Snowman

Today I'm putting away this project, another done during the dark days, during the governor's press conference.  Just sequins and beads on the felt.  Something to keep my hands busy, to keep moving forward.

Of course, these are still the dark days of this virus.  That hasn't changed.  There are more cases in  my state.  More arguing, more political posturing.  Worry about school.  Press conferences continue.  I'm glad I'm not the governor. 

I never did find a replacement for this daily mindless project.  I planned to substitute the cupcake papers quilt but found that it wasn't a good replacement.  Now, though, I'm doing a block or two every day, so maybe the timing wasn't quite right.  I do miss the hand work.

I have more energy these days, and I'm grateful.  My breathing is light and easy, that's the only way I know to describe it.  I was scheduled to have an annual breathing test this week, but I postponed it for a few months.  It seemed risky, maybe it was and maybe it wasn't, I don't know.  There is a COVID test required before the breathing test, I didn't know that when I rescheduled.  I can worry about that in November.

  

  

Coronavirus Hair

Pretty sure the last time I had a haircut was in January.  This is probably an all-time long hair record for me.

In high school, I was always envious of my friends who had long hair and swing-y pony tails.  (Looking at you, Diana.)  For some reason I could just never grow out my hair.  So, this is a surprise.  Could be all the vitamins I swallow.

I really don't wear it this way, usually put it in a low bun.  Kind of like my grandmother wore hers.  Oh, my.

Maybe if I had a regular stylist I'd brave up and mask up and go in for a visit.  But for years I've just popped into the busy quick salon, take my turn, and go with whoever was available.  And so, I procrastinate.  The little bun isn't all bad.

So Lovely

These hydrangeas are always lovely, but they are really putting on a show this summer.  After a few days they will start turning a blush color.  Thanks to Sarah for picking them out and planting them.

On my calendar this morning is a quote from Lailah Giffy Akita.  "When we rest, our energy is restored."  If that is true, I should have SO much energy by now.

Have I mentioned that I got a quilt pattern last week that features birds?  I am always drawn to birds, in pictures.  In person, not so much.  If one gets inside, I am terrified.

I am out of Diet Coke, and this isn't good.  This morning I drove through the ice cream/bakery shop and got some donuts, plus two Diet Cokes, for today and tomorrow.  It's my morning beverage of choice.  Early this year I decided to give up soda, but then during the pandemic it was a comfort thing.  Really, I only drink one a day, but I really look forward to that one.

Good news from my eye doctor appointment.  The dryness is getting better so my vision is improving.  I can tell a big difference up close.  I can continue with just one glaucoma drop in the evening.  I don't have to go back for three months.  Three MONTHS!!!

Zipper

I'm coming to the end of an ambitious outdoor cushion project.  (And no, I don't want any more cushion jobs, please don't ask.)  For this project, I'm taking out the zippers on the previous cushion covers and reusing them while using the fabric pieces as a pattern.

I have to admit that I wasn't paying attention, listening to the Reds game, while I took this zipper out.  On the previous six cushions there was a fabric stop, like in the picture above, at each end of the zipper.  On this cushion there wasn't one at one end and I heard a clunk as the zipper slider slid off and on to the floor.

This was not a happy sound.  I wasn't able to find internet instructions for this kind of zipper trauma, but I was able to learn enough to get that slider back on.  I'll lose about an inch of zipper but no one will ever know that.  The new zipper is in place and you'd better believe there are fabric stops at each end.

You may be thinking that if this is the excitement at my house then it must be pretty boring.  You'd be right.  I keep thinking that if (when) I get these cushions finished I can go on to more creative projects.  

July Opening Day

Tomorrow is Opening Day 2020 for my Cincinnati Reds.  On July 24.  No fans in the stands.  Playing the Detroit Tigers.

I am beyond ready.  This week there were a couple of exhibition games with the Tigers.  I heard the fireworks.  Started to learn the names of new players.  Bottom line - I love baseball.

When I was growing up in Ohio, my brother and I would listen to the Cleveland Indians double headers on Sunday afternoons.  A special treat was getting a pack of baseball cards and wishing, wishing that there would be an Indians player in the pack, or at least a few American League players.  The National League was kind of mysterious to us.

My in-laws lived in Sarasota in the winters, back when the Reds did their spring training there.  They became Reds fans.  On summer evenings, they would sit on their screened-in back porch in Detroit and listen to the Reds games.  For my father-in-law, there would be some sipping whiskey.  I lived in Detroit then, got to sit in on some of those summer evenings with them.

Oh, my goodness, I wonder what they would think of this season.  I can't even imagine.

Nor could I have imagined that one day I'd live so close to the Reds ball park, way up on a hill, in a little house, by myself.  Life takes mysterious turns.  

Iron

Yes, it's an iron.  And yesterday when I plugged it in, it just didn't work.  No little light, no heat.

Those of us who quilt use an iron a lot.  And we burn through irons a lot.  This one lasted probably three years, which is a pretty good run.

I've learned that it doesn't seem to make a difference how expensive the iron is, the longevity is still about the same.  I've learned that the dollar store is a good source.  But, I've also been reading that dollar stores aren't good about enforcing mask requirements, so my new one will be coming tomorrow from Amazon.

The new one checks all my boxes - auto shut off, non-stick sole plate, steam (although I rarely use steam.)  I had a moment when I seriously considered one of the fancy Oslio irons with the little legs that come out when the iron is set down.  It was only a moment, though.

Maybe tomorrow my replacement order of mask elastic will come too.  The first order seems to have disappeared while out for delivery in a town south of here, way too far away to be my delivery truck.  Fingers crossed.

Dog Sitting

My daughter's family is on vacation this week and I am dog sitting at her house.  The dog is sweet and well past puppy years.  She misses her family but it always happy to see me come in the door.  She also goes for walks with a neighbor.but is not happy about the heat.

We have a mask mandate in Kentucky, or at least I think we do.  It is to go into effect at 5 p.m. today, but a judge has issued a temporary restraining order about the governor's future COVID-19 orders.  It makes no difference to me, I'll wear a mask regardless.

In the Ohio county where the dog lives, a mask order also goes into effect today.  It is a 'red"county, meaning increasing cases.  No restraining orders there that I know of.

I don't even want to talk abut the politics involved in all this.  It makes my stomach hurt.

I ordered more 1/4" elastic last night, for mask-making.  I ordered some previously but wasn't happy with it.  I also have a Creative Grids template for cutting out three sizes of masks.