Answers

photo trivia: Garrison Keillor's bookstore, Common Good Books

1) 2 and 1
2) 101 Dalmatians
3) Earth, as seen from space
4) six

Tuesday Trivia

Name the St. Paul bookstore in which this section appears.

The following questions are from Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions in 365 Days

1) How many pips are on the two sides of the domino in the Domino's Pizza logo?

2) Of what famous family are Pongo and Perdita the parents?

3) What is the Pale Blue Dot in the title of Carl Sagan's 1994 book?

4) How many dot positions are there in each letter of the Braille alphabet?

My Sister Self Loves Me

Inside of me is my Sister Self. She loves me, and supports me, even when I goof up. Like today, I was feeling sorry for myself, so I came home and ate potato chips and chocolate. Sister Self is sad that I once again fell prey to my emotional eating. But she is just waiting to blossom like a flower. She is very patient. She has no power to make me change my ways, but she will be there to help me/us blossom if and when I can create better habits.

I got this "Sister Self" idea from a book... right now I can't remember the name of the book. I only read a few pages and loved this Sister Self concept. One of these days, I'll run across the book again and will read more of it. The book, like my Sister Self, is patient.

Once I went to a counselor to help me through a rough patch. She suggested that I have an "inner brat" who works against me. The problem is that it only hurts me. Like today, regarding my emotional eating, she would say that was my inner brat. I totally agreed with her at the time, and I bought the book she mentioned, Taming Your Inner Brat. But when I came across the Sister Self idea, I fell in love with my Sister Self. It's a much more helpful image to me -- more so than the idea that I am stuck with this inner brat who hurts me.

No... inside of me is a flower. She is sweet and beautiful and loves me unconditionally. As soon as (or if) I can let her out, she/I will blossom. Isn't that a much better image than having a "brat" stuck inside? I think so. Today my Sister Self is comforting me from the inside out.

---------

I'm thankful for:

1) my husband

2) insights

3) spring

4) the joy I get in sewing/creating

5) my mom (I'm just thinking of her today. Haven't seen her in too long.)

Lightning in a Box

My husband cracks me up. Today I made this quilt top (still incomplete, as you can see).. it hangs on this string in our front hallway. To get anywhere in our house you pretty much have to go through the hallway, and you'll notice this big quilt hanging there. Of course, Charles can go right past it and not see it. So I told him to go look at it, and he dutifully did. He said, "Nice! Is that 'Lightning in a Box'?"

What? He walked through the hallway several times and didn't notice the quilt? But somehow he noticed the name of the pattern I was working from (Streak of Lightning by Billie Lauder)?! See? He cracks me up.

This was made all from stash fabrics, so it's "free!" Isn't that fun? After I got all those rows done, I went outside to enjoy the GORGEOUS spring day we are blessed with today. Look at what is blooming in my neighborhood!

Spring is so beautiful, it can take your breath away!

Today I'm thankful for:

1) eating lunch on the deck - beautiful!

2) the sweet, fresh smells of spring

3) spending a restful, quiet day at home with Charles

4) the chickadee at my bird feeder - it sat for a while, seemingly enjoying the spring day and warm sunshine as much as I was

5) my wonderful life - I'm supremely lucky!

Toys and Stuff

This morning I slept late (which felt fabulous) and then I worked on making a couple more toys. These are really fun! I've been inspired by designs of other toy makers and used their ideas to create mine.... using my own signature touch, of course. I posed these with the Toy Society tag, but I'm not so sure I'm going to randomly give away every toy I make. I think I'm going to keep making them over the summer and try to sell some at our church bazaar next fall. It's something new for the bazaar; maybe they'll be a hit.

Besides toys, I'm working with Stuff. The "stuff" I'm referring to is all the treasures I am packing up for a garage sale. Whoa, am I beat! I've been working on this for 8 hours, almost straight through. I've gotten a lot done, which feels good. But there is more to go! I want to downsize our household and get rid of "Stuff!" I believe in living simply, but you wouldn't know it by the excess stuff (aka junk) that has been accumulating around here. Hooray for finally attacking it! Wish me luck in making a big dent in downsizing. And, wish me luck in sales, because I am hoping that what I make from selling these treasures will help finance my mission trip to Crow Creek Reservation next month.

Today I'm thankful for:
1) taking charge of our empty nest and making progress on its organization - yes, Dr. Leslie, I can be my own Life Coach!
2) hubby purchased a new rake, fixed the wheelbarrow, and did some badly needed yard work
3) liking the toys I am churning out
4) interesting blogs and bloggy friends
5) the countdown -- only 16 work days left 'til summer break!

Friday Five

Five things on my mind:

1) This weekend I need to concentrate on getting stuff ready for a garage sale.

2) I hope to catch up at Friday Block Party. Once I let myself get behind, I lost my mo-jo for making the blocks. I hope to get back into the swing.

3) I could use a Life Coach to help me get my life organized. I used to be pretty well organized. Lately I'm out of control, and it's driving me nuts. Anyone know of a free yet excellent Life Coach?

4) Please cross your fingers/pray/send karma the way of my son as he faces his very last college finals. It would be a shame if things got messed up at this late date! (I have never seen any of his grades, so I just have to hope and trust that he's doing OK.)

5) Rock on "Grey's Anatomy" season finale! I liked all the twists and turns.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend, be safe and happy, and Do All the Good You Can.

Eye Candy

Here are some quilts that were shown at my guild meeting this week. Enjoy!

Feeling Blah

sorry - I forgot where i found this picture -
it was just a general Google search

I guess I'm in a downturn.... just feeling blah about everything. I miss hanging out with my friends. I feel restless and bored at work (and I'm counting the days to summer break). I can't even get comfortable today. I'm hot, so I turn on my little fan, and then I'm cold with it on: hot, cold, hot cold.

I miss my family, both immediate and out of town-ers. I want my mommy! I want to go to the lake and sit on the dock. I want dangle my feet in the water, letting the little fishies nibble on my toes. I want to sit on my deck at home and read a good book. I want to get a long, newsy, friendly letter in the mail and read it while lounging on my deck.

Instead this is my day: slept a little late while having the most peculiar dream (a little too weird). Hurry to get to work. It's cloudy and dreary. TWO appointments didn't show up today = boring! Time is ticking by slowly. When I get off work this afternoon, I will have a very small time at home, and then I have to go to a three-hour workshop.

Why, when one signs up for a workshop, does it sound so interesting and doable? But when the day comes, it is drudgery to leave the comfort of my home and devote three hours to listening to people talk? *heavy sigh*

That's my day. I know I'll cheer up; this downturn is temporary. I'm going to try to be like Melissa and force myself to think of happy things that I love and appreciate. Here goes:

I'm thankful for:
1) bloggers who leave such nice comments (thanks!)
2) my sweet husband
3) beautiful flowering trees in full bloom outside my window at work
4) home-made chocolate chip cookies (thanks, Katie)
5) American Sign Language - so beautiful!

Answers

photo answer: Rice Park

trivia answers:
1) Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman
2) Robin Williams
3) crocodile (whose teeth it picks)
4) Athens 2004 (Greece always enters first)

Jack Found Monster Man!

Look at this! My very first toy drop, and already someone has found it and responded to the Toy Society blog and provided a picture of the sweet little boy who now owns Monster Man! This is just way too exciting!!!

Tuesday Trivia

photo trivia: these tourists are being photographed

in which St. Paul city park?

The following questions are from Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions in 365 Days.

1) What two acting legends, Pasadena Playhouse friends and New York roommates back in the day, never worked on screen together until 2002's Runaway Jury?

2) What comedian, Christopher Reeve's Juilliard roommate, was, Reeve said, the first person to make him laugh following his 1995 accident?

3) The Egyptian plover is a bird best known for its symbiotic relationship with what host animal?
4) The host country's flag typically arrives last in the Parade of Nations that opens each Olympic Games. What was the only Games where this didn't happen?

Toy Drop on Mother's Day

I had a nice Mother's Day. Went to church, and afterwards did some sewing. I'm trying to play on my new toy (Sewmor) but am having trouble getting the tension just right. It's OK, though. However, I must say... I really do love my Pfaff. When I play on antique sewing machines, I see why people continued to make improvements and to upgrade the machines. I'm lucky and happy to have my nice Pfaff. I'll keep working on Alice (the name I gave my new Sewmor) and hope she and I can make a quilt together.

Charles took Steven and me out for ice cream cones. That was nice.. then after we came home, Marjorie and Greg came over for a short visit. Marjorie brought me some salad from where she works. Yum! That was nice, too. I got to see Greg's new Harley. I'm not a motorcycle person so don't even know what I'm looking at. Whatever. It's "pretty." Don't know if Greg would approve of that as a description of his Harley.

Charles and I accomplished my first Toy Society "drop." We left Monster Man at a library in St. Paul.. I hope some mommy and child will find it when the library opens tomorrow. The good news is, Steven approved of Monster Man. He thought it was a cool toy. That's the seal of approval from someone closer to kid age than I am!

You can read about the Toy Society and how it works here.

Today I'm thankful for:

1) seeing both my kids today

2) pretty sunshine

3) the friendships that develop between people when they work together on mission teams

4) my son's interest in peace and non-violence

5) so many happy events to look forward to this spring and summer!

Monster Man and Frog Woman

Yesterday I meant to get my quilt flimsy finished.... I should have bet against myself, because I knew I'd get distracted. I get easily bored when all I have left is to sew the rows together.

I wandered through some blogs and found out about the The Toy Society. Great idea! They make little home-made toys and then do a secret drop with a tag that says "take me home." Some child will find it and get a new toy. This idea started in Australia after all their terrible brush and home fires... and the idea is spreading around the world. Of course, I had to join in the fun.

This project reminded me, however, that I really only like to sew quilts. I'm not so great at garment and toy sewing. In fact, these types of projects stress me out and are the reason I thought I hated to sew. Quilts saved the day for me. I did manage to make two toys, but they are kind of dorky looking.

What do you think? Will some kid like these?

First is Monster Man. He looks a little scary, but is really friendly and loves to tell jokes. He gets cold easily and likes to cuddle up to the iron to warm up.

Then there is Frog Woman. She lacks self confidence and never says much, but she's a great listener.

(Frog Woman is espeically odd, don't you think? I rescued her out of the trash, but she might go back there... I dunno...........)

This is It!

This is the quilt I am working on.. I showed you some of my first pieces a couple of days ago. It's a very quick one made of only HSTs. I managed to spend a LOT of time playing around with settings. There are so many options with HSTs. In the end I settled with this, which was my original choice. It's not all sewn together yet, so now I'm "rowing." I hope to get this to finished flimsy stage by the end of the day. Should be no problem unless my ADD kicks in, and I distract myself with something else "pressing."

Friday Five

May you always have a light in your life to guide your way,

and may you be a guiding light to others.

1) It is raining this afternoon... I'm feeling snug and happy in my new sweatshirt.

2) I'm dealing with a crisis (in the life of one 0f my students) at work and feeling frustrated that I can't just solve it with a snap of my fingers

3) Had my annual eye exam today, and the doctor told me I have the beginnings of cataracts. Another sign that I'm getting "old." I try not to let aging bother me, but sometimes it slaps me upside the head and makes me take notice. *sigh*

4) Last night's fund raising dinner was fun, and I like the silent auction items I won. I hope their "take" was large.

5) We had new landscaping put in last fall, and it is fun to watch it green up and start to grow this spring.

Am I Cool or What?

Megan says that if I post this picture at my blog, people will think I'm cool.

what.everrrr. I thought my extreme coolness was already common knowledge.

Anyway, we went to a fundraiser. We had dinner, bought items at the silent auction, listened to cool music ....

(band is Dred I Dread from Minneapolis,

check out their website at dredidread dot com)

.... and "Phillip" won this door prize: a cool mug.

Somehow I think this blog entry proves how supremely cool we all are.... We had a fun evening, and now it's time for bed.

My New Toy

Yesterday I started a new project. These are the very beginning pieces. I hope to zip through this one and get it done quickly. I'll show you the finished quilt soon, I hope!





Also yesterday I got a new toy! A friend at church gave this to me... it's a Sewmor which was made in Japan post-World War II, about the same time the Featherweights were being made. Maybe they were trying to get in on the FW market. For some reason I am thinking my model was made in 1952 (same year I was made). But I'm not sure until I can find more definitive information.

Anyway, it has this cute cabinet, and I'm dying to start sewing on it. It runs quietly and smoothly, but I just don't know how to thread the darn thing! I went online and found an owner's manual to order. Now I have to wait for that to arrive.

Does anyone know much about the Sewmors? There isn't much info I can find online. I had never heard of them until my friend mentioned it. I am so happy to have this cute little thing! And very eager to get started playing with it. I'll keep you posted on how life goes with my new toy.

Gratitudes:

1) friends who share
2) daughter visited for dinner last night

3) yesterday was a gorgeous day

4) pretty birds that visit our yard and twitter cheerfully in the trees

5) lucky to have such a nice camera

Fill in the Blanks

Saw this at Chronicles of a Country Girl. Here goes:

Fill in the blanks:

When I was young, I could

sit cross-legged on the floor, and stand straight up without using my hands on the floor.

In 1996, I was

a youngish mother of two; kids were 16 and 10. I had not yet taken up quilting.

I can make an Ohio Star block in two minutes flat. (Maybe not two minutes, but I can make one very quickly.)

My son's laugh makes me smile every time.

Today I am thankful for:

1) laughter at book club

2) books!

3) rain while the sun shines

4) my husband doing his "that's my wife" smile

5) my friends still liking me even when I'm crazy

Answers

photo question: the chandelier is in Sundin Hall

1) California
2) grapes
3) The Larry Sanders Show
4) "Hey Bulldog"

Tuesday Trivia with Ken Jennings

a chandelier at Hamline University casting

prism-created rainbows

all over the lobby in which building (hint: music hall)?

I got a library book that I thought might be a little fun: Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions in 365 Days. Jennings wrote several trivia questions for each day of the year. I thought I'd share a few that he wrote for May 5 and see if you know (or can figure out) the answers:

1) of the U.S. states that border Mexico, which shares the shortest border?
2) In 1988, Cesar Chavez conducted a 36-day fast to encourage Americans to boycott what fruit?
3) What TV show's announcer was Hank "Hey Now!" Kingsley?
4) Besides "Hey Jude," what other Beatles song title begins with the word "Hey?"

Without doing any research, I know only one of the answers (and, of course, I know the answer to my own italicized question above). How did you do? I'll give you the answers tomorrow.