People Racing at Keeneland

Sarah's Saturday race, Run the Bluegrass, bills itself as America's Prettiest Half Marathon.  Probably true.  Through Keeneland race track in Lexington, KY, itself amazing, and past pretty horse farms.  

It's a huge race, more than 3000 runners last year, with various prizes.  Age group winners get little whiskey barrels, for the first three finishers.  And for the third year in a row, Sarah placed fourth in her age group.  Sixth the year before that.  Those little whiskey barrels are elusive, but she had a great race.  And there is next year.

The couple of days flew by with visiting and eating and celebrating Steph's birthday.  A big sleepover.  All too soon, people and dogs were back in the car.  I hadn't planned well, and our Easter lunch was Skyline vegetarian chili, which is chili served with spaghetti with soft yellow cheese.  There can be onions and beans added.  It's a chili with cinnamon, different from the usual chili spices.  Actually, it was a great hit so maybe not so bad after all.

Steph fixed Easter dinner at her house later in the afternoon for her family and me with a yummy salmon, mashed potatoes, and many veggies.

And this morning . . . traces of snow on the ground.  Yes, it snowed during the night.

On Their Way

Two of three dogs on the way to my house yesterday.  It was a very long drive from Asheville, with stops for dogs and food and race packet pick up and accidents.  But, finally, they were here.

This morning Sarah left for Lexington early for her Race the Bluegrass half marathon.  More driving, but hopefully smooth sailing.  And good running.

One of the stops was in Berea at Noodle Nirvana, which meant a wonderful bowl for me.  Ramon noodles, broth, tofu, zucchini, carrots, sprouts.  If I still lived in Berea, I'd be stopping there a lot.  My kind of food.

Moving On

Finally, yesterday, I spent the day starting to work on my sewing jobs.  And at the end of the day, it felt good.  Getting better.  I've had some kind of virus, I think.  I'd look at my blog and feel really bad about having the same picture.  Nothing new to say.  

Good Friday tomorrow.  My daughter was born on Good Friday, so it's a bonus birthday for us.  I made the birth announcements, flannel cut-outs of rabbits glued to construction paper.  Maybe some Easter grass.  There is probably one around here somewhere.

I remember being a bit jealous of my neighbors who had mothers who would come and help out for weeks.  Insisting that new moms couldn't go up and down stairs for four weeks or their insides would fall out.  I went downstairs to do laundry very carefully the first few times, just in case they were right.  No internet in those days to do a quick google to see if that was true.

By the time my second daughter was born, we lived in a different neighborhood with older two-story houses.  Moms went up and down stairs, and their were no protective grandmothers who helped for weeks.  Casseroles might come from neighbors.  Different perspective.

Nightgown

Don't you love the pattern for this nightgown that I made for a friend?  In the shorter version, or even this version, it can be a nice tunic.  Very easy and fun to make, very clear directions.  Liesl + Co Gallery Tunic + Dress.  

Pizza at lunch at work today, my boss is great.  I was reminded of why that local pizza restaurant is one of my favorites.  There's just something about the locals.

Did I get groceries yesterday?  Well, no.  I was reminded of that when (1) I went to wash a load of clothes and had no detergent and (2) when I had nothing for dinner.  The nothing for dinner part was easy, tofu pad thai from the local Chinese carry-out.  No Tide yet.

The Chinese restaurant had a sign on the cash register saying, "No tipping, please."  I never quite know what to do about tipping when I pick up food.  Do I tip at the pizza pick-up window, for example, or when the pizza restaurant has a designated pick-up area?  Definitely, I think, when a server gets my order, but how much?  Help, please. 

Off the Table

This little table topper makes me happy whenever I make it.  It's fun because it uses a charm pack, a sometimes irresistible package of 5" squares from one design collection.  You can use all those lovely designs and make something pretty other than a little quilt and know that it's going to look good.  Which Way by GE Designs.

I made the topper at a retreat months ago and it's been on my sewing machine table ever since, just hanging out and begging for the binding.  Which isn't even hard, even though it has all those turns.  Sometimes I just get overwhelmed or in a mood, or something has more priority.

I also finished a second God Bless America banner, since I had a good start from making a demonstrational hooping for the last class.  This one is primarily red, a departure from the more traditional red, white, and blue.  I just like red.  

By the way, the scorch marks on the first banner came out nicely with dabs of hydrogen peroxide, the 90% kind.  I had been using a lot of starch, so I don't know whether the results would be as good on unstarched fabric.

This morning, grocery shopping.  It just has to be.  If I wait until too late in the day, I just don't do it.  I'm looking forward to springing forward this weekend, when "late in the day" looks brighter.

Station Eleven

Station of the Cross 11 - Jesus promises his kingdom to the Good Thief.

Station 10

My church is displaying some simple Stations of the Cross for Lent and I agreed to do Station 10 (Jesus is crucified) and Station 11 (Jesus promises his kingdom to the Good Thief.)  I understand that these are a bit different from the traditional Catholic stations.   

This is my Station 10, with ripped pieces of grey/black fabric for the background, the cross with needles to represent nails, and a piece of white fabric to represent Jesus' clothing.  

It's March now.  The rain continues but the river is on its way down.  Onions and chives are poking up in the beds.  I am eager to cut down the ornamental grasses and start again.  To have prettiness in the beds again.  Something different every week.

And, I am eager to walk on the riverfront.  To see the lights on Riverfront Stadium.  First, though, there will be lots of good basketball.