it is back, but in a vicarious position. Sewing is happening in my sewing room, it is just not by me.

Ruth came to visit this weekend.

She and my girl did what for 13 years, we have affectionately called a Ruth-a-thon.

Just look what they accomplished in the weekend....in between Target, music and eating out...I see bibs, crayon roll-ups, clutches, notebook cover, and zippy purses...Amazing fun at my house this weekend.

Tired of having potholders hiding my stuff...we tried something new...Well, for now...as Granddaddy might decide to come thru the door with his walker ...and ...then there would be a great fall....We will see...

Life can be such a celebration. This fun weekend is a great reminder.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The potholder obsession

A coordinator from my mother's assisted living just called. The place is quarantined due to Norovirus. I cannot visit..no one can visit...Praying that she does not get it....
Meantime.I am obsessing about what I can do something about...Potholders!!!!