Buoyant Blossoms Off the Frame, and a Wedding

The pollen level has been high for the last couple of weeks, and Victoria and I have allergies and feel pretty much as though we have colds that won’t go away.  Or maybe we just have colds that won’t go away.

Last Monday evening, it rained good and hard, and hailed a bit, too.  It scared poor Teensy half to death.  The poor thing clambered onto my lap, between me and my laptop, and tried to bury his face against me. 

In addition to the cats, it seems that all the outdoor crickets, spiders, and beetles are coming indoors, too.  Somewhere, over in a far corner of the basement, a cricket is chirping merrily.

Looking at AccuWeather radar makes me want to go places.  I pulled it up – and discovered it was snowing in the Rockies of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

I wanted to be there.

The sound of trucks on the highway make me want to go somewhere, too.  And I like the sound of tires on brick streets – it reminds me of visiting my grandmother in Shelbyville, Illinois, when I was a little girl.  We’d park our camper on the wide street and sleep in it overnight, and now and then a car would pass, tires rattling on the bricks.

I’ve added half a dozen photos to various locations on the Google maps in the last couple of years, and, to my amazement, thousands of people have viewed them.  “Imagine how long it would take me to add all my travel photos to Google,” I once remarked to Larry.  “I should join their team!”

“The system would crash,” he informed me.  “And they would need to add several mainframes just to handle the *ORT photos.”

*Obligatory Red Truck

When I first started working at our local Internet Service Provider, I discovered several people with ‘stuck’ email – all relatives of mine, and the emails were full of pictures from me.  (They had dial-up, of course.)

Perhaps you’ll recall that last Monday, Robin tried on her bridesmaid’s dress, and it fit quite nicely.  The crinoline petticoat, however, is so stiff that the ruffles stick out too sharply, and can be seen through the fine satin of the skirt.  I hunted around online for a way to soften crinoline – and found this:  “Wear rubber bloomers underneath, to protect from crinoline petticoat’s scratchiness.” 

Tuesday night after work, Larry put a new fuel pump into the Jeep.  It wasn’t a nice job, as he had to drop the fuel tank in order to install the pump. 

Meanwhile, I worked on the Buoyant Blossoms quilt, which I needed to complete before I could put my great-niece’s table runner on my frame. 

At about 10:30 p.m., I heard Larry come in.  He got that done sooner than expected, I thought.  He puttered around in the laundry room, making various unrecognizable noises.  What’s he doing, anyway? I wondered.

Tabby then came down the stairs, looking a bit bug-eyed.  Odd; he usually rushes to greet either of us when we come in.  Maybe the neighbor cat had come into the house?  I headed upstairs to find out.

Nope, it wasn’t the neighbor cat.

It was a young opossum.  I blocked off access to the rest of the house and opened the garage door so he’d go back out.  He preferred not to, thank you kindly, since he would have to come toward me to get to the door.  So I grabbed a flashlight, made sure the door to the rest of the house and the basement was shut, and headed outside, going around to the back deck, which is one story up.  I opened the door into the laundry room – and there was the possum, debating what to do with himself.  What he wanted to do was to eat the cat food we keep in the laundry room.

But when I opened the door, he skedaddled toward the garage door on the other side of the laundry room.

Wouldn’t you know, Tiger, who’d been outside, then decided that was an excellent time to come in.  So there they met, opossum and cat, right at the garage door.  They each sashayed to the right, then to the left, then to the right, which kept them nose-to-nose through it all.  Finally Tiger sidestepped, and the opossum went around him and on out onto the garage porch, while Tiger turned and stared, sniffing at the critter as it passed, as if wondering what on earth an opossum could possibly be doing in the house, and if he’d had the audacity to eat any of Tiger’s food.

I slid the trash can back where it belonged, put back the boot I’d used to prop the door open, and moved a box that was holding open the storm door.  While the possum itself had not frightened Tiger in the slightest, this small commotion did, and he proceeded to scamper out the still-open laundry-room door onto the back deck.  Siggghhhh... 

I told him he was a nice kitty, just for good form – and then pushed the door shut behind him.  That was enough wild and half-wild critters for the moment.  I would just have Teensy and Tabby, who were curled up politely at my feet by my quilting frame, thanks.

Larry got home a couple of hours later, and it really was him.  The new fuel pump was on the Jeep, he’d driven it, and it seemed to be in good working order again.

Late that night, I finished the fifth row of the Buoyant Blossoms quilt.  More pictures are here.  There were two more rows to go, plus the bottom border.  Maybe... maybe... I could get it done, and then quilt the table runner in time to finish it before the wedding.  If I ran out of time... well, I didn’t imagine the world would stop turning, if I didn’t finish it until the next week.  Then I would bribe someone to slip it into the newlyweds’ house while they were on their honeymoon, and they’d never be the wiser.

Wednesday, Norma told me that they’d had to increase Lawrence’s pain medication in order to keep him comfortable.  It’s sad to see him suffering... and hard on those who love him and care for him.

It was rainy again that day, and the whole world smelled mildewy.  Ugh, bleah.

Along about midafternoon, I did my good deed for the day – I rescued a wren from that nasty old carnivore, Teensy.  I even managed to get some pictures of it after it flew into the lilac bush.  The poor little thing was exhausted.  I hope it survives. 

“I hate cats!” I proclaimed, petting Tabby’s soft little head while he purred.

With cats and birds tended to, I got back to the quilting.

Larry and Kurt were both late getting off work that evening, so Victoria and I went to church together.  The menfolk got to church at the tail end of the song service.  So then Larry and I had two vehicles to drive home, since Victoria went with Kurt afterwards. 

Home again, I returned to the quilting machine.  By 2:30 a.m., the second-to-the-last row was done.  More photos are here.

Thursday, Loren went to a camper dealership in Norfolk to get some things for his camper.  While we were talking on the phone, he couldn’t quite remember what it was that he’d needed to buy, and didn’t have his note handy, so I helpfully gave him this advice:  If you know you need something from someplace, but can’t remember what it is, just walk in and start buying stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  Buy enough, and you’re sure to wind up with whatever it was you needed.

He was laughing...  “Yeah, that would work.”

He stopped by on his way home from Norfolk and picked up the supper I’d made for him.

Hummingbirds were scuffling over the feeder... butterflies and bees were thronging the flowers... bluejays and flickers were screeching at each other... and a little wren was scolding the cats.  A late batch of house finch fledglings were on the back deck begging from their parents.

It was an overcast day, but I didn’t mind; those days are easy on the eyes.  And then it was more than just overcast; big, fat raindrops started coming down.  I turned on the dehumidifier, took a little break to make a fresh pot of coffee...  and got back to quilting.

A friend wanted to know how I come up with the quilting details I’m putting on the quilt, and wished I could give her quilting group a tutorial on the matter. 

“Yikes,” I said, “I wouldn't have the faintest clue what to say.  ‘Uhhh...  just grab the handles and whiz the machine around and around!’  How would that be?”

Actually, I generally find a design I like somewhere... and then I grab pencil and paper and sketch it until I get the ‘feel’ of it.  If I can sketch it, I can quilt it.

Sometimes I just doodle away... but I often look at Pinterest.  I have a board filled with beautiful quilting designs:  https://www.pinterest.com/pianist38/quilting/

There are times when I don’t know where to go next as I’m quilting... or I box myself into a corner... or zig when I should’ve zagged.  I have more starts and stops than I should have... I realize a better design when I’m already half through with one... and I can’t make a perfect circle to save my life.

But here’s a fact:  a really good feathered curl at the top center of a block takes attention away from the tumbling-over-themselves pebbles at the bottom right.  heh

Sometimes I quilt something and am not particularly pleased with it; but once I’ve spent 15 minutes of intense quilting on it, it would take 2-3 hours to unquilt it.  So I grimace, leave it, and press on.  That happened on the daffodil block – and then someone particularly mentioned a small row of feathering that I had frowned over, saying how much she liked that little area.  Funny.

I’m dissatisfied with the quarter-Dresden blocks on the last row... but the way they are is the way they’re going to stay.  At least I’m more pleased than usual with the gladiola and poppy blocks... maybe that makes up for it!

It rained hard that evening, and numerous nearby country roads were underwater.  Fields are flooded, and some will probably be ruined unless the water drains quickly.

Late that night, I finished Row 7, the last row.  All that was left were the bottom borders.  More photos here.

It was still nip and tuck whether or not I’d get that table runner done.

Victoria likes to cook.  She likes cooking supper entrées more than she likes baking desserts.  Nevertheless, she made a couple of pumpkin pies Friday, and had them setting up in the refrigerator by 2:30 p.m.  One would go to the Brinkmans’ house for Sunday dinner.

Lura Kay used to sell high-quality Society-brand pans from Regal Ware, and can still buy them at wholesale prices.  She’s planning to give Victoria and Kurt a couple for their wedding gift.  Since I’d learned that one of Loren’s favorite pans for cooking eggs was warped and he was balancing it by sticking a knife under one edge, I asked her how much that pan cost.

It turned out, she had Loren’s warped two-quart pan at her house, and was checking into the warranty on it.  She’ll have to send it to the company for their inspection, and they may not replace it if they consider it the fault of the user. 

As for prices?  The one-quart pan is $87.24, and the two-quart pan is $105.77 – her cost!  Good grief.

I said, “Oh.  Well...  Umm...  I saw one at the Goodwill that was priced at $3.00.”

Then, “Might be a little less in quality,” I added.  “But what it lacks in quality, it makes up for in color! – bright orange and red peppers, all the way around, with twining green leaves.  And it must’ve been a good’n, ’cuz it looked like someone had been sticking their eggs to it for decades.”

That evening, Larry put new tires on his road bike... headed off... and perhaps the tires, being stickier than the old ones, and thus picking up more gravel, threw a rock into the derailleur.  But whatever the cause, there was a bang as he was pedaling downhill, and he wound up with no gears, everything all bound up.  When he got stopped and took a look, the rear derailleur hanger was broken completely off and stuck in the spokes.  So he walked the bike home, put his lights on the mountain bike, and went for his ride.

At midnight, I finished quilting the Buoyant Blossoms quilt and removed it from the frame, trimming it as I rolled it free.  Then I pieced together the back and the batting for Lucas and Sarah Kay’s table runner, loaded it onto the quilting frame, and basted the sides.  I would quilt it the next day; I’d plumb run out of steam.

It was only 59° that night.  Autumn is coming!

Late Saturday afternoon, I finished quilting the table topper, and took some time out to make supper.  Loren came and picked up his share, and visited with us for a bit.

Supper was chicken filets, mixed vegetables with bow-tie pasta, Brussel sprouts, vanilla pudding, and chocolate chip/peanut butter chip cookies. 

I made more nectar for the hummingbirds, and refilled the feeder after cooling the stuff.  Those tiny birds are such fun to watch, even if they are fierce and territorial.

That night, I finished the Barred Wave table runner.  I had a cookbook amongst my gift collection that just happened to be in the same bright blue as Sarah Kay has in her kitchen, so I tucked it in with the table runner.

Larry went to the shop and washed the Jeep.  When he was done, it looked purty, all right; but it only ran in the morning.  Last night, when we were ready to go to the wedding, the Jeep would start momentarily – and then immediately die.  So we jumped out and skedaddled ourselves into Victoria’s Touareg, and drove it to church.  This will be unhandy, after she’s married.  :-\

Well, we got to the wedding in time that we didn’t have a footrace with the bride going down the aisle, thankfully. 

Below is a picture of the flowergirl and ringbearer, taken after the reception.  I think they’re plumb weddinged out, what do you think?

Our niece, Rachel, made the cake.  Larry’s cousin’s daughter, Jolene, put together the flowers.  She also played the Boston in the new Fellowship Hall during the reception.  The carpet is down now, and it certainly improved the acoustics.

Joanna is old enough to help serve tables now!  Has been, for several months, actually.  I remember when I turned 13, and got to do that.  I’d been looking forward to it for so long!  We all considered it a High Honor.  I recall my mother telling me to never, never hold a bowl or container with anything hot over any part of anybody.  She was so diligent to teach all of her children to be careful and mannerly.  And I was so indignant that she would think I needed to be told such a thing.  But, as you can see, I haven’t forgotten!

Nowadays, the young men help with the serving, too, because of the large number of people.  Kurt and Victoria served ice cream.  Victoria came along with a tray and asked me if I wanted guacamole.  :-D  It was really chip and mint ice cream... but it sure looked like guacamole in those little clear cups, especially after she said that! 

When we got home, Larry went out to see if his little Bosch gadget that plugs in under the dash would tell him what the trouble was with the Jeep.  No luck.  He tried starting it – and this time, it cranked and cranked, and wouldn’t quit cranking when he released the key, until he turned it completely to the off position!  It doesn’t fire and start, at all.  He looked it up online, but couldn’t find any good answer.  He talked to the man at the dealership today, but he didn’t have any answers.  Perhaps the new ignition they installed a couple of months ago is causing the trouble?  Larry will have to put the Jeep on a trailer and haul it there.

Victoria and Robin went to Omaha today to pick up a few wedding things.  “Do you need anything?” Victoria texted me.

“A Bernina 780 and a HandiQuilter Infinity,” I responded.

“OK, I’ll need your credit card number,” she answered.

Loren has taken his camper and gone on a little drive to the mountains.  Hopefully, he’ll have better weather than he did the last time.

A friend wrote and asked how I was today.

“Fine,” I replied, “other than the fact that I know there’s a three-foot-wide wolf spider behind the stove.  :-O  (I never, ever exaggerate.)  I smacked at it with a flyswatter, but it scrunched into the corner and then made an Olympic Sprint back into its hidey hole.”

So now I’m editing pictures and peering over my shoulder at the stove now and again, flyswatter in hand.  En garde!!!

I’ve posted four new photo pages:

Moths, Butterflies, Bees, and Cats

Birdhouse Basket and Tabby

Chickweed Geometer Moth

Rescued House Wren

There are so many fiddly little details left to do for Victoria’s wedding... I want these dresses done! – but I went and sewed the chiffon sleeves on all three dresses I made with only one thickness, when I knew good and well it needed to be two.  Didn’t even think of it.  waa waa waa  Now I have to add them in, which will be no picnic.  Zippers... a couple more covered buttons... a too long sash... too-short petticoats...

I’d better roll up my sleeves and get with it!

,,,>^..^<,,,       Sarah Lynn       ,,,>^..^<,,,