The solution. . .

is to work on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. What fun! These are both paper pieced, and were great fun to make. I couldn't decide what colors to use, so I decided browns and tans with just a touch of sunrise pink in some of the blocks. I'm just going to make 20 of the 140 blocks to start with, and make a wall hanging size quilt. I have neither the time nor space for large projects, but I love wall hangings!

The problem

with having a really busy week is that when you finally have a day with absolutely no commitments, you try to do everything.

All at the same time. My mother's beautiful quilt that I made her about 20 months ago has disappeared. Something about the laundry service and her name wasn't on it. I'm trying to make another one, but my heart just isn't in it.

And I wonder if it really matters that the pattern calls for a size 10 1/2 29" circular needle, and I happen to have a size 10 29" circular needle. And I made a little progress on a new sock for Larry, because really, knitting socks is great therapy.

And I try to read three books at the same time.

and I work on my crochet which I am still really very bad at, and still have not found a way to keep the edges the same size for pity's sake.

And then there's the problem of the tax deadline looming. The Federal and Local are finished and submitted, but there's still the State to be done. It's really a problem because I have to sit in the same room with someone who is adding up all the out of state purchases so we can do the Right Thing and pay sales tax on them. And he says things like, "Did you know we made 14 purchases from Amazon.com just in January last year?" and "Is Keepsake Quilting out of state?" I say things like, "We have three birthdays in January, and it is not a good month to go out shopping because it snows every time you even think about going shopping. And anyway I hate to go shopping, and Amazon.com makes it very easy to give nice birthday presents. "

So you can see it's been a problematical weekend. And I had to wear my exercise tights and flannel lined jeans and turtleneck shirt, sweatshirt, and a winter coat, hat, and mittens just to go for a walk even though it has officially been spring for an entire week.

I feel a bit like Alexander in one of my favorite books, and am considering going to Australia.

Just enough

I wasn't sure I was going to have enough yarn to finish the second sock, but I had some to spare. :0) I also wasn't sure I would remember how to graft the toe, but thankfully that went well, too. This pair is for David.

Mr. Greedy Squirrel thinks there's just enough bird seed for him. He spends a lot of time here.

Hey! It's spring! Yes, of course it snows in late March and April and even early May, but it's spring. Yay!!

Ten out of five

This amazing book gets 10 out of 5 stars in the rating scale. It actually contains heaps of useful information, while making me laugh so hard I can barely breathe. My sister sent me an Amazon gift card, and I am so happy with the results. Thank you, Sara!

I tried to read the following aloud so Larry could see why I was laughing so hard, but I couldn't do it. He had to read it himself. On pages 64 and 65 she lists reasons to carry a knitting bag. "5. The breath mints you keep in your purse won't have yarn fuzz on them. Just regular purse lint."

While teaching us to analyze our fibers and get correct measurements and knit useful objects, she has us laughing every stitch of the way. Great book!

Remember how I was going to start right in on "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler"? Well one of the gals at work is having another granddaughter. I started making quilts for the babies and grandbabies in our office a few years ago. I have resorted to cheater panels to keep on hand, after painstakingly piecing and quilting the first four quilts. I ran out of time to do anything else. The teddy bear quilt on the left is a ready made panel I just had to bind. The new baby's big sister, age 22 months, likes Dora the Explorer. Thanks to a huge snowstorm that kept me from venturing to the fabric store, I found Dora fabric on ebay. I decided a 22 month old who loves Dora wouldn't care a bit about fancing piecing, so I made her a whole cloth quilt, with very simple four inch grid quilting and a pretty aqua binding. A good evening's work.

Dear Mother Nature,

Please tell whoever invented Daylight Savings Time that it has nothing to do with the sun, moon, stars, birds, trees, or animals. Daylight is when it is regardless of any effort on our part to manipulate it. And I hate losing an hour of my weekend!

Let's see, what hour can I afford to give up? My hour of exercise first thing in the morning? Okay, I admit, that was the first to go. My hour of blogging time on my day off? I don't think so.

This amazing clock on the outside of our porch changes to the correct time all by itself! It must be the same magic that makes cell phones work and other such mysteries. We've had the clock for four or five years, and it is endlessly useful. When we're shoveling the driveway before work it gets us in the house in time to get a shower before leaving. In the summer when we're swimming before work it gets us in the house in time to take a shower. Guess which I like better?

The striking clock on the piano doesn't set itself. The easiest way is to stop it and wait to get caught up. The other way is to take it through the cycles so the striker and the time don't get confused. A confused clock is not a good thing. Don't you keep juggling balls on your piano?

Can't wait to start!

I've been wanting to try this quilt for a while. It has caused quite a sensation in the world of quilters, and people all over the world are making it. I am going to be one of them, but on a smaller scale. I have selected 20 of the blocks to make, and I will keep you posted on my progress.

Larry and I went to the quilt show at Lake Farmpark over the weekend, but I guess quilting etiquette prevents me from sharing any photos with you. I was so disappointed when I read that in a quilting magazine several months ago.

Secret Ingredient

Our local Aldi store has the friendliest cashier! She always has good ideas for preparing food that she passes on to her customers. On Saturday she shared a really good idea. Just take your favorite cookie or brownie recipe and substitute cooked and pureed beans for the butter or oil and eggs. Can you imagine? As odd as it sounds, it is delicious! She told us to use black beans in chocolate brownies, and the only reason I can't share a photo with you is that they are gone already. It cuts way down on the fat and cholesterol, and adds protein to your dessert. What's not to like?