Quick Trip

Allen had a hotel deal too good to pass up (at a brand new hotel five minutes from the Everettes), so we took a weekend trip to see Meghan, Justin, and the boys. Of course, we love staying at their house usually, but we invited ourselves, and who can pass up a deal at a new hotel? We left after work on Friday, and I was glad Allen was willing to drive. I could barely keep my eyes open, but after a good night's sleep, we were ready to see the grandsons. After a morning playing and seeing the updates around the house (love the kitchen), we went to the Blue Gill for a lunch. We sat outside where the boys could be boys, and we enjoyed our shrimp and such. Taplin's antics kept us laughing all weekend. You should see him dance.

Bridger is quite the little man! He has started school at St. Luke's in the Pre-K program. I am positive that he wows his teachers with his coloring. He is really ready for the challenge! After lunch, Meghan, Bridger, and I headed out to shop for shoes while the guys took Tap to nap. Bridger is ready to run in his new New Balance shoes and his spiffy Crocs. We were invited to go along to a family picnic for a picnic at the home of a member of Meghan and Justin's Sunday school church group. What a nice, fun group of folks and their kids. Bridger and Taplin had so much fun especially with the blow-up water slide.

Today, we headed back north. In the rain. And more rain, but we had a safe trip home. Be sure to check out the Flickr pictures of our little guys!

A Few End of Summer Projects

I tried to get back in the school groove this week. It was the second full week of school, and no, I still do not know all of the names yet. I'd say I used to learn them quicker than I do now, but that would be a lie. It is always hard for me to learn everyone's name. I have about 135 students this year, plus yearbook students, plus homeroom. Maybe by the end of this week I will have them all straight. I enjoyed coming home and working a bit each evening on my August Block of the Month. Eight months finished! I think I just have four more big stars and sixteen little ones. I am pretty excited that I have stuck with it and that the blocks are easier than they used to be. This is not a quilt I will be able to quilt myself when the top is finished, I'm certain.

The other project I am working on is the batik pinwheel quilt. I found a YouTube video on how to layer the quilt using sticks. Now she says to hand baste, but I pinned it and it seemed to work well for me today. I started quilting it this afternoon, and since I'm not doing anything fancy, it is coming along quickly. Still miss having Louie sit by me. We keep getting sympathy cards which is very thoughtful. One from a neighbor was stuck in the door this afternoon.

What else this week? Allen's birthday was Thursday, so we had a birthday dinner with Shannon and Nathan, and Meghan sent a Netflix gift to Allen. He immediately (happily, I might note) ordered guy films that I will probably not see. Whatever makes him happy. What the rest of of are looking forward to -- Bama football in two weeks. Oh yeah, we've decided to do new counters and cabinets in the kitchen. The guy comes to measure on Tuesday. I gather it will be a slow-ish process by time we order and then the cabinets are made. We are pretty excited. Now what color should I paint the kitchen?

Sweet, sweet Louie

On Wednesday afternoon, I came home from school and walked Louie as usual. He seemed fine, but after we came in the house, something was obviously wrong. After just a few minutes, I put him in the back seat of the car and took him to the vet. They thought it appeared that he had had a stroke or something. His temperature and blood pressure dropped quickly, he lost his reflexes, and within the hour, he stopped breathing. Louie was just two in June.

Allen talked to the vet by phone, and after doing a necropsy, she said while the way he presented looked neurological to her, it looked more like poisoning internally. We just can't imagine what he could have gotten into unless it was mushrooms along the sidewalk where we always walked him. I just am having a hard time thinking that was it because lots of dogs walk on our street, and they are fine, it appears. I suppose we won't know definitively what happened.

For me, I don't think the shock of it has really worn off yet. One minute he was fine, and then something was terribly wrong. Thank you to our family and friends who have sent us notes and messages, cards, and even flowers. Our kind neighbors invited us over last night to cheer us up. We just really miss Louie. He provided structure to our day with three or four scheduled walks a day. Louie was our companion, sitting near us or on us all of the time, and he made us laugh with his antics. He could shake, sit, and come, and he'd do most anything for a treat. But his best trick was putting himself to bed in his crate when he knew we were leaving or going to bed. And yes, he was a thief and a pain in the neck sometimes. Allen says he's probably stealing St. Peter's underwear now.

We have been picking up toys and treats for the last few days. His chews were everywhere in the house. It is very sad to throw those things out, but when we get another puppy, we will begin a new collection, I'm sure. Allen talked to the breeder who said that she doesn't have a litter on the way right now, but that she will put us on her list when she does. That will happen with cooler weather.

I am headed to my sewing room to work on a project this afternoon, but it will be just me -- no Louie to hop up on the sewing stool next to me. Louie was such a special little friend.

Fayetteville and Franklin

Oh boy, is Allen a happy camper. Look at his new truck! We picked it up Friday afternoon in Fayetteville with a whopping three miles on it. Some smart person figured out that opening the doors this way made lots of sense. The dog crate fits neatly in the back seats.
A real truck. I wonder what I can think of that Allen needs to haul home? I saw some antique cabinets earlier this summer that would fit. That is, fit in the truck. I don't have a clue where they would fit in the house.
Besides getting the new truck, we enjoyed dinner with Michelle and Mac and Uncle Nathan and Aunt Shannon. When I was grocery shopping for dinner (marinated tomatoes and green beans with walnuts and, thanks to Meghan and Justin, gulf shrimp), I saw these bright orange and green daisies and had to have them.
And then there is THE quilt top. It is finished! I haven't added up the exact number of pieces, but it is in the neighborhood of 4500 squares. I started it last summer and worked on a number of other things in the meantime. But I finally focused on finishing and went through who knows how many bobbins and several spools of thread getting to the end.
I like the fabric I picked for the back and the borders last weekend when we ran up to Franklin to Stitcher's Garden. The quilt is big. It took nine yards of backing. I can't wait to drop it off with my long-arm quilter, but when I called she was out of town for the week so it's sitting on the dining room table for a few days. By the way, it's now been eight days since I've purchased fabric. (Don't need anything, but still.)