I WISH

Every now and then I WISH I could go back to when I was younger.   I'm usually pretty content with where I am in life and what I do with it.   But...now and then I WISH I could go back a few years.

Today is one of those.   It was 20 years ago when we left for Alaska.   I would very much like to go back to that time in my life.

We left on June 27th and it took us a couple of days to get out of the lower 48 but we were on our way.   It was a great trip.   We had wonderful weather for the most part, very few problems and loved Alaska.   I still love Alaska.  

We drove our Corsica and pulled the neatest little camper.  We could set that camper up in about 10 minutes and slept in it all but about five nights of the whole trip.  

If you have never driven the Alaskian Highway it's hard to describe.   Some of it is just the most beautiful sights you will ever see, some of it is lonley and away from all of civilization.   There are favorite spots, like Laird hot springs where we spent a couple of nights, the Canadian Rockies that are breath taking.   Seeing a glacier up close for the very first time.   Laird Hot Springs is in a provencial park, like our state parks.   No electricity and clean and isolated.   But close by are these wonderful hot springs.   It was the only way we could keep warm.   We had a chipmonk get into our map bag while it sat on the picnic table and we played peek-a-boo awhile.  

We have had some really great trips in our retirement and Alaska was one of the best.   The other one that will probably not ever be topped was our trip to Ecuador.   It's been a great 20 years.  

Just a little nostalgia here today.   Good memories of some wonderful times.

PIE ANYONE?

No, I'm not making pies for our party or giving away free pie to just anyone that stops by.  BUT...I was looking through some old magazines my neighbor gave me and there's a page about a lady that makes THE VERY BEST PIES - according to her.

She has a blog "theworldneedsmorepie.com" so of course I pulled it up this morning.   She's also on FB but I didn't get into that much.

ANYWAY...she has this blog and it's pretty interesting.   She lives in Iowa and we all know they do some weird things there.    :)

One time I was watching the Travel channel and they were at the Iowa State Fair where they actually had a COW CHIP tossing event.  I thought they were joking but, no, they really did.

This lady doesn't update her blog very often but I thought it was kind of different and some of you may want to check it out yourselves.    I don't think I want to go play Bingo in Iowa.   You pay $10 to play and if a cow dumps on your square you win $250.   With my luck I know what I'd end up with - an empty pocket and someone elses pile to smell.

SEWING GROUP

I went to a newly formed sewing group at church this afternoon.   I wasn't going to go but really wanted to take a school bag and see if anyone was interested in making them.

We only had 6 people there but that's fine if they are all interested and these women are.   One already makes home made hand quilted quilts for General Hospitals Neo Natal Dept..   They are beautiful and she'd like to be a part of our group but doesn't like to use a machine.  

I also took the quilts I make for Midwest Dist. Center and they all would like to have that pattern too.   I really didn't think they would want to make those as they take a lot of fabric but that didn't seem to bother any of them.    AND...one lady promises to give us "just tons" of fabric so if that really does happen we will have plenty of material to work with.

One girl makes little dresses for the girls in Africa from old pillow cases.   She had a set of pillowcases she had embroidered on several years ago but I'm thinking appliques we can sew on.   I'd like to try one anyway.  

The school bag is what I really wanted them to show an interest in and made one yesterday and took directions and described how to do them.   They all wanted the pattern and one girl kept the bag to use as a pattern.  
For a long time I had wished we had a sewing group at church where we could go and work on projects.   Maybe this is a beginning.   It feels good and that's a good sign.

Bargin Shopping

I was reading in a magazine, this morning, about a lady that had a blog telling of all her bargins.   I guess she makes money selling this blog or something.   She did have a big ad in a famous magazine someone had loaned me.

I'd like to tell her of a few of my bargins over the years.   The very first one was a walnut side board I bought for $60 in Normal in 1962.   I was at a garage sale to buy a swimming pool for the girls but in the basement they had this beautiful walnut sideboard.   It was the most beautiful piece of furniture I had ever seen. 

We had just bought our first home there on Fell Avenue and hardly had two nickles to rub together by the end of the month.   I'm not kidding.   We were on a TIGHT budget.   BUT...I had to have that sideboard.  I called Ted to see if he could come home for lunch to see it but he had a meeting and couldn't make it.

I finally called the lady to see if they would hold it till 5 when he could get there to look at it.  Now that was smart!   I was young and very naive.   She was a little more seasoned and said, "Oh, we've already had two antique dealers come look at it".   That conversation would never take place today, but...what can I say.

I told her I'd be right there to get it.  

Now, where I got the money I do not know.   We had envelopes for bills like insurance, house payment, utilities, etc.   I imagine the insurance envelope was pretty well empty by the time Ted got home.  I even found $7 to have someone go get it and deliver it.  

This was a solid piece of walnut, two large pieces with a mirror and drawers and a big cupboard in the bottom.   It weighed a ton.   

Ted got home and I had tried to surprise him (BOY I WAS NAIVE) but got so excited on the way home from picking him up at work I let it out. 

But back to bargain shopping.   This sideboard was given to Kim and a few years later she had a chance to sell it and I believe she got a whopping $2,500 for it.  

I don't know if the girls ever got the pool or not but I had a beautiful piece of furniture for many years.

I've had a few other bargains but nothing like that.

ANOTHER GREAT GARAGE SALE

Thursday I was on my way to Lewisburg when I saw what looked like a really great garage sale.   My poor car just cannot help itself.   It found the first drive way and turned around and back we went.   I did buy a pair of slacks and a shirt and saw a sewing table but decided I didn't really need it.  Then yesterday moring I woke up and decided I really DID need it and would run down to see if it was still there.    Yep, it was waiting for me to come buy it and so here it is.

Then we moved my OLD sewing table over for a desk and I can have everything together instead of a table here and a book case there.  

I LOVE THIS ROOM

TALKING DUCK

Went to Lewisburg to run some errands this morning and stopped at the library to drop off some things.  They were having story hour and sure wish I had taken my camera.

The lady was all set up for a puppet show later but she had this big yellow duck with a huge orange bill sitting on her lap.   He was so cute and she was SO good.

I watched her and could not see her lips move at all but the kids wouldn't of cared as they were mesmerized with that duck.

He sang them a song of the ABC's, and I wanted to stay all morning but couldn't.   Next time I go down I'll take my camera.  

OH TO BE A KID AGAIN!!!!!!!

Fun Week-end

We had a really good week-end in Illinois - AGAIN.   Dropped off the things for Midwest Distribution Center and got a call last night that they were fine and would be happy to have more.   YEA!!!!

A good time with a niece and nephew in Sciota.  We kind of have squatters rights at their house.   It seems like we are there once a month or so this time of year.   They have a BIG garden and strawberries and not only did we eat our fill while there, they sent some home with us, plus black raspberries they freeze for us every year.   YUM  YUM

The reunion was fun - more on that another day.

Then to Kim's house where we have more squatters rights and even know her code to get into her house when she isn't there.   Good thing she has a watch dog.  

She fed us royally Sunday night and baked her dad a rhubarb pie.   AND...she sent what we didn't eat home with us so we came home with full bellies and full hearts of love from all we encountered.

CORRECTION

Sorry about all of this.   Here is the correct Link to the Duck River

www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/jan/27/tennessees-duck-river-in-national-geographic/

COMENT

Since I still cannot comment this was my only choice to tell you that Link is no longer available.  Sorry.

The DUCK River is a very special little river and I'll keep trying to find more information for you.

A DAY ON THE DUCK

I picked Benjamin up yesterday about 8 a.m. and as we drove by the Canoe Rental place I noticed no cars were there.     Ted agreed it was a good day to go get a canoe and take that boy down the Duck River.

About 9:40 we boarded a canoe and took off.   The day promised to be warm but the sky was so blue and clear.  It was beautiful on the river and even Benjamin commented on how beautiful the ride was.

We found a few sand bars to stop at and after Benjamin helped me out of the canoe we could stand up and stretch a bit. 

 About three fourths of the way down the river we had a blue heron play with us.   I LOVE these birds.  They are so majestic and beautiful.   This one would wait until we were just about to her, then fly far enough away I couldn't get a picture.   We'd see her set down and when we got just about close enough again she'd take off.   I have never seen one do this before.

You have to really look, but she's here flying toward us at one point because we did see two noisey fishermen.   They didn't stick around long but scared her I think and she figured we were the safest of the two intruders into her serene world.

We were all tired, especially our navigator, but it was a GREAT DAY on the Duck.

Below is a link if you'd like to know about it.

www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/jan/27/tennessee-duck-river-in-national-geographic/

Cleaning Up the Sewing Room

When we came home from Louisiana last December I wanted to make some School Bags.  We make them all the time in the Sewing Room and work together.   It's a pleasant way to spend the day, sewing and visiting with people from all over.  I bought fabric and started work.   I worked some of every day for almost 2 weeks.   I can tell you it's a lot more fun working in a sewing room visiting with other women than sitting alone in your own sewing room sewing.   I made 14 bags and had some extra pockets and straps.  I was exhausted and did not want to make anything for awhile.

Then we went to Illinois for a visit last month and decided to stop at the Midwest Distribution Center on our way.   It does many of the same things we do at UMCOR Sager Brown only they receive no money from UMCOR.    This gives them a freedom to experiment and do various other good projects.   One is to make pajama outfits for boys and girls that are in the Children's Hospital.   I couldn't resist bringing a pattern home for a little girls outfit.  This one I'll take back for them to approve or disapprove Friday as we head back to Illinois.    We'll stop and deliver the items here for them to use.

Last but not least is a quilt they make.   It's reversible and made in 7" strips.   You don't have to use their pattern but I like it and wanted to make one.   These colors aren't my favorite but it's what I had here at the time.   These quilts have to be at least 42" X 60"  

Since making this quilt I have gone to a sale and was lucky enough to be able to buy a large amount of fabric for very little money.   It was all new and still had the price tags on.   I ended up with a big plastic tub FULL and estimated I paid about .33 cents a yard.

If my handiwork is approved Friday I'll be sewing a lot when we get home again.  I already have the colors of the next quilt I want to make picked out.

Special Houseguests

We were in Illinois visiting a couple of weeks ago and when we came home we found these two guests wanting to come visit for awhile.

It seems they are ancestors of Ted's.   They say their names are Palmer and Anna Tingley and came to America in the 1600's.  Palmer came over on the ship THE PLANTER.  

Ted has Ten hardbound books of history going back to Palmer and his trip to America with all the decendents listed.   Ted's dad, Claude Grant, was of the 10th generation and Ted is one of the 11th.

Palmer and Anna came here from visiting a niece in Industry, Illinois.   I don't know how long they had been visiting her.   They were pretty tired when they got here.   I thought it was ironic they had come from Industry which happens to be the town where Ted's father graduated from High School.

They haven't said how long they plan to stay with us but we enjoy having them. 

Frustration, Take a Deep Breath, Frustration, Take a Deep Breath

It's been a frustrating week.  I've bothered Connie so much I am ashamed.   My blog will not accept my password and so I tried to FIX it myself.   THAT WAS SILLY.    I had put in so many different passwords the poor blogspot probably wondered WHO THE HELL is doing this?

TOday I took my computer to Connie and she blogged and got a picture on but I'm still not allowed to post a comment.   

I would think she'd probably get a new phone number before I can call her again.

SO...this is really a test and to let off some built up steam. 

However, on the bigger picture of life, my eye Dr. told me this morning that my eyes should last me a very long time.   That was some really good news and listed as one of my blessings in life.

Test Post

This is a test post from Connie!