Little Houses quilt 05-16-20

When I have a burst of sewing mojo I cut out a few more little houses.  I have fifteen more cut and ready to sew together.  The cutting is what takes time because I foolishly choose to use only stripes for the houses, so each piece must be cut singly for the strips to go vertically and straight.  When I add the fifteen I will have 55 blocks.  Also need a few more different palm trees, which are fused.  

There is no deadline on this (something I seemed to need to finish anything) so I can stretch it out for a long time.  There is a cartoon going around on Facebook that shows a man time traveling back from the future.  He asks the human he encounters what year he has landed in.  The reply is 2020 and the time traveler responds, "Oh yes, the first year of the isolation."   Funny and not so funny.  

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Friday Food 05-15-20

This was the night of the very special dinner from The Wild Artichoke restaurant in Yorba Linda. CA.  It has been a favorite for quite a few years, but a little on the pricey side.  I found out earlier this week that they were serving take out so Carol, Dick, and I found our favorites on the menu.  The Alaska Halibut I had was perfect - white, flaky, just the right amount of moisture and came with nice veggies.   Carol had the fabulous mushroom soup and a huge crab cake.  Dick ordered the meatloaf which was enough for two meals and accompanied by heirloom tomatoes with Mozzerella balls.  Everything was so good and so special.   Cheesecake with Ollalieberries was our dessert selection.  Carol and Dick shared one and I ate all of the other one.  Heaven.  The cylindrical cheesecake had the Ollalieberries in the middle and was topped with an edible pansy.  Served a cup of five layers of tissue paper it looked like an exotic flower with the pansy as the stamen. 

And doesn't it look great on Carol's special plate? The brown "leaves" are the points of the brown tissue paper layered behind the cheesecake. 

 The pansy is dusted with powdered sugar.  I didn't eat it, I learned years ago that the flowers look fabulous, but they don't really taste like anything at all. 

This has been an antidote to the Corvid for me! 

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Thursday Treasures 05-14-20

Well, this isn't really a treasure, but it is something I have in the back of a closet somewhere.  They are left over from my first marriage which ended in 1969!   I have no idea why I still have them.  Packrat-itis? 

These are stretchers for drying trousers.  Insert one in each leg of the trousers and expand them with the little clips on top and bottom to flatten the legs with a crease down the front and back.  Let them dry, remove the stretchers, and there is a crease and no ironing required.  

I admire people who clean out their house every year, or even every other year.  But it doesn't seem to be something I can accomplish in any year.  I suppose the pandemic would have been a good time to start, but I haven't done it.  Seem to find lots of other more interesting things to do.  Or read a book!  

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Wordless Wednesday 05-13-20

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Roses 05-12-20

This rosebush grows in a neighbor's yard behind a lot of other plants.  I can just get a sideways glance as we pass by.  I think it is a David Austin rose.  It is very healthy although I receives no care.  Why won't my roses do that?  I neglect them and they show it. 

They open with a beautiful bright pink heart.

Which slowly fades as the bloom opens. 

 This one is fully open, I did a lousy shot. 

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ZOOMING 05-11-20

The Book Group I have belonged to for about 40 years had a meeting on ZOOM today.  It was fun to see everyone and hear what they have been reading.  We ran out of time before we got into what else we have been doing, but we plan to meet more frequently in the future.  Who could have known in 1978 or so how our world would be changed by electronic developments.  Meetings online might have been in someone's plans, but none of us even had a computer back then.  I don't usually remember my dreams, but one horrifying one that reoccurs is that everything electronic stops working - all over the world.  Fortunately, I wake up before all the dystopian disaster begins.

Anyway we were to read any book by Alexander McCall Smith and I read a small book of short stories "Chance Developments" which is about all of his writing I can handle.  He is a very popular author, just not one of mine!  

I'm still sewing LIttle Houses. Is anyone that reads this blog doing those?  Just curious.  

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A KoKo Day 05-10-20

Since the Virus took over our world KoKo and I spend a lot more time together.  He still sleeps about 70% of the day, or more, but is becoming accustomed to having me available to play or pet or walk just any old time.  If some people thought he was spoiled before - look at him now!!

He brings toys when the mood strikes him, usually Froggy, but he has a large pile of toys to choose from.  This is an 8" high hedgehog that he can barely pick up far enough to carry it to deposit it on my lap.  He loses interest quickly. .  

At any opportunity he will dig used tissues or napkins from the trash can.  I usually have it sitting up on a chair or stool, but sometimes I forget and when I am not looking.....

In his chair taking a nap with Froggy.  He sleeps on or under Froggy or curled up next to him, or sometimes clasps him between his front paws.  They really are pals.  

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