Helpers are always welcome, even when you didn't know you needed one.

 

 I just have final borders to stitch onto the Turnstile top.  I spread it out on the floor  to double check that all the blocks are oriented correctly  . . . . just in case.  Then I went to make the bed.  When I got back I found Larkin holding the top down.  What if a rogue breeze blew through and carried the top away? 

UPDATE

 

 Look what we came in the mail from our cable company. *rotflmao* 

Do you ever have one of those *ah ha* moments?  Last month when I was writing checks to pay bills, I noticed that our cable bill went up - for the second consecutive month.  What's up with that?  There are seemingly ceaseless commercials about what good deals they have for all sorts of plans.  Just give 'em a call to set it up and they will even give you a $200 Visa gift card!  So I called to see what I could do for my own pocketbook.
An hour and a half later, after speaking to multiple representatives in multiple departments, I came to learn that we did not qualify for any of the aforementioned offers for two reasons:  One - we are already customers, therefore cannot receive the Visa gift card.  Two - we cannot sign up for a better plan because we are currently in a 'Price Rate Lock' situation.  For those of you wishing for clarity, this means that the cable company is free to raise our rate on a frequent and regular basis; however, we cannot change to a plan that would benefit us or our budget.
Apparently we 'signed' a two year contract when we set up our account, though there is no physical evidence of this signing.  Are you as frustrated as I was?  The good news is that TODAY marks two years from when we moved into this home.  And cable bills are paid a month in advance.  So last weekend, Hubby disconnected the HD boxes, the dvr and gathered up the remote controls and headed to our local cable office.  As much as I wanted (and I REALLY WANTED) to just leave the company entirely, we do still receive our high speed Internet service from them as well as 'basic cable' which is the networks and about a half dozen other channels.
So far the hardest adjustment has been finding out what time it is.  I am so used to just looking at the digital readout on the cable boxes.  Now instead of just mindlessly turning on the TV, we have been taking an extra, after dinner walk, we listen to the radio, and I'm getting a nice mix of music on Pandora Radio.

We picked up some comfy outdoor seating to enjoy the evenings al fresco.

I've unearthed the hexagon stars.  They are easily transported in and outdoors for hand quilting and not so hot or bulky as to be bothersome to work on as summer approaches.  Seems like one way or another I am bound to finally get this quilt finished.  At least I hope so!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mom and Me and the Best Apricot Tree - EVER!

Today on the design floor -

The layout for the latest installment of the Fat Quarter Project.  Some how in my travels, I have managed to misplace/lose four blocks.  *sigh*  Time to make some replacements and get the top stitched together.

Key to my stash

*steps on soapbox*  *clears throat*  

Seems like this wouldn't be TOO hard to figure out (the faces have been blurred - to protect the guilty) (license plates have been blurred to protect the innocent)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This photo essay covers a walkway of just about a half mile.  When I first saw the Squirrel Feeding Scofflaws, both were happily tossing peanuts in shells to a half dozen or more squirrels and a crow. Who knows how many more of their squirrel brethren were lurking on the cliffs waiting for a chance to run in and have a little snacky.  I ruined their fun by allowing Larkin's leash to go slack and chase all the squirrels back to the bluff while making sure the feeding offenders took note of the 'stink-eye' I was sending their way, then crunched my way across the sidewalk that was littered with peanut shells.

At my turn around point, I began taking pictures of each DO NOT FEED THE SQUIRRELS signs leading up to and beyond the offenders to the parking lot - demonstrating the impossibility for them to NOT know what they were doing is wrong.  By the time I returned, the man had stopped feeding and was just sunning himself.  The lady was still gleefully tossing nuts *argh*

The ground squirrels here are not the cute, fluffy, tree hopping, nut storing variety that are found in other parts of the country.  These are mange-addled, flea-ridden carriers of rabies and who knows what other diseases.  I want to yell at the feeders - "GET A LIFE! If you want to help animals, volunteer at a shelter.  Go to a hospital and hold drug addicted babies.  Visit the elderly.  Join Meals-on-Wheels.  Find a way to attract squirrels to your backyard for feeding.  Certainly there must be something else in this world that you would find fulfilling or amusing that is not destructive nor against the law."

*several deep cleansing breaths* *stepping off soap box now*