Rainy Day and Really Tall Grass

There is SOME button or area on this laptop that I accidentally hit with my wrist every once in awhile, and it completely erases all I have typed.  I cannot MAKE it happen no matter what I press on.  UGH!  If any of you happen to know HOW I am doing that, please let me know.  It happens when I rest my left wrist down on the laptop -- but not if I do it on purpose.



Anyway,
if I can keep my words from disappearing,
I was saying that it has rained a lot yesterday and today and maybe for several more days.

It is a welcome rain but our grass is SO HIGH, and the man who is supposed to show up every other week to mow it never shows up.  I have called him and texted him.  No response.

Looks like Jerry is going to have to get the mower out -- like it or not -- but he can't while it is raining.



I planned on having a new video for you today, and I was really excited about it, but plans kept changing and then they just didn't happen at all.  I stopped the owl project and cleaned off a mountain of stuff from one of my cutting tables, prepared a sewing project, and then nothing.  I was really upset about it because I didn't know WHAT happened, and I had made so many plans including ignoring my husband.  I told him I had to get ready for company in my quilt room.  We were going to sew and make a video.  I spent most of the morning preparing.  

I've decided that I expect too much from relationships.  I expect that other people think like I do and when they say something will happen at a certain time, that I can count on that happening.  Or, at the very least, a phone call saying "the reason I'm not showing up when I said I would is....".  Our day had already been cut in half due an unexpected occurrence that couldn't be helped.  At least, I knew about that one.

I got notice 45 minutes late that a better offer had come up, and it would be even later still, but by then I had convinced myself that the person just didn't give a ****, and I couldn't quell the tears.

Soooooooooooo, it is back to the owls tomorrow morning after church.  I'll make plans to meet with MYSELF and I WILL show up.  I am going to finish those owls tomorrow, at least, the quilting part. I would love to put Edyta's quilt on, but it has quite a ways to go before it will be ready.  I think I'll go back to making clothes for awhile except for my triangle friendship top.

OH, I have the butterfly quilt too.  SO MUCH TO DO, but that is a good thing.

Princess Di WAS going to come today, but she couldn't come due to thunderstorms, heavy rain and lightning.  She let me know first thing this morning, and I totally agreed.  I don't drive in that weather either.  Don't know when I'll see her again.  It is supposed to rain all week.

Yesterday, I received my birthday gift from Jolene.  I would show you a picture of it, but our internet is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo sloooooooooooooooooooooooow right now, I can't upload a pic. Come back tomorrow, and I will show you all the fun stuff Jolene sent me for my birthday.  It is easier to do upstairs then in my bed, where I am right now.

Blessed Sunday to you all!

Hugs, Joy

Good Evening On a Cool Thursday

Yes.  The weather has cooled down a lot here in Southern Oklahoma.  It is very nice.  Even had some rain today.  I have the screen door open in my kitchen because I tried to cremate a pot of beans tonight.  I FORGOT I had put them on the stove to warm up, and I came upstairs to check on things.

You KNOW how it is when you enter your sewing/quilting haven.

My mind was attracted to all the different projects going on and I completely forgot about the beans.










About an hour later the yukkiest smell wafted up the stairs and into my room.  YUK!  I ran down and pulled the pot off the stove.

I feel so bad when I do stuff like that.  I immediately wonder WHAT ELSE I may have forgotten!


So, for those of you following my owl saga, I have only TWO MORE OWLS to do!!!!  I believe I can finish the quilt top tomorrow morning before I go into work.

I'll show it to you again when it is all quilted.  Then I will have to bind it.  I want to finish my friendship quilt top before I do that though.

I've gotten a couple more ugly remarks under my videos.  Some people are SO HATEFUL!  I guess I need to explain that the videos are made for my blog, because people seem to think I'm some sort of certified sewing/quilt teacher, and they get upset if I stray from those subjects.  Jolene says people like that are called "trolls" and to just ignore them.  Good advice!

I don't know if I should confess this -- even to myself -- BUT, I just received four more pieces of pretty fabric in the mail today.  I couldn't resist it.  It is from Silhouette Patterns.  Slinky, lightweight, soft solid color knits in royal blue, bright pink and black.  A silky piece in red with borders.  I'll be back in sewing mood as soon as I can get things straightened out at the store.  Our newest employee gave two weeks notice today.  She got a better offer that we can't match.  So, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go again!  Looking for a new employee.

Di is coming Saturday to work on my hair, and then we are going to play in the sewing room.  I want to make these cute little "bean bag chair" things that hold your cell phone in an upright position on your desk. Deb has been making them.  I'll show you mine when I get it done.  Terry might even come out to play!

For the lady who asked me if I ever showed my sewing room.  YES.  Search sewing room videos or look through my videos.  It was over a year ago, maybe 2.  I did a detailed tour and a quick tour.  Hold on a sec, and I'll see if I can get a link for you.....

Here you go:

Gotta run.

Hugs, Joy

I Want a Vegetable Garden!

Hey everyone!

I have been so busy this week, I haven't had time to talk to you all.

PLUS, I spend a lot of time Marco Poloing with The Cuatro Quilters and my friend, Deb, these days.

If you don't have Marco Polo, you should try it out.  I have enjoyed it SO MUCH!  Get to see my besties up close and personal wherever they are and doing whatever they do every day.  You make little videos of yourself, and the other person can watch them whenever they have time.  They can send a video back, and you can watch it whenever.

Terry is on a missionary trip with her husband this week.  She left me in charge of her garden.  She told me I could pick whatever was ripe.  I went over today after work to water it, and there were about 6 large Okra ready to pick.  I brought them home, cut them up and fried them.  They were SO, SO, SO GOOD!  The best I have ever eaten.  Cannot wait for more to grow.  She has lots of Okra plants, so there should be a bunch.

Here it is after I cooked it.  The only BAD thing about it was I had to share it with Jerry.   Sure am looking forward to the next batch.

I also got one little tomato when I checked the garden this morning.  I reached up to touch it, and it just fell into my hand.  I took it to work with me this morning, and it was a morning snack.  DEElightful.  I picked a big tomato and several bell peppers too, but I'm saving them for Terry.

If we EVER get a Summer when Jerry isn't busy 7 days a week, I hope to have a garden of my own.  We will have to take some trees down, and he does NOT want to do that.  I will just have to get him to see things my way.  I'm going to have mine in wooden containers up off the ground so you don't have to bend over so far to work in them.  I actually bought a Craftsy class teaching how to do it.

Won't keep you.

Just wanted to say howdy.

I'll try to get back soon and make a new video for you.  I have 720 half square triangles I am playing with, and I want to show you.

Hugs, Joy

Precious Memories and a VLOG

Shocking that it is already August.  Before we blink, it will be the holidays again.  I always dread the holidays and kind of wish we could just go from October to January.  Thank God for my friends at that time of the year!

So I told you yesterday I would have a VLOG for you today.  Here it is:

I also said I would share some pics of our super-fun weekend.

Friday night, none of us wanted to watch a movie, so we played a fun game.  Lauren and I won three games in a row, and for SOME REASON, the guys didn't want to play anymore!

This pic is fuzzy.  Sorry.  We are SO EXCITED that Jerry gets his braces off soon.  MAYBE next visit!  His teeth are beautiful if you could SEE them behind all the wires and rubber bands.

This pic is better.  John decided to grow a beard while on his long vacation from the Army.  Don't know if he will be allowed to keep it or not.

Saturday morning, John and his Papa Jerry went fishing.  Lauren and I stayed home and got to know each other.  I was DELIGHTED at how easily she "fit" into my sewing/quilting life even though she doesn't do either.  She told me her Mom used to make beautiful custom wedding dresses, and I cannot WAIT to meet her Mom!

I was showing her my various quilting projects, and we got to my Edyta Sitar Seasons quilt blocks that are lying on my desktop.  I told her I needed to figure out what colors to use where for sashing, borders and binding.  Lauren just started picking things up and arranging them as though she has always done that.  She told me she used to help her Mom decide on designs and color.

Here is a picture of Lauren with one of the arrangements she made for me:

We both decided that we like this way best:

The blue will be sashings.  The green will be the wide border.  And the red will be the binding, unless I change my mind for the 100th time!

Lauren was so sweet, she even took this huge machine from me and blew the patio off for grilled burgers.  It was like she has always known us.  So comfortable.

After lunch, we got ready for our next adventure.

We went to a really fun bowling alley with lots of flashing lights and pretty colored lanes.  It is so easy now because you don't have to keep score.  Will definitely go again when the kids come back. 

That is Lauren's hand.  I was TRYING to take her picture.  Next time, I'll have to take my own lighting, lol.

Here we are later enjoying dish after dish of AWESOME crab legs:

And after that, we all went to waste the $10 on our player cards.  Lauren and I won a few bucks several times, but we both ended up with zero. 

I ended up with cigarette pollution!

And THIS is my MOST FAVORITE OF ALL the pics this weekend.  Lauren took it with an app on her phone. 

She even said, "I think we look a little alike."  DON'T I WISH!!!!!

Gotta go.  Want to go finish row #2 of the owls.  I will snap a pic when I'm done for my next post.

Hugs, Joy

Good Sunday Evening

Church was so much fun this morning.  Matthew Hagee was celebrating 20 years being a pastor at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio Texas.  He talked about his very first sermon and how his Dad edited it before he preached it.  His Dad reduced it from 40 pages, to 2 pages.  It was quite hilarious and heartwarming.

He said his Dad took a red pencil and BLED over every page.

The Hagees are a lovely family -- as families should be.  Everyone supporting the other, loving, caring, sharing -- praying together -- singing together.  This would be a different America if all families were like that.

I have been talking today with my new girlfriends about family issues.  It is absolutely shocking the things people have gone through, and I am amazed at how children of the same family can turn out so differently.  Jerry and I were discussing how adversity makes some strong, and others completely fall apart and cannot thrive, yet are from the same parents.

I never thought mine would be the mess it is today.  An outsider comes in, talks hate and dissension; and instead of fighting against it, the weak accept it as truth.  It causes unfathomable heartache, and the ones allowing it and falling under its spell are so blind, they can't see the broken hearts and broken relationships caused by their own failure to FIGHT for their family.  

Honor, respect, devotion -- all gone!

BUT!!!!!

Not everyone is tricked and blinded.

Thank God forevermore that some see through it.  Some see the importance of family, and they see love where others see hate.  They see acceptance where others see rejection.  They see the TRUTH, when others choose to believe a lie.  I have found that these are the times when we find out just how much we truly do TRUST the God we serve.

I tell you, my friends, God has been so good to Jerry and me.  Both of us come from hurtful family situations, but we both are so blessed in every other way.  God has given me a new family now, and I have never in my whole life felt as loved as I do today.  So many "I love you's" every day, I lose count.  I will go find Jerry, and I turn my phone on, and I'll say, "LISTEN TO THIS, and THIS, and THIS!"  He is as touched by it as I am.

I made a new VLOG today, but it won't be ready until morning.  Come back tomorrow night, and I may have my VLOG up and a lot of fun pictures from this weekend.  My grandson, John, and his wife, Lauren, came for a visit, and we had the most wonderful time together.  You will SEE as soon as I get my next post up.  I am already looking forward to the next time they come.  Very, very proud of these two young people!

OH!  I have to show you my very first birthday present.  I received it yesterday from my friend, Deb.  I just LOVE how women think and are so intuitive.  I don't know if any of you will recall the last gift she sent me.  It was a coffee mug with a scripture inside, and it came in a heavy duty, darling box.  I actually liked the box as much as the mug, and Deb got a kick out of it.  So look what she sent for my birthday:

BOXES!  The little book is a quilt journal.  I haven't gotten to look at it yet.  Going to get it as soon as I finish this post.

I'll have so much fun figuring out what to put in them.

Princess Di has made me some special things using her new Sashiko (sas-she-ko) machine.  She is chomping at the bit to tell me what they are, but she has shown excellent self control so far.  I think she is going to cave though.  (-;

Have a marvelous, fabulous, blessed week!

I'll be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Sunshine Bulbs, Really Nice Electricians and Swap Update

Some of you will recall the last time I had to call a repairman.  It was for a broken garbage disposal at my Edmond home.  The shabbiest, unkempt man showed up for the job.  I almost turned him away because of his appearance.  I even posted a picture of the back of him so people would know I was NOT exaggerating.

Well, today, I stayed home from work to wait for electricians to show up to repair three broken lights that Jerry had tried over and over to fix but couldn't.  I was MAJORLY, PLEASANTLY surprised when two very nice, clean, polite repairmen showed up.  The younger one spent most of his time in my sewing room because I decided I wanted ALL the lighting in this room changed.  WOW!!!!  What a difference.

Anyway, his name was Jonathon.  He has a beautiful wife and three adorable daughters named Peyton, Chloe and Rylynn (?).  I think that is right.  He showed me pics of them on his cell phone.  All dark-haired beauties.  Found out he and his wife are youth pastors at a small church in the town they live in.  They just got back from church camp where they both preached.  It was SO, SO, SO refreshing to listen to this Christian daddy talk about his family.  He even told me the sermon he preached at camp.

Jonathon, of course, noticed all my sewing machines, and he said his wife Davilynn (?) had purchased a sewing machine, but she never used it.  I'm not sure she knows how to sew.  He noticed the video I made this morning on my computer monitor and asked me about it.  He asked for the name of my blog so his wife might learn about sewing.

I told him that my blog wasn't a very good place to learn about sewing as I jump around from one thing to another -- to another -- to another, and I don't really teach.  I gave him the Craftsy.com website for her, and I really hope she will check it out for beginning sewing classes.  They have so many wonderful classes and she can watch them right at home.  She is a SAHM which I admire greatly.

Anyway, here is the video I made this morning where I groan about the "shame on you" comment I received from a few people.  Then I show you how far I've gotten on our friendship swap.

AND, since Margaret has already opened her July 28 birthday present from me, I can show you what I made her now.  She really liked it.  Margaret was MADE to wear beautiful clothes and jewelry, and it thrills me that she wears what I make for her.

Add caption

Happy Birthday again my dear friend, Margaret!

And for those of you -- which may be ALL of you -- who couldn't see my parking lot haircut by Princess Di, here is a photo:

Gotta run.

Jerry is downstairs trying to heat up leftover roast and potatoes.  I need to go assist.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Parking Lot Stylist

Good Sunday morning friends!

There was a visiting pastor at Cornerstone this morning.  At first, I thought, "Oh know.  They are never any good."  Then I decided to just listen for a minute to see if he was any good.  I am SO GLAD I DID!  His sermon was wonderful about being a BABY christian or an GROWN-UP christian, having BABY faith or GROWN-UP faith.  His illustrations were great.  You can watch it www.GETV.org if you are interested.  It will be in the "archives" tomorrow.

I haven't been blogging much, but I am always making videos.  You have probably seen them.  Here is the latest taken by Diana's husband yesterday in a parking lot.

Highlight the link.
RIGHT CLICK the link.
Then choose "Go to facebook ....."  (It works for me.)

https://www.facebook.com/100010976409459/videos/274489616260250/

I created a huge mess on one of my owls.  If you don't know about that, here is the video where I show it to you:

Here it is after I requilted the background.

Can you still see the EXPO marker?  It is still there.  If it is wet, it shows up a lot.  I'm thinking I can do a "Where's Elmo" thing with this one and see if people who look at it can find the defect.  If they can, then I will break down and cry.

So today, I have a WHOLE BUNCH of half square triangles to do.  The other girls are all ahead of me now.
I have to work all week, so today is the day!

Terry is coming over after while.  I MISS HER!  Haven't seen her for ages -- or so it seems.  Since I go to church in my pajamas, I have to run downstairs and get presentable.  Also, need to put a roast in the pan.

Have a FABULOUS week, my friends.

Deb, Diana got you one of those darling mini laundry baskets.  I'll get it shipped to you sometime this week.  I know you don't have time to quilt right now, but the little basket will still be useful.

Hugs, Joy