Pictures are finally downloaded and I just may have gotten caught up......

I was going to post pictures of our 'places' we stayed at during the last 3 months of 2009, but I can't get the pictures to post here....... So, I am not going to waste any more of my time trying to figure it out....

Last year at this time both Carl and I were blissfully unaware what was in store for us. In 6 more days it will be 1 year to the day that things started going down hill. On the 25th of February Judy and I were in an auto accident that gave me a concussion, wrecked our handicap van and started all of our trials.... Next on the list was Carl's open heart surgery for quadruple bypass surgery in April. The problems were found before he had a heart attack and that is a blessing. Now, we thought, everything is going to go super easy and life will be good again..... WRONG!!! Judy moved into a group home, no nursing jobs for me to find, AND Carl goes back in to the hospital for a hernia operation in August. We breath a sigh of relief that the operation goes well and he will be able to go back to work, NOT!! Now he is fighting C-diff, which is a nasty bowel infection that you get while in the hospital and are given strong antibiotics. Nope, he can't go back to work because he can't get more than 5 feet away from 'Johnny' for more than a few minutes. On to the next challenge of the year, finding me a job. I sign on with Mollen Clinics to give flu and pneumovax immunizations during the 'season'. It is only a temporary job, so I must still look for permanent work. In a lot of ways me not finding a job is a blessing because when I do find one it is one that I love.  A friend at church knows an Allergist that has asked her if she knows of any nurses. Yep, my friend says and I have an interview over the phone and am hired. Shocked, I start work the next day. Now, onto the next challenge... MOVING! The place we are renting is way to big for us and way to expensive. I am ready to down size..... so down size we did! Right into an extended stay place that was not much bigger than a small motel room with a 'kitchenette' that didn't even have an oven!! The best thing about staying there was the hot tub! Yep, I tried to spend time in it each and every night. Slept like a baby! I was willing to stay for longer, but Carl was ready to get settled sooner, so one day while driving around in Sun City we found a cute place at the right price. Soooooo, on to the 3rd move.  We are still getting things from storage and wondering where we are going to put everything. This place has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, living room, eat in kitchen, car port, laundry room and best of all an Arizona room that has been enclosed that houses my sewing/quilting room. As I unpack stuff I am sorting so that I can 'down size' even more. Some stuff is going into a garage sale, other stuff is going to family and yet other stuff is going to Goodwill. As I unpack boxes I see the estate sales that we go to and think to myself, "My kids going to have to dump this stuff after I am gone", so if I can't use it now why am I keeping it???

One of the things that Carl and I have done is decide that we don't need a TV in every room of the house. We have 2, one in the living room and one in my sewing room. Life is a lot simpler. We have our computers set up in one bedroom and I am slowly sorting pictures, linen, books, and assessing what is truly important to keep.

Another thing I have done is to close my online store 'Coyote Quilts and Specialties'. Not enough time to take care of and get everything else done. Instead I am doing quilt classes at Sally's Fabrics in Mesa. I have a class coming up the last Saturday of February. I was hoping to be able to take another class from Kaye Wood, but she has personal things going on this year that has prevented her from visiting her house here in Sun City.

I finally have most of my swaps taken care of that I started last year and have joined a couple more for this year. Today I was able to get into my stash and get fabric picked out and started sewing blocks again. I hope I can get them done tomorrow so I can get them in the mail before the end of the month.

The highlight of this past week was a visit from Spencer and Lillith. We went to the Wildlife World Zoo and had a blast and made some special memories with them. I have to share a couple pictures (the only ones I can get downloaded).

 

Wearing Grandma's hat and coat. It was a little chilly just starting out.

Great Daddy, keeping her safe and helping her see the animals.

  

I guess Pa is okay, too.  

 

Almost kissing. It's a good thing there is glass between them!

It is getting late and I have bent your ear enough for tonight. I'll be back again to post more pics of our weekend at the zoo and of course quilt blocks!

Happy Quilting,
Sharon

New quilting site!

Yes, I am still hanging around. Things are starting to settle down in the daily life and I will be getting back here to let everyone know just what has happened with life in general and of course with QUILTING!!!  I have found a new site!!! Tonight, as I was looking reading on various sites I found one link that led me to another and another.... well, you get the picture~~~~~~~~~~I ended up here: http://moosequilts.blogspot.com/2010/02/jelly-roll-sampler-quilt-along-2010.html and am going to do the 'jelly roll' blocks that are going to be posted. I have the perfect jelly roll, but will have to find at least the rest of the top fabric. Of course this material came out 2 or 3 years ago so I may not find as much as I'd like. I made a 'Charm' purse/pocketbook from a set of charms in this fabric. I just might be able to find some at the LQS..... Only time and a visit to the store will tell the tale.


Happy Quilting,
Sharon

I can not believe it has been 3 months since I updated my blog. Where to start is another question!!!

It seems as though we have been moving in one form or another since the last time I posted. I have been packing or unpacking almost every day and I can tell you that it is getting quite boring!!! We packed everything up from the 'big' house and put it in storage. We thought that we would be staying in a small condo type apartment, but as with all plans that went south..... So we decided to try an extended stay place, so off we went to 'check in'. What a trip that was last month! We ended up on the second floor and the only things we can say that was good about that was getting the extra exercise with the stairs and being able to use the hot tub every night. This place was smaller than the 24 foot trailer we lived in for awhile a couple years ago. Needless to say I didn't get to do any sewing while I was there. I did manage to get some towel tops crocheted, though.

One day while Carl & I were out riding around we saw a for rent sign on a little house in Sun City. We ended up  going to look at it and ended up signing a lease. Now we are again moving boxes and unpacking!!! So this makes our move lasting for 3 months. I am so sick of boxes!!! It probably wouldn't be so bad, but I started working in an allergist office in October and don't have all day to play like I use to. It was fine when I was only working part time, but just this past week I have started full time. I don't want full time, but it is a new practice and I am the only nurse. I am training a MA, but not sure how that is going to work out. The last MA didn't last very long.....

My current projects are to get my swaps caught up and out of the way. Then I have a quilt to make. Lots of ideas floating around in the brain and now that I have a room I am going to be able to get them made into quilts. This house that we are in is very small compared to the last one, but there was a room big enough for me to have my quilter and sewing machine set up so I am happy. Titten even approves and has settled in. She hasn't ventured into the sewing room yet, but I'm sure she will one of these days.

Well, I need to get to bed. Another long day tomorrow at the office.

Happy Quilting,
Sharon

www.coyotequilts.com

Happy Weekend Everyone!!

Busy, busy, busy week this past week. I started a new job with an allergist and worked at a Mollen clinic. Of course the highlight was my BIRTHDAY!! I don't usually brag about my birthday, but what the heck, I may not have many left!!! No there isn't any medical problems, but I am over 50 now and I doubt I have 50 more years to go....

One of the things that we have decided to do is to move. Yep, you read right, we are moving. For now it is going to be into a temporary place and put everything into storage. So that means the quilting is going to slow waaaaaaay down. I will be able to get tops done and sew little projects, but the quilt frame will have to go into storage. That's okay it will make it easier for me to concentrate on my new job and maybe we will be able to take a couple of road trips!!

On one of my forums I joined a Birthday Block Swap for this year and I have received 4 blocks so far. Here they are, aren't they BEAUTIFUL??

Now here are the blocks I have been swapping for the Sew Along. Every 2 weeks we have a new pattern and partner. These quilts will be prized possessions when I get them together.

 

I packed up some of my blocks I have ready to put into quilts and other blocks I have swapped. I have enough swapped blocks to make about 5 quilts. Maybe one day I'll be able to get them done!!!

Since we are moving we are having a garage sale. I am not keeping a lot of our big furniture so if you are in the area come on over on the 24th and you just may pick up some good deals.

Next week I will be teaching a class at Church how to sew together pillow cases, then in November I will be teaching a couple quilt classes. I can't wait for the quilt classes!! It shall be so much fun. I'll also be able to drop my favorite sewing machine off to have an over haul. She sure has been temperamental lately and I'm not sure why. I guess it is just because I work her to hard!!

Well, I am off for some more packing.

Happy Quilting,
Sharon

www.coyotequilts.com
http://myquiltingbuddies.blogspot.com/

Good Evening Everyone!!!!

Oh so happy today. We are both feeling MUCH better and we seem to be getting our life back to where it was. It seems as though 2009 has been about going from one hospital stay and sickness to another. It will be nice to wake up each day and be able to go and do the things we like to do and not have to worry if we will have to head home before we get everything done. Now that we are getting back on our medical feet I have a new husband. He has done this to me before so it wasn't as much of a shock, but after seeing one face for so many years it is quite an adjustment to see another one. Here is before and after pictures so you can determine for yourself if I have a new man or not.

This one was in 2007 at the Western Festival with our oldest grandson.

This one is a couple days after his heart surgery in April of this year.

This is the newest one just a couple days ago. Notice anything different???

While I have gotten a new man I have also been getting my quilt block swaps done and doing little projects to sell on my site. I have even gotten the pictures taken and down loaded them on the site, so that is quite a feat for me. The latest project I completed today was sewing up a couple pillow cases for a class I am going to do for Relief Society. I forgot how easy they are to throw together and I need to do more of them. I know the grand-kids really like them.

The highlight of the past week was having a quilt shop want me to teach 'Quilting the Kaye Wood Way' classes for them. I would love to be able to teach quilting to others. It is an addictive craft that's for sure. I'm sure I'll know in the next couple of weeks if I will be busy teaching or not.

One of the things I have to do next week is can some peaches. I ordered peaches from a friend and they came in yesterday. I am sitting here smelling delicious peaches. I guess I need to give another case to the munchkin from my last canning session. She will only eat 'grandma's' peaches and she lets everyone know it. Her Mom opened a can from the store one day and she spit it out and said, 'That's not Grandma's peaches!!' and wouldn't eat them.

Wow, I am lucky tonight!!! I just checked to make sure the pictures were loaded where I wanted them to be and they are!!! No playing with the pictures and the words this time.

I suppose I need to get to bed. We are going to be able to go to church together tomorrow for the first time in forever and I need to get my beauty sleep.

I hope everybody has a great Sunday.


Happy Quilting,
Sharon

www.coyotequilts.com

Happy Weekend!!

Not much going on here this past week. I have been working for Mollen doing flu immunizations this week. Of course I had to go and get a bug from being out in the public. Just what we need around here another sicky!!!! I sure hope everything smooths out by Thanksgiving because I sure would like to enjoy the holidays. I also need to get busy on Christmas projects. I don't have many planned, but I still would like to get them all done this year.

I'm off. Have a great week!!!

Happy Quilting,
Sharon

www.coyotequilts.com

Good Morning Everyone!!

I hope everyone is having a great day today!! I am trying to get into my quilting room and have fired up the iron. In between using the sewing machine I will be getting laundry done. Not my favorite past time!!!

Yesterday way my first day back in the grind, so to speak. It was my first day giving flu and pneumonia injections at a Mollen Immunization clinic. I can not believe the number of injections we put through one small clinic. I alone did almost 100 and I wasn't even there the full shift!!! I was pooped when I got home, had a sandwich and was in bed with the lights out by 8!! Can you believe I signed up for more of this punishment???

This past week I accomplished a lot in my sewing/quilting room. I finished 3 simple flannel blankets

and a 'Heart' Pillow

Plus, Janice and I went dumpster diving and found a couple great dumpster to get our number 10 cans to make our toilet paper holders.

The tall round things in the front are our toilet paper holders. We make them to hold either 3 or 4 rolls of toilet paper.

The other small project I started was covers for the packages of Kleenex you can carry in your bag or purse. They are super easy and I have several different color choices ready to go.

The last we accomplished this past week was to go looking at the local Farmer's Market. Some are way expensive or really reasonable and FULL!!! Just our luck.... If anybody has a favorite craft fair that we could set up at that is in our neck of the woods could you give me a shout? We are looking to fill up our calendar and need a few more places to set up.

We will be setting up at Westbrook Village's Arts & Crafts Show on November 7th. We also plan on being at Ventana Lake's show this fall too.

Other than that it has been quiet around here. Carl is doing really well and feeling better every day. Yesterday while I was out giving pain to people he cleaned my floors, washed the dishes AND remembered to put the lid down on the washer so that the load I started could wash while I was gone!!! Yippee, I think I'll keep him :)


Happy Quilting,
Sharon

www.coyotequilts.com