I have returned! At last....

Hello Blog Friends!

Yes, it has been a very long time since I've posted on this blog!  As we all know, life has a way of intervening and sending the best laid of plans totally awry.  Between then and now, we went on vacation, suffered a major setback, the concrete business was crazy, I took on a new part time job, finished three quilts, 2 scrapping projects, and a quirky mosaic, attended two family golden birthday parties, and attended two scrapping retreats.

Shortly after my last post (way back in August of last year), Denis, my mom Fran, and I set out on a road trip to Colorado.  Our destination was Grand Junction, on the western slope.  Mom had lived there for many years, and went back to visit friends.  We planned to drop her with friends, then explore the mountains between GJ and Colorado Springs, spend a few days, and explore on our way back to GJ to pick her up.  Just 15 minutes after she arrived at her friends' home, she fell and broke her hip.  Her entire stay in GJ from then on was spent in St Mary's hospital in GJ (a fantastic facility!). 

We spent 10 lovely days in GJ, getting to know the area very well.  We tried to do at least one thing a day outside the hospital, just to salvage both our sanity and what we could of our vacation.  Mom spent one week in the hospital and two weeks at in-hospital therapy.  Three weeks after she fell, she left the hospital under her own power and flew home.  She stayed for a week with us, and finally was back in her own home exactly one month after she left.  It was a hell of a September!

I was away from my job for two weeks, and was jammed with work until the 1st of November.  It took me six weeks to catch up.  I worked a lot of extra hours, and also picked up a new part-time job...as bookkeeper for our church.  Before I could take over, however, I had to do a two year audit.  The records were in such a deplorable state, but after a month's time and 60+ hours of work evenings and weekends, I got them straightened out.  I made some changes, streamlined the process, and the books have balanced ever since.

I finished three quilts...Snack Attack was given to grandson Conner for Christmas 2014.  He is 12.  Patterns was given to daughter Kerri, who had to wait 31 years for her golden birthday on January 31, 2015.  Grandson Corey also received a quilt (named M&M Good) for his golden birthday this year...he was 10 on February 10th.

Snack Attack

 

Kerri (on right) and friend with Patterns

 

M&M Good

I finished two memory books for Christmas 2014.  Grandson Conner was victorious for the 3rd year in a row at the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby last February.  I've made him a book commemorating the achievement each year.  Here he is with the 2014 installment.

 

I made Mom a book highlighting all that we did together in 2014...a barn quilt trip, quilt shop hopping, the rodeo, Hamburgerfest, and the trip to Colorado.  Here she is with her book.  She is 100% recovered from her hip mishap.  Or, should I say "mis-hip"?  LOL

Finally, Denis' brother Gordon was not forthcoming with Christmas gift ideas, except for $$ for a fishing license.  In my opinion, money is a gift for birthdays, not Christmas.  He was insistent, however.  So, I thought that if that is all he can come up with, then he will have to work for it.  Out came the scrapping materials and our coin jar, and voila, the coin fish mosaic was created.  It was 12" x 18").  It was a great hit at Christmas, but instead of working at taking all the coins off (and the glue dots holding them on), he wants to hang it on the wall.  Really??

So, that has been my life since August.  September was spend dealing with a broken hip, October was filled up with accounting work, both at the concrete plant and at home, and November and December was spent rushing to finish Christmas gifts.

I've taken it a little easier so far in 2015, but I have actually been sewing for me!  I'll show you that next week.  I'll be posting every week on Sundays.  Thanks for visiting!