It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

I promised, promised, promised myself that I would have this angel runner completed by Christmas Day. And, so it was. I put my needle down at the near-stroke of midnight last night. Done. Can check this off my task-list.

It took more than 3 hours of handwork. Did I mention this was the equivalent of hand stitching 5 yards of fabric? No, I don't think I did.

So, here is my runner. Not exactly up to the standards of my purist quilting friends, but it's to replace the one that DH spilled coffee on, which was ruined.

I put this sweet piece in place on our dinette table with larger angel statues. Very pretty and calming.

Onward to more quilting before 2090 ends!

Happy Christmas, Happy Dogs

After recovering from a migraine yesterday ("Yes," on Christmas Eve), I woke up at 5:00 am with Merlin and DeeDee. First order of business was to distribute the doggie cookies which were a gift from one of our neighbors (for whom I made the dog theme-quilt). Then, it was feeding time and by 5:30, everyone was all settled in for their Christmas Day nap before Dear Husband (who got to sleep in this morning) joined us downstairs. We snapped this picture of Merlin and DeeDee in the kitchen as Ken was starting to make Christmas dinner. It was too sweet not to post.

The day was quiet and gave me time to finish working on a Christmas table runner that I was making for our holiday table. Guess it will wait until next year. But, I did finish everything except the handwork on the binding, which I am about to begin. I fussy cut some beautiful angel blocks from a panel, and designed a long (72") runner. It is actually quite pretty. I feared this was going to end up a UFO, so I am happy I completed it.

DH took the dogs out walking, while I cleaned up all the holiday mess. I am happy to report that DH - who is also the chef in this family - really likes his kitchen/cooking items that I gave him for Christmas, except (I think) the 'Omelet Express' machine. We will see how much this electric appliance is actually used by a purist chef who believes in "cooking with gas" only. I must admit that I was unaware that this machine had a cord! What a surprise when DH opened the box. Oops! DH did make us a mushroom, onion, and cheese omelet, which was very tasty and had a fine consistency. He says he will use it many times again. Sure hope so.

Tonight's menu is stuffed Cornish game hen and roasted brussel sprouts, with homemade (by me) apple crisp for the final course. Nothing like 1200 calories on a plate! But, today is the last day to eat with abandon, I say.

I was sorry that I could not share an annual holiday ritual with my dear friends in Gold River, CA, but my headache grounded me for the day yesterday. I also was unable to deliver the gift basket of cooking items to my former voice coach and his wife, both of whom enjoy cooking very much.

We hear from 'up the hill' that our niece has gone four days without a seizure. Let's pray that this is the beginning of the true wind-down period. As she and her mother don't celebrate Christmas due to their religion, we don't see them on Christmas. We are hoping that Alicia continues to recover and improve. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

DH is on vacation this week and I so look forward to spending many wonderful hours together, including seeing the new Sherlock Holmes movie, even though one review indicated "No Hit, Sherlock!"

Finally, DH was so sweet and bought me a new sewing machine (Janome ThreadBanger TB-30). Turns out that I erred in advising him what machine to purchase for me, so we are going to try and return it for another Janome model. Let's hope we can do this.

So, that's our Christmas in a nutshell. It was wonderful (except for the Christmas Eve 'Merry Migraine' attack)!

Onward toward 2010. Happy New Year to Dear Readers and may it be a banner year for you all!

Reflections on Life's Continuous Flow

I remember asking one of my best friends if he was angry that when his wife was dying of cancer that life around them continued normally. What I meant by this question was whether he felt anger because the mail was still delivered, telemarketing agents still called, UPS still made deliveries, his neighbors walked their dogs as though nothing was any different. His response was very much like him, very existential. To wit, he said (and I am paraphrasing, BTW) that he knew that the world "outside" wouldn't stop or change because he and she were going through a horrible experience. I could not fully appreciate what he meant at the time, but I think I do now. Allow me to explain.

My niece has now had two Grand Mal seizures since her surgery. She continues to experience partial complex seizures (previously referred to as "Petite Mal") frequently. There are many possibilities why these seizures are happening, some more palatable than others. The good news in what seems like a bleak situation is that there are still other options: new medications just released, vagus nerve stimulation, deep brain stimulation. These were available before her surgery also, but she was adamant that she wanted this surgery and so it was done. Now, it is possible that other options will have to be explored, if the surgery turns out not to be a success. It is still too early to make an assessment of its success because the brain is still healing. But, the fact is that seizures so soon after surgery increase the likelihood that she will continue to have them. She is, as one could imagine, very disappointed and frustrated. We can only wait to see what happens next.

As we wait, life continues. Migraines still hit (I had one yesterday), Christmas presents need to be wrapped (spent much of today doing this), and I wanted to get back on the ice after a two-week absence. So I did that on Friday, with new boots and blades. This is a challenging experience for most skaters, even more so when one has switched to a different skate brand, as I did. The boot fits well, but the blades definitely are too flat and must be re-sharpened. And, then there is the rocker. I feel like I am pitched forward, so I must constantly check my posture to compensate for this. At the beginning of the session on Friday, I complained to Coach J that I hated my new skates, never should have purchased them, and was going to sell them on eBay. After Coach J left me to my own devices, I managed to get more comfortable (not confident, mind you) and left the rink thinking that all would be well when I got the blades re-done. This must be done ASAP.

This week, of course, holds much activity. I am looking forward to a skate/coffee/ gift exchange date with my BSB, lunch with a dear friend and her two children (to whom I am an "unofficial" aunt) so I can deliver the quilts I made them for Christmas, coffee and cookies on Christmas Eve with wonderful, loving friends who I adore beyond words, lunch with my college roommate and friend of 40 years in Auburn, and - most exciting - time with Dear Husband and doggies on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Between this activity, I will deliver gifts to friends and even skate on Tuesday (lesson with Coach J) and Wednesday, to share the ice with my BSB and another great skating buddy who is blowing through her ice dance tests like they were all a walk in the park. She has only five more tests until she gets her Gold medal in ice dancing. Amazing and inspirational!

It is my tendency (a.k.a., character flaw) to step in to solve my loved ones' problems. This can be overbearing sometimes, I imagine. I have to remind myself that our niece is, after all, 18 years old and can make her own decisions. But I feel compelled to try and help her and her mother make informed, thoughtful decisions, by providing them with data, alternatives, and resources. I must stop swooping down on them to take control, although every fiber of my being wants to do exactly that. Sometimes, one must wait until the door is opened to you and not just knock it down and barge in.

In the meantime, life does go on, despite the trauma and drama that seems to surround us right now. I must remember - "God grant me the strength to change the things I can, accept the things I cannot change and wisdom to know the difference."

Onward.

"My Loving People"

In case you didn't recognize the title above, it's the way Eliizabeth I referred to her subjects, as in "My Loving People want me to . . . (fill in the blank)." At the risk of seeming as though I view myself as royalty (NOT), I thought this was a good way to reflect my sentiments to those of you who have posted comments, called, or e-mailed wondering about my on-going bout in "sick" land and to ask about our niece's recovery. It is so nice to "feel the love" of one's friends.

Let's start with the important news - Alicia's recovery. Yesterday, the poor child had a Grand Mal seizure, one week exactly from her surgery. The neurosurgeon told us that in some patients there is a wind-down period post-surgery, during which time there could be seizures. Yes, it appears that Alicia is one of those patients. Unfortunately, she fell out of bed and now the right side of her face is black-and-blue to match the left side. Dear Husband talked with her late in the day yesterday and said she sounded alright. Her mother didn't take her to the ER, as she told me she was going to, likely because Alicia refused to go. She is a young woman of her own mind, that is certain. She continues to complain of serious head pain but who wouldn't if you had had major brain surgery a week ago. Please continue to hold her in your thoughts and prayers.

As for my little "friendly bug," we've pulled out the heavy artillery in the form of the "Z Pack," which is the future of antibiotics in my opinion - two pills Day 1, then a daily pill for the next four days. No more 3 pills/day for ten days. Thank goodness, because my tummy never did well on that regimen. I am still coughing up a storm and have a decided lack of energy. But I am trying to get moving and am even working on a little quilting project for our home, an angel table runner. I will perhaps get this done before Christmas next week, as Dear Husband had a coffee accident and my old runner now is sporting a rather large stain that I am fairly certain is not going to come out.

Onward through the holidays!

A Few Days Before Christmas: With Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore

A few days before Christmas and all through our house,
Not a creature was stirring, except my Dear Spouse.*

As I gazed out the window in silent repose,
I saw something moving - a shiny, black nose.
I threw back the curtains to broaden my gaze,
And rubbed both my eyes to clear out the haze.
Peering yet closer in astonished surprise,
The nose shared the face with two brilliant black eyes.

I ran to the phone in a near frantic state
to inform Dear Husband of "Sea Lion Gate."
Recounting my vision, he calmly replied, "Well, I know it's no sea lion,"
Then blandly he sighed.
He said, "Get the camera, then send me the *pic*,
I ran to retrieve it so a shot I could click.

This little lost creature could cause some alarm,
So I notified neighbors, so he'd come to no harm.
It seems that for now in our lake he may stay,
In this safe sheltered place he can swim, eat and play.

We bestowed upon him the name of "Sir Totter,"
Because it's just perfect for this sweet river otter.

Merry Christmas to all and to Sir Totter, "Good Night."

* Who - being an exceptional provider - was already at work

Note: If you click on the picture, you can see Sir Totter in a larger view. He is quite adorable and has already won our hearts, as you can likely tell from this little poem.

Christmas Cheer

Thought it was time for some holiday cheer. We did manage to put up and decorate the Christmas tree yesterday and finish trimming the rest of the house. Dear Husband took this pic of our girl, DeeDee, as she lounged near the tree. I think Merlin must have been asleep somewhere warm.

We toyed with the idea of getting a smaller tree, but I am glad that we used our 7-foot one after all. It was a snap this year to put together and it certainly does make our family room look like it is ready for Christmas.

Our niece, Alicia, was discharged from the hospital yesterday and is now home. Amazingly fast, given that her surgery was last Wednesday. Please hold her in your thoughts and prayers.

Have no idea when next I will skate. I hope it MAY be this week, but as long as I have a fever, can't skate. Total bummer.

Having all this time on my hands - and little energy - I've been shopping online, mostly quilting stuff. Snagged a bargain on eBay - 100 2" color coordinated watercolor squares (100% cotton, of course; I bought two sets) for a mere $4.99 each. Can't wait to start an impressionist quilt. Bought a pre-cut quilt kit also to make a quilt for my vet's office. Very reasonable, but we'll have to wait to see the quality.

That's it for now. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!

Warning: Not for the Squeemish But Good News

Since our beautiful snow fall Monday last, I've been wrestling with what started out as a horrible cold and morphed quickly into something more sinister. I am now going on Day 5 or 6 of this malady. I keep telling Dear Husband that it's the H1N1 because the doc's office says it could be due to the respiratory nature of the dang ailment; he is not buying it. He says it's my annual "really bad cold" but I'm not convinced. I am hoping that yesterday was the worst day thus far and perhaps I have turned a corner!

The worst part is that I have been unable to visit our niece, who had major brain surgery on Wednesday. At least I was at the hospital and got to see her as they wheeled her into the OR. Lucky for me that one of our dear friends (pictured above with his wife, a very special woman and friend, in Rome this year) works as a surgical nurse at the hospital where the surgery was done. He called me on my cell phone as I was pulling into the garage near the hospital and told me that they would "hold" her for three minutes so I could see her before her surgery. How kind of him! Yes, when I arrived, there were what seemed like hundreds of people (maybe only 15) standing around, our niece on a gurney, and a doctor clearly wanting to get the show-on-the-road. I gave Alicia a big hug, told her I loved her, and then said, "Let's roll!" - off she went. About 6 hours later, her neurosurgeon and neurologist met with us to tell us how the surgery went. Fortunately, he was able to remove the portion of her brain that was the source of her epilepsy, but not so much that she will have serious cognitive side effects.

The bad news - poor child - is that she is in serious head pain, everything tastes like metal to her, and she is very anxious to go home. She misses her friends and can't stand being in the hospital. On the "good news" side, our niece is talking, eating, and even walked down the hospital corridor yesterday. But, the pain issue is significant and will prove the most problematic for her recovery. I wish more than anything that I could take this pain away from her, but we knew going in that this could happen - and thus it has. She is getting pain medication, but there is only so much that she can be given. Hopefully, as she continues to recover, the pain will lessen.

Thanks so much to our friend, Carroll, and his wife, Lori, for being such wonderful, caring and sensitive human beings. Carroll visited with me during the surgery and took time out of his duties to keep an eye on our niece. What a remarkable human being. I am so grateful to him and don't think he will ever truly know how much we all appreciated his kindness and concern. I feel like Alicia got the "royal treatment" because he was there.

On Friday, I missed the annual cookie exchange at our skating rink. I felt very sad because I started this tradition some 11 years ago and this is the first year I couldn't be there. Dear Husband was kind enough to take all the supplies to the rink for me, so I feel as though I did something for the event, but truly missed seeing my skating buddies (like my BSB) and coaches who mean so much to me. My BSB was kind enough to get things set up and then called me on her way home to let me know that things went well. I was pretty zoned on cold medicine when she called, but appreciated hearing how things went. Since then, I have received posts from skaters and Coach J who attended the event letting me know that it was very nice. That said, I do sense that I let some people down by not being there, but I was not going to be selfish and get everyone else sick, espeically during the holiday season.

Dear Husband bought me a new Janome sewing machine for Christmas. It's the "ThreadBangerTB30" model. It's computerized, with 20+ stitch selections, and very cool. I think the name is too silly for words, but the online reviews were excellent. He is such a great guy, that husband of mine! I cannot wait to open it on Christmas Day.

So that's it for now. My new SP Teri's boots are still in their box. Perhaps I will get them on the my feet and on the ice soon. In the meantime, "Onward" with gratitude, appreciation, and a sincere desire to get well soon!

Our Snowy "Kingdom" and Its King and Queen

We woke yesterday to an truly unusual sight for the greater Sacramento area - snow, and lots of it. Our entire backyard was blanketed in about 2 inches. A truly spectacular sight.

Our girl, DeeDee (above), tentatively took a few steps before venturing out into the billowy stuff that she wasn't quite sure of. Our older gentlemen, Merlin, looked none-too- pleased and we weren't able to snap a good picture of him. He just wanted to come back inside and get warm. Smart doggy!

So, here are pictures of our backyard, with the "king (DH) and queen (DeeDee)" of the manse. The yard is truly spectacular and a wonderful sight for this wintry holiday season. Yes, it's the "White Christmas" thing. This morning the temperature is 23 degrees in Loomis. The snow has turned mostly to ice, but is still lingering. More snow is predicted for this week.

Tomorrow is our niece's big surgery. We are praying this will work to cure her of her seizures which have become so debilitating. She is a brave young woman who is anxious to lead a normal life of an 18-year old.

My new skates still sit in the box waiting to be debuted. Maybe later this week? Who knows? I now have a hacking cough to go with the sinus infection and other unpleasantness. Yikes, I love the cold and snow, but hate the germs that go with it!

Onward, slogging through the snow.

Got Skates?

Yep. I now have new, beautiful SP Teri boots and MK Professional parabolic blades. Picked them up yesterday. They certainly fit differently than my current skates. Toe box is much more square and there is so great padding, especially on the tongue.

Now the *fun* part begins - breaking them in. Will start today by wearing them around the house (with blade guards on, of course). Tomorrow, I have a dance lesson with Coach C, but don't think I will torture him with the process. I will skate the 9:30 FS session in my new skates, then switch to my old skates for my lesson. Probably makes the most sense in terms of getting value from the time with Coach C.

It was a long trip to SF, but these skates are so beautiful (and so white and clean) that I had forgotten what brand new skates really look and feel like. Very cool indeed.

I must publicly thank Dear Husband for being so patient, understanding, and kind about my acquiring these new skates on what amounts to a "whim" at ISI Worlds. I couldn't have asked for a sweeter guy.

Brought Coach Jayne four different pieces of music to listen to for a new program. She picked the one I favored - "It's Only Love" - from "The Scarlet Pimpernel." She will cut it for me so I can begin working with it. Jill Shipstad is coming to the rink next week to work with the adults on a fun Christmas program (have no idea what this is). I asked Coach J if she would schedule 30 minutes for me with Jill and have my new music cut by then so I can work a little with Jill using the music.

I seem to be drawn back to show tunes for programs. Just like the dramatic nature of them, I guess. Coach J really liked the song because she said it's unusual and people wouldn't be that familiar with it, in contrast to other pieces I brought her that were more "typical" ice skating pieces. We talked about how there will be lots of skaters wanting to use the music from "Nine," now that the movie is being released. I'm sure "Unusual Way" is going to get its share of play, including in the Olympics. As for me, I'm pleased with "It's Only Love" and can't wait to get started on it. Have no idea what I will do with it other than skate it for my own enjoyment as ISI Worlds in July was my last competition. But, I needed a new goal to get me out of my skating malaise and having a new program is the best way for me to do this.

Onward in new skates. Yay!

Antler Anxiety

I was very worried about making the November BOM, which features this adorable moose. At the last session, the instructor told us that the antlers were to measure 4 inches at the widest part. I procrastinated about plunging in to this one-of-four sections for the month's block, until I realized there were only 2 weeks left until the next session. "Better get a move on, " I admonished myself.

The moose has many parts (including one 3/4" piece), so cutting them out took a while. I enjoy the precision required for this activity. The instructions required making the antlers first. I was ecstatic when I was done sewing and took a measurement - a perfect 4 inch rack of antlers! I never thought I would get this excited about something so small.

The piece came together perfectly. I did not have to tear out one seam. I think he is very cute, too. Only 3 more sections to go to complete the block. Definitely have to pick up the pace to get these done.

Am deep into making holiday presents for special friends. My little Janome is really getting a work-out!

Tomorrow is a skating day, complete with Paso Doble practice with my friend Maddie. Then, off to SF on Wednesday for new skates.

Onward, minus antler anxiety.

Swine flu or not, whatever I have feels like it.

Yesterday, I was feeling pretty *punk* but ran errands with DH, like going to the appliance store as we are much in need of a new oven, which seems to have died on us. I was feeling slightly off when we left the house. For the rest of the day, my condition went downhill, until at 5:00 pm I announced to DH that I was going to bed-not to nap, but to sleep, as in until today. I felt dreadful by day's end and could hardly even move as every muscle seemed to ache. I immediately fell asleep (maybe it was around 5:30) and slept until 8:00 am this morning. Am still in *yuck* mode, but did manage to complete the dog-theme quilt for my neighbor's wife, as the extra fabric came in the mail yesterday. If this isn't the swine flu (I don't really think it is), whatever it is isn't any fun. So, today I am just taking it easy, cutting out some fabric for the next Cabin Fever BOM.

I do hope to feel better by Monday, so I can skate in the morning. This coming week is going to be pretty hectic, with the trip to SF for skates and doing required health screens to allow my volunteer activities with the Mercy/Catholic Healthcare West Hospice and Home Health department.

I desperately (o.k., that's a little dramatic) want to find some *fab* music for a new program. My BSB found some that is absolutely gorgeous and she will create a magnificent program I know. Watching one of the younger adult skaters (she skated as a kid) doing her Christmas program resulted in my feeling completely inadequate in my skating, hence, my "complaining" to Coach J about my lack of inspiration/progress in the sport. I really wanted to skate yesterday and see my BSB and another great skating friend who is preparing for her Pre-Gold dance test on the 11th. Good for you, Suzee! I found out from my BSB that there is no test session in January, so my Ten Fox will have time to "cook more," thus increasing the likelihood of actually passing this dance. I'd like to target taking the 14-Step test at the same time as the Ten Fox, but that's a stretch.

Off to cut out fabric and then, I think it will be nap time. Hope I kick this bug very soon!

Onward, with the hope and optimism this time of the year brings.

Dog-Theme Quilt, New Skates & Desperately Seeking Skating Inspiration

I have been working to complete the quilt that my neighbor asked me to make for his wife's surprise Christmas gift. This picture is a close-up of part of the piece. If you click on the photo, you can see the detail of the fabric better. I wish the doggie fabric had been easier to fussy cut; as it was, I had to figure out how to cut off as few heads and tails as I could, but this was not easy, as you can see. Nonetheless, I think it is a cute quilt that she will enjoy. They are real dog lovers - like us - with a King Charles Spaniel and Boxer, both very sweet dogs. From a technical skill perspective - with the exception of mis-cutting one of the borders which necessitated having to buy more fabric for one border - this top came together nearly perfectly. I didn't encounter any problems at all. What a relief!

This week I will definitely get my new boots and blades. I am scheduled to make the trek to San Francisco on Wednesday. I do so hope that after waiting all this time (since the end of July) that the boots and blades are worth the wait.

I skated this week only once, but had a fun lesson doing some things I hadn't done before. I complained to Coach J that I was feeling uninspired in my skating. I didn't mean she was responsible for keeping me inspired, but I fear she may have interpreted my comment that way. I need a goal - new program perhaps? I also MUST get out of Bronze dance and move into Silver. One blasted Ten Fox is holding me back! Seems like I will be testing this dance in January with Coach Chris. Please, please, please let me pass it. Also have been working on Silver dances with Coach J and Coach C. I love the Fourteen Step - very quick, very cute. And, of course, there is the Paso, now only two weeks away from its debut at the Coffee Club Cookie Exchange and Exhibition event. I think a group of us are also going to do the Golden Skater's Waltz together. A truly lovely social (not regulation) ice dance done to the Westminster Waltz music. It's loads of fun!

Thanksgiving was quiet. Dear Husband whipped up his famous rack of lamb. We made roasted cauliflower (delicious!) and I made a yam casserole that I liked, but DH was not too crazy about.

We received our new living room furniture the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It looks so nice and really makes the room. With the new stone floor and furniture in the room, we now have a beautiful place to sit, entertain, or just use for reading.

Back to the quilting "salt mines." Am binding one of my table toppers today. Wish me luck.

Onward into the official holiday season!

Quilting, Elf Day, and Kudos

When your back is up against the wall, you get more than a sore back! I learned this lesson when I decided to make something for a door prize for our annual Coffee Club Cookie Exchange and Exhibition at our rink. This has become a wonderful tradition, this year being our 11th year of the event.

I didn't want to purchase any fabric, so off I went to my stash. I've never made anything "scrappy" and don't even like this concept because it pushes against everything in me that is structured, symmetrical, and simply obsessive about order. But, this little topper - which features holiday and skating fabric - seemed to scream, "Scrappy is good!", hence, the highly disorganized and slightly silly nature of the piece. But, it was fun to make and easy to put together.

What was the lesson? I was going to have this professionally quilted (yes, I know this seems silly), but decided to do it myself, because we are spending major bucks on the house, so I'm trying to economize elsewhere. So, I screwed up my courage, got out my very best quilting reference book and plunged in. Dear Husband said the outcome (sans binding, which I will add this weekend) is very "cute," which is high praise coming from him. Learning something new is one of the best aspects of quilting. I truly think this craft is keeping my mind sharp as I enter my *senior* years. Of course, this piece was no big deal, but I did quilt it myself with a cute red zig zag stitch-in-the-ditch technique and will add red binding myself, and a label. All-in-all, I feel a sense of satisfaction for doing something from beginning-to-end on my own. Small accomplishment, but feels good anyway.

Tomorrow, I will get up bright (no, it will still be dark) and early (on a Saturday no less) to volunteer at Magic Circle Theatre. I'm playing an elf in the Roseville Santa Parade. Fortunately for me, my elf duties are inside, because Santa will be at the Roseville Theatre, so the kids will come to him and I'll be right there by his side. Three hours of children will be a challenge for me, but fun. I'm also officially a one-day a week volunteer for the Mercy S.O.U.L./Hospice program. Thursday will be my volunteer day. I'll be working out of the office in Rancho Cordova. The irony here is that I once occupied the very same office back in the days when I worked in marketing for an HMO. Scary!

My BSB passed her Ten Fox dance test! Yay! Great for her. The test session ran long so she is testing her European Waltz in January, but she is now a Pre-Silver ice dancer. I'm so proud of her for yet another skating accomplishment. She also picked some absolutely magnificent music for her next program. It's perfect for her gorgeous skating style.

Onward!

Snow White, Skating, and More

Yesterday started with a stint at Magic Theater for the kid's performance of Snow White. There were 450 children in attendance. They were all seated in 30 minutes with little to no trouble. The theater has a great system for getting these children into groups (by school) and seating them in the Roseville Theater. My dear friend, Tony, came to visit me at the theater. I haven't seen him for some time, not since I was the guest on his cable television show, Sacramento's Talent. He brought me the CD of the interview, but I doubt I will work up the nerve to watch it.

After Magic Circle, it was off to the rink to work on the Paso with Maddie. My friend Susan was there and working on the "real" version of the Paso. OMG, the steps are so fast and not 'adjusted' for the likes of me, as Coach J has done for our Holiday Show performance. Susan is doing a great job on this dance. I'm amazed at how quickly she picks up these dances. I think she just started working on this a couple of weeks ago and she is already doing a fabulous job on it.

Maddie and I drilled the Paso. Coach J made some additional changes. There were too many people on the ice so it was difficult to hold a pattern, but we did get a couple of good runs and Coach seems happy with progress. I"m not, of course. Still needs much refinement, IMO.

Then we worked on the ensemble number, which is down to 5 skaters. One of our group had made the necessary changes to accommodate our reduced numbers. These worked out quite well. It was fun to skate the program again. Coach J told us that Jill Shipstad (who had choreographed the program for us to skate at Worlds last July) would be here on December 11, the day of our annual Coffee Club Exhibition and Cookie Exchange. It will be so nice to see Jill again, as she is truly a lovely, talented, and genuine person. She is going to perhaps do a group lesson for the Coffee Club participants. What a treat this will be.

Today is my BSB's big day - her test for the Ten Fox and European Waltz. Good luck, J! You are going to skate through with flying colors. I'm very happy for you. You will definitely be a Pre-Silver dancer when you leave the rink today!

Doggies seem to be doing fine, except for a little 'problem' yesterday with Merlin's meds. I had fed the dogs their dinner, but when Dear Husband got up from his nap, he fed them again, including giving Merlin his meds. I immediately called the vet to see what we should do. She said Merlin would just be very sleepy from the double dose of his pain meds. Sure enough, he woke me up at 5:04 this morning, just as perky and ready for breakfast as always. Thank goodness no ill effects from our lack of communication.

Will see my dear friend Lori today at Cabin Fever and deliver my 34 (minus the two I keep) blocks to her. I certainly hope they pass muster!

Onward. Have a great weekend, Dear Readers.

More trees and skating 'stuff'

Here is a picture of the Block-of-the-Month (October) that I must show at Cabin Fever this Saturday to obtain the November block fabric. We've already made this design as part of a block with four different sections, so I cut and sewed this one in about 90 minutes. And, it's a perfect 12 1/2 inch block. I am making progress; it's that 'scant' 1/4 inch seam. As you can see, I am thinking about embellishing this block with a little dog, but he looks strange in this picture so I may bag the idea. I think it's a scale problem.

On another quilting front, I deliver my 34-blocks (minus the two designs I made that I get to keep) for the holiday block exchange in which I participated. Lesson learned from this experience: I'm not a production quilter. I like taking time when making blocks, including the cutting and sewing. I didn't get my fabric until nearly Fall, so I felt rushed to make the blocks. I think they turned out pretty well. I'm curious to get the blocks from the other participants.

On the doggie front, we get one doggie (Merlin) feeling better and the other gets sick. DeeDee was ill on Monday, so off we went to the vet. Now she is on Pepcid and a bland diet for the week. She was still feeling *punk* up until yesterday when she seemed to bounce back. Today, we are going to the eye surgeon to check on her retinal atrophy. Still considering whether we should have her right eye done, so at least she could have some vision. She seems to grow more anxious as she loses more sight, but this could just be our imagination. Merlin is doing very on the medication regimen and even is doing some good morning stretches which he certainly couldn't do 4 weeks ago. He still can't jump onto his favorite couch to sleep. And, DeeDee has commandeered it anyway. Typical DeeDee behavior, as in "I'm the queen and I get whatever I want!" Right now, in fact, she is barking because I am eating my bagel and she wants her share of it (which she will get, as will Merlin).

Also on the 'four paws' front, today I am meeting with the supervisor of the S.O.U.L. (Source of Unconditional Love) program at Mercy Healthcare/Catholic Healthcare. My friend Madeleine, who started this program 15 years, and I were talking about the need they have for some 'arms and legs.' As a former volunteer - with our wonderful Samoyed, Henry - in the program I really wanted to help. I'm meeting today with the hospice/home health supervisor to see what needs to be done. I can volunteer a day a week to this endeavor and look forward to helping keep the program running. It is a wonderful way to bring some joy into the lives of others who are experience some very difficult times.

Yesterday I skated for two hours, which was great fun. My BSB was there on the ice at the same time, so I got to catch the glimpses of her during practice and her lesson with Coach J. She is getting ready for her dance test this Saturday, but she was very kind to help me with the Ten Fox outside Mohawk. Her advice really helped a lot. When it was time for my lesson, Coach J asked me what I wanted to work on and I immediately said, "Dance!" before she could suggest freestyle. I had been playing some Christmas ice dance music and she said, "I heard the Argentine Tango music playing. Let's work on that." This dance is so much fun, with a wicked twizzle that is scary but very cool. We drilled the Paso again and Coach gave me an exercise to improve the footwork section. Ugh. I cannot do what she suggested but will keep at it. It's less than a month until our Coffee Club Exhibition and Cookie Exchange and about six weeks to the rink's Holiday Show when Maddie and I will be doing the Paso. The clock is surely ticking! Must, must, must work on the Paso more to avoid total embarrassment.

Onward!

My First Quilting Commission

Yesterday I received a phone call from a neighbor, asking me to make a quilt for his wife for Christmas. I was quite surprised, as I am still just a "confident beginner" quilter. He and his wife had bid on the quilt I donated to our silent auction for our wine crush party. She was quite disappointed that she didn't have the winning bid or so I was told.

I immediately thought of all the reasons I should not accept this commission. To wit, "I don't have the skills," "I don't know what to charge," "What if she doesn't like the end product?" etc, etc, etc. In the end, I decided that I would make the quilt, but not charge for my time. But when I told my neighbor this, he insisted that he did not want me to do this without being paid. I told him I would get back to him today. What to do? What to do?

I am very flattered that my neighbor would ask me. We share a love of dogs and he asked me to make a dog-theme quilt. I went online and found some perfect fabric. Sent for swatches to show him, despite the fact that he told me that he completely trusted my judgment in these matters. After sleeping on the request, I decided that I am really excited about making this piece, but will NOT take money from my neighbor. Period. That's decided.

On the home dec front, it has been yet another week of chaos. New carpet on Monday & Tuesday, then tile work beginning on Tuesday through this week and even tomorrow (Saturday). Thank goodness that Dear Husband is giving me a break from the activity and is working from home today so I can skate. Yay! I really need to get back on the ice for a variety of reasons.

Merlin is much improved and even able to take short walks. He is very "sparky" in the mornings now, back to barking very loud for his breakfast. That's always a good sign.

Onward we go to skating and quilting!

Old Times, New Times, Better Times

By way of "old times," the picture here is from the Sacramento State Reunion I attended a few weeks ago. From left to right are my college roommate, Joan, one of my two (not at the same time) college sweethearts, Ron H., me and our friend - and local "celeb" - Dann Shivley who works for KCRA Channel 3 in the Sacramento area. A great time was had by all at the reunion. As I look at this picture, I am struck by two things: first, time has passed so quickly (it has been 40 years since we were at Sac State) and second, the wonderful times we had and friendships we shared still matter after this long period of time. I was terribly distracted at the reunion because of Merlin's health crisis, so I didn't spend as much time talking with everyone as I would have liked, but it was great finding out what folks have been doing with their lives.

On the "new times" front, Dear Husband and I just returned from Ashland, OR where we saw "Macbeth" and "The Music Man." We both agreed that we are getting weary of Shakespeare performed in non-period costumes (what's up with the unidentifiable military uniforms that are passing for costumes?), but "The Music Man" was beyond words, over-the-top fantastic - as good as anything in the Big Apple, London, Chicago, San Francisco, LA. Really quite extraordinary. This musical was a real departure for the OSF, but the audience loved the performance and people left the theater humming the tunes, tapping their toes, and feeling ever-so-good. We had planned to come home tomorrow, but returned today instead, which gives me times to prepare for Phase II of the home dec project. YIKES! More tile and new carpet activities begin on Tuesday. Glad I have a massage and acupuncture on Monday. This will prepare me for another chaotic week.

While we were in Ashland, I visited a local quilt store and - of course - purchased some lovely fabric for an African-theme quilt for my best friend, Bobbie. She and her Dear Husband went to Africa last year and loved it. As they have just added a room to their home, they have wall space for this quilt art. The fabric is stunning; the colors are beautifully rich and lush. The technique for making the quilt is one I haven't used, so I'm looking forward to learning something new.

By way of "better times" news, Merlin is much improved and, as my sister-in-law would say, is acting pretty darn "sparky." We are going to take him for a very short walk tomorrow to see how well he does. He is still on pain meds and seems to have adapted to them well. I was hesitant to leave him to go to Ashland, but he did well with our pet sitter. He was very glad to see his Dad and Mom when we got home, however.

I wasn't able to skate last week and have no idea when I will this week, given the home dec schedule. I miss being on the ice. My new boots are ready to pick up so I will go down to SP Terri by mid-November for the fitting. Definitely won't have them broken in for the holiday show at the rink, however. Too bad. I really miss my best skating buddy also. She continues to prepare diligently for her November test date. Her discipline always impresses me.

Happy Halloween everyone! Onward we go!

Some Things Are Just Too Cute And Various Miscellany

. . . and this picture is one of them. I was taking a pic of a quilt I made for one of my dearest friend's daughter and DeeDee decided she just had to be part of the fun. She sat down just as I was snapping the photo, thus proving - as we are wont to say - she really is our Paris Hilton doggie.

Last week was pretty much a blur. It started on Monday with hardwood floor being laid in my sewing room (it's stunning) and ended with tile being laid in our family room and master bath suite. The tile project took four days, of nearly incessant dust, dirt, noise, more dust, dirt and noise, etc., etc. All this home dec stuff left me fairly well spent, so I looked forward to a wonderful Friday at the rink to catch up on my skating.

I had a wonderful lesson with Coach Chris who was truly in rare - and hysterical - form. He kept the three of us who were on the ice nearly in stitches. I can't begin to explain the antics that emerged, but I have never seen a skater literally perch on top of their toe picks, suspended in space, for such a long time. It was amazing, funny, and impressive! I kept saying, "Whoa, you've had way too much coffee this morning," but he claimed he hadn't eaten anything, which was making him totally hyper. We worked on the TF (again, and again, and again) and the European Waltz. Both were pretty poor, but he was being so funny that neither of us cared about what we got accomplished. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.

At the end of the free style session, my friend Maddie arrived. I proudly suggested to Coach Chris that Maddie and I show him the Paso Doble we are doing for the Holiday Show and our annual Coffee Club Cookie Exchange and Exhibition. Big mistake, with the emphasis on "BIG." We were absolutely terrible. Coach C was very gracious (as was my best skating buddy (BSB) who was on the ice with us) and didn't say, "You ladies better improve dramatically or completely scratch both events!" He just got up, took the ice, and started doing the Paso, the way it should be done. Wow! That's all I have to say. It was very cool watching him. His edges are extraordinary, steps perfect, and expression exactly what the dance calls for.

Afterwards, Maddie and I were talking about what had happened. She claimed to have forgotten where she was supposed to be on the ice, but she was just being nice. I think I just blew the dance, both times we did it, although my BSB told me the second try was better than the first. No problem; anything would have been better than the first go 'round. OMG! I don't think I have ever skated the dance so poorly. Coach C gave us a couple of tips ("Don't rush the back progressives, slide steps, and footwork section") that we desperately needed and appreciated.

My BSB was on the ice doing her dances and looking - as always - like the perfect ice dancer. She has such great bearing and presence on the ice. Having legs that go on forever helps, but it is really her posture, poise, and technical ability that create the impression of confidence and overall loveliness. I caught some glimpses of her doing her TF and EW. These dances continue to improve. She will definitely pass her tests in November.

Lastly - but more important than anything in the scheme of things - is Merlin's health status. Some days are definitely better than others. I noticed he nearly jumped over his sister getting to his dinner last night and then again today. He certainly couldn't do this a week ago. But, he still cannot - or will not - jump up on his favorite sofa to sleep. And, I am fearful that his daily walks will be quite short or not at all. He will likely have to stay on the pain medications for the rest of his life. Dear Husband and I are in agreement that we need to keep him pain-free. The vet said the effects of the pain medications are minimal and he is tolerating them well (although they do make him a bit sleepy).

DeeDee spent the week sleeping upstairs with us. She loved it. But, as of today, now that the family room is put back together again, she is back to bedding down there. We think it is good for Merlin to have her with him also.

Dear Husband decided that he wants to have the living room done in the same tile treatment as the family room. Yikes! This means another week of the dust, dirt, noise routine, but it will look spectacular, I am sure. I have taken to practically living at Lowe's in Roseville, CA. I know more about faucets and other fixtures than I ever thought I would. We're only 50% through this project, so there is more fun (and frustration) ahead.

To cap off last week, as I was standing in the parking lot of the rink on Friday talking with Maddie, I was hit with a monster migraine. I hadn't had one in a long while, so this one was quite severe. I almost didn't make it home. Of course, I arrived to the continued sound of the wet saw going. This is not good for the noise sensitivity that is present with my migraines. DH took good care of me, which I appreciated. Saturday I felt completely wasted.

We leave for Ashland, OR for the Shakespeare Festival this week. We're seeing "All's Well That Ends Well," "The Music Man," and "Macbeth." I am really looking forward to what has become our annual fall mini-vacation. I will miss the doggies and worry about them (especially Merlin), but need some quiet time alone with DH.

Onward we go!

Merlin Update and Yesterday's Skate

Our Merlin is doing much better. Thank you for those of you who sent their good wishes for his speedy recovery. He needs strict rest for three weeks, as noted before. Because he is starting to be less painful, this will be very challenging. Keeping him away from his younger, playful sister, DeeDee, will be difficult also. But, right now, he sleeps most of the time because of the meds. Just what he needs and what the doctored ordered. Rest, rest, rest. He still has not tried to jump up on his favorite sofa to sleep, thank goodness. I'm not certain if he ever will again, but we will have to see. I suspect that pet insurance is in our future, as he is an older doggie with back problems which are likely to reoccur. That said, what matters most is that he is feeling better and has that twinkle back in his eyes.



I should have stayed home yesterday and skipped skating. Not a good skating day at all. My mind was totally pre-occupied with Merlin and I wasn't feeling well - very run down, scratchy throat, sniffles. Skated from 9:30 - 11:15, when the rain was pounding so hard on the roof of the rink (a perfect place for acustical magic) that I decided to flee the ice. Lesson focused entirely on dance. I could tell that Coach J was not happy with my efforts. At one point, I nearly screamed at her, "Well, I AM trying!" to which she responded, "I know you are," but the rest of the sentence was left hanging, as in, "You aren't trying hard enough." We worked mostly on the Swing Dance, European Waltz and Paso (last ten minutes of lesson). The EW was wretched, the Swing dance "sucked," but the Paso was pleasant and fun (thank goodness for one bright spot).

I watched my best skating buddy doing her dances and once again marveled at her ability, grace, expression and technical acumen. She will have absolutely no problem passing the EW and Ten Fox in November, along with her Silver Moves.

Like any other sport, some days just aren't that good for me and skating. Yesterday was one of them for certain. There are literally no sessions to skate tomorrow, so I won't be going to the rink. Time for the many errands and prep for our home decorating project that starts on Monday. Yikes, the house will be a disaster for a week, then a week's break, until the new carpet goes in the first week in November. This all seemed a good idea at the time, but with Merlin's problems, I'm not so sure now. Too late, however. All the plans have been made and products ordered for the house.

Onward, with something less than a skip in my step! :(

Our boy, relief and Friday's "high"

Dear Readers, forgive me for not being more constant in my posting. It was a tough weekend, but ended on a happier note.

Friday night, our wonderful boy, Merlin, pictured here, was in terrible pain. He was pacing, panting, could not get comfortable in ANY position, and was clearly greatly distressed. At 10:00 pm, I took him to the emergency pet clinic. He was examined, given a mega-dose of pain killers (an opiate) and we came home. He woke up at 3:00 am, wheezing, even more distressed, and unable to walk. DH and I took him back to the clinic, where he was admitted to the hospital for pain and medication monitoring. The internist saw him early Saturday morning. He called to tell us that Merlin had either a disc condition or serious soft tissue injury, that he was doing better (this was around 9:00 am), and was up walking. Praise God for answering our prayers! We agreed that he should remain in the hospital until 6:30 pm on Saturday night when we brought a very different looking doggie home. He was walking and even smiling. He was so happy to see his human parents (especially his Dad).

Yesterday I took him to our regular vet. She agreed with the diagnosis and added another medication because when she was palpating his spine, he actually turned around and snapped at her. Very unlike this mellow, happy fellow. He is now on four different meds, but is doing much better. The challenge will be the three weeks of total rest he needs. No jumping, no running, no walks. Yikes! Merlin LOVES his walks. As my vet said, right now it will be easy, but wait until five days from now, when he is feeling better. That will really test my ability to keep him rested.

Seeing one's pet in pain is so horrible, as many of us know. Merlin was actually crying (I do mean like human crying), with tears flowing from his eyes down his nose. It just broke my heart. I felt so helpless and scared. But to see him so much improved now is wonderful. Merlin, DeeDee and I spent the day yesterday in my quilting room. He sleeps quite a bit due to the meds but this is exactly what he needs. Please keep him in your thoughts and prays. He is such a sweet, old guy and we want him around for some time to come.



As for skating, Friday was a fantastic high! I had my ice dance lesson with Coach Chris. We worked mostly on the European Waltz, finishing the lesson with the Ten Fox. We had originally planned to test this dance in November, but I told Coach C that I wanted to wait until January, so I could be certain (as one can be in these ice dance matters) I would get a "pass" on the dance; I refuse to be given another "retry" on this one. While I only tested the dance once - when I was "invited" to retry - until I pass, I will not be a true Pre-Silver dancer. I am SO tired of being in the Bronze category. We did two really fun patterns around the ice. Coach told me that I was a completely different dancer than when last we had done the dance. "Yes!" - this is what I was waiting to hear. My best skating buddy and another skater were watching us do the dance and even asked us to do a reprise for them. The second time was as good as the first. This is progress. Let's hope it sticks.

Lastly, Sunday afternoon and evening I attended my college reunion. What a trip to see my old buddies and college sweethearts! Boy, we have all gotten really 'mature.' It was a nice party but my mind was really on Merlin, so I probably missed good chunks of conversation.

The first fall storm has arrived, complete with rain and wind. This is absolutely my kind of weather. The fire is going, the doggies are sleeping in front of it, and I will spend the day quilting (of course). Wednesday is a skating day and I am looking forward to it and seeing my best skating buddy. Oh, another skating friend passed her Blues dance test last weekend at the Ice Dance Weekend in San Jose. Congrats, Suzee! You are one awesome ice dancer.

Onward we go with Merlin in improving health.

Captain Midnight & Beyond

I have heard stories from quilters about their proclivity for practicing this craft at all hours of the night and day. I had not fallen prey to this phenomenon until yesterday - or rather last night.

After a wonderful evening spent with dear friends who came over to celebrate a milestone birthday (age to remain secret), I wasn't tired at all. Must have been the spectacular sunset we had as we sat in our backyard, watching the Canadian geese flying overhead and taking in the true beauty of nature. Dear Husband had produced another great dinner, although truth-be-told, most of it was pre-made (like the gourmet pizzas from Whole Foods in Roseville, CA).

As it was a "school night" for DH, the evening wrapped up around 8:30 or so. DH trundled off to bed. I was going to watch yet another "Law and Order" re-run, but decided to go into my sewing room and look at a pattern I should be working on as it is a Christmas gift and I feel the press of time to get it started. Then I saw the fabric for the Christmas block exchange I'm participating in. I told myself, I will only make one block. Right! One block turned into a production line and four hours later, DH appeared at the door and said, "Friends don't let friends quilt at 1:00 in the morning. What are you doing?"

Darn. Caught in the act. I told him I wasn't tired after dinner and had just fallen into the rhythm of quilting. What I didn't tell him was that I desperately need to get these blocks done, so I can continue to work on other holiday gifts. And, 34 blocks are a lot of cutting, sewing, squaring, etc.

I did learn a number of lessons from this midnight romp with my machine and fabric:

1. The wee hours of the night/morning are quiet and perfect for getting fully into the zen of quilting.
2. You have to pay really close attention to what you are doing, particularly after two or three hours at it. I trashed a couple of pieces I incorrectly cut after making half-square triangle squares.
3. A production process is absolutely key when you have to make what seems like an endless number of half-square triangles. I found mine. Mark, sew, cut, press, measure, square - and execute these en masse. So chain sewing really comes in handy and is the best way to produce a large number of the same pieces.
4. Perfection is a problem when making volumes of pieces. By this I mean, one cannot spend 20 minutes measuring each HST to make certain it is exactly 4 1/2 inches. At some point, having a system of quality control (like measuring every fifth piece) has to suffice, or else the pieces are never going to get made. I have to learn to trust my skills more and let go of my obsessive nature more. At the rate I was going before last night, it will be 2020 before these blocks are done!
5. Having your doggies sleeping in your quilting room while you are working is wonderful. And so mine were, quietly snoring and making cute doggy slumber sounds. This is opposed to right now - they are speeding across the back lawn barking loudly at every thing and person who moves, walks by, is within a hundred mile radius. However, our late night did result in a late morning for them. When DH arose at 6:00 am, there wasn't a peep out of either of them. Quite a change from the normal 4:15-4:30 am wake-up call from Merlin.

The weather is expected to cool this week and it does feel as though fall could be right around the corner. Thank goodness. I am so tired of the sizzling summer for which the Sacramento area is so well known. I will spend as much time as I can today working on the block exchange pieces, until I must shift gears and work on the Japanese puzzle celestial quilt.

Tired, but content. Onward.

September Block of the Month

I just completed the Cabin Fever BOM for September and here it is. Compared to last month's block, this was a "walk in the park." I enjoyed cutting out the fabric yesterday at 4:30 am, then sewing it today.

Helping my friend who is leaving tomorrow for her new residence in CO was grueling. It was 103 degrees as we were carrying her possessions out to the trucks. Besides which, she has more things than anyone I have ever known, despite her cleaning out her house, having an estate sale, and giving things to charity. I survived, but decided to spend today close to home to regain my lost energy. I will never help anyone move again, I swear - at least not at the end of September (almost October, in fact).

Will skate again on Wednesday. Onward we go!

Christmas Quilt, Skating Fun

At right is a picture of my latest quilt, which has now become Dear Husband's favorite of all the quilts I have made. The fabrics really sparkle and the photo doesn't do justice to the fabric. Note to self: must get better camera to take these pics.

This pattern is a Fons and Porter called "Pina Colada." The pattern shows the piece made in bright batiks, but I liked the star concept and felt it would be perfect for Christmas. It will hang in our living room, replacing the "Wine Styles" hanging which is there now.

Must finish the Cabin Fever BOM this weekend as the session is next week. Yikes, but get rolling on this one.

Big news on the skating front - my new boots are ready. Just waiting for the blades which should arrive next week. So in two weeks I will go down to San Francisco for the fitting. Then for the break-in period. Not looking forward to that, but hopefully it won't take too long.

Spent nearly two hours yesterday on private ice - and I do mean PRIVATE. I was the only skater on the ice. What a luxury it was. I did nothing but ice dance, just putting on my dance music on the PA system. It was great fun. My best skating buddy came over (she was on the other rink) to say "bye." I asked her if she wanted to see my Paso. What was I thinking? She is a wonderful ice dancer and were it not for a lack of dance judges would have been testing the Ten Fox and European Waltz today. It wasn't like I was bragging by asking her to watch. I just wanted her to see that I am trying very hard to get over this problem with backward skating. As the Paso has some challenging footwork going backwards, it is a great dance to work on to overcome this problem of mine. J, if you are reading this, please know that I wasn't holding my Paso up as anything coming close to "good" or "right."

Today I am helping a friend who is moving to Colorado. Oh what fun!

A Thing of Beauty & Great Skate

I spent the majority of last weekend - including a stint that began at 4:15 am - cleaning and organizing my sewing room (aka, my previous office). What a complete, utter, total feeling of elation to now have a wonderful place in which to make quilts.

After acquiring some furniture at amazing prices from an estate sale, I now have two wonderful cabinets, one absolutely ideal for my fabric (which is organized by color) with three glass shelves on top and two wood shelves below, with lovely glass and wood doors. A great piece. The other is the home for my skating and friends/family pictures. This one is right next to my sewing machine, which now looks out on to our patio. This placement allows me to also hear the fountain in the front of the house. It is just delightful. I even bought a lovely wall clock that actually makes a "tick-tock" sound. Very soothing. I could not be happier with my efforts.

The pictures are of my closet, of which I am the most proud, I think. It was a mess before. I couldn't find anything in it, which frustrated me tremendously. Now all is organized, neat and tidy, just the way I like it.

I went through every scrap of fabric I had, sorting by colors, type (novelty, batik, etc) and putting the scraps into boxes with index labels. Dear Husband suggested this was a bit obsessive. Hey, you can take the girl out of the obession, but you can't . . . well, Dear Reader, you can figure out the rest.

As for skating, I had a wonderful day Wednesday. My friend, Maddie (who roomed with me at Worlds and was my Skating Mom for the week) and I are doing the Paso Doble (in mirror image format) at our local rink's annual Holiday Show. We started working on it yesterday. Coach J thought we would have to slow the music down for us "mature skaters" but I said, "No way!" As it turns out, after four attempts we were able to keep up with the music and handle the pattern. A good start. Much work but we have time to practice since the show isn't until just before Christmas. Coach said it was so nice to see me smile when I was doing the Paso.

I had totally private ice from 9:45 until 10:30 when Maddie showed up. I just put on dance music and did all the dances I could do by myself (please recall I am not a solo ice dancer). When the music came to the Swing Dance, I thought, I am going to try this alone. Since my accident, I try to avoid backward skating as much as I can. Half of the SD is going backwards. Earlier I had watched my best skating buddy (who is testing the Ten Fox and European Waltz solo this weekend) drilling her dances. She absolutely inspired me to give the Swing Dance a try. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was a little scared, but once I got the hang of it (two full patterns were pretty pathetic) I felt more at ease. When Coach J arrived on the ice, I was so excited I insisted that after my lesson (focused on the footwork in the Paso), I show her I could solo the Swing Dance. She was just as happy as I was. In fact, my attempt resulted in an "Awesome!" from Coach; first ever in all the years I've been skating.

Tomorrow I skate in the morning, then home to quilt. Will focus entirely on dance and Silver Moves. Can't wait!

Jumping for Joy

One of the wonderful aspects of skating is the element of surprise. And, thus this element grabbed Coach J and me during yesterday's lesson (at the end after we worked on Silver Moves) doing freestyle.

We started with some waltz jumps. I haven't jumped at all (I mean not one jump, I believe) since Worlds at the end of July. The first jump was pretty good (at least I thought it was), but Coach said she really wanted to see more glide going into the jump. O.K., I got it - more glide. Well, "Shut my mouth!" as some say in the southern part of our great nation, when I executed a near perfect waltz jump, replete with long glide and significant height.

I thought Coach was going to jump out of her boots. She looked at me with this wonderful look of pride and said, "That was great, Karen. That's exactly how this jump should be done." I teased her and said, "Well, if you had just told me this years ago, I would have done that." Of course, the reality is that she has told me this at least a thousand times, but yesterday I understood exactly what she was looking for and could execute it. Yay! The jump felt amazing, truly like flying. Coach then asked me to try it again. Bingo, same thing. A strong jump, well done. Ha! We were beyond "coincidence" status but certainly not into "pattern" land. Coach then requested two in a row. Yep, there they were. Lovely, flying, big (for a mature adult skater) jumps. Coach and I had these looks of complete glee on our faces. Then, there were high 5's all around.

O.K., now try to apply this to a salchow. First one - off the charts for me. OMG, I was so excited. Then we hit a small snag, but nothing I can't correct. On to a loop. Could it be that I could actually do the jump? Oh yes. Coach figured we should take advantage of the momentum and said, "Let's see your flip." I requested a half-flip first (which I thought was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself, as did Coach, who mentioned this being my best jump, except for my newly found correct waltz jumps). The jumping luck ended with the flip, so we drilled it, particularly the entry three-turn.

Time was now short as my dance lesson with Coach Chris was upon us. Coach requested a one foot spin. Did the first one; Coach was happy, so was I. Tried another, not quite as good as the first, but a respectable spin for me, as I am so not a spinner.

As Coach Chris came up to us, I said, "Perhaps this is what happens when you don't skate for 10 days." It was, all-in-all, a great lesson. The trick will be retaining the glide concept and continue to apply it to other jumps as appropriate. I believe I will be able to do this.

Then, on to dance. Had a productive, fun dance lesson. Focused entirely (except 7 minutes at the end) on the Ten Fox. We have now gotten over the "pause" problem before the outside Mohawk on the end pattern, which is definitely progress. Coach Chris told me to just relax, saying, "After all, it's the Ten Fox." On the last pattern, I did exactly that and had a good dance. It felt great.

Drilled the European three's for the EW. Coach C was happy with the turns, but asked me to envision that there was a million dollar bill between my thighs that I certainly would not want to lose it. This little trick helped greatly. He showed me the difference between my turns before and after his suggestion. The feet are definitely closer and much closer to the proper position.

Next weekend, my best skating buddy is testing her Ten Fox and European Waltz. I absolutely cannot wait to see her dances! I know she is going to pass without any doubt.

Lastly, the great thing about skating is just when you think you might be falling out of love with it, something happens that brings you back and you appreciate that you are making progress while having a glorious time. But I'm frustrated that I don't have my new boots and blades by now (it's been two months) which isn't helping any. I want to have time to break them in before the holiday show when the ensemble ladies are going to do our number. I am so hoping that my friends J and S will do solo performances for the show, although I think they should do the European Waltz in mirror image format. Would be so cool and they both do this dance beautifully.

Can't wait to get back to the rink next week and practice what I learned on Friday! Onward we skate.

Quick Update for Interested Parties

Of all things, an unexpected case of pink eye has kept me from skating so far this week. I went to the doc and was given antibiotic drops for my poor red eyes, but I did look like something from a Halloween 19 movie! Not very attractive and quite itchy. Of course, the first thing you are directed to do is toss any eye makeup you were using prior to "the pink" attack, so this required me to purchase new make up. This is probably a good thing as I think mine was years old!

I am well enough today, however, to go to a Japanese quilting class sponsored by the Roseville guild. Looking forward to being with these ladies and making the celestial quilt for Dear Husband.

I had lunch on the day I discovered my pink eye with some great friends from a company where we all worked some time ago. It was wonderful getting together with them and swapping stories (and some much-needed girl gossip - MEOW!). Must be a real sign of maturity that I went without any eye makeup at all. This is a first for me - that being, going out in public this way, let alone getting together with friends. I'm sure I looked a sight, but they were kind enough not to stare at me in horror.

Finally, tomorrow is a BIG skate day. Have a 9:30 lesson with Coach J, then my dance lesson with Coach C. I couldn't go to the rink on Wednesday for my regular lesson due to my eye condition, so I am happy I can go tomorrow, complete with eye make up I hope.

Onward we go. Hope everyone is having a good week. I am SO ready for the fall season, but hear it is going to 100 degrees next Monday. Just when you think the season is really changing, you are treated to another Sacramento summer day. Ugh. Hopefully, this will be the last heat wave for us.

Christmas in September & Some Quilting Frustration

Before the huge rush begins to make multiple quilts for Christmas gifts, I decided to make one (pictured at left; still a work in progress) for our home. It's going to be quite large (a little bigger than twin size) and will be a wallhanging for our living room. This quilt - it turns out - is Dear Husband's favorite of all the quilts I have made. The borders are gold and white half-square triangle squares. I wish this picture was better (and in-focus might have been good too!) because it doesn't show the sparkles in the fabric very well. I will finish it up today. It was a blast to make, didn't take much time because of the large pieces, but it did present one challenge which I solved myself, so it was a good learning experience.

I am also working on my 34 blocks for the block exchange in which I am participating. I ran into a BIG SNAG yesterday because the directions indicate you need to make 6-4 1/2" inch non-pieced squares and 10-4 7/8" pieced half-square triangle squares. Alright, call me an idiot (I fear some will) but these pieces are NOT going to fit together, unless the half-square triangle pieces are trimmed to fit the 4 1/2 inch pieces. But the directions don't indicate this. So I wrote to a quilter who provided the fabric and my mentor, Lori, for this quilting project, for clarification.

Again, I had a learning opportunity making these blocks; that being, an easy and precise way to make half-square triangle pieces using a much better and more accurate technique. I like the end result, so I will make these pieces in this manner from now on. Takes a little more fabric, but the pieces turn out much nicer than if you have to piece two half-squares together in the more 'beginner's' fashion.

This week I am taking a class being held by the quilters guild of Roseville. It's a Japanese puzzle class. I am so excited about making another piece using this technique! I will cut the fabric out today for this quilt top.

I am also picking up my quilt for the silent auction for our Crush party this weekend. I hope someone does buy this piece or it will become a gift for someone who likes wine and olives.

It is raining here. I am content that the Fall season is nearly upon us. I remember during the last few months of my father's life, he would ask me all the time, "Is it ever going to rain again, Sis?" He loved the rain. I walked the dogs this morning in an early morning drizzle, thought about my father and how happy he would have been that it is raining again, just as I promised him it would. Had a good cry over this as we walked around our neighborhood loop. The doggies got wet, so the house smells a bit like damp pups right now, despite a good drying with a towel and nice brush. Get out the Fabreeze!

Skating Wednesday and Friday this week, with an ice dance lesson with Coach Chris on Friday.

Onward.

We Will Never Forget

On this day, let us never allow the remembrance to leave us of those who lost their lives so many years ago.

Back on the Ice

I approached going back to skating after nearly 10 days of "rest" (read 'forced separation') with some trepidation. This always happens when I haven't skated for even 3 or 4 days. It's the fear thing.

I was so pleased to see my best skating buddy out on the ice, working on two of her dances, the Ten Fox and European Waltz, which she will be testing this month. Most impressive indeed. She is a lovely ice dancer, with great posture, expression and presence on the ice.

Gingerly, I put my blades on the ice, wondering if I am ever going to get my new boots and blades. Another month I have to wait. Total bummer! Anyway, I am working hard on improving my posture, so I started with slow stroking, holding the proper ice dance stroking position for one length down the ice on each foot. This is not easy, BTW, except for some people. I am getting the feel of the position, which pleases me. Then, worked on drop 3-turns for the European Waltz until Coach J showed up for my lesson. I announced we were going to work on - in this order - the Ten Fox, European Waltz and Paso. She came back with a suggestion that we work on the Fox Trot, EW, and Paso. Good idea. Why take time with Coach J doing the TF when I am working on this with Coach C?

We started with the Fox Trot, the steps for which I had completely forgotten. Had a good bit of difficulty remembering them, but once I did, I really enjoyed the dance. Then, on to the European Waltz. Coach asked me to start by showing her some random drop-three turns. I immediately did the end pattern (four consecutive drop-3s) and she looked genuinely surprised. I received nice comments on this attempt, with mention of the fact that I looked "very balanced" (I felt very balanced also). Then, I attempted doing the dance solo and we agreed that with the alternating 3s, my skill and form wasn't as good as on the end pattern. Much work needed here.

But the real fun began when we worked on the Paso. For some reason, I could not get the end pattern of the dance. So strange. Coach J finally drew the pattern on the ice. Once she did, "No problem!" Ah, it all fell into place at that point. Yay! When my lesson was over, I put on some music for the Paso and worked on the end pattern over-and-over until I felt very comfortable and could even do the end and right-side patterns in time to the music. Very cool, but not patting myself on the back too much. The left side pattern is difficult for me, but I am determined to learn this dance and do it properly. Most of this work was done solo, not in partner position with Coach. Note to self: It is very important that I spend more time working on the dances alone!

And the end of the session, I had skated two hours and was feeling really good. No pain in the hip and it felt wonderful to be on the ice. Onward we go!

A Near-Perfect Heart

At long last, I have learned the value of sewing a scant 1/4 inch seam. To wit, pictured here is a practically perfect 12 1/2 inch block, made from some fabric I have in my stash. I am such a sucker for these Batiks and had this fabric left over from a quilt I made for my best skating buddy. I absolutely adore the colors.

I have been trying very hard on the current project to stick to a "scant" rather than "full" 1/4 inch seam allowance - and it is working. To "scant" or "not to scant" has probably been debated by quilters forever, but I am now convinced of the value of a "scant" allowance.

I picked this fabric from my stash because my physician, who will be the recipient of this project, recently started her own online gem business. I wanted colors that reflect those of colored gem stones.

The nice part of this block is that I had made an Ohio Star for the wall-hanging. I didn't like it - and it turned out to be too large because I was using a seam allowance even less than scant. This block came out of a book we are using for the Cabin Fever BOM. I made it thinking it would work well for this sampler piece. Voila! It's ideal and looks beautiful with the other three blocks.

As I am not skating this week, I will finish this piece and start on the "Raider Nation" quilt I am making for one of my very dearest friend's 9 year-old son. Should be lots of fun. I have acquired all the fabric and even Dear Husband thinks it will be very nice (I used him as the acid test about the "guy" nature of the fabric; he gave all a big thumbs up).

Off to read, perchance to nap. Blogging is so tiring. :)

The Wait is Over, The News is Good

Just got off the phone from the doc's office . . . no fractures, no broken bones. YAY! I had this impression as my hip has been improving slowly but surely, as the expression goes.

Even better news. There is no negative change in my spine/hip condition, meaning Reclast is doing its job. This is great and allows me to skate with more confidence. Not ignoring the obvious - that my risk is greater than without this dang osteoporosis - but clearly I am having no further denigration of bone density due to this illness. What a relief!

I finally confessed to Dear Husband that I bought new boots (SPTerri) and blades (MK Professional) when I was in San Jose. I had not told him, but who can keep a secret like that from one's spouse? Certainly not me. He was a stand-up guy about it; he ribbed me a bit, but it's hard to be mad at someone who confesses that she made a complete impulse purchase. Not that I didn't need new boots, mind you. My last pair of Klingbeil skates never fit properly and I was continually adjusting them, without success. But I hadn't exactly planned on this purchase. The heat of the moment and all that just swept me away, the SPTerri booth was right there and everything was just so easy. Yikes, you'd think I'd know better. However, I am really looking forward to getting my new skates in the next three weeks.

Onward I go, grateful to be on the road to recovery and able to return to skating next week!