UFO 4 - Thoughts of Barbados

Last year while we were in Texas, Sue wrote to see if I wanted to go with her to Barbados on her special service airline pass.

Of course I jumped at the chance!

We had such a good time - first class travel, great travelling buddy, beautiful beaches, fun, fun, fun!

She was over one day and liked the flip flop quilt I have in my quilt room. So I am making this one as a thank you (she knows - no worry).

My goal this month is to have all 9 blocks and hopefully the quilt finished.

UFO 3 - Christmas retreat Quilt

I started this one at a retreat put on by The Quilter's Cottage in Stonewall in the fall. I thought it might be a good idea to have it complete by the next retreat. My goal is not to have it quilted but to have the borders on.

Since I am using mitten patterned fabric in the borders, if I just add the borders, the mittens will not match and I don't want to add a plain block. I am picky that way.

I will think of something.

My goal is to complete this one - quilting and all - this month.

UFO 2 - Flower Show

I just love these flowers!

I saw this quilt in Texas last year and for some reason I decided not to buy the fabrics. Once I got home, I looked all over for the fabric to no avail. So at the quilt show in Texas this year I asked around to find the vendor that had it last year. I found them but they did not have the fabric anymore. But under a pile at their table, I found the kit.

At the beginning of the month, the blocks were not together.

I have not decided how to quilt this one yet and may send it out.

But I accomplished my goal of getting it together this month.

Mission - UFO Completion

In quilting, we refer to our unfinished objects as UFOs.

Since summer is coming and I won't be quilting as much, I made it my goal to finish 5 UFO's this month.

This is UFO 1. In its state at the beginning of the month and how it looks now - COMPLETE.

The Yellow Rose of Texas!

Cheaper pet medication

Did you know that you may be able to get your pet's medication from the pharmacy instead of the vet?

We tried this with Benson's latest medication and it was considerably cheaper.

We asked the vet for the prescription and he phoned it in to Shopper's Drug Mart near us.

For 5 months of pills, we saved over 50%. The vet's bill last time just for the pills was $141.70. The pharmacy's total for the same amount was $73.45, for a savings of $85.26!!

And at the vet you pay both PST and GST but only GST from the pharmacy.

My tip of the day!

We're Backkkkkk

Even though bad weather was predicted all the way, the roads were fine coming home. When we arrived in Oklahoma City, there was a tornado watch out, but the storms didn't reach us. Thank goodness.

But we did have to stay an extra night in Sioux City, Iowa because the roads were closed in North Dakota and the roads in South Dakota were all black ice. A good excuse to check out the local quilt shops and get our window washer fixed (it froze). The next day though everything was clear and we didn't get stopped at customs. That is amazing, as we never have over the limit but somehow they like to check us. And with our fully packed car I was dreading having to repack.

After 3 months in a warmer climate, I certainly forgot how cold 'cold' is!

Shoulda, coulda, woulda, but didn't!

Yes, I shoulda taken the time each day to post a 'view from our deck' or written about something Texas-y, but I didn't.

I suppose since I made my living for 9 months doing documentation I had no inkling to write every day.

I could have written about the cold fronts - how one minute it is beautiful and calm and the next minute, when the cold front moves in, the temperature drops 20 degrees and the winds howl. I didn't because most of you really know what a cold front is and you would have just laughed at me.

I could have written about how peaceful it is in the morning when the birds are waking up and the water is calm and you can hear the fish jump. They do jump right off our deck and yes you can hear them.

I could have written how on these calm mornings, when it is low tide especially, I can see the dolphins playing. I finally thought about videoing them, but each second of taping is 1MG of space, so I couldn't even compress it enough to post or send.

I could have written about the sky at night, when you can see the constellations and Venus - about how peaceful it is then, too.

I could have written about the pelicans and seagulls and the fighting that goes on when our neighbour, a fisherman, guts his fish and throws the remains to the birds.

I could have written about the friends we have made and the fun we have had. But I didn't.

Maybe next winter.

I love being a Winter Texan. I love the park and the people and the activities. I love the beach and the sand and the shells and the smells.

We'll be home next week. Til then, I am going to scoop up every minute of sun and fun that I can.