Welcome to My Crazy Life

I feel as if I'm in one of those periods in my life where absolutely nothing is getting accomplished.

Some of this has to do with an inch-and-a-half slash on my left index finger.  Never have two glasses of wine while you're rotary cutting,  That's all I have to say about that.

Life has just been so busy.  I'm at the point where I honestly thought my life would be a little slower, a little easier.  My children are grown and both are pretty much responsible adults most days.  But my real job never misses a beat and I have too many quilt projects going on.  I really need to simplify.

Would someone please tell my how to do that?

Anyway, I did go to the AQS show in Charlotte last weekend.  It was nice getting away with my quilting best friends, but after the Holy Grail of Quilt Shows (Paducah), it seemed really, really small.  I spent the least there I've ever spent at a show -- less than $100, but came away with some really cool focus fabric, patterns, half-square triangle paper, and some new marking pencils for dark fabric and wool.  So a good time was had by all.

I have gotten three more blocks done for Dear Jane.  There for a while, she and I weren't on speaking terms.  Not because I'm tired of her, it is just that it has been something every.   Single. Weekend.  In.  July.  I've had a family wedding, I've covered at a quilt shop, and I snuck away for a weekend at the beach.  The hubs and I haven't been anywhere this summer, so when the Son and my future Daughter-In-Law extended an invitation to go with them, we jumped at it.  Found a really nice little dive called the Fat Pelican, but what happens at the Fat Pelican stays at the Fat Pelican.  Let's just say in my future, I would like to own the Fat Pelican.  It's not just a dive bar, it's a state of mind.  Think Alice in Wonderland's Rabbit Hole at the beach and yeah...you've just about got it.

I have had a chance to work on At Piece with Time.  I'm almost ashamed to say that I'm still working on the applique on The Rambler block. The first time I appliqued the leaves behind the Forget-Me-Not, I cut them too short.  It was a complete rookie mistake.  When you're working on this, make sure the leaves extend all the way down into the petals.  If you don't, your background will show through.

But the main thing that has thrown in a monkey wrench into everything was my roof.  The first round of heavy summer rain we had told us the back story behind the sleet, hail, and ice storms we had this winter.  Our roof was pretty much a sieve.  That first heavy rain -- well, my fireplace looked like a water feature. 

Definitely needed a new roof.

So we went with a contractor who was doing some work in our area.  We upgraded to architectural shingles and decided to replace all the skylights.  Except the one in the dining room.  We were going to patch that over and put in a light.  So the hubs, working in the demo and environmental field for years and knowing the OSHA regs by heart, went up on the roof and marked the skylights.

And all was well in our world until the rains came again.  Luckily, the new skylights were in, but there was a hole in the ceiling of the dining room.  So the roof guys threw a tarp over it and it worked.

Until the next morning when the roofers forgot about the hole and one of them fell through it.

He. Is. Fine.

Got up and walked away from it because...

My dining room table broke his fall....

I'm glad he's okay.  I'm glad my hutch wasn't smashed, because while I have nothing in it monetarily valuable, I have priceless family keepsakes, my teaching awards, and items students have made or gifts they have given that can never be replaced. 

The down side to this is that the table is a Thomasville Cassandra and it's not made any more.  There is one in stock at a furniture place in New Mexico.  One.  In New Mexico....

And I live in High Point, the Furniture Capital of The World.  Something is wrong with this picture.

Any home improvement is like dominoes.  You start one something and then the next something falls.  So because there were leaks, we have to have the ceilings patched and painted.

So why not just paint some rooms, too?

Especially this room...

This room used to be the kids' rec room when they both were home.  When my daughter moved into campus housing and then her own place, it became my son's bedroom.  When he moved out, it transitioned into the Man Cave for the hubs, as did one of our out buildings.

So I finally put my size seven-and-a-half foot down and demanded equal time for a sewing studio.  I'm literally working in the smallest room in the house.  It is the former nursery.  So, I claimed the former rec-bedroom-man cave as mine.  Stuck my Quilt Flag in the floor and titled the territory as Sherri's. 

Two years ago.

There has been every excuse in the book for not making this happen.  But by-golly-gee-Pete, it's happening now. 

I will keep you updated as it happens.  I'm not expecting overnight miracles, but I want to be in it by my birthday in November.

Now, just a heads up as we're hurdling towards the middle of August (and how did that happen so fast?).  My son is getting married over Labor Day weekend and it is a destination wedding.  I probably will not have time to post that week prior.  Lots to do...and we have to get there and get things set up. 

My baby's getting married....Can't wrap my mind around it yet.