A week before Xmas 12-18-23

Not much to say.  Went on our  two walks and took a stroll around the backyard.  Didn't cross anything off the "To-Do" list and tomorrow is a  busy day.  Boys to school, Surfside Quilters Guild  Board Meeting, KoKo has teeth cleaned, pick up boys, and a special Xmas dinner out at Summit  House with much decoration and strolling carolers.   Hope my energy holds up.  

Poor Froggy.  Caught in the recliner again.  I heard KoKo growling, very unusual inside the house, and went to see what the problem was. Once Froggy was freed KoKo lost interest!  For the time being, of course.

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New quilt in TCQC 12-17-23

This past year I have gone overboard with quilts for the Collection.  But each one has been special.  This quilt was part of a traveling SAQA exhibit that ended recently.  Several years  ago when the exhibit first started I cut out a picture and pinned it on my wall. So, when I saw the actual quilt was now available, how could I resist?  

  "Can This Be Me?"  Bodil Gardner - Denmark  1999?

Cotton fabric, batting, thread, metallic net.  Machine applique, machine quilting

The appliques are sewn down with zigzag on the background.  After sandwiching the quilting is done with straight stitch on top of the zig-zag.

Two places have metallic net applied.

Lots of information, but no date or size.  I'll have to add that information. 

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Miscellaneous 12-16-23

I suppose I should title this something like "Glimpses of my life"!   Just some random images  snapped in the last few weeks. 

We went to In-and-Out and drove through behind this silver Lotus.  License plate?  "HaHa  Nice". Even in this red area I rarely see a Lotus. A Rolls Royce is more common!!

When I pick up Julian (4th grade) on Wednesday I stay at his house until one of his parents comes home.   He is usually in his room playing on the computer or doing his homework.  But occasionally he will come in the living room to watch a movie  on the BIG TV.  This week he was watching something violent  with  lots of noise, flames, screaming, etc.  I was reading  a book on Kindle and can pretty much block out the TV. But I couldn't help taking some shots of his positions on the sofa.  I didn't notice his facial expressions until I saw the pictures.

No TV when I was growing up, but I would get in weird positions while reading.  One of  my favorites was on the bed on my stomach with the book on the floor.   Of course, under the covers with a flashlight was something ever dedicated reader learns early. 

This is KoKo's favorite sleeping position.  My head is to the left and he is between my thighs with Froggy held close. No matter how cold it is he never wants to be covered.  

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Book Group 12-15-23

Our Book Group meets  on the third Wednesday of the month, so the December meeting was this  past Wednesday.  In December we have lunch at a restaurant and exchange gifts.  In past distant years we met in the evening and someone would hostess an actual dinner  with contributions from everyone.  But when everyone had retired we switched to daytime meetings.  I  think mostly because we no longer enjoy driving after dark.   The gifts are always thoughtful and usually useful.  I did my usual gift cards for either Amazon or Barnes and  Noble.  It was a happy time and the food was okay. 

This was our December selection which I  had to struggle through.  Four young women are recruited in the late 70s by an independent company, "The Museum", to be international  assassins to murder  "bad guys" identified by the company. They started out with Nazis, but once they had done all they could find they branched out to Mafia dons, drug cartels, human traffickers, and others who made money on the "common" people.   The story flips  back and forth from 70s to present day when the four ladies have retired after 40 years  of assassinations.   There are a few witty parts, but basically it is about imaginative ways to kill.  

This is our January selection which is promoted as

"If you liked 'A Man Called Ove' you will love this book."

For our group whoever is the hostess chooses the book for the following month.

So, we have read a great variety over the past 40+ years.

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A Busy Week 12-14-23

 

I guess one doesn't realize how many wrinkles one has until they see a picture!

This was at the Guild meeting on Tuesday. I almost never remember to wear a nametag until I check in at the membership  table and don't want to go back out to my car where there is a bag of nametags in the glovebox.  But I remembered I have this nice Xmasy one, so I put my name in basket and it was pulled as the winner for a nice pack of 5" squares.  I passed my phone to a friend to take the image.

I borrowed Jeanette's special hat for this picture.  This would  make a great addition to my hat collection.  I could even wear it for Arbor Day!  The "beads" are felted wool and came from Trader Joe's!  Actually a tree garland but easily adapted to fine jewelry.

Instead of having a speaker this was a "give back" meeting.   Members have been making quilted stockings which we fill with items for several different  groups - Meals on Wheels, Orangewood Home for children, a veterans service, and others I can't remember.  We have some super shoppers who love to shop, so non-shopping members (like me) give them money to shop for us.

Stuffed stockings go in  boxes for each organization for delivery. We also give pillowcases and quilts to different groups.     It is a huge operation and the members  in charge have it well organized.  It was a fun meeting with time to visit and get to know one another. Many members wore antlers and Santa hats and an amazing array of Xmas clothing.  

And it is time for this blog to do Xmas cartoons........

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Wordless Wednesday 12-13-23

 

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Autumn 12-09-23

We do have seasons in SCalifornia,, but they are not as spectacular as more northerly locations.   We need  the  temp to drop  to 40F for  some plants to turn color, whereas  some just turn brown and quickly fall.   The thermometer has only dropped to about 45F, so not  much  color. 

This block wall is covered with  Virginia Creeper (I think).  The NW facing side is pretty much still green.

I've  fiddled  with this image trying to show the redness, but this is the best I can do.

KoKo gets impatient when I spend too much of his walk taking pictures.  

The Nandina along the drive-thru at Starbuck's becomes more red each time we go there.

There will be a lot of leaves and twigs on the ground tomorrow morning. The wind has been strong all day and is still howling tonight at 10pm.

The palms lose huge dry fronds if the homeowner doesn't have them trimmed. 

Did you know that outdoor Sanseveria grows berries?  This poor plant is still recovering from the yard cleanup in early summer, but it is gutsy enough to put  out a few berries.

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