customer quilt done

Current Corona Virus Deaths in the US - 128,819

                                           Yesterday - 128,438

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Monday (6/29) – I have just been devastated to learn that the surgeon I met with only does a posterior approach to hip replacement.  Everyone I’ve talked to (and the research I’ve done on the internet) clearly indicates that recovery from an anterior approach (providing your surgeon is well versed in the procedure) is much, much easier, with less pain, and less restrictions.  I’ve been trying to get an answer to how my surgeon does the surgery for at least a week, and this morning I decided to get on the phone and not get off until I got my questions answered.  I am now waiting for a call back from the surgeon’s nurse to see where we go from here….who knows how long I will have to wait to have this done now  :~(.  Although with the drastic increases in COVID cases and deaths being reported, maybe I should be glad to NOT be in a hospital at this time.  

NOON – OK, the surgeon himself called me back….gave me several articles to read on the internet…and talked me down off of the ledge (of course, Janice did the same thing as I called her right away when this happened!!)  One of my pet peeves with medical people (yes, I have many of them….all justified I feel) is that they don’t follow up after any kind of procedure is done to find out how people are really doing (with pain, with mobility, with whatever) and then factor those statistics into future dealings with patients.  My surgeon impressed me at our meeting with his references to ‘follow-up’ metrics and how people respond to the surgery, recovery etc.  We talked about those metrics on front vs rear approach, and I guess I’m going ahead with the surgery (after I talk to Michael when he gets home from golf).  With that semi-settled, I set up the program, wound bobbins and kicked off quilting on my customer quilt:  

The quilting was done in the afternoon: 

and I got the quilt cleaned up, off of the frame and trimmed by dinnertime.  Michael had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, while I finished up the leftovers from my Saturday lunch with Paula.

customer quilt loaded, hydrangeas

Current Corona Virus Deaths in the US - 128,438

                                           Yesterday - 128,211

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We had a leisurely Sunday morning (6/28) and I didn’t make it to my studio until just before NOON.  I hurriedly got out a blog entry before loading up my customer quilt.  I got it all loaded: 

but had to shut down as thunderstorms moved into the area.  I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking the boxes that Janice packed for me and putting stuff back on my craft shelves.

Check out these photos of our gorgeous hydrangeas:

The purple ones are particularly special...I bought that half dead bush for $5 at least 10 years ago...it has never bloomed.  Michael always cuts down our hydrangeas each February....this year we finally said 'what if this is one of those bushes that grows blooms off of the old stalks, let's not cut it down' and voila.....blooms!!!!!

retreat day #2

Current Corona Virus Deaths in the US - 128,211

                                           Yesterday - 127,649

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I did a bike ride Friday morning (6/27) before heading to the grocery store for a few things.  I made lunch when I got home, then got my blog out before Paula showed up for day #2 of retreat:  

She finished the quilting on her batik quilt and got the binding on as well:  

I LOVE her backing!!

We had a smurfy lunch:

and continued sewing afterwards with interested company:

Paula left just after 2 PM and I took a nap before heading downstairs to cut more fabric.  I finished cutting for project #2 for my project box, and now need to figure out what else I might want to make.

retreat day #1

Current Corona Virus Deaths in the US - 127,649

                                           Yesterday - 126,798

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I had a virtual visit with another doctor at 7:30 AM Thursday morning (6/27).  After I answered all of his questions and did a few movements (eyes, shoulders, forehead) he said I was good to go.  

I spent time pulling together my project for the day before Paula came down for retreat:  

marking lines for quilting

June stopped by with her show and tell: 

her one block wonder totally finished

made from Paula's scraps

gorgeous!!

and Pat stopped by to get some opinions on her appliqué quilt:  

I can hardly wait to show it in the blog…but she said not until it is totally finished.  Paula fixed us a fabulous lunch (which of course I didn't get a picture of) and Ethel visited us in the afternoon:

We knocked off after 3 PM and delivered a few things before relaxing for the rest of the day.

blueberry cake, cutting fabric, Ethyl

Current Corona Virus Deaths in the US - 126,798

                                           Yesterday - 124,331

A huge jump today  :~(

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It was raining Thursday morning (6/25), so I hopped up and made BG’s Blueberry Coffee Cake with my crumb topping for breakfast:  

I don’t make it very often as I rarely have 4 cups of blueberries all at the same time….but today was the day!  It was so yummy….I had a small piece before heading downstairs to spend the day cutting fabric:  

I wish you could see it in person…it is so much more beautiful….I only had a small piece of this: 

but wish I had a bolt!  While I was cutting, I had company in our blueberry picking basket (see video at end only on the blog itself):  

Michael and I had salads for dinner and watched TV in the evening.

FB recently posted an oldie but goodie pic of my honey....this was after he got his nose broken by being kicked by one of the kids:

And doesn't this just melt your heart??

Who loves her daddy?

Kitty video:

roving/yarn dying

Current Corona Virus Deaths in the US - 124,331

                                           Yesterday - 123,476

Nearly 180,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus by October 1 unless just about everyone starts wearing masks, new projections show. That expert prediction comes as the US records more than 2.3 million Covid-19 cases -- and as the three most populous US states set records for new cases daily. California reported more than 7,000 cases on Tuesday, obliterating a record hit a day earlier. Florida and Texas announced they had recorded more than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, and one health expert fears major Texas cities could see “apocalyptic” numbers.  As cases spike, Disney postponed the reopening of Disneyland, and governors are urging people to wear masks and stay home. The US fatality forecast would drop to 146,000 by October if 95% of Americans masked up in public, a model forecasts. (CNN)

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My back was very tight and sore on Wednesday (6/24) so I had to forgo my bike ride.  Instead I baked chocolate chip cookies:

in the morning for my honey, while he picked more blueberries:

and then I got to do my first harvest of basil:

to make pesto for us!  I got to SKYPE with Janice in the morning and we talked for almost TWO HOURS!!!  After that I had time to eat some breakfast before heading off to Roasalie’s for yarn dying with natural dyes.  Paula has been saving her avocado skins and pits for it, and there was also beet juice and onion skins. 

avocado shells

Rosalie's roving

Rosalie getting ready

Pam is eager to dive in

more avocado shells

setting up equipment

some solutions must be heated

removing the shells from the liquid

putting roving in mordant, which will help dye to bond with protein in roving

removing from mordant and adding to avocado shell liquid

checking it out

overdying some yarn

and dying natural colored yarn

pinkish color from avocado shells

I didn’t get home until after 5 PM as we talked and talked and talked the entire time!!!  Michael and I had leftovers for dinner and relaxed for the rest of the evening.