Wordless Wednesday...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Monday, Monday!

I hesitate to mention this, as I fear you are tired of hearing the 'r' word.

But.  Today, I actually feel like I am retired!  Odd.  Well, perhaps not so odd.  I had oral surgery on Friday, and with that looming over my head since my last day of work, I guess I still kinda felt like I couldn't completely relax and get into the entire retirement thing.  Ya know?  But, anyway.  Today is a good day.  I feel fine, it's cool-ish outside and I am getting something done!

I mentioned before that I felt it was important to have some kind of a routine...a schedule of sorts.  Else, I fear my days would just float by and end up in a jumble somewhere.  I don't want that.  I want my days to count for something.  Perhaps not every day...but certainly, most of them.  

I started that routine this a.m.  Thus far, it feels good.  A good fit.  Like I'll be able to stick with it.  I've had time to sit and do nothing and I've had time to get some good sewing in.

I trimmed a bazillion hst's.

Okay, maybe only 150...but it sure felt like a bazillion!  These are the corners that I cut off when making the blocks that I've been working on for the past week or so.  I am going to make a doll quilt with them.  

Speaking of the blocks that I've been making...I finished the last 2 today.  

Now to decide on sashing and borders.

I finished another face cloth, so now I have two clementine colored ones for myself...

and, enough yarn to make another small one.  I really like this color!


For you cat lovers, here is a new photo of Kisa. 

 

And, for the brown dog followers, I have nothing.  Sorry.

 

Must get back to sewing.  Hope you are having a good Monday!






"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Two for Thursday...

Yesterday, I stopped in at my work

to fill out my last timesheet.

It was nice to see everyone.

I finished the face cloth
that I was making for myself.

It's about 7 inches square.

Clementine is the color name. 

 I also finished two more blocks...

If you're keeping track,

that's 7 done and 2 left to sew.

I have oral surgery tomorrow,

say a quick prayer for me, please.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Darling Clementine...

ahhhhh...my darling Clementine.

A cross between a sweet orange

and a Chinese mandarin.

 

It is also the color of the

cotton/linen blend yarn

that I am knitting with today.  

 I am making myself

a new face cloth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I did some sewing, too.

And, finished two more blocks...

  

That's 5 done...

only 4 more to go. 

Then sashing and borders.

Very fun and

certainly very easy quilt.

One of these days,

I will get around to

quilting these flimsies.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Sewing...What's That?

Gosh, it's been 15 days

since I last sewed.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

~grin~ 

These blocks have been waiting

to be put together,

so I got them done today.

It doesn't take long to sew each block...

and the blocks are 18" finished,

so it won't take long

to finish this quilt top.

I started this quilt back here.

I have nothing else today.  

Except, to say...

I am thoroughly

enjoying my retirement!

(sorry, couldn't resist.)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last of the Firsts...

This is the first weekend of my retirement.

It doesn't feel like the weekend.

Why not?

Because, every day feels like the weekend.

Every. Single.  Day.

I am loving it!

~~~~~~~~~~

I haven't accomplished much.

I started to knit a doll hat (or two),

(actually, three)

but didn't like the pattern...

should have used different weight yarn...

miscalculated size.

ohwell.

Lessons learned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The heat wave finally broke.

Thank goodness.

 

A good thing to keep on hand...

Have a great weekend! 

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Retirement Is...

Wonderful!

Because when I awaken,

I smile...

I don't have to go to work.

Freedom!

I am who I am.

No schedule!

I can do what I want, when I want.

Stress-free!

No pressure of

being where I don't want to be,

doing what I don't want to be doing.

Peaceful!

As quiet as I want...or not.

Relaxing!

I am my own boss.

A question mark for Tag.

He is waiting for me to leave so he

can get his treat-filled kong

(that he used to get in his crate when I left for work).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All that came from just one

complete day of retirement.

And, just so ya know...

I can't wipe the smile off my face!

This beautiful bouquet is from Mandy!

 One of these days,

I will quit talking about my retirement...

and will have a few things to show you.

 
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

ahhhhhh...retirement!

As I awoke this morning,

I had that same, brief moment

that I have every week day.

You know the one...

you think about getting up

to face another work day.

Then reality hit me.

I am retired!

I rolled over...

and jumped out of bed...

eager to start my first day.

(bet you thought I was going to write that I rolled over

and went back to sleep, hey? ~grin~)

 
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Day...

 Today is the Last Day!

The last day I will ever go to work.

I will go in with a smile on my face.

I will delight in this day.

 Six hours.

That is all that is left to working.

And, half of that time

I won't be working.

 There will be a party today.

Friends and coworkers.

To celebrate.

To say good-bye.

Retirement...here I come!!

(this is the final post in the 'last' day series...tomorrow begins the 'first' day series.  ~grin~)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Monday...

This is the last Monday.

The last Monday that I will ever work.

The last Monday that I

will awaken with a groan...

with the thought that the weekend is over.

That the work week has begun.

That it is time to get my sorry self up

and get ready for work.

Speaking of which,

I had best get out the door.

But.

I will go to work with a smile.

Cuz...

this is the 

LAST MONDAY!

(and second to last day!)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Sunday...

This is the last Sunday - ever! - that I will get up in the morning and say to myself, "I had best get something done today, cuz the work week starts tomorrow."

Cuz, you know, after the next two days, I will no longer have 'work weeks'.  

Do you do that?  Not get much accomplished on Saturday but have a to-do list a mile long, so rush around like a crazy woman on Sunday, working on that list, crossing off as you finish each one?  No, me either.  ~grin~  

Though I do have days when I really want to get something done, I generally take things more easily than that.  What doesn't get done just doesn't get done.  There is always another day.

However.  One thing I've been thinking about with my impending retirement (gosh, how I am loving that word!)  is that I need to have some sort of structure.  Not only to my days, but to my weeks.  Not that I think I need to adhere to a rigid schedule, but some type of routine is needed, here.  Else, the days will just come and go.  Nothing will get done.  I'll be one of those people who don't know what day it is cuz they will have all faded into each other.  Nope.  I surely do not want that!  Some goals need to be set, so that I have something to work toward.  Whether it is the laundry or grocery shopping or cleaning or a specific sewing or knitting or stitching project...I need to have timelines of a sort.  So, I will.  Set goals and have a routine.  

And, for your viewing pleasure...here is Kisa resting on her pad (that clashes wildly with the sofa cover).

Have a great Sunday!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Friday...

This is the last Friday I will work.  Ever.  

(Course, yesterday was the last

Thursday I would work.

And I didn't write a post about that.

The day before...

the last Wednesday I would work

had no special significance, either.) 

(And, I still have my last

Monday and Tuesday to work.)

But.

Fridays are special days.

I always waited (couldn't wait!)

for Fridays because that meant I had

finally made it through the week.

That the weekend was finally almost here.

I will no longer have that feeling...

that TGIF feeling.

Cuz.

Every day...

every single day will be

like the weekend to me.

I am so excited!  

I am almost there.

To retirement.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Topping It Off...

Several hours after I made

Aubrey's summer outfit,

(see the post below)
I decided that she needed

a reversible bonnet.

So, I made one for her.

She is very happy with it...

As am I.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

She was NAKED!!

And Aubrey was her name

A not so very ordinary a girl, or name

Bread, 1973

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was enjoying the early morning quiet...

sipping my juice and reading blogs.

The quiet didn't last long...
I began to hear the sounds

of thumping and bumping,

grunting and muttering

coming from my bedroom.

Since Tag and Kisa were
both in my eyesight,

I was mystified.

When I walked into my bedroom,
I immediately saw what was going on...
the source of all the noise.

There was Aubrey,

rolling around on the sewing table...

 kicking her feet and
pounding her fists.
A tantrum, for sure.

And, she was naked as a jaybird!

"I am hot, hot, hot!",

she complained.

"Please, Mama!

Please make some 
summer clothes for me.

All I have are these jeans

and this green shirt."

(nice as they are,

I did have to admit that she needed

a summer outfit)

She kicked her feet on the table

and whined,

"If you don't make a summer outfit for me, 

I will remain naked!

Cuz, Mama...I am HOT!"


I took Aubrey in my arms
and whispered in her ear, 
"I am happy to make you a new outfit."


And so, I did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And, here we are...
standing in the doorway of 
my new adventure.
My retirement.

Making clothes for Aubrey

and her many friends.

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Rules...To Follow or Not To Follow!

Rules rule.  Do they?  Or, not?  I am one to follow rules...pretty much, anyway.  It's probably my Catholic upbringing...the guilt of not following them...~sigh~

There are rules everywhere we go.  I remember, as a child, waiting to grow up so I didn't have to follow rules.  What a shock it was to find out that the rules only multiplied as I aged.  

Rules for work.
Rules for driving.
Rules when out in public (as opposed to doing whatever you want in the privacy of your home).
Rules for everything one does.  Every.  Single.  Thing.

Do this, don't do that.

Etiquette.  Common Sense.

There are even rules for quilting!  Wow...really?  ohyeah...for sure.

1.  Sew quarter inch seams.
2.  Press, press, press.  And, please, press some more.
3.  Always cover the blade on your rotary cutter.
4.  Pin.  Everything.
5.  About those pins...remove them, don't sew over them.

To name a few.

Do I follow those rules?  Of course! 

Except.

1.  If my fabric was not accurately cut, it is sometimes necessary to fudge that quarter inch seam.

2.  Depending on what I am working on, I sometimes finger press. 

3.  I always cover the blade on my cutter.  Unless I forget.  Or, am distracted.  But, I did learn early on that it takes just a touch of the blade to lay your finger open.  Blood on your fabric is not a good thing.  (hydrogen peroxide works well for quick removal)

4.  I do not pin everything.  If my quarter inch seams are accurate, it is not always necessary.

5.  I mostly remove my pins when I get to them.  Mostly.

How about you?   What 'rules' do you have difficulty following? 

And, the photo of the day.  Fresh fruit with fruit dip...

(Mix together 7 oz. marshmallow fluff and 8 oz. philadelphia cream cheese softened).  Chill.  Serve with your favorite fruits.)

 Have a great day!


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

What I Did...

Yesterday, I cut fabric and pieced one block.  I took Tag for a short walk, and spent a few hours with a friend.  But, that's all I did.  I took a nap, too.  It was a very lazy day.  

 Here is the block I pieced...

I am using a fat quarter bundle I won a few years ago, with a pattern by Camille Roskelley, found in her new book, "Simply Retro".  Each block finishes at 18", so I don't need many to make a nice lap-sized quilt.  In the midst of all that is going on, I need to have something to lose myself in...something that I don't need to think about.  Ya know?  

I work today, all of next week, and then only two days of the following week.  My last day...retirement...is coming up quickly.  I am ready for it.

Have a good Friday...and a great weekend!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

More Animation!

Another series of photos put to motion by google.  

Kisa...

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11