Ice Ice Baby...........

Okay so I know everything we get in the Houston area is nothing compared to Atlanta or say any other state further north but it is what it is. Pamela was to come home last Friday morning but her Dad called her and said when you finish your shift Thursday night come home so you can avoid the ice expected. She didn't get off until about 7:30pm but she loaded up her car and pup and headed home in the rain.  At 4:49 am last Friday I got the call the schools and facilities closed ice and bad road conditions. You see Texans don't get the same practice on icy roads as the area north of Texas. Well Dallas gets at least one or two practices a year. By the time 9:30am rolled around on Friday the roads were clear but our fence was still covered in ice so Pamela was able to make it to her doctors appointment. I was glad to have the day off so I could spend it with her even if included running errands and me buying her lunch. I had hoped to get a little bit of sewing done but that didn't happen. 
Saturday was grocery shopping and delivery of the Welcome Baskets to our new neighbors. Posted a picture of the basket in my last post. Sunday Pamela came home from the bachlorette party just in time to hear over to my friend Carol's so Pamela could deliver some items she wanted embroidered. 
Carol is one of my friends who is very talented. She quilts, she sews clothes, purses whatever, embroiders, makes embroidered patches, and she crochets.
Aren't these hood towels adorable. She makes all kinds. Turtles, monkeys, lions oh my. Click Carol June and it will take you to her website. Check out just how talented she is. 

Pam and I buy a lot of these cute little baby booties from Carol. Usually they're maroon and white. You know Aggie colors. Carol makes them any color you want. Even burnt orange and white. ;o)

Oh and did I mention that Sunday was beautiful and warm then here comes Monday temps go down and the news is predicting rain possible sleet and maybe a few snow flakes. Here we go again. They say "If you don't like the weather give it an hour". We can through at least 2 seasons in one day. Surprisingly at 5pm Monday I  got the phone call and they're closing the schools and facilities for Tuesday. A person could get used to these 4 day weeks. 

David called me at 10am Tuesday asking if it was snowing or sleeting and I said nope just raining. Well 30 minutes later that changed. It began a steady show of sleeting and small flakes of snow. Very small. It was mostly sleet. The driveway looked just like this railing. Icy and slick.  

And oh my the geese! They're hanging out in all this in my neighbor's yard. You can faintly see the collection of sleet and snow along the fence line. Yeah I know what's the big deal. Technically it's not but it's always a surprise when it sleets or snows in the Houston area.   Ice Ice Baby.  

Too corny for ya.....lol

Ahh yes my Tuesday was cold and icy but productive. 

On the production side I made a couple more quilted mailable postcards. 

This one was for my boss's birthday. She loves to play golf when she can. Of course fostering 3 little boys with the hope to adopt has become a full time job which leaves little time for golf.  I called this one Hole in One.  I wrote that I hoped her day was as good as a Hole in One Kind of Day.

And then I started sewing the blocks together for my next quilt. So far so good. It looks pretty cute I think. Oh you want to see what it looks like well you'll have to wait. It's a gift and I'd hate for her to see this post and see what I'm making. I want it to be total surprise.  I should be done with the top this weekend and then I can decide on a backing fabric and get it quilted or quilt it myself. I haven't decided yet. I talked with with my friend Donna who is quilting the quilt I finished piecing for one of the quads and I got a sneak peak of what it looks like. I thinks it looks great. If you click on her name it will take you to her blog and where you'll find her shop of fabrics. You'll never guess her favorite color. 

Guess what I did Wednesday... It's Wednesday annnnndddd we went to Puffabelly's for our fix of Davin James and Jesse Dayton. We love listening to these guys.They're talented and funny. They can sing and rock the guitar. They played until almost 10:35pm which meant we didn't get home until 11:15pm or there abouts but it was so worth it.

So Until Next blog let's see what I can get accomplished or get into......No one knows what’s next, but everybody does it.....George Carlin

Carla

Just Riding on Along on Route 36

I’m Falling down on the job already. I wanted to post within 2-3 days tops after doing something. Does posting on facebook as it happens count. I guess since probably at least 60% of you are not on my facebook maybe not. Oh well I’ll continue to try to do better.

Woke up Saturday morning and David asks if I’d like to go out for breakfast. Is the Pope Catholic? He knows I won’t turn down a chance to go out to eat and not cook. We hop in the car and head to our favorite little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant in Waller for some Migas. Not only are they yummy they are very economical. Even with coffee, juice and tip we can walk out of there for under $12. Oh but wait change in plans… Would you rather go to Newman’s in Bellville? Sure why not we’ve been wanting to try it. So on down the road we traveled.

We both ordered the Omelet with everything in it with hash-browns and biscuits.  Can you say mmm mmm good? Way more food than I could eat. I screwed up by not leaving out the green peppers in the omelet. They only taste good the 1^st time.  I can eat red and yellow but not the green. After breakfast we hit the road. Instead of heading home we went the opposite direction just looking at the country side. We love the trees and all the rolling hills. I say riding along on Route 36 but we hit a few other roads. Thank goodness for google at least once during our drive.  

Around lunch time we rolled into Round Top and found they were having a chili cook off to benefit the library. For $10 we received some red beads with jalapeno peppers, an arm bracelet, a bowl and a spoon. We were able to taste all of the various chili’s. Some were really good and some were okay and some were not so good. It was such a beautiful day that there were motorcycle riders everywhere. We ate all we could and jumped back in the car for some more road time admiring the views. Sometimes we would still like to buy some land and build a house and have the option to build David a big barn to work on old cars and maybe a little woodwork. Who knows maybe one day we'll find that perfect piece of land with the view we want but for now I love our house and the area we live in.

I’ve been cutting some quilt blocks for quilts and creating some quilted postcards. 

Here’s the postcards I’ve created and mailed out recently. 

I put a pocket in the present to hide the birthday check for my God Child.

I hope to get more made as the year rolls on.

My daughter came home this weekend for a bridal luncheon and the brides last party as a single lady. The luncheon was in the Heights at a place called The Shade. Pamela said it was awesome. Maybe one of the next times she comes home we'll have to go try it for something different for lunch. 

Before the girls went out partying they went and had their make up done for the evening. Pamela sent me this picture. Okay I'm biased but she's beautiful. Not that she needed the make-up but wow.

Of course when she comes home so does the grand-dog Sophie. Sophie loves to play ball while Dexter watches. I think Dexter figures if David and I keep Sophie busy chasing the ball she won't be pulling his tail or jumping at him.

 
One last thing. I volunteered to be on the Welcome Committee for our subdivision along with a couple of other gals, Lora and Whitney in the neighborhood and this Saturday we delivered baskets to our 2 newest neighbors. 

It was a success and the baskets were pretty nice if I do say so myself. They're nothing fancy but it's something to say "Welcome to the Neighborhood".

Until next Blog post.... “A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed” ~Henrik Ibsen 

Carla

Brag much?

Now I have all kinds of very talented and creative friends and today I want to brag on one. I do that every now and then. The gal can do anything if she wants to. She'll see something and think I don't want to spend that kind of money mmmmm maybe I can replicate it. She is a Handy Woman.  
If you click on that name it will take you to Janet's Blog. But what I want to brag on is her talent in making a bird house. OMG.

She had been out shopping and spied this birdhouse but nearly fell over when she saw the price of $200+ dollars.

I have to admit I love this bird house but I sure wouldn't and couldn't pay over $200 for it but I also wouldn't be able to even begin to replicate it.


Now Check out her rendition of the birdhouse.

I just love her house. Even more so than the expensive one. Oh and she's a quilter too. But you wouldn't have guessed.
 Look at the detail she put into this birdhouse. Looking though the window you can see the bolts of fabric. She said she spent about $70. I would pay it for this one. If you want to see more pictures click HERE

Don't you want one?  I do! I'll tell you a secret well not really a secret but I'll tell you how you can win this one if you make it to Houston/Cypress February 28- March 1. 

Janet was so gracious and donated this awesome bird house to the Tri County Quilt Guild's Boutique for the Quilt Show Raffle. I know where some of my bucks are going. Beside on the beautiful raffle quilt. 

If you get a chance and you're in the area you need to stop by Our 3rd Quilt Show. 

February 28 - March 1, 2014

Friday 10 - 5

Saturday 10 - 4

Admission $7

Under 12 free!

                     The Berry Center in Cypress, TX

8877 Barker Cypress

We have 28 awesome vendors, a bed turning, almost 200 quilts hanging (another brag - we have lots of talent in the guild), classes, a boutique and a quilt raffle as already mentioned , a guild challenge, and we'll have a certified quilt appraiser by appointment only. You need contact me for an appointment.  You never know that quilt from Aunt Penelope might be worth some money.

Was that a shameless plug for my guild quilt show. Yep! LOL

This is random but there's this white house about 4 miles down the road from my house that has set there for 2 years with grass and weeds growing up all around it. Noticed one day they had cleaned up around the house and was building a barn building to the left of it. 
But still didn't really pay much attention to it until about 5 months ago. Whoa! Can you say bright and yet cool? It's kinda weird to see a house in the country this country.
I keep waiting to see some life but they now have to stick chairs out front. When I say stick I mean round back chairs made from tree branches it looks like. Okay so now I pay more attention.

This past Saturday started off meeting David and his Mustang Sally over in Humble at a specialty shop so they can do some work he can't and help him get an inspection. Then we stopped off to for David to buy a new steering wheel. Then I brought David back home and I headed up to my mom's house. 


She was feeling pretty good and playful. I asked if I could take some pictures and she said "Why so I can break your camera?" Not hardly Not hardly. She was on but I was off in my picture taking. Dang it. But here's the results of our 10 minute photo shoot in between shopping.  

I love spending time with my mom. I corrupted her at the next shop that also had a wine bar. Only one glass each but it was fun to just talk and relax. Found me a new wine by doing so.

Excederin PM kicking in good Who knows what typos I've made but it's off to bed I go. I'll fix them later. ;o)

Until next blog...

Carla

What can I say

Don't go into shock now. I mean I'm posting again but I hope to keep a little more current if possibly. Probably won't be so good when I go back to work on Monday but I'm gonna try.


Since I've never been at a hospital on a Holiday I never knew the nurses dressed up or celebrated the holiday. I thought they came to work in their scrubs and that's it.  I'm sure the nurses at Scott & White in College Station brought a smile to those new mom's and other patients. I'll probably be in trouble if Pam sees this post. What a dork but she's my cutie.


When I got the mail today something neither one of us had done in a couple of days. Oops. Mail box was rather full. But it one envelope I found a neat surprise. My friend Sandy B. sent me a cute pin cushion. Such a sweet lady she is. Thanks Sandy!!
Saturday I met my mom for a bit of shopping and lunch leaving David at home to his own devices. I was looking for a half round table that would be no deeper than 14 inches and in oak but found nothing that would work. I did manage to find a spiffy toilet brush holder. LOL. It looks like a cowboy boot which does fit our decor.  Now David was on a mission. For the last 2 weeks he has been searching the internet for car he could work on and built to his liking. He went to looking at a couple cars. Guess

what I saw when I came home and opened the garage.............
Yep he came home with a 1990 5.0 Ford Mustang. Meet Mustang Sally. She can haul ass as David proved to me when we took a quick  test drive to get gas. Now get this....he bought this little beauty from cop. No big deal except that the cop let David drive off with this car with an expired inspection and tags and of course no insurance. Holy shit! David drove it almost 75 miles passing plenty of cops back to our house. We went back an hour later to pick up Black Beauty. So I live in a household of 2 drivers and 5 vehicles. 1 being a motorcycle. While this new little baby looks great and runs he has plenty of things to tighten and tweaked. Like it needs a headlight that works. LOL but David is in his element and a happy camper. What more could I ask for ...than a happy husband.
Sunday David and I took off and went to visit Pamela so that Pamela and I could take David out for his birthday dinner. He's a Christmas Baby and Pamela wasn't home long enough to fit in a dinner at that time. We ended up at a place called Nappa Flats. Really good! It's a wood fired kitchen. I'll go back to eat there again no problem and so will David. Hated to leave Pamela but Dexter was home getting hungry and we had to get ready for a week at work.



Yep its back to work I go after 2 weeks off.  
This is gonna be a long day. LOL

Have a great week Everyone!





Until next blog post.....Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.----Jack Buck

Carla

Good Bye 2013 and Welcome 2014

Vinny was quite active but yet he was rather lazy and didn't move every day. He communed with the Angel and then headed to the church. After sniffing the corks he thought he'd check out the wine cabinet. He tried snuggling with Dexter but he wanted nothing to do with Vinny hung out with Sophia's stuffed dog she forgot to take home then after watching the Aggies come out fighting the 2nd half of the game New Years Eve and winning he went to hang out with the Aggie Snow People on our door wreath. Vinny did have some adventures but he's disappear that ornery Elf. Now where can he be? I mean I've picked up all the decorations and taken down the tree and David just carried out to the curb... 

Now where can he........ahhh I spy an Elf. Vinny misses Pamela I guess he jumped up to the Entertainment shelf and is sitting next to Pamela's picture. Sorry Vinny you must go into hibernation until next Christmas. It's time to take a nap.

I found this cool new picture editor via another blog and now I can't find the blog that lead me down the path to Fotor.com to give her thanks on my blog. I have David surrounded. LOL. That's the way he feels sometimes he says.

For New Years Eve we had a small get together of the Fab Four. My Phi Mu Sorority sisters and their spouses. 

We were always together it seemed when in college. But now we tend to get busy with family and work. We get together when we can. The First Row is 2013 Gigi, Kathy, Sheryl and Me then David, Ross, Tim and Mark

The 2nd Row is 2012 with Gigi missing then its 2011.

The 3rd Row is 2011 spouses Tim Mark David and Ross. And 1978 with us girls Kathy Sheryl Gigi and Me. Oh how we change.

I can't do a book recap since I hardly read this year. Yeah I'm still in a book club but I just haven't been able to read. Not sure exactly what my problem was but I hope it improves and I can get back to reading. I have a closet full of books to read plus book club books. I think I read 3 books in 2013. Very Sad.

1. Street Heat by Will Graham  YYY
2. Spider's Dance by Will Graham YYYY
3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys YYYY

Some highlights of 2013...

• We traveled to the Hill Country several times and of course had fun each time
• Pamela went back to school to get her BSN
• Organized my first Quilt Retreat
• Celebrated 35 years. Renewed our marital contract again. LOL
• Went to Missouri to see oury nephew Jeremiah in Missouri get married to his lovely bride Melissa.
• Went to Graceland. No Elvis sitings
• lived in our house almost 2 1/2 years and we've had 3 parties in 6 months. 2 of them were in December.
• A litter of wild bunnies were born in our back yard and one continues to live in our back flower bed. I've named him Bugsy.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm ready to see what 2014 has up it's sleeve for me and what adventures it has in store.

Hope every one had a Safe and Happy new year.

Until next blog....

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young,

compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of

the weak & the strong. Because someday in

life you will have been all of these.       ~George Washington Carver~

Carla

To all my friends, family and fellow bloggers