August Classmate Dinner...

Another classmate dinner has come and gone. Likewise for this month! The time just continues to fly and soon enough it will be September.

We had a larger group this month, and Handsome joined us again. (He took this month's photo.)

Front row: Bruce, Deb B, Brad, and Cal. Back row: Mary, Lisa, Dan F., Deb N., Dan N., and me.

I took orders for caramel pecan rolls and they ordered seven two-packs, so I spent the morning baking. Just so you know, it wasn't my idea to hold them up for the photo, but I did laugh that they did.

Today, I'm going to locate tomatoes for canning this weekend, and start another "Something Blue Bridal Brooch" for our granddaughter. I'll tell you more about that tomorrow. 

The sun is shining, and it's going to be a perfect day for just being home. Hope you enjoy every minute of yours!

Doing My Part...

Handsome drove me to my appointment at the blood bank yesterday. We went to the drive-in near home on the way back, too. After donating a pint, I needed something to eat, and he was ready for a meal, too.

The cool part is that when we stopped at the drive-in, we ran into the friend for whom I made the directed blood donation! He told me more than once how much he appreciated that I'd done that for him. Handsome and I have been friends with him and his family for about forty five years. There was never a question that I would help if I could.

When we got home, I drank lots of water to "refill my tank", and I was really tired, so I went upstairs and took what turned into a four hour nap. I didn't fight it either, knowing I work again today.

We're going to vote in our Wisconsin primary before my shift begins, and then I'll be on my feet for most of the next six hours. I'm pretty sure I'll be zonked out in my chair within an hour of getting out of my work duds and into something more comfy. I'm actually looking forward to it.

What's on your agenda today? 

Concert Night...

The Percussion Section

Handsome had a concert last night, but because there were expected storms, the venue changed from outdoor at the park to indoor. The sad part was that the indoor venue was half an hour from town, so there were only about forty people in the audience.

The Entire Band

The school gymnasium was really nice, and the music was so enjoyable. Everyone had front row seats, too. 

Handsome Hard At Work

The wild part was that we had no rain during the concert, but just about the time the percussion section, the music director, and a few others were getting ready to load all the chairs and percussion instruments into the band trailer, the thunder and lightning started.

By the time they were finished loading up, everyone was soaked. We drove home in heavy rain with quite the light show to boot! I remarked that it's been quite a while since we were out at night in inclement weather. We usually have the option to stay in - so we do! I was so relieved when we drove in the garage.

Even so, I'm awfully glad I went along. I was there to watch my husband do what he loves best...and it was a fun concert, too!

He has another concert tonight out of town. They're performing in a park under a shelter. I'm staying home for this one (it's nearly the same as last night's program), so I'll pray we have nice weather and he's not soaked when he gets home.

I'm going to be working on my butterfly, so I'll have an update for you tomorrow.

June Classmate Dinner...

Back row (l-r): Dan, Brad, Deb B, Handsome and me Front: Bruce, Deb N, and Lisa

Handsome joined us again this month for dinner. As always, we had a great visit, and shared events since our last get-together.

One of our regulars, Cal had surgery last week, so he continues to heal. We'll see him again next month.

I made two dozen cinnamon rolls, and with the exception of the four I kept at home, sold almost all of them to my buddies. Deb B. was so enthused, she opened her duo and tore one apart to let everyone know they were tasty. 

I was originally going to bring one two-pack back home until our waitress asked if I had any left because they looked so good. She ended up purchasing my last pack, so I came home with an empty tote. Yay, me!

I'm going to work on my Etsy shop today. My plan is to update current listings, and add a new category or two. I should have new items up by the end of the day. 

Now I'm going to pour a cuppa, feed the birds, and then get busy. See you later!

 

That'sMe!...

If you're looking for me, I'll be needle dancing...when I'm not spending time with Handsome and "the girls".  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

 

 

Work went well yesterday, and I was busy the entire shift. I brought dinner home with me, and Handsome and I had an early meal after I changed from my work clothes into "home" clothes.

After dinner I made the mistake of putting my feet up and enjoying a hot cuppa. You know what happened next. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I spent the balance of the evening not stitching. 

I have a normal day today, meaning I'll get some needlework time in, too. I'll definitely make progress to share tomorrow.

Friendship and Fast Fur...

Goodness, we had fun last weekend! I met up with Judy, her husband, their friends Bruce and Paula, and dogs, Elvira and Thumper. 

Judy was gracious enough to take the time to explain the process, and then we watched Elvira earn her 43rd ribbon, while Thumper earned number 7.

After every event, Judy's tradition is to slip the pups into something cute; clip her Bluetooth speaker to her belt, and play each dog's "theme music" as they pick up their awards.

Watching them earn their awards was great fun, but watching them collect them was just adorable.  

We gathered and put our lunch plan together before heading to Judy's friends' home for our barbecue meal. I left for home a respectable time later.

After Judy's dogs compete for more points Sunday morning, they'll be leaving for Tennessee. We exchanged hugs and goodbyes, and I left.

Once I was back home, I told Handsome all about FastCAT competitions. He was intrigued. So after getting a It more information from Judy, we went back down Sunday morning with Bella and Carly. 

We couldn't take one and leave the other home, so we entered Bella in the non-official fun run.  Her time to run 100 yards chasing a lure was just over 10 seconds each time. She reached 19 (plus) miles per hour, having never done it before.

Pretty impressive for an 11 year old, right? When she wasn't running, she was still amped up at the prospect. That's our girl.

Carly was pretty impressive, too. Once she understood the assignment. She ran the 100 yards in 9.2 and 9.5 seconds, and she got up to 22 mph doing it! By the time each of the girls accomplished their two runs, we were all a muddy mess. 

You know what that means. The back of my Explorer was a muddy mess, to say nothing of the girls. Baths were in order when we got home, and thank goodness I thought to put towels down to avoid having my car looking the same.

Handsome and I discussed how this could be perfect for us and the dogs. We're not quite fit enough for agility or hunting anymore, but this was right up our alley - plus, both girls loved it! We're definitely going to enter more in other events areas of the state.

I have an appointment this afternoon, so I'm going to enjoy my cuppa and get busy. I also decided what I'm going to do for a table runner  more on that tomorrow.

 

Officially Twenty Two Inches...

According to our friends who live a few miles north of us, we got 22" of snow from Winter Storm Elsa (along with a lot of wind and drifting).

As far as I'm concerned about this winter, I'm past ready to "let it go"!

Andy came down with his tractor with the big snow blower and managed to move most of the white stuff for us. Late afternoon, Handsome and I got out our tractor with a front bucket and rear blade and managed to move what was right in front of our garage door. Andy continues to be a blessing to us (for many more reasons than just this).

Thankfully, Handsome's band rehearsal was cancelled, following the lead of local schools and many businesses (including the station until mid-afternoon, when the owner had my boss go in to open back up. (Nuts, if you ask me!) 

I'm working today, and will get to see just what the "outside world" looks like from the station. I'm pretty sure I'll be quite happy to accomplish my shift and get back home. I'll let you know how things went tomorrow. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day and more importantly for our family, Happy Anniversary to Son #2 and his bride!

Donna

February Classmate Dinner...

Front l-r: Deb B. Lisa, Brad, Bruce and Janet. Back: John, Cal, Dan and Deb N, Donna and Handsome, and Max

We had another classmate dinner yesterday, and this time we had three couples attending. Dan and Deb, and Janet and Max both started dating when we were all in high school (I think Janet and Max started in junior high), and got married after graduation. Of course, Handsome and I were the third couple. Two of our group are widowed, and the rest are married, too, but their spouses didn't attend.

It was pretty much guys on one end of the long table set up and gals on the other, but we chatted back and forth. As always, it was nice to see everyone and find out who's getting ready for a trip, or what else is going on. Deb and Dan will be gone for a month on vacation out West, so we'll miss them next month. 

The temperature got into the mid-50s Wednesday with plenty of sun, so we all looked forward to getting out to visit. The weather won't hold like this though. After all, it is February in Wisconsin, home of the Frozen Tundra. We know that it's going to get cold - and snow at least once more. Shelly always says that the robins have to be snowed on at least five times before Spring actually arrives for real. We make the most of the good days when we can.

I'm taking the WMBBD to the vet for a diagnostic appointment today, and then I'm going in to work for a couple hours to cover for my boss who's getting ready to leave on vacation tomorrow. I've been working on a 30-minute daily purge program (getting rid of stuff), so I'll do that again for a bit when I get home from work. Then, I'm going to stitch for a while. I'll be back tomorrow to share the latest. See you then!

I'd Always Rather Be Home...

This image was just the warm, homey inspiration I was hoping for today. The sentiments is equally appropriate. Work went really well. It was comfortable indoors and lots of restaurant and station visitors kept Teresa and me busy. The day went by quickly. 

When Handsome picked me up it was 4ºF. Not my idea of fun at all. Carly had a late vet appointment for a checkup, so we went from work right to the vet's office. We didn't get home until 7 pm, and I was chilled to the bone. 

Turkey soup to the rescue! I changed into a pair of comfortable (and warm) sweats and heated up a jar of the soup I just canned. I added an equal amount of turkey broth, and then a bit more water. Paired with warm dinner rolls (I brought some home from the station), and we were full in no time. Top that off with a hot cuppa tea, and I was one happy, toasty warm girl.

I have to go back outdoors to get a few things at the grocery store this morning. Paper products, more all purpose flour, and just a couple other things. Once I do that I'll be raring to get back home. Then, my plan is to spend a little time working on my brooches.

I hope you have something planned that brings you joy. When the weather is like this, keeping busy (as much as possible) indoors is just the ticket. Take care and I'll be back again tomorrow.

January Classmate Dinner...

Front: Lisa, Cal, Bruce, Donna and Handsome Back: Julie, John, Mary, Deb and Brad

I'm so glad our dinner was planned for yesterday and not today. It's supposed to be wicked cold today, and lots of folks are canceling events. I'm sure we would have, too.

As it was, we had a nice-sized group for our gathering this month, and Handsome joined us! Everyone was so wonderful, asking him how he's been since he healed from the emergency surgeries two summers ago. They really are a great group of friends. We all checked on each other's health, and then got down to just having nice visits.

We took our monthly group photograph, set the date for next month, and were on our way back to our homes by about 4:30. Aren't we a bunch of "old fogies" now? lol (Early bird dinners, and all.)

I'll share photos of the finished feathers tomorrow, and a few photos of some really special feathers, too! See you later! Stay warm, friends.

Now We Rest...

Work went really well yesterday. I did what I said I'd do when I got home...immediately changed into my sweats and took off my makeup. Teresa made an excellent batch of broasted chicken that came up just in time for me to leave for home. So we had a hot meal ready to eat when Handsome brought me back to the farmhouse. It was perfect. As you can see, the girls were down with the resting program, too!

Today, I have a few "office" things to do, and then I'm going to finish my bluebird feathers. Handsome and I are going together to my classmate dinner this afternoon. The weather is supposed to take a turn for the worse with record low temps late today, but we'll be settled back at home by then, and not going anywhere again until I work on Friday evening. Our plan is to stay tucked in and safe here until then.

If you're in for some of this bitter cold and snow in the forecast, please stay indoors as much as you're able, and please don't take any chances outside. I'll be praying for everyone's safety. I'll be back tomorrow with our monthly classmate dinner photo. See you then!

This Date Forty One Years Ago...

Our Wedding Day

Forty one years ago today, I married my Handsome. Twenty eight of our family and closest friends gathered in the living room of our first home (another farmhouse) to witness our vows. Afterward, we went to a local venue for dinner, and then opened our reception to two hundred fifty of our friends. It was the best day ever!

In 1984, the snow melted and the temperature reached 60º F. We had a jazz band perform and we danced until closing time. We were the last two to leave our reception, thanking every single guest before they departed. Two days later, we boarded an airplane for a two week honeymoon in Grand Cayman, BWI. 

Handsome and Me 41 Years Later

This year, we're expecting 2-6" of snow with winds up to 45 mph. Quite different from our wedding day. We'll stay safely home together with the girls this time. 

I've called Handsome "My Heartbeat" many times before, and it will always be so for me. I'm never happier than when we're together, and so I'll make a nice dinner for us, and I'll spend this day grateful for the life we've built. Looking forward to many more celebrations.

Happy Anniversary, Love.

A.B.& A., AML BW

Quilt Top Reveal...

Completed Quilt Top

I completed my quilt top for Handsome last night. It's so large that it's difficult to see the entire top - even with him holding it up. Once it's quilted and bound, you'll be able to see the entire quilt on a bed, but I wanted you to get a glimpse today.

All the borders are on the quilt, and they're the same all the way around. I know it's hard to see that at the bottom and top, but the are the same. You can also see some darker or lighter areas because the quilt is backlit. Those anomalies don't show in daylight.

Each yellow block now bears the names of all of our dogs for the past forty four years. Yellow labradors' names are stitched in a buttery-colored thread. The Golden retrievers are in a rusty color (except one that I forgot to change out). The black labs have black thread, and he even said I should put Fezzik and Tag's names on so they're in a darker gold with one letter in white (like their fur colors). 

Finally, I added a heart with a paw print in the center of each of the name blocks...just because. I'll share closeups of those blocks once I get this big boy quilted, which I'll at least start today. 

I work again tonight. Yes. It's the weekend again! My plan is to finish this by the time the Sunday rolls around, if not before. Of course, I'll hand bind it once I've assembled the top, back and batting. I'm going to do my best to show you a completed quilt on Monday.

Stay Warm and Safe! 

Date Night With Our Granddaughters...

We had a Friday Date Night with our granddaughters to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. This was all their idea, which made it even more special!

We picked them up at Son #2's home and proceeded to Milwaukee from there. When it started snowing mid-afternoon, I was concerned that we'd be traveling in crummy weather, but it stopped just before we left home, so the roads were clear sailing. It did snow while we watched the Milwaukee Symphony perform the music track behind the film, but again, it stopped before the end of the performance.

The coolest thing about driving there and back was that our parking spot is almost where this photograph was taken, so all we had to do was cross the street twice to get back in the Explorer!

 

 

Directly outside the theater doors was this little area with the Hogwarts School flag, so people were taking turns posing in front of it for photographs. Unlike the time when I went alone with the girls, there were no big merchandise sales areas. They had a web address shown during intermission if folks wanted to purchase any show souvenirs.

Of course, there was a butter beer (Granddaughter #1), a soda (Granddaughter #2), and popcorn for during the performance. Butter beer, by the way, isn't beer. It actually is a sparkling beverage that tastes like butterscotch candy. It's quite enjoyable!

 

 

One more photo on the way out after the performance. We had a fabulous time, and were so happy that the ladies chose to spend a Friday night with Grandma and Grandpa to celebrate my birthday. Granddaughter #1 is engaged now, and Granddaughter #2 is a college student, so it was a real treat to know that they wanted to be with us rather than the million other things they could have been doing.

 

During the movie, all four of us took turns preempting the dialogue. We've all seen this one so many times that we know exactly what's going to happen next - and who's going to say what. We laughed about that (among other things) all the way home.

We had a great time, and we all agreed that we'll make this an annual event until all four of us (with Potter-loving additions, of course) have seen all seven movies together like this. We're already looking forward to the next one!

 

I agreed to cover an early shift today, so I'll be at work by 5:30 am. I'm sure there's a nap in my future this afternoon. Have a great day! See you tomorrow.

 

Onward, Birthday Girl!...

Me At Seventy One

I spent the day in the studio (Big Reveal tomorrow!), and then Handsome and I went to Wendi's for my hair appointment. By the time we got home, the temperature had dropped into the 20ºs and it was windy. I was freezing, and so were my newly-uncovered ears! lol I went straight upstairs and changed into my warm, comfy sweats!

Handsome had gone out in the morning to the butcher shop up the road that sells local beef, and chose two tenderloin steaks for dinner. When I opened that package to grill them, they were huge! I cut one in half and then butterflied the halves for our meal, freezing the other for another time. 

While I was with Wendi getting my hair cut, he went to the grocery store and bought a birthday cake for dessert. So, I was telling everyone we were having steak and cake for my birthday dinner! 

I finally started to warm up after a steaming hot cuppa and dinner, and the sweats didn't hurt either. Before bedtime, I asked Handsome to "take my picture" and this is the result. This is who I am most of the winter. Of course I dress up to go out, and there's my work uniform, but at home, I'm most comfortable in this attire. Function before form, right?

I'll be debuting my completed bluebird project on Instagram, Facebook and here tomorrow. I can't wait to show you! For now, I'm making my list of Christmas projects so I can get started on those next. 'Tis the season!

A Musical Afternoon...

FdL Symphonic Band Percussion Section

It was a perfect day for a cathedral concert in Fond du Lac (Wisconsin). The sun shone through the stained glass windows, and the pews were filled with enthusiastic audience members. The program was inspirational, lively, and moving, and I was so glad to be there.

The venue was St. Paul's Cathedral. It's a lovely stone edifice that sits along the banks of the Fond du Lac River as it winds through the city. The area where the band performs has soaring ceilings that send the music out into the seats. It has marvelous acoustics.

My Heartbeat in the Percussion Section

Of course, I was sure to position myself so that I could see Handsome during the performance. I didn't realize though that the music director (conductor) would be positioned right in my sight line, so during the pieces, if Handsome stood here, my view was blocked. Fortunately, he moved around in the section as he played various drums, so I did get to see him.

I wish all of you could have been there with me. It really was a great concert - and that's even if you remove my obvious bias! There aren't any more concerts this year. Their next performance will be in April of 2026. Handsome will be in Florida the first part of the year, but he's planning to be home to rehearse with the band in time for that concert. That means we won't be apart very long this year, and you know I like that!

Feather photographs tomorrow! See you then...

Stitch By Stitch...

I'm almost past the little birds! I made some good progress yesterday, and will be at it again today. I think it's safe to say, "My Mojo is back!" I'm finally able to sit for more than a little while, and I'm not nodding off while I try to choose my next color.

I think I've told you that I'm juggling about seven colors on the fencing, so I alternate stitching a darker or a lighter base for a section, and then fill it in with the other colors. Even looking at my photos - which always seem to reveal any errors or "whoopsies" - I'm happy with the way it's working out, with the possible exception of the dark at the bottom of the fencing. I may take some of that out, as I like the intermittent dark color that I've done on the end of the board (under the adult bluebird) more than the solid dark edge I have now.

We finally got rain late day, so it really was a perfect day to sit at my frame in front of the dining room windows. I watched a squirrel looking for hickory nuts in our yard while I stitched, and that was nice, too.

I have my last physical therapy session on Thursday, so I'm also working on range of motion while I'm sitting. While I'm still not bending back to where I was pre-op, I'm happy to say it no longer hurts. If I do too much, it swells a bit, and then I ice it, but that's only when I've been standing (or sitting) for hours at a time. The right knee is still giving me grief, but not like it was, so perhaps I'll be more impressive on my final visit with Jenna (for now).

Handsome has physical therapy now for a bone spur in his arthritic back. Thankfully, it isn't beating him up like it did when I first came home from the hospital, but I think between Jenna and Tanner (the other therapist he'll be seeing), they'll be able to help him find some relief. It's also a great way for me to - through him - keep in touch with Jenna. It will certainly make it easier to say "goodbye for now" when our last session comes to a close.

For now, I'm going to concentrate on doing my daily exercises and working on my bluebirds. I'll always show you when I've made some progress on the embroidery. As of September, I've officially been working on this project for a year. It's time to get it wrapped up. I'll share a few fabric color choices for finishing it as a wall hanging next.

One More Apple Day...

It was all hands on deck to can the last of the apples we got ten days ago. I decided that the bulk of what we had left would become apple pie filling, with the remaining apples going toward a couple more jars of applesauce. I had already prepared the apples for the pie filling, and Handsome was cutting up the rest to go into the Nesco™roaster to cook down.

While Handsome was doing that, I was making the apple pie filling. It was gorgeous, and already tasty as soon as the ingredients were all mixed and heated in my Kilner™ pot.

Rather than heat up the kitchen with a roaster and the water bath canner, I set up a little outdoor kitchen on the porch. Once the jars were filled, and had the lids secured, it was into my trusty electric canner.

Twenty five minutes later, the quart jars were finished processing. I turned off the canner and removed the cover to let the jars stand in the water for about fifteen more minutes to avoid siphoning the contents. It worked like a charm. 

It wasn't long before the apples in the roaster were sufficiently cooked down to be able to put everything through my dear mother-in-law's chinois to separate the pulp from the seeds and skin. By that time, my cooking pot was washed and waiting to ready the applesauce mixture (apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and a wee bit of sugar) for the jars.

When all was said and done, there were six sealed quart jars of apple pie filling, a partial pint for using in the next few days to make homemade apple tarts or hand pies, and two more quarts of applesauce. All the jars are already cleaned, rings removed, labeled, and placed on the pantry shelf well before bed time. 

Tomorrow, I'll share photos from our Saturday Craft Day in Portage. I must say it was a lovely and productive weekend, indeed.