She's baaaaaack

My class was just spectacular.  I was so enamored with everything about it.  It is a marvelous means of providing a non-judgemental listening presence.  This will happen in the context of our church.  We already have 5 people who are trained and working in this.  Bill and I have both been trained to be leaders/administrators for the program, to join the 2 current folks and a new training session will begin in early October.  It's all a-happenin'.

I got the binding finished on Paige's quilt (hurrah)

I finished washing and drying the baby quilt for Heidi and made the 8 privacy screens.  [the church is providing housing and meals for 14 homeless mothers and their children during the next week.  We do this once a quarter.]  The idea is to create some sense of privacy in their sleeping quarters - considering they have to be washable, light controlling, and able to break down fully - it was something of a challenge.  But I used a felt made in the USA from recycled pop bottles.  Pretty good.

Walt made the frames from PVC.  I finished one lavender sachet for Sherrie's birthday and that's it!  Just been sitting around - NOT!

Tomorrow is pre-school shopping for the 2 oldest grands and Thursday it's babysitting for the littlest one (1 yo).  Then on Friday we are off for our Labor Day Camping adventures.  Life is not dull.

Next adventures

Tomorrow begins the week-long training for Befrienders.  It is described (in their materials) as:

"A workshop for leaders who want to implement and maintain a listening ministry of lay pastoral care in their church, hospital, assisted living or long-term care campus, healthcare setting, or other organization."





I had originally been signed up to attend last year, but it turned out that was when Caro was coming to visit.  Interesting times ahead.

Sewing Projects

Weeeelllll, I have learned one thing.  I am not very skillful at doing machine sewn bindings.

Can you see where I missed?  I can report that ripping all of this sewing out took quite some time.  However, on a very warm evening I sat downstairs, watching TV and did it all again, by hand.  I have washed the quilt and it is ready for delivery to Heidi.

I visited with friend Alayne and picked up the quilt for Paige.  She is heading to Harvey Mudd (yup - she is one smart cookie) later this month.  I'm not sure I'll be completely finished, but it will be on its way before winter arrives in California.  Yes, it does get cool there - at least I believe it is cool enough to enjoy a quilt.  I used a new-to-me batting,

Dream Puff.  It is a poly batting, but quite "fluffy".  Seems great.  Alayne did a really nice job of quilting it,

Here you can really see the design on the back - I used a Kona muslin.  Fairly heavy but it has a nice finish.  It feels rather like old-fashioned polished cotton.  Next week I'm taking a class Mon-Thurs. so I will work on the binding during that.

Project #3 is making screens for the church.  In a couple of weeks our church will again be hosting homeless women and their children from Mary's Place.  We will host up to 14 people and they are making an effort to provide them with some privacy - or at least a sense of privacy between their air-mattress beds.  You don't want to hear me whine about the challenges with this project.   Thus far I have made 3 of the fabric panels.  Soon to head off and buy more of the poly felt that I'm using.  Of course it also requires yards of bias binding and velcro.  But it is washable - one of the requirements and made from recycled plastic pop bottles in the US.  Someone else is making the frames.

Qwerky little inventions

While out on our latest camping adventures, I came across a couple of little items that struck me as most interesting.  Here's #1:

A disposable plastic spoon with a hinge.  It was placed in the top of a fruit cup - for use with the cup, of course.  But what did this cost?  It must have been significantly more expensive than normal throw-away utensils.  Something interesting to ponder.

#2 - a small electric appliance with triangle shaped indentations in the bottom and top.  You fill the bottom sections with pancake batter

You add a little sausage (or a myriad of other choices)

Add a bit more batter and close the top and viola

a little hand-held pancake/sausage pie (or is it a cake?)  Now this little machine ain't all that new, except to me, I guess.  But aren't those so cute?  Oh the things you learn when out camping!

We had a most fun week-end.  Some women from our RV group and some women from church met up at a nearby state park.  We had a tent, a pop-up camper, a small Class C, a larger Class C and a Class A. (that was 8 of us) and 3 gals came over for the day on Saturday.  There were the requisite card games,

a pleasant walk down to the beach and of course, a potluck supper,

Much fun!

Beautiful campground.

Now I think some staying home and a couple of sewing projects are on my agenda.

Quick check-in

We've been off camping with the grands.  Oh what fun we had.

Now we're off with some of the "church ladies".  More details and photos to follow.  Ain't summer grand?

Learning

One of the most fun things about living elsewhere is to try local foods and especially to visit local supermarkets - at least for me, this is great, great fun.  Last summer, in the Netherlands, my love affair with Albert Heijn markets was solidified.  Caro saves copies of their free monthly magazine for me (and occasionally sends me copies).  They are incredibly well done, slick, glossy, high-end publication.  [and heavy to mail!]  My  Dutch language skill isn't the greatest, but it's good enough to be able to read recipes.  So imagine my delight when Elaine found AH cherry jam [my favorite] in Michigan.

There was some palaver with our favorite TSA, even though they had obviously never been opened, but they did get here.  She also found one of her favorites,

Orange flavored tea.  Oh what fun to enjoy these things and to remember our adventures last summer.