Pumpkin Blossom, Tiger, and Tabby

Tiger and Tabby

Tiger

Tabby

Wedding Sewing

Monday, Victoria received an online notification that her wedding dress was on the way, and would be here in a couple of days – two weeks earlier than expected!  Whew... what a relief to hear that. 

I was offline Tuesday morning, so it was not until nearly 1:00 p.m., when the Internet came back on, that I found an email from Lydia, sent at 8:15 a.m., asking for help, because she was very sick.  Aarrgghh...  poor girl.

So I got myself in gear, and headed to Lydia’s house.  I had to drive Victoria’s old Aurora Oldsmobile, because the ignition (or something) had gone bad on the Jeep.  Poor little Jacob was sick, too.

Those are three sweet little boys.  Good as gold, they were.  Before their naps, I read to Jacob and Jonathan, and they cuddled up beside me and listened with full attention.  As I tucked him in, I asked Jonathan if he was my little sweetie pie, and he earnestly said, “Yep!”  Then, after a bit more thought on the matter, he nodded his head firmly and added, “I am!”

Baby Ian is a cuddly little bear.  But, oh me, oh my, is he ever a chunk!  I didn’t take care of him for too awfully long, but it didn’t take too awfully long before my back was plumb worn out.  I carried him outside for a bit; it was a lovely day.  Ian oohed and ahhed at the pickups and trucks that passed their house (they live a little ways out of town). 

It’s never hard to tell when parents have put time and effort, love and happiness and discipline, into little souls, is it?  Jeremy and Lydia are happy young people – and those happy little boys are a direct result of that.

I only got half a dozen cross-stitches put into the butterfly quilt I’m doing before Jeremy got home from work.  He came in from a long day of work – he works with his family’s masonry business – and immediately asked if Lydia had had anything at all to eat (she hadn’t), and went to rummaging about for crackers and soup.  Jonathan was humming and clunking around in his room (I seriously doubt if he’d slept at all), so Jeremy headed off to get his little boy, laughing at the little song Jonathan was singing.  That young man is a good husband and father; I’m thankful Lydia has him.

About the time I got home, Hannah came to borrow my slow cooker.  Someone had given her 20 pounds of tomatoes, and she was going to cook and can salsa.  Victoria, home from work, and came bounding down the stairs as Hannah and I visited ... headed out the door ... and, because Hannah’s van was blocking Victoria’s Touareg in the drive, Hannah remarked, “You’ll have to back up fast to get through!”

The way my offspring interact makes me laugh. 

My stomach growled, and it occurred to me that all I’d had to eat that day was some 12-grain bread with butter, and a glass of milk.  So, for a quick and easy (and good) meal, I popped bagel dogs into the oven, sweet corn into the microwave, and a golden fruit mixture into a bowl.

Next, I seriously considered putting zippers into the candlelighters’ dresses.  I wound up sitting in the recliner with the heating pad behind my back, but I seriously considered those zippers!

Remember the neighbors who have caused Larry grief over his garage, and throw fits and tantrums nearly every time he tries to mow or rototill or use his scissor lift, even when it’s still bright and sunny outside?  There is no Noise Ordinance out here in the country, and even in town, ‘Quiet Time’ doesn’t go into effect until 10:00 p.m.  But just let Larry try to mow after suppertime!  And when else does he have time to mow or work on anything?  He works 65-70-hour weeks, for pity’s sake!  They built their house way too close to our property line; they couldn’t have gotten by with that, in town.  Well, guess what I saw out by their mailbox that evening? 

(Did you guess?) 

I saw a for-sale sign, that’s what I saw.  I didn’t get a good enough look at it as I zipped past, and wanted to whirl around and gawk – but one of them was looking.  My Mama taught me not to gawk, if anybody was looking. 

And then Hester texted us and confirmed it:  she’d seen the listing on Zillow.

I guess they finally couldn’t stand us any longer?

Here’s hoping we’ll wind up with some people who are normal, and will be friendly in return, when we try to be good neighbors.  These people are sorta, uh, old hippies, I guess.  I finally looked up ‘symptoms of illegal drug use’, and saw that there are a number of what old hippies might consider ‘recreational drugs’ that do indeed cause extreme noise sensitivity.  Maybe that’s the problem, who knows.  She’s left me alone, ever since I trotted around the corner of the fence, found her screaming bloody murder at Larry, who was some distance away rototilling the front lawn – and it was still bright and sunny out – and informed her she was ‘really awful’.  She jerked around, stared at me, started marching toward me (she’s quite a bit bigger than me)... so I took a step forward, put one hand on my hip, tilted my head, and smirked at her.  Ah ain’t skeert o’ no screamin’ meemie, huh-uh, nosirree, ah ain’t.

For some odd reason, that seemed to scare her, and she made an indecipherable snort, turned around, and went back into her house through her garage, listing and nearly running headlong into the back of her vehicle.  ? 

I thought, She's ON something.

There’s a humongous praying mantis on the window screen as I type, chowing down on a big ol’ moth.  We’ll pretend it’s a nasty corn borer getting himself done et, as opposed to a pretty little geometer chickweed.  Er, chickweed geometer.  One o’ them thar flappy things.

Wednesday morning I finally remembered to pick up our suits at the cleaners, including Larry’s best black suit, which he will wear to Victoria’s wedding.  I stopped at Hobby Lobby for another covered button kit – I needed to make a couple more satin-covered buttons for one of the dresses Kurt’s mother Ruth is sewing.  Then I went to the grocery store for soup for Lydia, and anybody else in her little family who might want it.  Lydia was still sick, but Jacob was feeling bet ter.  The night before, Lydia said, she thought creamy potato soup sounded good.  So Jeremy got creamy potato — with cheddar bacon.  That didn’t go so well.    I can just imagine Larry choosing that for me, if I should have the flu.  Sounds good to them, you know!

In the soup aisle, I found all sorts of things that I thought might look good to someone with the stomach flu, so I got a few of each:  Campbell’s Creamy Potato Soup... Campbell’s Condensed Potato Soup... Campbell’s Classic Chicken Noodle... Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle...  Campbell’s Homestyle Chicken Noodle... Campbell’s Creamy Chicken Noodle... Bear Creek Potato Soup... Bear Creek Chicken Noodle...  Bear Creek soup comes in a bag and must be rehydrated.  Good stuff.

When Jonathan got up that next morning, the little guy cheerfully greeted his parents with, “I didn’t throw up in my bed last night!” 

It must’ve been right there in his mind, first thing, because he’d been so worried about his Mama the day before.  Little kids worry when Mamas get sick!

I got some Downy clothes softener while at the store, and when I got home I washed the bridesmaids’ crinoline petticoats, using Downy in the rinse, and hung them on the line to dry.  I think they are softer now; I hope they are.  I may have to lengthen a couple of them.  If they aren’t soft enough, I’ll have to sew an overskirt on them, because the tulle or crinoline makes little pokies and jags show through the satin skirts. 

I made a couple of covered buttons, and then put one of those old invisible zippers in my stash between two pieces of fabric that will be pockets in the bag I’m making Joanna for Christmas, just for practice.  This time, before sewing it, I ironed the fold beside the coils down a bit.  That way I could move the needle slightly closer to the coils, thus making the zipper nearly invisible, as it’s supposed to be.

I did the same with the plum-colored zippers – and sewed them into the little girls’ dresses.  As usual, the practice piece was much better than the ‘real’ thing.  The needle wound up too close to the coils in a few places, preventing the zipper from sliding; so I had to take out some of the stitching and try again.  Finally they were in, and looked pretty good.  The fabric puckers just a bit, as it’s so thin and stretchy; but it doesn’t look too bad, I guess.  I hoped, hoped, hoped, the dresses would be big enough for the girls.  They have to reach up, up, to light the candles, after all!  They can’t be in straightjackets. 

Next, I cut the binding for the Buoyant Blossoms quilt and began putting it on.  By church time, I had the binding sewn to the front side of the quilt.  On the back of the quilt, I had pieced coordinating fabric with a couple of narrow stripes running down each side.  It would’ve looked fine – if it would’ve stayed nice and straight on the quilting frame. 

But it hadn’t.  The white bobbin thread shows on the purple fabric... and the straight lines where I stitched in the ditch don’t look so very straight.  So I reckon that’ll foil my chances at winning gazillions of dollars for Best of Show at the International Quilt Show in Houston!  Maybe I could just scribble purple permanent marker on the white thread where it crosses the purple fabric?

Our niece Katie finished with the chiffon and brought it to church that evening.  Now I would be able to cut the second layer of sleeves that I’d neglected to put into the dresses. 

{“Bother!” she said (in a Winnie-the-Pooh voice).}

The sleeves are sheer enough... and the armholes big enough... that it just isn’t modest without two layers of chiffon.  I knew this --- and I forgot!  :-P

I had already serged the sleeves into the armhole.  Sooo... I would add the second layer inside the first... and serge them again.  They would have to be hand-stitched to the insides of the cuffs.

Thursday, Victoria canceled a chiropractic appointment in order to be here when her wedding dress arrived.  It was scheduled to come between 9:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.  At 12:30 p.m., her friend Robin came to see the wedding gown.

Trouble was, the dress wasn’t here!

At 1:30 p.m., Victoria called UPS.  The man who answered the phone looked it up – and saw that it had been marked ‘Delivered’.

Now, that was a worry.  He said he’d check into the matter and call back in ten minutes.

He didn’t call.

“You call him,” I told Victoria 20 minutes later, and so she did.

His driver had not yet returned his call.

This was becoming nerve-wracking!  I wondered if the dress had been delivered to the ‘other’ Sarah Jackson, who lives over on Oconee Lake, on the other side of Rte. 22.  But... the box was addressed to Victoria – and there is no Victoria Jackson on Oconee Lake.

Finally the man at the UPS office called back:  Victoria’s box – plus a couple of mine – was still on the truck, and would be delivered soon.

Robin had to leave to get ready for work.  At twenty ’til three, Victoria, too, had to leave for work.

And then, finally, at 3:45 p.m., the UPS truck came rumbling up the lane and stopped.  Eventually, a large man I had never seen before clambered from the vehicle with three large boxes, and stumped his way across the lawn to the house.

Sure enough, one of the boxes was Victoria’s, and I had to sign for it.

The dress had arrived.

Victoria got off work at 11:00 p.m., and rushed home to try on her wedding gown.

Other than the fact that the neckline is much too low, it fits.  It fits perfectly.  It’s slightly long, but perhaps starching her petticoat will solve the problem.  I could add a ruffle of netting to the bottom of the petticoat, too... anything’s better than trying to hem the gown itself, with its multiple layers!

We ordered a yard of extra fabric at the same time we ordered the dress, and with that I will fix the neckline.  It’s aggravating – we send them her measurements, and they make it from scratch.... but can they raise the neckline??  Nooooooooooo, they cannot!  At least, not without charging a few more hundred bucks.  You have to purchase extra fabric, and add it in yourself.  Now, anybody who sews knows it’s a simple matter to cut the neckline higher, while adding it in later is a bugaboo, and rarely looks as nice as it would’ve.  Grrr.

The top is covered with lace.  The middle is pleated satin.  Sooo... I’m going to pleat the satin, and then maybe cut it on the diagonal, so the top part will match the midriff, and look like another part of the design. 

That night I finished the Buoyant Blossoms quilt:

I input lettering and a flower design into my sewing/embroidery machine, and Friday I stitched out the label for the quilt.  When that was done, I cut the second sets of sleeves (linings) for the wedding dresses.

Kurt’s parents, Bill and Ruth, went with Kurt and Victoria to Nebraska Furniture Mart Friday evening and got them a washer and dryer.  Kurt and Victoria got a mattress.

I got the second layer of chiffon sleeves put into Robin’s bridesmaid’s dress, and it looks very nice, and wasn’t such a nightmare as I’d expected.  Saturday, I put the linings into the candlelighters’ sleeves.  It took a while, since part of them had to be sewn in by hand.  But now it’s done, and no one would ever guess sleeve and lining weren’t put in at the same time.

Larry took the Jeep to the dealership Saturday.  They weren’t able to start working on it until today; mechanics don’t work on Saturday, the lazy bums.  Fortunately, we learned that it’s under warranty, and all the work will be covered.  Too bad we didn’t realize this before Larry bought a fuel pump last week!

I’m in the market for a horse and buggy.  Know where I can get a set cheap, hay included?

After church last night, Joanna took her dress home to try on, and we took Emma’s dress to their house for her to try.  Both dresses fit!  They look very nice on the girls.  I should’ve cut Emma’s just a little wider at the shoulders; but it’ll be all right.  I told her not to wear a red t-shirt underneath, as it would look funny if it showed.  I fluffed her hair around her shoulders and said, “Just make sure your hair is all over the place!”  And then I adjusted the sash so it draped in the front, and told her it wasn’t so she could fill it up with cake.  So she was laughing at all this.

Larry and I went to Hy-Vee after going to Teddy and Amy’s house.  We got salad, Ragu, meatballs, and cherry crumb pie, as Dorcas and her husband Todd, baby Trevor, and the two boys for whom they are caring are coming to visit and eat supper with us tomorrow.  They live in Tennessee, and we have not met Todd or seen baby Trevor before.

We got cheese curds, Pretzels Flip crackers, bananas, and big Milano California grapes to snack on as we drove home.  Those humongous grapes are absolutely, positively scrumptious.

Hannah sent pictures of Joanna wearing her dress; it looks just right.  Whew, I’m so relieved.  Now I’ll shorten Emma’s sash (it hangs longer than the hem) and tack it to the dress at the sides.  Hannah will do Joanna’s.  I need to find a cancan for Emma.  

Joanna’s other grandmother gave her a cancan that works perfectly.  I must make sure Maria’s and Amanda’s crinoline petticoats fit and look okay under their dresses, too.

Hannah is sewing Kurt’s plum-colored satin tie; Lydia made Kurt’s and Jacob’s satin vests.

I was offline all morning today; the jitter bounces all over the place. 

Larry came home about 2:00 and took the scissor lift up to check out the dish.  Ugh, I don’t like to see him up that high!  He got it readjusted and tightened, and I’ve been getting a good signal ever since.

 Tiger just came in to have some food.  The poor kitty has been bitten by something that latched onto his face and really sunk its teeth in – probably the cute little gray cat.  Tiger and the gray don’t get along – mainly because the gray wants to come visiting, and Tiger has decided this is his house, and the gray is the only cat in this vicinity over whom he has seniority.  We’ve been putting triple antibiotic salve on his face, and it’s getting better.

Here’s what the flowergirl’s dress looks like – only it will be in ivory.  The flowergirl will be Natalie, age 7, daughter of one of Kurt’s cousins. 

One day Victoria was talking to Natalie’s mother, Nancy, with Natalie listening, discussing wedding details that might go wrong.

“Oh, well,” said Victoria with a laugh, “I’ll get married anyway!”

Natalie saved this remark in her little head.

Recently, she was worrying about how to walk in her very fluffy dress without tripping over it.  Then she shrugged and announced, “Oh, well, I’ll get married anyway!  I’ll just be optimistic and move forward.”  hee hee

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

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       ,,,>^..^<,,,