Christmas Eve surprise 12-24-22

In my life I have been fortunate to have excellent postmen.  The only postwoman have been substitutes whose endurance I greatly admire.  For the last few years Dave has been the regular on our route.  KoKo adores him and Dave always gives KoKo some praise and pats, although .he has a long way to bend down: KoKo is about a foot high and Dave is about 6'3", I think.  We are the very last house on this lap so his truck is parked at our curb.  KoKo tells me when Dave parks and, after an appropriate amount of time has gone by, he gets all excited and tells me Dave has arrived on our porch.  Today was a special arrival because Dave came in costume!  KoKo wasn't quite sure who was at the door until I opened it - Dave on a reindeer! 

KoKo greeted the reindeer first!

A confusion of legs - The longest in gold colored pants are Dave's.  The shorter with red trousers are Santa's.  The plaid jacket is Dave's.  And the gold colored reindeer head is attached to Santa's legs.  Got it?  As you see Dave is so tall I lopped off the top of his head  KoKo is there in Dave's arms, but struggling to get down because he isn't usually picked up by anyone except me or the vet.  

And if you live  anywhere else in the country you will appreciate that SCalifornia had a gorgeous day with a high of 78F today.  I am so sorry you are suffering through such terrible storms with ice and snow and complete disarray of transportation.  Hope it clears up soon.  We are supposed to have rain this next week - fingers crossed.

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Christmas Countdown #14 12-24-22

 

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Christmas Countdown #13 12-23-22

 

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Christmas Countdown #12 12-22-22

 

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Wordless Wednesday 12-21-22

 

Well, now it is almost 1am on Saturday so no longer wordless!  This is a drone photo of people on a Florida beach.  The photographer is Tom Hegen  www.tomhegen.com  Or see his works at www.behance.net/tomhegen  Scroll waaaay down for the beach series.  All of the series are interesting but somewhat repetitious.

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Christmas Countdown #11 12-21-22

 

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Wordless Wednesday 12-21-22

 Trouble getting Snagit to access pictures.  Check back later, I'll get it to work again. Del

A busy day 12-20-22

Up and on the road at 7:50am, stopped at Starbuck's drive thru, light traffic to Dana Point due, I suppose, to some schools being on holiday schedule.  KoKo accompanied me to the Surfside Quilters Guild Board Meeting, just because I didn't want to leave him home alone.  He has grown into my lap these last three weeks while I tried to keep my ankle elevated.  At the meeting he wallowed in all the attention and petting in exchange for licks for everyone that would accept them.  When the meeting started he curled up in my lap and slept almost all the way through it.  GOOD dog.  

Lots of business, including discussion about our very successful stocking stuffing project at last week's general meeting.  Now that we have some experience struggling through the first time maybe we could do it for the December meeting every year.  More discussion needed and thoughts from the membership.  I hope we do it again because I missed it this time and it seems like it was a lot of fun.  After the meeting we drove up to La Habra to see and gift our friend Liz.  KoKo was so excited, he always loves sitting on her lap getting her pets and giving her a bath if she allows it.  He is a licker!   Then home to drop KoKo and I went to the market for milk, brown sugar, and rolled oats - can you tell what I have been eating for breakfast.

After all that I had to get my foot elevated and have a little nap.  The ankle is MUCH better, but still some swelling.  It is difficult to apply the Ace bandage although my technique has improve with regular practice!   I am going to walk KoKo in the morning, maybe just up to the corner, down the other side of the street and around the cul de sac.  Then I need to pay some bills, do a load of laundry, and finish up the bit of mending I started the other day.  Focus, I need to relearn how to focus.  I don't know if it is pandemic isolation or just old age, but making decisions and focusing on projects is really hard these days.  I knw I am not alone, so I suspect it is the isolation.  This too shall pass, huh?

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Christmas Countdown #10 12-20-22

 

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Mysteries 12-19-22

Maybe instead of mysteries I should title this "Things I think about."

Such as why does this seem to be the land of white vehicles?  Not something new, I have noticed it for years and possibly have posted about it previously.  But my neighbors have new vehicles, so they are a completely white car family to go with their glaring white house.  And the next house down the cul de sac has two white cars (way off on the left of the image).  Just curious.

And does anyone know what these are?  I came across this in a long unsorted drawer.  It is a cheap plastic pouch marked "Ortho Molecular Products" which is a company that sells many different vitamins and other "healthy" compounds. 

Inside are these two plastic "tools" that close when squeezed.  Sort of like tweezers.  The stem part is hollow.  4.5" long and 3/4" wide.  I have no recollection of ever seeing them before.  

Surfside QGuild Board Meeting tomorrow.  It will be so nice to see some quilting friends since I missed the general meeting last Tuesday.  I just need to be with some friendly people now and then!!

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Christmas Countdown #9 12-19-22

 

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Christmas Countdown #8 12-18-22

 

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Sylvie Aquilar quilt from TCQC 12-18-22

"Bluebird" was Sylvie Aguilar's contribution to the SAQA 2022 online auction.  Her skills are excellent and I like the balanced design.  And, of curse, the blue - orange color choices.   UPDATED 12-25-22

"Bluebird" Sylvie Aquilar -     12" X 12"

Commercial cotton fabrics, cotton thread, cotton batting.

Machine pieced, fused raw-edge applique, machine quilted.  

Glue stick!

The realistic eye is fused raw-edge.  The orange feathers are fused glued with glue stick and then stitched down. 

The edge of the feathers are cut very precisely, fused, glued with glue stick but not stitched down. They look like they are loose and some are, but I could press them all down again.  It is probably just from handling and transporting.  But I do like the loose feather look.

Nice printing on the label, but no contact. oops!

The channel (matchstick) background quilting shows up nicely on the back. She has sewn in corner hangers.  Machine stitched binding, very neat and even. 

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