She's Come a Long Way, Baby

Everyone who knows her knows that Sophie is not a cat person. She has always thought the only sensible use for a cat is to be chased. You'll recall that we had to keep her completely separated from the kittens for weeks before we could trust her even in the same room with them without being constrained.

But little ol' Taco has been persistent in friending our girl Sophie. He has got in her face, insisted on sleeping with her, scuzzing her, all the things cats do to anybody who they feel doesn't like them. Well, it looks like Sophie has finally conceded. This is what I saw this morning as I was getting out of bed. I grabbed my iPad, the only picture-taking equipment handy, and shot this pitifully grainy, poorly lighted shot. I just had to brag on my critters. 

If only people could be so persistent in their peace-keeping efforts. Congrats, Taco. I think you deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. But they probably don't give it to cats.

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This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 12/09/2012, Jan said ...

That is such a sweet photo! Thanks for a smile this morning!

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On 12/09/2012, Wanda D. said ...

I love the picture of Taco and Sophie! I knew the kitties would eventually make friends with the dogs. I have been waiting for this day. So sweet! Thanks for sharing.

Wanda D.

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On 12/09/2012, Pesky Patti said ...

Excellent news....definitely a case of "if you can't lick 'em - join 'em. So glad you will have a peaceful Christmas at the Big Yellow House...

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On 12/09/2012, Joanne said ...

Absolutely inspiring!

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On 12/09/2012, Kai said ...

One of the single sweetest pictures I've ever seen! Taco may have been persistent, but I think Ms. Sophie is the REAL star here! What a good & precious doggy she is! I just LOVE you, Ms. Sophie! (You TOO, Ms. Susan!)

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On 12/09/2012, Annette said ...

Adorable and heartwarming!

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On 12/09/2012, Blueberrylane said ...

Love it...

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On 12/09/2012, Sandy said ...

Oh Susan, that is the sweetest thing!! Makes me want to cry. We can all learn a lot from our furry friends, cant' we? Hope you're feeling better.

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On 12/09/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

How sweet! Perhaps Miss Sophie appreciates the warmth Taco brings to these snuggles this time of year, too!

Computer hiccups this morning so am just now on-line. Have the flu, too, it seems so am feverish, sniffling, achy, and bummed out. I have too much to do to be sick and our tree isn't up yet either.

Hugs!

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On 12/09/2012, Kristine Walker said ...

Hooray! I've been praying for the kitties since day one. So happy to see the cuddle-buddies! You and Jesse did a tremendous job with all the fur babies.
Please take things easy so that nasty fibromonster has less to work with.
As always my love ,prayers, and thoughts are with you.

Kristine

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On 12/09/2012, Denise in PA said ...

That is one sweet picture! o:)

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On 12/09/2012, Sandra said ...

Cute photo! Love wins out in the end:)

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On 12/09/2012, Missy said ...

Oh what a good girl your Sophie is!

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On 12/10/2012, Kay Ellen said ...

Oh my goodness this is just precious Susan :))

Kay

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On 12/10/2012, Helen in Switzerland said ...

Soooo cute!!

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On 12/11/2012, Mountain Musings said ...

Susan, I'm a doggie person and actually not a cat person....but that photo is just precious! I'm glad you got that picture.

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On 12/12/2012, taschen longchamp kaufen said ...

Arretaz nire eskua jasotako ur hori ikusten duzu? Love sinboloa da. Betiere gorde zure eskua caringly ireki eta hor mantenduko uzten du, beti izango da egon.

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On 12/12/2012, laura said ...

I think sophie has finally wised up!
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Setback

Preparing Block of the Month packets for Monday's guild meeting*

The good days are over for a while, I guess. The back pain is back with a vengeance as are some bothersome fibro symptoms such as fatigue, sweating, and one long continuous hot flash.

I did get in one more day of activity yesterday, but with considerable discomfort. I attended my friend Stuart's Christmas luncheon, all dressed up, with makeup and everything. However, I'm afraid most of my makeup had sweated off by the time I got to the party.

Afterwards, I went grocery shopping, which was really a push to get finished. Every step felt like I was climbing Mount Crumpit. When I finally got home, I changed from the dress-ups to a pair of PJs, lay down on my bed, and waited for Jesse to bring in the groceries. I did rally a little later in the evening in time to make us a bit of supper. But today is slow going.

I hope to get my Block of the Month packets finished today. I had everything done except stuffing the envelopes, which I can do sitting down. I have them about half done.

Then I'm going back to the bed with my book. I'm reading Life of Pi, which I didn't think I would like. My sister Ramey talked me into reading it, and she was right. It's a wonderfully written story. I have run into a few passages of animal mistreatment that were hard for me to read, though. in fact, I had to skip over a whole bunch of pages when the author was cataloging the seemingly endless list of ways that people find to torture, harm, and kill zoo animals. Couldn't take that. But I love the writing, and can't wait to get back to the story of Pi and his zoo animals.

I'm hoping with a lots of lying around in bed today and tonight, I will be up to going to church in the morning to hear our annual Christmas Cantata. With a soup and chili luncheon afterwards.

*You might recall a couple of weeks ago, I was searching for fabric to give out to guild members for the January Block of the Month construction. After exhausting all my local outlets without finding what I needed, Jan from Wyoming commented that she had found five yards of what I was looking for at her Walmart. She graciously offered to pick it up for me. That's it in the photo above. Thanks Jan. You really saved the day.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

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On 12/08/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

Bother and bummer that you've worn yourself out and that the back pain has returned. I hope your curative time in bed with a book will help a lot and that you'll feel like going to church tomorrow for the wonderful music and dinner thereafter.

Cheers for Jan in Wyoming and that she was willing and able to come to your rescue with the needed fabric!! More cheers that you can finish the BOM packets while sitting down! Yet more cheers that the grocery shopping is finished for a while.

DH has had what I suppose is the flu and has been sick since Tuesday night. I sound like Lauren Bacall today and have a low grade fever so am guessing it's my turn. Have made binding x 2 today and hope to get one sewn onto the last of three Christmas panel wall hangings that AMIL is giving as gifts.

Germ-free hugs!

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On 12/08/2012, Jan said ...

You're very welcome, Susan! I guess your Alabama guild can say they have 'imported' fabric from the wild, wild West for their January BOM! I sure hope you get to feeling better so you can hear the Christmas Cantata at church tomorrow!
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Telephone Trauma

I'm not stupid. At least I wasn't before I started the telephone marathons I've been through during the last couple of days. Now my brain feels like it's been through a chipper/shredder.

It started yesterday. We've been having such problems with our internet service that I was not happy and Jesse was downright disgusted. So quietly, without saying anything, he began researching to find a better provider. This week he came to me and talked me into giving Charter a try. So I called and set up an installation, which took place yesterday. 

After the installer left, we checked things out, and gracious goodness sakes alive! Our internet is so much faster and more reliable (at least so far). We love it. So I called Windstream to unbundle and get rid of their internet service. Well, it turned out to be a lot more complicated than just stating my request and having it done. This fellow talked a blue streak, spitting out numbers and details of stuff I didn't care to know about. 

"Just tell me how much my bill will be now with just my phone and television," I instructed.

More talking, more numbers, more details. Blah blah blah blah blah. The man must have been an old-fashioned used-car salesman in another life. Again I stated my goal of cancelling my internet service and getting a price for television and phone only.

Well, I won't continue the narrative of all that transpired. It's too sordid. Suffice to say that I got angry and testy, and the Windstream guy said some things that I believe were unacceptable--like I should have told them I was having trouble with my internet (I had called them virtually every week for a couple of years) and that it was probably an equipment issue. I told him that I had been married to a salesman for 20 years (not Vann) and knew exactly how they operate, so now please do what I've requested. He kept talking.

I finally got tired of the hassle and gave up. Although the Windstream internet got successfully cancelled, I'm not at all sure what I'll be paying for phone and tv service. That guy finally gave me a quote that is $50 less than what I had been paying (at least I think he did). But I don't believe him. Because he started out telling me it would be $10 less. So I'm going to wait until I get my first bill, at which time, if I'm not happy, somebody is going to hear from me.

Well then, this morning I had finally decided to sign up for a Medicare Advantage. I've had Medicare since 2009, just Medicare--no supplement or Advantage. My one night in the hospital last February set me back about $1,200. 

As I said in the beginning, I don't believe I'm stupid, but numbers are not my game. And the Medicare programs have always seemed so complicated that I just could never decided whether I needed one of not. But that $1,200 sort of suggested that I did.

I settled on calling the AARP number and after holding for 20 minutes or so, got to talk with a very nice fellow who explained everything to me in terms that seemed as simple as pie. So I told him to sign me up. Trouble was it took him quite a while to explain it all to me and then another quite a while to sign me up. All in all, I was on the phone with him for 69 minutes and 43 seconds. I'm exhausted. But I now have coverage that, if I had had it in February, would have meant that I would have paid the hospital $250 instead of more than a thousand. Oh, and at no additional premium above my Medicare Part B cost.

So no more numbers today. No more rude rude men or extended sessions on the telephone. I'm going to sew.

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On 12/06/2012, Joanne said ...

I've been telling y'all for years to get on Viva-Medicare. But does anybody listen to me? AARP is good, too.

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On 12/06/2012, Ramey said ...

This is very alarming to me, since I need to sign up for Charter, and will probably have to deal with Windstream since we have phone and Internet from them; and, I'll need to do the AARP Medicare Advantage before too long!

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On 12/06/2012, Helen in Switzerland said ...

Aren't these people just dreadful - I know exactly what you mean - you never get a straight answer to a straight question and it drives me nuts too!

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On 12/06/2012, Jeanne said ...

Oh my goodness Susan, We have experienced similar situations and more often then is acceptable. This is more common than you know. The sales pitches are so annoying. You poor thing. Bill was on the phone with apple just yesterday for 1 1/2 hours to get a small problem solved. He was exhausted. I have no idea how to fight back.

I think you will be happy with AARP. My MIL had it and it served her well.

Now rest up and think about sewing. I can lose myself when I sew on a project.

Wishing you happy days ahead.
Hugs, Jeanne

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On 12/06/2012, Linda said ...

My sympathy to you - being on the phone exhausts me also, and I've been that way for many years. I don't even have the patience and stamina to be on the phone with my family. They all think I'm weird. ;)

I agree with Jeanne - time to think about sewing. You deserve it!

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On 12/07/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

I hear you sistah! We have Verizon everything and I was on the phone for more than an hour the other night because suddenly I couldn't get emails from a friend in Indiana. She got my emails without trouble. I talked to Sharon who turfed me to India because she got the idea we have DSL. The man overseas turfed me to Justin who tried to fix it, but ended up messing up DH's email account so I had to call back and got George. More talk. Turns out when Verizon.net and .com merged, passwords had to get more complicated, so now we have new password. Blah, blah, blah. Damnation.

Years ago I asked some nice but fast talking New Yorker if she knew what part of the country she had called. She didn't. I told her she was talking to someone from the South and we talk and listen more slowly. If she wanted me to understand what she was saying, she would have to slow down. Fortunately, she got tickled and we had a nice slower conversation thereafter.

I'll bet everyone could write a book about this annoying subject. Oh, wait! I did write a book ...

Speaking of annoying, my new Shade Cascade fabric arrived and it doesn't match so am about to start unsewing two dark green "logs" from twelve chevron log cabin blocks. Phooey!

Happy sewing. Hugs!

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On 12/08/2012, laura said ...

I am glad you kept your sanity and went to sew!

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On 12/12/2012, billig longchamp taschen said ...

Behin izan dut, lagun batek hazi zen niri oso hurbil izan. Behin genuen igerileku baten ertzean eserita, bere esku-ahurrean bete zuen ur pixka batekin eta me aurretik ospatu zen, eta hau esan zuen:
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Good Days

Ever since my husband Vann's passing in 2009, my sweet daughter Andy has stood in for him on our anniversary, November 26, and brought me flowers. The flowers were a little late this year because Andy was very busy with her own life last week, but here they are. Pink roses. So beautiful.
I'm sure Vann approves.

This respite in my back pain has really let me get some socializing done so far this week. On Saturday, instead of working on the projects as I had planned, I accepted Ramey's suggestion that we go to the thrift store, a place we had not been for months it seemed. We didn't find any great treasures, but we had a good time.

Sunday, I went to church, then in the evening to a Walk to Emmaus Reunion Group potluck dinner at my friend Bynum's house. I made sweet potato pie for my offering. Actually I made four sweet potato pies on Sunday. I took two to Bynum's and put two in the freezer.

Yesterday I attended my quilting bee's annual Christmas brunch at friend Cindy M.'s gorgeous home. Cindy goes all out with her decorations and also with her party favors. After enjoying all the delicious food that members had brought, I came home with a kitchen Christmas angel, made from kitchen linens, and bag of Cindy's homemade peppermint bark. Mary U., who helped Cindy with the Christmas brunch, gave us all a cuddle quilt label that she had created with machine embroidery.

Before brunch, we played a fun game that Doris M. supplied. She even supplied a prize, which Cyndi W. won, a beautiful fat Christmas fat quarter and a marking pencil. I should have taken a photo, but I didn't.

We didn't have a lot of show-and-tell, but what we had was amazing. (See below.)

Sally's wool applique Santa.


Sally's appliqued snowman

Martha shows off her new jelly roll creation to Gerry (left) and Barbara (right).

Now I truly have to get to those projects that I was planning to finish on Saturday. In closing, Taco has a holiday greeting for you all. You can see he's growing fast. He's an absolute bowl full of cat at this point--and that's a big bowl.

"Meowy Christmas and Hap-purry New Year everyone."

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This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 12/04/2012, Sandy said ...

How very sweet of Andy to remember you with those beautiful roses on your anniversary. I don't have a daughter but I am one and I know that special bond between mothers and daughters. So glad you're feeling better and getting a lot done. It must be very frustrating wanting to do so much and the body not wanting to cooperate. I hope every day will be good for you. Tell Taco thanks for the Christmas message. He is precious.

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On 12/04/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

The roses are just lovely and it's wonderful of Andy to be so thoughtful.

Cheers that you were feeling good enough to enjoy several outings over the weekend and yesterday! The sewing can fill in evenings when watching TV or any rainy days in the forecast.

Love the festive show and tell blocks and the jazzy jelly roll quilt!

I got confirmation today that I'll get the needed Shade Cascade green fabric to finish my two wall hangings for the boys!

Wishing Taco, bowlful that he is, and his family a happy and purr-fectly wonderful Christmas season and new year!

Hugs!

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On 12/04/2012, Val said ...

That has to be the sweetest daughter ever! Glad you are feeling good right now. Please keep my Mom in your prayers!

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On 12/05/2012, Kai said ...

Though I've managed to catch the creeping crud that's going around and feel like warmed over death, I am SUPER happy that my beautiful friend feels better!!!! (Yes, I DO know how junvenile multiple exclamation marks are - LOL!) Andy, you are a total treasure! (Like your mommy!) And - as always - I lingered over each quilt photo & was VERY glad I wasn't there in person because I think I may have been drooling over how pretty each one is! You KNOW Santa is my favorite, of course! And Taco? Love, love, love ... purrrrr, purrrr! Hope all the REST of your December is as lovely as the last few days! (And Ray glared when I mentioned sweet potato pies. They are his absolute favorite things! He wants to know if he can go over & have a piece? HAHAHA!) LOVE YOU!

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On 12/08/2012, laura said ...

What a loving mother /daughter bond. Beautiful tribute to a great love. Hugs, laura
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Tale of a Dufus

Yesterday I was fighting allergies and also had to pick up Andy's kitty (Taco and Bella's mama Moxie) from the vet. So I told my friend Stuart that I was not going be able to make his Christmas luncheon. He was very understanding, as Stuart always is. He hoped I felt better soon, but not to worry. The Christmas party is NEXT Friday. 

I said, "How can that be? It says right here on my calendar, Stuart's party, right there on November 30."

I felt like a dufus, but not for long. I've found that laughing at my foibles is the best way to handle them. This did get me wondering, though, if there was something else occurring on the 30th that I should have attended and just mistakenly wrote down Stuart's party. Oh well. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Today I'm going to work on my pattern packets for December guild block of the month and finish binding on the secret Christmas quilt. I got the binding cut and sewn together, pressed, and attached to the quilt. Have about half of it stitched down to the back. I've design a label but haven't made it yet.

Meanwhile I have nothing to show except animal photos. That's the story around here these days--animals here, animals there, animals up and down the stair. Scads of animals in my hair. (Unlike my two sisters, I'm a bust as a poet.)

Bella on High (above the kitchen cabinets)

Taco loves my sewing basket.

Reluctant buddies

Skipper and Blue Toy soaking up some vitamin D

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On 12/01/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

Hope you have time, energy, and allergy meds aplenty to allow you to attend Stuart's party next Friday. You can rejoice that you didn't miss it as you were too sniffly and busy to attend yesterday - had the party happened then. Yes, laughter is the best medicine. My granny used to say that if you can laugh at yourself, you'll always have something to laugh about.

Do you suppose you're allergic to cats? Their fur does land on high, on low, under and atop everything. Sometimes it seems I find enough fur to cover another cat!

Today I'm putting blue and brown Shade Cascade blocks together after getting tired of squaring up the greens - and panicking because I lacked enough of the darkest green for my last 4 blocks. Serves me right to wait 4 years to make the quilt, then decide to cut my strips 1" more narrow and make two wall hangings. I need just a 2"x28" strip but, happily, found more at a shop in Montana, a la the excellent search at Quiltshops.com. Keep your fingers crossed that they still have at least 1/4yd of that fabric!

Back to it!

Hugs!

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On 12/01/2012, Annette said ...

Always enjoy your blog and especially the animals!

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On 12/01/2012, Kai said ...

I love the pictures of the animal children! I wish I had a pretty Bella to sit over MY cabinets! She is ADORABLE! They're all adorable! Skipper is so cute with his Blue Toy! Cracks me up! And I think the forgetful thing must be contagious 'cause I've had a BAD case of it lately! Sigh. Oh, well. In my case, I just tell folks to ignore me 'cause I'm OLD and I GET to be forgetful!

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On 12/01/2012, Judy Clark said ...

I have a precious dog named Bella. She's on my blog today with her Christmas wreath. Love your photos of your babies.

Judy
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Animal Farm

The kitties got a new downstairs scratching post (which isn't really a post) since Sophie has decided to allow them to stay downstairs more.

All things considered, I feel quite a bit better today than I have in more than a week. The back pain has calmed considerably. I even had enough energy to get up at 6:00 this morning and get ready to take one of Andy's cats, Moxey, in to the spay/neuter clinic. (Andy had to be at work early and couldn't take her.) Moxey is Taco and Bella's mama. She is having her lady parts removed today to prevent Taco and Bella from acquiring any siblings.

Yesterday, while Cheryl worked downstairs, I got binding cut and stitched together for the secret Christmas present quilt. Today I'm planning to bind the quilt.

However, at the first twinge of back pain, I'm going to hasten back to my bed. I am trying to convince myself that I have to pay more attention to what my body says, stop trying to ignore its pleas for pampering. And that's hard to do, as many of you know. There is much I want to do, much I need to do, and much I feel I'm responsible for doing. I'm going to try to do as President Obama says and take "a balanced approach." I am definitely not going to make all my cuts from the things I want to do in order to accommodate all the things I need to do and feel responsible to do.

Things are going well among the animals, or as well as can be expected, I suppose. Sophie has reconciled herself to life with cats. You can tell she doesn't like it, and tells me in a loud voice when either Taco or Bella is someplace where they shouldn't be. But she's adjusting.

Below are some pretty bad shots of life among the animals at the Yellow House.

Sophie and Taco share a catnap on the couch.

Taco and his favorite person

More Taco and Jesse

Taco has taken over the chair where Sophie has always slept.

So now, for the first time in her life, she is sleeping in my bed. I sleep sandwiched between two dogs, which might have a lot to do with why I'm not sleeping well lately.

Dreaming of the halcyon days when she was an only dog

All right, now, who took my blue toy?

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On 11/29/2012, Sandy said ...

Oh my, the kitties are really growing up. They are so cute and so are Sophie and Skipper. That last picture of Skipper is so cute. Glad you're feeling better today and will continue to do so.

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On 11/29/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

Cheers that you're feeling lots better and that you've wisely decided on the "balanced approach." Best yet, you'll use some of your spoons for fun even if some task falls by the wayside.

The kittens have gotten so much bigger and am glad there is peace and quiet among the critters. Good think your lovely home has so many comfy places to snooze!

Am off to stay with FIL while AMIL and DH go to the grocery.

Hugs!

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On 11/29/2012, Ramey said ...

Love the pics of Jesse and Taco. taco is getting so big so fast!

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On 11/29/2012, Linda said ...

LOL they are all so cute! Isn't it funny how animals rule our homes? And I wasn't raised that way - Daddy always insisted animals stay outside, so I would open the screen at night after my folks went to bed and let my cat in to sleep with me. If Daddy found out...oh boy.

So glad you are feeling better and good advice on listening to our bodies.

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On 11/30/2012, Kai said ...

As Beth remarked in Little Women, "Little birds in their nest agree!" Looks as though the 'birdies' in YOUR nest are getting along famously now! SOOOOOO cute, too! I hope YOU feel better & better! Can barely wait for the reveal photo of your secret gift quilt! LOVE YOU!
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Stair Trek

I haven't been upstairs since Monday. In fact, I haven't been out of bed much since Monday. My back problem has been in high gear, and the pain has worn me out. It seems a bit better today, though. I haven't even had to take a muscle relaxer yet today. So I was able to climb the stairs to the sewing room and sit down at my computer for a blog post. But now I realize I don't have much to talk about except my aching back--and y'all read enough about my aches and infirmities as it is.

So I'll show you this instead (photo above). This is a block for my "Little Pink Houses" quilt, made from Shabby Fabrics' block-of-the-month pattern, "Sweetheart Houses." All the pieces are fused, but no stitching yet. 

Does your long-arm quilter do this--mark any seams on your quilt that haven't been caught up in the stitching? Craig did this for the secret quilt where I had missed a seam, and Lena at New Traditions does it too. Maybe all longarmers do this, I don't know, but it certainly is a nice service. I would probably never see my booboos if they didn't do it.

Cheryl is downstairs cleaning, so I think I'll stay up here out of her way and work on making binding for the secret quilt. Christmas will be here before you can say "Jack Robinson." 

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On 11/28/2012, Sandy said ...

Susan, I am so sorry about your back. I don't know what's going on with backs lately. Seems like so many people are having problems. These things seem to run in cycles, don't they? I hope today will be a better day for you and you'll get a lot accomplished. With the white tornado downstairs, you'd better stay upstairs or you might get caught up in her flurry!! Be kind to yourself today and take it easy. It'll still be there tomorrow if it doesn't get done today!

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On 11/28/2012, sillysally said ...

Sorry to hear you've been not feeling up to snuff. Hopefully your back will calm down and you can be up to your normal "shenanigans" in no time!

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On 11/28/2012, Helen in Switzerland said ...

Sorry to hear about your back Susan - I bet it was all that dancing on the table you did over Thanksgiving! It's great that it's a bit better today....and also that you have Cheryl!

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On 11/28/2012, Barbara Anne said ...

Bother about the back pain issues but am glad to hear you're feeling better today. Hope you'll feel better and better each day forward, too.

Your Little Pink House is so cute and I love the details of the shutters and window boxes! You can imagine the most wonderful ways to add charm to your applique!

I've never had a head's up indication from any long-arm quilter I've used and find that interesting.

Cheers for all the amazing Cheryl will accomplish today! Gotta love the energy and stamina of the young and able-bodied. Sigh!

Be good to you. It's not December quite yet.

Hugs!

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On 11/28/2012, Robbin said ...

Sorry to hear your down in your back. Love your little pink house. By the way, who is Jack Robinson?

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On 11/28/2012, Kai said ...

Lovely block!!! And Susan, you can always share your pain with us. We GET it! I know Barabara Anne & I definitely do! Right, Barb? I'm so glad you have an awesome person like Cheryl to do the housework! YAY!!! FEEL BETTER! Sending you a (gentle) hug, lots of smiles, and TONS of love this evening!

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On 11/28/2012, Jean said ...

I like the look and feel of your pink cottage. I have never taken a quilt to a long arm quilter, but I think that is a wonderful idea. I hope you start feeling better soon. I don't have fybro, but I do have a couple of forms of arthritis and I know how the changing seasons affect that, so can sympathize with you. Rest, relax and read is my motto when I get sore.

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On 11/29/2012, Linda said ...

Beautiful block! I haven't even finished my first quilt yet, but I love the way quilters help one another so unselfishly and think it is great that the long-arm'ers provide such support.

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On 12/03/2012, Lindsey said ...

I have just found your blog and have enjoyed reading about the animals. Love the block but can't help but point out that the shutters on the windows are the wrong way round! You might be able to correct them before any sewing. Hope your back improves soon.
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