I was planning on making a baby blanket last weekend, but then I broke my hot water faucet in the tub, the toilet broke, and my CPAP broke. All I said was "Jean stay away from the sewing machine". Last of broke stuff got fixed Wed so I'm going to sew today. Earlier this winter I broke my old Elna and then I dropped my serger and it' broke too. Not a good year for me with machines. I want my Viking to stay healthy so I'm being very cautious. Food is going well. I can tell that 10# makes a big difference because I'm moving easier and my clothes are fitting better. Got my TV hooked up to DVD player Yeah! Then searching internet I found out I can watch programs I thought I'd never see again without cable. Our company here is pricing themselves out of the market. Lots of folks are like me and just can't afford it anymore - $30/mo ok $70/mo way too expensive. Library across the street gives me lots of entertainment.

I was born in Grand Rapids Irishrose- I never really lived there as we moved when I was about 3, but I still have a lot of family there. It would take me a lot of walking to get there from here! At 12.5 miles so far this month, I have barely gotten out ot town!Here is a pic of the quilt I am working on. I am doing it in a round robin like style, or that is what I have done so far. I started with a panel that I have had for years (15 at least) & put the first simple 3 piece border around it then took forever to decide what & how to do next. The house blocks are pieced traditionally & the trees are paper pieced. PPing isnt hard, but I think it can be confusing because you are doing everything upside down & backwards. I haven't quite decided what to do next on this quilt, so I will probably set it aside & think about it for awhile. I am really in no big hurry to finish it. This is my new portable, expandable design wall. I have the hooks hung on little nails in the wall & I can just slip them off when I want to take it down. I used cafe curtain hooks on the rod. The rod expands to 80". So far I have just one width of flannel up, but I plan to get more this week so I can make it wider. I put a casing in the bottom & slipped a skinnier rod through so it won't fly around. This is in a hallway of my upstairs next to my sewing space in the loft & I am really liking it!

I was trying to attach 2 pics in the same post, but couldn't. I am just glad I remember how to do one! This is abetter shot of the quilt.

Our weigh in for Biggest Losers at work is tomorrow morning and I'm on pins and needles. I missed last week because I was out and my first weigh in of the month showed me up 1 pound from the previous month. I have eaten very well and exercised every day this week so far and I'm planning to go before work tomorrow plus exercising 4 days last week. I'm hoping for a good result but I expected one the first of the month and didn't get it so we'll see. It sounds like everyone is staying on track this month. Now if I could just get my sewing room cleaned up so I can work in there again. It's just overwhelming when it's a mess. I went through a lot of stuff last weekend so I could make my rulers and dies more accessible instead of hiding them in a bin. Once I go through everything I can reorganize and actually get back to sewing. I have the 2 long sides of an inner border attached to a quilt for a friend from 2 months ago. I had gone to trim the top piece of the inner border and cut it wrong(I should have stopped because I was too tired). Anyway, I haven't touched it or anything else since. Time to get moving in more ways than one.

I get to go to my Endocrinologist today and find out how much weight I have lost since Thanksgiving. She is the one that had me commit to this nutrition class and eating plan. I'm pretty sure that so far I have lost at least 20 lbs. I think I am down about 6 lbs since the first of the month.
I have been doing really well. I was able to resist all chocolate and sugar on Valentines day. Had some Fresh Strawberries and grapes while everyone else in our Small Group ate cake and chocolate and other goodies. I did have about a pinch, not even a square inch of some brownies that my daughter made on monday night. Warm, fresh brownies are hard to resist. I did have to have a slice of the Tri-Tip though!!!!
Today for lunch, we are going to a Chinese Restaurant. I will have some Chow Mein but will avoid any fried foods (except maybe just one egg roll!)
I am still feeling pretty drained. Probably because it is still not quite 3 weeks since I had my knee surgery but I am wondering if I am getting enough Iron since I hardly eat any red meat anymore.
Started PT on Monday. Went yesterday and will go tomorrow. I am going to ask my PT when he thinks I can get back into the pool for water aerobics. I do not get any exercise and I know that I need it!!!!

Maggiemay, your quilt will be beautiful. PP - upside down and backwards - then I'm in trouble because I have a reversal problem and the world is already backwards to me. I realy like having a design wall. You get a much better picture of what's going looking at it vertically. When we did the quilt at church, it was laid out on a table and I was surprised how much harder it was to position everything correctly. I remind the boy I tutor to hold his book up to read because the brain has to flip the image twice if it's flat on the table. I guess it's true for other things, too. BTW, I received a bonus yesterday because he made the honor roll in regular ed with no accomodations. Almost all As. His parents are thrilled but want him to continue coming. Works for me. They can afford it and he needs someone he can't manipulate to keep him accountable, plus some reteaching in math and some more work in reading.

Everose, the hair color is bright, but it doesn't glow in the dark. I added a little lt golden brown I had here so it not quite as strawberry as last time. Sure makes my eyes bright turquoise. Someone asked if i had new contacts. Ha- I can't get those things in my eyes. They close when my finger comes near. I would only need one but it's a no go.

No applique books at the library, but that's okay. I can draw simple flowers.

My weight is headed down again - now to keep it that way. Lunch was simple, but good. Bacon, eggs and a big fruit cup. Best priced lunch at Big Boy and the least likely way to run into the additives I react to.

It's foggy out so I'd better get the dogs out before dark.

Jean, I'd cry if I broke my Elna. I may not being using it now (except for the satin stitch), but I love that machine. The serger can be pitched as far as I'm concerned. I didn't buy a good one and I got exactly what I paid for. I think a looper is broken again. I wonder if it's even worth repairing when I feel no need to use it.

blondeslave, I have two rooms of fabric that are too full to sew in. I sew in the family room - it's warmer, too. I hardly know where to start, but start I must. I can't leave this for my children.

Mary, did you have to do that much ripping on the snowblossom? That's the block I have ready to start. I'm not doing the cats. I tried, but it just isn't me.

Jim's Gem, good luck at the endocrinologist. I'm sure you will get good news. I have always needed iron after surgery because I bleed heavily. Liquid ferrous sulfate seems to be the best delivery system for me. Twice it didn't help much. What did? Salt. I'm not much on drinking salted water but that would work. I ate potato chips - a real treat as I never do. A friend was having the same problem and used pretzels. Worked for her, too. Just a thought.

I am losing weight and getting healthier. I really am!
Judy

Weighed in this morning and I'm down another 1.8 pounds for a total so far of 9 pounds this month. I was hoping for more but I'll take it-at least I'm going in the right direction.

blondeslave, Hoping for more?? More wouldn't be healthy and none of us want to ruin our health to lose weight. We want to lose weight to improve our health. 9 pounds in 17 days is the beginning of an excellent adventure. Way to go!

I hope my weight is the same as or less than yesterday. I made a turkey loaf and banana bread for dinner last night. I don't like banana bread, but I had some bananas that needed to be made into bread. I added pineapple, coconut and chocolate chips since I couldn't add walnuts and it isn't bad. I used to make a bread with dried apricots and pineapple when I could have sulfites and it was delicious. This isn't bad because of the pineapple.

What are you doing just for yourself this weekend? February is such an odd month. It was a standard joke when I was married that all of our appliances and most of our furniture was bought in February. Retail therapy, anyone?

The sun is shining and today is my day to drive a friend with kidney disease from dialysis. I think I'll bake her some bread. She can't feel like cooking doing that three times a week. Applesauce or pumpkin? If I want it cooled by 2:30, I need to get it in the oven so enough of this for now.

I got so carried away making nine patches for the red quilt last night, I made too many. Potholders???

Eat clean, move your body and drink your water. Exercise with intention. Tell your body why you are doing this to it. Forget reading the book while you are on the exercise bike. Check and see if you get 'Sit and Be Fit' on PBS. It's not a bad short exercise program and improves mobility and flexibility if nothing else.

I am losing weight and getting healthier.
Judy

Hi all, I just about cried when I broke my Elna. We got snow last night. Now this is not usually a big deal but we haven't had much snow at all so far and it just hasn't felt like winter here. And I really like winter - it's why I moved to Duluth. Food is going well. I'm making tofu tonite. I saw a recipe that called for brushing slices of tofu with hoisin sauce then baking them. No hoisin sauce so I thought I'd use my Korean garlic chili sauce instead. I think it will work. I've been watching episodes of Sewing with Nancy on computer and found a new way to miter corners with satin binding on my fleece blankets. Being able to watch the episodes whenever is a huge help for me to get a new technique mastered.
Maggiemay - I just love your wall hanging!
Createfourpaws - did you get my FQ?