Stuck on my sewing machine 09-15-18

Short post!  I have been working on a quilt for a group exhibit from my San Diego art quilt group.  As I frequently  do, I left it to the last minute and will have to show it at the meeting tomorrow not quite finished.  No sleeve, no label, and only one round of zig-zag for the binding.  Woe is I!  It will take only about a day to finish, but I am a day short!   After it is finished I will post pictures.   And, yes, there are birds in it.  Title is "Birds in the City". 

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Friday Food 09-14-18

There is a Haven Gastropub in Orange and one in Pasadena.  I know it is a chain, or maybe a franchise, so there must be more around.  The only thing I have ever order there is the lamb burger, which is fabulous and comes with a huge pile of the very best skinny, crispy fries.   And I always have cold, fresh water along with them.   They make their own ketchup and one of the ingredients is cinnamon!  Not something I would expect, but delicious.  I always have half a burger left and lots of fries, so I ask for additional ketchup and that is what I have for dinner that night.  

One friend thinks I should not show half eaten food in my blog, but this is the only way you can see what is inside that big, fat bun.   I usually avoid sprouts because they so frequently cause problems, but I have never had a problem at Haven.  

Check for a Haven near you, if you like lamb; it is the best. 

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Wordless Wednesday - Beach Dreaming Hwy One 09-12-18

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Quilting for a deadline! 09-11-18

I have not completed the quilting on the 2nd quilt I have been working on and the deadline is Sunday!  I was obliged to go to Surfside QGuild meeting today because I had the Monthly Mini to turn in and also three pounds of See's chocolates spread out on a tray for the refreshment table.  I do this every year in September for my birthday and everyone really enjoys it.   By the end of the break all the candy was gone.  There were 120 in attendance, so it was no surprise it all disappeared.  

Our speaker today was Annie Unrein from "By Annie"  http://www.byannie.com   I enjoyed the presentation very much, but two ladies at lunch thought it was not good.  Problem was they were sitting toward the back and couldn't see much of what Annie held up as she talked.  There are many tutorials on the website and I plan to check some of those out - after the quilting is completed!   I had not thought of how many different kinds of zippers are available - most of Annie's bag designs have multiple zippers.  

I had another birthday lunch.  I am really dragging this out.  Expect there will be even more.  

KoKo is still struggling with me being busy at the sewing machine.  I have tried what I used to do with Corky.  Put his quilt upon the table behind the machine and he would lay there comfortable just to be near me.  I did have to watch that he didn't flip his ear under the pressure foot!   So, I tried it with KoKo, but he won't stay on his quilt and moves over onto the one I am quilting.  This is going to take further training!

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KoKo adjusting 09-08-18

KoKo is not used to me sitting at the sewing machine and ignoring him!  I have not sewn much of anything for almost two years and now I am working on two quilts, so I don't have much time to play "toss Froggie" with KoKo.  Poor little guy, he doesn't get it and keeps bringing Froggie to pound on my feet or reach him up into my lap.   It slows down the sewing process. 

He has also developed a new interest in all his other toys and he brings them to me at the sewing machine.   "Play with me",  "Play with Ducky", "Play with Monkey".  "Just stop what you are doing and pay attention to me."  He is "indulged" - spoiled is such a nasty word!! 

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Friday Food - Birthday 09-07-18

Birthdays require dessert, don't they?  And I, having a large sweet tooth, indulge that requirement.   Every meal out the last few weeks has ended with dessert.  Those below were at Fish in a Bottle here in Placentia, one of my most favorite places to eat.  Japanese food isn't heavy on dessert, other than green tea ice cream with chocolate drizzle, but FiaB has several special offerings.  

Since it has been my 80th birthday I have been telling most everyone I meet how old I really am!   I eat at Fish in a Bottle regularly, at least two or three times a month and know some of the waiters and waitresses, so had to share my news with them.  The result was a complimentary dessert (above) with a burning candle.  But the picture without the candle is better, so here it is.  I always want to lick the rim of the plate when they decorate it like this.   But I resist that temptation.   There is vanilla ice cream, a strawberry, and a small "cookie" of fried  tempura dough.  All sprinkled with powdered sugar.  

We ordered two desserts to share.  This one is ice cream with tempura and, again, the strawberry.   

This is tempura coated fried banana which is delicious, we have shared it before.  I had my doubts about fried banana, but it isn't completely soggy and the tempura is crisp.  This strawberry is more than sad and not ripe, but I don't eat strawberries so didn't have to suffer it.  The red under the bananas is raspberry coulis.  

I'll probably not have dessert here again until next year.  It is almost too much after a good helping of sushi rolls or sashimi.    But it is special on one's birthday.  

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Wordless Wednesday 09-05-18

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