HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Closing down October with Music, girls weekend and quilting.

A week ago Wednesday David and I went to Puffabelly's to see Mike Blakely and Davin James. Like Main Street Crossing it's more of a listening venue. You can eat and drink but there's no dance floor. So Wednesday there was a small crowd of 19. Sixteen out of the 19 people came to listen . I'm all for having a good time but don't laugh and talk over the singers. It's just rude. Mike Blakely decided he saw a trend so when they requested a certain he said nope that's a listening song. 

Right after the break Davin got on stage and goes "I'm trying to think of a loud song. Davin really gets into his song Sweet Tooth here. 
Okay don't criticize my video. I messed up but....you'll get the jest of it. LOL    Our 3 rowdy folks didn't take the hint this time either.
And the funny part of it was the one guy was a huge fan and was requesting lots of songs but I don't know he could hear any over all the their talking and loud laughter.





This Friday I headed up to Bryan to have a girls weekend with Pamela. I think David was ready to get rid of me. He quickly said yes when I asked if he minded if I went up. And of course to make it complete I took Lilley. Girls weekend right? Mom and Daughter both furless and furry. LOL 
Pamela was pooped so we didn't play too hard last Friday night. She didn't get home until almost 8pm. We visited, ate a bite, came home visited till about 10:15. She was ready for bed and actually so was I so she didn't have to convince me.
The girls played really hard. And if you play hard you sleep hard. 

Sophie cuddled up with her stuffed puppy

Lilley on that quilt I made for Pam's guest room

At 6:15am last Saturday this is what I saw. Plus She was pawing at my arm telling me to wake up it's time to potty and eat. Lilley's alarm clock goes off early every day. She doesn't understand weekends yet.  We got up and opened Pamela's door to get Sophie. Neither one was impressed with going outside in the rain.  Grrrrr. I tell them let's get this over with and get back inside. Finally business done and then I fed the girls and then they were ready to play hard again. I was able to sneak in a couple more minutes of sleep while they played.

Pamela and I started our fun on Saturday in the rain which is so much fun. Not so much.

 I spent most of the weekend looking like a drenched rat. An umbrella was more of a pain than help plus the wind was blowing the rain underneath.  

For lunch Pamela took me to Madden's in downtown Bryan. Mmmmm The restaurant is inside an old warehouse with all kinds of shabby chic and antiques.

The food is awesome. I had been thinking about the Southern Fried Mushroom, asparagus, mashed potatoes and yummy sauce ever since Pamela mentioned going. Maybe next time I'll try something else but I don't know. Everything is seasoned to perfection. 

Pamela tried something different unlike me. She got what they called a grilled cheese but I forgot what kind of cheese they used plus served with tomato soup and fruit. The sandwich had avocado too I think. The portions are just right.  After lunch we ran various errands and then we headed to Painting with a Twist. If you've never been you ought to go to one.  You can bring a bottle of wine or two if you're brave. Pamela brought us only one bottle to share. There was two choices of what we could paint. Pamela let me pick. I chose a cow. LOL

When we sat down the PWAT folks had already drawn the cow on our canvas. Oh boy what I'm I doing. I can't paint. Pamela's the artsy one. I was really nervous and I don't know why it was just for fun.  After the first glass of wine I calmed down.

One of the teachers came by and snapped our picture as we painted.   After we were finished with our paintings PWAT took a group picture. This was a rather large class and every single cow looked different in some way. 

David said it was a scary cow .  It's  cows on LSD. LOL  It was fun and I'm ready to do it again. Maybe this is what I'll do for my birthday next year. 

While Pamela and I was  painting David was hiding in the barn at the Rockin K Farm. It was raining so hard he didn't get to unload the truck for a while.  Couldn't really complain because we needed the rain.

When he finally got over to the Tiny Mansion he found bad news. .... Like 4-5 leaks. Grrr. At least we found them before we put flooring and furniture in but it's still a bummer. Creates more work for David. 

The trees and grass needed the rain and were so happy and now you can see a section of the water in the pond.I 'm sure the catfish really appreciated the rain. Their tummy's were probably  scraping the bottom of the pond. 

 Sunday was a day of more
errands and a manicure.  There was suppose to be a pedicure too but they messed up the appointment.  Dang! 

You know who Ree Drummond is right? The Pioneer woman who cooks up a storm on her ranch in Oklahoma. Well she has new like of pots, pans and dishes.  Well her serving platter pattern matches pretty closely to my dishes that bought from Pier One. So happy now I have more platters.  Also grabbed three ramekins to use for salsa or whatever I chose. 

This month when I went to Quilt Guild I could actually do show n tell. What few I have finish this year couldn't wait to get to their intended recipient but I got these finished at the right time.  This is the one I mailed off right after the guild meeting to   baby Wren in Cody Wyoming but I forgot to take a picture of the actual quilting. Hope it keeps Wren warm up there and wrapped in hugs. Got a card from Momma Lauren today and they loved it.

This quilt was made by my Grandmother Lorea McLallen with her neighbor Mrytle Morris between 1949-52.

All I started with was the Sunbonnet Sue top and wasn't sure how to finish the sashes because some were left kinda just hanging so I gave the top to my quilter/friend Donna @ Donna's Lavender Nest and said "help"  She completed the sashing, added a border that complimented the backing and sent it back to me quilted and with the binding attached so all I needed to do was hand finish the binding. 

This one is staying in my possession. Here's an up close view of the quilting.

 My mom teared up when she saw the quilt.  She remembered some of the dresses and bonnets being made from fabric that my grandmother, her mother used to make aprons and dresses. 

Now while my gas card is happy and it's nice paying such a low price for gas but it could eventually hurt my pocket book. The husband works in the oil and gas industry and they don't have any jobs in house because of these falling prices. I sure hope something turns around.

When it's all said and done it was time to head home in the rain and the wind.  This week has been spent cutting quilts out.

Now it's time to head to bed. I must get my rest so I'll be ready to tackle the Houston International Quilt Festival tomorrow. Can't wait. Night night.............
Until next blog...          
"Draw your chair up...

and I'll tell you

 a story..."  ~

 F. Scott Fitzgerald

Gone to the Dogs and more

A Week ago Saturday was a great day. Went up to visit with Mom. We went to Lunch at Ransom's Steak House in Montgomery. The food is really good. We both made happy plates. After feeding our faces we decided to run down to a local shop that we both like called The Rancher's Daughter. She for the clothing and me for the wine and decor. It's a really cool shop. Then we hit the park so I could take some pictures of her and the quilt I finally finished for Wren Macauley who was born in August in Cody, Wyoming. She's a pretty baby girl. I put the quilt in the mail and she should have it by now.  Talk about opposite ends of the earth.  I would post her picture but I haven't asked for permission so I won't so you'll just have to take my word for it.
But I can share a picture of the quilt because Grandpa Britt said she got it. Plus I'm not sure Momma he reads my blog and if she does it's still okay.  

Sent the quilt filled with hugs




Couldn't decide on a picture so I sent 2. 


 I forgot to take a picture of the back and the quilting. Bad me. At least I can give my quilter Donna @ Donna's Lavender Nest kudos for a job well done. 

And of course I can share another picture of my mom.

Mom had a good day but she got really tired after just a few hours so I took her home. While she has a smile I don't see the same sparkle and I knew she was tired.. She's been having some health issues.   

Just realized I forgot to take a picture of another quilt that Donna finished and quilted for me. It's my Sunbonnet Sue quilt. Oh well something for my next post. 

Here we go again. Fires in Bastrope. Not as bad as 2011 yet but if we don't get some rain soon it could be very easily.
Photo by Mark Winslet . Back last week it was 14 homes 375
acres heading east toward Smithville but now 70% contained but over 4500 acres have been consumed. This area was just recovering from the fires in 2011. So scary and sad. I heard on the new this morning that 64 homes lost and it's now 80% contained.

This past Wednesday we went to Main Street Crossing to listen to Max Stalling and his talented wife Heather who plays fiddle and harmonizes. They are awesome. His songs always have a story and a smooth tune while Heather plays a mean fiddle. Wow.

Now I have lived in our home in Tomball for 4 years and had never seen a snake one but this year things have changed. I saw my first copperhead in August that was slowly cruising across the road in front of my and my neighbor. Then last night my daughter came home from a friends and was sitting on the patio with her Dad talking. I was inside finishing the sides for dinner. David was smoking some chicken. Anyway I heard Pamela say something like I can't figure out.....couldn't hear all the conversation then I hear her say "Ahh Hell No Bajjjeeezzzz's" Then I see this flurry of movement from her and David.
I go outside and ask what's up and find out that Pamela thought she heard a kitten in the roses but instead it was a frog that the Snake was trying to devour. This one is was only  a rat snake but now he's a dead snake. Not gonna run for snake identification book. Kill and ask questions later is my motto when it comes to snakes or spiders.

They delivered our tiny mansion and I finally got to see it in person Sunday a week ago. It's a blank slate and David has already put it on paper how we plan to lay out the inside. 



What I didn't notice in the pictures 
David had sent earlier was that it had shutters and flower boxes. We plan on staining the building a little darker with maroon shutters.

Lol check out this cutie. While in town Pamela went to the eye doctor and snagged a new pair of glasses and got the rude awakening of how much it all cost. 
She hasn't been since she's been on her own payroll. 

Being silly but I do like the glasses and how she looks in them. She wear contacts most of the time but sometimes her eyes need a rest.
And get a load of my Grand-dog. Really?! I can't get her to sit still this long. The groomer has a blast with this little fur ball.  

Obviously Sophie is ready for Halloween.

Her Momma Lilley isn't so ready. Oh Well

In other news my Dad starts his 2nd round of chemo. The doctors are pleased with his results from

the first round. White counts are up and that's good. As of the last picture she posted he still looks good just tired and how he curled up in such a tiny ball is amazing.
My little sister takes excellent care of him but Dad's side kick her son, my nephew, Josiah is the one who doesn't let Dad out of his sight and makes sure he gets all his meds especially when Jerri Lynn is working. Shots included. 
Josiah will make a great nurse. Here's my Dad with his little side kick. The other gentleman on the right is Bill a family friend.  


Well until next post...Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." 

- Albert Einstein

Slacker

It's been longer than I thought since my last post. Dang time flies when you're having fun. Yeah right.
Actually the good does out weight the bad but when the bad is happening it feels like the world is caving in on me and I'm lost. But the good prevails. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I added 2 more items to my To Do List... 

I saw this on a blog I follow called  Eat, Sleep, Quilt. I thought it fit me to a T and would put on my UFO list for sure.

Then while catching up on all my reading I saw where my friend and fellow blogger Linda @ Linda's Life Journal was enjoying her deck that her husband and Step-son built at the ranch where they park their camper. Maybe  we can put a deck on our newest purchase. 

We have official solved the shelter issue on the Rockin K Farm if we want to stay over night. Pretty cute. Okay so it might be a mansion but it's ours. They're suppose to deliver and set it up sometime this week. David has been drawing a layout for our little mansion that will be our Home away from Home. I like what he's shown me. 
Cross off another mission. Land  aShelter a

How about a tour of the Rockin K Farm as it is right now. 
I hope my video works anyway. I think I got it working thanks to Cassie at work. You may have to turn the volume up fairly high to hear me talking. Things are pretty brown right now with the lack of rain. Our pond is shrinking and the cattails are taking over.

David has missions for more farm equipment and we need to decide on what kind of home we want to build for our forever home and a floor plan.

  Road side grass fire less than a mile from our farm. There were several areas on Hwy 79 that were burnt.  Not much further down the fire melted a neighbors white 3 rail fence and burnt up several of his young trees he had planted near by.  We need some rain really bad!!

Before heading home from our brief trip to the Rockin K Farm Saturday we stopped off at Hobbs BBQ in Gause. We are talking tasty! Generally He's only open Thursday thru Sunday.  If his truck is parked out front and the BBQ sign is out he's open. He stay open till he runs out of food. We were there at 12:20 and he was about out of food today.  He actually had to turn away some customers while he made our sandwiches. Last week he didn't sell out. One just never knows. I'm glad we got our sandwiches.  
Look at all the meat on the plate that just fell out. Mr. Hobbs doesn't scrimp on the meat. He packs it on the bun.




And David bought a couple of ribs to naw on. I ate some of one but David had to finish it. I was toooo full. The meat is moist and seasoned just right. YUM YUM.

After a bite of lunch we had to get home so we could clean up and head to a family wedding. 

And what a wedding it was. 
The setting was at a 
private residence which the location was beautiful and so was the bride and groom. We were asked to not disclose the location or tag the location because the property belongs to the Lone Survivor Marcus Lutrell. How gracious was that. The groom Josh knows him.  Josh is the son of David's cousin Scott.

The wedding was held outside and the reception was inside the party barn. The couple couldn't have been more blessed with better weather. 
The bride, Stephanie had a vintage look.  There may be a more appropriate name but that's what I'm calling it. Her hair was done up in a 1940's style like the Andrew's Sisters and her veil was quaint and becoming. It fit her features. Her dress was perfect with it's flowery lace over what looked to be champagne satin. It was very flattering and beautiful.
And of course the groom was quite handsome in his tux. 
The young lady in this picture is our Pamela's name sake. She's David's cousin and the gentleman with her is David's Uncle. 
Weddings and Funerals seem to be the only time we see everyone.
But that will change this November. Pam and another cousin are putting together a family reunion.

David and I cleaned up well for the big event.

Well hopefully I'll be able to show some progress on my to list next time I post it. I'm finishing up 2 quilts and for sure one top if not two. Yay for me.

Until next blog post.....Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or conceited or proud.  Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable.  Love does not keep a record of wrongs.  Love is not happy with evil, but rejoices in the truth.  Love never fails.” ~1 Corinthians 13