Changes

Life waits for no one.  I suppose it's a function of growing older, but I have many people to pray for these days, both happy and worrisome.  

However difficult some issues are, there are also some pleasing things that never change.  Animals/pets are wonderfully comforting, they are so predictable.  Did you know dogs like parrot food?  More than you can imagine!  In this photo Charlie is enjoying a Nutri-Berries treat and Maisy is standing absolutely still staring at the floor in hopes of falling bits.   Funny dog.  The only surprise is Ivy isn't there with her.  :-)

The Sailor Son has passed his test and purchased a motorcycle.  Hmmmmm.   Not a change I have to like.

Is is nice he's been getting involved in 5K runs.  Clearly he had some fun at this Neon Vibe run!

They let him in a store like that!  lol

This handsome t-shirt quilt went out the door recently.

Then I was able to get ready for my rail trip to New Jersey on Amtrak.  Business class is very comfortable, which is good as it's a ten hour ride.  I had a pleasantly chatty seat-mate for half the trip then I had the two seats to myself.

In New Jersey I was treated to lunch with old friends.  What fun to catch up on all their changes!

I stayed at Stardust's house.  She is two going on twenty.  Such a busy little girl.  :-)  We had lots of fun playing, dancing, drawing, showing me her iPod games....

and snuggling before bed.  My talented SIL recently illustrated a new children's book about a character called NiNi, so my grandmotherly name has morphed from Mimi to Nini.  It's fun when the children sort out the name thing for you.  :-)

The trip to New Jersey was to help out ED and LZF with their move to North Carolina.  Talk about a change!  Lots of very hard work, but the truck finally got filled to the rafters.  When all was said and done they were lucky to get the door closed!  

I rode back to NC with ED, The Viking and the dogs.  Patrick is not a happy traveler so he spent the whole long ride drooling between the seats onto my knees.  At the first rest stop we stopped and dug out a towel to protect my jeans from getting soaked!  (yes, he's wearing a doggy seatbelt)

The Viking was a good traveler.  He slept, ate, we played and he suffered only one meltdown.  Not bad on a twelve hour trip!

We are so lucky to have fabulous friends in West Virginia who opened up their house to us on the strength of a last minute phone call.  We had a wonderful break while the baby crawled around, the dogs made friends, and ED and I were fed.  Such good friends should be visited more often, don't you think?

Once the cars, trailer and truck had arrived, and been unloaded the next day, Mom and Dad treated us all to a dinner at Golden Corral.  It was life saving!  :-)

The Other House is happy to have new occupants....despite the fact we've had the HVAC people out three times and the plumber once already (that never changes....sigh).  My former sewing room turns out to be a perfect baby playroom.  Even the outlets are up out of his reach at that end of the room.  

As we all get better acquainted, we now know The Viking loves the wind in his hair.  :-)

I guessed that ED would enjoy Zentagling so right away I dragged her off to Cary Quilting Co. for a class.  I think she's hooked!

These huge caterpillars have taken up residence in our neglected vegetable garden and have decimated the parsley and such.  I'm hoping they get the opportunity to change into something beautiful.

I've been "assigned" my grandmother equipment, a car seat and stroller.  I tested the stroller out on Saturday with a walk to the park, a change from walking the dog.

We followed the Yellow Brick Road.

And apparently it was so exciting it zonked us out.  :-)

I've also been promoted to nap mat.

And witnessed lots of happy activity.

And he WALKS!  Much like a drunken sailor still, but it's walking.  I didn't catch a pic of him coming towards me.  lol

Family dinners are becoming the norm.  A nice change.  Isn't it fun to be fed by a great-grandmother!  Mom started taking care of babies in the wartime nurseries in London when she was 14 years old, and came to this country as a nanny.   Our very own Mary Poppins!   She does have a lot to share.

Change is non-stop with wee folk.  Every day is an adventure.  Apparently yesterday was the first bubble bath.  What will it be today??

The Evil Step-daughter and her family also moved house over last weekend.  I'm hoping their internet connection will be up soon so we can see how they are enjoying their changes.

One more memory quilt top done and delivered yesterday.  Almost all the memory and t-shirt quilts signify a significant change for an individual or family.  Some happy and some sad.  It's an interesting business to be in.

Both of my bees met this week which reminded me how much of my own sewing is waiting to be done.  Hmmmmm.   Vacuuming first, then I think I can easily find a project to stitch on.  :-)

Summer stuff

Catching up again.  I've been poked by family about the lack of posting and had a lovely email asking if I was ok.  Yes, we're ok.  Just a bit stressed and busy.  Not conducive to sitting and trying to write entertainingly.  (is that a word?)

Grandchildren news.  Five and Batman have moved a bit further away from us for the time being and I miss them terribly.  Skype is a wonderful thing though!  We received these photos this week, of Stardust on a visit to Hershey.  It's funny to see how apprehensive she is of that walking chocolate bar.....

but she's all smiles when faced with those wicked looking teeth.  :-)

 Cute photo of Rocky and Magenta.  How they are growing!  Love those rosy cheeks.  :-)

And a fabulous smile from The Viking.  Apparently he really really liked his first taste of blueberry soft ice cream.  

I had mentioned that there are changes afoot in regards to The Other House.  We are very excited as Eldest Daughter, the Led Zeppelin Fan and The Viking are moving to North Carolina!  The house will finally be occupied.  Yay!  I'm not sure who I'm more excited for.  Them, the house, or us!  LOL

The first order of business was having ED's Jeep shipped.  Leaving New Jersey.....

and arriving in North Carolina.  The Tramp was thoroughly impressed that the rear-most car on the transport truck, a special edition Trans Am, was on it's way to Australia!

The Other House still needed some finishing touches to make it ready for occupancy.  I finished painting the trim, a job left over after the toilet flood, remediation and repairs.

The Tramp put up towel rods, blinds and various other small fixtures.

The house has been unoccupied for almost a year and almost untouched since it went on the market in January.  I never realized how much insect life would take over the place while it was undisturbed.  Wow!  But it's all clean now.

 And the refrigerator has been delivered.  All we need now are the occupants and their "stuff."

A couple of weeks ago we had both cars off the road.  Red needed a second transmission transplant.  Chevrolet honored their warranty and after a few days Red was as good as new (fingers crossed).  The Tramp figures at this rate we could have as many as six new transmissions before the three-year warranty runs out.  Let's hope not!!!  At the same time, The Tramp's car was off the road for a weekend while he and the Sailor Son gave it a brake job.  Day one ended in frustration, and I would like to say....for the record....that a bit of quick internet research on my part, helped solve the problem.  I just wanted you to know that.  ;-)  Once the car was put back together they went for a test drive around the pond.  Of course our steep drive, with a body of water at the bottom of it, is indeed the ultimate test.  Yikes!  

Along with sewing and reading, computer use was becoming very frustrating for me.  The eye doctor confirmed my need for a new prescription, with quite a change for one eye.  Once you've chosen the cutest frames in the place and ordered your glasses, it's so hard to wait for them!  Arrrgghhh.

T-shirt quilts don't cause any eye strain.  All straight lines.  :-)

And another UFO has been struck off my challenge list.  I finally got the borders on this Bonnie Hunter quilt.  It's her first mystery quilt, Carolina Crossroads.  I can't believe I started it in December 2007!

Charlie is doing better since the feather plucking episode.  Feathers are regrowing fast on his back and I'm trying hard to keep him occupied and interested in something other than his feathers.  His wings need clipping again too, as proven by his recent flight up onto my head!

Rain, rain, rain, rain.....and more rain.  The vegetable gardens are not happy, especially the vine crops, so I've let them go.  But at least some of the garden plants like it.