So here’s what’s new.

I promised I’d get this need blog out before the end of October and here it is already October 29!!!! Where does the time go?

Leslie and Manu’s baby, Paco was born about a month early on October 3. He was in the neonatal unit for a while but he is home now and is doing really well. We can’t wait to visit them in Belgium. We don’t know when that will be but it has to be soon. Here are some pictures. He had to have some surgery on his forehead but he is fine.

 

Paco with Daddy.

Mommy and baby.

Paco

We love getting pictures.  We see the changes in him every week.

I went to Montgomery, Pennsylvania for the dog shows where the Airedale Rescue quilts were raffled.  After working on the “Airedales Downunder” I couldn’t bear to just mail it off into the world without being there through the entire process – concept to handover. If you didn’t have a chance to see the quilt that Jenny, Sue and I made look back a few blog entries for Airedales Downunder it will link you to the YouTube video I made.

I hung out with Marianne, a friend of Sue’s.  She picked me up at the airport, drove us everywhere. We sold tickets all weekend at the different dog show venues. It was a long tiring weekend but well worth the trip.  Here are some pics of the weekend.

Me and our wall hanging.

The main quilt -A is for Airedale-very cute.

Parading the quilts before the drawing.

I was so excited because I sold the tickets to the woman who won our wall hanging. It made the entire trip worth it because even though she wasn’t there the final day to take it home, I met her and helped her fill out her tickets and liked her and I know that “Airedales Downunder ” went to a nice lady.

 

The contract from Adelaide arrived and we are in the process of gathering all the paper work they require. That’s only for the hospital we haven’t even gotten immigration papers yet. We are plodding along and haven’t given up that this might really happen.

 

We have a couple of people interested in the house. One young couple who may have to rent-to-own since the land that they need to sell for a down payment isn’t selling for the amount they are asking. Another couple looked at it yesterday – their second visit – and seem to be serious.

 

Since making the wall hanging, and two baby quilts one for Dax and one for Paco, I have gotten the quilting bug. I know, I know, Fergus says quilting is for old ladies but I am loving it. I took a class at my local quilt shop and made a sampler quilt, at the same time I worked on a quilt using Australian Aboriginal inspired fabrics and I took a second class on how to make a quilt with circles. I had that one – which I call “Sun-Kissed Garden” professionally quilted. The other two I will attempt to quilt my self – a bit scary. Here are pictures of  the finished quilt , the Aussie quilt and the class “Sampler” quilt tops.

Completed "Sun-Kissed Garden" and matching pillow cases.

Close up of the applique border of morning glories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The center blocks of the Australian quilt which I am calling "Dreamtime".

These two quilts are for a king size bed so I can’t get the entire quilt in the picture but you get the idea. These tops still need to be quilted. I was doing a lot of quilting but now that the weather is cooling down and it has been tolerable to work in the yard.  Time to get prepared for winter.

So there you have it. See you November.

Where has the time gone?

So much has happened since I last updated my blog. Some of the hold up was computer problems but the rest is just plain laziness and other things getting in the way. Here are the highlights in a nutshell with pictures.

I went to California in September to visit family and Fergus has a fraternity reunion at US Santa Barbara. I drove up to see my niece Linda, who is going through chemo-therapy for an aggressive uterine cancer. I met her partner Jackie for the first time. They are both lovely and I had a wonderful visit.

Sunny, Jackie and Linda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back to the Bay Area I stopped in Santa Rosa and had lunch with Paul Haut and his partner, Todd. I have known Paul since the second grade and we have always had a special friendship all these years. We had a blast reminiscing about school and old friends.  Paul and Todd will be moving to Hawaii soon, I’m glad we had a chance to see each other again before we are all so far away.

Todd, me and Paul.

We stayed at Fergus’ Mom and Dad’s house. Here is a picture of them.

Martin and Maragret

We had lunch one day with Scott, Fergus’ oldest friend and Best Man at our wedding. We forgot to take a picture.

We drove down to Santa Barbara for the weekend and Fergus spent three days of reunion fun for his college fraternity.  He was so happy and enjoyed seeing his old frat buddies. It was kick for me to see him so animated, relaxed and excited to see people. One day while he was at the frat house for breakfast, I visited my great-niece Justina, Bihn and baby Dax, my great-great- nephew.

Dax, isn't he cute?

The Happy Family

Justina and I took a drive to the cemetery in Goleta to see Mom and Dads burial sites and Justina found her mother’s father’s grave site. It was a bit of a search but I’m glad we did it.  It’s been along time since I was there so I couldn’t remember exactly where it was. Justina has good eyes so she spotted them eventually.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our last night in Santa Barbara we had dinner with our friends, Jan and Dan. It was so nice seeing them.We laughed and even shed a few tears.

Dan and Jan

Brother Danny and Chris had an early surprise birthday party for me.

The Big 60!

Curtis and Chris

Me and Danny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fergus and I celebrated my actual Birthday back in Wichita – a day late because he had to work – at our favorite restaurant, Chester’s.

I only look a day over 60.

And there you have it – September 2010 – in a nut shell. Every day and each person mentioned deserved a complete blog entry of its own.  I so loved the visits with my friends and family. The drive up and down the California coast was so beautiful and brought back so many memories. Saying what might be my last good-bye to Mom and Dad was special and sweetened even more having shared it with Justina whom I have become so attached to. Seeing “niblings”, a word that Paul coined that refers to nieces and nephews of both sexes, is always a joy. Seeing Fergus so happy seeing his friends from college and Dan, Jan and Scott, was a highlight of the trip for me. Laughing with Linda and telling her stories of Mom and Dad was bittersweet. She is so strong and brave, a true inspiration to her old Auntie Anne Marie. And always feeling like I am coming home when I visit Danny and Chris. And sharing most of this with Fergus. I am one lucky lady.

I promise to write October’s blog before November rolls around. There is much to tell…a new baby, a trip to Philadelphia, completed quilts and, ta-da –  THE CONTACT ARRIVED. Stay tuned.